Monday, January 25, 2010

Sweetie Pie Baking Company



When I’m older, I might open a bakery. But for now cooking is just another one of those passions of mine. For all I know, it may be the only reason I have friends. I give them stuff, see. They want my lemon custard pies and raisin cookies and cinnamon rolls. I have a particular friend I call, Chick-a-pee, who is quite enamored with my skills. We don’t exchange birthday presents per se, but every year for her celebration, I make and deliver a mound of cinnamon rolls to her doorstep. She has hung around me for awhile now.

The kick is all mine. Really. The whole process of creating and giving away feels oddly magical. The dough kneading, pounding, lacing of cinnamon and sugar and rolling up, the rising and baking, cinnamon saturated air, sugar, sugar baby. If I’ve had a crappy week, making rolls rejuvenates me. Let me explain. I pound that dough.

Did you just sass me, young lady? Pound. What? I can’t believe so and so did that. Pound. Ug, this weekend I just feel like lying in bed, wailing and eating. Pound. And my personal favorite line, when something has really floored me- what the heck? Pound. Pound. Pound. By the time I’ve finished, my arms ache like a mother but I’m back to my happy self. Yes, making cinnamon rolls does that for me. However, my hips and thighs are not fond of them…ba ba boom! Good thing I like to exercise. And great thing I don’t make them often.

Making pies is different. When I stand in bare feet, stirring custard, I feel like an exotic Italian woman in a Tuscany tiled kitchen with huge windows, watching skiffs on a glassy Mediterranean Sea.

What the heck?

Just stay with me. I’m not done yet.



Steam is rising from glossy, watery custard, hot lemon and chocolate lava, bubbling, Olive trees shining. Wait… no olive trees. But pies, yes, we have silky pies. Look, I’ve created smiles.

Now to the meringue. Whipping egg whites to resemble perky mountain peaks makes me downright giddy. And that chocolate pie next door is glammed to the hilt with whipping cream spun up like shiny cotton candy, Mexican vanilla whirled in and curly cues, tiny and chocolate glittering on top.



Are you hungry, sweetie pies? Well, I’m sorry. This story is virtual. But if you ever do see a Sweetie Pie Bakery Company, do pop back to the kitchen and say hello. It’s possible I’ll be there, barefoot, whipping cream stuck in my hair. And if you mention olive trees, I’ll toss in a free pie.

34 comments:

  1. Oh you heathen! I haven't had a cinnamon roll or anything resembling one for over three and a half months! Now I'm slobbering all over the keyboard looking at those pictures.

    Remind me to stay friends with you for a very long time.

    Jai

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  2. Dorraine,

    Mmm, looks great! That cinnamon roll is so inviting. And Pound, Pound, Ba, Ba, Boom! I love the rhythm and contrasts coming from sounds and smells, and caps and bold. They all seem to be the secret of well being. So we shall keep pounding our keys.

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  3. A heathen,possibly, but at least I've got some sweet in me. And didn't your mama tell you not to slobber, Jai? Okay, just this once.

    Stay friends with me for a very long time, please. The reward will be all mine.

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  4. Oh, pounding the the keys, yes. Click clack. Everything we love works together. The way you worded that was splendid. Just for that, Keiko, you get a cinnamon roll!

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  5. YUM! One of the librarians I work with is always dreaming with me of opening a bakery someday...a lovely dream, indeed! Your pics tempt the tastebuds. Any chance you'd share the lemon custard pie recipe? Wish I lived in your neck of the woods so I could drop by and share a slice! :)

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  6. Wish you lived close by, too. Wouldn't that be fun? To dream-it's what makes and keeps life spicy and sweet. I'd be happy to share the recipe. You can find contact info on my website. Feel free to email me and that lemon pie will soon be yours!

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  7. Make sure to open a branch in Southern Brazil...I´ll help you out!Promise! :-D

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  8. You got it, Lu! I'll put you in charge of the important stuff. :-)

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  9. Oh GREAT! Thanks a lot Dorraine!!!! I just gained 5 pounds on my butt & thighs just looking at your sweet treets! I hope it will be a few years before you open this bakery. That will give me enough time to loose weight,....just so I can deliciously gain it all back in your shop!

    Jennifer

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  10. Sorry, Jennifer. I seem to have the same problem. I can look at a plate of brownies and if I get too close can gain a pound. Oh, dear.

    Yeah, a few more years yet. That gives you plenty of time.

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  11. With a name like Mama Zen, I'll bet your whipping up your own fabulous goodies!

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  12. My mouth is watering just from staring at your pictures.You're blessed with the gifts of writing and baking both of which give people a lot of pleasure for mind and soul, and for the body.

    {Thanks for your kind comment on my little post and for the 'follower')

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  13. Hi Duta! Thank you. We all have our special gifts and I'll bet you have many of your own.

    I'm not sure about mine; here, let's sit for hours and read a book while we devour pie!

    Appreciate the follow also. :-)

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  14. Hello Dorraine, I couldn't see my comment earlier but was sure I have said something about pound that dough. I guess it must have been in my dreams of doughnuts and everything sweet. All made by you of course:)

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  15. That looks about as scrumptious as it's possible to get!

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  16. Hi Ocean Girl. Yes, pounding the dough at Wistera Lane. Ha, I liked that. You had dropped by the website. But I'll take this comment as well. Need a doughnut,do we? :-)

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  17. Hi Dave and thanks for the follow!

    I couldn't get a mouth watering picture of my cinnamon rolls but those are my pies. Thank you.

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  18. OMG, as soon as you open that bakery I am there!!

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  19. Thank you for stopping by at my place,nice to meet you too.I'm enjoying your yummy posts,lol and I'll be back.Have a wonderful sunday.And bravo for your book!:)

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  20. I'd better get busy then, Ms. Eternally Distracted!

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  21. Nice to meet you as well, Candie! Enjoy your day, too, and thanks for the well wishes!

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  22. Dorraine, I'm laughing at the title of your blog because if that doesn't get you a slew of followers, I don't know what will! (Especially women, I'd say.)

    Thanks for visiting Poetikat's Blasts From the Past and commenting on my food post. I'd love if you'd check out my main blog, "Invisible Keepsakes" sometime too.

    Kat

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  23. Deee-lish!
    I was visualizing you preparing those tasty sweets as I was reading. The more I read of people who enjoy baking and cooking, the more I understand how ceative it is. :)

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  24. Hey, Kat. Now what flavor did you want. Yeah, free ice cream is a decent bribe.

    I enjoyed your blog and I'll definately check out Invisible Keepsakes. Thanks for stopping by.

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  25. Yes, creative, Anita, but very fattening! Great to see you.

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  26. Bakeries factor a lot into the series I just finished, heh, heh...I'd be first in the queue!

    Thank you much for stopping by and you're linked up ;)

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  27. Sounds like my kind of series then, Subby. Best of luck with that.

    And it's good to be linked. Thanks for stopping by.

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  28. What a charming post ... I have a feeling that with your outlook, that Sweetie Pie Baking Company isn't too far away!

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  29. Cinnamon rolls! I love cinnamon rolls!!
    September is my birthday. I don't really need any gifts. :D

    So nice meeting you as well, Dorraine!
    I. Am. Soo.Hungry just now. :P

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  30. Hi Joanne. Thanks much for stopping in and for the sweet comment!

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  31. Cinnamon rolls are my favorite, too, Christina. Birthday in September; must remember that. If those rolls show on your doorstep, you'll know who sent them. :-)

    Thanks for the follow!

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  32. well, that got me pretty hungry! I love cooking and baking also, though it's difficult at 5,000 ft because cakes sink in the middle and cookies tend to go flat.

    I made gingerbread and custard over the weekend, mmmmm. Now I'm thinking about cinnamon rolls . . . .

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  33. You know, I've never lived in the mountains, but I did hear baking posed a few problems from those elevations. It sounds like you've made it work for you,though, Yvette. I hope those cinnamon rolls rise high!

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