Art Deco Diva Knits

Taken From Books

2012-01-29T14:17:00.006-05:00

I imagine those of you who read this are also "readers". By that I mean you buy a book when you know you'll re-read it. You have a shelf of favorites-from-childhood, the books outnumber everything else, and somehow, there are never enough bookshelves.

This means that there are things in those books that you've always promised yourself you'll try someday. This past Christmas I made that Christmas Cake. I've been promising myself that since reading Betsy and the Great World, by Maud Hart Lovelace.

One of my favorite plays is "The Lady's Not for Burning", by Christopher Fry. I learned about that not in school, but in Tam Lin, by Pamela Dean.

Those are only two examples; I have more. Now, there are also the ones you can't understand: in spite of repeated readings of Little Women, I have never learned to love Milton or even The Pickwick Papers (the only Dickens I love is A Christmas Carol.

This gift within a gift of books suggested by favorite books is only one of the reasons I've been a lifelong reader, but it's a potent one.

Christmas Knitting 2011

2012-01-22T16:56:00.005-05:00

Please excuse my abysmal photographic record keeping! This scarf and beret were gifts to my MiL this year. The beret (same alpaca silk blend as in the scarf, photo not withstanding) was for her birthday, and the scarf Christmas, but I made two other berets in very different yarns (but the same pattern) for dear friends.

One was in a burgundy homespun, to match a lace neck cowl I designed for her last year; the other in a Schiparelli pink with turquoise flecks (it was for a birthday); I designed a 30s style muffler with a narrowed neck to match as a Christmas gift.

The pattern information for the purchased patterns isn't to hand, but they're both modern.

January 1936 Golf Sweater

2012-01-22T16:45:00.004-05:00

Not a whole lot is going on around here, though we finally got some snow. Mind, tomorrow it's supposed to be rainy and in the 50s, so it probably won't last. Welcome to New England in 2012!

The Long Gray Socks are coming along--I'm well into the leg on #2, past the calf shaping. Stocking tops, if I add them, still haven't been designed.

I've also begun a 1936 golf sweater, from the January 1936 issue of Home Arts Needlecraft. It's simply called "sweater with buttoned front". It's 4 sts = 1 inch, and I'm using a double strand of orchid colored Shetland. The back is finished and I am working on the first side of the front.

I hope your 2012 has begun on a good note!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T19:04:00.008-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwT4GV9qkV8Sorry, this isn't the elegant solution, but Blogger is again acting up.

Just the same, if you were wondering with whom you should spend New Year's Eve, I can recommend Mr. and Mrs. Charles!

Happy New Year's Eve EVE

2011-12-30T17:08:00.006-05:00

It's a great thing to celebrate, especially if you're in New York. There are some fantastic doings tonight at Patrick Soluri's Salon. Look it up in T.O.N.Y. or the Wall Street Journal, or Facebook if you're a vintage loving soul with a taste for good company and music. You won't be sorry!

We're staying here, I'm afraid, but don't plan to let it cramp our style. I spent today shopping for goodies. Tomorrow evening we're having a good dinner--filet mignon with some trimmings--and then we plan to nosh on some fabulous things: oysters, pate, caviar (flying fish roe), fruit and sweets, and wash it down with Champagne cocktails and Champagne.

As it's just the two of us we won't be going for black tie, but vintage pajamas instead. I haven't decided whether to go 20s, 30s, or 40s, but I've got them all, with slippers to match.

Another Christmas Gift

2011-12-27T20:37:00.005-05:00

This is a box of marzipan I made for my husband with leftovers from the Christmas Cake. There are peaches, cherries, Delicious apples, avacado, and lemons.

I'll post photos of more knitted gifts as I find them. They're tucked away in various photo albums on my computer.

On this third day of Christmas, I hope you're having a merry time.

Merry Christmas...and Christmas Cake, Part III

2011-12-24T16:56:00.004-05:00

Here it is...the final product. (And the star of tomorrow's Christmas tea.)

I wish the very best to you and yours, whether you celebrate Christmas, something else, or nothing at all. Enjoy your holiday!

Happy Booze Cart

2011-12-22T14:51:00.003-05:00

These were taken at the request of a friend who is compiling a particularly boozy photo album. Yes, when this was taken we were out of gin (or as my husband likes to call it, martini juice). No longer...

A(n) F.O. for Christmas

2011-12-21T12:13:00.005-05:00

If you're not a knitter, "FO" = Finished Object. This is the scarf I made for my MiL. The tan section is silk and alpaca, and the orchid is baby alpaca. It's from Boutique Knits. It's to be worn with the beret I made for her birthday, which is made of the tan yarn.

Christmas Cake, Part II

2011-12-20T14:15:00.005-05:00

Here it is...now covered in almond icing; the holly leaves and berries are made from the leftovers. They're for the final decoration, after the royal icing is applied.

The almond icing needs to dry for several days before the royal icing goes on, as the oil from the almonds would otherwise stain it.

Yesterday I even bought a vintage cake plate to store and display the cake.

It's Coming

2011-12-19T18:48:00.009-05:00

Christmas, I mean, and I can prove it.

1. I have baked five kinds of cookies, have a batch of dough in the fridge for number 6, and am running out of cookies already. (Christmas boxes to friends and family. I haven't even sent trays to the neighbors yet, or my husband's barber.)

2. The Christmas cake is now drunk enough, and is wearing its first coat of icing--almond (marzipan, really). I bought a glass cake plate and cover to show it off, I couldn't help myself.*

3. We're almost out of plum puddings...but we haven't eaten any. I did save four little guys for us. We'll eat the first two on Christmas eve.

4. All of the Christmas boxes have gone out. Nine this year. All containing gifts, plum pudding, cookies, and homemade jelly and marmalade.

5. It's cold. And about time, too!

*I do have photos, but the cord to upload them is upstairs and I'm not. Call me lazy (I do). There is also a photo of the scarf for my MiL. With any luck I'll get them posted before the New Year. Just in time to find photos of the other things I made and can't yet show off. If I can find them.

20th Century Christmas in the 21st Century

2011-11-30T10:12:00.014-05:00

...sort of. Let's face it, I like streaming my Christmas music, so the cleaning and decorating aren't interrupted. And, yes, I do use Facebook.

But here's a list of some of the things I do in preparation for the holidays.

*Bake. A lot. For example (this year's plan): Christmas Cake, Plum Pudding, cookies (probably about 8 or 10 varieties), maybe a chocolate whiskey cake, and some savory crackers. Mushroom turnovers (hors d'ouvres sized).

*Make candy. Candied peels (clementine, some orange, lemon, grapefruit). Bourbon balls? Maybe brittle of some kind.

*Clean, THEN decorate (this is why I want a house elf for Christmas). Decorating does mean Christmas stockings (to be filled, yes: I look forward more to the stocking than other gifts).

*Christmas cards. Yes, real ones. (Who knows, the USPS is quite possibly about to be vintage.)

*Sending packages. No, almost no one sends them back to us. But I've been doing it for more than 20 years, and I don't intend to stop now. These go to close family, and our dearest friends. The boxes include gifts, cookies, candies, home canned goods (mostly jams & such). By the way, I don't mean our families forget us! But not everyone has the time or inclination to make homemade items, gift wrap everything, and ship it. I do have the time, and enjoy the process.

And...most of the ornaments are blown glass, or old fashioned (like real pine cones or gilded walnuts). I put a wreath or a spray on the front door. Sometimes I put one on the side door, too.

We go to parties, and we dress up for them. I'm lucky enough to be married to a man who doesn't think a necktie is a form of torture (I've worn them, they're not...on the other hand, try standing around in a drafty cocktail dress and ill-fitting heels some time). I even dress nicely on Christmas day, although I'm inclined to indulge my inner cornball. Plaids, fur trim, and some glitter...why not?

It's time-consuming, and old-fashioned, and sometimes it has to go by the wayside, but it's what I do for the holidays. (Yes; holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's--look, three!)

Christmas is a-coming

2011-11-29T20:01:00.004-05:00

No goose, but there will be plum pudding (in addition to the Christmas cake). Between the two, I suspect there will be at least one more trip to the liquor store for brandy! This year I've made all small puddings. That way they won't go to waste...we never ate the large pudding last year, saying things like, "Oh, it's so rich, and it's just the two of us..." and other variations on that riff. Not this year!

The same recipe gave me 15 small puddings, so we'll have plenty to give away. I'm planning on sending some to family, and giving some to friends in the area, plus we'll account for a few.

I haven't yet started cookies, but that will kick off this week as well. Not a dozen varieties this year, I think, but a good selection.

The knitting is nearly done--I'll have photos soon of the scarf I made for my MiL (she's not online), but most of the other recipients read this blog, so the pictures will be posted after Christmas.

How are your baking/knitting/shopping plans proceeding? As planned? Better? Worse? Well, don't worry about it, there's nearly a month to go!

Not Christmas, but Christmas baking

2011-11-22T14:11:00.005-05:00

This past week I did it again--made a traditional Christmas sweet that I've never made (or even tasted) before. Christmas cake!

For those Yanks who don't know what I'm talking about, it's a fruitcake---now, now---wait! Not that awful plastic and sawdust thing strangled in cellophane...this is a rich cake loaded with real dried fruit and candied fruit that I mostly candied myself, including real glace cherries. And I'm not using cheap cooking sherry to douse it, but a decent cognac.

After it's baked and then aged with the brandy, it's wrapped in an almond paste (marzipan) "icing". It must wait for its final wrapping for nearly a week, as the oil from the almonds will otherwise stain the royal icing yellow.

Right after its final icing, it's decorated. I'm still deciding, but am leaning in the direction of making marzipan holly leaves and berries...and maybe a sugar mouse or two.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T15:50:00.001-04:00

Dr Who Scarf, Finished!

2011-10-29T17:25:00.002-04:00

AKA Myrna the Mannequin's new dress.

Frivolous Friday: Beading, 1920s Style

2011-10-28T12:12:00.006-04:00

I call this frivolous because, well, there are only so many places these can be worn. But I do wear them!I've been doing this kind of beadwork for much longer than I've been knitting--I made the first one (the silver cap with fringe) about 20 years ago. My former MiL swore it was a waste of time and money, but I've since worn it for Halloween, New Year's Eve, Mardi Gras, 20s parties--more than once on each of these.

Dr Who Scarf...nearly

2011-10-27T18:13:00.007-04:00

It's blocking. Mind you, it's been done (except for casting off & cutting the fringe) since the spring. No, really.

The big problem--or maybe the long problem--has been space for blocking. However, I've finally begun to clear out my workroom, and the floor has re-appeared!

Without the fringe it's just about 9' (yes, nine feet) long. With the fringe it'll be just under 11' long. I ran out of space, or it WOULD have been 11' long with fringe. If not longer. It's the series 13 scarf, as worn by the 4th Doctor (AKA Tom Baker).

And this year it'll be worn by an American fangirl in Rhode Island.

Autumn Pastry

2011-10-26T16:16:00.010-04:00

I love the fall. It's my favorite time of year--the weather, the colors on the leaves, and the food all conspire to make it the best season.

With that in mind, I can never pass up leaf-shaped cookie cutters, and I use them whenever I can find an excuse.

These cheese pastry leaves are today's result. There just happened to be half a recipe of cream cheese pastry in the fridge and the parsley is still doing well in the garden. And there were odds and ends of cheese. Voila!--cheese pastry leaves.

Autumn Pastry
Pastry:
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup + 2 tbl. flour
1/2 tsp. salt (scant)

1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
flour

yolk of one egg, beaten with about 2 tbl. water and 1/2 tsp. paprika

leaf-shaped cookie cutter(s)

Make the pastry and chill for a minimum of 3 three hours. It's probably easiest to simply make it the day before. Take out to allow it to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the pastry board with flour, bits of parsley, and bits of both cheeses. Roll out about 1/4 of the dough and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet (nine shapes to a sheet is good). Brush each cut-out with the egg mixture.

Bake at 425 F for about 12 minutes, turning half-way through to get the pastries evenly browned.

Repeat until all dough is used. This recipe makes about 50 leaves, but I can't give you a very accurate count...I started eating them early on. Taste-testing is important.

Frivolous (Belated) Friday

2011-10-22T05:24:00.004-04:00

Those who know me (or even those who've only met me) realize quickly that frivolity is one of the things that makes me happy.

1. "Frivolous Friday"* sounds frothy.

2. We could all use something frivolous to make the day better.

3. Could this be the thing that will get me to write more than two blog posts a month?

Here's today's topic: facials.

I'm all about a decent facial, but I'm cheap. (Think about it...for the cost of a single no-bells-and-whistles facial at a salon you could pick up a decent bottle of Champagne. I rest my case.)

Make your own. It's easy, and chances are that you have many, if not all, of the ingredients already.

*large mixing bowl
*bath towel
*table with water-proof tray

*baking soda, water

See what I mean?

Here's what you do: wash your face and pat it dry. Put on the kettle. While the water is heating, put the tray on the table, the bowl on the tray, and the towel in easy reach of the spot.

When the water boils, fill the bowl 2/3 full; drape the towel over the top and put the kettle safely away. Sit down and steam your face, with the towel draped over your head and shoulders. Be careful not to lean too close. Steam burns aren't beneficial!

After three to five minutes, stop. Pat your face dry (put the towel back over the bowl).

Now dampen your face with warm water, and scoop up a small amount of baking soda. Massage it gently over your face and throat; be careful, it's more abrasive than you might think.

Leave it on your face and go back to the steaming for a minute or two. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

There are many more facials I like to use, but this is the easiest and cheapest one I know. Don't worry, there's more to come...

*yes, I know...it is now Saturday.

More Apples

2011-10-12T18:30:00.007-04:00

There's still a bag of RI Greenings in the kitchen, but I've made pork & apple pie (very good), apple marmalade, applesauce, crab apple jelly, and green tomato mincemeat. More to come, naturally, but I'm getting our winter treats, jellies, jams, and Christmas presents well under way. There are so many more I'd like to make, but I'm not sure just how much I'll manage in the next month or so. After that I'll be thinking about things like candied peel and plum pudding. Not to mention the sadly neglected garden and house!

I've also been getting back to the Christmas knitting. The latest FO is blocking right now--can't write about it at the moment, the recipient sometimes reads the blog, but I hope she'll like it.

OTN (on the needles) now is a two color scarf for my MiL, from "Boutique Knits", a feather & fan pattern. I'm using alpaca/silk and alpaca, in tan and lavender, and am plotting out a scarf for one of my nephews, per his request.

The Starboard Cape (from 'KnitScene' magazine) turned out beautifully. I'll try to get a photo up soon. I like it so well that I'm thinking about making another,in a different length and color. I got to wear it with a 30s outfit to an exhibit of 30s clothes a few weeks ago, and have been wearing it with modern and vintage clothes ever since. It's very versatile.

Now if I could just be a bit more versatile and get some laundry done...

Apple Season: Next

2011-09-20T17:25:00.010-04:00

We haven't gone apple picking yet, but it's on the horizon: this coming Saturday, so long as the weather cooperates.

Unlike other years, though, I've already begun to can/preserve/pickle with a will. It started this summer.

Here's the "so far" listing:

spicy tomato-peach salsa
sweet pickled cherries
pickled crab apples
pickled hot zucchini
hot zucchini relish
hot pickled carrots
carrot cake jam
candied cherries
cherry lemon marmalade

I have about two pounds of crab apples waiting to become jelly, and if by some miracle I find more cherries, I'll candy those. (I also need to candy lots of lemon, orange, and grapefruit peel).

After we go apple picking I expect to make apple marmalade, apple pickles, cinnamon flavored apple jelly, apple salsa, and maybe pie filling (if I find good cooking apples), and applesauce. At least!

Then I want to make cranberry marmalade, cranberry catsup, green tomato or cranberry mincemeat, lavender jelly, and various other herbal jellies.

We're already running out of structured storage space in the cellar--we don't have a proper pantry down there--but that won't stop me.

I think I'm obsessed. But it's a useful obsession; its fruits (pun intended) will provide presents and good things for our own table. I've already promised my husband he'll have a carrot cake with carrot cake jam and cream cheese frosting for his birthday.

Irene and the Long Island Express

2011-08-26T18:00:00.004-04:00

Sounds like a children's book, doesn't it?

It's not. Irene (of course) is the hurricane currently making its way up the East Coast here in the States. The Long Island Express is the name given in retrospect to the hurricane of 1938. The '38 hurricane was devastating. Even in upstate New York I grew up hearing about it--in the 1970s--and here in New England it was awful.

It's the reason that there are so few old-growth trees here. Also, indirectly, why the MacIntosh apple took off--the orchards of heritage varieties were ripped up and destroyed. Macs were just coming up in popularity, and easy to grow. Self-pollinating...and so...good-bye heirloom apples.

Buildings were destroyed, and many, many lives were lost. I've seen photos of the carnage. It was horrible. There are still reminders downtown in Providence, even a plaque documenting the flood lines.

We're worried here. Many New Yorkers have been ordered to evacuate. A state of emergency has been declared in Rhode Island, and to be honest, I've been filling containers with potable water and rounded up the crank flashlight and radio, and made sure I could put my hands on the cat carrier.

Irene is supposed to mean "peace". I'll close with the words of a drag queen who, I hope, is correct in her estimation:

"Who names these storms? I'm sorry, but Hurricane Irene doesn't sound very threatening... What does she do, fling a cocktail in your face!?"
--Jackie Beat

Apple Bourbon Slices

2011-08-22T12:32:00.003-04:00

This is a recipe I came up with last year. I had lots of just-picked apples, a full bottle of bourbon, and...well...why not?

The recipe makes two generous pints, with a 1/2 cup or so left over. I gave one away to a friend and we kept the rest. Yesterday we had them over cinnamon pancakes--it was wonderful. The bourbon mellows quite a bit after cooking and processing, for those of you who are not big spirit drinkers.

Bourbon Apple Slices 2 pints

2 1/2 lb. peeled, sliced, cored apples (weigh before prep)
1 lb. sugar
pinch salt
2 c. bourbon
1 tbl. lemon juice
6 dashes orange bitters
6 tbl. butter, melted (optional)
_____________________________________________________________________

Prepare apples; toss with lemon juice. Mix bourbon, sugar, bitters & boil for five minutes. Add apples and salt. Simmer till just tender, stirring as little as possible. Stir in butter.

Ladle apples into jars and pour syrup over. Leave a generous 1/4" headspace at least.

Process for 20 minutes in a hot water bath. Let sit overnight and check seals after 12 to 24 hours before labeling and storing.

With this yarn...

2011-08-12T02:40:00.003-04:00

...I will make [fill in the blank].

That's how most of my yarn-buying goes. I buy something because I'm quite sure that I know what it wants to be. And it could be that I'm right, though I seldom find out, because (A) I get sidetracked (B) the "something else I'm working on" takes over (C) LIFE takes over.

And so, weeks, months, or (more likely) years later I find this yarn again. In some vague fashion I can usually remember why I bought it, and even where, but now it wants to be something else.

Case in point: last Christmas I made a pair of boot socks as a gift. The main color was a natural superwash Irish yarn I picked up in Cambridge at a lovely Irish shop. It was destined to be a baby blanket...only I didn't have time. The intended recipient was a work acquaintance, not a close friend, so I didn't push myself into it. I did make a lovely pair of socks with ruffles, and a cotton washcloth. The washcloth was a big hit, so I think I made the right choice.

But the baby blanket became socks.

This year I'm making my MiL an alpaca and silk lace neck kerchief. I've already sent the hat off for her birthday present.

I'm closer this time, though...the yarn wanted to be a pair of gloves. (The first half of the first glove is still languishing in the depths of my work room, waiting to be frogged.)

Tomato-Peach Salsa

2011-08-10T17:59:00.012-04:00

We found more good things at the farmers market, as you can see. Seven pints of hot salsa later...I still want to can some more. Maybe more salsa, but we'll see what's there this coming weekend.

I am knitting, too--honestly! I made this beret for my mother-in-law, and just sent it off today for her birthday, which is Friday. It's the Sprinkle Stitch Beret.

Christmas in August?

2011-08-06T09:41:00.005-04:00

Christmas knitting in August, anyway. Can't show it, of course, as some recipients might see it.

But I'm on item #2 now. If I can keep on the trajectory, the holidays should be a snap. (Except for the wrapping and shipping...not the easiest part of it all.)

This year most of our gifts--to the adults, in any case--will be handmade...knitted things, marmalades, etc.

I don't know whether I'll bake myself into another cookie coma, but it's just possible. I can feel the "putting up" (as in canning) urge settling in firmly, too. And today is Saturday, so off to the farmers market in a few hours....

The First Batch

2011-07-28T18:21:00.014-04:00

(Please excuse the blurriness; for some reason, I absolutely could not get a sharp focus.)

It's the first batch of jellies/jams/marmalades, in any case. This is cherry-lemon marmalade. I dug through all of the recipes I could find in my books & on the web, and ended up basing it on this one.

