Thursday, January 01, 2015

In My Kitchen ~ January 2015

2015. I am being completely honest here when I say that the fact it is a New Year hasn't hit me yet. I just can't believe that not only are we in a new year, we're back at the start of January, and thus heading into mid summer. The speed at which the year flys is actually easier to follow, I find, when I look at it in four seasons, rather than twelve months. I don't know why, but somehow it makes me feel better about it. I'm trying not to hold onto 2014, trying to embrace the new year that lies before us. I guess maybe in a few days it might sink in. Right now it just feels a little strange though.

Anyway, my very first post for the year is one filled with food. Food that is, or has been in the past week, in my kitchen. I do hope you enjoy.




I had enough of our home-grown capsicums sliced and frozen to make another batch of Tina's delicious Chilli Capsicum relish. It looked so pretty before beginning cooking I just had to snap a photo of it. Our chilli bush is still flowering but alas we are now out of capsicums...perhaps some regular Chilli Sauce will be the answer?


No doubt you remember our Pepato cheese, since I did dedicate an entire post to it. (If you missed it you can catch up here.) Even though it hasn't been aging for quite a month yet, I couldn't resist opening a wedge the other night. And oh my goodness! It was so very, very good. It's a beautiful yellow colour even after the small amount of aging it's had, and has the most perfect texture and tastes so so good. It's just sublime, if I do say so myself. I'm very pleased with the results of our first go at making hard cheese, with our own raw milk no less. The only thing I would do differently next time is perhaps put in a few less peppercorns.


Also in my kitchen were these delightful little mini quiches. The filling included some left over leg ham and our homemade ricotta. They were very scrumptious, I had to photograph them cooling on their rack as I knew they wouldn't take long to disappear...


Another loaf of sourdough. This one was brushed with milk just before baking and sprinkled with poppy seeds. It had a beautiful crisp crust, I wonder if the milk played a part in that?
I'm really enjoying this sourdough making business. It's lots of fun!


And last but not least, a beautiful fresh pizza. Spelt base, topped with zucchini, leek, cheese, fresh tomato, onion and lots of roughly chopped kale, sprinkled with a bit of sweet paprika. Kale and paprika are my currant favourites to put on pizza.


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I'm joining Celia for the In My Kitchen tour, the first for 2015! Make sure you hop over and check out everyone else's kitchens! 
Happy New Year!!
Do you have any food-based New Year's resolutions? I don't normally set any of any kind, but today I will set one. I am determined in 2015 to try my hand at making Spelt puff pastry and crossiants from scratch. I just probably won't make them too close together as I believe both pastries take quite a bit of butter :-)
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How are you spending your first day of 2015? 
Are you treating it the same as any other day or enjoying something special?
I hope the new year is kind to you, and whatever your dreams I hope they are fulfilled, or at least that this year will enable you to get a little closer to your goals. Whatever your wishes or wants for the year, I hope you enjoy today. 




Sarah x


44 comments

  1. Hi Sarah, lovely to find you via Celia's In my Kitchen community! Your pepato cheese looks and sounds interesting (and delicious). My man and I recently attended a cheese making workshop, so we've just dipped into our home made Camembert style cheese! Love all your goodies. Happy cooking and lovely to make your acquaintance.

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    1. Thank-you for stopping by and leaving such a lovely comment Lizzy. Cheesemaking is the best isn't it? I'm not a soft-cheese eater so I probably won't ever make Camembert or anything similar to it, but I image it would be like other homemade cheese and taste better than store bought!

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  2. Sarah, I just came over from Celia's IMK list. I'll be on it as well. Just posted my first. I'm heading over to your cheese post now, as it looks so good AND so professional!

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    1. Thank-you so much Jean! I'll be sure to pop over to your blog later and check out your post :-)

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  3. Hi Sarah ... wonderful post. Love the pics and your food looks delicious! Great idea of using the zucchini on the pizzas - that is a doer for sure. I'm so boring, yet to make one loaf of bread. Oh dear! Thanks for the look inside your kitchen. And a very happy New Year to you :)

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    1. Thank-you Julie. I think bread and other things like that are really something you shouldn't make unless you're really interested in it :-)

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  4. Lovely bread and pizza but I am super impressed with your cheese making. Should I add it to my New Year's List of things to make?

