In My Kitchen – December 2016

It’s time for the last In My Kitchen roundup of 2016 – and another year bites the dust!

So here we are, at the last In My Kitchen roundup for 2016 – and where did that year go? I’ve always got something to love in my kitchen, as have loads of other bloggers from around the world. Check them all out over at Bizzy Lizzy’s Good Things blog, where you’ll find the full list of participants.

Well, it really wouldn’t be an In My Kitchen post without a new cookbook, would it? This fantastic book, Istanbul Cult Recipes (Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99) is part travel guide, part recipe book and a great celebration of one of the most exciting cities I’ve ever visited. Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia and the cuisine here is as richly diverse as the city itself. This glorious volume is a compilation of recipes from Istanbul cuisine, recommendations of where to go and eat when you visit – and you really should visit – profiles on some of the city’s chefs and also has maps to help you find some of the great food destinations. I’m loving thumbing through it and reliving memories of my past trip there.

Arriving just in time for Christmas and my annual baking frenzy was this deliciously spicy delivery from The Ginger People. This Australian company has been around since 1984 and produces a range of fantastic ginger products, many of them organic. I’ve taken quite a shine to a cup of ginger tea in the afternoons, using the ginger syrup, and the minced ginger is every bit as great as using the fresh product, but without the trip to the shop when I discover mine has withered from age. It’s finding it’s way into all sorts of dishes and is destined to help out with a chicken salad tonight! They’ve also got a huge range of ginger recipes on their website – a great resource.

Also in my kitchen this month is a big bag of walnuts, given to me by a friend. I’ve been enjoying the slightly meditative task of gently thumping them with the mallet and carefully removing the sweet meat from the shell. It was my intention to bag them up and freeze them – that is the best way to store fresh nuts. Instead, as I’ve been working through them, I find I have been eating far more than I’ve been bagging. Apparently all that zen stuff makes you hungry.

Finally – I’m so lucky to have in my kitchen this month a copy of the absolutely beautiful “Bird in Hand: Adelaide Hills, Australia”, a magnificent hard-cover 128-page coffee table book. Produced by Bird in Hand winery, in collaboration with the exclusive French publishing house Assouline, the book captures the history, spaces and passion of this premier South Australian wine brand through vinification, food, art and cultural events, representing all the brand stands for.

It was recently launched to guests including Martine Assouline, Australian Consul-General Nick Minchin and wife Kerry Minchin and the Economist journalist Joshua Shapiro, at an intimate dinner at Il Buco in New York. This was was followed by an exclusive event on November 16 at the iconic Maison Assouline store in London’s Piccadilly, attended by Kenneth Gotlib from Stella McCartney and award-winning chef Matthew Harris.

The Australian launch will be held at the Adelaide Hills winery on Saturday December 10, and the book will be available from Monday December 12 at a RRP of $150. Bird in Hand will also unveil a limited edition box set, including the hardcover book along with a special 2015 vintage Cabernet Shiraz blend in a unique hand blown glass bottle. Each bottle will be accompanied by a booklet personally signed by Bird in Hand’s Chief Winemaker Kym Milne and presented in a handmade timber box. There are only 20 of these collectors items available [RRP $3000]. They can be purchased from Bird in Hand’s website from Monday 12 December.
 

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