Thursday, July 3, 2014

from the kitchen

Hello!

I'm not sure anyone if anyone is still checking on this little space. The longer one is away the harder it feels to break the ice. Why does time fly by so quickly these days?

But we won't harp on that.

I thought I'd show you a few snaps taken in the kitchen. My camera too, has been sorely neglected of late.

Nothing fancy in the kitchen these days. I tend to make the same things over and over. If something works and you don't need a recipe, just intuition of substituting what you have on hand, then that is something worth coming back to. Which is about as fast food as it gets around here. I rarely try new recipes these days, but for awhile there I made a point of trying a new one every week. Goodness knows I have far too many recipe books. May as well use them.


Now this is an old shot from months ago. The mushrooms are long gone around here, but I couldn't not show you, it was the best season I have seen since I was a kid. These are from my in-law's property down the road. Found tucked away in the bush behind the paddocks. I will be back next year to try my luck.


Which is best cooked simply with butter and parsley.




Experimenting with spelt flour and potato gnocchi. (Though next time I may stick to ordinary flour as these were a little too soft). I always get extra "help" making gnocchi these days. The discovery of a long ago purchased potato ricer made the whole process much easier.


 A suckling pig, bought from a local free range farm for a big family feast. Stuffed and rubbed with fennel seeds, garlic, rosemary, olive oil and salt courtesy of Nonna. All day on the spit roast and several days worth of meat. Food really does bring family together.



Apple cake.


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It feels good to be back. I missed my little outlet into the world of like minded souls.

54 comments:

  1. I'm so glad to see you in this space. Life really gets so busy, especially when you are raising a family.

    I find I cook the same things over and over again too, but I've been trying to change that. Pinterest has added so many new recipes to my list and I am making at least one new one a week which my guys are really enjoying.

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  2. You have been gone far too long Tania! The suckling pig meal sounds so delicious and the fact it is shared with family makes it sound even better. I have a real soft spot for gnocchi. Growing up our neighbours were Italian and I used to get invited over often for meals especially when it was gnocchi. They couldn't believe someone so small could devour so much pasta in one sitting xo

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  3. I still check in here, it's nice to see you here again, I enjoy reading your posts. Those mushrooms look amazing, but that apple cake, yum! Now I know what to make with the last of the Granny Smiths languishing in the fridge. Julie

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  4. lovely to see you here again, especially with your delicious food!

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  5. Welcome back Tania. I picked my first mushrooms in the paddock across the road on the weekend. But I am the only one who will eat them in this house - so I saved them for my breakfast. Your pig reminds me of my childhood. So many carcasses hanging in the shower and scaring the wits out of us at bath time. The basting and turning over an open fire. It is a wonderful family ritual. x

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  6. I was just thinking about you the other day and how much I missed your posts. Welcome back

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  7. Welcome back and what a perfect way to mark your return; beautiful photos of family and food x

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  8. Lovely to see you back here!! What a great little crop of mushrooms you had... yum! And that teacake looks delicious!! x

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  9. Always good to read what is happening with you and the family - love seeing your photos xx

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  10. Good wholesome,local and family cooking right here! I use to cook new recipes all the time and it cost me a fortune but now i am cooking the same recipes over and over like you said. Currently using up everything in my organic box and anything bulk I can get here. Any knitting of late? Happy to see you pop up in my reader list.

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  11. Yay ! Welcome back!!!
    I'll forgive you if you'll share that recipe for the apple cake - it looks AH-mazing!!
    Did you guys receive any of the snow in the past few weeks ?
    Lauren
    :)

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  12. We've missed you too! You have such a lovely space here and I always love hearing about the little day to day moments in your life. It's like catching up with my friends that live a long way away - it's all about 'I made this, I baked this, the kids are doing this, how are you?!' The very best kind of conversations! :)

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  13. Nice to see you pop up in my blog feed thingy again! Wild mushrooms, how marvellous.

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  14. Nice to see you pop up again. I too have lost my way with blogging but perhaps feel it returning again. I was wondering, I had a memory that a while back you were going more paleo/grain free with your diet, for general wellbeing reasons? I am contemplating this for health reasons for my son and wondered if you would share your experience with this, if it was beneficial/time consuming/socially challenging/worth it/still doing it? mel x

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  15. Welcome back I have missed you so

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  16. Lovely to see your post....and all the yummy food you and your family have been making.

