Just because we could all use a little more français in our lives.
How much do I miss Paris? Ah!
Happy Friday, mes amis!
E xo
(Thanks to Beaux Mondes for sharing.)
26.1.12
Detours
I wish I could say that I've been taking my down time seriously, but honestly, I barely have anything to show for the last two weeks. My mending pile hasn't budged, my crochet hasn't made it past the fourth row and my 2011 numbers remain uncrunched. In my defence, I did take four days to go to Ottawa, and I count that as an accomplishment, as we drove there during the first real snow storm this area has seen all winter. Drivers were cautious, the roads weren't properly plowed, and there was an accident every 10 kilometres it seemed. By the time we reached Kingston, a usual 3-hour drive, we had been driving for 7 hours! It was getting dark at that point and we were exhausted and frustrated, so we decided to drop anchor for the night and make the best of a messy situation.
That night we had an amazing dinner at Olivea, window-shopped along Princess St. and then stopped off at The Toucan for a night cap. On our walk home, suckers for old architecture, we found ourselves whispering and tip-toeing up to read plaques on private homes.
The next morning we woke up to complimentary breakfast in bed (!) and sunny skies. There wasn't much happening in town and were dissappointed that the Penitentiary Museum was closed, but we received a warm welcome at the Kingston Brewing Co. (Ontario's oldest brew pub and Canada's oldest wine-producing pub). The beer was tasty, the conversation was friendly and the decor was entertaining.
We also went on another self-guided architectural walking tour to find McIntosh Castle (of course) and some other stunning pieces of heritage. 134 Earl. St. was built in 1866 and was once inhabited by Sir John A. MacDonald. Can you even imagine living in these places? I bet they have tea time.... and ghosts.
When we hit the road again we were well-rested, the roads before us were clear and the snow-covered scenery was a tourist attraction in its own right. Our detour in Kingston was probably the best decision we could've made and just goes to show you there's something to the saying "it's the journey, not the destination."
That night we had an amazing dinner at Olivea, window-shopped along Princess St. and then stopped off at The Toucan for a night cap. On our walk home, suckers for old architecture, we found ourselves whispering and tip-toeing up to read plaques on private homes.
The next morning we woke up to complimentary breakfast in bed (!) and sunny skies. There wasn't much happening in town and were dissappointed that the Penitentiary Museum was closed, but we received a warm welcome at the Kingston Brewing Co. (Ontario's oldest brew pub and Canada's oldest wine-producing pub). The beer was tasty, the conversation was friendly and the decor was entertaining.
We also went on another self-guided architectural walking tour to find McIntosh Castle (of course) and some other stunning pieces of heritage. 134 Earl. St. was built in 1866 and was once inhabited by Sir John A. MacDonald. Can you even imagine living in these places? I bet they have tea time.... and ghosts.
When we hit the road again we were well-rested, the roads before us were clear and the snow-covered scenery was a tourist attraction in its own right. Our detour in Kingston was probably the best decision we could've made and just goes to show you there's something to the saying "it's the journey, not the destination."
12.1.12
Happy New Year!
The holidays were very kind to Dear Edna this year. I've said it before, and I'll never stop saying it, thank you! It was crazy in the best way. But after two months of long hours hunched over a cutting table and sewing machine, creating 6 or 7 aprons a night, packing up all those orders, answering emails and blogging, and then waking up to a full day of copyediting and doing it all over again... this girl is seriously looking forward to some down time. That's probably not what a business owner is supposed to say. But it's the truth.
I used to dread this part of the year and all its depressing lack of sunlight, bone-chilling cold, and anti-social hibernation, but I think it's actually starting to become one of my favourites. After a season of go go go, it's a time when I can finally just stop and take a breath. It's a time when I can give the machine mentality a rest and give my ideas and creativity space to grow. It's a chance to get my ducks in a row. It's a time to relax, reflect, recharge and play. It's like recess for grownups. Haha!
It's also a time to plan. Now that I'm officially living in 2012 with the rest of you, I'm naturally setting some goals and intentions for the upcoming year. There are some truly excited things in store! I can't wait to share them with you, but in the meantime, I think I'll let them ruminate a little longer while I enjoy more of that glorious down time — I'm off tomorrow for a little four-day getaway to Ottawa and Kingston. Fingers are crossed that we don't get stuck in a snow storm halfway there. Snow or no snow, we'll be seeing this fine jokester performing live...
... and hilarity will ensue.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
E xo
P.S. That's my new calendar in the photo above. Isn't it pretty? It's from one of my favourite stationary companies, Rifle Paper Co., and I bought it in the fall, so I was pretty excited to finally put it up. I took it as a sign when I flipped to January and realized the colours matched perfectly with the art I already had on the wall. It's going to be a good year!
2.1.12
The Winner Is...
23.12.11
12 Days of Christmas 2011 Roundup
Well, folks, my 12 Days of Christmas series of posts is complete for another year! Again, I had a blast writing them and I'm shocked I made it through in time. Another big thank you to all of my guest posters — I couldn't have done it without you. In case you missed any along the way, here they all are in one convenient list.
I hope everyone has a very merry holiday with their families and loved ones, full of relaxation, laughter, full bellies and fuzzy heads. Thank you for another fantastic year. I'll meet you back here in 2012.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
E xo
Tasty Treats
1
1
Gift, One Winner
I hope everyone has a very merry holiday with their families and loved ones, full of relaxation, laughter, full bellies and fuzzy heads. Thank you for another fantastic year. I'll meet you back here in 2012.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
E xo
One Gift, One Winner
I know gift certificates can be impersonal gifts, but I can't exactly send you all an apron — I'd be sewing until next Christmas! So, as a thank you to all the lovely customers who bought handmade Dear Edna items this holiday, to all the readers who stuck it through all 12 of my 12 Days of Christmas posts, and to everyone who supported me and my business, morally or otherwsie, over the last year.... I'm giving each of you a chance to win a $50 gift certificate! That's one reversible apron, one men's apron + shipping, two personalized totes, one tote and one cosie... the list goes on. Haha!
To enter the contest, simply leave a comment below. Plus, if you mention Dear Edna and this giveaway on twitter or facebook, you will get another entry for each. The contest is open to everyone, in all locations; family and friends, don't be shy, this contest is a thank you for your love and encouragement too! The contest ends on December 31st at midnight and the winner will be announced here. If I do not hear back from the winner within 48 hours of the announcement, I will redraw.
Good luck!
2 Tasty Treats
I like to go to town in the baking department at Christmas. I think that's something I've picked up from my mother, but let's save that for therapy, shall we? This year I decided (at Mike's insistence), to limit myself to baking only four items and two new recipes. The good news: I finished all of my baking in one evening. The bad news: one of the new recipes was a bit of a disaster...
Salted Caramel Shortbread
I followed the recipe in the Feb/March issue of Readymade Magazine, but boy do I wish I had looked online first, as there are some major problems with the recipe. First of all, the shortbread dough would not hold together. I added butter to remedy the situation on the fly, but the end result was still pretty crumbly. Another problem, the caramel turned out much too runny. I boiled it a little longer than the 5 minutes recommended and hoped it would thicken when chilled, but it didn't. Caramel ooze everywhere! They were pretty difficult to cut into bars, for this reason. I only got one or two nice squares out of it. The rest looked like a natural disaster hit my pan. Finally, this recipe is super time-consuming: I baked at least 4 dozen other cookies in the time that I was making these 12 bars! All that being said, I agree with the many comments on the site that these are really "tasty little messes," so I think I'll give them another chance, with adjustments (included below).
Shortbread
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup less 1 heaping T icing sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
Salted Caramel
1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp crushed sea salt
Chocolate Topping
7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
Either mix the shortbread ingredients together in a food processor or do it the traditional way by sifting the flour, cornstarch, and icing sugar into a large bowl, adding the cubed butter, and using clean fingertips to rub together until a dough forms. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap; put dough in the fridge to rest for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare a 9-inch-square pan, lining the base and sides with a single piece of foil or parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon to flatten rested dough into pan.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork and bake for about 40–45 minutes, until light brown and starting to come away from the edges of the pan. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before you make the caramel.
To make the caramel, put the sugar and cream in a heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat. Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon as it comes to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the butter and stir. Bring the caramel back to a boil and let it bubble gently for 10 minutes or until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Take the caramel off the heat, add the salt, and stir vigorously to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed in. Then, working quickly, pour the caramel on top of the cooled shortbread. Put the pan in the fridge for at least 1 hour to cool and set.
Once the caramel has set, melt the chocolate following the instructions for tempering. Pour the melted chocolate on top of the caramel and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Allow the chocolate to set before lifting the shortbread out of the pan (using the foil or baking parchment) and cutting into squares with a hot knife. The squares will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Chocolate Creams
My second new recipe came from the book Marie Claire: Zesty and was much more forgiving than the above, thank goodness. Be forewarned, however, hey are very very rich, so you may want to dust them with icing sugar rather than the cocoa powder, as the recipe suggests, and I don't think they really need to be sandwiched. But what's done is done and they look cute. So grab a glass of milk and choke those suckers down, ok?
Cookies
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 T cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
heaping 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Chocolate Cream
2/3 cup chopped chocolate (I ran out of chocolate and used chocolate chips)
2 tbsp light whipping cream
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, then fold through the dry ingredients. Refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes or until just firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll into one-inch balls and place onto cookies sheets. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until firm. Cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
To make the chocolate cream, heat the chocolate and cream in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stick the bases of the cookies together with the chocolate cream and lightly dust with cocoa or icing sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 40 cookies (20 sandwiches).
Salted Caramel Shortbread
I followed the recipe in the Feb/March issue of Readymade Magazine, but boy do I wish I had looked online first, as there are some major problems with the recipe. First of all, the shortbread dough would not hold together. I added butter to remedy the situation on the fly, but the end result was still pretty crumbly. Another problem, the caramel turned out much too runny. I boiled it a little longer than the 5 minutes recommended and hoped it would thicken when chilled, but it didn't. Caramel ooze everywhere! They were pretty difficult to cut into bars, for this reason. I only got one or two nice squares out of it. The rest looked like a natural disaster hit my pan. Finally, this recipe is super time-consuming: I baked at least 4 dozen other cookies in the time that I was making these 12 bars! All that being said, I agree with the many comments on the site that these are really "tasty little messes," so I think I'll give them another chance, with adjustments (included below).
Shortbread
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup less 1 heaping T icing sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
Salted Caramel
1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp crushed sea salt
Chocolate Topping
7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
Either mix the shortbread ingredients together in a food processor or do it the traditional way by sifting the flour, cornstarch, and icing sugar into a large bowl, adding the cubed butter, and using clean fingertips to rub together until a dough forms. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap; put dough in the fridge to rest for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare a 9-inch-square pan, lining the base and sides with a single piece of foil or parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon to flatten rested dough into pan.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork and bake for about 40–45 minutes, until light brown and starting to come away from the edges of the pan. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before you make the caramel.
To make the caramel, put the sugar and cream in a heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat. Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon as it comes to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the butter and stir. Bring the caramel back to a boil and let it bubble gently for 10 minutes or until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Take the caramel off the heat, add the salt, and stir vigorously to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed in. Then, working quickly, pour the caramel on top of the cooled shortbread. Put the pan in the fridge for at least 1 hour to cool and set.
Once the caramel has set, melt the chocolate following the instructions for tempering. Pour the melted chocolate on top of the caramel and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Allow the chocolate to set before lifting the shortbread out of the pan (using the foil or baking parchment) and cutting into squares with a hot knife. The squares will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
My second new recipe came from the book Marie Claire: Zesty and was much more forgiving than the above, thank goodness. Be forewarned, however, hey are very very rich, so you may want to dust them with icing sugar rather than the cocoa powder, as the recipe suggests, and I don't think they really need to be sandwiched. But what's done is done and they look cute. So grab a glass of milk and choke those suckers down, ok?
Cookies
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 T cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
heaping 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Chocolate Cream
2/3 cup chopped chocolate (I ran out of chocolate and used chocolate chips)
2 tbsp light whipping cream
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, then fold through the dry ingredients. Refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes or until just firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll into one-inch balls and place onto cookies sheets. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until firm. Cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
To make the chocolate cream, heat the chocolate and cream in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stick the bases of the cookies together with the chocolate cream and lightly dust with cocoa or icing sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 40 cookies (20 sandwiches).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
Posts
