poaching eggs

Poached eggs are an interesting thing.  They have myths about them as sourdough starter.  They really are about as easy.  I saw a recipe for potato pancakes that were served with poached eggs.  I decided to give it a try.  Especially since it was not the first poached egg essay I had seen in the recent past.  And they used a tea cup.  That is so me!

poached egg

1 egg

water

apple cider vinegar

Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil.  Add a glug of vinegar.  Bring it back to a gentle boil.

Crack an egg into a tea cup.  Pour the egg into the water.

Cook for about 5 minutes.  Change the time depending on how solid you wish the yolk.  We like runny and with a gentle simmer it takes a few minutes.

Maybe not the prettiest poached eggs out there but sure tasty.

Our camera is at the shop.  We lost the automatic focus on our camera.  And it is getting cleaned.  I do not know how this is going to work with blogging but we should find out!  I am not sure I have enough pictures saved up for this.  Oh well!

I think I just need more tea.

fig!

Last March, I shared the fig prunings that I was trying to start.  Out of the five, I only had one take.  I was actually pretty surprised even though I would have liked more to grow.  This little tree is thriving.  I was watering it this morning because it has been so hot.

And what did I see?

I have a fig!  I was so amazed that I had to share it instantly with my Beloved.  These are supposedly strawberry figs which means nothing to me.  I am going to have much more learnings going on here.

I found a new letterpress on eBay today.  And I am looking at another, dependent on how this this one looks.  I am excited.  I wish my press was here though.  I really want to print.

smock top/dress

I have not felt like I have had enough time with my sewing machine lately.  We have had Small Mister a lot when we are not traveling.  It is harder now to sew with him on my lap then it used  to be because he wishes to help so badly.  

Out of the linen I bought I have made a nightgown and this smock top/dress.  It is a Simplicity pattern 2059 that I had seen changed on pinterest.  I took the one change I really liked, adding 12 inches to the front and back.  I pleated everything that was supposed to be gathered and made the sleeves a bit longer.

It is a great top for over skirts and probably jeans (if I owned them).

And  a dress around the house.  I would wear it out with tights but it is just much to warm right now.  Probably in autumn.

hot chocolate

When I tell people where I work how we travel, they all think we are crazy.  Pack the mattresses I have made in the back of the Suburban.  Add blankets and pillows.  Add a stove and tools.  Food.  Monkey backpack full of books for Small Mister.  Go.  Do not stop excepting for refueling (vehicle or bellies) or bathroom breaks until we get there.  This last trip, because of sick people, we actually spent a night in a hotel on the way home.  The bathtub was fabulous and not to smell like vomit for a bit was also fabulous.  

But the way we do this is audio books.  I can stay awake for an audiobook just like when I am reading a hardcopy book.  I cannot stop.  When I do get very tired, I find they are easier to sleep to then music and much less surreal.  Lately, the audiobooks we have chosen seem to have a lot of tea and hot chocolate in them.  We actually bought instant hot chocolate so my Beloved could fill his hot chocolate needs on the road.

I was taught to make hot chocolate by my Father.  He is a bit older and did not grow up with instant.  My Grandmother or the hired girl made it for him.  From scratch.  Which is how he taught me, especially after I read all the Little House books.  I made hot chocolate for my Beloved this evening from scratch.  He is still under the weather and we do have instant.  But this is a little bit more special and a little bit of love in a cup.  His eyes went very wide when he tasted from scratch hot chocolate.

Please remember, the hot chocolate is only as good as the cocoa you use.  You can also control how rich it is by how much cocoa you use.  I like a one to one proportion to cocoa and sugar but if you want it to taste more like instant, make sure to use more sugar.  My Beloved thinks he wants to try is with half the cocoa and sugar next time

hot chocolate

Note:  This is for one serving.  Adjust for quantity and how you wish it to taste.

2 soup spoons of cocoa (I use Valrhona because it is in the bulk section.  Yes, I buy bulk cocoa)

2 soup spoons of cane sugar (we do like the organic type)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

8 ounces of milk

Put the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and about a third of the milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil mixing the whole time with a whisk.  You are working the clumps out (you can sift the cocoa if you do not wish to work so hard).  Once this mixture has come to a boil, let boil for about thirty to sixty seconds.  Turn the heat off.  Add the rest of the milk and whisk well.  

Pour into a china cup and enjoy.  

A hug in a cup.  Love in a cup.  A bit of relaxation in a cup.  A bit of soothing.  What we all need at times. 

letterpress in NJ

I went to work with Alan Runfeldt for two afternoons last week in New Jersey.  Alan has been printing for 50 years, most professionally.  I learned so much that I do not think I even know all what I learned so far.  I did take my own letterpress so I could get help setting it up.  I just could not really get it to work right.  Then it stymied Alan.  I was so pleased!  One of those times where it still keeps breaking the way it does for you when support is there!

After we left the first day, with no one really happy with the end product, Alan kept working and thinking.  The next day, I did pull printing that I was happy with.  Then, I changed plates.  I felt like I started from scratch again.  Not quite but close.  Learned more tricks.  

I had brought Small Mister and my Beloved with me.  Small Mister was in heaven.

He loves my press and here were all these presses he could try.  I got to try a few as well and I am on the look out for a different small press and I know what I want in a big press.  I even know what I really want if I chose to get a powered press instead of a treadle or lever.

Small Mister and my Beloved were not feeling very well.  Small Mister found a place to sleep in the shot.  

The upshot was I pulled clean prints.  My Beloved has some business cards but also now has more ideas.

I have some cards I am really happy to send my sister even though they are not quite what she asked for.  

My press is getting some tender loving care.  It is still in NJ because that is what it needs.  Alan will ship it back when he gets done with it and then I have more work to do.  For my Mom, my sister, my Beloved, and myself.  But the thought of that is not so overwhelming.  I have ideas and strategies.  I found out some of the things I had tried were not wrong.  An "old" printer uses them too.  And I have someone to call with questions.  Alan and I even found out we know some of the same people.  That is how small this world is.  

Small Mister will enjoy my printing though he will miss the shop.  

I would have to say letterpress keeps getting more exciting.  My Beloved keeps looking at me and says that my shop is going to end up being bigger then his shop.  

Possibly.