Yummy Candybar Cupcake

I just tried a recipe from Elizabeth Falkner's cookbook - Demolition Desserts and it is wonderful! It's a Candybar Cupcake with brown sugar cupcakes filled caramel sauce and topped with peanut butter chocolate frosting. Very wonderful...

I'm also making a "Tribute" chocolate cake from Alice Medrich's cookbook - Bittersweet with chocolate ganache.

Happy baking...

Candybar Cupcake image (c) 2008 Jeffery Faris

Best Cranberries Ever!

These are the most wonderful, delicate, beautiful, jewel-like cranberries ever! Enjoy...

Julie's Brandied Cranberries
(from Sunset Magazine "Your Favorite Recipes" Nov. 2008, Julie Wente of Wente Vineyards, Livermore, California)

1 bag (12 oz.) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 and 1/2 cups sugar (I will use less next time - maybe 1 and 1/3 cup)
1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy (Christian Brothers or something inexpensive)
2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest

Mix above ingredients in baking dish (be sure to discard any soft cranberries). Bake uncovered at 325 F until most of the liquid has evaporated (1+ hour) - stir occasionally.

Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Brandied Cranberry Image (c) 2008 Jeffery Faris - Brandied Cranberries on Mikasa Confluence

The National AIDS Memorial Grove, San Francisco, CA

Tom and I visited the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA this weekend while my aunt and sister were visiting. These are some photos that I took and compiled using iMovie on the Apple iMac. [Best viewed on YouTube in High Quality - allow 30+ seconds for the entire video to load and then view for best audio and visual quality.]

~ Jeffery

Big Ben, London, England

My favorite memory of my first visit to London, England.

Big Ben, London, England

(c) 1997 Jeffery A. Faris

Montserrat Barcelona, Spain

Montserrat - Benedictine retreat near Barcelona, Spain

(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Cancun Disco - New Years 2007

Cancun, Mexico

(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Amazing Artist - Terrel Jones

A friend and artist has recently opened an art gallery, featuring much of her own artwork as well as other artist. Terrel has a wonderful sense of color, combining just the right shades to enhance and amaze. These are two examples of her artwork, but please visit her website - http://www.terreljonesstudios.com for more wonderful pieces.

(c) Terrel Jones - www.terreljonesstudios.com

(c) Terrel Jones - www.terreljonesstudios.com

Heavenly Reflections, Pere Lachaise, Paris - April 2007

Pere Lachaise - Paris, April 2007
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Pere Lachaise - Paris, April 2007

(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Pere Lachaise - Paris, April 2007
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Reflections of Laurie

Reflections of Laurie, Bath England, Sept. 1998

In September of 1998, my sister Laurie and I visited my partner, Thomas, in England. Tom was attending the Univeristy of Nottingham at the time. We took a road trip to Bath England and through the Cotswalds on our way to London after visiting the Midlands.

Reflections of Beauty - My Sister

Reflections of Beauty, Laurie (Seattle, WA)
(c) 2005 Jeffery A. Faris

My sister and I shared an apartment in Seattle, WA for 7 years. Parting was bittersweet, but necessary because I found a job in San Francisco closer to my partner, Thomas. Laurie has found her footing in the city and we have both grown as a result of our time apart.

Reflections of Tom

Reflections of Tom - Milnor Lake, Montana
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Reflections of Tom - Milnor Lake, Montana
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Green with Envy

Sandy's Garden, Troy, MT - July 2007
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

4th of July Fireworks, Troy, MT

4th of July Fireworks, Troy, MT
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

4th of July Fireworks, Troy, MT
(c) 2007 Jeffery A. Faris

Summertime Fun - Troy, MT

Summertime Fun - Troy, MT
(c) 2006 Jeffery A. Faris

Raging River - Kootenai Falls, Montana

Kootenai Falls, Montana
(c) 2006 Jeffery A. Faris