Christmas Dinner

Lest you believe all I do is read and play with yarn, I cook as well.




We stayed home this Xmas. Fresh from my last round of holiday baking (chocolate peppermint chews, s'mores cookies, pistachio lime balls, chocolate dipped mocha cutouts, cranberry white chocolate drops, to name a few), I made a pretty fine round of meals for the in-laws. Friday dinner was a rotini-tomato bake with pine nutes, basil and cheese, garlic bread, and a salad. Saturday morning was an almond tea ring.



Then, dinner. The menu was from various issues of Fine Cooking (as a charter subscriber, I have every copy, as well as several of their seasonal publications). I roasted a whole beef tenderloin in a salt crust. I served it with orange dijon green beans, carrots with shallots, and served a sourdough. For dessert, it was a steamed gingerbread cake with an egg nog creme anglais.

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/recipes/beef-tenderloin-roasted-salt-crust.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/recipes/braised-carrots-shallots.aspx?nterms=50044,50280,53160&ac=fp

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/recipes/steamed-coriander-gingerbread-eggnog-creme-anglaise.aspx?ac=fp


For Xmas dinner today, Bon Appetit will provide the meal. I'm making apple-sage cornish game hens, a pilaf, and ginger creme brulee.

Nancy learns a new skill

Up to this point, I was ambivalent about crochet. I think most of the stitches are ugly and I think granny squares are hideous. Of late, however, I've seen designs done by creative sorts that are just lovely.

And, crochet makes lace easily.

So, I've studied it. I have a few beginner books. Crochet pattern reading makes little sense to me. I still haven't figured out what a "post" is. I have managed to figure out the "front loop" and the "back loop" and single, double, and triple crochet (which I find to be misnamed, as single crochet requires two moves, double requires three, triple requires four).

I found a pattern for a shrug in the fall issue of Interweave Crochet. I've bought some crochet magazines and just flipped through. This shrug, however, was rated for beginners (most patterns are at least intermediate and thus way beyond me). I decided to try it since gauge isn't crucial for it. I used a smaller yarn for a more lacey effect.

I finished it over Thanksgiving, but I didn't get the ends right (instead of a rectangle, I had a warped trapezoid). I yanked it out and am redoing it. I did a lot of it during a CLE (which are forced upon me so that I can retain my license -- don't get me started on what a waste CLE is and how it's nothing more than a monetary boondoggle for bar associations) and on an Amtrak ride from Chicago to Alton.

Band Concert

(P.S. -- I do know about paragraph usage. For some reason, Blogger keeps running everything together on some of my posts, despite my zillions of attempts to edit them). My local programmer taught me how to force them. Point is, Blogger is very buggy and should be doing this automatically all the time, not just on some posts.

Forgive the bad pictures. I was far away and had trouble getting the shot. But anyway, Robert started playing trumpet. Andrew played the same instrument in his youth.

We went to the school's band concert -- his school is in Godfrey. I worked at home that day, so I picked him up and got him there on time. Andrew met us there from work.

The parking lot was jam-packed and the event very well attended, despite the fact it was cold and rainy that night.

I remember these days well. Both Valerie and I were in band. I was also in choir. I remember playing whole songs, though, whereas the orchestra and band played the first verse of several numbers.

Robert's school has a big orchestra (appeared to be about 50 kids) a big choir (about 50 kids) and a small band (closer to 20 kids). One of the drummers was a kid who looked about 13. Robert told us later that kid is his friend with whom he's been in class since Kindergarten. We noted that it's good to have a big friend.

The orchestra director appeared to me to be a bit high strung. She stopped the whole procedure when a violin player dropped her violin, bow, and music. The band director, Mr. Banks, on the other hand, was far more laid back. He appeared to be in his 50's, so he's not a rookie and knew he was dealing with kids.

The choir was pretty good. All the kids in all three groups had been told to wear white shirts and black pants. One boy in the choir, though, wore the sharpest suit I'd ever seen. It was cream colored check, a 3/4 length single-breated coat, and a sharply knotted tie with a tie bar. You won't find too many boys willing to go all out, to make a fashion choice. I couldn't get a good shot of it.

We got dinner at the Applebee's and then I took him home.

Explain this to me

Last week I found out that Britney Spears has a sister. And that sister, who appears as idiotic and talentless as her pathetic bimbo sister, is 16 and knocked up. And this is all over every news site everywhere. While the irony of their mother having a Christian parenting book deal is mystifying (but inasmuch as Jessica Simpson's father was a minister before pimping out his own utterly talentless daughters, it appears it's perfectly Christian to pimp out your daughters so that you never have to work again, while turning them into desperately unhappy, emotionally crippled shells of humans who make any number of bad choices in order to ease the pain), here's what I don't get:

There is a slaughter in Darfur, yet everyone is talking about some idiot girl who got knocked up (yes, Mama Spears, good job with that Christian abstinence only parenting).

Oscar Peterson died. Oscar Peterson actually contributed something to the arts. And this barely gets a mention while everyone wonders what will become of some idiot pregnant bimbo.

In Mission-Accomplished land, more suicide bombings and soldiers and civilians continue to die for a stupid neocon theory of the Middle East. No one does anything about that, while we concern ourselves with whether Spears the Younger will stay in Hollywood or go back to whatever hick southern state they are from.

Is it me?

Fun in the Snow

Last week we got about 6 inches of snow. This worked out well. The previous week Andrew and Robert got our tree at a lot way out past Shiloh, because the proprietor kicked a few bucks back to BBBS for every tree. It rained that day, so we couldn't decorate the tree then. We let it dry out in the garage, and then put it up. While Andrew went to Alton for our assistant, I stripped off the dead branches and needles, making a complete mess. But the tree settled in nicely.

So after the snow, we decorated the tree, including the things we made at the BBBS party a few weeks ago. Then, we went outside to attempt a snowman. The snow was too dry for that, so we settled for snowball fights. I nailed Andrew in the face.

I made cocoa (from scratch, thank you). We sipped cocoa, ate s'mores cookies (one of Robert's fave snacks is S'mores -- smart boy) which I made from the leftover ingredients for s'mores from a few weeks ago, played video games (like Guitar Hero. I stink.), and had fun.

More stuff my needles have done

The first one is a beautiful alpaca kimono. The yarn called for is expensive stuff (Classic Elite Inca Alpaca) and one color is already discontinued. Had I used it, it would have cost about $250. I substituted Frog Tree Alpaca, which is not only reasonably priced, it is produced by a cooperative in Peru, so one can feel good about it. I got the colors pretty close, and had to fake the yellow striping, but I think it worked well regardless. I've been looking at projects not for color or style, but construction technique. This one is done in two pieces, armhole to middle, then joined. From the Fall 2006 issue of Knitter's. I got really p.o'd at them, however, because the yarn amounts in the magazine are wrong. This caused me to overbuy two colors, and have to buy more of two others. My suggestion to them that they actually hire editors, ones who bother to read the pattern and make sure it's correct, got no response.

The next one is from the last issue of Vogue Knitting. It worked up quickly with one easy cable down the middle on size 11 needles. The yarn was on sale on elann.com, a soy/wool blend called Gianna. It's soft as a baby's behind but was warm on my legs as I put it together. It didn't look the same on me as it does on the model, but that is probably due to the fact I have a female's body, as opposed to one reminiscent of a teenage boy. It's nifty nonetheless, and the friend who got it will have an original design that no one else in Farmington MO will have.

At the BBBS Xmas Party

It was pretty much the same as last year -- same food, same crafts. It was at the same place -- Southwest IL College, the Granite campus. The music was better -- the DJ was in my generation, and he played the stuff Robert's mother and I sang to.

This year they had gift bags -- not nearly as neat as picking your own present, which they had last year. They had face painting. I had a wreath done and then Robert felt okay about getting some face art. And then, Tina and Keyani joined in the electric slide.