I used half sour and half sweet cherries, and soaked the sliced lemons for two days rather than one. It still is a very loose set. When I make this again--and I will, it tastes terrific--I'll probably add a bit of commercial pectin, or use a chopped Granny Smith apple in the pectin bag.

My version made a dozen 4 ounce jars and two 6 ounce jars, with about 2 ounces left over, which I refrigerated.

Because of the pith used, it's probably a touch more bitter than most Americans like. If you don't like bitter marmalade, slice off the zest and sliver it, and remove the pith from the fruit before slicing and quartering it.

It's tart and rich and a trifle bitter. So far I've tried it on buttered toast and also with maple peanut butter on crackers. Next stop: trifle or cake filling!

A Vintage Workout

2011-07-24T17:14:00.007-04:00

In my efforts to lose the (unwelcome) reminders of last year's Christmas baking, I've been trimming down. Running, walking, stretching, all of that. But it's a pretty easy task this time of year, with the exception of the occasional heat wave--and even that can be trumped, if I'm willing to wake up early enough.

Winter in New England, though, can be a tough time to exercise out-of-doors--shoveling excepted, of course. Therefore, I've been on the lookout for some kind of very simple exercise bike, not necessarily vintage, but if the Fates are going to be kind and present one, well, I'm not the sort to say no.
The front badge is missing--no doubt it was taken off and sold separately--and the wheel is going to need repair, it's somewhat warped.

Still and all, pretty good pickings for $29.99, wouldn't you say?

Not much knitting

2011-07-16T13:07:00.006-04:00

...but some. I finished a plain pair of ribbed gray socks--perfect for running--and I'm working up a pair of medium blue socks, making up the pattern (ribbing w/a travelling yarnover) as I go.

The garden in back is coming along, though my back fence neighbor keeps draining his skimmed pool water into the yard, and I am not happy about it. Neither are the roses. If that continues, I'll be round the street with a big fake smile, a tin of cookies and a friendly "request" to cease and desist. Maybe he'd like to run that water over his own garden instead??

Our front garden is making a comeback from its problems. Our next-door neighbors had their place power-washed. And the overspray killed much of my garden. The roses all survived, but most had to be cut back to bare root, or nearly. Luckily, they are beginning to produce leaves again, and in a couple of cases, flowers.

I could be luckier with my neighbors, I think!

Nothing to report, except for desserts

2011-07-05T18:23:00.006-04:00

Here's the cherry pie. I won "Mom's Best" again. Next year, I think I'll go with something less traditional, but it was fun.

This next one is a cocoanut cream pie with a cocoanut and graham cracker crust, topped with red raspberries, white meringues, and blackberries. Happy belated 4th of July!

Can She Bake A Cherry Pie?

2011-06-24T17:19:00.010-04:00

Stay tuned to find out!

I've put one into production. (I've made the crust and put it to chill, and assembled the filling.)This year's Chifferobe Stars and Stripes event is featuring a pie contest, as last year's did. I won the "Mom's Best" award last year...that, and the empty pie tin, made me very happy! [See http://artdecodivaknits.blogspot.com/2010/07/raspberry-pie.html ]

Last year I made a red raspberry pie, so this year I'm going for cherry. I baked a test pie a few weeks ago, to take to a party, and it disappeared in short order, so I'm optimistic.

What's your favorite pie? Is it one you make yourself, or is it your mom's, aunt's, dad's?

Good Cooking: Hominy Muffins

2011-06-22T16:22:00.024-04:00

It's raining today. I got a run in before it really started coming down, but even in warm weather, a rainy day brings comfort food to mind.

So when I got back (and changed into a dry robe: 1930s, of course, peach with brown & green appliques) I sat down to page through old cookbooks.

Last year I scored some great 30s cookbooks. One of my favorites is Good Cooking, by Marjorie Heseltine and Ula M. Dow, 1933 (rev. 1936).

It's well-named; the authors were serious about cooking, and there are not only good recipes, but excellent tips for cooking, baking, canning and more.

Anyway, I started looking in earnest in the "breads" chapter, and the first recipe happened to be hominy muffins. They're actually made with grits, a favorite of mine. And they are leavened with yeast, not baking powder. If you've never had yeast raised muffins, do yourself a favor and try some, even if you don't want to bake them yourself; they're great!

Hot cereals were common in the 30s,and so was the problem of what to do with leftovers. In cookbooks of the period you'll find plenty of oatmeal, rice, and other muffins. Most of them, though, use quick bread recipes.

This is faster than many yeast breads: little to no kneading is required, and only a single one-hour rise. The recipe makes one dozen muffins.

Hominy Muffins (12 muffins)

1/2 c. cooked hominy grits* (hot or cold)
2 tbl. fat [I used butter]
2 tbl. sugar [I used just one]
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk, scalded
2 cakes yeast [I used 2 envelopes of dry yeast]
2 c. bread flour

Put the cereal, fat, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl; stir the scalded milk slowly into the contents of the bowl to form a smooth mixture. Cool until lukewarm (when a drop poured on the wrist will feel neither hot nor cold). Crumble the yeast cake [sprinkle both envelopes of yeast] between the fingers into the bowl. Add the flour and beat in the flour and yeast thoroughly.

Fill greased muffin pans half full of the mixture. If a metal tablespoon is dipped into cold water each time before it is dipped into the mixture, the dough will not stick to the spoon**. Let rise in a warm room until the pans are full or about 1 hour. Bake in a moderate oven (375 to 400 F.) for 25 minutes.

If I make these again (and I probably will) I'll do two rises, but they're good. Dense and a bit chewy; they'd be great with a stew or any dish that tastes better with crusty bread.

*I made one serving of grits: 3 tbl. grits to one cup of water. There were a few spoonfuls left over. I smoothed it into a pan to be cut and toasted later

**I kneaded the dough briefly, and then divided it as follows: half, half again, and each of these quarters into thirds. Roll into a ball and place smoothest side up in the muffin cup.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T18:52:00.002-04:00

A happy Father's Day to all the dads, folks who stand in for the ones who can't be there, mothers who have to be both, and especially dads who also have to be mothers.

I wasn't lucky enough to know my father; he died when I was very small, but my mother did talk about him and we were able to know him through her.

It seems that I'm not alone in loving "vintage", either...when they bought their house, he promptly ripped out all of the carpets and refinished the hardwood floors. And preferred a gin (real!) martini to a vodka (I came late to that one), and loved to cook.

He was an artist--mostly in charcoal, I think. I have a few of his sketches. He loved good food, and cooking, and gardening.

So here's to my father, and yours, and you, and all of the fathers in our lives.

Just a quick update...

2011-06-11T07:35:00.004-04:00

...to say that I'm still digging in the dirt: one small patch to go before I can plant my roses.

The Cat Blankie continues. It's nearly done.

I have begun a new 30s pattern. It's the Normandy, from the Minerva Paris volume. I'm making it in orchid Shetland, with natural as a contrasting color--it has a check pattern sailor collar. Lots of swatching for this one, as my Shetland is a little more coarse than the stuff called for in the pattern.

And I'm revving up for another pie contest. I made a test pie yesterday (cherry) and am glad to say my guinea pigs...er, tasters...polished off the whole thing in record time.

More photos soon. They're on the camera, but not yet uploaded. I hope your summer is as full and fulfilling as mine is!

Spring Garden, A New(ish) Cocktail, but not much knitting...

2011-05-16T15:34:00.010-04:00

I just looked at the calendar. It's May. Howinthehell did that happen? Not only that, my anniversary and birthday are coming up, and Memorial Day, and we've been working on the yard, and...

...clearly, I haven't been posting about it.

Last first. Yes, I've done a little bit of knitting. It's the Cat Blankie, which is living up to its too cute name nicely. It's about 2/3 the length of my body at this point, and the cats are happy to burrow under as it continues.

Next: the cocktail. It's not really a new one--I just decided to ring a change on an Aviator (gin/lemon juice/creme de violette/maraschino). Regular gin is currently out of stock at the old booze cart, but I do have some Old Tom gin. And in addition to creme de violette, we have creme yvette.

Creme yvette is the ancestor of creme de violette. I don't have all the information, but I believe that it dates from Victorian times, as does Old Tom (slightly sweetened) gin.

Therefore, my "new" cocktail is the Steampunk.

Steampunk Cocktail

2 1/2 oz. Old Tom gin
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 -3 generous dashes Maraschino
1/2 oz. Creme Yvette

Shake briskly for a short time with clean, dry ice. Strain out into a cocktail glass.

The drink will be a strong rose pink, and a trifle sweeter than an Aviation. The Creme Yvette brings a nice floral/herbal aftertaste to the drink.

Speaking of floral and herbal:

These are a few of my favorite things

2011-04-21T14:40:00.009-04:00

Silk stockings. Yes, silk. Still made today (for a king's ransom) but I wear vintage. Deadstock, if I'm lucky.

Rayon stockings. Cotton stockings (with silk clocks, even better).

I've been lucky this year, after a long run of not being so lucky. Old stockings are still around, but they're not always easy to find. This year and the second half of last year I've found 20s and 30s stockings.

About ten years ago I found a box of three pairs of 40s stockings. They were marked "service weight", which I think means that they were to spec for wearing while in uniform. I could be wrong, but in any case, they are amazing. It's been ten years and I still have all three. There are a few pulls or snags, but not a single run! Amazing.

Now, I don't wear stockings every day by any means, as some vintage enthusiasts do, but they still get a workout for special occasions. They're the right thing to wear, after all, with vintage dresses. And stockings are far more comfortable than panty hose--believe me!

It's not always a foregone conclusion that the stockings you buy, even if deadstock, will be wearable. Silk in particular is prone to drying out so badly that a run zings down the leg as you're oh-so-carefully easing on the first one (this usually happens, of course, when you're on vacation and don't have a lot of spares on hand).

Real stockings, like good socks, come in sizes. Your stocking size is not the same as your shoe size. It's closer to a rough measurement (in inches) of the length of your foot. They came in long and short and regular. Some had reinforced toes, fancy clocks, even hand-painted designs on the sides. Until the 1960s, they all had seams.

Stockings can be held up by a girdle, garter belt, or plain old elastic garters (if you're in a 20s mood, feel free to slide jazz garters on under the roll created by rolling the stocking top around the elastic garter).

They're correct, sexy, make your legs look better, and can make an outfit.

Just the same, there are days when I leave them off, like Gertrude Lawrence did (in the 30s, it was considered positively outrageous).

Not Knitting

2011-04-20T13:21:00.006-04:00

The golf socks have stalled out for now. I started a "cat blankie" last night; just a simple lace pattern in charcoal worsted. It'll probably be as much a shawl (albeit rectangular) as cat blanket.

