kitchen crumbs

Posted on December 7, 2014 by cityhippyfarmgirl

There isn’t a lot of fancy gadgetry in my kitchen. I don’t yearn for many things, mostly I make do and am learning if it doesn’t serve my cooking purposes? Well, I may as well just get rid of it. There is no point what so ever in things taking up crucial cupboard space. A heavy, too small mixing bowl was recently replaced with a much lighter stainless steel bigger one. I think my kitchen cupboard and I both sighed in relief on swapping them over.

There has also been the obligatory bread. I can imagine there will always be bread crumbs in my kitchen. Without a loaf or too? Oh it’s very hard to imagine that!

Berries have been devoured round here lately. Mostly they don’t make it to the table. Mostly they are inhaled by the kitchen bench top… (and mostly I don’t get much of a look in with said berries.)

There is also the sweetest little enamelware teapot now gracing my bench top. Given to me from a wonderful considerate friend, who really is the bees knees. I feel very lucky.

My weekly Ooooby goodness delivered to the door. A wonderful benefit of living in the city.

And cinnamon rolls. There’s nothing left of these but kitchen crumbs.

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What’s happening in your kitchen?

(linking in with the kitchen Queen Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial)

in the mess of my kitchen lies…

Posted on June 3, 2014 by cityhippyfarmgirl

sticky cupboard doors and splattered bench tops,

but look beyond that and you’ll find

a few jars of lime marmalade

Apple and sultana dough ready to be divided into rolls. Easy thing to go into lunch boxes for small ravernous people.

Tea. Not just any tea either but Christmas Tea. Now I’m not known for straying from my favourite tea, (as it’s the best and why would I?) But Christmas Tea? Well I had to give it a crack didn’t I. And bought in one of the best country bakeries I’ve been to in Nimmitabel.

The winter staple of Apple Crumble is back. Taking pictures of said apple crumble must be done in haste. Or small airplanes are discarded and sticky little fingers attack. And quickly too.

Seasonal pears are lining up.

And if I wanted to avoid the mess inside, I just send it outside… I do love eating outside. All the rules are left at the backdoor. I like that.

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What’s been happening in your kitchen lately?

Linking in with the kitchen Queen Celia.

Kitchen Crumbs

Posted on April 9, 2014 by cityhippyfarmgirl

Bench tops are groaning, the sink is over flowing, and there is rather a lot of flour wedged between the kitchen floorboards. If you can ignore the growing number of scattered crumbs and butter smeared finger prints on the drawers, I’ll give you a quick peek into my kitchen at the moment.

There have been some teeny tiny locally grown famers market pears.

sourdough baguettes || cityhippyfarmgirl

Some crunchy bread ends and lazy coconut biscuits- slab style.

Lots of home grown chilli that certainly gets your attention. Hot? You betcha.

Then there was Moon Bread, as it was aptly named. Over proved thanks to crazily humid afternoon- which is never forgiving with my bread. Still passed the taste test though, (this bread had sprouted millet, sunflower kernels, linseed, dark malt flour and water kefir in it.)

And lastly the ever present kitchen window sill of sprouting things. While the shadowed bench tops are full of things fermenting, the sunny sill is where sprouting action is. Window sill farming at it’s very best.

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What’s happening in your kitchen at the moment?

Linking up with Celia this month for more sneaky peeks into other peoples kitchens, see here.

kitchen moments

Posted on January 5, 2014 by cityhippyfarmgirl

That moment when the Tiramisu sits on the kitchen bench, finished and ready to eat. A satisfied moment when you think, yeah…that looks alright.

That moment when you are gifted some homemade pickled garlic. Thankful for generous friends and impressed that she had got a farmer to grow ten kilos of organic garlic just for her.

That moment when you know the starter is ripe and ready. It’s time to get doughy.

That moment when you bite into a new concoction chocolate brownie, nod and smile a little. A chocolate brownie that was deadly simple to make and not disappointing at all to the taste buds, (with a few added surprises in there as well.)

