Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Fat Friday - Brassaii

The return of Summerlicious to Toronto means two things for Matt and I: Good food, good prices! We get the opportunity to try out some of the more upscale restaurants that we probably wouldn't dine at on a regular basis. And, even with the Summerlicious fixed price, it was still somewhat of an expensive meal, but the food - well worth it!

This week I was the one to pick a restaurant, and after reading through the menus of several different restaurants, I settled on Brassaii, a close by restaurant with some good reviews.  Since it's also a limited menu with only three choices for each the starter, entree and dessert, I had to make sure that there was something for both of us. And Brassaii, well, their menu had it all!


To start, Matt and I both enjoyed the fresh bread while we waited for our starter to arrive. We both ordered the Watermelon, feta and arugula salad with balsamic glaze - fresh tossed greens with balls of melon and feta cheese drizzled with vinaigrette... very enjoyable! I was mislead, I thought, when I first read that it was a watermelon salad, because I thought the watermelon would have been more prominent. But it was still darn tasty!


For our entrees, we each took different paths. I ordered the Orecchiette with bocconcini and oven dried tomatoes with pesto, and yes, I had to Google the Orecchiette prior to going to the restaurant to see what it was. Luckily, it turned out to be pasta, and the combination of flavours was really delicious! The sundried tomatoes, I think, were what really completed the dish, and I think I just might have to duplicate this recipe at home in the near future. (On a side note, turns out my KitchenAid has a pasta making attachment that I never knew about - I thought it was just a meat grinder. Thanks to my helpful brother for pointing that out to me!) Matt's dinner was just as good, as her ordered Spice rubbed sirloin steak soy-mustard sauce with Mediterranean cous cous. Once I saw that steak was on the menu, I was pretty certain that he would choose to order that. I tasted a bite, and it was very nice! The cous cous wasn't the usual type we cook at home; it was much bigger and felt a bit more like pasta, but very enjoyable nonetheless! 


Portion sizes were good, which meant we still had room for dessert. I chose the Brassaii chocolate cake layered with lemon gelee, and even though I'm not a huge fan of lemon in desserts, the chocolate cake trumped that and won me over. The lemon was actually a very nice accent to the dark chocolate cake, which wasn't overly sweet to begin with. Matt enjoyed Sable Breton tart with hazelnut cream and a vanilla apricot compote centre, which we actually had to ask the waitress what it was. Turned out, a little cookie with a mousse-like topping. I think he enjoyed it.


Well, I think Summerlicious ended this past weekend, so we won't be able to get out to enjoy another meal. Guess we'll just have to wait for Winterlicious to come back. But there is always Taste of the Danforth coming up...

Monday, July 26, 2010

Bread Diary - Peasant Loaf


So, finally we get to the part in the book where we start using some different types of flour. This Peasant Loaf calls for a mixture of Rye flour, whole wheat flour, and white flour. I found the combination turned out a very nice bread, and was perfect for toasting for breakfast, or with peanut butter and honey for lunch. That seems to be how most of the bread gets used up. But I am saving some slices for a bread salad that I am hoping to make in the near future...

This loaf turned into garlic bread for the homemade lasagna I made for dinner this past week, and it was goooood (both the bread and the lasagna. I think I've finally found the trick to non-runny lasagna, and that's to let the sauce simmer for a couple hours, if you have the time). Of course, in my opinion, anything toasted with butter, garlic, and Parmesan cheese would be delicious. And its kind of funny that we never buy bread any more. It's nice to be able to pull a freshly baked loaf out of the oven, and it only took about 5 minutes to make it! I'm not sure why anyone would ever buy bread again after having found this book...



Friday, July 23, 2010

Wilno-Inspired Perogies


Last year I was introduced to an annual event at the Reid Family Cottage - Live Music and Polish Food at the Wilno Tavern. In a little town called Wilno, not far from the cottage, we drive on over to enjoy the cabbage rolls and perogies, all the while listening to some great live jazz/blues music performed by the local band (throw in some very unique dancers, and folks, you've got yourself a great night out!). This year we again headed out for a great dinner...and the food inspired me to make my very own perogies at home.

A great story that Matt would love for me to share with you is my re-occurring "Big Eyes, Small Belly Syndrome", in which I look at the menu, and seeing that we have the choice between 2 perogies and 3, I, of course opt for the 3, and even then, I think it won't be enough. But these suckers are huge! And while I'm full after the first two, I feel have to finish the third just to prove to Matt that I did not choose the wrong portion (and yes, I have learned my lesson for next year when we go back...). Well, I was full by the end of that little battle... but others had room for dessert, and had I read the menu more closely, I would have chosen only the 2 perogie option and gotten a dessert, too. Alas, another learning experience... The desserts looked scrumptious! Matt chose the apple pie, while our Uncle Doug had the caramel chocolate cheesecake...

I found that making perogies were not unlike making ravioli - the dough is very similar, as is forming and shaping. Matt and I spent some quality time together rolling out the dough and forming into little perogie pockets, and for a first attempt, they were pretty good! We didn't make ours quite as big as the Wilno Taverns, and we cooked enough to freeze extras for another meal. Hopefully the frozen batch will be just as good. I've included the recipe below, with some follow-along photos.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup cold water
1 pound bacon
5 pounds baking potatoes
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pound bacon
3 tablespoons sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

To Make Dough: In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, egg and water. Mix all together to form dough; cover bowl and set aside.

To Make Potato Filling: Place potatoes in a large pot. Add water to cover, bring to a boil, and boil for 25 to 35 minutes or until tender. Remove potatoes from water and mash. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble about 2/3 of the bacon, reserving the rest for browning the perogies, and stir into mashed potatoes. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.


Roll reserved dough out on a floured surface. Cut circles out of dough, using a small round container. Place a spoonful of potato filling in the center of each circle and fold over, pinching edges together to seal. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; drop perogies in boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they float.



If desired (always recommended), fry with onions and bacon until browned. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa, and enjoy!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Stuffed Bear for Baby Mia


Good friends of ours recently had their second child (the wife is a blogger, too! She blogged about her experience with her second pregnancy, and how she felt about going from one to two). They delivered a beautiful little girl named Mia Elizabeth Ann (and from one Elizabeth Anne to another, that's a great name...).

We had to drop by to introduce ourselves, and we couldn't come empty handed, after all. I had just put the finishing touches on this little bear, and while note completely girlish, it would make a nice gift. We also made a loaf of lime yogurt bread, something for the parents to enjoy. Sounds like a lot of people do baking as gifts, because they certainly had an assortment of treats to serve us.

The photo doesn't really do the bear justice - it does have some bright and vibrant colours from the variegated yarn I used, but I couldn't quite get a shot I liked. Plus, the lighting in our kitchen is not that great.

Shortly after we left we received an email from the couple with this photo: looks like the eldest might have already gotten his hands on it...

Monday, July 19, 2010

Bread Diary - Crusty White Sandwich Bread


I realize the name of the bread might not be that appetizing... but to finish off the last of my white dough mixture, I made a sandwich loaf for Matt to enjoy his peanut butter sandwiches on at the office, and for myself to enjoy a few pieces toasted for breakfast, too.

This bread is baked up in a loaf pan, and therefore really easy to prepare. It had to rest on the counter for about an hour and half, probably the longest resting time, and then only 35 minutes in the oven. You take it out, let it cool, then slice it up. I don't know if we'll ever go back to buying store bought bread again! The next thing on my to-buy list is a bread slicer, like the mechanical one they have at the grocery stores in order to get nice uniform slices, but for now, I guess we'll to to stick with a knife and cutting board. Although.... I did just come across this link for a bread slicing guide made out of wood (and another on Amazon for something similar). Perhaps my talented father could whip up something similar...  

Since this was the last of the batch, the dough had really increased in flavour, adding a very nice sourdough scent and taste. And, since that used up that last batch, I can now move onto the next chapter in the book...the peasant loafs!


Friday, July 16, 2010

Bread Diary - Finally...a Pizza Peel!

To accompany our chili the other night, I also made just a simple white loaf of bread that we could use to dip in the chili, so, nothing really new for you guys. But the really exciting thing for me, was that just this past Saturday I found myself a pizza peel! A peel is what pizza makers use to move the pizza crust into the hot wood oven stove, and so the same principle applies when baking bread and transfering the resting dough onto the hot pizza stone in the oven.


