Post is pinned.Post has attachment
Do we really need another food collection?
I don't like food being photographed in restaurants, but we love to cook, and eat, and I've been thinking about creating a collection where there's a discussion about produce, recipes, photographs of dishes we've created etc. I'm not entirely convinced but would be interested in your thoughts?
This is a simple pesto dish, fettuccine, pesto, slow roasted tomatoes and a sprinkling of parmesan. Takes no time at all to make and any left over pesto is great with lamb.
I don't like food being photographed in restaurants, but we love to cook, and eat, and I've been thinking about creating a collection where there's a discussion about produce, recipes, photographs of dishes we've created etc. I'm not entirely convinced but would be interested in your thoughts?
This is a simple pesto dish, fettuccine, pesto, slow roasted tomatoes and a sprinkling of parmesan. Takes no time at all to make and any left over pesto is great with lamb.
Post has attachment
Adventures with bread - first sourdough loaf
When I was preparing this loaf I didn't think it would be any good whatsoever. It's a 50/50 wholewheat/unbleached white bread, and wholewheat tends to be denser anyway. I prepared the dough without the starter the night before and then the next day it spent 5 hours getting hourly folds, and then 4 hours proofing after shaping. At that stage I was almost on the point of throwing it out, it's a higher hydration than I'm used to working with and my skills just weren't up to working with a stickier dough. But in the end I decide to chuck it in the oven anyway, and I was quite surprised by the outcome. I'd prefer it had risen more, but the starter is only a week old so I suspect that will get better over time. While there are some large airpockets, (just poor technique on my part), overall it was light and moist with a good crust (I used a dutch oven to bake it). So lots to work on, but there's enough potential there to keep going.
When I was preparing this loaf I didn't think it would be any good whatsoever. It's a 50/50 wholewheat/unbleached white bread, and wholewheat tends to be denser anyway. I prepared the dough without the starter the night before and then the next day it spent 5 hours getting hourly folds, and then 4 hours proofing after shaping. At that stage I was almost on the point of throwing it out, it's a higher hydration than I'm used to working with and my skills just weren't up to working with a stickier dough. But in the end I decide to chuck it in the oven anyway, and I was quite surprised by the outcome. I'd prefer it had risen more, but the starter is only a week old so I suspect that will get better over time. While there are some large airpockets, (just poor technique on my part), overall it was light and moist with a good crust (I used a dutch oven to bake it). So lots to work on, but there's enough potential there to keep going.
Post has attachment
Pumpkins at the Farm Gate Shop
Autumn is fast approaching, and produce is reflecting that.
Autumn is fast approaching, and produce is reflecting that.
Post has attachment
Starting the Starter
It was probably inevitable that once I started making bread, that I'd end up trying sourdough. First step is growing the starter, this cultivates the wild yeasts that are present in the flour, and the environment. This photo is on day 3, and it's growing quite vigorously, having more than doubled in size since yesterday's feeding. Looking forward to making my first sourdough bread next week now :)
It was probably inevitable that once I started making bread, that I'd end up trying sourdough. First step is growing the starter, this cultivates the wild yeasts that are present in the flour, and the environment. This photo is on day 3, and it's growing quite vigorously, having more than doubled in size since yesterday's feeding. Looking forward to making my first sourdough bread next week now :)
Post has attachment
Panzanella - bread and tomato salad
This is an easy to make and, if you have fresh ripe tomatoes, difficult to stop eating salad. There are many variations on this dish, but with good produce it's difficult to go wrong.
This is an easy to make and, if you have fresh ripe tomatoes, difficult to stop eating salad. There are many variations on this dish, but with good produce it's difficult to go wrong.
Post has attachment
At The Loch Sunday market this morning
Post has attachment
Sourdough Breads
I've been making simple yeast bread for a few months now, and it's still a thrill to get a good loaf out of the oven. However, I can feel the creep of obsession and I've taken the first step to grow a sourdough starter. Of course, that will mean learning a new technique and these videos from Trevor J. Wilson are a great place to start.
I've been making simple yeast bread for a few months now, and it's still a thrill to get a good loaf out of the oven. However, I can feel the creep of obsession and I've taken the first step to grow a sourdough starter. Of course, that will mean learning a new technique and these videos from Trevor J. Wilson are a great place to start.
Post has attachment
Getting serious about bread making :)
I've been somewhat obsessive about coffee making for quite a long time now, but it seems that bread making engenders similar behaviours. I've recently managed to track down locally what's considered to be one of the best flours for bread in Australia, but then it's easy to get sucked in by the talk of hydration, temperatures of the flour and water. However, I'm giving that a miss, the bread made with this flour tastes wonderful, and that's all that counts :)
I've been somewhat obsessive about coffee making for quite a long time now, but it seems that bread making engenders similar behaviours. I've recently managed to track down locally what's considered to be one of the best flours for bread in Australia, but then it's easy to get sucked in by the talk of hydration, temperatures of the flour and water. However, I'm giving that a miss, the bread made with this flour tastes wonderful, and that's all that counts :)
Post has attachment
Real Free Range Eggs
If ever there was any doubt that there is a significant difference between farmed eggs and those from chickens that roam and spend much of the day searching for their own food, these eggs from the folk at The General in Kangaroo Valley would remove all doubt. Not only is the colour quite amazing, but the flavour matches the colour, truly wonderful. This was an omelette cooking with eggs we got from The General Cafe on Sunday.
If ever there was any doubt that there is a significant difference between farmed eggs and those from chickens that roam and spend much of the day searching for their own food, these eggs from the folk at The General in Kangaroo Valley would remove all doubt. Not only is the colour quite amazing, but the flavour matches the colour, truly wonderful. This was an omelette cooking with eggs we got from The General Cafe on Sunday.
Post has attachment
Wholemeal
Under some expert guidance, I've dipped my toe in the breadmaking waters. Good bread isn't always easy to find here, so making our own makes sense in all sorts of ways. I've got a long way to go, but the results so far are delicious.
Under some expert guidance, I've dipped my toe in the breadmaking waters. Good bread isn't always easy to find here, so making our own makes sense in all sorts of ways. I've got a long way to go, but the results so far are delicious.
Wait while more posts are being loaded