Back with a [Vanilla]Vengeance

I'm BACK!

FIRST VISUAL:
A Truffle Tree

Now, does that look good?
or
Does that look GOOD?!!?

Top View

SECOND VISUAL:
Buche de Noel

A traditional Xmas 'Yule Log'. A thin chocolate sponge rolled up with a fresh raspberry whipped cream & frosted with Belgian chocolate glaze. Topped with *jinuine* sweet meringue mushrooms....MMMmmm.....OMG you people NEED to taste one of these!!! It's an "Oralgasm" (Thanks Jewels!) from "The Baksexry" (Thanks Rich!).

A MULTITUDE of VISUALS:

Yummy, healthy, Delicious, Vegan Treats!

These were sent to Ticharu from Rich!
I think they call it:
"Blogger Lourve"
They went with these:
Vegan Coconut Truffles:

"Citrus Swirls"

A 'swirl' of lemon curd holds these two buttery citrusy sandwich cookies together.

*********************

We interrupt this blogpost to bring you linkys to other blogposts about bloggers who ate lots of jinsweets!!! (Remind me if I forgot someone! I'm still not rested! LOL!)

Ace
Bubs
Coaster Punchman & Poor George
Diana Crabtree
Jewels
Katy
***EDIT 12/29/06:
ANOTHER NEW SWEETPOST FROM:
Eternally Curious

.....and now, back to your regularly scheduled blogpost!

*********************

Peanut Butter Cookies
(disguised due to daily decorative dipping distinction)

Flourless Clementine Cake

One of the TOP 10 BEST items I make!!! It is DIVINE!!! Almonds, clementines, eggs, sugar & lots 'o jinlove!!! Topped with Vanilla whipped creammmm.......

*********************

We interrupt this blogpost to bring you a REALLY CUTE story!
One of my most favourite customers came in on Saturday to pick up her order of 2 pecan pies. (She was in a week before & I was telling her how one of my FAVE desserts is the pecan pie that I make. But it's a catch-22. I WILL NOT set one aside for myself if I can sell it first. Well, since it's so AWESOME, they ALWAYS sell out! I haven't had a pecan pie in over 2 years.) So, Roxanne hands over a BIG bag & says, "This a gift for all of you. It's something you never find the time to do for yourself. Open it later on, when you have some free time."
Later on, I go over to the bag. It's taped shut. I break the tape & peek inside. OMG! It's one of our boxes! I think, 'Gee, Roxanne must have baked us something & put it in one of our boxes.' Ok, COOL. I slowly pull out the box & stare with a dumbfounded look upon my face. It takes at least 2 minutes for it to connect that it's one of the pecan pies that I made for her!!! Hahahahahaaha!!!

Oh, & let me tell you all...we enjoyed that down to the last CRUMB!!!! It's kinda like I got paid to eat my own stuff!!! I'll do that again ANYTIME!!!

:-D

.....and now, back to your regularly scheduled blogpost!

*********************

A Chocolate "Treestump" Wedding Cake

I LOVE this cake! It was soooo much FUN! What do you think?! Well, I'm off for now...GLAD to be BACK! I'll be around to all your blogs tomorrow. Hope this satisfied your 'jinfix' for the holidays!!! :-D
PEACE to you ALL! (or is that...'May you all have a piece' ... *ahem*.....
Yeahhh....I'm definitely BACK! ;-)

Xmas Insanity

Hi All!
Sorry, but it's been CRAZY here!
Just a few pics to keep me in your good graces!
If I have time tomorrow I'll edit & add a few descriptions.
The items below are just a tiny tiny fraction of what I made this week.

.....AND this is what happens when I get tired & goofy & am all alone in the kitchen
=
CLICK HERE
(WARNING! X-rated! I'm serious! It IS! ;-)

I miss you all SO MUCH!

