This year I made a resolution to use up some of the fabric in my stash. Now that September is here I thought I should get started. As you can see, I have a lot of fabric! I took a 10 year break from quilting so my fabrics are a wee bit dated. What to […]
Summer Magic
What do you get when you combine 2 bored kids, a rope and some sticks? Magic. We adults thought the rope was for climbing gym-class style. The kids had other ideas. The lower stick was for standing or sitting. The upper stick was for grasping. A variety of configurations were tested before the right one […]
Gravlax with Mustard Cream Cheese
Gravlax takes some advanced planning but it’s worth it. I like to take a plate of gravlax with crackers and mustard cream cheese to holiday potlucks. I always make extra to eat for breakfast with cream cheese and bagels. Start this recipe 4-5 days in advance. For this recipe you’ll need: 1 pound salmon filet […]
Gift Ideas for Mixologists
Do you have a mad bartender in your circle of friends and family? Here are some gift ideas that should pay you back in cocktails for years to come. Fun with Chemistry I haven’t tried this out yet, but doesn’t it look like fun? This $80 molecular gastronomy kit includes ingredients and recipes. Cue thunderclaps […]
California Manhattan
What’s more Californian than pomegranates? This cocktail is just a hint sweeter and fruitier than an traditional Manhattan. It’s worth splurging on the good booze for this cocktail. For each drink you’ll need 1 1/2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey – I like Maker’s 46 1/2 ounce Antica Formula vermouth 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses 1 […]
Stocking Stuffer Ideas
I love silly little gifts. Stocking stuffers are best when they are goofy but they should be practical too. Here are a few fun stocking stuffer ideas. Cocktail Bitters Perfect for cocktail lovers. The more unusual the better. Challenge the bartender in your family to find a use for chocolate bitters. Yum! Truffle Oil or […]
Pepper Jelly
This is one of my all time favorite recipes! The cumin seed adds an unexpected hit of spice to this sweet pepper jelly. Since the book containing this recipe is out of print I think it’s OK to reprint the recipe here. BTW, if you ever see “Preserving the Taste” by Edon Waycott at your […]
Limoncello
Homemade limoncello is so much better than what you can buy in the store! It’s sweet and lemony and isn’t the color of antifreeze. Best of all, it’s really easy to make limoncello at home. For this recipe you’ll need: lots of lemon peel – but you only need to start with one lemon, you’ll […]
Meyer Lemons
Hurray! November is the beginning of Meyer lemon season. We have two small trees in our garden that produce a surprising amount of fruit. By spring we’ll be swimming in homemade limoncello and marmalade. I’ll share some of my favorite recipes throughout lemon season. I learned that we’ve been harvesting our lemons too soon; here […]
Warm Persimmon Compote
This warm, sweet sauce is great with pancakes or french toast. The lightly cooked persimmon tastes like apricot and apple. Yum! For this recipe you’ll need: 1 pound Fuyu persimmons juice of 1 lemon (don’t forget to save the peel for limoncello!) 3 tablespoons or more honey 2 pinches of cinnamon pinch of nutmeg pinch […]