MEETING BAKERELLA

Today I got to meet fellow blogger Bakerella. She was at William Sonoma doing a book signing on her darling book called Cake Pops.

For those of you who have not yet heard about Cake Pops or Bakerella you can find her here.

There were a lot of people waiting to see her. The crowds got bigger and bigger as the time drew near to her time to come talk to us.

Then she finally came out and the crowd was thrilled. She is after all one of us blogger gals but, she has made it big.

She has been on Martha Stewart, has her own book out and is now traveling the country doing her book signing.

She is so nice. She seemed to be surprised at her new found fame. She said she was worried that no one would show up for her book signing. We thought that was funny because everyone there was excited she came to spend time with us.

She did a question and answer with us. Many people there have already made her Cake Pops and were looking for advice on how to make them as cute as she makes them.

She showed us the supplies she uses and gave little tips on how to make them come out picture perfect, like hers.

After she answered every one's questions we lined up and had her sign our books. She didn't rush anyone and treated everyone as if she was just talking to her friends.

Of course, I got her book. I can't wait to try them out. I'm going to try to make the Halloween ones. I'll be sure to post about how they came out.

FREE COOKING CLASSES AT WILLIAM SONOMA

I love William Sonoma. It's a great store for every cook. It doesn't matter if you are a professional chef or a first time baker. They have just the right items you will need.

They have pots and pans. Every kitchen gadget you can think of. Spices and mixes galore. Beautiful dishes, lines, napkin rings, glasses and flatware to make any tablescape look like a magazine photo.

However, they also have classes. Great cooking classes that provide you with all the info you will need to make a dinner from start to finish. Plus, you get eat the meal, yum!



They also have free technique classes . Each week is a new topic and while you don't get to eat a full meal you do get to sample what is made for you.

It's like watching a live show from the Food Network. Only you don't have to be quiet. You can ask questions at any point.

Tonight I went with my sister, Maureen and our friend, Renee. Our chef was Joffrey Lopez. He was great! Not only a great cook, but also very funny and entertaining.



Our group wasn't that big so we all got to stand around the kitchen area and watch closely as he cooked up his magic.

On the days when it is crowded you can always watch from the mirror above. There really isn't a bad seat in the house.

Joffrey cooked up a wonderful Mushroom Risotto and a fantastic dessert Risotto. Yes, you read that right. It was a sweet Risotto with fruit and nuts in it. Who knew Risotto could be used for a dessert? Not me. But, boy was it ever good!

So was the Mushroom Risotto. I'm not a big fan of mushrooms so I was a little worried I wouldn't like it. I was wrong. I loved it!

We were shown step by step directions on how to make the Risotto.

I've always heard Risotto was so hard to make and not everyone could make it properly.

However, because of Joffrey, I think I will give it a try now. It didn't seem like it was that hard. It just takes time.

That being said, I know how some great cooks can make it look super easy. Until you try to make it yourself.

I'm not sure if there were magic tricks or slide of the hands going on, but I do know that Joffrey made it seem like even someone like me can make it. So, I'm going to give it a try.

Joffrey explained that even though he made a Mushroom Risotto, one could switch up the ingredients and make what ever kind of Risotto you wanted.

I think I'm going to try an Asparagus and Parmesan cheese one. The cheese is added at the end and it makes nice and creamy and adds so much flavor.

We all loved this class. So much so, we signed up for all of them for the rest of the year.

I only have one complaint though. The samples we got were way to small. Everyone wanted a full dish because they were so good.

We did get the recipes though. So, we will just have to all make our own and eat as much as we want then.

I highly recommend, if you have a Williams Sonoma near you, then check into what classes they offer. I'm sure they would be great too.

I can't wait until next weeks lesson.