Well, it's a fact that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, sooner if you're headed out of town and many of us are, then you don't want to show up empty-handed and if you're having people to your house, then you need to be prepared. It seems that I find myself saying, "Mom always said, 'don't show up empty-handed' because it's rude". I'm really not sure if she said that or not, but that's where I remember learning that habit and I know she never did. So how wonderful would it to be to show up at your host's door bearing house warming gifts, wonderful homemade bread or pies or even a little basket of goodies? Sure you don't have time to be baking pie or bread before you leave as you're packing and piling kids in the car and dropping off pets at the boarder. You're busy scrawling notes for the dog or house-sitter, picking up the kids' assignments from school and trying to remember all the last minute things like turning down the thermostat and watering the plants.
It's okay, nobody has to know how busy you are and you can still be the hero. We have homemade holiday pies, fresh baked bread and oodles of holiday cooking and baking necessities. If you're headed out of town, be sure to call Culina to pre-order a nice pecan pie to take to mom's. Or swing by and pick up some authentic European crusty, artisan bread.
If you you'd rather not take perishables, something I love to take to people is a bottle of really good olive oil or balsamic vinegar. It's kind of a splurge to buy something other than the jug o' olive oil from your local warehouse club and it's nice to have a high quality olive oil for bread, fresh salad dressing, or to drizzle on finished dishes. If you really want to make an impression, we can put together a basket with several items in it. Make the basket something they can actually use again by choosing a mixing bowl, a colander or a champagne bucket.
Even something as simple as a cookie cutter with a mixing spoon or spatula is just a nice way to say: "We're happy to be here". If there is the perfect cookie cutter out there, we have it on our wall o' cookie cutters.
So what about you, right? This is definitely the time to stock up on holiday supplies like basters, timers, thermometers, scales, meat injectors, roasting pans and racks and a slew of measuring cups in all shapes and sizes. If you're planning on doing your own baking, we have multi-tiered cooling racks, baking sheets and pans, spatulas and a huge array of specialty baking ingredients.
If there are any left (because I've eaten my share of entire bags), treat yourself to some "Jordan" almonds that Kathleen brought back from France. They are so much better than anything you've ever had here and incredibly addictive. Like I said, I have eaten entire bags. Maybe I shouldn't admit that...There will be a bag on the nightstand when my mom comes to visit along with a deep dish Emile Henry pie pan in pink which also benefits breast cancer research. She loves to bake and with the fluted edges she won't have to work so hard crimping her scratch crust.
Wonder if Mom will stick to her mantra and show up with a little goodie for me?I won't give her a hard time if she doesn't, after all, she is my mom and she's earned it, right?
