Kreative Kids

On the 1st July Aly helped me to cook sweet treats for a catering gig for the MX-5 Club AGM. Two days later I helped Alex make drawstring fabric bags for gaming controllers, ready for his pop up shop at AvCon on the weekend.

So many Shallots

I was absolutely delighted with the quality and quantity of shallots I harvested this year.

Last year weeds took a hold and smothered most of the crop. I set aside the best bulbs for this year’s crop and vowed to be more diligent.

Diligence paid off and I have plenty of bulbs to eat and replant for next season. I hung big bunches from the BBQ roof to dry off ready for storing.

Present-ing: One gift leads to another

Aly took me to Murray Bridge for brunch for my birthday and gave me some money to spend either in the gift shop at The Davery or at Serenity Nursery, where we headed next. I can’t resist an opportunity at a nursery so came home with both male and female kiwi fruit vines.

With Christmas just around the corner I knew that a request for an Arch might be well received by the metal worker in the family, and indeed it was.

Many a design was considered and complexity scaled down. Rod was keen to incorporate a theme so elongated diamonds were featured to match in with the pyramids he made me for the tay and Boysen berries.

The kiwi fruit vines were planted in November with temporary support until after Christmas Day. As soon as the Arch was moved into position the twining began in earnest with Rod helping the vine decide where to hang on.

Berry Good Jam

The blackberry season is upon us and the most satisfying realisation is that the canes that we have growing on our trellis in the potager is producing bigger fruit and more of it than at the bottom of the hill where they are growing wild.

9 jars of pure berries, no plums in this batch. The berries are 3/4 blackberries and the remaining 1/4 tayberry and boysenberry frozen from the end of last year. 

If you are reading this post you can qualify for your very own jar of ASHWELL BERRY JAM - 6 Feb ‘19!

Hey Pesto!

Home grown Basil and home grown garlic team with pine nuts, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a splash of home grown lemon juice. I used cashews instead of pine nuts for the jar on the left. Same quantities for each jar but the cashew mix is definitely drier and lighter in colour. I have placed some of the pine nut pesto in IceCube trays to freeze for an extended pesto season.

Festive Fare to enjoy both here and there!

Christmas and the New Year have been and gone but a look back through my photos have confirmed how successful our cooking and eating were during the season.

Aly treated Rod and I to Banana Pancakes on New Years Day. 

I made Cheesecake swirl Brownie and Cherry Coconut  slice to take to Leah and Andrews NY Eve party.

Using Maree’s recipe I whipped up a Cherry Almond spice cake to take to Meg and Peter’s for our annual non-camping lunch.

After buying a set of sterling silver Pudding coins at the Barmera Markets back in October I thought I would start a new Pudding tradition in an attempt to be less of a Christmas Scrooge. For many years my Mum made Christmas Puddings, originally using Pudding cloths, suet and cooking them up in a cooper. An impressive effort which my Dad and many of the family enjoyed. I have opted for a Pudding bowl and am quite happy for my first attempt. Time for Mum to enjoy a well earned retirement from Christmas Pudding baking.

Not a trifle but a Smashed Pavlova. A timely lolly jar gift made for a great tall bowl. Aly made all the elements from scratch, including lemon curd, pav, whipped cream and macerated cherries and then put it together. Beautiful!

Aly treated us on Christmas morning to a breakfast of French Toast on lemon curd, topped with stewed apples and a sprinkling of blueberries.

9 family members for Christmas lunch, a little warm to be on the deck so I set the dinning room table where we fitted comfortably and enjoyed a lovely afternoon of Christmas fare.

The Devil is in the Details

I love gardens that have a sprinkling of ornamentation throughout. Even better if an ornament serves a practical purpose, like a brass bird tap top. But items that are purely there for show serve a purpose too as the can delight the senses. One of my favourite quotes is by William Morris -. Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. Same goes for the garden I think!

Hydrangea Happiness

A variety of hydrangeas at Ashwell. Some are in pots. Some were gifts and some are cuttings from established plants. The more plain hydrangeas (centre top row) have been here for most of the 35 years, but because they are under the pine tree they have not grown much. This year I have given  them more attention and the results are noticeable. Maybe if I keep at it they will eventually look like significant bushes.