About
Hi there! I’m Tracy, and I’m a twenty-something gal living in upstate NY. My husband and I met in college and have been married since 2005. Baking, canning, cooking, blogging, sewing, and cleaning (yes, cleaning – it’s oddly relaxing), are all things that I enjoy. In addition, I love to take photos, and while I don’t consider myself a professional photographer, I love learning more about photography every day.
This blog brings all of my domestic passions together – but more than that, it’s meant to be a resource, both for me and for you. When I first started learning how to cook and bake, I was terrible at it. Having once set spaghetti on fire, I figured how could I manage anything more? I had a wonderful collection of recipes that I had never dared to try because I had no idea what I was doing in the kitchen. That was okay in college when I could go to the dining hall if I didn’t want ramen noodles for dinner, but being newly married changed all that. I decided I was tired of mac & cheese every night, and that I was up to the challenge of conquering great-tasting and wholesome meals for my husband and I.
A wise person had given us my first cookbook for our wedding, the Betty Crocker Bridal Edition, so I started there with some of the basics. Types of meat, and how to cook them. Vegetables. Soups. Before I knew it, I was making casseroles and cookies. I realized that I didn’t mind cooking but I loved baking, and over the past few years my desire to learn more about both has only grown. I’ve conquered things I never dreamed I’d be able to do, such as making my own bread, decorating cakes, and hosting Thanksgiving dinner.
This blog has grown throughout my journey in the kitchen as well. It began as a personal blog under a different name in 2007, and included only a few recipes here and there. I soon realized that not only did those blog posts generate the most interest, but they were the ones I referred to again and again. Toward the beginning of 2009, I decided to launch a new blog – this one – to chronicle my adventures in the kitchen. I named it Sugarcrafter because of my love for baking and canning, although you’ll see an occasional cooking recipe slip in here or there, too.
On my blog, you’ll see my successes, but I’ll also share what didn’t work for me. Most of my recipes contain step-by-step photos, and I try as much as possible to bake and cook from scratch using seasonal and local ingredients. My hope is that my blog will benefit bakers, canners, and cooks of all skill levels, and that it will fill you with the confidence that you CAN conquer any recipe.
I hope you enjoy your stay, and happy baking!
Tracy