Exotic Flowers in Boston

As we inch closer and closer to the spookiest time of year, New Englanders are beginning to get in the mood for scary costumes, carved pumpkins and other fun entities that tie in with the theme of October.  For me, I love twisting my creative writing around stories that revolve around mystery and mayhem, a pretty big change from my genre of children’s fantasy poetry.  As a native Bostonian, I particularly enjoy developing storylines that use the stunning picturesque images that are synonymous with autumn in New England.  If you’re a mystery book reader, you’ll know what I’m getting at because there’s no shortage of these titles.  Why is it that the industry doesn’t become over saturated with “who done it’s” based on this area?  The reason is because they’re rich with colorful detail and authentic spooky charm!  We are invested more when we read something that connects us to a story having relatable aspects such as background, characters or familiar settings. Just take a look at Stephen King who has successfully seduced his fans by cleverly by incorporating many distinguishing features of Maine within his thrillers.  

New England is a place full of mysterious potential and possesses a long history of fascinating folklore, some true and some made up.  Plots can be manufactured from actual facts or completely concocted from our imaginations.  Recently, I’ve written two short stories that are based on people, places and things that are identifiable with the cultural aspects of New England.  Take a peek if you’re looking for a little fright this season!

A Deadly Game of Jigsaw

Beth has just lost her job as a Manhattan columnist and has no choice but to return to the home of her grandmother, Lily, where she spent her summers as a child.

Becoming re-accustomed to the pace of the quaint New England town proves difficult at first until an ancient puzzle piece is found in her room. Scripted in Latin with the word “Letum” meaning death, the plot thickens when an intruder breaks into the mansion, assaulting Lily and leaving behind another peculiar clue. With time running out, the women begin their hunt to track down the person behind the mystery and be the first to win at the deadly game of jigsaw.

A Flower To Die By

It’s Valentine’s Day once again in the city of Boston and florists are gearing up for a busy holiday that is until the owner of Delicately Yours Flower Shop, Reuben Crench, is found dead in the ice chest.  As the case unravels, the victim is discovered to have ingested a large amount of digitalis, ironically traced to his own shipment of flowers.  Detective Mike Hinkley has his work cut out for him with a long list of suspects including disgruntled employees, a competing local floral business, an angry wholesaler and a cheating husband. Will he be able to find the killer in time to save Valentine’s Day?                                     

Download it free here.

Boston You're My Home Promotion

Expecting a new baby?  Anticipating a loved one’s soon to be bundle of joy?

Traditionally, children’s books have always been the number one choice for baby gifts, specifically ones that are written about the geographic region where the child has been born.  For example, “Make Way For Ducklings” and “Goodnight Boston” are two favorites that hospital gift shops almost always have on hand.  While these are definitely classics to all of us, young listeners and readers now have another option available to them.  If your new addition will soon be calling Bean Town their home, you now have another option available to add to their library collection.

At Exotic Flowers, we have the perfect promotion that celebrates this spring’s special deliveries!  For every $75.00 spent on a gift basket or arrangement for a baby boy or girl, Exotic Flowers will send along a free copy of “Boston You’re My Home” children’s book along with the delivery.  Whether it is sent to the home or to one of our city’s great hospitals including the Brigham and Women’s, Mass General Hospital, Newton Wellesley, Tufts or any other one of our medical center treasures, Exotic Flowers will include a special signed copy by the author with your order.

Why is “Boston You’re My Home” the right storybook for your little Bostonian? 

Written by local author, Suzie Canale and illustrated by Roberto  (also from Boston), “Boston You’re My Home” is a bedtime tale revealing all of the amazing features that makes living here so wonderful.  Mentioning sites and attractions such as the Isabella Stewart Museum, The Arnold Arboretum and The Union Oyster House, the story gives a glimpse into all of the special music, food, sports arenas and historical venues that they will soon be experiencing!  Not only does the book list specific locations that have made Boston infamous around the globe, but it also gives a look into the extraordinary people which we are lucky to have living and working here too!  Our firefighters, police force and emergency response teams are celebrated within the story as well as the concept of Bostonians being a beautiful and eclectic mix earning our proud namesake, “The Melting Pot”.   Written in poetic rhyme, the illustrations exude strong color and definition and successfully impress with visual renditions of landmarks including the Swan Boats, the Emerald Necklace and Old Iron Sides. 

If you are expecting a baby Bostonian this spring and are planning to send flowers or gift basket, choose Exotic Flowers’ fresh approach to celebrating their city with early literacy incentives.    

New England Clam Chowder Recipe

For all of you football fans getting ready for Sunday’s big game, here’s a sure fire hit to add to your menu of tailgating foods!  Authentic to the New England region and delicious to boot, this recipe is both easy and quick to cook up for the big game day.   Try this New England Clam Chowder soup for your friends and family and get ready to cheer on the Patriots!

Ingredients

4 Red Potatoes                                                          3 Tbsp Flour

½ Gallon of Half and Half Cream                            4 Tbsp of Butter

2 Bottles of Clam Juice                                              1 Tbsp of Dried Rosemary

4 lbs of Clams                                                                        1 Cup of Chopped Parsley

2 Celery Chopped Stalks                                          Salt

1 Yellow Chopped Onion                                          White Pepper

Directions

Melt the 4 Tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and celery to the pot and sauté until softened.   Slowly add flour creating a roué, which will start to thicken the mix of vegetables and butter.  Once the flour has been soaked up, slowly add in the cream taking rests to stir the chowder. 

 Take a knife and pierce the red potatoes, then place them in a microwave for 4 minutes.  Slice the lightly softened potatoes into rough cubes and add them into the pot. 

 In a separate pan, boil the 2 bottles of clam juice.  Place the clams in the heated liquid and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, afterwards straining the excess juice and adding the cooked clams to the chowder. 

 Add the 1 Tbsp of rosemary and cup of chopped parsley to the pot then season with salt and pepper to taste.  The chowder will thicken and the temperature should be dropped from medium to low for approximately 40 minutes.  Serve piping hot!

Thanksgiving Day centerpieces can sometimes be a source of worry when planning holiday gatherings.   What we choose to put in the middle of our turkey tables enhances the festivities for guests because, for one thing, the color extenuates the other aspects of the meal including linens, candlelight and most importantly the food.  Flowers are also wonderful for contributing to the fantastic sense of smell that we all know is essential for a successful Thanksgiving meal.  Many people become overwhelmed with the tasks necessary to host a victorious dinner, often feeling anxious as to how they will get everything done and select their floral arrangements for the special day.   The tasks of heavy cleaning and exorbitant cooking almost always take the front seat on hosting agendas and many ask, “Who has the time for flowers?”  The issue of cost can also be another negative and many times leads to omitting them altogether.  Well, you don’t have to.  Hear a few easy and inexpensive ways to decorate your table without fret. 

The trees in Boston are too beautiful not to utilize within your holiday décor.  Reds, yellows and greens are hanging everywhere holding a natural beauty, which makes New England famous for their autumn season.  From lovely bushes to towering maples, there are stunning possibilities all around us so keep your eyes open and your clippers close.  Effective eye popping arrangements can be as simple as a few maple branches placed strategically in a glass oval vase.  This look not only compliments the seasonal aspects traditional to this time of year but also gives your table an interesting architectural dimension of height.  Remember, less is more with this design so be careful not to overcrowd your floral vessels!

Some become fixated with the idea that bigger is always better, particularly when talking about holiday events.  Trust me, its not.  Stunning table arrangements can be as simple as a few cuttings of multi colored coleus from your garden or miniature pumpkins placed at each setting for your guests.  Other arrangements can be a straight line of baby green gourds positioned straight down the table creating a sophisticated and uncluttered appeal.  Black millet is another idea, which makes a dramatic impact on your table while still carrying the November scheme of design.  If these choices don’t seem to strike your fancy, it’s as easy as looking around you and seeing what does excite your green thumb.  Visit local farm stands or take a peek in your own backyard.  You’ll be surprised as to what New England’s natural beauty may provide you with for this Thanksgiving’s holiday centerpiece!

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA 

all photos in this post can be attributed to Flower Factor and About Flowers.

 Suzie Canale is a writer, chef, gardener, philanthropist and mom who lives in Westwood, MA.

Giving Thanks

At Exotic Flowers in Boston, we believe that sharing food with family and friends is such an important part of your traditions. Here are three great side dishes that are exquisite and easy to create. My family and I celebrate Thanksgiving dinner with these three dishes every year at our Westwood home.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and excitement is growing towards spending this time-honored holiday with friends and family.  Having special meaning to those celebrating in the New England area, each year we pay particular attention to things that we are thankful for.  For some, it is their family.  For others, it is their friends.  Homes, jobs, health and happiness are all aspects of our lives that we give a noted appreciation for during this time of year.  Although everyone observes the festivities in their own individual ways, it is customary to join together with loved ones and break bread with some of the season’s most beloved dishes!  Here are some of my favorites if you would like to try them out on your table this year.

Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole is one food that I never forget at my Thanksgiving Day dinner because it contains affordable ingredients, its easy to prepare and perfectly delicious!  All you will need is 1 bag of frozen French cut green beans (make sure they are French cut, whole beans don’t bake as well with the other ingredients), 1 can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup (I prefer the 98 % fat free that saves you tons of calories without sacrificing the taste-they will never know!), 1/3 cup of 2 % milk, 1 large container of French’s Fried Onions and salt and pepper to season with.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and defrost frozen green beans until thawed.  Combined beans with the whole can of mushroom soup, milk and half of the container of fried onions.  Add salt and pepper to taste (I really like white pepper) and mix thoroughly.  Place in casserole dish and shake the rest of the container of onions over the top.  Bake in the oven for 35 minutes and you are done with your first Thanksgiving dish!

Zucchini Bake

This is one of my favorites and goes with just about any meat, poultry or fish that might be your main course.  For this easy bake, you will need 1 large yellow onion, 2 ripened zucchini, 1 sleeve of reduced fat Ritz crackers, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and thinly slice the onion and zucchini into round rings.  With a cooking mallet, crush the Ritz crackers until they resemble the size of breadcrumbs.  Layer the glass casserole dish with 1 layer of zucchini being careful not to overlap and then doing the same with 1 layer of onion.   Dust with a light salt and pepper and then sprinkle top with Ritz breadcrumbs.  Very carefully dash olive oil across the layers to seal the vegetables.  Continue this process for 1 or 2 more layers until all of your ingredients have been used.  Place the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the top is crisp.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tortellini with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

This is a great one for those who love Italian food served along side their turkey!  For this recipe, you will need 1 large package of spinach and cheese Buitoni tortellini (you can use many other varieties of tortellini but this one tastes the best), 1 package of fresh baby spinach, olive oil, 1 package of cherry tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring a pot of water to boil and add a dash of olive oil and salt.  Once bubbles appear, place the tortellini in the pot and cook until they rise to the surface (a sure way to tell when they are done).  Drain noodles and place to the side.  In a sauté pan, add olive oil and spinach and cook until leaves are soft.  Add the cherry tomatoes and season with spices until the desired taste is achieved.  Mix the tortellini into the pan and stir thoroughly until adequately blended.  Serve immediately and watch your guests swoon over this amazing recipe of pasta and veggies!

 Suzie Canale lives in Westwood, MA with her family. An employee of the Westwood Public Library, Suzie has published four children's books and serves as the director of The Women's Lockerroom Foundation.

Autumn in New England is a time of year in which Bostonians relish in seasonal activities of carving pumpkins, jumping in piles of raked leaves and baking pumpkin pies that infiltrate our homes with decadent aroma.  We often sit in anticipation of these crisp few months before snowfall because they are reflective of themes embodying outside activity, family and warmth.  As a Boston florist, we attempt to capture this feeling when designing centerpieces, funeral arrangements, party planning, wedding bouquets and general storefront décor.  While purchases from the flower market often reflect varieties that are locally grown during the months of September and October, flower buyers are also aware of color selections, often opting for tones of red, orange and yellow.  Occasionally, you’ll see a fun accent of purple, green or pink but this base palette is the most popular and supports a strong product line for the fall season.  Why do we depend on this traditional spectrum when creating flower arrangements?  The answer is simple.  Particular colors bring forth particular emotions, many of which revolve around pleasant memories that Bostonians generally experience during this time of year.  Certain colors represent familiar seasonal symbols and events, arousing pleasant thoughts and moods.  The memories make us feel good, which is why we put pumpkins on our doorsteps, tie hay bales to our lantern poles and yes, buy flowers emanating the hues of autumn.  Here’s what my fall color palette symbolizes for me.

Red

Red is often associated with the emotions connected to passion.  Whether love or hate, there is strength behind this hue, a quality that makes us react more so than any other color on the spectrum.  When connecting red to autumn facets, thoughts of crackling fires when the weather drops colder, plucking a ripened Macintosh apple off of an orchard branch and Japanese maples tree leaves blanketing the ground in a luxurious carpet.  The color red connects me to the words warmth, ripe and decadence. 

Orange

When feeling the color orange during fall, there is no getting around the obvious imagery of pumpkin patches. What is so wonderful about pumpkins is that they fulfill almost all of the human senses including sight, taste, scent and touch, a desirable reaction when incorporating this color within your flower arrangements.  Pumpkin patches can symbolize the scent of pumpkin pie baking in the oven, the fun touch of seeds slipping through your fingers and the site of bright orange globes of bittersweet resting in curls of vines.  Orange for me represents the idea of health, enjoyment, laughter and imagination.  Of course we all know what Cinderella’s carriage changed into at the stroke of midnight!

Yellow

Who doesn’t love the color yellow?  Its happy, dazzling and uplifting to the eye where in most cases, brings a person’s general emotion state to a higher level after visual contact.  Sunflowers, chrysanthemums and dahlias are favorites of florists when using this shade within their pieces for exactly this reason.  When associating yellow with fall, I think of the comforting rays of sunshine that we learn to appreciate as they grow fewer and fewer, a field of sunflowers standing stiff with their round faces full of light and the emotion hope as we see more and more candles flicker with the changing months.

- Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA

 Suzie Canale is an avid gardener, accomplished floral designer, mother of two boys, works at the Westwood Public Library, has published four children's books, and is the director of the Women's Locker Room Foundation.

 * all images in post supplied by Flower Factor's flickr site

It’s been deemed the wedding of the decade as fans watched the 53-year-old Hollywood actor, George Clooney, marry the famous human rights lawyer, Amal Alamuddin.  Dating less than a year, the nephew of acclaimed silver screen actress, Rosemary Clooney, had finally found his ladylove after a long career of bachelorhood.  Although details of the matrimonial extravaganza, which took place in Venice, Italy, are still surfacing, the world is on the edge of their seats wondering what this star studded pair had in mind to celebrate their nuptials. 

Believed to have taken place over a three-day span, reports specify that guests were escorted to the seven-starred venue in boats driven through the romantic Grande Canal.  Once they arrived at the Aman Grande Resort, an imperial dinner was served following the couple’s exchange of loving promises atop of a lifted stage.   Official wedding photographs were taken in the middle of the hotel’s lush garden, containing blossoms rich in vibrant color.  A-lister invitees including Matt Damon, Bono and Cindy Crawford who watched as the bride (dressed in a stunning Oscar de la Renta gown tailored with cream French lace) and groom recited vows on a raised platform decorated with white pillar candles.  Red wine flowed and music played on until the early hours of the morning…

 But what about the flowers? 

Floral décor has remained a hushed topic for this event although we have been able to take a peek at a few details revealing first and foremost- that there were a lot of them!  As having been described as a wedding exhuming elegance and grandeur, the palette has been described as mainly white with accents flowing throughout the table centerpieces.  The stunning British advocate carried an all white bouquet of ranunculus and hydrangea, tied together in a traditional European style, while Clooney nixed wearing a wedding boutonnière all together.  We know that massive buckets of white hybrid delphinium were used in several main staged pieces as well Casa Blanca lilies, roses, orchids and lisianthus, again all in shades of white.  Pictures of delicate peach roses and green lady’s mantle were also seen being delivered by florists in dozens of massive buckets.  Floral arrangements included large arches, small bud vases, table rounds and personals, which were included in the estimated $13 million dollar wedding festivity.  Now that’s what you call a wedding!

  Suzie Canale lives in Westwood, MA. She works in the Westwood public library, mother of two boys, an avid chef and gardener who finds time to serve as the Director of The Women's Lockerroom Foundation of Boston. She has published four children's books through the Beantown Tales. 

Clooney wedding photos for this blog from People Magazine and CNN

New England is one of the most spectacular places in the world to celebrate Halloween because our natural environment reaps amazing treats for us to enjoy-specifically pumpkin patches!  Bursting with healthy vines and rotund spheres of orange, pumpkin picking is a popular activity that thousands of Bostonians enjoy during the month of October.  Maybe it’s the simplistic beauty or the wisp of magic that surrounds these mystifying harvest fields, but one thing’s for sure, we have the biggest and best patches surrounding our city giving visitors a multitude of festive locations to celebrate their seasonal activities.  So if you haven’t carved your jack-o-lantern yet, here are a few places in Massachusetts that are sure not to disappoint.

