Caramel Sauce

I am back from the TKGA convention in Greensboro, SC. It was at a beautiful venue with a lovely hotel (Sheraton). My classes, as always, were full of fun and wonderful people, and the market was just the right size. Getting there was a nightmare, as the regular flights should have taken no more than 3 hours. I was unlucky enough to get cancellations and delays that equaled 12 hours. Basically, I could have walked on my hands faster! Coming home was slightly less traumatic, although the DC airport was shut-down for almost an hour, so we spent that hour sitting on the runway in Greensboro. I love what I do, but hate the air commuting.

We are experiencing a beautiful Indian summer here in CT, and today was downright hot and humid, but I am loving every minute of it because I know how cold I am going to be in 2 months.

We spent a lovely 10 minutes picking apples at the local orchard. The trees are so loaded that you don't even have to move around to pick 20 lbs worth! I made an incredible caramel sauce to go with an apple crisp that we will make in a few days. Here is the recipe:

1 c granulated white sugar
6 T unsalted butter
1/2 c heavy cream (be careful lifting it; you don't want to throw your back out)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Put the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; let it start to melt, then stir until totally melted.
Add the butter, cut up in tablespoon sized pieces. and let it melt into the sugar.
Add the heavy cream, the vanilla, and the salt. Stir everything together and cook a few minutes, stirring. Let cool. Be careful licking the spoon and the pot, as melted sugar is super-hot!!

We like to put it over apple crisp and/or ice cream. We eat it other ways too, but you can use your imagination.

Tomorrow we will shoot a video for the blog. Good-night; it is more than wonderful to be sleeping in my own bed with the real (not hotel AC) air coming through an open window.

Cleaned Up Studio

I finally cleaned up the studio. I can now see the rug on the floor. Of course, I barely know where anything is now.

I have been alerted that Abraham Bunny has snuck himself into the video blog entitled Mushroom Murder. If you watch the second part where I am showing the gansey-in-progress, and look behind the sweater, you will see a little white rabbit snuffling around.

Today was rainy all day, so had to ride the torture bike in the basement. Whew...what a workout that is. Much worse than riding the roads, and nothing beautiful to look at. Did a fair amount of knitting today, but my hands do not hold out like they used to.

When we have some better light we will make a video of the studio, and I also want to show everyone the rabbit-related cross stitch that I like to do.

Waffles and Fiber and the elusive Mr Candace Eisner Strick

Today was one of those rare and perfect New England autumn days, but the most exciting part was the annual fiber festival at the Coventry (CT) Farmer's Market, which takes place on the grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead.

Meet the elusive (some say he doesn't really exist) Mr Candace Eisner Strick (aka Ken), the man behind the camera, the man behind the books, and the man behind the vacuum cleaner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAc-KgbELxY

Here is the recipe for Ken's waffles:

1/3 c whole wheat flour
2 pinches of coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c buttermilk
2 T water
1 egg
butter for waffle iron

Combine all wet ingredients; combine all dry ingredients. Preheat waffle iron and brush with butter. Gently mix dry ingredients into wet; stir until just mixed. Pour into iron. Enjoy with REAL New England maple syrup and fruits of your choice.
Makes 2 large, 4-section waffles.

Candace's Gluten-free Waffles

1/3 c brown rice flour
1/2 c buttermilk
1 egg
pinch salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Combine as for Ken's recipe. Makes 1 Belgian-style, very thick waffle.

While this episode isn't nearly as exciting as the mushroom murder, it still was a fun day. In a few minutes, friends of fiber are coming over to have a warm apple crisp with ice cream. The perfect topping for a perfect day.

A Knitter's Revenge: Murder!!

Today was the day the mushroom met its demise. I let it have 2 days to repent; it didn't, so today I decided to murder it. Follow my absurd behavior as I get my revenge on the blob that made me sicker than I have ever been.

Also see the progress of my lovely gansey sweater and learn where you can get the pattern to make your own. (www.knittingtraditions.com)

See a never-before-revealed look at Candace's studio. You will be totally appalled, I guarantee. But there's hope; someday, when I have the time, all will be transformed.

Click here for the link to view video blog.

Tomorrow we will do a little filming at the Coventry Farmer's Market annual fiber festival. There will be bunnies, alpacas, roving, yarn, and delicious food. Bunnies!!! Everybody loves a bunny, but not everybody treats them the way they deserve to be treated.

Poison Mushroom!!!

Warning....the mushroom you will see in the video is NOT, I repeat, NOT, a sulfur shelf. I thought it was, and I have eaten that kind before, but this mushroom, as best as I can tell, is a Jack-o'Lantern mushroom. While it is poisonous, it is not fatal. And that is a good thing for me, as I ate it, got distressingly ill all night, and still feel pretty wiped out today. Other than that, I hope that you enjoy the video.

Click here to view video

New Video Blog, September 15, 2011

I admit it. I'm lazy. I'm also busy. That is why I rarely post in this blog. Last night I had a brainstorm. Why not do a video blog? That way I can just say what I want, and the pictures will already be right there. So today we shot the first day. You can go to this link to watch and listen. Each day I post there will be little tidbits of information about knitting, life in the Strick household, and we will all hope it won't be too boring for you. But if it is, all you have to do is click to exit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kOE1uz1tik

I also have had lots of people ask me what I do all day long. They know I am an author, knitwear designer, and teacher of knitting, but they still have a hard time figuring out what the heck a person like me actually does to fill up an entire day. Of course it is somewhat different each day, but these daily little video posts will try to give an accurate description of how I while away my time.

My camera man is, of course, my long-suffering and dearly devoted husband Ken. A major star of each video will be our rabbit Abraham. Other than that, I cannot tell you any more, as each day that dawns bring new surprises, and new crazies. For instance, just tonight I noticed a huge sulphur shelf mushroom growing next to the driveway. It was a perfect beauty, and I picked some, fried it in butter, and had it with my dinner. So far, I am still alive. Check in tomorrow to see if my luck has lasted!! By the way, Ken refused to eat any.