Hi peoples! First off, I never intended to hijack the thread. I'm learning alot, and even maintaining my sense of humor with the maternal concerns that go along with any new hobby and the learning curve, lol. Barbara, thanks for the welcome to the AV forum. I'll be starting my own thread shortly, so as to monitor the responses, if that's ok. I'll try to not duplicate the same questions, so you kind folks don't feel put off for having to retype the same info ad nauseum, lol. Wow, that's a long stint in the San Juans! I am so glad to have had the year and a half I lived in WA. First we lived in Anacortes, had a house, with our boat in Olympia. Then DH changed jobs and we moved up to the San Juans, in Anacortes. One of the many high points of my time there was cruising past Orcas Island and ending up in a pod of Orca Whales! One breached (?) alongside our 30 foot boat with that awesome big eye staring me in the face! It was only a few months later we got a bigger boat, lololol. Another of the fun times was living next to Kenny G in Friday Harbor for a weekend. I absolutely loved Friday Harbor!! Now then, Vall3fam, you have me rolling on the floor in stitches this morning! What a wild sense of humor you have. I'm afraid your prices are a bit steep for me, though I'm sure you are well worth it! Maybe I can interest you in some a weekend onboard, in the master cabin with your own lexan hatch, with a view of the mast, moon, stars. Then hang a line over the transom and see what we can catch for dinner. Or perhaps next morning a sunrise cruise with champagne and orange juice mimosas, bagels and cream cheese, fresh air with a gentle breeze, beautiful palm trees for scenery... All this for maybe an hour or two of the two of us playing in the dirt with my baby mini AVs?! I realize you are in CA in a beautiful climate and don't need to come here for our sunshine and balmy winter weather, but if I could twist your potting arm just a little....hee hee. Fondly, Girlsaylor

Thanks for answering. Yes, I've been to Tropiflora several times when I lived a little further North, but now its too far to drive, 3 hours each way. I'm looking for "tree Aloe" types now and they didn't carry too much in that area from what I remember. As for the phone book, many times I'm not prepared with exact names, I just wait until something catches my eye. Usually between asking here and on Craig's List, someone has gone through the hunt before and can recommend a place. Thanks again! Joss

srahndennis, yeah, it was especially interesting when several were working for competing brands; that isn't a problem anymore :) My brother is very complimentary about Showplace, he says it is the best value cabinet he has been involved with. They do lots of custom work but at a semi-custom price. Well, custom sizes and cabinet configurations, but not custom stains,species, or door styles. He also worked for a custom builder called Actua for awhile, but I couldn't remember that name before. Actua went bye-bye a long time ago during an earlier recession. The guy who started Showplace also started Decora and Starmark; this is his third brand and sounds like the third time is a charm! Crystal is a great cabinet too, but much higher priced; at least that is what I think I know. Lyptus is BEAUTIFUL and has a great "green" story; it ages like cherry and looks like mahogany ... I think darker colors look best, but that is personal preference. On the formaldehyde subject; most national brands that sell in California are required to live by the rules set by California (if you want to get deep into it Google "CARB" to get some "light" bedtime reading; maybe you've heard the term)... those are the best you'll find. The smaller "custom" shops would not have to live by the California rules, but still might be OK; you'd have to specifically ask them.

Here's one Sharon Cb shared last year-- perhaps she'll add her photos to this : Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Heirlooms , Traditional & Ethnic English Christmas Cake (from SharonCb 2005 ) ====================== 1 pound flour (4 cup) 3/4 pound butter (1 3/4 cup) 1/2 pound soft brown or castor sugar 1 pound sultanas (2 2/3 cup) 1 pound currants (2 2/3 cup) 6 ounces chopped mixed peel (1 cup) 1/4 pound glac cherries chopped (2/3 cup) 6 large eggs 1/4 pound almonds (1 cup) 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 tablespoon black treacle (molasses) 1 level teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 1 wineglass (or more) of brandy 1 Sieve the flour with the baking powder, spice and a pinch of salt 2 Blanch the almonds and finely chop; chop the peel or put through a mincer; quarter the cherries. 3 Put the butter into a bowl and warm it slightly; beat with a wooden spoon Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, using a level dessertspoon of flour as each egg is added. Then stir in the treacle (molasses). 4 Add half the rest of the flour, all the fruit, almonds and orange rind Put the other half of the flour on top, stir and mix well but do not beat. Put in the brandy. If the mixture seems too stiff, add a little milk - the mixture should drop easily from a spoon. 5 Prepare a cake tin about 10 inches in diameter, grease the tin then line with buttered grease-proof paper high enough to come 2 to 3 inches above the top of the tin. 6 Put in the cake mixture, slightly press in the centre to make the cake rise evenly and stand the cake on a layer of coarse crushed salt on a baking tin (or cookie sheet). This will prevent the bottom becoming too brown before the cake is cooked. 7 Have the oven preheated at Gas 4, electricity 350F Put the cake not higher than the centre of the oven - just below if possible. Lower the heat at once to Gas 2, electricity 300F for one hour, then lower the heat to Gas 1, electricity 275 F The cake will take from 5 to 6 hours to cook Test with a warmed fine skewer or knitting needle after 5 hours. 8 After removing from the oven leave it in the tin for half an hour, then turn out onto wire rack, remove the paper. After about 12 hours, wrap in double sheets of greaseproof paper and store in a tin with tightly fitting lid until required for icing. If preferred, the cake can be baked at Gas 3, electricity 325F for 1 hour, then turned to Gas 1 electricity 275F for the rest of the time. Source: The Margaret Powell Cookery Book - London 1970. MY TIP: I made the cakes in mid-October and wrapped them in brandy-soaked cheesecloth in tightly closed containers, removing and resoaking the cloths (in brandy) and rewrapping them a couple of times before I did the marzipan and icing a few days before Christmas. . ICING THE CAKE: - in two stages --------------------------- ALMOND PASTE (Marzipan) 12 oz ground almonds (3 cups) 6 oz castor sugar (3/4 cup) (or fine fruit sugar) 6 oz sieved icing sugar (1 1/2 cups) 3 egg whites few drops almond essence 3 TBS apricot jam, sieved ROYAL ICING - (three days later) 4 egg whites 2 lbs icing sugar, sieved (7 to 8 cups) 4 teasp lemon juice 2 teasp glycerine 1. Mix almonds and sugar in a bowl, then blend in egg whites and almond essence to make a soft paste. Knead until it is smooth, then divide into three equal portions. 2. Roll one piece onto a sugared board to an 8-inch circle. Roll remaining two-thirds to a strip the same depth as cake, and long enough to go all the way around the edge.. 3. Brush the sides of cake with apricot jam. Press long strip around sides and press firmly to join. Place circle of paste on top of cake. Allow to dry for at least three days before icing. 4. Whisk egg whites for royal icing until they become frothy. Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat well after each addition. Finally beat in lemon juice and glycerine. To prevent the icing hardening, cover bowl with a damp cloth 5. Spread icing thickly over top and round sides of cake and smooth flat. Leave for a day to set and then decorate with red ribbon around sides. Tip: Using glycerine in the icing ensures that it is not hard. The lemon juice adds flavour and helps tp make a softer icing. Source: Hamlyn All Colour Cook Book London - 1970. MY ADVICE: Buy ready made marzipan, apply it and then top with purchased rolled fondant icing. It's softer and easier than royal icing. SharonCb Notes from Delia Smith Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. When it's cold 'feed' it make small holes in the top and base of the cake with a cocktail stick or small skewer, then spoon over a few teaspoons of brandy, wrap it in double silicone paper secured with an elastic band and either wrap again in foil or store in an airtight container. You can now feed it at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it. Also can soak the fruits 12 hrs in the brandy prior to mixing. Additional notes for English Christmas Cake =========================================== Mixed spice is a propriey product-common in England & Australia--make your own, grind together 1 small cinnamon stick and 1 tablespoon each clove , mace, ground nutmeg, coriander seeds, and allspice berries Some people add a little ginger for extra 'bite'. Or you can use pumpkin pie spice or allspice instead. Daisyduckworth . Diane, I would use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves if you didn't want to grind them as Daisy has suggested. Here's an English website that sells that mixed spice and lists the ingredients they use. I've haven't seen this type of cake done in a loaf pan. It might not turn out as moist in that shaped pan. I made my smaller cakes in round tins as well - about 6 inches across. As I remember I did 6, 8 and 10 inch round cakes, not all on the same day and used springform cake tins with inserted paper sides higher than the pan as per the recipe. I'm sure the times should be shortened if you're using smaller cake tins.. Darn - I'm kicking myself for not making careful notes last time I made these cakes. I have a notebook where I keep all my Christmas recipes and cooking experiences from year to year but didn't think to make notes in it when I was making Christmas cakes. I know that I used a metal skewer to test for doneness. I have a fan oven so I normally reduce cooking times for most things. I guess you just have to try it once and keep an eye on them as you wouldn't want them too dry or underdone. SharonCb