Monday, October 27, 2014

It's a little early to start gift wrapping


but here's my TreeHouse, all snug in its holiday wrap fooling the termites into thinking they should pack up and visit family in another state. It apparently worked, because there was no sign of them when it was unwrapped a few days later. Bon Voyage. This reminds me of a story my brother, the piano rebuilder, shared with me recently.

Once, around 1975, I had to see a piano someone wanted to donate to AMDA. It was in a lower Manhattan walk-up that had been condemned and the tenants were already gone. I don't remember the piano--other than that it was not worth moving--but I do recall the sign scrawled on the wall outside the apartment by the last occupant (and I quote):

                  TO THE RATS, FAREWELL!

Looking forward it's almost time for Halloween. Sadly it's become way too commercialized for me. I miss the good old days when we invented scary things on our own. It was fun watching the brave faces of 12 year old boys turn to panic as they reached into a cauldron of squishy gooey "eye balls" to find the right one to fit the corpse. One Halloween my husband Rea returned from a business trip at 8pm. That year I was wearing green face paint, bedraggled wig, blacked out teeth & a threadbare long dress, looking very snarly as his cab pulled into the driveway. I hobbled over and in my most crackly voice expressed how joyous I was to see him. The concerned cab driver warned him not to get out. "But that's my wife", he said smiling...followed by green greasepaint smeared over both our faces. Happy Halloween Rea.

I'm also celebrating the return of my freezer. I have a French door refrigerator and over a year ago one of the tracks of the lower freezer section jammed. I could open it partially to make ice and store some things on the top shelf, but not to extend the large basket. I assumed the track had to be replaced, which sounded expensive so I managed using my small chest freezer. 


This week I removed everything from the freezer, item by item, for the recent tenting. Seeing it all empty prompted me to call an appliance repair person. Luckily, I reached Brian from AllPro Appliance Repair on 9th St W. Not only did he come over within an hour, but he had that drawer "slip sliding away" in no time. He is competent, reasonable and a neighborhood business. We also recognized each other immediately, since he and his family had been frequent guests at BONNI BAKES bakery/cafe over the years. It feels good to support local business. You can reach Brian at (941) 744-9262 or www.aparepairbradenton.com  Now I'm ready to bake!


THIS WEEK'S MENU     PICK-UP  FRI  OCT 31

MORNING GLORY MUFFIN    $2
Enjoy a glorious healthy beginning to your day with whole wheat, carrot, apple, pineapple, coconut, raisins, spices, toasted walnuts and sunflower seeds. 


CINNAMON APPLE TWIST    $4
A buttery Danish loaf filled with yummy Honey Crisp apples, Sri Lanka cinnamon and raisins plumped in Jamaican Appleton Estate dark rum. Generous enough to share, but you don't have to.


THE BIG COOKIE    $1.50
Individually wrapped & available in Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, Orange Walnut Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, 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 & very little flour. Sold in packages of four because you must have more than one.


ROSEMARY PARMIGIANO BREADSTIX    $4/pkg
Just in time for the holiday season, let the crunching begin with a bag of crisp hand rolled sticks bursting with the flavors of garden fresh rosemary and lots of parmigiano.


WHOLE WHEAT RAISIN WALNUT    $5/loaf 
One of my favorite breads. To recreate Chock Full 'O Nuts' classic cheese sandwich, just fill with cream cheese. Not a sweet loaf so its wheaty flavor, fruit & nuts compliment many things.


JAM & CHUTNEY  $4/jar        FRUIT BUTTER  $5/jar
Check out my new flavors this season, as well as those classics. Choose from: 
Mango ChutneyGinger Pear Chutney, Blueberry Lime Jam, Simply Strawberry Jam, Pineapple Daiquiri Jam,  Blueberry Pineapple Fusion Jam, Carrot Cake Jam, Mango Margarita Jam and a couple of jars of Spiced Pear Butter.


No artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or fake stuff EVER!!

ORDER BY 5pm WEDNESDAY

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


PICK UP FRIDAY 1-5 pm at BONNI's TreeHouse

in the Village of the Arts

   932 12th Street West 
(down the driveway thru the white wrought iron gate) 


TO PLACE AN ORDER 

email  bonnibakes@gmail.com  
  
or call me at (941) 746-6647 

   PAY BY CASH OR LOCAL CHECK TO BONNI BROWN  

 Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni

Monday, October 20, 2014

CLOSED FOR A WEEK




I’m living the Florida lifestyle this week by having my house tented for bugs. I’ll be away for a few days but will post a blog next Monday with a yummy menu of goodies available for pick-up on October 31st HALLOWEEN. See you then.

Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni & Twinkie

BONNI BAKES
in the Village of the Arts
932 12th Street West
Bradenton, FL  34205

(941) 746-6647

bonnibakes@gmail.com

Monday, October 13, 2014

October, my month of projects

This is the beginning of a hectic few weeks for me. Today the painting of my former bakery building began. I still like the colors that I originally chose, but this time around they'll be a bit brighter. Now that the body of the building has been painted, I can't wait to see how the new chartreuse lime trim punches it up. 

My hand painted 6' fiberglass gecko has hung on the building since GeckoFest 2003. When it was removed, we discovered the hollow underside had been turned into a wasp subdivision, and I don't mean White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Ouch, be careful when you disturb things outside!

Next week my TreeHouse will be tented, so Twink & I will be off staying with friends. Due to the time required to prep before & return to normal after, I won't be able to bake next week.

Despite our current insanely high temperatures I'm thinking positively that Summer must be over by now. Let's celebrate Fall with apples, pumpkins and something to dip in a steaming mug. 

