Wouldn't you, as a consumer, prefer to purchase the food you eat from an establishment that has met health and quality standards established by the FDA and the local health department? I know I would. So, when I decided to start a baking business of course I decided that I should do it right, by the books, become bonafied (he's a suitor!). Thus began my search for the criteria by which I would become so. In looking through the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Food Safety website I stumbled upon a list of licensing requirements...bingo! Here's what it says:
Type of License Home Bakery
Cool. Sounds like what I need.
Who Needs This License? Home baking of potentially hazardous baked goods
Hazardous goods? I'm not making nuclear reactors here!
Annual Fee $10
Yay! It's cheap! Do I get something I can frame?
Requirements No pets in the home and no carpet in the kitchen
Hmmmm....Do turtles count? Do floor runners count?
Forms Needed License application is supplied at time of inspection.
Inspection? Is this really necessary? I guess I have to prove that I'm not making anything 'hazardous'. Probably shouldn't show him the turtle tank.
All in all - not so tough, but also not as stringent as I would expect if I were ordering from someone who worked out of their home. Might I suggest that they require that home bakers wash their hands, tie their hair back, not cough or sneeze into the food? Really, you Ohio Dept. of Agriculture Health Inspectors. Let's step it up a bit!
So I called to arrange for said inspection. They told me it could happen anytime within the next 3-6 weeks. That narrows it down. Wonder if it will be a surprise inspection. I need enough advance notice to clean my stove.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Monday, November 28, 2005
But I digress - about Eleanor!
This post is going to be off-topic (non-food related) but I can't think of a better reason. My dear friend Cynthia and her husband Rich are in China right now, and about 15 hours ago they became the parents of a beautiful 8 month old Chinese girl.
They have been in process for over a year on this adoption. Here is a link to her "blog" page chronicling the moment they received their daughter Eleanor. Can you imagine?!
I am thrilled for them. They will make wonderful parents for Eleanor. All of their lives are changing dramatically at this very moment.....all for the better. Now there's a holiday feel-good for all of us. Much better than the temporary high had from buttercream!
Ayi (Auntie) Lindi
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Out with Pumpkin, in with Christmas Cheer
This morning I gave my final salute to fall. Since we here at the house have catapulted ourselves into the holiday frenzy this weekend, it is time to kiss Thanksgiving....and fall...goodbye. This afternoon we turn our house into a holiday wonderland.
My send-off was in the form of Pumpkin Pancakes. Last time I was in Chicago visiting my dear friends, we went to M . Henry (5707 N. Clark St.) and I had the most amazing Pumpkin pancake dish that I decided to try to recreate it. What better send-off to fall than this!?
I started by making a filling of sorts to layer between the pancakes. When I had it at M. Henry the menu described the filling as a mascarpone maple mixture....so that's what I did. I took about 1 cup of mascarpone cheese and 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup (not Mrs. Butterworth's - but real maple syrup). It seemed a bit too tart to me upon tasting, so I added a teaspoon of sugar. Then I took a jar of Hershey's caramel ice cream topping and poured it into a squeeze bottle (You don't have to be as anal as me. Feel free to just drizzle it over the pancakes with a spoon when the time comes.) I also chopped some pecans for sprinkling over the top.
I set all of that aside and began making the pancakes, This is the recipe I used.
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil
Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, melted butter and vanilla in medium bowl to blend well. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just until smooth (batter will be thick). Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions.
Brush large nonstick skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface of pancakes and bottoms are brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with oil between batches. Makes about 12.
When the pancakes were done, I plated them individually by laying 3 pancakes on the plate, adding a healthy dollop of the mascarpone filling and topping it off with another pancake. Then, I used the squeeze bottle to make a nice caramel design on top. Topped it off with a sprinkling of chopped pecans and VOILA! Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Pancakes!
Dave and the kids (well, Sarah at least) seemed to enjoy them.
Ok I gotta dash. We're off to the mall to embrace the spirit of holiday capitalism. More later.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Emerging from a Tryptophan Coma
It always amazes me that we prepare for Thanksgiving for days, and toil over hot oven and stove for hours....and it's over in a matter of minutes. Oh, I know Thanksgiving is more about family and the chance to relax and be in each others' company.... but the swiftness with which we devour is always mind-boggling.
We had a great meal at my sister-in-law's house. I brought the afore mentioned Bourbon Orange Pecan Pie...and people seemed to think it was ok. All the usual Thanksgiving suspects were present.....except for Grandma's noodles. I could have made them...but did not take the time to do so this year.
In my family Grandma's noodles have always been a staple at any family holiday affair. When Grandma was alive she and Grandpa used to sweep into the house with a bit silver pot of the eggy mixture. Usually it was carefully handed off to another adult while they took off their coats and got settled. Invariably, you would hear one of the kids shout "The noodles are here!" We always looked forward to ladling out a serving (or 2) of noodles onto our plates. The adults poured them over their mashed potatoes...but I could never bring myself to do that. The two dishes are perfect on their own. No reason to mix.
I know that Grandma's noodles were born of the Depression and the need to feed 5 children on little to no money. This didn't occur to me until I was an adult myself. When I realized the part that this no-frills side dish played in my heritage, I set out to learn how to make them. My sister had already learned, and so combined with my Grandma's recipe and my sister's guidance, I became a noodler.
I suppose to anyone outside my family these aren't anything special. They are a simple combination of egg, flour, salt, milk and yellow food coloring. You mix it all up, roll the dough out paper thin, and let it sit overnight, or until they have dried. Then you cut them into strips. Next, you boil them in chicken stock. That's it. They do not have much flavor, not much to look at....but no matter. They are home. They are family. They are my heritage.
It was either an aunt or my mother who always said that the way to tell who would be good husband material was to see if he likes Grandma's noodles. Thankfully, Dave does seem to like them....if not just tolerate them because they mean so much to me.
