Archive for About ASCC
Well Hello There!
Well Hello There!
Regretfully, I haven’t blogged since January– and its now April! crazy! I have no idea where the time has gone. But here I am again, giving this blogging thing a try one more time and recommitting to it. I guess I am hoping this will somehow help me move through what my boyfriend has so thoughtfully dubbed my “Quarter Life Crisis.”
So here’s a brief update on my life… my day job is ridiculous… legit.. I work with crazy people and I think its starting to drive me a little bit crazy. To compensate for that I decided to do a manager training program at Pier 1- which is far from logical as I just added more shifts to my already densely packed schedule. In between job 1 and job 2, I am trying to start a business and have been packed with cookie jobs– a great thing– yet adding even more to my schedule… yes my life is a bit overwhelming!
And with all this going on I still want to go to pastry school… which as of now I am slated to begin in the fall due to an unfortunate instance of technology not exactly doing its job— but I am okay with that right now because of how nuts my life is.
And somewhere inbetween all this I am trying to keep myself happy and healthy- trying to excersize, eat right in between all this sugar and sweets- and make time for a social life- which can be challenging when I pass out on the couch at about 9pm each night- I even took today off of work to regain some sanity— it was a fab decision on my part!
Despite the chaos that I’ve turned my life into- I’ve figure out a couple things…
1.) Baking bread is extremely cathartic– kneading the dough and getting my hands dirty has been a fantastic outlet for frustration or anxiety and makes a deliciously delightful outcome– try it– it works! I am even more obsessed with french bread than ever.
2.) I want to teach children how to bake.
3.) I want to be my own boss. And somehow combine baking and therapy– I think its possible..
4.) I want to write a book. Random, I know.. but whatever…
Well the rest of my day off will consist of signing up for a fondant class, an hour long work out, a trip to Santa Monica and I have lots of pictures to go through and lots of things I want to add to the blog… stay tuned!
Happy Baking!
-Kristy
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG Over Due!
Hello there!
This blog post is LOOOOOONNNGGG Overdue! My sincere apologies readers. I have no good excuse what so ever, but I am back… SO.. please forgive my absence, and I promise to never to do it again unless I am on my dream month long honeymoon in Fiji (which would also mean I have to get engaged first… and as much as I love my BF- marriage for us is quite a few years down the road!) Anyways, didn’t take me long to start babbling…. But I have SOOO Much to fill you in on!
First of all, I got some awesome cookie orders during the holiday season. I lost track around the 300 cookie mark and made every cookie you could imagine. Chocolate chip, mint chip, peanut butter, jelly button, M&M and sugar just to name a few… my kitchen permanently smelled of cookies. I was actually approached by a neighbor of mine who informed me the smell wafted into her apartment— luckily she didn’t mind so much! I also developed a new frosted cookie to my repituar (thanks to a little help from my lady Martha Stewart and her awesome December issue of Martha Stewart living) and I will have a post about it later this week!
I can’t wait to share my Christmas Dinner with you too! I made my first prime rib roast… and she was such a beauty! And of course was super tasty! I had a bit of a misshap… there was lots of smoke involved… but with lots of fans I was able to save the day!
Lastly, I have lots of Will Bake for Tuition news to share… a few changes and some re-crafting needed to be done, but it seems like a solid plan has been made. I really look forward that update too!
It is so nice to be back to blogging! Check back for exciting updates! and Thanks so much for your support!
Happy Baking!
-Kristy
My apologies for my delay…
As I mentioned in my last post, my parents are in from Boston visiting for a week… and they are completely wiping me out! My goodness today we went antiquing in Santa Monica, then off to Pinks on La Brea… next was Hollywood and Highland and a wax museum followed by a drive down Sunset, a stop in Beverly Hills and back to my apt for dinner with freshly made bread and apple pie. Its exhausting just listing it all! It is really important to me when I make a post… that I write it with a clear mind and put alot of thought into it and that is soo not about to happen right now! Although I have lots to report to you… it will wait until tomorrow (and my parents are off on their own adventure tomorrow! What a relief!)… some recovery time is soo necessary!
But, just to give you a heads up on things to come later this week… home made baguettes, super star pastry chefs, lava cakes and more!
Happy Baking! Here’s Hoping I survive this week!
-Kristy
WBFT: A Sponsor and Thank You’s!
To learn more about ‘Will Bake For Tuition, Click Here! To read all Will Bake For Tuition Posts, Click here!
