2010-04-10

by Colleen

Super green.

2010-03-26

by Colleen

I remember this day. It was one of the first of all these gorgeous days we've been having lately. Sunny and '50s. My co-worker and I had just finished talking to the feds and were coming back from Lisle when he told me about this chocolate shop that we should visit in the South Loop. Hand-painted chocolates, people, made right in the back of the store.

L to R: Raspberry truffle, Dulce de leches

moar chocolates!

2010-01-26

by Colleen

Madeleines, the sequel.

2010-01-17

by Colleen

Madeleines. When making them, I highly recommend following the advice of others. For example, greasing the Madeleine tray, even if the Madeleine tray looks like it's non-stick. Even if you're sure it's non-stick...because those little Madeleines, well, they're sticky. Oh, and tapping the bottom of the tray to release the batter's air bubbles (to be fair, I meant to do that, I just forgot). And when they say only fill half of the mold with batter, they mean a quarter, if even. As little as possible. Those suckers start expanding before you can even get them in the oven. Just things to take into account for next time.

Good thing they taste delicious no matter what you do. Hello Madeleine, you had me at NOM.

2010-01-16

by Colleen

zOMGZZzzz!!!111!1!!1 I went on my annual buy-a-calendar-as-late-as-I-can-possibly-stand-for-the-discounts trek today and found the cutest calendar at Borders Books and ZOMGZ, I just realized as I was uploading the first picture why it was only 50% off and not 75% off - because it's NOT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR'S DAY YET!!!! Wow, it's sad, but yes today felt like Monday to me. (For the record, this is probably the earliest I've ever bought a calendar, I usually average around the first week of Feb. Once I tried to buy 2009 planner in October of 2009 thinking it would be like 10 cents - but they don't stock them that late into the year. Apparently they just throw them out by the end of summer. Who knew?!)

Anyway, Disney is not really my style, but this 60th Anniversary calender of Cinderella was so wonderfully vintage; it was impossible to pass up. After the jump are some of the monthly pictures. The colors are so soft and the detailing so sparkly that the whole thing reminds me of a sprinkled donut or a sprinkles....cupcake!