Merry and Bright
As the Winter Solstice marks the start of the season, we’re embracing the delights of Holiday traditions, reveling in the time spent with our families and friends, in the moments of togetherness and joy. See below for a few ways we are savoring this time of year—from making ornaments with friends to adding cheer to our homes with gilded garlands and plaid bows.
Katherine—in the DÔEN Heirloom Idella Top—and her little one, Prairie, decorate their home.
Decorating our Homes
Our friend Heather Taylor joined Katherine and her daughter Prairie to decorate for the holidays—a cheery afternoon complete with oversized red ribbons and plaid bows, fresh winter greenery, and plenty of laughs.
Heather wears the DÔEN Heirloom Raquella Dress to decorate with Katherine and Prairie.
COOKIE BOXES FOR FRIENDS
We love the homemade Christmas cookie boxes Victoria Wong makes every year for her friends. She decorates each box with holiday imagery, handwritten names, glittery gold bows, and velvet ribbons, then fills each one with a selection of cookies—the sweetest gift idea for neighbors, family, and friends.
Victoria wears the Baptisia Top as she makes Christmas cookie boxes at home.
Phoebe wears the Camri Top to decoupage ornaments.
ORNAMENT MAKING
Armed with plenty of vintage magazines and Modge Podge, Phoebe and Helen from our Content team gathered with friends to decoupage ornaments in Phoebe’s backyard.
STRINGING GARLAND
Founder of Isa Isa Floral Sophia Moreno-Bunge shows us how she styles the Gilded Poppy Pod Garland, a Holiday keepsake hand-made with real poppy pods, painted in silver. It’s made to last, so we save ours and use it again and again each year.
ADORNING GIFTS
With our seasonal gift boxes in hand, Amy Blessing uses delicate dried citrus and fragrant eucalyptus to create elevated gift toppers. For an added personal touch, she loves painting the initials of her loved ones with watercolors.
Sandy's Spiced Ginger Date Cake
Known for her vibrant and seasonal approach to food, chef Sandy Ho shares a Holiday recipe with us—a delicious spiced ginger date cake, drizzled with a salted persimmon caramel and topped with crème fraîche and fresh berries.
Ingredients
Date Cake
1 cup pitted Medjool dates, chopped
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp baking soda
7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger root
½ tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Persimmon Caramel Sauce
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup very ripe hachiya persimmon, pureed til smooth
1 ½ tsp salt
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment and set aside.
Add dates and whole milk into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Turn off heat and add baking soda, stir to combine, and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Blend the date mixture until smooth and pour into a medium mixing bowl.
Add butter, sugar, and eggs, set aside.
Add flour, cinnamon, ground ginger root, ground cloves, crystallized ginger, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Pour date mixture into dry ingredients and fold to mix and then pour into the prepared cake pan.
Bake cake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer or cake tester comes out clean, remove from oven and leave to cool before removing from cake tin.
For the sauce:
Melt butter, salt, sugar, and persimmon in a small saucepan on medium-low heat and whisk to combine. Turn off heat and whisk in heavy cream.
To serve:
Pour caramel sauce over cake and top with crème fraîche, fresh persimmon, and berries!
Sandy wears the Adelie Dress.
