REPOST

I've been seeing cookie exchanges being mentioned a lot lately. I've been hosting them on and off twenty years now and so I definitely have a set of rules that I think work out really well.  Most of the time I've done these at my workplace where you can have as many as 20 people participating. It can get a bit unruly. Sure, there are plenty of ways to host, but this is what works for me.


1) Your contribution must be homemade, made from scratch. Shortcutting it with brownie mixes or slice and bake cookies just won't cut it in my world.

2) Festive cookies only. Which really means... no chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, or rice krispie treats allowed. I'm not interested in a cookie that I can get any time of the year at any bake sale or coffee counter. It should be something you only make once or twice a year that is associated with the holidays or special occasions.


I divide people into teams of eight people. That means that each person must make a total of four dozen cookies. You can vary the team sizes, but you want to keep it manageable for the participants. You don't want to ask them to have to bake eight dozen cookies - they wouldn't want to do it!

They make individual gift plates or bags with six cookies in each. They can provide the recipe if they wish, but it is not required. Some people do have their special, family recipes, so I don't push it. I've also asked people who want to to submit their recipes to me a week in advance by email. That way I can put together a little cookie book to give everyone the day of the exchange.

On the day of the exchange, each team swaps plates/bags so that you go home with eight different kinds of cookies. Now this does mean that you have one that is your own submission. Most of the time we take our own plates and donate them for eating there, on the spot. That way people can sample cookies from other teams.

Other Methods

There are other methods of doing cookie exchanges. For instance, everyone brings their plate of cookies and you set them out buffet-like. Each person goes down the line and takes one or two of each cookie. The reason I don't like this style is that people often want to go home with their cookies to share with their families. If there is only one of Sara's Kris Kringle balls, then my spouse/child won't get to try it or there could be fights among siblings.

Cookie exchanges are a lot of fun and the rules can be altered to fit your agenda. With holidays and cookies paired together, you can't help but be in a festive mood.

First mill

Testing lab

This machine mixes together ingredients for cake or pancake mixes (etc)

Sorghum flour being milled

Inventory ready to be shipped

About a year and a half ago Paul, of the Sacramento Epicureans , and I had discussed getting knowledgeable guides to take us through ethnic markets to point out unfamiliar foods. Paul has better contacts than I and was able to take the idea and pull it together. Today he sponsored a guided tour down Stockton Blvd. to stop at different ethnic markets. He recruited Linda, the owner of Boon Boon Cafe, to be our guide. He did a great job of putting it together by offering a $10 lunch at Boon Boon, $10 for the tour, and then $25 for an hour foot massage at the end. He took time to give us note paper and pens with names and addresses of where we were going and did a run through with Linda beforehand.

We started with a noon lunch at Boon Boon where we selected off of the lunch menu. I had the Spicy Basil Beef. Basil chicken is my favorite Thai dish and so I was interested in trying it with ground beef. I had a very generous portion of it with steamed rice, a small salad, and a drink. It was nice and spicy and I was well stuffed before we started off.

I got to carpool with Linda in her car. Boon Boon has been open for several years now and Linda explained that she's gotten to really know the different markets and which ones are better for prices, produce, meat, and seafood. Not one market is good for all. She's also frequented many of the other Stockton Blvd. businesses to save costs on such things as signage, printing, and other items.


Our first stop was to a Hispanic grocery - La Superior at 4940 Stockton Blvd. Paul explained that this is a great location to buy your Hispanic ingredients such as chilis, avocados, and spices.


I agree that these markets are always a better deal for getting many spices. When we buy Spice Island or McCormick spices in those little bottles, we pay a premium. And, if you didn't know, spices have a short shelf life. Many spices should not be kept for more than a few months. That's why I prefer to buy these smaller packages of cheaper spices. (Guess we pay for those bottles vs. these plastic bags.)


Here's a great example. This large bag of cinnamon sticks is $9 at La Superior. A couple of weeks ago I got six sticks at Raley's for $3 in the Hispanic foods section (not the spice/baking aisle). Glad I know where to go now.


Check out the size of this avocado! Only $.99 at LS. At Safeway you get a smaller avocado for $1.50-2.00 each.


There is an extensive butcher counter which includes all those great parts like tripe, ears, pigs feet, etc. I found the ox tails were $4.99 a pound. I got a two pound package at Winco, which is a cheap grocery, for $12. I'll be coming here in the future. They also have these pre-seasoned meats so that you can quickly cook up tacos or fajitas when you get home.


And, of course, there is the pasteleria for all those baked goods.

Our next stop was Gold Star at 5815 Stockton. Linda said that this was a very good store to get your seafood at - and nothing else. We went through quickly and I did notice it was also a good place for duck legs at $2.99 a pound. I want to make some rillettes from the recipe on Hank's website and so now I'll come over here to get the 12-24 duck legs needed.


