You are beautiful!

I was reading the BUST Magazine that our ad is running in and was struck by a small article about a very powerful idea. While all the ads in the Oct/Nov issue are great, I'm always excited when I see simple ideas turned into a larger phenomenon. The particular story I am talking about here is titled 'The Writing's On The Wall' by Jamie Fleming.

It's about Caitlin and Operation Beautiful - a website filled with images of sticky notes with positive affirmations on them, posted in public places. Caitlin's first note was inspired by the urge to just do something nice, it said "You Are Beautfiul" and was taped to a mirror in a public restroom. Since starting the website there have been hundreds of pictures and stories posted online that show the impact the notes are having.

The notes, found randomly by people around the country/world, have done more than just put a smile on the faces of people that find them. In some instances they have changed lives, such as a bulimic teen who saw a note on her way to purge. She said it felt like a message from the universe telling her to change her behavior. Intense, right?

While we love our sarcasm over here at BBCo, today we say kudos to this fantastic small idea that is easy to execute. We love finding new ways to give back the joy and love that you share with us. Check out the Operation Beautiful website and post some of your own notes when you are at the grocery, gas station or drug store! You never know when your kind words will change someone else's life for the better.

Eat one that's worth it.

Originally posted - Tuesday, September 28, 2010

 
*images borrowed from Bakerella - to read their article on Sublime or other great articles, visit their website.

 Chef Kamal Grant has been in the food industry for many years. He started in the US Navy then attended the Culinary Institute of America and, finally, honed his pastry skills at the American Institute of Baking. Upon returning to his hometown of Atlanta he came across an empty doughnut shop on 10th street and, in one month's time, his shop was up and running to the delight of local patrons (including me).

If only you could taste these doughnuts, they are everything the name implies - SUMBLIME!

Flavors served at this favorite Atlanta doughnut shop include:

A-Town Cream . filled with silky custard and topped with Belgian Callebault dark chocolate

Fresh Strawberry N Cream . fresh strawberries and vanilla cream cheese stuffed into the original recipe doughnut

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup . glazed with Belgian Callebault milk chocolate with a dollop of light, fluffy peanut butter cream in the center

Orange Dream Star . star-shaped yeast doughnut with tart and tangy vanilla cream cheese, the top is glazed with a mild natural orange icing

Red Velvet Cake . doughnut featuring dutched cocoa and subtle vanilla undertones, topped with cream cheese swirl icing and toasted pecans

Frosted Croissant . fried until it's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, covered with vanilla bean honey glaze

Chocolate Wildberry Fritter . sweet and tangy cherries, blueberries and raspberries are chopped into chocolate-infused dough with berry fondant and dark chocolate drizzle in top

Yin Yang Twist . original recipe dough and chocolate-infused dough twisted, then covered with vanilla honey glaze

Dark Chocolate Fudge . a fluffy chocolate dough coated with an intense dark chocolate

Caramel Apple Fritter . real apples, premium cinnamon and spices are blended into the original recipe dough, then honey glazed and drizzled with rich, buttery caramel

Painted Cakes

For more images, click here.

The Bitter Baking Company is going to be a sponsor at a local photography event. As I work on creating cookies I thought in the spirit of creativity I thought I would blog about another artist who's desserts, I mean work, I fell in love with many years ago. Wayne Thiebaud. His paintings are made of bright colors, thick oil paints frosted onto canvas and they are uplifting in every way. What's not to love!

"Thiebaud is well known for his paintings of production line objects found in diners and cafeterias, such as pies and pastries. Many wonder if he spent time working in the food industry, and in fact he did. As a young man in Long Beach, he worked at a cafe named Mile High and Red Hot, where "Mile High" was ice cream and "Red Hot" was a hot dog.

He was associated with the Pop art painters because of his interest in objects of mass culture, however, his works, executed during the fifties and sixties, slightly predate the works of the classic pop artists, suggesting that Thiebaud may have had an influence on the movement. Thiebaud uses heavy pigment and exaggerated colors to depict his subjects, and the well-defined shadows characteristic of advertisements are almost always included in his work." -From Wikipedia

For more details watch this delightful Sunday Morning video - enjoy!