HAPPY NEW YEAR in Florida...and where are my mittens?

Hope the holidays were everything you wanted. Now for a fresh start in a new year filled with optimism and hope. And jackets, sweaters, boots & hats here in sunny Bradenton. Twinkie celebrated at Carol's house, but was waiting at the window to greet me when I got back from Mexico. Thanks Carol!!

What a wonderful adventure I had in Tulum, Mexico. Now I know where all the hipsters & fashionistas in NYC go when the temps dip. At Cancun, Budget Car Rental insisted they had no cars for us, despite two pre-paid car rental agreements. It's a scam...do not rent through them!

We ended up spending hours there until my hero & daughter Abby successfully got us wheels. The house they rented was a piece of art...no right angles, local materials used throughout from twisted trees as handrails to wood & stones embedded in concrete floors, sinks and bathtub. Three floors of quirky space.

The house owner has a local beach bar/restaurant where we stopped for drinks & dinner. Who needs floors when you can enjoy the sand between your toes. Ate my first fish taco.

Tulum boasts a number of very good restaurants, some of which have sister spots in NYC. Lots of local fish & shrimp (heads intact) are served grilled. There was an amazing fillet cooked in sea water that was exceptional. I have the recipe & when I've adapted it to home cooking, I'll share it with you.

Choose your shrimp & fish, priced according to weight.

We toured Mayan ruins; floated down a narrow waterway propelled solely by the current; walked through jungle and went to Hidden Worlds, a zipline & cenote (underground cave with stalagmites, stalactites & crystal clear water) jungle park, which was amazing & a real physical workout. 

The trip starts with a 20 minute ride into the jungle on this truck

Zipline into cenote & splash-down

Zipline bike travels by pedal power

Zipline roller coaster, dangling above the jungle

If I had seen the second dip in the "zipline roller coaster" I definitely wouldn't have tried it, but by then it was too late. I really enjoyed repelling 50' into a dry bed cenote dangling from a rope. Of course, that first step was a doozie.

Most important was that at the end of that day, all six of us were still smiling & walked out under our own power! 

We spent days exploring, on the beach, shopping locally & eating out. Nights were for trying new cocktails & restaurants, and a farewell tattoo on our last night. Okay, they're temporary & support my local NPR station, but they made us a force to be reckoned with.

Back to reality...and to dust off the oven in my kitchen. Here's what I'm baking this week:

My New York City Knish  $3.50
When the weather gets cold you can always warm your hands around a hot knish. This is the classic NYC knish with a thin crust that is  baked, not fried. Choice of three fillings: Potato, Spinach or Kasha.

Blueberry Lemon Muffin   $2
The sunniest muffin on the planet. How can you beat the loving combination of a lemony muffin interspersed with big plump fresh blueberries. Gotta have one, or two.

Potato Onion Rye Bread   $2.50/pkg

The potato adds moisture, the sauteed onions give it depth of flavor and the Swedish coarse rye flour, that I brought back from Sweden, gives it fabulous texture. Did I mention how good it is toasted?

Big Cookie   $1.50

Individually wrapped & available in the following flavors:

Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Orange Belgium Dark Chocolate Walnut, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, Snickerdoodle, Pecan Coconut Belgium Milk Chocolate

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies   $5/pkg

My legendary chocolate delivery system made from melted Belgium Bittersweet
chocolate, toasted fresh almonds & chocolate chips. Sold in packages because you must have more than one.

Rosemary Parmigiano Breadstix   $4/pkg

Just the thing when you want something alongside that cocktail, soup or salad. Made with imported Reggiano Parmigiano cheese and fresh rosemary from my organic garden. They stay crunchy down to their nibs.

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Sticks  $4/pkg

Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, because they're baked in cast iron. The great flavor fusion of jalapeno, roasted red pepper, Cheddar cheese and roasted fresh corn kernels. Reheat and dip in melted butter or enjoy alongside soup, chili and salad.

Homemade Jams & Chutneys   $4/ jar

Cranberry Pear, Mango Strawberry Cardamom, Mango Chutney, Peach Melba, Berry Basket, Blueberry Lemon, Ginger Pear Chutney.

 Everything always hand-made in small batches with the best ingredients & locally sourced when possible. No artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or fake stuff EVER!!

ORDER BY 5pm WED.  PICK-UP

FRIDAY or SATURDAY 12-4 in Village of the Arts

at BONNI BAKES Gallery 

930 12 St W (just south of MLK)  

OR

SUNDAY 11-3 at Palma Sola Farmers Market

  at Geraldson's Community Farm, directions at

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket

All items in limited supply...first come, first served

TO PLACE AN ORDER 

call me at (941) 746-6647 

  or email  bonnibakes@gmail.com  

   PAY BY CASH OR LOCAL CHECK TO BONNI BROWN  

 Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni