Good Things by David

Perfect for lunch or dinner, Larchago's 2015 Rosé from Spain's Rioja region is such an easy summer sip.  I love Spanish wines made from tempranillo grapes, so it's no surprise that I find this 100% tempranillo rosé to be worthy of keeping in stock for summer entertaining. Its rich salmon color hints at the notes of fresh raspberries and strawberries. Furthermore, its low acidity makes it suitable for hors d'oeuvres, such as canapés, antipasti and cheeses.  Enjoy a glass or two of this flavorful wine at your Fourth of July gathering or simply because you feel like having some rosé this summer.  You might as well pick up a second bottle to keep on hand because it is a good bargain, and a lovely vintage. Enjoy!

It's one of my favorite times of the year.  Whenever I look at the calendar and realize that the Fourth of July is approaching, I long to make sugar cookies in the colors of our nation's flag.  I've made several different designs of iced cookies in the past showcasing our red, white and blue, but nothing beats making flag cookies. Having a variety of star spangled banner cookies for your Independence Day celebration, is a great way to usher in the summer holiday.  I love the way they look on white cake stands, such as these from my milk glass collection. While going through my cookie cutter sets, I immediately reached for some from Martha by Mail that I had never used before.  The large Flag & Shield cookie cutters are great for making generously-sized cookies, but you have to be careful with the flag's pole.  It has a tendency to break off when releasing the cookies onto lined baking sheets (if it does, simply wedge it back into place before bak

The highly collectible Seashore Cookie Cutters from the former Martha by Mail catalog are ideal for making sugar cookies this summer.  Manufactured from solid copper, the set of five cookie cutters were inspired by images of the beach. The cutters range in size from 3-1/2" to 5-1/2", and come in the shapes of a starfish, a scallop shell, a horn shell, a crab and a conch shell. Make some seashore cookies as part of a summer project for the kids.  Let them read all about the types of shells that one can hunt for on the beach, and then decorate some baked and cooled sugar cookies with colorful royal icing and sanding sugars.  Pack some to take to the beach as a treat! Starfish, Scallop Shell, Horn Shell, Crab and Conch Shell. As always, the Martha by Mail sets of cookie cutters came with their very own decorating card, complete with instructions.  The text below is from the back of the decorating card. Decorating Seashore Cookies Use these guidelines and our &q

Martha Stewart led an intimate tour of her former Westport, Connecticut home and gardens for a few of my friends this past weekend.  From the photographs I've seen of that special day, it was an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime by those who were in attendance.  As much as I regret not going to this momentous occasion, my friends were kind enough to allow me to share their amazing photographs here on the blog. Let's take a tour of Turkey Hill with Martha Stewart and a few of my friends. Without the kindness of Jeffrey Reed, Dennis Landon, Darrin David, Anthony Picozzi and Colin Eastland, this post would not be possible.  It must also be stated that the fundraising event was graciously hosted by the current owners of Turkey Hill, the Bergs. Many thanks to the Berg family for opening up the property. Turkey Hill is the Federal style home that was purchased, renovated and landscaped by Martha Stewart and her then husband, Andy, back in 1970.  It was he