In My Kitchen, October 2015

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Spring has certainly sprung and I am enjoyed the change in light and colour around our house and garden.

Celery and asparagus in the freshest shades of green and purple.

Soft brown light on carefully cleaned beer bottles. Β These are lined up and ready for another highly anticipated tomato crop to be followed by a passata making session, all going to plan. Β I hope I am not getting too far ahead of myself.

Tiny flowers from the garden including thyme, coriander, kale, quince, broccoli, sage and borage.

Monte Carlo biscuitsΒ sandwichedΒ together with bright raspberry jam.

This pure green crop of stinging nettles has voluntarily popped up in my vegetable garden thanks to the sheep manure I have applied generously over the years. Β I think I almost have enough to make Rohan’s nettle pesto or Michelle’s nettleΒ risotto.

Shades of purple and yellow in freshly picked silverbeet.

There are more subtle tones of grey in a little bunch of saltbush picked from the paddock. When flowers are in short supply I love putting together bunches of foliage.

Are you noticing a change in light and colour at your place?

Happy Friday friends! x

As usual I am linking up with cooking and creating extraordinaireΒ Celia fromΒ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

September 19, 2015

40 Comments

  1. Reply

    Jo @ Country Life Experiment

    October 1, 2015

    Our asparagus has only just poked out for the first time. I really want to eat them, but we need to leave them on the plant and wait till next year. I'm super jealous of yours.

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thanks Jo, try to be patient with your asparagus. Your patience will be rewarded!

  2. Reply

    Jo @ Country Life Experiment

    October 1, 2015

    Our asparagus has only just poked out for the first time. I really want to eat them, but we need to leave them on the plant and wait till next year. I'm super jealous of yours.

  3. Reply

    Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things

    October 2, 2015

    Squeal! I love that you are growing asparagus successfully, Jane xx

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thank you Lizzy, it is a real treat!

  4. Reply

    Napoli Restaurant Alert

    October 2, 2015

    Absolutely gorgeous, especially the asparagus!

  5. Reply

    Anne Wheaton

    October 2, 2015

    Delightful spring colours – I especially like your tiny flowers. We're going into autumn with misty mornings and brilliant bright sunny days though I notice the different shadows in late afternoon.
    Ages ago you made a cheesy bread with beetroot tops that I copied, using nettles instead of beetroot leaves. It tasted delicious, so maybe another use for your nettles.

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thanks Anne, that is a great idea for the nettles. I still haven't done anything with them…they are on the to-do list!

  6. Reply

    acoastalplot

    October 2, 2015

    Gorgeous photos of spring-time. It's well into autumn here – long shadows; warm, soft sunlight; shorter days. Happily we're having lovely sunny weather, extending the time we can spend outdoors. I'm off out into the garden to pick a bunch of whatever I can find for the kitchen table. Have a lovely weekend x

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Your garden is amazing Sam. Thanks for calling in x

  7. Reply

    almostitalian

    October 3, 2015

    I love that bowl of edible flowers- a great idea for colourful additions to a salad. and the lovely pot of saltbush too. Just beautiful Jane.

  8. Reply

    Johanna GGG

    October 3, 2015

    Lovely to see your spring photos – we are getting into spring produce and loving all the asparagus – sounds like you might be cooking with nettles and are the flowers a pretty garnish to salads – perhaps I should try this with my thyme flowers!

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thyme flowers are so pretty aren't they?

  9. Reply

    Kim Bultman

    October 3, 2015

    Jane, I basked in the light of your photos — so breathtaking. We're entering Autumn here, so it's a different kind of light, but I've "noticed." I think Springtime light was created to highlight the gorgeous colors of those beautiful vegetables and flowers. πŸ™‚

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thank Kim, that is very kind. Enjoy your autumn light.

  10. Reply

    passionfruitgarden.com

    October 3, 2015

    Hi Jane, Your photos are lovely, as always.

  11. Reply

    Around The Mulberry Tree

    October 4, 2015

    Definitely shaping unto be a great asparagus season. We are getting 4 or5 spears a day! Love shiny clean long necks πŸ™‚

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Hooray for long necks I say πŸ™‚

  12. Reply

    Kirsty

    October 4, 2015

    Jane, I love the look of your Monte Carlos, yum! they look buttery and morish for sure.

