Making Mustard

Mustard is a condiment I use daily.  I recently read a blog that gave directions for making mustard.  I had never given it any thought but reading the process, I saw it was quite easy so I thought I'd give it a try.

    Making your own mustard takes just a few minutes.  You can use mustard powder, also known as mustard flour or use mustard seed.  This recipe uses mustard flour.  

1 cup dry mustard (powder/flour)

1 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix the 5 ingredients in a small pot and whisk over medium heat about 5 minutes.

Your mustard will be thick and smooth.  Allow to cool.  Refrigerate your mustard and consume within a few weeks or use a hot water canning bath to can the mustard and keep up to one year.

Here's the finished product in a mustard pot with wooden paddle.

I added some olive oil and chili oil to the mustard and used it to baste baby back ribs that I had slow roasted in the oven prior to grilling.  The mustard gave the ribs a great flavor.  

One of the things I purchase in Paris is Maille mustard.

photo

At the boutique Maille in Paris, mustard is pumped through a tap into ceramic jars.

I recycle and take my jars back to Paris and wait in line to have them filled.  There is a traditional Dijon, a coarse ground mustard and then a "flavor of the day", perhaps a variety made with chardonay.  Right now my jars are empty.  I either need to make more mustard or take a trip!

Ikea Crave

Raskog Kitchen cart Ikea $49.99

I think this cart is fantastic for the price.  It is available in gray as well as turquoise but since turquoise is a favorite color, I'll have that.  

The Raskog cart may be called a "kitchen" trolley but why keep all the fun in a kitchen.  It would be great in a bathroom for extra storage, a craft room, or kids room.  

I can't show photos of how I use the cart since it is out of stock at my Ikea and I'm waiting...and craving.

Where would you use the cart?  Gray or turquoise?

Lovin' Leif

Are you familiar with Leif, the online store?

They have some fun and unusual items, great for gift for others or yourself.  Here is a sample.  Check out the online shop here.

Lovin' Leif by spiralstyle featuring brooches

Summer Bounty

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a beautiful weekend.

Our daughter, son-in-law, and their dog, Dempsey, spent a few days with us while on their way to relocating in Philadelphia.  It was too hot to be outside, other than for a swim so we were "forced" to relax inside, watch the Olympics, chat and eat.

They both love to cook and helped prepare meals with bounty from the garden and farmers market.  Our daughter composed beautiful Caprese salad plates.

Her husband whipped a delicious peach salsa to accompany pork tenderloin.  

                                   photo by Romulo Yanes

We made an outstanding salted caramel ice cream from this recipe.  It was a perfect balance of sweet and salty and remarkably rich and smooth.

Happy Weekend

Last weekend hubby and I hosted our book club.  I served this cocktail, Blackberry-gin fizz.  It was fresh and delicious and very refreshing.  See this recipe and other great summer cocktails at Bon Appetit. 

As a starter I served fresh gazpacho.  I posted this recipe here in 2009.

                                               Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Sara on Pinterest

Have a wonderful weekend.  

Creative Decor

Enjoy some creative decor ideas I found on Pinterest

                                 Source: centsationalgirl.com via Deborah on Pinterest

                                              Source: poppytalk.blogspot.com via Deborah on Pinterest

                            Source: designsponge.com via Deborah on Pinterest

                                             Source: etsy.com via Deborah on Pinterest

                                Source: designsponge.com via Deborah on Pinterest

Cold Brewed Coffee

There is nothing I like better than a hot cup of coffee but in the summer, the "hot" part is not so appealing.  Iced coffee is great but when I take leftover coffe and ice it, it often tastes bitter.  I tried cold brewed coffee which I read was smooth and not bitter.  By "brewing" the coffee in cold water, the beans do not come into contact with heat and the result is a less acidic, sweeter tasting brew.  I concur, the cold brew method produces a rich, sweet coffee.

I cold brewed 12 ounces of ground coffee in 7 cups of filtered water for about 14 hours in a large pitcher.  After the 14 hours of brew time, I poured the mixture through a cheesecloth lined mesh sieve into a glass vessel.

Use a medium roast rather than a bold or dark roast for a smooth flavor.  A medium roast will give a very rich brew.

The cheesecloth and grounds were discarded and the coffee was further filtered through a mesh coffee filter.  I didn't have any paper filters so I used a gold mesh filter.  Do not stir the mixture or it will become cloudy.  Cover the filtered cold brew and chill.  This coffee concentrate can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks...if you don't drink it all first!  The cold brew is a concentrate and should be diluted 1 part coffee to 1 part water or milk.

An iced latte with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  A delicious guilty pleasure!