Enlightenment
Some say the Buddha enlightens, others swear by sunny days. I however get bits of enlightenment daily from all different sources. Back in 2006 I had the wonderful experience of planning my daughter’s 4th birthday party. I needed a cake. At that time I did not bake. I knew nothing about how to make flour, sugar, butter, eggs and chocolate turn into a magical crumbly confection. After a bunch of research I found myself standing in Blackmarket Bakery talking to the owner & baker Chef Rachel Marie. This gal knows baking, great ingredients and how to put flavors together in phenomenal ways. The rest is history.
Baking & Respect
Not only do I highly respect Chef Rachel because she put herself through culinary school at the CIA in Napa Valley. She did it while raising 4 kids. I can hardly handle being a full time blogger who works from home with 2 little kids. Rachel adds sparkle & spunk to our world in a big way with her high energy, great wit, talent & enthusiasm for life.
Baking Classes
Since our first meeting she has made cakes for quite a few of my kids birthdays. While in the bakery placing my first order I saw that Rachel had a list of baking classes that she held most Tuesday nights. I took a class, got hooked, and then took a few per month. Classes run from 6-9pm. They are a great way to get a break from the kids and learn a new skill. From hot/sticky caramel sauce, to velvety chocolate ganache, sweet & savory tarts, puff pastry, puddings, cakes, muffins-the classes are organized into lots of different themes, ingredients and skill sets.
A Few Bloggers Who Were at this Workshop (clockwise from top)
- Julia Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body
- Quyen Kitchen Runway
- Ciaran Momfluential
- Kim Rustic Garden Bistro
- the couple holding up the pasta platter work for Rachel
Do Not Fear the Power to Learn New Things
As you know, I don’t bake much, but I feel like I can handle baking challenges when they come my way. Chef Rachel taught me well and inspired me to get cooking & baking. I learned not to fear the kitchen. I was taught to roll up my sleeves & get fired up to cook & bake from scratch. She is a leader & innovator. She is the kind of gal that inspires greatness.
Orange County Foodies
Because I love Rachel and I enjoy watching her business grow I pitched the idea for her to host a group of Orange County food bloggers & local magazine editors over to the bakery for a hands on workshop. Immediately she jumped on the idea. In no time at all the guest list was formed and the RSVP’s came rolling in.
Focus – Cabernet Wine Flour
The focus of the evening was on her latest favorite ingredient-Cabernet Wine Flour. We made Foccacia with Figs & Goat Cheese, Cabernet Crusted Chile Rellenos, a Cabernet Hazelnut Torte, a Dragonfruit Topped Cabernet Bread, Pumpkin Gorgonzola Cabernet Ravioli and a Cabernetti Pasta dish.
Adding cabernet flour to sweets and savories imparts a unique color and earthy flavor to baked goods. It is good real good. This flour is made from the ground up skins of grapes that were used in the wine making process. You can use up to 15%of this flour in recipes to replace traditional flours. Chef Rachel has a market at the front of the bakery called Marché Noir Foods where you can order some of her goodies, cabernet wine flour & many other delectables.
Blackmarket Bakery Info
- Blackmarket Bakery
- Website: Marché Noir Foods
- Become a fan on Facebook
- Become a friend on Twitter
- Cabernet Wine Flour Recipes
Blackmarket Blogger Links
Feel free to link up your blog posts that tie into this event.
I’ve never heard of cabernet flour. What a cool ingredient to learn how to use!
Marla- Love your post! The pictures, the text and the layout are fabulous. Overall, an amazing event and you deserve so much of the credit for your great marketing mind. I’m glad to finally reconnect. Keep in touch, sweetie!!
Pumpkin cabernet ravioli – Wow! I’m drooling just thinking about it. I, too, had never heard of cabernet flour until now, but thank you for introducing it to us! Great post and super cute apron, Marla!
A great event!
Cheers,
Rosa
This is so cool and sounded and looked like a ton of fun! I wish I could have gone with you. Great post!
Well said! I did my recipe post and am now working on a second post featuring Rachel and Blackmarket Bakery. Great seeing you twice in one week and thanks for organizing this fun and educational event!