I am currently accepting donations in the form of:
Massages
Foot Rubs
Hawaiian Vacations
An ipod (am I the only one on the planet to not have one???)
&
A Multi Course Fancy Dinner Delivered Directly to MOI!

AND, The Winner Is.....

Right, so.....would you believe that NOT ONE OF YOU picked the THREE CORRECT answers??? What kind of Cyber Stalkers are you?!!? I guess that means I still retain a little bit of my mystique. ;-)

But, never fear! I have still picked a winner! There were THREE of you that chose TWO correct answers. Those are the guys (Yep! ALL guys.....sorry ladies!) whose names went in the trusty Kitchen Aid.

FIRST: The Answers

#1 As a child, my Grandmother would tell me stories of her life growing up. She was one of 13 children. Her Mother died when she was very young & her Father remarried a homicidal maniac. The children all had to sleep in one bed as the family was very poor. She told me how her Father would have to lie across the bottom of the children's bed to stop her step-mother from lighting the children on fire each night.
100% TRUE
This was like 80 years ago & mental illness was not something that was talked about, so instead of doing anything with his wife after he caught her with lit matches trying to set the children's sheets on fire (while they were sound asleep) my grandmother's Father simply kept watch over them each night. Suddenly my problems don't seem that bad!??!

#2 When I was 17 years old I attended a Metallica concert with my older cousin. (She was sent along, by my parents, to keep an eye on me.) We were lucky enough to get a chance to be in the mosh pit. They had started their second song, "...And Justice for All", when I realized I was getting raised up in the air! I was carried forward & thrust onto the stage! I was so excited, I thought, I'll get to touch James Hetfield! But before I could even stand up two bodyguards ran over & carried me off the stage. Then they made me leave the arena. I was escorted to the door with instructions not to come back in. I had to sit & wait outside for 2 hours before the concert ended & my cousin came looking for me.
NOT TRUE!!!
This was a bit of a trick question (statement?). If you took my current age & subtracted the age I was at this supposed concert, you would be able to figure out the year (1980) (should read: 1990). This was many years before Metallica even released their single "...And Justice for All" (1988).
***Edit: Someone's paying attention! HAHA!! Serious typo here people! Thanks to "anonymous"...a super math whiz (or someone who gets more ZZzzz's than I do!). So...yeah...maybe I was at that concert after all??? NOT!!! I suppose this also proves I'm not much of a Metallica fan if I didn't even get their album release date right? Did I get the lead singers name right?

#3 I used to be a TOTAL tomboy. At the age of 19 I started honing my drinking skillz. I continued my research for 5 more years, until I could keep up with the best of them. Guys, I mean. I could drink ANY guy under the table & still keep my wits about me. You name it, I could drink it non-stop without puking: Tequila, Jägermeister, Sambuca, Beer, Beer, Beer & more Beer. I was not dating anyone but I had lots of guys as friends. I was a legend. I'd be invited to all their parties because they would tell their friends about this chick who could really hold her liquor!
100% TRUE
Yeah...what can I say about this? Haven't had a drop to drink for about 4.5 years now. I don't need to.....I drank enough then to last me a LIFETIME!!! Hahaha!

#4 When I was a wee child my parents took me to the store to pick out my very first pet, a guinea pig. I chose the only white one they had & called it "Corky". We took it home & put it in a small aquarium. My parents left me alone with Corky. I repeatedly picked it up by it's tail & 'played' with it & kissed it & squeezed it.....oops....."Mom! Dad! Corky won't play with me anymore!" They explained to me that Corky was dead & in a much better place. I cried. The next day I got a black one & called him "Midnight".
100% TRUE
Yes, yes.....this is where I got most of you. Because no WAY would a vegetarian that won't even buy leather shoes ever do something like this, right?!!? It was a total accident & if you must know, I still think about it a LOT & feel like shit! I had to be about 6 years old & the poor poor thing probably died of a coronary. I wasn't as graceful & gentle as a child as I am now, go figure???

#5 I have a tiny scar, about an inch long, on my derriere, right side, lower down. It's very faint now as it happened 11 years ago. I was dating a guy that was a total gentleman. He was very polite & well educated (he was *ahem* a bit older than I was). We had been seeing each other for months, when I decided I'd go back to his place with him one evening. One thing led to another, my skirt was off, we were kissing ... when all of a sudden WHHACK! He had spanked me! I was surprised, but I kind of ignored it. All of a sudden WHHHHACK AGAIN! I jumped. I said, 'Take it easy'! Before I knew it WHHHHACCCCKKKK! A third time, this time hard enough to draw blood as his ring must have turned around & caught me just so! I turned around, kicked him in the leg, grabbed my clothes & ran out the door, never to see him again!
NOT TRUE!!!
OMG! C'mon people...I can see a wacko coming from a mile away! No chance I'd ever end up with my skirt AND my guard down at the same time!!! PLUS...I gave you a clue here: I said this was 11 years ago & we had been dating for months. I also said in #3 that I was not dating anyone during my drinking years (& gave the age I was), so-if you factored in my current age you'd find one of the statements was false. Am I too crafty or too anal retentive?!!? (DON'T answer that!)

#6 My first job was in a fast food restaurant. I worked at McDonalds. I was supposed to be a cashier but I was so shy & quiet that the boss moved me to the back. He said he was afraid I couldn't handle people giving me their orders. I was crushed. It was just McDonalds, after all! It mattered not for I wouldn't speak up at that time. I ended up frying french fries all evening & sweeping the floors & emptying the garbage cans in between. I only lasted one month. I had only made enough money to buy a walkman & 2 cassettes.
NOT TRUE!!!
LOL...what's to say about this one? Never worked in a fast food joint of any chain.

The 3 Finalists Are:
Bathroom Hippo
(chose 1, 3 & 5)
Dan
(chose 1, 3 & 6)
Coaster Punchman
(chose 1, 3 & 5)

CONGRATULATIONS Dan!!!
THANKS FOR PLAYING EVERYONE!!!
(You'll all get another chance, I'll be doing this again sometime!!!)

It's A Contest! Play! Win Something!

Have you heard of the "6 Weird Things" Meme that's been going around? Basically, you are supposed to tell your readers "6 Weird Things" about yourself.

I can hear you asking, "But miss jin...what does a meme have to do with a pastry shoppe?"

EVERYTHING!!!

Why?
Because we're going to play with the meme.
mix it up
knead it until pliable
shape it with our imaginations
& let it sit until finished.

Does that make sense now?
"NO."

What do you mean, "NO"???

ARGGGhhh........

Ok, Ok.
I'll try again.
Plain English.

Blah Dan had this FANTASTICALLY BRILLIANT idea which I am shamelessly stealing.
I am going to post 6 weird things about MOI.
The catch is, 3 are true & 3 are NOT true.
I want all of you to guess which 3 are TRUE.
Just put your guesses in the comment section.
Each person may enter TWICE!
(Post each guess as a separate comment, please...so I don't get confused! :-)
For those of you that guess correctly, I will toss your name into a mixing bowl & pick ONE winner on or around Tuesday, December 12th.

The prize is a SWEETBOX from my shoppe, containing a 1# assortment of our tiny delicious Xmas cookies (with a retail value of $25.00) shipped directly to your home or office. No cost to you what-so-ever. How COOL is that?!!?

Ok, now for the bummer. There's restrictions. The winner can only have their SWEETBOX shipped within the US or Canada. (Canadians may or may not have to pay a duty to receive the imported package, that fee would be your responsibility.) I know I have readers from all over, that doesn't mean you can't comment anyway!!!

So, here goes!
#1 As a child, my Grandmother would tell me stories of her life growing up. She was one of 13 children. Her Mother died when she was very young & her Father remarried a homicidal maniac. The children all had to sleep in one bed as the family was very poor. She told me how her Father would have to lie across the bottom of the children's bed to stop her step-mother from lighting the children on fire each night.

