Project Alert: The Writing [on the Stamp] is on the Wall

Sometimes genius comes slowly. Sometimes it comes all at once, in a fit of brilliance. But for me, most of the time, it comes from Pinterest. 

Two Saturdays ago, I was planted on my couch, mindlessly perusing my own pins, when I stumbled upon an idea I'd pinned some time back to my "Wanderlust and Second Helpings" board. It was a collection of stamps that had been mounted, framed, and displayed on a wall as art. Some had been enlarged, giving the collection an interesting, varied look.

And then I had one of those face-palm, coulda-had-a-V8 sort of moments.

A few years ago, on an ordinary Saturday visit to her house, my grandmother (on my dad's side) gave me an unassuming yellow box. Time had dulled its color a bit, and upon further inspection I noticed that, in tiny powder blue script, it was labeled "Estee Lauder." I cracked open the box and was surprised to find not makeup, but something infinitely more interesting.

Inside was a collection of some of the most interesting stamps I'd ever seen. They were time-worn tokens of adventures, relics from countries all over the world, even some that don't even exist anymore. They told stories of exotic, far away places--Germany, Belgium, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal, Hungary. It was history, tucked away for years in a faded yellow box.

And to think that, up until two Saturdays ago, those stamps had sat in that Estee Lauder box on a shelf in our spare bedroom, gathering dust.

Now, a share of them hang on my living room wall, a reminder of family and a daily chance to imagine what adventures these stamps saw before they came to find themselves in my little yellow box.

And all it took was a moment of genius, some pre-cut mat board and stamp mounts from Hobby Lobby, a few cheap frames from Wal-Mart, a digital camera, and a few hours of creativity. Interested in showing off your very own stamp collection? Great! Come along, fellow stamp nerd!

Displaying Your Stamp Collection 101

 

Time to Complete: 

An afternoon

What you'll need:

• However many stamps you want to display
• Stamp mounts (see note below)
• Pre-cut mat board in whatever size and color you'd like--pick colors that complement your decor, but that won't overwhelm your stamps. They're the real stars here, after all!
• Heavy card stock paper (again, in a complementary--but not overwhelming--color)
• Picture frames in a variety of sizes (I used 5x7, 8x10, and 11x14)
• A digital camera
• A computer

 

What you'll do:

• Pick out the stamps you want to display.
• Pick out a few that are really special to you or are visually striking. These will be the ones you'll digitally enlarge for your display.
• Place the stamps you want to digitally enlarge on white paper background and photograph in good lighting from directly above. Then, upload the photos to your computer and use a photo editing program (like Photoshop, or a free online tool--my favorites are Canva and PicMonkey) to tweak the photo to your liking.
• Size those photos however you like--I did one 8x10 and two 4x6s--upload them to walmart.com or another photo service, and order them for just a couple bucks. You can pick them up at your nearest Wal-Mart's 1-hour photo service desk (ah, hell, who am I kidding. It's Wal-Mart. Better give your order half a day.)
• Select the stamps you're going to group together in a display (the ones you're not going to enlarge) and arrange them on a sheet of card stock--do this for each grouping you want displayed. You can get fancy with the groupings--I just did grids, but you could do whatever you want! Then place the stamps in the stamp mounts and put them back in place on the card stock. If you like, you can trim your mounts if you have smaller stamps so that the black mount isn't so obvious. Stamp mounts are a great tool for nerds like me who love stamps and don't want to see them destroyed in the display process. There are things out there called stamp hinges. I do NOT recommend using those, because they require you to adhere the hinge directly to the stamp, so you could end up damaging your beloved stamp. Not cool, stamp hinge. Not cool. Here's a great video about how to use stamp mounts at the bottom of this post--definitely check it out. You might fall asleep while watching it, but even though the guy is super boring, he sure is helpful.

• Once your stamps are in the mounts, adhere the mounts to the card stock by touching a damp finger to the adhesive side of the mount and pressing the mount firmly down on the card stock.
• Center the card stock in your mat and tape to the back of the mat to secure. Then frame, hang, and congratulate yourself on a job well done! 

Here are some more stamps from the collection now on my wall. I wanted to do a frame for each country, but Matt (the rational one in this family) said that having a frame for each of the dozens of countries in that little yellow box would be bordering on insanity.

Ugh. Husbands ruin all the fun. :)

 

Until next time, adventurers!

