tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72977289861845334582024-03-05T23:58:30.659+11:00Nice Life With A Cup Of Tea...because what more could you ask for?Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-76455546228732689622011-04-14T13:18:00.001+10:002011-04-14T13:33:32.149+10:00I just realised...I've been putting off (for months!!) writing an email to my very good friend in Canberra because I am too embarrassed about being a stay at home mum. Too embarrassed about not having a 'real job' to tell her about. Too afraid of being boring because all I want to do is rave on about how awesome Pippin is (which is HUGELY AWESOME by the way).<br />
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Whoa. What is that all about?<br />
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I am going to write her an email about my TERRIFIC and PRODUCTIVE and ENJOYABLE life of baking, crocheting, homemaking, gardening and Pippin-wrangling right now.Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-3777372345093789352011-03-27T10:00:00.000+11:002011-03-27T10:00:04.990+11:00Stuff I love: kitchen editionIn the spirit of celebrating what I already possess, rather than lusting after things that I want, here are three kitchen items that I totally adore and cannot live without:<br />
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My slow cooker. A gift from my parents a few years ago, it has come into its own since I have had Pippin. Seriously, there is no easier way to get dinner on the table. Also since I bought a kindle copy of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Mothers-Cooker-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B0022NGAHA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=A24IB90LPZJ0BS">Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cook Book</a> </i>my confidence in using it has greatly increased and I am much more adventurous.<br />
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This bread tin. An op shop find, it is simply the best tin ever. Nothing sticks to it; it makes an ideal loaf size-wise, shape-wise and burnished crust-wise. I don't know what it's made of but it is worth its weight in gold to me (and it only cost me about $4 or so).<br />
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Nigella's book <a href="http://www.nigella.com/books/view/how-to-be-a-domestic-goddess-19"><i>How to Be a Domestic Goddess</i></a>. We are serious Nigella fans here with all her cookbooks in pride of place on our already well-stocked shelves and HTBADG is my favourite baking book; I come back to it again and again.<br />
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What kitchen stuff do you love? Do share!<br />
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Love<br />
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VerityVeri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-70939819585690825782011-03-25T13:09:00.000+11:002011-03-25T13:09:29.773+11:00Things I knowHaving my non-computer literate mum tell me to google something is hilarious.<br />
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If I had had any idea of the sheer volume of liquid poo that Pippin could produce I would have stuck with disposable nappies, damn it.<br />
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Crochet is the crack cocaine of the craft world. I am so addicted, I'm hooking it even as I write this post.<br />
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It is sheer bliss to not have the house surrounded by scaffolding, even though the renovations are still not quite finished.<br />
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Some days it is just absolutely necessary to make fairy cakes with pink icing and cherries on top.<br />
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Joining in with <a href="http://www.yayforhome.blogspot.com/">Shae</a> for the week - see what other people know <a href="http://yayforhome.blogspot.com/2011/03/things-i-know_24.html">here</a>!<br />
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Love<br />
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VerityVeri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-70958908265383942862011-03-20T12:39:00.000+11:002011-03-20T12:39:40.437+11:00The green earth, say you?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRzW0vcpGIjBzvtrFCyvpK6hXi1k4PHSZUTExichkxbETyoRvon_bnDJd-wXqxy1D1levK_rzqShvf6lJUeqVO7bklzNnb8RriOjup8nBJAdE8w8p2cFwEEHBXYjwjRkxfhe6J5UP0SMN/s1600/P1030675.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRzW0vcpGIjBzvtrFCyvpK6hXi1k4PHSZUTExichkxbETyoRvon_bnDJd-wXqxy1D1levK_rzqShvf6lJUeqVO7bklzNnb8RriOjup8nBJAdE8w8p2cFwEEHBXYjwjRkxfhe6J5UP0SMN/s320/P1030675.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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...that is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Aragorn to Eomer of Rohan (JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings)</span></div>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-86913635337511527062011-03-19T13:34:00.000+11:002011-03-19T13:34:00.456+11:00Sensationally Tasty No-Knead Sourdough Bread: a tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDnqf_UVj2lrpvzONED4FrVTXY3ils5fpG_mG86x6PgFXOlgb9Hj6oMHBZcq1HJ5BmCFIh0ckVKXDuwKYAyZjAlXH-HaPhpjh8Js-OjCcaZFkftBAWWPUVzqRDdcvaKbWyZoMTbsR8Mob/s1600/P1030668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDnqf_UVj2lrpvzONED4FrVTXY3ils5fpG_mG86x6PgFXOlgb9Hj6oMHBZcq1HJ5BmCFIh0ckVKXDuwKYAyZjAlXH-HaPhpjh8Js-OjCcaZFkftBAWWPUVzqRDdcvaKbWyZoMTbsR8Mob/s320/P1030668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've been trying, over the last few weeks, to find a satisfying compromise that marries the deliciousness of sourdough with the convenience of not having to knead said damn dough. Because, when I need to fit in bread baking two to three times a week, it is just easier if I can spend two lots of ten minutes on it, rather than trying to get the timing right for mixing, letting it rest, kneading, rising, shaping, rising, baking. <br />
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(The eating part is not complicated, though.)<br />
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So, following round after round of extremely tasty semi-scientific experimentation, I feel confident in presenting you with a tutorial for no-knead sourdough bread that has a <i>delicious</i> chewy crust as well as <i>fabulous</i> tangy flavour. <br />
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And - it's easy. Feel free to follow along with my simple step by step instructions. I make baking fun!*<br />
