• home
    • All
    • Aprons
    • Flounces
    • Gift Cards
    • Limited Editions
    • Shopping Cart
  • Blog
  • Cook
  • Make
    • about
    • press
  • contact
Menu

thread & whisk

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
traditional spirit ・ modern object

thread & whisk

  • home
  • SHOP
    • All
    • Aprons
    • Flounces
    • Gift Cards
    • Limited Editions
    • Shopping Cart
  • Blog
  • Cook
  • Make
  • About
    • about
    • press
  • contact
IMG_3225.JPG

Blog

Simple and elegant recipes & innovative and inspiring project ideas on threadandwhisk.com 

One Dish Fish

March 21, 2018 Meri Kemp
 Fresh from the oven to the table (don't forget the oven mitts and trivet), this simple-to-make one pot meal combines the flavors of cod, tomatoes, olives, onion and oh-so-caramelized potatoes. YUM!

Sometimes the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.  One dish meals have a way of creating new flavors that you can't arrive at unless all of your ingredients mingle and bring out the best in one another.  We love this Cast Iron Skillet Baked Fish both for its minimal ingredients and the straightforward process in which you prepare it.  Practically any white fish will do - we used True Cod here.  When it's baked with the tomatoes, both of them let off natural juices that do something special to the flavor of the potatoes.  Yeah, those potatoes are the soul of this dish.  They are tender, creamy and caramelized in each bite.  Briny olives and fresh herbs punctuate the meal at just the right moments.

Potato and Onions in skillet
Fish and tomato/olive mixture
Skillet fish and potatoes meal

This recipe can go from the oven to your table in a few easy steps.  (Don't forget the oven mitts and trivet!)  Begin by preheating the oven (and your oven-proof skillet) while slicing up the potatoes and onion.  Prepare the fish, tomato and olives while the potatoes get a head start in the oven.  Then, while everything goes back into the oven together, you have a few minutes to wipe off the counter and pour a glass of wine.

 Serving up some fish, caramelized potatoes, olives and tomatoes straight from the skillet at the table.  With some crusty bread to sop up the juices, this is a simple and delicious one pot meal.

Slow food made fast is how we think of this recipe.  The rustic flavors that come together in the oven seem like they ought to have taken longer to produce.  The added bonus is that this dish can also be scaled up to accommodate last minute dinner guests by adding a few more potatoes.  Don't forget the crusty loaf of bread to wipe up every last bit of magic in the pan.

Cast Iron Skillet Baked Fish

(serves 4)
A cast iron skillet or roasting pan is ideal for this recipe.  Make sure the pan is not too large.  It’s ok if the potatoes are a little crowded, but if the pan is too big and your ingredients spread out too far, all the yummy juices will evaporate.  A 12 inch skillet is ideal for the measurements listed here.  Another key to this recipe is high quality extra virgin olive oil and using enough of it.  The amount listed here is a guideline.  If you think it needs an extra glug, go for it.

INGREDIENTS
4-6 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch slices
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided (more if needed)
1 lb cod or halibut fillets, portioned into 3-4 oz servings
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (yellow grape tomatoes shown in photo) 
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 Tbsp fresh chervil, roughly chopped (basil or parsley can be substituted)
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place cast iron skillet or other oven-proof pan in oven to heat up. 

Combine potatoes and onions in bowl.  Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil, toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove skillet from oven and transfer potato mixture into skillet.  Return to oven.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes.  

Remove skillet from oven.  Using a spatula, toss the potatoes and scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the potatoes from sticking.  It’s ok if the potatoes break up a bit.  Continue to bake for about 10 minutes while preparing fish.

Place fish on plate and drizzle about 1 Tbsp olive oil over each piece.  Season with salt and pepper.  Combine tomatoes, olives and herbs in small bowl and drizzle with remaining olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Remove skillet from oven.  Using a spatula, scrape the potatoes off the bottom of the skillet again and hollow out a few spots to place the fish.  Add the tomato and olive mixture over the fish and return to the oven.  Continue baking until fish is cooked through.  This will depend on the thickness of the fish.  After 15 minutes, check for doneness by poking the fish with a knife to see if it flakes easily. 

***print button.jpg
Comment

Grace's Nip and Tuck

March 14, 2018 Meri Kemp
nat-natural-star-petite-lighter.jpg

Have you heard?  Grace had a nip and tuck.  No, not that kind!  We've trimmed down our regular-sized Grace Apron to offer our petite customers a size that makes them feel more comfortable.  It's no secret, we all come in different shapes and sizes.  Our Grace Apron is designed to fit most women, but now we offer two options to flatter even more body types.

