Image courtesy of Candles Off Main

We are absolutely honored to be nominated in a few categories in this year’s fabulous Best Off Main Awards from our friends at Candles Off Main. The Best Off Main Awards were designed to honor the best products in home fragrance available on the market today. Candles Off Main nominates the best – you select the winners! Thanks to everyone participating in the voting process. You can vote as many times as you like but only once per computer/device.  Go here to vote: http://bit.ly/BOMA2012.  Voting ends today.

Good luck to all the nominees!!

Holger Motzkau 2010, Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons

Each family has its own unique culture, and for us, my Grandparents were instrumental in shaping that culture. I always looked forward to visiting them and hearing stories about their life in Sweden before they came to the Midwest. My imagination would stretch itself to Sweden; to forests with dim light pouring through them. Sure, they would tell the same stories over and over again, but each time they would add a little flourish that made it new again. Years later I found myself telling my kids these family tales. I’d see their faces, and  find myself exaggerating and adding my own twists. Eventually, I came to realize that my voice had become just as much a part of the telling as the voices of my Grandparents.

One of my favorite stories my Grandmother told me was that on Christmas she would bring wreaths and candles to the cemetery and put them on the graves of her Great Grandparents. She said that on that night the cemetery was washed in light, the flames from the candles cutting circles and shadows in the snow. This image has stayed with me throughout my life, and eventually I made it to her village. It was around this time of year, near Halloween (years after my Grandparents  moved to America, Alla Helgons Dag  or “All Soul’s Day” was moved to the Saturday following the 30th of October). When I got to the cemetery, I realized that although the day had changed the traditions continued. Being there was like stepping into my Grandmother’s memory, as I was surrounded by light.

In Sweden, the end of October marks the beginning of  the dark nights of winter. On Alla Helgons Dag we bring lanterns, candles and wreaths to loved ones who have passed on. We bring them these things, though more than anything they are gifts to ourselves. We are reminded that the love of those we have lost continues, despite the long days without them.

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As the season changes, so do my cravings. Mid-day snacks become sweeter, cookies abound, and I just can’t pass up making the most luscious, gooiest of desserts…Sticky Toffee Date Cake! It is an indisputable fact that any dessert that begins with “Sticky Toffee” is guaranteed to be delicious, but I found this recipe by Ina Garten to be particularly scrumptious. Enjoy!

Sticky Toffee Date Cake with Bourbon Glaze

For the cake:
¾ pound dates, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ tablespoons baking powder

For the sauce:
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons good bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan.

Place the dates in a deep saucepan with 1¾ cups of water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Allow to simmer 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the baking soda (it will bubble up!). Set aside.

Meanwhile, in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla, scraping down the mixing bowl. (It may look curdled.) Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer still on low, slowly add it to the batter. With the mixer on low, add the hot date mixture in two batches to the batter, scraping down the bowl. The batter will be runny but don’t worry! Stir in the baking powder, which will also bubble up. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the bourbon and vanilla and pour into a 2-cup heat-proof glass measuring cup. Set aside.

As soon as the cake is done, poke holes all over it with a toothpick. Pour three-quarters of the sauce evenly over the cake while still warm and allow it to soak in for 30 minutes. Turn the cake out bottom side up onto a flat serving plate and pour the remaining sauce on top. Cool completely.

Serve at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream.

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As Autumn begins, I look forward to all of its simple pleasures. One of my favorite activities is visiting our local apple orchard. Our family has gone apple picking every year since I was a child, and every year I feel the same jolt of exhilaration stepping out of the car. While engaged in the simple act of gathering apples, I experience a rich sense of harvest. I breathe in the sweet, crisp, leafy combination of the morning and the orchard, and all the years come back to me.

When I get home and put the kids to bed I find myself leafing through old photos and recipes, I search for that elusive nineteenth century novel I swore I was going to finish last Fall, and I make myself a hot mug of apple cider with allspice. Apples, pumpkin pie, old books; scent memory and emotional memory are inextricably linked together. We all have little reminders of this at different moments in our lives, but for me Autumn and Winter are two of the most powerful seasons for these kinds of associations.

This fall, we introduced a new scent called Hearth which combines cedar wood, with sweet amber and leather. It conjures up that first cold evening curling up by the fireplace. Another new scent is our Vanilla Noir, which combines a creamy Madagascar Vanilla with soft woods and musk; this one always reminds me of baking with Mom in the kitchen. And last but not least, our Pumpkin candle with its warm notes of harvest pumpkin, spice and herbs always cheers me up after a long day.

Image courtesy of the Empire State Building & Fashion's Night Out

As many of you know, especially those on Twitter (it’s been mentioned non-stop!), Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week has begun, and tonight marks the official kick off with Fashion’s Night Out. We can’t get to the Big Apple for the stylish festivities but we’re channeling the slick city streets in the studio and burning our chic Cashmere candle. A timeless classic, like fashion’s best offerings, our clean-burning soy candle is scented with a sophisticated herbal blend, marked by patchouli and mixed with vanilla and a twist of lime.

Whether you’re in New York burning the midnight oil or elsewhere like us, there are so many fun ways to track the latest trends and get sneak peeks into the latest “it” party. We’ll be glued to Twitter, Pinterest and Style.com for our fashion fix this week.

What shows are you most looking forward to seeing? Is NYFW on your radar?

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In these final dog days of summer, I’m trying to take advantage of the next few weeks of wonderful weather. I thought the perfect way to enjoy a warm summer’s night would be to host a garden party for friends and family. This time around, I wanted to bring the scents I love so much while inside, outside, and thought our Garden Mint candle would be just the thing.

Garden Mint highlights the yard’s natural, welcoming perfume and is absolutely perfect for these final hot summer evenings. A perfect aroma to take the edge off summer’s fiery heat, watery notes of garden mint leaves mingle with cucumber, spearmint and hints of citrus. The scent is known for its therapeutic & cooling properties and has a gentle aroma that is never overwhelming. This an important thing to consider at an event revolving around dining;  you never want to compete with the aroma of a home cooked meal!

We love the balance of using our candles both inside and out, they’re multi-taskers just like us! As always and no matter where you’re enjoying your candles, just remember to always keep your eyes on a burning candle and never to leave one unattended. Candle safety comes first!

Pick one up at Candles Off Main in time for your next dinner party.

Image Courtesy of Vogue.com

Before summer comes to a close, I like to make the most of seasonal produce and flavors that just aren’t as fresh the rest of the year. The perfect way I’ve found to beat the heat is by indulging in a nice cold popsicle. I found this Honeydew-Lime Pop recipe on Bon Appetit and thought it would be a fun activity for you and the whole family. I also enjoyed this recent article from Vogue about ice pops and their evolution. I’m excited to enjoy these next few weeks of summer with my family and indulge a bit with these refreshing icy pops!

Ingredients

• 4 cups 1″ cubes peeled honeydew melon
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup mild honey
• 1/4 cup sugar

Preparation

• Purée all ingredients and 1/4 cup water in a food processor until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium pitcher; strain, pressing on solids to extract purée. Divide among molds. Cover; insert ice-pop sticks. Freeze until firm. Dip bottoms of molds into hot water for 20-30 seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops from molds and serve.

How easy does that sound? Do you have any favorite popsicle flavor combinations I should try?

Vanilla Noir is the next new scent in our Linnea’s Lights Fall lineup and we are so excited to share it with you. Vanilla is such a classic and comforting smell bringing me back to when I was growing up and helping mom bake in the kitchen. Over the years though, I’ve come to understand the complexity of the vanilla bean and it was important to me as we developed our first vanilla candle to keep it sophisticated, sensual and dynamic.

Vanilla has long been one of western civilizations’ most essential flavors, first discovered by Central Native Americans. Our new Vanilla Noir candle is infused with creamy and exotic Madagascar bourbon vanilla, intertwined with soft woods and musk… the perfect finishing touch in any home.

Available for purchase, Fall 2012. What does Vanilla remind you of?

Summer is fantastic, isn’t it? The sun, the outdoors, it’s all great, but I have to say there’s something beautiful about the cooler months. During Fall and into the holiday season my home becomes my sanctuary. I live for the hours when I’m free to curl up on the couch and let the warmth of the fireplace engulf me. The smell of the embers are so enticing and relaxing. It seems to lure the rest of my family away from their rooms and down the stairs to the comfy couch and me. That scent is home to me.

With my new few posts here on the blog, I wanted to give you a closer look at each new candle we’ll be rolling out in the coming months. Production is in full swing here and the studio smells divine!

This fall Linnea’s Lights is introducing a new scent named Hearth. For centuries, the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature. On brisk nights, find comfort in hearth and home. The candle’s scent will linger throughout your whole house creating a loving and warm environment. Smoky & captivating cedar wood is kindled with sweet amber and leather accords to welcome you.

Available for purchase, Fall 2012. Which season do you look forward to most?

Image courtesy of geotravellers.com

Linnea’s Lights is an American company through and through so like most of you, we’re beyond excited for the upcoming Olympics and filled with pride for our country.

It’s so awe-inspiring to watch these skilled athletes who have trained their whole lives hoping for a chance at victory. Personally, my favorite summer events to watch are track & field, swimming and gymnastics. I also love seeing the kids cheer on their favorite athletes and remember back to when I was young and how the Winter Olympics Figure Skating events inspired me to take up lessons at the local rink.

The games have become so much more that just an athletic event. The Opening Ceremony is a true spectacle and I never know what to expect. The games are also a source of pride and community, something our team at Linnea’s Lights relates to completely. For the next few weeks, you’ll find me wearing my red, white, and blue around the studio proudly!

What’s your favorite sport to watch during the Olympics?