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In my kitchen - the catching my breath edition - November 2017

10/11/2017

19 Comments

 
Lilies and roses in a glass vase on the kitchen bench - Liz Posmyk Good Things
"Gee you're a hard one to pin down," said a lovely friend, who has been trying to secure a lunch date with me for the last few months. "I know, I'm truly sorry. I'd really like to get together, but it's been crazy busy ever since we got back from Budapest," I replied with a sigh.

I can't help but feel a little guilty whenever I turn down an invitation, but I just love being at home, spending time with Peter and our nearest and dearest. I relish this opportunity to catch my breath, as well as catch up on all the things that need doing around the house. 

The decluttering continues, with guidance and  inspiration from Joshua Becker and his blog. It's amazing how much two people can accumulate over a lifetime. And even more amazing how much less we can live with! Note, I plan to write more on this topic in an upcoming post.

For now, let's take a moment to see what's been happening in my kitchen this month:
Coffee coloured macchiato cups and Clandestino Coffee - Liz Posmyk Good Things
On a recent holiday to Noosa, we tasted this Cuban Turquino Lavado coffee at Clandestino Roasters. Just as the label says, it tastes of brown butter, tobacco, leather and cacao. Yum! And not a hint of bitterness. Needless to say, we stocked up. The little cups were an op-shop find. Not bad for $1.00.
Ripe tomatoes in a bright yellow bowl  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Tomatoes are coming in to season and I'm happy to see a few self-sown plants springing up in the kitchen garden. These are from my local greengrocer. The plate was another op-shop bargain. (I'm clearing out almost all of my white china and replacing it with just a few colourful secondhand pieces).
Cicada artisan chocolate - Liz Posmyk Good Things
My Christmas shopping is sorted thanks to Cicada Chocolate, a bean-to-bar artisan producer. The company sources ethically-grown cacao beans from plantations around the world; then roasts, cracks, winnows and refines the beans into chocolate with no nasty ingredients. It's ever so good! Buy online or look for Cicada Chocolate at the Rocks Markets or Bondi Farmers Markets in Sydney.
Carman's FODMAP friendly fruit-free muesli bars from Aldi  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
These fruit-free muesli bars from Aldi are Low-FODMAP certified and perfect for an afternoon snack.
Matt Moran's Australian Food Coast + Country (Murdoch Books)  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
The fifth cookbook from acclaimed Australian chef and restaurateur, Matt Moran (published by Murdoch Books), Matt Moran's Australian Food is now available from leading booksellers. Watch this space for my upcoming review.
Red bell pepper on a brown granite kitchen bench  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Every time I visit the greengrocer or my local supermarket, I pop a few red capsicums (bell peppers) into my basket. I enjoy them sliced, crisp and fresh, topped with some low fat cheese. Great as a snack.
Tea Creatures - Liz Posmyk Good Things
You know how the label on a teabag always falls into the cup just as you pour in the hot water? Annoying, I know. Tea Creatures snail teabag holders to the rescue. Simply slide the snail onto the side of your mug or cup, and wrap the string around its neck. As a bonus, they're made from high quality BPA-free silicone. I bought a bundle of these online, as I thought they'd make great little gifts.
Small microwave rice cooker  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Another op-shop treasure (if I can call it that) is this brand new microwave rice cooker. It's the perfect size for quick-cooking one or two small servings of pasta or rice. At fifty cents, it was another bargain.
Homegrown strawberries bundled up in my apron - Liz Posmyk Good Things
We're harvesting strawberries twice daily from the patch in our kitchen garden at present. Sometimes I bundle them up in my apron as I pick (above). Fortunately, Peter's hands-down favourite dessert is fresh strawberries with a dollop of cream. To keep them super-fresh, I store them in a Pyrex dish, in between layers of kitchen towelling, and seal them with a silicone cover from Charles Viancin (below). They come in a range of colours, sizes and styles, and are a must-have, IMHO.
Fresh strawberries from my garden in a Pyrex dish with a Charles Viancin silicone lid - Liz Posmyk Good Things
My SCOBY Hotel - Liz Posmyk Good Things
My son "babysat" my SCOBY hotel while we were on holidays, and took great care to burp it as needed. The layers of SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) stayed perfectly fresh, ready for the next batch of Kombucha tea. I've been making it using a recipe from Virginia Edwards (Good Gut Food), and with the guidance of a book titled Probiotic Drinks at Home by Felicity Evans (Murdoch Books). In the fullness of time, I'll share my Kombucha-making experiences with you here on the blog.
Probiotic Drinks at Home by Felicity Evans (Murdoch Books) and a fresh batch of Kombucha  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Punnets of blueberries  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Australian blueberries are plump, tasty and particularly good this season. A handful of them go on top of my morning oatmeal. I also use them (with spearmint leaves) when bottling the Kombucha.
3kg bag of raw sugar from Costco  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Peter and I try not to eat too much sugar these days, but I do like to keep a stock of it in the larder. This three-kilo bag of Australian-grown raw sugar was just $3.00 at Costco. Bargain.
Made in Vietnam by Tracey Lister & Andreas Pohl (Murdoch Books)  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Another of the fabulous cookbook titles awaiting my review is  Made in Vietnam by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl (Murdoch Books). I'll showcase it here soon, and will also share one of my favourite recipes from the book.
Pink lilies and pink roses  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Peter surprised me with with an enormous bunch of pink lilies recently. That afternoon, our neighbour, Caroline, popped in for a farewell drink before she left Canberra on her to move to Brisbane. She presented me with a bunch of deep pink roses. The two bunches smell exquisite and look so showy together.
Pink roses and pink lilies in a glass vase on a kitchen bench  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Lastly, my dear friend CC is quite the expert on gin and has an enviable collection of the spirit, gathered from her travels around the globe. Every so often she invites us over for a G&T afternoon; an event we very much look forward to. Peter decided we should start our gin stash, and came home from the liquor store with this Ink Gin. It's organic infused Australian craft gin produced by Husk Distillers at Tumbulgum in the Tweed Valley on the North Coast of New South Wales. 'Tis exquisite. 
Ink Gin with a wedge of lemon and my favourite blue glassware - Liz Posmyk Good Things
I'm linking up with my friend and fellow blogger, Sherry from Sherry's Pickings, who is now hosting the In My Kitchen (IMK) series (thank you, Sherry!). Pop in and say hi; and take a peek into Sherry's kitchen, as well as the kitchen of our blogger friends from around the world.

