A Yummy Pairing for a Creepy Evening

Saturday night was a chilly, dark evening- and with only a few days remaining until Halloween, was the perfect time for a horror classics viewing with the projector. I'm not much one for gore, so the Evil Dead sent me blanket diving, but Psycho was just the right dose of eerie surprise. I believe that Norman Bates might just become part of the Halloween season tradition. It really doesn't get better than Hitchcock.

What will also become part of the traditions is this little baker and a funky butter/compote (a different one every year? I think so!). Chris said, and I quote, upon eating baked goat cheese for the first time, "I think I like goat cheese now." That's a pretty strong testimony. 

Petite Maison Goat-cheese Baker - $17.50
Braswell's Pumpkin Butter - $9.00

Opening up the box was a pleasant surprise. The quality of the porcelain was so fine, I knew from the get-go it was going to be easy clean-up and the sweet little bamboo spreader that it came with added a very classic touch. I can't imagine an easier people pleaser, as well as an aesthete's serving delight. No prep necessary, just pop to the shops, buy a brick of goat cheese (about $7), pre-heat the oven to 350, and then toss the goat cheese in. Leave it for 15 minutes, while you work on cooking dinner, or make up some tea and cocoa, take it out, and it is ready to enjoy. No fuss. We paired it with the Braswell's pumpkin butter from the shop and it was an incredible combination. Not to mention, Braswell's products are sold in beautiful, reusable European glass-ware.

Into the oven with you!

No prep necessary, just pop to the shops, buy a brick of goat cheese (about $7), pre-heat the oven to 350, and then toss the goat cheese in. Leave it for 15 minutes, while you work on cooking dinner, or make up some tea and cocoa, take it out, and it is ready to enjoy. We paired it with the Braswell's pumpkin butter from the shop and it was an incredible combination.

I'll duel for the pumpkin butter.

Chris gives his approval!

Charlie-dog gives his approval, too!

Tummies full of delicious things and Mexican spiced hot chocolates in hand, we hit the couch for an evening of sophisticated horror movie watching- peppered with plenty of completely undignified squealing on my part. I will certainly be using the baker again. Easy enough for a move night, but sophisticated and lovely enough for a wedding or dinner party, it's going to see a lot of use in the years to come.

Home-made crostini was the perfect base!

Pancakes for the Soul

The kitchen is a sacred space in our house and it falls under the delicious rule of my mother. The incredible creations that she brings to life there have long enchanted house-guests and the spoiled tummies of family members, alike. Needless to say, stepping into her culinary shoes can be intimidating, but for her birthday, that is exactly what the gentleman and I did. 

Fowler's Mill Buttermilk Pancake Mix - $6.50
Noble Handcrafted Maple Syrup - $4
Acorn Cookie Cutter - $2.50

I ransacked Pickwick's for some fun things to bring to the table, and found everything I needed short of the griddle. While my mother certainly appreciated the little acorn touch to the pancakes, I really picked it up because several pairs of little hands have recently been added to the eaters in the household. It wasn't Mickey Mouse pancakes, but they were all old enough to recognize the shapes and it made the size of the pancakes perfectly kid-sized. As for maple syrups, the adults all voted for the bourbon barrel-aged option, while the kids got vanilla-chamomile.

Action shot!

No lumps allowed

Chris D'Amore, the multi-talented,
took pictures AND flipped pancakes.

After a spirited debate over the benefits of using egg-whites over yolks, the goodness of the buttermilk mix covered a multitude of our inexperienced cooking sins. I stood way back for the flipping process, but there were few casualties of war.

The many shades of success

Baby pancakes!

One of Mr Jones' favorite maxims: "Waste not"

Chris enjoys the fruits (and nuts) of his labors.

So many choices? Banana or pancake? Banana or pancake?

The final verdict was four out of four smiles from the itty-bitties and one glowing one of approval from my mother. The entire acorn-shaped morning was one that I will always remember. In the rush and bustle of life, there is nothing that can measure up to the healing power of taking a minute to make some pancakes and sit down and enjoy them with the people you love.