search for: gypsy cab

This morning right before I flew out the door to run errands, I had a moment to brainstorm and gather ideas for some decorations. The SF Food Wars Pie or Die competition is this sunday and well, it feels like I'm going to die. While not literally, it sure feels like a heap of trouble. In addition to baking small hand pies for 230+ people I have to decorate the area where I'll be competing from. Yikes! Team gypsycab(my team name for this competition) sure needs some help right about now. So, back to this morning's brainstorming session...I searched for images of gypsy cabs in hopes of obtaining some inspiration to create a name banner but didn't find a whole lot, and then suddenly came across the two photos above. About a year ago I posted some items on my Etsy shop(gypsycab vintage) and sold several perfectly wonderful vintage goodies, among them was a darling white purse. It turns out that the gal who purchased this purse shared her purchase on her blog along with other pre-loved items that completed a very fashionable outfit. I'm glad that "the white purse" found a very glam home and lives on in full fabulousness, as it was saved from a sad life in a dark closet! No, I have not began or finished my banner or have any decorating ideas, perhaps the search for all things gypsy cab has just begun.

p.s. Dear world....If I ever attempt to compete at anything ever again, I sure hope that someone would please hold me back and tie me down. I. will. go. die. now. thanks.

kitty cat madness.

Blue, the greatest...most of the time.

a super bad kitty that shouldn't be on top of the fridge!

platter replacement found on replacements LTD

salad bowl sold by compostthis

My cat is officially a jerk. I love the fur ball to the moon and back but this morning Blue really made me re-analyze our relationship, just a bit, I mean I really love the guy. Anyhow, in his crazy monkey-cat world he decided to make the top of our fridge his playground and knocked over some items which were of course vintage and some of my favorites in the kitchen.

Items broken beyond repair include:

-a large dinner platter(vintage and part of a fine china set)

-a heavy glass salad bowl that I adored no matter how much others didn't.

After picking up the mess and taking a few deep breaths I searched on etsy to find similar salad bowls as mine will be missed. To my surprise I found the same exact salad bowl but for a much steeper price, I paid a total of $3.00 at the community thrift store in SF of all places and found it again on etsy for $35.00 plus shipping of course. This salad bowl was produced by Anchor Hocking for Bazooka Bubble gum (weird) as a promotional deal sometime in the mid-1950s, and there were only 960 made. Wonderful, my broken one was part of the 960.... ARGH! The platter I also found by searching Grantham Royal-Doulton (the manufacturer) and I can get another for $139.99, my platter was part of a complete set that cost me $100. Gotta let go! So, farewell my precious, vintage, salad bowl, and platter you were both loved...and Blue is grounded.

bundt's the word!

I love, love, love vintage bundt pans and in the past month my collection has grown. To honor my darling little collection I've decided to bake up a storm of deliciously moist bundt cakes!

The first recipe I begin this journey is with a Cardamom Vanilla Bean bundt cake recipe (eeek, two ingredients I simply adore, cardamom and vanilla beans!). I suggest you try as it is perfectly divine in every way, and your house will smell so good!

Ooooh, this cake not only keeps well but also becomes tastier over the first day or so. It's delicious toasted or served with ice cream!

• ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar(use less sugar is you don't want it as sweet)
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup whole milk or butttermilk (I used regular milk as i already had it)
• 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream (optional, for whipped cream)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons confectioners sugar(optional, for whipped cream)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract(same...optional, for whipped cream!)

preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar in mixer at medium speed, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans with tip of a paring knife into butter mixture, reserving pods for another use, and beat until combined well, about 1 minute. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in lemon juice until combined well. At low speed, add flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, mixing until just combined.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top. Gently tap pan on counter to eliminate air bubbles.

Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan 1 hour, then invert onto a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour more.

Beat cream with confectioners sugar and vanilla extract using whisk attachment of mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Serve cake with whipped vanilla cream.

happy hour magic.

from eat make read

one of my vintage set of tumblers...

Get ready to relax and enjoy a drink darlings! I know I can always use a little happy hour potion to ease off into my evening. I've been dying to try this super easy cocktail recipe from the wonderful world of Kelly Carambula from eat make read. I brought out one of my vintage sets of glass tumblers (which I retired from my etsy shop and decided to keep) and off I go! Enjoy.....

Recipe for a delicious blood orange gimlet:

serves 1!

*1 oz. blood orange juice

*2 oz. gin

*ice

*blood orange slice, to garnish

1. Pour the juice, gin and ice in a cocktail shaker and give it a good shake.

2. Strain the liquid into a nice, dainty glass and garnish with an orange slice.

Now...salud, cheers, salute, prost!