Sunday 1 September 2019

In My Kitchen - September 2019

It's September, it's Spring and they've had a bit of rain out west.  Hip hip hooray!  The locals had started to buy in water as the dams are nearly empty, so even a small amount of rain is welcome.  Fresh green leaves are appearing, and flowers will be blooming.  It's a beautiful time of year here in sunny Queensland before it gets too hot.

August is a blaah month, and not much happened here in Pickings Land.  Mr P. and I both got mild colds, at separate times.  We travelled to Sydney for a weekend; we bunkered down and did ... not much.  But there was food, and there was cooking.  Always a comfort, even if it's still on the cruddy old oven.  The new one has taken up permanent residence in the dining room, while we wait and wait for the stove men to come do their thing(s)...  



young butcher bird 

Just for a bit of a change, I am showing you a juvenile butcher bird sitting on our back deck, waiting for some food.  S/He still has baby feathers, so not quite as black as they will become.  S/He comes to the kitchen window, and begs me for food.  Such a sweetie, even though as adults they eat other birds' eggs!  I love her whiskers though:-)


Come and join in everyone, for this month's In My Kitchen.  All welcome, new and old.  We love to see your global kitchens, and it's such fun to see what's happening in the 'other' hemisphere.  You know who you are:-)


In my kitchen:



that spread is a bit ... odd
  
I loved the nuts, but the spread is kinda weird; not sweet at all so probably a bit too healthy for me.  It will go in smoothies for breakfast.  Macadamias originated here in Australia sixty million years ago, and have been a staple food item for the indigenous peoples for a very long time.  So delicious!



a sweet little tumbler from Magnolia Mountain

I have several items from Magnolia Mountain, but this one had to join the collection.  They make beautiful things!



I won these!

It was Love Your Bookshop Day recently, and my fave indie store Avid Reader had a cake-off, as they do each year.  So I baked, and I won the above.  I'm not sure what category I won, as they all seemed to be taken already:-)  (I love the zero f**ks tea towel.)  




Edchup?

This is Edchup, named after Ed Sheeran the singer.  See the cute little tomato face with his spectacles?  Why?  Who knows?  Tastes the same as good old ketchup.



as per the labels

We go through a fair whack of olive oil in this house, and I love pearl barley.  It reminds me of my childhood; mum used to make a hearty soup with it.  I guess it fed lots of hungry children cheaply.  Oh, and there's a tea towel too.  You know I can never have enough of these in my linen cupboard:-)



I love Ruth

I love Ruth, and this is another fascinating read; this time about her tenure as editor of Gourmet magazine.  I sped through this one in a few hours.



one delicious quiche

This quiche is made to Ruth's recipe; it always works!  So, not only is she a good writer, but she's also a great cook.  And I've loved other recipes of hers too - like that ginger bundt cake.  Mm, must make it again.



the boastie bit

Okay folks, here is where I do some boasting.  I've had a story published in this anthology.  That's why we were in Sydney on the weekend - for the launch.  I even got to sign some books.  It was very exciting, I have to tell you.  Not food related, but I had to spill the beans.  It's very exciting to see your name in print, I have to say.  Well, that's it for another month.  Come one, come all, fellow foodies; join in the IMK fun for September.  Looking forward to all your wondrous posts.  Cheers!


Here are the options once again:


1. Add via the Add Link button at the bottom of this post.  Instructions can be found on the sidebar of this page, under the Add your IMK link

2. Comment on this post, providing a link to your post so I can add it to the list below.  


3. Email me: sherrym1au@gmail.com, with your link or any queries about the link process
 





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Sherrys Pickings

48 comments:

  1. Hi Sherry,
    Thanks once again for hosting this fun wrap-up blog event. I liked all your new things. I read the Reichl book recently too (blogged here: https://maefood.blogspot.com/2019/08/save-me-plums-by-ruth-reichl.html)

    While you have spring, we are turning towards autumn, and will soon have red and yellow leaves, dead flowers, and chillier weather. We also have a bird -- a Carolina wren, or maybe a pair of them -- that's adopted us by making a nest of some kind in our potted plant, and scolding us when we are on the porch near its home. We don't think it's doing a late brood of eggs, but we are watching to see what happens.

