I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

December 1, 2014

In My Kitchen- December 2014




Happy Summer and  Merry Christmas Dear Readers!


First of December already and the first day of Summer.....wow, where did the year go?
While some minds might be turning to Sugar Plums and Turkeys, mine is turning to darling Celia's monthly In My Kitchen series where we can explore the globe one kitchen at a time and see who's being naughty or nice this time of year. Check out the list of posts here and join in the fun



In My Kitchen...
is just a tiny bit of the produce I'm picking every day. So many berries that I'm freezing them, green beans just coming in and a mix of pretty purple and green snowpeas- yummo!



In My Kitchen...
is a Beautiful Bowl of Berries from my garden. A gorgeous mix of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, youngberries and logan berries. They are a glorious tangle of plants in the backyard, so it's hard to tell most of them apart- but that's what I planted and they all sure taste good



In My Kitchen...
is my Christmas Lunch Master List. I've been buying things bit by bit lately or as they come on sale, then stashing them in the freezer or pantry in readiness for the Big Day. We like the full roast dinner which happens to leave mountains of left-overs for the next week or so- very handy in the hot weather when you don't want to cook too much



In My Kitchen...
just happens to be a Turducken. This strange chimera-style creature is quite rare, seemingly only in season for a very few weeks over late November to December. To be honest, I wouldn't have bothered with it but for the fact that it was 60% off and only cost me $23 for this 2.5kg beast. I sure do love a bargain! :)



In My Kitchen...
is a picnic lunch I packed lately for a meetup with some fellow Canberra Bloggers. Stuffed into my favourite little Tiffin Box was a mix of dolmades, truffle salami, baba ganoush, cherry toms and cucumber, goat cheese, pinot paste, gerkhins and cherries. What a wonderful feast indeed!



In My Kitchen...
is a cute little tin box I just had to buy myself. It will be used for something very important....but of course I can't tell you what it will be...shhhh.....



In My Kitchen...
just a few more Cookie Cutters for my collection. I have looking for cutlery ones for ages, and these are juuust right



In My Kitchen...
are some yummy sliced pickles just waiting for all the ham sandwiches after Christmas. I always buy a really big ham just so we can live off it for a couple of weeks over the hot weather. We like it brushed with glaze and baked; sliced and fried for breakfast; chopped into omelettes or scrambled eggs; cold with  salad; and of course on sandwiches with all the fixin's



In My Kitchen...
is something I just might be a bit inordinately proud of- my very first homegrown Garlic Braid! I know it's not the biggest or bestest you may have seen, but it's all MINE. I grew the purple Australian garlic from scratch, dug them, dried them, and plaited them all by myself. I just don't know if I can bear to eat them! Luckily I have another variety of garlic still growing, so I might be able to at least start on this one with the promise of more to come to comfort me



In My Kitchen...
sitting on the extreme end of the bench (because she knows she shouldn't be up there at all) is my little friend watching over me. She is such good company during the day, following me around for companionship and racing around like a mad thing for no apparent reason at times too. My little friend knows that she won't get any attention in the morning until I have visited my personal litter-box, and as she knows this is straight after I wake up (sorry if TMI) she solves the problem by nipping sharply at my heel or toes as a gentle reminder to GET UP! Who needs an alarm clock?



From My Kitchen...
I can see our Dining Room. Decked out already in Christmas Cheer


I love the golds with the wood and browns
 


In My Powder Room...
is my take on a Partridge In a Pear Tree. Yes it might be a quail, and there might not be a tree, but the pears are there and you can sort of get the right idea.. can't you?



Also From My Kitchen...
I have an uninterrupted view of my Upside Down Christmas Tree. I wished it looked as good in photos as it does in real life. I just love how everything hangs so beautifully without bumping or banging into each other. It's all botanical, and you might catch a glimpse of grapes, pomegranates, acorns, pine cones, flowers, pea pods and vines, leaves, ferns, berries, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and various woodland creatures




In My Lounge Room...
is our other Big Tree, this one all in reds and golds. It's also botanical with rosehips, apples, pears, berries, grapes, pomegranates, acorns, ladybugs, butterflies, birds, chilli's and so much more as well



In My Library...
is littlej's tree. She has just started collecting her own decorations in blues, teal and mint green with the usual touches of gold and silver. It has acorns, leaves, ferns, olives, birds and peacock feathers all through it. It might not look like much now, but with another trip to our favourite Christmas shop this week, it will soon fill up and each year will see it getting bigger and better indeed



Finally, In My Hallway...
is a reminder of the True Meaning of Christmas. Trees and Santa can so easily take precedence over this miracle that sometimes we need to stop and recall the Reason for the Season



So Dear Readers, are you organised for Christmas, and what plans do you have for the Festive Season?






