Collecting Cups

Dear Country Mouse,

I miss you!

For the last few months I have been collecting dishes for the restaurant from various thrift stores. I took them all out the other day to sort and count what we have and what we still need. While I'd search through the dish and cup departments of all the stores, I would come across so many pretty tea cups that made me think about the tea cup fairies from our book. That was so fun, I really want to start another project with you soon, we MUST find a way.

Anyway, I LOVE You!

City Mouse

The Restaurant

Dear Country Mouse,

It has been WAY TOO LONG!!!

Either way, I had to send you these pictures of the restaurant. We won't be opening for another month or so, but the place is starting to look a little more real! Food truck was officially closed the last day of December, and now we are focusing entirely on getting the restaurant ready.

Miss you to the moon and back!

XXOO   

                    City Mouse

 

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Dear Country Mouse,

Happy September to you!

I indulged at the food truck and made this dreamy cookies and cream cheesecake. The best part was that I forgot I had made it, went into work the next day, opened the back refrigerator and POP, there it was un-sprung from the pan with just the one slice cut out of it. Somehow the surprise of it gave the cake an extra skip of charm.

Anyway, I thought I'd tuck the recipe here so that if you're feeling cheese-cake-y you don't have to search too far : )


COOKIES AND CREAM CHEESECAKE


FILLING:

Whip in a large bowl until smooth:
16 oz cream cheese (letting it warm first to room temperature makes it easiest)

Add to the cream cheese and continue to whip:
1 + 1/3 cups white sugar

Add and continue to whip:
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt

Add and continue to whip:
2 cups sour cream

Add and mix but try to keep some chucks:
1 + 1/2 cups Oreo style cookies (I use Newman O's) broken into pieces. 

Add one at a time and mix until everything is combined:
4 eggs



CRUST:

Remove the cream from 2 cups of Oreo style cookies. 
Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they are crumbs. 
Add 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and pulse again. 
Add water until the mixture holds together (about 1 tablespoon).

Press into a buttered 10 inch spring form pan. Fill with the cream cheese filling and top with half a cup of cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 24 minutes or until the center is only slightly jiggly. 



Alright lovely, I miss you and hope to hear from you soon!

Cheers,
City Mouse

Refrigerator Pickles

Dear Country Mouse,

I was recently making pickles and thought I'd send you the recipe. I feel like I got too large of cucumbers this year though. It might have been worth the extra few dollars to get the smaller ones, but oh well, it just took more work to get them to fit in the jar.

Refrigerator Pickles 

In a very clean 1 gallon jar place a washed strand of fresh dill weed. 

If you don't have fresh use a tablespoon of dried.

Add roughly 4 lb. pickling cucumbers washed (they are all over at the farmers market right now)

4 cloves fresh garlic

1/2 cup salt

1 + 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 tablespoon black pepper corns

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon whole allspice

a few cloves

6-8 cups water or until jar is full.

optional: pepper flakes or a couple fresh hot peppers,

fresh strand tarragon. 

Cover with wax paper and fasten with string or a rubber band.

Let sit out for two days, out of direct sunlight, then refrigerate for up to two months.

Recipe is re posted from this post.


Anyway, miss you like always!

                    Love,
                          City Mouse


PS

Isn't this a wonderful kitchen island? I was looking on pinertest as I am hoping to build one, one of these days...

Summer Gardening

Dear Country Mouse,

I posted these pictures on my other blog, but I really want to send them to you too! I have spent loads of time in my garden this summer, though I have to say its getting warmer and I doubt my gardening itch will last much longer. I always think of our English garden dreams when I'm out there. I have been listening to an audio book of Kate Mortan's The Secret Keeper and indulging it the narrator's lovely British accent.

I listened to another one of her books last winter during the slow days at the food truck. I believe it was The Lake House. I don't know if you're a sucker for British mysteries like me, but gosh I have a soft spot for them.

Anyway, here are the photos...

 snap dragon

 nasturtium

 crocosmia

 shasta daisy

 gladiola

 spearmint

 French lavender

 strawberry

 shasta daisy

 sugar pumpkin

 Japanese eggplant

 cherry tomato

How are all those succulents we transplanted when I was visiting?  Has summer been to rough on them?

Love you and miss you!

            City Mouse

A SPIN BIN, or so they say it is called...

Dearest Country Mouse,

I miss you! I feel like every time I look at a flowering bulb you come to mind. Eeks, SPRING IS HERE!!!

So over the last week my mama visited and we got a new bin/storage display container for my work-room. I still haven't even sent you pictures of the work-room but I will soon. Last time you visited it was a carpeted TV room... Now, hurray, it has the old carpet pulled up an the TV is out!

Sam helped me spray paint the bin (they say it is called a spin bin, but I feel like a dork saying it) as it was rather brown and everything in that room is very brown already. It made me think about us spraying the pie sign when you were here and I missed you a little more...

 But, Sam helped, and was good at reminding me to hold my breath. Gosh that stuff is strong!

 And now, voila, here it is!

Hugs and catch up with you soon!

City Mouse

Pi Day

Dearest Country Mouse,

Well HAPPY PI DAY!!!!!!! We celebrated like maniacs at the truck making 13 kinds of pie. THIRTEEN!

The day was grey and rainy, but I was impressed by how many people still came out to eat pie.

 Alright, well I just wanted to send you a few pictures...


Love you!!!

City Mouse