Folded Bunny Napkins

March 29, 2018 Leave a Comment

Nothing says spring like bunnies, and these folded bunny napkins will add a fun touch to any spring table. I have adapted the instructions from those I found on the Pier1 website.

The process is simple, and though these can be done with colorful spring napkins, they look equally wonderful done with plain white napkins. There is plenty of room in the body of the napkin to insert a colored boiled or plastic egg, Easter grass or Excelsior and candy eggs. Let your imagination be your guide.

Below I have included the written directions and included a pictorial.

Ready, Set, Fold! Hop to it!

Begin with a square cloth napkin and place it on the table in front of you with the hem side facing up. Spin the napkin around until it is on point (a diamond shape) and fold the napkin in half, forming a triangle.

Beginning at the point, fold the napkin over about 1-inch. Continue folding, heading to the long edge of the napkin, until you reach the top of the napkin.

You will have a long tube, and the edges of the folds should be lined up.

Fold the napkin in half, making sure that the ends meet.

Grasp the napkin about 1/4 to 1/3 the way up from the fold. Pick up the napkin and begin the overhand knot.

Fold the napkin down,over your fingers.

Wrap it around your fingers and bring it up and over the front of the napkin.

Tuck the ends of the napkin over the top and in the hole created by your fingers. Pull the ends through.

Grab the points (the ears) and pull them through, working with the napkin to bring it to the desired length.

Pull on the knot to tighten up the ‘head’ and secure the body.

Shape the bunny and enjoy. Feel free to work with the fabric to even up the folded edges and hide any wrinkles or imperfections. Fabric is wonderful that way – it is incredibly forgiving.

Happy Spring!

The Tale of Two Bunnies

March 29, 2018 Leave a Comment

Spring. Just the word congers up images of blossoms and bunnies, eggs and chicks. . . . and catalogs filled with tableware, linens and all the fresh spring color imaginable. . . . so when my spring edition of the Pier1 catalog arrived – I was immediately drawn to devour every page. The dinnerware, table settings, linens were, in typical Pier1 form, a wonderful feast for the eyes.

But, there was one thing that especially drew my attention. . .their adorable folded napkins – especially the little bunnies in the upper right corner of the page. The catalog directed readers to log on to their website for instructions – which I immediately did.

Upon arriving at the page, I searched for the Bunny Fold and found this. I grabbed some cloth napkins (which happened to be from Pier1) and, following their directions, began folding. It only took me to the 4th step to figure out that there was a real problem with the directions – they were rolling from the wrong side of the napkin. . . and by the final step – it was unmistakable.

I had created this. I took an unfolded napkin and the directions to my husband – who, as a builder, reads instructions for a living . . . and his response was immediate – these are not right. They have rolled from the long side and not the point – and used directions for a granny knot. It needs to be an ‘overhand’ knot. (50 plus years of scouting – he should know his knots!)

After making a few simple changes – rolling from the point and using an overhand knot – the finished product looked like the one in the Pier1 picture. Success!

And so, as much as I LOVE Pier1, no one is infallible. I have done my own set of instructions, including pictorials, for your use should you be wanting to try these little treasures. Such a simple way to dress up a spring or Easter table.

Just Click Here to go to the instructions. Happy Spring!

Enjoy,

Kathy

Fresh Eggs are the Best Eggs!

March 9, 2016 Leave a Comment

There are two types of people in the world: those who keep their eggs in the fridge and those who think room temperature is best. Those that believe that eggs should be stored at room temperature will tell you that chilling eggs is similar to chilling fresh tomatoes. It changes their flavor – and not for the better.

What follows is info that may help you keep your little cackleberries fresher longer.

Farm fresh eggs will remain fresh for at least a week at room temperature if unwashed. They can be stored safely at temperatures between 55-70 degrees for several weeks. Commercially raised eggs stored in the refrigerator should last several weeks. Farm fresh eggs, refrigerated, should be good for a great deal longer.

Mother Earth News ran a test using 60 dozen eggs – 30 dozen purchased from the supermarket and 30 dozen farm-fresh, fertile, unwashed eggs. They used multiple methods of storage to find the best method of storage for longevity. Each month they tested several eggs to see how they were handling solitary confinement. At seven months, they tested the eggs that had been stored in air-tight containers in the refrigerator at temperatures between 38 and 40 degrees. The unwashed fertile eggs were still very fresh. The whites were a little runny, but overall the quality was good. The store-bought eggs were still edible, but suffered in quality. The secret, fresh, unwashed eggs, air-tight containers and consistent temperatures.

How to tell if eggs are fresh

So, those eggs that have been in your fridge for a very long time. . . .are they still good or should you toss them. Here is how to check for freshness:

A fresh egg will sink in water while an older egg will float. A very fresh egg will not only sink, but it will lay on it’s side. As an egg ages, the size of the air cell inside of the egg increases. In time it will enlarge to the point of causing the egg to float. Cracks in the shell will also cause an excess of air in the eggshell. To check for freshness – place eggs, one at a time, into a container of water and watch how they respond. Rule of thumb: If it floats, toss it out.

In a fresh egg, the yolk should sit up high, and the white should be thick and closely surround the yolk. Older eggs have flat yolks that break very easily – and thin, watery whites. See the difference in the two eggs in the picture below.

A cloudy egg white is a sign of freshness (the egg on the right). The cloudiness is the result of the high carbon dioxide content that is preset when the egg is laid.

• A fresh, Grade A egg will have a firm white, a small air cell at the wide end of the egg and a centered yolk. You will notice these differences most when you hard-boil eggs. Those eggs that you boil and find upon peeling that one end is flat or has a large cupping shape – that was an older egg.
Properly storing your eggs will add to their quality and longevity. Eggs should be stored pointed end (small end) down – so that the air sack is at the top of the egg. Sometimes it is difficult to tell which end is which, but there is always a pointed or smaller side. You can always candle your eggs to check.

Kathy

About Grey Salt (Sel Gris)

December 22, 2000 Leave a Comment

All salt is not the same. Of the many salts available, one of my all-time favorites is Sel Gris – or Grey Salt.

Grey salt is a moist, unrefined sea salt, usually found in the Brittany region of France’s Atlantic coast. Its natural, light-grey color comes from the minerals absorbed from the clay that lines the salt ponds. True Grey Salt is collected by hand using traditional Celtic methods and wooden tools.

It can be purchased in either coarse or fine form. My favorite is the coarse.

Sel Gris is not the same as Fleur de Sel. Although they are harvested from the same place, Fleur de Sel is harvested from water on the top of the marshes, and is light in color. Sel Gris is harvested from the bottom of the of the ponds and contains a higher level of impurities (minerals) than its light colored cousin. Those minerals supply a great source of flavor that is missing in the whiter Fleur de Sel.

Grey Salt (Sel Gris) is available online, at specialty stores such as Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table, and often at your local World Market. Be sure to search for both Grey Salt and Sel Gris – as it is sold using one name or the other.

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