friday favourites

Friday Favourites - Silk Thread


Okay, so it isn't exactly breaking news. But silk thread for appliqué? Oh my word, this stuff is awesome.

We know that I have the full on appliqué addiction. I started another new project for appliqué this week (In my defence, it is a class sample for a hand appliqué class I'll be teaching.) So I pulled out the thread Carolyn sent me for Christmas. I figured that if she recommended it and I was addicted to her patterns as much as I am that I should try it.

Life changing. I was using Aurifil 60W before, so not exactly bad thread. But that's like comparing a glass of clear, filtered water to drinking water as it drips from a glacier. Or a fantastic bar of Ghiradelli chocolate, then a chocolate piece right from a swiss chocolatier's hand. Both wonderful, both without any reason to complain. But one is clearly better than the other for the task at hand, whether that be refreshment, pleasure, or hand appliqué.

If you are interested in learning appliqué yourself and are local or close to Calgary, check out the schedule at My Sewing Room. And make sure you are all subscribed to the newsletter for all sorts of events, announcements, and extra bits.

Friday Favourites - Micron 01 Pen


We know how much I love my sketchbooks. The same black books filled with notes, ideas, sketches, kids' drawings. They are what I would save in the event of a fire - over my quilts. For years my pen of choice has been the Uni-Ball Fine in black. I hoard my pens and get angry when they disappear.

(Go watch up My Pen from Kids in the Hall on You Tube.)

The other day I couldn't find a pen in my studio and needed to jot something down. So I reached into my jar of fabric markers for a Micron Pen. Frankly, I've only ever bought Microns for writing labels for quilts. And I usually buy a 05. Well, somehow I bought a 01. I must not have looked closely one day.

What a fortuitous mistake.


Right away I knew this pen was different. Such a tiny, special nib. A light touch from me and the finest of lines on the page. As someone who generally writes small and messy, the finer the nib the better. I thought I was doing well, but now it is so much better.

This Micron 01 is a game changer.


I know, it's just a pen. I get that. But this pen makes writing better. It draws line without the lines thinking too hard. This pen is the low volume fabric when the gorgeous moderns are just great too. It whispers for your attention and calms you to use it.

If you can't find any of these locally best check the desk drawer in my studio, I may buy them all just for me.

Friday Favourites - Lena Dunham and Jian Ghomeshi

We are blessed with a great (but seriously underfunded) public broadcasting station - The CBC. And on the CBC we are blessed with one of the best radio voices ever - Jian Ghomeshi. Seriously, this guy has one of the best voices. And he is a great interviewer.

I was completely blown away by this interview with Lena Dunham by Jian Ghomeshi. I really enjoy Girls, even though it makes me feel old, and very thankful for being old. This interview touches on so much more than her career. Watch it for the discussions on creativity, mental illness, and openness. Dunham is quite eloquent and honest. All in all, totally inspiring.




Friday Favourites - Poppy Barley Flats


Of all the things that could happen with pregnancy the one I feared the most was my feet growing. Shallow and vain, I know. Before I actually became a mother and realized how shallow and vain that was I obsessed over this.

My first pregnancy was a gong show and high risk by the last trimester. My feet were indeed giant puffballs thanks to high blood pressure. But with an unseasonably warm spring and bed rest, I was good in bare feet and flip flips. And when it was all over, my feet went back to their standard size 10. I had better pregnancies the next times around, but no luck with my feet. They did not return to their normal size.

You see, before this shoe shopping was such a treat. It was my reward, my shopping salvation. I knew that no matter how difficult it was to find flattering pants or a shirt with long enough arms, I knew that at the end of the day I could walk into any shoe store, grab a size 10, and leave happy. Shoes were my emotional pick me up. (And yes, I had/have a lot.)

Since babies my shoe collection has been seriously edited. Of my pre-pregnancy shoes I've really only kept my open toed options, and only really purchased a few pairs of boots and a couple of pairs of sandals. Granted, I don't need the wardrobe I used to have when I worked corporately. But I've more or less given up on shoe shopping. No one generally carries shoes larger than a 10, and now they almost never fit. So it isn't worth trying things on or hoping that they'll have another option.

Then my SIL told me about Poppy Barley. Shoes made one at a time, for the customer. You pick the style, the leather, and can even submit custom measurements. Boots too. I waited a few years before taking the plunge - custom isn't cheap! Now? Now I think I will buy every nice shoe I need from Poppy Barley.

