Did you know gingerbread people have a noble history? The story goes that Queen Elizabeth I had her chef make gingerbread people in each guest’s likeness for a royal dinner party.Half the fun of gingerbread people is decorating them, isn't it? We always start out with simple icing outlines and dots for facial features, but after a few have been finished, we start drawing on sassy shirts and flowing skirts or groovy surfer shorts and sunglasses. Invite your friends over - kids and grownups alike - and jump-start the season with a cookie decorating party of your own!Festive Gingerbread PeopleClick here to print this recipe!Ingredients3 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking soda2 teaspoons cinnamon2 teaspoons ground allspice1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper1 3/4 cups light brown sugar3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, room temperature2 eggs1/4 cup honey1/3 cup molasses2 tablespoons peeled and grated gingerClick here for our Quick & Easy Cookie Icing recipe and decorating tips!1. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and cayenne into a medium bowl. Mix with a spoon until the ingredients are evenly distributed.2. Place the sugar and shortening in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment, mix on low for about 30 seconds to start bringing the ingredients together. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and pale in color. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. Add the honey, molasses and ginger and mix on medium for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix for another 30 seconds to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides one more time.3. Fold half of the dry ingredients into the batter with a rubber spatula. After the first batch is incorporated, fold in the rest of the dry ingredients and continue folding just until all of the flour has been absorbed.4. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough from the bowl onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Dust your hands with a little flour and pat the dough into a block, then wrap it tightly in the plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.5. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.6. Place the chilled dough on a floured work surface and roll it out 1/2-inch thick. Using a 6-inch cookie cutter, make as many gingerbread people as you can and place them on the prepared baking sheets. These cookies will spread out a little bit during baking, so leave a 2-inch space between each cookie. Roll the scraps of dough into a ball and roll it out again. You should be able to cut a few more cookies from the dough.7. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, on the center rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. To help the cookies bake evenly, rotate the baking sheet every 5 minutes or so. Let them cool completely before decorating. These cookies can be made 2 or 3 days before a decorating party and stored in an airtight container.

Shortbread is a classic Scottish dessert that makes a delectable cookie. It’s a popular choice for holidays, because it’s so adaptable and can be cut into festive shapes. For years we've put Leslie's famous Sour Cherry Shortbread Cookies into our Holiday Cookie Box, but this year we're offering an extra way to enjoy these cookies.We're excited to announce that you can now baked up our Sour Cherry Shortbread Cookies at home using our brand new cookie mix! Just add chilled butter and a sugar garnish; we'll take care of the rest. Before you preheat the oven though, take a look at our best baking tips and then follow along as Leslie prepares them in this video.The recipe for this cookie comes from Leslie's family, making it an extra special treat. If you're searching for a great gift or stocking stuffer for your foodie friends and family members, look no further. Pick up a jar at any of our cafés!

Mexican Wedding Balls, Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes... Whatever the name, one thing is certain: These cookies will make spirits bright! The snow-white, powdery appearance makes it a favorite for cookie swaps and festive desserts. The cookies were dubbed Mexican Wedding Balls because of their common use as cheery wedding favors.The secret to making truly scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth Mexican Wedding Balls is using high-quality butter and pure vanilla extract. Check out our video to follow Leslie's simple step-by-step instructions for preparing these cookies!Mexican Wedding BallsClick here to print this recipe!Ingredients1 1/2 cups whole almonds12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature1/3 cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour2 cups powdered sugar, siftedMakes 3 dozen cookies1. Preheat oven to 350°F.2. Scatter almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast on center rack of oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool, then finely chop and set aside.3. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and pale in color. Add vanilla extract and mix for about 30 seconds, making sure vanilla is fully incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.4. Place almonds and flour in a medium bowl and toss together. Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the dry ingredients into the bowl of batter. After the first batch is fully incorporated, fold in the other half and continue folding until all of the dry ingredients have been absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.5. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.6. Scoop small amounts of dough out of the bowl (I like to use a small ice cream scoop), and roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart, pressing them down lightly to create a flat bottom on each cookie. Chill in refrigerator for about 2 hours.7. Back on center rack of oven, 1 sheet at a time, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies just start to color. To help the cookies bake evenly, rotate the baking sheet every 4 minutes or so. Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet, then toss them in powdered sugar. Lay the sugar-coated cookies on a clean baking sheet to finish cooling. Finally, after the cookies are fully cooled, toss them in powdered sugar once again. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month at room temperature.

