Wrap up! My year in baking...(Pt. 2)

And here are my remaining baking efforts for the year. The second half of the year brought a lot of use of my oven. Thankfully, it can take it. August:

The Dish: If it isn't already evident that I'm a lemon nut then here's more proof. My baked good for August was: Lemon Poppyseed Cake. Hell, I had left over lemons and, as mentioned, a whole lot of poppyseeds. Why not make bread?

End result: Also from Sweet Melissa's Cookbook, but I was not a fan of this one. Too tart and not sugary enough for me. Plus, I believe I left one loaf in a bit longer than necessary so it was a bit too crisp on the bottom. But, I brought it to work and people enjoyed it. I was told that the fact it was more lemony than sugary made it taste more like a traditional bread rather than cake. Go fig.

September:

The Dish: The previous month I had gone to Vermont for a Writer's Conference. My roomie at the conference went to a Maple shop and I implored her to get me maple sugar if she could find it. She did! (Thanks, Iris!) And so I made it a point to find something to use this decadent sugar for. And so I found a simple recipe, because I like simple, for Mapledoodles.

End result: For me, I think these cookies tasted better cool rather than warm. I got a metallic like taste from either the maple extract or the maple sugar. And lastly, too much maple! This recipe called for maple extract and maple sugar in the cookie along with maple sugar outside of the cookie and an (optional) maple glaze! I had to hold off from doing maple outside of the cookie because the taste was too darn strong! Decent enough cookies, but I've seen alternate mapledoodle recipes I'll try.

The Dish: In addition to the, somewhat disappointing, mapledoodles I made a classic fave: pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! My same friend who is a gifted baker introduced me to pumpkin chocolate chip bars, which are amazing! This is a take on that.

End result: These have a cakey texture rather than your normal cookie texture. And to eat these warm is amazing! The moist cakey-ness along with melty chocolate chips makes these to die for. It's filled with the same spices you'd use to make pumpkin pie as well as pumpkin filling and is amazing!

You'll fall in love with these and the recipe I use makes five dozen or more which is never enough! People in the office loved them and I found the adult mentors liked them too. Kids and teenagers may be a bit sketched out by pumpkin cookies, but once they try them they'll be reformed. I'm drooling just thinking about them.

October:

The Dish: Of course one would think that I'd save the pumpkin treats for October, but in all honest they're good any time! But this month I actually delved into a treat I've eaten a lot, but never had the cajones to make: pound cake!

Turns out it's super-easy!

End result: Main difference is that it is made with light brown sugar rather than regular granulated as per the recipe on the back of the Domino's sugar box. So it looks a bit darker as well. Tasted really good and familiar, almost like my grandma's!

Made it for my drinking group (hey ladies!) and they enjoyed it. Moistness keeps if sealed well for a couple of days, but definitely tastes best right out of the oven and with some accoutrements such as cream or berries.

The Dish: I also did a pumpkin recipe for Halloween! Last year I had an awful pumpkin bar recipe. The bars were incredibly dense and not sweet at all. Not happy. So I went with a Paula Deen recipe this year because, quite frankly, you can trust her butter-filled delicacies. And I wasn't disappointed!

End result: I just couldn't be bothered with icing and didn't want to deter from the pumpkin taste, so there you go. I have to say that this was more of a cake then a bar. It was mighty fluffy and could've used icing. It tasted fabulous and I'll make again instead calling it Ms. Deen's pumpkin cake!

November:

The Dish: And as the year comes full circle so does this month's dessert which was, well, lemon of course! This time lemon cupcakes with lemony cream on top. I made it for my department's first ever Dessert Hour before Thanksgiving and these cupcakes were a hit! If you're not a big dessert person lemon is excellent because it's not too strong and complements the sweet just right.

End result: These cupcakes are somewhat of a semi-homemade approach and you just do your own thing after using the cake mix. Lemon curd is the secret ingredient for these minicakes and it's really good. I have to say my main delight was in the lemony cream (heavy whipping cream, lemon curd, and confectioner's sugar that you beat the hell out of). I've made it again since I had left over ingredients and it was well received with some brown sugar bundt cake on Christmas. Also, used the lemony cream on a pumpkin tart with friends for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! So it just goes to show that again...lemon shows its versatility!