When my Grandma died, I inherited something that will stay with me until I die. I inherited the rolling pin she used to roll out her noodles. Now, every time I use that rolling pin...be it for pie crust or crushing up crackers, or for noodles....I think of Grandma - and she is with me.
I think that's why I'm so melancholy that there were no noodles today. I'm thinking about you any Grandma....wherever you are.
We had a great meal at my sister-in-law's house. I brought the afore mentioned Bourbon Orange Pecan Pie...and people seemed to think it was ok. All the usual Thanksgiving suspects were present.....except for Grandma's noodles. I could have made them...but did not take the time to do so this year.
In my family Grandma's noodles have always been a staple at any family holiday affair. When Grandma was alive she and Grandpa used to sweep into the house with a bit silver pot of the eggy mixture. Usually it was carefully handed off to another adult while they took off their coats and got settled. Invariably, you would hear one of the kids shout "The noodles are here!" We always looked forward to ladling out a serving (or 2) of noodles onto our plates. The adults poured them over their mashed potatoes...but I could never bring myself to do that. The two dishes are perfect on their own. No reason to mix.
I know that Grandma's noodles were born of the Depression and the need to feed 5 children on little to no money. This didn't occur to me until I was an adult myself. When I realized the part that this no-frills side dish played in my heritage, I set out to learn how to make them. My sister had already learned, and so combined with my Grandma's recipe and my sister's guidance, I became a noodler.
I suppose to anyone outside my family these aren't anything special. They are a simple combination of egg, flour, salt, milk and yellow food coloring. You mix it all up, roll the dough out paper thin, and let it sit overnight, or until they have dried. Then you cut them into strips. Next, you boil them in chicken stock. That's it. They do not have much flavor, not much to look at....but no matter. They are home. They are family. They are my heritage.
It was either an aunt or my mother who always said that the way to tell who would be good husband material was to see if he likes Grandma's noodles. Thankfully, Dave does seem to like them....if not just tolerate them because they mean so much to me.
When my Grandma died, I inherited something that will stay with me until I die. I inherited the rolling pin she used to roll out her noodles. Now, every time I use that rolling pin...be it for pie crust or crushing up crackers, or for noodles....I think of Grandma - and she is with me.
I think that's why I'm so melancholy that there were no noodles today. I'm thinking about you any Grandma....wherever you are.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Yay! Pictures!!
My dear sister ordered a cheesecake for Thanksgiving, and is working her way to me to pick it up as I type. So, to commemorate the occasion I thought I'd include a picture of it here.
There you have it - in all it's glory - Turtle Cheesecake. It is chocolate cookie crust, vanilla cheesecake streaked with chocolate, and bits of caramel scattered here and there in the body of the cake. The topping is chocolate ganache, caramel and pecans. (She requested that the nuts be removable.)
I hope she likes it!!!
(Someone please write in with some tips on how to take pictures of food so that it actually looks appetizing! Please!!)
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Take a leek
My sister asked, in one of her postings, what the difference is between a leek and an onion, (she meant a scallion, I'm supposing) and can you substitute one for the other. Here's what I found out:
leek
Native to the Mediterranean countries, the leek has been prized by gourmets for thousands of years. Nero believed leeks would improve his singing voice and is said to have eaten prodigious quantities to that end. In the sixth century A.D., the Welsh made leeks their national symbol because they were convinced that the leeks they wore on their helmets to distinguish them from their enemies strengthened them and helped them win wars. Leeks still hold a flavorful spotlight in today's cuisine.
Looking like a giant scallion, the leek is related to both the garlic and the onion, though its flavor and fragrance are milder and more subtle. It has a thick, white stalk that's cylindrical in shape and has a slightly bulbous root end. The broad, flat, dark green leaves wrap tightly around each other like a rolled newspaper. Leeks are available year-round in most regions. Choose those with crisp, brightly colored leaves and an unblemished white portion. Avoid any with withered or yellow-spotted leaves. The smaller the leek, the more tender it will be. Refrigerate leeks in a plastic bag up to 5 days. Before using, trim rootlets and leaf ends. Slit the leeks from top to bottom and wash thoroughly to remove all the dirt trapped between the leaf layers. Leeks can be cooked whole as a vegetable or chopped and used in salads, soups and a multitude of other dishes. "
I myself would not suggest substituting. There is really no need to, since leeks are usually available in most supermarkets these days.
Boy, I bet that Nero had some breath, huh!?
leek
Native to the Mediterranean countries, the leek has been prized by gourmets for thousands of years. Nero believed leeks would improve his singing voice and is said to have eaten prodigious quantities to that end. In the sixth century A.D., the Welsh made leeks their national symbol because they were convinced that the leeks they wore on their helmets to distinguish them from their enemies strengthened them and helped them win wars. Leeks still hold a flavorful spotlight in today's cuisine.
Looking like a giant scallion, the leek is related to both the garlic and the onion, though its flavor and fragrance are milder and more subtle. It has a thick, white stalk that's cylindrical in shape and has a slightly bulbous root end. The broad, flat, dark green leaves wrap tightly around each other like a rolled newspaper. Leeks are available year-round in most regions. Choose those with crisp, brightly colored leaves and an unblemished white portion. Avoid any with withered or yellow-spotted leaves. The smaller the leek, the more tender it will be. Refrigerate leeks in a plastic bag up to 5 days. Before using, trim rootlets and leaf ends. Slit the leeks from top to bottom and wash thoroughly to remove all the dirt trapped between the leaf layers. Leeks can be cooked whole as a vegetable or chopped and used in salads, soups and a multitude of other dishes. "
I myself would not suggest substituting. There is really no need to, since leeks are usually available in most supermarkets these days.
