Wait…what?
Yeah, I’ve been all over the place around here. We’ve had guests, Easter, more guests, cupcakes…you name it. OH! And by the way, there is also now photographic evidence that my husband does not know the definition of the word “mini” but…I can’t find my camera cable, so you’ll just have to take my word on it until then.
Let’s see, Easter was nice. Quiet. Just the two of us and way too much food. And probably the straw that broke this camel’s back. I made a nice dinner but somehow I got totally sidetracked and ended up cooking all…day…long. For two people. So…next year, I am thinking is either dinner out, or I am heading south and cooking dinner with Donovan’s Mama (shhhh…she doesn’t know that, I plan on just showing up on her doorstep with a ham). But, before the exhaustion set in there was lamb, potato salad (really good potato salad with eggs and pickles in it), roasted asparagus…did I go over this already? I can’t remember. Either way…too much food. So much that we never even made it to the soufflés. So we’re going to have to have those this week. The success of the meal for me was the potato salad. Just what I wanted to herald spring. I don’t know why, but it was. For the husband it was the pastry wrapped, blue cheese stuffed green olives. I didn’t care for them but I would try them again with an almond stuffed olive. The idea is good, but you really need to get the kind of olives that you like and not just any olive as the flavor really concentrates while baking. Oh and I did use use extra puff pastry to make fig and chocolate…things…turnovers? Hand pies? Is handpie a euphemism for anything? It should be.
Now, the night before Easter we stopped by a friend’s house for a party-ish thing and I took more of the lemon cupcakes. Big hit. Confirmation on their tastiness and their not- mini size. They are a keeper, even if I don’t generally like lemon-flavored things.
Anything else? Yeah, there’s stuff. I wrote a whole post about my teen years Easter baskets and then forgot about it and didn’t post it. Brief summary: granola and soy nuts instead of peeps and chocolate bunnies…BY REQUEST. That right there tells you a lot about me and why I stand in the kitchen eating my all natural, whole grain, 11 grams of fiber per ¾ cup breakfast cereal, doused in fat free soymilk out of the same mug I just used to drink filtered water to wash down my handful of weird supplements and stare at my husband’s box of frosted flakes of corn frosted with sugar and shake my head sadly.
And that, that previous sentence right there tells you I am not very good at constructing sentences.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Answers.
Ooops, I guess I should get back to the movie post, eh?
2. Selena: You were thinking that you'll never hear another piece of original music ever again. You'll never read a book that hasn't already been written or see a film that hasn't already been shot. (28 Days Later)
Number 2 is from 28 Days Later, a movie that I was terrified to see and have since decided is one of my very favorites…ever. I recently had an argument with someone who insisted that people would not become as savage as the soldiers in only 28 days. And it is very sad to me, but I have to disagree.
4. [Regarding men]
Maggie: You can't trust none of 'em no further than I can kick this lemon pie. (The Women)
Number 4 is from The Women, a true classic, although I can see how Janet might have thought it came from Cold Mountain, it certainly does sound like something Ruby would say. The Women is currently being remade, but before it arrives in theatres, I suggest seeing the original, or even the musical remake, The Opposite Sex, just in case the remake is awful. That way, you will know what a good movie it could have been.
6. Ellen Wagstaff Arden: Child?! Nick is not a child.
Grace Arden: No, he's not that smart. He's only a man. (Move Over, Darling)
Number 6 is from Move over, Darling and I am not surprised that no one guessed it. It’s Doris Day and James Garner and I love it beyond all reason. James Garner=hottt. (This is a remake...but I like this version (See: My Favorite Wife and Something's Gotta Give.))
10. Queenie: I sit in the subway sometimes, on buses, or the movies, and I look at the people next to me and I think..."What would you say if I told you I was a witch?" (Bell Book and Candle)
Number 10 is from Bell, Book and Candle another one that I kind of figured would go unguessed but another good one. Kim Novak and Jimmy Stuart, along with Jack Lemmon. It’s cute and sad and romantic and funny and the kind of movie they just don’t make anymore. If you are looking for something old fashioned but surprisingly modern, it’s a good one.
13. Holly Golightly: You musn't give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get, until they're strong enough to run into the woods or fly into a tree. And then to a higher tree and then to the sky. (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
Number 13 is from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and I am shocked that no one caught this. I am very fond of this movie but I will always remember showing it to my cousin, who was horrified by it. She didn’t like that all the characters were basically bad people. But in my opinion, that’s the point of the story. It’s all about being human, and the possibilities of the redemptive quality of love. Except for that part with Mickey Rooney, there’s no excuse for that.
14. Liz Sherman: In the dark I heard your voice, what did you say?
Hellboy: I said, "Hey, you, on the other side - let her go. Because for her I will cross over, and then you'll be sorry!" (Hellboy)
Number 14 is from Hellboy, a movie that I adore. Mostly because I have a huge crush on Hellboy. Not Ron Perlman…HELLBOY.
I also realized that the list was supposed to be 15 movie quotes, but someone I deleted one. So here:
If you know me at all, you know this quote. And you’ve probably heard me yell it in the mall more than once.
And finally, there is Easter in my house. There will be a nice Easter dinner that involves many…things. And there will be challah, which is weird, because it’s a traditionally Jewish and Easter is…not traditionally Jewish. And this time of year is close to Passover, which is the time that yeast is not used to leaven bread, so it’s kind of doubly weird. But…I like it. So there. Also, chocolate soufflé, hot cross buns and more lemon cupcakes (for a friend, I swear!).
2. Selena: You were thinking that you'll never hear another piece of original music ever again. You'll never read a book that hasn't already been written or see a film that hasn't already been shot. (28 Days Later)
Number 2 is from 28 Days Later, a movie that I was terrified to see and have since decided is one of my very favorites…ever. I recently had an argument with someone who insisted that people would not become as savage as the soldiers in only 28 days. And it is very sad to me, but I have to disagree.
4. [Regarding men]
Maggie: You can't trust none of 'em no further than I can kick this lemon pie. (The Women)
Number 4 is from The Women, a true classic, although I can see how Janet might have thought it came from Cold Mountain, it certainly does sound like something Ruby would say. The Women is currently being remade, but before it arrives in theatres, I suggest seeing the original, or even the musical remake, The Opposite Sex, just in case the remake is awful. That way, you will know what a good movie it could have been.
6. Ellen Wagstaff Arden: Child?! Nick is not a child.
Grace Arden: No, he's not that smart. He's only a man. (Move Over, Darling)
Number 6 is from Move over, Darling and I am not surprised that no one guessed it. It’s Doris Day and James Garner and I love it beyond all reason. James Garner=hottt. (This is a remake...but I like this version (See: My Favorite Wife and Something's Gotta Give.))
10. Queenie: I sit in the subway sometimes, on buses, or the movies, and I look at the people next to me and I think..."What would you say if I told you I was a witch?" (Bell Book and Candle)
Number 10 is from Bell, Book and Candle another one that I kind of figured would go unguessed but another good one. Kim Novak and Jimmy Stuart, along with Jack Lemmon. It’s cute and sad and romantic and funny and the kind of movie they just don’t make anymore. If you are looking for something old fashioned but surprisingly modern, it’s a good one.
13. Holly Golightly: You musn't give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get, until they're strong enough to run into the woods or fly into a tree. And then to a higher tree and then to the sky. (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
Number 13 is from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and I am shocked that no one caught this. I am very fond of this movie but I will always remember showing it to my cousin, who was horrified by it. She didn’t like that all the characters were basically bad people. But in my opinion, that’s the point of the story. It’s all about being human, and the possibilities of the redemptive quality of love. Except for that part with Mickey Rooney, there’s no excuse for that.
14. Liz Sherman: In the dark I heard your voice, what did you say?
Hellboy: I said, "Hey, you, on the other side - let her go. Because for her I will cross over, and then you'll be sorry!" (Hellboy)
Number 14 is from Hellboy, a movie that I adore. Mostly because I have a huge crush on Hellboy. Not Ron Perlman…HELLBOY.
