January 2006 Archives

There are stoves, and then there are stoves. Some of you may remember the British cooking show, "Two Fat Ladies". Sometimes Jennifer and Clarissa could be seen cooking on a stove like this.

What is this AGA stove, and why do people wax prosaically over it? The doors look impossibly small, but behind the doors one discovers a deep cavity which can hold several dishes at once. One can cook 5 trays of cookies at a time, or pop in a 28lb turkey and have it done in 4 hours. How is this accomplished? Simple - radiant heat which cooks the food from all sides, not just from the top or the bottom. The heat is generated by the burner which is on 24/7 (fueled by natural gas or propane) and stored by the cast iron shell.

A little bit of history - it was invented in 1922, by a Swedish physicist, Gustaf Dalen, who had been blinded by an explosion. While recovering, he saw how much work it was for his wife to do the cooking. He resolved to invent a stove that would be easy to use and consistent in performance. This is the result. It is so well-built that stoves dating from the thirties, with proper maintenance, are still working just fine today. Curiously, it has become a British icon. I still haven't figured out just how did it turn out that a Swedish invention could come so wildly popular in Great Britain.

It is possible to cook a full course dinner in just 30 minutes. Yes, I'm not kidding - Bruce and I went to the demonstration at Design Solutions in Annapolis. For appetizers we had grilled parmesan wafers, a creamy bite-sized meat dish which tasted seafoody (I don't remember what it was exactly), and dollar-sized apple-cinnamon pancakes (which took like 2 minutes to cook - honest!). And for dinner we had chicken breast seasoned with only salt and pepper which came out wonderfully juicy and flavorful, grilled steak, baked potatoes, rice cooked with onion and chicken broth, salmon, and mesclun salad with pine nuts and feta cheese (okay, this one wasn't cooked), and rolls that were browned evenly on top and bottom. And for dessert we had apple pie. Normally, I don't eat apple pie, but after taking a bite from Bruce's slice I just had to have my own slice. Wow. What. a. meal.

It may take some getting used to a new style of cooking where much of the cooking is done in the ovens. But once you realize that the process is the reverse of how we usually cook (cook 80% on the stovetop, 20% in the oven), you can then adjust recipes. There are cookbooks available from Aga Ranges, and there's an email group in Yahoogroups called agalovers.

Okay, you're all thinking - what about the heat? Well, from what I've read, the heat that you feel is just about the same as 12 people in one room. Much of the heat is retained inside the stove. And yes, there are people who have this in California, Texas, Florida, all over the South. And of course here in the Washington DC metro area (I've discovered that there are about 5 retailers in the area carrying this AGA line). During the summer, you can just turn down the temperature a bit - the food will just take longer to cook.

I'm seriously in lust with this stove. Someday, we will own one. And then I'll have lots of fun experimenting with dyeing on this stove (just fill the pot with water, put it on the boiling plate, and 3 minutes later slide it over to the simmering plate and position it so that a certain temperature will be maintained) and drying my sweaters (lay it on top of the covers or move the fair isle framers close enough and have my Fair isle vests and cardigans dry in about a hour or so).

Lately I've been doing some organizing in my life (why did I hold on to that p air of jeans that is at least 15 years old? There's no way I'll ever be going back to that size), and I decided to do some organizing on this blog as well. I made an adjustment to the category list so that knitting books are distinguished from simply knitting (this should also be more easily discernible when I create a new entry in ecto). No, the category pages are still not up yet; I need to figure out how to get these working.

Another change I've made to the blog is that I've added more knitting projects. You'll notice that some of these are on hold - I do mean to get back to these eventually. I'd like to see if I can finish these this year so I've stashed a reminder here. Eventually, I'm going to be changing the look of this blog. It's a rather complicated change, due to the way SixApart redid the templates (supposedly to make it easier) and the fact that there isn't much documentation, even on their website. I want to use the designs from Movalog Style Generator; however, I'm not crazy about the wasted border space so I need to tinker around with the CSS (while learning how to use it). Am I nuts? Perhaps, but since this skill is part of my occupation, I do need to get ahold of this skill.

I'm now getting back to the Norge 2000 pullover - it just occurred to me that the days are ticking away fast and before I know it I'll be watching the opening ceremony. So, I need to get this out of the way. No, that doesn't mean that I'll be joining Yarn Harlot's The 2006 Olympics KAL. Too much pressure for me, and besides, every competition needs cheering spectators and motivators. I'll be cheering on Genia!

While browsing around knitblogs, I came across a list that someone set up for 2006 Knit-Alongs. I think this is a great idea - thanks, Natalie!

Gotta run so I can play coochie-choo with Kai . . .

