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Elements

Rollerskating Unicorn

group hug

A really great impromptu group hug with some dear friends a couple of Saturdays ago provided strength for a difficult Monday.
Big love, Goldstein and Stuart.

"Victorian shielded shawl and diaper pin"

Here's a new note card I illustrated followed by a tidbit about the history of its subject:

The Diaper Pin

According to Henry Petroski in his book “The Evolution of Useful Things”:

In 1842, Thomas Woodward, of Brooklyn, New York, patented “a manner of constructing shielded pins for securing shawls, diapers, &c*” which he called “the Victorian shielded shawl and diaper pin.” His device consisted of a pin hinged to a cupped piece of metal that covers the point, and it is highly suggestive of a modern safety pin. According to Woodward’s patent, “It will not become loosened by motion of the wearer and …the point of the pin cannot, by any accident, be caused to puncture, or scratch, the person.” However, this pin had no integral spring, and so it had to rely upon the bulk of material compressed within it to hold the point in the shield.

The shortcoming was removed by the “dress-pin” invented by Walter Hunt of New York City and patented in 1849. His pin had “the distinguishing features of…one piece of wire or metal combining a spring, and clasp or catch, in which catch, the point of said pin is forced and, by its own spring, securely retained.”

Here's Hunt's original patent illustration, also from Petroski's book:

Happy Holidays!

Cheers!

Linda, Jeremy, & Phineas

Artistic Biscuits: Chocolate Orange Walnut Biscuits for Jeri & Robaire

My sister Jeri and her husband Bob (Robaire, I call him) came for a visit today to meet their new nephew. Jeri and I both give the marriage of orange and chocolate the stamp of approval. I wanted to sass up the combo a little so I also added walnuts and chili powder. In the picture below the biscuits look a little flat. That's because I completely forgot to add the baking soda. They were still scrumptious!


2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 t. sugar
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
6 T. (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
zest of one orange and juice from half
1 oz. good dark chocolate (I used 1/2 a bar of 74% cocao Dagoba with chilies and nibs)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 t. chili powder
1 cup well-shaken low-fat buttermilk
1/8 cup raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in orange zest, orange juice, chocolate, walnuts, and chili powder. Add buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Spoon dough into mounds (size depending on how many you wish to make - I made about 15 total) about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Sprinkle raw sugar on top of each.

Cook 10-12 minutes and transfer immediately to cooling rack. Devour.

Listen to this on loop while making these:

"I Am A Paleontologist" by They Might Be Giants (Animated by my buddy Sean McBride)