Dr Who And The Chocolates of Wilston

Some readers of my Instagram account may have seen a photo of these cute little chocolates I made for a recent Trivia Night at the local school.  It is a big deal every year; everyone gets dressed up in costume and tries to outdo everyone else to win the award for best table.  Sadly our Doctor Who table didn't win, but our mates from the Addams Family did.  Yay!

I spent the morning decorating a Tardis cake and making some Dalek and Tardis chocolates.  It was a lot of fun.  So here I present my Doctor Who chocs.  It's not a recipe as such; it's just too simple for that.  Confession time: I didn't temper the chocolate first, but life is too short when you are busy getting ready to set out as the 4th Doctor.  And they looked and tasted just fine.

The Tardis and 4th Doctor

get yourself some good chocolate  

Grab yourself a decent block of chocolate - I ended up using 400g. as I made 2 lots. The mould is very deep so it took heaps of melted chocolate to fill.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 50 seconds, stir it and put it back in for a bit longer if needed.

pour the melted choc into the mould 

all ready for the freezer 

I was in a hurry 'cos I had to make another batch and time was of the essence, so into the freezer they went for an hour or so.  Then with brute strength I forced them out of the mould ready for the next batch.  I repeated the melting and pouring for the 2nd batch.

cute as a button 

I wrapped them in parchment paper and into a plastic container to be devoured by the hungry Whovians at our table.

bigger on the inside - my Tardis doodle

In My Kitchen June 2016

Big news!  I am wearing a polar fleece in my kitchen.  So what? it's winter, some of you are saying.  But we have had an 8 months long summer here folks, so this is a blissful change.  The sky is blue and cloudless, a breeze is blowing and it is wonderfully refreshing.

There are other things in my kitchen apart from a fleeced-up blogger.  In fact, it has been a bit of a crazy month here, and I seem to have acquired a few new things.

Here we have:

chilli chocolate powder 

  

I first had this when my cousin sent it up for my birthday last year. I had to buy more when I ran out.  It has chilli and cayenne pepper in it, and it is deliciously HOT.  I like it over vanilla ice cream; the contrast between cold temp. and hot spice is delicious.
  

purple gin

Yes I know I have been splashing this image around on Instagram, but I just love the colour and the gorgeous floral aroma.  And best of all, it is local- i.e. made 2 hours away from me rather than in another country:=)

and we have barberries - tart and chewy

Our Iranian friend made us a beautiful rice dish with barberries which we loved.  I am planning to use the wonderful saffron she gave us and these barberries in a similar dish.  

then there is a new book 

This photo sorta looks like Matt and I are holding his book together don't you think?  A lot of the recipes are meant for colder climes so it may not be practical for my sub-tropical kitchen, but who cares? Don't we all love him anyway?



And then there is Gizzi.  I know almost nothing about her, but this book was on sale so I nabbed it.  You simply can't resist that Audrey Hepburn look!

Gizzi looking glamorous in her kitchen 

these speak for themselves

a very early birthday pressie to myself   

I love all sorts of vinegars and usually have several different ones on the go.  We were at a local café recently which has a provisions store also.  I saw this and it came home with me.  Delish on salads.

more macadamias

Mr P. and I did some more foraging.  I know they look a bit awful, but you need to leave them dry out for a while.  The husk then shrinks and starts to come off making it much easier to get the nut out.

Ukrainian chocolate

Mr P.'s IT person is in Ukraine.  Why, you may well ask?  He tried to get one locally but they were wildly expensive and weren't very amenable to his needs.  A friend recommended the lovely Olena, who hails from Kiev.  See the chocolate?  That's her name - Olena!  Last week we had a big package from her out of the blue, as a thank you to Mr P. for paying her a decent wage and being nice to her.  (As he is to everyone.)

a beautiful blue tumbler was in the parcel 

We loved rootling through this big box of goodies as surprises kept popping up, including this very cute earthenware pot.  It can be used for cooking apparently.

lovely little cooking pot  

Too cute to put in the oven!  It will sit nicely on my shelves looking beautiful.  I hope the lovely Olena did not spend too many of her hryvnias on this package.:=)  Yes that is a new word for me too.  I am guessing folks that you may not have known the currency of Ukraine either.

