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In my springtime kitchen 2017

3/9/2017

36 Comments

 
Superb Fairy Wren plate in the kitchen of food writer Liz Posmyk
Spring has arrived in Canberra, but with frosty mornings and a bitter chill in the air, I'd say the season has changed in name only. We're back at home after a two-day getaway to Fitzroy Falls in the glorious Southern Highlands of New South Wales. With it's flourishing food and wine scene, lush scenery and picturesque villages, it's among our most favourite destinations in Australia.

​I've been sharing postcards and morsels from the trip on my Instagram page, and will follow up with photographic essays and news here on the blog, so please stay tuned if you're interested. In the meantime, let's take a peek into my Springtime kitchen. 

Superb fairy-wrens, or blue-wrens, are regular visitors to our garden. They nest in the pittosporum hedges surrounding the house, and bring us great joy as the flit back and forth between the bushes and the birdbath in the courtyard. Even though I've been busy decluttering, I couldn't resist the hand-painted plate (pictured at top), bought from the visitor information centre at Fitzroy Falls. 
Hungarian Desserts Book, Market Halls in Budapest and a postcards book from a town in northern Hungary - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
If I'd had more room in my suitcases, I would have bought more books whilst in Hungary recently. I did bring home these three (pictured above): Hungarian Dessert Book by Tamás Bereznay; Market Halls in Budapest from the turn of the century to the present by Gergely Nagy and Károly Szelényi; and Sátoraljaújhely Képeslapokon, a book of beautiful vintage postcards from my the home town of my mother and grandmother. 
Hungarian jug - copyright - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Hungarian ceramics, such as this Miska kancsó (which is representative of a pipe-smoking Magyar herdsman or gulyás), are ever-so pretty. I bought this one from a folkloric store in the Castle district of Budapest. Thankfully, the store owner was kind enough to pack it in thick layers of bubble wrap. 
Blood oranges in the kitchen of food writer Liz Posmyk
Blood oranges are back in season and I've been enjoying these, purchased from my local greengrocer. 
Pottery from Allston in Cumbria - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
I invested in this stunning piece (pictured above), created by ceramic artist, Syl Macro, who sells her wares at Gallery 1611, at Alston in Cumbria. Syl explained to me that the inspiration for her work comes from the patterns, textures and colours in the surrounding landscapes and countryside of the north Pennines. So lovely! I must thank Syl once again for packing it so carefully for me. It was such a relief to open the cardboard box on our arrival home and find this treasure 100% intact.
Fresh free-range eggs from Redleaf Farm - photo Liz Posmyk Good Things
Earlier this week, Peter and I enjoyed an overnight stay at Carriage 343 on Redleaf Farm in Fitzroy Falls. The lovely Katrina Sparke, who owns the property with her husband, Sam, sent us home with some freshly laid free-range eggs from her happy hens. Yum! More on our visit in an upcoming post.
Jar for making kombucha tea - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Peter and I are inspired to try making kombucha tea, after spending time in the Fitzroy Falls kitchen of Virginia Edwards, who runs classes on Good Gut Food. Virginia shared a healthy-looking Scoby (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) with us (together with a dozen of fresh eggs from her chooks). First thing to do was to buy a suitable jar. I'll be sharing Virginia's recipe and news of my kombucha experiment in coming weeks. 
Made in Vietnam - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
In coming days, I'll be showcasing a recipe from Made in Vietnam by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl. Inspired by their many years living as locals in Hanoi, the authors have curated an essential guide to the tastiest dishes Vietnam has on offer. This fabulous book includes home-style recipes and travel tales. I'm loving it because Vietnam is on my bucket list and I adore the food. Indeed, I'm cooking a pot of pho bo at this moment. (Cover image from Made in Vietnam by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl appears courtesy of Hardie-Grant Books). 
One Pan Roasts - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Molly Shuster's One Pan Roasts (pictured above) would have to be one of THE smartest cookbooks I've seen in a long time. Watch for my upcoming review, when I share a recipe from it's delicious pages. (Cover image from One Pan Roasts by Molly Shuster appears courtesy of Murdoch Books). 
Jar of Goulburn Valley peaches in juice - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Having enjoyed a bounty of fresh, ripe and juicy summer peaches for breakfast in Budapest, I've continued to do so at home using peaches in juice produced locally by the folks from Goulburn Valley. I'm loving the company's new "grown here" lat/long on the label initiative, enabling consumers to take a virtual tour of the farms the fruit originates from. 
Fillo pastry - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Recently, I shared my original recipe for Hungarian-style cream curd, and promised to share a strudel recipe with you. Watch this space. I've bought the fresh fillo (phyllo/filo) pastry!
Fresh flowers from my garden - Liz Posmyk, Good Things
After being away this week, I popped "out the back" to water our plants in the fernery and was greeted by a pathway lined with cheery flowers. These are brightening up my kitchen bench.

IMK: I'm linking up with my friend, Sherry, from Sherry's Pickings, who is now the host of the In My Kitchen series. Visit our foodie friends around the world via Sherry's blog, and do say hello from me. 

Over to you, dear readers. What good things are happening in your kitchen and what's news from your neck of the woods? Tell me, do you buy books and other treasures when travelling?
36 Comments
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
3/9/2017 06:01:45 am

I've made Kremes using Eva from Kitchen Inspirations' recipe and it was great. I'm also a big fan of tray bakes!

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:00:09 pm

Kremes! How delicious.

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Napoli Restaurant Alert link
3/9/2017 06:44:29 am

Love that plate! I use that brand of filo all the time, it is great.

