Writing to My Darlings

Call me old-fashioned (Or Sydney, either works fine), but there is nothing better than a good, handwritten letter. In this era of email, and instant communication, it's important to take a step back, and appreciate the hard work that goes into a physical letter, and the process that it takes to get from the hands of your loved one, all the way to you. A friend had a birthday recently, and I had waited until the very last minute. But I made a deal with another friend, who has also waited: you buy the gift, I'll get the card.

I work in Beacon Hill, which is this crazy beautiful neighborhood of Boston. It's very old, and very historic. There's brick everywhere, brick as far as the eye can see, and I love it. On the street over from the office, there are two card shops, almost right next door to each other. One is really popular, and sells cards, along with other novelty books and housewares. The other is more of an old-school, independent card shop. Since I'd been in the popular store several times, and decided that the prices might just be a little too high, and the selection a little too low for my liking, I decided on Shop Number Two. I was in the market for cards and cards only, after all. (Hallmark will get absolutely none of my money if I can help it.)

It's called Rugg Road Paper Company, and it is, after just one visit, my new go-to card shop! First of all, it's absolutely ADORABLE inside. It's got all the quirks and charms of being a small business, and creative displays with a touch of whimsy. There are Boston-themed post cards with traditional, and also non-traditional images for just $1.00 each, clever greeting cards with puns that have been printed on recycled paper, SUPER CUTE printed wrapping paper (who wouldn't want anchors on quality wrapping paper?), and the best element of them all:  a friendly and dedicated shop owner who cares about her customers. You can tell that she's put her special mark on each and every part of the store and it shows. The prices were excellent, the selection was unique, and I just can't get enough. Plus, it gives me something to do while I wait for my train!

My friends know me well: I am, and always will be a big supporter of small business. Greeting card season is upon us, so you better stock up!! (Another great place to try? Etsy.com!)

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got greeting cards to address and send. No one knows they're coming, and that's always half the fun!

Send someone special in your life a little snail mail. Trust me, it'll only make your bond stronger!

Making it My Own: Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The story really began on Sunday, when my friend Grace and I decided to hit up the neighborhood bakery, after completely stuffing ourselves at brunch. No regrets, the weekends are the days that I feast. My neighborhood has the CUTEST bakery with tons of handwritten signs everywhere, and a really great pastry selection. What I had in mind for a post-brunch treat was a cannoli because hey, if you're going to have dessert after essentially having dessert, you have to go all out. But these days, I leave cannolis to the experts in the North End, and no where else. Instead, I locked eyes on (well, eye to baked good) a pumpkin raisin cookie. It just so happens that a few days before, I'd heard talk of a pumpkin aatmeal raisin cookie, and I'd been dying to try one ever since. But when I asked the salesperson if the cookie had oats, she shook her head "no," and sort of looked at me quizzically. Well, whatever, there was nothing else in the bakery I wanted more than that cookie, so I paid, and we left. And, I have to say it: I was super disappointed. I mean, I ate the whole thing obviously, but every bite was a reminder that I may have chosen the wrong thing at the bakery. It was missing one very important element: oats.

Honestly, think about it: had there been no pumpkin, it would have just been a raisin cookie. WHO EATS PLAIN RAISIN COOKIES? It's oatmeal raisin, or nothing. So as I took my last bite, I looked over at Grace and said, "I think I'm going to remake this cookie."

So I did.

I started my baking adventure like I always do: running furiously to the store in search of ingredients that I definetly should have collected before I decided to start baking. And I often embarrass myself once I get there. This particular time, after going up and down two aisles twice looking for raisins, I finally found someone that worked there, who told me to go to Produce. And after looking in Produce for .2 seconds, I decided to ask for help. Now, let me just preface this by saying that my trip to the store yesterday was the first time I'd been out all day, so I was still adjusting to being around other people, and also speaking out loud. Here was my interaction with the (pretty cute, by the way) salesperson in Produce:

Me: Excuse me, could you tell me where the grapes are?

SP: Grapes? Sure they're just------

Me:  OH NOPE. SORRY, I meant raisins! Ha, y'know like OLD GRAPES? HAHA

SP: ...Um. Okay, yeah, they're over here. Follow me...

Me: Yep. okay then...

So yeah, THAT happened. Nevertheless, I got my raisins. And I set to work!

A few hours later, I had warm, chewy, Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin cookies. And better than the bakery's cookies by a mile, if I do say so myself.

I'm taking these little pieces of Fall goodness to work with me so that my Official Recipe Tasters (aka my co-workers and roommates) can give me the final word. I'm going to share this recipe, I promise!

HAPPY THURSDAY, GUYS! The weekend's almost here!

Adventures in Recipe Testing: The Beginning of a New Baking Chapter

There comes a time in every young baker's life when he or she has watched enough food-related shows on television and Netflix and decides that maybe it's time to start creating recipes of their very own...

...That time for me came nine months ago, but for the sake of this post, we'll say that it didn't officially start until this weekend.

We've got brand new neighbors upstairs that just moved in about a week and a half ago. In our building, there aren't a ton of units, so for me, it's important that I get to know everyone. The last time I made an introduction with new neighbors, I made doughnuts. Those seemed to be a crowd-pleaser then, so I decided, "You know what? Why break what isn't broken? Doughnuts again it is!" But I didn't want to just make the same doughnuts that I made last time because that makes it a little less special. Instead, I tried to think of things that would compliment the vanilla base, yet still allow it to be unique and creative. I also wanted to dye the glaze a different color, but I'm not always so keen on using food coloring. Then it hit me: what about a strawberry glaze? You get the strawberry flavor, and when mixed with the white glaze, a great color! So I set to work.

It's always such a breeze putting these babies together. I love that I didn't even have to use my mixer. Clean-up is never fun, so the less I use, the better it is.

Twelve of these round rings of deliciousness later, it was time to start working on a glaze from scratch. No help from other recipes, just pure experimentation.

Initially, I tried to think of a way to get the strawberry juice, but none of the pulp. (I suppose you could call it pulp, right?) So I thought about putting the frozen strawberries into a colander, then mashing them up with something to get the juice, and nothing but the juice. But that didn't work out so well at all. The colander's holes were a little too big for such an experiment, and I ended up just straining through mashed strawberry. Then I decided to strain it through a paper towel to at least TRY to get some of the juice, but that was worse. Finally, I decided that the glaze was the exact color that I wanted, so, so what? It's a glaze infused with fruit, and I should just own it.

And "own it" I did! I dipped each doughnut into the glaze, then let it sit for about thirty minutes in the refrigerator. 

And I have to say it: It was a pretty great success!

Looking back, there just a few things I would change. For starters, in the doughnut recipe, I was afraid that if I added nutmeg, it might compete with the strawberry flavor. But as I bit into it, I realized that it needed something. So next time, maybe just a little nutmeg. Secondly, I needed WAY more strawberries. The flavor was more subtle that I would've liked. In my opinion, if you're going to say it's a strawberry glaze, it better deliver that strawberry with a punch. And third, maybe add some decoration. I added red sprinkles afterwards which seemed like a good idea at the time, until I realized that when red sprinkles get a little moist, they start to bleed. It messed up my colors!

But my neighbors loved the gesture, and brought us "Thank You" brownies the very next day, special-delivered by THE CUTEST DOG EVER, Piper!

This is the start of a beautiful friendship.

And a beautiful adventure, making my own recipes.

Happy Tuesday, guys!

P.S. It's snowing and sleeting today. What's going on in your neck of the woods?

OFFICIALLY BAKING SEASON

Finally that time of year where it's getting a little too cold to be outside for long stretches of time, but not too cold to play in the leaves...and eventually snow. Did I hear correctly that Vermont is getting their first snowfall of the year this weekend? If so, good luck, Vermont! We've got a little warmth left here in Boston.  

But as the cold starts to unpack it's belongings for the 4+ months ahead, now is a good time to start making a list of every single thing that I want to bake. You would not believe the amount of recipes I save to my "Bookmarks" everyday, and that's where most of them stay. I save so many that I forget they exist! Well, that's all about to change. And I need your help!

Are there any recipes that you just can't live without?? I'd love to know! Then, we can make it together and giggle a bunch while we pretend that we're not going to have another piece, cookie, bite, etc, but we totally do!

NEW RECIPES. ANNNNDDDDDD....GO!

Let's Talk About Stitch Fix

About a month ago, an advertisement popped up on my newsfeed to try this new(ish) (new to ME, anyway) company called Stitch Fix. It's almost like having your own personal stylist, and you get to try on the pieces at home. If you're anything like me, the actual idea of going out to the shopping centers and waiting in long dressing room lines, just to find even the teensiest things wrong, and feeling all kinds of fat and gross in those not-so-magic mirrors they've got going on over there, is utterly terrifying. Of course we all do it, but who on earth would prefer all that, when you can get a box in the mail every month (if you'd like!) with surprise clothes hand-picked just for you? Exactly.

HOW IT WORKS:

You fill out this very extensive style profile highlighting your likes and dislikes in terms of style. You choose the adjectives that best describe the way you dress, you vote on which styles you like the best from sample pictures, and you give your body measurements and sizes. Then, you pay a $20 fee, cross your fingers, and wait for five hand-picked items to be delivered to you in the mail.  Once your package arrives, you've got three days to decide what you'd like to keep and what you'd like to return. If you keep any items in the box, your $20 fee goes towards the total price of the items kept. Ex. If you keep a necklace and a dress, add the original cost of each together, then subtract twenty. AND if you keep the entire box, you get 25% off the whole order! It's pretty great, and you cannot even imagine how jazzed I've been all week waiting for my box to come.

I tore into the box and, I've got to say, I really liked every piece except for one: the necklace.

Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, but I'm not big into jewelry. If I buy anything, it's got to be because that piece is completely unique, and unlike anything I've ever seen. This, I've seen.

WHAT I LIKED:

WHAT I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

WHAT I'M ON THE FENCE ABOUT

Even cooler, they send you a little card with pictures of each item in your box, and how to make different outfits with each. It's great to see an example of a piece being taken from day to night, with just a few clothing swaps.

So would I do it again? You bet.  But my advice is to not build it up too much. While I had a pretty great first experience, one of my friends wasn't as lucky. She lives in one of the hottest parts of California, and her stylist sent her a wool coat! Not great. But hey, I bet it was a pretty nice coat!

The surprise is half the fun, trust me.

Interested? You should try!

Have any of you done Stitch Fix before? I want to hear alllll about it!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Took a Cookie Break From Howling at the Moon (It's Almost Halloween!)

Last night I was scouring the hundreds of recipes that I have saved in the "bookmarks" section of my internet browser. It seems like the idea to bake  is always a prominent fixture in my mind, but the looming question is always, "Now WHAT am I going to make?" I also wanted to make something to take to work tomorrow. (I have this plan that I'm going to make friends with everyone in my office...one baked good at a time. So far, so good. )

Cookies are instant friend-makers.  Make no mistake about it, my friends.

I wanted to keep things relatively simple today. I didn't want to use a ton of dishes and utensils, I didn't want to have to go to the store in a desperate search for an obscure ingredient, and I DEFINITELY wasn't in the mood for a super complicated recipe. But just because I wanted to take it easy, doesn't mean that I wanted to make some run-of-the-mill cookie that you can just as easily make from a box. I wanted sugar cookies, but it just wouldn't be a product of my kitchen if there wasn't  a little something extra. Thus, I decided on the classic, simple, yet eye-catching Black and White Cookie.

And for the record, I used a ton of dishes and utensils. Eh, we can't win 'em all.

Baking is so relaxing, don't you think?

I am thoroughly enjoying owning a Silpat. What is parchment paper? I've forgotten. (Just kidding. My Silpat is a little bigger than my baking sheet, so I still keep a roll of parchment paper around just in case.)

I used my trusty ice cream scoop to evenly measure out my cookies. It's funny, I use that ice cream scoop for everything from cookie batter, to cupcakes, to pancakes, but never, ever for ice cream. Weird, right?

An hour later, I had thirteen of these babies. They're HUGE.

So, as I started making the glazes for these monster-sized cookies, I couldn't help feeling like I wasn't taking these cookies as far as they could go. And of course, I was also feeling a little festive. SO, to celebrate All Hallow's Eve (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S TOMORROW? I mean SERIOUSLY, where did October go??) I decided to dye the white glaze orange with food coloring!! I think I got a little too excited, but I just can't help it when that happens.

Making vanilla glaze is insanely simple, and it was my first time using corn syrup. Such a huge bottle, and all I needed was a tablespoon for the glaze. How will I ever use that entire bottle of light corn syrup? OH WELL, GUESS I HAVE TO MAKE A TON OF STUFF NOW WITH GLAZES AND THEN EAT THEM ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER. Life is so hard!

Isn't that the prettiest orange color you've ever seen? I love dying food! I can't believe I don't do it on a daily basis. What do you guys think of purple spaghetti? Okay, sorry. Too far.

I'm so incredibly proud of these cookies. AND I'm TOO EXCITED to bring them to work tomorrow. Despite my best efforts to get everyone in the office to dress up like Bumble Bees (Or an equally embarrassing group costume), I couldn't get anyone on board to celebrate Halloween with me. At least now we can acknowledge that tomorrow is one of the coolest holidays ever,

Next time, I'm using brown butter for these cookies. I can't wait.

What You'll Need:

For the Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg

For the Vanilla Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Glaze

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Check out the full recipe here!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, BOYS AND GHOULS!

When You're in the Mood for Cheesecake...

On Tuesday, my works chums and I were shooting the breeze for a little while, and decided that as a way to bond, we should have a little workday get-together. Mind you, we wouldn't leave our desks, and we wouldn't stop working, but we would share a little something. And because I have a massive sweet tooth,  I volunteered to provide that little something. What that "little something" would be, was going to be a surprise of course; for them mostly, but for me as well. Even though I had quickly volunteered, I had no idea what to make at first. And really, when I set out to bake something, I hardly ever do.

I was surfing Tumblr the next morning when it came to me: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake. It was like the Heavens had opened up, and placed it on my dashboard. And I looooove when that happens. When I have no idea what I'm doing, and then BAM! There it is. That sort of thing happens with other parts of my life as well: songwriting, books to read, and of course, what to watch on Netflix. So many choices, sometimes I need a little guidance.

So off I went to the store, ingredient list in hand, and the chill of Fall finally in the air, followed by a giant gust of cold wind, followed by me ever wondering why I would wish cold weather upon anyone. I ran into Roche Brothers and emerged 20 minutes later with all the fixins' to make me a cheesecake!

LOOK HOW MANY CHOCOLATE CHIPS THERE ARE. Ughh. It took everything I had not to eat every bit of this as I slowly rolled them into dough balls and placed them on a carefully parchment-papered cookie sheet. Side note: the cookie dough portion of this recipe is glorious in that, there are no eggs. And you know what that means: no salmonella! WHICH MEANS, you can make these cookie dough balls at a separate time, and place them into your classic vanilla ice cream! It's brilliant, and a great way to spice up a classic, but sometimes boring, ice cream flavor. Or, you know, you can just eat them as is. (There is no shame in that, believe me. I did it.)

FINALLY FINISHED and ready for the oven!

And after fully cooling, and taking all night to get its beauty rest...

This little baby was born, and ready to be devoured.  Sadly, it cracked. But that did NOT stop it from being one of the tastiest treats ever produced in Sydney's Kitchen.

My workmates, who I'm pretty sure had forgotten about my promised treat, were throughly surprised and delighted. We each had a piece, rubbed our bellies because that is a LOT of sweetness on one plate, drank like, a gallon of water each, then went back for seconds.

Cheesecake is always a great way to cheer up a rather gloomy, windy, Thursday.

What You'll Need:

Cookie Dough:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• Set aside an additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips to fold into the batter with the cookie dough balls

Crust:

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs or chocolate cookie crumbs (like Oreos) I used crushed up (I spent 20 minutes!) Nilla wafers! It gives it a little something extra!

Filling:

• 4 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream

For the recipe, click here!

HAPPY BAKING!!

Cakeland Adventures Continued

This weekend I decided that I wanted to make a cake.

In my life, I've only made two cakes, whether it be alone, or with a little help. And I have to say it: this is no easy feat, is it? Making a cake is a lot of work, but it's incredibly rewarding (And obviously delicious) in the end, and that makes it all worth it.

Let me first start off by saying that I went all over Boston (Okay, just to Macy's) to find the proper tools for this cake. While I've got buttercream frosting on lock, I didn't have an icing spatula. And while I have plates to serve the cake on, I had no cake stand. These are both very essential to proper cake making. In two years, I want people to come to me asking for me to make them a cake. I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, but practice makes perfect, no?

So with my nine-inch cake pans in place, my favorite apron on, and about a million ingredients littering the counters, I set to work on a two-layer, vanilla with buttercream frosting cake. Four hours later (There was a lot of checking, then double-checking, then triple-checking the recipe to make sure I was doing it right. Then I had to wait for the unusually hard unsalted butter to soften)  I had my two-layer cake, and a countertop, and arm, covered in buttercream frosting. But HEY, I made myself a cake, and I'm proud.

Ahem. Couple things: this isn't the prettiest cake in the world. I know this, I said this several times to my roommate after I set in on the table. BUT IT WAS DELICIOUS.  This was my first time using cake flour instead of all purpose, and I must say, the consistency is interesting! it's a bit lighter, and I like it. I still prefer AP flour, but I like it enough for this cake.

In case you can't tell (icing gel from Betty Crocker is THE. WORST. I had these neat designs in mind for the cake, but couldn't snip the top off the tube like it suggested. After probably a good five minutes of snipping that top, I got a little frustrated and cut off the entire bottom, then filled a squeeze bottle we have for icing. There wasn't enough gel from the tube to fill the squeeze bottle, so I had to change up everything. Bottom line: be careful buying Icing gel from Betty Crocker) I wrote "One" on my cake. This is try number one. And there will be many more tries in the future, and they'll all be documented here.

At the end of the day, I'm still learning. Baking makes me happy. It's something that I love to do, and it's gotten me a few friends along the way. But I'm still learning, and I'll continue to learn until I can't anymore. And that's what DaintyDwellings is about for me. It's about always learning, always trying to better a craft, always trying to learn more about the things I'm passionate about, always trying to build a community with bloggers trying to do the same thing. I want to be the best, so I have to learn from the best.

And I've still got a lot to learn, so keep those challenges coming.

Night, Dwellers!

Currently Reading...

I read once that when it comes to the Kennedys, you either love them, or you hate them. I totally agree, and I love them. The glamour, the 60s, the politics, everything. Jack and Jackie forever.

I'm only halfway through, and I just love it. Unlike other books I've read on this subject, it actually incorporates direct quotes from Jackie herself, instead of speaking for her. It also takes quotes and facts from other books and blends them into this one.

I highly recommend it. It's been my commuting buddy on the way to and from work!

Happy reading!

My Saturday Adventure

I really do love Boston.

Have you ever noticed that when you've lived in a place for a while, you start to forget about all the charms that it has to offer? Maybe you don't necessarily forget, but maybe you start to take for granted things that visitors travel thousands of miles everyday to see. I think that was happening to me. Four years I've been living in this wonderful city, and maybe for the first time in a while, I took the time to really get to know it. And while I know how to get anywhere from anywhere and back, knowing your way around doesn't always equate to knowing  the city that you belong to. (Or that kind of belongs to you. I guess it depends on who you're asking.)

