American-Made Apple Pies

Get your order in now for our frozen ready-to-bake apple pies.

I have to warn you that if you plan to taste your pie ahead, you might want to order an extra. You may remember the story of my neighbor Daniel who baked one to take to a holiday dinner. He and and his brother Javier decided to take a little taste while it was cooling. Then they sat down and ate the whole pie. Oops.

Daniel ran across the street to get another one, but we had none left.

We are using Granny Smith apples with brown sugar and a light touch of orange in the filling. The streusal topping contains homemade almond paste (no almond extract flavoring). The crust and topping are buttery and delicious.

Baking is easy. Defrost your pie for 30 minutes to an hour, then bake it at 375 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours (until the filling bubbles like jam). Try to let it cool before eating.

Pie pick ups will be from 9 am to 6 pm on Mondays November 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th at our bakery kitchen at 5392 Hollister. Tell me the date you want your pie(s) ready for pick up. It will help us a lot if you let us know now, even if you don't want to pick up a pie this week.

We are making 9" pies. If you'd like us to use a special pie plate from your collection, bring it by on one of the Mondays before your pick up.

Ingredients: Apples, organic unbleached flour, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, almonds, tapioca starch, cornstarch, orange zest, and salt.

Rosemary Focaccia

The IV Co-op Fair was a great success! We took an oven and generator so we could serve hot samples of rosemary focaccia made into fragrant garlic bread. I noticed several people came back for thirds. Lots of people told us they buy our bread weekly. One woman said her roommates sent her out to pick up the focaccia for a special dinner they were making and by the time she got to the Co-op, it was sold out.

We are back to one day a week at the bakery (Mondays). Dave bakes his breads on Monday evenings, so you can either stop by to pick up frozen focaccia during the day on Monday or set up a delivery time and place with me for Tuesday. The good news is all our breads freeze well and only need about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven to crisp the crust back up when they are almost defrosted.

Ingredients: Organic flour, yeast, water, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Special Items this Week

• Ready-to-Bake Apple Pie (9 inch) - $14.00
• Rosemary Focaccia - $6.00

Drawing for an Apple Pie
Answer the poll question of the week by noon Sunday and email me that you participated. I'll put you in our drawing for a free apple pie. Anyone who orders this week will be entered in the drawing automatically. (The last person who won an apple pie is now an enthusiastic an apple pie customer.)

Thanks!
Nancy and Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers

Padaro Pumpkins

Yesterday my sister Barbara and I took a trip out to Carpinteria, got off at the Santa Claus exit and turned left over the bridge, then right onto Via Real and headed toward the large pumpkin balloon we could see floating above the Padaro Floral pumpkin patch. (The balloon lets you know that the pumpkin patch is open.)


We parked and followed a wall sunflowers to patch. The patch was packed with kids.


Many of the kids were sitting on benches listening to Michelle, one of the owners, tell them about pumpkins, and gourds, and Indian corn... all available at the patch.


Interesting shapes and colorful corn and all at really reasonable prices. I think the Indian corn was 50 cents an ear.

I was most intrigued by the bumpy gray Hubbard squash that Michelle and her father both told me was really good for pumpkin pie. Michelle said customers always come back to buy more before it sells out.


Uhh, yeah. I wouldn't have bought it either if my sister hadn't assured me that I could trust their judgement (she knows from experience that Michelle is an excellent baker). It was $8 for this boulder-sized squash.

We lugged it home and then tried to figure how exactly to cut it. It was like trying to open a coconut. The outer skin could be chipped away, not peeled. None of my knives would cut through it.

Using the cleaver like an ax was slightly more successful but a little scary. Together we came up with a plan where I placed the cleaver where I wanted to cut it and Barbara pounded on it with a hammer. Then we forcefully dislodged the cleaver and moved it gradually around the circumference until the squash opened enough that we could crack the two halves apart.

It's a very meaty squash without a lot of seeds or that stringy gooey stuff in the center.

I roasted the hunks in my convection oven. Eventually the pulp got soft and caramellized. The bits that I tasted as I scooped it out and bagged it up were delicious. I'm looking forward to making a pumpkin pie with it. The texture is dense, not watery, smooth, and the flavor is richly sweet.

