In My Kitchen: November 2014

It’s once again time for In My Kitchen and as per usual this is a collection of things from the past month — as seen over on Instagram — in loosely interpreted categories and no particular order. As always I’m linking up with Celia for IMK.

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Kitchen Shenanigans

Keeping myself amused with stripy kitchen string while brownies cool enough for their Christmas shoot…

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All the green things from the crisper (parsley/coriander/mint/kale/rocket/spinach), end of the road scallions, a few cloves of garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and a handful of walnuts.

Processed and spread into a silicon ice tray bound for the freezer so that we have pesto on demand. Not the first time I’ve saved things this way, won’t be the last.

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Had the opportunity to borrow* a Samsung NX30 when we went away a few weeks ago. Sometimes I just don’t want to drag around the DSLR but the phone just won’t do — the NX30 is smaller and lighter than my usual DLSR, although not as small as a point and shoot.

The depth of field is really nice on the auto setting, the aperture priority is good in low light (but forces RAW files). It has wifi functionality but I’m yet to try that feature out.

There are a few other smaller cameras I’d love to try out before committing to any of them but we’ll see!

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I won a Poppin Pods herb garden in a raffle recently and it is thriving in the kitchen window. Great little kit but the pods don’t drain so I have to be careful with the watering…

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Came home from the Power of Mushrooms spring lunch with a box* of button and field mushrooms. Fixed a pasta fix with a late night slap-up dinner then photographed it under our interrogation-worthy kitchen lights…

Mushroom Pasta – an almost recipe

• Sauté a few handfuls of sliced mushrooms with garlic, avocado oil, fresh thyme.
• Deglaze pan with a healthy splash of white wine, then tip in al dente pasta and a bit of the cooking water.
• Season with salt and pepper before serving.

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Food Finds

While making my way around the Vitality Show stands last month I stumbled upon Coconut Yoghurt from Farmer Jo Muesli. This stuff is seriously good — fermented coconut yogurt that’s gluten-free and sugar-free too — and less rich than most of the other brands on the market. Definitely worth a try.

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Another one from Vitality are Soma Bites by Soma Organics – how did I not know about these?

If you don’t make your own balls/bars/bites this is a great alternative for on the go and available at major supermarkets. The new bars (launched at the show) are almost fructose free as well. I may have tasted far too many for “research” purposes.

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My love affair with Pana Chocolate has been well documented over the years and I’m insanely excited by the news that they are launching a cafe in Sydney soon (if you follow them on Instagram you know about the location in Melbourne and the crazy treats they create).

I ration this stuff like gold and mint is still my fave. Loving the new packaging design too.

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Been really enjoying cups of Kashmari* spicy, fragrant green tea. Pairing tea with scented candles — both by Padding Teas — would make for a lovely holiday gift idea (although not sure I’d match a rose candle w chai tea but that’s just me…). Gorgeous packaging too.

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Sister-in-law: somebody gave me this tea, I think it’s supposed to be good… I don’t want it but thought you might?

Me: um, YES

RJ: great, more tea

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Beating out a number of applicants^ RJ has been officially named the head of all editorial opinions on meat. ^there were 152 other applicants, or none, whatever.

Thanks to Beak & Sons and their new completely preservative free range of sausages* we had a lovely bbq with friends last weekend. I’m always quite suspicious of sausages but this new range has no nasties (at all, really) and while that does mean a limited shelf life it’s to be expected with normal non-chemical laden food, ahem.

All flavours were given a big thumbs up by tasters but The Italian was the frontrunner.

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Not My Kitchen

We headed up to Queensland for a wedding and stayed in an old homestead in the middle of Lamington National Park. There were canopy beds and rooms so quaint it was almost unbearable, resident peacocks that had a predilection for walking on the tin roof, and a wrap-around veranda that simply demanded lazy afternoon lounging.

Breakfast included local honey and butter on toast with black tea, because country.

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Spotted at Roadhouse (our absolute favourite cafe in Byron Bay) – I love this idea for succulents and old mugs.

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Prop Obsession

Retail therapy, my way.

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While up in Queensland we may have popped into Beaudesert one afternoon and I may have insisted on stopping at Vinnies… $1.40 later this happened.

And then I arranged them on the floor of that aforementioned wrap-around veranda to take a picture, because that’s what I do.

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Can we all take a moment to squeee over these bitty steel-handled scissors I found when we were up in Kingscliff? Since we had carryon luggage only RJ had the brilliant idea to post them back (smart cookie that one).

In other news sometimes only cheese on toast will do — hard goats and sourdough w pepper & fresh thyme for those keeping score.

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I had my first experience with Mud Australia today at their sample sale clearance. Sigh. I was home for under an hour before a few of my new goodies (plate and bowl as mug) were put to work. You gotta earn your keep ’round here.

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That’s all folks

Make sure to pop over to check out the other IMK posts listed in the sidebar of Celia’s site — there is always great stuff to be found.

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* Asterisked items were gifted to me for editorial consideration in accordance with my editorial policy. All opinions are fully my own. Supercalafragalisticexpialadoshus. Beam me up Scotty.

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