I have never had farm animals, but I still dream of looking out my mottled glass window and watching my four-legged friends munch on the grass while saying hello to the new day. So it seems apropos that the Teal Rabbit pastry trailer is a restored horse trailer. I love the idea of finding old treasures and giving them a second life, especially when the second is so different than the first. I imagine that all the wisdom and memories from the ranchers and horses of the past are trapped inside the steel shell, waiting to be shared with those who step inside.
It has been 2 years since I originally purchased the trailer, and I am beyond delighted that in less than a week it will be full of life again. But instead of horses, it will be stocked with scones, muffins, cookies, and granola, all made from scratch, by hand, right here in my little corner of Roseville.
The heart of Teal Rabbit Bakery is selling just-made pastries and baked goods and delivering them to the doorsteps of people throughout the community. While this will continue to be a mainstay of who we are, we also wanted to create something that would bring the community together. We wanted a place for people to gather, exchange a smile, and share a story while enjoying a sweet treat - reminiscent of old-school neighborhood vibes when borrowing sugar and picking up the neighbor’s newspaper was just part of everyday living. And so the pastry trailer dream was born.
When I first started looking around for trailers, I explored all my options. Brand new ones that could be purchased ready-to-go, small food trailers that others were looking to pass on, and trailers that never envisioned they could be anything other than a method of moving a horse from one location to another. All had their perks, but restoring a trailer seemed to be the perfect fit for the nostalgic, vintage feel of Teal Rabbit Bakery.
Over the years I have had various people remark how they love that I am not afraid to dive in and reinvent myself. I am just as nervous and afraid of the unknown as the next. I do not have all the answers or know what I am doing. And despite what it may seem, I do worry about what others think. But, thanks to my dad, I am filled with determination and focus, and am drawn to hard work like a moth to a flame. Sometimes my dad and I joke that we just can’t help ourselves. This is usually in response to taking on tasks that inevitably end with an icepack or two. It is just who we are.
My dad has a skillset that is envied by most. I am not sure he has ever been confronted with a task he has been unable to tackle; as exaggerated as this may sound it is true. Over the years he has done masonry work, woodworking, home remodels, classic car restoration, landscaping, etc., at levels that would have customers leaving rave reviews and lining up to book his services if they were available to others. So it fills me with joy that he not only restored my trailer for me but also taught me and let me partake in the process every step of the way.
I often talk about the influence that my mom has had on me in the kitchen but so much of who I am comes from my dad. I am delighted that Teal Rabbit Bakery was built on a foundation of family skills passed down from generation to generation. And that despite the advancement of technology, I am convinced there is still a place in this world, no matter how small, for things handmade and crafted from the heart. Baking from scratch and the like does not have to be a lost art.
xx
Stephanie