DIY: Potions

This past week, Michael made the absolute coolest thing for Hyla.

While organizing the basement last week, Michael found a box of our old cork-stoppered, glass spice bottles and offered them to Hyla for “potion” making. Before we knew it, the kitchen counter was covered with little bottles filled with colored potions of all sorts, neatly labeled with post-it notes. Seems this little wizard was going to need a place to store all those vials, so Michael set to work in the basement and whipped up this little beauty.

Potions bench

Potions bench

Did you notice the little leather straps on either end of the top shelf meant for holding the wands? And the rack on the bottom shelf for filing recipe scrolls? And the neat row of prepared potions?

And, of course, the darling little black cauldron (yes, my friends, Dan & Whits does, indeed, carry everything)?

Cauldron

So, if you find yourself in need of some Polyjuice Potion, Felix Felicis, or Blood-Replenishing Potion, you know who to call.

Bread update

No, I haven’t been blogging, but I’ve still found time to keep on baking and taking pictures. Since my last visit here, I’ve made three more BBA Challenge breads:

  • English Muffins (hands down, the best English muffins I’ve ever tasted)
  • Foccacia (oh, dear – this might be the best, most delicious loaf I’ve ever made)
  • French Bread baguettes (good enough that all evidence of these was devoured within days)

I’d really like to spend some time writing about all of these breads, but I feel pressure to catch up on writing about other things in my life, so, for now, I’ll just refer you to the pictures and encourage you, if you’re in the mood to bake some bread this fall or winter, to try any of these recipes. The English muffins, in particular, are very easy to make and the results will blow you away. I’m positive.

And, in related bread news: our little group is in the news! Today’s edition of the Washington Post contains a very nice article about the BBA Challenge and other online baking/cooking communities. The article, written by Cheryl Tan (a fellow BBA Challenge baker), appears on the front page of today’s (9/2/09) Food section.

If you have a few extra minutes and are willing to sign up for a (free) seven-day trial subscription to the epaper version of the Post, you can see the article as it appears in print. This version includes a few small pictures at the top of the article that aren’t included in the online version of the article. And one of those pictures was provided by someone with the odd user name of “grongar”. 😉

Cranberry Walnut Celebration Bread – BBA Challenge bread 11

Cranberry Walnut Bread - Sliced

I made this bread weeks ago, but because of time constraints and my general lack of enthusiasm for yet another enriched celebration, I just didn’t get around to posting. You can see the step-by-step photos here.

Although this isn’t the prettiest loaf I’ve ever made, it was quite easy to make, and I liked the combination of the cranberries and walnuts (did I already mention that one of my favorite breads is a walnut ficelle?). I think this would be an exceptionally good loaf in the middle of the winter (either that, or several months after the last time I made a fruit-studded celebration bread). It’s not the recipe’s fault that I’m not enthusiastic about it. I just wasn’t in the mood for this particular bread.

I’m running late on the next BBA Challenge bread (English Muffins), but I think I’m going to like them, and am thinking I’ll be able to make them at my favorite “away kitchen”, my sister’s place in Boston. We had pretty good luck there with the cinnamon rolls, no?

I haven’t forgotten about you

No siree. You’ve been on my mind a lot. There’s a mountain of things to tell you, but because we’ve been busy doing all that stuff I want to write about, I’ve been one poor correspondent. I’m hoping that’ll change any day now, but in the meantime, rather than try to catch up on the last few weeks, I’ll start with last night.

This weekend, we went down to Holyoke, MA to catch a concert by The Decemberists, a band that Michael discovered for us several years ago and that all three of us now love.

Three years ago, Michael and Hyla had a chance to see them in Northampton, MA, on Halloween night, but I was in London that evening, so I missed the concert. I had a pretty wonderful time in London, but, by all accounts, I missed a really great concert.

When we found out they’d be performing at a new outdoor venue (the former Mountain Park amusement park) in Western, MA the week of Hyla’s birthday, we snagged tickets right away for us and my sister.

Last night’s concert was the first at the venue. It was a hot August night, and the place is so new, there’s dirt where there ought to be grass and things are a little ragged around the edges. But as the sun went down, the temperatures started to cool, the stage lit up, and from our blanket on the hillside, we were treated to one intensely fun concert under the stars.

Here’s a video someone captured of the last few minutes, where we all got to sing along.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8K9HFwhbQ8]

Cinnamon rolls/Sticky buns – BBA Challenge bread 8

Cinnamon rolls

Last weekend, I was visiting my sister in Boston and thinking I probably wouldn’t get a chance to work on last week’s BBA challenge until I returned home. And then I remembered: my sister has a fantastic, spacious kitchen; and a very familiar mixer; and she loves sticky buns. To top it all off, it was 4th of July, and H and M would be joining us later in the weekend. Many mouths would make quick work of the rolls and buns so I wouldn’t feel forced to eat them all by myself. Did I need any more reasons to make cinnamon rolls and sticky buns? Continue reading “Cinnamon rolls/Sticky buns – BBA Challenge bread 8”