The Dish: And lastly for the year of the pumpkin (and lemon) was pumpkin chocolate chip muffins from the same book I got the lemon cupcake recipe Cupcakes from the Cake (mix) Doctor by Anne Byrn It was hard for my husband to find a chocolate chip muffin mix, but when he did I went buck wild with left over pumpkin filling and enjoyed the results merrily.

End result: Pumpkin and chocolate is basically the best combination...ever. Just don't argue with me on this one. These muffins kept, when well sealed, and I brought some in for co-workers who are also pumpkin fanatics. Needless to say they loved them also.

December:

Well, another marathon baking month for moi this month.

The Dishes:

First up, Almond toffee crunch cookies from Cookies to Die for. Another hunt for me, but I found toffee bits! You put almond extract, chopped almonds (which I left out so my husband could eat the cookies), toffee bits, and your basic cookie ingredients to make this decadent type cookie.

End result: Well, the recipe said you could make five dozen and I stayed up making about eight or nine dozen. Almond extract has quite a particular taste so if you're a fan of that (or say almond croissants and such) then you'll enjoy these cookies immensely. They're soft and slightly crispy. The toffee sticks to your teeth, but that's the best part about toffee! I'll probably try these again and use vanilla extract instead of almond and see how much more you can taste the toffee.

Next up, peanut butter cookies (from scratch!) from the Sweet Melissa book. Another super easy recipe, hoorah! I added chocolate chips because I think most things with chocolate are awesome so I just keep adding. I made these for a friend's holiday cookie party when my original cookie dough went up in smoke or crumbles I should say.

End result: The recipe calls these chewy peanut butter cookies, but if you cook them a bit longer they become crunchy, which isn't a bad thing really. I've gotten them in the middle for the past two times I've made them. Very enjoyable and I have the ingredients at home so I'll make these again and again.

And then there were maple chocolate chip cookies! This was the basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (courtesy of Hershey's) and instead of brown sugar I added in maple sugar and a smidge of maple extract.

End result: Again, better the next day. I dunno if it's the maple extract or sugar but right out of the oven there's a bit of a metallic taste. However, the next day when cool (and super chewy) these cookies tasted awesome with a hint of maple. Co-workers loved this holiday treat!

And for me that's it for the year in baking. I look forward to the new year and new recipes and experiments in the kitchen.

Happy Holidays and Happy Baking!

Wrap up! My year in baking... (Pt. 1)

I enjoy baking and cooking. Baking more so because of the fact that I actually seem to be good at it and things turn out the way they're supposed to (most of the time). I can't always say the same for savory or meat dishes in my hands. Since I started my current job I found I was surrounded by people who enjoyed baking and even more so enjoyed eating what someone else baked. It only seemed fair that I participate in the activities since I enjoyed their offerings. I usually only baked for the holidays (cheap gifts!) and to say "thank you" for donating to a special cause (hundreds raised for AIDS Walk and rewarded by cupcakes!) And so within the past year my baking efforts have quadrupled. I bake new recipes regularly and am happy to offer my services for others including my current mentoring group.

Many of my baking successes have been posted to my Facebook album page, but I wanted to also include them here because, well, I like y'alls.

I present...my baking efforts of 2009!

January:

The Dish: For my cupcake-themed birthday party I made lemon-raspberry cupcakes and my husband contributed red velvet cupcakes with a cinnamon buttercream icing. Both were well regarded at the party. I first made the lemon-raspberry cupcakes for my mom and mother-in-law on Mother's Day in 2008, I made them again to say "thanks for donating to AIDS Walk in my name" that same year, and then again this year.

This recipe is from Bon Appetit magazine. And thus far my husband and I have not been let down by the recipes we've tried in there.

