This month my kitchen is full of Tasmania produce that I lugged home from our recent holiday to the tune of much grumbling from Mr Grumpy. Sometimes he really earns that name. I’d never quite realised that Tasmania was such a large truffle producer, so was surprised to find a lot of truffle infused foods on offer. I settled on this truffle risotto, which will be handy to have in the cupboard for a quick meal when the weather cools down. The sea salt is a new addition to my growing collection of salt from around the world.
We ate much cheese whilst away, but sadly couldn’t bring everything home. I stilled managed to tuck a small sample into the luggage though. The Pyengana Tasty Cheddar was awarded best cheddar in Australia last year, although to be honest I preferred the Vintage Cheddar. I don’t usually buy ‘flavoured’ cheese but I really did like the taste of the Ashgrove Wild Wasabi, infused with Tasmanian wasabi. We could only buy the cloth wrapped cheddar direct from Ashgrove so I couldn’t leave without a block.
Speaking of wasabi, I had heard great things about the Tasmanian wasabi but it proved very difficult to actually find. I finally located a packet of dried wasabi on our last day in Launceston, which will make approximately 100g of wasabi paste. Given how hot it is, this should be sufficient for a few meals. All I need to do now is make sushi. I have had sumac and ginger powder on my shopping list for ages so took the opportunity to avoid postage when I found a large range of Herbie’s Spices at the same shop.
Yes I did carry all this salmon back in my hand luggage. The hot smoked salmon at 41o South is possibly the best I have ever tasted and I was not going home without some (or a lot). We have already started eating these supplies, which will last for up to six weeks in the fridge. Thankfully they also do mail order, so I can replenish when this lot is gone.
One of the berry farms we visited had a range of liqueurs made from their own fruit. Nigel Slater is quite the fan of Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) in his pudding recipes, and I am quite the fan of Nigel Slater, so with my own bottle can now recreate more of his recipes. I don’t often buy jam as I make a lot of my own low sugar jams. Yet I couldn’t pass up this raspberry jam. It tastes of raspberries rather than sugar, which is how jam should be in my opinion. I have been meaning to make Worcestershire sauce for a while now. Maybe this will be my year. Until then I have this lovely bottle of artisan sauce to fill the gap.
That is it for my kitchen this month. Don’t forget to hop over to Celia’s at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial to see what is happening in other kitchens around the world.
Ah, Tasmania is heaven on earth for food lovers (we have a house in Lindisfarne and visit all too infrequently)… What a haul you have there! Just glorious. We always travel with a chiller bag, specifically for things like smoked fish and the like! I hope you enjoy using all these goodies!
That it is Liz 🙂 I have learnt the hard way about the chiller bag, so always pack one in my suitcase now. We have made a huge dent in the cheese so far, or rather The Princess has 🙂
Love that haul Tania. Worcestershire sauce is also on my to do list (for some time now). I’ll race you to it.
Unless the weather cools down sometime soon Jo you will absolutely win that race 🙂 Let me know if you make it. I will be interested in your experiences.
Superb haul Tania – especially love the smoked salmon and the Worcestershire sauce. I bet that tastes nothing like the commercially made stuff.
Thanks Nancy 🙂 I do love the flavour in the Worcestershire. I really do need to make my own.
That’s a fabulous assortment of goodies. Tasmania really is pretty awesome for food, I’ve only been there once but I would love to visit again.
Thanks 🙂 It was an amazing place for food. Pity I couldn’t bring more back with me but I just couldn’t carry it all.
tHAT SALMON LOOKS AMAZING!
It is very, very good!
I am dying to go to Tasmania and fingerscrossed this year is the year!!!! Wonderful things happening in your kitchen and handbag this month Tania 🙂 Jan x
I hope you get there soon Jan. It really was a great trip, even at the height of summer. Not too hot, which was good.
Hi, Tania. Looks like you have so much pretty things in your kitchen. 😉 I could just eat everything edible here, especially those smoked fish, cheese (Oh, how I love cheese!!!) and the sumac. 😀 Can’t wait how you use them. Have a lovely day!
Thanks Jhuls. Most of the cheese has been eaten by The Princess. I have flaked some of the salmon through a salad and am also thinking of making salmon rillettes with some of the remainder. As to the sumac, I use this a lot when I cook fish. I mix sumac, salt & pepper into flour, then dust the fish fillets before I pan fry them. I love the little punch of flavour it adds. Thanks for stopping by.
What a wonderful holiday you must have had with all of those foodie goodies. I would love to do a Tasmanian holiday.
Tasmania is a fabulous place to visit Christine. Even without all the great food, there is so much history too. I hope you get there soon.
What an array of treasures – wasabi cheese!, smoked salmon, currant liqueur… and more sea salt. Food envy here.
Thanks! I always try to come back from a trip with a haul of goodies. Much to my husbands disgust 🙂
Aaah, a true foodie! Who else would carry smoked salmon home in their hand luggage? The cheeses look delish too and grumpy hubbies need to remember how much they like eating well! 🙂 Like you, I’m not usually a fan of flavoured cheeses, but I AM a fan of Nigel Slater! x
Tis madness that identifies the true foodie 🙂 He only ever complains as he is carrying it. Never once he is eating it. You can’t not love Nigel can you Celia.
I can’t believe how much you fitted in your luggage Tania, well done! Though I have to say we always come back from Tassie with raspberry jam, and last time a big bag of flour from the Oatlands mill…so I can’t really talk 🙂
I love the look of all that cheese, and also look forward to hearing more about your take on Nigel Slater’s recipes, I’m a big fan of his too 🙂
Talk about a haul! I love bringing food back with me whenever I go anywhere and Tasmania seems to have the most amazing food – it all looks fabulous. That smoked fish…divine!
Thanks Selma. There was more, but I only posted the ones that photographed the best 🙂 The smoked fish is fantastic.