Confections of a (Closet) Master Baker: It's Been Zany!

Friday, July 1, 2011

It's Been Zany!

I've been glaringly absent these past few weeks.

I swear I have a good excuse.

Or two.

Or three.

Maybe four, if I get to really thinking.

what on earth am I doing? you'll find out in Pie It Forward!

I've been finishing up my second cookbook, Pie It Forward. The writing, testing/re-testing, photo shoot and finish editing have been wonderful and time consuming. I can't complain. The brilliant Tina Rupp photographed the book, she did SugarBaby. I don't have to tell you that those pictures were beautiful.

happy girl on a pie crawl.

By way of research for savory pie recipes in Pie It Forward, I just HAD to go to England to double check that I was getting it right. Who needs a pub crawl when a pie crawl is where it's at, baby!

Treats for the Today Show: rocket pops, brittle, popcorn balls, taffy, rock candy and fudge...oh my!

I've also been doing SugarBaby press in the midst of the Pie It Forward hijinks. Here's a link to my 2nd Today Show Appearance. Find the recipes in SugarBaby or the Today Show site!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43559123/ns/today-food/t/boardwalk-treats-spicy-brittle-pudding-pops/

I'm in love.

I also shot a lovely thing for a possible future endeavor. What I can say about it is that I got to visit the goats at Consider Bardwell Farm. I'm in love, with the goats AND their cheese. A few lady goats are in our family's future. I've been brushing up on my home cheese making skills in anticipation.

New and exciting recipes and posts coming soon, I promise! In the meantime, Happy Fourth!

Fourth of July greetings from Freegrace! This will be her 217th Independence Day celebration!!!

17 comments:

vanillasugar said...: YES! Congrats! How absolutely wonderful. So so so happy for you!; July 1, 2011 8:08 AM
Natalie said...: Happy 4th! I wish I could come up with some sort of excuse to go to England for my job. I'm a speech therapist.....maybe some sort of spin on The King's Speech? Hmmm.

Looking forward to the new book. I love pie!; July 1, 2011 9:01 AM
Judy said...: You are such a sweet lady to be willing to share recipes with us. I might not cook as much as I used to, but I still enjoy the "idea". haha. You're terrific.; July 1, 2011 9:07 AM
Pam said...: Love SugarBaby & am SO excited about the Pie It Forward Cook Book. Can't wait-I want a goat now too! You're so fun-glad you are back.:); July 1, 2011 10:28 AM
Jenniffer said...: Wow, I just found your blog and having been looking through your older posts - everything you make looks SO yummy!; July 1, 2011 11:29 AM
K.R. said...: So happy you are back to blogging! Pie it Forward sounds wonderful. Are you thinking of a companion site for the new book similar to Sugar Baby? I hope so those extra pictures are priceless when you are playing through the recipes.; July 1, 2011 12:17 PM
Melissa said...: What a busy chickie! Fun! Those goats are DARLING.. I see cheese recipes in the future fo sho!

HAPPY 4th!; July 1, 2011 1:26 PM
Molly said...: Good to see you back. My guess is - strudel! More pictures, please.; July 1, 2011 1:58 PM
Kevin said...: Hope you, (and Freegrace) have a Happy (and relaxing...) 4th as well!; July 1, 2011 10:05 PM
lisa adams said...: I missed you! The pictures are beautiful and I can't wait to see the next book. When is the next marathon? I've also had goat love... my friend Aimee's goat had twins and they are hysterical... already (at 4 weeks) they can jump on her kitchen counter. She's building the most beautiful goat house and chicken house in her yard (individual viewing boxes!).

Happy 4th and hope you have time to rest a bit soon and enjoy it all.; July 2, 2011 6:25 AM
Stephanie said...: Hey! It's nice to see you back here! :) Another book? And it's about PIES??? I can't wait! And you have pictures of little goats... I don't think you can get any more awesome! Happy 4th!; July 2, 2011 2:36 PM
Susan said...: Congratulations! Hope to do another class at KAF with you when Pie It Forward is released. XOXO; July 2, 2011 7:48 PM
Sue said...: Can't wait for your pie book!

Are you making strudel in that photo? I made it ONCE:); July 3, 2011 12:41 AM
greygarious said...: The babes remind me of Dahlia, a 3-wk old orphan Nubian owned by a customer. Size of a Jack Russell terrier and even bouncier. Plus those big floppy ears. As instantly besotted as I was, I was equally distraught when she died soon after of pneumonia. Her fool owners rented an apartment in the home of a vet, on the premises of an animal hospital, but did not mention that she was ailing until it was far too late. I trust your girls-to-be will be beautifully cared for and hope they repay your diligence with good manners and lots of milk!; July 3, 2011 5:55 PM
Tahitian Moon said...: I just finished your book and I am dreaming of golden eggs. Now you have me fantasizing about a pie crawl---that sounds like heaven. I loved the book! Happy 4th to you.; July 3, 2011 11:03 PM
Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] said...: Another book. WOW. So excited. I'd guess strudel or baklava?; July 5, 2011 1:37 AM
Kristin said...: Congrats on all the happenings! I may have to steal your idea of a pie crawl... I hope you don't mind!; July 5, 2011 11:14 AM

Frequently Asked Questions...Answered

Where are you located? In Vermont. Exact location a mystery. Kind of. Ours isn't a retail shop, just commercial bakery where I develop recipes for my cookbooks and for a new line of retail box mixes so we like to keep it simple and private. Visit www.gesine.com for more eye candy.

When's the new book coming out? Pie it Forward is being released April, 2012 Sugar Baby is available at your local book retailer (if it's not, shame on them). It's a book about working with sugar but it's not a candy book. This is a resource that will expand your baking repertoire a thousand-fold. And there's the baking memoir My Life From Scratch (previously known as Confections of a Closet Master Baker).

Did you open a Texas store? No. I shared my recipes and developed a few for Waltons on 6th. My signatures like Golden Eggs (buttons there), the famous Montpelier chocolate chocolate cakes, carrot cake, Parisians, chocolate mousse towers, fruit mousses on flourless chocolate goodness, the most sought after ginger cookie in Vermont, cheesecake, cinnamon rolls of heaven, croissant that brought people from Montreal...the stuff that made Montpelier famous is now in Texas on 6th street.

Can I send you my book for an autograph? I'll tell you why this is a bad idea: I have too much stuff going on that I guarantee I will lose your book somewhere in the shuffle, it will fill me with guilt and agita, and I don't want to give out the address willy nilly. Not that I don't trust you. You're great. But some sneaky people who really couldn't care less about baking but say they do, have gotten the address for nefarious reasons.

Will you immediately delete any email that has anything to do with your screenplay, movie idea, "please send this along to 'you know who'"? Yes, faster than you can say "I have this great idea..." or "God spoke to me and insisted that I was meant to be with..." I'll only respond to emails that are baking related. Period. No funny stuff.