That moment when you see at your friend’s house a pretty nifty kitchen addition that you know you have to give a look into. Enter the ‘Apiwrap’– “…eco friendly and reusable kitchen wrap, perfect for storing food in the fridge or to go.” So what does this mean? It means a pretty rocking alternative to glad wrap people.

And that moment of quiet inhalation of a tiny gifted pot of almondy goodness that no one else wants to know about. That is almond heaven right there, (all marzipan dislikers need not inhale.) Now what to make with you my pretty?

What’s happening in your kitchen at the moment?

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linking in with the lovely Celia for in my kitchen

my petite kitchen

Posted on October 15, 2013 by cityhippyfarmgirl

Bonjour mon cher, bonjour…

Now not knowing more than a smattering of french words, I should probably leave it at that, but due to the fact that in recent times it seems I’ve come over all ‘frenchy‘, I will probably see if I can slip just a little more french words into this post.

And what caused all this ‘frenchness‘ I hear you ask? Actually, I’m not sure. I still have a deep love for all things Italian. I still have an imagined Scandinavian heritage, and now, well it seems there is a heady French call, (at least in my petite kitchen there is.)

What to do with this little lovely? Chestnut spread, in a tube and brought to me from Paris. It could be absolute garbage, but not to me. (Look at all those cute little french words on there!)

Petite fleurs, teeny tiny ones that didn’t last long on my usually quite unexciting kitchen bench cactus.

Gateau a la banane with passionfruit icing. Always a simple bake when there are squishy bananas to be had. I make this cake up in a mixer these days.

Parisian flea market finds, bought and brought back for me. I was particularly excited by this one. How many kitchens has this round beauty seen… What had it been used for?

Old milk bottle finds that were sitting unloved in someones garage. I’m preparing the bottles to be loved again…or should I say amour.

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Linking in with the lovely Madame Celia and her kitchen frolics

Kisses on both cheeks to anyone who leaves comments in French this week.

full bellies and kitchen light

Posted on September 8, 2013 by cityhippyfarmgirl

It’s that time of year where there is far too much light in my kitchen. Far too much. The kind of light that come afternoon time illuminates every fallen crumb, every slopped drop and probably a little too much sticky dust to feel entirely comfortable with. Yes I could clean it, but who has two whole days to designate to kitchen cleaning? (Which is how long it would take.) Better if I just keep cooking and await day light saving to kick in, the light will be much more friendly then.

Dishes creating those fallen crumbs and sloppy drops have been a plenty. It’s always the busiest room of the household, and it’s unlikely to be slowing down any time soon.

Fetta flat breads to be baked for afternoon picnics in parks.

Little pastry parcels that have names like empanadas, pasties, pocket pies, short eats and tasty goodness. (Ok I might have made the last one up.)

There have been mung beans to be sprouted.

Chocolate Vanilla layer biscuits were inhaled.

Stripey sourdough loaves baked with a shake of cocoa on top for a visual effect.

and simple vegetarian dinners were gobbled up on a Saturday night.

The cauliflower quinoa dish was entirely forgetable (definitely not worthy of a photo) and the two batches of chocolate biscuits consumed and given away within a blink of an eye didn’t quite make it to a photo.

My kitchen corners might not be super clean but at least our bellies have been full.

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linking in with the lovely Celia this month.

In my kitchen… lie honey and spelt

Posted on May 2, 2013 by cityhippyfarmgirl

The kitchen floor is strewn with flour, my nails have dried dough embedded round the edges, and there is a softly residing smell of something that had vanilla in it from the oven.

My kitchen, where breakfasts, lunches and dinners begin and dishes mount with heady regularity.

Tomato and olive oil flat bread headed for a party in the park. Easy to make and easy to take.

Won Berenberg products. I was VERY excited to hear that I had won a Berenberg hamper of goodies from the lovely Amanda at Lambs Ears and Honey. Beerenberg is a lable that you probably recognise from grocery aisles. Why would you pick a jar or bottle up? Because, it’s locally made (SA) with local ingredients. Do you know how increasingly rare that is on supermarket shelf these days? (Expect rant post to come soon, as this truly drives me nuts.)

