Easy Peach Galette

I had my first peach of the summer the other day. I took the first bite, pulled it away from my mouth and stopped to look at it, while thinking: this is the best f*^king thing I have ever eaten. Peaches are everything that summer is about: sweet and ripe and messy and full of juice, and just don't stick around long enough. This is why people can the crap out of peaches: to catch summer at its peak and enjoy them in February, when things are just plain bleak. A bad peach is a horrible disappointment. I can eat a mediocre strawberry, but I just can't eat a less-than peach.

I've been battling an annoying addiction to the internet and all of its many rabbit-holes, one of them being looking at beautiful food. Do men do this? Look at pictures of food on the internet? My husband thinks it is downright strange that I do this, but I think his scrolling for guitars and music gear is just as weird. We obsess... And then - I notice myself at the fruit market buying a basket of peaches and I realize that I have seen about 537 beautiful pictures of galettes this summer. Galettes. A quick, throw-together, rustic, messy pie of a thing. I finally had a mission and purpose in life: to make a peach galette.

Here is what I did:

Spelt and Cornmeal Pate Brisee:
1 3/4 cups organic light spelt flour
1/2 cup organic yellow cornmeal
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp raw sugar
2 sticks of ice cold unsalted butter, cut into small squares
1/4 c ice water

Place the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until blended. Next add butter, and pulse again until the butter looks like tiny peas in the flour. Then with the food processor on, add the ice water in a stream and stop as soon as the dough begins to clump, but is still crumbly looking. Shape the dough into a disk with your hands, without handling it very much. Wrap it in saran wrap and put it in your fridge for at least one hour.
When you are ready to make the galette, take the dough out of the fridge, and preheat your oven to 425F.


Peach Filling:
6 medium-ripe peaches (not too ripe), cut into 1/2" wedges
2 tbsp organic light spelt flour
2 tbsp raw sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter, cut into chunks

Place all these ingredients - except the butter - in a bowl, and toss everything together lightly to coat the peaches.
Roll out your galette by dividing the chilled dough in half, and placing one mound on a rectangle of parchment that matches your cookie tray (mine is 9" x 13"). Sprinkle some cornmeal on the top to ease the rolling. Roll it out to a circle approximately 10" in diameter. Either throw your peaches on there in a big heap, or do it nicely by making neat rows starting 2" in from the edge. Once the fruit is placed, fold the edges over. Try to seal the cracks if any of the dough breaks while folding. Scatter those butter chunks on the top, then transfer the parchment to your cookie tray, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the crust look golden-brown.





















We served ours with coconut whipped cream. I can't give you that recipe right now because I'm really hot and tired, but I'm sure you can easily find it on the highly-addictive internet.
Enjoy!

Just Give 'Er

If you choose to pay attention, you might just find that events in life often seem to coincide or relate or conspire together to teach you something or give you a nice, firm kick in the butt to take action on something.
Some people call this serendipity, and some people are obsessed with "signs" and that overwhelming sense that the universe is really listening to you, therefore you should definitely make a move. I don't mean it in either of those ways. In fact, I am pretty much over reading-into-everything as a way of decoding life. What I am talking about is the simple putting together of life experience so that it makes sense and so that we see where change is heading. We either change or we die, right?
Let's start with this lovely dinner I had with one of my best friends this week. This woman is incredibly beautiful, intelligent, creative, warm, loving, adventurous - she has it all going for her. But she has been looking for love for quite some time and certainly has her doubts about whether or not it will happen. My first instinct was to tell her to look at herself, to see where she needs to change or open her heart, to essentially "work" on herself. Then I kind of slapped myself in the brain; I realized that I don't think that is true anymore - that we have to continually work on ourselves in order to arrive at some perfect version of who we are in order to have what we desire.

This is a picture of a fraction of the show.

Now onto today. Bear with me please, because I am about to bridge this into business. Today I went to a trade show at the Metro Convention Centre. It is called the CHFA and is for manufacturers and distributors in the health food industry who are looking for new business. I roamed the aisles and aisles AND aisles of all things gluten-free and raw and supplemented and fermented and vegan and well - you know I could go on and on. This is a growing industry. So I'm roaming and I'm trying all the cookies, of course, and as I'm eating all these cookies from the many cookie businesses there are out there, I am growing increasingly disheartened and confused. How will I make it when everyone is doing the same thing? What's the point? It got kind of depressing, actually.
Then I thought about my husband, who is a brilliant musician, and how he will be attending a music conference in October. I thought of how many other handsome guitar-playing guys will be there, with songs that are great, with voices that can soothe and belt, and how he also may wonder why and how and what for. 

A picture of my feet at the show.

The question is then, do I stop doing what I do for the fear that there is no place in this world for it? Do I succumb to doubt? Do I give in to the thought that I don't measure up or don't have what it takes or that someone is better than me? Or do I go for it?
I am not perfect. Oh dear, I am so far from it. And my business is not "ready" to go national and be on those big, bright shelves at the supermarket. But it is what is right now.
How does this relate to love, and music, and cookies, and putting all the pieces of life together? Well, I suppose I am a bit scattered and a bit lost these days, but that's what it is. There is no perfect version, there is no waiting to get it all right. Life is messy.
I am not saying that I'm going to sell a crappy product or anything, but maybe my product happens to be good enough to make a whole bunch of people happy. Besides, between you and me - I had some pretty crappy cookies today. Cookies that are sold in supermarkets all over North America. I'm not being a hater, just making a point. 

I Want My Job

Sometimes it's really fun to be interviewed...
Last week, Sean O'Neill, who writes a column for the torontoist site, came by the bakery and we sat and had a great chat. He writes a feature called "I Want Your Job" and it's about different people in the city, doing different jobs, and having a great time doing them.
The thing about a good interview is that it makes you think about what you're doing - not just operate in the daily auto-pilot of the to-do list. Sometimes it's easy to forget why I love my job, or what's unique about how I run my business. I felt all warm and squishy after the interview - but more importantly, had renewed faith that I am on the right track.
Here's the article - I hope you enjoy it!
http://torontoist.com/2010/06/i_want_your_job_eden_hertzog_baker_babe.php

Wake 'N Bake

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I had an epiphany while waiting in line for our coffees at our local cafe. The thought was something like, "why the heck are we standing in line here, and spending almost ten bucks a day on coffee?"
So we went out to the mall (I secretly love the mall - but only at night. It relaxes me. I am strange) and picked up a beautiful stainless steel stovetop espresso maker and this really cool milk frother that you can stick on the stove. The timing for this radical shift (wow, is my life really this domestic?) is perfect because summer is here and that means coffee on the roof deck first thing in the morning.
I know it sounds like a small thing, but I'm telling you - it has changed my life; instead of rushing out the door I have been taking time in the mornings to settle into the day, work on some writing, and have a quiet moment alone. As soon as I am relaxed, my creative forces start doing their thing and bam! I want to make something. So I've been (big surprise) baking in the mornings. Today was fresh berry scones. I guess you want the recipe too, huh?

Better-than-Breakfast Spelt Berry Scones












*preheat your oven to 375F
1 1/2 cups organic white spelt flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
3 tbsp milled brown flax seed
1/2 cup quick oats
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
** Sift and stir all this stuff into a bowl, then add:
1/3 cup coconut oil (or sunflower oil, or whatever you have...)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
**stir it again until it becomes a batter, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl
Then throw in half a cup of berries and stir it again.
Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper. Drop your batter onto the sheet into little, messy scone-y shaped things. Bake for 15 mins, or until golden on top.
Eat them warm, maybe by yourself or with someone you like a lot. Take a moment.

xo BB

Push!

When I started up the business almost 13 years ago (holy crap), I was the holder of a teeny-tiny seed of a vision. At 19 years old, I wasn't seeing the business as a gone-national cookie company or anything. No, I was probably just hoping to get the delivery of cakes to the East End without them getting smushed in the back seat...
As the business grew, my vision grew. I began to see something shiny way off yonder in the distance - and although it was hazy, I envisioned my business becoming something huge. For whatever reason, the vision always had to do with the cookies being sold in California. Since I love California, it probably just meant that once we had grown to reach the California market, well - then we'd made it!

In February we took on our first big contract with the US. There was much screaming and jumping up and down in the bakery, and then we got serious about the many thousands of cookies we would have to make...
And OF COURSE - chaos hit! Our new packaging was delayed, the wrong flour was delivered, and then - worst of all - our cookie depositor broke down. Yes, Baker Babe was even brought to tears. Nothing was going to stop us from getting that first order out, but it sure felt like everything was trying!
The bakers and I (and the husband pitched in too) hunkered down and hand-scooped almost 35,000 cookies. During breaks we soaked our hands in warm sea salt baths, and shook our heads at the madness of it.

People often compare a business to having a baby, and I would add to that by saying that a business is like having many babies. Just when you think the kid's grown up, you're in labour again, pushing out the next one. A business is about constant re-birth and expansion - and from what I know, it's not exactly a walk in the park, but it's always worth it.

We got the order done, we worked our butts off, and a piece of that beautiful vision was actualized. As crazy as it was, I wouldn't have changed a thing. The chaos brought our team together, showed the integrity of the company, and was a pretty great story to tell.

Cookies on The Coast

Big dreams have come true folks!! I am more than proud to say that New Moon cookies are now available in Vancouver at Whole Foods Market. The two locations that are carrying them are: the new Cambie St. location at 510 West 8th Avenue, and the West Vancouver location at 925 Main St.

I will be sampling cookies all week:

Tuesday in West Van: 1pm-5pm

Wednesday on Cambie: 11am-3pm

Thursday on Cambie: 4pm-8pm

Friday in West Van: 11am-3pm

So come on by and eat some cookies and meet Baker Babe, ha ha!

ps - those are mountains behind the cookies...

Cookies on the Mountain

Have I told you lately that I love my job? Well - here it is: I LOVE my job.
If you had asked me ten years ago what my dream job is I would have told you that it was to be able to travel with my work. So that is now what I get to do. Woo Hoo!!
Last week I went to BC to wear my salesgirl cap and pitch the cookies to some stores out there.
It was a blast; driving around in a rental car with a broken GPS, getting to know the streets of Vancouver, and taking the cookies on a road trip.
I don't want to leak the good news just yet - but let's just say that all you hopeful Vancouver-ites who have emailed asking for cookies - well, you are soon to be in luck.

Ruthless Compassion is the Name of the Game

Out of all the myriad tasks that being a boss entails - the hardest and most uncomfortable, the most dreaded - is having to let someone go.
We have a staff of 7 people - so as you can imagine, it's pretty intimate. When someone becomes part of the team, they become PART of the team. We're a community.
I operate my business from two very strong archetypes - the mother and the hunter.
In my true nature, I am both nurturing and ruthless. If that sounds like a paradox - believe me, it is. I am often at odds with myself - to be in business, I have to be willing to be ruthless and determinate, I have to make the decisions that are best for the growth and integrity of the business. Sometimes this means doing things that others find "cold". That's just the way the cookie crumbles. And sometimes I hesitate on making decisions because the mother in me knows that someone's feelings will be hurt.
Every time I have made the choice to let someone go - I have ruminated and stressed for days over it; I defend them in my mind, I doubt my decision, I think I am being unreasonable etc... In truth - I don't want to be "unliked", I don't want to be the bearer of bad news and put someone out of work.
But as my consultant once said to me - "People ask to be fired, whether they know it or not".
In most cases this is true. I think that sometimes people grow unhappy in their jobs and don't even realize it. In my experience, when someone is unhappy in their job their work performance goes down the toilet (obviously).

What am I saying here? Perhaps I am defending myself. Perhaps I am clearing out my conscience. Really I think I am stating what feels like a challenge: building a business from these two very strong roles in myself - being the nurturing, caring "mother" and also being the ruthless "hunter" who will do whatever it takes to manifest her dream.
In the end - balance is what always seems to rule, finding the happy medium, being "both".
I aim to be fair, and not to make irrational decisions. But I tell ya - some nights I lie awake in bed with my stomach in knots over the things I know I have to do.

New Moon Kitchen Bares It All

I am dedicating this post to those of you (us) out there who seek to learn about a company by "googling" it. Maybe you are coming up to this post right here because you googled "new moon kitchen" and here we are!!

And maybe you scrolled through the pages on your screen and found some terrible things posted about us...

I want to set the record straight! And if you have no idea what I am talking about then welcome to storytime on my blog, this week's story is called "How some people are out to get you for no good reason".

Back in September or October one of my staff sent some cookies to a blogger in Oakland, CA. She writes a blog about vegetarianism and food etc...

She got our cookies - sent an email asking "what is in the chocolate chips you use?"

we wrote her back with the ingredients of the chips: sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, soy lecithin, vanillin.

Next thing we know she posted a blog saying that we use "petrochemicals and charred animal bones" in our cookies...

NOW HOLD UP - you can only imagine my SHOCK and horror to be reading this stuff about my beloved little cookies. So I write back to her and give her the facts about the chips we use, that they are made by one of the very best chocolate manufacturers in the world, Barry Callebaut, and that the chips do not contain any petrochemicals or charred bones.

Funny thing was, even after we sent the info to her she wouldn't post it on her blog, she was deleting our feedback comments.

Then we got a call from Treehugger which is an online site devoted to ethical and green living.

They got a "tip" about this person's blog and wanted to hear the story from our side.

I was interviewed by treehugger  and they wrote this great, non-biased article about the whole thing.

I was infuriated by it all - if it hadn't happened to me I would think it great fodder for discussions about the power of the "information age" but how information can be spread without facts. I even checked about getting the information taken off the web (because it is false - as you will see if you read through the associated links) but google won't take info off unless they receive a court order to do so.

After all is said and done, let me explain what caused the blogger's little tantrum.

We make 11 products. 4 of our products contain chocolate chips. The ingredient labelling on our packaging says "semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)". At the time when we had our packaging designed, it was not a requirement to list the ingredients of ingredients for a chocolate chip.

The chips we use are kosher parve, nut-free, and vegan. The sugar in them was not processed with the use of animal bones for bleaching the sugar. There is no petrochemical in the vanillin.

AND we have since switched to a different Barry Callebaut chip that uses pure vanilla.

Some of you may not care about any of this, and some of you may - that's why I'm posting this; to clear up any confusion, and to clear our name.

Now what did I learn from all of this? What little nugget of knowledge can I share...

That revenge is a low level of energy exchange and does nothing to make any kind of change in the world. So instead of "fighting" back I decided to keep on making cookies, running my company well, and just plain got over it. 

Or let's say it another way - if you have a choice to feed the negative or the positive - which one do you go for? Which one do you want to see grow?

If any of you readers or consumers have any questions about all this- please do let me know!

xo Eden

New Moon Kitchen makes a TRUE cookie

So this thing happens when one googles "new moon kitchen". Maybe some of you reading this post right now happened to do just that and were lead here to this page. Or - maybe you were lead to a different blog... a blog that decided to tear us apart - EVEN AFTER we disproved everything the blogger accused us of.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about then don't worry - but if you've followed any of the story then you'll know what I'm referring to.

So here's the thing - I've got this person who - for whatever reason - wants to rain on my parade in a big way, who wants to spread false information about my company on the web - and continues to do so even after we had treehugger interview us, even after we had a meeting with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, even after we wrote to the blogger - kindly - with information from our suppliers that proved there was nothing "hiding" in our cookies.

I can't seem to shake this vengeful person off my web trail. 

So what should Baker Babe do? Get mad? Get even?

sink to the low level of the blogger? 

Obviously I'm mad that there is false information floating around on the web - 

stars stars stars!!!

Thanks Globe and Mail!

Awesome little article...

Money For Nothing

In business, there is always the drive to "make more money". Money can easily be the thing that shows success or failure, that gives the business a measure. It is easy to want more money, but what do I want it for?

