The Last Four Apples

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

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

...and applesauce cheddar turnovers.

Mock (Green Tomato) Mincemeat

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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...

...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?

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!

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

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

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!

Still knitting

...really. I do knit, though it might be more accurate to change the name of this blog to 'Art Deco Diva Can't Stop Baking'.

I'm on another sock binge these days. Berocco came up with a yarn called Vintage (how could I resist?), and it's quite nice, for a blend. Wool + microfiber, I think. In any case, it's a light worsted, and superwash. I looked at it and of course thought "Fast socks! YES. I can knock out a thousand pairs of cushy socks for running." [Note: I haven't been running lately. Still....]

So far I've made two pair of white socks, a pink pair with lacy ankles, and I'm finishing up white with striped (pink & white) heels and toes, made up of leftovers from the other three skeins. It takes two to four days of steady work to make them, and I've got the basic formula down pat.


Vintage Anklets Women's size 7 - 9

1 skein Berocco Vintage (white, pale blue, pink, yellow, brown)
#3 (American) DPNs
3 stitch markers
yarn needle

CO 48 stitches. Swap out 1st & last stitch to join, and knit 18 rounds of 1 x 1 ribbing.

Begin the heel flap on the last 24 stitches of round 18:

**1. purl back
2. slip 1 knit-wise, *knit 1, slip 1 purl-wise*, end knit 1**

...for 24 rows.

Heel turn:

Slip 1, purl 12, P2tog, P1, turn
Slip 1, knit 3, SSK, turn

Continue to work, P2tog or SSK one before the gap with one after the gap, until you run out of stitches. [14 sts on heel needle]

Gusset:

*PU 13 (using slipped sts as guides), PU 2 at top next to instep stitches;
*Knit across instep
*PU 2 at top next to instep sts; PU 13; knit 7 sts onto needle

*Knit 7 remaining heel sts onto N1, knit into the backs of the first 13 gusset sts, SSK the last 2;
*Knit across instep
*K2tog; knit into the backs of the next 13 sts; knit the last 7 as usual

[Knit rest of sts as usual; the twisting of the gusset sts on this first round helps to close the gap after the sts are picked up.]

ODD Rounds:

N1: Knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
N2: Knit
N3: K1, SSK, knit to end of needle

EVEN Rounds:

N1: knit
N2: knit
N3: knit

Repeat odd & even rounds until 12 sts remain on N1, 12 sts on N3. (If you begin counting when you begin to pick up for the gusset, and pick up the recommended number of sts, this will work out to 19 rounds.)

You should be back to 48 sts, as the instep count remains consistant at 24.

Foot:

Knit until about 2" from end of foot. For me this works out to 30 rounds. I wear an American size 8 or 8.5 shoe.

Toe:

Arrange sts so that there are 16 on each needle.

*knit 6 sts, k2tog, place marker* [42 sts]
Knit 6 rounds

Decrease round: *Knit to 2 before marker, k2tog*
[36 sts]

Knit 5 rounds
Decrease round [30 sts]

Knit 3 rounds
Decrease round [24 sts]

*k2 tog* [12 sts]

Knit 1 round

Cut yarn, run through remaining sts 2x; fasten off firmly.

Voila, a new sock!


Alterations/addendum:

For the leftovers socks, I knitted only 10 rounds of ribbing; leftovers from the pink socks (which had 16 rounds of additional knitting)will provide only enough yarn to stripe the heel flap and toe. [I choose my circular lace pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks.]

Feel free to leave a comment if there are errors in the pattern, or if you find it confusing. (Feel free to leave a comment in any case, as it makes me feel Important.)

Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting

This large batch is enough to (barely) frost and fill a three-layer cake. If you want a more generous covering, fill with something else, whether jam or cream, or what have you.

If you need a smaller amount, halve the recipe. One tablespoon = three teaspoons.

Instructions for "making" lavender extract will be provided at the end of the recipe for the frosting.



Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting

(4) 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
(2) sticks unsalted butter [8 oz.]
1 tbl. dried lavender flowers
1 tbl. lavender extract*
lavender honey to taste
[optional] red and blue food coloring

Grind dried flowers. (You can use a food processor, but I prefer my mortar and pestle. It won't take long.)

Whip the softened cream cheese and butter together, and stir in the flowers and extract. Sweeten to taste with honey. If you wish to color the frosting, add tiny, equal amounts of food coloring. If using liquid, 2 drops each should suffice; if using paste, 1 dab each on a toothpick. The frosting should be very pale, more white than anything else.

This frosting is rich but not overwhelming. It is tangy, even when sweetened. It's particularly good on chocolate zucchini cake, and would probably be a good choice for carrot cake as well.



*Lavender Extract

Fresh lavender leaves
Good quality vodka
glass bottle with a good seal


Stuff the bottle very full of leaves. (Don't forget to wash them first, and pat dry.) Cover with vodka; close the bottle.

