I just love the 4th of July

From the Sparkler Collection

Okay, I said it, I just plain love and look forward to the 4^th of July holiday.  It’s a big celebration, parades and lots of good food with friends and family.  On July 4^th, 1776 the United States declared its independence and 236 years later we are still celebrating.  To celebrate at our store we are showcasing a sparkler collection online  at http://www.etsy.com/shop/SVintageCollection. 

As kids, I remember my Cousin Bobby and I experimenting with firecrackers (definitely not a good thing) and twirling sparklers at night trying to write messages as we spun them around.  My Uncle Bart always tried to outdo our neighbor Bud’s display at our cottage on the lake.

Portage Lakes Ohio

This year is extra special because I get to celebrate it twice.  Next weekend  is the big celebration on the Portage Lakes in Ohio – antique boat show on Saturday and a light up the night boat parade Saturday night.  Last year someone had a dragon on their pontoon boat spewing fire.  Sunday is a decorated boat parade and then Sunday night are the fireworks.  There is nothing like watching them overhead from the comfort of your boat.

Lawn Chair Ladies

Wednesday, back in Cincinnati I will attend the infamous Northside Parade, watching the politicians, high school bands, fire trucks  and baton twirlers. We will be treated to the lawn chair ladies who perform with lawn chairs and the men’s drill team (men with real drills).  Yeah, I know you gotta be there.  Northside is an artistic community so there is a lot of really cool floats and costumes.

Gourmet hot dog toppings

So in honor of Independence Day, I am featuring the all American Hot Dog – with topping recipes gourmet style courtesy of Bon Appetit.

Grill your hot dog, put it in a bun and then add one of the following toppings.

Hawaiian - Mango, Papaya, Pineapple, Starfruit and/or guava relish

Hippie - Alfalfa sprouts, sauteed mushrooms and vegan mayo

So Cal - Burrata cheese, heirloom tomatoes, roasted beets and reduced balsamic vinegar

LA Mexican - bacon and jalapenos

Cobb - Chopped iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, crumbled bacon and blue cheese dressing

Caesar - Grilled Romaine and Caesar dressing

Texas - Barbecue Sauce, cheddar cheese and chopped onions

Reuben - Sauerkraut, melted swiss and russian dressing

Enjoy and be safe

Bikes, Trains, Boats and Automobiles

As you know from my previous blog Festive Flag Day Birthday Celebrations,  I just celebrated my birthday. It was so much fun, I just had to share.  My mom who is the beautiful lady you see on our site, gave me a fabulous family heirloom - a Bakelite Cameo necklace.  What a wonderful gift, and no, you won't see it for sale on our site :-)


There were lots of special greeting on Facebook from friends and family. 

Raspberry Fool

On the Towpath Trail

Our friends Dennis and Jeanne drove from Cincinnati to Akron with a bounty of food and gifts.  They made some wonderful seafood dishes (see the lobster bisque recipe below) and brought gifts from Don Drumm Studio's and Gallery in Akron, Ohio. Jeff gave me some beautiful vintage jewelry and a new camera lens so I can take close up photos of our merchandise. He also made Raspberry Fool and ice-cream.

http://www.marthastewart.com/336871/raspberry-fool

The next day we spent biking the beautiful Ohio Erie Towpath Trail.  This trail follows the old Erie Canal.  After a scenic ride 18 mile bike ride,  we hopped the historic passenger train for an air-conditioned ride home.   What a deal for a $2 ride! We shared some popcorn and rode back in comfort to the train station. http://www.cvsr.com/aboutus.aspx.


Saturday was a trip to Jamies Flea Market http://jamiesfleamarket.com/ in South Amherst, Ohio.  We bought some great finds.  It is definitely a good place for those who like to pick and "junk" it. 


We had a late lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Mallorca in downtown Cleveland.   We shared wonderful Spanish food - paella, seafood stew, mussels and a stuffed salmon.  After we arrived home, we spent the rest of the day boating on the Portage Lakes.  We love cruising the lakes, relaxing and looking at the homes. 


Just when I thought the celebration was over, our son and daughter Beth and Danny pulled up in the driveway Sunday evening.  After Beth pulled an all nighter working in costume on a film in Kentucky and Danny had just finished studying for finals, they drove in a nasty rain storm to surprise me with a delicious homemade dinner, gifts and a DQ cake. 


What a wonderful weekend!  How lucky and fortunate I am to have such special friends and family.  Thank you for making life so special.

Dennis and Jeanne's Lobster Bisque

Festive Flag Day Birthday Celebration

https://www.etsy.com/listing/101549634/
american-rhinestone-flag-vintage-brooch

June 14^th is Flag Day and also my birthday.  When I was young I used to pretend that all of the flags being flown were in honor of my special day.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14. Many Americans celebrate Flag Day by displaying the flag in front of homes and businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.

Betsy Ross

What’s the history of the flag? According to American legend, in June 1776, George Washington commissioned Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, to create a flag for the new nation in anticipation of a declaration of its independence.

Birthdays have always been a big deal at our house.  When I was young my mother would let me invite my whole class to our house for a party.  I remember we would play games, eat refreshments and cake and just have a lot of fun.  

I carried on the tradition with my children.  They would always have a theme party with friends. My niece Sara would usually draw a themed poster and we would decorate and make a cake.  I remember past parties with Teenage Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers and a Pinata filled with candy.  We had pool parties, scavenger hunts, spiderweb games and pin the tail on the donkey.

So in honor of Flag Day and birthdays, this recipe from AllRecipes.com is a flag cake.

Enjoy and remember to display your flag. 

Cincinnati Urban Farm = Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Owasco Lake Farm

Cincinnati Skyline

I have been growing food since I was a little girl.  I remember our garden at our home on Owasco Lake in upstate New York.  Mom gave my sister and I each our own space.  I remember growing cucumbers and marigolds.

I have always grown some sort of food/herbs and basically lived in a city.   Urban farming is defined by Wikipedia as “the practice of cultivating food in a densely populated area."  Cincinnati definitely qualifies for that. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SVintageCollection?ref=ss_profile

So now I am an Urban Farmer.   I like the term better than gardener.

We grow corn, carrots, beets, beans, cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes, eggplants, watermelon, squash, garlic, onions, peas and garlic.  You probably think I have a huge space.  Not really – 10 feet by 10 feet.  We just plant everywhere.   Watermelon grow best by our AC unit.  Herbs and peppers are mixed with flowers.  Peas grow out of an old fountain that is filled with dirt.    We are creative urban farmers.

I have thought about raising chickens, but thought is all it is.  As, I don’t think my dogs would treat them very well and then of course you are committed to take care of them on a regular basis. 

This weekend I made a Strawberry Rhubarb pie, my husband’s favorite.  Topped with Graeter’s ice cream and you have quite the treat. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Crisco Pie Crust - I make the double crust.  The top crust I cut and do a lattice pattern.

http://www.crisco.com/recipes/details.aspx?RecipeID=1242

Homemade Rhubarb Pie

For the filling - 2 quarts of freshly washed strawberries and 8 to 10 stalks of Rhubarb depending on size.  Slice the Strawberries and cut the rhubarb in small chunks maybe 1/2 inch pieces.  Mix in a bowl with 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and a little lemon zest.   

Put the filling in a pie plate lined with a bottom pie crust.  Cut lattice for the top.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then turn the oven down to 350 degrees.  Cook for 45 to 60 more minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pie crust is golden brown.

Serve with Graeters vanilla ice cream. 

Memorial Day, S'mores and Summer Fun

Folding the flag at sunset

Memorial Day unofficially marks the start of summer.  Flags are flown.  Gardens are planted. The neighborhood pools open. Delicious food is cooked on the grill for families and friends picnics.  Days are longer. Nights are warm.


My favorite summertime place is our cottage on the east side of Cayuga Lake.  We have a family cottage shared by 4 generations.  This cottage was passed down from my great-grandmother. As kids we would play outside all day.  We would go to the playground, play store with acorns, make door stopper out of bricks that we would color, swim to the raft and just spend hours gazing at the clouds.  At night we are treated to the beautiful sunsets like in the photo.  

Available at www.svintagecollection.com

Some of the pieces from the summer collection remind me of my grandmother's jewelry.  Big chunky beads and flowers.  I know she would have loved the plucky rooster.


A favorite family meal is Cornell Chicken, fresh corn on the cob, salad and salt potatoes.  After a run to Pete's Treat for an ice cream cone, we may have a special night where we start a campfire.  Some may sing or play guitar, but I just like to stare at the dancing fire.  S'Mores, a special family treat are always served.

S'More

Gephart Family S'More Recipe


Ingredients


Regular size marshmallows
Hershey Chocolate Bars
Plain Graham Crackers




Take two graham crackers and put a piece of chocolate on one half. Find a stick - roast two marshmallows over the flame (be careful) - until they are golden brown or burnt depending on your liking.  Make a sandwich with the graham crackers and chocolate.  Put the marshmallows between the sandwich and pull the stick out.  Enjoy.  They are sticky but delicious.

