Like breathing...

I think that baking is like air to me. I become... shall I say... unstable... after periods of non-baking. I feel so much better... more centered... after spending a few hours in the kitchen.

This weekend I baked five batches of brownies (sorry, no new recipes) for the Cookies Without Borders Bake Sale for Haiti. It was fun times! Nice weather, nice drive, and of course hanging out an Ila.

Here's some coverage by LAist of the event.

The prep.

The packing.

The end.


There were so many goodies to eat... I had to restrain myself - even though I grabbed the "big box" to fill up!
(This was just a third of the table setup.)



I'm trying to feel out if the next "cupcakes" will be whoopie pies. Whisk LA sure has it down! I nibbled on some of Ila's Toffee Caramel flavor, and I noshed on the Banana Chocolate Chip once I got home. So good! A bit sweet, but still delish! I liked the light banana flavor with the chocolate chips. Yummm!

These were the thickest brownies I have ever seen. The picture doesn't show this clearly. But WOW.


And of course, since the bake sale took place right outside of Scoops, we had to stop in for some ice cream/gelato!

I got earl grey and pistachio-coconut flavors. Ila got brown bread and coke. Interesting no?
It was all so unique and flavorful. Not something you'd find in every other gelato shop out there. The shop's aesthetic was very "city". We loved it - and of course mourned over the fact that the OC lacks in that particular charm of city life.



My "big box" of baked goodies! Banana Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pie, PB Crisp Marshmallow Brownies (like what I've made before! gotta check out how other people do it!), Salted Chocolate Covered Caramel Cups, Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting, Earl Grey Cookie, Organic Chocolate Covered Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Peppermint Cream Filling, and the pièce de résistance.... poppyseed lemon dinosaur cake! His name is Stenno. (I'm sure he'll be delicious in my tummy.)


Tomorrow will be Macaron Monday! Inspired by Bakerella and Tartelette. (That is, if I go out to buy a food processor to grind up some almonds.)