Cooking with Gas

I know I barely post these days, but this time I have a pretty decent excuse; I am finally back to work on my cookbook, and the first rough draft is shaping up.

It would be terrific to get it published properly, by a brick-and-mortar house, but if not I will still have a vanity press edition made up.

I expect the testing phase will take a long time, especially as friends and acquaintances in the UK and Europe have requested that I include weight and metric measurements. Luckily, a few people have volunteered to help with the testing; I won't have to do all of it.

Knitting is still happening--here's some proof:

I'm working on an Acadian Shawl (sideways knit, with a simple diamond lace border), and have plans for a late 30s cardigan with simple Fair Isle, and even have my eye on a lace cardi in the most recent edition of Vogue Knitting.

In other news, spring is finally here, and the snow is GONE. The garden is rather confused, but it's game. We'll see what happens. My husband and I had also wanted to have a straw bale garden this year, but the winter was so bad that there are no straw bales to be had anywhere. We do have a galvanized trough to use for some container gardening, but it will only fit two small crops. Tomatoes and zucchini, I expect--we know we'll use those (in this house there's no such thing as too much zucchini, as I use it for our favorite pickles).

Happy spring to you, too (or fall, if you're on the other side of the world).

A Productive Summer

It's been a busy summer. I didn't do a lot of canning last year, and this year I suspect I've made up for that, even though I'm not finished yet.

So far this year: sweet pickled cherries, sour pickled cauliflower, sour cherry-peach marmalade, black cherry-whiskey jam, sweet cherry-jalapeno chutney, peach salsa, pumpkin pickles, plum jam, white currant jam, dilly wax beans, crabapple jelly.

On the way: beach plum gin, cherry bounce, juniper berry sauerkraut.

Lots of knitting, too. I've made simple shawls for DH's aunts, am finished a February Lady Sweater for my MiL, a cotton scarf for my sister, hats for one of my MI nephews and for a local friend. Still need to make a hat for a new BiL, and maybe a couple of small things for other people.

Here's some good news: if your batch of jam or jelly doesn't set, don't re-make it with commercial pectin (that involves quite a lot of extra sugar). I made my sour cherry-peach jam into marmalade with the addition of lots of lemons, and my black cherry-whiskey jam set beautifully when I added the pulp left over from making crabapple jelly. No extra sugar or off texture.

We haven't gone apple picking yet, though I found some lovely Macoun and RI Greening apples at the farmers market today, as well as some zucchini, so that I can make spicy zucchini pickles.

When we do go apple picking I'll make applesauce and apple marmalade. I also want to make cranberry catsup again--we went through that fast last year.

Koala

Yes, it's been a VERY long time. Sorry.

Life happened. As it does. One lovely thing--we went to London again. I went everywhere via the Tube, did some antiquing, and we even dined at Simpsons-in-the-Strand, which, whatever you've heard, isn't on the outs just yet. Try the breast of wood pigeon, if you don't believe me.

On the other hand, my mother died in April. My mother was wonderful. Gracious, kind, intelligent, decent, funny...and my mother. Both of my parents in one; my father died when I was a toddler and my sister was an infant.

I'm no toddler now, and neither is my sister. Mom was 74 when she died. But nothing--even longterm illness--really prepares you for losing your only living parent. My sister and I were there when she died. I was holding her hand. But at the moment, it feels like it will hurt forever. So far not a day has gone by without me thinking, "I need to tell Mom...."

We were lucky. Very, very lucky to have such a parent, and very lucky to have had her not only through childhood, but into middle age.

My sister and I sorted through the things she left. It wasn't a terribly long task; Mom sold her house 10 years ago and went to live with my sister, so we sorted through a few things left in a room. But I took the bulk of the photos, including some that had belonged to my father.

Here are a few of the pictures I brought home.

 

 

Joan Minckler, 1956

The Minckler Family, ca. 1944

John (Johnny) and Joan Minckler, ca. 1940

 

 

 

Tech Sgt. Richard (Rick) F. Forster, ca. 1942?

 

 

 1944

Margaret (Meg) and Eileen Forster, ca. 1969

 

Getting Ready

Oops. Haven't posted for quite a long time--but this time it's good.

With one week less for holiday prep (Thanksgiving being so late this year), I'm sprinting. I have been busy. In addition to the cleaning and planning I have been baking and knitting.

