And we're off!

The summer is in full swing and we are busy. The markets are all up and running and we are enjoying seeing customers from last year, meeting new vendors, and making new customers. If you have time on a Thursday from 2pm-6pm, stop by the Commons in Cohasset for the Cohasset Farmer's Market. Saturdays from 10am-2pm at the Bathing Beach in Hingham is the Hingham market. We had to pull out of Carver for the summer but hope to get there by the end of the season.

We are sending out e-mail newsletters once a month. These newsletters give you an update on what is going on at Family Secrets Bakery whether it is about new products coming to a market near you, discounts being offered, or recipes; this is a newsletter you want to get. We WILL not bombard you with emails and will only send out an email if there is NEWS. Our latest email was sent right before the 1st of July. If you have missed it, you can click the link in the sentence about and you can sign up for future emails while checking out the archived emails.

Have a Happy Independence Day.

More new items coming to a market near you!

Double Chocolate Cookies

 The market season has begun and we are bringing out some new items that will be found at the markets. We've added some non-oatmeal based cookies such as the Double Chocolate cookies and the Peanut Butter cookies. More non-oatmeal based cookies will be arriving as the season progresses. We will also have brownies and Gluten-Free muffins at markets along with the mini-pies that were a hit last year. Items with fresh fruit will be available and we will also bring out cupcakes for you to purchase. Another feature we are pushing this summer is the PreOrder feature. Some customers used this feature last year and we are offering it again this year. Since we do not bring every item we offer on our Menu to the market, we will take preorders for any item presently on our menu. You can order your items by calling us, emailing us, talking to us at a market, or ordering it through our online store. If you purchase it through the online store, you can pay for the item then and there. If you order it another way besides the store, you will need to put down 50% of the order amount the day of ordering and then pay the balance when you pick it up. Can't get to the market, we can deliver it to you.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Custom Order Cakes

Louisa's Chocolate cake with Chocolate Covered Strawberries and chocolate shards

Garden Party Cake with edible flowers and butterflies

 Family Secrets is proud to offer you custom designed cakes to suit your celebration needs.  Cakes can be decorated with icing flowers, fondant and gumpaste flowers. Themed cakes or cakes that reflect the type of celebration are made after a brief consultation. Sqaure and round cakes, small and large cakes, tiered and sheet cakes are all available.  Next time you need to purchase a cake for a celebration, give us a call and let us design a cake for you.

Chocolate Birthday Cake with Gumpaste flowers

6" chocolate birthday cake with edible flowers and a basket weave side.

More Offerings.

More delicious cupcakes have been added to the menu recently.

Strawberries-n-Cream

Strawberries-n-Cream cupcakes are a strawberry cake filled with strawberry frosting (mixture of strawberry buttercream and cream cheese) and topped with more frosting and a strawberry slice. Originally was going to call these strawberry milkshakes but after one bite, the name was changed. 

PBJ cupcakes

PBJ cupcakes are a take on the traditional lunchbox sandwich. The cupcake is a vanilla cake and is filled with either Grape or Strawberry jam/jelly. Peanut Butter buttercream frosting is swirled on top and a dollop of jam/jelly is placed on top. Originally when I was talking about making these cupcakes, Bob bulked at the idea and even stated "That sounds gross." Well he changed his tune after eating on

Plain Ole' Strawberry

Sometimes just a plain ole' cupcake is what you need. Besides just plain vanilla and chocolate, we've added strawberry. Vanilla cake topped with Strawberry frosting.

Key Lime Cupcakes

 Being a Southern, desserts are always present at any family gathering or function or even potluck. One dessert that is notorious for being on a table is the Key Lime Pie. Getting Key Limes here in the North can be hard but when they are found, I usually will make a ton of desserts using key lime juice. I decided to do a batch of key lime cupcakes when I found some Key Limes at a local market. The cake is a tender vanilla cake and is filled with a key lime filling. Real whipped cream is added to the top along with graham cracker crumbs and some lime zest. These cupcakes are as delicious as the pie.

