by Cinottis Bakery | Nov 29, 2018 | Bakery
Yuletide Greetings and Happy Eatings!
Each year, we have a beautiful yule log on display in our showcase. It’s a delicious combination of traditional sponge cake, homemade buttercream icing, creamy chocolate icing, and gumpaste poinsettias. The yuletide treat has been a staple December product for more than 60 years in our bakery and remains a Christmas tradition for many families.
While we continue to produce the tasty tradition, we invite those who’ve never experienced the flavor, to come in to taste and see what this yuletide tradition is all about.
The yule log was originally a large tree cut from a family’s yard before being pulled by a mule or horse through the street. Families would march the yule log around their house three times before bringing it in. Yuletide songs of blessings were sung as in hopes for good fortune in the new year.
Only a fraction of the oversized log would fit into the fireplace, leaving the rest of it to hang in the common room of the house. Families decorated the remaining length of the log and blessed it with ceremonial spirits until the entire log fit into the fireplace. It was believed anything evil from the year could be left on the log and once burned, the bad luck accompanying it would disappear as well.
Some cultures would burn their yule log for twelve hours but it’s the Scandinavian’s who are credited with burning the log for the twelve days. This is the span between Christmas Eve until the end of Winter Solstice known as “The 12 Days of Christmas.”. Hence the popularity of the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” No matter what tradition called for on the duration of the yule log burn, one common belief remained; if the log went out too soon, bad luck would ensue.
The ashes were also used as part of the ritual. When planting day came, ashes from the yule log were sprinkled onto the fields in hopes of spreading good luck even further.
As years passed, the length of yule logs dwindled. Families chose logs that fit the entire girth of their fireplace rather than have the log stick out into their homes. The decorations and ceremony, however, did not change. In many cultures today, the yule log is still very much celebrated today.
Who celebrates with Yule Logs today?
In America and some European cultures today, yule logs are offered in a much tastier form. In Provencal, France, the tradition of burning an oversized log transferred to a celebratory eating of a delicacy on Christmas Eve. Leave it to the French to reinvent the wheel with something tasty- right?
The ‘buche de noel’, as commonly referred to, is a tightly rolled sponge cake iced in chocolate cake made to look like a log. With knobs, roots, and some sort of winter flower such as poinsettias, this sweet cake is designed to mimic the yule log tradition. With many versions of the classic cake around today-including those soaked in ‘ceremonial spirits’ like the old days, it’s clear this is a popular winter treat.
The Christmas season is full of wonderful family traditions such as decorating gingerbread houses, singing carols, and spending evenings by the fireplace…that is, when Florida remembers that it’s winter! If your yuletide traditions include a stop at your favorite family bakery, we invite you to come in and share a memory, eat a cookie, and simply enjoy the season.
As always, we thank you for being a part of our family’s dream and wish you all a very merry Christmas season.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Nov 16, 2018 | Bakery, Holiday Events
Thanksgiving Week: Special Hours
For Thanksgiving week, we change our hours in an effort to provide the freshest baked goods for everyone. Our hard working staff work around the clock chopping, weighing, baking, and decorating cookies, cakes, pies, and full dinners. To show our appreciation to our dedicated staff family, the entire bakery shuts down from Thursday through Saturday of Thanksgiving week.
Monday November 19, Tuesday November 20, and Wednesday November 21, we will be open from 6am to 5pm.
During our open hours, we will stock our shelves with all the Thanksgiving treats and traditions you’ve come to expect over the years.
Ordering your products in advance
While we will be working hard to provide fresh cookies, cakes, pies, and breads for the community, we cannot guarantee anyone an item without an advanced order. If you have a special cookie in mind to share with your loved ones, we strongly urge you to call or come in to place your order before noon on Monday November 19.
We will not accept or change any orders submitted after noon on Monday November 19. With the thousands of order we have to process in two days, there is no way to search, add, or cancel any pre-existing orders. We will, however, strive to stock our cases with cookies, pies, rolls, cakes, and breakfast goodies. These treats will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
Emailing questions or orders
Unfortunately, our entire staff will be busy preparing the thousands of baked goods over the three days of Thanksgiving week. While we will try to answer emails, we cannot guarantee it will be in a timely manner.
Storing and reheating your Thanksgiving Dinner
When you pick up your meal, it will be chilled and should go directly into your refrigerator until you are ready to serve. To reheat your meal follow these instructions:
Turkey: Preheat oven to 325. Remove plastic wrap and leave the turkey in foil pan-do not remove top foil. Heat in oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the foil, carve and enjoy.
Side Orders: To reheat the side dishes, preheat oven to 325. Please remove the top of the container and cover with foil if desired. Reheat side dishes for 30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 185 degrees.
Rolls: Pre-heat oven to 300. Remove the rolls from the package, cover with foil, and heat in the oven 10-15 minutes or until hot.
No matter what you serve or who you choose to prepare your holiday meal, we sincerely hope you spend the day making memories with loved ones. We are thankful for your understanding of our staff’s much deserved days off during Thanksgiving week. And we are especially thankful for your continued support of our family business.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Oct 25, 2018 | Bakery, Sandwich Shop
Thanksgiving Dinner: What you need to know
The perfect Thanksgiving dinner requires a lot of time and dedication. In many cases, the one cooking stays up all night baking fifty pounds of food, only to have it all eaten in less than an hour. It can be incredibly exhausting. We know… we’ve been there.
That’s why five years ago, we created our Thanksgiving dinner packages.
We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to gather and feast as a family rather than spend the day watching the turkey bake. Our Thanksgiving dinner packages provide the same loving meal; just without the headache and stress.
Here’s what you need to know before ordering your Thanksgiving dinner:
Our small Thanksgiving dinner is designed to serve up to eight guests with one protein choice of either a whole turkey or baked ham. Our large Thanksgiving dinner is designed to serve up to 20 guests and includes a whole turkey and a baked ham.
Each whole turkey is between 10-12 pounds and is seasoned with butter, salt, and pepper. Our knowledgeable chef cleans and dresses each turkey before baking it right here in our shop. The spiral cut baked ham included with the meals is served with a light brown sugar glaze.
Each dinner is served with three side dishes of your choice. Small side dishes can serve up to eight people, with the larger portion serving up to 20. While each meal includes three sides, a la carte items may be added to your order.
Mac-n-cheese
The Mac-Daddy mac-n-cheese is a cheese lovers dream. More than four types of cheeses are layered between creamed butter and al dente noodles. With a few added seasonings and a touch of love, you may want to consider an extra order of this popular side dish.
Cornbread Stuffing
It’s not quite like grandma made it, but our cornbread stuffing is certainly a crowd pleaser. WIth seasoned bread cubes, fresh vegetables, and ample spices, even the most stubborn eaters won’t be able to resist this Thanksgiving dinner staple.
Green Bean Casserole
What would Thanksgiving be without green bean casserole? Everyone in our house would riot for sure. We don’t try to fancy this dish up either. IT is the classic recipe of green beans, creamed soup, fried onions, and seasonings. If your family likes green bean casserole, you may want to consider ordering an extra dish.
Corn Casserole
This popular Thanksgiving dish is a good balance of sweet and salty. Our cornbread formula combines well with a blend of creamed corn and seasonings to create an irresistible flavor. As it bakes, we add a thin layer of cheese to enhance the texture and flavors. If you’ve never tried our corn casserole, order a small side to taste and see what we mean.
Sweet Potato Casserole
We don’t care if you call ‘em yams or sweet potatoes, as long as you put some on our plate! Our sweet potato casserole is a delicate blend of yams, cream, and sweet spices. We top it off with a blend of coconut, brown sugar, and pecans. The crunch and texture of the topping brings out the flavor of the sweet potato.