Leave in a sunny place for up to 18 days. Each day, shake gently.

When it's strong enough, strain and re-bottle. Use as you would any other baking extract.

Feather Cocoanut Cake 1928/2010

If at first (second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.) you don't succeed...bake again.

Thanks to a few of Rose Levy Beranbaum's tips for success (her Cake Bible is something every home baker should own) and a bit of common sense, I now have cocoanut [sic] cakes--cupcakes, actually--that look the part. They are airy, golden brown and have a curved top. No more sunken centers.

To achieve this, I cut back on the baking powder by 1 teaspoon (1/4 of the entire recommended amount), cut back on the sugar slightly, as I was out of fresh cocoanut and had to use sweetened, and changed the mixing method.

Feather Cocoanut Cake (1928/2010)

1-1/2 c. pastry flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tbl. baking powder
4 tbl. butter (room temperature)
pinch salt
1 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 c. grated cocoanut
1 large egg
1/2 c. milk.

Measure out the flour and sift. Measure again, and discard excess. Measure the sugar, baking powder and salt into the flour and sift a second time. Whisk dry ingredients.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter. Add in about 1/4 c. of the dry mixture and cream. Next add a portion of the milk, blend in well, and beat* for at least 30 seconds. Continue to alternate the mixing of dry and wet; add in the egg. After each incorporation, beat the batter again. Reserve a small portion of the dry to mix with the cocoanut; mix this in after the lemon extract.

Beat well, until the batter forms ribbons.

Makes one 9" cake, or 1 dozen cupcakes.


Bake at 375 F until gently risen and golden around the edges. If making cupcakes, begin checking at 13 minutes. Cake could take as long as 45 minutes.

DO NOT open oven until at least 15 minutes have passed, and be sure to open and close the oven door very gently.

Cool for about 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

Serve as is, or with lavender cream cheese frosting, or frosting or glaze of your choice.


*Yes, by hand! Fine; you can use your mixer if you want to, but this is a great way to burn off some calories before you polish off most of the cupcakes.

Happy 4th of July!

On to the 4th

Every year (or nearly) for the past 5 years, we have gone to a lulu of a 4th of July party. The friends who host it live in an old farmhouse a bit north of here.

The crowd starts rolling in in the early afternoon, and the last stragglers weave away on the following day (having camped out in the nearby woods).

I like to bring a few food items. Everyone contributes. Sometimes it's booze-soaked fruit on skewers, sometimes a cake, or a salad. Too, we bring spirits or beer, and something for the grill.

Everyone lounges around, talks, has a few drinks, eats to repletion and beyond, plays croquet (on a very uneven lawn) and some bands play. (The host has a band of his own, and many other musician friends.) There's also a chance that some of us will forget we're glad the 80s are past, and we'll bop around to various 80s music...all kinds.

But right now I'm fixated on the dessert I'm bringing. It's going to be a three-layer cocoanut cake with a lavender cream cheese frosting. And my inner cornball is helping freely--one layer is red, one is white...and yes...the third is blue. The frosting is nearly white.

The recipe is delicious. I found it in a 1928 Royal Baking Powder book. Caveat: the damn thing sinks in the middle, whatever I do. I've made it five times so far, so I should know.

The oven is hot enough. Believe me, when your oven dates from 1938, you remember to pre-heat. Two possible culprits remain: the mixing technique, or too much baking powder. I've been following the basic cookbook directions, and melting the butter.

Usually when I make a butter cake, I cream it in with the dry, and then add the liquid gradually, beating for a minute or minute and a half between additions...I think I'll try that next time. And lessen the baking powder amount. It calls for 4 teaspoons! That's a lot for a one-layer cake.

If you're a baker, feel free to sound off and let me know your opinions, and/or what you're done to correct the same problem.

When the cake is assembled, I'll post a photo or two.

Caroline Cloche

This pattern is from Popknits...which is no longer publishing, sad to say, but is still available online.

It's the hat in the center (being the only knitted topper). I used 100% silk yarn instead of Silky Wool, and the trim is silk. The badge is embroidered in a pattern from one of my 30s needlework books--I used mercerized cotton. The trim around the badge is from my stash. According to the receipt it was wound around, it's from 1941. The badge is backed with facing, which I applied after embroidery, but before the edging.

I dipped the hat in heavy starch before blocking, and it's unlined.

(The photo was taken at Chifferobe's Bayoo Ballyhoo...I am sorry, but at the moment I can't track down the photographer's name.)

Picnic...and A Movie

Not just any movie, either. King Kong (1933). If the weather holds, we'll be going to watch it near Tazza in downtown Providence.

I've packed a picnic supper to bring. So far we have these sandwiches: chicken salad with fresh thyme, cheese & butter spread with cucumber, and red onion (all on various white and brown breads).

