In my kitchen…
…are these medlars – an unusual fruit which Diana bought me from the Oberon markets. Known unflatteringly as “monkey’s bums”, these need to be bletted – allowed to rot – before eating. During that time the inside of the fruit turns mushy and sweet, a bit like a cooked quince. Or at least that’s what Pete tells me, because I can’t bring myself to taste rotting fruit. But we will be turning it into medlar jelly, which I’m told is most fine…
In my kitchen…
…is this beautiful bone china mug, a gift from our friends Chris and Andrea. It was impossible to capture how gorgeous this really is – the blue has a metallic sheen to it that’s lost in the photo. It’s part of the Maxwell & Williams Pink Ribbon range…
In my kitchen…
…I have a wedge of cedro, candied peel from Italy. I’d never seen anything like it, so I couldn’t resist picking up a slice when I was in the cheese shop last weekend. A cedro is a large citrus fruit, similar to a giant lemon, with a very thick pith. The candied version is quite sweet, and commonly used in panettone and Italian desserts.
In my kitchen…
…is this new baby Römertopf! I was so excited to see this come up for sale at Peters of Kensington recently. It’s 23cm in diameter, and has the same glazed interior as its larger sibling, making it perfect for smaller meals or vegetables. Given that we use our large clay baker at least once a week, the $22 spent on this smaller version is sure to be a good investment…
In my kitchen…
…is this ruby red pomegranate. When I mentioned to the Spice Girl that I’d entered a contest on Lorraine’s blog to win some of these, she arrived at my door with a glossy red globe in hand (I’ve actually won the giveaway too, thanks NQN!). I realise that I’m probably the last person in Australia to try a pomegranate. The little seeds resemble glowing red corn kernels, each bursting with sweet juice.
I managed to snap a photo of Big Boy’s lunch before he wolfed it – tabbouleh salad, topped with marinated feta, San Daniele prosciutto and pomegranate seeds…
In my kitchen…
…are these blocks of Willie’s Cacao chocolate, a gift from Gillian at Some Say Cacao. The chocolate is delicious and very distinctive, with a raw, earthy tone quite different from the brands we’re used to. We’ve been savouring it in small pieces!
So tell me, what’s happening in your kitchen this month?
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
This month Celia, my kitchen should spew forth health and vitality, with the exception of a few sweet events. More on that later :-)
I recently bought japanese medlars (aka loquats, not to be confused with these English ones). I find the idea of bletting fascinating too….but hmmm! I just got back from London and saw some Medlar jelly at Fortnum & Mason – non purchased.
I love the cedro, in Dutch we call it Citron. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citron
I love that chunk you have. I love to use it in cakes and cookies!
Stay well
I love coming to your kitchen, Celia- it is a walk on the wild side- medlars rotting and cedro (which reminds me of citron).
I’ll do a post later this week about my kitchen- right now I’m still at the shore, readying the kitchen and house for summer renters!
Oh do try the medlar’s Celia – they aren’t rotten at all or at least if they are you don’t want to use them for anything. They are so unusual it’s worth trying them at least once – taste like a fruity toffee to me – yum! Although I did turn the ones I got last year into jelly which is also yum.
In my kitchen is a bag of nettle tops which we’ve just picked down at our plot. To be turned into tomorrow evening’s soup for supper along with some leeks we also pulled.
Oz, thanks for the link to the citron! And I know about loquat, they’re an Asian fruit, but as you say, they’re not the same as these. In fact, they’re so different that I wonder if they’re even related..
Heidi, I love you visiting my kitchen! :)
Choclette, forgive my culinary cowardice (as Pete calls it). It’s too late now – they’re in the pot as I type being turned into jelly (I took the top photo a couple of weeks ago). The jelly is looking beautiful though! I’ve been hearing so much about nettle soup recently and I’m fascinated – hope to be seeing it on your blog!
English asparagus season has just started here…..the best… no messing around with fancy hollandaise.
Just steamed, a little good butter, a little fresh lemon juice, a scrunch of black pepper and a pinch of maldon sea salt
as the season goes on we griddle them and have them with balsamic vinegar…..
The cedro looks very intriguing! How could you not buy that.
Well done on getting the pomegranates from NQN- they are such a gorgeous colour. I think of renaissance art every time I see them.
A new item in my kitchen- a tiffin carrier! A present from my sister. Makes me smile just looking at it.
Jo, asparagus! Yum! They’re so good when they’re really fresh…
Brydie, the cedro (apparently it’s pronounced “chedro”) was really interesting, and very nice to find an alternative to yucky mixed peel in a packet. Doesn’t have the same bitterness though, and I do like that in some cakes. A tiffin carrier! My mum always has a couple of those, although none have ever made it to my house. Is it stainless steel or decorated?
I reckon any day now you are going to candy some peel – if I can do it, then you can! Off topic, I’ve just found a great feature in the dashboard which lets you look at your comments and followups all across wordpress. Very clever! It’s My Comments in the first pulldown menu My Account. That makes life a little easier when you have a bad memory like me…. :)
Would love to be in your kitchen! What’s been happening in mine? Cooked rice porridge and hainanese chicken rice on the weekend – my comfort food when feeling sick.
p/s: Never heard of medlars! can I request for an innards shot?
Wow those monkeys bums are new to me! I’m really intrigued by them! And you’re more than welcome about the Poms! :D
Wink, I’m sorry to hear you’re sick! Cooked rice porridge (I grew up calling it moy) was my standard breakfast fare. When I was little, my mum used to serve it with bovril and sometimes tung chai…
Sorry I can’t oblige on the medlars – they’ve been turned into jelly!
Lorraine, thanks again! :)
Monkey Bums … well I can see why you would be a little reluctant to taste them. But each to their own I suppose. In Iceland, fermented shark meat is a delicacy. I never sought it out then there!
Glad you liked the chocolate bars … yes they need to be savoured but I think it is interesting that the flavours are not lost between the 100% and the 70%.
Gill, very interesting indeed! Thank you again for thinking of me.. :)
I am coming over for some pomegrante salad.
Hehe…more poms on their way, Esme! :)
Beautiful mug. I’m very fussy about mugs too – have to be the perfect size. We have a stash of Willie’s chocolate too – how does he make it so damn good? I’ve taken to eating the 100% straight. We have for the first time in our kitchen Smoked Cod Liver pate – delicious.
Anna, it is really the most gorgeous mug. There’s a range of them in four different colours. Smoked Cod Liver pate sounds delicious – a far cry from cod liver oil, I’ll bet!
The monkey’s bums look an AWFUL lot like persimmons, which also practically rot before they are edible…if you eat them too early, they are astringent and impossible to enjoy. Ripened, they are luscious.
Celia – Nettle soup is dead simple and one of my favourites. We never make it in quite the same way, but basically just fry up some leeks (or onions) sometimes with garlic too in butter or olive oil. Add nettle tops and steam for a while. Then add water and a bit of sea salt and simmer for a short while. Allow to cool slightly, add some miso and whizz it all up.
We don’t get nettles here – or if we do, I’ve never seen them – but it sounds like a recipe you could adapt to other greens?