Food Diary

Friend friends, hello! I’m seeing messages everywhere that summer is over but I’ll tell you what – these tomatoes are telling us otherwise.  Sure, our summer days are nearing a close but I’m set on enjoying as many tomatoes, peaches, and plums as the market will allow.   I’m just back from a summer on the road, teaching baking workshops from coast to coast.  It feels like I’ve been every-which-where except home, and while there’s a bit of fatigue settling into my bones, the rest of me is buzzing with inspiration.   I spend this past weekend cooking with my friend Ashley in Seattle.  Ashley is easily one of the most intuitive and heart-felt people I’ve ever shared a kitchen with.  The ease with which she brings together beautiful food is such a wonder.  We shared a kitchen this past Sunday, bringing together brunch for a dozen or so and Ashely whipped up her Blue Ribbon Tomato Tart from her book Let’s Stay In . Continue reading Mediterranean Feta and Fresh Tomato Tart at Joy the

Hello friends, I have a peach cake recipe burning a hole in my pocket.  It’s a doozy of a blog post and every time I sit down to write it, sleep coaxes me closer.  It doesn’t help that each time I sit down to finish the post I’m either already in bed or on an airplane – it’s nearly impossible to stay awake in/on either.   It would be safe to say that I’ve done too much this week. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 236! at Joy the Baker.

For my boy, the day before Kindergarten:This all felt like a lifetime away when you were teeny tiny and now, cliche as it sounds, it feels like it snuck up on me. Older folks will tell you ‘it goes... Please visit Sprouted Kitchen to view this Recipe.

Sometimes we all need a little break. We need a break from work, from school, from traffic or anything else that may be filling up our day and keeping our minds going a mile a minute. I usually treat myself to a cup of freshly brewed coffee when I need a break, along with a homemade cookie – and I highly recommend keeping a batch of homemade cookies around for that very reason. These Coconut Chip Chocolate Chunk Cookies are a current favorite of mine that pair well with both coffee and milk, and if you like coconut and chocolate, you’re sure to enjoy these. The cookie dough is easy to make and includes a generous amount of coconut chips and chocolate chunks. I picked up both of these products at Trader Joe’s, however that is not the only store where you can find them. Coconut chips are slices of coconut that are very lightly toasted, or simply dried. They are crisp – not chewy, like traditional shredded coconut – and have a mild coconut flavor that is a bit mellower than toasted coco

Hello friends! It’s Saturday night and I’m already fighting the Sunday Scaries.  What are your tactics for avoiding the start-of-week dread?  I spent part of the day today laying on a bench staring at the sky slowly reading Geek Love, which is so odd and maybe wonderful that it makes stressing much else nearly impossible.  I’ve also had ice cream, twice. Wine, once. To-do list, extensive. I’ve also put away all of my laundry and I’m ready for my Nobel Peace Prize.  So… here we are. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 235! at Joy the Baker.

We’re slowly approaching the weekend though yesterday I was certain I had already made it to Friday. I hadn’t. I had only made it to Wednesday… the longest day of the week. It’s been a doozy of a week already, wouldn’t you say?  A doozy of a day can sneak up on you in August in New Orleans.  It simply a result of stepping outside.  It’s all fine… it’s just that every August we forget what August is until it’s back upon us.    This recipe is a nod toward Saturday morning. Continue reading Shrimp and Grits Waffles at Joy the Baker.

Our take on Vietnamese Bahn Xeo pancakes are served with plenty of fresh herbs, greens, dipping sauce and a hint of California.

Hello dears!  How are you today?  It’s ok if you don’t know the answer yet.   I’m in San Francisco for a petit weekend hosting a Bakehouse-style workshop with my friends at Farmgirl Flowers.  There’s been more cake than any other weekend in recent history (which really is saying a lot).  I’m trying to sneak in as much sushi and as many tacos as I can, bless up.  Being back out west is a sweet reminder of  both mountains and cool breezes so thanks, California for having me back for a bit.  This week has been heavy with reminders of who we are as a country right now. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 234! at Joy the Baker.

The internet is home to some 8,467,326 recipes for chocolate chip cookies.  How many of them do we actually need?  I would argue, most of them.  We need options!  We might want to pan-bang our chocolate chunk cookies , maybe a super chewy cream cheese chocolate chip cookie . We definitely need a trusted browned butter version .   This past month I’ve been playing with sourdough chocolate chip cookies made from my sourdough starter discard.  Are they the best cookies I’ve ever made? Continue reading Food52’s Quick-Sour Chocolate Chip Cookies at Joy the Baker.

Hello friends!   We’ve made it here together!   I’ve been in The Bakehouse kitchen this week testing recipes for the site (so much cake!) and recipes for a big writing project I get to share with you this fall.  I thought I knew chocolate chip cookies (and I do) but I tested my little heart out this week to make the best of the best, the most clear recipe, the most chocolate filled.  I’ve found that the best chocolate ‘chips’ for cookies are these Guittard Baking Wafers and there’s no going back.   I’m also trying to add some color to my bedroom and I’ve been sitting with paint swatches across my dining room table all week.  Decisions will be made, I’m fairly sure.    There’s lots of promise in this week. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 233! at Joy the Baker.