Spring Hot and Cold

We have been gone once again to continue on our journey into the depths of adulthood.
The details of which will just make your eyes glazed over like hot donuts so I will spare you the tales of travel, long lines, long waits and traffic.
 The trip was as short as we could make it leaving here on Sunday and back yesterday by 1:30 to open and get some work finished so we can fire next week.

One of the things we did on our last trip to Nawfalk was to stop in and take in the new Hot Shop at the Chrysler Museum. The Chrysler has the most wonderful collection of glass and it was only fitting that they open a glass studio in a building just across the parking lot from the museum. What was even more fun for us was the fact that Mark was working for Wet Dog Glass down in Star NC when the order for this equipment was being made.
 He worked on most of the things you see here. His job while he was working for them was to cut the steel for the "ovens".
It was great to pop in and see the place all set up and see how well supported it is. They have a daily demo around lunch time and it fills up with at least 60 or more folks at a time. The place quickly filled  with all ages from elderly to young childern with their parents. We noticed that many folks brought their lunch to eat while they watched. Even more fun was the fact that the Tech guy who was hired worked with Mark at Star. They were able to have a nice chat and catch up while we were there. So one more reason to go to Nawfalk if you get the time.
Glass is hot!

So here we are home again for the time being- we are getting ready for our kiln opening on the 21st of  this month.
Here at Whynot we will once again have Raven Pottery, Snowhill Pottery and Tileworks and Abela Bodycare joining us under tents out in the yard. Mud and Suds time.
There will be plenty of new work and cookies.
We are known for having the best cookies in town!
This is in conjunction with the area Spring kiln Opening and you will find that many of the area shops are gearing up to have new works as well.
Just google discoverseagrove.com for more info.
Yeah, I know you can do it.
Back to it today- I have some tiles to finish up so I can get to glazing.
 This round the little kiln...... let's see what kind of mood she is in this month.
Good, I hope!
Cheers!
M 

Lemon Cookies or Don't turn your back on me cookies.

You know- you try.

Yesterday was baking cookies for the kiln opening this week-end and I thought I would make some Lemon cookies. I have made these before.
Simple recipe- in fact I will pass it on to you.
Just because I love company in my misery

Basic Cookie Mix for Lemon Cookies:
4 cups sifted flour- I use cake flour
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups dry milk powder
1 1/2 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Place all your ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well.

Store in a tightly covered container and this will keep up to one month.

To make the cookies:
2 Cups of the base

 1/2 cup melted butter

1 egg beaten

1tsp lemon extract

1TBS lemon juice

1Tbs grated lemon rind, yellow only

Mix this all together and shape into a log by wrapping in wax paper and chill.

Cut into small pieces- I weigh them out on my kitchen scale- just like making balls of clay.
Roll into 1" balls and place them 2 inches apart.
I bake on parchment paper.
350 for 10 minutes- or 12 it says but this is where the trouble came in.
I burned the first round.
Hit the second round and those are beauties.
Then turned my back on the last round- burned.
Little buggers.......

These are in the notes I made:
Batter does best chilled
Don't put too many on a pan
Try not to burn.
Hummm- TRY NOT TO BURN!!!!!! would be better.
Or note make these on days you have nothing else going on and can give complete attention to baking these cookies because if you do not they will come out like sweet, very sweet, hockey pucks , but note that dentist all over the world are cheering you on since you could break teeth on them.

With all this said we will still have some wonderful cookies at the opening.
So come on down and have a few.