It's all about the cats this week & I don't mean jazz musicians

This is Billie Jean, formerly called Bill-the-Cat by me until I discovered she was the young mother of four. They were born under the bakery building and I became aware of them last week when a tiny kitten walked out & into my hand. You might remember that I am allergic to long haired cats, which makes cuddling the shaggy Billie of many colors impossible for me. But she is not a feral cat because at the mere utterance of my single "meow", she comes running & wants to rub up against your leg. She has a cascade of colors, unique markings, green eyes and aches for human companionship. She walks right up to my dog Twinkie, who sniffs her with curiosity (as well as the kittens) and walks away, which makes me think she might have lived in a house with a dog too.

Look at how young & skinny she is. Billie protects her brood from other animals and is a very caring Mom. Tara (from Sweets' Bakeshop) & I have been feeding her so she can care for the kittens, who appear to be about 5 weeks old. Here's what happened tonight when I brought out dishes of dry cat food, water & canned wet cat food. 

I was surprised to see the adventuresome little ones, like Tigger pictured above, walk into & eat both options. In order of size the biggest is Blondie, then Smokey, Tigger and Topaz. But Topaz is the most outgoing.

Here are three of the four siblings. I've given them temporary names so I can tell them apart. At the top of the picture is the striped Tigger next to the charcoal Smokey. Down front is Mom's color clone Topaz. They're all long haired and I don't know what sex they are.

The fourth is Blondie with subtle orange & white stripes. All of them have blue eyes and they're very friendly & adorable. I'm hoping to find homes for all of them. If you or someone you know are ready to open your heart & home to these sweet fur balls, please contact me. If not, we will capture Billie Jean so she can be neutered, then adopted or released, and bring the kittens to our local animal shelter for adoption. Manatee County is working on becoming a no-kill county so I'd love for these guys to find homes without using our over-burdened agencies. Please spread the word. If you'd like to see them & interact in person, just call me at (941) 746-6647.

If you prefer something larger to embrace, come out to the Palma Sola Farmers Market this Sunday and feed a newborn goat. Most of the kids in this picture are only a day old but boy can they suck a bottle down in no time. In addition to playing with the goats you can buy Glenna's fresh goat products including milk, yogurt & a variety of cheeses. If you want local honey products, Dave has you covered because the bee hives are right on the organic farm. Fresh mushrooms from Jack's Myaka barn go great with all of the organic veggies for sale. You can buy an annual share or just show up on Sundays from 11-3 and pick whatever you want.

Where else in town can you buy directly at the farm...then stroll in the fields & see what's growing. Teach your kids where food really comes from, then walk one of the trails at Robinson Preserve across the road or climb the watch-tower to look for the resident eagles. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing something very special...AND IT'S ALL FREE.

My Special Baked Item last week was the German/Jewish decadent cinnamon pecan roll called SCHNECKEN. Everyone who tasted one can't wait to have more. Look at it oozing caramel...stay tuned because it will turn up again soon.

This week I'm in the mood for BIALYS, the unique Jewish roll that many New Yorkers (like me) prefer to bagels. It is lightly crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, with a center indentation filled with roasted onions & poppy seeds. Delish!!

The shelf life is short so either you eat them within 24 hours or they have to be frozen because they dry out quickly. I prefer mine sliced, lightly toasted & schmeared with cream cheese or butter, then topped with nova & onion or just a thick slice of a great tomato. And I know just where you can find fabulous Florida Sweet Onions & Tomatoes!  Limited supply of Bialys available by pre-order only. $3/pkg of 4 for pick-up on Fri or Sun only.

I'm also baking the Classic Jewish Apple Cake that consists of soft cake interspersed with cinnamon/sugar coated fresh apple chunks. Great with coffee or as a not-overly sweet dessert.
$4.50/ 8 oz

This week many of the usual suspects also return including:

BIG COOKIES in a variety of my favorite flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate. $1.50/each

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies $5/pkg

Rosemary Parmigiano Breadstix $4/pkg.

Carrot Muffins w/Cream Cheese Frosting inside $2

Minorcan Multi-Grain Loaf  $4.50

Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee availability for pickup later in the week. Everything is hand made in small batches & limited amounts. Order early to guarantee availability. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER  

call me at (941) 746-6647 or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com

by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5   
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

     I'm at the Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3

 

at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton.

Find driving directions  & more information @

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni

The Clean-up Continues

It's great to be back in my kitchen, doing what I love to do, although things are taking me a bit longer because I'm out of practice. I've been busy organizing the ton of things I stored in my living room that you saw in my last post. It was so overwhelming it scared me too. But look at my progress. Today Twinkie & I have a clean comfy corner to relax in.

The kitchen is totally available and I have all of the counter space I need to turn out the yummy stuff I dream of baking.

