fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
An Impactful Rainfall
Tags: Experience, Impact, Growth, Rain, Feelings

It rained here today, after a few days.

I was just about to get done with my breath-exercises and silent meditation, to be woken up by the sound of the first few drops on the leaves of the tree next to me.

Suddenly, a drizzle of thought grew to a rain full of thoughts within me, and I thought I should share it all with you all. As the rain was rising, both on the outside and on the inside, I began to realize.

It is rain’s job to give water. Unbiased trillions of drops of water to bring about life everywhere on earth, once every year.

The people however perceive rain in different ways throughout the season as it grows on them.

The first smell of petrichor soon gets replaced by sipping tea by the heavy rains, then by the pains of water clogging, floods, wet dirt and whatnot.

For most of us, rain is a life-giver. Some of us, it is an annual blessing that quenches all our thirsts, for others, it is the energy that reaps from the ground what they have sown, but for some, it is more than they expect and for some, it is less that they wanted. For others some it is a bane that washes away what they have built. And for a few even death.

It is the rain's job to rain, and our job to be prepared for it, to respond to it, and to find how we can make the best use for it.

It is somewhat similar to our creation. We all are the creators of this simple application called Impact. And like rain gives water and life, our creation gives health and happiness.

Impact for our community is drops of steps that they collect and give. The first feeling for our users is like the smell of petrichor, when they donate they first few steps to a cause they care.

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For most, it quenches their hidden thirst of generosity within. For others, it is the energy that lets them keep doing good work and building good health. But for some, it sometimes calculates more than what they expect or less than what they wanted. For a few, it sometimes acts like a bane that washes away all they sweat out for.

Our job is to rain Impact. Rain well, and unbiased for millions of our changemakers.

When I woke up from the silence to the first few drizzling drops, I could also smell the petrichor. So I picked up a cup of tea and enjoyed it as the rain intensified.

The petrichor isn’t just for the first drop of rain on the soil. It exists for every drop that falls all through the season. It is just that we as people numb down to it over time.

I came to realize that the feel of the first experience exists, it is true, and it is there for everyone who chooses to feel it. I chose to, and all it took me was to close my eyes and feel.

I’d like to think that the smell of our first experience still exists for some of our users and they choose to enjoy it every day!

Cheers to the Impact of Rain world wide. And to the rain of health and happiness that Impact is about to bring for everyone in the world far and wide.

All the love. All the power.

Peace,

Ishan
Conscious Marketing: The Power of Storytelling ft. Hugo Veiga and Diego Machado
By: Olivia R
Tags: Coding, Impact, Environment, Podcast, Advertising

Ep24: https://impacteverywhere.org

Despite their protected status, one-third of the world’s nature reserves are under threat from human activity. Enter Code of Conscience: an elegant software solution that aims to stop the big machines that are used to destroy the planet. Today’s guests are its creators, Hugo Veiga and Diego Machado, who share their story and the challenges that they faced. They are co-Chief Creative Officers at an advertising agency called AKQA Sao Paolo, and are master storytellers who have created a number of different impactful campaigns.

In this episode, Hugo and Diego first discuss Code of Conscience, which is a (free!) open-source software that detects when an unauthorized machine is entering a protected area. This code either shuts down the machine, sends a message to the company utilizing the machine to say it should not be there, or notifies the organization in charge of protecting the area. They talk about how they came up with the idea and the struggles they have faced in making it widely utilized.

The pair then goes on to discuss some of the other projects they’ve worked on with AKQA. They touch on issues they experience when trying to change human behaviors, the way they approach design campaigns that will resonate with people, and the value of human connection and collaboration. Check out one of the below links to listen to the episode in full:

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Google Podcasts

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Key Points From This Episode

How to tell a meaningful story

This process starts with universal ideas that are centered on human connection. If you’re trying to tell a story to reach mothers, you need to simplify it such that a mother in Egypt will feel the same from it as a mother in France.

The importance of collaboration and choosing the right path

The best path is not always the easiest. Sometimes it may be a longer or more difficult road. However, it will give you the best returns. Take Tesla for example: They didn’t just make an eco-friendly car and say, “Buy this car, you’ll save the environment.” Instead, they made a really cool car and said,

“Buy this great car and you can save the environment while doing so.” This is what entices people to purchase it.

The key to every project: simplicity

In advertising, and in many aspects of life, you’re competing for people’s time. We are constantly bombarded with messages from different platforms, so simple messages can be refreshing and capture attention. If you have a new point of view on a topic, consider how can it be simplified to be a global message. Think: summarizing the plot of 10 seasons of a show into 1 tweet.

Why you should consider scaling down your impact

Trying to change the world can make you go crazy. There are plenty of things in your community that you can have an impact on, and often helping people you know will be more fulfilling and energizing than taking on a distant project. Focusing on smaller things can have a ripple effect that amplifies your goodwill.
Meet We Encourage you to #takeaction panelists
By: We Encourage
Tags: Empowerment, Impact, Startup, Event

We Encourage is hosting a launch event for action takers in March 26th in Helsinki.

In our event, we want to lift the cat on the table as we Finnish use to say, by hosting a panel discussion about the issues girls and women are facing, such as honor-based violence, forced marriages, gender discrimination to name but a few.

The aim is to inspire people to take action on these discussed problems on our idea generation workshop that follows the panel. Our mission is, instead of just stating the problems and speaking about them, to take action and start brainstorming what to do to solve those problems. We encourage others to start their own solutions and ventures to accompany ours. We have too many conferences, events and meetings, just for talking, and we believe now it’s time to start working on solutions.

Meet our action taker panelists

Nils Adler

Nils Adler

A British-Swedish Journalist. Since 2017, he has been working with a team on a project about so-called honour-based violence.

Nils has written for a wide range of publications and his photographs have been featured in the Guardian and El País.

He has reported from a number of regions including the UK, Turkey, Ukraine, Malta, Iraq, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Belarus and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Elaf Ali

Elaf Ali

Elaf Ali is a Swedish journalist and news presenter with roots in Iraq. She is currently writing her debut novel about her upbringing in the honor culture. She lectures around Sweden about Honor-Based Violence, mainly in schools but also for authorities.

Sanna Heikkinen

Sanna Heikkinen

Sanna Heikkinen is an experienced NGO professional and youth worker with over 22 years of work experience from Finland and abroad. Her international experience has been based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, France and the United States of America.

For the past 7 years she has been managing community meeting centers for girls and young women at Nicehearts in Finland. Issues they deal with are often linked to gender based violence, social exclusion, and loneliness. Nichehearts supports each individual to find their voice and provide opportunities for becoming an active member of the community and feel included and integrated in the society.

Mervi Patosalmi

Mervi Patosalmi

Mervi Patosalmi is a gender expert who has diverse experience of advancing gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights in Finland and internationally. She has worked for example in Africa and the Caucasus. Her specialties include among other things, methods and practices of gender mainstreaming and gender responsive budgeting. She has a PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Helsinki, Finland and she has worked several years as a researcher.

Binita Lamichhane

Binita Lamichhane

Binita Lamichhane, originally from Nepal, has experience working in WOFOWON (Women forum for women in Nepal), an NGO, continuously working to ensure the rights of women working in informal and entertainment sectors in Nepal.

Come and join us at our free launch event at 26th of March, register here!
Data Infrastructure into Impact
By: Bugy Ardhytio
Tags: Infrastructure, Data, Impact

I think it is the best time to reflect and synthesize my recent findings.

This is a summary post on the last 2 weeks I’ve join IYKRA Data Fellowship in Data Engineering Program. Some of the material and curriculum are useful to advance my own personal research, posted here https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bugy-ardhytio-b79a9165_pdf-reprodusibilitas-perencanaan-tinjauan-activity-6803225871261024257-vtrv and the relating insight from further post https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bugy-ardhytio-b79a9165_research-for-impact-activity-6805695391598809088-1BsH

Ok, let’s dive into the findings

How does Data Infrastructure defines “Impact Pathways” of Urban and Regional Planning Research?

Data engineering in the simple terms “envelope” Data Scientist works, from data sourcing and warehousing into Model Deployment. It does so not only to ease Data Scientist works, but also for maintenance and more thorough Data Analysis process. A good Data Engineer works make available Data for Data Scientist and Model for General Audience. In terms of this definition, Data Engineer (who in one of the job description) builds data infrastructure that enable Data Scientist to work and General Audience to take benefit from Data Product.

As for us planners to define infrastructure broadly, diving into Data Infrastructure domain not only about how to build and maintain Big Data related tools, but also its Soft Infrastructure (Human Resource) and related policy regarding Data Privacy and such. Infrastructure for planners not only related to physical roads and bridges (borrowing Nadia Eghbal’s terms) or data-processing algorithm, but also its underlying institution who process the Data.

Economic activity generate positive as well as negative externalities. This point could be a starting point for planner who indulge in Data Engineering process. Third-party view of different organization or company maintaining its insight, as it circle back to Data drawn in the figure below, is interesting domain to study for institutional planner. Some example would be how emerging data capabilities fulfill the required market demand and for digital transformation.

Back to the first question, how to create impact as Data Engineering in Urban Planning domain? Stay tuned for part II as I finish the Research for Impact course. I hope I could plan the “Impact Pathways” for Planning Reproducibility Project.
How do I transition into sustainability?
By: Huram Konjen
Tags: Innovation, Sustainable Development, Impact, Environment, Jobs

Do not let the hype around sustainability discourage you — the demand is real. A lot of organizations need help to become more sustainable, and the best way for you to transition into sustainability is to start solving problems on your own.

Look for small sustainable problems in the workplace

Credit: Author

Some of you might be thinking “why not start big?” The trouble with working on big problems is that office politics kick in as soon as you convince someone else what you are working on is a good idea. And instead of working on the problem, you end up spending your time on maneuvering politics. So start small!

A common office problem is the use of styrofoam cups. They are terrible for the environment and less than 1% are recycled. This is a concrete problem you can work on, and you can learn a number of skills from doing so.

1. Analyze environmental impact

Identify all relevant options like paper, glass, ceramic, etc.

Weigh the options on relevant KPIs like emissions, natural resource use, and pollution.

Analyze each option’s performance on the KPIs.

Taking these steps will ensure what you are proposing is truly sustainable.

2. Initiate partnerships

Present your findings to someone with a budget, and convince them it is a good idea. You might also have to initiate partnerships with stakeholders like facilities and communications.

3. Change management

Make a plan for how to convince people to switch away from the convenient styrofoam cups. Consider a ‘bring your own cup’ campaign — encouraging individual ownership might be the easiest place to start.

Do not wait for someone to ‘assign’ you a sustainability role. Start doing the work on your own, and you will naturally transition into the role. Finally, communicate your results to position yourself in the field, and to inspire others in the process.

If you recently graduated or for whatever reason do not have a job at the moment, read my other articles where I map out a few steps to help you find your first impact job.
The importance of teaching Entrepreneurship in Higher Education
Tags: Entrepreneurship, Higher Education, Impact

I have always been a creative thinker, but it wasn’t until I attended these events that I felt I was equipped with the necessary tools for cultivation and refinement. Acquiring this toolset coincided with new-found confidence to challenge convention through now being able to research areas of improvement and communicate solutions effectively with key stakeholders. Suddenly, doors were opening up and opportunities were falling into my lap. Had I not immersed myself in this process, one might question whether I’d be a member of the Foundervine team today.

Filling in the gaps

Certainly not speaking alone, my university experience was made so memorable due to the amazing people I met. Peering through a reminiscent lens, one highlight was the frequent in-depth conversations exploring a whole array of topics. However, come to think of it, there was one topic of conversation that came up more than most: why?

Why did we have to learn topics that were irrelevant to our future career plans and sourced from dusty textbooks? An omniscient source of frustration amongst students up and down the UK. Fortunately, universities have now understood this and propositioned a compelling solution to the needs of their students.

Living on your own terms

Enterprise programs are becoming a unique selling point for universities. A breath of fresh air away from the traditional lecture format, these interactive workshops empower participants to make a positive change on their own terms. This is achieved by members of our Vine Fellowship teaching relevant business concepts, enabling students to apply the theoretical learnings of their degree into the real world.

Practicality has never been more important. Pre-Foundervine I was part of the largest demographic (18–24-year-old males) that was made unemployed due to reasons related to Covid-19. Considering that this is the predominant age range of the university Populus, the struggle to find work is becoming increasingly tedious. Moreover, these are the years where you should be seeking employment with the intention to gather insight towards an industry that you find enjoyable and suitable for a prosperous career. Seemingly inhibited due to factors outside of our control, has there ever been a period of time with more emphasis upon self-sufficiency?

What’s going on?

Currently halfway through the Pioneers Programme with the University of Westminster, the cohort’s initiative has been inspiring. We have covered a multitude of topics in such a short space of time; ideas have been refined and strategy to enter the marketplace identified. Furthermore, the first round of mentoring sessions has gone down like happy hour cocktails; nothing beats one to one learning with an industry expert.

I have thoroughly enjoyed facilitating the sessions and sharing my own experiences. Whilst 2021 may have begun with the mantra of the new year and new me, my one piece of advice for you all: more of the same, please!
Money vs Impact — where do you stand?
By: Bozena Rezab
Tags: Entrepreneurship, Startup Life, Female Founders, Money, Impact

Long time ago, speaking about starting new business, someone told me not to worry about money. “When you give passion, money will come anyway” she said. I thought that was crazy.

Looking back, this was probably very accurate description of what I have done as an entrepreneur, as a leader. I care about building a passionate team that delivers the product we all believe in, as the most important thing. Our ultimate driver as a team is to succeed, to stand out. I always try to explain to the team, that success gives us freedom.

What does that mean? Success means freedom to choose what to work on, when, how, with whom. Success brings money.

Money is a tool to create impact. It allows to make things happen, easier, faster. It is also not much more than a tool, not a way, not a method. It was never an ultimate goal, rather a side effect of our striving to be best.

