black egg press

A few favorite things...

2011-12-05T00:13:00.000-08:00

I ~~completely finished~~ have one or two more prints to pull for my show. I could be done, but why let myself get off that easy? There is always more to print, especially when one's creative juices are flowing after an intense two months of studio work. There is of course still the matting and framing to do which I am probably in denial about how long it will actually take. Anyway, I am celebrating, relaxing, and looking at...stuff I like to look at...pretty food related objects, cookware, anything related to yummy things, sensible items think I need, and coveting them. I'm in the mood to share. I am also forgetful when it comes to remembering what I covet. Now I have my own awesome little linky-list to refer to and get dreamy over.

I have wanted an attractive piece to hold our multi-colored fresh eggs in for quite some time. Leave it to Anthropologie to provide such the perfect container for me.

Anthropologie also has Flocks and Herds napkin rings that make me smile.

I can't believe I do not own one casserole dish. It seems insanely wrong. Seriously, doesn't every gal who gets married acquire a casserole dish with her Joy of Cooking cookbook and Kitchen Aid mixer? Not me. I don't know how this has gone on for so long, but I can hopefully soon remedy this issue.

I've wanted some mini-bundt cake pans for quite some time but I never come across them in stores. These Garland Bundt Pans from NordicWare seem just perfect.

I love bowls. Enough said. West Elm has pleasing multi-color bowl sets that I adore.

Emily Henry Artisan Pie Dish

Every time I make a delicious berry or lemon merengue pie I wish I had a beautiful pie dish. I think this is it and I think my pies would taste even better because of it.

Rome's cast iron old-fashioned waffle iron

A lovely waffle iron without the toxic non-stick crap on it. I love waffles and miss eating them. This is a must have. Why the heck don't I have one?

Do I need to say anything more? This Champignons dish from my favorite store is perfect. This design is just one of the many delightful ones they have.

OK, so you may be thinking I have a slightly obsessive habit of looking at Anthropologie's kitchen items. You are correct and it is not limited to their more practical wares.

This is simply pretty, functional, and I've always wanted a lovely apron. There are a lot of aprons I've come across out there that I love, this Tea and Crumpets Apron is the current one and next month I will find another!

I saved the best for last. I will own one of these when pigs fly but I can at least look at it, over and over again. Le Creuset's 5 qt. braiser is a beauty.

Thanks for taking the time to scroll through my bratty-i-want list. A girl can dream right?

Recent Food Prints

2011-11-29T02:06:00.000-08:00

Somehow I managed to make a new body of work this year while being a committed stay-at-home mom who has a hard time focusing on herself when there is a beautiful active toddler who is constantly on her mind. It was quite a struggle to get myself to be instantly creative in my studio only one day a week while being severely sleep-deprived. I believe this was the most challenging thing I've experienced yet in my adult life! I am embarrassed to say that but it is indeed true. I am a person with a huge heart and I always want to share it with my family. I had to turn away from my husband and daughter one day during each weekend and work in my studio. It should be a fun break though right? I must seem crazy. Well, it took some getting used to for me. I also made a lot of work while my family slept which means I have been surviving on little sleep and enjoying my coffee. I am glad I challenged myself as I prepared for my first show in 6 years! It's about time. Matt and I made a house and a baby together since I moved here - we've been more than busy - now there will be more hours in the studio at long last.

My first time making gnocchi

2011-07-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made Homemade Gnocchi with Pesto Trapanese inspired by Gianni's North Beach whose podcasts I've been watching. I've avoided making gnocchi for years worried that I would end up with a heavy mess. Mine turned out amazingly delicious and light! I'll definitely revisit gnocchi again. I documented each step involved except for the boiling/ricing of the potato and the cooking of the gnocchi. I used basil from my greenhouse and completed the meal with a delicious fresh salad from my garden as well.

Food Snob Place Cards

2011-02-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

A clever idea that makes me smile...these letterpress place cards from Greenwich Letterpress would be a great addition to a dinner party table indeed.

Our Italian Feast on Christmas Eve

2010-12-25T12:01:00.000-08:00

Matt and I spent our first Christmas at home in Fairbanks this year after traveling during the holidays the last four years since I moved here. For Christmas Eve I prepared a delicious Italian feast that definitely turned out to be a success. It took us three hours to travel through the courses and we felt completely satisfied and not too full by the time we were finished. Manga!

Christmas Eve Dinner Menu 2010

Aperitivi

Lamarca Prosecco

Antipasti

Antipasto Plate of prosciutto, salami, Capicola, Mixed Olives, Roasted Red Peppers, Capers, Anchovies, and Cherry Peppers over Fresh Arugula

Bruschetta with Melanzane al Fungo (Eggplant Crostini)

Wine

2008 Tormaresca Neprica

Primo

Spinach Pappardelle with Rock Lobster alla Pantelleria (with Capers)

Secondo

Brasoto Al Barolo (Braised Beef Short Ribs)

Celery Root and Potato Mash

Contorno

Shaved Fennel with Oranges and Pomegranates

Dolce

Olive Oil and Orange Cake

Outraged by Uncrustables

2010-10-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

What in the world happened to people being capable of finding less than five minutes to make the most simple classic sandwich for their kids or themselves for lunch? Seriously, if you can't even find the time to make a sandwich rather than waiting 30 minutes for your lunch to defrost, you should consider re-prioritizing your day to day activities. I am completely AMAZED at the levels to which processed foods are being pushed in our culture and beyond. This is truly sad - a frozen PB&J sandwich that you defrost for lunch? Yuck and boo!

