The Blog Post In Which I Confess My Slackness

Ok, I admit it. I am a slacker. I have been neglectful in maintaining not only this blog but also my make a week schedule. No excuses, I've just been too busy and/or too lazy, depending upon the week. I hope to make some headway in catching up soon, and have a commensurate number of makes for the number of weeks that have passed thus far this year. Fear not, Dear Reader! You shall have your hitherto tardy blog posts posthaste!

Make 12: Red Wine Vinegar

     Given that we've been making a lot of projects that involve fermentation, this one should come as no surprise. We use a lot of red wine vinegar for salads, etc., and we had a partially used, aging box of wine (don't judge us) that was either going to be thrown away or used for cooking. So we decided to try our hand at vinegar making!
     This was a really easy make. We started by gathering our materials: the aforementioned box o'wine, some apple cider vinegar with live "mother", and a clean 1 quart mason jar.:

We then decanted (deboxed?) the wine into the mason jar:

Next, we added a splash of the unpasteurized, "live" apple cider vinegar:

We then placed a paper towel over the vinegar-to-be, and placed it in the cupboard:

In a few weeks/months, we should have either vinegar, or the cure for the common cold! :)

Make 11: Kombucha

     Wow. It seems like I was just here! Tempus fugit... Anyway, this post is all about a make that has been weeks in progress, and still isn't quite ready. Still, here ya go: kombucha!

     Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that is purported to have health benefits due to its probiotic content. While I am not sure about the health benefits, I can tell you that it's tasty, and a healthful alternative to soda. In fact, I've even seen it marketed as "natural soda."

     I tried kombucha for the first time several months ago, and I was immediately hooked. Once you get past the odor, which is somewhat earthy and vinegar-like, the taste is amazing. It is more tart than sweet, and has a pleasing effervescence. This is due to the fermentation of the sugars in the sweet tea starter by the "mother," which is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. This SCOBY, as it is also sometimes called, it the means by which sweetened tea is turned into kombucha. This tea is sometimes flavored with fruit juices or spices as well. My favorite thus far has been ginger kombucha, which adds a bit of heat from the ginger to the tartness. 

     So, after sampling kombucha, Rachelle and I decided to make it at home. After our successful attempts at home fermented foods earlier this year, such as sauerkraut and pickles, we felt pretty confident in our ability to do so. Also, I have made quite a bit of beer in the past (and plan to do so again in the future), so fermenting beverages is an old past-time of mine. 

     We started with a bottle of commercially available kombucha, which was delicious, and left about one-third of the bottle, which included the bacteria and yeast. This was to form the basis of the mother. We started with approximately  1cup of tea, with 2 tablespoons of sugar added, that was boiled, and then cooled to room temperature. To this cooled tea, we added the remnants of the bottle of kombucha. This sat in a jar, covered with a paper towel,  in a dark cupboard for approximately 1 week.

     After a week, we transferred this mixture to a larger container, and added it to a quart of tea, with 1/3 cup of sugar. This we also covered tightly, and placed back in the cupboard, where it sat for another 2-3 weeks. We checked it periodically, and when the mother had formed a mat approximately 1/4 inch thick, we were ready to make the kombucha proper!

     We took this mother and added it to 3 quarts of tea (made with 4 teabags and 1 cup of sugar) that had cooled to room temperature. 

We added a cup or so of the liquid the mother had been growing in as well, and put all of this in a 2 gallon food-grade bucket, which we covered with a clean cloth.

     This is now sitting in the cupboard, fermenting, and waiting to be bottled and consumed. We will be able to do that this week, and I will post an update when we do. I can't wait!

    

     Next make: red wine vinegar.

Make 10: Bindrune Pendant

     Although I haven’t been posting, I have definitely been making. Chaotic work and home schedules have made it difficult for me to put the time into blogging about the various things I have been making. But no more! As of today, I am catching up, and, will post about three, count ‘em THREE, different makes, including this first one. Behold: the bindrune pendant!

     Bindrunes are an ancient tradition, wherein 2 or more runes are combined in such a way as to signify something-protection, power, etc. They are also used to connect names, whether an individuals names, or the names of 2 or more individuals. Runes are, for those of you who don’t know, an ancient writing system, most closely associated with the cultures and peoples of the North- Norsemen, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, etc- although some of the oldest runic inscriptions have actually been found in Italy. Those of you familiar with the works of J.R.R.Tolkien (and if you’ve made it this far, I’m going to assume you are a huge nerd, and, therefore, familiar with his works) will probably also know something of runes, albeit in an altered form. Folks (heh, inside joke) who practice Asatru or other Reconstructionist religious traditions also use runes in ritual practices, and assign meaning beyond the sound or name to each one. Keep this in mind as we move forward. Another modern use , as well as being a bindrune, too, is the universal symbol for Bluetooth, which is a combination of the runes Hagalaz and Berkano, the initials of the Danish king and viking, Harald Bluetooth, for whom the ubiquitious technology is named.

