celebrating the everyday

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Celebrating the everyday.

Crowded bus on a grey drizzly evening, Full of anonymous people all plugged in to their own technology. Young girl steps on with her protective mother, clutching a home made card and wrapped present. “Happy Brithday” it said beautifully written out in a nine year olds hand writing. A cut out head of Bruno Mars made up the picture. In that anonymous crowded bus ride I loved that miss spelt card and the effort the young girl had put in.

Holding hands with Little Monkey, as we walk to school to pick up Monkey Boy. Soft rain falling, our rain coats squeaking as we walk. A warm little hand that still wants to be held by mine. Love that quiet moment.

Big rounded belly with soft kicks from inside. Trying to capture that time, as it will surely pass.

Loving listening to this album.

Stolen moment chats in my foyer stairs. With a wonderful friend that reminds me to celebrate the every day, as some people simply don’t get to have the everyday.

What’s been happening in your everyday?

kale rice salad- Frugal Friday

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Funny how an- uh oh what am I’m going to make for dinner moment (the fridge was looking particularly slim pickings) turns into a wow, I think I’ll make that again moment.

Yep, it was one of those times.

Kale Rice Salad

some cooked brown rice

a couple of good slurps of olive oil

2 chopped shallots

bunch of finely chopped new kale leaves (older stems will be too chewy raw)

1/2 can of corn

a good squeeze of lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

mix it all together and serve at room temperature… or hot… or cold.

unplugged… in my kitchen

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 In my kitchen…

 is some beautiful camomile tea…

 perfect to go into my new tea cup, given to me by a lovely friend. I’m sure things taste better when you love the cup you are drinking from.

 In my kitchen… is sitting a birthday book, Cake Wrecks…. oh some of these are lip biting.

 In my kitchen… sits a gorgeous bunch of flowers. There is something quite lovely about finding a bunch of flowers waiting for you on your door step.

In my kitchen…. sits the latest Sanctuary magazine, fittingly focusing on green kitchens. Helps with the dreaming this one does…

In My Kitchen is a monthly post done by the favourite foodie on her street- Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

*****

Now for something a little bit different

cityhippyfarmgirl unplugged

I’ve been tagged by the lovely Choclette from Chocolate Log Blog to answer a few questions

1. What, or who inspired you to start a blog?
It was a half baked idea that came to me after looking at only two, yes two blogs a couple of times before. I thought if I could inspire even just one person to eat better, live a greener life while living in the city, than it would be worth it. Plus it would give me an outlet for recipes, photos and the continuous waffling that I’m rather fond of, (and saves on scrappy pieces of paper that were floating around before.)
2. Who is your foodie inspiration?
Other bloggers. You all inspire me to do more, create more…hmm, and probably eat more.
3. Your greasiest, batter – splattered food/drink book is?
Now computer screen shouldn’t be the right answer now should it, but these days that’s where the bulk of inspiration comes from, splatters and all.
4. Tell us all about the best thing you have ever eaten in another country, where was it, what was it?
Oh, oh, oh… my favourite thing to relive!
The moon was full, the summer was high. A large group of about twenty had gathered around a long table. Surrounded by a green garden, the conversation was animated and lively. It could be nothing but, as I was in Italy. Before me lay the biggest plate of Spaghetti all’ Aragosta- or Lobster Pasta, followed by icy Limoncello. The more time goes by, the better that memory is.
5. Another food bloggers table you’d like to eat at is?
It would have to be Katherine and Greg’s table at Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide. I’d be happy to be their dish pig for a week if only I could sample just a little?
6. What is the one kitchen gadget you would ask Santa for this year (money no object of course)?
I don’t need a a gadget I need  want more kitchen bench space and…. a fermenting room. This is Misk’s fault, she planted the idea and it’s having trouble shifting. A darkened, wood lined little room. With shelves of preserves, cheeses, hanging salamis, bubbling starters and a whole lot more. Ahhh…yes indeed.
7. Who taught you how to cook?
My mama… A lot of conversations were centred around the kitchen as a kid. I’m sure I learnt the bulk of my basics just from kitchen osmosis.
8. I’m coming to you for dinner what’s your signature dish?
Crikey, do I have one? I have this blog to remind me that I can cook, but I also need reminders as to what…. actually let’s be realistic, it would  probably involve sourdough.
9. What is your guilty food pleasure? 
Marzipan. One of the palates many joys. Kind of gritty and odd tasting, and I love it.
10. Reveal something about yourself that others would be surprised to learn?
I’m growing a baby. No, wait you already know that…
******
Now to pass on to five other bloggers who may or may not like to cough up some answers
Kari at Bite Sized Thoughts– the only girl I know, who does a spread sheet for the books she reads, and I love that.
Katherine and Greg at Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide– I’m happy with any scraps they might throw out.
Amanda at Lamb’s Ears and Honey– seasonal, ethical and local. It’s all there.
Misk at Misk Cooks– my fermenting room pal.
Mariana at Through my kitchen window– if someone could just side track this lovely lady while I fill a rather large bag of goodies from her pantry, that would be great.
******
* This concept was started by Not Just Any Old Baking.

