Happy Christmas!

 Gingerbread for Santa

Because Santa deserves the very best...

 we went to Tartine Bakery in San Francisco yesterday

to pick up our holiday order of

Soft Glazed Gingerbread Tiles.

 Gingerbread Tiles

Years ago,

I saw Pastry Chef, Elizabeth Prueitt

(when her bakery was in Marin County)

on the  Martha Stewart show

making her Soft Glazed Gingerbread Tiles.

They looked like a wonderful holiday treat and

I even purchased the Springerle Rolling Pin

she uses to decorate them

so I could make them at home. 

Well, I've never made them at home

partly because I've always wanted to taste Elizabeth's first.

 In Line for

Santa's Cookies

For years, I have tried to buy Tartine's

Soft Glazed Gingerbread Tiles

during the Christmas season but they're always sold out.

So this year,

I was a smart Santa's Helper and placed a holiday pre-order for

my Gingerbread Tiles to avoid disappointment.

For holiday pre-orders at Tartine you must pick them up
on Christmas Eve...

 so off to San Francisco we went yesterday.

 Croque Monsieurs

We made it to Tartine at 2:00 PM.

Every time we've been to Tartine,

there is always a line out the door.  It was no different on Christmas Eve

only this day there were two lines...

one for customers of the day

and one for holiday pre-order pick ups. 

We ended up standing in both lines and even managed to snag an outdoor table

to enjoy a late lunch at Tartine, too. 

It was our first time finally getting a table

for lunch at Tartine.

Lunch at Tartine

is the next best thing to a table for two

at a cafe in Paris!

Union Square

San Francisco

I think we've started a new Christmas tradition...

going to San Francisco on

Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas to you

and

savor every moment with your family and loved ones!