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Trevy Thomas's BlogPosted by Trevy Thomas My first attempt at gardening was painful. I didn't have much knowledge or experience, and was overwhelmed by the number of books available to gardeners. It all seemed complicated and frightening to me. Gardeners were born, I decided, not made, and a big part of my first experience proved that to be true. I also didn't have a lot of fun, and spent many years after telling anyone who would listen "I'm not a gardener." Sometimes I still say that about baking, but gardening has held its appearl for me. As most of my life is spent working at a computer, I didn't want gardening to be about plans and details. I just wanted to go out and have some fun in the sunshine and make my yard a pretty place to be. The Intuitive Gardener is a book that gives us all permission, and a bit of instruction, to do that. I love that she uses nothing more than a garden hose for mapping things, and is as quick to yank something out that didn't work as she is to instinctively throw something in that might. This is gardening I can handle, a little bit at a time.Posted by Trevy Thomas No wonder I've never liked baking. Clearly, it is full of little secret tricks that only experienced bakers are let in on. Fortunately, I get to pick the brains of professional cooks so I can be in the know without all that hands-on practice. Dede Wilson, author of The Birthday Cake Book, taught me that when a cake is stuck to the pan (I mean really stuck as in no way to save it), you simply add some cream, fruit, maybe a liquor, lump it all in a pretty dish and call it a trifle. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but next time I try to bake a cake, I'm going to keep the fruit and liquor at the ready just in case. Learn more tips and tricks on cake baking in my recent interview with Ms. Wilson. Happy baking.Posted by Trevy Thomas When I received a hotel book in the mail, it never occurred to me to use it as design inspiration. But new ideas are like that. They just appear, as long as you're open to them. Actually, a publisher snuck this new idea into my head, and I'm grateful for it. When you start a remodel project at home, no matter its size, the thing that will make it a fun, successful makeover is how strong your inspiration is. I modeled a kitchen once around a teapot I loved. Magazines are filled with great ideas. But The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms? That is unique design you're not going to find just anywhere. Top designers are paid lots of money to create fantastic spaces for wealthy travelers. Peeking at photographs of these rooms is a great way to find some really wonderful, and different, design ideas for your own home. No vacation necessary.Posted by Trevy Thomas For years, I followed the instructions on those little paper placemats used in crab houses about how to pick and clean a crab. I finally learned the instructions are wrong. While living in a proud blue crab area of Maryland's Eastern Shore, I discovered that professional crab pickers have their own method and it's much more efficient. No need for a mallet either.
Posted by Trevy Thomas I tend to think of a slow cooker as a wintertime appliance, used for soups, roasts or other hearty fare. Today I realized how foolish that is. Summer is a lousy time to have the oven on, or sometimes even the stovetop. And on a really hot day, no one wants to stand outside to grill either. Enter the crock-pot, ready to accept whatever I give it in the morning, and cooly cook all day at a nice low temperature. I made a Chicken Fricassee today that smells delicious. Don't report me, but I took the recipe from Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, only I substituted chicken for the vegetarian part.Posted by Trevy Thomas I was a little skeptical when I saw that the authors of a recent gardening book were named Gardner. I wondered if people would take me seriously if I started selling English Muffins or school busses, but I'm not sure anyone would pick up on the pun. Gardner seemed too much of a coincidence. But after reading the book, I'm convined that this lovely couple was born to garden, so the name makes perfect sense. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to grow all your own food, earn an income from the process, and experience a truly independent life, Gardens of Use & Delight paints a vivid picture for you. Don't miss the homemade catsup recipe included with this book review.Posted by Trevy Thomas We are very familiar with back pain in my household. Because of it, our rather large yard goes mostly unplanted. Past experience has taught me that gardening, which could be enjoyable, becomes a back-breaking chore. So I was thrilled to receive a copy of Easy Gardening, which has shown me some tricks to gardening which will save me from back pain. I have always wondered how it is that so many elderly people manage beautiful gardens without any complaints, while just a few minutes of weeding was enough to send me for bed rest. Now I know the secret! This book is a useful tool for anyone who wants to learn easy gardening tips.Posted by Trevy Thomas When I was growing up, we rarely used bottled salad dressing. My mother made a simple one of lemon and olive oil that was a nice complement to the vegetables without adding an overpowering flavor. As an adult, I kept up the habit and was pleased to learn that this was not only an economical choice, but a healthy one. This dressing is made right in the bowl over top of the salad, so the quantities will vary depending on how much salad you have.
