Well, it really feels like autumn is finally here!
The sky is clear outside at the moment, and the stars are glittering as they do when it’s crisply cold. With rain last night and more coming, the ground still warm enough for the grass to grow a little before winter sets in, it feels good to be stoking the oven and soaking up the warmth of the fire. Yesterday I picked the last of the tomatoes, basil, eggplants, and other summer vegies, while the winter brassicas, swedes, turnips and coriander are all looking good.
We have made a beautiful preserve of rhubarb, Seville and sweet oranges, vanilla and sweet bay, and we’re using this in our wholewheat laminated escargot (scrolls) this month. We will have some at Coal Creek Farmers Market this weekend, and Prom Country Farmers market next weekend. There’ll also be Seeded Rye loaves, made with fresh whole rye and whole wheat flours, and organic linseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds ans sesame. These are often baked as a tin loaf, but look really good done on the hearth too. I love the nutty smell of the toasted seeds as they’re mixed into the dough.
We have been very privileged to be included in an article in the current edition of Australian Geographic. This great piece is about small scale farmers and producers who are committed to bringing their communities local, slow, fair food. Many passionate people have been interviewed and their stories are well worth reading. And it’s good weather for reading, feet in the oven and cuppa in hand, but, I’ll be off to sleep soon so as to be up early and into the weekends’ doughs! Keep warm and eat well 🙂