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<div style="color: #b45f06;">You will need:</div>150g ready to use sourdough starter <br />
750g flour - one kind or a mixture (eg 500g bread flour, 250g wholemeal)<br />
10g fine salt<br />
500ml water<br />
More flour (added after first rise)<br />
22cm x 13 cm (9 in x 5 in) loaf tin, greased <br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">Before we start: some notes about ingredients</span> <br />
I only have one sourdough starter, which is a rye one made using 1 part rye flour to 1.5 parts water. Based on my experience, though, you should be able to substitute an equal quantity of any other kind of sourdough starter if you don't have rye to hand.<br />
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I normally use about 40-50% bread flour, because it gives good lift and helps to support the heavier wholemeal (regular wheat or spelt) that I use to make up the rest of flour weight. You can use either bread flour or wholemeal flour to stiffen the dough after the first rise.<br />
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I don't measure the quantity of flour that I add after the first rise, either; I just chuck it in until the dough looks and feels right. This is something I've learned over the course of a year or more of bread-baking, so I can't really describe it apart from to say that the dough will be stiff, difficult to mix, not at all batter-like, and not sticky. I hope that helps.<br />
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Don't be astonished either if the dough just seems to keep sucking up the flour; for example, on really humid days it sometimes seems like it takes twice as much flour as on a drier day.<br />
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You may want to filter your tap water as well; I have read that chlorinated water can be death to sourdough. Mind you on occasion I have used unfiltered water and everything has turned out just fine.<br />
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</div><div style="color: #b45f06;">Can we get started already?</div>But of course.<br />
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1. Measure your flour(s) into a large, non-metallic bowl (avoids the metal reacting with the acids in the sourdough). Add the salt and stir thoroughly to distribute.<br />
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2. Measure your starter and your water into a large jug and give it a good stir.<br />
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3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly. You will end up with a shaggy sticky dough, like this:<br />
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4. First rise! Cover with cling wrap and leave to ferment for 12-15 hours at cool room temperature (too easy).<br />
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5. At the end of the first rise the dough should be bubbly and greatly increased in volume:<br />
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Give it a good stir to deflate it. It will be extremely sticky but much smoother than when you first mixed it.<br />
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6. Add in the extra flour, bit by bit, mixing well to incorporate each addition. You want to end up with a dough that is very stiff and hard to mix.<br />
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7. Even when stiff, this dough will be a bit softer than a normal dough, and consequently harder to shape, but it is also quite forgiving; so just scrape it out into your tin and smooth the top with a wet hand.<br />
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8. Second rise! Cover with cling wrap and let sit at cool room temperature for 2-3 hours.<br />
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The dough might not seem to have risen very much (I would say mine normally rises about 30%? But that's just me eyeballing it) but fear not, there will be an awesome oven spring!<br />
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9. Half an hour before you will bake your bread, preheat the oven to 200C.<br />
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10. Stick the tin in the oven and bake for 60 minutes (if you have an oven that browns things readily, you may need to cover the top with foil before this time, so keep an eye on it). Check it by slipping it out of the tin; does it sound hollow on the bottom? If so, good, but no-knead breads are wetter than regular ones and take longer to cook. So stick a fine skewer into the thickest part; if it comes out with more than a hint of crumbs on it, pop the loaf back in the oven (with or without its tin) for another 10-15 minutes. I often end up cooking my loaves for about 80-85 minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>11. Allow to cool if you can before you enjoy your insanely tasty low-maintenance homemade sourdough bread!!<br />
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Love<br />
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Verity <br />
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*with apologies to <a href="http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail58.html">Strongbad</a>.Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-44011308447437915652011-03-17T11:00:00.001+11:002011-03-17T11:00:02.508+11:00Comfy Pants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuzsbXQjbkMmWJWugxHvnrLwwTCjK-6Gyi9fEc7rbGX9qJmCShbVmv_OR-10swC5TRp-gFtRIt5C-o7M5GB8XFC7BdQCZF7oaHTbevXQYWwKhQ9qOsvLbLR_xP4g4tmp39Fjn1NKtYBRg/s1600/P1030671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuzsbXQjbkMmWJWugxHvnrLwwTCjK-6Gyi9fEc7rbGX9qJmCShbVmv_OR-10swC5TRp-gFtRIt5C-o7M5GB8XFC7BdQCZF7oaHTbevXQYWwKhQ9qOsvLbLR_xP4g4tmp39Fjn1NKtYBRg/s320/P1030671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The photo is not the best, but even so. I made them. Myself. From a sheet I got at an op-shop! It's the first item of clothing I've ever sewn!<br />
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They are comfy and AWESOME. I made them to be pyjama pants because I wasn't sure if I would do a good enough job to be able to wear them out of the house. I totally would wear them out though. So would my sister, but she is known for wearing pyjamas all over the place, frankly (hi little sis!).<br />
