On the Alma

Cedric got to go sailing on the Alma and had such a wonderful time. We sailed around Angel Island, and got to see the Immigration Station and Fort MacDowell from the water. The sun even came out for a while!

Baguettes

These are my best looking baguettes yet. Granted, they're not gorgeous, but they're so much prettier than the previous ones!

I was never successful following the King Arthur Flour's recipe's instructions, "make three diagonal slashes in each baguette. Hold the sharp knife at a 45° angle to the bread, be quick, and use firm strokes." I couldn't get cuts that would open. The sharpness of the knives wasn't the problem, but I couldn't master this "45° angle" technique.

So I turned to Julia Child, From Julia Child's Kitchen, which had been of immense help with poached eggs: "Immediately make three lengthwise slashes in the top of the dough with a razor, cutting almost parallel to surface, as follows..."

That was the ticket. "Almost parallel." Worked like a charm.

Parking Sign Cozies Have Appeared!

Some absolutely delightful parking sign cozies have appeared in our neighborhood! I think they may be the work of a blogger I always enjoy reading, Streetcolor, but I don't know for sure. This one is on Solano Ave. in front of Pegasus books:


And this one is down the street, nearer to Peets:


I just love them--such darling colors & festive stitch patterns--I hope more appear!

Stocking cap

This is the beginning of a stocking cap, using Maggie's Rags Witch's Hat pattern as the basis for the beginning.

This gorgeous yarn was a terribly thoughtful gift--Opal, "in Variation nach Hundertwassers Werk, "Good Morning City." I'm in love with the colors!

I started this because the sprain in my hand occasionally acts up, and knitting with smaller needles is much more comfortable right now that with larger needles. Also, kntting in the round lets me do just a little bit, and then stop anywhere if I get any aches or pains, so I'm sure not to push it.

Why am I making a stocking cap rather than the socks from the pattern on the yarn's label? Because, well, I really don't like knitting socks--don't tell anyone!

The colors in Harrisville Designs Heathered Bulky

The sprain in my hand is healed enough that I can do a little knitting here and there, so I'm working on the strap to the purse (Aran Pocketbook by Edie Eckman). I am struck by the wonderful colors in this yarn--the bright blues, the soft pinks--the strains of bright colors complement the base purple so beautifully. The name of this color, "periwinkle," doesn't due the variety of color justice. Sure, the purple is very true to the periwinkle blossoms in front of my home, but the gorgeous bright blues and pinks surrounding it are absent from the flower--but delightfully present in the yarn.

Slightly wheat challah

My favorite recipe for challah (OK, the only recipe I know for challah!) is King Arthur Flour's Four-Strand-Braided Challah. It always turns out beautifully, and is delicious.

This time, we tried substituting some home-ground flour for white flour, almost two cups worth (from one cup of wheat berries).

It was fantastic. This is the way I'll be making challah from now on.

Round

The April Ravelry pie challenge is "round," and we're a bit in between fruit seasons, so the fresh fruit choices were apples and rhubarb--but although I love those together, I didn't love them enough to make another apple rhubarb pie so soon, so it was off to the frozen food aisle. We've been paying attention to the EWG's food news (about pesticide levels in some foods), so got the organic strawberries--and in the same section they had blueberries and raspberries:


They made a delicious pie. I used a cherry pie recipe, figuring that the berries matched the sweetness level of cherries, but omitted the lemon that I usually add to cherry pie, since the raspberries probably added some tartness. It was delicious! (I also made Slightly Wheat Water Rolls, and lasagna for dinner):