A few of our favourite things

Becs: I love this old scalloped-edge mirror I found at John's Collectables in Temuka, when Miriam and I were holidaying there over New Years.  I had been  keeping an eye out on Trademe for one and was thrilled to find this one for a very reasonable price. It is incredibly heavy so in these shaky times has been bolted to the wall.  Daisy and I have just moved into our new house so it is lovely to display special treasures again. 

Another favourite house-related thing is the gorgeous hot pink Fairydown feather blanket I bought for half-price at Farmers last week.  Our family has long been a convert to these amazing blankets, and they have recently released the kids range in bright colours.  Continuing in the colour theme, when in Auckland last month I discovered Collected by Leeann Yare  a colour-filled shop in Mt Eden with loads of beautiful things.  I found the turquoise rug there, after much hunting for a rug for Daisy's room that didn't feature anything Dora or Disney related!

Libby: I was given a potted hyacinth last year and after it finished flowering I abandoned it outside and completely forgot about it. I discovered it again over the weekend and was delighted to see that it has popped up again... I am taking it as a sure sign that SPRING is on its way! 

A few of our favourite things...

Libby: A weekend in Christchurch always means Saturday morning at the Christchurch Farmers' Market. When visiting on the weekend I picked up 1/2 a dozen macarons from J'aime les macarons. My new favourite flavours from their winter flavours is peanut butter and jam, closely followed by Milo - brilliant green shells filled with Milo ganache! You don't have to visit the market to get your hands on some of these beautiful macarons - there are two stores in Christchurch or you can order online.

Miriam: On Saturday Mike and I popped into Galbraith's Alehouse for a wee tipple.  We discovered this Gunnamatta beer by Yeastie Boys on tap.  This beer is a "tea-leafed" India Pale Ale, made with earl grey blue flowers.  I've recently become quite fond of earl grey tea, and this beer helped to further solidify my fondness.  You can really taste the earl grey flavours coming through, and it's so unexpected but yet so good. See if you can hunt this beer out and taste it too!

a few of our favourite things...

Miriam: Whittaker's Chocolate has featured on Lovely Wee Days before, with their Berry & Biscuit and Ghana Peppermint both getting mentions. The peppermint is normally my favourite in their range, but now this Peanut Butter is a close second. Worth a try if you're a fan of peanuts.

Becs: Well they wouldn't win any prizes at an A&P show, but they are plentiful and delicious!  My crop of tomatoes this year has suffered from watering restrictions, a poor summer, and general neglect. Despite this I have been picking a good haul every few days.  My enthusiasm for preserving has waned a bit by now, so I have moved onto the minimal effort option - roasted tomato sauce.  No recipe needed, just fill a few oven trays with roughly chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, peeled garlic and any other veg you have lying around.  I throw in a few sprigs of rosemary and some fresh bay leaves.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar.  Slow roast for a couple of hours at 160 c until the liquid is cooked out.  Blend up and freeze for a deliciously concentrated pasta sauce.

A few of our favourite things

Libby: Lately I've been making a delicious vinaigrette with capers and parmesan. It's basically this recipe by Julie Buiso, though I use red wine vinegar and the only thing I am precise about is the oil to vinegar ratio. As the recipe suggests it's ideal with a sturdy, bitter leaf like radicchio but it's such a tasty dressing it's also good with something plain like buttercrunch. 

 

Becs: I am a technology laggard at the best of times, so my recent purchase of a Kindle e-reader was quite proactive! I really enjoy reading and wasn't sure if reading this way would appeal so much, but I just love it. (I love its' snug new Cath Kidston case too...) Perhaps best of all, there is now no unfortunate lag between books when I lament the lack of reading material. A new book is just the press of a button away via my amazon account.

A few of our favourite things

Miriam: I am a picker and a licker in the kitchen. I think that's why Becs gave me this tea towel for my birthday back in October. I've just 'framed' it, using an embroidery ring. It now hangs proudly in our kitchen which I think sets the scene nicely.

Libby: My freezer is crammed with things I stash away with the best intentions but never get around to using: overripe bananas to turn into banana bread... leftover bread to blitz into breadcrumbs and half-used bags of frozen vegetables I've long since lost interest in. But in amongst all, carefully wrapped in newspaper I found a small bag of whitebait that I'd bought back in January! A very exciting Sunday evening discovery! The whitebait was turned into fritters with the help of a couple of eggs, a very small amount of flour and some salt and pepper. We ate them with a squeeze of lemon on an unseasonably warm and sunny Wellington evening. It felt like perhaps Summer wasn't quite over.

Becs: I have been on a preserving binge lately. Batches of tomato chilli jam, tomato sauce, pear and walnut chutney and spicy plum sauce have been brewed up, and bottled with the help of my ever faithful wide neck funnel. An essential tool to get sticky things into jars neatly and with a minimum of mess! The funnel was a present from Mum several years ago, and is one of my most used kitchen tools, as I use it weekly when bottling sauces and compotes for Posh Porridge.

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: Mike and I have just come back from a lovely weekend in Wellington, being very well looked after at Libby & Jabez' place. As well as the many culinary delights (special highlight was being treated to these hot cross buns for breakfast), I also enjoyed a green tea on our flight back to Auckland. Although not quite as good as a happy hour wine, it felt quite nice and cleansing after a great weekend of overindulgence.

Libby: Yes, it was a weekend of overindulgence with lots of Wellington food highlights... little garlicky rolls at Vivo and dosai at Roti Chenai on Friday night... bomboloni at Floriditas and haloumi at Nikau on Saturday... and a Sunday morning spend-up at Moore Wilson followed by Caffe L'affare mocha.

Becs: Coincidentally my favourite thing this week is beverage related too. These dutch stroopwafels are made in Waihi, and were recently recognised in the Cuisine Artisan Awards - according to their website "they're typically enjoyed as 'lids' for hot beverages - you place the biscuit atop a cup of hot tea or coffee, leave it for a few minutes to allow it warm through, then enjoy it in all its sweet and gooey deliciousness." They are lovely and not too sweet like the imported ones I've tried.

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: My parents are hoarders. I don't often have a lot of appreciation for this behaviour. However, there are gems to be discovered in the depths of the cupboards, bedrooms, or even lounge. Today I received an email from Mum entitled "what I came across when searching for air bed". Attached was my art work and fishing story I wrote more than 20 years ago! I gave me quite a thrill to read, and made me feel like fish for dinner.

Libby: Another mention for Karikaas buttermilk. I love this stuff! Great for pancakes... muffins... these scones... it's going to become a regular fixture on my shopping list. There are two choices of buttermilk at my supermarket, Karikaas and Tararua. While there's nothing wrong with the Tararua product, I was interested to note that at $4/litre Karikaas was heaps better value - almost twice the size for an extra $0.60 compared to the competition. Makes you think about how tough it must be for small artisan dairy producers like Karikaas up against the likes of Goodman Fielder and Fonterra. I know who I'd rather support.

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: While visiting Tauranga & Rotorua recently, we stopped in at Okere Falls Store. This is the most upmarket general store around, and as well as an extensive range of gourmet goodies for sale, they also have a lovely sunny beer garden. Their smoothies are not to be missed, with my friend Lewi claiming they're the best in NZ. Mike and I passed Okere Falls on two occasions during our trip and both times we couldn't resist leaving without a smoothie for the road. Oh and cup is 100% biodegradable, so there's no need to feel guilty about the take-away packaging.

Becs: I love my 2012 calendar illustrated by Victoria Griffin. Miriam does too, hence we managed to buy one for each other and also ourselves for Christmas, resulting in four identical calendars between the two of us. Each month is whimsically but simply illustrated; February features a sweet recipe for raspberry jam. If you are still calendarless for 2012 they still have a few on sale at Felt for just $15, snap up a bargain. (Credit to Victoria's blog for this beautifully styled picture too by the way)

a few of our favourite things...

Libby: I LOVE my new chopping board - a belated birthday gift from my sister Sarah. It's good and sturdy so it doesn't slide around on the bench but is light enough to pick up and move around as required. It makes my old plastic boards look especially old and decrepit! It's made by Bec's friend Marc Zuckerman of MZ Design. We're also fans of his remarkably useful toast tongs.

Becs: I have rediscovered greenshell mussels lately when just cooking for myself, they are such an easy meal for one and so cheap. I think their low price makes us take them for granted a bit here in NZ. These ones I steamed open in a covered pan with a little white wine, then removed the top shell, lay them on a lined baking sheet and drizzled them with sticky thai sauce before grilling for a few minutes. (To make the sauce just simmer 50ml each of lemon juice, soy sauce and fish sauce together with 2 chopped red chillis and 1/4c each of fresh mint and coriander - thicken with a little cornflour and store in the fridge - it will keep for ages.) These make a great pre dinner pass-around too when piled up on a platter.

a few of our favourite things...

Libby: I usually like to buy vegetables a few times a week depending on what I feel like eating but this week I'll be using up the huge array of veges from the mixed box delivered by Epicurean Supplies on Friday (via a daily deal voucher). I was impressed by the selection - lots of salad leaves and other leafy greens, chioggia and red beetroot, carrots, capsicums, cucumbers, bok choy and a great mix of herbs - and most importantly, all lovely and fresh. 

Becs: Daisy and I are up in Wellington for a few days, so we paid a visit to the City Market on Sunday morning.  Libby and I loved the beautifully packaged honey-based syrups from Bees blessing; she chose an Elderflower and honey cordial while I bought a bottle of the Mulled lemon and honey.  

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: Ginger Crunch is having a resurgence in my household. And I love it! I think the Edmond's Cookbook recipe is pretty good, but, it is made soooo much better when you double (or triple) the topping of the fudge-like ginger goodness.

Becs: I really rate these crispy little lavosh made by 180 degrees (they don't seem to have a website?) I have tried all their lavosh variants and the black and white sesame seed is by far my favourite; the others seemed a bit 'flavoured' or oversalted. These little crackers are brilliantly crunchy and super served with a bowl of garlicky hummus. Not too expensive either - about $4 from memory - I stocked up at the supermarket before Christmas when all these sort of treaty things were on special.

a few of our favourite things

Libby: I've recently re-discovered ice cream-in-a-cone. It's the perfect sweet finish to a summer barbecue - it's easy (if you buy the ice cream), inexpensive (as ice cream seems to go further when served in cones) and best of all... no dishes. Stay away from those horrid orange wafer cones though - I like the "Select" brand waffle cones from Countdown and Pam's honey waffle cones.

Miriam: My brother David requested this Heston Blumenthal Christmas Pudding for Christmas. Apparently these were a must-have in the UK and a black market developed with puddings selling for up to 15 times their RRP. I purchased this one at Nosh for a more modest $50. The pudding has a candied orange in the center, which adds a lovely moistness to the whole pudding, with the orange juices/oils running throughout the pudding. Although I found it a bit sweet for my liking, it certainly was worth a taste and a little goes a long way so lots of us were able to indulge in a sample.

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: I spent some of the Christmas holidays in the South Island with Mike along with some of our family and friends (including Libby, Becs and Daisy). During our adventures, we went to my Dad's home town of Temuka. Becs and I both managed to find treasures at John's Collectibles on the main street. I brought these glass cream bottles. To combat the post holiday/return to work depression, I have filled the house with flowers. I think the bottles look rather sweet with carnations and help brighten up the place in the dreary weather we are experiencing.

a few of our favourite things...

Becs: I know Whittakers has featured here before but they do make great quality, affordable chocolate. My current favourite is their new Berry and Biscuit (love the name!) Basically like black forest but not as sickly sweet as the Cadbury version. If you live in the South Island Whittakers is on special this week at New World for 2 for $6, I for one will be stocking up on their Dark Ghana for last-minute Christmas baking.


Libby: I tried this Paneton sweet short pastry at a Julie Buiso class in Auckland a few months ago. Yes, even the professionals use the bought stuff sometimes and why not when it's this good? It has a lovely biscuity texture and comes pre-rolled so it's very easy to use. After finding it wasn't available in anywhere in Wellington I asked Moore Wilson (several times!) if they could please find room in their freezer to stock it. I also emailed Paneton to ask if they could get Moore Wilson to stock it. And a few weeks later I heard back to from Paneton to say Moore Wilson had come round! Wellingtonians, you've got me to thank for this one!

I used some to make these delicious wee frangipane-topped fruit mince tarts... cut pastry into circles, press into the base of muffin tins (or shallow patty tins if you have them), spoon in a tablespoon of fruit mince (I used Ruth Pretty's recipe here), top with a dollop of frangipane (cream 50g butter and 50g sugar, add an egg and 50g ground almonds) and slivered almonds and bake at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes.

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: I love this cake stand from Texan Art Schools that Mike gave me for my birthday. On Saturday friends brought around some treats from Pandoro, so I was able to supplement my Sticky Lemon Slice on the bottom and fill the cake stand up with a selection of other treats for dessert.



Libby: I spent the weekend in Hawke's Bay so made a quick visit to the Hawkes Bay Farmers Market on Sunday morning. The market is held at the Hastings A &P showgrounds and attracts a huge crowd. But the stalls are well laid out so even though there are hundreds of people at the market it doesn't feel crowded. There was so much variety - produce, cured meats, fresh and smoked fish, breads, sauces, jams & chutneys - and all so beautifully fresh. I picked up a huge bunch of asparagus for only $4 and some lovely Hohepa cumin gouda. Unfortunately I put the asparagus in the fridge and forgot about it until well on the way back to Wellington - hopefully it travelled back to Christchurch with the rest of the family later in the day.

It was only the briefest of visits to the farmers' market - just enough time for one lap but you could easily spend an hour or two wandering around. We had lots more to fit in including a visiting a favourite place from childhood... Waimarama beach.

Becs: I feel like a born-again gardener at the moment, but Spring does that to you so please forgive the horticultural enthusiasm! Check out my rocket patch above; I was a little heavy-handed with the seed scattering a few weeks ago and now have an enormous supply to cut when needed, so no more bags in the fridge turning to mulch. Even if you aren't into gardening, I recommend getting a pack of rocket to sow, it will grow so easily in a pot or seed tray (I love these beautiful cedar ones from Mapua Country Trading). I sowed a mix of Kings Organic Rocket and their Arugula Wild Italian Rustic. The store bought variety doesn't come close to the taste of homegrown stuff that has a proper peppery bite to it.

a few of our favourite things

Miriam: I came across this wee rhubarb stall on Kensington Ave in Mt Eden. I rummaged through my handbag and managed to scrounge together $2 so as to pluck off one of the bags hooked to the tree (leaving the sole bag pictured here). I roasted my rhubarb with some brown sugar and the juice of an orange. The plan was to have it as a topping for my morning cereal, however it was just so delicious I kept sneaking pieces from the fridge, so it didn't last long!

Libby: For the last couple of months we've been buying "homemade" eggs from someone we know in Featherston whose chickens have been laying like mad. The eggs have been a real treat - beautifully fresh and with the brightest yellow yolks I've ever seen - but our supply may be coming to an end. It seems the chickens are slowing down and it's taking longer to put together a dozen eggs so there was a marked difference in freshness between eggs in the last carton. The difference became very apparent when I poached a few eggs on Sunday and found some held together firmly and others, disappointingly, disintegrated into wispy threads.

Becs: I have just returned from a visit to Southland, where my dear friend Rachel was married. What a perfect time of year for a wedding, coinciding with when paeonies pay their short seasonal visit.  They featured abundantly in the table settings tucked into candelabra, in the bridal  party flowers, and vasefuls of lush bunches like those above.

a few of our favourite things...

Becs: The perfect Spring meal? Dinner one night last week consisted of 2 slices of buttered white bread, a fat whitebait fritter made with West Coast whitebait simply mixed through a couple of beaten free range eggs from a friend's chickens, and steamed asparagus with plenty of salt and pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

 Miriam: While in Tauranga for Nat and Rowan's wedding in the weekend I had a trip to the Tauranga Farmers Market. We brought some of this apple and feijoa juice. It was delicious; so fresh with perfectly balanced flavours, and not too sweet. I was grateful to have some of this on Sunday to quench my thirst after a night of celebrating, drinking bubbles and dancing.

Libby: I've been eating strawberries by the punnet over the last week and the ratio of sweet little berries to insipid, watery ones is improving with each punnet! A sure sign that Summer is well and truly on it's way. They're good straight from the punnet but I also I love them mixed through bircher muesli, with a little softly-whipped cream with lemon curd folded through, or in this case... piled atop a beautiful strawberry tart.

a few of our favourite things

Libby: Last week was a good week for me and fruit tarts. I managed to visit two of my favourite bakeries: Central Baking Depot in Sydney (little sister of Bourke Street Bakery and Silo in Canberra thanks to a work trip. The tart from Central Baking Depot was a barberry & fig frangipane creation with beautifully flaky pastry. It was my first experience of barberries and I found they tasted like sharp blackcurrants. The tart from Silo was a classic custard & passionfruit tart with short pastry. If you ever find yourself in Canberra, seek out the Silo bakery in Kingston (near the government part of town) this delightful bakery will change your opinion of Canberra and make you think of the city in a more favourable light.

Miriam: There's a particularly overgrown area of Jasmine just near my house. Having recently been informed that Jasmine is in fact a weed, I feel no guilt when I help myself to a few sprigs. They look so pretty in a jar on the windowsill and their a lovely scent fills the house. It's nice to know I'm doing my bit to help control this weed!

Becs:  They are not the most glamourous ingredient but inned beans are such a useful pantry staple. I continue to make this delicious cannellini bean dip, and hummus a fair bit as Daisy enjoys them both. Chickpeas are going  into summer salads too and I just love a tasty Mexican-style bean dip. We get through a fair few, so to save constant restocking at the supermarket a visit was paid to Med Foods to bulk buy trays of chickpeas, cannellini and red kidney beans.  I know it is much cheaper to soak and cook dried ones but the convenience of the tinned ones does it for me.

a few of our favourite things...

Becs: Judging by the number of flowers in my strawberry patch it should be a bumper crop of berries this Christmas. I spent Labour Day happily pottering in the garden. The strawberries were tidied up and tomatoes, beans, potatoes, snow and sweetpeas were planted. Not such good news is that this summer Christchurch has a water ban due to EQ damage -here's hoping for a Spring shower or two...

 

Miriam: I love summer salads. I made this one with baby spinach, chicken, red pepper and fresh mango. And then, the extra treat was cashew nuts that I dry fried in a pan and added some sugar to till it went all gooey and caramelised. Yum!