To give, To Get, To Give Away: Willy Wonka and The Switch Witch on Halloween

To give: "Wonka Bars" and Yummy Earth organic lollipops, small bags of homemade popcorn and meringue ghosts.


To get: All manner of sticky, sugary, dyed treats; the usual chocolate suspects (m&m's, nestle crunch, mounds, etc.) lollipops in many colors, pretzels and surprisingly, no candy corn.

Does Izzy really need to accumulate other candy? That lollipop (the perfect accessory to his Willy Wonka costume) from Papabubble should last him until at least the age of 20!


To give away: Over 3/4 of his loot.

Izzy was quite the competitive trick-or-treater, racing in front of his friends to be the first to grab handfuls of whatever they had on offer, whether he would eat it or not. Odd considering what happened after he brought all of his loot home.

Like last year, he dumped it all out and sorted it into categories. It was then I brought up the "Switch Witch" a most clever way to help diminish overflowing Halloween candy bags and save your kids from sugary meltdowns. I had planted the idea of the "Switch Witch" in his head the other day so the idea was not new to him. In my version, a witch would come and take some of his candy, in exchange for books. He was certainly intrigued. Today I mentioned that she might bring his favorite books and asked how much candy he would be willing to give up. He said, "All of it." I told him that he could keep a small amount and that the Switch Witch would take the rest. He happily bagged it up and even double tied the bag!!! Any takers for the leftovers?

An Haute Ho-Ho: Bouchon Bakery

Could you resist an haute Ho-Ho?? I sure couldn't. When I came face to face with one at Bouchon Bakery I had to have it, never mind my recent resolve to cut down on baked goods and chocolate, the Ho-Ho was calling. I must confess to never having eaten an actual Ho-Ho but having been a Yodel girl, the Ho-Ho seemed like a close enough relative.

I brought it home, along with two types of French macarons and a chocolate-almond croissant. The Ho-Ho was wrapped up in its own elegant box and I immediately set it out to admire. I envisioned sharing it with Izzy but one bite and I was overtaken by gourmandise. In moments, the entire Ho-Ho was gone.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go back and get a few more and share them with Izzy next time.

Just Like A Kid In A Candy Store: A Visit To Papabubble

If you know me you know I am the last one to ply my child with sugary candy. But I do make exceptions and Papabubble definitely warrants one. This Soho candy shop (part of a Spanish chain) provides a glimpse into the world of candy-making, as the candy makers prepare the lollipops directly behind the counter.



It is fascinating for children and adults alike to watch as they mold and shape the warm, sweet sugary substance, handing over tastes along the way. The shop walls are lined with jars full of sugar candies, in a myriad of flavors. Our favorites were mango, pear and raspberry, and there were many others on display.


Izzy and I made a special trip there in search of some accessories for his Halloween costume.



Choosing amongst the different flavors and colors wasn't easy but since one giant lollipop will last him a lifetime, (if he even manages to finish it), I wanted to make sure it was a flavor he liked.



A visit to this shop is a great way to share the art of candy making with your children. However I must advise that although these candies are certainly lovely to behold, their one downside is that they are made with artificial dyes. I ordinarily do not allow Izzy to eat anything with dyes (especially red, as the allergist has advised against it) so he will have to savor this special treat for a long time to come.

To Market To Market To Buy Plenty Of Pig: A Sunday At The New Amsterdam Market

The New Amsterdam Market is a celebration of locally produced, artisanal foods. My plans to visit this market had been foiled on a few occasions but this time I was determined to get there and make sure I had ample time to shop, and shop I did!

We arrived at the South Street Seaport in search of great food and what we found far exceeded my expectations. The stalls offered up generous samples of all kinds. I couldn't think of a better way to spend this breezy autumnal day then sampling cheeses and pig products galore.

Izzy and I, along with our friend Y., made our way methodically past all of the stalls, examining the goodies at each stand along the way. We lingered at The Piggery, where after tasting the Rustic pate, had to bring home a slab to serve for dinner with salad and hearty bread.

Along the way, we nibbled on pork rillettes, smoked duck breast and grass-fed beef chili. We had a taste of sour cream from Hudson Valley Fresh and instantly grabbed a container. Cubes of grassy cheeses, tiny dollops of fresh ricotta were only a smidgen of the other samples calling out.

There was a sweet highlight that will definitely be added to our repertoire, Liddabit Sweets. I couldn't resist their barley tea/honey lollipops, a bit pricey but worth it, along with the sea salt caramels. They have many other tempting treats as well, but decided to save those for next time.

So many notable stops I must go on... The Porchetta stand, where I finally had a taste of the greasy, porky goodness I had heard so much about. Still need to make it to the East Village for the rest of their menu.

Then there was Edward Behr's table, with an eye-catching display of his noteworthy publication, The Art of Eating. He and his wife made it down from far off Vermont to make their presence known. And good thing since hopefully they will attract all of the Gourmet subscribers looking for a new food read.

And on it goes...In the two hours or so we were there, I still left having meant to try or buy something else. The biggest surprise there was The Bent Spoon from Princeton, an artisanal ice cream shop I had only dreamed of visiting. I hope that they were their testing the New York market. Their dark chocolate rosemary flavor is an incredible experience, one I am glad I didn't miss. And on that note...

The next New Amsterdam Market will be held on Sunday, November 22. Don't shop for a week before you go so your fridge is empty! Hope to see you there.

Is There A Cure For This??? My Pantry, Exposed...

My pantry doth overflow. Cans, bottles, jars and all manner of other foodstuffs spill from its shelves. I organize it and then just days later, it falls back into an awful state of disarray. Of late, I have simply given up and each time I open the door I am met with a tumble and crash, as something lands upon my feet.

But help may be on the way, in the form of The Kitchen Cure. I have signed up for an opportunity to clean and organize my kitchen, along with 2300 others. We receive weekly assignments with instructions for cleaning each section of the kitchen. The first week I focused on the pantry and the freezer (fridge was okay).

I removed everything from the pantry and my kitchen table looked like this:



I tried to weed out items that I don't use or don't need but they were few and far between. One of the main issues with my pantry is that I use it for things other than food. I store cleaning products and Izzy's art supplies which both take up far too much space. I decided to remove the art supplies and keep the cleaning supplies until they find a new home.

After several hours of work, I returned what I could to the pantry and now it looks like this:



It may be somewhat improved but it still needs work. I am counting on the folks from The Kitchen Cure to help me out. Next up, decluttering cabinets and paring down appliances.

Toilet Paper Madness: A Birthday To Remember

Sure there were other activities, food and cake too, but the toilet paper was the highlight of this 7th birthday party. Izzy couldn't stop talking about it after we had gone home.

As a spectator I'd have to say that Izzy and his friends were most delighted when the toilet paper swirled and whirled around them

After the silliness came to an end, dinner was served. Pizza for the kids, Indian food for the grown-ups (and Izzy, who had his heart set on it before we even got to the party). I guess he knows we can have pizza any old time but homemade Indian food is a special treat. And it was!

And then there was cake...

Banana- Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake: The Definitive Recipe

This heavenly cake is apparently old news on the internet but for me is brand-new yet slightly familiar. The recipe is remarkably similar to my favorite Chocolate-Banana Cake; However in this version, the smooth banana flavor is highlighted with a light sprinkling of chocolate chips rather than vice versa.

I adapted Dorie Greenspan's recipe, by way of The Food Librarian.


Classic Banana Bundt Cake
Page 190, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Ingredients: Makes 1 Bundt Cake (24 small servings, perfect for school snack!)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (you should have 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mini-chocolate chips
confectioner's sugar for dusting

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9- to 10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan. (If you use a silicone Bundt pan there’s no need to butter it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet - you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

3. Mash bananas with one cup sour cream.

4. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the 1/3 of the banana mixture. Alternate with dry ingredients, then wet, until both incorporated into batter. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to debubble the batter and smooth the top.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes (depending upon oven, you may need an additional 10 minutes) or until a thin chopstick, inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after about 30 minutes - if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

This cake is good cooled and will also keep well for a few days.

You can wrap individual slices in plastic and freeze. Perfect to take along as a snack!