9/12/11

Our friend Emilie is visiting from Austria and, at the same time, Ariel's father Nelson is here as well.  The house is busy and alive and it feels wonderful.  Even Beijing's unseasonal cold and gray skies don't seem to affect it.  Pictures to follow.

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of September 11th, and Story Corps created these extremely beautiful, sad animations that deserve to be watched.

9/5/11

untitled, oil on canvas, 20x30cm

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Based on a 70s horror movie poster.  Faceless star explosion children.
Indian lemon pickles
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A lovely, easy pickle that comes about from some experimenting.  This can be made with limes, but add an additional week.


6 lemons
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric

Cut each lemon into eight wedges, then halve these, making 16 equal pieces.  Add along with any juices to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  Add turmeric and salt directly to jar, cover and shake well until pieces are coated.  Set on windowsill and let sit for ten days, shaking each day.  

Lemons will extrude juices, which in turn marinate the skin and the mixture will darken over time.  After ten days, try a piece.  It should be completely edible and fairly soft.  The next step will be adding spices.

1 tablespoon red chili powder
1 tablespoon fenugreek seed, whole
1 teaspoon black mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
1 tablespoon palm sugar (jaggery)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Add a tablespoon of oil to a small pan and fry whole spices and asafoetida until mustard pops.  Remove from heat and lightly crush in a mortar and pestle along with jaggery.  Add mixture along with chili and oil directly to lemons.  Cover and shake well.  Pickles can be eaten next day, although will be more mature in another week.  Eat with curd rice for something really delicious.


LET'S HEAR IT FOR RICHARD TUTTLE

(An example of someone I wasn't aware that I like as much as I do.  I played the documentary "Herb and Dorothy" for my class this morning, and they had some choice examples of his drawings and paintings.)

9/3/11

~Me, by Ariel. Taken a couple of weeks ago.~