I also realized that the list was supposed to be 15 movie quotes, but someone I deleted one. So here:
Listen, not a year goes by, not a year, that I don't hear about some escalator accident involving some bastard kid which could have easily been avoided had some parent - I don't care which one - but some parent conditioned him to fear and respect that escalator.
If you know me at all, you know this quote. And you’ve probably heard me yell it in the mall more than once.
And finally, there is Easter in my house. There will be a nice Easter dinner that involves many…things. And there will be challah, which is weird, because it’s a traditionally Jewish and Easter is…not traditionally Jewish. And this time of year is close to Passover, which is the time that yeast is not used to leaven bread, so it’s kind of doubly weird. But…I like it. So there. Also, chocolate soufflé, hot cross buns and more lemon cupcakes (for a friend, I swear!).
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Continued.
From my husband:
Ha! Cupcake liner is 3.5 and the cupcakes have a puffy domed top. The
lemon cupcakes are 3.25 without said puffy top... so let's say a
cupcake is 3.75 and a souffle cup cupcake is 3.25 before ripping it
out of the paper and having part of it rip away. So the lemon cupcakes
were 3.0 oz... Mini-cupcakes!!! Ha!
To further this you should make more.
Love, James
From me:
mini cupcakes are 1oz and there is no way that .25 oz. ripped away with the paper. also, not all cupcakes have a domed top. these lemon cakes won't no matter what because they can't support it. the dome is not due to the liner but rather the structure of the cake.
so shut up mr. science unbeliever.
and no more cupcakes for you. you've had enough.
And he just can’t stop himself:
Science says people didn't ride dinosaurs and I've seen proof to the
contrary! Fred Flinstone! Ha!
- hubby
But then last night we had friends over for dinner. I told them the story, with much shouting of SCIENCE! And then we got out the cupcake liners and soufflé cups again. Turns out, the cupcake liners fit into the soufflé cups…with considerable room to spare. So even taking the fact that cupcake liners are more flexible and that their “stretch” is limited by the cupcake pan itself, there is clear evidence that SCIENCE is right…yet again.
I will be making more lemon cupcakes this weekend. None of them will be for my husband. That’s what you get when you fuck with science.
Ha! Cupcake liner is 3.5 and the cupcakes have a puffy domed top. The
lemon cupcakes are 3.25 without said puffy top... so let's say a
cupcake is 3.75 and a souffle cup cupcake is 3.25 before ripping it
out of the paper and having part of it rip away. So the lemon cupcakes
were 3.0 oz... Mini-cupcakes!!! Ha!
To further this you should make more.
Love, James
From me:
mini cupcakes are 1oz and there is no way that .25 oz. ripped away with the paper. also, not all cupcakes have a domed top. these lemon cakes won't no matter what because they can't support it. the dome is not due to the liner but rather the structure of the cake.
so shut up mr. science unbeliever.
and no more cupcakes for you. you've had enough.
And he just can’t stop himself:
Science says people didn't ride dinosaurs and I've seen proof to the
contrary! Fred Flinstone! Ha!
- hubby
But then last night we had friends over for dinner. I told them the story, with much shouting of SCIENCE! And then we got out the cupcake liners and soufflé cups again. Turns out, the cupcake liners fit into the soufflé cups…with considerable room to spare. So even taking the fact that cupcake liners are more flexible and that their “stretch” is limited by the cupcake pan itself, there is clear evidence that SCIENCE is right…yet again.
I will be making more lemon cupcakes this weekend. None of them will be for my husband. That’s what you get when you fuck with science.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Science!
So this post was originally going to be about some cupcakes I made. But then my husband and I had a raging debate about the cupcakes which ended with me yelling “I AM BLOGGING THIS AND YOU ARE WRONG!”
It started like this. I accidentally bought some lemons. It’s not important how one accidentally buys lemons, just that I did. And I didn’t know what to do with said lemons and I am not a huge fan of lemon except in my tea. So I decided some lemon vegan cupcakes were in order. And I made them. And I decided to use mini soufflé cups instead of cupcake liners because mini soufflé cups can stand on their own and thus there is no cupcake pan to clean and for some reason that just seemed like a good idea. But here’s where the trouble started…well, the trouble after the accidental purchase of lemons…I overfilled the cups. And I kind of knew I had because the recipe claimed to make twelve cupcakes and I only got 11 cups filled and you say, well that happens all the time, inaccurate servings quoted on a recipe, right? But I had made this recipe before and several other from this cook book and they have always worked out. But I foolishly decided to let it go.
Turns out the cake was too delicate to support it’s own weight and instead of making a lovely dome, it just overflowed the cups. Not a problem really. I decided I wouldn’t take any to work and we would just enjoy lemon cupcakes at home for the week. But they were ugly and that made me sad. So I peeled off the soufflé wrappers, whipped up a topping of sour cream (cupcakes=vegan topping=not at all vegan), vanilla and sugar and dotted a few shiny red currants on top and suddenly, they were beautiful! And good. Very good. Dangerously good.
Here’s the point where my husband enters the story. If you come around here from time to time, you may notice that I don’t mention him much. This is because he is banned from reading this blog and thus, I think it would be unfair of me to talk smack about him. But in this one particular case…
I came home last night excited for my St. Patrick’s Day dinner, a baked potato and roasted veggies. And then I remembered it would be even better because it would be followed by a lemony cupcake and mentioned to the husband as much. He pointed to the bag of sad looking little treats and said, “There’s not many left.”
It wasn’t until much later, when I had settled down to tuck into the lovely cake that I said…”Wait, are you telling me you’ve have four and a half cupcakes today?”
“No, “ he said, “I am telling you that I had six and a half cupcakes in the last twenty-four hours.”
Then the real debate started. He insisted that they were “mini-cupcakes” and much smaller than the average size that I make. I conceded hat they might be a little smaller than my average and certainly smaller than the kind you would get at someplace like Sprinkles (but don’t buy cupcakes at Sprinkles, they are nasty! OK, fine, I think they are nasty, if you like them, go for it). The debate raged on for quite a while before I decided to put a stop to it with science.
I marched him into the kitchen and got out one soufflé cup and one cupcake liner, a quarter cup measure and some sugar, then we compared how each cup held the sugar. He got sheepish for a minute but then continued to insist that the soufflé cups held less. I countered by yelling “SCIENCE!” and “DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC? BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY DON’ T BELIEVE IN SCIENCE!” I then proceeded to randomly yell “SCIENCE!” for the rest of the evening.
He stopped arguing for a while but within 20 minutes or so he had pulled out a pad of paper and pen and proceeded to try to defend himself with diagrams. I continued to shout “SCIENCE!” at him and I demanded his diagrams to illustrate this post. He refused and tore them up.
After an in adequate amount of research I think I can safely say that the volume of the paper soufflé cup is 3.25 oz and the cupcake liner is most likely 3.5 ounces. That would make the soufflé cup slightly smaller but by no stretch of the imagination a “mini-cupcake.”
More importantly…SCIENCE!
Also…we’re out of cupcakes again.
It started like this. I accidentally bought some lemons. It’s not important how one accidentally buys lemons, just that I did. And I didn’t know what to do with said lemons and I am not a huge fan of lemon except in my tea. So I decided some lemon vegan cupcakes were in order. And I made them. And I decided to use mini soufflé cups instead of cupcake liners because mini soufflé cups can stand on their own and thus there is no cupcake pan to clean and for some reason that just seemed like a good idea. But here’s where the trouble started…well, the trouble after the accidental purchase of lemons…I overfilled the cups. And I kind of knew I had because the recipe claimed to make twelve cupcakes and I only got 11 cups filled and you say, well that happens all the time, inaccurate servings quoted on a recipe, right? But I had made this recipe before and several other from this cook book and they have always worked out. But I foolishly decided to let it go.
