Jacquard Pullover
Pattern: Rebecca #34, pattern #1
Yarns: Jo Sharp DK wool (brown and ivory), Ella Rae Classic (ivory), Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (pink), Cascade Lana d’Oro (blue), Knit Picks Andean Silk (green)
Needles: Size US 8 circulars (body) and DPNs (sleeves)
Started: April 22nd / Completed: October 4th

[All Jacquard Pulli photos here]

I started this during Project Spectrum as an all-encompassing knit project. The colors used in the Fair Isle pattern were choices from each element, and I liked the traditional, yet modern, style of the sweater. I bought the magazine at my LYS in January, and this sweater was the #1 reason why I picked it up. I toyed with the idea of getting new yarn, but once I looked at my stash, I thought that I may be able to do some real stashbusting with yarns that were already in the stash. Most of these yarns had been in there for over two years! . The colors came together so well, even with the slightly varying weights of yarn that I used (worsted and DK).

Back in April when I started this sweater, I decided to make the 38″ size, thinking that the stranding would cause it to be a little smaller anyway. Looking back, this is one of the only things I would have changed. The sweater is quite large for me in the bust and the armholes (almost two inches on each side), but fits well along the hips. If I had planned things a little better, I would have made the 34″ or the 36″ for the top banding, and the 38″ for the bottom, calculating the math and decreasing in the brown band in the middle. There was no way to predict back in April that I would be smaller (I have lost almost 30 lbs since then) and this is always a dilemma when knitting garments and losing weight. That being said, the fit is not awful but I would prefer a little more form in the midsection and bust line, and more decreases leading to the neckline. (You can see in the above photo how the collar sticks out a bit…) I considered doing sweater “surgery” and trying to adjust the lines inside with a sewing machine. Has anyone ever tried this?

You may recall that the sleeves also gave me a little problem - they seemed so short. I added an inch onto the cuff (picked up stitches and knit down) and it worked out perfectly once it was yoked together! This was the only issue I had with the Rebecca pattern. Other knitters have told me that Rebecca patterns often have little mistakes, but I really did not encounter that with this particular pullover. I have several other Rebecca mags and I plan to make several garments - their stuff is so chic, and incorporates some really fun elements like colorwork and cables.

I am so enamored with colorwork this year - and I don’t see the end of this obsession any time soon. This is my largest colorwork project to date (and my first with Fair Isle motifs). Just a few years ago, I never would have thought this possible - the idea of colorwork scared me, and now I can’t seem to get enough. I have another Icelandic pullover planned for this fall or winter - maybe even two. And socks, and maybe a another stranded hat too… it excites me to think of all of the possibilities!

We woke up early and headed to one of our favorite spots for autumnal photographs. The leaves have not started turning colors just yet, but the days are growing shorter and the crisp smell is in the air. I love this season! Kris was so kind to snap these photos for me as the dogs ran circles around us!

…and while the Pulli was blocking, I started the mates for both my Laila’s socks and my Noro socks… my logic was that if I cast on for both of them, neither would linger for too long. NOW, it really is Socktoberfest for me! More updates on this fun month-long celebration to come!

*…and just in case you skipped German I, Er ist fertig means it is ready! Some German still sticks with me after these few years!

SOCKTOBERFEST!!

–

I started the month off simply:  winding my pretty hank of Tess Designer Yarns Twinkle Toes (merino/silk/nylon) into a cute little center-pull ball.  Now it is all ready for a very special project!

Have you heard Kirsten’s great idea?  I could not be more thrilled with this idea - just the “shot in the arm” that Socktoberfest needs in its 4th year:

I thought it might be fun to do a Through the Loops “mystery” sock in honor of Socktoberfest. Starting October 1st, I’ll post a section of the mystery sock pattern every Wednesday of October (10/1-cuff, 10/8-leg, 10/15-heel turn, 10/22-foot, 10/29-toe). I will post the instructions in this topic area of the group. The sock will have a simple 4 stitch x 4 row repeat and will be appropriate for anyone who has made socks in the past and done yarn overs, k2tog., and ssk.

All you need are 100 grams of sock yarn - solid or semi-solid will be best but variegated that isn’t too wild will be fine too, and a pair of needles that you would normally use for the given yarn. I will write the pattern in 4 sizes using a 56, 60, 64 or 68 stitch cast on. Pick the size that you would typically use for that yarn and needle size if you were to do a plain stockinette or ribbed sock. If you want to swatch you may do so in a 2×2 rib in the round.

