I Want My Job

Sometimes it's really fun to be interviewed...
Last week, Sean O'Neill, who writes a column for the torontoist site, came by the bakery and we sat and had a great chat. He writes a feature called "I Want Your Job" and it's about different people in the city, doing different jobs, and having a great time doing them.
The thing about a good interview is that it makes you think about what you're doing - not just operate in the daily auto-pilot of the to-do list. Sometimes it's easy to forget why I love my job, or what's unique about how I run my business. I felt all warm and squishy after the interview - but more importantly, had renewed faith that I am on the right track.
Here's the article - I hope you enjoy it!
http://torontoist.com/2010/06/i_want_your_job_eden_hertzog_baker_babe.php

Wake 'N Bake

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I had an epiphany while waiting in line for our coffees at our local cafe. The thought was something like, "why the heck are we standing in line here, and spending almost ten bucks a day on coffee?"
So we went out to the mall (I secretly love the mall - but only at night. It relaxes me. I am strange) and picked up a beautiful stainless steel stovetop espresso maker and this really cool milk frother that you can stick on the stove. The timing for this radical shift (wow, is my life really this domestic?) is perfect because summer is here and that means coffee on the roof deck first thing in the morning.
I know it sounds like a small thing, but I'm telling you - it has changed my life; instead of rushing out the door I have been taking time in the mornings to settle into the day, work on some writing, and have a quiet moment alone. As soon as I am relaxed, my creative forces start doing their thing and bam! I want to make something. So I've been (big surprise) baking in the mornings. Today was fresh berry scones. I guess you want the recipe too, huh?

Better-than-Breakfast Spelt Berry Scones












*preheat your oven to 375F
1 1/2 cups organic white spelt flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
3 tbsp milled brown flax seed
1/2 cup quick oats
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
** Sift and stir all this stuff into a bowl, then add:
1/3 cup coconut oil (or sunflower oil, or whatever you have...)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
**stir it again until it becomes a batter, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl
Then throw in half a cup of berries and stir it again.
Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper. Drop your batter onto the sheet into little, messy scone-y shaped things. Bake for 15 mins, or until golden on top.
Eat them warm, maybe by yourself or with someone you like a lot. Take a moment.

xo BB

Cookie Makeover

Well, we didn't makeover the cookies (because they are really good as they are) but we did give them a new wardrobe. New packaging! 100% recyclable cardboard boxes that stack well, hold the cookies well, and are super cute.
Let's face it - most of us are suckers for good packaging. If you haven't actually tried a product, wouldn't you say it's the packaging that makes you want to?
We have a loyal fan base of folks who know our cookies and have loved them for years, but I felt it was time to see who else we could persuade into cookie love.
In any case - if you go to your local store and don't see the old stuff - take a look around because the NEW stuff is waiting for you.
And as always, thanks for buying New Moon cookies. They keep a roof over my head.

Push!

When I started up the business almost 13 years ago (holy crap), I was the holder of a teeny-tiny seed of a vision. At 19 years old, I wasn't seeing the business as a gone-national cookie company or anything. No, I was probably just hoping to get the delivery of cakes to the East End without them getting smushed in the back seat...
As the business grew, my vision grew. I began to see something shiny way off yonder in the distance - and although it was hazy, I envisioned my business becoming something huge. For whatever reason, the vision always had to do with the cookies being sold in California. Since I love California, it probably just meant that once we had grown to reach the California market, well - then we'd made it!

In February we took on our first big contract with the US. There was much screaming and jumping up and down in the bakery, and then we got serious about the many thousands of cookies we would have to make...
And OF COURSE - chaos hit! Our new packaging was delayed, the wrong flour was delivered, and then - worst of all - our cookie depositor broke down. Yes, Baker Babe was even brought to tears. Nothing was going to stop us from getting that first order out, but it sure felt like everything was trying!
The bakers and I (and the husband pitched in too) hunkered down and hand-scooped almost 35,000 cookies. During breaks we soaked our hands in warm sea salt baths, and shook our heads at the madness of it.

People often compare a business to having a baby, and I would add to that by saying that a business is like having many babies. Just when you think the kid's grown up, you're in labour again, pushing out the next one. A business is about constant re-birth and expansion - and from what I know, it's not exactly a walk in the park, but it's always worth it.

We got the order done, we worked our butts off, and a piece of that beautiful vision was actualized. As crazy as it was, I wouldn't have changed a thing. The chaos brought our team together, showed the integrity of the company, and was a pretty great story to tell.

