buddhist temple orange citrus
cleansing yellow incense
you’ve got my attention red vine
comfortable old colourful friends
my quiet love affair with new colourful friends
new reds and greens in my kitchen from old flowers that were stashed away
new colourful interests for little baby fingers
blue winter australian sky
little person colour
*****
Hope your weekend has been a colourful one.
Cauliflower.
Remember that one? It’s got a bad rep, as the tastless tree like cousin of broccoli. It’s not though.
In season now, it’s cheap, tasty and adaptable to oodles of dishes… just right for Frugal Friday.
A splash of olive oil
Half a head of cauliflower
One large zucchini
Six small dutch cream or kipfler potatoes (the waxy kind)*
One cube vegetable stock (or your own if you have it)
water
Cook it up until soft. Then blitz it up with a hand held blender. Serve with a scattering of lightly fried sourdough breadcrumbs, for some textural crunch.
* Remember all potatoes are not created equal. A good potato can be the making of your dish.
Our local council is trialing a new community food foragers garden. I really love the idea of this and hope that it takes off, just getting bigger and bigger.
Imagine city living where on each high density living block there was a community kitchen garden readily accessible for all the locals. An attached community compost bin, for all those to access that didn’t have backyards. Seasonal food grown within a hop skip and a jump of where you live, with composting scraps being used for the same garden while decreasing all the food scraps being sent to land fill.
It doesn’t seem like a big ask, does it?
It just makes sense. Cutting back on waste having to be collected by council. Making more efficient use of space. Encouraging a community spirit. I’m sure on each block there would be at least a couple of willing people who would love to regularly tend the small edible space. If people are living in a high density living area, green spots are hard to come by and the chance to actually dip your fingers in to some soil and tend a little foliage would be incredibly appealing to a lot of inner city dwellers.
More green spaces in the city are needed. Whether it be roof tops, street corners, reclaimed concrete areas, where ever they may be. However, first people need to ask for it, and be encouraging when trials are put into place. Be vocal, spread the good word. Whispered words of encouragement is what gets ideas moving. Spoken words and acts of enthusiasm keep them there.
If everyone’s local councils started up just one food foragers garden in their area, it was successful, and people respected the space. Surely this could mean the start of many more to come?
The benefits of a nation wide scheme like this?… Oh can you imagine.
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Do you have any community gardens or food foraging gardens in your area?
Slowing it down just a little more.
Some things have felt very rushed this last month, busy, busy, busy. Go, go, go. Sleep a little and then repeat. This post is a nice little reminder that not all was like that in the last month and in fact there was a whole lot of ‘slowness’ going on.
Slow living, slow food, slow entertainment and slow thoughts. I’m very appreciative of them all at the moment.
Create- Another crocheted hat with ears. This one is a gift for a babe with the bluest of blue eyes. It’s winter and that little baby head doesn’t have a wisp of hair. The crochet project bag is looking a little full, I’m happy about that though. Options.
Also played with some vegetable stamps. The bok choy being the winner so far.
Grow- The rosemary is holding on and looks happy and healthy. Everything else in the pots is looking a little sad, sorry and wintery. Whoever said, “Anyone who can’t grow mint, should just give up now”… well I think they are particularly mean.
Nourish- More bready, scroll type things. Half sourdough and half dried yeast. I filled these with almond pesto, fetta/ tomato, and ham/ mozzarella. Monkey Boy declared that six was probably enough for him, but he might be able to eat another one in a little bit. Hollow legs you see… and I’m beginning to get a little nervous of the teen hollow belly years.
I also discovered that radishes were delicious steamed. Tossed in with a little silverbeet, olive oil, salt pepper, and the clincher- curry powder on top. Served with a fetta omelette. It had a high probability of not working, but it did. It so did, (to be fair Mr Chocolate didn’t think it worked quite so well as I did.)
Reduce- Thinking well ahead of time for birthday gifts that will be needed throughout the year. It’s incredibly satisfying making something, upcycling something or revamping something as a gift.
Discover- I started reading Pathways magazine. It caught my attention on-line, and then my chiropractor had them to give away for free. Loving that. Free, with an awesome read that seems to fit in exactly to my head space at the moment.
Enhance/Connect- I met up with two friends in the park. Five kids and two babies. One empty popcorn packet= three hours of fun. Not a peep, not a pester, not a whinge or a whine. just a whole lot of fun. That is incredibly satisfying as a parent. The Monkeys followed this up by playing with our clothes pegs for two hours when we got home. Laser shooting flying whales I think was the stand out one.
Enjoy- I was lucky enough to be given a gift voucher from a good friend for a massage. Ooooooo, yes.
Lying there, draped in warm blankets, I could feel the tension just silently slide away. With each sweep of her determined hands, another muscle broke down into what felt like a pool of melted butter.
Ahhh, bliss…
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Pop on over to Slow Living Essentials, where the lovely Christine has a whole lot more Slow Living going on.
I always wanted to make a potato stamp as a kid.
I had a crafty-making-stuff type of book. Which I would scrutinise for hours and hours looking at each and every page, planning what I would try to make next. Things like walking stilts, a phone from two cans and string, and those enticing potato stamps.
I made them once, and was fairly underwhelmed by the cross I had carved out. I did a few pages of painted crosses and that was about it. Back to scrutinising the next page as to what I could make next.
Far too many years to count later, and it’s time to revisit. Although this time it’s away with you potato stamp and hello bok choy. No carving necessary this time. Just chop off the leaves, (a little stir fry for dinner I think) leaving a one inch or so stump for your stamp. Give it a generous lick of paint and there you have it, a bok choy stamp.
In my kitchen sits a beautiful gifted hand made bowl, with tahini balls in it. Without these little balls of energy, well…I’d be a lot less energetic. This is the recipe I gave originally, but they really are so super-duper easy to cater to your own taste buds and using whatever’s on hand in your own kitchen. (These had added dried dates and LSA in them.)
Oh radish, talk to me… tell me your dinner plans. Tell me what else to do with you besides chopping you up in a salad, or up top of a stir fry for a bit of crunch. Speaakkkk to me radishes.
In my kitchen sits this little timer, and without it I would say 90% of my baking would be burnt. It’s still not a sure thing of not burning everything in the oven, (mul.ti.task.ing) but it helps.
Pink and quite tarty, (the drink that is.) I bought this, as really who could resist it with a label like that. She was quite delicious tasting in a bitter, sarsaparilla kind of way. Now I’m just not sure what to do with the bottle.
On my kitchen floor sits my little giggling helper. Arms and legs are flying. She likes to smell things as I cook with them, taking her job very seriously, and is currently rather taken by the smell flat leaf parsley. (Although I did catch her eyeing off my chocolate yesterday. She looked keen…very keen.)
As for what type of mixer will be sitting on top of my kitchen bench? Still not sure but thank you so much for everyone’s input with what they use and like. Invaluable help. So thank you, you’re all awesome.
Now what’s shaking in your kitchen?
(“In my kitchen”… is a jump in and show us around monthly link up done by the lovely Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.)
A good friend has just moved away. Away to a land of tropical fruits, green rolling hills, yoga with a rising sun, organic road side goodies and visiting pythons.
If there is anywhere to move, that tropical land is a good place to start. A new beginning, a new phase, a new rhythm for their family.
Although, there is a hole in our coffee club now. A rather significant one. There is also a hole in The Monkey Club. Two little blondies that are going to be missed as they find new places to swing, build and create.
Letters to write, pictures to send and promises of visits soon.
Waving goodbye with my fork in the air, as this idea was passed on from her. A little fork, a little prociutto and just a little more please.
See you soon L.
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Baker’s Help– My Sunbeam Mixer Professional series has died. Three times this year the same mechanism has conked out. Why? Probably because I’ve given it a huge flogging with mixing sourdough, and to be honest I’m surprised it’s lasted this long. (I hadn’t really thought I might be exceeding the size limit, but alas it seems I have….and it’s been waaaay over!) Kitchen bench space is teeny tiny, and while I can get by with very little kneading for my bread. Just incorporating the salt can be a pain when it’s 3 plus k’s of dough in a 40cmx40cm space with ‘stuff’ on either side.
SO, what I would love to know is…
what kind of kitchen mixer do you have?
Kitchenaid pros/cons? What is it like with small amounts? Say two egg whites?
Kenwood? At the moment I’m looking at a Titanium Major KM020. Could easily change though… This model takes 2.4k of dough where the kitchenaid’s only take 1.3/1.5k. Has anyone used upwards of this on a long term basis?
Any other snippets of mixer information would be very much appreciated!
this weekend…
I got stuck trying on a vintage dress at a vintage and jazz fair. Arms shooting skyward in the change area, I was wedged in with no one to help. Call quietly to the stall holder or rip it and declare yes I would love to buy this one. The moment of panic passed and I was able to wriggle my way out. Dress back on the coat hanger and dignity left on the floor. (That’s the problem with these lovely vintage dresses, they look fantastic… but not a lot of give in the fabric.)
I fiddled with forced perspective photography. Seriously fun, but I have a bit to practise.
I made sourdough.
I made apple and sultana scrolls for my Monkey Boy’s lunch box.
The Monkeys went a scootering. Winter leaves under feet, winter sun on our faces and wind in their hair. Until we lost Little Monkey’s brake. How is a little fella to scoot without a brake? With speed, determination and probably a splash of luck I suspect.
This weekend, I started a cowl for my niece. I unravelled the start and began again. I stopped and am doubting what I should be doing with the wool. It’s so lovely and soft, I want to do the right thing by it… maybe it should be knitted? Speak to me baby alpaca and silk balls of softness.
Speaking of knitted, my nana knitted these. My nana is cool… these socks are very cool. Actually they are very warm which is why they are on my feet. Yep, warm cool socks. Who would have thought it?
This weekend I would like to officially apologise to my neighbours. Sometimes the need for loud chunky guitar music is stronger than the need to be a polite considerate neighbour, (it was brief…reasonably.)
What are you up to this fine weekend?
Me and the word perfection is not usually a word that goes hand in hand.
I don’t usually strive for it, happy enough just to sit with the word content. So why was I trying to perfect a chocolate cake? To be honest I don’t really know. I started the challenge and apparently I would be unrelenting until I perfected the bugger.
Everyone needs a chocolate cake recipe up their sleeves. A go to recipe that was tried and true. Unfailing in its taste and you know it will turn out each time. I didn’t have that recipe. Sure I had made countless chocolate cakes in the past, but none of them were quite what I was after. Not too chocolatey, not too rich, not too dry, not too fancy pancy and not a pain to put together.
Shouldn’t be too hard right?
There are probably a few chocolate cake recipes on the internet, Mr Chocolate helpfully suggested.
Yes. Yes there probably is… but they aren’t the righhhht ones.
So I set forth. The chocolate cake challenge was on.
Cake one, no. Cake two…no. Cake three….still no. Cake four, it’s getting closer. Cake five?
Cake five might just have it. Not being particularly enamored of chocolate cake I did wonder why I was putting myself through this. These unhelpful thoughts were pushed to the side however. I’d come this far, surely that chocolate cake was just around the corner?
150g softened butter
150g brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 beaten eggs
150g sourdough starter/ sour cream*
150g melted chocolate (50%)
60mls espresso coffee (1/4 cup)
225g s/r flour (1 1/2 cups)
cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
2 tbls amaretto
In a mixer, cream butter and sugar until changes colour to a white shade, then add vanilla, eggs, cocoa, melted chocolate, amaretto and sourdough starter/sour cream. Fold through flour.
Bake at 180C for approximately 45 minutes in a greased springform pan or greased and lined square pan (approx 21cm). Or until skewer comes out clean.
Icing
1 tbls softened butter
1 1/2-ish cups icing sugar
5og melted chocolate
* if you don’t have a sourdough starter, substitute sour cream.
*******
So does Number 5 cake cut it? It’s certainly not a bad cake. The flavours are complex enough to keep me happy with the addition of the amaretto, coffee and the starter. It’s moist. It’s chocolatey, without being intense and it was easy to put together.
So will chocolate cake and I ever become firm friends?
It’s quite doubtful. but I’ll make it to keep the rest of the family happy, and they are certainly happy enough with Number 5 Chocolate Cake.
The seasons have changed and along with it so has what comes out of the kitchen.
I like that. Seasonal menus and changing what goes on our plate according to availability and the weather outside.
Orange and Coconut Cake, an easy one to make up a head of time. Keeps well, using some of the delicious new season oranges about. Try to find some organic oranges, as they shouldn’t be waxed. You don’t particularly want zest of wax in your cake do you?
I was lucky enough to get a lovely load of my dad’s backyard citrus.
Ribollita adapted from this Jamie Oliver recipe. A really easy meal based on vegetables on hand and using up stale bread. Frugal, seasonal, healthy, local produce and tasty. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Will the kids eat it? If you have miracle children they might, mine wouldn’t touch it.
So what else is looking tasty round these parts in June?
mandarins…. eaten by the bucket load at the moment. Easy snack.
radish… finally sliced in salads
pumpkin… thai pumpkin soup with a swirl of coconut cream.
cauliflower… I’m thinking this risotto, with extra chillies please.
kale… raw or cooked green goodness. SUPER food.
leek… base for a hearty soup or sitting in the bottom of a quiche.
mushrooms… cooked up in some olive oil with a side of polenta. Yum!
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What seasonal cooking are you doing?
The sun sets early now, when there is a sun that is.
It’s been cold, wet and grey here lately. The days have the stamp of winter on it.
Looped scarfs. wet puddles to jump in, bare trees and mornings starting with wailing black cockatoos overhead.
This is our winter. Not a winter with snow, and sub zero temperatures but a Sydney winter non the less. A winter that calls for heartier food. Slow cooked soups, polenta dishes and perhaps the odd pudding or two.
125g softened butter
80g brown sugar*
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
zest of an orange
300g self raising flour
220g dates (I used medjool dates)
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
125mls boiling water
Take any seeds out of the dates and split the dates in half. Pop them in a bowl, add the bicarb and boiling water, set aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar together. Add beaten eggs, orange zest, and cinnamon mix well. Then add date mixture and fold through the flour.
I baked these in individual size cake pans for approximately 25 minutes at 180C. You can easily bake it as a whole cake, and adjust cooking time to suit.
* you could add more sugar if you like your whole pudding experience to be on the sweeter side. I think there is enough sweetness in the sauce though.
Sauce
300mls cream
110g dark muscavado sugar
100g butter
Bring cream to a simmer, add sugar and butter. Stir continuously until butter has melted, (and don’t let it boil over!)
Now with all that pudding energy…best go find some puddles to jump in.
cold winter beach with coloured skies
the pinks, blues and greys draw Little Monkey in
what goes on in that little three year old mind?
when all he wants to do is stand and watch the ocean
is it the magic of the water drawing him in?
or is it a snapshot preview of years to come?
wetsuit zipped up, surf board in hand, watching the sets roll in.
warm snuggles with my girl on cold days
quiet reading with Monkey Boy, (Wind in the Willows is serious business)
a visit from my midwife,
will there ever come a time when there isn’t a golden glow around the door way when she appears?
I don’t think so
sipped hot drinks with Mr Chocolate
and conversations that poke, prod and pull at dreams.
thoughts of how disgusting this lingering cough sounds from the beast virus that felled four of our family
to the untrained ear I’ve either been smoking 4 packs a day for the past 20 years or have contagious stamped all over me
it’s neither, but denial seems futile.
and cheesy toast, oh cheesy toast
how is it you taste so good?
sourdough, cheese, grill it, a grind of black pepper
you can keep your packet junk foods,
cheesy toast is where it’s at
******
what’s happening in your weekend?
******
hot milk frothed up in a coffee plunger
pinch of cardamom
a shake of cinnamon
enough squares of chocolate to keep you happy, drop them in
sipped with satisfaction
cityhippyfarmgirl 