From Kirsten’s post on Fans of Through the Loops Ravelry group

I love this idea, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the possibilities. According to Ravelry, the socks are already in 137 queues, and 58 people have already cast on! This is all since she announced the knitalong yesterday.  The first clue is up:  the cuff!

This has been a slow sock year for me - only one completed pair, and two single socks. I feel the sock mojo coming back!  Just in time

There are some fun activities planned for the month, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, tell me what you are planning!

Looking over my photos from this Project Spectrum cycle, I realize that the one element that I thought would be the most difficult for me (AIR with white, gray, and yellow) was actually the one that I enjoyed the most.  I was greatly inspired by my lovely surrounding in Nova Scotia, and the elements (earth and air) inspired me to actually write up my first knit designs for the Lichen Cowl and the Sherbrooke Cowl.

So, as we draw this third cycle of Project Spectrum to a close, would you be so kind as to leave me with some feedback?  I would love to know what you thought of this round, and what you would like to see in the future.  Please feel free to leave comments here with suggestions or ideas.  I have posted the same questions on the Project Spectrum Ravelry group.   There is no pressure to answer them all, but I greatly welcome any feedback.  You can email me too!

• Did you like the elements format of Project Spectrum?
• Did you like the color groupings? What would you change?
• What format would you prefer for the 4th round of Project Spectrum? Elements? Complementary colors? return to the rainbow colors of PS1?
• Do you like having TWO months per color group? Would you prefer one? more?
• Project Spectrum 4: when should it start?

As always, I want to thank you for being a part of Project Spectrum!  It brings me so much happiness and inspiration to see your creations~~

Every time I knit a yoked sweater (this is my third) I wonder why I don’t make all my sweaters this way.  It is so intuitive.  It feels so right.  Maybe I was a yoked sweater in a previous life.  What I am trying to say is that I love it.  And if I get my way, there will be more and more yoked sweaters here in the future.

I am “pleased as punch” that these colors are working so well together.  If you recall, it was a late night stash dive last April that brought me to this color combination… and I am so happy that they work so well together!  I couldn’t have imagined a better grouping!  I had one solitary eggplant-shaded DK-weight skein that I tried to work in there, but I kept on coming back to this set.

Although they are not exactly the same weight, I have not run into gauge issues or related problems.  The dark brown (main color) and the white are Jo Sharp DK Wool, the green is Knit Picks Andean Silk, the Pink is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, and the blue is Cascade Lana d’Oro.

So, I have the Fair Isle yoke decreases to finish up… but can the sweater compete with Socktoberfest?  There may be room for both…

Some of the beautiful socks created in last year’s Socktoberfest - and you can add to the beautiful parade of socks by joining us this year for the 4TH ANNUAL SOCKTOBERFEST!

In anticipation of this year’s event, Knitty Otter created some cute buttons for us too!  Here are a few, but there are more over on Ravelry - feel free to take one and add it to your blog.  (Save to your own server first, please!)

What is Socktoberfest?

A very simple concept with very few restrictions - Socktoberfest is a month-long celebration of socks. It is a simple celebration of the accessories that we make as crafters to cover our feet. Think of it more as a festival than a knitalong - people who love something come together and celebrate it!

Who can participate in Socktoberfest?

You love socks? You’re in. Everyone is welcome, whether or not you have a blog, or a digital camera. Come one, come all. If you do not have a blog, but would like to show off your work for others to see, think about joining the Socktoberfest Flickr group and the Socktoberfest Ravelry group. You can upload your pictures and everyone can see and comment on them! You can join us anytime during the month of October.

What will happen during Socktoberfest?

Each year of Socktoberfest is slightly different in scope. 2008 is going to be a simple celebration.  Frequent photo posts of what people are making and how they wear their socks.  Please let me know if you are willing to prepare a photo tutorial to share with the other Socktoberists!

Is Socktoberfest a sock swap or an exchange?

The original concept behind Socktoberfest did not involve a swap or an exchange. However, like Project Spectrum, I would be happy to endorse side projects that crop up around Socktoberfest. Project Spectrum engendered several color-themed swaps - feel free to start a Socktoberfest swap if you are so inclined! I will gladly direct anyone to it. I cannot personally add that component to this project as I already have enough admin work to keep me busy!