End result: I'm a lemon lover so this is a great treat. You use lemon zest and fresh lemon juice in the cupcake so that it has a light (not overpowering) lemony taste. In addition you put in a teaspoon scoop of raspberry jelly inside as a nice treat and top it all off with an intensely sugary lemon icing (lemon juice, confectioners sugar; add some jam if you want to make it pink).

Voila...you have lemon goodness! Party-goers enjoyed this treat a lot and many raved about it even against the well loved red velvet.

April:

I will say not much went down during the winter months baking wise.

The Dish: Lemon strikes again! In cookie form this time. Lemon Poppyseed Cookies have become a staple for me this year. The people love 'em, and I have to give the people what they want. And since I have a crap load of poppyseed's I might as well make these treats as often as possible.

End result: The lemon comes from, again, lemon zest! Which is amazing in every sense of the word. You can't add too much so don't be afraid to add more than the recipe dictates.

Did I mention people love these cookies? I most recently made them for my department's book club and these things were ravaged. A co-worker even said she was introduced to a flavor she didn't know she liked. That's right, baking causes miracles!

May:

My oven started getting heavy use when NY AIDS Walk came around and I was basically pimping my baking skills for donations. And dagnabbit it worked! Even during a recession I was able to raise several hundred dollars for the cause. Heck yeah!

Requests were varied and some people just got some of what I made others. But let me tell you it was a baking bonanza for a good couple weeks.

There were brownies, yawn. But then I made cupcakes!

The Dishes:

1) Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing. I skimped on the icing and bought some whipped. After spending almost an hour zesting (not smart on my part) 2 cups of carrots I was tired and it was late on a school night no less.

End result: Those who donated enjoyed this treat as well. Though, I felt it tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake. Moist and good and all but light on the sugar taste. So perhaps it's better for you?

2) Coconut cupcakes with cream cheese icing: Since I had left over icing from the carrot cake cupcakes you know where it went. This recipe was interesting because it called for coconut flakes in and on top of the cupcake as well as coconut extract. But, in a war of extracts the vanilla won because I tasted that more than the coconut. And toasting the coconut then sprinkling it on top gave off a nice effect I think.

End result: My donator who is a coconut lover really enjoyed this cupcake. So I'm pretty sure he'll be donating again next year.

June:

The Dish: May was also busy in that I went to Book Expo of America and don't think I didn't go about trying to get as many cookbooks (books in general) as I could. I did snag Cookies to Die For by Bev Shaffer and found one of the easiest recipes to make and went for it: Maple Butter Cookies. One thing to note is that you have to refrigerate the dough after making so it's a day affair to make these cookies.

End result: Unfortunately the supermarkets nearest me don't have the best brands of maple syrup that was called for in this recipe. So I don't think the maple taste was as heavy as it should be. But the public enjoyed. Personally, I think they're biased by butter, which I am as well.

The Dish: I also made Blondies for the first time. Not realizing how easy it is to make these things these have now become a staple when visiting people. Need me to bring something? Heck, I'll make blondies! Anyone probably has the ingredients for these in their home: flour, butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and perhaps chocolate chips. There you know the recipe, now go out there and bake!

End result: I've made these three times this year because they're so easy. If you're nervous about blondies don't be. It's basically a chocolate chip cookie in bar form. Sounds delicious right? My co-workers thought so and so I'll continue to make them.

July:

My husband and I had visited Sweet Melissa Patisserie in Brooklyn a little while earlier and I tried her pumpkin bread pudding, which I liked. So when I found out she had a book and additionally saw her win a decorating competition on FoodNetwork I knew I had to get her recipes! She had pumpkin recipes for crying out loud!

The Dish: And so, with book in hand, I made Snickerdoodles. A friend first introduced me to this and she is also a phenomenal baker. Hers are quite moist, these are moist but a bit firmer.

End result: Pretty easy to make and I've had requests for these. I made some for a friend's birthday party and even though the cookies were still a bit warm in the dense humidity of July the three or four dozen cookies I bought were ravished within the first 30 minutes I set them down. Someone asked if this was a family recipe and I had to give credit where it was due. Thanks, Melissa!

