Pumpkin...Pumpkin...Pumpkin

    

It’s that time of the year…Pumpkin time. With the leaves turning colors and dropping to the ground, pumpkins are making their appearance inside and out. Halloween will be here in a matter of weeks and so will pumpkin bakery treats.

Coming to the Deli…treat your-self with a scrumptious Pumpkin Loaf Cake with raisins, nuts, and delicious spicy frosting, Pumpkin cupcakes with pumpkin mousse filling, and a buttered brown sugar icing, frosted soft pumpkin drop cookies, and pumpkin scones, drizzled with a spicy vanilla icing.

Along with the pumpkin flavored treats there will be other types of scones, cookies and bar cookies to tickle your palate!

LMS on Wagner Road

Same name with a new twist, LMS on Wagner Road. The greenhouse is located on its original site, and has re-opened under new ownership and new management, Jane Getsey. Getsey, the new owner is not a stranger to the greenhouse. She was employed there for a number of years, as an employee and manager. She has also worked at a number of other garden centers as well.

Getsey’s knowledge and expertise in gardening and in greenhouse work has led to a number of changes at LMS. The biggest one is that the greenhouse will specialize in native perennials to the Pennsylvania area.

Stop in at LMS and shop for annuals, perennials, herbs, succulents, house plants, bushes, and trees. The main store has a number of interesting gardening ideas, pots, garden statues, fairy garden needs, and a number of gardening necessities. With Christmas slowly creeping up, the greenhouse will carry Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands. One can have a wreath made to order or come in and decorate one’s own wreath.

Make LMS your garden destination. The greenhouse is located at 3312 Wagner Road in Allison Park. The hours of operation are Tuesdays – Saturdays 9 am to 6pm. The greenhouse is closed on Sundays and Mondays.  Check out LMS's website for more information and directions.

While browsing around, add your email to LMS mailings for the latest news. Stop in to shop, look around, or just say “Hi” to its new owner, Jane!

Halfmoon Cookies

You can call them Halfmoon Cookies or Black and White Cookies…they are still a cookie. The large cookie with half chocolate icing and half vanilla icing gives the cookie its name. The basic cookie itself can be chocolate or vanilla.

The cookie itself has the consistency of cake. The cookie is large, soft, and chewy. Eating the chocolate frosting or vanilla frosting is one's personal choice. My total belief is to take your first bite from the center and get both the chocolate icing and vanilla icing in one bite!

The Halfmoon Cookies originated in Utica, New York. This happens to be my hometown and I am proud of that fact!!! The cookie had its origins in 1920, thanks to Harry Hemstrought. Today the bakery is still in Utica.

The Halfmoons are definitely a big mainstay in the New York region. The cookies also have made its way out of the area thanks to chefs and bakers who have introduced them to other areas and states.

Every time that I would go back to my hometown, Utica, I would have to go and grab a few Halfmoon Cookies to eat or take back to my kids. I’ll be honest…sometimes the  cookies never made their way home…(:

I was given the recipe from my cousin and after all these years, I finally tried my hand at making them. Hopefully, I did a good job.

If you are interested in a Halfmoon Cookie, one can drive up to Utica and buy the cookie. Or one can access the Hemstrought’s web site and order cookies to be shipped. But my thought is that it would be a whole lot easier to drive to Erin’s Deli and buy one!

Rosie's Workshop

This past Sunday, I ran up to the Ross Park Mall with my granddaughter, Bayleigh. While we were walking through the mall, both of us were caught, pleasantly, off guard by one of the shops window's displays. There were old cameras with elongated bulbs attached to them. There were other interesting displays that were fashioned into eclectic lamps. There was no doubt in my mind that I had to go into this store called, Rosie’s Workshop.

We walked around the store, admiring all the different displays. There were old fashioned film projectors that reminded me of the one my dad owned. The projectors and the storage film tins, also reminded me of the Prime series, Man in the High Castle.