This may not be as interesting/exciting to you as it is for me, but I had been looking for a peel for a while now and couldn't seem to find it in any of the kitchen stores. But I finally found one at Crate & Barrel, which has also become my new favourite kitchen store (we didn't browse too long). The dough now rests nicely on the floured peel, and when its time to move to the oven, it's just a simple little flick of the wrist onto the hot stone. It slides off very nicely, keeping it's shape and form.



And voila! When it's time to come out of the oven, the peel makes it a whole lot easier to grab the bread from the oven. I had been making do with floured cutting boards and flippers and tongs, but they were often floppy and didn't allow the dough to move as nicely when moving into the stove. So, with my new pizza peel, I am one happy baker!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Fa-Guy-Ta Chili


The Food Network really has some great cooking shows, and aside from Chef at Home, another favourite of mine is Guy's Big Bite. Sure, Guy himself can be a bit annoying at times, but he really likes to cook with some great flavours and gives new twists to some old favourites. One dish in particular caught my eye, and I've been waiting to cook it for probably about 2 months now. It's a variation on chili, which I know Matt really loves, and Guy serves it up with a side of grilled steak that has been marinated overnight.

So, off to the St. Lawrence Market I went to pick up a steak, and turns out, we got enough for two night's worth! I cut the steak in two but marinated and grilled both halves, and the second half will be used for fajitas for dinner one day next week.

I've had to make a few tweaks to the recipe, using what spices and ingredients I had in the house, but I think it turned out how it was supposed to. I mean, we enjoyed it, so that has to say something... I'll post the recipe as Guy cooks it, but feel free to swap out or switch up ingredients that you enjoy better. (Side note, I didn't take step-by-step photos while making this, but I do think I will continue to do so going forward, as I did with the broccoli soup. That way you all can follow along. It will kind of be like my very own cooking show...)

Ingredients

Marinade:
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup canola oil
2 limes, zest from 1, juice from both
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon hot paprika, smoked if possible
2 teaspoon dark chili powder
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
1 chipotle pepper, roughly chopped
2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed of fat

Chili Base:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 (28-ounce can) diced tomatoes with green chiles, juice reserved
1 (28-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
2 avocados
1 lime
warm tortillas to serve

Directions

Marinade:
Add all the ingredients to a resealable plastic gallon bag. Mix well and let the steak marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Chili base:
1. Add the canola oil into a Dutch oven and heat over high heat. When the oil is hot stir in the onions, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the serrano pepper and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

3. Add the chili powders and cumin, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, then add the beef stock and deglaze the pan, Stir in the tomatoes and beans and combine well. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.Remove the meat from the marinade, pat dry, put on the preheated grill pan and cook for 5 minutes per side. Add the chayote and peppers to the pan with the meat and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Remove the meat from the grill to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes and then slice it against the grain.

6. Ladle some of the chili into each bowl and top with some of the meat and vegetables. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, and lime and serve with a warm tortilla.

Instead of warm tortillas, I served mine with a fresh loaf of white bread. I have to make good use out of that cook book, after all. And we had enough chili leftover for dinner the next night, and it was just as good! I think next time I make this, however, I'd switch the skirt steak out for stewing beef. That makes eating it a little bit easier, and it would probably be just as tasty!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Broccoli Cheddar Soup


While you might think I'm crazy to be craving soup during these hot days we've been having, sometimes there is just something very satisfying about enjoying a fresh bowl for lunch. It also adds a bit of a change for me from my normal pita or sub sandwiches I often eat. And frankly, if the soup has cheese any where in it's name, then that's all the more reason to enjoy!

I had the urge for a good bowl of cheddar and broccoli soup, and not the canned kind, so that's exactly what I whipped up for lunch last week. Off to allrecipes.com I went and found a pretty easy recipe. I picked up a couple bushels of fresh broccoli at the store, and the rest I had in my cupboard. It really is a simple recipe, as I believe most soups are, and I've been inspired by friends who frequently make their own (Jess, you're one of them!).  You could probably make a low-fat version of the below by using skim milk and low-fat cheese, but for the first attempt, I followed the recipe pretty closely.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh broccoli
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups cubed processed cheese
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
1 box chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions:



1. Place broccoli in a medium saucepan and cover with chicken stock. Cook until tender. Set aside and do not drain.







2. In a large saucepan, heat milk. Blend in the flour and cheese until smooth. Stir in the cream. Add the broccoli and it's broth to the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Heat soup to warm and serve.




