Madhu Knits and Cooks

My First Elizabeth Zimmermann Project - Baby Surprise Jacket for Felix

A bit of introduction for my non-knitting readers:  Elizabeth Zimmermann is a big deal.  A huge deal.  A true grande dame of knitting, particularly American knitting.  

I purchased my first Elizabeth Zimmermann (EZ) knitting book maybe 10 (!) years ago?  That purchase was quickly followed by another EZ book, though what I did with those purchases was mostly reading her reflections on life and knitting, instead of actually knitting any of her amazing, hearty patterns.

What kept me from attempting an EZ pattern for a decade, if not more?  Two potential explanations come to mind.  First, fear of taking on a true master's projects.  Second, fear of taking on a knitting pattern that is more loose guidance than line-by-line patterning.  Granted, I've created my own patterns, albeit simple patterns, but the prospect of truly having the training wheels off and taking on an EZ pattern?  Man, oh man, more than a bit overwhelming.

Well, 2015 is the year I finally conquered an EZ pattern.  This first attempt produced a beautiful result - a true Baby Surprise Jacket for baby Felix, who from the pictures below, clearly loves this handknit!

The pattern did cause some anxiety - it looked like nothing for some time, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how this one piece of knit fabric would turn into a cardigan.  Thankfully, many have knit this path before me, so I had a lot of online guidance, including the invaluable Ravelry BSJ wiki.  

Tip for those who attempt this amazingly inventive pattern - keep going!  Yes, the fabric will look like nothing resembling an actual garment, but keep going!  The pattern does work and does turn into a beautiful cardigan. More details follow the pictures below.

This "thing" turns into...

And with wonderfully cute puppy buttons:

Baby Surprise Jacket for Felix

Pattern:  Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Yarn:  Shelridge Yarns Soft Touch DKW in Forest, approx. 1.1 skeins and in Light Green, 0.7 skeins

Needles: US 6 circular

Measurements:  Post-blocking measurements of 11.5 inches from top to bottom, 9.5 inches wide while buttoned, 4-inch sleeve width, and 5-inch long sleeves. 4-inch wide neck opening while buttoned.

Additional Notes: Completed increases by picking up yarn between stitches from back to front and knitting into front of loop to make one.  Made the buttonholes on left side.

Enjoy your sweater Felix!

Strawberries with Browned Butter Shortcake - A Summer Sensation

This year, I've been trying to cook even more with seasonal ingredients.  We have been visiting the farmers' markets up to two times a weekend, and I've been really attracted to doing more with fruit instead of just focusing on vegetable creations.

Perhaps my most successful fruit-based cooking attempt of the summer was the New York Times Strawberries with Browned Butter Shortcake, which I made at my parents' house in Michigan.  This David Guas recipe added a few interesting spins to a standard strawberry shortcake, notably substituting a browned butter spongecake for the traditional biscuits.   The spongecake turned out wonderfully, such that it alone may become a staple in our kitchen, as did the strawberry compote.  

I documented the attempt below, and note the changes I made to fit what ingredients and tools were available.

You first prepare the strawberry sauce, which I modified by using less strawberries (to fit what was in my parents fridge - approx. 1/2 - 2/3 what were called for in the original recipe) and less sugar to compensate.

You stew the fresh strawberries, sugar and some orange zest on top of a pot of boiling water to cook down and allow the sugars to melt into the berries.

While the strawberries are cooking, you can also start preparing the spongecake, starting by browning the butter.

And also prepare the baking pan for the spongecake batter as well, so it doesn't stick to the pan.  Because I used a scalloped cake pan, I couldn't get the parchment to line up completely to the edges, which ended up being fine post-baking.

Next, you prepare the rest of the cake batter, by whipping the eggs and sugar in a double-boiler, or in a heat-proof mixing bowl above a pot of simmering water.

Unfortunately, I didn't much luck getting the batter to triple in volume on the stovetop, so removed the mixture from the heat after 6 minutes or so to prevent the eggs from cooking.

After carefully folding in the dry ingredients just until combined, pour the batter into the prepare pan and bake until also just done and the sides are lightly browned.  For me, this took approx. 17 - 18 minutes instead of the 20 called for in the recipe.

Invert the cake and cool completely.

Ok, now the great part - serve!

This spongecake had great texture - light and smooth - and wonderful flavor from the browned butter.  Interestingly enough, the pre-baked batter didn't taste that good, but somehow post-baking, the flavors really came together.  The strawberries were also a little tart for my taste, which may have been due to a mistake in reducing the sugar ratio to match the reduced strawberries, but in any case, I'll probably just add more sugar next time.  Otherwise, I can definitely see this as an annual summer treat!