Welcome To Crowded Table Provisions
As a long-time home baker, the Crowded Table story is long and varied. When my children were young and money was tight, I wanted to gift teachers and friends something meaningful during the holidays that wouldn’t break the budget. I had the privilege to stay home with my children, and so, my time was my gift. When I received a beautifully illustrated cookie cookbook from one of my sisters, filled with pages of recipes and now handwritten notes, the madness began!
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What started as 12-15 varieties of cookies, their sweet aromas filling the house as they cooled on every available surface, quickly grew into dozens and dozens of cookie and candy/confection varieties. Over the years, I have continued to collect recipes from any and all sources–but I almost always doctor the recipes and make adjustments to meet my own cookie preferences and standards.
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When I bake, my perfectionism takes over—I obsess over every detail, and I have to make sure each cookie is the perfect shade of golden brown, and each batch baked to perfection. There have been plenty of late nights spent redoing batches that aren’t quite up to my impossible standards, but the satisfaction of seeing a flawless final product always makes it worth it. The sound of laughter and the clatter of baking sheets has become a staple in our home as I arrange these treats in baskets, platters, and boxes, carefully and lovingly wrapping them in packages that look pretty!
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Over the years, we began hosting an annual holiday party in December with so many extra cookies in the deep freezers. That tradition has continued for over 20 years–with as many friends, clients, and family members invited as possible. The door is open, the house glows with twinkling lights, and the scent of holiday spices, chocolate, and vanilla greets guests as they walk through the door. The resulting 50+ cookie and treat types, along with the now famous "Cookie Table" have garnered a bit of healthy notoriety in our friend circles, to the point that people began to ask for platters and boxes of cookies to gift to their loved ones, friends and colleagues. The joy of seeing their eyes light up at the sight of a beautifully arranged platter or carefully packed box of handmade cookies makes every long day in the kitchen worth it.
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The warmth of this tradition, the memories made, the encouragement from family and friends, and the pure joy that cookies bring to everyone have inspired me to take this passion to the next level. Sharing my creations and seeing the happiness they bring to others is what truly drives me. With the unwavering support of my husband (who happily enjoys the fruits of my labor), I decided to start Crowded Table to spread that joy even further.
Started from Tradition
Holiday baking began as heartfelt gifts during tight times.
Cookie Explosion
Grew from a dozen recipes to 50+ varieties of cookies and confections.
The Famous Cookie Table
Annual holiday party tradition for over 20 years.
Sharing the Joy
Friends and family inspired the leap from home baking to Crowded Table.
Why Crowded Table?
This story is a shorter one, but no less meaningful to me. Years ago, my best friend sent me a song that she claimed reminded her of me. That song was Crowded Table by The Highwomen, (who I learned included my favorite artist, Brandi Carlile). After hearing the song once, and crying messily into my tissues, it has become my favorite all-time song. The lyrics speak to me and how I try to live my life, because I DO want to always have a home where I have a crowded table and place by the fire for everyone, where everyone is welcome and everyone is important, where you can feel loved and seen, and accepted as you are. It is also the song to which I chose to walk down the aisle to marry my husband, in case you were questioning my love of this song. LOL
My Story
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
703-380-2200
Hi! I’m Julie. Those who know me understand that the kitchen is my happy place. I grew up with a mom who was a self-made gourmet cook. There was never a boring meal in our house. International cuisine was the norm for every meal. Think gourmet cheese grilled on multi-grain bread with mango chutney for my elementary school days. Or a half avocado with a homemade vinaigrette in the center to be eaten with a spoon when I was a peckish kid before dinner. A triple chocolate frozen mousse cake for dessert? No problem! All that being said, my love for creativity with food began at a very young age.
Cookie making, as the story has been told, was born out of gift-giving when money was tight in our family. I found so much joy in the process that the tradition was born and I became affectionately known as “The Crazy Cookie Lady” among friends. I search for interesting recipes and almost always doctor them to my liking. All of my cookies have real butter, and lots of it! If a recipe calls for chocolate, it is usually doubled in my kitchen. Sugars? Cut those down a bit. Spices? Add more. I’m sure you get the point. Never a dull moment in my cookie-making process.
So, with a passion for baking that spans decades, I have perfected dozens of gourmet cookies. All cookies are made with the finest ingredients, no additives or preservatives, and as I mentioned above, lots of butter!
Join me on this delightful journey of sweetness and explore the world of Crowded Table Provisions.