Weekends in Wisconsin

I like Wisconsin. I could easily live there.

Over the weekend we went to stay in a remote cottage. It's one of the last things FLW designed.

http://www.sethpeterson.org/

I thought Drew would like peace, quiet, no phones, no TV. It's on Mirror Lake.

It's my idea of camping, complete with a bed, shower, heat, hot water, stove, Subzero fridge, Thermador oven/micro, Guggenheim collection stoneware, and Kitchenaid cookware.

We drove up 55, picked up 39 in Bloomington, and stopped to eat at the Machine Shed in Rockford.

http://www.machineshed.com/restaurants/rockford.asp

It's sort of a midwest Cracker Barrell (shopping in the front), but with better food. I'd hate to work there. They have to wear overalls and a hokey red gingham shirt. But the food is good and plentiful. Among the sides from which you can choose are sweet potato fries, which I just love.

Then, we debate on getting gas in IL or WI. As it happens, we get it in Rockford because that seemed easier, but it's cheaper in WI. Then, because the entire section of 39 in Rockford is under construction (and has been for years) the signage is confusing and we end up blowing through the toll. We are clearly not alone, as there are signs for paying your toll on line.

We then stop in Madison at Whole Paycheck for our food. You know, I'm confused by the marketing strategy. Whole Foods stores are always too small and way too crowded. I'm not going to browse and impulse buy if I can't even negotiate my cart. That place was packed, and every one I've ever been in is. If you're out there, Whole Foods, I'll make an effort to shop at Whole Foods if you give me room to do it. In a lot of ways I prefer it and will pay the extra for the food, but not if you make me uncomfortable and stressed out before I get out of the produce section.

Food and beer obtained. We drive about 30-45 more minutes. We get there. We unpack, Andrew gets a fire going, and we eat. The radio in the cottage gets three NPR stations (that's Wisconsin for you). He got some sort of andouille sausage, I got spinach and feta (they were chicken, but it's still sausage -- it is Wisconsin, you know). I relax, and then fall fast asleep (since I got little the night before, because someone who snores doesn't think he has a problem).

I get up, make some joe on a coffeemaker just like the one I have, except there are no filters. But that's why God invented paper towels. I watch the sun rise through the many windows as I pad around on the heated slate floor.

In leisurely time Andrew gets up. He cooks breakfast (oats, eggs, sausage, juice, coffee). He goes fishing. I read, knit, do crosswords, sip tea. He returns and naps, despite having slept for nine hours already. I don't understand sleeping much more than 7 or 8 hours.

I fix a bit of soup, some salad, some cheese, and leftover sausage for a snack.

He fishes, I read, knit, and do crosswords.

We fix dinner. We eat dinner. We sit before the roaring fireplace. We read.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......................................................................

We get up the next morning, make breakfast (french toast, juice, cocoa, eggs). We have to leave. Boo.

We stop north of Madison for cheese. This was his idea, interesting since when we first met he couldn't understand why anyone ate so much cheese. But then, Dad turned him on to the meat sticks and string cheese, and I got him turned on to curds.

The first place, Ehlenbach's, is closed.

http://www.explorewisconsin.com/ehlenbachscheese/

We find the Mousehouse.

http://www.explorewisconsin.com/mousehousecheesehouse/index.asp

The proprietor is a nice man, and recommends a few things. We leave with cheese and meat.

And so, to home. At least I got the hour that spring stole back.

What I did in the car in New Mexico and Illinois

The Mohair Cowl Pullover from the Winter 2004 Interweave Knits.

Mohair, big needles, all in the round, for almost no finishing work.

I used Le Fibre Nobili Imperiale, which is what the pattern specified. I even used the color specified (but only because I love rich, deep browns).

More of what my needles have done lately

I've gotten into doing patterns for construction techniques.

