many things

Cranberry Streusel Muffins, Salted Caramel Apple Pie and finally the second half of the Michigan trip photos.

I am very late on this post. It seems like ages ago that I was in Michigan, but it has been a very busy last few months. 

Cranberry muffins with fresh cranberries. A big clustery streusel topping that you just need to pile on. Michigan lighting in the photos, deep shadows, high window light, oh how I miss you. Maybe it was just because it was a vacation and at home I am always frantically doing a million things.

A great old glass I found in my Great Grandpa's cupboard. It had little measuring units on the side, words written all over it, like nothing you can find at store today. I was so happy when he saw me swooning over it and said 'Oh, just take it. It's just a cup.'

My dad made this pie with the last of the many apples. Their isn't a recipe to go along with it, because simply he didn't use one. He just made his normal shortening based pie crust from memory then worked on the filling. Apples were peeled and sliced into thin strips. Toss in a bit of sugar, probably some tapioca to make it come together. Piled up in the crust till they were just about to fall down, I got working on the caramel. A quick salted caramel recipe, the same one at work that I use to make a salty buttercream. Drizzled all over the apples then adored with Michigan and Upper Peninsula shaped dough. Brushed with a bit of cream, a generous sprinkling of sugar. Patiently waiting at least half an hour before the crust was the perfect gold brown. Cool down just a little, the voila!  

Dessert.

A side trip to Toronto.

A great little bakery and cafe in their Distillery District. Tons of bread, pastries, it was a great place. 

A little gardening shop a few doors down from the bakery. The outside was filled with lavender and the inside had great new and vintage finds. I found a great pair of little gardening shears that are my new kitchen scissors. 

A free farm that you could walk through.

The horse was nuzzling everything. Adorable.

Across the street. 

Loafers. Mine.

On the drive back to Michigan we made a stop at Niagara Falls. It was the perfect time to go their. The weather was the best of the whole trip and the Falls was pretty much deserted. 

A double rainbow going into the water.

A bavarian town about two hours from where we were staying. Had a great little old simple cheese shop. Lots of cheese curds! It was amazing, I'm pretty sure I bought every single kid. It started to hail the minute they were taking this photo of me.

My Great Grandpa's old camera.

Goodbye Michigan, you were fun while you lasted. Family drama as you would expect on any trip involving my sister and I, but a nice little break nonetheless. 

Muffin recipe from a long ago google search.