Tuesday 8 October 2013

In My Kitchen ..... October

Thanks to encouragement from Liz at Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things, I am excited to participate for the first time in the 'In My Kitchen' series hosted by Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.  

Welcome to my kitchen! 


It's October - which means that here in Adelaide, South Australia the roses are blooming. These roses ramble over my front fence. They are a beautiful splash of colour in my kitchen! 



In my kitchen whilst rummaging around in the freezer I found the last container of peaches frozen earlier this year. Just as well - the peach tree is in full bloom with next year's crop!



In my kitchen I have been using Pepe Saya products courtesy of a prize pack I was lucky enough to win in a competition celebrating the three year anniversary of Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things blog. The flavour and quality of these products is amazing! Do try them!



In my kitchen I am enjoying the last of our abundant crops of climbing snap and snow peas, and broad beans that grew like those in Jack and the Beanstalk - seriously!



In my kitchen you will always find a bag of Joe's Poppy and Sesame Taralli. I purchase them from the best fruit and veg shop - in my opinion - in Adelaide. The shop - which stocks the best and freshest produce in town - is Metropolitan Fresh Fruiters St Peters run by Joe and Lisa Battista. You will find it located in The Avenues Shopping Centre, St Peters.



In my kitchen a guilty pleasure sometimes stolen is a cup of steaming, thick, velvety Seriously Rich Thick Dark Chocolate. Decadent - and expensive - it is a special occasion drink. I buy it from Rio Coffee, Stepney - another wonderful local business.



In my kitchen a firm family favourite is Spring Gully Sweet Spiced Gerkins and Gerkin Rounds. I remember these from my childhood! 

Recently an unprecedented response from the public of South Australia saved this local family owned company from financial ruin - a testimony to the high regard in which they and their products are held. It was a powerful lesson in the need to strongly support home grown produce and producers, and local businesses and companies!



I find it hard to resist attractive kitchen utensils. Do you? In my kitchen I now have this attractive bowl scraper - complete with a useful measure conversion table. I found it in Woolies!



Finally, in my kitchen - at the request of growing grandsons -  I'm baking a selection of treats for their school lunch boxes - because 'Granny's cooking always tastes the best'. You can't say no to that! Anzac biscuits are always a favourite.



To read the contributions of other bloggers to this enjoyable series head on over to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. There is good reading to be found there!
Cheers!
M


26 comments:

  1. Hi Marian, what a lovely IMK post! Thank you very kindly for the shout outs! Glad you enjoy the Pepe Saya products. Love that you are picking peas already!

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  2. Thanks, Liz - the pleasure is all mine, believe me! NB: the climbing peas are actually almost at the end of their season in my garden, but I picked a huge bowl of broad beans again this morning.

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  3. Marian, thank you so much for joining in! What a lovely first post, and I can't help but think that finding a frozen box of peaches is like uncovering hidden treasure! What did you do with them? Our self-sown beans are cropping at the moment as well, and congrats on winning the Pepe Saya pack - his products are amazing!!

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  4. Celia, thank you for your warm welcome to 'In My Kitchen'. The peaches made a gorgeous crumble enjoyed on what I hope is one of our last really cold evenings. I had not used Pepe Saya products before - but they are the best dairy products I have ever used!

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  5. Welcome to IMK...and blogging :) you are two months younger than me!
    Roses...they grow so nicely in Australia but not here in Calgary.
    Those are very nice Anzac biscuits, are you doing a post on them?

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  6. Hi Bernice, thank you for stopping by my first IMK post! I loved browsing your blog - and was excited to read about your adventures in Australia! Yes, we are a multicultural country - I'm Australian of German/English/Scot descent married into a Greek family, have a Russian sister-in-law, English son-in-law and my niece married into an Italian family! It makes for wonderful food influences! I will do a post on the Anzac biscuits soon - they are loved by every member of the family. And, now that I'm retired visiting your wonderful country is on my bucket list! Thanks again!

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  7. Hi Marian, Welcome to IMK.

    The rose is lovely, what is its name?

