Keeping Portland Tiered

Chocolate Fantasy 2012

2012-02-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Every year and always on the

Friday before Valentine's Day.

It's Chocolate Fantasy

at the Jenkins Estate.

The grounds and building are gorgeous

and...

There's Chocolate!!!

(Also, it's a handy way to get your Valentine's shopping done)

(It works well for me)

Here's the main house.

The Stables (our home away from home)

The Dessert Tray has been participating

in this event for many years now

and we always enjoy being there.

Steampunk Baker and Pastry Chef are working hard. http://www.thedesserttray.com/

The main room of the Stables

Some of our friendly competition. http://www.finalesdesserts.com

*Hi Erica, Eve, and Emily*

Our neighbors across the hall. http://shop.willamettevalleyconfectionery.com/

Our favorite next door neighbors. http://www.ladybugchocolates.com/

*Hi Ken (from across the hall), Sheryl, John, and Jasmine*

An orchid from Floral Creations. http://floralcreationsbykelly.net/

And a big Thank You! goes out to

the Jenkins Estate Staff.

*Hi Gail*

http://www.thprd.org/facilities/jenkins/home.cfm

You all do a phenomenal job

making this event run smoothly every year

and we, the vendors, appreciate everything you do.

Chocolate Fest 2012

2012-01-29T12:59:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Fest 2012

Lots of chocolate, lots of vino,

and lots & lots of chocolate.

Here's a few pictures from the event and

a couple of my favorites.

A few of our cakes.

I think our Pastry chef could be the girl.

These caramels are excellent!

Close up view of the varieties.

The Jalepeno & Dulce de Leche and Fig were my favorites.

http://snakeandbutterfly.com/

Ruby Port. Very nice way to finish off a long day.

Hi Beth! Nice decoration on the cake.


Everywhere you look, chocolate as far as the eye can see.

Our next door neighbor.

Bertony Faustin

The wines Bertony brought were all very tasty and

go very well with chocolate cake...and fudge brownie...

and chocolate chip cookies.

(Sometimes you have to sample for the greater good)

Well, you get the idea.

His unfiltered Pinot Noir and Syrah were my favorites.

http://www.abbeycreekvineyard.com/our_wines.html

Making sure that everything is ready to go.

More chocolate & wine. Happiness.

Steampunk Baker in attendance.

Calling all Chocoholics

2012-01-14T22:56:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again.

Chocolate Fest at the Convention Center, January 20-22nd &

Chocolate Fantasy at the Jenkins Estate, February 10th

are almost here.

Satisfy most, if not all,

of your serious chocolate cravings and then some.

*Mmmmmm, chocolate*

And who knows, you might even catch a glimpse of

Steampunk Baker wandering about in a chocolate induced daze.

http://chocolatefest.org/
http://www.thprd.org/facilities/jenkins/events.cfm

Holiday cookies

2012-01-02T15:33:00.001-08:00

The Holidays are done.

Time to pack up all of the ornaments, the tinsel,

and the festive lights.

For us in the baking profession,

the holiday season also means

crazier than usual work hours...

and lots and lots and lots of cookies.

Lots.

After decorating several hundred holiday cookies

sometimes they start to seem a little different somehow...

Can't quite put my finger on it but

there is definitely something different.

Randomly, odd ones start popping up

right next to the normal ones.

Then, kind of like zombies,

they start to take over.

"Ohhhh NOOOOOO!"

"Snowwwwwww"

And then there were the alien abductions.

With the holidays over,

things are starting to return to normal.

"Whew"

The aliens and zombies began contemplating a takeover

and really, that's just not going to end well for anyone.

Happy snowmen return.

Enjoying the "wrap" party.

Festival of Trees 2011

2011-12-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

Short and sweet this time.

(I actually got it done before Christmas.)

*whew*

Enjoy.

My favorite character of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

Smooth, very smooth tree topper.

I am pretty sure this was everyone's favorite display.

A little xmas bling.

This tree looks perfectly edible.

Remember always, Safety first when setting up Holiday decorations.

Now on to the Gingerbread action.

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
by Helen Bernhard Bakery.

"Dream house Galore"
by Saint Cupcake

Steampunk Santa & Sleigh
by Pastrygirl

"Wish, Hope, & Dream"
by The Dessert Tray
(Hey, that's my bakery)
*smile*

Next year I really want to make a Gingerbread house

for All Hallow's eve.

Sooooo many possibilities.

Taste of Zupan's 2011

2011-11-13T13:14:00.001-08:00

This event signals the start of the Holiday season for us at the bakery.

The half crazed dashing around (on my part)

to make sure every thing is gathered and ready to go.

The baking off of oodles of samples because

one oodle is simply never enough.

Pies, gingerbread, shortbread cookies, and anything pumpkin

(though pumpkin is good any time of the year as far as I'm concerned)

are winding their ways through the bakery ovens.

The air is heavily scented with cinnamon, nutmeg, and peppermint.

Therefore-Bring forth the Holidays!

Although you can hold off on the Xmas music until after Thanksgiving...

At the Heathman Hotel

We get there, get everything set up, arrange things around just so

which is usually when I realize that I've forgotten

the two or three things that would

have been extremely useful to have.

*C'est la vie*

Maria prepping samples.

Anyhow, the Taste is a lot of fun to do and all of the proceeds are donated to a good cause.

The Sunshine Division

http://www.sunshinedivision.org/

Plus, any leftover food from the event is picked up

by the Urban Gleaners for donation.

http://urbangleaners.org/

So nothing is wasted and I like that part a lot.

(slight warm & fuzzy feeling taking hold)

Now, on to the pictures!


This is Maria-one of the reasons that I'm not completely crazy

People are queuing up out front.

Some of the "actual size" versions of our samples.

Set up and waiting for the event to begin.

Zupan's has many of their vendors participate.

Here's our friendly rival Kim

of Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert Co.

She seriously has that bright smile every time I see her and is

a very nice person to boot.

"Hi Kim and friend!"

I am officially hooked on this.

It's similar to the Skurdahl Farm cider that I get

because it tastes like the actual fruit rather than

just a sparkling sugar bomb.

The pear is really tasty too.

Zupan's has a lot of their staff help out at the event and I always see a few faces that I know.

"Hi Matt!"
"I warned you, you might be in the blog."
*wink*

These two were across the room from us sampling out some of the items that you can order for the holiday season.

Our table: set & ready to sample.

The girls next door.

More of the gang across the room from us.

"Hi Everyone!"

(I am craving more of those Brussel Sprouts right now.)

And to finish, a little dessert.

Pumpkin Torte, Caramel Apple Cupcakes,

and Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Bakers aren't always full Sugar & Spice...

2011-10-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Freddie Kruger, Chucky, Jason, Jack (yawn). Hmmm, mildly entertaining horror films those characters were in I suppose...

Wait, they were supposed to be scary?

Really?

Huh, do those characters and movies actually scare some people?

Well, I will concede that Jack Nicholson is pretty convincing

in "The Shining" but he's pretty terrifying all on his own anyway.

(Wait, did you hear something?)

*Looking over shoulder*

(Must be my imagination. Could have sworn I heard something though...)

I have witnessed the true visage of horror
that inspires terror in all who survive it.

I'll tell you right now, it is not a pretty sight to behold.

What could it be you ask?

It is...

(sound of creaking door)

Oh No!

No!no! NO!(whimper)

I didn't think she'd look in here!

AIUGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

channeling Jack Nicholson I swear

It's the BAKER WHO HASN'T HAD HER MORNING CUP OF COFFEE!

Darn it! I knew our coffee beans were getting on the low side!

Why? Why didn't I place the order yesterday?! Why?!

(gulp)

If she's found me...then...
that means that...(sniffle)!

all of the others have
already fallen before
the "lack of caffeine" rage.
*tears up a little*

I am sorry my fellow bakers.

I knew not what I unleashed until it was too late.

Ummmm

"Quick! Look behind you! Crazed non caffeinated baker!
The coffee shipment just arrived!"

(wrests knife from grasp)

Ha HA! Take that!
(gory stabbing scene follows)

The bakers are safe!
Oh...wait...that's right...
she got to them first. Darn.

Hmmm, time to hire replacements I guess.

Now...Where did I leave that dustpan?
And I'm pretty sure I'm going to need the bleach for this cleanup.

Seriously, people.

Never, Ever, EVER!

Get between a Baker and her first morning cup of Coffee.

*Sigh*
This is the third incident this week.
Geez, maybe someone needed to switch to decaf.

Wedding season

2011-10-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

This barn is Gorgeous!

Wedding season is winding down.
The rainy season is winding up.
Here are a few Wedding cakes that we made this season.

The locations that we got to are always interesting
whether for the beauty of the space
or the challenge of the location;
four flights of stairs and a forty pound cake
make for an interesting delivery,
especially when your arms get tired two flights up ;)

The additional toppers are so cute!

Setting up at one of the country farm locations.

Ready for the Reception.

One of the many winery locations, up a long & very windy road.

Guarding the entrance.

Sometimes, the locations aren't just where we deliver to.

Set and ready.

I'm always a sucker for flowers as a cake topper.

Well, that's a small sampling of the cakes that we made

for the Wedding season.

Hope that you enjoyed seeing them as much as we enjoyed making them.

Going coastal

2011-09-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I forget what it's like to not be in the middle of deliveries
or knee deep in phone calls taking/placing orders.

Hectic pace, long days,

stressing about anything and everything whether or not you need to.

Such is the life of someone running a small business.

Every once in awhile I get a reminder that there is a whole other world outside of work:

delivering wedding cakes to a winery in the countryside, eating dinner under the oak tree at Kruger's Farm, taking a sip of the first fresh cider of the season from Skurdahl Farms.

(mmmmm, it's almost fresh Cider time again...drool)

I begin to feel my self decompress a bit.

If you work in the baking industry or run a small business
more often than not, those moments are very few and far between
but every now and then

the stars align and you can slip into a different reality for a few days.

My version this year was to go Coastal!

No, not in a "Heeere's Johnny!" sort of a way.

I actually went to the coast.

Destination Newport.

Soooooooo, here's some of the vacation pics...

(and yes, I am working on a steampunk post I promise)

If you have always driven past this place east of Lincoln City on Hwy 18, then stop next time.

Excellent Cinnamon Rolls, Molasses bread, and hash browns.

There was this gorgeous antique delivery van sitting outside.

It's been converted to a mini RV!

The guy who owns it said that he has a bed and bathroom in there. Wow!

Coast!

In reality, it's a tree stump but,

it looks like a sea monster clawing it's way onto the beach, no?

Cat! On the Beach!

(Okay, technically on the railing on a dune but still)

Yaquina Head lighthouse.

Lighthouse interior.

Local flora

Local seating

Locals

I love watching the fog roll in and out-one moment bright sun blinding you, the next?

You can't see the person walking next to you...

which also means it's a really good idea

to pay attention to when the tides are going in and out. FYI

When the fog envelopes you, it reminds me of softly falling snow;

all sounds are softened, even the surf is muted.

Another local hanging out.

The "friendly naturalists" cracked me up for some reason.

And, of course, the standard go to picture...

Sunset.

Slightly odds & ends

2011-08-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

We get some interesting cake requests sometimes whether it be for a shaped cake or something with an unusual theme.
Most of them, we can play around with and make it work as a cake-others we say no to.

Note: We don't do erotic cakes though severed limbs may be an option.

Which reminds me, I need to track down the pictures of the Pyramid head in a dress and the Zombie birthday cakes...or was that last one a wedding cake?...

Most of the time, the order revolves around a favorite object.

Sometimes, it's all about work.

I am totally of the opinion that people should have a little fun
with their cakes,
even if it's just something a little different
for a Wedding cake topper.I had a couple in a little while ago who really wanted to have a
Wedding cake with their favorite comic book figurines as cake toppers.
They weren't sure if that was an appropriate thing to do.

I always tell people that it's your Wedding,
make it something that you will be happy with
though I might draw the line at plush animals.
You have no idea how hard it is to get buttercream out of fake fur...

Then there's the cakes of parties past.
Must have been one heck of a shindig.

There's the in joke.
"Hi Matt!"

The "You want that for a birthday cake?
Okay, will do."
(mmmm, fondant eyeballs)The random weirdness in the office moment.
"See, the printer cartridges really DO have faces.
This so proves that printers are alive and out to mess with us."And for the last moment of the slightly odd...
This is a combo birthday cake for a thirty something and a 4 year old.
I'll let you decide for yourselves which is which. Either way, this mash up = Awesome!
And let me tell you, the Snow White figure had really, really scary eyes.
By that I mean, the type of eyes that say,
"I do this for a living and then I roast the remains at my barbeque."
Seriously, her eyes were that creepy.

Cake Perspective

2011-08-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

Same cake, two views.

I enjoy having multiple flower options to play with.
Beautiful, no matter which side one gazes upon.

Farm to Plate Dinner at Kruger's Farm

2011-07-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

Go down the dusty road, just past the market.

Park in the field in the back and then walk over to the immense old oak tree.

*Grand, isn't it**Looking out over the raspberry bushes which are
producing a bumper crop this season*
{delicious}

Command central
{Culinary creation station}

Just as we arrive, the lamb gets laid on the grill.
The aroma is Amazing!

Farmer Don is answering some questions.

Lori Emch of Tasteful Catering
produced an impressive menu.

Opener

Sandra's Pickled Vegetables

Olympic Provisions Cured Meats

Farm fresh eggs, poached with mussels, cream,

and a hint of curry-served on Ken's Artisan Bakery toast.

*It tastes even better than it looks, trust me*

*I was going to take pictures of everything but...

I was too busy enjoying all of the good food and the excellent conversations*

Fresh greens from the garden, with Rogue River Blue,fresh blueberries, local walnuts, and a raspberry honey mustard vinaigrette.

Entrée

Grilled Leg of Lamb from Sudan's Farm marinated in a rosemary, lavender, garlic, stone ground mustard,

pinot noir, and blackberry confit.

Cedar Planked Salmon with brown sugar, orange, and Walla Walla onions.

Topped with sugar snap peas and pea tendrils.

Served over Zursun Idaho Heirloom Black Beluga Lentils,

apple wood smoked bacon, and date puree.

Kruger's slow roasted beets with local goat cheese & horseradish

Roasted baby carrots.

Finish

Italian Almond cake from the Dessert Tray (that's us!)

with Kruger's blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries

and a Goat's Milk Tres Leches sauce.

Here's Lori coming around with more lamb.

There's blue sky! Look quick ;)
Miss "I don't like beets" is willing to give them a try... albeit reluctantly.*She discovered to her surprise that she liked them.*

It's clouds.
It's Sun!
It's clouds.
It's Sun!

The cake, like everything else, disappeared too quickly for me to
get a beauty shot of it so here's one from a previous dinner.
Just change out the strawberries for some blackberries & raspberries,
and replace the whipped cream with the goat's milk tres leches reduction.

(I need to ask Lori for the recipe for that, it paired nicely with the cake.)

Crepes

2011-07-14T10:17:00.001-07:00

Currently I am on a serious Crepe bender. I haven't made them for years, then a couple of weekends ago I made a batch for breakfast and... have made four more batches since.

Note-They freeze really well.

Mostly I have been eating them with fresh Tazberries, which kind of look like a red blackberry, and some chocolate spread. Mind you, I thought I was buying a different brand of chocolate hazelnut paste from the usual variety because I know it exists. Trader Joe's had an excellent version because it wasn't as sweet and had more of a cocoa flavor but the last time I went to pick some up, it was no longer available.

(NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!)
The one thing that drives me crazy about Trader Joe's is how
they carry some items for a long time and then one day...
*POOF*
Nothing.
"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
And like that...he's gone."Roger Kint.

Anyhooo, I've found many recipes out there for the sweet style of crepe, road tested a few, then came up with my own hybrid version.

Crepes are essentially really thin pancakes and almost every country has some version, whatever name is it goes by.

So, here's mine with a few in process pictures to give you an idea of how simple and fast they are to make. It can be a little tricky getting the timing right while cooking but the results are well worth the effort.

*Mmmmmmmm, crepe.*

Steampunk Baker's Crepe recipe
(no gears added)

1 cup AP flour or white whole wheat pastry flour.
1 tsp Sugar, I use evaporate cane sugar because I like it.
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1 cup 1% or 2% milk. *
3 Eggs, large. **
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter, melted & cooled. ***

*You can also use whole milk or replace part or all of it with something like hemp milk which is what I did in the last batch I made. You can use water too but other stuff has more flavour.
**I have seen recipes using one and others using four which gets too eggy in taste for me.
***A friend's recipe uses olive oil which works nicely as well.

So, first step.
Gather up your Mise en Place...means stuff you need: ingredients, bowls, spatulas, stove, etc.

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together.

Then slowly whisk in butter until fully incorporated.

Then pour in the milk and whisk until combined.

I know a lot of recipes such as pancakes say to blend in the butter
after you combine the eggs and milk.
I've done that...You know what happens almost every time?
The butter solidifies!!!
Then there are little mini butter lumps floating in the liquid and batter.
Drives me bonkers.
However, if you mix the butter in before adding other liquids,
the butter will meld with the eggs because eggs have the nifty trick of being able to
incorporate a large amount of fat into them IF DONE SLOWLY!!!
The main reason that Hollandaise can be so hard to make sometimes is
because people pour the fat into the eggs way too quickly
and it breaks the suspension effect.
(Still fixable if you are careful though.)

*Now back to the recipe*

Pour half of the liquid mixture into the flour mix and whisk until fully incorporated.

*Poured*

*Whisking*

*Whisked*

Add the rest of the liquid mixture and whisk until completely blended.

*It should pour like a thin soup*

You don't need to worry about over mixing crepe batter. There is so much liquid that gluten can't develop enough bonds to make the batter tough and dense like it can with pancakes.
I haven't tried this with other flours yet but many should work because Buckwheat flour is often used when making savory crepes and it's gluten free.

This process can also be done in a blender or with a hand mixer but let the batter rest, refrigerated, for about an hour after to let the air bubbles dissipate. The batter is so easy to mix with a whisk that I never bother with the machines.

Looking ready to go.

I recommend having a very slick non stick skillet-makes life sooooo much easier.

*Let me just say, Non Stick equals easy.*

I actually picked up a non stick crepe pan years ago but even a well seasoned cast iron skillet can work just fine.
It also means that you may not need to put any oil or butter in the pan before cooking. If the first test crepe sticks, then you will need to add some oil or butter to the pan.

Pour a very small amount of batter into the pan to test if the pan is ready. Swirl the pan around very quickly to spread out the batter.

*Takes a little practice but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze.*

The crepe should get a hint of color on one side fairly quickly, then flip and let the other side cook for a little less. As for how much colour, that is up to you, I prefer it on the lighter side of golden.

You are ready for some serious crepe action now.
The crepes will cook off fairly quickly so be ready to swirl the pan once you pour the batter in so it spreads evenly over the whole pan.

As for how much batter to use, it depends on the size of pan. I usually use a little over 1/4 cup but I'm using a large ladle so I just kind of eyeball it as I go...so sometimes the crepes are a little thicker than other times. C'est la vie.

Crepe in situ.

Fin.

Hmmm, I believe it is time to partake of another crepe.
[Fork in hand]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Crazy cat lady moment

2011-07-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

It's hot...
Well, for here it's hot...which must mean Summer has officially arrived to the Northwest.
I'm a moderate Summer kind of person which means mid 70's with a few clouds amiably floating along.

Warmer than that and my brain turns to goo, which it has...so, rather than listen to me blather on mindlessly
(see goo reference and I am so glad I don't live where 100+ temps are the norm)
I will post pictures of my felines in all of their cuteness...which mostly means napping.

I do actually have a few posts in mid writing (crepes are featured in one) but I am waiting to take a couple of pictures for some and some extra free time to finish writing the others (another thing about Official Summer in the Northwest-lots of weddings).

Now on to the furry ones!

I call this one

"Tawny in repose"

or "Clean Sheets that I must immediately lay claim to"

This one would be Scarlett

"I'm trying to NAP up here!"

"Why yes, I am extremely photogenic. Why do you ask?"

"Zoom! Even while I sleep."

That is all of the crazy cat lady action I will thrust upon you today.

Just consider this to be a cute interlude.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2011-06-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

I was in a large box store a couple of days ago and saw its version of Pineapple Upside Down Cake and I was, to put it mildly, less than impressed.
*I will shorten the cake name to PUD for ease of typing for the rest of the blog.*
Pud-hehehehehehehe.

Once in a while, I am perfectly happy (don't tell anyone at work) with one of those grab and go cakes but sometimes...sometimes...

How do I put this politely? Some of them are really...abominations of the baking world! The look, the texture, the taste.
There, I've said it and I stand by it.
(Check out the Cake Wrecks blog and you'll begin to grasp the levels of horror that bakers can descend to.)
The PUD I saw was a solid burnt brown, you couldn't tell what part was cake and what part was pineapple-at least I think it was pineapple. Seriously, not appetizing.

Besides, it is really not that hard to make PUD at home and even easier if you choose to use a cake mix.

A lot of recipes will have you use canned pineapple which is fine but I prefer to use fresh. Every now and then I get a random desire to buy and eat a pineapple by itself but then I never quite get around to eating it all and I don't want the rest to spoil so this puts the remainder to a good use.

First thing you need?
Cast iron skillet. The older I get, the more I think it really is the only pan you need. Even heat, non stick surface once you get it well seasoned, excellent for grilled cheese sandwiches.
You don't have to have one but it's very versatile.
Tip-If you use flax oil for seasoning, it's supposed to work extremely well and be a very durable seasoning agent. Cooks Illustrated had a note about it.

Oven:350 degrees.

Ingredients:
Topping:
4 Tbsp Unsalted butter
2/3 cups Brown sugar
1 Pineapple:peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks. Approximately 4 cups.

Cake:
8 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup Whole wheat pastry flour (can use plain whole wheat flour but the pastry is finer).
1 1/2tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt-I use Kosher because I like the flake, use less if you use regular table salt.
3/4 cup Sugar-I like to use raw cane sugar; I like the texture and it has a better flavor to me.
2 each Eggs, large
1 each Egg white
1 tsp Vanilla, though I think a little rum works well too.
1/3 cup Milk, I use 2% usually but use whatever is on hand except for skim or if you choose to use that up the butter by 1 Tbsp.
Optional: Some spices such as cinnamon or cardamom depending on what you like.
Topping:
On a stove top over low to medium heat, heat the skillet to melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar. Spread out evenly in the pan with a spatula, then lay the pineapple chunks out evenly on top of the sugar mix.

Cake:
Combine the flours, B. powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar & butter together until light & fluffy about 3 to 6 min. Beat in the eggs and white, one at a time until combined-about 30 seconds. Mix in vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, add 1/3 of the flour mix and then half of the milk, mix until just combined. Add half of the remaining flour mix and the rest of the milk, again mix until just combined. Add in remaining flour mix. The batter will be thick.

Spread the batter evenly over the pineapple mixture and smooth out the top. Tap the pan a little to release extra air bubbles. Bake the cake until done. Check by inserting a toothpick, when it comes it comes out clean, pull out of the oven. Approximately 45 min.

Now, that's some cake!

Before flipping, another glamour shot.

Having said that, on to the flipping part.
*Use caution, hot melted sugar on body parts HURTS!*

So, let the cake cool for about 10 min. Place an appropriate size plate over the cake.
Using hot pads!!! flip cake & plate over and then let the cake sit for a minute or two until it releases from the pan. Don't try to shake it loose. After it's released from the pan, remove the pan and let the cake cool before serving...if you can.

See how pretty it can be.
Yummmmmmmmm...now where's my fork?

If you got 'em, smoke 'em.

2011-05-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been ultra lazy lately.
Also, I'm easily sidetracked,
working on some more Steampunk Baker things,
though some of the sidetracking does actually involve official work stuff.
*I swear it really does.*

Anyhow, here is one of the recent special cake requests
that we received
for a man who likes his cigars.Just don't try eat the wrong one or it will be a little crunchy
with a strong hint of tobacco.

Tasty cigar action close up.

My talented pastry chef painted all of this by hand.Side by side.

Well, if Tom is anything like George Burns on the
cigar smoking, then we'll see him for many more years to come.

Monkey Bread recipe

2011-05-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

Vegan style.
(sigh)
No, not Vegas,
Vegan-and it's really good too.

Really! I would not lie to you...
(okay, so that time in Paris maybe wasn't a complete account of the truth but that's a completely different matter).
*ahem*

Hey, don't walk away! I know, I know...
You're thinking how can this be possible?
Delicious and vegan in the same sentence, much less in one recipe?
"INCONCEIVABLE!"
Vegan is synonymous with all that is not tasty. Right?
Sure, main courses, salads and the like can be vegan and relatively edible but baked items? Desserts? Not possible.
"INCONCEIVABLE!"
" You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Well... hate to burst that bubble but some of those desserts and baked goods can be just as good as their non vegan counterparts and no extra mysterious magic or artificial ingredients are required.