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    1. Cheesemaking is heaps of fun! I really enjoy it :-) I'm sure you could still make cheese even without your own milking cow :-)

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  5. The cheese sounds wonderful and the bread looks fantastic. Love the poppy seeds. Pizza topped with lots of veg is definitely a winner for me. Happy New Year!

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    1. Happy New Year to you two Gretchen! Thanks for stopping by x

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  6. That bread looks divine. I must start making some cheese, you make it sound so satisfying... and delicious.

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    1. Thank-you :-) Cheesemaking is definitely unlike any other cooking I've ever done...

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  7. Your poppy seed sourdough looks absolutely amazing! As does your homemade (!!) cheese! So much wonderful homegrown and homemade produce Sarah - let go of 2014 because 2015 in your kitchen is already looking glorious! :)

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    1. Thank-you so much Celia! Happy New Year x

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  8. Your cooking is impressive Sarah...captured beautifully in your photos! Happy New Year x

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    1. Thank-you Jane! Happy New Year to you and yours x

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  9. Oooh, that all looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Everything looks so delicious... I am looking forward to making cheese this year.... I'm very excited, but I will start simple with just ricotta, feta and Haloumi :-) and see how I go! Thanks for sharing! Liz xx

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    1. Have fun with your cheese making Liz! Happy New Year x

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  11. I'm also impressed with your cheese making. Am sure I would have been a cheese maker in another life! How do you source your milk? Lovely post, am having similar trouble to yourself in realising it's a whole new year... 2015...2015...2015. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. We have a milking cow...we raised her from a calf so it has been quite a long journey to get to this point. She had her first baby in October, we've been enjoying her milk since then! :-)

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  12. Each one of your kitchen offerings looks absolutely stunningly delicious!

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  13. That pizza looks rustic and made with love. Delicious! I look forward to hearing more about your puff and croissants. You're very keen. great round up Chantille. cheers Fiona

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    1. Thank-you Fiona, I'll definitely post on here when I do make them! :-)

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  14. Lovely baked goodies Sarah. Your bread looks so crunchy and fresh, and the quiches look like they'd go down in about two bites, yum! Great photos too, love your composition. Cheers, Kirsty xx

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    1. Thank-you for your lovely comment Kirsty! x

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  15. What a fabulous array of goodies in your kitchen, Sarah! Your cheese is amazing and I can imagine that it might make a part of a wonderful ploughman's lunch together with your sourdough bread and Chilli Capsicum Relish! Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank-you Marian, happy New Year to you too! x

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  16. So many gorgeous things in your kitchen! Love the bread, too.

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  17. I should have eaten before I read this post, because now I am just hungry :) I am loving your cheese adventures. I may have to delve into the world of hard cheeses. And your loaf is spectacular.

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    1. Thank-you Tania! Cheesemaking is so much fun :-)

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  18. Your bread looks amazing and so does the cheese, that would not last long in kitchen. Thanks for sharing and happy new yearn:)

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    1. Thank-you so much, and Happy New Year to you!

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  19. That pizza looks seriously good, would love to visit your kitchen. Maybe we can get Celia to organise an IMK World Tour to visit everyone!!

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  20. Happy New Year to you too! Lovely things in your kitchen and I'm thinking that the mini quiches could be great for lunch boxes when school goes back and I love the look of that pizza.

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    1. Happy New Year Vicki, thanks so much for stopping by :-) Those mini quiches would make excellent packed lunches :-)

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  21. Oh my goodness, that pizza, my mouth is watering! Lovely post Sarah :)

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  22. well happy new year to you. it is odd to think we are slap bang in the rush towards feb already:) love all the goodies in your kitchen. that cheese is a masterpiece!

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    1. Thanks so much Sherry! I realised yesterday that I am already making plans for February!

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