tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49595487069286760192024-03-13T05:20:42.929-07:00Cucina PoveraCome inside my humble little kitchenKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-50637089627408480672016-12-18T14:51:00.001-08:002016-12-18T14:51:57.533-08:00Fo drizzle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a thing for maple syrup. I love to enrobe everything (almost) I eat under a golden cloak of its sweet, sticky goodness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I remember it was when McDonalds first started serving breakfast in Australia that I became aquainted with what I 'believed' to be maple syrup; deep tubs of which I would dump over steamy, bicarb soda scented hotcackes, with lashings of meagre pats of whipped butter. I was a kid and I was in love. I couldn't get enough. It was shit, but what did I know? It was sugar and it was sweet and I wanted it every chance I could get. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It wasn't until I moved out of home and into the real world, I realised that this syrup that I was gorging myself on, Agustus Gloop style, was in fact, a flavouring. A lie. A delicious, preservative and chemically composed attempt at flavour-faking that I had believed all along was what maple syrup was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I didn't feel wronged or betrayed, rather, it made me curious to know what the real deal tasted like. At the time if I recall, I was working 2 evening shifts cleaning at a mall while I studied, I had rent to pay, dogs to feed and bills that didn't quit, along with a credit card spending habit that rivalled the national debt, so when I saw that the real deal was going to set me back $9.50, understandably I baulked and resolved to buy the affordable fake version until I could justify an almost $10 purchase for something to drizzle over my rubbery, crappy pancakes. I got to thinking that maybe maple syrup might have to be my 'Death Row Dinner'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In true 'Me' style, I ended up dropping a 'F--k it' and went back to the condiment isle, swapping the flavouring for the real stuff, justifying the purchase with my usual 'I'm worth it' reasoning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I gotta say since having pure maple syrup I don't want anything else. I love it on pancakes, french toast, in a hot toddy, over bacon, on ice cream, in milkshakes... whatever union I pair this stuff with, it just works. I can't wait to try it in a nougat parfait I saw on Food Network this past week. Delicious!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So without fluffing on any further I present my breakfast of yesterday... Brioche toast with banana and maple syrup. So delicious, so sweet and so good. No recipe required - it is just buttered toasted brioche with banana and syrup. Easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The only conundrum I am left with now is my search for the best and finest maple syrup I can buy. I have been researching but not yet sampling. Could it be from Vermont? Or do the Canadians do it better? I don't know yet but I am sure it will be fun and delicious to find out. For now I must go shop and purchase another bottle to glaze my Christmas ham with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kitty xx</span></div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-39986595208159908842016-09-10T00:53:00.001-07:002016-09-10T00:53:21.429-07:00A very long hiatus!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well hello and how are things?</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have so much to tell you. It has been a while between drinks! Too long in fact, but as they say in the classics... well I really don't know what they say in the classics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Thursday I was contemplating my navel and talking to a friend about my much-loved food blog and that I had not visited for some time. Life got in the way and with losing my two beautiful dogs who were not only my world, but a big part of this blog made me lose touch with my love of cooking and if I am being completely open and honest here, pretty much everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things have changed and I have a new little friend, along with a fresh new perspective, home, and well, life really!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m92nikCEAd4/V9O6iuus4-I/AAAAAAAACQY/PR_G-P8FSPkhgW6PtL-2pAfeaxDSW5kqgCLcB/s1600/Monty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m92nikCEAd4/V9O6iuus4-I/AAAAAAAACQY/PR_G-P8FSPkhgW6PtL-2pAfeaxDSW5kqgCLcB/s320/Monty.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Monty!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought long and hard about continuing the blog (since Friday - so that is about as long and hard my thinking processes go) as I weighed up the pros and cons of continuing my original blog vs starting fresh but I love this blog and it is really a part of me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My blogs may be sporadic as currently I am really busy with my work as a designer and artist. A girl's still gotta eat though, so for the times when I make something as 'hand on my heart' delicious as I used to blog about, I will!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So for now, thanks for stopping by!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kitty xx</span></div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-3041583775981894222013-03-04T21:45:00.001-08:002013-03-04T21:45:46.367-08:00Goodbye Nuggy Bear xox<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hello again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It has been a while. I haven't been able to bring myself to come back to my blog for a while, as things have not been so great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My darling angel Nugget, my beautiful little Chihuahua got sick early in the New Year and I had to make the heart breaking decision to end his suffering. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was very quick, he had a massive seizure and just didn't really recover. As I had lost Buster in November, I knew what I had to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I cry every day. I miss my beautiful boys, but they are together now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sleep my beautiful little boy. I love you so very much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'll be back soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-67037052653762574872012-12-28T15:25:00.000-08:002012-12-28T15:25:42.400-08:00Post Christmas Purge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So there we are for another year. Christmas has come and gone. I hope everyone who celebrated the holiday had a wonderful day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now that all the fuss is over and I still have 3 weeks off work, I have been feeling a little lost. Christmas is such a busy time, (well, I am my own worst enemy) where you have to rush about, cook all sorts of things you wouldn't normally cook any other time of year, clean your house ready for your visitors, make space in the refrigerator for all the extra food and drinks... (You feelin' me?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The visitors have since left and the house is still in wearing its Christmas party dress - I never take my decorations down until New Years Day, its just a superstition, though I am kind of wistful that the excitement and anticipation is over for another year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday I started off feeling really lazy. Here is a rundown of my morning.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I watched 'Love Actually', </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I watched Australia beat Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day Test cricket and <em>then</em> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I got a serious bug up my butt and totally went nuts on my kitchen pantry.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As you do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My pantry has been bothering me for a while. Since I moved in. More so the last few days, where it has become a kind of irritating focus that I can't seem to function with the thought of it in the back of my mind. It has served me well, however the whole 'Hardware store purchases trying to mimic an industrial look' has become a little messy and unsightly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Unless I could resolve to neatening and sorting through the shelves every other day, or only purchasing items that looked the part (chances are they would be either too pretty to use or expensive to want to eat), I figured I needed to find a different solution to disguise my ugly pantry and the items on show within, without it looking like it was wearing a Groucho Marx mask.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I did indeed try this with some colourful drapes I whipped up on my sewing machine the day before, but in my kitchen, this really didn't work. It looked like I was trying to hide something. My original idea was to make it look fresh and carefree! It was like putting a band aid on a gaping wound. Boy, who was I trying to kid!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The original pantry that was in this house when I moved in all those years ago has had a few reincarnations around the house. Firstly, the doors were falling off the hinges so I took them off. This became my start of having an open pantry. Then, after a while I decided that it just looked way to ugly. So it found its way into my laundry and did time in there as a junk cupboard. After another possibly seasonal attack of OCD I revamped my laundry and said cupboard became a neat and tidy linen press. As for its ugly exterior, cheap mouldings made the cupboard look more like updated shelving than the sad, sorry, chipped, clapped-out thing it was. It even made its way opposite the entry way so it was the first thing you could see when you walked in or past the room. So I had a lovely little cupboard with my good towels and a couple of chic baskets that made me smile whenever I looked at it.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_TIcb7RowQs/UN4Pq18hwQI/AAAAAAAAAsE/zrSru2DOWZU/s1600/2011-09-17+17.13.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_TIcb7RowQs/UN4Pq18hwQI/AAAAAAAAAsE/zrSru2DOWZU/s320/2011-09-17+17.13.21.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After spending a few hours laying upside down on my couch looking at posts about pantry at 'Houzz', 'Pinterest' and 'Apartment Therapy', a light bulb went off in my head which caused me to leap up, stride confidently into the kitchen and pull apart my old pantry with the maniacal view to swapping the laundry cupboard for the kitchen shelves. Genius! was what I was thinking at this point. I wish I had a before photo of how my kitchen looked during this brainwave. Why does cleaning always make a mess!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was a struggle to get the cupboards switch-a-roo'd but with a little help,(and a thorough vacuuming of the chipboard breadcrumb trail the poor disintegrating cupboard left behind), I got there. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqFPqJqF_7Q/UN4k3b_3gOI/AAAAAAAAAs0/hyk9TbZf7yw/s1600/2012-12-29+08.57.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqFPqJqF_7Q/UN4k3b_3gOI/AAAAAAAAAs0/hyk9TbZf7yw/s320/2012-12-29+08.57.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have to glue a little more moulding onto the sides, where the damage still is, but as long as it is left alone, there shouldn't be too many tears. I think I ought to get rid of that ugly sticky tape repair (not mine!) as well while I am at it. Nothing a little Spak Filla won't fix!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H-hFJiQniFM/UN4k_Bwq-2I/AAAAAAAAAs8/rZ2Q4zrZa44/s1600/2012-12-29+08.57.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H-hFJiQniFM/UN4k_Bwq-2I/AAAAAAAAAs8/rZ2Q4zrZa44/s320/2012-12-29+08.57.43.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So here is the project as it stands right now. Everything looks so much neater and visually pleasant. I am able to stow away all the packages and cans into my baskets. My jars look much more part of a display, than a mess. I even re purposed my three candy jars to hold sugar, and I think these look really sweet! (Pardon the pun).