We continued down to 6105 Stockton and Vinh Phat grocery. Linda said that this location was particularly known for it's deli.


They had good BBQ duck here and other pre-made foods. I noticed that they had 35 pound roasted whole pigs for $155. (A detail to keep in mind for a future party I'd like to throw.)


I was surprised by this little find - duck tongues. When I had them on a salad at Mulvaney's (see review) I had wondered where you got them and the poor tongueless ducks. Now I know where they are should I decide to spring these on my gourmet dinner group.

We walked by Wing Wa market and Linda commented that the only thing you need to know about it is that they are the place to buy rice - lots of varieties.

We had a small tasting at JJ Bakery. Paul said it was one of the best Asian bakeries for bao. He had stopped by earlier in the day to buy some for us to try because they sell out of bao by early afternoon. The bakers brought out a tray of his bao sliced so that we could try some. I chose a coconut one since I had always had BBQ pork before.


We also stopped here at A&A Supermarket at 6545 Stockton. Linda said that this was the store you wanted for everything besides fish and meat. In other words, get your pantry and frozen foods and non-food items here.


Linda buys some of her cookware here, even for the restaurant. A couple of folks were interested in woks and other kitchenware.


I noticed that these large pineapples out front were three for $5! You'd probably get just one at Raley's.


Our last stop was SF Supermarket at the corner of 65th and Stockton. This may be the largest Asian grocery store in Sacramento and certainly has the largest seafood and meat sections. There are many large tanks of live fish...


and plenty of bins of frozen fish. If you buy your fish here or at any of the Asian markets, be sure to tell them to clean and trim your fish or they'll just bundle up the whole thing for you. Some of them also offer free frying.


Certainly this is a good place to buy your lobster or crab. By the way, an Asian market not on this tour with a great seafood reputation is the one on Broadway and 11th. In the market is Sunh Fish and they are known for supplying fish to many of the sushi restaurants in town.

Another tip for shopping in these markets is to be picky. Asians are picky shoppers and will pick out the choicest fish or the ripest fruits. But if you are not Asian and just ask for a fish, they might try to give you a lesser quality one. Speak up and point out exactly which one you want. Don't be afraid to barter as well. If you want more than one of something, see if you can cut a deal.

Here are a couple more Stockton Blvd. tips Paul and Linda pointed out.

There is an education center at 5451 Lemon Hill Ave. that has a computer science department where you can get your computer repaired for cheap. It's considered a learning tool for the students.

If you need to replace a tire or want a full sized spare, there are tire places that will sell you used-but-still-good-tread tires for as little as $10. Wish I had known that last month when I had to buy a new $89 tire cuz I blew one out.


And lastly, to Huong Lan Sandwiches, around the corner of the building from SF. We didn't stop there for our tour because we were out of time. Now that we were done I was in the mood for a bubble drink and so I headed over to take the pictures and get a mango shake with tapioca pearls. HLS makes the best Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwiches. A banh mi sandwich will cost you about $2.75.


But there are lots of grab n go food items as well.



It's my hope that either I or Paul will be able to organize another guided event where we can find a Vietnamese person to explain and sample some of these items in the future. Meanwhile, I'm going to try to organize an event at a Filipino grocery, bakery, and restaurant with my Filipina friend Marie.

Osmosis Enzyme Bath

I inherited achy muscles from my mom. So it is no wonder that I love massages and can appreciate the therapeutic benefits of a hot tub. Saunas and steam rooms, though, are too claustrophobic for me. Recently I had the pleasure of the enzymatic bath. I am a convert! This will definitely be a yearly event at the minimum!

Osmosis Spa in Freestone (on the way to Bodega Bay) is the only place in the United States that offers enzymatic baths. The founder experienced his first bath in Japan and brought the concept here in 1985.

Osmosis is designed in a Japanese style. My boyfriend and I arrived and removed our shoes. After changing into robes, you sit in a tea room where an attendant comes to serve an enzymatic tea. It has 25 different enzymes that are absorbed into your system, help with digestion and interact with the external enzymatic bath.

How It Works (Osmosis.com)
When the body is immersed in the Cedar Enzyme Bath, circulation and metabolism are stimulated from outside, giving a boost to the internal organs which usually perform these functions on their own. This is part of the reason the bath is both relaxing and energizing at the same time!

After about ten minutes you are escorted to the bath rooms. The baths are big bins filled with a mixture of cedar shavings, rice bran, and plant enzymes. The attendant has scooped out “beds” for you. You step in and lie down and she quickly scoops the sawdust mixture on top of you. It is liked being buried at the beach, but this is sawdust and it is HOT!

