In mid August, I packed my bags, boarded a plane and flew clear across the country to this small, quaint town in Connecticut to film a series of baking videos named Better Than Your Bakery. I was asked to film with the Taste of Home Online School alongside culinary expert, Nicki Sizemore. With a 8am call time for hair and makeup, and filming beginning at 9am, we spent an entire day running through 5 of the most delicious recipes, proving that bakery style results were just a click away.
All of the recipes will be available for download and purchase on the Taste of Home website pretty soon, but I figured since I received the intro video, I’d share my Taste of Home Online Cooking School Experience with you.
Clearly, my role in life is probably not on film but….
I firmly believe that in life, and in business, you must seize opportunities, approaching each and every experience as an avenue towards learning. There’s always something to learn.
And let me tell you, in that crazy short amount of time, I learned so, so much!
Mainly, I learned that instructors who are able to make baking and talking with no less than 10 cameras and a million bright lights look easy…. are truly my heroes. It’s hard work, y’all!
Smile, speak clearly, roll the pie crust, don’t trip on the rubber mat, keep smiling, preheat the oven, don’t forget to take out the crust, more smiles, speak slowly, don’t squint into the lights, don’t lose your place, don’t spill anything, don’t burn anything, don’t touch your hair, don’t wipe flour on your shirt, for heavens sake don’t lick the spoons, don’t stumble, don’t mumble, smile….
Cake walk, right?
I also learned that despite momentarily deciding I might like to live in CT, I am probably better off staying in the South. Those overheard conversations about how brutal their previous winter was, was enough to change my mind. But seriously, being able to go for an afternoon walk in mid August with sleeves? Pleasant.
I learned that while I’ve always admired the work that Taste of Home does and the product they put out, now having worked with both their live cooking schools and the online cooking school, I can honestly say I’ve never been more impressed. Everything they do is professional and well thought out. And they’re just so darn down to earth, too!
I learned that you should never assume that the amount of photos you are taking is nearly adequate and you should just snap, snap, snap away. I was so focused on the videos that I only took a handful of photos, with my iphone, and came home without a photo of their prop closets or the insane napkin display! Oh, how I wish I had taken a photo of the napkin supply area!!!! Truly envious.
Here’s are the few photos that I did take.
I stayed the night at the historic Norwalk Inn. Remember me saying quaint? Those rocking chairs had me feeling right at home.
We filmed in the Handmade TV studio.
The president and producer formerly worked for Martha Stewart’s show, back in the day when she had a show. And before she went to prison…..
Along with Taste of Home, they have produced videos for quite an amazing lineup including Better Homes & Gardens, Redbook, Country Living, KitchenAid and countless food brands like Bertolli Olive Oil, Bush’s Baked Beans, Philadelphia Cream Cheese among others.
And here’s the one and only photo I thought to get with Nicki.
Side note: I thought it would be smart to chop my hair off the week before and that inverted -hair- in- face cut I typically sport proved to be quite difficult for the hair stylist. Most of the video has my hair pinned back like a kindergartner. But no one wants to see you touching your hair in a baking video- duh, Aimee.
I hope you’ll consider hopping over to the Taste of Home Online Cooking School and baking along with Nicki and myself. If you’re interested in a discount code leave me a comment, or send me an email and I’ll reach out to see if that’s a possibility.
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