The knits are still on the simple side. I just can't get the hang of the lovely "Thorin's Armour Socks"; one day, maybe.

But I did finish the shawl for my MiL. And I made a few other gift knits. I still have to block one, and I've made simple socks with really simple crochet trim and there are a few other things in the works.

This cloche is from Boutique Knits. It was made for a friend's birthday present.

This is the shawl I made for my MiL.

 Simple, heavy socks for me

Just for fun, in honor of the US opening of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug...

I made him for a swap. He now lives in England. (I think he's been posted on this blog previously.)

As for baking: gingerbread reindeer, orange snowballs, noels, cranberry orange brownies, whiskey thumbprints, peanut butter kiss cookies. So far. And two kinds of fruitcake--my basic light fruitcake, and an experiment, a tropical fruitcake (papaya, mango, kiwi, macadamia nuts, pineapple, rum). The light fruitcake will be the base for this year's Christmas Cake.

I also managed to pack up the first Christmas box today; it's got to go out soon.

But today--tonight, really, I'll be at the cinema! There be dragons. One, anyway. Speaking with the voice of Mr. Cumberbatch. Which is no bad thing.

Colds and Knitting

You'd think the two would play nicely. But with my sinuses all mucked up my brain seems fuzzy. The pumpkin hat was simple enough. But I don't even want to work on the easy lace socks I'm making. And the 30s dress is out, thinking is necessary for that one.

Here's the pumpkin hat before it got to its real owner. Tommy agreed to model, but he looks a little confused. I'm not sure what he thought he was agreeing to wear.

I made a simple garter stitch shawlette for my MiL and am working up an easy ruffle for edging. I managed to make four dishcloths for my SiL's Christmas gift. That seems to be the extent of my knitting ability presently.

Here's hoping this rotten cold will vacate the premises, and soon.

Still. It did provide us all with at least one photo of the Prince of the Harvest. Maybe it's not all that bad.

Falling

Summer got away from me. But in a nice way.

My sister and I finally got away for a long weekend. (A minor miracle, as we've been trying to do this for about 17 years.) We went to Austin, TX, and had a good time. Lots of walking around, good food, shopping--vintage and for presents for those left at home.

Then I went to the first rockabilly weekender I've been to in years. Ten, maybe? It's been a looong time. My husband and I went--and Nora (the car). She didn't start for the return trip, so he had her flatbedded back. And of course she started later, after coming home. Maybe she thinks a grande dame shouldn't have to do so much work without a rest.

But here's some genuine knitting content:

This is the Perfect Pumpkin Hat for All (sportweight version) from Ravelry. It's designed by Janet Jameson.

I made this for the baby of friends whom I know from MI; other dancers. It still needs to be blocked and sewn together, but it was a very fast and amusing knit. Who knows, maybe I'll use it to make a pumpkin tea cozy for this fall!

Meet Nora Charles

...and me. I'm sorry I don't have a full-length photo to put up right now. We've taken her out quite a few times already, including a 100 miles + round-trip to Tiverton for lunch on the 4th of July.

My husband is still getting used to driving her, but I haven't begun yet; it's been 20 years since I've driven a stick shift! I'll get there, though.

We are also planning on bringing her to a rockabilly weekender this coming September, so if you're going to be at The New England Shake Up come up and say hello at the car show! Or at any other point...

Crescent Park Carousel

This was taken on Saturday. We took Nora (the 1939 Olds) to the weekly cruise at Crescent Park, which is also home to this very beautiful and famous carousel (merry-go-round, if you prefer!).

Next time I want to ride one of the up-and-down horses...or maybe lounge in a dragon chariot.

Crescent Park, East Providence, RI

Out with the Plymouth, In with the Old(smobile)

Today we said goodbye to Ruby.

 

We've just bought a 1939 Oldsmobile (sedan) and she's already in the garage. Oddly, we made the switch with both at the house at the same time! Ruby is going down to the Carolinas, to someone who works in the movie industry--a grip, I think. So perhaps she'll be ready for her close-up one day.

The Olds doesn't have a name yet; as before, DH and I can't quite agree yet, but we'll get there. She's a beauty, and in very good condition. She was re-conditioned beautifully by her last owner, even to the interior.

