color: midnight in paris

I saw this movie last night and I couldn't help but create these color palettes today, drawing from films stills and old masters paintings/photography.

craft: birds

I saw these birds on etsy awhile ago and they gave me inspiration for a stained glass wall sculpture. Just wanted to share.

bunny of the week 65

via

shop: glasses

top row: beckett, colton, langston, preston
bottom row: nedwin, thatcher, webb, sibley

I got sucked into Warby Parker's website last night after seeing Jenny's new glasses. They have a nifty option where you can upload a photo and digitally 'try on' the glasses, AND they even have a complimentary service where you can choose 5 frames, have them sent out, return them free of charge and decide whether or not you want to get a pair!

I think my top 5 I'd want to try are:
(7) Webb in Amber
(2) Colton in Sandalwood
(3) Langston in Amber
(4) Preston in Sandalwood
(1) Beckett in Black (just so I can try some in black)

I think the Webb look the best, but who knows unless you try them!

recipe: ricotta

As soon as this recipe was posted on Smitten Kitchen on Sunday I ran out to get some whole milk and heavy cream so that we could try it out. I read her comments and decided on the 3 1/2 cups milk to 1/2 cup heavy cream. It turned out super nice, and once it cooled was more the consistency of cream cheese with a very nice milky flavor. It was surprisingly quick and easy to make too.

straining the curds and whey

finished ricotta

Rich Homemade Ricotta
via Smitten Kitchen, via Tasting Table

I made this ricotta three different ways: with all milk, as the Salvatore recipe suggested (we found it a bit dry), with 3 cups milk and 1 cup heavy cream and with 3 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Guess what? The last two ricottas were virtually indistinguishable.The extra cream did indeed add an even richer edge, but the one with less cream was also very indulgent. I imagine I’d use the richer version for toasts, for putting out at a party and the almost-as-rich one for pastas and things where I might need a larger, sturdier quantity. I’ll leave it up to you which way you go.

Makes about 1 generous cup of ricotta

3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream (see Note above about using less)
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey). Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour. At an hour, you’ll have a tender, spreadable ricotta. At two hours, it will be spreadable but a bit firmer, almost like cream cheese. (It will firm as it cools, so do not judge its final texture by what you have in your cheesecloth.) Discard the whey, or, if you’re one of those crafty people who use it for other things, of course, save it. Eat the ricotta right away or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.