In My Kitchen: May 2015

It’s once again time for In My Kitchen and as per usual this is a collection of things from the past month — a small snippet of those 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 & Food Finds

A much belated display of the edible goodies that actually came home with us from Japan. Chilli and tea (because I ate the Meiji dark chocolate on the plane) should tell you all you need to know.

Those three little jars are all Yuzu Chilli paste and it’s so good we kept buying it every time we saw it. Someone mentioned that they have it at Tokyo Mart in Northbridge  (what a perfect excuse to finally go and check it out). The matcha is stunning.

A close up of two of the three teas — both sencha, one from a grocery store and one from a proper tea shop. Both are divine.

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This cutting board smells like the 70’s (I can’t think of a single other way to describe it). I found it the other day in one of the boxes in the garage and if I remember correctly it was pilfered from my Mom’s place many years ago.

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A fridge surprise bowl at its most random, made between prepping ingredients for that day of photos and running exports on shots for an entirely unrelated job.

I’ve been cursing grey mornings and short afternoons (does anyone else feel like it’s 10pm only to discover the clock is mocking you with something more akin to 6.30?) and wondering where the hell the first half of the year went.

For those keeping score: Spaghetti squash reheated with curry powder because that’s what was on the bench. Wilted rocket (when the rocket is already wilted you may as well sautéed and wilt it further) and black beans leftover from some recipe or another yesterday. A fried egg that was undercooked until the moment it was overcooked. Topped w far too much olive oil and the most amazing horseradish & turmeric vinegar. The vinegar was actually the point of sharing this image again but I digressed, imagine that.

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Up until a case of them landed on my doorstep I’d never eaten a Persimmon* if you’d believe it.

The round ones are sweet persimmons and hard like an apple, the odd shaped ones are jammy and perfect when really soft and bitter as sin when hard (these were perfect). I think I’m in love!

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Look what I found at the grocery store… a feijoa! Apparently they are ripe when soft like stone fruit. They smell a bit like a kiwi, I think I like them.

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I came home from an afternoon with friends, my stomach full of all sort of goodness and my bag full of quince. After having the fruit stare at me from the bench top for a week I finally roasted them…

Slow roasted with orange and vanilla if you want the recipe, then tumbled over miche sourdough with goat cheese. Yes yes yes.

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For the Love

Have you heard of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea? I’ve talking about The Cancer Council’s yearly fundraising event for years and it’s once again that time (stay tuned for a morning tea recipe soon).

What the Cancer Council do — from research to support — is pretty close to my heart. If you aren’t already having a morning tea event go check it out. It’s time to put the kettle on and make your cuppa count!

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Considering the fact that I wash up about a thousand times a day right now I do love a good tea towel. These ones* – illustrated by Evie Barrow for Freedom – help raise funds for Children’s Cancer Institute with the full sale price going to CCI.

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These #empathycards, created by Emily Mcdowell have been popping up all over social media and I simply had to share them.

She created the cards based on what she wished people would have said to her when she was sick — they’re quirky and pretty and perfect for when you don’t quite know what to say, and so much better than most any other alternative. She has a whole bunch of other occasion-based ones too – go, check it out, really.

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Out & About

Roughly 10 days after we were home from Japan I texted RJ one afternoon asking, “can we go on a holiday forever? Like tomorrow?” His response was “Bondi for breakfast?” Not quite Tokyo but brunch at Lox Stock & Barrel is always a good thing.

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Just after arriving home from holidays I spent a lovely afternoon at Papi Chulo* with an amazing bunch of ladies. Thanks to Natalie for a great #eatreadlovepopup. My next career move will be as a lady who lunches I think.

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We finally made it over to the newish Sydney Pana Chocolate shop, happy days. Shared a lemon slice and a choc caramel slice with a Brazil nut hot chocolate and a choc mint tea for those keeping score. Also swooning over the gorgeous ceramics by Milly Dent.

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A bit of Saturday afternoon #eggporn because brunch. . . . In related news we’ve discovered that a local cafe that had gone off the boil a bit is under new management. Based on today’s meal at Avenue Road Cafe things are looking very promising.

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Even working weekends need a brunch break at some point, this one was at Bread & Circus. On the left, all the salads and a roasted green oolong. On the right chilli Parmesan eggs and an impatient please take the photo already I’m hungry husband.

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Miscellaneous Miscellany

Now that you’ve seen most of what I picked up in Japan, well call this the RJ instalment. Yes we got the same slippers. In other news he hates my clutter.

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It’s been too long since I’ve done an art class of any kind and I’m so glad to be up to my elbows in clay one evening a week. Watch this space…

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New Nevada towels* to brighten up the guest bathroom thanks to Freedom.

Note to self, get guest bathroom. (I’ve also had a recommendation to get a maid to clean the guest bathroom, so if someone can arrange that I’d be endlessly grateful – ha!)

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Behind the scenes on a new shoot for a new client (more on that when they launch) but in other news can we talk about these copper cups?! I loved them so much I even included them in my Mother’s Day Gift Guide. Now I just need to get some for myself…

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My colourful audience the other day…  Also I think all the window tapping may be “let us eat all the props or we’ll be back with our friends” in morse code. The spot on the window? Blue tack. Welcome to my life.

Side note for any non-Aussies — these guys are called Rosellas, they are wild (we have deadly snakes, spiders and really pretty birds) and are obnoxiously loud when there’s a whole flock in a tree.

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And finally, my #7vignettes collection for May — my goal for the month was to not take a single overhead/flatlay (which is my default go-to for quick snaps). A newly assembled shelving unit with a butcher block top just in front of a window made for a pretty good back-lit setup don’t you think?

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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 received for editorial consideration in accordance with my editorial policy. Nothing here is sponsored. All opinions are fully my own and yes they are generally positive, because I don’t have time to share stuff I don’t like. Supercalafragalisticexpialadoshus. Beam me up Scotty.

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