THIS WEEK'S MENU      PICK-UP  FRIDAY  OCT 17th

MANDLEBROT  $2.5o/pkg of 2
The Jewish version of biscotti is a little softer and explodes with the flavor of almond, in addition to loads of toasted almonds throughout. Dip it in espresso, or a glass of tea like my relatives.


JEWISH APPLE CAKE     $3/piece
One of my earliest memories is this classic dessert. It's a soft cake, not overly sweet, punctuated with chunks of sweet cinnamon coated fresh apples. Perfect way to end a meal, or as a snack.


OUTRAGEOUS BROWNIE     $2.50
If you like an intensely moist chocolate brownie with toasted pecans, look no further. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or use to bribe your kids to clean their rooms. Better yet, enjoy it yourself!


PUMPKIN DATE NUT MUFFIN    $2
The taste of Fall is pumpkin. Enjoy this moist muffin that is highlighted with warm spices, chewy dates, plump raisins & toasted walnuts. It's just missing a schmear of cream cheese.


THE BIG COOKIE  $1.50
Individually wrapped & available in the following flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, Orange Walnut Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, 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 & very little flour. Sold in packages of four because you must have more than one.


BRAIDED CHALLAH    $4.50/loaf 
Available  just in time for Friday night dinner. This is the classic Jewish bread that is used to celebrate the Sabbath all over the world. Made with eggs, a second cousin to brioche. Makes the best French toast.


JAM & CHUTNEY  $4/jar        FRUIT BUTTER  $5/jar
Check out my new flavors this season, as well as those classics. Choose from: 
Mango ChutneyGinger Pear Chutney, Blueberry Lime Jam, Simply Strawberry Jam, Pineapple Daiquiri Jam,  Blueberry Pineapple Fusion Jam, Carrot Cake Jam, Mango Margarita Jam and a couple of jars of Spiced Pear Butter.


No artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or fake stuff EVER!!

ORDER BY 5pm WEDNESDAY 

PICK UP FRIDAY 1-4 pm in the Village of the Arts

at BONNI's TreeHouse 932 12 St W 
(down the driveway thru the white wrought iron gate) 


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

TO PLACE AN ORDER 

email  bonnibakes@gmail.com  
  
or call me at (941) 746-6647 

   PAY BY CASH OR LOCAL CHECK TO BONNI BROWN  

 Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni

Monday, October 6, 2014

Welcome to the 2014-15 season of BONNI BAKES BROOKLYN



   
NY Onion Rolls
Over the past 17 years I've re-created  hundreds of unique foods from my  Brooklyn childhood and shared  them with others. Especially the  baked goods! Each Monday I  publish a NEW MENU of what I'm  making that week, complete with  descriptions, photos and prices. You  can order by 5pm Wednesday via  email or phone. My email & phone  number are listed at the end of each  blog post. Everything is handmade in limited quantities, so it's first come, first served.


Mandlebrot
Pick up your order on Friday from 1-4pm at my home in the Village of the Arts. All items made with natural ingredients, locally sourced if possible, in small batches under Florida's Cottage Food Law.


Mohn (Poppy seed) Bars



To receive each week's post automatically, enter your email address in the "follow by email" box on this side ===> of the home page, or email bonnibakes@gmail.com & ask to be added to the mailing list.





 THIS WEEK'S MENU     PICK-UP  FRIDAY  OCT 10th
CRANBERRY ORANGE MUFFIN    $2
An all-time favorite from BONNI BAKES BAKERY/CAFE because it deftly blends the sweet/tartness of fresh juicy cranberries with our own wonderful Florida oranges.


THE BIG COOKIE  $1.50
Individually wrapped & available in the following flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, Orange Walnut Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, Pecan Coconut Belgium Milk Chocolate.


BUTTERNUT VEGGIE GALETTE (vegetarian)  $4.5o/each
Filled with a blend of roasted Butternut Squash + Onion + Spinach, wrapped in tender pastry, then topped with cheese & baked. Make it a personal meal. Can be frozen & reheated.


CHOCOLATE ORGASM COOKIES  $5/pkg
My legendary chocolate delivery system made from melted Belgium Bittersweet chocolate, toasted fresh almonds, chocolate chips & very little flour. Sold in packages of four because you must have more than one.


MINORCAN MULTI-GRAIN LOAF  (vegan)   $4.50  
Crisp crust with a tender crumb and flecked with sunflower, sesame, poppy and flax seeds. Slice it for a sandwich or toast to amplify the flavors of the grains & seeds.


SEEDED FLATBREAD CRISPS  (vegan)   $4/pkg

When you want something very light, crisp and full of flavor, try a bag of these. Each one is rolled out by hand, seeded and cut into unique shards. Perfect with soup, salad, dips or in a bread basket.

JAM & CHUTNEY  $4/jar        FRUIT BUTTER  $5/jar
Check out my new flavors this season, as well as those classics. Choose from: Mango ChutneyGinger Pear Chutney, Blueberry Lime Jam, Simply Strawberry Jam, Pineapple Daiquiri Jam,  Blueberry Pineapple Fusion Jam, Carrot Cake Jam, Mango Margarita Jam,  and a couple of jars of Spiced Pear Butter.



No artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or fake stuff EVER!!

ORDER BY 5pm WEDNESDAY 

PICK UP FRIDAY 1-4 pm in the Village of the Arts

at BONNI's TreeHouse 932 12 St W 
(down the driveway thru the white wrought iron gate) 


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

TO PLACE AN ORDER 

email  bonnibakes@gmail.com  
  
or call me at (941) 746-6647 

   PAY BY CASH OR LOCAL CHECK TO BONNI BROWN  

 Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni