Squid are wonderful creatures. They’re available in sizes small to giant, taste great, and are a fabulous source of natural ink. Squid use the ink to confuse predators, but you can use it for cooking or printing. Learn how to harvest your own fresh squid ink, so when you’re stranded on a desert island, you’ll […]
One crisp Autumn afternoon I had the privilege of joining MAKE founder Dale Dougherty as he used his wooden apple press to make cider from the apples that grow on his property. Dale has been making cider for over 20 years and since this was only my second time making cider he was kind enough […]
Bitters add a little depth and mystery to the flavor of cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks. You can buy one or two brands in most supermarkets, but why not make your own? It’s so easy, and you can experiment with all kinds of flavors. You can follow this bitters recipe, find a recipe online, or create […]
This all started when my Mom was exposed to radiation and developed a super-power. Seriously. At 58, my mother was treated for cancer with injections of radioactive iodine. When it was over, her cancer was gone, but she’d developed an unnaturally acute sense of smell, which seems to be permanent. She soon became fascinated with […]
Natural dyeing is a great way to learn more about the plants growing around you, as well as how your yarn is processed. Most commercially dyed wool is done so with chemical or acid dyes, since natural dyeing is more variable, and requires quite a lot of plant materials to dye on a commercial scale. […]
My housemates and I were planning a party, and we decided that an excellent drinking game would involve shooting all the colors of the rainbow. And thus, Skittles Vodka was born.
Herbalists are some of the original DIYers. They balk at the idea of purchasing from giant pharmaceutical companies what they can make themselves: namely, folk medicine. And they’ve been doing it for centuries. It’s easy and more common than you think to take herbal medicine. Munching on some parsley after dinner is one way, or […]
