This week's carb report will seem familiar, but looks are somewhat deceiving. Yes, there is a loaf of bread, but I got a wild hair up my ass and decided to make it whole wheat, with wheat germ, oatmeal, and pumpkin seeds added for good measure. And it is deeeeeeeelish!
The muffin things are actually weightwatchers banana oatmeal bread in a muffin format for portion control purposes. I snuck in some whole wheat flour there, too, for a slightly richer flavor and a bit more nutrition. Again, a successful output for a Sunday.
But where do the breasts come in, you may well ask?
They don't, at least not in the bread.
But here's the story.
Every year since I started getting mammograms, I get crap results. There is ALWAYS something wrong. There have been awful surgeries, repeated squishings, needle biopsy this, lay face-down with a boob in a clamp that. You get the picture. On the plus side, it's always benign. On the down side, well, I've described the down side. Plus, no matter how low your risk factor is (and mine is low), it is terrifying to go through. Even on the odd occasion that they said all was clear, I always receive a letter within a couple of days saying, "uh, not so much."
Another plus: I have a doting husband who recognizes that, though he is powerless to allay my fears, he understands that retail therapy is a great start. So when I had my mammo last Thursday, complete with repeated squishings to get the earlier surgical markers in the picture, he knew exactly what I needed: SHOPPING!
Now, as you know, I've been diving face first into this knitting thing. And I like to perform my needlework in public, say, on the subway. With a hook, this is no problem, but needles are tricky at best. So as all public knitters realize, circular needles are the way to get around the elbow space problem. Unfortunately, I have been buying cheap-ass circulars with cables made from unyielding plastic. It is unpleasant to use them under the best of circumstances and impossible in most others.
So, connect the dots.
Yep, as my breast appreciation gift, I ordered a brand new set of hoity-toity interchangable circular needles (plus some accessories) from KnitPicks (couldn't quite splurge for the Addis)! I cannot wait for them to show up! I have such plans for them, I do!
Ah, but I did not finish telling you my story, did I? So on Thursday, I got squished, again and again. I was already scheduled for bilateral sonograms immediately after the squishing. But the technician came out and said to me the words I hoped to hear, "You don't need the sonogram. Everything looks good."
I was joyful, but guardedly so. As we know, this is always followed days later by that ominous letter from the radiologist. And it showed up, on schedule. But this time, it said my results were normal.
Halle-freakin-lujah!!!!
Nah, I haven't made one...yet. But if I keep up these Sunbonnet Sue-esque endeavors, I may have to.
Let me explain.
On Saturday, after purchasing a couple of Mason jars that I needed in order to create the starter culture for some Chevre I've been hankering to make, I set about baking some banana-cranberry bread. Yeah, that's right. I'm making cheese. I'm baking bread. That Mason jar to the right of my bread? That's the starter culture for the cheese. So that's Saturday. Come eveningtide, I'm continuing on my quest to finally get knitting through my thick skull. So I spent Saturday night in this, one of the world's great cities, sitting on my ass knitting. And watching Primevel. Whatever.
Sunday was spent ignoring the marathon and baking the SECOND LOAF OF BREAD in the weekend. Oh yeah. A remake of last week with the cunning addition of romano cheese. And DEEE-lish it is, too! So of course, we had to try it, warm from the oven, with my HOMEMADE butter. Am I possessed? Wait, there's more!
On the urging of my beloved rockpoolcandy, I bought a drop spindle and roving (why, Blue-faced Leicester, thanks for asking) from the Sheep and Wool Festival. I'm in the process of splitting the roving into a manageable weight before I actually spin. (Note to husband - I want a spinning wheel for Xmas - for serious).
How far am I from whittling? Or from starting an urban taffy-pull? Is weaving far off? Is my front yard too small for sheep? Can you grow corn in a window box? What about lacemaking?
Okay, I want to talk about knitting for a minute. Now, you all know I LOVES the hook, right? But ohmigod, it is so exciting to get to even this minimal level of literacy with the sticks! I haven't finished this frigging scarf yet, but already I'm scouring ravelry for knitting patterns thinking, why the hell not?
Despite the obvious errors in the pattern above, I'm thrilled at the results I'm getting on this bloody scarf. I'd admire it if someone else wore it, let alone make it.
Who the hell am I?
And, not for nothing, but the Manhattan Smiley's sale is on the horizon now, a half-block from my workplace. And I have a plan this year - I'm going for the luxe stuff, quality, not quantity. I have a few gifts I'd like to make and I'm finally at the point where I want my precious time to count -- to not waste it on cheaper, unpleasant yarns. They're fine for experimentation, but if I'm making a scarf for my BFF, it's gonna be a yarn that feels like heaven.
Okay, change of topic. I have two cents and need to spend it! Remember the old days when I used to wax poetic about Crochet Today? Pretend I never said it. I have been SO disappointed with them of late! Gone are the interesting, challenging projects. I guess they focus-grouped that puppy to only engage beginning hookers. Sad. It doesn't all suck, per se, but it's not the mag I used to look forward to. On the other hand, I was quite happy with the latest Interweave Crochet. The projects were really beautiful, some simple enough for the novice, others challenging enough for a more experienced crocheter. Maybe it all balances out. But I keep looking for the periodical that pushes the design envelope, and I don't really see it. Over dinner recently with my friend Crochet Insider, we lamented about the lack of magazines that really challenge their readers. I guess it's up to websites and books to be the source of all things edgy.
Hey, has anyone been to the new MADMuseum site yet? I'm, like, a 10 minute walk from them and STILL haven't hauled ass in there! And I've always loved that quirky building!
Okay, I think I'm done spewing for the moment.
Oh, except for this:
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OBAMA '08!!!!
O happy day, calloo callay!
Got my ass out of bed at 7:30 to make my shaggy dough using bread flour, yeast, water, and salt. After two less-than-stellar efforts in breadmaking, I wasn't holding out much hope for this go-round. I let the mess rise for the requisite 4 hours, folded it, let it rest for 30 more minutes before plunking it in a hot hot hot dutch oven for 45 minutes. And what did my eyes see through that oven door? A golden-crusted beauty, rustic-y and rough-hewn, waiting to be eaten. First tastes showed a crust that exploded into shards in our mouths, but after letting the loaf think about itself for a while, the crust yielded to hard, chewy perfection. Add to the mix, I got to top it with my homemade butter, thawed from the freezer and melting into its beautiful crumb. Stupid as it sounds, for this Brooklyn girl, such an accomplishment is tantamount to starting a fire with little more than flinty rocks and kindling. Further experimentation awaits.
On the yarn front, more late-breaking news: I AM KNITTING A SCARF!
Sorry, I hope your smelling salts were nearby.
Yes, you read that correctly. Knitting. As in holy crapola.
Don't get me wrong. I still have 146 crochet projects in the works. But I have been struggling with getting to a certain comfort level with the sticks and am determined to do so. I don't think its bad to have more than one language. I don't think there's anything wrong with multiple pairs of shoes. Who doesn't like ordering off the menu once in a while? I mean, how was I supposed to resist this lovely pattern from Lion Brand, beckoning in all its elegance? It does all the lovely things that knitting does so beautifully...
I haven't even cast on all the stitches yet. And who knows when it'll be done? But consider it added to the heaving pile.
Howdy! HomesteadHooker here is filling in for SubwayHooker today. A wild hair up my butt encouraged a bit of DIY in the food department, encouraged of course by the relative ease of the tasks at hand versus the wildly superior results.
So above you see the oh-so-cute and oh-so-tasty results of my first foray into the dairy world of buttermaking, using the handy ramekins left over from some lovely St. Marcellin cheese. Three of the above are now in the freezer, one in the butter compartment of the fridge. For those of you anal enough to be keeping score, I do know the photo reveals some buttermilk which I neglected to extricate from the results. Whatever.
As I write this, I am about 1 1/2 hours into the resting phase of the whole-wheat bread, which is slumbering on my kitchen counter. Here's hoping it ends up being good enough for hubsy's and my sammiches for the week. I used demi-god Mark Bittman's recipe for Speedy Whole-Wheat Bread.
Unfortunately, I didn't understand the difference between instant and active dry yeast, so I ended up with the below:
It barely rose at all. Though it tasted good, all whole wheaty and corn mealy and rye-y, it is not the loaf of my dreams, and the sammich cannot be made from this that would satisfy the average human. Unless you were a model and were gonna purge it later anyway. In which case, I go for something far more extravagant.
I did mention crochet in the title, and I am sticking to the promise. Here is the cape now, in all its glory:
Okay, I have to interject something here. Many of you know of my hate relationship with Continental Airlines. Many's the time I've bitched about them for one thing or another. But suddenly, owing to all the travel my job's been sending me on, I am Silver Elite. This means that when I travel, I have the option of a free upgrade to First Class, space and the luck of the draw permitting. Well wouldn't you know that the very first time I clicked this option, I'd be upgraded to First Class. Yes I was! Oh, sweet mother of crap, what a way to travel! Comfortable seats, an edible meal, and all the wine you can swill! SO much nicer than cattle class!
And while I was in this oh-so-enviable position, my very nice seatmate engaged me in conversation about the above cape, which was a very nice way to spend a very comfortable flight, indeed. Said seatmate even had the presence of mind to tap my shoulder to share the extraordinary sunset visible out our window with me! Sunsets are among the Hooker's favorite things, not that this woman would have known that, so I was touched that she had the inclination to share it with me.
Change of topic before I park my ass and crochet the rest of tonight away: As you know, this is our anniversary weekend, so hubsy and I kicked up our heels with a visit yesterday to Brit artist Banky's Pet Shop and Charcoal Grill at 89 7th Avenue South. Thanks to rockpoolcandy for the heads-up on this amazing exhibit! Below, a couple of shots of the shop.
The chimp above is animatronic, and is watching a tv showing two monkeys having sex -- repeatedly. He occasionally touches himself, his eyes blink, follow the action on the screen, and his lips move. His foot is on a crushed beer can, and there is a well-thumbed copy of National Geographic nearby.
Here is Tweety Bird showing the effects of caged living:
And finally, here are two Chicken McNuggets dipping themselves in sauce:
This week's carb report will seem familiar, but looks are somewhat deceiving. Yes, there is a loaf of bread, but I got a wild hair up my ass and decided to make it whole wheat, with wheat germ, oatmeal, and pumpkin seeds added for good measure. And it is deeeeeeeelish!
The muffin things are actually weightwatchers banana oatmeal bread in a muffin format for portion control purposes. I snuck in some whole wheat flour there, too, for a slightly richer flavor and a bit more nutrition. Again, a successful output for a Sunday.
