Talida Bakes

I’ve been enamored with this cookie since 2005. 2005 was the year I started religiously reading blogs, the same year I started exploring new recipes to hone my baking skills. This recipe has been at the top of that list for over six years, and it’s puzzling why I never chose to make it until recently. It really is the perfect cookie for me. Tea flavor? Check. Buttery shortbread? Check. Only thing it was missing was some floral component. But I could always adapt the recipe to incorporate some flowery goodness. Check.

After nearly seven years of waiting to make this cookie, it’s amazing how it didn’t disappoint. I may have learned how not to hype it up like I tend to do with movies, only to be underwhelmed, like a certain recent Mission: Impossible movie. Sigh. And this may be a shock to hear me say, but I think I like this cookie better than any of my matcha cookies! It must be the layer of flavors that moved me, kind of like a pinot noir.

Now that I’ve finally tackled this cookie recipe, I can move on to the many others on the list, which could take me another seven years. What about y’all? What recipes have you been wanting to try, but haven’t yet?

[continue reading Candied Violet & Earl Grey Tea Cookies]

A huge thanks goes out to those who took the reader survey! I appreciate all the feedback you gave, and I will do my very best to implement your suggestions this year. And now, the winner of the matcha giveaway is…….. Judy from Boston! Judy, I will email you to get your mailing address so [...]

Today is the last day to enter the matcha giveaway by taking my reader survey! One reader will be chosen at random to receive two tins of my favorite brand of matcha. Imagine all the possibilities with that much matcha! What would you make if you won? Here are some matcha recipes from the archives [...]

Sunday marked 5 years for this site, and it’s the perfect time to ask for your feedback in the form of a survey! I want to grow and improve this site to make it a valuable resource for y’all, but I need your help in giving me honest and constructive feedback.

And to include a little incentive for you, I’m going to give 2 tins of my preferred brand of matcha, Maeda-En Culinary Quality Matcha, to one survey participant! The survey below will be open indefinitely, but you must submit the survey by Thursday, January 12, 11:59PM to be entered into the drawing. One entry per person.

[continue reading Reader Survey and Matcha Giveaway!]

We always make such a big deal about Thanksgiving leftovers, but what about Christmas leftovers? Every Christmas dinner I’ve ever been to has ended with plenty of leftovers, but I don’t see nearly as many recipes or posts dedicated to Christmas leftovers like we usually do with Thanksgiving leftovers. Perhaps ham is easier to re-purpose than turkey is?

[continue reading Panettone Bread Pudding]