Mashed Potatoes
It may seem like an easy dish to make, but who wants to spend so much time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving? Our mashed potatoes are creamy, seasoned perfectly, and are never lumpy. Top them off with a bit of our turkey gravy or plop a spoonful on a dinner roll.
Each Thanksgiving dinner package also includes one dozen of our freshly prepared dinner rolls (3dz for large dinners). You can serve them right from the package, or pop them in your oven on low for a few minutes. If you’re a bread loving family, add a couple extra dozen rolls to your order. A la carte options include Butter flake (our family’s favorite), Parker house, Knot, Sour Dough, Pumpernickel, Rye, Wheat, and Seeded dinner rolls.
Small dinners include one pie in your choice of Pumpkin, Apple, or Pecan. Large dinners include three pies in any arrangement of Pumpkin, Apple, and Pecan. Our team of devoted bakers work though the night to serve the freshest and finest pies for your holiday meal.
If you would like to add more pies to your Thanksgiving dinner order, we have a la carte pies such as Cherry, Peach, Mince Meat, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and more. For a full list of pies, see our Thanksgiving Traditions catalog.
Picking up your Thanksgiving dinner
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the second busiest day in our bakery. While we have a full staff that day, you should expect longer wait times than usual. We have made some changes this year to try to expedite the order pick up process. If you have a dinner order, you will be directed where to go when it is your turn.
When you pick up your meal, it will be chilled and should go directly into your refrigerator until you are ready to serve. To reheat your meal follow these instructions:
Turkey: Preheat oven to 325. Remove plastic wrap and leave the turkey in foil pan-do not remove top foil. Heat in oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the foil, carve and enjoy.
Side Orders: To reheat the side dishes, preheat oven to 325. Please remove the top of the container and cover with foil if desired. Reheat side dishes for 30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 185 degrees.
Rolls: Pre-heat oven to 300. Remove the rolls from the package, cover with foil, and heat in the oven 10-15 minutes or until hot.
No matter what you serve or who you choose to prepare your holiday meal, we sincerely hope you spend the day making memories with loved ones. We are incredibly thankful to you and your continued support of our family dream.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Oct 11, 2018 | Sandwich Shop
Tailgate party season has kicked off for both college and Jaguar football, and that means weekend parties family and friends! Aside from wearing your favorite Jags jersey you also need plenty of food to keep the party going.
And after last week’s Jag’s game against the Chiefs, you may also need a pillow to scream into…
While we can’t help how our team plays on the field, we can certainly make your tailgate party a winner. Before you order foods and treats from multiple restaurants around town, check out our tailgate selections. It may be just what our boys need to turn the game around.
Our sandwich trays are made fresh to order. Each tray includes a selection of freshly sliced deli meats from Thumann’s, including smoked ham, roasted turkey, and slow cooked roast beef. In addition to these three premium meats, some sandwiches will also include our homemade chicken salad. To keep your sandwiches from getting soggy throughout the game, we provide condiments on the side.
Not keen on some of these meat choices?
Not a problem at all. We can certainly customize your sandwich tray to fit your needs. Simply let our sales team know when placing your order, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Okay, massive may be a bit of an exaggeration, but this two-foot long House sub is rather impressive. With two layers of Genoa salami and smoked ham, we then add a generous layer of Provolone cheese. Topped with freshly shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onions, and green bell peppers, this sub is a sight to see. Creamy Italian dressing can be served on the side to keep this beast from getting soggy.
If you’re serving more than 12 guests or if you want really big servings, it may be best to order more than one.
Chicken wings and football go together like cheese and pizza. Most people favor the drumstick which is why we offer a tray full of them. These golden drummies of goodness come with a side of our famous homemade ranch dressing too. You can also request additional dipping sauces such as our homemade honey mustard or barbeque.
Quick and easy foods work best for tailgate parties. Our Sausage and Cheese Nibbler provides a quick snack without the mess. Generous portions of sharp cheddar, pepper/jack, and Swiss cheese cubes are included alongside summer sausage slices. Serve this along with a side of sandwich crackers for added flavor. As always, we can customize this tray to fit your needs
While a fruit or vegetable tray may not be the first thing you think of when you hear ‘tailgate party’ it may be something to consider… at least for a minute. With the heavy foods and drinks your guests will be consuming, a little bit of fresh fruit or vegetable may in fact be helpful as the afternoon wears on. The refreshing tastes and textures can revitalize you and your guests so you can kick the party up a notch.
Our fruit trays offer a minimum of five in-season fruit options including grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges, blueberries, and strawberries. You can serve it as is or add a side dish of whipped cream or flavored fruit dip.
Tray selections vary based on what’s in season but often includes carrots, celery, broccoli, and grape tomatoes.
Chips and dips are essential tailgating must-haves. That’s why we offer our Buffalo Chicken and our Spinach dips for your tailgating party. What makes our dips special is that they are made right here in Jacksonville Beach with ingredients you can trust…and pronounce.
Buffalo Chicken Dip is made of shredded white meat chicken, cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and Frank’s buffalo sauce. An order of this mildly spicy dip includes a package of our homemade melba toast.
Spinach Dip is made of spinach, artichokes, sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and special seasonings… it’s John’s secret. He won’t tell. Like it’s spicy counterpart, this dip is served with a package of our melba toast.
Both Dips can be served warm or cold.
Suggested servings for each of the awesome trays listed above:
Small serves 8- 12
Medium serves 16-20
Large serves 26-30
With many more tailgating food options available, it’s hard to list them all in one setting. We encourage you to check out our social media pages for the latest and tastiest foods for you and your guests.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Sep 4, 2018 | Sandwich Shop
Salads You’ll Actually Like! Our Deli Delights Featured Item
Knowing the nutritional benefits salads offer pushes you to want to eat them more often. But finding a salad you’ll actually like to eat every day can be difficult. Even if you find one you do like, eating the same old salad day in and day out can become boring.
To help win the battle of boring salads, we’ve created four tasty salads that will energize your salad routine and keep you on a healthy eating track.
Southwest Salad
No need to don your boots and spurs for this meal. Our southwest salad is tame enough for any one.
Atop a bed of fresh romaine and spring mix, this salad boasts a generous portion of grilled southwest style chicken and grilled corn. Shredded cheese and black beans combined with sliced grape tomatoes and carrots, our southwest salad has enough power to quell even the hungriest of appetites.
Looking for more southwestern attitude?
Kick this salad up with our homemade jalapeño ranch dressing. The flavors and textures combine to create a fiesta in your mouth. With flavors bursting in every bite, this makes the list of salads you’ll actually like to eat rather than have to eat.
Caesar Salad
Caesar salad can be a hit or miss item in any deli or restaurant. Thankfully, ours is always a homerun.
Served on a bed of freshly chopped romaine lettuce, our Caesar salad is topped with grilled chicken, homemade croutons, and parmesan cheese. If you’re wanting a bit more texture, substitute fried chicken strips instead.
And since our Caesar dressing is served on the side, there’s no need to worry about us drenching your salad in too much dressing.
Chef Salad
With a balanced blend of romaine lettuce and spring mix, our chef salad is full of nutrients. Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots increase the health factor as well. And with the addition of ham and turkey rolls as well as protein rich boiled eggs, this salad will keep you full for a while.
If you’re in the mood for grilled or fried chicken on your salad, we’re happy to swap out the proteins. Top this one off with one of our many dressing choices to create daily salads you’ll actually like to eat at every meal.
Salad Plate
As a tasty twist in conventional salads, our salad plate offers a mixed variety of flavors. On a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce and sliced whole tomatoes, we pile three whopping scoops of salads of your choice.
Choose from one of our originals such as chicken salad, tuna, egg salad, potato, pasta, and macaroni.
The best part of this menu item is the ability to customize it to your own liking. If you only want chicken salad, you’ve got it. Two scoops of tuna, one macaroni? Not a problem at all.
