I hate the cold, there I've said it. Yes, I do enjoy the end of year festivities and such like, but the cold? Not so keen. But as far I'm concerned, some of the season's upsides are the mandatory fluffy socks, woolly hats (that hide a multitude of hair sins...), fireside snuggling and of course, the good ol' hot toddy!! ;)  So over the years I've tried an array of flavors and, this sweet mulled wine is one of my faves! It's perfect for Thanksgiving too. I make it with Muscat wine and a dash of tangerine juice, which helps complement the citrus notes in the wine. 

If you would have seen my (Tess) face yesterday as we drove out of the city and into the country for the afternoon, you would have thought the barrister slipped in a little something extra into my London Fog. On our way out the the pumpkin farm, the high-rises of our neighborhood were quickly replaced with row after row of golden-leafed trees. Maybe it's because I've lived in the city for a while now, but I had no idea I could ever be so excited about fall foliage. The beautiful colors of fall were captured in these Fall Leaf Mini Cakes .

I love a nice pair...of pears. And this poached pears recipe is so delicious but really easy to make. And looks like you really pushed the boat out!  This is the perfect autumnal dessert for a dinner party, or just because! It's also great paired with cream, ice cream or shortbread cookies for a Thanksgiving sweet course for the whole family!

I can't begin to tell you how excited and proud I am of my dear, beautiful, talented friend, and one of our blog contributors; Mindy from Creative Juice !! She not only has written and photographed everything in her Gourmet French Macarons book , but has also produced one of the most stunning and creative books I've seen of late! I'm just in love ♥ Keep reading to find out all about it from Mindy herself...

Halloween is not just for little children. Yes, us big kids also enjoy the whole dressing up and spooky fun to be had. BUT, the whole candy extravaganza  might  not appeal to all, and this is where today's post comes in super handy!  I love coffee and still have a sweet tooth, so what better than a homemade  Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup to get me all in the mood for Halloween, without fear of breaking the scales after too much candy?! :) Oh, and they make perfect party favors and non-candy Halloween gifts too!

As seen on   Bird's Party Magazine , these fabulous, totally scrumptious cupcakes by Haniela's would make a really fun and whimsical seasonal treat to your Halloween or Thanksgiving parties , don't you think? :) Get full recipe below...