pine-scented soap  

We tend to use liquid soap in our bathroom, so I have put this in my underwear drawer to give a beautiful aroma to my smalls.  The funny thing is when I started to take off the wrapping, the soap was so greasy that I just punctured the whole thing many times (like a frenzied axe murderer) so the aroma comes out and the grease stays in.  Perhaps they still use goat's tallow and ashes like the Phoenicians?

really good Aussie olive oil  

  

Every year, or at least those years when there are olives on Patrice's farm, I buy a box of her oil.  You have to get in quick 'cos they sell like hotcakes (I think the Sydney chefs use it in their restaurants).  It is great to support Aussie farmers and to use oil that has only travelled interstate not halfway across the world.

can't wait to try this 

I had a drama with this, as some people may have seen on Instagram.  Australia Post ran over my parcel!  The lovely suppliers sent me a replacement without a quibble, unlike Aust Post.  Have you ever tried to make a complaint with them?  Don't bother, you have to sell your firstborn, AND your second born.

freebie from Josh & Sue

Josh and Sue sent me this rock salt in my replacement parcel after the terrible tragedy of being run over by Aust Post.  The parcel, not me.  Thanks guys!

this sounds intriguing

This maple sugar is apparently twice as sweet as normal sugar.  I will have to investigate further.


Well, that isn't everything that came my way this past month but I don't want you falling asleep as you try to get thru this post.


Join in with Maureen from The Orgasmic Chef in this monthly show and tell of our global kitchens.

Gin And Lime Chicken

Gin?  Lime?  Chicken?  Right, I'm in!  This recipe is actually adapted from Nigella's latest cookbook - Simply Nigella.  She uses tequila to marinate the chicken, but tequila is a no-go for me.  The last time I had it was in a frozen margarita (which I reckon came out of one of those buckets of frozen margarita mix).  Afterwards was not pretty as I vomited up my dodgy Mexican dinner.  This is why I always like to pick the restaurant when we go out.  And why I don't drink tequila!

I had my beautiful bottle of purple Ink Gin on hand, so that became the base for the marinade.  I even remembered to stick the chicken in the bag and leave it sit for 6 hours (or overnight if you remember to do it the night before).  So grab your ingredients and get marinating.


Serves 4:


ingredients:


1.4 kg. of bone-in chicken pieces (I used thighs)

75 mls. of gin - or tequila if you must

zest and juice of 2 limes

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes, or 2 small red chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp sea salt

30 mls olive oil - 1.5 tbs if using an Aussie spoon of 20 mls.


To serve:

chopped fresh coriander leaves

lime wedges


Method:


Place the chicken pieces into a large, plastic ziploc bag

Mix together the gin, lime zest and juice, chilli, salt and olive oil

Tip the mix into the bag of chicken pieces

Seal the bag, shake it gently, then place it on a baking tray or dish

And into the fridge it goes for at least 6 hours or overnight

30 minutes before you are ready to bake, take the chicken out of the fridge

Take the pieces out of the bag and place on a baking dish to come to room temperature - you want a dish that holds the chicken comfortably but with not much space around the pieces.  They have to sit nicely together, shoulder to shoulder, so to speak

Now pour half the marinade over the chicken, and place in a hot oven at 220C for 25 minutes

Take it out of the oven, and pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken that you have turned over in the dish

Now back in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through

Place the chicken on a serving plate

Pour a small amount of boiling water into the dish so that you can gather up the sticky juices on the bottom

Spoon/pour this over the chicken

Serve with the chopped coriander leaves, a bit more chilli if you like, and lime wedges


Tips:


Make sure you use bone-in chicken pieces.  Sadly my grocery delivery came with thigh fillets (no bones!) so I had to use those.  It was not as tender as I would have liked, 'cos you really need the bones for flavour and juiciness.  I also baked it for a little less time than Nigella's recipe says; fillets cook faster.

ingredients ready for the marinade   

mixing the marinade

chicken and marinade in the bag 

chicken out of the bag and into the oven  

and baked!

looking tasty and sticky 

serve with couscous and (oops! I forgot) the coriander  

This went really well with the couscous, and I served a salad too, which added a bit of freshness.  I can see this becoming a regular on the chez Pickings menu.  Nigella comes up trumps again. 

my gin doodle

(p.s. I am not sponsored by Ink Gin BTW:=))
      

Thyme To Dry Those Herbs

Regular readers may remember me bemoaning the plague of possums, bugs, birds - especially bush turkeys - that ravage our garden.  Well, what used to be our garden. Once upon a time, we had a herb and veggie garden full of beautiful tomatoes and herbs swaying in the sultry Brissie sunshine.  The sea breeze that picked up in the afternoon would waft the heavenly aroma of basil and rosemary through the house, but alas no more. The above-mentioned plague of beasties took over!

there is still a tiny rosemary bush in the garden bed - the possums aren't fans?:=)  

So now I buy from markets and stores, or badger friends for their home-grown produce. I used to be one of those naughty people who buy a herb, use a bit and throw the rest away.  But I am more frugal and careful these days, so I chuck soft herbs straight into the freezer, or blitz them into purees, and store in ice cube trays or plastic bags.  


I had a big bunch of left-over thyme this week, and was wondering what to do with it.  I Googled it of course and found this superb method of drying hard herbs in just a couple of minutes.  I was a bit sceptical when I read it, but now I am a convert.  


So first rinse and dry the herb very carefully if needed.  I bought one of those packets that are already washed so I just laid it down on a piece of kitchen paper so it could air after being in the fridge.

  lay it down to dry/air   

Now you just need to give it 30 seconds in the microwave.  And keep doing this till it is dry and crumbly.  Turn it over each time you put it back in the microwave.  You may need to do it for 4-6 bursts so about 2-3 minutes.

after 30 seconds in the microwave  

In the first 30 seconds, it spattered and steamed up a bit so I was worried!  But I took it out and it had already started to dry out.  I ended up giving it 5 bursts of 30 seconds = 2.5 minutes.  I think it was actually ready after 4 bursts but I wanted to be really sure.

all done after 2.5 minutes

The stems were easily stripped of the dry leaves after the 2.5 minutes.  I was amazed to be honest.  I didn't really think it would work but it did.  Throw away the stems and place the leaves in a storage jar.

all done!

Here it is all done, and in the jar to be used over the next few weeks or so.  I am a happy little cook having found this useful way to save herbs.  And I feel so darn virtuous. 

Tide Wine Bar - Review

This newly-opened wine bar on the Manly jetty sits over the water - literally. It used to be a very casual fish and chip type place, but has now gone a bit upmarket as a wine bar.  It is still casual, but serves tapas as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

Hubby and I often take a drive down to Manly for a walk along the water, and to visit the gallery where I have bought several artworks. We noticed that Tide was opening in May, and decided to come back soon to check it out.

the sign points you out to the jetty

the view from the jetty 

Mr P. and I decided to have a few tapas for lunch.  We went a bit wild and ordered 5 different ones.  And double the arancini, which I smuggled home in a paper napkin 'cos we were too full.  So we had sweet potato fries, onion rings (thank goodness not sugary), porcini arancini (there's a mouthful), Italian meatballs and baby squid stuffed with chorizo.  

stuffed baby squid w/- saffron aioli  $10

Mr P. doesn't eat seafood so I had this dish to myself.  It was nice to see a couple of baby octopi on the plate too.  I loved these tender little squid morsels, though not completely convinced by the stuffing.  I am not a huge fan of chorizo or any sort of sausage, so I could happily have done without it.  The aioli was pretty and gave a spicy boost to the baby squid - or is that squids?  

sweet potato fries $6 

We both love sweet potato fries, so soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.  And these were little beauties, scattered with salt and served with a peppery mayo. 

onion rings $6

The onion rings were tasty too, though I would have liked a few more.  They were not too greasy as onion rings can sometimes be, and thankfully they did not have the overpowering sugar coating that we had had recently at a hamburger joint.  They were served with more aioli, which is always a good thing.:=)

porcini arancini $9

As arancini go, these were good.  A nice crispy outside and a moist tender inside.  Mr P. was very enamoured of them.  I had a slight hesitation in that I found the rice mixture quite strong in flavour, almost too strong for me.  And I never thought I would say that about any food as I adore strong flavours.  But it was a very strong porcini taste.

