Enough of the Heat, Already!!!

This summer has been such a scorcher! I want to shout out a big THANK YOU for everyone who has braved the heat and humidity to come to the markets. Even Granville was steamy this past weekend-whew!
Come see us this week-I'm rejuvenated (needed a little attitude adjustment for the hot and weary) and will have garden fresh Zucchini Walnut Bread and Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread; and fresh Apple, Blueberry, Cherry and Peach pies; Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle and Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies.
I posted the recipe for the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread on the Westerville Farmers' Market blog recipe section last year. Its quite easy and so delicious-Enjoy!

Oh to be Sweet 16 Again..........

Those of you who know me know I am a PIE baker and a COOKIE baker and several other kinds of baker. BUT one thing I don't normally bake is CAKE.......that is until today :)
Here is a cake I made for my friend Tammy's daughter, Terra and her friend Bryce who were having a big Sweet 16 Celebration tonight. Their theme is Candyland so here is a girlie cake complete with Spree candies, suckers, Mike n Ike candies, fondant cut outs, candles spelling their names, spaghetti neon candles and a purple feather to top it off. The cake is vanilla with the base being pink, the middle purple and the topper chartreuse. Buttercream tops it all off.
For all the true cake bakers out there please forgive my imperfections and know that I had fun making it and I hope Terra and Bryce and their friends had fun celebrating their 16th!

Sue's Kitchen was all Red, White & Blue!!

Sue's Kitchen was all Patriotic for the 4th! We had Stars-n-Stripes Apple Pie, Star Spangled Cherry Pie, All American Chocolate Chip Cookie Stacks, Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies, and everything was decorated for Independence Day. Happy Birthday USA!!!!!

To All You Dads.........

This Sunday we pay tribute to our Dad and honor him for all he means to us. Remember to send a card, make a phone call, and spend time with your Dad. Tell him you love him and how much he means to you.

If you need a stack of Chocolate Chip cookies, your Dad's favorite fresh baked pie (I'll have all flavors of fruit pies) come to the Granville Farmers' Market Saturday. I'm sure we can fix you up with a delicious tribute for Dad :)

Are you a Hard Core Berry Picker?

The other morning I was out bright and early taking a walk and I scoped out some beautiful black raspberries growing along the road. I about ran home to get my pail to come back and pick them.

For those of you who have never picked berries or who typically visit berry patches to pick, let me educate you on the fine art of "hard core" berry picking. It involves bug spray, long sleeves, long pants and long socks. it doesn't matter if it is 90 degrees outside-that's why you pick in the morning. Don't be afraid of grandaddy long leg spiders, bees, mosquitoes, small varmints or the possibility of seeing or stepping on snakes. If you can't stand to be scratched by thorns and hate to sweat-you may as well forget it now.

Lastly, your hands will be berry purple for awhile so you should hold off on getting that French manicure.

Oh yeah..one more thing. If you get poison ivy you are out of luck. Better get your berries already picked.

I was able to get 2 quarts of beautiful black raspberries that morning and am looking forward to picking more. There will be Black Raspberry pies at the Granville Farmers' market this week-fresh from my roadside adventure. See you there!

Back to the real world :)

I hope everyone's having a great week. I'm now back in Pataskala and working today (what a reality check). Sure hope the weather improves for the markets this week...according to Jym Ganahl it will be better....I'm holding you to that Jym!

For Westerville's Market I'm bringing Pastry Lemonade Dessert Bread; Pies (mini and regular): Strawberry Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Blackberry, Peach, Cherry; Cookies: Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal Raisin and Oatmeal Walnut Crispie.

For Granville's Market I'll have breakfast fare: Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls, Blueberry Coffeecake and Cranberry Scones w/Lemon Glaze; Cookies: same as above plus my famous Biker Bars; and Pies: same as above.

I look forward to seeing you all there and remember-you can e-mail or call ahead to place an order.

Relaxing in Brooklyn

Sunday we decided to relax so we visited Brooklyn Label for brunch (veggie burgers with mixed greens salad-YUM) then strolled the neighborhood near Sara's (Greenpoint area) where we came upon this new cute little bakery called "Cookie Road". I peeked inside and saw a a variety of macaroons and beautifully decorated sugar cookies. I'll have to taste test next time :)

We then went to my favorite grocery, The Garden, for my flavored coffee purchases and purchased items for dinner (fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato and asparagus mini pizzas and fresh fruit cheesecake pie).

Sara also designed a "Sue's Kitchen NYC Brochure" so her friends can order fresh homemade goodies. I hope they order lots of goodies because I have so much fun packaging them and shipping them off. My very first "NYC paying customer" was Steph who said she ate all the cookies herself...oh my!

I also baked some Chocolate Chip cookies to donate for a fundraiser being held to raise money for playground equipment in Guatemala. Sara's good friend, Courtney, has a brother in the Peacecorps and the proceeds help their cause. Its being held tonight and they have donations of artwork, hotels rooms, goodie bags from AE, and more. Sara drew this picture of Courtney's brother with some of the kids so the fundraiser's poster. I hope they have a successful night!

