Awhile back, I read this book. A lot of people read it, actually. I'm not going to lie, most people read it because of its name. And I'm not going to lie, it drew me in, too.
But anybody can write a book with a clever name. And a great many people could write a great book with a clever name.
But for people to deny this book its accolades because of a minor gripe they have with it is absurdist thinking. The art in this book is beautiful. I'm not going to spoil it and post a bunch of pictures, so you get just the one (and that is a crop, too, that is a small part of a two-page spread. You should buy this book to see the rest. It may not be the best to read to your child, but you can always read it to your significant other if the night is going as planned. It should brighten things up a tad.
Or you could give it as a gift to a newly preggers person with a sense of humor. Despite what you may read, I don't think this is a book for hipsters; I think it's a book for everyone. Well, everyone who has had, or is having, kids.
If all else fails, you could listen to the one and only Samuel L. Jackson narrate it:
There is something uniquely magical about doughnuts. I don't get doughnuts often, since they're not exactly the healthiest thing for you, but any time I wander my way into a Dunkin' Donuts, I am drawn to Boston Creme.
I've long wanted to make my own, for many reasons, but mainly because doughnuts are absolutely friggin' delicious. Also, I think doughnuts runs in every New Englanders veins, much like that of maple syrup in that of those in Vermont. No wonder Bernie Sanders is so awesome.
For Christmas, I received Flour, which is the eponymous cookbook put out by the restaurant (Flour, obviously).
In the cookbook was a recipe for doughnuts. Aside from eclairs, this is the recipe I felt I needed to make as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I lacked a few important items. First, I had no round cutters, which is kind of important when you're making doughnuts which are, you know, round. And as for eclairs, I also did not have any kind of piping tools. Now, I have both, so I am certainly looking forward to making some eclairs, like, now.
Making doughnuts is surprisingly easy, though it does require a few things.
First, you are going to need ingredients, obviously. These are all standard baking stuffs, so I wouldn't worry too much. Flour, butter, milk, eggs, and the like. If you bake, you most certainly have what you need.
As far as tools, you'll need a way to roll out dough. Either a French rolling pin or a standard. I like the aesthetics of a french pin, but I make do with a regular old rolling pin.
You'll also be needing a way to cut the doughnuts. You can either use round cookie cutters, or a special doughnut cutter. Personally, I'm happy with my round cookie cutters. They come in various sizes from about 3/4 of an inch to three-and-a-half inches. I like that they are multipurpose, whereas doughnut cutters really only serve to, well, cut out doughnuts. The choice is yours.
Since doughnuts are fried (yes, there are also baked cake doughnuts, but those are different), you're going to need a way to fry them. You can either use a deep fryer, if you have one, or a heavy pot.
The benefits to a fryer, is temperature control. Since they have a temperature dial on them, you can maintain a regular temperature. But, the downside is that you may not be able to fit as many doughnuts in. I could fit only two at best in mine.
Heavy stock pots, like Le Creuset, Staub, or Lodge will also work fabulously. Obviously these are expensive, but they can be used for so many different things. Besides, they look good. Fryers aren't exact;y the most beautiful kitchen artifacts. This method, is a bit trickier, though since you have no temperature dials. You can use an oil/candy thermometer, or throw in a dash of flour into the oil. When it sizzles, your oil is ready.
The nice thing about making your own goodies is that you know what goes into them, and that you don't have to waste anything. The "holes" can become little munchkins or donettes. Even the scraps can be recycled into new dough for new doughnuts. There wasn't a single scrap of dough that went to waste. which was nice. I ended up with nine doughnuts, and countless doughnut holes, which are a good snack. The nice thing about the doughnut holes is that they tend to turn themselves over when the other half needs to be fried. Not many foods cook themselves. How awesome are doughnuts?
We made some doughnuts plain, some were coated with sugar, and some were coated with cinnamon sugar-- probably one of the tastiest combinations you can imagine.
The recipe takes about two days. The first day is just making the dough. This takes maybe ten to fifteen minutes. Wrapping up the dough to let it rest and retard overnight is all you have to do afterwards. The next day, you just take the dough out, cut out the doughnuts, and let it rest for a couple hours in a warm spot. Next, you get to frying, doing each side for two to three minutes. Doughnut holes may take a bit less time.
Recipe for Doughnuts, from Flour, very ever-so-slightly altered. (By the way, this cookbook is awesome, I can't recommend it enough)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 package)
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature. I used skim since it's all we had.
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour. I like King Arthur Flour
1 1/3 cup sugar (1/3 for the recipe, 1 cup for the coating)
2 tsp kosher salt (If using table salt, use half this amount since it is finer.)
3 eggs (large)
7 tablespoons of butter, at room temperature, cut into eight or so pieces.
Canola Oil (for frying, you'll need enough to fill your pot/fryer with 3 inches of oil. Think half-gallon)
Directions:
- In a stand mixer (or a hand mixer), combine the milk and yeast, stirring briefly, letting it stand for a minute to dissolve.
- Add the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and eggs and mix on low speed for about a minute (or until the dough comes together).
- Continue mixing on low speed for another two to three minutes to develop the dough further, and begin adding the hunks of butter one or two at a time until the butter is fully incorporated, and the dough is soft and cohesive. This should take about five minutes or so.
- Remove the dough from the bowl (a spatula or dough scraper works well) and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least six hours, though overnight works well if you are doing this at night.
Day 2
- Lightly flour a baking sheet or two, and flour your work surface well. You don't want the dough sticking to your counter, right?
- Roll the dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick. This will be about a square foot, but if yours is more rectangular shaped than square, don't feel so bad.
- Using your doughnut cutters, cut out the doughnuts and place them on the baking sheet. Make sure the holes are close to the center. I don't think asymmetrical doughnuts qualify as modern art. Also, feel free to experiment with different sized cutters for smaller or larger doughnuts. When you run out of space to cut doughnuts, roll it back into a somewhat singular form and recut. You'll probably be able to get another doughnut or so out of the scraps. Or you could throw those scraps away, but think of the starving children when you do it, you bastard.
- Cover your doughnuts with plastic wrap (loosely, but so no air gets in) and place them in a warm area to rise for two to three hours. They should double in size and be slightly springy to the touch. Think poufy.
- After this agonizing wait, line a tray, baking sheet, or in my case a pizza pan with paper towels. Unless you like oily doughnuts, then by all means...
- Fill your fryer according to its directions, or a heavy saucepan to a depth of three inches and heat on medium-high heat. You want the oil at 350 degrees, so if you have a candy thermometer now is a good time to use it, just be careful. If you do not have a thermometer, toss a few flecks of flour into the oil. If it sizzles like a little boy doing a jig at a wedding, your oil is ready.
- Slowly place the doughnuts into the oil, one or two at a time. Fry each side for two to three minutes until brown (flipping carefully after the first side finishes).
- Don't dump anything into hot oil. You really don't want to burn yourself. You want to enjoy the doughnuts, right? Also, don't crowd the doughnuts, they won't fry as well, and we want these suckers perfect, don't we?
- Using a slotted spoon, or a wire mesh-like spoon thing, slowly extract the doughnuts from the oil and place them on the paper towels. I'd avoid using plastic utensils, since they could very possibly melt, and plastic doughnuts, while tantalizing, do not say "yummy" to me. I used metal tongs, since we don't have a slotted spoon or anything.
- While you wait for this magic to happen, fill a bowl with the one cup of sugar, or cinnamon sugar, or anything else you want to coat them with.
- Once cool enough to handle, toss the doughnuts in the sugar, cinnamon sugar, etc until coated to your liking. Some may like the completely embedded in sugar look, while other may prefer a light dusting, so coat to taste. I find that the munchkin doughnut holes are a good test for this.
- Set the coated doughnuts to cool on the paper towels for half an hour or so. You don't want to eat them when they are overly hot or when they are slightly doughy, so just be patient. Don't worry, it's worth it.
- If you are impatient, feel free to snack on some munchkins while you fry up the rest of the doughnuts. These seem to take less time to cool.
- Enjoy!
For the record, you want the oil at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
I've been instructed specifically not to blog about the origins of Valentines Day by my other half. There will be no rant about how Valentines Day is a "hallmark holiday" or how it really caters to women, and in a way sort of forces men to do something for their women today. There will be no mention of the executions of two men named Valentine, both on February 14th of different years. Nor will I delve into their canonizations.
Nope. Not gonna do it. And not just because the wife said so. Truth is, it's kind of depressing to think about all that on a day that's supposed to be happy (and hopefully stress-free).
A lot of people buy things on Valentine's Day, and you have to wonder why? Not "why do they do it" why, why why this day? Do flowers and a card mean more today than some other day? Is Valentine's really a holiday that caters to women and only to them? Is Valentine's a day for a guy to behave so he gets rewarded by his lady (or man)? I don't really think so.
Speaking of which, here is mine. I hope she doesn't get too upset with me over this. ; )
How can one not love this girl?
I don't think that Valentine's, at it's core, meant to become what it is today. I think we made it that way.
No one says you have to give someone a Hallmark card. No one said you have to give anyone flowers, or massages, or anything else. Who says today requires a romantic dinner? What makes it special today? To me, I think it is less special.
The best part about romantic dinners is that they are usually a surprise. They are special because, for all you know, you are the only two people doing it at that very moment. Chances are you are not, but you can believe it to be so.
But on Valentine's Day? Being special, being different is what I think makes a day memorable. You can (and should) shower your significant other with love, gifts, and the like every day of the year. On Valentine's Day, do something different. Make them something by hand, for example. I know no woman who doesn't appreciate something made by hand. And I'm going to assume that guys would feel the same way. I know I do.
Making your own valentine is certainly a start. This couple has been using the same valentine for seventy years. It doesn't have to be anything too fancy. If you are not artistic or crafty, it won't matter. It really is the effort and out put that matter, not the artistic sensibilities behind it. Though, if your other half is an art critic, I cannot guarantee this previous statement.
Maybe that is too simple, or you've been doing that and you want to impress your love with something new, something different. You might try a new, unique craft. Quilling (or paper filigree) is one of those lost crafts that people just don't see much of anymore. It's incredibly inexpensive, all you need is some paper, a quilling tool, and some glue. It costs maybe ten dollars to get started. You could make something like this:
You could go with a different craft, too. Maybe you are clumsy with your fingers, or you have large hands, or can't focus on the small minutiae of quilling. Try making a book. There are all kinds of ways to make, and further customize, a book. It could be a recipe book, a note book, or a book for him or her to write you letters. We personally have this one, and I like it. It's simple and not too overwhelming if you are starting out. Even better is that some books require nothing more than paper, while others do require a few more tools. I assure you though, they're not expensive.
I think an important part of Valentine's Day though, arguably the most important in fact, is every single other day of the year. No amount of neglect can be made up for in one day of flowers and chocolate. No Hallmark card is going to make up for you being a bastard for the rest of the year. It doesn't take much to go a long way. Make them breakfast (Pancakes are yummy). Leave them notes at random, maybe daily before they leave for work. Surprise them every once in awhile. Tell them you're going to go out for dinner, and leave work early to prepare a meal at home instead.
This is not that difficult.
Really, if you're going to be spending the rest of your life with someone, it is in your best interest (and theirs) to treat every day like Valentine's Day.
Every year, I never really know what I want for Christmas. I mean, there are always things I want, but when Christmas rolls around I just sort of forget, I guess. Though, in the past, I think that there wasn't really anything I really wanted. I didn't really have specific hobbies or interests that warranted requesting certain gifts. But this year, there are lots of things I wanted. Narrowing the list down was harder than you'd think, but I settled on the one thing I really wanted: A Wacom tablet.
My First Sketch. All Kinds Of Ugly, But Fun.
There are a lot of reasons I've wanted one. I've said on a fairly regular basis that I've wanted one. Krissy was probably sick of hearing"If only I had a tablet..." I like drawing, even if I'm not very good at it, it's fun. I will also be using it for editing photos, too, since a tablet is way easier to use than a mouse in that regard. Drawing, too, is immensely easier. Drawing with a mouse is like embedding a crayon in arock and trying to draw with it.
So I've been messing around with my new tablet, and I like it. A lot. I don't know all the ins and outs of it, but I will. Plus, since my mouse died awhile back, I can use the mouse with the tablet for easier browsing and such. Mouse Keys and incessant tab-smashing is hardly an ideal situation for using a computer.
Castle, Mountains, Sketch. Foreground Kinda Blows
I haven't been able to experiment with my tablet as much as I'd like to, either, because The Sketchbook Project book needs to be mailed out by the fifteenth, and let's just say Krissy and I have been slacking. Having to do two sketches per day, makes it harder to sketch on the computer, since I'm not always feeling creative enough to draw. So I feel like I'd be wasting a sketch doing it on the computer instead of in the book. There will be plenty of time for virtual sketching to come I'm sure. I drew a pretty sweet owl today in the sketchbook, which I'm kind of proud of.
This is the tablet that I got. It's expensive, but really nice. Size wise, it's good, it just takes some getting used to. Since I'll be using it as a mixture of photo editing and drawing, I think medium strikes a good balance. It's not too small for drawing, but not too large for photo editing. So far, I'm doing fairly well in maneuvering my hand around it with minimal fuss. Using a tablet is incredibly fun, if you've never done it.
Below are some alternatives if your budget doesn't allow for this large of an expense. The Intuos4 line probably has some unnecessary features if you just want to doodle and do some basic photo touch ups. But if you want the easy maneuverability a tablet offers, and the fun-having a tablet affords (Krissy likes it, too), then I'd suggest the Bamboo line from Wacom. I don't think I'd recommend another brand. I've never heard of another brand, and Wacom has been doing it for ages. I trust them. Thank you for reading.
It's Christmastime, among other holidays, and it's a time when we often reflect on the year, and look forward to the year ahead. Granted, we also freak out about the fact that we still haven't finished our shopping, fret over gifts that need wrapping, and convulse at the mere thought of all the food that needs cooking; but all in all, it's a happy time. Even in the worst of times, we've got it pretty good here.
While we may spend our days pinching our pennies, wondering when things are going to get better (in about five years, if you're curious; sorry), there are people in the world in far dire straits than we. In honor of the season, and being thankful and hopeful, here are some of the causes I believe in because the reality that they need to exist kind of makes me sick.
charity: water is a pretty new charity; I believe they've only been around for a few years, but it's one I believe in. It's on the top of my list, actually. I've already decided that when I can start taking pictures for money, that the first $5,000 (every year) will go to charity: water so they can build a new well where it is needed.
charity: water exists to bring water to areas that have no access to clean water. To me, this is a travesty (that people don't have access to clean water, not the charity). If there is one thing that we take for granted in life, I think it is water. We use tons of water. We boil potatoes in it, make pretzels in it, boil bagels in it, take showers with it, wash our cars with it, et cetera. And yet, there are people who can't even get a glass of water, much less the gallons upon gallons that we use on a daily basis.
I don't know all of the statistics, but I also don't particularly care; ten people without water is too many. but according to charity: water, there are almost a billion people without access to water-- that's one in eight people. Almost every death resulting from unsafe, unhygienic water is a child. Bad water keeps children out of school and parents out of work. The walk to a water source can take a woman (because it's always the woman) three hours, the return trip carrying a forty pound jug of water, where they are extremely vulnerable to violence and sexual assault (among other things).
With a well in their community, this walk is transformed to only fifteen minutes (hooray! No more back pain!). Building wells employs local people, providing them with work. The wells also provide women with jobs, namely leadership positions which would otherwise be pretty much impossible. Wells allow for children to have safe drinking water, saving thousands of lives a year and allowing them to go to school because they are healthier. charity: water also provides the communities with latrines to emphasize sanitation and hygiene.
I really like this charity, and its rare to find a charity where 100% of your contribution actually goes to the charity's mission. Every single dime they get goes to building projects because all of their overhead is sponsored.
Twenty dollars can give one person with water for twenty years. This isn't one of those creepy "just thirty cents a day to sponsor Eli. You'll receive pictures and updates, et cetera" type deals. People are dying because they can't have a basic human necessity. Clean, safe water ought to be a human right, not a privilege, so give them money. Every $5,000 well provides water for 250 people. If you want to get something in return for your contribution (I understand, no worries), there are many gifts you can receive (or give to others). I'm partial to the Thermos. For $40 (that's, like, two DVDs) you can provide clean water to two people for 20 years and you get a sweet Thermos: win-win, no? I think the Photobook would make a good present too. Sitting on your (or someone elses) coffee table, it's sure to start up a conversation. The right kind of conversation.
Here's a video from a completed project:
Toms Shoes
This one isn't a charity; I'm just going to get it out there. But that doesn't make their mission any less worthwhile. Essentially, Toms is a company that will provide a pair of shoes for someone in need every time they sell a pair. They are for-profit, but there's no harm in that. I really like their shoes; they are extremely different from what we find here. They are (I believe) based on a shoe style from Argentina. The shoes are all pretty affordable, usually in the range of $60, some costing around $100.
I like these. They seem warm and fuzzy, but still stylish and masculine.
If you are looking for something more substantial for winter, they also offer boots. I like these ones, but these are also pretty agreeable.
We all buy lots of shoes every year, why not pick up a pair of unique, stylish shoes simultaneously helping someone desperately in need of shoes? (By the way, they have shoes for the ladies and children, too!)
I was watching The Last Word last night when I saw a segment on this charity run by UNICEF with MSNBC to provide desks to children in need of them in Africa. The segment started with a clip of Ann Coulter arguing that America is the most charitable country in the world, but that this is thanks to conservatives and not liberals, because liberals are apparently stingy or something. (Nevermind that progressive causes tend to focus on spreading wealth around, et cetera). Lawrence O'Donnell then went on to say that in a day his viewers had donated around a million dollars.
Regardless, kids need desks. Have you ever studies on the floor? Taken a test on the floor? It's not easy, I imagine, and is probably pretty discouraging, wouldn't you think? Each desk costs $48. That's probably what a nice bottle of wine costs. $48 provides a desk for two kids (hopefully they don't peek during those tests!), which is kind of a trivial amount, if you think about it. Want to outfit an entire classroom of thirty with desks? Only $720.
If you want to help provide desks to children in Malawi, head over to UNICEF and donate. Here's the link.
Some statistics:
In Sub-Saharan Africa, forty-five million children don't go to school.
Only 20% of students who do go have desks.
I've long said I can't draw, but the truth is I never really tried. Yes, I've drawn before, and seen the same stick figures everyone can draw and just decided I couldn't draw, like most people. But the truth is, anybody can draw. Whether or not it's any good is relative and in the eye of the beholder, as they say.
It isn't until recently that I've tried applying myself to drawing, and drawing regularly. I've always liked art inside, and resented the fact that I wasn't artistic on paper. I've always dabbled in illustration and graphic design on the computer due to the fact that I resigned myself to being unable to draw on paper. I decided to prove myself wrong and, for once, actually try. My art didn't need to be great, it just needed to be better.
So I purchased a sketchbook (one made of recycled content, woo!) and applied myself. I even joined The Sketchbook Project so as to force myself to draw. Unfortunately I have slacked a bit on that front. My drawings started with ManCat who, by now, I hope you are familiar with. At some point I drew a dwarf. I don't know why; maybe because I love Scandinavian culture or something. Whatever the reason, it brought me to the first drawings I kind of liked. I felt that what I drew looked like what I'd wanted it to look like. I've always been able to see a drawing but I have never been able to translate that sight to paper, which has constantly antagonized me.
I surprised myself with drawing faces and eyes. I'd have figured drawing a face would be the most difficult as its the most important. I figure if the face is wrong the whole drawing doesn't work. Unfortunately, my faces still weren't there yet though. I had issues drawing noses, I didn't like ears, and mouths just never looked right. You should have seen how I drew hair too, that was downright atrocious.