Pina Colada Cupcake

 Memorial Day weekend had us doing a cookout with family and friends. I decided to try a few new flavors on the guinea pigs, I mean, guests. Pina Colada cupcakes have a pineapple cake and are topped with Coconut Cream frosting. You can't have a pina colada without a cute drink umbrella so I added those along with some rainbow sprinkles to finish these off. Next time, I will be adding more crushed pineapple to the cake for more of a pineapple flavor but the cupcakes still were delicious.

Old Glory Cupcakes

 Also for Memorial Day, I did the Old Glory Cupcakes. Strawberry cake topped with fresh whipped cream, strawberry slices, blueberries, and a Flag. These cupcakes are light and definitely bring in those fruits that are associated with the summer. These cupcakes can be used for July 4th celebration, Veteran's Day, or any day you want to show your American Pride.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

The last day of the school year signaled the beginning of summer. In the south, summer started about March with the hot and humid temperatures. We would drink lemonade, Kool-Aid, iced tea, and other cool refreshments by the gallons during the summer whenever we couldn't get a snowball (snowcone for the Northerners). This cupcake was my take on a summer memory. Pink Lemonade mix is used in the batter to make a tart lemonade flavor cake. Diluted lemonade mix, lemon extract and lemon zest is used to make the pink lemonade frosting. A sprinkling of pink lemonade mix on top and a straw garnish these delicious cupcakes.

I'm sure as the summer goes on, more cupcake flavors will be made and brought to a market near you. I'm already thinking about fall flavors but I'm in no hurry for the summer to fly by. Have a safe and happy summer.

Here it is!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake

Just finished frosting these cupcakes. Since I didn't have shelled peanuts, I went with just a single whole peanut. The cake is a rich chocolate cake and the frosting is a peanut butter buttercream. I might even have one of these and I don't like chocolate and peanut butter together.

More cupcakes!

Black-n-White Frappe Cupcake

 I'm really having fun experimenting with cupcakes. They don't take a lot of time and I don't feel that guilty for trying one after it's made. Of course I have taste testers that are more than happy to try out some experimental creations.

Mocha Latte Cupcake

 The week prior to Mother's Day had me playing around with chocolate. I'm usually not a fan of chocolate, would rather have, say, Sour Patch Kids instead. However every month I get this craving for chocolate; has to be a female thing. I started out making Cookies-n-Cream cupcakes but ended up making Black-n-White Frappe cupcakes. These are like the Cookies-n-Cream cupcakes but instead of a nice white, vanilla buttercream frosting, the Frappes have so much chocolate cookie crumbs in it that the white frosting appears chocolate. They are still very good, as coworkers stated on Friday when they were taken in. The cupcake is filled with the cookie frosting and topped with either a half Oreo cookie or cookie crumbs.

I also tried out a couple new flavors with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law in mind. My sister-in-law doesn't like fruit in her cupcakes and likes all things lemon. Since I had already done lemon cupcakes for Easter, I figured I would try out a cupcake that is like a local coffee shops frozen drink. This thought sparked the creation of the Mocha Latte. The cupcake is made of a rich Mocha cake using coffee roasted by Redeye Roasters. As my neighbor stated after trying out the batter, it's the perfect combination of Chocolate and Coffee. To this cupcake, a drop of vanilla buttercream frosting was added. Caramel and Chocolate Ganache was drizzled on top of the frosting and chocolate jimmies (sprinkles as we called them) is on top. Since I don't drink coffee, I can't tell you how they taste. I can only state what was said by those that had them. My nephews loved them, to the point they had seconds. My husband stated they were good but too sweet for him. The rest that had them stated they were delicious but if I could add more coffee to the cake, it would be even better.

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake

My mother-in-law loves chocolate and raspberries. Usually when I make a cake for her, it is a chocolate cake with raspberries between the layers topped with more chocolate frosting. This cupcake was tailored made for her. It is a rich chocolate cake filled with homemade Raspberry jam (from our harvest last season). The vanilla buttercream frosting is light and fluffy and has more raspberry jam added to it. A fresh raspberry is topped on the peak of the frosting. I did have one of these and it was delicious; not too sweet and very light. After eating a meal, this is a nice ending and you don't feel like you have eaten too much.

I'm still on my chocolate fixation right at the moment, so currently I'm making Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes. Chocolate cake with Peanut Butter frosting and I haven't decided if I want to top off the frosting with peanuts, one peanut in its shell, or peanut butter chips. Guess you will have to find out later.

Gone Bananas...

Banana Pudding and Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Today I spent the day baking cupcakes using my least favorite fruit, Bananas. I dislike bananas. My mom says I've hated them since I was little. The funny thing though, I love Banana flavored pudding, Banana flavored Taffy, Banana Chips, Banana Nut Bread and Coconut Banana Bread. I can scrap the bowl clean after I make one of these creations but when it physically comes to eating a banana, I gag. It's the texture. I know Bananas are good for you but I still can't stomach them. My sister on the other hand was born a monkey. She devours bananas and she has now passed this love for this tropical fruit on to her daughters. Maybe her son will not get the 'banana like' gene and can be like me.

Gone Bananas Cupcakes

The three types of cupcakes made today were Gone Bananas, Banana Pudding, and Banana Cream Pie. The Gone Bananas cupcakes are a banana cake topped with whipped cream and banana chips. The Banana Pudding and Cream Pie are similar except for the topping. Both are banana cakes filled with fresh banana curd. They are both topped with fresh whipped cream but the Banana Pudding has a wafer added to the banana chips while the Banana Cream Pie has graham crackers sprinkled on top. All three of them are delicious. Yes, I tried the cupcakes. Since it isn't the actual banana I can stomach it. They are tasty and will be given away tomorrow to lucky taste testers. Just one more new item coming to a farmers market near you.

Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

New Additions

Hello Spring.

 With the extra time on our hands, we have been creating new additions that will roll out during the market season. We have added some gluten-free products, vegan products, and other baked goods. Just a reminder. All of our items can be made as a gluten-free and/or vegan product. We will only carry a few of these items each week at the market. If you are looking for something in particular, special order it and will bring it to a market where you can pick it up.

Over-The-Top Lemon Cupcakes

The last few weeks have been spent getting ready for Easter. We made a Lemon Layer cake with Lemon Curd and Mascarpone Filling and Frosting for Easter dinner. It was a light cake and didn't make one feel as if they ate too much for the holidays. The frosting was a pain to work with and I realized why I hadn't made this cake many times before. But the frustration was worth it. The final product came out lovely. I added a dark chocolate coconut 'nest' to the top and placed chocolate covered eggs in the nest. Everyone was pleased with the results. Since I had a lot of lemons left over I figured I would make some Lemon Cupcakes. These were also served for dessert and were also given to a customer for their Easter dessert. The cupcakes were a lemon cake filled with lemon frosting and topped with lemon frosting. Definitely a dessert that made your lips pucker but they got rave reviews from those that enjoyed them.

Nutty Professor Cupcakes

 

 

After the chaos of Easter Sunday, I had some time to work on a few more creations. The first one was the Nutty Professor. This cupcake is a white cupcake filled with coconut frosting and topped with more coconut frosting and shredded coconut. A drizzle of chocolate ganache and a few raw almonds make this cupcake delicious, almost like a candy bar I enjoyed growing up. The second and third creations were the Death By Chocolate cupcakes and the Caramel Mocha Delight Cupcakes. The Death By Chocolate and Caramel Mocha both have a chocolate cake as the base but that is where all similarities stop.

Death By Chocolate Cupcakes

The DBC cupcakes are filled with chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate butter cream frosting. A little bit of chocolate is grated along the top of the frosting. Just make sure you have a glass of milk to wash down all that chocolate.  The CMD cupcakes are not filled but are topped with Mocha butter cream frosting. They are also drizzled with homemade caramel sauce and just to make sure these cupcakes aren't too sweet, a little sea salt is sprinkled on top. A few espresso beans are added for those coffee lovers.

Caramel Mocha Delight Cupcakes

These are a few items we will be offering during the summer. They will join our cookies, breads, pies, and biscotti. The plan is to bring a few different types of cupcakes to the markets. During the season, more cupcakes using those berries that are in season, like Strawberry Milkshake and Shortcake, Blackberry Lemon. Traditional cupcakes like plain Vanilla and Chocolate will be available and the goal is to offer a few cupcakes for Adults, like Mojito, Strawberry Daiquiri, or Sangria. Of course these items can be purchased without coming to a Farmer's Market and these cupcakes can be made into a cake. Just give us a call or drop us an email. We look forward to seeing you at a market.

Mission Statement

We believe that food can taste good without using preservatives so all of our items are made fresh to order  using only the simplest of ingredients such as butter, eggs, and milk.

We believe that using natural and as many organic ingredients in our products that the items made for you will not only be good for you but also good for the environment.

We STRONGLY believe in supporting local agriculture and businesses by purchasing as many of our ingredients and packaging even if the overhead is more costly.

We believe that great customer service is the best form of advertisement so we strive to please our customers and we encourage feedback as we continue to grow and develop.

We know that life is too short so enjoying a delicious sweet to celebrate special occasions or to take to a party or a gathering or to just have because you want it, is a guarantee way to bring a smile to one's face.

Our mission is to provide you with a tasty homemade, handmade product that includes all of our beliefs.

Menu 2011

COOKIES
Half Dozen range from $7.00 to $9.00
Bakers Dozen range from $14.00 to $17.00

Oatmeal Based cookies:

Original: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
Holiday: Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip
Harvest: Oatmeal Blueberry Cranberry Cherry
Cinnamon Chip: Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip
Peanut Butter Cup: Oatmeal Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips
Toffee Chip: Oatmeal Toffee Chocolate Chip
Oaty: Just plain Oatmeal
Choc-o-lotta: Oatmeal Dark, White, and Semi Chocolate Chips
Black and White: Oatmeal Dark and White Chocolate Chips
South Water Caye: Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip
Southern Comfort: Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip
Grapevine: Oatmeal Raisin
Granola: Oatmeal Cranberry Almond
Blondie: Oatmeal Macadamia White Chocolate Chips
Freedom: Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Blueberry

Non-Oatmeal Based:
Ginger3: Fresh, ground, and crystallized ginger make this cookie snap.
Lemon Coolers: Spritz of lemon and powered sugar make this cookie melt in your mouth
Frosted Sugar Cookies- individual cookies $2.00 each
Italian Cookies

BREADS
$7.00-$8.00

Banana
Banana Nut
Chocolate
Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Chocolate Zucchini
Coconut Banana
Cranberry
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Date
Irish Soda
Lemon Poppy Seed
Maple Walnut
Oatmeal Raisin
Orange Nut
Pumpkin
Zucchini

BISCOTTI
Non-dipped Dozen range from $10.00-$11.00
Dipped Dozen $13.00

Anise
Chocolate Coffee Cashew, non-dipped or dipped
Orange Cherry Almond, non-dipped or dipped
Pecan Oat
Pistachio Cherry, non-dipped or dipped

CAKES
Range $20.00-$35.00

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
German Chocolate Cake
Italian Cream Cake
Louisa's Chocolate Cake
Peppermint Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Tropical Carrot Cake

CUPCAKES   COMING SOON!!! COMING SOON!!!
$2.50 each             Dozen $25.00

 
TEXAS-SIZED MUFFINS  seasonal 
$2.50 each (Gluten-Free $3.00)

Banana (regular and GF)
Banana Nut (regular and GF)
Blueberry
Chocolate (regular, GF, and Vegan)
Coconut Banana
Cranberry
Lemon Poppy Seed (regular and GF)
Orange Nut
Trail Mix (regular and GF)


PIES    Seasonal
Range $15.00-$30.00

Blueberry
Cherry
Cranberry
Pumpkin
Coconut Cream Pie
Lime-Cranberry Tart

SPECIAL ORDER CAKES    For weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, anniversaries, and birthdays. Call for Pricing

Let us design your special cake. We offer a variety of cakes, fillings, and icings. Cakes can be created using icing flowers, figures and designs, fondant,  gum paste and mixtures of techniques. We're eager to work with you in designing a cake of your dreams.

CORPORATE
Call for Pricing

Appreciation boxes: individually wrapped cookies of your choice (small and large boxes available)
Platters: cookies, cakes, breads, biscotti, or combos of items

GIFT BASKETS AND CERTIFICATES ALSO AVAILABLE

Items can be made sugar-free and gluten-free for an additional charge.

"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas."