Betsey

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A Taste of Québec: Gâteaux Joe Louis (Joe Louis Cakes)

I'm back!

After a long, long siesta from Wanderlust--and after some pretty persistent prodding from my husband--I've come back to blogging.

Lots has happened since the last post back in November--yes, last year--and it would take far too long to tell you all of it, so let's just get to the food, shall we?

Matt and I are getting super jazzed about our trip to Québec at the end of June. We're going there with Matt's parents, which will be a ton of fun since they are very active people and I'm the kind of person who really needs a little extra motivation to get going on vacations. If I didn't have travel companions like that, I'd have spent most of my time abroad sitting at a cafe table, sipping on a beer or a cafe au lait and just listening to the people passing by. There's just something about the experience of sitting alone in a totally foreign place for a while, listening to conversations in a language you don't understand and realizing how small you are in the grand scheme of things.

...But then, there's also something to be said about actually doing things on a vacation, so it's good I'm traveling with Heidricks.

I thought that, in anticipation of our trip, I'd explore some Québec cuisine. My mother-in-law, Charlotte, sent me a great Québecois cookbook (which I definitely recommend), called A Taste of Québec, some time ago, and I quickly managed to find the least healthy recipe in it: Gâteaux Joe Louis (or Joe Louis cakes).

This recipe is credited to the Beauce region of Québec, the part of the province that is apparently especially known for its maple syrup. But because I'm me, I picked the recipe that was 0% maple and 99.9% chocolate. 

While you might think these adorable treats were named after the famous boxer, they're actually named for the sons of two Beauce bakers. I altered this recipe just a bit to fit my taste and made it in cupcake tins because I figured I'd be in less danger of inhaling the entire recipe--WRONG--but you can certainly make it in a cake tin. 

These cakes are dense and chocolatey, but not overly sweet like a boxed mix or back-of-the-Hershey's-cocoa-container chocolate cake recipe, which I found to be actually preferable. They're best either with a big cup of strong coffee or (even better) a cold glass of milk. In the middle is a delicious homemade marshmallow-y filling that's made with equal parts culinary art and sheer persistence. Finish it off with a homemade chocolate icing and you're on the express train to happy town. 

So let's get started.

Gâteaux Joe Louis

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time:  10-12 minutes

What You'll Need:

For the cake batter:

• 1/2 c. butter (don't wimp out on me and use margarine!)
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 c. milk
• 1 T white vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla

 For the filling:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the chocolate frosting:

• 2 T softened butter (at room temp--not melted)
• 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 to 3 T milk, depending on how you like the consistency
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Approx. 1/2 c. powdered sugar

What To Do:  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease 12-16 cupcake tins (don't use liners, just spray tins really well with nonstick cooking spray) or your cake tin.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until they're nice and fluffy. Then add in the eggs and mix.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together your milk, vinegar, and baking soda. 
4. In yet another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
5. Little by little, combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients with the butter mixture. Once everything's mixed together, add in the vanilla. The batter will be a little sturdier than what you might be used to with a brownie mix or typical cake batter. But that's okay! We like sturdy.
6. Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full and bake for 10-12, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the top of one of the cakes comes out clean.
7. Once they're cool enough so you don't burn your hands, take out the cakes (here's where it helps if you've greased the pans really well--they'll just fall out) and lay on a cooling rack. 
8. While those are cooling, make your vanilla filling:
1. In a double boiler (bring a pot of water to boil, then place a glass bowl over it, but make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water!), beat together the egg whites, sugar, salt and water until stiff-ish and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes. Be patient, it takes a while for this to come together. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla.
9. Then make your chocolate frosting:
1. Cream the butter and cocoa powder together.
2. Whisk in 2 T of the milk and vanilla.
3. Then alternately whisk in powdered sugar and the additional 1 T milk until you get the consistency you want for your frosting.
10. MAKE THOSE CAKES!
1. Sort of like making a whoopie pie, cut the cakes in half and fill with the vanilla filling. Then put the top back on cake(s).
2. Smoosh the chocolate frosting on top.
3. Eat. Repeat. Feel no guilt.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
 

À bientôt! XO,

Betsey

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Foreign Language Movie Friday: "Après Vous"

Because we are somewhat boring people, Matt and I have recently instituted a little ritual here in our home. It's called Foreign Language Movie Friday, and it's exactly like it sounds: every Friday night (or most every Friday night), after we've gotten our groceries (which is obviously what twenty-somethings do on a Friday night), we'll pick up a foreign language film at the local Family Video--which, for those who don't know, is the most glorious relic of the video rental age. We don't have these stores back in Nebraska, but they're all over Springfield. The movies there are usually a buck each, and there's usually a half-off coupon offered at the check-out counter. So we get all the awesomeness of cinema for 50 cents. I love Family Video.

