Hobbits In Rivendell

Week… end. (Please! I beg of you)

March 17, 2007

12:47 am

2 Comments on Week… end. (Please! I beg of you)

Some day/When I’m awf’ly low/ And the world is cold/I will feel a glow just thinking of you…

Yeah, you thought it was the way you looked tonight. Nope. It’s food again. Sorry to all the romantics out there, but by this point in the week, I can’t even see you, much less think of you when everything is going to the pot.

I thought I should blog about Baking Powder Biscuits this last week when I woke up and realized we hadn’t steamed the breakfast grains (sigh!) and so we would either need to wait an additional hour to eat, or I’d have to come up with something quickly. I wish I’d taken pictures of the first biscuits – they were elegant looking and had that effortless perfection that you only really achieve when you’re not setting up a stupid photo shot and trying desperately to get your food to cooperate. At any rate, when the world has all gone to hell, and you’ve had a bad night, or are without options for a quick breakfast, plain old drop biscuits are just very nice. For those playing along in the UK… they’re… um, muffins? Savoury scones? Who knows. We called them tea cakes if a bit of vanilla and sweetener was added and they were neatly rolled, but they’re basically

Whole Wheat Baking Powder Drop Biscuits,

(and this is BASIC recipe:)

* 1 cup whole wheat flour

* 1 cup all-purpose flour

* 1 tablespoon baking powder

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 cup canola or olive oil

* 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk

(Perambulation: Now, I’ve said “basic,” which means that there are infinite variations. For instance, instead of the two cups of flour, I substitute four rye crackers, crumpled up, which about equals a cup. Once I added a cup of tortilla crumbs. It depends on how you’ll use them in your meal. I rarely add a full quarter cup of oil, either. I prefer drier biscuits, so I use about two tablespoons. I also use very cold water in place of soy milk, but that’s just me.)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (220°C).

2. Stir together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the oil and soy milk in a measuring cup. Pour into the dry ingredients all at once, and stir just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 8 to10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the biscuits are browned on the top and bottom.

Further Perambulation: One thing to remember is that less stirring with biscuits is …more. They’re not meant to have a hugely built-up gluten in them, or they will get quite …rocklike. So just put your ingredients in, mix up the drys dry, and then, once you add your liquid, keep your wooden spoon stirring to the bare minimum it takes to get the ingredients all combined.

And don’t be afraid to experiment more. These can be made savory with various onion powders, 1/4 c. of low moisture shredded cheese, or black pepper, or made sweet with various spices and 2 tbsp. of sugar. Find your own bliss!

So, here’s the finished product. I put pretzel salt on a couple of them for the guy who likes to think everything is a big pretzel… and, as I said, these weren’t the prettiest, because I didn’t use unbleached flour, but whole wheat and rye. But they were moist, tasty, and light.

When you feel like everything you touch in the kitchen is turning to sawdust and ashes, you can still make baking powder drop biscuits. use them to top a quick potpie or to accompany soup and salad. Slather them with jam and margarine or top with strawberries for a shortcake type dessert. They’re easy and make you feel like you’re somewhat kitchen-capable again. At least it works for me.

Orange Laciness

by David T. Macknet

March 15, 2007

6:03 pm

2 Comments on Orange Laciness

Knitting

Finally finished the Orange Scarf … about a week ago, I guess. Only just now am I realizing that I never blogged about it. So, here it is, in all of its strangely shifting pattern. Basically, I started out doing every right-side row as Snakeskin*, which is what you see at the top of the picture. From there, I shifted to doing Chevrons**, and from Chevrons, did Reverse Chevrons for a couple of repeats (just read the pattern backwards), and then went to doing Horseshoes***. And, finally, finished up with a few more rows of Snakeskin.

Basically, this scarf was to play with the idea of lacemaking, and to see how well I could adapt. I’ve found that it’s OK, but does require more concentration than I’m used to. I’ve now started on Branching Out, but … well, I’ve done two repeats of the pattern & have found that it interferes with anything else, like talking, watching tv, or whatever I used to be able to do while knitting. It’s probably going to work out better when I’m more comfortable with the terminology, and stop having to look at my cheat sheet to figure out what the abbreviations mean. But, until then, it’s going to be a matter of concentration.

