honey cake

October 30, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in cake, baked goods

I developed this recipe (as well as these lemon cardamom cookies) to showcase the honey from my friend Bob’s hives at Urban Bee Company. having grown up with the 'honey bear,' I had never really thought about honey as a flavoring agent in and of itself. it was always just a sweetener that I added to my tea (or my whiskey) when I was feeling a bit under the weather. but when I subscribed to Bob’s honey CSA, I discovered that each month’s honey had a distinct flavor profile depending on where the hives were situated in the city. if the bees have been foraging on wild fennel, there was an anise-seed finish to the honey. the honey from south Seattle had a citrusy start, but ended with an almost piney finish, as there were evergreens near the hives.

it's gingerbread weather

September 22, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in baked goods, cake

autumn has always been my favorite time of year. it's a little sad to say good bye to the sunny days and long evenings that summer in Seattle brings, but I love the sense of anticipation that comes with the cooling weather. for some reason the world seems to vibrate with potential. maybe it's the bright blue skies, or my favorite thing of all, 'apple cider air,' crisp and fresh against your cheeks, carrying with it the sweet muskiness of falling leaves.

making hay (and muffins), or five things I learned in the professional kitchen

September 14, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in baked goods

I have been cooking for a long time, in professional spaces as well as personal ones, and I find that some of the tricks of the trade really come in handy at home. some of these are super obvious, and some are super simple, but friends are often surprised when I mention them. so, from my kitchen to yours, here are a few of the things that I've learned.

plum crumb coffee cake

September 03, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in sweets, baked goods

it's that time of year when summer edges up against fall. the weather is changeable, shifting from sunny and warm to grey and rainy over the course of a few hours. summer fruit is still abundant but the cooler days call out for a comforting treat. that's where this coffee cake comes in.

resolutions

August 23, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in baked goods, cake, sweets

it was my birthday recently. I love my birthday. I love to celebrate and eat delicious things and generally be joyful. but I find as I get older, that each birthday is also when I really reflect on my life. It's a good time for it, I've found. I look back over the past year and check-in: am I feeling good? am I happy with my life? what will the coming year bring?

almond pound cake

August 16, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in sweets, baked goods

This recipe came to me from my friend Andra. I worked for her catering company back in the 1990s, baking pastries for the front-of-house coffee shop, pulling espresso at said shop, and pitching in on the catering prep. I used to joke with Andra that I would like her to make this as my wedding cake; when I got married this summer, we chose pies instead of wedding cake, but served this pound cake to our guests at breakfast the morning after.

almond cakes

August 15, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in baked goods, sweets

these almond cakes are, hands down, the cookie that is most requested by my friends and family. They are based on Marion Cunningham's Almond Butter Cake, which she bakes as an 8" cake. I love to make these bite sized, as it improves the ratio of the crisp exterior to chewy interior.

blueberry crostata

August 13, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in sweets, baked goods

this crostata is based on a sour cherry crostata from the Gourmet cookbook. I've adapted it with a variety of fruits, including rhubarb and strawberries. The blueberry remains my favorite, when sour cherries are hard to find.

brown sugar shortbread

August 01, 2016 by Stesha Brandon in baked goods, sweets, cookies

these shortbread are my friend Abby's favorite. Based on the sour cherry shortbread from Macrina, a wonderful bakery here in Seattle, these cookies have a delicious savoriness to them.