FRENCH PICKLES

My favorite things

2011-12-31T07:31:00.001-05:00

As the year draws to a close, we're finally getting a breather. Today we're off for a week. Up to Rochester to see my family. A cousins get together that occurs each year on New Year's Day. Then on to Parry Sound, Ontario to see Pentti's 94 year old mom. It's a family time and a respite from the soapmaking world.

I've been making soap, lots of it for the past 2 weeks, stocking up for the new year ahead. As I worked, I was thinking about some of my favorite soapmaking things!

My soapmaking bucket (the white one...with no handle) Every time I pour soap from the orange bucket, the handle flips over and I end up pouring soap all over the handle!

My extra long rubber scraper/mixer, a gift from my friends at Chivas Goat Milk Skin Care
Just like my other heat resistant red handled scraper...but longer! No more getting lost in the bucket!

My nitrile, chemical-resistant gloves from a company called Certified Lye. (the blue ones) I love these and they last forever.

Unlike the grocery store gloves (ie. the yellow ones) that get holes or slits in them. ( I've been through so many pairs) or the disposable gloves (not a fan of anything disposable)

Just a reminder that sometimes its the little things that make us the happiest!

So, Happy New Year! Hoping for the best for all of you in the year ahead.

We're back...

2011-11-14T11:52:00.003-05:00

rested and relaxed and almost caught up on orders. Just one more to go and we'll be done.

So if you ordered while we were away...it's comin' to ya!

Wish I was caught up on soap making...

Creekside is on Vacation

2011-11-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

We're out of town for a few days. If you want to place an order you can do so on the website and we'll begin shipping again on Nov. 14.

Orders will be filled in the order received.

Thanks for your patience!

Susan and Pentti

I've had a little help

2011-11-04T20:01:00.008-04:00

Jessica was just here for 3 weeks from Atlanta to visit and to help me in the soap workshop.

She lined soap molds, packaged candles, wrapped soap, kept track of inventory. She also decided that my work space needed some organization.

She's a great organizer. (read that: what's this?? when was the last time you used it??)

And, she didn't like the way we've been storing our soap wrapping paper.

We've always cut the big sheets into strips that fit the paper cutter.

Then we store those strips in a cardboard box with dividers until we're ready to cut bar size pieces on the cutter. It's worked for me for the last 6 years or so.

I guess it was a little messy and I was always flipping through to see how much paper was left of each king. Jess had Pentti make extra shelves for the books shelf....and voila!

And there's the paper cutter right on top! How convenient.

Boy, could I use a full time assistant like Jess!

Bad news soapmakers

2011-09-29T10:00:00.003-04:00

The price of lumber is skyrocketing like everything else. (More than 30% in the past month!)

If you use rose geranium essential oil in your soap, you'll know what happened to that, too!

We had to stop making that soap (one of our best sellers) When the price went from $130/lb to $250/lb....we just couldn't cover the increase....or charge that much for the soap!

So....we have to raise the price of our soap dishes.

The price increase has gone to the webmaster. It will be effective as soon as it goes up.

Devastation

2011-08-29T15:10:00.007-04:00

This is the beautiful Stoneledge Farm in the Hudson Valley of New York State where our CSA vegetables are grown.

This is what is looks like today after Hurricane Irene was finished with us up here in the Northeast.

10 to 14 inches of rain...the National Guard called in...severe flooding. What a shame.

The summer garden

2011-08-11T11:20:00.010-04:00

Sarah was up here on Tuesday for a tiny motor vehicle glitch.

After a quick trip to the DMV....we had a lovely lunch in Mahopac at the Freight House Cafe.
Delicious homemade, healthy food.

Back home, she made and photographed flower arrangements all afternoon. Then cooked a luscious dinner of lamb sausage, raita, and grilled zucchini.

My guests last night thought my porch looked like a flower shop. She brought some flowers with her from the shop, but lots were just cut from my wild garden. The extras she brought from the shop, and left here, looked like an arrangement as it was. So, I put it on my front steps!

Mah Jongg at the Lake

2011-07-27T10:29:00.007-04:00

Sorry, friends. I've been out of touch.
Been making lots of soap to stay ahead so I could take time off and play Mah Jongg for a week at the lake.

And here I am!
At a lovely home on Owasco Lake in the Finger Lakes of NY State.

Playing marathon Mah Jongg and doing other fun vacation related stuff.
Be back soon.

Gooseberries and Red Currants

2011-07-07T18:12:00.004-04:00

Gooseberries and Red Currants in the CSA share.
Friends coming for dinner.
Too hot to bake.

Solution: Gooseberry Fool adapted with some Red Currant Puree.

Only a small pint of gooseberries, so I added some raspberries and some of the red currant puree....
I also tried the red currant vinaigrette. The jury's still out on that.
But the Fool was yummy....

here's what I think happened....

2011-07-04T15:20:00.005-04:00

my cat chased the chipmunk into the pool

the cat couldn't get the chipmunk once he was in the pool...so he swam until he couldn't swim any longer...OR...he found a way out on the steps

Exhausted he rested while I went to get my camera

then he took off

and here's why I won't go into the pachysandra or tall grass to weed the garden:

yikes a snake
so afraid I'll step on one

scary soapmaking

2011-06-29T15:26:00.007-04:00

Two things scare me about soapmakers. (novice soapmakers)

1. when they tell me their recipe calls for 1/2 cup of lye

2. when they want to start a business and sell soap but they haven't actually MADE any soap yet.

I'm not trying to say that soapmaking is hard....but it does take a bit of practice to get it right and make a product worth selling.
AND if you don't know that all ingredients for accurate soapmaking have to be measured by WEIGHT...on a GOOD SCALE...they you shouldn't be making soap.

A customer once called me to ask why her soap was coming out crumbly and dry. (A sure sign of too much lye) She said she had taken a soapmaking class and the instructor taught them to measure ingredients using tablespoons and cups. Uh Oh....not good! I told here she needed a scale...and fast.

Today a potential customer called to ask about our molds. She was starting a business and as we talked told me that she dissolved her lye in oils. LYE dissolved in OIL? I don't think so. Ever.
Lye dissolves in water. COLD water. Actually I don't think she had ever made soap, because you can't dissolve lye in oil.

