Top Holiday Treats from Wuollet Bakery
I love this time of year and I love sugar. But, I am horribly unprepared for holiday gatherings this year. So, to make it easier on myself I thought I would go pick up some treats from Wuollet Bakery instead of stressing over making something sub-par myself.
Here are my top picks:
Gingerbread houses are a fun project for families or as a secret team building holiday office party game. I love the cute houses that are in the window at the Downtown Wuollet’s. Since I don’t have the patience I would go for the already build one but, they do have several packages that include make your own gingerbread house or already built and ready to be decorated gingerbread houses. You choose.
Custom decorated cakes and cupcakes! Lavona who works at the Downtown Wuollets is an expert decorator, she has been working for Wuollets for 36 years. She can create any idea you may have for your holiday party or elf cupakes for your elf on the shelf to eat.
She also is an artist and made all of the cute Stanta’s and Elf’s in the downtown store. You can find her decorating in the window a few times a week.
The holiday Yule Log is basically a Hostess Ho-Ho but one that will not survive the apocolypse because it is made from all real ingredients. It is festive, delicious, and easy to share. It would be the perfect item for after your Christmas Eve meal to have with a cup of coffee.
I cannot stop raving about the peanut brittle. This is a great price for handmade peanut brittle made by the owners of Wuollet’s.
Last but not least, Opera Squares. They are a bigger version of a petit fours and is adorable. They would be a great fancy dessert at your Christmas Table.
Stop in to your local Wuollet Bakery or visit their website HERE. Most locations have special holiday hours, so if you need something last minute you can stop by.
because share the holiday and your treats with those you love.
@mplsgossipgirl
Sandy Hook – What Minneapolis is Doing Right.
As someone who used to work in a Minneapolis Public school this past friday’s events were profoundly disturbing. It was a reminder to me how random an act of violence can be.
My first thoughts were about my teacher-friends, people who have the gift of working with children and go into work each day trying to make a difference in each students life.
The one reassurance that I had was that my friends and their students would know what to do if an event like this would take place. Minneapolis Public Schools practices code red drills at least five times a year. Along with practicing these drills they speak with their students about why they need to pratice these drills.
When I remember back to doing these drills, the students, even the very young ones understood the importance of these drills. They hid and were quiet for up to 15 minutes at a time.
Anyone who has worked in a classroom knows how hard it can be to have silence in the room for more than 20 seconds. But, it is truly amazing how students understand how important these drills are to practice.
It is my hope that no one ever has to do what they have practiced in these drills, but it feels good to know they are prepared if something were to happen.
@mplsgossipgirl
Client Gifts for the Holiday Season
One of the hardest gifts to choose is a gift to give to your clients or employees. If you are business owner you want to send something that is personal, easy to coordinate, and something that most people enjoy receiving.
I recently stopped in to the Wuollet Bakery in Downtown Minneapolis and they showed me some potential gift ideas. My favorite part is that you can completely customize your package to fit your needs. They work with all types of budgets and have some really great ideas to show your clients and employees that you care.
For those with a large budget, they make towers with many items inside. You can even top it with a cookie with your logo on it. (pictured above)
One of the most popular items to give is the peanut brittle. Laura who works at Wuollet Bakery told me that the owners actually make it themselves. They are hands-on business owners. If you visit Wuollet Bakery’s facebook page it is rumored that there is a video showing how they make it.
I also like the idea of including a cookie assortment. Your client can then bring them to a family gathering to share. Most are bite size cookies and come in all different colors. Also, if you need something to bring into your christmas party at work, this would be a great item.
Another item that you could include gingerbread people, gingerbread snow people, and gingerbread santas. They are super cute!
When you walk into the Wuollet Bakery in downtown they have a whole shelf with holiday items. There are many different items that you could include in your present. If you don’t see what you are looking for always ask. Wuollet’s can work with you to make sure your gift is perfect for your clients and employees.
You can call, stop in, or visit the Wuollet Bakery website HERE to order your holiday gifts!
because if I was your client I would be happy to get anything from Wuollet’s. hint hint.
