Chilly Evenings Made for Board Games

The leaves have started to fall, the air is a little crisper, and the clouds a little thicker.  Seems like perfect weather to fish out the boots, the sweaters and scarves, and curl up with a cup of tea.  But wait, does the chillier weather really mean we're relegated to spending the next six months on the couch under piles of blankets?  Seems to me the cold weather is perfect for breaking out the board games, the cider, and even a platter of sweets to snack on.

Sure you could stick to the basics of Monopoly, Clue, Apples to Apples or Boggle.  Or you could wear your nerd badge with honor and step it up to Settlers of Catan.  (I'm willing to bet that I lost at least half you with that sentence.  Until about a year ago, I hadn't heard of it either.)  

Settlers of Catan game board

The favorite game in our house is definitely Settlers of Catan - complicated, strategic, and fun, everyone gets into it (perhaps some too much?).  So when Andrew's birthday rolled around this year, what better way to surprise him?

We baked up the usual chocolate chip cake that is always had on birthday's, then layered, and cut it into a hexagon.  Since Andrew DESPISES fondant, I thought simple circles would be easier than constructing mini hexagons out of icing.  (See the above board depiction for reference.)

Red for brick, yellow for wheat, black for rock, dark green for wood, and pale green for sheep pastures.

Details made from red and black licorice, mini marshmallows, gumdrops and sprinkles!  The finished product certainly surprised the birthday boy.

 Happy birthday Andrew!

Regardless of what you end up doing with your fall evenings, I'm sure you'll want to grab a slice of this game themed cake.  But in case you get the urge to try your hand at Settlers of Catan, here's a handy YouTube video that will get you started.

Posted in: Birthday, Chocolate Chip, Game, Nerd