Tell me now dear readers, what good things do you have in your kitchen. And does the knowledge that it's November already make you feel overwhelmed, or have you got it all under control?
19 Comments
mae link
10/11/2017 04:16:41 am

Can't wait for you book reviews! I love to read about Australian cooking and products.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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John / Kitchen Riffs link
10/11/2017 09:25:37 am

I didn't even know microwave rice cookers were available! I need to get out more. :-) Fun stuff in your kitchen this month -- thanks.

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David link
10/11/2017 09:58:50 am

Just keep breathing!

Love the papers on the Cicada chocolate (and probably would love the chocolate, too!). And your strawberries! Gorgeous.

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Marcellina link
10/11/2017 05:38:34 pm

Yes, yes and yes to so busy, love to stay home and decluttering! Sadly I think it is all too common. I love this links but haven't participated in a while. I'm going check out Matt Moran's book for a great gift. Thanks for the peek!

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Sally Anne
10/11/2017 06:26:20 pm

Isn't Noosa wonderful? So relaxing, and would want to be after nearly 2000kms from Ballarat. Sadly only 30kms from home on our most recent trip to Noosa a 'roo jumped in front of our gorgeous red car, writing her off!!! Those little snails look very cute and handy.....I will certainly be purchasing a few as Christmas gifts. I'm a gin girl too....well quite a late bloomer to the drink actually, and that bottle Peter bought looks aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well as pleasing to the palate . As I write this there are only 43 days of shopping until Christmas, but I'm not stressed as it will be a lonely day for me. To bring me joy in the lead up ,though, I'm going to be wrapping as a volunteer for the Salvos at my local shopping centre. Bring on Summer

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Eha
10/11/2017 06:33:38 pm

*smile* Am actually popping Driscoll's blueberries into my mouth as I keyboard this! A lot of things 'to want'! That chocolate bears ordering: something a little different and some inviting salt etc bars in the range. Did put a ? against the Matt Moran book awhile ago : another Xmas present to me ? And I already have three books on Vietnamese cooking, but . . . you temptress :) ! And when you have flowers always pass them onto us: just beautiful! You and Peter have a lovely weekend!

