About Me & the Blog

Hey there!

Funny you’d even care to click on this page to get to know me! But since you’ve clicked, I’ll type away…

My name is Nell. I’m a busy student who is never tired of the great things that life has to offer. I am fond of most – if not all- aspects of the arts from independent movies to indie music to crazy recipes that I find online. However, I must admit that I am bias and enjoy recipes and good food the most, which is why Notebook Worthy will mostly contain recipes, restaurant reviews, and anything food related.

Why name the blog “Notebookworthy”?

Maybe you are thinking that I should have named it “Cookbook Worthy” or “Chef Worthy”, but I named this blog “Notebook Worthy” with the picture of a a old, worn notebook in my mind. I have such an enthusiastic love affair with food that I wanted to keep a written account of it like in a journal. Well, this blog is my written account, but it’s open to all you.

If you read my early posts, I wrote about a new beginning, feeling uncertain, and then finding my way. Well, from my rocky start, I have found a great passion of mine: food – baking in particular. As I add each ingredient to the bowl, I feel like I am a little closer to creating a masterpiece that I can later share with all my friends and family, which to me is the best part of baking besides the thrill of actually creating something amazing from individual ingredients. Being able to share with my family is my favorite part of baking.

My family: Auntie, Mom, Cousin, Uncle

You might be wondering, “What exactly got you into baking? Why’s (good) food so important in your life?”

Well, it all started with a simple gift from my uncle last December for Christmas. My uncle gave me a Breadman Pro bread machine. This handy machine about 12 inches tall, 4 inches wide, and 6 inches long got me started with my whole love affair. As I read the directions carefully about how to clean the machine, how to hook up the machine, and how to care for the machine, I finally got to the recipes that came with the instruction manual. I decided to make a simple white bread. I placed all the wet ingredients first and then the dry with the yeast at the very top. I closed the lid, pushed “start”, and let the BreadmanPro work it’s magic. Within about two hours, I had fresh, homemade bread. It had a light crust and a soft and fluffy center. I ate about 3 slices with a glass of milk. It was complete bliss. From then on, I was a changed person. Since that first loaf, I have traded my store-bought cookie dough and cake mixes for unbleached all-purpose flour, white granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. I call myself the Passionate Baker.

The Breadman Pro - a great breadmaker, in case you were wondering

As a student, I’m trying to decide what the best career path is best for me. I would like to become a bread baker or pastry chef, but I fear that I would not be able to “live off my bread alone”. However, I am very adamantly searching for a hybrid career path like Business Management with a Culinary focus. As of lately, I have become interested in science and am therefore considering a Bachelor’s in Food Science. I  simply refuse to give up my passion! As I continue to blog, I’ll be getting closer and closer to my deadline to decide…maybe by the end of the journey, I’ll figure out what I’m meant to be. (To be or not to be? That is the question).

Who or what are you inspired by?

Well, that’s an easy one. My family is number one. I have been blessed with the most supportive mother. She has constantly been at my side ever since I was little to encourage me to try different things in order to find my niche. Though she may not have actually given me the Breadman Pro, she is the one who tries everything I make (even the disastrous results); she is the one who waits patiently watching t.v. while I’m in the kitchen baking at night; she is the one who enrolled me in the Teen Baking Class at Sur La Table; she is the one who has encouraged me to follow my passion;she is the one who I can turn to when I am tired and my feet and back hurt from standing up so long. She has always been there.

Lucky for me, my mom has friends that care about me and my passion with baking. She tells me that she constantly talks about me and what I make to her co-workers and close friends. She often requests that I bake treats for her office when it is some one’s birthday or a holiday. So far, the most requested item from her co-workers is my biscotti that I get from the JoyofBaking site. (Highly recommended site by the way). Her friends aren’t just willing to be my testing guiena pigs, but they also donate things to help me keep up with the demands of my passion. For instance, her co-worker recently gave me a cookie press set for Christmas. It was totally unexpected on her part because we do not talk too much. However, seeing as she is my mom’s closest friend at the office, she was kind enough to buy me something baking related. Another close friend of my mom’s gave me possibly the best material gift of all: a red KitchenAid Pro Mixer 600. I can now make sponge cakes without fainting from exhaustion! These people and my friends, who also have gifted baking related items, are my supporters.

How to contact me:

As for you readers out there, I always love hearing from you! I encourage you to comment on posts or email me at nell.notebook@yahoo.com. Feel free to send me any pictures, suggestions, or questions that you might have. I promise that I will rely promptly. :)

So, whether you’re here just for the recipes or the funny stories, or you’re here for the long run to accompany me on my journey, I wish you happy reading. :)