A Brand-New Christmas Song

A Brand-New Christmas Song

Music seems to always be playing through the halls here at The House of Edward. Both Edward and Apple have grown up with music all around them, following The Songwriter to his studio often and listening to our classical radio station whenever we are out - a fact that, I am convinced, plays no small part in the cultivation of their calm and genial demeanours.

I often think that everyone’s life has a soundtrack - music that we instinctively reach for whenever we’re happy, or blue - music that seems in a strange way to define us, at least in part. I see the face of a good, old friend whenever I hear the strains of a Sergio Mendes tune on the radio. And every single Beatles song reminds me of The Songwriter. Certain songs can immediately spirit us away to a favourite spot, unique in our memory. Others can call to mind a person we’ve perhaps not seen in years.

I wholeheartedly believe in the magical power of music to set the perfect mood for any occasion. If you think about it, I would bet that the songs you choose to listen by the seaside are not the same ones you opt for in a snow-covered ski lodge. For myself, every summer dinner party always benefits from the sounds of Astrid Gilberto drifting past a breezy window. I always clean out closets each season to Billie Holiday. There’s something about her mournful tone that fits the task nicely without becoming tiresome. I can’t tell you how many outfits I’ve tried on - standing in front of the mirror, assessing whether this skirt or that jacket stays or goes - whilst Billie sings Moonlight in Vermont in the background. She makes the task much more than bearable.

This year I cooked the Thanksgiving meal to the accompaniment of Bach’s Brandenberg Concertos No. 3 and No. 5, along with a sprinkling of John Prine, and I cannot imagine waltzing through the Christmas season without a bit of Perry Como or Johnny Mathis to make my steps a bit lighter.

These past few days I’ve been enjoying a beautiful new recording of Gabriel Faure’s Requiem op. 48, sent to me by a dear blogging friend who resides in the French countryside. It, along with Edward and a hot cup of Horlicks, has been the perfect companion on these bone-chilling nights.

And just this week, The Songwriter released a brand-new Christmas song that, I have to say, is really lovely. It’s destined to become a part of our holiday soundtrack here and it might perhaps become part of yours as well.

You can download it HERE,and it’s also on iTunes.

Happy Listening.

Happy Christmas.

Embrace The Temptation

Embrace The Temptation

The adorable photograph above so perfectly captures the dilemma of holiday eating, doesn’t it? Those two little girls actually grew up to be professional bakers and are now the proprietors of Pert Girl Baking Co. in New York City where they create mouth-watering rugelach available for order online, thereby affirming the possibility of making peace with temptation on a daily basis.

The Christmas season is fraught with culinary temptations unseen throughout the rest of the year and, for all but the ectomorphs amongst us, it must be negotiated carefully in order to avoid an unsettling January resemblance to Winnie the Pooh. But it’s difficult. I can pass up a chocolate Easter bunny without the slightest twinge. I don’t hanker for Halloween candy. Even the Thanksgiving feast, although famously scrumptious, is, for me, not such an extravaganza of caloric intake. But, Christmas. Gee. That’s a tough one. I do try to keep everything on an even keel during every other month, just in case I’m undone by fudge in December. Or coconut cake. Or Santa shaped sugar cookies. Or shortbread. Lord, the Shortbread!

You see, I do love to bake, and Christmas is, for the baker, the penultimate holiday. The fireworks of July, the dances of May, the parades of St. Patrick - all rolled into a sugar dusting, chocolate tempering, sifting, stirring, whisking, nutcracker of a time. It is well-known here that when the festive season rolls around, I am to be found in the kitchen, with flour on my forehead and a grin on my face. And it seems my list of those who clamour each season for my fudge or my gingersnaps grows ever longer with each passing year. The more the merrier, I say, for it’s true, I do love to bake.

The first of several holiday parties was held here at The House of Edward last week and I was ready with Cappuccino Cheesecake, Chocolate Fudge, Mulled Wine, and a brand- new cake, just for this season. Tell they you never to try out a new recipe for a party. But, who ever listens to “them”? For instance, I have a castle cake pan that I adore. It’s been a fairy castle, a haunted castle and was even once, for a summer baby shower, a sand castle complete with chocolate shells scattered along the turbinado sugar that masqueraded quite perfectly as beach sand. But for a Christmas party, what could be better than a gingerbread castle? You have to be a little careful with the recipes you choose for this pan as cakes that are too light tend to stick, and of course, a stuck cake....?? Quelle Disaster! A denser cake works best and I was lucky enough to discover this recipe which proved not only delicious but which made the entire house positively redolent of gingerbread. Happily it worked perfectly, turning out of the pan with a satisfying “plop” and every turret intact.

Sprinkled with powdered sugar “snow”, decorated with spice gum drops and served with a warm lemon butter sauce, it was the perfect Christmas cake. I’m sharing the recipe for the cake and the lemon sauce, and you can find a castle cake pan all your own HERE.

Embrace the temptation!

And Have Fun Baking!

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Gingerbread Pound Cake

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

1 cup molasses

1/2 cup sour cream

Powdered sugar

Lemon Sauce

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer, beating well on medium speed.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each.

3. Combine flour, soda, and spices. Set aside.

4. Combine molasses and sour cream. Lightly whisk together.

5. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

6. Mix until just blended after each addition.

7. Pour batter into a greased and floured pan. (Note: if you are using the castle pan, I find it sometimes difficult to get every nook and cranny greased well enough to prevent sticking. There is a product called Baker's Joy that works wonderfully for this. I highly recommend it)

8. Bake at 325 F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean.

9. Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then remove and let cool on a wire rack.

10. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar "snow".

11. Serve alongside a small pitcher of Lemon Sauce.

For the Lemon Sauce:

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan and stir with a whisk until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till smooth and thickened.

Add remaining ingredients, cook till heated.

Serve warm alongside cake.

Finished cake, taken just before it was sprinkled with snow!

Let's Go Christmas Shopping!

Let's Go Christmas Shopping!

Truth be told, I really don’t particularly care for shopping malls. I much prefer wandering along a village street, preferably on a cold day when the clouds hang grey and low overhead, teasing with snow, and each shop is decorated for the holiday in style all its own.

I want to pull my hood up over my head as I stroll in the icy air.

I want to hear a bell jingle on a cafe door when I stop in for a cup of hot chocolate.

Well, why don’t we all pretend this quirky little blog is a meandering village street lined with quirky little shops all ready for Christmas. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favourite new items for this holiday season.

Just click on the photograph and you’ll be taken straight to the shop.

So make yourself a cup of hot cocoa, and let’s go shopping!

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1. Pajamas

The ubiquitous Christmas present, I know. But still.

Pajamas are wonderful - I recently read that Johnny Depp is a fan.

So really, can one get much hipper than that?

These by J. Crew are great, and do get them monogrammed on the pocket!

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2. Toy Horse

Love, love, love this!!

What child wouldn’t?

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3. Dog Paintings

Aren’t these fabulous??

I see them hanging on the walls of a kitchen in the country.

Stone floors, herbs on the windowsill, homemade jellies on the counter being wrapped up for presents.

I am crazy about these. And not just because the Black Dog looks exactly like Apple!

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4. Vintage Lockets

Amazing.

And so many different designs.

It’s hard to choose a favourite.

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5. Handmade Gift Decorations

I purchased some of these last season and they were quite the hit.

Tied on packages, cookie bags, or trees.... a treat!

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6. Wolferman's English Muffins

Trust me.

If you don’t have time to shop and ship, no one will mind if you send them a basket of these.

I speak from experience.

Seeing this package on your front porch is a treat beyond measure!

You’ll want to eat breakfast all day!

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7. Teapot

Of course, I love teapots.

And this one is incredible!

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8. Handmade Cards

I have been making my own Christmas cards for years now and, yes, it’s time consuming. But I love it.

There’s something warm about received a handmade card, no matter who makes it.

Just take a look at this delightful example.

I mean, really, who wouldn’t love to receive this?

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9. Food Face Plates

I’d love to do a dinner party with these!

What fun we would have.

At the very least, they are guaranteed to make a finicky kid eat his vegetables.

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10. The Best Dog Blanket

Whilst Edward chooses to sleep atop my feet on these cold nights, Apple prefers to sleep in the windowseat.

And, as that windowseat cushion is made of Pierre Frey’s glorious Bolchoi Jacquard, I usually cover it with a tartan blanket just for her.

But maybe I should get this one instead.

The best dog blanket I’ve seen!

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11. Whimsy Boots

With tight black trousers, long black frock coat, white ruffled blouse.

And pearls.

Lot's of pearls.

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12. Alice in Wonderland Rabbit

Oh, my soul.

Isn’t this the best?

Entirely handmade, this little fellow is simply enchanting.

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13. Alphabet Bracelet

For all those of us who love words with a passion.

The perfect bracelet.

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14. A Family of Birds

Aren’t these sweet?

Perhaps in a crooked little house by the sea, where the winter winds are howling outside and these happy brave souls are lined up on the windowsill to keep the bad fairies away till the Spring.

Just charming.

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15. Christmas Gift Box

Ok, perhaps I’m veering into the dicey waters of self-promotion here.

I don’t swim too well in those, but I really do love these boxes I’ve made for this season.

Most are earmarked for friends, but some are in my etsy shoppe.

This one is a particular favourite, if I do say so myself.

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16. The Best Gift Ever

When the rescue shelter found Edward, he was sitting in the jail at a county animal control facility, two short days away from being put down. I cannot even bear to think about it. This wonderful shelter grabbed him up, cleaned him up, loved on him, fed him, and allowed him to come live with us just one week before Christmas. Edward was the best gift ever and we will be forever grateful and in their debt.

As one might expect, the downturn in the economy has negative effects on this sort of work. This year, to help offset their considerable operating costs, Edward's shelter has created a calendar featuring some of the dogs and cats adopted throughout this past year. It’s only ten dollars and Edward would love it if you would pick one up for him and all the other shelter dogs so deserving of good homes, especially at Christmastime.

Happy Shopping!!