Pots and Pins

Root Beer Tasting...2018

All root beer is not created equal.  Not by a long shot, and that's what our family has set out to prove every year since 2012, one shot at a time.  Last week we had our 7th annual root beer tasting night and it will go down in the annals of our history, if not our bowels, as one of the worst tastings we've had!  We had one clear winner and it wasn't even really a root beer, more of a cream soda!  So as a way of public service, I'm going to share the root beers we have tried over the last 4 years, (I failed to keep records before then!)  The stars mean we liked them, and the x's mean we would never let it touch our lips again...unfortunately we were not really great at taking notes on each root beer...too much laughter, spitting out and burping for that (not moi, mind you, but the men-folk have no trouble burping their thoughts after each sip!)  There are hundreds of different flavors of root beer - we usually sample about 8 to 10 at a time, so at that rate, it will take us 30 years to taste them all!

2018 Root beers:

Barrell Brothers Creamy Vanilla -  ***

Mason Root Beer - xxx

Triple XXX (that's the name) - xxx

Chicago Draft Style - *

Brownie Caramel Cream - xxx

St. John's Brewer Virgin Islands Root beer - xx

Waialua First Hawaiian Quality - xxx

Even though we try not to repeat brands, we do.  We get in the store and completely forget to look at our list of our previous purchases!  We are easily influenced by the name and the label!  We do ask the root beer "experts" what they recommend but usually they are root beers that are super spicy or hot...not our cup of tea beer! 

2017 Root beers:

Batch Brown Sugar Root beer - xx

Berghoff Root beer - *

Bear Wizz - *

Moms Root beer - xx

Foxon Park Root beer - xx

Mason Keg Brewed - xx

Rollies Root beer - *

A & W Diet Root beer - *

Dads Root beer - xx

Dads Cream Soda - **

This is my dear ol' Dad from 2012 - taken at the Root beer Store that used to be in Redmond.  Dad loves root beer - even used to make his own back in the day!  So you see, the root beer gene was passed down to me from dad...that and my ability to wield a hammer!  I didn't get his Engineer brain, however, but I'm happy to have his love of root beer - seems like a good trade off to me!

2016 Root beers:

Anchor Ginger Root beer - xx

Salted Caramel Root beer - *

Moose Wizz - xx

Frostie Vanilla Root beer - *

Dry Root beer - xx

Red Arrow Root beer - *

Bulldog Root beer - xx

Fitz's Root beer - **

IBC Root beer - **

AJ Stephens Cane Sugar Root beer - *

2015 - Root beers:

Dog and Suds - *

Brownie Caramel - xx

Dads Root beer - xx

The Root beer Company Root beer - **

Pop Shoppe Root beer - xx

Ozark Mountain Root beer - **

Bulldog Root beer - xx

Dougie Dog Root beer - xx

Peanut Butter Root beer - x

Butterscotch Flying Cauldron Root beer - **

Frost Top Root beer - **

Here's the skinny on what we do...Weather permitting we have our tasting out on our deck so we can toss the root beer we don't like down on our unsuspecting plants below.  If the weather doesn't allow, we put a big bowl in the center of the table and we dump the horrid-scrap-it-off-our-tongue-make-it-stop-root beer that's left in our glasses into the bowl.  We use little glasses, think shot-glass size.  We pour about a tablespoon of root beer into each glass and we sip and swirl, ala wine sommelier, and then give our opinions...everything from "Ewwww gross, it tastes like a candle!"  to "Yummmm, pour me another shot!"  At the end of our fun we are left with half-full bottles of root beer.  We usually offer them to the neighbor's kids...they don't save and since we don't drink from the bottles no one will get our cooties!  Root beer is filling...the bloat is real...so if you do this, pace yourselves!  And remember to serve it chilled!!

If you don't have a root beer store near you (the closest one to us now is in Lynnwood) you can always order it online! 

 

Quilt Group Friday...

There are two kinds of quilters...those who actually make quilts and those who just think about making quilts.  I used to belong to the first group but now I belong to the latter.  Life just keeps slapping me around - so I'd like to go on the record right now, it's time for a four day work week!!!  That would free up some time for me to at least pet my fabric, or maybe talk to my stack of tops or maybe it might even get me some time with my first love...my sewing machine!  Dare I hope?!?  In the meantime, here's what my friends have been up to!

Jenny hosted us and it was also her turn to teach us something new - she showed us how she makes her felted wool mittens.  Jenny bought a pattern (Madawaska Mittens), made a few visits to the local Goodwill/Value Village, where she purchased very inexpensive wool sweaters, and then she felted them by washing and drying.  Her mittens are easy to make and super warm and seriously cute - plus they are cheap to make!  (I'm going to make ten pairs.  I'm publicly stating my mittens goal, which I'm told will help me achieve it...as if!)

I can see it now, but from my vantage point across the room, this block looked like a boat to me!  Of course it's Australia...you see it, right?  And that little pink bottom piece is Tazmania...like 25 people live there, or so I'm told.  Kareena made this block and she's not sure what she's going to do with it - maybe keep going and make some kind of Aussie quilt?  Maybe just a pillow?  Time will tell!  This block was paper-pieced...or as someone in our group, who shall remain nameless, once said, paper-pissed...most in our little group are not fans of paper-piecing but we do admire those who are!

Stephanie brought these two finished pieces of "art" for us to see.  Her 87 or 88 or 89 year old friend made them - doesn't really matter how old she is, but isn't it great that she is still making/designing/quilting???  That's the toe of my shoe in the first picture - just to give you an idea of how small those little hexagons are!  It's actually 10 x 10-inches...mind-boggling.  And the triangles are equally as small!  Both of these pieces are absolute perfection, and hand-stitched. 

Just take a minute and look at those little tiny stitches...pretty amazing.  No doubt this piece was made from scraps, that would have definitely been in the trash in my work room, but now they are part of this beautiful art - kind of speaks volumes, no?  One man's trash is another man's treasure...and speaking of trash...

This is Stephanie's "scrap/trash" quilt. (Those are Helen's hands!  I didn't realize they snuck into the picture!)  Stephanie rescued those little bits of black and white fabrics and turned them into this beautiful quilt.  Stephanie is the Queen when it comes to using itty-bitty pieces of fabric.  I love that she used those mustard-colored fabrics - this would look so great in my house!  (I have nothing in those colors but still it would look great!)

Last month our group hosted Sujata Shah for a lecture.  Sujata is a fabulous quilter, author, and all around fabric artiste!  Plus she is beautiful and has the most delightful accent!  Sujata showed us her quilts and talked about what influences her - mostly her upbringing in India.  I will share pictures of Sujata's quilts and my notes from her lecture in another post - her quilts are amazing!  If you don't want to wait for that, check out Sujata by clicking here.  Pictured above is one of Helen's quilts, made in 2004.  (Helen knows exactly when it was made because she put a label on it!  She labels all of her quilts - and so should we all!) 

Helen, still thinking about our time last month with Sujata, told us who influenced her:  Her mom was her first influencer - she sewed her clothes.  Helen was next influenced when she attended 4-H and learned to sew herself.  The quilt pictured above is one of Sujata's patterns, made in 2005.

Helen then attended college and studied clothing and textiles, where she remembers thinking, "I'm not sure this is for me!"  She pretty much hated it because her course was all about perfection - using templates, that sort of thing, and we all know templates are of the devil!  But still, her college time influenced her.  When Helen met Sujata, back in the early 2000's, Sujata had a profound influence on Helen and her use of colors.  You might even say Sujata helped Helen find her voice.  The quilt above is made with Kaffe fabrics, the saturation of color, with little pops here and there is what makes this quilt so wonderful.  This quilt was made in 2005.   

 

Helen found her voice and then some!  Everyone in our group can immediately spot a "Helen Quilt" - her quilts are beautifully pieced with simple designs that let the fabrics shine.  They are all colorful yet each one of Helen's quilts is unique.  And how can that be when they are all Helen quilts?  Well, I'd say they are all variations on a theme.   This quilt, made in 2005, is one of the quilts featured in Sujata's book, Cultural Fusion.   Helen challenged us to find our voice.  I loved hearing about Helen's influencers - loved seeing her quilts - loved thinking about who has influenced me over the years and Helen is definitely on that list!  I've never met a quilt I didn't like so I'm not sure what my quilting voice is...but I'm going to try to find it!  Thanks Helen, your influence has definitely been felt in our group!

When this quilt was being unfolded I thought it was a summer quilt with watermelon on it - see those little black dots?  Watermelon?  Turns out it's a Christmas quilt!  Barbara found this panel and she turned it into an adorable quilt.  Barbara even quilted this herself on her new Bernina long-neck machine!  Way to go Barbara and congrats on the new baby/machine!

Terry has been crazy busy quilting!!!  She has been going like a mad-woman finishing up old tops - and this is one of them.  The colors of this quilt might date it a bit but I love it...still sweet and cozy looking!  When Helen was talking about finding our voice - Terry said, "I think I'm my own orchestra!"  However, we all poo-poohed that notion because we all know a "Terry Quilt" when we see it!  A Terry quilt is one that is perfectly pieced and quilted...and it's even on all sides.  (Something that I think is over-rated!  Ask any chiropractor, he will say one of our legs is longer than the other...so shouldn't our quilts be a 1/2-inch longer in places so it matches our legs???)  Terry and I have very little in common in the quilting arena - she's a perfect piecer and a perfect quilter and her quilts are perfectly beautiful!  Sadly, I am not a pur-feck-shun-ist...or whatever that word is!

Terry made two of these dress doll panels - so, so cute!  I have a panel - have had it for about two years now - have every intention of getting it sewn together for my grand-daughter before she graduates high school!  She's 6, so I've still got time!  Love the fabrics Terry!  Can you see how Terry can make even a panel quilt perfect?!?

Hi Marsha!  Looks like she's napping behind the quilt but she was probably just taking a moment to breath from all of the exciting quilts we saw!  This is another quilt made by Terry.  Last month Diane showed us a video from Missouri Star Quilting Company on how to make this quilt - and this month Terry brings in the finished quilt!  That's called NOT being lost in Translation!  You can find the link to that tutorial by clicking here.  Just so you know, this is a quick quilt to make, so you still have time to get one whipped out before July 4th rolls around!

Terry also finished up this Christmas quilt.  It's pretty cute and even though it might be hard to tell in this picture, the reds are not really red, but kind of orange-red which makes this quilt different and fun!  We do love circle quilts in our group - might be time for me to make another one...tick-tock, one day!

I think the hands just add to this picture, no?  I either have time to post or time to edit pictures - don't have time for both!  I loved seeing all of Terry's quilts - loved them all - but this quilt tickled me!!!  Those blocks are from a group project years ago - our ugly quilt block project!  And we all agreed all ugly blocks go together!  I LOVE this quilt - as in really, really love it!  I have one just like it and my ugly quilt is one of my very favorites because it's just yummy, in the most quilt-a-licious way!  I recognize the blocks I made - they are the bright green and brown blocks...hideous, but they all work together! 

Terry is showing us her mad-quilting skills!  She is quilting Kareena's crow quilt - it's still in the works because now Terry is going to quilt barbed wire into the quilt and she wanted to get Kareena's opinion on what's coming next.  This quilt is  H U G E !!!   I think we all said that when she began unfolding it!   I'm looking forward to seeing Terry's magic on this one!  Stay tuned!

This beautiful piece of patchwork was made by Terry's grandmother.  It's made with shirting fabrics and is all hand-pieced.  Terry told us this top was long and narrow so she took it apart and reworked it so it was a more desired shape.  Terry asked our opinions on how to finish this top...we all had one...I said I would put a large 8-inch floral border around this and my words hung in the air...I'm not saying it's the best option or even a good one, I'm just saying that's what I would do...of course then I would regret it forever and ever but there you have it!  Terry will do the right thing, the "Terry thing" and it will be wonderful...and I will try to live and learn!!!

This is an action shot!  Wow, I never cease to amaze myself at my photographic abilities!  This is another one from Terry...how did she do all of this???  This is made with Dr. Seuss fabrics - so fun!  Her grandkids will love this - and it's one of two!

Maybe Stephanie's hand...maybe Kareena's...nice ring!  Here's the other Dr. Seuss Christmas quilt - and notice the names on those present blocks!!!  That's all Terry!!  That's what Terry does best - she puts in little surprises...that's a Terry quilt right there! 

One last quilt from Terry - any Harry Potter fan would LOVE this!  Thanks for the show Terry, now get back into your work room and get busy so we can have another Terry show next month!  That's it kids - scroll up and down a few more times and enjoy the show - it was a doozie!  Thanks Jenny for hosting us and for the yummy lunch! 

 

 

 

 

Crispy Spaghetti Pie...

Most days when I wake up and I can always find something to laugh about.  Today, not so much.  My little dog, Rosie Ann Marie, left me a little "present" in the family room, not funny.  The mister decided to have a late night snack and left all of the food out on the counter over night, not funny.  The boy decided to do his laundry so he piled it in the laundry room and left for work, not funny.  And to top it all off...my jeans don't fit, SO not funny.  I cleaned up Rosie's gift, cleaned up the mister's mess, started on the boy's laundry and said a prayer of thanks for yoga pants, jeans -schmeans! 

 

Crispy Spaghetti Pie could possibly be one of the reasons why my jeans don't fit...I enjoyed this so very much, one hand-held-wedge-at-a-time, dipping it into sauce, biting through the crispy outside into the creamy, chewy inside...served hot or room temperature, it's party food with or without the party.

I saw this in the New York Times Cooking section; they called it Pasta Tahdig.  Tahdig usually refers to crispy/scorched rice, a Persian dish that sounds equally as good to me as Pasta Tahdig.  But I renamed the NYT recipes because I'm never going to remember the word Tahdig, while I'll never forget Pie!!  I also added eggs to this recipe, because it needed help sticking together - I didn't want to have to enjoy this with a fork, although I did, because it's so much more fun to just pick up a slice and eat it like pizza, without folding it, of course!

 

In the picture above I'm trying to show you the hot oil bubbling up around the sides of the pan because you need the sides of this pie to be crispy, too, so don't be afraid to add more oil to the pan, it all will get taken care with paper towels before you dig in!

It occurs to me that this pie would make the perfect picnic food!  Picnics are fun - so is this pie.  You'll notice I didn't do such a good job of sopping up the excess oil, I was too busy eating.

This pie holds it shape beautifully and you really don't need sauce because this is good enough to eat just as it is but dipping it into sauce, well, who could blame us?  It just seemed right.  Use whatever your favorite jarred sauce is, marinara works great, it doesn't take anything away from the pie itself.  Spaghetti purists like the mister will not be amused, they'll want spaghetti served the usual way but even the mister,  "Why can't a guy just get a regular plate of spaghetti?!!?"  Yes, even the mister, after a good 5 minutes of winching, came around, they all will, because this is dang different and dang good.

Crispy Spaghetti Pie - Adapted From The New York Times Cooking, by Samin Nosrat

1 lb. regular or thin spaghetti

extra-virgin olive oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 jar of favorite marinara/spaghetti sauce for dipping, optional

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, just until al dente, firm to the bite.  Drain but don't rinse.  Return pasta to the pot.  In a small bowl, combine eggs and red pepper flakes, beat with a fork.  Pour egg mixture over hot pasta and using tongs, mix to incorporate eggs.  Add Parmesan cheese and toss with tongs to mix well.  In a large cast-iron skillet, add about 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium heat until it is hot.  Pile in the pasta and pat it down evenly into the pan.  It will look like it won't fit but continue to push it down and it will condense as it cooks.  Turn heat down to medium-low and continue cooking, adding a little oil as needed until you can see it gently bubbling up the sides of the pan, which will ensure that the edges are brown.  Cook about 10 to 12 minutes and then using a spatula lift up the pie to see if it's browned and crispy enough.  If not, give it more time.  If it's evenly browned, carefully flip the pan out onto a plate then slide the pie back into the pan and cook the other side until crispy and browned, about another 10 minutes.   When done, remove to a plate, wipe up any excess oil with a paper towel.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serves 6 to 8.