more traveling

Last week I was at my Dad's.  This next week I am back at my Dad's.  It is all about doctor's appointments.  We both liked his cardiologist.  And more doctor's appointments to be made.

Before I left I was working on another chef's roll.  I will finish it next week.  I was also working on resin scales for knife handles.  I got them out of the molds but I have no idea what they really look like.  They both used different handle scraps.  I will find out more next week.  And there are always farmers markets to work.  I have some to check out too.

I signed up for an online workshop on ecoprinting and plant dyeing.  It is also about how to create clothes that ae always mendable, changeable.  It was a workshop that I wanted to take in person but it was both expensive and in Canada.  Driving distance to the mountain but I probably would have just stayed in Vancouver B.C.  That way I could have stayed late if I needed.  Stitched with other people.

The online workshop is words and videos.  I have learned new things already.  Very simple but tips that have never really been voiced that way.  I also ordered dye and the clothing blanks that I would have used in the workshop.  Actually more because I am going to play with the ecoprinting and treat my best friend too.  The plant dyes I ordered will give me a new ranges of colors to work with.  And ribbons to make.

My walk behind tractor got delivered to my Dad's.  We will take it up to the mountain.  That will interesting.  My Dad, my Beloved, and Koda Bear.  And me.  If I could lift it in and out of the truck myself I would go by myself but probably not going to happen.

When I get back I would love to focus on making jam and dyeing and ecoprinting napkins.  I know that is not what life will be about and that will be okay.  Just some time to breathe would be nice.

blackberry snack cake

Life has been busy.  The school semesters are usually busy but since Koda Bear is home schooling/unschooling it is even busier.  The Tall Short person is taking online classes and that adds.  Blue is just busy.  On top of that, I took a non-fall that hurt more then if I had just fallen.  Sometimes falls are easier on the body.

I am traveling again this week and next week to be with my Dad.  But I am back in time to work the markets.  The boyos are a little bit light for people who can work markets or events.  I learn more every time I do one.  I also find that even though I do not view myself as a salesman but because I can be excited about knives, I do well.  

Koda Bear has been doing a lot of math with baking.  Or just wanting to bake his own sweets.  He has not asked to bake bread yet but I can see it coming.  I had a cake recipe that I wished to try so he helped me.  It uses sourdough as the leaven so I do not have taste baking soda or baking powder.  It just takes to make.

It was not a very sweet cake.  The original recipe called for raspberries so it may have been sweeter with them.  But I was lucky to get the single picture of the cake I did. It went fast.  It does not have the texture of a quick bread or an American box mix cake but I would call it cake.  It just take about eight to ten hours of waiting time.  An hour to bake.  I will make this again.

blackberry snack cake

Note:  The recipe was found in the Extend issue of Taproot Magazine.  I tweaked with what I had in the house and it still turned out well. I am considering see how this technique would work with a vanilla or orange cake.

8 ounces butter, room temperature (Blue actually mashed some Boursin cheese into the butter. I still used 8 ounces of the mixture)

2/3 cup (125 grams) granulated sugar

1 cups (150 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt (I had Kosher and the recipe called for sea salt, still worked!)

1/2 cups (75 grams) sourdough starter (I just pulled a half cup out of my jar, they called for active)

1/2 cup (125 grams) yogurt (The recipe called for plain, I had honey vanilla) 

1/4 cup (60 grams) whole milk

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries (I used approximately a half a ten ounce bag.  I did not measure.)

Sugar for the top of the cake.

In a large bowl (especially if you have a Bear helping), cream together the butter and sugar until light a fluffy.  Mix in the eggs. Mix in the sourdough starter.

Mix in 1/3 cup flour.

Mix in the yogurt.

Mix in 1/3 cup flour.

Mix in the milk.

Mix in the last 1/3 cup flour and salt.

Fold in the blackberries.

Cover and let rise overnight or for at least 6 hours on the counter top.

When the batter has risen, grease and flour an 3 or 4 inch tall by 8 inch round cake pan.  I used a spring form that was 2 1/2 inches by 9 inches so may cake was flatter.  I like to put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom and then grease and flour the sides.  I find it works better.  Pour the batter into the pan.  Cover and let rise for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sprinkle sugar on top of the cake.  Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes.  It should be golden and slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan.  A knife inserted into the cake should come out clean.

Cool if you can.  Eat!  The recipe called for dusting it with powdered sugar but between Blue and Bear I did not wish that mess.  Which is why I sprinkled it with sugar before I baked it.  

This is a make again cake.  Especially if I can start it the night before.  Tht does not always work around here but I can hope.  This would be a good traveling cake for me.  Not overly sweet.  Slightly breadish.  I could go a long way with this cake!  

I wonder how it might taste with chocolate added.....  Too many ideas!

asiago cheese bagels

Last week was wild.  I got back from my Dad's and there was a farmer's market to work the next day.  But it got rained out due to Tropical Storm Beta on its way.  The Monday night market got cancelled.  And Koda Bear brought a sniffly cold back from his Dad's.  I am still healing from that.  Computer work did not happen last week.

Bagels did though.  Twice because they were requested.  Also, because the recipe only makes eight which is not very overwhelming.  

I used Joshua Weissman's bagel recipe on YouTube.  I found it really clear and straightforward.  But could I help tweaking?  Nope.

How did I change his recipe?  Sourdough instead of instant dried yeast.  About a third of a pound of asiago cheese.  10 grams of salt.  Because of the sourdough, the rising times and resting time were about three times as long.  But everything else was the same.  They are so good!

Asiago Cheese Bagels

Note: The link above is of Joshua Weissman's recipe and directions.  It is a really good how to.  I am writing this here more so I do not have to keep looking up the recipe!  And I can add in my sourdough times.

500g bread flour (about 3.5 cups)

23g white sugar (about 1.5 tablespoons)

1 to 3 tablespoons sourdough (refresh your jar!)

297g warm water @90 degrees Fahrenheit (about 320 ml)

10 g salt (1.5 teaspoons)

.3 pound of asiago cheese

1 egg, beaten

In a medium bowl, mix the sourdough, water, and about half the flour together.  Let sit, covered, in a warm spot until bubbly.  It will look like pancake batter.  In my cold house, this was close to eight hours.

Mix in the sugar, salt, cheese, and the most of the rest of the flour.  Keep about a half cup of the flour back for kneading.  The cheese will make up for some of that but you want a stiff soft dough.  The dough should be pretty rough. Turn out of the bowl on a clean surface and knead until smooth.  This will be about ten minutes.  Form the dough into a ball.

Wash the bowl you used.  Coat with oil.  Put the dough in the bowl.  Turn it over so it is all covered with oil.  Cover and let rise until double.  It took about three hours in my kitchen.

When double, cut into eight equal pieces.  Roll each into a ball.  Flour your thumb and index finger.  Push through a ball of dough and create an inch hole.  Do to each ball of dough.  Place on a silicon or parchment covered baking sheet.  Let rest 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  When the water has boiled, keep it boiling gently and add about four bagels a time to the pot.  Let them boil one minute.  Turn over, and let boil a minute on that side.  Place back on the baking sheet.  Repeat with the other bagels.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat the egg.  Brush each bagel with the beaten egg.  This gives the bagel a shiny look.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden.  

So  good!  And this recipe just feels easy.

well, maybe not

So the failure in process for the making knife scales ended up with a couple of very pretty bolsters.  The boyos were pretty excited.  They also felt the material I made from fiberglass resin polished up nicer then some of the resin scales they get from other companies. 

It will be interesting to see how everything moves forward.  I actually started another loaf of this material with different colors.  The biggest problem is the fumes that come off of it!

I also worked on a chefs roll this week.  It is a custom order.  It took almost a whole cow hide and felt like a body work out to maneuver the leather while I was sewing it.  The boyos want one for stock and maybe one for knife transport.

It turned out really well.  It has room for eight knives.  All with fairly large handles.  It can fit a knife that is a about 17 inches long.  I also put in a pocket for storage and four pen holders.  The pen holders can hold a sharpie which is used a lot in a professional kitchen.

It closes with straps and D rings.  It also has a shoulder strap.  I was worried about the measurements for that strap but I thought it fit me well.

It was nice to make something other then face masks.  But I kind of would like to make something even more creative.  As I told my Dad today, I may not work full time but I work every day. 

I would like to take some time to play with plant dyes.  It has been on the back burner since face mask production started.  I am also trying to spin more and dye fiber.  All the autumn fiber fairs I am insterested in are virtual.  Which I just cannot do.  It is part of my normal autumn so I have to figure out how to do autumn without them.  And have it feel right.  Maybe I will read the book Tam Lin.  That book has an autumnal feel to me.

catastrophic failure

I have been playing with resin to make knife scales.  That is what the bits are called before they are put on a knife to become a  handle.  It has been interesting.  I do get to play with color.  I get a chance to make a contribution to the business.  But the first pass was a catastrophic failure.  The containers I was mixing resin in lost their bottoms and there was resin all over the counter.  But one bolster set was had.  

I started another batch of resin this last week.  It did not fail in the form of eating the containers so I got the resin into the silicone mold.  It is fiberglass resin so I do not need to put it into a vacuum pot or a pressure pot.  Just wait.  It is very smelly though so it is in the Tea House setting.  I will see how it comes out later this week.  I have a feeling once the smell dissipates, it will be close to hard.  I will see what that one looks like.  I am going to change the resin I am working with but that requires a vacuum.  It is on its way.

Contributing is good.  But I admit that when I am looking at colors, I am really looking at plants more.  On my walks in the morning, I am looking at seed pods and wondering what they would do on fabric.  My thoughts are I might of Koda Bear experiment with me.  I may also take some fabric to my Dad's with me next week and see what could happen. 

I am also waiting for plums to ripen so I can make jam.  The plum jam is a toast favorite but it is also an ingredient I have started to use in savory dishes.  I need to see how much I can make.  I have started to see how many bushes I can find on my walk.

My weeks have been such that I am wondering what this one will bring.