Posted by Trevy Thomas Cooking Appliances Baking Celebrity
Posted by Trevy Thomas Having an outdoor party is a great way to entertain and show off your garden, or the begining of it, at the same time. So far, all I have to show off is a new deck and a few tulips, but that's reason enough to celebrate. I think of a party as being any time I'm not working. Therefore, every evening I can head outside and wait for something delicious to cook. Don't wait for company to try the recipes in this bbq book.Posted by Trevy Thomas Gardening season has begun, and one of the first areas screaming for attention is the lawn. You may be tempted to get an early start on enjoying the outdoors, but there's a good reason not to mow before you have to. The grass comes back faster than it seems possible. By the time you've finished the last pass, the first one is practically ready again. This year, our mower broke and can't be repaired for another two to three weeks. I don't know if we'll make it until then, but even with the rain we've had, the grass just doesn't seem to grow as fast as it does once the cutting begins. The lazy girl in me is enjoying this excellent excuse to simply sit outside and look around, getting ideas, without actually having to do anything. Get a good book and enjoy your outside space, long grass and all.Posted by Trevy Thomas I was pleased to learn in a recent environmentally-friendly book that Votivo candles got the thumbs-up from a very green author. They have been a favorite of mine for a long time, but I always felt guilty burning them because of the black smoke that eventually stained the glass holder. There are some wonderful soy candles available now that completely eliminate this problem and that also smell beautiful, but Votivo still tops my candle shopping list. Keep plenty of candles around. They give your home an instant decor boost.Posted by Trevy Thomas One of the things I love about slow cookers is that you can get all of the work done ahead of time, so when you're ready to eat, the food is ready for you. But beef stew, or some other traditional crock pot recipe, is not what you want for a cocktail party. This new cookbook solves the problem by giving you tons of recipes for the slow cooker that are actually elegant, including many designed for cocktail parties. So plug in the Champagne Fondue, toss out a few bowls of Sugared Walnuts and have a late night party. Pretty glasses for Martinis or Cosmopolitans and lots of candles are all you need for a festive decor. Have a fun weekend.Posted by Trevy Thomas Many years ago when I discovered online cooking sites, I decided I no longer needed food magazines or cookbooks. Every recipe I wanted could be found online. I even threw out my old treasured Cooking Light, Gourmet and Bon Appetit Magazines. This was during a time when I was on a clutter rampage, and I was following the organizational rule that said if you can find it elsewhere, don't save it. Well, those organizers don't know everything, especially when it comes to cooking. While it's true I rarely need back issues, I missed the arrival of a new cooking magazine each month. I could stretch out on the porch with my magazine and find inspiration. The same is true of cookbooks. Reading the author's thoughts about the recipes she'd created, or for what occastion she served a meal opened the door to new possibilities in my own kitchen. I took pleasure in reading it, and received a gift of inspiration that might encourage a dinner party or new recipe of my own. I still use the Internet as a valuable resource, but there's nothing quite like sitting with a real book in your hands just for the sheer pleasure of it. For more dinner party inspiration, read this recent review of Chef, Interrupted. I hope you'll enjoy it from someplace really comfy.Posted by Trevy Thomas Last fall, I planted tulip bulbs and have been axiously awaiting their arrival. I've seen the leaves come up hiding a precious flower center, and check every day for blooms. We've had a disappointing gardening experience here thanks to the plentiful deer population. I've come to think of my past gardening efforts as deer food, and I've no doubt they wait for each year's menu. I thought the tulips might escape them because of their early, and brief, showing. After a little research, I see that tulips are yet another favorite feast for deer, and I imagine they are waiting with as much baited breath as I am for our spring treat. I've found instructions on how to avoid this: try putting hair in the garden, spray the flowers with cayenne pepper, sit up all night with a gun (I made that one up). The best advice I've received is "don't plant tulips if deer are a problem." I read this too late. Apparently, they do not like hyacinth, daffodil, and many other spring blooming bulbs I could have planted. Maybe I enjoy attracting deer. Meanwhile, I will covet my blooms and see who wins. Good luck with your spring garden.Posted by Trevy Thomas The very first home I owned had the strangest bathroom ever. For one, the washer and dryer were installed there, shoved in randomly separate spots. But the worst part of this bathroom was the shower. Someone had tiled the surround area, which should have been much nicer to live with than a plastic surround, but they had just used every random tile they could find, and put it up with no rhyme or reason. So I had patterns and solids in every color imaginable all over the shower. They were all the same size, a four-inch square, but other than that, there was absolutely no consistency. It was not the sort of place you'd want to shower after experiencing seasickness or a hangover. I guess the former owner had access to tile scraps and had made a thrifty renovation. I lived with it for years, hating it in every shower or, heaven forbid, bath. I was young, broke and not very experienced in renovations. If only I had known there was a way to safely paint over tiles, my seasick bathtub would have been a thing of the past. Find your own decorating solutions in this handy guide.Posted by Trevy Thomas We were never big on Easter egg hunts when I was a child, so I probably didn't grow up with a proper appreciation for them. I do remember being a spectator to a few hunts at my adult sister's house in much later years. A fight broke out because