As mentioned in my 2019 Books post, I commute about two hours a day via car, which has contributed to a healthy consumption of audiobooks. This year, I listened to 39 audiobooks, while reading only 33. I discovered that my audiobook sweet spot is non-fiction, read by the author. I listen to other nonfiction, and also to memoirs read by professionals, but I just don’t ever really like them as much as nonfiction read in the voice of the writer. It’s like they are telling me their story personally, which makes it more compelling.

TOP FIVE AUDIOBOOKS FOR 2019

1. Inheritance by Dani Shapiro: I loved this book. It’s a fascinating story and Shapiro is both a wonderful writer and has a speaking voice I could listen to all day.

2. Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl: I have long loved reading Ruth Reichl’s books and was a Gourmet reader before the magazine folded. I loved hearing her voice her own experience, and the audiobook had the added benefit of including recipes. Of course, since I borrowed it from the library and listened to it in the car, I didn’t have any of those recipes until today (December 31st) when I bought the kindle book on sale for $2.99.

3. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson: A friend from my book club recommended this, and I am so glad. I loved hearing Stevenson tell his story, which is incredible and inspirational. I was able to hear him speak at a meeting in November, and it was a highlight of my year. The book was also recently made into a movie, which I have yet to see.

4. She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey/Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow: I was a print journalism major in college and it thrills me to see such intrepid reporting, particularly at a time when journalists are as vilified as they are necessary. In both of these instances, the reporters pursued stories while dealilng with threats of bodily harm. It’s difficult to believe that this is currently happening in the United States not to mention in other parts of the world. Journalists like Kantor, Twohey and Farrow give me hope. She Said is read by a professional rather than the authors although they read the forward and epilogue and Catch is read by Farrow, who employs some strange and distracting accents but both are really worth the listen.

5. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou: By now you are probably familiar with the Elizabeth Holmes and her sham startup Theranos, but this was my introduction. The book is read by a professional rather than the author but it is a fascinating listen. I found myself coming up with chores to do just so I could continue to listen. I followed this up with The Dropout podcast which was a nice addition.

Honorable mention: pretty much all of the audiobooks I listened to were well worth my time. I only have reservations about recommending two of them, which appear in italics below. I’ve also bolded the ones I really, really liked.

A Story Lately Told, Anjelica Houston
Bad Blood, John Carreyrou
Born with Teeth, Kate Mulgrew
Call Me God, Jim Clemente, Tim Clemente and Peter McDonnell
Catch and Kill, Ronan Farrow
Deep Creek, Pam Houston
Everything is Horrible and Wonderful, Stephanie Wittels Wachs
Finding Tess, Beth Macy
Heartland, Sarah Smarsh
Heavy, Kiese Laymon
High Achiever, Tiffany Jenkins
Hourglass, Dani Shapiro
How Chefs Holiday, Dana Cowin
How we Fight for our Lives, Saeed Jones
In Pieces, Sally Field
Inheritance, Dani Shapiro
Inside Out, Demi Moore
Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson
Life Will be the Death of Me, Chelsea Handler
Maid, Stephanie Land
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb
Mr. Know it All, John Waters
Not my Father's Son, Alan Cumming
Notes from a Young Black Chef, Kwame Onwuachi
Our Harlem, Marcus Samuelsson
Save me the Plums, Ruth Reichl
She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
The Education of an Idealist, Samantha Power
The Elephant in the Room, Tommy Tomlinson
The Library Book, Susan Orlean
The Moment of Lift, Melinda Gates
The Rainbow Comes and Goes, Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt
The Recovering, Leslie Jamieson
This Will Only Hurt a Little, Busy Phillips
Three Women, Lisa Taddeo
Tiny Hot Dogs, Mary Giuliani
Wild Game, Adrienne Brodeur
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, Sherman Alexie

You can find my 2019 book reviews here.

It was a bit of slow year for me in terms of reading. I typically read around 50 books each year, and in 2019, I racked up only 33 (should have been at least 35 but I jumped ship on two after getting most of the way through them, which I NEVER do). I attribute this to a busy new job with a much longer commute than my previous job. The shorter list of books is complemented by the 38 audio books I listened to, which I’ve also reviewed.

TOP FIVE BOOKS OF 2019

1. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors for a reason. I always find her books to be completely engrossing and this was no exception. As a self-proclaimed protective older sister, I loved the relationship between the main character and his protective older sister. Patchett expertly balances dysfunction with familial love.

2. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead: I waited a really long time to get this book from the library and was a bit concerned that with all the hype, I would be disappointed. That could not have been farther from the truth. Compulsively readable, and with a surprise at the end that I did not see coming, it’s also very short and a quick read.

3. The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman: Hoffman is another one of my favorite authors. Her books often have a supernatural element to them, which I recognize is not for everyone. To me, this novel spoke to the resiliency of women as well as to the particular ways in which women, through a combination of empathy and strength, can make a difference.

4. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood: This is the rare book that I couldn’t wait to read and actually really enjoyed. I love the original, I love the series on Hulu and I really like the book. I won’t say more for fear of spilling details.

5. Daisy Jones & the Six/The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: When time is tight and you’ve got a million things on your mind, sometimes it’s nice to read a good, old-fashioned page-turner. Both of these books were that for me. Fun characters told in a compulsively readable way.

Honorable mention: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. I loved the writing in this book, but it didn’t make my top five.

A few random things I learned while reading/listening to books this year.

• Bill Blass sounds like a real mensch. Two very different books mentioned his tendency to help those in need with jobs and/or money.

• Both Demi Moore (Charleroi) and Samantha Power (not sure which neighborhood) lived in the Pittsburgh area as children. Didn’t we all?

Several books from authors whose earlier novels I really loved (Julie Orringer, Karen Thompson, Tea Obreht) disappointed me this year. In fact, I didn’t even finish reading Obreht’s Inland. The other book I got much of the way through before abandoning was Three Things About Elsie, which was a book club pick and since I sat through the discussion I decided I didn’t need to go back and finish the book.

Here’s the complete list of books I read in 2019. I’ve bolded the ones that remember liking.

American Duchess – Karen Harper
Becoming Mrs. Lewis – Patti Callahan
Circe – Madeline Miller
City of Girls – Elizabeth Gilbert
Daisy Jones & the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evvie Drake Starts Over - Linda Holmes
Georgia – Dawn Tripp
Less – Andrew Sean Greer
Miracle Creek - Angie Kim
Mrs. Everything - Jennifer Weiner
Normal People – Sally Rooney
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous – Ocean Vuong
The Age of Light - Whitney Sharer
The Art of Losing – Lizzy Mason
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls –Anissa Gray
The Dream Daughter – Diane Chamberlin
The Dreamers – Karen Thompson
The Dutch House – Ann Patchett
The Flight Portfolio – Julie Orringer
The Golden Child – Claire Adam
The Golden Hour - Beatriz WIlliams
The Last Book Party – Karen Dukess
The Last Romantics – Tara Conklin
The Lost Vintage – Ann Mah
The Nickel Boys – Colson Whitehead
The Secrets We Kept Lara Prescott
The Seven Husbands of Eleanor Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Stationary Shop - Marjan Kamali
The Testaments - Margaret Atwood
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters – Balli Kaur Jaswal
The World that We Knew – Alice Hoffman
We Were the Lucky Ones – Georgia Hunter
You Think It, I’ll Say It – Curtis Sittenfeld

You can find my 2019 audiobook reviews here.

After spending a few hours outside yesterday, I was craving something warm and comforting and opted for Pressure Cooker Lamb Meatballs as shared by Mark Bittman in the New York Times. These meatballs, made in the pressure cooker, were both fast and delicious and the rice simmered easily on the stove while I pulled them together.

Pressure Cooker Lamb Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds ground lamb
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ⅓ cup bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons milk or water
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onions
• 1 medium green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• ½ cup dry red wine or dry vermouth
• ½ cup water
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in purée (or substitute a 28-ouncecan of plum tomatoes, including liquid, combined with a 6-ounce can oftomato paste)
• ½ to 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅓ cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for garnish
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, blend the first 9 ingredients for the meatballs. Moisten your palms with water, and shape the mixture into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter.
2. In a 4-quart or larger pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onions and green pepper, and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the cooker. Boil until the wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Stir in the water, and add the meatballs in one or two layers. Pour the tomatoes over the meatballs. (Do not stir.) Sprinkle on the garlic powder.
4. Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure, and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat. Quick-release the pressure by setting the cooker under cold running water. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape.
6. Split a meatball in half to check for doneness. If necessary, cover the cooker, and simmer until done.
7. Gently stir in the olives, feta, parsley, crushed red pepper, oregano, cinnamon and a tablespoon of olive oil, if needed, to give the sauce a rich finish. Simmer a few minutes. Season to taste with sugar, salt and pepper (go easy on the salt, as the olives and feta have plenty). Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with feta.

Spanakorizo

This is loosely adapted from The Complete Greek Cookbook The Best From 3000 Years OF Greek Cooking by Theresa Karas Yianilos.

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby spinach, washed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• ½ cup long grain rice
• 2 cups water
• crumbled feta cheese for garnish

Instructions

1. Chop onion
2. Warm olive oil or butter and saute onion a few moments until soft
3. Add spinach, stirring to mix with onion
4. Add salt to taste
5. Sprinkle rice over the spinach onion mixture
6. Add water and bring to a boil
7. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally
8. Adjust seasoning and serve topped with crumbled feta

Notes

1. Our local store did not have ground lamb so we used beef.  It was delicious but I am anxious to try this with lamb.
2. I did not have any crusty bread on hand, which would have been very useful for sopping up the excellent sauce.
3. I thought that the spanakorizo was delicious but I think I should have used more spinach.  I'm going to add more (maybe double) the spinach the next time around. 