I recommend using a very large saucepan when mixing the milk and cheese; I thought I had a big enough one, but when it came to adding the broccoli and broth, I realized I was going to have to up-size. I also added one extra step of blending the mixture to break up the big chunks of broccoli. I ended up  putting the soup into the blender in two batches after I couldn't locate my handheld immersion mixer (I, of course, found it like 10 minutes later; turned out it was in the only place I didn't look because I was sure it wasn't there!).

I like the texture of the blended soup a lot better. And if you like your soup a little less 'soupy,' add the broccoli first, then add the broth in small ladles to your base until you have your desired thickness. I added it all, but in hindsight, I would have probably added less. But by blending it, it does also add a bit of thickness.

The great thing with this soup is that it freezes very nicely. So, while I enjoyed a small bowl for lunch last week, I let the rest cool to portion into freezer containers - 2 more small bowls, and 1 large one, which we are going to enjoy for dinner this week, probably with a slice of fresh bread...


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Fat Friday - The Counter


I'm happy to report that after a brief hiatus, we are back to our regularly scheduled program of Fat Fridays! This week, we take a little stroll to the west of the city to visit a newly opened diner on Bathurst in the lobby of a new hotel/condo building. Like most of our Fat Fridays, it was written up in either Toronto Life and/or the Toronto Star, and this recommendation actually came from Diane (Diane, I hope you'll enjoy vicariously through our experience). 

The restaurant itself is a very retro looking little diner on the main floor of the Thompson Hotel, and freshly opened, too (their website does a great job of photos...)! Although it wasn't very busy when we ate there, I'm sure the good publicity as of late will soon be packing those tables. The menu is what you would also expect from a diner - all day breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, salads, but with a few nice surprises, too. Plus, they cater to room service for the hotel, so if you're very staying there, you can sample the menu without even leaving your room! I really love a simple menu where you're not overwhelmed with choices, so it was easy to choose our dinner.

As was no surprise, Matt went ahead and ordered a burger and fries (his true evaluation of a new restaurant...). It came served on a wooden cutting board, a very nice touch (and if I didn't think they would miss it, I would have tried to fit in my purse...). A side of fries in a little bowl accompanied the meal, and I believe the toppings on the burger included mozzarella, tomato and spinach, to live up to it's name - The Tricolour. Really, how could you go wrong? And I don't think they did, because Matt enjoyed the meal thoroughly.

Myself, I went a little gourmet and tried out there Double Mac and Cheese, which came topped with pancetta, truffle oil and garlic toast. And it was done to perfection! I loved that the noodles with the small corkscrew variety, and I'm sure there was no less than 3 different cheeses blended in. And when it came served in a cast iron bowl, I was sure that I would eat it up and still have room for dessert. However, I do have the "Eyes are bigger than Belly" syndrome, which Matt loves to remind me of, and so we left with a little doggy bag. The leftovers were just as good, as I enjoyed them for lunch today... 




An added touch, as you wait for your meal, you're served a little cup of pretzel sticks to snack on. I love when restaurants do something special like that... you can tell that we are not difficult people to please.




Saturday, July 10, 2010

And you wonder why I don't like them...


Mushrooms! Yuck in my book. It's no secret that I do not enjoy these little guys (it's one of the things Matt and I bonded over, in fact. That and our dislike of Beyonce...). Just look at that picture... the gross little fungus emerging from the earth. And to think, people pick them and eat them! Ok, yes, I know this forest variety of mushrooms are not exactly the ones that people saute in a pan and toss in a salad, but they all come from the same family, in my mind.

And these little guys were what greeted me each and every morning at the cottage this past long weekend. Some of them were already decomposing and began looking really gross and slimy... even more appetizing, no? I imagine they started out something like this....

Maybe it's the texture I don't really like about them, because I've been told they really don't have that much flavour. And before you judge, yes, I have eaten them. Sometimes unknowingly, like hidden in spaghetti sauce, and sometimes out of politeness if they were served to me as a dinner guest (I was the dinner guest, not the mushrooms, just to clarify...that would be just weird if someone invited a mushroom to dinner....). But I'll tell you, it takes a lot of mental will power to actually choke them down. I just pretend they aren't there, but if I see them, it makes it all the more difficult.

In any case, this is most likely the one and only blog post dedicated to mushrooms; you'll probably never see them in any of my recipes online, especially because if the original recipes calls for them, I automatically delete them....

Friday, July 09, 2010

Bread Diary - Ciabatta


To accompany the fresh pasta and sauce we had for dinner Monday night, it was only fitting that we had a bit of Italian bread on the side (like we needed more carbs....). It was also the next loaf in the book, so it worked out perfectly (it was like I planned it or something...).

There are some really interesting facts I'm learning as I progress my way through this bread book. For one, a lot of breads use a very similar dough, usually white flour, and the variation is in how you shape and form them. A ciabatta, for example, is a flattened oval loaf that rises only slightly in the oven, creating some lovely air pockets. It also does not require a dusting of flour on the top, and instead you shape the bread with wet hands (to keep from sticking). This gives the crust a more uniform and golden colour and crunch.

Even though the recipe didn't call for it, I sprinkled a bit of garlic powder on top of the bread before I baked it for our version of garlic bread. In hindsight, I might have just made a garlic butter, because its a little powerful on my toast in the morning...

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Fresh Pasta and Tomato Sauce


It seems that June just flew right by us (as I say with every month, it seems...), and especially since Matt and I were very busy during the weeks (baseball, movie screenings, birthday surprises - I'm not complaining by any means!). But  being so busy meant either grabbing food on the go, cleaning up leftovers, or just putting together quick meals. We hardly grocery shopped in June, and it really feels like I haven't cooked in ages! Well, aside from the bread, that is. And we've recently returned from a nice vacation at the cottage, so my plan for this week is to cook and bake like no body's business!!

So, to start out the week, for dinner Monday night I got really inspired to cook something delicious and somewhat labour intensive (working from home has its advantages, especially when work is slow...). I couldn't think of anything better than fresh pasta in a home made tomato sauce, accompanied by a loaf of ciabatta (0f course!) - a whole Italian night.

I pretty much knew the basics of making a tomato sauce, but just to see what else was out there, I searched online for a recipe.  But after much looking, I couldn't one that really spoke to me. I then remembered the collection of cook books I have on my shelf, and in particular, one I received for Christmas from my brother, Jeff, and his wife, Christine, "How to Cook Everything" the website is very good, too!). I should have known to go there first, because of course, it had exactly what I was looking for, including how to roast the tomatoes and turn into a sauce. So that's exactly what I did!


First, I cut and seeded the tomatoes, then roasted in the oven with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Next, I sauteed up some onions in butter and olive oil with a dash of red pepper flakes (for a bit of a kick) until golden brown, then combined both the tomatoes and onions in a blender. I added a bit of tomato paste for a more intense flavour, and also some of the reserve tomato juice I had after draining the seeds. I then let it sit in the fridge while I moved on to rolling out the pasta.


I love making fresh pasta, even if it can be a bit frustrating. And yesterday was no different, but the end result was well worth it. I have made the pasta several times for the ravioli I make, so I feel pretty good about getting the consistency of the dough right, but this was the first time that I used the pasta cutting attachment for the pasta roller to make spaghetti noodles. It was a bit frustrating, since I think I rolled the dough too thin, and the cutter didn't separate it entirely. I probably also made the mistake of making the dough too early, because after I made the sauce, most of the noodles had stuck together. Grr...! At that point, I was about ready to through in the towel and just used packaged noodles, but I thought I'd come that far, may as well go all the way. So, I balled up the dough again and rolled it through again, this time making them not as thin, and also remembering to toss them in corn meal afterwards. This helps the sticking, plus, the dough doesn't absorb any of the extra, as it would with plain white flour. This really made a difference (again, I've learned a lot through your mistakes!).

I should point out that at the time of the second rolling, most of Toronto lost the power (hence why the photo appears a little dark). This wasn't a big issue, other than the fact that my air conditioning no longer worked, but I feared that if it stayed out too long, we wouldn't actually get to enjoy the dinner I have worked so hard to make. It wouldn't have spoiled, mind you, and we could have enjoyed it the next night, but that's not the point. My mouth was already salivating for the pasta and sauce! Luckily, I had done all the prep work before the power went out, and thankfully the power was restored around 7pm, so dinner was saved after all!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Bread Diary - Loaves 3 & 4


I have to say that loaves 3 and 4 in the bread book were not all that exciting; I mean, they were pretty exciting for me to bake up, but nothing really special to share with you here today. I baked them more to use up the dough before we left for the cottage, so they were pretty much a variation of the first loaf.