Is that a naive approach? Maybe. Did I ever doubt this? Sure. As in almost every startup journey, there were moments, when we were out of money, running out of options. Important to note, that looking at money as a tool to create impact, does not imply to find excused for a wrong, broken business model. These two cannot be mixed.

Why do I work? I am hooked on action, freedom, adventure. My impact is in creating environment for the team, where we can express our creative selves, push boundaries of what we have thought we can do, including freedom to make a mistake or fail, freedom to make things happen.

GAME team under pressure.

Does being relevant, having an impact, require having money?

Let me know your thoughts.
Impact Insider #4: Is it time to “Marie Kondo” the world of impact?
By: Future Of Good
Tags: Nonprofit, Innovation, Impact, Marie Kondo, Philanthropy

This was originally shared with our email newsletter subscribers. We’re posting it on Medium too so more people can enjoy it. To get news like this straight to your inbox, sign up here. Happy Friday!

Do we have too many things?

What can the world of impact learn from Marie Kondo? You might say, well, nothing because change is messy. Or that change doesn’t fit into neat little categories. One feature of the KonMari method to consider, however, is to be mindful about saying “thank you” to something whose time has come.

Think about what this might mean for social impact. In a rapidly changing world, what does it mean to thoughtfully close down or let go of an old program, collaboration, fund, function, organization, or service? While it’s rare, the practice of thoughtfully wrapping up becomes as important as the process of starting something.

There is much attention, energy, and resourcing given to birthing new things. There are about 15,000 business incubators alone globally — that’s about one for every 500,000 people. Why is thoughtful closing important? How might it need to be resourced? We sat down with Cassie Robinson, Head of Digital Grant Making at the UK’s Big Lottery Fund and co-founder of The Point People, to learn about her new idea for a Farewell Fund.
Brownie butter mochi
By: Laurice Manaligod
Tags: Recipe, Mochi, Brownies, Baking

Brownie butter mochi

Picture a Venn diagram. Now imagine circles labeled light, soft, buttery, chewy, rich, chocolately. Where all those meet, that’s where this brownie lives.​​

It’s light and airy, but still has a buttery goodness. It’s chewy. It’s fluffy but not too cakey. It’s different from any brownie I’ve tried. It’s THE ONE. Made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and of course chocolate!​​

Mochi rice is not the same as regular rice. I learned that the hard way. I‘d rather not talk about it, okay!​​

That being said, this is my second successful try at a brownie mochi. What makes this one different is the coconut milk. It adds so much moisture into the cake.​

Growing up with palitaw, kutsinta, espasol, and other glutinous rice based sweets from the Philippines, I guess it’s not surprise that this mochi brownie would end up in my list of favourite desserts. I can’t get enough of it! Dusting it with some powdered sugar just made it even better.

I wanted to bring out a more chocolatey flavour so I added a tablespoon of coffee as it enhances the chocolate flavour in baked goods. It just makes it a little bit more decadent.
Trump Banishes Danish Pastries From White House Breakfast Meetings In Retaliation Against Denmark
By: Allan Ishac
Tags: Satire, Politics, Denmark, Humor, Baking

Trump Banishes Danish Pastries From White House Breakfast Meetings In Retaliation Against Denmark

“No Danish at breakfast meetings!” Trump has decreed. (Credit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrnjje-Nvjs)

Donald Trump’s escalating war of words with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took an ugly turn on Thursday when the president announced that “Danish pastries and Lurpak butter” would be banned from White House breakfast meetings where they have been standard fare for years.

POTUS has put the kibosh on his usual morning cheese Danish. (Credit: cooking.nytimes.com)

The president is angry with the Danish P.M. for calling his bid to buy Greenland, an autonomous nation that is part of Denmark, “absurd.”

He, in response, called her “nasty.”

In his attempt to punish the European ally, America’s mentally unbalanced president also said that Great Dane guard dogs would be barred from White House grounds patrols in favor of German Shepherds. Trump apparently did not realize that, in spite of it’s name, the Great Dane is a German breed, not Danish.

Fred, one of the imposing Great Danes currently on guard duty at the White House, will be replaced. (Credit: www.pinterest.com/pin/687080486872790780/)

The president added via tweet on Thursday afternoon that if he did not receive an apology from Denmark’s Frederiksen within the next few days, “I will also call for a U.S. boycott of all Royal Copenhagen porcelain products.” Royal Copenhagen makes plates, mugs, teapots and bowls that are popular in the states.

Economists note that Danish pastries sold in America are not imported from Denmark, but are baked domestically. Therefore, they add, Denmark will suffer no economic impact from the president’s petulant Danish pastry boycott.

Lurpak Danish butter is popular worldwide, but limiting its use in the White House will have no measurable impact on the Danish economy. (Credit: www.bmstores.co.uk)

“There is no financial pain for Denmark in this — it’s a purely political and symbolic move, and, frankly, it’s stupid,” said Victor Cruller, an economist at The Brookings Institute.

