Monday 10 November 2014


phylliscaroline becomes an Alpha Baker


Hellooo and welcome.  I’ve set up this blog primarily to take part in the bake-along with Rose’s Alpha Bakers.  I’m not sure that alpha is the word I would have chosen to describe my baking skills but I am an enthusiastic cook and baker. I live in tropical Northern Australia where the humidity can make baking a bit tricky sometimes.  I have two of Rose’s books (Christmas Cookies and The Cake Bible) and I loved the last bake-along with Rose’s Heavenly Bakers. When I saw the opportunity to take part in this one I put my name forward (and quickly bought the book). I’m now excited and petrified at the prospect of cooking along with a whole lot of other (experts and) enthusiasts.  I’m also thinking that this is the excuse I need to invest in a stand-mixer.

4 comments:

  1. ב''ה

    Welcome to the group!

    Great first post. Crumpet rings, perfect! :)

    Very funny about the looking for specialty items in N Australia.

    This one of the things I love about these bake alongs. Its a little window into a far a way and different place and life. Love the Wallaby flour. How fun.

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    1. Thanks Mendy. That's exactly why I loved reading the Heavenly Bakers series - different lives, different approaches to cooking. And at the time, since I was reduced to a toaster oven in my kitchen, I found it very cheering that you could produce all those cakes out of 'Old Toasty'.

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  2. I also set up my new blog so that I could join the Alpha Bakers. I'm so excited to be part of the group. I've been baking with the Cake Bible since 1990, and then with the rest of Rose's books ever since. I'm a far cry from an expert, but what Rose would call a "passionate amateur" (in the Cake Bible). There is NEVER a bad reason to purchase a stand mixer!! I bought one in 1983 at a yard sale for $5 (US). It was a Sunbeam Mixmaster that was at least 20 years old at that time. It was such a glamorous appliance for me, who had grown up using hand mixers. My husband bought me a 6-quart Kitchenaid about 25 years ago, and now I couldn't live without it. There's no turning back! Take the plunge! Come and visit me at www.artfuloven.com ---Michele

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    1. Thanks Michele, lovely to meet you! It's very exciting to join in the bake-along. I've been a bit busy since posting but am heading over to have a look at all the other blogs now. I've always thought that a hand mixer was enough but I can't deny that when beating eggs for pavlova or making a dough, stand mixers do make it a lot easier. So now I'm a convert - all I need is a mixer of my own!

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