Post Script - Bake Sale for Japan

For a commentary on the Bake Sale for Japan, please see the piece my brother and I wrote for  Evan Kleiman's Good Food blog: http://tinyurl.com/3s7b2ql

A Few Last Thoughts

There were beautifully prepared goodies galore at the bake sale.  One glance at some of them and you knew that the baker spent a good portion of his/her day making that sweet.  Not only did she take the time to bake but she ruminated beforehand over what to make.   Next, she dwelled on how it would turn out.  Would the texture be okay? Would others like it? Would it catch people's eyes? Then she stressed over how to present it most elegantly.  To the details-obsessed cook, of course, all of this is critical. 

That's quite different from the person who finds the easiest treats to make, and then dumps them in a plastic container, which is certainly what I have done on occasion. 

Above, a prime example of a baked good that grabbed my attention for all its bleeding heart. Every morsel, down to the grammatical error in the description was pure.  

Sign reads: "SHIBA INU BUTTER COOKIES WITH YUZU GLAZE Homemade, dog-shaped butter cookie with hints of yuzu, the Japanese citron.  Each cookie comes with a Daruma card to reminds [sic] us to keep our friends and family in Japan in our hearts and to continue to send thoughts and prayers of care and healing to them."  

Above: Trucy, sharing details of her generous donations of cakes and cupcakes to volunteer, Emily, early on Saturday morning in Berkeley. In the background, Barry Schenker, the self-proclaimed "nut man," who spent a year-and-a-half developing his tasty, super-creamy, nut-based vegan gelato.  It was worth it, Barry!

I have never been to Pizzaiolo for a meal, but I surely will the next time I am in Oakland.   The restaurant has hardwood floors, booths, a bar...and wood-fired pizza.  I'm there.