Everything's cooler in a martini glass...

...says this Seattle Times article.

frango mint swan song?

One of our favorite holiday treats is a box of Marshall Field's Candy Cane Frango Mints--the standard frango with tiny crushed candy cane bits inside! (We each eat two every day after dinner--two is both a maximum and a minimum quantity.) I picked up now much-anticipated slim red box while I was at home for Thanksgiving, and with Marshall Field's becoming a Macy's (don't even get me started on that one), I fear for the Frango Mint's future. Does anyone know what is happening to them after the Macy's makeover?

thanksgiving leftovers

Some final thoughts generated by one of the most fun food holidays of the year:

• I picked up some of these paper loaf pans from Sur la Table, and used them for my pumpkin breads. These oven-safe pans were very easy to use, and they make even a humble quickbread look elegant! (Btw, the recipe I used was my mom's--featured along with two other recipes in the November issue of Cooking Light.) We gave the breads to the people working the toll road booths in Ohio and Indiana.
• At home in Kalamazoo, I tasted a fabulous lox, artichoke, and cream cheese scramble at Cosmo's--definitely a recipe to try at home! (Though I will most likely try to create a healthier version with light cream cheese and egg beaters.)
• I brought St. Julian's sparkling apple cider to my in-laws, as a special beverage for the little kids. It's a fizzy, festive treat!
• Here in Columbus, I had the pleasure of an hour-long brownie tasting at Sugardaddy's in Powell, Ohio. I tried all eight varieties, and they were the best brownies I've ever tasted.

The Advent of Advent

• I love the Advent season--a welcome excuse for some extra reflection time in the midst of pre-holiday madness (which I also love.) In this house we're using reflections from Edward Hays' book for our mealtime grace, and, for the third year in a row, Bishop Untener's Little Blue Book reflections to close out the day.
• On the web, Beliefnet has a great online Advent calendar.