Tuesday 1 June 2021

In My Kitchen - June 2021

First of all - very sad news for those of us who knew Kim Bultman of the blog A Little Lunch.  I was completely gobsmacked and shocked to read on her Facebook page that she had passed away last week.  She emailed me at Christmas with some words of wisdom, which I really appreciated.  Vale Kim, and hugs to her family.

But here we are, ready for another IMK post.  I love June! - it's Winter, it's my birthday month, it's the Winter Solstice, it's fabulous.  I pull out my many and varied scarves, and my boots and for about a month, we enjoy the change in weather.  Though we Queenslanders do start to complain once the temp. drops below 20C/70F!

Our compatriots in Victoria have just gone into a 7 day lockdown again, poor things.  I just hope we don't get any of that up here.  I've already had some awful virus that lasted for 3.5 weeks!  And I've had some marathon sessions at the dentist, with more to come.  And I need new spectacles ... and on it goes.  This year is full of surprises, and shocks.  Now let's look into our kitchen happenings.  Join in, one and all.  Everybody is welcome!


In my kitchen:


a few goodies from Grecian Purveyor in Sydney, and Long Track Pantry

The dolmades are so delicious!  They are not too soggy or salty, but just right.  And the dried oregano is fantastic - full of flavour and a great scent.


more goodies from our local village Providore

Watermelon hot sauce is a tangy, sweet and spicy item.  Great with all sorts of things.  Such clever people to think of making this stuff.


regional vanilla paste

as per the label

blitzing parsley and chives and olive oil

Happily I no longer throw out limp, sad herbs but blitz them with salt, pepper and olive oil, and into the freezer they go.  I feel virtuous, and I have a ready supply of herbs for soups and stews.


shredding cabbage for sauerkraut

My sauerkraut is going very well this year.  Bubbling away nicely in the depths of my walk-in wardrobe.  I love my personalised crock made by our beautiful potter friend Brooke from Red Door Studio.
 

  
'A Book Trip' by Yuiko Uto

This is my June curveball.  I love watercolours!  This is by a Japanese-Australian artist.  I bought this at a local market, situated in trendy Fish Lane.  So quirky, so clever, so gorgeous.  My walls are getting rather well-populated, so this one is sitting way up above 3 other paintings.  I keep telling Mr P. that I need my own little studio/getaway in the backyard.


Here's the usual reminder, folks: IMK posts are about your kitchen (and kitchen garden) happenings over the past month.  Dishes you've cooked, preserves you've made, herbs and veg in your garden, kitchen gadgets, and goings-on.  You get the picture.  And don't forget your curveball!  Throw in whatever you fancy; no need to be kitchen-related.  The link is open from the first to the thirteenth of the month.  Let me know if you need help with adding your post, or if you would like it added manually by me after the 13th (if you're running late). Here's how to join in:


Options for adding your post to IMK:

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 OR:

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

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




In My Kitchen:



You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

42 comments:

  1. HI Sherry,
    I've been away from my kitchen for 10 days but collected some pics before we left for a while without a kitchen of our own, just restaurants and picnics. YOur kitchen looks good this month.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. hi Mae
      must have been nice to get away! i'm looking forward to a few days away later in the month.

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  2. Sherry Thank you for sharing, I am really Saddened to read that Kim Bultman of the blog A Little Lunch is no longer with us. Kim always left me a comment on my IMK post that was uplifting and encouraging. She will be missed.

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    1. yes it's so sad about kim. she was a lovely lady!

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  3. So sorry to hear about your friend Kim. It looks like you have lots of good stuff going on in the kitchen and this looks like a fun link up too!

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    1. yes it's awful about kim. you're very welcome to join in IMK martha.

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  4. I didn't know Kim, but it's always sad to hear another fellow blogger is not long with us. My deepest and most sincere condolences to the family.
    You again have lots of good stuff in your kitchen this month. I love that fermented watermelon hot sauce and your sauerkraut pot too.

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  5. Sad to hear about Kim. I'm sorry to hear that news.

    In the foodie world, that watermelon hot sauce sounds fantastically interesting! I love creative new ideas, and that is certainly a different flavor concept. Happy early birthday, my friend!

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    1. it was a real blow to hear about kim. i had no idea that anything was wrong with her. her hubby didn't say why she had died. thanks re birthday wishes. it's in 3 weeks but i like to get ahead:-)

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  6. So sorry to hear about Kim! Really sad news. But on a happier note, fun stuff this month! I'm really intrigued by the watermelon hot sauce!

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    1. yes it was very sad to hear about Kim. so unexpected. i don't know if she had been ill or what happened. yes that watermelon hot sauce is great. cheers S

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  7. Oh my goodness Sherry, I am so sorry to hear about Kim. She often dropped by my IMKs and was a fellow musician, may she rest in peace. What a reminder that we are all where we are in each moment, not sure what may be next around the corner. You have some real interesting things in your kitchen this month, watermelon hot sauce?! I tried making sauerkraut once and it just went all mouldy :(

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    1. yes awful news about kim. such a shock. there were such lovely comments on her FB page after her hubby put up about her death. many mentioned her music. life is so precious and uncertain! shame about the sauerkraut. this is the third time i've made it and only the first time i've had a tiny bit of mould. i've scooped it out and hoping for the best...

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  8. Good idea for the herbs - I try to preserve "extras" in different ways. Love making sauerkraut - ever tried Kimchi?

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    1. hi judi
      yes i've eaten kimchi (never made it) but not a fan. dunno why! cos i love sauerkraut :)

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  9. I was so saddened to hear about Kim. She was the nicest person and always left such nice comments. Too young.

    Watermelon hot sauce looks intriging, I never heard of it. Glad the kraut is going well.

    Happy birthday! Mine is today, the 2nd. June babies, us. :-)

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    1. hi tina
      yes it was awful news about Kim. she was lovely. ooh yes happy birthday to you. June is a good baby month of course:-)

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  10. I'm writing up my IMK right now and took a break to visit blogs and here yours is Sherry! Isn't Grecian Purveyor great? And so sad about Kim, I didn't know her but I'm sure she touched a lot of lives may she rest in peace.

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    1. oh yes i do like grecian purveyor. such fab foodie things. Yes super super sad about Kim. such a lovely lady. too too young!

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  11. I was so sad to read about Kim! And sorry to hear you have been ill. I trust it was not Covid? Lovely goodies this month, especially that fermented watermelon. You would never cope here - our high today is not even 20DegC

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    1. thanks tandy. nope not covid - just an awful virus that hung around for weeks! i self-isolated and went nowhere and saw no-one. not much fun. yes just so very sad about Kim. i still can't believe it. she was only just 63.

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    1. Thanks! it was so shocking to hear about Kim. she was only just 63! way too young to die.

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  13. I didn't know about Kim and am shocked, she seemed so vital. I loved her stories about living on the lake. And sorry you have been ill, it's surprising we still get those other viruses since we are all being so careful. I like the tip about freezing herbs, I have a ton of cilantro in the garden right now and it will soon go to seed. I'm going to harvest and freeze some with some chives. Not much going on at the moment in my kitchen but I will get it together for a post this weekend.

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    1. yes a huge shock! so glad to hear you will join in IMK this month. when i do the freeze thing with the herbs, i only blitz them with a wee bit of oil. so that's my hint - just enough to make a bit of a paste!

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  14. I hope you'll have a nice birthday month. Congratulations!

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  15. Sounds so funny to think of June as a winter month. I always feel good when I salvage (and not waste) my leftover herbs. So sorry about your blogging friend Kim.

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    1. hi judee
      yes such sad news about Kim. it is indeed funny to have seasons upside down - I mean you guys of course:-)

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  16. I didn’t know Kim at all, but I’m still quite sad to hear someone so loved disappeared from your life (lives). Sending you peaceful and caring thoughts…

    Your kitchen is great fun, as always… love the chicken stock (but more so Shaun the Sheep), and the watercolor is very fun!

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    1. she touched many lives! thanks. oh yes shaun the sheep is the best!

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  17. Month after month, you always have the most interesting things in your kitchen. Love your tip on preserving herbs.

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    1. thanks so much karen. i'm glad i came across that tip re freezing herbs; i used to just chuck 'em when they were limp but i freeze them before they get too bad of course! so i use just enough oil to bind them together; works a treat.

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  18. Hi Sherry - that is really sad about Kim - she seemed such a kind and generous person! I wish I was organised enough to freeze old herbs - such a great idea. Watermelon hot sauce is a clever idea and I really could do with some dolmades after seeing yours. Interested to hear you have a full gallery of pictures - not surprised as you often have such interesting art. I like the idea of your own little studio - and would love to hear that you are opening it to the public :-)

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    1. hi johanna
      yes our house is full up with paintings and sculptures! an artist friend of ours loves to come and have a puddle around to check out all the artworks:) Yes so very sad about Kim. taken too young - as they say - but she really was. there are so many loving comments about her on her FB page where her hubby told us of her death.

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  19. Hi Sherry, really sad to hear about lovely Kim, she will be missed.
    Belated birthday wishes and as always interesting things in your kitchen. Love the beautiful personalized crock and of course sauerkraut too. How was the hot watermelon sauce? Not seen that one before. Enjoy the cooler months, we are sweltering in the heat in our part of the world. :)

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    1. yes such a shock about Kim. she was a lovely lady. my birthday is still ahead! so you've got in early with birthday greetings. thanks! the watermelon sauce was good; hot and fruity. yep the sauerkraut worked out well this year!

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  20. Always sad to hear about an active blogger passing away, it just makes you realise how brief life really is as we get older. May she rest in peace. I'm loving Winter, very slow starts in the mornings though. Your Watermelon sauce looks amazing, so many exciting new products in your kitchen Sherry. I've just been plodding along cooking as required for various events. For some reason the photo of my IMK didn't automatically load this time, there always seems to be some little thing that happens differently. Anyway done now, and just in time. Have a lovely weekend. :)

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    1. i know what you mean pauline. every day is a blessing at our advanced age:-) yep winter is fabulous. i've been wearing lots of scarves. Bloody Blogger. one damn thing after another, and now we have to get a new email subs service. i'm going with Follow.it. how about you?

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  21. I love December like you love your June. :) Right now our June is giving up 100F+ temperatures, so I'm not loving that. I need to find me some of that watermelon hot sauce. Love them both but have never put the two together. Sounds awesome! Glad to see someone else save the wilted herbs. I do something similar and it comes in so handy to just grab a little from the freezer and season a soup or whatever. Fun post!

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    1. phew sounds hot there MJ. we are having beautiful winter weather here - about 24C today i think. Thanks for dropping by.

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