Are there restrictions, rules, or guidelines to follow for Socktoberfest?

I am a liberal project leader - I don’t like to get bogged down with rules, so things are pretty free around here. Some participants are using Socktoberfest for stashbusting purposes, using up that beautiful sock yarn that you picked up back in 1995. Others are planning to use Socktoberfest to finally finish up sock projects that have lingered too long on the needles and hooks. Still others plan to spin or dye their own sock yarn and use this to make a truly special pair of socks. Some Socktoberists use the month to make quick holiday socks for family and friends. It is truly up to you!

The festival starts on October 1st, but you can definitely start on your socks now! You do not have to finish your socks by October 31st either, although the Socktoberfest blog coverage will end at the close of the month. Socktoberfest can easily be combined with other projects and knitalongs - and there is no such thing as “not having time for Socktoberfest”… if you plan on even looking at your sock needles this month, that is enough!

The only guideline that I have for Socktoberfest: be an encourager! Participants range from first-time sock knitters to sock designers and experts. Lend a helping hand or an encouraging comment. Take a few minutes to check out the progress reports that I post and let someone know that you saw their handiwork. If you know the answer to their question, write them a comment or an email. Encouragement goes a long way - and you may even make a new friend!

Cross-posted on the Socktoberfest Page

• Do you wanna make socks?
• Whose in?
• What are you planning?

I have always been captivated with the aspect of the “story” –  Reading stories aloud with my mother and my sisters when we were young, and now continuing that tradition with Kris (we read the last Harry Potter aloud to each other, and have also done this with a handful of other books);  my love of the Story Corps* oral history project administered by the Library of Congress, and aired weekly on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition; my love for the written word; appreciation of a well-written movie or television show…. ahh, the list goes on.  There are so many good stories to share - both true and fictional.

Much of my summer has been spent reading stories - with my nose in a book.   Good stories left and right.  Here’s some of the recent books that I picked up:

The White Mary by Kira Salak.   I was familiar with Salak’s nonfiction work [The Cruelest Journey, which I reviewed here] about her own travels and experiences, and her first novel had many of the same elements that draw readers into the story.

The White Mary

Marika Vecera is a well-known war correspondent:  she takes the dangerous and scary jobs in war-torn developing countries and has had more than one near-death experience.  She starts a serious relationship and soon after learns about the apparent suicide of her journalistic “idol”, Robert Lewis, and decides to begin research to write his biography.  As she details his life, we see Marika learn more about her own through a series of flashbacks.  Her search to learn more about Lewis leads her to the jungles of Papua New Guinea; where Lewis was spotted alive by a group of missionaries.  She leaves her home and her loved one with this obsession to learn more about her subject.

Kira Salak book signing

While reading the novel, I could not truly divorce the character of Marika with Salak.  Of course, I know that most novels are often autobiographical, but this one seemed particularly close to the source.  Salak’s first book details her solo trek across Papua New Guinea (from north to south) and she undoubtedly pulled many of the details about her travels into the fictional account.

Stylistically, I had a few (minor) issues with the book. The character dialogue seemed contrived, particularly between Marika and her lover, Seb.  I kept on thinking “do people really talk like this to each other?” At least no one I know… This lead me to think more about her style in general.  She tells amazing stories - such adventure and danger! - but I find her writing to be slightly exaggerated and a little out of touch.  She contributes frequently to National Geographic Adventure (that is where I first learned about her), and her shorter articles seem more palpatable than book-length descriptions…  Aside from that, I did truly enjoy the story.  I had a hard time putting the book down, and read it in entirety on one rainy Saturday.

I saw Kira Salak speak last Friday night at the National Geographic Society (where she is a sponsored adventurer) and was happy to learn more about her, what drives her, and to see photographs of her more recent travels through Bhutan.  At the end of her lecture, I even got to ask her a question about spirituality and travel - it is often a theme in her books, so I was interested to see how her own travels have shaped her in that way.  She generously shared her answers with the audience, and did a book signing after the event.  {3 of 5 stars}

– — –

Where the Wild Things Were by William Stolzenburg.  I read about this book in a great new science magazine called SEED. It was the clever title that caught my eye, but also the very interesting subtitle: Life, Death, and Ecological Wreckage in a Land of Vanishing Predators.