Inside, I saw some Brownie cameras and remembered when I was in grade school. Some of the other cameras reminded me of my old Yashica camera that I used in college for my photography classes. The store was a sweet nostalgic trip down memory lane for me.

There was also a wall dedicated to Rosie the Riveter, along with a brief history of her. Rosie the Riveter was a cultural icon representing the women, who worked in the factories and shipyards in world War II. For me, Rosie was the 'I can do it' woman and prototype for all women. On a table in front of the display were Rosie buttons and the customers were encouraged to take one. I thought this was a great PR idea, and I took two. I also knew that I would come back into the store whenever I went up to the mall, and I would tell others about it.  

My granddaughter and I ended up talking to the two sales people, who were pleasant and informative. We talked about the cameras, film tins and of course the series, the Man in the High Castle that has popularized the film projector and cameras again.

I wrote my name on a list because the store offers workshops as how to make over your camera of projector, or just about anything into a lamp.

I suggest that if you are up at the Ross Park Mall, head to the upper level, look at the window displays and head into Rosie’s Workshop. The store is cool and the ideas are great. It is like walking into a mini museum filled with history.

LeBron is the Real Deal!

Group shot...my daughter, Becca, is on the left. She did this amazing event for Dick's. Thanks, Becca!

Thanks to my daughter, Becca, I got to meet LeBron James!

LeBron is an amazing basketball player and I thanked him for bringing a championship to Cleveland! He is not just a great basketball player but a man who is committed to his home town of Akron. He is a man who hasn’t forgotten where he has come from nor the hometown or the people who supported him as he grew up. I also met his mother. I had to go up to her and tell her that she did a wonderful job in raising LeBron. She simply thanked me for it and appreciated my words.

As a mother, I know how I used to feel when people complimented me on my children and tell me what a great job I did in raising them. I also know that when I always would hear something negative from the nuns who taught them. It was easier to find fault with how one raises their kids. The nuns and teachers and some parents would always manage to let you know what they thought. When the compliments would come…I held on to them.

I was always a Cleveland fan because I was raised in Cleveland and attended schools there. I loved the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavaliers. I was a fan of the CAVS way before a player named LeBron James showed up on the team. But when he did, he was worth watching. He was and is the real deal. He made watching the CAVS fun. With the ball in his hands, he made records and new records. He helped the CAVS to playoff games but the team always came up short.

I’ll be honest; I was upset when he left Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat. He would help them to a few NBA Championships. Then one day, he announced that he would return to Cleveland. He came back and promised the fans that he would win them an NBA championship. He kept his promise and brought back a championship win in 2016. The town was elated and overcome and that included me. I watched that championship game and when it was over, I believed. Then I promptly watched the game that I had recorded over and over and basked in the win.

LeBron kept his promise. He also kept his promise to his hometown of Akron. No matter where he lives or how far away he has gone, he always returns to his home. He always uplifts the people of Akron. He is a hero and is looked up to by the children of the town.

I got to meet him and he is a nice man. He is the kind of person who cares about others and he doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder or any type of attitude. I heard him talk to the school children and he is a man who is committed to the youth. He cares about them and in his manner and speech it is noted.

Meeting him was on my Bucket List and it was the high point of my life. I have two things to say…

Thank you, LeBron!

Thank you, Becca…I owe you big time!!!

Berry-Sage Thumbprints

Yesterday, along with my regular baking, I baked two extra sweet treats for a women’s event for 45.

I made Dried Cherry Scones with chocolate chips and white chips. After mixing the dough, I made a rectangular log and made cuts in it straight across. Then I cut three mini scones from each of the cuts. I ended up with 54 mini scones.

I placed the scones on a cookie sheet and sprinkled each with sanding sugar. I placed the sheet trays in the Walk In refrigerator to get firm. I pulled them out and baked them. When the scones cooled down, I made vanilla icing, thinned it out, and I drizzled each scone with it. I’ll be honest, I was starving and grabbed one of the scones and sampled it. They were so good that I decided next week I would make full sized ones for the Erin's Deli.

I checked that job off and went to my next one. I needed to make 6 dozen Berry-Sage Thumbprint Cookies.  I tripled the recipe, mixed everything, and used the small ice cream scooper. I place a dozen of the dough balls on each cookie sheet. My next step was to use my knuckle to make an indent and then I put the blackberry preserves in a pastry bag, and filled each indent.

I placed the sheets in the Walk In and when I was ready, I baked them for 10 minutes and let them cool on the racks.

Unfortunately, one of the cookies had the preserves running over the indent.

Fortunately for me, I had to sample it. Yep, it was awesome from the tasty blackberry preserves, to the crunchiness of the cornmeal, and the freshness of the savory sage.

This recipe is easy to make and it is a keeper. The blackberry preserves, cornmeal and fresh savory are the secrets in the recipe!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

My daughter’s downtown Deli has been open for almost five years. When Cinco de Mayo occurs she has an idea as how to celebrate both the day and her five year mark. Last year, I found two good recipes to use; Double Feature Cupcakes with Mexican Chocolate Frosting, and the other was Aaron Sanchez Mexican Brownies. The Mexican Brownies were a big hit and usually are available all year long at the Deli.

This year, I looked for another recipe for something special for Cinco de Mayo and found a delicious cookie recipe…Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies. I tried it out at home and made a double recipe of these cookies. Wow…they were delicious. I asked my friend, who is a cookie connoisseur to sample one of the cookies. She tasted it and said that it was the best cookie that she had ever tasted. Coming from her, I knew it was good. My daughter, the chef also tried it and decided that it was delicious and is going to use the recipe.

The recipe itself uses bittersweet chocolate, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, black pepper, chili powder, sugar, butter egg, vanilla extract, and honey. The secret to the cookies softness is adding a few chocolate chips to the center of the dough and rolling it into a ball, placing it on the cookie sheet, and baking.

The cookies need to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the appearance of the cookies change and the surface appears crackled. Remove from the oven and cool.

Powder sugar can be sprinkled on the top after the cookies cool. For the sample cookies, I used a gold sanding sugar. Instead, when I make the cookies for the Deli, I am going to use sanding sugar and sprinkling it on the cookies before I bake them.

These cookies are soft and chewy and the chocolate chips in the center of the cookie make it taste even better.

If you are around Erin’s Deli on Cinco de Mayo, stop in for a free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie…it’s on the house!

Chinese Five-Spice

I was bored and started to watch a cooking show on Prime. The show was how to make different cupcakes. Since I am baking for my daughter’s Deli, I thought this video would be helpful. It was and I picked up some more tips about making cupcakes and more.

The baker started out by showing how to make basic vanilla cupcakes and then the vanilla icing. Since I already knew most of that, I didn’t get any new tips. Then she showed how to make chocolate cupcakes. That was where I learned something new. Her secret was to add ½ tsp of cinnamon and ½ tsp of Chinese Five-Spice. I never used this in my cupcakes. If one doesn’t have the Chinese Five-Spice blend, chili pepper can be substituted. 

I should have let go of the Chinese Spice. But no, I was intrigued and wanted to use it. God knows that I already had the chili pepper. I decided to google the spice and found out where it was sold. I didn’t want to drive to Cranberry to the Walmart. I noticed that Giant Eagle had it. It would have been so much easier to get into my car and check it out but I didn’t. I googled Giant Eagle and keyed in Chinese Five-Spice and came up empty handed.

The next step, I just went to amazon and found it. I ordered a bottle and received it two days later. But before that, I found myself in Giant Eagle looked over the spice rack and lo and behold, I found a small bottle of Chinese Five-Spice and bought it.

The next day, I received my amazon order. I opened it up and found an 18 oz. bottle of the spice. I figured that I would bring it into the catering kitchen and give it to my daughter.

My daughter looked at it and said that it was one of her least favorite spices to use.

Now…I have an oversized jar and a smaller jar of the Chinese Five-Spice blend. All I needed at the most was ½ tsp. of Chinese Five-Spice. At the rate that I will use the spice, I will be dead and the spice will be outdated and thrown away.

Maybe I should learn a lesson in patience and restraint. Yeah, that would have helped.

Life of the Party

                                                                                           

There is a movie on cable called Life of the Party starring Melissa McCarthy. I saw the movie on television at least four times. I’ve watched it alone and then I have watched it with my daughter and with one of my granddaughters. I know that I have downloaded it on my DVR. Today while I was in Target, I saw it on the shelf and promptly picked it up, purchased it, and bought it.

To me, this movie spoke volumes. It’s so funny, despite at times being unbelievable.  The opening scene where the husband and wife dropped off their daughter at college really resonant with me. I had nine children and each time that one would go off to college, a small part of me died when I had to say goodbye. The part that really resonated was when the couple drove off and the husband stopped the car, looked at his wife and announces that he wants a divorce. The confused look and then the disbelief and then the hurt on the woman’s face are gut wrenching to say the least.  I felt the same way the main character did and still remember it. That scene hit close to my life because my ex left me after our youngest child went to college.

The wife could have bottomed out, taken drugs or alcohol, but instead after a few days, she enrolls in college; the same college where her daughter is attending. That was pretty ironical because I did the same thing; I enrolled in a master’s program in one of the area colleges. None of my children attended that college.

Unlike a few things that were similar, the main character and I had a number of differences. She probably was in her early 40s while I was in my mid-50s.  She had that school spirit and was eager to attend college even to the point of living on campus, and buying ever school spirit shirt, hat, sweatshirt and more.

I didn’t live on campus. I was a commuter. I was nervous but I wanted a degree in writing. I also hadn’t set foot on campus for over 35 years. Things had really changed; even to how young the students, the instructors, and my own advisor. I realized that I could easily have been their mother. It didn’t help that my advisor was cute…that just made me tongue tied and uncomfortable. My writing was good but my advisor was a poet and he liked the works of the younger writers. It seemed vulgar language and sex was high on his preferential list. My life in comparison was dull; it was filled with kids, grandkids, animals, and self-doubt.

The main character in the movie seemed to fit into the college scene well. She even went to a frat party, where her daughter upgraded her mother’s looks. The Mom looked great and younger and eventually she would end up with one of the frat guys and do the so called ‘walk of shame’ out of the fraternity house. That scene was uncontrollably hilarious and now I know why depends are the in thing.

There is also a scene in the movie, where the main character ate her fill of chocolate bark, only to be informed it was medical marijuana. I sampled a chocolate candy and like the main character my eyes felt like those comic book googly eyes. The world felt different and waves of uncontrollable laughter assaulted me. Going up was great, coming down was not so much fun. By the way – when I sampled this edible treat I was in a state where it was legal.

Yes, she graduated with her daughter. Her future seemed pretty good and positive. I graduated as well and am plying my trade as a writer. Sometimes I come out on the winning end, despite writing and researching places to send my stories, and being rejected.

So, every so often when I need a good laugh or I need to pick myself up…I put on Life of the Party and laugh my way up.

The Dead and Cherry Garcia

Going to my doctor for a check-up is just part of life. It is hard to see your former doctor retire. I enjoyed the old camaraderie with her. She retired and now I have a new one and that doctor happens to be so young…that he can actually be my son. No more explanation is needed.

In the past, I usually had some rapport with my physician. I could joke and she would joke in return. Joking and laughter was pretty much how I handle most things in life. It helps. But my latest doctor is so serious or he would rather deal with younger patients. Every time I go and have a check-up, I leave with a feeling of being so old; older than dirt. I am in good health. My weight is normal, I exercise, I work a few times a week, I drive my grandchild a few days a week back and forth to school, and hang out with my grandchildren.

