December 8, 2010: Ovens
For a while the ovens in the department have been acting up. They are both over 20 years old and their wiring is dangerous. Stop & Shop does not want to invest in new ovens for our store even though we are one of the top selling stores in the entire company.
Usually one oven would break and the other oven would work and then it would switch. Today the ovens decided to both break simultaneously. Needless to say without an oven none of the baking can get done. We put in a call to the company responsible for fixing the ovens, but they said it would take three hours for them to get there and fix everything. It was early and we did not have the time to wait. I tried to figure out the wiring and tried to mix and match the items to see what would happen. I thought that at least help was on the way if I messed up more.
I was shocked several times by live wires, but the end result was one of the ovens working. At least with that we could start the baking. Just another day...
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Veranda Homestead
December 8, 2010: Veranda Homestead
We have many return customers to the store. Some of them are good and others you never want to see again. There is one man from Veranda Homestead, an elderly community, Michael, who often comes in for his cakes. The building was holding it's thirtieth anniversary party and Michael wanted us to carve a cake into a specific design and decorate it: the logo of the company. Michael was the head chef for the home's kitchen. He was one of our best supporters and purchased several dozen cakes with us per year.
Michael wanted the cake carved into what looked like the letter "V" with a leaf over it. Normally we don't go above and beyond the generic designs for customers except on extremely rare occasions and given that we have the time. We had the available time and Michael was a great customer.
He wanted 20 cakes made in this design. We went to work on it and it took the entirety of our shifts (Myself and my boss combined) to get the cakes shaped and decorated. It was a difficult job and the final cost was approximately $800 so it was worth it.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
We have many return customers to the store. Some of them are good and others you never want to see again. There is one man from Veranda Homestead, an elderly community, Michael, who often comes in for his cakes. The building was holding it's thirtieth anniversary party and Michael wanted us to carve a cake into a specific design and decorate it: the logo of the company. Michael was the head chef for the home's kitchen. He was one of our best supporters and purchased several dozen cakes with us per year.
Michael wanted the cake carved into what looked like the letter "V" with a leaf over it. Normally we don't go above and beyond the generic designs for customers except on extremely rare occasions and given that we have the time. We had the available time and Michael was a great customer.
He wanted 20 cakes made in this design. We went to work on it and it took the entirety of our shifts (Myself and my boss combined) to get the cakes shaped and decorated. It was a difficult job and the final cost was approximately $800 so it was worth it.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Keys
December 8, 2010: Keys
My department head was off today and I had forgotten my keys to his desk. I had to do the order using the order book, but I had no way to enter. I tried to call the security department to cut off the lock and let me into the desk, but they were nowhere to be found.
I found a simple solution. Take the scan gun and scan each item on the floor for what we were missing. It was a simple solution to a complex problem. I have to tell my boss about that when he gets back. It seems to have taken less time and will be more effective.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
My department head was off today and I had forgotten my keys to his desk. I had to do the order using the order book, but I had no way to enter. I tried to call the security department to cut off the lock and let me into the desk, but they were nowhere to be found.
I found a simple solution. Take the scan gun and scan each item on the floor for what we were missing. It was a simple solution to a complex problem. I have to tell my boss about that when he gets back. It seems to have taken less time and will be more effective.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Cold Cold Cold
December 7, 2010: Cold Cold Cold
It seems as though the store has forgotten that they have a heating unit. The air conditioning blowers are still blowing in the department and everyone is afraid of getting sick. We have mentioned it to the store manager, but to no avail. The only warm place in the entire store is the restrooms. Can we move the cakes in there so I can get some work done? Just a thought...they don't call them urinal cakes for nothing.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
It seems as though the store has forgotten that they have a heating unit. The air conditioning blowers are still blowing in the department and everyone is afraid of getting sick. We have mentioned it to the store manager, but to no avail. The only warm place in the entire store is the restrooms. Can we move the cakes in there so I can get some work done? Just a thought...they don't call them urinal cakes for nothing.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
Cakes Galore
December 7, 2010: Cakes Galore
The full time cake decorator is on vacation and it is up to the remaining people to make the specialty orders that have to be made. This is the most annoying part of the bakery. The cake orders take precise actions for them to be pulled off the right way. We do generic designs such as balloons or roses, simple designs with edible images, and the intricate cake orders with toy kits for children. We have several different sizes and two types of frosting that can be used. Our largest cake, a full sheet, feeds about 60 people and ranges in price from $38 to $44. Next in line is the half sheet: half the size of the full that feeds about 30 people for between $28 to $34. The final is the quarter sheet: quarter the size of a full and feeds 15 people for between $18 to $24.
Today we had eighteen cake orders that had to be done. Nine of them were full sheets which was going to be extremely challenging. Those take the longest amount of time. My boss and I each took half the pile. Seems a bit odd that out of eighteen cakes I wound up with all the full sheets...
Oh well. Time to get to work.
