Monday Must Have: Kitchen Inspiration

My first sugar showpiece in culinary school.

Creativity. I love it. I need it. I crave it.

I enjoy what I do for a living because I have this outlet where I can create something that is a part of me, for others to enjoy.

One of the things I loved about culinary school was the constant learning of new skills and techniques and it seemed like the creativity just happened being in such a conducive environment. I remember the first day of my Confectionery & Showpiece class, where the chef demonstrated a FANTASTIC sugar showpiece (which I wished I had taken a picture of to share with you). When she finished, she had us pick out three colors of cooked sugar and said, "OK, now it's your turn to make a showpiece in the next couple of hours."

I had picked three colors that didn't really seem like they would work together and the perfectionist in me began to panic. As I worked, practicing the techniques that the chef had demonstrated, I began to gain confidence in learning another new skill. Although we had a choice in the colors, we still needed to incorporate the hedge rose flowers and the pulled sugar technique in our project.

The above picture was my very first sugar showpiece and although it's not anywhere near what you might see on a Food Network show, I was very pleased with how it turned out and when I look at this picture, it brings back memories of the excitement and the challenge of learning something new and allowing my creativity to shine through. Overall, this picture represents a time when I thought something was impossible and how with a little direction, practice and creativity it became possible.

But every once in awhile, there are times where the creativity doesn't seem to flow and I need a little extra help to get those creative juices flowing. At times like these, I turn to those things or people around me to get going again.

Things or people that INSPIRE me:

Cookbooks
Cooking Magazines
Collected Recipes
Created Recipes
Favorite Food Blogs
Other Pastry Chefs
My Mentor Chef D.
Ingredients
Seasonal or Local Produce/Ingredients
Bakeware/Cookware/Kitchen Gadgets
Culinary Classes
Prints/Patterns/Themes
Art/Paintings
Places I've Lived/Visited
Experiences

What INSPIRES you in the kitchen?

Welcome to the Jillicious Kitchen

I really like my work space. No, let me say how I really mean it--I LOVE my work space. Since moving back home to Oregon and starting Jillicious Desserts, I am so glad to have such a great kitchen to work in. Yes, I work out of my domestic licensed home kitchen and for me it even rivals the professional kitchens that I've worked in.

I haven't always been in a kitchen with lots of space. In fact, when I lived in Palo Alto, California, I could literally stand in one spot in the kitchen and reach most all the cupboards, the sink, the stove and the refrigerator. Here's a picture of this very kitchen where I made my first official Jillicious Desserts several years ago.

Jillicious Desserts Kitchen Beginnings:
(Very small, only one-person-in-the-kitchen-at-a-time, kind of space)

The stove was smaller than a regular one and I could actually see the top of the refrigerator without standing on a stool (I'm only 5' 2") so yes, it was a short and very small refrigerator. It was very difficult to make more than a couple dozen cookies or even a cake, because my counters would be filled with only a few items and I would have to keep my refrigerator close to empty, if I had any orders that needed to be kept in there.

The Jillicious Desserts kitchen today:

This is where I spend the majority of my time for business and even after hours. Even on the busiest of days, I really love being a pastry chef. Every dessert is baked fresh to order and it all happens right here in the Jillicious Desserts kitchen. If you want to come and see it in person, when you come to pick up your dessert order, give me a call and I'll schedule you in.