Yes, it is possible to have TOO many holiday treats (theoretically)

 
Worried that the kids’ teeth are going to drop out of their heads with all the holiday goodies they’ve been consuming? Adding an electric toothbrush to the under-the-tree mix can help ward off problems. Oral-B‘s Pulsonic Toothbrush comes with brush heads that fit small mouths, and a timer that tells the little one when it’s time to switch sides. It sells for about $70. Yes, it's a "sensible" present, but not, one hopes, as groan-inducing as a bucket of socks and underwear. BTW,  I'll have a review of another new toothbrush from Philips for my first Hot Home Products column for 2011, which will be all about getting and staying healthy in the New  Year (but let's agree not to think about that just yet, shall we?)

 

 

I deny the allegations, and I deny the allegators

It has come to my  shocked attention that some faithful readers are under the misguided notion that as Christmas Day approaches, my focus on work has shifted instead  to hearth, home and whipping up vast amounts of foods made primarily with fat, sugar and alcohol. I am astounded by these vicious attacks, some of which are being leveled even by my own family members, many of whom will later become happily torpid from over-indulging in aforementioned foods. Is that not the height of hypocrisy, I ask?  So appalled am I by these outrageous assaults on my personal integrity that I plan to write to Conrad Black (P.O. Box: Babylonian Captivity), to ask his opinion on whether I have grounds to sue.  I’ll also mention that I thought his column  reminiscing about driving home from University at Christmas was actually pretty sweet. I love the image of his dear Papa handing him a “bird-bath” size glass of Whiskey upon his return home. And no, I was NOT reading it merely because I was ignoring a deadline. Reading three newspapers a day is part of my job!

However, I digress. As proof that I am not, as so many have vulgarly put it, “goofing around” I submit this breaking news….If you’ve made biscotti (such an easy holiday cookie), try serving them with a small bowl of caramel sauce. There was an excellent recipe recently for such sauce in a rival newspaper whose name shall not cross my keyboard but which rhymes with Mop and Pail. Or dip the biscotti in the caramel sauce and then roll in nuts or crushed toffee.  The same sauce is also glorious drizzled over a pineapple/cranberry upside-down cake served with ice cream.  You call that loafing!

Exquisite recipe for an exquisite chocolate

 
Speaking of yummy cookies (see last post – or pic above!), here’s a delightful double shortbread recipe from Green & Black's Organic, makers of exquisite chocolate.  

What you need:

SHORTBREAD 1

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter

 

 

SHORTBREAD 2

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• One 3.5-ounce bar dark chocolate, minimum 60 per cent cocoa content, or milk chocolate, preferably 34 per cent cocoa content, finely chopped

(Hey, they’re being modest – but I would advise you use Green & Black's Organic - it's  glorious  choc! )

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

To make the first shortbread, sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture combines. Knead lightly, then place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Follow the same step for the second shortbread, but include the cocoa with the flour.

Roll our each dough on a lightly floured surface into equal-sized rectangles about ½-inch thick. Place the plain shortbread on a sheet of waxed paper, place the chocolate shortbread on top of the plain one and then scatter the chocolate all over.

Carefully roll out the shortbread, as tightly as possible, using the waxed paper to support it. (Don't worry if it breaks or the chocolate pokes through.) Once rolled, pinch both ends together to prevent the chocolate falling out, then using both hands, squeeze until it is about 8 inches long.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the roll into ½-inch slices. Lay the cookies on the cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 25 minutes, until the plain shortbread is a light golden color. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 14 cookies.

          

Vodka - such a useful household staple

 
Want to jazz up your next party? Here’s a fun and timely cocktail from Iceberg Vodka, which is made in Newfoundland, where, I’m told, they know their booze!