Turns out the cake was too delicate to support it’s own weight and instead of making a lovely dome, it just overflowed the cups. Not a problem really. I decided I wouldn’t take any to work and we would just enjoy lemon cupcakes at home for the week. But they were ugly and that made me sad. So I peeled off the soufflé wrappers, whipped up a topping of sour cream (cupcakes=vegan topping=not at all vegan), vanilla and sugar and dotted a few shiny red currants on top and suddenly, they were beautiful! And good. Very good. Dangerously good.
Here’s the point where my husband enters the story. If you come around here from time to time, you may notice that I don’t mention him much. This is because he is banned from reading this blog and thus, I think it would be unfair of me to talk smack about him. But in this one particular case…
I came home last night excited for my St. Patrick’s Day dinner, a baked potato and roasted veggies. And then I remembered it would be even better because it would be followed by a lemony cupcake and mentioned to the husband as much. He pointed to the bag of sad looking little treats and said, “There’s not many left.”
It wasn’t until much later, when I had settled down to tuck into the lovely cake that I said…”Wait, are you telling me you’ve have four and a half cupcakes today?”
“No, “ he said, “I am telling you that I had six and a half cupcakes in the last twenty-four hours.”
Then the real debate started. He insisted that they were “mini-cupcakes” and much smaller than the average size that I make. I conceded hat they might be a little smaller than my average and certainly smaller than the kind you would get at someplace like Sprinkles (but don’t buy cupcakes at Sprinkles, they are nasty! OK, fine, I think they are nasty, if you like them, go for it). The debate raged on for quite a while before I decided to put a stop to it with science.
I marched him into the kitchen and got out one soufflé cup and one cupcake liner, a quarter cup measure and some sugar, then we compared how each cup held the sugar. He got sheepish for a minute but then continued to insist that the soufflé cups held less. I countered by yelling “SCIENCE!” and “DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC? BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY DON’ T BELIEVE IN SCIENCE!” I then proceeded to randomly yell “SCIENCE!” for the rest of the evening.
He stopped arguing for a while but within 20 minutes or so he had pulled out a pad of paper and pen and proceeded to try to defend himself with diagrams. I continued to shout “SCIENCE!” at him and I demanded his diagrams to illustrate this post. He refused and tore them up.
After an in adequate amount of research I think I can safely say that the volume of the paper soufflé cup is 3.25 oz and the cupcake liner is most likely 3.5 ounces. That would make the soufflé cup slightly smaller but by no stretch of the imagination a “mini-cupcake.”
More importantly…SCIENCE!
Also…we’re out of cupcakes again.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Stated.
Things in which I firmly believe:
Long sleeves
Fluffy bunnies
Flannel pajamas
Thin crust pizza
The right to kick annoying people in the face
The concept that comedic movies should be no more than about 90 minutes long
Keeping the bathroom door closed when in use and putting the toilet seat (the one that actually covers the whole thing) down before flushing.
And finally,
I firmly believe that it is too damn cold in here!
Long sleeves
Fluffy bunnies
Flannel pajamas
Thin crust pizza
The right to kick annoying people in the face
The concept that comedic movies should be no more than about 90 minutes long
Keeping the bathroom door closed when in use and putting the toilet seat (the one that actually covers the whole thing) down before flushing.
And finally,
I firmly believe that it is too damn cold in here!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Oops.
I am a little bit slow here, but the Ambitious Hamster posted at the PaperLotus Blog on life as...well...as an ambitious hamster. And then I posted on my Wacom difficulties. We'll both be posting regularly over there and eventually there will be giveaways or coupons or parties or free puppies or something like that. Please do stop by to visit, stay a while, chat, add to the mix. We love company!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Holy...
Holy crap! Have you seen the mascots for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver? The only word to use is adorable! Thanks Jason!
Man, I have a long standing rule about no stuffed animals, but I might have to bend a little for this.
By the way, the mascots were created by Meomi, an artist collective type thingy I have long been fond of. Also check out their book The Octonauts, it's another shade of adorable.
And by the other way, you should totally click on that link to Jason, he's a damn fine artist and he draws me cute little Wolverines.
Man, I have a long standing rule about no stuffed animals, but I might have to bend a little for this.
By the way, the mascots were created by Meomi, an artist collective type thingy I have long been fond of. Also check out their book The Octonauts, it's another shade of adorable.
And by the other way, you should totally click on that link to Jason, he's a damn fine artist and he draws me cute little Wolverines.
Play?
Oh dear, it’s been a bit hasn’t it? Well, I am planning on blogging again here. In fact, I was going to blog today about biscuits, but I forgot to bring my recipe with me. Oops. I really should have it memorized by now but…I don’t.
Anyway, I have another houseguest who is here until the weekend. So that’s one thing. I am busy trying to complete some artwork, which I will show you…if I ever complete it, that’s another and then there is this other blog that I am part of. That’s the third thing. So if you’ve got the notion, stop by the PaperLotus blog for your regular dose of bloggity goodness. Over there we will be posting about art, inspiration, and um…stuff…I don’t know exactly what we will be posting about but it should be interesting. And we’d love to see you there.
Now, in the meanwhile, I played along with a movie meme over at Fond of Snape (which I am, by the way, fond of Snape, that is) and I actually got a few correct. So, in the spirit of meme-ing, I am playing along. Here’s how it goes:
* Pick fifteen of your favorite movies.
* Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
* Post them on your blog for everyone to guess.
* Fill in the film title once it’s guessed.
This part is for the reader:
* No Googling or using IMDB search functions.
* Leave your answer(s) in the comments.
Now, I will say that I think some of mine may be obscure to some people and others I KNOW people like SnarkyDork and Jules will catch. In several cases I left character names in because either it won’t make a difference to those who know it, or it won’t make a difference to those who don’t. Give it a try, see how you do…
Anyway, I have another houseguest who is here until the weekend. So that’s one thing. I am busy trying to complete some artwork, which I will show you…if I ever complete it, that’s another and then there is this other blog that I am part of. That’s the third thing. So if you’ve got the notion, stop by the PaperLotus blog for your regular dose of bloggity goodness. Over there we will be posting about art, inspiration, and um…stuff…I don’t know exactly what we will be posting about but it should be interesting. And we’d love to see you there.
Now, in the meanwhile, I played along with a movie meme over at Fond of Snape (which I am, by the way, fond of Snape, that is) and I actually got a few correct. So, in the spirit of meme-ing, I am playing along. Here’s how it goes:
* Pick fifteen of your favorite movies.
* Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
* Post them on your blog for everyone to guess.
* Fill in the film title once it’s guessed.
This part is for the reader:
* No Googling or using IMDB search functions.
* Leave your answer(s) in the comments.
Now, I will say that I think some of mine may be obscure to some people and others I KNOW people like SnarkyDork and Jules will catch. In several cases I left character names in because either it won’t make a difference to those who know it, or it won’t make a difference to those who don’t. Give it a try, see how you do…
- He's not my Dad, he's my stepdad! (Well Jodi got this one, of course, I'd be upset if she didn't! That's from Shaun of the Dead!)
- You were thinking that you'll never hear another piece of original music ever again. You'll never read a book that hasn't already been written or see a film that hasn't already been shot.
- I tried to kill myself with a Lady Bic. A pink plastic razor with daisies on it and a moisturizing strip. (Here comes Jodi again! Really, if she didn't chime in here then I'd have to find a new friend! This is from Empire Records).
- [Regarding men] You can't trust none of 'em no further than I can kick this lemon pie.
- Him: I won't allow it to be any more man's nature than women's to be inconstant or to forget those they love or have loved. I believe the reverse. I believe... Let me just observe that all histories are against you, all stories, prose, and verse. I do not think I ever opened a book in my life which did not have something to say on women's fickleness.
Her: But they were all written by men. (Jules responds thru IM and correctly identifies this from Persuasion) - Daughter-in-Law: Child?! Nick is not a child.
Mother-in-Law: No, he's not that smart. He's only a man. - His name is Blane? Oh! That's a major appliance, that's not a name! (Chris tries and fails! But Jodi saves him! Pretty in Pink!)