Decorating sugar cookies can be a fun way to wile away a chilly afternoon with friends. Don’t despair if your little cookie canvasses aren’t perfect works of art. With a little practice, you’ll be icing cookies like our pastry chefs. In the meantime, rest assured that these cookies taste delicious no matter what - especially if you followed our tips for baking the perfect batch!Quick & Easy Cookie IcingClick here to print this recipe!Ingredients1 cup powdered sugar1 tablespoon filtered waterFood coloringMakes enough icing to decorated 6 to 8 six-inch cookies1. Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl and add water. *Stir to combine until the mixture is smooth and all the sugar is dissolved. Add just a couple of drops of food coloring and mix well. You can always add more food coloring until the desired color is reached. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day.2. Repeat the steps above to create more colors.3. Fit your pastry bags with the desired piping tips. A fine tip is perfect for drawing detailed decorations and making outlines. A wider tip can be used to fill in spaces. Using a rubber spatula, fill each bag with a different frosting color. Gather the frosting near the tip so no air will escape the tip as you are decorating. When icing the cookies, make sure the piping tip is not touching the cookie, but rather hovering over the cookie. One way to cover the whole cookie with a glaze of icing is by putting on a latex glove, dipping your finger into the icing and painting the cookie with your finger.4. While the icing is wet, add embellishments to the cookie by topping with colored sprinkles or crystal sugar. Once the icing has set, gently tap the cookie to get rid of extra sprinkles and sugar.5. After all the cookies have been decorated, let them sit for 2 hours at room temperature, so the frosting can set.*If your icing is too thick, stir in more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached; if too thin, continue stirring, or mix in more powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Baking cookies is usually our first foray into cooking, and it remains one of the most pleasurable cooking experiences throughout our lives. The simple act of combining a few ingredients to make a big batch of sweets is a great way to spread some holiday cheer. To make sure your cookies are baked to perfection, we rounded up a few simple guidelines.Cream the butter. If a cookie recipe calls for butter and sugar, it’s important to mix, or cream, the two together. Use a stand mixer to cream the ingredients with the paddle attachment for about five minutes. Start out on low speed for the first minute or so, and then increase the speed to medium. This process aerates the butter, creating a light color and creamy texture, and ultimately gives the cookies more height.Pay attention to the eggs. As with all perishable ingredients, always use the freshest, highest quality eggs you can find. Add eggs to the cookie dough one at a time, making sure each egg is completely incorporated into the batter before adding another. We recommend scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl frequently with a rubber spatula to make sure every bit of the egg is mixed into the dough.Fold in the dry ingredients. Rather than separately adding dry ingredients such as flour, baking soda, and salt to cookie dough, combine them in one bowl and mix well with a whisk, so that they will be evenly distributed throughout the cookies. Then, when the instructions call for it, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula. Add small amounts at a time, folding in each batch until all of the flour has been absorbed into the dough. Folding the dough helps avoid over-mixing, which could result in tough cookies.Chill the dough. It’s tempting to form and bake your cookies as soon as you make the dough – waiting can be agony when there are hungry people around – but chilling the finished dough for one hour in the refrigerator will ensure thicker, chewier cookies. If the butter inside the dough is not chilled before baking, it will melt quickly when placed in the oven, resulting in flat cookies that burn around the edges but stay raw in the middle. It’s worth waiting an hour to make the best cookie possible.There really is nothing better than warm, freshly baked cookies. We hope your holiday season is filled with lots of delicious treats now that you’re armed with our best baking tips!Find more baking tips like these as well as wonderful cookie recipes in our latest cookbook, More from Macrina.

We are spreading holiday cheer in more ways than one this year! The 28th Annual Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition is just around the corner, and we are excited to be part of this wonderful tradition. If anyone can get you into the spirit of the season, it's our caroling team, The Baker's (Dirty) Dozen!Not only is Figgy Pudding Seattle's biggest holiday music event, the competition provides tremendous support to the Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank. Everyone is welcome to join us on Friday, December 5, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Seattle's Westlake Center as we sing our hearts out during one truly magical night. You can find our team at the corner of 6th and Pine. With your help, we will make it to the Figgy Main Stage to compete against the top caroling teams!While The Baker's (Dirty) Dozen warms up their vocal chords, practices scales and rehearses Christmas carols, cue up our Wintery Mix playlist below and take a moment to donate to the Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank.http://open.spotify.com/user/macrinabakery/playlist/4nuRosqqfemQHbC8qifZea

Turkey gets all the glory on Thanksgiving Day, but no plate is complete without a spoonful of stuffing, tendrils of scrumptious salad, and a beautiful basket of bread. We have some savory side dishes that are so good, they might just steal the spotlight.Holiday Porcini StuffingOur Holiday Porcini Stuffing Mix starts with handmade bread that's dried in-house, then combined with cranberries, savory porcini mushrooms, and a blend of sautéed veggies. With enough stuffing to fill a 14-pound bird, you're sure to satisfy the entire group - and hopefully have a little leftover for turkey sandwiches. Pick up a package, complete with recipe, at any of our cafés.Sweet Potato & Delicata Squash GratinThis rich and creamy side dish is a must-have at your holiday table. The combination of sweet potatoes, delicata squash, roasted mushrooms and chopped walnuts will have you rethinking standard mashed potatoes. Click here to print the recipe.Sweet & Spicy NutsSure, our Sweet & Spicy Nuts are irresistible right out of the bag, but they are even better chopped and added to a salad of fresh greens and dried cranberries, a roasted mix of winter root vegetables, or as a topping for sweet potato soufflé. Find our signature blend in our cafés.Dinner RollsWhile we have plenty of loaves to choose from, our pillowy soft, full-flavored dinner rolls are an easy way to wow your guests. Choose from Porcini Harvest, Buttermilk, Rustic Potato, Olivetta or Whole Wheat Cider Rolls or mix and match a couple of trays to suit your guests' tastes. Leftover rolls will come in handy for making those day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sliders. Find our dinner roll trays in our cafés.

What better way to indulge with abandon than with a table filled with holiday desserts? Using a colorful tablecloth, a few cake stands, and our delicious assortment of pies, tarts and cakes, we can help you end Thanksgiving dinner on a very sweet note!

Maple Apple Pie

This show-stopping double-crusted pie is hands-down, everyone’s favorite. Sorry, Mom. It was recently named one of the 12 Best Bakery Desserts for the Holidays by The Seattle Times.

Dessert Table Tip: Team up this nine-inch pie with our nine-inch Macrina’s Pumpkin Pie and fill in the table with miniature versions of our Brandied Orange Pecan Pie and Pear Ginger Upside Down Cake.

Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie

Streusel is the new bacon; everything is better with it. We’ve perfected pumpkin pie and taken our recipe up a notch (OK, several notches) with a layer of sweet and crunchy pecan streusel.

Dessert Table Tip: Round out the dessert table with a nine-inch Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote and tiers of Gingerbread Spice Cups.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote

This silky, lightly spiced cheesecake is a twist on traditional pumpkin pie. Resting atop a crushed ginger molasses cookie crust and topped with cranberry compote, it satisfies all of your fall dessert cravings in one delectable bite.

Dessert Table Tip: Appease every palate at the table by teaming up this cheesecake with a nine-inch Brandied Orange Pecan Pie and miniature Maple Apple Pies.

Give us a call or stop by one of our cafés to pre-order your Thanksgiving desserts through November 24!

Amuse-bouches, hors d'oeuvres & appetizers, oh my! You don’t need a lot of time or creative flare to pull together an elegant spread of party-worthy bites. Take a look at our favorite ways to kick off the festivities without breaking a sweat.GrissiniYou often find these crisp Italian breadsticks dressing up the tables in restaurants across Italy, but here Grissini gets a lot of curious looks for its long shape. Rolled with fennel, green olives and olive oil, our Grissini has wonderful flavor on its own, but we love to wrap it with thinly sliced prosciutto just like they do in Italy.Sardinian FlatbreadThe Seeded Sardinian Flatbread is the newest addition to our flatbread selection. Each piece is adorned with toasted sesame, poppy and fennel seeds, adding extra color, texture and flavor to your holiday table. Top with a savory jam and favorite cheese, serve with charcuterie or break them apart and dip in one of our housemade spreads.Crostini

Like the Sardinian Flatbread, our Crostini is a delicious blank slate. We have Crostini available in different flavors, but this time of year we reach for our Cranberry Apricot Nut Crostini. Mingling the flavors of dried fruit, toasted nuts and a hint of clove, this Crostini is a nice balance of sweet and savory. Pair it with our Potted Cheese or top with creamy fromage blanc and a drizzle of honey for a perfect party appetizer.Francese CrostiniFor those who don’t mind spending a little extra time in the kitchen, you can whip up a full-flavor Francese Crostini in a snap! Simply toast a sliced loaf of Pane Francese, spread it with our Fig & Olive Tapenade and then top it all off with some toasted pine nuts for a crowd-pleasing snack everyone will think you spent hours on.

One of the best things about creating a new recipe is naming it. I generally like to keep the names simple and descriptive, but sometimes you just have to have fun with it. A personal favorite of mine is Olivia's Old-Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies, affectionately named after my daughter.When my daughter was still in her stroller, we would often pass an afternoon by going on an adventure. We toured our neighborhood looking at flowers, pointing out all the different colors we saw, and observing the other children. Halfway through our strolls we would stop for a juice and a cookie. We had some pretty good cookies together, but I had trouble finding just the right one. I wanted Olivia to know the kind of cookie my mom used to make, still warm, bursting with oozing chocolate chips.The truth was that at the time we didn't even make a cookie like that at Macrina. We had plenty of great cookies, but not the simple classic I was craving. So, using the basic Toll House recipe as a starting point, we came up with a winner. The name selection was easy and the cookie quickly became our biggest seller. As an added bonus, I now have the pleasure of hearing customers say, "I'll have an Olivia's."You can recreate this all-star cookie at home with our new Olivia's Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix available in our cafés. Just add butter, shortening and eggs and we'll take care of the rest! Before you preheat the oven though, take a look at our tips for baking perfect cookies.

Move over glossy gift wrap catalogs and generic chocolate bars! There’s a new school fundraiser in town. With the virtuous goal of bolstering local farms and businesses while also supporting schools, FarmRaiser is freshening up the old-school fundraiser model.Mark Abbott dreamed up the idea for a fundraiser that offers wholesome products that people actually want after his son sold hundreds of dollars worth of highly processed foods one year. From that initial seed grew FarmRaiser, a fundraising program that allows schools to purchase farm-fresh foods and products from local purveyors at wholesale prices, sell these items at a retail price to friends and families, and then keep most of the profits within their community.“One of the best things about FarmRaiser is that kids get excited about the products they're selling, not just the prizes they might get for selling something,” says Christina Carson, chief cultivator at FarmRaiser. “They love seeing farmers bring in boxes of fresh, local produce, smelling freshly baked breads, and learning how to use scales in weighing products.”Our friend Cheri Bloom who runs the gardening education curriculum at Montlake Elementary introduced us to FarmRaiser in 2013. Cheri is always looking for creative ways to build funding for her program while staying true to its mission. FarmRaiser offered the perfect solution, supplementing grants from Les Dames d'Escoffier, Whole Foods Market and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.“What I love about FarmRaiser is that I have seen how successful it has been for local farmers and food artisans and at the same time directly linking with our school's mission,” says Cheri. “Last year’s campaigns did as well, if not better, than other fundraisers we have had. I expect this year to be better with more awareness of FarmRaiser and the students involvement in the campaigns.”After teaming up with FarmRaiser at Seattle schools last year, we knew we wanted to take part in this program once again in support of Stevens Elementary, Montlake Elementary and Queen Anne Elementary. This year you’ll find our Cranberry Apricot Nut Bread peeking from FarmRaiser bags alongside Mt. Townsend Creamery cheese, Willie Greens Organic Farms produce, and Loki Fish Company seafood.“I think it is a win-win,” says Macrina Bakery Founder Leslie Mackie. “We get to expose new customers – young and old - to our products and they get to enjoy a hand-delivered fresh loaf of artisan bread made from flour grown here in Washington state. It’s a really smart way to get kids jazzed about buying local and celebrating the wonderful businesses in their neighborhood!”Check out FarmRaiser online for more information.Photos courtesy of FarmRaiser

