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Where do the months go? It’s a long time since I’ve invited friends into my kitchen. Since I last posted, we sold our beautiful home in Canberra and said goodbye to our much-loved kitchen garden.
We’ve relocated to Queensland and downsized big-time. Anyone who’s been through the ordeal of sorting through a lifetime of accumulated possessions will understand why I’ve been quiet of late.
Our new home is an apartment overlooking Queensland’s beautiful Moreton Bay. The kitchen is half the size of our last one but I’m stubbornly trying to cram in all my prized kitchenalia. Sadly I had to let go of my vintage Kooka stove, though I’m pleased to say it went to a devoted foodie friend who I’m sure will love it as much as I did.
We did however hang onto our woodfired pizza oven which now graces our balcony overlooking the ocean! We miss being able to pick fresh herbs for dinner – we’ve been away more often than we’ve been at home in our new place so even a balcony garden hasn’t been possible.
The upside is that we have a balcony where it’s warm enough to eat outdoors nearly every night of the year – how awesome is that? And we have a great little street market every Sunday just outside our door where we can buy fruit, veg and herbs very cheaply.
The pantry hasn’t suffered from the move – we actually brought lots of our favourite products with us. Ridiculous, I know! We are still benefiting from a lovely hamper of products given to us at Christmas by our very kind (and now much missed) neighbours.
We’re also still enjoying this wonderful Brazil nut oil that we bought from the National Gallery of Australia shop during the Gold and the Incas exhibition. It has a lovely smooth nutty taste and is a great addition to salads and other dishes.
We’ve also been using Dionysus olive oils liberally. I first met Dennis Gizas a couple of years ago and was immediately impressed with his commitment to making beautiful oil from an ancient grove north of Kalamata in Greece. His family has access to trees as old as 1300 years – the average age is around the 350 year mark – and I love the whole story around this artisan production.
Dennis is a determined man, for production during the most recent harvest (November 2013 to January 2014) was down by 80% on average, because of both economic and environmental factors. We are great fans of both his Delicate and Robust oils, which have been snapped up by restaurants and deli’s in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.
Dennis had planned to expand the Dionysus brand to Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, but because of this season’s low yield, he has had to put those plans on hold for another year. I honestly can’t wait till Dionysus oils are available in Queensland.
Another product I’ve been enjoying is this deliciously creamy Alpine Coconut Milk Yoghurt, found at our local supermarket. Oh my, I can’t begin to tell you how good it is!
And, finally, in my kitchen is a selection of cookbooks collected on our recent travels in the US. Alabama Food and The Southern Bite Cookbook by Alabama blogger Stacey Little are mementoes of a wonderful week spent in Montgomery and Huntsville, Alabama. I would never have thought of these as gourmet destinations and yet we had some truly splendid meals at restaurants that are creating beautiful food with locally sourced produce. The other little book is one I bought in South Carolina at a cute little shop making old-fashioned cider.
Thanks to Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for hosting In My Kitchen each month – go to her blog and check out all the other posts. Now that we’re settled in our new home, I promise to post more regularly!
Heavens Christine! It’s been a while since we’ve caught up and you’ve obviously been very busy. Hope things are settling now. And what a gorgeous view you have to dine by!
It really is a beautiful view, Amanda – the photo doesn’t do it justice. Come see us some time!
Lovely post, Christine. Hope things settle fast now you are home again for a while…and with that view every day!
Thanks Lee, my feet aren’t on the ground for long but we’re gradually getting sorted. Will have you over once we’ve unpacked a few more boxes!
Hi Christine
Sounds like life is good in BrisVegas. Must come and visit some time. Lovely to have a balcony and fab view. cheers, Caroline x
Welcome anytime, Caroline.
It was so nice visiting your blog and your new kitchen today! It must have been so much work downsizing and moving. I will be in your shoes in a few years.. probably about two more and I’m panicking that I will have to let so many things go. I have to search up Kooka stoves, my they are beautiful! But a pizza oven and a market so close by would be heavenly!
Good luck with your plans Barbara. If I can give one piece of advice, it’s to start sorting through your things now!
Thank you for sharing and welcome to Queensland! I have recently moved back here from 16 years in Sydney and I’m really loving it, though trying to find my new foodies places. I look forward to hearing about your food adventure in future posts!
Thank you Elizabeth. Hope our paths might cross!
Christine, you made me laugh! I have visions of you packing up your woodfired oven and moving it all the way from ACT to QLD – now if that’s not a sign of a true foodie, I don’t know what is! Lovely view you have from your new place, and a Sunday market downstairs would be absolute bliss, and almost make up for not being able to grow your own. It’s nice to hear you sounding so content and settled! Enjoy the sunshine! x
Yes, Celia, we foodies are a determined lot! I love our Koala pizza oven – it is the Rolls Royce of pizza ovens and would have been difficult to part with. And I think it makes a fine addition to our balcony. We are definitely enjoying the winter sunshine.
I would be missing that vegetable garden if I were you too, and your beautiful home… but having the ocean, a swimming pool, a sunny warm patio and a little market at hand sounds quite delicious.
Welcome to Queensland Christine! It’s probably just as well that you haven’t started your balcony garden as we’re heading into drought. On the plus side, Winter hasn’t started here yet, has it?! Thanks for the tour of your new digs.
Thanks, Fiona. Is there such a thing as winter?!