@mplsgossipgirl
Casey Kustak – Mill City Nights
My friend Casey Kustak will be performing his comedy routine this Saturday, December 15th. It is a great excuse to try out the new venue in town Mill City Nights. They are doing a night of music and comedy with headliners My Lady Four. Tickets are only $8 or $5 with a student ID.
The show starts at 8:30 but make sure you are there in time to see Casey who will be starting his set around 9:45PM. He uses his real life experiences as an inspiration and with two young children he has no trouble coming up with material. It is all written by him and is orignal. Some material may be slightly offensive so prepare yourself. Casey grew up in Minnesota and now lives out-of-state but I know he keeps Minnesota close to his heart.
because laughter can be the best medicine.
@mplsgossipgirl
Elf – The Ordway
Elf is the perfect show to bring your family to this year. It is a fun and entertaining show for all age groups incorporating both child humor and adult humor perfectly. Despite the target audience being children there is enough in the story to keep adults attention. Plus, it is really wonderful to see their smiling faces.
I was sceptical when I found out someone was making a musical based upon the movie Elf. Kind of like when you hear a book is being made into a movie. But, this musical combined all of the funny one-liners and new material.
This show does run about 2 hours which may be a little long for very young ones but I saw many 6 year olds in the audience watching Buddy intently as he joyfully bounced around the stage.
Also, when you come to The Ordway you will be transported into the world of Christmastown thanks to Bachmans Floral who created a winter wonderland to the utmost detail. Believe me, it is magic.
The best part of all of this is that tickets start at 35 dollars making it an affordable holiday celebration.
Don’t forget that by coming to see shows at The Ordway you are helping them bring 50,000 students in to see shows each year. You never know what show will bring a spark into a child’s mind and help them become who they want to be.
because the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
@mplsgossipgirl
Best Free Services in Minnesota- MPR
Minnesota Public Radio is on my list of favorite things. Who said Oprah was the only one who can have a favorite things list?
I love MPR because it entertains me and teaches me at the same time.
I started to listen to MPR after I was forced into it. Why would anyone WANT to listen to talk radio? Apparently I do, and didn’t know it. It is one of those radio stations that grows on you and makes you pay attention to the world around you. If you haven’t given it a chance yet, I would give it a try.
Here are my favorite shows:
The Daily Circuit specifically with Kerri Miller. Kerri chooses topics that interest me and does a great job asking the right questions. What I mean by this, is that she doesn’t let guests get away with sweeping generalizations and always goes for the specifics. She does a great job picking guests who are leaders in whatever topic it might be.
Topics on this show range from how to deal with your family during the holidays to Young Adult Fiction. They use their public insite network of listeners to help them come up with topics and participate in the show. Topics that I think that I will not be interested in always turn out to be my favorites.
I always learn something or take something away whether it be a new book to add to my reading list or a new interest in a local nonprofit.
Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me is a news quiz show. It is part of the weekend broadcast and it is a whole lot of fun to play along with. It is great to put on during a weekend road trip. I am hoping to have Carl Kasell on my answering machine one day.
Car Talk, Tom and Ray are those crazy uncles who talk about cars. Their smart humor makes this show something I like listening to even though I am not a car fanatic.
The Splendid Table not only does this show talk food but they make excellent cookbooks as well. They would make an excellent present for the cook in the family this holiday season. Lynne Rossetto Kasper celebrates food and shares her expertise.
A Prairie Home Companion is a Variety Show that features the famous Garrison Keillor. Keillor introduced us to Lake Wobegon, a place that is very Minnesotan. My favorite segment is Guy Noir private eye because it is very silly and I like the characters that come see Guy.
I love the stories that MPR tells on This American Life. I recently listened to Little War on the Prairie with John Biewen. It was about Mankato, MN and one of the most, if not the most historical moment that happened in Mankato that is never talked about: the execution of 38 Dakota Indians, the site of the largest mass hanging in U.S history. It is a heartbreaking story part of our history that we would like to forget but cannot. It will be replayed Tuesday, December 11th at 12:00PM and can be found online HERE.
