An Orange Twist on a Classic

With Christmas comes the pleasures of calorie-free cookies and sweets...or so we like to think. But my favorite is the traditional Scandinavian treat of krumkake.  It it a delightful cone-shaped cookie that boasts of a light cardamom flavor that never gets old...even your fifth cookie in.  This year I wanted to gift some cookies so I thought I would try a new recipe with orange zest and dipped in dark chocolate!

If only I could post what these smelled like while baking...

To think my grandma would always grind her own cardamom seeds...it was quite the work out to get the seeds to be a fine grind but the smells were already intoxicating the kitchen.

Seems simple enough, right?

Creaming the butter, sugar, and eggs...

Then combining the flour, cardamom, cloves, orange peel...

Throwing them all together with the milk...

Just a small dollop on the beautifully decorated waffle-like iron press...

And after about 1 minute...

You have some beautifully golden brown disks!

Now, to be rolled around the wooden cone while still hot...

Then, off to melt some chocolate.

They say a watched pot never boils.  Well, the same goes for melting chocolate.

It didn't seem runny enough and the chocolate ended up being seized, or in layman's terms, utterly useless.  Onto a fresh batch of chocolate melting...

Now we are cookin' (sometimes, I cannot be helped).

After cooking, rolling, and dipping over 60 cookies, we are done with the batch and ready to pack them up! But first, I think I may have to taste one...you know, just to be sure.

Success. And now off to the party!

On a chilly Christmas evening, there is nothing better than gathering with friends and celebrating this wonderful season! It was a perfect night of singing carols around the piano and mingling with friends old and new. "For unto us a child is born..." so let us make a joyful noise!

Uffda. Not the best light at the Minnapolis Club but those gorgeous hardwood floors make up for it, right?

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Cheers,

Alissa

Drive-by Delight

Sometimes you find yourself driving through the city, hankering for a little bite to eat, and suddenly stumble upon someplace wonderful.  That happened tonight.

Mom and I were looking for a place to stop and saw a clump of patrons leaving the Lynn on Bryant and asked how it was...they said it was a place we shouldn't pass up! In that case, let's get in there!  The attention to detail in this place was beautiful and after speaking with the owner/chef, they put the greatest care into creating the perfect ambiance.

A window into the small kitchen to watch your dish be made. And if you can't clearly see, the walls were painted a fire-engine red with wood planks atop so the red could peak through. Added just enough color without overwhelming the dining area.

The table and menu remained simple but pleasant with a number of terribly tempting options. Their design is to create plates that bring their patrons closer to the farmers, meaning, they source their food locally. Quite the trend in restaurants these days.  Minneapolitans love their local food...about as much as those in the Pacific Northwest.  If you have seen Portlandia, you ought to be chuckling to yourself.

The food was tasty.  We had a few suggestions for the chef (along the lines of dense grass-fed beef...he took them gratefully) but with exceptional atmosphere and service, we knew we would be back to try different plates from the menu.

To add light in the dim, back dinning room, the owner/chef of Lynn on Bryant had an artist create this lit wall.  Instead of adding more light fixtures, they stayed within their design concept to keep a continuous atmosphere throughout the whole place. The more costly Edison bulbs were also a beautiful touch. By mixing different shapes of bulbs throughout the restaurant, they kept a whimsical feel throughout.

And the finishing touch? A wall of hooks made from tree branches.  That's when you know you're in Minnesota.  Well, that, or a wind curtain made of velvet....but that's a story for another day.

Cheers,

Alissa

Bombshell Bachelorette in a Bottle

...Errr, in a mason jar.  I just couldn't resist the alluring alliteration. See? I can't stop.

'Tis the time in life when wedding bells are ringing and it seems like everybody you know is engaged, marrying, and having babies! Therefore, there is a fair amount of parties, showers, and endless events that you need to buy gifts for...and doing so on a budget? It can be tricky! Enter the thoughtful, homemade gifts.

I was invited to my friend's bachelorette/bridal shower where we had to gift a negligee item that expressed our personality and she would in turn guess who the gift-giver was.  What a fun idea!  But describing myself through underwear? A bit more difficult than I was anticipating. So here's what I came up with:

A "bombshell kit" with some sassy panties and bralette with some glam red nail polish and lipstick! When packaged like those recipes in a jar, it was a combo sure to please!  A big CONGRATS to my friend Bridget as we await the happy day!!

Cheers,

Alissa

Side note, I am wearing a men's Lululemon top and y'all may want to consider investing in one because it feels like a cloud.  And polka dots? Yes, please.

The Illustrious

We have now all heard of the cro-nut, right? Or dough-ssant? Whatever take on the mystical bakery item, I decided I need to run a taste test. Gluten and all.

This little item is from Angel Food Bakery in downtown Minneapolis. It is aptly named as it is right above the well-known Hell's Kitchen and boasts of the tastiest treats around.

We were doing an install for a wedding at Hell's Kitchen (yes, it was quite interesting to say the least) so what better way to get sidetracked than to stop for a quick indulgence. We popped in to grab this doughnut/croissant combo only to find out they were long sold out...and generally are sold out by 10 am at the latest.  Whoa. Talk about hot crossed buns.

We would be returning the next day to remove our installation and thought second time's the charm.  Arriving at the crack of dawn was the way to go; however, they limit the quantity to two per customer! As part of our well-rounded breakfast of coffee and carbs (ugh, I groan just thinking of it....), it was a fun treat to try!  Will I be returning again?

I will say Angel Food does in fact have some wonderful products to boast about...this unfortunately wasn't wholly worth the hassle. The French Meadow Bakery version at the Great Minnesota Get-Together?! That is another story.  But then again, everything is better at the State Fair. 

Until next time, folks.  And I promise I don't really eat gluten every day....I just happen to blog about every time I do. Oops!

Cheers,

Alissa

Sunday in the Park

You're singing the classic rock hit by Chicago right now, aren't you? I knew it.  That's what today felt like.  All the makings of a classic hit.  It was a perfect day in more ways than one:

Minnesota summers cannot be beat, the tastiest of gluten-free banana-nut waffles, and strolling around parks marveling at the outstanding beauty of God's creation.  And all this shared with one of my sweet sisters?!  All that would've made it better is if I had both sisters here. Next time, Jen!

As if French Meadow didn't serve up the greatest of dishes, add to it the perfect outdoor seating.  As it is necessary to soak this beautiful weather up in Minnesota...this will always be one of my number one ways of doing so: patio seating.  Hurrah.

Hi, my name is Alissa and I love mushrooms.  My family can attest to as much and I was delighted to find the perfect mushy clinging to a log.

Lake life and parks are a must in Minnesota and therefore the Bird Sanctuary next to the beautiful Rose Garden and Lake Harriet is a winning combination. It is great to go for a quick nature walk right in the middle of the city! Then take a spin through the Tranquil Peace Garden...

A neat sculpture in the middle of the garden had every stage of how to fold an origami paper crane.

Until the next lush adventure,

Cheers,

Alissa

A Day in the Life...

If you have been to the Macy's 8th floor Holiday exhibit downtown Minneapolis, you have vicariously lived through a "Day in the Life of an Elf."  Well, here is my edition....

We'll call it a Day in the Life of Visual Merchandising.  This certainly isn't a comprehensive lesson, but a mere glimpse.

We are in the heat wave of summer, so that obviously means school is just around the corner! With school comes all those wonderful styles of fall.  Therefore, scuba gear is out and books and pencils are in...at least in our world.

But not before trying on the googly-eye goggles.

With the ever-changing promotions, we are greeted with scraping sticky letters from the windows at 5 in the morning.  Early bird catches the worm, as they say, and these to-do lists are never ending!

Putting my art minor to good use with some arts and crafts.

Some snaps from spring windows.  It was out with the colorful old and in with the deep sea creatures.  Every day is new and brings with it a new adventure!  I guess you could call us elves, working endlessly when no one can see to bring little delights to all :)

And we too have diets of sugar, sugar, sugar....at least, today we did! We had a mason jar full of skittles and polished them off before our lunch hour at 10 am. It's a quirky schedule to say the least.

Cheers,

Alissa

Best Days of Summer: Friday/Saturday

Here's a little throwback for y'all.

Friday night.  A night reserved for sleepovers and high school football and being crowned Queen of the Lakes.  What a trip!

In 2010, I heard "...the legacy will be carried on through..........Miss Svenskarnas Dag" and there is little I remember after that.  Yes, this looks like your typical beauty queen shot. 

But let me tell you, that year was anything but! As these girls are judged on scholastic endeavors, volunteerism, poise, presentation, and community involvement (notice nothing about talent!), this ever-so unique opportunity is more of an internship representing Minneapolis.  At the end of the year, the ambassadors are given a scholarship to continue in their education...a scholarship I am to blessed to have received!  But, what I learned from that year, I received so much more than a scholarship.

I attended about 150 appearances, around 300 between the whole ambassador family, over the course of one year.  Yeah, you can do the math.  By juggling school, work, my sorority, family, and a life....it was a busy year. Between scurrying from one community in Minnesota to the next, to on air interviews with television and radio channels, to interstate travel representing Minneapolis in California, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, Manitoba, and even St. Paul....it was a busy year.  But what a great year!!

On the night of the coronation, here is Miss Svenskarnas Dag giving her short "welcome" speech about her and her educational goals.  Fun to hear the variety of what these gals want to do "when they grow up"!

I was bad and stole a snap during the coronation of all the Visiting Dignitaries...when we visit other festivals such as the Tournament of Roses in California or the St. Paul Winter Carnival, we are considered V-Digs and in turn, invite them back to celebrate with us at our festival. It's a fun cycle. So much for turning our phones off. Oops!

And the 2014 ambassadors are announced! The new Queen of the Lakes is from Annandale and the Princesses are from Clara City and Waconia.  This was Waconia's first time ever having a royal ambassador with their city celebration, therefore their first time sending a candidate to the Minneapolis Aquatennial! I'd say it's been a good year for them!

It is so fun to see the happy tears faces of these young ladies...knowing somewhat of what their year will be like, I wish all the best to them and cannot wait to see how they develop over the next 12 months.

The new Queen of the Lakes, Riley Bruns.

After the eventful coronation, a few of us headed to Republic for a late night hamburger.  YUM.  It was a perfect way to end the evening.

On Saturday night, the BEST fireworks are presented by Target near the Stone Arch Bridge.  When I say best, I am not exaggerating.  I believe they have been rated top 5 or something for the nation! This is a firework show you do not want to miss.

After fireworks, it was back to the hospitality room to have some more laughs with the V-Digs and Aqua friends.  After a long but wonderful week, it is nice to relax and enjoy the evening with friends. Abby (Princess in 2009) and I spotted an old snapshot in the hotel from canoe races during the "old days" of Aquatennial.  This festival history is so woven into the history of this city it is difficult to distinguish the two.

Last year, after the coronation, my mom and I went to Republic to prepare a special treat for the newly-crowned gals!

I sneaked into their room at left a gift bag and some goodies for the Queen and Princesses to find when they were taken back to their new room. As the Past Queen President, you have the clearance to sneak things into the new ambassadors' room so I figured I would take then chance when I could. :)

 

Hope you will join us next year for the BEST Days of Summer as we celebrate our 75th anniversary!! It will be a festival you will not want to miss. Until then,

Cheers, 

Alissa