To celebrate my critique partner Kristen Giang’s new book, Ginger and Chrysanthemum, I created a namesake cake! I used Smitten Kitchen’s Plush Confetti Cupcake recipe as my base and went from there. I chose a vegan, egg-free recipe so that it’s accessible to kids with allergies and sensitivities. Plus, you don’t have to worry about littles licking the batter! Feel free to use dairy milk and whipping cream if it’s…
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Independence Cake: A Revolutionary Confection Inspired by Amelia Simmons, Whose True History Is Unfortunately Unknown
Independence Cake: A Revolutionary Confection Inspired by Amelia Simmons, Whose True History Is Unfortunately Unknown (Schwartz & Wade, May 2017) by Deborah Hopkinson (Author), Giselle Potter (Illustrator) Picture Book The true history of Amelia Simmons, the author of America’s first cookbook, remains unknown. Enter Independence Cake, a whimsical, fictionalized account of what could’ve been, delectable cakes included! After Amelia’s parents died—her father in America’s war for independence and her mother from small pox—Amelia was taken…
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Bronze and Sunflower
Bronze and Sunflower (Candlewick, March 14, 2017) by Cao Wenxuan (Author), Meilo So (Illustrator), Helen Wang (Translator) Middle Grade Set during China’s Cultural Revolution (1960’s-70’s), Bronze and Sunflower follows the trials and tribulations of a poor, rural family as they prevail over extreme hardship through the power of love, loyalty, and compassion. Sunflower accompanies her artist-father to the countryside where he undergoes political reform at a labor camp. Left on her own for most of the…
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The Little Tree by Muon Van
The Little Tree (Creston Boks, November 2015) By Muon Van (Author), JoAnn Adinolfi (Illustrator) Picture Book Using a tree and her seed as metaphor, Van draws on her immigrant background to demonstrate a parent’s love for their child, even if it means setting them free. A little tree is worried that the forest around her is depleting and wants a better life for her little seed. “Are trees this small everywhere?” she asks a…
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Fall for a CSA! The Antidote to Farmers’ Market Withdrawal
How it works In the CSA model, community members pay a local farm or farm co-op for a share at the start of the growing season. This payment guarantees the shareholder a portion of the season’s bounty through weekly or bi-weekly produce shares. Members can also buy into other products such as grass-fed beef, free range poultry, cheese, dairy, and even flowers. It’s a win-win situation Members receive fresh, local–often…
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Show and Tell: Take a Day Trip to Shenandoah Valley
Just because kiddo’s school year is in full swing, doesn’t mean you have to reign in your road trip wanderlust! You can still hit the road on the weekends and Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is the perfect destination. The Valley stretches a couple of hundred miles from Winchester in the north down to Roanoke in the south, but the northern end is within an easy hour-or-so drive from D.C. Hiking trails,…
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4 Tips for Planning a Labor-Free Labor Day Party in DC
Before you bring on the tears and mourn the last days of sunshine, it’s time for one final shindig! Since Labor Day pays tribute to the American worker, no one should have to labor on this holiday, and that includes you, Ms./Mr. party host. Need some help? Here are 5 stress-free party-planning tips. Keep it outside Encourage guests to stay in the backyard by putting up baby gates (yup, they…
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Get Cooking: How to Plan a DIY Cooking Camp
We’re all about getting our kids in the kitchen—appreciating real ingredients, broadening their palates, building math skills, and observing chemistry in action—so sending them to camp to learn how to cook for a week sounds like a super idea…until you find out how much it costs (think $200 to $300 per week plus a supply fee). Before you toss out the idea altogether, why not band together with a group of…
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Ready, Set, Dunk: Where to Score the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Happy National Chocolate Chip Day! And there’s no better way to celebrate than to chomp down on America’s favorite cookie, the chocolate chip cookie. For the sake of our dear readers, we did the legwork and sussed out some of Seattle’s best chocolate chip cookies from local bakeries. Our list has something for everyone, from kiddie favorites—a buttery cookie with ooey gooey milk chocolate chunks to an unusual cookie infused…
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Your Ultimate Washington D.C Guide: Where to Stay, Play & Eat
Sure, our nation’s capital may conjure up memories of dusty museums and towering government buildings, but the city is surprisingly kid-friendly and chock full of fun history that is much more exciting than what you may remember from your high school history class aka snooze-fest. So whether you live in the D.C. Metro area and want to play tourist for a day or are heading to the area to try…