Hooked on Sweets!

So for my restaurant name for Restaurant Day - I've decided to call myself "Hooked on Sweets".
It's a bit of a play on Poppeli because it's a yarn shop and I also thought of a crochet "hook"!

Anyways, just an FYI - this Friday (16th) will be the last time I am baking for Poppeli for THIS YEAR!
Poppeli IS open on the 23rd - but the store hours aren't the regular ones...so we decided I'll sell this Friday and start again in 2012!!!
I will also be hosting monthly contests if there is enough interest - where YOU can win FREE cookies!!!

It's simple - go to my Facebook Page for Hooked on Sweets, "LIKE" it before January 1, 2012 and share it with your friends and get them to "LIKE" it too!
The more people who "LIKE" Hooked on Sweets - the more contests I can hold!

And for those without Facebook, I can post the contest in the store and possibly through Poppeli's blog (we'll see about that...I have to check).
And of course, through one of my blogs...I may have to make a new blog just for Hooked on Sweets...we'll see!

Anyhow!  The first contest will begin January 1st, 2012!
A winner (must be living in Finland) will be chosen at random.

Oh and this week - I'll be baking something sweet that melts in your mouth...and something baked but not sweet!  There's a limited supply - so be sure to pop into Poppeli Friday between 10am-5pm to get your goodies!!
Check back Thursday (or Friday morning) to see what I will be selling!!

If you live in Jyv�skyl� and are interested in having some goodies baked for yourself for Christmas - orders MUST be in before December 22nd!!
What a GREAT gift idea for the last minute person you forgot to shop for...or your neighbour...or for a stocking stuffer!
Just send an email to: hookedonsweets(at)hotmail(dot)com
I offer cellophane packaging and a wide variety of ribbons or stickers to seal the bag closed.
Prices may vary.

Thanks again for all of your support!

BIG BIG News!!!

I am excited! Super duper excited!

I have 2 things to share with you all! (Especially if you're in Jyv�skyl�, Finland area...)

First of all - I will be setting up a cafe in Poppeli yarn store in downtown Jyv�skyl� for Restaurant Day on February 4th, 2012.
I met up with the owner, who is a good friend of mine, and decided that February is a pretty cold time to be outside to sell cookies and other sweets...and seeing as she has some seating area, a fancy kind of coffee/hot drinks machine and of course - yarn to sell - maybe we could team-up!

THEN she had a great idea...I'm so excited....she asked if I could bake once a week and bring baked goods to sell at her store!  She currently doesn't offer much in food - just some packaged cookies...but wouldn't it be nice to come in one day a week and be able to knit/crochet, have a hot cup of something to drink...and a freshly-baked treat????
Yeah, I think it sounds great too!

Starting next Friday (Dec. 2) - I'll be delivering freshly baked sweets over to Poppeli....I'll be changing it up every week too!
Cookies, muffins, cupcakes... anything sweet - will be available every Friday (unless it's a holiday - we'll have to sort something out for that) at Poppeli!!!
So tell your friends and spread the word!

And of course, they'll be available for take-away in cellophane bags...tied shut of course...with yarn (only near the holidays as I do not have any cellophane bags currently...so ziploc bags it is for now!).
By all means you can eat your treats and relax at Poppeli with your knitting or cup of coffee or tea!


Keep an eye out on this blog!  I'll be posting what I am baking the night before I deliver to Poppeli!

My Blueberries

So what did I do with my blueberries?
Well, there's still a bunch in the fridge - soon to be frozen....but I did bake a batch of dog biscuits (Remember! Free samples in JKL until August 1!) and yesterday I decided to make some blueberry tea biscuits!

What will YOU do with yours?

International Food

I cannot believe I haven't posted about this before (at least I don't think I have...) but let's talk about "International Food".
Food that is not normally sold in Finland - would be American brands and British brands.

The big thing I missed since moving to Finland was Kraft Peanut Butter.  I don't think anywhere in Finland sells that brand (the jars are generally bigger) but that's okay...I eventually got used to the "Finnish" version of peanut butter, although it's not crunchy and it's more oily than the Kraft brand I'm used to.
Although, bonus points to Finland for selling Nutella!

Anyhow, a friend of mine, introduced me to this store, Behnford's, located in Helsinki.  They have their site in English (which I've linked for you) and they also ship based on weight and size of the package.

A friend of mine had gone to Helsinki and picked up a jar of Skippy's Peanut Butter - the jar was relatively small...I made it last as long as I could (got it in February I believe...) and the last bits were gone 2 days ago.
A very sad day indeed.

So, yesterday I got the chance to go with a friend (who thankfully has a car) to the big grocery store, City Market.

I wandered around and got the meat for the week and some other "heavier" stuff (bigger boxes of juice, extra milk cartons, pop - a real treat!, a big bag of potatoes) that can be a pain to carry home while walking....and then I remembered I was out of PB and Nutella!

Once I was in that aisle for spreads and jams - I looked across and saw a sliver of Heaven.

I bought 3 bags...the husband doesn't know.  I can finally make LOTS of treats and goodies with these!

Nutella is sold at all grocery stores....it's a hazelnut cocoa spread...yum.

The first time I've seen crunchy PB in grocery stores (City Market)

I've been here for almost 2 years and this is the first time I've seen semi-sweet chocolate chips! (Other than in Behnford's shop).

The Finnish version of smooth peanut butter...

So there ya have it...my special trip to the City Market ended with me coming home with special treats for me to bake with!

Marshmallows are sweet and sticky and great for Rice Krispy Squares, S'Mores, and other great little cookies...

Chocolate Chips are wonderful for baking with...like chocolate chip cookies....or chocolate chip muffins...or pancakes...or melting them for dipping small things to coat them in chocolate (although I've lately been using Fazer Dark chocolate baking squares) like macaroons (a coconut kind of cookie - sometimes known as a "hay stack")...

(My friend has never heard or seen them before and thought they looked like hamster droppings...I was mortified!)

I use PB for toast, sandwiches, dipping apples, a spoon of it in milk shakes...baked in cookies...for dog biscuits...

I use Nutella for toast primarily...sometimes in baking and occasionally in a milk shake or smoothie if I want to have something "chocolatey" but not a whole bar if you know what I mean!

These items were pricey (and not a brand name I recognize - but I don't care!) - however, if you factor in the cost of shipping from a friend or the cost of shipping from Behnford's....plus the potential of squished marshmallows....it works out to be cheaper than Behnford's and definitely cheaper than shipping from the US or Canada!