Are You My Ghost?

Too Much

2012-01-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

Wrapping Up 2011

2012-01-19T19:55:00.000-08:00

Around the end-ish of each year I like to go back over the goals that I set for myself the previous year, before setting new goals for the year ahead. 2011 did not quite go as planned, but by no means would I consider it a failure. It was an interesting one.

1. Do things that terrify, embarrass, startle, and otherwise freak me out.
I'd consider this the biggest success of all time. I ended a relationship that had been my absolute rock and place of consistency and security for three years. I moved into a place on my own for the first time in my life. I asked for a bigger raise at work (and got it!), I swam with a whale shark (briefly, in six foot seas and open water, and mildly panicked the entire time). Ultimately- I completely restructured my life, stopped shying away from the unfamiliar, and learned to start trusting my own gut more than ever before. It is not the journey that I had intended for myself by any means, but it has been the most significant.

2. Learn more about the joys of yeast and fermentation.
I'd call this questionable. While I started working with sourdough fairly early on in the year- in coming to terms with my gluten intolerance as well as moving into an apartment with the most inconsistent temperature range (ever!) I really let this one slip aside. Bread baking may not be a consistent thing for me, but my love for kombucha, kimchee, and all other things vinegary and mildly terrifying has not faded. 2012 might just be the perfect year for strange fermented things.

3. Go places, take classes, and make things.
2011 was: a gyotaku class in Portland, a four-week mushroom identification class through The Puget Sound Mycological Society, a very successful mushroom hunting trip, the best cupcakes I've ever made, two types of homemade cereal (granola, and amaranth). I also took swim lessons, made recipe after recipe of mediocre gluten free cookies, and spent a whole lot of time tromping around in the woods and mud.

4. Run a full marathon and start training for a triathlon.
Hah! Oops. While I did run my second half marathon (and cut 15 minutes off my previous time!) life really got in the way of any other training. An injury in October led to me having to wear this lovely thing for three weeks, and my foot still isn't fully healed. I'm signed up for my third half marathon this coming March, and will again aim to run my first full marathon in the next year.

5. Go somewhere I've never been before.
Success! Chimacum & Point No Point, Canon Beach, Whidby Island, Guemes Island (favorite!), Port Townsend, Crystal Mountain, and most wonderfully of all- La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico!

Did 2011 throw any surprises your way?

Slow Food Seattle & Canning Wild Pacific Albacore

2012-01-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I was invited to apply for a position on the board of directors with Slow Food Seattle, my local chapter of Slow Food International. I was thrilled to come on as their new treasurer, and while I'm definitely still finding my feet- yesterday was my first Slow Food event, and I had an absolutely fantastic time of it.

Jeremy Brown, charming tuna fisherman and canning expert- came down from Bellingham with 800 pounds of locally caught Wild Pacific Albacore tuna and a whole lot of patience. He talked members through the process of canning tuna- from cleaning and trimming fish to stuffing jars and testing for a proper seal. It was at times chaotic and crowded, always cold, and absolutely smelly. We had a seriously great day. And a tremendous "thank you" to Gourmondo for hosting us!

Step 1: Cutting tuna into chunks, removing skin and guts

Step 2: Fine trimming, cutting tuna into smaller pieces to fit into jars

Packing jars

Step 3: Adding salt, olive oil, and our special "secret" ingredient

Filled and cleaned jars waiting to go into the pressure cookers

Step 4: 90 minutes in the pressure cooker

Checking pressure. Yes it takes four people.

Removing cooked jars

Cleaning and separating unsealed jars

Cooling- the bubbles in the jars are a good sign- it means pressure is built up and they're properly sealed.

Waiting on the last three cookers to finish.

Your Smile Is Contagious: Goodbye Christina Choi

2011-12-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

Source

Rest In Peace, sweet lovely Christina.

Christina sparked my love of wild foods, made the best poached tuna sandwich you could ever dream of, fed me nettles and ramps for the first time, launched me up a six foot ladder the second time I'd ever met her, and was an absolute treat to have known.

The last time I saw her was on the last day that Nettletown was open. She was smiling, at ease, and excited for her new adventure. Just as I will always remember her.

Link Love! Gifts In Jars

2011-12-13T20:36:00.000-08:00

My 300-ish square foot apartment is currently overflowing with jars of things. Three types of jam, tomato sauce, two types of liqueur, pickles, pears, and on and on. My general motivation here is not only to have beautiful summer produce throughout the year, but also to have a perfect stash of last minute gifts and treats to share with friends and loved ones during the holiday season. It isn't too late for handmade gifts by any means- and the perks of gifting something that can be both stored, and later eaten once the house is cleared of other holiday sweet things is truly hard to argue. I've also tried to include primarily recipes that don't require any special canning equipment.

- Despite the fact that Washington doesn't actually have a citrus season- it still is citrus season. I'm enamored with the idea of this Chili Mandarin Marmalade with a Spritz of Ginger from Mandolin the Mirthful. She notes its intensity and that it would pair beautifully with crackers and chevre. My kind of lady.

- On that note- this idea of gifting Marinated Goat Cheese is unarguably simple, and absolutely gorgeous. This would make a phenomenal host/ess gift, even when rushed for time.

- Homemade Coffee Liqueur from Food In Jars makes for another well received gift that uses a few straight-forward ingredients. The original recipe notes that it's best when allowed to sit anywhere from three to six weeks- but I've given gifts like this in the past that included a note one when it's best to open. No one has complained.

- Okay, I'm totally cheating on this one. It doesn't come in a jar, it's merely just being served in one. But I cannot get over how obscenely delicious this sounds. I cannot. Jen Altman's Black Spiced Rum Eggnog will be my first attempt at eggnog ever. I will drink it out of a jar, and I will probably not share. You should go ahead and make your own.

- Bacon Jam. I know. Bacon is played out, and this recipe takes hours to make, and if you want to store it out of the fridge you need a pressure cooker. But I don't care about any of those things. It's bacon, and onions, and maple syrup. And I just don't care.

- I accidentally made myself a big beautiful jar of ginger syrup last year- it was the byproduct of candied ginger, and it was probably one of the best accidents I've had in some time. It makes for some of the best ginger ale I've ever had, and has stored perfectly in my pantry without any issues. Joy the Baker shares her recipe for Homemade Ginger Syrup for Ginger Ale and includes a perfectly simple recipe for ginger ale to tack on as part of a gift.

Are you making any of your gifts this year? What are your favorite homemade treats to give and receive?

That Week I Spent Eating Popsicles and Swimming with Whale Sharks

2011-12-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Oh, hi! Did I mention that I went to Mexico? Maybe? I flew down to La Paz, Baja California Sur the day before Thanksgiving with my brother and his lady. My mom and her partner are currently in the midst of a big crazy amazing adventure and we headed down to spend the week with them. We spent a tremendous amount of time talking to birds/stray cats/dogs, sitting in the sun, and eating the best popsicles of my life. We snorkeled with whale sharks(!!!), found a lagoon with wild horses, lived off of fresh avocados, and generally had a really miserable time.

Truly, it was dreadful.

Photos 6, 7, 15, 16, 17 were taken by my mom. Check my Flickr in the very near future for the rest of my photos!

Know You

2011-12-04T20:09:00.000-08:00

“I don’t suppose I really know you very well - but I know you smell like the delicious damp grass that grows near old walls and that your hands are beautiful opening out of your sleeves and that the back of your head is a mossy sheltered cave when there is trouble in the wind and that my cheek just fits the depression in your shoulder.”

—	Zelda Fitzgerald, in a letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald

Simple, Small Batch Canning: Pears in Sweet Tea Syrup

2011-11-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with this recipe from Coconut & Lime around this time last year. Despite the fact that it's incredibly, almost laughably simple- I just never took the time to pull it all together.

My CSA from Tiny's Organic wrapped up this past week, and my refrigerator is still somehow full of locally grown fruit. I'm heading to La Paz for a week this Wednesday and wanted a quick way to put up the last of my pears before they turned on me.

I made a few modifications to suit what I had on hand, including a lesser quantity. I used a small sized variety of heirloom pears, but feel free to do as the original recipe calls for and use Bartlett if it's what you have available. I also used a black tea from Choice Organic that I love, rather than rooibos. Feel free to try it with any tea that you have on hand and love.

Small Batch Pears in Sweet Tea Syrup:

- 5 small to medium sized pears
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 bags black tea, or tea of choice

Sterilize two pint jars and lids- I generally do this by boiling them covered in hot water for ten minutes.

Peel and cut pears in half. Remove stem and seeds- I did this using a melon-baller and it worked beautifully. Pack pears into jars- I did five halves in each.

Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil, and remove from heat. Add tea bags and allow to steep for up to five minutes. Pour hot syrup into jars, leaving about 1/2" of head space. Process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Allow pears to sit for at least two weeks before opening your jars.

Weekend in Photos

2011-11-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

A ridiculous and gorgeous birthday party for my bff and love of my life, Amy; a perfect day outside planting trees at Reecer Creek in Ellensburg with some of my favorite people; and thawing my stash of summer tomatoes for a big beautiful pot of tomato basil simmer sauce. Yes, I thawed them on the floor next to my radiator. Classy!

How was your weekend?

The Life of the Sun and the Earth

2011-10-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

Via Sam In Wanderlust

On My Boot

2011-10-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, this happened.

I did something weird to my foot while running, and then I kept running on it. And did something else weird. So now I can't run for three weeks. Or really walk very well. My two new nicknames are "Hobbles" and "Skippy". Very endearing.

I'm trying to decide if I want to spend the next three weeks of semi-hibernation baking, reading, or contemplating adopting every single cat on the Paws website. If you have any suggestions for amazing recipes, books, or fuzzy things please share! I can handle about two days of sitting still before I start getting crazy. Watch out!

Mushrooms & Manure

2011-10-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

This is what my Sunday looked like: chanterelle hunting, shoveling horse manure, and American Gothic redux. My co-worker Evan offered to take me out mushroom hunting if I'd help him load up the bed of his parents truck with manure for his garden beds. I'm no fool, so of course I said yes. When Evan's mom handed me a cloth grocery bag for collecting I never could have imagined that I'd be filling it nearly full. And for the record- I really did help shovel horse shit, not just hop around taking pictures all afternoon. Really. I have filthy boots and gloves to prove it.

Link Love!

2011-10-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

I'm almost certain that once upon a time I used to post links to things that weren't just related to food and eating. I'm glad that I've moved on from that place. My heart has only one real love. (That's a lie.)

- I actually made an audible squealing noise when I came across this recipe. That's normal, yeah? Apple Fennel Sauerkraut with Caraway from The Bitten Word is just so... glorious. I still haven't experimented with sauerkraut or kimchee, and I'm finding myself a little antsy. My CSA this week came with a big beautiful head of fennel. It's a sign, clearly.

- My biggest struggle with cutting back on gluten hasn't had anything to do with pasta or toast. It's shortbread. Shortbread relies so much on the simplicity of its ingredients, that when one thing is slightly off they verge on inedible. I experimented with a GF shortbread recipe this past spring- and while my co-workers humored me and ate the tiny heart shaped gritty lumps, I haven't gone back to trying to recreate them. Serious Eats hosts Gluten Free Tuesday every week, and amongst their recipes they have a simple and beautiful recipe for Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies. They also have a recipe for Allergen Free Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake, which does admittedly sound a bit clinical, but looks (and reads) to be delicious. I can usually get pretty excited about anything combining chocolate and pumpkin.

- Absolutely not gluten free, but when Molly from Orangette refers to something as "some of the best cookies I will ever eat" - I'm probably going to pop some acidophilus and make a batch. Plus- these are actually Autumn Martin's infamous peanut butter cookies. Yes. These Salted Peanut Butter Cookies. Yes, again. Yes. There is Theo Chocolate in there.

- I've been eating so much winter squash lately. And while Zucchini Stuffed with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Sage from The Kitchn uses a zucchini (obviously)- I'm likely going to re-utilize the stuffing recipe and cook it with a lovely little butternut or spaghetti squash. Forever.

- Maple Buttermilk Pie from 101 Cookbooks is so perfectly timed for fall. She uses rye flour in her crust, and nearly a cup of maple syrup in the filling. Perfection.

Huckleberries, Wild Flowers, and Rain Clouds

2011-10-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

Buckwheat Baby

2011-10-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

Not too early yesterday morning I overloaded my messenger bag with running clothes, local produce, and a big bubbly glob of sourdough starter. I rode over to meet up with my close friend Ellie- our plan being a longish run and a big beautiful brunch.

We did really, really well. Ellie took us down and along Lake Washington and then back up the hill through a perfectly ass-kickingly steep trail. At just over four and a half miles it was the longest run I've been on in months, and with the weather perfectly chilly and damp- one of my absolute favorites.

Post run- I made a scramble with produce from Alleycat Acres and Tiny's Organic, and Ellie made the most gloriously huge and gorgeous stack of sourdough buckwheat pancakes. She modified my favorite sourdough pancake recipe from Joy The Baker using just over half buckwheat flour and adding walnut pieces as they cooked. They turned out nutty and earthy, with that perfect lightness and tang that comes from cooking with sourdough.

Absolute perfection. Give it a try!

Homeland

2011-09-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend in Juneau- a very short trip, just barely three days for a family wedding. The weather was uncharacteristically beautiful for September and it was hands-down one of my favorite trips home in the past six years. It's so strange without my mom there, though!

My #1 required stop is always, always Paradise Cafe & Bakery. My brother met me there within an hour of my plane landing and we stuffed our faces with bread pudding and pastries. Perfection.

My grandpa Ralph spends a great amount of his time painting nature scenes with oil on canvas. His apartment is full of his work, and I snuck into his studio while my dad + uncle + grandpa were distracted trying to set up a tv. There's seriously amazing video of that- here!

Sandy Beach is sandy.

On the way to a family birthday party (seriously this weekend was full), Lizzie and I stopped by an open house for what used to be Kowee Creek Fish Hatchery, and is presently a beautiful home on the most insane piece of property I've ever seen. A salmon spawning creek runs along side the house, there's a massive garden, two waterfalls, a cave, beautiful old windows, and on and on.

My flight back to Seattle was perfectly clear almost the entire way, which is incredibly rare flying out of Juneau. I basically spent two hours staring out my window at ice fields.

Glorious!

Fancy Camping

2011-09-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread & A Lighting Issue

2011-09-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, in my first CSA from Tiny's Organic- I was blessed with a child-sized zucchini. "Blessed" being a bit of an objective term. I've spent the past two weeks staring at this thing. It took up half of my butcher block counter and I'm pretty sure that it moved on its own at least once. A giant zucchini is not a thing to be dealt with lightly. You cannot just chop it up and throw it into whatever happens to be for dinner, or munch on lovely little zucchini spears. Absolutely not. Giant zucchinis exist solely to be baked into things.

from our garden - snuggling zucchinis by m soto

I modified this recipe to suit my needs. Gluten free, more zucchini, less sugar, and butter instead of oil. Feel free to work with the original recipe if you find it suits you better. My version yields a nicely sweet, soft and moist loaf, without even a hint of the density or gritty texture that's characteristic of many gluten free baked goods. It's hands down my favorite GF recipe so far.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend (I used half Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free AP Flour, a quarter millet flour, and a quarter white rice flour- use whatever mixture you prefer.)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp xanthan gum (omit if using standard flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini - moisture squeezed out (I do this by wringing it out wrapped up in a clean dish towel or cheese cloth- do not skip this step or you'll end up with soggy bread!)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease two 8"x4" loaf pans. In a large bowl beat together sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until foamy. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently stir dry ingredients into wet, being sure not to over-mix. Fold in shredded zucchini and chopped nuts, then pour batter into pans. Bake 50-60 minutes, until top is cracked and a toothpick inserted in the middle of your loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.

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I'm having major issues with lighting my photos in my new apartment, and I need your help! Even in the middle of the day with both of my blinds open I don't get enough natural light to get a decent photo. The light in my apartment is extremely yellow, and I don't have enough photography/lighting skills to get around this. My food photos are hideous and it's bumming me out! Without being able to rely on natural light- what are my options for taking decent photos? Below is the best I could get of my zucchini bread. And normally I wouldn't photograph brown on top of brown, oops. Suggestions?

The Canning Queen & A Tale of Three Seasides

2011-08-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

Two really wonderful videos showed up on my Google Reader this morning:

The first is from Etsy on a delightful woman named Classie Parker- The Canning Queen of the Desert. "I teach people how to put the love in their food- by canning!"

The Canning Queen of the Desert from Etsy on Vimeo.

I love her!

The second is from The Perennial Plate on foraging wild foods along the West Coast, and features one of my favorite bloggers and wild food enthusiasts Langdon Cook.

The Perennial Plate Episode 68: A Tale of Three Seasides from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

Link Love!

2011-08-27T23:10:00.000-07:00

- The photos on Honey and Jam alone are enough to completely suck you in- and paired with the recipes her blog is completely irresistible. This recipe for Tomato Cobbler is a beautiful savory take on a traditional fruit cobbler that would be the perfect use for gorgeous summer tomatoes.

- The comments on this recipe had me laughing. Earlier today Michael tweeted "See the comments; what do y'all think, too far or am I allowed a little sap once in awhile?" And I guess the funny part is that I absolutely loved his writing in this post. Peach and Sour Cream Buckle is a simple recipe with just the right amount of mush. I love it.

- I have no idea how I managed to wait so long to link to this recipe. Grits with Corn, Goat Cheese, and Roasted Tomatoes from The Kitchn was one of those recipes that I made the same day that I discovered it. It tastes like eating summer. I used a beautiful vegetable ash chevre in mine and kind of wanted to cry it was so good. Please make this.

- Another recipe from The Kitchn that I should have shared some time ago- Velvety Broccoli and Feta Pasta has been a major stand-by for me the past few months. I generally end up eating half of the pesto out of my food processor bowl with a fork and my fingers. No shame.

What have you been loving lately?

Events: August 20th & 21st- Arts in Nature Festival & September 2nd through 5th- Radical Mycology Convergence

2011-08-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on this post- as Arts in Nature Festival starts in less than twelve hours- but I do love last minute plans.

"This experiential performing-arts based event which includes a wide variety of live music performances, dance troupes, aerial & fire performances, interactive arts activities, illuminaria, and sound & visual installations in 8 of the rustic cabins creating a Museum of Sound that festival attendees can explore and interact with. Some of this year’s festival artists include: Trimpin, The Moondoggies, The Legandary Oaks, Lelavision, The Cabiri, Christian Swenson, Caspar Babypants, and The Early Music Guild to name a few. The event is free with a suggested $10 donation. It is also a waste-free event with food served on reusable plates and cloth napkins."

More information can be found here!

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The Radical Mycology Convergence is happening over Labor Day weekend and is going to be a weird and awesome weekend full of weird and awesome mushroomy things. I am almost a little embarrassed about how excited I am about this.

"A free, volunteer-run gathering of mycologists, hobbyists, and Earth healers coming together to share skills and information related to the benefits of the fungal kingdom in terms of remediative properties as well as human uses. This weekend-long event will culminate in a remediation project to put theory to practice and will also be a unique chance to build community with like-minded mycophiles (aka mushroom lovers) from around North America."

More information can be found here, and please do note that you need to RSVP to attend. I will be leaving from Seattle that Saturday mid-afternoon ~~and have room in my tiny car for another two people. Shoot me an email at renai.marie@areyoumyghost.com if you're interested in carpooling!~~ Car is FULL!

Vegan & Gluten Free Coconut Cupcakes

2011-08-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

Uh oh from Another Pint Please

I normally wouldn't ever post a recipe without including a picture of the actual said item, but I'm still in a bit of a battle with the lighting in my apartment. If I posted any of the pictures I took you probably wouldn't want to make these. I sure as hell wouldn't.

Despite their lack of a decent photo- these cupcakes are unbelievably light and tender, and not even just for a gluten free baked good. Admittedly- there are a lot of leavening agents going on here, but they work really well with Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour which has become my go-to for much of my GF baking. These can easily be made with standard AP flour as well- just omit the xanthan gum.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour or flour of choice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. xanthan gum (omit if not using GF flour)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, smashed banana, or yogurt (vegan or non is fine)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened flake coconut, plus extra for topping cupcakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl sift together dry ingredients including sugar, and set aside. Combine coconut milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Create a well in your dry ingredients, then pour in wet ingredients. Fold together gently, being sure not to over mix (gluten free flours aren't really an issue with this- but it's a good practice regardless). While batter is still lumpy- gently fold in coconut flakes. Spoon batter into liners, top with additional coconut, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before eating- and feel free to top with powdered sugar or frosting of your choice if you'd like them a little more sweet. Makes 1 dozen.

Pretty Little Peach Pie

2011-08-12T00:44:00.000-07:00

I ended up making my version with Greek yogurt and not quite enough sugar. My peaches were lovely but still a bit tart. This baked up beautifully though, and I wasn't left with even a smidge of a piece leftover. I do love my old co-workers.

Original recipe here.

Tiny & New

2011-08-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

Oh, hey. That's my new kitchen! It's about the size of my old bathroom, has incredibly strange lighting, and about ten square inches of counter space. But so far only wonderful things have come out of it. I made broccoli and feta pesto over gluten free pasta for dinner tonight. I have a peach and creme fraiche pie in the oven right now. My refrigerator is full of pickling cucumbers, friends are coming over for a tiny vegan feast on Friday, and I've somehow found room to store my stand mixer, ice cream maker, and canning pots. There is absolutely nothing for me to complain about.

These past three months have been the most transitional, chaotic, and challenging months that I've had in years. I'm finally settled into my new tiny home, loving what life is handing me, and working my butt off to keep myself moving forward. A lot of the things that keep me going on a day to day basis fell aside, and I can't even begin to describe how great it feels to be getting my hands dirty and making awesome messes again.

Fishermans Terminal

2011-08-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

Weekend in Photos

2011-07-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

Short and sweet! This past weekend was a quick (not really) trip to Port Townsend for their 1st Annual Summer Cider Festival, a very lazy and uneventful evening camping in Sequim, and a whole lot of time attempting to drive to the correct ferry terminal. I was unbelievably happy to be back at home last night.

Link Love, and A Little Life Explaining

2011-07-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's official. I have been trying to avoid making a dreaded "sorry I haven't been posting much" post- but I think I finally have to do it. So, you guys. I'm sorry I haven't been posting much. Believe me when I say that I think about it all the time. I miss my blog (weird, maybe) and I miss sitting down and writing out real posts and taking the time to edit photos and get excited about new upcoming adventures and projects. There is a lot (!) going on in my life right now- so much of it is so awesome- it's been a summer full of non-stop adventures so far. But it means that I'm not home much, and not really spending much time sitting down to think. I also totally scrapped my marathon training and feel kind of awful about it. So, it's not you. It's me. And I really do promise that I'm going to get better about posting- because I miss it more than I can explain without sounding like I'm talking about a past lover. Which is weird. So, for the sake of not being weird- let's just start here- with some of my favorite things that some of my favorite people have been doing.

- I will never get tired of Smitten Kitchen recipes. Ever. Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme, and Sea Salt sound like something that should only be served with fresh fromage blanc and local honey. That sounds like dinner tomorrow night.

- I have never made rice pudding. I really want to make it, though. I really want to make Risotto Rice Pudding with Brown Sugar and Vanilla from Joy the Baker. Like really, really badly. Really.

- Food In Jars has a seriously great recipe for Refrigerator Dill Pickles which are really great if you're intimidated by the full-blown canning process. These guys aren't intended to be shelf stable, so you don't need to worry about breaking jars or giving your friends botulism.

- Is it cheating to say that my favorite blog right now is my mamas? Her and my step-dad left just over three weeks ago and their years-long sailing trip! Check out their adventures as they cruise out of Alaska and down to Mexico (for now). They'll be stopping through Seattle in August, and I get to spend a week in La Paz with them come November!

- Excuse my language- but holy shit. Do you know what those are? No? Didn't think so. Those are Cinnamon Sugar Radish Chips from Pinch of Yum and my mind nearly exploded when I first saw them. I still haven't quite wrapped my mind around these- but I know that I need to make and eat them very, very soon.

What have you been doing and loving lately?

Events: July 9th- 1st Annual Summer Cider Day

2011-07-08T06:12:00.000-07:00

We're heading out of Seattle to Port Townsend tomorrow morning to spend the day sampling local ciders and hopefully getting fantastic sun burns!

Discover the delicious diversity of Pacific Northwest craft hard ciders at the Northwest Cider Association's first annual Summer Cider Day in Port Townsend (WA) on Saturday July 9th from 11 AM to 7 PM.

Located at beautiful Fort Worden State Park, featuring 10 plus local cidermakers, at least 30 varieties of regional ciders and a tent of imported ciders, “Summer Cider Day” offers the experienced cider enthusiast as well as the newly cider curious a chance to sample a complete range of cider styles and flavors. Come enjoy a day in the park as you talk with your local cidermakers, taste cheeses, enjoy a bit of live music and celebrate the fermented apple in its many fine forms.

Ticket prices are $25, 20$ for NWCA members. Event ticket price includes admission for one, 10 taste tickets, and a keepsake Northwest Cider Association glass. Additional taste tickets will be available for purchase.

Enjoy a day or weekend in the artful, beautiful seaport town of Port Townsend Washington, have a cider paired meal at a local restaurant or explore Fort Worden's wide stretch of beaches and forest trails. And if you want to learn even more about cider, you can drive the "Cider Loop" as all three local cideries will also be open for tours and tastes.

Summer Cider Day Details

10+ Northwest Cider Makers
30+ Different Cider Varieties & Styles
Tickets include 10 tastes and a 5 OZ. souvenir Northwest Cider Association glass.
Additional taste tickets available for purchase
Cheese Pairing with Mt. Townsend Creamery
Food
Onsite Parking
Kid Friendly
Dogs allowed on leashes
Non-Alcoholic option
Live music throughout the day

Tickets and more info available here!

I'll be back on Sunday with lots of pictures- and maybe I'll even be awesome and share my photos from this past weekend of hiking and camping in the North Cascades!

Seattle Pride Weekend!

2011-06-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Seattle Pride. In the nearly six years I've lived here- it's the first year I've really spent all weekend celebrating!

Good

2011-06-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

"If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?"

- Maya Angelou

Guemes Island Weekend Vacation

2011-06-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes. I just got home from two of the best days I've had in longer than I can count.

I am a serious sucker for weekend vacations in/near/around the Seattle area. While usually my tiny car gets loaded up with a tent and an assortment of fleece clothing- this trip was based around a resort (we are so fancy). Guemes Island Resort is the only place to stay on Guemes Island (aside from rental homes) and the tiny sweet yurt that we rented out was charming beyond measure. Guemes Island is a quick seven minute ferry ride from Anacortes and with one general store, a fire station, the resort, and a very small mountain- it's one of the least visited (and least expensive) populated San Juan Islands. And I am crazy, madly in love.

Heading out after work, we just barely missed our intended ferry and had to hang out in the parking lot for a bit. Amy promptly broke my binoculars and we managed to spread all of our food/clothes/gear into a ten foot radius out the back end of the car.

Our first night on the island was fairly uneventful- we made friends with a few people staying in the cabins and coerced them into sharing their grill with us. Sneaky.

On Friday night the four of us decided to turn off our cell phones and not look at watches or clocks for the rest of our stay. It didn't work perfectly well, but for the most part we had no solid idea of what time it was. Saturday morning was this glorious combination of waking up and falling back asleep and lying in bed listening to the rain come through the trees.

Once up and moving, we did a bit of exploring around the resort, and then headed out for our big adventure. Driving a whole four (or so) miles to the Guemes Mountain trail head. It was a quick hike to the top, and the view was pretty phenomenal. I should note that the entire island was full of slugs. It was non-stop slug action the whole weekend. There were also appearances by caterpillars, snails, and tiny crabs. Non stop!

That night we put on our bras and clean jeans and rolled into Anderson's General Store for drinks, dinner, and a performance by Pretty Little Feet. We thought we were so hilarious, closing down the place at 8:30 pm. Better watch out.

Sunday morning was a bit lazy and slow moving, but once we rolled our little butts out of the yurt we headed down to the resort office and checked out their (free!) kayaks for a few hours. We paddled to nearby uninhabited Jack Island and spent a good chunk of time looking under rocks and making sure Amy didn't break any of her body parts.

Before leaving Guemes we spent some time back at Anderson's, drinking tea and watching the ferry go back and forth. Convincing ourselves to finally get in the ferry line took a bit of strength. I'm ready to go back right now.

Events: June 11: 5th Annual SLEE Dinner

2011-06-06T21:40:00.000-07:00

My beautiful friend Amy has been working for months to help organize this event! I'm donating a dozen vegan cupcakes, and will likely be attending as well. This is a wonderful event that supports a great cause, and $40 is truly a tiny amount if you consider how much you'd spend on a normal evening out! Find out more about Community Alliance for Global Justice and what they do here!

“Strengthening Local Economies, Everywhere”
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Happy Hour 5:00 – 6:30
Dinner 6:30 – 9:30
Same great location: St. Demetrios Church in Montlake: 2100 Boyer Avenue East
Buy your tickets now at Brown Paper Tickets!

Sliding scale $40-$75: Please be generous in your support! We want to make this event accessible to everyone while also recognizing the need for us to raise crucial funds. Paying at the $75 level will support a farmer/food worker! This gives you entry and also ensures that a local member of our food economy can be an honored guest at our event! Kids are only $10! If you are unable to afford a full-price ticket, please contact us for solidarity tickets! Limited amount available! Email: volunteer@seattleglobaljustice.org

This year’s Keynote will be given by Aba Ifeoma, Organizer with Detroit Black Community Food Security Network. Aba will speak about the resurgence of urban agriculture and bee-keeping in Detroit! DBCFSN was the winner of the 2010 Food Sovereignty Honorable Mention Prize. You can learn more about their important work in this video showing Aba accepting the prize at the Community Food Security Coalition Conference.

Get involved! Help CAGJ organize our annual celebration of the food justice and food sovereignty movements! Contact us at volunteer@seattleglobaljustice.org

Link Love!

2011-06-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

- Seattle Eats Local Neighborhood Poster from Drywell.

- I've been putting pea vines in my morning smoothies lately and can't seem to get enough of them. This Simple Mint Pea Dip from My New Roots can be made using frozen peas as well, if you are having the kind of spring that we are in Seattle. I have the feeling that fresh peas are going to be a little while still.

- When I found this set of Charley Harper + Todd Oldham plates for Fish's Eddy I announced to Brittany that we were going to have to get married immediately, just so we can put them on our registry.

- I have been doing a fairly awesome job the past few weeks of avoiding gluten. I figured out a while ago that I have an intolerance, but hadn't really dealt with it. It's been getting worse lately, so I've been experimenting with gluten free bread and pasta and have found a few that I really like. The above cupcake is from the recently opened Bouteloua Bakery in my neighborhood. It's actually a vegan bakery, but they have at least one gluten free item per day as well, and I'm totally crazy in love with their cupcakes.

- I think it might actually finally be summer in Seattle. I have a sunburn to prove it. This means it's time to start eating frozen things. Fudge Popsicles from Smitten Kitchen are very, very high on my list.

Dinner

2011-05-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

It's not the easiest thing in the world to take a decent picture of steaming food. I have no patience.

Purple jasmine rice, fresh caught Pacific NW halibut, green garlic, fresh ginger, miso broth, oyster mushrooms, and kale. I could eat you forever.

Whidbey Island Daycation

2011-05-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

The plan to go morel hunting this past weekend was unfortunately spoiled by flooding and a serious lack of actual mushrooms. Never one to be phased by bad weather or last minute planning- the bff found us a camp site on Whidbey Island, and we drove out on Friday after work. We somehow managed not to plan a single thing- by the time we got to the campground it was pitch black, we had no firewood, and only the light of a dying head lamp. We managed to set up our tent without too many issues, eat a well balanced dinner of hummus and cheese, and crashed out by 10:30.

The next morning we took off and found ourselves a sweet little farm with a creamery and a cafe. I'd be happy to eat pie for breakfast forever.

From there we headed towards Deception Pass, but (of course) found ourselves at a farmers market and Friends of the Library book sale.

I forgot how calm and mellow farmers markets can actually be. Once we finally made it to Deception Pass State Park we spent a good two hours just walking down the beach. It's been way too long since I've done that.

We have another mushroom hunting trip scheduled in a few weeks, so I'm hoping to get at least one trip in before spring is over.

Life, Lately

2011-05-17T21:34:00.000-07:00

Things are mostly wonderful, although I've barely had time to breath lately. Camping and morel hunting this weekend, a tutu sewing fest next week, Ski to Sea with co-workers the weekend after that, and it goes on and on.

Link Love! Canning and Putting Things in Jars

2011-05-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

Despite our slow turning Seattle spring- asparagus is in full force at the farmers markets, and thanks to my mama and Lizzie I have a giant bag of wild fiddleheads in my fridge, straight outta Southeast Alaska! Take that, TSA. I've been putting my own stash of fiddleheads into pasta, and pretty much anything that goes well with butter. I'm excited now to finally have enough to pickle and can.

And although we still have a little while to go before berries start showing up- it's really never too early to start planning for jam. Never ever. And even then? There are still a million other things that do so well in jars.

Canning Across America and Food in Jars are without a doubt my two favorite canning resources. I'm totally totally smitten with Baked Eggs in Half Pint Jars. I've been dreaming about them since Tuesday.

- Strawberry, Balsamic, and Black Pepper Jam from Melissa Made is really for real. I've never been a huge fan of strawberry jam (too many chunks!) but I'm all sorts of excited about this one.

- Sticking with the pepper theme- Salt and Pepper Cashew Butter from Edible Perspective sounds kind of perfect. I made my own almond butter a few months ago and really loved it. Cashews are kind of dreamy.

- Langdon Cook blogs about Christina's recipe for Pickled Fiddleheads, which is likely the recipe that I'll use for my own. Christina has lots of dishes with fiddleheads happening at Nettletown right now, so if you're curious and in Seattle- get your butt in there!

- I've been wanting to experiment with preserving lemons for a while now. Food in Jars has a short and sweet write up. Lemons and salt, loves. That's all.

I've been meeting so many people lately who are getting into canning. It's so inspiring and I love hearing about it. What are you excited about canning this spring and summer?

Nettlefiddle

2011-05-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I drug my dumpling Julia out into the woods and threatened to torture her if she didn't help me pick nettles.

We also managed to scrounge up a few of the last fiddleheads along the way. I nearly lost a shoe.

What have you been up to? I've been busy with mushroom identification classes, marathon training, a crazy work retreat, hosting a bake sale for Water for People (we raised nearly $500!), eating cheese, and drinking beer. So much good!

Rabbit Eggs

2011-04-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

Brown eggs dye perfectly.

We drank mimosas, ate my favorite quiche, and took a glorious nap.

Weekend in Photos

2011-04-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

I spent this past weekend in Portland with Brittany- mostly drinking good things, taking silly pictures of ourselves, and geeking out over Michael Pollan, who we got to see speak on Saturday night! Once home yesterday I made a quick batch of amaranth cereal and spent most of my evening on the couch with chubby Luna. Pretty darn perfect. Also- what do you think of the new layout!? My good friend Ellie designed the header for me, and I am over the moon in love with it.

Wild & Homemade

2011-04-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi loves! It's "Ask the Intern" week on Questionland- which means that there's a whole section of questions targeted just at me! I'm focusing on all things homemade and wild and would love it if any of my readers stopped on by to pester me. While Questionland is Seattle based- you definitely don't need to live in Seattle to use it. Come check out Wild and Homemade Q&A!

Homemade Cereal: Popped Amaranth with Nuts & Dried Fruit

2011-04-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to cut down even further on processed foods- I’ve been experimenting with making my own cereals. This recipe is hands-down my favorite, and while popping amaranth can be messy- it’s also freakishly fun. Amaranth is a grain similar to quinoa that is easiest to find in bulk bins at nicer grocery stores. I buy mine at the Town & Country Markets in Seattle.

Ingredients:
8 tbsp amaranth
1/2 cup raw walnuts (or nut of choice)
1/2 cup dried fruit (my favorites are cranberries and candied ginger)
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp sea salt

To pop the amaranth:
Heat a large pot (the higher the sides the better) over medium-high heat. Toss in two tablespoons of amaranth (any more at a time and you’ll burn most of it) and stir constantly until most of the grains are popped. It’s better to leave some grains un-popped rather than burning the rest. Dump popped amaranth into a medium sized bowl, and continue this process until all amaranth has been popped.

Unpopped vs. popped

Once all amaranth is popped- add nuts, dried fruit, salt, and maple syrup to your bowl and mix until combined. If you find your amaranth clumping with the syrup- just get in there with your hands and break things up. Cooking should be messy! Store in a glass jar or other sealed container, and serve just as you would with any other cereal. I’m happiest eating mine with milk.

Originally posted at Swallowing Seattle.

A Good Run

2011-04-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

I went trail running for the first time today at Discovery Park- this crazy amazing series of trails and beaches somehow located right smack in the middle of Seattle. My run was a nice and slow four miles- mostly slow because I kept stopping to take pictures and look at plants. It ended up being really great, and aside from an ankle full of nettles to show for myself- I found several nice little patches of fiddleheads! I've been lusting after this variety since I moved to Seattle. We used to pick them right outside our house on Douglas Island and saute them up in butter. The varieties found at the farmers markets here in Seattle just don't do it for me the same way.

As with any new or unfamiliar wild edibles- take lots of pictures of both the full plant still in the ground, as well as the portion that you intend to eat. Be sure to very positively identify it before eating. Many wild edibles (including fiddleheads) must be cooked thoroughly before eating. As they say when cleaning out your refrigerator- "when in doubt- throw it out!"

Book Review & Giveaway: Pacific Feast- A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine

2011-04-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

"An intimate guide to the food at our feet, Pacific Feast shares expert advice on how to identify the good eats, harvest responsibly, and create delicious meals." - Pacific Feast

Far more than just a field guide or collection of recipes- this book includes a section of full-color photographs, recipes from chefs including Christina Choi (!) and Tom Douglas, harvesting calendars and beautiful introductions to each species covering area history and the Authors personal experiences.

Recipes range from Sea Urchin Gazpacho to Maple Blossom Fritters to a Spotted Owl (Nettle Martini), and Jennifer perfectly explains how and where to harvest your goods. Her experiences have taken her from California to Alaska and British Columbia and she doesn't seem to overlook a single worthwhile edible.

Among the stack of books that makes up my current reading list- this is the only one that bounces around my living room and kitchen constantly. I find myself reading through recipes at random on an almost nightly basis. My copy was a gift from a dear friend- and I'm thrilled to be able to offer a copy to one of my dear readers! Read on for details!

There are four (!) ways for you to enter to win your very own copy:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite wild food is. If you don't have one- just tell me what's on your mind.

2. "Like" Skipstone Books on Facebook and leave a separate comment here telling me that you have.

3. Sign up for the Skipstone Books Newsletter and leave a separate comment here telling me that you have.

4. Follow Skipstone Books on Twitter and again- leave a separate comment here telling me that you have.

The contest will run for one week- ending April 13th at 9 PM Washington time. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted soon after. Please be sure to include a way to contact you in each of your entries. Good luck and happy foraging!

Everything You Need

2011-04-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

The Sweet Life

With shelves full of books and tiny potted herbs growing on our kitchen table- I think I'm doing alright.

Pro-Soup and Pro-Soap

2011-04-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite people, and fellow Alaskan moved South- Brittany of Pro-Soup Propaganda just recently started up a sweet little shop on Etsy- Pro-Soap Propaganda! Many of her soaps are Alaska themed- North Star, Chinook, Fireweed, and my favorite- Rain-Dogg! (That's Rainier Beer for the Alaskan challenged).

Cafe Au Lait

For the month of April- Brittany is donating 5% of all sales to the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad in Ketchikan, Alaska. In Brittany's words: "They are a volunteer-based organization in my hometown who provide search and rescue services, most recently for a friend who went out snowboarding and never came back. :o( They did the best they could and I'm happy to be donating to them this month because we need services like this in our community. Thank you for your support!"

Dwarf Star Lemon Poppyseed

Brittany is currently hosting a giveaway for a bar of her North Star. Click here to check it out- and you have until Monday, April 4th to enter! Good luck!

Edit! Holy smokes. I just came home and what do I see, but a link to a brand-new soap- Renai's Pinecone! Seriously serious.

Weekend in Photos

2011-03-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

My first ever loaf of bread: Sourdough with rosemary and smoked sea salt.

Sourdough cinnamon rolls.

Rowdy!

Weeding and planting starts at The Blue House.

Tiny mushrooms in woodpecker holes.

The view from the top! Hiking Rattlesnake Ridge.

More Rattlesnake Ridge.

Reading List:

2011-03-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

Top to bottom:

1. Edible Stories: A Novel in Sixteen Parts, Mark Kurlansky. I just started reading this. It gets mixed reviews, but I'm enjoying it so far. Many of the characters and themes are carried throughout the book and the short story format works really well for bus reading.

2. The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver. My absolute, all-time favorite book. I re-read it about three times yearly. It's a quick and easy read, but I just love it more every time I finish it.

3. Pacific Feast: A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine, Jennifer Hahn. This beautiful book was a gift from my love Becca. The guides and recipes cover everything from weedy greens to shellfish to edible trees. I'm quite smitten with it.

4. Take a Walk: 100 Walks Through Natural Places in the Puget Sound Region, Sue Muller Hacking. While this book covers a lot of smaller, more urban parks and trails- it also offers up some really great options for easy day hikes and beaches. I'm excited to use it for new weekend running routes.

5. The Last Fish Tale, Mark Kurlansky. "...provides a delightful, intimate history and contemporary portrait of the quintessential northeastern coastal fishing town: Gloucester, Mass., on Cape Anne. Illustrated with his own beautifully executed drawings, Kurlansky's book vividly depicts the contemporary tension between the traditional fishing trade and modern commerce..."

