Likely Story

Back From SAFF

I am back from a wonderful and exhausting weekend in Asheville, NC at the South Eastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF for short).  It was great.  I bought beautiful yarn and got to see Rachael who I hadn't seen in four (yes, FOUR) years.  Good Stuff!  Here's what the place looked like:

Here is a shot of our combined yarn haul (at least half from Brooks Farm):

Here are a Lama and two angora bunnies:

We ate at the BEST restaurant, Rezaz.  Seriously, when in Asheville, eat there.  So good.  really.  wow.
Good Food, Farm animals, Good Friends - much fun was had by all!

This Weekend

No Saturday torte this week.  In fact, no more posts until next week,  Why you may ask?  B/c I leave the day after tomorrow for SAFF!!!  YAY!  I am meeting my friend Rachael and we're going to have a yarn good time (sorry for that awful pun).  Lots of pictures to follow.

See you all at SAFF!

Jawbreaker Is Complete and Doesn't Suck!

Ha!  I finished it and it's OK!  Yay!

The Jawbreaker Cardigan from IK in Elann Highland Peruvian Chunky, Spiced Wine.

Saturday Torte

Your Saturday Torte is the Spanish Vanilla Torte.

I am assuming the joke is that the Spanish, having discovered chocolate,  would have chocolate as their vanilla.  Whatever, its a really goooooo torte.

The cake itself is marzipan chocolate chip.  We have dark rum syrup and soft chocolate ganache  between the layers.  The whole thing is then enrobed in hard ganache and finished with ganache rosettes and dark and white chocolate ornaments.  Forgive the blooming exterior.  It's so warm here that the ganache was began re-melting on the car ride home and the cake had to be refrigerated.  Hence, the blooming.  It still tastes good!

Nerd, Geek, Dork?

The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test

Your Score: Modern, Cool Nerd

82 % Nerd, 78% Geek, 47% Dork

which are you?

cake and knitting pics to come...

Saturday Torte (and pies)

Hellllloooooo!

Your Saturday torte is the classic Sacher Torte, made with Sacher cake (chocolate and marzipan based) with rum syrup, apricot preserves and chocolate ganache.  Very tasty!  Also, I threw a in a gratuitious pastry shot of the  three delicious pies I made for a potluck supper on Friday night.  We have, from left to right, Cinnamon Apple Crumb, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan and Vanilla Pecan.  Enjoy!

Tree Jacket!

For the Sexy Knitters Club KAL I am knitting Tree Jacket first.  I have finished the neck and am on to the increase rounds.  So far I love the color and I love the way Tree Jacket is looking, but I am afraid I may be cutting it a bit close with my yarn yardage.  I am using Lion Brand Cotton Ease (in Taupe) and the pattern calls for 1050 yds -- I have JUST that.  Anyone know if the Zephyr patterns run generous on their suggested yardage?

Mrs. Darcy is finished.

So, she's finished.  yep.  doesn't fit me at all.  Even if she did fit me, Mrs. Darcy is definitely not the sweater for me.  Someone else maybe.  Someone really skinny with no pointy lady bits to speak of......  The good news is that now, NOW I can knit a sweater.  So, I am all but the sleeves through Jawbreaker and I'm going to cast on tonight for the SKC Tree Jacket KAL.  Yay!

Here she is, Mrs. Darcy (that bitch!), buttonless for now.  She will make someone a lovely xmas gift. 

Just not me. 

Saturday Torte

The Lutetia Torte:

Walnut genoise, chocolate ganache, chantilly cream, raspberry preserves, garnished with a marzipan carnation, chocolate dipped walnuts and royal icing.  (As it is SC, the royal icing has promptly proceeded to melt.)  Bon Appetit!

Saturday Torte

So. this one makes me wonder....is the chef in charge of curriculum trying to be funny?

Here we have the Marzipan Dome Torte:

Walnut genoise, raspberry preserves, marzipan layer, praline buttercream, marzipan rose, dark chocolate ornaments.  yeah.