All That Glitters Is Gold- Holiday Hacks 2.0
Whether it’s a sit down dinner for two to twenty-two or a family buffet served kitchen-side, all it takes to raise your holiday game are a few well-placed accessories to turn a tablescape into a dreamscape. We’ve melted Fort Knox and gilded the lily gold. We’ve added sparkle to flatware and turned up the bling. It’s time to pour a glass and raise a toast to you- you’ve earned it! Here are our three tips to hack the perfect holiday vibe:
Everyone deserves a seat at the table. Until December 24th, purchase a William Ashley Table-to-go (your all-in-one holiday solution) and a portion of the proceeds will go to Homes First- supporting the homeless in Toronto.*
1. The Midas touch
This is the year to add a golden glow to your table- from chargers to coasters to placemats– our selection is limitless. Why not try a wisteria gold champagne bucket to anchor your display or a colourful vase lined in the coveted metal? For the perfect scent to envelope a room, our golden flower diffuser by William Ashley Home will fill the air with hints of peony and tobacco.
Star Fluted Christmas Dinnerware by Royal Copenhagen
2. Is that an accent I hear?
Yes it is. From Star Fluted Christmas by Royal Copenhagen, Denmark, to Winter White by Wedgwood, England, we have just the right additions to your dinnerware set to make the holidays at your home go pop! By adding colour, pattern and metallic finishes, one well-placed luncheon plate can transform your table into a wintery fairytale. Crystal votives and eccentric dipping bowls add a touch of whimsy like a subtle wink to your BFF. In fact, they make the ultimate hostess gifts.
Winter White by Wedgwood
3. Add some sparkle to your flatware
When you’re the person who has everything, it’s time to think out of the box for an added bit of cheer. Flatware is no longer just the sidekick to your dinnerware set, it is fast-becoming the main attraction. Switch up your metal utensils with a touch of gold by Kate Spade or bling your buffet with a rose-gold Mood Egg by Christofle, housing six shimmering settings. From laser etched silver-plate by Marcel Wanders for Christofle (in-store exclusive) to gold-plated sterling by Odiot (in-store exclusive), from textured stainless by Ricci to SpaceX-styled slick by Degrenne, choose from over a thousand patterns at price-points that are sure to suit you.
Mood Egg by Christofle
And remember to check your cupboards! If you can’t find what you’re looking for we are sure to have it right here waiting for you. From hundreds of brand name dinnerware sets to shimmering candles to bar accessories– make your list and we’ll check it twice! Our in-store stylists are ready and waiting to help make your holiday wishes come true. Scroll down for a brief and tasty story of the Christmas cake.
Ashley Home
A brief and tasty history of a Christmas confection
It all started in England as a meager porridge of meat and grain with a touch of dried fruit- if you were lucky. When sugar and spices were more plentiful, a sweet pudding was born, which swiftly sailed to the newly formed colony of Australia- wishing expats a Merry Christmas. Later, the fruit cake was born as a baked version of this boiled yuletide favourite. And as fate would have it, Jamaica came into its own with the rum-rich taste of the black cake or what we know very well as the Jamaican rum cake. Here’s our take on a family favourite!
INGREDIENTS:
500g butter
2 cups white sugar
8 eggs
1/4 cup (60ml) white rum
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon almond essence
zest of one lime
450g chopped dried mixed fruit
2 cups (500ml) red wine
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups (315g) plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 – 9 inch round cake pans.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, then add rum, lime juice, vanilla, almond extract, and lime zest. Add mixed fruit, wine, and brown sugar. Sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Fold into batter, being careful not to over-mix. Pour into prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 80 to 90 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Store each layer in an air tight container adding an extra tablespoon of rum every two days until your guests arrive. The later they are, the better the cake.
- If you are strapped for time, try the version at the Harbord Bakery & Calandria, you won’t be disappointed!
*This holiday season we are supporting those without a seat at the table. Until December 24th, purchase a William Ashley Table-to-go (all in one holiday solution) and a portion of the proceeds will go to Homes First– a charitable foundation supporting the homeless in Toronto.*