Boy, I bet that Nero had some breath, huh!?
A Big Shout Out!
Hullo there to all you STERIS employees. My sister, dutiful frequenter of this blog, informs me that I have a following at her company. Thanks, sis, for the referral. It helps to know people actually read this....that I'm not just tossing words and precious time out into the technological abyss.
Maybe it would be appropriate here to share some background on why I chose to blog. In terms of culinary blogs, the one that sparked me - over a year ago - can be found here: http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html It's called the Julie-Julia Project. Julie Powell, from NYC, decided to try to cook all 500 or so recipes from Julia Childs' book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" within a year. Her blog chronicles her trials and tribulations, and from Day 1 I was addicted. Not only because I grew up loving Julia Child (watched her shows on PBS for as long as I can remember) but because I love any writings about food.
Check out my bookshelf next time you're at my house. In addition to cookbooks, I have many food-related non-fiction books by chefs and food critics like Ruth Reichel, M.F.K. Fisher, Anthony Bourdain, Jeffrey Steingarten - to name a few. So, when an average Jane like Julie Powell began her project and started writing about it daily, I was there! (I'm all about instant gratification, as my sister and dear husband will no doubt attest.)
So my plan is to treat this blog similarly. This gourmet dessert business is my project, and you all are invited to ride along to see what happens. While my blog won't be nearly as colorful as Julie's (and the language should be less salty - Although I did type "butt-load" yesterday, which allowed me to feel very mischievous!) I hope you find it somewhat entertaining. And please, feel free to comment. My sister informed me that the Comments feature had become unusable. I tinkered a bit (without really knowing what I was doing) and think I got it working again...so please, feel free to help a girl out.
Thanks for reading me, my pretties!
Maybe it would be appropriate here to share some background on why I chose to blog. In terms of culinary blogs, the one that sparked me - over a year ago - can be found here: http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html It's called the Julie-Julia Project. Julie Powell, from NYC, decided to try to cook all 500 or so recipes from Julia Childs' book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" within a year. Her blog chronicles her trials and tribulations, and from Day 1 I was addicted. Not only because I grew up loving Julia Child (watched her shows on PBS for as long as I can remember) but because I love any writings about food.
Check out my bookshelf next time you're at my house. In addition to cookbooks, I have many food-related non-fiction books by chefs and food critics like Ruth Reichel, M.F.K. Fisher, Anthony Bourdain, Jeffrey Steingarten - to name a few. So, when an average Jane like Julie Powell began her project and started writing about it daily, I was there! (I'm all about instant gratification, as my sister and dear husband will no doubt attest.)
So my plan is to treat this blog similarly. This gourmet dessert business is my project, and you all are invited to ride along to see what happens. While my blog won't be nearly as colorful as Julie's (and the language should be less salty - Although I did type "butt-load" yesterday, which allowed me to feel very mischievous!) I hope you find it somewhat entertaining. And please, feel free to comment. My sister informed me that the Comments feature had become unusable. I tinkered a bit (without really knowing what I was doing) and think I got it working again...so please, feel free to help a girl out.
Thanks for reading me, my pretties!
Saturday, November 19, 2005
What to do while that big game is on.
My husband is watching a big football game so I think I'll cook. Here's what I'm serving at half-time. As written, it's a good recipe for vegetarians. (Hi Jen!) However, I added chicken stock to amp up the flavor, and crumbled bacon for some extra crunch, and a little additional smoky accent.
Leek Potato Soup
1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
14 ounces, approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 quart vegetable broth (I used organic chicken stock)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Crumbled bacon
Chop the leeks into small pieces. In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.
Serves 6
Bon Appetit!
Oh, and by the way....we bit the bullet and bought a refrigerator today! Woo hoo! Cold storage for more cake stuff!!!
Leek Potato Soup
1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
14 ounces, approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 quart vegetable broth (I used organic chicken stock)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Crumbled bacon
Chop the leeks into small pieces. In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.
Serves 6
Bon Appetit!
Oh, and by the way....we bit the bullet and bought a refrigerator today! Woo hoo! Cold storage for more cake stuff!!!
New toys have arrived!
Last night when I got home from work there was a big box on our front porch. My baking toys are here! As you get deeper into a new passion, you begin to learn all sorts of things about tool the professionals use, ways to be more efficient, etc. So, while combing through the thousands of pastry-related websites I came across a few supply companies.....and discovered some things I thought I would try out.
(Caution: The descriptions below are truly pastry-geek material. Perhaps a double espresso is in order if you plan to proceed.)
Parchment rounds No more fashioning circles from rectangular rolls of parchment for this girl! I now have approx. 100 pre-cut 9" parchment circles to use in the bottoms of my pans. This purchase should save me, oh say 7 minutes per cake!!
Pre-fab decorative cardboard pans I got these with the intention that I will be giving away packages of my brioche pecan rolls for the holidays. These beauties are nice enough to make a good presentation, and the beauty is that you can bake right in them!! Oops....I suppose some readers will know what they're getting for Christmas now.
Dowels Someday I intend to try to stack a couple of cakes to see what all of the fuss is about. Must have dowels on hand if you're gonna stack cakes.
Square pans I love the look of the trendy square cake, so I bought a few 9" square pans. Gonna play with them to see how they act/work and what the final product is like.
21" pastry bag This is the Mac Daddy of pastry bags! It can hold a butt-load of frosting! Just what you need for those bi-i-i-i-i-i-g cakes.
Cake boards For those of you who don't bake to give away or sell, you have no idea how many of these do-hickeys you need to have on hand. Not only boards, but boxes too. For each size cake that you do you need cardboard to maneuver the layers, and to sit underneath the final product. Plus, you need boxes to package them in. Anyway, I bought a case of 9" cake boards. 250 of them seems like a lot, however the unit price is much cheaper than what I've been paying buying them one-off at the local cake store. The things you learn!!
Anyhoo, it was exciting to me at least to see all this new stuff come in. I feel more professional just having ordered from a distributor of such things! Call me crazy.
The next item to buy in bulk is chocolate. I've been doing some research but have yet to pull the trigger and order. I spend far too much money (and get lower quality than I would like) buying chocolate at the grocery store. More on that quest another time, though.
Oh, I may have a cheesecake order for Thanksgiving. Bless my co-workers. They sure have sweet teeth!
(Caution: The descriptions below are truly pastry-geek material. Perhaps a double espresso is in order if you plan to proceed.)
Parchment rounds No more fashioning circles from rectangular rolls of parchment for this girl! I now have approx. 100 pre-cut 9" parchment circles to use in the bottoms of my pans. This purchase should save me, oh say 7 minutes per cake!!
Pre-fab decorative cardboard pans I got these with the intention that I will be giving away packages of my brioche pecan rolls for the holidays. These beauties are nice enough to make a good presentation, and the beauty is that you can bake right in them!! Oops....I suppose some readers will know what they're getting for Christmas now.
Dowels Someday I intend to try to stack a couple of cakes to see what all of the fuss is about. Must have dowels on hand if you're gonna stack cakes.
Square pans I love the look of the trendy square cake, so I bought a few 9" square pans. Gonna play with them to see how they act/work and what the final product is like.
21" pastry bag This is the Mac Daddy of pastry bags! It can hold a butt-load of frosting! Just what you need for those bi-i-i-i-i-i-g cakes.
Cake boards For those of you who don't bake to give away or sell, you have no idea how many of these do-hickeys you need to have on hand. Not only boards, but boxes too. For each size cake that you do you need cardboard to maneuver the layers, and to sit underneath the final product. Plus, you need boxes to package them in. Anyway, I bought a case of 9" cake boards. 250 of them seems like a lot, however the unit price is much cheaper than what I've been paying buying them one-off at the local cake store. The things you learn!!
Anyhoo, it was exciting to me at least to see all this new stuff come in. I feel more professional just having ordered from a distributor of such things! Call me crazy.
The next item to buy in bulk is chocolate. I've been doing some research but have yet to pull the trigger and order. I spend far too much money (and get lower quality than I would like) buying chocolate at the grocery store. More on that quest another time, though.
Oh, I may have a cheesecake order for Thanksgiving. Bless my co-workers. They sure have sweet teeth!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Not "in the game" this Thanksgiving
I made a quick trip to the grocery store last night and became a bit wistful as I passed the freezer full of turkeys, the cans of pumpkin and fake, congealed cranberry sauce (which, for the record, I would never eat). I'm wistful because this year, I won't be cooking.
Well, I should say, I will not be responsible for the meal. I am charged with bringing a pecan pie to my sister-in-laws, but that's the extent of my responsibilities this year. There are pros and cons to this setup.
Pro
No prep, no clean-up! Yee haw!
I can sleep in on T-day morning
This will be shocking to all of you, but I'm not a big fan of leftovers, so having none is a pro!
(this isn't usually a problem since I'm married to a leftover-consuming machine. LOVE HIM!)
Con
I kinda enjoy having a big family meal here, and we don't do it often enough
I've never made a pecan pie (not a big fan of those, either)
So I guess it's not such a bad thing. And I'm even looking forward to making the pecan pie. I found this great recipe on epicurious.com (my fave recipe website) that kicks up the plain old pecan pie a bit. Check it out:
BOURBON-ORANGE PECAN PIE WITH BOURBON CREAM
1 recipe Pie Crust
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel
4 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves (about 9 1/2 ounces), toasted
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch deep-dish glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang under; crimp edges decoratively. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pie crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust edges begin to brown and crust is set, about 17 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until golden brown, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pie crust to rack. Maintain oven temperature.
Whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in candied orange peel, 3 tablespoons bourbon, grated orange peel, vanilla, salt, and then toasted pecans. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake pie until edges puff and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Cool pie on rack at least 1 hour. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at
room temperature.)
Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup chilled whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon bourbon in large bowl until cream holds peaks. Serve pie warm or at room temperature with bourbon cream. Makes 8 servings.
So I'll have to take solace in the knowledge that my pecan pie will be the best it can be.
Oh, one more pro - I can focus on baking Christmas Cookies instead of prepping for the big T-day meal!
Well, I should say, I will not be responsible for the meal. I am charged with bringing a pecan pie to my sister-in-laws, but that's the extent of my responsibilities this year. There are pros and cons to this setup.
Pro
No prep, no clean-up! Yee haw!
I can sleep in on T-day morning
This will be shocking to all of you, but I'm not a big fan of leftovers, so having none is a pro!
(this isn't usually a problem since I'm married to a leftover-consuming machine. LOVE HIM!)
Con
I kinda enjoy having a big family meal here, and we don't do it often enough
I've never made a pecan pie (not a big fan of those, either)
So I guess it's not such a bad thing. And I'm even looking forward to making the pecan pie. I found this great recipe on epicurious.com (my fave recipe website) that kicks up the plain old pecan pie a bit. Check it out:
BOURBON-ORANGE PECAN PIE WITH BOURBON CREAM
1 recipe Pie Crust
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel
4 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves (about 9 1/2 ounces), toasted
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch deep-dish glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang under; crimp edges decoratively. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pie crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust edges begin to brown and crust is set, about 17 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until golden brown, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pie crust to rack. Maintain oven temperature.
Whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in candied orange peel, 3 tablespoons bourbon, grated orange peel, vanilla, salt, and then toasted pecans. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake pie until edges puff and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Cool pie on rack at least 1 hour. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at
room temperature.)
Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup chilled whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon bourbon in large bowl until cream holds peaks. Serve pie warm or at room temperature with bourbon cream. Makes 8 servings.
So I'll have to take solace in the knowledge that my pecan pie will be the best it can be.
Oh, one more pro - I can focus on baking Christmas Cookies instead of prepping for the big T-day meal!
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
It's officially cold. Time to stay inside and bake.
Nothing like a 39 degree day with blustery winds and sleet to make you want to stay inside and bake/cook. Tonight I'm making pork tenderloin with a really nice cranberry raisin white wine butter sauce. I had this once at a restaurant here in Columbus (Riverside - which, sadly, closed a month ago!) and fell madly in love with the recipe. I sweet talked the waiter a bit in the hopes of wheedling the recipe out of the chef, but no dice. So, I attempted to recreate it myself, and seem to have captured it.
You simmer dried cranberries and golden raisins in apple cider with a little bit of white wine until plump and tender. Use enough liquid so that it doesn't completely evaporate when you simmer the fruit. When the sauce has thickened, add a few tablespoons of unsalted butter and wisk gently. You'll end up with a silky smoothe compote to ladle over the top of the pork loin slices, which you have sauteed separately in another pan. If you have an orange or lemon handy, zest it over the top, and voila! A beautiful and tasty fall entree. I'm serving it tonight with oven-roasted asparagus and rolls.
For dessert we're having strawberry shortcake. I've had these strawberries in the fridge for alost a week now, and have been uninspired. Therefore in order to use them before they rot, I'm going to whip up a quick shortcake and top with the usual whipped cream from a can. I prefer the following shortcake recipe, but since I don't have fresh lemons to zest, they won't be quite the same. See what you think.
___________________________________________
Lemon Shortcakes for Strawberry Shortcake
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel and salt in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and melted butter in medium bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moist dough forms. Drop 8 dough mounds (about 1/3 cup each) onto nonstick baking sheet. Using lightly floured hands, gently pat biscuits into neat 2 1/4-inch-diameter round about 1 1/4 inches high. Bake until biscuits are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Cut warm biscuits in half horizontally. Place bottom halves of biscuits on 8 plates. Spoon strawberries generously over, allowing some berries and juices to spill onto plates. Add whipped cream. Place top halves of biscuits over and serve.
______________________________________________
That's all for now. Stay warm, my pretties.
You simmer dried cranberries and golden raisins in apple cider with a little bit of white wine until plump and tender. Use enough liquid so that it doesn't completely evaporate when you simmer the fruit. When the sauce has thickened, add a few tablespoons of unsalted butter and wisk gently. You'll end up with a silky smoothe compote to ladle over the top of the pork loin slices, which you have sauteed separately in another pan. If you have an orange or lemon handy, zest it over the top, and voila! A beautiful and tasty fall entree. I'm serving it tonight with oven-roasted asparagus and rolls.
For dessert we're having strawberry shortcake. I've had these strawberries in the fridge for alost a week now, and have been uninspired. Therefore in order to use them before they rot, I'm going to whip up a quick shortcake and top with the usual whipped cream from a can. I prefer the following shortcake recipe, but since I don't have fresh lemons to zest, they won't be quite the same. See what you think.
___________________________________________
Lemon Shortcakes for Strawberry Shortcake
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel and salt in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and melted butter in medium bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moist dough forms. Drop 8 dough mounds (about 1/3 cup each) onto nonstick baking sheet. Using lightly floured hands, gently pat biscuits into neat 2 1/4-inch-diameter round about 1 1/4 inches high. Bake until biscuits are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Cut warm biscuits in half horizontally. Place bottom halves of biscuits on 8 plates. Spoon strawberries generously over, allowing some berries and juices to spill onto plates. Add whipped cream. Place top halves of biscuits over and serve.
______________________________________________
That's all for now. Stay warm, my pretties.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Order Up!
I think the holiday season will be good proving ground for me. I was approached by yet another woman at work today about my new business. She is having a holiday party centered around coffee and dessert! She would like me to provide the desserts. She's having 15-16 couples and would like a mixture of cake and cheesecakes. Wahoooo!!! (Oh, did I mention that I do cheesecakes too? I do.)
So, I'm working on finalizing my price list. Why is it that charging people (especially people that I know) makes me feel guilty? I worry that I'm charging too much, despite doing research on comparable products in my area. I worry that people won't want to pay what I am asking or won't think what I create is worth the price? Maybe I'm too nice to be a businesswoman. I know one thing, our bank account isn't going to like it if I don't start recouping some of my investment. Therefore, I will charge. Apologies to all of my friends and relatives.
Here's a question for you, dear reader: Should I come up with cute names for my cakes (each item on the menu will have a description of main ingredients) or should I just tell it like it is?
For example, which do you prefer:
Lemon Creme Fantasy, or
Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
Here's where having an extensive product marketing background would help.
That's it for today. Gotta get that price list done. Paying clients await.
So, I'm working on finalizing my price list. Why is it that charging people (especially people that I know) makes me feel guilty? I worry that I'm charging too much, despite doing research on comparable products in my area. I worry that people won't want to pay what I am asking or won't think what I create is worth the price? Maybe I'm too nice to be a businesswoman. I know one thing, our bank account isn't going to like it if I don't start recouping some of my investment. Therefore, I will charge. Apologies to all of my friends and relatives.
Here's a question for you, dear reader: Should I come up with cute names for my cakes (each item on the menu will have a description of main ingredients) or should I just tell it like it is?
For example, which do you prefer:
Lemon Creme Fantasy, or
Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
Here's where having an extensive product marketing background would help.
That's it for today. Gotta get that price list done. Paying clients await.
Monday, November 14, 2005
White Chocolate Raspberry Cake - a.k.a. My Nemesis
At the risk of giving the impression that I am not ready for prime time as a cake baker, I’ll share a little story with you about a recent cake from hell experience. I do so just to shed some light on what can go wrong, and why cakes (baked from scratch with high-quality ingredients) cost more than you think they should.
The week before last, I had 3 cakes on the docket – the first was a sheet cake (15x22) for Sarah’s Golf League banquet. It was a 2-layer cake, with half chocolate and half vanilla. The filling was chocolate mousse and the frosting was a chocolate buttercream. The coolest part was that instead of just writing the names of the girls on the team on the cake, I wrote them all out in chocolate (on wax paper) and when they hardened, I stood them on the top of the cake. Wish I had taken a picture.
The second was an inside-out German Chocolate cake that was ordered by a co-worker for her birthday. The German Chocolate part is used as filling between the three layers of chocolate cake. It’s topped off with a chocolate ganache, which I then cover with chocolate leaves. Again, no picture but it makes for a beautiful and quite tasty cake. Dave says it’s quite possibly his favorite so far.
The third cake was ordered by another co-worker for his wife’s birthday. It was to be a white chocolate raspberry cake. Notice I say it ‘was’ to be. Here’s what happened.
I mixed up the cake batter just fine – was using a recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Cake Bible”. When I went to put it into the pans I remembered that I had cake strips that I had never used before, so I thought I’d give them a try. (For those who don’t know – they are metallic-coated fabric strips. You soak them in water and pin them around the outside of the cake pans. Their purpose is to help the cake bake evenly so you don’t get a dome in the center.) Into the oven they went.
When the timer went off, the cakes didn’t look right to me. I let them bake a bit longer and then took them out. I let them sit for 10 minutes and then went to unmold them. Egads! They fell flatter than a pancake in seconds.
Ok…let’s ponder. What did I do differently? Well, I had used egg yolks that I had frozen and then thawed. (BTW I would not recommend this as they do not return to a liquid state. They almost seem as though they have been hard-boiled.) So I thought that must be why they fell. No choice but to remake them….which I do….with fresh egg yolks. Once again, apply the cake strips. Once again, into the oven. Once again, the damn things fall once I unmold them. Strike 2.
So I remake the batter a third time. I’m just about out of ingredients here, so 3 strikes and I’ll be out. Before I bake it I consult with Dave. We decide that it must be the cake strips. This time I leave them off. This time, the cake actually rises and stays risen after I unmold! Eureka!!
But that’s not the end of the story. Not by a long shot.
Next, it’s on to the Raspberry Mousse that I intend to use as the filling. This involves pureeing 2 bags of frozen raspberries and pushing them through a sieve (to de-seed), which is a pain in the patoot, but that’s just the way that I roll. You combine that with some unflavored gelatine, which is a thickening agent, and whipped cream – and you’re supposed to have a thick, stable filling suitable for a cake. However mine was more the consistency of a sauce when it should be more like a thickish custard or pudding. Ungood.
I think where I went wrong was how I combined the gelatine with the raspberry puree. I don’t think I got the gelatine warm enough – so that when it came in contact with the raspberry puree it wasn’t able to set up like it needed to. At this point, the thought of remaking raspberry puree, and having to run to the store to get more ingredients, was more than I could stomach. Quick – I need a plan B. When all else fails, frosting heals. I’ll just double the frosting recipe and use that as the filling – maybe toss some fresh raspberries in for good measure. Perfect.
Only, I hadn’t ever made this frosting recipe before. This was the Fatal Flaw. (duhn duhn duhnnnnn)
Now I should have known how this would turn out when, in the first paragraph of the text that describes the recipe, Rose (Ms. Cake Bible) cautions that “if your butter is even remotely too warm, what could have been a lovely, silky smooth frosting will turn into a gritty vat of goo” or something like that…because that’s exactly what happened. Apparently my butter was remotely too warm.
That’s it. I’ve got nothing. (Insert statements of guilt, self-doubt and incompetence here.)
By that time I had been working a good 6-7 hours straight on this project, had done oh, I’d say 5 sinks-full of dishes, and was really not loving this. Plus, the larder was for the most part bare of all necessary ingredients. So I called my co-worker and sheepishly reminded him that I’m not a professional, and told him that I didn’t have a cake for him. Not great for a start-up business owner, but I didn't know what else to do at that point.
What was I thinking, anyway? Me? A professional baker? Bahhh!
I did manage to salvage the cake layers (they are frozen) and will attempt to remake this cake…..but not right now. It’s just too soon. The pain is too fresh. And the grocery budget is kinda low this week.
I have been temporarily bested by sugar arts - but I will prevail!
The week before last, I had 3 cakes on the docket – the first was a sheet cake (15x22) for Sarah’s Golf League banquet. It was a 2-layer cake, with half chocolate and half vanilla. The filling was chocolate mousse and the frosting was a chocolate buttercream. The coolest part was that instead of just writing the names of the girls on the team on the cake, I wrote them all out in chocolate (on wax paper) and when they hardened, I stood them on the top of the cake. Wish I had taken a picture.
The second was an inside-out German Chocolate cake that was ordered by a co-worker for her birthday. The German Chocolate part is used as filling between the three layers of chocolate cake. It’s topped off with a chocolate ganache, which I then cover with chocolate leaves. Again, no picture but it makes for a beautiful and quite tasty cake. Dave says it’s quite possibly his favorite so far.
The third cake was ordered by another co-worker for his wife’s birthday. It was to be a white chocolate raspberry cake. Notice I say it ‘was’ to be. Here’s what happened.
I mixed up the cake batter just fine – was using a recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Cake Bible”. When I went to put it into the pans I remembered that I had cake strips that I had never used before, so I thought I’d give them a try. (For those who don’t know – they are metallic-coated fabric strips. You soak them in water and pin them around the outside of the cake pans. Their purpose is to help the cake bake evenly so you don’t get a dome in the center.) Into the oven they went.
When the timer went off, the cakes didn’t look right to me. I let them bake a bit longer and then took them out. I let them sit for 10 minutes and then went to unmold them. Egads! They fell flatter than a pancake in seconds.
Ok…let’s ponder. What did I do differently? Well, I had used egg yolks that I had frozen and then thawed. (BTW I would not recommend this as they do not return to a liquid state. They almost seem as though they have been hard-boiled.) So I thought that must be why they fell. No choice but to remake them….which I do….with fresh egg yolks. Once again, apply the cake strips. Once again, into the oven. Once again, the damn things fall once I unmold them. Strike 2.
So I remake the batter a third time. I’m just about out of ingredients here, so 3 strikes and I’ll be out. Before I bake it I consult with Dave. We decide that it must be the cake strips. This time I leave them off. This time, the cake actually rises and stays risen after I unmold! Eureka!!
But that’s not the end of the story. Not by a long shot.
Next, it’s on to the Raspberry Mousse that I intend to use as the filling. This involves pureeing 2 bags of frozen raspberries and pushing them through a sieve (to de-seed), which is a pain in the patoot, but that’s just the way that I roll. You combine that with some unflavored gelatine, which is a thickening agent, and whipped cream – and you’re supposed to have a thick, stable filling suitable for a cake. However mine was more the consistency of a sauce when it should be more like a thickish custard or pudding. Ungood.
I think where I went wrong was how I combined the gelatine with the raspberry puree. I don’t think I got the gelatine warm enough – so that when it came in contact with the raspberry puree it wasn’t able to set up like it needed to. At this point, the thought of remaking raspberry puree, and having to run to the store to get more ingredients, was more than I could stomach. Quick – I need a plan B. When all else fails, frosting heals. I’ll just double the frosting recipe and use that as the filling – maybe toss some fresh raspberries in for good measure. Perfect.
Only, I hadn’t ever made this frosting recipe before. This was the Fatal Flaw. (duhn duhn duhnnnnn)
Now I should have known how this would turn out when, in the first paragraph of the text that describes the recipe, Rose (Ms. Cake Bible) cautions that “if your butter is even remotely too warm, what could have been a lovely, silky smooth frosting will turn into a gritty vat of goo” or something like that…because that’s exactly what happened. Apparently my butter was remotely too warm.
That’s it. I’ve got nothing. (Insert statements of guilt, self-doubt and incompetence here.)
By that time I had been working a good 6-7 hours straight on this project, had done oh, I’d say 5 sinks-full of dishes, and was really not loving this. Plus, the larder was for the most part bare of all necessary ingredients. So I called my co-worker and sheepishly reminded him that I’m not a professional, and told him that I didn’t have a cake for him. Not great for a start-up business owner, but I didn't know what else to do at that point.
What was I thinking, anyway? Me? A professional baker? Bahhh!
I did manage to salvage the cake layers (they are frozen) and will attempt to remake this cake…..but not right now. It’s just too soon. The pain is too fresh. And the grocery budget is kinda low this week.
I have been temporarily bested by sugar arts - but I will prevail!
Sunday, November 13, 2005
But I digress
So I'm starting to realize that the beauty of having your own blog is that you can say what you want, right? Well for starters, here's one of my new favorite pet peeves: Cordless cell phone headsets. I've seen so many of them - just within the past week - that I get totally irritated with them now. What is the deal with people who have these things permanently affixed to their heads just waiting for that call to come in? I have always abhorred people who hold conversations while they shop (for food, for clothes, for housewares) but this takes it to another level.
Whereas before, people (mostly women) were somewhat deterred from conversing on their cell phones while in public by having to use one hand to hold it while they pawed through racks of clothing or pushed carts down the grocery store aisles, now they are completely unfettered, and thus even more prevalent and exceedingly more annoying.
Pretty soon there will just be a chip that you have surgically implanted in your ear canal and you do a tap dance or something to accept a call. Pardon me if I remain old school in my use of cell phones.
Yes, I know....I said this was a blog about food, and starting up a cake business. It will be. Since I'm completely off topic anyway, let me add another random thought that I had today:
Whatever happened to that fabulous word 'prestidigitation'? What a great word! Remember Bing Crosby on those Florida Orange Juice commercials? Let's revive that word. For example: "Why Jen, you showed extreme prestidigitation in inserting that tricky IV into your patient."
pres·ti·dig·i·ta·tion n.
Cheers and happy Sunday evening!
Whereas before, people (mostly women) were somewhat deterred from conversing on their cell phones while in public by having to use one hand to hold it while they pawed through racks of clothing or pushed carts down the grocery store aisles, now they are completely unfettered, and thus even more prevalent and exceedingly more annoying.
Pretty soon there will just be a chip that you have surgically implanted in your ear canal and you do a tap dance or something to accept a call. Pardon me if I remain old school in my use of cell phones.
Yes, I know....I said this was a blog about food, and starting up a cake business. It will be. Since I'm completely off topic anyway, let me add another random thought that I had today:
Whatever happened to that fabulous word 'prestidigitation'? What a great word! Remember Bing Crosby on those Florida Orange Juice commercials? Let's revive that word. For example: "Why Jen, you showed extreme prestidigitation in inserting that tricky IV into your patient."
pres·ti·dig·i·ta·tion n.
- Performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands; sleight of hand.
- A show of skill or deceitful cleverness.
Cheers and happy Sunday evening!
Last of a 3-day weekend
Sunday mornings - newspaper, coffee......a slice of heaven!