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thank you, they disappeared quickly!

  13. Reply

    e / dig in hobart

    October 4, 2015

    definitely noticing changes! it's a wonderful time of year, isn't it?
    i'm not game to make nettle risotto – even though I grow bucket loads of it unintentionally!
    and your asparagus is inspiring – as in, inspiring me to look for mine and look after it better.
    enjoy your week jane.

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thanks e, I wonder if you found any asparagus? x

  14. Reply

    Ania @ milktoastandhoney.co.uk

    October 5, 2015

    What a visual feast Jane! You could try using the nettles as a rinse for freshly washed hair – it gives an amazing shine and softness to the hair and strengthens is too. Simply harvest the young nettles, bring to the boil in a large pan of water, allow to cool enough to be nice and warm but comfortable for rinsing. Happy October!

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Great idea, thank you Ania.

  15. Reply

    Milk and Honey

    October 6, 2015

    Don't you just love spring? My garden it bursting too. Love your asparagus… you can't get fresher than that. I must try my hand at some Monte Carlo Biscuits, yours are inspiring.

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      Thank you so much, happy baking and gardening!

  16. Reply

    cityhippyfarmgirl

    October 7, 2015

    Always the changing light isn't it. I'm loving noticing these things as an adult, (and photographer!)
    Your monte carlos look perfect Jane. My lot would hoover them up all in an afternoon, then probably wonder why they couldn't move due to the sugar rush πŸ™‚

    Hope your week is a lovely one. xx

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      My lot hoovered these up too Brydie. Half of them went straight into the freezer to keep the sugar rush to a minimum!

  17. Reply

    Shari Wakefield

    October 7, 2015

    Your asparagus look AMAZING!

  18. Reply

    Gretchen DALRYMPLE

    October 9, 2015

    The asparagus looks incredible. Our garden is coming to an end as autumn is now here so we have less light and changing colors all around, the Monte Carlo biscuits looks very delicious, so uniform in size too. They wouldn't last long with my three boys!

    • Reply

      Jane S

      October 11, 2015

      No, these biscuits didn't last long. Although I put half of them straight into the freezer so we could enjoy some later. Thanks for calling in!

  19. Reply

    sherry from sherrys pickings

    October 10, 2015

    look at all that lovely fresh asparagus. i love that last photo of the foliage in the vase. nice shadows too. a great idea to use nettles.

  20. Reply

    Miss Food Fairy

    October 11, 2015

    You must be proud of your asparagus – it looks wonderful & I'm sure it tastes absolutely amazing! Did you have a party for all those Monte Carlo's? They look so good I don't think I'd stop at one πŸ˜‰ Have you shared a recipe for those bikkies? Hope it's not too hot for you at the moment. Thanks for the lovely produce in your garden/kitchen

  21. Reply

    Fiona Ryan

    October 12, 2015

    Yes to the asparagus. I’m really enjoying it but alas, the season will be over all too soon. Such adorable little Monte Carlos. I think I will have to give them a go!

  22. Reply

    Chantille Fleur

    October 13, 2015

    Yes the light has changed here – that super soft golden hue is gone, bolder contrasts are coming through in my photos now. I enjoy the changing seasons, it keeps photography interesting!

    Your garden produce looks so fresh and tasty. My summer seedlings are starting to get their toes in, the tomatoes are taking over and the last of the winter veg is starting to look worn out. I'm eagerly anticipating my first onion harvest, however small it might be.

    As always I loved the tour of your kitchen Jane – so many inspiring things!
    Sarah x

  23. Reply

    celia

    October 22, 2015

    Jane, yes! I've just written about the change in light! It's so profound, and it seems to affect everyone's mood – we're all happier with more light! Your post is as lovely as always, and I wish I could add our comfrey flowers to your plate. I shouldn't love them as much as I do, because I know they might mean pulling out comfrey from all over the beds in a couple of months. Are beer bottles hard to clean? And oh how pretty your little flower pot in the last photo is! Have a wonderful month, dear friend! xxx

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