The Domestic Nest Blog

We built a sidewalk! Before we took off for some R & R, we worked to the bone to get this sidewalk completed. Why? Because we had a pesky little flowerbed that we ran into every time we got out of the car. With groceries or dogs in tow, it was impossible to navigate to the front door without shoulder-checking the gutter beside the garage. Some seriously hard work has led to a much more functional and eye-pleasing front yard. Take the jump below for the details of how we did it and how much money we spent.

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Its the height of summertime, and the bar-b-q gets fired up every weekend. As the man of the house, I can’t help but take great pride in assuming most of the grilling responsibilities. Warning:  the following information will probably not pertain to our vegetarian readers.

There is never a bad time to meet your local butcher. With family, friends, and co-workers apt to drop over, valuable information is needed in order to please your most beloved carnivors. Here in our nest, bringing  delicious food to the table starts with quality ingredients.

Quality for us means consulting Peter, our local butcher at Tip Top Meats. In this age of speed and efficiency, there is no substitute for a little face-to-face time with the guy that cut your dinner. Local butchers have a vested interest in getting you high quality meat. Because if they only competed on price the mega-mart would always win. That is not to say you can not get high quality at the mega-mart, but your questions and ultimately your selection is deeply personal (at least for us).

Some things that we like about our local butcher are:

1. They don’t carry anything less than USDA Choice (Yield Grades 1 and 2). When available they carry USDA Prime, which is available more frequently now that many restaurants are out of business.
2. Meat is dry aged at least two days before sale.
3. If they don’t have it, they can order it.
4. If  you only need a single serving, no problem.
5. They can hand-cut whatever type of cut you want, and provide the exact size that you want.
6. If you have questions or want to experiment they can can be your guide.

Bon appétit

The Butcher’s Limerick:

There is a man whose goal is Tip-Top, upon his rock splits many stock

Of course you can see he has solid stock, that is why he needs a lock

This man knows your every query

But best about your quarry

If you waiver he ain’t no fairy, question his butcher block its boss on the block

Aloe plants tend to grow & reproduce rather quickly. The tiny new plants are called pups. If left to grow, the pups will take nutrients and water from the momma plant & will overcrowd the pot. For this reason, it is wise to remove the pups and replant them.

The older the aloe, the more potent the medicinal properties. So, it may be beneficial to keep that momma growin’.

Click on ‘more’ to see how…

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We were feeling very ambitious this weekend. We went to not one, but TWO big box stores in a single day. My feet and my wallet barely survived.

We’re transforming our multi room into a more functional space.

Now, my personal sushi chef (aka Matty), will show you how to properly install earthquake braces, in case you live on the left coast.

First, you attach straps to the wall.

Then, attach the straps to your piece of furniture.

Now, in case there is an earthquake, your shelves will not fall on you. Just all the junk you’re storing on them.

Don’t you feel safer already?

A few months ago, Matty built a fence in our backyard. It was testoterone city for a few weeks as power tools, cement & wood scraps took over the garden. It was fun to watch his creativity in action. It’s been even more fun to see what his no-waste mindset has made of the wood scraps. He made me this beautiful desk from the discarded chunks that didn’t make the final cut when it came to the fence. I just love it!

THANKS   MATTY !!!

Our newest product has Matt extra excited about research and development.

He selflessly volunteered to test out the newest ‘man gift’ headed for our etsy shop…

the personalized leather beer cozy.

Testing new products is sometimes fun & sometimes  tedious, depending on how many changes you have to make to your original pattern and how many mock-ups it takes to get it right.

I have a feeling by the week’s end, we’ll be able to determine how well this product wears with moderate use.

Matt here.

As a man on the hand made scene, it can sometimes be challenging to find items that are masculine enough for my taste. I’ve appreciated hard work and craftsmanship since I was a wee tot in Montana, watching my dad build our home from the ground up. When I was five, my grandpa sent me my favorite hand made gift, the perfect wooden garage for my trains.

I occasionally search etsy and check out what’s for bro’s. Here are some etsy items that won’t insult your man pride…

We’re hoping to add a ‘man line’ of gifts to our etsy shop before the holidays roll in. If there’s something you wish you could find, let us know.

Oh, and since I’m posting my faves on the world wide web, I figure it can serve as my Christmas list. Buy hand made for your guys. They like it too.

cherry tree

Previous owners have planted many a fruit tree in our yard. Each season, we look to see what’s new and we’re enjoying the sweet surprises. We’ve been wondering what would spring from the pretty tree in the middle of the front yard. Now we know. Cherries!

Cherries are a member of the rose family (genus Prunus) and are a favorite summertime staple. There are two types of cherries, sweet and sour (also known as pie cherries.) This post is about sour cherries.

Sour cherries are usually only available in-season at farmers’ markets or roadside stands. Sour cherries are disease resistant and rarely sprayed with pesticides, so they’re likely an eco choice.

pick 'em

Pick ‘Em: If you happen to pick your own cherries, don’t forget your long sleeves. Leaves on cherry trees can be sharp. Sour cherries grow on a raceme, or a long slender spike and they have no stems. You can pick a cluster by grabbing the base of the spike and pulling, catching the cherries as they fall into your basket.

Pit ‘Em: Purchasing a cherry pitter may be a good option if you’ll be pitting a lot of cherries. I just use a disinfected paper clip. Here’s how…Twist the clip out to make a long skinny ‘S’ shape and use the larger end to scoop out the pit. Do this over the sink or a bowl and beware the splatter, cherries can stain.

paper clip

pit 'em

pack 'em

Pack ‘Em: Once you’ve made a big mess pitting cherries, your storing and cooking options are limitless. I’m experimenting with sugar-packing our surplus cherries. I stir in 3/4 cup sugar per 4 cups of cherries and lay them out on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, I store them in freezer bags.

Sour cherries are perfect for their traditional use–pie filling. They’re also good for topping ice cream, smothering yogurt, making syrup, and drying.

If life is just a bowl of, well, you know, it may take some time, work, and planning to achieve desired results. But it’s worth the effort. So go ahead, pick ‘em, pit ‘em, pack ‘em. And, baby, laugh at it all.

Cheers!

Sun tea is an eco way of harnessing the sun’s power to brew a healthful and tasty beverage. My favorite time of year to enjoy sun tea is right now, July through September. Nothing goes better with a lazy afternoon than a cold glass of sun tea in the shade. It’s good for you and has a less acidic taste than tea brewed on your stovetop. Sun tea can be made with any type of tea (herbal, black, green…) and produces a mild, satisfying brew.

Before you start, select the proper container & location. Sun tea can be brewed in any container, but I prefer clear glass because you can see the color of the tea change. Glass is also beneficial because it’s dishwasher safe and doesn’t degrade.

The container should have a tight fitting lid and should hold at least two quarts. If your container doesn’t have a lid, you can substitute using a piece of fabric and a rubber band to keep dirt and bugs out. A good location receives full sun for at least four hours.

For a two-quart container, I use four tea bags. You can monitor the strength of your brew by watching the depth of the color. Lighter tea is milder and darker tea is, you guessed it, stronger in taste.

Before

After 4 Hours

Once your container is ready, place in your brewing location and walk away. When your brew has reached desired strength, remove it from the sun and take the tea bags out. Enjoy it immediately over ice or chill it in the fridge. Add lemon, sweetener, or my favorite, passion fruit. It will keep 5-7 days in the fridge, because sun tea never reaches boiling temperatures and tea naturally contains bacteria.

Hope you enjoy. Cheers!