Sunday, October 4, 2009

Send Out the Dogs

No, on second thought, don't. I'm not really lost, I've just gotten lost in things I like to do. Case in point, I remade the onion soup we enjoyed at my sister's last week. I knew my husband and kids would love it. This was a two day affair that began some time after spinning yesterday. I roasted the bones and vegetables as a base to make a rich stock and let that simmer and reduce for about 5 hours. Today, I caramelized the onions and married that to the stock and then topped it with toasted french bread and smothered it all in aged Gruyere. There wasn't much left to show but empty crocks.

To top off my weekend in the kitchen, I made a pate brisee (pie crust with French technique). The pie is apple and as soon as I'm done writing this, I'm going to be getting a piece of that. I used Michigan McIntosh apples and it looks and smells delicious. I need to work on my pie crust techniques, but what the heck, I'm just proud it didn't come out of a box.


I finished the Every Way Wrap for the Sticks on Fire KAL. I'm ahead of everyone else, but I think I chose the easiest piece. It's pretty enough and the stitch definition using Cashmerino Aran is beautiful, but the way it looks as a whole? Not so much. It's good enough to snuggle in and if I could stop having hot flashes this week, the weather is perfect for this.



Of special note are the bags under my eyes. I wake up every morning and the bed linens look like someone has held a monumental battle there. I'm hot, I'm cold, I'm hot, I'm cold. By morning, I'm twisted in the sheets and have to think of ways to get untwisted. If I had to get out of bed in a hurry, I'm not sure I could.

We can't blame my nights all on my hormones though, because Dan Brown should shoulder a little responsibility, too. His villain is a bit creepy. This is the second book I've read this week (not including cook books and Fine Cooking Magazine. The first was Rules of Vengeance, by Christopher Reich. It wasn't bad, but not my favorite. Maybe I'm tired of his main character. It felt good to do something besides knit for a change. I don't know where I found all the time to do this, but perhaps it's the lack of having my own computer. I plan to remedy this in a few days.


I'm thinking this is what's next for my needles. This pattern, Pretty as a Peacock, is one I picked up at the Michigan Fiber Festival in August. I'm betting that although it's lace, it'll knit up quickly in sport weight yarn. My special order Louet Gems came in last week and I'm itching to cast on. I didn't see a color that spoke to me, so I ordered the yarn in a natural color. My spinning friend Sara will do the honors of dying it for me.

Those are my excuses for not being around much. As a whole, it looks like I've been fairly industrious and perhaps now, I've earned a piece of that pie.

ETA--OMG! Jacques Pepin may hit me over the head with his rolling pin for the appearance of my pie crust, but he'd be alright with the taste: heavenly, buttery, flaky and rich. Yum. I'll work on the looks.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

did you do smaller batches of onions?
Our Apple pie was utterly delicious. We used cortlands, Jonathons, Granny Smiths and empire apples(picked them in Yale this morning) Ran out of time on the crust. Still have 4/5 of a bushel to try again.

Quiltluver said...

Made an apple crisp last weekend with fresh raspberries thrown in. It was heavenly. Have you tried a remote control fan? I have a floor fan, the tall, round cylinder type that oscillates. Works wonders in the middle of the night. It even has a timer button to shut off automatically. Just reach ove r,push that button, and ahhhh...

Rudee said...

No anon. The secret to the onions was to put them in the pan, lower the heat to low and cover them with foil for 30 min. Remove the foil, crank the heat and leave them be until they start to brown. I think that last week, they got stirred too much and didn't have an opportunity to first sweat and then let the sweat evaporate. They turned out beautifully following the technique in the magazine.

Stephanie V said...

This is sounding like a great holiday - hot flashes notwithstanding. The pie looks pretty good to me. Just call it a galette - that's a rustic pie, in France.

Anonymous said...

Gosh...some of us would suuuuuuure like to have that onion soup recipe...

Darci said...

The pie looks lovely and scrumptious, for us Canadians, we will be enjoying our thanksgiving pies next week, and I can't wait.

That shawl looks intricate and lovely, I can't wait to be confident enough to make something like that.

Thank you for your patronage of my blog, it keeps me writing!

Brenda said...

Your pie turned out great looking Rudee, and so did your shawl. You are really a go getter and getter done kinda gal!

Silliyak said...

What about your hard drive from the recently deceased? I'll also vouch for the oscillating tower fan, while I am not PERSONALLY having hot flashes, someone (I'm not naming names) around my person MAY be. Also we have a great window fan that has two fans, three speeds and blows in or out.

Jane said...

Taste is everything!
Gladyou sorted the glitch with the shawl. Looks good on/ The next one looks fantastic, can't wait to see the colour you choose

clairedulalune said...

Your Pie looks Yum YUM! I can't wait to see your next creation in the oven and on the knitting needles!

laurie said...

i think that pie looks fabulous. those lumps are delicious lumps of love.

Celia said...

Yum! That pie looks amazing. I'm drooling over that peacock pattern too. Is that pattern available to order online.

I am reading the new Dan Brown book as well. I completed the prologue and just started chapter 1.

Anonymous said...

Can I move in with you? Onion Soup is my favorite and that pie looked so good. I could almost smell it through the screen! You have so many talents.

I love the color you picked for the cover, it is so pretty and perfect for chilly weather. The peacock shawl is going to be beautiful. Make sure you post a picture.

I'm glad your busy, your busy doing all the things you love to do. Big smile.

Anonymous said...

YOU'RE NOT NICE!!!! I'm sitting here knowing I'll have red beans and rice for dinner and you describe and send photos of extraordinary, gormet FOOD! It's good to see your face every once in a while...I'll be seeing it in person before too long....like after 49 days!
Guess Who??

Joanna said...

Wow--what a lot you've been accomplishing Rudee. I would never dream of making my own stock. But the apple pie does look good--and doable.
Have a lovely day.

Rudee said...

Sapphire, you can find the pattern for the Pretty as a Peacock shawl here: http://someknitreq.com/patterns/category/shawl/

Sister Jeanne, I'm sorry for the food tease. I promise I'll make this for you when you're home. Even the pie!

Joanne-there were a lot of pots and pans to wash!

NCmountainwoman said...

I picked up the new Dan Brown book to read on vacation if the weather is bad. I think the Everyday Wrap is beautiful.

The Crusty Crone said...

The pie looks delicious!! It looks like it came straight out of a real kitchen and made with real hands by a real person.

(currently there is half a custard pie in the refrig. It belongs to one of my grandsons who eats EVERYTHING. The commercially made pie was a big disappointment for him. It looked perfect, it tasted crappy.)

Darci said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ag8J2NMYmc Here is the link to the video that wouldn't play on my blog before.

Gail said...

I see no bags.

The pie has me salivating.

Your next project is too daunting for me.

Miss T said...

Your pie looks fabulous...and now I want onion soup!

CT said...

Oh my goodness! you are terrific! I love all the blue lusciousness and Pretty as a Peacock is truly lovely! but that photo of the apple pie made my mouth water... bear in mind that i usually bake apple pies by the dozen, but it was the photo of YOURS that made me crave a slice!!!!

Winifred said...

That shawl is just fabulous! What a pie, I could eat some of that myself with hot custard. Yummy!

I had never heard of Jacques Pepin until I went on that cruise, then you mention him Rudee. He must be famous in America. Apparently he's the executive chef for the cruise line we went on.

flutterby said...

I think your pie has great character.

sandy said...

ahh Dan Brown has a new novel that came out in September, but can't think of the name. I never read DaVinci code, maybe I should try it.

That onion soup sounds soooooo good. And that pie, wow.

I'm hoping my son will make another homemade chicken pot pie soon. I'm on his butt about it anyway. I figured I cooked twice this week, now it's either his or my husband's turn.