Cozy scarves, crisp leaves and piles of orange pumpkins, that's what fall is made of. Judging from local breweries, coffee shops, and supermarket shelves, we're not alone in our love of pumpkin. Spiced with cinnamon, sweetened with brown sugar, or blended with butternut squash, pumpkin-spiked pastries and pies have taken over our Autumn Menu. With so many to choose from, we bet you can find a favorite for any time of day.Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin & Vegan Pumpkin SconeThe sun may not be up when we climb out of bed, but the promise of pumpkin keeps us from hitting the snooze button. Both of these breakfast staples are topped with a sprinkle of sugar and toasted pumpkin seeds for extra texture and flavor. Pair them with a cup of Caffé Umbria coffee or a Mocha to kick-start your morning.Brown Sugar Pumpkin Spice Cupcake & Pumpkin Chocolate Chip CookieWhen the afternoon lull sets in, the combination of chocolate and pumpkin or spiced cake and brown sugar buttercream will put some bounce back in your step. Teamed up a cupcake or cookie with our cold-brewed iced coffee and sail through the rest of your day.Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote & Pumpkin Pie BarThese desserts were so popular last holiday season, we knew we had to bring them back. Our silky cheesecake and signature bars are full of autumn flavors and intriguing enough to set themselves apart from the pack. Pick one up to enjoy after dinner with a cup of hot cocoa.

We're pretty sure Hot Cakes creator Autumn Martin had visions of sugar plums dancing in her head when she dreamed up Sweet Week. With the structure of Restaurant Week in mind, she gathered the city's sweetest eateries to highlight toothsome treats at $5 a pop from September 25 through 28. We couldn't be more excited to join this delightful bunch.Our creative pastry chefs get together each week to discuss and test new products. Lately they've been stirring around ideas for a new peanut butter-filled item. One sugar-laden afternoon, the recipe for our Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Cake was born."After being invited to participate in Sweet Week with so many other talented shops in the city, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to showcase this new product," says Production Manager Jane Cho.Our Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Cake is our classic Mom’s Chocolate Cake layered with luscious peanut butter buttercream, resting atop a crunchy peanut butter chocolate crust and wrapped in rich chocolate ganache. This sinfully delectable dessert will be available in a three-inch size for Sweet Week and then in a six-inch and nine-inch size (without the crunchy peanut butter chocolate crust) through Halloween.Stop by any of our cafés to try the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Cake and then sample the other delicious confections around town!

