End-of-year giving + sublime black pepper-crème fraîche buttercream-topped brownie cake

Always game for a dense, terrific chocolate dessert, I brought this recipe over from a Donna Hay issue, to bake with my friend Jill a few weeks ago. After making a few tweaks it was out of this world, and prompted many hands raised online for "recipe please!"

Scroll down for the recipe.....


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Each year I like to share a variety of inspired goods to live more beautifully, holistically, and functionally. This year's gift guide is more an outline for giving well into the New Year.

Over and over again in 2017 my heart has burst or broken.
The women's march.
The travel ban protests.
Drilling in the Arctic.
The go-ahead for Pebble Mine in Alaska.
Charlottesville.
Needless lives lost from an increasingly militarized police.
The #metoo outpouring.
Reducing and auctioning off of our Public Lands.
Innumerable wildfires, floods, droughts, and earthquakes.
Alabama winning for all Americans.

We can all do more to fight for good, for war-torn or climate refugees, for Nature and all her beloved creatures. Instead of turning away and feeling overwhelmed, I am connecting to Nature and humanity more, and in ways where I feel a real contribution. I've assembled a few organizations or causes I support here - ranging from responsibly caught wild salmon, to animal rescue in the most recent wave of California wildfires - as well as a few creature essentials - since eating well is a must while fighting the good fight.

1. The Minos Moka pot is my go-to for a daily brew. This solid stainless stovetop pot produces a lush, intensely flavorful coffee in just a few minutes, and I absolutely love it. I've arranged a promotional rate of 15% off any of the items in their catalogue if you want one for yourself. Use this code, good for one month: XMASMOKA.

2. Sea Legacy, founded by National Geographic photographers Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen. This pair travels the far corners of the world (and in a new campaign called "turning the tide," are inviting us to come with them) to document what is happening in our climate breakdown, and educate at-large on why exactly we need to protect ocean ecosystems. Giving options include beautiful printed art, as well as giving directly.

3. Food52, a community resource for all things delicious, as well as timeless, stylish, functional goods. I have a running list of objects to incorporate into my projects and love that they support American artisans.

4. Susie's Senior Dogs, an advocacy group for older dogs which I discovered through Instagram. Post-after-post of older dogs just waiting for humans to love unconditionally have provided me much laughter, some tears, and definitely a place in my heart for these incredible pooches. This sweet boy is Tupac and has stolen my heart with that gaze... One day I am going to adopt a senior dog and give them all the comfort and love they can handle.

5. Everyday Refugees is another group I discovered via Instagram. Through poignant, heart-wrenching images a squalid purgatory is revealed, where innocent children play and their families wait out days in hopes for a better life. See for yourself and give what you can to mitigate their time spent in these conditions.

6. Sonic Sea is an incredibly beautiful film which draws focus to the vast noise pollution in our seas. Which might hit you like "huh...." except for the fact that all large marine mammals such as right, humpback, and other whales, orcas, porpoises, and more, all use the sound carried by their songs to communicate the enormous distances they travel. When they cannot hear one another, they go silent, then become distraught, then they stop breeding and eventually, go extinct. Yes it is very dismaying, but there are many solutions to this problem! Gather a few friends and watch the film together. I promise it will be cathartic.

7. Humane Society of Ventura County is a shelter which has rescued and received countless animals through the most recent outbreak of wildfires. They are caring for a large number of horses, goats, and other livestock, as well as dogs, cats and birds. If you are in the region and can volunteer, amazing! If you are not nearby but would like to help, they have a Thomas Fire animal rescue fund to which you can donate, here.

8. Plastic Free Foodie 'Zine is a collection of colorful & delicious recipes contributed from over 60 Instagram food stars - there is a delicious chicory, spiced nut, and persimmon salad by yours truly - and produced by my colleague Christine Wong. After watching another cathartic film, A Plastic Ocean, she was moved to get people thinking more about single-use plastics so pervasive in our everyday lives. Where does all that stuff go, anyway?? The film is another stunning, beautifully produced insight to what's-going-on-in-the-world. All proceeds from this e-magazine fund the campaign to raise awareness, with the hope that we will shift our buying choices. Opt for reusables and natural materials in lieu of plastic, rigorously recycle, and make less waste in general.

9. The Pollinator Project is a simple way to help bees thrive: plant non-GMO seed packets wherever you can, enjoy the beautiful wildflower blooms, extend the range of butterflies and honeybees, who are an intrinsic presence in maintaining the diversity of our food.

10. Driftersfish for wild Alaskan salmon, a husband-wife duo who care about responsibly caught fish, so that we can rely on these incredible animals for our sustenance for decades to come. I visited them in Cordova this year and was struck by so many nuances: the use of different fishing nets based on the character - and color - of the water throughout the season; the recognition of indigenous fishing rights region-to-region; differing species of salmon throughout the season, and even witnessing the salmon for myself as they met their final path. (photos coming soon....!) You can order fresh or smoked fish at their store, and once you've feasted on their collection, discover which is your favorite.

11. Jessie Lazar makes thoughtful, functional ceramics, perfect for your every day. She is a native New Yorker - lucky for me, because that meant I could make a studio trip to drool over her collection in person! She is part of a large community of ceramic artists I cannot live without. Their beautiful works literally frame the food I produce and further the "handmade" quality I so prize on-set. Holding one of her bowls or mugs feels great, and makes the daily activity of eating special. One of her mugs is part of a special giveaway I am currently hosting on Instagram. Check it out!

Would love to hear your thoughts on any or all. Thanks for reading and finding your way to contribute!

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Black pepper-crème fraîche buttercream-topped brownie cake - adapted from Donna Hay
serves 10-15

for the cake
1 c AP flour, sifted
225g unsalted butter, chopped
400g 60-70% dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 pasture-raised eggs
1/2 c organic cane sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt

for the frosting
250g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c crème fraîche, room temperature
3/4 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
3 tbsp smoked whisky - I used a home-infused Lapsang souchong spirit, which turns out quite similar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a springform pan with parchment, fasten the collar, and butter all sides.

Place butter and chocolate into a double boiler placed over low heat and melt, undisturbed. Stir together to incorporate and set aside to cool slightly.

Place eggs, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously for a few minutes, or until frothy. In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: flour, pepper, and salt.

Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Pour into lined springform pan and bake for 40 minutes or until just a couple crumbs cling to a skewer when inserted into the center. It should look fudgy. Allow to cool completely in the tin, set on a wire rack.

Place the butter, crème fraîche, confectioner's sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat for 5 minutes or until fluffy and pale. If the frosting curdles, run a hairdryer around the periphery of the bowl as you beat to raise the overall temperature and reincorporate until silky. Add the black pepper and whisky/infused spirit and beat to combine. Taste and add more pepper or crème fraîche as needed. (the pepper serves as an accent, not an overall flavor) Use an offset spatula to spread over the cooled cake and cut into wedges to serve.

Jill and I fed it to our husbands, who groaned with delight between forkfuls. It was brought to a dinner party, where everyone enthusiastically nodded with approval. I fed the remaining slices to my parents visiting from out of town, to similar delight. If you make this cake, I want to hear about it!

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One more thing - my book Kid Chef is a national best-seller! If you're contemplating what to get a foodie friend or kid, it makes a great gift. Any home cook who hasn't attended culinary school will learn something from the thorough explanations and break-down of processes throughout. Each recipe is truly good eating - no gimmicks or dumbed-down food, something for everyone's ability and taste. Links to purchase your copy in the sidebar at the top ^^^, as well as here, through Powell's independent books.

Happiest of holidays to you all!!

Eating Well holiday cover, New York Times Thanksgiving, bright seasonal fare

Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us!

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of seeing my work debut for the 2017 New York Times Thanksgiving issue. To have been asked - trusted, even! - with the entire NYT Thanksgiving spread is true affirmation. For that I am over the moon with gratitude.

I single-handedly (with a minor meltdown here or there) cooked, styled, and photographed 9 feast recipes. And then photographed all of them, together. NBD. And then got my act together (aka cleaned my house) to throw a dinner party, since I had enough food to feed a small army.

Here is the full story. Below are some of my favorites with their respective links, should you want to make them!

fennel and apple salad with walnuts and parmesan

classic mashed potatoes

red wine cranberry sauce

smoky braised kale with tomato

sweet potato & Gruyère gratin

roast turkey with orange and sage

classic pan gravy

chorizo dressing with leeks

apple gingersnap crumble

In other Thanksgiving projects, I have been commissioned for seasonal recipe development with La Tourangelle Artisan Oils, and this month's feature is a turkey of my own design.

It might be my favorite preparation ever. The avocado oil imparts an incredible, softly buttery-nutty quality, and that - paired with the dry brine for extra-crispy skin and the spatchcock method (which ensures even cooking) - makes for perfection. Try it for yourself and see: recipe here.

Another exciting project out now is this beautiful cover, styled+photographed for the holiday issue of Eating Well Magazine. I absolutely love the creative kernel the team presented, and producing it was as much fun as it looks. ;)

Working through so many varied projects, I use the imagination of the above towards my fridge-full of leftovers on repeat... To ultimately create simple and brightly flavorful daily eating. Of course. It is lots of fun to make a special-occasion dish. But! There is a quiet glory in the day-to-day nourishment of food.

This salad one of my go-to type meals, where I pull together a bunch of disparate elements and steer towards a representation by my favorite textures and flavors. Here,  crunchy-crispy-creamy-briny-herbacious all get their say. See below for the loose recipe -

Vibrant salad bowl

for 2

2-3 types crunchy elements - 1 each: chioggia beets, hakurai turnips, diced Kirby cucumber

2-3 salady greens or leaf herbs - small handful each: red vein sorrel, purslane tips, purple basil

1-2 wild card additions (think punch, zing) - here, a few nasturtium flowers + a couple tablespoons diced homemade pickles

Thinly slice sturdy veg such as beets and turnips on a mandoline. 

Lay down your greens as a base layer. Arrange the crunchy elements around, accented by the wild card elements. In this instance, I drizzled a little pickle brine, along with some good olive oil, and finished the salad simply with lots of fresh cracked pepper and a little sea salt. 

To fortify the meal, I made this lentil dip to go alongside and modified it with what was available. In this instance, less cilantro but the addition of parsley, some roasted garlic and plenty of sumac, and foraged wild onion blossoms. 

Peeking in on the right are some tortillas leftover from another project, which I pan fried in grapeseed oil until a bit charred and pleasantly crispy, for dipping.

Along the same lines - and perfect at your Thanksgiving table - is this salad, made just today....

Same principles as the previous salad.

Apple and mizuna salad with toasted almonds, grapes, and shaved parmesan 

salady/leafy type green - a large handful each mizuna + romaine

crunchy elements - 1/2 a Granny Smith apple + a small handful toasted almonds

wild card additions - 1 strip lemon zest, sliced very thinly, a handful of grapes, shaved Parm

And again here, I used (a different) pickle brine as the base for the vinaigrette. Good eating indeed.

However you plan on celebrating the holidays, do so conscientiously.

Buy the good stuff, from family farmers. 

Honor the elders and indigenous. 

Cook with people you can learn from, or with those who want to learn from you. 

Share food with those you love.

Make it beautiful. 

Sign up for an Advance Review Copy of Kid Chef! And, St. Patrick's Day Shepherd's Pie

In case you haven't heard already, I’m thrilled to let you know I’ve written a new book! Kid Chef (on sale April 5th) is a cookbook for kids who truly love to cook, supplying them on the real information they need to get comfortable in the kitchen and make meals the entire family can be proud of. 

I confess I've been secretly excited that Kid Chef will equally provide a greater foundation for grownup cooks, too. That the book is written in a no-nonsense way, and the recipes are just real, *good food* means kids and adults alike can use the fundamentals in Kid Chef.

Now, we need readers and kids to take it for a test drive. My publisher Sonoma Press is giving away a limited number of digital advance review copies to see what parents and kids think! We want to get your feedback about the book in the form of an honest and thoughtful Amazon review to help online shoppers get to know the book through real readers. Sign up for yours here! Thank you as ever for your love and support.

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, here is that super savory shepherds pie I teased you with on Instagram. Enjoy! 

Lamb Neck Shepherd's Pie

Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs lamb neck, finely diced*

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane

most of a bottle of porter beer - I used Yuengling and it was excellent

2 cups free-range chicken stock

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 tbsp mustard powder

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

good olive oil

For potato topping

1 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed - I used German Butter Balls 

1 egg, lightly beaten for wash

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup buttermilk

4 tbsp butter, cubed

1 tbsp hot English or Dijon mustard

*Rotating things out of the freezer, I had a mix of both boneless and bone-in lamb neck. I diced the boneless and browned the batch with the larger chunks, and after simmering the two in the savory mixture (those lovely bones added extra body and flavor), I removed the chunks from the pot when all was ready, just long enough to cool so that I could shred the meat from the bones. Return the meat to the pot and discard the bone fragments if you have the same configuration when you make this dish. 

Pour a glug of olive oil in a heavy bottom or enameled pot, and over medium-high heat, add the vegetables. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes, adding the garlic to the mix a few minutes in. 

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high. Add another good glug of olive oil once the pan is hot, swirl to coat, then add lamb in batches so as not to crowd the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes a side. Add lamb to veggie mixture, pour in stout, and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes or so. Add stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until meat is very tender, about 45 minutes. Check, cooking a little longer if needed.

Make a paste with flour and a little cold water in a small bowl, mixing until smooth. Add to lamb mixture and stir until incorporated throughout. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper and transfer to an ovenproof dish, or four small casseroles, leaving 1/2-inch space from top to allow for potato mash. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, empty into a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. (for finer mash, press through a food mill or potato ricer) 

Add cubed butter to the still-warm mash. Pour in cream and buttermilk and mash again to thoroughly combine. Add mustard and season with s+p once again, to your taste. Spoon onto lamb mixture, covering entire surface. Brush with egg wash, place onto a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes or so. 

Serve warm, alongside a stout or robust red wine, and good company.

My Mother's Lemon Meringue Pie, Creamy Goodness at Food52, and Another Page One (Luscious Lamb!) at The New York Times

Where has the last month gone, I keep asking myself. I don't think it even happened, but then I realize I've done all this work, and so it must have. 

This fantastic lemon meringue pie, an on-rotation favorite dessert from my mom, is this month's feature at Anthology.

Are you craving pie by now? Head over to Anthology for the full scoop, including the delicious recipe. You'll be quite happy you did, as you will no doubt delight in the slices of this bright, rich (but not too rich), perfect dessert.

This recipe is particularly well-timed, as I just returned from a lengthy trip back home, where I cooked and cared for my folks. 

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do that for our parents in a more regular way? To have our schedules cleared, virtually suspended (mine was, even though the piles waited for me upon my return), and help family out in times of need. 

All this to say I would have loved to share the following stories with you sooner, and I blame them for being so tied up…..

In my Halfway to Dinner column at Food52, I created five fab recipes incorporating heavy cream. Some, just a little, and others, the whole nine yards. Up to you which you'll prefer….there is something for everyone. 

Because, they are all delicious.

a Julia Child-inspired chicken liver mousse

the delightful cracked sugar "glass" of crême brulée

chicken legs with shallots and apples, dressed in a cider cream sauce

my favorite: garlicky creamed wild onions

the gorgeous wild onions destined for creaming...

horseradish cream sauce with dipping accompaniments

Then there was the glorious NYTimes Page One story, the second I had in just as many weeks. I love it when that happens! 

This feature was geared for Easter and Passover and it delivered big. Four recipes (one, two, three, four) including a glorious leg of lamb, a grand meal to feed the whole neighborhood.

Any of these recipes could easily double for Mother's Day, which by now is right around the corner. These preparations are a feast for the eyes, made with love, and so tasty. Your Ma will no doubt appreciate it.

If you do choose one from any of these features, let me know. It gives me great pleasure to know others are eating well.

I'll be at the farmers market this weekend, refilling my refrigerator with peppery greens, juicy veg, orangey-yolk eggs, and a few surprise bits - usually whatever hits me as I roam.

A spare rib barbecue is in the works, as well as some pickle experiments I'm having fun with. Who knows, maybe a fruit and biscuit idea will make a splash... another story I've been chewing on….

Have a beautiful weekend. Hold these first few days of May close, as the rest will fly just as quickly as all of April did. xxx

Happy New Year! Last-Minute Tasty Bites and A Smoky Sipper

Let's send 2014 off properly with these delightful nibbles and sips (scroll down for recipes). 

See you all on the other side….. xxxooo

Fried rosemary potato chips

Caramelized onion, thyme, and Gruyere puff pastry bites

Calvados, Lapsang souchong, Champagne cocktail

Fried rosemary potato chips
makes a large bowlful

11/2 lbs or so of mixed sweet and russet potatoes*, scrubbed, knobs or ends trimmed, and sliced thinly on a mandoline
distilled white vinegar, for boiling
good flake sea salt, like Maldon
peanut oil, for frying
3 sprigs rosemary, torn into smaller sprigs

*I had red potatoes available and not russet, and did okay. General consensus is that russets produce a more consistent potato chip.

Soak the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water. This will help them release their starches, the enemy to a good fried potato chip. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add two tablespoons of white vinegar. Drain and rinse sliced potatoes and boil for 3-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove slices, lay out onto tea towels, and pat them dry to be thorough.

In a large skillet, pour in about an inch of peanut oil and heat on medium high. Add potato slices in batches, a few handfuls at a time. Turn with a slotted spoon every 20-30 seconds, up to 5 minutes, until the potatoes stop "fizzing". When they have stopped releasing bubbles, there is no more water in them and it is this key moment in which they will retain their crispness, before they start to burn. Keep in mind smaller chips will finish sooner than larger ones.

Transfer finished chips to a large bowl lined with paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat this process until you have completed the lot, tossing them for even saltiness.

Add the rosemary sprigs and turn as you did the potatoes until they stop fizzing. Add them to the chip pile, scatter a final pinch of salt on them, and toss to coat. Allow to cool fully.

Great alone or dipped into crème fraîche. Store remaining chips in a resealable bag at room temperature for one week.

Caramelized onion, thyme, and Gruyere puff pastry bites 
serves 20-30

4-6 large onions, peeled and sliced
1 cup Gruyere, finely shredded
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 package good puff pastry - I used Dufour
good olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Over medium heat in a heavy skillet, cook onions in a glug of olive oil, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent. Lower heat to low and cook onions until they have softened to collapse and become caramel in hue, about a half-hour. During this time, stir occasionally: you do not want them to brown, but they don't need babysitting. Add the thyme at the end and give a stir to incorporate.

Heat oven to 400 degrees (F). Roll out puff pastry between two layers of lightly floured parchment to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut the pastry into one-inch lengths, and into one-inch widths. At this size, there's enough to feed 20-30 people, so adjust scale (2-inch segments, for instance), if you have fewer mouths to account for. Chill on parchment-lined baking sheets for 5-10 minutes.

Score a square inside the perimeter of each pastry using a pairing knife. Pile a little caramelized onion mixture inside that square, topped with a pinch of shredded cheese, followed by freshly cracked pepper, and place into oven.

Start to check after 15 minutes, baking pastries until deeply golden. Rotate pans from bottom-to-top and turn front-to-back as they bake. Cool for a few minutes on the sheet pan, then transfer to a wire rack.

Serve warm. Store leftovers between layers of parchment in a sealed container, frozen or refrigerated. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for a day. Reheat in a toaster oven or oven for same flaky texture as when first baked. Keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated, one month frozen.

Calvados, Lapsang souchong, Champagne cocktail
serves 2

2 oz Calvados

1/2 oz smoky Lapsang souchong-infused neutral spirit - I placed 8 teabags in 1 cup good vodka for one week, then discarded the teabags - keeps indefinitely

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar

juice from one lemon

Champagne to top off

Place all but the Champagne in a shaker and top with ice. Cover, seal, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into two coupe glasses and top with Champagne. Cin Cin!!!

I have loved sharing the fun and adventure of this year with you. Thank you for being here. 

Here's to many more adventures in 2015!!!!! 

Winter Stew and Soppressata Cheese Breads at Anthology & the 2014 Annual Gift Guide

I've made a lot of stories I'd call special. But this one is special in that it is a straightforward, delicious go-to in the cold weather months. And it possesses a sense of childhood indulgence (I'm pointing at you, amazing cheese breads). Finally, this story is special because the independent makers and excellent customer service folks over at Scoutmob helped me actualize my concept in full glory.

Here's the newest feature at Anthology: a fireside winter picnic with friends, delicious comfort food, and the beautiful objects that enhance our lives.

What is Scoutmob, you might be asking? A great curated collection of over 1000 makers who create high-quality and limited-edition goods, all made here in the USA. Real people making things. Beautiful things made to last. What's not to love?

The ceramic quail egg chili bowls set the stage for my three bean Tuscan inspired stew. Jessie Lazar makes contemporary heirloom pieces and her workmanship is delicate yet unfussy. 

