In the Beginning.....

For all of my friends and family that have very kindly shoved me into blogging....here it is!  I am hoping to be disciplined enough to blog daily about what I am baking and cooking, my catering events and menus, and the ups and downs of cake designing.  I am constantly asked cooking and baking questions, so I hope I can answer some of them here.  First and foremost, I am not, I repeat, not a chef.  I am simply a cook and baker.  I have worked under some of the most amazing and talented chefs, and they were gracious enough to teach and lead me.  My passion for baking started with my mother and I making her Aunt Dotten's Jewish Braided Bread.  We made a day of it, and I was hooked.  I was six when that bug took over, and then 8 when I started helping my dad put dinners together.  We are still doing it today, him being my right hand man in our small catering business, Clean Your Plate Catering and Cakes.  I couldn't do it without him, so he better get that damned knee replacement soon.  Whip cracker, I am.  If I had to choose between a night of going out to dinner, or staying in and cooking, the cooking wins hands down every time.  The days when I am up at the crack of dawn prepping, and still cooking by night fall are my best days.  Lately, working at 3 am at Bean's Bakery and Cafe, and then running out to shop for a catering gig, prepping and cooking and baking....I am in heaven.  I have a busy year ahead with a lot of parties at Port Huron Yacht Club.  The Commodore is a good friend, so I am lucky to be her caterer for these amazing events.  The biggest is the Commodore's Cocktail Party that takes place the night before the Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race.  Commodore's from competing clubs are invited, as well as members of PHYC.  The party only lasts 1 1/2 hours, but myself and the Commodore have been working on it since early January, and will continue to work on it until that day.  Some things coming up that I plan to blog about:
Friday Night Feed at PYYC featuring Crab Cakes and Pralines
Appetizer Party for 20
Commodore's Tasting Party (This is were we will pick our favorite items that we will  have at the Cocktail Party)
Thanks for reading
J~