1) Read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

2) Watch Stewart Smalley skits from SNL – noted “I am good enough and gosh darn-it- people like me!” line

3) Read old notes passed from best friend in high school with motivational quotes (back then written for bad break-ups), “When life gives you dirt, vacuum!”

4) Watch motivating movies: “Cinderella Story”, “Shrek” (1 through 3), “Beauty and the Beast” (this is not motivating but I like Disney cartoons), and in the spirit of the season “Elf” and “The Christmas Story”

5) I bake!  I bake recipes I love from my very beginings as a baker like cheesecake, carrot cake, pumpkin whoopie pies, red velvet cake, macaroons, etc.  Then I share what I’ve baked up with my NYC pals.  There is nothing like a smiling face after biting into something you’ve baked up to make you “think you can”!

So, Treet meet New York, New York meet Treet.  I know we’ll be the best of friends!

The inspiration:  Once upon a time this little baker was in the corporate world, and loved nothing more than sipping “Arnie P’s” (aka lemonade and iced tea) while taking a 3pm coffee (or in my case, tea) break.  The tangy and tart flavor of the tea and lemonade is so refreshing and makes me feel like I’m really stirring up my typical tea drinking for the day.  So, why not combine the best things about the beverage into a baked good?  I just wasn’t sure my customers would go for it, so I put it to a vote and wahh-laa, the crowds chose Arnie P!

The outcome:  I took lemons, but instead of making lemonade I made curd (btw- why is that word so terrible sounding when the product taste so good).  The tart curd is swirled into the center of a moist and light vanilla cake.  This sweet duo is then topped with a perfect-matcha (haha- get it?) green tea buttercream.  This mini cupcake is the best of both worlds and I think a sweeter way to look at an old cliche ” When life gives you lemons, make Arnie P’s!”

A bite of summer- Arnie P

Strawberry Shortcake Approved!

Welcome to Stawberryland where the berries & their pals are soaking up Mr. Sun and smelling super sweet! 

If you’re new to the area, I’d skip the visit to Angel Cake she is a bit airy, and Lemon Meringue has been tart ever since Huckleberry Pie wouldn’t let her pet Pupcake.  Blueberry Muffin isn’t quite ripe for conversation, and Apple Dumplin is napping for the next couple of months.

My recommendation is to head straight to the namesake berry of the land, because today she is holding a press conference to announce her endorsement of her new favorite cupcake (in just her size) at Treet! 

Strawberry Shortcake:  “Today is a big day in Strawberryland because today is the day that strawberries were treated equally!  That’s right in Treet’s new Strawberry Shortcake (named after your’s truly) there is a perfect blend of fresh picked strawberries from our neighbors at Westmoreland Farm.  These fresh berries did not have to choose between being blended into the cake or mixed into the frosting.  These fresh berries were gentely folded into both to make an equal berry opportunity mini cupcake for all!  Stawberrilicious!  We will now take a question from our sworn enemies.”

Purple Pie Man:  “If I’m the berry best baker than why did you let Treet use the freshest strawberries?”

Strawberry Shortcake:  “Because we can’t stand the ‘Ratta Ta Ta Tat Tah’!  Who has their own theme song anyways?  Plus we knew that Treet would combine the fresh picked berries with the best local grass-fed cream and sweet Tahitian vanilla to make the yummiest cupcake we’ve seen in Strawberry land since Lime Chiffon visited Key West and things got a little crazy with a Key Lime Pie ”

We hope you’ve enjoyed your visit to Strawberry land!  Don’t forget to purchase our Strawberry Shortcake endorsed mini cupcake for only $1 at treetshop.com!

"I Heart You!" Treet Box Brownies

“They sure don’t make’em like they used to”- came to mind when I opened my first box of Sweethearts Conversational Hearts this Valentines Day season.  I wanted to make my VDAY “I Heart You!” Treet Box speak the words of love via the little chatty candies.  I was seriously disappointed at my options!  The hearts were just not “speaking my language”!  They had comments on them like “text me” & “hey you”.  What happened to the classics?  I wanted the “love you”, “say yes”, “xoxo”.  Which they did have, but few and far between.  Which leads me to my next gripe- I think the machine that is printing onto the little hearts has a drinking problem.  A very serious one that probably involves bourbon of some sort- judging from the slurred angle of the lettering.  Most of the hearts in my boxes either had NO words at all (what kinda conversational heart is that), the words were barely legible, or the lettering was falling off the heart.  Sweethearts…I hate for it to get to this point, but I think it’s time we see other candies.  It’s not you, it’s me…really.

All of these anxieties came to mind as I created my presentation. I even reached out to the pro’s for consultation!  My best friend is a school teacher, so she helped design my “mini cupcake assignment”.  On the day of the presentation, I was nervous…until I realized that I LOVED high school!  I gained so much from my high school experiences!  I realized that if I could make just one good impression, and encourage a student to be an entrepreneur than I succeeded! 

Entreprenuership is both a scary and exillerating ride, but as one of my good friends from my high school days used to say “if you don’t take the risk, you can’t feel the rush”!  So, I thank Mrs. Hendrickson for asking me to speak, I thank the wonderful students of Chantilly Academies, and I send a big thanks to the wonderful teachers and students of my own high school who helped build the background for this marketer, turned pastry chef, turned Chief Sweetness Officer!

As I was traveling today I decided to assess Treet’s essentials:

Something to do:  Bake good stuff

Something to love: bringing joy and satisfaction with every sweet bite

Something to hope for:  to keep baking, to have very happy customers, and to continuously innovate, create, and grow

…end quote