Just in QUESO you’re going to a holiday wine and cheese party… Or if you have a friend that is a cheesemonger (I do). Really, really- it’s NACHO fault if you are shaking your head; I CAMEMBERT when I didn’t take advantage of every opportunity to make a play on words.
The annual girlfriends Christmas party had a southwestern food theme this year. I asked the hostess if she wanted Christmas or southwestern themed cookies. Both? she inquired. Why, yes, we can.
Wanted to make something “on point…” (or at least pointed. Looking sharp, eh?)
Who doesn’t think of cow skulls with festive garland when Christmas comes to mind? I mean, really…
So William turned 6 and celebrated with an obstacle course and a blue, black and white themed party. With the speed of a ninja, I pulled my trusty “kick backside” cutter out to create his party favors.
The ninja.
The army.
With armament (airbrushed wafer paper).
At one time, they all lived in the same apartment building in the Big Apple. Now the family that has since moved to Denver and wants to entice the other families to do the same. Below is the “cookie postcard” illustrating what Denver has to offer (some adult content, they wanted to include a few of the high life…).
A very brave and wonderful woman is donating a kidney. I am hoping that a little humor will help ease the stress of the surgery. Now a resident of Denver, she is originally from Boston so that needed to be incorporated into the set. Kidneys, the Mama Mayer way.
ALE yeah, turning 21 is reason to celebrate. And in the US, adulthood means you can legally raise a glass. In honor of Denver’s craft brewing industry and those whose HOP(e)S and dreams are set by beer, I present two of my best BREW.ha.ha cookie sets.
Oh no I didn’t. Yes WHEY, I did! This order was for a newly married couple who met at the gym and were both into power lifting. The client gave me free rein with design and so I LUNGED into the puns. Never been so dead (lift) serious in my life.
My niece was trying to decide on the theme for her November baby shower. She was wavering between “Lil Pumpkin” and “Sweet as Pie”; well, why not both? Orange streamers and little baby pumpkins were strewn like confetti around house. Pies from her favorite local pie baker, Mom’s Apple Pie (boy, were they scrumptious), were the centerpieces of the dessert table. And, of course, there were as many MMB cookies as I could carry on the plane. (Seriously, the DIA security folks don’t even bat an eye at my copious amounts of cookies anymore.) Here are some of the cookies that were plated for the dessert table. (Kaleida Cuts for the win on the wonkie onesie cookie cutter).
And these bad boys were bagged and tagged for the favors. (yep, it’s a boy…)
Tori’s gown was structured and classic with just a touch of bling. Perfectly and incredibly appropriate. So, true to Tori and Byron, the wedding/reception was equally classy, with all of the fabulous (and I do mean fabulous) details taken care of. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!! The food was as plentiful as it was incredible and the dancing nonstop! I was pretty much blown away by the whole day/event. The photographer was Pat Robinson of Philly; can’t say enough positives about his work!
Our girls. The youngest, the maid of honor, and Tori, the BRIDE!!!
MMB cookie favors were served as parting gifts. A play on the Philly (“knot”) pretzel.
The groom and bride each got a cookie box of their own.
And the cookies that went into the Philly themed welcome bags…
Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in Mexico on November 1 & 2. It was at one time celebrated during the summer. Long ago it was changed to coincide with the Catholic holiday called All Soul’s & All Saint’s Day, and the indigenous people of Mexico have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.
They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.
Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church.
Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers (although now production is becoming commercialized).
My “sugar skulls” for 2016:
Mama Mayer Bakery 