Archive for August, 2020
Okay, things are getting strange . . .
August 24, 2020
One of the commenters on You Tube said he was watching this video and, “When my mum walked in, I switched to porn because it was easier to explain than this.”
Where am I staying?
August 23, 2020
“Dust off those membership cards for a sleepover inside the world’s last BLOCKBUSTER,” the Airbnb listing reads. “When you call dibs on this stay, you’re booking a night back in the 90s, but this time you won’t have to beg your parents to rent the latest horror flick—we’ll give you the keys to the entire store!”
The Airbnb host and manager of the last Blockbuster store in Bend, Oregon is letting three groups of Blockbuster customers spend a night in the last remaining movie rental location in Bend, Oregon. These ‘90s-themed sleepovers will take place over three days, from Sept. 18 through 20, and those who partake will be given the keys to the store and have free rein to watch any classic flick of their choosing.
Why am I saying, “Bon appetit?”
August 15, 2020Today is Julia Child’s birthday and I think it deserves remembering.
Theses are some of my favorite quotes from Julia:
The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.
You are the butter to my bread, and the breath to my life.
A party without cake is just a meeting.
And speaking of cake here is a recipe for a cake worthy of Julia’s birthday:
Reine De Saba (or Queen of Sheba) Chocolate and Almond Cake
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1
Serves 6 to 8 people
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour a round 8-inch cake pan. Set 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and 2 tbsp. rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and place in a larger pan of almost simmering water; let melt while you proceed with the recipe.
3. In a mixing bowl, with a wooden spoon or electric beater, cream 1 soft stick butter and 2/3 cup granulated sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture.
4. Beat in 3 egg yolks until well blended.
5. Beat 3 egg whites and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle on 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
6. With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in 1/3 cup pulverized almonds, and 1/4 tsp. almond extract. Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. Fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of 1/2 cup sifted cake flour and continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all are incorporated.
7. Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 25 minutes.
8. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake onto a cake rack. Allow it to cool for an hour or two.
To serve, use the chocolate-butter icing, and press a design of almonds over the icing.
Bon appetit!
A botanical interlude for Thursday
August 13, 2020I don’t won’t garden, but I found the art work in this video quite appealing (and I love the bees).
Time capsule cat
August 12, 2020“Earlier this year, photographer Mathieu Stern discovered a time capsule dating back to the early 1900s in his family home. The 120-year-old box held a little girl’s cherished possessions, including a paper doll, seashell, and two glass plate negatives. Stern decided to develop the photographs using Cyanotype, one of the earliest printing processes that was prevalent well into the 20th century, and revealed images of the child’s pets. The photographer chronicled the entire endeavor in a video, which you can find on his YouTube and Instagram.”
The more things change . . .
August 7, 2020
. . . but I think that one about the Brussels sprouts is really true.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 