Granted, when it comes to baked goods, especially desserts-one does have to let go of some preconceived notions of what you expect the desserts to be like. For example, the vegan "whipped cream" filling in the vegan banana cake will not taste like the regular banana cake using real whipped cream-doesn't make it better or worse, just different, and once your mind opens to the possibilities then your imagination can run wild.

Really I promise, it is possible. Our vegan chocolate cake with vegan peanut butter frosting is soooooooo good and our baker has been making some vegan scones (assorted flavors) that are definitely worth trying.

Yes, yes, I admit there are many vegan desserts and baked goods out there which claim to be "good" (and I have sampled a fair selection of them) but many of these leave you wondering if:
a: You have just done a trek through the Sahara desert
b: If the person who made the dessert had any concept of what "delicious", much less "edible" meant when making the dessert/baked good.

I tasted a vegan chocolate frosting once that tasted like a burned marshmallow, I mean REALLY burned. Not good! Not good at all.

Anyhow, here's the recipe-hope that you enjoy.
I made this side by side with the basic sweet dough from America's Test Kitchen which is my overall favorite base dough. I still love that one but I think the vegan is a little more tender and lighter in texture and flavour.

Dough:
1 package active dry yeast (or appropriate amount of Rapid rise or fresh).
3 cups Wheat flour ( I use 2 to 2 1/2 cups all purpose and whole wheat pastry for the remainder)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon (sometimes I up it a little, depends on my mood)
*1/4 tsp clove
*1/4 tsp ginger
*1/4 tsp nutmeg
*1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
1 cup almond milk (other nut, soy, or hemp milk can be used as well)
**1 to 3 tsp vegetable oil

*These spices are optional to add.
**Because a regular sweet dough tends to have fat from butter and/or buttermilk/milk which helps tenderize the dough, a little vegetable oil will help do this with the vegan dough. The amount you need varies because it depends on how dry the whole wheat flour is-sometimes you need a little more, sometimes less. You can add a little more of the "milk" if the dough is dry as well.

Coating:
*1/2 to 1 cup vegan margarine. Unsalted Saffola or Earth balance margarines work well.
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon (adjust quantity to taste)
1 cup pecans (or other nut of choice)
1 cup raisins (optional-I know some people like raisins cooked in things, I don't. By themselves fine, baked in stuff...abomination of nature (but that's just my opinion)).

*I find that I don't need as much so I usually lean towards the 1/2 cup.

Oven 350 degrees
Bundt pan: Sprayed with a non stick pan spray
Total Time: Depends. I'll explain why in the instructions.
Baking time: Approximately 25 to 30 min. (Again, depends on your oven, how warm the dough is going into the oven, etc.)

Warm almond milk to lukewarm (approximately 110 degrees), add yeast and let sit for 5 min.
While the yeast is re hydrating, place the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to combine. Attach a dough hook, pour in the yeast mixture, add the oil and turn mixer on to a low/medium speed. Let the mixer run for 5 to 7 min to knead.
Add a little flour if the dough is too sticky to keep it from sticking to the mixer bowl or, if it's a little too dry then add just enough liquid until everything combines as it mixes.
Pull dough out and place in a greased bowl.

Now, when I make this dough, at this stage I cover it with plastic wrap and immediately put it into the refrigerator to rest overnight-the dough will slowly continue to rise overnight (this process is call retarding the dough) and become more flavourful.
I finish making this recipe in the morning, pulling the dough out of the fridge first thing in the morning and letting it come up to room temp. The warmer the ambient room temperature, the faster the dough will warm up.

While it's warming up, I make the recipe for the coating. I melt the margarine, mix it with the other ingredients, and set aside until needed.

When the dough has warmed up, roll it into small balls, approximately 1 to 2 in in diameter, then roll them in the coating. Place the balls into the Bundt pan while sprinkling pecans over the dough.
Pour any remaining coating mixture over the dough in the Bundt pan, then set in a warm spot and let the dough rise until approximately doubled in size.
Put the dough into oven and bake until done.

Short yet sweet

2011-04-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Keeping it simple this week.
Some of the stuff that we've been making recently.
Shortbread flowers
(Something bright and colorful to make up for all of the rain.)

Lemon tarts

Working on hundreds of mini Eclairs.

Fresh Fruit Tarts.

Seems like a good way to get one's daily serving of fruit to me ;-)

Wet , wet, and more damp.

2011-04-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

It's kind of what defines western Oregon when you think about it:
Rain, rain, and more rain.

It's not that we really have more rain than other places or worse weather;
to the contrary it's actually fairly mild around these parts.
(translation-very few days of icy roads)
After a while though the grey, cool, dampness gets to you a little.

You crave brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures.
Somewhere out there, you know there are flowers blooming.

Okay, so maybe they only exist in a hotel room being set up for a reception
but still they are out there.

It's kind of funny really, outdoors there's so much grey and dampyet indoors Spring is in full bloom.So I've decided that I'm going to use my imagination a little.
I'm going to go to a place where the sun is always shining
and the flowers are always blooming,
whether they are real or made of sugar. Sure, the "sunshine" may actually just be from fluorescent lights
and the flowers may or may not be real
but it's a place full of brilliance and colour.
I know there's a place...some place,

somewhere out there;

where the gnomes have finished working for the day and the fairies have come out to play.

Somewhere out there Spring and Summer lasts year round.

Yes, it's a pretty nice place.

Still, the grey and damp can be beautiful in its own way too
and it really does make you appreciate the nice weather
when it shows up.

Sweet Science at OMSI After Dark

2011-04-03T18:03:00.001-07:00

Although it was cloudy again in Portland,
the moon was clear and bright...
(and evidently hurtling towards earth.)
Sweet Science was the theme at OMSI After Dark Wednesday night.
(which may explain why the moon broke out of its orbit.)

Yes, there were "Peeps........in..........Space" (think Muppets)
and candy was being set on fire
while Gummi bears were being blown up;
all in the name of sweet, sweet Science.

Of course, we were not about to be left out of the fun.
There was this rather scrumptious game involving most of the Periodic table.
(We didn't have enough space on the board for all of the elements to fit,
sorry Mendelevium & Berekelium-maybe next time.)

*There were a couple of people who,
just for their own satisfaction and because they could,
named off all of the elements.*
(Ah, science geeks)

Here's some of our other sweet action.

There was also an exhibit focusing on the work
involved in designing music,
video games, and roller coasters among other things.
Above this game there was this spinning light,
a little mesmerizing.

Chocolate Craft Studio was doing demos involving
sugar glass blowing.

I didn't catch who it was doing the sugar paste sculptures
but it's nice work.

I was especially fond of the Octopus.
How cute is he!

Here's a couple of the other "glass" sugar sculptures.

with the random Lego robot because, after all, it is OMSI.

Close up of a sugar daffodil-at least Spring is showing indoors.

There's also an exhibit looking at the secrets and science of
Ancient Egypt
so my pastry chef came up with a cake design around that theme.
(We couldn't take pictures inside that exhibit but there was some really cool stuff there.)

"How sweet it is." Jackie Gleason
Of course, all of this tasty sweetness comes down to two molecules

coming together to form the basis of the 6th food group...
right after chocolate which is the 5th.

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."Aristotle
and very tasty too.

note: not to actual scale-the atoms grew a little as I was putting them on the cake ;>

Food musings & Soapbox moment

2011-03-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Now I will admit right from the get go, I like the occasional cheese puff and slice or two of pizza...or three.

To paraphrase from the Epbot blog, I'm a little on the "fluffy" side of things.

(ahem)

Oh, and a reallllllllllly good cheeseburger-with grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, and jalapenos mmmmmmm. [drool]

"Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT: a mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. They're so perky, I love that." Princess Bride.

[If you have not seen this movie, you must Absolutely MUST go watch it right now-the only movie adapted from a book which is infinitely better than the book (in my opinion).]

However, I don't live on fast or overly prepackaged food. Never really have...um... most of the time... although some days I really, really want to and there was a weak week or two here and there where I just get home a little too late to want to cook but something hot sounds good and there's a place right on the way home...

However, even when I do choose to get take out or pick up a bag of chips I will go to stores and restaurants that I know care about where their ingredients come from and how those are prepared; that the ingredient lists for the finished foods tend to be minimal and that the ingredients don't look like a shopping list for a lab experiment.

At any rate, the reason why I am bringing this up is that I just finished reading Michael Pollan's book "In Defense of Food" and I think, for all of the opinions, statements, studies, etc. out there about nutrition, health, what to eat, how to eat it, etc-this guy has the most common sense approach of what people should really be doing when it comes to food which basically is to think about where your food is coming from & to cut back on overly processed food like substances that pretend to be food.

*Someone please explain to me how some of those neon colored, artificially sweetened kids cereals can claim to be healthy foods, you know the ones I mean-claiming to be a good source of fiber, vitamins, and calcium... I think Frankencereal is a more apt description. Seriously.*

Now, I know realistically (because I'm one of them), most people don't have the space or time to tend a garden, raise animals, and cook all day like they had to just a few generations back but that doesn't mean that a person has to eat things that are much more at home in a chemistry lab than a kitchen either. Again, it means giving a little more thought to food as a part of your life, not just an interchangeable energy source.

I've also read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Pollan, as well as other authors' books focusing on the history of foods & ingredients such as Salt or the Twinkie, books with a strong statement to make one way or the other about western culture's modern food system ("Fast Food Nation" comes to mind), and still others that focus on what pleasures foods gives. Magazines like Saveur and Cooks Illustrated make a regular appearance in my house. I enjoy Anthony Bourdaine's "No Reservations" when I can and hands down, the original "Iron Chef" series is one of the best shows there is.

Another really interesting book, “Bread Matters” by Andrew Whitley looks at things now done to modern commercial breads which have destroyed the natural balance and interaction of the ingredients (including re engineering the ingredients themselves). What in the past made bread a nutritious and relatively safe food for most people to eat, has now become something which many have to vigilantly guard against coming into contact with because it can make them very ill or kill them.

The majority of these books, shows, magazines, blogs, etc. have a common theme lately no matter how they choose the path to get there. Each one focuses on how “real” food, something that maybe takes a little more effort on our part and has pronounceable ingredients, is not only healthier for us but is an important part of our culture, and should be celebrated and enjoyed rather than ignored or demonized.

Food is meant to be savored yet more often than not, especially in the US, that aspect has been left in the dust in the name of convenience and the “Nutritionalism” that Pollan writes about.

It seems that there is a new study coming out every other week or so about how something that we used to think was “Good” or “Bad” for us, health wise is now the opposite. It reminds me a lot of politics, economics, and philosophy among other fields where anyone can manipulate information to support any point that one side or another is trying to make.

Various local & state governments, and even the Federal government have made regulations regarding how and what Americans eat. A popular one at the moment is requiring nutritional information to be listed on restaurant menus. On the surface, it seems like a good idea but in practice it falls far short of its lofty goals.

Who actually pays attention to the nutritional information that packaged food already has listed or the guidelines that food service establishments now must use?

If a person is going to a burger joint for a bacon cheeseburger with a large order of fries and a shake, that person will order it regardless of what the nutritional chart says. True, the person may not go there quite as often or order the largest size after looking at the information but that bacon cheeseburger was the reason he/she went there in the first place.

Now don't get me wrong, I think nutritional information has its place but I think (at least in the US) that a lot of people have replaced “food” with “Nutrition” and thrown any common sense they once had about food out the window and, to me, that is a very sad state of affairs. Also, we've gone a little far on the nutritional information overload. For example, at our bakery we now are required (thanks to the Dept. of Ag) when making ingredient labels to dissect items such as cream and butter into a sub list of those ingredients.

Example: cream (milk(no rbst), unsalted butter (cream(milk(no rbst), milk(no rbst)).

If a person doesn't have enough common sense to realize that real butter is made from milk, maybe they should be reevaluating their food habits and government agencies should be reevaluating how they label foods. Part of the problem, of course is that there is all of that fake “food” that can use the label of “cream” or “cheese” or "milk" and have nothing remotely dairy involved. I don't know if it's as crazy in other countries as it is in the US but people need to start taking responsibility for themselves and what they choose to eat.

I read a tweet recently from someone that obviously was a little fed up with the whole--if it's liquid then it can be called "milk". The person summed it up perfectly, “It's Soy juice! No milk involved.”

My philosophy boils down to just be more aware of what you are eating and how it's produced.

I think we would all be a lot better off if more people eat more seasonally, go to the local farmers markets more often, pay attention to the philosophy of the "Slow Food" movement started in Italy, if governments made it a requirement for apartments to have dedicated community gardens as part of their complexes, and if we all pay a little more attention to common sense rather than what all of the "experts" tell us, many of whom are trying to sell us something "nutritional".

