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Perfume Illuminated: Nasturtium

Nasturtiums at Giverny

                                                  Flavor: Nasturtium

 The home where I grew up had acres of lovely gardens and when I married and   able to buy my first home it was a small farm in Geauga County.  That first spring, eager to begin to live the sustainable lifestyle that I’d always dreamed of my husband and I planted fruit trees, masses of vegetables and  even a patch of asparagus. 5 years later our son Alex was born and together the three of us lived a fairly idyllic life until we moved back into the city 21 years later, choosing to rent an apartment because we weren’t sure what our next real move would be. I’d given up a life that I loved for the reality of caring for my aging parents and although I never regretted the choice I’m sure that you can imagine my dismay when spring came the following year and I had no place to plant even one tiny heirloom tomato. I found a  wee bit of unused earth  in the area behind our apartment building but was told that it needed to be kept landscaped ,which actually meant   only a lawn and completely devoid of all other flowers . Ick!  

 

That year not long after Easter  I walked into a bookstore and went longingly over to the gardening section.   I was simply browsing but then I saw a beautiful book on container gardening, something I’d never really tried before.   Suddenly a whole new world was opened up to me.  I had a beautiful but very small third floor patio with a southwestern exposure and when I say small it was literally no more than 8 feet long and perhaps 4 feet deep. But I was determined to find a way to have fresh tomatoes and basil that summer …nothing was going to stop me! I really didn’t know what I was doing which was probably a good thing because   if I had really followed the rules I would never have attempted to grow so many of the vegetables that I did. Determined to learn more and help pay for this new found hobby, I took a job at the local garden center doing what? Creating container gardens! I had a blast mixing all of the herbs and flowers to create gorgeous hayracks and window boxes that my customers loved.  The best part was that I was given free rein and I learned about all of the likes and dislikes of the plants in the process.

That was the first spring that I ever planted nasturtiums! I had met them before growing wild along the fence at my sisters home in La Jolla, giant orange and golden mutants of flowers that tasted sweet and peppery hot like the California sunshine that I taught my son to enjoy simply because he could have a wild snack whenever he passed them by!  The  nasturtiums that I planted cooperated happily and transformed that  little balcony into an abundant garden that helped feed us incredible salads all summer long. I lined the railing with flower boxes and planted all of my herbs in them and masses of nasturtiums   both yellow and gold.  I grew lettuces all along the bottom of the railing in boxes until they bolted with the summer heat. I had hanging baskets of strawberries and cherry tomatoes and I grew paste tomatoes for sauce by planting them against the metal railing and using the rails for support.  I grew beans by running them up an old bakers rack that I was using for potting supplies and I used every bit of ceiling space that I had for flower baskets. I even grew a blueberry bush in one of my containers.   It was an amazing experiment and I couldn’t believe just how much food I was able to grow in that small space. The fun continued when I woke up one morning to find sunflowers beginning to grow in several of my containers. I didn’t plant them myself, so I can only assume that they were a gift from the Mourning Doves that used one of the unplanted clay pots to nest in. 

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 That was the year that I learned that no matter what and no matter where I found myself, I could feed my family easily. My husband and I spent evening after evening sitting with glasses of wine on that tiny porch while we ate fresh salads and bowls of  pasta topped with tangy farmers cheese that I made myself from raw goats milk, and nasturtiums and pesto that came from the many varieties of basil that I grew in my containers.  Summer came and went, but not without gifting me with lots of herbs,   the occasional tomato through autumn and when Thanksgiving finally arrived I was still able to pick fresh sage  for my chestnut stuffing and fresh Nasturtiums for my salad! Believe me when I say that I was more delighted with that small harvest than I ever was with the large gardens that I left behind.

Extremely high in Vitamin C and used by many herbalists as a natural blood cleanser  and antibiotic, Nasturtiums are so easy to grow in containers and if you plant some you’ll be rewarded with more beautiful flowers than you’ll know what to do with so here are some really simple suggestions! Take a wedge of Boursin or any other herb filled soft cheese and cream it even more with a bit of butter and half and half. You can even add some finely minced nasturtium petals for flavor and color! Put the mixture into a piping bag and pipe just a bit into the center of a nasturtium blossom for a wonderful hor d’ oeuvre. Make sure before you fill them that you’ve checked each blossom  for bugs! If you’ve grown them organically you won’t need to worry about washing them which is better anyhow because the flavor IS better. Just dust them off with a soft vegetable brush and use.

You already know that I love to use them in  green salads, but they are also incredibly delicious chopped into egg salad with fresh chives and a bit of apple and curry. I’ve also used the same mixture for deviled eggs and I love to add currants and sliced almonds for a satisfying sweet/ spicy flavor!

I also love to make a  dipping sauce for fresh asparagus and artichokes using mayonnaise (Hellmans please) or Vegannaise as the base. Put about a cup of it into the blender and add fresh lemon juice , a bit of  Braggs liquid amino acids (like soy sauce without the soy!) and lots of fresh herbs and nasturtium flowers. Blend it all up and serve!

Nasturtium buds are delicious also and you could pickle them like they do in  South America or just toss them straight into your salads. Just be sure to pick the young green ones because as they get older they will be too hard to eat. They are wonderful, peppery like the flowers but with a very satisfying crunch. Nasturtium leaves are edible as well and tossed into a wonderful salad with some fresh dandelion , violet leaves and chickweed make a wonderful wild salad that is rich with minerals , vitamins and sunshine.  Speaking of salads, you can make a wonderful nasturtium vinegar by heating some white wine vinegar to almost a boil and then adding lots of the blossoms and letting them steep for a few days. Your vinegar will be colored depending upon which color flowers you use, but I find that the bright red makes the loveliest vinegar. Decant into clear bottles and enjoy  the warm peppery flavor all year round !

One of my favorite recipes for soup is a wonderful gazpacho that I make with fresh tomatoes, pineapple, cucumber onions, garlic ,about 4 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, Green , red and gold peppers, a bit of smoky chipotle, about a cup and a half of fresh almonds and nasturtium blossoms.  Place all of the ingredients (you decide how much of each you'd like!) into a blender with about 1 cup of half and half and two cups of water and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives, goat cheese , fresh basil and enjoy!

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Nasturtiums grown in containers don’t like to have their feet too wet and they will enjoy  being fed with a time release fertilizer like Osmocote at least once every month. For containers choose the trailing variety and give them a space where they can stretch their legs and get really bushy and blossom-full!

You'll enjoy them all summer and if you have a wonderfully sunny exposure you'll probably have some blooms through autumn.


Perfume Illuminated: Mimosa

             Mimosa
                                                             

This weeks  Perfume Illuminated features the delicate and fragrant Mimosa  and though for my end of things there is no real flavor connection, there are many wonderful memories and some truly delicious cocktails that come along with them! When you're done here, make sure that you float on your long stemmed glass of bubbly over to Roxana's Illuminated Journal to read what she has to say about the Mimosa : Fragrance! I know that you'll love

 Flavor: Mimosa

It's Mothers Day and what better cocktail to enjoy on such a day than a delicious mimosa! Ever since I was a little girl I've loved them  ( yes, my fabulous and very worldly mother let me enjoy  a little one even then!) and from my first sip at my brothers graduation brunch at Brennans in New Orleans I was hooked on that combination of fresh juice and great champagne. To this day there is nothing that says celebration to me quite as much as a Mimosa, not even a Bellini, that luscious combination of peach juice and champagne which I love but doesn't conjure up the same lovely gardenia soaked memories! My mother and I traveled together several times a year for business and often we'd start the day with a Grand Mimosa at the Ritz Carlton or sometimes if the day was too busy we'd wait until tea. She loved the Mimosas with Chambord served at the restaurant on the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman and she adored drinking them at breakfast while sitting by the window in the Park Lane Hotel restaurant.  She really was so much fun to travel with! I'll never forget the time that we were in Atlanta and she hired a carriage driver to take us from our hotel to the restaurant where we were having our dinner simply because she thought that it would be so much fun! She loved to enjoy her life, even in the later years when it all got a bit tougher and she never missed an opportunity to enjoy a party or a glass of wonderful champagne! 

             New YOrk Program 

 

 

Although my mother died in August of 2008 my taste for Mimosa's did not, because for the last two years my niece Kacy and I have gone  to New York City in October  for the Food Network Food and Wine Festival. I'll never forget  when she called me.....I was sitting in my mother's hospital room where she lay in a deep coma and my cell phone rang. "Aunt Bethie .....guess what! I know what we should do.There's  this food festival in New York in October and after Grandma dies you're going to need something to look forward too, so we're going!"  I couldn't say no...not with my mother laying there! She would have never passed it up!

That weekend turned out to be a dream come true...one my favorite cities enjoyed with one of my favorite people, in fact possibly the only other person that I know who loves the glamourous aspects of New York City as much as my mother and I did ! It's a wonderfully madcap weekend , filled with fabulous New York Parties, incredible food and more alcohol, wine and champagne than anyone should ever drink. There's a million opportunities to meet your favorite Food Network stars (and aren't they the only ones that count these days!) and last year Paula Deen even invited the two of us to be her honorary daughter and grand daughter. Nigella was there , Ina and Anthony too and Kacy and I just have the best time experiencing it all together. We act like ridiculous food groupies and since my mother died it's become our favorite time to spend together! We spend the entire weekend shopping and eating, flirting,drinking and bonding. We exercise every food demon that we are possessed by and thank goodness for those darling yellow cabs.....

 Kacy and Beth 

 My niece and I share the sensibility that there is absolutely no excuse deny oneself an extraordinary glass of  Champagne! Last year we discovered the Mimosa's at Sarabeth's, the delightful brunch restaurant three steps away from our door at The Park Lane. They were absolutely delicious in the traditional sense, made with champagne and freshly squeezed orange and blood orange juices and absolutely perfect with my Eggs Benedict and her eggs with smoked salmon. The whole feast was made even better by the fact that we were sitting outside practically on the street right next to the Central Park watching the carriages come and go and enjoying the NYC fashion parade on their way up to 5th. We ate and drank and then of course we went shopping to exercise the whole thing off! That evening was the Grande Dessert Party sponsored by Duff of the Ace of Cakes , Perrier Jouet and Gilbeys Gin. What a feast...freeflowing Champagne and desserts  everywhere from the finest pastry chefs in the city. Kacy's boyfriend joined us and we ate, drank and laughed until the early hours when I took my cab back happily to my hotel and fell into bed, but not without first a bit of room service to nullify the effects of all of that      Perrier Jouet 


         romservice 

 

The next day was Sunday so I spent wandering the streets of the the city just taking it all in. Before I flew out, I stopped at The Champagne Bar at The Plaza to have one final Champagne cocktail. The Champagne Bar at the Plaza is a gorgeous, intimate affair, with a marvelous menu of bubbly by the glass and divine green velvet "affaire de coeur" chairs to sip it in. As I sat there truly relaxed and enjoying myself after such a satisfying weekend, I felt the presence of my mother sitting across from me, smiling and just drinking it all in.  

        PLZ223_Champagne_Bar 

 A perfectly mixed, traditional Mimosa generally consists of freshly squeezed orange juice and champagne. Actually if you want to be precise, it's about 2 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice in a flute champagne glass and then you'll fill the rest of the glass with Champagne.  But if you want to drink my mother's favorite, here is the recipe. I love giving away her secrets because she was so much fun! If she was still with us today, I'd have brought this to her already with one of the Bluebells from her garden that she loved so much.

You'll need one perfect long stemmed flute champagne,  a bottle of well chilled Taittinger and some freshly squeezed orange juice, preferably a mixture of blood orange and navel oranges. 

Pour about 1 and a half ounces of the juice into the glass and add a dash of orange flower water, a dash of Chambord and a couple of tablespoons of Grand Marnier into which you've muddled some very fresh, juicy raspberries. Fill the rest of the glass with the champagne (be careful not to overfill!) and enjoy. 

                 Happy Mothers Day Mom! I always miss you, but today I miss you more .......

All photographs belong to Beth Schreibman Gehring except for the Plaza Hotel, which is courtesy of The Champagne Bar at The Plaza Hotel!




French Chocolate Bark for Yule!

Last night after my niece taunted me with descriptions of her French Christmas Bark I finally broke down and decided to make some for myself. It turned out to be the easiest thing in the world. I looked at Ina Garten's recipe which was very simple and then doctored it to my tastes! Chopping the chocolate was the most time consuming part! 

