The Lone Baker is me... Jeniffer Paxton. Living in the leafy eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia with my family and my pug Gallifrey. Lots of birds keep me company baking, cockatoos, kookaburras, and my favourite the King Parrot that comes right up to you. Join me on Facebook browse my Flickr gallery. or keep reading for some more info on me and my cooking history.
Boring health info in a few sentences: Spinal Osteoarthritis ...which leaves me unable to drive, sit for any length of time (slightly annoying that!!), add the Fibromyalgia and complications from many surgeries and you get the picture. But hey, there is so many postive things you can do, to rebuild strength, like finding out what exercise plan is for you. I'm currently working out with my Apple watch for the physical side and finding it fun buddied with with friend Jacinta.
And baking, cooking, cake decorating as cliché as it sounds are my "happy place". The plus side to pain management is finding something you love, for me it's food science, baking history/origins of recipes, breads, chocolate, sugarwork and fondant. Put on some blues and get lost in sculpting a sugar figure or kneading that dough.
My Food history: Grew up in a working class Greek/Italian area in Melbourne Australia, I'm of English heritage so you were getting that mixed European/Australian foods from the start. Loved spending time in the kitchen and waitressing at my Aunty Clare's country pub. Attended a 'technical school' (an alternative to a high school) where I learnt all the basics, preserving, pastry, yeasted baking, custards/meringue, royal icing/fondant, cakes, biscuits (cookies), choux, full meals/service, home economics.
Away from home I lived neighbouring Little Saigon in inner Melbourne for over a decade, worked in a fresh seafood shop for a few years where we also made/sold seafood "heat at home products", pies, crepes etc. Catered seafood for parties on the weekends. Learnt about charcuterie from a long time boyfriend and ate out at night huhhh hummm, "most nights" (we were working long hours!!) so got to taste, try and enjoy many cuisines.
Of course there was the time I worked in a Greek city cafe with rubber gloves up to my armpits taking the flesh off hot boiled chickens (I try to block that out), without even going into the Germans, the vegan years, 40 hours shifts stirring giant coppers filled with boiling Christmas puddings, up ladders spinning toffee on giant Croquembouche and the tears of supplying chocolate dipped stuffed lychees to the local Chinese restaurant... there is a lot more, but that I'll save for along the way.
Blog: here has been many highlights running this blog, including being featured on 'Cupcakes Take the Cake' many times, being published along with other talented bloggers in the cookbook Little Treats (International Bakers)
excited to be in my favourite UK cake decorating magazine :)
Baked along side the fabulous alpha bakers. A group of twenty plus bakers that are baking from the world renowned and awarded Rose Levy Beranbaum books 'The Baking Bible' and 'The Bread Bible'.
Wouldn't be doing this all without the support of my step son Daniel.... always an inspiration.
Daniel's background as a past film student of RMIT see's Dan dabble in writing, producing, directing, composing and drawing.... in case you're missing it... I'm so proud of him creatively and who he is as a person.
Here is Daniel interviewing the wonderful British actor Paul McGann ... talking Dr. Who.
On of his older trailers... his anti Twilight tale 'Flower of a Vampire'.
Way back with Dan's VCE (High School Final) Film filmed partially at our house 'PremoNotion' ...
Special thanks to: Emma, David & Sarah Darlison, Deborah Zahra, Jodie, Deb Giles & Christine Cook for your encouragement, ideas & feedback. To Cindy Darlison a lifelong friend and super smart working mother of three who is always there for me despite her busy schedule thank you and finally Shane a real life example of a brave heart ... admired more than he knows.
Photography & Food Styling: Jeniffer Paxton with appearances by Daniel Paxton-Zahra