I attended a measurement pop-up here in Calgary. You can take your own measurements too, their site has clear directions on that. In doing this I learned that one foot is a full half size larger and the widths are radically different. So I paid an extra $50 for a custom sizing option. Totally worth it. My shoes fit perfectly right out of the box. And if you order boots, you measure around your calf as well, so all of us can finally have tall boots that actually fit a normal woman's calf.

Poppy Barley is based out of Edmonton. I love that I am supporting a Canadian business with my purchase. (Although, their shoes are made in Mexico.) Started by two inspiring young women, they've built their inventory of styles for a wide selection of flats and boots. Their work is gorgeous. On top of this, they are committed to supporting creative entrepreneurs with events, advice, and support.

I will be wearing these limited edition Sunrise Confetti Modern Mary Janes until the snow is sticking to the ground because oh, they are perfect. And saving my pennies for another pair of Poppy Barley shoes. I may never go to the mall again.

Friday Favourites - Alturas Portability

So, making the Alturas blocks was a lot of fun. I completely fell in love with both the portability of the project and the uniqueness of each block. Here and there I would take photos as I was sewing. It was a good reflection of the places Alturas and I went together. And the daily bits of my life. Often, I would Instagram the photos, some I did not.

Follow me, see where we've been.



Sitting on our balcony in Ixtapa, Mexico. One of the first blocks. Little did I know what I was getting into when I started.
(I also took Alturas with me to Turks and Caicos the following month, but due to that camera going swimming in the pool thing I have no proof.)


Snowy afternoons sometimes call for drop-in gymnastics on Fridays. I think I got approximately two stitches and this picture in before I was called to watch yet another bounce on the trampoline.


Sewing while watching The Great British Sewing Bee. Very meta. Very awesome.



Our Telus Spark Science Centre is a pretty great place to spend a day. In the Creative Kids Museum the kidlets are so wholly entertained by all the games, gizmos, water stations, stages, climbing structures, and more that I am completely forgotten. That means Alturas and I play together.



You wouldn't know it from this photo, but during the spring the girls took rhythmic gymnastics. But the old Russian ladies who ran the club wouldn't let parents watch, so I would sit watching the swimmers, remembering my competitive days. That is, on the rare days there was no toddler to entertain too.


I clearly remember that this was a bright, clear, spring day. The girls were at the park and I sewed. Until I was called to monkey bar duty. Seeing the trend? I think I'm going to get to sew, then I have to be a Mama again. That's okay, Alturas always knew I would come back. 


Road trip! The best drive in the world - The Icefield's Parkway. It was actually rather difficult to sew while on this road. First, there is the view. Then there are all the twists and turns and ups and downs. Don't be fooled by this picture.


Sometimes, we parked, and then I could sew more. While moving all of this had to stay contained in my handy pouch.


A truly loverly weekend in Jasper with all of my immediate family. All of us in one luxurious cabin. It did have this deck, with a view of marmots, elk, pika, chipmunks, and golfers.



My birthday weekend. A quiet affair and was treated to a quiet morning with leftover birthday cake for breakfast and time to sew one whole block from start to finish.


On our way to a wedding here. We were in Ontario and I sewed up quite a few blocks during the endless Toronto area driving. Alturas got dressed up too. I made that belt AND a block from that yellow fabric.



Had said goodbye to my family and The Workroom after a day of teaching. Then I was headed down to the Niagara region for what turned out to be a transformative teaching experience for me at Quilt Canada. This was on the shuttle. Then I stopped sewing to watch the sunset.



So we went to Jasper again for the Canada Day long weekend. Part of my packing included another handful of prepped Alturas blocks. We got there and the kids started to explore and play and make new friends. We saw a mama bear and her cub walk through the campsite. As we adults settled into conversation and an early campfire I got frantic. I couldn't find my little sewing pouch. NO!!!! I forgot Alturas. I was totally distraught. I felt like a part of me was missing. You mean I would have to just sit, and do nothing with my hands? Felt so strange. Then I found the pouch, buried in the car and I started to breathe again.


It was Jasper in the mountains at the end of June. So when the rest of our group went on a hike and a boat ride, we and another family stayed at the campsite to veg, paint rocks, and chill out. As it was rather chilly the men obsessed with a fire in the wood stove of the cook shelter. And I snuck in a little sewing between bear lookouts.


Le Tour!!! I think I made at least a dozen blocks during the 2014 Le Tour. Every night we sat together, chatting, watching, and me sewing. And life was good. 