As far as the stew goes, why settle for one bean when you can have the amazing textures and flavors of three? Savory and buttery great northern, flageolet, and cannellini. YUM.

This gorgeous solid walnut board made an ideal presentation for the cheat's soppressata cheesy breads. 

And the backdrop for lolling the afternoon away with amazing food and friends…? This colorful and hand-woven rug by Re:loom. I've included them in my annual gift guide, below. I love championing people who are doing things right. 

See the full story and recipes at Anthology!

Now, for beautiful objects to treat yourself and your loved ones - 

2014 Annual Gift Guide

1. I've gone crazy for ceramics this year. There are so many talented people producing in clay, and it is easier than ever (thank you Instagram) to access their creations. It can be a bit much to keep track of, but for me, it's quite tantalizing. I have to prioritize in my line of work! That said, I am in love with Marité Acosta's pieces. They are elemental and functional, and timeless. Her work appears in the stew story, vessels holding mascarpone and marbles (no, I didn't plan that tongue-twister…).

2. Made from repurposed and sustainably harvested Mango wood, these sleek candlesticks from designer Michael Dreeben reference modernist style while incorporating traditional craft practices. They make a graphic, elegant statement in any space.

3. I only recently found out about Brooklyn woodworker Ariele Alasko's gorgeous carvings and inlay work. It seems she has a lot of fans, as her shop sells out as soon as she has new work to share. Brava Ariele! And good luck snagging one of her unique creations.

4. The photography in Bitter is stunning, and honestly is what drew me to consider making it part of my collection. Aya Brackett is the talent behind the photography, and Jennifer McLagan the author of this seductive book on the bitter taste.

5. George Steinmetz, the famed National Geographic photographer, has named is opus Desert Air. His favorite places are those most hard to get to, and he captures them from a motorized paraglider. No big deal. This book shares page-after-page of stunning images that everyone will appreciate.

6. For the fur baby in your life, this fantastic hexagonal wall-mounted work of art is the purrrfect splurge.

7. This is the board I used for the stew and cheese bread feature, and I absolutely love it. Crafted in a timeless form, I look forward to all the entertaining uses it will serve!

8. All rugs by Re:loom are hand-woven from donated and repurposed fabric, by homeless and low-income families. This initiative, based in Atlanta, creates a sustainable income for people, as well as provides affordable housing and health care. Each is a limited edition product and made with great attention to detail. One of their rugs is the backdrop to my delicious stew story, and I am eager to incorporate it into my home. :)

9. Freedom Soaps is a local brand here in Alabama. Each of Chasity Curtis' body products smells amazing and contains only the most elemental ingredients. I'm a huge fan, so much so that I am photographing her product line for a new launch in 2015. This activated charcoal soap is one of my favorites!

10. Many of us already know about the beautiful goods at Quitokeeto. The addition of this potter's beautiful pieces is no exception. They're even oven safe! Now, to be fast enough to acquire one…

11. This Oaxacan Molé Sauce is rich, smoky, and spicy in all the right ways. It's another curated item at Scoutmob, something I keep on hand for unexpected entertaining, or even to dip into by myself. Small batch, out of Portland.

12. Kind of a dream piece, this gorgeous knife incorporates reclaimed materials, like old saw blades and burlap from coffee bags. That these are dream pieces may be a good thing, as current lead time for orders is 23 months (!!). With as much work as I have in the kitchen, this knife would quickly earn its keep….

13. Last but not least is another new-to-me maker out of New York. Susan Connor hand-designs each of her creations and incorporates wood block printing to articulate them. I'm taken with so many of her works. This pillow joins my lust-for collection.

If the notion of the holidays inspires you to give in the bigger sense, here are some organizations that will greatly appreciate your contribution:

Friends of the Earth - Campaigns in climate, food, land, and water to bring balance back to our ecosystems and our people.

350.org - Worldwide. People-powered, climate change-centered actions.

Center for Biological Diversity - Spotlights threatened and critically endangered species around the world, and mounts campaigns to raise awareness and halt further habitat destruction/poaching/harmful legislation, etc.

Real News Network - Telling the news the way it should be: based on facts. Ad-free, with contributions from award-winning journalists spanning the globe.
…………

I'm still amazed we are nearing the close of 2014, but upon reflection, am so grateful for this knockout of a year. It's one for the record books!

Thanks for reading, as always, and for all the support you've given. It means the world to me!!! xxx