That gorgeous garden of bamboo and palm brushes right up to the wide kitchen window in my new home. It’s the biggest kitchen with the most counter, cabinet and floor space I’ve ever had to myself, and lots of decisions. If you’ve ever had three-quarters of your kitchen needs in boxes in another room … More A New Kitchen, Neighbors, Home Ec 101
This cookie came about during the Christmas baking season and there was a leftover bag full of the Hershey’s Dark Mint Truffle-filled Kisses. My lovely niece Alexa and grandniece Miley are moving to Kauai at the beginning of March, AND they missed out on this cookie when I sent the whole tin full of them … More Valentine Snicks with Kisses
To diffuse some leftover adrenaline from fighting off an attempt by someone with a knife to get in my door in the middle of the afternoon last Thursday, I did one of the things that I find comforting. Bake something. Get in the kitchen, measure things, put ingredients together in a certain manner, take care … More Baking Experiments as Therapy, Example 1: Chocolate Chip Bourbon Cookies
There is esprit de corps or playoff fever in the Pacific Northwest with the Seahawks fighting for another big trip and the 12s going all blue and green. Some folks are immune, but they keep their heads down. For the rest of us, two words end conversations. My pre-game preparation began here, with the easiest recipe … More I’m In with Cranberry Orange Scones in Seattle Colors
Listening to the Guerrilla Girls on the telly Thursday night being interviewed by Colbert resonated with me, brought to mind a little story. I like pink mountains. I like to see sunset on Mt. Rainier, when the mountain is out, as we say, if it’s visible wherever I’m at that evening. My interest began with … More Art as Food, Guerrilla Girls, Pink Mt. Rainier
Today is my adorable downstairs neighbor Hannah’s third birthday. I like to make their birthday cakes and asked what type of cake she might like. She’s seen only chocolate (spoken in a whisper?) and angel food with strawberries in one form or another, so when offered the choice between the two, she chose STRAWBERRIES! It is my … More Winter Birthday, Strawberry Well Cake
My daughter was born in London’s Westminster Hospital while I was a candidate for an advanced degree and we both got very lucky. She was admitted to Bessborough Street Day Nursery in Victoria in her first year which meant she got world-class care and I could spend my days in the India Office Library doing … More Kissing The Old Year Goodbye
Well, here’s the first set of tins full of cookies and candies ready to make their way to … this person and that person and this family and that family. Fourteen, that’s 14, [Update upon looking at actual list: 16] different offerings this year, even though every gifted tin will not have them all. Sorry. … More Christmas Goodies in Tins, Star well-earned
There is a peanut butter fudge fan club in my family. There’s even a fan of a bowl of peanut butter frosting as a snack (not mentioning any names) in the family. Of the several kinds made over the years, this is the star, made from a Reese’s recipe I found online. Takes awhile. It’s … More Peanut Butter Fudge, Star of the Day
Christmas goodie-making time began on Monday night with an untried recipe which was a result of looking at half a dozen recipes for molasses caramels, choosing the one which appealed most because it doesn’t have corn syrup and having a go, changing it a bit. My family loves molasses and also a dark caramel custard. … More Molasses Caramels, Star of the Day
