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spring was here

Last sunday - definitely not this sunday - we were reminded that things do get better. I woke up to the sound of our woodpecker hacking away on the birch tree. Overnight hummingbirds had  returned - fiercely guarding the quince when I tried to cut a few branches for a bouquet. It got warm enough for the chickens to seek shade for their afternoon scratch in the dirt, and for Gozu the cat to stay out hunting all night. The dogs finally got most their energy out racing laps around the yard. Floortje in relentless pursuit of Bunior's hind legs and of course her favorite: chomping daisies on the run! I worked on pots for most of the day, but Gus stole my camera and shot a few pictures. 

Have you googled yourself, lately?

DON'T You could be reminded of what your butt used to look like! Yikes!

Or you could come across scary 80-ies and 90-ies images like THESE!!  Yikes again!

 

from mud to wonky candle sticks

This is quite a funky wonky collection of candelabras. I still don't know what to think of them. They're kinda cute in a "only a mother can love them" way. I'm not sure if they were worth the effort but I did have fun playing in the mud. And it has been a useful exercise in how much abuse the clay (and I) can take.

I have been working on creating a line of utility ware for my etsy store while still staying within the Mediterranean Classics. I was inspired by a pair of "marble" bowls that I've thrown years ago and still love and use regularly. I would have continued to make more, but the use of black clay was soon verboten in the studio I worked in at the time. (Something to do with my messy work habits maybe?) Anyway, while trying out different white porcelains to mix with the "midnight black" from Seattle Pottery and the right proportions, I made a pretty big mess of things and ended up with a bucket full of scraps and mud. Not wanting to be wasteful, but without the help of a pug mill or even a wedging board I set out to create something, well anything really. After an "entertaining" struggle with air bubbles and lumps - it made shaping the neck of the vase in the previous post feel like buttah - I ended up with a bunch of wonky aka "characterful" candle sticks. Now all I need to do is figure out how to glaze them, if at all. Any suggestions? MAybe I'll try to raku them. Not my favorite procedure normally, but it could be just the right thing. I will post the results when available.

messy room (my "studio")

This is my "studio" slash cat-room slash sun-room. It's not insulated or heated and either freezing or boiling. But once in a while I manage to get in there when the temperature is tolerable. But it's SO nice to be able to work at home. I'm still potting at the Eagledale arts center as well - it's good to be social and I still have many! questions, but I no longer despair when classes are on break.

On the wheel is my latest venture into antiquity, a Tang Dynasty inspired dragon-handled urn. I am still very much inspired by post Bronze-age Mediterranean cultures, but I'm not averse to more Asian influence. In particular Ritual Asian Bronzes. After all it is widely believed that the makers of Shang Dynasty bronzes were influenced by Mediterranean craftsmen. A bit all-over the map and all-over many time lines; easily justified as an archeological stir in the ol' cultural melting pot.   

  

A Shang period inspired "bronze" that I'm offering as a custom order in my shop on ETSY.

I made this one for a friend as a funerary urn for her dog's ashes. 

         

I spotted this "bronze" pool side at Casa Dali - 

Salvador Dali's house, now a museum, in

Port Lligat, Spain.

                                                                                            

duck, duck, turkey

Survived another Thanksgiving! No travel, no relatives, no turkey, no black friday mall shopping and no college sports!

Yes Miles home from college - with girlfriend Shiori of course, and yes mu-shu duck! I'm sure their blog posts 20 years from now will read pretty much the same, but for the "no mu-shu duck and no scrabble!" But that's their problem. Hopefully they will still appreciate the duck and the day-after duck soup. Don't think they'll ever forget the drying ducks - or the crispy skin for that matter. At least they know what was hanging in the window, unlike what I saw in Shanghai last february. What exactly was hanging out to dry there??? Pork maybe in one picture, but a bear? I think the animal control or the FDA would be on our doorsteps immediately. We did have pumpkin pie. Spiced up with cardamom, heavy on the ginger and a delicious crust made by Gus and assistant Shiori. (Recipe and picture below - sorry no picture of the prepared mu-shu duck due to ravenous customers.)

the mu-shu duck:

1 duck

3 tbsp malt sugar

2 tbsp rice vinegar

11/2 tsp five spice powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 small shallots

8 pieces star anise

2 shallots

Start preparing the night before: 

Wash and dry the duck. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Heat the malt sugar and the vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. 

Pour the bowling water over the duck. This will contract the skin and helps it separate from the flesh for crispy skin. Rub the duck all over with the malt sugar mixture. Stuff with five spice powder mixture and sew up the cavity. Hang duck to dry by it's feet. Be careful, it drips.

Next day:

Preheat oven at 375ºF. Roast duck for 1 hr, or until reddish brown and crispy!

Meanwhile prepare the pancakes:

2 cups plain flour

11/3 cup boiling water

salt

1 tbsp sesame oil plus more

Stir all ingredients rapidly together until you have a pliable ball. Divide dough in 4 equal parts. Roll each out in a log about 2" by 4". Cut into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface roll each into a 6" circle. Heat quickly on both sides on a very hot cast iron pan or griddle. Brush thinly with more sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together. Keep warm.

Prepare the stir-fry veggies:

bean-sprouts, washed

napa cabbage or bok choy, shredded

shiitake mushroom, sliced

scallions, white part sliced, greens chopped

cilantro

1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat a wok, add pan dripping from the duck. Quickly stir-fry the scallion white parts with the shiitake mushrooms. When the mushrooms are soft, add the cabbage for a minute, the soy sauce and remove from heat. Remove to serving dish. Just before serving stir in the bean-sprouts, cilantro and green scallion parts.

Time to serve:

duck

pancakes

stir fry

hoisin sauce

Carve the duck and slice thinly. Each guest will spread a tsp of hoisin sauce on a pancake. Add a few slices of duck meat and skin and a spoon full of stir fry. Pick up and eat like a taco.

That night I start the duck soup with the bones and left-overs. While certain other family members await their share of left-overs. (Don't worry, we had plenty - even enough for "duck-pot-pie" on the 3rd night.)

Recipe to follow. First the pumpkin pies!

The Pumpkin Pie:

fresh sugar pumpkins

Roast in a 400ºF oven until soft. Scoop out seeds, peel and reserve meat.

pie dough:

21/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks cold butter, in cubes

1/4 cup ice-cold water

Combine all ingredients except ice water in food processor and pulse until coarse but well blended. While the machine is running, slowly but QUICKLY add ice-water through the feed tube until the dough holds together. Divide dough in 2 pieces. Flatten each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hr.

filling:

4 cups fresh pumpkin meat

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cardamom

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cloves

Mix all in food processor and blend well.

Preheat oven at 425ºF

Roll out dough to line two 9" pie pans. Pour in filling and decorate with dough scraps. Bake for 15 min at 425ºF, then lower temp to 350ºF for an additional 45 min or so. Until a knife comes out clean.

first kiln, first wheel, first sale!

First: I sold my first pot! Thanks to my dear friend and painter Holly Collins it was less traumatic than I thought. I was not all too ready to part with my favorite piece, but I'm happy it's found a new home with my friends in Vancouver. Holly just opened an ETSY store herself. You should check out her colorful and sparkling pique-assiette christmas trees and other treasures in Holly's store at ETSY  She was in town to attend a glassblowing workshop - who knows what she'll do next - and visiting old Bainbridge friends Trudy and (incumbent - soon to be re-elected - congressman) Jay Inslee. Great to see them again too. Jay just got back from campaigning in Spokane. Not for himself - I'm sure his seat is safe - but for our governor, Christine Gregoire. I think he gave it all he got - he was as hoarse as Bill Clinton on the stump. So, we missed him for dinner, but us girls had a pretty good meal, with a lot of laughs at the "Four Swallows" on Bainbridge. Maybe a few too many and certainly way too loud. Our waitress commented on how nice it was to have some noise in the restaurant, quite unlike most nights after 9 pm on a  Saturday on Bainbridge!? Shows you how "exciting" this town is and why we never bother to eat out. Didn't quite know how to take her comment either. We took it as a clue that, since we were the only ones left beside the staff table, we should maybe clear out. My mussels were cooked fine, but the taste of the broth was overwhelmed by canned tomatoes.

Second: I bought an - electric - kiln and wheel today!!

Yeah, the mudslinging at home can start in earnest now - after I get the kiln hooked up to 240 volts that is. I can't tell you how excited I am. Of course I'm still thinking about the gas kiln too . . . Maybe if I sell a few more pieces next weekend in - oh I had not mentioned - a show I've been invited to join by my instructor Sherri Grossbauer. It's the "Art in the Woods" self-guided studio tour on November 7, 8 & 9. You can find a brochure online at www.cafnw.org. Sherri has offered to "host" my work in her studio space: Mud Club Pottery and I couldn't be more thankful. 

Pots ready for the show!