Tools and Equipments - Part 2

Cake turntable used in frosting and decorating cakes. NO! I don't have that!

A broken leg twister but rotates smoothly and continuously that serves as my cake turntable. 

Cheap plastic scraper and measuring cup.

My improvised chocolate molder made of aluminum foil.

On the left side is a balloon whisk used by pastry chef, mine is on the right side worth P 35.00 bought in the market.

             

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude".
Thomas Jefferson

                                                      

Tools and Equipments - Part 1

Every Pastry Chef will tell you that "If you want to create a perfect cake, it is an advantage that you invest in a heavy-duty, high quality tools and equipments." I don't let myself intimidated with that saying although I believed it is true. I used whatever is available and learn to improvise. My only concern is my oven, an old and defective oven giving me an inaccurate temperature.

This is my oven I bought 2nd hand. It's an old model of La Germania. I don't know what's wrong but the oven temperature never reach 350 F which is the standard temp. in baking. Baking at 200F that required 350F is a risk! But I want to bake!  So, every time I am going to use it, I talked to my oven like a friend telling him "Please take good care of my cake. Don't give-up yet because we still have a lot of bake goods to make. I need you to help me develop and polish my God-given skill."

This is my hand mixer my husband gave me as a bribe when we had a small fight 7 years ago. Oh! I can't remember anymore how many times did I planned to create an argument hoping he will bribe me again By the way,  it's a broken hand mixer. Intermittently stopping and starting. I cried loud when using it and discover that it's not working anymore. Now, I have to make sure all the bedroom doors  are close to avoid  untimely awakening of  my family because of the cracking sound it produce while using it.

P 50.00 worth of baking pan. Well, that's all I have. I just keep telling myself, "You don't need a good pan to bake. God gave you a peculiar gift. You can do it!"

Well appreciated old baking pans given to me. Donation? Whatever...! I honestly appreciated it.

GOD PROMISES TO PROVIDE OUR NEEDS! -  God will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). One of my happiest moment, learning I loved to bake, I started receiving springform pan from a generous friend in California, my bestfriend and a highschool friend Ms. Heide Francisco and my brother in Dubai Engineer Alex Legaspi. Thank you so much!

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will" - Vince Lombardi

Learning How to Bake

I am a HRM grad. at Saint Paul College Q.C. I took Basic Baking at Asian Baking Institute in Manila year 1996. It did not boost or encouraged me to pursue baking for so many reason. Ok, let's just say, I took it because I was bored. Time goes, I waived my desire to learn. Year 2006 (10 years after), I met a friend studying at CCA ( Center for Culinary Arts ) and happened to see her books. I asked her if I can borrow and I was permitted. I read and read and read...It stimulated my appetite to learn (again!). Since then, I started buying 2nd hand books which I can use as a reference and guide in learning to bake and thankful to internet that made my research easier. I must admit that I envy those professional chef  who had a formal culinary training. Training  that helps to widen knowledge and polish skills. How I wish to be born rich so I could study at Le cordon Bleu, Culinary Institute of America , Ecole Internationale Patisserie etc. Daydreaming to meet Mr. Chocolate man, Jacques Torres, David Lebovitz, Rose Levy Beranbaum and a lot more. NO formal training in baking, NO baking equipments, NO one to boost or encourage me but I do HAVE an enormous desire to learn something I really enjoyed doing. Just keep saying "No one and nothing can stop me to learn. In whatever ways I will gain knowledge." 




"We have an opportunity for everyone in the world to have access to all the world's information. This has never before been possible. Why is ubiquitous information so profound? It's a tremendous equalizer. Information is power".  - Eric Schmidt
                                                                                                                                      

Discovering My Skill

In our family, GOD showered  two different kinds of blessings-- intellectual ability and practical skills. My siblings received the brainpower that made them succeed to their chosen career. I asked myself, "Am I sleeping when it happened?" My chance to be an employee used to vanished whenever something happens like getting pregnant unexpectedly. I wanted to experience the thrill of waiting for 15th and 30th of the month for salary.  Working abroad is my ultimate dream not only to help my parents financially but because I loved the lifestyle of people living abroad. But it never happened. The only career I have is to be a mother of  five (5) children and a housewife (If you can call it a career). I keep thinking what blessing GOD gave me. They said, "We are all blessed with talent, all you have to do is to discover it. At first, I thought GOD didn't give  me any blessing  but then I realized I was so special to Him. He gave me something that I will truly enjoy. " Hmmn...I love to cook and never get tired cooking. And now, I am beginning to discover that I can bake! Yes! I am not blessed with linguistic abilities and I am not ashamed to admit that but God gave me a skill, an inborn skills. Did I inherited it to my father? Let him seat in a piano and he can play a piece, with no formal  training. Ask him to draw and he can! God is FAIR! 




"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills and uses these skills to accomplish his goals." - Larry Bird