The remainder of the year to be summed up in the next post...

Year in Review of NYC's baked good offerings.

In preparation for my year-in-baking wrap-up post(s) here are some of the places in NYC I tried this past year for baked goodies. Some were good, some disappointing, and all were an experience in their own way. I'm pretty sure I gained some cavities along the way, but well earned I say! Cupcake Stop aka the Cupcake Truck

I tried several cupcakes from the ever mobile dessert truck (not to be confused with The Dessert Truck). Their lemon raspberry wasn't as good as the one I've made. Decent but not lemony enough for my taste. Their red velvet was better than some (Magnolia you really disappoint me!) and they had a chocolate peanut butter cupcake that was good. I don't know how good stuff keeps from there, but the cupcakes weren't as super moist as I'd expect the day of.

They also offer mini cupcakes at $1/each, which may be a good buy if you just want to have a little taste.

Milk Bar

Love, love, love Milk bar! Their cookies are amazing! I tried their dulce de leche cake which was heavy as heck and a bit dry. So I'd recommend the cookies. My faves are the compost cookie (with chocolate, marshmallow, corn flakes, and pretzels) and the blueberry creme. So freakin' good I took an extra long lunch break to buy some for dinner. Dinner!

Tribeca Treats

Better than average cupcakes and their pumpkin is mighty good. They lost some of my good graces because I kept calling ahead for the pumpkin cupcake and getting denied when I showed up at the store (seems they make small batches day-by-day) but overall I've had a couple of their cupcakes and given some to friends who have been impressed. Plus, their cupcakes are mighty reasonable in Manhattan at $2/each.

Their brownies are spectucular, but are overpriced at $2/each for the tiny size you get.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine

A former co-worker introduced my friends and I to this spot and it's become a fave since. The only cupcake I truly enjoy from here is their pumpkin, which they offer year-round! So a big plus in my book. Their claim to fame is their buttercream icing and varied flavors of cupcakes, so I'd highly recommend. Also quite cheap at $1.50/each, so splurge people, splurge!

Butter Lane

My was I highly disappointed after this place. And thankfully I have a rock hard stomach so it doesn't upset easily. I happened to pass by this place from having lunch with a friend and figured "why not?" I should've kept moving.

Butter Lane is known for it's freshly made, organic buttercream icings and that's pretty much it. The place has a lovely decor but their cupcakes are disappointing and look/feel kind of hard. Also disappointing is that their cupcakes are named for the icing only. So I picked up a pumpkin cupcake thinking I was getting a pumpkin cupcake, but all I was getting was a golden cupcake with pumpkin icing. And such is the same for ALL their cupcakes. They either have golden or chocolate cupcakes and many types of homemade icing. The icing was good, the cupcake was not and I don't purchase cupcakes just for the icing so I probably won't go here again. Also their cupcakes are $3/each a bit hefty considering you're paying for the icing mainly.

Crumbs

I've loved crumbs since I first had it several years ago and that didn't stop this year either. They have a fluffy moist cake in various sizes (tiny, regular, and ginormous!) They have various flavors year round and I've received pretty darn good service from the ones around the city. The regular cupcakes are reasonable at $2.95/each and the massive ones even more reasonable at $3.95/each.

Fay Da Bakery

A nice Asian bakery in Chinatown where you can get Asian desserts or savory treats like pork buns, chicken buns, etc. I particularly liked their rolls. Their vanilla roll and lemon rolls are delicious and reasonable. A big one costs about $11 and an individual one would be a little over $1.

Dessert Truck

How I miss thee! They had amazing goodies like homemade donuts (with jelly), hot chocolate (as thick as pudding and very tasty!), and a chocolate mousse that made me curl my toes in delight! Woowee! Unfortunately something about permits deterred the Dessert Truck from making a resurgence for most of the year, but at least I had that bit and it was lovely!

Crepateria

Since the two locations aren't located that far from me in Queens it's nice to know I can get crepes any time I want! Sweet or savory take your pick, but I have to say I love the warm cinnamon apple crepe with ice cream or banana and nutella (staples at most crepe shops). Good and good for you!