MPR now plays a huge part in my life. Every weekday morning I am tuning in to the daily circuit and when I am in the car during the weekend I am playing along.
I do suggest that if you become a listener that you become a member and donate and help MPR continue to produce this quality programing. You can become a member HERE.
What is your favorite show on MPR?
Because educational can be entertaining.
@mplsgossipgirl
Gather Minneapolis
Seriously, Gather what were you thinking? After sharing my previous post you changed what I praised you for a great selection of 5 dollar plates for happy hour.
Not smart.
You can read my previous review HERE.
I really hate having to tell my readers about a change in a restaurant that I recently gave glowing reviews. I dread it. But, alas it has to be done. What I said then, now is not true.
I praised you for you happy hour of 5 dollar small plates. But, when I went there this thursday the menu was different and there were not the 5 dollar plates available (only the bahn mi and the peas and bread). It was disappointing. Especially since I had suggested this restaurant as a great meeting space where we could get happy hour appetizers to share. Please update your website with your current menu.
The British fare should have been done in addition to the regular menu. “My favorite restaurant serves only British food,” said no one, ever.
Thank goodness I was in the presence of fellow fantastic, fashionable, foodies who were able to find some other interesting menu items.
When we ordered I was asked if I wanted salmon on my salad. I said sure and the server had to check to see if they even had salmon. Why offer it if you don’t know if you have it? I did not feel well afterwards. The server could have told me that you did not have any fresh salmon and I would have been fine with that.
I was then charged for the salad and the salmon separately. Which ended up being more expensive than anything else on the entire menu. What? yeah. I know. 12 dollars for over salted salmon served on a small side plate. If I would have known this I would have never said okay to the salmon which came on the side and not on top of the salad. A good rule of thumb is to only offer up-charges that are half of the price of the main order. My salad also did not have asparagus on it which is the second item listed with the salad on the menu. The salad was well dressed and the beets were tasty, it was just too bad there wasn’t asparagus on it.
The cocktail I had was poorly mixed. Not sure why you would do a vodka cranberry with a mint syrup. Also, when you have the holiday grog on your menu it should be available. Do not act suprised when someone orders it and respond with a snide comment of, “it is not ready yet, it has to sit for a while” Honestly maybe you should have thought about that before you put it on the menu. College students plan better when making wops or jungle juice.
In one single night of a poor $40 dollar dinner you have disappointed me and embarassed me. Gather was one of my favorite spots in the city. I would love to hear what you have to say about my recent experience please leave me a message or email me. Bring back the good 5 dollar happy hour menu!
because if you have a good thing, don’t change it.
@mplsgossipgirl
Family Friendly Restaurants in Minneapolis- Fudruckers
I hadn’t been to a Fudruckers in years until last week. Fudruckers is a burger place and can most closely be related to 5 Guys and Fries the 1990’s version. It is too bad that there is only one left in the Twin Cities. It may be because there is nothing truly good for you on the menu but it still is a fun place to go for families if you don’t want to go to McDonald’s.
No one looks at you funny when your kid throws a crayon or is impatient with you while they try to run away from you. It is expected that you are respectful to others with children.
They also have enough room to get a little wild and there are a few video games to play as well. This may not be necessary because the drink machine is like its own video game. You get to use a touch screen and have tons of options to choose from. My personal favorite was cherry Dr. Pepper. Although you can get as creative as you would like.
The burgers at Fudruckers are very good and come with your choice of toppings, you can put on as many tomatoes as you would like as well as your choice of condiments including nacho cheese. What I like most about the burgers are the buns that are perfectly cooked and fluffy.
The fries are seasoned well plus you get to choose your condiments. Do you want to dip them in nacho cheese or one of the other many condiments? I personally like a little bit of mayo and ketchup.
I think that I like this place because I went here as a child. I always looked forward to Friday nights where I ate a cheese burger, played video games, and purchased trinkets from the candy machines by the door.
You can find the Fudruckers website HERE. They are located near Southdale and parking is free and easy.
What is your favorite place to bring children in the Twin Cities? (always looking for suggestions)
because everyone likes nostalgia.
@mplsgossipgirl
Secrets of the City – Left Handed Cook
The Left Handed Cook is one of the best new restaurants in Minneapolis and is one of the secrets of the city. I cannot believe that this place does not have a line out the door every Friday and Saturday night. It is hip and they are making some great and unexpected food here in Minneapolis.
Located in the Midtown Global Market The Left Handed Cook brings a casual dinner to new heights.
It is a little intimidating for non-foodies. But, if you knew what was actually in the dishes I think you would like it. I watched many people look at the menu and shake their heads. A bip bowl and sandwiches with all of these fancy ingredients were too much for them to think about. I say give it a try you might like it.
I am sure that the owners and cooks would love to explain to you everything that goes into their dishes. It is just sad that one Yelp reviewer said they put a “raw egg” on their bip bowl, I think this person may want to learn how eggs can be cooked different ways; actually it was poached. If you never have had a poached egg before, you must try it. It is my favorite way to eat an egg.
The limited menu boils down to starters, sandwiches, and rice bowls. I would suggest to order at least one sandwich with a rice bowl. To start you off they give you a small snack of popcorn with hand mixed spices.
I ordered the soft shell crab sandwich. The bun is likely from the Salty Tart. For those with a sweet tooth the Salty Tart is a cramped bakery in the Global Market that creates some of the best baked goods in the city. In between the bun is sauce, fried crab pieces, and fresh greens. The sweetness of the soft shell crab comes through the light crunch of the breading. Oozing between the meat and lettuce is a brightly spiced sauce that provides some heat. The best part of the sandwich was truly the sauce that I wish I could have to put on everything in my own home.
On the side is a fresh roasted beet salad. My favorite part of the meal. There is something about a perfectly dressed salad with flavors that meld well that really makes me happy. This particular salad had cheese and a roasted nut with little bit of crunch that paired well with the greens and the dressing. I would eat that salad for lunch everyday.
I also ordered the pork belly rice bowl . Steamed white rice topped with fresh lemon grass, kimchee, asian spiced vegetables, a poached egg, and a perfectly cooked portion of pork belly is what makes up a Bip Bowl. They have many choices for what meat you would like on top.
Overall, this is a great place to go if you are looking for something a bit off the grid. It really filled my need for really good food in a relaxed atmosphere. You don’t need to get dressed up to grab a bite here, come as you are and chow down on a bowl or a sandwich. I also must mention that you can park in the lot across the street for free when you buy something. Bring in your parking ticket and get it stamped by the business that you purchase your food from. It is easy to get in and out of the parking lot.
because good food does not require a fancy outfit.
xoxo
@mplsgossipgirl
Thanksgiving Treats – Wuollet’s (and a contest)
On my Thanksgiving table there is usually an apple pie, a pumpkin pie, and a chocolate pie. Treats are always a highlight of the meal that comes an hour or so after the Turkey and a change into yoga pants.
I thought it would be fun to go in search of some new treats at one of my favorite local bakeries: Wuollet’s. I am usually found in Wuollet’s browsing the cupcake section for a co-workers birthday. My favorite is the red velvet cupcake.
Now, try to stop yourself from running from your desk to the closest baked good after looking at all these pictures. But, I thought it would be fun to share some new ideas for your thanksgiving table.
Why not try a special pie? Wuollet’s has a Pumpkin Chiffon pie that is out of this world. It is traditional but fancy at the same time.
Decorate your table with cookies with each attendee’s name on it for a fun way to show everyone where they are sitting. Wuollet’s will write the names on the cookies for you. If someone doesn’t show you can eat their cookie.
I love this idea because it is a fun way to decorate for this special occasion. I thought about my family and how we never know who exactly is coming to thanksgiving so we might do our last name or fun Thanksgiving words on each one. You could turn it into a fun way to sit by someone new by having each person draw one of those words from a hat.