But some of the questions that I am asked by the nurse or doctor makes me roll my eyes and not want to respond. When I do…I act feel a complete idiot. Well, how do you answer your physician when he says, “So, if you were to drop to the ground, here…what would you want me to do?” I thought he was talking about my living will, or did I drop because I had done more than a day fast for the blood test this day, or did he want me to do a set of push-ups?

I was confused and said something like, “Well, I have a living will.”

Which he responded, “No, this is different. What if something happened and you dropped to the office floor?”

I assumed my heart gave out or I passed out and said in a dry voice, “Nudge me with your toe and give it the old college try and see if you can revive me.” But in my mind I was thinking, “What the hell!”

By the time I leave the doctor’s office, I am grateful that I am in good health. I hate going to see my doctor but I have to have my blood checked every six months. So, the next time when I am asked some of these questions, hopefully, I can respond with something much better. Or maybe I can say, “What if you drop to the floor, what you would like me to do, Doc?”

I’m not quite sure how doctors are being trained but I hope when my time comes…I will just drop over and no one will be around to ask me, “What do you want me to do?” But maybe my response should be, “Just play a Grateful Dead song and eat a container of Cherry Garcia in my honor.”

Pets are Much More...

I usually go through FB. Today, I saw a picture of my niece’s dog, Sadie. Sadie became her dog after her father died. Her dad was my brother. I know how Julie must feel. Pets are special and more.

The night my brother died, I stayed at his house and slept in his bed with Sadie. Sadie knew something was wrong. She slept with me and gave me a lot of comfort that night. I needed it. Oddly, I slept well that night.

There were another times that an animal gave me comfort. The first time was when I took a kitten from our greenhouse because they were going to take her to the Human Society. The kitten was black and white and fluffy. I drove home with the kitten sitting on my lap, meowing at the highest decibel possible. At first, I named the kitten Fluffy but later changed it to Scraps, when it kept grabbing food out of my hand. Scraps comforted me when my marriage ended. She was my constant companion until she passed away.

The next day after Scraps died…I went into the greenhouse to work. I was sad and as I entered the greenhouse, I saw the greenhouse cat, Tonka sleeping in her bed. I went over and Tonka woke up and meowed. I petted her for a long time and looked at him, and then I went to plant in another greenhouse. Tonka followed me that day and slept on my work bench, close by. Every time I looked over and talked to him, he meowed, as if to say, "Everything is going to be okay." When the day was over, I petted Tonka and said, “You know. Thank you.”

Animals become substitutes. We have a special bond with them. They are like lightning rods. They seem to know when we are happy, down, or totally sad.

I am truly sorry for my niece’s loss of Sadie. Sadie was a pleasant reminder of her Dad; a close connection.  If I have any advice to give…give it time and then get another pet. They need a home; a loving home and they give back a hundredfold.

Food Truck

Mary's Sweets and More...

Sometimes I wish that I was younger. If that wish came true, and I woke up younger tomorrow, I would do something different with my life.  If I woke up in a different time, I would buy myself a Food Truck and sell baked goods from it.

I’m not a professional baker. I have been helping my daughter out in her catering kitchen for a few years. First as her cleaner. After a time, I helped her prepare her foods, maybe cut up the fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. As I got a little better, I was allowed to make the fruit trays, cheese and meat trays, and the vegetable trays. This played well into my creative vein and I have to admit I did a great presentation of whatever foods I displayed. There were also times that I made her salads, lasagnas, meat loaves. I would do this her way and follow her recipes and instructions

The last couple of years, I stepped up and have been baking for her catering events and for her downtown Deli. To be honest, I have to say that I enjoy working alone in her kitchen. Being alone helps me to concentrate on what I am doing. I enjoy baking the regular cookies and scones. I also like to try out new recipes for cookies, scones, cupcakes, and cake loaves. It helps to get feedback from her customers and find out if they enjoy the ‘sweets’. Occasionally, I get requests for certain different baked goods or for ones that I have never made. Usually, I find a recipe and try them out.