Even the downstairs bathroom, storage area for a ton of framed pictures, is now available for other business. Yea!!!

But this afternoon there was a new wrinkle...in the form of a soft meow. For two weeks my dog Twinkie has been arguing with a feral wild looking cat. She chased her across the yard but "Bill the Cat" (who I named because of its resemblance to the Bloom County character) always dove under my former bakery, now Sweets' Bakehouse. It was making Twink crazy, so for the past few days I didn't let her run free in the back yard. This afternoon, as we walked past the area Twink dug up trying to get under the building, I heard a soft "meow". When I answered in kind, a very tiny ball of fur walked out.

I call the kitten Topaz, because of her coloring. Later I discovered a second kitten, dark as charcoal, who I call Smokey. Did I mention that I'm allergic to long-haired cats? But maternal feelings over-rode that and after some advice from "cat people" I hand fed Topaz (Smokey was no where to be found). After a bit her mommy arrived so I left them alone, & Bill The Cat turned out to be quite the mommy. I last saw her gently carrying her little one under the building that is their current home. I put out a dish of tuna & some milk for Mom since she looked pretty hungry too.

This week I'm getting back to the old Jewish bakeries in Brooklyn with my Dad's favorite, ONION PLETZL. A wonderful flatbread fragrant with onions & poppy seed. Great by itself, but wonderful with a schmear. $4/pkg.

I'll have the usual suspects including BIG COOKIES in a variety of my favorite flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate. $1.50/each.

Chocolate Orgasm Cookies need no introduction. $5/pkg.
When it comes to Breadstix there'll be Rosemary Parmigiano, and possibly some of a new flavor requested by a customer...Black Pepper Parmigiano. $4/pkg. Back by popular demand Blueberry Lemon Muffins $2/each, and the Yiddish version of biscotti Almond Mandlebrot. $2/pkg.

I'm going to make something that I haven't done in a long time, Schnecken Cinnamon Buns. All the yumminess but with a Jewish twist. $3/each.

Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee their availability for pickup later this week. Everything is hand made in small batches. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER  

call me at (941) 746-6647 or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com

by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5   
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

             I'm at Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3 

held at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton. Go to their FaceBook 

link below where you can get driving directions  & more information

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni

THE HOUSE IS SOLD...AND I'M A HAPPY CAMPER!!!

It's amazing how much stuff we accumulate. Not willingly. Not knowingly. It just happens over time. I think about the mystery of how dust bunnies appear, apparently comprised of nothing, yet they exist. So it was with all of the "treasures" (as someone suggested I call them) that I exhumed from their quiet hiding places at the house. Nicely dressed & ready to chat, they jumped out of their boxes. I, of course, was not especially ready to welcome them with the embrace they expected. I just wanted to get on with it...and get past it.

Some of the dishes I brought back from Spain over the years

Throne Chairs that have been in my family for over 100 years

Oh no, not this again I thought, as I came face-to-face with yet another relic from my past. Years ago I put "it" in a box and shoved it into the dark hole known as the garage. Now "it" had returned. I assessed each item as dispassionately as possible, reminding myself that the goal was to downsize my life. I threw out, sold, donated, re-packed, embraced and moved things into my TreeHouse temporarily. 

Downstairs at the TreeHouse looks like Hoarder's Heaven

Not that I have a permanent place to keep them, these were just the chosen items that made the first cut. As a former therapist I found myself mentally doing a psycho-social evaluation of my situation, while surrounded by dust & everything I'm allergic to. I even called my filmmaker son to bring his camera down because my reality show, "Accidental Hoarder Trapped in A Flea Market", was ready to film.

In reality I know I'm okay, on track with my plan, and just momentarily tired. I've finally forced myself to do what I've been putting off for years. Dealing with the accumulation of a lifetime. I sold the big house, next I'll sort & dispose of things temporarily stored in the TreeHouse, then over the next two months I'll empty the mobile storage units. Years ago my brother & I were the ones who had to clean out our parents' homes. That's a legacy I don't intend to burden my children with. 

The simple solution: put things in, deliver it to my yard, then go through everything.

I rented two small mobile storage units able to pass through my 8' wide driveway gate. With some help, we filled them both, while the small & fragile things came in my car. I sold big items I didn't need, like my 20 quart Hobart mixer & freezer. I donated my late husband Rea's beautiful desk & chair to the Manatee Players for their new Performing Arts venue. It makes me smile to know they went to a wonderful new home.

An art director's desk should live on in a creative atmosphere

On the last day I spent a few minutes daydreaming at my favorite spot, looking at the water, thinking about the great times we shared there. I was truly ready to let go of the house because the first thing I packed & took with me were all of those wonderful memories.

