Hello friends!
I swear I’ve worn tracks in the space between my kitchen counter, the oven, and the kitchen sink this week. There’s been a lot of baking- afridge full of pies, racks full of these gingerbread marshmallows, and a lot of flour I need to sweep from the kitchen floor. I’ve also managed to watch just about every episode of Next Food Network Star which turn out to be excellent motivation during all day + all night baking sessions.
How are you? Are you well? Are you holding on for dear life? Same, me too. I hope this weekend has been festive and restful. I hope also that you’ve eaten as many Ritz Crackers smeared with cream cheese as I have because I’m THRIVING.
The internet, this week:
• This is deeply poignant and honest: Mimi O’Donnell Reflects on the Loss of Philip Seymour Hoffman and the Devastation of Addiction
• Mario Batali and the Appetites of Men. Helen’s writing about hunger and lust is thoughtful. Also, see Batali’s apology (and a great cinnamon roll recipe) here. Nah, dude. Nah.
• Sweet Lo’s Ice Cream made it on the list of The 20 Best Things Our Dining Critic Ate This Year in Seattle Magazine! If you don’t know, Sweet Lo is my sister, she is literally the best human on the planet, and she makes (again, literally) the best ice cream I’ve ever had.
• Even though a large majority of American supported net neutrality the regulation was repealed by the FCC this week: Here’s an explanation.
• Hopeful images from 2017. As long as we have children and animals, I swear we’re going to be ok.
• Can smiling while exercising improve performance? Mmm hmm.
• What being a bike courier taught me about our broken economy, and hungover teens and very good dogs.
• We’ve got some reading to do: 15 Great Books By Women We Read This Year. I’m going to read Abandon Me next.
• I made Deb’s Brownies this week. Spot on! Also, I’ve got a recipe from Deb’s latest cookbook comin’ up next week so if you’re headed to the store pick up a bunch of butter and pecans. (We’re making her Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie!)
• Also coming out of my kitchen this week were these Gingerbread Spiced Marshmallows topped with tiny chocolate-dipped gingerbread men! Cute AF because if not now, then when?
• Madewell and Milkbar collaborated to make a cookie shirt that I love.
• We’ve got great workshops coming to The Bakehouse for the next few months! We’re doing a Drake on Cake decorating and styling workshop and a pasta making class, too! Just sayin’, come on down!
• Always feeling a little wanderlusty and daydreaming a trip next year: Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel: Our List of the 500 Best Places to See… Ranked.
Do good today.
xo Joy
Chocolate baker
Yes I feel like you. I spent a week making cookie dough. No food in my frig.now 12 hour days baking.but when you give a plate of cookies to someone the smile it is all worth the work. I make plates to give to seniors that have no one. Happy holiday.
Ruthanne
So fun to know you and Sweet Lo are sisters. My daughter and I share an ice cream club subscription. Lemon bar is so good and I am also loving the buttermilk ice cream. I must say I am smitten with your blog, currently enjoying the Cincinnati Chili for the 2nd time later this week.
Thank you for everything Joy the Baker!
Monica
I have a list that feels like a mile long that I’m baking because we’re having the in-laws for christmas. I’m baking a lot of things ahead of time and heating them up for meals, but I totally forgot I wanted to make marshmallows! Thanks for reminding me! :)
joythebaker
:) Add it to the list!
Anna
Ooh I’m in Seattle and one of the stores carrying your sister’s ice cream is right down the street! I’ll have to pick some up soon. What’s your favorite flavor?
joythebaker
Get anything peanut butter. The Lemon Bar is insane. The Rocky Road is a personal favorite. Really you can’t go wrong!
Kati
I’ve never really commented on blog posts before, but I wanted to say THANK YOU. I wake up, make my coffee and read Let It Be Sunday as a Sunday morning ritual every week. I hope you have a wonderful holiday! Peace!
Rachel
So, so adorable! Hope you are well, and Seasons Greetings from London! x
Taste of France
The bike courier piece is excellent.
The gig economy is going to destroy us. It is destroying us.
Sarah Mercury
The stories about Mario Batali make me so uncomfortable. Thinking about being talked to by a man like that, makes me feel so uncomfortable I almost couldn’t read the rest. He’s a power abuser and the only reason that him or any of these men are “sorry” is because they got caught, not because they acted this way. I shudder to think about how their mother’s feel knowing their sons have zero respect for women and are disgusting…
Abbi
Ugh! I had the same thoughts. Also– the author kept being like “looking back…those comments were problematic” — uhhhh YOU THINK?! THEY WERE PROBLEMATIC BACK THEN, TOO!! Made my skin crawl.
Rena
Oh, I have to admit in the opposite to you I didn’t do any Christmas baking :) Kudos to you!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Chelsea
Mario Batali’s “apology” was like the biggest eye roll ever. You seem real sorry. Sure dude.