Stolzenburg’s style really resonated with me. He describes large earth-shattering revelations with such eloquence. Starting with the thesis that the death/extinction of predators and “super”predators are to blame for many ecological/environmental, he delves into numerous case studies and ongoing research of many leading biologists.

Where the Wild Things Were

The first chapter’s discussion of the kelp forests along the Pacific rim was particularly interesting, and made a real case for the rest of the book: ecosystems MUST be looked at from the top-down, rather than the reverse. The scientists that Stolzenburg profiles methodically and systematically demonstrate how the top predators directly relate to such things as river ecology, plant/seed distribution, and seemingly unrelated things like Lyme disease (which hit pretty close to home…).

While so many points in this book stood out, I particularly enjoyed the one time humans got it “right”: the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming in the mid-1990s. It was a success story, and I presume that it remains so this day, over ten years later.Simply put, this book was amazingly written and infinitely informative. If you care about nature, biodiversity, and the future of our planet and the creatures living on it, reading this book will help you gain insight on how setting life back into the natural balance will remedy many (unfortunately not all) of the ills we face.  {5 of 5 stars}

– — –

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.  If you read book reviews, you have probably heard of this new book - just out in August and already making quite a stir… Davidson is a Canadian (he gets a bonus point for that alone!) and has got a lot of people talking about this debut novel.  So, the day after I read the review in Washington Post’s Book World, I put it on hold at the library.  A few weeks later, I had it in hand.

The Gargoyle

Over the period of one day, I was completely immersed in the story… so many stories within one! Beginning with the shock of a near-fatal auto accident, this book definitely starts off with a bang.  The main character (who is never “named”) is severely burned, and spends months upon months in a hospital’s burn unit.  I really enjoyed seeing the transformation of the main character both physically, spiritually, and emotionally throughout the 400+ pages of the novel.  With the care/love of an eccentric “is she or isn’t she? mental patient” he meets in the hospital, he finds love, redemption, and ultimately a reason to live. (Before meeting Marianne, he spends his days in the hospital planning his suicide). He lives for her, just as she lives for him. Interwoven into the main story are many vignettes about love and loss that Marianne tells - spanning centuries and the globe.  She tells them as if she was there, and these people were her close friends.  She even weaves a story about how the two of them were lovers in sixteenth-century Germany… and it doesn’t seem to matter to the reader if it is true or not, because it is so beautiful and so pure.

Davidson put SO much work into this book.  He researched everything from third-degree burn recovery to medieval manuscripts; Icelandic love ballads to Japanese language.   That feat in itself is very praiseworthy! (and when you read the book, you understand how it really works together).

This one will stay with me for a long time.  And imagine my excitement and surprise when the author emailed me and thanked me for my review over at GoodReads!  it totally made my day!

(You can read the first chapter and see a short film adaptation of one of the love vignettes included in the story over at Amazon!) {4 of 5 stars}

__

* Story Corps has become a tradition for us:  since we drive to work together each morning, we listen to the radio.  Because the stories are so sweet, and often poignant or downright sad, Kris teases me about my Pavlovian response to the guitar theme music.  He looks at me and just waits for my eyes to mist up each week!  Oftentimes they do, but some times, the stories - usually no longer than 2 minutes - are hilariously funny.  Here is a good example of one from earlier this summer [transcript and audio]  :)  enjoy!

I want to give Moldova the benefit of a doubt:  is it really that bad?  The way the author describes it, it sure sounds like the nation has had a rocky time since the Collapse.  I guess that is one of the main reasons that the people at Peace Fleece yarns wanted to reach out to Moldova - naming one of their lovely yarns after the country.  “Warm Wool from a Cold War” it says right on the label. 

So, it is because of the yarn name that I call this coat “Moldova”, not because I am unhappy with it.

Moldova Coat
Pattern: Crotona from Berroco #281 (pamphlet)
Yarn: Peace Fleece Worsted in Moldova Burgundy
Source: Maryland Sheep and Wool, 2007
Needles: Size US 6 and US 9

I made a few modifications on this coat; the most obvious being a cropped version.  Mine skims the hips while the model version goes to the knee.  I probably had enough yarn to do the longer version, but the longer it was, the less likely I was to wear it… so, I cut off about 9 inches of seed stitch. 

Side View

In order to do this, I started with less stitches - if my memory serves me, it was about 40 less, and I cut out 3 sets of decreases.  The coat still has a flare to it at the bottom, and it suits me fine this way. 

Instead of knitting the coat piece by piece, I cast on the full number of stitches for the back and the left and right panels.  With markers at the sides to indicate where to decrease, I worked the garment back and forth.  It seemed to save a lot of time, but most importantly, it saved me the seaming headache!  Once I got to the armhole decreases up top, I then put the panels on waste yarn and worked each piece separately.  The sleeves are short, and only took a few hours to knit.  Once they were complete, I was able to sew the raglan seams and attach at the underarm.  In the end, I picked up stitches around the neckline and worked 8 rows of stockinette in a smaller needle.  This gathered the top, and created the little roll.  I did the same for the sleeves.  Very simple construction! 

Once I put it on, I could tell that it was a little bigger than I would have liked - it’s not a dealbreaker per se, but if I were to do it again, I would have chosen the smaller size or played around with needle size to get a smaller gauge.  I chose the 40″ because it is a coat and ideally, I would wear things underneath.  However, the seed stitch stretches quite a bit. 

Considering the wool, it is not as heavy as I would have thought.  It is comfortable to wear.  The only challenge is finding clothes to wear with it, specifically tops.  The scoop neckline is lovely, but it seems disruptive to wear a top with a higher neckline.  V-necks are out.  So, that leave more scoop necks or camisoles, like I am wearing here.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but you have to plan how to wear it. 

Up until the last minute, I had my mind made up on the wooden buttons I picked up in California.    

Moose antler buttons

I thought that they would be a perfect complement.  THEN, I remembered the beautiful antler buttons from Nova Scotia… and once I put them alongside the seed stitch and the yarn color, I liked that combination even better.  I attached the buttons and made small crochet loops for the button holes.  I have to say, my crochet is getting better!  The button placement was a little difficult.  I didn’t want the garment to pull across the bust too much.  I settled on this, and it is satisfactory, although I am not exactly thrilled about how it looks.

So, I am considering how to “shrink” the coat a little bit.  Should I take in some of the seams inside to create more of an hourglass shape?  should I throw it in some hot water and ever-so-slightly felt it?  (I don’t want to lose seed stitch definition!) or should I just leave it alone all together and wear it as is?  Any ideas you have would be very welcome!

Even if I do nothing to it,  I will wear it.  As autumn creeps up - the crisp breeze this morning! - it seems like a perfect addition to the wardrobe. 

***

I must admit, I was completely shocked by the number of comments on yesterday’s post!  Thank you for your overwhelming response!  Because of the response, I decided that one prize was really not enough… and truthfully, two prizes isn’t either, but that is what I offer.  I have a hank of Peace Fleece from this coat that I would love to give away too.  Hopefully the winner will like working with it as much as I did - it will be perfect for winter accessories or for felting.

Winner #1  (Malabrigo and River John DPNs) is Wendy at Musings from a Knucklehead

Winner #2 (Peace Fleece hank in Moldova Burgundy) is Rachel at RachelKnits

If you are a winner, please email me with your address! 

I wish I had had the foresight to pick up more than one of these pins.  The simple design and neutral color would have matched a number of different shawls and wraps, and it would have made a wonderful gift.  I did, however, pick up three sets of handcrafted needles - two sets of double points and one set of straights.  They are all so smooth and beautifully done in birch wood.  The woman working at Lismore Sheep Farm that day told us that it was her husband who was in charge of the sanding process on the needles, so she knows that they are extraordinarily smooth. 

So… you wanna try some of the River John needles for yourself?  I have a size US 10 1/2 (7mm) set of double pointed needles to give away - perfect for winter hats or cowls.  To sweeten the pot,  I will throw in the one remaining skein of this lovely Malabrigo worsted colorway, perfect for any number of small projects - scarves, hats, cowls, or a small purse.  If you are interested, please leave a comment!  I will pick a name at random and announce it during the next post!

Long arm or short sleeve?

