The Big One

New Year Party Spread

Twenty people squeezed into our tiny home.

Holiday Granola

I'm making everyone a special holiday edition with pumpkin seeds and cranberries; mostly so friends can ease off the holiday sugar. Truly there is no more cozier aorma than carmelizing maple and coconut . When ever I bake granola these days, I sneak in a few small sweet potatoes to roast slowly.

Kains Ave. Xmas Cookies

Kains Ave. Xmas Cookies

Every year I receive lovely batches of buttery goodness from neighbors all around.

2006 pre party party

2007 pre party table

Just to get eased into throwing parties, Clees and I stretch out our party muscles with a small pre big party party.

Berkeley Baked

Across the street in the bachelor house lives a neighbor who I call "Never Not Stoned Dave". Clees's friend Ben goes to the bachelor house every Sunday to watch football with Dave's roommate Todd. Ben and Todd are so busy playing Fantasy Football simultaneously on their laptops during the games that they make Dave get their lunch from Picante. Dave vented to Clees in reality show style, "There is something so morally wrong with this. Man, I don't even like football. If I wasn't getting a free lunch out of this...."

Todd is trying to apply for graduate school and last week he had trouble finding one of his applications. Apparently Dave had torn out a corner to roll one.

Binch time

Cookies that crack you up. How does it taste? Well, binching...

Blushing

Lemony beer

No self respecting beer drinker would even put lips to this girly brew but it's all good by me - all honey notes and half lemon soda. When you're a beer philistine, you can enjoy lightweights without any shame.

C and I finally made it over to Pyramid Alehouse to try some apricot weizen on tap. We shared a single pint and had good feelings all around. I won't need to go back for another few years as it's the most Houston or mid-west establishment you can experience in Berkeley. Nonetheless the apricot- strong to the nose and palate was a pleasant surprise.