First attempt at California Rolling

Not perfect, but it was tasty. I made some California Roll Sushi. I made the sushi rice a day ahead and got sidetracked. I like these rolls occasionally although I wouldn't want to eat it all of the time.

When I was making these, a small piece of the ever so stinky seaweed fell on the counter. I thought I would just pop it in my mouth. I have to say that the taste of it by itself was a little yuck to me. I got it down, but the smell got up my nose and I thought I was smelling it all evening. Somehow, the mix of all of these flavors is pretty good. I don't do fishy fish or raw fish so these little sushi rolls are all I will probably make for now.

Here is the video I used to help me through the rolling.

Here is where I purchased my Bamboo Rolling Mat.

Little John, I Am

Little John, I Am - Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.

Feels like a Bluegrass Friday. I just heard this song today for the first time in the car on the Bluegrass Channel. This should be the next bluegrass song I learn. I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend.

Today's Harvest

I got a few bell peppers, handful of peppers, potatoes, white and red radish, rosemary, mint, pineapple sage, and a few green onions. Even though my harvest is small, it is enough to add to my cooking for the next few days.

Here is what the little garden looks like now. I have a few other various things planted in the yard in containers. Our 4 tomato plants are covered in tomatoes. Raise a few things even if you don't want to plant rows and rows like old traditional gardening. The reward will be tasty.

Playing in cold process soap making

I have put lots of effort lately into making cold process soap. I have always wanted to but really afraid of the lye and how precise everything needed to be. I did it. Look out Christmas! I bet everybody is getting soap.

 Shea Butter Coconut Milk Soap

I took the plunge and made a 3 lb batch of Shea Butter Coconut Milk Soap 2 weeks ago. This iphone pic is not great. The soap was not bad for a first time soap. It has some calendula in it. It is unscented. I am curious to see how the smell of the soap changes as it cures. I am wishing now that I added a light scent of something. This soap that is shown has already cured for 2 weeks. I was definitely learning. Note: I now tap the mold to make sure all of the air bubbles are out. Character!

Half a week ago, I tried again. I made 4 pounds of Cucumber Green Tea Cocoa Butter Soap. I will take some pictures after it has cured for a bit longer. It was fun, and I used real pureed cucumber, green tea, and some aloe vera juice in it. I scented it with some lavender and tangerine. It smells pretty great. I got 24 bars out of the batch.

Black Coffee Soap

This soap making is truly addicting. I then thought Sunday that I should make some coffee soap. I had some olive oil melt and pour. I mixed ground espresso beans and a few other things. I had a pint creamer carton. I recycled it into a one time mold. Coffee is supposed to get rid of bad odors. Smelly things such as fish! The coffee I made does not smell as nice as I would like it to, but it does work. It has a very strong raw coffee smell. I purposely rubbed my hand in wet canned cat food and then washed with the new soap. It worked. I heard the smell will wear off some over time, but it will not lose its effectiveness. I wrapped these already. This black soap look great up close. They look rustic and the finely ground coffee feels nice on your hands.