[stepping off soap box now]

Last Sunday

2011-03-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

I received a wonderful present from a friend recently.
It was a ticket to one of a series of events presented by the Open Kitchen that happen about once or twice a month in Portland.
A little experimental, a little quirky, but always interesting and definitely will keep you coming back for the next time-thus, it fits Portland perfectly.
This particular event was the "Culinary Carnival".

The Open Kitchen is a little hard to describe.
Scrumptious cuisine, different chefs, different menus, randomly yet seamlessly coming together into something more than its separate parts, that is the essence of Open Kitchen.

My perspective is that it's a recipe of sorts; a recipe for living, that we should all adhere to a bit more closely which includes enjoying good food and having a good time.

Recipe for Open Kitchen.
Ingredients:
Good and generally locally available foodstuffs, assortment and location may vary.
People interested in producing excellent meals.
People interested in consuming excellent meals.
Kitchen/dining space for operation of event.
Beverages, choose variety.

Combine kitchen space with interesting chef, add ingredients plus several helpers and equipment to prep the food. Combine and mix as needed, cook until satisfied with results.
At this point add people interested in eating, a glass of wine or other beverage, seating, and interesting conversation.
Again, mix until combined.
Serve and enjoy.

This particular Sunday's dinner was in honour of Carnival held in Brazil. Chef Mario Larouche created the menu, fare that you would find in street stalls and homes around the area, along with a Sour Cream sorbet that was out of this world. He and his staff, along with the Open Kitchen creators did an excellent job.

The menu.

Now I need to go find a bottle of the Novo Fogo, I'll just say-very, very tasty.

Here's the official description of the Open Kitchen from their website, which is much more eloquent.

""The Open Kitchen" is a new food series that focuses on building community and collaboration in the Portland food scene. With dinners twice a month, The Open Kitchen creates a space where we can come together for a gourmet dinner and engaging discussion with the food artisans and producers who have created the meal on our plates. Local food, local chefs, and local fun: The Open Kitchen will break down the barriers between eater, kitchen and food producer.
To highlight the new ideas sprouting in the Portland food world, to explore all the beautiful sides of Portland’s food community, and to link innovative and sustainably-motivated chefs, farmers, and food producers with those who care about the health and impact of food they eat. We will work to dissolve the mystery between consumer, kitchen, and food producer, so Portland can see why choosing local will be the best decision they can make."

Thank you Mary Ann :)
Another plus, I actually got to wear something other than work clothes for a change...although I still need to practice wearing heels [sigh]

Warm weather must mean Vegas.

2011-02-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

It's cold and kind of icky weather outside today, therefore it must be time to
return to Las Vegas...
in spirit at least ;)

Where the sun is always shining, a cold day is temperatures in the 60's, and there are celebrities to meet on every street corner...
such as these two fellows.
[I know I've seen them before, somewhere...
Oh wait, the Gold versions were a couple of blocks back,
and across the road are the Rodeo versions,
and just around the corner are the singing ones.]
[Thank you, thank you very much.]

{No, no I could not resist saying that, it's practically a requirement.)

Now, on with the show!
Here are some more pictures of the IBIE conference.

Enormously vast space which translates to good exercise...
[as long as you don't eat All of the samples.]

*Just follow the trail of rainbow sprinkles, my pretty*
{So many sprinkles but not a drop of ice cream nearby... it's at least two aisles away.}

*Past the witch's garden.*
[lovely crop of pumpkins by the way]
{Always be sure to compliment a witch on her garden,
much less likely to be cursed that way}

*See?! Look at what happened to these two,
they obviously upset the witch.
Nobody wants that...*
[It's like all of those horror movies that you watch, and you are telling the characters in the movie, "Listen to the scary music! Don't OPEN that door!"
but then they do and there's the inevitable screaming and gushing blood...
or in this case, mummification.]

Once you're past the minions, it's free sailing from there.[Either they are the witch's minions or possibly some of the conference attendees who have had a little too much sugar today. Could go either way really.]

*Take a hard left at the bread sculpture*
[Yes, it really is all bread]

Then you are at the entrance.
*Be sure to enter the right code or you have to start over completely*
[and that tends to make the witch a little cranky sometimes]

"Now, was it: Orange flower, black flower, gold swirl, red stripes?
Or was it: Gold swirl, black flower, red stripes, orange flower?"

"You have chosen wisely."

You may now enter the realm of cuteness and sweetness.[I think the buttons on the side are so cute and the bears are adorable although I'm sure that Stephen Colbert would strongly disagree.]

This was one of my favorite cakes at the show.
So simple and yet so elegant.

Well, that is all for today, I'm off to daydream about some more sunny, warm weather whilst bundling myself up in a warm blanket and sipping some hot tea.

Chocolate Fantasy 2011

2011-02-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Fantasy is held at the Jenkins Estate every year on the Friday before Valentines Day.

The whole place is beautiful and the Cooper Mountain winery
is just a hop, skip, and a jump up the road.

[On that note, there's a lot of wineries in this neck of the woods that are just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
That's one of the nice things about the Portland area,
there are so many nifty local places to visit and there are a phenomenal range of options to choose from.]

One of these days, I will go and wander around the Jenkins garden when I have some spare time, I always seem to only be up there when it's wintery.
Cest la vie.

Don't get me wrong though, I like the winter season there too, when the fog's rolling through the trees and the heavy mist
(not quite rain but just teetering on the rim of it)
clings to you and everything else but only when you are inside,
do you realize that you are soaked.

Now, on to the picture action.
Our booth is located in the stables which is a gorgeous building and if I could afford to, I would live here-just because I love the idea of all of the stalls being micro rooms.
That and it has such a comfortable, relaxed feel to the place. Though I am still trying to figure out how they fit horses in here, seems awfully snug for such big creatures.

Here's our booth
Ladybug Chocolates has been our regular neighbor for several years.
Their smoked salt chocolate covered caramels are delicious.
[We always do some serious trading with them: Their caramels for our cupcakes, our chocolate chip cookies for their chocolate covered Twinkies. It's a win win for all of us]

New kids on the block

with some really tasty toffee and brittle.

For a lot of people Valentines day tends to be a crazed frenzy to track down that perfect something to give your significant other.

The nice thing about the Chocolate Fantasy is that people are there to enjoy the chocolate.
Sure, there will be some purchases made but it's also about having a good time,
discovering some new things, and taking a breather from the usual craziness out there.

[There's more than just chocolate at this event,
upstairs is the Rose City Pepperheads with their Mango Madness jam.
I have three jars of it in my cupboard right now]

These flowers are always blooming when we are up there for the show.

My day off

2011-02-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

Days off are few and far between when you work at a bakery.
There's always a holiday coming up, a wedding around the corner, or someone who needs that one special order as soon as possible.

However, those precious days do come, rare though they are.
There's the usual stuff to be done: catch up on house work,
maybe go for a walk, out to brunch, etc.

I do these things as well but more often than not...
[da da dahhhhhhhh]

I'm baking at home.
Yup, my day off and I'm knee deep in chocolate, flour, and vanilla.
[review previous masochist blog ]

Today it was, in order:

[Taaaa Daaaa]

Dinner rolls
The recipe called for all All Purpose flour, I experimented a little bit (again)
and switched out some of the All Purpose flour for some
whole wheat flour (from Cedar Creek Grist Mill).

Next up:

Chocolate Ginger cake with Whiskey Caramel Sauce

[Mmmmm, Whiskey sauce.]

Of course, by this time I realized that I had run out of the regular AP flour but I still had the whole wheat pastry flour (Cedar Creek Grist mill again) so the cake's not exactly as described in the recipe- mainly a little coarser in texture- but tasty none the less.

Next up on the menu:

Chocolate olive oil cake.

I also used the whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe but again, it doesn't make a noticeable difference except for having a slightly coarser texture.
I also used a raspberry flavoured cocoa from McStevens back when they made baking cocoa.

Then I washed dishes, rested a bit,
and watched something cute.

[moment of "Awwwwwww"]

Collected Recipes

2011-02-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

So, over the years I've collected recipes here and there; some are exotic, some are for comfort food, others are recipes that my family made when I was young like one for my one grandmother's biscuits or the for my other grandmother's Banana cookies or my mom's Swedish Cardamom bread, mmmmmmm. (The Cardamom bread always without icing of course-ah, happy drooling)

[hmm, maybe I should make another batch this weekend come to think of it.]

The reason I bring this up is because I am cleaning out the binders at work (very slowly I admit) of old recipes that need to be reorganized, rewritten, and just generally tidied up.

I have also started in on the binder at home that houses most of the recipes that I have collected from various magazines, hand written notes, photo copies, printouts from online; you know those recipes-the ones that catch your eye with their gorgeous pictures (practically food porn when you think about it), their ever seductive siren songs of come hither, "I'm Beyond SIMPLICITY ITSELF To Make" or "I only take 15 minutes to whip up, REALLY I DO DAHHHLING".

[see what I mean about the "food porn", it practically begs you to make it]

I've slowly been coming to terms with the fact that I will not make most of these recipes ever.

(meaning pretty much anything involving eggplant-don't like it,
I just don't-sorry mom & dad)

A few of the reasons are due to normal life things like: lack of time and energy, some of the recipes just duplicate ones that I already have in other places, others hold no interest for me any more as my tastes change, a few are just far too bothersome (or involve far too many pots and pans-I'm all for one or two dishes used, period-especially if they are cast iron), still others are missing that certain je ne sais quoi that I want/need/demand from a recipe.

I've also noticed that many recipes don't quite measure up upon closer inspection, sometimes literally. I especially love the ones that list an ingredient and then don't use it anywhere in the recipe itself.

"Why did I buy this half ton Lotus root if it's not used in the brownie recipe at all?! WHY!"

Anyhow, I have decided that it is time to free myself from this excess that weighs me down. I've already done it with my actual cookbooks and though I still have far too many of those (I use many of them for reference and I am continually reevaluating my need for others), I am very particular about the ones that I've kept...for now that is.

[Alton Brown never fear-you, James Beard, and Rose Levy Beranbaum will always be with me]

There are several recipes currently in the binder that I will continue to keep because the pictures are truly beautiful or there's some nugget of really useful information that caught my attention plus-one must always have some potential treasure trove to dig into and discover that true gem that outshines all others.

Yes, the binder will continue on...but it will be lighter, "better...stronger...faster", and more thought will be given in consideration of the next potential recipe to be worthy enough to be bound into the tome of...Recipes...

[hmm, need to work on a worthy title for it. I will have to get back to you about that part.]

[and maybe it will have flames down the side]
*Light bulb moment*
Oh, or something with a Steampunkish theme-yeah...Steampunk...some copper, maybe a little brass, a compass would be a nice touch...
I can envision it now...
Steampunk Binder, here I come.

Chocolate Fest 2011

2011-01-26T19:38:00.000-08:00

Of course, some of us are above average...

at least when it comes to chocolate ;)

Here we are, booth #2-ready and set for the Grand opening...
(the interesting thing is, there was no booth #1)
[gulp]
On with the Fest!

I totally gave up trying to take pictures while the event was going on,
I got a few but we were beyond busy with sample action and answering questions.

Here are a few of our neighbors for the weekend.

This booth isn't finished yet but I absolutely love the dessert stand on the right.
I think it was Coastal Mist's.

One of my favorite chocolate companies from last year, Euphoria Chocolate Co. was there again this year but I also found another new favorite.
Intrigue Chocolate Co.
The Cardamom Coffee truffle is unbelievable!
Close up of Cool City Kettlecorn

and another shot of Intrigue's truffles just because.
A calmer moment during the Fest

Behind the booth view,
Barefoot winery's Sparkling wine goes extremely well with our Fudge brownie.
[I'm just saying]

Samples!

You can see the doors behind the line of people;
on Saturday the line went from the door directly to us
all...day...long.
[I went to bed almost as soon as I got home Saturday night, whew!]

Someone slipping out during a brief lull on Sunday to sample some of Taza's Salt & Pepper Stone Ground Chocolate (very fruity, reminded me a little of banana-in a very good way).
Stone ground chocolate has a rougher texture but more of the natural flavour shines through.

And to finish off the day I think some Chocolate sculpture will be just the ticket.
I didn't catch who officially made this but I think it might be from
Chocolate Forest Sculpture
I don't have any other information on the company but the sculpture is gorgeous.

Now to rest up a little before...
Chocolate Fantasy on Feb. 11th!
A person could almost have too much chocolate at this rate...
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
NEVER!
Bring forth the Chocolate!

Daily dose of weird.

