Cold Hands Warm Hearts Blogger Swap
Two new blogging friends are hosting this wonderful Christmas swap for the holidays. I’ve sent my email and hoping I get in. I love blessing other people and being blessed in return! 🙂
Raleigh Style: Furbish Studio
Apple Walnut Maple Muffins
3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp EACH salt, nutmeg, allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter, unsalted, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Grade B (preferred) maply syrup
1 c milk
2 granny smith apples, peeled, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
Combine dry, set aside. Cream wet together (up to syrup). Combine wet with dry, alternating dry and milk. Fold in apples and nuts.
Bake at 375 in greased muffin tins for 30-35 minutes.
Enjoy!
These would probably taste really yummy served warm with maple syrup drizzled over the top. I had to take them somewhere, so I couldn’t do that.
One Sydney Road
You don’t have to live in Australia to shop in Australia (or just Ohio). One Sydney Road is now open for business. I’ve been following this girl’s story on Makeunder My Life and love seeing people follow a dream.
This is a great location for gifts, home interior, and anything else to make you feel pretty – or your home to look pretty and stylish.
Taste of Belmont, NC: The String Bean
A friend of mine, with ties to the areas GG Boutique (right around the corner from The String Bean), took me here. She knew I loved local, healthy, fresh, different food. This place has it all.
We started with a cabernet and the hummus platter. Cabernet was a nice robust start with a sweet finish. Great wine. The hummus platter (I could eat hummus every day of my life) was a chunkier one. Nice bite to it on the way down. Served with a warm pita (which we had to get a double order of and was graciously awarded one) and a spectacular cheese – some of the best I’ve had. Can someone from the market tell me what it was? (Saturday night, October 9)
For our meal we shared the garlic pesto flatbread. Delicious. Chicken, pesto, garlic, caramelized onions – nothing bad on this plate.
Dessert – or no dessert. Well, dessert of course (especially with the dessert guy standing at the front counter). We chose the seasonal specialty of the beer spice cake. The glazed IPA nuts I could eat by the palmful, but I just picked off the top of the beer ricotta and cream cheese icing. So good. Pale in color – very fitting for the cool evening.
The setting was a calm, refreshing evening. We could have sat there all evening. Speaking with other diners, feeling right at home, hearing about the boom boom shrimp which was great if it got all over your hands because you didn’t mind the smell because they were so good, conversations with the staff and owners. Waltzing through the extensive wine and beer collection (which they would happily open a bottle for you to have with your dinner).
There was outdoor seating, indoor pub tables or bench seating, a wide variety of take home deli needs. They have wine tastings and have splendid, friendly service. Great prices as well.
So, go here. I will be going back I’m sure of it. Love treasures like the String Bean.
(Only thing I would change is have more lighting at night in the dining room so I can come back and take better pictures. Since I don’t like flash – I would like more lighting. That’s all. Thank you!)
Raleigh Event: International Festival 2010
I ate in Lebanon that day with a great falafel sandwich. The falafel was good (Grape Leaf’s may be better, though) but the bread was outstanding! Nice and warm. I had a taste of France’s desserts and they were good – nothing like the best I’ve had in the world, though.
Other newsworthy things: the dress (every age of participants dressed in country garb), the dance (looks so much fun), and the price (7$ to get in, plus parking). Great deal for a Sunday afternoon.
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