Bunchland

The New Moon Kitchen Baker Babe’s column, Cravings will get you hooked

Eden Hertzog is the entrepreneur behind New Moon Kitchen, the vegan organic bakery that deals stellar cookies all across North America. Her treats are free of preservatives, trans fats, and nuts and full of healthy stuff. Sure, she runs a vegan bakery and has a name like a wood nymph, but she means serious business when it comes to great family recipes.

Eden started her business fresh out of high school. She got a job at a Toronto café and took advantage of the free reign opportunity to bake treats for customers. The clientele began raving about her goodies, which were delicious and didn’t make you feel like you’ve scarfed a row of Oreos. Before long, Eden had established a personal following.  Read more...

Celebrate milk’s favourite cookie with these 3 kid-friendly treats

The Oreo Cookie hails from a factory in Chelsea, New York, where it originally came in two flavours: lemon meringue and vanilla cream.  They were sold in novelty cans and sold for 25 cents per pound, and at the time, were known as Oreo biscuits. Long after the less popular lemon meringue flavour was kyboshed, the Oreo then took on many different forms. Variations have included white chocolate “snow” covered Oreos, Oreo pudding snack packs, neon Oreos, Cakesters, Oreo sipper straws, Wafersticks and many, many more.

While the discussion of Oreo pairing is one that has sparked serious debate in households, grocery stores and restaurants around the globe, (is it best with Mint? Peanut butter? Pistachio pudding?) It’s all good to us. You can chop them up and put them into pretty much anything for a no-fail addition to muffins, pancakes, ice cream sundaes, cheesecake, the list goes on. They’re the most versatile and enduring cookie out there.  Read more...

Cookie mogul Eden Hertzog shares recipes she enjoys with her family

Within two days of being on vacation, we developed a daily routine. It must be hardwired into our systems now that we are parents of a little one. I’m sure most of you parents out there know what I’m talking about…

We woke up, had breakfast at the hotel, took a dip in the pool, and then went down the road to have macchiatos at this little coffee/food spot next to the liquoreria (liquor and basic groceries). I noticed  something on their whiteboard menu: patacones. These are rounds of fried plantain I’d had once before but haven’t been able to find or recreate since.

 Read more...

Catherine Romano blogs about crafty projects for kids and parents

With the holiday season quickly approaching (Thanksgiving, Halloween, American Thanksgiving, and a number of upcoming birthday parties), comes a great deal of excitement for our family. However, before the celebrating begins I often have to start menu planning.  You see, my son is allergic to eggs and peanuts, and this equates to me cooking and bringing his meals and snacks to most outings. I typically cook a very similar meal to what the host will be serving, so my son doesn’t feel excluded from the other guests. However, the one tricky part is dessert. First off, I am not a baker or pastry chef. I like to cook, but I find baking far more complicated and I lack the patience to wait for the treats to bake and cool. Also, most celebrations include elaborate desserts which are difficult to make.  Read more...

Beth Blenz-Clucas blogs about music for kids that grownups will love too

I think one of the lucky reasons that I don’t struggle with weight is that my mom was pretty darn strict about snacking. Soda pop and candy were extremely rare treats around our house. When the ice cream man rolled around our neighborhood, of course every household of kids, except ours, got permission to run right over and buy some of the overpriced but oh-so-inviting frozen treats. Once in awhile, we were allowed to spend our allowance, but not very often.

Of course, even Michelle Obama tells us it’s OK to indulge in sugary snacks every once in awhile. Jonathan Richman (the grown-up kid who’s also the patron saint of Portland’s hilarious “Greasy Kid Stuff” radio show) probably offers up the best ode to the ice cream man with his song by the same name.  Read more...