How Batter began...

I love baking. I have always loved baking.

From the time I could reach the counter (standing on a chair), I have been playing in the kitchen. I don't think I ever had an easy-bake oven; I went straight to the real thing. I grew up with fresh muffins and quickbreads for breakfast, cookies after school, or a special sweet for dessert.

Holidays came with appropriately shaped and decorated treats. The arrival of Fall meant the smell of pumpkin bread wafting through our home. Santa was always left with a generous plate of festive cookies. Valentine's Day offered heart-shaped everything.

I remember certain episodes of my early baking days... cookie & cupcake decorating at birthday parties; toting bags of treats to my pals at school; the first time I forgot to put eggs in a batch of muffins. I laughed the other day when my mom elaborately told the story of how I cooked and fed my family every meal for a day at the age of twelve. I found it amusing that she proudly told that story to a new acquaintance, but perhaps more amusing that I remember that menu down to every detail.

My college friends always loved that I would brave the ill-equipped dorm kitchens to whip up an occasional treat. They readily encouraged this makeshift baking, their mouths full of pumpkin pie or banana bread.

The serious recipe tinkering began after college when I was immersed in my first "real" job - in public accounting. I would diligently go to the office each day, then come home and head to the kitchen to test out one recipe idea or another. Once my cookie jar was consistently overflowing, the thought crossed my mind that I might actually be able to sell some of this surplus.

Leap ahead two years and here I am, now immersed in the startup and early growth of Batter Bakery. I couldn't be happier, and can't wait to share my treats with the Bay Area.

Thanks to my friends, colleagues, & family for being so supportive... to my mother for being my first teacher... and most especially to my brother Scott for putting up with my endless recipe testing, for being patient while I turned our apartment kitchen into a miniature bakery, and for running out at the wee hours of the morning to pick up eggs...or sugar...or whatever I may have run out of while frantically filling that last-minute order.

Let the Mixing Bowl Blog begin!