Nana. Mom. Those are my absolute favorite names and what my favorite humans call me. Pam. The name (shortened from Pamela) I was given by my dad and what everybody else calls me. I have an amazing family: husband, son, daughter, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, mini dachshunds, brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews...there are a lot of us!
I was born and raised in McDowell County, WV, the poorest county in the nation. (Don't worry, this is not going to be one of those posts.) I didn't grow up in the kitchen, cooking and baking alongside my mom. We played outside until it was time to eat, then we came in, washed up, and ate the food that was put before us, thankful for every bite. My part of the kitchen life consisted of washing the dishes and putting them away. No dishwasher in that chapter of my life. I was the dishwasher.
Those who know me best would tell you my early adult life wasn't spent in the kitchen either. The kitchen, I thought, was great for resale value of my house. My poor kids! (Sorry, Z & L) It wasn't until I made my first cake from scratch at the age of 50 (yes, 50!) that I finally realized the true value of my kitchen. I fell in love almost instantly! Baking is exactly why I need a kitchen...it is now my happy place and there are few things in life more fulfilling and satisfying than working a cake from start to finish. Initially, I made cakes just to make cakes! Then I realized that cake makes most people happy, puts smiles on faces. This is when I knew I wanted to spend my days doing what I LOVE and making people smile. This is when Cake Love was born. I am so proud of my newest name...Cake Love Crew Chief.
Let's make cake together and make the world a happier place, one slice...and smile...at a time!