Kitty: Day 4 of the World Cup of Food - FRA 4 vs CAN 0 - Steak Crackers & French Vanilla Custard Fruit Tart

France 4 vs Canada 0

Today's entries are Steak Crackers and a French Vanilla Custard Fruit Tart. I figured I needed to do two recipes today because France had such a resounding win today. The largest scoring for any game so far Nothing really says summer to me better than a Custard Fruit Tart. Something really light and happy with berries on top always puts me in a good mood. Traditionally you would melt down a cup of jam to pain your fruit, but I have never liked the texture. I just soak my fruit in vanilla powder and sugar instead before putting the fruit on the tart.

French Vanilla Custard Fruit Tart

Short Bread Crust (Recipe was originally given to me by an old friend to make short bread cookies. The recipe works for both. Thanks always C.T.)

1 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup of natural sugar 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt 10 Tablespoons of butter 1 large egg yolk

1) Add the sugar to the food processor and pulse for 2-5 minutes until you have turned the natural sugar almost into confectioner's sugar 2) Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the food processor and pulse them to combine. 3) Cut up the butter and slowly add the butter to the dry ingredients, pulse the ingredients until the mixture looks like the coarse meal.

4) Break up the egg yolk with your hands and add it to the mixture. You will want to pulse the mixture until it comes together

5) Butter and flower a fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press the dough evenly over the surface of the pan. 6) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F 7) Butter a piece of aluminum foil that fits the bottom and the sides of the crust and place it on top of the dough and cook for 30 minutes 8) Remove the aluminium foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes. 9) Let cool for at least 30 minutes before you are ready to assemble

Vanilla Custard

2 cups of Whole Milk 7 large egg yolks 1/3 cup of cornstarch 1/2 cup of sugar 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 4 tablespoons of salted butter

1) Add Milk and vanilla to a sauce pan and bring the mixture up to boil while cooking on low.

2) In another bowl whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a metal bowl. 3) When the milk and vanilla boils, remove from heat and measure out 1 cup of hot milk and slowly drizzle it into the yolk mixture to warm the eggs while whisking continually. (It is better to take a long time to drizzle than to cook your eggs) 4) When the first cup is added you will want to add the rest of the milk to the yolk mixture. 5) Cut up the butter into small pieces and add to the mixture. 6) When the butter has melted, pour the mixture back into the original sauce pan and return to the eye. 7) Bring mixture up to a boil again while continuing to whisk constantly for a minute 8) Remove from the heat and allow to set for 10 minutes then transfer it to a bowl to allow to cool in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Garnishing Fruit

Blueberries Raspberries Strawberries, etc 1 tablespoon each bowl Natural Sugar Shake of Vanilla Powder

1) Wash the fruits and put to marinate with 1tablespoon of sugar per bowl and a shake of vanilla powder to each bowl 2) Allow to marinate for 30 minutes

Assembly

1) Pour the cooled custard into the tart shell 2) Add the fruit to the top of the custard

Steak Crackers

2 Small steaks Cream Cheese Chopped Black Olives Grape Tomatoes Fruity Red Wine Ritz Crackers

1) Place 2 small steaks on the grill and sear with the red wine on each side

2) Place a handful of the olives on one side of the steak while it finishes to cook on the finale flip

Assemble

1 cracker, a small smear of cream cheese, a small bite of steak, 1/2 half of grape tomato, and a piece of the hot olive.

Kitty: Day 3 of the World Cup of Food - BRA 1 vs AUS 0 - Brazilian Churrasquinhos-

Brazil 1 vs Australia 0

Tonight meal was Churrasquinhos to celebrate Brazil's win over Australia. I'm sorry Australian friends. :( I actually really really wanted to make Lamington tonight :( So a little bit about tonight meal. Churrasco is a Portuguese term referring to beef or grilled meat served as a principle ingredient in Brazilian and other Latin American cuisines. In Brazil though "Churrasqueira" requires a special BBQ grill that is designed to only support skewers or a spit. So sadly I had to substitute with just metal skewers on the grill. I didn't get to enjoy the skewers directly above the charcoal embers and that rich smoky taste. None the less it made for an enjoyable meal.

