I wasn’t expecting great things from Seabiscuit, but I did enjoy it. Seabiscuit isn’t a great movie – in fact, it’s like any other horsey or sporty movie you’ve ever watched – but it’s well executed. Being of the horse/sport movie genre, there are plenty of soppy, sentimental moments, but this is to be expected. While Seabiscuit breaks no new ground, the acting is well done, the story is well written, and I certainly had moments when the emotional pull of the movie was almost too much, and I felt myself tearing up.
This is yarn for the Venezia pullover, featured in the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits, and designed by the incredible Eunny Jang. When I saw this pattern I knew I had to knit it. That it will be my first steeking project is an added bonus!
I ordered the yarn from Camilla Valley Farms – they’re selling it as a kit, which is incredibly convenient – and I’m knitting with the suggested yarn and colors. I’m not one to try to mess with genius!
A couple of weekends ago I cast on the the body. Despite a shaky start, where I knitted a very long and quite wide double Mobius strip, I’ve finished the hem and have knit close to an inch of the pattern. I became suddenly unsure about the pattern in the first few rows, but after I got past that and the pattern began to emerge I was reassured, and have fallen in love all over again. There’s no question that this will be slow going, but I’m really enjoying knitting this, and I can’t wait to have the finished pullover in my hands!
Things that are new to me so far: invisible provisional cast-on (scroll down), and folded hem.
This is a plea for help! A couple of weekends ago, I accidentally threw a chapstick into the dryer with my washing (it was in the washing machine, too, but I think it did it’s damage in the dryer). It took me a while to notice and then to work out why all the clothes in that particular load of washing had these greasy spotty stains on them. Luckily I worked it out before I sent a nasty letter to my landlord complaining that his washing machine was malfunctioning!
In any case, I washed and dried the clothes again (without chapstick), but the problem remains. How do I get these stains out of my clothes?
These links might be helpful:
Since I’ve been in Boston I’ve been cooking exclusively from Marie Claire Easy.
The book is great – I’m yet to run into a dud recipe. Here’s what I’ve made recently:
- Honey-Toasted Muesli: I’ve been meaning to make my own muesli or granola for a while now, and this recipe was just the thing I needed. I deviated a little from the recipe as written – I couldn’t find any dried peaches so I used pears instead, and the only triticale. I could find was in whole grain form, when I really wanted something rolled or flaky. Luckily, I found some rolled wheat which I used instead. When the muesli was toasting the kitchen was filled with a wonderful smell of honey (and I suspect this would really vary with the kind of honey you chose). I’ve eaten the muesli with thick Greek yogurt, and with milk, and while it’s pretty good either way I think I prefer it with milk. Next time I make it I think I’ll try mixing things up a bit. I’ll probably put in more fruit (perhaps some cranberries, too?) and I’d like to experiment with different nuts and seeds.
- Leek and Pumpkin Risotto: I made this for dinner when Ben and Eduardo came around on Saturday. The only pumpkin/winter squash I could find was spaghetti squash, so that was what I used. I’ve had roasted spaghetti squash and it was delicious with great texture, but I really don’t think it’s ideal for risotto. I almost certainly used more squash than the recipe called for (although I didn’t weigh it, so I’m not sure) as well. There was nothing particularly offensive about this risotto, but it wasn’t exactly flavorful either, something that I think would have been improved by a more flavorful pumpkin. It smelled delicious, though. Still if you heap it with good Parmesan cheese, it’s still pretty good, and excellent winter soul food.
- Lemon-Ricotta Cake: This wasn’t anything like I expected it to be, but it was excellent. The inclusion of the tea-soaked sultanas is a stroke of genius. If I did this again I’d grate my lemon zest a little finer, and if I had an 8-inch spring form pan I’d use it (I only have a 10-inch pan. It worked just fine, although the cake was perhaps a little thinner than I would have liked). I ate this with cream, and it was perfectly satisfying.
- Lemon Delicious: I have a family heirloom recipe for lemon delicious (from my great-grandmother), and while I haven’t checked, this recipe is pretty similar. The outcome was everything lemon delicious should be. Light and fluffy with a creamy sauce at the bottom. Very lemony and very delicious. The recipe says it serves eight, I feel like this would be a stretch. Four of us had no trouble devouring it in a single sitting.
Cross-posted on All Consuming.