Royale Bakery

Tried a chocolate cupcake and sea salt brownie. The brownie was quite good I have to say. The salt did not over power the sugary & chocolatey goodness of the colossal sized brownie I had. The cupcake was okay. A bit dry (which tends to be a consistent problem at bakeries) but the peanut butter icing was very good. Plus, the lady at the counter was very knowledgeable and kind about telling my husband and I about the different choices. I also liked how they put the cupcakes in cups (upside down) so as not to smoosh them in transit. I'd recommend.

Grom

A co-worker enthusiastically told me about Grom and one day while strolling around West 4th Street and 6th Avenue on a summer's day I just waltzed right in. Grom serves freshly made gelato in various flavors. I had the plan vanilla which was quite good. The small (one scoop) is pricey at $5 but it is good for the money.

Grand Daisy

This Italian staple became a growing chain when another one opened up just a block or two from my building. They have lots of breads, sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts! One of my favorites is the tortino di cioccolata (aka chocolate tart aka big ol' brownie) delicious. They also have a good sandwich cookie which is two butter cookies with nutella in the middle. They also have tortes (tarts/cakes) and bread pudding! The slices of tarts and cakes is a bit pricey, but individual cookies are pretty good at $3 each considering their size. A slice of their bread pudding would run you $6. I have yet to take the plunge and keep going to Whole Foods for their bread pudding that I can get at $3 or less.

Once upon a tart

I have yet to try the tarts here, but had a couple of their humongous cookies! Pretty good and reasonably priced for such large confections. I'd say their chocolate chip is better than their peanut butter. Though I will be returning to try their pear tart that just looks darling from its place perched high in their window.

Sweet Melissa Patisserie

In the heart of family friendly area of Park Slope (there's also a location in Carol Gardens, Brooklyn) sits a cute patisserie started by a lovely lady who seems to enjoy pumpkin as much as I do. I tried the pumpkin bread pudding with caramel rum raisin glaze/icing and loved it. It's not as mushy as your typical bread pudding, more cake like in it's look and portions. But warm with the glaze it is very satisfying. My husband bought me the Sweet Melissa Baking book after we tried her tasty goods. I can't wait to go back when we just happen to be in the area.

I look forward to retrying some of these places and trying many new ones.

Review: Beautiful Black Hair

At this years Book Expo in New York City I made a point to pass by the Amber Books booth in the African-American pavilion to see what they had. After going to BEA for the past several years in NYC I recall seeing Amber Books booth catering to an African-American demographic with books focused on how to get financial help for school, various beauty books, and biographies on popular African-American entertainers. A book I was particularly interested in, but wasn't available was one on Black Skin Care. But what did catch my eye was Beautiful Black Hair by Shamboosie. As someone who's always looking to improve and learn more about ensuring the health of my hair I was intrigued, and quickly purchased it at a discount. I read the book weeks later and couldn't believe how intuitive it was. At the same time I sighed with indignation at the faulty advice previous hair care "professionals" had given me while at in the same breath being relieved that my current stylist's protocol seems to be very much in line with what Shamboosie preached in Black Hair.

Black hair care is a huge industry, filled (like any business) with good and bad products, as well as people who are knowledgeable and those who aren't.  Beautiful Black Hair reflects the accumulated knowledge of a hair care professional to females--practically calling out to us--to pay attention and take better care of our hair.

After reading Black Hair I couldn't help but think back to previous stylists and the ridiculous information they gave me when I started getting my hair chemically treated as a pre-adolescent.  My last hairstylist went from working in a salon in midtown Manhattan to operating out of her own home, not something unheard of in NYC. She told me to wash my hair every two weeks and that Pink hair care products were wonderful. Instead of saying she wasn't sure she told me to continue doing what I was doing rather than providing step-by-step advice on how not to dry my hair out, get rid of a flaky scalp, or keep my hair silky smooth. I'm lucky that my transition from Curl to Relaxer didn't make me bald in her care. At one point I was combing out large clumps of hair because she refused to do the research or ask advice to get me the right information to take proper care of my hair (stylist pride to the detriment of a client is something Shamboosie touches on in his book as well). As far as my then stylist was concerned Denorex was an excellent product to rid me of dry scalp and maintain a nice luster. She urged me to put Pink setting lotion (an extremely thick and greasy product) into my hair which did not help matters.

The last draw with this stylist came when she overused hairspray on my hair the day prior to my wedding to keep the style in. Rather than showing me how to accurately wrap my hair and brush it out in the morning she sprayed half a can of Ultra Sheen (yes, that big ole red can of chemicals that put a whole in the Ozone). Those who've used this popular product know it is not a lightweight product and makes your hair stiff as a rock. After my shower the next morning as I took my hair out of my scarf I noticed I could barely comb through it. As I did I had limp and stiff strands envelope my face completely negating the work done on my hair the night before. I cried in my fiance's arms and had to pin my hair back. Guests were kind, but I still didn't have the signature look I craved even for my small wedding.

Reading Black Hair may make you want to sigh with relief (as I do now) at having a conscientious hair stylist or wring your hands in anger at those who've provided misguided information to you (like the woman I mentioned above). Everything Shamboosie writes makes sense. And don't fret entirely if you feel the latter, hair can be salvaged if taken care of, conditioned & washed regularly.

First things first, wash regularly! It may seem like common knowledge, but by the information I was given obviously it is not depending on your background. Next, get good conditioners and shampoos that moisturize your hair as well as protect it. Many products out their specialize in retaining color, removing dandruff, neutralizing chemicals, protecting your hair from sun damage, etc. But it is important that not only do these products protect your hair for whatever specific situation you're in, but that they moisturize your hair as well. Shamboosie provides a chemical breakdown as well as a follicle breakdown on what parts of our hair are affected by what products and how base differs from acid. All important things to know as you go through his book and pick up his references. You learn more as he explains and understand the why as well. This makes you the reader more capable to ask specific questions of a future or current stylist to know how much they are working off of what they've been taught or truly understand Black hair care.

CHEMICAL RELAXER

Shamboosie's emphasis, for those of us who get our hair relaxed, is to make sure our stylist is using a Conditioning Lye Relaxer that keeps hair silkier and allows it to absorb the moisture from the conditioners being released. No Lye, apparently, is bad news, capable of damaging your hair and drying it out. Upon some research at my local pharmacies and hair care stores all I could find available for over-the-counter purchase were No Lye relaxers. Not good apparently. He also does not recommend doing relaxers at home unless you are a certified professional. Considering that it seems No Lye relaxers (Dark & Lovely, Silk Elements, Luster's, Motions, Soft Sheen, etc.) are all that is available to customers that aren't certified this builds his argument.

He outlines proper relaxer application techniques so that you know if the chemical is being applied properly to your hair and that neutralizing shampoos are a must unless you want the chemical to continue eating at your hair leaving you bald. I understood why my stylist shampoos my hair with neutralizing shampoo at least three times--to ensure that the chemical is out of my hair.

COLOR

Shamboosie encourages women to do different things with their hair, but to also be careful. In particularly for those who color and chemically treat their hair for curls or relaxer. ONLY get these two treatments done in the same day if you are using a permanent hair color on gray hair that is less than 30% (meaning 30% of your hair has gray hair spread evenly throughout the scalp). Otherwise  space the dye and relaxer treatments out by a decent amount of time so that your hair is not being double, or even worse, triple processed (meaning several chemicals are in your hair at the same time). One of the longest chapters in Black Hair is dedicated to proper coloring and how to go about it.  He again refers to the pH scale, the color wheel (why certain primary and secondary colors promote a nice tone for what you want in your hair), and proper application.

Shamboosie also delves into hot irons, weaves & wigs, and tips on maintaining natural hair while also considering the steps of going from natural to chemical or vice versa. There's even a Q&A section in the back with, what one can assume, are commonly asked questions many of which are answered throughout the book.

The one negative about this book is that it was printed in 2006 and it doesn't look like reprints have updated information in regards to suggestions for new hair products you can find in lieu of ones mentioned by Shamboosie when he first compiled them. But what is important is that the core information still applies.

The amount of information is abundant, but helpful and should be applied as soon as possible. And whether you get all or some of the treatments he mentions done to your hair I suggest reading it from cover to cover to get a full understanding of how treatments can relate to each other and just in case you may have an inkling to branch out and try something new.

Here are some of my favorite products to use where I have seen/felt results:

• Joico's Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner: My current stylist carries many Joico products including KPAX foams to protect from heat and ones to detangle hair. I find that the conditioner does a great job of detangling my hair and afterwards my hair is left feeling soft and clean. You definitely see and feel the difference from using a harsher shampoo & conditioner that may focus purely on cleaning and getting rid of dandruff.

• Keracare's Dry & Itchy Scalp Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner: a medicated shampoo and conditioner that focuses on riding the hair of flakiness, which it does very well. My stylist recommended this to me once I left my previous one and I have used this regularly ever since. Your hair is not as soft as with a full-on moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, but you definitely feel the effects of having a clean scalp. I use this on a rotational basis with moisturizing shampoos/conditioners.
• Jane Carter Solution Wrap & Roll: Again, recommended by my stylist because Jane Carter uses organic materials and little chemicals. Everything from Jane Carter--from her scalp oils to her hair sprays--smells like citrus. Her Wrap and Roll foam is great for wrapping hair right after wash and during the drying phase or after drying and you're turning in for the night. I use it regularly.
• Dudley's Creme Press: This was suggested in Beautiful Black Hair. I went to Dudley's website at Shamboosie's suggestion to see a cornucopia of products for Black hair maintenance. I bought this creme and swear by it. The creme press is to protect hair when you use a curling iron or flat iron. Make sure not to be heavy-handed with this product as it can make your hair/scalp quite greasy thereby making it dirtier faster. It has a hardened gel texture and when you rub it into your hands it becomes more greasy then creamy. But it protects your hair very well from heat also helping to lock in style a bit longer than if you used no product at all. To date my stylist has not yelled at me for overusing the flat iron and breakage is down to a minimum. So buy this if you haven't already!
• Nioxin Defining Pomade: While I was not a fan of the Nioxin Scalp/Hair Care kits (it dried out my hair severly) I do like their light-weight and fragrant pomade. It's strong, holds all day, yet when you wake up the next day to style your hair you don't have to worry about any clumping or hardened hair. Fantastic.

Feel free to let me know of any other suggestions and go out and buy Beautiful Black Hair or request that your local library get it. It's a great reference for women of any age and color.

Product Review: Diva Smooth from Janelle Beauty

Today I, shockingly, only spent twelve minutes in line at the Post Office waiting to send back the Diva Smooth products I purchased a few weeks ago.

I'd heard about Janelle Beauty's Diva Smooth product after looking at the website going-natural.com. At the time, I looked a few months back, there had been an advertisement for Diva Smooth, an all-natural product that promised to get your hair straight without the pesky and harmful chemicals some women of color (like myself) may come to rely on to straighten our hair. Well, hearing about that I had to find out more because who wouldn't want to be able to switch out the regular sessions and slight burning of chemicals for something that is natural and you can do at home?

So I went to the website, looked at their description of Diva Smooth, looked at their testimonials and the common questions area, then even Googled the product to see if anyone else had written about it saying she had some positive results. You'll probably also see woman chatting about it on the Long Hair Care Forum. After that, I figured I'd take the plunge because you always have to try something to learn, no?

It took less than a week for the product to arrive and I tried it that weekend. At this point it'd been several weeks since I had my last relaxer done and I wanted to see how it'd do with my hair having been "out of it" for almost two months. I read the directions and saw I'd need an applicator brush and had to make due with what I had in the apartment.

