Brief Baitcon writeup
'Yay, we had ice cream. Too bad it wasn't in the summer!'
A lot of fun quips flying around this slightly damp, infrequently sunny Baitcon. Really, we only suffered light afternoon sprinkles, and Sat. evening 'briskness.' "Oh, look, a golden disk thing. I wonder what it does?" Overall, it was quite warm and lovely.
My Friday packing was enlivened by a wonderful brief visit from methanopyrus. J and I arrived 7:30ish, after much 'Cream' listening and stocking up on Ommegang on a suprisingly smooth drive. We were grateful for dinner fixins' still to be had. Wisps of cloud cover played among our mountaintop trees everywhere. I settled a few tent items(J's wife having already erected them- cushy) and then stepped down to the labyrinth area to see "the new platform looking out on the valley" someone passing crowed about. It was more like 'walk the plank, if you dare', with improbably rigging and a boardwalk little more than picnic-table-width across. But bravable. The lightning flashed out of the storm beautifully as it drifted our way- shifting just enough not to soak our mountain. It was magical, especially with huge, deep-toned wind chimes bonging just behind us.
I fussed and consulted contentedly over my flavor plans that night and Saturday morning. Cooked down the Orange blossom water, crushed down almonds. Found a less than monster-sized frying pan in early afternoon for making the caramel for my cinnamon candied almonds- Donnad's invaluable suggestion. Many drifted up to peep hungrily at that process, dreaming of cinnamon buns and such. Crushing 'caramel glass' is a joy. L. warmed my heart saying of the early mix "tastes like Christmas!" The final name became "cinnamon almond with candied almonds," since I lost most of the orange blossom water effect along the way. Need a far greater quantity for reducing to a syrup, and I need to learn better how candying with it ever actually works. My 'the flavoring of Moroccan bastilla" dream will be fully realized... next year.
Was very much wowed by the taiko drumming, which I haven't seen live in ~fifteen years(Kodo). So much so that I cried repeatedly and kept warmly attached to P. the whole way- watching his main partner who is quite accomplished at this. *blink* Love the feel of the sticks and resonance of the drums.
Almost missed my time for actually making my flavor-I love how LN2 sparks on your wrists while you mix. Took 'vice-chief bucket 'n spoon washer' job for the children's ice cream making. Adorable. Afternoon yoga was a delight(and sensually pleased I showered for itwith J., more Ommegang was fetched, and M. braided my hair stunningly amid scrabble.
The 'running of the flavors' almost had me in tears again, as JB got his first dousing at the mic(bullhorn-and the splashing usually waits for Sunday) and stumbled over words to capture the journey to Baitcon XX. Two flavor waves, the first demolished in record time. I barely made it past 2 of the 5 tables that first time. The main fun, really, is raising your coverage and socialness trading samples, bowl and lanyarded camp spoon ready with offers.
Flavor Chatter: Loved Pomegranate Curry and dulce de leche was a huge intense win. Lychee Lime was yummy brilliance too. Surprised by a 'creamy' soy butter one, loved both versions of pepper clove- very different experiences. The "secret Iron Chef ingredient"(s) of this year were pepper, sour cherry and pomegranate, each used to stunning effect. *grin*
Unfortunate, but as ever still intriguing, that the red peppercorn overwhelmed when mixed as whole corns. This was somewhat the situation with mine, in that you definitely crunched through the almonds after the ice cream had dissolved away. But that is wuv for some people(like me!), and mine got six votes for "Best" on the tallies(a respectable midrange score). Admittedly, having no 'just liked it' category and people's generous natures must be factored in.
Bummed to have missed a port wine one, and Ju's Apfelwein sorbet, which was for Sunday night.
Edit: And, the official uberlist! If I get time, I may say more- like C3PO flavor was way cool.
The tasting ran up against contra dance time, which brought both its usual joy and surprising new ones. "Modern Squares!" Folk attempted several rounds, including one to the 'Star Wars' theme- and I realized I have been envisioning something like this for the last two years with contra. Of course someone's thought of it and is doing it! It was my second ecstatic experience of the weekend, holding on tight to A., marvelling at this crazy-paced tradition and hearing its longer and MIT quirky history(pfft, no costumes, no string ties!). And also much about the wonder of Jersey shore diners and boardwalks. I just never knew. A spot or two of single malt, including a maple flavored nums one, completed the night- at 3am or so.
Sunday was for sleeping in and a second round of tasting last night's and especially the kids' creations. There was happy-tent-time(tm), trying out a bit of poi spinning, watching Phizplant's increasingly ballet-ic silks stylings and dodging as the stilters careered around.
And so, in sum, a delightful time, happy with my flavor, delighted people's new flavor directions and inklings of new directions for me for this year. From some feeling of this fest as just a bit too much work, it returned to its rightful place as an absolute musthave of the summer. When we finally get a summer!
A lot of fun quips flying around this slightly damp, infrequently sunny Baitcon. Really, we only suffered light afternoon sprinkles, and Sat. evening 'briskness.' "Oh, look, a golden disk thing. I wonder what it does?" Overall, it was quite warm and lovely.
My Friday packing was enlivened by a wonderful brief visit from methanopyrus. J and I arrived 7:30ish, after much 'Cream' listening and stocking up on Ommegang on a suprisingly smooth drive. We were grateful for dinner fixins' still to be had. Wisps of cloud cover played among our mountaintop trees everywhere. I settled a few tent items(J's wife having already erected them- cushy) and then stepped down to the labyrinth area to see "the new platform looking out on the valley" someone passing crowed about. It was more like 'walk the plank, if you dare', with improbably rigging and a boardwalk little more than picnic-table-width across. But bravable. The lightning flashed out of the storm beautifully as it drifted our way- shifting just enough not to soak our mountain. It was magical, especially with huge, deep-toned wind chimes bonging just behind us.
I fussed and consulted contentedly over my flavor plans that night and Saturday morning. Cooked down the Orange blossom water, crushed down almonds. Found a less than monster-sized frying pan in early afternoon for making the caramel for my cinnamon candied almonds- Donnad's invaluable suggestion. Many drifted up to peep hungrily at that process, dreaming of cinnamon buns and such. Crushing 'caramel glass' is a joy. L. warmed my heart saying of the early mix "tastes like Christmas!" The final name became "cinnamon almond with candied almonds," since I lost most of the orange blossom water effect along the way. Need a far greater quantity for reducing to a syrup, and I need to learn better how candying with it ever actually works. My 'the flavoring of Moroccan bastilla" dream will be fully realized... next year.
Was very much wowed by the taiko drumming, which I haven't seen live in ~fifteen years(Kodo). So much so that I cried repeatedly and kept warmly attached to P. the whole way- watching his main partner who is quite accomplished at this. *blink* Love the feel of the sticks and resonance of the drums.
Almost missed my time for actually making my flavor-I love how LN2 sparks on your wrists while you mix. Took 'vice-chief bucket 'n spoon washer' job for the children's ice cream making. Adorable. Afternoon yoga was a delight(and sensually pleased I showered for itwith J., more Ommegang was fetched, and M. braided my hair stunningly amid scrabble.
The 'running of the flavors' almost had me in tears again, as JB got his first dousing at the mic(bullhorn-and the splashing usually waits for Sunday) and stumbled over words to capture the journey to Baitcon XX. Two flavor waves, the first demolished in record time. I barely made it past 2 of the 5 tables that first time. The main fun, really, is raising your coverage and socialness trading samples, bowl and lanyarded camp spoon ready with offers.
Flavor Chatter: Loved Pomegranate Curry and dulce de leche was a huge intense win. Lychee Lime was yummy brilliance too. Surprised by a 'creamy' soy butter one, loved both versions of pepper clove- very different experiences. The "secret Iron Chef ingredient"(s) of this year were pepper, sour cherry and pomegranate, each used to stunning effect. *grin*
Unfortunate, but as ever still intriguing, that the red peppercorn overwhelmed when mixed as whole corns. This was somewhat the situation with mine, in that you definitely crunched through the almonds after the ice cream had dissolved away. But that is wuv for some people(like me!), and mine got six votes for "Best" on the tallies(a respectable midrange score). Admittedly, having no 'just liked it' category and people's generous natures must be factored in.
Bummed to have missed a port wine one, and Ju's Apfelwein sorbet, which was for Sunday night.
Edit: And, the official uberlist! If I get time, I may say more- like C3PO flavor was way cool.
The tasting ran up against contra dance time, which brought both its usual joy and surprising new ones. "Modern Squares!" Folk attempted several rounds, including one to the 'Star Wars' theme- and I realized I have been envisioning something like this for the last two years with contra. Of course someone's thought of it and is doing it! It was my second ecstatic experience of the weekend, holding on tight to A., marvelling at this crazy-paced tradition and hearing its longer and MIT quirky history(pfft, no costumes, no string ties!). And also much about the wonder of Jersey shore diners and boardwalks. I just never knew. A spot or two of single malt, including a maple flavored nums one, completed the night- at 3am or so.
Sunday was for sleeping in and a second round of tasting last night's and especially the kids' creations. There was happy-tent-time(tm), trying out a bit of poi spinning, watching Phizplant's increasingly ballet-ic silks stylings and dodging as the stilters careered around.
And so, in sum, a delightful time, happy with my flavor, delighted people's new flavor directions and inklings of new directions for me for this year. From some feeling of this fest as just a bit too much work, it returned to its rightful place as an absolute musthave of the summer. When we finally get a summer!