Honestly, I have no idea where 2017 went and how it's Holiday time again. My aversion towards things continues unless it's vintage or practical. I can't believe how much Tyler has rubbed off on me.
But, after a year that has been stressful and at moment downright scary, it's kind of nice to spend a little bit of time looking at completely beautiful things that deserve a place in our home. So here is the list of things Caitlin would like to see under the tree. Some are practical, some are silly, all of them make me happy. And couldn't we all use a little happiness?
Also - all of them support small companies doing new/cool different things which I always feel is important (minus AirBnb but AirBnb does support individuals turing their home into way to make money so I think that's OK).
1 - A Wooden Matchbox - I've been on a bit of candle kick since moving into our new place. I like how good they make our apartment smell and how they make everything feel cozy. We have an ugly plastic lighter for lighting them and I can't stand seeing it on the mantle. SO, as a replacement, I want this little wooden box for matches. It's pretty, it's practical, and it works with our color scheme. In zebrawood or maple please.
2 - More Wool Socks - I love wearing thick wool socks around our apartment. I've worn down several pairs that I currently own and am therefore always looking for new ones. These are adorable. I'll take any and all colors.
3 - This Wine (or any of their Ancestral ones) - I had this wine at a tasting and couldn't get it out of my head. I bought a bottle and then I couldn't find it again. Tyler and I love it so much - it has a funky kombucha like taste to it.
4 - Any of these Sculptural Earrings - It took 32 years and I finally got my style (kind of) down. High-waisted pants, simple top, and sculptural earrings in gold. I love the fluid earrings and the cavernous studs that look like little pieces of crumpled paper.
5 - Airbnb gift cards - Travel is pretty much all Tyler and I can agree to spend money on Airbnb gift cards are basically our favorite thing.
6 - This Almond Butter - Yes, it is expensive for peanut butter/almond butter but it's the best of the best. Especially when you eat it with homemade apple butter.
7 - A lot of bags of Rancho Gordo Cranberry Beans - These are the best beans for soups and beans on toast. I just finished my latest bag so more of them will make me very happy.
8 - A Work Tote not in Black! - My go-to work tote is by Cuyana. It's big, its light-wight and it's good looking. I've been wanting to get a second one in a camel color since mixing up my all-black look isn't a bad idea. This one in camel with a navy lining (or blush lining) is EVERYTHING I want. Someone please get this for me. I could also use a new wallet (also in camel).
9 - Mittens - Because I walk to work everyday and it is cold in the winter. These are my ideal mittens. Camel color and ribbed.
And to end this list. Charity donations. I donate monthly to the ACLU. We've been also donating to a lot of the groups involved in the Hurricane relief for Texas and Puerto Rico.
I've found my perfect apple pie recipe (just in time for Turkey Day).
This is not an apple pie for the faint of heart (3 1/2 pounds of apples are involved!). It's a multi-day (though fairly hands-off ) affair. But my god is this good. It is the everything you think of when you think of apple pie and more. Layer after layer of thinly sliced apples are enveloped in a apple-y caramel sauce. (I can't explain the magic that creates this caramel sauce but it is magic.) The crust is crisp, the apples are fork tender, and the cranberries add a burst of tartness that works well with the sweet caramel sauce.
If you make this for Thanksgiving you will be hailed a hero.
Caramel Apple Pie
Recipe from Tara O'Brady
I'm pasting the recipe here so you can see it as written but I make a couple of changes. I added in about a cup of fresh cranberries since I had some on hand and thought the tartness would pair nicely with the caramel apples. This was an excellent idea. I decided to add a crumble topping to my pie rather then a traditional double layer. This is personal preference!
For the Pie
Juice from ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
3½ pounds (1.5 kg) apples
½ cup (90 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
60 gratings fresh nutmeg, or ¼ teaspoon ground
Flour, for dusting
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Coarse sugar, such as Demerara, coarse Turbinado, or sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pie Doug (recipe below)
Lightly butter a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan and set aside. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large, nonreactive bowl. Peel, core, and cut the apples into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices, adding them to the bowl as soon as they are cut. Turn the apples in the lemon juice now and again while you work. Toss the apples with the sugars and salt. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight. Stir whenever you remember to do so. If you haven’t already, this is a good time to make the pastry. (Instructions below.)
Set a colander over a large heavy pot. Turn the apples into the colander and let them drain completely. Flip the apples back into their bowl and pour the juice into a liquid measuring cup, taking note of the amount. Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Let it brown, swirling occasionally. Add the drained apple liquid and bring to a boil without stirring. Reduce the liquid to ½ cup (120 ml).
Toss the apples with the cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg, until the cornstarch dissolves. Pour the reduced juices over the top and fold to combine. Set aside.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll half the dough out to a 12-inch (30.5 cm) round. Drape the dough over the prepared pan and gently ease into place, snug against the bottom and overhanging at the rim. Fill tightly with the apples and the juice, mounding the fruit toward the center. Place in the fridge. Roll out the remaining dough to a 12-inch (30.5 cm) round and either cut into strips for lattice or leave as is. Retrieve the pastry shell from the fridge. Brush the edge of the lower crust with beaten egg, reserving any remaining egg. Place the top crust over the filling, or weave the lattice directly on top of the filling. Press the top and bottom crusts together to seal, then crimp or decorate. Pop the whole pie in the freezer for 15 minutes.
While the pie chills, preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Brush the chilled pastry with the remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar. For solid-top crusts, cut steam vents with either a knife or a small cookie cutter. Set the pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the juices are bubbling and the apples succumb to the tip of a knife, 50 minutes or so. If the crust browns too quickly, protect it with a layer of foil.
Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1½ hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Pie Dough
Makes enough for 2 pie shells or 1 double-crust pie, each 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter
2¼ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (for sweet crusts only)
1 teaspoon medium-grain kosher salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into large cubes
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Ice water
In a large, wide bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour. With the pads of your fingers, squish each cube of butter into thin cakes, in a motion similar to dealing cards off the top of a deck. Toss the butter into the dry ingredients as it is flattened, so that it is kept coated on all sides. Once all the butter has been squashed, chill the mixture for 30 minutes.
Stir the egg yolk with the vinegar in a 1-cup (240 ml) liquid measure, then add enough ice water to make ¼ cup (60 ml) total. Drizzle the liquids over the flour and butter mixture, then, with a butter knife, start stirring the wet into the dry. After a few stirs, abandon the knife and use your hands or a spatula to pick up stray flour and press it into the damp pockets of dough. Continue collecting the dough together in this way, pushing and smearing the mass against the bowl. This will not only incorporate the flour but also create long sheets of fat within the dough in a lazy-person’s version of fraisage, a classic pastry technique. If the dough seems dry, stingily drip in more ice water as needed. Once the lion’s share of the our is incorporated, fold the dough onto itself a few times, trapping any remaining our in the folds. Cautiously pat out the dough in between each fold, and shift the bowl a quarter turn so that the dough isn’t always folded the same way. The dough should be together, albeit raggedly, with visible pieces of butter.
Tip the dough onto a work surface and shape into a round. Wrap with plastic wrap. Once sealed, press firmly, so that the film is good and tight and the dough looks like it could burst from its wrapping. I feel this binding helps the dough in the end, encouraging the dry ingredients to fully absorb the wet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Lightly flour a work surface, a rolling pin, and both sides of the unwrapped dough. Roll the dough into a long rectangle. Dust off the excess flour and fold into thirds, like a business letter. Turn the package 90 degrees and roll out again, flouring the board, rolling pin, and dough as needed. Brush away loose flour, then fold as before. If ever the dough gets too warm, cover and chill before proceeding. Turn the package a final time and roll the dough into a rectangle double the length of its width and cut in two. Shape the pieces into rounds, wrap snugly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. For frozen dough, defrost in the fridge before using.
Whole Wheat Variation: Up to about ¾ cup (85 g) whole wheat flour can be swapped in for the same amount of white, though the crust will not be as flaky. Use whole wheat pastry flour if you can.
