tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35163714046345100462024-03-05T02:15:08.347-08:00Brooklyn SheepThoughts from a highly domesticated creature in the outer boroughsBrooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-63104521440106294892023-01-29T14:02:00.001-08:002023-01-29T14:02:43.393-08:00Oatmeal & Veggies Make a Juicy Meatloaf? Why Yes Indeed!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvfFqDlgRLa7EEEualTaxLDav7OD6_JaEP1LlLTE1wwL0BErIacDuWVuev7cirns68ebyFph_Rwg20LRlfzcxxZ9nH2N2xZujQUEUBQrcBpERoaWIWvdqBKgFl6VKH5Cr9AIMLPPIwlqG-V4GhqXeTcmY-6V56On-751jn5OM7iS0tgtsBmspfvCyuQ/s475/meatloaf_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="475" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvfFqDlgRLa7EEEualTaxLDav7OD6_JaEP1LlLTE1wwL0BErIacDuWVuev7cirns68ebyFph_Rwg20LRlfzcxxZ9nH2N2xZujQUEUBQrcBpERoaWIWvdqBKgFl6VKH5Cr9AIMLPPIwlqG-V4GhqXeTcmY-6V56On-751jn5OM7iS0tgtsBmspfvCyuQ/s320/meatloaf_crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This meatloaf is a bit of a labor of love with all the fine chopping, but so worth the results. Breadcrumbs are replaced by quick-cook oats, which absorb and plump with finer texture than whole oats. A mix of vegetables contributes flavor and moisture. And the secret sauce -- just BBQ sauce plus ketchup -- makes everything come together marvelously. Serve with homemade mashed potatoes and steamed green beans tossed in garlic butter.<p></p><p>This recipe makes 6 hearty or 8 medium servings.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4><ul class="ingredients" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="font-medium" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box;">INGREDIENTS</span></span></li></ul></h4><ul class="ingredients" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;"><span class="font-medium" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">1 pound</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">lean ground beef (for leaner, lighter meatloaf) or pork (for a more luxurious, juicier meatloaf)</span></li></ul><ul class="ingredients" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="font-medium" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box;">3/4 pound</span> ground turkey</span></li></ul><ul class="ingredients" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;">1 teaspoon salt</li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;">1/2 teaspoon<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ground black pepper<br /></span>1 Tablespoon mustard</li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;">1/2 cup Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (which has high fructose corn syrup, so I'm going to try and make from scratch -- stay tuned for that post!)<br />1/2 cup<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ketchup<br /></span>1/4 cup<span style="font-family: inherit;"> finely chopped celery<br /></span>1/4 cup finely diced carrot<br />1/2 cup seeded and finely diced zucchini<br />1/4 cup minced fresh<span style="font-family: inherit;"> parsley<br /></span>1/2 cup<span style="font-family: inherit;"> finely chopped onion<br />2 garlic cloves, <span style="font-family: inherit;">minced </span><br /></span>3/4 cup<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">quick-cook (NOT instant) oats<br /></span>1/2 cup<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">skim milk or unsweetened, unflavored plant milk (I used almond milk with great results)</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;">1<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">egg</span></li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: inherit;">METHOD</span></h4><div><span style="color: #424242;">Preheat oven to 325F.</span></div><div><span style="color: #424242;">Mix BBQ sauce and ketchup. Pour half of this mixture (1/2 cup) into a bowl and mix in mustard, salt, and pepper. Place meats at bottom of bowl, then add veggies, then oats, then amended BBQ-ketchup sauce, then oats, then milk and finally egg on top. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands. Add mixture to a 5"x9" loaf pan, gently pressing down to ensure the pan is filled completely.</span></div><div><span style="color: #424242;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #424242;">Cook for 60 minutes, then top loaf with remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce + ketchup, making sure it does not touch the sides of the pan (if it does, the heat of the pan will burn the sauce). Bake for 30 minutes more. Test with a thermometer that meatloaf is 160F. If top is not caramelized to your preference, broil on low or at a lower rack level for five minutes.</span></div><div><span style="color: #424242;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-18322653853917949402023-01-29T12:38:00.002-08:002023-01-29T12:38:32.497-08:00Vegan Cashew and Roast Cauliflower Winter Soup for Omnivores<p><br />Need a good creamy winter soup...with no cream? This will fit the bill. I like topping it with strips of cooked ham and either scallions or parsley. I tried both the stovetop and instant pot methods and they're the same except for convenience. Blending results with a Vitamix are, of course, superior.</p><p>SERVES: 4-6 people. Four people can make a satisfying lunch of this soup in addition to a salad and some nice sourdough bread, toasted.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYRVc8H6qhzxjeXGWQyxez8cEki4ermGxLsvHdUjpJZKsy5BEuHk4S3-iBiAQB3ECaQe1_4UbVXM4nNCNtIyzYBGC7FfH8_Y3PHT6mmXBe8GVHvET-6Ng3YZ0wCTR7rnCHgT00PNxJAI_0-gsahnl9Y5MbvcUtu9E79af2kIpxREKvj17D658nKHk2w/s350/cauliflower_soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYRVc8H6qhzxjeXGWQyxez8cEki4ermGxLsvHdUjpJZKsy5BEuHk4S3-iBiAQB3ECaQe1_4UbVXM4nNCNtIyzYBGC7FfH8_Y3PHT6mmXBe8GVHvET-6Ng3YZ0wCTR7rnCHgT00PNxJAI_0-gsahnl9Y5MbvcUtu9E79af2kIpxREKvj17D658nKHk2w/w254-h254/cauliflower_soup.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>INGREDIENTS<p></p><p>3 cups (about 24 oz) frozen cauliflower florets*<br />1 large sweet onion, chopped<br />2 large stalks celery, chopped<br />1 Tbsp Miyokos butter<br />3 cloves garlic, medium size<br />3 sprigs of fresh thyme<br />1.5 Tbsp Olive oil<br />1 cup raw cashews<br />1 quart chicken broth, low salt<br />1 Yukon Gold potato, medium size, peeled and sliced 1/4" for stovetop method, or left whole for instant pot/microwave method.</p><p>Salt to taste<br />**White pepper to taste</p><p>METHOD: Roasting frozen cauliflower (do this while prepping the rest of the soup)<br />Preheat oven to 425F.<br />Do NOT thaw cauliflower. Toss straight from package in a bowl with half a tablespoon olive oil, and a 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Spread out in one layer on a cookie sheet and put on middle shelf of oven. Cook for 15 minutes and then check: if there's any dark brown/black spots, you're done. (A little sprinkling of burnt bits is fine.) If it is still mostly pale, toss to flip pieces upside down and cook for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, toss cauliflower into a soup pot.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">METHOD: STOVETOP</span></h4><p>Put chicken broth, cashews, and potato slices in heavy medium pot (a large or shallow pot will allow too much broth to condensate), cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 mins. Pour into soup pot.</p><p>Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large saute pan on medium heat until butter melts. Add onion and saute for one minute. Add celery and saute for two more minutes, or until both onion and celery have just barely softened. Strip thyme leaves off stems into pan and saute for 30 seconds. Add minced garlic and saute for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat and add to soup pot.</p><p>Simmer broth, cashews, onions, celery, thyme, and garlic in soup pot for 10 mins.</p><p>Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">METHOD: INSTANT POT</span></h4><p style="background-color: white; color: #212121; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On manual setting, cook 3 cups broth and cashews at 16 minutes at full pressure. <br />While this is cooking and releasing, cook everything else except potato in saute pan. Boil whole peeled potato in remaining cup of broth about 10 mins in microwave (or until fork-tender). Add to rest of soup and blend.</span></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="background-color: white; color: #212121; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">NOTES</span></span></h4><p>*Frozen cauliflower florets come in a strange variety of package sizes: 10, 12, and 16 oz for the small sizes, and 24 oz or 2lbs for the big. <br />**Sure, you can use regular black pepper. But white pepper is a much better match for this soup. And it's worth it to get a small container, since you can use it in all sorts of recipes -- broiled fish, summery chicken salads, vegetable soups and pasta dishes -- for a smoother, subtler pepper flavor.</p>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-67204261345902693432022-11-29T14:56:00.000-08:002022-11-29T14:56:22.502-08:00Christmas in New York 2022: A Classical Concert Cornucopia<div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love Western Christmas, as I (a baptized <span style="color: #800180;"><a href="https://www.uocofusa.org">Ukrainian Orthodox</a></span>) call it. Anglo-germanic traditions of pine trees and lights, and traditional foods and songs, fill me with joy and peace. Tea of the moment: <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.harney.com/products/white-christmas?variant=31482384515143">Harney & Sons White Christmas</a></span>.<br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc67r_1h9JYMHKBJg0LcOGiMV0VN4ihnofMIjAT-yFw704BJ9dRrqJtUSB2mESXCT6NEam83SxxxrzGXNBDz0hTpR0YX3Q_PSCPBCIHMQPsAvppWJZBc045mP_9Q3pEpGJvOpoKh3552DiOAPZEjJED49abxbt-FrcWbxlwlS0c5b7dIfFbihtvlqXwA/s600/christmas_met_tree.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="600" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc67r_1h9JYMHKBJg0LcOGiMV0VN4ihnofMIjAT-yFw704BJ9dRrqJtUSB2mESXCT6NEam83SxxxrzGXNBDz0hTpR0YX3Q_PSCPBCIHMQPsAvppWJZBc045mP_9Q3pEpGJvOpoKh3552DiOAPZEjJED49abxbt-FrcWbxlwlS0c5b7dIfFbihtvlqXwA/s320/christmas_met_tree.webp" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">New York City does a good job festooning itself with sights and events for the season. One great example is the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Neapolitan Christmas tree, pictured here with a concert going on in front of it. Many New Yorkers make a pilgrimage to this tree every year to enjoy their favorite ornaments from the Baroque era. Sadly, there is no tree lighting ceremony this year.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So when looking to inject a little classical/medieval choral experience into my holiday this year, I was astounded to find THIRTEEN options for the second/third weeks of December. Here's the list. I wonder which one I'll choose from this bounty? (Dollar signs: $ = under $30, $$ = $30-50, $$$ = over $50. Nota bene: some of these events stream online, for a reduced price or free.)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2022</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="http://www.thechoralsociety.org/event-listing">The Choral Society of Grace Church Christmas Concert</a></span>, 8 pm, $$<br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Palestrina: Hodie Christus natus est à 8; </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">W.A. Mozart: Great Mass in C minor, KV 427 (excerpt); </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Cecilia McDowall: O Oriens; </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Benjamin Britten: Hymn to the Virgin; </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Ola Gjeilo: Ubi caritas; </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Handel: Hallelujah (from </span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Messiah</em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">); </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Audience carol sing<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #5c5c5c; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #cc0000;">SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2022</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: black;">Repeat:</span> </span><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.thechoralsociety.org/event-listing">The Choral Society of Grace Church Christmas Concert</a><span style="color: black;">, 3 pm, $$<br /></span><br /></span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><span style="color: white;">THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2022</span></span><br /> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://stlukeinthefields.store/collections/all-items/products/dec-8-2022-a-bach-christmas">A Bach Christmas</a></span>, St. Luke in the Fields, 7:30 pm (lecture at 6:30 pm), $$<br />Choir and period instruments.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: red;">FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2022</span></span><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://ticketstripe.com/cotchristmascandlelightconcert22"><br />Christmas Candlelight Concert</a>, Church of the Transfiguration ("The Little Church Around the Corner"), 7:30 pm, $$<br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Handel's<span> </span></span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Messiah<span> </span></em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(The Christmas Portion) & Organ Concerto<br /></span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2022</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://engage.metmuseum.org/events/metlivearts/fy22-23/trio-mediaeval/">Trio Medieval</a></span> in the <a href="https://maps.metmuseum.org/?screenmode=base&floor=1&feature=LTczLjkzMTY5NTEsNDAuODY1MTM0MUBsbUA3NTE4MTgwNTcyNTY%3D#hash=18.23/40.865134/-73.931695/20" style="--focus-ring-color: #ce0058; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; border-radius: 3px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--text-color, #333333); display: inline-block; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: transparent solid 1px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; transition: all 0.3s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Fuentidueña Chapel</a> at The Cloisters, 2 pm, $$$<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">H<span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">oliday music from Britain and Scandinavia weaving strands of sacred music, folk, jazz, and improvisation from six centuries.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.earlymusicny.org/concert-information"><u>Early Music New York Baroque Christmas</u></a>: </span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Carols, Noëls, Villancicos, Chorales, voices and instruments, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 2 pm, $$</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://music.gracechurchnyc.org/19719/">Britten: A Ceremony of Carols</a> and sing along carols, Girls' Choir and alumns, 4 pm, Grace Church, free</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="In the 18th century, the court orchestra of Dresden was one of the glories of Europe. Some of the greatest composers and performers gathered at the glittering Saxon capital, from the virtuoso concertmaster Johann Georg Pisendel to the quirky and ingenious bass player Jan Dismas Zelenka. Directed by the distinguished Laurence Cummings of England, the students of Juilliard415 bring this rich music to life in concertos and suites by Heinichen, Fasch, Pisendel, Zelenka, and others.">The Splendors of Dresden</a>: Juilliard 415, Music Before 1800, Corpus Christi Church, 4 pm, $-$$$</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">In the 18th century, the court orchestra of Dresden was one of the glories of Europe. Some of the greatest composers and performers gathered at the glittering Saxon capital, from the virtuoso concertmaster Johann Georg Pisendel to the quirky and ingenious bass player Jan Dismas Zelenka. D</span><span lang="FR" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">irect</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">ed by the distinguished Laurence Cummings of England, the students of Juilliard415 bring this rich music to life in concertos and suites by Heinichen, Fasch, Pisendel, Zelenka, and others.