2013 New Blogs! Really....

Springtime Isle of Man

Scotland In the Spring! This countryside is an inspiration.

Happy Spring 2013. It has been a long time since I blogged and we are trying to make it a priority this year.

MCLAREN'S  NEWS!
After 4 years of renting kitchen space, we purchased the commercial kitchen that we cook in!!


Now we have all access all the time and we are ready to roll. We are planning to start selling in a few new farmers markets, The Palisades and West Hollywood as well as toying with the idea of selling our fresh scones, with fresh market berries and hand made whipped cream for consumption at the markets...take that food trucks!

It has been a very busy year, this being a family business. Our two eldest are now in college, Gabi at UCSB so she is not doing much baking these days. Ian is in school here locally, so he is now our lead baker and shift supervisor. Morgan is still in high school and works when she can and I have gone back to school myself, so we are all busy.

Tim's work in real estate is finally picking up and he is working hard on both businesses!

We have added a few new festivals this year, so check on the web site for where you can find us.
We hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and happy.
Have a wonderful Spring!
From all of us at Mclaren's.
 Festivals coming up!

Las Vegas Gathering and Highland Games

April 20th - 21st

Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival , Albuquerque NM

May 19th - 20th 

ScotsFest

Costa Mesa, CA

May 26th - 27th

Santa Cruz Scottish Festival

Santa Cruz, CA

June 15th - 16th

San Diego Scottish Highland Games & Gathering of the Clans San Diego, CA

 June 23rd- 24th

Well, Mother's Day is almost here!
As you can tell from looking at our blog, we don't get a chance to blog often, but I did want you to know that if you need a gift shipped, order by May 8th for standard priority shipping.

We have gifts that include free shipping, check it out!

 Click here

After May 8th your procrastination will get very expensive, as we can only guarantee Mother's Day arrival with Express shipping for order placed after May 8th. Last Day to ship Express is MAY 10th.
So order by May 9th!

 In any case have a great week, we will be at the Costa Mesa, CA Scots Fest, Memorial Weekend
 May 26 & 27. We hope to see you there!
 Andrea & Tim

Scottish Shortbread Cookies

It's that time again! The Holidays are upon us and McLaren's Original Scottish Shortbread Cookies are a great gift. My husband Tim's family has been making these buttery morsels for 5 generations. I was accepted into the small circle of  initiates, (who are keepers of the recipe), which includes kneading and baking specifics, soon after our wedding. My mother-in-law liked me-she really liked me!
(aka Sally Fields-)

When our children were very young, Granny would come to visit and they would help her to make the dough and press it into the pan, a considerable task for such wee fingers. Then slowly she would help them prick the entire surface of the dough with a single fork, in tidy Scottish rows. After 40-45 minutes of building buttery aroma, out came the golden treasure to cool on the counter, be cut into squares and lightly sugared. Often devoured before it cooled, Scottish Shortbread had forged it's permanent place in our family, the 5th generation. So it began. We gave some to our neighbors, we gave some to teachers and brought it to parties. Soon it was, "Hey, if you're baking any shortbread this year, could I get a box for my 80 yr old Aunt?"

The rest is history...well, recent history. We officially formed Mclaren's in February of 2009 and we are pleased to say that we have doubled our business each year since we started. This is our third Holiday season. We have re-designed our gift baskets and expanded to include some Gluten Free Products and imported teas as well. We began with only shortbread, added 3 jams and now we have many hand made products all ready and willing to help Santa with his/her list.

We have begun to add our tea ware, antique and vintage tea cups, silver tea sets and items, to enhance your gifting and tea time experience. We hope that you will visit our web site for your gift list and stop by a farmers market or Scottish Festival and say hi! www.mclarensshortbread.com
Happy Holidays!
From all of us at McLaren's
                                                             British Tradition Gift Basket

Harvest and Holidays, I believe that some of the magic has gone from the seasons.

The time has flown by, and the season we called Fall, (when I grew up in New England) but this year called "SWELTERING" in CA, has come and gone. Gone with it are the fresh summer fruits that linger in my memory from childhood, juicy peaches, nectarines, apricots and strawberries, actually berries of all kinds. Again, except if you live in Southern CA where we can still buy fresh strawberries, and the new crop will arrive as early as Februaury of 2012.

Can you tell that this Fall in So Cal was hot? I love CA but 102 degrees in Late September is too hot. My Connecticut Yankee genes are screaming for sweater weather by Sept 20th.

I mean really, it did not even cool of by Halloween this year, which is usually the weather marker, when the mercury finally dips below 85. Too much for a big girl with a penchant for cool temperatures.
So now we are are at the end of November, Thanksgiving has come and gone, leaving in it's familial wake a host of memories; Fall, Autumn, the regal foliage of October in New England and the traditions that go along with the season.

I believe that some of the magic has gone from the seasons. Growing up in New England we had definitive seasons and times for doing certain things and eating certain things. You swam in the summer-only, trust me. No wet suits, ice fishing maybe, but summer was the time to swim in the ponds and lakes and the occasional trip to the seaside. Basking in the sun, savoring it's short lived warmth, wading through the humid days and sleeping to the music of the crickets, tree frogs and bull frogs, exuberantly performing their nightly symphonies.

It was at these times that we would anxiously await the first strawberries, fresh and ripe in June and July. You ate as many as you could as often as you could, soon their season was over and frozen was never quite the same. And so the seasons progressed Spring into Summer offering; apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, raspberry's, blueberries, wild grapes and apples each arriving with a fanfare of Pies, Jams, Cobblers, cereal and pancake toppings etc.

I believe that some of the magic has gone from the seasons. The world is a smaller place than when I was young. You can buy fruit from around the world at any time, strawberries are available almost year round in CA somehow cheapening their sweet ruby glory.

Fruit is harvested too early, gassed to make it appear ripe and often a grave disappointment when consumed. Flavor is not allowed to mature, fruit rarely ripens "on the vine"  anymore.

 I wonder, if I am lucky enough to live to see grandchildren, will Apple Butter simmering on the stove and Pumpkin Pie baking in the oven represent the very real fruits of the Fall Harvest, anticipated all year? Or, will they be a fulfillment of the advertiser's representation of what we should eat in the Fall  at Thanksgiving. Or, the product of a first grade fall pageant, when they learn of the Pilgrims first feast, a history lesson so removed from children's actual experience.

I believe that some of the magic has gone from the seasons. For those of us that live in suburbs or urban areas, the availability of international-seasonal produce year round has somehow further removed us from the seasons, and the earth who graciously repeats them each year. Removed from the inner knowing of time to plant, nurture, harvest and rest. The Byrd's said it best, they had good source material.

 So...go to your local farmers market and buy local produce that's in season and get back to your "roots".

1For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

2A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

Not a Fan of Corned Beef & Cabbage? Try this!

 Shepherd's Pie is a Celtic tradition in both Ireland and Scotland! Delicious...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/shepherds-pie-recipe/index.html?nl=ROTD_031611_RecipeText

Happy St Patrick's Day to all my Celtic Cousins!

There is an old legend that the McLaren Clan sprang from the union of a Mermaid and a Highlander..
so in the spirit of the day....

Check out our Hot Toddy marmalade, fitting for the day! & A Sea Shanty for you!
Organic Orange Marmalade with Jameson Irish Whiskey & Clove.

http://www.mclarensshortbread.com/McLaren-s-Hand-Made-Jams-and-Marmalades-s/1.htm

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lzFKTxPOwc&feature=related

May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

What if Charlie Sheen had received the Shortbread?

Well,
 it probably would not have changed the world, but if I write "Charlie Sheen" and " Buy McLaren's Shortbread" enough times in a blog or facebook page, will my organic SEO rating go up?
 Everyone else is using him to increase their ratings!
A

Finally Grammy Swag Bag info!

Grammy Awards!! These are the folks who got to take home our Shortbread from the Grammys....
John Mayer
Justin Bieber
Rob and Marisol Thomas
Johnny Depp
Diana Krall
Elvis Costello
Debra Lee (BEAT)
Jamie Fox
Anita Baker
Selena Gomez
LL Cool J
Abigail Breslin
Isla Fisher
Joel Katz
Peter Lofrumento
Sylvia Rhone
Usher
Sidwalk Angels Foundation
Heidi Klum
Julianne Hough Ryan Seacrest
Will Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith
Dr. Dre

It's very cool that all these folks got our product in their bags! Now, did they try it? did they like it? 
That is the real mystery of this kind of marketing!!
 Perhaps, some of them will send a thank you? LOL!

February Specials !

Our latest Edition of our ezine, " McLaren's in the Kitchen"  is out!
 Sign up to get the coupons, recipes and more,  click here.
 
 To  try our easy - make at home - McLaren's Clotted Cream recipe click here.

