5 Questions for Pei-Yee, Baker

1. How long have you been working in pastry and what is your level of experience?


I have been baking since I was a little girl, with my first sweets probably being the chocolate chip cookies you find on the back of a Toll House bag of chocolate chips! I'd always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen whipping up sweet things to share with friends and family, and loved trying out new desserts and sweets, but never considered this as more than just a hobby until several years ago. I received my formal training at Tante Marie's Cooking School, which has a fantastic professional pastry program, and at Patisserie Philippe. Soon after, I started Dulcinea Bakeshop as a way to keep challenging and developing my pastry skills. In addition to my formal and informal training which enable me to make delicious tasting treats, I rely on my background in visual arts to help make them beautiful to the eye as well! 


2. What do you love most about your work?


I love the challenge of taking simple ingredients - butter, flour, sugar, fruits, chocolates, spices and nuts - and transforming them into edible works of art. It's also wonderful to be in a line of work where people are always happy with what you are providing. After all, who doesn't love a little bit of sweetness in their day? 

3. Why green?

As a baker, it's about working with the best possible ingredients, as that makes the finished product that much better. For me, that means sourcing local and sustainably raised eggs, dairy, and produce wherever I can. I also enjoy getting to know the farmers and purveyors who are putting all the hard work into producing these wonderful ingredients. It's great to be able to share with my clients stories of the farmers who have produced elements of what they are enjoying. 

As an individual, it is important to me that the way I live my life helps build a healthy community, where the people, plants and animals, and environment are moving in balance together. And as a new mama, it's even more critical that my actions and lifestyle help support and nurture my little girl and the world she will be growing up in in a positive way.

4. Do you only do weddings?


No, I love to make desserts and cakes for all kinds of events. I enjoy getting to know each of my clients and finding out their ideas for their special day. Whether it's a three-year old's birthday party, a 50th wedding anniversary celebration, or a fundraiser for a local nonprofit, I enjoy the challenge of creating the perfect sweets that will put a smile on everyone's faces.

5. What are you most looking forward to baking these days?


With the holidays upon us, I am looking forward to baking lots of little sweets that can be gifted to friends and family, which also serves as my test kitchen for desserts I'll share with my clients. My friends and family give me great feedback on what's great and what's not. From delicate tea cakes to macarons, to snappy nut brittles and gooey caramels, or just the perfect chocolate chip cookie, the joy is in baking delicious treats that can be shared.

Locally Grown Weddings Featured Members:

Pei-Yee Woo, Wedding Desserts

Aurora Meneghello, Photographer

Gratitude

With Thanksgiving celebrations tomorrow, the Locally Grown Weddings team has been reflecting on all that we have to be thankful for. 

We had a busy wedding season and loved working with all of our couples to create some very unique, creative, and sustainable weddings which we'll be sharing about in the coming weeks. We have also grown our community of Locally Grown partners who not only provide a wide array of services to our couples, but are equally committed to sustainability in their respective industries. Most importantly, we are fortunate to be a team of dedicated professionals who love working together to create beautiful and memorable weddings.

Each of us took a few moments to share what we are grateful for...

Aurora: I am grateful for feeling at home in San Francisco. Living in the Bay Area for the past seven years, I have met so many wonderful people who have helped me grow as a person and a professional. I am surrounded by such an amazing community of people who are working each day to make the world a better place. 

Chef Stephanie: I am thankful to live in a part of the world that produces amazing food for us to enjoy through out the year. As a chef, it is my honor to take the high quality and abundant fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, etc. and transform the ingredients into meals that clients, friends and family can enjoy any time of year. I love my job!

Madeline: I am grateful for all the people I have met this past year who have helped me and my business grow. San Francisco has a strong community of passionate local businesses who are not only dedicated to being successful with their own business but also in helping the community.

Pei-Yee: I am thankful for all things sweet...chocolate, sugar, and beautiful, seasonal fruits...that I can turn into delicious treats that bring smiles to people's faces. Though the best bit of sweetness right now is my little girl, Leona!

Sadie: I'm thankful for our new arrival, Thomas; for the love and support of family and friends; for health and happiness; and for the wonderful group of women I plan weddings with.

Locally Grown Weddings Members:

Event Planning: Sadie Waddington
Catering: Chef Stephanie
Photography: Aurora Meneghello
Flowers and Design: Madeline Trait
Wedding Desserts: Pei-Yee Woo

My Boutique Wedding: 5 Questions for Carissa Zarzosa

How did you start creating Bridal Bouquets?

Both Brooch Bouquets and Origami Paper FlowerBouquets are alternative to live flowers. They are created from re-loved, re-cycled or re-used products.  When my husband and I got engaged I turned into a DIY Bride. I instantly fell in love with the concept of carrying a brooch bouquet down the aisle. I loved the idea of carrying something where friends and family could contribute pieces that I could carry with me. We incorporated Origami Paper Flowers into the decorations. I have been creating wedding flowers ever since. 

 

What do you love most about working with Brides?

I love working with Brides and helping them make their big day that much more special. I love being there to help them create their perfect bridal bouquet for their big day. Being able to create something that embodies their personality and that can be put on display or passed down to future generations.

Why Green?

I want to do my part and help reduce the impact of using new materials when sustainable materials can be used instead. I love the idea of helping brides come up with alternatives to live flowers that are often used for a day and tossed away. I not only use post consumed products when possible but I also encourage them to re-love, re-use and re-cycle whenever possible.

Do you only design flowers for weddings?

