In my kitchen…
…is a painting from my grandma. My grandma and grandpa have just sold their house and are downsizing. Many years ago my grandma gave me a permanent marker and asked me to walk around her house and pick a painting that I would like, she was so keep it until things changed. I’m glad the change was them moving and I was pleasantly surprised at my younger self’s choice.
In my kitchen…
…is two Christmas cakes. The first ones I have ever made. From now until Christmas I will pull them out of the cupboard and tenderly brush them with more brandy and replace them. I can’t wait to taste and share the recipe with you. Although J is worried that I shouldn’t eat them, with the amount of brandy that will have been soaked into them. He also said I was the worst pregnant woman ever, after I licked the bowl, with the brandy and raw eggs.
In my kitchen…
… is cold pressed coffee from Coffee Cartel. I’m not a coffee drinker at all but I bought this for J. It takes something like 24 hours to drip through their amazing contraption, and is served from the fridge in these bottles. This is probably 3 serves. J says is very strong but he doesn’t need to add anything, where he is usually a milk and sugar kind of guy.
In my kitchen…
…is photocopied instructions to make a cold smoker. J’s started getting into smoking mussels and I saw this at work the other day and thought that he would be interested. Turns out he was and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before we have a cold smoker in our backyard.
In my kitchen…
… is some dried sourdough starter, ready for the blender. I just need to wizz it up to be a bit smaller, making it easier to dissolve when trying to get started again. In the past I had always put excess starter back into Maggie but I’ve had a few requestions recently for starter, so I thought I’d just start drying any leftovers when making bread.
What’s a highlight in your kitchen this month?
Head over to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial to see what’s happening in kitchens around the world.
Drying the starter is really cool. I didn’t realise you could do that. I have heard you can freeze it though? Love the painting. Looks beautiful under the table. Fruit cake testing will be happening in our kitchen this week too!
I think it’s so great to be trying new things! I learnt about drying the starter for Celia, the sourdough queen!
Oh man, cannot wait for your xmas cake recipe! I have fond memories of eating the raw mixture with a spoon when my nanna made it.
That painting is very beautiful too 🙂
I can’t wait to try the cake! And then of course share it!
Love the painting Clare.
Good idea on saving the starters… just one tip from Celia. Try a little off it and make sure it comes back to life before you stash it away. You don’t want to be storing dead starter.
The Christmas cakes are looking wonderful!
That’s a good idea. I tried the first one I sent out and assumed he rest would be fine. I’ll try is ASAP.
Drying starter? Good grief. I haven’t gotten the hang of wet starter yet. I WILL do it before the end of the year, I promised.
I LOVE your painting! You were a very precocious youngster if you chose that one.
Drying the stater is easy, you should definitely give it a go.
Your Christmas cakes are lovely!
It is hard to not indulge in licking the batter from them- Making Fruitcake is one of my
favorite baking experiences each year!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, I’m pretty happy with them! And the batter was delicious!
I love the fruitcakes; they look so beautiful.
Thanks Stephanie, I was pretty happy with them!
Those Christmas cakes look so inviting. Smoking your own mussels sounds interesting – my Dad loves them but out of a tin!
J’s were very similar to the ones ou of the tin.
Really? They’re the first Christmas cakes you’ve ever made? Because they look absolutely PERFECT, Clare! What a great job you’ve done! I love that you have your grandparent’s painting in your house, and I had a friend over today who was telling me all about cold-pressed coffee – serendipitously, here it is on your blog! How wonderful that you’re sharing Maggie around – that makes me really happy, thank you! 🙂
Maggie’s made it all the way to NZ! Yep, first Christmas cakes ever!
Tell your husband to relax – a little brandy and a drop of raw egg will be of no harm to anyone. I just made my Christmas cakes too. If you store them upside down the top of the cake will flatten (due to the weight) and so when you ice them (if that’s what you’re doing) it will be easier to get a smooth surface. Good luck! xx
Hey pretty relaxed about it all, it was a joke. Thanks for the flattening suggestion!
I’ve never seen sour dough starter before – interesting. Love those cakes – yum!
The starter doesn’t look like that all the time, just for transportation.
G’day Clare and wow re the Christmas cake…reminder that Christmas is just around the corner, true!
Smoking? 🙂 Food wise it has been on my list to do and thanks for your kitchen view!
Cheers! Joanne
No worries. I’m excited to do more Christmas baking!
Bottled, cold pressed coffee is the latest ‘thing’ isn’t it? My go-to coffee place is doing the same thing, in little bottles shaped like hip flasks. The cafe’s name is ‘Tonic’ and the cold-pressed stuff is being sold as a ‘cureall’ – very cute 🙂
It does seem to be everywhere!
Jealous of that cold smoker…love anything smoked and doing it yourself means you can control the intensity. Great to finally meet you Clare at #EDB13 – I had fun and enjoyed your company. Fiona xx
It was so great to meet you too Fiona! I can’t wait for J to build us a cold smoker!
My husband makes cold pressed coffee for me to have iced coffees during the day. He uses an aeropress filter (good christmas present idea). I’m yet to try one from the shops/cafe.
That’s a great idea!
Hi Clare, your Christmas cakes look brilliant and the motto is always more brandy right??
I’d just wouldn’t like to get a breathalysed after a slice.
cheers
Jason
That’s what I’m going with. These cakes are going to be swimming in brandy!
oooh! nice post!
I’m very interested in that sourdough starter…did you order it from somewhere?
That coffee looks very interesting, 24 hour drip! It must be pretty decent 🙂
Celia from figjamandlimecordial.com sent it to me. I can post you one if you’d like?