A Biological Process (Osmosis.com)
The heat in the Cedar Enzyme Bath differs from other heat treatments in that it is produced biologically by a fermentation process. The largest organ of the body, the skin, comes in direct contact with intense enzyme activity in the Bath, which, in addition to heat, produces its own electro-chemical environment. This combination of heat and energy influences body chemistry and natural cleansing processes, and breaks down body wastes in the subcutaneous layer of the skin. The surface of your skin, your pores, and even the cells themselves are thoroughly cleansed.

The sawdust mixture is fermenting, which creates the heat. It is also very fragrant because of the cedar and the enzyme mixture. The attendant checks on you every five minutes and the longest you stay in is twenty minutes. You can shift or get out at any time. After ten minutes I could feel my heart beat and I was sweating profusely. I took my arms out so that I could regulate myself a bit. After fifteen minutes she sat us upright and scooped the sawdust behind our backs so that we could slowly cool down before stepping out. Finally we stepped out and we were covered with the sawdust. We looked like fuzzy cave people! We took brushes and brushed off as much as we could before stepping into the showers.

After the bath you can continue to a massage or facial. Because they were fully booked, we could only do the bath. Once we were in our robes they took us up to a private lounge and we laid down on futons. We put on headphones which played a special meta-music. This music was developed at some university that showed that through the use of stereo and different sounds coming from both sides, your brain waves react, synchronize, and can “encourage” you to different states. Our CD was meant to relax us. My boyfriend was snoring in no time.

Some of the benefits of the enzyme bath include:
Relief from joint and muscle aches and pains
Reduced tension and fatigue
Cleansing & beautification of the skin
Stress reduction & calming of the nerves
Improved digestion
Detoxification
Improved circulation & mobility


Click here for more stories like this: Fun Things to Do 

I had snowshoeing on my to-do list for this winter. I've pretty much given up on skiing because I'm a tightwad and skiing is just too expensive for the cost-to-enjoyment ratio for me. Snowshoeing, on the other hand, just requires an initial investment in the snowshoes and then you can trek across any State parkland you want!

I considered going to REI. They rent out the shoes and poles for $15 a day if you are a member (and who isn't?).  They offer an intro class for $70 which includes the equipment and then an adventure trying them out somewhere up the hill. My ex-husband, though, scoffed at that idea. He snowshoes and is a leader in the Sacramento Hiking Group on Meetup. He told me to go rent the equipment and then join him on Sunday. He had a group already planning on going and I could go with them for my initiation. Then the words: "Don't worry. It'll be mostly flat and a good beginner trek for you."

Liar! But more on that later.

Wrong boots

Right boots, wrong place

I arrived at his house at 7:30 and dumped all my gear into the back of his pickup. Then we were off to meet the others at the Park n Ride at 8. We had a group of nine. I was the  only virgin. It was on the drive up, around Colfax, that I realized, "Crud! I left my hiking boots in my trunk!" Luckily I had snow boots with me, which did work out. Thank goodness they were waterproof.



We arrived at the Lola Montez Lakes Trail off the Soda Springs exit. The group had hiked this trail last January but hadn't been able to find the lake. They hoped to find it this time.



Thomas helped me strap the shoes on and had me walk around on the road. "You're now an intermediate!" he proclaimed. Off we went.



We didn't trek too far before we hit a rushing creek with no way across. Last winter there had been a snow bridge. We could not find a way to cross this time, so we followed it upstream in hopes of finding a crossing.

Thomas on the log.

There were several logs that crossed that I wanted no part of. Trying to cross an icy log with snowshoes on? No thanks! Thomas was determined though and started playing around with this one and guess what?




Shoe retrieved!

He dropped his snowshoe in the river! Luckily it got lodged and after several minutes Deon retrieved it. And so our plan changed. Maybe we'll just try to climb the peak instead.

What was that comment about it all being flat? Does this next picture look flat?



You want me to climb that?!?

I followed the group about halfway up and then had to stop. I was wearing the wrong footwear with no ankle support and my foot was sliding around and twisting in my boot. The steep climb was too much. Add to that I suffer from migraines from extreme exertion and altitude and my head was pounding. Julie and I gave up on the climb and Deon took us back to the river to eat our lunches. His excuse? "I said flat, not level. It's flat at an angle." Yeah, right.

Deon and Kuma during lunch break

All in all, it was a gorgeous, warm day with great company. Next time I just need to remember to bring the proper boots and my migraine drugs and I should be fine. As for snowshoeing, give it a try. It's easy, cheap, and a good workout!

I survived!

Thanks to Emerleen and Julie for a couple of their pictures!