I have exciting news to share! I have recently been in contact with Tiffany, the wonderful lady behind The National Cookie Network, who has been providing me with great support and guidance with not only my blog, but also with my project ‘Will Bake For Tuition.’ Tiffany has decided to add a new component to her page, which is called “Sponsor a Pastry Student!” By doing so, she is providing the student with publicity to gather support and fund raising for the students pastry school hopes and dreams. Tiffany has been kind enough to offer the very first sponsor spot to myself and my blog! I am so thankful for her and am thrilled with the opportunity it provides! Check out her website to read a short bio I provided, and take a peek at her many awesome recipes and resources!
The publicity she is providing is very important to me, my blog and this project. None of this would not exist without readers and The National Cookie Network is one great venue to spread the word to new readers and fellow foodies. I also want to add that although I have decided to go to pastry school because it is a dream of mine, I hope that I am able to provide my readers with something else along the way. I didn’t necessarily have to tell me story here on the Internet, but I opted to anyways. Prior to my education decision, I was super reluctant about going back to school! My goodness I had just finished grad. school a year ago and am paying more in student loans a month than I pay in rent! I must be crazy! The truth is I LOVE to learn, and I LOVE to bake! Going back to school would be tricky, difficult and quite simply a bit of a risk. But I guess I saw no logical, set in stone reason that should keep me from pursuing my passion. I love reading about how people take risks to make their dreams come true, and I love the inspiration I get from them. Here, I hope to return the favor. I hope that maybe my pastry school adventure might inspire a reader to take your own risk in your own way. Whether its starting your own website, going back to school or starting a business… do it! Take the challenge head on and do your best… you are bound to succeed and probably learn some great lessons along the way. For me, I think my biggest regret in life would be not taking that risk… and although I have my doubts from time to time, and on occasion feel overwhelmed by the fete that is in front of me… I know the payoff will be worth it! Okay, I know… I got a bit philosophical and a little cheesy… but I’m a little cheesy… maybe even a bit cream cheesy… Mmm cheese cake sounds great right about now!
Anyways, I would love it if you would come along on my pastry school journey with me. I need all the support I can get! From simply clicking on my blog everyday, to a one time donation, to telling your friends and fellow foodies, I will be eternally grateful! There is no donation of time, consideration or money that is too big or too small. I will be thankful, as always just for the thought. I promise to keep you updated on all my scholarship findings and donation progress and hopefully I can provide you with great recipes, a little inspiration and a good giggle from time to time!
So, to close for today, I need to say Thank You. Thank you to all my new visitors, thank you to the returning visitors. Thank you to Tiffany for the sponsor, thanks to my Sister for helping me get this website going and thanks to my boyfriend for putting up me and my baking mania!! Thank you to my friend and family for the support! Stayed Turned for many great things to come!
Happy Baking!
-Kristy
The Cookie That Made Me Famous!
Two of my good friends from grad. school, Jackie and John are getting married next month and Jackie’s bridal shower from all her grad. school buddies was just a couple weeks ago. Since the shower was in Florida, and I am here in LA, I was obviously unable to make it. (Bummer! She’s such a blast to party with!) But prior to the shower one of the organizers contacted me to see if I would bake and send cookies for the party. Of course I agreed and made the couple’s fav… the classic chocolate chip cookie! (Random fact… I once paid John with cookies to wash and detail my car! I will gladly pay anyone here in LA with cookies for the same favor! Any takers!?!? Please?!?!)
My Chocolate Chip Cookies are freaking amazing and are the only thing I will out right brag about my ability to bake. I have been making them for so long that I don’t have to measure a thing anymore, don’t have the recipe written down, yet every batch always comes out perfect! It the midst of baking the bridal shower batch, I realized I have yet to make any kind of post about the infamous chocolate chip cookies that made me famous and formed my online company. These cookies are what got me into baking. These cookies cause people to do rash things such tell me to drop out of college and just bake… as well as had random teachers promise me an A for bringing in cookies to class (clearly I’m not beneath bribery!) I even brought these cookies, along with milk, to my thesis defense in grad school hoping they would appease my committee and cause them to go easy on me! My committee told me they were pleased with my work… now was that for the cookies or for my year of research?!?! Who knows, but I’m hoping it was for both!
