crystallized ginger Archives - East of Eden Cooking

2018/12/12

Gingerbread People Cookies

Gingerbread People Cookies are gingery and spicy, more than perfect for a blustery winter day. These gingerbread cookies are a feast of the holiday season in every bite.

“Not even Christmas and we have presents. I wonder what it can be!”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

A few weeks ago there were super cute jars of little Gingerbread People Cookies at Starbucks. They arrived when holiday thoughts were just a mirage of the cookie making season. Then they were gone. My obsessing about cookies is an annual tradition, Gingerbread People Cookies are this year’s contribution. I adore this time of year, I can bake all the cookies I want without any sideways glances or rolling of eyes about my butter and sugar obsessing. Decorating the jars for gifting was as much fun as making the cookies. READ MORE . . .

2017/12/232018/12/11

Triple Gingerbread with Easy Caramel Sauce

Dizzy with holiday warmth, three kinds of ginger update this old-fashioned Gingerbread recipe. An Easy Caramel Sauce completes this classic dessert.

It was a good time for Adam, the best time. He was the king of his wide and spacious life. East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Triple Gingerbread with Easy Caramel Sauce was inspired by an unassuming tray of gingerbread samples at Gayle’s Bakery in Capitola. The dark chunks of cake were heaped in a pile near the ultra busy checkout. Until I read the gingerbread sign I thought the samples were a chocolate something. I wasn’t interested in chocolate or gingerbread, I was waiting on a bear claw. I read the sign again, Triple. Ginger. Bread. Since everything at Gayle’s is wonderful, I tried a sample. What a revelation in flavor, the backdrop of dusky molasses gives way to cascading layers of gingery warmth from ground, fresh and candied ginger. I had to make my own Triple Gingerbread.

While I was searching through The Fannie Farmer Baking Book I stumbled upon the introduction to “About Sauces” and found that early American cakes were served with sweet sauces rather than frosting. That was all the momentum I needed to try the recipe for Easy Caramel Sauce with the Triple Gingerbread. The soothing sauce is silky smooth, sweet, divine. The recipe is super easy, melt the butter, then whisk in the brown sugar and cream, done. Easy Caramel Sauce will keep in the refrigerator, gently warm the leftovers. READ MORE . . .

2016/08/172018/01/03

Double Ginger Pear Crisp

A Taste of Sacramento

“They do pretty nice things in Sacramento, and Horace told how they did things in Sacramento as they rode along.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Last month I attended the International Food Bloggers Conference, IFBC, in Sacramento. It was my first food blogging conference. Gerlinde, of Sunny Cove Chef, and I traveled and roomed together. It was a whirlwind four days of non-stop activity. The experience was rewarding and I recommend attending next year’s conference in Sacramento. READ MORE . . .

2016/05/042018/01/03

The Ginger Snap Obsession

All the cookies

“He cooked for Cathy, going through recipes used by his mother and his stepmother.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

When I met up with my friend and mentor, Andrea, she brought cookies! We had lost track of each other, it had been 20 years since we last connected. She lives in Sacramento, I live in Salinas. We decided to meet at the half way point, in Fremont. We had a lunch of Thai crepes stuffed with curry and a long wonderful chat. So much has happened! When I started driving home I couldn’t stop thinking about the pink pastry box filled with homemade cookies. Andy had said she labeled each kind of cookie. What kind of cookies were in the box? When I couldn’t stand the cookie suspense any longer I convinced myself that I needed to take a break from driving and stopped at Starbucks and took a peek inside the pink box. I was just going to look in the box to see what was inside but as I picked up each sweet package the temptation was too great. I sat in my car and greedily sampled one of each. I began with the rugelach, then I found the ginger snaps. There were coconut macaroons, amaretti, mandelbrot and schnecken. I had to try all the cookies. I drove home in a blissful cookie coma. READ MORE . . .