Recipe

Hello Dear Readers, I’m so glad to be back in the land of the living once more. I’m delighted to tell you that Miss Daisy the Vintage Caravan had her first outing over the weekend which was a huge success with only a few hiccups. Most people would start a new venture off slowly and gradually build up to a large event, not me though I threw my self and all my helpers in head first, It was a huge two day Rock-a-Billy event, GreazeFest Kustom Culture at Sandown Race course in Melbourne. It was the first time it had been held in Melbourne so no one really new how big it would be. Well it was huge, not that I got to see anything other than the four walls of the Caravan.

I had a thousand and one lists for about two weeks prior, which consisted of all sorts of thing, coffee cups, lids, a cash register, petite cash, coffee beans, sugar, stirrers, getting all electrical tagged and tested, spoons, hot chocolate mix the list goes on and on, but you get the idea. It was a busy time trying to organize it all, my friend summed it up nicely its like packing for a huge trip, you always think you are going to forget something. I had to bake the cakes the day before and then ice them the morning of, I was so nervous about how it would go, or if I would forget anything, I had about 3 hours sleep the night before even though I was so tired I couldn’t sleep due to shear nervous. My friend, Betty from Betty’s Kustom Cakes had offered to give me a helping hand on the Saturday, I was so grateful as not only was it another person she is a pro at making coffees. The thought that she was coming along took away so much of the stress.

My Mum and Dad had arrived a few days earlier to also help me out with all the running around, just in case I ran out of anything such a milk, between you and me it happened a few times, luckily Dad was there to go down to the supermarket and get some more. Mum was outside the caravan most of the day answering peoples questions about my Baking Book which was on display and also about Hiring the Caravan, She sat out there for two days even though she had lost her voice. My sister came on the Sunday to give me a hand and help with the till.

The Saturday morning, Betty meet us at the caravan and we set off, we were meant to lead the way in Betty’s car and Mum and Dad were to follow towing the Caravan. I had given my Mum my phone with the navigation lady talking to get them there just encase they lost us. Well they set off with the nav lady talking and didn’t wait for us. So I rang them on Bettys phone which was very low on battery to ask where they were and they said they were going to follow the navigation and we would all meet at the Racecourse. About 40 mins into the drive I get a phone call from Mum saying the Navigation Lady stopped talking to them and they didn’t know where to go, so I told them to pull over and we would figure out where they were. Just then Bettys phone dies. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, this was shaping up to be a great day already, a lost Mum, Dad and a Caravan, which needed to be at the Race course right then. But Betty to the rescue she pulled over, and ran into the 7 eleven and asked to use a power point so we could charge her phone. We got her phone working again and were able to direct Ma and Pa to where we were. Yay, first hiccup of the day diverted.

We got to the race course and most of the food vendors had started to set up and some where already finished. So we all quickly started to set Miss Daisy up, there was no power as someone had taken it away the night before so the organizers had to hunt down an electrician so we could pug in and power up the coffee machine.

As we waited for power, Betty made up the awesome sign that hung on the front of the caravan, doesn’t it look great! Betty is such a talent, you should check out her awesome cakes, one of which she brought to sell in Miss Daisy, it fitted in so well, being pink with fresh cherry’s on top, it completely sold out. Dad filled Miss Daisy’s water tanks and Mum set up the table outside with the sugars, napkins and My Baking Book ‘A Piece of Cake’.

We hadn’t finished setting up and the coffee machine hadn’t warmed up enough before people start asking if we were serving yet, and from that point on they just kept coming, and didn’t stop. About 1 hour into it the coffee grinder stops grinding and I have a small freak out and think oh know what an earth am I going to do. We will have to pack up and go home if we haven’t got a grinder to grind the coffee. I yell out to Dad to please HELP!!!! and whip the grinder out of the caravan. I pour the coffee beans out from the grinder into my hand and out pops a bolt, Dad has a play around with it and puts the bolt back into it, and tar dar, she is up and running again. BUT…….. 30 mins later the grinder dies again, so again I call Dad over, and we pour the coffee beans out and sure enough the bolt comes out again, however this time the washer was well and truly jammed between the two blades. This time Dad has to try and wedge it out with a screwdriver we brought, and manages to do so, this time Mum and Dad try to tighten the bolt with the wrentch we brough however its to big. So Mum goes to see the Bikers and asked them if they have any pliers, which they do, so Dad tightens it up and it was good for the rest of the festival. Thank God for Mums and Dads who can fix anything!!!! Hiccup number two diverted.

We were so rushed off our feet, I kept telling Betty how much I loved her, and how glad I was she had come along. Dad jumped on the till and Betty and I were making coffees for most of the day. Betty said I can’t leave you so she stayed the whole day and then took the next day off work to come back and help me all over again. How lucky am I to have such an awesome family and friend to help me out in my 20 hours of need. One Lucky Girl.

The second day ran so much smoother and there were no problems, my sister came and gave me a hand as well so we had an extra helper. Even though it was a super busy and crazy weekend, and I didn’t really get to leave the caravan, I had so much fun and am so glad I have spent the past year doing Miss Daisy up. It wasn’t really until I stood back and looked at Miss Daisy with the signs up, her cakes on display, people lined up and my everyone working within her, did I feel a sense of wow I actually did it, I got her up and running and people are actually buying things from her. Now we just have to find some more events for her to go to. So if you know of any events happening in Melbourne please let us know.