Cookies & Cabernet

Halloween Whoopie Pies

I had my very first whoopie pie about ten years ago when I was in Boston, at a great bakery called Mike's Pastry. I think I was strung out on stress and fatigue from days of college scouting because as my family members and I opened our box of goodies to divvy up our treats of every variety, and someone "accidentally" took my whoopie pie, I threw a fit. Childish, immature, whatever. I had been eyeing that giant, creamy, pillowy, chocolate cakey, long-lost-relative-of-an-Oreo behind the glass with fervent anticipation. Have you ever seen a whoopie pie? A real, traditionally-made, towering sandwich of dark chocolate and cream? Well, if you're a chocolate fiend, like I am, restraint is difficult. Probably because my inner child comes out and I feel like I'm in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Flavor comes second to pure aesthetics and your head spins from all the stimuli. "The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!"

Annyyway, I got my pie (with a bite in it!) and it was still amazing—like a taste of heaven. But it was the last time I saw a whoopie pie until now. Whoopie pies are traditionally a New England dessert sometimes called gobs, black-and-whites, or bobs, which I didn't know but makes sense since every time I mention a whoopie pie here in California I get a blank look. Whoopee cushion? Whoopi Goldberg? Making whoopie? Noooo. Well, as I've been in the Halloween spirit lately and wanting to bake something new (and relatively easy), I picked up this month's Everyday Food and decided on some whoopie pie experimentation. They were loads of fun and tasted lovely but after all was said and done, I'd do a few things differently. I'd probably dye the cream a fun orange (or appropriate color for another holiday) instead of sprinkles. And, I'd probably use this recipe because of the rich chocolate cocoa powder and the marshmallow-y filling. That's how I remember it originally and the recipe I used wasn't nearly as impressive on the filling side. But so it goes.

The moist texture of the cakes comes from this secret ingredient: unsweetened applesauce. I'm sure everyone knows this and I'm alone in my bewilderment. I find it really weird but really fun when totally unrelated ingredients are thrown in a recipe. It was a good thing I actually looked at the list of items I needed before shopping at the market because I never would have guessed applesauce. Who buys applesauce? People who have kids or like pork chops. And who bake moist whoopie pies. 

The recipe instructs to drop heaping tablespoons of the cake dough about two inches apart. Try to give them ample room because they really expand. And as you drop them onto the baking sheet, aim to make them as round as possible. I made the mistake of having a few oval-shaped cakes that looked like footballs as the end result. 

My best advice for these pies is patience. Cool them COMPLETELY before spreading the filling and sandwiching or they'll break apart. Put them in the freezer for 10 minutes or so to harden them a bit.

Retro Trick-or-Treat Apron

 

We're a bit Halloween crazy 'round these parts. Every year about this time, as the imminent Halloween hysteria slowly creeps into store displays and windows everywhere, we start to twitch. We send each other teaser emails with images of decorations, crafts, and recipes from Martha Stewart or Pottery Barn. We scout out the pieces of our Halloween costumes that we planned long before summer. And we quote an old family video of us as kids where we hold hands, dance in a circle and chant, "We want Halloween! We want Halloween! We want Hallo-weeeeen!" Once it hits October 1, hold on to your hats. And with the impending decoration and preparation madness in mind, I realized I needed something Halloween-esque to kick off the inspiration for creation. I needed a Halloween apron! And since I've been perusing but never purchasing from Etsy for months (I know! The world of homemade crafts and goodies lays before me), I thought it was about freakin' time. So I searched the many wonderful shops for an apron that exhibited the following criteria: 1) cute/retro/vintage design 2) NOT choke-me-around-the-neck grandma-style, head-to-toe ruffles and frills and the likes. And then I found this adorable little thang at a shop called Yoopers. A half-size, three-pocket wraparound with a "retro trick-or-treat" fabric design. Cha-ching! Exactly what I wanted: cute and functional. But the best part about buying from Etsy is that friendly, personal, one-on-one shopping aspect. You know who and where you're buying from, and most likely, it's another crafty susie-homemaker kinda gal just like you on the other side of the country. When I opened my package, which was so beautifully wrapped and speedily sent to me, there was a hand-written note and a pressed-flower magnet hidden in one of the apron's pockets as a "Thank You". I was awww-ing the whole time. I don't even want to put it on and risk disturbing its precious perfection. But I will, and come orange-and-black popcorn ball making time I'll be the most spirited baker in the kitchen. (As if that was ever a question before.)

Citizen Cope, Rediscovered

I fell in love with Citizen Cope a couple years ago when I heard "Son's Gonna Rise" on some television show soundtrack (a google search found it on One Tree Hill but let's hope not). I remember someone fabulous (ahem) burning The Clarence Greenwood Recordings album for me and my instant addiction. Somehow, after the clutter that is my car consumed that CD in conjunction with my last computer crashing, Citizen Cope vanished from my musical horizons. Until this past weekend, when I saw Ricky Gervais' new movie Ghost Town, which featured CC's "Sideways". Ricky wanders the streets of New York during his character's soul-searching moment of revelation scene, pensive and sullen, as it starts to rain. CC's husky voice croons "Theesee feelings won't gooo awayyy...they've been knockin' me sidewayyss". All of a sudden, it all came back to me: I love Citizen Cope! And: Where the heck has he been? Now, I'm rediscovering his music. And it's new and exciting all over again—like finding a favorite shirt in the back of your closet that you forgot you had. However, a new find for me = torture for those around me. And in this case, it means driving certain people I live with C-R-A-Z-Y with my incessant playing...of the same song...on repeat...for days. Yep, when I'm in a stage, I'm in a stage. But I do plan on educating myself with all of his work since I've become aware that my music M.O. is to be baited by mainstream marketing and slowly enlightened through my own research. I'm working on this. But I love his genre-blending style, his keepin' it real laid-back attitude, his artistic integrity, and most of all, the way he wears his hair. If I was a dude, I would totally rock that.

The British Invasion

After watching the MTV Video Music Awards last weekend, I've realized that we are experiencing a British Invasion. Many viewers did not recognize, and as a result, much like Brit host Russell Brand, but anyone who's paying attention at all would know he's been around and is a force to be reckoned with. He was a scene-stealer in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and claims superstar status in the U.K. Why is America so slow to catch onto everything cool? Well, I for one am loving the invasion—Amy Winehouse, Posh and Becks, Ricky Gervais, Russell Brand, Sacha Baron Cohen, Lily Allen—the whole lot. They've taken over all forms of media and are churning out fresh talent unlike anything we've ever seen. (Lord knows, it's about time.) This is a big statement but let me bring out the evidence. Exhibit A!
 
1. Amy Winehouse. Multi-platinum, five-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter. Combines musical style and genres, old and new. Sadly, she's becoming more well known for her struggles with drugs, alcohol, and anorexia. But her voice and album Back to Black have nevertheless made an undeniable impact on the new music scene. Her soulful heart-wrencher "Wake Up Alone" brings back the painful reality of breakups and gets me every time.
 
2. David Mitchell and Robert Webb of Peep Show. Sounds like a risque title but is by far the funniest material I have seen in a long, long time. The first-person filming, the inner monologue narration, and the contrast in characters make it a pitch-perfect gem. I'm embarrassed to say that they're already heading into their sixth season and still no one here has heard of them. And if you have, you are awesome.
 
3. Ricky Gervais. "Chimpanzee that, it's monkey news!" Don't get me started. Comic genius who should donate his brain to science when he dies. If you want to laugh until tears are rolling down your cheeks and you're going to throw up, listen to his podcast (and more specifically, his bantering with Karl Pilkington). Ricky's laugh just may be the best sound in the world.
 
4. Russell Brand. It's sad that we're only just now hearing about him, but heed my advice and do your research. Listen to his podcast, watch his stand-up and The Big Fat Quiz Show of the Year on YouTube, and rent Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He is so quick and sharp, and amazingly, is a former heroin and sex addict. And that hair...
 
5. Lily Allen. My FAVORITE newest discovery. I can't get enough of her. Before you make a judgment based on the negative media portrayal of her, listen to her debut album, Alright, Still. Listen to every word of every song, start to finish. What sass! What intelligence! What in-your-face bitchiness! She is brilliant. My personal favorite tracks are "Smile" and "Not Big"—I wish I had the guts to tell it like it is the way she does. I think we knew each other in a past life...when she probably kicked my a**.
 
This is just to name a few. I could go on and on about smart-alec TV doc Hugh Laurie, fashion icon (and unfairly maligned) Sienna Miller, Posh and Becks (I think she's MAYJAH but I can't take him seriously after hearing his helium-meets-London cabbie voice), the incredible duo of Little Britain, the cast of Harry Potter, etc. Do me a favor and check out this all-star lineup if you haven't already. And then go make yourself some tea and biscuits, hum God Save the Queen, and give a nod to our trendsetting mates across the pond. Cheers!

Double-Crust Apple Pie

My parents moved into their current home almost a decade ago and from the minute I first stepped out onto the deck and gasped "apple trees!" I've been dreaming up millions of ways to use all 'dem apples. And now, all these years later, I've finally put them to use. My parents, of course, have used the apples (and blackberries and plums) from their yard numerous times, but until last weekend, I hadn't even tasted one. I feel very guilty and embarrassed to admit this. I took them for granted and I'm sorry. I still don't even know what kind they are, but plan on looking into it. [Cough.]

So as the days are getting shorter and the air is slowly becoming crisper, I've had the urge to bake something still summery and seasonal, yet cozy and warm. So I made autumn in a dish: apple pie. I don't know why, but for some reason the process of making apple pie feels different from other pies. Maybe it's the picking, peeling, coring, and slicing steps that are so ceremonial and Zen to me. Or maybe it's because they are from my family's home. I just feel like a lot of love goes into an apple pie. The finished product looks, smells, and tastes like....ahhh. You know that scene from Sleeping With the Enemy where she's picking apples and putting them in her lifted skirt when the cute-drama-teacher-neighbor catches her? "I don't make deals." She dumps them on the ground but eventually he brings them to her house and she makes a pie and brings it to his for a pot roast dinner? Maaannn. Well, I salivate every time. This is my problem. Even movies about domestic abuse make me hungry.

Anyway, apple pie evokes utter coziness to me so I had to kick off the fall (we're officially still two weeks away) with a delicious double-crust monster pie. I was going to call this pie "Mile High Apple Pie" because the amount of apples I piled in there seriously went against the laws of physics, but I like simple. And besides, "Mile High" conjures an image of...well, Ralph Fiennes. Get what I'm saying? Annnddd, double-crust means extra goodness of the best part of the pie! None of that jive-talkin' lattice (or worse, single crust) foolishness when it's apple time!

What would you do?

Last month, our blog-buddy over at Pink of Perfection asked her readers to come up with a list of things that make you happy—a task that filled me with an enthusiasm usually reserved for my other bestie, Oprah. For August, PofP has presented us with another doozie...She poses the question: Say you wake up with a plush bank account. What would you do? Where would you go?

Well [insert knuckle-crack], after tossing the volleyball around on Malibu Beach with L.C. and Audrina, I'd head to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for a large, sugar-free ice blended coffee (light whip!). Then, on my way to my personal trainer, I'd drop a couple Gs on Tom Ford Aviators and a Louis Vuitton carrier for my Chihuahua, Miss Priss. Eeeeeee!

I kid, I kid. After paying off student loans—eh hem, among other debts—I'd pack my bags and hop the first flight abroad. Where, you ask? Anywhere. New Zealand to hike and hang with the Kiwis; Africa to safari in Kenya, see the gorillas in Uganda, and explore the verdant hills and vast savannah; to Europe to bunk in cozy B&Bs, enjoy fine wines (we're not just about two-buck-chuck here), scoot around on mopeds, and lose myself in galleries and historic sites (Pompeii! The Louvre!). After bouncing around for a few months (or FOREVER), perhaps I'd wind things down with a respite on the white-sand beaches of the French West Indies. Oui. (Is it wrong that I envy the kids on that new MTV show Exiled? Them: "You're not going to make me pick up elephant poooo, are youuuu?" Me: "Where's the scooper? Come here Dumbo...").

Also, I'd absolutely devote time to philanthropic ventures (golf claps). I'd adopt an international fam a la Santa Brangelina in a heartbeat, and I'd schedule a long chat with Al Gore to discuss saving the polar bears...and earth. In my spare time, I'd love to start a vineyard in Santa Ynez or Napa Valley—throw on some overalls and get my hands dirty to create a nice C&C Pinot. And while we're at it, how about a comfy, Euro-style bakery that whips up cookies, pies, cupcakes, and all of the fresh-baked goodness of childhood? Yes, pleeeease.

At the end of the day though (pass me the Kleenex), it's really not money that will make you happy. Still, a girl can dream.

Craft Project: Jam

With summer waning (all these Back-to-School signs are simultaneously exciting and freaking me out), it’s important to savor every last bit of the season’s end, but it’s also time to prepare for the arrival of fall. The leaves are already changing and wait, did I feel a slight drizzle this morning? [Insert image of me slurping soup in front of a fire while it’s a mid-August 67 degrees outside.] In my house, the transition means a scramble to load up on summer sales of everything-you-can-think-of and in mass bulk, for the upcoming holiday season. Clothes, home accessories, edible goodies—you can find some real deals that will save your a** come gift-giving time. And in my opinion, homemade gifts make the best ones, which means applying this process to items large and small that you may find at the flea market, craft shop, or grocery store. It’s all quite genius but it takes Martha-levels of preparation and organization. Beauty is in the details, my friends.

All summer, I have been planning an all-out jam-making day but kept managing to distract myself with other things (read: work). That is, until I hit breaking point at the supermarket the other day. I stumbled upon nectarines on sale for a dollar a pound and EUREKA: the time has come to make jam. Sweet, sticky, delicious, homemade preserves. It’s such an aestival activity, what better way to celebrate the end of summer? You can enjoy it all year long when it’s sealed in a jar. So I enlisted the help of my mother and we puuump-pumped up the jam together. In total, we canned about 20-30 jars which would take over my Polly Pocket cupboards but merely added a small sub-section to her already established collection. I took home half the batch and, although I’m not really into toast or pastries for breakfast, I can’t wait to spread it all over anything and everything within reach. Crepes? Mmm. Meat? Yes, please! This shoe? Why not! And I am still in the honeymoon phase of amateur cooking, where I look at my creation and think: I made you. And with some festive packaging and primping, they’ll make wonderful holiday gifts. HO HO HO…guess who’s comin’ to town!

Podcast Revolution

Apparently I have been living under a rock. Am I the only one that didn't know about the wonderful world of podcasts? Seriously. Seriously. I am OBSESSED. I have owned an iPod since the dawn of time but only after recently being gifted with an iPhone 3G (I know, I'm a lucky girl) did I discover this land of amazing technology. I am a new woman. I could go on for days about the iPhone and the genius of Apple but for now, I'll let you in on a secret: the podcast.

