Love, Ole School Style

This year, we've seen lots of education-related deliciousness, and this reception featured on Green Wedding Shoes celebrates lovebirds who found each other in fourth grade. The paper airplane-themed desserts and other event elements bring great personal touches to this couple's event.

Want to walk further down memory lane? Check out these previous school related goodies here and here.

Red, White, and Yum!: Pomegranate Lemon Panna Cotta

Use Real Butter brings us this patriotic panna cotta, which is perfect for a cool Fourth of July treat. The vibrant red and white stripes are made using simple gelatin, plain yogurt, lemon zest,  and pomegranate juice. 

Since unflavored gelatin is part of the recipe, you can layer the different flavors, much like you would layer different flavors of Jell-o.

Want to make this Pomegranate Lemon Panna Cotta truly worthy of Independence Day? Use blueberries to garnish your striped masterpiece.

Be sure to check out the easy recipe here.

Featured: Petit Plat Miniature Desserts

While designing this dessert table for Nonpareil Magazine, I decided that a miniature dessert table would be a fun way to represent Alice (of Wonderland fame) growing into a giant. I was fortunate enough to find dessert miniaturist Stephanie Kilgast of PetitPlat. Using my sketches and photos, Stephanie replicated every detail of the dessert table.

Stephanie's mini table with a giant Alice and my full-sized design (inset).

Be sure to check out Stephanie's other sweet, tiny designs here and here.

Cheery Churros & Nonpareil Magazine Bonus Shots

I came across this archived churro treat on Green Wedding Shoes, and it inspired me to look into a churro recipe. I found this simple, twenty-minute recipe that would be perfect for Summer get parties.

Dip the churro tips in your choice of chocolate and finish with sprinkles or colored sanding sugar to coordinate with your event's color palette.

Also, Tricia Little of Sweet Shibui Photography posted some additional pics on her blog that didn't make it into Nonpareil Magazine. Hope you enjoy.

Happy Friday!

Nonpareil Magazine Contribution: Macaron Stands

Along with the Alice in Wonderland dessert table I designed for Nonpareil Magazine, I also contributed to co-editor Maddy Hague's "Fit for a Queen" Marie Antoinette shoot. Maddy wanted to put a modern twist on Sohpia Coppolla's film, so I decided to present macarons in a different way.

After I designed these macaron stands, I shared the DIY tutorial with Maddy. She kindly featured the tutorial on the Nonpareil Magazine blog.

Check it out, and design these stands for yourself. Also, be sure to check out the full article to see how we incorporated these stands into Maddy's lovely design.

Tomorrow, I'll share some of the photog's favorite shots that didn't make the magazine, including some shots of my husband and my assistant.

Dessert Meets Design: Nonpareil Magazine Feature

I'm so excited to share the Alice in Wonderland-inspired dessert table I designed for Nonpareil Magazine's fourth issue with you. These lovely images were shot by my friend and fab photog, Tricia Little of Sweet Shibui.

Rather than design a flowery, tea party I chose to interpret Tim Burton's moodier version of the film, with its woodsy, cloudy, overgrown setting. Read more about my interpretation in the article. I also designed some great printables for the issue, so be sure to grab those. 

I hope you enjoy my ode to this classic tale.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow, I'll share some of the pics that didn't make it into the issue.

The entire fourth issue is a tour through various films reinterpreted by wedding industry pros, so be sure to flip through every beautiful page.

The Odd Couple: Ice Cream and Popcorn

I have a particular fondness for salty/sweet flavor combinations. I designed salted caramel macaron towers for this dessert table. I also selected white chocolate pretzels for the dessert table I designed for Nonpareil Magazine's fourth issue, which will be published this week.

But this Popcorn Ice Cream with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce combo featured on Almost Bourdain is a new one to me.

Check out the full post to get the recipe for the salted butter caramel sauce. A sweet bonus? The sauce can be made a month in advance and stored in the fridge! This makes a perfect, no-fuss treat for any Summer party.

Copycat Invites & Favors

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, which is evident in these Bobbette & Belle sweets that were inspired by this Laura K invitation suite. WedLuxe Magazine featured these delicious pictures.

Set the Table: Individual Sweets

I love this idea! Welcoming guests to the table with single servings of dessert presented in glass domes at each place setting is a fresh alternative. Green Wedding Shoes featured this gorgeous white and gold soiree with subtle hints of pink. Want to customize each treat even more? Use them as place cards by attaching ribboned labels with each guest's name.

For more beautiful pictures of this event, check out the full post here.

Pass the Beer & Pretzels: Unusual Caramels

I love salty/sweet combinations, but I've never considered adding a third, yeasty element to the equation. Heather of Sprinkle Bakes shares the recipe for soft caramels made with pretzels and beer. After lost of trial and error, she's perfected the process to create a caramel that is equal parts salty and sweet, while still having a hint of ale.

Check out more pics and the oddly simple recipe here.

MN Bride's Best of 2010 Gala

Yesterday, I began designing a dessert table for Minnesota Bride Magazine's Best of 2010 Gala. The event honors the best Twin Cities vendors in the bridal industry.

Voters cast their ballots for florists, bakers, caterers, venues, and several other vendors. The results will be revealed at the gala and the Fall/Winter 2010 issue of MN Bride will be unveiled. That issue will also feature one of my dessert tables, so I'm very excited to participate in honoring Minnesota's very best.

I'll keep you updated with lots of sneak peaks along the way.

DIY Ice Cream Favors

I've seen cupcakes in a jar and cookie ingredients in a jar, but never ice cream fixings. Style Me Pretty featured this ice cream in a jar created by City Cradle Design. These are perfect for any Summer party.

Along with the pretty pictures, step-by-step details are also provided.

Dessert Table: Happy Blogday to You!

Jenna of Eat Drink Pretty wanted to celebrate her blog's first anniversary in a big way. Eat Drink Pretty features everything from BBQ to goat cheese, but Jenna felt a dessert table would best represent her blog coming to life. The table featured a beautiful 3D cake, gorgeous pink blooms, and cakeball pops.

Be sure to check out Jenna's blog for even more yummy pictures.

Donuts Revisited

Last Friday was National Donut Day, which I wrote about here. Today, I came across the Lolliblog's Donut Day post and just had to share it. It's basically a compilation of every pretty donut ever made and a few recipes to boot.

Such sugary goodness does my heart good. But, that's not all. Check out the Lolliblog post for another donut-centric inspiration board and recipes here.

Dessert Table: Naturally Simple

The simplicity of this couple's desserts is refreshing. Even though there aren't tons of different sweets, every detail is tailored to the event's greenhouse setting. Two different styles of custom favor bags and a puppy dog cake topper made special treats.

Green Wedding Shoes featured this wedding, so be sure to check out the rest of the pics.

Dessert Table: Strawberry Sweetness

This sweet little dessert table is perfect for a little girl's birthday. If you're like me, then you still have a warm place in your heart for Strawberry Shortcake and her pals. Becca of The Birthday Girl featured this cute table, which was designed by Michelle of Cakewalk Baking and stylist Ana Gonzalez.

Mini cupcakes, pink marshmallows, and strawberry shaped sugar cookies all look fun next to a light blue cake.

Check out The Birthday Girl blog for more pretty pics.

Kiwi Gelato Cups

I love all things dessert, obviously, but I'm a real sucker for pretty desserts. I found this recipe for kiwi gelato on bell'alimento. Such an unusual flavor, but an even more unusual presentation makes it all the more appealing. Hollowed out kiwis make perfect little cups for frosty gelato.

Too busy to make your own gelato? Most grocery stores carry several brands of the Italian treat. Pick lemon, lime, melon or any other flavor that you can coordinate with a hollowed out fruit cup and serve!

Dessert Table: Something Blue

This pretty little dessert table was featured on Grey Likes Weddings. The beautiful Tiffany blue and black palette is forever classic. This outdoor shower had two buffets! One was for cupcakes and macarons, while the other housed sweet drinks.

Free Donuts!: National Doughnut Day

Today is National Doughnut Day. I know, another random food-related holiday, but not this time. The holiday celebrates the men of WWII and also aims to raise funds for the Salvation Army. During the war, volunteers would fry donuts in soldiers', or doughboys, helmets to offer them a little home cooking.

In observance, many doughnut shops will offer one free doughnut for each custom. Krispie Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts are participating so check out locations in your area. After strategically mapping your day to hit as many doughnut shops as possible in an effort to secure a free dozen, be sure to also donate to your Salvation Army.

Image (Martha Stewart)

Candy Gurl, You Rock My World

While shooting her new video, California Gurl, Katy Perry tweeted a pic of her candy dot-speckled heels to her followers. These ridiculous things make me smile.

 

 Image (People.com)

Frigid Fruits

It's June, and that means Summer. Nothing is better for the hot days than ripe fruit and ice cream. These chilly recipes from Real Simple are perfect for the season.

Honey Poached Apricots

Berries and Shortcakes

Fruity Cups

Check out all 10 recipes here.

Macarons in Living Color

Maddy of The Inspired Bride posted this gorgeous pic as part of her Week in Review. I love the stark white backdrop. It really allows the macarons to take center stage.

I loved the image so much that I just had to see more of Theurel & Thomas. The company is the first in Mexico to specialize in macarons. Enjoy!

Check out all of Theurel & Thomas's delicious images at Anagrama and their own site.

**In case you missed it, be sure to check out yesterday's post. These candies are perfect for two.**