The Jacquard Pulli has once again fallen by the wayside as I ran into a little snag… Either I have the arms of an orangutan, or the pattern is just too short.  I think it is the latter. Rebecca patterns, as beautiful and innovative as they are, have a notorious reputation for errata.  With the advice of some Flickr comrades, I have decided to extend the cuff a bit, but also extend the brown color band at the top.  The key concern is matching the Fair Isle work with the body of the garment, and accounting for the stitch count in order for the colorwork yoke to begin.  It should be a pretty simple fix, and I am hoping that it will look acceptable too.  As you can see from the magazine photo, there is already a large color band above the colorwork on the sleeve; I will just be adding a little bit more. 

This sweater has been hanging around the stash in one capacity or another since the end of April, and I have set my sights on finishing it up by the end of this month.  It will be a lovely garment for fall and winter (I hope) and with only one sleeve remaining and the yoke, it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.  The colorwork really zips along once I start working on it - especially with the aid of a good audiobook. I never have a shortage of those to choose from!

The Crotona Coat - renamed Moldova because of the yarn color - is moving along so nicely.  Thousands of seed stitches all coming together in a very wearable garment.  The yarn is knitting up well, and the coat is taking shape so quickly!  I realized that I had better blog about it once more so that I didn’t have a finished object to show you without any progress shots!

Only a sleeve and half remain, plus the finishing details of picking up the small collar stitches and adding the buttons.  It will need a light blocking too to even out some of the decreases and increases along the sides - seed stitch tends to bunch up a little when doing subtractions and additions.  It feels like I saved a lot of time with this coat by knitting it in the round - and it made so much since to do that instead of trying to seam it up later.  Once I got to the armhole and neckline decreases, I worked each part separately (back, left and right front) and after the three-quarter length raglan-style sleeves are complete, it will be quickly completed.  Mine is shorter than the version in the pattern, but still skims the hips and falls right above the thigh. 

…now I just have to decide which buttons would look best…

Could I have TWO finished garments in September?   it is quite possible!

As things often come to pass, one of our best garden successes this season has been the eggplant. When we pick one (or three!) they are almost instantly replaced.   Because of this glut of eggplants, we have had to get creative with recipes.  We were adding them to kabobs on the grill, dicing them into chili - basically places where it took on the flavor of the things around them.

With the advice of Jenna, I decided to try an eggplant dish at one of our favorite Indian places.  And SURPRISE!  I really liked it!  In true form, when we like something, we try to recreate it at home.  So, while I was in San Francisco last week, Kris perfected a Baingain Bharta recipe and modified it a bit to fit in with my diet (vegan with no sugars and gluten - in this case, it was as simple as subbing silken tofu for the yogurt).  So delicious and highly recommended!

…and the eggplants continue to grow at a rapid pace.  Today, we tried our hand at Baba Ghanoush.  Yep, we will definitely be making this one again!

Baba Ghanoush*

• 1 large eggplant / 2 medium
• 1/4 cup tahini, more as needed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice, more as needed
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup brine-cured olives, such as kalamata

It is simple to prepare the eggplants on a grill or in the oven. With respect to time, we decided to use the broiler. We placed 2 medium eggplants (with skins) on a baking sheet and put them in the broiler. We turned them over after 5-6 minutes, and again after another 5-6 minutes and punctured their skin to test the softness. Continue to turn until eggplant can easily be punctured and/or mashed with a fork.

Prepare a small bowl of tepid water and put eggplant directly from oven into the bowl (enough water to submerge fruit). Wait for 1-2 minutes, cut off the stem, and the purple/black skin should easily strip away. Once you have removed the skin, cut into medium slices and place in blender. (If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can also mash the eggplant with a fork.) Blend on low speed for 10 seconds and check consistency. You can decide how creamy or thick you would like it. If blender needs liquid to churn properly, you can add the lemon juice and/or olive oil.

Scoop mixture into a mixing bowl and add the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and minced garlic. Mix well and season with salt to taste. If garlic is overwhelming, you can add more lemon or tahini to tone it down. Transfer to a serving dish and smooth with the back of a spoon. Add olives and parsley as garnish, and drizzle with olive oil.  Serves 6 to 8.

*Adapted and modified from this Baba Ghanoush recipe

Kris took most of the dip to a football party at his brother’s house, but he left some for me to eat too - it was so delicious on top of the fresh garden salad.  Eggplant, cucumber, and tomatoes all from my own backyard!

So, yes, I think I have finally come around to eggplants