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:00:37 pm

It is a good brand, isn't it.

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David link
3/9/2017 10:35:16 am

I think I will be searching for the Hungarian desert book on Amazon! And I absolutely love Syl Macro's vessel! So beautiful!

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:01:41 pm

Isn't it lovely, David!

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John / Kitchen Riffs link
3/9/2017 10:56:04 am

Always enjoy a peek into your kitchen! I have way too many cookbooks, but can always use a few more. :-) And so lovely to have fresh, local eggs. Fun pictures -- thanks.

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:02:13 pm

Thanks so much, John.

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Chris Riley link
3/9/2017 03:24:52 pm

That piece by Syl Macro would like right at home in my own kitchen.
We've just arrived home to Busselton WA after spending the winter away in a caravan. Spring here in name only too - still cold enough to enjoy some good soups, and other slow cooked stews and roasts. Love it when the oven can be used for long, slow cooking adding both a gentle warmth and appetisng aromas.

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:02:53 pm

Oh how lovely, Chris. It's chilly here too.

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Tania/ My Kitchen Stories link
3/9/2017 06:21:50 pm

I enjoyed your trip to the southern highlands. I am not sure I would like Canberra weather. Too cold for me.

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:04:01 pm

Hi Tania, thank you. Frankly, I'm not sure that I'm enjoying the Canberra weather.

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Amanda link
3/9/2017 07:08:19 pm

Oh, I adore that pretty plate - we have lots of blue wrens here, too. Spring popped it's head in the door the other day, but it has totally buggered off here now - it's cold wet and grey.

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:05:08 pm

They're like little garden angels, aren't they. Crappy weather continues here as well.

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mae link
3/9/2017 07:09:09 pm

Your three ceramics are each so distinctive, and they are so different from one another... old-fashioned plate, folk art, and modern design. Nice!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:05:43 pm

That's me, Mae, quirky and eclectic.

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Eha
3/9/2017 08:40:13 pm

Yes I also like the Syl Macro piece and I also buy Goulburn Valley for those days fresh fruit has been devoured and the food delivery still has to come! Love being able to avoid a tin !! Our weather was up to 30C yesterday . . . somewhat frighten9ing almost living in a National Park with BOM warning of the worst bushfire season in many years to come . . . no rain for ages . . .

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:06:30 pm

30 degrees in your part of Oz, Eha! Heavens! It's bloody wintertime here. Sigh. I am praying that you get some rain soon!

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Jeni from Northern Rivers Dreaming link
3/9/2017 08:47:13 pm

That plate is a good excuse to revisit Fitzroy Falls .... I went to a couple of boarding schools in that area, and Fitzroy Falls was one of the places we'd visit on days out. Always loved it, it's such a beautiful place :)

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:07:02 pm

Jen, you really do get around! Yes, Fitzroy Falls is so very lovely.

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sherry MacKay link
3/9/2017 09:24:22 pm

oh liz
i am in love with those ceramics. that blue wren plate is just perfect. i adore blue wrens. the most beautiful ones we ever saw were in WA. so glorious. we went to a market in Budapest years ago. they had such fabulous hand made goods there. hope you survived the recent snow. it is going to be 31C today here- eek! thanks for joining in IMK! xx

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:07:57 pm

Hi Sherry, hope you've recovered from that bug! The temperature up your way sounds hot, hot, hot. It's almost snowing outside today. Bloody awful.

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Anna Johnston link
3/9/2017 10:53:00 pm

Now that's a lovely range of show 'n tell my friend. Wouldn't mind having a cheeky look at that One Pan Roasts book, something to drool over.

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:08:29 pm

Hello there you. Hope your new role in paradise is going well!

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Moya link
4/9/2017 03:01:43 am

Liz , love the wren plate, very pretty and the ceramic piece, as you say, stunning. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with your kombucha :)

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:09:14 pm

Hi Moya, I'm keen to find out if it works out, too! x

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Elissa link
4/9/2017 05:46:38 am

That's a lovely collection of food, things and experiences. We've been enjoying brewing water kefir, similar in process to kombucha. We really like it!

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:09:56 pm

Thanks Elissa. It's an interesting thing, this kefir and kombucha making!

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sandra link
4/9/2017 06:49:59 pm

HI Liz, love the Cumbrian jug, what a find. The Fairy Wren plate is charming. We lived with them in our garden for many years. They always brought a smile to my face, their skinny legs with their bright chatter

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Lizzy
4/9/2017 07:10:32 pm

They are charming little birds, aren't they, Sandra. Thanks for stopping by.

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Simone Mason
4/9/2017 07:11:02 pm

Ohhhhh Lizzie; your kitchen is so beautiful.

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Peter
4/9/2017 07:11:39 pm

I'm glad you bought that Syl Macro jug. It's nice to be reminded of Alston every single day.

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Bob Bennett
4/9/2017 07:12:31 pm

Liz I saw that jug when you first posted about it when you and P were still o/s. It's a very find piece of pottery indeed.,

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tableofcolors link
5/9/2017 01:39:56 pm

Lovely! And if you happen to make kombucha, I would love to read about your experiences it as it has been on my bucket list as well! And I found your instagram :)

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Laura | Tutti Dolci link
5/9/2017 06:42:12 pm

I always enjoy peeking into your kitchen - beautiful treasures, as always! :)

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Krista Bjorn link
6/9/2017 01:38:12 am

So many delicious and beautiful things. I especially love your treasures from Hungary. :-)

Reply

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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 © 2011-2017.   All rights reserved. Excerpts may be used provided full and clear credit is given.


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