I pretty much hit the "pause" button on blogging for over a week {with the exception of yesterday's teaser for my grand debut on the Lilly Pulitzer blog}. As weird as the mini-break felt, it was much needed! Taking a little breather allowed me to spend time with my family and friends, work on pending projects and, of course, cook {and eat!} lots of good stuff. ;)
{P.S. Are we friends on Instagram? Because I feel like we should be. Let's stop this coy exchange and make it official already. Go here & click "Follow" if you're up for seeing my daily adventures.}
Now that I'm rested up and rebooted, I can't wait to get back to cooking... especially since Santa left me a few new cookbooks/cooking-related books for renewed inspiration.
Plus, I have so much stuff to tell you guys about! My amazing experiences at the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival; my foray into the world of fashion with my gal pals at Rapunzel's Closet and the talented mavens at Rae|Francis and Allegra Fanjul Designs; my attempts at Paleo baking. {what!?!?}
Obviously, we have a whole lot of catching up to do.
It is incredibly hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that a new year is starting in just a few hours. Where 2013 went I'll never know. It's true that the older I get, the faster the years fly by... but this year felt particularly swift -- a likely result of having every month be jam-packed with things to look forward to.
Among my foodie highlights of 2013 were:
- Getting to check out local spots and talk about them here. Echo, Field of Greens, Tin Fish Clematis... delicious food and great people. It just doesn't get any better. I would love to continue this in 2014!
- The ridiculously fun Blue Bell Ice Cream/The Ancient Olive event with ice cream, olive oil and vinegar pairings. I know. It sounds weird. But trust me, it was pure genius!
- Touring Taru Gardens with Chef Lindsay Autry & Pastry Chef Sara Sipe. Such talented & passionate women, and the grounds of the Sundy House... oh, those grounds! Paradise.
- Being on the judging panel for FLAVOR Palm Beach. Because being served an endless array of sumptuous bites from amazing chefs {in an Aston Martin showroom} is never a bad thing.
- My stay at the PGA National Resort & Spa for their Ice Cream Festival Weekend. Sheer decadence.
- Food Blog Forum Orlando {Yes, each one of those words is a link to a separate recap post}-- The food. The friendships. The fairy tale that is Walt Disney World. Enough said.
- Food Blog Forum Orlando {Yes, each one of those words is a link to a separate recap post}-- The food. The friendships. The fairy tale that is Walt Disney World. Enough said.
- The Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival. Everything about it. I know I haven't even written about it yet, but it is worthy of much fanfare.
- My partnerships and collaborations with some incredible bloggers including: La Petite Fashionista, the ladies of Brunch Week, Palm Beach Lately, The Average Girl's Guide, NoshOn It, What Micky Eats, A Southern Fairytale; fabulous brands & companies like Sugarfina, Hellmann's, The Container Store, Tastefully Simple, Electrolux, BigKitchen, Rosner's Appliances, Prosciutto di Parma, Swanson, Miami Culinary Tours, Whole Foods Market Palm Beach Gardens and Lilly Pulitzer; and wonderful event/marketing professionals like It! Events + Media, Seligman Brand Strategies, Bottom Line Black Marketing, The Baddish Group, not to mention my friends at Clever Girls Collective, Honest Cooking Magazine and Kitchen Daily.
{That's probably not everyone, but I'm feeling like the music is going to start and someone's going to tell me to get off the stage...}
I'm so glad I just took a second to write these things down, because in the blur that was 2013, I didn't even realize how many unbelievable things I've gotten to be a part of thanks to the blog and, most importantly, thanks to you.
All this wonderfulness calls for a fancy celebration. The kind with crystal stemware, silver trays and tuxedos...
I didn't say WE had to wear the tuxes!
Isn't this a fun idea? The most appropriate touch for a New Year's Eve party, if you ask me. The process is simple {albeit a bit time consuming} and, depending on the contents of the glass, it's a little detail that can be enjoyed by all ages!
Fill your dashing drinks with milk {or almond milk as pictured here} for the kids... or maybe something a little stronger for the grown ups. Here are a few recipes that yield a white cocktail:
The Winter Wonderland Martini from Single Minded Women
The Snow White Cocktail from Bryton Taylor
The UV White Christmas Cocktail from SheKnows
Tommy Bahama's Coconut Cloud Martini from Blisstree
All this wonderfulness calls for a fancy celebration. The kind with crystal stemware, silver trays and tuxedos...
I didn't say WE had to wear the tuxes!
Isn't this a fun idea? The most appropriate touch for a New Year's Eve party, if you ask me. The process is simple {albeit a bit time consuming} and, depending on the contents of the glass, it's a little detail that can be enjoyed by all ages!
Fill your dashing drinks with milk {or almond milk as pictured here} for the kids... or maybe something a little stronger for the grown ups. Here are a few recipes that yield a white cocktail:
The Winter Wonderland Martini from Single Minded Women
The Snow White Cocktail from Bryton Taylor
The UV White Christmas Cocktail from SheKnows
Tommy Bahama's Coconut Cloud Martini from Blisstree
So, let's raise a dolled-up drink to 2014! Happy New Year, friends!
"Tuxedo" Cocktails
Dark chocolate or chocolate chips
Coconut oil or oil of choice
A small bowl
Champagne glasses or any glass
This is more of a process than a recipe, so I don't have any "real" measurements. Simply melt a few tablespoons of dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler until it reaches a consistency that can be drizzled.
If your chocolate is too thick, add a few drops of oil at a time {I used coconut oil} to thin it out. Trust me, thinner chocolate will make the process easier!
Carefully spoon about a tablespoon of melted chocolate into a champagne glass. Holding the glass over a bowl to catch any drips, tip the glass so that the chocolate pours down one side, then rotate the glass to make the "back" of the tux. Repeat with the other side. {The goal is to leave an open space for the buttons & bow tie.} *You may need to add more chocolate in order to coat the entire glass.
Place glass in the freezer for about 5 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
Using a toothpick dipped in melted chocolate, carefully create "buttons" and a "bow tie", painting the shapes on the inside of the glass. Freeze once again and allow the chocolate to set.
Repeat with as many glasses as desired. Better yet, recruit some friends to help you!
Pour milk or white cocktail into glasses and serve to delighted guests!
"Tuxedo" Cocktails
Dark chocolate or chocolate chips
Coconut oil or oil of choice
A small bowl
Champagne glasses or any glass
This is more of a process than a recipe, so I don't have any "real" measurements. Simply melt a few tablespoons of dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler until it reaches a consistency that can be drizzled.
If your chocolate is too thick, add a few drops of oil at a time {I used coconut oil} to thin it out. Trust me, thinner chocolate will make the process easier!
Carefully spoon about a tablespoon of melted chocolate into a champagne glass. Holding the glass over a bowl to catch any drips, tip the glass so that the chocolate pours down one side, then rotate the glass to make the "back" of the tux. Repeat with the other side. {The goal is to leave an open space for the buttons & bow tie.} *You may need to add more chocolate in order to coat the entire glass.
Place glass in the freezer for about 5 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
Using a toothpick dipped in melted chocolate, carefully create "buttons" and a "bow tie", painting the shapes on the inside of the glass. Freeze once again and allow the chocolate to set.
Repeat with as many glasses as desired. Better yet, recruit some friends to help you!
Pour milk or white cocktail into glasses and serve to delighted guests!