Seattle's red hot love-affair with burgers is swiftly overtaking the Eastside. Enter Redmond's latest stop on the burger blitz: Tipsy Cow Burger Bar. Of coarse, we believe that the bun makes the burger, so we're over-the-moon to play a part in this love triangle.It all started with one man's dream to bring meaty goodness to the masses. Keith Mourer, co-owner of Tipsy Cow, is a burger man and an avid traveler. During his stopovers in different spots around the country, Keith makes it a point to check out the local burger haunts. Over the years, he has sampled everything from bison to black bean, but his heart has always belonged to one favorite burger."The inspiration for Tipsy Cow came from Shake Shack in New York," says Keith. "I wanted to open a place that's fun and casual, and we really wanted to build a better burger using great, local ingredients."Armed with that simple concept in mind - building a better burger - Keith and fellow co-owner Dave Zimmerman began enlisting a dream team of suppliers."That’s actually how we found Macrina Bakery," Keith says. "We decided to use the Sodo Bun for our burgers and beef from Long Valley Ranch in Central Oregon. We use Snoqualmie Ice Cream for our milkshakes, local distilleries for our vodka and whiskey, Walla Walla sweet onions for our burgers and onion rings. Our fries are made from Kennebec potatoes, cut and fried in-house daily. The Kennebec potato just makes a better fry."After Keith and Dave earned their restaurant chops at Kirkland's Brix Wine Café, they opened Tipsy Cow in 2013 to a throng of burger-hungry supporters. "The community has really welcomed us. Everything has gone off very well; obviously much better than we imagined."With a robust menu featuring a myriad of meat and meatless options, snackable sides, and a tap list of 42 draft beers and ciders, Tipsy Cow’s mounting popularity comes as no surprise to us."Right now, I’m really into the Scottish ales, like Black Raven’s Second Sight Strong Scotch Ale, and my favorite burger at the moment is The Arsonist. It’s got fire-roasted jalapenos and serranos on it as well as harissa pepper aioli."Our server recommended keeping the flames from this burger from reaching five-alarm levels by teaming it up with a handmade milkshake (booze optional) and heaping helping of onion rings made with breadcrumbs from leftover Sodo Buns. Sage advice and well worth heading.

http://youtu.be/Al5py0kiHvELeslie's go-to summer dessert is a freshly baked fruit crisp. While grilling dinner outdoors, this dish can be baking and perfuming your kitchen. Leslie's Berry Crisp pairs sweet farmers market berries with a no-fuss topping of oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar and butter, baked until golden brown and bubbling. You can put your own twist on this recipe by using your favorite combination of berries and nuts. Served while it's warm with a scoop homemade vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, it's the perfect ending to a relaxed alfresco summer dinner.Berry CrispClick here to print this recipe!IngredientsFor the topping: 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour1/4 cup thick-cut oats1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds (Leslie uses a combination of almonds and pine nuts in the video)1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/3 cup packed light brown sugar1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch piecesFor the fruit: 1/2 cup sugar2 tablespoons light brown sugar2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour1/4 teaspoon lemon zest7 cups of mixed berries (Leslie uses strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in video)Makes one 9-inch baking dish1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375° F. Lightly grease a 9-inch glass baking dish with canola oil.2. To make the topping, whisk together the flour, oats, almonds, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Scatter the butter pieces on top, and using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is coarse and crumbly. Set aside.3. To prepare the fruit, toss the sugars, flour, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the berries and toss well. Let sit for 10 minutes to macerate (soften and absorb the flavors).4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the berry mixture to the prepared baking dish. Discard the remaining juice. Dot the topping evenly over the berry mixture.5. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. The topping will be golden brown and the juices will be bubbling around the edges. To set the crisp, cool for 30 minutes.Enjoy with vanilla ice cream and a dusting of powdered sugar!

The farm-to-table movement in Washington is as ubiquitous as blackberry brambles in the summertime and there’s no better place to see it in full bloom than Vashon Island! This farm-filled paradise a stone’s throw from Seattle is the perfect day-trip for food lovers. That’s why it is the venue for the 2nd Annual Summer Supper & Farm Tour this Saturday, August 9!Join Leslie and the Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Green Tables team at the Vashon Island Farmers Market before heading on a private tour of Kurtwood Farms, home to a happy herd of Jersey cows and renowned for its small-batch artisan cheese. From there, visit Langley Fine Gardens, harvesters of some of the island's best organic produce, and learn how they grow the perfect sun-ripened tomato. Wind down the day with a dinner of fresh, local food, wine and cocktails at Leslie's home.Proceeds from our Summer Supper & Farm Tour help fund food education programs at schools around the Puget Sound. Tickets are going fast, though! Click here to secure your spot and learn more about this event.

