going great guns

Oodles of knitting have taken place around these parts in the last few days -- partly because I did something funny to my foot and had to stay off of it for a little while, and partly because this chilly weather called for some serious sofa-tea-yarn-cat snuggling-tv time.

Finally blocked the Whirligig Shrug!  This is a baby shower gift, though I'm a bit nervous that the yarn bled so much when I washed it. The pattern is very fun, and the finishing is fairly minimal, which I love. Without a model, the back looks a little cuter than the front, but all the modeled versions on Ravelry look absolutely adorable.

pattern: whirligig shrug, by Stefanie Japel

yarn: the plucky knitter mcn lite, "pretty pretty pola," 1 skein (230 yds)

needles: Clover US 5 bamboo circs

size: 6 months

my ravelry project page

Speaking of Stefanie Japel... she has a new pattern as a bonus in the Deep Fall 2011 issue of Knitty -- the shapely boyfriend cardigan. I'm not too fond of the name (as it sounds as if your boyfriend's the shapely one, which just seems wrong somehow), but the cardigan looks very versatile and practical. Plus it calls for O-Wool Classic, which I just happen to have in the stash (in a lovely shade of blue, to boot).

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The puerperium cardigan is not just off the needles, but already blocked!

Now to find the perfect buttons. I'm torn between bright red buttons that would make quite the impact and dark brown wooden buttons, the classier and more subtle option. I need 7 of them, so this necessitates a shopping trip, as there's no chance that my button jar is up for the task.

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Last night I joyfully knit the last row of the live oak shawlette only to discover that it's highly unlikely that I'll have enough yarn to bind off. Déjà vu...

We'll see how long it takes me to trek to a yarn store to find another skein of Tosh Merino Light in ginger... I predict that this will linger in ye olde knitting basket for a while, as these next couple of weeks are going to be busy.

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in the kitchen

Two recent recipe successes!

- pumpkin pie oatmeal  

Yum! The perfect autumn breakfast. I threw in 1/4 C. of raisins and dried cranberries with the oats, and I put the whole batch into a medium-sized casserole dish and didn't bother with ramekins.

- leslie's snicker-doodle brownies
I upped the baking time and they were still a little underdone, but otherwise quite delicious and awesome.

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material world

I am seriously jonesing after the elton chair from West Elm. I'm not sure that it's practical (hello! haven't I learned any lessons from my cut velvet sofa?), but I love the lines, the tufted back, and how it manages to be whimsical yet casual yet sophisticated. Plus it comes in both peacock blue and light steel blue...

Anyone have experience with West Elm furniture? Is it fairly well made and durable? (I think Paul would be thrilled to hear you say that it's cheap, rickety crap, since this chair is more up my alley than his.)

cute winter hats from anthro:

katja cap

mixed stitch beanie

It may be time to "unvent" a pattern or two...

lazy Sunday

"Falling back" has led to a day of perfect relaxation. I started off my lazy Sunday by casting off a puerperium cardigan (pictures soon!), then meeting friends for brunch at Milk & Honey Cafe, my favorite brunch spot in Chicago. Something about that place reminds me of Madison -- maybe it's the low-key vibe?

I just may have stopped by Nina and picked up a skein of this:

 (madelinetosh merino light in ginger)

and the fall 2011 issue of knitscene to make one of these:

(live oak shawlette, by Romi Hill)

as well as some buttons for my mum's Shalom cardigan:

Not only that, but I'm in the midst of a blocking frenzy. I predict a plethora of FO posts in the near future...

Friday fluff -- no knitting involved

Enjoy anthropologie's boho style but scoff at the "made in china" labels and the ridiculous price tags?  Me too. Anthroparodie may be right up your alley, as well (tip o' the hat to better living through literature).

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I'm 100% not a member of the hair-and-nails set (nor do I "read" People or Us Weekly, ugh), but I've recently discovered a few things that drastically improve my everyday life. After the rough past month, I'm happy to take delight in whatever I can.

The Wet Brush is revolutionizing my morning routine. I have long, straight, tangle-prone hair -- it used to take me AGES to detangle in the morning. This brush is awesome -- it plows right through all the tangles in record time, leaving my hair shiny and bouncy. I suspect that the Wet Brush is the same as the Regency Magic Brush that Mindy Kaling blogged about recently -- just branded differently and priced more reasonably.

