Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Many hands...

On the weekend (allow me to interrupt myself and say I feel like I am doing a grade 4 piece of 'reflective writing'  and that it should be Monday morning...but it's not)...as I was saying, on the weekend we had a crowd here and boy, were we productive.
Between us all (12 adults, 2 kids and 2 babies) we:

  • picked two wheelbarrows full of butternut pumpkins
  • picked and bottled about 40 kg of apples




  • turned 13 1/2 litres of milk into feta cheese

  • turned 7 litres into another soft white cheese 'queso blanco' (the link is not the recipe we used but similar, it's an easy peasy cheese that needs no special cultures or rennet, it's coagulated with vinegar. We experimented with both a basic white vinegar and apple cider vinegar- the latter worked better, I thought). Apparently it cooks quite well, I'd make it again as a cheese for ravioli, I reckon. The kids were happy to hook into it 'as is'.
  • turned 3 1/2 litres into a soft white cheese called 'fromage blanc'. We added this one to a ravioli filling with roasted pumpkin, roasted garlic and sage. Ravioli is a great 'bang for your buck' pasta to make at home, I reckon. it's just flat sheets you make but add little tasty morsels, cut them out and they look just smashing (unfortunately eaten before a photo was taken!)

  • Made bread- 3 loaves wheat flour, 1 loaf gluten free
  • Made pasta- wheat flour ravioli and fettuccine, gluten free ravioli and fettuccine
  • Vanilla ice cream
I had other 'big ideas' but I had a friend who was more sensible than me saying 'let's just see how we go'! I arrived at work yesterday and a colleague said 'gee, you look tired!'...I've been to bed early the past two nights and I'm planning to do the same tonight. I am not known for my ability to 'pace myself'! 

My blog 'by-line' is "crafty fun and the goodness of home economics".
I tell you, this weekend was all about the goodness of home economics. 
Good food (our food!), happy times, hard work, laughter, chatting  and a cider at 4pm on Sunday arvo with friends, tired but satisfied friends. They headed back to the city with cheese, apples, a fruit tree if they were lucky, herbs to pot up, garlic and memories of stars and lovely fresh air. 
I'm planning on heading down for my 'city fix' of lovely coffee, quirky cafes,  interesting sights, tram trips, city noises next week. I love Melbourne.


10 comments:

  1. Goodness... that's a LOT of home economics!!! It must have been very satisfying, indeed... and the cider at 4pm sounds well-deserved.

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  2. Wow! sounds like you had a busy weekend. And a FUN one too!

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  3. Sometimes it's good just to get stuck in ... but I'm exhausted just thinking about all that work! Do you have a good gluten-free bread recipe that you could share? I've yet to find one that I can make successfully (and want to eat!) ... and a lot of disastrous experiments in the last 7 years have almost put me off trying! Mind you, I was never good at Home Ec at school ... maybe I should have pad more attention!

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  4. No wonder you are going to bed early, I am exhausted just reading this.

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  5. That ravioli is making my mouth water - yum!
    You've had a very productive weekend, and will be enjoying the spoils of it for some time to come I think.
    Yay for a visit to Melbourne!

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  6. Wow. So much done! Wish I was your taster

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  7. Phew! That is a BIG week end of home economics!! And i thought I had a busy week end because we went away and that involved a 4 hour drive both ways!! I think your statement that you are 'not known for the ability to pace yourself' may be an understatement!!! You have such a creative soul! Love Tanxxx

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  8. Hey! I've just had the best idea! Lets trade places - my Melbourne house for your country place, what do you reckon? OK, I'm joking, but only half, I'm seriously fed up with the city. And seeing all your spoils there doesn't help :)
    How wonderful to be able to get together and make so much food to share and store.

    Just read your last post and am sorry to hear you lost your friend, I will offer prayers for her family, it must be such a very difficult time for them.

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  9. Awesome work Tan, it all sounds wonderful. Jane x

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  10. Gotta say I'm a bit sad reading this post. I would so love to live near by and come play at your place on such productive weekends... so much good food. I'm so envious!!!

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