Whenever I go to Rose City Textiles, I get into trouble. Even if I intend to buy NOTHING, I inevitably walk out with about a hundred bucks’ worth of fabric. I cannot help myself, and the store manager, Annette, knows it. She hypnotizes me and leads me around the store like a marionette. It is very effective.
So, since I already have a stash of activewear fabric, I decided I should jump in and make something. This stripey fabric I actually got from the Fabric Depot outdoor sale. They had an impressive and enticing selection of activewear fabric over the summer.
Now, I had decided that making my own running tights might not be the best decision, since the industrial machines sew such superior seams, and hey, if I dole out about $50 I can even get a zippered pocket! But, what the heck, I have the fabric, so why not make some shorts-tights (that’s what I call these shorts that fit like tights. Duh). They actually turned out quite well in that they are comfortable, and I can run in them and all. Now, I fully realize that the horizontal stripes aren’t doing my butt or my big ol’ thighs any favors, but perhaps I will be encouraged to run a little faster so I will be more of a blur than an eyesore? Yeah, probably not, but too bad, cuz I’m wearing them!
Hey, it’s been quite some time, so I figured I should just blog about something. I do have a finished capelet thing I will blog about, but it is the dark and gloomy season in Portland, and the window for taking photos is very slim.
Anyway, there is a new Japanese crepe shop in town: Mojo Crepes. It has been open since October, but I only learned of its existence the other day. I was so excited I could barely contain myself. It’s a cute little place, and the crepes are quite delicious (I think you really have to get the ice cream in there for maximum deliciousness). So, locals, go check it out!
Oh, hey, so it’s a new year yet again. I am not really one to look back upon the decade or year and, you know, assess stuff. I also am not much of a resolution maker, though this year I am going to try to eat more fruit. Oh, and I am going to say “two thousand ten” rather than “twenty ten,” or at least that is my decision for today.
Okay, so Melissa talked me into getting The Craft of Baking
Grandma Rankin’s Cashew Brittle from Craft of Baking
Makes 1 3/4 pounds
2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups roasted & salted cashews (you can sub different nuts, of course)
The instructions say to coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray, but I just used a Silpat, and it worked great. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Add 1/2 cup water. Stir it around and make sure all the sugar is wet. Turn on the heat and cook over high. DO NOT STIR. You’re going for a dark amber color, which will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat then whisk in the baking soda, followed by the salt. The mixture will froth up and look like a cool science experiment, which it sort of is. Add the nuts and stir in with a heavy metal or wooden spoon. Work quickly, because dang this stuff is stiff and gooey! Pour it onto the prepared Silpat/sheet and, if possible, use the back of the spoon to gently smush the goo around until it’s 1/2″ thick (it was really difficult for me to move the stuff around). Let it cool then break it into chunks. I used the back of a knife. This stuff will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container, but I guarantee it won’t be around that long.
