Hi friends! Are you having wonderful summers? Here are just a few odds and ends from ours — it’s mostly been a sunny mix of visits from friends, recipe testing and manuscript scribbling, baby cuddles, and the occasional baked treat. I have also rediscovered the glory of regular old ice cream sandwiches, that kind with all the hubbub about not melting, and may or may not have taken down a box in the last week — which is neither here nor there.
More importantly, our monkey is now a silly little 9-going-on-10-month-old who has discovered crawling, and pulling up! He spends most of his time these days charging gleefully around the house, testing whether this time will be the time we finally let him touch that outlet (spoiler alert, it is not), keeping up a constant refrain of “dada,” and yelling when he’s pulled himself up on his baby gate but can’t figure out how to sit back down. His favorite toys are none of his own toys and all of ours, so (1) phones, (2) videogame controllers, (3) the remote, (4) not the toy remote we bought to trick him. And seltzer bottles. He’s gobbling chunks of kabocha and purple sweet potato (when I don’t eat it all first — I demand to know how it is possible that a vegetable can taste like cookies and cream), gnawing on broccoli and cauliflower, and will suck on a mango pit for as long as you will let him. His biggest smiles stretch his face wider than it is long. It is true what they say — it really does just get better and better every day.
(This doesn’t stop me from scrolling through old baby photos and wailing, “Look how chubby he used to be! Look how squeaky he was! Look how tiny! Look how [insert every other adjective you can think of]!“ I miss him at every age already. Does that mean it’s time for B4? I kid. (I kind of not kid.))
I hope your summers are all full of sunshine and delicious things! The recipe for the blueberry hand pies, which taste pretty much like summer baked into a flaky heaven of a pastry, is here, and the golden focaccia, which is crisp on top and chewy but tender inside and may have ruined me for all other focaccia forever, here; the cake will be in this little thing, but I can’t wait to share it with you, because it might be one of my favorite cakes yet. What’s your favorite thing you’ve made lately? I’d love to hear.
Erica
Soooo many things! First, he is SO ADORABLE. Like, my heart is melting at his cuteness. Second, I AM PUMPED for your cookbook!! It’s on my list of things to sneakily suggest to Andrew for future gifts. And third, LOVE the site re-design! The font is so pretty and the logo on the top is beautiful. Have a beautiful rest of the week Cynthia! 🙂
tworedbowls
Ah, Erica, you’re too sweet. THANK you so much. Your comments always make my morning!
Gerlinde
Your baby photos are precious. I love those hand pies and the focaccia bread. My summer is going going by way too fast, I discovered turnovers. Do you have a recipe for your hand pies.
tworedbowls
Gerlinde, thank you so much for such kind words! Our summer is going by way, way too fast too! The blueberry hand pies are an impeccable recipe by King Arthur Flour here: http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2017/07/03/blueberry-hand-pies-bakealong/ They are really so very good — with super flavorful sour cream crust.
Tori//Gringalicious.com
Awwwww! He is so incredibly adorable and I love hearing a bit about your summer. Thanks for sharing and all the things you do to make this blog such a bright spot to visit on the internet!
tworedbowls
Tori! Thank you for such kind words and for being the one to visit. It means so much!
Jessie
OMG, dat baby do…so CUTE AAAAAAH i die. happily.
tworedbowls
Haha! Thanks so much, Jessie! 🙂
Bill McGRATH
Happy summer to you three as well- I enjoy reading your posts and since you have become parents, it is even more interesting. I am the very proud father of five wonderful children and I only say this to tell you, based on your comments; “Look how chubby he used to be! Look how squeaky he was! Look how tiny! Look how [insert every other adjective you can think of]!“ I miss him at every age already. Does that mean it’s time for B4? I kid. (I kind of not kid.))
TIME REALLY DOES FLY BYE- It is obvious you love and like your son and that is all that can be asked of any parent- Please note your baby will be walking around soon, then riding a bike, then borrowing the car-It will happen- Best of luck and continue your creative writing and recipes-Thanks Bill
tworedbowls
Bill, thank you so much for always reading, and leaving such heartwarming comments. My husband and I both love reading them every time. (Even if I can’t bear to think of Luke borrowing my car already! Or even riding a bike!) What a wonderful big family you must have! We hope to be like you someday.
Bill McGRATH
wELL, THANKS FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, AS A MATTER OF FACT “ALL” YOUR WORDS ARE WRITTEN WITH KINDNESS- YOU HAVE A TERRIFIC TRIO AND I ENJOY YOUR BLOG ENORMOUSLY- WHICH BY THE WAY, I JUST THINK OF EATING WHATEVER YOU ARE MAKING- I USED TO COOK SOMEWHAT, BUT WHEN WE WERE FIRST MARRIED ( 32 YRS AGO) I WOULD LEAVE SUCH A MESS, MY WIFE SAID, “NICELY” ,NO MORE! LUKE IS A LUCKY BOY TO HAVE SUCH ATTENTIVE AND CARING PARENTS- AS I LOOK BACK ON MINE THAT WAS OUR GREATEST GIFT TO ALL OUR CHILDREN, OUR ATTENTION- I SPENT 28 YEARS AS A TEACHER IN SAN DIEGO IN THE JUVENILE COURT SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND I WOULD SAY ABOUT 85% OF THE KIDS IN MY CLASS CAME THERE BECAUSE OF A LACK OF ATTENTION, YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND I AM HONORED TO KNOW YOU, EVEN IN JUST AN “ONLINE” SENSE-ALL THE BEST TO ALL YOU THREE!
Anonymous
Ohhh he’s so adorable <3
tworedbowls
Thank you so much!!
Sis Adger
Every age is the best age ❤ Speaking from experience as mine are all in their 20s. Loving the look of those hand pies, just the thing for the berries I have on hand right now.
tworedbowls
I love hearing that. 🙂 Thank you so much for the kind words!
Shikha @ Shikha la mode
I could look at photos your little one all day!!
tworedbowls
You’re the sweetest, Shikha! Thank you!
Joyce Sung
When did he get so much hair on his head! I miss the tiny bald baby days. And ooh lychee peach pie? How did that turn out!!
tworedbowls
I do too! (Although, in retrospect, the grandparents were right and we probably should have buzzed that bald-on-top-long-on-the-sides old man ‘do we let him rock for a month or two.) And yes! It was a lychee peach upside-down cake and I LOVED it! One of my favorite things all summer. I can’t wait to share the recipe in the book.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Joyce 🙂
ellie | from scratch, mostly
Awwww I caught myself smirking and grinning at Luke’s grinning photos. xD I wish I could meet him so bad….and he so badly makes me want another baby…and my current one is only 11 months, so that’s a bad case of baby fever….oh no. It’s good to see you pop in here and there on the blog, Cynthia! I’m sure you get quite busy but hope you always stay in touch with us, your peeps! 😉
Anne
Cynthia!! I am loving the ADORABLE baby photos in this post, for some reason he just gets cuter and cuter!
Also on a side note, I should have mentioned this sooner but I love love love your writing. Every post I read I learn a new word that you masterfully weaved in – so much better than the SAT english/writing section prep books haha. It’s absolutely no wonder why you’re a lawyer, a feat I would never be able to manage!
P.s. Can we just talk about how awesome it is that you’re publishing a cookbook?! I simply cannot wait.
Erika Kwee
I am dyingggggg he is the CUTEST MONKEY!!!!!!!!!! I’m so glad he has such a talented photographer mom so we can to watch his cute face grow up.
Omg Cynthia I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOUR BOOK HURRY HURRYYYYYY
minapark1
Third bowl is so so adorable and so happy! Sounds like your summer was pretty magical and comforting, just the way it should be! The thing I made recently the most was a sticky rice donut glazed in ginger syrup in Korea. Working on finalising the recipe 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful week! x
Order Food Online in Jaipur
This is stunning and delicious
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Christina
Oh my gosh, adorable baby cuteness overload! Congratulations on the cookbook, I can’t wait to see it!!
stephanie
luke is TOO cute! i’m so excited for his birthday party! is that weird? >_< i just can't wait to see what awesome things you and andy come up with 🙂
also, i can't can't can't wait for your book!!!! AHHHHHHHHH hurry up time, but slow down too so we can enjoy the last little bit of summer.
xoxo
ps – how did i miss your redesign?! i LOVE it!!
Sabrina B
gorgeous photos and adorable toddler, thank you for these links, the focaccia recipe looks great, inspired to make it for the first time, to date I’ve only eaten it, and not recently! Same with the blueberry hand pies, like the serving size, but really love the taiwanese spicy beef noodle soup since I’m ready for savory and that’s my kind of protein, complete with spiciness, thank you!
cococakeland
Aiyeeeeee !! I looooved that age… so cute and funny and so much personality… oh man, I feel your pain so hard, missing all the stages… !! B4, ooooh yeah!!! PS I’m sure you guys have those outlet plug things already, but just in case, they are awesome, just plastic plugs that stick into the outlet making it safe around the babes. I still have ours in and Teddy is 5… 😛 … blog redesign is awesome! I am so overdue for one… ! Big hugs to you three, Cynthia! XO
alwaysbeyourself
How cute child! ♥
dervla
Cannot deal with this cuteness!!!
Kate
Those little pies (and your little one!!) look practically perfect in every way. I want to squish his face! What a honey!
click here
Cannot deal with this cuteness!!!
Jo
Aloha, can you share a recipe for those delicious looking fruit turnovers in the image above?
Bob
The link to the blueberry handle doesn’t link to your recipe