What a month it’s been! Open garden day which was a huge success. Our reno has officially begun (yes that means a kitchen is on the horizon), a wonderful day spent with friends on a walk and picnic at Morwell National Park. A new car because Mr ATMT had to hand in the company vehicle when he accepted an early retirement package. A trip to Greece and Turkey booked and a sensational weekend at Boonderoo farm doing a sourdough workshop. Bare with me, it could be long-winded! Thanks to Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for helping everyone share their kitchens.
First In My Kitchen are some beautiful ginger nut biscuits I made from Glenda over at Passionfruit Garden’s recipe. They are wonderful, definitely eat with caution if your choppers are dodgy!These are presented on my new little Spode Italian serving plate. Great size for when there are just a couple of you. Big plate = big eating!
For the picnic we went on, I made a platter of Moroccan eggs (basically scotch eggs with some middle eastern spices), potato, kale, feta and chilli rolls, pork rillette, baguette and some nibbles. This went down very well.
The highlight for me this month was the opportunity to spend a weekend with some lovely, like-minded people at Boonderoo Farm on a sourdough bread making workshop. We worked hard for two full days, learned lots, got a bit antsy about understanding bakers percentages (well I did), ate the most amazing food and generally had a ball. Thomas & Gabi Moritz live on a 600 acre farm in the King Valley. They are self-sufficient, organic farmers, use permaculture practices, are completely off grid and make sourdough which is sold at several local markets. Thomas is a guru regarding wood fired ovens and has built many masonry ovens along with Alan Scott who is considered to be the doyen of brick masonry ovens. The hospitality they shared and the knowledge they imparted is impressive indeed. Thanks Thomas & Gabi, I appreciate you sharing your time and expertise immensely. Here is a sequence of a few things we covered.
A view to the rocky mountain from a mud brick hut.
Our first batch of 100% whole-wheat, freshly ground wheat dough.
Testing for the window pane in the dough. This tells whether or not kneading is sufficient to develop the gluten in the flour.
All hands on deck mixing dough here.
The first of our loaves out of the oven. Topped with poppy-seed and pumpkin seeds.
Sharing lunch outside.
Back to work, that’s a lot of baskets to fill!
Dinner Saturday night were some sensational pizzas.
Sourdough herb sticks with freshly picked herbs.
Thomas explaining how we should load the oven. Almost worked!
Some cheeky bugger stole my camera and took this shot! Peter?
Fresh pitta sourdough to go with the most amazing lunch prepared by Gabi, her daughter and some of their woofing friends. Stunning!
And of course, the obligatory group shot. Not sure what’s going on with me but that’s three times lately I’ve agreed to being in a photo!
This is a sample of some of the breads we brought home. The strudel with nashi pear, sultana soaked in rum and spices was a knockout!
Finally, in my kitchen is almost, an Italian. The lovely Francesca from Almost Italian was nice enough to call in on her way to the coast. What a delight it was meeting a fellow IMK blogger. We have lots of similarities including photos going onto our blogs. But here we are, both in my kitchen. I really think she was secretly a little bit jealous of my toy oven!
So many amazing experiences and tastes. 🙂 The Moroccan eggs sound delightful.
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Thanks! They were quite scrumptious 🙂
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What a wonderful bread making experience. Lovely for you to meet fellow IMK bloggers. Yes, they are real people!
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Hi Debi. Yes indeed on both counts. 🙂
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Boonderoo looks like a wonderful foodie experience. I’ve made Glenda’s ginger nuts as well, and need to do another batch this weekend – they’re great for dunking. Your picnic looks delicious, scotch eggs are a favorite here when I can get my hands on some good sausage mince. Lovely to see a pic of you and Francesca 🙂
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Hi EllaDee, I consider I’ve had a weekend of therapy! 🙂
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You’ve been a busy beaver, Maree. And three mug shots in one post too. What a great course to do -breadmaking in the King Valley.Did you learn more than you already knew ? The window pane test is a good one.I notice that beards are favoured by the ‘older gents who make bread’. The King Valley and I are good friends – mostly for wine purchasing along that lovely valley.
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Ha ha! Hadn’t thought about the beards but that’s quite funny. Beautiful part of the world, got to sample quite a fair quantity of Pizzini wine over the weekend. 🙂
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Forgot so say that I learned a lot and it really helped me feel a lot more confident about my own loaves. Was just great being able to do what I love doing so much and share it with like minded people.
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I noted the proliferation and style of the bearded ones as well 🙂
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I must have been concentrating so hard I didn’t notice. Everyone else seems to have picked up on it though! 🙂
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I honestly didn’t notice! Must have felt at home in my hippy state! Everyone else seems to have picked up on it though 🙂
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Hi Maree, There are a lot of beards going on there ….Sounds like a great weekend, not that you need lessons, your bread is always wonderful.
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Hi Glenda. Seems that I’m the only one who didn’t notice the beards. Thanks, always lots to learn about bread. It did make me happy with how I’m going with mine too.
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Great post and photos, a sourdough workshop ahh…. It’s been a few years since my last one, I feel inspired to go again. Therevare a couple of gardening w’shops that have caught my eye as well.
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Always on the look out for GOOD workshops. They are hard to find, often fashionable but not necessarily informative 🙂
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Wooow the sourdough course looks a really good one! And woohoo on work starting for the new kitchen, you must be so excited!
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Thanks Kavey! Excited indeed 🙂
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Love the look of the breads! What a great experience.
I’m very excited to see how your new kitchen takes shape… a whole new space, how fun!! 🙂
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Hi Lisa (again), you cannot imagine how excited I am. More so now that the major part of what we may discover part is over! Stay tuned! 🙂
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what a wonderful time you must have had! i bet you learned heaps. exciting news re your new car and kitchen. have fun!
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Hi Sherry. Had a ball indeed! Too much going on to take in at the moment bit all fantastic! Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Maree
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What a fun bread baking time! They loaves all look so delicious. I really like the Spode plate of nut biscuits. What a perfect sized plate.
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I just fell in love with that little plate. As you do…….
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Wow what an amazing experience to learn sourdough techniques from a master, hands on. The bread looks fantastic. Look forward to seeing your new kitchen take shape
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Hi Sandra, I had a ball at Boonderoo! One little step closer to the kitchen every day 🙂
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I love your Spode Italian serving plate – the pattern is gorgeous and the blue riveting. It looks like you had a fun but busy month! I’ve never had scotch eggs but yours look divine and make me want to try some.
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Thanks Maggie! Yes, give the eggs a crack (very bad pun)! Cheers, Maree.
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Will do! I’m sure they are everything that you say they are cracked up to be 🙂
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Maree, I sooooo enjoyed your post again. (Apologies for my belated — or perhaps repeated reply — such has been my month, LOL.) Fabulous food and friends! Soooo glad you got to participate, partake, and ENJOY, xo!!!
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Hi Kim! I’m hearing you about the busy month. Cheers, Maree.
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