Chocolate Chip Cookies packaged on vintage china

Top 10 NYC Bakeries

On Saturday I drug Sara all over SoHo and the West Village checking out bakeries, some of which were on the NYC's top 10 Bakery list. Pictured are Crumbs Cupcake shop, Grandaisy and Balthazar Bakery. We tasted a delicious Lemon Ginger cookie from Grandaisy. Yummy! While walking we came on a great street festival with live music, lots of delicious food and spirits, artwork and flea market items. We also took in Time Square to see the new American Eagle flagship store-very cool. If I haven't mentioned it before, my daughter Sara designs for American Eagle.

We enjoyed lunch @Cafe del Mar and was too full for dinner but managed to have some drinks with freshly homemade quacamole and chips.

My Weekend in NYC

Views of Chelsea Market 5/14/2010

When I'm lucky I get to come visit my daughter, Sara, in NYC, which just so happens to be this weekend!! We always check out some of the top bakeries so I can borrow (steal) ideas. Yesterday she had to work so I started out @Union Square Farmers' Market. It was a gorgeous day and there was everything to choose from. I was in need of coffee and a pastry so I purchased a HUGE blueberry scone (only $1.50) then found some Apricot Almond Biscotti ($2.50 for 6). I headed over to Starbucks to enjoy my finds but I was quickly disappointed :( The scone was dry and tasteless and the biscotti was SOFT-whoever heard of a soft biscotti?? In the trash they went and I took off for Chelsea Market. In the meantime I saw a famous person! I have no idea what his name is but I know he's been in comedies.

Chelsea Market is where the Food Network is taped (upstairs) and where wonderful specialty shops are located. Its a must-see for a foodie like me. I visited Ruthy's, Amy's Breads, Eleni's Cupcakes, SaraBeth's Kitchen, Fat Witch Brownie shop, the BoweryKitchen (where chefs go to buy anything and everything), and had lunch at Friedman's Lunch. I don't know if the fried green tomato w/blue cheese on whole wheat was worth $10 but it was good. I kept an eye open for Bobby Flay but he didn't show :(

After visiting my Sara and her pals at work we took off to Wild Wood BBQ for some ribs and all the trough of sides. The sweet hickory BBQ aroma pulls you in the restaurant and is hypnotic!! After dinner we got Pomegranate and Mango yogurt @ Pinkberry (YUM!) with blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and dark chocolate crisps-what a way to end the day!! We had a ball with Crystal and Helen-both foodies likes us! I miss you both!

In the evening we chillaxed and relived Betty White's "Muffin" skit from last week's SNL-what a riot. More fun tomorrow........

Cookies, Pies and Dessert Breads...Oh My!

Who doesn't like Blueberries? Well- I have a great dessert bread for you: Lemon Pecan Blueberry! My kitchen will be filled with such sweet smells when I bake these. I can't wait to wrap them up for the market this week.

I'll cut my rhubarb again this week but my connection called Saturday & I'll be getting 20-30 pounds later this week. Oh baby, oh baby......bring on the strawberry rhubarb pies :)

I haven't been to NYC since last fall but I'm going this weekend to visit my daughter, Sara. of course we will be taking in some more bakeries; taste testing, getting ideas, etc. How fun is that? I'd really like to visit the Cake Boss' bakery in Hobokan-we'll see if we make it there.
Also need to revisit Chelsea Market and Balthazar Bakery. I can't wait!!! More on that next week.

Everyone enjoyed the cupcakes this past weekend...it doesn't hurt that buttercream icing topped them off along with mini sugar daisies.

Come visit us this Wednesday in Westerville. It is supposed to be a beautiful day. Last week you could get fresh asparagus, rhubarb, herbs, lettuce, radishes, jams, cookies, meats, eggs, beautiful flowers, heirloom tomato plants, and my PIES. What a wonderful start to 2010!

Rhubarb, Rhubarb...May is Rhubarb month!!!!

Wow! That's alotta rhubarb! This picture is from last year but I just cut my rhubarb and I believe I have about this much. Guess I'll be making lots of "Springtime Strawberry Rhubarb" and "Just Rhubarb" pies! There's also a great Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble I might make. Do I need to say that May will be my official Rhubarb month?

Call me or come to the markets to get your fill of Rhubarb for 2010!!

Baking for Mom, Friends & Family

I'm sorry I haven't blogged lately....I guess I was busy wrapping up the winter markets, preparing for the whirlwind summer markets, helping my friend Dana get her bakery ready (yeah-we ripped up 70+year old linoleum and painted 10' high walls), and baking for parties.

We celebrated 15 years at work and I was asked to make the desserts. I have to say the mini cupcakes, red raspberry brownies, sugar cookies and other cookies were a huge hit. Then, we had a family birthday celebration this past weekend and again, the mini cupcakes were enjoyed by all. I think they will be a huge hit at my niece's first communion luncheon coming up.

For all of you looking for something SPECIAL for your Mom on Mother's Day, why don't you give her an individual 5"pie (of her choosing) in a gift box with doilie and ribbon. All for $10.

I'll take orders until Thursday, May 6.