Healthy New Year!

Hey People!

It's 2010 and that means we just had a New Year thing happen, which means (if you're like me) you're probably thinking about resolutions and all that. I find New Year's resolutions a bit hokey because they never seem to work. We all start strong in January and then by February we are back into eating full bags of cookies in one sitting. I say 'we' in order to alleviate my guilt. I'll start referring to myself now, okay?

I've come to understand that the thing about making a positive change in my life is that it has to become part of my everyday routine in order to stick. And even then, it's hard not to fall off the wagon when life gets busy or chaotic.

My diet seems to be the thing that suffers most when life gets busy. And you know, since I am a Baker Babe and all - life WILL get busy (I kind of like it that way). So here we have two topics: New Year's resolutions and poor diet. By poor diet I mean - eating on the go, take-out, skipping meals, eating cookies instead of lunch (hey! it's all we have at the bakery!) etc...

So I've decided to conduct an experiment and a challenge for myself (and the husband, I might add) which is that I am going to cook all of my meals at home for one month straight (with the exception of three days in January because I'll be away - thought I would just share that with you.) I can eat home-cooked meals at friends' houses, and I can grab a coffee to go - but that's it. 

Because, let's face it, when I eat at home I am much healthier, I feel more balanced, and I've also saved a whack of cash. It requires planning. And organization. And people - I LOVE to cook, so let's not forget that inspiration is a requirement to making anything good actually happen.

Today was day one. New Year's Day - hilarious because everything was closed and we had no groceries in the house. Our first at-home meal was prepared by the Husband. Breakfast for dinner. A great way to start the year.

Scrambled eggs with sundried tomatoes and shitake mushrooms. Asparagus with grated parmesan. A couple of mixed greens tossed on the side. 

Safe Snack Guide

All kinds of yummy treats that are safe for various food allergies. Take a look!

The Ginger Twins

Once in awhile I am graced with a magic moment. This picture is testament to that.
The other day I was doing my grocery shopping at my local fruit market, and I saw these twins on my way in. Just one glance and I thought, I recognize those cookies they're eating...
So, like the nerd that I am, I stopped the lovely parents and told them who I was and said, "I wish I could have a picture of them!"
Thankfully, Dad had an iphone and was able to snap this shot and email it over to me.
So there's Shepard and Georgia, a little too cute for words, eating New Moon Ginger Snappers.
Their mom told me that when she was pregnant she lived off the ginger cookies because they didn't make her nauseous. Good to know...

Thanks Shepard, Georgia, and Mom and Dad! You made my day.

Baker Babe Gets Hitched!

You'll have to indulge me for a moment here...
I haven't posted anything to this blog in months! And I have the perfect excuse: I got married!
Yes, it was a perfect day (thunderstorms and all) but wow - holy work! I may go into an event planning business on the side since I am now a pro at it.
The lucky man (ha ha) is Brian MacMillan, and the even luckier woman is me.
I'm not sure how this even ties into New Moon, or business, or whatever I am supposed to be blogging about. But if you've been reading any of the other stuff I've written, you'll know that my whole deal is about living life! So let's put business aside for a second and look at that happy couple.

xo bb

Cookie Drive!

Ha ha! Check it out! Cookies are comin' your way. Check Brian's myspace page for tour dates and go to hear some GREAT music, and eat cookies. Come on now... does it get any better?

Work Soft

Yes, I have a new philosophy - it only took me about twelve years to figure it out. Work soft is what I am naming it and trust me, you will all want to adopt it as your own.
In my family, if you're not working hard then you are basically wasting your life. The "working hard" approach is not exclusive to my job, it spans across everything I "do" in my life. I hold a belief that if something doesn't take an excruciating amount of energy then it doesn't hold weight.
In other words, it has to hurt in order to have worth.
Let's flip the whole idea around then - what if work could be pleasurable?
What if I do things in my life not because I HAVE to, but because I can or choose to.
My work soft philosophy recently bloomed while I was in Vancouver. I was bustling around the city feeling all stressed out and rushed. I had to stop myself and take a breath. I realized that life is supposed to be fun, it's supposed to be enjoyed. How I live is up to me. Intriguing, eh?
So this is my new challenge; I am changing my approach. Let's see if taking things in stride, enjoying the moment, and not worrying about the future actually does work...
As always, I will keep you posted.

xo baker babe