ROASTED

There was a pattern I wanted to knit. And there was wool I wanted to use - a Brooks Farm Four Play in Picante 3 colourway I've had lying in stash for a long time. I fidgeted a little between which pattern for which wool and when, and then made a decision sometime yesterday afternoon while fretting about what my heart desired to do next.

I first saw this pattern knit up at Carson's blog - a lovely light grey yarn with a great stitch definition, and a wonderful fold technique. She said it was easy and quick, and to be honest, that swayed it for me too. I wanted a nice easy knit, to fill in a few days while I really decided what I started next. The colours are lovely and warm - a mix of roasted reds, browns, oranges and corals, and the wool/silk mix is soft and gentle with the colours. I love the way this yarn knits up. I've used it before and really enjoyed it then as well. And this little pattern is so lovely - it is indeed quick, and if I wasn't here blogging I'd have it finished tonight, and I only started it yesterday. To hell with cleaning up the sewing room, I did say to myself.

To go with the colour theme, we had roast pumpkin risotto for dinner:
Chop half a pumpkin into large chunks, drizzle with olive oil and some honey, roast till just soft. Meanwhile sauté half a cup of risotto rice in a pan till the rice is transparent (about a minute), and slowly add a cup of watered down chicken stock that has heated in a seperate pan (about 1.5litres). As the liquid is absorbed by the rice, add a further cup of stock, and so on. When the rice is about 2/3rds cooked, add the pumpkin and it's caramelised juices from the roast tin. Add fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Just before the rice is cooked, add a small handful of crumbled persian feta and let it melt in. The pumpkin will have crushed down as you stirred the risotto continuously while adding the stock, but some pieces will remain bite sized which is extra good and roasty. Serve to small children in colourful bowls as is, and adults in white bowls with more black pepper and more feta. Finish with a slice of fresh panettone and slices of white peaches.

The scarf should be served on a cool day against a black outfit in a country far, far away.

Comments

[kirsten]

righteo. i know what is on next week's menu, thank you very much. mmm. i haven't had feta in too long. and the colour of your wool is fabulous. should be perfect served as you suggested...

[di]

Mmm gosh I haven't made Risotto for ages- you have me inspired to make yours- it sounds delicious. I'm inspired about that scarf too.

[Shula]

Only at 6.5 stitches would you find a recipe that includes bowl colour.

Aesthetics are an integral part of food service, I know, I know.

But I still laughed my head off.

[ali]

mmm...sounds delicious...both the yarn and the risotto :)

[kate]

I make that risotto too.

If you happen to be making it with a child who Will Not Be Ignored hanging around your legs, I have a pumpkin risotto hack:

Roast onions and garlic with the pumpkin, put rice and stock in the rice cooker (where you can forget it without burning the bottom of your saucepans). When the onions and garlic are cooked slice them up more finely, add onions, garlic and pumpkin to the rice when it's nearly cooked. Serve in whatever is clean, remember the fetta at the last minute and add that too, accompanied by bread and a glass of water for He Who Will Not Be Ignored, and wine for the grown ups.

It's not quite the same, but it's still very nice.

[Carson]

Bainbridge is a 10/10-er as far as satisfying knits go : lovely yarn choice for it too : very roasty-toasty and very redolent of Northern Hemisphere firesides or Autumnal Walks.
Seriously sometimes I think if it wasn't for risotto I would starve to death.

[Heidi]

yum on both. probably could make the risotto with butternut squash too...I just downloaded the scarf pattern and will be starting that this weekend...I have some soft, buttery yellow silk that might work...or jeepers, I made need to hit the yarn store!

[Camilla]

Wow. I sooo want to dig my fingers into that scarf! I have some Manos wasting away to wool-dust (er, I guess that'd be *lint*) and thought I'd make my mom a scarf, so, perhaps tonight (and it's already 9:30 pm) I'll make a go of it. Having never cooked risotto 'successfully', I think I'll give your recipe a go, though the butternut squash is probably more my speed. It's been a 2mg xanax day, weaning a grouchy toddler from his "ba". On second thought, perhaps knitting 'intoxicated' would be a hideous waste of wool-lint right now. You go have a creative and glorious day... I gotta go lie down *slides under computer desk*... Cami

[Michele]

gorgeous color, going to be very flattering to wear.

[joyce]

can't wait to see it finished!
mmmm...risotto!

[filambulle]

I was writing amazingly clever and fun blog posts in my head all last year too. Now I don't even do that anymore. I feel a little relieved in truth. Highschool on top of work and three little children makes enough good excuses to be a lousy blogger!
But it will get better, for you too. Any way your photos are beautiful enough to stun us and transforum us into stone. No need to talk when you add amazing light, lovely wool, nice deep colour, clever and beautiful pattern and a charming girl on top of this!
xos

[amisha]

that risotto has my mouth watering... e is not a risotto fan (horrors!) so i think i should find some small silver lining in the long-distance times and make it more often, just for me. roasted pumpkin... mmmm. and so perfectly suited to the delicious colors of that scarf. xox