**SOLVED: the person is Vincent Gallo**
congrats anon! I will be at the market again next month and will post another contest soon!
Sunday was a beautiful day...more on that to come, but while we were at the Hollywood Farmers' Market, I noticed a famous face. Guess correctly on this blog and we will ship you a jar of fresh Blood Orange-Passion Jam, which I must admit is absolutely INCREDIBLE!! for sure entering it in the fair-that good!
FEBRUARY 2011:
This actor/director/"artist" with a temper was seen patiently waiting in line for a hot food vendor at the market...
Monday, February 21, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
affordable art: embroidery!
We just had a blogging class at the shop last week which was taught by Fern Richardson of Life on the Balcony-lots of great tips and, "oh that makes sense" moments. One of the things she brought up was the Wordless Wednesday deal that some bloggers do, they just post pictures. I think i am going to start doing that with the art posts (albeit with a few words for links).
Anyways...embroidery awesomeness.....
Anyways...embroidery awesomeness.....
(mary's granddaughter)-LOVE THIS
(woodroots)
(neawear)
(wall work)
Monday, February 7, 2011
DIY canning rack: what to do with leftover canning rings
As an avid food preserver, one thing I always end up with is a boat-load of canning rings-I usually have a bag of them somewhere in the house or in the root cellar. Of course I use them, but it seems like there are always more than I started with, kind of like the sock getting lost in the dryer deal except I end up 3 socks instead of 1.
I have been trying to figure out what to do with the extras. For sure I am thinking of a window display and a few other projects (which I will for sure post about), but one was the perfect solution to a dilemma in this past weekend's canning class-a canning rack!
The traditional rack, one that you might acquire when purchasing a canning package looks like this:
Yes it works, but if you happen to use the cute little 4oz jars like I do you will realize that the rings in the rack are WAY to big and the jars just fall out making the rack pointless. There are newer versions of racks that solve this problem like this one below:
(part of our class on Sunday-WORK it chicas!)
The traditional rack, one that you might acquire when purchasing a canning package looks like this:
I happen to have 3 old-school racks and 1 new-school and occasionally there has been a situation where we have to process 2 canners at one time (and they happen to all be the cute little jar dudes). What do you do?? Whip out those leftover canning rings!
DIY canning rack:
You'll need 8-10 canning rings (just depends on how big the pot is) and 10-15 twisty ties or rubber bands.
Lay them out tops up and arrange them in the best possible way that allows you to fit as many in the pot as possible without curling up. Fasten the twisty-deal or rubber band until they are snug. Fit into the pot and slowly add your jars in with a jar holder so that they balance on the rings...proceed with canning!
NOTE: make sure that you remove the ties and dry the rings after, the bands will break from the heat and the ties/metal of the rings will rust and now you have rusty rings-and I have no idea what to do with those!
(wham)
(bam)
(thank you ma'am)
(PS: this jam turned out BEYOND INCREDIBLE already sourcing to sell!!)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Winter at the Hollywood Farmers' Market
Over a week ago, we were able to visit and do the table at the Hollywood Farmers' Market...I still can't believe it has been over 2 months since I have been able to sit at the table, time really is flying! It was wonderful to see all the familiar faces (although everyone has been working overtime with the whole BS situ with the Film School)-but it was a joy to be out in the market.
So yes I did happen to see James Van Der Beek, looking normal with the fam, but WAY MORE important was the baby goat from Soledad-10 days old...she was the star of the market the entire time-crowds non stop!
This time we brought our neighbors Jack and August, they had a blast and even went to Amoeba and brought back this classic Lee Perry album...all I have to say is better not bring it to our house or you will never see it again!
I sat at the MFP table and hung out with Kevin, Master Gardener (dearly missed!!) for a few hours and tried to catch up on everything that has been happening for over 2 months...I can't believe it has been that long. Eventually we closed up and we were able to go shopping...
McGrath Farms always has incredible produce (in the center ring of the market). They usually have a few items that you cannot find anywhere else. As we walked by, I noticed something EXTRA special: Ghost Peppers. If you are into heat, the ghost is known as the hottest pepper on the planet (think habanero x 10...I still can't imagine that). We had to pick up some for another canning creation.
I am also big on the prepared food of the Hollywood FM-while I am usually a breakfast burrito gal, I have recently fallen in love with the Caribbean creations at Flava- I am down for beans, rice and plantains any day/all day, but she also as a mean chicken dish (from what I hear) that is not only cheap but way good!
I am hoping to make a regular stop at the market this year every 1st Sunday of the month pending a class or lecture. Either way, you have to check out he Farmers Kitchen where Ernie has made a number of yummy preserves from the farmers who do this market. He is also heading the LA MFP program after 10 years (yours truly will be teaching the first class on food safety)- to apply for one of the 15 spots, click here- go Ernie!!!!
So yes I did happen to see James Van Der Beek, looking normal with the fam, but WAY MORE important was the baby goat from Soledad-10 days old...she was the star of the market the entire time-crowds non stop!
(yeah, she fell asleep in my arms!!)
This time we brought our neighbors Jack and August, they had a blast and even went to Amoeba and brought back this classic Lee Perry album...all I have to say is better not bring it to our house or you will never see it again!
I sat at the MFP table and hung out with Kevin, Master Gardener (dearly missed!!) for a few hours and tried to catch up on everything that has been happening for over 2 months...I can't believe it has been that long. Eventually we closed up and we were able to go shopping...
(root veggies galore)
McGrath Farms always has incredible produce (in the center ring of the market). They usually have a few items that you cannot find anywhere else. As we walked by, I noticed something EXTRA special: Ghost Peppers. If you are into heat, the ghost is known as the hottest pepper on the planet (think habanero x 10...I still can't imagine that). We had to pick up some for another canning creation.
(some lady got mad at me for taking so many!)
I am also big on the prepared food of the Hollywood FM-while I am usually a breakfast burrito gal, I have recently fallen in love with the Caribbean creations at Flava- I am down for beans, rice and plantains any day/all day, but she also as a mean chicken dish (from what I hear) that is not only cheap but way good!
(PS the hot sauce on the counter is hot but UBER good!)
(fixin's with hot sauce-I had 2 orders)
I am hoping to make a regular stop at the market this year every 1st Sunday of the month pending a class or lecture. Either way, you have to check out he Farmers Kitchen where Ernie has made a number of yummy preserves from the farmers who do this market. He is also heading the LA MFP program after 10 years (yours truly will be teaching the first class on food safety)- to apply for one of the 15 spots, click here- go Ernie!!!!
Monday, January 31, 2011
food preservation workshops (and one more!): FEBRUARY 2011
A few things are happening in OC and LA in the next few months-below is a list. I am also going to list a few of things that are happening @ the shop that might be interesting as well.
2/5 (11-1): vinegar, yogurt and kombucha, Orange County (with Ernie) @ RLT
2/6 (11-2): Canning Class, Orange County @ RLT
2/12 (11-3): Citrus Class @ Kazi's urban farm in Altadena with Evan Kleiman-SOLD OUT!
2/20 (11-2): Fermentation series @ UCC (perfect if you live in Santa Monica)
2/26 (11-2): Cheese 101, Orange County @ RLT
2/27 (11-2): Pizza, Start to Finish (crust, sauce, cheese), Orange County @ RLT
**We also have a great workshop this THURSDAY at the shop on blogging. If you want to start a blog or like most of us: have one but don't know what the funk to do with it-this will get you ready to work your magic. Fern Richardson of Life on The Balcony (if you are into gardening, check it out!) will hand out advice, up n' downs and how proper planning, content and mojo can make something incredible (like for Fern a book deal)! Contact me directly or call the shop (714.836.8727) and leave a message with your info and we will make room for y'alls.
Friday, January 28, 2011
a new work philosophy
NOTE: if you have read part of this before I am sorry, I didn't meant to hit publish, but I guess I did and walked away (I thought i just saved to finish later)!
My friend Chef Anahita Naderi recently posted this story on Facebook:
As many who are close to me know, I work like a dog-never stopping. Maybe it's in the genes, maybe it was because I am an only child, maybe I am simply a task person. Point is: I love to work and have projects/goals/things to work on all the time...I am not going to fight it, in fact I embrace it-A LOT.
Things are always happening, but in the few years, the projects have taken up so much that I find myself working 14-20 hour days/7 days/months at a time-very little time for "siestas" and such.
I have 3 main things that i love to do right now: run my shop, do Patchwork with Nicole and work on my preserving adventures/classes/product and by shear luck-all of them work really well together (in fact make each other stronger)!!
...but something has to give or I am going to start missing out on some of the things I also like to do (like have people over, garden, spend time with Marge, this blog, ceramics, travel...).
In trying to pay attention to those needs and one of my resolutions but also having everything I love I decided last month to do something about it: I pulled a Honey I Shrunk the Store and moved back into the original space where I started my business.
Over the past weeks, we have been getting a boat-load of calls and emails, mostly along the lines of, "WHAT happened ?!?!" or, "Did you close???!!!"...well no we didn't, still here and still doing everything the same (albeit no clothing or baby items-leave that to the fabulous Belly Sprout). If you had to boil it down to a few things...
1. I am doing WAY too many things: I teach classes and lecture (at my shop and beyond almost every week), I co-run an arts/crafts fair that is doing more every year (that I sell at), volunteer my time, have a life in addition to...
2. my love of food found an outlet: I found something that incorporates a little of what I have always wanted to be (educator/foodie/cooking/small-indie biz/out-doors/MAKING STUFF/people/celebrating local) in my new biz Backyard In A Jar-my preserving biz that I really want to make a go of this year. I have to try.
3. 5 year itch and stretch: I have had my shop for 5 years (yeah I know!!) after this time, I better KNOW what works and what doesn't. What works is knowing EXACTLY what sells and what doesn't. Guess what? I need less space to sell it and I can use every square inch to yield more use than a larger space...seems obvious to me (and less energy, cleaning, upkeep...)
4. focus woman! If I want to stick to my resolutions and do all the things I want to do, there needs to be simplicity...when I look at myself, my home, food, belongings, BLOG, the environment I have to think:: SMALL and EFFICIENT...if there is too much waste then eliminate it-right??
When this- #4 (and 1-3) finally dawned upon me in November, I had that feeling of the whole slap your head deal-except I wanted to do it for real, like really f-ing hard. Why wait and really make a resolution to be better no matter what a reality! Personally, I have never felt better!
My friend Chef Anahita Naderi recently posted this story on Facebook:
A boat docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village...So what does this mean about little ole me??
A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
“Not very long." they answered in unison.
"Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?"
The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.
"But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
"We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children,
and take siestas with our wives. In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life."
The tourist interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard (a consultant?) and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."
"And after that?"
"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.
Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant.
You can then leave this little village and move to
Mexico City, Los Angeles , or even New York City !
From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."
"How long would that take?"
"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years." replied the tourist.
"And after that?"
"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the tourist, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"
"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the fishermen.
"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings enjoying your friends."
"With all due respect sir, but that's exactly what we are doing now. So what's the point wasting twenty-five years?" asked the Mexicans.
And the moral of this story is: Know where you're going in life....you may already be there.
As many who are close to me know, I work like a dog-never stopping. Maybe it's in the genes, maybe it was because I am an only child, maybe I am simply a task person. Point is: I love to work and have projects/goals/things to work on all the time...I am not going to fight it, in fact I embrace it-A LOT.
Things are always happening, but in the few years, the projects have taken up so much that I find myself working 14-20 hour days/7 days/months at a time-very little time for "siestas" and such.
I have 3 main things that i love to do right now: run my shop, do Patchwork with Nicole and work on my preserving adventures/classes/product and by shear luck-all of them work really well together (in fact make each other stronger)!!
...but something has to give or I am going to start missing out on some of the things I also like to do (like have people over, garden, spend time with Marge, this blog, ceramics, travel...).
In trying to pay attention to those needs and one of my resolutions but also having everything I love I decided last month to do something about it: I pulled a Honey I Shrunk the Store and moved back into the original space where I started my business.
Over the past weeks, we have been getting a boat-load of calls and emails, mostly along the lines of, "WHAT happened ?!?!" or, "Did you close???!!!"...well no we didn't, still here and still doing everything the same (albeit no clothing or baby items-leave that to the fabulous Belly Sprout). If you had to boil it down to a few things...
1. I am doing WAY too many things: I teach classes and lecture (at my shop and beyond almost every week), I co-run an arts/crafts fair that is doing more every year (that I sell at), volunteer my time, have a life in addition to...