After working for someone else, I get why people want to be their own boss and why they launch their own businesses.

When I see a Food Truck go by, I envision me driving it and my name printed on the side – Mary’s Sweets and More.  Then I sigh and realize maybe just wishing might be enough. Maybe?

Spin This!

A few days ago, I went to a Spinning Class at the Cycle Bar with my two daughters. Since I would have gone to my own gym, this class would substitute for my regular exercise. Neither my one daughter nor I had ever taken a Spin Class, so it was new to both of us. My youngest daughter takes a Spinning Class a few times a week and loves it. She is really good at it.

We paid, got our shoes, and our locker. One of the managers moved our seats to what should have been the correct height and then locked our shoes in place in the pedals. I sat on the tiniest seat imaginable. The seat seemed as tiny as a head of a pin. Just kidding but eventually it would feel like I was riding on the head of a pin! I wondered why our feet were locked in. My one daughter said you’ll see.

I tried to get comfortable and kept shifting my butt around but to be honest…nothing felt comfortable. I decided to start pedaling, despite that the class hadn’t begun. I am not a novice to the bike. I used to have one as a kid. Not anymore. Every time I'm at my gym, I ride the exercise bike for 6-8 miles. But it is the shorter bike and I can regulate my speed and time. The shorter bike is perfect for my knees.

By the time the class started and we were off…I had already logged 10 minutes and 2.5 miles. My daughter told me before the class started to stop. I should have listened. We were riding and moving a knob for the tension. I was terrified of moving my hand off of the handles. There was no way that I wanted to fall over. I actually was able to use a towel to wipe my face and I even managed to open my water bottle, except I did spill some water on the floor.

When it came time to stand up and pedal…that was when I knew that I hated this class. I kept smiling and the only reason I stood up was because my butt was in pain. I needed some of my blood to circulate down there. I also needed to relieve my tushy. I stood up to adjust myself and then slid back down into my seat. It still wasn’t comfortable!

Forget using an exercise weight. I just kept focusing on the time and how many miles I had ridden. I kept staring at the screen above the Spinning Instructor's head that kept showing our positions in the class and of course I was dead last. By the time the bloody class was over, which was 45 minutes…I had been riding for over 55 minutes. I logged 12 miles and came in dead last.

The only saving grace was that I didn’t have a heart attack or pass out. I smiled and expressed how much fun this class was and how I wanted to return. I felt euphoric and even better when I saw all the cool messages that the staff wrote on my locker. I thought about returning the next Sunday and taking this class. I even pointed out all the cool clothes that I liked that were on display.

Who knew that it would take days for my right knee to feel normal and not be stiff?  But it was my butt and bottom that paid the price. The hell with the next class and with the nice people in the class and with the great messages that appeared on my locker! I was finished with Spinning Classes. I happily turned over my next class to my daughter who came in #13.

All I can say is God Bless you Becca…you and the rest of the class are crazy!!!!

Back to Baking

A new year is underway. I haven’t even bothered with New Year’s resolutions. Why bother. I won’t follow them. But I do make a ‘to do list' or a 'bucket list.' I just list things that I want to do throughout the New Year. Writing is on top of my list along with the gym, working at the kitchen and trying not to be crabby.

I’m working at the kitchen, just making the usual cookies, scones, cheese souffles, pepperoni breads, and cinnamon rolls.  It seems that for the next few weeks, everyone seems to be on a diet of some kind; trying to shed all those unwanted pounds.

I’ll just keep replenishing our baked goods and hold off trying out new recipes like introducing a new cookie or scone or cake loaves. I figure, give it a few weeks and then the customers start to buy and ask for some different baked goods. Then I will return to my baking mode and try out a few ideas and recipes because, let’s face it, by February, everyone is back to eating and sampling all those delicious sweets at Erin’s Deli.