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Dessert First

a san francisco food and travel blog | all things sweet

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About Pastrygirl

Pastrygirl

Who am I: My name is Anita and I am a Bay Area native, living and working around San Francisco, with a lifelong addiction to all things sweet. My love for baking has led me down some unexpected but very rewarding (and delicious) paths.

Chocolate_mousse_genoise_cake_1

Where I’ve been: In 2005 I took a six-month professional pastry course at Tante Marie’s Cooking School, which focused on classic French patisserie.  I braved the perils of burning sugar, overwhipped egg whites, and melting fondant to make croissants, croquembouche, and tarte tatin.  A record of my travails can be found at my Flickr page.

After graduating, I fulfilled one of my lifelong dreams and worked full time in a beautiful little bakery in the East Bay, turning out cakes, croissants, and chocolate. At the same time my curiosity about photography, which sprung from a desire to document all my experiences in the kitchen, evolved into a professional passion. I had started Dessert First as a way to combine several of my interests: baking, photography, and writing. Now it had become a springboard for me to share with world how I feel about the beauty and joy of food.

Pithiviers_1


Where I’m going: I’m still constantly expanding my horizons, filling myself with inspirations and ideas. I’m always trying new ideas in the kitchen, and experimenting with new ways to capture the perfect image of the results. My creativity is charged by everything around me: cookbooks, pastry chefs I admire, restaurants I visit, the sights and smells as I walk down the street.

My hope for you when you visit Dessert First is to learn how to make professional-level pastries in your home kitchen. I also provide reviews of my favorite baking tools, cookbooks, and pastry shops (mostly around the San Francisco Bay Area where I live). Recently, in the last couple years, I’ve been dabbling in kid-friendly baking after having a daughter, and the art of Chinese baking. You’ll find those recipes on my site as well.

I do freelance work as a food writer, stylist, and photographer. Here is a list of where my work has appeared. I am also the author of three cookbooks, Field Guide to Cookies,  Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. I was extremely lucky to get the opportunity to do this books, and it was all because of my blog. You’ll never know where life takes you, so just get out there and start doing it!

If you want to know a little more about me and this site, click on over to my faq.

Thank you for visiting, and please leave a note or send me an e-mail at anita {at} dessertfirstgirl {dot} com. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy baking!

Strawberry_creme_damande_tart


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Archives

best of dessert first


The Making of Macarons (Sucre Cuit Style)

Hong Kong Eggettes (Daan Jai) for Mom


Tis the Season

A Better Brioche for World Bread Day


Consider the Humble Chocolate Chip Cookie

A Feast of Figs


Pure Dessert, Pure Inspiration

My Own Remembrance of Things Past: Dan Tats


The Slow Drip of Coffee on a Languorous Summer's Day

Still Life of Strawberry Tart

disclosure

This site uses affiliate links. Purchasing through the links will give this site commissions. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. More about pastrygirl

my latest cookbook


My newest cookbook, Lollipop Love, is now out!

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