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  17. Hi Tania,

    Always so lovely to hear from you. You have been missed. Violet has grown!

    These dishes look sensational. I was at my friend's house the other day and she was making up potato gnocchi while I was sitting up at her bench and she pulled out her new ricer and I immediately wanted to go out and get one! Best invention ever!

    Hope you are enjoy the rest of your holidays. Ours start tomorrow....

    Mel xxx

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  18. Good to see you back, I've missed your posts xx

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  19. Yum! Mushrooms, pasta, pig on a spit! Looks great.

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  20. I love reading your posts, and miss them when you aren't here, but I also understand how life gets in the way of blogging, sometimes.

    Love the photos of your life!

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  21. Oh my those mushrooms took me right back to collecting mushrooms on my grandparents farm in Otago Nz...can almost taste them. Love that you are back. Inspiring me to do the same.

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  22. I always like seeing a new post of yours pop up.
    All delicious food at your place. the apple cake looks especially tasty.
    x

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  23. Good to see you back! Beautiful pictures & I don't think it really matters how long you are gone people will always be here waiting :)

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  24. Thank you for coming back I have missed you, you have always been an inspiration to me (an older person) and I love getting ideas and motivation from you. Carol

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  25. oh welcome back you've been missed.
    Loved those gnocci making photos, a real homely kitchen scene.
    cheers kate

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  26. Hi Tanya, I have just returned also from a well needed blog break and it feels good, actually great to be back again. I'm so glad your still around too, I hope you stay a while.
    We got some mushrooms this year as well but Hubby was a bit unsure about them and wouldn't let me cook them! I was so cranky, they looked exactly like yours, I knew what they were so I just won't tell him next time! x

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  27. Oh, it's so lovely to see this post. I'm feeling hungry now after reading it; everything looks just delicious!! Nicely photographed and really prettily described. xxx

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  28. I would like to know more about the mushrooms. They grow in my yard and woods, but I'm never sure which are edible. The picture of your kitchen help is very sweet...blessings

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  29. I've always been too intimidated by wild mushrooms. But, my, what a bounty you found! Nice to see your comings and goings. Gosh, the kids are getting big!

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  30. Well hello there!!!!!!!!!! We had a mushroom feast recently too...my friend down the road has them popping up all around her yard. Delicious!

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  31. Your blog is a breath of fresh air! I am so happy to have stumbled upon it :)

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  32. Just discovered your lovely blog and hope you will be back to write again soon. I loved seeing the pictures of your family stuffing the pig - I can't say I've ever thought of getting a whole pig but it looks fabulous x Rebecca

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  33. Gosh i've missed you!!
    Yours is always such an inspirational little corner.
    Hope you're well xx

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  34. Gosh i've missed you!!
    Yours is always such an inspirational little corner.
    Hope you're well xx

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  35. Missing you and this space! Hope all is well. xx

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  36. I miss your posts and hope everything is ok

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  37. Hi Tania, missing your posts. I hope you and your family are well. Take care Elaina xo

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  38. Merry christmas to you and your family :) I hope you enjoy the holiday season.

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  39. Merry christmas! Ihope you and your family enjoy the festive season. :)

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  40. Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas!! Hope you are well and happy and enjoying the silly season. xx

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  41. Hallo Tania,,,I really hope that all is good with you and you re just simply too busy or had enough of blogging...I hope this finds you in good health&good spirit..! Hugs,Zsuzsi

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  42. I miss your posts, are you coming back?

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  43. HI Tanya,
    Just hoping everything is ok with you and your family. I miss your posts. After reading Edwina's post (the old post office) yesterday I wanted to reach out to you and say hi. Hope you are well.

    xx

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  44. Gosh I miss you! You inspired me so deeply and consistently. Hope you are all well xx

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  45. Gosh I miss you! You inspired me so deeply and consistently. Hope you are all well xxx

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  46. I miss reading your posts. Hope everything is well with you and yours xo

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  47. Hooray..you're back! This post has made my day - you can't imagine how much I've missed your quiet country adventures!! Best wishes to you Tania x

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  48. One year and one day sice you have posted, I miss you and hope that you are well and life is good xx

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  49. Still missing you - heaps - I hope you are well and happy xx

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