November 28, 2011

Welcome

"My Bloody Valentine" Whoopie pies for a Halloween party

Welcome to Treats and Trinkets! While this will be primarily a baking blog, as the name suggests, there will be some crafting involved. In fact, I have a great couple of tutorials planned out for the first few posts. Holiday-themed, even. It's gonna be epic. Well, as epic as my treats get, which is to say not very.


Hi, my name is Kim and I will be your host for this ride. I'm 23 years old. I work part time as a receptionist, and I have a BA in psychology. My hobbies include writing, baking, and jewelery making. Seeking some readers who share my interests, particularly in the baking area. I'm fairly new to this whole baking world. While I did occasionally bake growing up, I only really started baking after I graduated college, which was about a year and a half ago. It's long enough that I've developed a bit of a reputation in my social circles, but not long enough that I feel like I'm more than just a beginner. I'm also completely self-taught. I've had no professional training whatsoever, not even one of those Wilton decorating classes, so there's been a bit of an extreme learning curve.



This is Viola. Viola is one of the few pieces of "professional" equipment that I own. Viola is also very rarely this clean. She's generally covered in flour or powdered sugar or various other schmutz. Viola is a very recent addition to my kitchen and is my steadfast companion in all things baked. Other than Viola- and my bread machine, Max, who may or may not be making an appearance in this blog- I really don't have anything that's uncommon or difficult to find. Viola is also a recent addition to my kitchen, after my mother's older-than-me stand mixer decided it just couldn't hold on to its beaters any longer, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now what makes Treats and Trinkets different from the hundreds of other baking blogs out there? You know, other than the trinkets? My main concern is accessibility. I want this blog to be accessible to the casual baker, or someone just starting out. I want you to be able to trust me when I say a recipe is easy, or that a more difficult recipe is achievable if you follow the instructions that I give you. I know that my favorite baking blogs include photos with step-by-step instructions, and I will do my best to give you the same though it may not always be possible. I want each and everyone of you to be able to surpass me. Also, I talk about my stand mixer like it's alive. Where else are you gonna find that?

Occasionally I may recommend or review a book/blog/product/website. I am in no way affiliated with any of them or sponsored by them in any way. I'll recommend what I like and review when I feel like it.

Make sure to check out my "basics of baking" page. Boring, I know, but essential for the new baker. I can't tell you how many times I'd skip over that part of a cookbook, going straight to the recipes. When I finally read the beginning "basics" part, I actually learned a lot and figured out that I was doing a lot wrong. So pay attention! In the meantime, if you'd like to take a look at some of my baked goods, you can check out my DeviantArt account.