Gee the last month has flown past. Not surprising as I was away for a good chunk of it, and have been busy playing catch up in the days since. This is the first weekend I’ve had at home in about four weeks and I have to say, it’s bliss. I spent the first few hours this morning lazing on the couch with a trashy novel and drinking tea. The only reason I stopped is because my iPad ran out of power so I had to put the book down.
And speaking of books, one of the best books I have had in my kitchen in a while is…
… Rockpool Bar & Grill by Neil Perry*. I was given a signed copy of this when I did my Qantas back of house tour a couple of months ago, and it’s only now that I have had time to sit and read it. It is a fascinating story of how the Rockpool restaurants came to be, with profiles of the key players involved. As well, of course, as a heap of recipes. It’s a book well worth having a look at.
In my kitchen…
… is my shiny new degree – yay me! It took two and a half years, and finally I have my Master of Public Health. OK, so it’s not really in my kitchen, but I had to share. While I didn’t focus on health and nutrition as a part of this degree, studying for it really made me realise how important it is to be proactive about your health. Both as an individual and as a community. I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do with it, but I’m grateful to have had the chance to study, as I loved almost every minute. Especially all the procrastibaking 🙂
In my kitchen…
… is milk from the Manning Valley in NSW. I love this milk, and not just because it partly comes from a dairy farm my cousin and her husband have. I mostly love the story behind it, and how its sale at Woolworth’s has increased total milk sales from Forster to Port Macquarie by 32% since it first appeared earlier this year. I assume the sales increase is because it tastes AMAZING. I discovered this when I had dinner with Tim a few weeks ago on my way to Killcare. I was not expecting to see his milk as far south as Gosford, but Woolworth’s around NSW are now stocking it. Check it out if you live there. You can also read more about this milk here.
In my kitchen…
… well, in my kitchen’s backyard is this evil bush turkey. There are few creatures I loathe as much as the bush turkey, especially when they decide to build a home in my garden! So far this one hasn’t, and if it knows what’s good for it, it never will.
In my kitchen…
… are these nifty Thermomix accessories that I won recently in a blog competition. Aren’t they great? I especially love the purple silicon spatula. Huge thanks to ThermoBlitz.
In my kitchen…
… are these gorgeous looking sugos, tapenades and oils, sent to me last week by Spiral Foods*. When they asked if I wanted some samples I was NOT expecting such generosity. I’m going to make a chicken meatball dish with one of the sugos this week, and probably use one of the oils in a salad or drizzled over some roast veggies.
In my kitchen…
… are these beautiful little Dutch carrots. They are in season now and we are eating at least one bunch a week, roasted in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Soooo delicious. If you haven’t had them before, definitely try them.
What’s in your August kitchen? And what would you do with three jars of tapenade??
The monthly roundup is hosted by Celia’s from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial – check out 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.
Gustoso says
Congratulations on the new degree.
Mel Kettle says
Thanks!
Anne says
What does the bush turkey do to make you hate them so much? Lucky you to have local, great tasting milk – I wish we did.
Mel Kettle says
Anne, the bush turkeys completely DESTROY gardens by digging them up, and once they build their nest they are almost impossible to get rid of.
Francesca says
I love the ook of those Dutch carrots, and such a simple way serving them. A rather good news story re Woolworths stocking local milk and paying farners corrrectly. This seems to be a shift from their usual practice. Keep an eye on the news. Nothing like a Neil Perry book.
Mel Kettle says
they are delicious, and it is good news about the milk. Coles in Brisbane sells Malaney Dairies milk which is our usual – pleased to see that too.
Sherry from sherryspickings says
Congrats Mel on your Masters. Good work. Love the look of the oils and tapenades.
celia says
Mel, congratulations on your degree! Lots of hard work in that! Seriously, those bush turkeys are a bugger, I have a friend who had one dig up her entire backyard! And they’re protected too, which means you can’t eat them! I’m glad to hear that someone in the dairy industry is benefiting from their relationship with a large supermarket, and those carrots look superb! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Congratulations on your Masters! I finished mine in 2009 and I know the amount of work you did to get it, so fantastic job! I love Neil Perry. I went to Rockpool in Sydney in 2004 and had the degustation menu… It really changed the way I though about food! That meal was a turing point in my journey with food! Thanks so much for sharing! Liz x
Kim | a little lunch says
Mel, that’s a wonderful accomplishment and a lot of hard work that went into it. Congratulations on earning your degree! I’d never heard of a bush turkey, so I learned something, too. 😉 The Farmer’s Own milk looks absolutely wonderful with the cream at the top — looks as close to ‘fresh from the cow’ as I’ve seen in years (and years…) Beautiful carrots, too!
Mel Kettle says
thanks Kim. That milk is beautiful to drink 🙂
Emily (Cooking for Kishore) says
Hi Mel, Congratulations on your Masters! I know what you mean about turkeys, we get wild ones in our area every now and then. The males are extremely territorially and will destroy any reflective surface in their path. Thanks for the peek into your kitchen! 🙂
Mel Kettle says
Thanks Emily, those turkeys are so destructive!
Shirley | Edible Press says
Looks like you have had some interesting gifts, Mel. How are you finding the tapenades?
Miss Food Fairy says
Loving your Neil Perry book – anything you’d like to share with us? He’s such an inspiring Australian iconic chef isn’t he! What an enormous achievement with your degree – what can you become with it? Or more to the point, what are your dreams now? So exciting! Those tepenades and sugos look amazing – I will be keeping an eye out for those as they sound delicious. Thank you for a peek in IMK, see you next month
Mel Kettle says
Thanks Miss Food Fairy, not sure what I’m going to do with the new degree, but I have a few ideas 🙂
Amber Melody says
Ooooh Mel, I heart your dutch carrots { and thermomix 😉 }
Amber at Adventures of a Rainbow Mama x
Mel Kettle says
Thanks Amber, I love them both too 🙂
Anna Franklin (@AnnaFranklinVP) says
Hello Mel! This is the first blog post of yours I’ve read, a really good read. I’ll be looking out for that lush milk. My girls seem to be drinking gallons lately, but good for the calcium levels, I suppose. I do like your ‘procrastibaking’ term. I used to do that at Uni as well! Hope you have a great week and I’ll keep reading. 🙂
Mel Kettle says
Thanks Anna – have a look in Woolies for the milk. It’s fabulous!