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Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener is amazing. I'm pretty low-maintenance, but I do usually wear some make-up, with the goal of looking like I'm not wearing make-up, but looking better than I would if I really didn't wear make-up. Most under-eye concealers have a yucky texture, irritate my sensitive skin, or look funny. Photo Op actually makes it looks as if I got a full night's sleep and am ready to take on the world!  Smashbox's Photo Finish makeup primer is terrific, too -- it leaves your skin velvety and prevents make-up from caking or collecting in your laugh lines or eye crinkles.

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Whole Foods Pomegranate Orange lip balm moisturizes, smells great, and is incredibly affordable (under $2, I think). You know how some lip balms seem refreshing at first, but then dry out and leave your lips feeling even worse?  This doesn't do that. It actually works!

S T T L

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Since Kylie Cat first got sick last December, she was a real fighter.

We finally had to put Kylie Cat down, and we were heartbroken. It was the kind thing to do, as she had become pretty miserable, and we had foreseen it, but it's a gut-wrenching experience nonetheless. She will be missed.  Every time I come home, I expect to see two sweet kitty faces at the door, happy to see me, and it's a very difficult adjustment to see just one. Such a funny little cat, full of personality.

sit tibi terra levis

may the earth rest lightly upon you

in Chaos' realm

Sorry for the radio silence... Chaos has been reigning chez Caffeinated Yarn for the past few weeks. We moved into our new flat amidst many renovations. The kitchen floor tiling was just completed today, and I'm very excited about getting back into the swing of things!

It's really a great space -- I'll post more photos once all the boxes are unpacked and the spice racks are up. Sewing some jaunty red-and-white checked curtains is on my (mile-long) to-do list.

Not only did we move, but I also got a big promotion at the Press. Hooray! It's a fantastic opportunity for me, even if it does mean that dissertation progress is on hold for a little bit while I settle in.  I have some sad news to share, too, but we'll save that for another post.

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A dear friend kindly sent me a photo of her cute little guy wearing a sweater vest that I knit:

This is the love letter baby vest that I posted about last spring. I'm not entirely thrilled with the neckline, so I'm not sharing the pattern, but it sure looks great on this sweet kid.

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I'm hooked on hexagons again...

 Crochet has magical soothing properties for me (much more so than knitting... curious).

Most of my yarn and knitting projects are still hidden away in boxes that can't get unpacked until the workers finish up around here. I'm dreaming of finding just the right yarn in my stash to knit this friendly-looking big snowy owl from the Purl Bee:

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in the kitchen

My mum's quick and easy recipe for apple walnut torte -- especially tasty served warm with a hefty dollop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream!

Apple Walnut Torte

1 egg
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
dash nutmeg (optional)
1 C. chopped apples (they do not have to be peeled)
1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat egg and sugar. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and (optional) spices, and beat again. Add apple and nuts. Bake in a greased 8" x 10" glass pan, or a 9" glass pie pan for 30-40 minutes.

P.S. Cattywampus posted a variation on the cream cheese ice cream recipe that sounds amazing -- she added cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla extract, along with some crumbled graham crackers at the end. Yum!

totally autumn

Phew, last week was rough... my poor Jeep broke down on Lake Shore Drive and is still in the shop getting its transfer case rebuilt, autumn quarter's about to start, and there's still a lot of packing to do before we move on Saturday. Time to focus on the positive things, like this little baby sweater I finished:

pattern: Camilla Babe, by Carrie Bostick Hoge

size: 3 months

needles: US 6 Clover bamboo circs and US 7 DPNs

yarn: Quince and Co. Lark, pomegranate, ~2.3 skeins (300 yds.)

my Ravelry project page

notes:

Very fun to knit! I just love the pattern, and I'll definitely revisit it. The yarn is soft and springy, with a deeply saturated color. I used a little more yarn than the pattern specified, but my gauge was also a bit loose. I knit the 3-month size, but the final (blocked) measurements are more like the 6-month.

The yarn fluffed up a bit during the blocking process. Be forewarned that this isn't a smooth, silky merino -- it's lofty and wonderful, but not buttery soft. I'm curious how well it will hold up (I'm guessing quite well), as I'd love to knit a cardigan for myself using Lark.

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Other good things...

- Coastal Knits is available for pre-order! Such pretty patterns. Can't wait for this to arrive in my mailbox!

- Brooklyn Tweed's fall 2011 patterns are out! I absolutely love Tinder -- it looks so cozy.

- Loopy Yarns had a 6th anniversary party last Sunday, and I picked up some very intriguing Imperial Stock Ranch 2-ply pencil roving in a beautiful shade called wild iris.

It's very soft and lofty, and it will be interesting to knit, as it's unspun. This yarn is earmarked for the Pembroke Wrap from the latest issue of Interweave Knits.

- I concocted a new ice cream recipe in honor of the lovely autumn days:

pumpkin spice ice cream

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. pumpkin butter
1.25 C. half and half
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, or to taste (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Freeze mixture in ice cream maker (I use a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker and run it for 18-20 min.). Transfer to an airtight container and put in the freezer to harden, at least 3 hours (even longer is better).

P.S. Sorry to be so slow at replying to comments lately... it has been a little hectic around here. 

cats + knitting + tea = bliss

A certain someone doesn't seem to mind being surrounded by boxes.  Me, I'm a little nuts from packing already, but it perhaps it's time to take a queue from Kylie and go with the flow.

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Best way to relax? Getting a head start on holiday knitting. It's never too early!

 

The pattern's High Line by Kirsten Kapur, and I'm using some vintage Knit Picks Andean Silk that has been marinating in my stash for quite some time. The yarn's a little thinner than recommended, so I'm using size 10 needles. Honestly, this will be a much more useful size, as it's going to be a super cozy, warm scarf which you can really wrap up in.  I can't wear alpaca (it makes me so sneezy), but I can handle knitting with it in short bursts. I think this will block very nicely!

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My boss just returned from a 3-week holiday in Yorkshire, and she kindly brought me fancy teas from Bettys Café Tea Room in York. Now that's the way to a girl's heart...

shawlette + movies for the queue

A friend of mine has a beautiful, peaceful urban garden, and yesterday seemed like a perfect opportunity for a photo shoot.

pattern: Berger shawlette, by Lisa Fliss

yarn: Orange Flower MCN fingering weight, "boysenberry"

~ 300 yds (2/3 skein)

needles: Clover US 7 bamboo circs

my ravelry project page

notes:

Easy, free pattern. Seriously, this knit up in an instant, as the stockinette body goes lightning fast. I absolutely love the yarn -- I used a different colorway for my Wandering the Moor shawlette, and it holds up beautifully and has a good balance of drape and body. Plus it's super soft.  Overall, a win-win project. The pattern requires a small amount of yarn, so it's a great way to use a short-ish skein of fancy merino sock yarn.

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film recommendations

I'm always on the lookout for movies that are different and interesting (no Transformers for me, thank you very much), and these two fit the bill lately:

Trollhunter -- a Norwegian mock documentary about film students following a man they suspect of poaching. Surprise, he turns out to be a grizzled, slightly disgruntled government employee -- on the Troll Security Service.

Junebug -- a film that explores class and cultural conflicts, as a newly-married couple heads from Chicago to the husband's hometown not just to meet the family, but for the wife to convince an "outsider artist" into signing up with her gallery. It's a film that does a good job of showing rather than telling, and it's uncomfortable at times as it explores how people negotiate relationships, their day-to-day lives, and their anxieties. Paul wasn't too keen on this at first, but really came to appreciate it in hindsight. Junebug does a good job of building characters, which I (like Ebert) value.

Does anyone have film recommendations to share?  I also saw Bridesmaids, which was a hoot (plus it was great to see Milwaukee on the silver screen), but everyone knows about that one already.

almost autumn

There's a nip in the air and a spring in my step -- forsooth, autumn's just around the corner here in the upper midwest. We've been happily munching away on apples and pears from last Saturday's green city market.

I've been knitting away at f.pea's mossy jacket pattern. I'm using the specified yarn, Classic Elite Beatrice, now discontinued. This is a machine washable, heavy worsted weight merino wool with a neat construction -- 3 plies very lightly twisted together, which means that it's very easy to separate the plies (esp. with my pointy Knit Picks Harmony needles).

What's neat is that the 3 plies are different colors -- 1 tan, 1 beige, and 1 variegated. The yarn knits up into a very pleasant variegated, marled fabric -- not garish or awful like so many other commercial yarns. Each of these three plies seems to be a plied light fingering weight. Great stuff! Too bad it's no longer on the market.

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In August I instituted a no-new-yarn policy as we prepare to move, but this has already been bent a bit, as Quince and Co. restocked Lark in pomegranate. Not only did I order one more skein to finish Camilla Babe, but also a color book.

I'm contemplating colors for an Aidez cardigan using Quince's lofty aran-weight Osprey yarn. Frost?  Peacock? Delft? So pretty!

Two small projects are blocking on my dining room table as I type, so I'll be back soon with FO posts.

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in the kitchen

-- I really want to make pumpkin ice cream -- I just saw this recipe, but it's definitely more complicated than I'd like. Any recipe suggestions?  Otherwise I'll probably experiment (I'm thinking pumpkin butter + a slightly less cream-cheesy version of my cream cheese ice cream recipe).

