Saturday, February 03, 2007
More Fun With Wood
Several months ago I rescued a whole bunch of quartersawn oak flooring from a tear-down house I learned of via Craigslist (Yeah, Craigslist!).
More recently, Mrs. ‘Mouse picked up three nice, simple lithographs of California landmarks. She asked me to make some picture frames for them.
The result… after many ‘mouse-hours over several weeks of shop work which used nearly ever tool in the shop: planer, chop saw, table saw, router, clamps, sander, etc.
Now I just need to add some hangers and find a place for them.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Anniversary Present
I found this gorgeous old tiger-oak box at the flea market a couple months ago. Its finish was gone. It was dirty, grease-stained and most important, Very Cheap and Full of Potential. Just the kind of find that keeps me haunting my local flea market.
It held fly-tying materials and it appeared that it may originally have been made for that purpose and used and once-loved by a fly fisherman. But it had clearly been stored and neglected for years in a grimy garage.
I decided it would make a nice jewelry box to present to Mrs. ‘Mouse, so I set about refinishing it. The result:
It’s currently a little lighter finish than I’m looking for, but over time it will darken properly to a deep, rich “mission oak” color.
I’m still working on the inside—it will be revealed in a few days.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Keeping Promises—Grandma’s “Light Recipe” Waffles
If I recall correctly this recipe was originally picked up by my grandma from Cooking Light Magazine many years ago. Since I’ve made it entirely from memory for the last 15 or more years, I have no idea how closely the recipe tracks the original and I really don’t care.
All I really care about is that Mrs. ‘Mouse and I have stuck to the same Sunday brunch routine for nearly every Sunday of our 18 years together and every time I offer to make something else she looks at me like I’m crazy. This is the comfort food that to her spells L-O-V-E in our relationship.
Grandma’s Light-Recipe Waffles
(Serves two or three, adjust proportionally as needed for more or less)
Combine and mix well:
1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Very gently add and mix gently, just enough to get rid of any dry lumps:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1-3/4 cup milk (or buttermilk)
Beat to stiff peaks:
Whites from two large or three small eggs (discard the yolks or use them in some other recipe)
Gently fold egg whites into the flour mixture.
Bake in your Belgian waffle maker to your preferred done-ness. (Note, I’ve noticed that they actually come out better and stay crisper longer when baked at a lower temperature on my fancy new adjustable-temperature waffle iron.
Serve with homemade jam, maple syrup or sour-cream and applesauce—or whatever your choice of accompaniments. However, if you’re eating store-bought jam or commercial syrup, you might as well just be toasting Eggo waffles. Sunday brunch is to be savored and enjoyed to the fullest.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Giving ‘em the bird
I was cleaning up last year’s photographs and remembered I meant to post this one.
The Thanksgiving bird. 22 pounds. Brined overnight in my usual mixture of kosher salt, brown sugar, molasses, leftover coffee, cracked peppercorns and fresh rosemary. Then rinsed off and smoked over mesquite for about 15 hours. Ever since the leftovers ran out about a week after turkey-day the kids have been begging me to make another.
To pre-answer a couple questions:
1) No, the coffee/molasses/etc. does not come through strong at all.
2) The brining is the secret to keeping it moist and wonderful despite the long, slow (~210F degees) cooking time.
3) Cooking times vary quite a bit depending on outdoor temperature and wind cooling the smoker.
4) Next year I think I’ll take the wings off at about 4 or 5 hours—they were the one part that got overwhelminingly smokey and dry.
5) The smoked meat keeps about two weeks in the fridge (and far longer if frozen), far longer than a regular turkey.
6) I doubt we’ll ever bake another “traditional” turkey again.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Upon Reflection
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The Fan Man
I love antiques. Fans I find especially cool.