<br /><br /></span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></em><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></em><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: red;">TUESDAY DECEMBER 13, 2022 and THURSDAY DECEMBER 15, 2022</span></span><br /><a href="https://www.voicesofascension.org/candlelightchristmas"><br />Voices of Ascension Candlelight Christmas Concert</a>, 7:30 pm, $-$$$</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><br />SUNDAY DECEMBER 18, 2022</span></span><br /></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: 1em 0px 0.83em; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.csschurch.org/anglelica-womens-chamber-choir/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: 0px;">Angelica Women's Chamber Choir - Nowel: Out of your sleep arise</a></span></u>,</span> Christ & St. Stephen's Church, 3 pm, $ suggested donation<br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Medieval carols and chants of the season; John Taverner’s “Audivi vocem de caelo” and Francisco Guerrero’s “A un niño llorando al yelo”; as well as modern composer Sir John Tavener’s “The Lamb” and Michael Engelhardt’s arrangement of Hildegard von Bingen’s “O antiqui sancti.”</span></span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=356988~6e862768-f17f-47af-bcdb-d8b898392d19&epguid=ab4b14f5-bed0-4457-b245-74dd1bd971c3&showing=356988&">Riverside Church Candlelight Choral Festival</a>, 4 pm, $$ </span></span></span></div><h2 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: 1em 0px 0.83em; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px none rgb(225, 225, 225); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="In the 18th century, the court orchestra of Dresden was one of the glories of Europe. Some of the greatest composers and performers gathered at the glittering Saxon capital, from the virtuoso concertmaster Johann Georg Pisendel to the quirky and ingenious bass player Jan Dismas Zelenka. Directed by the distinguished Laurence Cummings of England, the students of Juilliard415 bring this rich music to life in concertos and suites by Heinichen, Fasch, Pisendel, Zelenka, and others.">Online: The Splendors of Dresden</a>: Juilliard 415, Music Before 1800, Corpus Christi Church, 4 pm, $</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></h2><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: 1em 0px 0.83em; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.littlechurch.org/music/concert-series">A Jazz Concert for the Holidays</a>, </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Church of the Transfiguration ("The Little Church Around the Corner"), </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">7:30 pm, $$</span></span></span><p class="no-margin" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dominic Carioti, saxophone; Sam Weber, bass; Julia Chen, piano; Evan Hyde, drums<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="small" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><p style="border: 0px none; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Original compositions as well as arrangements of music from composers such as John Cotrane. <a href="https://trinitywallstreet.org/events/ceremony-carols-2022-12-18"><br /><br />Special Compline by Candlelight</a>: Ceremony of Carols<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">, Benjamin Britten, Trinity Church/St. Paul's Chapel, 8 pm, free, no reservations required.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />Trinity Youth Chorus; Melissa Attlebury, conductor; Jacqueline Kerrod, harpist</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></p></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">______________ <br /></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And if that's not enough, here's the <a href="https://www.van.org/vancal.htm">Vocal Area Network list</a>, which includes all sorts of small choirs. </span></span></span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Ringside Regular A", "Ringside Regular B", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW214376189 BCX4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: fill; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div><p><br /></p></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><br /><div><p><br /></p></div>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-83505451733686401572022-04-19T14:51:00.001-07:002022-04-19T14:52:40.115-07:00Soup for a Cold April Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN-OnyNQcerOMVHHf3jHRE2LlXRVeC4zkf1ZmU3H4SCaKrz1YeFiHaFRVjsp2Gqx35EEytCNyj01U3STnKTgf12_OXDPgGmvjd6iYCi3EoxCGxYK2N1psil8hjD0RIjfjHzmWvY02fg45eF7AUaSQ9KeqFNJ92qt0jR1UJFZmwtc82FxefodjITNFKA/s1440/cucumbersoup.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN-OnyNQcerOMVHHf3jHRE2LlXRVeC4zkf1ZmU3H4SCaKrz1YeFiHaFRVjsp2Gqx35EEytCNyj01U3STnKTgf12_OXDPgGmvjd6iYCi3EoxCGxYK2N1psil8hjD0RIjfjHzmWvY02fg45eF7AUaSQ9KeqFNJ92qt0jR1UJFZmwtc82FxefodjITNFKA/w229-h172/cucumbersoup.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>April is when you want to open your windows. But more often than not, it's too cold to do so! Here is a soup I contrived for such days, when the sunlight says Spring, but the weather is not there yet.<p></p><p>Serves four. You'll need a good blender. Sublime in a Vitamix.<br /></p><p>1 Tablespoon olive oil</p><p>2 English (seedless) cucumbers, sliced lengthwise and "seedless" middle part scooped out, then cut diagonally into 1/4" slices<br /></p><p>1 yellow onion, chopped medium-fine<br /></p><p>1 garlic clove, minced<br /></p><p></p><p>1 quart chicken broth</p><p>1 medium-sized Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices</p><p>Salt, pepper (white pepper is best for a delicate soup like this)<br /></p><p>5 leaves fresh mint</p><p>Yogurt or sour cream (optional) <br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Heat a pan over high heat and add olive oil. When oil smells fragrant and a drop of water sizzles in it, turn heat to medium-low. Add onion and cook, stirring every now and then, until golden. Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and potato, bring to the boil, then turn down heat so soup simmers. Let simmer 10 minutes. Add cucumber, and simmer 5 minutes more.</p><p>Add everything in pot to a blender and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add mint and puree a little bit longer. Soup should be thick enough to be just pourable. </p><p>Serve cool, as first course for a nice warm dinner; have yogurt or sour cream available for those who want to dollop some atop their soup. </p><p>I served this as a starter for the following salmon recipe. Followed with a Horlicks and a lavender melatonin epsom salt bath, I slept like a baby.<br /></p><p><a href="https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250469/seared-salmon-with-braised-broccoli/">https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250469/seared-salmon-with-braised-broccoli/</a></p><p><br /> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-50778226641694433342021-04-23T23:58:00.147-07:002021-05-10T10:52:57.740-07:00How to: Провідна Неділя (Providna Nedilya)<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pkn-wK6mC54J_UEGsBQQZH5jcQxUuJRaSixkzxdB27dwOXl0BLJY2x7Id9Z5deLsFTyIet9km_giVMjKOV40xz9dGnxPq-vbkQ6zxODm8TqMBbV68bEMU0oN602osuUGE_N0Cuuu4YWP/s3347/2016_providnanedilya_tablecloseup.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="3347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pkn-wK6mC54J_UEGsBQQZH5jcQxUuJRaSixkzxdB27dwOXl0BLJY2x7Id9Z5deLsFTyIet9km_giVMjKOV40xz9dGnxPq-vbkQ6zxODm8TqMBbV68bEMU0oN602osuUGE_N0Cuuu4YWP/s320/2016_providnanedilya_tablecloseup.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Providna Nedilya (loosely translated: Departing Week; pronunciation "proh-VEED-nah neh-DEEL-yah") is a holiday in the Ukrainian Orthodox calendar. It is held the weekend after Easter, with a all activities in or near the graveyard: planting, picnics, and parades, culminating with church services on St. Thomas Sunday. All weekend long, clergy also hold outdoor services at the gravesites, singing the Paschal Troparion (at the end of this page), as their black cassocks and long, gold-embroidered stoles flutter in the spring breezes. In a tradition that surely predates Christianity, people leave baskets or plates at their family's graves, with Easter foods, flowers, and decorated eggs, to share the spirit of the holiday with their departed loved ones. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I love celebrating this holiday with family and friends. It's about honoring our ancestors (we tidy their gravesites and surround them with living plants, and then picnic together) and rejoicing in the renewed life of Springtime. With pagan roots and Christian tradition, this holiday brings loving care and good tidings to our dead, and gives those of us still living occasion to celebrate that fact.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>This is how I celebrate Providna Nedilya here on the East Coast of the United States. First: plan ahead. I have a checkoff list (below) I share with two other families so we can potluck food and supplies. Second: leave for cemetery an hour before you think you need to. Trust me, you'll appreciate having the wiggle room. Third: set up tables, chairs, and food (there is always one person who is happy to just sit and guard the spread) so it's ready when we've finished tending the gravesites and have worked up an appetite. Extra credit: bring a Kelly kettle or some other means of boiling water outdoors, to make coffee and/or tea.<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>My late lunch menu has dishes ranging from Very Ukrainian to just Ukrainian-inflected. The central dishes are those that maximize ingredients forbidden (meat, eggs, dairy) and restricted (fish, alcohol) during the Great Lent. Are we strict about fasting? We'll keep that to ourselves. But no matter how you've conducted yourself, the taste of a fresh kolbasa eaten outside on a beautiful Spring day will inspire a religious level of gratitude.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>PROVIDNA NEDILYA MENU (items marked with an asterisk* have recipes below)</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x7dB9yslvE0jXw5zQuhZSo44iUkhfwksLjUjbodpfZkUOOgYYKNbbpnEWBk3xf9PlalAsUqWpMyldLsLkxKz-KWORzdi4bW90ZcHSDKrt6LtymVs2d6yjD1kJkZiwjirwXXEuUkJ0Yg4/s602/ukr_fishplate.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="602" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x7dB9yslvE0jXw5zQuhZSo44iUkhfwksLjUjbodpfZkUOOgYYKNbbpnEWBk3xf9PlalAsUqWpMyldLsLkxKz-KWORzdi4bW90ZcHSDKrt6LtymVs2d6yjD1kJkZiwjirwXXEuUkJ0Yg4/w200-h133/ukr_fishplate.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u>Zakusky (appetizers)</u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Smoked fish (herring, salmon, and if you're splurging, sable) </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Fresh and/or pickled mixed vegetables (for pickled, ok to get the mixed mushrooms, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes in a jar available in Slavic food stores)<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Fresh dill, chopped, to sprinkle on things <br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Cream cheese<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Hard-boiled eggs or herbed deviled eggs such as <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.polishyourkitchen.com/polishrecipes/polish-deviled-eggs-4-ways-jaja-faszerowane/">these</a></span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtViM57AsuH7up0lKUrcNeNriU4fJkmReRdbrNxm0yzmdNwBl4aACReIgF8B2Bkmp1DIYvUF_VD1pT0feoHI1Lxq8Vjz3GHlobZM3KdUnv-mJrSLJWJjYLeYYFSPcql5KtG4fal5Q6jCeQ/s728/ukr_bottlekompot.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="376" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtViM57AsuH7up0lKUrcNeNriU4fJkmReRdbrNxm0yzmdNwBl4aACReIgF8B2Bkmp1DIYvUF_VD1pT0feoHI1Lxq8Vjz3GHlobZM3KdUnv-mJrSLJWJjYLeYYFSPcql5KtG4fal5Q6jCeQ/w103-h200/ukr_bottlekompot.jpg" width="103" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u>Drink</u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Mineral water, Zoubrovka (get the real stuff, not the artificially-flavored neon green abomination), Kompot (<a href="https://natashaskitchen.com/homemade-juice-kompot/">homemade</a> or bottled)<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u>Soup</u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>*French-Ukrainian Sorrel Soup</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UYqeLBuA0jzQFyQuN7_lX1hV9L_NYIIIfyod0kUUhJ9YKp-eDiu1wtea2eZgXgO6ITu1Df-2lyk16WXfYt_fwvJ4sc5SZTRvNl183oGSTPpJ7OyC17jEVIBxT6Ejjeh-AYUktHkqjZ5B/s656/uk_julian_baczynsky.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="656" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UYqeLBuA0jzQFyQuN7_lX1hV9L_NYIIIfyod0kUUhJ9YKp-eDiu1wtea2eZgXgO6ITu1Df-2lyk16WXfYt_fwvJ4sc5SZTRvNl183oGSTPpJ7OyC17jEVIBxT6Ejjeh-AYUktHkqjZ5B/w200-h172/uk_julian_baczynsky.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>Julian Baczynsky (1923-2021),<br />at his <a href="https://www.eastvillagemeatmarket.com/" target="_blank">East Village Meat Market</a></span></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u>Mains</u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Variety of kolbasy (I like regular, double-smoked, and kabanosy --"hunter's sausage") and butcher-carved ham, with mustard, horseradish, and fresh rye bread.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/roasted-beet-salad-3212335">Spring Salad with Sunflower Seeds</a> (click for a recommended recipe)<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u><br /></u></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_YtVn1S6sm7volWsnH2Gc_BL6SR9fqkbfH9eU7LuxpmtE0LOmPVuL3XgqPVEdk0v2681TD3pcC9nAvz9qfp-QNM-tbu8A8ZQntBgItVWT8GFOFSZ9jDVr-CaW37T1DFhCT4HozvcJEOQ/s1024/ukr_paska.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1024" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_YtVn1S6sm7volWsnH2Gc_BL6SR9fqkbfH9eU7LuxpmtE0LOmPVuL3XgqPVEdk0v2681TD3pcC9nAvz9qfp-QNM-tbu8A8ZQntBgItVWT8GFOFSZ9jDVr-CaW37T1DFhCT4HozvcJEOQ/w200-h133/ukr_paska.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u><br /></u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u><br /></u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzjHyUR8gPT0egBGg69z-YASngSpXlctKVJF0pyqnvsIGYET0XF97nWz0_IF9DPJYi6voUsBMB4m2iVp3LKwMqhBizOwg72cQvAplmaDR4kYE1I5bhqCiFJlpumKFNxO7wLYIgyhPvO8P/s1536/ukr_blueandrasp.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1024" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzjHyUR8gPT0egBGg69z-YASngSpXlctKVJF0pyqnvsIGYET0XF97nWz0_IF9DPJYi6voUsBMB4m2iVp3LKwMqhBizOwg72cQvAplmaDR4kYE1I5bhqCiFJlpumKFNxO7wLYIgyhPvO8P/w82-h123/ukr_blueandrasp.jpg" width="82" /></a><u>Dessert<br /></u></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>*Cheese Paska<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Easter Babka</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Poppy seed roll</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Fresh fruit (I like blueberries and raspberries)<br /></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi182lIWlLp2A3WHwHEI2XYMqIqGGrNjW1syqrSbcJypaKEwTHX7fY5hwW8V-4qpwDUjZdQMlWLFOQYH_cwRRSdPwIbuqEFPZhZHis7-sdSFJxcJJHQm7E58UiGFq5al7NLjmTwtxYIvHyt/s1280/ukr_makivnyk.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi182lIWlLp2A3WHwHEI2XYMqIqGGrNjW1syqrSbcJypaKEwTHX7fY5hwW8V-4qpwDUjZdQMlWLFOQYH_cwRRSdPwIbuqEFPZhZHis7-sdSFJxcJJHQm7E58UiGFq5al7NLjmTwtxYIvHyt/w200-h113/ukr_makivnyk.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>RECIPES</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>French-Ukrainian Sorrel Soup</b><br />
Serves 8 <br /> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Ingredients:<br /></span></span></span>
<ol class="ingredient-groups" style="text-align: left;">
</ol><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>White and pale green parts of four large leeks, washed well, drained, halved, and thinly sliced</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>2 tablespoons olive oil</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>2 parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1/2" pieces</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>4 cups homemade chicken broth</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>1 cup shelled fresh or thawed frozen peas</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>2 cups lightly packed sorrel leaves, washed & spun dry</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>1/2 cup sour cream</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste</span></span></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Cooking Instructions</span></span></span></div><div><ol class="ingredient-groups" style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In a
large heavy pot such as a dutch oven, cook leeks in oil with salt and pepper to taste over
moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Meanwhile, prep potato and parsnip; add to broth and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until potato and parsnip are both tender. Stir in peas and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes, or until peas are just cooked through; do not overcook, or peas will become mushy and lose flavor.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In a blender purée potato mixture
with sorrel in batches until very smooth, transferring to a bowl.
Whisk in sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill soup, covered, at least 2 hours,
and up to 24.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Serve in bowls, and sprinkle lemon juice on top.</span></span></span></li>
</ol><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZvVCs1rHa9_AtKnuI5RRxscmpOkCB3wDLVBkEz4XMeMtsHMxA8jbp8f3uDKsRlCfRFIlg5lBVkdzk-MiTYgXlbY5fzL7c5R2IwaeHJqv-fSJMziJ2FRj47uziBDsSrPbvgb1pAFgB7EL/s1600/2016_providnanedilya_cheesepaska_finalpresentation.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1559" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZvVCs1rHa9_AtKnuI5RRxscmpOkCB3wDLVBkEz4XMeMtsHMxA8jbp8f3uDKsRlCfRFIlg5lBVkdzk-MiTYgXlbY5fzL7c5R2IwaeHJqv-fSJMziJ2FRj47uziBDsSrPbvgb1pAFgB7EL/w194-h200/2016_providnanedilya_cheesepaska_finalpresentation.jpg" width="194" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b><span>Cheese (Syrna) Paska for a 4.5" diameter
flowerpot</span></b></span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>Ingredients: </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="color: black;">1⁄2 lb. Farmer's Cheese, aka Tvorog, at room
temperature</span></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">3 large egg yolks</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">3⁄4 cups confectioners’ sugar</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">1⁄2 c. heavy cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">1⁄4 lb. whipped unsalted butter</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Grated rind of half a lemon</span> </li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">1⁄4 c. golden raisins</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">1⁄4 c. brandy</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">2 Tablespoons water</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="color: black;">Cooking Instructions:</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">1. Pass the farmers’ cheese through a sieve or a food mill and set aside.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">2. In the top of a double boiler, mix egg yolks with sugar. Add cream and heat over </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">barely simmering water, stirring constantly until bubbles form around the edge of</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> pan. Don’t overheat or the eggs will curdle.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">3. Remove from heat and add cheese and vanilla, mixing well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">4. Add butter and continue stirring until mixture cools. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">5. Stir in lemon rind.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">6. Place in Vitamix or other high-powered blender and blend on High Speed for two minutes until mixture is almost as smooth as pudding.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">7. Put brandy, water, and golden raisins in a small pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low; cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Pour while still hot into a jar. If liquid does not cover raisins, add more hot water until it does. Seal and allow to rest while paska drains in fridge. Raisins will plump up over 24 hours.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">8.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> Line clay flower pot with a quadruple thickness of dampened </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">cheesecloth. Pour the mixture inside and cover with cheesecloth.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">9. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Place the flowerpot in a large mug or bowl that leaves room for drainage underneath pot. Place a small plate or flat-bottomed receptacle on top of the paska surface and weigh down with a weight of at least 1 lb. Keep in refrigerator until serving time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">10. Refrigerate at least 24 hours. Flavor and texture improve with more time. Check weights: if they've pressed down the paska and are resting on the pot edges, replace with a smaller plate/receptacle and keep weighing it down with same or even a little additional weight. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">11. Unmold carefully and turn upside down on a plate. Decorate with drained brandied raisins.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">12. Slice thinly. Best served with a bread babka as a spread/topping. Also lovely in a small dish with fresh berries.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>POTLUCK CHECKOFF LIST</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>To make a nice outdoor picnic, these are the supplies needed. Split this list up between three or four families/individuals, and it'll be manageable!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><u>Equipment</u><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__Folding tables</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Folding chairs</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Tablecloth</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Tablecloth clips (some fun ones here: https://www.etsy.com/market/tablecloth_clips)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Glasses</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Plates (if paper, bring three times the amount you think you'll need)<br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Napkins (ditto above)<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Silverware<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Two garbage bags</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Box of quart-size ziplock bags (use for ice on the way in, and leftovers on the way back)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Plastic bin (If using real china, glass, and silver, then also bring a plastic bin big enough to accommodate all used items so you can bring them back home in a sanitary fashion and wash them there)<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Food, blessed on Easter if possible (include serving utensils)<br /></span></span></span></u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Zakusky - fish and vegetables<br /><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Kolbasy and ham, assorted<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Mustard and horseradish</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Rye and/or other bread, sliced</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Cream cheese and butter<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Hard-boiled eggs, deviled and/or plain<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Soup<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Green Salad<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Traditional Salad</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Homemade Babka<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> __</span></span></span>Homemade cheese Paska<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> __</span></span></span>Poppyseed roll<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Fruit<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Nonalcoholic drink<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Alcohol<br /> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>__</span></span></span>Tea, coffee, milk, sugar<br /> <br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> <br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>PASCHAL TROPARION</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a 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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-5519850476563725102019-11-26T20:16:00.002-08:002019-11-26T20:17:46.070-08:00Thanksgiving: the battle of the side dishesIt's the last week of November 2019, and I'm with my wee family (three of us left now) in Western Massachusetts. The Thanksgiving menu is mostly set: brined & roasted turkey breast, Trader Joe's cornbread stuffing mix and sausage, cranberry orange relish, homemade pumpkin pie.<br />
<br />
What's missing? The green side dish. I'm pretty religious about my Thanksgiving plate including some green. The simpler the better. But after ten straight years of <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/275305/green-beans-almondine/"><span style="color: blue;">green beans almondine</span></a>, a doughty recipe to be sure, I want something different.<br />
<br />
I trawled Epicurious, Eating Well, and Food & Wine for good green bean sides. Along the way, I found four that fit my requirements this year, but caught in my net almost a dozen tasty other options I'd like to revisit for other meals, holiday and ordinary. The fruits of my research, for your delectation, are as follows:<br />
<br />
THIS YEAR'S CONTENDERS<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/248013/green-beans-with-toasted-nuts/">http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/248013/green-beans-with-toasted-nuts/</a>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Just a basic review of how to cook beans and nuts together. I like the suggestion of nut oils.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/garlicky-haricots-verts-hazelnuts">https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/garlicky-haricots-verts-hazelnuts</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So pretty! The beef fat option is intriguing...not sure how I feel about the tarragon.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/green-beans-with-shallots-hazelnuts-and-tarragon-51252890">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/green-beans-with-shallots-hazelnuts-and-tarragon-51252890</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Would probably dial back the tarragon here too.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/3-ingredient-lemony-green-beans-with-frizzled-leeks">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/3-ingredient-lemony-green-beans-with-frizzled-leeks</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
What fun!<br />
<br />
FOR ANOTHER TIME<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252639/blue-cheese-walnut-green-beans/">http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252639/blue-cheese-walnut-green-beans/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes these recipes seem like you could replace the central ingredient with an old shoe and it would still be fantastic.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252529/green-bean-bundles-with-garlic-browned-butter/">http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252529/green-bean-bundles-with-garlic-browned-butter/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A special presentation. I'm game to try it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-cauliflower-with-lemon-parsley-dressing-51198450">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-cauliflower-with-lemon-parsley-dressing-51198450</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This makes me want to eat cauliflower.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cauliflower-with-pumpkin-seeds-brown-butter-and-lime">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cauliflower-with-pumpkin-seeds-brown-butter-and-lime</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So does this.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spiced-glazed-carrots-with-sherry-citrus-368283">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spiced-glazed-carrots-with-sherry-citrus-368283</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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What a gorgeous thing to do to carrots.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sweet-potatoes-with-bourbon-and-maple-51124230">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sweet-potatoes-with-bourbon-and-maple-51124230</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div>
And to sweet potatoes.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-carrots-and-parsnips-with-citrus-butter-51262740">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-carrots-and-parsnips-with-citrus-butter-51262740</a></div>
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Can you imagine this gracing your table on a snowy winter's day?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lemon-and-parsley-skillet-roasted-fingerling-potatoes">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lemon-and-parsley-skillet-roasted-fingerling-potatoes</a></div>
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Pretty presentation of those narrow little fingerlings.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/shallot-tarte-tatin">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/shallot-tarte-tatin</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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You had me at shallots and puff pastry.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/broccoli-and-garlic-ricotta-toasts-with-hot-honey">https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/broccoli-and-garlic-ricotta-toasts-with-hot-honey</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"Hot honey" seems to be having its fifteen minutes, but I'd polish these off in a few seconds flat.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/broccoli-with-orange-chile-oil">https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/broccoli-with-orange-chile-oil</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Being a gringa, I'd dial back the chile.</div>
<br />Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-19771300542045593732018-12-11T14:15:00.000-08:002019-12-11T11:18:16.085-08:00Silk, wool, feathers, fur: the animal-based Zen of staying warmApologies right off to strict vegans or anyone else offended about the fur thing.*<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQGPsxJ-i_kLxHrsb2liEPpN7BRsNMivKI6TsfeKOiW5KJ9-Tyd_fvOuhjps7b6QNh0tPy15m8oW38dGf82_n_MfCjjAwgs7jJk1DduKNvcFQrYQYUvfkOiV_hV9KX3s633zksGmdXT_-/s1600/winterstormavery_2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1024" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQGPsxJ-i_kLxHrsb2liEPpN7BRsNMivKI6TsfeKOiW5KJ9-Tyd_fvOuhjps7b6QNh0tPy15m8oW38dGf82_n_MfCjjAwgs7jJk1DduKNvcFQrYQYUvfkOiV_hV9KX3s633zksGmdXT_-/s200/winterstormavery_2018.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Todd Maisel, for <i><a href="https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2018/11/15/photos-seasons-first-snow-hits-brooklyn-with-winter-storm-avery/" target="_blank">The Brooklyn Eagle</a></i></td></tr>
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We seem to be having a winter this year. Cold temperatures and a heavy wet snow (<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://maps.wunderground.com/news/2018-11-14-winter-storm-avery-impacts" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Winter Storm Avery</span></b></a>,</span> pictured beleaguering a Brooklynite at right), surprised the New York City region on November 14. On my way to chorus rehearsal, I knew I was in trouble after only one block from the subway. I was wearing a wool pea coat but no hat. The cold reached in deep, sipping on my life force. I ducked inside a warm store, and thought longingly about my serious winter garb back home.<br />
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As a middle-aged female of partly Eastern European stock, I am by nature nicely insulated for cold weather. As long as I have the proper clothing I can stay as warm and comfortable outside as I am right now sitting indoors at my computer, even if the temperature goes down to 10F (it rarely gets colder in NYC). However, I've realized over the years that certain fibers are better than others for the purpose of staying warm, and I wanted to share this information with you all. Two tropically-reared friends -- a college pal and a roommate -- once appreciated this information enough to tell me that although they still hate winter, they now feel it won't necessarily kill them. <br />
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You can make a good argument for synthetic fibers/fabrics these days; I own a thinsulate blanket and love its light warmth, and it certainly is a breeze to clean. But nothing beats natural fibers. Your body understands them and works with them.<br />
<br />
So we've touched on the fact that a hat is essential for staying warm. I leave it up to you what hat you choose, but suggest it contains at least some wool and covers your head at least down to the tops of your ears. But what to wear on the rest of you? Here's a review, by fiber type, to help you choose everything from base layers to outerwear. And how to clean it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbiV93gukoyOqE_fO6QkgNBiwsPISbp_PFkXMn5bmf2AkIKz4iRoGLzYfFsQjVaxI7AFdE8xz5w3QVkXkHxYCYnh55YetQ6fl5JNUDUvksRCsubFqeilDNLq-bDG4xvQMZKwVwdN4SLR5/s1600/silkworm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="612" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbiV93gukoyOqE_fO6QkgNBiwsPISbp_PFkXMn5bmf2AkIKz4iRoGLzYfFsQjVaxI7AFdE8xz5w3QVkXkHxYCYnh55YetQ6fl5JNUDUvksRCsubFqeilDNLq-bDG4xvQMZKwVwdN4SLR5/s200/silkworm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silk worm, cocoon, and filaments</td></tr>
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<b>Silk</b><br />
As a base layer, this fiber is an excellent first defense against chill. Get a pair of silk long underwear, a long-sleeved top and leggings, both with comfy but snug cuffs. The material should be thin enough to fit under all but your tightest clothing. Shop around; you can get tops and bottoms for a total of $50 or so. Silk breathes very well, so you should not have problems wearing long underwear indoors unless your home or workspace is horribly overheated. <b>How to clean silk:</b> if your garment is dyed, I like <a href="https://www.marthastewart.com/1110674/golden-rules-washing-delicates-silk-wool-and-lingerie" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Martha Stewart's instructions</span></a>. If not, I find silk long underwear can be washed inside a mesh bag in a load of cold, gentle-cycle laundry using a delicate-wash detergent, preferably with the Woolmark label. I use Woolite (rarely) for stained or heavily soiled silk, Ecover Delicate Wash for normal wear, and Eucalan for end-of-season wash of lightly used garments.<br />
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<b>Wool</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5teMcsNYvQ4axsz3PIOluDx-RoBTpI9ZftM8tfF5nIhHnlFinA5aJDkEq-7eUfvbiAKb3fXRhB9M6wCP2BNWFwl6XcyjlhoqlQ09DGAaNM5iwl349eCP7iBmOTKVHt8YY5wJmefWkkTx/s1600/merino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1600" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5teMcsNYvQ4axsz3PIOluDx-RoBTpI9ZftM8tfF5nIhHnlFinA5aJDkEq-7eUfvbiAKb3fXRhB9M6wCP2BNWFwl6XcyjlhoqlQ09DGAaNM5iwl349eCP7iBmOTKVHt8YY5wJmefWkkTx/s200/merino.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merino Sheep</td></tr>
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My blog is named Brooklyn Sheep because I am a hand spinner and know a lot about wool, the quintessential warm fiber. Sheep's wool comes in all sorts of varieties, from thin and soft to thick and impenetrable (such as boiled wool). If you have one fine-textured sweater (lambswool, merino, or cashmere) and one larger thick sweater (such as a cabled sweater or ski sweater), that should be enough. 100% wool is best. Really. (Are you thinking: why get myself something I'm going to have to dryclean every time I wear it? See below.)<br />
<br />
<b>How to clean wool (and mohair)</b>: First off: dry cleaning isn't necessary! I’ll show you how to handwash, and I promise it’s less effort than you think.<br />
<br />
First off: This might gross you out a bit, but your wool garments will last longer if you wear them a few times before washing, and then wash them by hand.<br />
<br />
To wash by hand will occupy a big sink or the bathtub for an hour, most of it rest time. Get some <a href="http://www.eucalan.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Eucalan</span></a>, a special wool soap (not expensive at bulk sizes) that you do <b>not</b> rinse out, because gently squeezing the soapy water out of your garment will flush out most dirt.You can get the unscented kind and add your own essential oils; I like a mixture of cedar, rosewood, and lavender to help deter moths. Put a squirt or two of Eucalan in the sink or tub right under the tap (cool, not cold water) as it's running. You will need a two-inch depth of water. Just lay your garment gently on the surface of the soapy water, and walk away: let it sink in and soak for about an hour. You can gently, slowly push garnents below the water line if they’re taking more than 20 minutes to sink, buy Do Not Agitate: moving wool garments around in water, even cool water, tends to shrink them. At the end of the soak, move the garment to the side and let the sink drain. Gently press down on the garment to expel water. After pressing out as much water as you can accomplish in the sink,* lay your damp garment flat on one or two old towels, roll up like a jelly roll, and squeeze. Then lay the garment flat on a fresh towel (or even a special mesh drying rack like <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.wayfair.com/storage-organization/pdp/oxo-good-grips-folding-sweater-dryer-oxo1886.html" target="_blank">this</a></span> or <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Innovative-Home-Creations-Collapsible-Sweater-Dryer-30-X29-5-White/44151215?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1453&adid=22222222227032209213&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=62509435136&wl4=pla-109746342536&wl5=9004351&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112550049&wl11=online&wl12=44151215&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3b3gBRDAARIsAL6D-N9cQaEavte7o8QWbxvccSq_l1Sc6Aq1IfdtdXcUoMJLIdUc-m6_2uYaAnT7EALw_wcB">this</a> </span><span style="color: blue;">— </span>the latter is my fave for its small size when compacted), and let air dry; unless your home is really humid (above 50% humidity)<span style="font-family: inherit;">, a thin sweater will be dry by the next day, and thick sweaters in one more day. Your woolens </span>will be soft and clean. The natural lanolin in Eucalan will soak into the fibers and keep them pliant. Any other treatment -- even delicate wash soaps like Woolite -- will strip wool fibers and leave them vulnerable to breakage. That's what makes wool itchy (to be fair, cheap wool garments will always be scratchy - they are made of low-quality, short wool fibers that either come unspun or break easily, leaving shreds that stand out like tiny prickles, like split-ends on human hair).<br />
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* If you’re washing a lot of wool and/or silk garments regularly like me, I highly recommend the <a href="https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1941793327834660669" target="_blank">Nina Soft spin dryer</a>. Place it in the tub, load your damp garments, and it will spin out more water than the towel method can achieve.<br />
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<b>Non-sheep wools</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhEOwpkaF4tg5P8dlyO9D9F-P7SkA0-JP4XJ2mXIcfBwC0n_ezFIzc2QcpmlK9GvF0XSawvRE9Z5c6apxE7OhPTqjYolehoTvafWqhHfe3ymzvH8jq3RBAuJSZIKWgdpfBM-p1PdE-Pli/s1600/mohairgoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="300" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhEOwpkaF4tg5P8dlyO9D9F-P7SkA0-JP4XJ2mXIcfBwC0n_ezFIzc2QcpmlK9GvF0XSawvRE9Z5c6apxE7OhPTqjYolehoTvafWqhHfe3ymzvH8jq3RBAuJSZIKWgdpfBM-p1PdE-Pli/s200/mohairgoat.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© R.T. Willbie/Animal Photography</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqH1YTLyJcg3NZ3Qs2oKWP3SkgsbeCZpCzWOgLdC2fzBBTbUomWUoph3aElLWTOOwPTwhUh-v8zUfETJM9-K-7Y6QecfesKxxH1-C_ANecSbrOohd57zN2ZQehgXz4042-afWHfM2i01X/s1600/angorarabbit_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="520" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqH1YTLyJcg3NZ3Qs2oKWP3SkgsbeCZpCzWOgLdC2fzBBTbUomWUoph3aElLWTOOwPTwhUh-v8zUfETJM9-K-7Y6QecfesKxxH1-C_ANecSbrOohd57zN2ZQehgXz4042-afWHfM2i01X/s200/angorarabbit_small.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, there's a rabbit under there. <br />
© ItsNature</td></tr>
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Mohair is in a class of its own. According to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/mohair" target="_blank">Encyclopaedia Brittanica</a>, the word "mohair" is derived from the Arabic <i>mukhayyar </i>("goat's hair fabric").This is wool from the angora goat (right).<br />
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Do not confuse this with "angora," not technically a wool, since it's made from the hair of the angora <i>rabbit </i>(left), which gives garments a kind of furry halo; it is much more delicate than mohair, so best for items you wear infrequently. <b>To clean angora:</b> for 100% angora garments, dry-clean only, but if it's a blend, you can probably hand wash as for wool/mohair.<br />
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Mohair varies in fineness and quality according to the youth and breeding of the animal. Most mohair is a bit scratchy; I generally don't wear it against the skin. The finest variety is kid mohair, which is from the first shearing of a young angora goat. <b>To clean mohair, see wool (above).</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh32R4EUnLUNIHCq7WkICpK8zpBHxUj9FT1R2Qz2psB9BJ16RnQ1bhjFLB4NyT4CvhSOCxJm0lZkdwhMQizclAeAglTumI_KLj_X2gJmJ6IAgvJMgJrdRy3qckJtqyRr6KgmIkJKrcMniS/s1600/muskox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1200" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh32R4EUnLUNIHCq7WkICpK8zpBHxUj9FT1R2Qz2psB9BJ16RnQ1bhjFLB4NyT4CvhSOCxJm0lZkdwhMQizclAeAglTumI_KLj_X2gJmJ6IAgvJMgJrdRy3qckJtqyRr6KgmIkJKrcMniS/s200/muskox.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© <a href="https://animalsake.com/musk-ox-adaptations" target="_blank">AnimalSake</a></td></tr>
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For the softest natural wool, there's qiviut. Incredibly expensive, this is the undercoat of the musk ox, pictured left. If you have $650 to burn, you can get a <a href="http://www.qiviut.com/shop_hats_tunics.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">tunic</span></a> of this stuff knitted by a cooperative of native Alaskans.<b> To clean qiviut</b>, tell your dry cleaner to treat it like silk. If you dare hand-wash, put it inside a fine-mesh laundry bag with the least amount of Eucalan possible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvkMCIZAPXe4rZ3O0BaTgme2xk_4mL1XU2VbRCXx1kob30CRIyOO8KKQ47EodYgDq2sDZxhEmNd5s4-GkrPLmjb0q37jPTY_nlhay_6rbk0tLW5lxdT7TlWAaqysYKAJA64j88Vjvtrc4/s1600/alpaca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvkMCIZAPXe4rZ3O0BaTgme2xk_4mL1XU2VbRCXx1kob30CRIyOO8KKQ47EodYgDq2sDZxhEmNd5s4-GkrPLmjb0q37jPTY_nlhay_6rbk0tLW5lxdT7TlWAaqysYKAJA64j88Vjvtrc4/s200/alpaca.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">©</span>Peru Hop<br />
Curious about the difference<br />
between <a href="https://www.peruhop.com/difference-between-llama-and-alpaca/" target="_blank">Llamas and Alpacas</a>?</td></tr>
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Alpaca (right) is a more affordable fiber that is soft enough to be worn against the skin, particularly if it's baby alpaca.<b> To clean alpaca</b>, dry clean at a silk setting, or hand wash like for Qiviut.<br />
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<b>Summary so far: wool plus silk should do</b><br />
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Wearing silk underwear plus a wool sweater should take care of your warmth needs in almost any situation. However, you may not wish to dress in layers. In this case you want to move on to the next levels of fiber warmth: feathers and fur.<br />
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<b>Feathers</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q48kK72_3nAN0tpERZMz7cPEwqN2OCSo9-QGTUvHADS9gkZeW_ZYxAQ183HpUBFFGyhz_6ffujJMoR_PdSgCrf49XoGZgr3aqQ9lxnLloF-ZKxALf6lhN1gbYwMI21uzipMtXWzlmV20/s1600/the-difference-between-feather-and-down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="500" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q48kK72_3nAN0tpERZMz7cPEwqN2OCSo9-QGTUvHADS9gkZeW_ZYxAQ183HpUBFFGyhz_6ffujJMoR_PdSgCrf49XoGZgr3aqQ9lxnLloF-ZKxALf6lhN1gbYwMI21uzipMtXWzlmV20/s200/the-difference-between-feather-and-down.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">V<a href="https://www.verolinens.com/there-is-a-difference-between-down-feather/" target="_blank">ero Linens</a> </span></td></tr>
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I'm talking about down. Goose feathers are okay for pillows and, when mixed with goose and/or duck down, for comforters, but for warm garments down is the only game in town. The fine filaments of these under-feathers, which both insulate and waterproof a fowl's belly as it glides through cold water, can trap air and warmth without weight. I can wear cotton clothing under a down coat and stay toasty warm.<br />
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When I <a href="http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">launder a down garment</span></a> or my comforter, I use <a href="http://www.nikwax-usa.com/en-us/products/productdetail.php?productid=266" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nikwax Down Wash</span></a>. It takes some time, but I prefer this to the expense and toxicity of drycleaning. I recommend that anyone living in areas where winter temperatures stay below freezing (32F) for weeks at a time get herself a down coat that reaches at least to mid-thigh and has a hood. If you wear a close-fitting hat under the hood (and be sure you're wearing a decently thick wool sweater too), you should be comfy down to 0F. Add a mohair scarf to cover the lower half of your face and provide extra insulation around your neck, and you should be comfy in windchills down to -20F.<br />
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Ethical stuff/trigger alert: wool and feathers are collected from animals who remain alive after the process; silk is made from the cocoons of moth pupae who are killed in the process. The final fiber in this list, fur, requires the slaughter of an adult mammal.<br />
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<b>Fur</b><br />
This fiber is controversial in my culture. But when you're dealing with serious wind chill -- here are definitions of the federal government's <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill-warning"><span style="color: blue;">wind chill warnings</span></a>,</span> plus a handy <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill-chart"><span style="color: blue;">wind chill chart</span></a> </span></span>-- well, there's nothing like putting another skin between you and that cold. Especially if it's furred. Think about buying used or vintage fur garments if you feel uncomfortable about supporting the fur industry.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCBTspk5B2bRiWhCX5rodGfbsdr-c9EDwubitEd7WaB5r3K5MM4XfU_2fZrGPrH3bxmjsKAn4LatAgjMOLvc-3eu84PVSZjjVVBj3uICiIlsoFD_AntEYaA_vi92Bkne6DuiXaN_kKzcp/s1600/russianfurhat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCBTspk5B2bRiWhCX5rodGfbsdr-c9EDwubitEd7WaB5r3K5MM4XfU_2fZrGPrH3bxmjsKAn4LatAgjMOLvc-3eu84PVSZjjVVBj3uICiIlsoFD_AntEYaA_vi92Bkne6DuiXaN_kKzcp/s200/russianfurhat.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ushanka, literally "ear flap hat"<br />
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Once upon a time a friend lent me his real Russian rabbit fur trooper hat. The kind Russian soldiers wear while marching across Red Square in winter. My friend's hat was spectacularly warm! I wore it the first day of the 1996 blizzard in NYC. It not only kept me warm; it made my head look huge. When I shopped at Fairway that afternoon, people got out of my way (rare event for a shy creature like me). One of those reptile-brain things? ("Big head = something I don't want to mess with.") I shoved my cart through crowds of bread-and-milk-hungry Upper West Siders and got out of there at my own speed. It was wonderful.<br />
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I have stopped at the level of the fur hat. Perhaps at some point I will own a fur coat; however, that seems to be a level of luxury that just doesn't jibe with my idiom. One needs a certain amount of glam and the right setting -- perhaps transportation in a chauffeured Bentley -- to "do" a fur coat well. I saw a lady tourist on the subway once, sporting a beautiful ankle-length fur coat, and it was ridiculous. She might as well have been wearing a "you can mug me now" sign around her neck.<br />
<br />
To care for fur garments, a professional fur cleaner is your best option, though I suppose these tips from <a href="https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Fur" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">wikihow</span></a> could work, and these <a href="http://lanasfur.com/fur-care/fur-brushing" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">brushes</span></a> are rather pretty.<br />
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<br />