The diversity our Salad Plate offers allows you to switch up flavors and textures each day.
Salad Dressings
Each salad we offer can be customized to fit your taste and nutritional needs. While some salads are designed to be served with a specific dressing, we’re always happy to accommodate a substitute.
Our daily salad dressing choices include:
- Homemade Ranch
- 1000 Island
- Creamy Italian
- Oil & Vinegar
- Honey Mustard
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
Is it possible to create salads you’ll actually like?
Most salads are created equal. That’s probably why many people view them as the boringest meal ever!
Switching up your salad choices each day is important. Not only will you be eating healthier, you’re taste buds will thank you as well.
So if you’re looking for fun, yet healthy (ish) salads you’ll actually like, why not check out one of our fun salads this week.
We’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy every bite.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Aug 16, 2018 | Bakery
Don’t Skip Breakfast! Here’s Why…
We’ve heard it for generations: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s the meal that sets us up for a successful day. And with the school year just starting, it’s the meal that can set our children up for success as well.
Here’s why breakfast is so important.
Children who eat breakfast everyday are more likely to eat healthier throughout the day. They can make better food choices at school because they aren’t famished when the lunch bell rings. With seven children of our own, we completely understand that every child is ‘always hungry’. But if children learn to set proper eating schedules, they are more likely to carry those healthy habits into adulthood.
Eating breakfast boosts concentration, problem solving skills, social interactions, and more. With increased cognitive function, your child’s school performance can increase drastically. Even something as simple as a banana can provide an energy lift to keep your little one going.
With the added energy breakfast provides, children will also be more active. We don’t mean bouncing off the walls, driving teachers crazy. We mean good physical activities such as walking down the hall or playing during recess. With consistent physical activities during school, sports, or playtime each child can create great exercise habits that follow them as they grow older.
The mental and physical boosts breakfast provides is exactly the reason breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
What to eat for breakfast?
Eating a healthy breakfast everyday can certainly be a struggle. Especially when you have a hard time getting those little guys out of bed.
Breakfasts including whole grains, fiber, and protein will keep your child fuller longer as well as aid in meeting their nutrition requirements. A breakfast sandwich with eggs and cheese on whole wheat toast can provide enough nutrients and energy needed for a busy school morning.
Picky eaters?
Grab a blueberry or banana nut muffin while you’re in. The energy these breakfast treats provide will fill their little tummies and put a smile on their sleepy face at the same time.
We have breakfast covered
With so much on your to do list each morning, let us take care of making breakfast. Stop in for a bite of from our full line of breakfast pastries. If you have a bit more time, try our freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches.
If you’re really in a rush, call and order your food ahead of time.
We’re here and ready.
Are you?
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Aug 14, 2018 | Bakery
Back to School & Back to Cinotti’s
It’s back to school time in and we’re so excited! We love our children. But the day they step foot on school campus and don’t come home for seven hours, is truly a blessing. Seriously though, we’re not just excited about our own children going back to school. What really has us ecstatic is the opportunity to see you and your smiling children before and after school again.
We’re here getting everything ready to make this school year better than ever. Breakfast, lunch, school treats, and even after school cookies are just part of what we’ve got planned for you this year.
As working parents, we completely understand the morning rush during the school year. In fact, if we didn’t have a kitchen here in the bakery, our kids would probably go to school hungry.
Just kidding…
Anyway, in an effort to help you and your children have a good breakfast before school, we’re highlighting some of our most popular breakfast items.
Our breakfast sandwiches are made with freshly cracked eggs and homemade bread. You can add your choice of meat including ham, turkey, bacon, or sausage. Add cheese if you’d like. We offer American, Swiss, Provolone, and Cheddar. Want some veggies mixed in? We can make that happen as well.
If you’re running short on time, give us a call ahead of time. That way, your breakfast sandwich can be hot and ready when you walk through our doors.
A donut may not provide the protein that a breakfast sandwich does, but it will provide energy for your child to start their school day. We offer over 20 varieties of donuts on a daily basis. And if we don’t have what your little angel wants, we will do our best to whip one up.
Cheese pockets are among our most popular Danish in the morning. And other Danish such as apple or pecan, provide a little more protein as well as energy. Our daily Danish variety includes cherry, blueberry, lemon, and meltaway.
Parents, don’t forget your own needs. We have hot coffee brewing all morning long.
Do you know we also offer cold sandwiches in the morning?
If you’re low on time or even sandwich supplies, we can make your child’s school sandwich while you eat breakfast. Ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, even peanut butter and jelly can all be ready by the time you leave for school. If you call ahead, you’ll have time to pick out a cookie too.
For more than 10 years, we’ve created a special menu for high school students and teachers. This menu is designed to be quick, easy, and affordable. This tradition will carry on this year as well. If you’re a student or Fletcher teacher, be sure to ask for the fletcher menu when you come in.
Children coming in for after school treats is a wonderful tradition. We love seeing little faces light up at the sight of all the cookies in our case. Cookie varieties vary daily, but you can be sure to see sugar cookies, decorated cookies, or one of our everyday cookies in the case any time you come in.
Want to show your appreciation?
Teachers like apples, but they LOVE cookies even more. We can’t be 100% sure, but there’s a good chance your child will get a super big smile when they bring a treat from Cinotti’s into the classroom.
We’re here for any of your back to school needs. From breakfast and lunch to school treats and gifts, our team is ready to help you in any way. As always, we sincerely thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family traditions.
Now, get those babies off to school and come back to get a snack for yourself… You’ve earned it.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Aug 2, 2018 | Bakery
Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Pecan
Carrot cake is perhaps one of the most popular cakes in America. And why not? With dense layers full of carrots, pineapples, and nuts, who wouldn’t want a piece?
If you’ve ever tried ours, you’ll know it’s a little different than the carrot cake formulas floating around on the internet. We’ve been baking carrot cake for over 60 years and have kept our secret formula consistent during that time.
Our cake is full of freshly chopped carrots, crushed pineapples, and mini Georgia pecans. And while the cake itself is enough to make you fight for every crumb on your plate, it’s our carrot icing that has people talking.
Our carrot icing is by far, our tastiest. To make our carrot icing, we first whip up a batch of cream cheese icing. We mix together large blocks of cream cheese along with shortening plus a little sugar and flavoring. Once the cream cheese icing is perfect, we add the ingredients that take our carrot cake from wow to WAZOW!
We fold coconut flakes, fresh pineapples, and more pecans into the cream cheese icing. We don’t stop until we’re confident there’s enough flavor in every bite.
Once the cake and icing are prepared, our decorators work to create a beautiful cake for you to enjoy.
We generously spread thick layers of carrot icing between each layer of cake. With four cake layers covered in icing, our decorators cover the sides with more of the classic carrot icing. After garnishing with a cream cheese icing border and a few candied carrots, the cake is ready.
The debate continues in our family whether to serve a cake cold or not. Some of us prefer cold, firmer cake. While others among us like it room temperature and soft. This topic has sparked many debates at our family dinners.
That being said…
If you choose to serve your carrot cake straight from the fridge, be sure to use a sharp knife when slicing. This will help keep the cake from tearing.
If you prefer room temperature cake, pull your carrot cake out of the fridge about 15 to 20 minutes prior to serving. This will bring the temperature up without causing the icing to slide
Depending on the size of your party, you need to consider your cake size.
While every family or gathering is different, we recommend our 8” cake for 12-15 servings. But we also offer carrot cake in a variety of sizes larger gatherings.
For more information on how to serve a round cake, please see our cake serving guide.
It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes, there may be a few pieces of cake left over. And because our cakes do not have any preservatives or additives, those pieces won’t be fresh very long. Here’s what we recommend:
Because of the cream cheese icing, carrot cake must be refrigerated after sitting out for more than an hour (less than that if it’s hot).
