Sewing part 1

Have you ever created an attachment to a pair of jeans? I didn't realize it at first but I have really grown fond of a certain pair. We have been together for about 2 years now, it is everything I want and more. The problem is that there is a slight tear in the left knee that has steadily been getting bigger since it first arrived about 6 months ago. Most of you out there would probably say; "go buy a second pair of the same jeans". I would, except there is no identifying tags anywhere on them and I can't remember where I bought them, I have searched all the usual places that I buy jeans (Wal-Mart) and I cannot find them.

What is a man to do? Watch as my favorite garment slowly disintegrates around my body? I think not! There is really only one thing to do; make my own pair in similar fashion. Should I go to the fabric store and by a pattern to follow? Again, I say nay! Any self respecting carpenter can make some pants by just taking a few measurements and sewing some fabric together. It will be a breeze.As I looked at my favorite pair of jeans I could see that it was basically 6 pieces of fabric sewn together. So I took some measurements from my jeans and from myself and started cutting, pinning, and sewing them together. It was going swimmingly until I started to attach the zipper.

I had forgotten to leave enough room in the front for the zipper flap, so I had to fashion one out of scrap fabric and sew it directly on top of the existing pants. Now before you look at the picture to the right think to your self how a piece of fabric about 2 1/2" wide and about 8" long bordered with yellow thread and a "J" where the button would be, on dark jean looks like in the zipper region. This is a thought that I probably should have had before I attached it.

So they didn't turn out perfect. So small children start to cry when I pass them in public. At least they fit well. They may have turned out slightly obscene but when you wear a big shirt people don't notice it as much. And even if they do, its a good conversation starter.

Making Cheese part 1

I want a goat, preferably a Nubian dairy goat, possibly a dwarf variety. Why do I want a goat? For the milk of course. And what else can you do with milk but make cheese. Sadly, my circumstances won't let me have said goat and goat's milk is expensive and usually ultra-pasturized (which means the protien is denatured and no good for most cheese making) so I am opting with cow.

Since this is my first foray into cheesemaking I decided on a simple recipe. This cheese is like a "farmer's cheese" which i can only guess is culinary speak for "simple cheese", the cheese I made is more like Indian Paneer cheese according to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer_cheese).

It was surprisingly simple. Slowly heat milk while stirring very slowly to 175 degrees, turn off heat and immediately add lemon juice or white vinegar. You should see the milk start to curddle within 30 seconds. Let the heated milk sit untouched for 10 minutes then place in cheesecloth inside a cullinder to drain and hang with some string for 30 minutes. Presto-chango, you have cheese. Add the salt and put in the fridge overnight to let the taste develop.

I made the cheese with both the lemon juice and the vinegar, with the vinegar I added dill to half of the cheese. The cheese that I made was decently good, it tasted reminiscent of a drier and saltier cottage. I ate it with a french baguette and balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

In the future I think that this unripened soft and mild cheese would taste good if it were mixed with fruit, I am thinking blackberries or maybe blueberries.

What do you guys think? How can I spice this up or make interesting alterations?

Ingredients that I bought:

- 1 gallon whole vitamin D milk
- 1 quart cultured lowfat buttermilk
- 8 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice
- 3 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 yard cheesecloth


If you want to see someone perform the steps of this recipe check out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBPYopcoeqs