Everyone please take a moment to admire the following specimen. This is a coffee percolator a.k.a. "the best way to drink coffee EVER!" Shiny, clean, and like new for $2.00 at Bargain Boutique in Waterbury. Another detail that I love LoVe LOVE, is that there are no plastic pieces (except for the handles...bummer...but very good enough!) I did not have special percolator filters. In fact, in my usual Mr. Coffee making, I use a reusable filter. But luckily I did find some old filters around and I improvised by cutting a hole in the bottom. I am a bit confused whether I need filters at all and would prefer not to use them. In some tutorials filters were used and in others they were not, while different types of percolators were used, and everyone had different processes. I hate floaters, so I opted to use a filter just in case, and what I dislike even more than floaters is burnt coffee, so I went for less time over the heat. The coffee of choice today is.... My favorite coffee brand is actually BRAVE but it is a bit harder to get as it is not sold in as many places yet. Yup...that clock says 9:14. It also says I like to party. In truth, it took me almost an hour to get to this point because of all of the research on percolation that I had to do. It turns out that I am no animal after all but can better be described as an inefficient Martha Stewart wannabe with a week off from work. In my defense (I am kind of cool), I had heard that it was the best and needed to test it out for myself. I had just been waiting for the right percolator to come into my life and then I had to figure out how to use it! What I would like to know is how long to let the boiling bubbling happen? I have found while avoiding boiling and burning that I am not allowing enough percolation action and then my coffee is not strong enough. Weak coffee makes me so sad. I feel like Goldilocks, not too weak, not boiled thick and burnt, only just right will do. How do I do that? I wouldn't say it is a perfect cup just yet but it still beats Mr. Coffee by far. If anyone has any suggestions as to how to improve my game let me know!
1 Comment
Cross this one off my list because I am officially a bread maker! The recipe that I chose to use for my Challah is from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day-The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking" by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. What is great about this cook book is that it gives directions as to how to make multiple batches in one go. Since bread making requires some major time management and monitoring, it is so nice to be able to keep it in the fridge and then grab a grapefruit size chunk to stick in the oven whenever (well almost whenever...more like after 1 hour and 20 minutes to rise!) I also love this book because I love Zoe Francois! Her mother was my dance teacher and mentor for many years, and still is, with the wonderful additional title of "boss" today. Below is a step by step of the process in pictures and it really is as simple as it looks with minimal ingredients that are quick and easy to mix by hand or machine! 2 hours of sitting around time! Roll it into a grapefruit size ball and then 40 minutes more sitting and waiting. Notice the change of venue? I took it to my Mom's house to do the rest! Braiding. Who doesn't love braiding? In the oven for 25 minutes and then finished! Look how pretty it is! I was so relieved to have had it turn out and it was delicious! I felt that it was a huge accomplishment. The only thing that I wish I had done differently was put on more egg wash so that it would be a bit shinier. Next time I will for sure which will be no problem because I plan to make bread regularly now! Store bought, even locally produced, do not compare to warm and fresh out of the oven. And that baking smell! If you don't know that smell you are missing out! I am happy that my kids will know that smell well. What an achievement! Next I will conquer whole wheat sandwich bread!!
Above is the bo peep scarf from Woodland Knits: over 20 enchanting patterns by Stephanie Dosen. This pattern can also be found on Ravelry for $5.50. I own the book. I was so lucky to have had it gifted to me but I can say that it would be absolutely worth the $14.87 on Amazon to buy. Every pattern inside is one that I fantasize about creating. If you go back and review my To Do list, you will see that there aren't any knitting projects on it. This is a detour and the reason why I often don't cross much off on my To Do list(s). I know. BUT, this is a detour with a bow on it and mine is going to be blue. This is a hard blog to write because there is so much that I want to say about knitting! It is one of the most relaxing things that I do while also being a challenge most of the time. Basically, knitting is like yoga for the brain. It can be frustrating sometimes for sure as some patterns can be quite complicated. Other patterns can be infuriating because they are just plain wrong. Nothing is worse than having to undo something that took hours to complete because you came to the conclusion too late that the instructions sent you in the wrong direction. I have practically brought my husband to his knees tearing a project apart while he pleaded "stop...it's fine...there isn't anything wrong with it...what are you doing!?" Not all of these mess ups can be blamed on the pattern though but on the fact that knitting is just plain harder when you are left handed (many things are harder...at 28 years old I still can't cut properly with scissors or use a can opener.) Knitting is such a calming activity though. To sum it up, I feel that I cherish it because it gives me permission to sit down. It is also an excellent excuse to not do the other things that I am supposed to do AND it can easily be layered with other enjoyable activities like hanging out with friends and family, listening to music, and watching Dateline. The ability to do so many things at one time feels extremely productive. My sister can even knit and read a novel at the same time (although that is a bit ambitious for me!) Another bonus, is that picking out patterns is like shopping except it is effortless because you can do it underneath the covers of your own bed and it is without limit as long as you believe that you will someday posses the ability to make anything! Finally, when a project is completed, there is a remarkable sense of accomplishment, artistry, and pride. Below is the last big project I completed last summer (I am not counting the finger/wrist knitted neck warmers and cowls that I made for family and friends for Christmas. Those were too easy! If you are interested in learning, I would be happy to teach!) The original fox scarf pattern did not include realistic markings or a soft warm inner lining. I am proud to say that I tweaked the pattern a bit to make it my own. My daughter loves it so much that she hardly ever takes it off. She has puked on it and bled bloody nose on it but I am just so happy that it is not tucked in the back of a drawer somewhere! I am really looking forward to this next project (the bo peep scarf) because it is made with fingering weight yarn which is as thin as a strand of thread. Although the pattern seems simple enough, knitting with such thin yarn is something that I am eager to master. I am also overjoyed to be making something for myself because I never do. I will post a picture of it when it is all done!
There are fiddles everywhere according to Made From Scratch by Jenna Woginrich (a very good read.) With all of the thrift store shopping that I do one will surely turn up like a diamond in the ruff. Apparently, in my reality, fiddles are never man's trash and may never be my treasure. I have learned quite a bit since deciding that I would become a fiddle player (refer back to It begins with a TO DO list... if necessary). Musical instruments are very expensive. Used instruments are illusive and are still quite often priced at $500 or more! Silly me for thinking that I might stumble upon one within my price range of around $50. I discovered a small and what I would describe as "cute" violin shop that I had no idea existed on the second floor of a building in town. My 4 year old and I wandered up an old narrow staircase after being directed there by an employee at Guitar Sam's. They don't sell violins at Guitar Sam's but I did learn from their very helpful staff that violins and fiddles are the same exact thing, with the same amount of strings and everything, the name just depends on how you play it. Anyway, we arrived at the violin shop and as we were reading the hours on the door, discovering that it would open at 12 pm (in 2 hours), the door opened briskly and we startled the man on the other side. In a rush he asked what we were looking for. I replied that I needed a used violin. He then asked "a full size?" while looking at me "or a child's size?" while looking at my kid. I answered "either one" and he looked really confused. I didn't add that I just want something to mess around with on my porch. I was tempted to ask "are the smaller ones cheaper?" but the most appropriate thing to say was "we'll return later when you're open." As you can see the days are getting warmer and sunnier now and my porch is looking more and more inviting. I envision sitting on my wicker furniture messing around on my fiddle for hours. I imagine that to be unbelievably relaxing. Maybe meditative even? Who knows...figuring out how to use it on my own could be incredibly frustrating. The initial sounds that I produce could sound like nails on a chalkboard and might be intolerable. I might hate it. It is on my TO DO list though and so I will try. Now, how can I find a cheap old fiddle/violin (not sure how I will end up playing the thing) that someone out there is desperate to get rid of and will gift over with relief to have it out of their hands? It doesn't even need to be in good condition. I fancy torn strings, nicks, maybe some green marker, and definitely dust. I can nurse it back to life...I think. Restringing an old banged up violin is cheaper than buying one new from a stranger on Craigslist. This way also offers an opportunity for me to meet a wonderful local person, one who loves violins, who's job it is to care for violins and I will support them with my business (or at least that is what Jenna Woginrich says.) I will find that person later! I won't allow this to deter me! I will just keep looking and by doing so I will hold out hope that one day it will appear, maybe under a pile of old disintegrating records or dusty camping gear at the next second hand shop. I would be very interested in seeing what your TO DO list looks like! TO DO lists gloriously contain the nagging chores that are so mundane they are easily forgotten (and therefor must be written down) as well as what may seem to some as outrageous aspirations. Asking to see a TO DO list is like asking, "what's on your mind?" and then expecting an answer that leaves nothing behind. So, you have seen mine! What is next? I am going to do everything that's on it! And why? Because I rarely do! Sometimes I wonder if much of my enjoyment is found in dreaming about the things on my list rather than doing the things on my list. But I really don't know for sure because I don't think that I follow through much (although I must give myself some credit...but more to share on that later.) This time, not only am I going to make a genuine attempt at it, but I will allow you to watch me (even when I mess up and things feel utterly terrible.) I really want to actually do the things that I wish I could do! I think that you will hold me to it! Without you, the TO DO lists only accumulate, one scrap piece of paper after another, and I never know where they go. |
Details
AuthorAmia is a full time dancer, dance instructor, choreographer, and mother of two based out of Montpelier Vermont. Amia is also certified in yoga as well as holistic health counseling and she pursues anything that she believes will better herself; intellectually, practically, in health, or lifestyle. Things can be interesting and so she has a blog. ArchivesCategories |