Good Things by David

I had the most marvelous afternoon this past weekend while visiting my friends' property nearby.  If you remember a short while ago, I promised you that I would visit the chickens that lay those beautiful eggs, which we've been partaking of here at home.  I finally took that much-needed trip to see the "ladies" and visit my friends. When I arrived, I noticed that some of the flowers near the home and around the outbuildings were still in bloom.  The garden planted by my friends, Luke and Alicia, was bursting with vegetables ready for harvesting.  To top it all off, the sky was as clear and blue as the ocean.   Our area of Pennsylvania has been experiencing very warm temperatures of late.  The days have been feeling more like midsummer than early fall, but you won't hear me complaining because I don't mind sunny days and eighty degree temps.  I'll take this weather and whatever the garden has to offer, any day. Years ago, I visited this b...

Ina Garten is about to release her tenth cookbook, 'Cooking for Jeffrey', on October 25th.  This cookbook is perhaps her most personal compilation of recipes, because they are those which Ina's husband has enjoyed for many years.  Ina states: "I can assure you that all the recipes have been 'Jeffrey-tested' again and again."   In the cookbook, which I was given an advance copy of, Ina gives us snippets of the early days being married to Jeffrey, and of creating a home and opening a business (Barefoot Contessa) in East Hampton, New York.  Not only is the cookbook a compilation of amusing and fascinating stories from Ina, it is also a book dedicated to cooking with good ingredients, and showing us step-by-step how to make each fantastic dish. What I love about all of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks and Ina's style, is that each recipe is approachable and doable.  None of them seem complex or intimidating in the least.  I already have my ey...

Every now and then it's a good idea to surprise a dear friend or relative with a gift made from the heart.  A week ago I wanted to do just that to a very good friend of mine by baking and decorating some garden-inspired cookies to send their way.  With a few cookie cutters that I recently added to my collection, I cut out chocolate cookies in the shapes of a watering can, garden flowers, ladybugs and a garden shed. I only used three colors of royal icing for them and a handful of decorative elements to embellish.  Wrapped in clear cellophane bags and tied with grosgrain ribbons, the cookies were packaged in pairs  in order to provide extra support and minimize breaking during shipping.  It's one of my little tricks that has worked for all of my cookie shipments. In the near future, I will give a more in-depth tutorial on how to safely ship decorated cookies. If you've been following my cookie decorating posts these past few years, you know that ...

MARIAGE FRÈRES Having tea in the afternoon is something I do every single day.  I don't make a production of setting a table just for this purpose, but I do admire the 'art of tea'.  Cultures throughout the world have their rules and etiquette practices when it comes to having tea, and if you partake of this daily ritual, then I'm sure you have your own set ways of enjoying a cup or two.   Mariage Frères, the renowned French purveyor of fine teas and its accoutrements, is a company that elevates the art of tea to a very high level. I've known about this French institution for some time, but it's only recently that I've taken a moment to delve into their ways of proper tea. While perusing The Food Lover's Guide to Paris by Patricia Wells, I came across the tea salons & restaurants of Mariage Frères in Paris (they also have a location in Japan).  It was here that the golden rules established by this venerable tea importer cau...

As much as I love to bake cookies for friends and family, it's also a lot of fun packaging them up to make the treats extra special for gift giving.  I've always felt that homemade cookies one gives out to loved ones can be some of the best gifts ever, because it makes the recipient feel that a lot of effort and good will went into creating them. Just imagine receiving a cookie or two packaged in a clear cellophane bag that's been tied with a nice ribbon or baker's twine.  Who wouldn't be impressed with that type of gift?  Cellophane bags, ribbons and twine are just some of those 'essentials' that every baker should have at their fingertips, especially if homemade gifts are important to you.  There is no reason to wait for the holidays to be handing out baked cookies.  There are plenty of occasions to do it throughout the year! Over the years and through my baking thousands upon thousands of cookies, I've learned how to streamline the packa...

If I'm baking cookies for individuals and plan on mailing them a box or two of treats, I like to make sure that I've done a good job of packaging, labeling and parceling out the goods.  It is tempting to just put cookies into those reusable plastic containers which one can readily buy at the grocery store; there's nothing wrong with this.  However, if you do want your package(s) of treats to stand out in some special way, then I highly recommend purchasing some clear cellophane bags, some baker's twine (these come in many colors) and last, but not least, a labeled sticker which tells the recipient who made what they are receiving, and/or what the sweets are.  Taking these extra steps always makes the person receiving the baked goods feel special. Recently, a friend of mine asked me to make several dozen cookies for her family and friends to enjoy at an event.  Without a moment to lose I baked what she requested and gathered my packaging materials, assembly li...