Seafood Stew

April Snowstorm

Woke to a heavy April snowstorm and lovely walk with my dog. The other day, on a sunny blue-sky day, we ran into three little girls, who ran over to pet December. We got to talking and decided they should change their names to reflect the way our dog is named--so now they became July, August, and June. June was elated because her new name was a "real" name. I continued my walk, thinking, "I am living in a Norman Rockwell painting."

Mark's birthday cake on left, and a seafood quiche for later in the week

I mentioned the seafood stew I made for Mark's birthday on Facebook, and several people asked for the recipe. So here it is. First, I based it on Soupe de Poisson, page 50 of my Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, et al. and Summer Seafood Stew, Bon Appetit, August 1998, that I got from Epicurious. They are quite similar, just one makes a much larger pot than the other. So if you just check those out and follow the recipes you will do fine. But here is what I did:

I bought a pound and a half of raw shrimp in shells and shelled them and put them aside; along with a pound of scallops. I put the olive oil, chopped onion and minced garlic (I added more than called for) into the pot and sauteed, then added 1-1/2 pounds of fresh chopped organic tomatoes, almost an entire bottle of white wine (the rest went into my wineglass), 2 8-ounce bottles of clam juice, and the spices (thyme, orange peel, fennel seeds, bay leaves, crushed red pepper, saffron, parsley) and cooked for about five minutes--then steamed the mussels in a steamer basket for five minutes--removed them and added a dozen clams and steamed them for 10 minutes. I would not use the clams again in the future since they got tough in cooking, but the mussels are delicious. I think I had about 2 pounds of fresh mussels, and after steaming, I removed them from their shells and set aside until the clams were done (I took them out of their shells too). Then I added some water to the pot and put in 1-1/2 pounds of haddock and cooked the mix for 45 minutes. Then I added the shrimp, mussels, clams and scallops and cooked for another ten minutes. I let it cool and put it in the refrigerator. I made this stew the night before Mark's birthday dinner, and reheat it about 45 minutes before serving.

The day of his birthday I made a chocolate cake with crushed walnuts on the outside. I served rice with the stew but it was already so much, no one bothered with it. We also had a big salad of mixed fresh greens. And, prosecco. It was a nice birthday.

Since the stew was chock full of goodies, before reheating it, I removed three big ladles full of ingredients and used it to make the seafood quiche that is pictured above with the cake. I wanted a really deep quiche--which it was--but I didn't precook the shell enough--so it was rather gooey when I served it the first time to my friend Idora Tucker. Later, when i reheat it several times, it just got better and better.

Winding bobbins for next plain weave yardage

With all my posts about Osloom (there are still three days, and funds are coming in--you can make it happen--and I hope you do), and writing a grant proposal, I haven't gotten to the loom much--but I did finish the burlap which was Mark's birthday gift, and I have wound bobbins to start weaving the next plain weave yardage for him, and I am about to start designing my next jacquard weaving (April snow inspired), so there will be more about weaving soon.

Help Support Osloom

The deadline for the Osloom kickstarter project is "looming" (sorry, can't help myself) and I am writing this post in hope of drumming up contributions. I know Margarita Benitez from a workshop I taught a number of years ago, and have been in contact ever since. She is a bright, energetic artist, a giving teacher, and an innovator. In her Kickstarter project, she is asking for $10,000 to create a computerized jacquard loom, which will be open-source--meaning anyone else can use her data to create their own loom.

If 100 people donated $100 dollars, she would make her goal. If 200 people donated $50, she would make her goal. Or if 400 people donated $25 each, she would make her goal.

As co-author of The Woven Pixel: Designing for Jacquard and Dobby Looms Using Photoshop® (written with Alice Schlein), I know something about contemporary digital weaving and designing. As an owner of a used TC-1 loom (the Thread Controller was invented by Vibeke Vestby and is sold through Digital Weaving Norway) I am fortunate to be able to weave the images I design in my own studio. Having travelled frequently to use other looms, before I owned my own loom, I know that there are opportunities out there, but travel and classes and materials can add up quickly.

As a teacher who frequently does workshops on digital weaving, I have run into many many many weavers who moan about the high cost of the available looms. So where are you all right now when there is an opportunity to support a new venture that could yield a solution to your desires? Whether Margarita and her team of experts succeeds or not, isn't a $25 or $50 or $100 donation worthwhile in terms of hope and moving towards a new loom?

I know there have been some negative remarks written about this project--and I believe these writers meant it as concrete criticism, nothing personal or mean-spirited--and I feel Margarita has responded in an even-handed manner. Please go to the Osloom sight, and read the debate, and decide for yourself.

Kickstarter is an all or nothing situation--if the goal for $10,000 is not met, then the pledges already made fade away. I am quite sure that Margarita will continue with this project, whether she gets funding this way or not, but wouldn't it be wonderful if the weaving community, which numbers thousands around the world, would come together and make her dream our dream.