 Thread & Whisk's Grace Apron is now offered in a petite size, for those of us who are smaller in stature.  Model at left is 5' 8", model at right is 5' 3".

The nitty-gritty of the nip and tuck job renders the Petite Grace Apron three inches shorter in length, with shorter straps.  While it fits a variety of body types beautifully, our Petite apron is ideal if you measure below 5'4" or wear up to a size 6 petite.  (Our models above are 5'8" and 5'3", respectively.)  We love hearing from our customers - that's how this all came about anyway!  If you have any specific questions about sizing, email us.

Shop the Grace Apron in both sizes and all colors

Tags Grace apron, linen apron, petite apron
Comment

Blossoms at your fingertips

February 13, 2018 Carey Portzline
  Dreaming of Spring and embroidering a japanese flower blossom inspired pouch is a great way to get through the end of winter.  We stitched up some pretty plum blossoms and our days perked up looking at all those cheerful flowers and colors!

Maybe we’re a bit eager, but a few early-flowering plum trees in our neighborhood have us daydreaming about springtime.  The blooming trees seem to offer the promise of renewal.  It’s exactly what we need to get through the last stretch of winter.  In Japan, Hanami (the cherry blossom festival) is the long-standing tradition of welcoming spring in celebration by gathering under blooming trees with friends to share food, drink and companionship.  While many parts of our country are still covered with a veil of frost, we were inspired to create this beginner embroidery project of stitched blossoms to bring some springtime optimism inside. 

 Sometime, stitching is just the thing to do to make a unique gift for someone or for yourself.  We made this little purse that is inspired by early Spring.  

Just as Hanami celebrates the temporal beauty of nature, stitching captures this wonderful moment in time when tree buds blossom and we are surrounded by that oh-so-spring color, pink.  Since it is very portable, this is a great little project for a long car ride or flight.  We started off making a large embroidered patch, then turned it into a simple little bag. You might decide to sew the patch onto a tote or use it to make a cuff bracelet.  In the end, whatever you decide on would make a great springtime gift for a someone special or for your special self. 

Starting with a washed rectangle of bright pink linen fabric, we sketched out a design, chose some natural colored threads that would feel a little "vintage" and started stitching.  We did a bit of botanical sleuthing to learn that the blooming trees in our neighborhood are formally named Prunus mume (Chinese plum or Japanese apricot).   Originating from China, many cultivars are popular and iconic in Japan, often planted outside Japanese temples.  The blossoms have five round petals and the flower colors can range from white to dark pink to red.

To start our embroidery, we sketched out some horizontal branches (with a water soluble fabric pen) to anchor our design.  Using chain stitches (click images below for close-up), we stitched those branches and then added a few contrasting leaves, first with an outline and then filling in.  To make the point of a leaf, click on For a sharp turn below.  While these trees don't actually have green leaves, we took some creative license to add a complementary pop of color.

Chainstitch Step 1
Chainstitch Step 1
Step 2
Step 2
Step 3
Step 3
Step 4
Step 4
For a sharp turn
For a sharp turn

The real fun starts when you add the blossoms.  We chose to use 3 different colors of straw silk (using Silk Road Fibers) to add highlights and lowlights.  The variations in the dyed silks give each flower unique shading, and the flatness of the straw silk provides a petal width.  Using a straight stitch to add each of the five petals is simple and pleasing.  Bring the needle up in the flower center and stitch a petal, then bring the needle up back in the center, continuing until you have 5 petals.  Sometimes stitching over the branch and sometimes near it, we started with a peachy color, then added some darker plum and then a few light pink flowers, again overlapping sometimes for depth.  Our design grew organically, just like the branches and buds of the tree.

5 Petal Flower Stitching
What to make out of this pretty patch?

Neither of these stitches is difficult, and you can add as many flowers as you want until it feels done.  If you aren’t pleased by how a flower takes shape, don't stress.  Just pull the needle off the thread, pick your stitches out and start that flower again.  Embroidering can be like painting with thread where layering is OK. Focusing on those humble little stitches can be very zen.  This stitching style is somewhere between Japanese boro and classic embroidery, allowing relaxed, imperfect stitches and surfaces where possible.

 We are headed off to Japan in our dreams and we are taking this little hand-embroidered linen bag.  It is the perfect size for our passport and a lipstick.  Pink, of course.