The month of December is my favorite month of the year. It's not because my birthday is in December; it's because of Christmas. I LOVE Christmas. It's decorations that can be seen from store fronts, front lawns, and town squares. It's the music that is piped through speakers in the stores or over the radio waves. It's the thought of giving a special gift to someone. It's the movies, old and new, playing continuously throughout the month. It's also the goodies that grace office parties, family parties, and get-togethers.

When I think back on Christmas' past, I can recall fond memories like visiting my grandparents in West Virginia and experiencing snow for the first time. Grandma Phillips would always have pepperoni rolls and popcorn balls waiting any and all who stopped by. She would also serve Broccoli and Cheese Casserole for dinner. When visiting my other grandparents a few hours away from my dad's parents, one would walk into the kitchen and see Granddad Nestor making his pies. He would make an Apple pie and a Cherry pie knowing that my mom loves cherry but hates apple and my dad loves apple but hates cherry. Grandma Nestor had the ribbon candy in a bowl on the coffee table in the living room. In our house, we would sit around the tree and each person would pick their favorite Christmas song and we would worship together as a family. Dad would read the Christmas Story from Luke and we would open one present from the grandparents before heading to bed.

Now that we are all grown up and have moved away from home, we've started new traditions while keeping old traditions. I've learned how to make spritz cookies from my mother-in-law and will be learning how to make anise braids in a couple of weeks. These are goodies that my husband grew up having in his home during the holidays. Keeping him from eating the spritz cookies that are stored in the freezer will be a challenge but a good one. Another tradition we kept is reading the Christmas story. A new tradition is the annual worship team Christmas party held at our house. We host the party the first weekend after Thanksgiving because the month of December can be very busy and chaotic. We always make a goody that people can take with them. One year it was homemade hot chocolate mixes in canning jars. Let's just say that that idea was never done again. This year instead of making cookies, we opted to do different desserts.

 Homemade Cashew Turtles, Red Velvet Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting, Les Canneles, Madeleines, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, and Dark Chocolate boats with Lemon Pudding and fresh fruit were the dessert options. The Les Canneles and the chocolate boats were the most time consuming and frustrating desserts to make but they were the most popular. Everyone had a lovely time and were able to take boxes of sweets home when they left.

 Yes, December can be busy, frustrating, and just plain tiring but I still love the month and all that comes with it. This December not only are we busy placing holiday orders we are also participating in the Winter Market being held in Plymouth at the South Shore Sports Expo (JunglePlex). Stop by December 15 from 9 am-1pm and pick up gift baskets of goodies to give to teachers, coworkers, friends, or as hostesses gifts. Place orders for Christmas Eve/Day dinners. We love being able to share some of our favorite items with you.

"Whatever happens, give Thanks."

 Thanksgiving Eve. Normally I would be busy preparing for Thanksgiving dinner but this year we are not hosting Thanksgiving dinner. All I have to do is bake a Sugar-Free Blueberry Pie for my father-in-law and bring some Pumpkin Bread.  Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family around a table, enjoy a nice meal, catch the parade and a game or two. In my family, we spent the time before dinner talking about what we were thankful for. Some years it would just be the four of us; other years it would include other family members and friends. Whether it was filling Thanksgiving baskets, volunteering at a shelter or visiting a nursing home, we always were willing to give back.

While growing up, my dad lost his job twice. The second time he lost his job was the longest period. It eventually had us moving away from Louisiana. During those times of unemployment, my dad would do odd jobs around town. He was the maintenance guy at an apartment building, the custodian at the church, a night security guard, and other job titles that paid much lower than what he was use to. Because of him losing his job, we, as a family, cut corners and did without. We would help clean out apartments at the apartment building when needed or help clean up Sunday School rooms. We might not of had the newest gadget or the top name designer clothes but we had a roof over our heads and food on our table. God always provided for us. His timing was perfect every time. Thinking back over the years, my sister and I never complained. We just did. Our parents taught us that it wasn't about how much stuff we had but about what we could do for someone else in need.

Here in the United States, we have more stuff than what we really need. At times we take this for granted. The ability to head to a grocery store and have a huge selection to choose from or the ability to hit several clothing stores for particular items. The ability to grab a bite to eat out or order delivery whenever we want. Most people in other parts of the world are happy if they have clean drinking water, a pair of shoes, food to eat, or even the chance to go to school.

Don't worry about what deals might be out there on Black Friday or about what you want for Christmas. Stop focusing on what you don't have but on what you DO have. No matter what happens in our lives, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.  What are you thankful for?

Close but no cigar.

Last week was a blur of activity. Getting ready for the New England Food Festival took up a majority of our time. Baking over 2000 Holiday cookies sure seemed to take forever but in actuality it didn't. We labeled 2000 bags on Monday, started baking on Tuesday and finished baking Thursday. Of course holding down our regular jobs meant we would bake about 5 to 6 hours a night after working all day. Bob did most of the baking since he has a good system. I did the packaging and together we filled up 4 large tubs of cookies. Friday we decorated our table with the main ingredients we used in the cookies and got much needed sleep before heading out early Saturday morning to do the final preparation.  We entered the festival with the sole purpose of getting our name out there. We think we have accomplished that goal. Guess only time will tell.  Like us, we met new business owners participating in the festival for the first time. We had a chance to talk to a lot of people and to talk to the judges. Though we didn't win a category, we still enjoyed the experience and are giving it serious thought for next year.

The festival was a great time. The crowd to enter the tent started lining up 15 minutes before the festival started. Of course with the Thanksgiving parade starting at 10:30, the whole area was bustling with activity. Once the doors open, the masses started pouring in. Last year the festival saw 1500 people so the coordinators told all vendors to plan for 2000. By 2:30 pm, all of the ballots were given away and people were still entering the tent. Around 3:10 pm, we ran out of our 2000 individually sealed packages and started opening up the displayed packages. Of course, the displayed cookies didn't last long and we were completely out by 3:30 pm. 

We did get a lot of feedback from the public and the judges. One judge stated that our cookie was the "Best darn cookie" he ever had. Another judge asked us for the recipe. Several paying participants came back to get cookies to go, tell us that our cookies were better than theirs, or to find our name on their ballot to vote for. One lady made it a point to say that our entry was the best thing she tasted at the festival. A few out-of-towners came back to stay that they wished we were in Alabama or California. We did mention to all who asked where we were, that we do local delivery and ship anywhere in the United States.  One competing vendor even attempted a 'cookie throw down' with us. Needless to say, they walked away admitting that our cookie was better than theirs.

So now that the festival is over with, we are gearing up for the holidays. Pies for Thanksgiving will be delivered on the 24th and orders for Christmas are already starting to pour in. So thank you to all that came out and supported us at the festival and who are currently supporting our local business this holiday season.

New England Food Festival and Beyond!

This weekend in Historical Plymouth, the New England Food Festival will be taking place. The festival is on Saturday, November 20 from 11 am to 4 pm. Judges will be choosing the best entries from 20 vendors in areas of soups, chowders, desserts, party foods, and decor. There is also a People's Choice award also.  The cost is $10 per person and kids under 5 eat free. If you are enjoying the parade, stop by along the waterfront to see what other events are happening this upcoming weekend.

We will be in the festival competing in the Dessert category. We're in the process this week of preparing to make 2000 Holiday cookies. We are looking forward to the festival and meeting a lot of new people. We hope to see our faithful and loyal customers also.

After the festival, we will be busy preparing orders for Thanksgiving. Pies can be shipped to any destination (except the pumpkin pie), picked up, or delivered. We also offer a wide variety of breads and also do platters for those of you hosting Thanksgiving at your house. Take away some of the stress by having us do some of your holiday baking for you.

If you are thinking of Christmas ideas for co-workers, business associates, family and friends, why not send them a gift basket of cookies, biscotti, or a mixture of baked goods. Not sure about what to send, you can send them a gift certificate. We do over corporate boxes. These boxes come with 16 to 26 individually wrapped  cookies of your choice. Hosting a holiday meeting, have us deliver a few platters.  To guarantee deliver for Christmas, orders must be received by 12/17 so they may be shipped out by 12/18.

This time of the year can be crazy if you let it be. Take the time to be thankful and enjoy the time you spend with family and friends. Try to be a little more patient with others.

When's Daylight savings?

The month of October has been a blur. All of the markets are done for the season and to be honest, it's nice not having to worry about doing a market on top of everything else. The market season was great for us and we've already decided to do Hingham full time next season along with Cohasset and Carver. We might even pick up a few spots here and there for a little while.