In other 20s-style hand-made crafts, see above. I made the headpiece over a two-week period. It's based on a French design from the 1920s, but is considerably more complicated...because I couldn't find enough pearl beads of one size to make it as shown in the illustration I had!

The base is black figured velvet, with some shaping. I made a paper pattern first, and backed it with interfacing. All of the bead work is done by hand (no glue, or pre-made sections). The pearls are glass bead pearls, and the finished piece is heavy!

I haven't given into temptation and weighed it yet, but I probably will one of these days.

It's the first one I've constructed entirely from scratch and I'm pretty well pleased with it. I've kept the paper pattern for other, similar headpieces.

(The photo is courtesy of Providence Pin-Up, and it was taken at a Chifferobe event this past weekend.)

Still working on it...

2011-04-12T10:47:00.005-04:00

...it, because I am still on Golf Stocking #1. But the toe will be coming up soon, and then we go all over again. Luckily, I know that my husband will really appreciate these, so it's certainly worthwhile.

I am also working on a beaded headband for an upcoming event for Providence's Cocktail Week: the Chifferobe evening, this coming Saturday. It's got a way to go, even though I am using larger beads than usual. I hope it comes out well.

The next knitting project is something I haven't decided on just yet. A 30s suit might be nice, but I'll have to see if I have enough of any one yarn to make one. (A friend gifted me with a lovely Bakelite cape fastener, and it would look good on a knitted piece.)

It's spring, though. And for some reason, I want to knit lace in the springtime. There are a couple of beautiful patterns on the new Knitty issue, and I can always dig through stitch treasuries or old pattern books.

What do you like to knit in the spring? Any suggestions?

Newsflash: Spring!

2011-04-11T13:14:00.003-04:00

...is FINALLY here. Or so it would seem.

Review: The Manual of Detection, by Jedediah Berry

2011-04-09T10:37:00.013-04:00

This is a modern book: 2009. I beg your pardon. I mean, this book was written recently, but it will be around for a long while. If you're another who loves old books and classic literature, don't worry; I think you're going to enjoy this a lot.

Its roots are deep, and they reach into more than one place. In the acknowledgments the author says, "This book is dedicated to my mother, Maureen Berry Bliss, who is always looking for a good mystery."

Yes, it's a mystery. An elegant, intricate, noir-infused puzzler. It also reaches into science fiction, and fantasy; urban faerie, in a way. When you read it, you will probably find categories of your own. You'll probably find them because its author didn't limit himself to the painstaking categories that Charles Unwin (good name; you'll like it more once you're reading) once found completely necessary to a correct life.

Mr. Unwin is a clerk in an unnamed city. This city has echoes of Manhattan, New England, even, to my mind, San Francisco and upstate New York. It's a real city where the scent of the subway rises to your nostrils and the people who populate it go about their various businesses carefully ignoring the bustle--or quiet--surrounding them.

Charles's job has been his life for years, until he sees the woman in the plaid coat.

Then it begins...a whirlwind, inexplicable week or so of the impossible...or is it impossible?

The realities turn sideways, no one is the person he or she is supposed to be, and Charles finds the world upside down. In his efforts to right it and return to his safe, comfortable niche he finds more impossible things before next breakfast than Alice ever dreamed of finding out.

I'll leave it at that. I could not possibly explain it properly, even if I wanted to spoil it for you. Not only can Jed Berry weave a fascinating plot and strangely real people into an unreal but possible place, his writing is superb.

Treat yourself to a copy, mete it out carefully, in smallish doses, so it doesn't run out too quickly, and enjoy.

Golf Stocking

2011-03-26T10:57:00.006-04:00

Singular. It will be plural...eventually.

I am still on the leg of sock/stocking #1 and have already begun on the second skein. Looks like there are contrasting heels and toes ahead; this yarn has been discontinued. )The sock is longer than it appears, as I have turned the stocking top down.)

Oh, and this is the color I'm calling "1930s Green". I'm told that it's also known as "Colonial Green". As real and faux Colonial were very popular in the 1930s I'm not surprised!

1930s Baby Blanket

2011-03-22T18:17:00.004-04:00

This blanket was made for some vintage minded friends who just had a baby. It's FINALLY on its way. (Took me long enough, it's been done for quite some time.)

The pattern is from Bear Brand-Bucilla Manual of Knitting and Crochet, Volume 69 [1933]. I added the blanket binding for a more finished look. Yarn used is my favorite cone yarn stand-by, the same I use so often for socks (I think I'll probably cry when it's all used up).

Happy St. Paddy's Day

2011-03-17T16:57:00.004-04:00

Yes, we're having corned beef and cabbage (braised in stout). Also, soda bread and potatoes.

No, the beer will NOT be green (see "stout", above).

I wish you and yours a happy one.

(Of course I'm wearing green. I'm Irish-American. And Catholic.)

Dr Who Continued

2011-03-09T16:41:00.004-05:00

The Dr Who Scarf, (series 13) that is. It's verrry close.

That is:

*I finished the last row
*it's not yet bound off (we had a guest and he was leaving, so I got up and left the scarf)
*I still cannot decide what exactly to do with the fringe.

The recommendations online are simple, and a little thin in looks. But when my husband and I were watching the Tom Baker episodes I scored at the thrift shop I got a good look at the ends of the scarf. It appears to have very heavy fringe; at a guess, one strand of each color (seven in all) in each lark's head knot. There are probably seven or more knots in each end of the scarf.

I don't like making fringe. BUT. It's "absolutely necessary" for this one. So...I'm going to bind off, wash the thing, block it (not going to be fun, this) and then make the heavy fringes.

As I've said a time or two, it should be ready to wear by December!

One (pair) down, one (pair) to go.

2011-03-06T18:17:00.006-05:00

I finished my own "stockings" and they've already been worn a few times. The above photo was taken about two weeks ago.

They're worth the time involved. And the tops themselves do a really great job holding the socks up. At first I also wore some stocking garters under the tops, but that was overkill, especially by the end of the day!

There are no increases or decreases in the leg, but I'd recommend them. My legs are slim, and though it works, they would be more comfortable if I'd used a few shapings.

The leg pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks, and the tops pattern is Coral Lace, converted to the round, from Barbara Walker's second stitch pattern book.

I am now working on the pair for my husband. I had to re-do the tops in a larger size, even though I followed a pattern this time. I'm combining a pattern from one of my hardcover 30s knitting books with a knee sock pattern from the early 80s. The top is two-color, and the sock is all green. As I'm also making a pair of quick long socks for him from a self-patterning yarn, these golf stockings might take a bit longer to finish.

With any luck, I'll have evidence in a month or two.

Third Time's the Charm

2011-02-15T15:24:00.004-05:00

Or, in this case, the stocking tops.

I haven't taken a photo yet, but hope to post one soon. Because finally, after three tries...

1. Adapt the pattern to the round, dummy. Oh, and turn the sock inside out, it's easier than knitting backwards. Really. (Dummy.)

2. No, same size needle with only a few stitches more is a bad idea.

2. Aha. Two needle sizes larger.

It worked. Even so, next time (and there will be a next time) I think I'll start the stocking tops first.

Those of you who don't knit (and also, possibly, those who do), "stocking tops" are fancy tops for knee-high or longer socks/stockings.

They're there to keep the stockings up, hide elastic or a garter (either elastic or knitted) and for fun. They also used to be a must for golf stockings.

And so, since my husband is as vintage mad as I am, he has been promised a pair of golf stockings, his with Fair Isle tops rather than lace. We found a gorgeous wool silk yarn in what I call 1930s green, which happens to match a vintage sweater vest he found last year.

Even with the greater size and length of knitting to contend with, I suspect this pair will be much easier.

Maraschino Cherries

2011-02-11T15:33:00.012-05:00

I love cocktails. One of my particular favorites is Manhattan. A regular, a perfect, one with extras like orange bitters and a dash of Luxardo. The pit in the cherry, if you'll excuse me for putting it that way, is what passes for a maraschino cherry these days. Nasty.

Now, you can shell out $18.00 or so for a jar from Luxardo, but they're sweet cherries, and syrupy. I'm all for sour cherries...but they're difficult to come by, in or out of season.

On Tuesday I dropped by a local big box store and hit the jackpot. They had sour cherries in light syrup. This means that the cherries are still tart, and the "syrup" is more like cherry juice. We have a bottle of Luxardo, of course.

There are a number of recipes up on the web. The most simple is from the NY Times. In 2007 they recommended getting a jar of the same cherries I used today, and marinating them in Luxardo. Easy, but not quite the thing, to my way of thinking. I didn't want them to be so boozy that they would overwhelm a drink.

Luxardo Cocktail Cherries

(1) 24 oz. glass jar of sour cherries in light syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water (or juice from the packed cherries)
1 tbl. lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 dash freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Luxardo maraschino liqueur

Combine everything except the cherries and liqueur. Bring mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the cherries; simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in liqueur.

These can be simply stored in the refrigerator as is, but I chose to can mine. I used three 8 oz. jelly jars, and processed two of them for 20 minutes in a water bath; I put the third in to chill. They'll be gone soon enough!

I got a bonus from these canned cherries. The remainder of liquid from simmering with the cherries, added to some more lemon juice and the rest of the juices/syrup from the jar, was enough to make two 4 oz. jars of spiced cherry jelly. (Roast duck, here I come.)

Madhouse: Sorry

2011-02-09T07:58:00.004-05:00

"Sorry seems to be the only word." "Being in love means never having to say you're sorry."

Popular word. And its application has many different uses, it would seem. (For the record I hope I'm never in a situation that applies to the first quote, and I really do not agree with the second one!)

Being sorry is difficult. It means letting go, and usually when one is in no mood to do so. And as often as not, the other party doesn't give a lot of help in the matter.

However, the most difficult part of saying "I'm sorry" is to encounter a recipient who doesn't give a damn--and says so--or, worse, says "It's okay, I forgive you." but doesn't mean that at all.

Sorry and I-forgive-you are a couple of those damned two-way streets you hear about growing up. The ones you're expected to drive without a license.

I don't know if growing up makes it easier, but it does grant more of an understanding of the words and why they are so important. Nearly every time the phrases are used they seem to give a little more understanding, even if it's very hard-won knowledge; maybe especially if hard-won.

Books

2011-02-07T14:00:00.011-05:00

Yesterday was Sunday. That's usually a good brunch at home, and a leisurely persual of the NY Times. The Times is one of our luxuries.

We had champagne, French toast, bacon, juice...and instead of the Arts section, I grabbed the Book Review first. There are some good books in there this week. A new biography on Humphrey Bogart is out, for one. And the antiquarian book listings are always fascinating.

