“I think we can work something out,” I said.
“Very generous of you,” Jim said, winking at me.
From across the room, Winnie waved me over. “Let’s sell some doughnuts!” she called.
Jeanine jumped out of her chair and raced across the room to the ticket window. “Wait! Stop! I just had an idea. You guys should auction off the doughnuts.”
“You mean sell them to the people who can pay the most?” Josh asked.
“Yeah. Think how much money you’ll make. Look at these people. They’re totally desperate.”
“This girl reminds more of Clive every second,” Winnie said.
“But then some people might not get any,” Josh said.
“Yeah, but it’s not as if you won’t be selling them every week. They can get some next time. Come on. It’s such a good idea.”
I looked at Josh. He gave a little shrug like he wasn’t sure, but I knew he was. He hated the idea, and so did I. How could we not give everyone a doughnut after they’d come out in the snow and waited all that time? These were loyal customers, and they deserved to be rewarded.
That’s when I got my own idea.
“No auction, but we’re not going to just sell either.”
“We’re not?” Josh said.
“What’s the best way to create customer loyalty when you’re starting a business?”
Josh grinned. “Free samples!”
“You’re going to give them away?” Jeanine said. She looked disgusted.
“My doughnuts?” said Winnie, who looked just as disgusted. “For free?”
“We’ll make money, just not today,” I said. “It’ll be good for business long term. I promise.”
“I don’t know,” Winnie said.
“I know what I’m talking about, and I’m telling you, this is a smart business move. I’m thinking big picture. Trust me,” I said.
“Oh, fine! Give them away. But I can’t watch,” Winnie said. Then she grabbed a doughnut, took a bite, and squeezed her eyes shut.
“So, how should we do this?” Josh said.
“Like this,” I said and climbed up on the counter. “Come and get ’em!”
After everyone got a doughnut, we still had one left. I tried to give it to Jim, but he wouldn’t take it. He said it would look bad for the mayor to get two doughnuts when everyone else had gotten only one. Jeanine agreed and told me that just by offering Jim the extra doughnut, I could be guilty of bribing a public official. Who knew? In the end, I gave the extra doughnut to Shane, the guy who’d beaten Jeanine at chess.
The party at the station house lasted way longer than the doughnuts did, so at lunchtime, Renny went down to the Gas Mart to pick up sandwich fixings. Unlike us though, he charged people for what they ate. Renny doesn’t really think big picture, and I don’t think he knows the first thing about creating customer loyalty.
We never regretted giving the doughnuts away that first day. It created so much buzz that the following week, we had twice as many people waiting for us when we showed up with the doughnuts even though they knew they’d have to pay this time.
That was three months ago, and business gets better every week. There’s so much to do I’ve even given Zoe and Jeanine jobs. Winnie thought it was a huge mistake, but most of the time, Jeanine remembers she’s not the boss, and when she forgets, I sic Winnie on her. Zoe doesn’t make trouble because she knows if she does, she won’t get paid, and she’s saving up for a pastry gun of her own.
Since Starting Your Own Business for Dummies says your customers get bored if you don’t offer different product lines, I’ve been experimenting with new cream flavors. None of the new flavors are life changing yet, but butterscotch and caramel are close.
You should come by sometime. I promise the Doughnut Stop’s worth the trip. Just be sure to get there early. There’s always a line, and we always sell out. Come when it snows, and the first one’s free. Beat Jeanine at chess, and the second one’s on the house too.
And, remember, ask for Jax, so I know who you are.
Mom’s Molten Chocolate Cakes
Makes 4 single-serve cakes
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Spray the insides of 4 ramekins with baking spray. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet.
3. Microwave the butter and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. The butter should be almost all melted. The chocolate won’t be completely melted.
4. Whisk the butter and chocolate mixture until smooth.
5. Separate two egg yolks from their whites: Crack both eggs into a bowl without breaking the yolks. Then take an empty, disposable plastic water bottle, squeeze it, hold the opening to a yolk, and then release to suck the yolk into the bottle. Repeat with the second yolk. Then deposit both yolks into a clean bowl by squeezing the bottle and pouring them out.
6. Beat the egg yolks, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in an electric mixer on high or with a whisk until the mixture is thick.
7. Fold the butter and chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
8. Add the flour to the mixture gradually. Don’t overmix.
9. Divide the batter into the 4 ramekins.
10. Bake the cakes for 8 to 12 minutes or until the cakes have risen over the sides of the ramekins and the tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the baking sheet is given a little shake. The cake centers should still be soft.
11. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool for 1 minute.
12. Cover the cakes with upside-down dessert plates, flip the ramekins over, and remove the ramekins from the cakes. Eat immediately!
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
1 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
18 ounces semisweet chocolate, in bars
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut parchment paper to