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As for my laundry, I think the metal shelving came up okay in the space. I even strung up my curtains. They won't win any design awards, though I think they add a little colour and whimsy to soften the look of the metal. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RaG-l0F1oOw/UN4kxhC9HII/AAAAAAAAAss/g3Zdr59pVLI/s1600/2012-12-29+08.57.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RaG-l0F1oOw/UN4kxhC9HII/AAAAAAAAAss/g3Zdr59pVLI/s320/2012-12-29+08.57.05.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What makes me so happy about this little project was that it cost me <strong>nothing.</strong> I re purposed what I already had in the house, I just had to think outside of the box to do it. My intention was to create a neat, contained display of my pantry items. I was able to do it with bottles, jars and baskets I already had on hand. I didn't have to rush out to the department or dollar store to buy anything, all I had to do was use my imagination. I figured I would try and do whatever I could with what I had on hand, before feeling the need to just go out and buy for the sake of buying. I even found that some of the things are now fulfilling their purpose, rather than just 'filling in' or on display. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I will probably re evaluate the smaller spice jars which contents are probably overdue for a toss or refresh, but I know that things look so much better than before I started. I have much more room, I know where everything is and I am inspired to keep it tidy and best of all, cook!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Next job, kitchen cupboards and drawers. Time to do some kitchenware purging! Wish me luck!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-9868992860224430002012-12-24T01:11:00.001-08:002012-12-24T01:11:25.157-08:00Christmas 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love Christmas. I never really used to, but after my first trip to America, which included both Christmas and New Year in New York, I am smitten. If there were ever a time you didn't feel Christmassy, a trip to New York is the cure. Or in my case, the catalyst for me falling in love with it all over again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I guess its the whole idea of a 'White Christmas', the snow, the Rockefeller Plaza Tree (check out cheesey me!), Bloomingdales, Macy's and movies where shoppers hustle and Santa rings a bell and you drink hot toddies and cocoa is something that you can actually drink without breaking out into a sweat in December in the Northern Hemisphere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As it is Summer here in Australia, I tend to feel a little ridiculous, singing Christmas Carols about snow, the weather being 'frightful' and fires inside being 'delightful'. Especially when its while I am sweltering with the oven on, trying to get my Christmas baking done.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aDeyW1jNFlU/UNPrlyG37gI/AAAAAAAAApg/TtqHNYE3MZo/s1600/2012-12-21+14.19.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aDeyW1jNFlU/UNPrlyG37gI/AAAAAAAAApg/TtqHNYE3MZo/s320/2012-12-21+14.19.15.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As I have spent 3 Christmas's in New York now, I tend to feel a little 'homesick' around this time of year. Especially homesick for the cooler weather! I guess the good thing about Christmas in Australia is we don't have the tradition of the 'Ugly Christmas Sweater'. To cure my blues, I bust out a bit (or in my case a lot) of decorating. It always makes me feel good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My tiny little house is abundant with Christmas decorations and vignettes. This year, I have <em>tried</em> to exercise elegant restraint, keeping to a colour theme of red, silver and gold. It is hard to hold back, with so many great decorations, lights and garlands that you can dress up your home with. Outside is not spared, with rows and rows of coloured lights clinging to the gutters and trees, along with some inflatable Santa's friends have kindly loaned out. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i52XAzXFJBU/UNgTfPbA6OI/AAAAAAAAAqk/M-IhzGQePHw/s1600/2012-12-24+17.53.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i52XAzXFJBU/UNgTfPbA6OI/AAAAAAAAAqk/M-IhzGQePHw/s320/2012-12-24+17.53.09.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Christmas also sparks my creative side. I love being resourceful and making something out of 'nothing'. My star (above) was just 5 pickets I found in my backyard from some over-the-fence construction which I got help to nail together (I am a designer, not an engineer) and I strung some lights around for some extra sparkle.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yWN0WSB1x4Q/UNPr_LAfx_I/AAAAAAAAApo/RBBa2ODc6rI/s1600/2012-12-21+12.09.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yWN0WSB1x4Q/UNPr_LAfx_I/AAAAAAAAApo/RBBa2ODc6rI/s320/2012-12-21+12.09.53.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My tree is my miniature interpretation of the Macy's tree in San Francisco. (I adore this tree, even more than the Rock Centre tree!). I love the look of red against the green. I also add to my tree each year, new decorations from my travels. It is ever evolving and always different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have always wanted to learn how to do origami. However, I have absolutely no patience. Somehow I taught myself how to make some origami stars. I was determined to make a garland out of them, and by the sixth star, I was a pro! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I thought it would be fun to make a buffet table out of a sofa table I kind of made/re purposed from another project (which is another story in itself). I had an old window which was a perfect fit to lay on top and underneath the glass I have scattered old Polaroids and photos from Christmas's past. As Mum and Dad will be here for Christmas Dinner, I hope they enjoy the nostalgia of it. Oh yes, more little lights underneath to give it a little razzle-dazzle!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I think the whole fuss I make wears poor Nugget out. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Htvvm6wnguo/UNgRKBR2TwI/AAAAAAAAAp8/5o7VRZSIqZw/s1600/2012-12-20+08.25.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Htvvm6wnguo/UNgRKBR2TwI/AAAAAAAAAp8/5o7VRZSIqZw/s320/2012-12-20+08.25.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As mentioned, my Mum and Dad will be coming for lunch this year and it will just be us, as the rest of my family are all spread out and it is difficult for us to come together. I just plan to set a nice table and make a simple roast dinner this year. We will be having chicken, pork and ham. Mum and Dad are bringing the plum pudding, while I made Tiramisu (I can't help myself!). As for gifts, we have decided on just a very small present each for under the tree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I would like to think of the day as more an 'attitude of gratitude' than the whole ridiculous commerical blowout. It is a little rustic, a lot hand made and a whole lot of love. It will be nice to be able to spend the day with my Mum and Dad and to spoil them with a lovely meal, made by me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I hope everyone has a really great Christmas. Please be safe and be good to each other. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-35762424965411060082012-12-15T16:25:00.001-08:002012-12-15T16:25:55.527-08:00Good Mornings!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I never used to be a morning person. There was nothing more I would love on a Sunday, than to pull up the covers and hide away from the world for a few minutes (or hours) more. It wasn't because I would stay up late, I would just love the comfort and sanctity of my bed. Cold mornings or the drudgery of the morning rituals that go with getting ready for work never helped either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">For a while now, I have embraced the early morning wake up and bounce out of bed. Now that it is summer, the sun is usually up at around 5am, so it is harder for me to keep my eyes shut, especially through my not-so-thick curtains. This doesn't really bother me, as it is nice to be up and about. It gives me time to make breakfast, do some early morning exercise down at the beach or just sit outside in the cool of the morning and enjoy my tea on the patio.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dsA36F2L17o/UM0KZDs14GI/AAAAAAAAAoA/aW4oHB0j_Uw/s1600/2012-12-10+06.20.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dsA36F2L17o/UM0KZDs14GI/AAAAAAAAAoA/aW4oHB0j_Uw/s320/2012-12-10+06.20.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Breakfast is a good motivator on the weekend. I get up early and head down to the stairs on Hastings St. These are like no other stairs I have ever encountered. They take about 3 minutes to climb, at a steady pace, and when you get to the top, you virtually feel your heart beating in your mouth. I do 2-3 laps up and down and then take a leisurely cool-down walk to the National Park before heading to one of the local cafes for breakfast. Well, I figure I have earned it after all that sweat!</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZO0-ls7Yksg/UM0KimnA0PI/AAAAAAAAAoI/YpwryLKtvnE/s1600/2012-12-02+06.48.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZO0-ls7Yksg/UM0KimnA0PI/AAAAAAAAAoI/YpwryLKtvnE/s320/2012-12-02+06.48.49.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have to give a plug to my local go-to place for Sunday breakfast - Grind on Gympie Terrace in Noosaville. They make fantastic coffee and their breakfasts are generous and filling. I love their scrambled eggs. They make a wonderful breakfast sandwich which usually tides me over sometimes until dinner. Keep an eye on the specials board too, their offerings never disappoint. The service is fast and friendly, the staff are wonderful and the atmosphere is lively. It makes the whole idea of exercise much more appealing when I know I have a delicious breakfast to look forward to as a reward!</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBqNzZ8Airg/UM0KS333PYI/AAAAAAAAAn4/hV6PovbmBDw/s1600/2012-12-09+08.15.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uBqNzZ8Airg/UM0KS333PYI/AAAAAAAAAn4/hV6PovbmBDw/s320/2012-12-09+08.15.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My breakfast habits tend to improve after my visits to New York. I eat more 'brunch' than breakfast (let's blame jet lag for early morning misdemeanours) which is better than my usual cup of tea, which is what I tend to pass of as my Monday - Friday breakfast when at home. I am improving though, I keep breakfast bars in my desk and have one once I settle in to my work day. These aren't ideal, I know, but I feel better to at least eat something than nothing at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am feeling all exercised, fed, bouncy and ready to embrace the day. I have plans for Christmas baking and straightening up in preparation for Christmas day. I would never had this much done or the motivation had I stayed in bed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a fantastic weekend whatever you do!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-49993112108788933382012-12-14T17:38:00.003-08:002012-12-14T17:41:23.886-08:00Here we are in December...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My goodness, here we are at the close of another year almost. I can't believe it is only 10 days until Christmas.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kj8IRC8_yG4/UMvTRaBL4nI/AAAAAAAAAm4/Xysc-7nYW0E/s1600/2012-12-14+07.25.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kj8IRC8_yG4/UMvTRaBL4nI/AAAAAAAAAm4/Xysc-7nYW0E/s320/2012-12-14+07.25.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So much has happened in the time since my last post, I went to New York for 6 weeks in mid September, having a wonderful time and even surviving Super Storm Sandy. I arrived home and on November 6, my beloved Chihuahua Buster (Below), passed away, 2 days after my return home. His older Brother, Nugget is just as devastated as I and merely a week after losing Buster to congenital heart failure, Nugget was rushed to surgery for a corneal (eye) ulcer. He is doing great and, like me is starting to get back to feeling themselves after much sadness.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kscam783HDQ/UMvTsyeWuYI/AAAAAAAAAnA/E3vCDT6OEdU/s1600/2012-04-11+07.51.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kscam783HDQ/UMvTsyeWuYI/AAAAAAAAAnA/E3vCDT6OEdU/s320/2012-04-11+07.51.