tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014864249884313222024-02-07T15:45:23.336+11:00QuinceyJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-40915175605953989002011-10-05T19:58:00.007+11:002011-10-05T21:17:51.548+11:00Enjoying the light<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">xx</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBmUi9dvxrZT24Y30hRBlk6LTNLBdZkx9-STHNhlSeIMlA1ZZLfVqdMI_CTMBlcYWMYHGkE72zYFWHxlpV_n2oeeNJEPwuapem3V2bjZjMTZtpPXiYtLtOoiWWePyxnf1UF1mqRWxBn-d/s1600/daylight+savings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBmUi9dvxrZT24Y30hRBlk6LTNLBdZkx9-STHNhlSeIMlA1ZZLfVqdMI_CTMBlcYWMYHGkE72zYFWHxlpV_n2oeeNJEPwuapem3V2bjZjMTZtpPXiYtLtOoiWWePyxnf1UF1mqRWxBn-d/s400/daylight+savings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659929946264854002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />By <a href="http://lukaszwierzbowski.com/">Lukasz Wierzbowski</a> via <a href="http://fieldguided.blogspot.com/">Fieldguided</a></span><br /><br /></div>I love daylight savings. Never mind that at the moment I can't get to sleep at night or up in the morning, it's worth it for those precious hours of warm, dewy, after work light.<br /><br />This year, I'm determined to make the very most of it. This is my to do list:<br /><ul><li>Drink sangria and eat burgers at <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1491642/restaurant/Victoria/CBD/Rooftop-Bar-Melbourne">Rooftop Bar</a></li><li>Welcome the season with a weeknight laksa feast (done!)</li><li>Take long strolls Carlton Gardens with my lover</li><li>Eat in the courtyard by paper-bag lantern light, listening to Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons<br /></li><li>Host grand night picnics with crotcheted blankets, gourmet cheese platters and citronella candles.</li><li>After-work gardening (one of my favourite kinds).</li><li>Window shopping on Gertrude Street</li><li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Taco-truck-melbourne/187938917910211">Moonlight Cinema</a> at the Botanic Gardens.</li><li>Find the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Taco-truck-melbourne/187938917910211">taco truck.</a><br /></li></ul>It's going to be a long, gorgeous* summer.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />*I say this now, but you can bet that the moment the mercury reaches 30 degrees, I'll be grumpy, wilted and dreaming of the the comforts of winter. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">xx</span>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-43678843473635449602011-10-02T21:56:00.004+11:002011-10-02T22:31:51.227+11:00Back in the game<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">xx</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYpWrhCLDivMlNrmY9UgoauvnOaP0bJOVmu3rYkRyd7f6_O5Dg_kifr6-uhQF4KFsiKzAo61DpqUbwhnyMPTIN2sYEt33EzinI0fROp8mKeqeRXe1nmKq29WCMwDE1LBmKp6K4Greegyf/s1600/F1000010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYpWrhCLDivMlNrmY9UgoauvnOaP0bJOVmu3rYkRyd7f6_O5Dg_kifr6-uhQF4KFsiKzAo61DpqUbwhnyMPTIN2sYEt33EzinI0fROp8mKeqeRXe1nmKq29WCMwDE1LBmKp6K4Greegyf/s400/F1000010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658847252307293570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />Phot taken on my <a href="http://www.lofico.com.au/cms/home-news/superheadz-lofico/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">superheadz </span></a>camera in Stanley last Easter</span><br /></div><br />I've decided to start blogging again.<br /><br />It's hard to know where to begin. Much has changed since my last post almost a year and a half ago. I live in Melbourne now, I work full time, I've lost my creative writer's voice to the world of statistics, qualitative analysis and policy <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">recommendations</span>. There is a double space after every full stop. I can't find my camera cord.<br /><br />But much has stayed the same. I still live with a beautiful man. I still garden and bake and craft, and go on weekend adventures. I also occasionally eat at hip Melbourne <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">restaurants</span>, discover hidden shops, and walk through beautiful Victorian-era parks. Camera cord discovery pending, I think I have some valuable things to share. And to maintain my resolve, I've even planned some of my future posts. They may include:<br /><ul><li>home-made flavoured teas</li><li>a guide to my favourite farmers markets</li><li>fabric dyeing</li><li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">bushwalking</span> in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Dandenongs</span></li><li>my summer vegetable garden plans<br /></li><li>a gastronomical guide to full-time work</li><li>my all time favourite cookbooks<br /></li></ul>I'm really hoping that re-opening this space to document my creative adventures might lead to a few more finished projects, a broadening of my experience of this fine city, wilder experimentation in the kitchen. More photographs taken, a life better documented. It's easy to let work (both vocational and domestic) get in the way of life, and I hope that this blog gives me a chance to slow down, to create rather than consume, and spread a little virtual rose scent through the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">interwebs</span>.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-76440217174806207032010-06-01T22:48:00.006+10:002010-06-07T22:28:23.790+10:002 Ingredients<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">..</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXPU6CrOGaM6CxSlGV4ULWaIISGr8lWNEDmU1d0L8pRijbSLh_gLlyCUhQksF5PlOClhz0AFZojwYjEXLZ4QfU9kjwT53hMs5_7yRFCKSSIEmfGJ04JtO0dhhuJdbwZPbzDrgioSDZlzo/s1600/papaya1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXPU6CrOGaM6CxSlGV4ULWaIISGr8lWNEDmU1d0L8pRijbSLh_gLlyCUhQksF5PlOClhz0AFZojwYjEXLZ4QfU9kjwT53hMs5_7yRFCKSSIEmfGJ04JtO0dhhuJdbwZPbzDrgioSDZlzo/s400/papaya1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479960131632812466" border="0" /></a><div><span lang="EN-AU"></span><br /><br />Since I've been a little lapse on the recipe front lately/always, I thought I would share some of the easiest 'recipes', or more appropriately, assemblages of all time. You know how those ladies wrote that <span style="font-style: italic;">4 Ingredients </span>book to massive critical acclaim and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">uber</span>-wealth? Well imagine the monies that will come from my <span style="font-style: italic;">2 Ingredients book</span>. My 2 Ingredients book that doesn't even cheat by not including cooking oil, salt or pepper in the ingredients count. <span lang="EN-AU">Amateurs. </span><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>In truth, I'm not one for overly wacky flavour combinations. I never quite caught onto the whole New York sweet bacon fad, nor have I been overly impressed by my boyfriend's suggestion of the partnering of avocado and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Vegemite</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">tapenade</span> andĀ butter. However, the following still hinge (at least at the top of the list) on basic good taste whilst providing a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">surprising</span> complexity of flavour. Which is what I, good friends, am all about. In fact, I hope it is what will be said of me at my funeral: hinged on good taste whilst providing a suprising complexity of flavour.<br /><br />But please, if you do like yourself some wacky combinations, feel free to share them in the comments.</div><div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Classy through to trashy:</span><br /><br />Dark chocolate + <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Cointreau</span><br /><br />Papaya + Lime<br /><br />Parmesan + Apple<br /><br />Eggplant + <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">miso</span><br /><br />Lemongrass + roasted capsicum<br /><br />Avocado + Japanese soy sauce<br /><br />Chocolate + Brioche<br /><br />Cheese + Fig jam<br /><br />Tomato + <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Kaffir</span> lime leaves<br /><br />Natural yogurt + Honey<br /><br />Carrots + Butter<br /><br />Avocado + Maple syrup<br /><br />Tomato + Nam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">pla</span> (fish sauce. Yes ma'am)<br /><br />Cold boiled potatoes + <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Dijionaise</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Watermelon</span> + Salt<br /><br />Vegemite + Cheese<br /><br />Arrowroot biscuit + <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Nutella</span><br /><br />Danish <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">feta</span> + <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Dorito</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Ice cream</span> + jelly crystals (preferably raspberry: a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Fadden</span> Primary School classic)<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Processed</span> cheese spread + <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">cheetos</span> (with thanks to Matt Preston)<br /><br />Plain potato chip + jelly snake</div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-65235960074500990802010-04-27T20:43:00.003+10:002010-04-27T21:01:58.327+10:00Pieces of a long weekend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgRhhpI1qEZMF4AqaEEYKlLtwew4qnefyxN6u2vAhiT_VUtjxRqYDzNh06HME5CiY9xd3PReu05LIdjZry7spkQL27eF0-yQNKun8i4gC_00IpncPRiIfrF5DT3L8yXDk-Kmeb94_upif/s1600/janfebmar+066.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgRhhpI1qEZMF4AqaEEYKlLtwew4qnefyxN6u2vAhiT_VUtjxRqYDzNh06HME5CiY9xd3PReu05LIdjZry7spkQL27eF0-yQNKun8i4gC_00IpncPRiIfrF5DT3L8yXDk-Kmeb94_upif/s400/janfebmar+066.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464768362178011122" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Perfect, yet completely <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">un</span>-tended roses from our garden</span></span><br /></div><br />If there's one benefit to full time work, it is surely that it forces you to fully contemplate the beauty, wonder and majesty of long weekends. This last one was pretty quiet for me, lunch and afternoon tea with a few friends, a bit of housework, some flower picking, snuggling away from the cold, lots of 30 Rock and Mad Men and the completion of a rather wonderful <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">DIY</span> project which I'll tell you all about as soon as I take a decent picture. Also:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0zVdwJEx7fNDOrOfRypMPOtUWil2FmR7dmOHwKUFm2isc_m48s4f1ixGmlndHJljxO2eTuFayjn4L9UL9a840ILPWmD1PgxMmoICsfeSd_G0VKAHGqOdxlyptySXuPjrH5-B_E8m74rR/s1600/janfebmar+071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0zVdwJEx7fNDOrOfRypMPOtUWil2FmR7dmOHwKUFm2isc_m48s4f1ixGmlndHJljxO2eTuFayjn4L9UL9a840ILPWmD1PgxMmoICsfeSd_G0VKAHGqOdxlyptySXuPjrH5-B_E8m74rR/s400/janfebmar+071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464768372268713474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >My jonquil bulbs made a very unexpected appearance.</span><br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJrWRLzEQzBx5Y6liDuYIJx359I2RlCCMvCd2S5qEY1nd32T5mxpxlWVrGBpCR_lEfz-fGl_d8-lnfJRuqaUR2Lb_IMP04NFoBJNainc3-4mSYK09jgSIPVQ048kqcbxWhUo1G7dIAbMP/s1600/janfebmar+073.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJrWRLzEQzBx5Y6liDuYIJx359I2RlCCMvCd2S5qEY1nd32T5mxpxlWVrGBpCR_lEfz-fGl_d8-lnfJRuqaUR2Lb_IMP04NFoBJNainc3-4mSYK09jgSIPVQ048kqcbxWhUo1G7dIAbMP/s400/janfebmar+073.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464768353833066322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >I baked Molly's famous <a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2004/08/slow-roasting.html">lemon <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">yoghurt</span> love cake</a>, and was rather <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">delighted</span> with the result. </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1Wfiiv76PJzav4yvkbHqfG4ZLqL7kMQ2-Q5AbteuqpgP6yJa23C45UFaBj5x-bxylwna1ZnKngy-zwIffbJaF6rgJiYH0y3B6_JCyijqG2SeQB4EuNsJR2uKz0npsN9NdCiEIA716a2-/s1600/janfebmar+068.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1Wfiiv76PJzav4yvkbHqfG4ZLqL7kMQ2-Q5AbteuqpgP6yJa23C45UFaBj5x-bxylwna1ZnKngy-zwIffbJaF6rgJiYH0y3B6_JCyijqG2SeQB4EuNsJR2uKz0npsN9NdCiEIA716a2-/s400/janfebmar+068.