The New England Fall Festival is coming up shortly. Anyone who "likes" the FB page will be entered into a drawing to earn gift certificates from vendors competing in the festival. The festival is held on the waterfront on 11/20 from 11 am to 4 pm. Stop by to try delicious desserts, party foods, soups, and chowders. Since the fall festival is not far away, we're in the process of preparing for it. We're thinking of how we want to decorate our spot, preparing the bags with our labels and getting all our items ordered so that when it comes time to bake 2,000+ samples, Yes, I did say 2,000, we're ready. We've even thought about inviting friends over for free food as long as they help us bag cookies.


I've been jotting down ideas to try out and other things to experiment with but so far I haven't had the time to spend in the kitchen. As the weather gets cooler and the nights get darker, I'll be hitting the kitchen and whipping up a batch of something.

We did open an Etsy account and have a store through Etsy. Etsy is a site that promotes craters and producers. Check it out and give us feedback. Not all items are listed on Etsy as on our original store website but there is a representation. Spread the word for us if you please.

Also on our plate is to meet with local businesses and see about getting some of our products in the stores. We'll let you know as things unfold.

Have a great week. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather and this lovely Indian Summer we're currently experiencing.

Crisp Morning Air

 Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the morning in the kitchen experimenting. Outside was sunny but very cool. Fall is marching in and this time of the year has me playing around with different tastes and scents. I started the morning off with baking a batch of jumbo Blueberry Muffins with the blueberries harvested from a local grower. Instead of making Blueberry pies for the market this week, I went with the muffins instead. That way if they didn't sell, I would have easy breakfast food for the mornings.

After twelve plump and delicious smelling muffins came out of the oven, I tackled a few new breads. Orange Nut, Oatmeal Raisin, and Cranberry. The zest from the oranges filled with kitchen with that nice summer scent. I just wanted to keep zesting oranges just for the fun of it. I used locally grown cranberries just harvested from the bogs for the cranberry bread and the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice made the oatmeal raisin bread mouth watering.

 The day was perfect for experimenting and several new customers were impressed with the breads and loved the muffins. As one customer stated "I'll take 7 muffins. They look delicious and I can see the blueberries." Not bad for a morning spent playing in the kitchen.

Maples Leaves are falling.

 Is it me or are the leaves turning earlier this year? Its the end of September and all around me the leaves are starting to show their other colors besides green. I could break into a science lesson on photosynthesis and chlorophyll production and tie it into the orbit of the sun but I won't. It is pretty to see the oranges, yellows and reds show up however, to me, it signals the end of a very busy summer and that dreaded Old Man Winter is on his way.  It's also a message to tell me that I need to do fall yard and garden clean-up when I have a free moment. But besides all that, it's a message that lets me know that I can start experimenting again with recipes. Usually during the height of the summer and the busyness of the market season, I don't get a chance to experiment and explore different things. I have a list of items I want to make and try but never the time to do it during the summer. So I guess you can say that in a way I am looking forward to the fall.

Last weekend I had a few extra minutes to try a few items out. I wasn't able to get to what I had planned to do that day but what was accomplished was great. First, I made some pumpkin muffins with brown sugar sprinkled on top. Not your average size muffins but the jumbo kind. Of course getting muffin tins big enough for the jumbo pan was a challenge and still is at this moment but it's on the ever growing to-do list for when I have a few extra minutes. Anyway, the muffins came out great and now I want to do other muffins to sell at our last few remaining markets. Maybe we'll start offering them for purchase on-line.

Second, I made a Maple Walnut Bread. I figured since the leaves were starting to fall off my Maple Tree in the front yard, why not try a bread that says "Fall". Grade A Dark Pure Maple Syrup from a local vendor was used in this recipe. Walnuts were split into two piles and one pile was crushed into a meal that was added to the flour. Everything was mixed by hand and turned out into several bread pans. While the breads were baking, the smell of maple filled the air. Just another scent of fall my sister would say. The breads not only looked good but were amazing when sampled. This item we'll only offer during the fall season. If you are in Cohasset this Thursday or Carver on Sunday, you can get one for yourself.

