In My Kitchen - June 2012

Picture
A celebration of pears and other winter produce in my kitchen this month. I'm poaching, baking and preserving them!
The months have flown past so very quickly. Can you believe that it's June already! Autumn is over, it's the beginning of a new month and time to visit my friend and fellow blogger, Celia, at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, for a look at what's happening in her kitchen and the kitchens of other friends around the world. 

Winter where I live in Canberra, Australia, is quite delicious! I acknowledge it’s cold. Okay, so it’s freezing, especially on days when the cloud cover is thick and the sun simply doesn't emerge. If nothing else, the diminishing mercury level inspires me to hibernate with my man, throw on an apron, stoke up the stove and fill the house with warm and appetising aromas. Here's a taste of what's in my kitchen this month. Thank you for visiting!

In my kitchen this month...

Picture
Chestnuts waiting for the perfect Winter weekend of baking
Picture
The lemon fairy at my office has been gifting me with her exquisite, fragrant and flavoursome lemons again! Love it!
Picture
Pancakes with lemon are a favourite and both Peter and I are making them for each other on a regular basis. Delicious with a sprinkle of raw sugar! I might add, Peter's are quite outstanding. What a catch!
Picture
A good mantra for my life as it is right now, especially after a bout of labyrinthitis!
Picture
Winter vegetables and fruit for roasting with pork knuckle. The broccolini is home grown.
Picture
My treasured French Pillivuyt souffle dish was a rare find in an op shop years ago. Just part of my collection of white porcelain.
Picture
Beautiful Heilala vanilla extract, pure vanilla bean paste and vanilla beans, grown in Tonga and New Zealand. There's a reason Heilala has won awards... the pure quality of the products. I adore vanilla, as you will notice from the sheer number of dishes I feature with vanilla as an ingredient! Each bottle of Heilala syrup and extra contains a whole vanilla pod for extra flavour.
Picture
An assortment of chillies. In fact, chillies galore, fresh from the kitchen garden. Dried, frozen, fresh and drying.
Picture
Walnuts are featuring in my kitchen at the moment and I'm buying them fresh from a grower who sells at our local Farmer's Markets. There is simply no comparison in flavour and they are sans bitterness! My mother's treasured walnut grinder is in the background. Click the photograph and you will be transported to a selection of walnut recipes on Good Things.
Picture
Home-grown celery, fresh from the kitchen garden. I have decided I would like to grow celery all year around. I use a lot of it in my cooking and find with home grown celery I can use the tender stalks and leaves. The texture and taste is far more delicate than store-bought celery and it keeps much better in the fridge too!
Picture
Winter is synonymous with citrus fruits, these Imperial mandarins are so sweet and succulent. I take two or three to work every day.
Picture
A taste of what I am reading at the moment. Well, this is just one of several piles of books I'm browsing through.
Picture
And last, but certainly not least, two treasured, beautiful and cheerful canvasses painted by my daughter, Lauren, for Mother's Day. Aren't they awesome!

What been happening in your kitchen this month? Is it warm or cold in your part of the world? Is the year flying by for you too?
 


Comments

01/06/2012 7:58am

What a wonderful walnut grinder; I've never seen one before.I make a sauce for pasta using walnuts and have to chop them by hand - it would be a doddle with a grinder.

Lizzy
01/06/2012 8:02am

Hi Anne! The walnut grinder was my mother's and I believe it would be at least 50 years old. I love the oiliness of the little wooden block, it has been used for so many years. Actually, I crushed some walnuts in the mortar and pestle the other day, it worked well.

01/06/2012 10:23am

Hi Lizzy

I am so jealous ... you have many more chestnuts than me:( By the way, what is the best way to cook them? I have 2 trees and in a few years I am going to have chestnuts galore.

I also love the walnut grinder, I have never seen one before.

BTW , ove you photos.

Lizzy
02/06/2012 12:56am

Hello Glenda, LOL, but you grew your own... mine are from the markets. I am wanting to make a chestnut dessert, but my Peter says I should just roast them. The walnut grinder was my mother's and I can't tell you how often she used it... almost daily! And thanks so much for your kind words re my photos... I am enjoying the artistic side of photography.

01/06/2012 12:19pm

Your daughter is very talented- those are beautiful and a wonderful gift for Mothers Day!
You have a talent for food photography- my mouth is watering from those lemon pancakes!
Thanks for sharing!

Lizzy
02/06/2012 12:58am

Hello Heidiannie... thanks so much. I am pleased that the Saturday morning art classes I took Lauren to when she was little have now come to fruition! She is very talented. Thank you for your kind words about my photos. Come on over and I will make you a pile of the pancakes xoxxo

01/06/2012 2:34pm

Good morning Lizzy...look at all these wonderful things! I have not cooked with chestnuts before, these look beautiful. Winter vegetables and pork hock, this makes me want to hit the stove immediately! Home grown celery is also something I need to investigate, your's looks perfect. I adore your daughter's paintings, that is such a special gift. Have a lovely weekend, stay warm x

Lizzy
02/06/2012 1:00am

Hello there lovely Jane... I am looking forward to cooking the chestnuts. Aren't they delicious! I remember reading about them since childhood, perhaps in Heidi, or a similar book, and yearning to try them. Home grown celery is awesome. I cannot tell you how good it is... I get so sick of buying celery at the store only to have tough old stalks. Do try it. And thanks for the kind words about Lauren's paintings. They are lovely, aren't they. Just like her. Thanks for visiting, stay warm too, my friend xox

01/06/2012 4:53pm

Those lemons are delightful. I didn't knowthey grew vanilla in New zealand. Lovely artwork by your daughter.

Lizzy
02/06/2012 1:01am

Barbara, I wish I could allow you to taste the lemons... so different to store bought... so very flavoursome! Heilala Vanilla is lovely, do try to get some. Thank you for the comments re Lauren's artwork. xo

04/06/2012 12:51am

what a lovely selection! I especially love the heart :)

Lizzy
04/06/2012 3:15am

Thank you, Tandy ; )

12/06/2012 3:55am

Your photography is great, Lizzy. The shot of the pears is amazing. Good enough to eat off the page!

Lizzy
12/06/2012 4:39am

Thank you Rachel. I am still learning with the new point and shoot Peter bought me at xmas. I used to take shots with an SLR years ago, but it belonged to my ex. Still wearing my 'Ls', but having fun.

17/06/2012 3:25am

I agree with Rachel - your photos are stunning! I can almost smell the citrus zing from those lemons and mandarins!

Lizzy
17/06/2012 1:03pm

Shelley, thank you so much! And thanks for calling in xo


Comments are closed.

google-site-verification: google3f71c423bbf5c034.html