First is the Princess Pullover from The Knitting Experience -- Book 3. I saw no reason to sew on buttons, as the pattern suggests. Instead, I chose to do it in a three-color. The yarn is Berroco Lullaby. The construction is interesting in terms of where stitches are picked up on the back and sides. The sleeves are not sewn in to shoulders; rather, they form a saddle which are connected to the front and meet in the middle of the back. You then attach the collar.

http://www.berroco.com/shade_cards/lullaby_sh.html

http://www.stitchesmarket.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=7199

The next one: I had a devil of a time getting a decent picture that showed the whole sweater. It's a basic cardigan, but with a cabled scarf for the neck. It's from the Fall 2006 Vogue. I used Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Coal. One knits the body and sleeves in the usual way. The cable scarf is done separately and attached.

Next was a find on elann.com. I love that site. Great high quality yarn, rock bottom prices. This was ON Line Linie 44 - Ravenna. A nice cotton blend, light and easy to work with. I modified the pattern by doing it in the round rather than in pieces.

http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=ON+line+Linie+44+%2D+Ravenna&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=+Order+By+Shortgauge&Count=33

Finally, this was my prized perfect work of the year. I found some cheap Classic Elite Classic Silk.

http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/product_page_detail.php?category_id=1&item_id=26

The pattern is from Knitter's 2006. It looks hard, but it's in fact a super simple repeat lace. The yarn is soft, and it fits me beautifully.

Things my needles think about while I sleep

http://www.knittinguniverse.com/flash/knitters/GalleryDetail.php?IssueNum=80&ID=513

Using yarn I bought at Knitting in Scottsdale. I found a bag of Plymouth Tweed 5315 (a burgundy) for half off, and stuffed it into my luggage. I bought the contrasting yellow.

Punkin' carvin'

You can't see Drew's very well -- it's a gravesite. I'll try to get a better picture of it tonight.

Mine is the vampire going for the woman's neck.

Robert did the alien.

I thought they were all pretty cool.

What my needles have been doing lately

The first one is from the Summer 2004 Knitter's. About a year after I started knitting, my aunts gave me all their yarn. One didn't knit much anyway, and the other who did had moved on to other hobbies. Among the items found was a huge cache of high quality Italian merino wool. There were about 12 balls of the blue, some of which I'd used for a sweater for my sister-in-law. There were about 15 of partial balls of various colors. This pattern cried out for that yarn. I think it worked well.

http://www.knittinguniverse.com/flash/knitters/GalleryDetail.php?IssueNum=75&ID=385

The second one is from the Fall 2006 Knitter's. I found the yarn on eBay. It isn't often I used precisely what is called for, but this pattern cried out for it. I'd used 127 print before and liked it.

http://www.knittinguniverse.com/flash/knitters/GalleryDetail.php?IssueNum=84&ID=595

The second one is from an ad I cut out of a paper somewhere. Again, I used what was called for, but only because I found it half price at WEBs. It's Nashua Equinox Stripe, a fluffy bulky weight yarn. It was nice to use.

http://www.yarndex.com/yarn.cfm?yarn_id=2916

Fun with Mustard

First, we go to the Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb.

http://www.mustardweb.com/

The owner/curator is a lawyer who recovered. He also has a very cute, dry sense of humor. This place was lots of fun.

There are millions of mustards and some cute T-shirts. There is a mustard series called The Tailgate. Each bottle is branded in some college. Believe it or not, I found Mississippi State mustard. Andrew was so happy to get that stupid bottle of mustard.

The House on the Rock

And now, for the Anti-FLW.

I never thought I'd see anything tackier than Graceland. My GOD, Elvis had bad taste.

As it happens, Alex Jordan's was worse. WAAAY worse.

The House on the Rock is the ugliest, tackiest place ever. And it is set back in the woods in Spring Green, on much nicer grounds than Taliesin. It's an affront to God to put something this ugly in the woods.

http://www.thehouseontherock.com/

The first picture is the cantilevered walk. It was mildly interesting.

The rest is just a portrait in ugly. That man had serious mental issues. Mere words cannot describe how god-awful that place was. And it cost $11 to see it.