Author Archives: mourningdove

Aikido and Rhetoric: Dignity

Never fear another challenger, no matter how large; Never despise another challenger, no matter how small. To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace. Morihei Ueshiba Wherefore, O judges, be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth – that no evilContinue reading “Aikido and Rhetoric: Dignity”

Friday Favorites: Perfume Houses and Blogs

If some people can be called clothes-horses, I’m a perfume-horse. I wear it pretty much daily (though only in amounts you can smell if you’re me or hugging me). Fragrance preferences are super personal, but here are the houses and review sites I’ve had good luck with: Fragrantica. A great, well-written and researched site withContinue reading “Friday Favorites: Perfume Houses and Blogs”

Ceramics Saturdays: The Poem Jars of David Drake

Boy, I would kill to be in NYC right now: there’s an exhibit on at the Met of the poem jars of David Drake, an enslaved ceramicist from South Carolina. Unusually, he signed his large-format storage jars, pitchers, and other vessels. Even more unusually, he etched short poems into many: (the one above reads “IContinue reading “Ceramics Saturdays: The Poem Jars of David Drake”

Baking in a Basque Oven

The area where I live is rich in Basque tradition, owing to a wave of immigration in the late 1800s by shepherds hired by the big sheep-ranching outfits here. (Little known fact: the Australian Shepherd dog is actually a Basque breed; the dogs immigrated from Australia alongside their Basque owners to work the sheep hereContinue reading “Baking in a Basque Oven”

Ceramics Saturdays: Makgeolli Cups from Jeewon Jeong

I’m so excited, you guys. I’m in the process of getting 8 of these little bowls from my friend Jeewon Jeong. I’m going to use them for makgeolli, but Jeewon says they’re a good size for rice, ice cream, etc. as well. Can’t wait! I’m planning on brewing a special batch of fall makgeolli toContinue reading “Ceramics Saturdays: Makgeolli Cups from Jeewon Jeong”

Unauthorized Uses: Secret Ingredient Edition

I have a few go-to ingredients when I need to punch up the flavor of a dish, and unusually for my cooking style—where I like to stick pretty close to whatever tradition I’m working from and not get too fusion-y—I use these ingredients completely indiscriminately. They’re flavor powerhouses, basically: Pomegranate molasses: This has a lip-smackingContinue reading “Unauthorized Uses: Secret Ingredient Edition”