Tag Archives: ian hopkins

So a Whale, a Dino and an Elephant walk into a bar…

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They had a few pints, shared a few tales and after a few hours, decided to call it a night.

Whale belongs to Ian, so he stayed at work (workaholic, he’s a better worker when he’s a got a few beers in him), while the rest went home to meet up with Dino’s sister, Dina. She made them some soup, sandwiches and ice cream sundaes!

They all get along pretty well. It was a very tiring night! They soon got washed up for bed, read a few pages of the classics.. and went to sleep at a reasonable hour.

The End. :)

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I’ve been working on these critters for quite a while. Made with fluffy warm fleece, some felt and embroidery thread. They are finally complete! I also now have my official plush tags! (can you see them on the photos?? I feel more professional now. hehe) The front says A Very Good Coat Rack, and the back says “designed & handmade by: Dara Grieco”, and my etsy web address. :)

These Plushy animals will be posted onto etsy (along with my jewelry) as soon as I take better & more creative pictures of them! :) Keep watching my store and add it to your etsy favorites, maybe? www.coatrackshop.etsy.com

Baked Chain Pickerel in Parchment

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Hi There!
So first of all i’d like to say, RIP Jerome David (J.D.) Salinger. January 1, 1919 – January 27, 2010. You were a mean old man, but an amazing writer. 91 years on this earth, Farewell, chap.

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On to my post. :)

This past weekend i went Ice Fishing! i need to get the photos from Ian of the actual adventure.. but until then… This will suffice:

We had a more modern look about us though. ;)

After trekking out to Lake Lookout in Waywayanda State Park:

The Yellow fish marks the spot where we set up camp. This photo is from a warmer time, obviously. There was snow all over the lake. We Augured a hole in the ice .. Not our auger.. but it looked the same.. ours was red. :) We set up a fire in a metal bucket between us for warmth. I set up the fishing lines, and we were off. We snacked on cheese, pepperoni, and hot cocoa, yum! The holes we cut out were about 10 inches deep! The ice was THAT thick. :) The water was freezing up quick so we had the jiggle the lines around to clear the ice. The second time i jiggled my line, i thought i was caught on something. Well, i was! It was a FISH! :) i reeled him in and .. i KEPT him! With intentions of cooking him. (sorry vegans and vegetarians all around the world). He was my first catch that i was able to reel-in in about 10 years!

So we put him on the ice. I heard its more humane? The extreme cold causes him to sleep? And then pass away while sleeping? not sure if thats true. I’m sorry poor fish, but you were stupid enough to bite a fluorescent pink hook in the wintertime.

Anywhoo.. we packed him in snow and took him home and looked up that he was a Chain Pickerel. Then Ian de-scaled, gutted and cleaned him. Those photos are also on his camera, oh well.

So the next day i decided to cook up my lovely fish. :)

I used:
14×14 Parchment Paper
2 heaping tbsp of butter
Handful of Capers
Juice of Half a lemon
A few pinches of Salt
A few pinches of pepper

i melted up the butter and combined in the lemon juice in a mug. Sprinkled in the salt and pepper and just drizzled it over and inside my fish. Then i topped with some capers and shoved some inside too. :)

I folded up the Parchment as best as i could. i guess twine or some kind of string that wouldn’t burn would’ve worked tied around it.. but I just folded it over as much as it could til it stayed somewhat closed.

I put the folded paper with the fish inside on a wire rack.. then i popped that bad boy in the oven on 400 degrees. :)

I could hear popping and crackling and sizzling.. :) and then in 20 minutes.. he was done. I took it out of the oven.. Nice and brown! the butter burned a bit:

When i undid the paper.. this is what i saw:

The skin stuck to the paper a bit.. but thats ok.. i had to pull the skin off anyway…
CLOSE UP!

I ate the top half.. it wasnt sitting in the butter too much.. so it was a bit bland and kind of dry. That is fine by me though. :)

i flipped him over and the second half that was cooking in the lemon and butter was SO GOOD. :) tasty and moist and oh so yum!


The Bones were teeny tiny little pieces of nothing! You CAN eat them, but i still pulled them out. :)

Finished!

R.I.P. You poor delicious Fish.