In My Kitchen, June 2020

It's a very special day In My Kitchen today as our beautiful twin Grandchildren, Finn and Evie, who live in the Falkland Islands, turn 1 year old, such a milestone for our babies that started out in the world quite premature. Our day started at 7 am with a birthday video call to our son and his family and the children in the Falkland Islands. Mr. HRK thankfully, even after his hand accident a week ago, can still make a really good cup of coffee so first of all we had a coffee from our Rancilio coffee machine. Needless to say we don't go out for coffee, even though restrictions are lifting here in Queensland thankfully, and 20 people are now allowed in coffee shops at the same time. That number could change again for tomorrow though, but it's reassuring to see businesses in Queensland starting to operate again.

This Emu coffee mug (or perhaps its a Cassowary being Far North Queensland) is also very special to me as my daughter bought it for me for my birthday last year, when we were travelling up to Cairns in Far North Queensland, through a delightful but very rainy little town called Tully. We stopped at a nice little florist and cafe in the main street of Tully and did a spot of shopping as well. The happy bird is always smiling at me.

The twins had their very own iced birthday cakes flavoured with orange in their home this morning made by a beautiful Italian chef in Stanley, capital of the Falkland Islands, and yes they had a small piece each, which they demolished very quickly. So that we could truly be part of the celebration I made my Pumpkin, Orange and Prune cake which featured in a recent blog post of mine. We enjoyed that one so much last time that I decided to make it again. We lit the candles, sang happy birthday again which the twins rocked to and it was lovely.



After making this cake, I still had half a pumpkin left, so I made a Pumpkin, zucchini and olive loaf using grated pumpkin and zucchinis from our garden, which was really delicious. We enjoyed it toasted with a variety of toppings such as avocado, banana, cooked eggs or even hummus. So versatile. Recipe to follow soon hopefully. The butter dish in the photo was my Mum's and has a matching lid. It works really well.






Those of you who regularly read what I write, and thanks so much to you all and to your feedback which I really value, might remember my recipe for delicious Lemon Tapioca Pearl Pudding, where I was questioning whether or not sago could now be found anywhere as it's not available anymore in supermarkets where I live. It was always Lemon Sago pudding when I was growing up, and I suppose I feel a bit of food traitor cooking it now by using tapioca.

Lemon Tapioca Pearl Pudding with some vintage utensils of mine

So I went on a research mission into Downtown Mackay to the Indian Supermarket, the Asian/Italian Supermarket and the Bulk Foods Store, and a couple of cafes, and had a lovely morning discovering all kinds of interesting potential cooking products, where the best bulk foods are sold, and kitchen utensils. Hallelujah,  I found many packets of Sago seed (Sabudana) in the Indian Supermarket. So yes very soon I will be making the real Lemon Sago pudding from the real sago now sitting in my pantry. The sago seeds are twice the size of the tapioca seed, so the proof will be in the pudding as to which works best. A blogger friend of mine said that this is an old fashioned pudding, and yes it is, but it is delicious, and everything old is new again.

Finally, I have a new sourdough bread making book acquisition (sorry library talk, I can't help myself) that I have been waiting for, for ages, just delivered today. The mail has been so slow hasn't it? Not that I do much online shopping, but so many shops and the libraries have been closed, and it seemed safer to order online. I can't wait to read it. I am quite happy with my sourdough bread making, but would like to learn more. I hope this will inspire me to get back to it, and try a few new things.

We have started harvesting zucchinis from our garden, just enough for our use at present which is great. This one below, one of the first, we measured at 30 cm, nearly 1 foot long, as we  didn't see it on the plant until it was quite big. They taste so fresh and delicious and can be eaten raw.

Just outside my Kitchen, a bowl of madarins picked off our tree. This cattleya orchid of mine has been in flower for over a month, and whilst it is now fading slightly still has a beautiful fragrance.

Planted from seed, Pak Choy make delicious eating in a stir fry or just blanched. It's a race to pick them though before the grubs claim them for themselves. Footy season has started minus the crowds, and you can see which NRL team we barrack for by Mr. HRK's mug. Of course, we are Northerners.

Is it an aging thing or what? I now seem to love marmalade on toast. This 3 fruit marmalade was gifted to us by our friend Lulu, and it is delicious. Of course I love our fresh honey on toast as well.

I use so many eggs in the kitchen, that I have started keeping the eggshells in a bowl and crushing them up all at once when they have dried, for the compost heap. The worms love that they are already crushed up for them.

Mr. HRK is recovering well after his accident with the table saw last week, and thank you to those of you who sent kind messages. I saw this sign in the hospital, and think it is a great idea, whether you are healing or not. Our brains need a break.

That's it folks, I hope you have enjoyed my kitchen story. I felt a bit flattened as well after Mr. HRK had his accident, but we are starting to bounce back and he is being very patient with not being able to do all of the  things he normally can. Candle making from our very own beeswax is in this week's plan. Watch this space.

This post is part of the In My Kitchen series for June hosted by the lovely Sherry from Sherry's Pickings.

Thanks for dropping by, hope you have time to relax,  and have a great week.

Pauline