Good Things by David

I came across a vintage Wilton Yearbook the other day while going through my cookbooks, so I sat down to peruse its pages and reminisce.  Everything in that catalog was instantly familiar to me because I clearly remember my mother having so many of these products at home.  For the various birthdays, christenings, weddings, first communions & other special occasions that mother was always baking for, she heavily relied on Wilton to get her through these projects.  Early in her marriage, mom decided to take lessons from a Wilton School instructor at one of the local cake decorating stores.  She quickly learned how to bake & decorate like a professional.  Along with a dear neighbor ( I have to get a recipe I remember fondly from this neighbor soon !), the duo became quite the neighborhood sensations with their many creations and baked goods while we were growing up.  The many school activities and holidays that...

Baking and icing cookies in the shapes of beautiful garden bugs is a sweet way to usher in spring.  From the former Martha by Mail catalog, the quartet of copper cookie cutters were hand made by  a  talented American coppersmith.  Ranging in size from 3" to 6", a fluttering Luna Moth, an industrious Honey Bee, the tiniest of Lady Bugs (or beetle) and a large Dragonfly allow for plenty of decorating space.  Aside from the charming shapes & decorating possibilities, I love the handcrafted qualities found in these particular cookie cutters, because they make each one unique & special.  The cutters can be used to make cookies for a child's birthday party in the spring or summer, a garden party for friends or to treat that special aficionado of insects in your life.  Take a closer look at these cookie cutters & decorating ideas from  Martha by Mail, and get inspired this season!  "Ce...

Cutting a few snowdrops and bringing them indoors to make diminutive arrangements is such a pleasure for me.  As much as I would like it to be so, I'm not one to have cut flowers in my home at all times.  Just about any flower is beautiful in my opinion.  When I go through books, photographs, magazines & other media that have to do with the home, I always look out for the flower arrangements.  Large flowers are beautiful to look at, but tiny flowers always manage to capture my eye. Snowdrops have such an austere beauty that I can't help but smile whenever I see them.  As I just showed you in a previous post, these flowers are everywhere right now along our driveway and around the house, so I don't feel too guilty snipping a few to enjoy.  I like to perk up my kitchen or dining table this time of year with some snowdrops, because they add to the visual & bring about a subtle perfume to my surroundings.  L...

This morning is a glorious one that promises to be sunny & warm, so we welcome the change from the cold & cloudy weather we've been having.  A month ago I was very worried because I had noticed many of the daffodil bulbs shooting out way before they should have.  Some of my other friends on the east coast had expressed the same concern, yet we were hopeful that they would survive.  I think now that winter's chill is behind us, we can look forward to their beautiful glory in a few weeks.     On my daily walks around our home I always take note of the changes in the landscape, not to mention the wildlife that seems to crave the coming of spring.  Several of our daffodils, along with the crocuses & thousands of snowdrops have already bloomed.  I enjoy seeing nature's beauty beginning to wake up after a long slumber.  It's the changes of season here on the east coa...

Palmiers are sweet, caramelized cookies made from buttery puff pastry that are both flaky & crunchy.  It's the perfect cookie to make when you want something simple and satisfying to go with a cup of strong tea or some dark, rich coffee.  Add a bit of chopped, best-quality chocolate to the mix and you get a different cookie that's both chic & delicious at the same time.  Using store bought puff pastry helps speed things along in the kitchen, so I highly recommend using an all-butter variety from a reliable source; you can certainly make your own pastry if you're so inclined.  The chocolate itself should be of the semisweet variety that you enjoy eating and be finely chopped by hand.  There are many highly delicious imported brands of chocolate available to the home baker ( Valrhona & Callebaut are wonderful), but there are also several domestic chocolates that are among my favorites (I love Ghirardelli & Scharffen Berger ) which give excel...