A well-lit kitchen

Scenes my well-lit kitchen this week, as I work with a team of talented people in our house to cook, shoot and eat amazing food.  Well, it hardly seems like work to me...but it is.

The days start early to get the Rayburn blaring, the crew arrive to set up huge lights and the domestic espresso machine struggles to keep up with demand.  The days end late with tea towels to be washed, leftovers to be stashed (somewhere!) and recipe notes to be written up.

But my oh my.  Everyday I get to pimp my kitchen with vintage jars filled with herbs, flowers and foliage from the garden, and fill my stash of props with ingredients. Not to mention learning so, so much AND getting to taste absolutely delicious food.  It's so much fun.

Our well-lit kitchen now features an industrial bench that we've been dragging around since before Elsa was born. We think we might keep it in it's new spot permanently.

This project is for some online stuff....I'll let you know the details when it's ready...can't wait!

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18 comments good things, Kitchen, rayburn, yum

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In the kitchen

A few snaps of the kitchen, which received a jolly good scrubbing today.  Because I am avoiding those several kilos of quinces that need preserving. We're slowly learning to use the Rayburn, our lovely English girl.  It's taking a lot longer, to, well cook on it that we thought.  Fires need to be stoked at around 2pm to get the oven hot enough to cook dinner. But we rarely get there, with the temperature languishing at around 150 degrees for hours and the children having last minute grilled cheese on toast, which still takes about 30 minutes using the Rayburn.  Then finally tonight's dinner is ready at 10pm, so  it becomes tomorrow's lunch.

When the oven does work, and is firing nicely, the results are amazing. Nothing dries out in the gentle cast iron heat.  And anything slow cooked is marvellous.

It's comforting to hear the noise she makes as the water fills up and she gurgles and glugs, heating our hot water cylinder. You can hear how the fire's going too, by the crackle and ticking noise the oven makes.  That noise in the background keeps me company when I'm home during the day.  Lets me know what's going on and if she needs my attention.   Just like a child, silence usually means trouble and the fire's gone out. 

She's a little bit contrary, but extremely capable when she feels like it. And we love her dearly.  We've yet to think of a name for her, I'm not entirely sure, maybe after my one of grandmothers, Hilda or Cecilia. What do you think?  Do you have any suggestions that might suit this contrary English lady?  

P.S. here's what the kitchen usually looks like, taken on Sunday morning.

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34 comments cooking, good things, Kitchen, love, rayburn, woodstove

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Apple Town

That very clever Daniel Grey made a very sweet film when he visited our kitchen with his family and Luisa.  I love it.

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11 comments friends, good things, home, Kitchen, love, magic, rayburn, tasmania, tea, woodstove

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In my kitchen

Yesterday was one of those gorgeous days in the kitchen that puts a smile on my face every time I think of it.   Totally perfect.    Meeting in real life a delightful family I've known online for years, cuddling gorgeous baby Poet and talking to an adorable young volcano scientist.  Eating Rayburn toast and jam and apple cake.

I thought I took loads of photos but I didn't. Oh well, luckily there were a few other people taking a snap or two.  Can't wait to see them. They'll be lovely memories of a very sweet day in my kitchen.

 

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8 comments cute, family, friends, holidays, Kitchen, rayburn, tasmania, tea, woodstove

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Steam punk kitchen...

The kitchen's looking a little steam punk here today with copper pipes, brass fittings and gauges cluttering up the space.  We're on the home stretch now. I think we can light the oven tonight.

Meanwhile, the table is covered with the creative mess of sickly peeps making paper dolls :: pencils, sharpenings, tracing paper and scissors.

It feels truly autumnal today, cold and rainy, with a chill inside caused by the wide open doors to allow the plumbers' lengths of hoses, pipes and lagging to flow out the kitchen.

Hugo is home sick with a cold, but we have the fire on, apple sauce simmering, (from our own apples!) and our tomatoes ripening on the window sill.  A perfect day to light the Rayburn. Yes, all is well here in the steam punk kitchen.

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5 comments Kitchen, rayburn, renovation, woodstove, yikes

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Almost ready

A few precious moments with the camera today, snapping scenes from around here as we prepare for our holiday.  Elsa's room is finally finished, the Rayburn has arrived, although not ready to use yet. Taking  a moment to notice, the calm, and the excitement, amongst the hurly burly of the season.

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7 comments elsa, rayburn, renovation, woodstove

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Ready and waiting

It's a bit like preparing for a baby a friend said. Months and months of waiting and exciting anticipation.  Getting ready for the arrival by preparing the hearth (just as you would a nursery) walls are painted and tiled, floor reinforced and tiled, window installed and finished. All the paraphernalia, flue, tank and radiators are here and waiting.  Two weeks over due.  Any day my baby is due.  Any day.

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8 comments huge, Kitchen, rayburn, renovation

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This week...

...I've spent two days quiet days at home with my sick little girl.  But it was a treat to spend two days hanging out with her watching movies, making craft and feeding her chicken soup.  At some point she took this photo.

...ate too much pudding.  Drank too much mulled wine.

...I've been inspired by so much loveliness on Pinterest.

...we finished building our greenhouse. I'll show you next week!

...I loved walking the dogs in the chilly air surrounded by snow covered hills.

Oh, and we BOUGHT a brand new shiny one of these.  Yes. We. Did.

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8 comments elsa, rayburn

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The crumble wars

I've been going through a bit of British Cookery stage lately.  Perhaps fuelled by the fact we're moving closer to the dream of installing a Rayburn wood stove (built by Aga!) becoming a reality.  There's something about these autumn days that has me reaching for the books of English favourites like Nigel, Monty and Sarah, Jamie, Nigella and Patrick, Dominic and Cass for some nostalgic comfort food.

With Victorian sponges, toad in the hole and kippers on my mind, coupled with the fact of the abundance of apples and blackberries in our garden, we've been eating plenty of crumbles lately.   Served with a dollop of our favourite yoghurt, why it's positively a health food that can be eaten most nights with a clear conscience.

However, I admit to not having found a really good crumble topping yet, so we've been having a crumble bake off, each night trying a different crumble recipe.  Pitting Monty against Nigel, Jamie against Nigella. 

So far, the results are inconclusive, Jamie wins points for containing nutritious oats, Nigel is certainly a front runner at this stage, whose crumble has an almost shortbread texture, due to his refusal to be parsimonious with the butter. Both Nigella and Monty's versions are perfectly acceptable crumble toppings, but none really hit the mark.

Funny enough, it's my neighbour who makes the best crumble I've ever had, it's super crunchy because she cooks the topping on a baking tray in the oven first.  Seems I didn't have to go far after all to find the perfect recipe.  Still, proper British cookery is something I should perfect before the arrival of our hydronic stove.  I wouldn't want her to get homesick. Luckily I have p.l.e.n.t.y. of time to practice!

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9 comments cooking, country, rayburn, woodstove

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