the Crumbs of Life.

Some say cooking is an art,
some say cooking is a science.
I believe it’s a little of both. 
But I don’t believe cooking needs to be
overly complicated.  I do believe that
practice makes perfect…
or at least perfect enough to fool most people.
Cooking frequently helps you gain confidence…
you become more daring, adventurous and creative.
Inheriting some great DNA never hurt anybody either!

I’ve been very blessed to have been born and raised by
a Proverbs 31 mother.  She was truly a Martha Stewart
and Paula Deen all wrapped up into one.
She was a seamstress, an amazing cook,
decorator, craft person and most importantly,
a godly woman.

During my early married years, I had the privilege
of working with her when she and my dad
owned a tea room.  She crafted in her spare time
and also served lunch there. Daily.
This is where I come in. 
I was a chef-ette at the tea room.
Those years are when I learned the most about cooking
from my mom.  It wasn’t growing up in the ‘log house’
(yes, we really did live in a log house –
but not on a farm-small town maybe, but no farm)
I had the HUGE privilege of watching
and learning and doing,
almost everyday.  Learning so many tips and secrets.

My dad made most all of the items she painted to sell
there as well.  She taught many a painting class
thru the years and I was able
to learn many of those tricks also.  Priceless.

As a young wife, I also began
to search out new recipes
and new techniques…striving to learn
as much as I could
without having to spend a bazillion dollars
to go to cooking school.
After all, I was a chef-ette ya know.

It just so happened that at that time,
public television had
boo-coos of such cooking shows on daily.
I was SO influenced by public television.
Thank you PBS.
(and not just for Sesame Street and Barney)
I would faithfully watch Julia Child,
Jacques Pepin,
Jeff Smith (the Frugal Gourmet),
Chef Paul Prudhomme, Natalie Dupree
and the cajun cook Justin Wilson….I garon-tee.
They played a huge part in showing a more
‘professional’ or ‘advanced’ way of cooking…
especially for me, as a young wife and mother.
(wayyy before the days of Food Network or HGTV)

I have enjoyed cooking and baking since
my early married life began.
Eventually, my skills were really put to the test
as I was trained by my awesome ‘cook
of a sister-in-law’ to take her spot as the
supper coordinator at our church.
As terrifying as it may sound,
planning and cooking for 250-300 each week
soon became second nature.  It was great fun.

Somewhere in 2002, I began doing cookie cakes.
It’s kind of a blur though.  I believe those were the
beginnings of our eldest entering middle school.
Did I mention we had 3 daughters?!? 
That are redheads?!?
Sooo, this cookie cake thing eventually
turned into a pie thing, then cinnamon rolls,
cheesecakes and custom sugar cookies. 
This became CRUMBS.
C.R.U.M.B.S. – crumbs.
A few years later, after a wedding cake here and a
birthday cake there….gaining more experience
and creating a website….
I was presented with another venture.
A venture that came from out of the clear blue.
Well, sort of….

In the meantime, I’m still trying to figure God out.
Have you figured Him out yet?!?
Let me know if you do…we’ll need to do lunch.