Ceramics: Chocolate Dish

Clay: Soldate 60
Underglaze: Amaco Pomegranate and Black
Glaze: Clear

This is a pop-up plate, meaning I rolled out a slab of clay, which I then texturized with a floral-designed mat.  I then pressed the smaller mold with the clay underneath it into a larger mold in a foam pad in order to make the sides come up.  I then stamped it with a quote from Elie Wiesel and what you can't see because of the lighting is the imprint of a Cupid in the upper right.  After bisque-firing, I underglazed the plate with the black and the red and low-fired it again.  I'm assuming that the high firing of the clear glaze made the color in the center spread out though maybe I sponged off some of the pomegranate in order to see the lettering.  Interesting.

Collage: Spring

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How to Cook Filipino Adobo

A staple of every Filipino household is adobo, a tart and salty braised meat, served with steamed and sticky white rice.  There are a myriad of adobo recipes, and my parents immigrated to America from a northern region of the Philippines called Pampanga, where the adobo sauce is simply bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, soy sauce and vinegar.  Also every Filipina housewife cooks her adobo to suit tastes individual to her family, and I remember an aunt cooking both pork and chicken in her stew.  I like my adobo very garlicky and a little more salty than sour and the sauce I pour on my rice less watery, which this recipe reflects.  Adobo if cooked authentically is not very heart healthy, and so to lessen the fat and the calories, I drain or skim off a lot of grease (though you need some for flavor and viscosity) and use low sodium soy sauce.  I cook this dish ahead on Sunday to serve my husband and me for a few nights of leftovers over the weeknights.

I start by chopping 6 to 8 cloves of garlic with peppercorns (I like them cracked and fine rather than whole):

In a dutch oven, I saute two pork spareribs and four chicken thighs on medium high heat until the skin is crispy.  I don't bother adding oil to the pan because I cook the meat with skin side and fat side down to render some of its grease.  

In the meantime while my meat is frying, I pour into a measuring cup, 3/4 cup light soy sauce and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.  Most people use 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/2 cup vinegar, but as I mentioned earlier, I like my adobo less sour.

At this point you would also add another cup of water for a total of 2 cups of cooking liquid.  I like to add a bit more richness to my sauce by adding a cup of water with a teaspoon of chicken bouillon mixed in.

Next I drain the grease from the meat (which saves you having to skim it later from your stew) and toss the chopped garlic and peppercorns and 2 to 4 bay leaves into the frying meat.

And then the soy sauce, vinegar, and water or chicken broth.

Then simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the sauce is reduced and the meat is cooked.  Because I like my sauce of a thicker consistency, I open the lid a bit to release steam.  Burn a scented candle and turn on your stove's fan because this stew's aroma is pungent.

I like my sauce syrupy rather than watery, and so I remove the meat and cook the liquid down.

Done!  My sunday lunch of Anna's adobo and steamed brown rice.

Homemade Postcards

I was at Aaron Brothers and positively salivating but also a bit bewildered by all the mixed media materials.....no wonder artists are broke.  Well I'm no artist, but I do want to create.  I made this postcard to send to my friend, Shannon.  I found the old-fashioned post card template via Google images.  The Queen Elizabeth image is from a book about coronations, which hadn't been checked out since 1985 and which I weeded from my school library.  The poem conveys a panic attack I recently suffered, but I stuck that iconic image of British posters admonishing citizens to endure the stresses and strains of World War II--the only spot of color in this black and white collage.

California (Bay Area, that is--one of the most diverse spots I know) Hot Wings

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I love Buffalo Hot Wings, but I wanted to put my own spin to preparing them. Instead of tossing roasted chicken wings in butter and Crystal hot sauce, I omitted the butter and added Sriracha hot chili sauce (not really Asian, but an Asian American fusion invented ingredient) and Cholula hot sauce (my favorite condiment in Mexican restaurants). I've served these wings to neighbors at our little social gatherings, and my friends who relish fiery sauce have enjoyed these appetizers. Here's the chive-ranch dressing from Dave Lieberman's cookbook, Young & Hungry that I serve as a cooling condiment. Again I tweaked his recipe to me and my neighbors' tastes and dietary wishes by substituting nonfat sour cream and plain nonfat Greek yogurt, lowfat mayonnaise, using an extra teaspoon or two of the vinegar, and then adding a decadent tablespoon of Salem blue cheese: 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup plain yogurt A few pinches of salt 2 teaspoons white vinegar 1 garlic clove, pressed 6 grinds of black pepper 1 tablespoon water 1 small bunch of chives, chopped I plan on serving this dish to a work-related potluck to I hope rave reviews.

To-Do Craft Project

I remember making a God's Eye in art class at elementary school with yarn and dowel rods, and this Etsy blog had me agog. I so want to make one again! I must remember to revisit this one: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/how-tuesday-weaving-a-complex-ojo-de-dios/?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Weave+a+Ojos+de+Dios%21&utm_content=etsy_finds_020812&utm_campaign=etsy_finds_020812  I ended up buying this and like it a lot even though the husband kind of detested it.  I love yarn art and handmade!

Papercrafting and Decorating for a Neighbor's 40th Birthday Party