Just to share a random cookie story with you… For the holidays I tend bake tons and tons of cookies… all shapes, sizes and flavors and give them out as gifts for family and friends. For my boyfriends family, I make a HUGE platter of these cookies and bring over on Christmas Eve or for Dessert on Christmas Day. (His family legit, fights over these treats! Its hysterical!) Apparently a couple years back, my boyfriends sister-in-law was munching on a chocolate chip cookie from the platter and grew silent at the table. My boyfriend’s mother noted the change from her usual very outgoing and sweet nature and asked what was wrong. Christina then confessed she stays awake at night thinking about how I make the cookies… weather I use Crisco or butter… whether I add cinnamon or not… how many eggs go in the recipe, what temperature to bake them at, for how long, how many cups of chocolate chips?!?!?! It was apparently driving her nuts (Mmm… I love walnuts in cookies too!) as this cookie recipe is the only one I don’t share with other! She also admitted to dreaming about the cookies from time to time! Ha! Luckily my boyfriends mother and Christina were able to have a good laugh over the fact that Christina was losing sleep over a cookie and shared the funny story with me. And, I took it as a total compliment, although I made time to reassured Christina my cookies were nothing to lose sleep over!
As I mentioned above, I don’t share the recipe for this particular cookie. My feeling is that if everybody could make these cookies on their own, they would lose some of their appeal and excitement. There is something about a food or a treat that only comes around from time to time such as good apple crisp in the fall to my mother homemade fudge at Christmas. I think it makes people savor and enjoy the cookie or treat that much more. I also think it lends for a more memorable eating experience. I am totally a believer in the quality trumps quantity, so I of course will only serve the best of the best of my chocolate chip cookies and take pride in every cookie I bake! It really give me so much pleasure to bake for my friends and family, and I love how excited people get for something as simply as a cookie.
Now, the question does arise… will I ever pass this recipe on to anyone? And the answer is yes, eventually. My mother always told me how my grandmother was an amazing house hold chef and baker, but had very few of her recipe’s written down or kept in safe places. So now that my adorable Italian grandmother is no longer with us, neither are her amazing traditional Italian recipes. There’s no more Grandma’s homemade pasta, no more cheesy risotto or homemade Italian pastry. BUUMMMERRRR! So to prevent the loss of the recipe what I have decided to do this… I will write recipe down (at some point!), leave it my Will, mark it as top secret and once I am long gone my family members and close friends can enjoy the recipe. Yes, this might seem touch ridiculous (I’m okay with being a bit dramatic or ridiculous from time to time!) since I am only 25 and quite healthy if I do say so myself, but it feels appropriate! I know my special chocolate chip cookie recipe will always be in good hands! And, thus kept a special secret for a long long time! How do you plan to keep your secret recipe safe?!?!
Happy Baking!
-KM
WBFT: Tuition and Twitter!
To learn more about Will Bake For Tuition (WBFT) Click here!
I spent the afternoon today the at the Los Angeles Public Library with 2 goals in mind: 1.) Begin the search for scholarships to pay for pastry school tuition and 2.) Figure out this craze they every refers to as “Twitter.” Aside from the distraction of the lady that sat at my table and smelled like moldy melon, I have an extremely productive couple hours! (Yippee!)
I had read somewhere online that libraries usually have the inside scoop on local scholarships, and offer great reference books for scholarships on a national level. I enlisted the assistance of a librarian who offered some great suggestions. She informed me that she suspected one of the other larger library branches likely has a binder of information solely on scholarship available for residents of Los Angeles and southern California (Fab! Exactly what I need!). She actually stayed on hold with one of the branches for over 15 minutes trying to get a more definitive answer, but as she had to attend to other people, she gave me the number, and directed me to the books that I could reference while there today.
Some of the books were initially huge and overwhelming, but I found them easy to maneuver one I learned how they were organized. I honestly wasn’t too sure what I would find, as I am not a high school senior, college freshman, chemist or engineer (there were seriously TONS of scholarships for those professions!) I was able to find over 17 scholarships that I potentially qualify for! I’m pumped! This was my first time really searching and organizing the information and it made me even more super hopeful and excited. Here is the even better part– there were quite a few more scholarship i will qualify for once I am actually enrolled and taking classes come January. My first deadlines is December 15th, so I have lots to get working on.
