Summer Booksharing

Sue’s list compiled after an early June discussion around Ruth’s dining table about favorite books we’ve read:

Strange Piece of Paradise by Terri Jentz

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner

City of Falling Angels by John Berendt

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
Read with Truth & Beauty by Ann Pachett (a memoir about their friendship)

Becoming Stangers by Louise Dean

The $64 Tomato and how one man... by William Alexander

Something by Ivan Doig

The Hills at Home by Nancy Clark

We can keep an on-going list and have a "portable library" if you wish. I think The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a great book to discuss because it relates to many of life's decisions and the results of secrets kept.

Added in August:
From Gail - Rowing Without Oars: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Ulla-Carin Lindquist
“It is a short, exquisite, poignant journal of a Swedish telejournalist's life with ALS--2 years from diagnosis to death--her children, her husband, her "carers," her ideas and questions. A quick memorable read.”

From Barbara H - Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell
“A terrific first novel. The world of Shanghai and Pasadena from the 1930s to 50s in detail that complements rich characterizations and a search for one's family.”

From Sue - The Messenger by Daniel Silva
"Lent it to Gail who really enjoyed it. It is a mystery but truly pertinent to today and the Middle East/Saudi situation."

Celebrate International Women's Day March 8th

KnitBliss will celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday March 8^th at Janet Kemp Fine Yarns and Needlework, located at 2420 Main Street Stratford, by exploring new hand-colored yarns from The Schaefer Yarn Company. Schaefer yarns are uniquely hand painted, dyed, and named for remarkable women who have influenced the world around them in both small and grand ways. The tags on these brightly colored yarns read like mini history lessons, a tiny biography that can link us to the first empress of China, Wu Zhao, and the first lady of the world, Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as to Nancy Ward, a little known Cherokee woman who was much admired by her people.

International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.

Please join us from 6:30 to 8:30 at Janet Kemp's newly enlarged store in Colonial Square, Stratford. You are invited to bring you needlework for an evening of needlework and conviviality. Please call 203-386-9276 for more information.

KnitBliss Cooks

Here is where we share our recipes. Rather than adding a separate post each time, when you have something to share, simply add it here or send it to me and I will add it.

Pat's Cucumber Raita from Juel Andersen's Curry Primer
1 medium cucumber (I used 1 1/2 European )
1 C plain yogurt (I used one small container- they get smaller every year)
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp cumin ( I used 2 tsp whole seed, which I ground up)
generous pinch of sea salt
several grinds of black pepper
chopped parsley

Cut up cucumber. Mix other ingredients with yogurt; add cucumber and toss. This should be the last thing you make before sitting down to eat, otherwise if it stands the cucumber weeps and the raita becomes watery. With regular cucumber, peeled, I have added tumeric mostly for color. You can also substitute cilantro instead of parsley.

Riet's Indonesian Menu
Kroepoek - prawn crackers
sate ajam with peanut sauce (chicken kebab)
bami goreng - stir fried noodles
ketjap manis - sweet soja sauce
sambal oelek - hot chili pepper sauce
atjar tjampoer - veggies in vineagrette

Judy’s Greens/Fruit Salad
Dislodge the meat of Clementines (or your favorite orange) until Ellie tells you you've been in the kitchen long-enough. Add red or green grapes, cut in half (we had red last night--is there such a thing as being too sweet?), but not so many that Ruth says that's all she got on her plate.

Tear Romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces (Romaine holds up well against the weighty fruit).

Thinly slice a well-scrubbed cucumber (I prefer to leave the skin on—where the ONLY vitamins in a cucumber are hiding, I believe).

Shred a bit of your favorite goat cheese on top.

Dressing:
In a plastic container with a tight lid, shake:
Light mayo
Orange juice (you can substitute any fruit juice or cider)

Ruth’s Oriental Spinach Salad (from a cousin or aunt?)

Mix together & refrigerate for dressing:
1/2 c grated onion
1/3 cup ketchup
2/3c olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4-1/3 cup sugar

Mix together 2 chopped hard boiled eggs, 2 large packages baby spinach, 1 can bean spouts, 1 can sliced 8oz mushrooms (I mixed small white and shitake), 1 can sliced water chestnuts.
Optional: add chopped cooked bacon or bacon bits.
Serve dressing separately from salad- a little goes a long way.

Gail’s Cucumber Pickles for Satay (from New York Times)
½ C white vinegar
½ C water
½ C sugar
1 t salt
2 large cucumbers
2 T coarsely chopped purple oni
1 t minced fresh chili pepper
1 T minced dry-roasted peanuts
1 T coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove the pan from heat and cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, peel the cucumbers, slice into 1/4-inch disks and cut each disk in half. Combine the cucumber with the vinegar mixture. Add the purple onion and chili pepper and stir well. Top the cucumbers with minced peanuts and cilantro and serve with satay or anything Asian.

Which browser works for you?

Dear Blisters,

I had a chance to give Pat a pre-birthday gift when she came over to learn how to add pictures to our new blog. Well, first lesson about teaching---know your subject! With Pat sitting next to me and seeing things on the screen I didn't, we managed to add a picture to the blog and invite people to join as team members. Then Pat went home and we worked on it together and that was almost as funny as my trying to teach her earlier today.

So, as you navigate through the blog, add comments, whatever, please let me know which browser you are using and what problems you are having, if any. I was unable to navigate smoothly using Firefox 5.0 and Internet Explore 6.0., but successful using Netscape 7.1.

More later,
Gail

KnitBliss with Barbara H's Knitted Quilt

KnitBliss gives Barbara her knitted quilt for Sarafina and it is quite a surprise--she thought we were all making a blanket for Amy Cheek's baby.

Welcome to our our KnitBliss blog

Dear Blissettes,

We now have our very own blog where we can post messages and pictures for anyone to see who has the blog address. This allows us to share our projects and activities and ideas with people outside the KnitBliss mailing list.

I don't yet know how to add pictures but I will figure that out soon.

Happy New Year!
Gail