Baking
& Cooking
Take Your Dining Experience To The Next Level
One of the most satisfying ways of using Kenn Shui is with food and entertainment!
When it comes to food; taste and smell are typically the first things that come to mind when people think about what entices them. Depending on the dish, those characteristics are closely followed by the look or texture and, quite possibly, the sound.
As this section develops, I hope to bring you much more confidence, satisfaction, and appreciation for your choices whether you are cooking, baking, decorating, or entertaining.
challenge
yourself
As you will quickly see, this section is not about recipes — just ideas, suggestions, and maybe a little inspiration.
My goal is to challenge you to work with what you have and adjust your favorite recipe accordingly. In addition, I will inspire you to use different ingredients in your tried-and-true recipes or go outside the box and try something new.
Below you will see several photos where store-bought items were used to help decorate a cake. This can be a great way of adding excitement to your decorating — whether you have piping skills or not. It's also a great way to decorate a cake when you are short on time or frosting.
Each of the savory and sweet items below was inspired by a birthday, holiday, season, or request. Some are over the top, as requested, and some are just because I wanted to challenge myself to try something I hadn't seen before.
A Quick Tutorial
Over the years, I realized that, above all else, bread is the one thing most people are afraid to attempt. Not only is it time-consuming because of the resting and proofing times, but temperature, yeast growth, and the right amount of kneading can be intimidating for even the best home cook.
Below is a quick tutorial of what I consider to be a “foolproof bread recipe”. This should please anyone desiring a substantial and earthy bread requiring very little skill.
Visual Assembly Recipes 😊
Here are some visual ideas to inspire you through photos. Hopefully they will get you to try something new when baking or cooking your favorite recipe. Or, maybe you'll see something that looks challenging but is possible with your current skills in the kitchen. If nothing else, maybe I'll succeed in making your mouth water.
Vegan Pizza Rustica
Tri-colored cake with bananas, blueberries, and pineapple
Standing stuffed Paccheri with meatballs
FAQs
Here are some of the questions I'm most often asked about my approach to baking and cooking.
How long have you been vegan?
I stopped having dairy, red meat, and pork in 2000 and expanded that as time went on until I became vegan in 2019. I noticed how my body changed positively — including energy level, hair growth, skin appearance, and overall health. However, I do make exceptions in certain situations and allow for eggs or egg whites when at a non-accommodating restaurant or party.
Do you cook non-vegan as well?
Yes. I don't believe in forcing my beliefs or choices on anyone else. So, if I'm entertaining, I will accommodate other preferences. However, I always love the surprised look on someone's face when they taste my food and are astonished by the fact that it's vegan.
What is your favorite food to make?
I really don't have a favorite. I love food from all cultures, as long as it's not too spicy. My favorite part of cooking, however, is to create a beautiful presentation for guests that tastes as good as it looks.
Do you enjoy entertaining, or do you find it a lot of work to put on such a “production” when you do themed get-togethers?
I love doing it for the people who appreciate and understand the time and work that goes into one of my parties!
What is your guilty pleasure dessert?
A vegan version of tiramisu or German chocolate cake. A GREAT version!
Candy or chocolate?
Always chocolate! I'm not much of a candy fan unless there is chocolate in it or around it.
The sweeter, the better?
Definitely not. I prefer less sweetness, more texture, and more flavor. If I do non-dairy ice cream, I like to add nuts over sprinkles. A perfect balance of sweet, crunchy, creamy, and salty is always a winner.
Is anything not worth spending time in the kitchen making from scratch?
Absolutely. Filo dough, puff pastry, vegan milks, vegan butters, and vegan cheeses. The homemade versions are much better, but additional prep time is needed.
Contact Kenn
Let me steer you in the right direction.