http://youtu.be/Na89Wh-8LJsOur Brioche Burger Buns are the stuff of legend, if we do say so ourselves. Not only do they fly off our shelves, lickety-split, but our wholesale partners (Hello, Skillet, The Swinery, and Re:Public!) can't get enough of them either. Plush and buttery with just a hint of sweetness, they are profoundly delicious when toasted to a caramelized crisp. Is your mouth watering yet?Brioche has inspired masterpieces, a knitter's stitch, and even a font. But ours incite great works of the edible variety. We joined Leslie at her barn to see how she uses these buns to create summer sandwich perfection. With grilled halibut, spicy harissa aioli, and preserved lemons, it's sure to be a hit at your next barbecue!Grilled Halibut on Brioche Burger BunsClick here to print this recipe!Ingredients1 pound fresh halibut2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano1/2 teaspoon kosher saltGround black pepper to taste1 1/4 cups pure olive oil, divided1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes2 egg yolks2 teaspoons Dijon mustard2 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic1 1/2 teaspoons ground harissa*1/4 cup preserved lemons**1 package Brioche Burger Buns*Leslie uses the Quick Pickled Lemons recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook.**Available in our cafés.Makes 4 sandwiches1. Preheat a grill to 500°F. Brush grill grate to remove any debris.2. Cut halibut horizontally to create an even thickness. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Set aside.3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add tomatoes, and drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Set aside to cool.4. In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, Dijon, lemon juice and garlic, and whisk well to combine. While continuing to whisk, add 1 cup of olive oil in a slow, steady stream. The aioli mixture should thicken slightly but should not resemble processed mayonnaise. Stir in harissa and salt to taste.5. Brush a little olive oil on the preheated grill grate and cook the halibut for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. While the fish is cooking, slice the buns in half and brush the cut side with remaining oil. On the coolest part of the grill, toast the buns cut side down for 1 to 2 minutes.6. Spread 1 tablespoon of aioli on the inside of each toasted bun half. Then layer 1 tablespoon of preserved lemons on each bottom bun, followed by a piece of halibut, and a quarter of the tomatoes. Sandwich with the top buns and slice each sandwich in half for ease of eating.Enjoy with a fresh garden salad, roasted potatoes or potato chips. Happy grilling!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6TW-iireU8&feature=youtu.beSince we're all spending more time outside soaking up this gorgeous weather, we thought you would enjoy seeing what Leslie has on the grill this summer. This rustic yet elegant Francese Crostini appetizer using our Pane Francese bread toasted right on the grill and topped with fresh, local ingredients is hard to beat. You can make the Fig & Olive Tapenade at home using the recipe below, but we also sell this delicious spread in our cafés. Check out the video to learn about Leslie's inspiration for this recipe and stop by for a freshly baked loaf of Pane Francese for your next dinner party!Francese CrostiniClick here to print this recipe!IngredientsFor the tapenade:1 cup dried Black Mission figs (about 18), trimmed and quartered1 1/2 cups water2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 cups pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed1 tablespoon capers1 tablespoon Dijon mustard2 medium cloves garlic1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme3/4 cup extravirgin olive oil, dividedFor the crostini:*1 loaf Pane Francese2 fresh Black Mission figs, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces2 tablespoons chopped Marcona almonds1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano**4 ounces of Camembert, Brie or Cambozola, sliced into 12 pieces*Available in our cafés.** Leslie uses Dinah’s Cheese from Kurtwood Farms.Makes 12 servings1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the dried figs, water and balsamic vinegar to a simmer and cook until the figs are soft and the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.2. Pour the warm figs and cooking liquid into the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Pulse several times to break down the figs; scrape the bowl and purée to a smooth texture. Add the olives, capers, mustard, garlic, rosemary, thyme and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Pulse the mixture until it is spreadable and has a uniform texture. With the machine running, add another 1/4 cup olive oil in a slow stream until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread.3. Reserve 1 cup of tapenade for the crostini. The remainder can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week for future use.4. Slice the bread lengthwise and brush each cut side with the remaining olive oil. Toast the bread cut side down on a grill until golden brown. Alternatively, the loaf can be toasted cut side up in the broiler until golden brown.5. Divide the reserved tapenade in half and spread evenly on each side of the loaf. Layer each side with 6 slices of cheese and 6 slices of fig, evenly spaced. Sprinkle both sides with almonds and oregano.6. Slice each length of bread into six pieces, making 12 pieces total. Enjoy!

