Skip to main content

Remembering March 2012

March began with an introduction to the first ever cookie cutters produced for the Martha by Mail catalog, along with an irresistible batch of delicious chocolate palmiers.  I then went on to show you a really good pasta dish that I often turn to when I'm pressed for time and I gave you a brief look at what our home looked like at the beginning of spring; some short-lived lilliputian snowdrops were arranged in pretty pressed glass egg cups.  Wishing my darling niece a special Happy Birthday was also one of March's delights for me.  I love you Audrey!

As I took my walk through the farm where my friend lives, I was transported through several centuries of American history and I'm glad I was able to capture the essence of that magical place.  To be perfectly honest, there were several areas I did not photograph and wish I had, so sometime in the near future I'll have to return.  Spring is always a welcoming sight at home for us and I hope you all eagerly await it just as much as I do.  The season ushers in many more colors, dense vegetation, warm weather, wildlife galore and the promise of many good things.  Let's look back at March so that we can spring forward to April.

I love these cookie cutters because they make such beautiful cookies.  Every single decorated cookie is unique if you let your imagination run wild.  Look for these the next time your on an online auction.
❈❈❈❈❈

Crunchy, sweet & chocolaty, these cookies are every bit as delicious as they look.  Make sure you seek out an all-butter puff pastry for this baking project, because in the end, it's going to make all the difference.  This is just the thing to munch on with a perfect cup of cappuccino or espresso.

❈❈❈❈❈

The harbingers of spring are beautiful & spectacular.

❈❈❈❈❈

You would never guess by looking at this tiny flower that it's pleasantly fragrant.  So delicate and only with us for a couple of weeks in early March, it sure does make me crave spring.  Plant several to enjoy next year.

❈❈❈❈❈

These cookie cutters get used every single year.  I love the sweet little critters when they're decorated and ready for shipment to one of my nephews or my dear niece.  I'm lost without these cutters.

❈❈❈❈❈

When I posted about this yearbook, I didn't realize it was going to get so many hits.  That makes me happy because the Wilton Yearbooks played such an important part of my childhood baking experiences with mom.  If you really go through some of the vintage issues you'll see that many bits of valuable information, from cake decorating to wedding cake construction, are still pertinent today.
❈❈❈❈❈

Antique Salt Cellars
Using gorgeous salt cellars is my preferred way to present salt at a dinner.  They make any tablesetting extra special.

❈❈❈❈❈

So fast & so delicious.  On the weekends, pasta is just not pasta unless I have a good glass of red wine to sip with it.  When it comes to pesto, I'm very particular.  It has to be homemade with the best pine nuts (although I've been known to use blanched almonds in a pinch) & pecorino romano cheese instead of parmesan.  A sprinkling of coarse salt over the dish & presto!  A good lunch.

❈❈❈❈❈

My little one.  I love you! 

❈❈❈❈❈

&
This farm is a preserved with loving care.  I will return soon to capture more beautiful images for my archives when everything is lush & stunning.

❈❈❈❈❈

Happy Spring Everyone!

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass
50 comments
Read more

Collecting Jadeite

With its origins dating back to the 1930s, jadeite glassware began its mass production through the McKee Glass Co. in Pennsylvania. Their introduction of the Skokie green & Jade kitchenware lines ushered in our fascination with this jade color.  Glassmakers catered jadeite to the American public as an inexpensive alternative to earthenware soon after the Depression, both for the home and for its use in restaurants.  The Jeanette Glass Company and Anchor Hocking introduced their own patterns and styles, which for many collectors, produced some of the most sought after pieces.  Companies marketed this beautiful glass under the monikers of jadite , jadeite , jade glass , jad-ite , jade-ite , so however you want to spell it, let it draw you in for a closer look.  If you want a thorough history of the origins of jadeite, collectors’ pricing, patterns & shapes (don’t forget the reproductions in 2000), I highly suggest picking up the book by Joe Keller & David Ross called, Jadei
48 comments
Read more

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang
6 comments
Read more