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The pattern is from <a href="http://www.readings.com.au/product/9781740668606/pip-lincolne-sew-la-tea-do">Sew La Tea Do</a> by Pip Lincolne of <a href="http://www.meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/">Meet Me At Mikes</a>. I am going to be making more more more more comfy pants!!!<br />
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For more creative and hopefully equally comfy creative spaces pop in at <a href="http://www.kootoyoo.com/category/my-creative-space">Kootoyoo</a>!Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-51912423068422728552011-03-13T22:39:00.000+11:002011-03-13T22:39:03.004+11:00Struggling to understandI am struggling (as many people are right now I am sure) to understand and make sense of the wave upon wave of natural disasters that have caused so much devastation in Australia, New Zealand and now Japan. I am so lucky; my home is safe and my family and friends are too. I am going about my daily business, cooking, reading, playing with Pippin, laughing, talking, blogging. <br />
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Yet there are people out there who are frightened, homeless, injured, in danger. I can barely imagine what they must be feeling.<br />
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If there is a loving God who created us, how can He let these things happen? If they must happen, why to person A rather than person B? What did I do to deserve the many blessings that I currently enjoy? What did someone else do to deserve the loss of their family, their home, their livelihood?<br />
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I left the Catholic church of my upbringing a long time ago; I have lived a number of years as an agnostic and even an atheist. Recently I have been trying to find a place for God in my life again. I would like a simple faith, if I could find one. But there doesn't seem to be anything simple about it, in the face of suffering of this magnitude. In fact it even seems more comforting to believe, as Tennant does, that the things that happen to us during our lifetimes are the result of pure chance and not in any way part of some grander design or controlled by any divine being.<br />
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Right now I don't know what to think, apart from just being deeply, deeply grateful for the fact that I am alive, safe, and drinking tea while Pippin sleeps upstairs and Tennant plays some questy-adventure game on his computer.<br />
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Love,<br />
<br />
VerityVeri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-13818520742454082402011-03-01T13:00:00.000+11:002011-03-01T13:00:44.664+11:00Delicious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwudx5pyFGFFurdzQz6NBQwAN5Hmlr8n6wL7BqsDY9YLXSoGmLs5H-CHSu4m-UJAIourndW9FkRA2hUIA-4NMyM2px8grjvy6fw2Ns25AYuc1sn3dZSoRsfuzW26tNDk5eRw4jrYErz9kF/s1600/P1030643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwudx5pyFGFFurdzQz6NBQwAN5Hmlr8n6wL7BqsDY9YLXSoGmLs5H-CHSu4m-UJAIourndW9FkRA2hUIA-4NMyM2px8grjvy6fw2Ns25AYuc1sn3dZSoRsfuzW26tNDk5eRw4jrYErz9kF/s400/P1030643.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
From the farmers' market last weekend.Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-2679834132778755512011-02-26T12:56:00.001+11:002011-02-26T12:56:00.739+11:00So this parenting thing......is hard.<br />
<br />
Pippin is nearly 16 months now and getting more independent and person-like by the day. I feel like I've hit my stride (to a certain extent) as a stay at home mum over the last month or two (yes, it really took that long... oh my) and I am lucky that Pippin is a bit of a creature of habit and seems to like the routine we have settled into, which looks something like this:<br />
<br />
7am up and breastfeed<br />
8am breakfast for all<br />
8.30-10.30ish morning activities usually around the house but sometimes we run errands<br />
11am lunch (I usually eat this with Pip, I am often hungry by this stage and it gets it out of the way so I don't have to waste precious Pippin-nap time on eating)<br />
11.45ish breastfeed<br />
12noon - 3pm (ish) Pippin sleeps and I do stuff (like blog, clean, crochet, sew, drink tea)<br />
3.30pm afternoon snack<br />
3.30-5.30pm afternoon activities, trip to the park or library, playgroup etc<br />
6pm dinner (usually for us all - again it gets it out of the way so I can actually sit down later in the evening)<br />
6.30pm bathtime<br />
7pm breastfeed and then into bed<br />
<br />
It looks very organised like that doesn't it, of course I leave out the bits where - on days that I am very tired or not feeling terrific - I spend time staring at Pip wondering what the heck to do to entertain him, or wishing that I could just do what I feel like instead of having to cater to his needs first. <br />
<br />
On the other hand I feel <i>so incredibly lucky</i> to be able to spend this time with him. So blessed.<br />
<br />
Yet simultaneously embarrassed... shouldn't I have a 'real job' and be doing something of 'real value'?<br />
<br />
Oh, hang on. I AM. I just re-read <a href="http://apronstringz.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/submission/">this awesome post</a> at Apron Strings to remind myself.<br />
<br />
Because I DO have to keep reminding myself. It is so easy for me to minimise the work that I am doing here, now, every minute that I am taking care of Pippin. Friends ask me what I've been up to, or new acquaintances ask me what I do, and I usually say 'oh, just taking care of Pippin' or 'oh, I'm just a stay at home mum.'<br />
<br />
What I do is not 'just'. It is not 'merely'. It is not 'less worthy'.<br />
<br />
I am actually raising up a human being and that is infinitely valuable work. It is NOT work that should be farmed out to others as a matter of course (although that 'village' that people always say is needed 'to raise a child' would sure come in handy sometimes).<br />
<br />
Wow, I feel so defensive about this. I didn't really realise until I started writing it all down...Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-10100021172789549202011-02-25T12:41:00.000+11:002011-02-25T12:41:05.733+11:00Things I knowc\_/ there is nothing cuter than the sound of Pippin babbling and singing to himself<br />
<br />
c\_/ unreliable uncommunicative tradespeople are THE WORST<br />
<br />
c\_/ reliable, trustworthy tradespeople are THE BEST. Also, unfortunately, rare<br />
<br />
c\_/ I cannot wait to get all the scaffolding out of our front and back yards and get a kitchen garden in<br />
<br />
c\_/ being premenstrual means all I want to do is shop shop shop<br />
<br />
