Crowded Table by design Newsletter - February Edition -
Dear Friends,
As we dive into the month of February, our hearts are brimming with love and gratitude for each and every one of you. This month, we're excited to bring you a feast for the senses, filled with tantalizing recipes, enchanting tablescapes, and exciting updates.
Recipe Spotlight: No Knead Bread
Oh, this recipe is one of my absolute favourites when I want to impress with minimal effort – it's like magic in the kitchen! Pair it with a divine marinated cheese (stay tuned for that recipe spotlight in the future), and you've got yourself a culinary masterpiece.
I'd love to hear how it turns out for you! If you've made this before, I'm curious to know what you paired it with. Trust me, this one's a winner! 🥖✨
Ingredients:
Yield:One 1½-pound loaf
- 3⅓cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for dusting
- Generous ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Cornmeal, as needed
Instructions:
- Start by mixing together flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add in 1½ cups/345 grams of water and give it a good stir until everything is combined. Your dough will look a bit shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough hang out for at least 12 hours, but ideally around 18 hours. Keep it in a warm room.
- Once your dough is dotted with bubbles on the surface, it's ready to go. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and place the dough on it. Give it a light dusting of flour and fold it over on itself a couple of times. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Now, using just enough flour to prevent sticking, shape your dough into a nice ball quickly and gently. Grab a cotton towel (avoid terry cloth) and generously coat it with flour and cornmeal. Place your dough seam side down on the towel and sprinkle some more flour and cornmeal on top. Cover it with another cotton towel and let it rise for about 2 hours. You'll know it's ready when it's more than doubled in size and doesn't spring back when poked.
- About half an hour before your dough is fully risen, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a heavy, covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Le Crueset, or ceramic) in the oven as it heats up. Once your dough is good to go, carefully take the pot out of the oven. Use the towel to flip the dough into the pot, seam side up. It might look messy, but that's totally fine. Give the pot a little shake if the dough seems unevenly distributed; it'll sort itself out as it bakes. Cover the pot with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes until your loaf is beautifully browned. Let it cool on a rack, and you're ready to enjoy your freshly baked bread!
🎉 Sneak Peek to a new series of Astro Gatherings: Starting with Aries Ablaze: Sparks & Spirits
Our latest adventure has us shooting for the stars with astrology! I'm totally over the moon for it. It all began last year when I had my first birth chart reading. I've been captivated ever since. Want to know a little secret? I've been collaborating with an incredible astrologer who's just as thrilled as I am. We're kicking off with the first sign in the zodiac calendar. Get ready to dive into Aries! Stay tuned for more! If you're too excited to wait and want more now, here's her contact info: https://groundnspace.com/
It's happening! 🎉 The Sacred Cacao Ceremony is here!
You're the first to know, just as promised! We're thrilled to announce a sacred Cacao ceremony at Ignite Health Studio in beautiful Cranbrook B.C. It'll be a truly special evening, where guests can take part in the sacred ceremony followed by a night of connection, sharing experiences, and indulging in beautiful food. We've got plenty of other goodies planned too! Mark your calendars for March 9th. Stay tuned for further details—I'll be sending a special email with all the deets and ticket info soon!
Our Inspiration for the Sultry Soirée - A Peek Behind the Curtain
We're incredibly proud of how our sultry soirée turned out! 🎉 A lot of research and care went into creating this intimate guide. Our blog post, "Everlasting Intimacy: A Sultry Soirée Guide to Deepening Connections," explains many of the philosophical underpinnings woven into this comprehensive guide. Besides being incredibly beautiful and, might I say, sexy, it's imbued with intention and purpose at its very core. We also delve into the details of what unfolded on this sultry night. 💃
Boho Bliss: Dive into Our Dreamy Dinner Party Delights!
We're thrilled to introduce our special "Art of Connection Exploration" series on the blog! This series is designed to provide you with the inspiration, ideas, and blueprint for effortlessly creating intentional gatherings that foster meaningful connections. While we will continue to create our comprehensive gathering guidebooks, we're excited to feature one to two blogs a month with ideas for you to use when planning your gatherings. This blog post marks the second in our series, following the Hygge gathering in January. We're calling this one the Boho Chic Dinner Party, and it includes a recipe suggestion, decor ideas, an activity, and even some Conversation Starter Cards. Our goal is to make gathering simple for you, so dive in and start planning your own memorable events!
Our love affair with Beeswax Candles
We're buzzing with excitement to share our blog post dedicated to our busy bees and the exquisite wax they create. Dive into all the delightful details about beeswax candles, a true labor of love from nature's tiny workers. Plus, enjoy a special treat from our friends at Paper Garden! Use code "CTBD" at checkout for an exclusive 10% discount on their beautiful beeswax candles, our go-to for all our candle needs. Experience the quality and benefits of these natural gems firsthand - it's a glow-up you won't want to miss!
Mahjong Madness: A Game Worth Playing!
We dove headfirst into the world of Mahjong in January, immersing ourselves in learning all its intricacies. This captivating game piqued my curiosity, leading to a deep dive into its nuances. Our blog post, "How We Made Our Flavours of the Far East Gathering More Fun with Mahjong," is now live! Explore all the details, including videos and insights, and see if this could be your next exciting learning adventure. Need tips or guidance? Don't hesitate to reach out—I've become quite the Mahjong connoisseur, as our guests at the Flavours of the Far East Event can attest! This is a great set and the one we purchased: Mahjong
Until next time...
We are incredibly grateful for your continued support of Crowded Table by Design. We believe wholeheartedly in our mission and hope that, in some small way, we are inspiring meaningful connections in your lives as well. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything you're curious about or would like us to explore further. We are always open to suggestions and ideas for future gatherings. You can leave us a comment on our blog or reach out to us on social media. Your support means the world to us, and we thank you for using our links to make purchases, as it's one way to support what we're doing here. Take care of each other, dear friends, and we look forward to bringing you more inspiration soon!
Warmest Regards,
Crowded Table by design
