Introducing Pasticceria Amalfi in Bedford, England

It was by chance that I discovered this amazing Italian bakery, Pasticceria Amalfi, in Bedford a few months ago.
We were dining at an Italian cafe, The Cappuccino Bar, next door to Peacock's auction centre in Bedord's city centre, when I asked if they had any cannoli on their dessert menu. And although they did not offer them in the cafe, our informative server directed us to Pasticceria Amalfi, just a few blocks away. It has been a love affair ever since.

Rich and amazing chocolate tart - you can taste the quality in this delightful confection

I was raised in an area of New York State that was rich with immigrants from Germany, Poland, Ireland, and Italy. The ethnic foods I grew up with, and am fond of, derived from all of these unique cultures. Since moving to England five years ago, one of the foods I miss most is Italian food. Not that it can't be found in the UK; but the sort I miss originates in southern Italy and Sicily, and until now, that has been a difficult search with woeful results.

I work in the Bedford area two days a week and so I feel it is my calling to make a pilgrimage once a week to Pasticceria Amalfi. What else can a girl do when the source and supplier of such authentic and wonderful Italian pastries has been found?

The shop front on Park Road West in Bedford

Upon arrival in the shop, I am met with a warm welcome from one, or both, of the owners - brothers, who have settled here in the UK, bringing with them the lovely tastes of their homeland.

Tommaso and Francesco Holding some of their fabulous treats

Francesco Intingaro and his brother, Tommaso Intingaro, have emigrated to Bedford from their home in the southern coast of Italy - an area known as the Amalfi coast.
Francesco was first to arrive and Tommaso soon followed. At first, both had limited English language skills, but were able to find jobs and worked at them until setting up their own bakery business about two years ago.
And what a bonus for the people of Bedford to have such a quality Italian bakery in their midst!

Tommaso behind the counter chock-full of goodness!

The bakery carries such gorgeous delights as these and so much more:Beautiful Italian cookies

A chocolate mocha creme puff

A chocolate-chocolate cup cake: chocolate cake & chocolate icing

The very best chocolate tart ever!

Fresh fruit and custard tarts
But absolutely nothing compares to the original cannoli - crisp, light wafer with gorgeous cheesy filling

The shop also creates custom orders and specialises in cakes of all sorts - especially wedding cakes and special occasion cakes.

Give them a ring or stop by to discuss your special occasion order. You will love the personal attention and detail that comes from pride of work and dedication to customer care.

Pasticceria Amalfi also carries a custom line of handmade cake ornaments.
These cake toppers are locally sourced, providing a local artist with an outlet for her gorgeous designs.
Although Pasticceria Amalfi carries many different styles of cake toppers, I adore the delightful baby cake toppers. Some are designed exclusively for Christenings and others can be used for New Baby parties and birthdays, too!

The detail is amazing on the Christening baby! Simply gorgeous!

For the modern family, a baby boy in his Christening outfit sleeping on a gorgeous detailed blanket

For your baby girl, a darling baby sleeping on a flower petal

There are toppers for baby boys, tooIsn't this adorable? Look at the incredible detail!

A family of beauties

You can find the bakery at their website - just click on any of the links with their name, Pasticceria Amalfi and you will be linked directly to it.

Pasticceria Amalfi
27 Park Road West
Bedford, Bedfordshire MK41 7SB
Telephone: 01234 306 514
International Calls: +44 (0) 1234 306 514
email: tfgcakes@hotmail.com
website: http://www.amalfipasticceria.co.uk

Or, visit the bakery when you are in the Beford area. Really, no journey is too long a distance if you love authentic, delicious Italian pastry.

And you'll get the chance to meet the bakers too!

xxx
Maggie

It's All About Katie

Yes, that's right, it is all about Katie today. Why you might ask and who the heck is Katie???
Katie is my beautiful daughter and today she is 24 years old. And I continue to be bewildered as to where the time has gone.

Okay so it's a bit cliche but it seems like only yesterday I was pushing her along in her buggy, or watching her tumble from room to room, or, play with her dolls, or dress the cat in doll clothes and hold him while he and she played Monopoly on the living room floor.
I remember fondly how she put herself to bed at night. Pleading to remain up just a bit longer was not her style; when she got tired, she took herself off to bed without a fuss. She was such a unique child and still remains so today as a fabulous young adult with her bright future all set out before her.

Katie's friend Mary and Katie

If you knew Katie, you would know that she has many fine qualities and so many things that interest her. And how she loves to talk! She is in the right field at university studying Media and Communication - she will go far as long as she keeps on talking!

Things Katie Loves
Click on the image to see it larger and see the many things Katie loves!

I can remember when she wanted to be a pediatrician. My I was so proud. She had decided that herself. I wasn't a parent who suggests career goals as my children's dreams to them or to other parents - oh no! I used to hate those parents who told you that their two-year-old child was going to be a doctor (or substitute any other well paid profession here please) when she grew up!
How on earth would they know that?
But my little Katie, at about the age of seven or so, decided she wanted to help make children well as her life's goal. Wow!

Now I was a struggling, worked-to-death teacher with no life of my own and I knew how hard it was to teach and how many personal hours were spent doing the planning and paper correcting, et all. So imagine my surprise when one fine day Katie announced she had changed her mind and was now going to be a teacher! Uh oh - what happened to the pediatrician???

But eventually she came round to her new career choice and announced to me - "I want to be famous." and as simple as that she was on her way to becoming just that. And again, if she only keeps chattering she will be famous one day. But for now, she is 'famous' to me. And I adore her.
As do all in our family and her many friends and all who get to know her.

She is a perfect daughter; a wonderful humanitarian and all-around good person. She gives of herself to others and makes people feel good about themselves. She has a fabulous sense of humour and a giving heart, though she hates to admit it - that would be too fluffy and over-the-top. We are proud of her accomplishments and her desire to do well at school and to be the best she can be.
Here's to you, baby Katie: Wishing you a fabulous birthday with many, many more to come.
Wishing you all the cake you can eat!
We love you, little Goo.

xxxooo

Mom and Jim

Katie and Jim on her birthday last year

27

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!
My beautiful daughter is 27 today. Where does the time go?
In a blink of an eye she is all grown up when only yesterday she was an adorable baby in my arms.

When they are small, and we were young and struggling, it seems our patience often wore thin.
I used to grow weary of hearing my mother say how I should embrace the days of my children's youth, because it would all be gone too soon, and how she wished we were all young again and back at home with her.

Of course, I used to think she was mad! Oh my! How I longed for the days when my kids could do more for themselves and not be so demanding.
Of course, now I understand why she felt the way she did; and of course, it is too late.
Too late to have those precious days back again, and too late to tell my mom, just how right she was.

I miss hearing the children wake up in the morning and listening while the chatted among themselves as they got ready for school.
I miss the rush as they come through the door at the end of the school day, all talking at once, trying to tell me all that had happened while they were away from home.
I miss kissing the boo-boo better.
I miss watching the tiny 'bird-mouth' open when it saw the feeding spoon coming close.
I miss the smell of freshly bathed children, and tucking them in all safe and snug in their beds.
I miss knowing they are safe and sound under one roof.
I miss them fighting over the 'window seat' in the car - oh yes - I do!
I miss being at home with them and seeing their faces light up on their birthdays.

As each passing year goes by, I realize more and more what a gift their birthday is to me.

Wishing you all the best, my precious daughter.
With all my love,

MomSee more of Elizabeth growing up by clicking here.

Artists to Share

Elizabeth's birthday is March 30th.
She is a grad student, attending New York University, and living in Brooklyn.
I live across the pond in England. Needless to say, important events in her life would be better shared, but that cannot always be.
I wanted to make this birthday we spend apart (again!) special.

Looking for something I knew she wanted and looking for something I knew she would love, but maybe had not thought about 'wanting' I turned to my favourite stomping ground: Etsy.
I am pleased to say the outcome was excellent and the artists deserve recognition for their fabulous goods.

First, I looked for the item Elizabeth was wanting and in need of: a ring holder for her kitchen to keep her rings safe while she prepares food or washes up the dishes.

