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The Cake Slice Bakers are a group of bakers from around the world. We vote on a recipe and then bake the sweet from the same cookbook every month. Our current book is Carole Walter's Great Cakes. This month's sweet assignment? Lemon Velvet Squares!
A buzz of excitement was in my chest. (A sensation akin to watching U.S. Olympic ice dancing champions, Davis and Waters glide to gold.) The blades of my mixer were... Read More |
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Strawberries sparkle on vines throughout Japan. Elegant patisseries showcase the red jewels atop cakes and ice cream sundaes. Strawberries are also consistently combined with chocolate. As a child in Tokyo, I always tried to make my chocolate strawberry lollipop last as long as possible.
Apollo: One of many popular strawberry chocolates in Japan.
When Laura of The Spiced Life invited me to her Creative Cookie Exchange... Read More |
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Kissing deep chocolate is a splash of kirsch in my Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses. Just because Valentine’s Day has passed doesn’t mean chocolates and kisses are no longer relevant.
Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses
The recipe is adapted from popular blogger Monica Holland's Lick the Bowl Good cookbook. As this Ninja Baker was gifted with permission to print the recipe for Chocolate Cherry... Read More |
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Two courageous grape-growing dreamers, Ernest and Julio Gallo, followed the call of their hearts. With a five thousand dollar loan from a family member, the Gallo brothers ventured into the winery business. More than 80 years later, Gallo Family Vineyard wines are sold nationwide and overseas.
This year, the Gallo family celebrates another milestone – the 50th birthday of the first iconic red blend,... Read More |
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An arsenal of made-for-two recipes and how-to treat your sweet on Valentine’s Day will be unleashed tonight on Twitter by the #SundaySupper group. (For more details on how to participate, please scroll down.) Susan of Girl in the Little Red Kitchen - who always has clever culinary tricks up her sleeve – will host.
For the Valentine’s #SundaySupper, I’ve prepared 3 Japanese-style treats: Mandarin Orange... Read More |
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With the arrival of Super Bowl season, a spell seems to take hold of my husband. Like many American football fans, the TV mesmerizes him. He shouts, waves his hands and dances in front of the television. With all this expended energy, my husband needs nourishment. But man - especially a gluten sensitive one - cannot live by bread and football alone. So, I prepared a Super Bowl bento (Japanese lunch box.)
Super Bowl Bento:... Read More |
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With the start of the New Year, I'm adding a new feature entitled the Ninja Baker's Japan. I'll be bringing you photos, videos and poetry from my Japan journal. Hope you enjoy!
The knell of the bells at the Gion temple
Echoes the impermanence of all things.
The colour of the flowers on its double-trunked tree
Reveals the truth that to flourish is to fall.
He... Read More |
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Snooping can pay off. I spied a container labeled Fairy Cookies in my cousin-in-law’s kitchen. Turns out the jar held homemade cookie mix that cousin Nancy learned how to make in the third grade! Lucky for me, Nancy had just baked a batch of the fairy cookies.
Valentine Fairy Cookies
Nibbling Nancy’s freshly baked cookies whirled me back to memories of my grandmother Nona’s baking. There is something magical... Read More |
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“Pokkin, pokkin.” Ah, the symphonic sounds of a bite of Japanese Pocky. (A chocolate covered biscuit stick.) In America, M & Ms are Mom’s prayer to avoiding messy hands. In Japan, Pocky allows mommies to hand over snacks without worry. A small portion of the Pocky stick - the handle - is free of any chocolate coating. In the past several years, new Pocky cream coatings have surfaced.
Pocky!
The strawberry... Read More |