 

There are a few problems, like two cracked windows--the man who sold him the new glass clearly didn't give him safety glass. It happened on closing the doors. We'll get that fixed. The radio doesn't work, and there are a couple of other tiny things. But she's a beauty, and not only do we plan to bring her to the Steelyard next month, we're expecting to drive her to the rockabilly weekender we're attending in September!

 

Pictures...and her name...coming soon.

Roses and knitting swaps

I did a count yesterday. I have 14 David Austin roses (13 varieties), 5 hybrid teas, 1 florabunda, and 2 Knockouts, as well as 2 Drift roses. And yes, I am planning on more! But next year: I want to put in a small rose hedge along one side of the fence, enough that I'll be able to make rose petal jam and have candied rose petals on a regular basis.

Things are off by about a week, even though we had such warm weather in mid-May, but it's all looking very pretty. The kale and the nasturtiums are doing well (salads!) and my husband tilled up another small section of the yard, so I have to plan that out soon.

For knitting, I'm working on two pairs of socks, and plotting for a Smaug themed swap on Ravelry. I'm having quite a lot of fun choosing and making things and planning. I do wonder what Tolkien would have made of this?

Birthday Cake

The theme for birthday cakes is still roses, it seems.

Here's this year's cake, a chocolate zucchini cake with rose buttercream frosting. The garnish is crystallized rose petals and pearl dragees, with edible glitter dust (I picked that up at Selfridges on our trip to England in April).

Neil Gaiman's Advice to Artists--Pay Attention

I've got other things to write--about England, about my garden this year, spring...and other things. But this, this speech to graduates in 2012, is some of the best I've ever heard. I wish I'd heard it many years ago, and even now I can benefit from many of the things he says.

I hope you can benefit from it too. If it also makes you curious about his books and other work, good. You should be--curious enough to seek it out, if you haven't already done so.

http://www.uarts.edu/neil-gaiman-keynote-address

Sorry it's not embedded, I'm having trouble with getting that to work. This will take you to the site of the university where the address was heard, and there is a transcript below the video.

It's Been A While..

Sorry! I've been busy...knitting. Watching The Hobbit (just bought the DVD, too, so I'll be re-watching...what, you didn't know I was a Tolkien nerd?) and getting ready for a trip to London.

This is from a Jack Frost booklet published in 1939. It's the first of two sweaters I've made from this booklet; I have no pictures of the other, unfortunately, as my camera and my new laptop aren't very fond of  one another.

The London trip is a long-time dream come true. My husband has a business trip coming up, and I will be able to tag along. We are going to a vintage dance event one evening, and an East End show another night. We're also hoping to dine at Simpson's-On-the-Strand.

Overall, it's keeping me busy.

Happy Easter, all. I hope I will have some good photos and stories after we return.

Wondermade Bourbon Marshmallows

This was a gift from the marvelous Jan of Stock, in Providence, RI. With a proviso: that I experiment with it and report back!

I'm nothing if not grateful for anything with a touch of bourbon in it, so here goes!



In a cup of whiskey-spiked mocha.

I made mocha with organic cocoa, instant espresso powder, 1% milk, water, and a half teaspoon of rye whiskey (we're out of bourbon).

I'm not generally a marshmallow fan, but these are very good--what a tradional marshmallow ought to be, I think. They taste fresh out of the package, and have a good, fluffy texture. The melt is quick and even.




Melting nicely...

 I would also serve these in miniature s'mores. They'd be wonderful for a comfort food dinner party dessert. Imagine them on chocolate covered graham crackers, with a bourbon-spiked Creme Anglaise on the side!

There are also a number of 1930s and 40s frosting recipes which require marshmallows--I'd use these in a heartbeat.

As for the bourbon flavor...it's very mild, almost not there, but if tested side-by-side with the other available flavors, I think it would be more notable.

All in all, I would buy these, and yes, I'd be interested in trying the other flavors: gingerbread, Guinness, pumpkin pie, peppermint, and s'mores.

This, too: if you're anywhere near the Providence metro area, stop in at Stock (I was planning to mention this long before the marshmallow gift!). It's a beautiful locally owned shop. The items there are classic, or quirky, or both...you'll find kitchen utensils, cookware, bakeware, cookbooks (new and vintage), dish towels, knives...and whatever else has struck the owners' fancies. It changes regularly, so stop in again if you don't find what you're looking for the first time. I've purchased frosting dyes, dish towels, parchment, and a small cutting board, among other things. Who knows what I'll find next time?