Apple Pies in November
We will only offer Rosemary Focaccia bread this week again so we can ramp up for apple pie making in November. You have one more week to decide how many ready-to-bake apple pies you want to order in November.

This Week's Special Item

• Rosemary Focaccia - $6.00

Pickup and Delivery
I can deliver your bread to a place of work on Tuesday morning or you can pick it up from our kitchen at 5392 Hollister on Tuesday between noon and 6 pm.

Thanks!

Nancy & Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers

P.S. Don't forget the I.V. Co-op Fair on Saturday. We'll be baking some Belgian Ginger Rolls (vegan) for you to taste in the morning and Rosemary Focaccia garlic bread in the afternoon.

Isla Vista Co-op Country Fair

Here is the place to be a week from Saturday (October 25). Seville Road in Isla Vista will be closed to traffic for the Co-op's annual membership gathering and fair. There will be live animals, local farmers, music, and even some Starlight Bakers!

Dave and I will be baking up some tasty items (all vegan, of course). I hear we will be near the coffee so we're planning to sell some delicious pastries and looking forward to meeting some of our customers. If you haven't been to the Co-op, this is a good time to check it out. Their produce is awesome and they have great bulk prices on organic herbs, spices, flours, etc.

Since our baking will be focused this week on preparing items to sell at the Fair, we will not offer any special items other than fresh-baked Rosemary Focaccia.

November Baking
We will be going back to one day a week (Mondays) at the bakery in November. I'll only be making sweet items that can be frozen and picked up on Mondays.

We can deliver fresh bread to you on Tuesday mornings, or you can pick up frozen breads on Monday from our freezer. Since our breads freeze and reheat well, we will keep a variety of breads in the freezer to be purchased at any time. Just let us know what you want and we'll tell you if we have it or when we can bake it. We will continue to bake Rosemary Focaccia on a weekly basis.

Apple Pie
I plan to sell apple pies for a few weeks in in November. Like last year, these will be unbaked apple pies with an almond streusal topping (homemade almond paste). Customers who bought these last year told me I made them look like really good cooks during the holidays.

I won't offer any weekly special items (other than the Rosemary Focaccia) the last week of October because I'll be making apple pies ahead for pick-up on the following Monday (November 3rd). I'll send you a reminder to get your pie order in for November. My friend Denise will be helping me but we are limited by how much dough we can roll out in one day.

Challah Mice Winner
The winner of the challah mice last week was Barbie Deutsch. The answer to the poll was, of course, "All of the Above," which means any answer was correct. No poll this week, but watch for future polls and prizes.

Price on This Week's Items

• Rosemary Focaccia - $6.00
• Various Other Breads - $5.00 (ask for availability of a specific type)
• Unbaked Cookie Dough (12) - $8.00 (ask for availability of a specific type)

Tuesday Pickup
You can pick up your orders from the our kitchen at Crumbs 5392 Hollister on Tuesdays from noon to 6 pm. We also offer Tuesday morning delivery to your place of work if that is more convenient. Feel free to stop by for a visit on Tuesday afternoons.

Thanks,
Nancy & Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers

Taking a Deep Breath

Feeling stressed out seems to be a way of life lately, so when my friend Jo pointed out that the weather has been beautiful and we should go for a ride in her plane, I agreed. By departure time, Dave had decided he wasn't going to be left behind. He grabbed the camera and joined us. That's why I get to share this refreshing picture with you. Dave took this photo as we flew over the mountains behind La Conchita. Three Starlight mice to Jo for reminding us it's really great to be living in this beautiful place.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Now back on the ground, we're thinking about next week's baking. I will make more peanut butter cookies, so get your order in if you are out of them.

For those of you who haven't tried them, you can bake all twelve at once or just a few at a time. These were baked in my toaster oven set to 375 degrees. A quick easy dessert sure to impress anyone who stops by for coffee or tea.

Ingredients: Organic unbleached flour, butter, egg, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, peanut butter.

Zucchini Bread Winner
Our winner last week was my friend Kathy... of rosemary mouse fame. Kathy and I have been friends since 2nd grade. Neither of us really wants to believe how many years that is.

And speaking of Starlight mice... a couple of them have made it all the way to Belgium! Who knows where they'll turn up next. I think some are already on their way to Hawaii.

Chocolate Tasting
In addition to the three challah mice for Jo, I'll give the winner of this week's poll three challah mice. I just have to figure out what question to ask in the poll. I'm running off to help with an election mailing so you'll have to check back for the poll question later tonight.

Hmm, a woman who worked on the mailing with me is a nurse. As our conversation turned to chocolate, she told us that she often prescribes chocolate to relieve stress. That explains why the chocolate tasting we had after the first debate was such a success.

This week when my neighbor Barbara joined us to watch the debate, she demanded chocolate before it was even over... I think she already knows about the stress reduction thing. So, that leads us to this week's poll question. Email me if you submit an answer so I can add you to the drawing. I'll put some really excellent chocolate hearts inside those three challah mice.

Breads of the Week
This week it's Rosemary Focaccia and a new bread requested by my friend Barbie. We'll bake a Rustic Wheat Raisin Bread with Walnuts. Rustic means that it has some wild yeast (sourdough) starter in it.

Rosemary Focaccia Ingredients: Organic flour, yeast, water, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Rustic Wheat Raisin Bread Ingredients: Organic unbleached bread flour, whole wheat flour, wild yeast starter, yeast, salt, canola oil, agave syrup, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon.

Prices on this Week's Items

• Rustic Wheat Raisin Bread with Walnuts - $5.00
• Rosemary Focaccia- $6.00
• Unbaked Peanut Butter Cookies (12) - $8.00
• Baked Peanut Butter Cookies (4) - $3.00
  

Tuesday Pickup
You can pick up your orders from the our kitchen at Crumbs 5392 Hollister on Tuesdays from noon to 6 pm. We also offer Tuesday morning delivery to your place of work if that is more convenient. Feel free to stop by for a visit on Tuesday afternoons.

Thanks,
Nancy and Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers

Zucchini - Fruit or Vegetable?

While the answer I was seeking in last week's poll was zucchini, I was reminded by a friend that botanists would classify zucchini and green beans as fruit, not as vegetables. The only actual vegetable on the list was arugula... so if you answered arugula you were also correct (I've never tried to make a tea bread with arugula, but it might be quite tasty).

That, of course, led me to wonder why there is a disconnect between culinarians and botanists over what goes into the vegetable category. For a botanist zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, green beans, etc. are fruits because they are part of the reproductive process of the plant. Culinarians seem to be okay with calling things that grow on trees and bushes fruits, but most things that grow on vines or ground plants we call vegetables (well, except for grapes and berries). We also think of sweetness as part of our fruit vs vegetable classification. We consider the sweeter ones fruit... but then what about vine-ripened tomatoes? Oh well, making sense of it seems pretty hopeless.

Poll Winner
Elda Rudd was last week's winner. I shared the second loaf with this cute little Starlight mouse. Fortunately he didn't eat much. But we did. This is a good recipe, no pineapple, but lots of zucchini and some pecans. I also use a little wheat flour. If you'd like a second chance to win one of these tasty loaves, answer this week's question and email me to let me know that you participated.

Challah Mice
I've been making various pastries with our vegan challah dough in preparation for some upcoming events. The challah mice are yummy. They have a bit of semisweet chocolate inside and a sprinkling of crystalized sugar on top. I'll offer them to you as well this week. They look very cute perched on a plate of salad, a cheese plate, or a fruit platter. You never know where one will show up!

Ingredients: Organic unbleached spelt flour, all purpose flour, and bread flour, Bob’s Red Mill egg substitute, soy milk, Earth Balance butter substitute, agave nectar, salt, yeast, chocolate, crystallized sugar, almonds, cloves.

Breads of the Week

Rustic White Bread is our specialty bread this week along with Rosemary Focaccia. This is the bread made with an added wild yeast starter to increase flavor.

Rustic White Bread Ingredients: Organic bread flour, water, barm (wild yeast starter), yeast, salt.

Rosemary Focaccia Ingredients: Organic flour, yeast, water, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Prices on this Week's Items

• Rustic White Bread - $5.00
• Rosemary Focaccia- $6.00
• Vegan Challah Mouse with Chocolate Heart - $1.30

Tuesday Pickup
You can pick up your orders from the our kitchen at Crumbs 5392 Hollister on Tuesdays from noon to 5 pm (usually it's 6, but we need to get home in time for the debate). We also offer Tuesday morning delivery to your place of work if that is more convenient. Feel free to stop by for a visit on Tuesday afternoons. We usually have some extra loaves of bread if you suddenly realize you really can't wait another week without a loaf of Starlight bread.

Thanks!
Nancy and Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers

Finding Solace in Chocolate

After listening to far too much news this week, I've decided to buy myself some really good chocolate. If you haven't been there yet, the place to go is Chocolate Maya at 15 W. Gutierrez St (that's down near Santa Barbara Roasting Company). Maya carries local chocolates as well as chocolates from around the world. I'm planning a little chocolate tasting tomorrow night, sharing some origin chocolate (made exclusively from one region) with some friends.

Challah Mice Winner
Last week's winner of 8 challah mice was my friend Laura who won them just in time to share them with her grandchildren this weekend.

This week's poll question will win you a tea bread made with the item in question. Email me when you've selected an answer and I will enter you in our drawing.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are on the baking schedule for this week. Baked cookies and pre-portioned frozen cookie dough are both available. The portioned cookie dough can be baked one cookie at a time in your toaster oven. My friend Lucy recently had an out-of-town guest who mentioned she was hungry for something sweet in the evening. When she went to bed, she found a plate on her pillow with two freshly-baked Starlight Bakery chocolate chip cookies. Now that's friendship!

Ingredients: Organic unbleached flour, chocolate chips, butter, brown sugar, eggs, cane sugar, walnuts, dried apricots eggs, crystallized ginger, vanilla, baking soda, salt.

Breads
This week's breads will be Rosemary Focaccia and Rosemary Potato Bread.

Rosemary Focaccia: Organic flour, yeast, water, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Rosemary Potato Bread: Organic unbleached flour, olive oil, water, potato flakes, yeast, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Prices on This Week's Special Items

• Rosemary Potato Bread - $5.00
• Rosemary Focaccia- $6.00
• 4 Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies - $3.00
• 12 Unbaked Chocolate Chip Cookies - $8.00
  

Tuesday Pickup
You can pick up your orders from the our kitchen at Crumbs 5392 Hollister on Tuesdays from noon to 6 pm. We also offer Tuesday morning delivery to your place of work if that is more convenient. Feel free to stop by for a visit on Tuesday afternoons. I have some carrot cakes and a few other delights you can buy from the freezer.

Thanks,
Nancy and Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers

And the Winners Are!

Yes, the correct answer to our vacation quiz was Cayucos, but the foggiest place on earth and somewhere with no phone were true as well. Jo Duffy and Denise Frey won the two carrot tea loaf cakes we had available this week.

Since I still have a lot of carrots, I think I'll make more carrot tea loaf cakes available this week for anyone who would like to order one. I freeze them and use them when I have friends over or I need a last minute special dessert. I've defrosted them after several months with no apparent loss in quality. The wheat germ, carrots, and pineapple make this a healthy treat... right?

Ingredients: Organic unbleached flour, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, carrots, pineapple, wheat germ, eggs, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and vanilla.

This Week's Drawing

I've been busy working on vegan breakfast pastries this week. That includes challah mice with chocolate hearts. As you can see, they are taking over my freezer, so I'd like to share some with one lucky winner. Answer the poll on the upper right and email me that you've entered your answer. I'll add you to our drawing for 8 challah mice. (hint: Starlight Mouse Sightings)

We had a friend over for dinner last night. Each of us had a challah mouse sitting on our plate, next to the salad. Challah mice cute and they taste good too! The entry deadline is noon on Monday.

Breads of the Week

Anita's Black Bread and Rosemary Focaccia are this week's offerings. Anita's bread is a hearty flavorful mix of rye, wheat, and white flours with chocolate, coffee, and molasses.

Anita's Black Bread Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, rye flour, bread flour (all flours are organic), raisins, butter, unsweetened chocolate, coffee, molasses, sugar, yeast, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, salt.

Rosemary Focaccia Ingredients: Organic flour, yeast, water, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Prices on this Week's Items

• Carrot Tea Loaf - $10
• Anita's Black Bread - $5
• Rosemary Focaccia - $6

Email me your order Nancy@StarlightBakery.com by noon on Sunday. Pickup or delivery is on Tuesday.

Thanks and have a good week!

Nancy and Dave Oster, Starlight Bakers