Recently, a friend from many moves ago, one I never thought I would ever see again, moved to Boston. Because I've moved around so much, and left places that I can't really see myself visiting again unless it's for a very specific occasion, I always jump at the opportunity to meet up with people that I once knew, on new turf. Big cities are always common ground, aren't they? They see so many people come and go all the time, that they just remain neutral. It's not really like being in a small town where everyone knows everyone, and can detect visitors.  In Boston everyone belongs. But anyway, back to the story. While he's been here for a few months, he's been pretty busy getting settled into a new living space, and a new job. As you can imagine, that hasn't really left much time for exploration apart from immediate surroundings. And as soon as I heard that he hadn't had a proper introduction to the city, I immediately volunteered. (It should be noted that as soon as he agreed, I started making a list in my head of all my favorite parts of the city, all the quirky things I've never seen myself, and, of course, what snacks to make and bring along the way! Really, who would I be if I didn't mention food at least once?)

I settled on these:

Dark chocolate and oatmeal cookies with sea salt sprinkled on top. They were a hit Saturday, and they're a hit in my house still, today. (I've had three already. I must be stopped.)

ALSO, hi, we're going to take a short detour from the story to talk about my new best friend, Silpat. I have read enough food blogs, and cookbooks, to know all there is to know about these MAGICAL (only word that fits, guys. I'm not even being dramatic. Well, yeah, I am. But it's totally warranted.) baking mats. Gone are the days that I spray baking Pam on my cookie sheets, gone are the days of struggling to tear just enough parchment paper and completely failing, thus having to tear off some of it to make it fit, but then tearing off too much because I can't win, and gone are the days of awkward cookie sheet cleanup where in the process of rinsing the sheet off with the faucet hose, I end up drenching the entire counter behind it. Silpats are flexible, easy to use, and I have never seen more evenly cooked cookies in all my year(s) (I only got good a year ago, but HAVE been attempting to become a baker for years) of baking. Seriously, they were beautiful, and all I had to do was rinse off the mat when I was finished. They're expensive, but TRUST ME, Silpats are 100% well-worth the money.

P.S. Recipe coming soon for these bad boys. If you love extra oats, and LOTS of dark chocolate, you will love these cookies as much as I do.

ANYWAY, BACK TO BOSTON EXPLORATION.

If you are going to travel to Boston, there are at least two books that you need on hand to give yourself the proper, self-guided tour. Number one, of course, is a Michelin:

These books are traditional, and they're important. Michelin is a name you can trust for just about any tour book you purchase. You get recommendations for  anything from restaurant recommendations, to the best hotels, to shopping centers, etc. etc. You always get a very through and detailed explanation of major monuments and landmarks in the city. Very important to have on have.

But then, if you're like me, you want a book that isn't like all the other boring tour books. You want something different and unique. You want:

This book is seriously perfect. It's hilarious, it's informative, and most importantly, the authors aren't afraid to reveal some of the not-so-proper parts of Boston. I love it. When I saw it on the shelf, I knew I had to get it.

So I spent my Saturday with excellent company, going down side streets, visiting monuments I've been to dozens of times, but have only stopped to notice maybe once or twice, dodging the on again/off again rain, and reading from my guidebooks that have been throughly bookmarked and dog-eared. I also spent it eating one of the best sandwiches ever, and a cannoli from The North End. You never really realize what a great place you live in, until you see it with someone wearing a fresh pair of eyes.

I managed to snap a few pictures along the way:

So this weekend, I encourage you to pack your favorite snacks, pack your camera, pack your maps and guide books, grab a friend or significant other, wear comfortable shoes, and really take the time to see what makes your city so great. You won't regret it, I promise. Go ahead, be a tourist for the day.

Happy Monday,