Ciao Autunno... Hello Autumn...

Time flies when you're  having fun but this is crazy... September is close to being over and Fall is here.   Loving the cooler mornings and evenings and the smell of Fall in the air.  It smells different at this new place... more outdoorsy... Love that!  As I do each year on the first day of Autumn,  I made a pie... Pumpkin this time,   classic,   and with my usual embellishment of hand cut leaves.  This pie is the first Fall dessert of the season with many more to come.  We celebrated Jody's Birthday here,  with the girls... lots of fun.  I made lunch and the cake... Pumpkin Spice with Pecans.

Piaceri Autunnali... Autumn Pleasures...

It is beginning  to feel like Fall... no colored leaves yet,  just that lovely breeze... a perfect time for  gardening with some added Autumn touches in my new container garden...and of course for spending lots of time in the kitchen, using favorite seasonal ingredients in beautiful colors... love purple in the Fall and decided to use some in the kitchen... Gnocchi from purple potatoes.  A first attempt at that turned out great,  taste wise,  but I wanted a vibrant purple color, in spite of the addition of fresh lemon to the potatoes after putting them through the food mill,   they turned out lavender,  not purple,  still gorgeous.   Next time I will try a different variety of purple potato in hopes of getting a deeper hue.  I always give purple cauliflower a big squeeze of fresh lemon to return it to it's bright purple color after cooking it,  and that keeps it beautiful. It's also time to make some cozy Fall crafts... It's much to early for Halloween,  but some fall touches are a must.

Torta Per Angie Ed Elliot... A Cake For Angie And Elliot...

My trip to Seattle for Angie and Elliot's wedding was so great.  The weather was warm (too warm),  but on the Wedding day,  it was perfect.  Angie was stunning... what a gorgeous couple!   The cake was to be,  as requested by the Bride and Groom,  simple,  and just a touch nautical.  They LOVED it,  and that made me very happy.   I was flattered to be included in the preparations,  and to be asked to design the dessert table treats and floral arrangements,  and put together the "tossing bouquet".  It was a beautiful celebration, with   lots of fun had by all. Topping off my fun week was a visit with Lynne from " 34th"... She is just adorable and sweet as can be...