Cookbook review: The New Sugar and Spice by Samantha Seneviratne

The New Sugar and Spice: A Recipe for Bolder Baking

by Samantha Seneviratne

 My family is made up of artists, cooks and decoraters it seems. Many of us juggle all three as well as a variety of other talents. My role in entertaning, apart from the decorating and art side of course, often falls to the baking. I am known for creating unusual and at times difficult pastries and such. When I saw the title of this new cookbook along with its front cover and enticing description, I knew I had to get it. What I have not mentioned yet about myself is my love for unique spices. I think spices, when used correctly and yet uniquely can make each and every recipe mouthwatering and amazing! This large hardcover cookbook also has beautiful photographs which appeal to my visual self. You will love flipping through the pages of this book and be prepared to become powered with inspiration for future baking!  I am excited about this new cookbook and know you will be as well. Get it in time for Autumn and Winter baking! 

A wonderfully unique and unexpected collection of desserts that showcase spice over sugar, with 80 recipes that both reinvent classic sweets and introduce more unusual spice-infused desserts.

In Sugar and Spice, veteran food editor and recipe developer Samantha Seneviratne invites readers to explore a bold new world of spice-centric desserts. Each chapter centers on a different spice--some familiar, like vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger; others less expected (especially in sweet preparations), such as peppercorns, chiles, and cardamom. With fascinating histories, origin stories, and innovative uses for each spice, this book will inspire readers to rediscover and re-stock their spice drawers, and raise their desserts up to a whole new level of flavor.

Epic Spanish birthday

   For our father's birthday this year, we decorated Spanish style (yay!), and watched El Cid, a movie that Papa has always enjoyed. Since this is one of our favourite styles, you can imagine that the epic decor stayed up for a while, even though it was springtime!

''El Cid'' birthday table in our recently painted dining room!

Although I love springtime, I was perfectly happy to have our dining room/living room this style for that week of May! We LOVE it! :)

stone...chains...candlelight

small trinkets, which we love to collect and use here and there in decorating

a picture during breakfast

Sangria with fruit

bread and candlelight

a birthday breakfast treat

War-themed birthday party!

June 2nd (2013) was our brother Alexandre's 13th birthday and was a Very Special day. 

We did the family party (theme day) later that week! This time, the theme was....WAR! Pretty fun! We played the Great Escape soundtrack, as we enjoyed the decor, meals, gifts....

Sam also set up a super fun obstacle course inspired by combat in the Philippines- complete with real bamboo! (found in the park behind us- seeded from some neighbour's plants!)

A full view (standing in living room, looking at dining room)

Of course I had fun taking closeup shots of the soldiers on the table...

nails for a nail gun represented bullets

pictures on the walls

soldier behind 'barbwire fencing'

HEADING OUTSIDE....
The obstacle course! Everyone tried it, and we were timed. I can't even remember who won, but it was fun! Points were detracted if one made unusual mistakes...

''Sam! you expect ME to FIT under that?'' wails Marjo. To her delight, she did. :) 

1: Put on the backpack, grab the wagon and run towards The Log. (leave wagon at log)

2: Shimmy under the log and the chicken wire fencing attached to it, run over the board-over-log

3: flounder through the pile of leafy branches

4: walk the ''log bridge over the alligator-infested water (without touching the ground, or points will be lost!)

5: crawl through the humid forest of verdant bamboo and leafy trees (without making any descend upon yourself, or points will be deducted)

the forest was constructed of bamboo and maple leaf branches and was watered by an gentle sprinkler

6: run and jump over a piece of wood raised up between two logs, run across another 'log bridge' and jump down into the log cabin. 

7: fill the backpack with as many logs (they were quite small) as you think you can handle, don the backpack again and try to successfully do the whole obstacle course again back to the beginning!

Elodie, looking more like a dancer than an adventurer, crosses the bridge, carrying a log-filled backpack

the dangerous bridge over alligator territory

Those are all the pictures I have for now...we took some videos as well...

the birthday boy...one of those pictures which gives one a glimpse of what one's youngest brother will be as a man! Wow...can't believe how they grow!

Garden-party themed bridal shower

June 15th was a beautiful bridal shower for a lovely friend! It was such a pleasure to attend this garden party-themed event!

the bride!

Elodie

I really like this one! It was fun to edit

I love dress-up events!!! There were some lovely outfits.

so cute!

Don't you love this one of Ashley! I have too much fun editing pictures. :)

Me

Leah!

Of course, we ladies began a delightful croquet game! 

Nikola, looking perfect for the game!
Isn't this a neat picture?

Having fun editing the picture: 

Sisters presenting different time periods....Nikola '20s (I think) and Me '50s! (as best I could)

girls! Croquet is so...photogenic. Or picture-perfect. :) I had a lot of ideas for pictures w/ our trusty mallets. I''m posting what we actually took.

croquet art

Jeremy judged the hat contest....Laura-Lise was a runner-up or something. Of course Darcie won! :)
 I really like her dress too.

Jeremy and Darcie opening gifts!

sisters pictures