My Turtle Cake Recipe

I must make a dozen cakes a week (my special Scandinavian Almond Cake) for guests who come into the shop, and I recently added a new twist with the Turtle Cake!

Use the standard recipe (click on the "My Turtle Cake Recipe" title to see it), but pour only half the dough in the pan. Then drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the dough, sprinkle mini chocolate chips all around, and add chopped nuts. Pour the rest of the dough on top, and bake as usual. The layer of "turtle" mixture is a surprise that your family and guests will love!

Enjoy,
Pipka

A National Award for Pipka Collectibles!

I'm so pleased to let all my friends and collectors know that the Collectors Information Bureau (CIB) just awarded Prizm/Pipka Collectibles First Place in the Figurines ($100+) category for the 2008 Cold North Santa! CIB is an organization for manufacturers/retailers that tracks dozens of collectibles from many artists - including my designs - and follows the secondary market for pricing. In addition, they give annual awards, and I'm privileged to have won several through the years, including Artist of the Year. And now the Cold North Santa, one of my favorites (I love polar bears) is the newest award winner!

The large Cold North Santa (the one I'm holding in this photo) is Retired, but the 6" Reflections size is still available (click the title at the top of this blog entry see him close up)...we expect to have him in stock this fall, and with this new award for the design, you should pre-order to ensure that you'll be able to get him!

With this award just announced, I know I'll have a nice weekend...I hope you do, too!

Love,
Pipka

15th Anniversary Weekend with Friends!

The 15 years that I've been designing Santas has flown by, and it's amazing how many paintings I've done...Michele at Prizm said there have been nearly 800 different designs with the Pipka Collectibles name. For something that important, we have to celebrate! I invited collectors from all over the country to join me in Door County last weekend, and we enjoyed many different events.

I had a Welcome Party at my house and spent a lot of time cleaning and getting the house decorated JUST RIGHT...after all, two of my houseguests were going to be Santa and Mrs. Claus! Sparkling lights are one of my favorite things, so my friend Bob and I decorated the trees and shrubs outside...then I announced that dinner was ready!
















After dinner, we had a quiz and gave out prizes...did you know that in the early days of the State of Massachusetts, it was illegal to celebrate Christmas?! The early founders felt it should be observed strictly as a somber, religious holiday. I celebrate the religious meaning, but I don't think I would have liked living in Massachusetts - the ban lasted for 22 years!

By the next morning, we found ourselves eating again at the Northport Pier Restaurant, right the tip of the peninsula. Here I am with the Hodels and on the boat tour with Debbie Hortin (our "Titanic" pose!)...
















We all posed for a group shot by the water's edge:




My garden at the shop was the setting for an afternoon Christmas storytelling party with Roy Swanson telling us how he drove the streets of San Francisco every Christmas as Santa...he was the inspiration for this year's "Christmas Eve Drive" figurine. Lloyd Mickalson from our local Storytellers Guild related favorite Christmas stories, and we even had time to tell about our own favorite Christmases. My best memories are of my parents spending so much time putting up a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and then lighting candles all over the branches. I felt like a princess as I first peeked around the door to see the beautiful tree and its presents!

Last Saturday night, our 15th Anniversary Collectors Dinner brought us all together for...more food! And more stories about the past 15 years and all the visitors to Pipka's whom we love. As you can see, friend Bob helped with MORE lights!

A highlight of the evening was having Santa join us! Santa John Hansen and Mrs. Claus (Barbara) gave out many presents. John is featured on a special Pipka's of Door County ornament. Bill Motzer, another Santa who was on hand for the celebration with his family, is also represented in my work, the "Always Believe" figurine. I think they both embody the joy and spirit of St. Nicholas.


There's just too much more to tell about in a little blog...by the end of the weekend, we were all exhausted but very, very happy.

Love,
Pipka

Christmas in July!

Time has flown with so many summer events at the shop. Christmas in July was great fun, as it always is, and we took pictures of Santa, Mrs. Claus, and my "elves." In the photo are (l. to rt.) Deb, Deanne, me, Cindy, Santa, and Marj. Mrs. Claus was taking the photo.

The day gave us all a chance to do one thing we love (well, TWO things): baking Christmas cookies...and eating them! It was wonderful to see the variety, and most of them were from one of my cookbooks (that have my favorite recipes as well as those from my collectors and friends...you can see those cookbooks by clicking here). Here's one of the tables we set up for the cookies:
The entire Village of Sister Bay joined in the fun this year...more than 30 businesses had special events such as a Krumkake baking demonstration (those are yummy Norwegian waffle cookies), live caroling, free drawings for merchandise and much more. If you're planning a trip to Door County next summer, plan it around July 25 - we'll have such fun!
Love, Pipka

Scandinavian Almond Cake...Delicious Variations!

I'd like to believe that the biggest reason people come to my shop in Door County is to purchase my Santa figurines, but I admit that many people come in for the free cake and coffee! We have delicious coffee - flavored and ground right here in Door County - and I have a wonderful recipe for Scandinavian Almond Cake. I bake about six cakes a week, and our customers love them! Click here to see the original recipe!
www.pipkasofdoorcounty.com/Santa-Ornament-Collectibles/index.phtml?cmd=details&prodID=RehrPan&track=12%4016&catID=16&start=4&fID=0&sort_field

Here are some scrumptious variations on the original recipe: In place of almond extract, add any flavored extract of your choice, such as:

LEMON
- lemon extract and lemon zest
- top warm cake with a lemon glaze (powdered sugar & lemon juice)
- add 1 heaping teaspoon poppy seeds

ORANGE
- orange extract add orange zest
- top warm cake with orange glaze (powdered sugar & orange juice)
- add vanilla extract

* To the cake batter, add any of the following:
- mini-chocolate chips & chopped Door County dried cherries
- finely chopped dried apricots
- toasted & chopped nuts: pecans, walnuts, pistachios, almonds
- blueberries, fresh or frozen (dust with flour first so they don't stain the batter or sink to the bottom)

* Baked cake fillings - add these to the pan before baking:
- Turtle Cake: Pour half the cake mixture in the pan. Add a layer of caramel ice cream topping and chopped pecans. Top with remaining cake mixture and bake as directed.
- Streusel Cake: Pour half the cake mixture in the plan. Add a streusel mixture of brown sugar, raisins, and nuts. Top with remaining mixture and bake as directed.

* Cake fillings - Cut the cooled cake lengthwise and fill with:
- lemon mousse or lemon curd
- chocolate mousse
- strawberries and pink whipped cream
- Nutella

Simply Elegant!
Cut the basic cake into slices. Top with fresh raspberries, raspberry sauce, and real whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar.

Raspberry Sauce
Cook 1 package of frozen raspberries, 1 cup water, and 1 cup sugar over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon red food coloring, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and cook until thickened. Force mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl to eliminate seeds. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. It will get thick but thins out again when reheated.

Enjoy! Eating is one of my great pleasures, and I'm glad to share these ideas with you!

Love,
Pipka

April in Paris

Paris metro stop designed in the art nouveau style by Hector Guimard. We took the metro everywhere but walking is also possible and much more scenic!

Our first 3 hour lunch in Paris at the locally famous Le Navigator near the Sorbonne. Wine and good food! These French meals require a long walk afterwards. The scenery is beautiful in this famous

area, coffee shops, book stores, museums and university student hang-outs.

A Paris street performer. This young lady was singing and playing in Monmarte, the artist district of Paris.More photos will be posted so stay tuned!

Love, Pipka

Springtime in Provence!

Here are my friends, Bob and Sara Larsen from Door County. We're just beginning our dream trip to France! We'll spend a week in Provence and a week in Paris. We rented a house in each place so we'll have all the comforts of home and can buy food and flowers for our dwellings.

Upon arrival in Isle de Sorge, we come upon a market to delight all the senses: flowers, meats, breads, clothing, antiques, olives, everything one could want is there! Of course, food is high on my list, so bread is purchased immediately, as are flowers for our kitchen table. Now I feel we are really in Provence. By the way, a loaf of bread is $1 and a bouquet of flowers is about $5 - a bargain!

Our village is surrounded by an ancient wall and castle ruins. We spend hours walking and exploring, a new sight around every corner. There's so much history here, it's awe inspiring.
I always love visiting the churches, the beautiful statuary is inspiring. This may very well be another Madonna in our line one day!


I'm obsessed with the architecture of doors. I don't know if it's because I live in Door County! No, I think I've always loved doors - their patina and architecture is so artistic in Europe. Each one has its own unique style and color and craftsmanship. The periwinkle blue is the color of Provence. It matches the blue sky and looks beautiful next to the olive groves on the stone houses and the climbing roses on the buildings.

We visited different villages every day, so I'll be posting more on the blog. Please visit again and come along to Avignon and Orange with me, and then later, April in Paris!

Love,

Pipka