Busy weekend in the kitchen

The world contained

I have a wee terrarium.
I bought a set of three.
I gave two away.
I kept the third for me.

Get yours from Miss Mossy.

Happy Weekend!

The taste of spring makes for pearly whites

According to the interwebs the combination of strawberries and baking soda is a great natural teeth whitener. The boy made this discovery and promptly went out and bought a huge plastic box of wintery California strawberries. After one miracle application (no, I don't have photos of that one and, yes, it was a grand success, he claimed through his pearly whites) the box was pushed to the back of the refrigerator. After several days, I pulled those hard little nubs out and made this tasty bit of spring sweetness.They were no spring beauties, but baked into this bread, it's hard to complain.

Walnut-Strawberry (or Rhubarb) Quick Bread
Adapted from King Arthur
1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) mashed strawberries*
1/2 cup (3 7/8 ounces) vegetable oil

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or spray with non-stick vegetable oil spray) a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the walnuts, flour, sugar, soda, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon, eggs, strawberries and vegetable oil. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, whisking until well-blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a rack to cool completely, 1 hour or longer. For best flavor and easiest slicing, wrap the bread while still slightly warm and let it sit overnight.

* I chopped the strawberries and tossed them with a bit of sugar. Let them sit for a while at room temperature and they will be a breeze to mash.

Nick Dewar, your shining star will be missed

All illustrations by Nick Dewar.

The wonderfully talented illustrator, Nick Dewar — master of simplicity, color and concept — passed away yesterday at just 36 years old. I imagine he must have had the most wonderful sense of humor. You can read about him here and more nice things here. Or peek inside his world here.

Warm radish and red onion pickle

I'm missing Gourmet magazine. I'm sorry Conde Nast, but Bon Appetit just isn't doing it for me the way Gourmet did. Not that I don't have a zillion recipes clipped from past issues still waiting to be tried, mind you. And let's not even get into the fact that despite subscribing to two food magazines and having a shelf full of cookbooks, nine times out of ten I turn to the internet first to find a recipe.

It was a bad sign when I found myself poking through food magazines at the library last week. I checked out a couple issues of a magazine I had never seen before — Fine Cooking. I marked lots of pages and recipes and tried this tasty pickle last night. I switched out the vinegars: It called for apple cider and sherry which I traded for white wine and balsamic, respectively, because I don't like the first and didn't have the second, so… It's easy and can be made ahead, but adds a nice tangy bright flavor to marinated steak.


Pan-seared skirt steak with warm radish and red onion pickle
Adapted from Fine Cooking, Feb/Mar 2009

For the steak:

2 pounds skirt steak

1/2 c. plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 c. fresh lemon juice

2 Tb Dijon mustard

2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tsp honey

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pickle:

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tb white wine vinegar

1 Tb honey

1 Tb balsamic vinegar

1 tsp ground coriander

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch red radishes (8 or 9), halved and thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 small jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced

1. Marinate the steak: Trim any large patches of fat from the surface. If necessary, cut the steak crosswise into pieces 8 to 10 inches long. In a 9x13-inch baking dish (or similar), whisk 1/2 cup of the oil, the lemon juice, mustard, lemon zest, honey, pepper flakes, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange the steak in the dish and turn to coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

2. Make the pickle: In a medium saucepan, stir together the oil, white wine vinegar, honey, balsamic vinegar, coriander, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the radishes, carrot, onion, and jalapeno and toss gently to coat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are wilted and the radishes are no longer crunchy but are still firm, 4 to 5 minutes. Give it one final stir and remove from the heat. Set aside, uncovered, while you cook the steak.

3. Cook the steak: Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the steak to the hot skillet in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until deeply browned on both sides and cooked to your liking--medium rare will take 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer the steak to a carving board and set aside. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and cook the remaining steak as above.

4. Let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes; then slice thinly across the grain and transfer to a large platter. Pour any accumulated juices over the steaks, top with the warm radish pickle, and serve.

Good news: Fine Cooking has a fine web site!

Easy peanut sauce with chicken skewers

The boy is a big fan of chicken satay and has been wanting to try a peanut sauce at home. He found this easy recipe on about.com and it 's a winner.

Peanut Sauce
1 cup fresh-tasting dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
1/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 tsp. tamarind paste OR 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, OR 1 tsp. Thai chili sauce (more or less to taste)
1/3 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processer. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust accordingly: Add more fish sauce if it's not salty enough, or more chili sauce if not spicy enough. If too salty, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If you'd prefer it sweeter, add more sugar.

