Two years, people. TWO years. Two years ago I decided to start telling you about what I was cooking.

Back then I was mostly talking to myself, but eventually you wonderful people found me. I am glad to have formed many online friendships, some of which have turned into real-life friendships. I’ve collaborated with some of my favorite people. I’ve learned so much from you and continue to be inspired by your comments and emails. I want to spend this week celebrating and I have some good stuff in store for all of us—recipes, guests and giveaways. It all starts today, when I am proud to debut the first ever Lottie + Doof merchandise. read more+++

Sunflower Sprouts

I first had these at Frontera Grill in Chicago and instantly fell in love. Sprouts in general are delicious but the flavor of sunflower sprouts is particularly delicious. Worth tracking down. They are as pretty as they are delicious.

These Striped Napkins

Came across these at West Elm recently, they were exactly what I was looking for in an everyday napkin.

Plum Caramel by Flora Confections

A favorite vendor from Green City Market, this plum caramel confiture is so incredible. I would gladly eat it by the spoonful for dessert. It is incredible on top of vanilla ice cream. Go get some! read more+++

This summer Lottie + Doof is hitting the road and exploring the Midwest. Like too many Chicagoans, I don’t leave the city often enough to visit the surrounding area. This summer I’m in search of good food and good times and I’ll be taking you along for the ride. Next Stop: Madison, Wisconsin.

I never knew Madison was so cool. The capital of Wisconsin and home of the University of Wisconsin, Madison is a vibrant town that manages to feel both like a small town and a city and seems to offer the best of both worlds. It is situated on an isthmus in the middle of a few lakes (Bryan would like me to point out that the only other U.S. city located on an isthmus is Seattle). Being surrounded by water means there are pretty views and plenty of water-based recreational activities. Madison is an easy breezy drive from Chicago through rolling farmland and a great destination for a summer road trip.
We arrived before lunch to met our friend Deb at The Old Fashioned and enjoyed a pretty fantastic meal of fried cheese curds, beer and cheese soup, and brats. This is the Wisconsin I know and love. The meal was a perfect start to our time in Madison.

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This summer Lottie + Doof is hitting the road and exploring the Midwest. Like too many Chicagoans, I don’t leave the city often enough to visit the surrounding area. This summer I’m in search of good food and good times and I’ll be taking you along for the ride. First Stop: Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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I’ve made no secret of my love of Floriole Bakery and was beyond excited when this long-time farmer’s market favorite announced plans to open a storefront. Imagine how I felt when the storefront was mere blocks from my office! If you are in Chicago and looking to find me, Floriole is a pretty good place to start. I’m proud to call myself a regular. I am so impressed with everything that Sandra Holl and her amazing team creates. Next time you are in town, stop by for a croissant and tell them Tim sent you. More on Floriole over at ReadyMade, but here are some behind the scenes photos of the bakery at work.

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The Moon Safari Wins! The Moon Safari Wins!

Many delicious drinks were suggested. Four of the best made it into the finals. Hundred of votes were cast. The winning drink is The Moon Safari, inspired by The Breslin and suggested by Caitlin.

This was one of my favorites and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Pineapple and tarragon all summer long!

Thanks to everyone who suggested a drink, or voted.

Now find yourself a ripe pineapple and have a cocktail.

Happy Summer, everyone! read more+++

Above, our liquor cabinet. It is ready for summer.

Summer is quickly approaching and before we know it we’ll be wearing less clothing and complaining about the heat instead of the cold. I want to make sure we are ready for it by finding an appropriate (or inappropriate!) cocktail to sooth ourselves with all summer long. Last year we had a couple of contenders and my friend Katie served as judge. This year I am turning to you, dear readers, for help. I need ideas for refreshing summer cocktails. Think: fresh fruit, herbs, and infused simple syrups! You know my style, seasonal, local, beautiful! Extra points for original creations, so all of you mixologists should start inventing now. No recipe too simple or too complicated! Post recipes in the comments below or feel free to email me (tim at lottieanddoof.com) with ideas. All ideas should be submitted by June 1st. I’ll narrow it down to 3 finalists and then we can all decide on the cocktail that will help us survive the long, hot, (and fun) summer ahead of us.

Skoal! read more+++

RANUNCULUS
Ranunculus are one of my favorite flowers. They are beautiful in bunches or as single stems and they even look good as they are dying (for real!). The bunch pictured above are from one of my favorite internet friends, A Rockridge Life. Elizabeth’s site is always inspiring and her floral arrangements are incredibly beautiful. (photo courtesy of A Rockridge Life)

FRUIT SPOON

This isn’t just any spoon. I mean, look at this thing—it is so beautiful! It is made using an 18th century spoon mold and hand forged and polished. It is a real work of art and perfect for serving up some fresh berries or a generous scoop of whipped cream. Also, it is dishwasher safe which makes me immeasurably happy.

STANLEY & SONS APRON
I already wrote about these aprons over at ReadyMade, but wanted to share my own with you. The other day I realized I was choosing what to wear based on what would look good with my apron. Yikes! read more+++

After the earthquake in Haiti I was feeling both incredibly depressed and helpless. The images I was confronted with every night on TV were devastating. Like many of you, I donated money and encouraged others to do the same but felt like there must be more we could do to help. Then an email from the lovely Julie Van Rosendaal arrived asking me to participate in Blog Aid, a cookbook she was compiling to benefit Haiti. It seemed like a wonderful idea (although I will admit I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of producing a cookbook in 3 weeks!) But it happened! And it is lovely! Julie assembled such an amazing group of food bloggers/writers that I am very anxiously awaiting my copy of the book, and proud to be in their company!

Details: ALL of the proceeds from the cookbook will go directly to the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders to assist in their efforts in Haiti.

It’s a POD (print-on-demand) system, meaning the books are printed and shipped as they’re ordered and arrive at your doorstep in about 8 days. You can purchase yours in softcover ($25US) HERE or as a hardcover ($50US) HERE.

Both West Canadian Printing AND Blurb are  supporting the project in many ways and even matching the dollar amount of the proceeds raised (up to 10k), to TRIPLE those dollars going to Haiti. AND until February 12th, the Canadian government will match that!!!! It is a great effort by all!

For more on the book, including a complete list of contributors, click HERE.

Thanks all! xo

UPDATE: Blog Aid has already raised over $18,000 in one day! Thanks to all who bought a copy and please help spread the word!

I have been promising you pictures of our new place ever since we moved in. This week’s Time Out Chicago features a nice story on Lottie + Doof and our new apartment written by Jessica Herman. I love her series on Chicagoans homes and am happy to be a part of it. The beautiful photos of our space were taken by the very talented Lizz Sisson, who also keeps a blog. Lizz very kindly sent me some additional photos that didn’t make it into the magazine for me to share with you. Thanks to Jessica and Lizz for a good time and to Bryan for playing along. Click HERE for many more pictures and click through for some bonus photos. read more+++