Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Two Bite Tuesday ~ The Vinegar Tasters and Fancy Butter

There's been so much going on lately and I've had so may great finds that I had an interesting time choosing just two to share today. Finally though, here they are:

First Bite ~ Since discovering Balsamic Vinegar a few years ago, I've become a bit of a vinegar snob, maybe snob isn't the right word. Enthusiast works better. Snob implies that I know what I'm talking about, and I don't. I just know what I like :-). These vinegars come from Cucina Olive Oils, an adorable little olive oil and vinegar shop just a few miles from my house. The shop really is like a little wine tasting room with vats of flavored olives oils from around the world on one side and vats of flavored vinegars on the other side.
Photo via Janet Ellis
It is pomegranate season here in the southwest and my grandmother has a tree abundant with big juicy ripe fruit. Yeah! I love the sweet/tart flavor of Pomeranian (I mean pomegranate :-/ Have never eaten a Pomeranian )and it is really just lovely in a salad. It is also lovely in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. That's the first bottle. I also chose a cinnamon pear because it just sounded like it would make either a delicious dressing for a beautiful pear Gorgonzola salad or a nice glaze for a fall dinner.

 Second bite ~ This little goodie comes from a little shopping excursion to ABC Cake Decorating last week. I was just going for some candy gift boxes and you can't just walk in there and not browse. I ran across these little candy molds in the shape of turkeys and poinsettias, and while I'm not into molding candy, I thought that serving turkey shaped butter pats for Thanksgiving and poinsettia shaped butter pats for Christmas would be a nice touch and they were only a couple of dollars a piece.


The picture doesn't really do them justice but the butter came out really cute. Use real stick butter, allow it to soften so that you can spread it into the molds. Check it for air pockets on the front (learned the hard way) and then pop them in the freezer for a bit to harden. Then just pop them out of the molds. I did a few for our Family Brunch and they turned out pretty cute. What do you think? A nice little touch without a whole lot of effort.
Turkey Butter Pats
I think I'll do up a bunch ahead for Thanksgiving and Christmas and store them on sheets of wax paper. They'll be so cute at every place setting. By the way...still working on that Velvet Pumpkin Giveaway...Brandi is at Disneyland as I write this, so I may have to go it on my own and I've never done one by myself. We'll see how it goes if I can figure it out in the next couple of days....stay tuned :-)))
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2 comments:

  1. Kim-A Creative SpiritNovember 15, 2010 at 5:51 AM

    LOVE the butter pats.. I have a BUNCH of candy molds as that is ONE Of my many obsessions for parties... but will try this.. thanks for idea. I sure hope you post pics of your trees and what a wonderful way to celebrate and remember your sister.. I used to have a tree of some sort in EVERY ROOM... one in foyer (tall slender one done in whites and golds) one in family room (the big family one with all the family stuff), one in my master bedroom done in teal and gold to match my bedroom at the time) and a small table top tree in each of the kids rooms and the dining room. The only places without trees was my kitchen and my bathrooms.... thinking of doing 2 trees again this year but not sure will ever get back to my old craziness. Have a blessed day.

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  2. Janet EllisNovember 15, 2010 at 8:28 AM

    Awww thanks Kim :-) I have a container of turkey butter pats I'm working on filling for Thanksgiving and a container of the poinsettia ones for Christmas. They're so cute sitting in the freezer :-)

    I too love to put a little of Christmas in every room in the house. I even have a small creche gracing the vanities of each bathroom. There is a small tree that goes on my bedside table, a reindeer decorative pillow for the bed and Christmas tree candles on the reading table. The guest room also has a tree, a tray with a gift bag, and candles with Christmas greenery. There is no tree for the kitchen either, unless we count the rustic metal trees that sit atop the hutch.

    I love Christmas time. I always take a full week to decorate and I usually have all of my shopping done before Thanksgiving. That way we can all relax and enjoy the sacredness of the Holiday. I love the rich colors, beautiful music,and the aromas of pine trees, sugar cookies, cinnamon and vanilla wafting through the house on different days.

    Several years ago I surrendered to artificial trees and felt jipped? out of the aroma of Christmas tree. Then a few years ago, Brandi introduced me to the Yankee Candle Companies Mistletoe candle and it smells like Christmas Tree (not mistletoe!) So I have stocked up on them.

    We are a little (more than a little) nervous this year about the decor though because of the nearly one year old pups. We've moved everything from coffee tables, magazine racks, etc. because of Michael "the destroyer." We'll see have far I can go without setting him up for certain failure :-).

    And I say, go for it. If you will enjoy meandering through your home and enjoy the atmosphere(and you have the time)make a ritual of it. That's sort of how I do it. As I take each thing out I recall all the good memories, sometimes where or whom it came from. It really is a blessing. And here I go again...on and on :-) Have a blessed day ~ Janet

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