France is now trying to avoid antagonizing Trump in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the 2003 boycott of French fries in the U.S.

****

Thanks for reading. You can find more from me here and here.

–AI
The Great Weather Satellite Bake Off
By: Inside Eumetsat
Tags: Eumetsat, Baking, Food, Satellites, Gbbo

Are you a fan of the Great British Bake Off but weren’t selected for this year’s line-up? Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered!

To coincide with the launch of the 2019 season, we’ve prepared a special competition for you…

Put on your chef’s hat and get to work at baking us a special space-themed treat!

What do I need to do?

We would like to see our fleet of satellites or facilities recreated using whipped cream, chocolate, sweets, ice cream - you name it!

Pick one of our satellites (you can find them here), our headquarters or one of our ground stations and bake it. If you’re feeling really creative, you can even invent your own spacey masterpiece in the kitchen!

Create delicious cakes, tasty bread, yummy cookies or delightful pastries - so long as your end design is baked somehow.

Bonus points will be given for creativity when displaying, for example, the satellite instruments or finer details.

You can have a look here for inspiration.

Prizes

We’ll choose our favourites and send the winners a satellite image of the Earth on their day of birth (if born after 1981) or, a satellite image of the Earth on the competition end date.

The important stuff

Please make sure you read the following criteria carefully and ask an adult to check on your behalf if needed:

- This competition is open to participants of all ages. Only one entry per person can be submitted

- There are two categories: space and Earth. Bake one of our satellites or headquarters/ground stations (or invent your own design based on one of these two categories)

- Get as creative as you want with the ingredients and the shapes

- You might need some help from others - that’s okay! However, prizes will only be awarded to one winner and so, you must be the mastermind behind the project

- Please be careful when baking and get assistance from an adult if needed!

Entry

Please post some high quality photos/stories of your creation on Instagram and tag @eumetsatmedia using the hashtags #GWSBO or #GreatWeatherSatelliteBakeOff by 31 October.

Bonus points if we can also eat the cake in person :D

The competition will run for the duration of the series (10 weeks from now).

How will my entry be judged?

The judges will score and rank the entry videos/images based on the following criteria:

- Creativity & originality - we’re looking for a really imaginative bake

- Effort & time taken - extra points will be given to those that look like a lot of work went into baking it

- Aesthetic & design - we want to see how well you can replicate EUMETSAT satellites and facilities - it’s all in the details!

*All videos and pictures will be checked by the communications team at EUMETSAT (unfortunately, Mary Berry was not available)*

If you have any questions related to the competition, please don’t hesitate to get in touch either via the email address: l-zone@eumetsat.int or on any of our social media accounts.

We look forward to receiving all of your entries! Good luck to all participants.
Baked Methi Mathri Sticks
By: Mughu'S Kitchen
Tags: Foodies, Recipe, Baking, India, Food

As holi is coming is soon. You must be planning to prepare Namakpare or Mathri. But you are worried because you don’t want to eat deep fried goods. So here I am with the recipe of baked Methi Mathari Sticks. It will give you a break from your regular Namakpare and deep fried food items.

When you and your guests can have guilt free holi, what are you waiting for? Go gather the ingredients and treat yourself.

Ingredients:

2 Cup Plain Flour/ Wheat Flour 1/4 Cup Oil 1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves) 1/2 Tbsp Ajwain (Carom Seeds) 1 Tsp Salt 1 Tsp Black pepper powder 3/4 Cup Water Oil for brushing

Steps:

In a bowl, add Plain Flour, Kasuri Methi, Ajwain, Black Pepper and Oil along with salt. Mix them well using hands. Add water little by little and mix it with dough side by side. Make a out of dough using all ingredients. Preheat oven in convection mode at 180 degree centigrade. Line baking tray with butter paper. Take a portion of dough roll it into circle of around 7" diameter and 3mm thick. Cut the edges and cut strips from rolled dough. Line each strip one by one in baking tray. Brush them with oil. Bake it for 10–11 mins in preheated oven. Follow same process for remaining dough.

Notes:

Preaheat oven before every round of sticks. You can have regular round mathri or any desired shape which you want. You can deep fry them instead of baking until it turns golden brown.

Your methi mathri sticks are ready after cooling them for 10 mins. You can prepare them ahead of time and store them in an air tight container. Believe me you can eat it as much as you want as they are baked not deep fried.
Baby J’s 1st Birthday
By: Deana Elwood, Head Bee
Tags: Creativity, Baby, DIY, Birthday, Baking

Food

Just like a wedding, food is an important thing. I mean, we all love food. We had a noon party so to cater to “lunchtime” we had ordered cold cuts from Anthony & Sons (they give you such a great amount of food) that people could create their own sandwich with and huge savings with my husband making 2 trays of pasta. With sales at the food store on pasta and making our own sauce with cheese and the fixings, we spent $30 on the trays versus the $30 per tray. I also was super proud of my Nacho Volcano that fit the dinosaur theme. Chips, refried beans for the walls, velveta cheese in the bowl/center and scoop away. I also made buffalo chicken dip as he lava which is always a hit.

Dessert I made a pull apart cupcake cake, smash cake, dirt cups made with cookies, pudding and colored coconut flakes, and my husband made his delicious bread pudding. Again saving money on making the yummies. If you’re not a baker you can always ask a family member. Plus, my sister got these adorable Dino cookies that I would show you, but I ate them all.

Decorations

With the love of crafts, some I made and others I purchased from Hobby Lobby or Oriental Trading. I love balloon arches and made one in the past minus two must haves for his baptism. First must have is an electric balloon buddy, aka it inflates balloons for you. (saving your oxygen one balloon at a time) Second must have is the balloon arch tape. This must have locks in the balloon from where you tie it and holds it in place. I created three clusters with some glued on to fill holes and it turned out perfect! Add some Dollar Tree Mylar helium balloons and tada! I also purchased a T-Rex face with a cut out for photos and turned it into a game. Dollar Tree had plush dinosaurs that the kids used to toss in the T-Rex mouth and then later used it for pictures!
How a Foodie Finance Guy Unlocked His Creativity to Launch The Next Great Cookie
By: Peter Heil
Tags: Creativity, Cookies, Innovation, Baking, Careers

I grew up baking. Back then, on my small family farm in Indiana, I had no idea that I would go on to work for the biggest food company in the world — not as a baker, but as a pricing analyst on the finance team. Although my career at Nestlé is all about numbers, I still love getting creative in the kitchen; when you’re surrounded by innovative, hard-working foodies all day, it’s hard to resist trying out a few ideas of your own.

When I heard about Open Channel, an internal crowd-sourcing initiative that empowers Nestlé USA employees to submit ideas we believe will be the next crowd-pleaser, I immediately knew I wanted to get involved. That’s how I came to be the founder of the Nestlé Toll House Brookie, a mashup between a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie that builds upon an emerging brookie trend, and developed a plan to make it available to consumers through Nestlé Toll House’s Virtual Bakery — a pilot cookie delivery service available in Washington, DC.

Without job hunting, I’d gone from pricing analyst to product founder overnight, all thanks to a culture of innovation, courage and collaboration that allowed me to stand in front of the Nestlé Executive Leadership Team, just a few years removed from college, and present my idea.

Here’s what I learned.
Case study: An e-commerce app for bakers
By: Rochelle Fernandes
Tags: Case Study, Baking, UX, iOS, E Commerce App

The goal was to create a mobile e-commerce experience for bakers to browse the catalog, find items they’re looking for, initiate checkout, and complete the purchase.

Why design a niche app?

Finding baking products in the sea of a generic app like Amazon is a far more complex user experience than going to a dedicated website, that has all the relevant tools, filters and products.

As the internet reaches more users, platforms targeting niches will become more useful. This is an outcome of the well known long-tail effect, where the sum of niche users becomes very large.

will become more useful. This is an outcome of the well known long-tail effect, where the sum of niche users becomes very large. Applying this to e-commerce means that generic (horizontal) e-commerce websites (Amazon) will be less useful than specific (vertical) e-commerce websites (Nykaa).

Also true for social network apps. “Generic” social networks like Facebook are turning out to be everything for nobody, swamped with a sea of content. “Specific” social networks like LinkedIn and Instagram are serving a need for a specific segment/niche — Some excerpts from Aviral Bhatnagar’s post.

👀 Who are the users?

Some of the user personas that I considered to design my app were-

A user who knows what they want exactly and where to look for it.

A user who knows what they want but does not know where to find it.

A user who knows what they want roughly, like for instance, they want to buy flour but they’re not aware of all the types/variants and brands of flour available out there.

A user who has no idea what to buy. So they explore the app to figure out what they want.

✅ Objectives

To start off with, I made a list of clear objectives that I wanted to achieve for this project, as listed below-

Ability to easily navigate through the app.

through the app. Discoverability i.e. efficient ways to locate products with as little effort as possible.

i.e. efficient ways to locate products with as little effort as possible. Clean visuals and concise copy for clear visual communication .

. Seamless checkout to avoid drop-offs .

. Conveying good intent and continued support during and after the purchase to establish trust for user retention.

To execute this, I followed a 4-step iterative process to explore different possibilities and narrow down on the optimal solution- starting with Research, followed by laying out the Information architecture, sketching out Wireframes and finally executing the Visual Design.