Farmers Markets goodies- $30 this cost. Locally grown just out on the edge of Sydney. Chemical, and spray free, and picked just a couple of days before. The farmer who lovingly grew all of this, predicted I would have a girl. She’s so busy with her market stalls at various farmers markets around Sydney I haven’t had a chance to tell her…that she was right. Instead, I show her my love by choosing where my vegetable dollar goes.

Honey and wholemeal spelt (oh and not to forget buckwheat) are probably my two most reached for ingredients in my baking at the moment. They both feel honourably wholesome and I’m loving the results they both give out. Old recipes are being switched round and new recipes are being tinkered with.

These biscuits are another version of the honey biscuits I’ve been making for quite awhile now. Easy, healthy, no sugar and flexible. More butter will make them crisper, more honey and they will be chewier, don’t squish them down and they will stay as little round domes. Easy

Honey Spelt Biscuits

150g softened butter

200g honey

1 tsp vanilla

375g wholemeal spelt

Mix it all together, roll into balls, squish them down slightly onto a lined or greased tray. Bake at 180C until golden.

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For more kitchen action, have a peek into Celia’s kitchen and some of the others linking up.

in my kitchen this week…

Posted on December 2, 2012 by cityhippyfarmgirl

My kitchen is a bit like a clapped out old Volkswagen at the moment. Stopping and starting in fits and flurries. With days of flour strewn every where, dishes mounting like excitable rabbits, and my mixer getting an excessive work out. This is then strangely followed, by not even a whisper of activity. My cooking mojo seemingly lost. It does this now and then, slowing, sliding to a halt only to kick start again, life being thrown back into the kitchen in the way of a cup full of flour here or a cooking pan there. Then quietly coming to another hiccuping halt again. My kitchen, the kombie.

I’d been wanting to get some cedro for quite some time. It was there, ready for the taking and somehow I ended up with some orange as well. I was nodding enthusiastically to the heavily accented man selling me the cedro and obviously saying all the right words in order to get some of the orange as well. I thought we were just having a delightful conversation, talking about what might go well with it. I felt too impolite to say, oh no thanks mate, actually it was just the cedro I was after.

Pashmak…ohhh, I’d been looking for you for a long time. Now what shall I create with you my pretty fluff?

I’m still playing with cardamom buns, they really are delicious. It’s a happy thing playing with them, that’s for sure.

Local cherries, more beetroot, and the sweetest looking little pumpkin/squash/orangey thing. Surely it’s just the kind to harness a few rats up to and take some one to a ball….or a gnome house? All goodies found in my foodconnect box.

I’m really hoping that I see some of these guys in my kitchen soon. Things are looking the most promising they have in a long time. (Just avert your eyes from the mint.)

A needy starter. This weekend it has been so very hot. My starter was getting bulked up to use, but I just couldn’t face putting the oven on until it cooled down a little. The starter was getting a little impatient.

Dinner can take form in many different ways when Mr Chocolate is out for the evening and the kids have something I don’t particularly feel like eating. Basmati rice, banana, sultanas, linseed and almond meal, sunflower seeds, sesame, pepitas, a splash of milk and honey/tahini drizzled over. I then chucked a handful of blueberries in for good measure.

Last of all, not really in my kitchen but finished this week, (just in time.) My advent calendar. It’s not very “Christmassy” looking but that sits fine with me. I was a little nervous about the colour palate but it all seemed to come together enough at the end. The boys were happy to see it on the 1st, and now they get to count down until Christmas day. (Nothing like it what so ever, but I was inspired by Tania’s advent calendar from last year, which is truly, truly beautiful.)

That’s it for my kombie kitchen this week, what’s happening at your place?

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(linking in with the lovely Celia@ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial)

In my kitchen

Posted on October 3, 2012 by cityhippyfarmgirl

In my kitchen sat my absolute favourite pie in whole wide universe…. lemon meringue. It had been a while since I had made it and Monkey Boy asked ever so nicely if I would. I didn’t want to disappoint, so made it, gave him a small slice, and packed him off to bed. This left me to admire a rather large slice of my own. Lemon meringue pie is one of those lick the bowl when your done kind of moments. Yep, it really is.