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464768348445696898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >I put roses in the bathroom. This is a habit I picked up from my mum, who incidentally isn't the world's most wonderful housekeeper, but clearly knows her flower placement. It makes the bathroom feel lovely and fresh. I highly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">recommend</span> it. </span><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-16893304127038463772010-04-21T22:23:00.004+10:002010-04-26T22:38:55.816+10:00brownie, hazlenut gelato, honey<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:78%;" >x</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfbyIgJ428iQ3LypPp29PixePuQ7zAM8NgobiTSiPOqN4fMMCnHx0RwI3gctMTrccy_1frCdRLcagMEoM2VHHK5m7bDVF4AqX6W47PfD7YR38InLot3JhBL18T8jRprwfDq0UTw7u0gx8/s1600/janfebmar+031.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfbyIgJ428iQ3LypPp29PixePuQ7zAM8NgobiTSiPOqN4fMMCnHx0RwI3gctMTrccy_1frCdRLcagMEoM2VHHK5m7bDVF4AqX6W47PfD7YR38InLot3JhBL18T8jRprwfDq0UTw7u0gx8/s400/janfebmar+031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462571599323206194" border="0" /></a><br />This was the dessert I whipped up for my beloved friend and former house-mate Katherine's last night in Australia. It followed a main course of painstakingly prepared, intensely rich moussaka and a fresh, zesty Greek salad. I wanted to fatten her up good and proper before sending her off for months and months of riotous living in central America, and decided that a fat moussaka followed by a fat brownie topped with more fat would be the perfect way of doing so, and might make her feel a little bit guilty for leaving such a fantastic friend in the proccess.<br /><br />The brownie recipe is my all time favourite, perfect-every-time standby sweet thing to impress and comes from an old issue of <span style="font-style: italic;">Donna Hay</span> Magazine. It has that perfect combination of gooey, fudgy, chewy and just a teeny bit cakey that drives pretty much everyone I've ever feed these too (which is a lot of people) wild with lust, gluttony and just a touch of envy. The hazelnut gelato was purchased from my local fancy supermarket, and the honey was a stroke of pure, impromptu genius. A pretty perfectly autumnal classic combination of flavours and textures, if I may say so.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The ultimate brownie recipe</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">From Donna Hay Magazine</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients<br /></span><br />200g unsalted butter<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>125 g superior dark chocolate<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">-</span></span> I tend to go for your regular, not super 85% dark.<br />1 cup plain flour<br />2 cups caster sugar<br />2 tablespoons cocoa powder<br />1/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />4 eggs<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and prepare some kind of square or rectangular baking vessel or cake tin by lightly coating it in a little additional butter. Place the butter and chocolate in a large ceramic bowl which is able to comfortably sit in - but without actually touching the bottom of - a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with as much water as you can without it actually making contact with the bottom of your bowl. Bring the water to a hearty simmer, and allow the chocolate and butter to melt, stirring occasionally. This, my friends, is a proccess you may be familiar with called <span style="font-style: italic;">double boiling</span>. Whence the chocolate and butter is melted and smooth and all stirred together, remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.<br /><br />In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder. Add the melted chocolatey buttery goodness along with all four eggs, and stir with a strong hand till thoroughly combined. Tip into your greased tin, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes depending on how molten you like your brownie. Do not overcook or it will not be dessert you end up with, but a disaster.*<br /><br />If going fancy, allow your brownie to cool somewhat (although not completely), then cut into squares and top each with a large scoop of quality hazelnut gelato (or another flavour - try ginger, coffee, hokey pokey, or a berry sorbet if feeling fruity) and a generous drizzle of honey.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />*Line stolen from Nigella Lawson. You should always err on the side of under cooking, rather than overcooking brownies, as they will firm up significantly as they cool.<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-48220322863458926462010-04-19T23:05:00.004+10:002010-04-19T23:14:09.010+10:00Stars, regrets, chocolate dreams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHopZ4XFA6dfpNikxGf6jhKXLrztPQ8_g9Bo-lTRM7cDnbTaPVe0yO8A1fu3Mx3MwBpMcsmUHgJ669uGhZLlXU9wNOFYZ_C63EEYeG1vqoday_qJaKb_lAOuLFClyet2mY0owSQt_fk7_2/s1600/hanna+davis+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHopZ4XFA6dfpNikxGf6jhKXLrztPQ8_g9Bo-lTRM7cDnbTaPVe0yO8A1fu3Mx3MwBpMcsmUHgJ669uGhZLlXU9wNOFYZ_C63EEYeG1vqoday_qJaKb_lAOuLFClyet2mY0owSQt_fk7_2/s400/hanna+davis+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461835957087553266" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Photograph by <a href="http://cargocollective.com/hannahdavis">Hannah Davis,</a> current fave</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Chim Chimenees,<br /><br />So I forgot to post my to-do list for April. But never fear, my April plans basically involve preparing myself for the onset of winter, which you can read about in scintillating detail on my other blog, <a href="http://numberonemillionaire.blogspot.com/2010/04/on-making-most-of-winter.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Also, stay tuned, because tomorrow I will be sharing a recipe for brownies that will fulfill all your chocolate dreams, and quite a number of your non-chocolate dreams too. You'll see.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-55189683355495435202010-03-23T19:39:00.005+11:002010-03-23T22:53:04.291+11:00Autumn Recipe Depository<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEsN-VFf_SgbI9KjEClnCstfWdf82zJ6qbvhzvFWSUyAGaJ0RSYyFp5U1DnlWFlNtgg6sGg3UoaZgT3C9T4rcU-DHts4VjYsUD0_vP9rouqfM65lE1FcBd4hBPGTQdZuYbuqIqGKIQ8Yp/s1600-h/autumn.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEsN-VFf_SgbI9KjEClnCstfWdf82zJ6qbvhzvFWSUyAGaJ0RSYyFp5U1DnlWFlNtgg6sGg3UoaZgT3C9T4rcU-DHts4VjYsUD0_vP9rouqfM65lE1FcBd4hBPGTQdZuYbuqIqGKIQ8Yp/s400/autumn.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451775245820517634" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photograph by <a href="http://jonbergman.com/jon.html">John Bergman</a></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Since the falling of the leaves and the lowering of the temperatures (and the fog, if today is anything to go by), I've rediscovered my love of preparing food goods and hovering over a hot stove. Autumn is such a tangible, edible season. It's all pumpkins and cinnamon and apples and mushrooms, and reds, oranges and yellows. It's also my birthday season, our Easter season, and the season of beautiful, gleaming, golden evening light. Perfect light for quiet, meditative moments of simple, seasonal cooking.<br /><br />Anyhoo, in the interest of autumnal celebration, and as per the request of my most loyal (and only?) reader, Nicola, I present to you a list of some of my favorite, most regularly prepared recipes from the interweb for these shortening, nostalgic days. I have made each one of these recipes this autumn, and for many an autumn in the past even committing some of them to memory, and thusly, am expertly placed to guarantee magnificence.<br /><br /><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/10/sneaky-sneaky.html">Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Orangette<br /></span><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/10/your-work-is-done.html"><br />Tomato Soup with Red Onion and Coriander Stems </a>- <span style="font-style: italic;">Orangette</span><br /><br /><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2006/02/public-display-of-chickpeas.html">Chana Masala</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Orangette</span><br /><br /><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/10/pleasantly-sogged.html">Boiled Kale with a Fried Egg On Toast</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Orangette </span>(Molly really <span style="font-style: italic;">gets</span> Autumn. Obviously)<br /><a href="http://www.fresh365online.com/recipes/2009/10/21/black-bean-sweet-potato-quesadillas.html"><br />Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Fresh 365</span><br /><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/lively-up-yourself-lentil-soup-recipe.html">Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">101 Cookbooks</span><br /><br /><a href="http://numberonemillionaire.blogspot.com/2009/04/autumn-pasta-x-deux.html">Roast Pumkin Sage Brown Butter Fettuccine and Tomato, Puy Lentil and Spinach Penne</a>- <span style="font-style: italic;">Number One Millionaire </span>(AKA me!)<br /><br /><a href="http://numberonemillionaire.blogspot.com/search/label/Eat">Tom's Sweet Potato Planks with Basil Aoli </a>- <span style="font-style: italic;">Number One Millionaire</span><br /><br /><a href="http://numberonemillionaire.blogspot.com/2009/02/chocolate-gingerbread.html">Chocolate Gingerbread</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Number One Millionaire </span>(me and Nigella)<br /><br />And, as an added bonus, recipes I haven't made yet but feel, instinctively, will become firm favourites this year:<br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/romesco-potatoes/#more-5862"><br />Romesco Potatoes</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Smitten Kitchen</span><br /><br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/">Mushroom Bourguignon</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Smitten Kitchen</span><br /><br /><a href="http://sproutedkitchen.com/?p=392">Rustic Fig and Goats Cheese Pizza</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Sprouted Kitchen</span><br /><br /><a href="http://sproutedkitchen.com/?p=918">Roasted Parmesan Parsnips</a> - <span style="font-style: italic;">Sprouted Kitchen</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2009/05/florence-fabricants-moroccan-carrot-soup-with-mussels.html">Moroccan Carrot Soup with Mussels </a>- <span style="font-style: italic;">The Wednesday Chef</span><br /><br /><br />You're welcome. xxJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-44904909950949002752010-03-03T15:11:00.005+11:002010-03-11T19:22:24.013+11:00Mid-March Resolutions
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP26beKdduFVR5xMgVF2gvkc-gDUcjlcgNuJQlgwVkr50sO8eLy0k6_EePRl8XF0z1sTCbsk9FCeguenx-yGq7a1IEaVILS73-VaRso06rO-I6yh8GSftqjKBFDXO6UMxEnTIBZsKY5nXL/s1600-h/janfebmar+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP26beKdduFVR5xMgVF2gvkc-gDUcjlcgNuJQlgwVkr50sO8eLy0k6_EePRl8XF0z1sTCbsk9FCeguenx-yGq7a1IEaVILS73-VaRso06rO-I6yh8GSftqjKBFDXO6UMxEnTIBZsKY5nXL/s400/janfebmar+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447288493654713330" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Home grown nasturtiums on the (very dirty) window sill</span></span>
<br /></div><div>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">So, monthly resolutions are going to be my new thing. Obviously they will ordinarily occur at the beginning of the month, not over a week in.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Ordinarily, I will be a super organised, ultra-diligent, enchanting blog-writer. </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Monthly resolutions, friends, are going to help me get there.</span>
<br />
<br />Institute a new Monday night curry night tradition. Make an exciting new curry each week so that Mondays quickly become a weekly highlight (so far, this has gone swimmingly)
<br />
<br />Make an attempt to start baking bread regularly. Good, wholemeal, fibrous bread.
<br /></div><div> </div>
<br /><div>Buy and read <span style="font-style: italic;">My Life in France</span> by Julia Child.
<br />
<br />Go camping in Jervis Bay (we went last weekend!)</div><div> </div>
<br /><div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CJULIAK%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </div><div> </div>Plant bulbs in preparation for Spring: anemones, snow bells and some of the weirder varieties that look like exotic insects.
<br /><div>
<br />And Winter veggies in preparation for Winter: sugar snap peas, kale, spinach, rainbow chard, sprouting broccoli.</div><div> </div><div> </div>
<br />Scavenge for second-hand jars and start sorting out my mess of a pantry prior to the entry of our two new housemates at the end of March (task begun).
<br /><div> </div>
<br /><div>Watch <span style="font-style: italic;">Harold and Maude.
<br />
<br /></span>Cook some delicious autumnal things and post some delicious autumnal recipes. <span style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></span>
<br />Climb a mountain at least twice. <span style="font-style: italic;">
<br />
<br /></span>Drink pear cider in a cozy bar. <span style="font-style: italic;">
<br />
<br /></span>Get a haircut. <span style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></span>
<br />Refrain from becoming a monthly blogger. At the very least, aim to be bi-monthly. <span style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></span></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-67454855623682504102010-02-15T21:13:00.011+11:002010-02-18T10:22:18.102+11:00quilting, doiling.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVpUvJS4ckEgxoiOvXamhN6fbg0YnyStVuC7huTiVqUKzLb-12AOhBLvOiVPiKVGlGy29wZvWmp-KMs1t1yr9T8QeO4tqfGxNYzO4jJQLsykQFgZMXoXt07Ud_tBMtUAlLeSuKHk_v8Tq/s1600-h/feb+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438419609750239362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVpUvJS4ckEgxoiOvXamhN6fbg0YnyStVuC7huTiVqUKzLb-12AOhBLvOiVPiKVGlGy29wZvWmp-KMs1t1yr9T8QeO4tqfGxNYzO4jJQLsykQFgZMXoXt07Ud_tBMtUAlLeSuKHk_v8Tq/s400/feb+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I had a great doily find today, at my faithful local Salvos. They always have piles of doilies and it takes all my restraint not to buy all of them. Most of these will be used to make more doily cushions - some of them dyed, some left <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">naturale</span> - for my market at the end of march.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6GCEVQ6YjOEf4OeayqTzbXcK0M98_uYTiYMJ-kHqQeuROkve61wtgEccsHX3B-IjP4QxJs4Vvm15vOmwQ-br1UNX9k-CDUOEX_wZH-XxjKwjen_1Gi6FbkpnApuWd6JWBNNku9UflWsT/s1600-h/quilt+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438418449061902290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6GCEVQ6YjOEf4OeayqTzbXcK0M98_uYTiYMJ-kHqQeuROkve61wtgEccsHX3B-IjP4QxJs4Vvm15vOmwQ-br1UNX9k-CDUOEX_wZH-XxjKwjen_1Gi6FbkpnApuWd6JWBNNku9UflWsT/s400/quilt+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photograph by </span><a title="Link to Be*mused's photostream" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22514067@N00/"><span style="font-size:78%;">Be*mused</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> </span></div><div align="center"><br />Looking through piles of cheap stained and damaged doilies and various grandma linens at an antique shop this weekend made me want to put together some kind of brilliant, large project that would use up the gorgeous details. I love the look of this beautiful, natural Japanese quilt with all its little details and embroidery. And I think a quilt that uses little pieces of beautiful embroidered doilies, lacy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">place mat</span> edges etc. to add detail in a similar way would be pretty. If it goes well I might also make some quilted cushions for selling at my market.<br /><br /><br /></div><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXzpzeSfa3dk5wCkcJ0O6-xYJZCtuI8QApseT1hVlaMXRSBt9Ey_WpKBpTqylk-k6YA2cfUgjjlcJvYI_reM2UC1luwBhNnO2j42svzaDtJjWqC7tGLwjl7o_hUavwOy4GyE2DhoaTgrw/s1600-h/quilt+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438418455396688690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXzpzeSfa3dk5wCkcJ0O6-xYJZCtuI8QApseT1hVlaMXRSBt9Ey_WpKBpTqylk-k6YA2cfUgjjlcJvYI_reM2UC1luwBhNnO2j42svzaDtJjWqC7tGLwjl7o_hUavwOy4GyE2DhoaTgrw/s400/quilt+3.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photograph by </span><a title="Link to Be*mused's photostream" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22514067@N00/"><span style="font-size:78%;">Be*mused</span></a> </p><p><br />Seriously though, look at the detailing of this quilt. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Exquisite</span>, no?<br /><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqrpeTUmkiP8rhxWj_xWaiwXliZiz2-8x59JDMqj1nThQ7HUoQT1V7K537sFFLGMtDp57KzS6EifSS-tb9tayqESEt7wz1Kt51s1IBfiUnlstQ7An8kLvm4YlCwXSLaxemW_ebrc_ZYD6/s1600-h/quilt+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438418440834627538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqrpeTUmkiP8rhxWj_xWaiwXliZiz2-8x59JDMqj1nThQ7HUoQT1V7K537sFFLGMtDp57KzS6EifSS-tb9tayqESEt7wz1Kt51s1IBfiUnlstQ7An8kLvm4YlCwXSLaxemW_ebrc_ZYD6/s400/quilt+2.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> Photograph by </span><a title="Link to Be*mused's photostream" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22514067@N00/"><span style="font-size:78%;">Be*mused</span></a><br /></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-86160658155587032922010-02-15T20:29:00.008+11:002010-02-16T19:07:54.705+11:00the perfect weekend lunchI only just rediscovered cheese on toast, and don't know why I ever left it behind. This version is rather posh, although I think cheese on toast is one of those miraculous concoctions that is divine regardless of the quality of the ingredients. This one is extra spesh, though, and definitely worth the effort and pennies. I've been eating it every weekend for a while now. The sharp cheese, zingy mustard and aniseedy tarragon vinegar really compliment one another perfectly. I like to think it's something Nigel Slater would prepare in his charming London kitchen on a frosty autumn day (which, thankfully, is exactly what today feels like).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZHMX1zhWAidtesMR3hdUNpcJcbJsSsN9waxGgCMg13L6bv8i7HnYIWBRayegOoFTpQLVcSsTbH67R-ZBnf23AdM3AhT7M3u_1Q8vnZs3US5P38XaPflQxkIfI8tYg4soH8U8DfYCylbY/s1600-h/feb+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZHMX1zhWAidtesMR3hdUNpcJcbJsSsN9waxGgCMg13L6bv8i7HnYIWBRayegOoFTpQLVcSsTbH67R-ZBnf23AdM3AhT7M3u_1Q8vnZs3US5P38XaPflQxkIfI8tYg4soH8U8DfYCylbY/s400/feb+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438409448303583186" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Spread a slice of rustic, artisan sourdough with wholegrain mustard. You want the bread to be the excellent, springy, chewy type. Top with grated aged cheddar and grill till golden and bubbly. Serve with some fresh mixed leaves dressed with olive oil, tarragon vinegar (or white wine vinegar if you don't have a mother who grows copious amounts of tarragon and puts it to good use) and a blob of seeded mustard.<br /><br />Perfect, simple, harmonious flavours.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-69506043280975247232010-02-07T14:46:00.004+11:002010-02-07T15:03:06.913+11:00More WoodlandsToday is the perfect rainy day for contemplating woodlands.<br /><br />Flikr mushroom inspiration:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQhhO2NeLm3ftD9W3hfpE3D7ASZdk3hZ-V_Mhbiy_lIwewTrGbIDNc9lqLi09w3I4k4tOgD87_JAo7hYywWYMm2XZyMvgaolzlZv6qTMdgBQ7To50a5MlPlgeORiF_b5eIn5ivgolzFY-/s1600-h/mushrooms+2.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 368px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQhhO2NeLm3ftD9W3hfpE3D7ASZdk3hZ-V_Mhbiy_lIwewTrGbIDNc9lqLi09w3I4k4tOgD87_JAo7hYywWYMm2XZyMvgaolzlZv6qTMdgBQ7To50a5MlPlgeORiF_b5eIn5ivgolzFY-/s400/mushrooms+2.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435344530466351762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;">Image credits from left to right, top to bottom: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/visbeek/">Ben</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zelcam/">azmuskoka</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shimie1/">Shimie</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36052035@N06/" title="Link to petitelectronlibre's photostream">petitelectronlibre</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/djmalc/" title="Link to malc_smith's photostream">malc_smith</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10068988@N06/" title="Link to Canis latrans' photostream" rel="dc:creator cc:attributionURL">Canis latrans</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shimie1/" title="Link to Shimie's photostream">Shimie</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/theogroen/" title="Link to Theo Groen's photostream">Theo Groen</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29798416@N08/" title="Link to -Mike Potts-'s photostream">-Mike Potts-</a><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Animals of Farthing Wood </span>inspiration (thanks, <a href="http://nicola-moore.blogspot.com/">Nicola</a>!)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H8pkxdBodsg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H8pkxdBodsg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Some preliminary sketching:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JLLIzG5QlgNEkp-zpQlGHWijDf5llQb2YsiEqHVL1QVU5B33HvSEfRG3QptKnxBLYnsFP51ofAU1G9HWIw3OA6tbKYr-NaGBudpLg1xTz4XOwoXbWvNYSwTg1foWq08rQSuuQvYTlLDn/s1600-h/woodland+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JLLIzG5QlgNEkp-zpQlGHWijDf5llQb2YsiEqHVL1QVU5B33HvSEfRG3QptKnxBLYnsFP51ofAU1G9HWIw3OA6tbKYr-NaGBudpLg1xTz4XOwoXbWvNYSwTg1foWq08rQSuuQvYTlLDn/s400/woodland+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435344537275578194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first <a href="http://www.handmademarket.com.au/home.html">Handmade Market</a> is on the 28th of March which is scarily soon, so I'll be whipping myself into a crafting frenzy over the next few weeks. xxJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-41382407703948954392010-01-23T15:21:00.004+11:002010-01-23T15:57:10.534+11:00A woodland winter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlkHKAJsXeHisn4QvDAxDkyDhdFgdvpssHK5s7ja2jN7SEKAnJGZzKCtCBfCTcnx2twurepAX5nf5XFR7RZ5la-FNoZgB8KmkD-bRA6YPBykmgEGuHPR1jh5GRRVYi8XEhc2fwZnabKU_/s1600-h/woodland2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlkHKAJsXeHisn4QvDAxDkyDhdFgdvpssHK5s7ja2jN7SEKAnJGZzKCtCBfCTcnx2twurepAX5nf5XFR7RZ5la-FNoZgB8KmkD-bRA6YPBykmgEGuHPR1jh5GRRVYi8XEhc2fwZnabKU_/s400/woodland2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429787198735741666" border="0" /></a><br />So I have been thinking about my Autumn/Winter home made craft products collection, which will make it's debut (hopefully) at Canberra's Handmade Market. Although, right now with this 38 degree heat and a fan violently whipping my fringe across my face it is almost impossible to imagine that it will ever, ever, be cool again. But we must hold out hope, my possums, my cherry blossoms, that the leaves will begin to fall, the frosts will begin to freeze, and everything will be returned to its right and natural order.<br /><br />For <a href="http://quinceyquince.blogspot.com/2009/12/to-market-to-market.html">Spring/Summer </a>I had something of a 'circusy' theme, with bright galands and doilies and such, and I have decided after much soul searching that a 'woodland' theme would be lovely and quaint for Autumn/Winter. I love talking about collections, it makes me feel so professional.<br /><br />My thorough researching (and the above images) has revealed that the kinds of animals that dwell in woodlands include badgers, hares, foxes, owls, deer and the like, although in the woodland of my imagination - which is what I'm really talking about here having never visited a true English or American woodland - there is also a great variety of toadstools and mushrooms, plenty of moss, some geraniums, acorns and birch trees.<br /><br />As a starting point, I have carved lots of slices of wood:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7BmVCUy9oYp0m_KnjwW1UqDiGyv2UuKFQuyJNvOr5_WnHR53wsWtVZEuX2ecul9NGc0bNHNgmU1hg1RVUjSPG4GlbvPsR0GxGtRe-M7Zv_mCn66CeejKeVb5pEhhVcL5AD6Ebild0vjw/s1600-h/melb+etc+030.