Knitting update...

Wednesday August 27th, 2008

Why have I posted a photograph of some ball's of wool. Well its a sad story really, I started working on a lovely jumper (aka sweater, pullover) for my yet to be born niece about two weeks ago. The pattern was great very simple, no complicated design just one colour. I've been knitting it over the last couple of w/ends when I have a spare moment, knit, purling away. I had 90% done - was so close to being finished - had the back, front and 1 sleeve done.

When...last night I thought I would measure it all just to make sure it was the correct dimensions. After double checking it and getting J to check my measurements just incase I was wrong, it became apparent that I it was out by 1 inch under the arms and the sleeve was out, the front was out and the back was out. The more I measured the more pain I felt, realizing that the only way to fix it would be to undo it all. (The pattern is knitted sideways not across!)

Late last night I worked on another gauge swatch and this morning decided I'll have to go up again in my needle size from 5 to 7, but guess what I don't have the circular needle I need or the double pointed needles in the correct size. So this project is going to be put away till the w/end when I'll pop out and purchase some more needles. It's very annoying to have sooo many needles by none in the size I need!

So my plan was to post a great pic showing a nearly completed jumper, oh well. I'll have to go back to finishing Miss S cardi - alot of sewing in threads on that project. I think that will take a couple more nights, then I will need to block it, sew it together, sew on buttons then - yeah finished. Well one step at a time.

Nature at it's best

Saturday August 23rd, 2008

J took some lovely pics the other day of a butterfly in our garden. Thought it would be nice to share them. Enjoy the w/end and go outside and enjoy mothernature, yes even if it's the middle of winter for some of you!

Butterfly enjoying the sunshine.

Friday Photo

Friday August 22nd, 2008

Sydney showing her excitement that it's Friday - Happy Friday everyone.

Pavlova for a Queen

Thursday August 21st, 2008

For my belated birthday BBQ I decided to cook a Pavlova - Australian/New Zealand desert. So I had a test run the week prior to iron out any kinks. A Pavlova is a mergine filled with cream, then smoothered in seasonal summer fruits.

For those who do not know the Pavlova was named after the late Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The inside of the mergine is like a ballerina's tutu being light, fluffy and airy when the dancer is moving. The actual material of the tutu is crunchy to feel like the outside of the mergine. If you over cook it the mergine will dry up and not provide enough fluff - which is what you want alot of fluff! So to create the perfect Pavlova is indeed ethereal, delicate and slightly controversial like the dancer!

Glad I did a test run, since the first one became slightly overcooked with hardly any fluff inside, infact it was more sticky then fluffy. So back to drawing board after turning down our oven from 300 to 275 and then letting it cool down in the oven after its cooked it was a beautie!

First attempt at Pav - ok - but cooked too high so turned down oven from 300 to 275 (still ate it!!)

Top of the Pav - a tad over cooked not enough fluff inside

BBQ Pav - all dressed up with seasonal fruit including hard to find Kiwi fruit.
Just missing the passionfruit, maybe next time. J did the decorating.

J made me a carmel cake with carmel icing - yummo!

Pavlova's are enjoyed all year round in Australia - but my fondest memories of home are eating a Pavlova on 1988 (Australia's Bicentenial Year) on "Australia Day" - yes Australian's have a day off to celebrate the discovery of Australia - its in the mid Summer,no excuse needed to heat up the BBQ and drink a coldie!

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Pav Recipe:

4 egg whites (at room temperature)

200 g white sugar

Pinch of salt

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1st make sure your mixer and attachment are completely clean, free of grease otherwise the egg white will not become fluffy.

Separate the yolks from the white's making sure no egg shells are present. Turn on the mixer to medium until firm peaks form.

Next gradually add the sugar and salt

Once all the sugar is combined turn onto high for 7-8 minutes and mix until the egg whites become white glossy peaks. The egg whites are done, once you can take some the mixture and rub it between your fingers without feeling any grains of sugar, if you can still feel the sugar give it more time.

This process is critical.

After you have stiff white peaks place it on a tray of any size - smooth it out then get a fork and fluff the top - don't make it too thin otherwise you will not have any fluff inside.

Place in 275-300 degree oven for 1 hour (or more if needed) - it's done when the top is crispy. Leave it in the oven to cool down with the oven turned off once its cooked.

Once completely cool - add cream and top with seasonal fruit.

Eat and enjoy!

Strawberry jam anyone!

Photograph courtesy of Adam Cooper

Sunday August 17, 2008

The other day I decided to tackle our strawberry jam disaster see previous post. After S was down for her morning nap it was time to sort out the jam! We decided to just recook the lot and then add some lemon juice for pectin. The process was very slow and have to admit at one point we both looked at the strawberry syrup with doubt about it thickening up - Well it did, after 1 hour and 1/2 of cooking once the syrup came to a boil and then slowly simmering it started to become thicker, slowly we added another jar of syrup - eventually all were added into the pot.

After the jam had cooked down we let it sit in the pot for a while so we could eat our lunch before S woke up then poured the jam into the sterilized jars for processing in the water bath. S woke up towards the end so we played while J worked on the rest of the jam.

The results are below:

Yummy homemade jam on homemade bread.

18 jars of strawberry jam