1. As Bake My Day celebrates its fifth anniversary, how have you and your tasty baking grown?

I myself have grown about 10 pounds over that last 5 years. You see, I started baking with the notion that I could learn how to bake bread but never ever imagined I would expand into establishing a hitherto unknown sweet tooth, or rather a craving to learn how to bake all kinds of sweet things. So it all started with bread, learning how to perfect a loaf and branching out to do the same with cakes and pastries.

2. You have an innate passion for home baking. When and how did you discover this passion?

At the time I was a SAHM (stay at home mom) and looking for ways to busy myself without adding to the mess a full-blown family of three boys and a husband can make. So, I needed to do something useful (very important that, feeling useful) that satisfied my need to accomplish, to be proud of myself and could easily be incorporated in my schedule as a mom, PTE chair and gifted class teacher. Add that to the Dutch habit of having bread for breakfast and lunch and the cost of a real nice loaf of bread and hey presto! A passion was born!

3. Tell us how your family has contributed to your tasty bakingadventures. Which of your quick and easy baking recipes are familyfavorites?

My family [members] are my criticasters, brutally honest at times and their standards rapidly grow with every loaf I baked. Commenting on the density of the crumb, raving about the crust on a cloche baked bread, wrinkling their noses at an all-sour dough loaf. Once they discovered the variety they started asking for more and different things. Can you do cakes mom? Tarts? Cookies?

Family favorites are home made pita breads, potato dinner rolls, pizza and KA chocolate chip cookies (they're boys remember). They've also established a reputation with their friends by bringing brownies to parties.

4. Where do you get the inspiration for your home baking ideas?

I read blogs. Food blogs. A lot of them. And they inspire me and to be honest sometimes humble me in my effort to improve my baking. Together with my passion for baking my collection of cooking books grew, and I do get inspired by reading, mixing and matching and adding my own ideas to what I read. Basically, ideas linger in my mind for a while and they get shape by going through my pantry, making use of what I already have, what I see in the farmers market and combining all into something tasty.

5. Which of your quick and easy baking recipes are all-time favorites with your readers?

I get quite a few requests from readers from abroad for Dutch recipes they would like to recreate for their family (usually from Dutch origin) like apple pie and rice pudding pie. Currant rolls are one of them. I've discovered that my readers like me to do a step by step on kneading and shaping a loaf.

6. Is there a “Dutch touch” to your tasty baking recipes?

Not that I'm aware of really, it's pretty international since a lot of my blogging buddies are from all around the world. Maybe I should play with my Dutch background more.

7. You feature a variety of other tasty blogs on Bake My Day. How do you pick these blogs? Do you have any personal favorites?

I think I tend to pick blogs that I love for their unique voice; either in pictures, in knowledge or writing. They inspire me, make me laugh and make me hold my breath in awe. Overall, I think all the blogs I really like are down to earth and honest.

8. Tell us about your relationship with the Bread Baking Babes.

The Bread Baking Babes were invented by me and my friend Tanna (at My Kitchen in Half Cups) about two years ago. We were already baking together "across the pond" as we call it and were wondering how fun it would be to gather some more bread and fun loving gals and inspire each other to bake breads we wouldn't tackle on our own. So we both invited a couple of friends and off we went! We purposely keep the group small because we love the interaction, the quick and witty back and forth, the raucous laughter, the bitching, the tears, and intimacy that has grown between all the Babes and we fear that atmosphere would be lost when the group grows bigger. That being said, we hate to leave people out so we invite everyone to bake the recipe of that month with us. They can't become a Babe but they will be a Bread Baking Buddy and have a Badge to prove it! No strings attached, no membership, just bake and have fun.

9. Please give us a few quick and easy baking tips. What advice do you have on offer for those who are just starting their adventures in home baking?

Buy a scale and bake by weighing! I don't care if it's imperial or metric but do weigh your ingredients. This comes from someone who cooks using a little of this, a dash and a pinch or throws in handfuls, but when I bake I weigh.

I know US bakers are very attached to their cups but I think it's so sad when you go to all the trouble of baking something from scratch and the outcome disappoints. It's a waste of ingredients and more importantly your effort and time. Scales are not that expensive anymore, and more and more baking books state grams and/or ounces.

Then the best thing would be to have someone next to you in your kitchen to show you how a dough should feel, but I started out all by myself so you'll be just fine with a nice book. I can recommend Beth Henspergers bread books and I love Maggie Glezer both for their instructions. And of course King Arthur has some great baking books as well. Start with a simple recipe and bake it not once but a couple of times to get a feel.

You don't need to buy a lot of equipment; you can bake a loaf of bread by just using your hands, your eyes and your oven. Read your recipe, not once and not while you're doing it but prior to gathering your ingredients.

A wine bottle can double as a rolling pin and off you go!