Innehållsförteckning för Holiday Bliss 2017 från Victoria

With the coming of the holidays, the exterior of my home is adorned with fresh evergreen wreaths tied with generous plaid bows. Indoors, a single glowing electric candle is centered on every windowsill. The clean, sharp fragrance of cedar and pine fills the air. I have piled boughs on the mantel and gathered some in a stone container on the kitchen island. A towering blue spruce, harvested and shipped from the North Carolina mountains, adds majesty to our great room. Family tradition calls for decorating both the house and tree on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving. We collect the tubs of ornaments from the attic and basement, and reminisce as we unwrap decorations that have been carefully selected over the years, giving special attention to those handcrafted by loved…

When it comes to decking the halls, Janet Rooney has always been exuberant. “I suppose more is more,” she says with a laugh, “and more is better.” Treasures from relatives have sparked vignettes throughout her home. The dining room features a wedding present from her late husband’s parents—an exquisite tea set Janet displays with other vintage silver finds. Emphasizing the rich patina of the accoutrements, natural elements contribute Yuletide flair to the stunning grouping. More than twenty-five years ago, Janet’s brother gifted her The Old Curiosity Shop from the Department 56 Dickens’ Village Series. Charmed by the English architecture, Janet and her husband, Ralph, expanded their wee hamlet over the decades, adding buildings and accessories to the landscape of miniatures. Varying the placement of seasonal trimmings showcases their versatility. Europeanstyle…

“I love natural materials and can’t stand skimpy garlands,” says interior decorator D. A. Tynes (a.k.a. Dawn Ann). “You really need to honor the scale and proportion of your rooms and work to create that perfect balance, even with holiday décor,” she adds. A visionary with a trained eye for design, D. A. has been practicing her skills on a broad level for more than twenty years. Her repertoire includes full-service commercial and residential jobs, as well as top-tobottom show-house projects. D. A.’s sense of style is cleverly articulated throughout her own home, where the expansive spaces command embellishments of significant magnitude. “I’ve been dabbling in decorating my whole life,” notes the former economics graduate, who later returned to college to study interior design. “I’ve watched my tastes evolve over…

Herbed Lamb Vol-au-Vents p.75 Makes approximately 18 pastries 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 12 ounces lamb loin, trimmed, chopped into bite-size pieces 1½ cups finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1½ teaspoons coarse salt 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper 3 (10-ounce) boxes puff pastry shells, prepared according to package directions 4 ounces goat cheese Garnish: thyme sprigs 1. In a large skillet, combine butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add lamb, onion, and garlic. Saute until lamb is cooked thoroughly, about 8 minutes. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes more, or to desired degree of doneness. 2. Spoon mixture into prepared pastry shells. Crumble goat cheese evenly over each shell. Garnish with thyme, if…

Peppermint Marshmallows p.81 Makes 12 to 16 ¾ cup cold water 3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin 3 cups granulated sugar ¾ cup light corn syrup ¾ cup hot water ¼ teaspoon salt 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon peppermint extract 3 tablespoons finely ground peppermint candies Confectioners’ sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to extend over sides. 2. In a small bowl, pour . cup cold water. Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 5 minutes to soft en. 3. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, . cup hot water, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture registers 240° (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer.…

Black Forest Trifle p.87 Makes 6 servings 2 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries 1/4 cup brandy 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur, divided 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 6 large eggs 3/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 3/4 cup cake flour ⅔ cup cocoa ⅛ teaspoon salt 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 cup heavy cream Garnish: grated chocolate, cherries, dark and white chocolate curls 1. In a medium saucepan, combine cherries, brandy, . cup amaretto, and brown sugar over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is reduced by half, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. 2. Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray with flour. 3.…

Built in 1906 for the first permanent, yearround resident of this scenic mountaintop community, the beautiful sandstone house had all but lost its luster when Lisa and Scott Maclellan purchased it at auction in 2009. The once-grand structure had been converted to apartments in the 1930s and required a two-year renovation to restore it to its former glory. Terry Barker, senior partner of River Street Architecture, helped the couple turn an empty shell into a breathtaking residence, complete with Corinthian columns, a second-floor balustrade, and a circular staircase. Furnishing the home was a true labor of love for Lisa, who made all the design choices. She searched the country for the carved marble mantels, period mirrors, and exquisite chandeliers that give the mansion its French flavor. The dining room chairs…

According to legend, the candy cane hails from seventeenthcentury Germany, where a choirmaster and a confectioner collaborated to create a treat to calm little ones during Christmas Eve worship services. Red-and-white-striped candy sticks can be traced to 1844, but the origins of starlight and soft mints remain a mystery.…

One of the great lights of the literary world made her debut on December 16, 1775. Although, in an irony Jane Austen no doubt would have appreciated, her brilliance would remain unacknowledged universally for at least a century after she died. Of her personal life we know little, save what historians have gleaned from letters and first-person accounts from loved ones. Of Austen’s unparalleled wit and clever sensibility, however, we know a great deal. The authoress, who famously vowed to “let other pens dwell on guilt and misery,” began writing plays for her family’s amusement as a child and had progressed to novels by age fourteen. Tea was a treasured ritual in Jane Austen’s daily life, and it is frequently and affectionately mentioned in her manuscripts. And so we can…

Below is a listing of products and companies featured in this issue. Items not listed are privately owned and are not for sale. Pricing and availability may vary. Pages 30, 32, and 33: For more information about floral designer Sybil Sylvester, visit her website, wildflowerdesigns.net. Page 32: Decorated by Carole Sullivan of Lagniappe Designs, 205-870-5061, lagniappe-designs.com. Page 34: The Magnolia Company: Fresh Bunches Garland, $132; 800-880-4662, themagnoliacompany.com. Pages 35–37 and 39: Abby Hetherington Interiors, 23 W. Babcock Street, Bozeman, MT, 406-404-1330, abbyhetheringtoninteriors.com. Pages 49–58: The Inn on Biltmore Estate, 1 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC, 800-411-3812, biltmore.com. Pages 59–70: For more information on the German Christmas markets, visit germany.travel. Pages 63–66: Paleis Het Loo, Koninklijk Park 1, 7513 JA, Apeldoorn, Netherlands, +31 (0)55 577 24 00, paleishetloo.nl. Spirit of Winter Festival,…