Beyond kittens...pass the cookies, please

Finally all kittens & Mama cat have been taken care of. 

Through a quirk of fate, the remaining kitten & Mama have been accepted by the Humane Society of Manatee County for medical care & adoption. So, if you're looking for someone adorable to add to your family, you can find them both at 2515 14th Street, Bradenton  (941) 747-8808. It's taken several days for Twinkie to return to her usual position of being an only child and we're both delighted. Truly all's well that ends well.

This weekend is the Village of the Arts' May ArtWalk & we're celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a Salsa Tasting Contest. Friday night from 6-9:30pm participating galleries will offer free samples of their best salsa recipe and you can vote for your favorite. The winning gallery earns a bottle of tequila and you enjoy an endless supply of Mexican appetizers as you stroll around. More info at www.villageofthearts.com

Seems to me that it's time to enjoy New York City's signature cookie...the Black & White. It's oversized, soft bottomed & cake-like with ying/yang vanilla & chocolate frosting. How do you eat one? Nibble all of one flavor first, or alternate between them? I think books have been written about this.  $2/each

And what bread elevates any sandwich filling to extraordinary? The classic Onion Roll of course! Round & dimpled with fragrant  toasted onion & poppy seed outside and a soft tasty crumb inside. Rarely found outside of NYC bakeries, but I'll have a limited quantity available this week.  $2.75/pkg of 3 

Also on the menu this week:

Big Cookies  in a variety of my favorite flavors:  
Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate       $1.50/each

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies  $5/pkg

Roast Garlic Blue Cheese Breadstix   $4/pkg.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins  $2/each

Minorcan Multigrain Loaf  $4.50

         Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee availability for pickup later 

                 in the week.   Order early, most items in limited supply

Everything is hand made in small batches. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.

TO PLACE AN ORDER call me at (941) 746-6647   or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com  by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5  

 
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

held at Geraldson Community Farm in NW Bradenton

Find driving directions  & more information @

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni

Flatbread, Rugelach, Brownies and Kittens

Palma Sola Farmers Market organic veggies

This is representative of what you'll find at the Palma Sola Farmers Market this Sunday from 11-3. I'm making a creamy Cauliflower Blue Cheese Soup using organic cauliflower & savoy-leafed bok choy (see below) available amongst their greens this week. 

It tastes like Bok Choy but has a beautiful wavy leaf

As usual, you're invited to sample some, take home my free printed recipe and buy the farm-fresh ingredients if you want to make it yourself. If I have extra time I'm thinking of making refrigerated Cauliflower Pickles too, because they only need a few days to transform.

Billie-Jean the good, but homeless, MOM

In the meantime Billie Jean's four tiny kittens are becoming more independent and starting to explore the world. Like most kids they've started by playfully attacking their siblings. Thanks to Mike I now know that the litter consists of 1 male & 3 females. Smokey, the charcoal gray girl, will be going to her new home as soon as she gains a little more weight.

TIGGER

Her sister Tigger is adventuresome & often stalks tall blades of grass near the family's hidden den. She loves to play with the others, then have a nap together. She has a lot of Mom's mixed coloring on her back but wears stripped gray leggings.

BOGGIE formerly known as  BLONDIE  

Boggie, the biggest & only male, makes sure he's first to the dinner table but loves to cuddle & rough house with his sisters. He has fluffy long orangey hair and subtle creamsicle colored stripes on his legs. Like all of the others, he has blue eyes.

TOPAZ

Topaz, the smallest girl in the family is very friendly & curious. Some times she gets so involved in what she's playing with that she forgets to join the family for dinner. But she's gaining weight & likes to hang out with her Mom (who she resembles), especially pouncing on her wagging tail!

These tykes, along with their beautiful Mom, are looking for forever homes. They'll probably be ready to go within the next two weeks, so if you know anyone who might like to adopt them, please call me at (941) 746-6647. Because they were born in The Village of the Arts, they're obviously talented, creative & would make a great addition to any family. Thanks & meow.

RUGELACH

For all of you very patient folks who have been asking me "nu, when are you going to make some?", this is the week I'm baking Rugelach. Just the way Grandma did with the cream cheese dough, walnuts, cinnamon & jam filling. 

limited quantity available  $4.50/pkg

I'll be making a variety of Flatbreads for an event that Geraldson Community Farm is having in Tampa, so there will be some for you too. Check back with me Wednesday for more details & prices. Otherwise, stop by the farm Sunday to pick some up.

For an extra special dessert try one of my Outrageous Walnut Brownies based on a recipe from a famous NYC bakery. $2/each

Also on the menu this week:

Big Cookies  in a variety of my favorite flavors:  
Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate. $1.50/each

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies   $5/pkg

Rosemary Parmigiano Breadstix   $4/pkg.

Apple Raisin Muffins $2/each

All homemade jam and chutney...SOLD OUT

                 Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee 

               availability for pickup later in the week

             Order early, some items in limited supply

Everything is hand made in small batches. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER  

call me at (941) 746-6647 or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com

by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5   
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

     I'm at the Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3

 

held at Geraldson Community Farm in NW Bradenton

Find driving directions  & more information @

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni

It's all about the cats this week & I don't mean jazz musicians

This is Billie Jean, formerly called Bill-the-Cat by me until I discovered she was the young mother of four. They were born under the bakery building and I became aware of them last week when a tiny kitten walked out & into my hand. You might remember that I am allergic to long haired cats, which makes cuddling the shaggy Billie of many colors impossible for me. But she is not a feral cat because at the mere utterance of my single "meow", she comes running & wants to rub up against your leg. She has a cascade of colors, unique markings, green eyes and aches for human companionship. She walks right up to my dog Twinkie, who sniffs her with curiosity (as well as the kittens) and walks away, which makes me think she might have lived in a house with a dog too.

Look at how young & skinny she is. Billie protects her brood from other animals and is a very caring Mom. Tara (from Sweets' Bakeshop) & I have been feeding her so she can care for the kittens, who appear to be about 5 weeks old. Here's what happened tonight when I brought out dishes of dry cat food, water & canned wet cat food. 

I was surprised to see the adventuresome little ones, like Tigger pictured above, walk into & eat both options. In order of size the biggest is Blondie, then Smokey, Tigger and Topaz. But Topaz is the most outgoing.

Here are three of the four siblings. I've given them temporary names so I can tell them apart. At the top of the picture is the striped Tigger next to the charcoal Smokey. Down front is Mom's color clone Topaz. They're all long haired and I don't know what sex they are.

The fourth is Blondie with subtle orange & white stripes. All of them have blue eyes and they're very friendly & adorable. I'm hoping to find homes for all of them. If you or someone you know are ready to open your heart & home to these sweet fur balls, please contact me. If not, we will capture Billie Jean so she can be neutered, then adopted or released, and bring the kittens to our local animal shelter for adoption. Manatee County is working on becoming a no-kill county so I'd love for these guys to find homes without using our over-burdened agencies. Please spread the word. If you'd like to see them & interact in person, just call me at (941) 746-6647.

If you prefer something larger to embrace, come out to the Palma Sola Farmers Market this Sunday and feed a newborn goat. Most of the kids in this picture are only a day old but boy can they suck a bottle down in no time. In addition to playing with the goats you can buy Glenna's fresh goat products including milk, yogurt & a variety of cheeses. If you want local honey products, Dave has you covered because the bee hives are right on the organic farm. Fresh mushrooms from Jack's Myaka barn go great with all of the organic veggies for sale. You can buy an annual share or just show up on Sundays from 11-3 and pick whatever you want.

Where else in town can you buy directly at the farm...then stroll in the fields & see what's growing. Teach your kids where food really comes from, then walk one of the trails at Robinson Preserve across the road or climb the watch-tower to look for the resident eagles. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing something very special...AND IT'S ALL FREE.