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7BmVCUy9oYp0m_KnjwW1UqDiGyv2UuKFQuyJNvOr5_WnHR53wsWtVZEuX2ecul9NGc0bNHNgmU1hg1RVUjSPG4GlbvPsR0GxGtRe-M7Zv_mCn66CeejKeVb5pEhhVcL5AD6Ebild0vjw/s400/melb+etc+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429793158790773538" border="0" /></a><br />Some will become buttons, some little badges, and Mr T is going to make tiny stools for displaying precious things. There will also be notebooks, cards, cushions...and many other fun things I've yet to think of. <br /><br />I have also purchased a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gocco">Gocco </a>machine, which is most exciting! I shall be able to make infinate copies of my drawings, which is much, much easier and more professional than my current system of doing everything individually. Yay!Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-5474813877356116222010-01-20T19:14:00.005+11:002010-01-20T20:58:45.473+11:00Sewing, nuturing, harvesting.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdjXLk1EeJKTsyGDAZkBocqAtRP8VunLhH0zcjtEBDzEb06TORSyZ8o6HU55DlJV_VUe1bwj3-UpKAEWBnR5hCZrA58poXNDNL1pPi8Nq7Mn6H-3RYMZFngkhGtMde0IuJvXetuvqNRS3/s1600-h/melb+etc+038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdjXLk1EeJKTsyGDAZkBocqAtRP8VunLhH0zcjtEBDzEb06TORSyZ8o6HU55DlJV_VUe1bwj3-UpKAEWBnR5hCZrA58poXNDNL1pPi8Nq7Mn6H-3RYMZFngkhGtMde0IuJvXetuvqNRS3/s400/melb+etc+038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428753701289224562" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hello puffins, peacocks and peahens,<br /><br />Here is some photographic imagery of my garden. It isn't quite so lush as it was now that I have returned and mishandled it with my erratic nurturing style. Still, there have been harvests and successive sewings and I have embedded dirt so deep beneath my nails that it has become a permanent feature of my person.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-o2279Pofn50oYJkW2-ADnaYMCrsu3NBd_8uLltfpdoxyk2nyjR9uF3Vswip1uTSjiO7r7i7wk7SG9kshHPlndofSvaiaf2fRs5cBaWbE8IoXAOwI9DTG4vYUtrBu5zHgGpd08K0f-UtD/s1600-h/melb+etc+036.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-o2279Pofn50oYJkW2-ADnaYMCrsu3NBd_8uLltfpdoxyk2nyjR9uF3Vswip1uTSjiO7r7i7wk7SG9kshHPlndofSvaiaf2fRs5cBaWbE8IoXAOwI9DTG4vYUtrBu5zHgGpd08K0f-UtD/s400/melb+etc+036.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428753291884060786" border="0" /></a><br />I planted zucchinis the other week. Three kinds! It's very late in the season, but it's exhilarating seeing how fast they grow in summer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnvGQcl6oBHwNUfEjQnm2jOE8oBM39xUfHhG5y_q-DcuoenxKElWFQkl2FBsW4n3FVaIoqsOULOv9-qZbywAFYRkQQNtsw33oNIojYf2wf3SVJDh7D8O4i7wxwcFSwknWvWbRHOtJ-d_L/s1600-h/melb+etc+034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnvGQcl6oBHwNUfEjQnm2jOE8oBM39xUfHhG5y_q-DcuoenxKElWFQkl2FBsW4n3FVaIoqsOULOv9-qZbywAFYRkQQNtsw33oNIojYf2wf3SVJDh7D8O4i7wxwcFSwknWvWbRHOtJ-d_L/s400/melb+etc+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428753277799394866" border="0" /></a>My tomato plants are outgrowing their stakes, which is a bit of a worry, actually. They're most unruly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnpwYacqs1r2IL-065P-V4bfGuN08IcTrXPuXZiJF6WAZLl4oxW7Zam9VSMHk0-DBVrhybbrnPQsAn84jS2f61Rtz8I_9PJv1tdLIEyZ8WuJnQeHCqEejNy2bw_gOj9GXNsXVlk7bNOAG/s1600-h/melb+etc+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnpwYacqs1r2IL-065P-V4bfGuN08IcTrXPuXZiJF6WAZLl4oxW7Zam9VSMHk0-DBVrhybbrnPQsAn84jS2f61Rtz8I_9PJv1tdLIEyZ8WuJnQeHCqEejNy2bw_gOj9GXNsXVlk7bNOAG/s400/melb+etc+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428753285158978098" border="0" /></a><br />So far the lemon drop heirloom variety has been most fruitful. Most days I just eat these little babies straight of the plant before they make it to the kitchen, but I collected a skirt-full for a tuna and quinoa salad today.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp07LUf-zdDyGpVizuoFArEk9qXqI5mezWEcVVb41fVOySbIk8rb19cjCUd7H0sgvmkRmqMgzP43quYOVndVOrv2ValEspqEEWf1eBOpdAIIN2C1sbXeBfbI9nD6ylC1h5JN8rfoDImGhf/s1600-h/melb+etc+033.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp07LUf-zdDyGpVizuoFArEk9qXqI5mezWEcVVb41fVOySbIk8rb19cjCUd7H0sgvmkRmqMgzP43quYOVndVOrv2ValEspqEEWf1eBOpdAIIN2C1sbXeBfbI9nD6ylC1h5JN8rfoDImGhf/s400/melb+etc+033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428753273321037442" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My eggplants have done rather magnificently. They also produce the most adorable purple flowers. I've eaten two so far, both roasted in a delicious miso sauce. I must share the recipe soon.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-1423955284332229012010-01-11T13:27:00.009+11:002010-01-11T14:28:36.290+11:00Dot-point-not-post<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZm9RVGW2JDZWQqRVfmhMqyMS_IFE-sK-uYZ1lyU84608Amm141ItLw_zYGxpMM1dHPGirjeom7C7cAQ_Edl5H7yjrenakAOUgLn5OsNHFimrYGhVmK5l0F6Cgu-TFHmqVMcboiA5B52l/s1600-h/melb+etc+016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZm9RVGW2JDZWQqRVfmhMqyMS_IFE-sK-uYZ1lyU84608Amm141ItLw_zYGxpMM1dHPGirjeom7C7cAQ_Edl5H7yjrenakAOUgLn5OsNHFimrYGhVmK5l0F6Cgu-TFHmqVMcboiA5B52l/s400/melb+etc+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425316882634762034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ducks at Foxglove Spires</span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Hello blossoms,<br /><br />Today it is too hot to create or comprehend full sentences. Please except the following <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">incoherent</span> dot points in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">lieu</span> of an actual post:<br /><ul><li>Thomas and I just returned from a road trip to Melbourne, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mallacoota</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tuross</span> Heads. Highlights included the <a href="http://www.innocentbystander.com.au/">Innocent Bystander</a> winery in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Healsville</span> (pizza to <span style="font-style: italic;">die </span>for and an incredible <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">sangiovese</span>), lunch with my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Philipino</span> uncle's family (like being on Food Safari), Heidi, the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Abbortsford</span> convent</a>, the amazing tapioca dumplings at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.cookie.net.au">Cookie</a>, beer and cider at the Little Creatures dining room (which isn't as good as the original <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Fremantle</span> brewery, but has a nice vibe nonetheless), dinner at Lucy's Homemade Noodles in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Mallacoota</span>, sampling excessive amounts of cheese in Central <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Tilba</span>, and visiting the enchanting Foxglove Spires garden in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Tilba</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Tilba</span> and taking solitary beach walks.<br /></li><li>My housemate Sally is a far superior gardener to me. I came back and my humble veggie patch had become a magnificent green jungle. I suspect she has been singing to the plants or injecting them with steroids.<br /></li><li>I had resolved to eat only raw food all week but have decided against it due to the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/04/29/2230592.htm">wise words of Dr Karl</a> and the fact that I don't have a food <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">dehydrator</span>, which almost every slightly appetising, filling looking recipe I can find requires. Plus I have the appetite of a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Thoroughbred</span> and need <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">carbohydrates</span>, damn it.<br /></li><li>Right now I am eating Tom's homemade granola from a purple Bison mug. It is slightly burnt but still delicious. It also looks very pretty.<br /></li><li>I have started drinking sage tea. Apparently it is good for female hormonal...things. Pick 3 sage leaves, cover in boiling water, steep for 4 minutes, drink. Tastes like roast lamb.<br /></li><li>Looking for jobs really is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">devastatingly</span> boring and soul crushing and I wish I could live in a cottage in the country, eat only home grown vegetables and eggs and read fine literature and knit all day. </li><li><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Seeing people you grew up with get engaged is scary but actually surprisingly fun, and engagement parties are just like 21<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">sts</span> but with generally classier alcohol (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">mmm</span>...sangria).<br /></li><li>I visited the <a href="http://www.marktuckey.com.au/">Mark Tuckey</a> show room in Fitzroy and now desperately want to become a furniture designer and am considering doing a woodwork for women course at art school. </li><li>I really miss cozy blankets, my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">doona</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">cardigans</span>, socks, scarves and sleep. Bring on winter.<br /></li></ul>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-81197774262093839982009-12-30T15:28:00.008+11:002009-12-30T18:53:41.639+11:00Christmas Snippits<span style="color:#ffffff;">xx</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEHQoSVgljICKrpBTuO6hbdrQlj0wIRcQeazsRr_iOcXrGJFXwQhT4bCX_iHuzV9AGpnyuLbhnbmQOHa1iFp2oPNpbVcF-mDNtlcU_ZaHq_aBw1KKBPQTs53d301PI0B8xrComiXKT7ti/s1600-h/xmas+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420887957861587282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEHQoSVgljICKrpBTuO6hbdrQlj0wIRcQeazsRr_iOcXrGJFXwQhT4bCX_iHuzV9AGpnyuLbhnbmQOHa1iFp2oPNpbVcF-mDNtlcU_ZaHq_aBw1KKBPQTs53d301PI0B8xrComiXKT7ti/s400/xmas+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZh3YK2jM9VUr2U_jGdHDYCWj4eUk02DNXg8q7wcJzk6ZLSpLnHa24s63NTotHwboFm-_EismwpydbAAK6NxqYcRM-JrmF15bKU6vbKIRUIzzT5CdYfgT0zvUyTATq4-txkqL3Ev2ugMt/s1600-h/xmas+035.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div></div><div>A very incomprehensive snapshot of three days of Christmas festivities...</div><br /><div></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420927441914211810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UdWLqTJjapIqNh1o6LCaxtt5KPHcnkxJINIp9AU6OKB7jc-efdhjY2L9439RxWPsioM0MRjplzCybWSzeMCkCJAoOGIEKFh53mfLXVNYnkTB6mXxqmvFxABCJM4qrkQ8TuADDtSHUB3Z/s400/xmas+014.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div>I made my two precious housemates these fabric envelopes with stationary for all their adventures. I also made them each a teeny tiny (very fiddly) envelope for keeping treasures. I'd post instructions but I actually did a rather dodgy job of the hemming and would recommend you follow <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/07/diy-wednesdays-fabric-envelopes.html">design sponge's </a>advice and use fusible webbing instead.<br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVv-mbGSMNv04BjFlAgZasETKLQ8JIHAMscO022heow65Ebj3PnrlGtQDo4Y9CiX5L2ZFt5oP3_S4AU7ciNG953vgqTczmdL0h65W7Z0-rVUvnkDmtvebvoaTes5biK2Mx73mXEufWNIe/s1600-h/xmas+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420887455038602354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVv-mbGSMNv04BjFlAgZasETKLQ8JIHAMscO022heow65Ebj3PnrlGtQDo4Y9CiX5L2ZFt5oP3_S4AU7ciNG953vgqTczmdL0h65W7Z0-rVUvnkDmtvebvoaTes5biK2Mx73mXEufWNIe/s400/xmas+035.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Tom gave me this beautiful 1970s Danish ivory ring. </div><div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420883568409218914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jQ6zaM-RC5frXkLVY0vzEcwKFcGx-8b1S9yoUYJbQSoquRk5oXAEomJwR2BWyOHqqRf3xGAdu0dCRc3qLcb51WGFZuuPUfKjevpcyx5ns5zwbwGl9pJ7I1OnnsB6GU4JE_QqX41T6dml/s400/xmas+019.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>I spent Christmas eve making peppermint bark</div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420883577802591074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaqh7zeyb2hklye06Zj9eL4c-QuA80CowqyUbqlMsHDW9OFr0ax7yW5V7ej-hyD9j17btleJskILdJPRGrDkUdU41Ilk-_d2PEsXyXeICL0JFkqkgpcJvxghjcuHaMR72WUQ8JTEwfuV8/s400/xmas+020.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>and raspberry butter and granola for Christmas hampers. The raspberry butter was divine. It tasted like edible childhood (not to be confused with edible child). </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420883558679878354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBm_4DaWJxLBOfcSb5_n-XZd8o8Z-AgRbGy42iJXYXThIkOVeeDt2DC5fFvcEinu9lMrV4auOytaHVYWG5NwVZHqdtfNgI7neZOQiKMhyWz9zirLzkB9E7ZRZhtw0PGd6T6BygAgYn86U/s400/xmas+012.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>On Christmas morning I ate my first home grown <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">snowpea</span>. Hopefully this will become a yearly tradition. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGeNpMAuUJGy6kaW2_gReQ780hT_Vi5EtyxS7wxbrxi5hO0XS5wvO-qQQxC8iHEBpVkM9nsi8QI_raJFd8UlqFfYlABJnWrc_Pm3yHwb3hcgXgETbMbgppImtdp2NnwreB_529UWWPAXoK/s1600-h/xmas+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420887447659692338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGeNpMAuUJGy6kaW2_gReQ780hT_Vi5EtyxS7wxbrxi5hO0XS5wvO-qQQxC8iHEBpVkM9nsi8QI_raJFd8UlqFfYlABJnWrc_Pm3yHwb3hcgXgETbMbgppImtdp2NnwreB_529UWWPAXoK/s400/xmas+026.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>A few days ago we went on a beautiful walk in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tidbinbila</span> with visiting family from Melbourne. We splashed in the crisp clean water and frolicked beneath emerald green ferns. Quite refreshing, especially after three days of dead pig sauced with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">congealed</span> turkey fat.<br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-42803631132387224102009-12-18T14:25:00.009+11:002009-12-18T15:10:41.425+11:00Ode to Tomatoes<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">xx</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqR8kZk0c_P8SH8hYcZBEZ3WGcuRlJWlTzov-NUxK0kQR1HsrKsXLSVb2En_ltIBQb-KwMyPVYqzWVLA4ab0he7gOkpZJByClwxz8WqJBVNUclbFfiYH1OahrznU6tvSdsSgVgTceq2qm/s1600-h/dec+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqR8kZk0c_P8SH8hYcZBEZ3WGcuRlJWlTzov-NUxK0kQR1HsrKsXLSVb2En_ltIBQb-KwMyPVYqzWVLA4ab0he7gOkpZJByClwxz8WqJBVNUclbFfiYH1OahrznU6tvSdsSgVgTceq2qm/s400/dec+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416416425118798722" border="0" /></a><br />The street<br />filled with tomatoes<br />midday,<br />summer,<br />light is<br />halved<br />like<br />a<br />tomato,<br />its juice<br />runs<br />through the streets.<br />In December,<br />unabated,<br />the tomato<br />invades<br />the kitchen,<br />it enters at lunchtime,<br />takes<br />its ease<br />on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">countertops</span></span>,<br />among glasses,<br />butter dishes,<br />blue saltcellars.<br />It sheds<br />its own light,<br />benign majesty.<br />Unfortunately, we must<br />murder it:<br />the knife<br />sinks<br />into living flesh,<br />red<br />viscera,<br />a cool<br />sun,<br />profound,<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">inexhausible</span></span>,<br />populates the salads<br />of Chile,<br />happily, it is wed<br />to the clear onion,<br />and to celebrate the union<br />we<br />pour<br />oil,<br />essential<br />child of the olive,<br />onto its halved hemispheres,<br />pepper<br />adds<br />its fragrance,<br />salt, its magnetism;<br />it is the wedding<br />of the day,<br />parsley<br />hoists<br />its flag,<br />potatoes<br />bubble vigorously,<br />the aroma<br />of the roast<br />knocks<br />at the door,<br />it's time!<br />come on!<br />and, on<br />the table, at the midpoint<br />of summer,<br />the tomato,<br />star of earth,<br />recurrent<br />and fertile<br />star,<br />displays<br />its convolutions,<br />its canals,<br />its remarkable amplitude<br />and abundance,<br />no pit,<br />no husk,<br />no leaves or thorns,<br />the tomato offers<br />its gift<br />of fiery color<br />and cool completeness.<br /><br />-- Pablo Neruda, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ode to Tomatoes</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnItSDFjTST_h6mveQgmm2k_SmoVXILtrFMmg43wGvqWhvQdzYwDmQV8brR1yxlMGOAKdJWRo5VHTrgzDBriOSbUmzEoxF0O1BvxnBMz5aNDszIo1VBcZh5grSncDf2KTD0Gt4nDhE2CD/s1600-h/dec+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnItSDFjTST_h6mveQgmm2k_SmoVXILtrFMmg43wGvqWhvQdzYwDmQV8brR1yxlMGOAKdJWRo5VHTrgzDBriOSbUmzEoxF0O1BvxnBMz5aNDszIo1VBcZh5grSncDf2KTD0Gt4nDhE2CD/s400/dec+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416417371191281394" border="0" /></a><br />The other day I ate my first home grown tomato of this Summer. I excitedly watched it achieve deeper and deeper shades of red for several weeks, until it was clear that its juicy bounty would hold no longer. It had a rustic look, all stretched at the top; humbly declaring its homegrown status. It was beautiful. I ate half of it sliced up on a piece of ricotta slathered sourdough bread, topped with purple and green basil (from my kitchen bench plants) and scattered with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Maldon</span></span> sea salt. It was so surprisingly, almost obnoxiously delicious that I ate the remaining half exactly as it was. No salt, no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nuthin</span></span>'.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gNLOnNGscwfjgTLIYMCvP2_pHclAokeYrge1e0Q-LU7S7eTGEnvYCVq0lYBh5I7R0ijKoJNRyGtMzYrzQ8sk3FUN3QLWVd50vrDNGcnx7ZyM8bGDyw6z9mYW8Gu__lpI5Lg9wTtnpI24/s1600-h/dec+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gNLOnNGscwfjgTLIYMCvP2_pHclAokeYrge1e0Q-LU7S7eTGEnvYCVq0lYBh5I7R0ijKoJNRyGtMzYrzQ8sk3FUN3QLWVd50vrDNGcnx7ZyM8bGDyw6z9mYW8Gu__lpI5Lg9wTtnpI24/s400/dec+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416422447339450194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />To be honest, I didn't really expect it to taste that good. For me it was encouraging enough just to actually grow the whole thing. Australian wisdom has it that a tomato ripened before Christmas is a major <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">achievement</span>, signaling good fortune in the year to come (or so I like to imagine). It also meant that I beat my mother and brother in the official tomato race of 2009-10, which made me feel plenty smug already. But when I ate this glorious fruit, all the sentiments of Neruda's gushy poem came to life. It was a truly celebratory moment, and I can't wait for the next one to ripen (which should be very soon!). There are 15 tomato plants of various <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">varieties</span> all thriving in my garden, so hopefully it will be a summer of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">tomatoey</span></span> abundance! If you've never grown tomatoes before, you should give it a try. With sufficient sunlight (which an Australian summer should amply provide), they're incredibly easy to nurture, and the fruit they produce is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">infinitely</span> more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">delicious</span> and deeply flavoured than even the best store bought equivalents.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy48Db65kqth2K5cqmdDNptxuXr8wmH6OSjkM1gpW3w2CaLj255lWUdB1OD8Jv7fWAUeoGqID3if1Lq47TQ7uuLP9IT9aWD3nx55cyvfs2Q3_3nLHh24PhleHqaPGpVY7Vl-xgYWNaiYti/s1600-h/dec+011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy48Db65kqth2K5cqmdDNptxuXr8wmH6OSjkM1gpW3w2CaLj255lWUdB1OD8Jv7fWAUeoGqID3if1Lq47TQ7uuLP9IT9aWD3nx55cyvfs2Q3_3nLHh24PhleHqaPGpVY7Vl-xgYWNaiYti/s400/dec+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416419876644683170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">NB. If you've been keenly following my gardening pursuits (and who hasn't?), you'll want to know that this wasn't from the plant I grew from seed and posted about back in October. These are still rather small, but, much to my motherly pride, thriving:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCzWk-yyVbciOVZnNY6hw754JACQIxDWDYZdZogFTJSzJcVCw_W61gJzZWSd15bkVgs1RnBot7VcN3za_KQf7on6twSl3kUhnA1MzR-QYno8DScmdHsN3YIHfNSW1dxkvhTVeP00QnFfc/s1600-h/dec+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCzWk-yyVbciOVZnNY6hw754JACQIxDWDYZdZogFTJSzJcVCw_W61gJzZWSd15bkVgs1RnBot7VcN3za_KQf7on6twSl3kUhnA1MzR-QYno8DScmdHsN3YIHfNSW1dxkvhTVeP00QnFfc/s400/dec+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416421579074631634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The subject of this post came from a rather mature plant I found hidden at the back of a shelf in a garden shop for $2. I'm not sure what variety it is, but judging by its meaty goodness, I'd say possibly a beef or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">oxheart</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Definitely</span> a winner.</span>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-55766965190717943172009-12-09T12:08:00.003+11:002009-12-09T13:25:17.205+11:00Christmas Treats<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LqySfzgJkhV06rLspaAqE4jNNnWC_Yu2R14MSYWsmDQPFd7PCCEoblE0tedFugWa1itO-olnEKXzVxLTu10WvFDhQGQhVk8c3Tsb6xxyY5u87MnQ8v18EYPFiP29I5ERymPmzLD7Cj91/s1600-h/whitebulb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LqySfzgJkhV06rLspaAqE4jNNnWC_Yu2R14MSYWsmDQPFd7PCCEoblE0tedFugWa1itO-olnEKXzVxLTu10WvFDhQGQhVk8c3Tsb6xxyY5u87MnQ8v18EYPFiP29I5ERymPmzLD7Cj91/s400/whitebulb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413056322107422338" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bauble from <a href="http://www.wearelandrich.com/index.html">Nature Bulbs</a> via <a href="http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/">Cup of Jo</a></span><br /></div><br />I've been thinking about goodies for Christmas hampers. Every year I make one for my parents, one for Tom's parents and one for any other visiting family/friends whom I can't afford to buy a worthy present for. Although, once I've purchased supplies and spent hours sterilizing, stirring, baking and spreading on Christmas eve I'm not sure that I don't wish I'd just bought them a damn $50 teapot...but still, I think that they appreciate the time and thought. They'd better appreciate the time and thought.<br /><br />I've already bought some cute little baskets second-hand and cheapy, and have made rather a lengthy list of inclusions. I like to try to mix it up every year - last year it was lemon butter, chilli jam, chocolates and something else no doubt tasty. This year I'm thinking:<br /><br /><ul><li>Tomato Kasundi (from the Charmaine Solomon Complete Asian Cookbook - so so good)</li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/12/look-at-that.html">Peppermint Bark</a>. This was honestly the best thing about Christmas last year. </li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/03/all-we-ever-really-want-to-do.html">Home made granola</a>. With chocolate. Wholesome, but still a treat. </li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://teaandcookies.blogspot.com/2008/09/raspberries-forever.html">Raspberry curd</a>. How beautiful do those two words sound together? </li></ul><ul><li>Home made Chai. Buy some leaf tea and chuck in spices. Easy peasy.</li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/candy-girl/">Orangettes</a>. I tried making these earlier in the year and they didn't quite candify, but I'm willing to give it another go. </li></ul><br />I also think it's a good idea to print out pretty recipe cards for each item so the receiver can make their own when they run out. Genius, no? I also like to make pretty little calligraphed lables and tie everything up with lace. Everything I make somehow includes lace. Seriously, everything. I love lace. I think I will request to be bound up in layers and layers of lace when I die, like a Victorian mummie.