Sunday, December 4, 2011

BENJIE JONES ~ DESIGN WITH A PERFECT TOUCH OF CHRISTMAS

Since interior designer Benjie Jones was a boy, he has loved beautiful Christmas decorations.  As a child he worked in his father's store, which carried toys among other things.  Jones fondly remembers how beautifully his mother decorated for Christmas.

Jones' Virginia-Highland home is filled with pieces that add, not overwhelm, the rooms.  The tree in the foyer, visible from the family room, is spectacular, and the dining room and the rest of the house is just as beautiful.  ENJOY!














I would like to thank Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles for their Christmas content.  It is now difficult to find 
an article in a magazine with holiday content.



Love the iPad app for Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles

Photography by Erica George Dines







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Saturday, December 3, 2011

Swiss Raspberry Sandwich Cookies (Spitzbuebe)

 Swiss Raspberry Sandwich Cookies (Spitzbuebe)

These Swiss treats consist of two delicate, buttery cookies separated by a thin layer of delicious raspberry preserves. This recipe came from master baker and cookbook author Nick Malgieri. You can make and chill the dough up to two days in advance.

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN


INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup seedless raspberry preserves


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Increase speed to medium; beat until light and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula; give the dough one last stir. Transfer dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a 9" × 11" rectangle. Cover with more plastic wrap, place on a large plate, and let chill for 1 hour.


2. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°. Divide chilled dough into 6 pieces. Rewrap 5 pieces individually in plastic wrap and chill. On a lightly floured surface, work the dough piece gently with a rolling pin to warm it slightly. Keeping surface and dough floured, roll dough into a 9" square. (If dough sticks, gently run a spatula underneath it, to release it.) Using a 3" round cookie cutter, cut out 9 circles of dough and transfer them to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet about 1" apart; reserve scraps. Repeat process with remaining chilled dough pieces. Combine leftover scraps into a ball. Reroll dough and continue cutting circles. Using a 1 1/4" round cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of half of the circles—these are the tops. Bake all cookies in batches, rotating pans halfway through, until just pale golden, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool completely.


3. Put preserves into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring, over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until thickened and reduced by about one-quarter, about 5 minutes. Transfer preserves to a bowl; let cool. Put remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve; dust cookie tops. Turn whole cookies upside down—these are the bottoms; spoon about 1/2 tsp. of preserves onto each. Using a small spatula, spread preserves to within 1/8" of the edges. Cover each with a cookie top. Transfer remaining preserves into a plastic bag and snip the end. Using it like a piping bag, pipe a small amount of preserves into each hole. Serve cookies immediately or store between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

IF YOU MISSED...
                                                                                         The Perfect Table

Saveur Issue 98

Photo: Sarah Karnasiewicz
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Friday, December 2, 2011

THE PERFECT TABLE

These beautiful table settings were designed by Atlanta shop owners. ENJOY!

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Thursday, December 1, 2011

CHRISTMAS PAST

Architect Robert Dame and interior designer Sandra Lucas designed the beautiful home of Lisa and Jerry Simon. This beautiful plantation-styled home sits on four acres outside of Houston. You must read the history behind this family and home. ENJOY!


















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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

CHRISTMAS ADVERTISING

Just a few advertisements with Christmas cheer!  ENJOY!

 
Mercantile

Vintage ~ Atlanta







This was all of the Christmasy advertisements I could find :(. SEE YOU in the morning with some Christmas Cheer!
IF YOU MISSED...



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