Since Epiphany is tomorrow (the 12th day of Christmas) and my city’s tree-cycling program ends this weekend, it’s time to de-decorate. Honestly, it’s fine: as much as I love Christmas, I recognize that its ability to thrill me every year stems in part from the fact that it’s a limited engagement. Also, while I neverContinue reading “Storing Christmas Decorations”
Author Archives: mourningdove
Los Angeles
I had to go to LA to apply for a visa at the German consulate for my upcoming research residency in Berlin, and even though I was only going to be there for a little over 24 hours, I planned to eat some good food and learn a bit about the area where I wasContinue reading “Los Angeles”
Chestnuts and Champagne (or Armagnac, or Ginger Tea)
One of my favorite ways to ring in the New Year is to light a fire in the backyard, roast some chestnuts, watch the fireworks downtown, and have a champagne toast at midnight. If you want to try it, try to get chestnuts that are plump and still feel a bit pliable/moist. Score the paperyContinue reading “Chestnuts and Champagne (or Armagnac, or Ginger Tea)”
Year’s End
Happy to be where I am and grateful for all of you. ❤️
Last Makgeolli update
It tastes good! Pictured here with asparagus and shrimp pancakes with soy-vinegar dipping sauce adapted from Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking. The makgeolli is mild and sweet and tangy. I maybe watered it down a bit too much as the alcohol is really low, but it has good body and flavor. Not bad forContinue reading “Last Makgeolli update”
Happy Christmas Eve
My decorating theme this year, as I think I’ve mentioned, was Scottish Hunting Lodge. I kind of modeled it on the Kinloch Lodge on the Isle of Skye, an old MacDonald clan hunting lodge that now receives guests and has a wonderful restaurant hung with ancestral portraits, and a sitting room positively swathed in tartan.Continue reading “Happy Christmas Eve”
Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
These turned out yummy and were super fun and easy to decorate. The recipe is from Sunset Magazine.
Ceramics Saturdays: Korean Celadons
Korean celadons began being produced in the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392 BCE) roughly contemporaneously with Song celadons, and that’s not accidental: diplomatic and trade relations between the two regimes facilitated the transfer of techniques for mixing the iron-rich celadon glazes, as well as the kiln structures best suited for reduction firing. Initially, Korean celadons imitated theirContinue reading “Ceramics Saturdays: Korean Celadons”
Birthday Festschrift: 40-50
Music fell off the wagon this decade; I’m hoping to get back to it as time allows. But I started doing papercuts, and I kept up with my fiction (mostly short stories). Art I started doing papercuts after I tried linocuts for a children’s book project that Malena and I worked on. I found IContinue reading “Birthday Festschrift: 40-50”
Makgeolli update
The process went smoothly: 10 days later we have 1.5L of makgeolli, slightly rosy in color from the rose petals! Now to see how it tastes….
The Rookery 