- Slice the cake into individual pieces. This allows you to pull out a piece at a time rather than the entire leftover portion
- Overwrap pieces with saran wrap to keep the icing from absorbing funky fridge smells.
- Place each piece in refrigerator or freezer
- Eat refrigerated pieces within 3 days
- Frozen pieces can remain fresh for up to 1 month
For frozen cake, remove pieces from freezer and allow to sit in refrigerator overnight.
When pulling cake from the refrigerator, remove saran wrap and allow the cake to sit for 15 minutes. If you prefer it cold, don’t wait. Dig in right away.
For more than 80 years, we’ve provided to notch baked goods to those in our community. We love the craft of baking, but perhaps what we love most is sharing our love with you.
We want to be sure you get only the best from our bowls.
So we’ve made it our mission to use only the highest quality ingredients and to use only NON-GMO flours. We never add any preservatives to our product and we’re always looking for healthier alternatives to heavily processed ingredients. And we will never serve your family something we wouldn’t serve to our own.
We treat you like family because that’s the way it should be.
So come inside.
…Taste and see….
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Jul 26, 2018 | Bakery
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!
Chocolate chip cookies are perhaps the most favorite American cookie. So it’s only right that we celebrate these sweet morsels of goodness on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. On Saturday, August 4, 2018 we’ll be celebrating in a big way.
Want A Chocolate Chip Cookie?
We’ve decided to give you yet another reason to keep these cookies at the top of your favorite list. In honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, we’ll be giving away one of our delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies to every customer!
So get in early and enjoy the freebie.
What better way to enjoy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day than with a couple dozen cookies from Cinottis? We’ll have dozens of chocolate chip cookies ready to go so you can spread the love with your family and friends. Or, just keep them for yourself. We won’t judge.
Sometimes, the scent of cookies baking brightens even the darkest days. That’s why on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, we’ll be offering our frozen chocolate chip cookie balls for you to bake at home.
Simply call ahead and you’ll be able to purchase a bakers’ dozen of these cookies. They’ll be pre-weighed in little balls and we’ll supply the simple baking instructions.
To bake frozen cookie balls, follow these easy instructions:
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. You may use a light coating of non-stick spray as a substitute
- Place cookies approximately 2″ apart to allow for spreading
- Once cookie dough is thawed, place cookies in preheated 375ºF oven
- Bake for 9-12 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Just think, you can get all the credit for baking yummy cookies, and all you have to do is turn on the oven!
Baking Cookies from Scratch
National Chocolate Chip Day is all about cookies and we love the idea of baking with family at home. We know there are tons of chocolate chip cookie formulas on the internet, but we love our cookies and we know you do too. We bake in LARGE quantities but we’ve broken our formula down to a small batch.
So if you want to make a big batch of Cinotti’s chocolate chip cookies at home with your family, follow these instructions:
- 5 CUPS Cookie Flour
- All-purpose flour is a fine substitute
- 3 CUPS Granulated Sugar
- 2 CUPS Brown Sugar
- 4 CUPS Chocolate Chips
- 3 CUPS Vegetable Shortening
- 8 Extra Large Eggs
- 1 CUP Water
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
Prepping and Baking Instructions
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a second bowl, beat the shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. It should take about 2- 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. You may have to hand mix the batter as you add the remaining flour. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Let dough sit at room temperature just until it is soft enough to scoop.
Scoop your desired cookie size onto prepared baking sheets. Consistency is key for even baking.
Keep in mind: bigger, thicker cookies will be softer while smaller cookies will be crispier.
Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are golden brown.
Don’t be tempted to eat them right out of the oven. You wouldn’t want to burn your mouth on those gooey chocolate chips.
Allow cookies to cool completely before storing.
While our cookies are made to eat–not to keep, we understand the need to store cookies for later use. But, when cookies, like ours, have no additives or preservatives, keeping them fresh for more than a day can be challenging.
Here are some tips to keep your cookies fresh and tasty:
- Most fresh baked cookies can last up to 3 days. In that time, keep them in an airtight container free of moisture and heat.
- Place an apple wedge, slice of bread, or flour tortilla in the container along with your cookies. The moisture from any of these items will absorb into the cookies so you can eat them right out of the container.
- For warm, soft cookies, pop them into a 350° oven for three to five minutes. Enjoy a nice glass of milk while the chocolate melts in your mouth.
How to Eat a Chocolate Chip Cookie
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day has sparked a debate on how to eat a chocolate chip cookie the right way. And, while we’re not sure there is a wrong way to eat any cookie, we’ve come up with a few ideas.
- Add some Cinotti’s homemade buttercream and create a chocolate chip cookie sandwich
- Fold the baked cookies into your favorite ice cream
- Store them in the freezer and eat them cold
- Share with a friend
- Hide in your closet so your kids can’t hear you chewing
How Will You Celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day?
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is a great excuse to enjoy America’s favorite dessert. And, since we’re handing them out free on August 4, why not spend the day with us?
Get your free cookie and another dozen or so to share with others.
Take a couple dozen to keep in your cookie jar. Or, pick up a couple tubs of frozen dough to bake at your leisure.
Share the joy of baking with your children. Bake a few batches of cookies at home and share with neighbors. Or, invite friends over to show off your magical baking powers.
Any way you choose to celebrate, we hope you enjoy the sweet day with those around you.
Be happy on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.
Have a laugh.
Spread the joy.
Eat a cookie.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Jul 19, 2018 | Bakery
Christmas in July Cookies!
Most of you know we LOVE Christmas. We love the music. We love the smells. And, we love the cookies! That’s why we are so excited about our Christmas in July cookie week!
July 24th through July 28th, we will celebrate Christmas in July all over the bakery. We’ll be baking our favorite Christmas Cookies and singing Christmas carols all week long.
So, clear off your counter and empty your cookie jar. With so many cute and delicious cookies to choose, we know you’ll be spreading Christmas joy all over Jacksonville.
Iced Cutouts
Nothing says Christmas in July better than our Iced Cutouts.
Santa, Rudolph, Elves, Gingy, and many of our favorites will be available during this week.
Made with our buttery sugar cookie dough, our iced cutouts are hand iced and meticulously decorated.
We use a fondant-type vanilla dip that adds just the right amount of sweetness to our cookie.
If you’ve never had one of our iced cutouts before, this is the week to try one.
Decorated Cookies
For those with a bigger sweet tooth, our Decorated Cookies are for you. Our Christmas in July selection will feature Christmas trees, Santa faces, Wreaths, and more.
Made with the buttery sugar cookie dough, the decorated cookies are covered with our homemade buttercream icing. Our decorators hand pipe every element of these beautiful cookies to create a Christmas cookie worthy of the nice list.
Bachelor Buttons
Believe it or not, Bachelor Button cookies are our number one seller all year long. So, it only makes sense that we’ll be making them during our Christmas in July week.
These buttery little thumbprint cookies are filled with a fondant-like vanilla dip. While we color them in various shades for any occasion, this week, you’ll be able to get them in Christmas red and green.
Keep the spirit of Christmas alive when you have them packaged in our green Christmas tree boxes. Take them to neighbors, share them with family, or keep the box for yourself.
It’s okay to come back for a refill, we won’t tell Santa.
Sugared Cutouts
What would Christmas in July week be without sugar cookies?
Our hand-cut sugared Cutout cookies are the perfect treat for elves of all ages. We liberally cover each shape with colored sugar crystals before baking to perfection.
Kids love to eat the sugary Christmas trees, bells, stars, and even snowmen. And, since they have less sugar than our Iced cutouts and Decorated cookies, moms love these cookies too.
Why Christmas in July?