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-64715460295415918342009-12-02T19:34:00.007+11:002009-12-03T10:14:52.058+11:00To market to marketHello darling, gorgeous, scrumptious readers. I just wanted to let ya'll know that I will be having a little stall this Saturday (December 5th) at the <a href="http://www.gormanhouse.com.au/markets_eats/markets.php">Gorman House Markets.</a> I'll be selling lots of prettie hand made things, which would be perfect for your lovely selves, or perhaps someone dearly beloved. The markets run from 10-3, and you can buy yourself a very yummy lunch while you're there (I like the Ethiopian and the El Salvadorian puposas!). Also, readers of this here blog, or Number One Millionaire who are brave enough to declare themselves as such will receive a hearty discount.<br /><br />Here are some of the things I'll be selling:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixE0FBgK_QESKbD0oA5B7I-Gik4TRc9OXaE5P5ljo_z_ahPY8yXPpFaby79ESl4rJWlqTxQm2xIn_XG7PfUrGLxP4_uXagC1UPwBBNMM1CU3cy55-NYz5kMOEBQd9njmVM1KdtV1_KC-N/s1600-h/craft+028.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixE0FBgK_QESKbD0oA5B7I-Gik4TRc9OXaE5P5ljo_z_ahPY8yXPpFaby79ESl4rJWlqTxQm2xIn_XG7PfUrGLxP4_uXagC1UPwBBNMM1CU3cy55-NYz5kMOEBQd9njmVM1KdtV1_KC-N/s400/craft+028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410555605794556146" border="0" /></a><br />Lace bottle vases, as modeled by my front door step.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jtx0E7Bvq1dJdE6h2bKm0YayhcaBJjPXVTyfYWeB8x8KiZcpsXthrqOhhk-GoTHvL7bBYD3AWzdqqWNr_YTOo77JevVKZAvUtLWWh89nhiRFm67ZFScvf_y4R58mOxNaurDceuOiQ_Hn/s1600-h/craft+023.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jtx0E7Bvq1dJdE6h2bKm0YayhcaBJjPXVTyfYWeB8x8KiZcpsXthrqOhhk-GoTHvL7bBYD3AWzdqqWNr_YTOo77JevVKZAvUtLWWh89nhiRFm67ZFScvf_y4R58mOxNaurDceuOiQ_Hn/s400/craft+023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410555332107214882" border="0" /></a><br />Cushions made from antique fabric and linen, as modeled by my couch.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Z09R4KFyJCO2DmHKy2ZX3Ow2iWTg29yXwqsEGSAwiAcAkSAN_ub3vGxaKut2QJf7-VJpJuOv_j0x98_SmZ_iW7SorTZVkrejrCLdUWBByBDJLeHlOJUA2Su4XG1FebemTLFuQMUqe8F-/s1600-h/craft+017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Z09R4KFyJCO2DmHKy2ZX3Ow2iWTg29yXwqsEGSAwiAcAkSAN_ub3vGxaKut2QJf7-VJpJuOv_j0x98_SmZ_iW7SorTZVkrejrCLdUWBByBDJLeHlOJUA2Su4XG1FebemTLFuQMUqe8F-/s400/craft+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410555326510660386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9N3GOWIGRh2Ou14fDEpoqIKSyeYQLllSgWP-gqwMkX9Fr5KOddTRUwKStfCCKINCSk_rqdmTDywFqdlR5Ih_3Xp1DYLWiW8FIwi78ZYblTlrDNCZ2nxg2Avgg5WBwuwZV0I15mmoU7HZ2/s1600-h/craft+016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9N3GOWIGRh2Ou14fDEpoqIKSyeYQLllSgWP-gqwMkX9Fr5KOddTRUwKStfCCKINCSk_rqdmTDywFqdlR5Ih_3Xp1DYLWiW8FIwi78ZYblTlrDNCZ2nxg2Avgg5WBwuwZV0I15mmoU7HZ2/s400/craft+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410555325389323058" border="0" /></a>Cushions made from linen and dyed vintage doilies, as modeled by my mid century Danish chair.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuQOvR1Ika9hBJKBIV622sd3Ks2CQkUNyCq3Lvm7EPXQVsQicV3b3C6GgP8t58MywJLpun9ibvARRvlivGkjcdAAg8X2G4-ghjTNkQx2MN-066mcMM5lEaCOeFdh9HwiBGP6UFhgIiO1p/s1600-h/craft+007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuQOvR1Ika9hBJKBIV622sd3Ks2CQkUNyCq3Lvm7EPXQVsQicV3b3C6GgP8t58MywJLpun9ibvARRvlivGkjcdAAg8X2G4-ghjTNkQx2MN-066mcMM5lEaCOeFdh9HwiBGP6UFhgIiO1p/s400/craft+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410555312950637170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTEs0i3UjTSFG-6VQZuq6CxVP92izRLp-f0_Xj56ahcw_-hrPcf2viloX9SGmkCNI-bzJUVm1T7TuQ7w2-KWoU3gqk2CCEMa5EBoiHMAwwSUec3VhB3bmPReFe8tKOEEXQ_b3TH4LI1x0/s1600-h/craft+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTEs0i3UjTSFG-6VQZuq6CxVP92izRLp-f0_Xj56ahcw_-hrPcf2viloX9SGmkCNI-bzJUVm1T7TuQ7w2-KWoU3gqk2CCEMa5EBoiHMAwwSUec3VhB3bmPReFe8tKOEEXQ_b3TH4LI1x0/s400/craft+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410555310210523442" border="0" /></a><br />Round garlands, as modeled by my living room wall. I think these would be perfect for general decoration (maybe a child's room?), Christmas tree adornment or to add a festive, circus-y vibe to any occasion.<br /><br />Hope to see you there! xxJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-26528506867239490312009-12-01T10:30:00.006+11:002009-12-01T11:02:35.348+11:00The Pad Thai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PKUzBHImESBK0T_02HSQn2xnV38hn3eYFJI00MZyw6abv44e2Ey0v3d77G_bgoKU-PUx42ZVj0-56nKtGZHBZx5C5nl2QU1h196B_m2SAEYukj159D8pAeqCNTmY5EOeuX0Y1S6UTDzW/s1600/November25+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PKUzBHImESBK0T_02HSQn2xnV38hn3eYFJI00MZyw6abv44e2Ey0v3d77G_bgoKU-PUx42ZVj0-56nKtGZHBZx5C5nl2QU1h196B_m2SAEYukj159D8pAeqCNTmY5EOeuX0Y1S6UTDzW/s400/November25+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410049905164882082" border="0" /></a><br />Last week when I made this, it was 36 degrees and I felt like something fresh, yummy and requiring minimal time over a hot stove. Today I'm wearing flannelet pajama pants and a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hoodie</span> (yeah, I'm not working much at the moment), despite the fact that it is technically the first day of Summer. Still, I think Pad Thai is pretty yummy in any weather, and this is an extra good recipe with all the authentic ingredients, unlike others I'd tried in the past (I'm looking at you, Donna Hay. Haven't you heard of tamarind?). I've adapted this recipe quite a lot to suit my personal tastes and the exotic ingredients I already had lurking about, but the original can be found in David Thompson's book <span style="font-style: italic;">Thai Street Food</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pad Thai<br /></span>Serves 2 (can be easily doubled to serve 4 or provide ample leftovers)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />125g dried rice noodles, approximately the width of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">linguini</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span>3 tablespoons palm sugar, finely grated<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">dilluted</span> in 2 tablespoons of water<br />1 tablespoon of fish sauce (or more if, like me, you like it extra salty and fishy!)<br />3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil<br />4 red shallots, or one small onion, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">corsely</span> chopped<br />1 teaspoon shrimp paste<br />2 eggs<br />5 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">snake beans</span>, cut into 3cm lengths<br />50g <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">beancurd</span> (I used freshly made puffs)<br />1/2 teaspoon shredded salted radish, rinsed and dried<br />1 tablespoon <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">coarsely</span> crushed roasted peanuts<br />a handful of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">beansprouts</span><br />a handful of garlic chives, cut into 2cm lengths<br />Extra bean sprouts, garlic chives, crushed peanuts, lime wedges, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">chili</span> powder and fried shallots, to serve<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">NB: all exotic-sounding ingredients should be easy to find at any Asian Supermarket<br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Method</span><br />1. Soak noodles in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">until</span> soft but still quite <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">al</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">dente</span>.<br />2. Combine the palm sugar, tamarind and fish sauce along with a tablespoon of water in a bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.<br />3. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry the shallots and shrimp paste until fragrant and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">beginning</span> to colour.<br />4. Crack in the eggs and scramble for about 30 seconds.<br />5. Turn up the heat, add the noodles and beans, and fry for about 30 seconds, tossing through the eggs.<br />6. Add the sauce and simmer until it is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">absorbed</span>.<br />7. Mix in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">bea</span>n curd, salted radish and peanuts, then simmer, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">stirring</span> until almost dry.<br />8. Add the bean sprouts and garlic chives and stir through.<br />9. Taste: it should be salty, sweet and sour. At this stage I usually add a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">glug</span> more fish sauce.<br />10. Serve topped with bean sprouts, lime wedges, extra garlic chives, peanuts, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">chili</span> powder and fried shallots. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-82066264175473191582009-11-30T11:11:00.005+11:002009-11-30T11:24:42.868+11:00A giggle and a smooch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qP9t0e95qBjWY9VVS_q5shFQWNoPhBg0nm8rOdXocqla9ymxbKg9TrDmGV7v-mfjeHDSVgfAf5F_a2TvV47ma19Xb1pyKx9D0xVLws6l3u0_GviM2l9g2PHYuMOgpfQ4Bz9dG1iP6nhj/s1600/sydney+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qP9t0e95qBjWY9VVS_q5shFQWNoPhBg0nm8rOdXocqla9ymxbKg9TrDmGV7v-mfjeHDSVgfAf5F_a2TvV47ma19Xb1pyKx9D0xVLws6l3u0_GviM2l9g2PHYuMOgpfQ4Bz9dG1iP6nhj/s400/sydney+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409684007596375042" border="0" /></a><br />Tom and I went to Sydney this weekend for a gig, or as I like to call them, a giggle (I also call the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">shmoozing</span> part that inevitably occurs afterwards a 'smooch'. Hence, a giggle and a smooch.) Sydney pretty much kicked our collective arse all weekend, but all was forgiven when we dropped back into our <a href="http://www.peppergreenantiques.com.au/">favourite antique shop</a> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Berrima</span> on the way home. I bought some amazing Art <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Nouveau</span>-y curtains with a geranium design for my craft <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pursuits</span>, and Tom bought me this adorable little Norwegian <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">saucepan</span> with a burnt handle as a late anniversary gift. I plan to use it exclusively for the purpose of brewing homemade <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">chai</span>. Fortuitously, it's rather chilly here at the moment so I've already given it a try, and it worked perfectly. For a good homemade <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">chai</span> recipe check out Ellen and Tara's beautiful blog <a href="http://awhistleandamilkshake.blogspot.com/2009/11/chai-tea-tasty-alternative-to-eye-of.html">A Whistle and a Milkshake</a>.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-41687872873393774792009-11-25T19:16:00.007+11:002009-11-25T19:59:10.697+11:00CraftGardenEatToday was a glorious, precious day off. I:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO3BZ_LNr1JBYpkptJgTQautusweXnDtx-aPzu0_xn2_COkybDcdJwzsdvC1Nw8R7P_RSDgOQNXDGtkncMvfeCuBcyMGHCntOWVTkm10t1mVquTIymRzGbCfjL3rBmnBXBenLGc-8iKdZ/s1600/November25+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO3BZ_LNr1JBYpkptJgTQautusweXnDtx-aPzu0_xn2_COkybDcdJwzsdvC1Nw8R7P_RSDgOQNXDGtkncMvfeCuBcyMGHCntOWVTkm10t1mVquTIymRzGbCfjL3rBmnBXBenLGc-8iKdZ/s400/November25+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407953683026732962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sewed like a crazy person and arranged a spot at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gorman</span> House Markets next Saturday the 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> of December to sell <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">prettie</span> things! A more detailed post on this with lots of pictures will be up soon.