adirondack

I like adirondack chairs.  I actually have an adirondack rocker that I bought myself during graduate school.  It was the one gift I bought myself as a summer intern when I was making three times a month what I made during the school year.  Since I only worked 2 1/2 months, I saved the rest for when it got tight or little tiny things like Christmas or birthdays.

When the Small Mister was born, we let the Tall Short Person use my Beloved's overstuffed rocker.  This means we have been without a chair for a bit of time.  There is a blog I read, Ana White's blog, that had a couple of adirondack designs.  Ana White actually did a class for Home Depot.  After reading this blog, my thought on most furniture is "I can do that."  Like I need anymore projects!  But this one I really wanted to do.

I bought the lumber with the help of my Beloved and Small Mister.

You have to realize that I thought I was building this but due to wood and power tools being involved, I became the assistant.

I had lots of help measuring.

With a few screw ups, the chair went together in a couple of hours.

We used plane white board (fir or pine, cheapest on the shelf).

And exterior screws.  The screws were the most expensive bit of the whole project.  The project called for wood glue but we did not use any.

We have a new chair.  I find it very comfortable.

We pushed back the mess and the chair has found a home in our main living space.  Actually, mess is gone too.  What an impetuous to clean:  new furniture.  I have a place to sit now when I come home from work.  We need to make a few of these for the land.  Maybe even one with rockers so I can still have a rocking chair.  Short people have a tendency to end up in my lap and spin or read or rock.

another old thing to my collection

I went to the Texas Art Asylum with my Beloved a few weeks ago.  He picks up cigar boxes to put the steak knives he makes in.  I always wander when we are in there and look at things because you will never know what you will find.  Well, I walked right over to this lovely old typewriter first thing.  I walked out without it because what would I do with it!  It stayed in my mind and I went back a week later and bought it.  I am so glad I did. 

They said it was working but it really needed some tender loving care.  I took it to this old gentleman who this his thing.  He fixes old office equipment especially old typewriters.  He told me that the cops should be after me because i stole this typewriter for what I paid for it.

But he worked his magic.  It types well.  In both black and red.  The case is even in good shape.  He told me to research how to refurbish it because it was just soaking up all the oils he was putting on it.  Another task to work on. 

I really do not know what I will use this for.  Maybe just a lovely tool to have in my print shop.  Or maybe to write letters on when my hands hurt.  The keys are easier on them then holding a pen and my hands are not happy with most of the time right now.  More fish oil!  Because I do not want my Doc to be right in the long run.  I always hope that blood test comes back negative.

marble pound cake

I came across a recipe for marble pound cake.  It had been modified from Martha Stewart recipe.  Then I modified it to be a smaller cake, a bit more chocolately, and gluten free.  Actually, marble pound cake is one of the few things I like from Starbuck's.  I have been thinking for years that I wanted to try a recipe.  I decided that it was time.  So I went there.

This was actually quite good.  Better then Starbuck's.  

marble pound cake

Note:  To use wheat flour, use 100 grams all purpose flour.

100 grams almond flour

50 grams rice flour

50 grams arrowroot flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

8 ounce (1/2 cup) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

30 grams cocoa 

2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a small loaf pan.

Cream the butter and sugar together.  Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Mix in the gluten free flour.  Pour half the batter into the loaf pan.

Mix the cocoa and water together.  Make sure there are no lumps.  Mix into the batter not in the pan.  Pour the rest of the batter into the loaf pan.  Draw a knife through to marble the batter.

Bake 1 hour or until a knife inserted in to it comes out clean.

These little pieces are lovely with a cup of tea.

sourdough pancakes (2)

Trying to get breakfast one the table for six people, who all like very different things, can be interesting.  I was also trying to get enough food in bellys so work could be done and people would stay warm.  In Houston, it is in the 90's and 100's.  On the land, we were lucky to have have weather in the high 60's.  And one day it was very wet on top of being in the 50's.  Fuel was a neccesity.  

The short people seemed to like the bread based breakfasts better.  The first time I made this pancake recipe, there was a quiet discussion of what would happen with the rest of the batter.  The thought was voiced that we would have pancakes the next day.  I actually made bread.  You can do that with leftover sourdough batter.  So we had these again that week and we had them again on Sunday.  We were missing on Sunday but it still worked.  

I have a very similar recipe here but changing the mixing order and using more time really develops the flavor.  The time really makes a huge difference.

sourdough pancakes

Note:  Leftover batter can be made into bread by adding enough flour to make a kneadable dough.  Follow as you would for a basic bread.  If you want cakier pancakes, add 1/2 teaspooon baking soda with the eggs but make sure there is space in your bowl for much expansion.

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter or olive oil

2 to 4 tablespoons of sugar (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt (again, adjust this to taste)

1 cup flour

2 eggs

24 hours before you plan to eat, mix the starter, 3/4 cup water, and 1 cup flour in a large bowl.  Mix and cover for at least 8 hours.

About 12 hours before you plan to make the pancakes, remove a couple tablespoons of starter for the next time.  Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt, and flour to the starter.  Mix well.  Cover and let sit over night.

The next morning, heat a griddle or a large skillet.  Lightly butter or oil.  Let that heat.  Mix in the eggs (and optional baking soda) into the batter.  Drop by large spoonfulls on the pan.  Bake one side until the bubbles pop and the top is dryish.  Flip, and bake the other side for a few more minutes.  You wish golden on each side.

These really have become a standard. 

sourdough rye bread

My Beloved likes Reuben's, the sandwich.  We really have not found a rye bread he likes.  I keep trying different recipes.  This ones seems to be the best.  We both really like how it turned out.  The two bits that made a big difference is a very soft dough (almost a batter) and lots of time.

We now just have to get the makings since we have bread for it!

sourdough rye bread

Note:  I used a wheat sourdough because it was what I had but if you had a rye sourdough starter would be lovely.

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup flour (rye if you have it :)  )

20 grams salt

50 grams barely malt syrup

350 grams dark malt beer (I used a pumpkin stout because that is what we had)

450 grams water

800 grams rye flour

The night before, mix the starter, 3/4 cup water, and 1 cup flour.  Cover and let it sit overnight.

The next morning, remove a bit of sourdough for the next time

Mix everything else into the rest of the starter.  Mix hard until very smooth.

Butter two loaf pans (because I did not have the right 1 gallon rye pan).  Split the batter between the pans.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.  I actually did 36 hours.

Remove from the frig and let rise at room temperature until the batter reaches the top of the pan.  I actually deflated the batter a bit by removing the cling wrap.  I would have let it sit a bit longer but I just did not have the time.

When the batter reaches the top fo the pan, preheat the oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the loaf pans in the center of the oven and let bake for 2 1/2 hours (yes, really).

Lovely sourdough rye.  It is even almost sour enough for my Beloved.  A slower rise would get it there.

My Beloved cannot wait to make Reuben's!