Cities across the world celebrate Christmas in July. In fact, July is the coldest month in Australia where they celebrate Yuletide this time of year. The festive celebrations spread across the water to other countries who now join their Aussie brethren each July.
For us, though, we just love all things Christmas.
Come See What’s New
Throughout the year, we collect cookie cutters for all seasons. And since July is a slower time in our store, we use the opportunity to try out these new designs and test flavors. Don’t worry. You’ll still find the original classics. But, you’ll also see some new twists on old ideas as well as new shapes for the season.
We’re beyond excited to celebrate with you all.
So, when you come in July 24th through July 28th, be prepared to sing along and share your Christmas spirit with the world.
Because, who doesn’t love Christmas in July?
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Jul 12, 2018 | Sandwich Shop
National Hot Dog Day!
July 18th is National Hot Dog Day and we’ve got a hot deal for you.
For this one day, our hot dogs will be Buy One Get One free. That’s right, two hot dogs for the price of one! And, just because it’s National Hot Dog Day, we’re not skimping on the size either. We’re giving away the same 4-ounce, all beef hot dogs you get in our sandwich shop all year long.
We do have a slight twist though.
While we won’t be skimping on the size, we will ADD a wide selection of toppings. We’ll also be baking up fresh buns in a variety of flavors.
On July 18th only, you can get any of our hot dogs with any toppings for this incredible deal.
National Hot Dog Day Options
Aside from our basic hot dog, in honor of this All-American holiday, we’ll be offering four premium hot dog combinations. We’ll have Chili Cheese Dogs– everyone’s favorite. A Slaw Dog– the Southern classic. A Chicago Dog and a Reuben Dog.
The only trouble will be deciding which one to try first.
Basic Hot Dog
There’s nothing basic about these dogs. We use Thumann’s 4-ounce all beef hot dogs. There are no fillers or by-products so you can be sure you’re getting the very best. We only use bread baked fresh every morning in our bakery. With fresh bread and the best quality all beef hot dog, you know you’re getting the good stuff in every bite.
Our Basic hot dog toppings include:
Mayonnaise, Mustard, Ketchup, Relish, Chopped Onions, & Cheese.
Of course, you can add other toppings too.
Chili Cheese Dog
On your choice of any of our freshly baked buns, we’ll pile our homemade chili over two slices of American cheese. Add onions if you’d like, we’ve got those too.
Want more chili?
Add a side of chili cheese fries to your order. Just be sure to grab a cold drink or an iced cookie to cool your taste buds.
You can also check out this video on how to eat a chili dog while you wait.
Slaw Dog
With the popularity of coleslaw and hot dogs, there are very few Southerners who don’t know about the Slaw Dog. Served on your choice of bun, we’ll pile our sweet slaw onto the all-beef dog. And, you can add any of the basic toppings you’d like at no extra charge.
Grab a Hummingbird Cupcake to top off this truly southern delight.
Chef Salad
With a balanced blend of romaine lettuce and spring mix, our chef salad is full of nutrients. Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots increase the health factor as well. And with the addition of ham and turkey rolls as well as protein rich boiled eggs, this salad will keep you full for a while.
If you’re in the mood for grilled or fried chicken on your salad, we’re happy to swap out the proteins. Top this one off with one of our many dressing choices to create daily salads you’ll actually like to eat at every meal.
Chicago Dog
Our version of a Chicago style dog will be pretty close to the original. On a poppy seed bun, we’ll top these dogs with mustard, chopped onions, tomato slices and pickle spears.
And don’t worry, we’ll layer them just right so you taste every element in each bite.
Hot Dog! What a Day
As American as baseball and apple pie, hot dogs are Summer’s signature meal. Americans consume more than one million hot dogs on July 4th alone. So, it’s only fitting that the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council dubbed the third Wednesday in July National Hot Dog Day.
While we’re not sure everyone will eat a hot dog every day this month, perhaps you could consider enjoying the iconic summer sandwich on National Hot Dog Day.
Whether you spread your condiments on your bun or squirt them directly on your dog, we’re ready to celebrate with you.
Swing in all day on July 18th to share in this All-American holiday.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Jul 5, 2018 | Bakery
Summer has arrived in full force. Can you feel it? We sure can. But, nothing beats the hot Florida heat better than our refreshing Key Lime Donuts. We’ve brought our summer signature flavor back for a few short months and this year, they’re better than ever.
We’ve spent the last nine months waiting for the perfect day to release our Key Lime Donuts. And, we’re happy to announce, we’re ready. Starting Friday, July 6th we’ll be creating our Key Lime Donuts for everyone.
Did you know there are a ton of health benefits from key lime juice? For sure. From fighting infections, rejuvenating skin, and easing digestion, key lime juice works wonders.
So, it’s easy to see why we would put it in a donut…right?
As unbeneficial to health as a donut may be, the emotional effects of eating these sweet summery treats far outweighs anything bad. Take a few for yourself or take more and spread the love. Because cheering someone up with a Cinotti’s treat is never a bad idea.
And, besides, our Key Lime Donuts are only here for a short time. So, they won’t affect your diet too much…will they?
Made with real key lime juice and a blend of our own signature concoctions, our Key Lime Donuts are made on site from scratch every morning. We work tirelessly to create the signature flavor you’ve come to love. And, we’ve been told these Key Lime Donuts cause a Jimmy Buffet song to automatically play in people’s heads as they eat them.
You can get our Key Lime Donuts starting Friday, July 6th at 6 a.m.
If you’re not able to stop by Friday, don’t worry too much. We’ll be serving our delightfully refreshing (and somewhat healthy) Key Lime Donuts until September 28th.
Order ahead or swing in a get a couple dozen. Bring the spirit of summer everywhere you go with a box of Key Lime Donuts from Cinotti’s.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Jun 29, 2018 | Bakery
4th of July Celebrations for the Whole Family
Most of our customers know the deep love we have for our beloved nation. This 4th of July, we will be closed a few extra days to allow our entire staff to enjoy America and all her beauty. And, while our hometown favorites won’t be available for your 4th of July celebrations, we do have a list of places and items you may find helpful.
The Jacksonville Zoo and gardens is offering special priced tickets through July 8th. Take the entire family on the 4th of July! And, don’t forget to feed the giraffes.
For indoor activities check out the Museum of Science and History downtown. MOSH is honoring America with half price admission tickets. Spend the day in the planetarium or admiring the collection of artifacts from the Roman empire.
For a bit of action, head to Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach. They’re offering an amazing deal for the 4th of July. For only $40, you can have all the fun you want for 3 hours.
Once you’ve had your fun around town, be sure to check out the local foods. These are a few of our recommendations.
Culhane’s Irish Pub offers a taste of Ireland right here in Atlantic Beach. Don’t forget to try the pretzels!
SunDeli has been a staple in Jacksonville Beach for over 15 years. Serving Boar’s Head meat on fresh bread will certainly keep the crowds coming. We recommend Bab’s Best.
Engine 15, in Jacksonville Beach serves food everyone will love. Try the flatbreads, they’re delicious.
Angies & GROM are both well-known food establishments in Jacksonville Beach. We recommend any of their subs.
Salt Life Food Shack in Jacksonville Beach has some of the best desserts in town. Try their Hot Blonde or their Drunkin Sailor. You won’t be disappointed.
After exploring Jacksonville and eating your weight in local food, make your way back out to the beach. Spread out a blanket and watch the fireworks light up the sky.
Fireworks displays:
Jacksonville Beach: 9pm
Mayport Naval Station: 9pm
Downtown Jacksonville: 9:45
No matter where you celebrate our Nation’s birthday, we hope you have fun and stay safe. If you’re at the beach or park, remember to clean up after yourself and fill any holes.
We wish you all a very happy and safe 4th of July. As always, we’re thankful to those who have served and continue to serve our great nation. To the men and women in uniform, police, fire, and rescue workers keeping our borders and streets safe this night and every night, we thank you.
