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Chocolate Craters filled with Nutella and Hazelnuts

freshly-baked chocolate craters filled with warm Nutella and nuts

Magnificent Nutella

“Even as a little girl she hungered for learning as a child does for cookies in the late afternoon.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

World Nutella Day, February 5th, was looming on the horizon. Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread with a cult like following that shows no sign of slowing. If I ever needed inspiration to bake so soon after the holidays, this was it. And what a scrumptious excuse it was. Searching for that sublime balance of hazelnut and chocolate in a cookie first led me down a path of too much chocolate and then I returned to the charming balance of hazelnuts with chocolate. If you like Nutella, these cookies will be a delight. READ MORE . . .

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Winter Kiwi Harvest & A Cake

Fresh kiwis

A Glorious Harvest

“On a winter evening Adam looked up from his account book. It’s nice in California, he said. It’s nice in the winter. And you can raise anything there.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Kiwi harvest time in California is December. Who knew? Kiwis are grown locally north of Santa Cruz along the coast at Swanton Farms. Athena, her daughter, Mr. R and I set off to discover how kiwis are grown and harvested. We drove north along the coast highway past Santa Cruz and stopped at Swanton Berry Farm’s main location to inquire about their kiwi harvest. It was the first week in December with sunflowers in full bloom, and strawberries still being harvested. The morning was clear and bright with promise of a glorious sunny December afternoon. It’s quite enchanting; the Pacific Ocean is on one side of the two lane highway and Swanton Farm is on the other. We drove north along the coast for another ten minutes arriving at the kiwi farm. With a borrowed Red Flyer wagon loaded with harvesting buckets we set out for the kiwi orchard walking past oak trees covered in moss and naked berry vines, gone dormant for the winter. With curious anticipation we walked up the hill to the kiwi orchard seeing rows of well manicured vines hidden under a blanket of dense broad leaves. Ducking under the canopy of leaves we entered another world carpeted with giant kiwi leaves still moist from the coastal fog. The thick gnarled kiwi trunks twisted up and across the trellis making a roof for us to duck under. At first we didn’t see the kiwi fruit. As we became accustomed to the light in the tunnel of vines we saw the fuzzy brown orbs dangling in clusters like huge grapes, just waiting for us to pick. READ MORE . . .

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Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting

A Whimsical Dessert for the Holidays

“The winter night blew in with frosty wind, and the street lamps with their sputtering carbons swung restlessly and made shadows dart back and forth like a runner trying to steal second base.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Lush red velvet was whispering Christmas to me. I was seduced by bold red and white peppermint stripes and a minty sharpness in the cold nights. Creamy white chocolate curled above the red velvet like wisps of steam from my hot morning coffee. I imagined a snowy Christmas portrayed in my velvet cupcakes. READ MORE . . .

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Cinnamon Rolls and Max

Freshly-baked cinnamon rolls

Simply Irresistible

“I thought I heard someone on the stoop. Probably a cat.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Warm cinnamon rolls always bring a smile at our house. Best when warm and always decadent, yet comforting. But there is no sweet that can compete with our other warm smile maker Max, our cat. When we adopted him, I hadn’t had a cat for over twenty years. Max had been a stray and was at his second post rescue home which wasn’t working out for him. He was living with five other cats and was a big bully, standing guard at the food dishes and eating the other cats’ food. At the time this boldness seemed highly unlikely. When we met Max he hid under a chair and would not come out. I found him irresistible. When his family drove him to our house; he yowled the entire drive of forty minutes. They were so worried about him they offered to take him back if he wasn’t a good fit. As soon as they left, he darted into the fireplace, brushing the screen aside and hid in the ashes with his back to us. When I tried to get him out, he dashed past me with ashes flying everywhere. Max stayed under the bed, in our bedroom, for well over two weeks before he felt safe enough to venture out. Much later, we rejoiced when he stopped slinking about and began to walk with his lovely tail pointed up in the air. When he finally hopped up in our laps we were flattered he liked us. In the beginning, Max would sit on our laps with his back to us and purr. There were signs of abuse. Turning a page in the newspaper or any loud noise startled him and sent him into hiding. Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to trust us. Max has been with us for five years and still does not like to be picked up. He will tolerate it for a very, very short time. He still is easy to startle. Max will always have food issues. He is always hungry. He has many nicknames; Colonel Momo or just Momo are used regularly. But Max has become part of our family. He greets everyone when they come home, bringing a smile at the end of a busy day. Most nights he sleeps on our bed and looks for a warm lap after his breakfast and his dinner. Max may be a bit quirky, but he is perfect just as he is. READ MORE . . .

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Apple Butter Ginger Hand Pies

Rolling out dough for hand pies

A Trip to the Orchard

“Look, Samuel, I mean to make a garden of my land. Remember my name is Adam. So far I’ve no Eden, let alone been driven out.” It’s the best reason I ever heard for making a garden, “ Samuel exclaimed. He chuckled. “Where will the orchard be?” Adam said, “I won’t plant apples. That would be looking for accidents.” “What does Eve say to that? She has a say, remember. And Eves delight in apples.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Autumn arrived. We felt it ease into our days. The bright late afternoon sun gave way to crisp nights and mornings. By the first week in November, the Indian summer was gone. A longing for apples, pumpkins, pears, and all manner of things warm and comforting replaced our sandals and juicy ripe tomatoes. Hazy thoughts of apple pie came into focus. Childhood memories of trips to the orchards of Pajaro Valley mingled with the remembered scent of ripe apples and the warmth of cinnamon. As a young child a bushel of apples seemed daunting to me. I knew I would be standing on a stool and peeling, until the box was empty! READ MORE . . .