Brazilian Churrasquinhos

1lb of beef chunks 1 medium Spanish Onion 6 strips of thick smoked bacon 1/2 bottle of Jarritos Tamarind Soda 1/2 teaspoon of dill 1/4 cup of olive oil Salt and Pepper to taste Juice and sliced pineapple 1 head of romaine lettuce

1) Chop one onion into small pieces and combine the rest of the ingredients into a small bowl. (Minus the pineapple and lettuce) 2) Marinade mixture for 1 hour in your refrigerator

3) Take one skewer and place the bacon on the skewer weaving back and forth bacon, meat, bacon, meat, bacon, meat until the end of the strip of bacon. Repeat for the remaining of your ingredients.

4) Place on a hot grill and grill until the bacon is crispy and the beef is cooked through

5) Wash and break up the salad and place in a metal bowl. Pour the juice from a container of fresh cut pineapple over the grilled skewers and place half of the can of pineapple in the salad.

Ready to serve. The wilted lettuce under the skewers that have the bacon grease is obviously the best part. Hope you enjoy today's entry in the World Cup of Food!!!

kitty: Day 2 of the World Cup of Food - ENG 1 vs MEX 1- Basil Oil and Mexican Fajita

England 1 vs Mexico 1

Mexican Fajita, what could be wrong with any grilled meat served on a flour tortilla? Absolutely nothing!!!! We went with a very traditional version using skirt steak, mushrooms, onion, avocados, cheese, tomatoes, but with a little basil twist.

Basil Oil

2 cups of Shredded fresh basil 1 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1) Wash and remove the stems from fresh basil and place it in a blender 2) Pour in 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil 3) Chop just until the leaves are finely chopped ( do not puree) and oil is blended together 4) Pour mixture into a sauce pan over low heat. Stir occasionally until bubbles form around the sides and it reaches 165f degrees.

5) In a strainer lined with cheese cloth or silk pour the mixture and allow to cool for 1 hour 6) After oil passes through, gather the cloth and twist the top with a pair of chopsticks and transfer to your storage jar.

7) Squeeze the basil until no oil drips out of the basil bundle. Transfer your basil to a dish to use latter and cover the oil with a lid and store in the refrigerator. The oil will keep for a couple of weeks.

Mexican Fajita

1 lb. of skirt steak cut into chunks 1 Medium Spanish Onion 2 Large handfuls of thick sliced mushrooms 2 packets of sazon 1 teaspoon of adobo with pepper Salt and pepper to taste Basil Olive Oil Garnishing Flour or Corn Tortilla Tomatoes Avocado Equal portions of grated Cheddar, Colby, and Monterey Jack Cheese

1) Put a small bit of Basil Olive Oil in the bottom of a cast iron skillet an add the onions to sweat until they are transparent 2)  Turn the skillet to low and add the beef to the onions and continue to cook until the outside edges start to turn.

3) Add sazon, adobo, the 2 cups of cooked basil from the basil oil cooked above, salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook on low for 5 minutes

4) Add the mushrooms and stir in to the mixture and cook on low until the meat is cooked through.

While the Mixture continues to cook.... 5) Take pre-cooked Tortilla shells and heat them on a griddle pan until they start to bubble 6) Plate Dish with a portion of the meat filling, 2-3 slices of avocado, 2-3 slices of tomatoes, and a small pinch of cheese Serve to your happy dinner guest!

kitty: Let the World Food Cup Begin - JP 2 vs NZL 1 - Fifa Women's World Cup Germany 2011

Wow... another 4 years has passed and it is time for the Women's FIFA World Cup of Football to begin. Some of you may remember that in years past M and I have done the World Cup of Food to correspond to the winner each day in the past. Well we are off to a bad start already, we forgot it started yesterday. So our batting average is already not that great, but we are not going to let that stop us in our culinary delights. Let the Games Begin.... Winner Japan 2 vs New Zealand 1 Tan Tan Mein and Onsen Tamago Tan Tan Mein is technically a Chinese dish but I was inspired to cook this since we have seen it so many times on one of our favorite Japanese cooking shows, Saturday Night Chubaw!(Catch it on youtube) Onsen Tamago though is most certainly a Japanese treat. Basically it is an egg cooked slowly in water from a hot spring. The egg whites are soft and the yokes are only slightly hard.

Tan Tan Mein

1 Medium Spanish Onion 2-3 Garlic Cloves 8 Dried Shiitake Mushroom and soaking water 1/2 lb. Black Pork 1/4 cup of aged Shiitake Mushroom Soy Sauce 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper Small Handful of MSG (Optional) Cooking oil Thin Sliced Cucumber Bean Sprouts

1) Put Shiitake mushrooms to soak as you chop onions and garlic into small pieces 2) Put a small bit of Cooking Oil to cover the bottom of your Sauce Pan and add the onions and garlic. 3) Sweat the onions and the garlic in the skillet until the onions have just turned translucent. 4) While the onions and garlic are cooking take out the soaking shiitake mushrooms and slice into 1 cm inch thick strips and place back into soaking water.

4) Place mushrooms and ground black pork into the sauce pan and start to mix and break apart the pork bits. 5) Add soy sauce, MSG, and pepper to the rest of the ingredients

6) Cook until the pork has cooked through stirring occasionally.

As the Pork mixture continues to cook it is time to shake shake shake your noodles.

1 packet of Frozen Yaki Soba Noodles per person 1) Boil a large pot of water 2) Place one packet of noodles into a drainer and continue to dip into water and shake until the noodles are done Save your water!!!

When the noodles are done it is time to serve. Place one package of noodles, 2/3 cup of pork mixture, a handful of bean sprouts, and a few pieces of thinly sliced cucumbers.

Onsen Tamago

1 Small Chicken Thigh Debonned 6 slices Japanese Cucumber 4 tablespoons of Tan Tan Mein Pork 2 Egg Splash of Light Soy Sauce or Soba Noodle Sauce if available Fish Flakes (Katsuobushi)

1) Cook One debonned chicken thigh in boiling water until it is cooked through and slice in thin strips

2) From your saved noodle water place 2 raw eggs into the water one on each side and allow to boil in the water. (My Cheap substitute for real Onesen water)

3) Time to plate: 3 Slices of cucumber in each bowl on the bottom 3 Slices of Chicken Thigh 2 Tablespoons of Tan Tan Mein Pork 1 Cooked Egg 1 Hand full of Fish Flakes (Katsuobushi)

Enjoy, I am off to go watch the England vs Mexico game on Tivo!

kitty: Happy Belated World Wide Knit in Public Day!!!

Happy Belated World Wide Knit in Public Day!!!!! How did you spend your day?

My day started off with breakfast at La Chatelaine - (La Chatelaine Restaurant on Lane)

M and I had a leisurely breakfast and had a breakfast sandwich, small caesar salad, with tea/coffee. The morning was pretty perfect especially considering the storms had kept us up almost all night with cracks of thunder and lightening that lite up the bedroom.

Then we started our long list of errands for the day. The first stop was our favorite used camera store. You really never know what treasures you will find hidden among the huge inventory. (World of Used Photography - worldofusedphotography.com ) Here is a photo of M testing a lens I really really want that he has in stock. Just trying to find a good reason to own it. It really needs a full frame camera and I would need to take more portraits.. Should I buy or should I dream?

After finishing our errands we decided to park at the top of the Short North and walk to North Market. We had planned on going to take photos of roses in the Park of Roses for our exercise for the day, but they had a rose show going on at the time and a wedding. No fun to just take photos of random people when you want to take photos of flowers. We ended up stopping to get a drink and for me to knit a few rows.

Did you know realize that Columbus, Ohio probably has the most World Wide Knit in Public Day events going on than any other place in the world. TNNA has been taking place for several years now at the Convention Center.

Knitting came along for dinner at our favorite little Chinese restaurant Lotus Grill There English menu is average Americanized Chinese food, but there Chinese menu truly rocks. There food is always consistent and the owners are truly dear. You can not help but love the guy who works the front desk, he always makes us laugh. The price are even great to boot.

And of course the day would not be complete without hitting Stauf's for coffee. It really is the perfect place for M to work and me to knit. As an added bonus though MG and her husband stopped by to join us. We spent a lot of time though watching the insane line for Jeni's ice cream two doors down. (Jeni's Fresh Ice Cream - Grandview Heights, OH) ( Don't forget Jeni's new book is out - Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream) At one point a woman came in saying she had stood and counted 165 people waiting. We just sat in amazement.

So much to my delight MG and I spent the last few hours of knit in public day together knitting in public. What every good knitbuddy should do!!!! Happy Knit in Public Day!!!