c\_/ knitting is boring compared with crochet<br />
<br />
What do you know this week? See what other people are sharing at <a href="http://yayforhome.blogspot.com/2011/02/things-i-know_24.html">Shae's place</a>!Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-56317119937034588832011-02-17T12:42:00.000+11:002011-02-17T12:42:01.163+11:00My Creative Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNndKGZmouIbTZMSsCxteFosZykK38d76WpYkojBi7fzfcoFdQpnk0mlHFE4Bg6k7BXu3kpOAGPCrlF8wBFnDRjStJNNE9gJL1QCMeMHrtH7i39WCyLOYzKaVpdp7dPtItWfVKOhNKcop/s1600/P1030640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNndKGZmouIbTZMSsCxteFosZykK38d76WpYkojBi7fzfcoFdQpnk0mlHFE4Bg6k7BXu3kpOAGPCrlF8wBFnDRjStJNNE9gJL1QCMeMHrtH7i39WCyLOYzKaVpdp7dPtItWfVKOhNKcop/s400/P1030640.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Two words: Crocheting. Obsessively.<br />
<br />
I taught myself to crochet last week with a bit of help from my mum, some <a href="http://www.crochetaustralia.com.au/webcontent5.htm">handy pictures from Crochet Australia</a>, this <a href="http://www.craftstylish.com/item/1437/granny-square-how-to">granny square tutorial</a> and this <a href="http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/2009/12/make-cute-heart-decorations.html">heart pattern</a> from Meet Me at Mikes!<br />
<br />
<br />
Love<br />
<br />
Verity<br />
<br />
(This is my first time playing at My Creative Space. For lots more creative inspiration, visit <a href="http://www.kootoyoo.com/category/my%20creative%20space">Kootoyoo</a>!)Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-26388826585310985672011-02-16T22:01:00.002+11:002011-02-16T22:15:38.611+11:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82PkpHnZcYYUvUn-XwmkTrWKMZ0-J6ezleyH4gcB0QjRWAZ-uP2T6Yw5hGVn24VFQuU_EkV-INusMBeCS-JqMUoHw0PyvBsckDQqfjZ76rvTH3zpONIao_HKT4Eh8jQmsngCVEm8QKxRx/s1600/Pip_umbrella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82PkpHnZcYYUvUn-XwmkTrWKMZ0-J6ezleyH4gcB0QjRWAZ-uP2T6Yw5hGVn24VFQuU_EkV-INusMBeCS-JqMUoHw0PyvBsckDQqfjZ76rvTH3zpONIao_HKT4Eh8jQmsngCVEm8QKxRx/s400/Pip_umbrella.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
Love<br />
<br />
VerityVeri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-25152683340591112942011-02-11T22:55:00.000+11:002011-02-11T22:55:24.535+11:00Turtle bars blankets and kittehs, oh my!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, here is the slab of turtle bar, baked and cooling, waiting to be sliced... We shared some with a friend after dinner. It was totally delicious, and the kind of rich that sneaks up on you and makes you feel rather queasy while at the same time contemplating a second piece.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZb3PV1Gyu9jJIxe7xacIjEo6TXA1hG28MIj-a5YmsKx77VUFrViDF263JA2Y7sZPWHBVnyl6UAYurVzRQDOV33wdlkY0ekVssLFsVy7jx7dtBXZvpuRl23MXkbHJd0xVih8kCoXjGgEZ-/s1600/P1030639.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZb3PV1Gyu9jJIxe7xacIjEo6TXA1hG28MIj-a5YmsKx77VUFrViDF263JA2Y7sZPWHBVnyl6UAYurVzRQDOV33wdlkY0ekVssLFsVy7jx7dtBXZvpuRl23MXkbHJd0xVih8kCoXjGgEZ-/s320/P1030639.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The blanket that I made... the fat quarters are from vintage sheets (thanks <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/fiftieshousewives">Fifties Housewives</a>!) and the back is cut from a thrifted plain white double bed sheet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1x8egSvNslqigdwlX4QaoMbMIn8S9TQqJ-eVQf_HtUX2HjELMwscGmO1ZFHvHiXUjKyRpGkTsWaVSRd2iPbGbVqHbKsTObnjUPr5YjKDXIeW_hNJhmqJDYTZOyalavmDFDmTwQRYBOf-/s320/P1030632.JPG" width="320" /></div><br />
The light in our bedroom is rather poor, so I had to use the flash on the camera... which did not disturb our determinedly-snoozing cat Beren, obviously. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lLABJ6jWGNYEHxtD-oIl2ktAlEtrSC1pwRcpQFgKsAIrtziezZIzwi2qC5jglJttAlP_qVfB0YOhhT8uW_7QJiLHL-UCp1f9bBpetmoCvTmDwe4fP_1i46tSUjuqQVDzOZCVh-_TQyGo/s1600/P1030635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lLABJ6jWGNYEHxtD-oIl2ktAlEtrSC1pwRcpQFgKsAIrtziezZIzwi2qC5jglJttAlP_qVfB0YOhhT8uW_7QJiLHL-UCp1f9bBpetmoCvTmDwe4fP_1i46tSUjuqQVDzOZCVh-_TQyGo/s320/P1030635.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Have a wonderful weekend -<br />
<br />
Love<br />
<br />
VerityVeri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-83434021410584573622011-02-10T15:53:00.000+11:002011-02-10T15:53:58.822+11:00A quiet 'good afternoon'It has been a long time since I felt I could fit in any blog posts here... It's not like I haven't been doing stuff; I've been doing lots of things: baking, making, running around after Pippin (now 15 months old and more amazing by the day), reading, cleaning... Oh and drinking tea of course (I've just started back on my tea blog as well).<br />
<br />
I want to try and keep posting here though. I think it will be good for me, but I'm not quite sure what things will look like or the kind of content I'll be putting up. So please bear with me if things are a bit muddled, chaotic and jump around a bit as I strive to find my blogging groove again. That said, part of the reason I stopped posting for so long was because I felt like my little blog here didn't really compare with any of the other homemaking/baking/daily life blogs I read and enjoy and I felt discouraged and sad. This was part of a kind of 'my whole life sucks and is pointless' existential crisis that I went through around Christmas time in particular, I think. Plus the pressure that I was putting on myself to take pretty pictures and post LOTS wasn't very helpful.<br />
<br />
But! As I have come to realise, I'm not in the blogging business; I write my blogs for fun and I don't really care how many people read this blog (although if you do, and you enjoy it, I'm very glad!)... So there will probably be fewer posts in general, and probably fewer pictures as well. If this means that Nice Life With a Cup of Tea is not to your taste that's ok and I will not be offended if you move on. <br />
<br />
In the meantime... Here's a few things that have been inspiring me lately:<br />
<br />
c\_/ this <a href="http://www.rootsofshe.com/2011/01/jenn-do-not-let-this-universe-regret.html ">poem</a> posted on <a href="http://rootsofshe.com">Roots of She</a>, a site I am coming to love more and more I must say.<br />
<br />
c\_/ these <a href="http://www.atthebakersbench.com/2011/02/turtle-bars.html">Turtle Bars</a> (I had never heard of them before, had you??) sound SO DELICIOUS, I am making them tomorrow! <br />
<br />
c\_/ I got a sewing machine for Christmas (from my lovely family!!) and I made a blanket like <a href="http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/2009/11/make-patchwork-summer-throw.html">this one</a> - I'll post some pics soon. It is making me so happy every time I see it on our bed.<br />
<br />
Love<br />
<br />
VerityVeri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-7040359627692066282010-10-24T10:00:00.000+11:002010-10-24T10:00:00.591+11:00Fruit BreadsDo you have a favourite fruit bread fruit combination? These are some of the ones I've made recently:<br />
<br />
Date and walnut<br />
Dried apricot<br />
Fig and glacé ginger<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc76yNNUSRrgQHSugZJLyic71MpeBj-IylhpE7v-7bVvs0Rm23aUJFSmQahxhAd8w8MUOIQZeBXZWYxOR88Zjr0jyrrv-vnig-no6dm5mvUzmeZbG4QZinmQCSCwJK3SfKsldB-JZCTJjS/s1600/P1030593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc76yNNUSRrgQHSugZJLyic71MpeBj-IylhpE7v-7bVvs0Rm23aUJFSmQahxhAd8w8MUOIQZeBXZWYxOR88Zjr0jyrrv-vnig-no6dm5mvUzmeZbG4QZinmQCSCwJK3SfKsldB-JZCTJjS/s320/P1030593.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I was particularly hopeful about the fig and ginger one, but it wasn't quite as mind blowingly good as I had hoped it would be (although it was still very nice). Perhaps it was too wholemeally? Perhaps it was the wrong shape (the dough was very wet and I didn't handle it well so it was flatter than I wanted, and I got rather cranky). <br />
<br />
I think so far the dried apricot one is my favourite. I have a bunch of raisins and currants sitting in the pantry, so I might use those up next time, with almonds! Any other suggestions?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAVawGp-ve5Kka6L_GIj3lnaDqzpVIul2A0QhZCtQE5VwHPhXGZwY3uDJT1DYSvz1O5apPMy2zeI-rYL7DBOCiKdS9Y96JOjpplEDvXNcryHj7HYTIiaA2h_UePLTW-Z0WRvo_agRcLVs/s1600/P1030609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAAVawGp-ve5Kka6L_GIj3lnaDqzpVIul2A0QhZCtQE5VwHPhXGZwY3uDJT1DYSvz1O5apPMy2zeI-rYL7DBOCiKdS9Y96JOjpplEDvXNcryHj7HYTIiaA2h_UePLTW-Z0WRvo_agRcLVs/s320/P1030609.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blurry photo, sorry!</span></div>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-62205389184648188972010-10-22T11:09:00.000+11:002010-10-22T11:09:43.074+11:00Things I don't normally do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>There are two things I hardly ever bake: biscuits/cookies and pastry. <br />
<br />
Biscuits (however tasty) involve faff. You have to make lots of little balls of dough, roll them, flatten them, bake them in lots of batches (or at least I do; our oven is small)... Yawn. I prefer to make one big thing, like a cake, that I can just stick in there and forget about for half an hour or whatever, without being chained to the kitchen. However, having made the oatmeal raisin cookies from <i>Veganomicon</i> (photo <a href="http://nicelifewithtea.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-ive-been-baking-lately.html">here</a>) - VERY PATIENTLY I might add, three sheets worth of carefully rolled and flattened cookies) - I am prepared to admit that diligence does pay off. I'm just not that keen on that much diligence very often.<br />
<br />
Pastry - I lack confidence with. I am intimidated by the concept of making and handling pastry. I'm not quite sure why though, because despite my fear I have made several lots of shortcrust pastry in the last month or so and each has turned out well, and even been easy! Perhaps my developing bread-baking skills are giving me more confidence. Even more exciting is the fact that I now know how to make sourdough pastry, using this recipe from Wild Sourdough:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: #660000;">50g sourdough starter (any kind; I normally use rye)<br />
310g wholemeal wheat or spelt flour (I haven't tried it with white flour yet)<br />
85g water for plain pastry or maple syrup for sweet (honey also works)<br />
75g olive oil<br />
1 tsp salt (optional so far as I'm concerned)<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 200C.<br />
<br />
Combine the liquid ingredients including starter and mix thoroughly. Stir into the flour and add the salt if using. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before rolling out and lining your pie dish - this is enough pastry for a 26cm tart or about 3 dozen mini tarts. (It also works well for free-form tarts.) Prick the base several times with a fork.<br />
<br />
Rest for 30 minutes in the fridge before filling and baking - you can also blind bake it for about 10 minutes or so if you want to add a filing later.</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OUvVcAXr-XU6ztgCU7pU8nc6vTqW5UtLOaqojPORfRAnqTN1m5OlMA1zz84IffpVHX7Xi9ukfUxPjt5OxQ6NEKDVt3VeV4Vw0fluFwD7Huc6ASeLX-pFAZPCPyrsRIZ5x7344yBimHq1/s1600/P1030612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OUvVcAXr-XU6ztgCU7pU8nc6vTqW5UtLOaqojPORfRAnqTN1m5OlMA1zz84IffpVHX7Xi9ukfUxPjt5OxQ6NEKDVt3VeV4Vw0fluFwD7Huc6ASeLX-pFAZPCPyrsRIZ5x7344yBimHq1/s320/P1030612.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I filled this little stack of sweet tart cases with the following coconut-chocolate ganache:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote style="color: #660000;"><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">200ml coconut cream</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">200g dark chocolate (50-70% cocoa depending on how sweet you want it)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Heat the coconut cream in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat. Break up the chocolate into small chunks and add to the coconut cream, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly then pour into tart cases. It will thicken and set as it cools. Store in the fridge.</div></blockquote><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's not super-strong in the coconut flavour - you might like to add some coconut essence or liqueur or something if you want it stronger. You can use it as a sauce for ice cream or to ice a cake. Or just eat it. It's pretty good.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs923.snc4/73666_481781883337_769508337_7126744_4558500_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs923.snc4/73666_481781883337_769508337_7126744_4558500_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-78670805845966844102010-10-18T12:25:00.000+11:002010-10-18T12:25:01.939+11:00Taking Things at a Different PaceI tend to rush around. I like to get from A to B at a brisk pace. I tell myself I can 'slow down later'. Well, like tomorrow, later never comes... or when it does it tends to get filled up with other stuff that Has To Be Done Now.<br />
