curls

You can do velveting with an airbrush — I have done it a few times at various eGullet chocolate workshops. Just make sure to use a 50/50 chocolate/cocoa butter mixture (like pastrygirl mentioned earlier).

Something to check into... at one time I think there was a 20 quart Hobart mixer that would also work with a 10 quart bowl. If that would not work with yours, maybe you can trade for the other model.

Best looking breakfast buffet I've seen in years.I hope it tasted good too! Where are you staying?

Maybe it wouldn't be as pretty but it would still be very tasty. I bet it would look beautiful.

@Shelby thank you. It was very tasty and disappeared quickly. The dough is very easy to work with and it was pretty simple to create the star. I definitely recommend trying it.

Finally! I have made Kerry's recipe for Phil's White fruit cakes. Definitely going to make these again! Thanks for the recipe @Kerry Beal. https://forums.egullet.org/topic/128698-phils-white-fruitcake/

Busy holiday season, not a lot of photos to post! Here is a photo of a mixed assortment box (raspberry pate de fruit & marzipan, milk chocolate with crunchy peanut butter, dark chocolate with crunchy peanut butter, mints, and bourbon ganache). Not pictured are the dark chocolate dipped candied ginger & dark chocolate dipped candied orange peel.

pesto star bread - can be sweet or savory - recipe from King Arthur Flour https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cinnamon-star-bread-recipe Mixed and kneaded with my new DLX/Ankarsrum mixer (formerly owned by the amazing @andiesenji).

For the holidays, finally getting to the party magnet -- the cheese ball!

following @patris's excellent example, my attempt at filled pretzels -- filling of choice, a crunchy peanut butter filling

apricot & raspberry thumbprints made with my new mixer (thank you @andiesenji)

Chilly & snowy morning. Time to make steel cut oats in the InstantPot. :-)

I piped passionfruit meltaways into shelled molds at our last eGullet chocolate workshop in Vegas. Really like them -- even though there is a chocolate shell around the filling. I recommend giving it a try when you have the time. Important note -- the only way that I have successfully piped meltaways is to use the EZtemper silk. There may be another way but if you have the silk, it makes the process super easy.

Stuffed pretzels! Why didn't I think of that? I'm definitely going to steal/borrow that idea. ;-)

Cool video! I think the tool might be an embossing stylus.

I have never seen one with those raised lines in the interior of a pot but other than that it looks authentic. I would suggest that you email your photo to Le Creuset and ask them if they have any more information about this piece.

Negroni or a manhattan?

Looking forward to this, thank you for blogging! On the cocktail front, depending on your mood, I'd recommend a winter daiquiri http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2013/01/winter-daiquiri.html or a spiked eggnog.

The booking code worked! I have made my reservations.

Thank you dhardy123, a very interesting website and selection! Andie, thank you for the list of suppliers. I had found the Agrimontana "fruit salad" but am glad to know that you have used it and like it. The Roland Amarena cherries that you mention sound wonderful, I'm definitely going to order some! So, anybody know of a good source for candied pineapple?

Well if I don’t get a good source now, I could visit the Punjb market in May and be set for 2018. The Punjab market is in Ontario... right?

I'm hoping that this is the year that I finally make some fruitcake! Kerry's "Phil's White Fruitcake" and Mette's "Dark English fruitcake" are the most likely recipes. For those of you who purchase candied / glaced fruit, who are your suppliers? I am interested in candied citron, angelica, pineapple, cherries, orange peel, and lemon peel. Also, feel free to recommend your favorite fruitcake recipes. I'm sure that @andiesenji has wonderful suggestions for suppliers and recipes -- tried searching for her posts on the subject but I was not successful. Hoping to draw Andie into this topic too!

I haven’t called the hotel yet — probably will this weekend. Hopefully the code will appear by then.

@Kerry Beal, are those rates in Canadian dollars?

Tonight I used the pot-in-pot method to cook some stone ground grits. Very tasty but a bit soupy -- will use a bit less liquid next time. So much easier than cooking them on the stove!