6. All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms, David Arora. This guide is eccentric, if not extremely informative. David Arora has a reputation for being a little bit nutty- and while the cover of this book is on the odd side, the full color photographs and serious details within make it well worth checking out.

7. The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild, Lynn Schooler. "Schooler, who has worked for many years as a guide in the unpredictable waters of the Alaska Panhandle, has distilled a life of unusual intensity into his first book. The story centers on the renowned nature photographer Michio Hoshino, a client who became a friend, and the two men's ongoing search for the elusive glacier bear, a blue variant of the North American black bear."

8. Bradt Travel Guide: Iceland, Andrew Evans. Spring of 2012! This guide is the best I've found so far- and does a really great job of covering a lot of what I hope to experience.

Link Love: Sourdough!

2011-03-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

Sourdough Starter by Madichan

Sourdough is a glorious, lively beast. I bought myself a 100 plus year old Alaskan sourdough starter a little while back, then spent a few weeks moving the packet around my counter- hoping its presence would either inspire or terrify me into re-hydrating it.

Once I started it- I knew I was doomed. I have since become obsessed with everything sourdough. I made pancakes last weekend, and ate 9. I usually can stomach 2-3 before I find them boring and heavy. Sourdough pancakes are like little tart and fluffy pancakes of love. Paired with real maple syrup and fatty salty smokey pepper bacon- there aren't too many things in life that can compare.

If you don't have a sourdough starter and would like to grow your own- this is a great resource- he also includes instructions on feeding and maintaining your sourdough as well as a basic sourdough bread recipe to get you started.

- Basic Whole Wheat Sourdough Tortillas from GNOWFGLINS seem delicate and simple- they'd make a good homemade substitute for crêpes.

- King Arthur Flour seems to have the go-to recipe for Sourdough English Muffins. This recipe makes a lot- but the leftovers can be frozen.

- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls have been on my radar from day one. I'm obsessed with them- I just need to find time to make them! Dog Island Farm has a simple and well written recipe.

- Sourdough Pancakes from Joy the Baker result in a bit of a thin batter- but reading through the comments should instill nothing but confidence. I'm going to try these this weekend, for a little change of pace (I said little).

- Finally- Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies are simple and don't require much work ahead of time. I really love this idea.

Have you ever worked with sourdough? What are your favorite recipes?

Nettle Foraging & My Favorite Green Smoothie

2011-03-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

Prickles!

Last weekend I spent a few good hours tromping around Discovery Park with some folks from The Seattle Wild Foods Meetup Group and my bff Amy. The two of us eventually split off on our own and found a few really good spots for nettle picking. Honestly- this time of year it's nearly impossible not to find good spots all over the place. They're coming up like the wild little weeds that they are.

Blanched or dried- the vicious little things quickly turn into a culinary dream. Their flavor is earthy, fresh, and a little zippy. They make an easy replacement for cooked spinach in recipes, brew into an earthy tea, and blend into a gorgeous pesto or ravioli filling. I blanch mine for 2-3 minutes, run them through the food processor, and then freeze into ice cube tray portions. From there I can thaw and add them to just about anything. Most recently I've been adding them to my smoothies.

Cranberry & Nettle Smoothie

This has been my lifeblood lately. In an effort to cut down on gluten- I started making myself smoothies for breakfast most mornings. It took me a few tries to get a combination down that really did it for me- but I am over the moon about this one. The great part about smoothies is that everything is more or less interchangeable. If you don't have access to nettles- no problem. There are an infinite number of things that you can use instead. I've included some good alternatives in notes marked with red astrix below.

This smoothie is pleasantly tart, and lends its creaminess to raw cashews soaked in water. Ideally it's best to soak cashews overnight- but an hour will suffice, and in a pinch I've just thrown the cashews and water in without soaking at all. Still great, just not as smooth. If you're freaked out by the idea of adding greens to a smoothie- try it first with a small amount of spinach. You'll be pleasantly surprised- you truly can't taste it at all. Feel free to adjust the amount of honey that you use based on your tolerance for tartness.

Cranberry & Nettle Smoothie:
- 1/3 cup raw cashews + 1/3 cup warm water
- 1 handful nettles*, blanched
- 3/4 cup frozen cranberries**
- 1/2 cup kefir***
- 1-3 tsp honey or agave nectar
- 1 tsp flax meal
- 2 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender (they layer best in the order listed), and blend using quick pulses until smooth. That's it! Seriously. Smoothies aren't hard.

* Spinach, kale, chard, arugula, etc. (no need to blanch these greens before using)
** Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.
*** Yogurt, fruit juice, non-dairy milk, etc.

More great information about nettles can be found here.

Shiny & New

2011-03-03T21:55:00.000-08:00

Hi Loves-

I'm thrilled to let all ya'll know that I'm the new intern at Swallowing Seattle- esentially the Food & Drink portion of Questionland! This is really exciting for me, because I both adore Questionland and food. It really doesn't get much better.

I'll be blogging over there from time to time, running my mouth and helping out with themes and contests on Questionland, as well as diving into a lot of new and exciting things happening with food in Seattle. There may be a bit of cross-posting happening here, and I'd be thrilled if any of my readers joined Questionland (you don't have to live in Seattle- many of the questions are more about the "what" rather than the "where").

This months Food & Drink theme is "DIY" and right we're talking about home canning and preserving- with cheese making, homebrewing, and coffee roasting coming up in the next few weeks. We have a really knowledgeable guest panel, including Michael from Herbivoracious among many others. We also have a contest going on right now - The Ultimate Sandwich Showdown! The winner gets a one month subscription to Rouxbe and the joy of eating said delicious sandwich.

Most importantly- I want to let you know that I'm not abandoning you! If anything I'll have more exciting things to share. I know that posting has been a bit spotty lately- January and February are notorious for kicking my ass, but I'm getting excited about longer days and busy weekends coming up. I'm hoping to get out nettle picking this weekend, and I start my first mushroom identification class next month. As always- I'd rather post less often with higher quality, rather than the other way around.

Love love!

- R

Kombucha Homebrew

2011-02-27T19:30:00.000-08:00

Finally! This has to be the one post that I've talked about, started writing, and thought about more than any other. And I really have no excuses- as it's incredibly simple and straight forward.

I started brewing my own kombucha about a year ago and have since been more or less unable to enjoy the store-bought stuff. As it turns out- I like my kombucha extra vinegary and herby, and I also get some sort of strange joy out of creeping people out by brewing it on my kitchen counter. It really isn't the prettiest thing to look at. For some more information about what kombucha is and why I drink it- this is a good source, if not a little woo-woo. Fact of the matter is- I love the taste, and I feel great when I drink it.

Mmmmm

What you need to begin:

- Large pot (at least 4 1/2 quart)

- Large glass jar (a sun tea jar is perfect)

- 4 quarts of water

- 1 cup sugar

- 4 tea bags (green, black, or white, not herbal or decaffeinated!)

- Cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel to cover your brew with

- Kombucha SCOBY (mother) and 1/2 cup starter liquid*

*You can grow your own SCOBY by following this guide which has you start with a bottle of the store-bought stuff. This is how I grew mine originally, and it has never let me down. Starter liquid is basically already brewed kombucha, and if you do grow your own SCOBY you'll already have some ready to go. If you live in the Seattle area I have quite a few extra SCOBY's right now- and I'd be more than happy to pass them along. Just leave me a comment and we can coordinate an exchange.

How to brew:

- Start by either filtering or boiling your water for ten minutes to get rid of any existing bacteria and other funky stuff that could mess up your brewing process. If using the boiling method- add an extra half cup of water, as you will lose some volume via steam.

- Add sugar to your boiling water, and stir until fully dissolved. Remove from heat, add tea bags, and allow to brew for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, and allow mixture to cool until room temperature. This is a good time to sterilize your large jar (running it through the dishwasher is great, as is "rinsing" it with boiling water).

- Carefully pour tea mixture into sterilized jar, using a funnel if needed (you really don't want sugary tea all over your kitchen counters). Gently pour SCOBY and starter liquid into your jar with tea, cover with cheesecloth or towel, using a rubber band or string to hold it on.

- I allow mine to brew on the kitchen counter, as it's fairly warm and can sit undisturbed until it's ready to drink. Taste your brew after the first week and decide if it's the strength that you'd prefer. I've left mine to brew for up to 3 weeks for a very strong, vinegary brew. Once it's your desired strength- remove your SCOBY and 1/2 to 1 cup of your liquid, and set aside for your next batch. Brewed kombucha should be stored in the fridge, and will keep for a long time- you'll most likely drink it all before you ever have to worry about it going bad.

Once you're comfortable with the brewing process- feel free to try experimenting with flavored teas, and different types of sweeteners (honey, agave). Just be sure to always use caffeinated tea, and not ever use sugar substitutes as your kombucha culture won't be able to grow and ferment without caffeine and sugar present.

Most of all- have fun, gross out your friends, and feel awesome because you no longer have to spend $4 every time you want to get your hippie on.

Octopus Gyotaku and Cannon Beach

2011-02-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

I spent this past weekend in Portland with my good friend Brittany - as per usual it wouldn't be a Brittany/Renai weekend without sea creatures and big messes.

On Saturday we took a gyotaku class with Sharron of Herring Cove Originals. The class was fantastic, and we came out with some really beautiful prints.

On Sunday we made a quick trip to Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast, mostly just to get lunch from Ecola Seafoods and so I could talk to a seagull.

Pretty fantastic weekend! I'll be down in Portland again in April to see Michael Pollan!

Link Love!

2011-02-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that I'm currently supposed to be following an elimination diet- focusing on cutting out gluten and dairy- I am failing miserably. I am truly guilty of only wanting what I'm not supposed to have. This is no help:

- Perfect Cinnamon Buns from Chloe of Shoplifting in a Ghost Town make me want to weep a little. Chloe has a really hilarious yet informative way of writing that I've always really admired (back in the days of Livejournal!) Plus her kitchen tutorials include lots of food with faces.

- I feel a little like Patrice's groupie at times- but I totally can't help it. Woman blows my mind! Check out her recipe for Mid-Winter's Day Chai over at The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag.

- Both from Serious Eats: Lemon Salt with Fennel and Chili- the prettiest herb salt I've ever seen. And Quick Homemade Hard Cider- using fresh apple cider and a few homebrewing essentials. Kind of fantastic.

And a few non-food related goodies:

- Without Words (A Tiny Love Story) from Resurrection Fern is my kind of love.

- Beating the Winter Blahs #5 at Painted Fish Studio has some great, simple wisdom, and a link to some really gorgeous coloring pages. There's no such thing as being too old to color.

