This Holiday Season things are going more smoothly and holiday product is better (so far, keep your fingers crossed for the rest of the season). I’m convinced that is because we have been able to hold onto employees who get better and better the longer they are here. We are able to keep them, in part because Alec is such a good manager. (Don’t tell him, but in my opinion he's a better manager.than I am). We also have a strong benefits package which helps.

Tips from the back room:

This year Chocolate Babka is a particularly good seller and beautiful, so if you want to be certain to snag one, you really should place your order now - which is not to say that we won't be able to keep up but that is possible.

Cranberry walnut bread is also one of my favorites and is a Christmas-when-life-was-simpler-and-we-decorated-the-tree-with-popped-corn sort of treat. I'm not sure that time ever existed in any of our lives, but this quick bread might help you remember whatever warms your heart during the dark parts of the year.

Now let's talk chocolate rum balls versus hazelnut balls. The rum balls.are much more popular, but I like the hazelnut ones better. The fact that rum balls sell better might be because we didn't put the word “liqueur” on the hazelnut label but believe me, it's in there.. Drive carefully after eating a few of them

And finally, Stollen and the Pope: Butter, being an animal product, was not allowed during Advent in 15th century Germany. Bakers had to use oil which came from turnips and was very expensive (but you already knew that.). After a series of appeals by the gentry, the pope issued the.”Butterbrief” or Butter Letter which allowed the use of butter for the Prince and his family (no, such luck for the likes of us). You can read about that as well as a 1.7 ton Stollen.ordered by Augustus II, the Strong, (1670–1733) the Elector of Saxony, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania by clicking the link below.
https://dannwoellertthefoodetymologist.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/a-papal-butter-ban-and-the-dresdener-christmas-stollen/ For stupendous Stollen, slice it thinly , toast it and add more, you know, butter!

Of course, these are just a few of our holiday products. I am including the list to help you decide.. The most important tip from the back room is; place your order right now if you haven't done it already. it really helps us plan and makes the holiday season more sane for the Sarkozy crew.

And on to MUSIC! This Sunday, December 17th, we will be treated to music from the Living Room Musicians who play an eclectic group of instruments; recorders, a hammered dulcimer and various percussion instruments. It is always fun to listen to them and for kids to play along with shakers and noisemakers. They will be playing from 11 am to approximately 1 p.m.. They will be playing again on January 28th. You will also be able to hear David Carambula playing guitar on January 14th and the group High Blue Sky on January 7th and the 21st.

Have a wonderful holiday, we close on Christmas Eve and re-open on Tuesday, January 2nd. That way our staff gets a chance to recover and to actually see their families. See you then.

Love,

All of us

The Pope, Butter, and Sarkozy Bakery Tips