MY STORY
My Name is Tenia Marie Waters
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Daughter of the Sandra K. Waters and the late Russell M.Waters Sr.
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I grew up on a farm in the small town of Delton, Michigan,
I was raised on the farm that has been in my family for over 150 years. As an adult I lived in different cites and states but in the end I moved back to the small town life and I now live in Richland, Michigan which is only a few miles south of where I grew up. I'm a small town home baker with the dream of opening my own Bakery in the next couple years. I have been baking in some form or another for most of my life with the influences of many including my Mom Sandy, Grandmother's Doris Frost and Viola Waters whom were my biggest influences when I was young.
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My mom made assorted pies, the best Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cookies, her Angel Food cake was out of this world which would give me the hiccups when I would sneak a bit before dinner resulting in giving me away every time. Every Christmas we would make hard rock candy, dad's molasses/ caramel popcorn balls, various fudge's, peanut brittle and other sweets that my mom would box up and give as gifts for the holidays every year which everyone looked forward to receiving. Mom always baked the comfort goodies that as a child you looked forward to smelling when you walk in the door after school.
I learned from my mom that baking was to be fun and to make a life time of many great family memories.
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Viola was a total scratch baker who NEVER used measuring cups, spoons or a recipe book. Her buttermilk cookies are the best I have ever had or made. She would be like a mad scientist tossing in one ingredient after another and next thing you knew there was the most amazing smell rolling out of the oven, There was nothing she could not create, it was such an amazing thing to watch and be part of.
I learned from her to love the process and limitless end of flavors that could be created out of just about anything and not to accept failure when things didn't turn out but just try and try again until you figure it out.
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Doris was a wedding cake designer/decorator and baker of many delicious desserts. My earliest memories of her baking was of her making the most moist, pure white vanilla cake with boiled peanut butter frosting I have ever had along with watching her decorate wedding cakes always memorized me.
To see her pipe beautiful roses on a rose nail
( which for the like of me I couldn't figure out what it had to do with decorating a cake )
and making Sugar Bells and Doves which back in those days were a very elaborate decoration on a wedding cake unlike today's Gum Paste and Fondant would keep my attention for hours. I marveled at her piping skills of fine lines, borders, buttercream roses and flowers of all sorts. She was a precise baker, she always followed a recipe and the measurements had to be all but exact, she had a finesse to her baking and decorating that looked so effortless I truly loved to watch her. It intrigued me to the point of obsession and in September 1991 she gave me her wedding cake pans, recipes and decorating tips
( which I still have and use to this day ) I felt like I had won the lottery especially knowing the love she had put into every cake she created. It was like the passing of the torch in sorts which I was honored as well as the proud recipient of.
I learned from her the patients of cake decorating which without patients results is no decorating and disappointment.
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Between both of them and others like my cousins Roberta, Sharon and Joan Hughes who created cakes, candies and lots of sweets we all enjoyed eating and making with them.
A childhood neighbor the Amazing Ruthie Shoup who was an absolute beautiful Cake Decorator is every since of the word that I could watch for hours and did in total delight and amazement.
With all of these influences in my life it was inevitable I would be hooked for life to the magical, mystical and ever creative world of cake decorating and baking.