2. my love of food found an outlet: I found something that incorporates a little of what I have always wanted to be (educator/foodie/cooking/small-indie biz/out-doors/MAKING STUFF/people/celebrating local) in my new biz Backyard In A Jar-my preserving biz that I really want to make a go of this year. I have to try.
3. 5 year itch and stretch: I have had my shop for 5 years (yeah I know!!) after this time, I better KNOW what works and what doesn't. What works is knowing EXACTLY what sells and what doesn't. Guess what? I need less space to sell it and I can use every square inch to yield more use than a larger space...seems obvious to me (and less energy, cleaning, upkeep...)
(a more open counter with classes and store info right in front!)
When this- #4 (and 1-3) finally dawned upon me in November, I had that feeling of the whole slap your head deal-except I wanted to do it for real, like really f-ing hard. Why wait and really make a resolution to be better no matter what a reality! Personally, I have never felt better!
(back to basics: it just FEELS cozier!)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I'm Back in Ceramics Again! (my Aerosmith version)
This past week was the first ceramics class of 2011 and with a new edition: mamcita!
One of my Christmas gifts to my mother was a beginners set of ceramics tools and a class with me and the Avanti Cafe crew.
When I was thinking about posting on our class the first thing I thought of was Aerosmith's I'm Back in the Saddle, awesome song, but i changed the words with ceramics and was giggling. Was totally meant to be because while mama and I we cruising in the Jam Van to Avanti, guess what came on!!!
I have to say that the VW bus is the absolute BEST vehicle of choice when going to a ceramics class in Huntington Beach. We have exactly one speaker behind a seat that plays classic rock, solar Christmas lights for looking cool when we drive down PCH and plenty of room for chatting and hanging out/eating/putting up our tired a$$es.
My jam n' cheese plates did really well a last year's Patchwork Shows and I have spent the past month looking at new ideas of expanding my "not your regular Pottery Barn BS" line. Yes I know that I am no Heath Ceramics, but people are digging my items so I decided to expand to make a few new things in this season of classes...
salt pigs: love the salt, make salt mixes so why not make containers
butter crocks: French-style, this might not happen for a little unless I can channel a pros ability on the wheel (any local ceramic artists reading this-i will buy/trade from you instead!)
garlic mashers: little plates with big rings for smashing garlic-I think i can do it!
soup bowls: my first day back I threw 4 big bowls-would be perfect for soup and stews
spoon rests: or aka "soup bowl that collapsed on the wheel"-recycling!
Mamacita (as the group calls her-I just call her mom), is excited too. She got the "ceramics 101 talk" last week and is now feverishly working on her ideas.
We will see what I can actually do, if you have some other ideas of what you would like to see-let me know!
One of my Christmas gifts to my mother was a beginners set of ceramics tools and a class with me and the Avanti Cafe crew.
When I was thinking about posting on our class the first thing I thought of was Aerosmith's I'm Back in the Saddle, awesome song, but i changed the words with ceramics and was giggling. Was totally meant to be because while mama and I we cruising in the Jam Van to Avanti, guess what came on!!!
I have to say that the VW bus is the absolute BEST vehicle of choice when going to a ceramics class in Huntington Beach. We have exactly one speaker behind a seat that plays classic rock, solar Christmas lights for looking cool when we drive down PCH and plenty of room for chatting and hanging out/eating/putting up our tired a$$es.
(Mark made one too many plates and got in trouble, it was quite funny!)
My jam n' cheese plates did really well a last year's Patchwork Shows and I have spent the past month looking at new ideas of expanding my "not your regular Pottery Barn BS" line. Yes I know that I am no Heath Ceramics, but people are digging my items so I decided to expand to make a few new things in this season of classes...
salt pigs: love the salt, make salt mixes so why not make containers
(yeah i wish i could do this!)
butter crocks: French-style, this might not happen for a little unless I can channel a pros ability on the wheel (any local ceramic artists reading this-i will buy/trade from you instead!)
(again, a girl can dream!)
garlic mashers: little plates with big rings for smashing garlic-I think i can do it!
(love this idea from Natalie Bonney-UK)
spoon rests: or aka "soup bowl that collapsed on the wheel"-recycling!
Mamacita (as the group calls her-I just call her mom), is excited too. She got the "ceramics 101 talk" last week and is now feverishly working on her ideas.
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