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BAKING PANS AND INGREDIENTS

So now that i am here in the Big apple, in between munches and a side stir of the puttanesca, i manage to bake here and there. Folks, i am buying my mixer, i left behind my trusted friend back home, and the prices are giving me vertigo believe me. Searching the best deal is the hardest, the price is second to the quality and in my case, i prefer that this time i get a mixer that can mix more than 1 kilogram per batch. Imagine my horror when i bought my mixer in 1998. Like most beginners, i did not know anything about the load, the horsepower, the minimum and the maximum flour and dough capacities of these mixers, gear versus belt drive etc., Now that i managed somehow to keep the mixer going for almost 12 years, i hope the one i am buying, please Lord at a price of $1600.00 is better. It is bigger, 20 quarts and has a safety guard.

Choosing what kind of mixer gave me a headache, i bake cakes and cookies so i had no choice but to give in to my culinary calling, planetary it was, not spiral.

I am now in the process of looking for bulk flour, sugar, margarine and shortening. It is new york guys, no trans fat here, and while there are so many choices of trans fat free margarine and shortening, i still have to find out if i can get them in smaller packagings. Nakaka miss ang bakery suppliers sa Philippines, you know the kind where you can buy "tingi" of one kilo this and that. My mother uses "i can't believe it's butter" from Unilever and it is transfat, but using it on a commercial basis? The tv ads here says it is better than the other transfat free butter substitute, Crisco is my choice for shortening as well, and i use it to make my kababayan also. Hmmm. I have not started yet really but i am very excited to try out everything, it is like me on my beginner's stage, the only difference is that i know how to bake breads now.

I have a starter chilling (like me) in the pantry, why bother putting it in the refrigerator, the pantry is so much colder!!! You have to wear a jacket to get groceries!!!!

gotta go, i ran out of eggs and milk, walmart and home depot are a good 10 minute drive, my sister and i take a cab since she does not drive and finally i was able to purchase my baking stone and peel at only $14.99 at Le Gourmet Chef in Woodbury Common. i told my sister i wish i can live in this store, it is like a roomful of all your wish list from the day you wish you can bake.

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