In my kitchen…
…were fudge brownies, baked for Small Man to take to his mate’s 21st birthday party (apparently they were a hit!)…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…is a sack of Manildra Protein Enriched Flour.
This has the highest protein of all their bakers flours and the 12.5kg bag usually costs about $13. When I was at Southern Cross Supplies a couple of weeks ago, this was on the clearance stand for $5 (it had a small hole in the back). I didn’t actually need more flour, but I couldn’t resist the bargain…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…is this magnificent piece of amethyst – a gift from my mum…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…is a new enamel roaster by Wiltshire.
A headsup to my bread baking friends – this is the same size as the 30cm enamel roaster I use to bake my loaves in, but it’s a lot cheaper than the Falcon brand I usually buy from Peters of Kensington. I haven’t tried the Wiltshire roaster yet, but it looks almost identical to the Falcon one.
It’s currently available for $25 from Harvey Normal online (plus $10 shipping I think). I bought mine from Victoria’s Basement, but they’re now out of stock there…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…are Delucas Wollemi open range eggs.
Our chooks are approaching retirement and hardly laying at all these days, so we’ve been supplementing with these eggs from Delucas. I like that they declare their stocking density to be 1000 hens per hectare (well within the free range code of 1500).
By the way, if you’re interested in knowing whether or not the eggs you’re buying in Australia comply with the code – this article by Choice Magazine is very useful…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…was a batch of moghrabieh – a house favourite…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…is dried Priscilla sourdough starter, made following Maureen’s technique and using the dehydrator that she so kindly sent me a few months ago. It worked a treat!
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…was a magnificent bottle of 1998 Mount Pleasant shiraz, uncovered in a recent cellar tidy up. It was drinking at its peak…
. . . . .
In my kitchen…
…is a box of frozen sashimi grade South Australian greenlip abalones. I love eating abalone but have never tried cooking it before…
. . . . .
Finally, in my kitchen…
…there is always bread! A sourdough sandwich loaf this time, plus a batch of cheese and olive rolls for Small Man…
. . . . .
Tell me, what’s happening in your kitchen?
If you’d like to write an In My Kitchen post, please do so by the 10th May and send your link to Maureen at The Orgasmic Chef. Thanks for hosting Maureen! x
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
That Shiraz is making me drool! Strange, my Manildra comes in brown bags, maybe cos it’s bakers and not the enriched variety. Thanks for putting me on to this flour, it’s great. Your creative slashing looks terrific. Hope all is well! Cheers, M
Maree, that IS strange, because for about a year, it came in brown paper bags here too. Then it went back into white. The regular bakers flour here comes in white bags now. xxx
Divine! I’m loving your new bread looks lately. Happy weekend love!
Hope you’re well, lovely! Chat soon!
How did that come around so quickly? I love how half your things ‘were’ in the kitchen and half ‘are’. We’re not very good at laying down wine I’m afraid – it lies down from the point of purchase to the house and that’s about it…..
What have you got planned for the abalone?
Those greenlip abalones look great. We are getting farmed abalones here in California and you have to tenderize them before you cook them. I love to know how you cooked yours.
Your bread looks simply beautiful with the decorative slashing. The brownies are making me hungry. The amathysist is a lovely color. Will you be getting more chickens again? This month has passed so quickly!
You missed out the comfort that must be transferred to everyone who enters your kitchen. It always seems to be a wonderful place.
Ooh lots of lovely goings on! Do you preheat your roaster and/or use greaseproof paper?
What a find in your cellar…hmm, I love days like this when something wonderful turns up and you just go for it! Lovely abalone- you will enjoy them I am sure. I used to dive for them off the South Coast of NSW, ( bag limit 6) but we always had to measure them before taking them. We beat them a little, then cut them finely, and stir fried them with garlic.
Thanks for than Free Range link- a good one to share. The Free Range business is full of shonky practice.
I wish I could find a bottle of Mount Pleasant in my cellar!! I actually remember drinking the 1998 Shiraz a few years ago!
The roasting pan is beautiful, I will have to check out Harvey Norman online, that seems like an amazing price.
I will take a look in my kitchen and see if I can join your link party. Is Maureen still hosting, I noticed she still has the April IMK up ATM?
Thanks again for sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
P.S Your bread looks like a work of art!
What a wonderful cellar discovery – what did you eat with it?
I’m sooo tempted (a la the earlier Romy’s ) to buy a roaster but I have sooo many pans. More than likely I’ll succumb :)
those brownies look delicious and your bread looks beautiful as always – do you have plans for the dried priscilla starter? And I am very tempted by the roaster – have been looking out for another oval one as I only have one oval and one round – wonder if it will fit in my oven next to my other one
OK – let us take it for read that I do not need a calendar whilst you are posting – open up the mailbox 1 May: guess what!!. Am the most honest person on this God’s earth but could become a thief to purloin those abalone . . . may I please say ‘OMG’!!!
Moghrabieh, wow haven’t heard about that in a very long time! nice and love your decorated sandwich loaf.
Our hens have entered henopause too and now I’m scrutinising egg boxes for details of stocking density – I believe there is an App that will identify that too. Jeepers – next time you take a cellar stocktake I’m sure I can be available to lend a hand! Your slashing is looking very good. I found myself recently pondering how I can take sourdough starter with me if we go away – dried starter would be ideal wouldn’t it.
That bread looks so pretty Celia, you clever girl you :) I’ve had my dehydrator out too lately trying to use the last of late summer bounty xo
Do you have plans for more chicks Celia? It was so sad for me when our own got to that age, they lived for a number of years into their dotage. We were quite attached to them and kept them as pets. But I missed the wonderful eggs.
Oh my golly! 1998 Shiraz! What a lovely IMK post Celia. Your brownies look divine and that amethyst is absolutely stunning. I must look up that enamelware pot. Enamel is a favourite in my kitchen at the moment, it’s both lovely to look at and fabulously resilient.
dried starter!!! Amazing. I am yet to make my own sourdough and I would love to have bread baking (and general bread-like baking) as a hobby but when we make a loaf it is gone within hours if everyone is home. I figured one of the reasons I wanted to bake my own bread was to make it last a few days which doesn’t end up happening!
Wow – where did you find box of frozen sashimi grade South Australian greenlip abalones?
I love abalone but have never prepared or cooked it myself, it’s a special dish we have at my parents which makes me think I should really learn!
Oh, that sourdough loaf is a work of art. Re: high protein flour – how does that impact your bread baking?
The abalone is such a find, it’s been decades since their wild harvest was legal in the PacificNorthWest. No matter, we’re too old and decrepit to scuba dive these days anyway.
That amethyst – so tactile. Always such a pleasure to see what you’ve been up to. Always feel like I haven’t entered my own kitchen in comparison with what you produce!
Those bread slashes Celia – you are now the master! And a 1998 Shiraz…. very nice. I still don’t have a roaster but will be in Sydney in June at a conference at the Hilton, conveniently located right opposite VB. Maybe they’ll have re-stocked!
Celia, I looked up your moghrabieh recipe and I’m so glad I did — sounds wonderful — especially paired with a fudge brownie and a glass of Shiraz. :) Your amethyst is spectacular.
You always have such lovely things in your kitchen. I don’t have time to do an IMK post right now but I will tell you that I have 146 French macarons that I baked yesterday and tomorrow there will be 6 buttercream frosting a to fill them up. It’s for our up coming 30th anniversary party in a couple of weeks!
Those are lovely stuffs you have, Celia. :)
ooh yes i must make some brownies again. i have a fab recipe if i can find it which is so delish. your slashes are very decorative:) i adore enamelware and have plenty of Falcon ware but that roaster looks the business too.
Small man’s friends are certainly lucky to have your brownies Celia! I am now craving a big bowl of moghrabieh – even just saying the name makes me happy! :)
I must make some olive and cheese rolls to freeze for future lunches I think. Yum
Love your new roasting pan – looking forward to hearing how it went with bread making Celia. I saw one of those & was wondering if I should get it for bread, I’ll see what the bread making master thinks first :) Hope you’re well, look forward to seeing you at Miss Food Fairy soon x
Hi Nic, not sure what you mean? I’ve written extensively about baking in an enamel roaster and now don’t use anything else. There’s some information here (but loads of other posts as well):
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2015/02/03/priscilla-sourdough-tips-and-suggestions/
I’m sorry, I always thought you used the clay baking pans, my bad! I’ve been a bit out of the loop with bread making this year :(
Ah no worries! Nowadays I always use the enamel pots, they work a dream! Buy quick now, they’re very cheap! :) If you look in the latest post, you can see my friend Dora’s first ever sourdough in an enamel pot. Oh and do let me know if you need more starter! x
Suggest trying this recipe:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2014/12/12/an-overnight-sourdough-in-pictures/
Thank you so much for everything Celia, without you by my side, and whispering in my ear, I don’t think I would have even contemplated making bread. I’m now looking at making some spelt starter too. I’ll check Riley (my starter) and make sure she’s doing alright & let you know, thank you x
xxx
Lucky you finding that wine in the cellar. I’m going to check out your Moghrabieh recipe now.
Vicki, we love it! We buy our moghrabieh from Harkola in Auburn – they’re the importers so it’s really well priced there.
I’m loving all your breads lately. Such gorgeous slashing. Wine doesn’t last in our house much! We did manage to save some bottles we got in Oregon on vacation several years and just had the last bottle. I’ll blame it on not having a cellar😉
Greetings from Sussex in the UK. Looking for a choc slab cake recipe I came across yours which I am going to try soon. Please can you tell me if this cake freeze?
Sorry, but I’ve never tried freezing it before! I think it should be ok – it always just gets eaten here within a few days! :)