Handcrafted: The Cure For The Common Wedding

Couture Cookies

As you have probably figured out by now, my favorite type of favors, as a guest, are ones you can eat. If I am going to receive a gift with someone else's monogram on it I want to be able to bite it or lick it or at the very least get a sugar rush off it. Combine that with my current jones for cookies and you will get to the Gumdrop Cookie Shop (hey that rhymes).

They have some very nice deigns already in their shop including monograms and dainty flowers and hearts. Just in case one of those doesn't suit your fancy, you can send them a jpeg of what you would like and they will put it on your cookies for the same price as their stock images. So, if you have a custom monogram or an unusual color combination you can get cookies to match. In other words you will not be punished for your originality.

Also in this shop you will find cupcake jewelry. These cute little circles can also be customized and would be a great way to dress up any display of cupcakes be it at your wedding or shower.

Pecan Pie

I know I am totally slacking this week, so to make up for it I am posting my Mamaw's recipe for pecan pie. By the way, "Mamaw" is southern for Grandmother and it also means "really good cook" in some languages. Okay I made the last part up, but you get the idea.

Stir together:

Lightly beat 2 eggs                                2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 cup of melted margarine                  1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup of pecans halves

In a separate bowl mix:

 1 cup brown sugar                                   1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

Combine all ingredients, stir together and pour into an unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes

Using a frozen or premaid pie crust works fine in a pinch. When checking to see if the pie is set (aka done) you want to make sure that it isn't jiggly.

This is one of the greatest pies ever. It's super rich, so slice small unless you are ready for the sugar shock.

Happy Thanksgiving!

More Taste, Less Pretty

A friend of mine was married a couple of weeks ago (congratulations Amanda and Brian!). I really wish I could have made it back home for it, but my mother has been nice enough to give me a full account of what I missed.  One thing that stood out to me as something I should share was the cake, or more accurately the cakes. Instead of the traditional tiered, fondant/butter cream tower they opted for more of a cake buffet. Amanda had Dumplin's ( a local shop) bake a red velvet, a strawberry, and carrot cake. It was a huge hit. My mom and grandmother are still talking about how good the cake was.

This is a great idea for second time brides, or less formal weddings. Also, if you are having more of a shabby/chic reception, this might fit in better than one large cake.

Yesterday I decided to try out a fairly new bakery in the town I live in, The Laughing Elephant. It was amazing. Good old fashion southern cakes and pies, but they don't do fancy. To quote their menu, "If you are just in it for the looks and not for the relationship" they are not the place for you. However, if you are looking for more of a cake buffet spread, this would be the perfect place. You could even get one of the mini cakes to place your topper on and freeze for your first anniversary. The other benefit is flavors you wouldn't get in a traditional wedding cake. Sure you might someone to make carrot cake for you, but what about Elvis cake? A wedding cake baker might kick you out of the shop just for asking.   

Ideas from Girl's Night

Last night I helped host a Ladies Night for the women of my church. We had a movie night theme and really pulled out all the stops. There was a red carpet at the door and a full concession stand (minus the crazy prices). Not only was there popcorn and nachos, but also array of candy. You name it, we had it. While we were planning all this fun, someone had the idea to bring in a coffee bar, and I am so glad they did.

The guys from What's in Your Cup? came in with their Mocha My Day mobile coffee shop. I was really impressed with their set up. They didn't just have coffee. There was hot chocolate, vanilla chi, cappuccinos, mocha (pictured above), and a ton of favors for your coffee. It was a huge hit. We kept them busy all night. At the end of the night when the check was written, we really felt like we had gotten our money's worth.

 

These two were the only men in the whole building last night. While we were cleaning up I bombarded Todd with questions, which he was only too happy to answer. Not only do they do coffee bars, they also have a smoothie bar (great for summer weddings) and chocolate fountains. If chocolate isn't your thing, you can get the fountain filled with caramel instead. Now I'm getting an idea for a caramel apple buffet type set up. That would be great for a fall wedding.

*this shop is an Atlanta area vendor, but there may be similar companies in your area 

How Sweet It Is

As a guest, my favorite type of favor to see at my table is one you can eat. The days of jordan almonds are fading, and we have all seen the wedding cake cookies. Don't get me wrong, those are cute, but we are going for originality here. How about a hand dipped chocolate covered Oreo personalized for your wedding? My Own Cookie has just such a treat.

Whether you pick a cute bride and groom or the vintage angel design, your guest are sure to be pleased with these gifts. The sprinkle come in an assortment of colors, and you can pick the type of chocolate that covers your Oreo.  Do not limit your browsing to the wedding section. There are cute design ideas all over this site.

I am sure I don't need to tell you all this, but better safe than sorry. Oreo is a registered trademark of the Nabisco Company.  Now I have to go to the store and get some double stuffed ones because I have made myself hungry.

CAKE!

While the rest of the country was watching the Super Bowl, I was watching the Super Bowl of wedding cake competitions. Food Network was showing the National Wedding Cake Championship. I have had a love affair with wedding cakes since I was a child. Our next door neighbor was THE wedding cake baker in town. She was the one everyone tired to book. Her house smelled like icing all the time, and she had stacks of photo albums filled with pictures of cakes she had made. Her granddaughters and I would sit at the table and pick out the cakes we  would one day have at our weddings.

The cool thing about the cake competitions is that you can see where the trends are headed. People are eager to show off the newest techniques and styles. Presentation is also a major factor, and these creative cooks are full of unique ideas. Another way to find new trends in wedding cakes can be found at your local craft store. Every year Wilton, a cake supply company, puts out a yearbook. The cover is usually some kid's birthday cake and this year is no different, but don't let the cover fool you. Inside you will find several great ideas for wedding cakes. They also put out a book that is strictly for wedding cakes. If you are unsure of the style of cake you want, it is worth thumbing through. Also, these are realistic designs that any professional bakery should be able to handle.

For the not so realistic, over the top, beyond expensive cakes I turn to the web. These are the rock stars of wedding cakes. I could spend all night clicking through each of these galleries. Sugar Creations and Kim Payne were both winners in the competition last night. Ron Ben-Israel is a true artist and you have to see the Ace of Cakes himself, Duff from Charm City Cakes. Do you have a favorite cakes site? Please share the eye candy.

 

Fudge

Last week over at the Martha Stewart Wedding blog, writer Darcy Miller talked about a great fudge company, Momma Reiner. I'm always interested in the story behind companies like this one. Her company actually started with a tradition that I also have in my family, Christmas Fudge.

Every year my family would make several batches of fudge to give as presents to neighbors, teachers, co-workers, and anyone else we could think of. When my daughter started going to school I decided to carry on the tradition in my own home, and now I make fudge every year as well. It makes great hostess gifts, or even favors. It is really easy to make, but it does take two people. One to stir and one to add things to the pot. Here is the recipe:

1 and 1/2 sticks of butter           12oz. of chocolate chips

3 cups of sugar                                7 oz. of marshmallow creme

2/3 of a small can of evaporated milk (5oz)

1 cup of chopped pecans               1 teaspoon vanilla

in a large pot boil butter, sugar, and milk on medium heat for 5 minutes STIR THE WHOLE TIME

remove from heat and stir in chips until melted, then stir in marshmallow creme, nuts and add vanilla last. When it is well mixed pour it all into a greased 9x13 pan

The fun part about this is that you can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or even peanut butter chips. It all tastes great. Just reduce the butter by a tablespoon when you use milk chocolate or peanut butter. You can also leave the nuts out or try a different kind. Some people like to not fully mix in the marshmallow creme to give it a marbled look.  It is a fun recipe to experiment with. 

I remember asking my mother once why we only made fudge at Christmas. She said that if we made it year round we would all weigh 500 pounds. So, just remember that this recipe should only be used along with a little self control or you may have trouble getting into your wedding dress.

Fruit For Thought

On the day of the wedding there is a lot of hurrying to wait. Each member of the bridal party will take turns waiting on their turn for pictures, then you have to wait for the guests to be seated. During all this waiting a girl can get a little hungry and a bit grumpy. To head this off I suggest getting a fruit tray for the bridal room. The natural sugar in the fruit will raise people's blood sugar and moods, and you won't have to worry about your stomach growling during the vows.  Cheese and deli trays are great for staying power through the service.

This suggestion comes with a warning. Be careful what sort of fruit you use. No matter how much you love strawberries, do not have them for your wedding day. One dropped berry can spell disaster for your dress. When you order the fruit tray ask what sort of fruits they can use. Another thing to ask is if they are willing to cut everything into single bite sizes. This way your attendants can munch on apples without messing up their makeup. Don't pick fruits that have a lot of color to their juice, like strawberries. Sometimes melon can cause a little extra gas, which is probably not wanted either. Grapes are great, but only the ones that are greenish because their juice is white. Just think it through before you order.

Yummy

I have covered different printing styles, different types of paper, and several unique types of stationery, but this is the first time I have seen an invitation that you can eat. Invitastions makes delicious cookies with your invitation printed on them.


This company is the result of combining the skills of the ladies behind She takes the Cake, a cake company and Bride Design, an invitation company. It is an unusual partnership with uncommonly delicious results.


This is such a creative way to ask  someone to be your bridesmaid. They would make great shower invitations, place cards, or even save the date cards. The favor options available at Invitastions go beyond the usually wedding cookies.

This Takes the Cake

Most of the time the internet is a brides best resource, but this isn't always true when it comes to cakes. Not every baker can make every cake you have seen online or in a magazine, in fact not many can. People who decorate cakes are artists with frosting. No one would ask a modern painter to reproduce a work of Monet and expect it to come out the same. Likewise, you can not go to your local bakery and expect them to reproduce something you saw on Ace of Cakes.
There is always an exception to the rule and this time the exception comes in the form of Diane's Cakes and More.

It is safe to fall in love with Diane's cakes because although it is impossible to ship a full cake to you, she will ship the gum paste decorations to you.  All you have to do is find a bakery that can make a plain cake in the size and shape you want and then add the finishing touches yourself, or ask the baker if they are willing to work with decoration that you provide from an outside source.

When you go to interview bakers make sure you ask to see pictures of their cakes at real weddings they have done. Cakes that are made for professional photo shoots (such as magazines) are made from royal icing to be able to stand up to the heat of the lighting. Royal icing has a completely different texture than butter cream or fondant, which is why cakes rarely look as good in person as they do in magazines. Although royal icing can be used to make flowers and other small decorations, it is rock hard and can not be used as the main icing on a cake that will be eaten.