handmade hobbyist: cook: sunday simmer

It’s been a valentine holiday week that included some window shopping--don't buy, look and re-create. Here's the spoon rest I'd really like to re-make. The spoon rest that's on my stovetop needs to have that shallow rim with a lip that curves over upon which the spoon handle can rest.

I looked at my own minimalist spoon rest. What a difference in execution, but then again it's been working for me.

And gosh darn it, look at these vases also at World Market.

These organic and sinuous forms are giving me ideas of vases to make coordinate with my candelabras. Just as my candelabras are hand built, these vases too should either be coiled and pinch potted.

And I need another tote bag like I need another bag of clay, but I picked up these two tote bags at Trader Joe's because they're so darn cute. The sardine-themed bag I bought in December hauls all the tinned fish I collected.

And whenever I host get-togethers now, I always pick up ingredients for a charcuterie board from Trader Joe's.

The store really does have the most reasonable prices for meats and cheeses and crackers and vegetables and fruits for a spread to share.

For the lovers' holiday, I went to my husband's favorite chocolate shop, Läderach, which just happens to be not far from Anthropologie, my favorite store for eye candy and inspiration on what to build in clay. I saw these wooden cheese knives for charcuterie boards. And it's got me longing to whittle wood.

I've already metal cheese knives, but if these were on clearance, I could see myself adding to my kitchen tools.

And holey moley, cute table runner, also giving me ideas of textiles to add to a pottery pop-up pottery and textiles sale at Christmas.

But really I've been wanting to make pots for a plant bar, and have for sale some of these creations at Anthropologie's Terrain shop.

And yeah of course ceramic, this is reminding me to....

look at the driftwood in my storage unit to integrate into some potted plant creations.

And then it was Valentine's Day. And instead of our usual dinner at six, I swam and then ate cheese and crackers before bed. The tulips are still in wild bloom.

Sunday morning, and after a thoroughly lazy Saturday, I am in the mood to cook. I started heating butter, heavy whipping cream, crushed garlic, and chopped herbs of rosemary, thyme, parsley in a 400 degree oven. Into the poaching liquid, I cracked two eggs and sprinkled grated parmesan and popped it back into the hot oven with sourdough bread, 8 minutes later....

Ooh la la.

The herb baked eggs were fucking delicious.

Thus fortified I was ready to do some cooking for the week. Simple refried beans with just onions and garlic and a handful of oregano fried in bacon fat.

The cup of dried pinto beans that were soaked and then boiled for an hour and half and put in the fridge were dumped into my frying aromatics and boiled again into a luscious creamy soupy mass to be eaten as a side with my lunch.