I’m also thinking that I need to organize the pattern a bit, ’cause there’re no handy stopping points: I can look about 5 stitches in my head, and lose it after that, so I need to organize the pattern in groups of 5 stitches or something. We’ll see. It at least needs to have a “middle” so that I don’t have to rip back a whole row at a time. Sigh.

*Snakeskin:


Odds: Sl1, K1, K2TogTBL, K3, YO, K1, YO, K3, K2Tog, K2
Even: Sl1, K1, K11, K2

**Chevrons:


1:  K2Tog TBL, K5, YO, K1,  YO, K5, K2Tog
3:  K2Tog TBL, K4, YO, K3,  YO, K4, K2Tog
5:  K2Tog TBL, K3, YO, K5,  YO, K3, K2Tog
7:  K2Tog TBL, K2, YO, K7,  YO, K2, K2Tog
9:  K2Tog TBL, K1, YO, K9,  YO, K1, K2Tog
11: K2Tog TBL,   , YO, K11, YO,   , K2Tog

Evens: Purl

***Horseshoes:


1: Sl1, K2, YO, K3, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K3, YO, K3
3: Sl1, K3, YO, K2, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K2, YO, K4
5: Sl1, K4, YO, K1, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K1, YO, K5
7: Sl1, K5, YO,   , Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO,   , YO, K6

Evens: Sl1, K1, P11, K2

One last thing: if you’ve got a Laser Level sitting around the house? When blocking out a scarf, it’s the perfect thing to keep those long edges straight! I’ve done two scarves with the laser level now, and it’s marvelous! I just set it on a book or something & aim it down the row of where I want to pin, and then everything works out. So long as the ends are relatively equally spaced (pin out both ends first, in other words, so you’ve got two equally spaced starting points), you’re good. Doesn’t help the middle to be straight, but it sure helps the edges, and to make sure you’ve somewhat even tension throughout the piece when it’s left to dry.

String Bikinis and Dyeing for Some Color

by David T. Macknet

March 13, 2007

4:16 pm

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Knitting

“There are one or two things too creepy to think about. One creepy thing is yarn and …personal areas.” – Mac

In the category of Just Wrong:

Noo Yawk knitter/book-blogger friend Bookshelves O’ Doom gave me the biggest chuckle of the day with this …creative use of knitwear. Due to Mr. Blinkey’s tender years, I won’t post the pictures, but OY, there are some things one doesn’t want to see happen with yarn. Just. Don’t. Want. To. (Shudder!)

In the category of Just So Cool:

Sumer Is Icumin In, so color rules the mood. Now is the time that the world flees in terror of my tights… this year I’ve decided to order “blanks,” which are, in the fabric arts world, black or white clothing to dye and embellish at will. Since I think I’ll be buying mostly cotton gauze, I will be buying regular dyes, but oh! knitters please take note: you can dye your own!

Did you know that Kool-Aid, that noxious drink, can be used as fabric dye? No, not just for great Goth hair. Any “animal” fiber will work – including lovely pure wool, no mordant needed, since Kool-Aid’s acidity is enough. Check out Knitty’s details on the how-to, and have a ball!

Knit Wits and Loom Knittery

by David T. Macknet

March 6, 2007

10:01 pm

3 Comments on Knit Wits and Loom Knittery

Knitting

Sweet!

Today I read a comment from someone new! The very cool Canadian Kansas let me know that there is a freshly invented new ezine for loom knitters, its first issue was just posted this month. Who knew! And good GRIEF, look at the STUFF they can make! I am seriously all agog! Aside from their greatness, creative Kansas makes some wicked cool stove scrubbies among other things. Me and my glass-topped stove are suddenly feeling needy. Do check her out, and the Loom Circle folks as well.

Now that I’ve been re-revved on the topic of loom knitting, I must tell you about my current project. Well, it’s a project that I didn’t choose, but it’s coming together… Now that so many people see Mac knitting, myriad people want to donate yarn. This would be so great if the majority of the donations weren’t:

a.) ancient, dusty yarn from the 60’s and 70’s, when everyone loved macramé

b.) mostly scratchy wool or plastic-y feeling synthetics

c.) mostly truly glarish colors (yes – garish + glaring = glarish.)

I’m learning something, though. First, just the idea that there are “people out there” still knitting encourages a host of people to KEEP their yarn. It’s actually really funny – a lot of people promise to bring their yard to me, and then weeks later say, “Well, you know, you’ve just got me thinking, so I picked up the needles again, and…” You know what, folks? More power to you!!! Power to the knitting people!!!

