Slices of the season
La Brea Bakery’s seasonal breads–chocolate-sour cherry (top) and cranberry-walnut–have a soft interior and pleasantly rustic crust, and are loaded with ingredients that add texture and flavor. They taste great alone; toasting and/or pairing with flavored butters or jams will only amplify their goodness. Each round loaf costs $3 (chocolate, 13.5 ounces) and $4 (cranberry, 1 pound) through December in the bakery section of Jewel-Osco stores.
Holiday brew
Seattle’s Best flavored coffees for the holidays–Very Vanilla “Javanilla,” Hazelnut Cream and Cinnabon, after the popular cinnamon rolls–are robust and strong without the artificial aftertaste that often plagues flavored brews. Each 12-ounce bag of ground coffee costs $8-$8.50 through the holidays at Meijer, Cub Foods and Sunset Foods.
Release party
Baking gets a little easier with Crisco No-Stick Flour Spray, an alcohol-free aerosol spray that combines Crisco oil with Pillsbury flour. Though we don’t tend to use nonstick sprays when we bake, we sure liked having one when we needed it: A tricky chocolate bundt cake with lots of nooks and crannies came out easily. You also can use it on rolling pins and surfaces. Each 5-ounce can costs $3 at Jewel-Osco and Meijer.
