Joy Wilson's Blog, page 104

Let It Be Sunday!

Honestly, I haven’t wanted to write this post.  

But here we are. And we’re fine, and the coffee is hot, and sugared and creamed… the toast has extra avocado and spice and alright… here are some thoughts: 

•  This is real and true and has changed my stressy-anxieties for the past few years… if I can just remember to do it when I need it most.  Breathe.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday! at Joy the Baker.

Pumpkin Spice New Orleans Fried Rice Calas

Just when I think I know a thing or two about New Orleans food culture, I dig up another layer, more nuance, and another story of culture, history, and humanity.  

Really, it’s like turning the page on a love letter written long long ago between steady, passionate, and generous people growing roots in a new city together.  

When I think of iconic New Orleans desserts, the first things that come to mind are Beignets (powdered sugar drenched, doughnut-y type pillows of dough), and pralines (butter + sugar + pecans + cream + sweet sweat and prayers and happiness).

Continue reading Pumpkin Spice New Orleans Fried Rice Calas at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday!

Hello my friends!

Happy Sunday. You are a gemstone and I’m so glad you’re here.  

A few things happened for me this week.  I’ve stuck my head in the sand when it comes to this election season. I’m done. I’m voted. Tap me on the shoulder when it’s over because I’m all full up until then.  Also, what I thought was a blonde hair is actually (if I’m being damn honest with myself) a gray hair, and what I thought were bruises on my finger are likely age spots.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday! at Joy the Baker.

It’s November: a series of observations

This month marks the time of year when questions like, “What are you doing for the holidays” need to be answered with actual thoughts and plans.  I got about 7 minutes into a plan for Thanksgiving before my crazy-brain fluttered off to something far less important. To beg the question… what are you doing for the holidays?  Will you be googling ‘how to brine a turkey’ on Wednesday the 23rd around 9:45pm?

Continue reading It’s November: a series of observations at Joy the Baker.

Ina Garten’s Apple Pie Bars

Ina knows.  It seems like Ina Garten knows just about everything she needs to know. 

You never look at an Ina Garten recipe and doubt her.  Something about her easy temperament, effortless entertaining, innumerable mentions of her husband Jeffrey, and how she’ll use four sticks of butter for one recipe at the drop of a hat… you just never doubt her.

I’m currently working my way through Ina’s new cookbook Cooking for Jeffrey and really….

Continue reading Ina Garten’s Apple Pie Bars at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday!

I’ve been wearing the same pair of jeans for the past week +, so for Halloween I’m thinking of dressing up in… not those jeans. Clearly that’s mostly just a favor to myself. 

I hope you are feeling happy and grounded these days.  Here’s what’s on my mind and on the Internet:  

•  Harassed on Twitter. What this election cycle looks like from the other side of a Twitter troll storm.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday! at Joy the Baker.

Laurel & Wolf Does The Bakehouse

Hi friends!

For the past week I’ve swung open the doors to my house, likely trying to juggle one too many bags of groceries and nudge back the cat, and I’ve thought exactly: WHOSE HOUSE IS THIS? 

I’m living in a dream – that’s most literally what it feels like. 

Home sweet home, sweet home, sweet Bakehouse!

Over the next few weeks I’ll be welcoming you into my New Orleans Bakehouse, showing you around, and inviting you in (literally with classes and workshops), but first I wanted to tell you how it all came together.

Continue reading Laurel & Wolf Does The Bakehouse at Joy the Baker.

Baking 101: Which Oven Rack Should I Use?

Baking 101:  a series of how-tos and what’s-what when it comes to home baking.  The small stuff, explained.

If you don’t know it by now, baking can be tricky.  What’s tricky is that, when you read a recipe (and you should totally read a recipe before you get in the kitchen) it’s hard to know which steps are super important, and which steps you can flub a bit.

Continue reading Baking 101: Which Oven Rack Should I Use? at Joy the Baker.

Brennan’s New Orleans Shrimp Creole

There’s a definite change in the air.  I know because I haven’t heard the on-click of my air conditioner in days.  

I thought, for a solid thirty seconds or so… that I was cold. Down here in the swamp, there’s just that tiny bit of chill in the air and there’s more to come we just know it.  

There’s also a definite change in my kitchen.  Maybe it’s because I’ve been in New Orleans for some good years, maybe it’s because I’m paying a mortgage instead of rent… maybe maybe maybe I’m just starting to FEEL IT deep down in my guts… but I’m just starting to feel comfortable cooking cajun + creole food in my kitchen.

Continue reading Brennan’s New Orleans Shrimp Creole at Joy the Baker.

Let It Be Sunday!

Hello my friends!

I’ve had my family visiting me in New Orleans this week and so far I’ve wrangled them into helping me plant a garden, paint a bunch of found pieces of street concrete, and feed stray chickens.  Glorious, because I’ll look at that garden with painted rocks long after they’ve gone to their respective homes and feel like I have a piece of them here with me in the swamps.

Continue reading Let It Be Sunday! at Joy the Baker.