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Irish Soda Bread
In the United States, "Irish soda bread" generally means a somewhat sweet white bread made with eggs and butter and studded with raisins and caraway seeds-the "soda" in the name comes from the baking soda (or "bread soda" in Ireland) used to leaven it instead of yeast and kneading. But some people, insist that there's nothing Irish about this bread-that it's an American invention or at least a corruption of the Irish original.
There are several versions of soda breads, this just a healthier one that we really like!
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour or graham flour, plus more for shaping
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup untoasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons flaxseed
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 large egg
About 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
Preparation
Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a heavy baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray or line it with a silicone baking pan liner or aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Add the butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the fat particles are very fine. Stir in the baking soda, salt, sugar, wheat bran, oat bran, wheat germ, flaxseed, and sunflower seeds.
Beat the egg lightly with a fork in a 2-cup glass measure. Add enough buttermilk to come to the 2-cup line and stir with the fork to combine well. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough gathers into a thick, wet-looking mass.
Sprinkle your work surface with whole wheat flour and scrape the dough onto it. Dust the dough with a bit more whole wheat flour. Pat the dough into a circular shape about 7 inches across and 2 inches high and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Don't be concerned about evenness-the loaf should look rustic. Make a cross-shaped indentation on top of the loaf going right to the edges. I use a butter knife and press it into the dough very gently; don't actually cut the dough. During baking the indentation expands, giving the top of the loaf an attractive pattern.
Bake the bread for about 40 minutes, until it is well browned and sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf should register 195° to 200°F. Cool the loaf on a wire cooling rack, and serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into quarters and slice each quarter with a sharp serrated knife. Delicious with butter.
Storing:
The loaf keeps well at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 2 to 3 days. The entire loaf or quarters of it can also be frozen when completely cool. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw completely before unwrapping. If desired, refresh the bread in a preheated 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Vertical Garden
We love succulents and what a fun project that turned into artwork!
A great place to explore these types of projects or buy them, is one of our favorite nurseries in San Francisco - Flora Grubb!
Build your own vertical garden! Here is your opportunity to do-it yourself.
The 20"x20" tray contains 45 slanted planting cells to support plants and soil once mounted on the wall.
The system is modular so you can build a vertical garden in any design based on 20"x20" square panels. It is a system for planting on a vertical surface that is outdoors (for indoor vertical gardens consider the Pocket Garden. The set-up requires free drainage and can be irrigated using a garden hose - applying water to the plants manually or the system is designed to accommodate a built-in irrigation line for automatic watering.
These succulent walls are installed by using panels planted with small 2" succulent plants. These panels were grown flat for a few months to allow the roots to develop and grow in to the cells. Make sure you understand the conditions needed to support your plant selections - especially in terms of light and temperature. Typically we finish the installation with a simple wooden frame to create a 'picture on the wall' look. The panels can be attached directly to the wall or to a wooden backing.
Dimensions 19.5'h x 19.5'w x 2.5'd
Check out Flora Grubb:
http://www.floragrubb.com/idx/index.php
March 2010
Issue 10
The Design Dish
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Keeping you updated with the latest and greatest information in Kitchen & Bath Design, Cabinetry, Plumbing, Lighting and Accessories!
Hello Friends!
2010 is well under way here at Spacial Design, we have been busy updating our website, planning seminars and working on some really fun Kitchen, Bathroom and Office remodeling projects!
We hope you are finding time for yourself, your families and the projects that inspire you!
Susan & Jenn
Kitchen Remodeling Thoughts for 2010
Here, at Spacial Design we have been contemplating where we feel the focus is in the Kitchen remodeling world, and some whys too. We thought about where we think (many of us) are headed, for those of us who are contemplating changes in the way we live in our kitchens. Maybe these thoughts will ring true for you.
We want to expand our feelings about how many of us want as much permanence or longevity in our design and products as we can get. The recent recession, "The Big Recession" as we are hearing it called, has truly been a wake-up call. We feel that there is a maturity, a sensible way of thinking, that has evolved. Where we can afford it, we feel we want quality.
We feel that we want performance from the products we select over the long term. We definitely see that our clients are more involved in the design process, more serious, and dedicated. They/you understand that this new kitchen truly may be a one time purchase, and it needs to be as perfect as it can be. That (importance) has been true all along, but, that call really woke us up!
If you are planning a kitchen renovation in 2010, our guess is you will take it very seriously and you'll find it to be a very, very rewarding process. We hope you do! And we hope to help you along the way! See our Trends for 2010 article below for more things to consider for your remodel.
Spacial Design
Cabinet Line Promotions
Some of our semi-custom and custom cabinetry lines
have amazing quality cabinets to offer; but some are currently passing along additional savings to you!
Please see the list below for current offers:
Aristocratic Cabinetry - 10% off all standard orders until April 20, 2010
Dura Supreme Cabinetry - For orders received between February 8 - March 21, you can choose between special pricing on wood species OR premium finishes!!
This includes paint, stain/glaze, paint/glaze, Country Traditions, Heirloom collections and Patina collections. ALL premium finishes are available with NO UPCHARGE. That represents a possible savings ofup to 40% depending on the finish.
OR - you can select our wood species promotion. Cherry, Rustic Cherry, Maple, Lyptus, Quarter-Sawn Oak and Exotic Veneers are available without the upcharge, AND our non-upcharged species (Knotty Alder, Oak and Hickory) are available with a 5% discount!
Holiday Kitchens Cabinetry - "Winter Wonderland Promotion" - Receive up to a 12% Discount across all Holiday Product Lines & 5% Bonus Discount on all RWH Cucina Di Festa Orders, until Tuesday April 20, 2010
Spacial Design is still offering an additional 10% discount on all cabinetry orders through the month of March 2010
NOTE: Existing estimates already have these discounts factored into the final cost.
Five Kitchen Design
Trends for 2010
We would like to inspire you by telling you about five of the most important trends that are in our consciousness as we consider how we want to design and live in our kitchens. These are lifestyle trends, not the color of the month trend! Kitchens are once or twice in a lifetime projects, typically. We want to pay attention to new ideas, absolutely, but seek longevity in design and materials as well.
1.Open Floorplan - An open floorplan design concept comes to mind first. We're busy. We want to connect with our family and friends while we perform the sometimes mundane tasks we need to do in the kitchen. We're also feeling more relaxed, less formal, yet desire more control of our spaces. Taking charge of our family connections in our own home means designing our kitchens for easy, efficient, communication across disparate spaces. A loft-like design concept is gaining momentum as a coordinated "designed" response to the need for communication in our homes. Products of quality to better relate (as well as to better serve their purpose) to surrounding living areas are seriously considered for their longevity and classic design, be they modern, traditional, or artisan.
2.What's Your Style? - We see a continuing movement toward tapping into one's inner creativity, finding one's personal expression. The gift from the internet gods to those redesigning a room or a home is the ability to find the nuance of our personal style online. There are also endless books, magazines and resources to tap into your own personal desires. Finding those nuanced products, ideas, methods, that speak to us, is a direct result of a fresh and new confidence, built up over recent years and a trend that has recently accelerated in light of our very difficult last 1 1/2 years. Personal expression aside, what many of us also seem to be moving toward is a warm, modern, feel with clean lines and simple design elements with an appreciation for design that is inspired by nature, and offers easy care as one advantage. We used to have one or two clear trends in kitchen design. Now we have quite a few trends, sub trends, mixed trends. The trend landscape has changed dramatically, a good change.
3.The Chef's Kitchen - We're loving fabulously fun cooking equipment, appliances designed in countless configurations offering any feature you can dream of, including cool high tech features and lots of color and finishes. We're going to local farmer's markets, and a desire for healthy foods of quality is also responsible for the renewed enjoyment of cooking. The grill pans, specialty knives, panini presses combined with an appreciation for the classics such as the cast iron skillet or the Le Creuset ovens as examples, bring us to a more sophisticated level in our culinary lives. We're cooking at home again for family and friends. The "Healthy Kitchen", connected in philosophy to the "Chef's Kitchen" will include aging in place design/universal design principles (it's own enormous trend/topic), non toxic surfaces, and appliances for healthy foods and homes such as steam oven, air scrubbing refrigerators, ventilation that automatically turns on/off, adjusting its speed, electronic on/off faucetry and many more innovations designed to create and enhance a healthy lifestyle in the kitchen.
4.The Social Kitchen - More than ever before, we want our kitchens to be social. So social, that we see islands becoming larger as walls continue to come down, even taking center stage to include a sink and a cooking appliance, and seating. We see furnishings (such as a kitchen sofa for example, which is raised to meet the breakfast room table or an island designed with a lower dining table attached) in the kitchen and it is all about comfort and function. We see finishes and colors which do not match, but blend. Fireplaces and larger windows in width and height create an open feel and add architectural interest as they do in surrounding rooms. Alternative finishes, textures and products add sophistication. Good artwork, sconces (and other non-typical kitchen lighting) and media media media of any size/shape/type contribute to the feeling that one is truly in a living/social area. Multiple work stations providing optimal function for various social lifestyle situations will be designed into the space. A desire for real comfort is strongly connected to the social kitchen trend.
5.Environmental Awareness - No list, even a short one, would be complete without mentioning the importance of sustainable living in our everyday life and thinking sustainability in the products we select. Appliances have made enormous strides in energy conservation in recent years, and faucets and cabinetry, flooring, tile, and countertops are made with recycled or certified environmentally safe materials. Conserving water and energy is our collective goal. Energy saving lighting fixtures has made great strides as seen in CFL and LED fixtures. Yes, you can still have your glam touch with (energy saving) lights at your sink or countertop! Green design, in our opinion, does not work without longevity built into products. Longevity built-in, equals quality. More than a trend, real quality, as it always has, simply makes sense. Environmental awareness brings with it a desire to experience the natural character of wood species, natural textures in metals, stone, and fabrics. A parallel to this trend is enjoyment of hand crafted, artisan, items, an easing up from perfection, toward organic shapes and joinery.
The word for design in 2010 and for the foreseeable future just may be "Authenticity"
Featured Products
Wolf Microwave Drawer with Warming Feature
A microwave and a warming drawer in one? The Wolf Microwave Drawer merges the features of a top-notch microwave with a new micro-warm feature, which allows you to keep food warm for up to 30 minutes. And, best of all, it's a drawer, which means it can be installed under the counter and in smaller spaces. The unit is available in a 24-inch width and a 30-inch width
Binova Fire Line Cooktop
The Italians and their kitchens! The Fires Line cooktop by Italian kitchen system designer Binova is especially appealing. Featuring a single row of burners, the cooktop is perfect for a narrow countertop. It can be centered on an island (out of reach of children's hands) for easy access from either side.
Vibia Pendant Lighting
Here are some fun pendant lights from Vibia to ponder. Whether it's for over an island or a dining table, these are very sleek!
Vibia, Inc. was founded in 1999 with the express mission of providing pure design lighting products of unparalleled quality for the contemporary lighting market. Each and every one of Vibia's lighting designs responds to the same criteria: purity in lines, refinement in materials, and innovation in technology.
Vibia has been a prestigious brand in the European lighting market for over a decade. Now, this prestige has been brought to North America through Vibia, Inc. The visible components of our products originate in Spain, while all of the final product assembly is completed in Northern California. Vibia provides the best of both continents: European style and American service.
Vibia - Noble 2061
Vibia - Wind 4080
Vibia - Plis 5124
Vibia - Forest 5290
For more selections:
http://www.vibia.es/default.asp?selNP=1
Special Offer
We appreciate all of your wonderful referrals to family and friends and now we want to give back to you. By referring a friend to Spacial Design... we would like to offer you a gift! That means for any referral that leads to a retained Kitchen or Bath client OR a kitchen cabinetry sale, we will send you a $200.00 gift certificate to your favorite restaurant, Spa or retail store.
Warmly,
Susan
Susan Lund, AKBD
Spacial Design
Spacial
Design 524 San Anselmo Ave
Suite #146
San Anselmo, CA 94960
P: 415.457.3195 F: 415.457.1876
Email:
