What I did with my December

I always seem to go a bit off the grid in December. I’m a far cry from the 80 pounds of candy Grandpa made one year, but I do seem to get lost in the kitchen just the same. Nuts to chop, sugar to caramelize, chocolate to melt. This was the year I learned to temper chocolate. Also, silicone molds are better for shaping ganache centers for truffles. Turtles should be made with two pecans instead of three, only 24 turtles fit on a tray and I probably should have made at least 30. Dipping is much easier with an …

A little Christmas in July

Over at Stash, we’re attempting to sell down leftovers from last December with a Christmas in July event. (Unfortunately, Stash’s online store has been closed down for logistical reasons – if you’re interested in any of the fabric, email me and I’ll figure something out.) Everyone was supposed to make a little something to showcase the fabrics. I made drawstring bags, because, well, that’s what I do. The fabric is Dear Mr. Claus by Cosmo Cricket for Moda. It’s got a retro feel to it, with this apple-cheeked whistling Santa and the tiny snowflakes. It’s a sizable collection, with a …

One last gift post

I know everyone has moved on to new projects (new year, new goals, new determination!), but I’m still wrapping up/catching up. I’ve got one last gift post and then I can move on to the Things I Didn’t Do Because I Was Making Caramels post(s). By that time that’s done, perhaps I’ll have a post for Something New Made in January. Maybe. Anyway,now that we’ve had our last holiday gift exchange, I can share this: Because you can’t give caramels to kids who don’t have teeth yet. I’d love to say that I came up with the idea for this …

On with the Sugar Rush

English toffee. It’s the reason for the season. Or is it the traditional Christmas morning coffee cake ring? Family gatherings, carols, large meals and gift exchanges are all very nice, and I’d miss them if they weren’t part of our rituals, but take out the candy or the coffee cake and I think my world might stop spinning. Even if it didn’t, it would definitely develop a bad wobble. I’m thinking of you, Grandpa! Save Save

Reviving a Tradition

My grandfather loves his sweets. One of the best things about staying with my grandparents for an evening when I was in elementary school (ok, and later, too) was that I always knew there would be dessert after dinner. Dessert was a rare treat at home, but Grandma always had something, even if it was only a bowl of fruit or a scoop of ice cream. I can’t quite remember a time before the candy. I think Grandpa started making it after their house was finished (or what passed for finished – to this day, I don’t think my grandparents …

A Mom Moment

One of the blogs I’ve been reading lately has a weekly tradition of posting a single image on Fridays of a special moment from the week, something special the writer wants to “savor and remember”. I like the idea, but I’m not that handy or prolific with the camera (Ian takes a lot of the pictures for me), so I’m hesitant to sign up for making this a regular weekly thing for me. Also, it’s supposed to be without words, but I’m terrible at that, too. On Christmas Day, we were joined by a guitar and a keyboard and several …