So...lets face it. There is lots of misinformation out there on the 'internets'
And, a lot of folks making and teaching about soap who don't have their facts straight.

I've been making soap for about 15 years. You're welcome to ask questions in the comment section here and I'll post the answer....or email me.

And, while you're browsing the net, here's a reliable site about soapmaking!

Kathy Miller's Soap Pages

And if you really want to learn about all aspects of soapmaking, join the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild and attend one of their annual conferences! This is the best way yet!!

Remember...there is no soap without lye...but you need to be very careful with that lye. It's caustic until you turn it into SOAP!

wine in the afternoon....

2011-06-25T13:42:00.005-04:00

I taught soapmaking in the late 90s through the continuing education program in my school district. It was delightful to teach adults and I met wonderful people who took to the art of saponification like a ducks to water.

Victoria was one of my students. She went to live in Paris 8 years ago, and I haven't seen her since Sarah and I were in Paris in 2005. She has returned to the states and we had some leisurely time to catch up and have lunch yesterday.

She is now working as a LMT, but coming from 8 years in France, I knew I needed help choosing the best wine for lunch. I called ahead to the wine store and asked for recommendations before sending Pentti off to make the purchase.

So...2 bottles of Greek wine, Greek salad, and grilled sausage...and interesting conversation and a lovely day was complete.

3 week of CSA....

2011-06-23T11:53:00.002-04:00

and what to do with Mustard Greens?

I started with this epicurious recipe for Simmered Greens with Cornmeal Dumplings.

Instead of slab bacon, I used about 3 slices...sauteed with onions and garlic...and then added some water and proceeded as written.

I made the dumplings as the recipe was written....and they came out scrumptious! Comfort food for a cool spring night.

a cool day in June

2011-06-14T14:13:00.005-04:00

and I'm looking for two things:

Something to warm me up (it's 66 degrees here, but feels cooler)
And a way to use the mustard greens that came in our first CSA share this week

Both accomplished with Simmered Greens with Cornmeal Dumplings!

With a few adaptations!

I used 3 strips of thick cut bacon, 1 large vidalia onion, and 2 crushed cloves of garlic and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper. Sauteed and then added 2 cups of water. Right now it simmering on the stove, waiting for the greens.

I'll chop the greens and add them after about an hour of simmering the 'pot likker'...and cook them about 30 minutes more. Then do the dumplings!

Hope it's as good as it sounds to me right now.
Will report back later.
I'm off to get a sweater!

about being a soapmaker

2011-06-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

Everywhere you go people think you smell good. In office max today, the clerk wondered what smelled so good when she was ringing up my order. I told her it was me...that I'm a soapmaker.

The bank teller says my deposit slips always smell so nice.

When I get into someone's car they ask...what is that perfume? I don't wear any....

It has its perks. We always have soap, though you'll catch us using tiny slivers when we could have a full bar!

My new favorite

2011-06-10T13:15:00.003-04:00

Sarah planted this last summer. Mock Orange. Philadelphus Virginalis.
We put it right by the screened porch so all could enjoy the fragrance.
What a lovely bloomer....hundreds of pure white flowers filling the air with their sweet smell!

I want a couple of more to put right into that bed of pachysandra.

does it take this kind of village?

2011-06-09T07:09:00.002-04:00

OK. This came from a retired friend who's trying to decide where, in Florida, she will settle down. She's trying The Villages right now.

I'll be staying in NY State!

Game of Thrones

2011-06-05T13:49:00.001-04:00

Watching the HBO series while reading the book....the TV version can be confusing. The book helps to fill in the details. I'm loving both.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

View all my reviews

Dos and Don'ts of Gardening

2011-05-28T09:20:00.006-04:00

So, if your tomato plants looked like this after 2 weeks in the garden....after you'd started them lovingly from heirloom seeds in little pots in February....Would you wonder if maybe those little 'peat' pots were not made to go directly into the garden with the seedling?

So...they've all been dug up this morning, 'cardboard' torn off, and replanted. Now to get the dirt from under my nails before the wedding today!

after the rain

2011-05-20T18:01:00.004-04:00

A short hiatus from rain (which we've had since Sunday) allowed me to get out in the garden to find:
Arugula ready to pick....Radishes loving the cool weather. Stones are to keep the cats from lying down on the plants!
A cactus which Linda gave me last fall. I planted it, even though I didn't think it would survive the winter. It did. Then looked pretty ugly...until I noticed little cacti babies all over it.
And...for Sarah. Our newest Iris. Do we know the name? Could it be Darling?

Walk on By....

2011-05-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

Aren't they cute?? Until you have 30-40 of them using the pond as a breeding ground and then a summer resort! They don't fly north to Canada any more....like they're supposed to, but stay all season!

Goose sh*t everywhere. For some reason they don't like my yard. They walk right on by and up to the neighbors. I guess the grass is greener there.

But, I'll take them over the groundhog that's enjoying the young leaves on my brand new coral bells!

Flowers inside and out

2011-04-25T10:03:00.004-04:00

Sarah and Eric returned from a trip upstate to spend a couple of days. On Sunday I had Sarah's help planting all flowers we bought last week. These are a few of the additions to the perennial beds.

A Chaenomeles (flowering quince called Cameo)...and a new sedum variety called Voodoo amidst a circle of ajuga that's just getting started for the year.
a new Spirea called 'mellow yellow' right in the center of mass of Lamium.

Finishing the shade garden that I started last year....in front two kinds of Epimedium: white queen and pink elf. Next row, Heuchera (coral bells) and behind them, Tiarella (bottle brush). There are also Japanese Painted Ferns and Astilbe and Hostas that are just coming up.

Now to update the flower map. I keep a detailed schematic of all of the plantings so I know where to look for things as they come up in the spring.

And finally a leg of lamb dinner with a centerpiece Sarah put together with some prunings from the Magnolia that we watched open into full flower as the day progressed.

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T16:54:00.001-04:00

Power to the Sun!

The False Friend

2011-04-22T15:46:00.000-04:00

The False Friend by Myla Goldberg was the book club selection this month. I really liked the book. Not everyone in our group did. I guess we were split about 50/50.

I loved her perceptive description of how our 'adult selves' become adolescent again when we return to our family. Her description of the parent/adult child relationship is well done.

I also loved the way that her memories of the past and one incident in particular were reviewed, researched and altered as she sought out those from childhood to confirm what she thought was true.

Take your time if you read this. It's an interesting and thoughtful book.

Next month: Three Stages of Amazement by Carol Edgarian

Let the planting begin!

2011-04-20T21:19:00.001-04:00

Sarah and I took a road trip out to Atlantic Nurseries in Dix Hills this morning and this is just part of my haul:

Pansies...I know they're annuals...but they were just so pretty!

From Left: Chaenomeles speciosa "cameo"(flowering quince) , Spiraea thunbergii 'ogon', hydrangea "Tokyo delight", hydrangea paniculata "little lamb",ivy, 2 pink clematis and a new hellebore: Ivory Prince.

And finally, several new irises, Epimedium Grandiflorum:white queen, Epimedium: pink elf, tiarella timbuktu (bottle brush), Stonecrop sedum, and asarum canadense (wild ginger) which I've been trying to find for ages. Also tulips and some new lavender plants to replace the ones that I had to remove after 12 years.

Sarah got some plants for the shop and some for her front stoop garden. AND...we fit it all in the back of my Prius!

Helleborous and Pulsatilla vulgaris

2011-04-20T11:33:00.000-04:00

Hellebores popping way up in the garden this week. Also called the Lenten or Christmas Rose...they are here in plenty of time for Lent.

Then peeking out behind the hellebore (see her tiny blue head above) I found this little beauty the other day. She was in full bloom, with a bright yellow center but now she's moping about the rain!

Lots coming up in the garden now!

Spring basket

2011-04-19T11:30:00.002-04:00

These blue babies are on their way to Atlanta in a box of sweet treats for Jessica. This won't ruin the surprise....she doesn't read my blog. Though if she did, she know a lot more about what's going on up north!

it's official

2011-04-09T14:26:00.004-04:00

When the weather gets warm enough to clean up the porch from the winter and sit outside with a coffee, spring is officially here!

Got my gardens all cleaned up too. Just so Rae Kwan could enjoy the dirt.

I want to join....

2011-04-06T13:53:00.008-04:00

Clarisse and my potential tomato plants today...and just lay in the sun.

But instead, I'm going out to see about getting this chair restored. This was a wedding gift to my grandparents, Wallace and Susie and I think it still has lots of good years left in it! It's also a very comfortable rocker.
So here are Wally and Susie. They were married on January 1, 1912. I never met Susie. She died in 1945. But that is where my name comes from. I remember my grandpa quite well. He died in 1960 when I was 12 and he looks amazingly like my brother!

I wish I knew who gave them the rocker.

a litte extra time and lots of soap

2011-04-04T17:36:00.000-04:00

This is "family soap." Soap ends that are cut from the ends of our soap logs.
Can't wrap them to sell. We use it ourselves, give it to friends. We box it up and donate boxes to shelters and the local food pantry.

But...they still seems to multiply like they were coming from a magic pot.

So the other day I made these favors to give to friends when I entertained. A soap dish in the bottom of the bag....a stack of soap in pretty earthy colors all tied up with a string and a label on the bottom telling what kind of soap was in the stack

April 2, 2011

2011-04-02T15:35:00.004-04:00

Time to plant tomatoes. Last year I planted to early (Feb.) This year I'm a bit late. First the seeds go into the peat pots.

Then into a make shift green house until they sprout.

Then out of the bag and into sunlight.

BTW....Yesterday Pentti and I celebrated 31 years of marriage. I looked all afternoon for the snapshot of our wedding. Sarah wanted to see it. I came across it a sometime last year...but who knows where it is now. Maybe next year.

Yes, we just have a snapshot. We were married by a justice of the peace with one witness. My friend Lorraine has always joked that she was both our matron of honor AND our best man!

More sun, please...

2011-03-30T15:47:00.003-04:00

Enjoying a very sunny day...but they're talking about snow Thursday and Friday. Enough already!

It's almost April for heavens sake!

morus helleborus

2011-03-20T19:21:00.001-04:00

Here are the results of my pruning. Hope I didn't overdo it. We'll see how they look in a couple of weeks. More about these lovelies here.

Sarah and I will be celebrating the Vernal Equinox @ Perilla when spring (and this post) arrive tonight at 7:21 PM

7:21 PM

2011-03-19T11:40:00.004-04:00

Sunday night....Spring arrives here in the Hudson Valley.

Here's proof in my garden:
So this newly sprouting Hellebore (lovely in pink!) has all kinds of old worn leaves around it....
here's what to do about that!

The tiles were in my favor.....

2011-03-14T15:51:00.006-04:00

So, I had my Mah Jongg mojo on yesterday at the Manhattan Mah Jongg Tournament.

Came in first. Didn't see that coming!

It was a fun weekend. Went into the city on Sat. afternoon with Barbara. Met Rachel for dinner and stayed at the Marriott East Side. Got up early Sunday for the tournament in the West Village.
We've been there a few times...always fun!

More about Manhattan MJ on Facebook!

cooking day

2011-03-03T15:08:00.005-05:00

Caught up on soap?? That hardly ever happens....but what an opportunity to cook all afternoon.

I was out last night and the hostess served a delectable Irish Soda Bread with dinner. Just happened to have all of the ingredients so started with this. Don't even bother with a recipe that doesn't have buttermilk. Then made Turkey Scaloppine for tonight's dinner. I did adapt this recipe a bit....no allspice or thyme...just salt and pepper. Don't think I'll add extra calories with cheese. Maybe I could call it Turkey in Wine Mushroom Sauce.And finally....cooked chicken to make my recipe for tomorrow night's pot luck at my house. It will be a chicken and brown rice casserole....eventually.
The bread is out of the oven and cooling...and I'm about ready for a cup of tea and a sample!

March 1 and Basil

2011-03-01T14:35:00.004-05:00

Could it be that this sage survived the winter we had? Found it when I ventured out into the yard this morning. Can spring be far behind?

I celebrated by taking a full size* bar of basil soap into the shower as a special treat....because is smells like spring to me.

*we usually only use small ends of cut logs....our 'family soap' that we can't sell.

imp of the perverse

2011-02-23T12:57:00.002-05:00

It's that feeling when standing on the brink of a high place.....that you could jump....if you wanted to....or even eat a poison berry when it's right there in your hand!

I would never jump. And Sarah wouldn't eat the berry, I don't think. But I do know the feeling described here.

ah, sweet mystery...

2011-02-19T18:29:00.002-05:00

it was 68 degrees in NYC as I drove to Brooklyn to have dinner with Sarah and Eric and deliver some soap. Down the west side...there were joggers in halter tops, cyclers, roller bladers, and walkers galore. Just enjoying a brief respite. Could spring be around the corner?

holiday from snow...

2011-02-02T18:33:00.003-05:00

I'm leaving this behind early tomorrow morning

for a long weekend in Puerto Rico. My two daughters have been planning a 10 day trip there for months. At the last minute I decided to join them for a couple of days. We'll spend the first two days in San Juan and then on Sat. they're off to Vieques, and I'll stay put, get some R & R and return home Monday night.

We've never been away together...just the 3 girls. Looking forward to it.

Back to soapmaking Monday night!

Game(s) Over

2011-01-30T16:48:00.004-05:00

Back home from an exhausting but fun weekend.

We met some friends that we know from the Manhattan tournament we play in and got to play 12 rounds of Mah Jongg plus an additional 4 rounds in the Sat. night mini tournament.
(each round is 4 games...you do the math)

There were 31 tables of Mah Jongg (that's 124 players)

And these folks have some fancy sets. Some are special colors like the one that looked like key lime pie:Or how about the fancy set that had the names of the owners grandchildren engraved on the jokers. Rules here. There are 8 jokers in a set. You can't have more than 8 grandkids, and they should come in multiples of 4 or 8. if you have 6...who gets their name on the 2 extra jokers. This can be very complicated. Frankly, I like the ones that say: JOKER.

If you are not sure exactly what the game of Mah Jongg is like....or where it came from take a few minutes and watch this:

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/video.

off for the weekend...

2011-01-28T14:42:00.004-05:00

I'm off to a Mah Jongg Tournament for the weekend....in Piscataway, NJ.

64 games from Friday night to Sunday morning, if you join the late night mini tournaments.
Sometimes I can't get enough Mah Jongg.

I'll report back on Sunday night.

Win or lose, it's a fun weekend!

Alive and well in winter

2011-01-27T07:53:00.005-05:00

It's been a long hiatus, but here I am, weathering yet another snow storm in the northeast. I've lost track, but think it's the 4th or 5th one....and January isn't over yet.

A good 'soap' day. I've been making soap nonstop for Saipua and keeping our little Creekside business tooling along, too.

This is me, trying to be a better blogger.

I'm Backkkkk....

2010-09-14T16:24:00.005-04:00

I've been so occupied with other things...the garden, overflowing with tomatoes, making soap so we wouldn't run out while I was away....AND packing to go away.

I'm in Northern Ireland with my brother, sightseeing and checking out our roots. My great grandfather came from Derry.

So, finally tonight I figured out how to blog from his computer, with my iPhone camera. My battery already ran out on my camera and I can't recharge it. Forgot the charger. His won't work on my battery.

So, here we are in Derry (Londonderry) at a place he booked which could be Faulty Towers!

John, bartender, got our drinks and entertained us with humorous stories....
(he even looks a bit like an older John Cleese...)

And...here's the bed you get when you're the older sister:

Ta, ta for now. Tomorrow we're off to the city of Derry and the Giant's Causeway.

Too Hot to Blog?

2010-07-25T09:12:00.003-04:00

I feel like we're living in the deep south. It's been hot for as long as I can remember. (well for the past month at least, with no relief)

I have air conditioning only in my workshop....so I've been working a lot.

Too hot to work in the garden, but here's what's happening there:
Remember this....from May
Now it looks like this....

That's a Giant Belgium...almost ripe:

And San Marzano plum tomatoes....for sauce:
I'm off to mix up lye for soap....where it's cool!

please bear with me....

2010-06-24T10:50:00.004-04:00

But I'm a sucker for Nea.
We played hooky today. Sarah and Eric came up with Nea to spend a day by the pool.
Not sure about entering via the steps.
Practicing the dog paddle.....before the race.
Nea jumps the gun.
Sarah's ahead by an arm.
Good dog!
Ohhh...shake off!

return to the first harvest

2010-06-15T20:27:00.003-04:00

I've been in Bermuda for a week...on a cruise.
My favorite way to relax and get away. Read lots of great books...including the final Millenium Book: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. Loved it!

Back to soapmaking and gardening!

Look at these beauties: French Breakfast Radishes!

How should I enjoy them??

With butter and salt as recommended by the LA TIMES?
or as Molly describes on Orangette?

a new soap mold...

2010-06-05T13:12:00.005-04:00

one that doesn't need to be lined!

Now that's something that I can get excited about! Here is the soap block that slid out of that new mold...with a new special coating that Pentti came up with.

You know how much more time I could have for Mah Jongg if I didn't have to fold the paper and line all of those molds??

Still a few kinks to work out.....but definitely going to work!
Good job, Pentti!

now that's what I'm talkin' about

2010-05-28T19:25:00.003-04:00

Finally...the unbearable heat on Wed. brought these beauties into full bloom! This is the 3rd year for these two peonies and they are spectacular this year.

Sarah arrived yesterday morning and we made our annual trip to Rudolph Gardens.
Bought a carload of gorgeous perennials and came back to my house to plant:

Mock Orange by the porch door so we can enjoy the lovely fragrance:
Yellow digitalis grows wild in my garden. Sarah planted some in and around the Etruscan pottery relic I found last year at Erie Basin! That's blue bell flower behind.
More yellow digitalis and a new variety added to it...
Sarah composed this lovely color combo with a red lupine, pink/yellow columbine behind some lambs ear...and more digitalis...and a euphorbia myrsinites on the rock...
We had a lovely day even though it was a bit of a busman's holiday for Sarah.

planting day

2010-05-22T16:58:00.004-04:00

It all finally came together today.

Nice weather, garden finally ready and the seedlings I started in February ready to go in the ground. I hope we have a good tomato year. I have 45 plants here.

Some cucumbers, too...and radishes and swiss chard seeds planted! Oh, my achin' back!

Here's a peak

2010-05-16T23:26:00.003-04:00

at my daughter Sarah in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Sunday Best

so excited to see it on the newstand today! A mom can brag a bit, can't she?

after 2 flower school classes....

2010-05-14T16:40:00.003-04:00

I'm ready to venture out on my own. I took a second class at the little flower school on the Saturday before Mother's Day....it was a mother/daughter class...so I 'had' to attend.
My arrangement from that day is gone....(OK I forgot to add water and then I wondered why it wilted)

But today I did one on my own. With some help from Saipua flowers that have been out on my 55 degree porch since Monday. And this time I changed the water and clipped the stems to keep them going.

So I started with a base of Mountain Laurel from my bush out by the front step. It needs to be pruned anyway:

Then I added some "show" flowers. Gorgeous tree peonies....

And then I filled in with solomon's seal, lavender, rosemary sprigs, lambs ear and white iris (from my garden) and more peonies and some garden roses.
Here is the result: (oh and a couple of ranunculus for 'gestures'....)

How'd I do Sarah?

my very own crazytown

2010-04-22T23:41:00.000-04:00

Sarah may be back from crazytown....but I've been there all week.

Just so you know...it's not that easy to totally rebuild your computer info on a new one...even if you DO HAVE a back up hard drive!

Almost there, but this mother crashed on Monday.....

and did I mention that everyone wants soap before Mothers' Day?

finally photos from Easter

2010-04-11T12:26:00.006-04:00

(these from Sarah's camera)

got out the good china and Sarah made a lovely centerpiece upon arrival

menu was on an earlier post.

we served the 'ramp' biscuits with Amsterdam cheese during cocktail hour.
(subbed scallions for ramps)

assembling the pea salad on pea shoots for first course
our guests

no photos of the leg of lamb, but it was scrumptious as were the potatoes with caper butter!

back to our regularly scheduled blog...

2010-04-09T14:05:00.008-04:00

just one more photo of Nea and her happy reunion when Sarah and Eric returned last night.

Now to soapmaking, food and flowers!

I made 4 batches of soap this morning....I hate lining the molds...so tedious.

This part is so much easier....white grapefruit in the mold....

Cleaning and organizing the workshop is also not my favorite part of soapmaking.
Bread pudding, a comfort food from my childhood ready for the oven for pot luck Mah Jongg tonight.

And...my garden is going crazy with this unusual heat. everything is coming up so fast.
Here is Fritillaria that Sarah and I planted last fall.

Field Trip

2010-04-07T15:13:00.003-04:00

I promised Nea a trip to PetSmart....
So much dog food!
So many toys:
We got a new toy and some Pork Chomps! And waited SO PATIENTLY at the check out...that Nea got a treat from the cashier!

its all about Nea...

2010-04-06T16:40:00.003-04:00

really, I'll post about something else soon, but she is such a sweet dog.

She's not so mopey today, and eats her lunch al fresco like such a lady.

Now we're going to the park!

Later, blogsters.

Monday PM

2010-04-05T23:28:00.005-04:00

Sarah and Eric left for VT today and left Nea here with me.

She's been a little sad since they left, so I had to let her come up on the couch and watch Damages with me tonight.

She's feeling better now. I think she likes the big screen TV.

I also promised her a trip to the park tomorrow!

Easter Menu

2010-04-04T12:34:00.003-04:00

...from Sarah

Roast Leg of Lamb with Tarragon-Mint Butter

Golden Potatoes with Caper Brown-Butter Crumbs

Pea Salad with Radishes and Feta Cheese

Ramp and Buttermilk Biscuits with Cracked Coriander

Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote

I'm working on all of the above...with my own adaptations....no orange peel in slits in the lamb....I like garlic.

No pears for a compote, I have raspberries and red currants in the freezer from the CSA last summer...I'll make a compote with those.

Sarah's arriving with the pea shoots and fresh radishes. (my store only had radishes in a plastic bag)

It'll all come together sometime later this evening! Photos to follow.

Happy Easter to all!

PS...

2010-04-02T14:00:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, Pentti and I celebrated 30 years of married bliss*

Yes, we were married on April Fools Day. It's a long story. But he always remembers our anniversary!

* i use the term loosely....after all, who could take 30 yrs of TOTAL bliss....
but we're enjoying a great life together.

Macaroons

2010-04-02T13:56:00.004-04:00

for Passover:

I made these to take to a Seder earlier this week. Recipe here. They were pretty easy once you got past the 12 minutes of cooking and stirring. Don't skimp on that. I think it was really important.

Yes, they're shaped like pyramids.....and some I dipped in chocolate.

Mar. 25, 2010

2010-03-27T09:03:00.004-04:00

my makeshift greenhouse

produces first sprouts:
Those pots still in the big plastic bag haven't sprouted yet. They're heirloom tomatoes. Cucumbers are quick to come up. As soon as they sprout they need to come out of the 'greenhouse' and into the sunlight.

Hoping for a good garden this year.

flower girl

2010-03-24T16:36:00.004-04:00

Sarah arrived yesterday for the afternoon and evening bringing all sorts of flower goodies from Saipua.

1. forsythia cut from my 'wild' bush in the back.
2. johnny jump ups planted in the pot by the front door.
3. new hellebores for my garden...she planted them, too.
4. last years hellebores coming up....she found it for me.

later a dinner of Penne with Lamb Ragu....thanks to Last Night's Dinner.

dragon tattoos

2010-03-13T12:55:00.008-05:00

Wed. night I had the chance to see an advance screening of the Swedish film version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I loved the book...the film was great. read it. see it.

My favorite tuna salad

2010-03-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

This is how I make it.