    I'm looking forward to what's in everyone's kitchen lately.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. hi Mae
      thanks for being first again! i must read your review. i loved the book. cheers sherry

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  2. The young butcher bird is brave and beautiful. The only time we had a bird banging on the window was a pigeon when we lived in a flat in Glasgow. Quiche looks nice and i like the sound of Ginger Bundt cake. Please do share recipe if you can, i'd make it. interesting how you will use the macadamia spread in drinks, good way to use it for sure esp if its not for you as a spread.

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    1. the ginger cake is on my blog shaheen. just check the archives. i have made a gingerbread this morning and that will go up in a week or 2 on the blog. yes nut spread is good in brekkie smoothies!

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  3. Lots of stuff in your kitchen! I am hungry for some quiche :-)) Have a wonderful Sunday!

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    1. thanks angie. I have been making midnight gingerbread this morning. smells delish already; now i just have to leave it for 2 days before eating!

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  4. I love pearl barley too. It’s filling and is a good thickener for dishes. Not many soups left in the year though. Another lovely pottery pice. How many delightful, bespoke pieces do you have? I bet your dinner table looks interesting when you entertain. Fiona (Tiffin)

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    1. well, i have to say i have many many bespoke pieces fiona! i do give them away as well... so they sit for a while on my shelves then they go to a happy home. thanks for joining in. cheers sherry

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  5. How exciting Sherry! You got published and even got to sign some books. Congratulations! Btw the not sweet chocolate nut spread would not be for me either!

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    1. thanks so much marcellina. it was very exciting. yep i know what you mean - this spread just tastes weird without some sugar:)

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  6. MMM chocolate macadamias and quiche and tomato sauce with ed sheeran (ok that is more amusing than delicious). Love your blue bowl. There is a theme emerging with books here. Congrats on being published - sounds very exciting to be signing copies.

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    1. thank you johanna. yes indeed it was a real buzz to sign books i have to say. ed sheeran- so funny!

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  7. First, congratulations on publishing your story! Fantastic!

    Love the Magnolia Mountain bowl, and I am excited to start “Save Me the Plums” - just got it from a friend!

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    1. thanks david. ooh yes i loved that book; i hope you do too. anything Ruth is fine with me:) cheers S

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  8. Glad you got to Sydney for the weekend Sherry. I've spent a bit of time there doing the touristy things like climbing the harbour bridge. I've got family in Melbourne so I've been out visiting a couple of times and hope to be back in the not too distant future!

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    1. hi unknown
      i'm sad i don't know who you are but thanks heaps for dropping by my blog:) you should definitely come back. Melbourne is so fabulous, as is brisbane of course. cheers S

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  9. Congratulations again on getting your story published! What a shame you can't reproduce it here so everyone can read it. I think they'd really enjoy it!

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    1. hi lorraine
      yes i'd be a bit worried about putting my story up here. it's a bit risque for some, isn't it?:)

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  10. It would be wonderful to be adopted by a bird! I keep hoping that some swallows will nest under our eaves, but so far they haven't. I am going to get it together to contribute this month, thank you so much for continuing to host. And congratulations on your story being published.

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    1. hi Liz
      thank you and thank you! please do join in. the more the merrier. cheers S

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  11. Great read as always Sherry 🧡 Michaela 🧡

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  12. Another great blog post Sherry 🧡 Michaela 🧡

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  13. That is so exciting about the story publishing! Congrats! Also, I had to laugh a bit at the "not sweet at all so probably a bit too healthy for me" comment. That pretty much describes me perfectly, too! Also, that Ed Sheeran ketchup? Huh!? I mean kinda cool, but huh!? :-)

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    1. thanks david. i was so chuffed! that ketchup made me scratch my head?!

