But today I think we'll be dining on eggs, because in the nesting box was an egg weighing 122 grams. That is about twice the weight of a regular supermarket egg. Well done Miss Isa Brown!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Now that is one big egg
One of my hens has gone above and beyond the call of duty today. We have come to expect large eggs, with the average being 75 grams or more. Our largest egg was a massive 95 grams.
Friday, August 12, 2011
My, how we learn...
Looking at my ornamental gardens, somewhat disheveled through the dreariness of Winter, I think of how they started. Years ago, my mum gave me several bags of bulbs extracted from her own garden. I think she actually had a chuckle when saw bulbs started sending up green shoots then flowering. I had planted them rather neatly in rows. It looked totally wrong.
Despite my Mum's flair for garden design, I had produced a garden which looked a little strange. As they have set more bulbs and I continue to move and fill spaces they look much more naturalised.
I have learnt so much over the years through trial and error, and most importantly through a great network of fellow gardeners. And I still have much more to learn.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Patch to paper
Susan Parsons has written up a story of our patch, with the picture of my lemon meringue pie also appearing on the cover of the Food and Wine section and on the front page of the newspaper! This was in yesterday's Canberra Times (10/8/11).
Friday, August 5, 2011
I am tempted...
This weather is so delicious. I can almost taste a summer harvest as I laze in the warm rays. The trickery of this Winter warmth has made me want to start my summer plantings.
There are so many new seeds in my box that I am looking forward to planting, seeing the growth of different plants and then, finally tasting the produce. But it is just a tease. Soon the weather will be cool again, the mornings frosted and crisp.
The warmth has been a timely reminder that the bleak cold days and slow growth does cease. Not long ago I bought some seedlings. (gasp!) At this time of year, germination takes much longer than in the warmer months, even for over-wintering veg. This warm spell has reminded me that it won't be long until my children and I can get out the seed trays again and get sowing.
There are so many new seeds in my box that I am looking forward to planting, seeing the growth of different plants and then, finally tasting the produce. But it is just a tease. Soon the weather will be cool again, the mornings frosted and crisp.
The warmth has been a timely reminder that the bleak cold days and slow growth does cease. Not long ago I bought some seedlings. (gasp!) At this time of year, germination takes much longer than in the warmer months, even for over-wintering veg. This warm spell has reminded me that it won't be long until my children and I can get out the seed trays again and get sowing.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Spring is in the air today
It is still Winter. I know that. But my, my! What a glorious day it is today!
Walking my girl to school was an absolute delight in the cool air but warm sun. Then, while tidying up the cane berries and bramble berries, I noticed a ladybug. A gorgeous yellow and black ladybug. Spring really is in the air today.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The secret is out (to my very yummy french toast)
It is possibly too good to keep a secret any longer.
We have a family breakfast together once a week, for no particular reason and on no set day. Normally it's just at home, with me making something that is a little more decadent than oats or cereal or toast. Sometimes we make gorgeous scrambled eggs or even a big breakfast or pancakes. But one thing that has to be planned for, which makes it a little more special because of the anticipation of the next morning's breakfast, is french toast.
If you haven't had french toast made with cream and orange zest before, well, you don't know what you are missing out on. I stumbled across this idea somewhere along the way to becoming a fully functioning adult who cooks and cleans and gardens. Today I made the decadent version with cream, but it does still work with all milk. I use 4 eggs, but the average egg size from our chooks is 75-80g, so you may like to use an extra egg or two, depending on the size eggs you get.
French toast
1 baguette or vienna loaf, sliced
butter, for cooking
egg mix
4 free range eggs
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
strawberry syrup
250g frozen or fresh strawberries
¼ cup orange juice
zest ½ orange
1 tbsp sugar
1 tspn cornflour mixed in a little cold water, optional
to serve
maple syrup
2 oranges, sliced
8 short cut rashers bacon, pan cooked until crispy
thick yoghurt such as Gippsland fruit yoghurt
Method
Whisk together ingredients for egg mix. Dip in slices of bread into the egg mix, ensuring the mixture seeps through the bread.
Place a small amount of butter into the pan and heat. Place eggy bread into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked.
Meanwhile, place the ingredients for the strawberry syrup, except the cornflour, in a small pan and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the strawberries have defrosted and collapsed and a syrup is forming with the juices. To thicken the juices, stir in the cornflour and stir gently until thickened.
If cooking the french toast in batches, keep cooked toast warm on a plate under a large upturned bowl.
