From My Kitchen to Customs: A Baker's Uncensored Summer Story

Join me on a journey filled with beachside baking, family chaos, and the most unexpected cookie caper.

Welcome, June! Can you believe we're already halfway through the year? This month has me buzzing with excitement, mostly thanks to all the summer fun on the horizon. 

First up, the 4th of July  means a family road trip to New Jersey to celebrate our oldest grandson's birthday. Every-other-year we try to go on family beach vacation, we did last year and it was a blast.

No stress, just delicious food, board games, barbecues, grandkids running wild... and me, of course, turning them into little bakers with cookie lessons and pie-making adventures. Trust me, they love it – but not as much as I do!

Speaking of adventures, two years ago I had an unforgettable one... for my youngest son's wedding in Brazil! Passport in hand, checklist triple-checked, I was ready for anything. But little did I know, I'd end up becoming an international cookie smuggler!

My son's special request? Mom's pastries for the wedding. Yep, you read that right. Now, I'm no stranger to shipping delicate desserts, but international customs? That was a whole different beast.  This wasn't just about baking – it was about logistics, timing, and a whole lot of hoping for the best. But for my son's special day, I was ready to take on the challenge (and maybe even learn a thing or two about Brazilian customs regulations along the way).

I baked and packed an entire dessert table's worth of cookies and treats, ready to fly across the world. In fact, these are the very cookie boxes, carefully labeled in Portuguese, just in case I had to explain my precious cargo.

As we landed in Rio de Janeiro after 19 hours of travel, my heart was pounding like a whisk on high speed. I eyed the customs line, imagining the worst: stern-faced officers, luggages strewn across the floor, my precious cookies confiscated. I could practically see the wedding dessert table replaced with flowers and a giant "Sorry, no dessert" sign. Sweat beaded on my brow as I shuffled forward, clutching my declaration form like a life raft. But then, a miracle! The customs officer barely glanced at us, waving us through with a nonchalant flick of the wrist. All that sugar – the stacks of carefully decorated cookies, the rows of chocolate crinkles, those delicate pecan tassies – sailed through customs unscathed. Phew! 

The hero of the wedding? This baker, right here! After all the nail-biting and sugar-smuggling... it was all worth it to see the joy on my son and daughter-in-law's faces as they surveyed their dream wedding dessert table. And let's be honest, those cookies tasted even sweeter knowing they'd crossed land and ocean to get there. Mission accomplished, with a side of adventure.  

Now it's your turn: What sweet adventures are you planning this summer?

If you want to create a dessert table that's the talk of the summer (without the international intrigue)? I've got you covered.  

Warmly,

Linda