Welcome to the World of Baking

Baking has been on my thoughts recently. With a new season of the the Great American Baking Show, my Mom baking Christmas cookies and seeing more and more ideas on what to bake during the holidays in magazines such as Bon Appetit and Living; I seem to grow closer and closer to the mysterious and colorful world of baking.

I remember when my Grandpa was still alive, or Bebop as we would call him, he asked me what kind of cooking I liked to do. I was only in High School at the time and wasn't familar with much in the kitchen. I would even go further and say that my heart wasn't there, yet nor my knowledge. I was really only interested in eating what was made in the kitchen, for eating sake. When Bebop asked me this, I wasn't sure what to reply, and knew that he was quite the cook and really enjoyed cooking and eating expensive and high quality food. Then and still now, I like to eat sweets and desserts; I'm a sweet tooth by nature. So my reply was desserts, although I never really delved into baking then either. From his bookshelf, he pulled out a cookbook that was inspired and influenced by a restaurant. I had never heard of it, and thanked him yet wasn't sure how I would use it. To this day, my Mom still has this cookbook, since I gave it to her and she was familar of it from her childhood.

When I think back to this moment, I wish I could talk about cooking and baking with him, now that I've become more and more interested in it, as well as comfortable. The kitchen is no longer a foreign  place, but one that stirs up inspiration and creativity, using my whole being- my mind, atttention, imagination and all of my senses to make it right.

The idea of baking perhaps seems harder or even more delicate compared with cooking. Cooking is tough and straight to the chase, whereas baking can be dainty and precise, rich and sweet all in one. This is something that is new to me, but I want to give it a try! My goal before 2016 is over: to bake three things. They will most likely be holiday/Christmas inspired. I have three weeks, lets see what I bake!

Pumpkin Cheesecake & New Things

Today I made my first cheesecake. I have been meaning to bake, since I have been feeling more and more comfortable with cooking. I have been accumalting recipes for about a year now, and only a few of them are desserts, but I decided to give it a go. White Chococlate Pumpkin Cheesecake. Perfect for the Autumn season, and a mix of flavors. I've heard that cheesecake is difficult to make, since most people buy theirs. I understand that more now since baking a dessert like a cheescake requires a good amount of time and money- there's a lot of ingredients! Overall, it was a good challenge and a learning expereince. Learning how much salt to put in (I unfortunately put in too much), as well as burnt the chcocolate chips the first time around in the microwave making the microwave smoke so heavily, it looked like a thick fog. But somethings you'll never fully learn or remember something until you make a mistake. As a quote I like says, "There is no failure. Either you win or you learn, either is okay."

I think this is my favorite time of Fall, in the middle of October before Halloween and before the onset of the holiday rush. The newness of Autumn is still in the air. The weather is overall nice, with the crisp air and crunchy red-orange leaves; the sun is still shining brightly. This is also the time of year when I soon think about the end of the year, and start looking back on the year as whole. So many exciting things, yet how fast time can truly go!

Went to a new restaurant with sisters, Yalla Meditterean. Liked the inside decour!

I thought it was an interesting place, Middle Eastern style restaurant, although I wouldn't say it's a restaurant. Just think Chipotle style mixed with Arabic food. I ordered Kefta with the Jerusalem style wrap. A lot of different flavors all wrapped in one, including french fires inside! I thought it was a cool place, and especially since I've gotten my feet wet with the Arabic language and tried some food- as well as made some food (Moroccan Kefta), so I felt connected in some way. It was also really nice to enjoy some quality time with my sisters, doesn't always happen too often. 

This month of October has flown by. I figured out what I'm going to be for Halloween...coming soon! And in one week is my sister and brother-in-law's wedding reception. The Maid of Honor has an important role to play, and I think I've lived up to it pretty well. Weddings these days are so commercialized and watered down, and the wedding party along with it. But I see myself as a different Maid of Honor, one without the drama and only room for support and love for my dearest sister and friend. It's not all about catching the boquet (which I have done at my other sister's wedding 3 years back :)), or outdoing the other brides maids, those things don't matter to me. The only thing that I'm worried about is my Toast. It seems so simple and straightforward, but when you're talking about your best friend, sometimes you don't want to leave anything out, or maybe I just put a lot of pressure on myself? Either way, it will be an exciting day- to see new and familar faces all celebrating the marriage of two very important and special people in my life. 

Cook, Bake, Read

Lists, goals, jotting down ideas. I seem to wander into this realm often throughout the day. I also like to make challenges for myself for the year. One of them having to do with challenging myself to read more. This may sound kind of funny for those who already know me well, I'm a book worm so naturally I already like to read, and read a lot for that matter, But would you still categorize me as a book worm if I find more books than finish reading books? I would say it's debatable too.

So, ever since whenever, I stole the idea from my sister to write down all the books you've read in a year, but I've made it more of a challenge to see how many I can actually finish in a year's time. A year is a long time, but it also goes by fairly quickly when you have a hard time deciding which book to read next, (if you're anything like me). Overall, I feel pretty proud of myself. Sometimes it can feel like there's too many books and so little time. I would hate to feel how it's like with too much time, so few books.

Without further ado, here are my lists from last years finished books (2015), and books finished so far in 2016.

I've finished more books this year, without the year being over yet, compared to last year! I think it's cool to look back on the books you've read, and it brings you back to that time of year, and even remember what you were thinking when you read that part, or why you even chose to read the book 

in the first place. I looked back specifically on the cooking memoris that I read last year, since I read a good amount of them. (They're one of my favorite genres:)) And I decided to pick the ones that I would read again.

I absolutely love this book! If you have seen the movie, Julie &Julia I think this book depicts Jukia Child's life so well, it really makes you so engrossed and encaptured in her life. I love her, and love her story!

I would for sure read Molly Wizenberg's book, A Homemade Life again. Not only is she a writer that makes your mind melt like chocolate when reading, there are also great recipes she shares as well! I love her Orangette blog as well:)

What can I say about this one? Only, that she is an inspiring young woman who lives her dream while quitting her office job, goes to Le Cordon Bleu and learns how to cook. She makes internatonal friends along the way, marries the love of her life and leanrs more about herself. So yes, I would read this treasure again:)

Here is the sequel of Molly Wizenberg's memoir. This one named Delancy after the restaurant she opens with her husband and all that involves. This is almost too fast of a read, her writing glides do easily, but even still I would definately read this page turner again.

Since these memoirs are all involved with the art of cooking, I got thinking of my own cooking, and how I want to challenge myself and improve my cooking. Here are some cookbooks that I have cooked from, and want to cook more from, or just an inspiration for me,

Love his cookbook, his old TV show The Taste, and his cooking memoir Yes, chef. He has other cookbooks as well, overall they are easy to look at ,aesthetic and creative as well as original.

Fell in love with her cookbook, it's so easy to look at! She too has a memoir that I read this year. Want to look more at her cookbooks and what she brings to the art of cooking.

I really like Maryknoll's International Cookbook. Not only is it Internatonal, which is a plus, but also that it's easy to come from. I've only made two recipes from here, and I would gladly make them again, but also want to look more through it and see what else I can cook up:)

This is Nadiya Hussain, and she was the winner of the Great British Baking Show. I didn't see the whole season, but I what I saw of it, I knew that I liked her and her baking style, and was rooting for her. Now she has a cookbook and I'm eager to find and look through it!