Classic Candy Cane Martini

What you need:

1.5 oz chilled vodka (between 5° and 7° F)

1/2 tsp vanilla flavoured liqueur

 1 tsp peppermint schnapps

1 oz club soda ice

crushed candy cane

1-2 drops of food coloring in either green or red for effect (I’d probably skip this step)

What you do:

Put some ice in the cocktail shaker

Add  vodka, peppermint schnapps, and the club soda

Shake vigorously, then pour contents into a martini glass rimmed with crushed candy cane

Apparently, the makers of Iceberg are also very practical, as they’ve come with some ingenious ways to use vodka that don’t end up with you wearing a lampshade on your head. That’s a joke, right? Of course, you always enjoy your fave tipple responsibly, don’t you?

Things you didn’t know vodka was good for:

To remove ink from fabrics, grab some vodka and dab it on the stain. It won't set, and the ink will come out after the next laundry.

Is your glass looking a little grimy after your holiday hoe-down? Dilute one part vodka with two parts water and pour into a spray bottle. Clean windows, coffee tables or anything else that’s worse for wear.

If you’re at a beach party and someone gets stung by a jellyfish, (umm, okay) pour vodka over the affected area and use a towel to carefully remove any objects off the skin. Once the skin has been cleared, dampen a cloth with some more vodka. Then mix the victim a drink (that last part is my idea!)

Clean up a messy stain by spraying the area with vodka, scrub, and then dry.

Dip diamond jewellery in a small amount of vodka and then clean with a soft brush. Don’t drink the leftover vodka.

Juiced about winter? I thought not.

 
Wintery weather hasn’t hit us here in Toronto yet. (Although it sure has come to Calgary, where I spent last weekend. YIKES! Where's a Chinook when you need one?) But you know that snow, slush and sleet will eventually come to the Centre of the Universe T.dot. Along with the dreary weather comes the flu season. One way to stay fighting fit is to eat well, and consume lots of fruits and vegs. If you want to boost your intake, you could try juicing. I’ve been trying out Breville’s new Juice Fountain Plus, which has some great features and sells for about $180. It’s easy to clean, has a shute wide enough for whole apples, carrots and other fruits and veg and has sturdy rubber feet so it doesn't shuffle on the counter. Another safety feature - it turns itself off if it's over-loaded. The generous-sized pulp container is dishwasher safe. (Two free tips – save the pulp and add to soup and muffin recipes to bump up the fibre content, and line the container with a plastic bag for easier clean-up).  The serving jug has a froth separator so you can skim juices before drinking. What I didn’t realize is that the juicer can also be used to make soups and smoothies as well as fresh fruit and veg juices. So why not serve a healthy holiday drink by juicing four apricots, four small red apples, three medium operas and then adding one cup of sparkling water? You also could add sparkling wine (white or rosé) for a grown-up bevvie.

Seasons Christmas Show

 
If you’re already in the holiday spirit, and live in the GTA, you may want to head out to the sixth annual Seasons Christmas Show this weekend (Nov. 19-21) at the International Centre in Mississauga, where you’ll find more 200 exhibits of luxurious Christmas décor, yummy food and gifts, as well as seminars by décor celebs, including Karen Kirk from Canadian Living magazine, Frank Ferragine from CityLine,and Jane Lockhart, host of W Network’s Colour Confidential. Visit the site for more information.

Spills and splatters? The gracious hostess bats not an eye

 

 
 

I’m a pretty laid-back hostess. So if little Jimmy drops his ice-cream Sundae on the carpet or Uncle Ed knocks a vase off the mantle, I just clean it up with a smile. I have winced (only inwardly, though) when, say, a glass of red wine spills across one of my treasured linen tablecloths. In this week’s Hot Home Products column, I talk about a new line of stain-resistant table linens available at JacKryn France,  a tres adorable French-themed boutique in Aurora, Ontario (yes, they do sell online!) These linens have none of that plastic-y feel that previous generations of stain-resistant fabrics have had. And they are gorgeous. Not all the pics I had made it into my column, so here are a few more. Lovely, no?

BTW, if you do spill red wine on a conventional linen or cotton tablecloth, you can still play the gracious  hostess. Start by quickly tossing a few handfuls of salt over the stain while saying something clever and witty (you're on your own there, reader, but I suggest you avoid asking the culprit if he/she is loaded or something - unless, of course, he/she is!) Then just ignore it until you can discreetly take the linen off the table. Hold the cloth over a sink and run very hot water through the back of the fabric. Pour vinegar through to get any lingering colour out. Then wash as usual, and air dry in sunlight if possible.

 

Martha Stewart cabinetry; special order and pretty special

 
 
 
Move over Woodward and Bernstein. I finally got details of the new line of Martha Stewart-designed cabinetry and hardware that’s rolling into — as I write — Home Depot stores. Made by MasterBrand Cabinetry, it will be available by special order at all stores in English Canada by the end of this year, and in French Canada by the end of January, 2011.

The line launched about eight weeks ago in the U.S., where, according to my high-level source (Frank Turco, HD’s Senior Manager for Trend and Design), it’s been a big hit with both with design media and consumers. You’ll soon find stock at all stores, but the giant retailer’s “Project Stores” have vignettes set up to display the line, which includes 20 door styles in both wood and what they call PureStyle, a laminate-like finish that wraps around the entire surface. There are 32 styles of hardware in brass, nickel, bronze, iron and copper finishes, also available by special order. But Turco says HD hopes to start stocking some of the hardware in stores next year. Prices range from $124 per linear foot to $237.There are also eight complementary Corian countertops; five veined and three particulate.

I’ll have more in an upcoming Hot Home Product column. In the meantime, here are some pics to show you this lovely new line. (I love the way it looks in the laundry room, too.) These alone should enough to make you glad I tracked down the story. I sure am. In fact, I think I smell a Pulitzer!

Home show here I come (albeit slowly, and with a bit of a limp)

 

 

Well, I’m back in the saddle, so to speak, after weathering not one but TWO falls over the last few weeks. (My right leg still looks like ground beef!) Fortunately, I should be right as rain in time for my appearance at the International Home Show at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. I’ll have lots of great ideas for entertaining this holiday season – none of which will cost too much. There will be sneak peaks of new décor and tabletop products from Trudeau (like the super cute little fondue pots and individual serving plates shown above) and glittery ornaments from Debbie Travis’ Christmas collection for Canadian Tire (see pics below). I’ve also been experimenting with new goodies from Hamilton Beach and Procter-Silex, and will have tips and tricks for how to use everyday appliances such as slow cookers, electric skillets and hand-held mixers to create luscious meals that can will wow dinner party guests or make something special out of a weekday family dinner. And yes, I will have a few fun giveaways. See you there!

 

 
  

 

Bijoux of a different sort at Birks

 
 It doesn’t take much to tempt me to go to Montreal, which may be my fave Canadian city. Love you too, though, Halifax and Vancouver! So news that the iconic Birks flagship store in that great town now houses a resto-boutique (I think that’s Quebecoise for cafe) called Café par Europea, is enough to make me dial the Porter number (although I LOVE going by train).

The new establishment is the creation of Jérôme Ferrer and TV host Francis Reddy, who are fast foodie friends. It’s inspired by the “art de vivre” or “art of living” theme; which is about slowing down sufficiently to enjoy both the visual and culinary pleasures of a space. Any dishware, glassware, and cutlery used at the Café can be purchased from Birks. You can also take home beautiful macaroons, chocolates or madeleines in the trademark Birks blue box. But I don’t think you can take home the 200 kilogram chocolate Birks Lion (shown above), hand-sculpted by chocolatier Christophe Morel

I’ve got to say that recently I’ve been looking longingly at the cut-crystal Gemstone Wine Glasses in cobalt blue from Birks. Maybe it’s my eastern European roots showing through, because whereas once I thought them fussy and slightly garish, now I’m really drawn to the rich colour and the way the light catches the cut surface. I also wouldn’t mind taking a tootle around the vintage jewellery section, even though it would be window shopping only!

Ah well, a few hours looking at pretty things, and a glorious cafe au lait and pastry. That’s the kind of extravagance I can afford. The Café par Europea is open seven days a week during store hours. There will be a lunch service, a European-style Salon de thé, a wine card and gourmet food .

Alors, a bientot, Montreal!