I bottled my mandarin orange mead. It finished at 12.5% ABV so it has slightly less alcohol than my previous meads but is very drinkable. One of my friends tried it and said it was dangerous because he couldn't taste the alcohol. I just need to put labels on the bottles.
@PappyJoe The looks fantastic! I haven't made meade in ages, I used to use an orange and cinnamon recipe that included 20 raisins for the tannins to help the fermentation.
@Balisong I make a tannin tea using black tea and about a 1/2 oz. of raisins that I chop up. I bring it to a boil and then let it steep for about 15 minutes or until it cools down below 100f.
I like to dabble in wood working which is why working on pipes is appealing. But there is a decoy carving tradition from my home range that I was also taught and have developed a little skill in for a few years. The area was home to poor fishermen, boat builders, and market hunters. While they aren’t fancy they are functional and uniquely regional. This isn’t a prime example per se but it is in that vein. I haven’t had much time to do any carving but I somehow manage to muster one by Christmas for a gift. Here’s pre painting and base. The painting will be simple block painting. I may antique it if I have time. It will get mounted on a slab of red cedar with a single red cedar dowel from base to body.
Well, I was sitting here looking at some items I have laying around, and had an idea to combine a few things to “see if it works”. First, I recently purchased a stainless steel set of British Military style mess kit tins, one fits inside the other. Hmm, can this be an oven to cook tasty cakes or bread, similar to a Dutch oven, maybe🤔. I have my alcohol stove I made from a W.O. Larsen tobacco tin and a Nub Cigar tube that I posted awhile back in this thread I used for making tea in a U.S. Canteen cup, it worked beautifully. I bought some mini cake tins special for something?, but I’ll be damned if I can remember what🤔. I also found a basic, simple, cake recipe that does not require any milk/dairy, or eggs, a perfect list for a “no refrigeration” camping, backpacking, zombie avoiding, list of ingredients. I also bought this lightweight, compact campfire grill that stores inside itself that I have not tested yet. The end tubes are aluminum, and the grate cross rods are stainless steel tubing (I am a bit skeptical about the kind of heat it can take…or not). I think stainless steel rods would be better, but also heavier and probably more expensive? so…trade offs.
So, my alcohol burned for about 20 minutes, which was apparently about perfect. I opened my “oven” up, an voila, it actually cooked pretty well. I was somewhat concerned that without a source of heat on the top of my “Dutch Oven”, it might not bake correctly. Well, it did run a bit hot on the bottom, which I believe I could remedy by placing a 1/2” tall rack in the “oven” under my little cake pan. It cooked through, it is tasty and passes for cake. Heck, if I was sitting out in the middle of “nowhere land” dodging zombies, this would be a tasty treat. I decided to trim the nasty burned bottom off (a no-brainer) then I put a few mandarin orange segments on top and poked them with a fork and smashed them in a little…..it was actually very good😋. A drizzle of honey would be good. I think a simple glaze made with dark rum or bourbon would kick it up to “chef level” 🙂. Another culinary “bam” might be a little soaking of Bailey’s or Kahlúa😉 All and all, my experiments and “kit” worked out👍🏻……….well, almost, the alcohol stove actually burned hot enough to soften one of the stainless steel grate tubes, and it sagged and bent a bit😳. It actually was kind of tough to straighten when cooled, not tough to bend, but tough to bend where it needed to get back straight again…we’ll…almost straight.
I just got the laser engraved brass plate back from my friend for my Peterson pipe stand. I had to mill off an edge to fit the groove in the base. I got it just right, it is a nice friction fit. I won’t use any adhesive to hold it in place so I can change it, or just remove it for different pipes. The two smooth pipes are the Peterson Lip Celebration 1898-1998 commemoratives I have. Originally the pair would have been a smooth and a rustic. It’s kinda tough to see exactly how well the engraving turned out in these pics. Yes, I had the plate a bit too far to the right in these pics.
Had an ugly Zippo with feathers printed on it. Not sure where I picked it up? I brushed off the printed face and added one of the game tokens I have kicking around. I have used those coins for so many other projects, wishing had a few more.
Comments
One of my friends tried it and said it was dangerous because he couldn't taste the alcohol. I just need to put labels on the bottles.
The looks fantastic! I haven't made meade in ages, I used to use an orange and cinnamon recipe that included 20 raisins for the tannins to help the fermentation.
I make a tannin tea using black tea and about a 1/2 oz. of raisins that I chop up. I bring it to a boil and then let it steep for about 15 minutes or until it cools down below 100f.
I like it.
That is beautiful, Brother.
Thank you!!
I just updated final piece of the Italian landscape.
I had a blind date in high school that looked a great deal like your painting. Ahhh... the memories.
Quite the colorful and wild chick then😬
😱 🤣😂🤣😂
Not exactly how I remember her.
I asked her out, but she turned me down. At that point, I considered the priesthood.
First, I recently purchased a stainless steel set of British Military style mess kit tins, one fits inside the other. Hmm, can this be an oven to cook tasty cakes or bread, similar to a Dutch oven, maybe🤔. I have my alcohol stove I made from a W.O. Larsen tobacco tin and a Nub Cigar tube that I posted awhile back in this thread I used for making tea in a U.S. Canteen cup, it worked beautifully. I bought some mini cake tins special for something?, but I’ll be damned if I can remember what🤔. I also found a basic, simple, cake recipe that does not require any milk/dairy, or eggs, a perfect list for a “no refrigeration” camping, backpacking, zombie avoiding, list of ingredients. I also bought this lightweight, compact campfire grill that stores inside itself that I have not tested yet. The end tubes are aluminum, and the grate cross rods are stainless steel tubing (I am a bit skeptical about the kind of heat it can take…or not). I think stainless steel rods would be better, but also heavier and probably more expensive? so…trade offs.
All and all, my experiments and “kit” worked out👍🏻……….well, almost, the alcohol stove actually burned hot enough to soften one of the stainless steel grate tubes, and it sagged and bent a bit😳. It actually was kind of tough to straighten when cooled, not tough to bend, but tough to bend where it needed to get back straight again…we’ll…almost straight.
Very cool.. yeah bourbon 😎
Yes, I had the plate a bit too far to the right in these pics.
Looking all fancy n shit