Baking is my thing.

Mini Apple Tart from Balthazar Bakery in NYC

When I come close in proximity to a bakery or the bakery section of a market, I feel myself physically pulled to enter the land of sugar. I’ve been like this my entire life. Childhood memories of friends and family are woven together with all things sugar. Half moon cookies with the impossibly white frosting meeting the dark chocolate glaze neatly down the center of these cakey cookies. Cupcakes lined up in the pastry case, swirls of buttercream topped with colorful sprinkles and the random plastic figurine sitting proudly askew near the top. Seven layer cake from The Crown Market in West Hartford, CT. Chocolate-dipped pretzels and the most unbelievable Almond Toffee called Buttercrunch from Mother Myrick’s in Manchester, VT. Toll-house cookies, one bowl chocolate cake, my Aunt Anne’s Sour Cream Cakes, ice cream, the dessert section of every cookbook in our house.

It’s ok. I’ll admit it. Jelly doughnuts from Dunkin’ Donuts.

As I grew up and began my baking career, my skill set around baking improved and my love for pastries only grew stronger and more compelling. It’s the itch I love to scratch. Once mesmerized by impossible cake creations that defied gravity or miniature desserts requiring complete attention to detail, I now find myself lingering over the baked goods that remind me of my childhood. The tug on my heart is now nostalgic in nature. 

In these moments, captivated by pastries, I disappear into sugarland. It’s a magical place, and I want to breathe it all in and inspect every flaky croissant, drizzle of chocolate or exquisite embellishment. I enjoy admiring desserts just as much as I enjoy eating them. I love trying to figure out how this creation came into existence, tinkering in my brain to see if I can solve the puzzle. This is my happy place. It’s been this way from the beginning and remains true to this day.

We all have our thing…for some, it’s shoes. Or gadgets. Clothes. Handbags. Books. Knitting. Sports. Music. Gardening. Chickens.

For me, it’s baking. Every single part of it. Reading about it. Thinking about it. From browsing around a bakery to creating something in my kitchen. Choosing the ingredients to purchase. Measuring everything, following the recipe, washing the dishes while waiting to test the results. The highlight? Sharing what I made with someone else and watching as their eyes close and their head inevitably starts nodding.

Yes. This is the life I love. It’s filled with Delicious Sweet Joy and gets better every day.

What’s your thing? Everyone has a story…please share yours.

xo

 

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Owner, Baker,
& Storyteller

You know that friend who has it all together? Yeah. That’s not me. What I can offer you instead are my experiences, insights, and passions. Pithy observations about making cookies. Wry commentary on running a business. Loving (if slightly sarcastic) parenting advice. And if that doesn’t interest you, I have dogs. Cute ones.

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