In the upcoming weeks, a lot of experimenting will be taking place in our kitchen. We'll keep you updated on the progress as time goes on. For now, enjoy the scenery and all the smells that fall has to offer.

It's happened again.

This Thursday we'll be debuting a new biscotti: Cherry Chocolate Hazelnut. The biscotti has a rich chocolate taste and the cherries, which have been soaked in a port wine, give it an additional burst of flavor. So if you're interested, stop by Cohasset and see Bob for a bag. We have a feeling they might go fast.   Another new biscotti, not to us but to the market, is the Pecan Oat Biscotti. This biscotti is great with just about any type of beverage. The nutty flavor with a hint of white chocolate make this biscotti a great cookie.

So since we're talking biscotti, where do they come from? What is their origin?

The biscotti has its roots back to the time of the Romans. The legions of soldiers needed a food source that had a long shelf-life so these unleavened, finger-shaped wafers were first baked to cook them then baked again to dry them out. This method made the wafers durable for travel and provided nourishment to the travelers. The word biscotti is derived from the Latin "bis" meaning twice and "coctum" for baked (which was later changed to "cotto" meaning cooked.  After the fall of the Roman empire, survival was the foremost thought so it wasn't until the Renaissance that the biscotti re-emerged in Tuscany and since then people have been enjoying these twice baked wafer as a morning treat with coffee or tea or as an after dinner treat.

Some of my Italian friends call the biscotti cantucci  and any other crunchy cookie, whether round or square or elongated, biscotti.  Some pronounce biscotti, bee-SCOAT-tee, while others pronounce them, bis-Cot-tee. Whatever you call them or how ever you pronounce them, you can find a wide range of flavors. Currently we offer the following flavors: Chocolate Coffee Cashew, Pecan Oat, Cherry Chocolate Hazelnut, Anisette, Pistachio Cherry, Orange Cherry Almond. All can come plain or some of them can be dipped in Dark or White Chocolate or drizzled with White Chocolate. So if you are in the market for a good biscotti, give us a call.

Fall Specials

It's that time of year again, Back to school. The changing of the air, the winter clothes in the stores, the school supply ads all point to the fall. Students don't enjoy this time of year whereas parents are very happy and excited for this time of year.

We decided to offer two discounts this fall. One is a Back-to-School discount. Receive 15% off your entire order. Use the promotion code School10 when you checkout. The discount is available until November 1, 2010.

Another discount we are offering is for teachers. Being an educator, I know first hand how much money I spend to get supplies for my classroom or for those students who can't afford it. I love finding a bargain or sale just as much as the next person. If you are an educator, you receive 15% off your entire order not only for the fall but the entire school year. Just use promotion code Teach during checkout.

Enjoy this time of year.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall!

The summer sure has been a beautiful one but it has gone by way too fast. As we prepare to do the last official market of the summer, I'm thinking ahead to the fall and all that it will bring. Bob will be doing the markets in Cohasset the month of September and October. Both of us will still be doing the Carver Market. The dates for Carver are 9/5, 9/19, 10/3, 10/10. Fall time is the time we bring out the pumpkin bread, pumpkin pies, the buckles (blueberry and cranberry), zucchini breads, the Holiday and Cinnamon Chip cookies, Sour Cream Coffee Cake, and we might try some muffins. There is talk of doing some apple crisp while at the Carver market. So come check us out.

Many markets will be celebrating the fall with some sort of fall festival. Most markets end the middle of October but there are a few that will continue into November. A few places even do a winter market. Check out Edible South Shore to find which markets are open later in the year.

With the fall comes the New England Food Festival. Plymouth host a variety of activities prior to Thanksgiving. Check out http://www.usathanksgiving.org for more information. We decided to see if they had all the vendors for the festival and they needed one more so we signed on. Now the daunting task is to decide which item to enter into the festival. The festival will be held on the waterfront on 11/20 from 11-4pm. If you are in the area, stop by. Vendors will be competing in areas of Best Chowder, Soup, Dessert, Party Foods, Decor, Local and Fresh. Judges will award a prize to a lucky vendor in each category. A people's choice award will also be awarded. Should be a fun and exciting time.

Enjoy the sunshine, the cooler morning temperatures, and the signs that fall is on its way.