Moving Through My Own Story

I've been thinking for a while that I'd make this a friends only journal. I really enjoy meeting new people and don't mind making your acquaintance so please just pop a note in the comments section of this post and we'll go from there.

You might also want to note that I may not friend you back unless you're a frequent poster (I like to know as much about you as you'll know about me) or all of your posts are just downloads from Twitter, Memes or Fangirl/guy stuff. That's not to say I won't check in and look at your blog from time to time to see what you're up to. If you've started posting more frequently on a personal level there's a good chance that I'll show up and friend you. =)

Most of my public posts are Gluten Free recipes and other "fluff". All my locked posts are ramblings about my personal life, family, quilts, gardening, etc.

Cheers~

I've gone through and un-frineded anyone who's not posted in about a year. It's just flist cleanup / maintenance, nothing personal. If you've been reading and just not commenting leave a comment for me here and let me and I'll friend you back.
Cheers~

The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America by Russell Shorto

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I picked up The Island at the Center of the World while at the library. The title jumped out at me. Who would be so bold and brash, as to claim that they were at the center of the world?

The author, Russel Shorto builds his story around thirty years of work of a little known 17th century dutch language translator, Charles Gehring. His life's work, to translate what's left of the records of New Amsterdam, the previous name for what is now known as New York (and surrounding areas). Weaving fact and conjecture, Shorto brings us a Dutch colony given more credit for success, influence and modern political thought then Anglocentric historians have previously allowed. He sites the language barrier as the primary reason so little has been known about this foundling colony; that and the old adage that history is written by the victors.

In a colony comprised of many ethnicities and cultures from the get go, the protagonist of this book turns out to be Adriaen van der Donck, who is portrayed as a manipulative, hard fighting, political visionary. He is opposed to the autocratic rule of Peter Stuyvesant, lackey of the Dutch East India Trading Company, and tries to effect radical political change by winning individual rights and self-governance for the dutch colony while wresting its power away from the Trading Company. He goes so far as to travel back to the Netherlands to appeal to the States General there to win an early form of democratic freedoms for the populace of the colony or at least equal status that those of homeland Dutch citizens enjoyed. Shorto works hard to show us that the multicultural tolerance and egalitarianism of the Dutch Golden Age was epitomized in the political actions of Van der Donck, which then echoed down the ages even after his name in American history had all but been forgotten. His influence within the colony and abroad lent itself to the heart, soul and culture that was to become New York.

Despite the sometimes seriousness of this book there are light hearted moments about cookies and coleslaw, how Broadway and Wall Street got their names, insight to the cultures of the Native Americans and what the relationship the early Dutch colonists had with them. We are also treated to a vision of early colonial life in New Amsterdam as being much more freewheeling then the stoic, prudish colonies of the English Pilgrims which surrounded them. Overall a very nice secondary viewpoint of early American history and worth a read.





View all my reviews

Someday when I win the lottery, I'm building a retreat center like this one and flying you all there annually for a week long crafty get-a-way.

I am not a gourmet cook by any means, so please don’t think that this recipe is fancy and complicated by the sound of the title. It is super simple and kid-friendly. My kids don’t eat the roasted figs or onions but they love the chicken over the rice. It is delicious even as leftovers! Be sure to serve the chicken with a large, raw green salad to help digestion.

1 whole organic chicken (about 4 pounds)
Herbamare and freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet Walla Walla onion, chopped
fresh figs
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
fresh rosemary sprigs

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Rinse chicken under cold running water. Place it into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or other roasting pan. Generously sprinkle with Herbamare and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the chopped onion inside the cavity of the chicken and around it on the bottom of the pan. Place the figs around the chicken.

Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup in a small bowl or cup. Pour over the chicken. Place a few fresh rosemary springs on and around the chicken.

Add about ¼ cup of water to the bottom of the pan.

Place in the oven and roast at 475 degrees for about 20 minutes to seal in the juices. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to cook until juices run clear, about another 1 ½ hours.

Source: www.nourishingmeals.com

Mix together with a spoon in a small bowl:

5 TBL cornstarch
1 cup water room temp
Yeast packet (found in BRM GF bread mix)

When cornstarch is dissolved, pour into large bowl and mix in the following (using spoon or dough hook) in upright mixer:

1 1/8 cups rice milk
1/4 cup vegetable or safflower oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
BRM GF Bread mix

Pour mixture into a bread pan and let rise until dough is just above the top of the pan (about 30-40 minutes). Bake at 350* for one hour, rotating pan once during baking. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Tip: For lighter crust color, cover pan with tin foil or place a cookie sheet (above the bread pan) on a higher shelf in the oven during baking.

Source: flyer handed out at the BRM visitor center. Copied here because I know I'll lose that piece of paper eventually!

Dilly pickled beans

4 Pint canning jars (do not use quarts!)

In each Pint put:
Fill each pint half way with straight beans (Kentucky Wonder are recommended), then add
2 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne [be sure your cayenne is fresh]
1 head fresh dill weed
Finish stuffing with beans

Make liquid of:
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup pickle salt
Bring to a "boil" and pour over beans leave 1/4 inch room at top of jar.

Prepare canning lids and pot. Put hot lids on jars, add rings to finger tight.
Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes .
BE SURE THE WATER IS BOILING when you start the time
If you double the liquid it could cover 9 pints and that would be a canner full.

Have fun - READY TO EAT IN 2 WEEKS
**************************
Nora Beardsley

Three-Berry Pie


This was the pie I made for a summer gathering of family. I didn't quite get it made soon enough for it to set up properly but it was tart and warm and with ice cream scooped on top it was the perfect sweet compliment. I'll definitely be making it again! Of course I've made modifications to be GF/DF/EF...

1 cup granulated sugar (or more if berries are too tart)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups fresh blackberries (3/4 to 1 pound)
2 cups fresh raspberries (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
2 cups fresh blueberries (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
GF Pie Crust
2 Tablespoons Soy creamer
1 Tablespoon Veganaise

OPTIONAL:
sanding sugar
cinnamon

Special equipment: a 9-inch metal or glass pie plate (4-cup capacity)
Accompaniment: Any alternative milk ice cream like frozen dessert.... rice dream, soy ice cream, etc.

Put a large baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, and salt, then toss with berries and lemon zest.

Roll out 1 piece of dough into a 13-inch round and fit into lightly greased pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out dough for top crust.

Roll out remaining piece of dough on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round.

Spoon filling into shell, then cover pie with pastry round and trim with kitchen shears, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges together, then crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of pie with Veganaise and Creamer mixture (should be smooth and the consistency of heavy cream). Sprinkle all over with sanding sugar and or cinnamon. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a small sharp knife.

Bake pie on hot baking sheet in middle of oven 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes more.

Cool pie on a rack at least 3 hours before serving to allow juices to thicken slightly (filling will still be juicy).

Gourmet | August 2003
Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 6 hours(includes making dough and cooling pie)
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
Original recipe at Epicurious.com

BASE:
1 cup of sugar
2 TBL Baking Soda
2-3 TBL Aloe Vera Gel
Add any of the following....

VARIATIONS:
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp thyme
1 drop yellow food coloring (optional)

OR

1 tsp lemon extract
see sugar above - add lavender buds to sugar for a week or two prior to making for a lemon-lavendar scent. Be sure to remove buds before making, it's just an infusion you're after.

OR

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of dried orange peel

OR

1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp coco baking powder

OR

The possibilities are endless! Make something up and add it in.

I managed to pull together a slide show but we're just about to have dinner so I haven't had time to write up a post yet. Anyway lots of fun and lots of quilt pictures in the slide show. Cheers!