- My favorite, favorite, favorite blog as of late is Yum and Yuk. I want her to post 300 times a day. "A blog on books, running, the law, & design I can't afford. "There are only two mantras, yum and yuck, mine is yum." - Tom Robbins"

Sweet Little Knockoff

2011-02-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week my friend Brittany sent me a link to a little handmade pouch that she had her eye on. We have daily ongoing text message conversations about picnics and splotchy skin, so this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I haven't been sewing much lately, but when I saw it I knew I could make something similar. Here is my version:

I had a lot of fun making it, and I can't wait to give it to Brittany! Also note- I would never sell anything like this that I've made- I do believe I would go straight to crafting hell for a move like that. Serious!

Cinnamon Cocoa Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2011-01-30T16:48:00.000-08:00

I don't think that I've ever posted two recipes in a row, but these cupcakes are just too wonderful not to share right now. The frosting is very distinct and not overly sweet. It makes a nice, thick, bakery quality buttercream that perfectly compliments the texture of the cake. I did luck into a few specialty ingredients, but they aren't difficult to substitute for easier to find versions. This recipe was originally vegan, and is incredibly easy to change back if you'd prefer it that way.

For the cupcakes you need:

1 cup milk (or soy/rice/almond milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter (or vegetable oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder- minus 1 Tbsp
1 Tbsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350° F, and line muffin pan with 12 liners. Whisk together the milk and vinegar, and let sit for a few minutes while you melt your butter. Add melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract to milk mixture, and beat until frothy. In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add to liquid mixture, beating until well incorporated, but with a few lumps remaining.

Fill liners 3/4 full, and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. Makes 12 cupcakes.

For the frosting you need:

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (Earth Balance or vegetable shortening for vegan version)
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp milk (soy/rice/almond)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp vanilla powder, or the scrapings from one whole vanilla bean

Using a stand mixer, electric beaters, or one hell of a strong arm- beat all ingredients until well incorporated and fluffy. Double checking to make sure that cupcakes are fully cooled- frost liberally using a butter knife or pastry bag.

Keep away from chubby kitties.

Crunchy, Clustery Granola with Honey Buttermilk Pralines

2011-01-25T21:33:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I went through a short and not-so-sweet phase of trying to make my own granola. I was so focused on it being healthy that it was never sweet enough or really all that enjoyable otherwise. No clumps or clusters, and almost always over-baked and lackluster. I gave up for quite a while, but recently decided to give it another go- this time allowing myself a little sweetness.

This recipe is hands-down, without argument the best granola that I've ever made. It's also dramatically different than any other recipe that I've tried. It's best if you make it the night before you plan to eat it- as it needs a little bit of time to really crunch up and do what it needs to do.

For the pralines you need:

1 1/4 cup organic sugar
3 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup buttermilk (regular milk is also fine)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 cups assorted chopped nuts and coconut (I used pumpkin seeds, almonds, pecans, and large flake coconut)

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reaches 235° F. Remove from heat, and stir in nuts until well coated. Pour nut mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper and spread out thinly and evenly. Let this sit to cool while you prepare the rest of your granola mixture.

Note that this praline recipe makes about double what I ended up using in my granola. We put the rest on ice cream.

For the granola you need:

1 lb oatmeal (whatever you have on hand is fine- I used a 5 grain rolled cereal mixture, and the original recipe uses quick oats- do NOT use instant oatmeal!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 scant cup sugar
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 egg whites (optional, but they really help to form your clusters!)

Preheat oven to 300° F. Using a food processor or blender- grind about half of your oats into a fine meal (not quite a powder, but significantly smaller than what you started with). Add ground oats to a large bowl with whole oats, cinnamon, and ginger. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, honey or syrup, butter, water, and salt. Heat over medium-high heat, just until butter has melted and the mixture starts to bubble. Pour over oat mixture, and mix well, until the entire mixture is the same consistency and moistness. Beat your egg whites just until frothy, then pour over your oat mixture and once again mix until combined.

Divide the mixture onto two baking sheets, spreading with your fingers and allowing to sit in clumps. Bake in 20-25 minute increments- gently stirring the granola on only one pan, leaving the other in one in its original large clumps. It should take about an hour to an hour and a half for it to be sufficiently dried out and toasty. The un-stirred pan may be done before the other- just keep an eye on it!

From here you're going to do two different things with each pan. For the pan that you haven't stirred at all while baking- let it sit until completely cooled (overnight if possible), then break into large clumps. These will be your big oatlicious clusters. For the pan that you stirred during baking- pour the granola into a large bowl while still slightly warm. Break your cooled praline into small chunks with your hands, and add about half (or however much you want) to the bowl with granola. Using your hands work the pralines into the granola. They'll get really soft since the granola is still warm and try to stick together in big clumps. Just keep working with it, breaking the pralines into small chunks as you go. Once it's your desired consistency allow it to sit until completely cooled- again overnight is best.

Mix your two batches together, and add any other additions that you want. Now is the perfect time to add any dried fruit, candied ginger, or other goodies that you like in your granola.

Makes one giant lovely batch.

Recipe adapted from here, here, and here.

New Goals for the New Year: 2011

2011-01-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

u-pick

I recently went back over my goals for 2010 and wanted to give myself a little bit of time to come up with some goals for 2011. I prefer goals over resolutions, as they give me some direction and focus without being so dramatic. It's no big deal if I sway in another direction halfway through the year, or if I focus on one more than any other. The New Year coincides with my birthday, and so it really is the perfect time for me to plot out a little structure and direction.

1. Do things that terrify, embarrass, startle, and otherwise freak me out. I can be both terribly shy and terribly calculated at times, and it doesn't really seem to do me any favors. I'd like to get past this and be able to feel more free in my actions. I told my entire yoga class on Wednesday night that I call myself "baby girl" in my head when I'm running as to be nicer to myself (rather than cussing myself out). I then turned bright red and promptly shoved my water bottle in my face after I blurted it out. It was tiny and silly, but kind of awesome. I need more of that in my life.

2. Learn more about the joys of yeast and fermentation. The end of 2010 had me falling in love with kimchee, falling off the kombucha homebrewing wagon, getting tired of store bought yogurt, acquiring a stand mixer with a bread hook attachment, and becoming fascinated with yeast as carbonation. I'd also love to try my hand at making vinegar and working with sourdough, and I really think it might be time to dust off our homebrew kit and get down to making beer.

3. Go places, take classes, and make things. Now that I'm equipped with a tiny car, a bright pink fishing pole, and a membership with the Puget Sound Mycological Society- I am unstoppable! Well, getting there. I've also signed up to take a gyotaku class next month in Portland, I just started a 6 week ashtanga yoga series, I'm starting swim lessons in March, and I'm really excited about the classes offered at ASUW Experimental College. Non-stop!

yarn heart

4. Run a full marathon and start training for a triathlon. I ran my first half marathon in November, and my second one is coming up in March. I've really fallen in love with running, and the fact that running a full marathon sounds insane and impossible just makes me want to do it more. The tri training will be dependent on how well my swim lessons go!

5. Go somewhere I've never been before. This is a bit like #3, and I'm kind of sort of cheating on this one- as I already know that I'll be spending Thanksgiving in Mexico this year (hi Mom!), but ideally I'd like to make this a semi-regular thing. I like the idea of trying restaurants in towns I've never been to. Adventures in the name of food!

shi shi

Have you made any goals or resolutions for 2011?

Finnriver Cidery & Point No Point

2011-01-14T22:35:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, as my final birthday request- I wrangled up two of my favorite people and we hopped the ferry to Kingston. From there we had a bit of an eventful drive, full of sugary coffee drinks and bizarre fender benders (not us). Our intended destination was Finnriver Cidery & Farm in Chimacum, on the Olympic Peninsula. I sort of offhandedly decided that 2011 is going to be a year full of ciders. So far- I've done pretty alright for myself. There seems to be an uprising of local cideries in Washington, and I'm totally in love.

"Come quickly, I am tasting stars!" - Don Perignon

Crystie humored us for over an hour- letting us taste every cider that they had available, as well as a pear cider that they're still experimenting with. We brought home a bottle of their Sprited Apple Wine- which is an apple wine that's been combined with apple brandy. I'm drinking a glass right now. We also brought home their Farmstead Cider, made with heirloom apples. It's very dry and not very sweet- quite different than what I'm used to. I love it.

We had a few hours to kill before we needed to catch the ferry back- and so we made a bit of a detour to check out Point No Point.

We also made a quick pitstop at CB's Nuts to pick up some of their Oregon pumpkin seeds, and peanuts. It's a tiny little space, but worth checking out- mostly for the free samples.

If you're in the Seattle area, but aren't able to make it out to Chimacum just for cider- Bottleworks in Wallingford carries a few of their varieties, and from what it sounds like- Finnriver is working on getting some of their ciders into some local bars as well.

All in all- a pretty fantastic day.

Link Love!

2011-01-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

I never find it surprising that so many people are looking to change their eating once December wraps up. I have an early January birthday and so the rich foods and sugar binges still carry on a bit further. All I've wanted to eat the past few days have been light, simple foods that are lovely and quick to make.

- Earlier this week I made a soup that was a combination of Chicken Soup with Jasmine Rice and Ginger from Serious Eats, and Miso Soup with Rice & A Poached Egg from The Kitchn. Mine was a miso broth with garlic and ginger, served over rice and topped with a poached egg and some leftover sockeye salmon. Served with a huge salad- it was perfect.

- When I did a cleanse last year- almond butter was one of my staples. To be honest- I really don't like the stuff available commercaially- but this simple recipe for Homemade Maple Almond Butter from Food In Jars is another beast entirely.

- Perfect Little Ginger Cakes from Tales of a Food Forager are just that. Perfect. While theirs is a recipe made for the summer months- the lightness of them makes it ideal for simplified eating. I love ginger sweets, but right now the last thing I want is a dense molasses cake. These are made with honey and fresh ginger and would serve up beautifully with frozen summer berries or jam. Scroll down about halfway for the recipe.

- While these Individual Buttermilk Spoonbreads from Herbivoracious sound quite rich on their own- I can't imagine a more perfect compliment to a pot of simple vegetarian chili.

- If you're still craving homebaked sweets, but don't have the energy to venture into the kitchen (it also helps if you live in Seattle)- There is always The Piecycle. Via Go Means Go:

"It’s simple. You text your order to 425.923.6655 and it gets delivered to your door Friday and Saturday from 6pm-3am. It doesn’t cost much, especially when you consider that these are homemade pies. $3 gets you a slice or $20 buys you a whole pie."

Amazing.

A Good Calendar

2011-01-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love a good calendar. One of my most favorite things about the New Year is new calendars! Here are some of my favorites from Etsy:

Adventures 2011 Calendar by Sally Harless (Sadly Harmless)

2011 Letterpress Calendar BOATS by 1canoe2

Eat More Veg 2011 Calendar by Laurie Coyle Designs

2011 Mini Magnetic Calendar by Graphic Grain

2011 Calendar Mint on Ivory by Valarie Jar

2011 Illustrated Calendar by sloeginfizz

Do you hang up a new calendar each year?

Wrapping Up 2010

2011-01-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year lovelies! I thought today might be the ideal time to look back over my not quite resolutions from last year, before I set any new ones for this year!

The best breakfast of 2010!

1. Learn how to make cheese.

- I actually kind of bombed this one. While I did make a simple homemade goat cheese, it was the only cheese making adventure that I had in 2010. For some reason I have a feeling that 2011 may involve something more.

2. Go back to school.

- I did! I started taking online accounting classes at Bellevue College, and am now very slowly working my way through a bookkeeping certificate. To be honest- I'm not in love with it, but it has been good for my job. I'd like to take some more interesting classes this year, even if they aren't part of my program.

3. Get outside. By outside I mean out of the city- and into the woods and dirt and ocean and mud.

- This definitely happened! See: here, here, here (!!!), here, here, here, here, and here!

4. Expand my horizons in the kitchen.

- I can't say that I had a wild and crazy year in the kitchen- but it was a pretty darn good one. I never did manage to get together a post about the catered lunch that I did in July. It was fairly casual and wasn't huge- but was definitely a new experience for me. Some of my favorite recipes of the year: Goat Cheese, Kale, and Beef Bacon Quiche (this is still a favorite- I made it on Christmas morning!), Wild Fennel & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Blackberry and Lavender Muffins, Brown Sugar Lemonade with Sea Salt and Mint, Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lavender and Asiago, and Kale with White Beans and Bleu Cheese. I really would have liked to have shared more recipes- so that may be something I work on this year.

5. Grow more food.

- Honestly. This was kind of a disaster. I didn't really realize that our apartment patio gets about two total hours of sun, even in the middle of the summer. All of my beautiful starts croaked within a month. My container potatoes fared a bit better- but not really. Unfortunately this is just one of those things that I'm going to have to give up on until we move into a different place.

6. Get a social life.

- I don't know. I think I cheated at this one, considering that my two closest friends moved back to Seattle this year. Double score!

7. Take a real vacation. Really. A real one.

- I would considering this a success. Most of my vacations were over the course of two or three days- but it works for me! I bought a car over the summer, and it made for a lot of really great weekend trips.

How do you feel about the year wrapping up? Are you happy with how your year ended?

Lunar Eclipse, Mendenhall Glacier, and Blue Mussle Cabin

2010-12-30T20:54:00.000-08:00

Juneau, Alaska is truly a unique place. Growing up it seemed normal that a glacier was within walking distance. My family never paid for seafood or game meat- but we ate it often. There were never any road trips or amusement parks- but there were always endless hikes and more woods and beach than you could dream up.

It took me a few years to really get the hang of going back home after I moved to Seattle. I left Juneau with a broken heart and a deeply rooted frustration. At first it was something that I didn't want to let go of- and then I just wasn't quite sure how. I had to allow "home" to be what I needed, and stop myself from dwelling on how things used to be. I love it there now, and I'm nothing short of happy when I visit. While this past trip home was mainly all about family- I managed to sneak in a a couple of really fantastic adventures as well.

The lunar eclipse happened on my second night home. I trekked down to aptly named Sandy Beach with my mom, her partner John, and two of my favorite aunts (they all are!) with two thermoses of hot cocoa and a water bottle filled with Baileys. We got more than a little silly, and when the moon was fully covered the entire little island of Douglas erupted in cheers and howls! I realize that you can't see diddly-squat in these pictures- but I just love how spooky they turned out.

The next afternoon my friend Amy and acquaintance Tyler dragged my over-dressed butt out onto the frozen Mendenhall Lake and right smack up against the face of the Mendenhall Glacier. I will just state right now that frozen lakes, and insanely huge moving masses of ice made me a little bit jumpy. No one fell in or froze to death, so I'd say it was a pretty solid success.

The night before Christmas Eve my brothers girlfriend Liz had gone out at the Blue Mussle cabin with some friends. My friend Morgan had decided not to hike out with them then- but instead invited Amy and I to go along with her the next morning to surprise them. It's a 3.5 mile hike each way, and the second part spit us right out onto the beach, with some incredible wind and very, very low temperatures. They were surprised! We all hiked back together and had near perfect timing, as it had just started to snow again before we reached the trail head.

What is home like for you?

Snow Soup

2010-12-24T23:07:00.000-08:00

Hi loves!

On Wednesday I got a little crazy in the kitchen with the gorgeous and talented Patrice of The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag. I am normally not the easiest person to share a kitchen with- but we did great together, and turned out a killer meal. Patrice may or may not have tried to kill me with an immersion blender and hot soup. I'm not one to say. Check out our recipes with gorgeous photos for Potato Leek Soup, Kale with White Beans and Bleu Cheese, and Pink Grapefruit in Agave/Ginger/White Wine. Make them all together. You won't regret it for a second.

I was supposed to be meeting friends for a beer tonight, but instead I'm draped across the couch watching Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs and gorging myself on snickerdoodles. We went on a bit of an epic adventure this morning out to Blue Mussle Cabin, and all I've wanted to do since is move as little as possible. Lazy bones!

There is going to be some major photo uploading happening when I'm back in Seattle. For now I'm off to bed!

Frozen Toes

2010-12-22T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hi! Hello! Remember me? I remember you!

I'm at home in Juneau for the week, and have been too busy visiting family and freezing my butt off to spend any time at all online! I'll be back in Seattle on Sunday, and have some serious intentions once I'm back in my routine. You'll see. I promise.

As someone who lives daily by my Google Calendar and plans most activities via e-mail - it's been really refreshing to take a few days off.

I have tons of photos from our walk to the Mendenhall Glacier and I took some good spooky (horribly lit) photos during the eclipse. I'll share them once I'm back in Seattle!

Eat Your Love

2010-12-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

Just a quick roundup of some edible gift ideas! I'll be making a number of these today and the rest of the week, as I get ready to head home to Alaska for Christmas.

- DIY Salt Caramels from The Kitchn are ridiculous and amazing. I know this because I made them last weekend to bring in to work. My co-workers flipped, and the few that I had left at home have been devoured since.

- Candied Ginger from Put Up With Me uses three ingredients and a few basic steps. It would look lovely piled into a canning jar.

- Cranberry Liqueur from Sidewalk Shoes needs about three weeks to sit and really come together- but I can still imagine gifting this with the cranberry bits inside the bottle.

- Cranberry Marmalade with Dried Apricots from Food In Jars is just one of her gorgeous gift ideas. Homemade Vanilla Extract (I made this last year!), Little Loaves of Cranberry Bread, and Rosy Quince Jelly would all be much loved.

- I happen to think that this is the coolest thing ever. The gorgeous Patrice of The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag made Patchop's Red Hot Saveur Sauce and blew me away. The spicy food lovers in my life (myself) would go crazy over this.

- Lastly- iVillage has a roundup of 23 Homemade Gift Ideas from Your Kitchen featuring some really creative recipes from food bloggers.

What are you making this year?

Work It

2010-12-02T21:54:00.000-08:00

YOU GUYS! This past Sunday I ran the Seattle Half Marathon and didn't die! The pictures were just posted today and despite the fact that I look like a sweaty monster beast with a fanny pack- I am so happy to have them. I started running four months ago- and I never, ever, ever would have believed that I could have done this. Even the week before I still didn't really believe it. My amazing aunt Fran dragged my ass out the door for a long run every single Sunday after my first 5k- and despite the brutal cold that knocked me out for two weeks, my knees that seem to have come from an 80 year old's body, and my asthma that only seems to flare up when I'm already having a bad run- WE DID IT! It was truly one of the best experiences of my life, and I can not wait to do another.

Here we are (Fran, Heather, me) still in the first few miles. Look at our shiny happy faces! So full of optimism and breakfast.

And here I am- about the cross the finish line. I was so full of adrenaline and about to burst into tears. What a goober.

Have you ever done something you never thought you'd be able to?

FESSup!

2010-11-30T21:41:00.000-08:00

I realized tonight that I've never posted about the bike bags that I used to make under the name FESSup! I say used to, because although I still make them now from time to time- it's not anything like it once was.

I started working on a bag tonight that I'm donating as an auction item for CARW's Duwamish Fundraiser this coming weekend, and it got me feeling a little nostalgic and inspired. I've toyed with the idea of regularly making bags again, but haven't quite sold myself on it. If I do start up again I won't be taking custom work, and will only being selling items as-is. I've never done it for the money- so when all I was doing anymore was custom work- it took all of the creativity out of it for me as well.

I'll try to get some pictures of the bag up on my Flickr page before I send it off to its new home. Here are some of my old favorites:

This was the first bag I ever put up for sale! I ended up trading my friend Kyle for a bike wheel.

This bag is still spotted around Seattle from time to time. If you know Ponch- you'll recognize it. It's got to be at least three years old by now, and I can't believe it's still in one piece!

I actually cried while making this bag. And they weren't tears of joy. I was sick, and running out of time, and I realized right as I finished the last stitch that I had sewn one of the straps on the wrong way. I love this bag now- but I hated it then!

Super giant custom bag for my friend Dustin- made to match his bike.

Custom bag for my friend Walker. The checkered pocket in the front is made out material with titanium threads woven into it. Super functional!

Have you ever stopped doing something that you loved, only to pick it back up again years later? Any words of wisdom?

Tart & Lovely

2010-11-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

Cranberry Bogs from cowhntrx

I love the inside of my freezer. It's full of wild berries picked mid-summer, cubes of stinging nettles, freezer bags full of fair trade chocolate pieces, and bulk packages of udon noodles. I am constantly shuffling them around amongst the packages of coffee and assortment of fish and game meat that I've horded away.

I also stash bags of cranberries in my freezer as if November only comes once every three years. Right now cranberries are all that I care about.

While homemade cranberry sauce is an absolute requirement for me come Thanksgiving- I am never one to say no to cranberries in most any other form. For whatever reason the internets have been exploding with beautiful cranberry dessert recipes this year, and I am not one to resist. I still haven't decided which I'll be making for our actual Thanksgiving dinner- but with a "practice" dinner tomorrow night, and Wednesday just hanging out doing nothing- I think I'll be able to fit more than one into my week.