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  14. I'd love to read your story, perhaps I have to buy the book. Also thanks for the recommendation for Ruth Reichl. I miss that part of working in libraries, always knowing what the great reads are. IMK has some very interesting brand names, I need a trip south:) Fancy the Ed Sheeran ketchup, not perfume but ketchup. I'll post to your IMK after The Wedding. Really enjoy seeing what you all have going on. Pauline x

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    1. hi pauline
      i can email you the story. i'm pretty sure i have your email address. Me too re libraries. were you a librarian? me too! thanks for dropping by and looking forward to your post. cheers S

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  15. Congrats on the story being published! Love the looks of that quiche -- it' been ages since I've made one, and you've got me hankering after it. :-)

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    1. thanks KR. I was so pleased to be in the anthology. it made my week! yes ruth's quiche recipe is always a winner. she is a clever one. cheers S

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  16. Congrats on being published and hope you are well over the colds. I admire your patience in waiting for the stove men! And yay for rain :)

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    1. thanks tandy. yep we are both all well now. stove men!? maybe next week...

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  17. I loved all of your blog post! Congrats on getting your story published and getting to sign books, that is so exciting. The butcher bird photo is very cool. I love birds and this is a variety we don’t have in Florida.

    Yum on that quiche, i could eat half of it right now. Have not read Reichl`s book yet but she was such a force with Gourmet mag and I have liked her previous books.

    Your pal in Florida, Tina

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    1. hi tina
      thanks for dropping by. glad you liked my post. yes those birds are cute but destructive as they do eat other birds' eggs. cheers S

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  18. CONGRATS ON THE STORY! How exciting!

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  19. Congratulations on the publication of your story. That is so exciting! I'd love to hear more about it. Ciao, Cristina

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    1. hi cristina
      let me have your email address and i can send it to you. be warned - it is a racy story!

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    2. Hi Sherry
      I like racy! My email is ciaocristina@telus.net. Ciao, Cristina

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    3. Ok; email is just about to be sent:) cheers S

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  20. It's looking good in your kitchen again. That young butcher bird has very keen eye. We get some bird friends to our backyard as well. It's so much fun to observe them. I also had a lot of pearled barley in my childhood. My mum used to make a brilliant oven porridge with it. It was so good! I have added my link again, and btw my name is Heta. You were already asking for couple of times, I'm sorry for ignoring. :)

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    1. thanks so much Heta for letting me know your name. i guess you are female?:) and thanks heaps for joining in IMK. cheers S

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  21. Well it certainly is exciting to see your name in print! Congratulations. But, I can't get over the Edchup. Why is right. How odd. And, he's not Australian, is he. Interesting marketing choice. Love that tumbler. I always had trouble reading Ruth. So you must be much smarter than I am!!!

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    1. he is english i think. it's a weird concept but i love the tomato drawing of him. i don't know about me being smarter but i do love Ruth! i really enjoy her writing... cheers S

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  22. I've been on the hunt for that Edchup! We're huge Ed Sheeran fans. =) Congrats on your baking contest win. That looks like a fun tea towel and cookbook. Thanks for hosting the linkup and hope you're feeling better.

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    1. i found the edchup in woolies. just sitting there, looking all innocent and tricking me into buying it:-) Yep we are both very better thanks!

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  23. Sherry, congratulations on having your story published. Be PROUD of that accomplishment, even if it was non-food-related. You have such a "down home" way of describing things that appeals to folks, including me. Sorry I didn't make this month's IMK deadline, but it'll be fun looking through everybody's links in the coming days and I'm hoping to rejoin you in October. (My "quarterly report" LOL!) Loved the look of your quiche, Magnolia Mountain tumbler, and Macadamia spread (history, too) and wishing you the very best, as always xo.

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    1. thanks so much kim. 'twill be nice to have you back for october IMK. take care have fun cheers sherry x

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