Italian meatballs $9

Sorry to say I couldn't eat the meatballs.  I didn't really like the sauce, not that there was anything wrong with it, just not my thing. Sadly the meatballs were very tough and rubbery, and unpleasant.  I don't know if they were simply overcooked, or what the problem was.  I would guess they were pork which I find unpalatable; but that's my issue not theirs.  Mr P. ate them all, which was fair enough seeing that he didn't have any of the baby squid.


We were going teetotal, Mr P. driving and me just giving my liver a break.  So we had water and ginger beer.  Next time, I must have me a nice glass of something delicious and alcoholic.

sparkling water $3  

  

ginger beer $4 

Tide was a popular spot to be on this sunny Saturday afternoon with lots of customers coming through the door.  There is a bar area where you can sit and look over the water (and the expensive boats) and enjoy a drink or 2.  Or you can relax on the roomy couches.  


You can also get fish and chips, frittata, salads, cheese and charcuterie platters, smoothies, coffee and so on.  And of course wine and beers.  This is a pleasant place to while away the afternoon, and I look forward to coming back for a slouch on the couch.

looking back to the Wine Bar from the end of the jetty  

William Gunn Jetty
1 Wyvernleigh Close,
Manly 4179

Ph: 07 3396 8962



 

Herman The German Friendship Cake - AKA Helga, Part 1

Well this is not really a cake recipe - yet.  This is how you begin the journey which results in the Friendship cake.  And I don't call her Herman; to me she is Helga.  Helga grows and expands, and is handed on to others in a continuing circle of cakes and loaves... Phew, I am getting a bit over the top there.

The Helga plant (as some call it) was given to me by a friend who had received it from a friend, and so on.  Helga is a sour-dough starter in fact, so that is why your kitchen ends up smelling like a brewery for the 10 days that you nurture her before divvying up and giving to friends - and making that cake.

shy little Helga on her first day with us   

On Helga's first day chez Pickings, I placed her in a large ceramic mixing bowl and covered her with a tea towel so she could ruminate in private.  The house began to smell like the XXXX beer factory just down the road from where we used to live.

On Day 2 and on  Day 3, you have a peek and then give her a good stir.  Cover her back up with the tea towel and let her sit and think again.

Helga is bubbling and growing and smelling  

On Day 4, you have to give Helga a feed.  So grab 1 cup each of plain flour, milk and sugar.  Stir them in well, and cover her up again.  She is a modest lady, and likes her privacy.  Her yeasty aroma will be enticing you and all your visitors by this stage.  Give them a peek if you really like them.

Day 4 - this is when you feed and stir Helga     

feeding the hungry gal   

Day 5 - give her a good stir - she loves it:=) 

Days 5, 6, 7 and 8 are the same old, same old - give her a good stir and cover her up again.  No need to do anything else at this point. Just enjoy the heady, bready, yeasty atmosphere.  

Day 6 - dig that spoon in and stir

Day 7 - yep stir again       

Day 8 - more stirring  

Day 9 is a big day!  You have to add 1 cup each of flour, sugar and milk again.  Then give her a big stir.  And then you divvy her up into 4 equal portions.

tip in the flour, sugar and milk

give it all a big stir  

divvy her up into 4 equal portions 

I got 4 portions of around 340g. each.  I kept one aside for Day 10 when Helga got turned into a cake, and the other 3 went into the freezer.  I know this may sound shocking to some, 'cos you are strictly told NEVER to put Helga in the fridge while the 10 day process is happening but this (into the freezer) you can do.

3 portions into the freezer for other cakes  

You can of course just hand over the starter to 3 friends with the instructions, but I want to make a few other cakes so I am keeping these 3 for now.  And my portion for making Helga went back on the bench with the towel over her till the next day.  (She needed to recover from the separation anxiety of being divvied up.)



On Day 10 you make the cake!  So stay tuned for Part 2 when Helga becomes a toothsome cake-y reality.

my milk doodle