Page 36 of Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

Chapter 15

THIRTY-NINE PUDDINGS AND A PANTRY

Though they were making some headway with the puddings for sale at the Kirkton Deli, there was something nagging Rachel. It was two weeks after they’d started the business and they had sold a grand total of thirty-nine puddings – which was brilliant – with a further order to supply more on a weekly basis. The support from Brenda had been wonderful and the feedback from her customers so positive – even Tom had popped into the farmhouse to say congratulations, and tell them that he’d already tried out both flavours and was smitten.

However, this evening, Rachel was sitting before her laptop looking at the farm’s monthly accounts for April. The income so far from the pudding business after costs was less than fifty pounds for the two weeks, and though it might yet improve, with the Deli naturally taking their own cut was it ever going to be enough to make a real difference? And on the farm side of things, the bills kept going up and profits coming down. No wonder her dad had felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

She and Jill kept a tight rein on their finances as it was. They hadn’t treated themselves to anything new clothes-wise for a couple of years, not that it really mattered. The sheep and cattle weren’t bothered what they turned up in, and most of Rachel’s clothes ended up in a permanent state of grubbiness. It wasn’t as though she went out anywhere dressy.

So, Rachel mulled, the business had started fine in theory, but they needed to up the ante with production and also find a new outlet. Being so rural, the next town where they might get some trade would be Alnwick, and that was twenty miles away. After taking out the extra costs involved with delivering the goods – and Rachel hadn’t even factored in an hourly rate for Jill – in reality it would hardly be worth it. Rachel sighed; she’d had such hopes for this enterprise, but had she been unrealistic?

They would continue to supply the Kirkton Deli, of course, but there had to be some other way too. If only they could somehow get the customers to them … But how?

Rachel made herself another cup of coffee, the caffeine-boost probably not ideal at this time of night, but she needed to stay awake a while longer to try to fathom things out. She knew she’d need to speak with her mum about it all too. She suddenly felt guilty for getting her into all this pudding malarkey, getting her hopes up, yet not having worked everything out enough herself first. The slim profits they’d make would hardly dig them out of the farm’s financial pit.

Rachel let out a frustrated groan.

It was twenty past four in the morning, with the grey light of dawn creeping in at her bedroom window, when Rachel drowsily came to with the seed of a thought forming in her mind. They didn’t need to be trailing around Northumberland using up fuel and time chasing business, what they needed was something here on the farm.

Puddings, the farm … what were they good at? Making people feel cosy and welcome, that was for sure. Just a few years before, they’d had friends and neighbours gathered here for summer barbecues, there’d be coffee mornings in the farmhouse kitchen for charity, Christmases with family and friends all welcome, even the postman would be calling in for a mince pie and a chat. The kettle was always on, and any caller would know there’d be something delicious ready to come out of the Aga. Mum really was a brilliant baker. The puddings were definitely the way forward … but how?

Maisy’s party in the barn had gone down well, and whilst Rachel didn’t fancy having a tribe of kids turning up daily, the barn itself would soon tidy up. There were already electrics and water to the building, and it had gorgeous old stone walls and was brimming with countryside character – as well, admittedly, with cobwebs, dust and strands of hay. But, with a bit of work, some TLC and hopefully a rural grant to help fund it, it might even make a nice café, or tearooms, or … a Pudding Pantry. She woke right up at that lightbulb moment of a thought and sat up in bed.

Yes, they could serve tea and coffee … cake … and puddings galore … here on the farm. They could sell their range of puddings to take away too, as well as keeping their lovely supporter the Kirkton Deli supplied. Jill would be the main cook naturally, and Rachel would help with some of the cooking and serving at the tearooms around her farm work and maybe if it started to get busy – it was worth dreaming big – they could in time employ a waitress to help out.

That was it. That was bloody well it! Rachel felt a rush of emotion.

Welcome to the Pudding Pantry at Primrose Farm!