I’ve spent hours reflecting on shopping habits of Daytonian diners and contemplating pivots that might serve them better. I run payroll every other Tuesday and work on social media posts every morning. I order new equipment that might help with productivity and conduct interviews for potential new hires. I scour the numbers looking at where we might slim down spending.
I create new recipes for limited time special menu items and make harried trips to grocery stores when cabbage is out of stock from my delivery service. I design T-shirts for my staff and rush to the bank when we’re out of singles.
It’s becoming quite a rhythm, the art of getting it all done. The weekdays are productive, behind the scenes and the weekends are spent managing on site — so everything goes smoothly. I’m getting used to it, this rhythm.
A rhythm that’s completely different from waking at 4 a.m. to go to my grocery store job like I have for the past 17 years.
For one, you need more coffee. Like, you need to purchase more coffee. I should have taken that into consideration similar to the cost of insurance or paid vacation when I left my job.
For 17 years, I got a cup of coffee at work shortly after I arrived. Now, I make coffee every morning and it’s crazy how much you go through. I’ve run out on so many occasions that my nearby coffee shop knows my name.
The other major difference? Finding time to feed myself.
Formerly, my lunch breaks were structured into my work day. Scheduled, so I couldn’t really skip. Now, it seems there is always something more pressing than eating a meal. Which is ironic, being a person who cares deeply for the act of feeding oneself and the habit of mealtimes.
It’s reality, but I do not like it.
The grind of the business finally caught up to me and I spent the week before last completely incapacitated with a flu-like sickness. The only thing I could do is lay. That’s it, lay on the couch or lay in my bed.
I was not fit for any other tasks.
Of course I had to complete other tasks, the aforementioned payroll, but I let go of anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary. I didn’t go into the shop for five days; a lovely discovery for a new boss is that the team they hired can actually keep it going without you present.
To cure my illness, I returned to one of my favorite hacks I relied on when my kids were young: Smoothies.
I used to make smoothies every day when my kids were toddler-aged. I’d tailor the ingredients for when they were sick or well, fatigued or rested, nutrition-filled or depleted. Once I reintroduced them into my diet, I realized that this might be the solution for my current skipping meals syndrome.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
”But First, Food” columnist Whitney Kling is a recipe developer who lives in southwest Ohio with her four kids and a cat. She is also the owner of Fête in The Silos in downtown Dayton.
GREEN MANGO PINEAPPLE LASSI
Cardamom brings the gentle, warm spice to this classic Indian beverage and the fruit brings the punch of Vitamin C. These drinks are perfect on a warm day or make a great breakfast smoothie alternative.
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 whole orange, peeled
1 handful fresh spinach
1 cup whole milk yogurt
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container for up to two days.
Note: While other fruits can be used in place of mango and pineapple, I feel this combination creates an irresistible texture.
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