Thank you for all the Tanglewood orders yesterday!!! Wow — I'm so thrilled that that went over well, you have no idea. I was really hoping it would, and I seriously can't wait to see what everyone makes. More fabric for the Precious Bundles arrived yesterday, which was perfect timing because I had almost perfectly sold out of the bundles I'd already put together (which almost never happens — you almost never get the number exactly right). So those will be available indefinitely, and I'll show you something else I did with those little patches next week — obviously, you don't have to use them for the bag, if you have something else in mind. I have now sewn together approximately six-hundred-and fifty 2-inch fabric patches in the past two months. I'm not even kidding. I'm not sure what to think about that, but I was very happy almost all the way through, I would say until about the last eight or nine, where I just let out one long soprano-like scream the whole time, so it's been a good run overall. And definitely let me know if you have any troubles with the patches or the pattern, and I'll do my best to correct that, pronto. Thank you again!
I'm going to take a blog break here and get these orders out, and lay low for a bit this weekend. Next week we are embarking on our first major (maybe it's actually minor, but to me it seems major) remodeling project — I'm crazy excited, I can't even tell you how excited. Anyway, in the spirit of home improvement, a few housekeeping things:
1. Above is a photo of a blueberry clafoutis I made the other day. Several people have written to ask me questions about the cherry clafoutis I made a few weeks ago, including someone who said they tried it and it didn't work (I can't remember who that was, I'm sorry). So I made it again, and baked it at the right temperature, and it came out looking wonderful, so I think the recipe is okay. There are lots of clafoutis recipes out there, and the ratio of eggs to milk to flour that they use varies widely, I've found. It's worth trying a few to find one you like, since this is so easy and lovely — a big, custardy blueberry pancake, really, with more custard than pancake. And you can use any kind of stone fruit — I like more clafoutis than fruit, so I just tossed in a little container of blueberries, and I think with the cherries I used one of those square things. How big are those little green square things, anyway? Is that a pint? [Rolling eyes at myself.]
2. Many people wrote in after listening to The Splendid Table on NPR on Sunday to warn about the dangers of sun tea, discussed on the radio just that afternoon. I'd never heard this before, but apparently brewing tea in a jar in the sun only allows the temperature of the water to reach 130 degrees F — perfect for brewing bacteria. So it sounds like it's best to keep it overnight in the fridge. More info about that is here. I've made about five different kinds of tea this week, using some of the many recipes suggested — and thank you again for so generously sharing those — and I'm going to ask a self-confessed tea guru to tell us what she knows (Miss Howard, please begin work on that book report, won't you?) next week. My next goal is to figure out how to make a good glass of Thai iced tea, which I have never successsfully done. Mine's always weak and tan, instead of yummy and orange like it is in the restaurant. I can't get this right. Yet.
3. What else. I forget. Oh yeah, corgi picnic! Well, I'm sorry to say there really aren't anymore photos of the corgi picnic. With a dozen corgis hanging around and the weather scorching and me in a skirt (forgot those corgis are short, and to take their photos you really have to be in the dirt, so that didn't work). I just put the camera down and watched them . . . not play. It was so bizarre. Everyone was commenting on how nonchalant their dogs were about the whole thing. Apparently, when at the corgi family reunion, the corgis take on a very so-what, who-cares, when-can-we-go-home? kind of attitude toward each other. I could not believe it. Perhaps it blew their minds or something, being confronted with so many others when they thought they were The Only One in the World (at least ours thinks that). She was like, "I really don't know what we're doing here. Let's go over there and sit by that tree by ourselves, like we usually do." Naturally, Clover Meadow was the prettiest girl there, and we have encouraged that kind of thinking, so what can you expect. Unfortunately, it wasn't a fenced-in area so everyone was on a leash, for the most part, so they didn't really get to run and play. But just seeing them together makes me laugh. They look so serious, and then we just bust out laughing right in their faces. Ah, corgis. I love them.
4. Who's psyched for 90210 redux? I am.
Back soon! Thanks again! xo
Of course you know Ms. Clover Meadow was the prettiest there, I told you so yesterday. :) Her ears stood perfectly straight and the white of her coat was pristine. Showed what a good upbringing she had. xxoo
Well, I enjoyed the one picture of the corgi picnic, any how! That's funny about the corgis when they got together. I'll look forward to hearing more about your remodeling project when you have time. Some day I hope we can do some remodeling, too - so I can totally understand your being quite excited about it!
I baked a mixed fruit clafoutis after the last post about it. I looked at some other recipes online and did find quite a variety of ingredient quantities and baking times and think I wound on mixing a few of them together. Mine turned out great, though I did bake it about twice as long as the recipe called for, the photo above makes me want to make more:) thanks!
After enjoying Gossip Girl last year, I am fascinated to see what the new 90210 will be like.
I've made the clafoutis two times, one with granny smith apples and one time with bananas. The hubby loved it! It's great for entertaining because you can make it ahead & put it in the oven so your guests can smell it baking! yum!
Thats so funny about the picnic! My dog does that too. She gets so excited on the way TO the playdate, then she gets there and it's...meh...
That recipe looks amazing! I'll be trying it soon. I have so many blueberries right now. This looks like a great way to use them up!
Gotta say I did think Clover Meadow to be the prettiest in the picture. Our Honey was an alpha [or so we were told.] What this meant to us was that she was not friendly to other dogs EVER....and when a dog was wayyyy bigger than her, she simply ignored it. Walks with her in our old neighborhood [dog heaven] were a challenge. Everyone wanted their dogs to play and nuzzle and she was sooo not into that. I felt like the mom of the block bully. But she was the sweetest dog in the world to us. [natch] And, knew that about sun tea but I am so often the profit of doom when it comes to food safety that I try to keep my willies to myself. Sorry, shoulda told ya.
Have a good blog break!
ok, i am officially a dork...i completely forgot about your clafoutis post - which i am certain got into my subconscious and got me wanting to make one in the first place! I used the recipe over at orangette a few weeks ago. i will try your version next, my dear, although i must say that i like a little more fruit to my custar.
have a great break - you know you deserve it :) smooches, les
Oh, I am SO a veteran of the War on Home Improvement!! I don't think there is much we haven't done!! Can't wait to see what you guys do!
As for the Corgis...were they all teenagers? That could account for the attitude :)
Take care!!
Here's my Thai-Ice tea tip...brew it in a coffee maker! We once went to this AMAZING thai place and they were so nice and when I told them how much I LOVED their tea they sent me home with a huge bag and told me to brew in in an automatic coffee maker. If you want it ices just chill it for awhile. I forget the ratio of tea per water but I bet you could figure it out. Thanks for the blueberry recipe tip. We went picking the other day and we have SO many!
Beyond excitment on the 90210 thing! I am keeping my fingers crossed that a network here in the UK buys it!
Hmmmmm... so good! Blueberries... in portuguese: "mirtilos"!!! I love it!
Are you buying the special loose Thai tea in the Asian market? It has spices added. Use lots and strain with muslin or fine mesh after steeping. Mine is always dark and then orange when I add the cream.
Alice M
I just love it how every dog has their own attitude and personality! My dogs attitude when she gets around other dogs is more like "I'm Queen over all of you! Bow to me!".
I'm actually making your clafoutis recipe this weekend.
For tea I always make a basic Southern Sweet Tea... I love the taste of Sun Tea though, so sad to hear we shouldn't drinking it.
yum yum yum
BUT,
my needs are simple,
how do you pronounce
c l a f o u t i s
?
:-)
I have a Thai tea tip of sorts...I cheat big time but here is what I do. you first need the actual Thai tea from a Thai market. I live in Thai town here in Hollywood and would be happy to send you a bag. Now, traditional instructions are soooo intense for Thai tea so here is my cheat; I brew it in my coffee maker! I set up the first filter and brew it then I pour the brewed tea back into the maker and brew that through a new batch of tea in the filter. I do this three or four times, add a simple syrup and top it all off with half and half and yer done!
I think I may even have a flickr collage somewhere showing the steps! good luck and have fun!
I love hearing about the corgi picnic - and the photo was so cute!
The dessert looks so yummy, and home improvement can be fun, but whoa...I am excited about a 90210 remake! It will hopefully make me feel 15 years younger!?!?!, and bring back many good memories of rehashing each episode the next morning at school with all of my friends!! I have been getting my post-90210 fix by watching Tori and Dean reality TV!! Love them too. I think if I went back and watched 90210 episodes from the first season though, things that made us snicker and blush back then would be nothing compared to what teens watch on their shows today!!! Hopefully the story line in this new series will be good, and not to raunchy. Enjoy your break!
650? Whoa. You're the picture of productivity! We're all looking forward to hearing about the remodel.
Except for Charlotte Lyons, I've never read any other sites such as yours, and never knew what blogs were. I been reading your info the past two days, and last night made a Clafoutis for the first time...it was ok...I prefer a Dutch baby myself...but was fun to see your new pic today was another clafoutis. Thanks!
I made the clafoutis with raspberries just the other day. It was just lovely! Wanted to tell you before, but time got ahead of me, if that is an English expression... Have a good break. Take care.
I made the clafoutis with raspberries just the other day. It was just lovely! Wanted to tell you before, but time got ahead of me, if that is an English expression... Have a good break. Take care.
My husband refers to the clafoutis as my new obsession...I think he is right.
Is it a dessert, a cake, a pudding, for breakfast, a snack? It simply doesn't matter. It's hard to find a sweet that isn't too sweet. I too like less fruit and more clafoutis and have found that two scrapes of nutmeg make the cherry out of this world!
My next try is going to be raspberry, then maybe peach.
Sorry for the two seperate comments.
The next blog I went to after here had this recipe for Thai Rooibos Ice Tea: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/07/thai-rooibos-iced-tea.html not sure if that is what you are looking for or not.
Also, my family has been drinking sun tea for decades and no one has ever gotten sick.