Baking and daydreaming.....

I baked half a batch of oatmeal raisin cookie bars and almond chocolate biscottis over the weekend. After much baking last week, I decided not to overbake again this week.

These are repeated recipes, which shows how much I enjoy them. Normally, I will try to conquer a recipe and move on to try something new. Afterall, if i were going to open my cafe one day, I will need substantial varieties to offer my customers. I start to daydreaming how I will run my cafe. What pastries i will sell, and even how I will motivate my staff. Mind you I already know what to name the cafe. Not that I have the modal, nor I am competent in my baking yet, I just like to daydream about it.

Recently, I read a book written by the founder of Mrs Fields' Cookies, Mrs Debbi Fields. Mrs Fields started the company while she was 20 years old, with the help of her husband. Apparently, he was a very bright economist/financial futurist. She mentioned in her book that she was never a bright student in school, and didn't care to attend a college after her high school. She was pretty, I must add. And I think she has all the qualities of being a successful model. But she chosed to be a baker. According to the book, she baked very delicious chewy chocolate cookies. (Which by now, EVERYBODY knows) Though friends enjoyed her cookies very much, everyone told her that her idea of opening a chocolate chips cookies shop would not work. Frustrated, she went ahead nevertheless, with the support of her loving husband. They were rejected by bankers, whom at that time thought her idea somewhat naive and not feasible. As the story goes, they finally got a loan from Bank of America and of course the business started to boom. And continue to remain success and lucrative (I think) to this day.

Reading this type of book somehow motivates me. And reminds me that if I put my mind to something I really want, I can achieve great things one day. Well, I am not really asking for GREAT things in life... just a humble little cafe, which ambience is inviting, and pastries are delicious, located in a convenient location. The kind of place you have in mind for a relax weekend breakfast or afternoon tea with your girlfriends. This, is my dream.