Who were the China Painters?

Victorian ladies - China painters?

During the late 18^th century women were expected to stay home and have only “feminine” hobbies such as needlepoint or sewing.   Marriage was the main career choice but unmarried women were socially accepted as a governess, teacher or running a boarding house.

This restrictive femininity applied across the board, from fashions and painful corseting (where women often underwent surgery to remove ribs, so they could have an “hour-glass” figure) to the latest, elegant “fainting” couches (now highly collectable) where they could collapse, unable to breathe, from being tightly corseted.

Hand Painted China Dish

Because of the social restrictions of the Victorian age, china painting was one of the few jobs appropriate for proper young women. Even if they did not need to work, Victorian women painted china to express their artistic talents and beautify their homes. Factory and home decorated china did not differ in quality: talented artists worked either place. Unlike machine-made china, no two pieces of hand-painted china are exactly alike - and that is part of its appeal.

No Victorian home could be without a berry set, a large serving dish with matching smaller dishes. Chocolate sets with a tall slender pitcher and matching cups were also popular. Anything made out of china could be hand-painted: parlor lamps, dining room chandeliers, wall tiles, umbrella stands, and porcelain dolls.  I have several family plates that I would never sell, but we do have a few plates available at www.svintagecollection.com.

Despite the significant male cultural biases against Victorian women working as artists, these women represent a growing number who bucked traditions to follow their own artistic creativity.

Here is a Victorian recipe taken from a Victorian cookbook. 

Science in the Kitchen, 1892.  (Science in the kitchen. 
A scientific treatise on food substances and their dietetic properties, together with a practical explanation of the principles of healthful cookery, and a large number of original, palatable, and wholesome recipes. 
By Mrs. E. E. Kellogg, A.M.)

Berry Toast

Add yogurt or icecream

Canned strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries may be made into an excellent dressing for toast. Turn a can of well-kept berries into a colander over an earthen dish, to separate the juice from the berries. Place the juice in a porcelain kettle and heat to boiling. Thicken to the consistency of cream with cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little water; a tablespoonful of flour to the pint of juice will be about the right proportion. Add the berries and boil up just sufficiently to cook the flour and heat the berries; serve hot. If cream for moistening the zwieback is not obtainable, a little juice may be reserved without thickening, and heated in another dish to moisten the toast; or if preferred, the fruit may be heated and poured over the dry zwieback without being thickened, or it may be rubbed through a colander as for Apricot Toast. 

Personally I would use fresh or frozen fruit and serve it over pound cake or yogurt.  I am not a fan of zwieback.

Serve with hot tea.

Visit our website at www.sivintagecollection.com.

Springtime and Swan Babies

Springtime is one of the most beautiful times of the year.  Flowers are beginning to bloom and the wildlife is busy creating and taking care of their young.   I love watching the birds building their nests.   Watching a young bird take its maiden flight is amazing.

SVintageCollection’s Spring Collection was chosen from my experiences with nature.  There are spring colors, flowers, insects and butterflies.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SVintageCollection?ref=ss_profile

from our garden

I enjoy planting flowers and our garden.  We grow many things including tomatoes, corn, beans, edamame, garlic, onions, peas, herbs, peppers, eggplant and anything else we can fit in our small spaces.  We have watermelon growing next to our AC unit and herbs and peppers sharing places with our flowers.

We live on the Portage Lakes in Ohio and experience beautiful sunrises and get to listen to beautiful birdsong.  I love to take my kayak out in the morning when it is very still.    I get to experience nature first hand – beautiful plants, ducks, fish and Blue Heron.  This weekend while boating we saw a family of Canadian Geese.  There were 17 little yellow fluffy goslings.  We had a very special treat when we saw the white swans with their little babies.

Swans and Babies on Portage Lakes, Ohio

I chose a recipe for peas and pearl onions – it is very appropriate for a spring dish as peas, mint and onions are early crops.  You can substitute fresh peas for frozen.  I would probably cook fresh peas for maybe one minute instead.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart - http://www.marthastewart.com/317781/peas-and-pearl-onions

Ingredients

            10 ounces red pearl onions

            Coarse salt

            1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter

            2 tablespoons water

            2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen petite green peas

            1/2 cup small fresh mint leaves

Directions

.                 Cut an X in stem end of each onion. Cook in salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and peel.

Heat butter and water in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in peas and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in mint. Serve immediately.