Happy 4th of July everyone.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | May 25, 2018 | Bakery
Memorial Day: A Day for Remebrance
This time of year, television commercials abound with ‘Memorial Day’ deals on furniture, cars, and mattresses. And, while it’s not a bad idea to save a few dollars, Memorial Day is about remembering our fallen heroes.
It’s about taking a few moments of our privileged day to be grateful to the men and women who died for our freedom.
Often, Memorial Day is confused with Veteran’s Day. It’s certainly understandable as both honor military heroes. However, Memorial Day is a day to remember our fallen. Those who placed their lives on the line for us. Those who we have to thank for our continued security and freedom.
Memorial Day originally started as a day honoring those killed during the Civil War. It wasn’t until after World War 1 that ALL states of the Union accepted it as a National day of remembrance.
Moina Michael read the poem “Flanders Field” by Colonel John McCrae. The poem tells of fallen soldiers who live on through the field of poppies. Moina wrote her own poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith” and was also inspired to where a poppy of her own. Soon, she began selling poppies to her friends and co-workers.
The money made from selling poppies was used to benefit service men in need.
Later, a French woman named Madame Guerin followed Moina’s example. She approached the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to begin the “Buddy Poppy” program.
This program allows disabled veterans to create artificial poppies to be sold Memorial Day weekend.
How Can We Celebrate Memorial Day?
Before we fire up the grills, take that camping trip, or go on a shopping spree, let’s take a moment to pause and thank those who fought for our freedom…to think about their families left behind…and how their sacrifice allows us the freedoms we take for granted today.
We can honor their sacrafice in many ways:
- Hang Old Glory in your yard or on your door
- Often members of the VFW sell poppies outside of busy stores-Pick one up and wear it proudly
- Visit the grave of a fallen hero
- Visit one of our National Memorials
- Be kind to others
- Help widows and children of our fallen
- Show others the importance of our fallen heroes
In our torn society, it’s easy to cast blame and let hate fill our souls. During Memorial Day, let’s set aside our differences and take a moment to remember why we love our great Nation. Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the families left behind.
Let’s remember what it’s like to love our country and each other.
God Bless America!
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | May 1, 2018 | Bakery
Battle of the Cookies!
Iced cutouts vs. Decorated Cookies
Which side of the sweet tooth are you on?
There’s one ingredient that reigns supreme when it comes to our cookies.
The icing.
Whether you like fluffy buttercream or a firmer vanilla dip, we’ve got you and your cookie covered.
But what’s so special about each one? What defines a decorated cookie vs. iced cutout? More importantly, which one’s better?
We’ll let you decide in this cookie face off.
Iced cutouts are a delicious treat for any occasion. We offer these cookies in a variety of shapes, colors, and styles. Each cookie is hand iced with warm vanilla dip. Once the icing sets, our decorators add the finishing details that makes each cookie unique.
Looking for a party favor or school treat?
Look no further. Our vanilla dip icing sets up with a firm foundation making packaging easy. Set these out at your next event and give your guests an added sweet memory.
Our iced cutouts hold up in transit making them ideal for shipping to loved ones across the country.
We’ve made decorated cookies in this location since 1990. Like our iced cutouts, decorated cookies are a delicious treat for any occasion. Each design is offered on a round cookie with our homemade buttercream icing. This cookie is recommended for those who LOVE our sweet icing.
While we don’t offer as many design options on our decorated cookies, we can create designs to match your decor. Best of all, every element of our cookie is edible! From edible sand to sugar surfboards and sea creatures, we keep it sweet ’til the last bite!
Our decorated cookies make great party favors too! However, unlike the iced cutouts, decorated cookies do not set up firmly. Great care must be taken to keep our homemade buttercream designs intact.
With so many cookie options in our store, it’s certainly hard to pick one favorite.
In this cookie face off, we highlighted the major differences between our two most popular cookies in hopes to give you a better understanding of their names and attributes.
What makes our cookies so special?
Unlike packaged cookies sold elsewhere, our cookies are fresh and made by hand daily.
We take pride in offering top notch product with superior ingredients. We us non-GMO flour and never add preservatives or fillers to any product.
We work hard to insure you get only the best.
If you’re still on the fence as to which cookie is better, why not give them both a try? Our friendly sales staff is standing by, ready to take your order.
…Taste and see….
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Apr 26, 2018 | Bakery
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: Family Style
Cinco de Mayo is fast approaching. If you’re struggling to create a menu that’s fun for the entire family, look no further. We’ve heard your cries. We understand the stress you’re under to make this year’s party a hit!
With our Cinco de Mayo menu, this year will certainly be sweeter than ever.
Cinco de Mayo Iced Cutout Cookies
Our Cinco de Mayo themed iced cutouts are colorful and festive for your party. We offer these is a wide range of shapes and styles to fit your color scheme and tastes.
Cowboy Caviar & Taco Hummus
Grab your favorite brand of tortilla chips and pick up a batch of our Cowboy caviar or Taco hummus!
A smooth thick mixture of mashed chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, and taco seasoning. Pile it on your favorite taco or burrito and dance the night away. Don’t worry if you have a little left at the end of the day, this hummus is made fresh so it’ll last an extra night in the fridge.
This is a refreshing blend of ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, black beans, corn, & fresh cilantro. One bite of this salsa-like combination and your guests will beg you for the recipe. The fact you picked it up at your favorite bakery will be our little secret.
Are You Ready to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
With these wonderful ideas, you’ll be well on your way to having a fun, fiesta of a time May 5th. In fact, once word gets out you’re having Cinotti’s at your party, your only concern will be where to park the cars.
As will all our products, iced cutout cookies, Cowboy caviar, and Taco Hummus are made from scratch in our bakery. We use non-GMO flour and never add any preservatives to our treats.
We believe the only thing that should be left after eating our treats is a smile.
Cinotti’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop
by Cinottis Bakery | Apr 17, 2018 | Bakery
Graduation Fever? Here are 8 Tips for Planning Your Party
As graduation season nears, it’s easy to get caught up in the emotions surrounding the momentous occasion. After all, years of hard work have led to this day. To take the pressure off planning the graduation bash your graduate deserves, we’ve compiled a list of helpful nuggets to keep in mind. Here are 8 things to know before planning your party:
Atmosphere:
Believe it or not, the vibe your party gives off greatly affects the amount of food your guests will eat. If your event is held in a formal setting with heavy foods, your guests may not eat as much. Conversely, if you have an assortment of catered trays such as our chicken drummies or sandwich trays, your guests will graze the food table and consume more.
Timing:
Time plays two roles in determining the number of guests to expect and food to serve. If you’re planning a party during a busy holiday or during a busy time of day for your guests, such as church or work, you should expect fewer guests to attend. On the other hand, if you plan your party around conventional meal times, your guests will expect to be fed. Careful consideration of both date and time should be used prior to mailing those invites.
Venue:
Like the atmosphere, venue plays a role in attendance. If your venue is hard to get to or ultra-crowded, more of your guest may send regrets. If you have a more intimate venue, such as your backyard, you could expect a higher turnout. If you’re unsure where to host your celebration, Eventective has a great list of venues for every celebration every where.
Now we can get into the nuts and bolts of the cake elements:
Servings:
We make cakes to serve eight or up to eight hundred. Knowing the size of your intended crowd is always helpful when planning. If you’re unsure how many guests to expect, a good rule of thumb is to plan on serving 80% of invited guests.
Flavors and Fillings:
Having a general idea of your cake flavor really helps when planning your party. We offer vanilla and chocolate as our base options. However, red velvet, carrot, hummingbird, and sawgrass are also available.