Great post!!! It was seriously such a great night. I might sell my right arm for some fig and gorgonzola focaccia right now… Oh gosh my mouth is watering!
What a fun workshop, Marla! All the dishes that were made look incredible, especially the ravioli!
How fun! You look darling in that pink apron:)
I can imagine how much fun you lovely ladies had at this workshop! The pumpkin cabernet ravioli looks so good and love your pink polka dot apron! 🙂
So glad you gals are digging my polka dot apron. I love that thing! Everyone is smitten over the pumpkin ravioli-it truly was amazing!
Sara: This workshop is right up your alley. Wish you lived closer.
Rachel: Glad you were such a champ having us all invade your kitchen.
Hey Marla, Thanks for the nice comment on my post. It was nice seeing you again.
Yes it was very nice of Rachel, I feel bad leaving all those dishes in the sink! I have another post about the Cabernet Flour food coming out soon at
http://chef-renee@blogspot.com
What a delicious event! Everything sounds wonderful. Love the polkadot apron 🙂 pretty in PINK! I am going to have to try that pink dragon fruit.
Oh wow. I really, really, really want that flour. I’m drooling, and it isn’t even just for those wonderful Pumpkin Gorgonzola Cabernet Ravioli. That flour seriously blows my mind. This workshop sounds so freaking cool, though if I had participated, I might have slipped home 5 lbs of those flour.
This sounds great! I’m a reader of Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body too. Too bad I live in Canada 🙁
This sounds like such an awesome workshop! Pumpkin cabernet ravioli sound downright dreamy to me. And I love that you got to hang out with some of my favorite bloggers!
Marla,
I adore you in that pink apron, and those ravioli look scrumptious! So nice to see food-bloggers cooking together. Great event. Thanks for sharing.
Marla….Rachel is certainly a very fortunate gal to have you by her side.
The event seemed to have been extremely successful.
Ohhh…how I wish that I would live closer to you…and all these wonderful outings ;o)
It’s great to learn about a product that seems to be quite intriguing. Looking forward to learning more about it.
Thanks Marla for keeping it interesting.
Ciao,
Claudia
Isn’t that flour made in Eastern Canada? You always beat me to any punch! I have some, and will be baking bread with it. YUM! I cannot wait to try your recipes, too!
🙂
valerie
Valerie – Yes, I do believe that the Cabernet flour is made in somewhere in Canada. I should have know you would have been up on this ingredient. I wish you and Claudia (Foodessa) lived closer. You gals would love this stuff!
What a cool ingredient, I love hearing about such fun new things! I thought I knew good pumpkin ravioli but that version sounds to-die-for.
I too have never heard of Cabernet Flour, what an interesting ingredient. Thanks for telling us all about Chef Rachel, love hearing about Chefs passions.
wow…I WANT SOME PUMPKIN RAVIOLI!!!!!! That’s just INNOVATIVE!
And you look so sweet and fit on the picture!! I can tell you exercise a lot!
Angie
Looks like a grand time was had by all! We all had a great time at camp Saturday, didn’t we? It’s so fun getting together with other bloggers. I’ve never worked with cabernet flour–must get some!
Marla – I had such a great time!! Thank you for inviting me and many thanks to Chef Rachel for opening her kitchen at Black Market Bakery! It’s such a wonderful place. I can’t wait to work with more wine flour! yum!
What a great way to spend the evening. Food bloggers have more fun!
WHAT A FUN EVENT!
Thank you so much for the invite. It’s been a heck of a busy two weeks for us, so I haven’t gotten my recap post up yet, but I PROMISE to do it soon. It’s the least I could do to give Rachel the proper shout-out she deserves for introducing me to cabernet flour.
[K]
I love your post, and so wish I could go to one of those classes, but I’m the other cost, oh well, I can live through your photos and writing 🙂
I love that bakery! My sister used to work there and would buy all sorts of yummy stuff for us 🙂 Love their black widow tarts.
Elizabeth: Lucky you that your sis used to work at Blackmarket Bakery! I bet the treats she came home with were amazing. I have never tried the Black Widow tarts & now you have me very curious!
blast from the past!!
If you EVER do another one like this…I have to attend! Not sure how I missed this one…but I would not miss the next one!