Pound for Pound

Dear Chase:

As you are taking your routine nap at 10:30am, I am once again jotting down ideas and researching new recipes to try. I find that is the best time for me to think and ultimately get inspired to bake.The great thing about baking, is there are so many variables and so many ways to make them your own; it is so easy to get more creative with all the flavor combination's. Last week I made a lemon pound cake for a family gathering and this week I decided to make toasted coconut with a sprinkling of fresh roasted almonds on top. I get most of my inspiration from reading varies cookbooks, cooking shows but most of all from my mother...the ultimate baker. When I was a little girl, would watch my mom bake at 5am every morning and I thought to myself; I would not want to be a baker when I grow up. You have to wake up so early and there is a lot of work involved with making so many different types of pastries. Not to mention the stacks of dishes that must be washed once the little goodies are in the oven. Little did I know that when I grow up and really figure out what I like to do versus what I love to do.... I can now see why my mother would get up so early to make all those pastries. She loves to bake, she loved the store and she was happy to do it everyday. It is funny...when I am baking, I never watch the clock, get hungry or even get tired for the most part...I just keep baking until there is either no flour left in the jar or I have made everything I set out to make that night. :) Your father thinks I am a bit obsessed and he is probably right, ha! It make me happy so why not do what make you happy! I encourage everyone to do what they love to do and whatever make them happy.

So, in the next coming weeks, I will be make a few other flavors, such as raisin glaze, chocolate walnut and cream cheese filled. I will let you know how it turns out.