Poufs it appears, are all the rage these days.  I’ve been seeing them everywhere. What began as a trickle a couple of years ago (I think I first saw them on Apartment Therapy) has gained momentum in what feels like a comfy deluge.  I believe the gold standard remains the leather Moroccan version (quite possibly from whence this trend has emerged).  But really, they now come in all colors, patterns and even shapes.

And guess what?  You can make your own.  No really, you can.  Because I did.  And if I can make them, so can you.

A couple of years ago I (like everyone else it seems) became smitten with the oft  soft ottomans and thought that a certain set of Kitchen Gods might enjoy one or two strategically placed in front of windows.  After some scouring of the internet, I found an Amy Butler pattern for something she called “Gumdrop Pillows.”  I didn’t post my process at the time because I figured I was on the back-end of a trend…not the front.

After ordering the patterns and sufficient time on Fabric.com, I had the necessary tools.

The first one I made went into the loft.  While I have a first-rate sewing machine, I haven’t ever really advanced past straight lines.  So, on the first try, I didn’t even consider the notion that I should match-up the patterns.

Luckily, the orange brocade was forgiving and you can only see the mismatch at the seams if you are really paying attention.

The second one I made for the office for use as an ottoman.  Even using the bigger pattern, it’s still a little low, but stack another pillow on top and you are good to go.

By this time I had figured out how to match the pattern but of course, had only ordered the amount of yardage listed in the pattern and so couldn’t do it all the way around.  So, if you don’t want to cut of your parrot’s head like I do, add an extra yard or two when purchasing fabric for your tuffet.

By the time I got the to pouf for the master bedroom, I finally succeeded in working with the eight seams.  I love this fabric and wanted to make a duvet from it.  Alas, none was to be found a year later when I was ready for the task.

Kids love these things.  So do the Kitchen Gods.  Though, typical to their kind, they refused to model for this post (can you find the retreating tail?).

One word of caution.  If you do decide to make these, watch the prices on fill.  If not careful, you could easily spend $100 to give these poufs their plump.  I bought mine from Joanne’s Fabric and lucked-out that they were having a sale.  An alternate (that I didn’t think of until I was finished with all three) might be to purchase inexpensive pillows and pull the fill from those.  Be sure to pack the guts really tight to get a perky pouf.

Growing up my parents would take my brother and I out of school each fall and for a couple of weeks, we’d camp our way up and down the Pacific Coast as suburban gypsies.  We’d hit that sweet spot in between Labor Day and Thanksgiving when the weather was  beautiful but the National Parks nearly empty.

Each year it seemed like the further we wandered up the Pacific Northwest, the more abundant the wild blackberry bushes.  They’d be heavy with ripe fruit and, in a move that would probably qualify as child abuse today, my mom would not only let us eat the berries but encourage us to pick what seemed like thousands of the little ruby jewels.  One year she even made jam.  Out of wild blackberries.  While camping.  Bohemian or what?

Of course, in warmer Southern California, blackberries come into season in the spring.  So, we don’t have to wait for the fall to enjoy them.

And, to be honest, I still had streusel on the brain.

So, what happens when you take fresh blackberry preserves (any berry would do).

And marry them with (lots of) oat streusel?

Fairly delectable blackberry oat squares.

Soundtrack

Don McLean.  While there is a good chance that my early childhood memories have blended together, Don McLean always reminds me of driving down the road in mid-October, chasing thunderstorms.

Blackberry Oat Bars

Adapted from Gourmet, July 2000

Ingredients

For base and topping

• 3 C old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 C + 3 TBS all-purpose flour
• 1 C  packed light brown sugar
• 1  TBS finely grated fresh orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2  sticks (16 TBS) unsalted butter, melted

For filling

• 2 C blackberries (3/4 pound)
• 1/3 C granulated sugar
• 2 TBS fresh orange juice
• TBS cornstarch

There are many perks to working in higher education. One is that I always have a ready and willing sample pool for baked goods. College students will happily and enthusiastically eat anything that’s free.