 

21 comments:

  1. Oh Bec, wow, you really do do Christmas decorating in a big way. I LOVE it!!!! So, you got your Turducken! Yummy... and just look at those youngberries... exquisite! The garlic braid is beautifully done... mine are still drying! It will be a delicious and magical Christmas at your place this year, I can just tell xox

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow - I'm super-impressed with how organised you are! I have absolutely no idea what I'm preparing for Xmas day yet, despite the fact that we are sharing it with 8 of our friends. Guess I should be making lists now, huh?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can fully put my hand on my heart and say you, dear girl, are my true Christmas idol. In real life your trees are spectacular. They completely invoke everything that is special and wistful and Magical about Christmas and you could spend hours admiring them and spotting new little treats and baubles. And I did �� Loving your kitchen and everything in it ������

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are very organised with the trees and the master list. I love that garlic braid - very rustic.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your quail (partridge) in a pear tree. It is so Christmassy and absolutely gorgeous, as is your new white and blue striped tin - just stunning. You are picking some very impressive berries, a credit to your climate and delicious beans. Happy December planning :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such a lovely post. You're incredibly organized. I love that upside down Christmas tree especially. Fabulous! :D Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  7. You always do the best Christmases! I'm buying that Turducken too-a whole one is just too much for the amount of people that we have!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm in awe of your Christmas decorations. I have a tree up and the only thing on it is an angel. We can't find the lights. So much for hiring someone to reorganise the garage.

    A turducken?? I have envy!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Look at your beautiful home and all the gorgeous Christmas decorations! I am so jealous of your berry bounty, it must be so nice to go and pick them every day! Oh and you should be proud of your garlic platt it is fantastic, well done! I'm not sure I could eat it either, but I am sure one day when you have run out of garlic you will :) Thanks for sharing! Liz x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Firstly Bec, I love your garlic braid. That is the best I have seen, all your bulbs are perfect. Your pussy cat is gorgeous and so are your Christmas decorations. You are so clever.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What beautiful trees! Why do you hang the one tree upside down? Since it was first, I thought it was to keep the ornaments away from your cat...but then I saw the other two trees. It is lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  12. G'day Love your tin box and your Christmas tree that brightened my day!
    BIG fan of cookie cutters and didn't know Woolies had Turducken...will have to check it out too as the thought of making one myself has always been so overwhelming!
    Cheers! Thanks for this month's kitchen view! Joanne

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pickles, garlic and cookie cutters... that's just about my dream kitchen right there.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Cute cookie cutters :D. You're lucky you have an assortment of berries for picking! Wish I were your neighbour, LOL ;)

    Julie & Alesah
    Gourmet Getaways xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a great IMK post, though I'm still not quite accustomed to seeing Summer and Christmas in the same sentence. I think that hanging my tree from the ceiling would be the only way I can prevent Max from destroying it, one bulb at a time. As for the turducken, I've always thought them to be overkill, but, if I saw one for that price, I'd be making up the guest list in my mind before I got to the checkout. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh my goodness, I’m truly blown away by your Christmas preparations, both how beautiful everything is, and how organised you are! And you’ve got all that wonderful produce as well, congratulations on the garlic plait especially - what an achievement!
    Beck

    ReplyDelete
  17. Way to go on getting that Turducken at half price. It's beacuse no one iin the shop knew what it was. So jealous or your berries and all the other IMK posts that have berries also. Wish we could grow them in Qld. The house is looking very festive and I love a good list so I can see you're all organised. Have a great Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I was holding my breath when I clicked on your post, because I knew that THIS would be the Christmas IMK! And how glorious your house looks already, Becca! I wish we could grow berries, and that turducken was an absolute steal! And congrats on growing such stunning garlic! We've never managed to grow more than a little bit - just not cold enough here in Sydney, I think! Have a glorious Christmassy festive December darling! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  19. It is all son fabulous! The tiffin meal looks divine, love the cookie cutters, the garlic braid is fantastic! The Christmas decorations are an inspiration, especially love the upside down tree.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow so beautiful Bec. You really make me feel like getting into the Christmas spirit. I have so many bar humbugs around me it's hard to concentrate. I can't believ you have grown all those things although I dont know why you are a woman of great determination. Why oh why was a Turducken even in the shops yet?. I just love your kitty. <3

    ReplyDelete
  21. i love your cat and your trees. and that little secret box is so cute. and i envy you the garlic. how wonderful! have a great xmas.

    ReplyDelete