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Amanda link
11/11/2017 12:08:11 am

Those flowers are just gorgeous! I was wondering how you pulled up after your gin afternoon - it looked delicious!

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Glenda link
11/11/2017 02:36:22 am

Hi Liz. I had that microwave rice cooker for years in my drawer and never figured out how to use it. Hopefully it was me and you will have more success. I am not so good at growing strawberries the slugs got to them. Yours look fabulous - no slugs in sight.

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sherry MacKay link
11/11/2017 05:05:01 pm

hi Liz
thanks much for joining in IMK this month. Yes i love Ink gin too; more for the colour than the drink I think:) And it's nice to know it's made only a couple of hours away in northern rivers. The blueberries look tasty; so full of goodness too. We have had a micrwave rice cooker for yonks and use it often. sooo handy. i've never had any luck with silicone covers or the beeswax covers. They never stretch enough and/or just pop straight off. very frustrating! i hope you have better luck. cheers sherry x

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Amy link
12/11/2017 03:33:45 pm

My mum had that exact rice cooker for years! It made the best rice! I will have to do some op shopping and see if i can get my hands on one

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Food Lovers Dietitian link
13/11/2017 12:24:02 am

I love all those beautiful things you are loving right now! As for the good things in my kitchen?... I just posted my sneak peak look at my grocery shopping this week - the things I'm loving and cooking with, so much fun!

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Christine Salins link
13/11/2017 01:23:25 am

So many lovely things in your kitchen, Liz. We love the Ink Gin, which we also have a bottle of in our kitchen :-) Love all those strawberries you are getting.

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Serina aka Ms Frugal Ears link
14/11/2017 12:46:53 am

Love your strawberries and op shop finds. Lovely that you are rejoicing in the small pleasures of life.

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Sandra link
14/11/2017 01:21:29 am

Great post Liz, love seeing the new products and cookbooks you present

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Krista Bjorn link
14/11/2017 06:30:47 am

Mmm, your description of the Cuban Turquino Lavado coffee is absolutely luscious. :-) I can almost smell those lilies. So glad you're having such a good time at home, sorting and organizing and making it delightful for you. xo

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Laura | Tutti Dolci link
17/11/2017 08:48:19 pm

Your flowers are beautiful, as are those lovely chocolate bars. What a treat!

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Kim | a little lunch link
18/11/2017 10:53:46 am

Liz, when life gets so busy you barely have time to breathe, take a short breath and savor that one millisecond of recognition that change is in the works, imperceptible as it may appear and impossible as it may be to believe. The path to rediscovery is paved with millisecond moments, xo. Loved your thoughts on all of the above!

Thanks, too, for your link to "Becoming Minimalist" -- his views on temptation vs. alignment were intriguing and inspiring -- and for sharing your op shop and IMK finds. The Cuban coffee and Kenyan Coffee Chocolate sound marvelous! I'm also curious about the chocolate bar with what appears to be "music" on its label -- couldn't make out the flavor/name.

Incredibly, we have Driscoll's blueberries here, too. (Shame on me for not noticing where they're produced... remind me to LOOK... they're a treat every time.) Loved your freshly picked strawberry photos, too, and your combined bouquet. Take care and take a breath -- even if it's just a short one, xo.

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Janet link
19/11/2017 02:42:12 am

We have lots of cherry tomatoes and zucchini in my kitchen at the moment - the new vegie patch is responsible! In fact I need to make a zucchini slice tonight to use up some of the bounty.

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Food Shot
20/11/2017 09:58:28 pm

I totally have to get one of those tea bag snail holders for myself, they're adorable! Thanks for sharing Lizzy x

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    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2019.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


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