Good News!

First of all I just want to let you guys know who read this that I appreciate your support especially this past month. I am happy to announce all has turned out well for me and I have been offered a new position in the company that involves International work in Canada and the Caribbean! Same job, just new territories with exciting travel. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this. Technically it’s a lateral move but I feel it’s a promotion and it’s a direction I have always sought to go in. So I can take a deep breath now and get on with it.

To celebrate with a little snack before my Certain Someone comes home with celebratory take out, I made these little tasty snacks. Dates wrapped in bacon. No recipe needed. Just wrap your dates in bacon and secure. Bake on a high temp on a broiler pan to allow the fat to drain. Enjoy.

Cake Diva

My colleague asked me this past Wednesday if I could put together a particular cake for her daughters 14th birthday this Sunday. She then pulled out one of those TopsyCurvy cakes that are all the rage in Sugar Craft land. She knew I had taken classes and has seen my work. She’s even asked me to make her some staff gifts on occasion of cookie bouquets. With all the commotion at work she was far behind in her daughter’s grand birthday. Her little girl had definite expensive notions of what she wants. Like goodie bags filled with Juicy Couture trinkets. Yeah right. Well Mama wasn’t going to do that but we settled on a tiered Juicy Couture themed cake for her princess. I was hesitant but she said shed go to the local supermarket and get one if it was trouble. I cringed at the thought. If she likes this one maybe I get the big Quincenara cake next year! I told her I need a lot of cash for supplies. Cake decorating is expensive and I always go overboard. I found a great store that has the best in cake supplies, as well as the standard Wilton. Lori at Cake Walk is the best in that you tell her your idea and she will help you through. So I had a few nights to prep and all day Saturday to really get into it. The result is a strawberry filled top tier of 4 layers of alternating chocolate and pink tinted French Vanilla, and pink butter cream. The bottom tier is just 2 layers of French Vanilla filled with the strawberry. What is French vanilla you ask? Well most cake decorators cheat and doctor up cake mixes (Duncan Hines is my choice, and extra eggs, milk, and Jell-O brand puddings).Ask any pro and they will tell you. You need a good sturdy cake and don’t really have a lot time for mistakes. It’s all about the outside unfortunately, than the inside. One day if I get a big pro kitchen, and such I’ll start from scratch. But this is just an occasional expensive hobby that I haven’t even spent a year doing. Even Certain Someone somewhat amazed with what my little cheap Michaels craft store Wilton classes have resulted in. I love Wilton products, but I prefer Satin Ice for my fondant needs. Growing up my Mommy always gave me huge grandiose birthday parties, and I admit I had fun doing this. Did I go over the top? Yes. But that’s what the little diva waned, She has already started bragging to her friends that she has a ‘Cake Designer’. Got to love it. Now I just have to carry this heavy sucker down two flights of stairs and drive through all the big ass potholes to the burbs.

It’s February, And That Means It’s Black History Month

Did you know February was Black History Month? With all the whirlwind of activity and drama in my life, I forgot for a hot second until Heather over at Gild the Voodoolily asked me to participate in her Black History Month tribute blog. Cynthia has introduced us. Now I have discovered Heather’s great blog. Heather is an outspoken, creative, smart, and talented. She “gives it to you straight, without a chaser”. Her questions were thought provoking and gave me a chance to reminisce and vent a bit. Today we are seeing a handful of prominent Black chefs and food and wine types in the industry. I love it when I see “my own” enrolled in the all the culinary schools in Chicago walking to clad with their knive kits, etc. I hope they make it. My personal favorite is Marcus Samuelson, of course. So check out her post.She even made a special dish just for me! Remember my words are “my experience” and I don’t speak for my race as a whole.

Thinking about Black History month, my personal icons came to mind. When I get ‘In those Scorpio moods’ I listen to my old late friend Nina Simone. Her music and I have gone through some times from early childhood ( when my parents played it) to my adulthood. An “individualist” who weaved important messages in her song. I have had the honor to see her three times in my life at various venues around the world. I choose Four Woman to show the complexity of who we are. This song has so many messages and was very controversial. This clip was Nina at her best, I believe. Glamorous, forceful, and thought provoking. Tomorrow I’ll get back to sweetness and light when I post a birthday cake I’m working on for a friend’s daughters birthday. In the meantime..

Avoiding The Dark Side

Today was one of those days where I craved a pack of cigarettes and a drink or two. Bad for me I know, but I’m under a tremendous amount of stress right now. The past few weeks I have been fighting to retain my job or land a new one in our restructured company. To say we are all on edge is an understatement. I got to thinking about stress and its consequences. I saw all to well what stress did to cut my parents life short. How does this relate to food you ask? Well I have always been a green tea fan. I love to buy the gunpowder green tea pellets in China Town for cheap prices. I have been seeing Matcha pop up in blogs all over. Primarily it’s been used for dessert in the food blog world. Another dessert is not what I need right now, no matter how tempting. I ordered a tiny can from ITO EN in New York City. This stuff is expensive and so precious. I am not familiar with the tea ceremonies and rituals and accoutrement that go with it, but judging by the price no wonder it’s revered! Before I plunge into ways to use it, a little voice said wrap up the crazy day with some stress reducing cup of Matcha.My mother always told me trust my instincts. I feel those stress busting anti oxidants plugging away.