PS: The project that you see in all the photos is "Cria" pattern by Ysolda in her new upcoming book Little Red in the City.

kitty: working on cria

I ended up taking a break tonight and knitting a few rounds on Cria at Stauf's. Really loving the shoulder construction, it is a lot of fun and most of all something new. So glad that it is not another raglan sweater. Though my only gripe is that I had to print out the pattern, cannot remember the last time I was forced to waste paper to do so. Due to the tables though I really didn't see another way. (I normally just copy over the pdf's to ibooks and read them from my iphone or ipad. It really works well for a paperless solution even with lace patterns.) Hope everyone has a great week.

kitty: food for thought: So when some one says architectural fashion what do they really mean?

Some food for thought.... I recently got into a long discussion with a friend about who I thought of when one mentioned Architectural Fashion Designers. The majority of the ones I thought of were historical in nature or ones who designed garments with very strong bones. Our ideas were pretty dramatically different. I haven't really kept up with the cutting edge of fashion these past years so my reference points date back to when I was doing research. Then it came around to the question: So when some one says architectural fashion what do they really mean? So I thought I would at least write up a blog post about my feelings on the subject. So here goes......

In the last couple of years there seems to have been a lot of talk about a connection between fashion and architecture.  Many researchers have been trying to draw a connection between the two disciplines and pointing out the recent development of design processes, fabrication, and aesthetic directions.  Though most of these writers and designers act like fashion and architecture are a recent connection. When the topic actually dates back through out textile history. Take the early Egyptians and the theory of what was beautiful in both adornment and fashion they all resembled the pyramid. The Romans and Greek dress closely resembled the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns, fine pleating was use to gracefully cover the body with elaborate jewelry that graced the neck. The Chinese duplicated the knots that were found in the window treatments in their textile designs and textile closures. They also used elaborate jade that graced both the walls and jewelry.   The Dutch actually wrote early on in the last century about architecture being used to construct their garments to protect the elements. During the 20’s you had the flapper gowns that depicted the linear structure of the “new high rise” building of the day. While in Germany during 1919-1933 you had the Bauhaus school, which strongly influenced the architecture, graphic design, industrial, and fashion of the day. Then came Christian Dior and the New Look a strong structural garment with rigid construction during the ‘40’s. The list could go on an on. Take the Fortuny Gown to the right; (Other Examples) Based on the Greek Chiton Columns the Delphos gown was Fortuny's most famous design. Another great designer copied this gown in the 80's, Issey Miyake with his Pleats Please designs. Early Greek History - 1920-40's - 80-Present and all often described as having an architectural element. So when some one says architectural fashion what do they really mean? Both garments and building protect the body and provide shelter from the elements. They both allow you to express your personal identity. The earliest example of both buildings and clothing were born out of necessity. It was a long time before they were actually “designed.” The design processes though has a lot of parallels for both architects and fashion designers begin with preliminary sketches. Then models are produced to work on a precise fit through painstaking hours of perfecting the end product. Then when both designer finish the drawings and patterns, they are then rendered with the use of computer CAD programs to check for structural integrity and then rendered patterns for production. So given that train of thought architectural fashion design would be the use of structural elements to create the bones of the garment that protects the body from the element. It covers a wide range of designs and concept from early historical textile to modern day. Though it seems during recent years the definition has become a little more muddled. Some historians now define it as the use of geometry to generate structural forms in garments. Even when the greatest Geometrical designer, Issey Miake does not define himself as an architectural designer but a structural designer. Just from some common observation in the recent years people are using Architectural fashion to be anything from: Geometrical Structural Garments Fabrics that create hard and round lines Proportions that are exaggerated angles and floating layers 3-D Designs - Bones, Pleats, Folds, Smocking, Pinning, Layers, Surface Textures, etc. Strong structural shapes and forms The new guards of fashion designers that use the term architectural fashion designer really vary; Pierre Balmain “Dressmaker of the architectural movement” to Gianfranco Ferré known as “The Architect of fashion” both held degrees in architecture Swedish Designer Sandra Backlund who declares that her designs are not architectural but a way to “naturally distort the silhouette”. Hussein Chalayan (View some examples), Rem Koolhaas, Derek Lam & Bradley Quinn who are the new guard of “The Fashion Architects”

Screen captured from pingmag.jp 6/15/2007 from the Skin + Bones Exhibition in London

After reading more about the modern movement Hussein Chalayan's name does keep pooping up and the designer that is shaping the new architectural fashion movement. One New York Times reporter even compared his greatness to Christian Dior's New Look. Hussein Chalayan his blog - and interview with Designs boom -- current collection

So really the answer could be as varied as textile history, but certainly not a new concept. Like they always say... nothing is new in fashion and everything is a copy!