As I mentioned, my second task of the day was figuring out Twitter and creating a Smart Cookie Company page. I swear I was the last person in the world to actually figure out twitter… and I am still learning. Its so simple, yet so complicated with all the gadgets and applications and ahh my mind was running in circles (or maybe I just had some difficulties due to the smelly lady at my table! I am soo sensitive to smells I swear I have the nose a pregnant women! But I am sure it also helps me with my baking!) Alas, I figured it out how to turn my meek personal account into a fantastic business account for A Smart Cookie Company and you can now follow me on twitter! Click here to check out my profile! In addition, if you haven’t become a Fan of A Smart Cookie Company on Facebook, click here!
After an afternoon of hard work… i totally wanted to reward myself. I had picked up a wonderful looking Chocolate Croissant from the farmers market this morning… and it was the perfect treat to positively reinforce my productive behavior (God that statement is dripping with therapist lingo!) I had already gobbled half of it prior to remembering to take a photo… but at least now you can see the deliciously chocolatey center!
So… next plan of action to send this little lady to pastry school… 1.) make a trip to other local library branches, 2) Start applying to scholarships I have info on and 3.) read up on other creative ways to pay for school. If any reader out their has other tools, tips or suggestions regarding raising money for tuition, let me know! I would love to hear it!
Happy Baking and Studying!
-KM
PS! Way to go Tom Brady and the PATS for an awesome comeback win!! Yippee for the start of Football season!
Will Bake For Tuition!
I am so excited, thrilled and ecstatic to introduce my latest project and venture as part of A Smart Cookie Company: ‘Will Bake For Tuition.’ This project has been in the works for quite some time. And the time is finally right for its introduction. Here is the basic premise… I am going back to school… Pastry school that is!
Briefly, here is how this project manifested in my life. On a not so special Sunday, I was having one of those what-am-I-doing-with-my-life-is-working-9-5-really-all-it-is moments. And in the most impulsive move on my life (Those that know me well know I am a 100% type A person… spontaneity is sooo not usually my style!), I completed a Google search for pastry schools in the LA area. I found a couple, filled out a “send me more info” form…. and within a weeks time I had my application process complete with the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Los Angeles. Starting in January, I will continue to work full time as an art therapist during the day and begin my Baking and Pastry Certificate Program at night. In order to maintain a degree of sanity… I will start with just one class a semester!
Fantastic. Off to pastry school I go! Wait… one more thing to think about… How do I plan to pay for this education?!! Easy… through scholarships, cookie jobs and any other creative way I can. I already have a boat load of loans from receiving my first two degrees and am not too keen on the idea of adding to those loans. Even the Federal Governement has said I have taken out enough and will not provide me with any more school loans. I have also just begun to steadily and proudly pay them off and there is no need to dig my hole any deeper. On top of that, I swear I hear all the time how there are millions and millions of dollars in scholarship funds that go unclaimed each year. Since I only need about $25,000 over a 2 to 3 year period… I am sure I qualify for a number of those forgotten scholarships. Lastly, I totally believe no one should refrain from furthering their education due to lack of funding… and I know I am smart enough and creative enough to find new and unique ways to pay for this education… So pastry school here I come!
As I mentioned above, my plan is to begin school in January. And today, September 11, 2009, is exactly 4 months prior to the start of my first quarter. This means, within this four month time, I am to come up with $3,469. This includes my tuition, starting chefs kit, activity fee and other related new-to-school fees. Through this blog, I will continue to update my progress on finding funding, different returning to school experiences and will blog my way through every cake, cookie, loaf of bread, tart and pastry I learn to make through this certificate program. So get ready for a sugary sweet ride as this semi-profession baker turns into a professional pastry chef!
For further information on this project, keep your eye out for a “Will Bake For Tuition” page added to the Smart Cookie Company Website. I will continue with my traditional blogging, but every blog that begins with ‘WBFT’ will specifically be based around this project…. so keep checking back for updates and progress on my latest baking adventures!
Happy Baking and Studying!
-KM
My Alter Ego!
Kitty Forman. Yes, you read correctly. My alter ego is Kitty Forman, the mother from “That 70’s Show”. This was so eloquently pointed out to me by my boyfriend on our most recent weekend adventure. Before I go on any further in my explanation of why I am Kitty, let me explain a little bit about the character if you have never seen the show. Kitty is a generally optimistic mother of two, who works as a nurse at the local hospital and likes to either bake or have an adult beverage when things get stressful. While I may not be a mother (unless having a puppy counts?!), I am generally optimistic, work in a hospital as an art therapist and like to bake and have adult beverages (sometimes I like to combined the baking and adult beverages!). So far, the comparison is pretty spot on.