You will need:

1 9 ounce bar of bittersweet chocolate - chopped

1 9 ounce bar of Semi- sweet chocolate- chopped

(Treat yourself and use really good chocolate! It does make a difference!)

1 cup of candied ginger - chopped

1 cup of chopped dried mango

1 cup of salted, shelled pistachios

1 cup of dried cherries

Gold  and/ or silver sanding sugar

Ok...heres the hardest part! Melt the chocolate in a microwave set at 50 % heat . When about half to 3/4's of it is melted take it out of the microwave and stir with a spatula until the rest has melted. Thats it! One thing to remember is to  not let one drop of water anywhere near it or the chocolate will seize up into a funny ball. Lay a piece of parchment onto a baking sheet and pour the chocolate onto it, smoothing it into a rectangle. Artistically and abundantly drop all of the fruits and nuts onto the bark and dust it with the sanding sugar. My niece adamantly says to use gold leaf,  which I'm sure is lovely but I liked the additional texture that the sanding sugar added!  Let it chill until solid and break it up into pretty shard like pieces!  Ina uses cashews and apricots, but I loved the spiciness of the ginger and the salted cashews and mango makes it a bit like a fleur de sel caramel! I'm thinking of using a modified version of this as the bark frosting for my Yule log this year!

I am going make a dark and white version tonight with peppermint and probably one with pecans and  a spun sugar drizzle.......I'll let you know how they work! I'm addicted to chocolate so the combinations seem to be endless!

Christmas French Bark

Christmas French Bark

Christmas French Bark

Christmas French Bark


Tips for Preparing for an Extra Special Holiday Season!



Williamsburg
2009rbplatedbell 


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 I love the colorful drama of Autumn, but when the last pumpkin is carved and the candy corn all gone, I begin think about the daunting task of planning for the holiday season that lies ahead. Even for someone like me who has spent their entire life in the business of making dreams come true, planning endless parties and events can be a pretty intimidating assignment! I get asked all of the time for ideas to help create a wonderful holiday for family and friends while enduring the frantic pace of everyday life!

One of the most important things that I have learned is that great holidays don’t just happen unless you plan for them!  I’ve discovered over the years that few are really comfortable expressing their needs around the holidays. My job is to help you do that with ease so that when the last present is unwrapped and the last glass of champagne poured you are completely satisfied!   All it really takes is the mastery of 2 very simple tools!

One of my favorite ways to have fun is to sit down at the beginning of the season with a blank sketchbook, lots of colored pens and a huge stack of magazines.  Relax for a moment and then begin to write down your ideas .  Are there any friends who you’d like to invite over for cocktails? Christmas cards or a tree trimming  party? Maybe you’ve always wanted to have a traditional Parisian Christmas eve or a black tie New Years?  Don’t forget to include at least one fabulous holiday concert at Severance Hall!  Be sure to come down pre-concert to the Smith lobby to say hello!  I’ll be down there every weekend until Christmas selling  the WCCO Silver Bells!  
 When you’re ready, cut out pictures that appeal to you  and glue them onto the pages of your workbook. Take the markers and make notes about the things that you love about those images!
 I encourage you to do this at first without thinking about budget, because I promise you that there’s a way to make almost any dream come true at  any price. That’s because once you begin to see your holiday take shape on those pages almost everything that you choose to do will begin to reflect your desires.  When you’re done dreaming break out your calendar and choose the dates for each of your activities, even card sending and cookie baking! 

 Next, become a really great list maker! I resisted doing this for years, but I’ve learned the power that a simple list made early in the season has to help you achieve your holiday goals!  Start with menus, card and gift lists. This makes shopping much easier and creates a template for your life over the next 2 months that will help you live happily and with as little stress as possible. Remember too that the most precious currency that you can share is the gift of your time. All of the gifts, delicious food , music and glitter are simply the stage that we’ve set for you and your family to create wonderful memories together and never once in all of my years spent selling very precious gifts at Schreibman’s did I ever eclipse the gift of time .

You have my promise that when the tree has finally come down and the last bit of tinsel is swept away, that’s the present you’ll remember the most. 

My gift to you next month? A  special holiday recipe from my mother’s collection!

Wishing you and yours an endless abundance of holiday sweetness....

Beth Schreibman Gehring
 

 The Womens Committee of the Cleveland Orchestra- Silver Bells


Ho Ho Ho! It's time for The Windesphere Witch Fruitcake recipe contest!

Fruitcake
Everybody has an opinion about fruitcake! Some hate it and just as many love it! My mother's recipe for fruitcake was amazing, filled with bourbon soaked fruit and pecans with just enough cake to hold it together and soaked for weeks with more of the bourbon. This year I'm going to mix it up a bit and soak them with Navan, a  wonderful vanilla flavored cognac and It should be delightful! I'll post it as soon as I can retype it....over the years it's gotten a bit sticky!

There have been many requests to share fruitcake recipes on my facebook page so I decided to spice things  up a bit! If you submit your favorite recipe  to me by email ,I'll post them here as I receive them for all to share! Just send your recipe to me at  [email protected]  by 11:59 the 30th of November, and as a bonus I'll put your names into my Santa's cap and  pull one out! The lucky  winner will receive a 50.00 gift card from Williams Sonoma as an early Christmas gift from me!

Here is a video recipe for a delicious fruitcake infused brandy to get you started!  



 Photograph courtesy of PuddinHill.com

Video courtesy of how2heroes


Spicy Magic Pumpkin Mousse!

 I adore pumpkins ( what Autumn lover doesn't!) and am always looking for wonderful ways to serve them. Aside from being positively sunny and gorgeous as well as totally tasty, pumpkins are SO good for you, loaded as they are with beta carotene and tons of healthy fiber! 

So last night during a positively wicked  moment of craving I threw together this dessert! We were having a very spicy chili for dinner studded with chicken and butternut squash and I really was wanting a bit of sweetness at the end of the meal. I think that this came out so well that I'm going to make it for Thanksgiving Dinner! If you are sensitive to soy you can substitute bananas or avocados for the tofu. It will still be delicious, just quite a bit fruitier!

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 To make my Spicy Magic Pumpkin Mousse  you will need:

1 10 oz package Silken tofu (Soft)

1/2 cup Maple syrup, Agave Nectar or Caramel
  1 cup of Coconut milk (reserve can to add more if needed)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon -- ground
1/4 tsp Ginger

1/4 teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of All Spice
1 Pinch Ground Cloves

2 heaping tablespoons of sweetened cocoa
1 Pinch Salt
2 cups of  pumpkin pie spiced  canned pumpkin

1/2 cup of raw pecans- crushed

2 tablespoons of brandy

1/4 teaspoon of good vanilla extract

1   cup of roasted sweet potato (1 small sweet potato)
6 Cinnamon Rugalach or Ginger Cookies -Crushed 

All you will need to do is put all of these ingredients in a very good blender and blend until very smooth. Add more of the coconut milk if it's too thick.

Pour into a pretty crystal bowl , individual bowls or a pie shell and refrigerate. Top with a dollop of whipped cream or soy cream and shaved chocolate or what my friend Bethane calls "Magic Maple Crystals", as shown here. 

Magic Maple Crystals are a simply wonderful blend of excellent Vietnamese Cinnamon, white sugar and maple sugar  all powdered fine in a coffee grinder and sprinkled delightfully over anything or anyone that you love!  

This is delicious on its own , but I think that it would also make a pretty incredible trifle or an excellent vegan pumpkin pie!

Make a very good wish, serve to that about to be enchanted someone and enjoy!



 


Merry Witches Brew - My favorite love spell!

Every good witch has her own favorite brew and I think that there's no better time to serve it than the merry month of October, when the winds are getting crisper and there's always a bit of a damp chill in the air. I love this time of year when all the ingredients of my favorite brew literally jump into my cauldron fresh from the market. For me, the obvious first ingredient is fresh apple cider, so abundant at this time of year. I'm lucky enough to have several "pick your own" pumpkin and apple farms very close to me and they have their own cider presses. If you've never experienced the making of fresh cider, make this the year that you finally do. The smell of the press as it mashes the fresh sweet apples into fresh cider is absolutely intoxicating. Grab a caramel apple and a gallon of fresh cider, go home and make this brew. The left overs are easily refrigerated and will keep you very warm during theses changing autumn days!

First things first! Make several pomanders using some of the smaller apples that you've picked as the base. You'll do this by taking the apples and studding them with cloves in all manner of beautiful patterns. While you're doing this create patterns that you love  and use them as a simple spell to make a very good wish for a safe, abundant and love filled New Year. Then do the same with several small seedless oranges and set them aside. Use as many cloves as you wish, because the fragrance will be absolutely intoxicating!

Then in your favorite cauldron (I used to make this one in a cast iron pot on top of my wood burning stove when I lived in the country) add 1 gallon of freshly pressed cider, 2 cups of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of fresh powdered cinnamon, about 5 large cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon of good vanilla extract and 1/2 a teaspoon of fresh nutmeg, 3 tablespoon of dried or fresh rose petals (from your garden if you have them) and the pomanders. Bring this all to a lovely rolling boil and then turn down the heat. Add 1 bottle of very good red wine and about 2 and a half cups of dark spiced rum and then stir in one stick of salted organic butter.   Keep this hot but not boiling and serve happily and carefully as this is one potent brew!

Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Sorceress2
 

Painting by John WIlliam Waterhouse


Enchanted Pumpkin Soup!

Every autumn, this is the soup that I make when I want to begin a meal with a rich harvest flavour. It can be served many different ways, but in my mind, it looks just wonderful in a Armetale or other pewter type bowl styles reminiscent of Colonial Williamsburg! I've also served this many times in a large hollowed out pumpkin that has been gilded with edible silver or gold leaf. It's a very easy trick, and you can find the edible leaf along with the directions for it's application in a good craft store where they have a baking section.


This recipe is actually very simple, and the ingredients are readily available ,  warning though, this one isn't for anyone on a low cholesterol eating plan!
Take a chunk of excellent butter and melt it in a soup pot. Add several chopped spanish onions and a shallot or two! Saute the onions until they are translucent and add 3 large cans of cooked pumpkin and several quarts of really good chicken stock. Bring the whole of it to a simmer and let the flavours brew! The magical ingredient here is chunky peanut butter!!!!!! I whisk in a cup of it or even more depending upon the taste. After it has simmered for about 20 minutes, stir in a quart of organic half and half. I always use organic milk or cream if possible because I've discovered that the texture is much finer and the taste is just that much better. 

Add salt and pepper to taste and about a tablespoon of good curry powder or pumpkin pie spice if you like it! You can also add a 1/4 of a cup of Calvado's (an apple brandy) if you'd like. I've also made this soup with butternut squash, halved and roasted with butter,olive oil,cinnamon and a bit of real maple syrup. I usually roast about 4 large acorn squash to get the amount of pulp that I need. The canned squash just doesn't seem to have the nutty flavour that the roasted does and the texture is exquisite. Making this will take some extra time, but I promise you that it's worth it. A lovely glass of wine and a bit of cheese while you're waiting should make the task really bearable, let alone the aroma of the roasting squash!


This soup will stand alone as a meal with a tossed salad with some ripe pear, pecans and warm camembert cheese or as a starter for a wonderful roasted pork tenderloin. I've also served it with grilled gruyere cheese and apple sandwiches.  A Black and Tan (that delectable combination of Guinness Stout and Bass Pale Ale) or some sparkling apple cider would be very satisfying with this soup especially if you served it in a frosty pewter mug! The entire collection of Armetale serving pieces is available online at http://www.wiltonarmetale.com

Jack-o-lanterns-l
 

Photo Courtesy of Southern Living


Girls Night Out!

I love folk art and this particular piece definitely suits the spirit of the season! It's called "Girls Night Out" and it was painted by an artist names Will Moses whose link I've attached here. I love this painting of these frolicsome witches and their cats casting their magic into the cauldron under the light of the full moon!  Will has many other wonderful seasonal pieces but I was especially bewitched by the Halloween note cards that he's created which you'll  find  on his site! 

While I was searching for Will's work I came across another fabulous Halloween site that I'd love to share with you. It's called  Yankee Halloween  and they've got everything that you need to create the spookiest All Hallows party ever! They carry the full line of Will Moses's work including his utterly wonderful Sleepy Hollow jigsaw puzzles that will be perfect entertainment for the whole family , sitting by the fire on a chilly autumn evening!  

While you're putting together that Jigsaw puzzle, how about a hot applejack toddy? Just take some fresh apple cider and put it in a saucepan, add a bit of maple syrup to taste, a liberal dusting of fresh cinnamon and a jigger or two of Lairds Applejack . Heat until just beginning a boil, pour into a warmed mug, add a dollop of fresh butter or freshly whipped cream, a cinnamon stick and enjoy!

Girls night out
Will Moses Folk Art





"Welcome the Spirits this Halloween!"

Some emails are too great to not pass on! The press release below was sent directly to me from the bewitching Katrina Taft at  SKYY vodkas and is definitely one to share! These recipes for Halloween cocktails from SKYY Infusions are  very enchanting indeed!  If you haven't tried SKYY infusions yet, beware for they are potent and absolutely delicious! I've tried many different infusion vodkas but have never been satisfied until I met these/ They are great , infused with natural flavors and there is none of that strange artificially fruity taste that you get with so many other vodkas. SKYY Infusions come in Citrus, Passion Fruit, Raspberry, Grape , Pineapple and Cherry and are are wonderful by themselves over ice over ice or mixed into any beguiling manner of cocktail!  I've posted the recipes below  for your enjoyment!

Picnik collage



"Even if you choose not to wear a costume this Halloween, the holiday for all things sinfully sweet and “creepy, crawly” serves as the perfect occasion to dress up your cocktails.  Simple drinks turn festive with the use of fun cocktail glasses and gory garnishes; all designed to bring out the frightful fun of Halloween, with a sophisticated twist.  So while you may be tempted to partake in some of the more traditional Halloween activities such as bobbing for apples and pumpkin carving, we all know that there is only one way to really drink in the spooky spirit of the season!  
 
This year, All Natural SKYY Infusions are serving up a truly bewitching cocktail menu, featuring the line of fresh fruit-infused vodkas that offer an unrivaled true-to-fruit taste year round.  Each inspired by one of the many hallowed Halloween traditions, these SKYY Infusions cocktails will help you get into the spirit of Halloween, whether you’re in a packed house or with a few friends at home.  To add a bit of glamour to your regular Halloween celebrations, try mixing up some of the sweet treats below – no tricks necessary."  
  

Jack-O-Lantern

2 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus
1 oz. Mango Nectar or Juice
0.5 oz. Orange Juice
0.5 oz. Fresh Sour*
 
Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously and pour into a goblet glass and garnish with a slice of orange and a mint leaf laid flat on top.
*Combine 0.25 oz fresh lime juice and 0.75 oz simple syrup.
 
 

Vampire’s Elixir

1.5 oz.  SKYY Infusions Raspberry
.75 oz.   White Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz.    Half and Half
Strawberry Syrup
 
Dress strawberry syrup on the inside and rim of a chilled martini glass.  Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass.  Garnish with vampire teeth.

 


 


Black Widow

1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Raspberry
0.5 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Pomegranate Juice
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice
Raspberry Syrup
 
Draw a spider web on the inside of a chilled martini glass with raspberry syrup.  Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into chilled martini glass.  Garnish with plastic spider.




Red Zombie

1.5 oz. SKYY Vodka

3 oz. Tomato Juice

0.5 tsp. Finely Grated Horseradish

1 tsp. Barbeque Sauce

3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce

3 Dashes Tabasco Sauce

0.5 tsp. Finely Chopped Chipotle en Adobo

Pinch of Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Generous Squeeze of Lemon Juice

Pinch of Celery Seeds

1 Celery Stick

2 Large Green Olives

2 Lychee Fruits



Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass.  Garnish with green eye balls, laid across the rim of the glass*.

*Cut the end of a stalk of celery so it measures 5-6 inches long and split the stick in half lengthwise.  Slide the green olives into two lychee fruits to make eye balls and push the thin celery stick through both as garnish.


Wicked Witch Apple Punch

1 750 ml bottle SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
1 750 ml bottle Sparkling Apple Cider
1 64 oz. bottle Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 Liter Ginger Ale
2 cups Pineapple Juice
Red Apple Slices
 
Combine all ingredients in a large black witch’s cauldron with ice and stir.  Garnish with large slices of red apple floating on top and dry ice.