2011-01-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

We've been a little busy this week getting stuff ready for the Chocolate Fest but that doesn't mean that we don't have time to stop and be a little weird.

Some days just beg for a little weirdness in them
and I endeavor to comply with those requests
so....here I go.

It's kind of like making a sand castle only using chocolate cookie crumbs instead.
Works for me.

Chocolate with Olive oil & Tasting Salt

2011-01-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

I love chocolate.

The darkness of it, the richness, the fact that it can be fruity or spicy, bitter or sweet.
It's used to make tasty beverages, desserts,
and savory dishes as well.

Side note: If you ever are in Salt Lake City, Utah
you simply must go to the
Red Iguana restaurant on 736 West North Temple,
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
for anything on their menu which contains one of their
heavenly Mole sauces.
Simply beyond your imagination of tastiness.
Beyond it, I say!

Anyhow, being the chocolate addict that I am, when I came across this recipe; I was intrigued by the combination of chocolate with a good quality olive oil and tasting salts. It was not something I had entertained the notion of before.

Now, a lot of people would say "Ewwwwwwwww!" whereas I taste each potential ingredient in my mind, roll the possibilities around a bit and think,
"Yes, these could work very well together, let's give it a whirl."

One point of contention I have with regards to this recipe,
it is not mousse.
Ganache, yes. Mousse no.
Other than that it is extremely quick to make, you can do endless riffs off of the recipe by choosing different chocolate to use, different liquids (such as soy milk) to combine it with, and different varieties of olive oil and tasting salts to finish it off. mmmmmmmmm.

Here's the recipe link:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10150-chocolate-mousse-with-olive-oil-and-flaky-salt
It's really simple: Put the chocolate in a heat proof bowl, in a pot heat the cream to a simmer/low boil. After it's boiled, pour it over the chocolate and slowly stir until every thing is combined.
Let it cool.

After it has cooled and set up a bit, scoop some into a dish and pour a little of the olive oil around the chocolate and sprinkle the tasting salt of your choice on top.

The salts that I used were (from left to right):
Murray River from Australia, Hiwa Kai-Hawaii Black from Hawaii, Fleur de Sel from France, Sal Marina Piments from Spain, and Smoked Sea Salt from Britiian.

and a close up of the finished dessert.

"mmmmmm...hmm? What did you say? How does it taste?"
[licking spoon]

Well, to that I say...
"Try it, you might like it."
[wink]

and seriously, go to the Red Iguana-best Moles ever!

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate

2011-01-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

Well, it's almost that time of year again.

Don't you feel it wafting around you, slipping over your senses, tickling your nose with scents of fruit and that ever so rich darkness beckoning you to come closer and just have one small taste...then another, then another...and another...

Sure, you made those "healthy" New Year's resolutions...
well, some of you did I'm sure but then how could you forget?

How could you forget something which
(in moderation always, of course)
Is good for your teeth? Good for your body? Good for your very soul?
And as always, the darker the better.

How could you forget to include your daily dose of chocolate?
Well, soon enough my friends you will have a chance to correct the err of your ways.

[at least if you live in the Portland area,
if you don't then you will envy those of us who do]
*wink*

Yes, it is approaching that time quickly.
Time for these two events which get bigger and more chocolaty every year.

Chocolate Fest
and
Chocolate Fantasy

Two separate but equally tasty experiences for you to unleash your inner chocoholic.
or, as in my case, your external one ;) We'll have a booth at both events so stop by, say "Hi", and sample some of our
delectable chocolate desserts.
[don't worry, you can buy some to take home as well]

Here' s the practical information part to scribble on your calendars, post a reminder to your blackberry, and to tweet and facebook to everyone you know.

Chocolate Fest

January 21- 23, 2011
OREGON CONVENTION CENTER
Friday night $20
Saturday & Sunday $10

"We’ve grown so big we had to move to the Oregon Convention Center. The Sixth Annual Chocolate Fest promises you the opportunity to sample, taste, savor, and delight in some of the finest chocolate from the Northwest and beyond. Enjoy chocolate and

wine pairings and become a chocolate aficionado with presentations and demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Best of all, by attending the event, eating some chocolate and having some fun, you are helping to support the World Forestry Center, a local non profit dedicated to teaching about forests and trees of the world and environmental sustainability."

Chocolate Fantasy
Date: Friday, Feb. 11
Time: 3-9 p.m.
Cost: $5 person (ages 2 and older)

"The historic Jenkins Estate invites you to the 14th annual Chocolate Fantasy. We will showcase the finest chocolate delicacies from local chocolatiers, bakeries, wineries and wonderful Valentine gift items are available for purchase."

“I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process..… it may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?”

Holiday Cannoli

2010-12-26T10:31:00.001-08:00

So I was invited to a friend's house for Christmas dinner and, of course, being connected to the bakery I tend to be the "Go To" person for the dessert action.
I know, Weird right? ;)

Anyhow, my dessert mission this time should I choose to accept is...
to make Cannoli.

I've heard people wax poetic about Cannoli,
I've even tried one made locally once, I'll just say it was...ummmm...
Interesting.
(yeah, that's one way to describe it.)

At any rate, I decided to give it a whirl.
I read various cookbooks for some general recipes, looked up some stuff online (I like to research things beforehand so I have a general outline in my head of how it's supposed to work.),
then I took a deep breath and took the plunge.

It turned out to be a lot easier than I thought it would be.
Here's a general overview of my
" Cannoli Journey"

*What? I know it's not like jumping out of an airplane or anything but there was trepidation, wonder, and excitement involved and if that doesn't make a journey, I don't know what does...
plus, it's tasty.*

*Ahem*
Okay, first things first.
Have an extremely healthy respect for the extremely hot oil that you will be using to deep fry with because it's
Extremely Hot!

So be careful heating it up and be very careful
when letting it cool down.

Otherwise, you may be getting a visit from the Fire Department which is not really a good thing...hmmmm, unless the firemen...
(wait, wait-politically correct term would be fire persons?)
unless the fire persons are extremely hot themselves.
No, no-still really not a good thing if they have to show up regardless of how cute they may be.
[I used my cast iron Dutch oven to cook in]

Here's the link to the recipe that I generally followed.
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/cannoli-2/Detail.aspx

As usual, I changed a couple of things like adding a little cardamom and cinnamon into the dough. I also used a little whole wheat flour 'cause I'm wild and crazy like that sometimes.

I was surprised at how very similar it was to making fresh pasta, right down to using the pasta machine to roll out the dough.
[I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised as it is an Italian recipe but I was.]

You can buy the stainless steel tubes at various kitchen specialty stores or order them online. It really helps to have at least 8 or more to make things go faster.

When I rolled out the dough, I cut it into squares rather than circles because it was less work; I didn't need to find a round cutter or make a template-I just trimmed the edges and cut perfectly equal squares...
[well, mostly even squares, (okay, okay-yeesh) actually rectangles if you really want to be technical about it.]

Also, I rolled and cut the dough all at once, laying the squares on a sheet tray between layers of parchment paper so I wouldn't have to stop halfway through to make another batch of shells.

Here's what they look like rolled up. Use a little bit of egg white just as you start to roll and just as you fold that last end over so that the dough will seal to itself and not unravel when you put it in the oil.

Then, gently drop in two or three tubes at a time into the fryer.

*Keep an eye on the oil temperature so it doesn't cool down too much other wise the shells will get soggy and absorb oil rather than be crisp and tasty-and if the oil's too hot?
Well, then you are heading into charcoal territory.

Let the shells cook for a couple of minutes, until they are a light golden brown,
then pull them out quickly using tongs.
The shells slid right off of the tubes for me but you might need a tea towel or something to gently pull them off so have one handy.
[Always think Mise en Place, ALWAYS!]

Set the shells on a rack to drain, dry, and cool off and repeat the process until you have enough shells for whatever your event may be.

Taaaaaa Daaaaaa!Aren't they beeeeeauuuuutiful?

I have to admit I was pretty pleased with myself at this point.
"That's some nice looking Cannoli shells you got there."
(okay, so I'm talking to myself like someone from the Godfather movie
but they were nice!)[and Close Up...because again, I am pleased with how they turned out]

So, at this point, the shells can be kept in a sealed container or covered with plastic wrap for at least a couple of days before you need to use them.

Just remember don't fill them until just before you plan to serve them
or you'll end up with soggy crust
and a soggy Cannoli is a sad, sad thing.
(although still tasty)
If you have all of the time in the world (not me), you can coat the inside of the
Cannoli shells with chocolate which will provide a moisture barrier once it sets up.

For the filling, I made one similar to the recipe in the link but I used some fresh lemon and orange zest rather than the candied citron and added a touch more sugar.

Important tip: If the ricotta you are using isn't the particular type of ricotta deemed the "perfect Cannoli ricotta" by several foodie types out there then let the ricotta that you are using drain overnight, it will help the texture (this will also help with desoggification ;).

Here are the Cannoli that I filled with the ricotta mixture.
I also made a mocha cream cheese filling which worked quite well.
I know, I know-it's not "traditional" but really, you can mess around with all sorts of flavors that you like and most of the spreadable/soft cheeses will work nicely.
You could even use (gasp) a whipped cream filling if you wish.

Here's a close up of the mocha action.
After you get them filled (using a pastry bag makes it very simple btw), you can chop up some dark chocolate, roasted unsalted pistachios (or nuts of your choice), or anything else you might want to dip the Cannolis in to add that final touch.
Plain or adorned, they are tasty.

Mine turned out pretty well I guess,
one of the guests at the dinner said that these reminded her of the ones that her Italian grandmother used to make.
*Yay! & Whew!*

Dreaming while at work...

2010-12-22T18:59:00.000-08:00

Paperwork, paperwork, and...

[insert much put upon sigh here]
more paperwork.

[eyes getting heavy, soooooo sleepy]
"zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

{dream sequence commencing in 3, 2, 1}

Ahhhhhhh, how relaxing.
Warm sun.
Toasty sand.
Waves gently rolling ashore, palm trees swaying in the breeze.
Sapphire waters lazily lapping at my toes.

The perfect kind of day to chill out and relax.
(very possibly with a Mojito)
[happy sigh]

baaa dum
"wait, did you..?"
"nah, I'm just hearing things..."

baaaaaa dumm
baaaaaa dumm

"Wait, I heard something...I swear"

baduh baduh baduh
baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh
(jaws theme... in theory at least)

"Hmmmm, doesn't that one wave seem a Leeeeettle Taller than the others?
And slightly grey?
That's not normal right? Is it?"
"Oh God! It hurts!"
"Happy place, HAPPY PLACE, HAPPY PLACE!"

[Time to head somewhere else for this dream sequence me thinks...]

Somewhere inland perhaps, far far away from warm, sunny beaches and large, carnivorous fish.

Where the snow falls gently...
Evergreen trees are always festively decorated for the season.
Candy canes are 1.524m tall (5ft)
and you can share with many friends.
Many, many friends.
Far, far, far away.

Adorable snowmen adorn the landscape.

Yes, here's just the ticket.
Building a Snowman while the snowflakes fall and not a care in the world.
baaa dum
"wait, did you..?"
"nah, I'm just hearing things..."

baaaaaa dumm
baaaaaa dumm

"Wait, I heard something...I swear"

baduh baduh baduh
baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh baduh

Um, there seems to be something a little different about these snowmen.
Um, I think I'll be backing away now.

"Did...did you just see them move?"

"Happy place, HAPPY PLACE, HAPPY PLACE!"

and on that note and just because I like it,
here's a randomly cool
and slightly pointy wreath from the
Festival of Trees.
(with appropriate music I think)

Oooohhhhh, Spikey ;)

Happy Holidays!

Bakers are secretly Masochists

2010-12-16T22:15:00.000-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that anyone in the baking field tends to have some masochistic tendencies about them.

Definition of Masochist:
1.The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by oneself.

2. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.

Not technically a part of the definition but should be.
Bakery version:

3a.Working during the holiday season when everyone around you seems to go that one little extra step towards being certifiable.

(and that's just your fellow employees, everyone else seems to jump over that step and head straight for the cliff version-cliff notes hehehehehehe)

3b. Also applies to having to work on gorgeous summer days and during extremely hot weather.

Early hours start flowing into very long days, especially once the holidays really get going...and vacation during holidays?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Not even remotely going to happen.

On the "making lemonade" side of things bakery wise, if you ever want a free sauna in the work place-work at a bakery.

On hot days, standing next to even hotter ovens can make you feel that you are visiting the Sahara or possibly the Gobi desert but if being a member of the Polar Bear club is more your thing then head into the walk in freezer while it's freezing outside and you can get a head start towards hiking on a glacier...in the Antarctic.

There needs to be a new holiday sometime in January just for the bakers, retail workers, restaurant staff, and others who work during the holidays.

A time when all of the banks and federal offices have to stay open and there may be a tropical location with a fruity drink sporting a little umbrella in the baker's future.

Who's with me?

Let's start a revolution, dessert style.

Yeah, forget dreaming of sugar plums dancing-I'm dreaming of a Mojito and a sandy beach-oh, or a Mojito and relaxing in a meadow...or a Mojito while sitting in front of a cozy fire at a ski lodge.
(pretty much Mojito and anything works, though beverage choice is optional-hot chocolate works well in certain situations too ;)

(think White Christmas tune )
"I'mmmmmmm dreaming of a sunny beach"

Festival of Trees

2010-12-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the sights from the Providence Festival of Trees where we entered a Gingerbread house in a competition.

Think trees, lots and lots of trees ;)

There were red ones and blue ones,

black ones and green ones.

Big ones and small ones and even some Seuss ones.

Marzipan mice around a tree, all of them seem to really be focused on peppermint on top, I mean realllllllllly focused.

This tree and layout had a Japanese theme, it was a little over the top for me-I probably would have just done the cranes and lights and left everything else off but this was a competition after all.

Here's more of this layout.

Someone has a sense of humor.
The other bears are enjoying the picnic.

Something for all of those Twilight fans.
The tree is actually black.

I love that a lot of these trees didn't have a traditional tree toppers on them. I especially like the use of the branches on this one.

Here's some more of our Gingerbread competition. This one actually had cupcakes in the oven-soooooooo cute.

Bubblegum for the flooring.

This tree had ornaments made from Legos!

Here's another Gingerbread layout.

Here's a front view of our house.

"Up on the roof top..."

Um, Houston we have a problem.

One of the busier trees at the Festival.
The pinwheel things kept making me think of the hypnotizing swirly things you see in old movies.

and then I saw this one...

Very, very busy tree.
Verrrrrrrrryyyyyy, verrrrryyyyy busy.

A little interior kitchen action.

This is beyond cool. All I can say is "WOW".

and here's video of the reason I think it's sooooo cool...besides the black and white bare branch thing going on here.

Some of Santa's helpers?
Or could it be two members of our Gingerbread decorating team.

"but I heard them exclaim, 'ere they drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!" "Clement Clarke Moore

If I had the space, I would so have this at home.

I love the Winter Weather...

2010-11-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

Our baker Beth's Winter cake design.

It almost, almost makes me wish for snow...
if I didn't have to be out driving and delivering in it while living in a location where, when one snow flake falls and sticks to the ground, it becomes cause for city wide alarm.

[Begin dream sequence]

I am walking down a quiet country lane with my beau while our two pooches merrily chase each other through the fluffy, white powder that meanders slowly to the ground.

Later I am curled up by the window with an excellent mystery novel, a hot cup of cocoa, and a purring feline or two nestled on my lap...

[Hey, I said it was a dream sequence didn't I?]

Anyhooo, Beth produces some absolutely amazing detail on her cakes and I enjoy looking at all of it.

I kept finding new details that she added which means I kept exclaiming "That's sooooooo cute!!!" often.

"SQUIRREL!"
hehehehehehehehehehehe.

The snow flakes are so delicate.

She hand painted the background.

I love this moose!
Love! Love! Love the moose!

This is a Winter wonderland where I could have some fun.

Her trees remind me a little of Dr. Seuss and check out her Cardinal next to the very stylish Snowman.

Buttercream

2010-11-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

Frosting...Icing...Buttercream.

Many people think that it's all the same; frosting is frosting after all...
In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. There are so many varieties of frosting out there that one could write several research papers and not cover them all but today I am focusing on buttercream.

Buttercream is what most people tend to think they are eating when they buy a can of frosting from the grocery store or purchase a frosted cake from a bakery.
There are many frostings available on the market which are generically called "buttercream" by customers and bakery personnel though if one reads the package labels, the manufacturers don't use that term much and the frosting used on that purchased cake was often delivered premade in a 5 gallon bucket or as a bag of powder to which a person, like some cakes mixes, just adds water and presto! instant "buttercream" frosting-no butter needed.

Most of us have had this frosting at one point or another; there's so much air whipped into it, or it has a certain slightly stale/canned taste to it, maybe it's a little too sweet, often it dries out and gets crusty quickly, or there may even be a little unpleasant film of something left behind in your mouth.

I am not enough of a food snob to say that I don't enjoy commercially made frosting once in a while (don't let anyone at the bakery know though;) but real buttercream it is not.

Frosting it is, buttercream it is not.

In the industrialization frenzy where things made by hand began to lose favour to things that were prepackaged, modern, promising the dream of more convenience-buttercream frosting like so many other things was tweaked and transformed until it lost the pure essence of what it once was; the flavour, the silky texture, the richness of it, gone. It became an empty shell, something people would eat around to get to the actual cake within. Anyone that's ever attending a large party with some half sheet cakes purchased from a grocery store has witnessed the piles of frosting scraped off to the side of the plates and left behind; a sad reminder of the fact that while it looked pretty, people knew better than to actually eat it.

In recent years thanks to dedicated individuals, artisanal bakeries, and organizations such as the Slow Food Movement bucking the trend of relying too much on heavily processed foods; real buttercream is making a comeback and people are discovering that a really good buttercream is an integral part of what makes a cake exceptional.

Appreciating a good buttercream frosting is a bit like learning to appreciate different varieties of wine, beer, or cheese. There are variations on the main theme but each, in their own ways, are delicious.

There are four main methods of making buttercream and then there are variations based on those four, similar to how mother sauces are used in France.
The main methods are:

[drum roll]

French
Italian
Swiss
American

French and Italian buttercreams are fairly similar in their methods.

Have some unsalted butter at room temperature, or just slightly warm. Put sugar and water on the stove to boil until it reaches 115 degrees Celsius (240F).

For French style, whip whole eggs and/or yolks until light and slightly fluffy.
For Italian style, whip egg whites.

That's the main difference right there.

Then, with the mixer on, slowly pour in the sugar syrup.

DO NOT TURN THE MIXER ON HIGH until after all of the syrup is poured in.

(unless you enjoy being burned by flying sugar syrup)

Then turn mixer on high and let it whip until cool. After it cools some, with the mixer on low or medium, add the butter until it is absorbed.

The French buttercream usually will have more of an ivory/golden tint to it due to the yolks whereas the Italian will be almost white. Both of these buttercreams are light (almost like whipped cream at room temperature) yet have a richness to them.

The Swiss buttercream heats the whites and sugar together while over a heat source, then the soft butter is added, so essentially it shortens the process of the other two methods by a step. It tends to produce a lighter and fluffier buttercream then the previous two.

The Amercian method follows similar principals to the other three however, it replaces part or all of the butter with margarine or shortening.

*Sigh...I know, I know "Geez, Americans!"*

Let me just say for the record that changing out some of the butter for margarine or shortening is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just that there are a few people/businesses who have gone too far and used all shortening and then have added tons of sugar to try and make the frosting edible...

You have no idea how bad that is until you have tried it.

Let me just say it's really, really, really, really NOT good.

Looks pretty and innocent enough but is really not good to eat.
(I still have the memories...and nightmares)

Anyhow, the reason why it's not a completely horrendous idea to add some to a recipe is because a little margarine or shortening will help stabilize the buttercream which, when you are dealing with a Wedding cake on a hot day, can mean the difference between a beautiful cake that everyone will admire and enjoy (providing that it hasn't been set in direct sunlight on a 90+degree day) or a disaster that will show up eventually on Cake Wrecks blog.

Margarine can work out all right in higher proportion if needed in a recipe but both it and shortening (especially shortening) leaves a coating of fat in your mouth due to their higher melting points. So, if you are going to use a higher %, go for margarine first and do a test batch or two so that you will still have a frosting that people will want to eat.

Rule of thumb for margarine and shortening: Ideally use only if you know the weather is going to be warm and never ever ever go over 50% ratio with shortening.

Just...don't...do...it.

Other options that you can try instead are using some white chocolate or a couple varieties of cocoa butter available which also work as stabilizers.

Taste of Zupan's

2010-11-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

For several years, Zupan's grocery chain has held an event at the Heathman hotel in downtown Portland where they showcase some of the foodstuffs that are available from their stores and vendors as a thank you to all of their customers and also to showcase items available for the holiday season, everything from appetizers to desserts.

For a couple of years now, one has to buy a ticket to attend however all of the proceeds from the tickets purchased go to the Portland Police Bureau's Sunshine Division to help provide holiday meals for people who can use a little help now and then to make their holidays a little brighter.

Anyhow, I took some pictures of the event and here they are.

Our booth.

Here's our Red Velvet cupcakes and our Pumpkin Spice cake.

Personally, I think Pumpkin
good for any time of the year.
Also, some of our Italian Almond cake.

Zupan's floral arrangements for table centerpieces. This one was on our table (and it got to come home with me too).

Here's a sampling of some of the other holiday fare.

Some hummus and holiday gift baskets.

Mandy from Zupan's Belmont with some excellent coffee action.

(Hi Mandy!)

"Samples are ready to go."

Yep, still wearing the hat.
I'm thinking more and more about it replacing the bandannas.
Yes, I think that would definitely class up the place a bit... now the trick is to figure out how to get the rest of the staff to go along with it, hmmmmmmm.

Happy All Hallow's Eve my fellow spirits of the evening

2010-10-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

A little light music to set the tone I think...

Ahhhhhh, such delicious sounds.

Now, to continue...
Here are a few offerings to set the proper holiday spirit(s).

People should really consider having their weddings on Halloween,
just think of all of the ghouls and goblins that might arrive for the nuptials and the resulting photo album would be much more interesting.

"Mmmmmmmm, bats are soooo deliciously crunchy and surprisingly sweet."

One can not forget birthdays either...

"Eye'll be watching you"
mwah hahahahahahaha*cough...cough* hahahahahahahhaha
[evil laughter is hard on the throat]

Now on to the costume side of things.

Here's the real character in typical action mode...

and here are his Dopplegangers-with no damages to the bakery either.

Two, two Beakers for the price of one :)
They each got a free cookie for these outfits even though I didn't hear any "meeps"

Happy VikingTip for employers...
Vikings make excellent workers however...
curbing their desire to break into an operatic solo is not a simple task.

Usually, I think of fabulous outfits several days after All Hallow's Eve and then say to self...

"Self, start work on this right now so you will have it ready for next year"
and then I don't pay attention and end up doing something last minute but not this year...

This year, I actually had an idea for a costume before All Hallow's Eve
and I think it turned out nicely and now I can embellish further for next year...or next week...or next Spring...
maybe it will become the new work uniform ;)
Keep a wary eye out my fellow bakers...
I am especially fond of the hat. Steampunk Baker
is presented for your consideration

I need to track down and/or make some Holsters for the leg next year and possibly a larger bandolier...so many possibilites.

Yes, the pastry bags are lit from within, what kind of Steampunk Baker would I be without my pastry bags ready to frost at a moment's notice?
I have noticed that the rolling pin and staff could also be used for a
"Conana the Barbarian/Red Sonja" theme.
Hmmmmm...

Nahhhhh, Steampunk offers so many style possibilities, it's impossible to consider other options.

and to close, one of my favourite All Hallow's Eve tunes.
[I know it's random but it's a rather jazzy & chipper horror tune]
Happy All Hallow's Eve everyone!
Mwah hahahha*cough...cough*hahahahah

more IBIE things to see

2010-10-24T12:36:00.001-07:00

Some of the food stuffs that were on display at the show.

Sir Galahad in the house hanging out.
Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere were also in attendance. I had no idea that King Arthur actually labeled any of its flour this way, makes sense
& I think it's rather brilliant.
Now someone needs to do something using Shakespeare plays & characters as a theme.

Think about it, a bakery that makes danish could call themselves "Sweet Hamlet".
Envision, if you will-

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern as pastries.

"I'll take two Rosencratz, 4 Guildenstern, and thrown in one Ophelia and a couple of Osric"

(eeehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe)
[yes, I know I am weird but it works doesn't it ;]
*ahem*

Anyhooooo, here are a few more items that I found to be of interest.

Fruit and vegetable gelato essentially.
You have No idea how good these were.

The Dragon fruit one was absolutely ambrosial.

All of this fig paste, I should stop back by the King Arthur booth for a loaf of bread and someone here must have some goat cheese...

Close up of Fig action...

I had no idea there were so many things you could do to apples and other fruits.
(and I'm kind of wondering why you would)

"Does anyone have a bowl of cereal and milk?"

Close up of my favorite find.
I am partly intrigued and amused. Kind of hard to carve a Jack O' Lantern out of that I must say.

It's Cider season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

The scent wafts past your nose as you bring it to your lips.

It's the essence of Fall; cool crisp mornings followed by the sun slowly warming up the day. The fog slowly caressing the trees as it dissipates back into clear air.
There is the faintest whisper of mustiness, you sense the leaves slowly cascading off the trees; decaying where they land, leaving a faint shadow etched into the stones underneath.

There is a dryness to it, the crisp, slightly bitter skin crunches and gives way to a tart, juicy interior. Tart enough to make your mouth pucker but with just a hint of sweetness to smooth out that first bite and make it pleasant rather than too bitter.
Yet this is not an apple that you hold in your hand, it is a glass of fresh pressed Cider from Lori Skurdahl's Heirloom apple orchard.

I will just state right now that there is no better Cider out there anywhere and I shall tell you why.

Each batch of cider Lori makes has a blend of several Heirloom Cider apple varieties in it and she changes the blend every time she presses depending on what apples are ready,therefore every batch is unique... and darn tasty.

She told me one time how many varieties of cider apples she had (let's just say a lot) and she always seems to be acquiring different ones every time I talk with her.

Aside from using multiple apple varieties for her cider, there is another thing which makes this Cider stand out from the pack.

Often, when Cider is pressed and sold commercially (at least in the USA) it has to be pasteurized and most often that is done by heating it up. There are a couple of things this does to the cider besides killing off unwanted and harmful bacteria:

1. The juice will loose some of the flavor and aroma which is the main reason you are getting it in the first place.

2. It sets the pectin in the juice so that it will remain cloudy, not that much of a problem if you are drinking it just as juice however it is most definitely not a good thing if you plan to make Hard Cider and want it to be clear and golden when you are all done.

There are various processes you can use to get the Hard Cider clear again but you strip out more of the flavor when you do that.

So, what does Lori do differently? Her Cider is pasteurized using Ultra Violet light, no heat involved and therefore, minimal loss of aroma and flavor and no setting of the pectin which makes for an extremely delicious fresh cider to drink and just about perfect for making a good batch of Hard Cider or dare I say it... Apple wine.

For this particular batch, the apples used were:
Skyrme's Kernel
Michelin
Kingston Black
and Yarlington Mill.

Ohhh, sweet sweet nectar.

Keep up the good work Lori.

I'll be ordering a couple of more gallons very soon
: )

Continuation of the IBIE conference...Touristy stuff

2010-10-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

I'll post these by hotels or general things that relate to each other...maybe.

Now, we shall start our tour of the Strip with...

The Bellagio...

which must be said with the intonation of -"Borrrr rach chio"-
as pronounced by Michael Keaton in the movie "Much Ado About Nothing".
(A most excellent, slightly unhinged performance by the way.)

Very colourful Chihuly ceiling on the way to the Conservatory

-Connnnn serve a torrrrrrryyy-
that is just a fun word to say isn't it?
I certainly think so...
Connnnnn serve a torrrrrryyyyy.

Ethereal glass leaves slowly cascade down through the trees.

Now, I give you...
The Woods of the Connnnn Serve a torrrryyyyy!

They all look so realistic and yet so sculptural.

I appreciate how the artist captured the
essence of leaf; the variegation, the lightness, the transparent beauty within.
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar"
Wash, Serenity(2005)
Where there are trees, there must be water.
Here is a continuous fountain archway that you can walk through. This grand specimen will make many, many pies.
Mmmmmmm, pie.
See what I mean about the sculptural part?
This could be sooooo in my room right now, mind you it wouldn't fit but it would be cool.
The Green Man watching over the bounty of the season.

A Riddle

I am born on May Morning - by sticks, bells, and ribbons
I am the sap - in the dark root
I am the dancer - with his six fools
I am the tump - behind the old church
I am the lost soul - under the misericord
I am the oak - against the stars
I am the face - that peers through the leaves
I am the fear - in a child' s mind
I am the demon - on the roof-boss
I am killed in October - and laid on church altars
I am the guiser - on the bright bonfire
I am the old grain - sown with the seed
I am the flame - in the pumpkin ' s grin
I am the spirit - in the kern-baby's bosom
Phill Lister 1982

All Hallow's Eve may begin now

2010-10-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins...and could those be... Gravestones? Hmmmmmmm, maybe, just maybe.
This is a cake I just finished for display so here are more pictures of it...

but first another superfluous pumpkin picture.
(I'm a little proud of my pumpkins :)

Now, for a proper All Hallow's Eve cake, dead trees and gravestones are an absolute necessity I think...

check and check.

More deliciously decaying trees, one can never have enough of those.

Perfect for some birds and bats to roost in.
Now, here are all of the parts together.

Have a Spooktacular
All Hallow's Eve everyone.
Mwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

IBIE 2010

2010-10-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

International Baking Industry Exposition.
Setting: Las Vegas Nevada.
Seminars, samples, demos, and tons and tons of really big toys for those of a baking persuasion to drool over.

Think of it as Dragon Con for the baking set except without the really cool costumes but with lots more bread fixings, various forms of fruit ranging from puree to dried, dough enhancers, decorating stuff, cutters, slicers, baggers, and most important of all-Chocolate...lots and lots of chocolate.

Let the games begin!

The mother ship has arrived and it's so shiny. I seriously expect it to light up and start spinning like a carousel or a disco ball...

hehehehehehe-you will now have that song in your head for the rest of the day-hehehehehe.

I couldn't even begin to tell you what most of this equipment can do, suffice it to say, I think pretty much anything it wants to.

This one reminds me a little of when you are standing on the edge of a cliff and you just get this urge to get just that extra inch closer to the edge-you'll be fine really...

Baker #1: "Hmmmm, I think we could use this in the bakery don't you?"

Baker #2: "Why yes, I do believe it would be just perfect over in the back corner and so multipurpose too."

"By day a Ginormous mixer for the bakery, by night we are talking Hot Tub central. Look, it can seat 4 easily. "

quick note-they had even larger mixers than this there.

"Ohhhhhh look, a personal sauna that doubles as an oven...How thoughtful and just perfect after a good soak in the mixer/Hot Tub."

Well, there will be more pictures to follow of the Expo (stop groaning, c'mon there are some nifty things to look at-seriously) and I will even get some video up in a few more days as well as some of the sights on the Strip and a few really excellent places for food and, of course, Chocolate!!!!!!!!!!

Random thought for the day.
You know...I always find it kind of interesting, all of these shows and movies that make places like Vegas seem sooooooooo massive and they truly are in some ways but when you are on the ground strolling about, you realize that in reality they aren't quite as large as they appear on film.

Actually, truth be told, the Las Vegas Strip kind of reminds me of a movie set with the action constantly flowing around you, from the street performers to the mid western tourists to the porn slappers, everyone is a part of the show.

You choose how much you want to watch or participate in the live performance of humanity that swirls around you.

Class time

2010-09-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from out first class.
It involved learning how to work with fondant to use it as a frosting for a cake and also how to decorate with it.

Topics covered included how different coloring agents affect the fondant. For example, if you use a dry powder the fondant can achieve a marbled effect whereas if you are using a liquid gel a solid colour will be the result.

Getting the fondant to be workable usually means kneading it like bread if you are starting with a large quantity and then treating it a little like pie dough to roll it out. Remember to use something like cornstarch underneath so that it won't stick like glue to the work surface.

Here is the fondant being rolled out by one of the students. There are fancy machines (really pricey too) that can do this for you which is great if you are frosting many, many cakes but rolling it by hand works pretty darn well too.

Here are pictures of the students covering the cake and working out the folds so that the cakes have a smooth surface.

Cutting some decoration.

Fondant is a lot like playing with Play dough. You can cut shapes out, mold it into other shapes, basically just have fun playing with it.

A very small amount of water applied to the decoration and/or the frosting surface will help the decoration stick.

Decorations are applied, just needs some finishing touches and a bottom edge to give it that finished look.

Some close up cake action.

There are different varieties of fondant and several recipes to make your own as well. If you are working colour into a fondant, try doing it with a small amount of fondant first because not all fondants take colours the same way.

And here are the students with their finished cakes.

We'll be offering some more classes in the future so keep an eye on the facebook/twitter accounts for updated information or you can call the bakery as well.

Monkeying around

2010-09-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

I am smitten with the aroma of things baking. The heady perfume of cinnamon and cardamom permeating the kitchen, the extravagant richness of caramelizing butter and sugar rolling out of the oven as I open the door to check and see if what I am making is finally done.

I don't do it nearly often enough at home anymore but I did manage to make Monkey bread last weekend.

Making it reminds me how much I enjoy baking things like this: Sticky buns, pancakes, waffles, fresh Croissants (drooling just a teensy bit here), etc.

It also reminds me that I really do need to stop being so lazy and start doing it more often. Thus the Monkey Bread frenzy.

How can one go wrong with all of those toasted Pecans? and the sugary, buttery, caramel glaze (okay, so it wasn't as caramelized as it should have been but why quibble? It's still darn tasty :)

The pan I used is a mini Bundt pan (I love this thing almost as much as my Dutch Oven) and I found it at Goodwill for $3!!!
I have found a few others there as well so I now have like six of them plus two smaller ones.

Seriously, how can people get rid of this size pan? It's perfect for so many reasons. I never even knew that this size existed. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate my 12 cup version too (which I've also seen at Goodwill for around $3-what a steal!) but you have to have about 20 people over to your place to help you eat whatever you bake in it. The mini is much more manageable for a few people, ahem or just one if you are really, really hungry.

If you are ever looking for a pan, pot, or what have you, check out your local thrift stores especially when you live in a larger area like Portland. You can find so many treasures for such a minimal price and some really really weird stuff too.

Well, here's the recipe that I tend to play around with.

The day before:
Basic dough.
3/4 cup buttermilk
6 Tbsp Unsalted butter, very soft
3 large Eggs
2 1/4 cups AP flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
1 pkg dry yeast (can use rapid rise yeast or plain dry yeast**
1/2 tsp Salt

Monkey coat. make this the same day that you will be baking.
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
misc. spices- I play around here, sometimes rosemary, sometimes smoked chipotle powder or smoked spanish paprika-depends on what I am in the mood for.
1 batch of the basic dough
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

**If using plain dry yeast, warm up 1/2 cup of the buttermilk to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, add yeast and let it activate for 5 min. while getting the other stuff together.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together. In a large mixer bowl (for a stand mixer) and using a dough hook attachment, combine on low speed, 4 cups of the flour, sugar, the yeast, and salt. Add the buttermilk mix and butter, then mix until the dough comes together-about 2 min.

Increase the speed to medium and mix the dough until it's smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticking to the bowl, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup until it no longer sticks to the bowl.
Afterwards you may want to pull the dough out and knead by hand for a few moments, then place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

At this point I usually put the dough in the fridge and let it sit overnight. It will still raise very slowly and it develops more flavour as well. Before you use the dough the following day, let it warm up at least 30 min.
***If not refrigerating then let dough rise until doubled in size and continue with the recipe***

The following day heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bundt pan.

Melt the butter. Mix the Monkey coat together (You make have to make a second batch of the mix and butter).
Roll the dough into little balls, keeping the rest of the dough covered. Roll the balls into the melted butter, then into the Monkey coat. Place the balls into the bundt pan. Sprinkle remaining butter and Monkey coat over the top of the bundts, cover with plastic and let rise until doubled in size.
Bake until done, golden brown and the caramel is beginning to bubble around the edges.
Approximately 30 to 40 min.

p.s. Tomorrow morning, it's pancakes!!!!!

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home.

2010-09-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

A recent wedding cake that we made. The couple wanted a little something extra on the cake that you would have to search a little for before you would find it.

I like how clean and simple the cake design is. It can be dressed up with some fresh flowers or just left as it is.

Ah, I spy a little something in the corner :)

A close up of the little addition.

Musings and thoughts

2010-09-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

It's a bit of an oxymoron... before I went to culinary school and started working in the bakery full time I used to bake and cook all the time at home (okay.... maybe just a touch of exaggeration but I swear, just a touch!).

I relished whipping up batches of brownies, chocolate chip cookies; making biscuits and cornbread (nothing better than fresh from the oven cornbread using fresh stone ground corn with a small pat of butter slowly melting over it-{okay, mouth watering starts now}). Soups, chili, and stews simmering on the stove; trying out new spices-seriously, does it get better than Smoked Spanish Paprika? Oh, or fresh Rosemary-I would love to have a field of that, let me tell you. Making treats for the dogs, I had upwards of 6 cookbooks just for pooches (also, had some for the cats but they were rather disdainful of my attempts at making treats for them-sigh).

