Show your autumn colors with Buffalo Trader Online!
September is here and things are slowing down a bit. The children are back to school, the fall harvests are coming in, and the nights are cooling down. As we watch the landscape turn from vibrant green to brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows, we celebrate the twilight of summer by gathering with friends and family for all of those great fall traditions we enjoy each year. In the coming months we will congregate around bonfires, sip hot chocolate, go on hay rides, and dunk for apples as the crisp fall air greets us like an old friend.
This is also a time to cozy up your home decor for the coming winter. When entertaining, let your holiday dinner exalt the change of season with the Harvest Autumn Leaf Table Centerpiece for a beautiful table setting. The Harvest Pumpkin Slate Welcome Plaque will give a warm greeting as guests enter your home. For a sweet and savory experience, our Pumpkin Spice Votive Candles are great, indoors or out! Lastly, save some of your fresh picked apples to make our Apple Pie Moonshine to keep warm on those extra chilly nights.
Apple Pie Moonshine
Ingredients:
1 gallon Apple Cider
1 gallon Apple Juice
1-1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1-1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp apple pie spice (the kind used for apple pie)
8 whole Cinnamon Sticks
2 Granny Smith Apples, cored & sliced this with skin peel on
1 750ml bottle Rum (spiced rum is great!), Vodka, or Grain Alcohol
Cheesecloth
Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, except for the alcohol, and bring to a boil. Mixture will foam up quickly once it reaches boiling.
2) Remove the mixture from heat, stir down, and let cool to room temperature. Once the mixture is completely cool, strain through the cheesecloth. Rinse the pot and return the mixture to the pot. Add in the alcohol. Stir gently to blend.
3) Transfer to sterile mason jars (we used (20) 1/2 pint Mason or Kerr jars). We also divide up the cinnamon sticks so that each jar has 1 or 2 pieces 1-2" long. Fill the jars just to the neck to allow room for the apple slice. A funnel is useful to avoid spilling one drop of this golden deliciousness!
4) Add a slice of Granny Smith apple to each jar. Apples will float to the top. Place the seal and rings and tighten down. These will not seal closed. Do not reheat or attempt to seal!
5) The apple pie is ready for consumption! (though it gets better if you let it mellow for a couple of weeks.) It can be served heated sightly or chilled. Do not overheat or boil! It will evaporate the alcohol. Heat the way you would for hot apple cider or cocoa ONLY so it's not so hot it burns your mouth!
Remember to drink this with caution! You really can't taste how strong it is; it's so smooth! Store the jars in a dark, cool room or closet.
The National Parks = Summer Vacation
The great west of the United States is home to many of the national parks we have the pleasure of enjoying at will. With views ranging from vast deserts to snow capped mountain ranges, one need only take in these majestic landscapes for a moment to feel nature eagerly extend the invitation to remain.
Our ancestors came to these places in search of gold, and other enterprise. While some would not have cared to spare a single tree in the name of capitalism, others would, and they would take action. Our national parks came to be because of people like John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller Jr., and countless others. Their love of nature, camping, and even hunting, all brought them to the conclusion that they must preserve these places for the people – all of the people.
Today we can enjoy these parks on many levels, whether we just want to see the view from a scenic point over a light picnic spread, or entrench ourselves in nature by camping for a few days. Buffalo Trader Online has what you need to get out there and enjoy! For the day tourist, pack a light lunch in the Natural Willow & Brown Leather Fishing Creel Basket and a bottle of your favorite wine. Don't forget the wine key! The Faux Deer Antlers Cork Screw & Wine Bottle Stop will do the trick. If camping is your pleasure, make sure you've got some culinary goodies on hand. Our Buffalo Branded Black Peppercorn Beef Jerky has the fast protein you need when roughing it.
Spring Cant Spring Soon Enough!
As winter draws slowly to a close, we are lightened with the prospect of warmer weather, fresh tomatoes, and vacations. For many, thoughts of spring inevitably lead to gardening. The joy of trading in your snow shovel for a garden spade makes the heart smile, and tells the brain to get out in the sunshine!
With organic food coming back to the fore-front, there is no better time to plant a few veggies, herbs, or flowers. Having fresh herbs on-hand is a huge asset when cooking fresh foods. Whether you have little space or plenty, Buffalo Trader Online's gardening products are the perfect solution to get your herb garden going. For some outdoor flair, the Wagon Wheel Double Box Garden Planter will liven up any space. Also, the Apple Barrel Tricycle Garden Planter makes a charming addition to your outdoor patio.
Enjoy a classic spring/summer dish. Bon appetite! 
Capressi Salad
1 medium tomato
4 1/4 inch thick slices of fresh mozzarella (high quality is recommended)
4 Sprigs of fresh basil
Olive oil
1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar
Slice tomato into 4 slices and arrange on a plate. Place sliced mozzarella over the tomatoes. Pour vinegar into a small sauce pan. Heat until it thickens, but do not burn it. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few seconds. Drizzle a little olive oil over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Then drizzle the balsamic vinegar reduction. Last, add the fresh basil over the mozzarella and serve.
Simply Ornamental!
The temperatures are dipping and soon the days will be slightly shorter... all of this means one thing; the holidays are coming! While perusing Buffalo Trader's website, this became blazingly apparent and it's time to get a head start on the holiday planning.
Whether you prefer to make baked goods, shop all year for 'just the right gift' or make online purchases last minute, it's always a nice touch to put add a bit of ribbon as a finishing touch. An idea would be to include a special ornament in the ribbon on a wrapped gift or even tie it into the ribbon of a gift bag! Not only will your recipient appreciate your gesture, but they'll have a keepsake ornament to enjoy each year as well! Buffalo Trader has several fabulous ornament options. For the favorite little Wrangler(s) in your life, take a look at the Horses with Saddles Christmas Ornaments, or the Western Cowboy Signs Christmas Ornaments! And don't forget to check out Buffalo Trader's clearance items! The Peppermint Park Collection Welcome Slate is now available at a great price! Stock up on your stocking stuffers!
It's Gametime!
This time of year is forever reminiscent of purchasing school supplies, fading sun tans and one last long weekend before saying farewell to the summer and deciding on a Halloween costume. Buffalo Trader is offering some great Labor Day specials for you to gear up for a successful tail-gaiting season. From everything to their Camp Runamuk Canoe Dip Bowl with Spreaders to the ever versatile exquisite Fall Transitions Camouflage Stainless Steel Plastic Insulated Travel Mug, Buffalo Traders has something for every outdoor entertaining need! And for those crisp night games, check out the Fall Transitions Camouflage Flask & Shot Glasses; also a great gift idea!
Struttin' his stuff!
The rooster isn't just another pretty beak... he actually holds a special place in the hearts of many in varying cultures. The Spanish, for example believe that a rooster crowing at sunset foretells bad weather and that you should never kill a white rooster as they bring good luck. They also believe that roosters are associated with the sun and protect humankind. The Japanese, on the other hand, believe that the rooster is a sacred animal. They're allowed to roam freely and enter Shinto Temples where it gives the morning call to the goddess Amaterasu. Also respected for its fighting ability, the rooster is revered as a symbol of courage. Here in the States, we have a more practical use for these showy creatures. In addition to his assistance in growing America's egg industry, it is also the rooster's instinct to protect its hens and other livestock from harmful predators. And then there's the fact that he's plain handsome!
Buffalo Trader Online offers several charming options for the rooster collector in your life and just in time for Mother's Day! To help welcome the sights of spring, Buffalo Trader Online's Cowboy Rooster Bird House is particularly charming. Or consider the Antiqued Wrought Iron Sculpted Rooster for the more artistic collector. If the sky's the limit, cozy up your high-ceiling kitchen with the Country Rooster Kitchen Pot Rack. Happy Spring, y'all... Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Gee, your herb smells terrific!
It's been documented that the use of lavender oil to treat conditions such as anxiety, stress, alopecia and insomnia is incredibly beneficial. Lavender is also being used in studies for its antibacterial and antiviral properties but is most commonly found being used in more homeopathic applications such as soaps and scented oils as research confirms its calming sedative effects when its scent is inhaled.
Kin to lavender is another herbal treat... vanilla beans. The chief chemical component in the beans is vanillin. They also include numerous traces of other constituents such as eugenol, caproic acid, phenoles, phenol ether, alcohols, carbonyl compounds, acids, ester, lactones, aliphatic and aromatic carbohydrates and vitispiranes. Its extract contains small amounts of B-complex groups of vitamins such as niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B-6. These vitamins help in enzyme synthesis, nervous system function and regulating body metabolism.
Fortunately, Buffalo Trader Online offers both the Vanilla and Lavender Home Fragrance Oil! Perfect for potpourri, or to be used with oil warmers such as Buffalo Trader's Coffee Pot & Stove Ceramic Oil Burner. Indulge your senses... and feel better doing so.