As I was reading it, I wondered: really, will real, hold-them-in-your-hands books ever leave us? Please God, no!

I can see that a Kindle is useful,especially while travelling, or using a knitting pattern. You can buy/download book texts that would be too expensive to buy in real copies.

But what about the books themselves? Has anyone ever read Helene Hanff's books...on books? 84, Charing Cross Road is not only a love story about people. She discusses the feel of a calf-bound book, its romance, the superiority to "the stiff cardboardy covers" of books in the 1940s. What in the world would Miss Hanff think now?

One of the best parts of my childhood was books. Libraries. Walking out with a stack so tall that I had to balance it with the edge of my chin...the luxurious, dusty, rich scent of books en masse in a building made for them. Will children born in the next few years have no chance to experience that? Life will be duller without those books, touched not only by other minds, but by other hands as well. (And cats. I'm always amused by sharp toothmarks in the corner of a book. Someone feline left His Mark as well.)

We belong to a private library, and spend a fair amount of time in the public library as well. Don't forget about them. If you haven't cash to support them, use your time and ideas. And ideals. Books are a luxury we can't afford to discard.

The Cat Afghan...I mean, Dr Who Scarf Progress

2011-02-04T12:15:00.003-05:00

It's really coming along. The cats are very pleased; at this point it's an excellent length. Both of them can snuggle underneath as I'm knitting it above them.

In other knitting...it's annoying to make stocking tops after you've made the socks. Next time, tops first. But I'll come up with a pattern I like and get it done. A gift is nearly done, and I'm contemplating another 30s sweater, in more boucle yarn: cream, gray, and plum.

Betsy, Tacy, and Tib

2011-01-27T10:54:00.011-05:00

This is to send my thanks to Maud Hart Lovelace (aka Betsy). I suspect I've got plenty of company in not only remembering those books fondly, but re-reading some of them on a yearly basis. I like her high school years onward, but the saga begins when Betsy is five.

Mrs. Lovelace, so the blurb in back of the books tells us, wrote these stories after telling them to her daughter, Merian. They're the tales of a girl in a solid middle class family in the Midwest (Minnesota) from the late 19th century into the beginning of the Great War.

They are a terrific introduction to the times, and more than just an escape. The writing is funny and charming and pulls the reader in to a world of comfort and privilege...but there are sad moments. She doesn't dwell on them, but parents of friends die too early, young hearts are broken, and the necessity of being good to other people (and some of the consequences, if you are not) are laid out for you, too.

These books have been in and out of print since the first was published in 1940. I don't know which, if any, are available in new editions, but keep your eyes open. Look in used book stores, antiques stores, and online used book sites.

It doesn't matter if you're 8 or 85, you'll find something to love in the Betsy-Tacy books (Tib is their the chum, she comes in after the first book), and it's also possible that you'll learn something about writing, and story telling, if you're a writer.

Madhouse: Shoes

2011-01-26T09:55:00.004-05:00

Shoes. What about them? I'm no Imelda Marcos but I like them.

But as is often the case, my taste in them has changed somewhat. I remember pleading with my mother for a pair of Candies high heeled slings, only to be told that it was trashy to wear heels with pants! (This was in the dark ages...I mean, late 70s, folks.)

In high school I remember when she and a salesclerk talked me into a really handsome pair of burgundy leather slingbacks instead of the rather awful ankle strap shoes I coveted at the time. They were right. Classic is a really good thing. I wore those shoes all through high school and college...and beyond, until they literally began to fall apart.

So we're still with heels, but now classic. College mostly meant boots and tennis shoes and so on; I went to New England Conservatory after SCCC and walking around Boston and taking the T makes you fairly practical, even at 20 or 21.

Back to heels next, fairly classic. That continued for a while, though I developed a taste for silver shoes for formal wear, instead of black. (That trend continues...only now they're glace leather, not glitter!)

In the 90s I began to swing dance. Oddly, for a while that meant I started to wear absurdly high heels to dance in. Four inch heels and doing swing-outs? Sure, I'm still indestructible, I'm in my 30s! Eventually I went to lower heels, wedges, oxfords and the occasional vintage shoe in good condition.

This is what really cured me of very high heels, though, and it was only about 5 years ago. I was working in a downtown office and that day was wearing my brand new white stiletto pumps. When I say stiletto...I mean five inches high. Yes.

And on this day, the office jerk (there's one everywhere, as a rule) decided that I (the acting receptionist, not mail room clerk or delivery clerk or runner) would walk a mile across the area and make a hand delivery for him. Never mind the phones.

I damn near killed myself. (I had plans for him, too, but decided I didn't feel like finding out what my bail would be in the circumstances, though I knew that it would be justifiable...whatever-I-did-to-him.)

Now it's 2.5 or 3 inches for heels, lots of loafers and even ballet flats.

Haven't you heard? I'm a knitter now. How else can I show off my handmade socks?

Madhouse Post: Ugly

2011-01-19T16:16:00.004-05:00

H'mm. For some reason, "jolie laid" is the first response that comes to mind; a woman so "ugly" that she is beautiful.

When I use the word "ugly" myself it does tend to the bad. I find it springs to mind when someone is being particularly nasty, unkind, selfish, or mean.

Just now I took down my copy of the Pocket Oxford Dictionary to find this:

ugly (adj.) Unpleasing or repulsive to sight; morally repulsive, vile, unpleasantly suggestive, threatening; formidable antagonist; ugly duckling person who turns out the genius of the family after being thought the dullard

Yes, that'll do for definition(s).

The Year of the Sweater?

2011-01-15T05:21:00.005-05:00

It's mid-January, and I have two new sweaters of my own making. Admittedly, one was a UFO from last year, but the second was cast on, knitted and finished after New Year's Day.

I don't make many sweaters...I get bored and move on to another pair of socks, or some lace, or even a scarf. But lately I haven't found as many modern sweaters I liked, and though I have found some lovely vintage pieces they aren't quite scratching the sweater itch, if you will.

Last night I found myself wondering if I really did buy a cone or two of Shetland this past summer (don't think I did) and wondering why not. My 1930s knitting books seem more enticing than ever lately, and I keep thinking of cones of Shetland and eyeing the yarn I bought for the Dr Who scarf (safely underway now) and thinking, "Wouldn't that be great sweater yarn?"

We'll see what happens.

What projects are haunting you these cold winter days?

The Usual January Knitting Frenzy

2011-01-13T11:37:00.004-05:00

It's finished. No, no new photos yet, but the long-suffering "30s Sweater" is finally done.

Now I need to seam (and decide on a closure) for the top-down raglan I made last week--it's a heavily modified version of a pattern I knitted about five years ago...one of those that swim around in your head for several years and when you finally pick up the needles it's all there, just waiting to be knit.

I'm also working on some [gift] and a [gift] and am plotting some more [gift]. There are two--okay, four--UFO socks. Two will be frogged, two finished. And a bolero which I began and nearly finished in 2008 (!) will go with me to Area 51 to be finished (that's for UFOs specifically).

I want to knit another 30s skirt. In gray, I think. And I spent much of Tuesday on Ravelry, digging up more 30s patterns.

My 30s knitting books are calling to me too. The hardcovers. One in particular has a few good pages on embellishments/trims. Lace falls, bows, etc.

And...

Remember This?

2011-01-07T15:40:00.003-05:00

I'm in my workroom, breathing in the wonderful (to me) scent of wet wool.

Why is it wonderful? Well, two reasons. One: I just plain like it. Two: I am blocking a sweater.

This is the 30s sweater that I knitted in very short order late last winter and promptly put away unfinished. D-Day is Monday; I'm planning on attending Area 51 at Fresh Purls to begin seaming and picking up for the neck ribbing.

Now I just have to find the rest of the yarn. I know I saw it around here somewhere....

Expectations

2011-01-06T10:38:00.004-05:00

(This is for a "Madhouse" entry. Sorry, Kate, I'll probably continue to be hit or miss on it.)

Exoectations? Whew. I've had a few!

As a very little girl, I thought I'd be a ballerina. Nope, didn't happen...though I did eventually become a decent (social) swing dancer.

In my late teens and early 20s it was opera. To that end I studied voice for ten years...scrimped and saved and bartered for voice lessons, scraped by on "no money" and finally gave it up because though my voice is actually pretty good, my technique and self discipline were not.

In general as a child and young woman I didn't have set expectations about my personal life as an adult, perhaps because I came from a small family without lots of "examples" to see.

I didn't expect to be divorced. Or re-married. I am, it's working, but is work. (That's something you don't generally expect as a child!)

I certainly did not expect to be staying at home (albeit because I am presently unemployed)...and most especially did not expect to like it. Liking it still makes me feel rather guilty (lapsed Catholic and feminist that I am).

Most of all, I did not expect to be good at it, nor so very domestic. What did I do yesterday? All day? I mended, cleaned, and ironed.

Cooking and baking? Yes, the expecation of enjoying that and being good at it was the one thing now occupying me that is not a surprise.

Life is full of expectations...and life goes on in spite of them!

Vintage Cookbooks

2011-01-06T10:18:00.007-05:00

How Mama Could Cook! is one of my recent acquisitions.

It's a keeper. I love older cookbooks, especially from the 20s and 30s. This one was written in the 40s, and contains the reminiscences of a daughter about her mother's brilliance in the kitchen, and flamboyant, marvelous personality.

Scraps of stories surround the recipes, and nearly all of those recipes are ones I'd like to try. To date, I've made the White Velvet Cookies (good, but would be better in a cookie press than rolled and cut, as they become tough very quickly).

I bought it for a recipe entitled Brimstone Duck. How could I resist that one? Duck with apples, onions, and applejack. Sounds like a very good thing, does it not?

There are also some very interesting ideas for preserves and cordials, even homemade wines...if you love to cook, and especially if you love to dig around in vintage cookbooks for ideas, search out a copy of this book. It's brilliant.

New Year's Resolution #1: Dr Who Scarf

2011-01-04T17:13:00.007-05:00

Today I ordered the yarn online. I did try to buy it from a couple of brick-and-mortar shops, but no go.

This particular version is the Season [Series] 13 scarf, and I'm going to make it with Brown Sheep Nature Spun in sport weight. That should result in a scarf that measures about 10 feet, give or take a few inches, what will varying gauge and blocking.

Yes, it's a vintage thing! Mind you, not nearly as vintage as my usual, or even (gasp!) as vintage as me, because although the series premiered in 1963, the scarf is associated primarily with Tom Baker, who debuted in 1974.