Basically, I just loved playing around with food, the air laden with the aromas of garlic, sauteing onion, while the underlying richness of coffee scented the air.

[I do not like the taste of coffee but the aroma? It's like a drug for me-I will buy a 1/4 pound bag of beans and use it in my dresser as a sachet, mmmmmmmmm-oh, and walking into a coffee shop? It's like swimming in the essence-I could do the backstroke for hours except I have a feeling the managers and police probably would take a dim view of that.]

Then, so I wouldn't eat everything myself, I would take some to work or school, and also pass stuff on to other random people that I knew.

For me, it's not so much about making the food to eat though I enjoy that part as well (perhaps a bit too much sometimes), it's more about the fragrances that permeate my environment.
Nuts toasting in the oven, bread baking, the aromas of vanilla, chocolate, cardamom, rosemary, garlic, and thyme...

Who needs the artificial potpourri smell when those aromas are floating in the air?

I think about this sporadically, usually when I am feeling a touch maudlin.
I remember the bistro where I used to work; the local farmers would stop in with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes, freshly dug truffles, garlic varieties that I had never heard of, random array of greens and freshly picked berries that just begged to be munched right then and there. There was so much potential sitting in front of me.
Every morning was a fresh start, figuring out how to incorporate seasonal items into the daily menus.

Now, it seems sooooooo much easier to just stop at the local New Seasons grocery store (usually somewhat healthier than the local fast food chains thank goodness :) and snag something already made from the deli case or to just cut a slice of Fudge or German Chocolate cake from the bakery to take home rather than heat up the oven.

Far fewer dishes to wash up, no scrambling for containers to store stuff in, no endless rounds of the game show "What to do with leftovers tonight?" which gets old after day three (when I cook I have a slight tendency to cook too much).

so I have extra time to do...hmmmm... (what do I do?)

In other words, I have become lazy.

Now, living in a place that has such a huge bounty of unusual and interesting foodstuffs to try, to taste, and to savor-it's almost too much of a good thing. I am overwhelmed by what is available in this area and I start to take for granted that one of the Farmer's Markets or a local New Seasons will have something already prepared if I am so inclined towards something particular.

I am working at breaking out of that habit, very slowly it seems sometimes but then I remember something one of my culinary school Chef instructors told us once when he was lecturing,
"Try something new every day".
(thank you Chef Brophy)

Whether it's a new ingredient, a new method of cooking, or heck even deciding to go rock climbing in the City of Rocks, life is meant to be experienced, not comfortably settled into a rut.

Now, I should go study my Agrippa..

Tetris

2010-09-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

I realized something a few days ago.

[Da da dum]

When I load boxes into our vans for deliveries...

I am actually playing a gigantic game of Tetris only it's live action, 3D, and all of the pieces are white boxes of different sizes and shapes.

(adds to the level of difficulty don't you know ;)

Now all I really need to make the game complete is a cool gaming costume...

something Steampunk possibly (hmmmmmm, Steampunk baker-now That would be interesting)

or maybe something along the lines of Tron..

[Gasp...cough, cough...]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The HORROR, the suffering,
OH-The HUMANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No...definitely scratch that last idea...it's definitely a No.

Spandex and myself are soooooo not a good combination on sooooooooo many levels.

I think I'll stick to playing the game using my secret cake baker identity...much safer for all concerned...much, much, much safer.

[Now, where to put this game piece...]

Beered Science

2010-08-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

[You are so singing that song aren't you?]

By daylight, a Museum of Science and Industry with oodles of young minds wandering about being enlightened and entertained by the hands on science exhibits. [In an appropriate Zombie tone "braaaaaiiiiinnnnssssss"]
Bill Nye "The Science Guy" would be very proud.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."(Albert Einstein Copyright: Kevin Harris 1995)

Parents are close by keeping a watchful eye on their young ones but they aren't participating much, "It's for the kids really" is what they say...during the daytime but...
on certain evenings as the sun wanes and the clock strikes 7...
another side of OMSI comes alive and there are no children to be found.
[cue crickets "chirpppp" "chirppp" or something like that]

It's OMSI After Dark.

It happens once a month and it's an "adults only" evening at the museum. Why "adults only" you inquire? Because, you can buy and drink a beer while wandering around looking at the various exhibits, playing with all of the hands on science stuff (the water rocket is my fave), and getting to participate in live demonstrations and experiments and... there are no children there hogging all of the fun for themselves ;)
Adults get to experience the fun and maybe even learn a thing or two rather than watching from the sidelines.

Yes, it's a secret that most adults will rarely admit to in the presence of others... Sometimes, adults just really want to play too and at OMSI After Dark they do :)

"If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut."(Albert Einstein Copyright: Kevin Harris 1995)

Amanda at OMSI asked us at the Dessert Tray if we'd like to come and sample and maybe sell some of our treats. It was a resounding "YES!" So, on Aug. 25th, we went and did just that and had a blast to boot.

We also made a special treat for the staff which my two pastry chefs enjoyed creating.

First, you obviously need some text books to help you study.

Some nifty equipment always helps as well.

"Why, it's Elemental my dear Watson" [hehehehehehehehehe]

And...of course, it wouldn't really be the study of science unless you have some specimens.
Ah, this one will do nicely.

Now, One must obviously have somewhere to put all of these things...Ah, a science lab table would be just the thing.

Then there's the process of putting everything in just the right place.
Here we go...

TAAAA DAAAAAA!!!!!!!
The finished results.
People had a hard time believing that this really was a cake.

Some of the happy cake recipients.
They didn't eat the cake right away of course, they made their own little display around it.
(I"ll try and add pictures of that later)

Farm to Plate at Kruger's Farm

2010-08-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

Location: Kruger's farm on Sauvie Island
Time: August 14th, 2010, approximately 6pm.
Event: Farm to Plate dinner
Chef: Lori Emch
Result: Good food, good conversation, and gorgeous location. Life doesn't get much better than that.

You think I would have gotten pictures of some of these tasty items but I was way too busy enjoying them and besides, nothing lasted long once it hit the table.

I did manage to get a picture of our cake which Lori used for the dessert though.

Menu

Sandra's Pickled Vegetables
Local Artisan cheeses and cured meats
Ken's Artisian Bread Crostini
Don's Farm Fresh Sungold Tomatoes

Mussels in Tomato Broth

Farm Greens with Crumbled Egg, Walnuts, and Sherry Vinaigrette

(The excellent chef helpers)

Tenderloin of Beef with Oregon Black Truffle Oil and Oregonzola Sauce on a bed of Roasted New Potatoes

Summer Pesto with Cherry Tomatoes, Grilled Squash Medley, and Pasta

Wax, Romano, and Blue Lake Beans with Sungold Tomatoes, Shaved Romano Cheese, and Basil Vinaigrette

Roasted Golden and Blood Red Beets

Fresh Roasted Corn

Our own Italian Almond cake with the last of the Berries and Local peaches.

Under the shade of the old oak tree, the world slowed down for a while. The unbearable heat of the day became a warm blanket lulling you into a relaxed state of laziness. The aroma of delicious things cooking permeated the air. It was a good way to finish a long day.

Farmer Don in person.

About half of the table sitting down to munch.

Some of the flowers on the table as the sunlight is starting to fade from the evening.

The chef herself, "Hi Lori"

I've seen this Art car around town a few times and it just cracks me up.

Inchworm

2010-08-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

"Two and two are four
Four and four are eight
Eight and eight are sixteen
Sixteen and sixteen are thirty-two

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigolds
You and your arithmetic
You'll probably go far

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigolds
Seems to me you'd stop and see
How beautiful they are"

These cakes made me think of that song.
Sung by Danny Kaye on "The Muppet Show", episode 316, one of my favorite episodes but then...I pretty much love all of the episodes of "The Muppet Show". Swedish chef and Rowlf are my favorites, of course.

These guys could easily be on the Muppet Show too, come to think of it.

"and I will hug him and pet him"

2010-08-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Much rejoicing was heard in Bakerville today.

{rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice rejoice}

Our new (gently used) display case arrived. Yay!!!!

and I shall name him George==>

<==Happy and smiley over here.

Big Al's Specialty Movers did all of the heavy lifting and actual moving stuff.

[Thank you guys!] Big Al's made it quick, easy, and painless for us-very, very much appreciated.(Seriously, if you need some moving done, this company is an excellent choice).

So... here's the case starting to get filled up. Our bakers are giving a huge sigh of relief that there is now more space in the walk in for all of the usual stuff.

It is now 2/3 full and holding proper temperature. Double Yay!!

It's a touch smaller than our old case (requiescat in pace old friend, you have served us well and for many, many moons) but it will definitely serve our needs for the foreseeable future and...did I mention? It's... SHINY!!

[One of these days, I will give a small lecture on the "Time and Temperature Principle" and Sanitation in general but that is for a different day]

I cajoled most of the staff to wear our new Dessert Tray shirts and to do a group photo to boot. New case + new shirts = Happy bakers and Tasty cakes. [You guys all deserve major props for everything you do!]

Additional bonus that you all look so cute in basic black ;)

Vampires are taking over everything

2010-08-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

The request was to make a cake for an older grandchild who does not care for the Twilight series written by Stephanie Meyer (the reason makes sense, just trust me).

So... of course, she absolutely had to have a cake with the Twilight theme for this person's birthday.
(Hehehehehehehehehe. Ah, families-if they can't poke fun at you, who will?)

{Yes, yes, I know that some of you may be experiencing shock that there are some people in this world who don't care for the series-just let it go. Some people claim not to like Brussel Sprouts or beets-I don't understand them either but I accept them in spite of their oddness and they can still be productive members of society
; }
Anyhow, the grandparent had purchased the Twilight dolls and needed an appropriate log for them to sit upon whilst being full of angst and moodiness.
The log without adornment... Kind of a nice log, maybe waiting to be put in a campfire so it can roast some marshmallows for later S'mores action.

[S'mores, required camping accompaniment-also, excellent gauge of true adulthood. You know you are an adult when you hit that stage in life when one S'mores contains WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR for you to handle (teeth ache just looking at one is an excellent sign) or you start pondering ways of making the S'mores gourmet by using handmade artisianal marshmallows, single origin chocolate from
Dagoba chocolates, and handmade Graham crackers using stone ground whole wheat flour sourced from the Cedar Creek Grist mill...not that I've ever done that mind you-ahem.Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, log cake...] now back to the regularly scheduled program.

The finished log ready and waiting ...

and...with appropriate decor and accessories; very, very moody and angst ridden accessories.

One of these days, I will have to read the books...

Waterfront Blues Festival

2010-08-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

"The Thrill is Gone", "Nobody Knows When You Are Down And Out", "Hellhound On My Trail". These songs were born of heartache, angst, reflection, bitterness, and so many other emotions rolled together and rung out until the raw music seeped out into our conscience.

Blues music can be loud, brash, and in your face or, soft and subtle, soaking into the depths of your soul. The Blues speak to harsh truths that may you already know of, the heavy beat of the music wrapping around your marrow like bone strengthening you against further adversity, the words giving catharsis to all who need it.

he Safeway Waterfront Blues festival is one of many that celebrates this music and its many variations. 4th of July weekend, the Waterfront comes alive with the music that you can hear floating throughout downtown and across the river. Lots of good music, lots of good people, and lots of excellent food.

One of the caterers that we know (Hi Lori!) has been feeding some of the behind the scenes workers and musicians who have participated in the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival for the last few years. She buys a few things from us and we donate some stuff as well.

Last year Keb Mo ate one of our Vegan Spelt Chocolate Chip cookies ["Just Like You" is one of my all time favorite songs].

Besides, the usual cookies and other desserts, this year we donated a half sheet cake that I decorated.

No, this is not a tune, my music reading skills are nil and this is in spite of the fact that I used to play music in school (musical notes are kind of like fractions to me-I know they mean something, but I just really, really don't get how they work and the examples are always something simple like 1/4+ 3/4, that's not a useful example! Give me something like 34/59 divided by 7/17. Now THAT is a useful example) [maybe I still have a few issues regarding fractions, just maybe]

We're all fancy like now.

2010-07-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

The boxes have been opened! They have arrived! The Dessert Tray shirts are officially official. Check out the utter coolness and instant style you achieve by wearing one (and remember black goes with simply Everything!)

What can we say, we are "Fashion Goddesses! (to be stated in a voice like Gozer's when it asks, "Are you a God?")

Anyhow, we will have them available for sale shortly and remember our motto
"Keep Portland Tiered. Eat Cake!"