🔍 Research

I went through a few popular e-commerce apps like Myntra, Amazon, Nykaa to get an understanding of the user flow and to study common patterns.

Websites like Bakerykart, Baking Mad & Bakeshake that were related to my niche-baking helped me gather data for the information architecture in terms of categorising the products.

📃Information Architecture & Wireframing
Bay to Baketopia: How a San Mateo cake designer found sweet success (and a spot on HBO)
By: The Six Fifty Staff
Tags: Cake, Bay Area, Baking, Dessert, Cooking

As a custom cake artist, Jamie Li is accustomed to racing against the clock, but not one set by YouTube baking sensation Rosanna Pansino. As a rising “caker” and working mother of three under five in San Mateo, Li is in the habit of budgeting her time and energy; but competing on HBO Max Original’s episodic baking competition, Baketopia, was a whole different level of frenetic pace.

In the half-hour episode, which taped in December 2020 and premiered this past March, Li competed against two other bakers and won $1,000 in the first cake-tier challenge. The judges were impressed with her remote control-operated chocolate mousse space ship cake with an isomalt dome. Pansino commented that, “Jamie is using techniques that I’ve never seen before.”

That’s not bad for a former beauty and cosmetic executive who only began baking on a whim 10 years ago when a friend asked Li to make her a cake.

“I’d only ever made cupcakes once before, and I ended up making a three-tier cake with made-from-scratch fondant. Like everything else I do, I figured, go big or go home,” she says of her inaugural cake.

The professional and emotional growth Li experienced over the last decade — from baking as a pastime in her tiny San Francisco kitchen to her success as a sought-after cake artist — is a testament to her ability to pivot and thrive in the face of adversity.
First In-Person Bake Sale During COVID
By: Sophia S Sweets
Tags: Baked Goods, Donations, Baking, Fun, Bake Sale

At the beginning of the 2020–2021 school year, I started a club at my high school called the Baking for Charity Club. The inspiration for the club was my love of baking and desire to help my community reduce food insecurity. The club's mission is to raise money for charities by having various bake sales throughout the school year as well as to meet and discuss baking techniques and tips while baking a dessert.

After a long year of the hybrid school model of virtual and in-person school, we were finally able to have our first in-person bake sale on Tuesday, April 6th. It was exciting, stressful, delicious, and overall one of the greatest events in which I have participated.

The weeks prior to the bake sale were the busiest as I had to organize and sort out the details with my club members and with the school. We chose payment methods, locations, and how to ensure this was a safe event during the Covid-19 pandemic. I worked with a teacher at my school to address safety concerns. There were times where it felt very overwhelming but I knew I had to stay calm and breathe.

The night before the bake sale I made over 50 cookies and cream cupcakes. I must say they turned out delicious. The icing tasted like ice cream!

My cookies and cream cupcakes.

On the day of the bake sale, I was so excited and could not wait to get to school. I arrived at the cafeteria early to drop off my baked goods and supplies and to meet the club members. A teacher approached me to tell me that the tables and chairs that I had ordered and needed for the sale might not be there. I stood there for a minute processing and panicking. She started to give me ideas for how to do a bake sale without the tables and chairs and while she was trying to be helpful I felt completely defeated. I held back my tears until I walked outside of the building and saw the 3 tables and 3 chairs set up perfectly, just as I had planned. Basically, it was a false alarm and unnecessary worrying!

When we finished setting up, I took a step back to look at all of the tables, I was astonished. There must have been at least 450 baked goods! I could not get over that so many club members contributed to this bake sale and produced a ton of treats. I felt so lucky to have such a great group of people working with me.

When the sale started, the real fun began. People were able to socialize (safely) while eating the yummy desserts and I got to meet so many new people which was also really nice. Club members volunteered in shifts for the bake sale and everything went perfectly until I heard my stomach grumble and realized that I forgot to eat lunch!

In total, we raised $436 for the Baltimore Hunger Project. This event made me feel lucky and grateful to lead a great club filled with talented bakers.
Chili Chocolate Bread Recipe
By: Graham Oliver
Tags: Bread, Recipe, Baking

Loosely based on several recipes. Intended to be served for breakfast with cream cheese and/or jam.

Prep time: 18–24 hours.

