In My Kitchen May 2014
In My Kitchen hosted by Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial gives me the perfect forum to share what’s happening this month, chez moi.
This will be the first year in many that we haven’t escaped the chill and travelled to a warmer climate. I’m looking forward to winter at home. Crazy I know, but rugging up against the cold seems appealing right now. I may have a different opinion come spring. I’m already thinking about meals that fog up the windows as they cook, soup, risotto and pasta, steamed pudding with custard.
A trip to the Mediterranean Wholesalers in Sydney Road Brunswick is like a day out “in Italia”, the air alive with the Italian language and food smells. This Melbourne iconic gem is my go to source for reasonably priced, high quality imported grocery lines, beautifully made local small goods and vino Italiano.
Last week I a made a pilgrimage to stock up on canned tomatoes, olive oil, gluten free pasta and delicious Italian confectionary. Each visit yields new surprises.
With great excitement I bought some expensive boxed pasta loudly promoted as being made from Spelt. I’m normally very cautious about new products and read the label carefully but imagine my alarm when I found once at home that the pasta was made from Farro. I can’t even blame the Italian language labelling because alongside, printed clearly in English it says “manufactured from emmer wheat”. Not being able to find a single article online about farro and it’s impact on fructose intolerance, I made spaghetti puttanesca for lunch and waited for a reaction. Twenty four hours later and still feeling good I concluded I am able to tolerate this fabulous pasta. After restricting myself to the occasional pasta meal made with gluten free noodles for 18+ months, this is a major breakthrough.
We don’t limit our consumption of Parmagiano Reggiano to pasta meals. This is the best eating cheese in the world as far as I’m concerned and when Organic Parmagiano Reggiano is available at such a bargain basement price, I buy it by the kilo, break each wedge in half and vacuum pack it to prevent surface mould from growing, but it really doesn’t last very long. I use the rinds in soup, or I make Parmesan oil to use as a dressing in salad.
For weeks I’ve been itching to get my hands on some chestnut flour, and now the mission is accomplished. Lately there has been loads of recipes circulating on WordPress for crepes, cakes, bread and brownies made with chestnut flour which is of course naturally gluten free. I’m going to start with our host’s recipe for chestnut flour brownies.
I also bought this jar of Amarena cherries specifically to make Amarena cherry stuffed amaretti. There is a problem however. The cherries are so delicious, I may have eaten then all by the time I get around to baking.
On the fourth Saturday of each month, in the grounds of the Abbotsford Convent, the Slow Food Movement hosts a farmers market. Victoria’s premium producers sell their wares at this market. Small producers of organic and biodynamic fruit, vegetables, nuts, olives, eggs, dairy produce and rice, farmers of rare breed beef, lamb, pork and poultry, and a broad range of value added goods. I love this market. It’s truly local and genuinely seasonal.
Fresh walnuts in the shell from Bright in Victoria’s high country made their first appearance for 2014 last week. I love to eat them fresh from the shell with blue cheese and apple, and team them up with chocolate, and coffee.
What happening in your kitchen?
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51 comments on “In My Kitchen May 2014”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
Thanks for the tip about the Mediterranean Wholesalers, I’m going to head there this week and check it out
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If you are into Italian food, at both ends of the price scale, you are in for a treat!
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Sandra, your pasta puttanesca “experiment” was wonderful news to me. I’ve missed pasta more than anything else — even more than bread — since gluten intolerance reared its ugly head. (The GF pasta derivations I’ve tried so far have been less than satisfactory.) There’s hope for pasta-philes yet! I also loved your walnuts, apple, bleu cheese, coffee & chocolate treat… ahhhhhh.
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Hi Kim, the pasta was a wonderful treat, even by “normal” standards. I am cooking without wheat so much easier knowing a small amount of spelt is OK
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So many great goodies, loving those cherries. Celia’s chestnut brownies are certainly Fab indeed!
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Indeed, i made them last week, they were perfect!
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Love the cherries the look so plump and delicious. I have never made anything with chestnut flour… has it a flavor? Thank you for letting me have a peek into your kitchen. 🙂
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You’re always welcome in my kitchen Moya. The chestnut flour has a mild deliciously sweet nutty flavour. Oh those cherries have been sent by the devil, they are such a twmptation
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The photo of the walnuts is gorgeous. i was a little worried that nobody was going to tell you that Italian never call spelt spelt always farro. It’s very annoying but fact. The three grains are interchangeable and vary so very little you would never know. the pasta boxes look delight fulas do the cherries
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Thankfully I worked out the Italian spelt labelling. It did cause some consternation for a day or two though
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I love this post! Although I will miss traveling vicariously with you I am equally excited to see what you fog your windows up with during the cold months. You have amazing taste in quality foods…especially love the look of your boxed pasta.
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Thanks Seana, with night time temps dropping close to zero already, even boiling water for pasta is misting up the windows
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The walnuts, the cherries, the ‘stuff’ – I’d be gloriously happy in your kitchen. Thanks for the peek.
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You are so welcome Maureen! I’ll drop by shortly…
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I would love to get my hands on some of those cherries too, they look wonderful, glistening away in the photo. Thanks for sharing
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Oh the cherries, I’m trying to forget that they’re lurking in my drawer…..
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Looks like you had a good day at the Medit! I am keen to see what goodies you make with the chestnut flour.
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Spelt, farro, emmer & kamut are all ancient forms of wheat and are therefore quite closely related, so if you are able to tolerate spelt then it is likely you can tolerate the others. The terms spelt & farro are sometimes used interchangeably even though they are different varieties. Just to keep us all confused I think. I love the fresh walnuts. I am going to have to keep a close eye out for them appearing here soon.
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I took a punt with the farro, but based on my limited understanding of grains I thought the odds were in my favour. Unfortunately I’ve been caught out before….
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Gosh – I’m like you. I love Amarena cherries so it would be hard to resist though I also love amaretti so feel free to save them and publish that recipe! I bought my first ever fresh walnuts in the Barossa Valley last year and they burned a hole in my pocket as I wanted to use them so many ways. I was amazed how different they taste from the ones in the packet. Can’t wait to go again next year! Thanks for the tour.
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I’ve hidden away the jar of cherries, out of sight out of mind, so stay tuned for the stuffed amaretti recipe. Thanks for visiting
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It’s wonderful having new ingredients to work with and I’m glad you discovered you were tolerant of emmer. I wouldn’t know what to do without pasta in my life. That basket of walnuts is to die for – and love the nutcracker!
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Visiting Meditteranean wholesalers is like taking a 1/2 day trip to Italy, I love going there, i love cooking with what I find. As the the nutcracker, it was invented by a genius!
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One Word.. YUM! I would love to be in your kitchen right now snacking on all those yummy foods, the pictures make them all so inviting! I see a field trip to the Meditteranean Wholesalers next time I visit (not sure why but somehow still haven’t ever been there!) xxx
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That’s easy make room in your luggage! Xx
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Sandra, there’s always so much happening at your place, and I always imagine your kitchen with the sound of seals in the background (even though I know that was at your beach house kitchen and not this one!). 🙂 I hope you love the chestnut flour brownies as much as my Pete does, and it’s good to hear that the farro is gentle on your stomach. Do you think you can use farro flour for bread?
PS. would you like me to list you as Sandra or Ladyredspecs on the IMK list?
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Sandra is fine Celia, thanks. I’ve experimenting with spelt flour sourdough bread for a couple of months now. It’s been hard enough finding a good source of suitable flour, not sure I have the heart to start that process all over again with farro. Your brownies are on the weekend todo list, I’ll let you know how they go
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Thank you so much for the delicious brownie recipe Celia. They were a great hit with the gluten/ dairy/ almond intolerant members of my family. I made them with margarine (Sorry!) for the dairy intolerant, they worked perfectly. I think this recipe may have tentacles that will embrace more family and friends.
