Dealing with food allergies

Two years ago, I found out that my son had multiple food allergies . He was 1 1/2 years old and I was feeding him some fish and rice for dinner. All of a sudden, he started scratching his tongue with his fingers and I noticed red rashes around his mouth. I called the nurse triage hotline and they told me he was having an allergic reaction.  I gave him some children's antihistamine and slowly the rashes faded away and he was back to normal.  I was so relieved but I was also rattled by what had happened. I took him to the pediatrician the next day and she recommended that I take him to an allergist to get tested for food allergies. Because he was still a baby and would not tolerate a skin allergy test, we opted for the RAST blood test.

The Parisian Macaron

I'm starting to reminisce about my favorite place in the whole wide world...Paris!!! (ooh la la). Six years ago, my husband and I went to Paris on our honeymoon and that's when I officially became a francophile. I fell completely, utterly, head-over-heels in love with the City of Lights. We ate what typical tourists would consider quintessential Parisian foods: baguette and brie, croissants and cafe au lait, crepes with nutella and banana, etc. etc. But the ONE thing I never got to try was a Parisian macaroon. (sigh)

Tutorial: Fondant Flower Applique 101

I haven't made a scrollwork cake in a while so when Auntie Girlie asked me to make Kristine's 18th birthday cake, I was ecstatic! She wanted an ultra fancy cake with all the bells and whistles. I pulled out my sketchbook and started designing all sorts of cakes. I came up with 8 cake sketches and this is what she picked:

Tutorial: Cake Jewelry 101

Marilyn Monroe said it best, or should I say, sang it best..."Diamonds are a girl's best friend."

Wearing jewelry has got to be one of the best ways to glamourize an outfit. I mean, think about the red carpet: the stars are dressed to nines. Everybody asks them what they're wearing and, of course, they talk about the dress, the shoes, the bag and the JEWELRY. What better way to make a statement than to wear a bazillion-carat ring or cascading diamond earrings?

Tutorial: Fondant Scrolls 101

I love scrollwork! I love seeing them in jewelry, textiles, wrought iron, stationery and of course...cakes! Piping scrolls can be a bit of a challenge, but there's a simpler way to make scrolls. You can shape them out of fondant. If you've rolled out and cut shapes with play-doh, then you can play with fondant...and this is something you can actually eat :-)

Favorite Frostings

A cake just isn't a cake without frosting. Not only does it taste oh so good, it also keeps the cake nice and moist. Here are just a few of my favorites that I'd like to share...

Pineapple Apple Pie

"Pineapple Apple Pie a la Mode"

Feeling a bit inspired, I did a little magic in the kitchen and came up with this delightful dessert. It's a combination of my favorite french apple pie and my mom's tropical pineapple pie.