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I didn't blog in New York, because, well I was having such a fantastic time eating my way around the city! No, it was difficult as I was without laptop and to try and coordinate my photos/phone and borrowed iPad, I resolved to do some writing when I got home... Which as you may well understand, didn't happen. I don't know how many people follow this blog or just stumble upon it, but it did feel strange to not write. I felt like I wanted to share my feelings and what I was going through, but I was just feeling so numb I couldn't find the words - even to write about food. So if my absence has been felt, please accept my humble apologies!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now on with the food!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As it is Hanukkah and I am not Jewish, it made sense for me to make Latkes. (If you know me, this makes perfect sense). I think of Latkes as if a hash brown had a steamy relationship with a pancake (ie they fell in shallow fried love). </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wz0ueILq2BE/UMvUGJ5LMeI/AAAAAAAAAnI/MaaZY20XnHM/s1600/2012-12-14+19.25.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wz0ueILq2BE/UMvUGJ5LMeI/AAAAAAAAAnI/MaaZY20XnHM/s320/2012-12-14+19.25.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I made these last night and served them with apple sauce and sour cream. This is a really great recipe and I am really excited to share it with you. It comes from the book 'Love and Knishes' by Sara Kasdan. It was a gift from my recent visit to New York from my new favourite bookstore in the world, or Greenwich Village at least, Bonnie Slotnicks (163 W10th St NY, NY 10014)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have a whole Bonnie Slotnicks blog I want to share, so I am just going to keep you salivating on that (cookbook aficionados you will love this place) while I get these Latkes out of the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em><strong>Potato Latkes - (Pancakes)</strong></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>Recipe from 'Love and Knishes' by Sara Kasdan</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cups grated raw potatoes (measure after draining) ***</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 eggs, beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 rounded or heaping tablespoon flour or matzo meal (I used all purpose flour)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pinch baking powder (I was anal retentive and measured 1/4 tsp)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 small onion grated - optional (I had a small french shallot in the fridge so I used that)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drop pancake mixture by the tablespoonful onto a hot skillet generously greased with butter or shortening (I used olive oil). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you like thin, crispy pancakes, flatten with the back of a spoon. Fry on both sides until brown. Serve piping hot with sour cream, or with applesauce as an accompaniment to a pot roast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">*** When draining the potatoes, I grated them into a colander, set upon a bowl to catch the liquid. I squeezed as much liquid out of the potato as I could, and reserved the liquid. As I added the other ingredients to the potato, the starch in the potato water settled to the bottom of the bowl. I poured off the reserved water and then added the starch to my potato mix. I don't know why this is important but I read it somewhere or someone told me to do this and it has just stuck with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Happy Hanukkah! (Don't worry Christmas, I'll get to you later!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-82181604770110023112012-08-17T20:27:00.002-07:002012-08-17T20:36:14.450-07:00Out of Hibernation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Winter. There are good things about you and the things I don't like so much. I like the fact that I can use you as an excuse to wear short skirts and cover up my pasty legs with black tights and still feel so fresh, so chic. I like that my dogs who snuggle with me all four seasons are more welcomed when it is a cold night and we share it on the sofa watching television. I don't like it so much when they need to go outside before bedtime and I am hopping from one foot to the other in a ridiculous beanie and my pajamas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There are a couple of weeks left of winter, but we are starting to feel the welcome of a glorious spring. My garden is looking pretty and has lots of pops of colour (more so from me buying instant potted colour from the nursery but, whatever!) and my bones are thawing out, thus making it easier to heave-ho and get out of bed without feeling bitterness and resentment about having to go to work or simply, on the weekend, just having to get out of bed.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This morning was the first morning in months where I bounced out of bed and did something other than grumble. I went to the beach and did some exercise, which I thought at first was going to kill me, but I am glad I did it. I feel good about myself and when you feel good about yourself, well, everything else seems to fall into place. </span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As a reward for good behaviour, I treated myself (for the second time this week - oh shock, horror!) to breakfast. Breakfast is one of those lovely things I like to do because, well I'm worth it. I love eating out, but I think most of all, eating out during the day is more enjoyable for me. I guess because eating out at night is more of a production, you know, the appetizer, the main event, the dessert, the wine, the coffee and I can never say no to cheese.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Breakfast, brunch and lunch are more casual, less complicated. There is less expectation and less stuffy waitstaff pompousness. (I really don't like restaurants who make you feel they are doing you a favour just by seating you. Take note. I am a big eater, a generous tipper and I have a few places on my shit list because of crap service. Treat every customer as your most fierce critic and with the same respect). Phew! That felt good to get that out. Wow, do you think I have felt a little unloved in some places?</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DPtSeNlsms/UC8Ix3q3IZI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/0Yoa5hFYd8U/s1600/French+Toast+Clinton+St+Bakery+NYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DPtSeNlsms/UC8Ix3q3IZI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/0Yoa5hFYd8U/s320/French+Toast+Clinton+St+Bakery+NYC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So yes, twice this week I have treated myself to breakfast! I guess things are looking up as far as the weather is concerned to be able to say I have been up and about! (Well, where there is the promise of food, it is a great motivator for me). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am off to NYC in five weeks time and I am so excited. I have included photos within this blog entry of my two favourite places to brunch, purely because I can never get myself moving in time to eat there during breakfast hours. (Thankfully they do all day breakfast!). They are Kitchenette in Harlem and The Clinton Street Baking Co, Downtown (Somewhere... use your fancy phone and a tricky subway commute to find it, you won't be disappointed). I love the Turkey sausage at Kitchenette, so crispy, sticky and salty, while the French toast with maple butter at Clinton St is to die for. Seriously if I were Cleopatra, I would bathe in that stuff every day.</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time, I wish your eggs to be scrambled soft and silky and your bacon to be crispy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-81692541753756490782012-06-22T01:51:00.000-07:002012-06-22T01:51:00.064-07:00Pure Creamy (salty) Gratification<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sometimes in life you discover things you know once you experience you can't (or don't want to) live without them. Right now, mine is a certain flavour of gelato.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salted Peanut Caramel.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYs0sgvxtb4/T-QwlFnewFI/AAAAAAAAAl0/m82YAFkXC24/s1600/Salted+Peanut+Caramel+Gelato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYs0sgvxtb4/T-QwlFnewFI/AAAAAAAAAl0/m82YAFkXC24/s320/Salted+Peanut+Caramel+Gelato.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When I first tried it a few months ago, I told the girl at the Gelato Bar that if it were legal, I would marry it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">She laughed and told me I would need to get in line.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am enamoured with this flavour. It is creamy like gelato should be. It is textural - crunchy with little chunks of peanut praline. Then comes the gentle touch of salt which rounds out the flavour and is a beautiful finish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salt is a wonderful thing. It makes things taste more of what they are. It is the only true seasoning. I love salt sprinkled on slices of fresh cut pineapple and also I love salted chocolate as well. Now before you screw your nose up at me at the thought, why not give it a try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But back to the gelato. I get it from what is in my opinion, the best little coffee place in Noosa, Amo Gelato. It is a intimate little place, my local secret which is open until late. The staff are friendly, the coffee is perfect and the serves of gelato are generous, especially if you are a good customer like me :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This stuff makes me smile. I should eat more of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-24384277086864338222012-05-22T03:39:00.005-07:002012-05-22T03:39:47.723-07:00Berry Good!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love it when inspiration hits. It can come from nowhere and from there can come great things. Like staring at my little raspberry bush, thinking about how lovely it was to have grown my own little spartan crop of sweet little berries and how nice they tasted.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then remembering that I had quite a large bag of berries in the freezer that, while they were not fruit of my vine, were able to satiate my feelings of nostalgia for something sweet and berry-ful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I wanted to bake something, and I was thinking of the classic combination of white chocolate and raspberry. You can usually find these as a muffin, though I wanted to do a riff on this and turn them into a cute little cupcake with the addition of a sweet vanilla butter cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The result? Delicious. You get the sharpness of the raspberry which cuts the sweetness of the white chocolate. The butter cream works. While you may think it a little overkill, it is a lip smacking addition. There is nothing like feeling a little naughty when it comes to sweet things, so why not up the ante and smother them with frosting?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I took these to work to share for morning tea yesterday and got wonderful reviews. (My colleagues are my most tough and honest critics). Definitely part of my baking repertoire from now on.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tJQGxaSghHk/T7trql3xrkI/AAAAAAAAAlc/1Ie-AXxZBwQ/s1600/Raspberrycakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tJQGxaSghHk/T7trql3xrkI/AAAAAAAAAlc/1Ie-AXxZBwQ/s320/Raspberrycakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Raspberry and White Chocolate Chip Cupcakes</strong> (Adapted from Best Recipes.com)</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cups plain flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3/4 cup castor sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2/3 cup white chocolate chips</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">120g melted butter, cooled slightly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3/4 cup buttermilk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 cup frozen raspberries</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 12 cup capacity muffin pan with cupcake liners.