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Yaay! So pleased you enjoyed them, Sandra! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
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I don’t think I could resist those wonderful looking cherries. Even the jar looks good. We have a walnut tree, so provided we can beat the squirrels to the walnuts, we’re self sufficient in them. I use them to make an “English pesto” – if you can have such a thing. Love your nutcrackers.
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The nutcracker is fantastic, I bought it a couple of years ago from the walnut grower. It’s spring loaded and perfect for arthritic hands. It requires very little effort.
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Those cherries! Also, is it too awful if I admit I wanted to lick my screen when I saw that photo of your pasta dish? Yum 🙂
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those walnuts look AMAZING. Growing up we always had nuts in the shell at home and walnuts were my favourites. I saw a packet at the supermarket yesterday so will also have a look at my local markets on the weekend.
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We had walnut trees many years ago and developed a love of fresh nuts thanks to them. I’m always glad to see the new season’s walnuts from Bright arrive at the farmer’s market. The season is only just starting, you should be able to get them easily in a few weeks. thanks for dropping by Mel
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Loving those cherries. So plump and delicious!
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…With a flavour like cherries on steroids! Thanks for dropping by Liz
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Oh, those cherries look fab!
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Oh Misky, they are, way too delicious, I can’t leave them alone!
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It sounds like a little Italy! I have never tasted walnuts as fresh as I have while living in Florence…blue cheese is all I need with them. Sadly my kitchen has been abandoned so I must fix that
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Melbourne’s Italian community is large and strong, so everything Italian is easy to come by, and to be honest I think i make more italian influenced food than traditional Anglo Aussie fare. Gorgonzola dolce, walnuts and pears mmmmmm. Good luck with the relocation
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Great IMK post ladyred! I don’t think those cherries would last long in my house either, in fact I am thinking of tracking down a jar for myself..
I have also been wondering about the chestnut flour. I’ve heard people use it to make pasta. I have a giant tin of Chestnut puree in my pantry and I STILL don’t know what to do with it!
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Hi Bernice, I intend to make Celia’s brownie recipe this weekend, I’m sure it will be good. The only way I known to use chestnut puree is to make a dessert called Mont Blanc, I’m sure you’ll find a recipe on the internet
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Your photos are fantastic! Those cherries look sumptuous and the walnuts are just lovely! Thanks so much for sharing- I feel like my eyes just feasted!
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Thanks Heidi Annie. My camera and I are struggling with the fading light conditions, but if a choose the right day, all is good. Glad i was able to give your eyes a treat, the fresher than fresh walnuts are sensational
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G’day! Love your pasta dish and photo, true!
YUM re your Amarena cherries…my fave too!
Thanks for this month’s kitchen view!
Cheers! Joanne
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Thanks Joanne, I’ve had to hide the cherries from myself, they are so delicious…
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Hi Sandra, I will be interested in how your stomach copes with the chestnut flour. Chestnuts really played havoc with both Maus’ and my digestive systems.
You know, I prefer Grana Padano than Parmagiano Reggiano weird, I know. We buy GP by the kilo and vacuum seal it as well.
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Hi Glenda, I hadn’t considered chestnut flour causing digestive issues, and I have more than my fair share of those. I will proceed slowly, thanks for the words of caution.
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Some lovely foodie bits for this months IMK!!! I love a good pasta (with plenty of parmesan too) in winter, and those Bright walnuts are the best!!!! Enjoy!
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Gorgeous photos and another lovely IMK post. I love those amaretto cherries and can tell you that they would not last long in this house either! And that basket of walnuts is beautiful. Also, such brilliant news about the faro pasta – you must be so pleased! Enjoy the cold weather cooking!
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Thanks Selma, we’re still having the odd warm day, but soups and braises are uppermost in my mind. I can’t believe I’ve only just discovered those delicious cherries, sinfully delicious.
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