GIFT: Cupcakes Without The Calories

Kids are crazy for cupcakes, so how about cupcakes are made from chalk? Handmade to order, they let you “enjoy” cupcakes in a different way: on chalk boards, roll-up chalk mats, chalk board place mats or good old driveways and sidewalks. Or, they can be used as objets d’art in kids’ rooms. The set of…
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COOKING VIDEO: How To Ice A Cake

  It’s easy to follow a recipe and bake a delicious cake. Icing it beautifully is the challenge. Pastry chefs practice long and hard until they perfect an absolutely smooth icing. And they learn some tricks along the way. You can use the holiday season to practice, practice, practice. The people upon whom you bestow…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

While we enjoy the fall harvest, we really miss the ripe fruits of summer. Strawberries are our last link to that sweet summer bounty. Strawberries are grown year-round in California, where numerous varieties have been bred to accommodate the different soils and climates.* So while we’re making seasonal pumpkin desserts, carrot cakes and apple pies,…
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PRODUCT: Omission Gluten Free Beer

Omission beer is gluten-free and delicious. Photo courtesy Omission Beer.   Beer drinkers with gluten sensitivities—or anyone looking to cut back on gluten—have an early holiday gift: Omission Beer. Gluten is found in many common cereal grains including barley and wheat—typical beer ingredients. On a mission to make a great-tasting beer without the gluten, the…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Meyer Lemons

Now in season through March, the Meyer lemon is a foodie favorite: bright citrus flavor with less pucker, owing to less acid. For decades it was available largely at California farmers’ markets, where it was “discovered” in the 1970s by Alice Waters and other pioneer chefs of “California cuisine.” Chefs and customers alike loved the…
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