The plan? Mozzarella stretching with Val - our go to, in the know, cheese maker friend!
Also, it just happened to be our friend Shanda's 40th b-day! Could the day get any better?
I met up with Steph, my co-ninja planner and partner in crime!She made a chocolate cake from scratch for Shanda and we had to put it together and decorate it!
Decoration accoutrement!Crafty in every sense of the word, friends!
There were some "fissures", as Steph called them...and a few tenuous moments, but look at the results...
Gorgeous, right?Bravo, Steph!
Shanda goes by "Killer"...because she's a super bad ass lady...and a rippin' front lady and guitar shredder for The Swanks!
Steph and I also wrangled together a little caprese salad to go with our freshly stretched mozz!We were so excited!
I did the dishes...
When we arrived at Meg's...the spread was already pretty amazing!The ninjas are all about the food, drink, and camaraderie of the hang out...just as much as the actual craftin'!
AH! JEN WOOD!We love you! And she brought ham and brie sammies!
Miriam and TJ!
Delightful, hilarious ladies!
Shanda opened some gifts...
The Ninjas bought her a goodie bag filled with embroidery stuff to help her embark on our newest obsession!There's a imminent stitch 'n bitch in our future...want to join us?
We were so excited to have Christine there...and she brought her darling daughter Diamond!
The result of a frozen eclair!Those things can shock and surprise someone!
Bobbi and Brandy!
Meg was the mixologist!She makes a mean Cosmo!
Obvs, Kelly loves it!
Diamond sat next to the cookies! She IS a smart cookie!
So, as usual...we must eat, drink, and be merry before we get down to business!
We must catch up with one another!
Be reminded why it's so important to be amongst one another...once a month!
VAL!Bad ass and cheese connoisseur!
Man, I dig this fellow! He's super cool...unflappable under the pressure of all us wild woman!
We had some newbies with us!Sarah was joined by her friend Mariko! Mariko - come back! We were so glad to have you!
Miriam brought her friend Rachael!Nice to see you, new friend!
So, as we milled around...Val set up the work station!You see that wedge of cheese curd! HOW GORGEOUS!
Val boiled water...
And...cut the cheese, for lack of a better expression, so we could see how one stretches mozzarella!
We got our acts together...put on our thinking caps...and got ready to learn a thing or two!
Val conducts a great class.He knows his stuff where cheese is concerned and not one of our questions stumped him!
We learned how the curds are separated from the whey...
And we learned how to start the process of encouraging the cheese to join up with the other pieces of cheese in the warm water.
You can imagine that Val had his hands full with us!
Sarah and Mariko are good listeners!
Val added some salt to the water to flavor the mozzarella once it was stretched and formed into a ball.
Diamond being cute! What's new!?
And then the stretching began!
We were all at attention!
The cheese is temperamental in a way...
You don't want to bully it too much with squeezing or stretching.
You just have to let it sort of stretch itself.
Once the cheese had been properly stretched...
Val instructed us on how to form the stretched mozzarella into balls.
He's a cheese whiz.Ha!
After the first sample was done, Val let us sample his wares...And holy moly - it was divine!
Miriam was the first volunteer to give the cheese making a shot!
Then Sarah and Mariko!
Rachel and Jen Wood!
And while all the other girls were cheesin' it up...We were eating cheese. We were talking about cheese!
We were also celebrating!
It was Shanda's b-day and we had to light up that cake!
She managed to blow out all the candles!Happy Birthday Shanda! You're one of the best!
Then I figured Kelly and I better take our turn...
So, I got my hands dirty!
The finest cheese companion any lady could ask for!
I don't know how helpful I was...
But I stirred a little...
And Kel stirred a little...
And then I took breaks to sip wine and shoot the shit with Val!
And when the stretching began...I let Kel have at it!
I supported!
Until I had to make my own cheese ball.
That water was hot!(P.S. Thanks for taking these pics, Brandy Lou!)
Val showed me some technique and then I managed to make my own incredible mozzarella!
Brandy and TJ were up next...and because Val had to hightail it for band practice...Miriam took over where he left off.
The ladies followed her lead and we learned that Miriam is a cheese master in the making!
I love TJ's face here!
Brandy Lou stretching!
Then Shanda and Meg!
Miriam gave guidance...
By the end...we were all so happy to be together!
So much laughter and friendship!
And then Chris showed up and ruined everything!
That's okay...we love him too!Thanks for letting us invade your home, Chris!
And thanks to all the rad ladies that showed up to this craftin' out!
We love you all - so please come back next month!
We're doing book making! You know you want to be there!
As for Val - what a guy!
We were lucky that he was so kind, generous, and willing to show us all a new skill!
And what about you...
You reading this...you, ladyfriend, that has nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon!
Get in touch, come join us!
