I have entered this New Year with a great sense of optimism and a rather long list of things I wish to accomplish. Here's hoping the list runs out before my optimism diminishes. Santa was kind to me this year and my kitchen is brimming with new goodies.
First up is the grain flaker, a partner for my grain mill. I have been coveting this flaker for a while, so was delighted to unwrap it on Christmas Day. I have been test flaking everything I can get my hands on. Whilst oat flakes are a given, it also makes lovely pumpkin and sunflower seed flakes. Linseed flakes, however, look like mini squashed cockroaches so I am slightly less keen on them. Grains are little powerhouses of nutrients and minerals, however these start to degrade soon after the germ is cracked. Flaking grain at home reduces oxidisation of the nutrients and preserves the flavour of the grain. I am looking forward to making porridge and muesli from my own flaked grains.
Kombucha is a probiotic drink brewed from sweetened black or green tea. The alien blob in the liquid feeds on the tea and converts it to a refreshing drink. I find it helps tremendously with my digestion so try to drink it every day. I've been wanting to set up a continuous brewing system for a while now as I have been struggling to keep up with the demand using smaller jars. Thanks to The Princess I now have this great drink dispenser which will allow me to brew larger quantities.
I love this Jamie Oliver spice block from my sister-in-law. What does it say about me, however, that I immediately thought 'fantastic food prop'? We tend towards self catering holidays these days, and the spices are a handy size for packing in my cooking 'kit'.
Also from my sister-in-law is this handy bread board, with an inbuilt serving bowl for dips or olive oil. This will come in very handy over the summer season.
A good Christmas for me always includes a new cookbook or two. This year I received the new River Cottage Light & Easy and Jamie's Comfort Food. Despite a long break over the festive season I have only managed to flick through both. Light & Easy looks to contain some great recipes for the summer. There is no dairy or wheat flour used in the book, instead Hugh explores other options for introducing creaminess into dishes, and uses other flours for baking. I am looking forward to reading this one in more depth. Jamie's book is likely to be pressed into action later in the year when the temperature begins to drop.
Finally in my kitchen are these sweet little glasses from IKEA. They have been in stock for a while but I have never been able to justify the purchase. However I wandered into IKEA the other day (which is always a bad idea) and the glasses had been reduced to $1 each. Of course I had to buy a few. I have visions of lovely summer desserts, although ultimately they will probably be used for water.
That is about it for my kitchen this month. Short and sweet. Hopefully by next month I will be back to baking and pickling, weather permitting. Don't forget to drop by Celia's at Fig Jam & Lime Cordial to see what is happening in other kitchens around the world.
