Homage to Holly B

September 4, 2009

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In the middle of August, we took one last trip to Lopez Island for this year.  As crazy as the summer is, our fall appears to be even busier so I don’t think we’ll be able to squeeze in another weekend before the weather turns ugly.

When I turned 39 back in July, I wrote about some of the things I would like to accomplish in the coming year before the big 4-0.  I told you this would be the year of yoga and so far that part of it is shaping up well.  I have been going to class 3 times a week and am feeling more and more that I would like to get back to teaching.  Slow and steady though – I need to get my own practice back on track before I start teaching others.  I also mentioned some of the cooking challenges I wanted to tackle and included in that list was working on Holly B’s cinnamon rolls and almond butterhorns.  (If you are new here, I’ve raved about Holly’s cookies here and here and I’ve written love letters to Lopez here and here.)

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(She is not really the mayor of Lopez, but she should be.)

What I didn’t say is that what I really wanted to do was bake my way through her amazing cookbook.  I know, we are all over this approach, right?  Julie and Julia and all that.  There are groups all over the food blog world who are slowly cooking or baking their way through books.  I am so 2008.  But I’m not wanting to start another group, I’m just wanting to make every recipe in her book and become a better baker along the way.

Because Holly B’s is a bakery close to my heart and because she is essentially a one woman operation, I decided I would ask her permission before starting and certainly before posting any more of her recipes here.  I wasn’t sure of the response I would get but before I could get the words out, she cried out, “Sure, I’d love it!  Do you want to take pictures?”

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So, my Holly B’s baking adventure begins.  I plan to post a recipe from her book each Tuesday which is the day the bakery is closed during the summer.  I am not going to go recipe by recipe because I know it will bore me to make bread for weeks, cookies for weeks, etc.  A little jumping around will make it more interesting but I do plan to make everything at least once.  I will also always post a link to her web site where you can buy the book for yourself.  Believe me when I say it is a treasure!  Click here to order a copy (you will need to send her a check.)

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In addition to eating things like this amazing pizza at the bakery (recipe coming someday soon!), we went to a beautiful park.  It’s called Spencer Spit and we hadn’t been in a long time.  I love it there for the ever present beauty, for the ferry views, and for the driftwood sculptures.

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But these days I think I especially love the park because Spencer is also the name of this guy.

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And while I’m posting pictures of my sweet boys, here is one more.  To me, these guys do not look like brothers.  Graham is long and lean with dark skin and gray eyes.  Spencer is thick and stocky, pale and blond with hazel eyes.  But in this photo, with them both laughing, they do look alike to me.

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For a great recipe, check out what I posted a year ago – Chocolate Toffee.



11 Comments »

  1. Looks like you had a great time. Kids look so happy. The photo of his little hand with the pizza reminds me my little girl’s hand with the Israeli couscous salad photo :)
    As for the bakery and the cookbook, I just started reading your blog a short while ago, can you add the links?

    Comment by Nurit - 1 family. friendly. food. — September 4, 2009 @ 5:13 pm

  2. How fun! And your boys are ADORABLE!

    Comment by fresh365 — September 4, 2009 @ 9:03 pm

  3. Funny that you don’t think your boys look alike – the first thing I thought when I saw the photo of your younger son was (remembering the photo of Graham you posted last month), ‘He looks so much like his brother’. Just with different colouring.

    I’m so excited about this baking adventure you’re embarking on! Holly B’s looks like the sort of place I would love.

    Comment by Hilary — September 4, 2009 @ 9:25 pm

  4. lopez island, the san juans and orcas….some of our favorite places in the world!

    Comment by {kiss my spatula} — September 5, 2009 @ 12:57 am

  5. I am in awe of your baking adventure. I’m sure I’ll participate from time to time, but I think you’ll leave me in the dust.

    What a precious picture of your boys!

    P.S. You were so sweet to mention me in your pre-vacation post. It generated a boatload of traffic to my blog, and all the sweetest, most engaged readers, too. Thank you.

    Comment by The Leftoverist — September 5, 2009 @ 5:10 am

  6. Your boys are so cute, that last photo just made me giggle this morning! Can’t wait to see more recipes from Holly B’s. Sounds like a delicious undertaking.

    Comment by lisaiscooking — September 5, 2009 @ 1:32 pm

  7. I should be talking about food, but that last photo made my chest tighten and my eyes get a bit misty. Such sweet, sweet boys. Such a good Mummy.

    Comment by tara — September 5, 2009 @ 3:01 pm

  8. Sounds like a fun project and I am looking forward to seeing your baking adventures. I love the pictures of your boys – they are so cute!

    Comment by Eralda — September 5, 2009 @ 3:41 pm

  9. Your kids are so adorable. =) I can’t wait to see the things you bake from this cookbook!

    Comment by Ashley — September 5, 2009 @ 6:05 pm

  10. I’ve got photos of being at that park…and inside that tree fort too! I wish that bakery had been open when I was there. I guess Lopez deserves a return visit!

    Comment by kickpleat — September 6, 2009 @ 2:32 am

  11. This is great – I’m excited – if you need to test anything out on your neighbors…:)

    Comment by Julie — September 9, 2009 @ 4:52 pm



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