December 2014 | Simple, Good and Tasty

One-Stop Shopping: Simple, good, and tasty gifts

Posted in on Wed, 12/17/2014 - 7:52pm by Elizabeth Millard -

Update: Cooks of Crocus Hill is open until 2pm today, Dec. 24th. Stock up!

With less than a week to go before Christmas, and plenty of spots open on our wishlists (okay, many of them for ourselves), we asked for some expert guidance from Julie Jansa, buyer at Cooks of Crocus Hill.

Here are her picks for some outstanding holiday picks:

For the budding mixologists: For those that like to create, check out the Homemade Gin Kit or the Mason Shaker from our pals at W&P Design in Brooklyn, NY. These folks have a passion for creating products on trend with great packaging.

DIY Craft Cocktails: Holiday drinks that pack a punch

Posted in on Tue, 12/09/2014 - 5:52pm by Peter Groynom -

I keep three main goals in mind when making cocktails for a gathering. First, I want them to be simple to prepare, without the need to make several trips to the grocery store, co-op, or liquor store. Most ingredients should already be in my kitchen or home bar. This is particularly true during the holidays, when prep time is limited, or nonexistent due to other food and hosting tasks needed that night.

Second, I want to be able to mingle and socialize during the gathering, instead of being stuck at the bar or in the kitchen, making single drinks to order. Last, and most importantly, I want them to be delicious and something a bit out of the ordinary. After all, holiday drinks are particularly celebratory: we are toasting family and friends and marking the end of one year and the beginning of a new one.

Hello, Holidays: Gingerbread with cinnamon icing

Posted in on Wed, 12/03/2014 - 7:16pm by Laurie Jesch-Kulseth -

Though chocolate is my favorite sweet, around this time of the year I love to bake with those warm, delicious holiday spices. You know the ones I’m talking about: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.

Along with their unique flavors, I love their warm, comforting aroma wafting through the house. It wakes me up from the cold-weather coma that sets in in December and January. Ok, that might be a bit dramatic, but I’m still trying to grapple with the fact that winter is here. This week my daughter and I did our best to fight cold outside by staying in the kitchen to bake gingerbread with cinnamon icing. It was perfect.