Art Tripping weekends are creative weekends.
We make something or plan something, but for certain, we play first.
An Unexpected Art Tripping weekend popped up. Molly wanted to apply her knowledge of how digital marketing works, in service to my Shopify shop, by driving visits to my social media sites, basically, use my site as a laboratory. What a fabulous offer.
So, I went to Lisa’s prepared to stay the night. The evening begins with wine, company, music, dancing, and questions…
Mary asked Lisa and I if we knew the painting ‘Salvador Mundi’, and did we know anything about Leonardo da Vinci…boy, did we. A Little Art History class happened.
Lisa made some yummy toasted apps, pasta sauce, and a bibb lettuce and orange salad. I brought a gallon of Opici, a wine that tastes like my grandfather’s wine.
THE TOASTED APPS WERE SIMPLE, AND EVERYONE PROBABLY HAS THE INGREDIENTS IN THEIR PANTRY, CUPBOARD, OR FRIDGE: MINCED GARLIC AND ONION, SHREDDED PARMESAN, AND MAYO.
We don’t really measure, just improvise, but make at least about a cup full. I added a little twist when I got home. So, toast some bread then spread some of your mixture on the toast.
Then pop it under the broiler until it is bubbly and browned on the edges. Then cut it into bite sized pieces.
You can sub shredded cheddar or Swiss for the cheese, season to taste with mustard, or in my case, I used a generous dollop of a Cajun Alfredo base from Trader Joe’s, a gift from Meredith. I topped it with a shake of black garlic, a seasoning that was in my Christmas stocking, a gift from Jon.
I served the toasted bread with a chicken and cabbage stew with dumplings when I got home. Donald loved it.
On Saturday, Lisa taught me a new knitting stitch, and I worked on the logistics for the Litchfield Makers Market. I felt very productive.
THE KNITTING STITCH IS A NORO STITCH THAT SHOWS OFF TWO TONES OF YARN, AND LOOKS LIKE WINDOW PANES OR A WAFFLE STITCh.
A beginner can do this. You just need to know how to knit, purl, and slip a stitch. Practice by knitting a swatch. As you can see in my swatch, the 3rd row has mistakes, but from then on, my rows were true.
Cast on 20, knit 2 rows with that color, let’s call it Color 1.
Tie on Color 2; and K1 w/C2, slip the next stitch (C1) from the back, then K1 w/C2 again. Follow pattern to end: K1, slip 1 from back, K1…
Next row, P1 with C2, slip next stitch from front (C1), the P1 with C2… repeat pattern to end.
Next row, K 2 rows with C1.
Because we need sustenance, Lisa whipped up a giant popover, like a large pancake, and carved it into wedges and served it with butter and maple syrup. It would be heavenly with sausages.
THE POPOVER IS SPONGY AND EGGY, LIGHT AND DELICIOUS, AND SO SIMPLE TO MAKE.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in a glass pie dish, or cast iron skillet.
Whisk one cup flour, 1 cup milk, and 2 eggs together. Pour the batter into your prepared & buttery baking dish or skillet, and pop it into the hot oven.
About 15 - 20 minutes later, it will be puffy & browned on the curled edges.