One of the main ingredients in the Diva Smooth product is honey along with herbs and some natural fruits and stuff. The consistency is of honey as well so when you're applying it to your hair it's extremely sticky and makes it hard to effectively get it from root to tip. I'd advise you to have a Diva Smooth party so you and your friends can do each others hair because after a few you see your hair sticking on its end, yet it smells amazing! After an hour or so I got through my full head of hair, roots and all, covered my head with a cap and waited. The instructions suggest that you wait 35 minutes with the product on if you have fine hair and 45 minutes for coarser hair. I cooked dinner and after an hour I washed and conditioned my hair via my normal routine as it states in the instructions. After drying my hair I noticed no change in texture, smell, or straightness. It looked the same as before.

Irritated, but still hopeful, I used the Virgin Coconut Serum figuring perhaps this would aid in the straightening process. It's actually included because it's supposed to help repair your hair from too much heat. One of the things that Diva Smooth notes repeatedly is that you have to flat iron your hair to get it straight. Okay, fine. As I parted each piece of my hair for the flat iron I sprayed some of the Serum on, massaged it in, then flat ironed it. I must say that the Serum brought out a nice luster in my hair and again smelled fabulous. It doesn't smell so much like coconut exactly but does have a faint trace of it that lasted for five or so days.

I decided that before I gave up on the product I'd try it again and waited a week before doing so. This time I had my applicator brushes (one straight and one a-symmetrical) all ready to go. Take that!

On another Sunday I took a couple of hours to apply (from root to end) Diva Smooth to my hair. Since there'd been a nice frost during the spring in NYC the Diva Smooth product and Serum products had congealed. So, note to selves make sure to keep these things at room temperature to ensure that they remain liquified. After leaving the bottles in hot water for several minutes they became liquidy enough to come out of their nozzle and spray respectively. It took a little less time, as by now I'd become a pro at this, and I covered my hair again for about an hour to do some errands then resumed the wash & conditioning routine.

Upon drying my hair I again noticed that the texture, consistency, and smell had not changed at all. I flat ironed my hair and used the Virgin Coconut Serum to no avail. My newly shiny and tropical smelling hair went on our merry way to work.

Now, just to explain I've been having my hair chemically relaxed since I was in my senior year of high school so that's about ten years or so. My hair is not naturally straight and my roots grow out relatively fast. So I was disappointed that for me Diva Smooth did not provide any difference to what happens to me after a while of not getting my hair chemically altered. This past weekend I saw my hair dresser (who gave me a tongue lashing for waiting two months to see her) and got my hair chemically relaxed and noticed the difference. My roots were bone straight and of course my hair had a nice luster. Once the rain and wind hit it this weekend that all went to hell, but that's beside the point. Diva Smooth claims to be the natural version of chemically relaxing your hair and all I noticed was that I had struggled to put honey in my hair, washed it out, and had the same results with kinky roots that were no straighter than they were hours earlier, along with ends that weren't any straighter than they had been hours earlier either.

Many women have noted on the Diva Smooth testimonials page that this product worked well for them and that they haven't had to use a chemical relaxer for months. So perhaps Diva Smooth really does work for some and not all. Perhaps I just picked a fickle time to use it on my hair. I did want to be sure not to mix up the effects of my chemical relaxer with that of Diva Smooth and so figured that using it after six, seven weeks of no relaxer would really tell me how this product worked on its own.

I'm not trying to say do or don't use Diva Smooth. I'd definitely suggest you try it and see if it may be your miracle cure for straight hair with no more waiting in the salon and shelling out extra cash in tips to your shampoo girl and stylist. However, you may enjoy those regular trips to the salon and getting out of the house every so often.

As a precursor you may want to purchase a cute little honey squeeze bottle in the shape of a bear and comb that through your hair a couple times and see if you want to take the plunge with Diva Smooth. It'd be a good test.

Side bar, I just wanted to say that the Janelle Beauty site has two listings for the same two products in the Hair section. One is the Diva Smooth Kit for $34.99 which includes the Diva Smooth product and Virgin Coconut Hair Serum. There's another listing of the same two products at the price of $29.99. Why they'd charge customers five dollars more for the exact same products with only the word 'kit' added is beyond me.