And I would have been crazy not to make one, as I had these fat gifted backyard lemons sitting on my kitchen table waiting to be loved.

A trial of a Pear and Ginger Slice. Amazingly enough I actually followed a recipe this time. It wasn’t bad, I would tweak it a little to cater more to my taste buds. But definitely not bad.

The last of my dad’s pumpkins. The orange of the flesh in these pumpkins has been amazing. Nothing like a super market bought one what so ever. I’m still thinking about my pumpkiny options.

My new mixer love arrived. Oh my sweet, sweet goodness how I love it! (Very, very nerdy post to come soon.)

In my kitchen, there has been quite a lot of my staple salad. I very rarely tire of eating kale… which is lucky, as there is quite a bit around at the moment.

and lastly, in my kitchen sits two new pans. I’m not usually one to buy new kitchen gadgets just for the sake of it, (despite desperately needing a new cooking pot- as I had burnt the crap out of one of my usuals.) Mr Chocolate wanted these, and if it had just been me, there is no way I would have got them. Thankfully I did though, as I am hooked. Cooked on low to medium, ceramic coating, no oil used, heats up really quickly, (and makes a perfect pancake!)

What’s been happening in your kitchen?

linking up with the ever lovely Celia@Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

in my kitchen

Posted on July 1, 2012 by cityhippyfarmgirl

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.)

In my kitchen…

Posted on April 5, 2012 by cityhippyfarmgirl

This week in my kitchen…

There is a whole lot of wonderful limes from my dad’s backyard tree. I’ve mentioned my love of the humble lime quite a few times, I never get tired of them. I’m thinking Coconut Lime Pie, Chicken Lime Pasta, Lime Cupcakes, Lime Marmalade… limes, limes, limes. (I’m trying not to think about caipiroska’s.)

Dark Almond chocolate for strength, patience and clarity. Works a treat… well for a little while anyway.

A new Italian cookbook. Won over at Not Quite Nigella, (which was a rather lovely surprise.)

Organic, spray free, local, seasonal fruit and vegetable box delivered to my kitchen door. Making life a little easier until I can get back to my farmers market lady.

Baking hotcross buns with a sleeping babe attached. It’s how all the bakers are doing it these days, (well ones with new babies anyway.)

Last year I did a few batches of hot cross buns. Trying to find the right recipe that worked for me. I still wanted to tweak it though, as didn’t feel it was quite ‘right’. This time I did part sourdough, part dried yeast… I’m getting there I think.

Hot Cross Buns

200g currants/raisins

200mls hot water

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp dark malt flour

1 tsp dried yeast

250g sourdough starter

100g sugar (2/3 cup, more if you like them sweeter)

250mls milk

100g softened butter

11/2-2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour (675g)

Soak the fruit in the hot water, leave for a couple of hours/ over night. Mix all ingredients together, except for the salt. Autolyse period 20-45 minutes. Add the salt and mix again, then turn out on to a lightly floured bench to knead until you get a lovely smooth ball of dough. Pop the dough back into the bowl, plastic bag over the top and leave to prove. A couple of proves and folds over the next few hours. Then out onto lightly floured surface again and divide into 16 or so portions. Roll into balls, or simply divide to get a more square shape. Pop them on a lined baking tray, cover and leave for another prove.

Crosses

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 water

Mix together and spoon into a piping bag just before they hit the oven.

Then bake at 210C for approximately 15-25 minutes, (until golden.)

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What’s happening in your kitchen this week?

Have a look over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for other kitchen happenings.

unplugged… in my kitchen

Posted on November 23, 2011 by cityhippyfarmgirl

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

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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…

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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.

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* This concept was started by Not Just Any Old Baking.

cityhippyfarmgirl

simple connected living, city style

Tag Archives: in my kitchen

kitchen crumbs

in the mess of my kitchen lies…

Kitchen Crumbs

kitchen moments

my petite kitchen

full bellies and kitchen light

In my kitchen… lie honey and spelt

in my kitchen this week…

In my kitchen

in my kitchen

In my kitchen…

Hot Cross Buns

unplugged… in my kitchen