Aside from our famous homemade buttercream, some designs allow for flavored icing as well. These icings include chocolate buttercream, strawberry buttercream, colored buttercream, and our cream cheese icing.
Our fillings are not available for every flavor or design. Some of the popular fillings include strawberry, raspberry, lemon, strawberry/cream cheese, raspberry/ganache.
Design:
The internet is full of amazing designs for graduation cakes. From elegant three-tiered masterpieces to an easy to serve sheet cake, the design choice is completely up to you.
While a tiered cake acts as a beautiful centerpiece to any event, there are some things to consider prior to settling on this design. Tiered cakes require a skilled server. They also require a steady hand when transporting from place to place. In some cases, they require a cooler temperature.
If ease of serving is more your style, a sheet cake may be the way to go. While not as ‘glamorous’ as their tiered counterpart, sheet cakes can be made with many special features. We can place a personal photo of your graduate on the cake. School colors and logos fit better on a sheet cake than a tiered cake. A sheet cake is also the winner when it comes to putting multiple schools on a single cake.
Can’t decide which option is best? Why not consider another approach? Mixing cakes and cupcakes can solve a multitude of potential issues.
If you want more flavor options, fancy cupcakes can fill the need. Or, if you’re looking for an alternative to a large cake, cupcakes designed to match your decor colors may be just the answer.
Cake not your thing? Our cookies are a tasty alternative.
We have several shapes for graduation. Our skilled decorators can match almost any school colors and party themes. Our bachelor buttons may also be ordered to match your decor.
Setting up a dessert table with our iced cutouts and bachelor buttons that all coordinate with the cupcakes or cake of your choice is a great way to provide options for all your guests.
In any case, our staff will work hard to create a plan to fit your serving and design ideas. We have a full listing of our cake servings and pricing on our FAQ page.
Budget:
This is the topic least discussed but is the most important element. Knowing your budget ahead of time allows us to make suggestions well within your desired price point. We wouldn’t want to build up a cake design with every fondant bell and whistle you could imagine only to come in way over budget. When we know a price area you want to stay around, we can create packages that keep your guests and wallet happy.
Space:
Before you finalize flavors, sizes, and catering trays, there’s one more element to consider. Space. Do you have the space in your refrigerator to hold the trays until the party? Do you have room on your kitchen counter to house the elaborate display of foods you’ll be ordering from us? Can you borrow your neighbors fridge? While space may not be the deciding factor for your event, where you’ll store your food is important to know ahead of time.
So Let’s Party!
With these eight tips by your side, you’ll be on your way to planning the most memorable celebration yet. We have a great sales team standing by to answer any of your graduation party needs. Get ahead of the rush! Give us a call or stop in today!
by Cinottis Bakery | Apr 12, 2018 | Bakery, Legends Interview
Faith, Family, and Fruitcake. A Closer Walk with Mike Cinotti Part 2
Mike Cinotti and his wife Doodle have worked hard to build their business into the renowned fixture that it is today. In this week’s post, we’re talking with Mike about his life in the bakery he loves so much.
Describe your typical day.
Mike at the school he and his wife, Doodle helped build in Plaisance, Haiti
My alarm goes off about 3:00 a.m. I get here about 3:25 a.m. and unless I have something pressing, I use the early morning for my quiet time, my prayer time. About 4:00 a.m. I get in there and get rolling. My primary job in the morning is baking the numerous racks of breads and cookies and pies and cakes that the other guys are producing at the other end of the shop. I enjoy it because it’s a challenge because of the hundreds of pans that must be baked. Some are breads that have to be proofed, some don’t and there’s two different ovens back here, so it’s a lot. I enjoy it because it challenges my mind and that’s important to me. I still enjoy seeing the product when it comes out. And smelling it too.
My afternoons, I spend a lot of time doing things at our church or missions trips. We leave in a few days to go back to Haiti on our first trip of this year. We missed getting over there in February, so I’m looking forward to next week. One of these days, I wanna do some fishing again.
Please note: At the time of this posting, Mike and Doodle had just returned from their Haiti trip where they rebuilt homes and spread God’s message to those in the village of Carries, Haiti. Mike often preaches a sermon or two to the congregation.
Was there ever a technique you wish you’d mastered?
Let me tell you about that. I remember as a young kid, watching my dad bagging out eclairs. His were perfect- like everyone of them! He just ‘zoom’ ‘zoom’ ‘zoomed’, everyone of them-perfect. And, when I tried to do it, mine looked like- well, I can’t even describe. They looked like they’d been in an accident. But, then after about thirty years, something clicked. And, for the past twenty years, mine look nearly perfect like his.
I’ve been doing this a long time and I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on most things by now. There is one item, I’ve been trying recently. That’s the Lobster tail. My wife loves them, and I’ve never made them. So, for her, it’s an item I’m working on.
How do you stay abreast to current trends?
That’s what my daughters are for! Staying involved in organizations, attending workshops are a great way to connect. Social media and TV shows have really enhanced the craft of the baker.
What are the advantages of running your own place as opposed to the bigger stores?
We can create something special for our customers that bigger companies cannot. Some of these stores have such strict corporate rules that don’t allow tweaking. If the product doesn’t come out of the box the way the customer wants it, they can’t make it. We can do whatever we want within our moral and legal code.
What are the disadvantages?
Employee benefits, I wish I could provide our staff with all the bells and whistles bigger companies offer. Buying power, we certainly buy a lot, however, we pay more for ingredients than bigger companies. Traffic flow is another disadvantage because we are more of a destination than a convenience. Facilities maintenance is another big one.
Mike and his wife, Doodle in the bakery in the 90’s
In terms of running your business, what aspects are most rewarding?
We have built up a very good name in this community. Part of that is our product, part of that is how we run our business. When I hear of the impact this business is making on the community or meet people I would never have met outside this bakery, it fills my heart.
We’re able to provide livings for over 30 employees working here. We’re able to pay our staff a decent salary. The financial impact we have on people’s lives is healthy.
With our younger staff, we’re able to mold them into great workers later in life. The work ethic we instill in them here is helpful in so many aspects of their future.
How would you say the baking industry has changed over the course of your life?
Back in the day, breads didn’t last a week. It used to be, early in the morning, ladies would come to the bakery, get product, and head back home to their families. Now, our speed of life is so busy, everything is fast food. Because of this, some people say our industry is dying, I’m here to say, no, I don’t think so. On the upside, however, social media and TV shows have put such a spotlight on our industry and craft, they see what goes into making a cake. It allows people to appreciate what we do more.
“Some people say our industry is dying, I’m here to say, no, I don’t think so.”
What period of your life has been your favorite?
The past 20 years, absolutely. I enjoyed my childhood and got to spend quality time with my parents. Life is hard, but it’s good. When you’ve got your eternity wrapped up, it makes this pain of life a little easier. When God got a hold of me 20 years ago, I became a different person.
I’ve fallen deeper in love with my wife. I work with my kids every day. I see my grandchildren. I love my church. I go on mission’s trips Haiti multiple times a year. Twenty years ago, I was hard; more of a vocal corrector rather than a loving corrector. Now, I’m a better listener, I live my life right. My relationship with Jesus has changed me.
“Life is hard, but it’s good. When you’ve got your eternity wrapped up, it makes this pain of life a little easier.”
Was there a time you wanted to give it all up?
There’s been a couple times when I wasn’t sure this was what I’m supposed to do. It’ll wear you down, you get tired, but I don’t know that I ever wanted to give it up.
If you didn’t bake, what would you do?
Well, if I had the money, I’d be doing full time ministry.
If you could go back in time to give yourself advice, what would it be?
I’d tell myself to get in the bible earlier. I’ve made wiser decisions when I seek God’s word first.
Do you have any knowledgeable nuggets for newcomers to the industry?