For dessert we have cocoanut teacakes and peanut butter cookies. Probably lemonade to drink.

All will be packed into a wicker hamper complete with plates and cutlery. I've also sprinkled paper towels with rosewater for clean-up after.

I hope it doesn't rain!

Harvest of beauty

A rose is a lovesome thing...

God wot, and I agree.

Here's a list of some of the things I've planted this year:

marigolds, violas, pansies, black pansies, nasturtiums, columbines, California poppies, marguerite daisies, shasta daisies, blue lobelia, forget-me-nots, (more) peonies, Japanese iris, sweet violets...and more roses.


In fact, today we bought a David Austin rose, the Winchester Cathedral. It's white and full-blown, with a rose-pink tinge around the edge as it starts to bloom.

Coggeshall Farms Fiber Fest 2010

As you can see, we had a beautiful day for it. Very breezy, but otherwise perfect.



Lots of healthy, happy critters.


I think I went round twice before I decided what to take home. DH started right in, though.


He got (machine knit) alpaca blend argyles, honey, a vintage card game (it's a lot of fun, we played three times after we got it home), and I think one or two other things.


I finally picked out a cone of orchid colored Shetland in fingering weight...it might be enough for a cardigan. And best of all, wood (sweet) violets. Finally! I've been trying to find some for a couple of years now...but most nurseries just don't bother to carry them.



We had a great day. And Sunday wasn't bad, either--plant sale, gardening, and even better weather. But I'll save that for another time.

My Favorite Fiber Festival

Honestly. It's the festival at Coggeshall Farms, in Rhode Island.

Google (or Blogger or whatever) is being useless again, and will not allow the link to post. Please just search for the place; you'll find it. Click on "Events" and you'll find the information.

It's in Bristol, RI, a gorgeous little town. We've been there the past three years, and loved it every time.

It's at a working Colonial farm, and the festival itself is worth your time. It's small, but the vendors are wonderful. We've found gorgeous fiber (of course), delicious honey, a charming vintage style apron, and more...including some of the most beautiful, inexpensive cashmere I've ever fondled.

In addition, you'll get to see horned cattle and sheep, chickens all over, striped, serious working barn cats and a lovely small house, complete with weaving, cooking on the hearth and exquisite Colonial furniture.

If I'm organized enough to remember, I'll bring the camera so as to give you some views from our perspective.

So...it's tomorrow, Saturday, May 15, 2010. If you're within an hour's drive, do yourself a favor and go. It's open from 9:00 am to 4 pm, and you'll have a fabulous time.

(Don't forget, it's in Bristol...and in Bristol and neighboring parts you'll also find antiques stores, great grocers, consignment shops and a very good yarn store!!!)

The Inimitable Miss Horne

Lena Horne was one of the greatest Hollywood entertainers ever. A fabulous, gorgeous, smoldering, funny, earthy, talented woman; and in her heyday especially, dragged down by idiotic racists.

Miss Horne, I'm glad you were out there, brilliant, funny, and wonderful. Thank you for illuminating our lives and showing us just how incredible you could be. (And what you could inspire...you even inspired fictional characters. I remember a genie in a sci-fi story who venerated you above anything he could have invented!!).

To your family I send my deepest sympathies; I'm sorry you lost her on Mother's Day. Thanks for sharing her with the rest of us.

Of Uncle Fred and Bakelite in the Springtime...or something like that

Today has been a great day. It's spring. May. Sunny. Blue Skies. And Good Weather.

In addition, I've been reading Wodehouse, which is enough to make a cloudy, cold, early winter day seem bright. In addition to THAT, a vintage Score was made.

The book is Cocktail Time. Good title, isn't it? It's an Uncle Fred, and not the earliest...he's married, but as bright eyed, bushy tailed and interfering as ever he was. Really, next to Jeeves he's Plum Wodehouse's best creation.

(And I'm reading it because, bless the place, the Providence Athenaeum still keeps it in the stacks.)

As to the vintage Score (aka Bakelite napkin rings)...I saw them a few days ago at a local antiques mall. Not the one where I hold a booth. It's a little less pricey, and if you're willing to dig, a great place for a bargain.

These napkin rings were jumbled together in a plastic bag. Twelve of them. And the price?




[Wait for it...]




$16.00. Really. I kid you not. For twelve Bakelite napkin rings, in near-mint condition. They're Scottie dogs. On wheels. With bright little eyes. Now, DH and I did consider selling them. (I'd make a killing.) But can you see them holding place of pride at a buffet supper? Fala eat your heart out (look up FDR if you don't follow that).

Vintage Kitchen

Believe it or not...there's a possibility that my kitchen will be the background for part of a fashion shoot.

For bathing suits. (No, I don't see the connection either.) I'll keep you posted on whether this odd and interesting thing actually happens.

Here's the kitchen in question: