Autostitch Got Confused

We recently stayed at the Hyatt San Francisco Airport. The rooms had a cool view on this inner courtyard. I pulled up my Autostitch app (I still prefer it over my iPhone panorama). I guess all of the repetitive patterns really confused the software and produced this...which is actually kind cool...

Sashiko Embroidered Pillow

It only took me over a year but the darn thing is done!!! Don't be fooled, when I say this took me a year, it's just because I have a million and one projects I start that live unfinished forever in my studio. 

This is my first piece of sashiko embroidery. It's a traditional Japanese folk art. Back in the day, it was a method used to creatively darn and disguise worn areas on garments. Now it's just fun and pretty. Its also usually worked in a dark indigo blue on a white background or vice versa. That's nice, but I am way more colorful. 

Purl Bee has a great tutorial, so I won't waste my time explaining the how to...just go check it out. 

I am a cheap ass, so I went on to Etsy for the sashiko cloth. It was $8 with some minimal shipping. The needles and sashiko thread can be pricey so I went with DMC embroidery thread I already had and some long dollmaking needles that were hiding in my sewing box. It worked like a charm.

For the pillow part, I found some nice, thick, cheap purple fabric at Joann Fabrics (3/4 yard). Thank you 40% off coupon. Then I went to Michael's (thanks again 40% off coupon) and got a pillow form. I have never made a couch type pillow. I found this great tutorial for making an envelope style pillow case. I am a beginning seamstress, but this was a no brainer, even for me. I just made sure to sew the sashiko sampler to the front of the pillow before finishing the seams.

So there we go. Gotta say, it was fun and cheap and I love the results. I think I am on an embroidery kick. I dug up some old Sublime Stitching patterns from the recesses of the studio and I am working on a new pillow as we speak. Pictures to follow!

Bucket Loves Her YouTube

Check out this thumb aided selfie of Bucket. She was hanging out on my lap when Mr Bucket turned on her favorite YouTube channel on our AppleTV - Videos for Your Cat. Yeah I know, not good to advocate them getting excited about eating birdies but I can't help giving her a little entertainment. If you have a kitty check it out. Bucket and Red both love it!

Homemade Chai Liqueur - How to Make a White Elephant

I have been making some homemade flavored vodkas lately and decided to do a little experiment with some chai I had lying around. The flavored vodka I made was way too strong, so with a little tweaking and some simple syrup, I turned it in to an amazing chai liqueur. I then whipped up an easy little drink that had my hubby and his friend coming back for more. Here's the recipe:

Homemade Chai Liqueur

1/2 of a 1.75 L bottle of cheap vodka (I use Trader Joe's)
5 T sweet chai spice (I got mine from World Spice)
4 vanilla beans (see my post here for cheap beans)
1 cup water
1 T ground cinnamon (optional)
2 cups brown or white sugar

The ratios of chai to vodka are rough since I was just experimenting. Add chai spice directly to the bottle of vodka. I didn't add any tea along with the chai (like you would when making chai tea) just the chai spice. Since chai contains peppercorn and cardamom, you will need to be very careful to not overextract the spices and end up with something bitter. I taste tested a teaspoon daily and found that at 4 days, mine was a little overdone.

Strain the vodka in to another container. Remove the spices and return the vodka to the original bottle.

Using kitchen shears, cut the ends off your vanilla beans, then cut in half (both length and width). This will open up your bean and expose all the flavorful beany goodness. Add the vanilla to your vodka. Cap it up and store under your sink for 2 - 3 weeks. Give it a shake every couple of days and test aprox once a week until it has the desired flavor. Keep in mind it will still be strong until you tame it with some sugar.

Once your vodka mix has just the right flavor, strain off the vanilla beans and set aside.You can end the process here and have Chai Vodka - really freakin tasty but strong vodka. I think it is better as a liqueur, but it is good both ways.

In a saucepan mix water, sugar and ground cinnamon. I have made it with both kinds of sugar and with and without cinnamon. No matter what it's always good. Boil and stir to make a simple syrup. When all the sugar is combined put the pan aside and wait for it to cool. When cool, add your vodka mix, stir and you are ready to bottle. Enjoy!

White Elephant

Our friend came up with the name since it's like a White Russian, but with our Chai Liqueur

Rocks glass with ice
1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz chai liqueur
3/4 oz cream or milk

You can shake and strain or just serve it on the rocks. So good!

Chilled Fruit Soup Recipes

I am not usually a huge fan of chilled soups, but for some reason I have had some serious cravings lately and no idea where to begin. I have been craving some of the chilled fruit soups we had on a Caribbean cruise a few years back. I must still be in Hawaii mode. It's not quite the weather for it here, but I can't help it.

 Here are just some of the recipes I have found on my cold soup quest. I have yet to try them



From the Royal Caribbean International Cookbook:


CHILLED ROASTED PEACH SOUP

4 ripe large peaches, peeled, halved and pitted

1 1/2 cups (345 g) granulated sugar

2 cups (500 ml) peach nectar, plus extra if needed

1 star anise, cracked

1 vanilla bean, split

juice of 3 oranges

juice of 2 lemons

1/2 pint (150 g) strawberries, gently washed

2 sprigs fresh mint


1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Lightly coat a baking sheet with butter. Place the peach halves cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the peaches with 1/2 cup (70g) sugar and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until well roasted.

2. Transfer the peaches to a food processor along with any drippings from the baking sheet. Puree until smooth, stopping 2 or 3 times to scrape down the sides. Transfer to a large nonreactive bowl and set aside.

3. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the peach nectar, remaining sugar and star anise over medium heat. Use the tip of a blunt knife to scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the mixture. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Let the syrup infuse for about 1 hour in a warm place. Strain through a fine sieve into a nonreactive bowl and add the citrus juices.

4. Tasting as you go, slowly add the peach syrup to the peach puree until the desired flavor is achieved. If the soup is nicely flavored but too thick, thin it with a little plain peach nectar. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold.

5. To serve, ladle the soup into chilled soup plates or cups and garnish with sliced strawberries and mint sprigs.


CHILLED RED BERRY SOUP

1 pt (150g) fresh raspberries, gently washed

1 pt (150g) fresh strawberries, gently washed & trimmed

2 cups (500 ml) sour cream

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

1 cup (250 ml) ginger ale

1/4 cup (60g) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Triple Sec

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

fresh mint leaves for garnish


1. Reserve 6 of the strawberries and 12 of the raspberries for garnish. In a blender or food processor combine the remaining berries and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve over a nonreactive bowl, pushing through as much of the pulp as you can, leaving the seeds behind.

2. Whisk the remaining ingredients, except the reserved berries and mint, into the puree. Cover and refrigerate until cold. To serve, divide the soup among chilled soup bowls and garnish with reserved berries and mint leaves.

Serves 4 to 6.


CHILLED APRICOT SOUP

20 fresh medium apricots (around 5 cups, diced) (700g)

1 cup (250 ml) club soda

1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine

1/2 cup (70 g) granulated sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup (75 ml) cognac

whipped cream and chopped fresh mint for garnish


1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts (2l) water to a boil. Working in batches, plunge the apricots in the boiling water and leave them in just until the skins are loosened, 10 to 20 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer the apricots to a large bowl of cold water to cool. Slip off the skins and cut the apricots in half. Remove the pits and dice the apricots.

2. In a large nonreactive bowl, combine the apricots, club soda, wine, sugar, lemon juice and cognac. Ladle the mixture in batches into a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer the soup to another bowl. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, divide the soup among chilled soup bowls and garnish with whipped cream and mint.

Serves 6


CHILLED WASHINGTON APPLE SOUP

6 cups (1.5 l) water

juice of 2 lemons

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for garnish

18 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and roughly diced

4 cups (560 g) vanilla ice cream


1. In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the ice cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the apples are soft.

2. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a nonreactive bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. To serve, stir in the ice cream and divide the soup among chilled soup bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve immediately.

Serves 8


CHILLED PINEAPPLE SOUP

2 pounds (905 g) chopped fresh ripe pineapple

2 cups (280 g) sour cream

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

1 cup (250 ml) ginger ale

1 cup (140 g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut


1. In a nonreactive bowl, combine all the ingredients except the coconut. Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the soup into a clean nonreactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

2. Meanwhile, toast the coconut. In a dry skilled over high heat, toss or stir the coconut, taking care not to scorch it, until lightly browned. To serve, divide the soup among chilled soup bowls and garnish with the coconut.

Serves 4 to 6


MANGOSPACHO

8 cups (1 kg) peeled and finely diced mango (about 12 mangos)

1 cup (250 ml) water

1 cup (250 ml) ginger ale

1/2 cup (125 ml) rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup (125 ml) light olive oil

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup (70 g) finely diced red onion

3/4 cup (100g) chopped fresh cilantro


1. In a blender or food processor, combine half the mango with the water, gingeral, vinegar, oil and sugar. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the soup to a nonreactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.

2. In another nonreactive bowl, combine the remaining 4 cups of mango, cucumber, red onion and 1/2 cup cilantro. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

3. To serve, divide the mango/cucumber mixure among chilled soup bowls that are each sitting in a bowl of crushed ice. Ladle the soup over the mango/cucumber mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Source for Good Cheap Vanilla Beans

I do a lot of baking and have been making a lot of extracts and flavored vodkas lately. Vanilla beans in the store can be as much as $10 a bean, so I knew I had to find a good source for cheap vanilla. I wanted to recommend Vanilla Products USA to anyone looking to do vanilla related projects. I found them on eBay and have ordered both Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla beans through them. They sell beans for around $26/pound. That's a lot of beans!!! They are high quality, super aromatic and crazy cheap. In the coming weeks I will be showcasing some of the great things I have been making with all these beans...

http://stores.ebay.com/vanillaproductsusa

Vegetarian Gelatin Substitutes

It's not that I love gelatin, but I am fond of some of my Grandma's stand-by family jello dishes and good ol' jello shots at parties. I do just go for it sometimes and try to ignore the fact that there are grody boiled bones in gelatin, but I think it's about time I got a better plan. The following is from PETA's website (yes I know they can be a little radical), but I plan to give them a try. I will let you know my results...

Agar-Agar

This flavorless gelling agent, derived from cooked and pressed seaweed, is available flaked, powdered, or in bars. For best results, grind the agar-agar in a coffee grinder or food processor and then cook it, stirring it regularly until it dissolves. When used in a recipe, agar-agar sets in about an hour and doesn't require refrigeration to gel. For a firmer gel, add more agar-agar, and for a softer gel, add more liquid. And don't worry if you don't get it right the first time—you can fix a faux pas simply by reheating the gel. Here's a general guide on how to use agar in recipes:

• Substitute powdered agar-agar for gelatin using equal amounts.

• 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

• Set 2 cups of liquid using 2 tsp. of agar-agar powder, 2 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes, or one bar.

• Keep in mind that highly acidic ingredients, such as lemons, strawberries, oranges, and other citrus fruits, may require more agar-agar than the recipe calls for. Also, enzymes in fresh mangoes, papaya, and pineapple break down the gelling ability of the agar-agar so that it will not set. Cooking these fruits before adding them to a recipe, however, neutralizes the enzymes so that the agar-agar can set.

Carrageen

Also known as Irish moss, this seaweed, found in coastal waters near Ireland, France, and North America, is best when used for making softer gels and puddings. To prepare carrageen, rinse it thoroughly, and then soak it in water until it swells. Add the carrageen to the liquid you want to set, boil for 10 minutes, and remove the carrageen. One ounce of carrageen will gel 1 cup of liquid.