<br />
Having a toddler in tow, however... well. That's a whole different thing isn't it. Either Pippin is attached to my leg making it difficult for me to get from A to B (and I'm talking about from the bench to the kitchen table, not some epic trip), or else I'm holding his hand while he toddles alongside me, forcing me to go at a pace his little legs can manage. Or else he's in the stroller and I'm going along at a fair crack and then I remember that I could go slower and actually point things out to him, talk to him, take him OUT of the stroller even (brainwave!) and let him potter around a bit, before continuing on our way.<br />
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Guess what? You can see and do some pretty fun and lovely things when you slow down a little bit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjWmHACOg0mTWJFJA20VaulMJ8Oc9qn3_AuxWOZvfThhqZapA0xbw2L8QIL79IOrnBS1Buowh-vub14MeBFVt77jDcnO6T_bu_GAfO7i5Zf9NucF2hQ1WUvdAPB0fFVZtYhBxxKOM4P-h/s1600/conservatory.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjWmHACOg0mTWJFJA20VaulMJ8Oc9qn3_AuxWOZvfThhqZapA0xbw2L8QIL79IOrnBS1Buowh-vub14MeBFVt77jDcnO6T_bu_GAfO7i5Zf9NucF2hQ1WUvdAPB0fFVZtYhBxxKOM4P-h/s320/conservatory.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Conservatory at the Fitzroy Gardens</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUto5V0wU3CpPESNdTCmxRePKfhGBBLZW7vYFZrZRfOXpDKqrG8WOgDlUL-D-1CV9-pt0J5I9IwSt1qrsQHr-qRfDCH06Vlwgr_8-epHMpSUQvnh5QJgfQPkW4z995QD8UNFeoX2fhdcq/s1600/tudor+village.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUto5V0wU3CpPESNdTCmxRePKfhGBBLZW7vYFZrZRfOXpDKqrG8WOgDlUL-D-1CV9-pt0J5I9IwSt1qrsQHr-qRfDCH06Vlwgr_8-epHMpSUQvnh5QJgfQPkW4z995QD8UNFeoX2fhdcq/s320/tudor+village.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Tudor Village (ripe for stomping, Tokyo-style?)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM5dcSHwq2j2cIcUdMfnSFCP33hy6IRli04nI9szJVs70H-T57aznb9vUhf1qOLKacPUpVWxSP_3kqjzagvZwhYTrNyqUKQ7Qaqmf7KS98Ppf7SK7Cm5nlTuvBJBUTYuV2YYLQB4LBza-/s1600/wizard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM5dcSHwq2j2cIcUdMfnSFCP33hy6IRli04nI9szJVs70H-T57aznb9vUhf1qOLKacPUpVWxSP_3kqjzagvZwhYTrNyqUKQ7Qaqmf7KS98Ppf7SK7Cm5nlTuvBJBUTYuV2YYLQB4LBza-/s320/wizard.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Snoozing wizard</span></div><br />
Although that said... Pippin CAN also move himself from A to B pretty fast when he wants to, especially when A is one end of the kitchen where his toys are and B is the other end where the rubbish bin is.Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-41510488037740763062010-10-13T15:44:00.000+11:002010-10-13T15:44:47.262+11:00What I've been baking lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoARzPGD1RnRczWgcFTsrzr-kRabAjJD40xY1Sk1IyYKiaMio4vQvKSQxpNZ2ns1ybFB_BmM6E3NC5njag2T02E3znJFdgxVL5qnmBi1ar_nAw-XUBJbJfCjVwqLD5LsiOMN4T68aMdBP/s1600/P1030582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoARzPGD1RnRczWgcFTsrzr-kRabAjJD40xY1Sk1IyYKiaMio4vQvKSQxpNZ2ns1ybFB_BmM6E3NC5njag2T02E3znJFdgxVL5qnmBi1ar_nAw-XUBJbJfCjVwqLD5LsiOMN4T68aMdBP/s320/P1030582.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Half 'n half wheat-spelt sourdough, my new favourite I think - I've made two batches; this was the first and it was better than the second. Not quite sure why? That said the second batch was quite different from the first... no spelt just white/wholemeal wheat, I remembered the salt, I made it free-form instead of in a tin, held the dough over in the fridge for 2 days... ok, ok, so basically it was two different loaves entirely. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0X619_VVGWOrNOqT0AeBltJRk6AX5v_idsUO6uyAtacaGZS-StsPpagrBpr3F6Xi-saG9oPJ265wfPVRtfZ4mDA6ggHLuZjCU2O6HRkxQUFGql39u3_RmPO3SH4ZAfLRNfWeXuKaujtE/s1600/P1030590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0X619_VVGWOrNOqT0AeBltJRk6AX5v_idsUO6uyAtacaGZS-StsPpagrBpr3F6Xi-saG9oPJ265wfPVRtfZ4mDA6ggHLuZjCU2O6HRkxQUFGql39u3_RmPO3SH4ZAfLRNfWeXuKaujtE/s320/P1030590.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Oatmeal-raisin cookies from <a href="http://www.theppk.com/nomicon.html">Veganomicon</a> - the yummiest ever!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsE_pIQUpnzNMonU9huP3n13n3_UPdnYSlCf-WGwfUUoFukfL7okTw8UZu0xmwu7GtaXHm1DQ1azS71oC9avAM-FTleRyfH4_BKOYn7DhLhHhbkC5vp8lkR2daWRZkcE965FnyF9_G7am/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsE_pIQUpnzNMonU9huP3n13n3_UPdnYSlCf-WGwfUUoFukfL7okTw8UZu0xmwu7GtaXHm1DQ1azS71oC9avAM-FTleRyfH4_BKOYn7DhLhHhbkC5vp8lkR2daWRZkcE965FnyF9_G7am/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> A second batch of ciabatta, more successfully and carefully shaped this time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUs4_EDrOiEJsMBvNinzJe8jEzCGTkqlJ8qTrZWLxf0bceqRUp70bo7xgtt02JMxHrtuTtzmMl45NIJHUzGOjlhiaXv761BXKxYHhMXWM8zn_ch9nqJUEg05yWdD8Mpb9Qw90PgkPN1DR/s1600/frenchbread2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUs4_EDrOiEJsMBvNinzJe8jEzCGTkqlJ8qTrZWLxf0bceqRUp70bo7xgtt02JMxHrtuTtzmMl45NIJHUzGOjlhiaXv761BXKxYHhMXWM8zn_ch9nqJUEg05yWdD8Mpb9Qw90PgkPN1DR/s320/frenchbread2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>And a second batch of Peter Reinhart's French Bread #1 from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crust-Crumb-Master-Formulas-Serious/dp/1580080030">Crust and Crumb</a>... the first batch tasted ok but I didn't even photograph it because it looked appalling. I got the shelves and heat wrong in the oven so it burnt on the bottom and didn't colour on the top. This batch was better. I had to return the book to the library but when I get my hands on it again I'm going to try a third time to see if I can improve some more!Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-88653102559906023152010-10-10T12:18:00.000+11:002010-10-10T12:18:52.236+11:00Peaceful Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Bread on the rise...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCOvEI2qNDanGooKyToKZMQIzneA9H8xIdsLeocedPEFwvjGEwX3O5aQadTQP4r_DE_ecEVwUqs9-koIBT_3x_ls5UwsupQHwvNblM9C9aFXVfvub5OHAfqJ29GA5kp92OwrZ_3YyDvBL/s1600/P1030591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCOvEI2qNDanGooKyToKZMQIzneA9H8xIdsLeocedPEFwvjGEwX3O5aQadTQP4r_DE_ecEVwUqs9-koIBT_3x_ls5UwsupQHwvNblM9C9aFXVfvub5OHAfqJ29GA5kp92OwrZ_3YyDvBL/s320/P1030591.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a gorgeous posie of herbs and flowers </div><div style="text-align: center;">(from the Collingwood Children's Farm market yesterday)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...and kitteh basking on the windowsill! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWkP0cEJFE2M03WwaVU9lf5qvQy7bfgTfs0QhQEpPluPsT6Jjj_dkvyI2Hdi_fBJnU-DaXSPYZZv9TKDm-W32zkkSGhuqVXmTXcWO7STusw8pys_Vb3ONnmTGDhBt_T8-qQA9VCNDbt6q/s1600/P1030588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWkP0cEJFE2M03WwaVU9lf5qvQy7bfgTfs0QhQEpPluPsT6Jjj_dkvyI2Hdi_fBJnU-DaXSPYZZv9TKDm-W32zkkSGhuqVXmTXcWO7STusw8pys_Vb3ONnmTGDhBt_T8-qQA9VCNDbt6q/s320/P1030588.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-76119471329155147292010-10-09T12:13:00.000+11:002010-10-09T12:13:45.673+11:00Lemonade Scones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWCq6kz5SUzOkdMS0XpuPr_sOSKB6ZXkBa3nJ5lN1Qdu0u2ZK4LTJTmJXq_Omluzi5lO_6FTjYPweOA4xD28j8an-PeyJFzDU7WFimHh86jfzdx-PLleTb_Ia5y2AKLYQzbaHHcqpq5CG/s1600/P1030581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWCq6kz5SUzOkdMS0XpuPr_sOSKB6ZXkBa3nJ5lN1Qdu0u2ZK4LTJTmJXq_Omluzi5lO_6FTjYPweOA4xD28j8an-PeyJFzDU7WFimHh86jfzdx-PLleTb_Ia5y2AKLYQzbaHHcqpq5CG/s320/P1030581.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have never made lemonade scones before. Have you? I don't think I've ever even eaten them before. Which is a pity, because they are delicious, and easy! I made them to share with a lovely friend who came over for afternoon tea yesterday - kindly bringing with her some DELICIOUS homemade peach and vanilla jam (I am still swooning! It was that delicious. Did I already say that?).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think I need to somehow mark my scone cutters with their sizes though (and my cake tins for that matter) because I never know how wide they are, and it is a pain to have to get out the tape measure or ruler every time. Except for the times when I don't, and then I end up with scones that are too big, like yesterday's. But that didn't really matter all that much because they were so yummy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The ones I made were based on <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/6036/lemonade+scones">this recipe</a> from taste.com.au... my version was as follows:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote style="color: #0c343d;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">300g self-raising flour, sifted</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">55g caster sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">125ml soy milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">125ml lemonade (fizzy, not flat - you need the bubbles to make the scones rise or something)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">zest of one lemon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preheat the oven to 220C and lightly grease a baking tray or square cake tin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stir together the sifted flour, sugar and lemon zest. Pour in the lemonade and soy milk and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for a couple of minutes - the dough is very sticky so you'll probably need to add a little more flour. Press into a flat round about 2cm thick and cut out with a 6cm (theoretically) cutter. Place close together on the tray or tin and brush the top with a little more soy milk if desired. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your scones. Turn out and enjoy while still warm!</div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-12512128187391411032010-10-08T12:12:00.000+11:002010-10-08T12:12:28.751+11:00Something LovelyYesterday I had the opportunity - the first in weeks, if not months - to leave Pippin at home with a babysitter in the afternoon and go out! By myself!! For a couple of hours!!!*<br />
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I walked up to Smith St and had a potter around in the awesome <a href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lostandfoundmarket.com.au%2F&rct=j&q=lost%20and%20found%20market&ei=vW-uTLKCL4S8vQOu_fm2Bg&usg=AFQjCNF4-BSi5_l3dGLO5UfluK5EuLp1-w&sig2=gRrG1Xe0WaEt6z0mkcgdwg&cad=rja">Lost and Found Market</a>... I managed not to buy anything... (this time) and then took myself to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LasVegan">Las Vegan Bakery </a>for chai (best I've ever had while out and about) and some comfort e-book reading: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Adversary">The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Secret_Adversary_First_Edition_Cover_1922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Secret_Adversary_First_Edition_Cover_1922.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(original cover image from wikipedia, link above)</span></div><br />
I love Agatha Christie books. LOVE them. I had read most of them by the time I was 12 years old... starting age 8 with The Seven Dials Mystery which was on my mum's bedside table when I used to curl up in my parents' electric-blanketed bed instead of my own on winter nights (until I got shooed out when they wanted to come to bed!) and onwards and upwards from there. <br />
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They are totally my go-to comfort reading. I think my favourites tend to be Miss Marple ones, but Tommy and Tuppence are so spunky and awesome (especially Tuppence) that their tales come a close second. There is no better reading with a cup of tea (except perhaps a <a href="http://joiedetea.blogspot.com/2010/02/guilty-pleasures.html">Tea Shop Mystery</a>). <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*no, that is not too many exclamation marks for this momentous event.</span>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-13291339518540045002010-10-01T09:57:00.000+10:002010-10-01T09:57:43.540+10:00Something Lovely<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://whi.s3.prod.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/images/4136728/tumblr_l9k1u7dVuu1qdodhdo1_500_large.jpg?1285841897" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://whi.s3.prod.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/images/4136728/tumblr_l9k1u7dVuu1qdodhdo1_500_large.jpg?1285841897" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image from <a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/4136728">we heart it</a></span></div><br />
Yesterday I read this post, <a href="http://zenhabits.net/perfect/">'You Are Already Perfect</a>' from <a href="http://zenhabits.net/">Zen Habits</a>, and it really resonated with me. It was just what I needed to read and I hope you enjoy it too.<br />
