Bring back the larder!

Let's face it - any of us with an ounce of foodie in us, fairly drools at the thought of an old fashioned kitchen with rows of jars containing all sorts of homemade pickles, preserves and other unidentifyable (but tasty) oddities. But how many of today's living spaces are equipped for even the most basic DIY cook-adventurer, let alone anyone packing a set of Mason Jars?

My friend and food guru, Kali Nielson, created and ran a local eco store a few years ago, that had the feel of those old fashioned kitchens and most of my inspiration (nay, obsession) with having a larder, comes from conversations with her over the years, about traditional bread-making, growing cultures and using herbs as medicine - the knowledge that once went hand-in-hand with the X chromosome.

This is the precious wisdom we've all but lost from our collective knowledge - except for a few nannas and clued-up greenies and food buffs who realise how important our 'PG' (pre-gladwrap) ways were.

I did away with the gladwrap and most other plastics a few years back, and I have a pretty impressive collection of old glass jars and containers for almost any occasion (my plates on top of plates storage of leftovers in the fridge is a family joke).  But when the garden cranks up to full production, I want to be able to pick, pickle and preserve my little heart out ...so I need to gets me a larder!

So what do you need for a larder, I hear you say? No idea. Well, Im assuming cool-cold conditions without too much moisture and somewhere that our little furry mates won't raid. And jars, lots of them.

I have this lovely high wall adjacent the back steps (to the kitchen) on the Eastern side of the house (perfect spot for kitchen gardens - herbs etc - in Qld as it maximises the morning sun, without the afternoon scorch in summer).  That side of the house has always been cool, as it's connected, via a block wall foundation, to the ground, keeping it at a constant 22 degrees C, so......

I'm going to use a blank part of the external wall for a set of shelves for storing jars of herbs etc, and the space above to dry herbs etc. There's a small gap in the block wall below, (an original doorway) that will make a perfect spot to store wine while brewing etc, plus pumpkins or any other surplus stuff from the garden.

Of course, it's not as grand as a recycled brick outdoor kitchen with separate room lined with coloured jars, (aka Babettes Feast) but I figure it's a good start - and a nice homely greeting for anyone coming to the back door of the house.

A seedy business...

Autumn in this part of the world, really kicks Spring's a**!

The wet from up North has all but gone, the days are calm and the evening's have started to get that edge to them, that make you hunt around for the bed socks. A fantastic time of year to be outside - but this year I'm paying the price for ignoring the golden rule of the subtropics: don't turn your back on the garden for a minute, between December and April! Let's just say, having a garden getting away from you is something you only need to experience once.

When I got back from Adelaide after Easter, I found an anonymous neighbour, then my ex, Ian the Incredible had secretly mowed - nay slashed - the grass at the front and down the sides of the house. Which was good because I was thinking on the way home, there was the distinct possibility I would lose the solar installers in there.

And just to be clear, I'm not on acreage. Just a humble 1/4 acre block. I know - embarrassing - I became 'that' neighbour for a while!

Another neighbour came over to get the mail and counted fifteen pumkins (from a handful of seeds thrown out sometime last year). We've just started harvesting and giving them away. I stuffed one the other day (literally, not metaphorically) and the recipe's at the end if you've also found yourself with a glut, and are scratching around for ideas.

So, this morning Dad and I started the job of freeing the garden from the grasp of the jungle - Dad wisely restraining himself from making any references to taking in a hunting gun and pith helmet, and me ohh-ing and ahh-ing about what had been going on in the garden without me. Have a look at some of these pics of fungii that have popped up all over the place. Now I'm really wondering if mushrooms can save the world! (If you spot anything "interesting" in here, let me know - I wouldn't know a Gold Top from a gourd). Think I'll bypass them for the next risotto, at any rate.

The tree stumps have grown Prince Charles ears.

And this one below is just stunning in real life. How beautiful are those shapes?

Everything's just about to burst. The Panama Red (passionfruit vine) has a million flower buds and even fruit - didn't think it was meant to fruit 'til late winter? This is its first birthday, so we'll wait and see I suppose.

We pruned and culled about half the pigeon pea trees (shhh don't tell the king parrots) and used the small branches as a mulch layer around things that needed some TLC. Below, making a little nest for a birds nest fern.

We didn't get as far as planting anything today (there's a few other priorities at the moment) but the soil is just so fertile and with a bit of extra manure and mulch, it should be ready for planting up in a couple of weeks. Check out Gardenate's planting guide for April/May.

I just noticed Dad's crept outside with a small "medicinal" whiskey and his container of chocolate nuts to imbibe another beautiful Autumn late afternoon on the verandah. Ahhh....how's the serenity?

Nearly forgot about the pumpkin recipie. I cooked this one for a couple of hours in a slow cooker as it's much more energy efficient than an oven (I'll be trying it in a solar oven as soon as I buy one!) The 'recipie' is something like this from memory ....

1. Cut top off pumpkin and scoop out the seeds etc - save for roasting (or throwing in the garden if you fancy your very own jungle safari)

2. Make sure it fits in the slow cooker (found that out the hard way)

3. This is a Carnivore recipie. Brown the following in a pan: lean mince, 1 finely cut chorizo, 3 cloves of big organic garlic (the non-imported/sprayed one) and one brown onion with some smoked paprika, tumeric, s&p.

4. Add 2 chopped spring onions, handful of mushrooms (if I'd been home I would have used some homemade mushie soup from the freezer, but I threw in some fresh ones and a packet of condensed mushroom soup mix - I didn't say it was a healthy recipie...) Add some water, oregano, soy or tamari and right near the end add a handful of jasmine or whatever rice you want to use (not cooked). Think that's it, feels like I'v forgotten something, but just make it up as you go - I did.

5. Mix it through, spoon into pumpkin, put it's lid on...(cut off the bits that don't fit in slow cooker :) and away you go. Should take about 2 hrs and great when served with sour cream. And you will be eating it for the next seven days.

That's it for now. Gotta go stir the pumpkin soup .....