Search results (tags) for: "food"

The Collectors: Jelene's Nutcracker Suite

2009-12-22T16:36:00-05:00

Woowee! This is such a magical time of the year: beautiful music, gorgeous festive colors, and a little fairy dust that seems to dance in the air everywhere we go. How grand!

For me, one of the most nostalgically captivating scenes of the year shines bright on the stages around the world as Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker Suite, thrills children of all ages. This whimsical fairytale, where toys come alive and vivid color swirls all around, tells the story of a world filled with whimsy, festive fashions, and something glorious to capture the imagination of every child.

So here’s the perfect collection for such a magical world. Hope you’ll love Jelene’s festive nutcrackers!

Who (are you) : My name is Jelene Morris — my Etsy shop is jelene.etsy.com

What (are you collecting) : Nutcrackers

When (did you start) : I started collecting nutcrackers when I was a teenager.

How (many do you have?) : I have 25 of them so far.

Where (do you find them) : I collect them from all over. I have some from Germany, some my family and friends have given me.

Where (do you keep them) : I keep them in my doll case, but during Christmas, I have them out on display for everyone to see them.

What (‘s a crazy/interesting story behind one) : I became fascinated with nutcrackers when I first saw the play The Nutcracker at age 11. I wanted one for Christmas, but they were really expensive… so unfortunately I didn't get one that year. I think during that time, most of them were around $150 or more. Since they have become more popular with Christmas, now they are easier to find.

What (piece would you like to add): I've seen some nutcrackers that have costumes, or ones that look like chefs. Those would be fun to have.

Why (do you love them) : I've just always loved them ever since I saw them as a child. I think of them as dolls, but just in wooden form. Some of them are really detailed. I think it's funny how originally they were for cracking nuts, but now they are just mainly for decoration.

Which (one is your favourite) and why : My favorite one is the smallest one I have. It's about a 1/2" inch tall. I just love it so; it's so incredibly small.

What (else do you collect) : I also have tons of dolls that I've been collecting since I was a kid. I also love art toys and vintage toys.

How fun! Thanks so much, Jelene.

Continue delighting your senses this season with a visit to Jelene’s bright and beautiful studio, where her pop art playground-of-a-shop is a wonderland for every age. Her fun and festive designs are just the thing for the young-at-heart and sugar-plum fairies this season!

Happy Holidays, nicies!
And may all of your festive dreams come true!

What do you collect? I’d love to hear! Please post in the comments below!

The Collectors Series | Etsy Nutcrackers | More Collections Posts on Rikrak's Blog

How-Tuesday: ATF Gingerbread From All Cakes Considered

2009-12-22T15:00:00-05:00

I just do not believe that anyone gains weight during the holidays. This is prime time for indulgence, and thus I will stuff my face without a trace of second thoughts. After one fateful holiday in Mount Vernon, Melissa Gray (self-professed "NPR Cake Lady") embarked on a confectionery mission, bringing in a new cake to the office of All Things Considered every week, avoiding box mixes, canned frosting, margarine, low-fat sour cream, and sugar replacements. The result is All Cakes Considered, a national tour of gateaux that gets me fantasizing about dessert with Ira Glass. For this week's How-Tuesday, we're sharing Melissa's gingerbread recipe; dark beer and crystallized ginger would lure me to any Christmas party, even if I'd have to suffer through a carol or two.

Purchase All Cakes Considered from Amazon or an independent bookseller.

Every Monday, I bring in a cake for my colleagues at NPR, a.k.a., National Public Radio. Why Monday? Because no matter how much you love your job, Monday is the day you look forward to the least. There's something about having cake at work that makes everybody happy, even the dieters who proclaim that you're doing this just to torture them. It's a communal thing and a sensory thing. A behavioral psychologist might say that it's using an object (sweet food) to stimulate pleasure receptors in the brain, thus building a powerful association in the subject's mind between work and pleasure.

I hate being analyzed by the likes of B.F. Skinner, so I'll just go Forrest Gumpian: "Momma says cake brings people together."

I don't know the real name of this recipe, but it's from my neighbor Jane Marshall. Her mom was a home economics instructor back in the '50s, so consequently, Jane knows a good recipe when she sees one. She jotted this down after watching Bon Appétit Catering in July 1985. While Jane's not a big fan of gingerbread, she loves this recipe. I call it ATF (as in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) because it's made with dark beer and crystallized ginger. Bite into one of those chunks of crystallized ginger, and you think your mouth might explode. And then you're addicted. This serves 8 to 10, depending on how many come back for seconds.

You'll Need
An 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup molasses
1 cup dark beer (see Tip)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, broken into small chunks

Tip: That's roughly two-thirds of a bottle from a six-pack. Measure out the 1 cup and drink the rest of the bottle, not the rest of the six-pack. Remember: friends don't let friends bake drunk.

1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of pan with baking spray.

2. Cream the butter with the mixer on medium speed, add the brown sugar, and beat well.

3. Still at medium speed, add the egg, molasses, and dark beer all together. Beat well for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking soda, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and salt together. Add the batter in thirds, beating well after each addition.

5. Using a spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the centers comes out clean.

Gingery Cream Cheese Frosting

Now, as you might suspect, ATF Gingerbread is a more aromatic and less sweet gingerbread than what you're used to. If you're one of those who needs the sweet and doesn't mind just a little more kick, I recommend this frosting, which I found in Sharing Our Best, a community cookbook project sponsored by the Gideon Sunday School Class of Providence Baptist Church, in Gloucester, Virginia. The recipe makes enough to heavily frost one 8- or 9-inch layer, or the top of a cake baked in a 10-inch tube pan.

You'll Need
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, add the ginger, and beat until smooth.

Thanks to Melissa Gray and the good folks at Chronicle Books for sharing this recipe with us. For more addictive cakes, check out All Cakes Considered.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Plants and Edibles Category | The Home Chef Gift Guide

The Collectors: My Favourite Dress's Vintage Pyrex Bowls

2009-11-25T15:16:00-05:00

I just love seeing what folks are collecting. I guess I feel it tells us just a little bit about what inspires them, what they love, and what they choose to surround themselves with in their homes. Today, I'm delighted to present the next in an ongoing series here on The Storque: The Collectors. First published on my own little blog, the rikrak studio, it's 11 and a half quick questions with a wonderful artist on what they're collecting (apart from their art supplies!). Hope you'll just love this vintage kitchenware collection with the charming myfavouritedress.

Yum!

As our thoughts turn to the upcoming holidaying seasons around the world, our kitchens emerge as our handmaking studios and workshops, where we each combine tradition and creativity to handcraft scrumptious feasts and delicious delights to share with friends and loved ones!

Indeed, cooking and baking are, for me, a wonderful part of the delight of holidaying time, and I thought you might just love a peek at this particular gorgeous collection of vintage kitchenware, which would surely inspire any home chef, and host(ess) as we look forward to the season of entertaining.

Psst: And just in case you’re like me and love the idea of baking, cooking, and entertaining, but it isn’t quite your forte (let’s be honest – I’m a wonderful disaster in the kitchen!) — fear not! Help is near! How about some delectables by the pros!

Who (are you) : Claire of myfavouritedress

What (are you collecting) : pyrex

When (did you start) : This collection here is about 6 years old.

How (many do you have?) : I have around 30-40 here in Vancouver, and a whole lot more in storage at my dad's in Australia.

Where (do you find them) : I find them all at the thrift stores (or op shops) and church sales.

Where (do you keep them) : I keep them in the kitchen. They get used every day.

What (‘s a crazy/interesting story behind one) : I have a friend who often picks me up little things at the thrift store, and one time we were sitting at the kitchen table talking when she casually reaches into her handbag and pulls out a huge butterprint bowl in perfect condition, and hands it to me — "Oh, I found this for you," and keeps on with what she was saying. Like no big deal. She's actually given me some beautiful pyrex and Fire King over the years. She is awesome.

What (piece would you like to add): Dots. I have absolutely no dots. And I love them.

Why (do you love them) : They're beautiful and functional, and they obviously last a long time.

Which (one is your favourite) and why : This tiny little blue bowl that is quite old, but I love the shade of blue and how it has worn away at the top.

What (else do you collect) : I have a pretty ridiculous collection of kitchenware and fabric, but I'd say what I really collect would be records.

Oh, how wonderful! I love how Claire USES her collection in a functional and wonderful way on a daily basis! How splendid! And I adore the ways in which she craftily combines her love of sustainable living in her home and in her own beautiful handcrafted works, too!

So let’s raise a toast: to the kitschy kitchen and all that is created in it! I think my perfect kitchen is like that ideal holiday recipe: You start with tried and true main ingredients, add a handpicked pinch of vintage, a dash of modern, and a teaspoon of eclectic to make something all your own!

Thanks so much, Claire. And be sure to visit her lovely shop and fabulous blog, Just Me and My Dad (What a brilliant idea this one is: dual photos by Claire and her dad! Love it!) and her deservedly popular and inspiring Flickr photostream!

Cheers! And happy celebrating, nicies!

What do you collect? I’d love to hear! Please post in the comments below!

The Collectors Series | Vintage Pyrex | More Collections Posts on Rikrak's Blog

How-Tuesday: Stuffing Recipe From The New Thanksgiving Table

2009-11-24T16:00:00-05:00

When it comes to the Thanksgiving feast, I reserve most of my plate for the stuffing. Savory, moist, and hearty, the irresistible mixture is my primary motivation for stumbling across the Turkey Trot's finish line.

Families tend to adhere to traditional Thanksgiving recipes for generations and generations, but I love the idea of incorporating regional flavors and techniques to truly reflect contemporary Americana. Diane Morgan's The New Thanksgiving Table introduces tapenades, ginger brines, and enchiladas to the standard fare. For this week's How-Tuesday, she shares her recipe for Linguiça Sausage Stuffing With Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions — my salivary glands have officially kicked into overdrive.

Purchase The New Thanksgiving Table from Amazon or an independent bookseller

Thanksgiving is the one day of the year when nine out of ten Americans sit down to a home-cooked meal, and that meal, according to one survey, almost always features turkey. Depending on where you live, however, that turkey is roasted, smoked, grilled, deep-fried, or turned into the elaborate Cajun specialty known as "turducken," in which a boned chicken is stuffed inside a boned duckling, which in turn is stuffed inside a boned turkey, along with stuffing, to boot! There are also regional preferences in seasonings: sage and garlic are perennial favorites in some parts of the country, while rosemary, paprika, and cloves seem to rule in the South.

The New Thanksgiving Table commemorates this quintessential American holiday with a spotlight on the regional specialties that make this vast land of ours so gastronomically amazing. While the classic Thanksgiving meal includes turkey, cranberries, pumpkins, and root vegetables, those same ingredients have been reinterpreted in myriad ways that reflect the diversity and breadth of twenty-first-century America.

Traditional cranberry compote, for example, may have Yankee roots, but it has metamorphosed into a cranberry salsa with onions and chiles in the Southwest. Or, the classic savory bread or rice dressings used to stuff turkey in the Northeast is often replaced with versions featuring crunchy, ebony-colored wild rice farther west in Minnesota, taking advantage of the native grain — actually a grass — of the region. In the Heartland, late-harvest corn is made into a pudding to accompany the holiday bird, whereas corn bread dressing and sweet potato spoon bread are served in the South. Along the Chesapeake Bay, a crab appetizer often starts the Thanksgiving feast, while along the Gulf Coast, pickled shrimp or oysters on the half shell whet the palate in anticipation of the holiday meal.

Here's wishing you a bountiful and peace-filled Thanksgiving — with a regional twist, of course!

Our culturally diverse nation may have strong Yankee roots that defined much of what we know as the traditional Thanksgiving meal, but recognizing and incorporating other wonderful ethnic foods into our harvest feast speaks to the spirit of the holiday. I couldn't resist using Portuguese linguiça sausage in this stuffing. The smoky, zesty sausage is a great match for roast or grill roasted turkey. Ask your local butcher or specialty-foods shop about availability, or order online from www.gasparssausage.com, a fourth-generation family-owned business.

Serves 12

5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
10 cups unseasoned dried bread cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound linguiça sausages
1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped or brushed clean, stems trimmed, and quartered
1 bag (14 ounces) frozen pearl onions, thawed and blotted dry with paper towels
1 tablespoon sugar
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a deep, 9-by-13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

Place the bread cubes in a very large bowl. In 10-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add the sausages and cook, turning as needed, until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add to the bowl with the bread cubes.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onions to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and sauté, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions turn golden and the edges caramelize. Add to the bowl with the bread and mushrooms.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Swirl to coat the pan and add the carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and a few grinds of pepper and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add the vegetable-herb mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.

Cut the sausages into 1/4-inch rounds and add to the stuffing. Add the eggs and stock and mix well. Scoop the stuffing into the prepared pan and bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour until the top is lightly browned and crusty.

If you have room in your oven, bake the stuffing while the turkey is roasting. Otherwise, bake it beforehand and reheat it once the turkey is out.

Do ahead: The bread cubes can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The sausages can be browned up to 1 day in advance; let cool, place in a covered container, and refrigerate. The mushrooms, onions, and vegetables can be sautéed along with the herbs up to 1 day in advance. Let the mixture cool completely and refrigerate in a covered container. Remove the sausages and vegetables from the refrigerator 2 hours before assembling the stuffing.

Thanks to Diane Morgan and the good folks at Chronicle Books for sharing this recipe with us. For more mouth-watering Thanksgiving recipes, check out The New Thanksgiving Table.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Plants and Edibles Category | The Home Chef Gift Guide

Keep it Weird: Everything but the Kitchen Sink

2009-11-20T10:43:00-05:00

Have you been stocking your pantry in preparation for the imminent whirlwind of whisks and basters? The season of mass-entertaining is almost upon us, and as any hardened hostess knows, the potential for some oven-baked surrealism is immense. When your mother-in-law arrives with her own apron in tow, you can turn to this week's Keep it Weird as your reliable coping mechanism.

Improvise on the family recipe with Cardboard Celery and Salt Shaker by artonthemenu, Teapot With Red Polka Dots by natalyasots, and Screamer Gene Toothpick Holder from objetpetita. Check out the Related Items below for a bubbling Crock-Pot of strange.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Items Tagged "Weird Kitchen" | Sculpture Subcategory

Etsy Finds: Holiday Cheer

2009-11-14T10:00:00-05:00

'Tis the season to hum holiday jingles while planning festive family gatherings that will live on in your guests' memories. The following Etsy Finds showcase ways to get creative this holiday season. Help spread the love and cheer everyone looks forward to this time of year.

Holiday Entertaining

The essence of the holiday season is bringing people together. Entice your guests to the table with a cheerful tablescape that complements the meal. Looking for more hosting inspiration? Check out the Housewares Category and these articles on Etsy's blog, The Storque.

Holiday Linen Peace Napkins

By TerreMum, $25.

Search results (tags) for: "food"

The Collectors: Jelene's Nutcracker Suite

How-Tuesday: ATF Gingerbread From All Cakes Considered

Gingery Cream Cheese Frosting

The Collectors: My Favourite Dress's Vintage Pyrex Bowls

How-Tuesday: Stuffing Recipe From The New Thanksgiving Table

Keep it Weird: Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Etsy Finds: Holiday Cheer

Vote! Which Thanksgiving Item Would Get You in the Kitchen?

VintageConfections is Sweeter Than Candy & Wins the Vote!

Halloween Hosting: Kill Devil Punch Recipe From Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients

Directions

Halloween Recipes From Parenting.com

Vote! Which Candy-Themed Item Gives You a Sugar High?

The Collectors: Boopsie Daisy's Pez Dispensers with Rikrak

How-Tuesdays: Bleeding Vampire Cupcakes

Etsy Finds: Harvest Moon

That's What She Said: Notes From The Office

Etsy Finds: A September to Remember

Back to School and Fall Organization

September Gardening and Food

Harvest and Halloween Ideas

Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard

Principles of Edible Education

Recipe From the Edible Schoolyard Kitchen: Potato Smash With Kale

Keep it Weird: Good Enough to Eat

Party Planners: Garden Swap with Food & Wine Magazine

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Directions

Special Subscription Deal for Etsy Friends:

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Make Ahead

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Don't Throw it, Grow it!

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A Cook in Residence: Kitty Greenwald at Montalvo

Party Planners: Firecracker Feast with Food & Wine Magazine

Etsy Finds: Party in the Back(yard)

Saucy BBQ

Candlelit Garden Party

Picnic in the Park

Nautical Clambake

Party Planners: Seaside Clambake with Food & Wine Magazine

You be the Judge: Chocolate Kisses