A Pinch Of Warming This House

Some may call me crazy. Some may call me over-the-top. Others just call me, “Connor”. That’s all because I spent 14 hours baking — and cleaning dishes — ahead of hosting people for my housewarming. And is it really a housewarming done properly if it’s not at least two months after you actually moved in?

I knew when it came to a housewarming party, this could look a little bit different and give me a damn good reason to really put my kitchen to use. This felt like the actual first time that I was going for a full meal even. When it comes to planning and executing something like this, the food seems to be the easiest part.

I don’t mean that in that what I make is particularly easy, but it’s the least stressful part to me. I probably have spent more time perusing the Facebook Marketplace in the past month than it took me to bake all this stuff, and that’s all to actually get two things. I have quite a bit of wall space and some more space around to fill with the right things, but those shall come along.

All I asked this time was that people come ready to eat, have a good time and plan for their cheat day with plenty of sweet treats, plus a savory bite which was a fan favorite.

Admittedly, I really need to get better about documenting these long bakes and cooks, but since this was a one-man show, I’ll give myself some grace. A note for next time.

That said, there are a few good shots throughout the process. First up: the Wegmans shopping haul.

Wegmans is hands down my favorite store on Earth. Something about going through a well laid-out grocery store kicks up the serotonin. And for those lucky enough to have experience the store in Cherry Hill, NJ… boy, do we got a good one. Aside from it being one of the largest Wegmans I’ve been in, every section is perfectly laid out, the staff is very knowledgeable (shoutout to the cheese counter guys) and it has everything one could need.

I know grocery stores can be terrifying for some. That was actually my second trip to that store on Tuesday (I was lucky enough to play in a golf outing in NJ for work… even though the rain got the best of us). But that’s enough of my Wegmans rant.

A quick moment for the dishwashers, and not just the machines. The people who actually clean dishes deserve much more credit. Having to do all of it myself in the middle of the baking was all sorts of added time and effort. Quick shout there.

And since I love a good branded moment, I figured we’d have some fun with some custom matchbooks. Safe to say I ordered quite a lot to make it worth it… this may add to the “over-the-top”.

Cafe Lucy Menu

This was a fun one to plan. A mix of classic favorites, some inspiration from treats out and a recipe from my Grandmom’s specialties. I even got to use my Mommom and Poppop’s coffee percolator to serve the hot stuff, which was of course in perfect shape. Mix in some cold brew concentrate and we had the table set. Oh, and of course the coolers of Prosecco, Guinness and other beverages, of choice.

A quick rundown here of The Goods:

• Cream Puffs with Chai Whipped Cream and Butterscotch Glaze – this was the nod to my Grandmom. She was a master at cream puffs, which are no easy thing to whip up. Mixing her recipe (along with one found in The Italian Bakery) with the inspiration from the Malvern Buttery last week – the Chai Butterscotch Cruffin – brought together the first crowd favorite. Excited for more cream puffs ahead.

• Biscotti – people rave about these every time I make them, so shoutout to my mom’s recipe here. And with the hot coffee this go-around, a perfect pair.

• Strawberry Mascarpone Cake – this is one I’ve made recently, and with fresh strawberries still in season, it was a no-brainer! The note here was there could even have been MORE strawberries. So next time, some fresh strawberries tossed in a little sugar shall be served on the side.

• Kouign Amann, two ways: Regular and with Peach Jam – now I could rave about kouign amann forever. The flaky layers thanks to all the butter and sugar – it’s the perfect cheat treat. This is one that has stood the test of time through any of my bakes and a favorite by all.
  This was also the first time I’d put anything in them. The peach filling was inspired by Machine Shop’s version with whatever seasonal jam they have, which was orange marmalade when I first had it and that I’ve thought about for years now.

• Scones, two ways: Lemon Blueberry and Pecorino Scallion – scones were about as close to a must-bake as the kouign amann going into this. And after this they’re a sure lock. The lemon blueberry was the go-to recipe, this time actually leaving out the glaze.
  But the star of the show here was the final addition to the menu. I needed something savory, and a savory scone was the perfect option. I poked around what I’ve saved and a few of my favorites and landed on Alison Roman’s Cheesy, Savory, Salty Scones. I’d also put “Peppery” in that description, but that doesn’t have a great ring to it so I get it. This was another first-attempt trusting recipe. And the crowd loved them. Savory always has a place at the table too.

Safe to say, I now have full faith in my kitchen and my house is feeling warmed. Always love hosting friends and family, so I’m excited to see what else this house can take on. For now, I need to get these leftovers out of my house and go for a run. Plenty of treats for my coworkers in the office tomorrow.

Hope you have a sweet week 🤘