The second thing I’ve learned through all of this is that there’s not a whole lot of yarn that’s really awful once you knit it up and find a use for it. (Now, wait, before you panic, I DO read Ms. Stitchy McYarnpants –I know the evil that knitting can do. I meant a REAL use, not some awful fashion disaster, okay?) Example: I have some 100% woollen yarn in a baby poop-esque shade of greeny yellowish brown that I’m knitting up into the base of a bag. I will follow this horrific shade with a rich chocolate brown, then a cream, and another wide stripe of brown, and then I’ll felt it, and voilá and behold – a bag. Line it with dark material, attach a leather strap, and it’s something that will go well with autumn colors – boots, scrunching leaves, ponchos, an armload of books. I’m leaving the worst color on the bottom, so if the bag gets set down… well, the color can only improve, no?

And, since it’s all-wool, it will dye nicely, if need be, but really, I think it’ll turn out to be okay.

Every once in awhile, I got blog-hopping, and I click from one to another to another, and end up someplace radically different. Today hop-scotching from the loomfolk, I found Knit Unto Others. It’s a place where you can donate your knitware to charity. After disasters, warm, handknit clothing is a precious gift. There are organizations in frigid Mongolia that are always in need of hats and socks. So there’s your mitzpah for today – visit Knit Unto Others where you will find a host of places to donate your warmth.

In looking at these board looms, rake looms, long looms and whatever other names they go by, I am reminded of those grade school projects with nails driven into a board, upon which we looped thread to create pictures… I can see I’m going to bankrupt myself trying out new looms. I’ll be homeless, but I’ll always have blankets…

Opinionated Foodie

by David T. Macknet

March 5, 2007

2:49 pm

1 Comment on Opinionated Foodie

Food, Recipe

Periodically, I find something so truly cringe-worthy that it’s funny. Here is a screed from one of my favorite Sarcastic Chefs, Anthony Bourdain. I used to really dislike Anthony Bourdain. I thought, How can that guy even taste anything as much as he smokes? Who is he to set himself up as a foodie?!

Well, the trick is, he’s not a foodie, he’s a guy that … eats. And reads. And speaks. And thus, has every right to his opinionated, wide-mouthed, long-legged, slouching toward sarcastic-land self. Yes, okay! He kind of grows on you. Like moss. Or mold. Anyway, he guest-blogged awhile back at the site of food writer Michael Ruhlman, and went OFF on the Food Network. Hilarious results, one of which was:

Her ear-shattering tones louder and louder. We KNOW she can’t cook. She shrewdly tells us so. So…what is she selling us? Really? She’s selling us satisfaction, the smug reassurance that mediocrity is quite enough. She’s a friendly, familiar face who appears regularly on our screens to tell us that “Even your dumb, lazy ass can cook this!” Wallowing in your own crapulence on your Cheeto-littered couch you watch her and think, “Hell…I could do that. I ain’t gonna…but I could–if I wanted! Now where’s my damn jug a Diet Pepsi?” Where the saintly Julia Child sought to raise expectations, to enlighten us, make us better–teach us–and in fact, did, Rachael uses her strange and terrible powers to narcotize her public with her hypnotic mantra of Yummo and Evoo and Sammys. “You’re doing just fine. You don’t even have to chop an onion–you can buy it already chopped. Aspire to nothing…Just sit there. Have another Triscuit…Sleep….sleep….”

Another person who believes in St. Julia!!! Bourdain’s blogging garnered almost 600 comments, one of which was a snarky reply from the Food Network itself. Read at your own risk!!!

Actually, I was just thinking about that… do other nations have FoodTV? Okay, I’ve heard there’s one with the BBC, and surely the French or Italians have some shrine to all that is organ meats and unpronounceable. But are ANY of those channels round-the-clock? Surely someone else has a channel dedicated to 24-hour food programming? No? Just the country with the heaviest people…? The points made about mediocrity and trying for the lowest common denominator really resonate with me – why go to Farmer’s Market when you can buy something in a can? Why shop for fresh veg in the market, even, when you can buy it prefab? This, dear ones, is from whence the whole spinach-equals-salmonella thing comes… when we find ourselves too busy to even wash and cut our own vegetables.