In February I'll be joining the Sweaters from Camp KAL and I've chosen the Flyaway Vest. I love the simple shape of the vest, and the color combination. However, I'm concerned about the gauge - it calls for 27 stitches/27 rows over 4 inches, using size 3mm needle, which is the size that I usually use when knitting Fair Isle patterns. When I take out two of my FI vests that I've already knit, and measure the gauge, I find that one comes in at 36 stitches/41rows over 4", while the other one comes in at 33 stitches/42 rows, and I believe I used 3mm needles for both of these. Yes, I know that these were washed and blocked, but still the gauges are rather tight. I suspect that even if I go up to 3.5, or even 3.75, I still won't hit the required gauge. So, what do you think? I'm thinking of getting in touch with Diane Zangl to see what she has to say about this.

There's a meme, multiplied by 4 times going around. Here's a little bit more about what I'm all about . . .

Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Clerk-Typist
2. Copy Editor
3. Web Designer
4. Programmer/Analyst

4 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over:

1. A Room With a View (I love costume movies, and the costumes are exquisite)
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (especially as the light went on and the movie projector cut out just about 5 to 10 minutes before the end of the movie)
3. Any Poirot movie with David Suchet as Hercule Poirot (I know, that's more than 4 movies. But, really, David Suchet best personifies the Hercule Poirot character)
4. Umm . . . still thinking about this.

4 Places You Have Lived:

1. Lanham, MD
2. College Park, MD (when I went to college)
3. Back to Lanham, MD
4. And finally, Bowie, MD

4 TV Shows You Love To Watch:

1. Star Trek: Enterprise (until Berman & Braga went and ruined it all by not giving the Trip/T'Pol relationship the attention it deserved)
2. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (love this one - it's a positive reality show that actually helps change people's lives for the better)
3. Amazing Race (yeah, I know it's a reality show, but it's really interesting to see the reactions of the natives to what all those nutty Americans running around with that wild look in their eyes are doing)
4. 24 . . . Yeah! One of the few good dramas left on tv. Hubby is a big fan of this show and he always tapes it when it comes on.

4 Places You Have Been On Vacation:

1. Poznan, Chestochowa and Warsaw, Poland
2. Mainz, Germany
3. Sacramento, CA
4. Grand Canyon (when one summer we joined my grandmother's traveling club for that across-the-country bus tour)

And that's to name just a few places.

4 Websites You Visit Daily:

1. Instapundit
2. Roger L. Simon
3. Fox News
4. Macintouch

4 Of Your Favorite Foods:

1. Rice
2. Dark Chocolate
3. Lamb
4. Strawberries

Mmm . . . yeah . . . I looooove strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. Thank God for Godiva . .

4 Places You Would Rather Be Right Now:

1. Touring Russia with Hubby
2. Touring Italy with Hubby
3. Touring England with Hubby
4. Touring Iran with Hubby (that will be when the nutty president with the long name is no longer in charge)

4 Bloggers You Are Tagging:

1. Genia
2. Dani
3. Amanda
4. Gina

I haven't done much knitting last week as I'm a bit stumped by the Jaywalker sock as I try to work out how the foot shaping will go. Hopefully I'll get back into the groove. And now that I've got my resume updated in a better format and updated it on monster.com (tomorrow I'll be updating it on my blogspot account), I'm going to get more aggressive and see what I can find out there.

At precisely 12pm EST, prepare to have your reality distorted as Steve Jobs holds forth on the stage in San Francisco, while Macheads click on the reload button frantically while folks in the audience look for an open port to post their reports and servers struggle to stay on the air.

For a behind-the-scene look at what goes on at one of the famous keynote speeches, have a look at the Joy of Tech's illustration.

One of my predictions . . . a new IntelMacBook which will need to go through at least one revision before I'm able to afford buying one and paying for the software upgrades. Oh, and that there will be a surprise to come after "oh, and one more thing . . . ".

Have you ever...?