Our Jam & shortbread of the month, along with the February special are now up on the web site! www.mclarensshortbread.com

The Scottish Highland Games season started last weekend with the Queen Mary Games in Long Beach, CA. This weekend we will be in Phoenix, Az.
 Happy cooking!
xxoo
Andrea

Grammy Swag Bag Photo, I want one!

https://www.mclarensshortbread.com/Articles.asp?ID=135

check it out!

Flight cancled, bummer

Hi,
well as of my last post all was moving forward. Until.. my hard working hubby came home from the Calabasas farmers mkt feeling ill.. so though I was more than ready to take flight into an evening of fun, freinds, good food & wine.. we had to postpone.
 So.. now I get to do it all over again. My son has enjoyed the Ginger bread Cake, my loss is his gain. Upcoming events outr second edition of Mclaren's in the Kitchen- Feb 15th- and the Queen Mary Scottish Games- Presidents Day weekend..I can already hear the bagpipes. Stay tuned for a list of the Grammy folks who take home our Shortbread! List will be avail Feb 14th.
 cheers !
 A

the best laid plans of mice & men.....

Welll, my great plan for prepping for the dinner party has gone by the wayside like so many good ideas!
 But... I'm still on track, the roast is marinating, the veggies are on the way from the farmers market, I packaged a bunch of shipments for Mclaren's.. soon off the Post office, the store for last minute items, some cleaning still and.. I better get off the computer!
A

The attack of the shortbread business!

Well, I thought I had a plan of attack for the dinner party Saturday, but my Shortbread business has decide to take over.. so no cleaning today.. packaging Valentine's Day orders instead! ;-)
 more later...
A

Dinner party plan of attack..

all is fair in love and war and prepping for dinner parties.. well my schedule has changed a bit.. from my last post.. so I haven't gotten started on the cleaning yet.. my kids have a half day, which means lots of driving and picking up at 2 different times.. so the silver is still in need of polishing and.. we are going into the kitchen this afternoon to bake for the weekend and all of our Valentines Day Promotions..
the cleaning is now scheduled for this evening after dinner.. I wonder if  I could get my teenagers to help? LOL! JK!
more tomorrow....
 we are excited about having our shortbread in the Grammy Bags at the Four Season Hotel!
gotta run..
A

Don't be too exhausted to enjoy your party, plan ahead

If any of you are like me, a busy person, (who isn't these days) with loads going on and never enough time to do it in, then maybe you too have planned a party and on the night of the event, been too tired to truly enjoy it.
I am determined this time, to enjoy our upcoming adult night, a dinner party with friends.
The dates been set and now I just have to plan my attack.
The silver is definitely the first task to tackle, ugg, all that polishing! I do so love the result. So, since I am entertaining on an upcoming Saturday, the preceding Thursday is my sliver and shopping day.
I am going to tackle the silver and the crystal first thing in the morning after the kids go to school.
Then off to the market to buy all the ingredients...
Friday morning I'll prep all the veggies, put the roast in a marinade....
Then I'll do the heavy cleaning Friday,  dusting, vacuuming, mopping, bathrooms which leaves Saturday for  sleeping in- the table setting and cooking.
 IF I can stick to this schedule....I will be ready to "rock n roll" when our friends arrive....
 wish me luck!
I'll keep you posted!
xxoo
A

Get your cake out of the pan in one piece.

Whether your're trying our featured products this month (Mclaren's Olde World Gingerbread Cake with Fountainbléau Sauce & Whipped Cream) or baking your own, here is a tip for getting those cakes out of the pans in one piece!

This tip was taught me by my mother, when I was very young.

The only extra item you will need is waxed paper. Tear a sheet of waxed paper a little bigger than your cake pan. Place the cake pan on top and trace the outline with a knife point or toothpick ( pointed object).

Cut the resulting circle or rectangle out with scissors.
(You can use a pencil or pen, just be sure to trim inside the line, so the graphite or ink is not cooked into your cake.)

Grease the bottom and sides of the cake pan as directed by the recipe instructions. Place the wax paper circle on the bottom of the pan, and smooth it out over the Pam, or shortening. Then pour the cake mix into the pan and bake as directed.

After the cake comes out of the oven and has cooled almost completely, run a thin knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the edges, when you turn the pan over, shake slightly and the cake should fall right out onto the plate. Peel the waxed paper off the bottom and flip the cake over to decorate or frost as usual.