Wedding flowers are the main focus of my business, however I also create flowers for any occasion including anniversary bouquets (especially for the one year paper anniversary), just because bouquets, get well bouquets, special events etc. I also make bridal jewelry, wedding party jewelry, hair accents, gifts and more.   

What is your role in Locally Grown Weddings?

I love the idea of being able to give the Bride and Groom something they can treasure, something they can take away from the day along with their pictures. We share the same passion for weddings and for the environment. We each have our own creative individual talents and we come together to see to it that the weddings that we help create are unforgettable.

Featured Locally Grown Weddings Partner:

My Boutique Wedding

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Photography by Carissa Zarzosa

Green Business Certification!

The Locally Grown Weddings team is thrilled to announce our newly bestowed Green Business Certification!

It is an honor to be officially recognized by the city of San Francisco for our sustainable and green business practices.

To qualify as a green business, we have met high environmental standards that have the following  impact:

SF Green Businesses reduce the amount the CO₂ they generate, thereby helping tackle the pressing problem of global climate change. Here's how:

• Green Businesses conserve energy by using fluorescent lighting and Energy Star rated equipment
• Green Businesses conserve water through the use of low-flow toilets and water flow restrictors. Energy is needed to deliver water, so every unit of water conserved saves several pounds of CO2
• Green Businesses conserve natural resources by promoting public transit, biking and walking
• Green Businesses reduce waste by recycling and composting and using materials with recycled content. The manufacture, distribution, and use of products - as well as dealing with the resulting waste - all require the use of energy, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Green Businesses also take steps to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for their employees and customers by using less-toxic products.

Please join us! Whether you run your own business or work for a larger company, we encourage you to look into the green certification program and take steps to reducing your "footprint" at work.

Beautiful Wedding Dress by Adele Wechsler

We can't wait to share many more images form Renee and Sean's Wedding at Campovida!

In the meantime, let us start with a few photos of Renee's beautiful dress designed by Adele Wechsler.

Renee chose to work with Locally Grown Weddings for her green wedding. Being committed to the environment and to sustainable practices, Renee knew that she needed professionals who shared her love of community and nature. 

Adele Wechsler has a line of green wedding dresses, from which Renee chose a classic and romantic piece. It even came with a signed sketch from Adele!

If you are planning your sustainable wedding, don't forget to look for an eco friendly wedding gown. And let us know your favorite green designer, we are always looking for great wedding professionals who share our values and commitment.

Locally Grown Weddings Members:

Event Planning: Sadie Waddington
Catering: Chef Stephanie
Photography: Aurora Meneghello
Flowers and Design: Madeline Trait
Wedding Desserts: Pei-Yee Woo


Venue: Campovida, Hopland, CA

Guest Vendors:

Adele Wechsler for lending us a gorgeous dress from her Eco Couture Collection.

5 Questions for Madeline, Florist and Designer

1. How long have you been doing flowers and what is your level of experience.

I am a self taught florist designer and have been working with flowers for as long as I can remember. I began doing it for others in 2007, when I designed the flowers for a friend's wedding. I have always been passionate about art, design and gardening. I went to college for architecture, where I got a degree in creative problem solving. Professionally I gravitated to interior design where I worked as an interior architectural designer learning to arrange and dress a space with different finishes, fabrics and furniture. Combine my knowledge, experience and passion and you get a green flower and event design business, by Madeline Trait.

2. What do you love most about your work?

I get really excited when I meet with my clients to brainstorm about ideas and concepts for their wedding. I love the whole process from beginning to end. From the inception of a unique idea, to figuring out how to make it work and then making it a reality on their wedding day. However, it all seems to rush by so fast, that I really love seeing the amazing pictures from Aurora of what it looked like on film a few weeks after the wedding.

3. Why green?

I can't remember a time when I wasn't telling my family that they needed to recycle or conserve water. I have always had a concern for our environment and for how our actions can affect it. This mindset is not only how I guide my daily decisions but also how I conduct my business. A wedding is a special one day event so it is up to us to make sure it doesn't have a lasting imprint on the environment. I am continually researching and exploring new sustainable flower sources as well as ways in which I can conserve, reuse and recycle. It is also a goal of mine to have all my products be from fair and socially minded companies as well as goods that are locally manufactured. I believe in sustaining our communities in conjunction with our environment.

4. Do you only do weddings?

Weddings are the majority of my work but I have done other private events and want to continue to do so as well as expand into corporate events. I view each event as a design opportunity to create unique, spaces and experiences for my clients and their guests  no matter what the celebration is.

Locally Grown Weddings Featured Members:

Madeline Trait, Florist and Designer

Aurora Meneghello, Photographer

SF Swappers- A San Francisco based food swap event

Have you heard about the food swapping events taking place across the country? These events started in Brooklyn with a group called BK Swappers.

Their mission:

To help build community and empower others to turn their home food production from a hobby to a habit. Eating well just got more self-reliant!

SF Swappers was started by Locally Grown Weddings' Caterer, Chef Stephanie and Aimee Goggins in early 2011.

Our mission:

To provide an opportunity for home cooks to share food they enjoy creating with a community of like-minded food lovers. We encourage supporting our local food systems and sustainability whenever possible.

Welcome table

Pickled goodness by Aimée

We have hosted 3 successful events so far and they have been a blast! We include potluck snacks and drinks, mingling and talking food with your neighbors and then a very animated and fun food swap.

Our next event is on October 25th, 6:30-8:30. For more info on what to bring, how it works, etc. check out Aimee's blog (there is a great video on the Swapping How-To page) and our Facebook page.

Come join us!

SF Swapper hosts Aimée (left) & Chef Stephanie (right) with Kate Payne of HGGH