Good Things by David

Pumpkins are everywhere now that it's Fall, and many of us are using them throughout our home as decor or attractive dinnerware, but have you ever made a cake in the shape of one?  Last week I decided to make my first pumpkin-shaped cake for a Halloween party as a surprise for guests, thinking it would be a piece of cake to do.  Well, it was and it wasn't. Pumpkin Shaped Cake on a Caramel Glass L.E. Smith Cake Stand The first order of business was to take out my pumpin-shaped cake mold out of storage, and get it ready for baking.  This wonderful, heavy cast-aluminum cake mold was produced exclusively for the Martha by Mail catalog many years ago, and I was fortunate to have purchased one when they were around.  I'm glad I finally decided to use it. Martha by Mail Pumpkin Cake Mold This past month I wrote a post about the mold providing all of you with the recipes and detailed instructions for making the MBM version, right from the rec...

Our November seems to have started off feeling more like late summer. Higher-than-normal temperatures and bright sunny skies have many of us out and about, but make no mistake, Fall is definitely upon us.  This month is all about planning, cooking and entertaining.  A flurry of activity awaits us in the following weeks, with the majority of us eagerly anticipating the Thanksgiving holiday.   The holiday gives us all a chance to be with loved ones under one roof, partaking of a delicious, warm dinner prepared by one or more individuals. However you celebrate this month and wherever you may be, let's not forget to be kind and thoughtful toward one another, and most importantly, to be thankful.  There is always something in our lives to be thankful for. Cheers! David

We all want to entertain with ease this Thanksgiving so that we can actually enjoy the company of our family and friends.  In order to accomplish this and avoid any mishaps or a day full of stress, having a to-do list mapped out in advance is a must for every host.  The easiest part is making up the guest list and trying to figure out who will actually show up.  The most challenging aspect for anyone hosting this dinner is the menu itself, with the numerous side dishes and the perfectly roasted, plump turkey as the main attraction. Perhaps the most fun thing to do, at least for me, is the table setting and the decorations that go into making this day memorable.  Now is the time to take out the best of the best and all of the season's finery to impress our guests, but whether one sets the table it in a modest way or in an over-the-top lavish way, it's best to establish a tone and mood based on who we're inviting.  No guest should e...

What is it about a foggy morning or afternoon that makes everything so tranquil and eerily quiet?  It's almost as if that thick blanket of fog gets placed over the landscape to hush everything in sight.  I like the rare occasions when a fog rolls into our area, because it creates a certain kind of atmosphere that is unlike any other.  Snowfalls do that to some extent, but a layer of fog is much more ephemeral. Taking those afternoon walks around our home while there's fog seems to heighten my awareness of sounds coming from the wildlife.  Yes, the weather is cooler and considerably more damp, and yet, it's just perfect for me.  With the hectic baking I've been doing these past few weeks and the preparations for those demos at Williams-Sonoma, nothing is more welcoming than a brief respite from the kitchen.  Photographing these moments to capture the ambience is a much needed diversion. Stroll through this place I call home and see what a foggy afternoo...

We all want to entertain with ease this Thanksgiving so that we can actually enjoy the company of our family and friends.  In order to accomplish this and avoid any mishaps or a day full of stress, having a to-do list mapped out a week in advance is a must for every host.  The easiest part is making up the guest list and trying to figure out who will actually show up.  The most challenging aspect for anyone hosting this dinner is the menu itself, with the numerous side dishes and the perfectly roasted, plump turkey as the main attraction.  Perhaps the most fun thing to do, at least for me, is the table setting and the decorations that go into making this day memorable.  Now is the time to take out the best of the best and all of the season's finery to impress our guests, but whether one sets the table it in a modest way or in an over-the-top lavish way, it's best to establish a tone and mood based on who we're inviting.  No guest s...

Collecting yellowware has been a passion of mine for a number of years now.  I can still remember purchasing my first bowl at an antique fair in Haddonfield, New Jersey over a decade ago.  It happened by chance, really.  As I was making my way through the stalls, looking over mismatched sets of jadeite, piles of old linens and whatnot, I noticed a vendor with a gigantic yellowware bowl.  The bowl beckoned me to give it a second look and that’s exactly what I did after making my rounds.  While negotiating the final price of this gem and thinking how I would integrate it into my home, I placed it in one of my canvas totes and walked home with it in tow.   What you must understand is that I have a penchant for bowls, mixing bowls that is.  When it comes to yellowware bowls, however, nothing brings the colors, tones and atmosphere of autumn into my kitchen like they do.  Over the years I have photographed a part of my collection here on Good Thin...