Tasting, tasting …
I broke out the peach salsa and the peach jam I canned. I was trying to wait, to let the flavors blend, to have a little patience. Well, that’s as much patience as I have - maybe a month? I really, really wanted to know if something tasty came of all those hours of work and peach juice dripping from my elbows.
I was not disappointed. The peach jam is basically peach butter, thick and tangy and sweet, the essence of peach on toast.
But the peach salsa was better than good. It was terrific. I’m not much for complimenting myself, but if I could give you all a taste, I totally would. It made me happy. If you’re in the area, come on over. But you should hurry, the first of two jars is half gone.
Patience (just like the G’N'R song … sort of)
I really hate to admit this, but I think it’s time I got a new computer. This one is, as the saying goes, moving slower than molasses in winter, and it’s driving me crazy. I know it’s the processor, but I just don’t like getting new computers very much, I get all comfortable and familiar with one and then it goes and gets old. The nerve! I get sentimental - I still have two of my old computers, and my old laptop is currently the file server for my home network. *sigh*
I’ve noticed lately that when I begin a post I start digressing like that even before I begin the post. This post is reportedly about home furnishings - I have continued to update things around here after we completely rearranged our house in June. The next step was curtains and a couple of big pillows for my living room out of some nice fabric I got at Ikea. Still have 2 more pillows to make.
I titled this project Patience because it took me a while to finish them, because I actually didn’t cut any corners on the project. Everything got properly measured, pinned, ironed, lined, finished and stitched. This is very unusual because I have zero patience for twiddly details. It required many, many deep breaths and some shorter work sessions not to just get irritated and slap things together. But, I really wanted to produce things where I didn’t look at them funny later on. You know, the usual head-tilted-to-the-side-because-I’m-pretty-sure-that-seam-isn’t-straight look you give something when you start acknowledging maybe you should’ve taken a bit more time with it. Or does that only happen to me?
Of course, the ultimate test for all my pillows that I make is the Dog Test. Audrey is somewhat particular about her pillows (think the Princess and the Pea fairytale), and they have to achieve a certain level of comfort in both fluff and fabric in order for her to approve. I’m not kidding. She has rejected a number pillows before. I test for approval by flopping the pillow on the floor and seeing if she climbs on and is happy. Here are the results of the Dog Approval Test:
Victory! You can’t see it, but the pillow cover is open along one side. There’s a flap inside to cover the pillow liner, and then four ties made from the fabric to close it. This one is lined because my fabric was pretty sheer, plus I wanted to make it extra sturdy what with all the cats and dogs and husband in the house. I’m going to write myself some directions for them so I don’t forget. I made up the pattern as I went along (which did require some seam ripping).
The curtains I made were not true curtains, they’re decorative panels. One thing Jeff requested was wooden blinds, but our windows are an odd square size. So instead of forking over the bucks for custom sizing, we bought two and hung them side by side and it fit perfectly. It’s actually turned out well, because kitty sits in one side and looks out all day. The panels cover the seam between and the edges. This is kind of an odd view of the living room, but here they are:
These also feature fabric ties (I coordinated with the pillows!). I took my time with all the seams, and everything is so straight even this OCD girl can’t see the faults. I am pleased.
I received kind of a compliment on my home furnishing endeavors a while back - someone has asked me to figure out & probably make curtains for rooms in their new house. It’s a friend of my mom’s. I’m waiting to see (MOM) if my dear mother will decide to pick it all out before I even get there. Not that she tends to go shopping and get a little crazy or anything. Ah, what’s a blog for if you can’t occasionally tease the mother who reads it?
More food. And then more food.
I just made watermelonade. I think it needs more mixing with actual lemonade, but it’s pretty tasty for being just blended, strained watermelon with some lemon juice and a pinch of salt. I was supposed to add sugar, but these watermelons we’ve been getting are so sweet there’s just no point. I have, however, had quite enough of watermelon for the most part. We’ve received four in our local food box - Enough Already! There’s really only so much watermelon a girl can eat.
But this is not really about watermelon. This is about a different fruit, the peach. Remember when I posted those pictures of driving out west of here? Well, I actually made that trip in order to get these:
What’s that you say? You can’t see the lovely produce well enough? it IS pretty, isn’t it? So here you go:
I got all these peaches and tomatoes in order to can them. Guess how long it took me to peel all those peaches and tomatoes? Somewhere around 3 and a half hours. Plus about four more to get everything else boiled, chopped, peeled, cooked, and processed. But that’s not the whole reason this is yet another story of How Miriam Is Nuts.
The real reason is that I canned not only peach preserves (2 quarts) but also tomatoes (1 quart), peach salsa (1 quart) and peach jam (2 pints). It has all been very tasty. HOWEVER, let me tell you about lesson number One about a small kitchen and multiple recipes: DON’T DO IT. It would’ve been fine if I’d stuck to two. Three would’ve been way too many. Four was ridiculous.
With me, nothing can be simple (much to my husband’s eternal dismay). I tend to make things into a giant, messy production, and I was really lucky that on this particular Sunday that these were canned, I was really lucky that my Mom was staying the night. Without her help, I would’ve been up s*** creek without a paddle, as the saying goes. But as the other saying goes, all’s well that ends well. That’s my motto and I’m sticking to it (for now). Recipes after the break.
