Happy Halloween!

we are still drying out here in maryland, but i managed to make some halloween candy today.

many of you know we live in an old house down a longer driveway on a dead-end street. this makes for few to no trick-or-treaters. we usually escape up to york to see our niece and nephew all dressed up and mooch homemade chili off E's sister. this year will be no different but i did make something sweet to share. of course, i selfishly made one of my favorite treats - chocolate pecan toffee.

not only is it super easy, but the best part about this recipe is it lasts in an airtight container for a month. that is if you have more restraint and willpower than i do. i sprinkled only half of the chocolate with pecans in case anyone doesn't like nuts.

p.s. this also makes a great christmas treat or hostess gift!

have a safe and fun halloween everyone!

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Chocolate Pecan Toffee
makes 1.25 pounds
from Ghirardelli

8 oz bittersweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
3/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tbs water
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spread chopped pecans out and bake for 6-8 minutes. remove and let cool.

meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat. add sugar, water, and salt and bring to a boil. using a candy thermometer, continue to boil mixture, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 305 degrees F exactly. remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (please be very careful as mixture will bubble up more and can burn you!) pour into foil-lined 8x8 in square pan and let cool 1 hour.

melt chocolate and pour over cooled toffee. sprinkle with chopped pecans and pres lightly into chocolate. let sit at room temperature for at least an hour until firm and set. break into pieces and store in airtight container at room temperature.

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Aftermath

somehow we survived Sandy with our power still intact, minimal water in our basement, and every 50'+ tree we have on our property still in the ground. we are cautiously thankful as we are still getting in touch with loved ones.

in light of the devastation along the east coast, i thought this quote was appropriate.

this is what i'll be doing today:

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Appetite Adventure - Salt, Butchers Hill

if you are just joining me for my appetite adventure and aren't really sure what it is, find out about it here. you can see the full list of reviews so far here or by clicking the appetite adventure tab at the top of this page - right next to "home" and "about PW".

source

salt is worth the trip for their duck fat french fries with aioli trio alone. luckily, there are so many other reasons to get excited about this butchers hill gem.

this was my third visit and i have yet to be disappointed. both their regular menu and cocktail recipe changes seasonally, but no trip is complete without the above mentioned fries. the three dipping sauces (truffle, malt vinegar, and chipolte) are so good i could make a meal on this one starter alone. i could practically swim in the truffle aioli it is so decadent.

my lovely date and i decided to make a meal of starters. after we put a dent in the duck fat fries, we moved on to their grilled peach and maytag bleu salad.

i think this was my favorite of the evening. the peaches were fresh and juicy and perfectly grilled. the bleu cheese was an excellent compliment to the sweet peaches and while the "salad" part was scarce, who needs greens when you have thinly shaved serrano ham?

our third plate of country pork terrine was a little out of the box for me but i was pleasantly surprised by the combination of the pork with pistachios, dates, and spicy dijon. 

the only dish we weren't wild about was the crispy fried cod cheeks. this was mostly due to their decided lack of crispiness. the flavor was there, but we couldn't get past the chewy, fattiness of the cod cheeks.

the only problem with our final starter plate was the fact that it came last and we were filling up. the foie gras and wagyu beef slider is decadent to say the least. the slider is rich from top to bottom including not only the beef and foie gras but truffle aioli and red onion marmalade. we split this mini burger and couldn't have eaten another bite of it if we had tried. be sure to savor every small bite.

we may have been full, but couldn't have possibly turned down dessert. we selected their mini goat cheese donuts that unfortunately for me, i have never had before. if a picture is truly worth 1,000 words, its safe to assume we enjoyed them with the salted caramel ice cream and honey with lavender sea salt.

salt has been and will continue to be one of my favorite baltimore spots. i always recommend it to people looking for something different. if you haven't yet had the pleasure of taking your appetite to salt, i suggest you do so. i can all but guarantee you will not be disappointed. if you have any hesitations, take me with you and i'll be happy to help you navigate their menu.

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Where I've Been

this fall has been busy for us so far. 

a wedding in paris and a twin baby shower in miami followed by a week of an unshakable cold (thanks to the cure french baby that literally sneezed on my face) has had me sidelined a bit but i have my menu planned for this week and will be sharing some recipes with you soon.

until then, happy october!

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Thought for Sunday

i couldn't resist

Thought for Sunday

Happy October!

in my book, fall doesn't really begin until october 1st. so, happy fall everyone!

if i'm really honest, one of the reasons i love autumn so much is because it contains my birthday month. just when i am seeing boots i have to have or cozy sweaters i can't live without, i can justify buying a couple of things because it's my birthday present to myself.

here are a couple of things i have on my wish list for fall/my bday!

i have had my eye on this fox ring for quite some time now. i have always had a bit of a thing for foxes, and this ring fits the bill without being "too much."

i have had these frye boots in my shopping cart on zappos for over a year. i love the weathered grey leather that probably only gets better with time. i haven't brought myself to click checkout (could be the $348 price tag) but i feel like i am meant to have these - they are called the paige riding boot. it's meant to be, right? if anyone happens to have an extra pair of these in a size 10 laying around, send them my way please!

i couldn't put together a fall wish list without a cozy sweater. i am digging the zipper detail as well as the fact that this looks long enough to cover my bum - perfect with black leggings and the above grey boots, no?

i pinned this anthropologie watch early in the summer when mint was all the craze. but i still think it would be great for fall. grey skinny jeans, a black and white polka dot sweater, a fun scarf, and this watch would be super cute. several gold bracelets would be great with this watch too.

i have been searching for the perfect down jacket for years. nothing too puffy, a high enough neck to keep me warm, and no elastic waistband. this one fits the bill. of course lululemon would nail it!

isn't this just the most clever thing you have ever seen? this apple charger would look great on my nightside table and sense and sensibility is never a bad idea.

i have to add one kitchen item to this list - i am a personal chef and food blogger after-all. how have i lived this long without this herb mill? it claims to mince fresh herbs without bruising them.

of course this item is one my "keep dreaming" list. but if i happen upon my fairy godmother this month, i'll ask her for this tiffany rose gold cuff: