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As a young girl my mother made this dish. Then it was a special treat. Now it is one of my most favorite comfort foods. Peas, onions, chicken, sour cream, salt, pepper and egg noodles.
That is a stark difference from the “health” eating that has been happening.
The weather, another screwy thing around the Northeast lately, has provided some lovely sunsets.
The season of birthdays is upon us. Most recently we have toasted my incredibly talented work husband, my best friend’s fiance, my most favorite wingwoman in the entire word, my baby cousin who can’t possibly be 18 and his smarty pants sister who just hit the mid twenty mark, hopefully to be her best years ever.
“Food is the most primitive form of comfort.” ~ Sheila Graham
Stop it Mr. Timekeeper. The whole month of December is going to go so quickly that heads are spinning. Thankfully, I am going to sit on Santa’s lap with my girlfriends tonight [get mind out of gutter] and take in some holiday cheer. And see the Muppets. And I am currently sporting Miss Piggy’s ‘do.
Recently stumbled upon a very interesting read. I am pretty sure this article is titled “Thea, 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself“
Random baffle. When I lived in a one room apartment, I always put my clothes away in the drawers and closet. In a three bedroom house, my clothes are in the laundry room, on my bed and on the couch in my room.
I turn 30 in 64 days. Not excited. I will be here. With my favs. Uber excited.
I still love everything about baking. Phew.
I love love love our tree. And that the people I love helped decorate it.
I am incredibly thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life, especially during the holidays. You make my stomach hurt from of the laughter, back hurt from all of the chocolate cake I clean out of the kitchen tile grout, my head hurt from the nights of mixing, my heart hurt from the thought of not having these moments forever and my cheeks hurt from all of the smiling when I know we have it so good. So so so good.
And despite all of this holiday cheer in the country, no body does Christmas like NYC. And I am really looking forward to breathing is all in next week. I miss my city.
“I can hear people singing, it must be Christmas time.” ~ The Pretenders
1. Thea Sphere Sweets is off and running! Catch all of the Thanksgiving creations over on the official Facebook page. And “like” the page to keep up-to-date.
2. In the effort to keep the Thanksgiving season a lottle longer, I have been encouraged to do 30 days of thankfulness. Today, more than anything, I am thankful for all the people who are on my sidelines. The ones with the pom poms, the ones with the meagphones, the ones with the signs. It seems that I have my very own cheersquad whenever I need one. And even when I don’t.
3. In hair news, I have bangs. And I want to braid my hair just like this.
4. It’s officially the holiday season! So very excited about collecting toys for Family of Woodstock, cutting down our own Christmas tree at Bell’s Christmas Trees, singing carols and sipping eggnog, holiday cocktail parties, spending time with my wonderful family and extended family AND welcoming in 2012.
5. We recently visited Lucas Vineyards in Interlaken, NY on a wine our. They have an awesome Tugboat Red. And a cute wine aficionado to tell you all about it. Worth the trip.
“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” ~ Henry Van Dyke
1. Rennett and citric acid have arrived for the mozzarella making… keep you posted.
2. There will be 144 cupcakes and one four layer birthday cake coming out of my kitchen this weekend.
3. The leaves are GORGEOUS in the Hudson Valley, but it is raining and wet and gross, therefore there is a lack of pictures.
4. Mom delivered apples last weekend and I will be making apple-like things. Starting with Apple Pudding Cake with Cinnamon Butter Sauce.
5. I am throwing a football themed birthday party for my roommate and will be making pretzels, nacho cheese, pigs in a blanket, chilli and football cupcakes. Someone tell me where to apply for the “roommate of the year award.”
6. We just celebrated the wedded bliss of my cousin and her brand-new husband. It was an amazing and magical wedding. I still have my own personal thoughts on weddings, but if my mind was going to be changed it would be with that event. Well done. And slightly sneaky, universe.
7. Although we are not having a Halloween party this year, I WILL be having a Wicked Witch Martini on the west coast.
8. I am having serious Frye boot and iPhone envy. And yes, sometimes THINGS do make a difference.
9. The girls and I are on the lookout for wonderful single men. Please send them to the Hudson Valley if found.
10. It’s amazing how far, “you are beautiful,” can go in my book.
Hurricane Irene made her stomp on the east coast. And she was pissed off. There are many people in the Hudson Valley whose lives have been lost under water. Memories, homes, roads and other materialistic things have been washed away in many of my neighboring communities. Thankfully, where I live went unscathed, with power outages and road closures being the worst of it. Most of Ulster County has been declared a state of emergency and hopefully this will allow much-needed aid and support to come to the area.
In addition to the hurricane and her wrath, I have been moved to tears over three different stories. Amazing stories about three human beings. I do not know any of these people personally, but through the channels of social media and the internet I have been introduced to them, their worlds and their footprints left on this earth.
One of my most favorite musicians, Micahel Franti, introduced his fans to Tika Hick. They met at a concert and Tika shared her story. She and her husband David had become parents to a beautiful baby boy named Indigo, lost their home to foreclosure, and Tika was diagnosed with breast cancer all within a month. Tika and her husband took a trip to Hawaii before she was scheduled for double mastectomy surgery in July. Her husband David was swept from a rock by a rogue wave and drowned in the ocean off Maui. Michael Franti started a fund to help Tika and wished her a very happy birthday, with promises of keeping his fans updated on Tika and Indigo’s new life.
Matt over at Matt’s Bites posted “Bloggers With Out Borders and Helping Jennie.” He told the story of Jennifer Perillo of In Jennie’s Kitchen. Her husband, Mikey, suddenly passed away few weeks ago from a heart attack. Suddenly. With out notice. Jennie and her two girls are without a husband and a father. Jennie’s last few post have been how to make the simple things in her kitchen, straying from her more elaborate recipes and making beans and pancakes. I wish I could make Jennie pancakes. She even encouraged everyone to make their loved ones peanut butter pie, her husband’s favorite. Blogger’s Without Borders is doing what they can to help Jennie and her girls. Their organization banded together with the internet world to help fellow bloggers, talk about a change in the times.
I learned about Tim LaFollette from one of frequent reads over at Ryan Marshall’s Pacing the Panic Room. Ryan told Tim’s story as he heard it from another blogger over at the The Shallow Brigade. Tim passed away earlier this month after a serious battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Tim and his wife, Kaylan, are surrounded by an army of people called Often Awesome. This informal group of people keeps the life of Tim alive through is incredible story, fundraising and events. This is the trailer for a 33 part web series that was made to help spread the word and awareness about ALS. The clips are amazing. Take the time to watch Tim’s story. It makes you feel.
It doesn’t matter where I live, the city or the country. I will ALWAYS empathize and see the good in people. I will always try to help those in need. And I will continue to share my story and hopefully, with grace, help spread the stories of others. I believe you can influence through sharing – a story, a picture, a song. In fact, that’s why I have found some of my best work has been through online channels of communication. Please take the time to visit the pages and stories of these amazing people. May the ones who have passed rest in peace. And may we all have an [internet] army sharing our stories when our day arrives.
“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eye for an instant?” ~ Henry David Thoreau
The most fun summer events are the weekly dance parties at the Spiegeltent at Bard College. For $5 you get entry into the best dance floor in the Hudson Valley. The beats are serious. The people are characters. The dress code if as you see fit. The energy is awesome. And the sweat dripping down your back is just what the doctor ordered. There are only a few weeks left of the Spiegeltent and it is highly recommended you attend. In something cute. And with some body glitter.
Talk about dance? Dance is not something to talk about. Dance is to dance. ~ Peter Saint James
I’m treating my two-year “country” anniversary much like I treat my online dating profile… laundry lists and hopeful daydreaming.
Likes: clean air, baking, trees, the colorful house in Pdub, clear plastic wrap in a box on the counter, really good friends, local brews, cheese, bread, wine, kundalini yoga with Alli at Sacred Space, a porch where the Adirondack chairs sit nicely, mediation and Reiki
Dislikes: lack of 4 am bars / pizza / cabs / city friends / diversity, the baby sister always being at least two hours away, the persistent, “Why did you more here?” questioning, driving in really bad snow, basements with water in them, bugs, wild and most domestic animals, car trouble and not being able to speak car
For fun: Waterfalls, swimming holes, dancing at Bard in the summer, skiing Hunter mountain in the winter, snowshoes, farmers markets, Warren Cutlery and wing nights at Max’s
Interests: Getting smarter, braver, smaller and happier
Exercise habits: yoga, gym against my will, walking and laughing
Favorite hot spots: Keegan Ales in Kingston, 36 Main in New Paltz, Club Helsinki in Hudson and Mercato in Red Hook
Favorite things: cucumbers and tomatoes growing in the yard, meeting Melissa Leo before Tuesday’s showing of Dear Lemon Lema at the Rosendale Theater, Sunday night dinners with a full dinning room table, saying good morning to the Hudson River everyday, Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey and winning a free Hudson Whiskey t-shirt from Tutilltown Distillery as they hit 10k fans on Facebook, kitchen appliances (most important of them all is the KitchenAid mixer) and the roommate when we are in the routine of the week, learning to trust again and updates with the baby sister
What I am looking for: more sunsets over the Hudson, someone to go on roadtrips with, more motivation to frequent the gym, financial security (will settle for lack of financial anxiety)
My relationship with the country has come along way in the last two years and yet, I continue to be a city mouse in the country wondering what is next on the agenda.
“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. ” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Anyone that comes in contact with me, my kitchen or my ordering habits knows I heart cheese. I love the texture, the smell, the styles, the history, the purity of it all. I like that the smooth just has much as the hard and the stinky just as much as the faint odors. On my list of things to do in the cheeseworthy category:
Visit Murray’s cheese caves
Make homemade mozzarella
And finally one I can cross off the list:
Make homemade ricotta
[Insert proud and large beaming smile here]
I came across a recipe from Smitten Kitchen on how to make homemade ricotta and thought it would be a nice intro to the cheese-making-world. I am still looking for the right citric acid for the mozzarella anyway, so I had some time for another challenge.