I am using a pattern provided by Tara at Witty Little Knitter

Wish me luck! It should make good standing in line or television knitting. (What a fabulous excuse for a Dr Who marathon!)

Happy New Year Part II...and Part III of Bachelor Mother

2010-12-31T15:57:00.004-05:00

Ooops! Sorry about that.

And a comment: I listened after I made the first post. It doesn't compare well to the Lux broadcasts, especially script-wise. The movie is far better and much funnier.

Still, it's a nice little diversion. I hope you enjoy[ed] it.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T15:00:00.015-05:00

Here's a radio version of Bachelor Mother (1939) starring Ginger Rogers and David Niven originally.

Enjoy!

It's one of my favorite holiday movies, it covers the whole week and even shows Times Square on NYE!

Oh, and here's something to listen to while you're having that hangover--I mean, Champagne--brunch tomorrow afternoon:

Listing Times
Direct Link on LoudCity

This is one of--no, the best--online source of vintage jazz I know. The live broadcast takes place tonight, but it will repeat tomorrow. Check the first Dismuke link for worldwide programming times.

Happy New Year!!!!

Christmas Loot

2010-12-29T11:25:00.006-05:00

Do my friends know me?

Are they wonderful?

YES.

Many, many thanks to Sue, "Ann Gibson", and Rae and Scott.

On the 4th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-28T15:30:00.010-05:00

...I'll give you another recipe.

This is my favorite "new" recipe of 2010.

The original is from a September 1930 issue of Women's Home Companion, for candied grapefruit peel.

I've made this so frequently since first trying it on Halloween night that I've done a little tinkering. If you've tried to candy peel before and failed, or you never have tried and would like to, this is the recipe for you.

Candied Grapefruit Peel*

2 1/2 c. sliced peel, trimmed of excess pith (white portion)[~3 halves]
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. grapefruit juice
granulated sugar

Cut peel into strips and boil in lightly salted water for 20 minutes (time from when water comes to a boil). Repeat twice, for a total of three 20 minute boils. Drain well each time, and use fresh water for subsequent boiling.

Combine sugar, water, and grapefruit juice into a clean medium sized saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Add peel, bring to the boiling point (stirring as little as possible) and cook to 230 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Drain immediately. It will cool quickly. As soon as it is cool enough to handle (in five minutes or so), lay the strips out on a cooling rack. When completely cool to the touch, roll in granulated sugar and leave to dry overnight.

Store in a container with a tight lid; I layer the pieces of peel in more sugar. This will keep for weeks, but can be stored in the freezer if you prefer.

*Orange and tangerine also work very well. Lemon is not recommended.

CAVEATS, etc., etc.

1. Buy a candy thermometer. They are not expensive!
2. Follow the directions. You don't need to hang out in the kitchen the whole time. Set the timer for the three boils.
3. Drain immediately. If you leave the peel in syrup it will become stiff and hard and won't taste of much but sugar.
4. DO leave to dry overnight. If it's put away too damp, it will mold, even after having been candied and rolled in more sugar. Sugar is a preservative, but it's not a miracle worker.

5. Enjoy!

Christmas Knitting 2010

2010-12-27T16:49:00.009-05:00

I have photos of most of it. This is the tea cozy I made for DH. It's based on an online pattern but the color work is my contribution. It's specially made for the Danish teapot from the 30s, made of pewter, which he uses nearly every morning.

These are the boot socks I made for him. They're from a 40s pattern I've used before; in fact, I made a solid cream colored pair for a friend of ours, too.

This is the Wurstwaermer dog sweater. (You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry. It's about $3.00 and the profits go to a shelter in Michigan.)
The friends who have the dog for whom it was made told us that as soon as they put it on her, she curled up and went to sleep, happy as could be. So those of you who have doxies, or doxie mixes, it's dog-approved!

This is a Kindle cozy, for the latest version. I made it for my mother's new Kindle. The yarn is cone yarn from the stash, and the button is a hand-carved wooden button, Art Deco in period. This is my own pattern.

I also made the large Cozy for my MiL, and a neck warmer from burgundy homespun for a friend, but I don't have a photo of the neck warmer. I forgot to take one before wrapping it, and we didn't have our camera when she unwrapped it.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and Boxing Day.

Merry Christmas Eve and plum pudding for all

2010-12-24T10:43:00.005-05:00

I have been busy! Let's see...here are the cookies I made:

almond spritz
hazelnut chocolate spritz
fruit & nut bars
noels
cranberry brownies
lavender shortbread
chocolate cocoanut kisses
cream cheese cinnamon
Christmas hermits
peanut butter Kiss

...and candied peel (lemon, tangerine, orange & grapefruit), mince pies, and plum puddings too.

Today I'll be making a liverwurst and cream cheese roll and a cheese ball for tomorrow's open house, and that's all, folks! (Except for making our brunch tomorrow.)

Here's a little plum pudding action, Part I:

Cookies and boxes and knitting. Oh, my.

2010-12-09T15:18:00.003-05:00

I'm getting there. The last boxes of Christmas gifts and cookies are packed up and ready to go. It's hard to believe I've already sent some out!

But now the cookie stocks are seriously depleted, and surprise! I think I need to bake some more. Well, I want to.

Thus far I have made noels, fruit and nut bars, Christmas hermits, cranberry brownies, peanut butter Kiss cookies, lavender shortbread and almond spritz cookies.

Now that I have a feel for the cookie press, I'm going to make some more. They look so professional, and besides...they make me think of my grandmother. She wasn't a cuddly, stereotypical grandmother, but she had a cookie press (my sister has it) and she used it.

More gift knitting--nearly all of it--is done, and even wrapped. I'll be glad when I can post some photos here. At least this time I've remembered to take pictures before wrapping them up.

I hope everyone is having a good holiday season. Merry Christmas!

Holiday Bonus

2010-12-08T11:06:00.005-05:00

[This post owes its existance to Kate, whom I know from Knitty. Thanks!]

Holiday bonus...maybe this is a bit shallow, but for me the holiday season is a time when my talents--knitting, cooking, baking, singing--feel less like indulgence than something positive.

Mind, I don't sing professionally anymore. But we went to a Lessons and Carols service on Sunday, and in singing there it felt as though I was contributing to the happiness of the occasion and the people around me.

There are times, and plenty of them, when I feel guilty for knitting, or baking or (fill in 'hobby' here) during the daytime. This feeling has certainly intensified since I have been unemployed.

But in preparing for the holidays I am creating gifts for the people I like and love. These actions (or recreations) are producing something that will, I hope, make those people happy. And at least in the knitting, I am saving us some money. I have a very large stash of yarn. And vintage buttons. Very little has been spent on buying the raw materials for the gifts I have made this year.

So, in preparing for the holidays I get a bonus. The joy of giving, coupled with a kind of validation, give me a lift beyond the beauty of Christmas and the New Year.

Meanwhile, in Santa's workshop...

2010-11-30T17:54:00.003-05:00

...in a manner of speaking. That's the first day's baking. Two kinds of Christmas cookies (noels and peanut butter Kiss cookies), plus plain peanut butter cookies for DH.

The wrap/shawl/lap afghan is a large Cozy (pattern for free on Knitty) which is to be my MiL's Christmas present. I bound off, washed and dried it today.

Yesterday I made lavender shortbread and fruit and nut bars. We'll be well-stocked for our open house on Christmas Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T10:50:00.002-05:00

I'm thankful for many things this year: my husband, other family, friends, good health...our house.

And as always, knitting (yarn!) and food.

But I AM knitting...really

2010-11-21T15:28:00.003-05:00

It's just that it's all gift knitting. And some (though not all) of the recipients read the blog, and so I'm stuck keeping track and/or griping about it on Knitty, to the cats, or to DH.

In other news, I did make DH's birthday cake today. Chocolate with chocolate marzipan filling and almond buttercream frosting. The leftovers I turned into cupcakes (filled) for the Rhode Island Antiques Mall Black Friday Sale.

And now, for the Circus

2010-11-20T13:09:00.004-05:00

Here we are...another Chifferobe event. Lady Medusa and The Ringmaster!

Getting Closer...and a birthday wish

2010-11-14T16:28:00.008-05:00

...to the holidays and all. But first: Happy Birthday, Meg! (My baby sister...who turned none-of-your-business this year. Wish I could see you today.)

We went for a drive yesterday and ended up at the North Shore (Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly Farms, etc., in MA). A lovely day and a gorgeous area.

The first thing we hit was a church craft fair/Christmas sale. We passed on the crafts, but found some wonderful things at the White Elephant sale...including tins for holding cookies, a nice glass jar for candies, a needlepoint pillow and more. Cost? A whopping $2.00!

The book sale yielded some goodies, too; DH found a birding guide, we got a few vintage boys adventure books, and I found another narrow basket--I use them to hold produce on the cellarway. I've paid as much as $10.00 for one. This one set me back twenty-five cents. And...DH spotted a vintage Swansdown Cake Flour promotional booklet from 1939. It's in sad condition, but still readable. The endorser is Kate Smith (the Kate Smith who sang Irving Berlin's "God Bless America"). Great recipes! I'm going to use the Almond Butter Cream frosting for DH's birthday cake in a week or so.

We pressed on, to a LYS, as I needed yarn for a gift project. We stopped at the shop we've been to previously and walked in on a signing and trunk show for Ann Weaver.

Yes, we bought the book! DH has already requested the cabled scarf/wrap, etc. pattern (can't remember the name of it now); about 200 yards of worsted cables, with button and buttonholes to take it from one incarnation to another.

She was fun to talk to, and we stayed a while. She was also very gracious about a scarf and hat I designed and made last year (I wore them yesterday), but never wrote up. It's not on the blog, though I might have mentioned it in passing.

She's even offered to be a test knitter. So if you're reading this, Ann, I really do intend to find the pattern notes and send them on; failing that, I'll read the end results and send that. I'm not sure exactly when, but I will do it!

I am doing some knitting--and finished some more--but can't mention any of it until after the holidays.

On a final knitterly note, my KnitPicks package just came. I used the gift certificate my sister sent me more than a year ago and used it toward a couple of blocking board squares and some sock yarn. It was on the doorstep when we came home last night!

Veterans Day / Armistice Day

2010-11-11T10:59:00.005-05:00

Today is Veterans Day (US) or Armistice Day. "Happy" seems an odd word to tack on to either one, but it's an important day to remember.

So to all the veterans I know--and don't know--thank you. This includes my father, my great uncle, my husband and father-in-law, my good friend Nathan, my ex-husband and his father...and many, many more.

There are many books about war, in all centuries, non-fiction and fiction. If you are interested in a slightly biased account that is an excellent first-hand depiction, I recommend The Ladies From Hell, by R. Douglas Pinkerton.

