Get out a dodge!

[Berzerker]

who said

"thats my pie"?

[Dinner]

So there are lots of these little food shops on trailers? That seems cool, kind of like NYC's push carts or the push carts you find all over Mexico, but which got run out of business by health codes in the rest of the US. I understand most western American cities (basically from Texas west) used to have night markets or little stands where people would buy cheap home made food (or at least cheaper then formal sit down restaurants) but that in the teens and twenties restaurant owners lobbied to have them put out of business for fabricated health reasons. Personally, I'd love to see more of the push carts/trailers/even road side stands in the US as I think it is a great way for new people to get started in the food business. That way they can build a following, offer people something new and different, and maybe just start a small business of their own. Who knows some of them might graduate up to formal restaurants and end up employing a fair number of people. The health concerns can be addressed as NYc has shown plus it saves a lot of money and gives people options for good but cheap eats.

[Dinner]

Do you have any pictures of cream pies?

Oh, man. Today must be double entendre day.

[Dinner]

Pies, white chocolate coconut pecan, fudge brownie, bumbleberry, buttermilk. pictures of me the trailer and my grandaughter. So quit your gripping

Two questions: Is that a picture of your mom or grandma in the back of the trailer window and did you make the trailer yourself or did you have to buy it some where?

[Berzerker]

So there are lots of these little food shops on trailers? That seems cool, kind of like NYC's push carts or the push carts you find all over Mexico, but which got run out of business by health codes in the rest of the US. I understand most western American cities (basically from Texas west) used to have night markets or little stands where people would buy cheap home made food (or at least cheaper then formal sit down restaurants) but that in the teens and twenties restaurant owners lobbied to have them put out of business for fabricated health reasons. Personally, I'd love to see more of the push carts/trailers/even road side stands in the US as I think it is a great way for new people to get started in the food business. That way they can build a following, offer people something new and different, and maybe just start a small business of their own. Who knows some of them might graduate up to formal restaurants and end up employing a fair number of people. The health concerns can be addressed as NYc has shown plus it saves a lot of money and gives people options for good but cheap eats.

the FDA must protect us from snake oil salesman and food vendors with unsanitary conditions

[-Jrabbit]

BTW, Tia -- PLEASE remember to ask the photographers/magazines to provide you with hi-resolution print-quality images for your use. You may get them; you may not. But a chance for high quality food pix from a pro is a rare opportunity.

[DanS]

There are plenty of food carts here in DC. They seem to do pretty well.

Tia: Are you doing reasonably good business? Does it pay the bills without a stretch?

[SlowwHand]

BTW, Tia -- PLEASE remember to ask the photographers/magazines to provide you with hi-resolution print-quality images for your use. You may get them; you may not. But a chance for high quality food pix from a pro is a rare opportunity.

Excellent point, and I would think your chances of getting copies to be better than average by far.

[Tiamat]

Wow! Lot's of questions. I didn't make cream pies that day. Most days I don't because this is Texas and do you have any idea what heat does to a cream pie! Actually if you look closley at the picture you will notice that the bottom of the trailer is different then the top.

The trailer was actually a 4X8 wagon someone had built to carry their motorcycle that I bought for $300 and my husband and his employees spent 20 hours a day for four days building it. For someone wanting to break into the food business this is a good cheap way to get started. And the permits are very strict. I have a restricted permit. Which means I have to rent time in a licensed commercial kitchen, seal the food there, schlep it down to the trailer and put it in my frig which has to keep it cool to 41 degrees. I painted the trailer those colors cause I didn't have money for a sign or advertising, still don't. So I had to do something to get peoples attention.

Thanks for the tip on the photography, she's coming tomorrow and friday so I will ask.

On another note....anyone have $5000 they want to invest and get your money doubled in less then a year? Seriously? I've been to all the banks and the "special Obama agency's" that are supposed to help us in small business but they don't. I need the extra money to finish out a bigger trailer so I can actually cook down their and save myself about $700 to $1000 per month kitchen time. Can you imagine how busy I'm going to get when these articles hit!

[Tiamat]

The lady in the picture is my Mother, Betty Lou. Most everything I make is her recipe with the exception of the White Chocolate Coconut Pecan, that's mine.

As for making it. I'm treading water. The problem is becoming that I'm getting pretty popular with means yes I'm making a profit but it gets taken up by the fact that now that I"m popular I have to book more kitchen time to make more pies. Which means more money out of the pocket. I'm like a hamster on a wheel. If I had a larger trailer that I could cook out of then I could pocket that $700 in kitchen time and really start seeing a profit. Plus I could make more pies because I'm not sharing time with 5 other chefs.

And in 17 days it's back to Florida for the National Pie Championships where I intend to win more then one blue ribbon and best in Show. So things are really really popping for me. I'm just going to be in the predicament of growing faster then I can accomodate.

[Berzerker]

The trailer was actually a 4X8 wagon someone had built to carry their motorcycle that I bought for $300 and my husband and his employees spent 20 hours a day for four days building it. For someone wanting to break into the food business this is a good cheap way to get started.

I'll say, I doubt I'd need a crowbar

[ricketyclik]

Cool Poly has a celebrity!

[Tiamat]

Nope you wouldn't need a crowbar probably just a good tug on the door and you'd be in! Although there isn't much in there except my frig, a chair and my little boom box and of course the pies

I don't know about celebrity but maybe one day I'll get there.