It’s not often that baked goods end up in an art show, but this weekend’s “Feast” will include an exception.
The exhibit at Genesee’s Little Pink House Gallery focuses on nourishing the senses with decadence, so it seemed a natural fit for Molly Rizzuto, owner and baker at Goose House Bakery. Rizzuto is exhibiting a couple of handcrafted faux cakes in “Feast.” But not one to tease and torture her guests, she’ll also have some edible morsels available.
If you’ve never been to the Goose House Bakery -- and you haven’t -- that doesn’t mean you’ve never eaten something from it. The bakery doesn’t have a storefront; instead, Rizzuto takes accepts online orders for the Moscow-area through www.goosehousebakery.com. She provides delivery within Moscow; others can arrange to pick up items. Select items from the bakery also can be found at retail locations including One World Cafe and Kitchen Counter, both in Moscow, along with Plaid and Pearls in Genesee.
We caught up with Rizzuto via email to find out more about her baking background, habits and specialties:
Full name: Molly Rizzuto
Hometown: Oroville, Calif.
Age: 41
Culinary background/training: As a 19-year-old college kid, I learned cake-making on the job, under the tutelage of a wonderful pastry chef, then rose through the ranks, making cakes for many more years at the Upper Crust Bakery in Chico, Calif.
How long you’ve been at Goose House Bakery: I moved to Moscow with my family in the summer of 2015 and started Goose House Bakery shortly thereafter.
Past restaurants or bakeries: For several years I lived in Portland, where I ran the wedding and wholesale departments for acclaimed restaurant and bakery, Papa Haydn, as well as managed, cooked and baked for a (then) small start-up called Pacific Pie Company.
Primary items that you specialize in: Goose House Bakery specializes in decadent treats ranging from breakfast scones, specialty cakes and seasonal tortes, to custom wedding cakes.
Most popular item at Goose House Bakery: The most popular Goose House Bakery item is the G.F.B.C. (Gus' Favorite Birthday Cake), a specialty cake named after my son, whose wacky 4th birthday cake request became what Moscowites now know as the surprisingly delicious combination of blueberry-white cake with strawberry cream and chocolate ganache.
Personal favorite item at Goose House Bakery: I have a VERY hard time turning down the occasional Salt + Pepper Caramel Wedge -- the spike of sea salt and black pepper along with the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate are utterly irresistible to me.
Favorite item to bake at home: Much to my family's chagrin, I don't do a ton of sweets baking outside of work; but I love to bake savory food, and homemade pizza is an absolute staple in our house.
Tip for home bakers: Making mistakes in the kitchen is a perfect opportunity to observe the ways ingredients behave, so I'd advise anyone to -- every once in awhile -- throw caution (and that recipe) to the wind, get in there and just experiment with different methods and foods. After a while -- and, if you're anything like me, many, many mistakes -- you'll have at least a fundamental understanding of how and why ingredients interact with each other and their environments, which will make problem-solving much easier and allow for more creativity in the kitchen.
Trick of the trade you use the most: I clean as I go. I cannot stress enough just how important this little trick is!
Most-used ingredient: I go through A LOT of flour. I am proud to use Shepherd's Grain for both the consistency of the product and their dedication to good business/sustainability practices.
If you could only use five tools from your kitchen, they would be: An off-set serrated knife, a good stainless mixing bowl, a medium stainless whisk, Kitchen Aid mixer and a food processor (Cuisinart or the like).
Favorite specialized kitchen gadget: I love a good spatula - my favorite is wood-handled, and made of flexible, heat-resistant silicone.
Ingredients and flavors you’re using right now: I incorporate seasonal and local ingredients where I can, and because my commercial kitchen is located on a small farm -- and the owner is quite generous with the bounty -- I am one lucky baker. So, right now I'm playing around with quince, in the hopes of bringing roasted quince-and-ginger tart to next month's Winter Market in Moscow.
IF YOU GO:
WHAT: “Feast,” an exhibition featuring regional and nationally recognized artists
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: Little Pink House Gallery, 157 N. Elm St., Genesee
COST: Free