This abomination of a PB&J sandwich made its debut in 2003. Not one appeared in my world until recently. I feel proud however that I did not know these things existed until last week when my husband brought one home for me (someone gave it to him and he of course did not eat it) because he knew it would get me "inspired". Of course, the first thing I looked at was the long list of terrible ingredients loaded with preservatives and complete with a high dose of HFCS:

BREAD: ENRICHED UNBLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, UNBLEACHED WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, YEAST,PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: WHEATGLUTEN, SALT, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (MAY CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF: DIACETYL TARTARIC ACID ESTERS OF MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES (DATEM), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, ETHOXYLATED MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, ASCORBIC ACID, AZODICARBONAMIDE, L-CYSTEINE), YEAST NUTRIENTS (MAY CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF: MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM SULFATE, AMMONIUM SULFATE), CALCIUM PROPIONATE (MAINTAIN FRESHNESS), CORNSTARCH, ENZYMES (WITH WHEAT).

PEANUT BUTTER: PEANUTS, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED AND/OR RAPESEED), SALT, MOLASSES, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES (PALM AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL).

STRAWBERRY JAM: STRAWBERRIES, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE).

One more rant about the disgusting Uncrustables: They make a grilled cheese version. Eeeeew! I can't even go into how ill that makes me feel. The package states that they are pre-toasted and made with process cheese spread.

Anyway, below is my own delicious REAL peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I ate for lunch (really there is no comparison):

Ingredients in my sandwich:

DAVE'S KILLER POWERSEED BREAD: Organic whole wheat flour, organic cracked whole wheat, water, seed mix (organic flax, organic ground flaxseed, organic sunflower, organic unhulled sesame, organic pumpkin, organic black sesame seeds), organic fruit juices (organic pear, organic pineapple, and organic peach), organic oat fiber, organic vital wheat gluten, organic oats, sea salt, organic cultured wheat, yeast, organic rice bran extract.

MARA NANTHA PEANUT BUTTER: Organic Dry Roasted Peanuts, Sea Salt

HOMEMADE JAM: Raspberries, Organic Sugar, Organic Lemon Juice

I've been wondering about many things regarding people who choose to eat highly processed foods for a long long time. What makes their decision regarding the food they eat so blatantly opposite from my own? Was it my upbringing? Is it my own interest in nutrition and choosing to feed my body with wholesome foods? Is it because I love to eat which for me equals loving to cook? Is it the price? Well, I will eventually dig deeper in order to find some answers to my ponderings however,regarding the cost of Uncrustables, the amount of money you spend on those only comes out to about 20 cents less per sandwich and that is based on using premium organic whole ingredients in your homemade sandwich!

I feel like I need to say something: Taking into consideration what you put into your body does not mean that you are snobby or that you think you are better than those who do not care about what they consume. I'd like to live my one life on this planet as long as possible and make it disease and cancer-free. I hope that is everyone's wish for themselves. I could go on about this for pages and pages I feel so strongly about it but I wont.

5 Months Old on a Fall Day

2010-09-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful morning it has been to celebrate Lucy's 5-months with us! It was one of those days where when I woke up I could see through the bottom slit of the window below the blinds and the aspens were glowing in golden amber - my favorite time of year. I got up to make a spiced apple bread for breakfast and then we all headed out for a morning walk while it baked.

The other night Lucy was being very snuggly on Dad. She has just started to let him lay her on his chest when she is tired and she will fall asleep. In the past Lucy would only do this with Mom so Dad has been enjoying the closeness. This comes along with being silly together too!

Summer Delights

2010-09-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

I have my tail between my legs because I haven't kept up with my blog this summer. I've been cooking some beautiful summer dishes and harvesting gorgeous vegetables and I haven't even photographed all of them. Lucy is my main focus now, but I am trying to gain back some of my good habits regarding documenting my food. In order to play catch-up I am posting a few miscellaneous photos now.

Yesterday I made a delicious green bean and tomato salad from my loot after my five minute raid of the garden.

The quintessential summer dinner is displayed below - it made me so happy - this was about a month ago...100% from our garden and our laying hens except for the olives, wine and bread (but bread was made at a local bakery).

Today I made french bread for the first time ever. The house smells delightful on a sunny Fall day. I think it turned out well but Matt and I have yet to taste it. It tempts us easily as it cools on the counter. I am preparing a beef sirloin tip roast tonight to do the bread some honors with a pile a colorful roasted vegetables and a fresh green salad on the side.

More peas await picking and shucking but this bowl of little jewels is already in our bellies!

Welcome Baby Lucy!

2010-04-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

Baby girl Lucy Irene Kasvinsky arrived on April 12th at 11:02pm weighing 7lb 7oz, 20 1/2 inches long. We are having such a great time as new parents! Lucy is a very healthy, alert and happy baby. What more could we ask for?

The above photo is Lucy at only 2 hours old and the below photos are from her first day of life.

Dreaming of macaroons...

2010-04-04T21:26:00.000-07:00

I found this lovely set of 7 felt macaroons the other day by Etsy seller LittleFluffStuff that will set you back $30. LittleFluffStuff has since become a fascination of mine and I absolutely adore her hand-felted food creations!

These sweet felt macaroons got me dreaming of making my own real batch of macaroons in tempting and mouth-watering Spring colors. I have to hold off however as I am literally due with my baby this week and the task of making macaroons right now is far too much for me to handle. I will however mark my calendar for the perfect day to make my own batch: May 31st, National Macaroon Day!

"National Macaroon Day honors the Macaroon, a flourless cookie. It is popular among the Jewish community, especially during Passover, when Jews can not cook with flour. But, the popularity of the Macaroon doesn't stop there. It is also enjoyed around the world. Macaroons are made from ground nuts and leavened egg whites. Coconut and potato starch is common in Macaroon recipes. Macaroons were believed to have been first made in an Italian monastery in 1792. While monks are well known for their vows of silence, they just couldn't keep quiet about this tasty treat." (credit: www.holidayinsights.com)

Celebrate National Macaroon Day with me in May by baking and eating macaroons!

