The Forked Ring

I’m a little exhausted writing this on a dreary, rainy Monday. My spirits are high, though, with another successful week at the cafe behind us. It was slow this week – mostly because of spring break, bad weather, and high gas prices. But we had some fantastic interactions with returning…

The first day of spring weather has arrived in icy Maine. We set the clocks ahead and it’s getting dark out after 6:30. For some reason this winter felt like an eternity, so the beautiful weather has been quite literally a breath of fresh air. I’ve been deep in prep…

The first month of being a chef is complete! We’ve successfully gathered a hoard of new loyal customers, introduced many creative and delicious menu items, and overcome small challenges. Yesterday we had a party of 15, which felt like an induction into the hospitality industry. To keep people happy, I…

I’m writing this in the middle of a snow storm. All tucked up at home in Maine after a great weekend working at my cafe. I’m feeling even more fulfilled and proud. We’ve had amazing feedback and for the first time I feel like I’m expressing myself through my food.…

It’s week two of being a restaurant owner. Of being a real chef. And I’m loving it! I’ve unexpectedly become somewhat of a morning person and connected with so many people over good food. We already have regulars and people even calling to rave about how good the food is.…

What a huge week for me full of personal and professional growth. My bones are aching as I write this. My legs are sore and my body is exhausted. But I’ll adjust quickly. Our cafe / restaurant, Nomad, officially opened for the first time Saturday with a brunch service. It…

My favorite recipes are always chocolate. And this week I planned to create another decadent, dark, rich chocolate creation. I’ve been thinking about cookie recipes for my cafe, too, and figured I’d have a crack at a decadent combination. Chocolate ganache cookies with a chewy brown butter and black cocoa…

I’ve been deep in recipe development this week and getting excited for my upcoming milestone! Taking over the kitchen at a local cafe. It’s located in a small airport, which sounds odd. But the space is small and manageable for me. One of the things I’m excited to offer on…

I spent part of this week moving furniture up and down stairs, installing bed frames, and dangling mattresses over balconies. Thankfully, I had a sweet treat waiting for me, which I made Thursday. My mood was a little down at the beginning of the week. But we had a sunny…