Roz Wound Up

Yummy, Yummy Gouache—Use Some this Weekend

Above: Pentel Pocket Brush Pen Sketch partially covered with gouache. On Stonehenge paper, cream. Page 8.5 x 11 inches. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

It's Friday, and I'm still bossy, but no Project Friday today, just a suggestion that you break out the gouache and paint with it this weekend because gouache is yummy (it's fun to paint with it, I'm not ingesting it), and maybe you need some fun after the week you've been having? Just saying… 

Of course you already know I recommend Schmincke gouache. You can enter "gouache palette" in my blog's search engine and find tons of posts on gouache, or you can start your investigations by going to my page, "Gouache Compendium: Notes from Roz Wound Up Posts to Accompany my Gouache Demo."

I'm Just Reporting In Case You Need To Know…

Above: The Soda display at Frattallones Ace Hardware on Grand Ave. Click on the image to view an enlargement. The images that follow don't really need any captions.

I'm not connected to Frattallones Ace Hardware in any way except that when I go to Wet Paint, which is right across the street, I typically stop in and get a Tootsie Pop. (OK I get two Tootsie Pops, what's your point!?)

Well the other day I was picking up some stuff at Wet Paint for a bookbinding class I'm teaching. I had a to also get twine and thought I'll just run across the street and get twine at the Ace (which is how I think of it) and when I did I not only found the twine but the wax paper and plastic plates (for glue) that I also needed. It was as if I would think of something, ask if they had it and they magically they would have it. 

So I ended up doing all my shopping (which was going to take 3 more stores) right here. And got out in record time. (Sadly without any soda—but I had to take photos so I could share them with Dick so we could decide what to buy in the future. I only drink soda when I go out to eat, and then not always. But sometimes I really do crave an orange soda and there are several right on these shelves I'm looking forward to trying out.)

I thought you might enjoy seeing all these sodas, knowing that they exist, knowing where you can get them, and because I am a scavenger of graphics, knowing where you can find some really interesting bottle labels!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have ever had any of these sodas and want to offer recommendations let me know. I'm rather attracted to the Shirley Temple soda because when I go to a really "fancy restaurant" I always have a Shirley Temple. (Sometimes I get so high from the sugar I ask for "Another non-alcoholic Shirley Temple." Who says teetotalers don't have interesting lives?!)

New Foods at the Minnesota State Fair in 2012

Think everything comes on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair? Not really. To see the list of new foods that will be available this year at the Minnesota State Fair click on this link.

You'll find camel burgers, chocolate peanut butter cup fudge puppies, chicken nachos on-a-stick (OK a couple new items this year will be on a stick), a walleye roll, Duke's poutine, red funnel cake, and a couple gluten free items to list just a few new offerings.

What is Roz interested in testing? I have to say that the lamb fries look tempting. I also think the bacon ice cream is calling my name for an end of day treat. 

Be sure to check the list because not every item will be available every day! The list also provides the vendor name and location.

The best advice I can give you for eating at the Fair is found in my post Minnesota State Fair Prep—#5: Fair Food Made Simple (and Some Thoughts on Exercise).

It's important to start with a good breakfast, work hard (with no sugary or fatty treats to distract you and disrupt your output), and then enjoy the Fair food offerings in moderation.

Have a great time planning your Minnesota State Fair Feasts. And don't forget to sketch your food!

 

Congratulations to Cupcake®!

Above, the sign of great cupcakes! Cupcake® in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

My neighborhood cupcake bakery, Cupcake®, just won Food Network's Cupcake Wars Champions! (The show aired on Sunday.)

They had won a regular episode before, but were brought back for a series of shows to win a place in the finals. Cupcake® owner Kevin VanDeraa (and his assistant; they count as one competitor) beat out 15 other contestants to win the grand title!

I can't find a direct link to the actual Cup Cake Wars Champions show, but you can poke around among the cupcake recipes on Food Network's site.

Of course I knew Cupcake® made great cupcakes. But now EVERYONE knows it.

You can find a listing of their cupcakes here. My likes are pretty predictable, if you know me, and since you're reading this you do. I like the Claire Huxtable, the Red Velvet, the Cup O' Mud, and the Coco Loco. My favorite cupcake from them is the S'more. (I mean really what's not to love about this cupcake!!)

I haven't tried the Chocolate Buttermilk (they must sell out before I get there), but I am sure I would love that too.

For those of you with more eclectic tastebuds—i.e., you want something besides chocolate, or you want your chocolate in a different way—there are plenty of other options for you!

They used to make killer coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate. Not those "French cookie type macaroons" but the dense, moist, sweet coconut macaroons you probably dream of (or should if you don't already).

I don't know why they stopped making those. But there's plenty of other sweet options to choose from. (I just mention this so they know those macaroons are missed.)

I'm not connected with Cupcake® in any way except I'm just a very happy customer who is excited that they have received national attention. You'll probably be able to see reruns of the championship show on Food Network if you consult their listings.

Congratulations Cupcake®! It's great not to have to leave the neighborhood for a delicious cupcake!

Holiday Breakfast of Champions

Above: Two chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches (one is open, the other is closed and ready to eat). We bake the cookies to just the right chewy consistency for this application; and we use vanilla Häagen-Daz ice cream. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

The other day I received a note from someone who said she read my blog. She wanted feedback on a weight loss and exercise app she was making.

I receive hundreds of "off-topic" emails like this one. She might very well have been a reader of the blog and even if she isn't I wish her well in her endeavor. But I had nothing to write to her. I couldn't be sure an answer on my part might not lead to additional emails about a project in which I have no interest.

You see I believe in exercising because it's fun, and as we learned the other day, because I'm addicted to endorphins.

Also, I don't diet. I certainly should eat less sugar.

The above photo is my Monday, January 2 breakfast. It was a holiday. But even so, I'm not embarrassed in the least (though you can see there is a reason I ride 20 miles a day on my bike when the weather is fair). 

DIck came into the kitchen while I was making my meal. Again, I wasn't embarrassed at all, I don't hide my consumption of anything. I would, however, rather he not be there, just as my mother has always made a point to insist that my father not enter the bathroom when she is occupying it—"To keep some mystery."  

While Dick is perfectly welcome in the bathroom anytime at all, I'd rather he not know what fuels Roz. (Best to keep him guessing.) We had a great laugh about that. I may want that, but the veil was lifted long ago.

The first time he took me out to dinner we went for prime rib (funny, that is a common thread in all my dinner dates and yet I don't remember ever asking for prime rib on a first date—yet I always got it; distance runners must just look hungry). When Dick reached over to my plate with his fork to claim a taste of my prime rib he nearly lost a hand. He has observed proper distance from my plate and my cutlery ever since.

Dick learned this leasson without the assistance of an app.

The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs

There have been some reality shows I quite enjoyed (and may still if new episodes emerge)—the one about the weird store* in NYC, the road trip make-over show "On the Road with Austin and Santino," the taxidermists in Alaska, "Chopped" (which is more of a game show), "Ace of Cakes," and in the past "Project Runway" (until the producers made it all about drama and making people cry, and made it very clear that my choices don't align with the judges; well I'm not known for my fashion sense anyway).

Cooking shows, however, top the list. Currently the search is on for the Next Iron Chef over at the Food Network.

We get to see talented professionals working hard and fast at their craft, with intriguing results. The spirit among the chefs is also more collegial then on other "competition" shows. They may all be playing for a slot on the Iron Chef roster, and all the promotional and merchandise money that can come from such a position, but the emphasis here is on the food. You still get enough information to get a sense of a chef's personality without the TMI that reigns on other reality shows.

Of course one could argue that for me this show is simply food porn, since I don't have a working kitchen right now. That's fine this is a hearty substitute.

(They are only 3 chefs down so you can still catch up.)

Update: I forgot to mention another favorite reality show: Chris March's "Mad Fashion." March is a clothing designer I first learned about when he appeared on a season of "Project Runway." (He finished his season with a collection made of human hair that was outrageously beautiful.) Each week on "Mad Fashion" he dresses a client for an event in about 3 days. The outfits are outrageous and beautiful and it's great to see how his team executes them.

*Update number 2 and footnote 1, don't get me started: That store is Obscura Antiques and Oddities.

I Have the Best Friends in the World

Above: Swatch the dog at Mood, as seen on "Project Runway." Pentel Pocket Brush Pen with light washes of gouache. Fortune from cookie prepasted on the page. Journal handmade with Magnani Designo; 7 x 10 inches. Decorative paper created for the cover is visible on the left of the scan. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

I really do have the best friends in the world.

When my friend Linda found out that I had pneumonia she showed up with a care package including the largest, best Honey Crisp Apple ever (yes they are available again!); a bottle of homemade ginger ale syrup (!) and a six pack of  club soda with which to mix it; reading material to entertain and remind me of my passions (crows, books, writing…); and a selection of decorative gourds to sketch!

She knew that already at 2 weeks into it I was grumpy and not a happy camper. That gift lifted my spirits. Linda always amazes me in her creativity and generosity, and in the ways she combines the two as she did with this care package hitting so many positive points—she knew that my mom gave me ginger ale when I was sick as a child. (I also liked fish eyes and rice as a child, but we can understand Linda not wanting to bring that over!)

It has been an isolating recovery (since I've been unable to speak without coughing, phone conversations are out on most days and severely limited on others). Linda brightened my day in ways you can't even begin to imagine (especially if you have never had homemade ginger ale—it's like a party in your mouth, sweet, yet spicy and well, gingery!).

She gave me something interesting to sketch—when I was pretty much just scanning for glimpses of dogs on the TV!

She reminded me of all the great things I'm not really missing—Honey Crisp time is just starting after all. (Though as a true contrarian I did continue to grumble about missing the final days of outdoor cycling!)

She also reminded me that I want to be a better person; certainly less grumpy. And her kindness made me focus on gratitude, as did the cards, emails, and short calls of concerned friends.

When our view narrows, for whatever reason, we are fortunate when friends remind us of the larger picture.

I'm doing better now, though I'm still not at 100 percent. I grumble less—gratitude has a perking up effect.

I talk about the new television season with Dick, who is only interested because I'm so interested (and he laughs and laughs, which is always fun for me). I'm able to talk long enough on the phone to catch up with Pat and the Cats, though when she starts to talk about economics I know I have a long way to go yet to communicate near her level! (So I'm grateful for the faith friends have in me and my intelligence even on my best days.)

Saturday I was able to teach the first session of my nine-month long journaling class, and I am looking forward to tearing down 25 sheets of Gutenberg paper to create the journals for which they hold the promise.

The Sudoku books I took up once more to get me through the coughing fits have been put aside again. (This isn't a habit I want to revisit, but it was useful.)

As an ever hopeful Minnesotan, I believe there will be some more outdoor cycling for me this year—but just in case, Dick took in the old bike to have it outfitted so that I could use it as a stationary bike. In short, I'm planning again. And I am a planner.

I'm still scanning for glimpses of dogs on the TV though!

The June Meeting of the MCBA Visual Journal Collective: Molly Anthony on Lost and Found

Left: Molly beginning her talk at MCBA. There are additional recipe boxes she has since rescued also on display. (The desserts she brought for us are out of the picture on two other tables.) The sign on the front of the table is the one I attached to a stool and placed in the nearest spot to the bindery door—so that she and her mom and her husband wouldn’t have long trips to carry things in. (Pam, her mom, thought that was pretty funny.) Click on an image to view an enlargement.

A group of 25 journal keepers (of all different skill levels and approaches) showed up to hear local artist and writer Molly Anthony talk about her found recipe box project.

We got an in-depth look at the origins of Molly’s project and the implications for her own creative life. She is doing what she loves—researching and writing—and she has reconnected with organic chemistry (a college course that showed her the pursuit of science was not for her—but which is now useful again when coping with the likes of boiled icing!).

What Molly knows for sure about the keeper of the recipe box is that she was a Minnesotan (too many Minnesota product recipes. And the woman liked desserts: sixty percent of the recipes are desserts. And she loved to entertain: there is a recipe for turkey stuffing that calls for 19 loaves of bread.

Time to Get Your Honey Crisp Apples

Above: Sketch from a 2007 Journal—Honey Crisp Apple of course! Pentel Pocket Brush pen sketch with Schmincke gouache. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

I'm prepping for a bunch of classes right now and am eating Honey Crisp apples like there is no tomorrow, and there isn't as far as these apples are concerned! I haven't had any in my hands long enough to sketch, yet I wanted to let you know about these, to urge you to get some while you can. If you seek them out you won't regret it. You can read more how Honey Crisps came into my life on my website. And you can read on my blog about an adventure last year which ended happily with a large supply of them.

Now I know you'll excuse me, but I have to go back to cutting bookcloth for Saturday's class. Go get some Honey Crisps!

Minnesota State Fair EXTRA: Fried Cheese Curds

Above: this 12 minute video shows many brief glimpses of Fair attractions. And it's the Minnesota State Fair that you're seeing. It talks about cheese curds, but I recommend you take the time to watch the video to get a sense of the Fair. The cooking lesson, while well-intentioned, misses the point for me because I'm not interested in a "healthier" version of fried Cheese Curds. If you are impatient you can skip to about 7:50 and see the Cheese Curds booth in the Food Building at the Fair—where I recommend you go for all your Cheese Curd needs. If the embedded video doesn't work see this video on You Tube.

This morning's post, Minnesota State Fair Prep—#5: Fair Food Made Simple (And Some Thoughts on Exercise), raised a lot of questions. I addressed some of these with an EXTRA post about Salt Water Taffy. Now I feel compelled to address Cheese Curds too. The above video not only shows you how these are made at the Fair (at minute 7:50 or so), but throughout it shows you some nice clips of Fair attractions. You can feel the August heat and humidity and get a sense of the crowds. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded by a lovely sheep encounter.

I almost forgot to mention: in the attractions you'll see Lillian Colton, Crop Artist extraordinare (who has since passed away) posing with a book about her art; see the butter portraits of the Fair Princesses (read about the program here); people selling all sorts of things; other people playing games of chance on the Midway; sword swallowing—just watch it OK?