Entries from July 2007

July 29, 2007

Tom Sawyer Punch

Planters Punch

Originally uploaded by interchangeableparts

Today we lived the Tom Sawyer dream, embarking on what will probably be a months-long task of priming and painting the various and sundry components of our new garden fence. And after an extravagantly muggy afternoon of wondering why there [...]

July 24, 2007

IPB Believes In Unicorns!

During all those long, lonely, hopeless months we believed hard enough — and were pure enough of heart — that the kitchen fairies finally came and rewarded our faith. That’s right: the countertops are real!

The disco island, with Rollie exploring the perimeter counters in the background.

The perimeter counter, next to the sink, just being [...]

July 22, 2007

Our Fridge Is A Many-Splendored Thing

Excuse me, I’m going to go hump the fridge

Originally uploaded by interchangeableparts

At last! It’s here! After two months of unreliable refrigeration, and having only a mini-fridge we could count on, we finally have our new, beloved, magnificent fridge! Not only does it [...]

July 22, 2007

The First Item Baked in the New Kitchen

Zucchini-Ginger Muffins

Originally uploaded by interchangeableparts

During New Jersey summers one often finds oneself confronted with an overabundance of zucchinis. One of my favorite uses for them is ginger-zucchini cupcakes, a recipe I found on epicurious.com. Last summer I made up a few batches of [...]

July 22, 2007

Garden Victory!

Yellow Finns and German Butterballs

Originally uploaded by interchangeableparts

IPB Manor boasts a raised-bed vegetable garden, which we’ve used to grow corn, onions, scallions, herbs, zucchinis, catnip, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, tomatillos, beets, radishes, turnips, lettuce, spinach, mesclun, spicy mesclun, and garlic. Today, however, IPB’s garden took [...]

July 18, 2007

The Flatbreads I Want To Bake

Okay, flipping through the KAF cookbook to look at crackers, I stumbled onto the flatbread recipes. I have never made flatbread. I think the new kitchen is going to be just the place to try it.
1. Lavash. KAF says this is a basic, easy recipe, which sounds perfect for a first-timer. [...]

July 17, 2007

The Crackers I Want To Make

I’ve never made crackers before. I don’t normally have patience for fussy baking, like rolled cookies and stuff like that, because I hate piling up rotations of hot cookie sheets and cooling racks and whatnot. But the dream kitchen has miles of countertop — suddenly I find myself atwitter with visions of not [...]

July 16, 2007

The Cookies I Want to Bake

1. Molasses Spice Cookies with Dark Rum Glaze(Baking Illustrated)
2. Chocolate Espresso Sandwiches
3. Mudslide Cookies (Baking and Pastry, CIA)
4. Citrus Crisps (Baking and Pastry, CIA)
5. Madeleines (Madame Baker’s recipe)
6. Honey and Spice Madeleines (Sweet Kitchen)
7. Chewy Ginger Oatmeal Cookies (Baking Illustrated)
8. Peanut Butter Cookies (Betty Crocker)
9. Snickerdoodles
10. [...]

July 16, 2007

These Are The Things I Want To Make

It’s been since the end of April that I’ve been without my kitchen, and we’re probably still a good month away from full functionality (although our contractor insists the counters will be in sometime next week — if there’s one thing I’ve learned from our habit of remodeling kitchens it’s to never believe how long [...]