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9La8HThTc4UogpMRHpoX3iMnqAo2r3LeapvmBNiE7bQ19ccNBh3LMRsNWaa9ZvyFUlskKtVO51SrxYl6zGRxA138tCkp_lqADt6pm2twyInwbjNCRRptww_jw68Dw6Ir7hyphenhyphenzXljgKc9B/s1600/November25+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9La8HThTc4UogpMRHpoX3iMnqAo2r3LeapvmBNiE7bQ19ccNBh3LMRsNWaa9ZvyFUlskKtVO51SrxYl6zGRxA138tCkp_lqADt6pm2twyInwbjNCRRptww_jw68Dw6Ir7hyphenhyphenzXljgKc9B/s400/November25+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407953704363599746" border="0" /></a><br />Ate ginger candy. So soft and chewy and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">delicious</span>. Cost me $1.25 a packet at the Asian supermarket.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnn4lY89cJuqrRgPVjBl9PYsEw8y-w0qxKsz0bqSTnzR5WXtObSSksEY51x8y_rQHQ6BQleJ3GccxLnwIE5_COtbNxAc73WNLp6d0SzPsOvlYIyI0qicoos3eLy_B_dWUmLmUZn-gP6RY_/s1600/November25+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnn4lY89cJuqrRgPVjBl9PYsEw8y-w0qxKsz0bqSTnzR5WXtObSSksEY51x8y_rQHQ6BQleJ3GccxLnwIE5_COtbNxAc73WNLp6d0SzPsOvlYIyI0qicoos3eLy_B_dWUmLmUZn-gP6RY_/s400/November25+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407953685323523074" border="0" /></a><br />Dyed more doilies. What are our thoughts on the red, wise readers? Tom suggested I dye over it with blue to make purple, but I kind of enjoy the bloody succulence of this colour.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXtbTIV-EYHMMWTSLWP7qlm0Ran24-FJQnLnt34szRjHFDLNf6GPiqcEqmnmO8QGitByYbotUuZZd_93buWvFQVF1lV9LYKVxF5Tson51Hl9Ct3_OWNr9GI6rS9Ew9MEPmr_1RW9fr9rC/s1600/November25+007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXtbTIV-EYHMMWTSLWP7qlm0Ran24-FJQnLnt34szRjHFDLNf6GPiqcEqmnmO8QGitByYbotUuZZd_93buWvFQVF1lV9LYKVxF5Tson51Hl9Ct3_OWNr9GI6rS9Ew9MEPmr_1RW9fr9rC/s400/November25+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407953691803817490" border="0" /></a>Observed the first flowers on my eggplant plants. One day these will become lovely long glossy purple eggplants!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ELbOyxlwKlbPHHYlCZKGkhV5u8szpMN-Io2mqpESsk9OitHo0gJwIJrYRJ00N-ZaAIPCrpTT4-Nmu_vPcuG5wPuX-CYSEzw8TdO9EF-ordS-Ca93pd0QKPJBNpVlnmiCmlBnptIlU_iD/s1600/November25+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ELbOyxlwKlbPHHYlCZKGkhV5u8szpMN-Io2mqpESsk9OitHo0gJwIJrYRJ00N-ZaAIPCrpTT4-Nmu_vPcuG5wPuX-CYSEzw8TdO9EF-ordS-Ca93pd0QKPJBNpVlnmiCmlBnptIlU_iD/s400/November25+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407953692806939218" border="0" /></a><br />Made an epic Pad Thai. I saw the recipe in this morning's Food and Wine, the best feature of the Canberra Times, and knew I would have to make it tonight. I've been searching for a good, authentic recipe for a while, and this is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">definitely</span> the one for me. I shall share it, all in good time.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-65612622536465577522009-11-20T10:49:00.005+11:002009-11-20T11:18:24.630+11:00A Few Things. Peas, mostly.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHByWEx86aWQVysE0IJbz0uUr86qp1UQwUYp8cVqaf4SAlKyNVSGeVZ90TTBRoAvOr3iL7CKAhbxri_y_F4XeVvcyTGb3i47MJUr_DzRGhLQEOB5A7N9z-vaHD7E5dsk902NttJ4NK-kHO/s1600/November+020.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHByWEx86aWQVysE0IJbz0uUr86qp1UQwUYp8cVqaf4SAlKyNVSGeVZ90TTBRoAvOr3iL7CKAhbxri_y_F4XeVvcyTGb3i47MJUr_DzRGhLQEOB5A7N9z-vaHD7E5dsk902NttJ4NK-kHO/s400/November+020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405968575592665698" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Snowpeas</span> are possibly the most satisfying vegetable to grow. Planted these as <span style="font-style: italic;">seeds</span> less than a month ago and look at them go! Plus they are so pretty with their lovely curly fronds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtld-Xu7ssOh12bzQnJrE6kol0xodQM1qfTyZXYNF4B-2HDVlVSTul-7Vlm1LbnxYTlxnpHBpXaRr9yLpSn7Fx0EXUeHSGHC-r9rtSYBE06UjVLIICAn2ewQB-7yx1ANZKhtWp-0GRRckx/s1600/November+011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtld-Xu7ssOh12bzQnJrE6kol0xodQM1qfTyZXYNF4B-2HDVlVSTul-7Vlm1LbnxYTlxnpHBpXaRr9yLpSn7Fx0EXUeHSGHC-r9rtSYBE06UjVLIICAn2ewQB-7yx1ANZKhtWp-0GRRckx/s400/November+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405968567153106658" border="0" /></a><br />I've been sewing more cushions. Not for me this time, but an exciting, still undefined future project.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1m0kwvdinljBHTLArUtxJ2r-uuEfFvlVYqKKPfYzeDS-RjmEnhqQWFPtVVvF0tqfZH2XWbpCZogJ91XcJDfto30nbTN9yNSTdzXXe5OPDr1-gQduYFIBFWsHqIEWU_XINlFS1jPE82MH/s1600/November+030.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1m0kwvdinljBHTLArUtxJ2r-uuEfFvlVYqKKPfYzeDS-RjmEnhqQWFPtVVvF0tqfZH2XWbpCZogJ91XcJDfto30nbTN9yNSTdzXXe5OPDr1-gQduYFIBFWsHqIEWU_XINlFS1jPE82MH/s400/November+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405968600785399090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMGEDsKxJeW-FdWwCFUgxZ8I82WULb7UOjcRteZBPDI8792HCZhVj9ZjwaaDq6onL91lZ-qJkHW4je6MUlp19J4ZDhRIK8xz98VVWk0cxtqYEmpUcMkQwXdT2r2JypM34N1NNWZH-XKYv/s1600/November+029.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMGEDsKxJeW-FdWwCFUgxZ8I82WULb7UOjcRteZBPDI8792HCZhVj9ZjwaaDq6onL91lZ-qJkHW4je6MUlp19J4ZDhRIK8xz98VVWk0cxtqYEmpUcMkQwXdT2r2JypM34N1NNWZH-XKYv/s400/November+029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405968591825911170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I9fMdw1T3a7jcxFgkLTjNnIljQTSdMjpoowZJdd_ZDtuv6d3SuNR33aWf2Wxjziz9iUC6Kvc8ztokaUQ2QzwqiVB1vqb-iprJY1oBJi3zCJ9gqIcaZQ_daE53uk7UIPiezwZ3N_i9gIU/s1600/November+027.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I9fMdw1T3a7jcxFgkLTjNnIljQTSdMjpoowZJdd_ZDtuv6d3SuNR33aWf2Wxjziz9iUC6Kvc8ztokaUQ2QzwqiVB1vqb-iprJY1oBJi3zCJ9gqIcaZQ_daE53uk7UIPiezwZ3N_i9gIU/s400/November+027.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405968588201273618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlln0kabjY-ljvs4Zg44M7spW5f2yD3_UILgapNc4_1Mlejc9MW_o5ZBCqS7fYADOD8A-7dhGTi8OelmK_RFHSKvgTs1CMDZ3wRbs7DSVfAqyQ5fcEFrGJW_sNLKoXSEesMWmkCyCsTMv/s1600/November+031.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlln0kabjY-ljvs4Zg44M7spW5f2yD3_UILgapNc4_1Mlejc9MW_o5ZBCqS7fYADOD8A-7dhGTi8OelmK_RFHSKvgTs1CMDZ3wRbs7DSVfAqyQ5fcEFrGJW_sNLKoXSEesMWmkCyCsTMv/s400/November+031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405973215261874242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I have a new favorite cook book: Nigel Slater's <span style="font-style: italic;">Tender. </span>It's all about growing and cooking your own veggies, a theme close to my heart, but is also just achingly beautiful both in photography and in words. He begins the book with a list of his favourite smells: <span style="font-style: italic;">Snow (yes, I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">believe</span> it has a smell), dim sum, old books, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">cardamom</span>, beeswax, moss, warm flapjacks, a freshly snapped runner bean, a roasting chicken, a fleeting whiff of white <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">narcissi</span> on a freezing winter's day.</span><br /><br />The man speaks straight to my heat. Expect lots of yummy recipes from this in the future.<br /><br /><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Add_Image" title="Add Image" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="addImage();" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);;ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Add Image" class="gl_photo" border="0" /></span></span>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-13595329404969513342009-11-14T10:08:00.006+11:002009-11-25T19:43:18.386+11:00BerryLast weekend, Thomas and I went to Berry to celebrate five years of smug coupledom.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymDEDRYrvFaBs1gNv1GYgdvts8HYitRMeXl_Jfkj81a3IeNW19Kc8BvSh-VmfEFNHlCVaJCbQl78-M44UNia30XFba2TueCIoFNk5ESdP4UMyP8cnmGHo1n-7cCnqnPD2O0ilx8oIfWAd/s1600-h/Berry+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymDEDRYrvFaBs1gNv1GYgdvts8HYitRMeXl_Jfkj81a3IeNW19Kc8BvSh-VmfEFNHlCVaJCbQl78-M44UNia30XFba2TueCIoFNk5ESdP4UMyP8cnmGHo1n-7cCnqnPD2O0ilx8oIfWAd/s400/Berry+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403742673669567426" border="0" /></a>We started the weekend with a divine dinner at the very trendy, fusion asian style <a href="http://www.hungryduck.com.au/">Hungry Duck</a>. Our table wasn't ready when we got there, so we got to sit in their beautiful vegetable garden (from which much of the food they serve is made) and drink genmaicha (my favourite of the green teas) and eat our delicious entrees: chili squid with Chang Mai relish and pork buns by lantern light. Flavour sensational! Seriously though, if you ever go to the Hungry Duck do make sure you ask if you can start with drinks in the garden. It's truly magical!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-R6pVVrvcQOdZQ_ywiA9VbTavjocSJPvxv2MPbRJ-g60GGaEvvmC66wpCj1fSp1OQ7o71VRRqwiozcVjMchHFM7__0GPMfjgBgxhZs6nscyCFgFEdBeE9tK4_4keGhZC-kGmbKlUr-oq/s1600-h/Berry+025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-R6pVVrvcQOdZQ_ywiA9VbTavjocSJPvxv2MPbRJ-g60GGaEvvmC66wpCj1fSp1OQ7o71VRRqwiozcVjMchHFM7__0GPMfjgBgxhZs6nscyCFgFEdBeE9tK4_4keGhZC-kGmbKlUr-oq/s400/Berry+025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403729442018784450" border="0" /></a>We stayed at the quaintly named and naughtily beyond our budget <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.sojournatfarmeadow.com.au/">Sojourn at Far Valley</a> (look at their website for more photos, I couldn't do it justice). Which isn't actually in Berry but a place 10 minutes away called 'Far Valley'. It's a beautiful, green cow farm surrounded by stunning eucalyptus forest. There are only two cabins so it feels very exclusive, and the interior is incredibly sleek, modern, and alarmingly clean.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYHh1uP57n8Z9s6x2yV7ZFjtIj3oEIRLhDgzD5uGCXa3UHHuvxHsiw5BiDH42tDXsq9KbfmDsoNbdjOo3y9FHVv-SvzKl19UtHyIdv0R6XhtPcOb2iv_b3aayjwacfEeYi0Gf9WdOaiUF/s1600-h/Berry+017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYHh1uP57n8Z9s6x2yV7ZFjtIj3oEIRLhDgzD5uGCXa3UHHuvxHsiw5BiDH42tDXsq9KbfmDsoNbdjOo3y9FHVv-SvzKl19UtHyIdv0R6XhtPcOb2iv_b3aayjwacfEeYi0Gf9WdOaiUF/s400/Berry+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403729440541374642" border="0" /></a>I was awoken early by the cows, so spent some quality time with some quality magazines.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcarwqOVCEqOOIVPs0_H3_wGC89hUmFaKYkpEY4MIK2t4sh8dfBinsTLFl82FLDzNRwDqWrnyMx7Ji1ye_lfhnDm5hqE_Gnh3v9HvmXpotOLWKYbQ-F6KbqSARYLZV2kho722V8kusAiN/s1600-h/Berry+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcarwqOVCEqOOIVPs0_H3_wGC89hUmFaKYkpEY4MIK2t4sh8dfBinsTLFl82FLDzNRwDqWrnyMx7Ji1ye_lfhnDm5hqE_Gnh3v9HvmXpotOLWKYbQ-F6KbqSARYLZV2kho722V8kusAiN/s400/Berry+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403729429053181474" border="0" /></a>We spent a lot of time on the deck reading, drinking wine and eating cheese and fig paste. It was perfection, except the cheese tasted like petroleum. Tom declared 'I will not let our weekend be ruined by bad cheese!' and huffily drove back into town and insisted that the shop replace it. It was hillarious.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKFswDv5erKUSFYwLM-KPpkZ-e5wEAW1k9LN9OIREgOAWGWVI2ZztLCKQGCy2rxaVxupvGAYnQInQt6mjXCalNLepLGEl7WIP_0OJRHSyZvTsPdYeZ4wsXsTDuy5e2pRG8YRilTpgAgnD/s1600-h/Berry+054.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKFswDv5erKUSFYwLM-KPpkZ-e5wEAW1k9LN9OIREgOAWGWVI2ZztLCKQGCy2rxaVxupvGAYnQInQt6mjXCalNLepLGEl7WIP_0OJRHSyZvTsPdYeZ4wsXsTDuy5e2pRG8YRilTpgAgnD/s400/Berry+054.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403729448116824738" border="0" /></a>On the second night we picked up lovely fresh oysters and prawns from nearby Nowra and ate them in our stylish digs. Tom cooked a scrumptious asparagus dish (the trick is to cut the asparagus in half length ways so there is plenty of exposed surface to caramelize against the hot pan), which was the highlight of the whole meal. We drank some fancily-labeled beers and made a huge mess.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BGQCSsnAECXjS0qP_ClUt-jRG8SXwGVXy0tPwDUzMQBNsyWc_o7lx8Fz7f3Wyqf8jXeVFnG-mn0rhTM5iBG7ey_HAidLSux-UNtz7HB9W0W49iTsrJlTjFSKzkgeyPZ-Xj2-wFG92xBO/s1600-h/Berry+060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BGQCSsnAECXjS0qP_ClUt-jRG8SXwGVXy0tPwDUzMQBNsyWc_o7lx8Fz7f3Wyqf8jXeVFnG-mn0rhTM5iBG7ey_HAidLSux-UNtz7HB9W0W49iTsrJlTjFSKzkgeyPZ-Xj2-wFG92xBO/s400/Berry+060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403734919517385794" border="0" /></a>After dinner, a frog came to our veranda to visit! He was rather friendly/scared stiff and patiently posed for photos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAaeE96ibLFv2V9K9vjYiAgXRsfoZd1T69TTS6FyxSLBvpScijBmGd9dpTrF6cSbOKTagfS5_gXoItiP4WefPM2C-cEmW_fBFj5tFMDn1BVogaia8ArmhYubnIbR2G-Y5Im5KYSdv_LsL/s1600-h/Berry+070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAaeE96ibLFv2V9K9vjYiAgXRsfoZd1T69TTS6FyxSLBvpScijBmGd9dpTrF6cSbOKTagfS5_gXoItiP4WefPM2C-cEmW_fBFj5tFMDn1BVogaia8ArmhYubnIbR2G-Y5Im5KYSdv_LsL/s400/Berry+070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403734924995197474" border="0" /></a>On Sunday we ate at the very famous, and rightly so, Berry Woodfired Bakery. Like Silo (for you Canberra peeps), but possibly even better. I ate three loaves of their bread over the weekend and in the days that followed. Tom took lots of posy photos of me with bed hair while we waited for our meals (mussel linguine which wasn't as good as mine, salad and kipfler potato wedges with a tasty homemade tomato relish. What is it with Berry people and their relishes?).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDGoQ7NpWqN52QwmUdn_qKGLw8vN4_YjBRlq9mREmEVeE0NM8Z2asl2RMdL6U8NxYegQ5sYGsNlrNfCemmhYIdXUJsxFHzP93nYz_zAgb47RoXGTUv64qTryusk6kTDV1Gdg7yd2pDVjb/s1600-h/Berry+077.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDGoQ7NpWqN52QwmUdn_qKGLw8vN4_YjBRlq9mREmEVeE0NM8Z2asl2RMdL6U8NxYegQ5sYGsNlrNfCemmhYIdXUJsxFHzP93nYz_zAgb47RoXGTUv64qTryusk6kTDV1Gdg7yd2pDVjb/s400/Berry+077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403734934555331698" border="0" /></a>On the beautiful, windy drive home through fairy glens and semi-rainforest, we stopped at a few roadside honesty store thingies. I thought this one was particularly charming with its colourful flowers. We bought a gigantic lettuce which looked more like a conifer that had been sculpted into a cone shape.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChuMMEg5G13LKPTO34qYoRLq5ZjbXOFsz1UXE65TRi9gECuW6wiqdTo7BjhWVkia1UIdDAUPfeXnvKeG5EIMuexUYYqDfIbrzdWpzcYSS0hldzLkczt96F2Cf1z3YkSRGGvkJDXC_qUyH/s1600-h/Berry+094.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChuMMEg5G13LKPTO34qYoRLq5ZjbXOFsz1UXE65TRi9gECuW6wiqdTo7BjhWVkia1UIdDAUPfeXnvKeG5EIMuexUYYqDfIbrzdWpzcYSS0hldzLkczt96F2Cf1z3YkSRGGvkJDXC_qUyH/s400/Berry+094.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403734940677357618" border="0" /></a>We also stopped at a magnificent, gigantic antique shop in Berrima. These shoes were from 1910 and were teeny tiny! We're actually planning a trip back there soon. It's the kind of place you could get lost in and spend all day.Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-31923230604898800522009-10-26T16:04:00.007+11:002009-10-26T16:35:19.214+11:00Cushioned<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jArUWCmtGGPnjVjMwQ1b6JTBD9DktpV1L8lYlmrSu9JJo7dXZs9rk3dCxVpRSqlZdggae5WWmpGYfiL0EQw0xTI-f61CSWTczCNd3nhsj9jB6gPqA9ko61rGHdhreDjyTS45UgHfmm3C/s1600-h/26+Oct+004.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExIuOBscIHgAyClUSGSlWxCVrfl4-mBYjDriVFaV7EtEB_hDDFdSdetCyjo_QH7CtLOO78vM0IHzbdjnh3lRn8s4iFFUnVc9gSNMUY9Ud9WCvO7naA6adV2U7UfclF-iXy6diarywiQ_q/s1600-h/26+Oct+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExIuOBscIHgAyClUSGSlWxCVrfl4-mBYjDriVFaV7EtEB_hDDFdSdetCyjo_QH7CtLOO78vM0IHzbdjnh3lRn8s4iFFUnVc9gSNMUY9Ud9WCvO7naA6adV2U7UfclF-iXy6diarywiQ_q/s400/26+Oct+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396775568423524338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Lengthy periods of unofficial unemployment/underemployment seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life this year. I have the kind of job where one week they can't get enough of me, and the next week they tell me they'll 'call' me when they need me next. Which sometimes isn't for three weeks. Financially, it is rather irksome, but in truth I wish I didn't enjoy it quite so much. Maybe then I'd find a new job. My housemate, KC, said to me the other day: "I think that maybe you're just not supposed to work." I think she's definitely right, the employment gods are clearly urging me elsewhere. I just don't know where yet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jArUWCmtGGPnjVjMwQ1b6JTBD9DktpV1L8lYlmrSu9JJo7dXZs9rk3dCxVpRSqlZdggae5WWmpGYfiL0EQw0xTI-f61CSWTczCNd3nhsj9jB6gPqA9ko61rGHdhreDjyTS45UgHfmm3C/s1600-h/26+Oct+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jArUWCmtGGPnjVjMwQ1b6JTBD9DktpV1L8lYlmrSu9JJo7dXZs9rk3dCxVpRSqlZdggae5WWmpGYfiL0EQw0xTI-f61CSWTczCNd3nhsj9jB6gPqA9ko61rGHdhreDjyTS45UgHfmm3C/s400/26+Oct+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396775572446664866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I did not make Mr Rabbit, only the cushion against which he is nestled.<br /></span></div><br />Perhaps I shall be a cushion maker. I have made not one, but four (!) cushions on a real sewing machine using my own hands over the last couple of weeks. Some of them even have zippers, although I soon realised that such feats of manchesterial dexterity are better left to more experienced sewers.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVNfX37PXjBFIRWRF71zQVdYPBMP5DMocWm4Lq4PJK_7jH12hisfmgLNfMwPDxNvJ53cr8k85DTsmBpel2JJq2Nh55WQ7K_IOm-ejSPvi1VwA4OwFBNknf5hFZIfTLhgnc1WiNi_5O6hj/s1600-h/26+Oct+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVNfX37PXjBFIRWRF71zQVdYPBMP5DMocWm4Lq4PJK_7jH12hisfmgLNfMwPDxNvJ53cr8k85DTsmBpel2JJq2Nh55WQ7K_IOm-ejSPvi1VwA4OwFBNknf5hFZIfTLhgnc1WiNi_5O6hj/s400/26+Oct+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396775578258355010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Those last three cushions were easy. But this one took months to make. I'm not even sure if I even like the colours anymore. Instructions to make one of yer own are <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/07/yoyo-craft.html">here</a>. And yes, that is Elvis's chin up there. Isn't he darling?</span><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001486424988431322.post-81869581112915943252009-10-21T13:29:00.005+11:002009-10-23T14:58:34.956+11:00Hippy Beans<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvVEFlm7FWFsOo-pSF-GT3vH7Q4Nsq2HwpWjXrowzxQplu5yuChzPavmatSGGKBAjUlSvxyDYDwuiM8K_eMFq7TMJHJj10R7BHEqLl-xaknSa8MpZsaOxaQD3NeSEb5ZSHhc_gF3po5ew/s1600-h/21+oct+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvVEFlm7FWFsOo-pSF-GT3vH7Q4Nsq2HwpWjXrowzxQplu5yuChzPavmatSGGKBAjUlSvxyDYDwuiM8K_eMFq7TMJHJj10R7BHEqLl-xaknSa8MpZsaOxaQD3NeSEb5ZSHhc_gF3po5ew/s400/21+oct+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395639574987359010" border="0" /></a><br />So, among other things, this blog was supposed to be a space for me to document notable things I've cooked, thus reminding me that a day that ends in a delicious home cooked meal is a day not wasted. Instead, it seems to have turned into a photo album of baby things. Curious that.<br /><br />Anyway, last week my dear friend Katy gave me a very early, very generous Christmas present: the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leon-Ingredients-Recipes-Allegra-McEvedy/dp/1840915021">Leon cookbook </a>(thanks, Katy!). It's pretty fabulous, full of lift outs and cut outs and pop outs and all kinds of novelty fun, but also some very useful information on ingredients (did you know that Australian stringy-bark honey is perhaps the most environmentally friendly, pure honey in the world? Or that microwaving a lime for 40 seconds before juicing it will make it much, much juicer?) and some fantastic, whole-foody recipes, including this one.<br /><br />I've adjusted it quite a lot based on my personal preferences and skint budget, so my version uses kale instead of baby spinach (for health reasons - kale is supposedly ultra super good for you) and omitted the addition of a punnet of cherry tomatoes (that just seemed wasteful). I also played around with the spices a bit, adding some ground coriander to deepen the flavour.<br /><br />This recipe is actually more vegetable than it is beans, which makes it feel extra wholesome, and means it makes for a very balanced meal already, just served with bread or rice. I love cooking huge pots of stewy goodness that would be more than enough for a family of six, but feeds the two of us for several days. And I love cooking burrito-y style things served with a plethora of little bits to add, like toasted tortias, coriander, lime wedges and avocado. Something about little bowls of goodness makes me happy, and remind me of how eagerly I would grate the carrots and the cheese whenever my Mum made tacos (from an Old El Paso packet, of course) back in the day. Topped with a big, delicious German beer - or more appropriately, a Mexican one - this is the ultimate feel good meal.<br /><br />Serves at least six, or two for one dinner and several lunches.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients<br /></span><span>Olive oil</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>1 large eggplant, cut into large cubes<br />2 red capsicups, cut into large cubes<br />1 tsp ground cummin<br />1 tsp ground coriander<br />1 large onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic<br />3 red chillis, or 3 tsp sambal olek, or to taste (this much will make it pretty burny on your tongue)<br />2 tins tomatoes<br />1 bunch kale, cut into 2cm wide shreds<br />2 tins beans (I used one tin of black beans, one tin of mixed beans, but go for whatever combo works for you<br />1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce (the secret ingredient, apparently). <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Extras<br /></span></span>Warmed tortias<br />Lime wedges<br />Lots of coriander leaves<br />Avocado<br />Grated cheese<br />Sour cream<br />Jalapenos<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Method</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><br /><br />1. In a large frying pan, heat </span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span>a glug of olive oil, and fry the capsicum and eggplant chunks over high heat until tender and charred in places. You will probably have to do this in batches. Set aside.<br />2. In a large stockpot, heat another glug of olive oil and fry the onion untill transparent. Add the garlic, spices, chilli and kale and fry, stirring constantly for one minute so that the kale gets coated in oily goodness.<br />3. Add the eggplants and capsicums, tinned tomatoes, beans, and sweet chilli sauce, stir thoroughly and bring to the boil.<br />4. Reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer for half an hour with the lid on the pot, then half an hour off.<br />5. Serve with bread, rice or full mexican fixings. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192689753132232821noreply@blogger.com0