jennifer_in_ma
Well-known member
I started lurking at the Epi site back in 1998 or so and moved over here when Epi had the horrible major overhaul. Thank you, Mimi, for giving us a great forum to continue.
I was raised and presently live in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Took some time to live in Rhode Island for a while, but moved back here, met my soulmate husband and settled down again. For those of you who aren't familar with this neck of the woods, we are in the southwest corner of Massachusetts, bordered by NY and CT.
My mom was a decent cook, but not too adventurous since my dad was a "stick to the basics" sort of guy (he is getting better--moved from vanilla ice cream to chocolate raspberry). But she did the basics real well. I learned some growing up, but it was really during my college days that I started to cook on my own. In my junior year, I moved into an apartment with three other girls and no one cooked. I'm the kinda girl who needs three square meals a day, so I took up making a least one "family" meal a week for my girlfriends and I. I can remember calling my mom and asking her how to tell when a chicken was done. I think I called her a lot those days.
From there, it just kinda grew into other things. Since marrying my husband eight blissful years ago (yeah, people call us corny), I have been cooking more. My husband has been a great teacher--he worked as a chef for several years before we met and was lucky to work under a chef that was amazing--taught him the fine art of cooking, not just how to be a prep cook. I have learned a lot from him--but, only after I learned to get over what I thought was criticism! And he is great about eating anything that I make. I have gone through vegetarian phases, chinese phases, italian, bread, you name it. Right now, I am going through the trying-to-find-something-new-and-exciting-to-do-with-chicken phase, as we are not big beef eaters. I need that 365 days of chicken cookbook--anyone got one to swap?
My biggest passion is baking, though. My pipe-dream is to own a tea shop some day. We love tea and while my town is pretty hip and happening with great restaurants and food stores, we don't have a great place to get a cup of tea and a sweet. But, alas, my husband owns his own business and I think that right now, one business in the family is enough. (I work in an insurance company, handling disability claims.) And, to be honest, I am afraid that making my passion a full time job might take the fun out of it!
So, I bake for friends and family. I have made several wedding cakes and tons of birthday cakes. My niece and nephews (5 of them) keep me busy in the birthday cake department. I have let up a bit on the very detailed decorated cakes, as my fingers and hands seem to have a bit of arthritis that loves to act up half way through the decorating. But, I still do it, when I know it is for someone special. Most recent cake was an envelope cake (with addresses and postal mark, stamp, etc) for the retirement of our local postmaster. Yup, small town living at its best! Funny, my family was looking at some old slides recently from my childhood and there were cakes that my mom made and decorated for us! She made me a beautiful carosel cake for my first birthday. Must run in the genes.
Anyways, I love to visit this site--mostly lurking with the odd post here and there--you are all wonderful people and it is so great to "know" all of you. I have benefitted so much from all of your experience, your stories, and recipes. Thank you and peace.
I was raised and presently live in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Took some time to live in Rhode Island for a while, but moved back here, met my soulmate husband and settled down again. For those of you who aren't familar with this neck of the woods, we are in the southwest corner of Massachusetts, bordered by NY and CT.
My mom was a decent cook, but not too adventurous since my dad was a "stick to the basics" sort of guy (he is getting better--moved from vanilla ice cream to chocolate raspberry). But she did the basics real well. I learned some growing up, but it was really during my college days that I started to cook on my own. In my junior year, I moved into an apartment with three other girls and no one cooked. I'm the kinda girl who needs three square meals a day, so I took up making a least one "family" meal a week for my girlfriends and I. I can remember calling my mom and asking her how to tell when a chicken was done. I think I called her a lot those days.
From there, it just kinda grew into other things. Since marrying my husband eight blissful years ago (yeah, people call us corny), I have been cooking more. My husband has been a great teacher--he worked as a chef for several years before we met and was lucky to work under a chef that was amazing--taught him the fine art of cooking, not just how to be a prep cook. I have learned a lot from him--but, only after I learned to get over what I thought was criticism! And he is great about eating anything that I make. I have gone through vegetarian phases, chinese phases, italian, bread, you name it. Right now, I am going through the trying-to-find-something-new-and-exciting-to-do-with-chicken phase, as we are not big beef eaters. I need that 365 days of chicken cookbook--anyone got one to swap?
My biggest passion is baking, though. My pipe-dream is to own a tea shop some day. We love tea and while my town is pretty hip and happening with great restaurants and food stores, we don't have a great place to get a cup of tea and a sweet. But, alas, my husband owns his own business and I think that right now, one business in the family is enough. (I work in an insurance company, handling disability claims.) And, to be honest, I am afraid that making my passion a full time job might take the fun out of it!
So, I bake for friends and family. I have made several wedding cakes and tons of birthday cakes. My niece and nephews (5 of them) keep me busy in the birthday cake department. I have let up a bit on the very detailed decorated cakes, as my fingers and hands seem to have a bit of arthritis that loves to act up half way through the decorating. But, I still do it, when I know it is for someone special. Most recent cake was an envelope cake (with addresses and postal mark, stamp, etc) for the retirement of our local postmaster. Yup, small town living at its best! Funny, my family was looking at some old slides recently from my childhood and there were cakes that my mom made and decorated for us! She made me a beautiful carosel cake for my first birthday. Must run in the genes.
Anyways, I love to visit this site--mostly lurking with the odd post here and there--you are all wonderful people and it is so great to "know" all of you. I have benefitted so much from all of your experience, your stories, and recipes. Thank you and peace.