A weekend in Revelstoke to hit the Skytrek Adventure Park. I spent the first few hours in the car with a little guy napping. More Alturas for me!



On the way home with Alturas and my bruises. Worth every second and every bruise. 


Ah, summer. Kids in bathing suits on the front lawn. Alturas put aside for water fights and lemonade refills. (And I would be remiss in pointing out the primary colours here, The Monster would totally catch that.)


The day I tried to sew at the beach. Bad idea. At least the little guy wouldn't go in the water, but the girls did and so Alturas had to take a backseat to safety.


My brother is a doctor, so here Alturas waited with me while he took The Monster on a little behind the scenes tour at his hospital. I drank tea and chatted with this lady a little bit.



 Another glorious weekend morning with all the things I love. Okay, not all of them. How about the inanimate objects that I love? Alturas and Peaches and Magazines!


 That time I sewed my finger to Alturas.


True story: I finished this block while recording a podcast with Carolyn Friedlander. Pretty cool. And you can check out the podcast on Modern Sewciety. It's all about the QuiltCon experience. 



The very last Alturas being done, in the wild. If you count a meeting of our community playground committee the wild. I think I was distracted because I signed up for the sponsorship sub-committee. Oh, the power of Alturas.

Friday Favourites - Henley Teapot


This is the best teapot ever. It doesn't drip, the tea stays hot, and it cleans up nicely.

We found this teapot about 12 years ago. My FIL was a big tea drinker, he had a pot at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He was forever frustrated by teapots that dripped so Hubby and I went on a mission to find him a better teapot. Store after kitchen store led us to an out of the way tea shop. Back when there really were no out of the way tea shops.

After he tried it I became convinced. I had a pot for home and one for the office. My MIL still has and uses the original pot we bought. When I would go on mat leave at the office it was a bit of a contest to see who would get my teapot while I was away.

The Henley teapot comes in multiple sizes and even different enamel colours. I like mine big and stainless. Many online tea stores have them now. Even the big A does too. Prices vary, so double check the size you are buying and shop around.

To be totally honest, it isn't perfect. If you don't keep it clean by rinsing or washing after each pot of tea the seal for the spout starts leaking. And it gets very hot on the outside with the tea on the inside. (When making loose tea I have to leave the lid off while brewing or it becomes impossibly hot on that little ball.) I can forgive it these faults completely because I don't have tea drips everywhere. And I can put it on the table without a hot mat below it. Plus, it looks pretty snazzy.

Friday Favourites - Susan Connor Linen Throw


As a quilter there seems to be no real reason to purchase a blanket. Sure, most of us quilters give away more quilts than we keep. But with all the book quilts and family requests, there are a few dozen quilts in my house. So, really, I didn't need to buy another blanket.

Then I saw Susan Connor's work. And I needed a birthday pick me up a few months back. And well, it is just gorgeous.


We've had a gorgeous summer here, so even a linen throw has been superfluous. I use it for a bit in the morning when I decide to take my tea outside. And this past week I was under the weather and there was a sudden chill in the air, so I lived with this gorgeousness wrapped around me. It feels so luxurious. I have a feeling I will use this a lot more as the weather starts to turn. Instead of a sweater, and before I need my swobe, this will be on my shoulders.


Susan starts with a linen and block prints her own designs on it. She has a selection of colours and designs. As tempting as navy was, I was smitten with this aqua colour the second she previewed it on Instagram. And this particular print has the feel of an infinity symbol to me and I really like that aspect. And the raw edges show off the weave of the linen beautifully as the warp and weft are different colours.

Keeping her work personal and on the small scale for collections allow her to produce nearly custom products, with an ever changing inventory. Supporting a small scale artist with the purchase of their creations is definitely my preferred method of shopping for goods.


Now, if only I could convince Susan to send her scraps my way...

Friday Favourites - Saltwater Sandals


The only reason I have these sandals is because of social media. Until a few years ago I'd never heard of Saltwater Sandals. But there I was checking out Flickr and Twitter and even blogs and I kept seeing photos of feet in these pretty sandals. A little bit old fashioned, but rather fashionable too. Well, in my opinion at least.

It took a year before I could buy them. And even when I did it was a convoluted process because they are practically impossible to get in Canada, at least in any functional size or a cool colour. I couldn't even order them off a US site because they all wanted US credit cards and shipping addresses. That's where the internet came in handy again. Because of this blog and my quilting I have friends all over the US now. And some of them are even willing to spend money on my behalf!