My dad used to tell me, ‘A good baker with a solid skill set can get a job anywhere in the world.’ I encourage those looking to get into this industry to work for several different places to learn different techniques and procedures. Listen to others. You never know what little nuggets you’ll pick up.
“A good baker with a solid skill set can get a job anywhere in the world.”
Mike is clearly a man in love with his wife, family, faith, and business. Getting a deeper look into the man who’s worked hard for over 50 years has been such a treat. In part 3 of this Legend’s interview, we’ll take a look into the bakery’s most popular items and what inspired Mike and his team to create them.
If you’d like to inquire about Mike and Doodle’s efforts in Carries, Haiti or would like to donate goods to their cause, you can find information here: http://www.southpointcc.com/haiti/
by Cinottis Bakery | Apr 5, 2018 | Bakery, Legends Interview
Faith, Family, and Fruitcake. A Closer Walk with Mike Cinotti part 1
Mike Cinotti is a man revered both professionally and privately. His devotion to faith, family, and business is widely known. He responsible for so many elements of his successful bakery. I had the wonderful opportunity to sit with him this month to learn more about the various aspects of his life. In Part 1 of this interview, sitting in his small office at the bakery on Penman Road, Mike, opens up about his early years.
How old were you when you first started baking?
Up until I was about nine, I really just played around and ate the food. Then my dad started letting me help at the table. I can remember as a 10-year-old, my dad let me make a batch of rye bread.
How’d that turn out?
It actually turned out pretty well. But, at the age of 12, I was able to make cheesecake. And I mean; I scaled it, mixed it, baked it and dumped it all by myself. That was pretty cool. There I was, an eighth grader making cheesecake after school.
Why did you become a baker?
I have enjoyed this since my earliest memories. If you’re gonna do something your entire life, there should be a sense of enjoyment and fulfillment in it. This is what I do. It’s what I enjoy… You know they say sometimes things are in your blood. I’m not sure about flour being in our veins, but it’s what our family does. It’s what we know. The Lord has blessed our hands and I enjoy it. I especially love the aroma. When I leave the bakery and come back, the aroma even from the parking lot is enjoyable.
If you’re gonna do something your entire life, there should be a sense of enjoyment and fulfillment in it.
Were there any influential people in your life that helped propel your baking career?
My dad, of course. But there also was a man, Mr. Draper, who was a flavor salesman for a company. He had extensive knowledge of baking and consulted for many different companies. I was fortunate to know him and learn from him every time he and my dad got together.
We did get an opportunity to meet some bakers from around the country that were quite incredible. Gene Wilson in Georgia; Hanz Nadler in Texas; and Carl Poppingay over at Edgewood Bakery were very influential. And, when I was in Minnesota for a year in school, I worked for Cliff Meyers who added to my love of baking.
Did you go to school to learn the trade or are you self-taught?
Ninety-nine percent of what I learned from my father and from other bakers around the country. I did get the chance to go to Minnesota, to Dunwoody Baking School. It’s funny, I knew how to do almost everything they did there. What I didn’t know was the reasons behind some of the ingredient changes and the effects some of the ingredients had on each other and to the final product. It was a great learning experience from the book side of it. And, I got to make friends with other bakers, some of whom I keep up with even 40 years later. But mostly, it was a great compliment to my father and those I grew up with, having taught me as much as they taught me when I got there at 17 ½ years old, to already have an incredible base for my industry.
If you could pick one product that you love to make start to finish, what would it be?
Well, it wouldn’t be fruitcake, that’s for sure! I don’t think there’s one product in particular, but I really like the holiday special items we put out in November and December. Rainbow Bars, that we don’t make every day. They’re very colorful and tasteful. I still enjoy making breads, but that’s because I like eating it too. You know, I do love apple strudel and making them.
So, I take it fruitcake is something you dislike making?
Not necessarily, fruitcake brings back so many memories from the late 60’s when my dad would let me help. Gosh, I never got to make the topping because that was the special part. And I never got to do the packing part. But there was so much comradery involved in the process. Fruitcake, for me, brings back so many memories. But, no, it’s not my favorite product to make. For me, it’s a personal thing. It has a different meaning.
Are there any elements of the craft of baking drive you crazy?
To be a successful bakery, you have to be more than just a successful baker. One of the things that bothers me is the abundance of pre-made baked goods readily available to those that call themselves bakers. When all a person has to do is pull an item from the freezer, bake it and it’s done, that’s a big pet peeve of mine. What does that person do when the truck doesn’t arrive? Or if a customer wants a variation of that product? Most people out there today are not trained to make these items from scratch. While I understand the need for consistency, but heating up pre-made items is not an art.
To be a successful bakery, you have to be more than just a successful baker.”
What’s the main thing you want people to take from your product or business?
We try to create an environment that’s loving and enjoyable. We have generations of families that come in. The other day, a lady who wanted a picture of me holding her baby because she came in here as a little girl… That’s impactful.
Takeaway:
In the world of prefabbed meals, it’s easy to see why people flock to the homemade works of art put out by Mike and his staff each day. Cinotti values quality over quantity in each item he and his team create. The love and respect he has for people and his community echoes through his family and staff. In part 2 of this Legends Interview, Mike brings us forward in time to discuss current issues facing his bakery and industry. For more information on Mike Cinotti and his team, head over to 1523 Penman Road in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Once you taste the love from these pastries, you’ll understand why there’s a line out the door every day.
by Cinottis Bakery | Mar 21, 2018 | Bakery, Holiday Events
Celebrate Easter with a Traditional Easter Egg Cake!
With Easter hopping on our heals, most families are busy preparing their traditional celebrations. These traditions are important whether you plan on attending Easter Services, enjoying a large family gathering, or attending the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. And, as much as we plan our day around our faith or traditions, one elemental item seems to be prominent in Easter celebrations. The food. And, with the popularity of the Easter egg, we have an item that fits into both categories… The Easter Egg Cake.
Easter Egg Cake:
Our Easter Egg Cake is a pleasant compliment to any Easter table setting. And, you don’t have to worry about refrigeration. Leave this work of art out during your gathering as added decor to your day. Each cake will serve up to ten guests and is available in vanilla, chocolate, or Kylie cake. You can also have a layer of vanilla and chocolate upon request. This colorful cake can be created in most colors to create your perfect design. We offer these cakes with both traditional and contemporary decorations.
Traditional Decorations
A traditional Easte
r Egg Cake is made with various color combinations, designs, and flavors.
This may include colorful swags, buttercream and sugar flowers, and of course, jelly beans.
Contemporary Decorations:
A contemporary Easter Egg Cake has more of a modern twist. Still available in a multitude of colors, decorations include puffy flowers, underwater scenes, grass and gumpaste flowers, piped bunnies, and more.
Table Add-Ons:
In addition to the beautiful centerpiece our Easter Egg Cake offers, we also offer small dipped eggs. Our dipped eggs, while not available in various decorations, are offered in multiple flavors. Vanilla cake eggs are dipped in fun Easter colors and drizzled with a coordinating color. Our chocolate dipped eggs may be filled with buttercream or you can order them without filling. Both are dipped in warm chocolate ganache. Want a different flavor? We also offer dipped eggs in Carrot cake and Kylie!
These mini eggs are a wonderful twist on custom place settings or as an added dessert to your Easter meal. Using these mini eggs around your table to coordinate with your Easter Egg Cake, you’ll create a decor unlike any other.
Happy Easter!
As always, we strive to create a unique experience for all our customers. We believe time is a precious resource. That’s why, we have created an Easter product menu to encompass a wide range of items. From our Easter Egg Cake and small dipped eggs, to our Deviled egg trays and fresh made breads, we’re confident you will find what you need all in one place.
Ready to plan your Easter meal? Give one of our sales staff a call today. We’re here and ready to serve you in any way possible.
Hoppy Easter!