1. The Forgetting Time, Sharon Guskin:  I simply could not put this book down. I loved both the premise and the writing.  After reading it, I sent it to my grandmother and she felt the same way.  I did chat with a friend at a New Year's Day party,and she told me that she did not care for it, so it's not going to be for everyone, but I just loved it.
2. A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles:  The main character in this book is so lovable, that this book was a true pleasure to read.  It take place over a series of years in a stately hotel in Moscow, and I really hope Wes Anderson will make the movie some day.  
3. Commonwealth, Ann Patchett: I really enjoy Ann Patchett's writing so I expected to like this book.  I enjoyed the entire book but there was one scene toward the end of the book that caught me by surprise and had me sobbing in my seat on an airplane.  
4. Mischling, Affinity Konar:  This book was not an easy one to read, but its message of resilience felt important to me.
5.  Behold the Dreamers, Imbolo Mbue:  I finished this book on November 10.  It's about an immigrant couple, and it felt very poignant at that moment.  I've always been proud that America represented the land of opportunity for so many, and I am sad and angry that this may change.  
6. A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles, Mary Elizabeth Williams (non-fiction):  I heard the author on an episode of the Dear Sugar podcast and was initially interested in reading about her relationship with her husband, whom she nearly divorced before they ultimately reconciled.  This book does not really cover that much, but the true story of her experience with immuno therapy for melanoma is a real page turner.
7. Everyone Brave is Forgiven, Chris Cleve:  At this point, a book that takes place during World War II has a relatively high bar to hurdle to grab me, but this one did.  The writing is beautiful and paints a vivid picture of what it must have been like to live during that time.
8. Mothering Sunday: A Romance, Graham Swift:  A friend recommended this to me and I put it on my library list without really even knowing what it was.  I'm so glad I did.  It's a really fast read but shows how the events of a single day can have life-long reverberations.
9. The Children, Ann Leary:  This is probably the "lightest" book on this list, but I really like Leary's writing.  It kept me interested and I really felt like I could picture the people and places described in the book.
10. Evicted, Matthew Desmond:   This book is harrowing.  Reading it, I was struck but the vicious cycle experienced by people who are unable to secure safe, affordable housing.  Lack of credit or bad credit and a history of evictions makes it difficult to rent affordable housing from reputable landlords so people end up forced to rent from slumlords, at a tremendous premium.  Because they are afraid to complain about problems with their rental they often live in unsafe conditions.  

Here's the full list of what I read in 2016.  I bolded the title of anything I really liked.

January

The Life We Bury, Allen Eskins
Second Life, S.J. Watson
Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, Tom Mueller

February

Summerlong: A Novel, Dean Bakopoulos
My Name Is Lucy Barton: A Novel, Elizabeth Stroud
The Guest Room: A Novel, Chris Bohjalian
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, Katarina Bivald

March

Days of Awe: A Novel, Lauren Fox
Outline, Rachel Cusk
When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi

April

Girl Through Glass: A Novel, Sari Wilson
As Close to Us as Breathing: A Novel, Elizabeth    Poliner
The Forgetting Time, Sharon Guskin
Wreck and Order, Hannah Tennant-Moore
After the Parade, Lori Ostlund

May

Modern Romance, Aziz Ansari
Everyone Brave is Forgiven, Chris Cleve

June

Elegible, Curtis Sittenfield
The Last Painting of Sara De Vos, Dominic Smith
Pandemic: Tracking Contagions from Cholera to Ebola, Sonia Shah

July

Dimestore: A Writer's Life, Lee Smith
Daughters of the Dragon, William Andrews
The Longest Night, Andria Williams
Mothering Sunday, Graham Swift
The Opposite of Everyone, Joshilyn Jackson
The Pearl That Broke its Shell, Nadia Hashimi
I Let You Go, Clare Macintosh

August

The Girls from Corona Del Mar, Rufi Thorpe
Drinking a Love Story, Caroline Knapp
The Light of Paris    Eleanor Brown
Britt Marie Was Here, Fredrik Backman
Evicted, Matthew Desmond
The Book that Matters Most, Ann Hood

September

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Caitlin Doughty
The Mandibles, Lionel Shriver
The Children, Ann Leary
Underground Airlines, Ben Winters

October

All is Not Forgotten, Wendy Walker
Sweetbitter, Stephanie Danler
Love Warrior: A Memoir, Glennon Doyle Melton
The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy Schumer
Siracusa, Delia Ephron

November

Commonwealth, Ann Patchett
In the Sanctuary of Outcasts, Neil White
Behold the Dreamers, Imbolo Mbue
Mischling, Affinity Konar

December

A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles, Mary Elizabeth Williams
Thomas Murphy, Roger Rosenblatt
The Fate of the Tearling, Johana Erikson
Modern Lovers, Emma Straub

After a really fun weekend in Richmond with friends, I lacked the wherewithal to make it to the grocery store yesterday.  Our fridge was fairly empty, so I turned to the pantry to see what we had on hand.  One of my go-to pantry meals is Pasta Puttanesca.  I almost always have the components - pasta, capers, anchovies, olives and canned tomatoes - on hand.  Unfortunately, when I reviewed the contents of the pantry, I realized that I did not have anchovies.  However, I did see several cans of good tuna packed in oil.  A quick googling turned up the following recipe from the Food Network for Linguine with Tuna Puttanesca:

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces linguine
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
• 1 28 -ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
• 4 basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
• 1 5 -ounce can albacore tuna, packed in olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes.
4. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the tuna with its oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.
6. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with pepper and garnish with more basil.

Notes:

• I did not have linguine so I used spaghetti.
• I did have very tasty capers from the Italian Store and really nice olives from the Lebanese Taverna Market, which I am sure contributed to the wonderful flavor of this dish.
• I went heavy on the crushed red pepper and garlic to give this more zest.  I also added Italian seasoning and waited a moment or two for the flavors to incorporate before I added the tuna.
• I did not have basil on hand but did have some beautiful parsley, which I chopped and added before serving.
• I also passed grated Parmesan at the table.

When I typically make Puttanesca, I focus on building the flavor through the anchovies.  Since this recipe uses tuna, which is added toward the end of cooking, it focuses on building the flavor through the garlic, red pepper, capers and olives.  I really liked the result, and plan to alter my anchovy-based version a bit the next time I make it.

As I have mentioned before, I love brunch.  And while I have a stable of tried and true recipes, I typically like to try something new when we are having people over.  Occasionally this leads to a scrapped dish and a quick run to the bagel shop, but most of the time, it works out well.  

We had some friends over on Sunday, and I decided to try Sarah Copeland's Overnight Egg & Cheese Strata which I found on Epicurious.  Not only was it light, airy and decadent, but I assembled the entire thing the night before and simply popped it into the oven for an hour before my guests arrived.  Sadly, we devoured it before I could snap a photo of the fluffy, cheesy deliciousness.  I will definitely make this again.

INGREDIENTS

• Butter, for greasing the baking dish
• 4 thick slices hearty whole-wheat/wholemeal or multigrain artisan bread {about 4 1/2 oz/130 g}
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup/240 ml whole milk
• 8 oz/225 g grated Fontina cheese {about 1 cup}
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 to 8 asparagus stalks
• 4 thin slices mortadella or prosciutto {optional}
• 1 tbsp finely snipped chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Butter a small 4-cup/960-ml ovenproof baking dish.
2. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut into slices; you should have about 3 cups. Lay the slices across the baking dish, slightly overlapping and allowing some edges to hang over the sides.
3. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Stir in half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour three-fourths of the egg mixture over the bread cubes.
4. Peel the bottom half of the asparagus and break off the stem ends where it snaps naturally. Discard any woody stems.
5. Layer the mortadella over the bread and top with asparagus spears. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top and finish with the remaining cheese. At this point, you can bake the strata immediately, or cover with plastic wrap/cling film and refrigerate overnight for a surprise breakfast in bed.
6. Bake the strata until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly, sprinkle the top with chopped chives, and serve in the baking dish.

Chefs note: P.S. Double this recipe easily for a large crowd, and watch it disappear at every New Year's Brunch o r potluck. Bake for 1 hour in a 9-by-13-in/23-by-33 cm pan.

Notes:  

• I did not go with multi-grain here. I used a day-old round Italian loaf cut in cubes and it was perfect.  It was dense enough to really soak up the egg and milk mixture, and was perfectly light and fluffy once cooked.
• I doubled this recipe and baked it in a pretty casserole dish so that I could serve it at the table if I wanted to.
• While the recipe called for fontina, I used a mixture of fontina, which I grated by hand, and a few cups of a pre-shredded Italian cheese mix, which included more fontina as well as provolone and mozzarella.
• I skipped the mortadella here in favor of serving a pile of oven-crisp bacon on the side instead.
• In addition to the bacon, I served oven-roasted fingerling potatoes and a bib-lettuce salad with champagne vinaigrette.  I pre-cooked the bacon and potatoes earlier in the morning and just quickly reheated them in the oven while the strata finished cooking.  

A friend once told me that he hated brunch.  I was incredulous.  I really love brunch.  It's one of my favorite meals to eat and to cook.  When we invited friends over this weekend, I reached into the archive of recipes I had collected to try at some point, and decided to make a Dutch Baby with Caramelized Cherries (posted to Food52 by arielleclementine).  A Dutch Baby is also known as a German Pancake, and is essentially a giant crepe-like confection baked in the oven.  This recipe gave me the chance to use my new cherry (and olive) pitter and was really, really tasty:

Ingredients

• 4    tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3    tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 2    cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
• 1/2    lemon
• 3    large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3    cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2    teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2    teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3    cup flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Melt butter in 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
3. Add brown sugar, cherries, and a squeeze of juice from half a lemon and stir to combine.
4. Simmer until the cherries have released some juice, and the sauce is thick and shiny, about 5 minutes.
5. While the cherries are caramelizing, place the eggs, milk, vanilla, salt, and flour in a blender and blend for 30 seconds on low speed.
6. Increase the speed to high and blend for one minute more.
7. Pour the batter on top of the cherries and transfer to the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cherry juices are bubbling happily.
9. Serve immediately with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

This is the rare recipe to which I did not make any modifications.  It did not need it, but since I had some good maple syrup on hand, I did warm some to pass at the table. I served this with individual Leek, Lemon and Feta Quiches, and a fruit salad.  My love of brunch continues.

Whether you are spring cleaning or trying your hand at the KonMari Method made popular in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, this may be the perfect solution for the clothes that will not be returned to your closet or drawers.  It's called thredUP, and it is an online consignment boutique where you can both buy and sell gently-used clothing.

I found out about thredUP when a friend emailed me a code for $20 off of my first shopping spree.  When I visited the website, I found that in addition to being able to purchase items at thredUP, I could also sell some of my clothes there.  

Because it is often more trouble than it is worth to sell at the consignment shops in DC, I typically give away or donate most of what I clean out of my closet.  Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to order a "Clean Out Kit" from thredUP to see if I could sell some of what I was planning to donate.  A "Clean Out Kit" consists of a giant, postage-paid shipping bag that you fill with the clothes you wish to sell and mail back to thredUP.  They review the items in the bag and provide you with either an upfront payment amount (clothes they'll list for sale under $60 and for which you will receive an immediate payout) or consignment amount (clothes they'll list for over $60 and for which you will not be paid until they actually sell).

Unfortunately, I did not count or catalog the items I sent, but I am guessing there were no more than 15-18 in the bag.  Once thredUP received my bag and sorted through the contents, I got an email telling me that I was eligible for an upfront payment of $69.04 for 14 items that had been accepted. There is a way to get your items back if they don't accept them, but since all of these items were from a donation pile, I selected the option that allowed for my unaccepted items to be donated.  The $69.04 upfront payment could be used immediately in the form of thredUP credit, or I could wait two weeks and have the money transferred to my bank account via paypal.  Since my overall goal was to clean out my closet, I did not buy anything and cashed out two weeks later for $67.69 ($69.04 minus a 2% paypal fee). 

I made $69.04 for items that I was going to donate and saved an actual trip to Goodwill.  I love it!  I'll definitely try thredUP again.

Permalink

]]>thredUP - Online ConsigmentMolly GeorgakisMon, 07 Mar 2016 15:49:19 +0000http://curated-commentary.com/blog/2016/3/7/spanakopita-recipe-by-helen-stavrakas-as-shared-by-kathy-georgakis55cca836e4b07fb58f9b695c:55ccdbb3e4b0b32ffb5120e4:56dd903707eaa05aaac0fae5

I continually get requests to make one thing:  spanakopita.   I've made it countless times and in quite a few family kitchens at this point, and it's always a hit.  It takes some time to assemble but it's really not that difficult to make, and it serves crowd so the effort is well worth it. I just made it this past weekend as one of my contributions to a Mediterranean feast with friends. With permission from my mother in law, Kathy, here is her mother Helen's recipe, as shared with me years ago.

Recipe by Helen Stavrakas as shared by Kathy Georgakis

Ingredients

• 5 packages of frozen chopped spinach
• 3 bunches of fresh green onions
• 3 egg whites or 2 eggs and 1 egg white
• 2 large leeks or several small ones
• 1 handful of fresh dill (roughly 1/3 cup)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• At least 1 pound feta cheese, cut into small chunks
• 1 stick of butter melted to brush between the sheets
• I pound of phyllo dough - #4 preferred

Instructions

1. Boil a large pot of water. Add the frozen spinach in the water to thaw, then put it in a strainer to get most of the water out. Squeeze it to make it pretty dry.
2. Mix all the above ingredients in a very large bowl.
3. In a very large rectangular pan (9" x 13" works well), brush a little butter on bottom of pan. 
4. Carefully add the first phyllo sheet. Add butter to that sheet and add another. Use 5 sheets to form the base of the spanakopita.
5. Add half of the spinach mixture.
6. Repeat with 5 more phyllo sheets.
7. Add rest of the spinach mixture.
8. Add 5 more phyllo sheets on top.
9. Mix 1 egg, 2-3 tablespoons olive little grated feta cheese and brush this on topof the top layer of phyllo.
10. Pre-cut through the top layers of phyllo dough to form square pieces before baking .
11. Cook in preheated 375◦ oven for 45 to 60 minutes, removing when a golden-brown color.

Notes:

1. People always mention a fear of working with phyllo.  I've found it helpful to 1) have everything ready before I open the package, 2) cover the phyllo with a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper followed by a damp dishtowel while I work, replacing it each time I take a sheet of phyllo, and 3) work quickly in assembling the dish so the dough does not dry out before you have finished.
2. Feta cheese may be the one item on the planet that is a good deal at Whole Foods.  I get the 365 brand, which is a pound for about $6.99.  I can spend 2-3 times that if I buy it at Harris Teeter, and it's not as good.
3. Over the years, I have learned to cut the squares a bit smaller.  A small piece of spanakopita is actually quite filling.
4. I can only find the #4 phyllo at a Greek store.  If I don't have time to go to the Greek store, which is not convenient to my home, I get whatever I find in the freezer section of the grocery store and it always works just fine.
5. You can use the same recipe to make spanakopita triangles intead of the pan version.  Just cut the phyllo sheets into halves or thirds lengthwise, place a spoonful of the mixture at one end and folding it to create the triangle.  There are numerous videos on YouTube illustrating this, but if you ever folded a note into a football before passing it to a friend as a child, the technique is almost exactly the same.
6. This freezes well both before and after baking.  I've assembled and frozen it several times and then baked it the day I wished to serve it. I make it frequently when visiting my grandmother in Florida and she quickly puts the lion's share of the cooked dish into the freezer for later enjoyment.

I love magazines.  In the past, I used to get anywhere from 10-20 a month, most of which were fashion, cooking or lifestyle magazines.  At a certain point, I realized that I did not have time to read them all and it was becoming difficult to handle the sheer volume of paper around the house, so I reduced my subscriptions to about 3-4, and tablet-editions only.  The problem with the tablet editions, is that the new issue often arrives, and I don't even notice, so when I finally think to open the app, I have months of unread magazines with no time to work my way through them.  

Just when I had resigned myself to abandoning my love of magazines, I discovered Texture, which has been described as a Netflix for magazines.  What a revelation!  With Texture, you pay a monthly fee ($9.99 for access to monthly magazines and $14.99 for monthly and weekly magazines) and can access them through an app on iPhone or iPad.  You can download the app on up to 5 devices, meaning you can share the account with others members of the family.

Since I downloaded the app earlier this week, I have read the just-released new interview with Jennifer Garner in Vanity Fair, where she discusses the breakup of her marriage to Ben Affleck, played the voyeur as I perused the interiors of Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian's homes in Architectural Digest, got tips for launching a business from Money and gained inspiration from runners, who have recovered from injuries to come back better than ever in Running Times.  I love the ability to pick and choose one article in a publication without the guilt I used to feel if I did not read each of my magazines from cover to cover.

