Father's Day Cappuccino

 Homemade cappuccino is my morning ritual. Even back in the days when my youngest daughter had what's known out here as "early bird" gym and had to be at school when it was still dark out. My pot would be set up and perking, the first cup poured and savored, even before we trekked out the door. Most days, my husband Rody and I, sit in our respective chairs, coffee cups balanced on the oversized armrests, and enjoy our cappuccinos together. In honor of our morning civilty, we often take turns serving each other.

For a Father's Day treat, make your own cappuccino.

Directions:

Fill the espresso pot  (I prefer the classic Bialetti model)  to the line with cold water.

Fill the funnel part of the espresso pot with coffee.

Screw on the pot  top. Place on a medium flame and wait until you smell the coffee. If you use a great roast like Dunn Brothers  (they ship), you will smell the coffee.  And if you are near by and the radio is off, you will hear the bubbling of the coffee rising to the upper half of the pot. When the bubbling sounds stops, open the top and check to see if the coffee has stopped frothing forth. To avoid boiling your brew, remove the pot from the burner.

The espresso part is done.

Easy, right?

The Bodum Frother looks like a piece of science lab equipment--a glass beaker and a mental plunger. It's the simplest, low tech way to froth milk. While you espresso is preparing to bubble up, fill about 3/4 th of the glass beaker with milk. Plunge 25-30 times. Remove plunger and warm milk for 30 seconds in the microwave. Repeat. Pour milk into cup, spoon froth on top, as desired, then add your espresso.

Enjoy. Happy Father's Day!

 

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World Wide Knitting in Public Day

 

 

 


It's World Wide Knitting in Public Day--June 11 to 19th.  Join the knitters in your neck of the woods and knit in public. Grab your knitting and needles and head to favorite coffee shop, your local library, your neighborhood park, and knit out in the open. To find an event near you, visit the official WWKIP website.

Stop by my Facebook Author Page and let me know where you are knitting.

 

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Blog Posts also appear on my Facebook and Ravelry Pages. Please visit me there.

Apple Cake

 

 

Is the age of cupcakes over? Will harmony and understanding dawn with pies in ascension? Or will Toll House Cookies open the gates to the peace?

I'm sticking with apple cake. Elaine Yoder's. Rich, moist, and the true soul mate of even the humblest cup of coffee.

Last Saturday morning, I peeled and chopped the apples, brewed the coffee and stirred in the baking soda till foamy. Batter ready and baked in the greased pan, our house soon filled with an aroma that surely must herald something spectacular. Later, ten thick slices went out the door with my youngest daughter to share with her summer companions and colleagues doing research at the University. The next plate went to my generous next door neighbor who edged my lawn. What remained was shared with our houseguest. And the next morning, when he left for his long drive back to Colorado, the last bit of apple cake went with him, spreading the good apple cake Karma all along  1-80 West.

Elaine Yoder's Raw Apple Cake -- A Bake and Share Recipe.

Raw Apple Cake

CAKE

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup corn oil

1/2 cup applesauce

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot coffee with 2 teaspoons baking soda

(stir until foamy)

2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups flour, sifted

4 cups raw apples, peeled and chopped

TOPPING

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup brown sugar.

 

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease 9x13 pan. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until sooth. Add chopped apples and pour into 9 x 13 pan. Cover with topping mixture. Bake 1 hour.

 

Notes and News:

Congratulations to Joanne Seiff and the Professor. They are proud parents of twin boys-- Baby A and Baby B, aka Losken and Kugel. Naming will happen shortly, check out Joanne's blog for updates. And take a look around at her great knitting patterns and posts.

I am thinking about starting a monthly newsletter with stories, pictures, pattern and recipe links. If you'd like to be on my mailing list, send me an email from the contact page.

Blog Posts also appear on my Facebook and Ravelry Pages. Please visit me there.

Knuks for all

This week a wicker basket with needles, wool, and knitting kept me company in my studio. Back to writing my regular monthly Lion Brand essays, during my thinking breaks, I knit. The needles are 0’s and the wool is sock weight. My intent was to knit myself some new wristers. Actually, my dream plan involved making a few stacks of them, plowing through my stash of sock and dk wool and gifting out many pairs to the deserving. Over the years I knit dozens of pairs, and have I  have wandered far from the original pattern—the one that taught me everything I needed to know about wristers.

Knuks.   

This pattern by Pamela Grossman  appeared in Knitty Summer ‘06. I followed it faithfully for my trial pair—and several after. For my new pair, I will do the same—varying only needle size and recommended yarn. The gauge will match.

There’s something about Knuks that gives a great fit. And even with my clever innovations, I long for some plain janes k nuks. Perhaps because I have lost two pairs of them this winter— embroidered like some of the Knuks in the Knitty article, both were favorites of mine. And this week, my cashmere wrister wisps accidentally went into the wash. A very sad ending for a much loved hand-warmer. But happy hand times are soon to come with my lovely new knuks!

Check out Pamela Grossmans’ blog and her boutique

Vist the Lion Brand Yarn Company's newsletter and met my friend and knitting wonder -- The Knitting Adventures of Wetherill Winder

I am thinking about starting a monthly newsletter with stories, pictures, pattern and recipe links. If you'd like to be on my mailing list, send me an email from the contact page.

Blog Posts also appear on my Facebook and Ravelry Pages. Please visit me there.

Dancing Washcloths and Knitting Patterns

Twice this week I have needed this pattern. Once for a friend who wants to knit again. She’d like to start with a washcloth. She had tried a pattern or two, but they proved too difficult for her.

"Don’t worry. I have the perfect pattern for you." I told her. We were at the Tall Grass Writer's annual picnic in the Rochester Cemetery. In cemeteries you shouldn’t worry about washcloths.

The second time I needed this pattern was for a reader who wrote asking for it. She remembered the pattern from a Lion Brand essay I wrote a few years ago. A Pattern For Life, I called it back then. The name still rings true for me.

For washcloths wannabes,  here's your ticket.

Happy Knitting!

 

Pattern:

A Pattern For Life

Note: For your first washcloth, you might want to knit until you have about 5o stitches or the longest side of your knitting (the stitches on your needles) measure about 10 inches.

Notes:

Rochester Cemetery is a sand prairie/savanna remnant located near the village of Rochester, along the Cedar River in Cedar County, Iowa.  This remnant is also an active cemetery, managed by the Rochester Township Trustees.  This cemetery is known across the US for it's colorful springtime display of wildflowers, in particular it's display of thousands of shooting stars, and massive, spreading White Oaks.  It has often been called one of the best examples of Oak Savanna in the Midwest."

I am thinking about starting a monthly newsletter with stories, pictures, pattern and recipe links. If you'd like to be on my mailing list, send me an email from the contact page.

Blog Posts also appear on my Facebook and Ravelry Pages. Please visit me there.