-- Sour cream brown sugar ice cream was on the menu for a get-together last weekend! It was awfully yummy. I swirled fig butter through half of the batch, and that was especially tasty.

  Sour Cream Brown Sugar Ice Cream

2 C. sour cream
1.5 C. half-and-half
1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed (preferably dark brown)
.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 T. bourbon
fig butter (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions (about 20 min.).

Optional: Pour half the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Dot a few blobs of fig butter over the top; swirl with a knife. Add the rest of the ice cream. Add a bit more fig butter if desired.

Put in the freezer and allow to harden for at least 3 hours.

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A copy of Moosewood Restaurant New Classics has been sitting in my kitchen bookcase for a few months, sadly unopened and untested. I pulled it out to peruse at lunch today, and the recipes look fantastic! I'm getting very excited about veggies again. 25 tape flags now mark recipes that were calling my name. I'll keep you posted as to the successes.

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Jane Austen fans, the Los Angeles Review of Books features an interesting review article on two new books about Jane Austen.  

movin' on up

Much has been going on behind the scenes chez Caffeinated Yarn. First of all, we're moving! Again!  Egads... change makes me anxious, and the process of moving is terrible, but there are some upsides.

Such as the back garden, a peaceful oasis in the middle of Chicago. Plus we're just moving half a mile east, near the heart of Lincoln Square, a charming German neighborhood. We started packing boxes of books this past weekend, fueled by thoughts of the floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcases in our new living room and master bedroom. :-) Not all bad, indeed.

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Hot off the hook:

Oh yes, at long last I'm done crocheting the rustic Noro giant granny! All the ends have been carefully tucked to the wrong side, ready for me to weave them in before blocking this bad boy. It's a fantastic feeling to have it almost complete, as I started it back in February of 2010. Full details forthcoming after it's blocked.

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a Monday miscellany

- interesting article on Trader Joe's

- tutorial on using paint to transform a ho-hum office organizer into something beautiful
- tutorial on crocheting a cute, vintage-inspired rag rug (I did some googling after spotting this gorgeous crocheted rag rug)

blue violet

As I was knitting away on my Shalder cardigan and sipping my morning coffee, I was struck by the  pleasing confluence of blue violet.

The lace yoke is well underway, and I can't wait to wear this cardigan this autumn. The nights are getting cooler and longer here in Chicago, so autumn is beginning to seem imminent and real. Plus Shalder needs to come off the needles before I can cast on for Levenwick or Aidez!

The pattern calls for Quince and Co.'s Lark yarn, but the blue-violet Rowan Pure Wool DK had been marinating in the stash for far too long. I did, however, order two skeins of Lark in Pomegranate just to see what it was like. Soft, springy, and what a beautiful, vibrant hue!

This is Camilla Babe in the smallest size. Gauge being the harsh mistress that she is, I have run out of yarn, and this color is on back order. Doh!

the nerdiness abounds

So, The Fellowship of the Ring to the accompaniment of the CSO while picnicking at Ravinia on a beautiful night was pretty much awesome.

What made it even more awesome?

Lembas to sustain you on your journey. Recipe and mallorn leaf pattern here. Apparently the elves were actually big fans of lemon-flavored scones! The leaves are cut out of felt rather than foam, simply because there was already a plentiful cache of green felt in my craft supplies (why, I don't know, but I was happy to go with it). Sadly, we were forced to drink Crispin cider and Half Acre beer (brewed 1/2 mile from my house) in lieu of miruvor.

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I threw caloric considerations out the window and made that easy beer mac and cheese recipe on Saturday! I wasn't up for another trip to the market, so there was some improvising (i.e., cleaning out the cheese drawer and skipping the basil leaves). I used cheddar, gruyere, a wee bit of Parmesan, and  Cotswold Double Gloucester (which just happens to make the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever). The bites with the Double Gloucester were AMAZING! Next time I'd zing up the recipe with a little bit of onion, cayenne pepper, and ground mustard.

ETA: I've found Cotswold Double Gloucester at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I'm guessing that a good specialty cheese/wine shop might carry it, too.

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Another baby gift has not only been finished, but also given to its intended recipient!  The new mom's a knitter, so I didn't want to post here until it was safely in her hands.

pattern: Baby Kina, by Muriela

yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 1.75 skeins

needles: Clover US 4 bamboo circs

size: 6 months

my Ravelry project page

notes:

Fantastic little pattern! Very easy to knit, and not fiddly at all. I love the gathering at the yoke. The yarn is wonderful to knit, and I'm sad that my Baby Cashmerino stash is pretty much depleted now (although I suppose that's a good thing, as there's plenty more yarn marinating in the craft room).

