on icing cakes and meeting boys.

hello!
happy new week.
i think we're in for a good one.
how about you, what do you think?






+
a few words on cake:


i worked in a grocery shop years ago.

it kept my hands busy, 
my apron dirty and tummy full.

i learned to use a cash register,

and more importantly,
turntable assisted, i learned to ice a cake.

chocolate and vanilla.

cream cheese frosting 
and sponges filled with carrot.

it was, at the time
a bit of perfection 
for my 18 year old self.





i iced cakes one minute 
and chatted with passersby the next.
i handed cookies to children,
stretching over-top the tall bakery counter.
and i so loved it there.

i moved on though,
i suppose in a way i began my ascent to adulthood.

 i went to school for patisserie.
and in hindsight it was there
i learned to ice a cake.

my teacher, an alsactian man,

his accent thick, 
a heavy dose of both german and french. 
his smile broad. 
his words often incomprehensible to me.

his disposition kind, but his temper absolute.
let's just say he wasn't the type 
a girl should get tears in front of.
[a little tidbit i learned straight away]

he taught me many things
among which, was how really, to ice a cake.

he showed me that
one needs just to use their hands.
no turntables, no funny inventions.

cake in the left,
metal spatula in the right.

we used a turntable some days.
for the the swoop of royal icing 
or the application of fondant.

or even sometimes for the finicky bits 
of placing flowers just so.

most times though, 
the tall sides  of soft centres and soaked sponge,

that was all by hand.

there wasn't choice in his books.

i cursed him under my breathe for it.

but, i'm so happy for it now.

he taught me 
the worth of a pound of butter

and the beauty in a slicing a cake just so.

he taught me the versatility in an almond

and equally so, 
the often glazed over complexities of an egg.

he taught me to blow peaches from sugar.

to craft roses from marzipan.

he taught me to keep my hands steady.

a steady hand, a steady heart.

he taught me when to use a wooden spoon

and when not, a spatula.

he taught me 
to relish in doing what i love,
and to embrace it with every bit of me.

he taught me of
drive and determination
and of giving back.
and he told me

not to fall in love too early.

i love that part. the love bit.

he said,

don't fall for boys, 
they're just a big distraction.

wait until you've got the time,
the right one will come then.

don't rush it nikole,

you've got your whole life ahead.

my point in all this?

those days he said that to me, he was right.
i didn't see it then,
but, i see it now.

things come in due time.
it's as clear as a bell now
and there's comfort in that.

happy day friends.

i'm so glad you stopped in.

hope your week is jolly.

xox, n.

___

and a few other things:

+ my love for cake, just the same now. 

+ i did a shop update yesterday, whoa! thanks all.

there is just two one spoon left
my favorite, japanese maple!
and old-growth teak.

+ there are enough cloud marshmallows to go around.

+ my linens. bfgs. love.

+ missed it, join our list.

+ previously sold on hg? a list of sorts.

+ puppy love.  hello gus. you're really cute.
and hello little friend, you're really cute too. 

___