I've been buzzing around in my mind wondering what to do next to make more $ - especially with the reality of the economy right now. Thinking about different ways to get cookies to the people, and to keep New Moon healthy and happy. My mind is a non-stop machine and I've been thinking around the clock; brainstorming myriad ways to market and sell the cookies.
Sometimes this can feel manic - sometimes it's not time to "sell" but time to dream, imagine, create.
Yesterday I took a really hard Yoga Class - I thought my hips were going to snap or something, and while in the resting at the end of class, with my eyes closed in the dark,  I realized this: Money has to have a clear purpose in order to be acquired. Money is energy, and energy is not static.
In my wanting for more I simply wanted more, but it was directionless. I can say "I want more money to be more successful, or to show more revenue" but what the heck does that mean anyway?
Ever notice when you need money to "pay the rent" or "take a trip to mexico" or "buy the blue coat with buttons" it seems to come?
That's because an intent was stated of what is desired. Intent is an arrow that needs to be cast into the future, to give the present some context.

The clarity in that moment nearly bowled me over;  I have to be clear of what I want money for, and the acquisition has to have a purpose - and better yet, if that purpose is something that creates goodness and balance - then whoa, that is ideal.

I want to move the bakery to a new home. New Moon needs a new space. We're outgrowing what we have and our current space does not reflect our maturity and evolution as a company.
So ya see - it's not actually money I want - it's change (I don't mean nickles and dimes, people). Money just happens to be the currency.

Hear that, Universe??

Is There a Better Gift than Cookies?

Well, this year I FINALLY decided to do what other companies do: capitalize off of the Holidays...
(not really - you know Baker Babe is not a capitalist).
In actual fact - I decided to create a product that is the anti-thesis of the typical xmas gift.
I don't know about you - but I feel grossed out by how much waste is created in one single month of the year. Wrapping paper alone is enough to make any environmentalist balk.
So here at New Moon we are offering a gift that leaves no trace. That's right... eat the cookies and compost the container.
Guilt-free on so many levels - and since it's the New Year and all, we need to have as little guilt as possible riding on our coattails.

For those of you who are new to my posts - I will let you in on a little secret: I love creative projects! So these STARS cookies have been fun all-around.
First off - after I got the idea, I asked my baking team (the AMAZING Courtney & Helen duo) to do the R&D on the product. So they got busy baking and testing.
Then the lovely Toni at the order desk was offered a commission on every case she sells.
AND THEN - I decided that we would donate a portion of the profits (10%) to a local neighbourhood charity (the Stop Community Food Centre).

Not to be a total cornball - but this is actually a gift that gives. I think it's so cool that at this point in the game I can do stuff like this with the company, that it's not just about "making money" to get by or pay the rent, but about involving the team, being creative, and giving back to our community.

Did I mention that these are really yummy cookies too?? cute little chocolate and vanilla stars - spelt, dairy-free - you know the drill.
YUM.

Now go get some.

Signed,
Capitalist Extraordinare
xo

The Irony of Freedom

I have worked my b-tt off for years and years. And not just my b-tt; my mind, my heart, my awareness - everything has been working overtime for New Moon Kitchen.

And I always said - "I want to build up the business so I can be an artist". And now here I am - with of course,  always growth to be had, but with the freedom to truly design it the way I want to.

For years I was a technician in my business - baker/bookkeeper/delivery girl/manager/sales rep/quality control/head of marketing. I did all jobs, all the time.  While my friends were in university or travelling, I was building the business, hoping that my investment would one day make sense.  And it has - but here I am, sitting atop an actualized goal and I don't know what the heck to do with myself!!!!

There is a beautiful story in the book called "the book of embraces" (Eduardo Galeano) about a hamster who had been in its cage all its life, and one day the cage was opened, but the hamster stayed in the cage trembling with the "fear of freedom".

I wonder now if the idea of "being free" (and what is that anyway?!) was what drove me all those years to bust a--. There has never been a moment where I wanted to give up on the business, even when I was down to the last drop of energy and something had broken and some baker had quit and I just couldn't do anymore. I knew I was doing it for something special, and I never resented the business.  

It makes sense now - as I look around at the amazing staff that I have, at the awesome products we make every day, the harmony that is inherent to New Moon. It's a beautiful, successful business!! 

So now what??

Now - oh now - I'm still wearing lots of hats - but they are a different kind. In fact, I'm wearing hats I've never worn before; singer, writer, entrepreneur. These hats make me nervous - I don't "know" what to do next. Does anyone have any idea what it's like for a Type A person to "not know"?! 

To be honest - I think the business is offering me some time to figure it out, to maybe even acknowledge what I have achieved, maybe rest this wild mind of mine...

Not sure yet. On the edge of my seat though.... will keep you posted.

New Moon Cookies Under Fire

hello all
I am writing this post in case anyone came across a certain slanderous blog entry about us that has been circulating the internet.
If you'd like to see the whole story, there was a follow-up article from TreeHugger which tells both sides of what went down in the Cookie War. You be the judge.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/cookies-vanilla-vanillin-refined-sugar.php

And just so Baker Babe here can make this clear:
Our product is 100% animal-product free
The refined sugar in the chocolate chips we use is not processed with animal char
the vanilla in the chocolate chips does not contain a petrochemical
And we do not hide ingredients from our customers

We have found a chip that uses pure vanilla - and we will be switching over.

It has been a very disappointing experience dealing with this Bad Press - but it has also been a great learning.
Do you know that feeling when someone says something untrue about you - and you have to defend yourself - and it's frustrating because you know you've done nothing wrong?
Well - that was what went down with this. It had all us Baker Babes acting as warriors. I know it's just a silly blog in the middle of the ether on the web - but geez - somebody messed with my baby! And Baker Babe was not happy about that.

If anyone has any questions about the Cookie War - please email me:
eden@newmoonkitchen.com

Cookies Under Fire!

For those of you who are interested - I wanted to put up a post about some things that have been going on via the web last week.
I blogged about this a few days ago - but just incase there is anyone out there who saw the story and wants some answers - here is the story.
for those who want the history - go to:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/cookies-vanilla-vanillin-refined-sugar.php

long story short:
what came under fire about our dear little cookies was that the chocolate chips we used had refined sugar in them (and that refined sugar uses animal bone char in them) and also vanillin.
We did some research and got official statements from our supplier that there was no animal bone char in the sugar - and no petrochemical in the vanillin.

we were also accused of "hiding" the ingredients in our cookies.
This issue is more relevant, I think, than the other accusations and I feel deserves an explanation to anyone who is curious as to why the ingredients of the chips are not on the bags.
When we designed our packaging in 2004 - the labeeling laws were less stringent in Canada. Especially for companies making under $1 million in revenue annually.
Since then Canada has changed its laws - unfortunately, we still had many many thousands of bags to use up.

I do apologize if anyone feels undersold by this - the

You Can't Please 'Em All...

So this funny thing happened today that has inspired me to do some blogging.  And wow, it HAS been awhile.

One of my fabulous "baker babes" has been reading up on some blogs related to food & vegetarianism etc... She ended up sending a gift package to a Blogger out in California to pitch a company write-up.

Well, the plan kind of backfired because the Blogger decided to write some pretty slanderous things about our company! wow. got me all fired up.

This blogger is a vegan and was very upset with our choice of Chocolate Chips because they contain Refined Sugar and vanillin.

So I am reading this blog which is very "bold" (let's say) and ooooh - I am getting all fired up because well, New Moon is my baby!! and who does this person think they are and blah blah blah.

I had to take a deep breath and have a little think about how to respond. So many things flooded into my mind in response to the "chocolate chip attack".

Yes, we use a chocolate chip that contains refined sugar, but it is the best quality chip we could find that is dairy free, nut & peanut free, and Kosher Parve. 

If anyone out there knows of a manufacturer that is all those things + 100% vegan - shoot me an email.

It really got me thinking about how difficult it can be to please everyone. We are in the process of creating a gluten-free cookie and man, trying to make a YUMMY gluten-free cookie without dairy, eggs or nuts is HARD. but we're getting there...

At the end of the day - we are about making a quality product. We are about creating a great company, promoting goodness, and having a blast as we climb the cookie ladder.

And yes - there will probably be many people who don't agree with some of what we do, or who don't like our cookies, or who think "baker babe approved" is a silly thing to put on a bag of cookies.

oh well. you can't please 'em all. 

but at least my Nephew Elliot likes 'em (see major cuteness above). 

xo bb