Ingredients:

400g bread flour

60g chili chocolate chunks (see recipe below for chocolate bar)

3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp chili powder, preferably ancho

1 ¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp instant yeast

320g warm water

2 tbsp molasses

Instructions:

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl

Whisk molasses and warm water together

Pour water and molasses mixture into dry ingredients and stir until a shaggy dough is formed, with a nearly uniform consistency

Cover mixing bowl with saran wrap or a towel and let sit at room temperature for 16–24 hours

Transfer dough to a floured surface and form into a loaf

Wrap in a floured tea towel for ninety minutes

Place cast-iron Dutch oven in oven and set to 475 degrees

Let Dutch oven warm for 30 minutes (making total loaf rise time two hours)

Transfer loaf from tea towel to hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 30 minutes

Remove lid and bake for 10 additional minutes

Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing

Chili Chocolate Bar

Ingredients:

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

½ tbsp smoked paprika

½ tbsp cocoa powder

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in a double boiler, stir until melted completely and all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Spread on parchment paper and let cool until hard.
Rock Cakes
Tags: Cooking, Recipe, Baking, Cakes

EATABLES

Rock Cakes

21st November 2018

These may look like rocks, but they don’t taste like them. This is the first ever recipe my great-grandmother, taught me. Easy Peasy!

Ingredients

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

100g butter or margarine

85g sugar

100g of sultanas or mixed dried fruit

2 eggs beaten

Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

sugar for sprinkling

1 cup of icing sugar with 2 tablespoons of water added for a dropping texture

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sieve flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter or margarine and mix into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. I use margarine personally, because butter can be hard work mixing into the flour. If you use margarine, use a light airy touch and you should be OK, with lots of lifting to airiate. I’m not sure if that is even a word, but even if it isn’t, I like it.

Next stir in the sugar, sultanas, beaten egg, vanilla extract and milk. Mix to a firm dough.

Here is a picture of the required result. It may seem too stiff, but keep with it. It has to be like this else it will spread too much in the oven. Add 1 more tablespoon of milk if the mixture doesn’t stick together and leaves residue in the bowl.

Using a spoon, dollop (love that word), the mixture onto a greased baking sheet about 2 cm apart. Sprinkle over a little sugar on each one and bake for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Mix together the icing sugar with the water until you have a dropping consistency. Drizzle over the cakes.

PS..Please don’t make these if you are on a diet or you have a Labrador. You have been warned!
Chili Chocolate Granola Mix
By: Graham Oliver
Tags: Recipe, Granola, Baking

Very versatile recipe, can change a lot of the ingredients for similar ones (e.g. honey for the agave), stir in dried fruit, etc. etc.

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsalted peanuts

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cayenne

¼ cup agave nectar

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup spicy chocolate chunks (see recipe below for chocolate bar)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300

In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients minus chocolate chunks (oats through cayenne)

In a small bowl, mix agave nectar and vegetable oil

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix

Spread onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet

Bake for 15 minutes, stir, then bake for 10 more minutes

Let cool 10 minutes, stir in chocolate chunks, then let cool completely before breaking into clumps

Chili Chocolate Bar

Ingredients:

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate

1 tbsp ancho chili powder

½ tbsp smoked paprika

½ tbsp cocoa powder

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in a double boiler, stir until melted completely and all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Spread on parchment paper and let cool until hard.
Chocolate Gâteau
By: Saumya Gupta
Tags: Cake, Food, Baking, Chocolate

Cake Batter:

Ingredients:

150g or 1¼ cup Maida

25g or a ¼ cup of cocoa powder

90g or ½ cup butter

60g or ¼ cup powdered sugar

1tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

5tbsp condensed milk

125ml or ½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp or a small packet of instant coffee powder

Method:

Dry ingredients:

Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl. It is advisable to do this twice as it is easier to mix sifted flour with other ingredients, resulting in a better batter.

Wet ingredients:

In a bowl, cream softened butter and sugar together by beating them for about 5 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture off the sides periodically. The butter is said to be creamed when it has almost doubled in volume.

Add condensed milk to the butter mixture and cream it well.

In a cup, add vanilla essence and coffee powder to full cream milk (coffee enhances the taste of chocolate whereas vanilla enhances all other flavors in sweet baked goods).

Now mix the wet and dry ingredients in batches with a rubber spatula.

Add 1–2 tsp of milk if the batter is too thick.

Transfer the batter in a buttered baking tin and bake it at 180° for 30 minutes in a preheated oven (180° for 20 minutes).

Sugar syrup:

Ingredients:

A ½ cup of water

3tbsp sugar

1tsp cinnamon powder (optional)

Method:

Heat the sugar till it dissolves completely in water, add a pinch of cinnamon powder and let it cool completely (cinnamon powder will give an enticing aroma to the cake).

Once the cake is baked, let it cool for 10 minutes.

After unmolding the cake, cut it into 2 layers using a serrated knife.

Coat the first layer with sugar syrup (to make it moist and soft) and then with the chocolate icing.

Place the second layer over the first and repeat the coating step.

Set the cake for 10 minutes in the refrigerator before the final finishing.

Add some butter to the icing and microwave it for 10 seconds to get the shine back and now coat the cake again.

Decorate the cake in any way you wish (we’ve done it using the star-tip nozzle, choco chips, choco sticks, grated chocolate, dry fruits, and so on).

Thank You for reading! Do try this recipe.