Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen is our OSI (Our Secret Ingredients) baker of the week. Mary Ann’s recipe of choice was the Berry Surprise Cake. Her Berry Surprise Cakes were colorful and utterly sumptuous looking. In addition to TWD, she’s also involved in Barefoot Bloggers, Craving Ellie in my Belly, Daring Bakers and she loves Cooking Light recipes! Anyone would be lucky to be an invited guest in her home!
Mary Ann has her share of awards and badges, proving just how popular she is with all her fellow bloggers. Speaking of which…take a look at the size of her blogroll! Very impressive! Strolling through Meet Me in the Kitchen’s gorgeous photos, you’ll most likely notice a cute little helper here and there. It makes you wonder who REALLY does all the cooking and baking in Mare’s kitchen!
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1.When did you start baking?
I was in the kitchen as a child mixing up concoctions and starting baking around 7 or 8
2. Do you have a favorite baking memory?
I remember making sugar cookies as a kid and trying to triple the recipe and having way too much for the mixer to handle. I also remember making cakes for my family member’s birthdays
3. Who is your TWD blog idol?
I have so many that I love to check. I just feel bad that I don’t get to all of them every week!
4. What has been your favorite TWD recipe so far?
French Pear Tart and Florida Pie
5. What recipe are you dying to make that no one has picked yet?
Coconut Roasted-Pinapple Daquoise
6. What 2 questions would you ask Dorie if you ever met her?
What is your most memorable experience in the kitchen? and How do you do all that you do?
7. Share one food item that best describes the last year of your life. (example: “frozen pizza” because I did a 180-degree turn this year, or “cinnamon roll” because it had lots of twists and turns but overall was pretty sweet)
A multi-layer cake with lots of filling and frosting. Well- I love cake but I feel like the past year I have been able to enhance my life with different things and well- this really isn’t making sense. but maybe you can feel what I am saying?
8. What one item in the kitchen best describes you and your personality?
a timer- I am quick and organized. I know what I have to get done and I will get it done before the beep.
9. What’s your favorite band or CD of all time?
Hmmm…… this one is tough. I saw Coldplay live a couple of months ago and that was phenomenal. Dave Matthews Band and Sarah McLachlan. I appreciate musicians that can actually sing and play instruments. Oh, and I recently fell in love with Griffin House. Check him out. He is amazing live.
10. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?
Tartu, Estonia
11. Complete the statement “I recommend…” (it can be a show, movie, book, restaurant, website, activity, etc.)
Movie- Bella, Waitress, Hotel Rwanda, Ben Hur, Beaches, About A Boy, Philadelphia, Books- The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, In the Defense of Food, The Omnivores Dilemma, Fast Food Nation, Peace Like a River, A Mighty Heart, The Audacity of Hope, Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West, Restaurants- Maggianos, Big City Bread in Athens, Georgia Scrubs Reruns— I could go on all day
12.If you knew could you try anything and not fail (and money was no object), what dream would you attempt?
Open a Bakery/Cafe
13. What super-power would you most like to have, and why?
Time Travel- There are so many places I want to go and things to see in the past,and future
14. If you had 1 hour of free time, no distractions, what would you do?
Read, Bake or Run
15. What is the meal and dessert you would choose as your very last?
Red Lentils in some form, Kale Chips, Tofu, Quinoa, Can I just have a little of everything? this is too tough- oh and definitely watermelon
16. What is the “strangest” food you ever ate?
Blood sausage
17. What are three adjectives that describe you?
Organized, Determined, and Full of Love
18. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
The fact that when I set my mind to something I get it done
19. Have you ever met a famous person?
who? Griffin House- that was last weekend- you should check him out
20. What’s your favorite spice?
CARDAMOM
21. Do you speak another language? (If yes, say something and translate)
Estonian, a little Spanish and even a littler Russian- Tere. Kudias Laheb?
22. Do you have any pets? (List what kind of pet, names etc)
not at the moment
23. Are you a ‘morning’ or ‘night’ person?
morning
24. What was the last book you read?
Tess of the Dubervilles
25. “2 Truths And a Lie” – Share 3 unique things about yourself and your life, 2 of them true, 1 false, and let the group guess which one isn’t true.
1. I am married to my older sister’s husband’s younger brother.
2. I don’t think College Football should use a playoff system
3. I wanted to be an author when I was a little girl
Tuesdays with Dorie 
Ah, Tess of the Dubervilles, one of my favorites…and I so loved the movie they made from it, too…which is so unlike me as I usually think the movies don’t compare with the books. NK was just perfect in that role…and the scenery…made Tess come alive, didn’t it. Your food looks great.
Love reading more about you Mare! It’s great to see so many delicious photos, too! :)
You are great! Hey, we have a similar book list. Music too. Oh, and I can never get enough of your amazing food pictures!
Wow, what a wonderful collection of pictures. I’m going to guess #2 is a lie :)
Haha I’m so puzzled as to which to choose in truth or lie! Yeahh baby goood food pictures. Coldplay! And I absolutely would’ve answered the same thing on #15!
Mary Ann – Are you Estonian? I would guess #2 is the lie. We all know college football should have a playoff. HaHa
Mary Ann, I’m guessing number 3 is the lie. Number one seems too random, as though you couldn’t have made it up. And number 2… maybe. But my guess is 3. You have to let us know! :-)
I am not Estonian, but I lived there for 18 months and loved it! I got to know the language pretty well.
and #2 is the lie.
A Playoff system in College Football would just cement the fact that the SEC is the best conference there is!
Thanks ya’ll for the comments.
Mary Ann, I don’t know if you’re interested in knitting, but I was just fortunate enough to hear a talk from another American woman who has fallen in love with Estonia. She has written two books on Estonian knitting. Her name is Nancy Bush and the books are “Folk Knitting in Estonia” and “Knitted Lace of Estonia.” Even if you’re not a knitter, the books include some wonderful history and pictures.