Merry Spring!

2010-03-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

It is rather embarrassing that it's been about 7 months since my last blog! I don't know where the time went but I do know that my mind has been preoccupied for most of it as I am now thirty-seven weeks pregnant with a little baby girl. Needless to say, there has been a lot of preparation and energy put into her imminent arrival ever since late summer. My husband, Matt, and I feel as ready as we can possibly be at this point as we begin the wait.

I decided that today would be a good day to update my blog as a celebration of Spring, new life and growth. Today as I started my first flower seeds for the garden this summer, I day-dreamed about planting the garden, weeding and harvesting the vegetables with my baby and how absolutely wonderful that will be. I hope that she will enjoy it too.

I don't normally start many flower seeds, if any at all, but today I sowed lupins, oriental poppies, and cosmos to brighten up the vegetable beds this year. Perhaps I thought Baby Kasvinsky would enjoy the colorful flowers amongst all the shades of green. I have always loved oriental poppies and I am hoping to get these to bloom during our short growing season since I started them so early. Lupins tend to do pretty well as perennials in gardens here and the cosmos do help keep ladybugs in the vicinity of the garden which is a bonus to their beauty.

Sunday Morning Brunch

2009-08-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

At precisely 5am this morning I found myself wide awake. This being a very unusual occurrence, I decided to take advantage of it and make something deliciously decadent to go along with last night's leftovers that I planned on using for breakfast. Why not make it brunch?

I scanned my recipe books and magazines, coming across Cranberry Sticky Buns and deciding these sounded perfect since I still have wild cranberries in my freezer from last Fall. The three+ hours of prep and cook time did not phase me since that would mean an 8:30am hearty breakfast/brunch for Matt and I.

Last night I made French scalloped potatoes to go with some ham, perhaps being inspired by the movie Julie and Julia that I saw on Friday to make something classic with butter. The movie was just absolutely enchanting and mouth-watering to me and I highly recommend going to see it. Meryl Streep plays Julia Child with such perfection and I am pretty sure I smiled the entire movie.

So, scalloped potatoes, ham, cranberry sticky buns...what else? I poached an egg for each of us and laid them on some fresh steamed swiss chard from the garden. Delicious!

Recent Harvesting

2009-07-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

A Cozy Lunch

2009-06-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

It is rainy, foggy, extremely windy, and 45 degrees here today. My solution to the chill?

I warmed myself up with a spicy bowl of Tarka d ahl for lunch. Dhal is served at almost every meal in India. It is a staple food and there are many versions of this dish. It is such an easy, delicious and relatively fast meal to make. I used some of my dried Red Cayenne peppers leftover from last year's garden which made it extra delicious.

Wrapped Long-Stitch Book

2009-06-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

I am teaching the final class in a three-week bookbinding course tonight at UAF. I made a new version of one of my favorite bindings: the wrapped long-stitch, to provide a visual sample for the students while teaching how to bind their books. This version is a hardcover and is sewn onto tapes with a completely open spine. Typically for the wrapped long-stitch I use a thick soft-cover wrap and do not sew on tapes.

Oaxacan Delights

2009-06-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I finally made a feast for some good friends using the ingredients that I smuggled back from Oaxaca to Alaska this January.

Menu:
Red Mole Turkey Tamales (using our own harvested turkey-meat)
Jicama and Avocado Green Salad
Chips and Authentic Oaxacan Salsa (using dried chiles)
Coconut-Pineapple Tamales (for dessert)
Margaritas

Matt and I sat down together for the tamale-making marathon and it actually did not take too long. It really helps to have a second person for that part! I think we made about 35 tamales.

While in Oaxaca City, Matt and I took a cooking class at La Casa de los Sabores from Pilar along with a group of other people and we learned so much. It was an excellent way to learn the real way to make good tamales. We went along with Pilar to the market to purchase all the ingredients fresh for the meal. Most importantly we were able to learn about the chiles used in Oaxacan cuisine and which ones we should bring home with us to cook with. Matt and I also purchased chepil, avocado leaves, and jamaica and they all successfully make the trip through the airports!

I did not make the agua de jamaica for the dinner with friends simply because I was focusing on the margaritas! But, because a recipe showed up in two food magazines this past month, I made it just the other day to enjoy with Matt and it was a very refreshing and beautiful summer drink. I also came across a variation of the recipe on a website I enjoy that looks delicious and I intend on trying with my next batch.

Cascade Farm Update

2009-06-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Whew, it has been a busy month! Between tending to the garden and greenhouse, learning about worm composting, acquiring our meat chicks and turkey poults, and enjoying the sunshine I have been taking photographs to share once I finally got around to posting again.

The garden is doing excellent and we've been eating our salad greens for the past week. It is always such a treat when we can start eating out of the garden each day. Last night we had a delicious Arugula salad with heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market. Our tomato plants have numerous flowers on them but we will not have our own for at least another month, longer for the full-size ones.

A few days ago I released a couple thousand lady bugs in and around the garden and greenhouse to combat the aphids that I do not want around this year. Last year we had an aphid infestation in our greenhouse that never really went away. Another goal of mine is to prevent the holes throughout my mesclun which always seem to appear on the spicier greens. I'll get those little buggers! Currently my baby mesclun mix is healthy and growing rapidly.

Our five Bourbon Red turkey poults are doing well (after a few sad unexplained losses) and the Delaware chicks are just so cute and fluffy. We think they are all enjoying their new home. These little ones are enjoying the warmth of a heated brooder right now but soon we will move them outside when their feathers have filled out.

Two curious chicks
(a red light bulb inside a black box is not great for photos, hence the BW photo)

A tiny Bourbon Red turkey poult!

Mmm...kale

Brussel Sprouts enjoying the sun

A couple of our happy cucumber plants

As I sat here writing, a wicked storm approached our house. I ran out to take a short video in the middle of it of the hail-rain-thunderstorm equipped with very close lightening. The loud thunder almost made me drop my bowl of popcorn and Canute is snuggled up against me not knowing what to think of the noise. I suppose my garden needed a good soaking after a few weeks of dry heat, but let's hope it wasn't too much force!

Cookbook Repair

2009-06-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

Below are a couple of photographs documenting the repair of the cookbook I posted about earlier. Because the book did not need restoration (great, because I am not trained in that!) and the owner only requested a patch-job, I simply stabilized the binding with new scrim and glue, applied a new headband, and salvaged half of the great endpapers to use when reattaching the book to the cover.

Garden Inventory

2009-05-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

I suppose this post is more for me to use as a reference/log than anyone else....but perhaps other people may actually be interested in all the colorful things I am growing up here in Fairbanks! I've decided to make a list of everything I grew from seed this year and direct seeded in my garden so that I can come back in the Fall to this post and note which ones did amazingly well and which ones failed. It will also be useful for me to refer to next Spring when I begin the whole seed-starting process again.

Since I will be transplanting most of the vegetables into the raised beds tomorrow, I took a photo of the inventory after bringing the plants back inside from their last day of hardening off. In Fairbanks, June 1st is the last frost date, yet I have always planted out earlier because I use plastic row covers over hoops. This year it is just exceptionally warm so I am not concerned at all, but it is nice to have the row covers handy in cases of nasty hail and possible frost.

March 20th - Started Seeds:
Brandywine Tomatoes
Peacevine Cherry Tomatoes
Cosmonaut Volkov Tomatoes
Ida Gold Tomatoes
Applegreen Eggplant
Early Jalepeño Pepper
Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper
Long Red Narrow Cayenne Pepper
Parsley
Rosemary
Lavender

April 20th - Started Seeds:
Catskill Brussel Sprouts
Snow Crown Cauliflower
Tendergreen Broccoli
Windsor Broccoli
Red Russian Kale
Smooth "Even Star" Kale/Collards
Golden Acre Cabbage
Red Mammoth Cabbage
Perfection Savoy Cabbage
Red Rumple Lettuce
Olga Romaine
Table Queen Acorn Squash
Sunflowers

May 2nd - Started Seeds
National Pickling Cucumber
Five Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard
Arugula
Mammoth Sweet Peas
Nasturtiums
Costata Romanesca Zucchini
Patty Pan Pumpkin

May 20th-21st
Started Seeds:
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
Buttercrunch Lettuce

Sowed in Garden:
Sugar Snap Peas - sprouted May 26th
Green Arrow Shelling Peas - sprouted May 26th
Potatoes (All Blue, Yukon Gold, French Fingerling,
and Swedish Peanut) - started sprouting June 9th
Onions - sprouted May 28th
Red Meat Radish - sprouted May 24th
French Breakfast Radish - sprouted May 24th
Provider Bush Beans - sprouted June 4th (could start inside for better results)
Bull's Blood Beets - sprouted May 28th
Golden Detroit Beets - sprouted May 28th
Early Wonder Tall Top Beets - sprouted May 28th
Scarlet Nantes Carrots - Sprouted June 2nd
Cosmic Purple Carrots - sprouted June 1st
Rainbow Mix Carrots - Sprouted June 2nd
Laurentian Rutabagas- sprouted May 27th
Gold Ball Turnips - sprouted May 26th

May 26th
Sowed in Garden:
Mustard Mesclun Mix - sprouted June 1st
Organic Greens Mix - sprouted June 1st
Dill
Extra Nasturtium and Sweet Peas seeds

Transplanted to Garden:
All Brassicas
All Lettuce
All herbs

Entire Garden is planted except squashes.

May 28th: Cool and Rainy Weather for a few days.
Only 46 degrees this morning!
Transplanted and moved the (10) tomatoes, (9) peppers, and (3) eggplant into the greenhouse.

June 1st:
Transplanted (2) Costata Romanesca Zucchini to garden.
Started seeds: Arugula, Tom Thumb Bibb lettuce
Transplanted (6) cucumbers to the greenhouse.

June 2nd:
Transplanted (2) Table Queen Acorn Squash to garden.
Transplanted Scarlet Runner Beans to garden.

Garden is completely planted! Yay!

The Word on Cheese

2009-05-20T23:52:00.000-07:00

I am still pinching myself....an entire magazine devoted to CHEESE? Really? There are other people out there just as obsessed with cheese as I am? Culture is America's first consumer cheese magazine.

The excellent thing is that they have only been publishing the magazine since December 2008 (2 issues so far) so I feel like I have not been missing out over the years. I can rest assured that I probably found out as soon as possible, living up in the interior of Alaska! SO, I now am of course wondering what delicious delectable cheeses one could learn about while reading this magazine. What else is in this magazine? I am curious. It brings to mind another recent find of mine that I would love to get my hands on as well: Meatpaper. Truly, there are just too many magazines that I desire subscriptions to so I have to stop finding these goodies.

Vermicomposting

2009-05-13T23:04:00.000-07:00

We added some red wigglers to our household this week!

Vermicomposting is a method of composting and during this process, red worms convert your organic waste into a usable, natural fertilizer.

On Monday, at work, I signed up for a free worm composting workshop (only 45 min long) and I actually came home from it with my own tote complete with red wigglers, dirt and shredded newspaper. I was delighted! I haven't decided yet if I need to order more worms or if the dozen the instructor gave me will multiply fast enough that I won't need to add to them at all. Depending on their production in the next month, I may add another pound to the mix. Since worms are hermaphroditic, each worm can have up to 12 baby worms a month! Wow. Anyway, I am looking forward to having my own worm castings for the garden next Spring.

Loaded with beneficial bacteria, all natural, non-burning, and odor-free, worm poop is truly a miracle of nature. A single worm produces its weight in casting a day! In the meantime, I am feeding my little worms baked and crushed eggshells from our own chickens and one cup of tiny vegetable scraps per week. They seem to be happy and mind their own business in their little dark home. The cats (Oscar and Oliver) and dog (Canute) don't notice the worms at all and I hope it stays that way.
If you are interested in starting your own vermicomposting bin, here is a great straightforward website that I found.

Ode to Marshmallow Fluff

2009-05-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

I have long had an obsession for Marshmallow Fluff.
Perhaps this obsession with Fluff began in the cafeteria at school growing up in Connecticut as I passed by the mounds of Fluffernutter sandwiches that I was not supposed to eat because they were deemed an unsuitable lunch option by my parents. I am pretty sure that every so often on "brown bag lunch" day, which was the one day I did not bring my own lunch to school, I would grab a bag that contained a Fluffernutter sandwich...oh the joy I felt as I took a big, sweet, sinful, indulgent bite of marshmallowy fluffy goodness and felt a humongous smile spread across my face as I nodded with tasty approval.

There is something about the pure white fluffy spread that just brought so much comfort to me at that age. I am sure I would still find delight in a Fluffernutter sandwich to this day. Yes yes, although Marshmallow Fluff is certainly not going to add vitamins and minerals but rather sweetness to one's meal, we cannot pick on it too much because it still has its original 4 ingredients (Corn Syrup, Sugar Syrup, Dried Egg Whites and Vanillin) rather than a list of 30 unrecognizable chemical ingredients. Since 1917, this classic has not changed a bit.

So this brings me to my inspiration for this post. One of my favorite magazines, Gastronomica, sends me monthly email updates and just yesterday I received notification about a forum on Marshmallow Fluff! I think it is just EXCELLENT that Gastronomica is holding a forum in NYC about this classic food item. If I lived anywhere near NYC, I would definitely be attending the event. I am looking forward to reading the article in their Spring issue that is dedicated to Fluff. Like many New England natives, I have a soft spot for Fluff (it's made in Massachusetts, after all). Sure, it's antithetical to almost all food principles by which I cook and eat, but how can you not appreciate something called Fluff?

Edible Type

2009-05-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago a friend and fellow letterpress artist from ASU sent me a link to this delightful company's site: Typolade. I figure it is better late than never to post about this exciting discovery! A set of movable type in chocolate is like a dream to me. The website does have English text as well so it is worth reading about their product.

While searching online for more edible letters, their stories and their history, I discovered chocolate letters available from Peters Imports. I have not figured out what size the letters are but my favorite is of course the handsome "H"!

The story behind these chocolate letters is as follows: "At many Dutch Sinterklaas Eve parties (December 4th), the very last surprise in Sinterklaas' special burlap sack, is chocolate initials, the first letter of each person's name. There will be one for each person—the first given to the youngest child, then on up to the oldest person present." The tasty treats may be found in shoes, left by Sinterklaas as he makes his rounds checking on children.
Letters became associated with Sinterklaas in the 19th century, when a sheet was used to cover St. Nicholas presents. A bread dough letter, placed on top of the sheet, identified where a child’s gifts were located. During the 1800s advances in cocoa bean processing led to the production of chocolate bars. Chocolate letters were first manufactured around 1900, though they didn’t become readily available until the 1950s. Almond pastry and sausage letters are made by bakers and butchers.

A custom of edible letters goes back to Germanic times when, at birth, children were given a rune letter, made of bread—as a symbol of good fortune. Convent schools in the Middle Ages used bread letters to teach the alphabet. When the letter was learned and could be written well, a pupil could eat up the bread letter. D

uring the 16th and 17th centuries pastry letters were captured in Dutch Masters’ still-life paintings. I have long been fascinated by these Dutch still-life paintings and they make the top of my list for favorite historical paintings.

If you've been following my blog or know me well, you are aware of my love of cheese. In honor of that, I cannot help but share another Dutch still-life painting with you...of cheese!

New Green Growth

2009-04-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

During this past week I have been transplanting many tomato, eggplant, and pepper seedlings. They seem to be quite happy after their move and I am happy with their size. I also planted some new seeds during the last few days: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Red Cabbage, Green Cabbage, Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard and several varieties of lettuce and some sunflowers for color.

The misty dome covers are taking in the warm sunlight and most of the brassicas which I planted a few days ago have already sprouted. I expect the seeds I sowed today will sprout in another few days. It is at this time every Spring that I plan on the new expansion of my garden. It just gets bigger every year! This year Matt and I will add one more raised bed, measuring 4' x 16' with plans to grow more root vegetables. This year I am growing rutabagas and turnips for the first time. The extra bed will also open up more room for greens which we can never seem to get enough of. Now if only the snow would melt once and for all on the ground (we still have 2 feet!) I would be able to get out there in a couple of weeks and start feeding the soil in preparation for potatoes, peas and root veggies!

Meet the Delaware Chicken

2009-04-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

Today I ordered 20 Delaware chicks that will arrive on June 1st. This is ten more meat birds than we had last year! I also ordered six Turkeys! I am excited about the Bourbon Reds that will be gobbling around outside our house this year.

Matt and I began the search for a heritage breed meat chicken last year after we were turned off by the common Cornish x Rock cross that has come to dominate the broiler industry. We figure if we are raising our own meat birds, why support the industry standard? After researching Heritage meat birds we came up with the Delaware.

Delawares, originally called "Indian Rivers," were developed by George Ellis of Delaware in 1940 and were used for the production of broilers. It was once of relative importance to the U.S. chicken industry, but today is critically endangered. It is primarily suited to meat production but also lays reasonably well. Perhaps if we get attached to a hen or two we'll keep some as layers to keep the other girls warm in the winter.

May 10th: Here is an article I just came across that spotlights the Delaware Chicken. I found the link while reading the Slow Food USA blog on Heritage Chickens.

Treasured Recipes to Hold On To

2009-04-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

It is a beautiful sunny Spring day outside and I am watching the snow melt away bit by bit as Ubu the rooster crows with delight to his ladies in the outdoor yard of the coop that they have not seen since October. Last week several items came into my possession that I have been meaning to post about but did not have the time until now.

Some of my favorite things to collect are vintage recipes and cookbooks. My mother-in-law, Lyn, seems to unearth treasures every once and awhile that she sends to me in the mail. I wanted to share the most recent. I think old, dirty, used, loved recipes and pages in cookbooks are beautiful things. Above is a recipe for Matt's Great Grandmother's Fruitcake. Yes, quite a classic! I will definitely make it one day. Another fruitcake can't hurt anyone right? Lyn also sent along some pickle and relish recipes that will help to use the abundance of garden veggies in late summer in response to my earlier post on Dilly Green Tomatoes.

This brings to mind that I also have a Blackie's relish recipe that my mother was sure to pass along to me some time ago. I have yet to make it but I clearly remember eating it as a child. The Blackie's I speak of is Blackie's Hot Dog Stand in Chesire, CT...you must go if you like hot dogs! It has been there since 1928 and their relish is delicious. Oh and you can buy the relish from their online store! And so, I look ahead to a summer of delicious relish-making from favorite recipes.

I received a call at work last week from someone who was referred to me by our local bookstore. She was looking for someone to help repair her 80-year-old mother's favorite cookbook. It is The American Woman's Cookbook by Ruth Berolzheimer, 1938.

While I am not a trained in book conservation, I did agree to the job as I do know how to repair and bind a book. Luckily, it does not need complete restoration. She only want it to be usable without falling apart in her hands. I am happy to work on this project. It will be quite a task as you can see but I am up for it.

It is the greatest cookbook I have seen in a long time! The photos inside are amazing. I am a bit infatuated by the wonderful and slightly wacky images in vintage cookbooks. Did anyone ever really cook like that? I wish I could have seen an entire buffet in person of these complex, embellished, colorful, and gaudy dishes. Next, I will be searching for my own copy of this cookbook, preferably an edition from the same year. I am sure there must be one or two out there!

Rediscovering the Shopsins

2009-04-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

I covet the bacon scarf. I think this scarf is absolutely brilliant! So much that I feel as though only Tamara Shopsin, the daughter of the eccentric Kenny Shopsin could come up with such a design. Growing up immersed in Shopsin's at its original location at 63 Bedford Street could only mean a world of eternal inspiration for an artist. The home of the mac-and-cheese pancake, slutty-cakes and blisters on my sisters, Shopsin's will always be of my favorite restaurants. I only had the pleasure of eating at the original location twice, both times indulging in their version of the drink Morir Soñando, "to die in a dream", alongside a heaping plate of food...I ate at their second location once. Now it is time try their new location at Stall No. 16, 120 Essex Street which I plan on doing in January 2010 when I visit the city with Matt. One must plan these things in advance when you live so far away! If you would like to learn more about Shopsin's, I recommend watching I Like Killing Flies, reading this article, perusing the over 900-item menu (I'll bet you've never seen anything like it!), or of course visiting the place yourself! Be prepared for the most memorable dining experience and be open to listening to profanity while you eat. Follow up with a purchase of Kenny Shopsin's cookbook, Eat Me, another item I really must get my hands on!

Fun with New Printing Blocks

2009-03-29T15:45:00.000-07:00

I recently acquired these great new food-themed letterpress blocks from Ebay, justifying the purchase by the fact that I had just sold a small old Baltimore letterpress myself on Ebay. That particular press was a freebie amongst a pile of letterpress items I was lucky enough to stumble upon a few years ago. Anyway, I cannot wait to print these new blocks. I think my favorite one is the pie! I was sad to miss out on a donut block that I REALLY wanted. Our internet connection went out right in the last two minutes of bidding! The horror! Poor Matt had to listen to me complain about that one. Once these little beauties get printed, I will be sure to post the projects they contribute to. In the meantime, I dream about coming across a letterpress block of cheese!

BookEnds Exhibition

2009-03-24T11:43:00.001-07:00

While this is an older piece of mine, I still submit Mechanics of Thought to Book Arts Shows every so often because it has been received so well. This may be its last show as I have new work coming out soon that I need to promote. I was quite pleased to read a review of the BookEnds Exhibition that this piece was exhibited in most recently at Pyramid Atlantic in Maryland. The author had some very kind words to say about my work; you can read the article here. The sister show of this exhibition was at Torpedo Gallery in Virginia where I also had another artist book exhibited: Collected Affections. Here is a link to images from that show. I am impressed with the amount of digital archiving work that went into both of these exhibitions have enjoyed browsing the Picasa Albums and weblinks promoting both shows.

A Weekend of Plentiful Eggs and Tasty Dessert

2009-03-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to keep up with eating the eggs these days now that Matt is away! We get about 3 eggs every day from our four hens. I never cease to enjoy going into the coop and scooping these treasures out of the nesting boxes. The hens never seem to mind either which makes me feel good. The range of colors in these eggs makes opening up a carton in the fridge quite fun each time I do it. I wanted to share them with you: they range from pale blue, to pink to brown and brown with speckles. Sometimes our Jersey Giant lays these outrageously huge brown eggs that are double-yolkers. Once while Matt and I were out of town, our neighbor said Jersey laid a triple-yolker! What a good girl she is and such a hard worker! Every day we bring our hens treats to spoil them whether it be yogurt, wilting lettuce, or the cores of tomatoes....the happy clucking ensures me that they are thankful. Our rooster, Ubu, is another story. He has been on attack mode lately and is not at the top of my list. He is a bit too enthusiastic about his harem.

I couldn't help but share a photo of these delicious roasted pears I made the other night. I had them all to myself (I halved the recipe) which I suppose was a bit gluttonous but I had no problem finishing them!

Here is the recipe that I got from listening to NPR's The Splendid Table one day. I highly recommend indugling in these. I cooked them in the 400º oven for 30 minutes and then turned them. Another 20 minutes later I could not stand it because the smell was intoxicating so I took them out and ate 'em up!

Roasted Pears

Serves 4

4 not-quite-ripe pears such as Comice, Seckel or Bartlett, halved, peeled and cored
Fresh lemon juice
Sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
Butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Arrange pears, cut side down, in a baking dish. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with the tip of a sharp knife then mix the seeds with some granulated sugar (a cup or so; any leftover sugar can be stored, tightly covered, and used in other desserts). Dust the pears liberally with the vanilla sugar. Dot with butter.

3. Roast the pears until caramelized, turning them over half way through baking. If desired, just before serving, drizzle a few drops of fine aged balsamic vinegar on the pears.

Spring is Here!

2009-03-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

Last night was exciting because I decided to plant my tomato, pepper, eggplant, rosemary and lavender seeds so the first day of Spring could wake those little seeds and help them grow! I am sure they are enjoying their sunny spot near our sliders upstairs in the warmth. In a few days they will sprout.

This early planting leaves those little seedlings with 60+ days of protected warmth indoors before I move them out to the greenhouse. We are all hoping for a less rainy and cool summer here in Fairbanks this year so that our tomatoes will do better. Last year I ended up with about 100 green tomatoes lining my kitchen come September because very few had time to ripen in time before the cold weather arrived in the Fall. Green tomatoes are not such a bad thing though. I made the most delicious recipe for Dilly Green Tomatoes (using cherry tomatoes) last year and I still have 2 jars left to devour with Matt. We think they are absolutely delicious and very addictive!

As I sat and looked at the sky last night at 9pm, I took comfort in the fact that it was not quite dark yet. Twilight at 9pm. Wow, the light is definitely back and in full blast! The visible light here is at 14 hours and we gain an hour every week until it just does not get dark anymore for awhile. Ahhh! I do love the summers here. Perhaps Spring in Alaska is my favorite time of year now because it means summer is coming fast.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

I will be toasting to my Irish Heritage (I am one quarter) this evening!

Paper Paper Paper

2009-03-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

I must continue a wee bit on my paper rant. I have been in touch with a fabulous woman from Mohawk Paper Company who has offered to add me to their letterpress directory website: Felt and Wire. Stay tuned and you will find Black Egg Press listed there soon. I only touched the surface with info regarding Mohawk Paper Company in my last blog. Previously I have used their Superfine line for digital book projects and been quite pleased but now plan on looking seriously into their line of Strathmore Script for my letterpress work. I encourage you to read the following Guide to Greener Paper by Mohawk to learn just how much they are contributing to the sustainable paper movement. I am impressed that they have an informational PDF on Engraving and Letterpress...bestill my heart!

Geeking out on Paper Swatchbooks

2009-03-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I received a couple packages of paper samples in the mail from various companies and it was oh so exciting for me! As a papermaker and printer, I must say that looking at and touching so many kinds of nice paper really gets my heart throbbing. I have plans to do a lot of letterpress printing this summer, perhaps cards to sell and such, to get a little extra money coming in. One of the most important aspects of a well-printed letterpress card is that the paper feels good and looks good in your hand. Thus, my reasoning for ordering all these free swatchbooks of paper. I cannot order from online photos you know?
There are thousands of choices for paper so the prerequisites for me are that the paper is either 30-100% post-consumer fiber or recycled content, is tree-less (alternative fibers), and/or has chlorine-free pulp. Anyway, my favorite sample came from Gmund's papermill.
The stock colors are named for classifications of German beer: Weizen-white, Lager-cream, Pils-mustard, Ale-rust and Bock-brown. The coolest thing is the content—Bier Paper is made of: 40-60% Recycled beer labels 30-50%, TCF (totally chlorine free) pulp, and 5-20% Beer drags (the waste material of beer production). Unfortunately, this paper is also the most expensive one!
I also ordered the following swatchbooks: Wausau Royal Fiber, Neenah Classic Crest, Neenah Environment, New Leaf Paper, Mohawk and Domtar. Now it is time to make a choice and order some cover stock and envelopes! Anyway, I highly recommend these paper companies for your basic paper needs, including printer/copy paper. You'd be surprised how many stores carry these fabulous papers (everywhere except in Fairbanks!). It's fun to use a unique paper that also supports the environment. Forget about Office Max and HP brands! As for me, I have to get printing...

Edible Prints

2009-02-26T17:00:00.000-08:00

Sawa Tanaka has sure gotten my attention with her edible prints!
She prints on rice paper using only food such as: cream, flour, fruit juice and food coloring.

While this is not a new idea, that is, printing with food items...I believe making the entire print edible is a relatively new concept. I love it!
Ed Ruscha was painting with food items back in the 60s and 70s. He was using things such as caviar, egg whites, ketchup, chewing tobacco (well that's not food), and hot sauce. My personal favorite of Ruscha's is his piece titled "Chocolate Room." It was an installation that consisted of 360 shingle-like sheets of paper, silk-screened with chocolate. Heavenly!

Happy Pancake Day!

2009-02-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day — all four terms refer to the same day. Anyway, Matt and I decided to celebrate this morning with a big stack of fluffy pancakes. Tasty!

Obama Eats

2009-02-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, I found this photo on Obama Foodorama over the weekend and could not help sharing it! Mighty impressive don't you think? A Japanese chef has made American President Barack Obama into delicious sushi."Obama's skin is small shrimp," the chef says. "Hair is black sesame, fish paste teeth." If you can read Japanese, the story can be read here. If you do not read Japanese you should go to the link anyway to see the other photos within the article.

There is also artist Zilly Rosen's 5,900 cupcake installation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum last week of a double portrait of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. A video can be seen here on the process. This is not her first project along these lines. Way back on Election Day in November '08, Zilly created a 1,240-cupcake artwork of Barack at Obama's Buffalo headquarters. An informative interview can be read at Cupcakes Take the Cake.
I'd like to know who got to eat all these cupcakes?
Photo below is by Shasti O'Leary Soudant

Futurefarmers and Edible Landscapes

2009-02-20T16:29:00.000-08:00

Upon returning to cold and dark Alaska last month from a vacation in sunny and warm Mexico, I felt a little uplifted as I was able to attend an inspiring lecture by Amy Franceschini at the Blue Loon in Fairbanks, sponsored by Alaska Design Forum. Amy is an artist working with notions of community, sustainable environments and a perceived conflict between humans and nature. She founded Futurefarmers in 1995 and continues to maintain a balance between art and design. In 2005 she co-founded Free Soil, an international collective of artists, activists, researchers, and gardeners. Amy is also the creative mind behind the first edible Victory Garden at San Francisco Civic Center Plaza since World War II. (Photo above is by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America)

A few months ago an architect with similar interests, Fritz Haeg, spoke as part of the Design Forum lecture series as well. His main focus was to explain "Edible Landscapes", an ongoing agricultural project that replaces suburban lawns in the United States and England with highly productive domestic edible landscapes. I do find the website to be bit frustrating to navigate but it is worth looking through it to see the extenisive number of photos of the projects he has initiated. Haeg challenges dwellers to rethink their idea of what a front yard should be. I just wonder, if only everyone who had the space or property to do so tried to grow some of there own food in this country, what an amazing difference that would make! Even only one tomato plant, or a small bed of lettuce can produce a lot of food.

Looking forward to Spring...

2009-02-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

After Valentine's Day passes in Fairbanks, AK, people start to feel much more cheery because light has noticeably returned to make days longer. Today, the length of day is 8h 45min with visible light being 10 1/2 hours. This is amazing after enduring 4-5 hour days over the dead of the winter. We are gaining over 6 minutes of light each day. I am not feeling so anxious about making sure that I go outside around noon each day to stare at the sunlight. So I am celebrating by ordering my first set of seeds for the year to share with my dear gardening friend Jenny. You can't imagine how happy this makes us. I am glad I have someone here to share that kind of joy with. I have spent the last few weeks thumbing through the Fedco seed catalog, making lists of delicious heirloom veggies that I want to grow in my garden this year. We need to start our tomato and pepper seeds in March here in order to achieve summer fruit so I am ordering them first along with a couple of herbs. Here is what we have decided to order:

Applegreen Eggplant
Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper
Early Jalapeno Pepper
Long Red Narrow Cayenne Pepper
Ida Gold Tomato
Cosmonaut Volkov Tomato
Pink Brandywine Tomato
Peacevine Cherry Tomato
Vincenza Blue Lavender
Rosemary

CHEESE!

2009-02-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

I have a few obsessive loves in life. One of those is cheese. It can be argued that I am simply in love with food but I would like to focus on just cheese for today.

I find it to be quite unfortunate and frustrating that I live so far away from acquiring the delicious gourmet cheeses that I used to. I feel deprived but I do from time to time bring some cheese home with me from a vacation. For instance, right now, I find myself hoarding some English Stilton that I bought recently on a weekend trip like I won't ever be able to get any ever again! I think that is a bit pathetic and I am ashamed. I usually am a firm believer in eating what is in front of you and available, not saving it for a day that will never come. Perhaps I will decide to eat the whole chunk this weekend with my hubby, wine included. Now, I don't want it to seem like all I can eat here is chedder. I can buy some yummy cheese: aged gouda, real parmesan, a delicious smoky blue from oregon and a cheese called parano that I love. I just miss perusing the cheese counter at Dean and Deluca in New York City for example. I'd like to get my hands on some Valdeon (a spanish cow/goat milk cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves), Cabrales (another spanish cheese - very tangy) or some Humbolt Fog (one of my favorite goat cheeses). I miss learning about new cheeses.

One of my plans to alleviate my problem is to is try to make some cheese this summer from local raw milk. I'll be sure post about the experience. I don't know if I will have the patience to age the cheese but we'll see.

The image above on the right is a print I created last summer (2008) while at Penland assisting John Risseeuw's letterpress class. It is created on handmade paper using letterpress and collagraph. I have many other ideas for prints and books related to cheese and I consider this to be only the start of my new series of work about food. Ideas are brewing and I have been sketching like crazy. I will start with etchings. My mouth waters.

Here is a link to an article about cheese that was in Gastronomica's Winter 2009 issue. It's really great, you should read it...especially if you love cheese.

I almost forgot to mention The Cheese Nun! Mother Noella Marcellino of the Abbey of Regina Laudis is one cool lady. The Abbey is only a 15 minute drive from where I grew up in Litchfield, CT. I discovered this AFTER I moved to Alaska. My family and I visited the abbey a few years ago to hunt down some cheese and my dad bought a whole wheel! It was delicious. There is a great PBS DVD documenting her story if you are interested. Also, here is a shorter YouTube video about her.