The ingredients were easy to collect…
3 cups of whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice, candy thermometer, cheesecloth and a strainer
I combined the milk, cream and salt into a saucepan, attached the thermometer and turned the heat on low. There is a warning about the bottom of the pot scorching. It’s funny how the first time you make something I follow directions and then by the third or fourth time around I tend to wing it. I carefully monitored the mixture, stirring it occasionally, until it reached 190 degrees F.
I turned the heat off, added the lemon juice and stirred it a few times to incorporate. I left the pot alone for 5 minutes.
I prepped the cheesecloth, strainer and bowl while I waited. I also used this time to clean up the counter. I can’t help myself.
I then poured the curds and whey into the strainer lined with cheesecloth and let the curds strain away from the whey. Can we discuss how happy I am to really know what ‘curds and whey’ are? I mean all of these years of “eating her curds and whey” and now I know and can attest to what that actually is. It really is the little things. Who knew Little Miss Muffet had this going for her.
The original directions said to leave the mixture for at least an hour. At one hour it is supposed to be tender, spreadable ricotta. At two hours, it is supposed to be spreadable but a bit firmer, like cream cheese.
I left my curds hanging out for about 3 hours, since the whey kept separating from the curd, I figured it was safe to leave it alone for longer. You can’t judge the texture based on this point anyway as the ricotta will firm up more when it is refrigerated.
Here is the finished product! The most amazing ricotta you have ever put in your face. I served it on a spoon to my mouth when it was just me and then on amazing garlic bread with salt, pepper and truffle oil to my dinner guests. One you go homemade, you’ll never go back.
“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” ~ Harriet Van Horne
It is no secret that live music is my thing. Being in front of a musician doing their thing is electrifying and exciting. I have been attending concerts since before I was old enough to stand. My mother had me in the bass case of Dave Holland, named me after Thelonius Sphere Monk and dressed as purple velvet witch for the 1985 Grateful Dead Halloween show. She and many others have brought music to me. It’s my happy place.
With hundreds of shows under my belt, it seems that Michael Franti and Spearhead are the current winners in the smile department.
Pictured here with Michael at the Dave Matthews Band Caravan in Atlantic City this past weekend.
After a few, “It’s nice to see you again,” a guitar pick and numerous dancing in the front of a venue. I did it. I was in the front row for a Michael Franti performance and better yet, had a kind fellow concert goer take our picture. In case you had trouble deciphering it, that’s was pure happiness looks like. It’s embodied in a genuine smile. Not a posed smile or a fake smile or a no teeth smile. It’s just a grin. The kind of grin that arrives when you are near your musical genius crush.
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” ~ Billy Joel
One of the scariest differences between city life and country life (besides animal life, the dark and losing cell service) is drinking and driving.
After the recent death of Jackass’s Ryan Dunn, I have been even more sensitive that usual about drinking and getting behind the wheel. On any given night my friends and I are out in Kingston, or the surrounding area, you can watch someone drinking a number of drinks, leave the bar or restaurant, go into the parking lot, get into their car or truck, start the car and drive away. It puts a pit in my stomach every time.
My group of friends is fairly responsible, usually designating a driver. The DD usually stays sober or has a drink or two over a number of hours. This brings up an entirely different issue of how many drinks can you have and still be “fine” to drive, but at least someone is conscious of having to get everyone home safe.
One of my friends has been known to get behind the wheel and drive home. Often sighting, “I’m fine” or “It’s just a short way” or “Nothing is going to happen.” All the traditional ignorant responses to “Why did you drive home?” I am not sure if it’s belligerence, stupidity, fearlessness, a deceptive case of invincibility or a little of all of these factors, but I do know is it makes me incredibly sad. I wish this friend and anyone else in my immediate circle would just call me or get a cab or go to sleep in their car or walk or think clearly for one second – the very second that it takes to realize getting behind the wheel IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.
DWIs seems to be rampant in our area. I hear about them through my friends in law enforcement, a friend of a friend of someone who got arrested or even first hand from a few of my acquaintances. I guess this means law enforcement is doing a good job. I think it could be better. I don’t blame the law enforcement all together though. I think it is all of our jobs to encourage others to not drink and drive. It is your job, just as much as mine, to take keys away from a friend, make up excuses to stall them in their tracks or not drink ourselves so we can safely drive when going out. I plan on having this very conversation with each one of my friends in the country. This is when the city wins. Public transportation.
Watching Jackass star Bam Margera grieve over his dear friend brought tears to my eyes. I never ever want to be in his shoes. Ever.
Recklessness is a species of crime and should be so regarded on our streets and highways. ~ Marlen E. Pew