So thanks to Jen I started getting an annual order. Sandals for both me and the girls. We did skip this year though because my two pairs (I have yellow as well) are still in such good condition even with near daily wear for 3 months straight in the summer.

Saltwater sandals are so comfortable. They aren't for people with arch issues though as they have zero support. But I found there to be no breaking in.

They are leather, but they can get wet. Like, stepping in a lake wet. Or running through the splash park wet. The latter was why my girls liked them so much.

Me, I like them because they are so pretty. And frankly, it's pretty awesome that I don't see anyone else here in Calgary with them. I do like to be unique.

Friday Favourites - I'll Cut You Pillow


Isn't this an awesome pillow. So cheeky. (But also a deeply held sentiment by any a sewer who's had their scissors taken and, gasp! had paper cut with them.)

It was my first decorative purchase when I moved into my little basement studio. Frankly, it's one of the only decorative purchases. I think it was my sister-in-law who saw it first and sent me a link. I had to have it. Such a little treat!

Earth Cadets is the name of the Etsy store where I purchased the pillow. They have a lot of sweet items, but this is definitely my favourite. Did I mention it comes in other colours?


Friday Favourites - Camping


It's far from glamorous, this camping thing. A tent in the woods, gravel and dirt creeping in despite the no shoes in the tent rule. Waking far too early because the summer sun arrives at an ungodly hour.  Packing and repacking everything for every meal because there are bears and you can't leave food out. Not showering for days. Camping.

And I love it.

No glamping here. Just an overstuffed car and lots of dirt. But there is fire and marshmallows and exploring shorelines and bugs and late nights. And fire, camp fire all the time.

I can't deny the stress of getting ready for the trip. We have all our gear organized and it is always ready to just grab out of the garage. But I still have to get all the food and everyone's clothes. That always takes a few hours. Then my Hubby plays a game of car tetris to get everything in the car. And we argue about snacks and how many extra things the girls try to bring.

Then we drive. And the drives are always gorgeous. We spend half the time stressing to the kids how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful and awesome country. I stitch in the car, we relish the silence when the kids all miraculously doze at the same time. We curse the tourists stopping to take pictures of wildlife because they are always too close to the animals.

And then we arrive. It takes longer to set up now because the kids help, but they enjoy making things just so. And we're dirty before we even can think about it. And the maniac behaviour begins as tree branches become everything but, fairies are discovered in the forest, and frisbees come out. Then the fire starts and the begging for marshmallows begins. And I give in, because why not.

I must admit, I was terrified when we geared up last year and committed to this family activity. I loathe sleeping with my kids. (I love them dearly, but not in my bedroom.) But in the woods it doesn't matter. They sleep hard and deep. And when they wake us up too early in the morning I enjoy their whispers, until they grow into tickles and shrieks. The whole experience has been amazing. It far exceeded my expectations.

When we camp we bring no crafts for the kids, only a few activity books and things like balls and frisbees. We encourage them to explore the area around us, when we aren't hiking or trying something else.

We talk and watch and listen. To the woods, to each other.

We sit so still so the butterflies land on our feet.

Friday Favourites - Soakbox


With two little girls in the house manicures are ever present. My nails always look horrible - I can barely make it out of a salon without wrecking a manicure. But that never stops me from buying pretty colours. So when a certain Monster was turning 8 last month we upped our game in terms of nail polish.

Soak, makers of the awesome laundry wash for knits and lingerie as well as the lovely Flatter pressing spray also has these curated collection of custom nail polish sets put together by fabric designers. Lizzy House, Denyse Schmidt, Sandi Henderson, and Fig Tree & Co each have a set. Four custom colours packed in a box created by the designer herself. And, on top of that, you could give yourself a custom manicure inspired by the fabric itself!

The one below was given to me for my book signing at Quilt Market last year.



I was away the week of The Monster's birthday and had the pleasure of teaching at The Workroom again. After my class Jacqueline Sava, the creator and creative drive behind Soak, came to visit. We hung out, chatted, picked fabric, drank champagne, and generally laughed away an afternoon. Aside from the fact that she's a pretty awesome person (and so funny and taller than me!) I adore that her company is Canadian. I always look to support businesses from home wherever possible.



Now, I have a few more choices when the girls ask to do my nails. And boy do they ask. Or they take to it themselves. Truth be told, they work so hard at perfecting their manicures that they've been known to paint and repaint their nails for hours!

Friday Favourites - Family Recipe Book


Way back when, in the months leading up to our wedding, I was blessed to have friends and family throw me many bridal showers. It was a lot of fun and amazing to feel so much love. One of the showers was food/cooking themed. We had a cooking class by a great local chef, drank wine and laughed, and they all shared with me a booklet of favourites recipes.

My recipe book is simple. Handwritten recipes on seemingly old fashioned recipe cards. Each one tucked into it's own slot in a photo album. No graphic design, no fear of getting things dirty. Handwriting to treasure (and decipher) and favourite recipes from their family or secrets that no one would share before then. Still, when I ask my Mom or my Mother In Law for a recipe they give it to me on a card to insert. Or I tuck their hand written notes into a sleeve.

When I'm bored with my own cooking, looking for a little extra comfort from the kitchen, or a memory overcomes my tastebuds, this is the book I pull from the shelf. I have almost 100 cookbooks, but this is my go to resource.


This morning I pulled it out to make cupcakes. Grandma Arkison's Wacky Cake was waiting for me. I should know this recipe by heart, and probably do, but I love to see my sister-in-law's writing and smile at the thought that this was a secret family recipe. (It's not, it is a standard, Depression era recipe.) And that day, at my bridal shower, I was let into the family when this recipe passed over to me.

Do you have a family recipe book?

Friday Favourites - Beaches

After reading all your comments about beaches I started thinking about the beaches in my life. In the past year alone I've had the opportunity to hit all three coasts of Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Not to mention a few lakes along the way. Most of these trips have been for teaching, so I am very thankful for quilting taking me so many places. Just had to share pics from all these beaches!


Lake Superior. Sleeping Giant in the distance.


Lake Edith. Camping with family and friends.


Three Valley Lake. On the way to Vancouver to teach with the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Modern Quilt Guilds.


Long Beach in British Columbia. Camping and surfing with the kids.


Pictou Lodge, on the Northumberland Straight. Morning walks before a day of teaching at the Mayflower Quilting Retreat.



Ixtapa, Mexico. Morning cartwheels with my girl on a great vacation with half of my in-laws.


Turks and Caicos, a private beach for the day. First vacation Hubby and I took (alone) since our honeymoon twelve years ago.


Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. On the top of Canada. Technically I am indeed standing on the edge of the Arctic Ocean.


Hmm... no wonder I've had all the blues in my head lately...

Friday Favourites - Brayer


When I was finishing that Hot, Awesome Mess I had the chance to use one of my favourite sewing room tools. It is called, as far as I know, a brayer.

Typically, a brayer is used in the print making process. It is a flat roller designed to apply consistent pressure across the surface - perfect when applying ink. But thanks to the awesomeness of my friend Jules, I am now obsessed with using a brayer when I improv piece.Jules was a volunteer in the Denyse Schmidt Improv class. Having already bonded over motherhood and BBQ she happily shared with me this handy tool as we went through the day.

It works as a mini iron, pressing short seams right at the table. Now, it isn't as good as an iron, but it is infinitely better than finger pressing. It provides a crisp edge and allows you to continue to sit and sew for a while before getting to the hot iron.

And, because Jules is pretty great, she sent me one all the way from Australia because I couldn't find one here. If you ever see one I strongly recommend picking up one, or two.


Friday Favourites - Inuvik Thimble



With the smell of campfire wafting through each stitch I sit and bind this vintage quilt. My thimble is made of moose hide tanned by the Inuvialuit near Inuvik. And beaded so preciously. It is my new favourite thing.

 - It is pretty and dainty and tough at the same time.

- It reminds me of the people in Inuvik, namely my students, who were awesome and listened to my enthusiasm.

- It works really, really well.

Let's bind all the quilts.

Friday Favourites - Swobe


It isn't quite the end of February and people across North America are deep in the whine of winter. That is, there is a lot of whining about winter being so, so long. Now, if you live somewhere that doesn't normally get snow and there is still a storm or two on the way then I will concede to your whining. But if you live somewhere that does get snow, does get below freezing, then I have zero sympathy for you.

It was snowing the day I landed from Quilt Market - before Halloween. And the snow will not be off the ground until probably April here. If we're lucky. Now I realize that folks who grow up on the Canadian Prairies (or the North) are simply just used to this long, cold weather. It doesn't stop many from here whining either though.