When your CSA gives you carrots… and carrots… and carrots… You become creative really fast. Having less than half a kitchen has meant that we’ve needed to rely on our crock pot and single electric burner on the really bad days when the stove was unplugged in the middle of the floor. In trying desperately to keep up with the flood of cold weather foods, we’ve started just cooking the carrots, pureéing them, and using them as soup base. This is a fabulous example of one of our favorite soups:

Carrot Ginger Soup with Coconut Milk
i n g r e d i e n t s

3/4 cup scallion (green onion) chopped fine

1 small onion, cut in 4 pieces

1 1/2 pounds carrots cut in 1″ pieces

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled, grated (or used dried, if you have it)

2 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)

1 14-ounce can lower salt/fat vegetable broth

1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk + extra for garnish

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (approximate 1/2 small lime – lemon works too)

fresh chives for garnish (or use French’s dehydrated onions, or fried scallions)

d i r e c t i o n s
Place scallions, onion pieces and carrots in a food processor. Process turning on and off rapidly until the vegetables are coarse chopped. If you’re starting this in the morning, this step can be simplified by doing a rough chop of the veg and shoving them in the crock pot for about two hours.)

Combine chopped vegetables, grated ginger root, curry powder and chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutues until the vegetables are very soft.

Strain vegetables and reserve the liquid. Add vegetables to food processor in two batches and process until smooth. (If you trust the seal on your food processor, you can do this with the liquid still warm – for the rest of us, wait until things cool a bit, or use a stick blender in the pot as the safest method for not splattering yourself with hot carrot mush.)

This is basically the base of your soup… from the carrot base, you can go a variety of directions. We add a half can of coconut milk and about a package (14 oz.) medium firm tofu in chunks and simmer it. I also take about a quarter tsp. of coriander pods, heat them in a dry saucepan to revive their oils, and then mortar and pestle grind them and add them while the soup simmers. Tropical soups tend to be both sweet, sour and creamy, so I also add about four tablespoons of mae ploy sauce, to give it both heat and sweet, and I have been known to add Thai lime leaves, mushrooms, and more. My friend Rachel adds chickpeas.

Baking During the Remodel

by David T. Macknet

March 1, 2007

5:30 am

2 Comments on Baking During the Remodel

Baking, Food, Remodel

I managed to bake some bread yesterday, despite the remodeling going on. It wasn’t a matter of having run out of bread (‘though we had), but a matter of seeing the neglected sourdough starter sitting in the fridge, going darker and darker, and of knowing that it would die in another couple of weeks if I didn’t do something with it. So, I pulled it out and let it roam free for a while (about 9 hours), and then turned it into some lovely olive bread.

I didn’t take the time to steam any whole grains to put in this (barley or oat would be choice), but it’s not missing it much. I took my basic sourdough starter, gave it 4 cups of water & enough flour to bring it back to consistency. After it’d been sitting out all day, I added some more flour & then removed a portion to go back into the fridge. To the remainder I added:

2 Cups Oat Bran
2 Cups Golden Flax Seeds
1 Cup Merlot
1/4 Cup Potato Flour
1 Large Onion, chopped
3 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard Seeds
3 Tbsp Brown Mustard Seeds
1 Tbsp Sage
1.25 Tbsp Salt
8 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary, chopped
16 Oz. “Spicy Pimento Stuffed” Olives
1 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (well, not really: they’re from our garden; we dried them in a dehydrator)

From there, it was a matter of kneading, forming, rising, and sliding onto baking stone in a 500 Degree F. oven which had preheated for a good 25 minutes. Oh – and sprinkling some French sea-salt on top before they went in.

Note the granite tile? Grout’s still not sealed, but that’s going to happen tomorrow … or, rather, that’s what I’ve been told several times now. He’s running out of projects to do other than the ones he says he’s going to do, so I figure he’ll get to it when he’s got nothing better to do. Or, rather, just nothing else to do.

1975 has a lot to answer for

by David T. Macknet

March 1, 2007

4:40 am

4 Comments on 1975 has a lot to answer for

Remodel

Isn’t it just lovely? That’s the carpet which is in one of the intermediate layers upon our floor. Beneath it, throughout the kitchen area at least, is a layer of black foam rubber, and then a layer of linoleum. We haven’t breached the linoleum yet. Atop this lovely carpet is another layer of carpet.

We figure that this carpet was put down in, oh, about 1977. So, for the past 30 years this carpet’s been hiding out, and keeping its dark layer of foam hidden from the light of day, allowing it to thoroughly bond to its linoleum friend. It’s particularly disgusting, because after 30 years, foam rubber? Oh, no. It’s just spongy muck at that point. Bleh.

What’s particularly terrifying to me is the coloring of this carpet. T says she’d like to frame this piece, as it’s in such good shape. I’m just afraid of the radioactive isotopes involved in manufacturing the dyes. I mean, just how can it have stayed so brightly colored? I’m certain that there had to have been now-extinct species hunted down for their exotic parts, just so this carpet could retain its hideousness for all time.

Panorama!

by David T. Macknet

March 1, 2007

4:20 am

Branching Out … eventually

by David T. Macknet

February 28, 2007

3:29 am

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Knitting

Just an addendum: I’m not actually branching out quite yet, as I’m fiddling with a scarf still. Pattern below:

Horseshoes in 15 STS w/ 2St selvage on either side:


1: Sl1, K2, YO, K3, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K3, YO, K3
3: Sl1, K3, YO, K2, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K2, YO, K4
5: Sl1, K4, YO, K1, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K1, YO, K5
7: Sl1, K5, YO,   , Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO,   , YO, K6

Evens: Sl1, K1, P11, K2

Branching Out

by David T. Macknet

February 27, 2007

8:24 pm

4 Comments on Branching Out

Knitting

So, for my first true lace piece, I’m going to attempt Branching Out, from Knitty. The pattern is copied below, with all of the abbreviations spelled out, so that I can print this & not have to come back to the computer when I forget what the heck a SSK is supposed to be.

Note, also, that the description of what SSK means was actually taken from Wool Works’ FAQ instead of Knitty’s, because Knitty’s description is pretty darned non-descriptive.

Also interesting to me in this pattern is that “Sl1” is done purlwise when in the “sl-k2tog-p2sso”. Strange to me, and I’m wondering if it’s always that way, or just for this pattern, or what.

Abbreviations:

k3tog: knit three stitches together

sl-k2tog-psso: slip one stitch purlwise, knit the next two stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over

sl2-k1-p2sso: slip two stitches together knitwise (i.e., slip two stitches as if to knit them together), knit the next stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over

k2tog: knit two together

SSK: slip one stitch as if you were going to knit it; slip the next stitch the same way; put both stitches back onto the left needle; and knit them together.

Beginning the Pattern:

Loosely cast on 25 stitches.

Work 5 rows in garter stitch (knit each row).

Begin working lace pattern following either chart (and Pattern Notes) or written instructions below.

Do until you’re done in:

Row 1 [RS]: k3, ssk, yo, k5, [yo, k1] 5 times, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts)

Row 2 [WS]: k3, p25, k3

Row 3 [RS]: k3, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, [k2tog, yo] 2 times, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, [yo, ssk] 2 times, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts)

Row 4 [WS]: k3, p25, k3

Row 5 [RS]: k3, ssk, yo, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, ssk, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts)

Row 6 [WS]: k3, p25, k3

Row 7 [RS]: k3, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, k3 (27 sts)

Row 8 [WS]: k3, p21, k3

Row 9 [RS]: k4, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k4 (25 sts)

Row 10 [WS]: k3, p19, k3

Wrap up:

Work 5 rows in garter stitch.
BO all sts loosely.

For the Graphic People:, check out Knitty’s Chart

Glasgow:
NY:
Grinnell:
Roswell:
Berkeley:

Row 1 [RS]:	k3, ssk, yo, k5, [yo, k1] 5 times, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts)
Row 2 [WS]:	k3, p25, k3
Row 3 [RS]:	k3, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, [k2tog, yo] 2 times, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, [yo, ssk] 2 times, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts)
Row 4 [WS]:	k3, p25, k3
Row 5 [RS]:	k3, ssk, yo, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, ssk, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts)
Row 6 [WS]:	k3, p25, k3
Row 7 [RS]:	k3, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, k3 (27 sts)
Row 8 [WS]:	k3, p21, k3
Row 9 [RS]:	k4, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k4 (25 sts)
Row 10 [WS]:	k3, p19, k3