Milk Chocolate-Croissant Bread Pudding
Homeward Bound
As much as hitting the road for parts unknown is sweet, the road back home can be sweeter still. Here’s a playlist to bring you back to where you belong.
DIY Jar Labels Made with Packing Tape and Paper
Make your own labels for summer preserves or quick pickles with heavy-duty packing tape and images you print on your home computer. When you place clear packing tape over black and white or color photocopies or laser prints, the adhesive literally pulls off the ink, leaving a transparent image on the tape when you soak away the paper.
Materials
Heavy-duty packing tape
Jars
From your home office
Computer
Printer paper
Color printer
1. Print the words or image for your label
Using a computer, make a text box and type the words for your label inside of it. Print using a color printer. You can add color to the background of the textbox if you like. Keep the width of the tape and the size of your jar in mind when sizing your words.
2. Cut the tape and apply it to the image
Cut a piece of clear packing tape roughly the size of your label and press it over the printed image. Smooth the tape with your fingers to remove any bubbles or creases. Trim the paper if necessary.
3. Soak the label and rub away the paper
Put the label in a shallow bowl of warm water with the glossy side down and the paper facing up. Let soak for 1 to 2 minutes, then rub away the paper with your fingers.
4. Dry the labels and stick them on the jars
Transfer the tape to a flat surface and let dry. The tape will regain its stickiness as it dries. Adhere the labels to your jars.
End of the Road—Seattle:
Start your day the way most Seattleites do: with a cup of joe. Sign up for the two and a half hour Seattle Coffee Crawl and get a taste of what keeps this city moving. Spend the morning learning about the history of coffee, brewing techniques and roasts, and tasting some of the city’s most popular cups.
Now that you’re fully caffeinated, make a beeline to the waterfront and spend the afternoon in the legendary Pike Place Market. Wander through the century-old sprawling marketplace where you’ll pass by elaborate displays of locally-caught seafood for sale, watch cheese being made at Beecher’s cheese shop, and sample everything from lavender jam to chocolate pasta from local artisans. The market’s recent expansion has added nearly 50 more vendors, so there’s always something new to discover.
Filling buckets with berries is a summertime ritual for locals, and there are over a dozen farms just outside of Seattle that grow a variety of berries. At Graymarsh Farms you can pick up to six different types of berries, including boysenberries and blueberries, seven days a week during the summer.
Finish the day at the Ballard Locks, a historic passageway that allows hundreds of spawning salmon to swim up a ladder through the locks from saltwater to freshwater. Throughout the summer and into late fall you can watch four types of fish migrate from above sea level or through an underground observation room. The Pacific Northwest is known for its abundant wild salmon population, and a visit to the Ballard Locks is a behind-the-scenes look at how the state has worked to maintain a sustainable and healthy ecosystem for the fish.
Sun Signs—August 2017
Leo is king of this summer’s big event—the full solar eclipse on August 21st. Dubbed ‘The Great American Eclipse,’ it’s the first total eclipse of the sun visible across the continental U.S. in nearly a century. Expect big changes, as eclipses upset the natural order, correcting the course of our lives like a cosmic reset.
By Lisa Awrey
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) It’s all about you this month, Leo—even more than usual. With the total eclipse of the sun (the ruler of your sign), get ready for a royal cage rattling. The shakeup is around who you are and what you really want. Shed the scaredy-cat act, Cowardly Lion. The time is ripe to reinvent yourself—change your image, your title. Tip: Get moving; being physical can literally catapult you to a new level. So, pick up your scepter, put on your ermine mantle, and lead with your heart.
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22) All the action this month is where you can’t see it, Virgo. Look for clues in your dreams…something hidden from view that has stood in your way is up for some serious dismantling. East Indian astrologers advise staying indoors during an eclipse. In your case, that’s not a bad idea. Take this opportunity to meditate. Let your mantra be: Wake me when it’s over.
LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct 22) Cool and collected, Libra, you never want to admit that you lose your composure. But you’re human, it’s okay to let out a roar. The best thing you can do is to clearly state exactly what it is that’s ticking you off. Your authenticity could gain you some important allies. The genius lies in stepping into your leadership within the collective, not necessarily getting comfy in one-on-one relationships right now.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21) What if you got what you really really wanted in your career? What would that look like? Whatever you decide to change in your home life that allows you to follow your heart’s desire can lay the foundation for a turning point in your professional life. With the Great American Eclipse happening in your career house, it’s time to let down your regal mane and shake your reign maker.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21) That brilliant idea that occurs to you around the lunar eclipse on the 7th portends your rise to prominence as a thought leader over the next six months. If you can tame the tendency to force your ideas onto others, and instead lead the way with free thinking, you’ll gain wisdom and infuse greater meaning into your role as the teacher you were meant to be.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19) Okay Capricorn, it’s time to start investing in your cutting-edge ideas. The flash that comes to you near the lunar eclipse on the 7th is a segue to a turning point around your resources (monetary and otherwise). As the moon blots out the sun’s light on the 21st, your House of Other People’s Money gets activated. Here is the opportunity to strike a rich vein inside yourself that gives you the confidence you need to attract new investors. Leveraging other people’s resources means you can do big things, ol’ goat.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18) A lunar eclipse in your sign bids you to embrace your uniqueness—to really revel in your juicy weirdness. This sets the stage for the pride of planets heating up your relationship house around the solar eclipse two weeks later. The lion’s sign in the House of Partnership is about maintaining individuality while being in a relationship but watch out, that doesn’t mean looking down your cool interplanetary nose at us mere earthlings. Keep it real and engage your heart as you summon your genius and you’ll surely send shock waves per usual—this time through the conventions of marriage and commitment.
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20) Sharpen your dream journal practice. As the lunar eclipse trips a switch in your House of Karma and Past Lives, the archetypes will come through loud and clear as soon as your head hits the pillow every night. This cosmic download heralds a wake-up call around your daily habits two weeks later at the solar eclipse, causing you to make important changes that could affect your health and well-being for years to come.
ARIES (Mar 21-April 19) Collaboration is the name of the game this month, Aries. As the lunar eclipse on the 7th spotlights the power of community, you gain a new appreciation for the importance of finding your people and being a part of the tribe; in this case, the wackier the better. As you release the comfort of going it alone, you ready yourself for the solar eclipse fireworks in your House of Creativity, Romance, and Pleasure. When you flex your fun muscles, you learn to value love and play—important pieces of the warrior sign.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Work-life balance just may have tilted too far in favor of work recently but changing career circumstances urge you to relinquish certain relationship dynamics that have perhaps served their purpose. Why not listen? The more conscious you are in letting go of what’s no longer needed, the less of a crisis it will be. With the solar eclipse highlighting your House of Home and Family, skip hasty decisions like moving or buying a new house. By the end of the month, you’re ready to bring more beauty to your home and create the castle you’ve always dreamed it could be.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Are my personal philosophies poppycock? Lofty questions take center stage around the lunar eclipse. With a spotlight on your Search-for-Truth House, learn something new, travel, or take up with a foreigner (or all three). Expanding your perspective will stoke planetary fires as they reach a roiling boil in your Communications and Siblings House surrounding the solar eclipse (relatives may even have important insights, inspiring personal belief system shifts recorded in your most profound blog entries yet).
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Being in the driver’s seat around personal wealth is in order. You are generally shrewd with money, but there’s still room for change. Around the 7th, when the moon’s shadow urges you to reassess the drawbacks of shared resources, your focus turns to personal finances and your livelihood. Your reigning need for security (translation: moola) is at a crossroads. Money, money, money may indeed make your world go round this month.
illustration by @boccaccinimeadows
Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home
Maybe you think that cold-brew coffee is a recent innovation, something introduced at coffee bars lined in reclaimed wood where there’s a turntable in the corner next to a stack of vintage vinyl. Nah. That high-octane rocket fuel that’s become your standard summer order first took off in Japan back in the 17th century. That’s where Dutch traders introduced locals (who were already cold-brewing tea) to heat-free java.
Coarse ground coffee is key here. Too fine a grind will make your drink cloudy. Keep in mind that this concentrate has a lot more caffeine than your standard pour over. We suggest that you dilute it with equal parts cold water and serve over plenty of ice.
Cold Brew Recipe
Shopping List
1 pound coffee beans (light to medium roast)
Milk (such as almond, coconut, soy, or cow), optional
Sweetener (such as honey, maple syrup, or simple syrup), optional
Ice, optional
Tools
Coffee grinder, fine-mesh strainer, large sauce pot or jar with a lid, large bowl
1 Prep the coffee
- Coarsely grind the coffee beans.