Connors Farm in Danvers, MA is an impressive operation to behold featuring not only a pumpkin picking area of shear perfection but also mazes, which reveres families from all over the state.  Their maze-technology is so sophisticated that they offer options of a gigantic haunted corn maze, regular corn maze or a hale bale maze for the younger guests.  Hayrides are also available as well as a bouncy pillow for children to jump through, petting zoo and zombie paintball.  Parking is free and if you get hungry during your stay fear not.  Connors Farm hosts a picnic area where you can sample from concessions or goodies sold inside their farm stand.  Costs for activities vary with discounted rates available for groups and seniors.

Marini Farm, situated in Ipswich, MA, is a lot of fun to visit because not only do they have a glorious and fruitful pumpkin patch, this location also provides several entertaining booths such as live music, games for kids and a massive corn maze sure to fool even the savviest puzzle manipulator.    What I enjoyed most about my visit to Marini Farm was their simple and authentic style emanating a down home country appeal that provides guests with a real autumn farm experience. 

Carver Hill Orchard in Stow, MA is another hot spot that I would recommend because of their enormous array of fruit and vegetable picking choices including pumpkins, tomatoes, pears, strawberries, peppers, corn, and yes, even flowers!   This orchard also includes a picnic area where kitchen ready foods such as hot dogs and ice cream are available for purchase.  For those who truly love the freshness of pick- your- own styled farms, Carver also features a cut -your -own Christmas tree event where saws are provided starting in the month of December!

And if you're stuck and did not have time to pick your pumpkin from the patch, Exotic Flowers at 609 American Legion Hwy in Boston has pumpkins in all sizes.

 Suzie Canale is local Boston author who has published four children's books, is the director of the Women's Lockerroom Foundation, an avid chef, gardener and mother of two. She also finds time to work at the public library in Westwood, MA.

New England is famous for many attributes including beautiful coastlines, historic landmarks and a spectrum of seasonal changes.  For many, autumn is many Bostonians' favorite portion of the year where sprigs of red, orange, yellow and gold flowers brew all around them.  There is little doubt as to why since all of our Boston’s natural aspects morph into a spectacular spectrum of color right before our eyes once the month of September arrives.  From the trees to the fields, every inch of our landscape seems infused with brilliant rich and warm hues, inspiring an entire theme for design and décor.  Local crafters are savvy to incorporate this gift bestowed upon us by Mother Nature, essentially adding a fresh and exciting approach to their creations.  Boston florists are also taking advantage of this simple, beautiful and economically beneficial trend of designing with fall fabulous products.  Try a couple of these tips to inculcate your floral propaganda!

Pumpkins are not only a delicious additive to just about any dish or baked good this time of year, but also a clever way to display arrangements.  Festive and fun, simply hollow out the inside of a 6 to 8 inch globe and place a bubble bowl within it.  Fill the vase with local seasonal favorites such as mums, coleus, sunflowers, zinnias and lanterns to create the perfect October centerpiece.  Keep in mind to never full the inner holder with too much water since overflow will hasten the aging process of the pumpkin.  Another way you can incorporate pumpkins are to select miniatures to place at the base of large, clear glass cylinders (apples work too and keep in theme with the season).  Smaller pumpkins age slower, minimizing a cloudy water effect over a short period of time.  Suggested flowers for this type of arrangement include branches of willow, grape vine or forsythia. 

A second option for inserting a few of New England’s favorite fall fauna are to select multi-colored tree branches and use them as your foliage instead of the traditional ruscus and leather leaf.  Illuminating a delicate but stunning effect, this rustic style is perfect for hotel accounts where out of town visitors can gaze upon the true joy of living in Boston during autumn.  Be careful not to over-busy the bouquet with uncomplimentary floral varieties or jam the vase with too many stems.  It doesn’t need it.  Keep it uncomplicated, delicate and most of all delightful, by showcasing the naturally infused colors that Bostonians are so lucky to enjoy!

Suzie Canale - 

 Suzie has published four children's books, is the Director of the non-profit Women's Locker Room Foundation, mother of 2 boys, an avid gardener, chef and also works at the Westwood Public Library.