Texture offers a 14-day free trial for basic or premium service.  If you are a magazine lover, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

When I was 15, I spent a summer in Israel where I learned to make hummus.  I've been making that same recipe frequently for almost 30 years and it's a good one.  I've gotten a lot of compliments. It was certainly preferable to store bought hummus, but it never lived up to restaurant hummus.  The garlic was too pronounced, and the tehini under-represented.

I recently discovered a new way of making hummus, and it's so much better that I had to share it.  This recipe, taken from Michael Solomonov's Zahav cook book, is divine.  I recently made a batch to share with my sister and brother-in-law when they were in town and between four of us, we ate the entire bowl in one sitting (and then we went out to dinner).  The secret is to start by making tahini sauce.  I'll confess, I use canned chick peas for this, and I also reduce the proportions (see notes following the recipe), as I prefer to make it more often and enjoy it at its peak freshness.  Here's the receipe as listed in the New York Times:

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Juice of 1 1/2 large lemons (about 1/3 cup), more to taste
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
• 1 cup tahini sauce (see recipe in step 5 below)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin, more to taste
• Paprika, olive oil and fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

1. In a bowl, cover chickpeas by at least 2 inches of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. In a medium pot, cover soaked chickpeas by at least 4 inches of water. 
3. Add the remaining teaspoon baking soda and bring to a boil over high heat. 
4. Reduce heat to medium high and let cook at a vigorous simmer until chickpeas are quite soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Overcooked chickpeas are the secret to creamy hummus, so don’t worry if they start to break down a little.) Drain.
5. While chickpeas are cooking, make the tahini sauce. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let mixture sit 10 minutes. Add tahini, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cumin, and blend until a thick paste forms. Add 1/3 to 2/3 cup ice water while blender is running, a little at a time, until sauce is smooth. You’re looking for a perfectly smooth, creamy sauce.
6. Add the warm, drained chickpeas to blender with tahini mixture. 
7. Blend until perfectly smooth and not at all grainy, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl occasionally. This blending may take upward of about 2 minutes; just keep going until the mixture is ultra creamy and fluffy, adding a little water if you need it to make the contents of the blender move. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt, lemon juice and/or cumin as needed.
8. To serve, spread the hummus on a plate, dust with paprika, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.  

Notes:  

One cup of dried chick peas yields about 3 cups of cooked chick peas.  I usually halve this recipe because I like to make a fresh batch of hummus every other day or so.  I do the same thing when making the tahini sauce, as the recipe in the cookbook makes a large portion.  The tahini sauce recipe is already reduced to make a single portion in the recipe above, but here is how I reduce the hummus recipe:

• One 15 ounce can chick peas (drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup tahini sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

I also drizzle a little bit of olive oil into the chute on the food processor while the hummus is processing, which helps to achieve the smooth consistency that I love so much.  In my opinion, this is the perfect recipe for Valentine's or any other day because hummus is love.

This is a combination product review and recipe, because I made a delicious breakfast sandwich with fresh ingredients at work yesterday, and I did it without a stove or oven.  How?  I used the Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker that my sister Katie gave me as a gift years ago.  I discovered it last week while organizing some cabinets in my kitchen, and knew immediately that it was the answer to my weekday breakfast dilemma.  I've been hitting the gym before work lately, which means I cannot make breakfast at home, and I hate to spend the money to buy breakfast each day.  It adds up financially and it is not always easy to find healthy options.  I've had more than my share of English muffins with peanut butter, cereal and oatmeal prepared in the office toaster and microwave over the years so the thought of a hot, fresh breakfast sandwich had great appeal.

Ingredients

• Light English Muffin
• 1 Slice Canadian Bacon
• 1 Slice American Cheese
• 1 Egg

Instructions

1.  Plug in the Sandwich Maker and let it heat up for approximately 5 minutes, until the light turns green.
2. In the bottom of the sandwich maker, place the bottom of the English muffin followed by the cheese and Canadian bacon.
3. Crack the egg onto the cooking plate and use a fork to pierce the yolk.
4. Place the top of the English muffin on top of the egg and close the top of the sandwich maker.
5. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Using the handle, swing the cooking plate to the side.
7. Using the bottom handle, lift the cooking apparatus up (take care as it is hot) and using a spatula, slide the delicious sandwich onto a plate and enjoy.

I so enjoyed my tasty sandwich, that my boss also made one.  Next week I plan to try it with spinach, mushroom and Gruyere.  The Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker is available at Target and other stores and retails for about $25.

I think my sister Katie was the first to make this recipe, which I quickly adopted as one of my regular dishes.  The blizzard impeded our ability to take care of our oven issue, so I am still cooking on the stove, and, I am pleased to say, still cooking from the mother load of groceries that I stockpiled prior to Snowzilla.  On the menu tonight was Michael Chiarello's Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans, which when made with frozen (raw) shrimp and canned diced tomatoes and canned beans, is another meal that can be made with ingredients that you have on hand. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups canned Cannelloni white beans
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 16 large shrimp, peeled (tail left on) and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 small serrano chile, thinly sliced or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 cup peeled, seeded and diced fresh tomato, canned or fresh
• 1 cup whole basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Best-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Drain the beans over a bowl and reserve the liquid. Put the white beans in a large skillet with just enough of their liquid to moisten them. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and bring the beans to a low simmer. Keep them warm while you prepare the shrimp.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook for about 1 minute, tossing frequently. Remove the shrimp with tongs to a bowl.
3. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until the garlic browns.
4. Add the serrano chile or chili flakes and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomato and basil and stir briefly, then add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook for about 1 minute, and then stir in the shrimp. Toss well and cook briefly to reheat the shrimp. Remove the shrimp mixture to a plate and sprinkle with parsley.
7. Spoon the white beans on a platter or individual plates. Drizzle them with the best olive oil you have, and then top with the shrimp. Serve warm.