#2 When I was 17 years old I attended a Metallica concert with my older cousin. (She was sent along, by my parents, to keep an eye on me.) We were lucky enough to get a chance to be in the mosh pit. They had started their second song, "...And Justice for All", when I realized I was getting raised up in the air! I was carried forward & thrust onto the stage! I was so excited, I thought, I'll get to touch James Hetfield! But before I could even stand up two bodyguards ran over & carried me off the stage. Then they made me leave the arena. I was escorted to the door with instructions not to come back in. I had to sit & wait outside for 2 hours before the concert ended & my cousin came looking for me.

#3 I used to be a TOTAL tomboy. At the age of 19 I started honing my drinking skillz. I continued my research for 5 more years, until I could keep up with the best of them. Guys, I mean. I could drink ANY guy under the table & still keep my wits about me. You name it, I could drink it non-stop without puking: Tequila, Jägermeister, Sambuca, Beer, Beer, Beer & more Beer. I was not dating anyone but I had lots of guys as friends. I was a legend. I'd be invited to all their parties because they would tell their friends about this chick who could really hold her liquor!

#4 When I was a wee child my parents took me to the store to pick out my very first pet, a guinea pig. I chose the only white one they had & called it "Corky". We took it home & put it in a small aquarium. My parents left me alone with Corky. I repeatedly picked it up by it's tail & 'played' with it & kissed it & squeezed it.....oops....."Mom! Dad! Corky won't play with me anymore!" They explained to me that Corky was dead & in a much better place. I cried. The next day I got a black one & called him "Midnight".

#5 I have a tiny scar, about an inch long, on my derriere, right side, lower down. It's very faint now as it happened 11 years ago. I was dating a guy that was a total gentleman. He was very polite & well educated (he was *ahem* a bit older than I was). We had been seeing each other for months, when I decided I'd go back to his place with him one evening. One thing led to another, my skirt was off, we were kissing ... when all of a sudden WHHACK! He had spanked me! I was surprised, but I kind of ignored it. All of a sudden WHHHHACK AGAIN! I jumped. I said, 'Take it easy'! Before I knew it WHHHHACCCCKKKK! A third time, this time hard enough to draw blood as his ring must have turned around & caught me just so! I turned around, kicked him in the leg, grabbed my clothes & ran out the door, never to see him again!

#6 My first job was in a fast food restaurant. I worked at McDonalds. I was supposed to be a cashier but I was so shy & quiet that the boss moved me to the back. He said he was afraid I couldn't handle people giving me their orders. I was crushed. It was just McDonalds, after all! It mattered not for I wouldn't speak up at that time. I ended up frying french fries all evening & sweeping the floors & emptying the garbage cans in between. I only lasted one month. I had only made enough money to buy a walkman & 2 cassettes.

Well, there you have it!
Now, which 3 are TRUE???
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

Bakin' In A Winter Wonderland

This was the scene here yesterday.....

Snow snow snow
everywhere you go
filling the air
coating my hair

Some in the oven
& much on the lawn
jin wanted lovin'
instead worked til dawn

Snow covered the xB
And every damn cookie!

They glistened & gleamed

"Eat ME!" They screamedAt 2.40 AM jin's hands start to shake
There were so many cookies I still had to bake!

More decorated ornaments 30,000 & counting
All I could picture: A giant Gingerbread I was mounting.

Real snow or fake snow or cookies or icing
All my molecules started splicing

Everything blurred
The blizzard whirred

Past the windows & into the shoppe
Great. Now I have to fucking mop!

But, not yet! The pretty babies need to be finished!
Except my life energy has really diminished!

Last thing is DONE! YAY! I can go home!
I must be tripping...I've turned into a gnome!!!

Just A Loaf of Bread? NOT!

One of my FAVE bread recipes is for this versatile white braided loaf. Always GREAT to have on hand. These are monster sized loaves, 4 pounds EACH!

They are sitting atop a 12"x18" baking sheet for scale.

Simple dough; Organic White Flour, Water, Eggs, Yeast, Sea Salt, Honey. We make a 13 gallon mixer full at a time and form into braided loaves & long skinny loaves. The skinny ones are cut & used for hors d'oeuvres like these:

Small Cucumber Sandwiches

I always make sure there are leftovers...I put together a large platter for our dinner, with Cucumber Sandwiches, Fresh Roasted Georgia Pecans & Fresh Pitted Dates:

This bread can also be cut on the bias, brushed with olive oil & toasted to form perfect sized portions for crostini. I like to make one with chopped, marinated & grilled portabella mushrooms. Yummmmm!

If I've still got bread left over on a Sunday morning (the ONLY day yours truly has time to cook a picturesque breakfast) I make French Toast out of it, serve with pan fried Boca & a generous dose of Organic Maple Syrup.

Oh! How'd that happen?! It's my silky Sunday kimono in the pic!

I serve that with fresh seasonal Organic fruits. STRONG coffee too. Want to come over for breakfast on Sunday?

What A Pastry Chef Eats For Dinner

Thanksgiving Dinner, that is.

Left Top: Yam & Organic Potatoes Anna
Left Bottom: Stuffed Baby Portabella Mushrooms
Right: Home-Made Tofu Turkey

As Served.

With Candlelight.

Dessert.
(No Pecan Pie left. Sold Out. :-( Had to make do with Cake.)

Alternating Layers of Red Velvet & Devil's Food Cake
Filled W/ Cream Cheese Frosting
Glazed in Belgian Chocolate

Did you know non-alcoholic champagne can catch on fire?
AMAZING.....

_____________________________

OH! Before I forget...CHECK IT OUT:
NEW TOTALLY INTERACTIVE BLOG
(in a manner of speaking...I mean. ANYONE can post!)

The Blogger World Cooking Blog

As Created by Our Very Own
Eternally Curious

HAPPY MONDAY!!!
:-)

A Holiday at the Pastry Shoppe

Just a quick post for all of my diehard blogfans! I snapped a few pics yesterday (Wednesday) but it was SO CRAZY I didn't get many! Sorry!

The cake on the right was left-over, so that will be our Thanksgiving dessert tonight. I'll try to post pics this weekend of our dinner & the yummy inside of the cake!

In the food service industry holidays are spent differently than the average family spends them. We work so hard making food for you, that we are usually much too tired to celebrate on the day of [the holiday], our day off.

It's nearly 9.30PM, Thanksgiving Day, & I've yet to start our dinner (Home-made Tofurkey stuffed with Brioche (the bread NOT the dog ;-) Dressing, Home-made roasted vegetable Gravy, Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms & Organic Sweet Potatoes thinly sliced & layered with secret ingredients & baked until crisp). We will probably eat around midnight. You see, this is me last night at around 8PM:

After finishing everything here, I was even too exhausted to blog! I started to fall asleep at my pc. I finally got home around 3AM (Thursday) went to sleep at 5AM & slept straight through until 4PM today (Thursday). I'm still tired right now. LOL! Oh! I know how to wake up...I'll have a left-over Cappuccino Brownie w/ Belgian Chocolate White & Dark Coins folded into the batter & topped w/Cream Cheese Frosting! MMMMmmmmm.....

Does the brownie go well with my new haircut? I did it last night...I do incredibly impulsive (sometimes silly) things when I get over-tired. I don't think I'll tell you about the others. *DEVILISH GRIN*

Alright, I'm off to make dinner, hope you ALL had a fantabulous day! I'll be back tomorrow (Friday) to read, comment & maybe even go Beta if I'm feeling DARING! *GASP!*