Making margarita cupcakes turned into making more margarita cupcakes.
Which turned into an excess of limes and eggs lying around the kitchen. Read more
I should be packing. And organizing. And throwing out things I haven’t touched in the past four years since moving to Chicago. I shouldn’t be blogging and baking and coming up with new recipes. I shouldn’t be running to Trader Joe’s to pick up bags of ingredients. Or setting up my white boards in front of the window to wait for the light to turn just right. Read more
Taste test ingredients like flour, butter, chocolate and vanilla extract. These ingredients play a huge part in flavoring a baked good and not all are created equally. While many people will say price is indicative of quality, this isn’t always true. Taking the time to taste a variety of products available from different companies and at different price points will give you an idea of the varying quality in these basic ingredients. It will also let you pick out those you think have the best taste.
—Russell, Chasing Delicious
I’m fighting against the seasonal clock to make as many rhubarb infested treats as possible. The window is short. Too short. I nearly broke out in sweat on a cool 70° morning at the farmer’s market this week. Was I late? Where’s all the rhubarb? Oh, it was there alright. At the very last stand. Read more
The secret to making jam without commercial pectin is to add lemon juice and a cut-up apple to your jam pot (and you may need to cook it a bit longer). Both fruits have naturally-occurring pectin, which serves to help solidify your jam. For example, proportions for a small small batch of strawberry jam could be: three cups of berries,1 1/2 cups sugar (or honey), juice from half a lemon and half a cut-up apple.
—Nicole, Cucina Nicolina
I’m standing in a fog. The windows are translucent. I can’t see my next step. Although I know it’s infront of me based on experience. But if I quit moving forward, I’ll soon be paralyzed. With muscles atrophied from lack of use.
Fear. Decisions. Change. Deadlines. They can do that to you. Make you stop dead in your tracks. Whisper little lies of inadequacy. They’re like speed bumps. In the fog. Reminding you that the road is rough. And it’s far from perfect. Read more