- Cranberry Shortbread Cake from The Way the Cookie Crumbles is November's answer to out-of-season strawberries. It sounds like such a fantastic combination and comes out looking rustic and lovely.

- Persimmon Cranberry Sauce is my sauce of choice this year. I usually just stick with a basic cranberry/citrus/spices combo- but I'm exited to mix things up a little with star anise and the texture of persimmon.

- Smitten Kitchen gets me every single time. No matter what. Deb is talented beyond words, and even when she isn't overly in love with a recipe it still turns out beautifully. Upside-Down Cranberry Cake is no exception.

- Nantucket Cranberry Pie from the very well known Pioneer Woman is not a pie. It's cake on top of cranberries. And I really, really don't care. Apparently it's a pie when you're in Nantucket. I can live with that.

- Cranberry Liqueur from Vino Luci would make a great gift for your host/ess or your own guests. Just make sure you spell it right.

- Lastly- because a straight-forward simple cranberry sauce is still so good to have- The Delicious Life has a great recipe for Basic Cranberry Sauce which also includes notes on using the leftovers to make cranberry sorbet. So damn witty.

How do you feel about cranberries? What are your favorite ways to eat them?

Owl Lover 2011 Calendar

2010-11-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

This is too great not to share! My Owl Barn is hosting a beautiful calendar for 2011- put together by 30 different artists- it's free to download, and you get to choose which picture you'd like to use for each month. It would make a beautiful gift, or just a charming addition to your own home.

Simple Sugar Scrub for Winter Skin

2010-11-14T22:01:00.000-08:00

A cup of turbinado sugar by Sweet Beet and Green Bean

Even though, technically, the first day of winter isn't for another month and then some- my face doesn't seem to have any idea. As soon as the weather and humidity changes my face turns into a lovely mess of dry patches and red splotches. It's really a lot of fun! Last week I contemplated taking a sheet of sand paper and a stick of butter to it- but decided instead to make a simple sugar scrub. It took me only a few minutes and my skin is soft and happy.

My ideal scrub simply needs to do three things: cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. Anything beyond that is just an added bonus.

This recipe can be made using a combination of whatever you have on hand at home and is easily modified.

You will need:

- 1 cup of whatever sugar you normally bake with (I prefer the coarser texture of organic cane sugar).

- 1/2 cup jojoba, olive, almond, apricot kernel, or other unscented body oil.

- 2 tablespoons of castile soap, or your favorite gentle cleanser. I love using Dr. Bronners peppermint or lavender liquid soap.

- A bowl, a spoon (or your hands), and a container to store your scrub in. An old jar is perfect!

Gently combine all ingredients, and transfer to whatever container you plan to store it in. Feel free to add more of any of the ingredients, depending on your preferences. To use: gently apply scrub to your dry face using your fingertips in small circular motions. Don't scrub too hard, or apply after a hot shower as this can irritate skin more. Rinse off with cool or lukewarm water and pat dry!

Keep in mind that while essential oils smell nice- many can be too harsh for the sensitive skin on your face. If you would rather make a body scrub- feel free to add other fragrances and oils. Brown sugar is fine to use as well and has a smoother texture from the additional moisture.

Hanging In, Hanging On

2010-11-13T22:44:00.000-08:00

I am so exhausted.

I hadn't realized until last night that I haven't updated in actual WEEKS. That wasn't supposed to happen! Life is a little sneaky that way sometimes. I have just been going going going non-stop for weeks on end and I really hadn't even thought about how long it had been since I'd written anything.

I'm doing what I can to get back on track, but you'll have to forgive me if posting is a little slow for a bit longer. I have been: training for a half marathon (it's in two weeks!), trying to make it through the last month of school this quarter, still getting into the swing of my new job, fighting one crazy mess of a head cold, celebrating lots of birthdays and baking lots of cakes and pies, hanging out with my mom for the past week eating lots of good food and drinking plenty of wine to go with it. I haven't had time to do laundry, cook, or really even sit down and breathe. I am completely tuckered out.

I took this picture of myself + cat a few weeks ago to include in a silly e-mail to Brittany. I feel like it perfectly sums up the way I feel right now. Notice the dying plant in the background. It's dead now. I killed it by not blogging.

I need a mini-vacation. But even that sounds like too much work right now. Maybe I just need a nap and a bath. Please send reinforcements in the form of tea and fleece socks.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lavender and Asiago

2010-10-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

brussels sprouts by glutenfreegirl

So, I really, really love Brussels sprouts. Last year I tried my hand at cooking them in all sorts of fancy and complicated ways- and while many of them were good- they were quite often more elaborate, time consuming, or expensive than I would have preferred.

Last week I picked up a lovely little bag at my favorite grocery store, as well as a bag of pre-grated asiago (they do it in store, and it's so wonderful and convenient!) Once home I raided my spice cabinet for my ridiculous supply of dried lavender buds. What I came up with is simple, easy, and absolutely delicous. Perfection.

Ingredients:

- 1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed, and cut in half
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbps fresh or dried lavender buds
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup of freshly grated asiago, Parmesan, or other hard/strong cheese- to taste
- Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

While preparing your ingredients- preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Toss Brussels sprouts in a bowl with olive oil, lavender, salt and pepper.
2. Dump into an 8"x8" glass baking dish, or whatever you have available.
3. Roast in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on how toasty you like them.
4. When the sprouts have about 5 minutes left- sprinkle cheese over the tops, and put back in the oven to get all melty, and crispy, and lovely.
5. Let cool for a minute or two- and enjoy!

For a vegan version- simply omit the cheese. They're still so lovely with just the lavender!

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Do you love or hate Brussels sprouts? What's your favorite way to prepare them?

Mushroom Hunting Field Trip With the Puget Sound Mycological Society

2010-10-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

I already posted a few pictures from our mushroom hunting adventure on Saturday, but I promised that there would be more!

My good friend Shana recently joined the Puget Sound Mycological Society and invited Amy and I along on their last field trip of the season, this past Saturday. We drove an hour and a half to a small state park, where we met up with a large group of mushroom hunters. Some people had years and years of experience, while others (like us) were brand new. A handful of people made out with baskets full of gorgeous chantarelles and other edibles- but as such newbies we stuck to finding as many different species as we could- mostly poisonous. We spent nearly four very wet hours working our way around a 2 mile loop trail, stopping whenever we'd spot something new.

As much as I love the idea of hunting solely for edibles- we had an absolute blast poking, smelling, picking, and photographing everything that we could. I truly had never noticed that there is such diversity between species, and we learned some really neat mushroomy facts.

Have you ever gone mushroom hunting? What did you find?

Mushroom Hunting Sneak Peak!

2010-10-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'm running my first 10k and going pumpkin picking tomorrow, finishing homework tonight, and still need to eat dinner, shower, and do laundry- BUT. I have have have to share with you a few photos from our crazy awesome field trip with the Puget Sound Mycological Society today! I will have a larger post with lots of pictures up later this week when things settle down a bit- but for now here are a few of my favorites:

Check back soon for the rest, and have a great rest of your weekend!

Brunch at Nettletown

2010-10-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned Nettletown many, many times in the past. The food is insanely fresh and imaginative, the restaurant is beautiful, and I adore Christina. Yes, I talk about it plenty. But- I've never shown you. The horror!

We had a sleepy brunch there this morning and I finally thought to take a couple of photos.

My brunch. Two poached eggs, elk meatballs, green salad, and chunky onion and potato cakes with a mug of cardamom black tea.

Matao's brunch. Rain Shadow Meats bratwurst with pickled veggies, caramelized onions, and organic greens on french bread with a big side salad.

Seriously- if you live in Seattle and haven't gone yet- you really, really must!

Are You My Ghost?

Too Much

Wrapping Up 2011

Slow Food Seattle & Canning Wild Pacific Albacore

Your Smile Is Contagious: Goodbye Christina Choi

Link Love! Gifts In Jars

That Week I Spent Eating Popsicles and Swimming with Whale Sharks

Know You

Simple, Small Batch Canning: Pears in Sweet Tea Syrup

Weekend in Photos

The Life of the Sun and the Earth

On My Boot

Mushrooms & Manure

Link Love!

Huckleberries, Wild Flowers, and Rain Clouds

Buckwheat Baby

Homeland

Fancy Camping

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread & A Lighting Issue

The Canning Queen & A Tale of Three Seasides

Link Love!

Events: August 20th & 21st- Arts in Nature Festival & September 2nd through 5th- Radical Mycology Convergence

Vegan & Gluten Free Coconut Cupcakes

Pretty Little Peach Pie

Tiny & New

Fishermans Terminal

Weekend in Photos

Link Love, and A Little Life Explaining

Events: July 9th- 1st Annual Summer Cider Day

Seattle Pride Weekend!

Good

Guemes Island Weekend Vacation

Events: June 11: 5th Annual SLEE Dinner

“Strengthening Local Economies, Everywhere”Saturday, June 11, 2011Happy Hour 5:00 – 6:30Dinner 6:30 – 9:30Same great location: St. Demetrios Church in Montlake: 2100 Boyer Avenue EastBuy your tickets now at Brown Paper Tickets!

Link Love!

Dinner

Whidbey Island Daycation

Life, Lately

Link Love! Canning and Putting Things in Jars

Nettlefiddle

Rabbit Eggs

Weekend in Photos

Wild & Homemade

Homemade Cereal: Popped Amaranth with Nuts & Dried Fruit

A Good Run

Book Review & Giveaway: Pacific Feast- A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine

Everything You Need

Pro-Soup and Pro-Soap

Weekend in Photos

Reading List:

Link Love: Sourdough!

Nettle Foraging & My Favorite Green Smoothie

Shiny & New

Kombucha Homebrew

Octopus Gyotaku and Cannon Beach

Link Love!

Sweet Little Knockoff

Cinnamon Cocoa Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Crunchy, Clustery Granola with Honey Buttermilk Pralines

New Goals for the New Year: 2011

Finnriver Cidery & Point No Point

Link Love!

A Good Calendar

Wrapping Up 2010

Lunar Eclipse, Mendenhall Glacier, and Blue Mussle Cabin

Snow Soup

Frozen Toes

Eat Your Love

Work It

FESSup!

Tart & Lovely

Owl Lover 2011 Calendar

Simple Sugar Scrub for Winter Skin

Hanging In, Hanging On

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lavender and Asiago

Mushroom Hunting Field Trip With the Puget Sound Mycological Society

Mushroom Hunting Sneak Peak!

Brunch at Nettletown

“Strengthening Local Economies, Everywhere”
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Happy Hour 5:00 – 6:30
Dinner 6:30 – 9:30
Same great location: St. Demetrios Church in Montlake: 2100 Boyer Avenue East
Buy your tickets now at Brown Paper Tickets!