To say that Christmas and I haven't always gotten along is an understatement. I've had some of my worst experiences in life around Christmas time. But this year, I'm feeling mighty blessed. I've gotten new opportunities to learn, have seen things fall into place, and have become the proud godmother of the most darling baby boy. I'm still not gonna deck the halls with boughs of holly - that just isn't my style -, but I will admit that this is a particularly wonderful time of year. [...]
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31st birthday cake
in all-year, cake, celebrations
Several years ago, I got stopped at airport security. "Where are you traveling to?", the security lady asked me. "Florence", I told her. "Are you traveling alone?" I answered that I was. "How old are you?" I told her my age. While she was obviously trying to conceal it, I saw the lady glance at her colleague and chuckle. [...]
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apple dulce de leche danish
My alarm goes off. Thomas grumbles. It is 6 am on a Sunday morning.
I get out of bed, find slippers and pajama pants, and head downstairs. I turn on the light, then the heating, the oven and the kettle. As I wait for the water to boil, I rinse my french press, discard the remains of the day before, and measure 40 grams of coarsely ground coffee. [...]
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pear cranberry hazelnut tart
in fall, fruit, pies & tarts, nuts
In the summer of 2007, I took my brand new orange backpack to the airport and boarded a plane to New York. I was beyond excited. Nervous, too, because this would be a trip of many firsts. My first time making such a long journey by myself, my first time traveling with a group of strangers, my first road trip through the US, my first time camping.
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spiced apple & quince crumbles
in cobblers & crumbles, fall, fruit
Sometimes I forget how rewarding it all can be. Standing in a cold and gloomy kitchen, trying to figure out what to do with the bags of produce we've received from our farmers, wondering how to prep some unknown vegetable, struggling with sticky dough or trying to make a dent in the piles of dirty dishes ... it can seem like too much. Too big of a challenge. Too high a hurdle.
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chai panna cotta w/ caramelized pears
in curds & creams, fall
It was sudden. One day I was lamenting the end of berry season; the next I was blissfully curled up on the couch, wrapped in my favorite blanket, sipping a hot cup of tea as I watched the sky grow dark. Finally, it was here.
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