A new found pleasure

No one, has not taken up eating eggs, one doesn't see that as likely to occur, however one has begun to take great pleasure in poaching the little fellas. After a couple of lessons from the SO one took to poaching eggs with gusto in early December 2009.

Then having watched the MasterChef Australia Masterclass DVD, one decided to step up to the (hot)plate and try poaching the eggs in clingfilm. The results have been very well received.

So today, to get the year off to the right start, one whipped up some of Nigella's Courgette Fritters, a little tomato and avocado salsa, bacon (of course!), roasted garlic mayo (purchased in Denmark) and for the SO - topped with a couple of perfectly poached eggs.

Voila!

To Start: Things that are Done

Last year we embarked on a mission to bake a Christmas Cake and one can now say it is mission accomplished.

One found a Maggie Beer recipe online and made a couple of
little changes - such is one's wont.

In place of all that fruit rind we substituted in some candied cumquats and while dear Maggie only suggested the smallest amount of brandy, one bathed the fruit for a week and made sure they had a drink every day!

The timing in the recipe is spot on and the cardboard inserts in the cake tin were spot on.

This cake was DELICIOUS. As a matter of fact one will have a slice right now!

Shelving (finally)

One has been contemplating, for quite some time, how best to store cookbooks and miscellaneous kitchen paraphanalia.

Shelving was the preferred option however finding a simple shelf is quite the ordeal. Battling the crowds in various storage warehouses and shops in the scorching heat led to these little fellas.

Now its just a decision about what to put and where...

A new addition

One has a new wing-backed chair from which to blog and in which to read.

At $10 it is hands down the best value purchase in one's furniture purchase history.

Tis very comfortable in deed

Christmas in aflatofonesown

Deck the halls with bows of holy tra lalala la la la la

Tis the season to be jolly tra lalala la la la la

And so this is Christmas and what have you done,

One has put up the Christmas tree and wrapped all the presents

We LOVE the Christmas tree and the little snowmen hanging out under it, oh and the presents too!

Christmas in a bowl

One has decided to make a Christmas Cake this year and called on some help from the delightful Maggie Beer.

As you will no doubt be aware, one loves a multiple step, preferably, multiple day recipe that gives one hours in the kitchen.

This is the fruit, there's sultanas, currants, raisins, orange and mandarin peel and candied cumquats in the bowl. Now the fruit is hanging out in the bowl for a week along with its friend St Agnes Brandy!

Oh it smells good! YUM

Plus when it comes out of the oven one has to douse the cake in more liquor! Perfecto!

Christmas is in the air

One truly does love Christmas but cannot put a finger on what exactly it is that fills one with such good cheer. But one of one's favourite things about Christmas is the tree.

Now unfortunately due to the partial renovation status of aflatofonesown and the less than optimal storage facilities there is not room this year for the 8 foot Christmas tree. But never fear, the trusty old wall tree has come to the rescue.




and yes, they are the Christmas presents all wrapped up!