Homemade Quirk

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Welcome to Homemade Quirk!

published by Anonymous (not verified) on March 1, 2011 - 11:01am

We knew you were coming, so we baked a cake.

Welcome to Homemade Quirk! Please join us in our obsession for collecting and sharing all things cute, quirky, and fun.

Homemade Quirk is a cozy little community for D.I.Y. adventurers, cooks + bakers, crafters, gardeners, animal + nature lovers, homemakers, rebels, daydreamers, photographers, artists, writers, editors, designers, and book lovers to share stories + ideas and meet new friends. Like the community on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Made with love by Quirk Books, an independent book publisher located in the heart of Old City, Philadelphia, PA.

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Ten Of Our Favorite Foods From Literature That You Can Actually Make Yourself

published by Elizabeth Knauss on October 18, 2012 - 12:00pm

For those that love words and those that love food, the combination is heaven. I first learned how literary food could make my mouth water and tongue slurp like Wile E. Coyote through Dr. Seuss. Green Eggs and Ham, man. Then, I remember reading how Edmund couldn’t resist Turkish Delights and loved how an author could make a sugary treat sound so tempting. I don’t need that much convincing, but it’s always pleasant to experience lovely language mixed with food. Preview: Dainty slapjacks garnished with honey and puddings made of delightful creaminess.

In short I became very ravenous, especially for pudding, figuring out which literary recipes to present. You might too.
 
1. Turkish Delight (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe): In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Edmund inhaled the Snow Queen’s Turkish Delight (pictured above!) and betrayed his siblings! Then, he had the gall to ask for more. Sheesh.
 
Turkish Delight is comprised of sugar, gelatin, water, and cornstarch, and it is commonly flavored with rosewater, lemon or mint. History says a Turkish man named Bekir Effendi, who opened up a confectionary shop in Istanbul in 1776, unveiled the delicacy in his sweet boutique. Legend has it that an Englishman stumbled upon the treat and began shipping cases back to Britain calling it “Turkish Delight.”
 
Soon, it became a ritual among socialites to exchange Turkish Delights wrapped in silk handkerchiefs as gifts. [Recipe]
 
2. Pickled Limes (Little Women): The youngest sister, Amy, in Louis May Alcott’s Little Women was crazy for pickled limes. Pickles limes were the iPhones of today, the Tamagotchis and Pogs of the nineties.
 
"Why, you see, the girls are always buying them, and unless you want to be thought mean, you must do it too. It's nothing but limes now, for everyone is sucking them in their desks in schooltime, and trading them off for pencils, bead rings, paper dolls, or something else, at recess. If one girl likes another, she gives her a lime. If she's mad with her, she eats one before her face, and doesn't offer even a suck."
 
So, you see, anyone who is anyone eats pickled limes. [Recipe]

Creepy Cute Crochet Hits Germany, Editors at Goldmann Make Adorable Projects

published by Eric Smith on October 15, 2012 - 2:06pm

RAWR!

Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden is coming out in Germany on October 22nd, and we sure are excited. It's being published as Mini-Monster: 20 Amigurumi-Monster zum Selberhäkeln with Goldmann. 

Though the best part about this news might just be the adorable photos we were sent. Claudia Bitz, an editor at Goldmann, and the folks at Random House Germany made a handful of amigurumi projects from the book, and sent some pictures over to us. 

Check them out after the jump. 

Freaky Friday: Preparing for a Very Quirky Halloween with Cute Pumpkin Cupcake Toppers!

published by Eric Smith on October 12, 2012 - 9:20am

Welcome back to Freaky Friday, where we're dishing out some fun Halloween tips through the month.

Last week, we showed you how to whip up a cauldron of Witches Brew from Witch Craft. Continuing the food and Halloween theme, today we've got cute little pumpkin cupcake toppers from Craft-A-Day by Sarah Goldschadt. Perfect for decorating delicious treats you might be serving up at your Halloween party, these toppers are simple and easy to make. 

Check out the directions and download the pattern below! 

Egg Crepes with Apple-Berry-Dulce de Leche Filling

published by Elizabeth Ann Q... on October 12, 2012 - 9:18am

If you can make pancakes, then you can certainly cook crepes. These are thinner and lighter, but with the same flavor and texture as flapjacks. And these egg crepes aptly honor the egg in celebration of World Egg Day.

This is sheer egg on egg. A rich, elegant open-faced egg crepe which softly cradles a fabulous filling of plump apple slices cooked in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, fresh strawberry slices, on a base of dulce de leche caramel. Layer upon layer of this decadence is finally crowned by huge dollops of whipped cream. Cook the crepes ahead or make them on the spot for a warm dessert. Enjoy them with a cup of tea or coffee.  

It’s simply egg-cellent!

 

Freaky Friday: Preparing for a Very Quirky Halloween with Witches' Brew

published by Eric Smith on October 5, 2012 - 10:42am

Listen. We're a company that loves dressing up just-because for our office parties (ie: piggies back in March), so you better believe we absolutely adore Halloween here at Quirk. It's a special time of year when the things we love the most, from scary monsters to heaps of candy, are celebrated in a very public way. 

So to help pave the way towards Halloween, we'll have some fun excerpts to get you properly prepared every Friday. 

First up? Some Witches' Brew from Witch Craft by Margaret McGuire and Alicia Kachmar. Blood orange punch? Yes please. 

Craft-a-Day: One Week Away!

published by Sarah Goldschadt on September 27, 2012 - 11:06am

Next month Craft-a-Day will hit stores and despite getting advanced copies, it still doesn't quite seem real. Did I really write, craft, and photograph a book that is over 430 pages? Apparently!

What started as an idea from my editor, Margaret McGuire, ballooned into months of me designing templates, writing, crafting, and photographing like crazy.

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