From big cocktail parties to intimate midnight swims, we both loved this spot

Twinkie spent the last two weeks by my side daily as I worked to empty out the house. When it was all done, so was she.

Now that I'm regaining my strength, and floor space, I'm starting to bake again. I'll resume my normal schedule the week of April 15th. 

This Saturday the Bradenton Farmer's Market is being held in the Village of the Arts on 12th St W, in front of my door from 11-4. I'll have my little blue tent in the driveway with CHOCOLATE ORGASMS, APPLE CRUMBLE CHEESECAKE BARS, ROSEMARY PARMIGIANO BREADSTIX, BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS AND BREAD.  Call or email if you'd like me to "save" you something. Can't wait to see you!!

Starting this Sunday you can find me back at the

                 Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3 

held at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton. Go to their FaceBook 

link below where you can get driving directions  & more information

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket

 Hugs from my kitchen,  Bonni

BONNI BAKES 

in the Village of the Arts

932 12th Street West

Bradenton, FL   34205

(941)  746-6647

bonnibakes@gmail.com

I won't be baking for the next few weeks

In less than three weeks I'm selling the last house that my late husband Rea & I renovated & lived in. Today was my first day devoted to cleaning out the garage, which I've been using as dead storage for years. I set up a few tables for sorting, surrounded myself with empty bins labeled "donate" "sell" and "save" plus a LARGE garbage can. With NPR on the radio & an ice cold drink I was ready to start. It was surprising how pleasurable the process was with my system in place. Emotions fluctuated between joy at discovering things I forgot I still had, and the bigger joy when I threw out irrelevant stuff. Desk drawers were emptied; boxes had their contents exposed & categorized and some familiar old sealed boxes were acknowledged without needing to be opened. 

Many years, and a few houses ago, I packed up several sets of dishes. They're loved & wanted but aren't ready for prime time yet. One of these days I'll lovingly unwrap each piece but I'll probably spend more time reading the old newspapers protecting them. I've always loved the hand-painted Deruta dishes with turquoise roosters that my mother-in-law brought home from Italy, and my daughter will finally get to embrace her great-grandmother's fine white German china with the platinum snowflakes. Then those cardboard boxes can finally be put to rest.

There's a grand variety of items to deal with. Everything from the very practical upright freezer that has given up its load of 

ripe Keitt mangoes, to the antique cigar lighter with references to General William Palmer and a famous hotel in Colorado Springs.

Rea's wonderful cherry desk, finished front & back, with legal file drawers holds so much yet it's only 19" deep & 6' long.

The other large piece is a hand refinished armoire with room on top for a TV & CD player, or clothes hanging from the pole, plus a ton of storage on the bottom three shelves.

I discovered a fabulous 1890's child's rocking horse in the basement of an old Vermont shop. Amazingly its brass arms could support me but I had to strip cracked goat hair off part of the body so my then two year old daughter could ride it comfortably. Personally I think exposing the beautiful hand carved wooden legs add to its charm.

My Dad had a wonderful neighborhood drugstore at Kings Highway & E 5th St in Brooklyn. 

One of his treasures was this 1927 Hamilton Beach Malted Machine, in addition to a slew of old pharmacy things like mortar & pestles, apothecary glassware and packaged drugs going back to the thirties...that's 1930's.

Tomorrow it's back to the garage for me. I'll send you a copy of what I list for sale on Craig's List. If you're interested in anything, or have questions, let me know.

Hugs & sneezes (I'm allergic to dust) from the garage,
Bonni

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

(941) 746-6647

bonnibakes@gmail.com

I'd rather be baking than packing...

This cold weather energizes me, which is a good thing because I'll probably have to spend the rest of the month organizing, cleaning, donating, packing & selling excess "stuff" stored at my house in Whitfield Estates. If all goes well with the house sale, we'll close on March 28th. 

I want to indulge my passion for playing with flour in the kitchen a bit longer this week. The next few weeks will all be about cardboard boxes, sealing tape, garbage bags & lots of decisions. At some point I'll probably have a Garage Sale, which I'm not looking forward to. I'll let you know what furniture, etc is up for sale when I'm ready to list them on Craig's List. My vast collection of kitchen & baking stuff, plus the antique collectibles from my Dad's pharmacy, will be dealt with a little later.

CHEDDAR BOULE FOR 2

I managed to create some new items for the Palma Sola Farmers Market last Sunday, and they all sold out. Unless you were there you never got a chance to try them, so I'm going to make them all available again this week. The Cheddar Boule for 2  [$2.50]  is a small French (crusty outside, soft inside) bread filled/baked with cheese & herbs. That's the Cheddar cheese erupting above. I'm also going to make a Kalamata Olive Rosemary Boule for 2 [$2.50] because it sounds yummy in my imagination. The Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bar  [$3] was mind-blowing and I wouldn't mind enjoying it again (to balance my week of vegan-ish food in India). Didn't take pictures of it because my fingers (that I licked the crumbs off of) were too messy to use the camera. 

PUMPKIN DATE NUT MUFFINS

This week I read the final results of the Mediterranean Diet Study from Spain, a place where I've joyfully spent a reasonable amount of time. More veggies, fruits, olive oil, dark chocolate, nuts, fish, legumes. Okay, I'm on board. Let's start with a Pumpkin Date Nut Muffin  [$2]  which covers a bunch of the bases in a most delicious way. And look for my Veggie Hand Pie [$4.50] a meal in a flaky crust embracing fresh grilled eggplant, tomato, onion, mushrooms, sweet peppers & Provolone cheese. You can freeze them, then just reheat in the microwave or toaster oven.

There are just a handful (7) of my homemade jams left, until after the house sale when I'll have time to produce new ones. The paltry inventory consists of 1 Tangerine Lemon, 2 Strawberry Balsamic & Black Pepper and 4 Mango Strawberry Cardamom. [$4] each. I'll be happy to save some for you, first come first served. 

I'm also baking fresh cookies [$1.50]  Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut*, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut & Lemon Dark Chocolate* cookies...and Chocolate Orgasms*[$5] , of course!!

*contains Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate (heart healthy)

Plus  Rosemary Parmigiano Breadstix [$4] for the crunch in your life.

MEXICAN SUNFLOWER PLANT

It's that time of year when I need to cut back my "Jack & The Beanstalk" Mexican Sunflower plants. To start your own, all you need is a short cutting which you bury in the ground, water a few times and forget it. A month later, after it looks dead, in most cases a healthy new shoot appears & grows to 20 feet (bushing out along the way). Great for screening areas; the flowers last a week in a vase & you then have a perpetual source of new plants. Let me know if you'd like some cuttings. FREE of course!! 

Items must be pre-ordered by 5pm Wed to guarantee their availability for pickup later this week. Everything is hand made in small batches. Most items on my listed menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out before.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER  

call me at (941) 746-6647 or

 email  bonnibakes@gmail.com

by 5 pm WEDNESDAY 

 Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown

PICK UP YOUR ORDER

 at my home in The Village of the Arts  (932 12 St W)

FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5   
or

Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3

             I'm at Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3 

held at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton. Go to their FaceBook 

link below where you can get driving directions  & more information

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,  Bonni

Twinkie, in charge of packing, moving & twig removal

Some thoughts about what to do this Sunday

This Sunday I have a delicious suggestion of what to do with a head of organic celery and a few apples. The weather helped by nudging me in the right direction and I decided to make vegetarian CELERY APPLE BISQUE. It tastes great cold (think Vichyssoise) or hot, as you can sample it Sunday from 11-3 at the Palma Sola Farmers Market tomorrow. The free recipe and advice (from me) will be available, as well as the organic ingredients at very fair prices (better, fresher & cheaper than at Whole Foods).

CHEDDAR BAGUETTE FOR 2

I wasn't sure what I was capable of baking this week because I spent so much of it catching up on sleep & absorbing the 10 1/2 hour time difference & jet lag since India. BUT IT'S OVER, I'M BACK!!!

Stop by the Palma Sola Farmers Market and you'll find a few of my new yummy items. There are wonderful mini-breads that I call CHEDDAR BAGUETTES FOR 2, because you can share one for a meal, or pig-out & make it a total meal for one (as I did tonight). Fabulous toasted, as I like most things. The cheese that oozes out & bakes tastes just like bacon...if you're Kosher.

THE GOOEY CHEDDAR CENTER, OH YEAH

I don't have a photo of this next one because we ate it too quickly. It's an APPLE CRUMBLE CHEESECAKE BAR. If you're looking for a light but decadent dessert, have I got something for you. All of us who taste-tested this today smiled...swooned...then grinned like idiots after licking the crumbs off the plate. It combines so many delicious things without being overwhelming or too sweet. Consider your taste buds embracing a shortbread crust, topped with cheesecake, sauteed cinnamon apples and a streusel topping. You have to experience this. To me it tastes like Apple Crumble Pie with vanilla ice cream...not, but better. Amazing.

LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

You'll also find Chocolate Orgasms, Lemon Blueberry Muffins, juvenile jumping goats who love to be petted, an assortment of  BONNIBAKES cookies (especially those made with Belgium chocolate) and more stuff. Just wanted to say "hi" now that I'm mentally back in FL. Drop by tomorrow I'll share a big hug because with the chillly forecast we'll need all of the warmth we can muster.

              Palma Sola Farmers Market  Sundays 11-3 

held at Geraldson's Community Farm. Go to their FaceBook link 

where you can get driving directions  & more information

facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket 

 Hugs from my kitchen,

Bonni