Notes:  

• I don't mess with the serrano chile.  Chili flakes work perfectly, but I do add a little bit more than 1/2 teaspoon.
• I prefer canned diced tomatoes with Italian herbs for this recipe.  The canned tomatoes make more of a sauce than fresh tomatoes.

In my opinion, there are few things as simple and delicious as a Spanish Tortilla.  This savory slice of egg and potato heaven can be served at room temperature or warm and, with a salad, is hearty enough for dinner.  Best of all, it's made on the stove-top, so it's perfect for this week, when our oven is on the fritz.

I've been making these for years and stick fairly close, with one important modification, to the first recipe I ever tried, from Sarah Jay as featured in Fine Cooking:

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups vegetable oil for frying (I use plain olive oil, but never a great extra-virgin)
• 1-3/4 lb. (about 5 medium) low- to medium-starch potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled
• 2-1/4 tsp. coarse salt
• 12 to 14 oz. onions (2 to 3 medium), diced
• 5 medium cloves garlic, very coarsely chopped (optional)
• 6 large eggs
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. In a 10-1/2-inch nonstick skillet that's at least 1-1/2 inches deep, heat the oil on medium high. While the oil is heating, slice the potatoes thinly, about 1/8 inch. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle on 2 tsp. of the salt, tossing to distribute it well.
2. When the oil is very hot (a potato slice will sizzle vigorously around the edges without browning), gently slip the potatoes into the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the potatoes, turning occasionally (trying not to break them) and adjusting the heat so they sizzle but don't crisp or brown. Set a sieve over a bowl or else line a plate with paper towels. When the potatoes are tender, after 10 to 12 minutes, transfer them with the skimmer to the sieve or lined plate.
3. Add the onions and garlic (if using) to the pan. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and translucent but not browned (you might need to lower the heat), 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, using the skimmer, transfer the onions and garlic to the sieve or plate with the potatoes. Drain the oil from the skillet, reserving at least 1 Tbs. (strain the rest and reserve to use again, if you like) and wipe out the pan with a paper towel so it's clean. Scrape out any stuck-on bits, if necessary.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and the pepper (if using) with a fork until blended. Add the drained potatoes, onions, and garlic and mix gently to combine with the egg, trying not to break the potatoes (some will anyway).
5. Heat the skillet on medium high. Add the 1 Tbs. reserved oil. Let the pan and oil get very hot (important so the eggs don't stick), and then pour in the potato and egg mixture, spreading it evenly. Cook for 1 minute and then lower the heat to medium low, cooking until the eggs are completely set at the edges, halfway set in the center, and the tortilla easily slips around in the pan when you give it a shake, 8 to 10 minutes. You may need to nudge the tortilla loose with a knife or spatula.
6. Set a flat, rimless plate that's at least as wide as the skillet upside down over the pan. Lift the skillet off the burner and, with one hand against the plate and the other holding the skillet's handle, invert the skillet so the tortilla lands on the plate (it should fall right out). (See How to do the flip for photos of this process.) Set the pan back on the heat and slide the tortilla into it, using the skimmer to push any stray potatoes back in under the eggs as the tortilla slides off the plate. Once the tortilla is back in the pan, tuck the edges in and under itself (to neaten the sides). Cook until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, hot, and with no uncooked egg on it, another 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Transfer the tortilla to a serving platter and let cool at least 10 minutes. Serve warm, at room temperature, or slightly cool. Cut into wedges or small squares, sticking a toothpick in each square if serving as an appetizer.

Modifications:

• I don't really like to fry things, so I boil yukon gold potatoes whole until tender, and then peel and chill them.  Once cold, I carefully slice them thin.  This also cuts down a bit on your active cook time.
• Since you are not using the quantity of oil needed for frying, you just transfer the onions to a plate, wipe out the skillet and then add a little oil to coat before beginning to cook the eggs.
• If I am not in the mood to chop garlic, I add a little garlic powder when cooking the onions.  
• I like a thicker tortilla, so I use 8 eggs instead of 6.
• Rather than adding the potatoes to the egg mixture before cooking, I let the egg cook slightly (until the edges are just set) and then lay the sliced potatoes into the eggs in an even layer.
• I like to serve this with a romaine salad with a garlicky dressing, similar to a Caesar, and fresh bread.

Growing up, chicken soup was the go-to cure for a lot of ailments.  But in the last few years, I have gradually moved toward another soup - avgolemono- when I have a cold or flu.  The chicken broth base, plus a punch of Vitamin C-rich lemon juice and protein-packed egg actually makes me feel like I am getting better faster.  First, I have a confession to make: I use prepared broth for this.  I'm enough of a traditionalist that if I make chicken broth from scratch, I am eating chicken soup, so I don't worry about making my own broth for this.  The use of pre-made broth also means that I can often make this based on what I already have on hand in the pantry (or if you live in a condo like I do - the cabinet that has been designated as a pantry) and fridge.

