About me 關於我

嗨，我是Rachel。我雖然是內向的人，但別誤會，我不是不愛熱鬧，只是有時候需要一些“我自己的時間”才能充滿能量。我喜歡分享生活的小趣事，尤其是關於食物、味道和腦子裡冒出來的靈感。

我開始烘焙的時候大概只有12歲，做的第一個戚風蛋糕。那時候完全搞不懂蛋糕是怎麼形成的，但看到成品的那一刻，那份成就感讓我從此愛上烘焙。移居加拿大後，我的烘焙風格偏向西式，更自然、樸實、真實原味。美式蛋糕扎實、豐富，而台灣／日式烘焙我欣賞輕盈柔軟的質感。我喜歡把兩者融合，尊重食材，也重視味道和口感的平衡。

烘焙對我來說不只是甜點，也是我表達愛的一種方式。給家人、朋友烘焙，收到讚美固然開心，但能分享食物、互動交流才是最溫暖的部分。即使有段時間因為租屋或環境限制而暫停烘焙，我依然透過品嚐台北各地甜點、在心裡評鑑，持續磨練自己的味覺。我不需要每天烘焙，也能持續豐富自己。

後來有了自己的烤箱，我在2013年開設了部落格 Pinch My Belly，一方面分享興趣、找到同好，一方面也能保存、分享食譜。我的烘焙哲學很簡單：真實、親近、易於理解。蛋糕裂頂對我來說很可愛，是真實感和個性的象徵。我不追求完美無瑕，過度修飾的甜點看起來很假。在烘焙上，我喜歡冒險，不斷嘗試與調整食譜，從實驗中獲得樂趣。

現實生活中我可能有點內斂，但在網路上我更愛表達自己，分享好玩或讓人好奇的想法。我偏理想主義，但務實地把靈感變成有趣又有用的事物，這也是我創作和分享的初衷。

Hi, I’m Rachel. I’m introverted, but don’t get me wrong—I’m not shy or anti-social. I just need a little “me time” to recharge every now and then. I love sharing little moments from life, especially anything food- or flavor-related, and the random ideas that pop into my head.

I started baking around age 12, making my first chiffon cake. At the time, I had no idea how cakes really worked, but seeing it come together gave me such a sense of accomplishment—and that’s when I fell in love with baking. Moving to Canada shaped my style into something more Western: simple, honest, and true to the ingredients. American cakes were heavier, richer, and more substantial, while I always appreciated the light, delicate textures of Taiwanese and Japanese-style baking. Over time, I learned to blend the two, respecting the ingredients while keeping an eye on flavor and texture.

Baking has always been more than making desserts—it’s a way for me to show love. Giving baked goods to family and friends is rewarding, but sharing food and connecting with people is what really warms my heart. Even during times when I couldn’t bake much, I would taste and critique desserts all over Taipei, keeping my palate sharp. I don’t need to bake every day to stay inspired.

When I finally had my own oven again in 2013, I started my blog Pinch My Belly. It was a place to share my hobby, find like-minded people, and keep an archive of recipes I could share anytime. My baking philosophy is simple: real, approachable, and authentic. I think cracked cake tops are charming—they show character and honesty, not flaws. I don’t chase perfection, because overly polished desserts just feel fake. I love experimenting, tweaking recipes, and learning through play.

In real life, I may be a little reserved, but online I enjoy expressing myself, sharing fun ideas, and sparking curiosity. I lean toward idealism, but I’m practical too—I like turning inspiration into something playful and useful. Baking is just one way I explore, create, and share warmth with the world.