* I don't like the idea of animals dying to keep me warm. But as an omnivore, I engage in that transaction almost every day. At least, if I wear something made of fur, the death of the animal is something I honor for years, even decades, of wear and careful storage.Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-80654966362248092902018-11-23T16:18:00.004-08:002018-11-23T16:20:19.926-08:00<h2>
Dinner at the Oasis</h2>
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These recipes are from Eating Well's Rush Hour Cookbook, published in 1994. The entire dinner is only 826 calories per serving, with 19% of calories from fat. Serves 4. It's one of my favorite vegetarian dinners.<br />
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<h3>
Vegetable Tagine with Couscous</h3>
3 tsp. olive oil<br />
1 onion, finely chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, sliced<br />
1 14-oz can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped<br />
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable stock<br />
1/4 cup slivered almonds (original recipe had whole blanched almonds, but I find slivered are easier and just as tasty)<br />
1/3 cup raisins (or currants)<br />
2 tsp. ground ginger<br />
2 tsp. paprika<br />
1 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp saffron threads<br />
6 oz. green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths<br />
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/8" slices<br />
1 15-oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed<br />
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1" pieces<br />
1 1/2 cups couscous, preferably whole-wheat<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice<br />
1-2 tsp harissa or Chinese chili paste, to taste<br />
freshly ground pepper to taste<br />
Chopped parsley for garnish<br />
<br />
In a soup pot, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until golden, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Stir in tomatoes, stock, almonds, raisins, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron; bring to a boil. Add beans and carrots; return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in chickpeas and peppers; cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, 7-10 minutes.<br />
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Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in couscous, salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.<br />
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Just before serving, stir lemon juice and harissa or chili paste into the stew. Season with pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve over couscous.<br />
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<h3>
Romaine & Fresh Herb Salad</h3>
1 clove garlic, cut in half<br />
6 cups washed, dried, and torn Romaine lettuce (approximately 1 head)<br />
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley<br />
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or scallions<br />
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill<br />
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint<br />
1 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or lemon juice<br />
1 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste<br />
<br />
In a small bowl or jar, combine vinegar or lemon juice and salt and pepper, shake to dissolve. Add olive oil once salt is dissolved. Rub a large salad bowl with the cut sides of the garlic. Place romaine, parsley, chives or scallions, dill, and mint in the bowl. Drizzle dressing over greens, toss, and serve.<br />
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<h3>
Apricot Whip with Raspberries</h3>
1/2 cup firmly packed dried apricots<br />
1/2 cup orange juice<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
2 Tbsp. brandy or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract<br />
1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt<br />
1/2 cup fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries, thawed<br />
<br />
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine apricots, orange juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the apricots are tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer all saucepan contents to a blender or food processor, add brandy or vanilla, and puree. Transfer to a bowl and stir in yogurt. Chill until serving time. Serve topped with raspberries.<br />
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<br />Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-90623671954785228422018-05-31T09:42:00.000-07:002018-05-31T09:42:34.228-07:00The Tin Box, or, How to leave your affairs in orderDeath is not a fun topic. But as executrix of my father's estate, I wanted to share one tool he made use of during his lifetime that made things much easier for me immediately after he was gone. I strongly recommend everyone set up a document box like this for their loved ones, and themselves.<br />
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He called it "the tin box," even though his was made of steel. It's not fancy, and not even that big: just 3"x5"x10". Fireproof, it contained the documents I'd need right away after he died, and some simple instructions. He made sure I knew where he kept it in his apartment.<br />
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Here's what it contained:<br />
<ul>
<li>Will</li>
<li>Living will/advance directives</li>
<li>Social Security card</li>
<li>Proof of military service and honorable discharge*</li>
<li>Official copy of his birth certificate**</li>
<li>Official copies of his parents' birth certificates **</li>
<li>Statement from the bank account he shared with me, so I could immediately pay his bills and funeral expenses</li>
<li>A printout of an Amazon page for a book about humanist funeral services, on which he wrote the music he'd like played at his service!</li>
</ul>
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*If the deceased was honorably discharged from the military, he or she will get a discount on funeral expenses, and the funeral home will provide an American flag (folded into a presentation triangle) on request for no charge. <br />
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** The funeral home prepares the death certificate (I suggest asking for eight certificates, since you will need to surrender them for financial and other purposes). The funeral home application requires specific information from all these asterisked documents. The drudgery of filling out the long and repetitive application was made much easier on the traumatic day of my father's death by having these documents on hand. The funeral home will need copies of military letters and your driver's license, so unless you have a fax, it would be extra wise to scan these documents and keep the digital copies easy to find.<br />
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Why "tin box"? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZgrFvcxaMzmhupVAlERuNtuKmm-SH7Yb7oxCT9CrUr0CFVJKv0hG6UzeGWq46LgLL_9wwYnfufVNpfy89SAQ6HjCRGoGyv0RZ8Mlnhv0oT-BfZA1Ec_65xEBo3im5NJaIuFGoFE5HOPd/s1600/tinbox_decorative.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1237" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZgrFvcxaMzmhupVAlERuNtuKmm-SH7Yb7oxCT9CrUr0CFVJKv0hG6UzeGWq46LgLL_9wwYnfufVNpfy89SAQ6HjCRGoGyv0RZ8Mlnhv0oT-BfZA1Ec_65xEBo3im5NJaIuFGoFE5HOPd/s200/tinbox_decorative.jpg" width="199" /></a>I think his parents must have kept their important documents in a tin box like the one at right, and he carried on the name. This one is for sale online from someone else's <a href="https://www.opentotals.top/vintage-1960s-black-toleware-strong-box-antique-black-tin-document-box-with-hinged-lid-gold-seascape-and-sailboat-stencil-and-pinstripes-p-12169.html" target="_blank">estate</a>. If you want a new document box just like my dad's, the one at left got good reviews on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MPPVW0/?coliid=I1E2OB481PL0SP" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTi2a2bu3wdt42BJL-1aTWJjT37flpFYihWoMFleRUA5rnexu2BQhyLQsIYNLEZCFpV25DkQTDjwNqh6gjMOjBg8hYghrv0xatE2E1_-hxphDOdhC6gbWnjhSF4WEoubGcTNsVbO3XpsW/s1600/tinbox_amazon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="663" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTi2a2bu3wdt42BJL-1aTWJjT37flpFYihWoMFleRUA5rnexu2BQhyLQsIYNLEZCFpV25DkQTDjwNqh6gjMOjBg8hYghrv0xatE2E1_-hxphDOdhC6gbWnjhSF4WEoubGcTNsVbO3XpsW/s200/tinbox_amazon.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Think ahead, and leave your affairs in good order, like my dear old dad. It will make your survivors' lives so much easier, and it will be very comforting to them on the day they lose you to know that you loved them enough to take care of these issues while still living.Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-41150500628166841122018-05-19T13:42:00.002-07:002018-05-19T13:43:37.411-07:00Ukrainian cakes -- not too sweet, good for breakfast or dessert!These two are my favorites from the Ukrainian Museum's "Christmas Recipes and Traditions," a pamphlet I received during a baking class I took there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssT3OgGixXqZ60jICvFtAKrVnLeAeYR5WZxtvhKwh_3k5D4c2KFlgxeERCXnHyhDKaNg5V-0tci9k2Ckxmu3H85K5lkDaqsNg9XDfHyJTm6AUfC67L9IPj4f4kNDEjZzGVF4DLRvx-W7x/s1600/honeycake_wednesdaychef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssT3OgGixXqZ60jICvFtAKrVnLeAeYR5WZxtvhKwh_3k5D4c2KFlgxeERCXnHyhDKaNg5V-0tci9k2Ckxmu3H85K5lkDaqsNg9XDfHyJTm6AUfC67L9IPj4f4kNDEjZzGVF4DLRvx-W7x/s320/honeycake_wednesdaychef.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/08/ukrainian-honey.html" target="_blank">The Wednesday Chef</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
CHRISTINE'S HONEY CAKE (Medivnyk)<br />
11/4 lbs honey (half buckwheat and half clover)<br />
4 cups flour<br />
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar<br />
1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
9 eggs<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 1/2 tsp vanilla sugar (Dr. Oetker)<br />
1 stick butter, softened at room temperature<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp ground cloves<br />
<br />
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.<br />
<br />
Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until small bubbles appear (a Kitchen Aid is nice for this task). Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for one hour. Do not open oven for at least 30 minutes; if you do, the cake will go flat. Once cool, take out of pan and wrap loosely in wax paper, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. (The flavor is better after a day or two in the fridge.)<br />
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<br />
CHRISTINE'S TSVIBAK<br />
6 eggs, separated<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup flour, sifted with 1 Tbsp baking powder<br />
1 cup dried fruits, diced (I used cranberries and golden raisins)<br />
1/2 cup chopped walnuts<br />
<br />
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.<br />
<br />
Take a tablespoon of flour and stir into dried fruit, so pieces are all coated and separate easily from one another. Beat egg yolks with sugar until light lemon color. Beat egg whites to soft-peak stage. Fold egg whites into egg yolks. Fold flour and baking powder into mixture. Add fruits and nuts and combine gently. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake for one hour. Let cool in pan.<br />
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<br />Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-45788186132658241072018-04-19T13:36:00.000-07:002020-05-07T16:42:08.633-07:00<h2>
Singer's Quiche</h2>
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On April 1, 2018, I was privileged to sing at Alice Tully Hall with the hundred-strong Esto-Atlantis Choir. Singers came from all over the world, and I hosted two lovely Estonian altos, Kärt and Rita-Ülle, in my home. For concert day breakfast, I wanted us to have something high-protein, low-fat, and with lots of vitamins and minerals. It had to be tasty and quick to eat, too!<br />
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Even though I consider lowfat cheese somewhat of a sacrilege, I will sometimes use it for cooking, and in this recipe, worked great. The cottage cheese texture melts as the quiche bakes, so you can't even tell it's there, and it adds a whopping 30 grams of protein to the entire quiche. Cut into six slices, each serving provides 176 calories, only 9% RDA of fat, and over 14 grams of protein. You're also getting over a third of your RDA of Vitamin D, plus a little iron, potassium, and calcium(full nutritional analysis below). <br />
<br />
Because it was Easter weekend, I got slices of beautiful spiral baked ham, freshly cut off the bone, from Union Market. Its sweet smoky flavor worked great in this quiche. Perhaps this pork tenderloin <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/course/main-dish-and-entree-recipes/easter-baked-ham-for-two" target="_blank">shortcut version of Easter ham</a> would work too.<br />
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What makes this a "singer's quiche"? In addition to the lowfat adjustments, I used as little salt as possible because the last thing a singer needs is dehydration. I changed the <a href="http://www.nutritiouseats.com/crustless-quiche/" target="_blank">original recipe</a>'s onion to less-fragrant shallots. And I served it with fresh grapefruit. My first vocal coach instructed all of her singers to eat a grapefruit each day to keep the throat nice and clear. One organic grapefruit adds the following nutrition: 220% RDA of Vitamin C, 30%
Vitamin A, and 12 grams of fiber. (The quiche has under a gram of
fiber.) I <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbmlgZhls-8" target="_blank">supremed</a> the grapefruits the night before, so we could polish them off quickly at breakfast. <br />
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<br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1.5pt; text-transform: uppercase;">INGREDIENTS</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">¾ cup ham (leftover spiral ham, ideally), cut in small chunks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">¼ cup diced shallot (or onion)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">1 cup halved cherry tomatoes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">3 eggs plus two egg whites</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">1 cup lowfat cottage cheese (I used Organic Valley)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">½ cup 2% milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">½ cup lowfat, low salt shredded swiss cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">½ cup lowfat shredded sharp cheddar cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">½ cup all-purpose flour (can substitute all-purpose gluten free
flour)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1.5pt; text-transform: uppercase;">INSTRUCTIONS</span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Use a nonstick 9” pie plate or layer pan, or lightly
grease a nonstick pan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">In a
large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add shallot
and ham and sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in cherry tomatoes
and cook for 4 more minutes, until cherry tomatoes have lost a good amount of
their juice. Stir in chopped spinach and remove from heat. Let cool slightly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">While
veggies are cooking, whisk together eggs, milk, cottage cheese in a large bowl.
Stir in cheeses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">In a
small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and pepper. Stir flour mixture
into the egg mixture. Stir well to combine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Gently
stir in cooked ham and vegetable mixture. Pour into prepared pie plate and bake
for 25-30 minutes or until eggs are set and top is lightly browned. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 22.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Freeze
for up to 3 weeks.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076" target="_blank"><img height="622.7" src="https://fthmb.tqn.com/Pi1eN_RTLIwXAyNmrAXeeMoEJN8=/1000x0/Nutrition-Label-Embed-598751473-5ad8f6d143a1030037b5d96f.png" width="320" /></a>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-69528225012656991192017-12-17T00:21:00.001-08:002017-12-17T11:29:22.772-08:00What is the sound of one hand washing?<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year I had shoulder surgery, the same procedure I had seven years ago. Back then it was my right shoulder; this time it was my left, and I was better prepared. Following the advice of the ShoulderShirts blog, I practiced with all of these items a week before my surgery, and those muscle memories were most reassuring and useful while I healed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is a list of the not too personal "recovery swag" I found most useful for one-handed hygiene, dressing, and cooking.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">HYGEINE</span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-2E5ADZBpmqUlo0OzuOMP8yw7NOGjq082f2SX3GVXvhDz3J1nDvA8SmhYAjxMGiI0htF3TypC0VsX627PAHLMoN7zGWo00kMXFkhVfD-vRsK4NJa52UcEHiGYh6H8NsinUTP_56qMgtu/s1600/recoveryaid_toothpastedispenser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-2E5ADZBpmqUlo0OzuOMP8yw7NOGjq082f2SX3GVXvhDz3J1nDvA8SmhYAjxMGiI0htF3TypC0VsX627PAHLMoN7zGWo00kMXFkhVfD-vRsK4NJa52UcEHiGYh6H8NsinUTP_56qMgtu/s200/recoveryaid_toothpastedispenser.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M06E9EI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Hooao Automatic Toothpaste Dispenser </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Totally mechanical - no batteries needed! You might think this silly, but you just try using only one hand to put toothpaste on your toothbrush (and <i>only</i> the toothbrush, not the sink and the floor and your shirt), mr./ms.smartypants.</span></div>
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<h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4K0lV9lhN653fG-Bg5TI4EXwyJolpss6Z25_AbRU0JjI-KIfOdDAWZ__C9zXV-zNshy3LoWaji-4xz8uuvIPysP2cQuLiRQ9atLkyzmX9Ib9nRWlAoLK3KluoYWKs2KmTTT83vIA8GTPF/s1600/recoveryaid_showerstool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4K0lV9lhN653fG-Bg5TI4EXwyJolpss6Z25_AbRU0JjI-KIfOdDAWZ__C9zXV-zNshy3LoWaji-4xz8uuvIPysP2cQuLiRQ9atLkyzmX9Ib9nRWlAoLK3KluoYWKs2KmTTT83vIA8GTPF/s200/recoveryaid_showerstool.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 1.3;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O8KW82/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Teak Wood Folding Shower Seat</a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Right after surgery, most of my upper and middle body was in shock; bone and muscle had been removed from my shoulder, and the general anaesthesia was something to recover from too. Having a stool in the shower was very reassuring. I liked how this one folds flat, and is nice looking enough to use outside the shower. A bit fussy to close once it's been open a while. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDQ2QX1KEinBD7QdbcfFzumh42y9up31DkM6CEKno0rztVQk8wYbDPefz_HfBT3yLJQrsfB_4Odl8rDAY7FAzpW00jNYP-Fid2gkjV5jbUADjXI5Tr9bOlaQ5IGUL4m1sZoGnJHQD5OBF/s1600/recoveryaid_showerbrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDQ2QX1KEinBD7QdbcfFzumh42y9up31DkM6CEKno0rztVQk8wYbDPefz_HfBT3yLJQrsfB_4Odl8rDAY7FAzpW00jNYP-Fid2gkjV5jbUADjXI5Tr9bOlaQ5IGUL4m1sZoGnJHQD5OBF/s1600/recoveryaid_showerbrush.jpg" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007G4T8J2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Bendable Back Scrubber</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The handle is heavy-duty and keeps the angle you bend it in.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jdyzwJEPrSfue8UaVxUkVeCkQvua1bW3S4uliIMWUd8GUNYFxeVUHyt59_odCMI9DDntaCVSbJ85Uj-0mTGoa2Hg5uqiqteVO0D_N958GO9QohbLDZx7qso_azwh7O1jI9PNwgB_WHDL/s1600/recoveryaid_showerbrush2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="355" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jdyzwJEPrSfue8UaVxUkVeCkQvua1bW3S4uliIMWUd8GUNYFxeVUHyt59_odCMI9DDntaCVSbJ85Uj-0mTGoa2Hg5uqiqteVO0D_N958GO9QohbLDZx7qso_azwh7O1jI9PNwgB_WHDL/s200/recoveryaid_showerbrush2.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C8FJYGG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">Purely Me LaPonge Body Brush</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Even if you're not injured, it's nice to have a bath brush that covers a large area. The textured handle makes it easy to work with in soapy conditions. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2F30CHMP68bBJyrMqZ9wjWh0Y3Nh6_5NmT9-B95f2AkDs7LsnJDaHdw2r6-DQq0V4gfbqOEdeGnJh2f6IgKM6_b5b4djgZo6P0BgHArHgwaX80Rg6jZI0KTy3c9aaRfWrO_Yp5gD-c5K/s1600/recoveryaid_whippedcharcoalsoap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="570" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2F30CHMP68bBJyrMqZ9wjWh0Y3Nh6_5NmT9-B95f2AkDs7LsnJDaHdw2r6-DQq0V4gfbqOEdeGnJh2f6IgKM6_b5b4djgZo6P0BgHArHgwaX80Rg6jZI0KTy3c9aaRfWrO_Yp5gD-c5K/s200/recoveryaid_whippedcharcoalsoap.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<h1 style="font-weight: 500; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: white 0px 1px 0px; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span itemprop="name" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1290610809" target="_blank">Chikyu Charcoal Whipped Body Soap, Lavender</a></span></h1>
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<span itemprop="name" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">This wide-mouthed jar and soft whipped soap made for easy one-handed bathing. The jar diameter is about the same as the back scrubber pouf. I liked the refreshing lavender scent, and the charcoal color stood out against lighter-colored surfaces such as the tub and my skin, making the action of rinsing more certain.<br />
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<span itemprop="name" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKPVt9cEgKtlL37JSd-2R_BgEfqfn6UbD3uy6ATJklIMkRP9lLXne1RCADpaidl2cMRIv_2Y2hioTMHm4FKWJ1XF857km5Ad4QdHIotdY_AQd2lgM02K98q-NW_ctN-1eOLNpLfO1SQxd/s1600/recoveryaid_handwashingbrush.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKPVt9cEgKtlL37JSd-2R_BgEfqfn6UbD3uy6ATJklIMkRP9lLXne1RCADpaidl2cMRIv_2Y2hioTMHm4FKWJ1XF857km5Ad4QdHIotdY_AQd2lgM02K98q-NW_ctN-1eOLNpLfO1SQxd/s200/recoveryaid_handwashingbrush.jpeg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<h1 style="font-weight: 500; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: white 0px 1px 0px; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span itemprop="name" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.allegromedical.com/daily-living-aids-c519/nail-brush-with-suction-cup-base-p193198.html" target="_blank">Nail Brush with Suction Cup Base</a></span></h1>
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This brush has soft bristles that made it easy to wash my one working hand. I fixed the two suction cups to one side of the sink, and positioned the faucet so water would run over the brush when I turned on the tap. This order came with two brushes, so I left one in the bathroom sink and one in the kitchen sink.</div>
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<b>DRESSING</b></span></h2>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXua5rkSTEjtfnCrFK49_ymGV_p9OFdnMbUHvzskBT0OXG8pfN23dr9D5u7ne8xkDGMg6R-XmEDMA_dJSizTVK4-YSHw9BWc-KP7FDVi2Rb5QU_sM8VXgXJqztwzER1yBv_smRhM_OOUb/s1600/recoveryaid_shouldershirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="570" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXua5rkSTEjtfnCrFK49_ymGV_p9OFdnMbUHvzskBT0OXG8pfN23dr9D5u7ne8xkDGMg6R-XmEDMA_dJSizTVK4-YSHw9BWc-KP7FDVi2Rb5QU_sM8VXgXJqztwzER1yBv_smRhM_OOUb/s200/recoveryaid_shouldershirt.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1279899140" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">ShoulderShirts</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is not a "cold shoulder" fashion statement, though perhaps that trend makes it possible these days to wear these shirts outside the home or doctor's office with impunity. The lovely folks at Shoulder Shirts (https://www.facebook.com/Shoulder-Shirts-332337340157630/) designed this shirt, which comes in several styles and fabrics in many colors and patterns, to help people get dressed without raising their arms. The shirts fasten at the shoulder with velcro, allowing you to dress yourself one sleeve at a time (an optional white "tether" ribbon helps you get the front and back pieces together). Or if someone is helping you dress, both shoulders can be detached.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_dKGjt7ZtaYLujjoERGKt4_BAF3NNVJdwGuC0yTu_TNO4DP4qh-RIs_1fycpQw9xqdphaNwG3pHnNzYchKUsJILZm0CDizzl23ebCp1YlxzErSEZA3dkHVIe6JBk1UG4DjZEroW3WT-A/s1600/recoveryaid_shouldershirt_bothdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="570" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_dKGjt7ZtaYLujjoERGKt4_BAF3NNVJdwGuC0yTu_TNO4DP4qh-RIs_1fycpQw9xqdphaNwG3pHnNzYchKUsJILZm0CDizzl23ebCp1YlxzErSEZA3dkHVIe6JBk1UG4DjZEroW3WT-A/s200/recoveryaid_shouldershirt_bothdown.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">These shirts are mostly styled for women, but there is a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShoulderShirts?ref=listing-shop2-all-items-count&section_id=7943578" target="_blank">unisex/men's sizes</a> section too. </span><br />
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My physical therapists love this shirt, since it allows them to examine and manipulate my shoulder freely during treatment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOcM4CKbhZxr-jQUL9tgr11uJP5RSm4n_khHqyUqzHZKXquXgya6Lim3vqCyefC71ByuuKOscK1jk72m7njN7JvOl6DwbRf6Jtjq3TG5szUpuh7K1jNEgWJpyQbktDor3hYa_9_jTDEAY/s1600/recoveryaid_swedishcuttingboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">COOKING </span></b></h2>
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<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ojUwnbtbjo8uj2Fi1hxSAd-YOaSr-fzFDIVbMnNpvG3sf8MDlMu3I_tG5z2bVBUGrP8M_K5hzq_jtTGjGfEJeKjbwNBRaDyPN-V3GmGnFVbHXnV8qqU5mJFFTXOgJ08sKGNX3qkL8bnc/s1600/recoveryaid_swedishcuttingboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ojUwnbtbjo8uj2Fi1hxSAd-YOaSr-fzFDIVbMnNpvG3sf8MDlMu3I_tG5z2bVBUGrP8M_K5hzq_jtTGjGfEJeKjbwNBRaDyPN-V3GmGnFVbHXnV8qqU5mJFFTXOgJ08sKGNX3qkL8bnc/s1600/recoveryaid_swedishcuttingboard.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.ebay.com/i/132426650465?chn=ps" target="_blank">Swedish Cutting Board</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the higher-priced items in my recovery swag haul, this cutting board made it possible for me to slice any food I needed. The sliding bracket (with red wood ball handle) holds bread and smaller items (the black square pegs can be moved to accommodate different sized things). The spikes were useful for skewering apples etc. in place so I could slice them. All the parts fit nicely in the dishwasher. </span><br />
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<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />OTHER PRACTICAL STUFF</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/EasyComforts-White-One-Handed-Tray/dp/B00JQU1HR0" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkorQUtPrGZ-L4t1vPjmohfoIt8FmlcBqQXbb4gFDdIXjo7dsezDX0zMrKzlIZ6dZkO6qz7CvXvMS-0S3GGa5cVz_zKOELfDhAaDn-XekW47tNZIoKxCxJk88Uu4wKLqGsIM52X_xFO5T/s1600/recoveryaid_onehandedtray.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkorQUtPrGZ-L4t1vPjmohfoIt8FmlcBqQXbb4gFDdIXjo7dsezDX0zMrKzlIZ6dZkO6qz7CvXvMS-0S3GGa5cVz_zKOELfDhAaDn-XekW47tNZIoKxCxJk88Uu4wKLqGsIM52X_xFO5T/s200/recoveryaid_onehandedtray.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/EasyComforts-White-One-Handed-Tray/dp/B00JQU1HR0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">EasyComforts White One-Handed Tray</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This sturdy but lightweight tray was easy to set up, and without the handle, it looks like a normal plastic tray. Although the handle was easy to remove, it never came off without my wanting it to. 17"L x 12.5"W x 10"H; holds up to 13 pounds. </span></div>
</span></div>
Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-63961776104477960002017-03-06T20:08:00.000-08:002017-09-06T21:20:56.414-07:00Cheese! Cherries! Chocolate! or: Mardi Gras for Three<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvlZsg9751GgZ9UBuQyXjW2KZYfIyok8s1uh5ZHnfycCk4blUZvrrN2-qUTZY_4x8nkKM5CIWDgiJD5ZoYZh9ay0aFGTF8EsqVA1fwikhAnFAb6B3Dw8ZP_SHU00X8PQudA5GMn71LAdT/s1600/duckdinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="620" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvlZsg9751GgZ9UBuQyXjW2KZYfIyok8s1uh5ZHnfycCk4blUZvrrN2-qUTZY_4x8nkKM5CIWDgiJD5ZoYZh9ay0aFGTF8EsqVA1fwikhAnFAb6B3Dw8ZP_SHU00X8PQudA5GMn71LAdT/s320/duckdinner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mardi Gras/Maslenitsa? You bet I did.<br />
<br />
Friends came over for dinner
this weekend, bringing a special Pauillac wine they lucked into. To celebrate,
I put on my toque and made duck in cherry sauce, roast potatoes, steamed
spinach.</div>
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At this time of year I click with the Lenten spirit – at least
the pre-Lenten one, heh, of a celebrating the end of winter with an animal-fattishly festive dinner. The main dish is usually my Ukrainian borshch, but this year, I let the wine lead me in a different direction.<br />
<br />
Staying with the classic pairing of Bordeaux with duck in a cherry and/or
pepper sauce, I found plenty of luxurious duck/cherry recipes out there, but
they were all a little…too…unctuous. To compromise, I toned down a recipe from
Epicurous (<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/seared-duck-breast-with-cherries-and-port-sauce-353376">http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/seared-duck-breast-with-cherries-and-port-sauce-353376</a>)
with a sauce treatment I found in Cooking Light recipe (<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/duck-breast-with-cherry-pepper-sauce">http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/duck-breast-with-cherry-pepper-sauce</a>
).<br />
<br />
Here’s how I did it:<br />
<br />
1. Make the Cooking Light sauce with these changes:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ditch the dried cherries and use the drained
canned ones (this ensures you will have nice juicy plump cherries in your sauce,
which isn’t cooked long enough to reconstitute dried cherries), and save the
honey to add at the end, along with the cherry puree (make only half, and omit
the butter).<br />
<br />
2. Keep fat on duck breast. Score, salt, and pepper
the fat side. Pre-warm a nonstick pan over almost-high heat, and add duck,
breast-side down. Cook until skin is deep golden brown, about 7 minutes; as fat
renders, pour it into a bowl so you’re not frying the duck in its own fat, and
so you can save the duck fat for another use. (Be sure to leave about a
teaspoon of fat in the pan when finished cooking the duck, however.) Turn duck over
with tongs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes more
(interior temperature 125F for medium-rare). Cover with foil and a few
dishtowels while you make the sauce.<br />
<br />
3. Saute 1 Tbsp finely minced shallots in the duck
skillet, using the remaining teaspoon of duck fat to help collect any browned
bits into the mix. Add the Cooking Light sauce, amended as above. (Note: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you MUST use homemade beef broth!) Cook for a
few minutes, until sauce is reduced by half. Add the canned drained cherries
and warm up. Taste. Add honey and the Cooking Light cherry puree to taste, add
salt and pepper to taste (it should be ever so slightly peppery), and serve hot
over warm up, and pour over sliced duck.</div>
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<br />
Besides baby spinach steamed in ramekins, the side I made for this dish was <a href="https://youtu.be/b1bXQlWLl7U" target="_blank">potatoes</a>
according to the Roastie Gospel of Jamie Oliver. Given the absence of Maris
Piper potatoes in New York City (prove me wrong if you can!), I tried both
peeled Idahos and strip-peeled red bliss, both organic. I used the mix of olive
oil and butter, and added fresh herbs (thyme to the Idahos and rosemary for the
red bliss) at ¾ through the roasting process. My guests and I couldn’t tell the difference so I served them together. (The taste profile was very
similar but of course the red bliss got crustier thanks to their
mostly-remaining skin.)<br />
</div>
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Since I am not in the mood or budget these days to hand-craft every
part of my dinner parties, the dessert course this time was FoodKick’s amazing
flourless chocolate cakes. Individually sized, these wee dark beauties pack a
wallop of chocolate richness, and at the end of this dinner, we could only
manage about half of a cake each.<br />
<br />
Very satisfying to send winter off with a celebratory meal like this. </div>
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<br /></div>
Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-38203998472183409302017-02-06T10:10:00.002-08:002017-02-06T10:18:42.743-08:00Favorite Recipe: Poached Egg, Ham, and Roasted Tomato and Mushroom BreakfastI love this breakfast on those days when I need extra energy. It keeps me charged for half the day! I adapted it from several recipes I've read over the years.<br />
<br />
This is a recipe for one person, but will serve up to six: just prepare additional egg, ham, and English muffins for each person.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X6IDoVpkbciH1cWUfz1pc-ZgVNolmhEPF1HUvkKqEvleM0mLb5OmTwePeYYKc64hJ_3R1QsTGxe2cuCb__xmJbu-fb73n92ZREOhGPF1fwM02UlpCMnsJ_AYL3DdhrUCzELE5y1rUmdL/s1600/poachedeggbreakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X6IDoVpkbciH1cWUfz1pc-ZgVNolmhEPF1HUvkKqEvleM0mLb5OmTwePeYYKc64hJ_3R1QsTGxe2cuCb__xmJbu-fb73n92ZREOhGPF1fwM02UlpCMnsJ_AYL3DdhrUCzELE5y1rUmdL/s320/poachedeggbreakfast.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 pint cherry, grape, or other small tomato<br />
1 pint mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed, quartered<br />
2 tsp olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Eggs<br />
Vinegar<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
Whole wheat English muffins<br />
Ham (I like Applegate Black Forest)<br />
Parsley (optional), chopped <br />
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<br />
1.Heat oven to 350F. Toss mushrooms and tomatoes separately with one teaspoon of olive oil each, and salt and pepper to paste, in oven-proof baking dishes. Put the mushroom dish and slice of ham (the latter on its own baking sheet) in the oven and roast for 10 minutes; then add tomato dish alongside it, and roast 20 minutes more. Keep in oven to stay warm.<br />
<br />
2. Toast English muffins and lightly rub each toasted half with the clove of garlic. Add to oven to keep warm.<br />
<br />
3. Fill a one-quart pan with water and one teaspoon of vinegar. Bring to boil. Add egg(s), one at a time, and soft-boil to desired consistency (I prefer two minutes for a nice runny soft boiled egg).<br />
<br />
4. To serve, top the English muffins with cooked ham and poached egg. Spoon heated roasted tomatoes and mushrooms alongside. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top of everything for extra vitamins and happy green color. Nice with tea or coffee.<br />
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<b>Prepare-Ahead Instructions</b><br />
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Roast the tomatoes and mushrooms, and keep covered in the refrigerator. Before serving, heat up with the ham, and proceed from #2 above.Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-9200986966435582232015-01-29T11:07:00.004-08:002015-02-26T13:22:46.274-08:00Kusmi Irish Blend: A Trip to Sunny Ireland<br />
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<span itemprop="description"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L2MFdQajz7zW-b6b9tlrP2LqwTA0her4iWeBJMWY8AHmCngVVEOvL4WasC25ZX6VTP-Lg9srPaYh-wOKxzMgDs9AM3nFauTIqT7jl1TMSqJ0jWyggbMZNds7YniNNsu-mwKUa-loQ903/s1600/Irish+Blend+Kusmi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L2MFdQajz7zW-b6b9tlrP2LqwTA0her4iWeBJMWY8AHmCngVVEOvL4WasC25ZX6VTP-Lg9srPaYh-wOKxzMgDs9AM3nFauTIqT7jl1TMSqJ0jWyggbMZNds7YniNNsu-mwKUa-loQ903/s1600/Irish+Blend+Kusmi.jpeg" height="200" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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I just rated this tea on <a href="http://steepster.com/teas/kusmi-tea/1227-irish-blend" target="_blank">Steepster</a>. It took me quite a while to identify all the flavors/essences I picked up in this tea, but here's what I chose from the pre-set list. (I would have added Heather, but that wasn't an option on Steepster. Not yet, anyway!)<br />
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Flavors: Almond, Apricot, Astringent, Brown
Toast, Citrus, Dandelion, Floral, Fruit Tree Flowers, Green Melons,
Honey, Leather, Marine, Meat, Muscatel, Nuts, Ocean Air, Peat,
Rainforest, Root Beer, Sweet, warm grass, Tannic, Tobacco, Wet Wood<br />
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My review:<br />
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I bought a box of the muslin bags of this tea at the Kusmi store
on 3rd Avenue/62nd street in Manhattan. Perhaps they’ve changed the
formula, or perhaps it’s my brewing approach, but this is not the
undistinguished tea the two reviewers from six years ago described.<br />
<br />
I
brewed it light and quick, in a 6oz teacup. I think most Kusmi teas come
into their own when you use less tea/time and water off the boil for at
least a minute. This results in a light but gorgeously scented cup of
tea. Before you shrug and say, “Oh, more bark than bite? Next tea
please,” I’d like you to entertain the possibility that the enjoyment of
a cup of tea can be mostly olfactory. Taste and smell are pretty chummy
senses, after all. And this Irish Blend has the power to captivate in
its scented steam. I know Kusmi is terrific at scented teas but I
believe this one is mostly or perhaps all natural — no perfume from
Grasse could cover all the wholesome notes this tea possesses. The label
indicates no ingredients except Assam and Darjeeling teas.<br />
<br />
Funny thing about this blend is that it’s not what you might expect
from the epithet “Irish” — no big malty hug here. It’s a brisk tea, with
a soothing and gently predominant honey scent. I imagine the Ireland of
this tea is a Russian traveler’s memory of a rare sunny day in the
Emerald Isles, the clouds scuttled off to the Irish sea, and feeling the
land dilate and relax in the nurturing warmth. Growing against the sheltered
southern wall of a stone cottage, an apricot tree soaks in the sun as
well as the wet fresh sea air, layering rich flavors into its fuzzy
orange-red fruit. The dandelions open, dotting the green hills with
bright yellow. The bees pick up scents of a flush of different flowers,
nectar on the breeze. Things start to really dry out – the old wooden
door, the leather tobacco pouch, the earth itself — releasing a host of
subtle, light, harmonious scents you had forgotten they had when
everything was perpetually sodden.<br />
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Milk dulls some of the scents in this tea, particularly the almond and meat.<br />
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Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-18678491350913186302013-01-01T13:45:00.000-08:002018-12-31T14:12:44.412-08:00Happy New Year! REAL eggnog, anyone?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyHqJw5CIdEYsRAnm7u9smxV9puVkGIdmNgJZe2Sfl-H5wGcjuitIkfvv8sig688ZyIm1fsf0knIY6DTn6Kq_BZDqh4YPiYTDAjAx7MxvPzhZRd7PU7G8kuBcMWRKtb-cXgkVyOWfNjMA/s1600/eggnog+setup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyHqJw5CIdEYsRAnm7u9smxV9puVkGIdmNgJZe2Sfl-H5wGcjuitIkfvv8sig688ZyIm1fsf0knIY6DTn6Kq_BZDqh4YPiYTDAjAx7MxvPzhZRd7PU7G8kuBcMWRKtb-cXgkVyOWfNjMA/s320/eggnog+setup.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Every year I make this, friends ask me for the recipe, so here it is. This full-fat, boozy eggnog has been a holiday tradition of mine since December 1986, when my freshman roommate Anne found this recipe in her English mother's cookbook. After a few adjustments (like halving the alcohol!), it became a keeper. My family, who are no strangers to good food, call this eggnog "ambrosial."<br />
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<br />
HOLIDAY EGGNOG (serves 12)<br />
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6 eggs, freshest you can find<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1 pint heavy cream<br />
1 pint whole milk<br />
1/2 cup bourbon<br />
1 oz. rum (gold rum is best)<br />
Whole nutmeg<br />
Real vanilla extract<br />
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Directions: <b>Prepare a day in advance.</b><br />
Separate eggs and reserve whites for tomorrow. Beat egg yolks well, using an electric hand blender. Add 1/2 cup of sugar slowly, blending well. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the milk and cream gently, then stir in the bourbon and rum. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and 1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg and stir. Cover bowl and place in fridge overnight. (Curing the eggnog is essential: the alcohol, butterfat, and sugar need to harmonize with each other overnight. Same day, the mix tastes weird -- "who put eggs and sugar and milk in my bourbon" weird.) If possible, stir a few times overnight.<br />
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<b>The next day, </b>bring egg whites to room temperature. (This helps them whip up nicely.) Using an electric mixer or a particularly buff friend outfitted with a whisk, whip egg whites until frothy. Add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar gradually and beat to <a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-soft-peaks-firm-115557"><span style="color: blue;">soft-peak stage</span></a>. Fold into egg yolk mixture until fully incorporated; final texture should be foamy and creamy. Grate more fresh nutmeg on top of the bowl and serve! Stir with a spoon to keep mix from separating; egg yolk mix will sink to bottom of serving bowl eventually, and egg white will rise to top.<br />
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[I do not know the nutritional profile of this eggnog. Suffice to say it's probably fine if you have it just once a year! I have used raw eggs for this recipe for over a quarter century and nobody ever got sick from it.]Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-40950118243595280812012-02-10T09:36:00.000-08:002012-02-10T09:36:49.099-08:00Black tea blend: Baker Street (caffeinated)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLWGijCK8bbaHHoU5mvcuDhVdc_q1s38gkGJnjqCaoRvDLKCZQQjYSOynBFWC4MNNKYhG3bVSjjp051yxP_3LbVsuYaOThdCRgKeqcZeLk_Qy1P9xdhD1614u-YeFV2qlf-MMumHy0Sz7/s1600/sherlock_moriarty_tea.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLWGijCK8bbaHHoU5mvcuDhVdc_q1s38gkGJnjqCaoRvDLKCZQQjYSOynBFWC4MNNKYhG3bVSjjp051yxP_3LbVsuYaOThdCRgKeqcZeLk_Qy1P9xdhD1614u-YeFV2qlf-MMumHy0Sz7/s400/sherlock_moriarty_tea.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sherlock and Moriarty take tea at Baker Street ©BBC </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yesterday's tea was Upton's Baker Street blend, a lovely mix of </span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Lapsang Souchong, Keemun, and Darjeeling. "Perfect for an afternoon uplift," says Upton of this lightly smoky tea, "another special whole-leaf blend from our London source of fine teas."</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">I haven't had a cup of caffeinated tea for a few days, but I threw caution to the wind. I have been Netflixing the BBC's excellent new "Sherlock Holmes" with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, so had 221B Baker Street on the brain. I drank just six ounces of this tea yesterday afternoon but paid for it that night, sleeping poorly, even though I tried to override the caffeine with a big roast chicken dinner and a wee glass of ruby port.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Or maybe it was just the intrigue of the tea prodding my brain to stay awake and figure out some mysteries. It really was a nice cup of tea, and the picture above captures quite a few of the impressions it left on me -- antique book pages, and a wisp of smoke from the cooling fireplace. This would be a good tea to serve during a chess game.</span></div>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-68058885909874080202011-11-04T09:25:00.000-07:002011-11-04T09:25:08.903-07:00Black tea: Kenilworth Estate OP (caffeinated)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsEK0RIfSeMhuYaxQCz8iar9dfvoeyoJoQ4dcXKZlHKvrt62Ax_fpYZWIvF-3qmKJ6wwE6o7VBif7dlkuxgzcmCwsH7yHI8k5RxXKVG-oeYxNXPVw0SP8RrhwRSckTZXYvfp8keRhGKPD/s1600/ceylon_island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsEK0RIfSeMhuYaxQCz8iar9dfvoeyoJoQ4dcXKZlHKvrt62Ax_fpYZWIvF-3qmKJ6wwE6o7VBif7dlkuxgzcmCwsH7yHI8k5RxXKVG-oeYxNXPVw0SP8RrhwRSckTZXYvfp8keRhGKPD/s320/ceylon_island.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
Today's tea is a Ceylon, which was the old colonial name for Sri Lanka, that island off the South East coast of India; tea is a significant export for this republic. The Kenilworth Estate comprises 700 acres in western Sri Lanka, and holds the record auction price for Orange Pekoe. <span class="style8">Even though they are grown from the same variety of Camellia sinensis as the Assam teas, Ceylon teas are the lightweight members of the Orange Pekoe clan, and more likely to be described as "brisk" -- their tannins come through more easily since they lack the "malty" or "biscuity" texture/flavor of the straight Assam teas. I understand Ceylon teas are often used in black tea blends; drinking a straight Ceylon like this is a purist's enterprise.</span><br />
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<span class="style8">I don't think I'm a Ceylon purist. This tea -- even though brewed for 5'30" -- reminded me of the weakish brew served by my favorite cranky old English guy, my friend Sophie's dad, who wears a grey wool sweater he's darned himself with many different colors of yarn, reserves feelings of devotion for very few things including the BBC, and swears he can tell the difference between a cup of tea whose milk has been poured in at the bottom of the cup and one whose milk was added after the tea was poured. Milk-first is his preference. "The toffs had milk pitchers, but my class had none of that fancy business, so we had to pour in the milk first." With each cuppa, the professor honors his roots and snubs the rich capitalist b@stards. </span>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-395059878878747712011-11-03T08:18:00.000-07:002011-11-04T08:54:49.871-07:00Black tea: Java Malabar Estate OPS (caffeinated)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tb6cSGJurYMHwJb0oL9AciUHqoeS-pkF9NzxIFk2rK4dVi1lbFn77PuUz32gaZwTZ2UfCKQczZwH_XOjfSlfsc8vFdDBAoEmIWqI9rjSUUsCiyYDNDa7Yyl2Vg3G2gJqYIU1Oebk9X0d/s1600/tea_garden_west_java.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tb6cSGJurYMHwJb0oL9AciUHqoeS-pkF9NzxIFk2rK4dVi1lbFn77PuUz32gaZwTZ2UfCKQczZwH_XOjfSlfsc8vFdDBAoEmIWqI9rjSUUsCiyYDNDa7Yyl2Vg3G2gJqYIU1Oebk9X0d/s200/tea_garden_west_java.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea Plantation in West Java</td></tr>
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Today's breakfast tea. An Orange Pekoe; the folks at Upton say that <span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">"'S' stands for 'Souchong,' a larger leaf on the tea
plant.</span> I haven't tried tea from Indonesia before, but liked Upton's description of this tea as "refined, with a sweetness and delicate caramel flavor note." They also mentioned it was grown in West Java at an elevation over 1500 meters (nearly 5,000 feet), and I do like a trip to the mountains. I brewed one cupweight (thanks to my new digital tea scale from Upton) in 6 oz water just off the boil for 3'30". I tasted it without milk, and it seemed interesting, but a bit raw-edged from the tannin. A little bit of milk really helped and made this into a very satisfying cup of tea: it was flavorful but not heavy at all, with an interesting note of something that reminded me of chocolate, and a very smooth finish. Really a nice way to start the day, as though someone you like has chucked you gently on the cheek with the nappy grain side of a tan leather glove.</div>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-31104073606618732732011-10-25T19:29:00.000-07:002011-10-26T11:13:13.701-07:00SFTGFOP2....say what?This, dear readers, is tea lingo. It means:<br />
Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, 2nd flush.<br />
<br />
And <i>that</i> means a black tea, probably grown in the Darjeeling or Assam regions of northeast India, composed of whole leaves as well as — up to 25% — the immature terminal buds, i.e. baby leaves, of the tea plant. It will have been processed in the "orthodox" manner of oxidation (lightly crushed, fully oxidized, and rolled; as opposed to the CTC method, which means crush-tear-curl). This tea will be the highest possible quality of this variety, and will have been picked in the second harvest of the season, which is normally considered better than the first.<br />
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The next level down will be just FTGFOP (which, some tea cognoscenti joke, means "Far Too Good For Ordinary People") followed by a 1 or 2 to indicate which harvest. There might even be some further classifications like "Clonal" (Cl), which yes, does mean that the plant the tea came from was cloned from some marvelous original. If that isn't enough tea nerdiness for you, visit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_pekoe</a>. Or, for a cool flowchart of the major tea processing methods, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teaprocessing.svg">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teaprocessing.svg</a>. <br />