How much easier do you want it?! I didn't adjust the seasoning at all — perfectly peanuty with just a little spice. I used Sriracha for the spice and had a block of tamarind lurking in the vegetable drawer. The consistency was slightly runnier than I expected and I might reduce the water to 1/4 cup next time, though it does thicken as it sits. It would be great on just about anything: beef or chicken, fresh veggies, warm or cold noodles, summer rolls. The boy wants to start putting it on all his sandwiches! We had it last night with chicken skewers using the marinade below.


Ginger Marinade:
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice vinegar
2 Tb honey
2 Tb sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tb ginger root, minced
2 Tb green onion, chopped
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all until honey is dissolved. Marinade up to 24 hours or apply just before grilling and use to baste.

Winter is the time for books

In case you didn't know, I love to read. I keep an updated list of the books I've been reading just over on the right side of your screen there — scroll down a wee bit to find it. If you've visited here before, it won't surprise you to see that much of what I read is food related.

Have I also told you about how much I love the Ann Arbor library system? You can read my rant on the subject here. I recently visited the Pittsfield branch and it is stunning. The building opened in 2006 and is a great example of sustainable design.

Below is a look at the cozy reading room looking out over the marshes with gorgeous modern armchairs and a working fireplace. Magical!

Two of my favorites books from the past year are This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader by Joan Dye Gussow and Alice Waters and Chez Panisse by Thomas McNamee. They are both fascinating portraits of strong personalities and their relationship to food as well as the people around them — and they both have wonderful recipes woven throughout. I'm also a sucker for great Indian sagas like Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts or The Far Pavilions by M.M Kaye. This year, in a similar tradition, I loved The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan.

What have you been reading? Anything I shouldn't miss out on?

Forcing spring

I went a little wild buying bulbs. Remembering how happy it made me come spring time last year, I scooped up dozens — maybe even tens of dozens — of bulbs to plant. Crocuses, tulips, daffodils, scilla — and some more unusual-looking Fritillaria. After two lengthy planting sessions late in the fall, my eagerness waivered. The brown paper bag with the unplanted bulbs has been looming on a shelf outside our front door for months. They didn't sit quietly. My guilt got me to thinking last week during a warm spell that maybe I should just try to pry open a big hole up in the semi-frozen ground and throw them all in, see what happens. Then I had a better idea. Why not let them do their thing now? They're not your traditional paperwhites or amaryllis, but a few crocuses in the house would certainly be welcome!

Hello people of Chicago …and Montana!

As part of my goal to branch out beyond the interwebs in 2010, I'm happy to announce that my artwork will soon be available in Chicago at the Renegade Handmade store in Wicker Park and through their online store. Created as an extension of the Renegade Craft Fair, the store is a unique one-stop shop for DIY goods with an amazing selection of housewares, jewelry, posters + prints, plush items, clothing, stationery + more!

And for my Montana peeps, you can check out some of my goodies in person at Frayed Sew (isn't that the cutest name ever?!) in Helena. Frayed Sew is owned by Becky Schreiner and is devoted to handcrafted items including childrens' and adult clothing, jewelry and accessories. Come on down!

The year-long scarf

Around this time last year I was coming off a bout of knitting madness. I had knitted something for just about everyone in my family for Christmas and after the holidays started in on a project for myself: a lovely, leaf-patterned scarf. I shared a peek at it with you here. This was to be no ordinary scarf. This was a 6 1/2 foot long, lusciously thick, incredibly soft, alpaca and wool scarf. Yes, that's right. 78 inches of wooly wonder. It knit up quickly on size 15 needles and I worked on it here and there. But then there was that first glimmer of warmth in the air. I stopped cold. I don't knit in spring. That's all there is to it. I lose all desire. So I packed away the scarf and moved on to spring.

The urge to knit finally returned about a week ago and I busted out that luscious leaf-patterned scarf. As I reviewed the pattern trying to figure out where I had left off, I stopped short. I had already knit 76 inches of the dang thing. How did I not realize this? Well I picked up that scarf and finished it off, lickety-split. I had waited eleven months to finish two inches. Oy vey.

Here I am trying to take a photo of it in the bathroom mirror. Don't I look serious?

Isn't it lovely? (The pattern is from the Vogue Knitting: Accessorize book available at the Ann Arbor library.)

The smell of baking bread: Dill Pickle Rye

I can never get enough of the sweet smell of warm yeasty bread. I used to have a friend on Elizabeth Street in New York and whenever I went to her place I would walk a certain route because one block always smelled strongly of yeast and bread baking. It was incredibly sweet and overpowering and never failed to make me swoon with happiness and warmth. I never found the source, but it didn't matter. I just loved to breath deeply while walking down the street filled with yeasty goodness.

Now, here in Michigan, winter is in full swing and I think about that smell often and try to recreate its yeasty goodness. Of course, this recipe, which my mom used to make for us as kids, smells a bit more dill-y than yeast-y, but it's scrumptious nonetheless.

Dill Pickle Rye
Makes 2 loaves.

4 cups white flour and 2 cups rye flour
OR
3 cups white flour and 3 cups whole wheat flour

2 packages dry yeast
1 1/2 c. liquid from jar of Polish pickles
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 Tb. sugar
2 Tb. oil
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. caraway seed
2 tsp dill seed
1 egg mixed with 2 Tb. water

Stir together flours. Heat pickle juice with caraway and dill to 120º to 130º F. Mix 2 cups of the flour mixture, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl. Add oil and buttermilk. Pour in pickle juice and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and then some, about 3 minutes total. Stir in enough of the remaining flour mixture to form a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 5-8 minutes. Place in oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise until double in size, 1 - 1 1 /2 hours. Punch down and divide in half. Shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Brush with egg mixture and cover. Let rise until double again. Bake at 350º for 50-55 minutes. Cover for the last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning.

Hitting the books

After two weeks off at the holidays, I came back raring to go in the new year. I was eager to do lots of drawing and cooking and projects. Yet two weeks in and the grey skies seem to have gotten the better of me. I'm finding it hard to motivate. So what's a girl to do? Hit the books, of course. I've been scouring my bookcases and pouring over some old favorites. I thought I would share a few here. Hope you enjoy!

Illustration from Florina and the Wild Bird

by Selina Choz, illustrated by Alois Cariget

Nancy and the Rubber Plant, 1975
Alice Neel

Seated Nude, 1966
Richard Diebenkorn

Page details from Alice in Wonderland
illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger

The Mirror, 1966
Fairfield Porter


From The New Yorker, 1942

Work in progess

I've always wanted a green kitchen.

Now in technicolor!

New color version of my Sub(tract) Housing print available in the shop! This one's called Downsizing to distinguish the two. (Click image above to see a larger version.)

1970s flashback: Artichoke Dip

I know it's well past the season of holiday parties and overindulgence, but this recipe is just too good to keep to myself. So don't just sit around moping with the winter blues. Have a potluck! Invite some friends! Eat some apps! Do not make this on your own! That's right. You've been warned. You should have several friends on hand for this one. If not, you are guaranteed to eat too much of it. You won't be able to help yourself. You'll feel sick later. Very sick. Believe me.

John's Awesome Artichoke Dip
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
1 small diced onion
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1 can artichoke hearts (8-10), chopped
pinch of salt
bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine thoroughly all the ingredients, except the bread crumbs, in an oven safe bowl or serving dish. Wipe the sides of the bowl with a damp cloth to avoid little bits from burning. Top generously with bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes or until golden on top. Serve with cracked wheat or other suitable cracker.

Color me yellow

I'd forgotten how great it feels to paint a room — even one wall. Benjamin Moore's Lemon Meringue. I love it! Next up: Iguanas in the kitchen.

Uses time wisely…

What do you do the night before you go on vacation? Pack? Print out directions and reservation confirmations? Stay up late ironing? Or merely anticipating? I do all of these things. But I also have this nasty habit of adding at least one item that I've been putting off forever. Those pants that have never been worn because I've been meaning to hem them for over a year? Yup, those would be just perfect for the trip so they finally get hemmed and packed. Been wanting to rearrange the furniture in every room of the house? No better time than 2 a.m. the night before a trip.

My Christmas trip this year was no different. We left on a Sunday and that Saturday I was in the midst of wrapping, packing and organizing. I was feeling very festive and ambitious. So, of course, why not tackle just one more project? The mission: to recover the throw pillows for our couch.

I've had three quilted squares (squares that are ready for quilting at least) waiting for this moment for years. I took an improvisational quilting class with Denyse Schmidt quite a long time ago at the Make workshop in New York. Quite a long time ago. So long ago that I've made two major moves since. I was reminded of the unfinished squares when I saw the sneak peak inside Denyse's beautiful Connecticut home in the Dec/Jan issue of Readymade. It includes an easy how-to for these pillows. So on that Saturday, I was determined to get this thing done. And somehow… I did. There's something to be said for the energy and excitement before vacation. A true indicator that we should go on more trips.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself tackling those things you put off for so long just before a trip?