The one pictured above turned into sandwich bread for Matt's lunch for the week Nothing says lunch like a fresh loaf of bread with peanut butter at the office (this is what Matt enjoys EVERY day, in fact... with an apple and a few handfuls of pretzels. We like consistency in our little family...).


The last loaf we took up to the cottage (I never like to come empty handed, so I also brought along some peanut butter cookies...). This one really had a great sour dough flavour, and we toasted it for breakfast one morning to enjoy with scrambled eggs and the BEST smelling maple bacon. This latter is a very odd thing for me, because smelling it made me really crave the sweet and the salty, but I really have this thing about sweet meats; you know, like dipping your bacon in the syrup from your pancakes - these two things never happen on my plate! But just the smell of this maple bacon made my mouth water, plus, I'm a sucker for bacon in any form, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I don't think it's going to make me start dipping my bacon in syrup, but I just might pick up a package next time I'm in the market for bacon.

So that wraps up the first round of bread baking. The next round uses the same dough but shapes it differently. They do sort of all taste the same, as would be expected, but I'm having a lot of fun experimenting and practicing my bread techniques.

Later recipes call for some different flours, such as rye and whole wheat. In anticipation of those recipes, we took a quick trip to the bulk barn to pick up a few different flours. I could have easily spent hours in there and left a lot poorer, but I settled on just two different ones... I'll keep you posted!


Tuesday, July 06, 2010

A finished pair!


Way back in November of last year, I set out to make a pair of socks. I made one, and it turned out great. I then was so enticed by knitting in the round and finally mastering my double pointed needles that I moved on to knitting mittens and the second sock just never got made (I guess I could always say I lost it in the dryer...). At the time, I had picked up enough yarn to make two different pairs of socks, so when a friend's birthday came due, I thought I'd finally get around to making that second pair of socks. Of course, I tried to make them on a deadline, and well, that never seems to work out well for me. But I did finally finish them this past weekend, so I'll be giving them a little wash and putting them in the mail.  

The great thing about the sock yarns are that they are often self-patterning, which means all you have to do is knit and knit and watch the pattern unfold before your eyes. I find this the most exciting thing about these yarns, and keeps knitting, which is a very repetitive motion, interesting and fresh. These grey and black ones turned out really lovely, and will keep your little feet nice and toasty. However, one turned out a little longer than the other, but this taught me a very important thing about knitting, and its something I NEVER do (partly because I'm a tad lazy).


All patterns tell you take time to check your gauge, and I do not (partly because I'm stubborn, partly because I'm just too darn anxious to get started on the project). But that little skipped step has bit me in the tush this time around. I knitted the first sock while measuring all the way, making sure that the sock came out the right size. I then looked at how many rows to an inch the first sock turned out (which is technically what checking your gauge is), and for the second sock to finish the pair, instead of measuring, I just counted the rows. Well, I guess my math and/or measuring is not that great, because not only did the second sock come out a tad bigger than the first, I also ran out of yarn! (I am certain that I am now cursed with this sad fact for the rest of my knitting career...) Luckily, I had a bit of black in my yarn stash and I was able to finish off the last little bit of the toe in a solid colour...whew! I have certainly learned my lesson.... isn't it great what we learn from trial and error?


Monday, July 05, 2010

Bread Diary - Fresh Baguettes


The next loaf in the book was a fresh baguette. It uses the same dough as the previous bread, just shaped differently, and with the dough sitting in the fridge a few days longer, it also picks up more of a sour dough tanginess. I'm trying really hard to follow closely to the book, making each bread in order, but I have to admit that I get a little bit impatient as the desserts are at the END of the book... but we'll get there eventually.

So, after lifting out the next pound of dough and letting it rest to room temperature, I formed them into two small baguettes. These were destined to be breakfast toast one Saturday morning, but would be equally as nice if used for fresh bruschetta or garlic bread (something to try out at a later date...) . We settled, however, on slicing them to toast. Matt enjoyed his with butter, and I added a bit of honey to mine. Not much more to say about these little guys, except they were delish!

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