Now my boyfriend and I have been watching “That 70’s Show” non-stop lately (well mostly my boyfriend… I am usually blogging or falling asleep on the couch… This seems to be a common trend for us…We get really into shows that are no longer on the air and watch them over and over till we can’t stand them anymore, then move on to a new one.) I opted to change my schedule at work last week so I could enjoy the long Labor Day weekend like the rest of America (working in a hospital = working lots of holidays and weekends.. bummer!). Therefore, my boyfriend was home by himself most of the week leading up to Labor Day weekend watching all the episodes of “That 70’s Show” he could get his eyes on. “That 70’s Show” is almost like “Seinfeld” or “The Simpsons” in which you can find it on some channel no matter what time or day of the week it is. He has been watching it at all hours of the day, everyday of the week.
So, on Saturday, I was able to pull my boyfriend away from the TV to meet some of our friends at their hotel pool in Newport Beach for a wonderful day of sun and drinks by the pool. (FYI! the Fairmount Hotel in Newport Beach has a fantastic pool!) On the car ride down to Newport, my boyfriend decided to break the silence by saying to me, “You know what, you are just like Kitty from ‘That 70’s Show.’” My boyfriend says a lot of random things from me which I usually just ignore but I felt that this on needed an explanation.
He told me about an episode he recently watched, where Jackie (one of Kitty’s son’s friends) became an assistant to the host of a “Today Show” type of morning show. Jackie gave her boss some of Kitty’s homemade brownies. Of course, the boss absolutely loved them and decided to featured the brownies on the show the next day. When the show aired Kitty was so excited that her brownies were on TV that she seriously almost burst. (And yes, I would have done exactly the same thing.) The host went on to give Kitty’s brownies the biggest complement someone can give a baked good… “The brownies were so moist that you did not even need milk.” (OMG! Freaking awesome compliment!) To a semi-professional baker like myself, (and Kitty) this compliment is like winning a gold medal at the Olympics or a Nobel Prize. Well, Jackie ended up taking credit for the brownies to try and impress her boss. But, like in all TV shows, Jackie ends up confessing that Kitty, not her, made them. Jackie told her boss the truth on the set of the morning show while Kitty sat in the background pretending she was hosting the actual show. Let me tell you… if I ever end up on the set of any morning or Food Network show, I would totally pretend to host it was well while no one was looking. Seriously, who hasn’t watched one of those shows and thought “I could do that”.
Now let’s do a final comparison: Kitty is gitty and optimistic. I am gitty and optimistic. She works in a hospital. I work in a hospital. Her husband Red is generally grumpy. My boyfriend is generally grumpy. She bakes and drinks when she is stressed. I bake and drink when I am stressed. She flipped out when she saw her brownies on TV. I would TOTALLY flip out if I had a baked good on TV. She fake hosted a morning show. Embarrassingly, I would do the same. The only real difference is a 20-30 year age gap and two kids. So, as my boyfriend perfectly explained to me, I am Kitty Forman and proud of it.
So, I hope the next time you watch That 70’s Show…. you think of me as well!
Happy Baking!
-KM
Meet my Sous Chef!
I wanted to take a minute here to introduce my Sous Chef. She is probably the best Sous chef in the world. She’s great at keeping the floors clean, doing the dishes and is always willing to lend a helping hand… or paw that is…
Please allow me to Introduce the cutest Puppy Sous Chef in the World… Meiko!
She is cute, isn’t she?!?
I would go ahead and say her cuisine is primarily meat based… she could care less about being in the kitchen when I’m baking and is usually sleeping… but if its steak or chicken for dinner, she sitting next to me hoping for a scap!
Later this week I will be expirmenting with homemade dog treat! Will let you know if it gets the Meiko Seal of Approval!
Happy Baking!
-KM
A Smart Cookie Company Blog Is Underway!
Greetings! And welcome to the Smart Cookie Company Blog. Let me introduce myself. My name is Kristy- I am an art therapist by day and semi-professional baker by night. I’m also the founder and baker of A Smart Cookie Company (ASCC). I LOVE to bake and happen to be even just a little bit good at it! I created this blog to share with you my many adventures in the world of baking. Cookies, cakes, brownies, or even dog treats… no matter what kind of baked deliciousness it might be… it will all be documented here. I already have a number of adventures to tell you about, so be sure to check back in a couple days for my latest baking news. Happy reading and happy baking!
-KM
