Collingswood, Arts and Crafts Street Fair

So much to see, browse or buy!

Today is the Collingswood   Crafts and Fine Arts festival/ street fair. 10:00am to 5:00pm.  Awesome! Food will be available called “Cafe Dining” featuring cuisines of Italian, seafood, Asian-fusion, Mexican, And All -American , and Nostalgic soda dispensed in tin cups.  Also, every Saturday from early Am to 1200 noon is the Farmers Market.

Two necklaces that I bought there two yrs ago are still my favorite, so sweet, these are made out of a bottlecap, in which I choose ocean theme , one of tiniest seahorse in sand, and the second assorted tiny seashells,”my own little beach on a chain”.  Definitely will be keeping an eye out for this display today. A wide range of themes  were designed, including individual letters, also occupations.

Here’s bottlecap Jewelry! Sweet!

Collingswood Farmers market, every Saturday 8 to 12

Farmers Market, fresh from the farms……. corn on the cob, green peppers,tomatoes,  and Zuchhini Flowers, greens, herbs, basil, oregano, and more

Peach Cider, fresh baked muffins and breads, loaves of bread.  There’s a dairy stand, special flavors of cream cheese, …my fav- cirtus cream cheese, uum yum.

Speaking of Crafts, More photos………….

Stained Glass, so beautiful!

Stained Glass

Frugal -Shop Smart sidewalk display!

Shopping Frugal is a wise practice! Resale items , there’s something for everyone, you just might find that special item. I look for kitchenwares, and cooking tools!, pictures are framed artworks, and a hanging rack of clothes.

menu

Artisan Cheese, and Grass -Fed meats at the Farmers Market…..Home-made Mac and Cheese for purchase.

Whimsical Terracotta Pots with faces

These terracotta pots make me laugh, ……..cool shades, …..pucker up!!! L O L.  Useful on a kitchen counter for your kitchen tools, or in the powder-room for toiletries, yoour imagination is limitless.

Artistic work of clay, ” E.T. Phone Home!

E.T.  and many smaller figures.

Great place to bring your dog!

Beautiful BIG dogs!

Did you know that It’s Chocolate Week in Italy?

The Italian food festival is taking place in Italy  with Eurochocolate starting on October 15 to  October 24  in the home town of Baci Perugina and lasting ten days.

October the 12th was  renewed as the traditional appointment of   Chocoday, the National Cocoa and Chocolate Day, conceived and promoted by Eurochocolate in collaboration with Fairtrade Italia,  fair-trade products certified , with the aim of promoting in Italy and around the world Pure chocolate.

Every year, Perugia in Umbria hosts the chocolate festival, with tastings, events and exhibitions. The public can visit workshops of chocolate makers.  Sounds like a chocolate-lover’s dream come true.

Also in   Rome’s San Lorenzo section, there is a Chocolate Factory where you can taste Chocolate pralines  with a soft ricotta filling, pizza bianco with dark chocolate, and a rare cacao liqueur.

Visitors will delight in the ancient chocolate machinery that still functions, the chocolate molds displayed on the walls next to plush chairs for sipping your chocolate beverage from the chocolate bar.

Sounds so wonderful , that I’m bookmarking the site for next time that we travel to Italy to make sure it is during the fall.

The chocolate factory in Rome was founded by Aldo De Mauro in 1923  and is current owner is called  Said, Societa Anonima Industria Dolciumi (SAID) has been around since 1923.

It is on via Tiburtina in the San Lorenzo area of the city.

Culturally, Italians do not favor eating chocolates in summer and the factory ceases operation during the hot months of June, July, August; hence, the best time to visit the SAID premises to taste its hot chocolate and other chocolate products is in November and December, when one can enjoy the warmth of the fireplace and the comfort of its plush sofas. The bistro on premises is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Chocolate Recipe:

Brunsli (Swiss Brownies) or Christmas Brownies-cookies

Ingredients for approximately 50 cookies (depending on the size of a single cookie):

• 150 g (5 ounces) sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 250 g (9 ounces) grind almonds
• ¼ tea spoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch of clove powder
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2 fresh white of egg (about 70 g (2.5 ounces))
• 100 g (3.5 ounces) bitter chocolate
• 2 tea spoons of kirsch

1. Mix sugar, salt, almonds, cinnamon, clove powder, cocoa powder and flour in a bowl.
2. Add white of egg and stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Cut chocolate in real small pieces, pour hot water over the chocolate, let rest for about 5 minutes, then pour off all water except about half a tablespoon, stir until even. Now immediately proceed with the next step.
4. Add melted chocolate from the previous step and the kirsch, knead to a soft dough.
5. Roll out dough on a flat surface (it may be slightly covered with sugar), approximately 10 mm (0.4 inches) thick. Put out different shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
6. Let them rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place.
7. Bake for about 4 to 6 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 250 °C (480 °F).
8. Let cool completely before serving.

A Note to all visitors:

Welcome,  Benvenuto. Please tell  me know what you think of this post and how the recipe for the brunsi ( christmas brownies)  turned out when you baked it.