Blogging

I've been thinking about my little corner of the internet lately. Blogs are really weird; posting lots of personal information about your life to the world and wanting people to read it baffles me. For all I know google blogs probably owns all my writing and pictures now, maybe even my soul. For quite some time, I slowly got addicted to reading food blogs (the good ones are like free, unedited, and frequently updated cookbooks), but I had no interest in starting my own. Then it sort of just happened one snowy weekend and was sort of exciting for reasons I can't quite explain.

Most days I do think it's great that there is a "community" of people now sharing information, experiences, and passions. These days connecting with people via the internet is common place, which I still find a little strange. But, when I stop and think about it, I have found most of the jobs I've had through the internet and my car and bikes (thank you craigslist). Technology is quite the conundrum, I don't want to like it, but I'm indebted, reliant, and addicted to it.

Anyhow, despite pondering blogging for a while now, I have yet to come to any profound conclusions. Most of the time it's rewarding, it's also a little embarrassing. Sometimes I read old posts, turn red and wonder what I was thinking. Also, ever since I started this blog I have noticed that my mom doesn't call me as much (no hard feelings mom!).

After all that babble, I guess I will keep sending personal information into cyberspace despite my sporadic misgivings.

Today's baking adventures

Vanilla bean cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
Brownies.

Unfrosted waiting patiently.
Chocolate chip cookies.

Oh my, pie

Key Lime pie.
Blueberry pie.

Pies seem to solve all problems. They're lovely any time of day, they are homey yet elegant, and even better with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. I'm a fan.

Things are going better in the kitchen these days. My menu is coming together; I'm figuring out what works and what doesn't. I also got out at a reasonable hour today, which is quite nice indeed. It's a rainy day and I think I'll take a nap this afternoon, I need it.

Friday night I only got 3 hours of sleep because I was at the Jazz festival in downtown Burlington with friends from Wilson, but it was wonderful to see them and I realized I know more people in Vermont than I thought.

Just, you know, baking...

No-Bake White Chocolate Pie. Recipe courtesy of Dorie Greenspan. I tried this pie for a new dinner dessert today and I was happy with how it turned out. I'm not a big fan of white chocolate and usually don't bake with it, but in this recipe I think it works well.
Chocolate chip cookies for days. You would not believe how many cookies I go through. I'm on the look out for new cookies recipes.

That's all for now. If you want any recipes I have them. I have changed all the quantities on my recipes, so I haven't been posting them, but if any of you want a recipe just hollar.

Bye!

Dayz Off

Yesterday and today were my first two days off, though I actually did quite a bit computer work. As I go through the menu I'm figuring out quantities and tweaking recipes; so, I've been typing revised recipes, writing an updated menu, and organizing my huge baking binder. It was still nice to be out of the kitchen for a few days.

I don't have too much more to report. I'm just looking forward to mastering all my recipes and getting done each day at a reasonable hour. I'm learning that many of my dinner desserts have to be made the day before so that they are set so that I can cut them. So the next few days I may be working late in order to get to prepping for the next day. Pretty boring update, but this is what's been on my mind these days.

Tyler Place Baking

As promised I've posted a few photos. The muffins above are raspberry chocolate chip and bellow are coffee blonde brownies.
Today was a little crazy because the first guests arrived at lunch time. I made strawberry rhubarb pies, brownie tarts with raspberry sauce, and white cakes with maple cream cheese frosting for tonight's desserts. I'm bracing myself for tomorrow which is sure to be hectic. I'll start the morning by baking tons of muffins and heating bagels for breakfast. For lunch I'm making raspberry jam bars and absurd amounts of cookies. Finally, for dinner I'll be making peach pies, NY lemon cheesecakes, and chocolate ganache cakes. I will do my best to take pictures, aight?

Wish me luck.

It's been a long time...

Sorry I've abandoned you all for a while. In the craziness of graduating, driving to Vermont and starting a new job I haven't had time to keep up with the blog. I have been baking my butt off, however, even though I have no lovely photos to show for it at the moment. I plan on keeping my camera in the kitchen and keeping ya'll updated on my every culinary move, so don't worry.

So far the Job is good. It's unbearably hot up hear, like 95 degrees! Now add standing next to three industrial ovens to that number and you have an idea of what I've been going through. I like the job so far; I have an area of the kitchen to myself and can order pretty much anything I want (I ordered a brand new kitchen aid immediately among other exciting goodies). I also get to create the dessert menu as long as I have at least one chocolate dessert every night; these people go crazy for chocolate and I don't blame them.

My general day starts early; I start with breakfast items--always some kind of muffin and another baked good like scones or coffee cake. For lunch there's always cookies and bars (brownies, lemon bars, etc.). People go nuts for the cookies; it's truly amazing how many they can gobble up. I keep at least 3 giant cambros of cookie dough of various kinds in my reach-in cooler at all times. Then dinner is three different desserts, one of them chocolate as I mentioned. I have all kinds of deliciousness on the menu, seasonal fruit pies, chocolate ganache cake, cheesecake, key lime pie, chocolate mouse pie, pot do creme, strawberry shortcake, the list goes on and on. And finally, I will also be baking bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well. So far I have just been baking for the staff, the guests arrive on Saturday.

Sparkle, my trusty Honda I bought this semester did a spectacular job getting us to Vermont safely. Me and three friends from school drove 20 hours straight from North Carolina to Burlington. I'm kind of falling in love with Burlington by the way, such a great city.

That's all for now. Pictures to come, I promise.