Sunday Musings...

Hi! I'm waving at you from my sewing room...my play palace...the place where all the needle action goes down...only problem is...

It's a mess.

So, I'm up here trying to clean it all up so I can start Fall with a clean work table. Hope springs eternal!

It takes me twice as long to clean up because I get distracted. I'd rather do anything but clean and sort and file. So...rather than clean up...I made this little vignette for Summer Charm School...


And I'm thinking about how wonderful it is to live in 2009 and to be able to use the internet and to have a blog. And even more amazing, is that there is a community of people who regularly stop by to read what I have to say! And, that you meaningfully comment and enrich my life because you "just show up". And I learn so much just by reading what you write and seeing what you're doing. It's much more gratifying than a magazine, isn't it?

I guess I'm thinking about blogging today for lots of reasons. First, I just read Robin's post about "Why Blog?"...and, I just had a good blog friend decide to stop because it takes up too much time...and gosh darn it, I'll miss her. Isn't that the craziest thing? That we can form these lasting and meaningful friendships by just coming around to witness (as Robin put it) what each other is doing. I can't tell you how BIG that is...and, frankly, it amazes me. So, today I honor our right to blog and all of you who choose to stop by and be part of my life. You are wonderful to know.

I'm also thinking a lot about blogging because I'm reading Julie and Julia for bookclub tomorrow night. I'm almost finished reading Julia Child's book about her life in France and I'm finishing up Julie and Julia (we could read one or both, our choice) -- which is about a woman who decides to cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook and post about it every day on her blog...and people show up to read it (which amazes her too)...


I'm sure you all know about it because Meryl Streep plays Julia in the movie that is out right now but I haven't seen it yet. I'm very much enjoying the immersion into the culinary world from the outside -- just reading about it...I don't really want to have to tackle it myself...but...tomorrow is the day...

Tomorrow, I, Susan, of Plays with Needles, am going to re-enter the culinary world and prepare a recipe of french cuisine from Julia's own cookbook. This is where your prayers come in...

Every August my book club covers a book relating to food so that we can have a potluck party where we all bring a dish we make from the book... Last year, you might remember my deflated dacquoise...

Well, so I'm thinking about cooking and blogging and I'm praying that I'll be able to successfully clarify butter and find creme fraiche at the grocery store...but that's a problem for tomorrow.

And tomorrow is a big day for lots of reasons. The main one being that Jim and Jack are finally, after about 8 years of trying to get tickets, going to attend a Ravens game. We lucked into the tickets at the last minute and I'm so excited for them to go...Not one of us has ever been to a professional football game let alone a Ravens game...


And they're sitting in Section 111. That's my special number.

And tomorrow morning, I'm waking up bright and early to head down to the Chesapeake Bay. I'll be participating in an Environmental Study run by the University of Maryland which will measure levels of bacteria that will stick to my body/hair, etc. after swimming in the Bay...Sounds like an adventure to me; Jim thinks it's a bit gross; and, Jack doesn't know what to think other than his Mom is making him go. The PhD running the study is letting Jack help with various tasks since he's not old enough to participate in the study. I thought that was pretty nice of her and I hope it's a learning experience for Jack.

I'm hoping it's a learning experience for me too because I've always wondered just how much the pollution in the Bay affects me when I swim in it (see, this is why Jim thinks it's gross...). And, I just read that Ocean City Maryland has very high water quality along it's Atlantic ocean shore...largely because the Bay is the sewer drain for all the storm runoff. That means the Bay is taking the hit and that makes me sad because I love the Bay and I would like it to be healthy.

And so, that's a lot of thinking for a lazy Sunday when I'm supposed to be cleaning...

(Note: The beaded hand was not made by me, unfortunately. I bought it a few years ago at an art show in Baltimore and sadly, it is not signed, so I cannot credit the wonderful artist...It's a good reminder to remember to sign your work!)

Tea and Books

Last Friday, we took seven of the nieces plus Jack to tea.


We had our tea at Gypsy's Tea Room in Westminster. IMHO, it is one of the nicer tea room experiences in the Baltimore area if you have a chance to go there one day.


We started this tradition last year and it has turned out to be a New Year's holiday favorite.


If you're wondering why all the kids are wearing old millinery hats, it's because I had taken them last year for fun and now they really look forward to them.


They would all like to wear the tophat but it's the only "boy" hat I have.


I need to keep my eye open for a bowler that's not too expensive...


Even the lady serving us got in on the action...


Remember I mentioned I was taking an online photography class from Karen Russell? Well, I haven't had too much time to "study" with the busy-ness of the holidays so, needless to say, I'm a few weeks behind. That's the story of my life, in a nutshell...three weeks behind.


My father had given me this new lens for my camera for Christmas. This lens is supposed to be ideal for shooting in low light situations which often happens in our everyday life.


I was trying the lens for the first time PLUS I was using the manual settings on my camera for the first time. That means, I turned off all those auto functions and tried really hard to understand the relationship of all of the focus, aperture, ISO and shutter speed settings. I set my camera to be more sensitive to light. I tried to change the aperture as the situation dictated but it was definitely hit or miss. I had lots of overexposed, fuzzy and/or grainy pics.


Phew! It's a challenge but it's very exciting at the same time. There's a whole new world of creativity out there in photography that I'm just beginning to see. It's like I'm peeking over the fence in my backyard and I'm seeing amazing worlds to discover. But right now, I'm having trouble getting myself over that fence.


These pics are my first attempt. Of course, I'm showing you the best and not necessarily the 100 shots that have gotten deleted.


Last night we had a great book exchange. Sorry for no pics but I was the hostess and I sometimes forget. Here are some of the books that were exchanged, each with a note as to why the giver chose that book...

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Goodwin; Loving Frank by Nancy Horan; Shelter Me by Juliette Fay; Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freeman; Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen; The Shack by William P. Young; and The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney.

Perhaps you have read a few?

The Deflated Dacquoise and the Under-Appreciated Egg Noodles

OK, this is the wonder of being in a book club. Three weeks ago I didn't know what a dacquoise was and yesterday, I found myself creating one in my kitchen for our annual Cook-While-You-Book Book Club meeting. (I just made up that title but I think it works.)

One month every year, we select a book/novel/memoir that involves food and has recipes. Everyone reads the book and makes a recipe to bring to the meeting. I made a french dessert called a dacquoise.

According to Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine and author of this month's book Comfort Me with Apples, it was a dessert served in every French restaurant and very popular on menus of the best American restaurants in the 70s. It's basically two meringue layers with buttercream (or some type of filling) in between the layers. So, since I had never seen or tasted one, I thought I would make it. This is what one is supposed to look like.

A beautiful example of a dacquoise courtesy of kategiventofly

OK, one thing I need to share with you. I love to read, I love to sew, I hate to cook.

Cooking just puts me in a bad mood -- All you chefs out there who feel that making food nourishes your soul and there is no better way to demonstrate your love for friends and family than preparing a meal that comforts, nourishes and feeds them....well, I don't get you. No offense. I love being on the receiving end of your gifts, but cooking stresses me out.

Regardless of my aversion to cooking, I don't mind playing the role once in while -- after all, I love to watch the food channel and Top Chef is one of my favorite TV shows.

To make a long story short: after getting yolks into my egg whites, scalding the cream/sugar for the buttercream, de-flating the stiff-glossy peaks of my meringue, scorching the almonds (I went through 3 cups of almonds versus 1.5), and drinking two glasses of wine, I ended up with this beauty.


Ladies and Gentleman, I present the French Dacquoise. A little lopsided, a little flat... In fact, it looks like someone sat on it in the car on the way to my sister's house. Note the strategically-placed flowers and the pretty cake plate, all designed to take your attention away from the deflated dacquoise.

I thought I had it tough until my friend Gena decided to tackle the Ham, Asparagus and Garlic-Cream Egg Noodle dish...with homemade egg noodles. Here's a copy of the email I received yesterday morning which Gena had sent the night before at 1:00am.

I decided to make the homemade egg noodles at 9:30 tonight... shoot me now! I still have to wait 20 more minutes to flip them again as they dry out. Thank GOD I did not marry Anthony Scarcia...it is so much easier to cook a potato for my Irishman!!

Top 5 reasons to buy prepackaged egg noodles:

1. The noodles have to be flipped "occasionally" for 2 hours while they dry out.

2. Did I mention the dough has to be wrapped in plastic and sit for 1 hour before you hang it out to dry (for 2 hours)?

3. You need super-human strength to roll out the thick dough.

4. If you knew just how many egg yolks went into egg noodles, you'd never eat another one as long as you live (ignorance is bliss).

5. If you buy pre-packaged egg noodles, you'll have much more time to burp your Amish bread starter!!!!!!!!!

OK, I am going delirious - 8 more minutes and then I can go to bed!!

See you tomorrow night (tonight),

Gena

At the end of the night, the book was pretty good but the meal was so much better.

My sister noted that the title of the book is taken from this passage in Chapter 2 of the Song of Songs. I thought it was beautiful:

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick with love.

If you find yourself wanting to make a dacquoise for your loved ones, here are some recipes from Epicurious. I'm off to feed the leftovers to the poor souls who missed our meeting. And until next year, I'm sticking to my needles.