She had sent me a link to a 'manufactured' ring holder featuring a hummingbird, saying it was 'less scary' than the 'freaky 'hand' ones'. She was describing the Victorian dishes that feature a small, raised hand in the center.
Now I like them, and do not find them freaky or scary, but Elizabeth does not, so they were immediately cast aside, as was the hummingbird - too commercial and a little on the tatty side, if you want my opinion of them. So the search began in earnest.


And it led me to Sue, from Cottonseed.
She was so awesome!
She was fast to respond to my custom request, quick to create a product just for me, and offered her work and shipping both at reasonable prices.
But that was only the beginning; she went the extra mile, including in her packaging an adorable hand-drawn card and a wee bouquet of lavender flowers.


My daughter was so impressed, she wrote a little post about it on her blog, The Brooklyn Clothesline.
She loves her new ring holder and has it in use already in her kitchen. Many thanks to Sue for her charming work and timeliness of creating and shipping. Stop by her shop, Cottonseed, and take a look at all of her wares - you won't be disappointed.

Next, I turned to something I knew Elizabeth would love: a Terrier pillow.

She would love to have a real terrier dog, but for now, she will have to make do with a pillow impostor!
The lovely creation sent to her from Iowa, was hand made and custom ordered from Teresa, from So Blissfully Vintage.


What an amazing woman Teresa is! I sent her a note asking her if she could make a pillow for me in a similar look to what she had used to make a top that had already been sold.
I also requested a colour for the reverse, rather than just white, and with lots of puffs on it, too.
Not only did she respond immediately, but she quickly found the identical fabric, and coordinating chenille for the back of the pillow, and sent photos off to me to ok.


They were fabulous so I authorised the order and paid immediately.
Then this amazing woman MADE THE PILLOW THE SAME DAY! I mean the whole entire process took no more than 24 hours from my first note to her to the the completed item.
Amazing service and fantastic work - well done Teresa!

Teresa specialises in vintage chenille items and welcome custom orders. She has been collecting vintage chenille bedspreads for years and knows all about them - where they were made, pattern names, etc. She is a wealth of knowledge!
Take a look in her shop, So Blissfully Vintage, too, and be amazed at her Easter bunnies and childrens' clothing.

xxx

Maggie Elizabeth at 2 years of age

Let's Catch Up!

The New Year has arrived and, already, I am behind in just about everything!
It is officially the 13th, although at this writing it is just a bit past midnight.
Due to the holidays followed in quick succession by a myriad of birthdays and then illnesses followed by and during a surprise visit from my daughter, nothing I had planned to have done by now is finished and I have such a backlog of projects and work, I don't even know where to begin!

Laundry is piling up; ironing can no longer fit on the back of the door; sewing projects are mere memories; and cleaning up my blog and writing more must have been something I dreamed when I was so ill with fever!

So where do I begin?
I wanted to post some holiday photos and show some of my decorations and baking but that was before the bad virus set in and took hold of my body. Seriously, it was as if aliens had arrived and taken control. It is the 13th and I still am fighting it, but at least I can sit at the computer for longer periods of time without getting dizzy or feeling a desperate need for sleep.

My best intentions for today went awry . . . and again, it was a day spent taking it easy and also a bit of caring for my husband who has now contracted the same evil virus I have been fighting.

But the glimmers of good are always with me, too, no matter what my physical condition:
Good friends have honoured and helped me with things related to Etsy; I have made some new Etsty friends; and . . .

My birthday arrived with a huge surprise: my daughter and her boyfriend arrived for a surprise visit from New York City! everyone had kept it on the QT and so I was truly surprised when she appeared in my hallway!
I don't think I have ever been so shocked and surprised nor have I ever been given such a special gift.

My dear husband took all of us to dinner in a gorgeous historical restaurant, and we were wined and dined in good company with lots of love between us.

It was a fabulous day with only a bit of sadness in the knowledge that the pair of young ones would be heading back to New York on Monday. A visit all too short but even more meaningful because of it.

Tonight, they are safely back in New York City, the events of the last few days still fresh in their memories as they are with me, too.

So amid the bugs that bite us, are the gardens of memories, and the wisdom to know what is meaningful and what is not.

Keep what means the most close, and let the rest flutter in the wind.