As some of you know, we have a magical community of DCS co-conspirators all around the world. This is the first of a series of Monday posts highlighting the wonderful bakers of our DCS community.

Our first baker, the lovely Viki Kane, was willing to answer all of our questions and her responses are so exceptional that we will be posting the second half in a follow-up blog post.

Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Google+

What 3 words would your friends use to describe you?

Quirky, innovative, easy going

What is the most comforting recipe to make?

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What was the hardest baking technique to master?

I don’t like to admit it, but I dread making French macarons. The stars never seem to align quite right when I make them and I usually end up flipping tables by the end of most attempts.

What baking practice is most therapeutic?

I love the whole process of baking, the careful steps involved, the smells, the precision...all are welcome distractions from whatever may be going on in daily life. As far as decorating, I'm a bit weird in the fact that I love repetitive things like cutting out hundreds of sugar flowers, writing the same word a hundred times. I also love hand painting anything.

What's the best thing you have ever tasted?

"Late Night Snack" Ice Cream by Ben & Jerry's

What's your favorite dessert?

Any type of custard, particularly vanilla bean

What makes you laugh?

Baby goats in pajamas

What advice would you tell your past self?

Breathe

Who’s your role model?

I have two role models. My husband is the yin to my yang. He is the calm in my storm and always there for me, despite my flaws. My daughter is my other role model. That may sound strange, but she, without knowing, teaches me patience and understanding every single day. She has always been one to stop and smell the roses and I love that about her. To watch her grow into such a beautiful, confident human is the greatest joy ever.

How did you get into baking?

I've always had a love of baking, but it wasn't until living in Canada for a few years that I really got into cakes and decorating. My husband was there on a work visa, so I was unable to legally work. Struggling with boredom and a slap-in-the-face bout of depression, I turned to baking and decorating as a distraction. I had no clue at the time that the process of baking was, in turn, helping me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When worry and fear would take hold, I would bake, even if that meant being in the kitchen at 3am.