(stolen) rhubarb

Yes, your Honour, I did take the rhubarb.
It was just growing there and no-one seemed to be interested in it, so I, you know, like, harvested it.

I just couldn't resist the allure of the garden grown rhubarb at Musk Creek.
I bought back about 900gm and decided today to experiment with it.
I'm not a huge lover of rhubarb, in fact would rather leave it than eat it if you put a bowl of it in front of me (no correspondence will be entered into the beauty of rhubarb, do not try and convince me it is manna from heaven, etc, etc. Read on though......).

I have been making rhubarb jam over the last year and everyone loves it, so I thought the experiment would be the oven cooked jam that often appears in its raspberry form in quite a few cookbooks. Everyone seems to rave about this technique but the problem is the jam that is produced by this method must be kept in fridge, so I kind of think it isn't 'proper' jam and that this technique is for amateurs (yes, I am being bitchy, I happily admit it!) and is all show, lacking in substance (meow).

The Rhubarb Experiment

equal parts rhubarb (chopped into 3cm-ish lengths, washed and drained) and sugar (I also added some shredded lemon rind to the rhubarb)
place separately into 2 non-stick or over-proof glass dishes big enough for the ingredient to line the bottom shallowly (not so important for the sugar to be so thinly spread)
cook in pre-heated 180ºC oven for 20 minutes, don't stir just leave
remove from oven and tip the sugar over the top of the rhubarb and stir through
the moisture from the fruit will be release as you stir and the sugar will melt into it
bottle immediately into sterilised jars

'So did it work?' I hear ask.
The reason for doing the jam this way was because of the relatively small quantity of fruit and because I wanted to see if this method would help retain the colour of the rhubarb.
Yes it worked......... and the flavour was amazing!
I dislike the 'nung-nung' (say it with your nose screwed up and you will understand what I mean by the taste) taste of rhubarb but the baking changed the flavour, made it more sublime and clean, and developed the perfume into something absolutely heavenly. This 4 jar vintage is going under lock and key! (Admittedly it could have been the special nature of this batch of rhubarb!)
I've read about baking it for desserts and I think I might just be a convert to 'rhubarb-il-forno' (correct me on the spelling), I'm thinking served with marscapone..................
The jam will I think be saved for special afternoon teas, perhaps on scones but I'm thinking as a filling for one of my special high-top sponges (maybe even in a ginger fluff sponge......hmmm)

hiding at musk creek

I was a bit wired and overwhelmed this week so I ran away.

Normally I like to stay at Tasma House at Daylesford (I know Daylesford is a bit naff but its green and often cooler- temperature wise- and I get to go for long drives out to places where the sky is big) but the damn 'Saddle Club' production has taken over most of the accommodation there for the next 6 months so I had to opt for Musk Creek House. It's always a disappointment when you have to stay somewhere else when your heart is set on a favourite place. I have a bad habit of wanting desperately to redecorate places I stay at, to throw 1/2 the furniture out the door. So of course Day 1 I was a bit out of sorts but then I discovered I had a housemate for the stay- Miss Personality Musk Creek 2008.



Yes, I am a severe cat tragic, you all know that but Miss P was a wonder. She had me in hysterics for the 3 days I was up there.
eg 1: finding a saucer-sized huntsman in the sun porch,rolling on it, purring and smooching it and then eating it, leaving 2 legs uneaten.
eg 2: sitting on the bench outside and giving my arm little nips if I ignored her.
eg 3: running up birch trees and hanging off the trunk until noticed.
I know- you had to be there.......




As you also know I am a sucker for the green. Filtered light and flickering leaves.
This where Musk was perfect. The creek runs along the back of the property and it has a bit of a micro-climate happening.
There were herbs in the garden and the birch trees and fruit trees and lavender and rhubarb. This is the view from the verandah but there is also a second part of the garden that backs on to the other house for rent that is part of this property. The Musk Creek Hollow has wonderful big plate glass windows looking out on the birch, really nice. Both properties at Musk Creek are actually quite nice to stay at (even if I do want to re-decorate...........)

tam o'shanter!

Finished the tam o'shanter on sunday. It's a bit big but really cute. Hey, it's a prototype, ok?!
If you don't know what a tam is then go here .
(And its not the noun for someone doing an 'Om Shanti' prayer, as someone I knew once thought).

itchy fingers

So the New Year came around and I realised I needed to get my hands working.
First project up was to make 1st birthday monkeys for Spike and Rocket. This year's monkeys are going to be made from possum wool socks, a joy to make and just too cute (even if i say so myself). As someone who makes for a living, a professional crafter it was actually really nice to make the first project of the year something to be given away.




Next up I finally decided I needed to go to the studio and work. None of this lying around the house! Three very productive days and then the hot, boiling, putrid hot weather set in and I didn't leave the fan for 2 days.
Whilst I was being productive I finished 2 milkmaid's jackets and 4 linen skirts, 2 of the skirts have had their handwork done and the other 2 are sitting on the kitchen table.............



I am letting myself off working when the weather is 40º+. I am not made to take these sort of temperatures (I don't think even hot-weather-loving-Andrea could deal with the hot-hot-heat we have been having).
Today's sunny with cool breezes weather has been spent designing a hat for winter. I have been obsessed with tam-o-shanters for 4 years and am definitely going to do one for this winter. I don't want to knit all the buggers so I'm on the lookout for knitters that I can kidnap, lock in the cupboard and force feed with wool for the next three months so I have a nice range of tams to sell.

ah...... cool change

It's amazing how much more alive I felt as soon as the cool change came in....... mmmmm.
I like things green and the light filtered. Not a beach person at all- to glare-y and bright.

So I got through NYE fine and dandy (bad headache and all) and no evil-neighbour-techno-party!
Really for Brunswick St it was kinda quiet.
Joy-oh-joy.

Am avoiding the studio even though I have been going through severe creative COLD TURKEY.
The house is still a mess, there is still piles of paperwork to be done and I am feeling exceedingly nervous about 2008.
Weird.
There are things that need to happen this year and I have to say I am both wanting to bury my head in the sand and wishing they would just happen and be over and sorted.

It will be ok, it must be ok, gulp...........

Really I should probably venture out into the Big World. (Going to the greengrocer and newsagent's doesn't count.)
The hot weather has really kept me close to home and I should take advantage of the cooling breezes today and go out.
(But if I go out I'll just spend money- happens every time!)
Hmmm- what to do?
Spot wants me to join her on the bed- cheeky kitty is loving the company at the moment!

Ok- I think a drive is in order.

****happy new year****

Here in Durstonia all is quiet.
(I think 99% of my friends are overseas or interstate! My usual NYE partner-in-crime is holidaying in balmy Thailand.)
Staying in and having a quiet one. This heat is just ridiculous and I have melted into a buttery puddle.
Spot has been camped out on the bed in front of the fan all day- I don't blame her.
Hopefully the evil neighbours and their usual NYE party (with really bad techno) isn't happening this year.
(Ask me sometime about last year's party, the police, etc. It was a doosy!)
So I hope you all have a lovely evening with fireworks in the background and celebrating in whatever way you like New Year's Eve to be.
I'll see you all on the flipside!
px

yawn, scratch, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It has taken me a week of snoozing, reading and dvd watching to start to feel a little bit together.
Having come down with one of those hideous summer colds hasn't helped either.
Am having trouble talking to people, think my tongue ihas gone on holiday without telling me.
Went out to Heide on Friday (hey that rhymes! if you pronounce it Fry-dee.........ok ok I'm a bit out of it) and sat under a tree and just chilled. Nice.



I like Melbourne in January, its kind of lazy and quiet (once we've got over NYE- dreading that) and slow.
This was taken up near Puddly Stark on Friday evening- impressive.

As you can tell I haven't much to write about, between the sleeping and the reading and the.......... might be time to go have a nap...... yawn.