I've always liked painting. By that I mean, I wanted to try painting since I'd never actually done it. I've always been amazed the way a painting comes together, and I wanted to try it. This is what I came up with:
It's not perfect, but I was really happy with it. Considering that I'd never painted anything before, I felt that it looked pretty good. Of course there are areas I don't love; the nose is a weird shape, his mouth looks like he got into a fight, and his shirt is ho-hum. But I was proud, and this fine gentleman now hangs above my bed as if protecting Krissy and me.
I mentioned The Sketchbook Project before. The project is actually pretty neat. You send them a small sum of money and they send you a sketchbook. You return the sketchbook completely filled and they take it on a nationwide tour, culminating in its inclusion in the Brooklyn Art Library. If anyone takes out my sketchbook, they inform me, too, which is cool. Here is one of my sketches:
The theme is I'm sorry I forgot about you. I am pretty happy with this sketch. I really like the eyes; he looks devastated that the bus passed him. Clearly, this is not the first time he's been left out, and no matter how tough his exterior is, his eyes can't hide his anguish. Or something. I like his lunch box.
Here is another sketch from the project:
I'm pretty happy with this sketch too. I am proud of my lamp; well, at least the shade. The lamp base is a tad wonky as is the table it's on, but that's okay; I like a bit of wonkiness. This one is a summer scene. And, yes, dwarfs always wear their full regalia no matter how hot it is, okay? I'll leave any dissection of this sketch to you, however.
Next is a painting I did, and it's probably one of my favorites, to be honest. I bought some 8x10 canvas boards to paint Jessie a picture for her birthday (seen here), and felt like painting one evening so I did. I started by drawing a dwarf and decided that rather than the typical portrait, I wanted it to be asymmetrical (?). I really liked the idea of him coming from the corner like a photo bomb. Behind him a sort of children's-book style forest. His beard is (maybe?) impressionist in style. His cheeks are rosy like apples. Dwarfs always have rosy cheeks, don't you know? I'm extremely happy with the eyes. You might have to go to flickr to see it bigger to see the detail, but it still looks good as a small JPEG, too. He's not perfect (but who is?) though; his suspenders have a lack of definition-- they look flat. His pants look a bit off. among other things. But as a whole I'm quite pleased with this. Truth be told it was originally going to go to Jessie but frankly we liked it too much. Sorry, Jessie.
Last, is a painting I painted for Chris, my brother, for his birthday. I'd been wanting to paint a painting for someone and I was trying to figure out who best to paint for. I figured Chris would like it the most. I thought it would be really funny for Mike and Jen to have to hang a dwarf up in their house, but ultimately I settled on Chris. Besides his birthday came at the right time. Also, my dwarfs tend to resemble him in ways; he looks like a dwarf (in a good way).
Yes, the head is floating and I wanted it that way. I really like the hat. The hat is what I painted first and it came out better than I could have imagined, frankly. Originally the face was more in the orange color range but, inexplicably, I decided to do the shady side of the face in purple. It took me awhile to be happy with it, and I kind of regretted it for a couple days, but in the end I feel it worked out. The eyes are okay; they are good enough but not my favorite. The nose is kind of okay, too, although it is sort of weirdly misshapen. His moustache is in the style of Jimmy Mcmillan.
That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this. Feel free to comment. =)
to see the rest. It may not be the best to read to your child, but you can always read it to your significant other if the night is going as planned. It should brighten things up a tad.
, which is the eponymous cookbook put out by the restaurant (Flour, obviously).
, but I make do with a regular old rolling pin. 
, or a special 
. Personally, I'm happy with my round cookie cutters. They come in various sizes from about 3/4 of an inch to three-and-a-half inches. I like that they are multipurpose, whereas doughnut cutters really only serve to, well, cut out doughnuts. The choice is yours.
, and I like it. It's simple and not too overwhelming if you are starting out. Even better is that some books require nothing more than paper, while others do require a few more tools. I assure you though, they're not expensive.