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sift flour and baking powder, add sugar and choc chips. Stir to combine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Mix milk, melted butter, egg and vanilla and add to dry ingredients, fold gently to combine. Add raspberries and fold through gently. Spoon into liners to about 2/3 full and bake for 25 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Vanilla Butter cream</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cups icing sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tbs butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/4 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tbs milk</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sift icing sugar and add butter and mix into the sugar. Add vanilla and milk, a little at a time, mixing until combined. With electric beaters, beat until combined and fluffy. The texture should be light but stiff enough to pipe or spread onto the cooled cakes - if you feel the mixture is too tight, add a little more milk and beat further, if it is too runny, sift in more icing sugar. You can also add a few drops of food colouring to tint it if desired.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-10458742428762222202012-05-11T16:07:00.001-07:002012-05-11T16:10:54.701-07:00What does your garden grow?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I live in a rental and there is not much opportunity for me to make the gardens look as lovely as I wish to. I could if I wanted to spend money on someone else's investment (and over time, I have - I can't help wanting my nest to look appealing for my own benefit). </span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Instead I grow things in pots. I also like to strike cuttings from plants that I have liberated from friends, family or 'in passing' and plump up the garden beds at the front of the house. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My back patio has evolved from humble ratty beginnings into may own little culinary garden and it is bringing me so much joy. I am so proud of all my little plants. They are doing so well. My garden is a wonderful ambient and sensory place for me to relax and enjoy.</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I never thought I would ever grow my own raspberries! The above photo is the first raspberry that came off the bush. I was so enamoured with the fact that I cultivated it I had to mark the event with a photo on a pretty plate! It is so exciting to be able to walk out my back door and pick them, fresh off the bush. Unfortunately there are only enough at the moment for snacking purposes, but I get such a buzz knowing that they grew from my tender care and love.</span><br />
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<br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Herbs are essential in my garden. You would be suprised how much more inspiration you can be filled with when you have beautiful fresh herbs on hand, ready for picking. My 'must have's' are mint, parsley, thyme and basil. (Above is my lovely 'Boxwood' basil). Any of these are a wonderful addition to bring dishes to life. Especially pasta. I grow them in the pots I bought them in, in a container (which started its life as a humble automotive oil drip tray can you believe?!) in a sunny spot right by the kitchen door, so all I need to is reach out and pluck them as I need them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love to pick at my herbs and nibble on them while sitting outside while dead-heading daisies and marigolds or just enjoying the space. Pinching them out from the top encourages more bushy and compact growth so it's a win-win. After much consideration (as to what I would do with it) I bought a Stevia plant and it is great for guilt-free snacking as it is a natural sweetner. I simply pick a few leaves and roll a mint leaf around them and it staves off hunger pangs (and makes your breath sweet and minty-fresh!). I haven't experimented yet with it (apparently its sweetness is intensified by drying) though I do plan on trying it in my baking sometime soon. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wTr3-K-qmho/T62Xa6z2xsI/AAAAAAAAAjM/m8d1d44iqCU/s1600/Caterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wTr3-K-qmho/T62Xa6z2xsI/AAAAAAAAAjM/m8d1d44iqCU/s320/Caterpillar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have all kinds of fruit trees, flowers annuals and perennials. In addition this year I have Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses. I keep pests at bay where possible using organic pesticides - and natural ones, encouraging Lady Beetles and companion planting (aphids hate marigolds!). Catterpillars are welcome as they turn into beautiful butterflies. I love how they munch on the leaves, it reminds me of the book 'The Very Hungry Catterpillar'.</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My garden is a lovely place for me (as well as Gidget) to sit and contemplate. To flip through magazines, read my cook books, or to just soak up the beautiful morning sun. On weekends I treat myself to breakfast at my table. Warm summer nights are perfect for barbecues too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You don't need rambling acres of land to enjoy a garden. Mine is very compact and modest and I love it. All you need is a small sunny area or windowsill - even the World's greatest gardens started with just one plant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-38544854342459890112012-05-05T02:39:00.003-07:002012-05-05T02:39:48.094-07:00A New(ish) Season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Autumn is a lovely time of year here in Queensland. Along with spring, it is my favourite season. Autumn is when the weather is just starting to cool down as it comes into winter, and my tummy always craves things that are warm and satisfying. Come to think of it, when does it not crave anything!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I bought some beautiful new season apples at the supermarket yesterday. I love how they look in the bowl just as they are as a still life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Of course now my mind starts to race at what I could do with them. I love the smell of apples stewing. All that lovely aroma, laced with clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. It is comforting and enveloping like a warm hug. Especially on a cold rainy day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Stewed fruits are delicious hot or cold. With ice cream, cream, custard or alone. Apple is particularly nice mixed into yoghurt or muesli or on my new found favourite - Latkes (with a hearty dollop of sour cream).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Apple and Rhubarb would have to be one of my all time favourite stewed fruit combos.To stew the fruit it's basically thus: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Cut a few ribs of rhubarb and 2 or three peeled and cored apples into chunks. Place into a saucepan with a few tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (You can also add cinnamon/cloves etc here to taste). Bring to a gentle simmer. The fruit will yield some moisture, so you will not need to add water, but if you wish you can add a little splash of water to help the cooking process along. If you are trying to cut down on your sugar intake, add a little apple juice in lieu of some of the sugar. Cook for about 10 mins. Once the fruit is fork tender, remove from the heat and clamp on a lid. Use as desired. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">On a side note, if you are using young rhubarb it should be nice and tender. If it is older it may be a little stringy so just run a potato peeler along the stalks to remove some of the strings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My Dad makes a really great apple pie. I always love his baking. I have tried to get some recipes from him, but his recipes are more like 'a bit of this, bit of that, bung it in the oven' kind of thing. Somehow what he does seems to work - I guess I get my baking courageousness from him. Even if he isn't as experimental as I am with flavours and textures it is nice to know that he has had some influence!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Maybe when I'm done admiring my beautiful bowl of apples I will just eat them as is, cut them into wedges and spread them with Nutella (yum!) or bake them into a pie. If I go out and talk nicely to my rhubarb plant there may even be a whiff of that too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span><br />
</div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-82974328762275686592012-05-02T18:41:00.000-07:002012-05-02T18:44:52.163-07:00Little Mouthfuls of Gorgeousness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the past few months I have been looking for recipes that I remember eating when I was a kid. You know, the stuff that you eat today that reminds you of what 'Grandma used to make'. The things that make you giddy and smile to remember the simpler times, when your mouth wasn't quite big enough to cram in a whole piece of cake, or your mother was constantly dabbing away at the cream all over your fingers and face. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Baking has had a resurgence in popularity lately, and things to me seem a little too primped and technical. I am looking for the good old fashioned things, sponge cakes with jam and cream, pies with home made pastry and sticky gooey caramel fillings (Even if I can never bring myself to try boiling a can of condensed milk to make caramel - kids don't try this at home). All the good stuff that we remember eating as kids, is the stuff I am yearning for today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As you know I am quite the fan of little individual baked treats. Even though I love a grand layered cake at the best of times, these are easy and fun to bake, look sweet, petite and best of all, when it comes to serving you don't have to have the 'who's going to cut the cake' argument.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Jelly cakes have become my latest little love. I used to eat these as a kid and have had a craving for them in the past few weeks. They are these delightful little patty cakes, filled with cream and rolled in semi-set jelly and coconut. They look so dainty and pretty. Making them again brings back so many fond memories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love them piled high on a pretty plate and shared among friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Perfect with a lovely hot cup of tea. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Jelly Cakes - Recipe adapted from Taste.com.au</strong></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">60g butter, at room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup castor sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 egg, lightly beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">85g packet of Port Wine jelly crystals</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 cup boiling water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 cup cold water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 cups dessicated coconut</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup thickened cream, whipped</span><br />
<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 12 x 2 tablespoon capacity patty pan. (Oil spray is perfect for greasing these pans) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add
egg, a little at a time, beating until well combined. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold in half the flour and half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and
milk. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Spoon about 1 tsp of the mixture into patty pan. (You may need more depending on the size of your patty pans - if you use muffin pans, use a tablespoon of mixture) Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer
inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cakes on a wire rack. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Cut each cake in half horizontally. Sandwich halves back together using 1 teaspoon of cream. Place in refrigerator for 10-20 mins. (I find this step really helps the cream to adhere the cake halves together and makes them easier to roll in jelly and coconut. You could also freeze the cakes at this stage if you wish and jelly/coconut later).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stir jelly and boiling water together in a bowl until crystals are dissolved.