A podcast, for those of you that don't know (and for those of you that do, turn away before you want to punch me in the face), is an "iPod broadcast" and is basically any variety of radio show or program—audio or video. There are tens of thousands of them to choose from in categories such as music, comedy, sports, education, and more. They evolved from simple individual radio-style shows to wide-ranging programs in every category you can think of, from all over the world. It's a syndicated form of media, which means you can subscribe to your favorites and have them updated automatically as new content is added. There are various podcast softwares though iTunes is the industry's most dominant (goes without saying). Okay, enough of the technical stuff.

I currently have an arsenal of about four or five favorite podcasts, but I'm generally indiscriminate when it comes to enlightenment so please do share yours—I'd love to hear what else is out there. For funny, if you haven't heard The Ricky Gervais Show, download it NOW. You have probably seen the British shows The Office and Extras, but if you haven't heard his award-winning podcast, you are hugely missing out. Go download and don't argue. For interesting, I love NPR's This American Life; great hosts, great stories, great information. I laugh, I cry, I don't shut up about it for hours afterwards. For educational, Grammar Girl is my homegirl. I find linguistics so interesting and as an English major, grammar, punctuation, and syntax turn me on. The GG host is a true authority on every subject and makes learning fun (although her voice is a tad annoying). Ever wondered the difference between bring versus take? Nauseous versus nauseated? The many uses of the apostrophe? Me too! My inner geek comes out and I revel in it. And don't even get me started on Coffee Break French. I've learned more French in the past month than I have in 10 years of school. With podcasts, the world is your oyster. You can listen anywhere—at home, at work, in the car, in the gym...And did I mention they're free? Wow, I really should go into advertising. I'll stop now. But seriously, it's the revolution.

Blackberry Crumb Bars

This summer has gone by way too fast. I've only just looked up and realized that after months of waiting for it to get here, it's almost over. And, judging by my stack of untouched summer reading, my lack of a Coppertone baby tan, and the fact that I've made S'mores only ONCE this season—I clearly haven't had the chance to enjoy it as I planned. Curses!

So, I am making a conscious effort to jump on it and do every summer activity that I can before the leaves begin to change and it's time to start thinking about a Halloween costume. Heading to the beach, grilling fresh fish on the barbie, eating watermelon, sipping lemonade by the pool, wearing at least three of the four swimsuits in my collection, and, of course, berry picking! One of my favorite things about summer is the ripe, sweet, juicy, and delicious fruit that comes with it. Picking berries, especially blackberries, reminds me of my family and my childhood in Oregon. We used to hike (what felt like) miles, scale fences, scuffle through brambles, battle poison oak and bees, and create human pyramid boosters to reach the plump, perfect berries. Then we'd bring our overflowing buckets of treasure home to craft pies and tarts, sprinkle over ice cream and cereal, and make icy smoothies on hot days. We loved it. But like most of the cozy traditions in our family, it was also the ceremony of it that we loved. And still do!

In the spirit of seizing the season and keeping the berry-picking tradition alive, I took my 10 year-old brother on a walk last weekend—bowls in hand, dogs trailing close behind—to hunt for blackberries. We only collected a couple bowls full (what was left after the birds and hikers had been there), but it was enough for a delectable berry dessert. And since I'm a little sick of pies at the moment, I thought I'd switch it up with some crumb bars from Martha's Everyday Food.

Kiss This

I’m a big fan of luscious lips, and like most girls, I too aspire to my own “Angelina” levels of plumpness and puckering abilities. But, since I didn't inherit an Angie-caliber sucker fish pout, I could use a little umph. Enter, CO Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine, an ultra-sheen, peppermint oil-infused gloss—which, incidentally, also masks the icky aftermath of a hummus binge (we’re all guilty!). The glosses are only $7.50 and come in an array of tints—subtle pink, oh-so-natural bare, and clear, which you can slap on and casually pull off without looking like you care. I like to add a touch of gloss over lipstick or alone and without a stitch of makeup. The minty zing makes you feel fresh, and people often ask how I achieve the shine factor (to which I toss my hair and lie: “Dunno!”). So, it's our secret.