I’m Monica, a hobby baker and lover of all sweet things! I’m a food photographer and social media marketer that loves thrifting, traveling, and hiking almost as much as donuts.
I began my food-obsessed pursuits when I launched my food Instagram, formerly called @wafflesandwellness, during my senior year of college. In the early stages, it was mostly me posting less-than-attractive food photos taken with my iPhone camera. I rambled about wellness and Trader Joe’s Turkey Burgers. I baked in a tiny college apartment kitchen and at my Dad’s house, both lacking a KitchenAid mixer.
Eventually, I replaced my iPhone camera with a DSLR and learned how to shoot in manual mode. I also started working with a couple of brands to earn extra income on the side. Finally, I quit a soul-sucking university job to try my hand at something more creative instead.
Since starting my food Instagram in 2018, I’ve made some pretty big changes. I now live in Denver, Colorado with my boyfriend, who appreciates *almost* everything I bake, with a few exceptions. After freelancing full-time for a little over a year, I now work in communications for a Denver-based packaged foods company, but I still do some freelance food photography in my off time. The one thing that’s never changed is my love for baking.
Why “Mitten & Spoon”?
The “Mitten” in the title is because I’m from Michigan, a.k.a. the Mitten State! I’ll always feel an attachment to my home state even though I’m not living there right now. As much as I love the mountains of Colorado and life in the Mile High City, I’ll always miss Lake Michigan beaches, adventures in Detroit and Ann Arbor, and trips up north.
The “Spoon” part is, well, more self explanatory.
A Note About High Altitude Baking
Now that I’m based in Colorado–at an elevation of 5280 feet–I’ve had to learn how to bake with the altitude. Truthfully, I was not expecting all of my cakes and cupcakes to sink when I moved here, and had no idea how much the altitude affects baked goods. Thus, you’ll find many of my recipes are adjusted for altitude, especially cakes, cupcakes, muffins, loaves, and breads.
That said, not everything baked at altitude needs to be dramatically adjusted! Many recipes for cookies, brownies, pies, pie crusts, and most savory dishes that work at sea level will also work at high altitude, though there are some exceptions. I’ll always try to add notes to my high altitude-adjusted recipes for those of y’all who are baking below 3,000 feet.
