HOLIDAY HOST. Baked goods are used for hosting, to be enjoyed by Darien herself and her immediate family and given as gifts. Darien enjoys displaying them in a variety of ways and says, “We put them in glass canisters and on platters for everyone to pick at whenever they want. Last year, I set up a dessert/coffee bar that I left out all season and it was a big hit.”
Homemade vanilla extract is leagues more flavorful than the imitation version found in most grocery stores—and it’s incredibly simple to do yourself. It’s an ideal gift around the holidays when everyone is in the kitchen. “We make them in glass apothecary jars and simply drop them into little linen bags stamped with our logo,” Darien says.