Smoked a cigar: No . . . I can't stand the taste of burning tobacco in my mouth. Tried a cig as a teenager and it permanently stopped me from being a smoker. I love the smell of pipe smoke, though - reminds me of Grandfather Lee.
Crashed a friend's car: No
Stolen a car: No
Been in love: Yes, since 1998
Been dumped: Nope.
Dumped someone: Nope.
Taken shots of alcohol: Yes. One shot is enough to go over the edge so I don't indulge in this very often.
Been fired: Yes
Been in a fist fight: No
Snuck out of a/your house: No. I was too much of Miss Goody-Goody to do so.
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back: Yes, oh yes, too many times! Unrequited love sucks . . .
Been arrested: No
Made out with a stranger: Technically, no
Gone on a blind date: Yes. What a disaster.
Lied to a friend: I don't think so . . .
Had a crush on a teacher: Yes
Seen someone die: No
Been on a plane: Yes
Thrown up in a bar: No
Miss someone right now: Yes
Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by: Yes
Made a snow angel: Yes
Played dress up: Yes
Cheated while playing a game: Yes
Been lonely: Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school: In school, yes. Droning teacher and sign language interpreter in a dimly-lighted room is sure to make me very, very sleepy.
Used a fake id: No
Felt an earthquake: Not that I know of.
Touched a snake: Ewwwwww . . .
Run a red light: Yes. But honestly, the light was yellow; the timing device must have malfunctioned!
Had detention: Yes, I think so. Fortunately, this was a very rare occasion.
Been in a car accident: Yes
Hated the way you look: Yes
Been lost: Sometimes
Been to the opposite side of the country: Yes
Felt like dying: Yes
Cried yourself to sleep: Yes
Played cops and robbers: Yes
Karaoke: No. Who wants to hear me sing off-key?
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't: Yes
Laughed till some kind of beverage came out of your nose: I think so, when I was a kid.
Caught a snowflake on your tongue: Yes
Kissed in the rain: Yes
Sang in the shower: No. Why sing in the shower if I can't wear my hearing aids there?
Made love in a park: Nope
Had a dream that you married someone: Yes
Glued your hand to something: No
Got your tongue stuck to a flag pole: No
Worn the opposite sex's clothes: No. It would be too big for me anyway.
Been a cheerleader: No
Sat on a roof top: No - I'm not that crazy.
Talked on the phone all night: No
Ever too scared to watch scary movies alone: Yes
Played chicken fight: No
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on: No
Been told you're hot by a complete stranger: Yes, sorta. I remember one time I was at Bethesda metro station, departing the station and as I went up the escalator to the exit booths, there was this sharply-dressed gentleman who looked to be of Italian descent, and he blew a kiss at me. At least, I think that's what he was doing. I was so startled I just had to look behind me to see if there was a woman who was more fashionably dressed than me.
Broken a bone: No.
Dipped snuff: No. I reiterate my abhorrence for tobacco stuff.
Lived overseas: Unfortunately, no.
Ever passed out/fainted: Yes.

Right now we're watching "Dancing with the Stars". The judges are a real hoot, and one has to give these media stars credit for learning ballroom dancing, even if they have almost no sense of rhythm. Of course, it helps to have a sense of humor . . .

Now I'm trying to remember which blog it is where the blogger's brother and sister in law are on the show. I thought I'd put it on the blogroll, but it seems not.

Oh, and the one with that cap with the letter "P" . . . umm, well, I missed most of that performance . . .

I've been making good progress on the sock. As you can see from this poorly focused photo, I'm getting ready to make the heel flap. However, there's something bugging me about the pattern, which has to do with symmetry. It calls for you to work 38 stitches for the heel flap. Now, if you start with the first stitch being the one where the double decrease is done, you will end up with the last stitch being next to the double decrease stitch. I love symmetry and this really throws me off my game plan.

What I'm thinking of doing is to just go ahead and include that double decrease stitch, to make up a total of 38 stitches, then knit two stitches in the middle so you're back to the requisite stitches. After turning the heel, make a new stitch so you're now back where you should be with regards to number of stitches.

I seem to recall a blog entry somewhere that has a compilation of modifications to the Jaywalker patterns. If only I could remember which blog it was . . .

I've been tinkering around with this blog. To the right, you'll see that I've enabled Categories. I still need to look up MT tags to see if there is one that counts categories. I'm also going to be reordering it so that there is only one unique word for main and subcategories. You'll notice that "knitting" appears twice. Not a good thing, especially when you use ecto which doesn't display subcategories as being indented after the parent category. Also, I've shortened the list of recent entries in an effort to control the length of the sidebar. You'll notice that if you select one of the category items, it goes to a non-existent page. I need to figure out how to get these pages to be generated.

Of course, this is an attempt to be "better" organized. Perhaps this year will be the year where I make a significant progress in being organized. [canned laugher in background]

Meanwhile, I've started a small sock project, since I want to see what the fuss is all about the Jaywalker sock. So, here's the basic specs that I'm starting off with:

Pattern: Jaywalker
Designer: Grumperina
Source: MagKnits.com
Yarn: Meilenweit Lana Grossa, I think

Pictures will be posted later when I take a break.

Ah, yes, cyndy, I remember these bookmobiles. There used to be one that would come around to my neighborhood every week or two. At the time my neighborhood was pretty much out in the boondocks, so I guess the county put it on the list of areas to send out bookmobiles to. Then of course, in the late seventies budgets were slashed and caps put on tax levels, and the bookmobiles became a causality. Nowdays, it's a much more urban area and transportation to the library is easier. But there's still nothing like seeing the bookmobile driving into the neighborhood and parking in its usual spot, which was just a block away from my home, and browsing the shelves.

Now, I need to go do what I'm supposed to be doing.