He was a Scot who penned a fairly short, terse memoir that includes enough of the horrors of trench warfare to give an idea of what these men--mostly very young men--went through.

At present, there are several modern mystery authors who write of the post WWI period, including Jacqueline Winspear, who writes the Maisie Dobbs series.

An excellent post WWI (Great War) mystery of the Golden Age of mystery is Dorothy L. Sayers's The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Her own husband, Mac, was a veteran who suffered from mustard gas damage and shell shock.

So, again: thank you everyone, for serving your country.

Cocktail Time

2010-11-05T18:37:00.004-04:00

This is an Ideal Cocktail, courtesy of the Savoy Cocktail Book.

Recipe:

Ideal Cocktail

2 parts gin
1 part Italian [sweet] vermouth
3 dashes Maraschino liqueur
1 tbl. grapefruit juice

Shake over clean ice; strain.

The original recipe calls for "a small nut" for garnish. (I passed.)

Happy Weekend!

On your mark...

2010-11-03T11:51:00.003-04:00

Go! Here we are heading into the holidays. I got a jump start with all that preserving / canning.

Since I went so crazy last year, with the tree being decorated almost entirely with handmade ornaments (I'm not sure I ever want to see royal icing again) this year will probably be relatively low-key in that respect.

Thanksgiving first, of course. As we ate at home last year, we're going out this time. DH doesn't want to make it into a trip, so we'll be dining locally at one of the "fine" restaurants in the area--we're spoiled for choice, so it's bound to be good, no matter the place.

I think I want to make a dessert, though. Once we climb out of our food coma, there will be something good on hand...a couple of years ago I made a cranberry polenta tart, courtesy of a recipe from the New York Times. That's a front-runner; so is apple pie. We found more RI Greenings!

So what are the Christmas plans?

*See if the tree will be safe with the traditional ornaments, now that the cats are three.

*Finish the (minimal) gift shopping and send things off. I probably won't include cookies this year, it will be preserves instead.

*Do the bind-off on MiL's gift, which is otherwise finished. The second gift is done, too (can't show it, I think the recipient reads the blog), and I need to dig out the pattern for the third gift to be made.

*New this year: mince pies, now that I have the homemade mincemeat. Also, I want to make a plum pudding. On Halloween night I made candied orange and lemon peel, which are necessary for a traditional pudding.

*Dinner at home, as usual, though maybe we'll do the big one on Christmas Eve and then have brunch, followed by tea on Christmas Day.

Everyone take a deep breath, make your lists, and we'll all be fine. (Bookmark this and feel free to come back and laugh at me in about five weeks if you like.)

Vote

2010-11-02T16:12:00.004-04:00

It's not a right everyone enjoys, even today. Revel in it; let your voice be heard.

Only seven

2010-11-01T09:36:00.010-04:00

Only seven trick-or-treaters this year. But a five year old did tell his mother to tell me that we had good jack o'lanterns, which I was glad to hear. It was fun to carve them.

The smiling fella is copied from an October 1926 Good Housekeeping (one of the ads), and the other a product of my retro brain. I think he looks the part, too.

I hope you had a happy Halloween. Ours was good...and I've got lots of roasted pumpkins seeds. A nice dividend from the pumpkins!

All Hallow's Eve Eve

2010-10-30T09:55:00.004-04:00

The mask and its holder.

I hope you've got lovely spooky plans for this weekend.

Tick...tick...tick...

2010-10-29T14:30:00.005-04:00

...Halloween is approaching.

This year we are not giving a party of our own, but will be going to a Chifferobe event.

That is, DH will be attending and I'm one of the actors; the main event theme is a murder mystery.

I've made myself this to go with the mid-30s gown I'll be wearing:

This is how it looked a few days ago while still drying. It's a paper mache mask, made with newsprint and old-fashioned flour paste. It's since been painted and attached to a stick.

Tonight's the night, so with any luck I'll be posting photos of our capers soon.

Recipe: Cranberry Marmalade

2010-10-27T10:26:00.006-04:00

I've received a request for the cranberry marmalade recipe. The title of this blog post is linked to the original post about the making of it; those photos will give you a good idea of what it should look like, start to finish.

Cranberry marmalade is just a little more refined than cranberry relish, and contains the same sort of ingredients.

The making is straightforward, but you will have to be on hand for most of the cooking; as with most preserves, the high sugar content makes it liable to catch, and when the cranberries first begin to cook, they will foam quite high and need to be stirred down frequently. Make sure the pot/kettle you use has high sides. A 4-1/2 quart dutch oven is just large enough.

Cranberry Marmalade

2-1/2 lbs. washed and picked-over cranberries (frozen may be used)
2-1/2 lbs. white sugar
1-1/4 c. grapefruit juice
1 lemon; 1 orange; 1/4 grapefruit

Strip the zest, discarding the pith (the bitter white portion of the peel); cut into very thin slivers and set aside. Juice the citrus fruits next; set aside.

Stir water & sugar together until dissolved, over low heat. Add cranberries, juice, and zest.

Simmer until it jells. (This should take about an hour.) The simplest jell test is this: dip a wooden spoon into the mixture and allow the liquids to drop off the long side. When two drops come together into one before falling, the mixture is jelled. Cranberries contain plenty of natural pectin; it's not necessary to add any more.

Pour the mixture into sterilized jars, and cover. When cool, cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When that has cooled, add one more. When all wax is solid, replace covers and store in a cool place.

If you prefer to process in a water bath, process for 25 minutes.

Makes approximately ten 8 oz. jars.

The Last Four Apples

2010-10-25T08:50:00.006-04:00

I had to do something with them.
Dutch Apple Cake, circa 1939, from The New Hood Cook Book: 1195 Modern Recipes, Covering All Types of Food Preparation in American Homes.

Quite a few 30s cookbooks have recipes for this treat. There is some variety in prepartion, but it's generally a combination of sliced apples and rich biscuit dough. This particular recipe puts the apples on the bottom, in a mixture of brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and a bit of cream.

It's very good; I've made it once before, and it improves on standing. And I recommend it be served as indicated in the cookbook, with some heavy cream. Pry out your serving, flip it over, and dribble the cream through the apples and the brown sugar sauce. It makes a marvelous breakfast!

And yes, I made one more preserve: apple-ginger marmalade. The initial recipe was from 1930, but it was too sweet for me, and didn't contain much ginger, so I fiddled with it quite a bit. We'll see how it is after a few weeks.

Next time, I hope, there will be some knitting content. I'm working on those plain gray socks for DH. Very cozy, ribbed all the way. I've finished the first one, and cast on for the second last night.

And I'll have an antique knitting item to show, too. My husband found me a dpn case in a local shop yesterday. It's gold-stamped leather, and to my untutored eye, it looks like an Edwardian piece, probably picked up overseas on vacation. Very pretty, and still useful. One steel needle is still in the case, I think it's a 000.

Cranberry Marmalade...harvest canning continued

2010-10-21T13:55:00.009-04:00

It's not unlike cranberry relish, but it's cooked longer and has a more delicate flavor. I'm pretty well pleased with this recipe, but next year I will probably double the citrus.

We'll be giving some of these as gifts, some with the usual breakfast stuffs, and I can't wait to try it with roast duck!

Apple Pie

2010-10-19T18:14:00.003-04:00

...and applesauce cheddar turnovers.

Mock (Green Tomato) Mincemeat

2010-10-15T12:54:00.006-04:00

Two posts today! I've had a few requests for the recipe, and it seemed easier just to put it here and provide links (yes, this means that I'm lazy).

This will make two scant pints. Lots of booze...if you want to make it less costly, use all cider, and give the stuff a drink now and again in the traditional manner, instead of canning it.

You could also easily up the apple/tomato portions to one pound each. I had only 12 oz. of green tomatoes, so that's what I used.

Mock (Green Tomato) Mincemeat

1 navel orange (pulp free of membranes, chopped; zest chopped)
zest of one lemon; half its juice
~12 oz. finely chopped (peeled, cored )apple
~12 oz. finely chopped (cored) green tomato
1/2 c. each of these dried fruits: currants, cherries, cranberries
1/4 c. each of these dried fruits: golden sultanas, apricots
2/3 c. sugar; 1 tbl. molasses
3/4 c. brandy [I used cognac)
1/4 c. Cointreau
1/4 c. sweet cider
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. clove
5 grinds black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Chop all fruits and zest in roughly uniform size...about equal to a large raisin for dried fruits, 2x as big for fresh. Mix everything together.

Simmer over very low heat, stirring frequently so it doesn't catch, for two hours. It will be very thick, dark, and sticky. Taste for seasoning; adjust if necessary. Remove cinnamon stick.

If canning, process for 25 to 30 minutes in a water bath.

More apples

2010-10-15T09:02:00.033-04:00

Applesauce and bourbon apples.

Yesterday I made mock (green tomato) mincemeat.

Does anyone know where I can get traditional mini pie tins? I think we're having mince pies this Christmas!

Apple Roll-Call

2010-10-13T21:34:00.003-04:00

Thus far...

apple marmalade, cinnamon apple jelly, cider applesauce, bourbon apple slices, and Dutch apple cake.

Tomorrow: green tomato/apple mock mincemeat.

The Jelly Cupboard

2010-10-12T21:26:00.009-04:00

Here's part of what we brought home on Sunday.

And here is DH, doing his part.

Apple marmalade under way...

As of this evening there's a second batch, and a batch of cinnamon apple jelly. Next I'm planning on applesauce. Any more ideas? I think there will still be apples!

Actual Knitting Content

2010-10-10T17:33:00.005-04:00

Though we went apple picking today, I thought I'd post a genuine FO, one that has even reached its recipient.

This is a simple pattern from Lion Brand online, one of the freebies. It's a three to six month old size, and the yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash.

I picked up the buttons months ago, because even though they're far too cute to be worn by an adult, who am I to resist cats + yarn? (I knew they'd come in handy for some garment or other.)

It was a quick knit; I think about 4 days start-to-finish.

More on apples later this week. And vintage cookbooks. And...marmalade, pies, and cakes.

Apples

2010-10-09T05:42:00.011-04:00

By definition (overseas and everwhere but Vermont, I think), I'm a Yankee. Not born in New England, but upstate New York...and I grew up thinking Yankee, reading Yankee Magazine and devouring books on the Northeast and New England.

Part of that heritage is apples. When I was small we'd occasionally go apple-picking and to the cider mills in the area. From my early 20s to 2008, the only orchards I saw were the ones I drove past on my way to somewhere else.

Last year DH and I finally went apple-picking. We picked half a bushel of apples and I made apple marmalade and did quite a bit of baking.