Get a few dozen croissants or rolls to eat with your leftovers the next day/week. Eating a turkey, cranberry, goat cheese, and a little bit of stuffing sandwich as lunch for the week after Thanksgiving is a tradition for me. Make sure you clearly label your sandwich in the office communal refrigerator or someone may “accidentally” eat yours. Or I guess you could bring rolls and share with everyone, if you are nice.
If you don’t feel like a pie, get a cake. Wuollet’s has professional cake decorators that can make almost anything a reality. I mean seriously, a turkey cake? That is amazing! If you would like a cake that looks like a perfectly baked turkey, cornucopia, or if you want your weird uncle Sal in a chefs hat eating a turkey leg made out of frosting on the top of a cake. I bet they could and would do it.
They have decorators who are professional artists, who have worked there over 30 years, and who are part of the Wuollet family. With all of that talent they can make cakes that should be in a museum.
You could also get a fancy cake as well, which you can find in the rotating cake case. I have had carrot cake before at Thanksgiving and that really hits the spot.
One of my favorite items at Wuollet’s is the cupcakes. Obviously. They have turkey cupcakes in their window that would be fun if you have little children in your family or if you needed something to decorate with. They can easily be eaten afterwards. They can also do cupcakes in the shape of a cooked turkey which are hilarious. So, if you often have trouble with the actual turkey you can bring the cupcakes out and show people how perfect you made the turkey this year.
The best part of all of this is that you can order it next Tuesday and pick it up on Wednesday. It is really convenient for me because I work downtown Minneapolis. I can easily stop by on my lunch hour on Wednesday and grab the items for the next day. If you do want a very custom order I would contact Wuollet’s a few days ahead of time to make arrangements. Since they are a full service bakery if you made a mistake and need to order something at the last-minute, they will do their best to get you covered.
For Thanksgiving they have these handy ordering sheets that you can pick up in any of the locations. It is easy, has all the prices, and takes the hassle and stress out of Thanksgiving. You can go to Wuollet’s website to see more information about their locations HERE.
Contest Time:
Mplsgossipgirl is putting on a contest. The downtown Wuollet’s has a window where they display beautiful and creative cakes. They also help their clients design custom cakes for their special events, which is something I love about this local business. If you could have a custom designed cake at your Thanksgiving table, what would it look like? The best ideas will win a cupcake.
Although, I am sure my crazy uncle in a chef’s hat eating a turkey leg is a great idea to put on a cake. I bet you can come up with some of your own cake ideas for Thanksgiving that will rock.
I will mail the winners a token to get a cupcake at any of the Wuollet’s Bakery locations. It is only open to those with an address in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. You do not have to follow, like, social media the heck out of me to win. This blog will never require people to do these things to enter a contest. I want you reading my posts because they are entertaining.
Here is how you enter:
- Leave me a comment on this post describing your idea. (It is up in the black box in the left hand corner) If you don’t already subscribe to mplsgossipgirl right now would be a great time to do it and you can by clicking in the right hand corner of my blog. You will have to leave me a way to get ahold of you though, so please leave your Twitter handle and if you don’t have one of those if you are a winner I will comment on your post. So, make sure you have it set to notify you.
- Tweet me @mplsgossipgirl. Tweet me your idea to #mplsgossipgirlcontest.
- Most importantly, go to my Facebook page Mplsgossipgirl and comment under the picture of the Turkey Cake with your idea. While you are there like my page and share it with your friends too.
You can enter in all three places and more weight will be given to those who have the most likes/retweets/comments on them but ultimately it will be my decision. I am looking for really creative and fun ideas. Please keep it PG and PC. Contest will end at Midnight on the 21st of November, 2012. Winners will be announced the next day, Thanksgiving.
As always, on Thanksgiving I like to remind those around me that if you are deep-frying your turkey, please make sure it is completely thawed and you are outside and not in the garage. That is my PSA for the day.
because a unique cake will be talked about for years to come.
xoxo
@mplsgossipgirl
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All views and opinions are my own.
mplsgossipgirl 
