Thank You!!!

This will be our last post before the New Year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have taken the time to read and share all our articles in 2012. We look forward to bringing you even more exciting recipes in 2013 and beyond.

We wish all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and feast your eyes on our end of year cup cakes.

December!!!

December, checkmate December!!! a month that makes my head spin and swell with the Christmas excitement. I feel like I’m barreling full force into the holidays, into the end of the year, into planning my life for the next year, into trying to keep my act together and my new year anxiety at bay.

I sometimes wish December came with a score sheet for the year… just a little list that could tell me what has gone down in my year so far. Real assessment of me!

I really do not need an update on my New Year’s Resolutions for 2012… we all know those were written down on a piece of paper littering somewhere (maybe with "mai kosai"....). I want a score sheet more along the lines of: How many times I cursed while driving? How many cookies I stress ate in my car. How many times I’ve driven round town with either a pound of butter, or a bag of sugar in my handbag (don't ask me how come). How many times I bought cake items on impulse (impulse shopping) .How many times I’ve Googled the same word repeatedly to double check its spelling. How many times I went on amazon to order for cake tools. (A baker's obsession). You know… the important things. The things that really tell you how you’re living in your everyday.

The December days are ticking away quickly. Christmas will come and go in a blur of cranberries and Mariah Carey Christmas CDs(which Hubby used his last dollar on his iTunes Store account to purchase just for me).......Before we know it we’ll be pushing someone in the frigid pool at the New Year’s Eve party, or counting down to New years day!

For now… while we have this simple and exciting days leading up to Christmas......let’s just enjoy these (or really any) cookies, close our eyes and access the year’s ridiculousness, with a thankful heart.

Gift Away

One of the reasons we love chocolate cake so much is the pure unmatched physical pleasure we get not just from eating it but also from smelling it....
Whether or not we choose to share our pleasure with others by attemping to describe the complex flavours is another matter.
At the moment, fellow chocolate cake lovers get by without saying a word- they just know when it is good and a roll of the eyes or a deep sigh is enough to communicate this...
Do you want to see that delightful roll in the eye of your loved one? Let Crust & Cream make that come true.....gift a chocolate cake this season

You Really Need that Vacation!!!

A holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official (more common) or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities.

The word holiday derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.

The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days away from work or school.

Aside from the fact you’ll have lots of glorious photos you can post on Facebook and make people jealous, going on holiday is good for your body, mind, and soul. And while doctors can’t prescribe a holiday and nor are they covered by insurance, a vacation is often just what you need to be and feel healthier and more relaxed.

Holidays also inspire creativity, relieve stress, lend themselves to romance, and are great family memories. So if you’re on the fence about going away for a vacation, then hopefully one or more of these reasons will push you to get on the move.

You’ll be able to look back in 2, 5, 20, 40 years and say to yourself, “Wow, remember when we did all that. Crazy!” That’s a lot better than thinking, “Wow, I spent my entire life working.”

You’ll discover a new way of living that may inspire your own.

See things your eyes never could have even dreamed of.

Discover new fruits and vegetables.

Since you’re away from home, you’ll give yourself permission to be silly and have fun.

Vacations promote creativity. Because you’re away from the usual responsibilities of life and routine, you’re more willing to let your mind wander and reflect. Right before Steve Jobs started Apple he was in India for 7 months!

You’ll get better at your job. A vacation can save you from work burnout so that when you do come back to work you’ll have a sharper mind with better focus.

Sun. If you’re like most people you’ll spend a good chunk of your day inside working in an office (unless you’re a park ranger). The sun rays you need to generate vitamin D in your skin can’t penetrate glass, so sitting by a window or in your car doesn't cut it.

Vacations boost your immune system. A large chunk of common illnesses (headaches, colds, backaches, body pain, fatigue, depression, etc.) come from stress. A holiday that relieves you of stress will drastically help your immune system and keep you healthier!

Meet new people. On average, we only interact with a handful of the same people everyday. Go on holiday and you might make new friends.

Gratitude! Having a blast on holiday generally makes you more grateful and by acknowledging your gratitude you’ll almost automatically become happier!

Holidays bring you closer to your loved ones. There are 2 things that bring people together: joy and suffering. I’m not promoting the latter, so why not choose to create stronger ties with your loved ones over a stunning sunset or food adventure in a new environment.

Self-discovery. When you’re on holiday you’re faced with a new scene, new challenges, new sights, sounds, etc. Take stock of how you react to everything and you’ll discover a new part of yourself.

Rarely in our busy lives do we get to sit down and reflect on our past actions and how we feel. When you’ve all the time in the world and you’re chilling by the pool, let yourself examine and acknowledge what you’ve done.

New food! Enough said.

You’ll finally get time to catch up on your reading. Yes, 50 Shades of Grey will finally have its pages turned.

You’ll become a nicer person. Holidays where there’s gorgeous nature (beaches, forests, rivers) will actually make you friendlier. Researchers have shown that just by staring at a potted plant or a forest outside your window will make you nicer.

You’ll live longer. Researchers from the State University of New York found that men who take vacations each year reduce their overall risk of death by about 20 percent, and their risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 percent. Men who didn’t take any vacations in 5 years had the highest overall death rate and incidence of heart disease of any of the participants.

Lower rate of depression. A study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal found that women who took more than 2 vacations a year were less likely to suffer from depression and tension compared to women who only went on holiday once in two years. What’s more, the odds of marital satisfaction decreased as the frequency of vacations decreased.

Life is meant to be enjoyed.