Following Up Friday

I accepted a friendship on Facebook. Candee is the wife of my wife Cindy’s cousin. The cousin was my boss when I fried sausage at the annual Buckwheat, Pancake, and Sausage Festival in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. It’s the one major event that supports the Ohiopyle Volunteer Fire Department. The first day of the event the people attending seemed light. I was worried that income for the fire company might be down.

Because weather was great, I initially thought there would be a good turnout, but the roadwork on the bridge at one end of town and the creation of a pedestrian tunnel at the other had traffic slowed to one lane, moving along at a crawl. We didn’t have the usual lineups and rush periods that keep us sausage fryers hustling to meet the demand for the fresh whole hog sausage ready to be served. The slack crowds gave me cause for concern.

As I fried, the wheels in my brain began to turn. I made a suggestion to Candee for the firemen’s store where the ladies sell products: sausage, liver pudding, spare ribs, honey, cider, maple syrup and various other items. A small area they sell hot coffee, hot spiced cider, and sausage sandwiches. These offerings are for people who choose not to eat the full meal but still want to eat something.

I spoke to Candee and suggested that they try to sell fried potatoes as a side order. Fried potatoes are prepared for regular meals; why not offer them with the sandwiches. Patrons who buy a sandwich have no desire to eat the full meal. She said, “There are always left over potatoes at the end of the event” and they’d try it. Because I had the flat tire leaving Friday’s fry session, I didn’t make it back out to help on Saturday to see if my suggestion was a boon or a bust.

When she requested to be friends on Facebook I was eaten alive with curiosity as to whether my idea was a hit or not. She and her husband both work and I was always afraid I’d disturb their meals or their bed time rituals. So, I didn’t call them, but when she asked to be a Facebook friend, I quickly messaged her. She said they sold 2.5 large crock pots of the potatoes and they will offer fried potato side dish again next year. If it’s profitable, why not do it? There’s little extra work or extra items needed to serve them. It gives the customer more a meal and not just a sandwich.