Nurturing my inner... eat out, then eat in

I got to visit a friend in Annapolis recently.  If you've never been, you really should put it on your list of must see towns.  Lots of little shops by the water.  Quaint streets to walk along.  Oh, and if you happen to be there in the morning, you'll have to stop and have brunch at Miss Shirley's.

Side window.

It was a super crisp, clear day with plenty of sunshine.

Front entrance. Still winter. Craggly tree.

The menu was huge!  Like, overwhelming.  I wanted about 10 things at first glance.  It went up from there the more I studied it.

Extensive. Love that kind of offering.

Tell you what I finally wrestled down to the best option for me in my "what if I never get back here again in my life" thinking mode: Trio of Breakfast Sliders.

Sliders served with Scrambled Eggs:

- One with White Cheddar & Slow-Roasted Carolina Pulled Pork
- One with White Cheddar & Applewood-Smoked Bacon
- One with Goat Cheese, Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper

All on Mini Challah Rolls & choice of Shredded Potato & Onion Hash Browns or Savory Grits with Diced Bacon.

The presentation was just perfect. It's fun
to line things up on long, rectangular plates.

One quick snap of a booth before the three of us rolled our round, overstuffed selves out of there.  (I might note we started with the fried green tomatoes which were delicious and my two skinny friends can eat me under the table like you wouldn't believe unless you watched them.)

Dark, rich browns.

I'm totally going to buy rolls and make these little breakfast trios at home! I bought mini challah rolls at Wegmans to make chicken sandwiches not long ago, but if you're in Connecticut, I bet you can find them at a Jewish bakery.  (Of course now I want to learn to make challah at home.)  As you know, I share my restaurant trips with you, so though you may not get to the same places, hopefully what I dined on inspires you to make something similar in your own kitchen. Thus, I provide you with much detail. (Not that you're going to repaint your dining room to match the pictures... though you could...)

Nurturing my inner... scoop on soup

The weather has been up and down like a roller coaster for the past few weeks.  Bizzare!  Cold to hot to windy to humid.  This weekend, it was back to being a bit cooler, so I was in the mood for soup.  Glad I had some frozen and ready to go.  But this is how it all went down when I first made it last month.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

2 cups dried split peas
1/2 onion, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
4 cups chicken stock, low sodium
1 cup water
2 smoked ham hocks
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 dried bay leaf
Salt to taste
1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes, diced

I've learned a lot lately about dried peas and beans.  Where I may have been concerned about the time it takes to prepare them in the past, I have learned slow cooker methods that take the place of presoaking.  (Because I never think to presoak.  I'd need to put it in Outlook to remind me.)

Ready to go!

Into my lovely Dutch oven, that is actually French, I added some olive oil, onions, carrots and garlic.  I sauteed until slightly soft.

Veggie base.

Into this one pot wonder, went everything.  Which continued with broth next.  Low sodium.  I like to control the salt myself.  That's a good cooking tip.

Could use vegetable broth if you'd like.

Also the water, thyme, bayleaf and dried peas.

The base is done.

Gird yourself up for this next part.  It's not for the faint of pork.  Meet, the smoked hamhock.  A strange and little lesser known food item for some.  A staple used in many dishes in southern cooking for others.  You can get them at the butcher or at the grocery store.  You may need to ask where they are, as I had to. 

They came three in a pack.

After I got over the initial disgust that this is a pig's leg part, which I don't know why I didn't think about that before my purchase, I remembered how much flavor this was going to add to the soup and focused on that.  Another option is to cube up a ham steak and throw that in.  (Likely my future choice.  I'm not so hearty of heart for meat in such natural form.  Ick!)

Yuck, still creepy!!

One last, yet important, ingredient: the potatoes.

Will make soup nice and creamy.

Into the oven, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours on 350.  Take out and stir occasionally.  Make sure potatoes and peas are tender and it's done.  No one likes crunchy pea soup.  If it ends up thicker than you like, just add a little hot water to thin it down before you serve.  (I kept it thick and then when I brought leftovers to work, I added a little hot tea water from the spicket when I heated it up.  Some days you like thicker soup, some days thinner hits the spot.  It's good to have options.)

Now that's ready.

The ham hocks add a delicious smoky flavor, but they also have a little bit of ham on them.  I removed the ham and set that aside, then discarded the rest.

Hammy bits and pieces.

When you're ready to eat, ladle into a bowl and garnish with the ham shreds.

Add a side of warm, multi-grain bread with
butter and you'll be set!

I have always like peas, so it's funny how I never liked pea soup while growing up.  It was the color of moss and may have well matched that in taste.  My yellow pea soup was much more like I would have imagined it should have been.  The ham hocks meaty infusion well complimented the peas, and the thyme and bayleaf added an interesting herbaceous base.  What can I say about potatoes - they always make everything better.

Not that I'm not ready for some warmer temps, but seeing as I know they are on their way and will be here full force for several months, I may as well relish in the final crisp days that are upon us with a hearty bowl of pea soup.  The weeks of gaspacho and vichyssoise are on the near horizon!

Nurturing my inner... mean green

When life gives you kale, juice it I say.  But there was one teensy problem... I still haven't gotten my new juicer yet.  It's on back order.  Everywhere.  And I'm not sharing the name of it until I get mine!  (Don't want you getting yours before me and making me wait even longer.) Though it has been officially ordered by me, there is no estimated arrival date.  Now what to do in the meantime with kale...

Seems to me this has been the rage for some time now, so today was my first try at making some kale chips.  (Note: Three hours after I made them, the post on the Whole Foods page today was for kale chips.  I must have some weird veg-esp.)  But first, let's see a couple of shots of my Washington Green Grocer delivery for this week.  My inspiration!

Just opened, top layer. Paper bag has
mushrooms inside.

I told my friends I was just giddy over my package arrival.  95% of them thought I needed to be "evaluated professionally" because this was a carton of fruits and vegetables.  Then again, one signed up immediately for next week's delivery and another came by to talk to me about signing up.  What can I say?  (Take that, naysayers!)  Some people get excited over new electronics or a handbag, others are jazzed by leafy greens.  Don't judge.  (I like handbags too!  The larger ones make it easier to carry kale in.)

Bottom layer. Box just jam packed with good
things to eat.

I'll give you the run down so you can see the value in this (all organic):

4 large russet potatoes (NY)
1 pint grape tomatoes (FL)
1 head of broccoli (CA)
3 navel oranges (FL)
2 mangos (S.A.)
3 bosc pears (WA)
3 braeburn apples (VA)
4 bananas (S.A.)
2 baby bok choy (CA)
2 portabello mushrooms (PA)
1 bunch of carrots (8 carrots) (CA)
1 head of romaine lettuce (CA)

And then this week I added on items (some organic/some not):

2 large bunches of kale ($2.00)
1 bag fresh shitake mushrooms ($4.00)
3 medium zucchinis ($1.50)
1 large bunch of basil ($2.00)
2 heads of garlic (.60)
1 lb of green beans ($2.25)

My total for all this produce, delivered to my door = $52.10.  I know, shut up!  I was delighted.  Did you take a gander at that baby bok choy?  They were HUGE, but still the tender baby variety.

I really was hoping, as mentioned above, that my juicer would arrive at my door by the time this box did.  I love to juice kale because it is a super food.  Concentrated green energy.  But didn't happen.  So then, with two large bunches of kale in my fridge, what was I going to do?  I thought about making my sausage, potato, kale soup, which is delicious, but then had a desire to try something new.

Smoked Paprika Kale Chips

1 bunch of fresh kale, destemmed, washed, dried
Olive oil
Sea salt
Smoked paprika

Wow, the kale was so super fresh and vibrant, I just couldn't wait.  No sad, wilted greens in this house.  The produce I get from WGG is as fresh as someone living in a condo (who doesn't even own dirt to grow anything anyway) can get.  That's the whole point.  Fresh is best.

Alive and well.

First I had to take off the tough stems.  Which naturally lended itself to tearing the leaves into smaller pieces.  (Looking back, I should have been a little more uniform with the bigger ones, so make sure to make them about the same size.)  I washed them thoroughly and had to dry them really well.  I don't have a salad spinner.  (I know - it shocks me too!  On my list though.)  So I put them in a clean kitchen towel and dried them off as best as I could.  Really strive to get all the water off of them.  Makes for a crispier chip.

Dry is good, in this case.

Got out a glass bowl, threw in the leaves and then drizzled in some olive oil.  Tossed with my hands until all was well-coated.

Go easy on the oil. Toss a bit and then see if
you need to add a little more.

Seems as if everyone and their macrobiotic mother has made kale chips in the past few years, so the flavors, like with the blank canvas of potato chips, are endless.  (Only these are much better for you.)  My secret weapon of the day was smoked paprika.  A lesser known and infrequently used spice perhaps, but I'm here to change that.  Oh, it's not just the baby that Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper from Blue's Clues had!  (Seriously, salt and pepper together do NOT make paprika, so what the heck?  I won't even mention that Paprika later ends up with a little brother named Cinnamon!  Now come on!)

Smoky, rich, unique. Don't ask me what it
tastes like. It tastes like paprika!

If you don't have industrial baking sheets, buy them.  They are the best.  Not very expensive.  Lots of good surface room.  I put a piece of parchment down and then placed all the kale on it in a single layer.  Then I lightly sprinkled with sea salt and that lovely, reddish orange powdered spice.

Can't miss it on the green.

Into a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, flipping half way through, made them go from soft to crispy.  Start with less time and then check on them.  You'll want them to be dried out and just turning slightly brown.  In essence, you're taking out all the moisture, thus the lower temp.  So they will shrink down in size from what you had before.

It's important to throw some financials around here.  2.5 ounce of kale chips at the store: $5.99 - 8.99.  (Geebers!  Why don't you just take my whole wallet while you're at it.)  Home version: $2.00 for a big bunch of fresh kale and 15 min in the oven.  Spice and salt cost = nominal.

Fragile, yet really good crunch.

These were so tasty, I have to admit to you... I ate the entire pan.  Oh yes, every last one!  I started with just the bowl below and then went back for more until they were all gone.  Addictive?  Understatement.  And because it's a leafy green veggie, they are so much better for you than potato chips.  (Translation: Less guilt.)  You won't get all the wonderful nutrients of juicing kale fresh, but dang, this is a heck of a way to replace starchy, deep fried tubers and retain the snacky quality you desire.

Baked and not fried. Yet just as crispy.

I thought of what flavors future batches could be dusted with...  Seasoning salt.  Lemon pepper.  Old Bay.  Sweet curry.  Garam Masala.  I think they'll get along with just about anything.  (Except cocoa.  Don't do that.)

Things for you to do: 1.) Check out Washington Green Grocer if you're in the DC Metro area.  If you're not, see what programs your local farmers have available for you or grow your own stuff if you can.  (One day, I will own dirt.  Oh yes I will!  Maybe.  I can't afford dirt yet.)  2.) One way or another, get some kale.  3.) Buy an industrial cooking sheet.  4.) Book 15 minutes on your calendar.  5.) Bust out the spices!

To my advantage over some of you in your larger living quarters, I don't have to mow the lawn on my weekends.  Guess condo living does have some good points.  I also can eat delicious, crispy kale chips from the second floor just like people on the first!

Nurturing my inner... one way or another

Hello crock pot, we meet again.  Shall we spend some time together?  I think yes.  Surprise me today.

Chicken Thigh & Bean Tacos (or Chicken Thigh & Bean Stew)

6 boneless chicken thighs
1 can black beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 tsp chipotle adobo sauce
1 tbsp chili (or taco) seasoning
1/2 tsp salt2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dried split green peas
1/2 cup dried green lentils
1/2 cup cooked spinach2 heaping tbsps tomato paste
2 bay leaves

Don't let a wee check list scare you.  It all goes into one place at one time.

Brown the chicken thighs in a bit of olive oil.  Just to get a little color on them.  For this particular dish, I chose dark meat for the flavor.  In the crock pot, add the black and garbanzo beans, onion, garlic, chili seasoning, salt, enchilada and chipotle sauces.  On top of that, place the seared chicken thighs.

Base layers and then the meat.

Next went the chicken broth, peas, lentils and spinach.

So some canned and dried items. Both
offer different textures.

Make sure the dried peas and lentils are submerged in the liquid.  Final ingredients are the bay leaves and the tomato paste.  More stirring.

Lots of layers of flavor.

I turned on the crock pot for three and a half hours.  By that time, the beans thickened into a sauce and the chicken was fork tender and easily falling apart with little effort.

Consistency of a stew.

Though this may look like a stew or could even be eaten as a stew, I had other ideas.  I had a mind to make this into tacos.  (My diabolical plan from inception.)  I removed the chicken thighs to a plate and shredded them easily with a fork.  Onto a slightly warmed corn tortilla, I placed some of the chicken.  *Pause*

Now we're talkin'!

I whipped up a quick sauce, like a pesto, instead of using the herbs just diced as a garnish on top.  The olive oil made the flavor more rich.  And presented quite nicely.

Cilantro Sauce

Fresh cilantro
Olive Oil
Fresh lime juice

All into a food processor and give it a whirl.

Bright green and vibrant flavor.

*Unpause*  Back to building the taco.  I added scoops of the bean and lentil mixture, drained a little so it didn't leak all over the place, on top of the chicken.  A drizzle of the cilantro sauce, a sprinkle of colby jack cheese and a dollop of light sour cream and it was ready to roll up and eat.

Stew or taco, your choice. You can't go
wrong either way.

This easily could have been spooned into a bowl over tortilla chips and dressed the same.  Or over rice.  Even on top of a cheese biscuit.  Very versatile.  Much like you'd think of a chicken chili.  No matter which way you serve it up, you won't be disappointed.

Nurturing my inner... raising the bar

When you workout, you need some great pre exercise fuel.  That can sometimes be a bagel, some oatmeal or a banana.  But when time is tight, and if you remain half asleep like me until you get to the gym or class, a bar is the ticket.  Can eat it while driving too.

Recently, I gave a friend a beet salad with goat cheese I made and when she returned my container, she put a thank you card, some Powerbar Oatmeal Raisin bites and this Kind Fruit & Nut bar in the bag.  How kind!  Had always wanted to try one of these.  Very delicious.  Lots of nuts and coconut.  Super chewy, but crunchy too.

What you see is what you get.

I'm big into dark chocolate and cocoa type foods.  Got lots of antioxidants and good cell repair stuff in it.  So I tried this Pure Organic Chocolate Brownie Bar.  Delicious!  They've come a long way with these things.  Exercise or meal replacement bars used to be not so palatable years ago because many tasted gritty, like they were made of tree bark.  Not anymore!

You won't mistake it for a real brownie, but
you'll still really like it before a run.

On to my new favorite.  Betty Lou's Just Great Stuff Organic Cacao Acai.  I LOVE this bar.  It has got a sweet berry like flavor from the acai, but a chocolate undertone and then crunch from the cacao nibs.  Just scrumptious.  Very moist and I could eat it instead of a candy bar, to be honest.  Which wouldn't be the worst choice ever made.  It's about the same calories as a candy bar, but way less fat.  (And has much more redeeming qualities thanks to an ingredient list you can actually read because it's made of real food.)

Not sure what a goji berry tastes like. I didn't
notice anything distinct about that part.

You can buy a whole box at one time and get a discount at Whole Foods.  Then you'll have plenty to happily distribute to your friends if you want to introduce them to your new find.

Chocolate and berries are a great combo.

I think this kind of news is important to share, because there is little worse than trying to make yourself eat a bar at 6:30 am that tastes like spackle.  Or that is so dry, it depletes your mouth of all saliva upon contact.  Blech!  It's about time they really started stepping these up.  Just because it has the right kind of calories that are good fuel for your body before you exercise, doesn't mean it can't taste great too!

Nurturing my inner... fat tuesday

I certainly didn't start this tradition, so don't look at me.  Overeat a bunch, then Lent starts and you give up all your vices?  Such a strange way to kick off a fortnight of deprivation and self discipline.  My family taunts me with this food item year after year.  The paczki.  (Pronounced pont-ski.  Sounds like a fat word, doesn't it?!  "I'm feeling very paczki today.")

Paczkis are polish pastries filled with fruit or creme.  Like a doughnut.  Born from the tradition that Poland had many Catholics and they were "forbidden" to eat sugar, lard and other decadent ingredients during this time of fasting.  In the spirit of embracing other cultures, sounds like a great excuse to eat dessert, I decided this year I would celebrate with our Polish friends.  (I don't think I currently have any Polish friends per se, but after this post, I should!)

My family has many bakeries up in New England that make them, as they have a significant Polish population, but here, I had no recommendations on where to buy them.  (I asked, no one responded.)  Likely, because there is no demand for it in this area.  I had to settle on the grocery store, which wouldn't be as good as a specialty shop, but you do what you gotta do when desperate.

The Giant by me is the same chain as the Stop & Shop in Connecticut by my mother and she said they were advertised in her flyer this week.  I looked at my flyer too and there they were.  They even have a special box made just for them.

Will have to figure out what that little mark
under the A is called.

I should note that this is the only time of year they are out.  Which makes them special.  (And makes me particularly interested in them.)

Plenty to share.

What is different about these than our filled doughnuts is that they are more dense and cake like.  (As far as I can remember.  I'm not normally drawn to doughnuts, unless I was going to a special place that made some kind of unique one.)  Inside the paczkis I got were Bavarian Cream.

Mmm, powdered sugar on top.

They also come in raspberry, that I saw at the store.  But Polish bakeries use apples, strawberries or even prunes.  (Don't "yuck" me.  They are just plums.)  I enjoyed one yesterday on what I now consider my own personal Fat Saturday.  Which was okay, since I worked off that calorie bomb running earlier in the day.  Life isn't about deprivation, it's all about strategic calorie distribution in the end!

If a paczki is something you're interested in, better get moving.  You've only got a couple more days and then they are gone for another year.  And if you're someone who observes Lent, you might want to turn your perspective to adding something good for you into your life (like reading more, eating veggies, calling your mom once a week) instead of just removing something "bad" for a short bit that inevitably you'll go back to once Easter arrives.  You just might make a great new healthy, happy habit in 40 days.

Nurturing my inner... doing it the right way

I'm a classic kind of girl.  I admire traditional, time-tested ways and things.  Crafting proccesses from days of old.  Even though they take much longer than modern methods.  The trade off is that the quality is much higher and the self satisfaction level of creating such items matches as well.

I'll start with mentioning a certain printing method.  Letterpress.  It's a form of relief printing invented by Johannes Gutenberg, (yep, Mr. Famous Gutenberg Bible guy), in the mid 1400s.  Movable type and images are organized into a design and inked.  Then placed on a padded surface with thick paper on top and pressed down from above.  The ink not only comes off the plates, but the paper also becomes indented from the strong pressure.  What's left is a crisp, clear, gorgeous print with visual depth.  It is beyond compare.

Of course as technology boomed mid last century and faster ways of duplicating books were invented, use of the letterpress format became too belabored, less cost effective given the growing demand for supply and expected giant profit margins, and therefore, wained.  (Makes me want to cry.  Yes, I am that sensitive about art.)

While searching around on etsy.com for antique prints, I was thrilled to see a resurgence of the letterpress and all the things people are doing with it today: calendars, cards, invitations, art.  This one particular company, Dutch Door, made limited edition prints of state birds and flowers.  As soon as I saw the Connecticut one, I knew my mom would absolutely love it.  With Valentine's Day coming up, I decided I'd send her a little surprise.  Plus, if I had bought it for myself and hung it up, she'd see it when she visited and just ask me for it anyway.  Don't laugh.  It's actually happened more than once.  Nothing is sacred.  (Or owned by me in any legally binding fashion.)

Once it arrived, I made a quick trip to the local craft store and found this bamboo style frame on sale for 40% off.  The dark, mahogany wood was a superb contrast to the creamy white paper and botanical colors.  It was an ideal match.

A great gift! She loved it!

Here is a close up of the print so you can see more detail.

The azaleas are stunning.

In that same line of classic traditions, there was a certain dessert that was mentioned as far back as the Victorian Age that I had always wanted to make, but was intimidated by it.  I was determined to tackle it though. Be brave, I said to myself.  (Over and over.)  It will be SO much better than anything prepackaged you buy in the refrigerated section that was mass produced.

Ever inspired by ice cream, which now seems rote to mention, I embarked on a dessert journey.  Ice cream flavor starting point: Häagen-Dazs Rum Raisin.  Though I don't normally buy this brand, I wanted a flavor they were known for.

Good things awaited me.