Click here for more stories like this: Fun Things to Do 

The Gordon House, Silverton, OR

•  Concrete slab floors versus raised foundations. They included piping for hot water to create heated floors.
• No basements or attics.
• Flat, cantilevered roofs.
• Open floor plans and great rooms – a huge influence seen in today’s modern homes.
• Based on building units, whether squares, hexagons, or other shapes. In the Gordon House the unit is 7 foot squares. You can see them gridded in the concrete floor and everything else is built off the units.
• Carports were a Wright innovation as a cheaper alternative to enclosed garages. Again, a cost saving measure.
• Lots of built-in cabinets and closets, means less need for storage furniture.
• Use of horizontal lines to enlarge spaces (more on this later).

Jelly Belly factory

I'd find it hard to believe that we don't all have a little kid in us that wouldn't want to eat a Jelly Belly jellybean. How lucky are we that we have the factory in our own backyard. Long a staple of family outings and tourist stops, the Jelly Belly factory tour is one place that many of us find ourselves going to over and over again, myself included. My past outings had always been on weekends. Problem is, they aren't operating on the weekends. The tour goes through a quiet a building. So I took the opportunity of a recent weekday off to go and do the tour again so I could see the place in operation.

Jelly Belly gift shop

The tours run from 9 - 5 with the last tour leaving at 4. Depending on the time of day, year, and just plain luck, you could end up waiting in line for about an hour if school is out or it's a holiday. I got there bright and early on a normal weekday so that I got into the first tour of the day. Even so, the first tour didn't leave until about 9:20 and so I had a chance to do a quick run-through of the gift shop to see if there was anything new.

Finally the little paper hats were passed out and we were told to put away the cameras. Bummer. It's not like they have any secret, Willy Wonka style processes going on in there we can see. Besides, the tours are done from high above as you walk enclosed catwalks.  First stop was for picture taking. This is a new addition since I was last there. Makes sense to add it. Like so many other attractions, people want that souvenir photo and frame with you sitting next to Mr. Jelly Belly bean. Just that it takes a bit of time. I skipped around the line to wait for them to finish. We were given a couple of beans to chew on while we waited. Then we were off.

The nice thing is that there are short little videos that are shown at each stop along the catwalk. They explain a little about the history, the process, and other trivia tidbits. They also give you tasting beans along the way. First was the jelly center. They say that they put flavoring both in the jelly and in the coating. I didn't taste any flavor in the supposed red raspberry center I was given to taste. Later we got a finished wild blackberry bean and that definitely tasted like blackberry. And everyone loves that at the end of the tour each person gets a sample bag of assorted beans.

What many folks don't know is that you can go on a more intimate tour if you are willing to pay. The JB University tours are $47 and take you out in groups of six onto the actual floor of the factory. I'd love to hear from anyone who has gone on this tour.

What surprised me as I went on the weekday tour was how few employees were actually working on the floor. It was so automated with robots and conveyor belts that there were a lot less employees than I expected. But I was happy to finally see the machines in action and the beans flowing down the lines.

Most famous Jelly Belly fan, Ronald Reagan

It's always nice to see the artwork as well. Some of the pieces can take months to finish and have over a million beans.

Jelly Belly tasting line

The tasting station is a popular line. You can go through and taste a few flavors. The gross flavors are no longer related to Harry Potter because I guess they lost the contract or it expired. So now they call them BeanBoozled flavors. You can see above that there is barf, rotten egg, boogers, and more. I watched some people try those and make horrible faces. That told me to stay away from those! During the tour they made a big deal that it took forever for them to perfect kiwi. I tried it and have to say that they've still got work to do. It didn't taste like kiwi to me. My favorites are all the berry flavors, sours, and pomegranate.

There is also a fantastic chocolate counter. I successfully stayed away from purchasing any this time. Boy, was that hard. I love some of the gigantic whipped chocolate haystacks they have with all sorts of add-ins like nuts, marshmallows, chocolate chips, toffee, etc. Mmmmmmmmm.

I also found the bulk sales room by the cafeteria. They sell ten pound boxes of single flavors there as well as some other decorative and farmers market-y type stuff. If you really love one flavor, then a 10 lb. box is $90!

Most people stay in the gift store and buyout the belly flops - the reject beans that are too small, too big, or stuck together. I grabbed a bag to take up for Thanksgiving next week. I also wanted to try their soda pop and selected the green apple. They are made with cane sugar and are very brightly colored. I tried it later, at home, and found it way too sweet. I ended up pouring most of it out. Another favorite item I like is their Sport Beans which have caffeine and some electrolytes. I use these when I go on long hikes and need a burst of sugar and energy.

If you are hungry they have a large cafeteria with a lot of offerings. I've never bothered to eat there myself. But I can see that some families get caught there at lunch time or need a snack. There is also an ice cream counter with JB flavored ice creams.

If you are one of the rare locals who hasn't already gone on a Jelly Belly tour, then you are overdue. Time to venture forth and pay them a visit.

Jelly Belly car

Click here for more stories like this: Fun Things to Do