TheNewYorkTimes & SweetiePiesBrooklyn

Check out SweetiePiesBrooklyn on The New York Times website. 

The New York Times showed up at the May 22nd Greenpoint Food Market and interviewed some of its many vendors.  There is a video, which I am briefly shown in, and an article about the market featuring, my good friend and fellow baker, Fabiana Lee of La Tia Faby. Check them both out.

Video  / Article

A Picnic in the Park with Greenpoint Food Market

As Spring finally returns so does SweetiePiesBrooklyn.  I will be back this Saturday, May 22nd, from noon-5pm at the Greenpoint Food Market. The month off has given me a chance to work on several new pies which I will be debuting this weekend, my new Sweet Balsamic Custard Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust and my savory Country Ham, Gorgonzola and Fig Pie. Along with these new treats will be an oldie but goodie, my CranRaspberry Pie with a Brown Sugar Crumble.  Hope to see you there.

Success!

It has taken me over a year to perfect this pie but I finally succeeded last night. The newest pie on the SweetiePiesBrooklyn menu is Sweet Balsamic Custard Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust. It's topped with fresh strawberries.

Gamechangers Radio

The podcast I recorded a couple weeks ago is up and running, as of today.  Below is what Adrian Hopkins, Gamechanger's host, has to say about the new episode and a direct links to it. 

Check it out!

" With spring comes new weather (ideally), new energy, and new beginnings. In this spirit, I bring you the second episode of Gamechangers Radio, which focuses on entrepreneurship. Both of my guests - Victoria Bott of Sweetie Pies Brooklyn and Philip Blackett of Win/Win Redevelopment Corp. & MisterPotential.com - are young entrepreneurs who were pushed into new beginnings by the tough economy and have never looked back.

We focus on their journeys and the lessons that managing their own businesses/brands have taught them and pose the question: "do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?" Whether or not we decide to pursue our own businesses, there are some valuable takeaways when it comes to stepping boldly into the unknown and challenging ourselves to reject complacency. 

Jump over to http://bit.ly/gamechangers2 to check out the conversation, while enjoying the freshest music from Erykah Badu, J*Davey and more. "

SweetiePies Hits the Airwaves

Sorry for the delay in posting.  The beginning of spring brings a booked calender and little time for baking. While I have no new pies to post about yet, I did my very first podcast this weekend.  

A long time friend of mine, Adrian Hopkins, who I've know since elementary school back in Richmond, has just started his own podcast called Gamechangers Radio.  This was only his second episode and I feel honored to have been asked to participate.  His goal for the podcast is to showcase his friends as they take on their mid-20s and start to seriously think about their life goals and career paths, whether in "film, food, and finance".  For this episode, he asked his friend Philip Carrington Blackett, from Mister Potential and Win/Win Redevelopment Corp. and myself to discuss the ups and downs of starting up our own business.  I also baked a pie for the boys to eat on air.  Adrian pre-chose the Apple Pie with a Cheddar Crust and I must say they seemed to enjoy it, putting back over half a pie between the two of them.  I was very impressed.  The podcast should be up and running by next week and I will post again once its available for listening.

From left to right: Philip Blackett, Adrian Hopkins

Wheat Bread Recipe

This recipe turned out amazing. I was a bit nervous trying a whole wheat bread recipe.  If not mixed properly, wheat flour has a tendency to create a dense and dryer pie crust and I was worried I might end up having a similar issue with this bread.  It turned out even better than the white bread recipe though.  Bread flour makes all the difference.  

Ingredients

• 3 cups warm water
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup honey (if you don't have honey, agave nectar works)
• 5 cups bread flour (this flour make all the difference)
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely

Note:  If you are interested in making cinnamon raisin bread, before letting the dough rise for the last time, roll out the dough to the same length as the loaf pan and between an inch and a half inch thick.  Layer the dough with a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar, making sure to completely cover the entire surface. Then sprinkle with raisins, cran-raisins or nuts. Roll up the dough, pinching the edges closed, and place in loaf pan to rise. Bake at as directed.

Stir It 28 Haitian Relief Benefit

New York foodies have joined the Stir It 28 movement to raise funds to benefit Haiti's earthquake survivors. Stir It 28 brings together chefs, restaurateurs, home cooks, and food bloggers to “stir” up interest and activity for Haiti relief.

*100% of the proceeds from this month-long fundraising effort go directly to YELE Haiti & Share Our Strength.*


You can join other foodies this Sunday, February 21st from 4-7pm at the NYU Department of Nutrition, located at 35 w. 4th St., on the 10th floor, for food, drinks, door prizes and most importantly to help a good cause.  

Visit these sites for further information:  


http://www.foodgps.com/stir-it-28-stages-multi-city-haitian-relief-effort
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=322161249781&index=1