Enough is enough. It's still winter. Embrace it. Cook a stew. Spend a day baking so that the oven warms the house. (Upgrade your furnace and insulation next summer). Put on a sweater and pour a cup of tea. In my case, I will cozy up in my Swobe.

Swobe is a completely made up word, much like swacket. Outside of my house they are likely never used.

 Sweater + Robe = Swobe
Sweater + jacket = Swacket

And I love my Swobe. I picked up in November from Anthro (and it isn't available unless on sale in the stores). It is half sweatshirt (it has a jersey for a lining), half sweater, half robe. I don't think I would wear it outside of the house, but here at home it is the perfect thing to make a winter's day just a little bit warmer.

Friday Favourites - Gamewright Games


My kids have never been ones for toys, not the girls at least. The Monster, especially, has always preferred things with a strong element of human interaction - make believe, wrestling, painting together, long conversations, and games. But even games and our interest in them come and go. They are definitely a winter activity and with an extremely precocious toddler in the house we have to manage our time and space around games. The games that have, without a doubt, captured all of us in the family are the ones made by Gamewright.

And when I say captured all of us I mean even my husband enjoys playing them. This is a man who likes to say, "There is a reason they are called BORED games." But he will happily sit down and get his butt kicked by a 7 year old who mastered the numbers game Rat-a-Tat Cat from the first time she played it a year ago. That child is a ninja at that game. And The Evil Genius has an eye for strategy on Too Many Monkeys.

The games provide the opportunity for strategic thinking in the midst of a pretty fast pace. My kids do not get bored playing these games. Frankly, neither do we. And with a full range of games I expect they will grow up with our family.

We purchased ours at a local toy store, but they seem to be available everywhere, including the major online retailers. 




Friday Favourites - The London Fog


I LOVE tea. Really love tea. Especially Earl Grey.

My tea ritual starts before I go to bed. I make sure the tea pot is rinsed out and the kettle full. That way all I have to do is hit the button on my electric kettle as soon as I get out of bed. While the kettle boils I usually check Instagram for the overnight feed and try not to munch on any cookies that might be leftover from the previous day's baking. When my tea is ready I settle in to catch up on the world and start my day's work on the computer. If I have writing to do I like to jump right in. Otherwise I sip and browse the world from my laptop.

All of this, implies that I am getting a quiet, lonely start to the morning. If I sleep in or have to get up and do things with the kids right away I do not make my tea. I love the ritual almost more than the caffeine so I wait. And if that moment never comes I do the next best thing at some point in the afternoon - I make a London Fog.

I discovered London Fogs years ago at some random coffee shop. Seeing as I don't drink coffee I am always aware of my other options. When the barista suggested a London Fog after I hesitated on the default hot chocolate, I nearly turned him down. But then he used the words vanilla and Earl Grey in the same sentence. And done.

That being said, I don't often order them when I'm out. The vast majority of places - chain or independent - make a London Fog with vanilla syrup. This results in a drink that is too sweet for my liking. Instead, I save my London Fogs for afternoons spent stitching or painting with the kids. For the random moments I get alone in the winter sun. For my leftover Earl Grey (sacrilege, I know).

Cheryl's London Fog

Equal parts Earl Grey and Milk
Vanilla Extract
Honey

Heat together the tea and milk. If you are using fresh tea, brew it like you want to drink it and combine with hot - never cold - milk. (I do not have a microwave, so I simply heat mine on the stovetop.)

For every cup you make add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of honey.

Sip and Enjoy.

Friday Favourites - Za'atar


Like all kids, mine love crackers. And crackers are expensive and filled with salt and preservatives. So, I picked up a book on making your own crackers. One recipe looked very promising but it called for this strange ingredient called Za'atar. Turns out Za'atar is a spice mix.

The most incredible spice mix ever to exist in the world of spice mixes.

Seriously, it is. It makes Herbs du Provence or any Italian seasoning look and taste like sand. Aromatic in the way that a Turkish spice bazaar must smell - exotic and slightly familiar and nearly overwhelming with pleasure.

Since its arrival in our house it has become my savoury Franks Red Hot - I put that *&$# on everything. Scrambled eggs, roasted veggies, tomato sauce, baked chicken, cheese balls, popcorn, in a grain salad, and yes, crackers and bread. If you've never had it you need to try it. Trust me.

I buy mine through Silk Road Spice Merchant, but you can also make your own blend.