     So, my make for this week was a bindrune. I chose to use the runes that corresponded with the first letter of both mine and Rachelle’s names. For me, Gebo , corresponding with G, and for Rachelle, Raidho , corresponding with R. Together, these to runes create a bindrune that, in addition to looking cool, has meanings, both personal and, if one is so inclined, protective and spiritual.

     Before we get into the meanings, let's first talk about how I created the pendant with the bindrune on it. I used a variety of tools and materials, but nothing terribly complicated, I started with a a tile of wood, approximately 1 inch square, and, using a Dremel tool, shaped this into a teardrop/oval pendant. On this, I marked the design of the bindrune with a pencil. Using this drawing as a template, I used a woodburner to engrave the bindrune into the wood. I then drilled a hole in the top of the pendant, through which I could string a length of leather cord, so as to make it a necklace. Before I added the cord, I stained the pendant with olive oil, to protect it, and to bring out some of the grain of the wood. The finished product looks like this:

     But what does it mean? Well, there are a couple of ways in which one could look at this pendant, and derive meaning. The most obvious is simply the joining of the runes Gebo and Raidho, which reflects the joining of Rachelle and myself. This is an accurate meaning, but not a complete one. As I mentioned earlier, bindrunes often have a hidden, or esoteric meaning as well. In this case, let's look at the meanings ascribed to the 2 runes used. Gebo corresponds with the words in the old Germanic languages for “gift,” and in modern interpretations, is understood to refer to a relationship based on recoprocity, both giving and receiving. Raidho corresponds with various words in the old Germanic languages for “riding,” especially as it relates to horses. (Sidenote: horses and horseriding are key components of Proto-Indo-European culture and ritual, out of which the Germanic traditions came. For more information, read Mallory's excellent “In Search of the Indo-Europeans.”). In modern interpretations, Raidho is understood to be connected to moving, and journeying. (FYI, my reference for these meanings, both ancient and modern, is "Taking Up The Runes," by Diana L Paxson. Diana, in addition to being an outstanding author of numerous fantasy and historical fiction novels, is one of the preeminent practitioners of runelore alive today.)

     One possible interpretation of the bindrune created by joining Gebo and Raidho then, is of a relationship moving forward, and based on reciprocity. I think this is an excellent way of understanding and thinking about a relationship, and I like the implications for the relationship Rachelle and I are in.

     So, what about you? If you created a bindrune for you and your partner, what would it be? What would it mean? What would a bindrune using your initials be, and would would it mean?

Next make: kombucha!

Make 9: Knittin' Ain't Easy

     I know, I know. It's been well over a week since I posted my last make. What can I say? Frankly, I'm surprised that I made it to the end of February without slacking off. I haven't actually been slacking off (well, not much). I have been busy, and I have gotten some making done. I enjoyed making the hat for my son that I decided to try my hand at some more knitting. Behold! The scarf!

     This was made on a smaller knitting loom, but of the same yarn as the hat. Actually, I think it came out better than the hat, and I am already working on another one. I gave this one to Rachelle, as she was headed off to Fairbanks for the week. I think it looked very pretty on her! :)

     I was not the only maker this week, no sir. Rachelle, who is much craftier than I, and much handier in the kitchen, made an incredible braided, challah-like bread this weekend. It was made of three different doughs, so it looked, and tasted, great. We used one loaf for french toast, and the other has been great with butter and jam. Here are the two loaves fresh from the oven:

     See? Don't they look great? Told ya! Now, stay tuned for another post later this week, as I play catch up...

I haven't forgotten about this week's make, I simply haven't had time to post about it yet! I have a project that I've completed, though, and will post about it ASAP. Thanks!

Vodka Update

     I finally had a chance to bottle the ginger-infused vodka today. I poured it out of the mason jar through a sieve, and then into the bottles through a tea strainer. The end result:

As you can see, I ended up with 1.5 bottles. The bottles I used were glass bottles that were from kombucha purchased at the store. (Spoiler: expect to read about homemade kombucha as some point in the next few weeks). I did sample the vodka, and it was really good! It was gingery, but with just a hint of heat. The flavor of ginger definitely came through, though. It is now in the freezer, getting ice cold, and waiting to be drunk neat, or in a tasty cocktail. Recipe suggestions,anyone?