Happy Winter Solstice

My sister has come to town for the holidays. We've had a wonderful visit so far (day 2). We hiked yesterday, walked on the beach today at sunset and are having a very merry, enjoyable time. It is my first non-Mele Kalikimaka and I'll be missing Maui and the rest of my fam--but in the meanwhile we're having a blast:

Jumping for joy:

Tightrope walking:

Some friendly fellows invited us to try out their equipment. It is great to remember that trying new things makes you feel alive.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Solstice, Kwanzaa or whatever makes you Merry!

Snow in SB

Winter is here!

Baby it's cold outside! 39 degree see-your-breath weather is dramatically cold for an island girl. I woke up to a tiny bit of snow(frost, ice?) on the mountains behind us. I am really enjoying it. This weather is a good excuse to wear pretty scarves, finally break out those coats I saved from my Oregon days, and to be cozy indoors. Plus, with the bit of rain we've had I don't need to water my garden.

52 Pieces: Art by Maui Girl Renee Coates

One of my dear friends from way back (say, age 10), Renee Coates is a talented artist with an ingenious blog called 52 Pieces. Each week, people can bid on new painting. Soon, we will also be able to do the same with high-quality prints of those gorgeous originals. I can't wait, since I am still mourning those originals I missed out on but now plan to write Santa for copies of. I know how hard it can be to write a single blog in one week--Renee pulls of posting a blog--and doing an original painting. Each. Week.

Her art covers all of my personal favorites--flowers, fish, fruit, cattle, beautiful faces. Those things that are ubiquitous and taken for granted while in the Hawaiian Islands. I especially appreciate seeing her art on my walls while residing in the mainland--it's like having a piece of home with me. Plus, if she was a talented artist in middle school you should see her now. My friends really make me proud.

May '08: Larissa from The Larissa Monologues, Katy Renee from 52 Pieces and me

Anyway, Katy--err Renee (childhood nicknames are hard habits to break) and her clever blog are being featured on blogs.com. And Renee has picked Emily October as one of her top ten favorite blogs! I am seriously flattered that my humble little hideout on the blogosphere is listed here. In my paranoia I haven't let any of many people in on this blog, nor have I made it searchable in search engines, and I have yet to comment on a single stranger's blog (called delurking right?). I think it is time I get over my stranger=danger phobia and become a more neighborly blogger. A writer is supposed to want an audience, right?

Sourdough Magic

My cousin Janna came down from San Francisco for Thanksgiving weekend. She brought me an exciting gift: a new pet. It came in the form of gloppy white paste in an old glass salsa jar: sourdough starter. It requires daily feedings of fresh flour/water combos if you allow it to incubate on your counter, in the refrigerator about once a week will do.

I have never made bread before that requires yeast...only quickbreads that call for baking soda or powder (and sometimes beer!). While making sourdough you skip the process of adding yeast as well—since it adds it itself from the air. Who knew yeast was floating around?

The starter froths in a jar into a consistency much like pancake batter. If all is good it gives of a yummy fermented smell like beer. Before you feed it it is important to remember to pour some out. You can always give away the babies... so your friends will have their own starter. I will be passing on this living gift to another friend tonight. I 'll add a ribbon to a recycled pickle jar—and I'll have an affordable gift that can keep on giving. 　　

On a side note, despite these times of fear and a plummeting economy, I appreciate how being thrifty/edging-toward-poverty is suddenly more socially acceptable.

The recipe I used for a basic loaf goes something like this (I've done it 3 times, so I've got it down)

Take two cups of starter (aka sponge) and add
1 tbsp of butter or olive oil
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Next you start mixing in, a half cup at a time:
3 cups of flour

After mixing in about half of this, you will need to knead the flour into the dough. This is the fun part! It's like wedging clay and is very therapeutic.

Once the bread is properly kneaded cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rise for an hour or more. You'll know it has risen enough when you poke it and the divet you make doesn't bounce back.

Knead it again...punching it down. Then shape it into a loaf, re-cover and let it rise again.

Now it is time to bake the bread! Do not preheat the oven—put it in and set it at 350 degrees. Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.

Voila: Sourdough bread

Delicious! Andrew thought so too:

We served it for dinner with a container of hummus—it did not last long.

Before making this I hadn't decided if I even liked sourdough very much. Through this process I felt connected to our ancestors, making such a simple food, seemingly from out of the air. Thank you Jan for sharing the latest from your test kitchen.

Hip and Happy

I have a new camera....finally! My camera of 5 years died last June and I have felt naked without one since. After talking to my sis Holly, who told me that in 10 years I'll remember the memories from the pictures not the concern for the cost, I went for it and got...

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ28

It's not as sleek as a pocket camera but light enough to lug around. I am loving the 18 x zoom and that it's a point and shoot. I feel like a paparazzi and have been sneaking pics of strangers from far distances only because I can. Notice how close we live to the mountains--as taken from our front door Thankgiving morn:


Other excitement: I won first prize in a raffle for taking an online survey about living in my community:

An ipod Classic 160

Now I can groove to 30 some thousand songs. Overnight I went from a girl way behind the times to a technological trend-setter. Woohoo. What did I tell you about me and contests? I really am lucky!

Pumpkin Eaters

One of my favorite thing about fall is the bounty of squash and pumpkins. I love their colors and sculptural design. The prices are generally amazing considering how much food can come from such a compact piece of fruit. I recently bought a pile of sugar pumpkins that were on clearance for $1 each.

In an attempt to clear some counter space, I've had several culinary adventures with pumpkin in the last few days. I begin by cutting the pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds and strings and baking it face down in a glass cake pan. I add an inch of water to the bottom of the pan so it sort of steams itself. I bake it at about 400 degrees and start checking it at after 45 minutes.

I made two versions of vegan PUMPKIN PIE. I am not vegan but I like flirting with the idea---and I like the challenge. Occasionally I will experiment with vegan recipes when I am out of eggs or milk products.

One version involves replacing the egg with a 1/4 cup cornstarch. I didn't have cornstarch so I used rice flour.

It turned out really well and though it was a hard pick, my boyfriend preferred it.

The other version calls for using 1/2 cup firm tofu as the firming agent. This version was smoother in texture and had slightly less pumpkin flavor. It also turned out yummy.

Not being a big fan of crust, and as a lazy chef, I made both of these crustless so they were more like custard squares.

In the end I un-veganized my creations by serving them with whipped cream. I shared pieces with several friends (not scaring them off with the vegan label) and they said they liked it.

I had some extra pumpkin pulp so I decided to make a quick soup for lunch with leftovers. I made THAI PUMPKIN SOUP. I sauteed some onions and celery in olive oil, throwing in some curry powder and salt. I blended the veggies with the pumpkin, and then tossed the concoction in a pot with about half a can of coconut milk. I added some lemongrass stalks from my garden, which I removed before serving it with fresh basil leaves. It was fabulous!
The final bonus to cooking with pumpkin? The seeds. I mix them with salt, pepper, and olive oil and brown them on the top shelf of the oven, again at around 400 degrees. With very little effort and waste you have an indulgent snack. You can easily roast the seeds of other squashes--such as acorn or butternut in the same manner.

Lemons, Limes, Pottery and Politics

I bought some watercress seeds--and I am already anticipating those pungent, under-celebrated greens in beautiful salads, and wilted with garlic. I found my way to my favorite gardening store Island Seed and Feed. It reminds me of the small town feed store I grew up going to in Makawao. It's complete with an old farm cat, hens, locally collected seeds, fresh honey, great organic veggie flats, and a folksy feel I love.

On November 4 I proudly wore my "I voted" sticker and was surprised when they gave me coffee on the house at Starbucks. I tend to avoid Starbucks due to their lack of free wireless but I am glad my need for caffeine led me there. I spent time writing and had a friendly conversation with an elderly fellow who retired here from Switzerland. Ｉ told him of my Swiss background (my Grandpa was from Switzerland) and he knew the family name. Then we talked plants and I took notes.

I really love California. It feels like a nation unto itself sometimes. I got to vote on some important propositions, namely:

Yes on 2: Improve the treatment of farmed animals. Give those poor chickens and piggies more room! I have been a vegetarian for the last 10 years (despite my occasional fish) mainly due to health and habit. In the past few years IＩhave grown to appreciate the environmental implications of my choices—but lately, only in the last year (I am embarrassed to admit,) has the concern for animals had anything to do for it. I think falling deeply in love with my family's tiny dogs had something to do with it. Lately it has felt like more of a spiritual choice. I do not need to take life to sustain life.　　

Good news: Prop 2 passed--but I am sorry Prop 8 did :-(

Other good news:
*I bought a dwarf lime tree. My Meyer Lemon tree has brought me (and the hummingbirds!) great pleasure. It burst with fragrant blossoms and is now displaying about 50 bead size lemons. There is something about watching a tree grow and change with the seasons. And I have the perfect view of these mini-trees from my kitchen window.

*I am LOVING ceramics. It was such a challenge to learn to center on the potter's wheel. I am not used to thing being so hard! I was so frustrated that I gave up for a few weeks and focused on hand building and molding. My exceedingly patient (and talented) boyfriend marched me into the studio last Friday and coached me on the wheel for 2 hours. By the end of the session I had made one honey-pot shaped symmetrical piece.

Evoking images of Ghost...

It was just what I needed. I went into another studio hour and whipped out two perfect bowls and a mini-mug (with added handle and all). It reminds me of learning to type or driving stick shift; that mind/body co-ordination that can be a challenge to get but once you "get it" it is yours to keep.

I recall each member of my immediate family trying to teach me stick-shift and giving up on me as a lost cause (including my younger siblings). I really thought I was hopeless--but then I got a boyfriend with a manual car I wanted to drive. Andrew really is a gifted teacher (others agree--you should read his students' feedback from the math course he taught at Portland Community College).

I haven't been a dedicated blogger in the last year, but I plan to be better (and bolder). It really is a great way to make sense of life. So, keep on checking—and I'll be back soon!