First.

So, I'm starting this new project called Spoon & Whisk. Here's the deal:

For my 29th birthday, my husband bought me the Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented cookbook by Matt Lewis and ) Renato Poliafito. I've always loved to bake, so the gift was exciting and much-appreciated.

I'm also a full-time photographer. I photograph weddings and families in the greater Seattle area (and beyond). I like to photograph the stuff I bake, but food photography definitely is not my forte.

So why Spoon & Whisk? Simply stated: I wanted a project. That might sound insane coming from the mouth of the mother of a 2.5 year old who is also a small business owner, but it's true. Coming into the kitchen is like therapy for me. I refuel there. I recharge there.

Spoon & Whisk is intended to be my journey through Baked Explorations, cover-to-cover. I plan to bake every recipe in the book, and no, I don't have any Julie & Julia type intentions in here. I'm setting out to expand my skills in the kitchen, using Baked Explorations as the guide.

Recipe #1 is in the oven as I type this, and I'll be back soon with a full report.