Sewing Impossible: Mission 1

Magenta's iron on skull appliqué from M&J

I had 2 near impossible sewing projects lined up for last weekend... the first was Magenta's beloved summer pants. I had assumed that we were ripping apart, taking in and breathing new life into a pair of pants. But I was wrong. We are duplicating her favorite pants... without a pattern. Or rather, making our own pattern. Thankfully, they are a pretty simple design that is at my skill level.

Last Wednesday evening, we met at Mood for what turned out to be a frustrating shopping trip to look for fabric. We're looking for a 100% cotton which is almost a gauze, but heavier and less see-thru, and with a nice drape. We didn't find what she wanted, but we did pick up trim and other items at the incomparable M&J Trimmings. I was slightly relieved when she opted for the above applique rather than this one:

I'm just not ready to dust off our Poison
cassettes and relive 1989, are you?

Magenta is a crafty gal and had procured a roll of tracing paper for our weekend crafting. We set to work creating the pattern and by the end of the day it looked good - or at least like a pattern for pants ought to look. This was very encouraging! (Me, surprised.. naaahhh. Well, maybe just a little...)

Anyway, more news when we find the right fabric.

The Chapter on Dim Sum

I promised a "chapter on dim sum" a while ago and never quite got around to it. But I've been seriously needing a fix since Wing Shing closed (yes, it is still shuttered). So, here finally is the good, the bad, and the ugly dim sum experiences that I've had over the last few years.

The Good - My tops include the shrimp and snow pea shoot dumplings (picture at right) that I had in San Francisco at Great Eastern. The buttery tender shrimp and fresh pea shoots seasoned with garlic was a marriage made in heaven. In Hong Kong, Luk Yu Tea House served top notch perfectly steamed classics and was one of the most satisfying dims I've summed - especially the steamed pork buns. And the place has ambiance.

Shrimp paste 'fish' in broth
The Bad - Is there really such a thing? Well, maybe. Any dim sum served at a breakfast buffet in Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau. And probably most other places. It just isn't good. I strongly suspect that this variety of dim sum comes from the freezer. Blech.

The Ugly - Phineas has a nose for finding truly local gems wherever we travel. This is normally fantastic, but it backfired one afternoon in Hong Kong. It turns out that, although I was ready for the local cuisine, I was inadequately prepared for the local manners... or hygiene... or lack there of.... You get the point. I fled, giving thanks all the way to the door that I had recently had all my shots updated.

My favorite - bean curd rolls

My observations:

• Dim sum doesn't vary all that much from place to place. And there is good dim sum to be had around the world - even Hong Kong doesn't have a monopoly.
• Ordering from a check-off menu trumps the carts. This is heresy to some, I know. The carts are fun and can add to the experience, especially for the uninitiated. But all of the best dim sum I have eaten was ordered from a menu and it arrived steaming hot and perfectly fresh, unlike what you often get off the carts.
• Cost is not an indicator of quality. The dim sum I had in Toronto was $$$, and it was beautiful to look at, but woefully under-seasoned and rather spottily done (some came fresh and hot, other items seemed like they were sitting around).
• In general, if you aren't somewhere that pays the bills by serving dim sum, just skip it. Resist the urge to try it at the breakfast buffet.
  
• Dim sum is enjoyable by yourself, as a couple or with a group. With a group you get to try more things, but by yourself it is still so perfectly portioned that one or two items makes a great meal.

Ducky dumplings (duck and foie gras) at Lah Wah Heen in Toronto.

Still in Progress

Polyhymnia, stylin' in her new beach duds...

The sarong pants I am making Polyhymnia are still in progress, but the kimono top and fun beach tote are finished!

In fact, I pulled the tote bag together in a few hours on Saturday. It was easier than I thought.


So easy, in fact, that I even added a pocket for sunglasses and sunscreen (we Muses burn easily in the sun).


The sarong pants are coming along nicely. Poly tried them on on Sunday and they fit well! So yesterday, I spent the afternoon ironing and hemming. It took all afternoon because of the flowy-openness of the design. There simply was miles and miles of 1/4 inch finished hem.

At this point, each project is still a learning experience. What I learned about sewing and myself yesterday is that after about 4 hours, I start doing really dopey things, like forgetting to switch the stitch length from basting back to regular. This leaves me with the waist band and ties to re-do.

So, New Rule: no more than 3 hours of crafting at once.

Lobster Three Ways: Part II

I really hope they don't sue me for copyright infringement.

Part two of our Lobster Three Ways was Butter Poached Lobster Claws. The basic method is to make a beurre monté and then poach the claws in it. Here's what Thomas Keller, the exec chef of French Laundry and Per Se had to say about it in Food and Wine, which I also hope doesn't sue me.

"Beurre Monté can be made in any amount using the same cooking method. Bring the water (2tbsp or so) to a boil in an appropriate size saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and begin whisking the butter into the water, bit by bit, to emulsify. Once you have established the emulsion, you can continue to add pieces of butter until you have the quantity of beurre monté that you need...

"...Poaching lobster in beurre monté is the perfect way to cook lobster and it’s also an easy way to cook lobster.... Make your beurre monté, bring it to 180°, 190°, pop your cleaned lobster tails and claws in beurre monté, and let them poach for five or six minutes. I would eat them straight out of the butter myself."

We also threw a few cloves of garlic in with the claws and then served the left over beurre monté in ramekins for dipping or (cardiologists, cover your ears) drizzling onto your filet mignon or mashed potatoes.

Is there a term for plagiarizing on your blog? Cause this post really is one big rip. What can I say, I'm having a busy week...

New Pets

Friendly Snails

Orpheus is adept at finding snails in Pop's garden. On Sunday, he found a snail crawling up a bottle of blue glitter glue that he had left in the yard when it rained. He lured it off of the glitter with a few dry leaves and before you know it the two of us were watching it travel across a path of leaves we created on the picnic table.

Later, Orpheus thought it might be hungry, and we looked on-line to find out what snails like to eat. We fed it baby carrots, strawberries and grape tomatoes. We also learned that snails like company, so Orpheus set about finding a friend for it. It was around this point that Orpheus started calling it his "pet snail" - "pet snails" once he found it a friend.

When he asked his mom, Calliope, if he could keep the snails, she made the mistake of saying, "It's Pop's house. Ask him." She was sure that Pop would say no. But he didn't and now there are 2 snails living at Clan Headquarters. Grandma, naturally, had the perfect plastic tank for it in the attic. (Teachers!)

It has been decided that the snails will be released back into the wild when Orpheus goes to spend the summer with his dad on Monday.

Here's what we learned about snails from the web and our own observation.

	Some snails have been known to live up to 15 years.
	Snails usually travel in irregular paths, often traveling in a circle. (We witnessed this.)
	A snail can crawl upside down. (Ditto!)
	Snails are nocturnal animals which means they are more active at night.
	Garden Snails mainly eat garden plants and vegetables.
	Garden snails hibernate during the winter and live on their stored fat.
	Garden snails can survive a fall from the height of a five year old's outstretched hand. (We learned this first hand, too.)
	The garden snail is cooked and eaten as a delicacy called escargot. May 24th is National Escargot Day

Tasty Snails.... he he he

Pants in Progress

Darts and Seams

Last night I started the actual sewing of the pants for Polyhymnia. One thing I've learned: a lot of sewing has nothing to do with needle and thread. There is an inordinate amount of ironing. If you hate ironing, sewing is probably not for you.

Sewing the Crotch

Anyway, the pants now have stay stitching, darts at the waste (basted only), and a crotch. Once Polyhymnia and I have a fitting session, the darts will be adjusted and replaced with permanent stitching, and a waist band and hems will be done.

Lobster Three Ways: Part I

For Father's Day, we decided on a Surf & Turf menu for my Pop. Phineas and I were in charge of the lobsters and decided we would serve them 3 ways to utilize every ounce of meat - Lobster Croquetas, Butter Poached Lobster Claws, and Stuffed Tails. To prep the lobsters, Phineas had them par-steamed by the supermarket and then disassembled them at home (tails removed, claw meat de-shelled, and leg and knuckle meat de-shelled). Today, I will focus on the Croquetas... mostly because I can't stop thinking about them. Muy delicioso!


Lobster Croquetas
This recipe is from Jose Andres, the executive chef of Jaleo, my favorite tapas restaurant. The base of the croquetas is a very thick bechamel. The original recipe is made with chicken and ham, but I substituted the lobster meat from the legs and knuckles, and you could really use whatever kind of meat or veg you wanted in them.

• 1 stick butter (unsalted)
  
• 1/2 Spanish onion diced
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 cups milk
• 6 oz lobster meat, chopped
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg or other herb/spice of your choosing
• flour, eggs and breadcrumbs for breading
• oil for frying

Melt butter over low heat and add onion. Saute until translucent. Add flour and stir until evenly disbursed (it will make flour and onion pebbles). Cook for several minutes until golden. Add milk. Stir constantly until the mixture is thick enough to shape by hand. Stir in lobster, salt and seasoning. Spread out onto a cookie sheet to cool. When cool enough to handle, mold into wine cork size/shape logs. Bread the logs (basic flour-egg-breadcrumb method) and fry until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Makes 40-60 depending on how large you make 'em. Enjoy.

These were outrageously good. We made them small and all 60 disappeared. Next time, I think I will probably do a more traditional ham and chicken version too. In fact, I think that subconsciously I posted the recipe in the hopes that someone will find an excuse for me to make them again soon.