2 Make the coffee concentrate
In a large sauce pot or jar, combine the ground coffee with 10 cups cold tap water. Stir well to ensure the coffee is fully submerged. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12 hours for medium roast, and 18 to 24 hours for light roast.
3 Strain the concentrate
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Gently stir the coffee mixture once to loosen the grounds, then strain (you should have about 5 cups coffee concentrate).
4 Serve
In a tall drinking glass, combine the coffee concentrate with equal parts water or cold milk of your choice. If desired, sweeten to taste with a sweetener of your choosing. Add as much ice as you like, and serve.
Store any remaining coffee concentrate in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Bonus Recipe—ingredients not included in box.
What You Need to Know about Shichimi Togarashi
You’ve probably seen it on the table at your favorite ramen spot or sushi restaurant in a vial-like bottle with a label written in Japanese. A quick shake over your bowl of noodles decorates your dinner with red flecks. “Chile flakes?” you wonder, sprinkling more into your bowl of ramen for an extra kick. That unidentifiable bottle contains more than just chile flakes though. It’s shichimi togarashi, which translates to “seven flavor chile pepper.” The number refers to the ingredients: hot red pepper, orange peel, white and black sesame seeds, Japanese pepper (sanshou), ginger, and green seaweed.
Shichimi Togarashi is typically used to season finished dishes rather than for cooking. It’s a staple in the Japanese pantry and traditionally sprinkled over soba and udon noodles, even yakitori, rice bowls, and miso soup.
There are debates as to when the main ingredient in shichimi togarashi, chile pepper, was introduced to Japan and by whom. One theory is that Portuguese missionaries brought it there in the early 17th century, but others believe it arrived years before that with Japanese troops returning from Korea. Chile pepper was initially used to relieve an upset stomach, poor circulation, and high cholesterol. But by 1625, merchants in Edo (present-day Tokyo) blended it with other seeds and herbs and began marketing it as a healthy and flavorful seasoning for food.
Try it for yourself on eggs, avocado toast, roasted potatoes, grilled salmon, or popcorn.
Turn your Sun Basket into an Art-Supply Basket
Upcycle your Sun Basket box to make a storage bin for your paints, brushes, and other art supplies. Use the cardboard flaps and inserts to make dividers for pens and other items. Decorate the box with tiles cut from cardboard scraps and label it with letters cut from paper bags or construction paper.
DIY Art Basket
Materials
Sun Basket cardboard box with inserts
Scissors
Glue
Construction paper or cut-out letters from paper bags, magazines, etc.
Shoebox
Empty Sun Basket ingredient jars and plastic containers, optional, for storage
1. Make the divider
Use the scissors to cut the largest flap off the top of the box. Place the shoebox in the left half of the box. Insert the flap vertically into the center of the box, beside the shoebox, to create two separate compartments. Use the scissors to remove the second flap and reserve for step 3.
2. Make the side pockets
Fold the cardboard insert along the perforated center, then cut it along the perforations. Crease one of the halves into thirds and then unfold the two sides to form the pocket shape. Place the folded cardboard in the top right corner of the box to form a pocket. Repeat this step with the remaining half of the cardboard insert on the bottom right side of the box. Both should fit snugly.
3. Decorate the box
Cut out square cardboard tiles from the flap reserved in step 1. Glue the cut-out letters to the cardboard tiles. Arrange the tiles to spell out whatever you’d like on the top of the box and glue the tiles any way you like.
4. Fill the box
Reuse other materials from your Sun Basket, like ingredient jars or plastic containers, and fill them with supplies.
Facebook LIVE—August 2, 2017
Brown Sugar Kitchen’s Tanya Holland joined us in the Sun Basket Test Kitchen this week, cooking North Carolina Pulled Pork Sliders with Corn on the Cob with Sun Basket’s Executive Chef Justine Kelly. North Carolina is the fourth stop on our Great American Road Trip. Watch this week’s Facebook LIVE and check the techniques:
And tune in next week, Wednesday August 9th, at 4pm as the delightful Elazar Sontag, author of Flavors of Oakland and upstate NY resident, whips up Buffalo Chicken Wings with Mixed Vegetables and Ranch Dressing with Chef Justine.
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