On the road...

"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase, it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau 

There are just thirty five stitches for the needles to work, for the yarn to meander in and out and keep my itchy fingers busy when I'm in the passenger seat. I'm knitting another simple garter stitch scarf. This time in Icelandic Lopi yarn to match Ahmad's Cobblestone Pullover. Perfect timing for Hannah's invitation to help with the move, basement to attic. From up on the hill, down to the creative Bohemian quarter. 

When there wasn't enough room in the car for bookcases and me, I happily inhabited a big comfy armchair and borrowed a copy of Walden from the bookcase. What with Thoreau, knitting, ginger beer and Swedish ginger biscuits it felt like the butterfly was comfortably perched on my shoulder. 

We even had time for a lunch at my favourite friendly Bristolian. 

I don't have a recipe for crunchy Danish ginger biscuits but this is an old family recipe for fairings which are traditional Cornish ginger biscuits. They are named after the edible treats that were traditionally sold at English fairs:-

Ginger Fairings

Ingredients:

• 6oz of Self Raising flour
• 3oz of golden caster sugar
• 2tsp of ground ginger
• 4oz of butter
• 1tbs of syrup
• A pinch of bicarbonate of soda

Method:

1. Prepare a baking try by oiling and preheat the oven to 275-300c/140-150f
2. Melt the butter and syrup in a saucepan
3. Sieve the dry ingredients into the melted butter and mix well.
4. Roll  teaspoons full of the mixture in the palms of your hands to make little balls.
5. Place on the baking tray and cook for 15 to 20 minutes using the bottom shelves in the oven.

joining ginny and nicole...
...coming?

debx

yarn along - Free Mittens for Mum Pattern - Erika Knight

"Pappy and my father sat side by side on the swing, it's rusted chains squeaking as they rocked gently. Gran and my mother shelled butter beans and peas on the other side of the old porch. I was lounging on the top step, within earshot of the radio...waiting with the adults for the heat to finally relent. I missed the steady hum of the old fan..." The Painted House, John Grisham

Well my sock plan went a bit topsy turvey. I'd packed the yarn away. All the projects I was working on squashed into my old well travelled leather suitcase, ready for a long weekend in London. Twice as much yarn as clothes. Imagine all the knitting I'd be able to do away from home, with no decorating to even think about. I might even be able to squeeze in a visit to Liberty or Portobello road, or (with a slight ulterior motive) to my sister who lives a stones throw from this amazing yarn shop. 

Then it happened again. The first day in London, I came down with the flu or some horrible virus and I couldn't do a thing. I tried and kept knitting. But I unravelled as many rows as I knitted. Sitting curled up on the sofa in my sister-in-law's flat with a pounding head and a barking cough, a mug of lemon and honey close at hand, I kept making mistakes and the yarn was dark and the needles tiny. I couldn't see when I dropped a stitch. Eventually after I dropped one too many, I gave up and resorted to plan B and bought socks. I'm so sorry I didn't manage to make them but my brain was a bit addled with the germs and I couldn't get my head round the wrap and turn again...I don't know where that sudden aversion has come from...It's also stopped me finishing Ahmad's Cobblestone sweater...I really need to get a grip of myself.  I've made tons of those socks before...Really deb...Get a hold, and pull your socks up!

For now, it's easy peasy baby steps. I'm making simple fingerless mitts using a lovely free pattern by Erika Knight. They are made in the softest Blue Faced Leicester wool. They take two sweet little 25g balls. Hopefully they are the first of a number of stocking fillers. This pair a long overdue gift. It took me ages to decide on the colour. I did quite a bit of cyber stalking. Checking instagram photos to try and decide. Would my long distance friend favour grey or blue, maybe bright red or orange. Not a clue. Maybe 'milk' a subtle winter white, but it was out of stock. Finally I fell across the perfect colour. It was all in the name. 'Gift' a pale honey colour. 

I'm still on the porch in Arkansas when it comes to books. It's a slow read so far but I know that will change very soon, so I keep on reading. 

I'm joining ginny and nicole this week,
coming?

Golden days...

My needles are flying again. This Annabel pullover seems to be magically growing.  The Blue Faced Leicester yarn is amazingly soft and comes in lovely shades. The Gold reminds me of the golden wheat fields down the lane and my favourite Elan Valley. The pattern is so simple that I can knit on the go. I don't want to put it down, and find any excuse not to. 

Maybe it's because I had a bit of a brain freeze with the Cobblestone Pullover...My fault, not the pattern (it's an easy one too). I just had a minor wobbly when it came to the wrap and turn. Or maybe because the Icelandic lopi yarn, which I love as well, isn't quite as soft as this. This seems like a dream to work with. 

This will be the second Annabel sweater that I've knitted. I made the last one with linen yarn. I've decided to make it a few inches longer than the pattern. I cast off the body but left the yarn attached so that I could try it on. It's still a little shorter than I want, and as it's a boxy pullover I've decided to increase it at the sides to fit snuggly over the top of my hips and prevent it riding up at the back. That's the plan anyway, I'll put the notes on ravelry if I manage to do it.

