2015 August | Bohemian Cottage

Candy Sushi!

Candy Sushi made with Rice Crispy Treats, Fruit Roll Ups and other candy.

I have a friend I work with who is leaving for greener pastures, and I wanted to make her something special as a goodbye gift. She loves candy and sushi, so I thought the perfect thing would be Candy Sushi! I saw various versions of it on Pinterest, and it looked easy and adorable. It is a sweet treat and a crafty no bake one at that. They would be really fun for a Japanese themed party or even as dessert for a real sushi dinner.

They are easy to make with some assembly. There is a lot of candy involved and it made my grocery cart look like I had a serious sugar addiction! It turned out to be fun for Coda and I as an after school activity to do together. We did end up eating way more candy than is usual in our house for sure. (read more)

Our Garden 2015

I have started a shade garden this year in the back.

Hey guys! I wanted to post the latest on our garden from this year. Some of the new plants include this pink astilbe, and a white one. For some reason I didn’t get a picture of the white one. I started a shade garden in the back by the fence, which is the only shady area in our garden. I also added Creeping Jenny and Anemone Sylvestris. It didn’t bloom this year, hopefully next year!

Red Dinner Plate Dahlia.

I also planted Dahlias! This red one and a yellow one that has been growing in a pot. I am thinking of transplanting it into the ground as soon as I do some gardening chores and clear a nice spot for it where it is hopelessly overgrown. They seem to be happy, and they really make me happy with their nice big blooms. (read more)

Persian Love Cake

Spice infused chiffon cake with a light saffron and rose frosting. Divine.

Exotic, romantic, beautiful. Persian Love Cake. My good friend Kristi requested I make this cake for our friend Autumn’s bridal/bachelorette party we hosted. I thought it was stunning and couldn’t wait to try the worldly flavors. Cardamom, saffron, pistachios, rose…So bohemian and a feast for the senses.

I don’t exactly consider myself a baker. I usually bake a cake or two a year, rarely do I bake cookies, maybe around Christmas. When I do bake, I tend to challenge myself, thinking how hard can it be right? This cake was not simple, and I think perhaps the altitude of Colorado might have been working against me on this one. My cake was not as fluffy as I was hoping, but the flavor. Wow. It was light and not too sweet, full of perfumed mystery. This cake screams Valentines Day if you’re so inclined. I thought Kristi was right on point with choosing this cake as a send off into marriage for our friend. The recipe made 2 small heart shaped pans. I think I will double it next time, cause there will be a next time… (read more)