A parting, lasting memory...

Hello, darlings. I know its been a long while. I have neglected this blog completely. It has been a journey of creating and re-creating myself. Last July 22nd, it was my birthday and it had been the first in three years that I was able to celebrate. It was memorable, sharing with family. It held such importance to myself as a growing individual as it was the day I knew what were important to me, and where I should go from there.

I started this blog out of love for food, and a means to learn and meet other people. In the end, it was within myself to learn, to grow and realize what I want to be, who I should be and what path to take in life.

I thank the Lord that I was given such wonderful people to lift me up, and tell me that they believe in me. It has been long that I have not prayed, out of pain and anger and in the short span of time that I've welcomed Him in my life again, He has showered me already with such wonderful blessings and simple memories.

 We ate dinner at Racks, it held memories as a child that I could hardly remember. It was simply something that I knew, my father used to bring us to Racks to eat. And now, we made new memories as it was my beau's first time there. 

And then we had sweet crepes, something that I knew I had to have during my birthday. I woke up, and I said to myself "I want crepes for my birthday" and sure enough, we had to make a way for it to happen so beau and I, and our little angel shared one.

And with that, I am here to tell you that I have moved from Dessert Darling, to somewhere I can call "home". My sister has agreed to share the journey with me. You will witness, not only my journey as a home baker, but also my older sister's growth as an artist. I thank everyone who has shared their thoughts and appreciation, their time to read my thoughts in these pages. I hope to see you all again in my new home.

In the few days after this memorable and great day, I have immersed myself already with work. Let me leave you with a few photos from the Bakery Menu for Sweet Mnemonic.

Let me invite you to Sweet Mnemonic. Although it yet to be established, I hope you will be there once it opens its doors to your eyes. You will be able to follow our updates from our new Facebook page, please help us by sharing as well!

Product Images are Sweet Mnemonic's intellectual property, using them without permission is prohibited. You are free to share them, with credits. To do so: please email me at winter.melora@gmail.com.

Light and Warmth, and Love.

Taking a break from the usual food posts. Here is a more personal one for you darlings. 

My little one. The reason why I wake up every morning, the reason why I continue to smile and hope and thrive to find myself. Often times it is difficult as she is slightly impatient as toddlers usually are... But my little one is so loving, that each warm hug and gentle kiss melts my heart.

It is a challenge, a challenge to be a better mother... a challenge to nurture her, help her gain weight when she is so picky with food, to teach her in every way that I can... to simply be a mother that I would look up to, if it weren't me in that position.

She is the light of my life. Perhaps even the heart of my craft and this blog. She scoots herself up a chair beside me while I weigh out the ingredients and she says "Mommy, tulong ako" (Mommy, I'll help). Her favorite chore is to mix anything she sees that has a fork or a mixing utensil with it. It can be messy, and most of the time, especially when it is a paid job, I ask her to play or ask Mr. DD to carry her away to eat or play or watch Princess movies that she loves. She cries, asking for me... And comes back when she smells the sweet aroma from the oven envelop the house. She takes a peek in the oven door, careful not to get too close. I ask her for a kiss and tell her that I love her, she always answers.

When it is done, and I take the baked cupcakes out of the oven, she approaches and says "Mommy, cupcake?" and I say, "Yes, baby."

She eats what I bake, sometimes she doesn't. But when she shows so much interest with the things that I love, watching with me while I play baking videos on my phone... it touches my heart, knowing that maybe one day she'll be a great cook or baker or pastry chef in the future.

Or she'll be running Dessert Darling with me.

Whatever the future holds, I know that I will love her for the rest of my life.

April Memories

Mr. DD and I had spent half our day with the children of Cribs Foundation. It was a very touching and emotional day for me, having a soft spot for babies and children. The company he works for had given help to them. I wish I had brought food for them, but I don't know if this is possible since I had only volunteered. The toddlers were adorable and sweet, and I had emotionally attached myself to a plump little boy. I still think of him on a daily basis, hoping he is well.

Here is a little info about Cribs:

C.R.I.B.S. (Create Responsive Infants By Sharing) was started in 1974 in Manila by two Lutheran missionary wives who took home five sick babies from the Reception and Study Center for Children of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. This was the beginning of a Foster Care Program by a non-government organization in the Philippines. From its humble beginnings, CRIBS has grown into a leading child-caring agency licensed by the DSWD.

Programs and Services

The RECEIVING HOME PROGRAM provides an alternative home environment for abandoned, surrendered and neglected children aged days old to 2 ½ years old. The program is staffed with professional, compassionate and competent caregivers to ensure optimum health care, nutrition and age-appropriate stimulation for early detection of developmental delays and prevention of illness. In CRIBS, each child is uniquely loved.

The PLACEMENT PROGRAM focuses on the placement of children into loving homes whether of biological, foster or adoptive families.

FOSTER CARE provides temporary family care for children awaiting completion of adoption procedures. Through family life experiences, children recognize the idea of having parents and siblings, which is an important transition before final adoption.

The NEW BEGINNINGS PROGRAM is a residential home for young female survivors of sexual abuse aged 7-17 years. It provides a nurturing and therapeutic environment for the healing and recovery of each child. The program utilizes a multidisciplinary team approach in meeting the physical, emotional, educational and spiritual needs of the children. In CRIBS, healing through the arts is an important part of the recovery process.

To address the urgent needs of the girls with no families to go home to, RIBS recently opened a GROUP HOME PROGRAM to provide continuous schooling and skills capacity building to prepare them for independent living.

For those girls who have families and who have completed the phases of healing, CRIBS provides AFTER-CARE SERVICE which includes counseling, educational aid and referrals for livelihood assistance.

The VOLUNTEER & RESOURCE GENERATION PROGRAM ensures that there is a dynamic pool of volunteers to help deliver optimum service. The interests, talents, expertise and resources of CRIBS volunteers are mobilized to serve the interest of the children and to support program needs

You may find their website here for more information about how to help these children, and also their facebook page. I am hoping to come back to Cribs and spend another day caring for the children.

Spent some quality time with the family, eating Pho for the first time. And drinking our favorite favorite Milk tea (for me, yakultea now) from Serenitea.

My first official order for a dozen Red Velvet Cupcakes (P520)!

...And a few orders for Revel Bar (P320 for 9"x9")!

I am incredibly thankful for the increase in orders. I am hoping for a better month in May!

How about you? How was April for you?

Yogurt Popsicles

Yogurt. It is starting to become one of my most favorite things. I have to admit, I only do enjoy my yogurt when it is flavored with fruit sweetness. But I am slowly opening up to trying out plain yogurt... probably with a touch of honey. My daughter loves yogurt, too! It is the only way I get her to eat berries, since it is much too expensive over here. 

I am unsure whether this is a failure, or simply that our refrigerator sucks. It cannot even freeze damn ice cubes. Maybe because my in-laws store their water bottles at the freezer. I still do not understand why. So in the end, they have ice water... and we have watery ice cubes.

It was still yummy though. And I think I have to mash the bananas more thoroughly. Little DD loved it! More fruit for her, secretly. You may substitute a cup of the yogurt for pureed fruit. Berries.

Yogurt Popsicles

1 cup Very Ripe Bananas, mashed

2 cups Fruit Yogurt - or - 1 cup plain yogurt + 1 cup pureed fruit

Mix the ingredients together and place it on a popsicle mold. Freeze until firm.