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stemsandforks

STEMS AND FORKS
flora and fare
Photography/video, botanical sculptor, food writer. Toronto, Canada

Chocolate Dipped Red Grapes and Plums from Chile.

Chocolate Dipped Red Grapes and Plums from Chile. A decadent way to get rid of all those chocolate Easter eggs and so easy to put together. Something mother use to do when we were kids. The hard crunch of the chocolate coating with the tart sweet juicy grape centre makes these @fruitsfromchile grapes and plums a clever riff from the typical chocolate covered strawberries. Be forewarned: they’re addictive.
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A couple tips: when selecting grapes, make sure the stems are green and flexible. As well that the grapes are plump and firmly attached to the stem. When storing grapes, store in an airtight container or the bag they come in, unwashed, in the fridge. #fruitsfromchile #plums #grapes
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Chocolate Dipped Red Chilean Grapes and Plums
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Ingredients:
2 large bunches or 900g red grapes from Chile
6 plums from Chile
400 g or 2.5 cups chopped dark chocolate or white chocolate (as pictured) or feel free to use any type of chocolate.
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios or granola
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Directions:
Wash fruits and set aside to completely dry.
Roughly chop your chocolate.
Simmer a large pot of water about 1 inch high.
Place a large heat proof bowl on the mouth of the pot making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water at bottom of the pot.
Stir chocolate occasionally until it all melts.
Prepare a tray with some parchment paper.
Dip entire bunch of grapes in the chocolate.
Spoon some chocolate over and into all the nooks and crannies.
Partially dip your plums.
Place all your Chilean grapes/plums on parchment paper.
Sprinkle some granola or chopped pistachio over the chocolate while its still warm.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until chocolate has hardened.
Enjoy.

*The quantity of chocolate is based on covering all the grapes. For a partial/light coating, consider using half the quantity of chocolate stated in ingredients.

Every Easter the kids and I get a bit carried away

Every Easter the kids and I get a bit carried away dying eggs and end up making egg salad sandwiches for days. This year, I’ve come up with something a bit different. After dying the hard boiled Selection Eggs from @MetroOntario with natural ingredients such as blueberries, onion skins, and beets as seen above, I deviled them with a miso, sriracha mayo and sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds.
It was a great activity developing this recipe with the kids and I’ll definitely be making this again for Easter with the kids. And the Miso deviled eggs made for a umami packed delicious appetizer. Find the recipe and instructions over at @MetroOntario Website. I’ll put a link in stories with a swipe up #mymetro
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#eastereggs #deviledeggs #goodfriday #activityforkids

Thin roasted potatoes…always take me back to gra

Thin roasted potatoes…always take me back to grade school. As a child, my mom use to make me sesame potatoes to snack on while I trained chess with dad. It was fitting to continue the tradition of roasted potatoes while teaching my little ones the game on the very same board I trained on. This time a Potato & Dill Galette with a Gochujang Yogurt Drizzle featuring @LibertéCanada Greek 2% Plain, AKA the ‘drizzle' for your potatoes. The Liberté Greek 2% Plain beautifully balances the heat of the gochujang which gives it a lovely light taste but still has some kick. See below for recipe. Enjoy!
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….Pawn promotion…that’s how I won the tournament.
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#TheTasteLiberté #LibertéPlainCollection #Sponsored
Recipe in comments.

It’s been a long winter in Ontario and has felt

It’s been a long winter in Ontario and has felt even longer being stuck indoors all the time. But finally...spring is here and with it a sense of hope and renewal. Seeing how the earth has shown signs of renewing itself in some aspects while us humans have been indoors en masse, I’m inspired to change daily practices to be better at sustaining our resources. In particular, I’ve been coming up with ways to waste less - especially when it comes to fridge scraps such as veggie tops. We often discard these incredible greens when in fact they’re full of flavour and vitamins. Pictured above I’ve made a Low Waste Carrot Top Pesto with @MetroOntario Irresistibles Pine Nuts. This could easily be substituted with beet or radish tops or even a mixture of various leftover greens and fronds from your fridge. Spread the pesto on garlic toasted bread or toss in your favourite pasta. The pesto is easy to make and comes together in less than 15 minutes. Find the recipe link in stories. #mymetro #MetroOntario

Had the recent pleasure of photographing Chef Mich

Had the recent pleasure of photographing Chef Michelle (AKA Mama Lee) of @kimchikoreahouse for an exciting upcoming project featuring Toronto Chefs and their resilience during Covid-19. As we chatted, I was moved by her stories of hardships as a Korean immigrant, and inspired by her perseverance. An all too familiar story for so many Asian Canadians.
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Pictured above, a delicious Korean feast prepared by Mama Lee. During difficult times like this I find great comfort in dishes that resonate nostalgia and familiarity. #flashinthepandemic #KoreanWomenChefs #covid_19 #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocalrestaurants

Treated dad to “Vacation James” while he was f

Treated dad to “Vacation James” while he was fixing a few of my table tops. @jamesonwhiskey , brandy, guava juice and lime with ginger brown sugar. Got the recipe over the weekend from the lovely @liqculture @whiskybeth over a very enthusiastic group zoom that involved naming tunes and singing with karaoke mics. Needless to say I couldn’t identify a single song. Nothing was pre 1800. Oh wait. I recognized Low Rider. 1970’s. Ha!
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Also got the @jamesonwhiskey party pack which was quite lovely. Head to @liqculture bio link for more information and other cocktail recipes. #pleasedrinkresponsibly #jamesonwhiskey #stpattysday #cocktails #imbibe

G I V E A W A Y CLOSED. $250 gift card for @distr

G I V E A W A Y CLOSED.
$250 gift card for @districtpizza in the historic Distillery District in Toronto. One of my fave pizza’s in the city. Their tomato sauce is made with Bianco DiNapoli organic tomato paste that is slow cooked with tamari soy to boost the rich umami flavours without adding any salt. Garlic and onions are slowly roasted then pureed with a "borderline illegal" quantity of basil and oregano.
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My personal favourite is their vegetarian “Go Ask Alice”. Shiitake mushrooms, pickled beech mushrooms, burnt leeks, duxelles…. with their Gorgonzola Ranch Dip. So wildly good!

All their dips are house made and they have the best line up of fun nostalgic sodas. Imagine the feast with $250!

To Win:
1)Like this post and tag a friend
2) Follow @districtpizzato and @stemsandforks
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Good luck!
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-Comment as often as you like to have more opportunities to win.
-Contest ends with winner selection on Monday March 8th 2021 at 12 PM Noon, EST.
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One winner will be chosen by a random number generator on Monday March 8th 2021 and will be contacted via DM. Per Instagram rules, this contest is not sponsored, associated, endorsed or administered with Instagram Inc. By entering, entrants confirm they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility and agree to Instagram’s Terms of use. Ontario residents only and must be within pick up or delivery range to District Pizza’s capabilities. #districtpizza #distillerydistrict #torontoeats #torontofood

I call it the Woodland Quiche starring @libertecan

I call it the Woodland Quiche starring @libertecanada Liberté Méditerranée AKA the "fluffy of your quiches”, shiitake and oyster mushroom, asparagus, peas and parsley. Intensely flavoured but subtle enough to feel smooth and glossy like cream, Liberté Méditerranée definitely gives your quiche tang, texture and a light fluffy lift.
I’ve made a sheet style quiche here, but this could easily be made into the classic round. See below in comments for recipe and stories for a quick video for the round version. #TheTasteLiberté #LibertéPlainCollection #Sponsored.

Carrot cake with blond chocolate frosting from @ca

Carrot cake with blond chocolate frosting from @cafefernando Cenk Sönmezsoy’s masterpiece The Artful Baker. Still one of my all time favourite baking books. The recipes are creative and delicious and the photos are mind blowing.
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Note Added more pumpkin seeds and in fact candied them with maple syrup.
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#cenksönmezsoy #theartfulbaker

Mise en place in a box. Made the traditional tteok

Mise en place in a box. Made the traditional tteokguk for lunar new year dinner tonight. Mushrooms, zucchini, Mandu (both store bought and home made with my sister @jennyshinpr ) buchu, eggs and peas.
Also made the classic gochujang tteok bokki with the garae-tteok aka glue sticks according to my kid lol.
Happy lunar new year. Wishing you all health and happiness xo
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#lunarnewyear #yearoftheox #tteokbokki #tteokguk #tteok #garaettoek #vegetarian #feast #stew #newyear #newbeginnings #koreanfood #comfortfood

Test shots. Images that were taken for place marke

Test shots. Images that were taken for place markers or the beginnings of the actual shot. I kinda like them today.

Monday, Thursday, Sunday…seems to be the same ev

Monday, Thursday, Sunday…seems to be the same ever since kids went online for school. Everyday we ‘brunch’ here at the Binon’s. Long gone are simple sandwiches and bento boxes. Instead grandma's Ratatouille Tian recipe made in @padernokitchenware ’s 4 Pc Ceramic Bakeware Set has been a weekly bake.
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The bakewares are deep to avoid any spillover while baking and the glazed finish make them easy to wash. Sharing this recipe now on the blog. Largest pan serves 6 and the medium pan serves 3. #itsacookingthing #PadernoKitchenWare
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Thinking of all the parents helping their kids online! #itsacookingthing #padernokitchenware #ratatouille

Not a big fan of winter weather but I must admit I

Not a big fan of winter weather but I must admit I do look forward to all the ripe citrus this time of year. Chopped Orange Salad with a Ginger Maple Syrup Vinaigrette. Filled with the usual immune boosting suspects, this Asian inspired salad is simple to put together, healthy and ultimately delicious. Find all your ingredients at your local @MetroOntario See my latest reel for a quick look at how to put the dressing together. Recipe linked in stories.
#MyMetro #MetroOntario #MetroHealthy

So thrilled to be included with a group of creativ

So thrilled to be included with a group of creatives across Canada this year with @JazzAppleUs to create recipes incorporating JAZZ™apples. This year, we made a recipe based on a mystery ingredient picked by another group member. Mine was brie, selected by the talented cookbook author Renee Kohlman @sweetsugarbean from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
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Pictured above, JAZZ™Apple & Brie Puff Pastry with Honey and Dijon. The fragrant and tangy-sweet JAZZ™apple paired with the earthy, creamy brie makes for a lovely snack or light meal. These apples are also amazing on their own as a healthy snack. See below for recipe. #jazzapple
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JAZZ™Apple & Brie Puff Pastry with Honey and Dijon
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Ingredients:
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1 1/2 Jazz Apple ring sliced about 3 mm
200 g (about 1 medium wheel) brie cheese, rind removed and sliced about 1 cm
1 puff pastry sheet defrosted
3tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
pinch of Maldon salt
pinch of cracked black pepper
1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
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Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and set aside.
Roll out the chilled but defrosted puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface to 10" x by 10". Trim the edges evenly and straight with a pizza cutter. Pop in fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes while slicing apples and brie.
Remove rind and slice brie about 1 cm thick and set aside.
Slice the Jazz Apples into 3 mm rings and set aside.
Whisk 1 yolk and 1 teaspoon water.
Take puff pastry out of freezer and use a fork to pierce the puff pastry all over.
Score about 1.5 cm around the puff pastry with a sharp knife.
Brush egg wash on the scored edge of puff pastry.
Spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the center of the pastry.
Add a layer of brie cheese.
Top with two layers of overlapping Jazz Apple slices.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until puff pastry turns golden brown.
Drizzle with honey.
Sprinkle with a pinch of Maldon salt and some cracked black pepper.
Enjoy.

Spiced Rum, Pecan and Chocolate Bundt Cake. Super

Spiced Rum, Pecan and Chocolate Bundt Cake. Super nutty, very moist, mildly tipsy with a mellow touch of spice, this bundt was a joy to eat but also a pleasure to bake using all my new kitchen gadgets and ware from @PadernoKitchenWare. Came out super easy with all the sharp lines and details maintained on the cake using the Fine-Edge Arch Cake Pan. Find the recipe on the blog. #itsacookingthing #padernokitchenware

I was invited by the talented Ritumbhara @happytum

I was invited by the talented Ritumbhara @happytummybyritumbhara to help her judge her monthly photo challenge. This month Chiaroscuro.
Ritumbhara’s description of chiaroscuro, “Between light and dark lies life.”
The Oxford dictionary, “The treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting, an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something.”
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For me the relationship between light and shadow is simple. Beauty and joy can only be appreciated and understood when darkness is present. 🌚
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Hope you’ll join @happytummybyritumbhara chiaroscuro challenge. Be sure to check out her last post for all the details. I’ll post more details in stories. Challenge lasts during the month of January. Please tag @happytummybyritumbhara @foodphotobiteswithritu @stemsandforks
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Little Georgy when he was 4 years old 💓

Adieu 2020. Picking up the pieces for 2021. ✨

Adieu 2020. Picking up the pieces for 2021. ✨

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of leading a

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of leading an online workshop on how to showcase local Ontario mushrooms into an easy decorative winter centrepiece. Go to @producemadesimple bio link to video tutorial and see what I made using these ingredients.
Special thanks to @producemadesimple for hosting and Windmill Farms Ontario for supplying all the beautiful mushrooms. #ambassador #producemadesimple #putlocalonyourlist #ontariofresh

This croquembouche tower made with @MetroOntario I

This croquembouche tower made with @MetroOntario Irresistibles Profiteroles was incredibly easy to assemble. Some toothpicks, a tablespoon of dusting sugar and 10 minutes is all you need to put together this perfect New Year’s eve showstopper. See stories for a tutorial on how to assemble. #mymetro #MetroOntario

Presenting my version of a holiday Sunakku grazing

Presenting my version of a holiday Sunakku grazing board. A few traditional Asian New Year’s items, snacks and of course some scrumptious 2 Year Aged Cheddar and Cranberry Cheddar from @blackrivercheese1901 (AD)
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My mom and dad have been isolated with us during most of the lock down, so this board covers everyone’s taste in the house. The cheese pretty much pairs beautifully with everything on this grazing board. My personal fave is @blackrivercheese1901 2 Year Aged Cheddar with the mushroom and chive gyoza. Clock wise from top left: @BlackRiverCheese1901 2 Year Aged Cheddar, tteok, forelle pears, kimbap, black bean mochi, gluten free crackers, more aged cheddar, walnut cake, puffed barley, senbei, @blackrivercheese1901 Cranberry Cheddar Log, mushroom and chive gyoza, ttoek, vegetable dim sum, pecans, wasabi peas, almonds, toasted cheddar pockets, yakbap, pumpkin seed crackers.
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Which would you eat first? #BlackRiverCheese #ElevateWithBRC

Peace on earth. Happy holidays. ✨ . . Pic from t

Peace on earth. Happy holidays. ✨
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Pic from the archives. Pavlova from workshop with @thepineapplechef @twiggstudios London ‘19

A private online 2 hour photo editing session with

A private online 2 hour photo editing session with me. My contribution to @foodisourpower ‘s contest. Each ticket entered will have a chance to win one of several amazing prizes, donated by members of @foodisourpower Tickets are 3 dollars. All funds raised will be donated to the Black Curriculum(UK) and the Loveland Foundation(USA) charities that work to support black communities in particular children and women. Visit @foodisourpower for all contest details . Loads of great donations lined up. Purchase tickets until December 29th, 2020. Winners and prizes will be announced on December 30th, 2020
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This contest is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram.

#foodisourpower

Gingerbread Bathhouse from the cult anime SPIRITED

Gingerbread Bathhouse from the cult anime SPIRITED AWAY by the legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki. The idea for the bathhouse that came from my 14 yr old daughter Moineau (a steadfast Miyazaki fan) was the perfect last bake for 2020. Revered by many as the best animation of all time Spirited Away is laden with deep meaning, symbolism and wisdom. Often compared to Alice in Wonderland & Wizard of Oz, the Japanese animation drifts between reality, fantasy and spiritual worlds with themes of greed, morality, faith and courage. The “spirit” of the film is simple. That even the bad have the potential to be good and that the good could be better. In Chirhiros (protagonist) case, experience, courage and hard work helped her get back home and resolutely declare at the very end that, “l’ll be alright”.
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A special thank you to @bulkbarnfoods for their generousity in supplying me with the materials and tools to assemble the gingerbread house. And to the lovely Jenny @littlelovelifestyle for continuing the tradition of creating these large scale gingerbread structures. Please do check out her beautiful interactive gingerbread barn. The detail and work she put into it is mind-blowing!
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To see this gingerbread bathhouse in person, visit @minamitoronto ‘s window display.
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#studioghibli #hayaomiyazaki #spiritedaway #anime #gingerbreadhouse #festivebaking

“Although cheese was novel to me then [as a chil

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination. I first saw this

Revenge Bedtime Procrastination. I first saw this viral Twitter statement in June and it resonated with me. Much of my daytime and evening is spent working and taking care of the kids. By the time I herd the kids to bed, I’m exhausted, Yet I fight to stay awake.
And the things I do late into the night are not particularly productive. I watch puffed up concert pianists describe the meaning of life in a Bach concerto. Something I’m sure would knock out most of you into an instant slumber. 😂
Black taper candles from @tatineofficial

Starry Night Vegetable Tart from Helen Nugent @bat

Starry Night Vegetable Tart from Helen Nugent @batterednbaked new book Pie Style.
Congrats Helen. The book is a collection of pie masterpieces. Extraordinary work.
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Sorry. No post bake pic. We were hungry! #piestylebook #helennugent

Pretty much what my holiday table will look like t

Pretty much what my holiday table will look like this year. Small, sweet, and festive. Probably what everyone’s table will be this year in Ontario and much of the world. A quick and easy way to add some festive cheer is using a petite 4-inch poinsettia from @MetroOntario tied with some fragrant herbs like thyme or rosemary. Tie little bouquets of thyme for each place setting and sprinkle the rest on the table for fragrance. It’s the ideal sized centerpiece for a table of 6 both in width and height. Poinsettias now available at your local @metroontario see stories for more details. #mymetro #ontario #poinsettia #smallgathering

I’ve neglected the “stems” of Stems & Forks.

I’ve neglected the “stems” of Stems & Forks.
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#pampasgrass #phalaenopsis #mobydick #Gomphocarpus #Schwartzwalder

Midnight Cake with Dark Chocolate Fig Ganache & Po

Midnight Cake with Dark Chocolate Fig Ganache & Pomegranate Syrup. Recipe by the culinary genius @rhubandcod so so delicious. I’ll put a swipe up in stories.
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Styling inspiration: if Guillermo del Toro and Hannibal Lecter were to have cake.
Have a happy Halloween 👻 #halloween

Pictured above is an exquisite (mainly vegetarian)

Pictured above is an exquisite (mainly vegetarian) sushi spread from @aburitora at Yorkdale. Ordered online through @aburiathome which conveniently has all locations in one url page to order.
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With the local restrictions of dine-in at restaurants again, it’s upsetting to see how vulnerable these businesses are. There are so many restaurants that are part of our cultural fabric here in the Greater Toronto Area. It would be grievous to see it fade away. Order take out, get delivery, get gift cards. Support restaurants #notsponsored

Pecan & Pumpkin Rolls made with @MetroOntario Sele

@marysbrigadeiro chocolates. Sweetened condensed m

@marysbrigadeiro chocolates. Sweetened condensed milk, with butter, pure cocoa powder and 50% cocoa chocolate stirred, then hand rolled to a perfect, creamy truffle-like ball. Chewy like caramel but intense like fudge, these chocolate gems should come with a warning. Addictive! @marysbrigadeiro is located on the Danforth in Toronto, but she delivers worldwide. I’ll pop a swipe up in stories.
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Its been about 4 months since @FoodIsOurPower was born. A platform of international creatives joined to celebrate, educate, inspire and donate in support of anti-racism and the BLM movement. They’ve been an incredibly passionate group... enthusiastic and so talented . A massive thank you to @thelittleplantation for initiating this collective. And to everyone who has participated and donated to the activities since its inception in July. Merci beaucoup.
This shot is my contribution to this months activity hosted by @ufisheries.vinny
See stories for details ✨✨✨

Halloween Haunted House Kit from @WilliamsSonomaCa

Halloween Haunted House Kit from @WilliamsSonomaCanada done 3 ways. #ad With Halloween cancelled for many, this activity is perfect to keep the kids distracted from feeling disappointed about staying in. The kit comes complete with pre-cut and baked chocolate cookie pieces, 3 tubes of icing, and assorted Halloween candies, to decorate. See reels and stories on how I got the house to light up and be smoky and the giant spider web. #WilliamsSonomaCanada

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