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In My Kitchen this month is a very large stack of new cookbooks. The lack of inspiration I had been suffering of late has been banished thanks to this influx of new ideas. As most are aware, IKEA is the home of the impulse purchase, which is exactly how Our Food Naturally found its way into my house. Packed full of great seasonal recipes, together with simple ideas for re-purposing leftovers, this book was a steal at $19.
Sara Wilson’s Simplicious focuses on whole, unprocessed foods, and contains a great introduction to fermented vegetables and drinks. It too is packed with ideas for using up leftovers, stretching your food further and generally living a little lighter on this planet. Heidi Swanson’s Near & Far is full of beautiful vegetarian recipes, influenced by Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. I love the cleanness of Heidi’s food, which I often turn to after overindulging.
Whilst I have long been a Jamie Oliver devotee, I am unsure about his new book Everyday Super Food. I should love it, given its focus on healthy, unprocessed food, however the first recipe I tried was not well received by the family. I think I will reserve judgment until I’ve cooked a few more recipes. I rarely cook Asian food as it is not a cuisine I am confident with. I am hoping that is all about to change with Adam Liaw’s Asian Cookery School. Packed full of approachable, simple recipes, and good explanations about the basics of Asian cooking, my progress so far has been encouraging.
I have taken a number of Yoke Mardewi’s sourdough classes over the years, and whilst I cook many of her recipes, most are still in the class notes which makes them difficult to locate at times. Wild Sourdough by Hand is her latest book, and has all my favourites compiled in one place, as well as some new recipes and new takes on old classics. Eloise Emmett’s The Real Food for Kids Cookbook is full of simple recipes designed to get the kids helping out in the kitchen. Her lasagna cups were a big hit, and perfect for The Princess’s lunchbox.
After spending the last few weeks scouring the neighborhood for free mulberries, being sprung in laneways, and generally making a nuisance of myself, my dad turned up unannounced on my doorstep last night with a very large bucket of fresh mulberries. This represents but a small sample of the many mulberries I now have. I see another batch of mulberry curd in my future, as well as smoothie cubes, pie, and frozen berries. Any other suggestions would be very welcome.
I have been expanding my fermenting adventures this month. The carrot and daikon pickles are earmarked for fresh spring rolls and bahn mi rolls. The cucumber slices were a bit of a gamble, so much so that I didn’t write the recipe down. I am kicking myself for my disorganisation now, as the pickles are delicious and I wish to make more. I also have about six kilos of sauerkraut tucked away in Mr Grumpy’s beer fridge, which at the rate he is eating it won’t last long.
My biggest discovery this month is these chipotles in adobo sauce. I bought a tin a while ago for a recipe that was never made, and that tin had been sitting in my cupboard for ages. A few weeks ago, whilst searching for a little something extra to add to tacos, I finally opened it. Well, what a revelation. The chipotles, finely chopped & stirred through sour cream, are amazing. After having the initial tin sitting in my cupboard for ages, I have already had to replenish my supply.
Finally In My Kitchen this month is my meagre collection of hand-knitted dishcloths. I am a very basic knitter, and the last time I tried to knit a garment it did not end well. Celia kindly gave me a simple pattern that even I couldn’t stuff up (in theory), and I knitted up a storm … until the cotton ran out. I have yet to buy more cotton, hence the meagre collection. Maybe next month.
That is about it for my kitchen this month. To see what is happening in other kitchens around the world, head over to Celia’s at Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.
Clever you knitting dishclothes. I wish I could knit properly. Isn’t Ikea the land of impulse purchases, I always come back with a random assortment of things I just had to try out! The mulberries look gorgeous.
As long as you don’t look too closely at my dishcloths you will be impressed Vicki 😀 I don’t thin they stand up to close scrutiny. I try to avoid IKEA for exactly that reason 😉
You are welcome to come and raid our mulberry tree, have to beat the birds though! Those ones look beautiful. Adam Liaw’s TV show is great, he really has a gentle approach that people seem to open up to. I’m sure you will learn a lot if his boo is a similar style. Gorgeous pickles and cute dishcloths, must give them a try. Good presents I think.
I think I’m good for mulberries now thanks Maree 😀 They are beautiful berries. I’ve never watched Adam’s TV show, and the book was a complete impulse purchase, but I love how approachable it is. I am now going to hunt out his other books. I will take a look at his TV show next time it is on too. Thanks for that.
I adore mulberries. such a shame the season is so short and they are hard to find.
It is such a short season isn’t it. My parents live a few hours away so whilst their tree is apparently loaded I can’t just raid it at will 🙁
Those dish clothes are spiff! I’ve thought about ordering the new Jamie Oliver book. ( I have most of his other ones) Hope some of the other recipes get a better reception. 🙂
Thanks Marilyn. I do love Jamie, and I applaud what he is trying to achieve, but I’m still not 100% sold on this book. Ask me again in a few months 🙂
Oh I adore your pickles. I have a real weakness for all things fermented. They look wonderful. Yum.
Thanks Jennifer. I am really enjoying experimenting with fermented foods, and I have noticed a real change in my gut health since doing so.
Hi Tania, your pickles look great.
Thanks Glenda. I’m really happy with the way they are turning out.
Tania, I love the look of those mulberries – I have never cooked with them but the curd sounds delicious!
To be honest Ania, other than mulberry jam I had never cooked with them either until this year 🙂 Now they are going into everything.
I love those chipole peppers – we have them stirred through passatta for baked eggs – delicious!! Jan x
Oooh I love the sound of that Jan. Will have to give it a go. They are fantastic aren’t they.
Love the mulberries, they are very difficult to find here. I have thinking about fermenting, just haven’t gotten around to it. Your pickles look delicious. Nice collection of cookbooks as well.
Fermenting is so easy Gretchen. I think the hardest thing is actually starting, but once you know the basics it is really easy to ferment things quite quickly. The cucumbers are so delicious that I have just planted my own plants to make some more.
What a lovely pile of cookbooks – they always make me happy.
I am in the process of knitting a few dishcloths too – Celia’s influence gets around.
I think that was why I was in such a funk Amanda. No new cookbooks. Celia is so influential I think many people are getting dishcloths for Christmas 😀
Those mulberries sure look delicious!
Thanks Liz. They are quite delicious.
Tania, I’ve never tasted a mulberry, but the bounty from your Dad looks succulent! Have fun transforming them. 🙂 Your pickled daikon made me hungry for sushi! Thanks, too, for reminding me about chipotle peppers in adobo — I’ve been out of them for far too long. A friend recently gifted me with some of her spare cookbooks and it’s been fun anticipating new recipes and flavors… your stack looks like it’ll keep you entertained (and in your kitchen) for a long time!
I couldn’t even start to describe a mulberry to you Kim, but they are as delicious as every other berry 🙂 I’m working my way through the pickled daikon, and have come to the conclusion I am not that big a fan. I’m not too sure I would do pickled daikon again, but I have plans to do some pickled carrot for bahn mi when I’ve finished this lot. My cookbook stack is slowly being worked through. How exciting to have new cookbooks gifted to you. Lucky you!
i love this post tania. what cute dishcloths. and all the pickles Yum! i love mulberries but people keep pulling out the trees – i think because when the fruit drops it is so messy. i have to find myself a tin of those chipotles. did you get them in a deli?
Thank you Sherry 🙂 Mulberries are such a beautiful tree that we are thinking of planting one. Blow the mess 😉 I bought the chipotles in a bulk food-style place, but I have also seen them in a number of delis and even a larger IGA. They are becoming much easier to find, which is good now that I have discovered how good they are ;D