June melt down!!!

June hasn't been all that exciting, the weather is all right, there are people all right but no bye-ing power. Not only for my waffles but the same thing for the art venders.

Everybody is saving up for the summer! Lets hope. That's why I didn't have much to add on this blog. Most exciting of it all is the power of nature at the Inner Harbour right down town I saw a male Sea Lion, river Otters every day, Seals(zeehonden), Coopers Hawk, Duck with babies, Bald Eagle(Zeearend)....and last but not least, Belgians and Dutch people all most every day.

Fingers crossed!

www.wafflestogo.ca

A one page website is up and running so that waffle fans can find us on the map.

Visit of the Giants!

This is the start shot for the new season, cruise ships visiting Victoria.

Yesterday these two floating palaces docked, bringing with them 6000 tourists and 2000 crew(werkvolk). I am not sure if they were sold out or not.

We could not take advantage of it because of the lousy weather, it rained the whole day!

So we decided to go look at them because I have never seen anything that big in my life.

Throughout this season they expect 230 of these fun-boats, which is a record number.

We don't have to worry, it'll get busy soon enough.

Arno is pushing them off, they are heavy....

First article

Woodworker turns to waffles

 

 

BY DARRON KLOSTER, TIMES COLONISTAPRIL 10, 2009

 

 

Renaat Marchand has turned to his Belgian roots to find an upside to the economic downturn.

The artisan carver and woodworker, who immigrated with his family to Sooke nine years ago, started selling authentic Belgian waffles on the Inner Harbour causeway this spring.

And early indications are that Waffles To Go is popular as tourists, government and office workers and locals gobble the thick, golden slabs off the portable grill, located just down the stairs from the wax museum. 

Marchand says he's the first to provide Belgian liege waffles in the city. The variety is made from dough and is more of an "all-day waffle" than the Belgian breakfast variety we're used to eating, which is made from batter.

The 47-year-old father of two returned to Belgium in December to gather traditional recipes and form a business plan after seeing a downturn in demand for his woodworking skills.

 He does not provide maple syrup or whipped cream because "the waffle is good as it is, and people see that when they try them," said Marchand.

In Belgium, he said, liege-waffle stands are plentiful, with every town and city having several kiosks and windows selling them.

Marchand, whose wife Krista, daughter Dana, 17, and son Arno, 20, will assist him as the season gets busier, was a longtime woodworking teacher in Belgium before immigrating to the Kootenays in 2000. The family moved to Sooke, where Marchand started a carving and woodworking business.

He's currently operating the stand on fair-weather days, but will start full-time in the weeks ahead.

They did find a way to slow us down!

Dough inconsistency, too small, didn't rise enough, different texture but still sellable. Until today when I decided to close after only 1 hour in business. To me this was not the traditional Liege Waffle and not what I wanted to serve. Back to the factory with it where they will make me a new batch for tomorrow. It is a loss but also a lesson.

April has been great so far, this is a so called quit month for the Inner Harbour. I like it like this already, it can only go up from here on.

We were also mentioned in the newspaper last week which brought us a lot of locals to try out this new product. Good free advertising!

I am trying to upload it here but don't know how, yet. never too old to learn...help.

crazy weekend

For the first time I needed help. Dana first on Saturday and Krista on Sunday. They both did a great job in serving them out. Now we also have a roof above our heads!

They love them!!!!!

Sunny weekend with first Dana and Sunday Krista to help me.

Record sales and a promising summer ahead.

It's fun to deal with so many different people from all over the world.

One thing is for sure now and that's that they love our product and presentation.

This feels good.

Lets keep on baking!!!!

Still cold but sales are picking up!

Last weekend was good, very good even, too much for just one man but those people are so nice and patient. I still talk too much which I shouldn't and probably wont be able to pretty soon.

These people deserve an explanation though, about how I got here or even about the main actor, the waffle. It's my excitement and joy after the build up of this adventure.  This will become a two mans band very soon. With the rise of the thermometer more people will come and more waffles will go.

"Be a tourist in your own town!" Last Sunday.

The last day of the "Be a tourist in your own town" was our start. It didn't go smooth, no not yet.

I arrived there at 11 am, not to many people yet but enough to start selling. But! Do you remember the trailer boys, the once who made my trailer with useless front-support wheel that always snapped off. Well I didn't trust it to take it all the way around the Wax museum building. I did check it out, hesitant but tempting to go out there and start my baking history.

I decided not to do it. Wait. I called Paul a good friend with some healthy technical knowledge.

He showed up after 45 minutes but did not see a solution right away. The trailer connected to the car and I left, not home but cruising around to find what I thought at that time to be impossible to find. A "trailer dolly", last night I saw one on line in Vancouver but didn't order it. So I drove to Sidney( 30 mins) where they have boat shops end trailers but no dollies. Tried a couple other places, all closed on Sunday. Almost back in town I noticed a parking lot full with different kind of trailers, "U-Haul", they must have dollies. I was in there for about 15 minutes without finding what I was looking for and back outside the owner saw the light!!! "I do have one, in a box", yes.

I bolted it together, paid and left to the Inner Harbour, the sun was still out and so were the people. What was I happy with my new trailer dolly, so easy, you only need some horsepower to pull it, one man power it was. It was 3 pm in the mean time, people walked up to my trailer to check it out. I still had to set it all up, heat it up and there were people asking to have one.

Paul and Tracy were my first official customers. People kept coming and there I was, a tourist baking waffles in my own town.

A little over 80 waffles in 3 hours time!!! Moments of stress by seeing more then 3 people in line, dropping things and smiling. Yes I was excited, they love the product there is no doubt about it. That was very good as a start.

Monday: rain and snow, I stayed at home.

Tuesday and wednesday cold but some sales and Friday was an other good day.

This weekend is cold and wet. We stayed at home.

Changing plans, for the better!!! Inner Harbour

Ok, I had a week off but wasn't counting my chickens! More and more we are getting closer to where we want to be. I took a day out this week to visit Victoria, to hunt for a great spot for about two months until the markets start. Eyeing for parking lots or other spots along busy shopping streets didn't get me anywhere. A beautiful walk at Ogden Point, a pier that brings you to a lighthouse looking over the ocean, was the only positive experience on a sunny day till than. Soaking up some vitamin D, I told my self to go back to the Inner Harbour for a second look around. There I noticed a restaurant located in a shipping container, by the water and from which I had heard was a very successful business. At that time it was not as busy as shown in the picture so I took the plunge and went to go talk to the manager. He gave me all the help I could only dream of at that time. I owe him loads of waffles now, with all my hart!

In the second picture you can see the result from this conversation. That's where I will be, day in and out for the next while, selling those delicious waffles to all the visitors and tourists who pick this beautiful Inner Harbour as there destination for entertainment and joy.

This is super for us, now we don't have to go to markets or events we can be here all summer long, only if we do a good job of course. If I only had a second trailer...I know, don't run yet!

We will be right beside the handicap-ramp in the corner, people can see and smell us from far away. I am not religious  at all but I do belief in puzzle pieces falling in the right place to depict this amazing story. Next week we will have a colour full canopy(roof) in warm orange, we are also looking in to 'breeding' with the Belgian and the Canadian flag, a strong cross. I am proud to be Belgian but also happy to be here to introduce our delicacies to the Canadian people who do like fine food and dining. I will start tomorrow, it's still early in the season but on sunny days everybody wants to be out there. It's hailing Pearl sugar now!!!! Really! Sun tomorrow:)

It's better to start slow and grow in to it over time.

I am satisfied with this! Thanks  

Our first event, Canadian Curling for Women!

No, the weather couldn't stop me, or maybe it did, once. On Wednesday I prepared for a new day of baking after taking two days off. The trailer covered in ice, not pearl sugar, I took off towards Victoria. Wet snow and wind were keeping me company on the road, when I got there I didn't even stop and turned around back home. Cold and miserable weather, no way.

Thursday looked better, still poor sales because there is nobody to sell them to. Friday a little better and Saturday was very good. Krista was helping today. Could that have been the reason?

We sold out that day and had to go home. On Sunday, the day of the final game, I prepared and brought more dough hoping it would be as good as yesterday. My first client asked if she could have a Hot Dog. "I am selling waffles!" I offered her a sample and she bought a waffle. Education is the key here, this waffle is not a breakfast waffle and can be eaten any time of day even at night. Some people told us that this was the best waffle they ever had. Oh my gods all over. "They sure smell good!" A 1000 times, they are good.

And that's what we needed to know if Canadians would buy them or not. They did and were very positive and encouraging. In the photo you see the Saskatchewan(Canadian province) women's team posing in front of our waffle wagon.

Today I visited a welder to make the 'roof'(canopy) over my trailer out of aluminum pipe and orange fabric. Last night I was borrowing a tent which almost went flying. I was about to tie it down when it took off, my ex-goalie reflexes could just catch a leg before it almost crashed in to a couple of parked cars. I almost needed my liability insurance!

This week I will do some research for a spot down town until the markets start in May.

I am really pleased with the advertising!

Ok, something went all right. Nice job done by "Thenumber" who were doing the advertising. They designed the logo according to my request. The waffles had to be shown in a picture because a drawing or sketch can't do justice to the real thing. They have to see it and taste it, than they'll buy one! 

We also have a Sandwich panel with the same images on.

The curling event has been very slow, they are also complaining about the absence of supporters. They are expecting 100.000 people throughout this very popular icy game.

The weather isn't helping neater, cold and rainy. It's only February you know!

All the games have been broadcasted on TV, much easier for the couch-potatoes(zetel-patatten).

I am leaving now for my third day, I skipped Monday and Tuesday. Dana end Chris have been very helpful and supportive! Thank You guys!

Inching closer to start!

Very busy and stressful to get everything ready for the weekend because you know what???

In a couple of minutes I have to leave to Victoria to have the advertising applied to the trailer.

Exciting!!! Once I am baking on the spot I will be relaxed. It's like preparing for an important football game. Days on end you're nervous and stressed until the whistle(fluitje) goes!

Lets hope we can only win from here!

The Waffle trailer came home

This could be the one, inspiring !

An other step closer to baking waffles!

What a relief, the trailer came finally home. This week I drove a little over 2 hours to go get it, always a beautiful trip, rain or shine. They had sent me pictures before, where they were working on it but now I could see my creation in the flesh, still naked, bare aluminum.

When I got there, they told me to go take a look at it to give it a final inspection. They did a great job, but when I opened one of the doors, I noticed that there was no wiring going to the tale lights !

Remote, wireless ??? They forgot to do this ... swear (F***) here blame (S***) there and I was there for 3 more hours until this hick-up was fixed. 

 I felt so proud hauling it home.

Yesterday I visited an RV place to arrange the propane and water hook-ups, sent the design guys, responsible for the name, logo and branding stuff, 180 degrees in a different direction. What they came up with last week was too serious and not 'me'. I am looking for an active, playful and warm appearance. With photo realism, images of the real thing, so people can start drooling from miles away. We'll provide napkins though !

It's now official !!! The name will be: "Waffles To Go"

See below,

Lower

Brainstorming session.

The faster these guys think and work the quicker we will have our mobile bakery!

Trip to Belgium To study waffles Dec, 2008

Who will say NO to this treat (tractatie)?

These ladies showed me the way! I couldn't have done it without them, Thank You Very Much!

Things are moving along good. The trailer will be ready in about two weeks.  We are very excited about it and I feel that it will take off very soon. Our first event might be the World Championship Curling here in Victoria. 8 Days, that will be the real test. But before we can do that we need to have the trailer fully operational so that we can apply for our license.
Once we have that in hand we can start applying for some vending spots.

Waffle iron arrived!

Hi everybody! Interested in delicious waffles!

We are in the process of starting up. Our goal is to be ready mid February.

We will give updates on where and when you can find us.
Work area is Victoria on Vancouver Island.