Romantic Tastings- Our Party Continues

Our romantic tastings from the Romancing the Home team.

The table is staged and ready for the sweets!


Dried roses are used to enhance the romance of the table.

Rose biscuits from France peek out of a silver biscuit box.


Katha's berry tiramisu in beautiful aqua compotes.


Penny's Swedish Cream- a tradition during the holidays in her family.



Beautiful macaroons brought to me by Jill.




Amy's pretty little chocolate bites embellished with sugar hearts.

Candy's cinnamon chocolate bread pudding in crystal compote.




Christine's fresh tangerine valentini's.


Jill's chocolate raspberry pot pies.


Laurell's sugar garnished trifles.



Linda's homemade pizselles.

Lynda Sue's Salted Caramel Cheesecakes for everyone to take home.

Twelve little (well maybe not so little) sweet bites of deliciousness- all made by the Romancing the Home team. For our store party last Sunday, each of the girls made one savory and one sweet dish. Today, I am sharing the sweets with you ( if you missed the savories, check out our last 2 blog entries). All were divine and looked beautiful on our silver and crystal table. And as if we didn't have enough to eat, Lynda Sue made Salted Caramel Cheesecakes in a Jar and sent everyone home with a sweet treat for later!

French Countryside Tastings

Our table with all the wonderful morsels to try!

Penny's Grandmothers Olive Dip in Endive


Laurell's beet napoleons

Linda D's Provolone Torta

Roasted Corn Salad with Lime by Linda D.

Dried Apricots filled with a Walnut Stilton Butter and Pistachios by Lynda Sue.

Boeuf Bourguignon in a Petite Puff Pastry Shell by Lynda Sue

Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche, Caviar on Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
by Julie

Curried Carrot Soup with Savory Biscotti
by Julie

Grilled Zucchini filled with Garlic Boursin Cheese, Parsley, and Red Peppers
by Katha

Roasted Cauliflower Soup and Savory Biscuit by Jill

Lasagna Cupcakes
by Christine
Muffalotta Baquettes by Amy

Rustic Crab and Brie Bread Pudding by Candy

As I promised yesterday, I am sharing with you the incredible little bites of deliciousness that the Romancing the Home girls prepared for our party Sunday night. One was transported to Europe, either Tuscany or Provence- both work for me! It was served on a table that used many of the new things from our spring merchandise assortment at the store. We will be having a Spring Open House on March 9th and 10th to feature these new items, along with a very special guest, Joy from SavvyCityFarmer.blogspot.com, who is bringing an incredible load of antiques for your shopping enjoyment! More details and excitement to come for that event!
Today, we will be joining http://www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ for Foodie Friday! Take a look at the delicious pictures that she featured from last week's party, especially that red velvet parfait!

Amuse Bouche Party

Sunday evening, the Romancing the Home team each brought one savory appetizer and one sweet bite to an amuse bouche tasting.Today, I am going to share with you the savory table setting and tomorrow I will show you the details of the incredible food that the Romancing the Home team prepared. To set the table, we used all of the new French countryside merchandise that we are offering this spring. We love the tall wire basket filled with primroses, artisan lettuces, Chinese long beans and tangerines. Old bread boards and vintage bakery cake plates were used to display the food. A new collection of table linens from Pom Pom was used on the table- we especially love the new Bon Appetit napkin. Small vintage butter pats were used for the tasting plates, along with old bone dishes. Our favorite detail on the table ( other than the food!) were the pair of cement lambs that we sell at the store. Today we will be joining www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to check out some of the other inspiring tables.

Valentine's Day Chocolate Feast

It's Valentines Day and time for chocolate! Chocolate wines from World Market, embellished with scrap booking rhinestone decals and cocktail rings, have beautiful labels. Rose biscuits from France in silver biscuit box and rose covered chocolates from Vosges in Chicago look very pretty together. I have used the ex voto's or Milagro Hearts of love that we sell at Romancing the Home to enhance the design of the heart shaped smoked tomato chocolates from Vosges. Jill brought me the beautiful pastel French macaroons from a shop in Kansas City called Nastasha's. An old French engraving of Cupid stands in the background to supervise the festivities! Happy Valentine's Day!

Guest Room Details

Lynda Sue is in town to help me with my store spring kick-off this weekend, so I wanted to add a few new details into her bedroom before she arrived. Recently, I found some wonderful old platters in different sizes and decided to hang them on the wall in the guest room. The stack of pink books from France and my collection of old vanity jars look perfect with the platters. A few treats are left in a gift bag embellished with old ribbons.A new book for inspirational reading late at night is wrapped in kraft paper, silk hand dyed ribbon and an old dried rose. Fresh roses are added for the weekend and the room is ready for my friend!

Chocolates- From Pretty to Beautiful

Ferrero Chocolates are wrapped in wonderful foils in shades of gold, silver and chocolate. You can find them at every grocery store this time of year and their price is very affordable. I decided to make them even more special by adding a jeweled embellishment on the top of each one. I love the way they look with the faded roses that I am just about to throw away. Faded roses and chocolates- how beautiful for Valentine's Day!