COFFEE TALK

I cannot believe we are nearly at the end of April.  What happened?  May is already looking far too busy for my liking and I have been fearfully reworking day calendars, to-do lists, and doctor’s appointments over the past few days to tone down the craziness as much as possible.  So far it is not working.  The bright side is that most of the busyness is fun busyness.  

What are you all making for dinner right now?  I am in need of some fresh ideas.  I am not full into summer mode (a.k.a. grilling every single thing), but I want to freshen things up a bit.

I made these biscuits  again recently and they are so perfect with just a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey.  

Denim dresses have been catching my eye lately.  I think this one is so fun.  It looks comfy and simple - perfect for hostessing.  I also really love this top because I have completely fallen for the tassel craze that seems to be happening.  While on the topic of crazes, have you noticed that cactuses are on everything?  Like, EVERYTHING!  I am petitioning for more plant equality.  Hi there, can we give poppies some attention?  

I put on my most adorable smile and batted my eyelashes the other night and managed to rope Mr. Pedantic into a little weekend shopping trip.  I cannot wait.  I love shopping with him, even if it is only window shopping.  While I know shopping would never be his activity of choice, he gets into it for my sake and makes it all the more fun.  My dad was the same way.  He wasn’t a shopper, but every once in a while, usually when we were in need of some new church dresses or fall clothes, our family would pile into the van, stop for a special dinner out, and my parents would buy us everything we needed and often quite a few things we did not.  These trips were not often, but that made them all the more special.  I loved trying on dresses for my dad and laughing as he and my brother acted the part of fashion consultants.  Let's move on before I cry... 

How do you feel about pedicures?  I think this is the season where one would go for a pedicure, but my last few experiences have grossly fallen short of expectations.  The leg massage from the male technician was not one of my favorite moments.  *Cringe*  I would rather paint my own nails, thank you very much.  

I am planning on trying out these apple fritters for the first time tonight.  While I was searching for recipes, I noticed some disparity amongst the internet’s definitions of fritters.  In my mind, a “fritter” is always deep-fried, but I met with quite a few recipes for panfried vegetable fritters.  Is this one of those north/south things?  

I am dying to try these crab cakes.  In general, crab cakes do not tempt me at all because I would much rather have a plate full of claws, but these just look too irresistible.  I also want to make these sesame crusted shrimp.  I am thinking of serving them with rice and grilled pineapple because I know Mr. Pedantic won’t be super into the whole quinoa idea.  I wouldn’t pass up this lobster macaroni and cheese either.  Clearly I have seafood on the brain, it’s such a warm weather thing.  

Mr. Pedantic and I just booked our Montreal excursion for the week of our one year anniversary.  We are staying in the most beautiful airbnb and I am so excited.  Please send all the restaurant recommendations our way! 

What do you think about this trend?  I’m not buying it, sour coffee just does not do it for me.  We are definitely in iced coffee season though and I am dreaming up a couple of new concoctions to share with you all soon! 

I kind of love this quirky bag.  It would definitely be one of those cuteness-over-practicality purchases though. 

Mother’s Day - it’s coming.  Let’s not let it sneak up on us this year.  Do something sweet for your mama, and don’t forget a card.  

So this is where all the profits from the unicorn blended madness went.  I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t mind a visit.  

What are you going to be up to this weekend?  I’m dreaming of raspberry lemon rolls for Sunday morning breakfast.  It’s an oldie but a goodie (just try to ignore the lack of photography skills). 

Happy, happy weekend to you! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

A Gift Guide for Foodies

My father and mother always had very different shopping habits when it came to acquiring Christmas gifts.  My mother typically had all gifts stored away by Thanksgiving while my father would realize several days before Christmas, when all the other packages had already been stuffed under the tree, that he had some shopping to do.  He would pack my sister and I into the truck, turn up the Christmas music, sing along with Mariah Carey and we would pick out gifts for our mama. 

I like to believe that I fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to my Christmas shopping habits.  I usually have one or two gifts that I have collected throughout the year, and buy the last one the week before Christmas.  

If you are more like my father and I, and you still have a few gifts left to cross off your list, I have a few suggestions for the food-lovers in your life.  In essence, this is a list of things I either want to receive myself or already have and enjoy.  

1. This Coffee & Tea Calendar is high on my personal Christmas list this year.  The illustrations are whimsical and charming - October’s is my favorite.  If I am lucky enough to receive this gem, I plan on cutting out several of the illustrations and framing them for my kitchen.  After the year is over, of course.  
2. I love buying people things that they would never buy for themselves.  Things like this Copper Tea Kettle.  It’s a total splurge, but absolutely heart-stopping.
3. If you are looking for something small to tuck into a Christmas basket, or a causal gift for that co-worker that is always brewing tea in the break room, this Downton Abbey Christmas Black Tea is a fabulous choice.
4. This Mastering Pasta book is everything.  It is an excellent technical resource, especially for someone who is new to pasta-making.
5. Honeycomb is one of the hottest trends in the foodie world right now.  Bring this as a hostess gift for your food-loving friend and she will love you forever.  Bring her a fresh baguette too and she might cry a little.  It’s a good move.  
6. I first saw these Snowflake Copper Cookie Cutters last year while window-shopping on a cold, December day.  I love how they look hanging in my kitchen and their twisty shapes make them so unique.

7. This book is high on my list of recipe books that I want to acquire within the next couple months.  I love the simplicity of the recipes - from yogurt biscuits to cream cheese cookies, each recipe is a blend of new and old.  I cannot wait to begin baking with this book! 

8. These are my very favorite teacups.  Yes, you have seen them before in many a recipe post, but I just love them.  They are so dainty and the perfect size for me.  They can be used on formal occasions or more causal evenings, and they can also become punch glasses in a pinch.
9. These books are from Penguin's Great Food Series and I am dying to crack them open.  Witty essays, old but faithful culinary tips, and instructions for hosting a dinner party fill their pages.  With titles like “The Campaign For Domestic Happiness” and "A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig and Other Essays" you know they are going to be good.  
10. This Heirloom Recipe Box is one of those things I would probably never buy for myself but I would be overjoyed to receive.  It’s simple and classic and everything that a recipe box should be. 
11. I love this French Marble Rolling Pin.  Marble rolling pins are wonderful because, unlike wooden models, they do not tend to stick to the dough while you are rolling.  They also stay cool which helps in preventing the dough from getting gummy while you are working.

I have to go bake something.  Happy shopping! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie