Cake, Shoes & Pretty Things To Come!
04/21/2012
I had a goal that I would post every day this week, in an effort to connect more with my work and share it with all of you. (I’m fairly sure at least one person reads this — Thanks Mum!) It was not an easy task, I actually did some blog posts ahead of time to try and make sure something posted each day. My main problem is my photography. I quickly had forgotten how to use my camera after spending a day doing several online tutorials and reading a book on DSLRs a few months ago. Time for a refresher! I got distracted half way through the week working on a business plan and doing some shoe shopping….
4 different pairs later, these are my favorite. I bought a few TOMS flats and 1 pair of the black lace TOMS. I had held off on the addictive comfy shoe so many tout about on pinterest….but when I stopped into S.O.S (Save Our Soles) on George Street in downtown Peterborough, my heart was a flutter. Then I spotted the salmon pink pair above and it was instant love. I had to have them, and they are so buttery soft and comfortable!
I love all things unique and fun and quirky. If you’ve seen my hair, you’ll definitely know I don’t like anything ordinary (well maybe the simple joy of a favorite pair of jeans with a white t-shirt), so when it comes to gifts, my husband is often at a loss. We always buy something we want when we want it, so this year, he snuck onto my pinterest and hunted down several awesome goodies for me on Etsy. How sweet is that? One of my favorites, this Owl Clutch by Kichi Kimani. We decided to go out for a date night, and I LOVE date night. We went to Rare Steak and Grill House in Peterborough and it did not disappoint! I decided to take my new clutch out on the town. Isn’t it cute? (And I am fairly sure I will be owning more than one of these because they come in all different colours/patterns and her work is flawless. Clean stitches and quality product – that’s why I LOVE hand made)
So what else have I been up to? Well, I got an order for some tasting cakes. For $10.00 you can pick virtually ANY flavour (except Almond) and have a mini cake made. It’s 4 inches around, 2-3 layers and filled and iced. It’s a nice little treat and the perfect way to have a preview of what to expect if you order a cake for a special occasion. This week I baked up three flavours, Pump It Up Pumpkin Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream, Buttermilk Chocolate with Raspberry preserve & Raspberry buttercream, Lipsmacking Lemon with Raspberry preserve & Raspberry Buttercream. You can contact me if you would like to order one, or several!
I had a chance to make some seedless raspberry preserves and for whatever reason, when I’m making jams and preserves, or canning anything, I feel serene and calm. The smells of the kitchen, the colours of the fruit and something about the whole process makes me feel good inside. I never thought making something as simple as jam would bring me such content! The same goes for Salted Caramel sauce, it is so simple to make and it tastes like the best thing on earth. I’m gifting jars of it for my family members at Christmas. It’s addictive and so decadent, like liquid heaven. I’ll be posting a blog on how to make your own this week as well. Hooray! Salted caramel is the bomb y’all – no lies!
I also spent some time contemplating a retail space, a very small space that is my own to work out of. I have window shopped (quite literally) with my nose pressed against the glass of vacant buildings and store fronts trying to decide which would be best. I found this place in Lakefield and fell in love instantly, alas it was not meant to be, because a local retailer nabbed it up and is moving in as we type. Doesn’t it remind you of the house from UP? One of my all time favorite Pixar films.
I was truly feeling a little deflated when I found out it was taken at the Kawartha Wine & Food Festival. It seemed like the perfect place and I was so certain it would be for me. I have a thing for historical looking buildings. It’s ridiculous really, but I’m fairly sure my real estate agent expects a call every six months or so when I ask to see something. I like the nostalgia and the idea that it was occupied by many before me, that part of them still lingers there. I’ve been there before, it was a rather expensive venture, and although it was fun, I don’t wish to go down that path so quickly this time around. For the moment, we are without an official location, and we remain using a rented commercial kitchen until the right spot comes along. I want to be absolutely sure I have the perfect space and the timing is right. It’s hard to take the leap, but sometimes even moreso when you done something similar once before and it did not work out as planned. I also have my children to think about and for now, my schedule is flexible enough that I can stay home and capture moments like these….
My two youngest watching tv from upstairs. They love to stick their feet through the slats and they laugh that crazy little belly laugh little kids have. They think it’s great (and don’t worry, they can’t fall!). Right now my son is at home most of the time and he starts school in the fall. My husband and I have had many long talks wondering what step I should take next. I wonder if the timing will be better in the fall, or if I should wait an extra year. It’s hard to make a big decision like opening a store front, so for now we’re still thinking about it, and planning. (Which for two Sagittarians it’s like oil and water – we like to jump right into the fire without thought usually!) I guess this means we’re adults now.
I’ve also had the pleasure of taking a Food Safety Certification course, I met the lovely instructor and spent the day learning about germs, food safety and seeing photos I wish I could unsee. The health inspectors are your friends folks, trust me! I was please to get my little certificate in the mail along with a little yellow sticky containing my exam mark. (And yes, it totally bugs me that I don’t know which question I got wrong!)
I’ve also been reading a phenomenal book for my book club, The Night Circus! Have you read it? Thoughts? I’m in love with it, I cannot wait to pass it on to my Mum, sister and my Niece to read – we like to share books and discuss when we can! It’s a fabulous read, and I can completely see it as a movie. I would love to see a huge production with eccentric costumes. And you know that I can’t read something like that and NOT make a cake to bring for our discussion dinner right?! So you’ll get to see that as well after Monday. I’m also using it as practice because I promised my best friend Dave (who aspires to be a pastry chef and one day we will rule the pastry world together!), a Night Circus birthday cake for his birthday in September. Dave and I spend almost every night talking about our some day bakeries and pastry shops with elaborate details. We could go on for hours, and we usually do.
So until I blog again, I suppose I should leave you with a sneak peak of a cake we started during the Wine and Food Festival, it’s not completed (and it’s of course a display) but we’re anxious to add some finishing touches and get a proper photograph. Enjoy!
