Big Sky Farmers' Market
It's been a little while since I last told you people about the progress of the bakery here in Belgrade/Bozeman/Big Sky, MT. In fact, in my last blog entry I was writing about the soon-to-start Big Sky Farmers' Market.
Last night was market #7 up in Big Sky, and this past Saturday was the #9 Bozeman market at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in downtown Bozeman.
Both of them have gone well, with the Saturday market being more of a breakfast focus and the Wednesday market primarily being dinner/appetizer based.
I've developed a very loyal customer base in both places, and I decided to ask a couple of the customers to come inside the trailer while I was busily working to take some photos for my bakery Facebook page and this TFL blog entry. Paul and Kim Cameron of Bugaboo Cafe in Big Sky graciously obliged, and snapped bunches of pictures, some of which are below:
There I am pulling some scorching hot baguettes off their pans for customers waiting by the windows. Last night I sold more baguettes than I had ever sold in one market, despite the rain and lightning that slowed the last half of the market.
When I got home and checked out the photos Paul had taken, I saw this one and thought 'Now that's a cool one!'
The market has just started and the baguettes are flying out the window!
You can see the customer standing on a platform I had built that raises them up to the same level that I am standing at.
Don't forget the pastries...
Proof that Sinclair's Bakery is at the end of the rainbow!
I've got some more photos on the bakery Facebook page over here...and just so you know that I'm also taking the time to enjoy the people and scenery of the area, I've included a couple of photos below.
Enjoy.
-Mark
I'm the one with the cowboy hat :) This past Saturday after a busy market and a quick nap, some of my homies and I performed a few songs on ukulele for a local show. It was a lot of fun! Here's an article the local paper did about the ukulele group about a month ago!
And...last but definitely not least, here I am doing some flying just outside of Bozeman on a training hill. I'm in the process of getting my paragliding certification, and my next flight will be a BIG one from one of the mountains just outside of town. :)
Comments
baguettes are flying out of the trailer, it's good to be doing some flying of your own:-) Glad all is well and you have some free time to enjoy Montana,
Happy baking
Yes, it's good to get back in the air again.
-Mark
I smile when I see you busy in the bakery, I laugh when I see the ukes & you having to much fun & I shake my head when i see you dangling under that parachute.
I question your sanity but not your baking & music skills !
Charlie
...about my sanity. I'm pretty sure you were shaking your head at me long before you saw the photo of me paragliding. :)
-Mark
Hi Mark,
I am impressed by how quickly you have created a 'new' life for yourself. So full and, to my way of thinking, balanced with work, friends and fun. I am just surprised you have time for it all knowing how arduous your baking schedule must be to keep up with business. I am so glad to read that your business is thriving as well…..though I knew it only could go in that direction :)
I am also impressed by your setting down roots up in Montana….knowing how unpredictable/not tame the climate is up there. I know from neighbors who are from N. Dakota that the 'natives' love that land despite the weather….just something about the land itself. Maybe the wide open spaces???
Anyway, thanks for keeping us posted here on what's happening in your neck of the woods. Timing is interesting in that just a few minutes ago I got a complement on one of my breads from a friend for which I used your potato roll formula….with some adjustments for sd rather than IY and a loaf rather than rolls :) She loved it!
Take Care,
Janet
I really like the Montana climate and weather in general. One great thing about the mountain weather is that even the hot summer days have nights that are pretty cool. Yes, and the wide open spaces and clean air sure are nice.
The last few weeks were a little bit of a 'threading the needle' circus as I prepped and baked during the busiest part of the season, started paragliding lessons, and practiced for the uke show. However, it was all a lot of fun and I still made time for the morning and evening walks with my dog :)
That's cool about the potato bread that you made for your friend. I really like how it works for loaves too, and in some ways it's more versatile that way. Glad she loved it!
Take Care,
-Mark
Geography lesson. I should have looked prior to my first reply…I was thinking you were located more on the plains like where Billings sits. I just looked and see that I was wrong in my assumption…so now I get it since your weather is really quite similar to ours due to the mountains. We get hot afternoons here but the evenings cool down - or they used to but for the past few years the evenings remain hot…..dry though so it is bearable and we do have a basement where I can retreat when it is simply too hot - when it hits the mid-90°….
I was thinking you got really cold winters but I see I was wrong on that count too. The temps. look just like ours. Do you get a lot of sun year round too? Sounds like Bozeman is a lot like Colorado but less populated….If I was only a few decades younger……
Thanks for getting me to check out a map and do some geography work :)
Janet
P.S. Your Portuguese Sweet Bread is a favorite around here too….Modified for WY too….I just can't help myself :- )
I know parts of populated Colorado are much higher in altitude and have greater extremes than we do here. Overall though, I think it's pretty similar in both summer and winter temperatures. The elevation is about 4500' and it's dry and sunny here, so the snow is very light, for the most part, and the summers get quite dry. Weather systems move in and out quickly and although we're not really considered the plains, it is still considered 'Big Sky Country'.
Glad to hear about the PSB
-Mark
We talk about you all the time !! I wish I had fewer years on these bones and I might give your trailer idea a go for a mobile bakery ....you work so hard. I am impressed by the depth and breadth of what you do. Amazing man !! Your customers are so lucky. Congratulations !
The trailer idea is working well and customers REALLY see and appreciate the effort and skill that goes into the products that they're getting. Everyone knows that bakers work hard, but it's great for them to be able to see it in an up close and personal way.
Thanks for the congrats and I hope all is well with you and your family!
-Mark
Yes I posted pics of my farmer's market baking. Not near what you are doing but I have gotten repeat customers too and it is about all I can handle with the home oven constraints. I am so glad that you are doing well. We are all hanging in there. c
Are those 6 part pans that come all in one piece ? Do you shape your baguettes and then transfer them to the pans to bake or rise them in the pans ? Just thinking of ways to make more of them at once and ease of shaping /transfer etc. Thanks you ...hope your Saturday market goes great !! c
They're 5 part pans and yes they come in 1 piece. I scale and preshape them, place them in a covered canvas, then after they've rested they are final shaped and once again placed in a floured canvas. They do their final proof in that canvas, then they are flipped out onto the pans, scored and they go in the ovens. If they were to do any proofing in the pans (because of the high hydration), they would stick.
Thanks for the well wishes, time to get back to work :)
-Mark
Sounds great...I figured that is what you were doing. Have a great weekend ! Lots of baguettes out the window ! c
Hi Mark - hope you got to take Labor Day off and do something fun.
Really wonderful to see your happy and successful new beginning!
You're certainly the reality of the adage bloom where you are planted.
Lindy
For a baker, I'm pretty sure sleeping in and having a lazy morning counts as something fun...then I laminated a big batch of puff pastry dough :)
I hope all is well with you too.
-Mark
I'm happy for you, Mark! You've overcome emotional and financial hurdles, and earned your success. You are a shining example how a determined a baker should be.
Happy baking and paragliding!
-Khalid
Thanks, and I will do my best to keep you and the rest of the bakers here updated on the activities here in Bozeman!
-Mark
Mark...WHOAAAA, I just came to TFL and looked you up. Last time I heard you were just getting the trailer! I didn't think it was THAT kind of trailer?!! But then...is that REALLY a trailer?! Ah, I don't think so!! To me, it's more like...heaven on wheels?!! Yeah, a trailer,...a trailer?! No...that ain't a trailer!
AND I can't believe, well, I can believe what you're coming out with. Man, your stuff is just...awesome!! Huh,...is it hard to be soooo awesome?! Seriously?! Well, gives all of us something to look at and be amazed!!
I just, I can't believe it! It is soooo cool! I love the art work, super tight! Very, very classy!
Well, best of success to you! I know all those people will love you!
Amazing, just amazing!! Thanks for all the pics, so cool to see inside!!! :) Thanks to for keeping us updated! Love to see what you're up to! :) And, can't you make more videos for us?!! I love to watch your shaping videos!! :) Okay, okay, I'm going now. Going to cry...that I don't have a super sweet and awesome trailer like that! Haaaaaaa!!!!
Faith
Yeah, when I tell people that I have my baking equipment in a concession trailer I think they picture a little hot dog cart or a tacky little truck that I sell burritos out of.
Well, just so you don't miss the latest train, I made a video the other day on brioche (filmed of course in the trailer).
Hope things are going well with you and happy baking.
-Mark