    I get so angry when I see branded food products that you associate with Australia and they are now made in China, India etc. I think it is important that food be grown/made in Australia. I am absolutely happy to buy imported luxury items but if a product can be grown in Australia we should grow it and we should buy it. Good on ya for saving Spring Gully.

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  8. Hi Glenda, thanks for your warm welcome to IMK!

    I wish I knew the name of the rose - I have been asked it so many times! It was already growing over our front fence when we bought the house 20 years ago!

    Growing up on a farm I remain passionate about supporting local and Australian producers wherever I can - we need them more than we know!

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  9. Hi Marian, welcome to the IMK gang. The colour of your roses is amazing! It looks like a great crop of broad beans, I'm hopping mine will be ready for some pesto this weekend. Those peaches also look delicious.
    cheers
    Jason

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  10. Hi Jason! Thanks for the welcome to IMK! The roses are beautiful and the photo doesn't really do them justice! I'm working on my photography skills! We've had so many broad beans I've run out of ideas for using them but your pesto sounds intriguing! Will you be posting the recipe? I'd be keen to try it!

    Cheers!

    Marian

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  11. Marian, hi and welcome to IMK! Looks like you've got some wonderful vendors in your area, plus an abundant supply of home-grown goodies. (I agree with you, shopping local is so important.) I also agree that splurging on expensive chocolate drinks now and then is a special occasion. No, make that essential! ;)

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  12. Hi Kim, Thanks for your welcome to the IMK family! Where we live we really are spoiled by the number of quality providers of produce - and South Australia produces some amazing produce and products that I'm looking forward to sharing in future posts! And, chocolate! Say no more!!!

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  13. G'day Maian! love your this month's IMK view, true!
    Pepe Saya products are one of my faves and you don't have to convince me about the wonderful foods and wines South Australian producers are so passionate about too!
    Your roses brightened my day! Thank you!
    Cheers! Joanne
    @mickeydownunder

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    1. Hi Joanne

      How fabulous to meet a fellow Adelaidian! Thanks for your comments! Do you source Pepe Saya products from somewhere here in Adelaide? Please let me know if you do! I am passionate about our wonderful SA produce and will promote it whenever and wherever I can! As a farmers daughter I have a keen appreciation of what goes into producing it! Again, many thanks!

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  14. fired the typist tonight Marian! :)

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    1. I think you can go gentle!!! Reinstatement might be the go!

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  15. Hello fellow Pepa Saya winner, I'm enjoying my win too! I like your bowl scraper - simple yet so handy. I have a similar one but it doesn't have the conversion. Well spotted.

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    1. Hi Fiona! I am pleased that you too are enjoying your Pepe Saya products! I'd love to hear how you have used yours! I'm still drooling over the scones and cream I made with mine! And I do love my little scraper - I think I'll popping one into the Christmas surprise box for both my daughter and daughter-in-law!

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    2. Great minds think alike - I rushed out and grabbed 1/2 dozen to pop in with gifts too. I used the Creme Fraiche on Potato Latkes w Beetroot and the rest in a Goat Curry. The Buttermilk went into corn bread. mmm

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  16. Congratulations on your retirement- you should now have lots of time to enjoy your cooking and explore new recipes!

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  17. Thanks, Fran! Retirement is so busy I don't know how I fit work in! However I assure you that I certainly am enjoying having the time to cook and blog!

    I have two other blogs I'm working on The Living Well in Retirement Challenge found at http://thelivingwellinretirementchallenge.blogspot.com.au/ and Watching My Garden Grow at http://watchingmygardengrow.blogspot.com.au/.

    All in all they keep me busy!

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  18. Nice post Marian - I'm especially interested in the hot chocolate mix. I might have to look that up.

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  19. Amanda, it's the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted!!!

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  20. Thanks Marian, for stopping by my blog G'day Souffle' and entering the GIVEAWAY for the Mandoline Slicer. Those Adelaide roses look beautiful! (Fran from G'day Souffle')

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  21. Hi Fran, thanks for stopping by my blog!I loved 'G'day Souffle' - you have a new follower! I think 'G'day'is one of my favourite words!

    The roses are gorgeous - but today I'll put up a November post featuring the jacaranda's which are just spectacular right now!

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