- Ehm, look. Sorry, sorry. I just, ehm, well, this is a very stupid question and... , particularly in view of our recent shopping excursion, but I just wondered, by any chance, ehm, eh, I mean obviously not because I guess I've only slept with 9 people, but-but I-I just wondered...ehh. I really feel, ehh, in short, to recap it slightly in a clearer version, eh, the words of David Cassidy in fact, eh, while he was still with the Partridge family, eh, "I think I love you," and eh, I-I just wondered by any chance you wouldn't like to... Eh... Eh... No, no, no of course not...I'm an idiot, he's not...Excellent, excellent, fantastic, eh, I was gonna say lovely to see you, sorry to disturb...Better get on… (WOOHOOO! Kari got this...even though she's never seen it and she wasn't POSITIVE, she still figured it out.)
- I hate Illinois Nazis. (Chris gets here first. It's The Blues Brothers, of course.)
- I sit in the subway sometimes, on buses, or the movies, and I look at the people next to me and I think..."What would you say if I told you I was a witch?"
- They don't look like Presbyterians to me. (Jodi (and my mother's) favorite movie quote is from The Muppet Movie. I dunno, I know some pretty funky lookin' Presbyterians...)
- Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! (Chris gets it right. It's Animal House, if I have to say I have one favorite movie, I will say this is it.)
- You musn't give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get, until they're strong enough to run into the woods or fly into a tree. And then to a higher tree and then to the sky.
- Her: In the dark I heard your voice, what did you say?
Him: I said, "Hey, you, on the other side - let her go. Because for her I will cross over, and then you'll be sorry!"
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Monday, March 03, 2008
Recently.
Watch reruns, they replay your memories.
Chocolate is a valentine you give yourself.
Oh Dove. Fine, it may not be the greatest chocolate in the world but I have decided that I like it. I think because it tastes like brownie batter to me. But brownie batter with a snap when you bite into it. And I can buy it in little pieces and one piece is good. So there. But they really need to not print things inside the wrappers because that might be enough to make me hate them. Chocolate IS a Valentine you give yourself…when you are pathetic. And while I do, on occasion watch reruns…nevermind. I just don’t like what they write on the wrappers. Nuff said.
While there has not been much blogging around here, there has been a fair amount of cooking going on over the weekends. For the Oscars there were chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting and vanilla cupcakes with caramel buttercream. And if you cook but you haven’t make a cooked buttercream before, give it a try. It’s not that hard and the difference between a cooked buttercream (a Swiss meringue buttercream) and a “quick” buttercream is pretty significant in terms of texture and, for me, taste. Silky is the only way to describe it. The closest vegan counterpart I have tried is the “Velvet” frosting from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the world and that one darn good too, so you know, you aren’t missing out on much if you don’t do the eggs/butter thing. Either way, a cooked buttercream (style) icing is, as Martha would say, a good thing. A very good thing. A really very good thing. Seriously.
And last night, well, there was cooking but no cupcakes. I just really wanted a veggie burger with mashed avacado, tomoatoes, green onions and lettuce and oven fries. I never crave any thing that specific. In fact, I rarely have much opionion on what’s for dinner other than “not that” or “this is what I defrosted”. But last night, nothing else would do. And man was it good and satisfying and…good.
Oh and there were some breakfast muffins made too..cocoa-banana-almond (vegan). Last night I thought they were just ok but this morning it made an excellent breakfast. I guess sometimes a day (well, half a day) makes all the difference.
Chocolate is a valentine you give yourself.
Oh Dove. Fine, it may not be the greatest chocolate in the world but I have decided that I like it. I think because it tastes like brownie batter to me. But brownie batter with a snap when you bite into it. And I can buy it in little pieces and one piece is good. So there. But they really need to not print things inside the wrappers because that might be enough to make me hate them. Chocolate IS a Valentine you give yourself…when you are pathetic. And while I do, on occasion watch reruns…nevermind. I just don’t like what they write on the wrappers. Nuff said.
While there has not been much blogging around here, there has been a fair amount of cooking going on over the weekends. For the Oscars there were chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting and vanilla cupcakes with caramel buttercream. And if you cook but you haven’t make a cooked buttercream before, give it a try. It’s not that hard and the difference between a cooked buttercream (a Swiss meringue buttercream) and a “quick” buttercream is pretty significant in terms of texture and, for me, taste. Silky is the only way to describe it. The closest vegan counterpart I have tried is the “Velvet” frosting from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the world and that one darn good too, so you know, you aren’t missing out on much if you don’t do the eggs/butter thing. Either way, a cooked buttercream (style) icing is, as Martha would say, a good thing. A very good thing. A really very good thing. Seriously.
And last night, well, there was cooking but no cupcakes. I just really wanted a veggie burger with mashed avacado, tomoatoes, green onions and lettuce and oven fries. I never crave any thing that specific. In fact, I rarely have much opionion on what’s for dinner other than “not that” or “this is what I defrosted”. But last night, nothing else would do. And man was it good and satisfying and…good.
Oh and there were some breakfast muffins made too..cocoa-banana-almond (vegan). Last night I thought they were just ok but this morning it made an excellent breakfast. I guess sometimes a day (well, half a day) makes all the difference.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
216.
My day has been…fine. It started out ok and I suspect that it will end ok. But apparently, everyone else’s day has been crap and right now it seems as if I am hearing it all at once. Every phone call, every conversation, every minute on the radio, the internet…everywhere has been filled with yelling and anger and illness and sadness and pain and…what ever else. And even when people haven’t been angry or ill or sad or in pain, they have been yelling (HEY, use the damn telephone or get off your ass and walk into the office, don’t just yell across it, asshole!) and grabbing and begging and quite frankly, whatever was fine about my day has now wandered by the wayside and periodically strays dangerously close to the traffic. It’s been frustrating to say the least. And I’d like to say that it’s all over but the shouting but the shouting started early this morning (All right. Let’s be honest here, my version of “early this morning” is totally different from yours, ok? Don’t ask me what my version is, just assume it’s much later than yours).
And the worst part is that my day started out ok and it will probably end ok. But the in between has been one heck of a day.
Anyway, what has brought it all back into focus today is listening to Stephen Fry’s first “podgram.” The story wanders a bit and when he reveals that he’s been recording this under the influence of sleeping pills it kind of feels like “Well, duh, Stephen!” but his voice is soothing and his perspective is…familiar and frustrating and it’s a perfectly pleasant way to block out the shouting.
And since this all sounds so…eh. Lame? Pathetic? Unsatisfying? BORING? Here are two little recent bits of…things…that I have been working on. My new business card, which is funny if you know me because I am anything but business and not only don’t know of anyone who needs my info on a tidy little card, I will not be introducing myself to anyone and offering them my card because I don’t talk to people. At all. But, as my mother has said so many times, I had a coupon. And it got me cheap cards. All it got my mom was boxes of things we never ate. So that’s something.
Also, I did a little artwork for Ms. Smith’s website. I think it looks nice. She requested that I use red and turquoise and I did, for the most part. Unfortunately, I have no web design experience so I had to go back and do that whole “web safe color” thingy, and that was a learning experience. Two hundred and sixteen colors indeed!
Oh weird. While I type I am listening to free classical music from Lisztonian and some other site that I had open must have had some sounds for when you click on something (see, if I was a web designer type person I would know what to call those...sounds). Aaaaanyway, right in the middle of Etude in B flat Major Op. 36 No. 6 by Moritz Moszkowski it sounded as if someone started yelling "HELLLLLO! HELLLLLLLLO!" in that manner that you use when someone is being dense. So now even my computer is yelling. Damn.
And the worst part is that my day started out ok and it will probably end ok. But the in between has been one heck of a day.
Anyway, what has brought it all back into focus today is listening to Stephen Fry’s first “podgram.” The story wanders a bit and when he reveals that he’s been recording this under the influence of sleeping pills it kind of feels like “Well, duh, Stephen!” but his voice is soothing and his perspective is…familiar and frustrating and it’s a perfectly pleasant way to block out the shouting.
And since this all sounds so…eh. Lame? Pathetic? Unsatisfying? BORING? Here are two little recent bits of…things…that I have been working on. My new business card, which is funny if you know me because I am anything but business and not only don’t know of anyone who needs my info on a tidy little card, I will not be introducing myself to anyone and offering them my card because I don’t talk to people. At all. But, as my mother has said so many times, I had a coupon. And it got me cheap cards. All it got my mom was boxes of things we never ate. So that’s something.
Also, I did a little artwork for Ms. Smith’s website. I think it looks nice. She requested that I use red and turquoise and I did, for the most part. Unfortunately, I have no web design experience so I had to go back and do that whole “web safe color” thingy, and that was a learning experience. Two hundred and sixteen colors indeed!
Oh weird. While I type I am listening to free classical music from Lisztonian and some other site that I had open must have had some sounds for when you click on something (see, if I was a web designer type person I would know what to call those...sounds). Aaaaanyway, right in the middle of Etude in B flat Major Op. 36 No. 6 by Moritz Moszkowski it sounded as if someone started yelling "HELLLLLO! HELLLLLLLLO!" in that manner that you use when someone is being dense. So now even my computer is yelling. Damn.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Bees.
Available here if you want to stock up for next year or give one to your all the time Valentine.
And for my favorite holiday? It's pizza and, hopefully, season two of Life on Mars. The husband's present is delayed a day but he won't mind once he sees it.
Enjoy it if you do, and if you don't...well then don't. Whatever.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Mild?
I am currently that kind of tired where I think something like “Gee, my stomach hurts, I think I’ve had too much caffeine.” And then I think “Caffeine? You’re soaking in it!” and then I chuckle softly to myself but then…THEN…I realize that my joke to myself made no sense and I try to defend my joke, “You know, like Madge and the Palmolive? Mild? It’s more than just mild, you’re soaking in it!” and then I realize that when I have to explain my own joke to myself and then defend it as being valid humor, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong in my head.
And it’s a pathetic tired because what kept me up was a very simple problem, which I believe I may have solved but if I come back tomorrow and make more Palmolive jokes, you will know I haven’t.
The other thing that my mind spent way too much time processing today was the six degrees of literary separation of Shakespeare and Audrey Hepburn. It’s actually way less then six degrees…any idea how? And for the record, it does not involve Audrey acting in any Shakespearian plays.
I also only just realized that Palmolive probably comes from those two words…palm and olive and suggests the moisturizing properties of the olive on the palm. Duh.
And it’s a pathetic tired because what kept me up was a very simple problem, which I believe I may have solved but if I come back tomorrow and make more Palmolive jokes, you will know I haven’t.
The other thing that my mind spent way too much time processing today was the six degrees of literary separation of Shakespeare and Audrey Hepburn. It’s actually way less then six degrees…any idea how? And for the record, it does not involve Audrey acting in any Shakespearian plays.
I also only just realized that Palmolive probably comes from those two words…palm and olive and suggests the moisturizing properties of the olive on the palm. Duh.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Reminder.
So, um, Ren, next time you decided to make that instant mac and cheeze (the totally organic hippie kind, not the scary orange kind) and you take the cheese powder sachet in hand and go to do that thing where you shake it? You know, like when you have a packet of instant gravy or cocoa (Oh and by the way, stop mixing those two up. You really shouldn’t drink instant gravy in a mug before you go to bed)? That thing, where you kind of grab it by one end and shake it like you shake a thermometer when you are trying to get the mercury down below body temperature? That motion like you are kind of fanning yourself? Right? You know what I mean? Yeah?
Make sure that there isn’t a hole in the bottom of the packet, okay? Because apparently cheese will fly out of it and directly into your face resulting in the dreaded “cheese eye” and it will be quite uncomfortable for quite a while despite washing your eyes with both water and eye drops. And later in the day when you rub your face you will realize that your eyebrows are still full of cheese powder and then when you cry from the laughter, your tears will be slightly gritty and dairy scented.
Yeah, just a reminder for next time.
Make sure that there isn’t a hole in the bottom of the packet, okay? Because apparently cheese will fly out of it and directly into your face resulting in the dreaded “cheese eye” and it will be quite uncomfortable for quite a while despite washing your eyes with both water and eye drops. And later in the day when you rub your face you will realize that your eyebrows are still full of cheese powder and then when you cry from the laughter, your tears will be slightly gritty and dairy scented.
Yeah, just a reminder for next time.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Note.
For the record, I have not seen Cloverfield even though I previously referred to it. You know how when The Blair Witch Project came out and there were these warnings that the motion of the camera may make some people sick and you thought, “Dude, what kind of asshole gets sick watching a movie?” That kind of asshole would be me. So I now studiously avoid movies where the camera moves too much, and by too much I mean even a little. I didn’t even make it through the first ten minutes of The Thing.
I did watch all of They Live, though. Not that They Live has a shaky cam or anything. I just love me some Rowdy Roddy Piper.
I did watch all of They Live, though. Not that They Live has a shaky cam or anything. I just love me some Rowdy Roddy Piper.
Dreamy.
I’ve been having a lot of dreams lately. And it’s not that they have been strange dreams, just that they have stuck in my head. I do dream, but I don’t often remember my dreams, I usually just remember waking from a dream and thinking “Damn, that was one weird…um…thing…in my head…what was that? Oh yeah, it must have been a dream…what was it about again?” Dreams tend not to stick with me. I’ve tried keeping dream journals and all that, I’ve tried to wake myself from a dream so I will remember it but eh, not really that interested in what my subconscious wants to tell me. Why should I listen to it? What has it ever done for me? But these recent dreams have been pretty clear and memorable. And not so out of the ordinary that they are freaky, but almost so ordinary that they are freaky.
I’ve documented the nightmare that was my senior prom before, but the other night I had a dream that totally seemed like the B story of my senior prom. It featured people with whom I attended high school, in a prom like setting, wearing prom gear, but it was all about the prom I didn’t go to. I knew these people, I recognized them but none of them were the people at the table full of misery. In fact, they all seemed to be having a reasonably good time, downstairs from the crappy prom I attended. There was an elevator to get to the room that I would end up in but all these people were in some kind of sitting room/bar just sitting around hanging out. Of course, this being a dream and all, there was some sort of impending doom. I got the feeling that it was something of Cloverfield proportions but everyone was pretty mellow about it.
The thing is, I can usually figure out WHY I have a dream about a particular subject. Like, often when I have a dream about someone I haven’t seen in years, I can trace it back to something that has happened in the last week. Some instance that in the back of my mind jostled the memory of this person, or even of an event. But I can’t find the connector this time. No idea why I dreamed of the other part of my prom, the part where people had a decent enough time. Also no idea why my prom dress was navy blue and very lacy.
Then later in the week I had a dream about getting a tattoo on my back. Now I do see tattoos everyday, and I have recently pulled a muscle in my back, so I can kind of see the connection, especially since I was awakened from the dream by a sharp pinching pain that did actually exist. I do not, however know why I got a cupcake tattoo or why I chose to have it done at a bar that actually gave it’s patrons the money to pay for their drinks. But I would like to find this dream bar…oh yes I would.
And now the really weird one…the one that I have already forgotten. There was a strange one this morning that involved a lot of numbers…but it is gone now. I guess this is why I SHOULD keep that dream journal. Actually, a lot of my dreams feature me forgetting numbers, so maybe this wasn’t a new one.
I don’t know what are brains are trying to tell us with our dreams. A lot of people think it’s all about dragging up our subconscious fears and desires. Apparently, I fear proms and navy blue lace and I desire cupcakes and free beer. I am pretty sure I didn’t need a dream to tell me any of that.
Everybody knows that koalas dream of revenge.
BY THE WAY! You can totally buy Vengeful Koala cards in the Paperlotus Etsy Store. You can also buy Valentines! And other awesome stuff...go on, you know you totally want to. OK, fine, you know I totally want you to!
I’ve documented the nightmare that was my senior prom before, but the other night I had a dream that totally seemed like the B story of my senior prom. It featured people with whom I attended high school, in a prom like setting, wearing prom gear, but it was all about the prom I didn’t go to. I knew these people, I recognized them but none of them were the people at the table full of misery. In fact, they all seemed to be having a reasonably good time, downstairs from the crappy prom I attended. There was an elevator to get to the room that I would end up in but all these people were in some kind of sitting room/bar just sitting around hanging out. Of course, this being a dream and all, there was some sort of impending doom. I got the feeling that it was something of Cloverfield proportions but everyone was pretty mellow about it.
The thing is, I can usually figure out WHY I have a dream about a particular subject. Like, often when I have a dream about someone I haven’t seen in years, I can trace it back to something that has happened in the last week. Some instance that in the back of my mind jostled the memory of this person, or even of an event. But I can’t find the connector this time. No idea why I dreamed of the other part of my prom, the part where people had a decent enough time. Also no idea why my prom dress was navy blue and very lacy.
Then later in the week I had a dream about getting a tattoo on my back. Now I do see tattoos everyday, and I have recently pulled a muscle in my back, so I can kind of see the connection, especially since I was awakened from the dream by a sharp pinching pain that did actually exist. I do not, however know why I got a cupcake tattoo or why I chose to have it done at a bar that actually gave it’s patrons the money to pay for their drinks. But I would like to find this dream bar…oh yes I would.
And now the really weird one…the one that I have already forgotten. There was a strange one this morning that involved a lot of numbers…but it is gone now. I guess this is why I SHOULD keep that dream journal. Actually, a lot of my dreams feature me forgetting numbers, so maybe this wasn’t a new one.
I don’t know what are brains are trying to tell us with our dreams. A lot of people think it’s all about dragging up our subconscious fears and desires. Apparently, I fear proms and navy blue lace and I desire cupcakes and free beer. I am pretty sure I didn’t need a dream to tell me any of that.
BY THE WAY! You can totally buy Vengeful Koala cards in the Paperlotus Etsy Store. You can also buy Valentines! And other awesome stuff...go on, you know you totally want to. OK, fine, you know I totally want you to!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sketchy.
So, that other resolution, it’s kind of lame in a way, but shutup, this is my blog and I will be lame if I want. You know how snarkydork is part of that project 365 and she takes a photo every damn day? And she did that nablopomo thing? And she posted every damn day? Well, I am too lazy to do that. But I figured it would be good for me if I could do one thing every damn day (and for the record, I’ve already screwed up and missed a few days). So see, I am a…draw-er. I draw things. But I am purely digital. As in, I only draw on the computer. I don’t use pens or pencils or paper, just bits and bites and béziers. I don’t use a stylus or a tablet (but I did buy one, so that’s going to have to change a bit) just a mouse. That’s just how I do it and I like it that way. But I got to thinking that while that is great and all, I often find myself faced with a blank screen. I’ll know what I want to draw but I can’t get my mind around how I am going to get there. And it’s frustrating.
So I resolved to make a sketch every day (and as I said, I already screwed that up and missed two or three days, but I’ll make that up, I promise!). So yeah, big deal, whatever, there are people who sketch all the time, you say. True, true. But I am not one of them. I tend to go from idea to project, with nothing in between. That’s fine too, I think of what I want to draw, I tweak it in my brain until I can visualize what I want and then I sit down and I do it. Except, you know, with the getting older and all, sometimes it doesn’t go from “here” to “ there” so easily.
The thing is, this is something I have done before. When I was in college and taking all kinds of artsy-fartsy classes, I drew every damn day. Sketches, costume designs, magazine layouts. And since I was doing it every damn day, I decided that if I also added in one sketch for myself, like my cartoon characters say, then I might actually get better at it. And I did it. And I got better. And then I graduated and I didn’t do it anymore. And then I learned how to draw on a computer and I never looked back and here I am.
So, I’ve been sketching every damn day (with the exception of those few days that I forgot). It’s pretty much the last thing I do every night and mostly it’s been ideas for a personal project. And so far, it’s helped. Things that I just couldn’t approach on the computer suddenly became crystal clear on paper. And now I can see in my mind how they can be constructed with my trusty mouse (and eventually my stylus and tablet). It’s not that I didn’t know this method before rather, I had gotten out of the habit. I like drawing on the computer so why would I draw with a pen? And granted, there have always been the little reminder sketches and jottings but not the dedicated sketching. And I think that goes back to the college art classes of sketch journals (5 sketches a day, every damn day!) and to being told by that art teacher that my sketches were too “sketchy”. But that’s the point here. It’s not a finished drawing, it’s not even something I am going to scan into the computer to trace. It’s just mental reference. The idea that if I put a circle here and a square here, then I can make…something.
It’s not revelvatory, it’s not deep. It’s just a sketch. And that’s the step I was missing.
And now, here is a surfing whale. This was not sketched beforehand. But it's a whale. And it's surfing.
So I resolved to make a sketch every day (and as I said, I already screwed that up and missed two or three days, but I’ll make that up, I promise!). So yeah, big deal, whatever, there are people who sketch all the time, you say. True, true. But I am not one of them. I tend to go from idea to project, with nothing in between. That’s fine too, I think of what I want to draw, I tweak it in my brain until I can visualize what I want and then I sit down and I do it. Except, you know, with the getting older and all, sometimes it doesn’t go from “here” to “ there” so easily.
The thing is, this is something I have done before. When I was in college and taking all kinds of artsy-fartsy classes, I drew every damn day. Sketches, costume designs, magazine layouts. And since I was doing it every damn day, I decided that if I also added in one sketch for myself, like my cartoon characters say, then I might actually get better at it. And I did it. And I got better. And then I graduated and I didn’t do it anymore. And then I learned how to draw on a computer and I never looked back and here I am.
So, I’ve been sketching every damn day (with the exception of those few days that I forgot). It’s pretty much the last thing I do every night and mostly it’s been ideas for a personal project. And so far, it’s helped. Things that I just couldn’t approach on the computer suddenly became crystal clear on paper. And now I can see in my mind how they can be constructed with my trusty mouse (and eventually my stylus and tablet). It’s not that I didn’t know this method before rather, I had gotten out of the habit. I like drawing on the computer so why would I draw with a pen? And granted, there have always been the little reminder sketches and jottings but not the dedicated sketching. And I think that goes back to the college art classes of sketch journals (5 sketches a day, every damn day!) and to being told by that art teacher that my sketches were too “sketchy”. But that’s the point here. It’s not a finished drawing, it’s not even something I am going to scan into the computer to trace. It’s just mental reference. The idea that if I put a circle here and a square here, then I can make…something.
It’s not revelvatory, it’s not deep. It’s just a sketch. And that’s the step I was missing.
And now, here is a surfing whale. This was not sketched beforehand. But it's a whale. And it's surfing.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Resolved.
I’ve not been blogging a lot due to my current lack of inspiration. Or rather…laziness. No, no, it’s a lack of inspiration but only during my typical blogging hours. I don’t often blog from home and I don’t moblog. It’s a certain time of the day or nothing and lately, it’s been nothing. But only on the blog front. OK, honestly, I just want to see how many times I can use a permutation of blog here…
Annnnnnyway…although I claim not to have made any resolutions, that is, my friends, a total LIE. I am a liar and I lie. I did make two. One was to read more books so as not to be ashamed at the end of the year when I look back and realize that I only read like…three books…all year. Eh, it wasn’t that bad, but I didn’t read much two years ago, I did better last year and this year, I am on my fourth book…and it’s nice. And it’s not that I am reading for numbers or volume, just that I sometimes, at the end of the day, I am tired and the idea of thinking is painful. But that’s just silly. I really enjoy reading and I always have so why was I not doing it? Dunno. But now I am again it’s been nice. Currently it’s Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham. I’ve had the book on hand for a little while but the other night I was watching a bit of Twelfth Night and heard the line “Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” and it triggered something in my brain so that when I finished my previous book I began rooting around for this one. I’m not very far into yet but I am enjoying what I’ve read.
And there has been some new music as well. I finally jumped on to that Wilco bandwagon and I was only just now listening to Sky Blue Sky and thinking “Oh, so this it what it would sound like if the Beatles and Bob Dylan made a baby together.” Scary thought, good music. (The cd ended and I have moved on to a little Mazzy Star to type by.)
It’s been tough at times to want to read when I have Jane Austen on Masterpiece Theatre though. Actually, I didn’t really enjoy the newest incarnation of Persuasion, but so far (20 minutes in) I am FINALLY enjoying Northanger Abbey, which is a tough one to like for me. I find that as a novel it takes some understanding for it to work as it is primarily a parody of the popular Gothic fiction of the time of it’s writing. However, from what I have seen of this newest version, it “gets it” and I am looking forward to watching the rest.
The other resolution?
Eh, I’ll get to that later.
Annnnnnyway…although I claim not to have made any resolutions, that is, my friends, a total LIE. I am a liar and I lie. I did make two. One was to read more books so as not to be ashamed at the end of the year when I look back and realize that I only read like…three books…all year. Eh, it wasn’t that bad, but I didn’t read much two years ago, I did better last year and this year, I am on my fourth book…and it’s nice. And it’s not that I am reading for numbers or volume, just that I sometimes, at the end of the day, I am tired and the idea of thinking is painful. But that’s just silly. I really enjoy reading and I always have so why was I not doing it? Dunno. But now I am again it’s been nice. Currently it’s Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham. I’ve had the book on hand for a little while but the other night I was watching a bit of Twelfth Night and heard the line “Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” and it triggered something in my brain so that when I finished my previous book I began rooting around for this one. I’m not very far into yet but I am enjoying what I’ve read.
And there has been some new music as well. I finally jumped on to that Wilco bandwagon and I was only just now listening to Sky Blue Sky and thinking “Oh, so this it what it would sound like if the Beatles and Bob Dylan made a baby together.” Scary thought, good music. (The cd ended and I have moved on to a little Mazzy Star to type by.)
It’s been tough at times to want to read when I have Jane Austen on Masterpiece Theatre though. Actually, I didn’t really enjoy the newest incarnation of Persuasion, but so far (20 minutes in) I am FINALLY enjoying Northanger Abbey, which is a tough one to like for me. I find that as a novel it takes some understanding for it to work as it is primarily a parody of the popular Gothic fiction of the time of it’s writing. However, from what I have seen of this newest version, it “gets it” and I am looking forward to watching the rest.
The other resolution?
Eh, I’ll get to that later.
Sweet.
Guinness Truffles
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 pound milk chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Guinness Stout
Cocoa powder
1 pound dark chocolate for coating
Melt butter and cooking chocolate over hot water. Add cream and whisk until mixed well. Remove from heat and stir in Stout. Chill until firm.
Melt dark chocolate over hot water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
With chilled chocolate and stout mixture, make 1-inch balls with a spoon and by rolling between your cocoa-dusted hands.
Dip balls in warm dark chocolate until coated. Place in a plate of cocoa power, roll to coat and refrigerate until very firm. Store in layers in an airtight container, placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers. Store truffles in the refrigerator.
Ok, now, here is how I do it:
I use the almost the same proportions but I always make a double batch and I never, ever use milk chocolate. I would encourage you to use semi-sweet chocolate, or the darkest that you can tolerate. These should not be “sweet” truffles, they work best, in my opinion, when they are pretty dark and almost bitter, but not like bittersweet chocolate. They should have an “edge”.
I don’t melt my chocolate on the stovetop anymore, but by all means, if that is how you are most comfortable, go for it. I use the microwave and I do it in 30 second bursts, stirring every 30 seconds. The tricky thing about chocolate is that it will hold it’s shape longer than you expect, so you need to stir to make sure it’s not burning.
When your chocolate and butter are melted and you add the cream, the mixture will look hopeless and curdled. FEAR NOT! Stir. Keep stirring. Stir some more and then, all of the sudden, it will become glossy and beautiful and you will wonder why you were worried.
Now, when I say “almost the same proportions” it is because I will attempt to get as much Guinness into these things as possible. I start with the recommended two tablespoons and continue to add until I don’t think it will take anymore…and then I add some more. This year I think I got about 6 or 7 tablespoons of stout in there. Like I said, more bitter than sweet.
Let the ganache (that’s what this is, a basic ganache) cool in the fridge. It will become firm but not solid. When you are ready to roll, I suggest you plan on doing it in batches. The ganache will soften and when it gets too soft, it’s just a mess.
I also suggest that you set yourself up before you start as this part is spectacularly messy. I cover the counter with waxed paper and I chill a cookie sheet and cover that with waxed paper as well. I keep two paper towels handy, a damp one for wiping my hands and a dry one for turning on the sink, because you will get covered with cocoa and chocolate and you will make a mess, I promise, and it’s just easier to have something NOT covered in chocolate with which to turn on the tap. I also like to pour myself a drink before I get started because I don’t want to have to mess around with washing my hands just so I can get a little water…or cocktail…whatever. (Finish off the Guinness, it shouldn’t go to waste.)
So dust your hands with cocoa, grab a portion of the ganache and roll it into balls. I go for somewhere between a small walnut and a hazelnut. Not huge, as they are very rich. You’re not looking for perfection here, you just want a rough spherical shape. Then roll the ball in a little cocoa, tapping off any excess. This will help keep them from getting completely oozy as they sit on the counter.
After all the truffles are rolled and covered with cocoa, I like to “cure” them a little. If I have time, I will leave them in the fridge overnight, loosely wrapped. You do want them to firm a little and get slightly dry on the outside. When I don’t have enough time to do that, I just chill them for as long as I can before dipping. You’ll be fine either way but you will probably have to dip them in batches as they do soften quickly.
Now, if you have never dipped candy before I have got some tips that I learned the hard way. I’ve been doing this for a number of years and I found a method that works for me, but it took me a while. So here are a few things to keep in mind…
Tempering chocolate seems like a frou-frou step. Believe me, it’s not. This article (http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/155/Tempering-Chocolate) is very helpful. I have managed a kind of faux tempering that worked really well for me this year and you might find that it works for you. I melt the chocolate in the microwave, just as I did to make the ganache (only no butter this time) in 30-second increments, until it is easy to stir…and I can’t say this part strongly enough…DO NOT STIR IT WITH A WOODEN SPOON!!! I am a foolish girl and I have done this several times and you’d think I’d learn but no. At this point any moisture touching your chocolate will cause it to seize and that sucks. And wood holds moisture and there you go, you end up with a pound of seized chocolate that you can’t use for dipping. Anyway, as you stir your almost but not quite melted chocolate, add a handful of unmelted chocolate and continue to stir until it’s all uniformly glossy and lovely and melty. I don’t think that this is technically TEMPERING chocolate since we are not dealing with actual temperatures and all but it worked for me really well this year and kept my coating chocolate smooth and shiny throughout the whole process.
And a side note here: when I say “coating chocolate” I mean real, actual chocolate that you will be using for coating your truffles. Please don’t use compound chocolate coating, like you could buy at a craft store. These truffles deserve to be dipped in a good, rich chocolate and compound chocolate coating (or confectioner’s chocolate) just doesn’t have the same flavor.
Ok, so now your truffles are “cured” your chocolate is “tempered” and it’s time to dip. I use a…dipping thing. Not the fork kind, the round kind. It works for me. I have tried regular forks and spoons and doing it in my hands but I have had the best luck with the ring thing. (One thing to mention though, if your truffle centers have gotten soft and your chocolate is really hard, they will start to melt onto the ring. If that happens, just chuck the centers back in the fridge for a few minutes.) Dip your chocolates one at a time, allowing the excess to drip off a bit before placing them on a wax paper covered tray. If everything has gone well up to this point, they should become firm and glossy rather quickly.
I have decorated these many different ways, sometimes with a few pretty white non pareils, sometimes with a cocoa nib, but my preferred method is with a dab of white chocolate, to represent the foamy head on a nice pint of Guinness.
There you go, Guinness Truffles, suitable for gifting. And because of the chocolate coating, they travel pretty well. They should be stored in the fridge but I haven’t had any problems with them spoiling during shipping. And my mom says that they are best served at room temperature, but that’s up to you.
Good luck. I hope you like them. Me, not so much. But man, I did like the caramels I made this year, and if I can find the recipe I used, I’ll share that too.
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 pound milk chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Guinness Stout
Cocoa powder
1 pound dark chocolate for coating
Melt butter and cooking chocolate over hot water. Add cream and whisk until mixed well. Remove from heat and stir in Stout. Chill until firm.
Melt dark chocolate over hot water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
With chilled chocolate and stout mixture, make 1-inch balls with a spoon and by rolling between your cocoa-dusted hands.
Dip balls in warm dark chocolate until coated. Place in a plate of cocoa power, roll to coat and refrigerate until very firm. Store in layers in an airtight container, placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers. Store truffles in the refrigerator.
Ok, now, here is how I do it:
I use the almost the same proportions but I always make a double batch and I never, ever use milk chocolate. I would encourage you to use semi-sweet chocolate, or the darkest that you can tolerate. These should not be “sweet” truffles, they work best, in my opinion, when they are pretty dark and almost bitter, but not like bittersweet chocolate. They should have an “edge”.
I don’t melt my chocolate on the stovetop anymore, but by all means, if that is how you are most comfortable, go for it. I use the microwave and I do it in 30 second bursts, stirring every 30 seconds. The tricky thing about chocolate is that it will hold it’s shape longer than you expect, so you need to stir to make sure it’s not burning.
When your chocolate and butter are melted and you add the cream, the mixture will look hopeless and curdled. FEAR NOT! Stir. Keep stirring. Stir some more and then, all of the sudden, it will become glossy and beautiful and you will wonder why you were worried.
Now, when I say “almost the same proportions” it is because I will attempt to get as much Guinness into these things as possible. I start with the recommended two tablespoons and continue to add until I don’t think it will take anymore…and then I add some more. This year I think I got about 6 or 7 tablespoons of stout in there. Like I said, more bitter than sweet.
Let the ganache (that’s what this is, a basic ganache) cool in the fridge. It will become firm but not solid. When you are ready to roll, I suggest you plan on doing it in batches. The ganache will soften and when it gets too soft, it’s just a mess.
I also suggest that you set yourself up before you start as this part is spectacularly messy. I cover the counter with waxed paper and I chill a cookie sheet and cover that with waxed paper as well. I keep two paper towels handy, a damp one for wiping my hands and a dry one for turning on the sink, because you will get covered with cocoa and chocolate and you will make a mess, I promise, and it’s just easier to have something NOT covered in chocolate with which to turn on the tap. I also like to pour myself a drink before I get started because I don’t want to have to mess around with washing my hands just so I can get a little water…or cocktail…whatever. (Finish off the Guinness, it shouldn’t go to waste.)
So dust your hands with cocoa, grab a portion of the ganache and roll it into balls. I go for somewhere between a small walnut and a hazelnut. Not huge, as they are very rich. You’re not looking for perfection here, you just want a rough spherical shape. Then roll the ball in a little cocoa, tapping off any excess. This will help keep them from getting completely oozy as they sit on the counter.
After all the truffles are rolled and covered with cocoa, I like to “cure” them a little. If I have time, I will leave them in the fridge overnight, loosely wrapped. You do want them to firm a little and get slightly dry on the outside. When I don’t have enough time to do that, I just chill them for as long as I can before dipping. You’ll be fine either way but you will probably have to dip them in batches as they do soften quickly.
Now, if you have never dipped candy before I have got some tips that I learned the hard way. I’ve been doing this for a number of years and I found a method that works for me, but it took me a while. So here are a few things to keep in mind…
Tempering chocolate seems like a frou-frou step. Believe me, it’s not. This article (http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/155/Tempering-Chocolate) is very helpful. I have managed a kind of faux tempering that worked really well for me this year and you might find that it works for you. I melt the chocolate in the microwave, just as I did to make the ganache (only no butter this time) in 30-second increments, until it is easy to stir…and I can’t say this part strongly enough…DO NOT STIR IT WITH A WOODEN SPOON!!! I am a foolish girl and I have done this several times and you’d think I’d learn but no. At this point any moisture touching your chocolate will cause it to seize and that sucks. And wood holds moisture and there you go, you end up with a pound of seized chocolate that you can’t use for dipping. Anyway, as you stir your almost but not quite melted chocolate, add a handful of unmelted chocolate and continue to stir until it’s all uniformly glossy and lovely and melty. I don’t think that this is technically TEMPERING chocolate since we are not dealing with actual temperatures and all but it worked for me really well this year and kept my coating chocolate smooth and shiny throughout the whole process.
And a side note here: when I say “coating chocolate” I mean real, actual chocolate that you will be using for coating your truffles. Please don’t use compound chocolate coating, like you could buy at a craft store. These truffles deserve to be dipped in a good, rich chocolate and compound chocolate coating (or confectioner’s chocolate) just doesn’t have the same flavor.
Ok, so now your truffles are “cured” your chocolate is “tempered” and it’s time to dip. I use a…dipping thing. Not the fork kind, the round kind. It works for me. I have tried regular forks and spoons and doing it in my hands but I have had the best luck with the ring thing. (One thing to mention though, if your truffle centers have gotten soft and your chocolate is really hard, they will start to melt onto the ring. If that happens, just chuck the centers back in the fridge for a few minutes.) Dip your chocolates one at a time, allowing the excess to drip off a bit before placing them on a wax paper covered tray. If everything has gone well up to this point, they should become firm and glossy rather quickly.
I have decorated these many different ways, sometimes with a few pretty white non pareils, sometimes with a cocoa nib, but my preferred method is with a dab of white chocolate, to represent the foamy head on a nice pint of Guinness.
There you go, Guinness Truffles, suitable for gifting. And because of the chocolate coating, they travel pretty well. They should be stored in the fridge but I haven’t had any problems with them spoiling during shipping. And my mom says that they are best served at room temperature, but that’s up to you.
Good luck. I hope you like them. Me, not so much. But man, I did like the caramels I made this year, and if I can find the recipe I used, I’ll share that too.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Gifted.
Random things I got for Christmas (not a comprehensive list):
Cookbooks! Including but not limited to Veganomicon, Vegetables Every Day, Nigella Express, Linda McCartney’s Home Cooking, Mission: Dinner! and a british cookbook that finally explains how to make a floating island
A unicorn
My grandmother’s gold bangle bracelet
Socks…lots and lots of socks
The tiniest damn USB drive I have ever seen
Patsy Cline box set
A sweatshirt that reads “Lead me not into temptation, especially bookstores.”
A tiny chest of drawers with jester-slippered feet
Whisky
Whiskey flavored coffee
Blueberry wine
DVDs including the second season of Futurama, the second season of House of Eliot and 28 weeks later
2 rugs
A lotus lamp
The world’s greatest slippers!
Too many other awesome things to mention.
Cookbooks! Including but not limited to Veganomicon, Vegetables Every Day, Nigella Express, Linda McCartney’s Home Cooking, Mission: Dinner! and a british cookbook that finally explains how to make a floating island
A unicorn
My grandmother’s gold bangle bracelet
Socks…lots and lots of socks
The tiniest damn USB drive I have ever seen
Patsy Cline box set
A sweatshirt that reads “Lead me not into temptation, especially bookstores.”
A tiny chest of drawers with jester-slippered feet
Whisky
Whiskey flavored coffee
Blueberry wine
DVDs including the second season of Futurama, the second season of House of Eliot and 28 weeks later
2 rugs
A lotus lamp
The world’s greatest slippers!
Too many other awesome things to mention.
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