I feel guilty knitting in the daytime when there's lots of work to do. But the bread is rising in the pantry and the washing spinning in the machine and and I have to do something while I'm waiting don't I? Just a couple more rows... I told, you...I can't put it down...

Reading: I'm still in the cotton fields with A Painted House: John Grisham
knitting: Annabel Pullover: Carrie Bostock Hoge
My ravelry page
My spelt bread recipe, made without the seeds this time

The bread is ready now...decisions, decisions...More knitting or freshly baked bread with my favourite Oxford Marmalade...

...maybe a bit of both...


I'm joining Ginny and  Nicole,
...are you coming too?
dx

Weekend :: Christmas Knits and Cosy comfort food :: Chicken pot pie

"  ...The chill creeps in, 
    whispers suggestions: 
    it's time to go in..."            
Hannah Emadian, 2015, Descending Days : A Separate World.

A cosy autumn weekend, a copy of  an earlier one. It felt like Christmas, knitting first stocking fillers, using fun yarn from here for someone who can't wear wool. Old fashioned land army girl style mittens attached with string. I'm using this simple pattern. But there will be pompoms. Ahmad and Hannah were like bookends, one reading, one writing. I dawdled but eventually finished reading my comfy Inspector Gamache murder mystery. Then picked up John Grisham's, A Painted House and burrowed into 1950's rural Arkansas cotton picking.

We wrapped up for autumn walks and came home with vintage finds. Hungry for Chicken pot pie, apple strudel and the first fire of the season. We celebrated another first, Hannah's first published article; a review of an art installation in Bristol. Then chilled with Nina Simone and Bach. The soundtrack for a relaxed weekend, punctuated by conversation, Scandinavian Murder, and a collaboration stitched together by musical souls. Try to catch this if you can (the whole episode four not just this trailer) It will melt your heart...Yey for Agnes...she's awesome...(Hannah too...)

Chicken pot pie

Equipment:

• Heavy based saucepan
• Four small, or one large oven proof pie dishes
• Wooden spoon
• Brush, to egg-wash the pie
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife
• Sieve or sifter
• Baking bowl
• Baking tray

Ingredients for four people:
Filling:

• Four chicken portions with the skin removed
• Two smallish leeks,peeled washed well, and finely sliced
• Four banana shallots, peeled and cut into pieces
• One clove of garlic, peeled and crushed or chopped finely
• Two carrots, washed and finely sliced
• Four small waxy potatoes, washed and cut into 1cm slices
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Fresh herbs of choice. I used rosemary and thyme. Sage works well with chicken too.
• About a litre of hot stock 
• Olive oil or alternative 

For the pie crust:

• Six ounces of strong flour (or favourite) plus a little extra for rolling out
• One teaspoon of fine sea salt
• Three ounces of chilled butter or non-dairy alternative
• One beaten egg, plus a little milk

Method:

1. Pour a little olive oil into a heavy bottom pan. Heat up the oil and then add the chicken portions, browning slightly. Take them out and reserve for a little later.
2. Place the sliced leeks into the pan and soften.
3. Add the shallots and cook a little further. 
4. Add the sliced carrots and do the same. 
5. Return the chicken to the pan along with the herbs and potatoes and season. Taking into account how salty the stock is.
6. Pour over the stock. Turn up the heat to ensure the stock is bubbling and then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables and chicken are tender and the stock has reduced to a thick and tasty gravy. This should take about thirty to forty minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and leave to cool whilst making the pastry.

Make the pie crust:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl.
2. Cut up the chilled butter and fold it into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the salt if using and stir well.
4. Add most of the egg and combine the crumb mixture until it forms a soft but firm dough. Form this into a rough ball shape and wrap in baking parchment. Chill in the fridge for half an hour or so. 
5. When ready to make the pie heat up the oven to 180/200c 
6. Dust your work surface with a little flour and rolling pin and cut the dough ball into quarters.
7. Form each quarter into a rough ball/egg shape depending on the dish and roll until a couple of centimetres (about an inch)larger. Wet the lip of the dish with a little of the egg/milk mixture and then carefully place the pastry over the dish. Press the edges firmly. Cut any excess and decorate if you like.
8. Paint with the egg wash. 
9. Do the same for all four pies. Place on a baking sheet and place in the middle of the oven.
10. Cook for about twenty minutes to half an hour until the pastry is golden brown and the contents piping hot. 

Lovely served with lots of seasonal greens or Hannah's colourful coleslaw that she makes for us. Perfect comfort tray food to eat in front of the fire after a bit of autumnal exploration.

Hannah's colourful coleslaw

Ingredients:

• About a quarter of a medium sized red cabbage
• About the same amount of white cabbage
• Half a red onion
• Two medium sized carrots
• One green apple
• A little mayonnaise
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Shred all cabbage very finely.
2. Slice the onion as finely as possible.
3. Grate the green apple and carrot.
4. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl
5. Season lightly.
6. Put a couple of blobs of mayonnaise on top and dress the salad. You may like to add a little natural yoghurt with the mayonnaise for a slightly lighter dressing. 

I'm linking here and here today...
and to my ravelry page

cosy days...
dx