So while there are oranges hanging on the trees, get out there and give it a try.
We have a family breakfast together once a week, for no particular reason and on no set day. Normally it's just at home, with me making something that is a little more decadent than oats or cereal or toast. Sometimes we make gorgeous scrambled eggs or even a big breakfast or pancakes. But one thing that has to be planned for, which makes it a little more special because of the anticipation of the next morning's breakfast, is french toast.
If you haven't had french toast made with cream and orange zest before, well, you don't know what you are missing out on. I stumbled across this idea somewhere along the way to becoming a fully functioning adult who cooks and cleans and gardens. Today I made the decadent version with cream, but it does still work with all milk. I use 4 eggs, but the average egg size from our chooks is 75-80g, so you may like to use an extra egg or two, depending on the size eggs you get.
French toast
1 baguette or vienna loaf, sliced
butter, for cooking
egg mix
4 free range eggs
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
strawberry syrup
250g frozen or fresh strawberries
¼ cup orange juice
zest ½ orange
1 tbsp sugar
1 tspn cornflour mixed in a little cold water, optional
to serve
maple syrup
2 oranges, sliced
8 short cut rashers bacon, pan cooked until crispy
thick yoghurt such as Gippsland fruit yoghurt
Method
Whisk together ingredients for egg mix. Dip in slices of bread into the egg mix, ensuring the mixture seeps through the bread.
Place a small amount of butter into the pan and heat. Place eggy bread into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked.
Meanwhile, place the ingredients for the strawberry syrup, except the cornflour, in a small pan and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the strawberries have defrosted and collapsed and a syrup is forming with the juices. To thicken the juices, stir in the cornflour and stir gently until thickened.
If cooking the french toast in batches, keep cooked toast warm on a plate under a large upturned bowl.
So while there are oranges hanging on the trees, get out there and give it a try.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Time to chit
July is the time to be chitting potatoes. Chitting is basically testing to see whether something will grow. Some people chit saved seeds to see what the germination rate will be.
So, have a dig around in you potato bag and see if there are any potatoes that are starting to turn green, with little ‘eyes’ sprouting out. Well done! You have chitted some potatoes. Ok, perhaps you didn’t do that on purpose and are now wondering what to have for dinner tonight instead. Well, there is a bright side.
Instead of tossing them into the compost heap, pop them back into the cupboard and let the sprouts grow a little bit. It is a good time to think about where to plant the potatoes as they are a long crop to mature and can take up a bit of space, you can ‘double up’ an area and plant corn amongst the potatoes if you wish. Soon you will have potatoes ready for sectioning. You will need cut the potatoes with a clean sharp knife ensuring that each section has a nice sprout growing from it. When planting your potatoes, it is useful to know that they grow up the stem. So if possible, dig out trenches or furrows, pop the sectioned potatoes spread along the rows and cover with soil. As they grow up and sprout through the soil, gently cover them over again, repeating this till you have used up your available soil. This way, the stem is longer and you get more potatoes.
But we’ll get into that more later. For now, chit away. And if you are really keen, you might even like to try some gourmet or heritage varieties. It is often a good idea to use certified disease free ‘seed potatoes’ available from garden centres and home improvement stores now.
So, have a dig around in you potato bag and see if there are any potatoes that are starting to turn green, with little ‘eyes’ sprouting out. Well done! You have chitted some potatoes. Ok, perhaps you didn’t do that on purpose and are now wondering what to have for dinner tonight instead. Well, there is a bright side.
Instead of tossing them into the compost heap, pop them back into the cupboard and let the sprouts grow a little bit. It is a good time to think about where to plant the potatoes as they are a long crop to mature and can take up a bit of space, you can ‘double up’ an area and plant corn amongst the potatoes if you wish. Soon you will have potatoes ready for sectioning. You will need cut the potatoes with a clean sharp knife ensuring that each section has a nice sprout growing from it. When planting your potatoes, it is useful to know that they grow up the stem. So if possible, dig out trenches or furrows, pop the sectioned potatoes spread along the rows and cover with soil. As they grow up and sprout through the soil, gently cover them over again, repeating this till you have used up your available soil. This way, the stem is longer and you get more potatoes.
But we’ll get into that more later. For now, chit away. And if you are really keen, you might even like to try some gourmet or heritage varieties. It is often a good idea to use certified disease free ‘seed potatoes’ available from garden centres and home improvement stores now.
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