So yesterday's activities (post-refrigerator hunt) included mowing the lawn, which I never, ever do. (Well, I did it once before to get back into my husband's good graces, and to prove that I could start a mower all by myself. Girl Power! Yeah!) Anyway, when your husband is in week #1 of his 6 week recovery from a hairline fracture of the radius (tennis accident.....caused, of course, by my rocket forehand), you have to step up and take one for the team. So I mowed. And cursed the fact that my husband refuses to buy a self. propelled. mower! Grrrrrr.
Afterwards, Sarah and I (stepdaughter #1) made dinner. Here's our menu:
So yesterday's activities (post-refrigerator hunt) included mowing the lawn, which I never, ever do. (Well, I did it once before to get back into my husband's good graces, and to prove that I could start a mower all by myself. Girl Power! Yeah!) Anyway, when your husband is in week #1 of his 6 week recovery from a hairline fracture of the radius (tennis accident.....caused, of course, by my rocket forehand), you have to step up and take one for the team. So I mowed. And cursed the fact that my husband refuses to buy a self. propelled. mower! Grrrrrr.
Afterwards, Sarah and I (stepdaughter #1) made dinner. Here's our menu:
- Cheese and Corn Chowder (great, hardy soup)
- Caesar Salad
- Grands Flaky Butter-flavored biscuits (mmmmm warm, pull-apart biscuits)
And the piece de resistance...
- Caramelized apple toffee crisp with vanilla ice cream
Now I must tell you, before I reveal the recipe.....that this is the absolute best Apple Crisp that I have ever made. Nay, that I have ever eaten! It is that good! As good or better than those I have eaten in any restaurant, and I am a connoisseur of sorts when it comes to ordering apple desserts in restaurants. (Just ask my husband, who usually graciously foregoes his gooey, chocolate desires to split yet another apple dessert with me.)
Ok....are you ready? Can you handle it? Here it is:
_______________________________________________
Caramelized apple toffee crisp with vanilla ice cream
2 3/4 to 3 pounds (6 large) Granny Smith apples
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
TOPPING:
1 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup toffee bits (see note)
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and diced
Confectioners' sugar for garnish
1 pint vanilla ice cream, optional (Breyer's French Vanilla is outstanding)
Have ready a 9-by-13-inch oven-to-table baking dish.
For the filling, peel and core apples. Then cut them in half lengthwise and cut each half into 4 wedges. (You should get about 8 cups.) Place slices in baking dish and toss with butter and lemon juice. In a small bowl, stir sugar, cinnamon and salt together and sprinkle over apples. Toss to coat well.
For the topping, place walnuts, toffee bits, flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add butter and, using your fingertips, rub mixture together until it resembles pea-sized clumps. Scatter topping evenly over apples.
Bake on center rack of preheated 350-degree oven until apples are tender and juicy and topping is golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove and cool 5 to 10 minutes. (The crisp can be prepared 4 hours ahead; cool and leave at room temperature, uncovered. Reheat in preheated 350-degree oven until warm, about 15 minutes.)
To serve, dust crisp with confectioners' sugar. Garnish each portion with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprig of mint, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Note: Heath "Bits o Brickle" toffee bits, which are usually found in the baking section of the grocery, work well in this recipe. Do not use chocolate-coated toffee bits.
________________________________________
The toffee bits are what differentiates this recipe from other crisps, so do not omit!
In terms of the business, start-up activities continue. No cake orders this week, however I am in the process of creating a 'menu' of sorts, which lists the cakes I offer as well as sizes and prices. I may make a swap deal with a guy at work who has offered to help me with a website if I bake cakes for him. He has a few birthdays coming up in his family soon. Sounds like a deal!
Dave also suggested that I start keeping some books on what I spend vs. make. I agree, but it would be so depressing at this point to see how much this is costing us, knowing that it will be a long while before I turn anything resembling a profit.
Especially since I need that refrigerator....and a new 6 quart stand mixer (either a Viking or KitchenAid would do!). Santa.....are you listening???
Ciao, Bellas!
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Disappointed!
Alas you know how the deals you read about in those ads in the newspaper never seem to be just what you envisioned them to be...that there's always some catch? Well, so it is with the appliance outlet ads. Why is it that you cannot get a bare-bones 'fridge....something basement-worthy.....for under $299? Really folks, all we want it for is to hold mass quantities of food. Does it have to cost that much?
We even offered to buy one of the real ugmos.....the dented, the scratched, the mangled. No dice.
So I guess I better get to selling some cakes and turning a profit so that someday we can have our main refrigerator back.
Bummin.
We even offered to buy one of the real ugmos.....the dented, the scratched, the mangled. No dice.
So I guess I better get to selling some cakes and turning a profit so that someday we can have our main refrigerator back.
Bummin.
Day 1: I am live!
Whew, I went through the setup for this blog on a whim....but look at me now! A full-fledged blogger!
My intention is to chronicle the trials and tribulations of a baker-wannabe through the start-up of her fledgling cake baking business. In other words, this will be a food blog. I'll dish more history later (blatant food pun intended!) but for now, I have to sign off. Dave and I (my wonderful husband/biggest fan of 2.5 years!) are off to the discount appliance store to buy a second refrigerator. For what, you may ask? For cakes, of course....and all of the ingredients that are contained therein.
Hence the name.....Buttercream. My quest to be a business owner is my own Buttercream Dream. Welcome one and all.
Cheers, Lindi
My intention is to chronicle the trials and tribulations of a baker-wannabe through the start-up of her fledgling cake baking business. In other words, this will be a food blog. I'll dish more history later (blatant food pun intended!) but for now, I have to sign off. Dave and I (my wonderful husband/biggest fan of 2.5 years!) are off to the discount appliance store to buy a second refrigerator. For what, you may ask? For cakes, of course....and all of the ingredients that are contained therein.
Hence the name.....Buttercream. My quest to be a business owner is my own Buttercream Dream. Welcome one and all.
Cheers, Lindi
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