Open the cans. (I always use 3) Will there be any for us??

Drain and save the water. Make the salad. Is it ready yet??
Line up now....there's one for each of you.

the big snow

2010-03-04T12:41:00.001-05:00

After my last post...the same day...this is what my office window looked like. Not to mention the rest of our yard and my poor little Prius almost buried. See below: middle photo.

I'm been absent from blogging because my only connection with the outside world was my iphone....so I did have access to some email. Cable out (no TV or internet 3 days) Electric out (just one day) Then...just when we thought is was all over ...the electric company came at 4 AM Tues. morning and decided to trim branches around our electric lines going to the house. On their way out it seems they hooked our cable and pulled it off the house. The poor thing laid in the street, dead, for 2 days. Finally last night in the dark the cable guy arrived and made everything right.

We still have lots of clean up in the yard. Not even sure how many trees are down. Maybe we'll replace those evergreens that used to border the road with Hydrangeas! No worries of them falling on the fence!

snow day!

2010-02-25T12:22:00.003-05:00

Making soap and watching it snow from my office window.
The birds love this bush...forsythia gone wild.

BTW...saw Avatar last night and that sci-fi icon, Sigourney Weaver.

I liked it. But after awhile you kind of forgot that it was in 3-D. Is that a good thing?

I think maybe it's a good day to bake....

Sat. lunch

2010-02-19T19:43:00.001-05:00

Part 1 of lunch for Sarah tomorrow....now into the oven for about 30 minutes.

mother / daughter dinner

2010-02-18T20:54:00.003-05:00

Tues. Dinner w/ Sarah in the city at Hearth.

Roasted loin of lamb with brussels sprouts, golden raisins, pine nuts for me....roasted duck breast with medjool dates and red endive for Sarah.

A wonderful meal and evening.

Greetings from Sunny Florida

2010-02-12T08:33:00.003-05:00

We came from Houston,Texas; Southampton, New York and from my own Mohegan Lake to visit my friend Lorraine in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.

We taught together before we all retired in 2002.

It's sunny but not WARM......we've had a great time laughing and catching up.

Home today to the remnants of the big SNOW!

Dinner for 2

2010-02-06T23:25:00.002-05:00

No Kidding. This was meatloaf for 2. Since we're eating pastured meat, portions have become much smaller. Don't we just eat too much meat anyway?

I'm off to FL tomorrow to visit with friends.

Not sure if I'm taking my computer.

Au revoir.

Clean the World

2010-01-28T10:53:00.004-05:00

I'm kind of snowed in here today, so I'm packing soap to send to Clean the World for Haiti.

Last year we donated molds to this organization for use in rebatching hotel soap to send around the world. But they can also use soap 'ends' ...which we have in abundance!

Right now they're shipping hygiene and medical products into Haiti to help with the relief effort....

You can get about 24# of soap in a large flat rate box....and ship that for $13.95. A pretty good deal.
Remember also, that your local food pantry or shelter can use soap. I understand that food stamps CANNOT be used for soap.

did I mention

2010-01-25T13:21:00.004-05:00

that I went to flower school yesterday?

The teacher becomes the student.....I took the flowering quince class at Saipua and had such fun.

(daughter) Sarah and Nicolette presented the class in such a lovely way and we each went home with gorgeous arrangements!

I think mine looked a bit better before I got it home....maybe the drive wasn't the best thing for it. But it sure beats sticking a bunch of tulips in a vase and letting the fall where they will.

BTW...those are anemones, purple sweet peas, seeded eucalyptus, jasmine, some lilac, lavender and of courses flowering quince.

Sweet Red Peppers and Hummus....

2010-01-25T13:18:00.002-05:00

I love this for lunch....can't understand why Pentti doesn't.

here it is...

2010-01-17T17:43:00.006-05:00

The Finnish Cheesecake: Rahkapiirakka (its really like a breakfast cheese bun)

The Sweet Yeast Dough.
The night before, get out your bread machine and dump in the following:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 pkg. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. soft butter
1 egg
3/4 c. hot water

I usually mix the flour, sugar salt and yeast before adding the hot water to protect the yeast a bit. Put it on the mix/rise cycle and when it's done, put the dough in a greased bowl, turn the grease side up, cover with saran and put in the fridge until the next morning. It will rise again a little overnight in the fridge.

The in the morning....make the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 T. butter
2 T. cream
2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup dried currants (you can use raisins if you must)

Mix this with a beater and spread on the dough which you have spread on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Make lots of fresh coffee and dig in!

yes, I'm now married to a 65 yr. old....

2010-01-16T15:03:00.007-05:00

whew! How did that happen??

Here are his birthday surprises:

Both girls here for his big day:

and our traditional family birthday cake: The Fancy Filled Cake from The Finnish Cookbook.
More about assembling this beauty another time.

a history lesson in food

2010-01-16T13:01:00.006-05:00

When I was in college in the early 70's in Home Economics Education at Buffalo State...I somehow came across a recipe for: Cheesecake (Rahkapiirakka) I think I might have gotten it from a Finnish student.

Years later when I made it for Pentti's parents...they said it was very authentic. (and delicious, I might add) Pentti's sister, Seija, gave me a copy of The Finnish Cookbook by Beatrice A. Ojakangas. I use that book all the time for Finnish recipes and they are really just like Pentti's family makes. It's still available and I have bought copies for both of my daughters.

In Beatrice's cookbook there are two recipes similar to mine:
Karelian Cheese-Filled Buns (Rahkapiirakat) and
Cream Cheese Filled Buns (Juustokukkoset)

My recipe is baked in a large pan, not in individual buns and uses cream cheese.

Jess says I have to make if for breakfast tomorrow morning before she goes back to Atlanta.
Maybe there'll be photos....

PS to Sarah: look who arrived as soon as you left this morning!

Roasting rutabaga

2010-01-11T21:44:00.006-05:00

Last weeks food section of the times.

Farro Salad with Roasted Rutabaga, Ricotta Salata and Hazelnuts.

My adjustments: No Farro: used barley. I like Feta so I used that instead of Ricotta Salata.

Quick to prepare for a delicious supper!! (and the leftovers were yummy, too)

a soapmaking machine

2010-01-11T17:33:00.002-05:00

while my daughter is baking...I'm filling every soap mold I can find. That's about 200 lbs. there....

2010...

2010-01-08T07:49:00.003-05:00

is the year I'm going to do less paperwork for Saipua....hopefully the entire bookkeeping operation will be transitioned to Brooklyn.

I'm looking forward to 'just makin' soap'

I don't mean this to sound like a resolution. I don't make them.
It's just a fact. And I love the idea....more time for reading, gardening, movies, and all of the other things I love including: Mah Jongg.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T09:53:00.007-05:00

We made it to Rochester by leaving yesterday at 6:30 AM...and got to the cousins @ 1PM for the party.

My family upstate are mostly farmers....we meet at Scott's house for the gathering and dinner.
(He's on the farm with the cows) In addition the family also does Christmas Trees and Pumpkins. Lots of talk about the family tree ensues. Sometimes old photos are reviewed and we try to figure out who they are...it's always fun to see everyone and catch up.

And to celebrate the new year: some of the best PROTEST SIGNS from 2009!
My personal favorite: Youth in Asia.....

Happy 2010!

from sun to snow

2009-12-31T11:28:00.008-05:00

Here I am today in a snow storm that will probably nix my plans to go upstate to Rochester for an annual New Years Day get-together with my cousins....damn!

We planned to spend New Year's eve at my favorite hotel, then go to the family gathering tomorrow. Another night at the Rennaissance...then home on Saturday. Oh well.

I've been a lax blogger because I just came back from 4 days in Las Vegas with two friends. I took my computer, but the internet access in the hotel was not the best....

We stayed at the Luxor and I had the view below of the 'pyramid' from my room. Our rooms were in the 'west tower'.
Here are Barbara and Judy in front of New York, New York. We had a great time and it was wonderful to get away from soap for awhile!

We had great food, fun gambling, and also took in The Beatles™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil® It was amazing!!

Las Vegas is such an 'over the top' place. Where else can you find a factory like this?

My Occasional Cat

2009-12-10T17:40:00.008-05:00

I've now named Buddy my Occasional Cat.
(see The Naming of Cats)

I was so glad to see him today!

About 2 weeks ago, we found tufts of fur that looked like his all over our front yard. It didn't bode well for Buddy....
But he showed up today, all fluffy and well groomed.
Came in....lounged around for awhile.
Had a bite to eat...and then wanted to go out.
I always hate to see him go.

would T.S.Eliot name him Buddy...my occasional cat?

Before and after....

2009-12-10T17:32:00.003-05:00

Well. 25 years after the addition of the sunroom to our house...we are finally finishing it.

This is what it looked like last week. Before the carpenter framed out the windows and the tile guy grouted the tile Pentti put down about 15 years ago...

Now...it's coming along. Just needs paint...window treatments, (would use none...but I have a husband who doesn't want anyone 'looking in'.....) and furniture.
I need to get to some auctions!!

Return to cooking without turkey

2009-12-04T08:42:00.005-05:00

2 lovely porkchops from the Lewis Waite Farm,
Rosemary sprigs left from Thanksgiving's marinated olives (thanks, Sarah)

and a recipe from the Times for Braised Pork Chops with Tomatoes, (Anchovies) and Rosemary led to this.

No anchovies....but it was tasty anyway....with cheesy polenta and broccoli. PS. I used canned small dice tomatoes....instead of fresh plum. I had to make do.

Thanksgiving wind down

2009-11-30T22:04:00.004-05:00

After a wonderful 3 days with my girls, I'm winding down....back to soapmaking, laundry and cooking with something other than turkey.

It's not just about the food....

2009-11-26T12:15:00.003-05:00

I'm making a traditional T-Day dinner. Both daughters will be here. Something that doesn't happen very often.

Sometimes Sarah and I plan special gourmet sides for dinner, but we've both been too busy to think about menu. So......I'm making a simple meal with family favorites from years past. Way past.

Like date nut bread. Mom's recipe. Served with cream cheese and jam.

We always served the cream cheese in this dish. This little octagon beauty was used only for that purpose as long as I can remember. I only use it for that, too.

One 8 oz. block of Philadelphia brand NO LOW FAT PLEASE!...with a jar of jam poured on top. Has to be homemade. Has to be strawberry. I made the jam last night...with berries we picked in June and crushed and froze just for this purpose.

Then there's the pie...in my mom's glass pie plate...
I love that pie plate. Browns the bottom crust so nicely. (Yes that's the jam behind)

So, here's the menu:

One 16 lb. farm raised turkey from the CSA.
Stuffing with sausage and apple
Mashed potatoes (with roasted garlic)
Candied Sweet with Marshmallows on top
Brussels Sprouts (from the CSA)
Date Bread/Cream Cheese/Jam
Apple Cranberry Crisp and Pumpkin Pie

Now we just need the airlines to cooperate. Jess flew from Atlanta to Detroit at 7:30 this AM. Was suposed to be in White Plains at noon. Now her flight is delayed and we're hoping she'll arrive at 3 PM.

Good thing we don't eat until 6 or 7...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE !

Any Mah Jongg players out there?

2009-11-16T13:24:00.004-05:00

Some (my husband) would say I was addicted to Mah Jongg.

I just like the game.

It's challenging, social and fun!

So, my friend Barbara (who likes Mah Jongg at least as much as I do) and I, have become the Mah Jongg Doctors: DR, that is, for Dellon and Ryhanen.

check out our new blog if you're so inclined: MahJonggDoctors

We've got lots of stuff in the works.

63 degrees/Nov. 15

2009-11-15T21:13:00.004-05:00

and Clarisse decides to sun herself on the top of the grill.

What a life.....she is SO good at relaxing.

I wish it were summer again.

a minimilast dessert

2009-11-14T08:46:00.004-05:00

From Mark Bittman a Maple Pear Upside-Down Cake.

Slice pears over the syrup base.

make a simple butter cake batter to spread on top.

Bake and then invert on a large plate.

Voila! My friends last night enjoyed it.

Guess who's coming to dinner

2009-11-08T19:06:00.004-05:00

there you are Clarisse....all comfy in my bedroom chair.

But soon Nea will be here...with her friend Siouxsie.

Where will you go then??

Pie Photos

2009-11-08T18:43:00.003-05:00

I baked this in my favorite little 8" pie plate.....so it almost popped it's top in the oven.

It came down a bit as it cooled...but the curds on top were a bit chewy....I liked them that way.
Go ahead...make one!

Cottage Cheese Pie

2009-11-07T16:46:00.004-05:00

Why did folks start making pie out of cottage cheese? Did they have a surplus?
In my family we made it. I don't know why. But think how healthy it must be.

I had a small frozen bit of pie crust and an abundance of cottage cheese. It was 3 / $5 at the store the other day..and I like cottage cheese. I often eat it for breakfast with fruit.

So, off to make the pie.

here's the stuff you need:

2T. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
2/3 c. milk
2 T. melted butter or cream
1 unbaked pie shell
nutmeg

And here's what I do. In a 4 cup glass measure I mix 1, 2, and 3. Add # 4 and beat it all up.
Stir in # 5, 6 and 7. Pour into #8 and sprinkle with #9.

Bake as a custard pie. How's that? I put it in a 350 oven and check it after 30 min.
If a knife comes out clean, it's done. Cool and enjoy! Photos later.

Manhattan Mah Jongg!

2009-11-01T21:10:00.003-05:00

The big tournament was today. 24 games of MahJongg with brunch and lots of fun. My first time at a tournament...but not my last.

It began at 10 AM at One If By Land, Two If By Sea in the West Village. What a lovely restaurant. Great service and food, too.

It was organized by Shelley and Brian of Manattan Mah Jongg. That's Brian and I before the games begin.

We played with some hard core players from New Jersey, Long Island and Manhattan....I didn't win any prizes, but was able to hold my own, and had a great day.

Our parting gift was a soap made to look like a white dragon...which is also called 'soap' Imagine my surprise to find that it was made by my colleage Patricia Robbins of Sea Blossom Soaps.

What to do with Collards??

2009-10-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

Collards came in the CSA share yesterday.

I've never made them. In searching the internet I found an article by Melissa Clark called Southern Comfort. Not only does this recipe use collards...but beans, too. And we got dried beans in the share also.
Research tell me these are cranberry beans. They came in their pods and when I shelled them I got about 1 1/2 cups. After shelling, they need to be sorted and washed.

The recipe doesn't call for soaking them, but I will soak them overnight and cook up a pot of collards tomorrow.

fancy dessert

2009-10-24T20:39:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I'm now a very young 61!

It was a good day.

Tomorrow Sarah and Eric are coming for dinner and I'm making a fancy dessert with Seckle Pears from the CSA. I started it today, but it hasn't been easy. I wish there was a picture accompanying the Epicurious recipe!

Small Pear and Almond Cakes

It started well:

Peeling those little babies and removing the core from the bottom.

I found my melon baller was too big....so I used the 1/8 teaspoon measure.

Then I poached them in Muscat wine and lemon juice. So far so good. It said 10 -20 minutes, but I thought that was too long, so stopped at 10 minutes.

Then the trouble began.....I had to reduce the poaching liquid to a syrup...all of a sudden it looked like this. I thought I had burned it. Luckily I cooled it a bit and tasted. Just like a raisin syrup. So, I guess it's OK. Don't know what its supposed to look like.

When the syrup cooled, I poured it over the pears and let them cool. I think they should have been cooked even less. Tomorrow each one gets baked into the top of a little almond cake. Stay tuned. Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting could be a good back up.

Home 3 weeks...

2009-10-22T20:31:00.000-04:00

and just now posting??

What a negligent blogger. What have I been doing for 3 weeks?

Making soap? Unpacking, laundry?

Well it's definitely FALL now. But here is one last taste of summer.

Goat cheese from my CSA with a tomato from my favorite farm stand on a Wasa Rye cracker.

The best lunch!

Almost Home!

2009-10-05T10:25:00.004-04:00

It’s almost over. We’re leaving Sicily as I write.
On our way back to Rome…then flying home Wednesday.

What a wonderful respite and trip.

In addition to visiting some amazing places…..I read 3 books.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo : Loved it!!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Also loved it.

And a paperback mystery I picked up in the ship’s library.

Now…back to work.
Shipping molds, cutters and soap dishes.
Making soap. Shipping it out to stores.

And….back to my regular Mah Jongg game!

Ephesus, Turkey

2009-10-03T10:37:00.005-04:00

Some of the best ruins we’ve seen! This post has lots of photos…..Pentti took so many good ones I didn’t know where to stop!

First of all, we booked a private driver and English speaking guide.
We were picked up at the ship at 7:30 AM and got to Ephesus before the other tourist busses. That’s why these photos don’t have any people at the ruins. It was a beautiful thing and still cool morning air!

Here we are at the start in silhouette: Pentti (with the camera) me and our guide.

More ruins...

A beautiful arch....

Marble street leading down to the library.

The Celsus Library. Incredible.

The Amphitheater where St. Paul spoke to the Ephesians

After the tour of the ruins we visited Sirince Villiage. Lovely!

Finally we stopped for lunch in an olive grove with Ollie our driver and Ilker our guide.

But not before I had an encounter with a Turkish rug salesman…..

He won!
But this was one of our best days in a string of wonderful days!

Mamma Mia! Santorini!

2009-10-02T10:01:00.004-04:00

It looks like snow caps on top of mountains…..

then you see it’s the lovely towns of Fira and Oia on Santorini.

What an exquisite island paradise…if you don’t mind heights.

No cars in the town centers....so you have this kind of Taxi!

This was a couple traveling with TWINS and strollers on their backs.
They were on our tour bus from the ship.

Getting down requires a cable car...or walking down the donkey path...with or without donkey!

We were in Turkey today and had a spectacular visit to Ephesus. Can’t get the photos to download yet, but I will tell you we were the first visitors to Ephesus this morning and most of the photos are ‘without toursists’…..amazing. And it was still cool…..

More later! Oh...and a surprise from Turkey! Details later.