Stir in cold water. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold and slightly thick.
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place coconut into a large bowl. Roll cakes, 1 cake at a time, into jelly. Gently shake off excess jelly. Toss cakes in coconut
until well coated. Place onto a lined tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes or
until set.</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">These cakes freeze well. Just pull out of the freezer and place on a plate for 20-30 mins to reach room temperature. Great for when you have company coming and want to have a little special something that looks like you have slaved all morning away on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Feel free to experiment with different jelly flavours. I especially like Port Wine because it gives the cakes a lovely pink hue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span><br />
</div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-79245815815219922512012-03-23T19:20:00.000-07:002012-03-23T19:20:07.699-07:00Hello Sunshine!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am so happy to see the sun. Like you wouldn't believe. Not only do I get my laundry done (what is it about women - at the first sign of inclement weather all we think about is how are we going to get our sheets dry). I don't have to stay inside getting fat from all the baking and episodes of Mad Men I have been watching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Despite all this shiny happy weather, I do have plans to cook today. I have a hankering for <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/11/dorie-greenspan-french-apple-cake-recipe/" target="_blank">French Apple Cake.</a> I bought some New Season Delicious Apples last week which really should be called 'Floury Disappointment Apples' because they were exactly that. On the outside they looked stunning. Deep red, shiny and achingly crisp (I know crisp is more a texture rather than a visual but you get the picture). They looked like the kind of apple a Wicked Witch would offer a Fairy Princess. And, just like in the fairy tales, one bite was all it took. Yuk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So I think rather than throw them away, I will try and transform them with the magic of adding , rum, sugar and heat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As I write you, I am sitting out in my garden enjoying my morning cup of tea and trying to stretch out my black skinny jeans. I really need to stop kidding myself when I buy clothing. I mean, 'skinny'... One can dream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It is amazing what a little sunshine can do for your day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-36824287161013676062012-03-18T01:07:00.000-07:002012-03-18T01:07:03.117-07:00Wet Weather, Weekends and Slow Cook Sundays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RxnNNFpQ63g/T2WR4weuPeI/AAAAAAAAAeM/iJJs4sxbelU/s1600/DSC07510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RxnNNFpQ63g/T2WR4weuPeI/AAAAAAAAAeM/iJJs4sxbelU/s320/DSC07510.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Weather. It is starting to drive me a little crazy. It really shouldn't though. I have lived here for 10 plus years and I should be used to the whole monsoon-type weather we experience here in Queensland. I can't complain too much, we get lots of sunshine, our winters are mild and our summers really are delicious, even if they can get a little hot and humid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I escaped the mild Australian Winter last year for the most part, enjoying a warm New York Summer. Then I escaped the harsh Australian summer for a cool but mild New York Winter. So I not only swap hemispheres, I swap seasons as well. Cheeky!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love cold weather, I love New York in the Wintertime (apart from trying to get about when it is snowing and it is hard to fall with style and grace on black ice...) though to compare it Winter in Queensland it is like night and day.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zY9bMDgXaR0/T2WVTLoZlLI/AAAAAAAAAec/d95g4CQBLE8/s1600/Trevor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zY9bMDgXaR0/T2WVTLoZlLI/AAAAAAAAAec/d95g4CQBLE8/s320/Trevor.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Still, I always joke that the mercury only needs to drop half a degree for me to put the soup pot on. Rainy weekends like this inspire me to get into the kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When the weather is cold and wet I crave big, hearty food. I love rich, thick soups and stews, slow cooked veal shin and lamb shanks, served with thick buttery polenta or mashed potato.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There is nothing like slow cooked meat on the bone, yielding its sweet and sticky marrow. Delicious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Slow cook weather is my favourite kind of cooking weather, next to baking. If I were married to baking, I would cheat on it with slow cooking. It is uncomplicated and looks after itself with minimal effort or fuss. Even though Autumn has only just begun here, I have started early, my tradition of 'Slow Cook Sundays'. Sunday is a great day for me to kick back and unwind. To do a little work in my patio garden, to hang out with my dogs or to read books and magazines or work with my hands. (I love designing and making things from wood and recycled materials but that could be another blog in itself).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The things I love to cook most are the ones that you can just put on the stove on a low heat and forget about, like Osso Bucco, Lamb Shanks, Slow Roasted Pork and tonight's offering, Corned Beef.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am really looking forward to my dinner tonight. I mean what could be simpler? Take beef out of bag, put in a dutch oven with a few peppercorns, a splash of vinegar, a bay leaf and a tsp of sugar. Cover with water, bring to boil, simmer away for a couple of hours, serve with mashed potato and cabbage. In two hours I'm a happy girl. Plus there is the extra goodness of corned beef sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. Mmmm... with lots of mustard pickles on fresh bread. Yum-o. I am almost looking more forward to my lunch tomorrow!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy your weekend! I hope I have inspired you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-6464480615898596792012-03-17T15:12:00.001-07:002012-03-17T15:16:15.894-07:00A Gentle Prod...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A prod, a boost, whatever. Yes! Sit at the laptop and enjoy seeing the words magically appear on the screen again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh how good it feels!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have been so very busy of late, holidaying over Christmas and settling back into work for the new school year. I even had my first attempt at catering, baking cupcakes for a Wedding! How exciting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I spent December and January in my adopted 'homeland', America. Enjoying time in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Christmas and New Year in New York. Oh bliss! And my yearning for all things buttery, maple-ey, hot-doggery and pretzel-y will likely see my return in September this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But enough about my summertime antics, lets talk about the absolutely gorgeous cupcakes I made for the Wedding last month... </span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bless you Larissa Lindsay for asking me to bake the sweet morsels for your nuptials. It indeed was a pleasure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Also many many many thanks to <strong><a href="http://hummingbirdbakery.com/" target="_blank">The Hummingbird Bakery.</a></strong> I have no affiliation with you (or anyone in the bakery world for that matter) but it is your <a href="http://hummingbirdbakery.com/cookbooks/the-hummingbird-bakery-cookbook/" target="_blank">cookbook</a> that provided me with the recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes. In my opinion, this is the best Red Velvet recipe I have ever baked and I have tried a few. I doubled the mixture and baked it 6 times and it worked out perfect each time, producing a whopping 85 large cupcakes.</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was a little nervous to start with as I had never really 'catered' for anyone before. I turned my nerves into confidence and made sure I had everything at hand on the day of baking. I even did a test batch of the cupcakes for the Bride and Groom beforehand so I knew for certain that they were going to be happy. I mean, you do want things to be perfect on your wedding day, right? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am happy to report there are no tales of dropped cake pans, faulty ovens, broken mix masters or tantrums. I was super-organised and started early. I baked all morning up until lunchtime with Def Leppard playing in the background. I was rocking out old school and having a wonderful time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The following day, after coming home from work, it was time to pipe on the cream cheese frosting.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Frosting the cupcakes was a little more of a challenge. With there being so many cupcakes and such a large quantity of cream cheese frosting, I knew I would need a little help. I enlisted in the help of friend (and the Bride's Maid of Honour) Kellie and her beautiful 9 year old daughter, Chloe to gild each cream cheese frosted cake with gold dust as I piped on the frosting. It was like a little production line!</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I delivered the cupcakes, all 7 boxes of them to the restaurant, with my car air conditioner pumping overtime and felt the biggest sense of relief as the cakes were taken from my hands and placed into the restaurant's cold room. Be free my little babies!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So for two days work, (including me going to my day job) a lot of love, rock music and over-heating electric hand beaters, I got the cakes baked, iced and delivered. I even got to attend the Wedding and Reception! I was very nervous as dessert was served, but I was worried over nothing. The cakes were a success! *Phew!*</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The whole experience was a very positive one for me. I really love baking. Most of all it is lovely to hear from others that my efforts are both delicious as well as visually appealing. Maybe if I had a bigger oven and a mixer with a little more oomph I might even consider doing this more often. Who knows! At this stage, my biggest aspirations are to buy a stand mixer. I still love my dinky little hand beater, even if at times it feels and smells like it is going to blow up. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Would I do this again? Absolutely! I really enjoyed the whole experience. I truly feel that I have a calling for baking. It is something that really does make me happy. If I could make a living out of it and still be happy? Well that remains to be seen. Wish me luck anyway!</span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-91739284731944749272012-03-17T02:34:00.000-07:002012-03-17T02:36:07.982-07:00Rainy Days and Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I think I live in Queensland's rain capital. Northern Queensland would like to say that it has the state's greatest rainfall, but I believe where I live on the Sunshine Coast trumps what falls out of the sky up North. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It is Saturday and I had so many plans for the weekend. It is early Autumn and I have been re-acquainting myself with my garden again, after a summer of neglect, making myself busy moving around the garden furniture, mulching my fruit trees and adding a few pops of colour with some potted flowers. For the afternoons after work where I have had the opportunity to be outside, I have been enjoying pottering about and loving my space again.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And then the rain came tumbling down...</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well it has been raining for weeks, with a day of respite here and there, well enough to get the sheets almost dry or make you wish you hadn't washed at all. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Good weather for baking! Which is exactly what I did today. I baked and I watched the rain fall outside and it was lovely. As much as I enjoyed myself, it is now evening and the rain is still heavily falling, tomorrow is Sunday and I think I may develop morbid obesity if this weather keeps up, plus a scorching case of cabin fever.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Chewy Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies</strong> (Recipe from Real Living Magazine, March 2012)</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">180g dark chocolate</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">140g butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 eggs whisked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup cocoa powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 1/2 cups plain flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pinch salt</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">140g cream cheese @ room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Preheat oven to 180C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Place chocolate, butter and sugar into a saucepan over low heat, stirring regularly until chocolate and butter have melted. Remove the pan from heat and add vanilla and eggs. Stir to combine, making sure the eggs are well mixed into the chocolate mixture to ensure they do not scramble. Sift in cocoa, flour and salt and mix well to combine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Place dough in the fridge for about 10 mins, this will firm it up a little and make it easier to work with.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In a separate bowl, place cream cheese and icing sugar and mix with a hand held mixer or by hand until smooth.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Remove dough from fridge and roll tblsps of dough into balls. Place on lined trays, ensuring you leave space for spreading (I put about 8 per tray but this will depend on the size of your tray). Make an indent in each cookie with your thumb and fill centre with a dollop (about a teaspoon) of the cream cheese mixture.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bake for 30 minutes, or until you notice the cookies are cracked on the outside but soft in the centre. Swap trays after 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The cookies should keep for about 5 days in an airtight container if they don't get eaten beforehand! Makes approximately 24.</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I will say this, I did manage to get up very early this morning and go for a jog before it started raining, so I believe eating one or two cookies on a rainy day like today is perfectly acceptable. (That's my story and I am sticking to it!)</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-66228823174788024602011-10-03T17:45:00.000-07:002011-10-03T17:45:27.059-07:00Love for Love Apples<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D2vKW6_NdB0/TopQ25TGHOI/AAAAAAAAAcc/1C33o5zZiv0/s1600/Tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D2vKW6_NdB0/TopQ25TGHOI/AAAAAAAAAcc/1C33o5zZiv0/s320/Tomato.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Even though I ran away to New York for the summer, I came home to a good yield of my home grown Heirloom tomatoes. I have to admit, I didn't have so much luck with the larger Beefsteak and Moneymaker varieties, but the small cherry and plum tomatoes proved to be more successful, abundant and less prone to their skins splitting. (If anyone knows what causes this, I would love to know). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have planted out some Roma tomatoes which will hopefully give me a crop for early Summer so this is something to look forward to!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I just finished reading a lovely book, 'A Homemade Life' by Molly Wizenberg. Anyone who likes food, or likes to eat should read this memoir. I won't give the story away, I happened upon it through a recommendation in my Amazon.com list so purchased it blindly without knowing anything about the story and I must say, loved it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What made me mention the book in this blog entry is because Molly includes a recipe for Tomato and Fennel soup. I had never cooked a fennel bulb before in my life until a few nights ago when I decided to make this soup, so I approached it with a little trepidation. My father is not a fan of fennel, in fact he is very vocal about how much he dislikes it! Needless to say, he was in the back of my mind whilst making it. The flavour is mild and not at all over powering of aniseed like I was expecting. (Ha Dad!) Overall I thoroughly enjoyed it and will certainly make it again. The soup is good for a cool wintry night. It is <em>very </em>hearty. The tomato, onion and fennel are chunky, so be sure to have a hunk of good sourdough, or grilled cheese alongside for dunking (or a hunk to eat it with, I mean, what's better on a cold night?) </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDv6EYNFZJ4/TopQ8x1WAgI/AAAAAAAAAck/-74siMDy1d8/s1600/Tomato+Fennel+Soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDv6EYNFZJ4/TopQ8x1WAgI/AAAAAAAAAck/-74siMDy1d8/s320/Tomato+Fennel+Soup.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was in a celebratory mood for no particular reason, (maybe a tomato high? Who knows?) so made Insalata Caprese for a starter - Just because. Even though I am a little lactose intolerant, what harm could a little fresh mozzarella do? (Don't ask!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Tomato Soup with Two Fennels</strong> - Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In this recipe, Molly uses 2 medium fennel bulbs, 4 cloves of garlic and 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds. I tweaked it as I was a little scared of these amounts but if you would like to stay true to her recipe, go by those quantities, otherwise go with mine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tbs olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 medium brown onion, thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 clove garlic, finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp fresh thyme leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tsp fennel seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 cans whole peeled tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salt and pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pinch of sugar (to cut the acidity of the tomatoes)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, warm oil. Add onion and fennel and cook until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and cook, being careful that it doesn't burn for about 5 minutes over a medium heat. Add thyme and fennel seeds and cook for around 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, and crush them with the back of a wooden spoon (or alternatively a potato masher). Add a cans worth of water and bring the soup to the boil. Bring down the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes. If it seems a little thick, add more water.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You will know the soup is cooked when the fennel is nice and tender. Season to taste. Adding a pinch of sugar will cut the acidity and add a nice sweetness. Molly says to add a splash of red wine vinegar if the soup tastes a little bland, but I didn't find this necessary.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Remember this dish is more like a vegetarian stew, rather than a soup and makes enough to serve four. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Insalata Caprese</strong> - by Me and a bazillion Italian Nonna's who I wish were mine :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 large, vine ripened tomatoes (at room temperature)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 tub baby bocconcini cheese or 1 large ball of Buffalo Mozzarella</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Olive Oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Balsamic vinegar (this time I used white balsamic)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A small handful of fresh basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salt and pepper</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Slice tomatoes and cheese into thick rounds and arrange on your serving platter of choice. Season liberally with salt and pepper (the tomatoes especially) and anoint with a good slug of good olive oil. Add balsamic vinegar (I pour into a teaspoon and add it this way, so I have more control, otherwise it tends to just flow out of the bottle and everywhere you <em>don't</em> want it). Scatter with basil leaves. I like to let this salad sit for about 15 minutes before eating so that all the ingredients are at room temperature and soak up all the delicious oil and vinegar. Serve with a nice crusty bread (or hunk as discussed previously)...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZ3NwCMHDzU/TopQ5_G-x4I/AAAAAAAAAcg/Mn_st5vuPoE/s1600/Insalata+Caprese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZ3NwCMHDzU/TopQ5_G-x4I/AAAAAAAAAcg/Mn_st5vuPoE/s320/Insalata+Caprese.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Do check out 'A Homemade Life'. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. Come over for a cup of tea and a slice of cake and you can borrow it from me if you like :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-74643406434089137242011-08-09T22:44:00.000-07:002011-08-09T22:44:19.773-07:00Feel the Love...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I adore Dorie Greenspan's French Apple Tea Cake. I make it often and it never disappoints. It is my all time favourite, 'hand on my heart' cake recipe and I wonder how I ever got along in life as a home baker before I found Dorie. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yesterday I decided to give it a couple of tweaks - I know it is almost blasphemous to mess with perfection, but I like experimenting and believe that if you have a fair idea of what you are doing, you can always adapt a recipe/substitute like ingredients to a degree. I mean, isn't imitation the finest form of flattery?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Results are thus - I just want to shout from the rooftops how wonderful my new cake is. By swapping apples for ripe pears , decreasing the original amount of rum and adding a little fresh grated nutmeg, the cake is elevated from really good to extraordinary - well in my humble opinion anyway!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Pear and Nutmeg Tea Cake</strong> (Recipe tweaked and inspired by Dorie Greenspan's French Apple Tea Cake - and borrowed from David Lebovitz.com)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Makes One 8 inch (20cm) cake</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3/4 cup (110g) flour<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg<br />
5 ripe pears (don't use pears that are over ripe as they won't hold their shape in the cake)<br />
2 large eggs, at room temperature<br />
3/4 cup (150g) caster sugar<br />
1 teaspoon dark rum<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
8 tablespoons (115g) butter, salted or unsalted, melted and cooled to room temperature</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Heavily butter and line an 8 inch (20cm) spring form pan and place it on a baking sheet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Peel, core and dice the pears into 1 inch chunks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a large bowl, beat the eggs until pale and thick (they should double in size) then beat in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Fold in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fold in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gently fold in the pears until they well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake the cake for 50 minute to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no pears are stuck to it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This cake is delicious with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream or a lazy dollop of creme fraiche. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Buon appetit!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span><br />
</div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-67610185676039154882011-05-11T01:42:00.000-07:002011-05-11T01:57:13.679-07:00Eggplant Parmigiana<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xx3rIiZ04lA/TcpJDRDterI/AAAAAAAAAcY/XjaW6gi5_Ko/s1600/Eggplant+Parma+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xx3rIiZ04lA/TcpJDRDterI/AAAAAAAAAcY/XjaW6gi5_Ko/s320/Eggplant+Parma+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Eggplant is a vegetable which I have fallen for hard the past few years. However I would treat it with much restraint, using it only for stock standard Eggplant recipes such as Baba Ghanoush. This was until a friend introduced me to the delicacy that is deep fried, crumbed eggplant. Done right, you get a wonderful crisp crumb, and a lovely creamy middle which is snacking bliss!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To make this joyous snack into a delicious meal, I combine layers of crumbed shallow fried eggplant with lots of mozzarella cheese, my home made sugo, bake it for half and hour and voila! - Eggplant Parmigiana. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It is so simple I hardly need to give you a recipe, but I will just so you can add it to your repertoire.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3LSgmUL8ko/TcpHgBjDEfI/AAAAAAAAAcI/wdqhzHRHLrU/s1600/Eggplant+Parma3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3LSgmUL8ko/TcpHgBjDEfI/AAAAAAAAAcI/wdqhzHRHLrU/s320/Eggplant+Parma3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Parmigiana di Melanzane (Recipe by Rosa Matto from the book 'Italian Food Safari')</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 large eggplants</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">plain flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4 eggs, beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1-2 cups dry breadcrumbs (I add this step to the recipe as I like to crumb my eggplant. If you are avoiding too much wheat, you can omit the crumb).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Olive Oil</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em><strong>Sugo</strong></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">80ml olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 onion, finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 garlic clove, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">750ml Passatta (or 2 tins Italian tomatoes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">salt and pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/2 bunch basil leaves</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">250g bocconcini or fresh mozzarella, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">100g Parmesan, grated</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Slice the eggplant no thicker than 1cm. Sprinkle the slices with salt. Stack in a colander and weigh down with a heavy object. Leave for 1 hour. This step is really important as you want to get as much moisture out of the eggplant. The salt will help draw out the moisture, along with any bitterness that the eggplant may have. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pat the slices dry and lightly coat in seasoned flour. Dip into the beaten egg and then into your breadcrumbs. (If you are not using breadcrumbs, leave out this step and just dip in the egg). Shake off the excess and fry in hot oil until golden brown on each side. Drain well on paper towel.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To make the sugo, heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add tomato and bring to the boil. Cook until slightly reduced. Season to taste and add half of the basil.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Preheat oven to 180c. Smear the bottom of a baking dish with sugo and add a layer of eggplant. Dot with slices of bocconcini, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a few basil leaves. Keep layering until you have used up all the eggplant. Finish with a layer of sugo, and top with more cheese.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IlWUHFV9Pgg/TcpHiR685sI/AAAAAAAAAcM/2fKjZOo1uUg/s1600/Eggplant+Parma4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IlWUHFV9Pgg/TcpHiR685sI/AAAAAAAAAcM/2fKjZOo1uUg/s320/Eggplant+Parma4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bake for around 30 minutes, until the top is golden. When cooked, allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This dish is delicious with zucchini sauteed in olive oil and thinly sliced garlic, or steamed vegetables or if you are being really good, a nice green salad. It is a great vegetarian alternative to meat lasagna. I have served this to die-hard carnivores and no one has ever asked 'Where's the beef?'</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-21357032936886375722011-05-08T01:50:00.000-07:002011-05-08T01:50:49.584-07:00Tomato Update (For those who have been following their progress)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5irNIpogbBU/TcZXjEIpNMI/AAAAAAAAAb4/atnwj_3Ne7c/s1600/t5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5irNIpogbBU/TcZXjEIpNMI/AAAAAAAAAb4/atnwj_3Ne7c/s320/t5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My Tomato plants are sprouting and fruiting and right now are taller than me! I am having trouble reaching the stakes to tie them off as they are getting out of my reach! (Must be all the singing of 'Tintarella di Luna' and 'Mambo Italiano' that they get from me daily).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyR7RGlbnYk/TcZXcKe36gI/AAAAAAAAAbs/5fSKC55rzZ0/s1600/t2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyR7RGlbnYk/TcZXcKe36gI/AAAAAAAAAbs/5fSKC55rzZ0/s320/t2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have 7 different varieties of Heirloom growing, having added a few extra varieties (Tigerella, Green and Amish) to my collection, which are all doing rather well. My Siberian tomato plant unfortunately perished. (It was a very sad day). I am not sure what went wrong, but it yielded 2 small fruits which I am going to try and seed save for next season.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The plants I have growing look so green and lush and impressive. I have to hold myself back from the vegetable seedling section of the hardware store as I was becoming rather obsessive over the tomato varieties. I am out of patio space and pots! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2FQbKnBPXWc/TcZXemIY02I/AAAAAAAAAbw/tPX6RVz9iwA/s1600/t3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2FQbKnBPXWc/TcZXemIY02I/AAAAAAAAAbw/tPX6RVz9iwA/s320/t3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Along with my tomato grove, I have also added Lebanese eggplant, Strawberries and Rhubarb to complete my little backyard Market Garden. Where possible I have selected Heirloom varieties, for their taste and the pure feeling of nostalgia they give me.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DRNm2rRQ4RY/TcZXoMr_MWI/AAAAAAAAAb8/hMpKVhkoZzY/s1600/Eggplant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DRNm2rRQ4RY/TcZXoMr_MWI/AAAAAAAAAb8/hMpKVhkoZzY/s320/Eggplant.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n1HchVyjDMw/TcZXsQiIvII/AAAAAAAAAcA/gyM_6EMFxwg/s1600/Strawberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n1HchVyjDMw/TcZXsQiIvII/AAAAAAAAAcA/gyM_6EMFxwg/s320/Strawberries.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gH2uyoyeFWs/TcZXujAfT4I/AAAAAAAAAcE/k6Z_w92WKUI/s1600/Rhubarb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gH2uyoyeFWs/TcZXujAfT4I/AAAAAAAAAcE/k6Z_w92WKUI/s320/Rhubarb.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To see my beautiful plants looking so happy and strong has me really excited about cooking. I mean, who wouldn't want to cook with their own home grown produce?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Apple and Rhubarb pie anyone? (Stay tuned...) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am also very pleased to report that I am growing my veggies without pesticides (my fish is enjoying the grasshopper diet) and I am fertilizing with an organic fertilizer. I can't wait to tell you how good they taste!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As you can see I am patiently waiting for the fruits of my love and labour to ripen.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bgYYDyUudas/TcZXg1QEAwI/AAAAAAAAAb0/N1-GnJQL42c/s1600/t4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bgYYDyUudas/TcZXg1QEAwI/AAAAAAAAAb0/N1-GnJQL42c/s320/t4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-46206556802701687022011-04-11T23:23:00.000-07:002011-04-12T02:00:38.333-07:00Luck be a Lemon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nx97garxYA/TaPs5b0kqaI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/siwtxzN8nE0/s1600/Lemon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nx97garxYA/TaPs5b0kqaI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/siwtxzN8nE0/s320/Lemon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lemon curd. It is one of lifes pleasures. Well, it's one of my pleasures. I can quite happily sit in front of the television with a spoon, and old movie and a jar of lemon curd. There has been many a jar of lemon curd that I have consumed on its own, without the slightest whiff of bread, tart shell or pavlova.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love the sweetness and tartness. I love the smooth, creamy texture. I love how my eyes sometimes cross with the overwhelming lemon hit that makes my jaw spasm and my saliva glands go crazy. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today, I decided to make my own lemon curd. I don't know why I have never tried making it before because it is <em>really</em> easy. I think I have been too wary of the custard principle - over cook and you get scrambled eggs; undercook, you get that unpleasant 'eggy' taste. I had no need to fear. Lemon curd is simple. It takes only an hour (if that) to make and this recipe gives you two nice little jars. (Plus a little to snack on for 'Quality Control').</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gzg365ukLn4/TaPs-hSA9wI/AAAAAAAAAbY/dZVfhnZVq7c/s1600/Lemon+Curd+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gzg365ukLn4/TaPs-hSA9wI/AAAAAAAAAbY/dZVfhnZVq7c/s320/Lemon+Curd+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Lemon Curd (Recipe from Taste.com.au)</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 large whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">165g white sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">80g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Zest and juice from 2 lemons (I used small lemons)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In a saucepan, over low heat, whisk eggs and sugar until smooth. Add butter, zest and lemon juice and whisk continually until the curd thickens. (This takes about 15 minutes). </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JbCXvbSyPYQ/TaPs8eGjNUI/AAAAAAAAAbU/DVn8GhMS9NI/s1600/Lemon+Curd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JbCXvbSyPYQ/TaPs8eGjNUI/AAAAAAAAAbU/DVn8GhMS9NI/s320/Lemon+Curd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don't be tempted to play around with the heat, just keep it low and slow and most of all, be patient. Be sure to keep whisking or else the mixture will catch at the bottom of the pan and will end up lumpy. When thick, pour into sterilized jars and seal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Makes about 500g</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JomSBQIwWw4/TaPtFquA3-I/AAAAAAAAAbk/ZVWAhKEz0ZQ/s1600/Lids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JomSBQIwWw4/TaPtFquA3-I/AAAAAAAAAbk/ZVWAhKEz0ZQ/s320/Lids.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>A word about jars</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When looking for jars, I buy mine from thrift shops. I try to get ones that have lids with the button that 'pops' when the seal is broken. That way when you are preserving and re-seal the jars, you know you have a proper seal when the jars cool and the button indents. (I always get excited when this happens!)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUthnR4IZMo/TaPtAld0gfI/AAAAAAAAAbc/ZBMe1NRNBXw/s1600/Lemon+Curd+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUthnR4IZMo/TaPtAld0gfI/AAAAAAAAAbc/ZBMe1NRNBXw/s320/Lemon+Curd+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I also like to make my jars pretty, because preserving is such a lost art, it is nice to give them a little love.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nr4ZFpdl38g/TaPtDBSx_EI/AAAAAAAAAbg/8nB9RwgBy9c/s1600/Lemon+Curd+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nr4ZFpdl38g/TaPtDBSx_EI/AAAAAAAAAbg/8nB9RwgBy9c/s320/Lemon+Curd+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-34411945853125626452011-04-06T23:12:00.000-07:002011-04-06T23:16:20.643-07:00Be Very, Very, Quiet - I'm Hunting Vintage!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love old kitchenware. I get deep pleasure wandering around Op Shops and Junk Stores and finding pieces to fill my kitchen with. Vintage things are so full of history and were really made to last. I enjoy digging around and finding old collectible pieces, imagining where they came from, and what stories they could tell.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was in a bit of a stinky mood today, so I decided the tonic would be to take myself Op shopping. I was feeling lucky and I always like to follow my instincts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was a busy Thursday. There were people everywhere. I giggled to myself as I watched a lady in the car park attempting to stuff a large wooden toy trunk into the boot of her car without success. I was thinking out aloud, 'Should have thought that one out a little better lady' and then thought that if it were me, I would have done whatever I could to get that trunk home, come hell or high water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When Op shopping, my usual modus operandi is to go to the clothing section first, but today I went straight to Bric-a-brac. I am glad I did because it was there </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I found this wonderful old Nelly Ware cake canister.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dSycrpvtp1c/TZ1RDt9VbKI/AAAAAAAAAbI/KSyqfNfm4O0/s1600/Nelly+Cake+Canister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dSycrpvtp1c/TZ1RDt9VbKI/AAAAAAAAAbI/KSyqfNfm4O0/s320/Nelly+Cake+Canister.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Isn't it delicious! OK, maybe I am a little over zealous, but for $5 I knew I absolutely had to have it. I mean, being a self-styled baker, how could I not get excited?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As I continued browsing, a lady rushed up to me saying 'WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT? ARE THERE MORE? I COLLECT RETRO! I MUST HAVE IT!' to which I felt like replying 'You can prise it off my cold, dead fingers lady' (I told you I was in a stinky mood!). Instead I smiled sweetly and said 'Bric-a-brac, I guess today is my lucky day!' and I merrily skipped away. (Well, in my head that's what I did).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I went to the cashier to pay and then she was all over me like a rash, wanting to know if I knew what it was, how valuable Nelly Ware is these days, how hard it is to come by, and that her Nanna had one just the same that she wished she had kept and was disappointed that she didn't. At this point I couldn't wait to get out of the store!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JBmYt8Sq4eI/TZ1RG-z45VI/AAAAAAAAAbM/-ySEJgd6DNo/s1600/Vintage+Canisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JBmYt8Sq4eI/TZ1RG-z45VI/AAAAAAAAAbM/-ySEJgd6DNo/s320/Vintage+Canisters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am so happy I bought it, it really made my day and dissolved my crummy mood! I am certain it will be quite at home with all of the other retro and eclectic pieces in my kitchen that all have their own stories to tell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-2499194826219053632011-03-18T14:19:00.000-07:002011-03-18T14:19:28.745-07:00Pomodoro!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-952cZI_r3L8/TYPJMXeKUQI/AAAAAAAAAa0/fudlgffsZAU/s1600/Cherry+Tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-952cZI_r3L8/TYPJMXeKUQI/AAAAAAAAAa0/fudlgffsZAU/s320/Cherry+Tomato.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My Italiano juices were flowing with gusto last weekend. I bought 4 Heirloom tomato plants from the nursery and planted them in a big pot out in my herb garden. I am so excited - I am going to grow my own Heirloom tomatoes!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y6SAlfbPAlA/TYPJULsm7NI/AAAAAAAAAa4/kRsLxR0QZDE/s1600/Tomato+Plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y6SAlfbPAlA/TYPJULsm7NI/AAAAAAAAAa4/kRsLxR0QZDE/s320/Tomato+Plant.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have 4 different varieties and It is such a novelty seeing them in the pot all staked out and looking so lovely. I did a little research online, gave them a dose of liquid seaweed fertiliser, some mulch and I have been talking and singing to them in Italian. I don't know why I feel that tomatoes need to be talked to in Italian, but I guess my bambini will grow up with culture! (There was nothing about talking to my plants in the research by the way, it is my own little experiment).</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nh1wUy8Vz20/TYPKxlo5yuI/AAAAAAAAAbE/KhfKT15b8_8/s1600/Farmers+Market+NY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nh1wUy8Vz20/TYPKxlo5yuI/AAAAAAAAAbE/KhfKT15b8_8/s320/Farmers+Market+NY.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My lust affair with tomatoes begins in New York, at the Union Square Farmers Market. I saw Heirloom tomatoes of all colours, shapes and sizes. I was smitten with the rainbow of colours and the some of the gnarly shapes some had grown into. (I hate how hybridisation has taken the charm and flavour out of our vegetables). What sold me was the taste - I can't remember the last time I tasted tomatoes so good - these were how tomatoes should be. Since then I have yearned to grow my own. After a little revamp of my potted garden it gave me the inspiration to finally get some tomatoes growing.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The labels tell me I have to wait 10 weeks to maturity. I am not sure what kind of harvest the plants will yield, but I think I am going to have a lot of fun. I just hope I don't run out of songs to sing to them.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To get me in the mood, I made some tomato soup for dinner. The tomatoes were canned, (we can't have everything!) but the soup tasty nonetheless...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LWrTi8Rklig/TYPJYFrX3OI/AAAAAAAAAa8/DoSMeFx4U9A/s1600/Tomato+Soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LWrTi8Rklig/TYPJYFrX3OI/AAAAAAAAAa8/DoSMeFx4U9A/s320/Tomato+Soup.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Tomato Soup</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 can good quality Italian tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 brown onion, fine dice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 clove garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1-2 sticks celery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 cup vegetable stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Handful of basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Salt and pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pinch sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Olive Oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Heat 1tbs olive oil in a saucepan. Add onions and garlic and fry until translucent. Add celery and fry a further 2 minutes. Add can of tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook off the 'canned' taste. Add a pinch of sugar to cut their acidity. Add stock and let simmer for 20-30 minutes on medium heat, stirring now and then, making sure not to burn or over-reduce. Check seasoning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Blitz with a hand blender or blender and add basil leaves. Transfer back to saucepan if necessary to reheat. Serve with Parmesan cheese and croutons.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span><br />
</div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4959548706928676019.post-67477887411517645192011-02-13T00:14:00.000-08:002011-02-13T00:27:23.537-08:00Paris, Anyone?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have always loved the thrill of a big city. There is just nothing like the buzz you get from the feeling of being within the Metropolis, especially when you have lived most of your life away from the hustle and bustle.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In my 20's it was always my dream to go to New York City. I just got back from my sixth visit - I am enamoured by the place. I feel I need to keep the dream alive and think about other places I would like to visit, such as Paris.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I almost cringe when I say I want to go to Paris because I know for the most part, it is such a cliché. Only, it just never lost its style. I mean, Bogie told Ingrid Bergman, "We'll always have Paris" in Casablanca. For a line to be so famous in a movie, that has to mean <em>something!</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I recently read a book 'Lunch in Paris' by Elizabeth Bard (2010 Harper Collins). It is a sweet memoir of an American girl and a French guy. They love to cook, to eat, then voila! - they fall in love. What makes this book so delicious is that not only is it a story about their love, it is also a culinary journey of their relationship, with each chapter ending with recipes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">How wonderful is it, to not only find your soul mate, but for them to love food as much as you do... And for it to all happen in Paris... *Swoon*</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All this buzz about Paris has sparked an interest in Julia Child. I am not all that interested in the Julie/Julia phenomenon, but I admit, it was the catalyst. The <em>real</em> Julia was so honest and endearing. You can't help but feel at ease and at home with her advice on how to cook. I am still to make her famous 'Boeuf Bourguignon', but winter will be here soon enough...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My French Revolution is also thanks to <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz</a> and his blog 'Living the sweet life in Paris'. He is giving me hunger pangs to travel to this suddenly exotic and must-see locale. David's blog has also introduced me to the recipes of Dorie Greenspan, who's French Apple Tea Cake must be tasted to be believed...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I imagine riding around the city by bicycle, to stop for an impromptu picnic of cheese and Champagne near the Eiffel Tower and looking (as well as sounding) ridiculously foreign. Mostly I am just salivating over all the fabulous things I plan to eat, after shopping at all the Patisseries, Boulangeries and Charcuteries...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship... Would you like pommes frites with that?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Until next time... (au revoir)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Kitty xx</span></div>Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07806356220051863486noreply@blogger.com1