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I betcha "tip top" and "tippy top" are superlatives borrowed directly from tea classification. I never realized that the tender growing leaf at the top of a tea plant was what I was talking about all the (well, few) times I've used such phrases.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2gaeKGuFc-2QnyoDHH8cxWPvt-sY_PkA_iO4Cm3pEMEyUgC7T_7hUJpG98mcuccFOQK4kpILDR6gzyZPxTXGS_2DCkXR9vC46wXLbCJ48SNbUw259e4USVmgyHDK4OYnFJzYyjH3-ag1/s1600/Black_tea_grading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2gaeKGuFc-2QnyoDHH8cxWPvt-sY_PkA_iO4Cm3pEMEyUgC7T_7hUJpG98mcuccFOQK4kpILDR6gzyZPxTXGS_2DCkXR9vC46wXLbCJ48SNbUw259e4USVmgyHDK4OYnFJzYyjH3-ag1/s320/Black_tea_grading.jpg" width="320" /></a>The lower you go on the tea plant, the lower the quality of the tea. Here's a nifty graphic I found on Wikipedia, along with the Chinese names for each grade <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">—</span> these are <i>not</i> translations of "Orange Pekoe," which is a classification assigned to teas grown outside of China. You may be wondering what "Orange Pekoe" means, and I can assure you after exhaustive research that it just means black tea of a standard good quality. It has nothing to do with oranges, neither citrus nor the princely House of Orange-Nassau. I suppose that the ambiguity of what "Orange Pekoe" really means is part of the reason the tea industry was spurred to add so many more epithets to the classification of these teas.<br />
<br />
I mention all this because I have posted/will post notes here about some very fine Darjeeling and Assam teas, and will mention these classifications. They look pretty insane and/or fussy, but I'll use them just the same. It seems the proper thing to do as I trip along through some of the most special golden flowery harvests of tea available. <br />
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Thus endeth the lesson.Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-83631123940827924572011-10-12T15:23:00.000-07:002011-11-03T13:38:59.306-07:00Scottish Breakfast (caffeinated)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj738NCJuXh8fUfaBmDS4sO-MmxQP4K75Ho_bOEeCj3ddSq3brx41My_vKmDxYJV9PPWIO8HFmy5RnmQrOLKuIrJs0jIn7CDPCdq9_7hmOmvWryDgY_p3muOa1gKUZanekxn8mjXMTB2TMC/s1600/Soay_sheep_on_Hirta_St_Kilda_with_Cleits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj738NCJuXh8fUfaBmDS4sO-MmxQP4K75Ho_bOEeCj3ddSq3brx41My_vKmDxYJV9PPWIO8HFmy5RnmQrOLKuIrJs0jIn7CDPCdq9_7hmOmvWryDgY_p3muOa1gKUZanekxn8mjXMTB2TMC/s200/Soay_sheep_on_Hirta_St_Kilda_with_Cleits.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I had an old box of Taylors of Harrogate tea that I wanted to contrast with my fresh packet from Upton. I brewed both for 4 minutes at 212F and added milk. The main difference was strength; I put the two cups side by side and could tell, even with the same amount of milk, which was the better brew. I tossed out the Harrogate tea and finished the Upton one. At first it was difficult to enjoy, since I'm still in an Oolong frame of mind (tongue?), and black teas seem rather dull, dusty, and one-dimensioned in comparison. But after about three sips, I was hooked. The Upton Scottish Blend tea, a mix of Assam, Ceylon, and Yunnan (Harrogate was pure Assam), had a sort of meatiness to it, aside from the flavor from the milk. Today, October 12, the weather dipped suddenly into a cool damp phase after a longish stretch of truly lovely clear "Indian Summer" weather (I've been told Indian Summer can only happen after the first frost, which hasn't occurred yet in this region). So it was the perfect day for a cup of Scottish tea. The sheep in the picture above are <a href="http://www.soaysheep.org/soay.html">Soay</a>, a primitive small breed that lives only on the outer isles of Scotland. They are remarkable for their stoic qualities if not their wool or meat, which are as meager as the land they live on. They are about 55 pounds, as big as a medium-sized dog. Primitive breeds like the Soay shed their outer coat once or twice a year, and you can gather it and spin it if you really want to but it's probably not worth the effort. According to this <a href="http://www.soaysheep.com/about-soay-sheep.shtml">website,</a> the Soay are "aloof, wary, and graceful," and they also sometimes "stott (sprint-jump on all fours) when alarmed or exuberant." If I ever live on such an island I'll get a few and watch them stott while sipping Scottish tea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43EBI-d6eea1pQuCPP8Z-x6IPu77KfeKtJOIwLxIxwounSKCREqnQ9crmlCvv08jEuKrIXqvEfPE1g6NcylbS0k42cZxVuw_cMXIPFZDs2Znf3cabdIYDCIzMFyoFDLQ2Ph1S2DylSbaR/s1600/scotch-pancakes-raspberry-jam-and-cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43EBI-d6eea1pQuCPP8Z-x6IPu77KfeKtJOIwLxIxwounSKCREqnQ9crmlCvv08jEuKrIXqvEfPE1g6NcylbS0k42cZxVuw_cMXIPFZDs2Znf3cabdIYDCIzMFyoFDLQ2Ph1S2DylSbaR/s200/scotch-pancakes-raspberry-jam-and-cream.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scotch Pancakes, mmm</td></tr>
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The perfect accompaniment to my tea would have been a Scotch pancake. This is not really a pancake as Americans know it, but rather a sweeter, less moist variety that is served room temperature and can be eaten on its own or with jam and clotted cream. (Syrup would be disgusting.)<br />
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In the absence of Scotch pancakes (one of the things I could not find locally in NYC, at least not yet, unless I made them myself; I have no need to learn how to make another delicious baked goodie), I satisfied myself with just the tea. Caffeine hit was milder than I expected, 5 out of 10, but I drank the cup slowly over an hour, keeping it warm on my coffee-cup warmer at my desk.Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-89001519807671754352011-09-23T08:09:00.000-07:002011-10-25T14:40:23.265-07:00Bai Hao Oolong (caffeinated)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA3O8ppg_gZhGvlYgEs_G-3XQpZ0VT0l2mNd_C-DMCooBbi05xlDaLwyQk4iKaJUmxX4fMQcu6FyrAf5YXd_zugChPCwl1odydIR0v5DQyIYhzn2Er_JzhzvYj7qrFiTzDp9XFtVR9q3t/s1600/female_researcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA3O8ppg_gZhGvlYgEs_G-3XQpZ0VT0l2mNd_C-DMCooBbi05xlDaLwyQk4iKaJUmxX4fMQcu6FyrAf5YXd_zugChPCwl1odydIR0v5DQyIYhzn2Er_JzhzvYj7qrFiTzDp9XFtVR9q3t/s1600/female_researcher.jpg" /></a>Hm. This tea tested my patience. I brewed it in a teapot, in a tea sachet; at 208F, 180F, and 203F; for three minutes, four minutes. Never did I get the result that Harney & Sons describes: "<span class="plaintext">This is a dark oolong from Taiwan that is similar to Fanciest Formosa Oolong, but it has more body. There are stone fruit aromas without any charcoal masking of the fruit aromas."</span><br />
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<span class="plaintext"> I tried to sense what this tea was all about by putting a teaspoon of this tea in the bottom of a mug just poured nearly dry of boiling water; I cupped my hands over the light steam that arose from the warm damp leaves and got a light hint of a green grassy aroma, plus a whisper of some fruit. Maybe this sample was just not that fresh; or perhaps I'm missing something in my tea-making process, though it's hard to imagine that a details-obsessed foodie such as I am, equipped with an instant read thermometer, fine tea sieve, teapot, two mugs, and a source of filtered hot water, could really miss the mark by this wide a margin. The only similarity between my experience and Harney's description was that the tea was indeed dark. Surprisingly dark for such little flavor. A disappointment!</span><br />
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<span class="plaintext">So my first foray into Oolongs has ended with a whimper instead of a bang. Maybe I'll try another assortment sometime and give this tea variety another chance, although at this point I'm tempted to mark Fanciest Formosa Oolong as the only one I like, and just move on.</span><br />
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<span class="plaintext">Next up: black tea breakfast blends, including Scottish and Irish. And I really must create some posts soon about decaf black teas.</span>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-73686330521095361552011-09-20T10:14:00.000-07:002011-10-25T18:41:26.397-07:00Fanciest Formosa Oolong (caffeinated)<script type="text/javascript">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFFIX_1YphJBx83yOLg6L8QWuTh8fF_WBiQrglw3fdSt5KVLLzc26Y9tkZ9IP1bKftimCx7dLQHpjqPasikx6aUSNdO9Q682Mi1I7MMPJ765RjGI2uV8gDW7x7s2kNYu1MiRCQWKVkFya/s1600/fanciestformosaoolong_loose_closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFFIX_1YphJBx83yOLg6L8QWuTh8fF_WBiQrglw3fdSt5KVLLzc26Y9tkZ9IP1bKftimCx7dLQHpjqPasikx6aUSNdO9Q682Mi1I7MMPJ765RjGI2uV8gDW7x7s2kNYu1MiRCQWKVkFya/s200/fanciestformosaoolong_loose_closeup.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fanciest Formosa, ready for its closeup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This was one of Harney & Sons' more expensive Oolongs, costing $2 per cup when bought in the 2 oz size; if you bought it by the pound, you'd pay $1.44 per cup. (Their costliest is currently Top Ti Quan Yin, only available in a 2 oz. tin for $54 -- you'd get 20 to 25 cups of tea from that tin. More than two bucks per cup!) <br />
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It would be a shame to compare it to the Pomegranate Oolong I had yesterday. This Fanciest Formosa was in a different category, transcendent. I brewed it at 203F for the first brewing and 208F for the second brewing, both timed for four minutes. The first brewing had it all: a light peach aroma, plus other exquisite fruit notes I couldn't identify, and a beautiful half & half presence of black tea and green tea. It was so good and so delicate at the same time that I devoted at least five minutes to the gradual consumption of this tea. I used my most refined teacup, held it in both hands, and took reverent sips. I can see why this tea is prized.<br />
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The second brewing took the peach/fruit aromas down about 80%, but preserved the half-and-half black/green tea balance completely. <br />
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I experienced the caffeine hit at a 5 out of 10, but since I got up before dawn today, the tea might really be a 6 for a well-rested person. Today, Tuesday September 20, is an overcast day with a high of 70F and a low forecast at 64F; rain due in the afternoon. A soft weather day, streaked with chilliness when the wind blows; a little dreary. And since I spent my morning in the museum-quality atmosphere of the Upper East Side, "fanciest" appealed to me most among the choices I had, as well as the Oolong's full taste but gentle weight.<br />
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"Formosa" is the old Portuguese word for Taiwan. It means "beautiful island."<br />
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According to Wikipedia, the name <i>oolong </i>comes from the Chinese for "black dragon tea," <span lang="zh"><a href="http://translate.google.com/#zh-CN%7Cen%7C%E7%83%8F%E9%BE%8D%E8%8C%B6">烏龍茶</a>. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">(Characters are linked to the Google Translate page. Try the "Listen" button to hear the pronunciation, which I hear as Oo loung cha; tones 2, 3, and neutral, respectively.)</span> </span></span>Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-22826921842708824792011-09-19T08:45:00.000-07:002011-10-25T18:41:44.788-07:00Pomegranate Oolong (caffeinated)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksjKdL_dLfyjOf2SPu2Ipd2hlZA4pFMWjnjKOLitXBnTjL-1qSYr0wbLrM83rld9bgP-0A3NJjO_kSWcGb7H9d6F-KF_azWAElHddbns_YwPWCA4P9xS3vvTonI7MubPFPL1i3yt2Cnam/s1600/Pomegranate03_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksjKdL_dLfyjOf2SPu2Ipd2hlZA4pFMWjnjKOLitXBnTjL-1qSYr0wbLrM83rld9bgP-0A3NJjO_kSWcGb7H9d6F-KF_azWAElHddbns_YwPWCA4P9xS3vvTonI7MubPFPL1i3yt2Cnam/s200/Pomegranate03_edit.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">
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I don't normally go for flavored black tea. I suspect the tea itself of being a lesser quality, "tarted up" with some kind of fruity aroma. But I trust Harney & Sons, so I got a sample packet of their Pomegranate Oolong.<br />
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Oolong is a funny sort of tea. It's somewhere between green and black, and is usually pretty light in color when brewed, but full of flavor. Great care is taken during the curing process to only partially oxidize the leaves, so what we have here is a natural process halted. H&S likens it to keeping a ripe banana from getting any riper. I suspect that there is an exquisite moment -- a peak in the flavor -- that happens in the oxidation process, and the Oolong is supposed to capture it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAXqr4SSDppFui8QCjXBoowEyHES3xxDkuZfcDZzFISnfmeDON5A6BN8_DC6cAyy9ek-p5uI3MR_aeuCqJJ_27AK7RAnH9lIdIimo047QTqv5oEwoVIYV7GugZz_S9tkSz1Wk8TTQKuAd/s1600/Chengwu_ballet__300x411%252C0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAXqr4SSDppFui8QCjXBoowEyHES3xxDkuZfcDZzFISnfmeDON5A6BN8_DC6cAyy9ek-p5uI3MR_aeuCqJJ_27AK7RAnH9lIdIimo047QTqv5oEwoVIYV7GugZz_S9tkSz1Wk8TTQKuAd/s200/Chengwu_ballet__300x411%252C0.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>In advertisements for the ballet, or modern dance, you often see a dancer who has been photographed in mid-action, poised in defiance of time. The Oolong aesthete must regard his cup of tea similarly.<br />
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I brewed this tea at 203F for three minutes. It didn't seem strong enough so I brewed it two more minutes. The tea was nice, but when I opened the drained teapot to sniff the damp leaves, there was a richness of aroma there -- vanilla, fruit, banana even, among green and brown woodsy notes. I was sorry this didn't carry into the tea more; drinking it was a lesser experience than smelling those brewed leaves! The pomegranate flavor was nice, light enough to let the flavor of the tea come through, but definitely a presence I could recognize and that stayed on my tongue minutes after the final sip.<br />
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Caffeine hit was a 6 out of 10.<br />
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A pretty good value by the <a href="http://www.harney.com/Pomegranate-Oolong-Loose-tea-by-the-pound/productinfo/41699/">pound</a>: $24. A pound of this tea will make 150 to 160 cups of tea, so each cup costs no more than 16 cents.Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516371404634510046.post-73481950263954435412011-09-19T08:41:00.000-07:002011-09-19T12:45:17.408-07:00Black Tea Blend: Supreme Breakfast (caffeinated)<script type="text/javascript">
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Friday September 16: it's a beautiful bright sunny cool Fall day here in New York. I had a shortbread biscuit with this tea and felt glorious; caffeine hit was 9 out of 10, bringing me to the edge of nervous trembles.<br />
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I appreciate tea, and I enjoy writing about it, but I know when to step back and allow the words of another, truer believer to carry the day. This is from "Ryan B" at the Harney & Sons website comments:<br />
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"Supreme Breakfast is a very full-bodied, well-rounded blend. I find that it requires neither milk nor sugar to be fully enjoyed, though a very conservative amount of either is fine. In general I find Assam teas to be very round, earthy, soft, straightforward and robust, whereas Keemun teas have a thinner, darker, dryer, more rigid yet subtler character, occasionally too astringent for my taste. Supreme Breakfast is an excellent combination of these two teas. The hearty Assam softens the rigidity of the Keemun, removes its slight smokiness and rounds its edges without overwhelming its more subtle flavor, and the piercing quality of the Keemun cuts through the Assam’s simple, almost corpulent body to add a more nuanced taste and a much more interesting finish than either tea has on its own. It’s as if the Keemun is providing mature guidance and structure to the jolly, playful Assam in a shared quest to overwhelm your taste buds with flavor and depth. I highly recommend this tea."Brooklynsheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730928362359851903noreply@blogger.com0