I wonder a bit about the buttonhole placement. They seem a bit off center -- I might move them closer to the edge of the button band next time. I'll definitely knit this pattern again! There's even a version for grown-ups.

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linkety ~ projects I'd like to start right away but know I oughtn't

- free pattern for a colorful bull's eye crochet blanket at Tangled

- tutorial for making a very cute cable knit pillow cover at Craftastical

crochet heaven

I moved the stripey crochet blanket out to the sofa, and the cats are absolutely enamored of it. They're oddly drawn to crochet blankets, much more so than their handknit counterparts. The mysterious inner workings of cats...

Kylie the tubecat, basking in a sunbeam

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Another round of new babies is upon us, so I quickly knit up this little jumper for a baby shower.

pattern: the Emma tunic, by Jennifer Alexander

yarn: Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere, 2.5 skeins

needles: Clover US 6 and US 7 bamboo circs

size: 6 months

my ravelry project page

notes:

I love it! The pattern's very quick to knit, and it's pretty darn easy. The little tucks in front are a cute detail, and it was fun to figure out how they worked. Jennifer Alexander's instructions for them are pretty clear. The yarn is leftover from another baby shower gift, the butterfly baby cardigan, and I liked it much better knit at a slightly tighter gauge. The color is great, especially this is a gift for a mom-to-be who's very eco-friendly and not too much of a girly-girl.

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Busy, busy around here lately, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I did take a break, however, to meet a certain barefoot rooster in person last week! How fantastic to have blog friends turn out to be just as warm, wonderful, and friendly in person. We stopped by The Goddess and Grocer for delicious artichoke and prosciutto panini, definitely in the running for the yummiest quick sandwich in the Gold Coast.

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miscellaneous

- Have you heard about Coastal Knits, a pattern book collaboration by Hannah Fettig from Knitbot and Alana Dakos from Never Not Knitting?  This looks absolutely fantastic! I'm immediately drawn to Alana's Gnarled Oak Cardigan (so pretty) and Wildflower Cardigan.

- This recipe for easy beer mac and cheese looks amazing.

- The state of Illinois is cracking down on Nice Cream, a local artisanal ice cream company, in a move that seems pretty ridiculous. I understand food safety concerns, but this seems so minor... This may have major implications for many of the small-scale local food makers here in Chicago.

- We're heading to what may be the nerdiest summer event in Chicago tomorrow night! The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is playing music from the Fellowship of the Rings at the Ravinia Festival. While the movie is shown on a jumbotron, thousands of fans will picnic on the lawn, sip champagne, and nibble on elven lembas bread. Egads... it should be legendary indeed.

chevre heaven

After a very hectic and stressful week, I was delighted to spend some quality time in the kitchen yesterday. Not only did I make my first French tomato tart of the season (always delightful), but I also gave the ice cream maker a workout.

The flavor profiles in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home are so inspiring and creative! I am less enchanted, however, by the number of steps in the recipes. What's a cook to do? Inspired by Jeni's recipe for goat cheese ice cream, I "unvented" my own version, using the fail-safe "technique" from my cream cheese ice cream recipe. I paired it with a baked rhubarb compote, again inspired by a Jeni's recipe, but jazzed up with some citrus and ginger.

chevre ice cream

7 oz. fresh chevre (goat's cheese), softened
2 C. half and half
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 C. sugar
1/4 C. tapioca syrup or light corn syrup
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Freeze mixture in ice cream maker (I use a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker) for abut 18-20 min. Transfer to an airtight container and put in the freezer to harden (at least 2 hours). Let ice cream soften for 5 min. before serving.

NB: Pop the airtight container you're going to use to store the finished product into the freezer before you start working on the ice cream. That way it will be nice and cold when the ice cream maker is done, and the ice cream won't melt when it hits a warm container. Makes for a better, more consistent texture!

baked rhubarb compote

12 oz. (trimmed and sliced) rhubarb
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 to 1/2 C. sugar (depending how sweet you like things)
3/4 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in an 8-inch square Pyrex baking dish, stirring to mix well. Bake for 45-60 min., stirring every once in a while, until the rhubarb begins to fall apart.

NB: You can use frozen chopped rhubarb, too. My local Whole Foods carries Stahlbush Island Farms frozen rhubarb year-round (at an affordable price, to boot), and it works great! Don't bother to thaw the rhubarb first, just up the baking time a bit.