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Good morning and happy Sunday foodie friends!

It’s that wonderful, crazy, busy, fun filled time of the year for all of us. Today around the kitchen table we can celebrate a LOT- first weekend of December, first Sunday of Advent, first day of Hanukkah, and the start of all those fun town events with parades, trees lightings, and Santa arrivals!

Yesterday I had a great time in Haymarket as I got the chance to meet, greet, and feed so many of you who braved the rain and cold to stop by the Holiday event! A merry time was had by all. If you missed me yesterday… you have another chance to stop by the kitchen next Saturday, December 8th in Old Town Manassas. I can make your gift shopping a little easier that day! I’ll have food gifts packaged and ready to share around your kitchen table or, drop off to a friend or neighbor. Hope to see you next weekend. A friendly reminder to bundle up if you visit.. baby it will be COLD outside!

The holidays aren’t the only thing happening in the kitchen this month. Birthdays are also on the calendar! I did my first December birthday cake this weekend and I will have a few more cakes to share over the next few weeks. Pictured here is a fun birthday/hockey team party cupcake-cake. Thanks, Traci, for the order!

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE hockey so this order was so much fun for me! I like the idea of celebrating as team, and this Piedmont Predator team knows how to celebrate! Not only did the team enjoy cupcakes, but they decorated their own Stanley Cup sugar cookies. Yes, I have a cookie cutter for that, lol!

So much fun around the kitchen table this month. Thanks for following along. It’s off to spend some time in the kitchen now.. so enjoy your week, and take a few minutes to enjoy time around YOUR kitchen table during this busy month.

Love and blessings from my kitchen to yours.

Gina

Hello my dear foodie friends!

I hope this post finds you doing well. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, spent around your kitchen table with family and friends. I was lucky enough to have my college kids home for a few days, and my flight attendant daughter home this week. I had a few days of overlap where I had all three home together and I cherished every minute of it.

I LOVE Thanksgiving (it’s my favorite holiday) but now that it’s over, I have to get ready for all the kitchen happenings in December. I also want to remind you all to place your holiday orders SOON! Cookies, cupcakes, cakes, gifts for teachers, co-workers, clients, neighbors, anyone you want to spoil this holiday season with a treat from the kitchen! Just remember to place that order SOON. How soon, you ask? TODAY, lol. Contact me for details. I’ll be baking up until December 21. After that, the kitchen will be closed until the new year.

My calendar is filling fast, and the month starts off in Haymarket, at the annual “Holidays in Haymarket” event. I’ll be in the heated tent with other local small food businesses from 3pm-6pm. We will be set up at the Town Hall parking lot (same spot as farmers market!)

Bring the kids to to see Santa, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and roast a few marshmallows around the firepit. After that, pop into the kitchen for some early Christmas sweets and treats. I’ll have all the holiday favorites, including gingerbread.

December 8th I’ll be in Old Town Manassas, celebrating the holidays at their annual “Holiday Market”. So excited to be a part of those festivities, as the Santa Train will be treating kids of all ages to the wonders of rail travel into Clifton and back, with Mr. C himself on board! The market will be set up in front of the museum (on the lawn) across from the train station. You’ll find that the kitchen will be stocked with sweets, treats, and cupcake decorating for kids.

In between, I’ll be filling special orders for all the good little girls and boys… so be sure to get on my “nice” list. Don’t forget to mention this blog post at either of my holiday events and receive 10% off your purchase.

Thank you for your support over the past year. Many of you met me at the farmers markets, followed me on social media, or discovered me via Google Maps. Thanks so much for your special orders, purchases and referrals. All the likes, shares, and love on Facebook and Instagram can’t compare to talking with you at vendor events and helping you decide on the perfect cake or dessert for you special occasion. It’s an honor and privilege to be invited into YOUR kitchen. Here’s to more kitchen fun in 2019!

I hope to see you at one (or both) of my holiday events next week.

Lots of love from my kitchen to yours-

Gina

Hello there, foodie friends! Long time no blog post!