No more scraping those torn bits off the bottom of the pan!
 Happy Baking!
 Andrea

McLaren's "In the Kitchen"

Happy New Year!
It seems that we always hit the ground running the second week of every new year and this year is no exception. On January 19, 2011 we will launch our new z-zine!  "In The Kitchen"
It is an online monthly mini-magazine with kitchen tips, recipes, ideas for dinner parties, teas and gatherings, money saving coupons and news from McLaren's. You can subscribe to "In The Kitchen" by clicking here

Tim & I love to entertain, though we have have precious little time to do it these days. We are hosting a dinner party with some of our good friends that we were not able to see during the Holiday Season.
We are looking forward to an evening filled with good friends, good food, and good wine! We're going to share our recipes and experiences with you through the e zine and our web site.

As new feature to our web site, we have added a link on the home page under
Quick Links
Recipes and serving suggestions
This link takes you to the archives of all the recipes and serving suggestions that we have been sharing with our festival clients. We will post a few each month, to give you new ideas and inspiration in the kitchen. Feel free to copy and send them to your friends and loved ones. You can visit our web site by clicking here.

Already posted you will find the recipes and serving tips for the wine jams with cheese and Olde World Gingerbread Cake with Fountainbléau Sauce & whipped cream. If you have any recipes to add, or stories about McLaren's at your table, please let us know and we will add them!

Coming up in in February is the holiday for lovers, Valentines Day. From the fun to the fantastic, we have gifts that are sure to please even the fussiest gourmet.

Remember, as you gain new clients and work new prospects this year, keep in  mind that McLaren's makes a great "Welcome" or "Thank you" gift for any client. We can create something delicious and elegant to fit your budget.

Until next time, take the time to have a cup o' tea with someone you love!
Best to you,
Andrea & Tim

"I'll be home for Christmas....."

...you can count on me. There'll be snow and Mistletoe and presents 'neath the tree..."

If you are lucky enough to have a great family, that you love to be with, there is nothing as special as spending Christmas and the following days together.

I count myself as very lucky to have such a family. It's been four long years since we could scrape up enough money to buy 5 round trip holiday-rate plane tickets from CA to RI.(Choosing to fly on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve for the cheapest flights available.)

We shipped our last McLaren's package Dec 23rd for a desperate customer and flew out the next day. I found out that with my extra poundage, overstuffed carry-ons and the person in front of me tilting their seat back... "Yes Virginia", I still get claustrophobic. Despite my psychological discomfort, the flights were uneventful and we arrived in Boston, rented a car and drove to RI arriving at 1:30am Christmas morning.

Our family traditions have adapted through the years as the children have grow up, from the
hysterical rip and shred of the "Toy Years" to the I Mac,I phone, I Pad, techno years. In fact, this year most of the gifts were known in advance and had to be left behind, as promises, back ordered. I shudder to think how much money we spent in the past shipping all
those toys ahead to be under the tree Christmas morning.

Our big family gift this year is intact, just being here and we all agreed to that. West coast to East coast gifts were smaller practical, (slippers and socks) and the computers ordered
have been needed for or school for the past 3 years, no big surprise there.

The economy being what it is, we are thrilled to be together, before another beloved passes on
or has a wedding that only one or two of us can afford to fly to.

We have a tradition of having Christmas morning at my brother's home stuffed full of children,
nieces, brothers, sister in laws, (more like sisters) dogs, a fragrant wood stove and a never
ending array of home made edible holiday favorites.

The 6-10 yr age difference in the cousins has never caused a rift or separation, in fact last
night, they were playing cards and laughing as hard as they ever had together, taking a break
from movies and guitar hero.

One of my favorite things is taking a nap in the midst of the chaos, hearing the voices and
laughter as I fade in and out of lucid dreaming. (I got one of those naps Christmas afternoon)
For me it is the peace of everything is ok, everyone is fine, and we are together, this
moment is forever.

Most of the years that we have been able to go home for Christmas we have brought early snow
with us. Despite what you may think, a "White Christmas" in New England comes only once very
few years. Most of the snow comes in Jan. And Feb., historically speaking. So, the fact that
we had an "official blizzard" Christmas night was the literal icing on the cake.

Now, as I said, we spend Christmas day at my brother's but then day or two afterward, we go to
my Dad's home in Conn. and do it all over again! We all come from far and near, as work
allows and have another Christmas dinner and share stories of our time apart from each other, Grandpa & Grandma to the youngest, raising a glass of cheer in thanksgiving for another year
together....but the snow prevailed and this second Christmas was cancelled this year.