Because we enjoy (most) of the foreign movies we watch, I thought I'd save you all the trouble and review them for you so that you can enjoy your very own Foreign Language Film Friday.

First up:

Après Vous (2003)

Language: French with English subtitles

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Our Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I love this movie. I first encountered it at a Blockbuster (you'll have to explain what this is to the young ones in your home) back in high school. I had elected to take my French course as independent study, and I was afraid that being out of the classroom would hinder my spoken French on account of not hearing it spoken every day. So, naturally, I started looking for French movies.

If you're looking for a light-hearted romantic comedy to pass the time with, "Après Vous" is for you. It stars Daniel Auteuil (who's sort of like the French George Clooney...except much less attractive), who plays Antoine, a successful headwaiter at a classy restaurant. On the way home one night from his shift, Antoine encounters and saves Louis, a heartbroken and somewhat neurotic man who was in the process of committing suicide (just go with it). Louis is inconsolable after his breakup with Blanche, a florist, and good guy Antoine wants to help out.

After Antoine himself falls in love with Blanche, it's a hilarious plot full of awkward situations, poorly constructed lies, and the ridiculous things we do for friendship.

Daniel Auteuil (left) and Jose Garcia as Antoine and Louis in "Après Vous."

The only reason I didn't give this movie 5 out of 5 stars is because it does drag on just a little at the end. The movie is 110 minutes, and I found myself wanting everything to wrap up so I could be on my merry francophone way. But it's also a movie I find myself watching over and over again. And Matt likes it too, which is proof that it's a great foreign movie because he doesn't speak French and still enjoyed it.

You can read more about "Après Vous" on its IMDB page, here.

Got a suggestion for what we should watch on our next Foreign Language Movie Friday? Let me know in the comments!

Cheers!
-Betsey

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Chocolate Hugs: Betsey's Best Brownie Recipe

So. It's been a while, hasn't it?

A lot has happened in the last month. I'm still settling into my new job and trying to find out where I fit in my new hometown. I can tell you that all these changes have necessitated a lot of things: a lot of self-pep talks, a lot of phone calls to Mom, and a lot of cuddles with my dogs. But perhaps the thing I have relied on most--and this is somewhat sad--is my favorite brownie recipe.

Need comfort? Brownies are second only to puppy cuddles.

Yes, that's right, I said it. Brownies. Sweet, gooey, delectable chocolatey goodness. Grabbing a fresh brownie and a glass of cold milk is like getting a reassuring hug from an old friend or slipping into warm just-from-the-dryer sweatpants.


...Although old friends and warm sweatpants don't do so much damage to my thighs. But honestly, sometimes you just need a damn brownie. And you should have one, and you should eat it with no regrets.


I know, I know, this isn't a dish from some exotic place like I usually post on this blog, but I haven't really explored all of the delicious eats we have to offer right here in the US of A. And if I had to vote on the most American food, the brownie would definitely be in the running. I mean, it screams America: it's always a star at bake sales, it's understated and unassuming, and it is best when paired with the Miss America of desserts: vanilla ice cream.


So, for those days where you just need a little extra reassurance and comfort, I want to share with you my very best and favorite brownie recipe. It goes together just as easily and as fast as opening a box of brownie mix, but it tastes so much more rewarding.

Betsey's Best Brownie Recipe

From Table to Tummy: 45 min.

Ingredients:

• 6 hefty T. unsweetened powdered cocoa (I used Hershey's)
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 2 eggs, beaten slightly
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. self-rising flour

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Mix together the cocoa and sugar.
3. To the sugar/cocoa mixture, add the butter, eggs, vanilla, and flour.
4. Spread batter into a 9 x 9 baking dish that's been sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
6. Let cool for a few minutes before diving in. 

Bonus:
If you want to get really funky with your brownies, you can take the recipe to the next level by frosting it with homemade Hershey's "perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting that is conveniently found on the back of your Hershey's natural unsweetened cocoa powder container. This recipe will make about 2 cups of frosting, just enough to frost these brownies and fill the cracks in your heart. 

Ingredients:

•  1/2 c. (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 2/3 c. Hershey's cocoa
• 3 c. powdered sugar
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla frosting

Steps:

1. Melt butter and stir in cocoa.
2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk if needed. (I do this step by hand with a whisk.)
3. Stir in vanilla. 

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Does Instagramming Food Make it Less Appealing?

You finally have a reason to tell your incessantly-Instagramming friend, family member, or colleague to put their smart phone down and step way from their trendy dish.

Finally, the proof we've all been waiting for. Cue the rejoicing.

The Rise of Sensory Boredom

A recent study published by Brigham Young University researchers involved having 232 people look at and rate pictures of various types of sweet and salty foods (from chocolate cakes and pastries to chips and pretzels). Half of the participants looked at pictures of sweet foods while the other viewed the salty foods. After having looked at the photos, participants were given salty foods and were asked to rate how good they tasted. Interestingly, the participants who looked at pictures of salty food enjoyed their snack less.

A young woman no doubt Instagramming about her lunch.

The researchers attribute this loss of appetite to "sensory boredom," the idea that simply seeing photos of food can satiate your appetite to the point of losing interest in the item.

Upon first glance, it makes sense; seeing a bunch of pictures of food might turn you off. Maybe after the first few photos you start thinking about how unhealthy that particular pastry must be, or how nauseatingly rich that devil's food cake looked, or how many miles you'd have to run to burn off those potato chips.

But I am a doubter.

After all, if pictures of food didn't entice people to eat, why is food advertising such a popular and lucrative industry? And why do we have entire channels on television dedicated to show us every nook and cranny of every food item known to man? To date, looking at pictures of chocolate or pretzels in any form has never caused me to lose interesting them. And there is never a time when, while watching some short order cook slap more melted cheese on some friend monstrosity on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" that my husband doesn't drool on himself. But perhaps there is something inherent about Instagramming food--as opposed to filming it being served up or seeing it advertised on TV--that automatically kills our appetite.

My theory lies in the fact that Instagram is a social network.

(I can hear the collective "duh." Just stay with me here.)

The Historical Sacredness of a Meal

Food, from the beginning of time, has also been very social. Think about it: primitive man would hunt together and dine together. It was a method of social cohesion, a way of communing with each other, of sharing something incredibly important. It is in this way that food--and the act of sharing it--is also incredibly intimate. In what way can you get to know someone more candidly than sharing a meal with them? Cooking and sharing a meal has gone from something that was done solely for sustenance and survival to an activity that is done for the purpose of unity and relation bonding.

Fast forward through the ages, and this idea of a June Cleaver-esque household where everyone sits down every night for a homemade meal seemingly doesn't hold much weight. In a world where dinner for many people is eaten on the go and comes in a microwaveable package or off the Dollar Menu, there doesn't seem to be much of an argument of the sacredness of a family meal.

Mrs. Cleaver's perfect, "I beg your pardon?" face.

But this Instagram study makes me think the argument remains.

Perhaps it is the simple act of pulling out one's smart phone and hovering inches above a dish that makes people lose interest in the act of actually eating. Because Instagram is a social network that is confined to mobile devices, it violates two basic principles of food: eating is something that is best enjoyed in the company of others and eating is something that is very intimate for those included in the dining party.

Imagine that you are meeting an old friend for a meal at a trendy restaurant. It's been years since you've seen them in person, and you've made reservations at the coolest spot in town. You've been looking forward to this dinner date for quite some time. But during the course of the evening, your friend cuts into the conversation with "I have to shap a shot of this," and proceeds to pull out her phone, take a picture, and tag it with inane text like, "OMG best dinner date cocktails ever! #oldfriends #lovemoscato." The fact that your friend placed a physical barrier (her phone) between both you and her dinner seals her off from the experience. It also gives the impression that she would rather share this moment with her "friends" on some intangible social network than with you, a real, tangible person.

This idea that Instagramming one's dishes cuts one off from the intimacy of sharing a dish in the true (not digital) company of others is what I believe to be behind the results of the Brigham Young University study.

But I'm just me. What do you think?

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