Minneapolis is nicknamed the Mill City for good reason. By the late 1800s, this town situated on the banks of both the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, was booming with mills for cotton, paper, wood, wool, and most importantly, flour. Grain grown in the Great Plains was shipped to Minneapolis' 34 flour mills for production. According to the Mill City Museum, in its heyday, a single mill at Washburn-Crosby (General Mills' predecessor) made enough flour for 12 million loaves of bread each day. There's no doubt about it, flour soon became ingrained in this city's culture.Leslie spent some time in Minneapolis recently, admiring the rich heritage one delicious loaf at a time. Here is a sampling of some of her favorite stops along the way.Stop 1: Sun Street BreadsWe filed in line with crowds of people waiting for delicious brunch. Their Biscuit Sandwiches are not to be missed. We selected a combination of biscuits, southern-style sausage gravy, cheddar scrambled eggs and fresh scallions. It was so good! We also had the Sourdough Flapjacks, made with bread starter perfectly balanced with the sweetness of real maple syrup and sweet butter. They are famous for their southern fried biscuits with chicken fried steak, bacon and sausage gravy... Oh my stars! As we were leaving we couldn’t resist getting a loaf of their Bergen Bread packed with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax meal, cracked wheat, rolled oats, and rolled rye. The Bergen Bread was awesome for a midday snack with cheese and fruit. The café had a bustling atmosphere with very friendly and helpful staff.Stop 2: Patisserie 46Tucked into the Kingfield neighborhood in southwestern Minneapolis, this lovey bakery sits. It offers elegant French-inspired pastries, a great selection of baguettes and levain-style breads; lunch with soup, tartines, sandwiches, quiche and crepes; and the most elegant chocolates! John Kraus, the owner, was a pastry instructor for many years before opening this wonderful bakery. The pastries and bread were devoured in minutes, but the chocolates stopped me in my tracks! A must see!Stop 3: Salty Tart BakeryIt took a bit of a search to find this bakery. It is located in the Midtown Global Market, nestled in the center of the block-long cross-cultural textile and food concessions. The best time to visit is in the morning when the display is full of warm pastries and cookies. I bought one cream-filled brioche; simple but out of this world. I immediately bought two more to bring back to Seattle to share at Macrina. The richness of the brioche filled with vanilla bean-scented pastry cream is very simple but stunning!Stop 4: BoroughWe didn’t have reservations but were able to find seats at the bar. This was awesome as we had a window into the kitchen, which was very entertaining and fun to watch. The octopus was excellent with yam, soy and cilantro. The grilled prawns was also a great first course. The menu changes often, but we enjoyed the grilled shrimp with ricotta cavatelli, tomatoes and English peas. The lamb entrée was succulent with lamb loin, belly and cheeks, fresh fava beans, couscous and harissa. The Parlour downstairs is more casual with hand-cut fries and juicy burgers that will make you drool.Stop 5: DigsThis is a sweet shop packed with art from local artists, yarn, unique cards, housewares, earrings, stoneware cups and custom T-shirts. It was so much fun to spend an hour and find all the birthday and graduation gifts needed for the next few months! Very special finds! Owner Linda Schneewind is a wealth of information.

In conjunction with The Bread Bakers Guild of America (BBGA), we are proud to participate the 4th Annual International Guild Open House! Everyone is welcome to take part in this event that showcases the people and products that define Macrina.The open house takes place this Saturday, June 21, from 2 to 5 p.m. at our Sodo location. Leslie Mackie and Jane Cho will take you behind the scenes at our bakery; sample some of our newly released breads, including the Raisin Pumpernickel, Pizza Bianca and Seeded Sardinian Flatbread; and share their baking tips and tricks. Attendees will also take home a Macrina Bakery 20th Anniversary tote bag and freshly baked loaf of bread while supplies last.More than 51 bakeries across the country are participating in this open house event, which was created by the BBGA as a way for communities to connect with their local bakeries. For us, the open house gives the Seattle community an opportunity to experience the art and passion we put behind our products.Comprised of industry professionals, educators, students, and home bakers from around the world, the BBGA formed in 1993 to shape the skills and knowledge of the baking community through education. Visit BBGA online for more information and events.