Another is that every once in a while I get a glimpse into the “cool” stuff the kids are eating and drinking. While I don’t have any research to back up this up, over time I’ve noted that college towns I’ve visited and worked in often have a higher density of ethnic/ alternative restaurants relative to the general composition of the area’s population. Part of this, I think, is because colleges and universities bring with them diversity that may not be native to the area. Another piece goes back to the relative socioeconomic status of college students. Frugality can breed creativity and maybe, just maybe, a population more willing to try new things–especially if they’re cheap. To this end I’ve got one word: Mongols. But, as usual, I’ve drifted off-topic.

Which brings me to dirty chai.

I know what you are thinking, and I think it too every time I order one. That’s part of the fun. As introduced to me by an undergraduate, a dirty chai is a chai latte with a shot (or two) of espresso. In a word, it is a revelation. Seriously. The chai contributes its signature spicy and sweet while the espresso adds a certain robustness of the “you complete me” caliber. Naturally, the first thing I thought upon trying the dirty chai is “how can I make this into something else?” So, I give you the dirty chai shortbread. In the (hopefully) never ending quest to perfect my shortbread/sable technique, I experimented with yet another recipe.

I’ve had a good recipe for chai shortbread for a long time.  Unlike the earl grey cookies these don’t actually utilize tea.  Instead, a chai spice combo of cinnamon, cardamom, clove and black pepper is used to achieve the complex sweet-spicy profile.  To make it dirty, I added a about a teaspoon and another half (for good measure) of espresso powder.  We have a Nespresso machine that uses those lovely jewel-like capsules.  They come in a million flavors but to be honest, TD and I can’t tell the difference between them.  I just buy the different colors because they look pretty.  But anyhow, if you use Nespresso, you could just cut into one of the capsules and the espresso is of a fine enough grind it’s ready to go.  Alternately, finely ground regular expresso or even instant espresso powder would all get the job done.

These are unusual, but also a little adventurous.

Soundtrack

The Shins.

Dirty Chai Shortbread Cookies

Adapted from Cooking Light, December 2007

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp finely ground espresso powder (instant or regular)
• Dash of ground cloves
• Dash of freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 10 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon ice water

Directions

1. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through sugar), in a food processor and pulse to combined.
2. With processor running on low, add-in butter a tablespoon at-a-time until dough begins to look like lumpy sand.
3. Sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon ice water and pulse until dough just comes together.
4. Divide dough in half. Shape dough into 2 (6-inch-long) logs; wrap each log in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour or until very firm.
5. Preheat oven to 375°.
6. Unwrap dough logs. Carefully cut each log into 12-18 slices using a serrated knife. Place dough circles 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

A couple of Sundays ago some gracious friends had us to their house for brunch.  I can’t think of a nicer way to spend a rainy Sunday than with good company.  The belinis were a treat and the hostess made a life changing Quiche Lorraine.  I’m not kidding, the crust on that pie was transcendant.

We brought coffee cake.  And, if you are looking for a recipe for Easter brunch, this might fit the bill.

We begin with streusal.  And really, you could put streusal on a shoe and it would be tasty.

I had originally planned to use fresh blackberries but of course, when I bought ingredients, not a single fresh berry was to be found.  So, I stuck to the recipe and utilized frozen (and then defrosted) cherries.  Really though, you could use any fruit with a hearty meat.  The original calls for a cup…next time I’ll use a cup plus another half cup. The cake is hearty enough that it will easily absorb the extra liquid.

Speaking of batter, it has a sour cream base.  I love cake recipes that utilize some sort of dairy in them, be it milk, buttermilk or sour cream.

Half of the batter goes into a buttered tube pan (you could use a plain bundt but remember that the streusal on top will mean that it has to be served upright, not flipped.  To measure out dough, I used my trusty kitchen scale.  And, I’m glad I did because the first half really didn’t feel like enough batter.  Trust me, it is.

Top the fruit, carefully, with the other half of the batter and then get down with the streusal.  The recipe calls for a cup.  I used the entire recipe (maybe 2 cups?).  Adjust your stresual basec on your own affection of it.

Out of the oven, just one more step.

A little milk and confectioner’s sugar makes for a lacy adornment.

But really, it’s about the streusal.

Soundtrack

Gotye’s Making Mirrors album.  What can I say, I’m a consumer.  And I like the album.

Cherry-Streusal Coffee Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

Cake Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1  1/2 cup frozen sour cherries (or other fruit), thawed and drained well
• 1-2 cups streusal, as preferred  (recipe to follow)

Streusel Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown or confectioners’ sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions

1. To make streusal: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; cut in butter using a pastry blender, until large, moist clumps form.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch tube pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Spoon about half the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the cherries in a single layer on top of the batter; avoid placing any cherries against the pan’s edge, as they may stick or burn if not fully encased in batter.
5. Top with the remaining batter, making sure it is evenly distributed, and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the top of the batter.  Gently push struesal into cake batter.
6. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let cake cool 10 to 15 minutes. Invert cake onto rack, then re-invert (so streusel side is up), and let cool completely.
7. Spoon glaze over the cake, letting it drip down sides. Let cake sit until glaze is set, about 5 minutes, before serving. Cake can be kept at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic, for up to 4 days.

I know I’m late on this week’s post.  TD broke the internet at home before I could add-in the recipe to the scheduled post.  Alas, the new internet won’t be installed until Monday.  Stupid internets.

I’ve got a little clip to tide you over.  It appears I may not be the only Misanthropic Hostess out there.

I too refuse to be a Steppenwolf Wife!

I’ve been in the market for a reading chair.  I need a place to have deep thoughts.  Or deep naps.  Or just a place where I can sit and the Kitchen Gods aren’t fighting for lap space (one laptop plus nearly 25 pounds of feline isn’t very comfortable). 

Over time the idea of a chair has evolved into a love seat.  I know, love seats aren’t known for comfort.  But the practical side of me is concerned about what I’ll do with a single chair down the road.  Whereas, I ration, a love seat can go at the end of a bed or in a hallway.

Here is the wall it will go on in our office.  The wall measures about 76 inches and then is interrupted by the door to the hallway (after the door there is another two feet of wall space).  Right now we’re got a couple of arm chairs that look good but really are not optimal for longer-term relaxation (excuse the picture quality, came from the phone). In real life the walls in this room are a fairly bright robin’s egg. 

I think  I’ve narrowed it down to three moderately priced candidates (all are under $1000). 

Option #1

Number one is in velvet but I’m not willing to pay for custom upholstery so we’d have to go with the ivory shown below.  Dimensions are: 54″W x 36″x34″H. 

Pros: Of the three, it is the most to scale for the wall and I like the style.  Down the road, it would look nice at the foot of the bed in the master or could be put in a hallway. Cons: is 36″D really comfortable (there will be an ottoman)? Also, ivory is a bit of a chance in our household. I’m not in love with the feet, but those are easy to replace.

Bachelor #2

Very midcentury but neutral enough that it could be mixed with other furniture styles in the future.  Dimensions: 60″ W x 37″ D x37″ H. The material is sort of a nubby boucle.

Pros: I like the clean lines and the color would allow for some wear-and-tear.  Cons: Little more stylized that I usually go with and TD will hate it (but, he doesn’t have to sit in it).

Final Choice

The third finalist is a bear compared to the others.  At 70″W x 47″D  x 30″H this thing is really only a loveseat in name.

Pros: At 47″ deep, comfort is assumed.  In a pinch it would also go with the giant man-couch we have in the loft.  It would also hide the dirt well. Cons:  It’s schclempy and huge.  I’m REALLY not a fan of rolled-arms. 

So?