My Special Baked Item last week was the German/Jewish decadent cinnamon pecan roll called SCHNECKEN. Everyone who tasted one can't wait to have more. Look at it oozing caramel...stay tuned because it will turn up again soon.

This week I'm in the mood for BIALYS, the unique Jewish roll that many New Yorkers (like me) prefer to bagels. It is lightly crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, with a center indentation filled with roasted onions & poppy seeds. Delish!!

The shelf life is short so either you eat them within 24 hours or they have to be frozen because they dry out quickly. I prefer mine sliced, lightly toasted & schmeared with cream cheese or butter, then topped with nova & onion or just a thick slice of a great tomato. And I know just where you can find fabulous Florida Sweet Onions & Tomatoes!  Limited supply of Bialys available by pre-order only. $3/pkg of 4 for pick-up on Fri or Sun only.

I'm also baking the Classic Jewish Apple Cake that consists of soft cake interspersed with cinnamon/sugar coated fresh apple chunks. Great with coffee or as a not-overly sweet dessert.
$4.50/ 8 oz

This week many of the usual suspects also return including:

BIG COOKIES in a variety of my favorite flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate. $1.50/each

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies $5/pkg

Rosemary Parmigiano Breadstix $4/pkg.

Carrot Muffins w/Cream Cheese Frosting inside $2

Minorcan Multi-Grain Loaf  $4.50

Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee availability for pickup later in the week. Everything is hand made in small batches & limited amounts. Order early to guarantee availability. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER  

call me at (941) 746-6647 or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com

by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5   
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

     I'm at the Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3

 

at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton.

Find driving directions  & more information @

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni

The Clean-up Continues

It's great to be back in my kitchen, doing what I love to do, although things are taking me a bit longer because I'm out of practice. I've been busy organizing the ton of things I stored in my living room that you saw in my last post. It was so overwhelming it scared me too. But look at my progress. Today Twinkie & I have a clean comfy corner to relax in.

The kitchen is totally available and I have all of the counter space I need to turn out the yummy stuff I dream of baking.

Even the downstairs bathroom, storage area for a ton of framed pictures, is now available for other business. Yea!!!

But this afternoon there was a new wrinkle...in the form of a soft meow. For two weeks my dog Twinkie has been arguing with a feral wild looking cat. She chased her across the yard but "Bill the Cat" (who I named because of its resemblance to the Bloom County character) always dove under my former bakery, now Sweets' Bakehouse. It was making Twink crazy, so for the past few days I didn't let her run free in the back yard. This afternoon, as we walked past the area Twink dug up trying to get under the building, I heard a soft "meow". When I answered in kind, a very tiny ball of fur walked out.

I call the kitten Topaz, because of her coloring. Later I discovered a second kitten, dark as charcoal, who I call Smokey. Did I mention that I'm allergic to long-haired cats? But maternal feelings over-rode that and after some advice from "cat people" I hand fed Topaz (Smokey was no where to be found). After a bit her mommy arrived so I left them alone, & Bill The Cat turned out to be quite the mommy. I last saw her gently carrying her little one under the building that is their current home. I put out a dish of tuna & some milk for Mom since she looked pretty hungry too.

This week I'm getting back to the old Jewish bakeries in Brooklyn with my Dad's favorite, ONION PLETZL. A wonderful flatbread fragrant with onions & poppy seed. Great by itself, but wonderful with a schmear. $4/pkg.

I'll have the usual suspects including BIG COOKIES in a variety of my favorite flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate. $1.50/each.

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies need no introduction. $5/pkg.
When it comes to Breadstix there'll be Rosemary Parmigiano, and possibly some of a new flavor requested by a customer...Black Pepper Parmigiano. $4/pkg. Back by popular demand Blueberry Lemon Muffins $2/each, and the Yiddish version of biscotti Almond Mandlebrot. $2/pkg.

I'm going to make something that I haven't done in a long time, Schnecken Cinnamon Buns. All the yumminess but with a Jewish twist. $3/each.

Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee their availability for pickup later this week. Everything is hand made in small batches. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER  

call me at (941) 746-6647 or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com

by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5   
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

             I'm at Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3 

held at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton. Go to their FaceBook 

link below where you can get driving directions  & more information

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni

THE HOUSE IS SOLD...AND I'M A HAPPY CAMPER!!!

It's amazing how much stuff we accumulate. Not willingly. Not knowingly. It just happens over time. I think about the mystery of how dust bunnies appear, apparently comprised of nothing, yet they exist. So it was with all of the "treasures" (as someone suggested I call them) that I exhumed from their quiet hiding places at the house. Nicely dressed & ready to chat, they jumped out of their boxes. I, of course, was not especially ready to welcome them with the embrace they expected. I just wanted to get on with it...and get past it.

Some of the dishes I brought back from Spain over the years

Throne Chairs that have been in my family for over 100 years

Oh no, not this again I thought, as I came face-to-face with yet another relic from my past. Years ago I put "it" in a box and shoved it into the dark hole known as the garage. Now "it" had returned. I assessed each item as dispassionately as possible, reminding myself that the goal was to downsize my life. I threw out, sold, donated, re-packed, embraced and moved things into my TreeHouse temporarily. 

Downstairs at the TreeHouse looks like Hoarder's Heaven

Not that I have a permanent place to keep them, these were just the chosen items that made the first cut. As a former therapist I found myself mentally doing a psycho-social evaluation of my situation, while surrounded by dust & everything I'm allergic to. I even called my filmmaker son to bring his camera down because my reality show, "Accidental Hoarder Trapped in A Flea Market", was ready to film.

In reality I know I'm okay, on track with my plan, and just momentarily tired. I've finally forced myself to do what I've been putting off for years. Dealing with the accumulation of a lifetime. I sold the big house, next I'll sort & dispose of things temporarily stored in the TreeHouse, then over the next two months I'll empty the mobile storage units. Years ago my brother & I were the ones who had to clean out our parents' homes. That's a legacy I don't intend to burden my children with. 

The simple solution: put things in, deliver it to my yard, then go through everything.

I rented two small mobile storage units able to pass through my 8' wide driveway gate. With some help, we filled them both, while the small & fragile things came in my car. I sold big items I didn't need, like my 20 quart Hobart mixer & freezer. I donated my late husband Rea's beautiful desk & chair to the Manatee Players for their new Performing Arts venue. It makes me smile to know they went to a wonderful new home.

An art director's desk should live on in a creative atmosphere

On the last day I spent a few minutes daydreaming at my favorite spot, looking at the water, thinking about the great times we shared there. I was truly ready to let go of the house because the first thing I packed & took with me were all of those wonderful memories.

From big cocktail parties to intimate midnight swims, we both loved this spot

Twinkie spent the last two weeks by my side daily as I worked to empty out the house. When it was all done, so was she.

Now that I'm regaining my strength, and floor space, I'm starting to bake again. I'll resume my normal schedule the week of April 15th. 

This Saturday the Bradenton Farmer's Market is being held in the Village of the Arts on 12th St W, in front of my door from 11-4. I'll have my little blue tent in the driveway with CHOCOLATE ORGASMS, APPLE CRUMBLE CHEESECAKE BARS, ROSEMARY PARMIGIANO BREADSTIX, BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS AND BREAD.  Call or email if you'd like me to "save" you something. Can't wait to see you!!

Starting this Sunday you can find me back at the

                 Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3 

held at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton. Go to their FaceBook 

link below where you can get driving directions  & more information

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket

 Hugs from my kitchen,  Bonni

BONNI BAKES 

in the Village of the Arts

932 12th Street West

Bradenton, FL   34205

(941)  746-6647

bonnibakes@gmail.com