It's hot in the kitchen!

Wow! We remember now what it's like to work in a hot kitchen but we had some really cool ideas today at work! Chef Ernie, pictured here, is making a cold ginger pea and mango salad. It has a tangy mango juice dressing and lots of sesame seeds, snappy green peas and juicy mango pieces. Right out of the fridge, this salad promises to cool you off. If you look closely, you can see how fast he is working!

Did you know that all of the great things that we make in the Deli and Bakery are also available for catering? We often make trays full of sandwiches and wraps as well as salads, box lunches and baked goodies for large numbers of people and special events. This beautiful wrap tray is getting ready to be delivered to some lucky and hungry people.

The kids will be happy! Whoopie Pies are back. Todays flavor was chocolate with a whipped cream filling and colorful sprinkles. These are as much fun to make as they are to eat because everyone in the kitchen yells "Whoopies!" everytime I make them. Enjoy everyone! Also ready for the bakery case today are fresh lemon bars, raspberry chocolate oat squares, vegan pb&j oat squares, 7 layer bars and vegan buckeye bliss. The current vegan muffin flavor made today is peach and flax and I have just filled the case with a fresh batch of vegan everything cookies. If you have never tried them, please put it on your "to do" list. I use Earth Balance Margarine and am amazed at the buttery flavor they have.

I noticed lots of Florida sweet corn in the produce department for the weekend and started thinking about the sweet corn and blueberry salad that we made a few times last year. Chef Ernie and Lafayette lit up when i mentioned it today, it must finally be getting close to summer! This and the watermelon cucumber salad were made today. Warm weather has us inspired! Chef Eric, who is new to our kitchen agreed that the ingredients pictured here are perfect together. I am also happy to report that the chilled strawberry soup is also back for everyone to enjoy.

Fresh from the bakery today are the vegan rosewater and pistachio cupcakes. This flavor as well as vegan pb&j cupcakes fill the case. We love to experiment with creative flavors and keep the bakery case full of surprises. If you have ever had bakery items flavored with rose water you know how refreshing these cupcakes taste, they have a lemon flavor and scent! Brittney in the bakery/deli brings these to us today.

Recently I began adding honey to some of the flavors of bread pudding that I make. Orange blossom honey is the best and most flavorful. Clover honey is also good and the floral flavor and smell really come through even after baked. The most current bread pudding flavor in the case is Honey Orange, perfect for breakfast and once heated up goes well with tea. This one has thick granulated sugar on top. All of my bread pudding flavors sell so fast, customers can call to see what we happen to have and I am always looking for input if you have a flavor that you would like to see.

This coming weekend bread pudding will be featured at the annual Taste of Lakewood. I will be sharing two flavors for this event. One will have to be our most popular flavor- caramel apple. It's pair is yet to be determined.

brand new!

Why Hello! You look familiar! Have I seen you at Nature's Bin?

I'm Traci. I work there as the full time Head Baker. Behind the scenes, myself as well as many others make the deli selections, fill the catering and stock the cases with all of the great things that you buy. The job is so creative, I have the freedom to bake things that I think customers would like and people are always asking "What did you make today?" This blog will give you the chance to find out!