Intro: The Task

Well, a whole new 365 day cycle is upon us.  I found myself twiddling my thumbs and asking that all important New Year's question, "What sort of resolution shall we attempt to engage in THIS year?"  
Off the bat, there are a few things you should know about me:
1.  I'm not the type of girl to make resolutions because...
2.  I'm not the type of girl who is organized enough to remember I even made resolutions!
3.  I'm not the type of girl who does much of anything on a regular basis.


That being said, I should also probably explain what we're doing here.  
A few years ago I stumbled into a program at our local community college.  I'm the daughter of a Wilton cake decorator who began admiring the products of the "baking arts" at a very young age.  Candies, cookies, pastries - we're all very good friends. So I was ecstatic to discover the culinary department had a Baking and Pastry specialization - a 1 year program where you could earn a certificate - Awesome!


Class after class I found myself waiting for that enthusiasm to kick in.  It seemed we spent a great deal of time on things I cared very little for - or about.  Breads... oh the breads went on and on....  and bizarre things too.  Like Guinness Ginger bread.  (Like I'm ever going to serve that.)  I was hoping for details and decorating.  Creating pretty things you would line up in a store window.

Pretty things lined up in a store window.

Several classes later and after taking some time to birth a child and really think about where I was hoping to go with this certificate especial I decided...  
"You know what?  I don't need no stinking certificate."  
Not to do what I really want to do here.  (And not with the information being presented to me at that level.)


I one day hope to travel off to an intensive pastry program - (Perhaps abroad!) - to acquire the skills that interest me most.  But until then, I've decided I not only need to keep the skills I have sharp, I need to expand my repertoire.  Cookies are by far my favorite baked good to eat.  There's nothing more satisfying than biting into a chewy sweet confection of perfection.  And with your hands no less. No need for a fork or a plate - that's one of the best parts.


So here we are - I own several books on baking.  I have never worked my way through any of them and have only a few favorites I bake or have modified into my own recipes.  It's time to explore!  And you get to come along with me.  And if this sounds a little like something you've heard of before, well you can thank Julie and Julia for the final push.  While I may have been sitting on the idea for a while, I didn't decide to actually do it until after viewing this movie.


So why the "Cover" you ask?  Because for now, we're just making someone else's cookies.  Like playing someone else's music -- get it?  Ha... ha... ha...?  Well, it makes sense to me and that's all that really matters, right?


Eventually - when we figure out all this packaging and shipping stuff, you might get to taste along with me.  So, not only do you get the glorious opportunity to peek into my kitchen and read my musings, but free cookies shall be bestowed upon a lucky few.  (Though we may need to ask for help with the shipping part...  )  


The baking starts next week.         Mondays - Wednesdays - Fridays


I will be making the final decisions on how best to wade through the books I have on hand by then.  I want to be sure I'm working with recipes that are somewhat challenging.  The goal is to learn something through this process!