Category Archives: Bakeries

Just in Time For Thanksgiving — New La Brea Bakery Stuffing Mixes

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Hard to believe I made this from a mix, huh?

Just before Thanksgiving rolls around, I usually leave a cut-up French baguette or Italian loaf out on the counter to dry to make my own bread stuffing for the big day.

I’ve never been one for stuffing from packaged mixes.

But when I came across one that carries the name of La Brea Bakery, I just had to try it.

After all, La Brea Bakery is the Los Angeles hot spot founded by Chef Nancy Silverton that started the whole artisan bread craze in Southern California way back in 1989. If anyone was going to make a packaged stuffing mix worth bragging about, it ought to be a bakery so famous for its fabulous breads, right?

The mixes come in two varieties: “Focaccia Stuffing” and “Harvest Bread Stuffing.”

They are exclusive to Williams-Sonoma. Each box is $14 each or $24.95 for both. And each mix makes enough to feed 10 to 12 people.

La Brea Bakery's new stuffing mixes.

I decided to break open a box of the “Harvest Bread Stuffing,” of which I recently received a sample, to taste test.

Inside, you’ll find three bags containing croutons (a mix of cracked grain bread, rosemary sage cornbread and country white), pecans, and dried cranberries.

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Garden-Inspired Shortbread Cookies

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Buttery, crumbly shortbread flavored with herbs from the garden.

Sondra Wells used to make lavender shortbread for parties. Her friends and family would go crazy for them. So much so, that they told her she ought to sell them.

Now, she does. Her Botanical Bakery of Napa makes seven types of itty-bitty shortbread cookies inspired by the garden: Cinnamon Basil, Fennel Pollen, Cardamom, Lemon Thyme, Naked, ginger Squared and her original Lavender.

They’re all made by hand with Straus Organic Creamery butter, organic hard red wheat flour, and pure cane sugar.

The results are two-bite cookies that are buttery, crumbly and sandy — everything you’d want in shortbread.

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A Bake Sale Not to Miss, Meet Cookbook Author Carol Field & More

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Pastry Chef Christina Tosi will be selling cookies and Crack Pie, the recipes of which are in her new cookbook.

A Chance to Buy Sweets from Momofuku Milk Bar and Absinthe

Consider this the ultimate bake sale.

Nov. 9, from noon to 3 p.m., the private dining room at Absinthe in San Francisco will be transformed into exactly that with baked goods for sale by Absinthe Group’s Executive Pastry Chef Bill Corbett and Pastry Chef Christina Tosi of New York’s Momofuku Milk Bar.

Tosi is in town to promote her new cookbook, “Momfuku Milk Bar” (Clarkson Potter). She and Corbett worked together in New York at wd~50.

Among the goodies for sale that afternoon will be Corbett’s Oatmeal Cream Pie ($3.50 each) and German Chocolate Candy Bar ($4 each), as well as Tosi’s famous Crack Pie ($5.25 per slice) and assorted cookies ($1.85 each).

She’ll also have copies of her cookbook on hand for purchase.

A portion of proceeds from the bake sale will benefit the San Francisco Food Bank.

Late that evening on Nov. 9, Tosi will be at Omnivore Books in San Francisco, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

She’ll talk about how she got into baking, and sign copies of her book.

Additionally, Nov.  10 at 6 p.m., Tosi will do a cooking demo and book signing at Williams-Sonoma on Union Square in San Francisco. Books must be purchased at the store to be signed.

Pop-Up Dinner at Coi in San Francisco

Absinthe Executive Pastry Chef Bill Corbett also will be putting in an appearance at Coi in San Francisco on Nov. 14, when he’ll be part of a group of chefs doing a pop-up dinner there that night.

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Downtown Bakery — A Must-Stop in Sonoma County

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Dig into the tomato-Asiago focaccia at the Downtown Bakery & Creamery in Healdsburg.

If you ever happen to find yourself in the vicinity of Healdsburg, make a beeline pronto to the Downtown Bakery & Creamery.

You will not regret it.

And your stomach will thank you profusely.

Started in 1987 by three Chez Panisse alums, this bakery makes everything from scratch — breads, ice cream, cookies, and pastries. There’s even a cafe menu if you want to sit for a spell to enjoy breakfast pizza, cheesy scrambled eggs or a Croque Madame that’s a croissant topped with herbed ricotta cheese and ham.

The famous sticky buns.

My husband and I can never resist the sticky buns ($2.25 each). This version is simply sublime — a flaky, buttery croissant-like dough formed into a muffin shape that has a crunchy topping of sugar. You also can buy them frozen to bake up fresh at home.

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Duff Goldman Comes to Santana Row, Michael Mina Anniversary Celebration & More

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Meet Chef Duff Goldman at Santana Row. (Photo courtesy of the Food Network)

Duff Goldman vs. Robert Sapirman

Yes, the “Ace of Cakes‘‘ Food Network star takes on the local chef of Citrus restaurant in the Valencia Hotel in San Jose’s Santana Row. All in good fun, of course.

It’s all part of the Oct. 8-9 “Cadillac Culinary Challenge,” in which celeb Pastry Chef Duff Goldman (who is also trained in savory cooking) will be challenging Chef Robert Sapirman in battles at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each of those days to see whom will be crowned “Cadillac of Chefs.”

Seating is first come, first serve. And of course, while you’re there, you also can test drive a new Cadillac.

Never Too Early To Start Thinking About Thanksgiving

If there’s one holiday that strikes fear in even seasoned cooks, it’s Thanksgiving.

Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco wants to help. It’s hosting two one-day workshops to teach you how to host a “No-Stress Thanksgiving Dinner.”

This hands-on class is being offered 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 8 and Nov. 15. Price is $195.

You’ll learn how to make everything from hazelnut gougeres with stilton and red grapes to sourdough stuffing with prosciutto and Parmesan to pumpkin pie with toffee pecan topping. You’ll even make your own pie crust that you can take home to freeze for your holiday pie.

Chef Michael Mina has a lot to celebrate this year. (Photo curtesy of the chef)

Special Michael Mina Dinner

Oct. 9, Michael Mina will celebrate his 20-year career, as well as the first anniversary of his eponymous San Francisco — in grand style.

He will host a special Anniversary Tribute Dinner, 6 p.m. at Michael Mina restaurant, which will feature six courses prepared by famed chefs who have cooked alongside him over the years, including Traci des Jardins of Jardiniere in San Francisco, Melissa Perello of Frances in San Francisco, Joseph Humphrey of the soon-to-open Dixie in San Francisco and Ron Siegel of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. Also lending a hand with one of the courses is Mina’s mentor, George Morrone.

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