I scooped out a bowl.  You know, for research purposes.  (I am so dedicated, it's true.  No matter the cost.  People as sacrificial as me don't come along every day anymore.)

Top quality dessert #1.

And now, the leap from this dessert to the next.

Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

2 cups whole milk
2 cups half & half
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split, scrape out inside
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chopped pistachios

The type of rice to use, I think, is the real key to it all.  People make rice pudding with all kinds of grains, but I say Arborio is the only way to go.  It is a short grain rice used to make risotto.  And risotto is really just savory rice pudding, when you think about it.

Can find it most everywhere these days.

This version came in an air tight bag.  To lock in freshness.  Definitely don't want moisture to get in it.

The block.

I followed the directions on the box and added to water to parcook.  Until aldente.  About 8-10 minutes.

Made like any other rice.

Once it was mostly cooked and not a lot of water was left, it was time to put in the rest of the ingredients.

Cooking rice, stage one.

I added the whole milk and half & half.  Along with the sugar, salt and inside of the vanilla bean.

Can see the bean flecks immediately.

Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer, stirring often so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.  Cook for 25-35 minutes.  You'll have to go on rice tenderness to decide when it's about done.  It will slowly thicken and intensify.

Big bubbles!

In the last couple minutes, a beaten egg that is tempered goes in.  Take little scoops of the hot mixture, add to egg which is in a separate bowl and whisk with a fork.  Repeat several times, spoonful by spoonful, until the egg is warmed and blended and then pour that bowl back into the large pan.  Stir well.

The egg makes a great texture addition.
Trust me and don't skip it.

What you have at that point should be still a little loose, but not soupy.  And the rice should be very tender.

All milky and fragrant with warm vanilla.

To put it over the top though, and add the rum raisin flavor that started me on this journey, I needed to add, well, raisins and rum.

A day or two before I planned to make the pudding, I took 1/2 cup of raisins, threw them in a glass container, covered them with dark rum and snapped on the air tight lid.  (As alcohol evaporates quickly, so you have to really seal it up.)  I left the container on the counter top.  By the next day or so, the raisins swelled up extra plumpy from absorbing nearly all the rum.  It is a wonderful way to rehydrate dried fruit with concentrated flavor.  If you didn't want to use alcohol, you could add orange juice, but then you need to place it in the fridge.

Can also do this days ahead. They last. Can
add to muffins, pancakes, ice cream!

Once the rice pudding was fully done, I threw in the raisins and any remaining droplets of rum.  That was also when I added the heavy cream for the final finishing richness.

Resembles the ice cream from earlier.

I poured the bulk of it into a glass bowl and added a piece of plastic wrap on top, lightly pushing it down to cover the entire top.  This prevents the surface from getting a yucky skin.  I put the lid on that and into the fridge it went.

Big bowl!!

I also put some in an individual container for a friend and wrapped it up the same way.  So either works the same.

Portion for one.

In a few hours, it was well cooled and ready to eat.  The rice continued to absorb the liquid, so it thickened up even more.  I wanted it just a little looser to serve, so I added a teaspoon or so of heavy cream per serving and stirred it about until I got the consistency I so deemed as perfect.  I ladled some into a bowl and on top of that, I added chopped pistachios, but almond slivers would work equally as well.  (That was actually my first idea, but then I changed it up.  I've been known to do that.  Who can predict every move of the creative process?  Not even the one creating.)



Classic, but dressed up!



Now, what was I so afraid of?  It's pudding.  Who is afraid of pudding?  Someone lactose intolerant?  (Oh wait, that is me.  Scratch that.)  It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be.  And the vanilla bean and rum work so well together, it was an easy pairing.  The sweet, soft raisins and crunchy nuts added contrasting texture as well.  These are the little things that can make a dessert go from good to great.

When you want to tackle something you've been putting off, as I struggle with often, I think it's best to just dive right in and accept the possibility of failure.  Put some time aside specifically for the task at hand, don't be in a rush to "get it over with" and move at a comfortable, relaxed, respectable pace.  Just like they would have done it a hundred years ago.  If it's not perfect, you can always adjust for the next time.  But if it does turn out better than you thought it would, you'll know it's because you worked it out from scratch and made a truly artisan product you can be proud of.