the kids knew some big bucks had been burried somewhere in the yard, and one of the much older children found and took it. It got me thinking about how to have an Easter game that was fun for all. Try more than one hunt. The usual outdoor egg hunt for kids is fine, and fun. But how about hidden treats for dogs? Take paper bags and put dog treats, bones and toys in each, then hand a bag to each canine and let them spend some time figuring out how to get in the bag and into their treats. And more adult-appropriate items can be hidden throughout the house (champagne split anyone?) Current DVDs or CDs, cookbooks, a box of Godiva chocolates or tickets are all fun ideas. Stash them in festive bags for seekers to find. Games are fun for everyone, even over-grown children. Inject a little enthusiasm into the next party you host. Happy Easter.Posted by Trevy Thomas A well-to-do man once told me he'd observed that women who didn't have a lot of money often had the most style because they had to work at it. While a rich woman could walk in a store and let the window dresser create her outfit, a poor woman had to work with what she had, creating style on the cheap. I think this man was right, and his stylish observation applies to home decorating as well. Anyone can have a fashionable home with a lot of money, but it takes real style development to make a house look good with what you have. Often, the poor stylish home is better looking than one a decorator has made to order. No matter the budget, use your imagination first to find a style that reflects the people who live in your home. You can always add rich details later. Or not.Posted by Trevy Thomas Sometimes I wish I had been born in a different era. While there are many different reasons to wonder what life would have been like in another time, the thing most appealing to me is to be able to buy food that hasn't been sprayed with chemicals or injected with hormones. I imagine my grandmother had this luxury, and I suspect the time will come, probably after I'm gone, where food is once again safe. Meanwhile, I believe our best bet is to choose organic foods. I've noticed that some people cringe when you say "organic" as though it's some newfangled, silly fad. But the word simply implies genuine, real, unadulurated. That is how I want my food. Unfortunately, today we have to pay extra to keep additives out, or grow our own food. I wasn't born with a green thumb, but every year I try a little. Learning to battle pests without pesticides and to keep a garden from being deer food without resorting to poison is going to require a little expert advice. Enjoy the rewards that come from healthy gardening and eating.Posted by Trevy Thomas I was raised by an excellent cook, but she loved butter, cream and sugar. There were always pies around, and nobody worried about cholesterol then. So when I started cooking for myself, I followed suit. I started paying attention to reports about links between health and diet and slowly began changing my ways. After taking a food writing job about healthy cooking, I practiced what I preached daily. I could tell you all the typical boring stuff: cholesterol levels in great shape, it's easy to maintain a healthy weight, etcetera, but the biggest benefit to making this change was that my taste for unhealthy foods was greatly diminished. I don't see treat foods as the bad stuff anymore. I'm no longer crazy about the flavor of butter, and heavy cream makes me feel awful. I prefer the flavor of healthy foods now. So it doesn't have to be a sacrifice. If you're looking to make health changes in your life, try cooking healthy foods you actually enjoy. The Healthy Table cookbook will help you start.Posted by Trevy Thomas Last week, I adopted yet another dog. This makes three currently, which is probably more than I can reasonably keep up with, but once I fall in love, there's no turning back. She is a beautiful mix of some undetermined type, and so inredibly loving that it's hard to get mad at her even when she's chewing on shoes. The cats don't seem to mind her either. My poor house, however, will undoubtedly take a beating. I like to consider myself a stylish girl, so off I went in search of a proper dog bed, collar and lead, not to mention toys and chewies appropriate to her size. I could use a little help keeping my place from looking like an animal den, so I went in search of some professional decorating advice, animal style. I found a book that provided some great inspiration. I can't say my home looks quite like that yet, but I'll get there eventually. Hopefully, before the next critter gets a key to my door.Posted by Trevy Thomas When time or money is short and you want to create romantic atmosphere in your bedroom, there's no easier way than lighting scented candles. Small votive candles are inexpensive and come in a multitude of colors and scents, so keep them on hand. You'll find much better fragrance buying high-end candles, and as this is already a small investment, get the best you can afford. I love Votivo candles. My only complaint about them is they're not the cleanest burning candle. You'll find you need to wipe soot off the inside of the glass after each use. Soy candles eliminate that problem entirely, and can also be found in some great scents. Archipelago is another of my favorite brands. Try lighting some in front of a mirror for double the atmosphere. Prepare for romance. For a romantic bedroom when the lights are on, you'll find great tips in these books.Posted by Trevy Thomas I made some chocolate croissants the other day with a cheater's recipe involving store bought puff pastry and a chocolate bar. I was relieved to find the recipe because I'm a bit of a chocolate croissant addict, and having them on hand at all times can be quite a chore. Also, I don't really bake and was at the mercy of professionals to help me. Once, a bakery owner told me she would make me 10 at a time and I could freeze them but she wasn't making any less than that. Ridiculous. I don't want frozen croissants, I want real ones. My cheater's recipe is partially frozen already, so it's not a perfect solution. I've decided it's time to learn to be a real baker. If I can do it so can you. This book will surely help. |
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