Warm from the oven: Tartine Basic Country Sourdough Boule

Baking makes me happy.

The Potted Kitchen Garden: Rhubarb

We had a rather large rhubarb plant in our garden in Christchurch, which was roughly one metre wide and one meter tall. This year I decided to grow rhubarb in the potted kitchen garden. In the Fall, I may transplant it to a larger pot.

I look forward to poached rhubarb and ginger with ice cream, rhubarb tarts, and strawberry and rhubarb pies...

Christmas Pudding

There are many puddings in this world and none are to be taken lightly.

After four hours of steaming...

I've got a pottle of vanilla ice cream and a bottle of Grappa di Amarone.

Who wants a slice?

Pan Seared Kingfish Steaks, Sautéed Potatoes, Courgette

I stopped by the new Asian food centre and when I strolled passed the fishmonger I spotted some beautiful New Zealand Kingfish steaks for NZ$12.95/Kg! Well, I couldn't pass up on such a great deal, so I bought two kingfish steaks for the grand total of NZ$6.00!

I pan seared the steaks with a liberal sprinkling of salt & pepper and paired the fish with sautéed potatoes and a courgette fresh from the kitchen garden.

Delicious!

New Zealand Kaka

This morning when I walked Morgan around the volcano, I heard parrot noises which caught my attention. These squaks were much louder than the common Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius). I quickly turned towards the sound and noticed a bird larger than the Rosella. Could it be a New Zealand Kaka?

I stopped to watch and listen for a bit, heard nothing more, then carried on around the volcano. About 500m further on, I heard loud squaking once again, and looked up to see two large birds circling around the top of One Tree Hill, making quite a racket, then landing at the top of a tall Eucalypt.

A pair of New Zealand Kaka (Nestor meridionalis)! My first sighting of kaka in the wild.

Morgan and I stood still for perhaps 15 minutes, watching these majestic birds circle and squak and land once again in the Eucalypt.

This made my day.

A Weta in the Garden

"Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places [of the gardens] of the world." - Gandolf

Pan Seared Kingfish with New Potatoes and Roasted Capsicum

Tako Chips: Octopus Flavored

Quesadilla!

Half shredded Colby & half Vintage Cheddar; shaved red onion, freshly roasted and ground cumin and coriander, fresh picked cilantro (from the potted kitchen garden); fire roasted jalapeños.. And, beer (in the bottle, not in the quesadilla).

Today's Bread: Tartine Basic Country Sourdough Boule

Before...

After...

Morgan Uses His Dog House For The First Time!

A Kiwi Christmas