This month’s In My Kitchen post is brought to you by the totally fabulous food of South Australia. I have just come home after a wonderful food and drink filled five days at Tasting Australia and #WordsToGo, a culinary travel bloggers’ forum. Apologies to all those who have been filled with food envy as I tweeted, instagrammed and facebooked my foodie heart out over the last few days.
In my May kitchen…
… is coffee. I’m not a huge coffee* drinker these days, but I do like to keep some at home for the couple of times a week I need a cup. As I hurtle towards the end of my Masters (36 days and 10,000 words to go…) I’m pretty sure I’ll be drinking all of this!
In my kitchen…
… is one of my all time favourite breads. I brought three of these loaves of fig and walnut sourdough home with me. Baked by Wild Loaf in the Adelaide Central Market, I’ve barely stopped thinking about it since I first tried it over 18 months ago. Served with a pungent and overripe gooey brie. Perfect.
(I would have bought more, but already had three very full carry on bags and didn’t think Qantas would let me take on a fourth…).
In my kitchen…
… are now two packets of Haigh’s chocolates (no prizes for guessing who ate the third). A visit to Adelaide isn’t complete without a visit to Haigh’s – which has been thrilling chocoholics for 99 years! On the left are milk orange, the right has dark peppermint and the round balls in the middle are milk chocolate coated macadamias. YUM!
In my kitchen…
… are some miscellaneous goodies. I’m a big fan of olives* and the Olive Tree also has a stall at the Adelaide Central Markets. T Bar were a sponsor of #WordsToGo (thank you!) and I’m really looking forward to trying their Night-T*. The strawberry jam* from Beerenberg is a favourite – actually, it would probably go pretty well with a thick spreading of butter on my fig and walnut bread. That’s breakfast sorted then.
In my kitchen…
… is a packet of cranberry and pistachio almond bread made by Adelaide family business Salta in Bocca. This product is part of their new savoury almond bread range, and I have to say I preferred it to the sweet. Especially as I tried it with a piece of cheese.
In my kitchen…
… is a jar of Lucias classic arrabbiata sauce*. I returned from my last trip to Adelaide with a jar of this and used it as pizza sauce when I was a bit desperate one night. WOW!! Needless to say it’s going on tomorrow night’s Friday night pizza.
In my kitchen…
… is a little jar of smokey bacon mushroom spice*. AND IT’S VEGAN. I KNOW! Just quietly, I’m not sure what I think about this. I’ll report back once I’ve tasted it.
In my kitchen…
… is a selection of small goods. The first holiday my hubby and I had together was to South Australia nearly nine years ago, and he discovered The Mettwurst Shop (also at the Adelaide Central Markets). A love affair was formed between S and this shop, so every time I visit Adelaide I’m asked to buy a couple of packets of bum burners. I’m sure you can work out why they have that name.
In my kitchen…
… are these little dark chocolate figlettes. I picked these up when I was touring the Campbelltown Food Trail on the last day of #WordsToGo. Our first stop was Mercato. Possibly the best food and kitchen shop I had ever been to. I wanted to move in. It’s so much more than the continental deli it started as in 1972. I think my favourite part was watching Imma (the original owner with her husband Mario) hand rolling pasta with a group of women. It’s inspired me to drag out the never-used pasta machine in my cupboard.
In my kitchen…
… is a delectable selection of bush tucker. Fellow blogger, JJ (from 84th & 3rd) and I stumbled across the shop Something Wild in the Adelaide Central Markets. I was super excited to find bush tomatoes as I’ve been looking for them in Brisbane for ages. I also picked up some kangaroo metwurst there which I’m looking forward to trying. The Bush Tucker Dukkah* and the dried and ground bush tomatoes* were given to me at Think Food, a trade show featuring South Australian food.
In my kitchen…
… is some Farm Paris Creek cheese*. I love this dairy and often buy their Nuage Blanc brie style cheese (available at Woollies). I guzzled their unpasturised milk when I was in Adelaide, and was delighted to be given a sample of this cumin and caraway cheese as they are two of my favourite spices.
In my kitchen…
… are two new books. It’s not a trip to Adelaide without visiting Imprints books and parting with a few dollars. Many people have been recommending Moorish to me, and I’ve been looking for a book about companion planting for ages. I could have easily bought another three books, but I’d already bought the bread and had no extra bag space. Clearly I’m just going to have to return…
Have you been to Adelaide? What locally produced foods did you try? Did you get to the Adelaide Central Markets??
And what’s in your May kitchen? The monthly roundup is hosted by Celia’s from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial – check our her blog to see a few other kitchens.
* Starred items were gifted to me in accordance with my editorial policy. I have not been paid to write about any of these products. All opinions are mine unless otherwise mentioned.
Wow – what a haul! I’m impressed that the chocolates made it home. I’m not sure I could have done the same.
You do need to come back and stay with me in the Adelaide Hills for a night or two. At least that way we’ll get the chance for a drink together!
Thanks Amanda, and for a fabulous few days. I’m already planning my next visit to SA (not sure when…) and would love to come and stay with you. I’m disappointed I couldn’t squeeze in a few extra days on this trip as I would have loved to explore more of the Hills and McLaren Vale. Let me know if you make it to Brisbane again soon too.
OMG…..I feel like I have died and gone to heaven with your selection of IMK foodie treats. You must have an amazing pantry! So many delicious bits there. I LOVE orange chocolate esp Haigh’s, and I am in hysterics with reading about the Bum Burners- what a classic! Its so nice to beable to revisit these shops and food suppliers that have made such an impression on you on previous visits. The fig and walnut bread looks amazing too- much yummier then the boring vegie on toast I have just made myself!!!!Thks for letting me have a peak in your kitchen- YUMMO!!! xx
my pantry is fairly full – I really do need to use up what is there, but all these things were too good to pass up! And I love vegemite on toast 🙂
Oh wow! Can I say that I want one of everything that is in your kitchen right now? And um… that bacon and mushroom VEGAN sauce! Oh how that makes me salivate right now. I need to find and source me a jar of that, STAT!
When my daughter lived in Adelaide (she’s in Brissy now) every visit included a trip to the central markets for cheese, bread and barossa smallgoods and I always bought home marinated olives from the Olive Tree. I think it’s a wonderful market and not too overwhelming in size. Haighs are in Melbourne too, I love their pistachio marzipan truffles mmmmm
So many good things. South Australia is obviously foodie heaven. I loved Adelaide Central Markets and if it hadn’t been for the fact that I had a 3 week road trip ahead of me followed by a flight back to England, then I’d happily have emptied out my clothes from my suitcase and filled it with food.
Love Willabrand figs! First tasted them in SA for a Tasting Australia media famil, circa 1997 or so! How could you not bring home lots of yummy food from Adelaide. Wish I could have been there too.
PS make sure you pop in and see what’s going on in my kitchen too ; )
Sounds like you girls all had a blast in Adelaide! 🙂 The fig and walnut sourdough looks amazing (so impressed that you hand luggaged three loaves home!)! Hang in therewith the run to the finish line on the Masters! 🙂
Thanks Celia, we did. The bread is divine. Each loaf weighs about 1kg 🙂
OMG… colour me jealous… Adelaide is my favourite foodie spot and I miss it every Saturday when I go market shopping and wish I could be at the Central Market like the days of old when I lived there. I would’ve been packing a second suitcase with the stash I brought home. 🙂
Funny you should say that Leah – I took the biggest bag I had and made sure it was half empty when I left home so I could bring home lots of goodies 🙂
Sounds like you had a great time. You certainly brought back some wonderful things. When I go to the Adelaide Central Markets, I head straight to the Charlie’s Nuts stall.
What beautiful things in your kitchen! Smokey Bacon Mushroom Spice?! Yes please! I’ve been to Mettwurst as well! We brought some home from our last trip to Adelaide and we’ll be sure to pick up more each trip.
Good luck finishing up your Masters!!
Yes, Moorish is fab so you will get much pleasure out of that. Coincidentally, I just used the last of my Willabrand figs in a dish I am cooking tonight (not choc covered though!). Yes, It’s not often I have tweeting envy but #WordsToGo looked like such fun. I hope I can make it if it’s on again.
I had a chuckle over the vision of you carting three loaves of bread back in your luggage. That is what I call dedication. I will be interested to hear your thoughts on the vegan bacon mushroom spice. Interesting.
I brought six packs of crackers back from NZ in February 🙂
Hey Mel, your kitchen runneth over with amazing produce. I seriously want some of that fig and walnut sourdough … and chocolate… and coffee. I’ll swap you some limes for a taste of that savoury almond bread. I was in Adelaide in January and had to be dragged out of the Central Markets before I bought everything in sight. Love that place.
Thanks M&H! I was so annoyed most of it was shut on my last day when I went back to buy more! Will be more organised next time
What a haul! I was limited in what I could bring home and when I got to the airport I had .1 of a kilogram of space left. It was great to catch up again. You’re a lot of fun.
Thanks Maureen – was great to see you too. It’s been too long! My previous Adelaide experience taught me to take a half empty bag so I could fill it with goodies 🙂
I just love that market. How on earth did you take all that stuff back with you as hand luggage. You are very crasty indeed. I love that food trail too, so much to see
Mel, I’m a bit belated getting round to IMK posts this month, but it was worth the wait to read about your fig & walnut bread with Brie (swoon…) and those tasty lil’ chocolate covered figlets! I also totally understood your thoughts on moving into the perfect kitchen store. 🙂
I love Haigh’s chocolates and always get some when I’m in Adelaide. I really love the look of that fig and walnut loaf though. It looks amazing.