As mentioned, after our branches had blossomed sufficiently, we decided to give another nod to Japan textile craft by stitching up a simple little bag that can be hung from a purse strap, or from a wrist.  All simply sewn by hand, the bag is lined and has a scrap leather handle that unbuttons so that you can attach the bag to another one.  We like to imagine this as a perfect passport pouch for when we someday take that trip to Japan to soak up the early Spring blossoms in person.

Click here for an embroidery template, simple bag pattern and printable instructions.  

***print button.jpg
In Hostess Gifts, Seasonal Projects, Small Gifts, Special Occasion Gifts Tags modern embroidery, stitching, sachiko, boro stitch, handmade purse, embroidery
Comment

Vibrant & Fresh

January 25, 2018 Meri Kemp
 In the midst of winter, a vibrant citrus salad with fennel, kalamata olives, watercress, and goat cheese is a beautiful day brightener.  Add this simple and elegant salad to your menu this week using Cara Cara and blood oranges, Ruby Red grapefruit, or whatever juicy citrus you can find at your market.

A burst of color and a vibrant meal do wonders to lighten the soul on a January day.  We've been nesting indoors as the grey and drizzly days are reaching their peaks here in Oregon.  The other day, we were chatting by phone with a colleague in Florida when a certain context led her to mention "well you realize that it's about 100 degrees here every day, don't you?!”    

Drifting off into a momentary dream bubble of blue skies and warm air, we realized that everyone could benefit from a little bit of the Sunshine State-of-Mind.  Coupled with the fact that citrus season is at its peak, the thought of orange and lemon trees heavy with fruit makes us wistful. It’s funny that no matter how much technology brings us together, we remain many climates apart.  And unfortunately, you still can't pass an orange to a friend through your phone.

 Cutting citrus fruit in half illuminates the many colors and flavors available.  Try Cara Cara, blood orange, Ruby Red grapefruit or others to make a delicious Orange, Fennel and Watercress Salad.  This wil be a beautiful side dish for any meal.

So off to the grocery store to celebrate citrus on this chilly Oregon day.  Duly inspired, we have created this salad of Cara Cara and blood oranges, along with fennel and watercress to wake up your palate and brighten up your table.  Blood oranges are known for their alluring jewel tones and their sweet but tart flavor.  Cara Cara's are sweeter than regular navels and have a beautiful color comparable to Ruby Red grapefruit.  In fact, a combination of grapefruit and other navel oranges would be equally delicious for this salad. 

 Thread & Whisk's  Orange, Fennel, and Watercress salad served alongside The Impatient Foodie's Beet Ricotta Spaghetti .  Vibrant color + Complementary flavors & textures = a delicious winter meal.  A simple-to-make meal that looks and tastes restaurant quality.

Although we think this salad would be a great side dish to any main course, we decided to ride the color wave and recommend a Beet Ricotta Spaghetti recipe that we discovered at The Impatient Foodie.  Elettra Wiedemann, the founder, has a great approach to navigating her desire to marry Slow Food ideals with the realities of faced-paced life.  Her spaghetti recipe is a perfect example of her philosophy.  It is rich in flavor and satiates the appetite.  The ricotta lends a creaminess to the dish so that the skeptical diners at your table won't complain about eating beets.  (Yes, we feed some nose-crinkling eaters too.)  They'll be delighted about eating pink spaghetti.  Beyond that, it's quick and simple to cook too.  While we can't pass the platter through the computer screen, we can share the recipes.

Orange, Fennel and Watercress Salad

(Serves 4-6)

INGREDIENTS
2 blood oranges
2 Cara Cara oranges
1/4 fennel bulb
1 small bunch watercress
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

METHOD
Prepare the oranges by using a sharp knife to remove the peel and pith. Begin by slicing off both ends of each orange, then set each orange on end on a cutting board.  This keeps them from rolling away while you continue to cut away the peel in a vertical direction. If there is any pulp left in the peels, squeeze the juice into a small bowl and set aside.  Slice each orange into 5-6 horizontal discs.

Prepare the fennel bulb by cutting away any stalks or fronds.  Using a vegetable peeler, shave the entire piece of bulb into thin vertical slices.

Arrange orange slices on a platter, slightly overlapping.  Top with shaved fennel.  Arrange watercress, goat cheese and olives over oranges.  Drizzle with reserved orange juice and olive oil.  Seasons with salt and pepper.
 

***print button.jpg
In vegetarian, lunch, dinner, appetizers Tags orange, blood orange, cara cara oranges, fennel, watercress, winter citrus calad
Comment
Older Posts →
 
 

Keep in touch for the latest news and updates.

Welcome and thanks for subscribing to threadandwhisk.com. 
Rest assured, we will not flood your inbox. 
Hopefully, we will inspire you to try new things. 


shop-grace-for-sidebar.jpg


Other ways to stay connected with us


And the winner of our apron giveaway is… Rebecca from Texas! An indigo Grace Apron is headed her way.  Thank you to everyone who participated.
Gotta love cooking with cast iron.  You get dinner and buff triceps from the same effort🏋🏻‍♀️🍳. We call this recipe One Dish Fish - or more specifically Cast Iron Skillet Baked Fish🐟. It’s on our blog post today.
Are you a cook or a maker?  We’d love to know how what fun things you enjoy doing in an apron, smock, superhero-shield.
👩🏻‍🍳✂️🛠🌪💫
Our Apron Giveaway ends tomorrow.  Answer a few questions about your favorite hobbies to be entered in the drawing to win one of our Grace Aprons.  Link in our bio to the survey.
Feeling optimistic🌸  Started out as a tight bud this morning and bloomed by lunchtime.  How’s your sense of optimism for a Monday?  Feeling lucky?  You know, we’re having an APRON GIVEAWAY this week. ** Answer a few questions by clicking the link in our bio and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a free Grace Apron. Respond by March 21 at 3pm, Portland time and the lucky winner could be you!  #flowersofinstagram #magnolia #instabloom
💐GIVEAWAY ALERT💐 
Answer a few questions by clicking the link in our bio and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a free Grace Apron.  Respond by March 21 at 3pm, Portland-time and the lucky winner could be you!
#giveaway #linenapron #apron #aprons #modernapron #apronstyle #apronlove #aproncouture #apronista #madeinportland #fortheloveoflinen #linenlove #supportsmallbusiness #smallbatchmaker #portland #threadandwhisk
Great things come in small packages - we’re thrilled to tell you that the Grace Apron now comes in petite sizing. 🌟GIVEAWAY ALERT🌟 Answer a few questions by clicking the link in our bio and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a free Grace Apron.  Respond by March 21 at 3pm, Portland time and the lucky winner could be you!
Long overdue laugh session today provided by our sweet friend Natacha.  Check out our story today to see her hilarious attempt at juggling.  Stay tuned for some fun news coming from us soon!

#juggling #laughtilyoucry #whatarefriendsfor
#linenapron #apron #modernapron #apronstyle #apronlove #aproncouture #apronista  #fortheloveoflinen #linenlove #supportsmallbusiness #smallbatchmaker
We can understand why gardeners pour through seed catalogues in the midst of winter. It helps get you through the final stretch. We're sowing some seeds of our own with this special stitching project that will ensure you'll have blossoms🌸 at your fingertips in time for spring.

#hanami #cherryblossom #plumblossoms #embroidery #handstitched #borostitch #sashiko #modernembroidery #embroideryinstaguild
Our antidote to grey skies. We paired our recipe for 🍊Orange Fennel & Watercress Salad (on the blog today) with Beet Ricotta Pasta from @impatientfoodie. 
#citrusseason #bloodoranges #caracara  #impatientfoodie #impatientfoodiecookbook #CBcookbook
We’ve been eating dessert for breakfast all through the holidays. 
It’s going to be a tough habit to break, so at least we can try to make it healthier.  #forellepears about to be poached in honey, vanilla bean, clove and bay leaf (and water). Hope there’s some leftover for morning to enjoy with a dollop of yogurt. 🍐

#pears #usapears #NationalPearMonth
Peace to all.
 #merrychristmas #madeinoregon #rudolph #portlandia
Our friend Aimee @twiggstudios knows how to capture the natural light on one of the shortest winter days of the year. Endlessly inspired by the beautiful food she creates.  She always looks lovely wearing her Charcoal Grace Apron with Espresso Flounce. 📷@twiggstudios #graceapron

#feedfeed #foodandwine #bakefeed #lifeandthyme #bonappetit #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #still_lifegallery #foodblogger #foodphotograpy #pasta #pastamaking #recipe #linenapron #apron #modernapron #apronstyle #apronlove #aproncouture #apronista #twiggstudios #threadandwhisk



 

©2018 Thread&Whisk
all rights reserved