For years, I made this from the recipe that I scribbled down while I watched my husband's grandmother make it once when we were visiting.  It always tasted good, but it lacked the thickness that hers had.  Two summers ago when I was visiting my grandparents, I added to the number of eggs to provide my grandfather with some extra protein and was thrilled to see that it made the thick, creamy soup that I wanted.  In searching through some online recipes after that, I found one on Epicurious, that mirrored the proportions that had worked so well for me:

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup uncooked orzo (or rice or pastina)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.
2. Add the orzo, rice, or pastina and cook until tender but still al dente, about 7 minutes (20, if using rice). Season with the salt and pepper and reduce heat to low; simmer.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
4. Ladle about 1 cup of the hot broth into the egg-and-lemon mixture, then whisk to combine.
5. Add the mixture back to the simmering saucepan. Stir just until the soup becomes opaque and thickens as the eggs cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

Notes: 

• You can increase this recipe easily for a crowd, just keep the same ratio: 4 cups broth to 3 eggs/tablespoons of lemon juice.
• I find it is easier to temper the egg lemon mixture (this is when you put the cup of hot broth into it) and to return it to the pot without scalding the eggs if I leave them out on the counter to warm up to room temperature while the orzo cooks.  I also stir the soup for at least 5 minutes once after adding the egg mixture back in.
• I add a good bit of salt and pepper while stirring, and then fresh ground pepper when serving.
• If I have rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breasts or thighs in the house, I chop them and place a little in each bowl before ladling the hot soup in.
• This recipe can easily be made gluten free by using rice instead of orzo, just plan for the fact that it will take longer for the rice to cook.

I'm a little late, but still wanted to post a quick review of the last book I read as part of the December Project, and to provide some overall thoughts on how I spent the month.  Also, my book club is considering The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah as a future selection, which will be voted on tonight, so I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts on the book.  

I've read numerous books that focus on the plight of women in occupied France during World War II (All the Light We Cannot See, The Girl You Left Behind are just two recent examples), so while I had heard good things, and had purchased this on sale for $1.99, I was not in a rush to read it. As December drew to a close and I looked back on what I had read that month and throughout the year, I decided I really wanted to end the year with a book that was published in 2015, so I picked up The Nightingale.  I'm so glad that I did.

This book focuses on two sisters, and the ways in which they use their skills to resist the occupying German forces.  I love anything about sisters, and the addition of a little girl power only made me like this more.  As I mentioned in my Book List - 2015 post, where I named the top 10 books I read in 2015, this book managed to both surprise me (difficult), and to make me cry (easy).  I recommend it highly.

I managed to read five books during the December Project, which did not put much of a dent into the unread books that were already in my Kindle Library (of course, that did not stop me from buying more during all of the holiday sales).  Of the five, two made it into my top ten list, and the other three, including Mindy Kaling's latest - which became available from my library queue and does not really meet the parameters of the project - were enjoyable reads.  For 2016, I think I will try to do a better job of reading through some of my Kindle Library on an ongoing basis, instead of dedicating one month to it.  There are certainly some excellent books hiding in there, but I know I need to be flexible enough to read new releases and library books as they become available throughout the year.

A  recent batch of homemade ricotta (recipe here) turned out to be larger than expected (likely due to the use of really good dairy products from local purveyors).  The ricotta is good for about a week but I try to use it within three or so days for maximum freshness.  I'd promised to bring a dessert to my friend Julie's house, and wondered if I might be able to find a recipe that incorporated ricotta.  I turned to Food52, which is my go-to recipe site, and found the following recipe, by Jennifer Wagner, for Louisa's Cake:

Louisa's Cake

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1  cup fresh ricotta
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 apple, peeled and grated (should yield about 1 cup)
• Confectioners' sugar for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400.
2. Butter and flour a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy.
4. On the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time.
5. Slowly add the flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest, baking powder and apple.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan.
7. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
8. Turn the cake out of the pan and cool completely on the rack.
9. Sift powder sugar over top or serve with your favorite seasonal fruit.

I've always wanted to make my own cheese.  After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle years ago, I thought I might try mozzarella, but I needed to procure rennet in order to do so, and it just never happened.  So, when I read Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage by Molly Wizenberg last year, which included a recipe for homemade ricotta cheese, I knew I had to try it.  With this recipe, it's surprisingly easy to make your own pillowy, creamy ricotta:

Homemade Ricotta Cheese, from Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage

Ingredients

• 6.5 cups whole milk
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

1. In a heavy 5 quart pot, combine the milk, cream and buttermilk.  
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.  
3. Using a candy thermometer, check the temperature frequently, and when it reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit, stop stirring.  
4. Continue to cook until the curds and whey separate (the curds are the white clumps and the whey is the clear liquid). You can gently drag a spoon through the mixture to see how the curds are coming along.
5. Remove from heat and set aside at room temperature to allow the curds to strengthen.
6. Set a wide strainer over a large bowl or in the sink and line with two layers of cheesecloth.  Ladle the curds into the cheesecloth (do not press down on the curds).  
7. Allow all of the whey to drain out to your preferred consistency (ricotta will become firmer as it drains longer).  
8. Stir in the salt, adding more to taste.