If I click my heels three times, do you think I can go back to Kansas? I would do it in a heartbeat, especially to “The Little Apple” AKA Manhattan, Kansas, site of the National Festival of Breads contest sponsored by the Kansas Wheat Commission, King Arthur Flour, and Fleischmann’s Yeast. All involved in this contest […]
Happy Birthday to My Hubby!
My husband Bill’s birthday was Friday and I’m a little late getting this post up. Bill claims the 5th of July is the best birthday because all the fireworks are just the beginning of a birthday celebration the next day. Everyone is in a festive and happy mood and there’s lots of good food. I never know what […]
Oz, Bread, and a Little Black Book
Hi everyone! It seems like I have been gone for a month and it’s only been a couple of weeks. I have gone from the wheat fields of Kansas to the sweltering heat of Los Angeles. Actually, I am still in LA, but headed home soon. I have so many stories and photos that it will […]
Toto, I Don’t Think We’re in Kansas Anymore… but we will be!
I have an exciting couple of weeks ahead! I’ll be leaving this week for Kansas (hopefully no tornadoes or wicked witches) where I am meeting up with my daughter Kristina for the National Festival of Breads, a cooking contest sponsored by the Kansas Wheat Commission, King Arthur Flour, and Fleishmann’s Yeast. Kristina, owner of Cooking Contest Central, was […]
The American Tradition of Country Fairs
Just hearing the words “country fairs” brings up visions of pies, cakes, canned goods, and homemade breads all lined up for viewing and judging. One of my earliest ventures in competitive cooking started with our local fair over thirty years ago. I would get up on those hot July mornings and bake for a couple of […]
An Incredible Wedding Cake
June is a traditional month for weddings. Magazines are filled with ideas for the perfect wedding, including the cake. But I have never seen a cake like this one from “The Cake Boss.” Yes, it is actually a real cake. This one doesn’t even seem real! Where in the world do you start cutting it? […]
“The Secret Lives of Baked Goods” Giveaway Winner!
Before I announce the winner of the cookbook giveaway, I am excited to report that the Culinary Cellar is on the move again! Many of you know that my basement library is an ongoing project. I have thousands of cookbooks and not enough shelves, but one more was added this weekend! My sister-in-law’s husband, Larry, is […]
French Shortbread to “Break and Share”
Have you ever seen shortbread this large? Neither have I, and also have never tasted shortbread so good. What you see here is the delightful result of a 100-year-old recipe using only a few ingredients: wheat flour, lots of butter, sugar, fresh eggs, and sea salt; simple and natural ingredients without any preservatives or colorings. In the past, […]
