One Last Thing

Alas, it's been over a year since my last post, and I find myself in winter once again. 2010 held many memorable times. Glenn's 50th birthday, our trip to Germany with the Salem 2 Salem art exchange and the beginnings of our new collaborative effort Demeter's Closet on Etsy. Yes, those little bronze acorns have found a home in our online shop. I've added a sample of our work to the right, so click on any of the objects and it will take you there.
I've also added some of our favorites on Etsy. Wow, so much talent out there! We feel honored to be part of that community.
I've started another blog for Demeter's Closet - www.demeterscloset.blogspot.com  so I don't think I'll make another appearance here but will keep it online (folks are still coming for recipes) as a keepsake of the event.
Oh, and what an event it was!

Love to all.

Happy New Year!

What is it about the first big snow of the season that makes everyone here in Vermont regress back to their childhood? We all know we are going to be so sick of it by March, but we still can't wait to go out wallow in it nonetheless. It was so incredibly beautiful in West Haven today when we snowshoed out to the third meadow. We took along the ceremonial Jet Boil to make hot chocolate and brandy as a reward for all that cardiovascular effort and boy was it yummy!

And speaking of killer beverages.........so many of you have inquired about the recipe for the pomegranate martinis Aunt Joannie and Uncle Al so graciously mixed for the mergefest, that we thought we'd ring in the new year by sharing it with you.

Pomegranate Martini

2 oz vodka (they like Belvedere)
1 oz triple sec
1 oz Rose's lime juice
2 oz pomegranate juice
Serve with a nice squeezed wedge of fresh lime..

They fixed 7 gallons of this libation and brought fresh limes picked from their tree in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

You guys are the best!

p.s. While I was writing this, Glenn went to the store for wine and groceries, and the mixings for the above recipe somehow made it into his bag (minus the limes from Alabama).

Cheers to 2010!

Holiday Greetings

We were so sad Ruth Hamilton was not able to make it to the Mergefest, but very happy when she brought this delightful sculpture by the shop last week. I laughed so hard my cheek "balls" were hurting. Her attention to detail is marvelous - from my woven copper belt, to the little earring she painted on Glenn and the ruffles on his shirt. And the way we are looking in each others eyes so lovingly! By the way Ruth, thanks for taking off about 100 pounds between the two of us. You are such a wonderful woman and gifted artist.

Many of you remember Ruth's show at the Brick Box and she recently had a show at the Brandon Music Gallery -

http://www.brandon-music.net/gallery/hamilton.htm

Thank you Ruth for providing us with immediate inspiration for this year's ecard!

I guess winter is finally here

It seems official now. With the snow/rain/ice, grey skies and coming home to a pitch dark house at 4:30, I have to face the fact that winter is here. It's in the 30's right now, but they are saying tomorrow night it will be 10. Fa, la, la, la, la. I'm trying to remember how much fun I had snow shoeing last year, and the camping trip at the cabin in Merck Forest and how special that was. I'm having a hard time conjuring up all that joy at the moment, actually. I think the solstice will help - the knowledge that we will have more daylight hours on the way. I guess I wouldn't have made a very good vampire at all, now would I?

But enough whining.

Check out the red dirt above and how it is absorbing the heat of the sun. It's a thought for me to hold on to this winter.

And I just started to knit this month! Am I now a true Vermonter or what?!

The holidays are fast upon us and I'm so ready to be absorbing some of that family love.

And for anyone needing a new recipe for a company party or family gathering, I give to you the salad Susan and Jeff McGee shared at the 'fest.

Jack's Salad

Dressing -

3 tbls. cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup mayonnaise

mix well; set aside for 30 minutes

Cut up 2 heads of broccoli. Add 1 medium red onion, coarsely cut. Crumble 1/2 - 1 lb. cooked bacon. Add 2 cups Mozz. cheese (shredded)

Mix well; toss with dressing.

Farewell dear friend

Life is eternal, and love is immortal,

and death is only a horizon;
and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
~Rossiter Worthington Raymond

We will miss you Joan.

Those cookies that just kept coming

EVERYONE remembers the cookies that Chris Mathewson "Cupcake" baked for the big day. Yesireee Bob......all 480 of them! Indeed - just when you thought you were the lucky one who snagged the very last cookie, you'd turn around 5 minutes later to find the plate refilled again. Which of course meant you had to continue eating them. They were that amazing, and totally addictive. None of us could believe it when we woke up the following morning and found the original box Chris brought them in, and yes, MORE COOKIES! Everyone was excited, and we, of course, ate them. So imagine our surprise when a week or so after Glenn and I returned from our honeymoon in Maine, we found a tin of guess what? More cookies. And still somewhat fresh. We ate them, all except one. We vowed to each other to save it until the day we got the recipe to make more. So the photo above is Glenn eating the last one today after lunch, and thank you Chris for the recipe below. I think we need to call a meeting with the powers that be so I can make a motion that you be called "Cookie" now, instead of "Cupcake".

Peppermint Pothole Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup turbinado [or light brown] sugar

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons whole milk yogurt

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 teaspoons cut peppermint leaf

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

8-9 ounces dark semi- or bitter- sweet chocolate, melted

Cream butter and blend with sugar until smooth and even textured. Beat in egg, yoghurt and peppermint. Combine flour, salt, peppermint leaf and baking powder and add to mixture.

Place teaspoonfuls on buttered, uncoated cookie sheet. Pat with floured fingers to form depression in center of each. Fill with chocolate.

Bake for seven to nine minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and cool for about five minutes, then chill to set chocolate.

Makes about six to eight dozen.

White Trash Cake

A fellow former flatlander (3 f club?), Martha Bartsch brought a wonderful cake to the 'fest. Martha is yet another talented artist we have the pleasure of knowing - and her cake rocks!

White Trash Cake (Hummingbird Cake) from West Virginia

350 degree oven- cook in angel food cake pan (hole in center) coat pan lightly with crisco and flour

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 tsp. sat

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

mix well with a spoon, add:

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 unbeaten large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup chopped bananas (3-4, ripe best)

mix well, then add and mix in:

1 cup large pieces walnuts, black walnuts if you can get them, pour into pan

Bake 1 hour or until done

whip, beat until light

1 8 oz. cream cheese

1 softened unsweetened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 box confectioner’s sugar

Spread over cake and enjoy. Un-iced cake can be made ahead and frozen. Thaw and frost.

Thank you Martha!