I finished HMB’s Waldorf rag doll over a month ago, but then she was without wardrobe for another month, and now she is dressed but for shoes, so I’ll show her to you!
Her pinafore is reversible and serves as a summer top with her little pants
As HMB’s favorite state for herself and her dolls is “neekit! neekit!” I’m guessing this doll’s clothes won’t stay on for very long, but one day perhaps she will enjoy dressing as well as undressing her. I used Maricristin Sealy’s book Making Waldorf Dolls for this one, and there is a lot I am not happy about. Her head is not round enough (which is my fault, and I need more practice with doll heads), but the body proportions are also off– the arms much too short and the legs too long, which is the fault of the pattern. The clothing patterns were also very weird and sized funny, and I was only happy after I had tweaked them beyond recognition. While the book is a huge wealth of information on doll making of this kind, I’ve been frustrated/unsatisfied with a lot of what I’ve made from it. Another mom at one of our Waldorf classes recommended getting a pattern/kit from Joy’s Waldorf Dolls (which is sadly closing due to retirement), so I have one for a 16″ doll waiting in the wings for another time. I also got some of my supplies from Weir Dolls, and they are lovely–their wig-making pamphlet is terrific, and I might try one of their patterns or kits one day as well, assuming my girl(s) are interested in rag dolls for a few more years.
Since the days are getting colder and holiday gift season approaches, I also thought I would share my recipe for gourmet hot cocoa mix. I’m sort of a snob about hot chocolate and have been ever since I had my first sip of French hot chocolate at Payard in NYC–made with cream and melted chocolate, it forever severed my ties to watery Swiss Miss or even homemade Hershey’s. These days, my favorite place to spend non-toddler alone time in San Francisco is Bittersweet, a local chocolate cafe. Their hot chocolate is delicious and everything else about the place is just lovely. But there are days when I don’t feel like coffee in the morning, and afternoons when, if we make it out the door at all, it will be to go to the park with no stopping for a treat for mommy. For those days, I need a stash of good cocoa at home. I think ounce for ounce this recipe is a LOT cheaper than comparable cocoa mix from Vosages, which is my favorite of the gourmet varieties I’ve tried. Of course it is a lot more effort than microwaving some water and pouring in a packet, but the taste difference is incomparable.
Gourmet Cocoa
small (1/4 lb?) block of bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate (I get reasonable Ghirardelli from Trader Joe’s)
1/2 c good unsweetened cocoa powder- I like Droste. Do not use Hershey’s, it tastes awful.
1/2 c Sugar (superfine is best, but anything that isn’t fake will do)
A tin for storage
Chop 1/2 cup of the chocolate relatively fine (just pop the bits in your measuring cup as you go, and when you have 1/2 cup stop chopping and save the rest of the block for later)–a few chunks can be the size of chocolate chips, but you want most of it to be more like little slivers so it will melt easily. Pour the chocolate chunks, cocoa and sugar in the tin, shut the tin tightly and shake to combine.
Preparation
12 oz whole milk (it is fine with low fat or skim milk but if you really want to go gourmet, make it with whole milk, or add some 1/2&1/2 or cream to your lower fat milk)
1/4 cup cocoa mix
Frother if you have one
Pour your milk into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Keep an eye on it! The minute it begins to boil, throw in the cocoa, turn off the heat and whisk until you are sure most of the chocolate chunks have melted. If you have an aerolatte or frother, go ahead and whip it in the sauce pan to get a nice frothy chocolate top and ensure good chocolate meltage. It will be scorching hot, so if you have some vanilla ice cream or cold whipped cream to put on top, go for it, you’ll be able to drink it sooner without burning your tongue.
If you have a fancy jar or tin, you could make a batch for a cocoa-loving friend as a holiday or hostess gift, along with preparation instructions, a cute mug, and if you’re feeling extra-generous, a frother.