technology and torta tres leches

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I had resisted for as long as I could, and I didn’t want to upgrade my mobile phone. My old one was perfectly fine for my rather small needs, and I really couldn’t justify upgrading just for the heck of it. The electronic landfill jungle didn’t need my contribution of a perfectly workable phone, just because I wanted a prettier one.

There had been quite a few comments of why don’t you just get a new phone, but I just solemnly shook my head.

The old girl isn’t dead yet, I would whisper. Not until she passes on, will I look for another.

Other’s phones came and went. Kids started playing with toy models that looked remarkably like mine. Still I refused. My old phone would sometimes reject messages and pictures that people would send me, as the older style just simply wasn’t compatible with today’s technology.

I still refused.

But then she started to falter. Two new re-chargers, some re-wiring from Mr Chocolate and she was good to go again. For another couple of months anyway. Then the charge started to take longer than what the phone could actually be used for.

Nope, not yet I would tersely whisper…

She isn’t dead.

The week finally came, and I noticed the phone was running a little hot. Not in a I’ve had lots of phone calls kind of way, but in an oh, that’s really hot to touch and I haven’t even been using you. Then the funny game of turning on and off every two seconds started, (which is probably why she was running a little hot.) Unusable, irretrievable and really annoying. I jigged, I fiddled, I let her cool down. Nothing worked. Five years ago I would have gone a lot longer without a mobile but these days it’s how so many people communicate, without access to one I kind of felt a little…nude.

The time had come, I succumbed.

With determination and a steely eye I headed to the phone shop. Blah, blah, blah from the sales man. His selling point wasn’t sure where to head when he enthusiastically told me all about using facebook on one particular phone. I hated facebook I told him.

Oh… well how about this one then? That one looks like an older model than the one that just firebombed my ear. Really?

What seemed like half a day later, I trotted out of the shop with a new contract and new phone in my hand. It looked decent enough, seemed to be able to do everything I wanted, and would sure to be saving me money in the long run , (NO, I didn’t really believe that selling point.)

So a new phone to fiddle with, I’m up to date (for at least a few months anyway) and contactable again.

Now I just had to work out how to use the damn thing, (luckily I had this simple Central American cake by my side to help me through it.)

*******

Torta Tres Leches

4 egg yolks

1 egg*

150g (3/4 cup) sugar

2 tsp vanilla

225g (1 1/2 cups) s/r flour

50g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut

125mls (1/2 cup) milk

******

395mls condensed milk

120mls evaporated milk

120mls milk

60mls esspresso coffee

Cream eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk together than mix in dry ingredients. Bake in a greased and lined square tin (approx 23cm) at 180C for about 30 minutes. Bake until golden in colour.

While cake is still hot, leave it in the cake tin, prick it all over with a skewer or fork then pour on the milk mixture. (Combine in a bowl, condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk and coffee together beforehand.)

Leave cake to soak up mixture in the fridge over night.

Serve with fresh seasonal berries or something else tasty, (depending on your season.)

* I happened to have 4 egg yolks which needed using, otherwise swap recipe for 4 eggs?

asparagus and capsicum- Frugal Friday

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Summer eating is getting kick started here, and I’ve been lucky enough to get some wonderful locally grown asparagus and capsicums lately. When the vegetables are already tasting delicious and as they should be, I don’t want to do much to them, there is no need. Simple cooking means dinners ready in a few minutes, and I’m definitely up for that.

In a pot or wok* over high heat, add a good slurp of olive oil. Some chopped capsicum give it a couple of minutes head start and add your chopped asparagus. Stirring it through, and cook until asparagus is just done.

On to a plate and drizzle some extra olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve with a swiss cheese omelette and some crusty bread.

What’s delicious and seasonal in Sydney this month?

Berries- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

Cherries- still expensive, but oh so good

Nectarines and peaches are getting a look in

Asparagus- cook it as soon as you buy it, don’t let it sit in the fridge for a week

Basil-for pesto making, dead easy.

* I use my flat bottomed wok for just about everything. Used on a gas flame, it cooks quickly and evenly. Don’t just use it for Asian style meals, it lends it self to pretty much any kind of cooking you can think of…except maybe cupcakes.

birthday thinking and a berry meringue tart

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I’ve just celebrated another birthday rolling around. Time spent with lovely people, delicious food and lots of happy moments.

I’ve also been thinking of another that is no longer here.

Thinking of my grandfather who left me with a head full of happy memories, that I frequently bring out and go through. Flicking through those memories like a well worn scrap book, with mental scribbles, loved pictures and happy moments.

Ours was a shared birthday. It was always such a special feeling knowing that our birthday was on the same day. Giving me a loving connection with the grandfather I adored.

A man, who to me always smelt like smoked apple wood, and occasionally raw onions as he loved them on sandwiches.

He had a sweet tooth for certain things, introducing me to sugar coated jubes that would get soft and squishy in the car. There were scoops of vanilla icecream with spoonfuls of his home made jam on top. He also knew answers to more trivia questions than I could ever hope to know in a lifetime. Answers would roll off his tongue like a well rehearsed dialogue. No pause for thought as the reply seemed so easily retrieved.

Big boxes of locally grown apples would be brought by him when ever he came to visit, followed by bulging jars of loose change to be carefully counted and divided amongst the grandchildren. Counting was always my job, as I was the eldest. Every cent was divided up and then we could spend it in any way we wanted.

He was there when I first rode my bike. He was also there, teaching me to dive in the pool during summer. Tuck the feet in, tuck the feet in…

We would go to visit and on his arriving home after a long day, we would hear the sounds of his footsteps coming up the stairs.

Clomp, clomp, clomp…

The stairs always lasted forever as he continued stepping on the same few top stairs, making it sound like they were ten stories high. Building up the excitement, my siblings and I giggling with anticipation of him being so close. Long squashed hugs would follow, as we would all scramble for his attention.

In his last year, while he was sick, I got to tell him that I had met the man I was going to marry. This comforts me in a funny kind of way. Even though he didn’t get to be at my wedding or get to know any of his great grandchildren, he at least got a glimpse of the path I was about to head down. A path, I think that would have made him incredibly happy.

As long as I have these special memories and a hundred others, he will always be with me. Not mourned over for his loss, or the unfairness of a life taken away too soon but celebrating in the life that he did have. A life that I got to share a little part of, which I’m incredibly grateful for those years, and those birthdays we did get to share together.

******

…and I also think he would have quite liked a slice of this birthday berry tart.

Drawing from  my last years ‘a rather tall birthday cake‘ and also inspired by a gorgeous recipe from Jamie Oliver’s ‘Jamie does…cookbook‘. This little number was the result.

Berry Meringue Tart

Pastry (recipe here) base can be cooked the day before. Pastry pricked all over and then baked blind for 20 minutes at 180C in a greased tart pan (the kind that pops out is good) and then a further 10 minutes uncovered. Pastry should be crisp and golden.

Meringue (recipe here) clusters baked on a tray at 130C until crisp all over, this will take an hour plus. (I used 4 egg whites/220g sugar.)

Mascarpone vanilla bean cream. Whip 300mls cream to soft peaks, then add 1/2 cup icing sugar and one scraped vanilla bean pod. Add 250g mascarpone and gently whip again until mixed through.

Berries- strawberries, blueberries and cherries.

Smooth out several spoonfuls of the mascarpone mixture on to the base of the cooked pastry. This will help the meringue stick a little. Break the meringue up and build a decent sized layer, Spoon the remainder of the mascarpone mixture all over, filling in any meringue holes and then cover with your favourite berries. Dust with a little icing sugar.

loving this week

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Loving this week…

being tucked up inside

when summery storms end

a hot day with thundery down pours

Inspiring visits from a wonderful midwife

Sneaky sleepy naps with Little Monkey

Date night out with Mr Chocolate,

nearly getting to here, but getting in here instead. I love this place.

Remembering how beautiful the city is when I’m usually tucked up in bed.

Long chats around the kitchen table.

Soothing massaging hands, that lull you to sleepiness…bliss.

******

What have you loved this week?


decluttering and a ploughman’s lunch

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I’ve been decluttering.

Really decluttering this time.

I am constantly talking of decluttering and even get rid of a small bag or two of ‘stuff’ fairly regularly. However this time around, it’s the big guns. Everything must go. Well not quite, but everything must be re-evaluated and re-assessed to see whether it really is needed or wanted.

Living in a small living space, requires constant reassessing of said ‘stuff’. I try to be very careful of what comes in the door, but still the ‘stuff’ mounts up. And mostly it’s just stored away, under the ‘maybe we will need it one day’ label. With another baby on the way, space is kind of important. Not that babies take up much room, but I know I’m going to enjoy an empty draw or a cleared shelf space a whole lot more once the decluttering as ended.

One thing I have been going through is all my resource folders. I had actually forgotten I had them, as there was a pile of other ‘stuff’ in front of the cupboard door for so long, so much so, that I couldn’t open the door. Front pile gets smaller and shifted. What’s behind there oh…more ‘stuff’. Goody.

Resource folders like,

House ideas- still haven’t bought that house.

Gardening how to’s- I’m still just making do with pot plants, that large secret garden is still a while off.

Massage Therapy notes- too many years ago, am I really going to look at it again?

Old work stuff- come on, it’s been awhile…quite a while.

A years worth of French notes- Parlez vous anglais?

And a whole lot more.

One good thing to come out of all of this, is just moving it somewhere else. Not another folder or another shelf, but online. Having stopped myself from using Pinterest since I heard about it, (as I did not need another digital distraction) I’ve decided that quite frankly it’s a bloody good idea, and now all my scrappy pieces of paper instead of cluttering up my flat, can now clutter up cyberspace. Ahhh, quite liberating really.

So while I don’t need to add any more screen time to my life, I’m loving having a place to store all those ideas that don’t take up my living space and doesn’t gather dust… and I’m quite happy with that trade off.

So what’s all that got to do with a ploughman’s lunch? Not a lot really, but a girls got to eat, and I had had a ploughman’s lunch roll on my mind for quite some time.

Time to get that thought on to my plate.

Ploughmans Lunch Roll

seeded bread roll

lettuce

your favourite strong cheese

apple slices

chutney


Ploughmans Lunch Bread Ingredients

300g starter (100%)

50g (1 cup) unprocessed bran

50g (1/2 cup) linseed meal

3 tbls LSA

2 tbls chia seeds

100g spelt flour

300g strong bakers flour

300mls water

1 1/2 tsp salt

Make it up in your favourite bready fashion.

(I gave an overnight prove, shaped, and proved again. Sprayed rolls with water and then baked at 240C with lots of oven steam.)

******

This post submitted to yeastspotting

sunshine, lemons and a whispering curd

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A rush of lemons.

Limoncello is now on the go, but it took three lots of lemons before I was happy with the quality that was to be used.

So what do I have? A whole lot of lemons. Lucky for me, I love lemons.

Limoncello, lemon cordial, and lemon curd have all been fiddled with in the kitchen this week. Limoncello will wait for another day as it’s not ready yet, but the cordial and curd? Cordial bottle nearly empty and there is now a large jar of curd whispering to me from the fridge. That’s right, she whispers. Sings to me from a closed door. Letting me know she is there and waiting.

Just a little taste as you walk on by, come on…you can do it. Leave the carrots, it’s me you really want. Where’s your teaspoon honey?…

It’s hard. It really is. Husky voiced, the lemon curd allures and entices you with her whispered sing song voice. Just a little teaspoon indeed.

It’s the Lauren Bacall of the fridge. Refined, sultry tones and probably wearing a beautifully cut Chanel type pants suit too. All that in a jar of old fashioned lemon curd…who knew?

Lemon Curd

1 cup of lemon juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 tbls cornflour

In a pot add the juice and sugar. Bring to the boil, turn down a little and simmer for about 5 minutes. All sugar should be dissolved. In a bowl whisk your eggs and cornflour together. Slowly drizzle this mixture into the juice and sugar mixture, whisking quickly as you do. Keep at a simmer until the curd thickens.

Lemon Cordial

1 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Equal parts strained lemon juice, sugar and water. Juice the lemons, strain the juice. In a pot add the sugar and water and bring to a rapid boil. Boil until it thickens slightly. (For me this took six minutes, depends on the amount you are using and also the pot though. Then add your lemon juice.

Store in a bottle and leave in the fridge. Serve with mineral water, ice and a couple of sprigs of mint, or perhaps a little vodka… or just good old tap water.

12 eco friendly Christmas gift ideas

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We seem to be heading towards the pointy end of the year and with that usually comes a little gift giving. I love making or giving something that I know can either be consumed, passed on, recycled, is environmentally friendly or upcycled in some way. In giving gifts like this though, you usually have to think a little bit before hand. So no shopping on Christmas Eve for me. (Anyway, I would rather be eating my 10th rum ball and reading Christmas bed time stories to The Monkeys.)

So a few rehashed ideas, in a listy form.

******

  Preserves for everyone. Jams, marmalades, sweet chilli sauce and chutneys.  You can make them well ahead of time and easy thing to pop in a little food hamper or given singularly.

Idea: attach an antique teaspoon with some string to the side.

 

 Gnome fairies as a gift or even Christmas decoration. How to make them and where to buy their little wooden bodies here.

A plate of various biscuits for Grandma Esme and Uncle Pollywaffle?

Chocolate Honey Biscuits, Lemon Vanilla Stars, Anzac Biscuits, Chewy Coconut Biscuits, Custard Biscuits  the list is endless. Make them crisper and they will keep longer.

Idea: A plate of biscotti and some beautiful fairtrade tea.

Buy a plate or dish second hand from your local op-shop/thrift shop/charity shop. Beautiful one off antique ones can bought for usually just a couple of dollars.

An afternoon outing, exploring your local botanical gardens or national park with a picnic? Make an IOU card. Can be used for any ages.

A visit to the local zoo for your nephew Buster? A present doesn’t have to be a ‘thing’ it can be an experience.

maybe a Keep Cup for the coffee fiend from work? No more annoying mounting up disposable coffee cups in the bin.

Where to buy some Soap Nuts for Aunt Green Pants and what on earth they are?

Some bubbles for the triplet girls- Aoli, Bellini, and Chia and how to make your own.

Lots of scraps of fabric? Get quilting. There is probably a beautiful new baby that could use a little quilted change mat. Or maybe some new oven mits for the kind lady down the road who keeps baking fabulous brownies and leaving them on your door step.

Some different ideas for wrapping some of those gifts. Gift wrapping doesn’t have to be the conventional rip it up kind.

…and perhaps a card to go with it?

Chocolate wrapping cards. There’s a damn good reason to go buy some of that fairtrade chocolate you saw on special.

or maybe just a simple gift tag?…

Gift tags can made from old cards, cereal boxes, biscuit boxes or just a beautiful old photo.

Lots of possibilities… now go have fun creating and giving.

Wattalappam

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Wattalapam is one of those dishes that has been lingering inside my head for the last…oh say eight years. I had dibble dabbled with a bit of Sri Lankan cooking over that time but the Wattalapam was one that I had avoided for various reasons. Wattalapam is basically like a spiced egg custard. Soft and subtle the added spices let this simple dessert do the talking.

Recently I had come across the book “Sri Lankan Flavours”, and skipping straight to the back (as that’s where the good stuff is to be found, and that’s the sort of gal I am.) There it was…Wattalapam.  No more encouragement needed, I had to give it a crack.

Now just as I had had the name Wattalapam rattling around in my head for the past eight years, I had also not eaten it for eight years. So my memory taste buds for this dish were probably not as a sharp as they could have been. I remembered I loved it, the aromatic spices made it, and also thought it was quite sweet. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted it that sweet this time around though. Even though there is a full cup of two different sugars in there, I think it could be upped if you like things on the sweeter side. I also thought it was at it’s tastiest once chilled, (rather than at room temperature.)

Wattalapam

* adapted from Sri Lankan Flavours- Channa Dassanayaka

600mls coconut milk

1/2 cup muscavado sugar

1/2 cup grated palm sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp nutmeg

cloves optional

7 eggs beaten

Large handful of roughly chopped toasted cashews.

Over a medium heat, dissolve the two sugars in the coconut milk and then cool. In another bowl beat the eggs and add spices. Pour in cooled coconut milk, gently mix together and pour into baking dish, (approx 20cm).  Sprinkle with roughly chopped cashews. Then place dish within another pan of water. Water should come up to at least half. Bake at 160C for about an hour or until firm. Serve room temp or chilled.

******

For some other Sri Lankan dishes I have played around with see

Godambah or stuffed roti

Sourdough Hoppers

Love Cake

there is only one problem with eating organically

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There is only one problem with eating organically…

This guy.

This headless, antennae waving slippery slime bag.

There I was channelling my inner kitchen goddess, dinner pretty much sorted. The Monkeys behaving themselves, and ready to eat. A lovely enticing dinner aroma tickling the nostrils of those that happened to be passing by my back kitchen door. All that was needed was a chopped up bunch of spinach, wilt it through the dish a little and voila… dinner was ready.

I washed the bunch with intimate attention. I know where I bought that bunch of spinach from, and I know critters sometimes like to play hide and seek within amongst the green foliage. I was no fool, and hadn’t suspected there was still a hide and seek player amongst us. Happily washed, and chopped, I reached in to dump it all in the slowly bubbling aromatic pot of goodness only to find… him.

The slime bag.

Headless.

Dinner plans were slightly reorganised. Hopes were pinned on the now eight times washed spinach. Hopes that the little slime bag didn’t have any close friends still playing the now, not very funny game. I decided there was no need to share the good news with anyone else at this stage and instead keep it as an entertaining dessert time conversation treat.

Dinner’s ready!