The marmalade was an enormous success with everyone who tried it and I want to make at least twice as much this year. I'd also like to experiment a bit with apple pies...when we last visited Concord, MA I picked up a wonderful cookbook devoted entirely to baking apple pies (!) and am looking forward to trying some of the recipes soon.

Macintosh aren't in season any longer, so we'll be dealing with other varieties. The one variety that I have been searching for for most of my life--I kid you not--is called the Rhode Island Greening. Particularly appropriate now that I'm living in Rhode Island, isn't it?

I first read about it in a children's book set in the 1940s. The main character's mother decides she'll bake a pie to enter at the fair if she can find some of these heritage apples (they date at least to American Colonial times).

With the recent push for organic and heritage varieties of produce and meat I have high hopes, but we haven't found any yet.

It's entirely possible that I will simply have to buy my own tree. They are available, but it'll take up quite a lot of space in our small yard.

If anyone out there knows of a local orchard where I can find some, I'd be grateful!

And after I make the marmalade, I will post the recipe. As it happens, I found it in the (hardcover) Yankee cookbook, first published in 1939.

Still cooking. And knitting.

2010-10-08T10:17:00.003-04:00

It's this autumn weather (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). I can't resist. Today I'm making chicken liver pate from the left-over livers that didn't make it into last night's meat loaf. And we'll have that with toast points. For a main course, sauteed mushrooms over toasted or fried polenta.

As for the knitting, it is ongoing. As usual, a plain vanilla pair of socks. These are really plain; just anklets made from my tough-as-nails (but comfortable) slubby yarn. This is the plum color.

There are two other pairs, too. One for DH, in blue, and a yellow pair for me, both designs from More Sensational Knitted Socks.

I finished a baby sweater that just reached its destination. Medium blue (Cascade 220 Superwash) with great buttons, kittens playing with a ball of yarn. And I've made a neck cowl for a Christmas gift. It's done and blocked; I only need to sew on the buttons.

There are two cardigans under way. One is corn yellow, worsted. The pattern is from the late 30s. I am also making the 1921 cardigan I mentioned a few posts ago. The yarn is peach colored sports weight.

And...I still have not put the early 30s pullover together! Ridiculous, I know. It will only take me a couple of hours at most, and I'll have a new sweater. (It had better fit.)

The New Blog Header

2010-10-07T16:37:00.003-04:00

I owe this to two people.

One: the person who took the photo at a Chifferobe event early this year (I need to get his or her name and give credit).

Two: Ami of Charm City Daily .

Most of the credit goes to Ami. Many, many thanks!!!

Gem Brownies

2010-10-07T11:48:00.005-04:00

I love brownies. Who doesn't? (Maybe the benighted creatures who don't like chocolate...but no one else springs to mind.)

My brownie recipe, which I will not be posting here (sorry, a gal has to have some secrets), is very adaptable. I make "regular" brownies, cranberry brownies, and gluten-free, dairy-free brownies. They're all good.

But there is one drawback; it's difficult to get all of them out of the pan and looking good. Brownies don't have to be pretty, but they shouldn't resemble the dog's dinner.

On Tuesday I went to a little dinner party and wanted to bring something sweet with me. Baking a regular batch of cookies would have taken too long, and I decided to try something different.

This is what I found: one basic brownie recipe will make 40 gem-sized brownies! I lined the gem tin with tiny paper frills (mini cupcake papers) and put about one teaspoon into each. Baked for 25 minutes, turning the pans a few times, and cooled, they were perfect.

Then I iced them with a mixture of milk chocolate and one square of bitter chocolate, with a dash of butter, and topped with colored sprinkles before the chocolate set.

Perfect little bites!

Now I want to make cranberry brownies that way for Christmas, topped with candied cranberries.

Happy October

2010-10-01T14:31:00.014-04:00

Not that we're having what I'd call classic October weather...it's windy and breezy, true, but muggy. And the rain keeps spitting.

Even so, October. And to me, that means fall. I love fall. It's my favorite season, bar none, and even all these years out of school it makes me think of new beginnings, or at least a new start on an old project.

That means my book. I started an historical mystery in 2009, and was moving along very well until about a year ago, when I ground to a halt. Didn't outline the plot thoroughly, it got too complex, and bogged down in details (the story of my life, but not the story of a good mystery).

So here I go again, this time sparked not only by the month October, but also a chance remark by an acquaintance (a published writer) on Facebook. Thanks, Margery!

I will also be updating and changing the blog somewhat. I've changed the title to simply Art Deco Diva, though the link remains the same, at least at present. The photo at top has been changed, and I'm working on a proper header, which might take some time, as the code Word uses gives Blogger indigestion.

Here's to continuation and improvement, and new beginnings! Cheers.

Cooking (and baking) from the Pantry

2010-09-30T19:56:00.000-04:00

It's something I like to do. I mean that it's not only thrifty, but an interesting challenge, to make meals or desserts with what's on hand. There's a charm to it, a feeling that one has managed to fit puzzles pieces together. It's fun.

In addition to the 1933 Monitor Top refrigerator, we have a small chest freezer in the cellar. I love that thing, and it's the most modern kitchen appliance we own. It enables me to make stock and freeze it in large quantities and small, turn leftovers into something interesting and put the result away long enough to be appetizing again and buy food, meat particularly, when it's on sale.

Today I realized the cookie jar was empty and when I came to again it was quarter to four and there it was: gingerbread oatmeal cookies, plum-raspberry crisp, pan-roasted chicken with rosemary and root vegetables, and (for tomorrow) chicken ragu to be braised in beef stock and red wine, with more root vegetables.

All of the ingredients were here. The chicken had been defrosted from the freezer (five legs) and had to be used up; there was leftover beef stock and red wine. I keep potatoes and onions in the cellarway and always keep the baking cupboard (really) stocked.

The tricky part is cooking for two rather than four or more...DH gets as bored as a five-year old with leftovers, and I really hate to waste food. But I'm learning.

Here's the recipe for the cookies (adapted from Gingerbread: 99 Delicious Recipes from Sweet to Savory, by Linda Merinoff).

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies ~ 70 cookies

1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. molasses
1 c. white sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. white flour
1-1/4 c. rolled oats [uncooked]
3/4 c. bits of candied ginger
__________________________________________

Before you begin: pre-heat the oven to 375 F. Heavily grease cookie sheets, and when putting the dough on them, bake no more than 6 per sheet [they begin to stick only a minute or so out of the oven, and this way you've got a fighting chance to get them off the sheet without disaster].

Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly.

Measure out the dry ingredients and whisk together. Beat the molasses and vanilla into the butter, then add the egg and blend. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together.

When the oven is hot, space the cookies at least 2" apart on the sheets (they will spread). Make each from one heaping teaspoon full of dough. If you like, neaten with your fingers after dipping them into cool water.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes, turning half-way through to ensure even baking. Use a spatula to remove and put onto racks quickly and carefully. If they stick too much, return to the oven for a moment and try again.

Cool cookies completely before storing. These are rich, a little sticky, chewy and crisp at the same time. If you like molasses you'll love them.

Even though I haven't seen Boardwalk Empire...

2010-09-29T15:35:00.000-04:00

...a few days ago I cast on for a 20s cardigan. 1921, to be exact, a Bear Brand/Bucilla pattern. (Yes, I know the above-named show is currently in 1920.)

I am using a soft peach colored cone yarn I bought on eBay about four years ago, and am praying that I don't run out! It's exactly the right gauge using recommended needles...per inch AND per row, and it looks swell.

I have also just done the first major frogging. Don't work even a very simple pattern with no shaping after 11:00 p.m. if you're tired. It's a bad idea (why is it, though, that I can manage after a martini? h'mmmm?).

Where did August go, anyway?

2010-09-28T17:56:00.000-04:00

Ooops. It's almost October, and not a post have I made. (August wasn't all that fascinating, either, except for the 28th, which was lovely.)

But...the weather was good, my garden grew, and I did a lot of baking. Nothing very new.

On the 28th of August, however, DH and I attended the Jazz Age picnic (second of this past summer) at Governors Island, right off of Manhattan.

It's a small (to those who Gatsby) picnic with wonderful live bands, some vendors, a bit of food, and Jazz Age recreation like a pie contest (no, I didn't enter; somehow, juggling a pie all the way from Providence didn't sound appealing), and a tug-o-war. It ran for two days, but we attended only on Saturday.

We had a good time and were able to meet up with old acquaintances and also to be introduced to others who I hope will become acquaintances or friends in the future.

The bands were Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra and Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society .

It was a swell event, and we hope to get to more of them, including some of the other Art Deco themed events in Manhattan which seem to be expanding every week. (That's a good thing, a very good thing.)

Raspberry Pie!

2010-07-31T12:51:00.001-04:00

Last night was the Chifferobe USO event. It was lots of fun, and I won the "Mom's Best!" Pie award. All of the baking and tweaking paid off. The dish was empty at the end of the night, which is even better.

I've promised to make another for friends to share with us.

The Back Yard

2010-07-27T17:23:00.000-04:00

DH and I have spent time over the past few years mooning over 1920s and 30s magazines on House & Garden (various periodicals, various ideas). We've argued the merits of various fences and gates, over brick or stone, terraced or leveled,etc., etc., and so forth.

On Saturday we will finally be getting the asphalt broken up and removed from the back. It's ugly. It's also all over the place in level. At a guess, it was once terraced and quite formal, even though it's a small space.

I want the dip to the back filled in only slightly, and would like to build steps down...terracing along the top, and an English garden look throughout. Really formal gardens take a lot of work! They're not as pretty, either.

Has anyone out there transformed their own yard from chaos? What did you do with your lot (pun intended)? Why? What were the costs?

We're starting out with a blank slate, or nearly. Feel free to dish out some advice!

Old Fashioned is a good thing

2010-07-26T21:14:00.000-04:00

I really think it is. Mind you, people will say it's corny...and maybe it is, but that doesn't bother me.

What's old-fashioned? Finding out the names of the people you hire to work on your house. Bringing them something to drink while they're working (especially on a hot day). And giving them home-baked cookies to eat on the way home.

We do that, and I've got to say that not only does it make us feel better about ourselves, it makes them feel better, too. They say so. And do better work for it. And know that we realize that they're real people, not just numbers or Workers.

It also means that I've got to bake another batch of cookies, and a big one, because they'll be back on Saturday, and you have no idea the damage that DH can do to a batch of homemade cookies! Here's a pic of the (batch of) Tollhouse Cookies I made on Friday (with milk chocolate chips and toasted almonds)...it's almost gone now. On Monday!