Patrice Lehocky

Dehydration Experiment - Salt & Vinegar Chips

2012-02-21T12:13:00.001-05:00

Here we go:
Original recipe:
3-4 regular potatoes
Raw apple cider vinegar
Himalayan crystal salt
Place potatoes (peeled + sliced) in a large bowl with enough apple cider vinegar to cover them, soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain chips and lay flat on mesh screen, sprinkle with salt. Dehydrate at 105°F for 5-10 hours or until crispy.

How I made them:
3 medium potatoes. So I thought I bought regular potatoes, but they had more of a purpley-skin, white innards and were hard to slice like a sweet potato. Then I bought 3 actual potatoes, they turned out much better.
Roughly peeled them, sliced them in the food processor.
Added them to a bowl, sprinkling Braggs apple cider vinegar and a bit of (my guilty pleasure)Nature's Seasoning on every layer.
Let sit for 1-2 hrs turning every so often.
Put on the dehydrator sheets overnight.
PS It smells like vinegar on the 2nd floor of the house from these....

Leeks

2012-02-19T13:06:00.001-05:00

They were a bit much to be eaten as 'leek chips' but provided great flavor to cheddar scones I made with spent beer grains.

Parsnip 'sushi'

2012-02-17T12:50:00.002-05:00

Nori Rolls with Ginger Sunflower Pate from the The Sunny Raw Kitchen. Their cookbook was the first raw book that I bought and everything has been amazing.

The rolls were made with a ginger sunflower pate, parsnip 'rice' and assorted fillings. I'm finding out that I'm not the biggest fan of parsnips (I believe that this was the first time I've had them, definitely the first time I had purchased them) but enough pickled ginger on anything makes it amazing!

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PARSNIP ‘RICE’
2 cups peeled and roughly chopped parsnip
1 medium garlic clove
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Process the parsnip and garlic in a food processor until a rice-like consistency is achieved. Add the pine nuts and salt and process some more.

30 days

2012-02-15T11:56:00.004-05:00

The new year has begun a bit stressful and I haven't been too motivated. I haven't been able to get myself into the pool and my work schedule hasn't allowed me to go to spinning as much as I'd like. So I'm going to join in with a few other bloggers for a 30 day yoga challenge.

I've committed to practice yoga for 30 days, on good days and bad, taking time to leave space to exercise and feel energized. I feel like this is the best choice of exercise for me, I have been wanting to make it second nature for some time now, and there is no better time to start than now.

I'm also adding 20 minutes of cycling a day to my challenge. There's really no reason that I'm not cycling to work and it really improves my mood.

Happy V Day

2012-02-14T09:39:00.002-05:00

East End Graffiti, originally uploaded by Petie_in_Cbus.

Neighbours, Brothers Drake Meadery

2012-02-13T12:45:00.006-05:00

Neighbours at Brothers Drake
The drummer is an old college/indymedia friend (here) so I felt like I should try ye'new camera out.
First time shooting a band with the new camera. Still struggling with the flash but discovered that the camera records pretty decent sound with the video.

Sarah and I split a sampler, all were tasty but the hop infused mead is still my favorite. The owner had us try shots of the habanero mead and the $3 bowl of soup hit the spot.

Also, it was difficult to shoot inside the Meadery and not have it look like a house show.

beets beets beets beets

2012-02-12T19:54:00.001-05:00

Having just discovered beets a few years ago when we kept getting bunches in the weekly farmshare, I am making up for those lost 20+ years. I could eat pickled beets everyday, and have them most days on my salad with their brine as dressing.

Top plate holds quick-pickled beets and the bottom plate dehydrated 'beet chips'.

Next on the beet lineup is Keysir Allecha, ethiopian style beets. The recipe is from the recently gifted Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food cookzine! xgfx.

Countdown

2012-02-07T22:15:00.000-05:00

Whoah, we're getting married in 52 days.

Barry Roubaix in 45 days. Holy shit, I gotta get on the bike.

less than 60 days...

2012-02-01T07:53:00.000-05:00

Decisions were made and items acquired in the last four days. It's getting real now. Whoah.

ring by Morgan's Treasures, invites by Poshta Designs

Bokeh experiments

2012-01-24T18:50:00.000-05:00

So after a holiday season passing and amazing images posted on the DPS blog about beautiful xmas images, I wanted to give it a go. Grant it, I feel like I have a decent 'eye' but poor technique. For some reason it's really difficult for me to correlate and remember all my aperture, f-stop, lens, iso, etc data about an image (maybe if I could somehow import it into excel...) so at first the bokeh techniques weren't working for me. I even made my dad watch the tutorial on it, but the physics were still getting me.

So I gave up on my DIY cover and bought the kit from photodojo. Turns out that it wasn't much more advanced than my cardboard version, but there was something reassuring that someone was actually selling (and providing help and guaranteeing this setup).

So without further ado, I bring to you my vintage Annalee mice and my poor Bokeh attempt. Pentax K-R with stock 18-55mm lens

So the filters are presented bottom right, to top right then top left then bottom left of the mouse...

Man

Arrow:

Fleur de lis

Annnnddd this was a test shot with not filter....

Star:

heart

hazard sign:

Overall, I think it was a photography bummer

Mass Worm Suicide Attempt

2012-01-21T22:57:00.000-05:00

So years ago I fell in love with Ken and Amy's vermicomposting table and made a crude version-

I used a table purchased from an Amish furniture supplier, ground covering fabric from a remediation job in Dayton, a plexiglass cover that was melted subsequently after installing, worms from amazon.com, no LCD screen or IR camera... but I loved it.

The system wasn't perfect- it was difficult to keep it moist and has sat without tenants for the last few years.

I got a new batch of worms this week and threw them in there last night- though I didn't inspect the bottom of the bag...

Originally I had stitched coco coir twine in the bottom to be able to open and close it- it never worked all that well and remained closed all the time. But, the twine had degraded a bit and there was an opening. I had lined the bottom with a trash bag to try and keep moisture in this time before putting the worms in. So they had to climb up the bag, over it, then down and out of the opening to escape. They REALLY wanted out and about 5% made it out. Then they shriveled and perished. It was pretty sad.

So later in the day (after a few more had escaped) I pulled out the trusty awl, we stitched up the bottom, then I lined it with a 1/4 of a trash bag then a corner of a couch-cushion cover that we replaced earlier in the day. Added a dead potted basil plant that was on a window sil and scraps from breakfast.

Hopefully they will love this new set-up!

so sad:

New Years Day Traditions

2012-01-04T22:57:00.000-05:00

Laminated Love. And the card it came in contained a Richard Feynman quote. Love me some Feynman

I had a bit of a seitan failure over Xmas, so we weren't able to get 'sausage' texture, and it was a bit salty, but worked perfectly fried up with the kraut and carrots for a quick (we lounged around snacking all day, not really in the mood for dinner, but around 11pm, I was too nervous our year wouldn't be lucky, so quickly made it up)

We typically eat asian fare NYE, lucky noodles and such, but we actually partied this year. whoah!

2011 in iphone pics

2012-01-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

first hike of the new year

bought a car, got it towed

hit the beach with friends and family

tough spots and family

climbed a bit in vegas, golfed a bit in naples

adventure race and a Rev3 tri

made some stuff, zombies bought it

got some glasses, lost them at Chris's wedding

pretty much took the year off from exercising and eating well, but still pulled off TOSRV, Pelotonia and an awesome 630 mile bike ride

holidays with friends and family

cross season and pinball bikerides

cats

one of us turned 40, one of us 30, and whoah, we got engaged

So Happy New Year!

What's on the 2012 horizon?

driving less, getting back in the pool and on the climbing walls, Barry Roubaix with the Jeni's ladies, a wedding, a bikeride from Cbus to New Orleans (hopefully to Austin!), veganism and cooking, learning my new camera, at least two triathlons this spring/summer, fun bikerides, family & friends time.

Annual Holiday Garage Party

2011-12-27T21:52:00.000-05:00

A few candid shots from a holiday party.

I feel like the images from this camera aren't sharp though. I'm still learning the camera, but struggling with the crispness.

I should have shot with a smaller aperture, but I feel like I'm getting the hang of the attach shoe-mounted flash.

holiday set

Holiday Gift Time!

2011-12-02T11:54:00.000-05:00

It's holiday gift-giving time!

I'll be at the North Market Holiday Open House and Craft Extravaganza Saturday from 8-5.

But for this holiday season, I'm offering custom 1x1 or 1x3 pendants through my etsy shop!

Items that make great pieces:

Vintage family photo as a gift for relatives

Pressed flowers from your wedding as a gift for bridesmades

Fabric from favorite childhood blanket

Travel photos

Macro photos from your garden

Ridiculous photo from a fun night out as a gag gift for a friend

Anything flat!

So swing my my etsy store and get your gift shopping on!

Thanksgiving at home

2011-12-01T17:19:00.003-05:00

1/2 of the crew headed to Philly to see a new baby, so it was a relatively quiet Thanksgiving. But there was tofukey success and good times had by all. On Friday we made vegan bratwurst, but that tale is for another day...

Now for the out takes!

Thanksgiving Outtakes

2011-12-01T08:12:00.001-05:00

Swinging Door

2011-11-25T11:29:00.000-05:00

Swinging Door Tavern, Cleveland

portrait model

2011-11-24T10:55:00.001-05:00

so it's been kinda dreary outside and I've still been trying to get used to the new camera settings and flash, so I give you some mediocre cat shots.

Stock lens, manual mode with a Vivitar 2800 flash in the "red setting" at 45 & 60 degrees

Pickles!

2011-11-23T20:54:00.010-05:00

A few weeks ago, 'uncle steve' once again let us pick through his out-of-season pepper garden after the Cap City cyclocross race extravaganza.

The following week I canned the peppers as a mixed pickle medley (it seemed that some of the pepper may have been a bit past their prime to can alone, and damn, I love me some pickled carrots).

Well, the results have been delicious and much more economical than the pickles from the Kroger Olive bar....

I just followed one of the standard recipes from the Ball Book of Preserving. It's a relatively small collection of traditional recipes, but I always come back to it as an easy, reliable standard, using common ingredients.

Weekend activities

2011-11-19T12:42:00.002-05:00

brewin, originally uploaded by Petie_in_Cbus.

the elusive shark cat

2011-11-14T13:46:00.012-05:00

stock 18-55mm lens, mix of auto portrait mode and Av with auto WB.
Pretty happy with the colors, the sun was rapidly going down during the shots.

Was hoping to try out my new Ring flash adapter just to find out that my flash no longer works. So sad, it was my dad's, pre-my existence. I remember playing with it all growing up- made such a cool sound as it was charging up and when it went off.

Kitchen plants

2011-11-13T19:32:00.003-05:00

Pentax K-r, stock lens, +2 & +1 macro filters

they seem pretty noisy, but it was night & the light is pretty low in there

Kitchen study

2011-11-12T21:33:00.003-05:00

Testing out the new Pentax K-r.

Mainly used the crossprocessing filters, automacro mode, stock lens, except for 5th row left, used an old Ruski fisheye. Impressed with the colors- it was night and the kitchen has a large flouro light & 2 small incandescents.

Newest addition...

2011-11-07T15:49:00.002-05:00

Pentax K-r!

I had been using a Pentax i*ist DS since early 2005, but about 2 years ago the light meter started to go.

Now mind you, I'm rough on things- to say the least- this camera had been drug around, dropped in ice & choss heaps, running in the streets, and in particular - left outside overnight during a thunderstorm. It spent a few weeks in a rice bag, and seemed fine immediately after.

I had the innards replaced in the spring, but it didn't correct the problem. The lightmeter wasn't correctly functioning- shots would be yellowtoned, and the dial didn't function properly to set the aperture or the speed at the same time.

So I bit the bullet and caved for a new Pentax. It was a bit hard to pass on the new models of compact DSLRs, but the cost was a bit much, considering I have a stash of regular Pentax lenses.

So behold! The new (silly red) camera!