A Bit About Me…

March 1, 2023

Well, I’ve been busy as a bee.  Business is buzzing like crazy.  Thank you to everyone who purchased Focaccia.  I really appreciate your messages of delight and satisfaction.  Love to hear from you.

This week’s blog is a continuation of my Pastry Journey.  I am making Brian’s 29th birthday sweet treat.  Each of the men in the house get to choose their birthday sweets.  Brian requested a Mixed Berry, Frangipane Tart in a Pâté Sucrée tart shell.  That along with the Chicken Piccata, Roasted Broccoli and Carrots, and Sourdough Naan for dinner. 

This week’s blog is also a bit of history blog.  I am so excited that so many people have inquired about so many things in my business.  I thought I would take a step back and introduce myself.

So, here I am, sitting on the porch.  The sun is shining.  There’s a cool breeze and I have time on my hands (a rare event!) I’ve planted a dozen more dahlias (some of my absolute favorite flowers). Olive is lying on her bed near me.  She appreciates the time I spend with her.  She knows that she’s not allowed anywhere near the kitchen if I am working.

I LOVE FOOD!!! Let’s start there.  I grew up in an extended Italian family.  My mother and her mother, Nana, made sure that my 2 sisters and I knew how to cook.  So, we were in the kitchen helping as soon as we could stand.  We got to know the feel of meatball mixture squishing through our fingers, fresh pizza dough (Sicilian Style), and tomatoes being squeezed and processed through the hand crank machine to separate the pulp from the seeds and skin.  We ate whatever Nana and Mom made.  We ate pastas, sausage, peppers and onions, sauce (marinara called Sunday Gravy), Italian sausages, Easter Meat Pies, Strufoli, Ribbons, Eggplant Parmigiana, and many other delights.

One can’t help but be excited about food and want to learn more about the magic of its creation.

I always wanted to go to Culinary School.  However, when I graduated from high school in 1978, women could not even apply.  So, I went to school and got a degree in Education.  I love my degree.  I love teaching.  I got to travel to Germany to be a teacher at an Army post called Grafenwöhr American Elementary School.  I taught 3rd grade students and loved it.  I was able to travel all over Europe with my friends.  We ate our way through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, France, Italy, and Russia.  I was enthralled with the flavors, cooking techniques, and aromas from each place. 

I cooked for myself, my landlord, friends, teachers, friends’ parents.  I learned to cook from them as well.  I had an extraordinary experience the entire time I lived in Europe.

Teaching children made me so happy.  To see a child get excited about learning something new was addictive.  I incorporated recipes for baking into my third-grade curriculum.  I taught my students to learn about volume measurement by making bread and making butter.  We had a blast.  Parents would help us out and get excited about what they had experienced, sometimes for the first time.

I have been searching out recipes and how to learn pastry techniques for years.  My other passion, bread making occurred when I visited Paris, France when I was 21.  I had my first croissant and was hooked.  My sister, Rosie and I made our first sourdough starter in 1995.  I’ve been using that starter ever since.  I now have 6 different starters.  Rye, Gluten Free, Einkorn, All Purpose Flour, Whole Wheat, and Spelt.  Each starter is different.  The science of the fermentation is fascinating to me. 

2014 was a momentous year in my life.  I decided to retire from full-time teaching and go to Culinary School.  I retired from Loudoun County Public Schools in June.  I enrolled in the Art Institute in Rosslyn, VA, in July.  The 3 Summer classes I took were invaluable for background knowledge.  The first on campus classes began in October.  The elation I felt when I walked into class the very first time was momentous.  The reality of being 54 and older than even the instructors was amusing.  However, my enthusiasm and excitement were tremendous.  The courses were challenging.  The routines were instructive.  I was going to get my degree as a pastry chef! 

Life had other plans.  Two weeks into the semester I was diagnosed with breast cancer.   I immediately learned that “Life happens when you’re making other plans!”  My instructors were amazing.  They let me take my finals early.  My grades matched my efforts: A+!!! I had to have surgery before the semester would end.  It took me 18 months of hard work, exhaustion, nausea, chemotherapy and radiation to eradicate the cancer.  I wasn’t strong enough to return to the rigor of the commute, the hours, and the classroom challenges.

My grandmother, Nana, was a very practical woman.  She would say, “Things happen for a reason.”  Well, cancer has taught me many things.  I have also learned that I am blessed with each day and the opportunities that it provides. 

Since cancer, I have started my business; Xitrous, LLC.  (Pronounced, “SIT RIS”; but everything I do is EXTRA, so I added the X at the beginning).  Food Network called and had me as a contestant on the “Christmas Cookie Challenge 2” in 2016.  Being a finalist was exhilarating.  Attending the King Arthur Baking Academy in Seattle to learn more about artisan breads and laminating dough was inspiring.  I decided to teach myself. I continue to read the dozens of cookbooks, science of cooking books, enroll in classes and experiment with new recipes. The learning and exploration continue every day.

We redesigned our kitchen to create a cooking classroom.  I obtained my ServSafe Management Certification.  (Let me tell you, I know too much about food safety and pathogens!)  I applied and obtained a license in the town of Leesburg, VA to teach cooking lessons and sell baked goods.

COVID was another example of, “…making other plans.”  Had to close the kitchen to the public during the pandemic.  Started experimenting with recipes.  Began exploring pastry recipes from around the world.  My neighbors were excited because I would bring them samples to critique.  One of my friends suggested I should be selling these goodies.  The website was created and goodies were for sale.

I have been exhilarated with the challenges of selling dozens of baked goods each weekend.  My sourdough and I are getting along so much more.  We understand each other better since we work together every week.

So, to bring things full circle, I baked a Fresh Berry Frangipane Tart today for Brian’s birthday.  I made a Pâté Sucrée crust from, “The Art of French Pastry”.   This journey never ends for me.  Learning, exploring, experimenting, failing, succeeding are experiences for everyday.

Excited to have Cinnamon Buns available for sale this Saturday. It’s a fan favorite and one my favorite to make!

Here’s to another day, another experience, and hopefully, another success!!