Perrier Blouse (1938)

So far, January has been as lazy as December was mad--for me, anyway. I don't mean nothing has been done around here, but I'm no longer crazy for 12 hours at a time.

And I'm able to knit for myself again! Of course I'm planning things for others, and presently making another pair of socks for DH, but mostly I've been working on a 30s blouse.

It's from a Jack Frost pattern booklet of 1938. Most of the Jack Frost pattern books you find now are from the 40s and feature rather bulky knits. This one--the only 30s JF booklet I have--features things that are a bit more steamlined.

This particular blouse, the Perrier (yes, like the water) is the second pattern. It's a short sleeved blouse, mostly in stockinette with garter trim at the top and the sleeve cuffs. There are two small garter stitch squares that overlap for breast pockets.

I'm making it with some fairly rustic yarn, not the usual for this kind of sweater, but the gauge was perfect and I'm fond of the color, a seafoam green. It's from a thrift shop sweater I frogged a few years ago. It appears to be 100% wool, but I haven't done a burn test. It acts like wool, however.

The patterns were usually offered as a (vintage) 14 or 16--this one is a 14, and that's a bit small for me. A vintage 14 is about the equal of a modern 4 - 6. Rather than re-write the pattern I've added an inch to the ribbing, half an inch to the body, and used a needle one size up on parts of the body, working gradually, then going back to the original needle size again for the shoulders (mine are narrow).

I have also modified it to use a three-needle bind off for the shoulder seams. I'll block the body before adding the sleeves, which are picked up and knitted down, but flat, not in the round.

So far it's going very quickly--cast on was a week ago, and I'm nearly at the shoulder shaping for the front (started with the back).

With any luck I'll have it to wear in the next week or so, and will remember to take some good photos and post them here!

Miscellaneous Christmas and a Long Winter's Nap

Christmas Cake, tree and presents for friends.

On the 11th Day of Christmas, here are a few more images. (And the image of the Christmas Cake. We finished it today.)

2012 Christmas Cake

The Bros. Siamese recommend sleeping, this time of year in particular.

Dark Fruitcake, made for a friend's family, at her request.


2012 Christmas Knitting Plus One

A Younger Nephew Scarf (MI)

No real pattern. Just linen stitch in a lovely yarn, with special cast on and bind off.

For a very dear local pal. The pattern is from IK's Holiday Gifts issue, the Huckleberry Ascot...ca. 2007.

Found the yarn at the Big E (fair) this year, except for the contrasting yarn, used for the bobbles. That's from stash.

For my friend's husband, who is always cold (a nice Southern boy up North, you know). Bless him, he really does wear & appreciate my knits.

Again, no pattern. To coordinate with a hat and mitts I made for him three years ago for Christmas and his birthday.

Husband Socks. From one of my many vintage pattern booklets. Ca. 1950, I think. Made them yet longer than the "long" version, and in one of my cone yarns, bought when I first began to knit.

Just a simple cable pattern with ribbing. I did tweak the heel turn, as there was an error in the pattern.

Marzipan. For the Husband. He's especially fond of it, and if I make it myself, I know it contains no corn syrup.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

...and it's nearly Christmas Eve

Lots of Christmas knitting was done. Some was jettisoned and replaced by other things, but I made those decisions early on. Still can't post most, but here's one that won't be seen by the recipient, a linen stitch muffler that I made for one of my nephews in Michigan.

I also baked two fruitcakes. One is a gift, to the parents of a French friend, who will be entertaining her family for the holidays. Her father is very partial to English-style fruitcake. The other is for us; I'm turning it into a Christmas Cake. It's just awaiting the royal icing and marzipan decorations. I'll do that tomorrow.

I also have been making cookies (and some candy) like a madwoman. In terms of quantity, probably 60 dozen or more. I know that I've made 14 different batches, and still need to make more. The family and friends who live far away have theirs. So do the neighbors and my husband's barber, but we might have some company on Christmas evening, and we're hosting a small party on Friday...and on the 26th we're going to another, to which I'll be bringing a cake and probably cookies as well.

Merry Christmas!