Browsing Tag

christmas

Homemade Vanilla Extract

The past couple of months I’ve found it hard to write a post without mentioning Paris. Truthfully I’m restraining myself because I could go on and on and I’m trying to space out my entries so as to not overwhelm. I compare myself to parents whom constantly show baby pictures. For being patient and understanding, I decided to give my friends a little token from my trip as a part of their holiday gifts. I made my own Tahitian vanilla extract with beans I brought home with me.

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Holidays at the Ferry Building

Here are some snapshots from my go-to Ferry Building spots all dressed up for the holidays. I enjoy going every week but something about Christmas time when throngs of people come to discover all these great vendors makes me all the more excited.

Farm Fresh To You twinkling with lights and colorful fruit displayed in front.

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Birch de Noel

I love the concept of a Buche de Noel (or Yule log).  The dessert is traditionally served during the holidays in France.  It is shaped like a freshly cut log and often decorated with meringue  mushrooms, berries, and rosemary sprigs to give it that wintery look.  I’ve recently been raving about Francois Payard’s version after seeing him make it on Bobby Flay’s Throwdown last year, but my fascination for yule logs goes back to a winter white version done by Martha Stewart.

 
Payard’s buche de noel                                          Martha Stewart’s birch de noel

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Sugar Sightings: Cupcakes & Castles in SF

I almost left my post-Thanksgiving shopping trip empty handed, but with my exceptional eye for anything sweet, I happily carried a bag with cupcakes back to my car.  I made a trip to San Francisco and after 4 hours of browsing I was bagless and was ready to give up.  While maneuvering out of the insanely busy Union Square, I spotted… cupcakes!

A girl was holding the most beautifully browned swirled S’more cupcake.  I walked 10 steps before turning around and asking where to get them.  That’s how I discovered Cako cupcakes.

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