Fall officially began last weekend, now here we are on the last day of September. I don’t know about you, but I blinked and summer was over! I had a busy and productive summer in the kitchen, getting out to the farmers markets and meeting new friends, baking for many of your special occasions and coming up with exciting new ideas for the future.

Today I thought I’d take a few minutes around the kitchen table to reflect on a few things as well as look ahead with what’s on the horizon in the kitchen.

This past week I celebrated the one year anniversary of “From Gina’s Kitchen”, and my journey as small food business entrepreneur. What a year it has been! From taking the “Foundations” course at Frontier Kitchen, filling special orders, recipe testing, joining business networking groups, managing business finances and working each week at the farmers markets, it’s been exciting times for me. Exciting is just one way to describe it though. Scary, yet fulfilling. Challenging, but rewarding. Fun, but at times stressful. I wouldn’t trade a minute of it, though.

You may have noticed that some things have changed in the kitchen over time (locations of farmers markets, pricing structures, cake contracts) and some stayed the same (quality of my products, dedication and attention to detail). In the future you are going to see more of the same, with a little something new here and there… new logo, new website, pop-ups and demos, and more blog posts! Behind those changes will still be the homemade goodness you have come to know and love about the kitchen, though.

In the future you’ll see more kids cupcake decorating demos, like the one I offered yesterday. To see pictures from the event, visit my Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/fromginaskitchen/

October begins tomorrow and I’m eager to start the new month and all it has to offer. Some highlights for you are :

• Exit 40 Farmers Market (last day is Oct. 25th)
• Mark your calendar for October 27- the Kitchen will be on the road in Old Town Manassas at the “Holiday Crafts, Desserts and Sweets” event.
• Halloween! Order your treats ASAP!

I look forward to spending more time with you all in the kitchen. If you aren’t already signed up for my newsletter, take a minute to sign up here https://www.fromginaskitchen.com/. As a regular kitchen visitor you’ll be the first to know about events, discounts and kitchen happenings.

Enjoy your Sunday evening, and thanks for stopping by the kitchen table.

Blessings for a great start to the week and new month ahead!

You know what to do… log off/hang up, hang out, around YOUR kitchen table!

Gina

Foodie friends, tonight we are celebrating the beginning of “National Farmer’s Market Week” around the kitchen table. I’m sure most of you know know by now, farmer’s markets are near and dear to my heart. 

I have always loved visiting my local market here in Manassas, VA on Thursdays and Saturdays. The smell of kettle corn, the fresh cut flowers, and tents full of seasonal produce make me happy!  I’m a sucker for the free samples, locally sourced eggs and meats,  and locally roasted as well freshly brewed coffee too. Bonus- I can get everything I need to make a complete meal or two for my family while I’m there. I especially love picking up fresh fruits to make dessert out of!

Shopping locally, eating what’s in season, and spending time outside – win win win in my book! 

When I first seriously considered starting my baking business I honestly didn’t consider selling at the farmer’s markets. I didn’t know that many small businesses get their first start at local markets!  It took some convincing from a few fellow foodie friends at Frontier Kitchen to get me to try being a vendor and not a just buyer at one. Boy am I glad I listened! I quickly found out that not only is it fun to shop at a farmer’s market, it’s also fun to be on the other side of the tent. I truly enjoy meeting customers and answering questions, handing out samples, and talking about everything under the sun from my love of Disney, to my grandmother’s biscotti, as well as the story behind that Captain America shield cake on my display board.

 This week (August 5th-12th), as we celebrate “National Farmers Market Week” I encourage you to get out and find your local market. Shop around, talk to the vendors, ask questions about their products, try samples, and have some fun in your community. Pick up a fresh flower bouquet to give as a gift, grab lunch, or the fixings for dinner and dessert from small businesses just starting out. I like to say “go for the produce, but stay for the cookies!”

You can find me celebrating this Thursday at the Exit 40 Haymarket Farmers Market.  Come join me! Fairfax friends, I’ll be back on August 14th. 

Have a blessed week!

Now log off, hang up and hang out- at your local farmers market! 

Gina