Tim and I and the kids will go tomorrow and spend the night with the Grandparents and go
sliding for the second time this vacation !!! Grandpa has a long downhill driveway that is fast and a blast for sledding. This year we will do the cooking and share stories old and new
across three generations, in front of a roaring fire, feet warmed by yellow labs, while taking
in a most amazing view. The kids will skate on the frozen pond and I will take photos to post when we get back to Cali.

I am looking forward to the time ahead with my Dad and his wife Norma, time passes so quickly
I try to treasure every moment we have together.

I am so grateful for my family, sleeping in, being together, laughter , snow, memories of
those who have passed on before us and our health.....

I hope that if you are reading my blog that you have been as blessed as we, this holiday
season.


Happy New Year!!
Xxoo

Andrea

Back from the wilderness....

It seemed like I would never get back here to blog. I have been caught in the " wilderness" of planning, running, cleaning, organizing, cooking, creating, buying, peeling, labeling and lots of SEO optimizing on the web site-- all in hopes of being ready for the upcoming.. no dare I say the already present Holiday season 2010!!
Whew!
The last few years have been a wild ride for most of us. It seems as if the analogy of " Life is a roller coaster" tells the tale quite well, a few years of slogging up hill, pulling a heavy load, the monotony broken by unexpectedly being catapulted down hill, around sharp corners- screaming all the way.

I do see improvement though, Tim's business is picking up, (thank you God) and we are ahead of the game in packaging and gift supplies this year. It's a good thing too, as the orders are already starting.

As you may know we participate as a vendor in many of the CA & AZ Scottish Games through out the year. This year we added the Harvest Festivals to our schedule and we are grateful for the additional business.  Plus we have met some great folks who run them and who attend them.

So...... with any luck we will be able to go back East this year to see our family for Christmas! My Dad is 85 and his wife is ill. It is so hard to be so far away from family. We are so close to all of them, including my brothers and their families, we have such a wonderful time when we visit.
There are usually not quite enough beds at  Chris & Jennifer's house so we all end up sleeping everywhere, couches, pull outs, futons, blow ups and sleeping bags, not unlike the large litters of Labs that my Dad uses to raise. Usually there are anywhere from 11-18 people sleeping over Christmas night!
 So much laughter, love, good food and drink and amazingly never a harsh word is spoken. Everyone pitches in. We are so grateful to all be together, since we see each other so seldom. Some how SKYPE doesn't make a good substitute.

As McLaren's grows, we dream of the next bit of equipment that we can buy to increase our productivity (a cookie crank, please Santa) and plan to really figure out how to make the leap to wholesaling, with out losing quality.

Is wanting a cookie crank for Christmas the same as getting a vacuum cleaner or a mixer as your main gift from your husband?

JK

I know it's not, it's part of the dream of growing and building and planning for a better tomorrow. ;-)

Today we bartered at the Farmers market and got the sausage for our Thanksgiving stuffing! MM MM good! Tim does most of the Thanksgiving Day cooking, he cooks the turkey on the grill and it is amazing a browned 360 degrees.....

 I am so grateful that we are all together and well, that Gabi Loves UCSB, Ian  has hit his stride in School, Morgan is thriving and working hard and that my niece Lauren is staying with us. She got a job offer and gets the details this week. I am so proud of her. I know that she will do great things.

I am grateful and counting my blessings, then I have to label some jam, label some scone mix.. cook some dinner, do some laundry.............and so it goes
xxoo
A

Jam labels, Life lables and....

Well, well, after you make the jam you have to name it ( the Fun Part), print the labels, package it and then schlep it and then sell it!
 So our new wine jams are here, an excerpt from my most recent constant contact...
WINE JAMS ARE IN !! 

Come and sample our new favorites, just in time for the cool nights and hot parties...
amazing with cheese and as glazes and sauce bases for meats and fish.
Summer Solstice
Raspberry Merlot- sharp cheddar, red meats
Midnight Tryst
Cabernet  & Marion Berry- Baked Brie, red meats, Pork
Blushing Bride
Chardonnay & Strawberry -Sharp White Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Chicken, Fish
Young Lovers
Pino Grigio Peach- over cream cheese, Havarti, over ice cream and pound cake

So come on down and try some...
more on life lables later... gotta  put the labels on the jam....
xxoo
A