The first order is a full sheet with multicolored roses in the corners that reads "Happy Birthday Gabriela." Next is a picture cake of a veteran who was turning 85 years old. A picture is made the same way that a regular picture is printed out of a computer. There is a sugar paper that we feed through an Epson printer and it prints the image with Edible Inks. It looks impressive, but when you work in the business it really isn't. After was a Thomas the Tank Engine cake for a child named Bradley. To make this cake I had to use the spray gun: a little metal gun that we load with very hefty food coloring to spray scenery on a cake. I had to draw train tracks and a valley and then place the toys. Two more picture cakes for a set of twins. A Iron Man cake for a teenage gentleman who still has that young boy inside I guess. The rest were all simplistic flower and balloon designs.
It took a lot of time, but it was worth the effort.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The full time cake decorator is on vacation and it is up to the remaining people to make the specialty orders that have to be made. This is the most annoying part of the bakery. The cake orders take precise actions for them to be pulled off the right way. We do generic designs such as balloons or roses, simple designs with edible images, and the intricate cake orders with toy kits for children. We have several different sizes and two types of frosting that can be used. Our largest cake, a full sheet, feeds about 60 people and ranges in price from $38 to $44. Next in line is the half sheet: half the size of the full that feeds about 30 people for between $28 to $34. The final is the quarter sheet: quarter the size of a full and feeds 15 people for between $18 to $24.
Today we had eighteen cake orders that had to be done. Nine of them were full sheets which was going to be extremely challenging. Those take the longest amount of time. My boss and I each took half the pile. Seems a bit odd that out of eighteen cakes I wound up with all the full sheets...
Oh well. Time to get to work.
The first order is a full sheet with multicolored roses in the corners that reads "Happy Birthday Gabriela." Next is a picture cake of a veteran who was turning 85 years old. A picture is made the same way that a regular picture is printed out of a computer. There is a sugar paper that we feed through an Epson printer and it prints the image with Edible Inks. It looks impressive, but when you work in the business it really isn't. After was a Thomas the Tank Engine cake for a child named Bradley. To make this cake I had to use the spray gun: a little metal gun that we load with very hefty food coloring to spray scenery on a cake. I had to draw train tracks and a valley and then place the toys. Two more picture cakes for a set of twins. A Iron Man cake for a teenage gentleman who still has that young boy inside I guess. The rest were all simplistic flower and balloon designs.
It took a lot of time, but it was worth the effort.
Until Next Time...
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
The Boss is Back
December 6, 2010: The Boss is Back
The store manager has been away for a week on vacation. Needless to say when the boss is away the workers would play, but now that he has come back his usual method is to come back with a force. Even if things were exactly the way they were before he left and it was the way he had liked it he would find some fault to pick on in order to reassure his authority.
Our department was spotless. There were no physical details out of place. What would he possibly have to pick on?
He wanted us to take apart the cake case. He want us to literally unscrew the entire metal frame and get down to the fans that keep the case cool and clean them.
It took forever to take the case apart and it made it difficult to remember where pieces went. It was a difficult task and it took a long time and had no point. He is back.
The store manager has been away for a week on vacation. Needless to say when the boss is away the workers would play, but now that he has come back his usual method is to come back with a force. Even if things were exactly the way they were before he left and it was the way he had liked it he would find some fault to pick on in order to reassure his authority.
Our department was spotless. There were no physical details out of place. What would he possibly have to pick on?
He wanted us to take apart the cake case. He want us to literally unscrew the entire metal frame and get down to the fans that keep the case cool and clean them.
It took forever to take the case apart and it made it difficult to remember where pieces went. It was a difficult task and it took a long time and had no point. He is back.
New Horizons
December 6, 2010: New Horizons
I always loved this job even at the worst times. I liked the people I worked with and I loved the work itself, the time for a change has come. In about a month I am going to be leaving the bakery for a new job at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The position is nothing high ranking, but the money is more than double my current hourly wage at the store. I plan on going full time and working just a day or two at the store for extra income. College is coming to a close and it is time for a change that I will be able to support myself with. I will make this the best last month of work that I possibly can.
Side Note: I told my boss that I was planning on drastically cutting down or leaving altogether and he was devastated. It will be hard to leave my first real job, but it is a necessary change. I will keep the updates coming throughout the last month of Lil' Buddy in the bakery.
Until Next Time.
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
I always loved this job even at the worst times. I liked the people I worked with and I loved the work itself, the time for a change has come. In about a month I am going to be leaving the bakery for a new job at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The position is nothing high ranking, but the money is more than double my current hourly wage at the store. I plan on going full time and working just a day or two at the store for extra income. College is coming to a close and it is time for a change that I will be able to support myself with. I will make this the best last month of work that I possibly can.
Side Note: I told my boss that I was planning on drastically cutting down or leaving altogether and he was devastated. It will be hard to leave my first real job, but it is a necessary change. I will keep the updates coming throughout the last month of Lil' Buddy in the bakery.
Until Next Time.
Stay Sweet,
Lil' Buddy
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