Fanfare Blanket Flower

Decorating Basics $10 Feb 3-16

Wilton Course 1--Decorating Basics is only $10 

if you register between Feb 3 and Feb 16!!  

You can register now and take the class later.

All other classes are the usual 50% off.

CT Cake Competition

The Connecticut Cake Competition

February 16th & 17th, 2013

Hartford Marriott Downtown

200 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, Connecticut

2013 Show Theme: “Sugar Fiesta”

This is our 6th Connecticut Cake Competition www.ctcakecompetition.com

Below is a link to our online registration form which is also on our website.

https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=XMJYja%2ArjGojE1LUN8P38g#

Our theme "Sugar Fiesta" is open to your own interpretation, may be of any sugar medium, buttercream, royal, fondant, gumpaste, pulled and blown sugar ~ the ideas are endless!! We look forward to seeing all of your sugar creations!!

We have great classes and events planned and are looking forward to an exciting show. We have many talented instructors and demonstrators (many who have been on WeTV, TLC or the Food Network), for our classes and demonstrations throughout our two day event!

All information on our events, plus much more, can be found on our website. Be sure to check back for the latest information and updates.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please do not hesitate to email or call.

Here is our 2013 Sponsorship and Vendor online link to pass on to your favorite vendors.

Online vendor form  https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=s8M2Wq7uRICltD9girieaw

We hope you can join us!!

Kathy Farner / Beth Lee Spinner

Event Directors

Just for Fun

Love this image!

Wilton Class Cake Album

My Wilton class students' cakes can be seen here. There are no names yet, but each photo is dated so you can find yours by the last date of your class.

The Altered Page...

Another look into Seth Apter's blog, The Altered Page and his Pulse of Mixed Media--and I'm in it!
Check out the posting: "Playing Favorites"

Blue Moon Aug. 31, 2012

Golden Tortoise Beetle

The photo in the previous post is apparently one of a Golden Tortoise Beetle.
The website of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Department of Entymology and Nematology says this about the little shiny critter:

"...Insects commonly known as "goldbugs" sometimes attract the attention of gardeners when they feed on plants in the family Convolvulaceae. Although these insects are occasionally abundant enough to cause serious levels of defoliation, they are mostly a curiosity..."
and:
"...The golden tortoise beetle is distributed widely in eastern North America, west to about Iowa and Texas. It is one of three species of tortoise beetle found in Florida.."
and:
"...The golden tortoise beetle is associated with sweet potato and related species such as morning glory, Ipomoea spp.; and bindweed, Convolvulus spp. Only plants in the family Convolvulaceae are hosts..."

However, interestingly enough, the photo was taken near Lake Victoria in Uganda, Africa!

Coincidentally, I just heard a fragment of a talk on the radio about the introduction of American orange sweet potatoes into African foods as a way to increase the Vitamin A in the diet there.  I wonder if they hitched a ride?

what is this bug from Uganda?

a request to the universe on Pinster...answered

Seth Apter's--The Pulse

I'm in The Pulse portion of The Altered Page this coming Sunday, July 8--Seth Apters apt, profound and fun blog collection of artist's opinions and philosophies.  Check it out!

Anyone have a clue what this flower is?  I'm pretty sure I planted it last year or the year before, so it's a perennial, the small long thin leaves are grey-green, like the color of sage, but they are only 3/4" long; the flowers just came out the end of June, and are all little white petals

new/old camera treasure!

Months ago I picked up an old camera at the local Salvation Army store, and just now got around to Googling it, and what a treasure!  It's a Zeiss Ikon, Super Ikonta 530/2
Thanks to Mike Elek at Classic Cameras, I have access to a manual and lots of lovely images of my camera!

There was a roll of film in it when I got it, and now I know that only six pics had been taken.  I got the film developed at Cooper's Imaging in Norwichtown, CT--very nice people! I brought the negative home and scanned it into Photoshop to see what was there.

I like the rose the best, and the last one of the trees and barn next, but have no clue where they could have been taken.  The Cooper's guy said the roll (Kodak Vericolor III, 120) was probably from the 90s,  and one of the images has an above ground pool in the back--behind bushes and a railing (#4).

I bought a new roll of 120 film and armed with the manual from Mike Elek's site, I'm going to learn how to use this really cool piece of German engineering!

My Challenge Blog...

So, I've officially created my Virtual Bakery, a dream  that just needs visualization, and a bunch of money, to come true.  This first baby step is the creation of it's own blog, http://rowantreebakery.blogspot.com/ where I'll post pics of the results of the challenges I'll try in The Daring Bakers monthly challenges.  The first one is for September, and is Croissants, using the recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume Two. Julia Child and Simone Beck.

I'll also post more baking pics there as I practice new recipes and techniques. The challenges will tell me if I'm ready to go for it and make RowanTree a reality!

More cake! ...and Daring Bakers!

My latest adventure is with l'Opera Cake. It's French, and so delicious it can make me cry!

The recipe was online, and it's basically the one Dori Greenspan uses in her fabulous book Paris Sweets (which I immediately ordered from Amazon), and she adapted it from one made at Dalloyau, a shop on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore in Paris.

It consists of layers of joconde (an almond sponge cake)drenched in espresso syrup, then spread with a generous layer of espresso flavored French Buttercream--something that, once you've tasted it, you may never go back to the stuff you make with shortening and powdered sugar, for sure!--then more cake and syrup, then ganache, more cake and syrup, then a glaze made of melted chocolate and clarified butter blended into something unbelievable!

So, now I'm on a joconde journey. I'm going to try at least ten different combinations of this scrumptious cake and fillings and glazes--how can I not?

My search for Joconde led me to The Daring Kitchen and I joined right up to face the challenges put to Daring Bakers there! I can't wait for the first one!

Cakes, Cakes, Cakes!

I've been so busy baking, that I haven;'t had time to blog--I even have a new smartphone, but I'm not quite 'smart" enough to blog from it yet--soon!

Meanwhile, I've uploaded all sorts of pics of cakes I've been making to my fotki site, click here to see them!

This one is an almond cake with Raspberry Buttercream, and lemon lettering, and toasted almonds on the side.. The hummingbird was done freehand.

What tarot card am I?

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.