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I particularly liked this bit: <br />
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<blockquote style="color: #20124d;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And here’s another realization that I’ve written about before: You already have everything you need to be happy, right here and right now.<br />
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Do you have eyes that see? You have the ability to appreciate the beauty of the sky, of greenery, of people’s faces, of water. Do you have ears that hear? You have the ability to appreciate music, the sound of rainfall, the laughter of friends. You have the ability to feel rough denim, cool breezes, grass on bare feet … to smell fresh-cut grass, flowers, coffee … to taste a plum, a chili pepper, chocolate.<br />
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This is a miracle, and we take it for granted. Instead, we strive for more, when we already have everything.</blockquote>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-9618816622242802032010-09-29T09:00:00.001+10:002010-09-29T09:00:01.176+10:00Softies for MirabelDo you like to make things? Have you heard about <a href="http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/2010/09/fourth-annual-softies-for-mirabel.html">Softies for Mirabel</a>?<br />
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It is a project where you make a soft toy and donate it to the Mirabel Foundation which provides support for kids who have been affected by a parent's drug addiction. I only just heard about it via Meet Me At Mike's; and I am not terribly good at making soft toys but I think I am going to have a go! How about you? You can also <a href="http://www.mirabelfoundation.org.au/help-mirabel">contribute to the Mirabel Foundation</a> in other ways if that is better for you.<br />
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You can sign up for softie-ness <a href="http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/2010/09/softies-for-mirabel-sign-ups-open.html">here</a>!Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-51726722337122838422010-09-28T09:00:00.001+10:002010-09-28T09:00:00.366+10:00Flavour of the Week - Dulce de Leche Ripple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzP8IIn0ZNOj8dWzsyxuAEHoD1csLqxD1Ve7KIEKAfTLhW_Xf_wqFHxvVo7XT1IrtMwQH3tTOeJe9LgmXGPUhHLIV8ZhbaDNJJ9Ans1hVcqIvTHq8Cf91q3QMwVD9w0bcfTU0vAjKoxXl3/s1600/dulce2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzP8IIn0ZNOj8dWzsyxuAEHoD1csLqxD1Ve7KIEKAfTLhW_Xf_wqFHxvVo7XT1IrtMwQH3tTOeJe9LgmXGPUhHLIV8ZhbaDNJJ9Ans1hVcqIvTHq8Cf91q3QMwVD9w0bcfTU0vAjKoxXl3/s320/dulce2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dear Colleagues,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The latest iced delight to grace the ground floor freezer presents a puzzle. One taste is enough to render the unsuspecting scooper dizzy, but it this because of the stupefyingly simple genius with which it fuses vanilla ice cream and smooth caramel sauce? Or simply the precursor to an onrushing diabetic coma? Why not both? Enjoy, for as long as you can stay conscious, the golden swirls of lovingly home-made Dulce de Leche (“sweet of milk”). This traditional Latin American confection, coupled with an already-sucrotic creamy-eggy frozen custard, is just the challenge that our nation’s dentists and insulin specialists have been preparing for. Don’t let them have planned in vain!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dietary information: this ice cream contains milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, vodka and salt.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Yours recommending Dulce de Leche as a breakfast spread,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The Stressed Chef</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</span></span></div>Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297728986184533458.post-57335032425006162072010-09-27T09:00:00.002+10:002010-10-08T17:08:41.378+11:00Radical Homemakers - have you read it?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://radicalhomemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/RadHomeCover-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://radicalhomemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/RadHomeCover-200x300.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I'm reading it at the moment (on my iPad as an e-book, ironically but conveniently enough). I came across it mentioned on the <a href="http://www.apronstringz.wordpress.com/">Apron Stringz</a> blog (which is awesome in itself) and have been working my way through it over the last week or so - I'm about two-thirds of the way through. It's incredibly thought provoking. I admit I picked it up, virtually speaking, because following the closure of my Etsy shop (which you can read about <a href="http://joiedetea.blogspot.com/2010/09/hard-decision.html">here</a>) and entering into basically 100% full-time 'home duties' (as it was so lyrically put in my most recent mobile phone contract) I really, REALLY needed some reassurance that I am:<br />
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a.) Not lazy, and <br />
b.) Making a valid and responsible lifestyle choice<br />
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particularly in light of the fact that many of the other mums in Pippin's local playgroup are heading back into the workforce.<br />
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And <a href="http://radicalhomemakers.com/">Radical Homemakers</a> is reassuring - forcefully so - from that point of view. It is also quite an eye opener into some aspects of American consumer culture, although I am of course aware that the author has a particular view of the world and that this colours the way she represents that culture. I am just starting the section of the book which discusses the underlying 'how' of being a Radical Homemaker - the skills of nurturing relationships, redefining pleasure, rediscovering 'real food' (I think we do pretty well on that one already, honestly) and so on. I'm particularly looking forward to reading this section, I am sure it will be inspiring.<br />
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What I would also really like would be a book written about Australian Radical Homemakers... and to meet some... I would love to know if you have read it and what you think about it!Veri-Teahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16240932063144037031noreply@blogger.com1