A Seal for the Serendib Press

This was just fun. I got me and Kavi a present for Christmas — a little seal with the Serendib Press logo (that she drew) on it, a little cooking pot with stars floating up.

We’re giving people the option of ordering one of our Valentine’s cards to go with their orders (we’d write whatever message they wanted in the card), and I think it’s silly fun to seal those with our emblem, and then highlight the design in silver leaf.

If I were doing it again, the one thing I’d do is add a circle around the edge of the design, because the little stars are so small that they kind of disappear as an element — I think this effect works better with an intricate design with a lot of raised elements. But still, v. cute. When I was around her age, I was a little obsessed with seals and sealing wax. I think I mostly liked playing with fire. 🙂

Anand came over to help me do this, and had many questions about why we don’t use seals anymore as proof that something is really from someone else. I think the answer is that it eventually got cheap enough to create and engrave seals that they became too easy to forge, but I’m not positive that’s right?

Passionfruit Gummies

(makes about 250 teeny tiny gummies)

Super-easy, super-cute. Passionfruit puree, which I order online, is thick and intensely flavored, which is why I end up diluting it with water for these gummies. If you’re using juice, then just use 2 cups of juice and no water.

1 c. passionfruit puree
1 c. water
3 T (1.25 oz packet) plain gelatin

1/4 c. sugar (optional)

1. Combine passionfruit and water in a glass measuring cup and microwave on high a few minutes until hot (alternately, heat in a pot on the stove).

2. Stir in gelatin and sugar (if using) until dissolved.

3. Pour into gummy mold and chill one hour until set. (Alternately, pour into pie plates, and cut into squares or use a cookie cutter.)

NOTE: These store best in the refrigerator; after a few days at room temperature, they tend to dry out.

Your Vegan Cupboard

Question for vegans — as I’m working on Vegan Serendib, I’m mostly just creating recipes that are already vegan in nature — vegetable pickles, sambols, curries, etc. BUT, I’d like to include at least a few using specifically vegan ingredients, such as agar-agar, used to substitute for gelatin.

I could just buy a bunch of different things and try them, but I’d like to stay as much as possible to ingredients that are easy to get for the home cook.

Tell me about your vegan cupboard — what do you typically have on hand already? Vegan butter? Agar-agar? What else?

Thanks!

My 13-Year Old TikTok Producer and Brand Manager

In other media news, Kavi was a little appalled to discover that I don’t post videos to TikTok for my confections, etc., and I told her that it was in the queue to make little 1 minute videos like that, but I wasn’t good at it, and it’s hard to make a video while you’re also making things with your hands, and she said of course it’d be better if she made the videos and I said if you want to make videos and be my TikTok video producer and brand manager, I am delighted to give you the job, and she said sure, so that is why a 13-year-old is my TikTok video producer and brand manager now, and why Kavi made three 1-minute videos of me making sweets yesterday, and I’m not allowed to post them yet because she researched and apparently the right times to post such things are 7 a.m., 8 a.m., and 4 p.m. (in Chicago’s time zone), but assuming I remember to do so, you will likely see one of them posted in about 90 minutes, and I admit, I feel a little old, but also grateful for a sweetheart of a daughter with some serious tech skills.

(She is currently planning on focusing on art + business in high school, because she’s pretty interested in running a small business, but with strong science classes too, in case she decides she wants to be a doctor after all.)

Khyber Pass Takeout

Sometimes I just want South Asian food I don’t have to cook myself. Which Kevin can actually do a good job of cooking for me, but since we’re also trying to keep our local restaurants alive, it’s a good excuse to order from Khyber Pass. Tandoori chicken, samosa chaat, lamb vindaloo, saag paneer, Goan fish curry, papadum, naan — and it comes with rice and a complimentary veggie curry. Don’t forget the mango lassi.

That’ll do (for several days).

#shoplocal

Even a Bad Batch is GREAT

Don’t worry, I let Anand have some milk toffee….AFTER I finished taking the photo. 🙂

Me: How is it?
Anand: What do you mean? It’s milk toffee!
Me: Right, but it could be a bad batch.

Anand: Even a bad batch of milk toffee would still be GREAT.

All right then.