"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."
~Abraham Lincoln
We are at that point in January when it's a bit too late to say Happy New Year to people. It's just plain old 2019 now, nothing new about it anymore! Hopefully you are all still holding strong on your motivation for all of those New Years Resolutions you made? I don't make many resolutions as the new year falls, rather I place a few things on the "to do list" and hope for the best.
I am starting the new year off on the blog with a little "This, that & the other" post. Just a little catch up and a sneaky peek at what's to come........
THIS
- For anyone wanting to learn how to butcher a pig there are only a few spaces left for my forthcoming "Whole Hog" class at Get Cooking. More details.....
Join Elyse and Kathryn for this this special class exploring techniques in butchering a whole pig, how to make sausages and how to cook a variety of pork cuts too. We'll be bringing in a side of Irving's Farm pork, so your day will start with Elyse teaching you how to break it down. She'll walk you through the different cuts then get you making sausages, which we'll be cooking together along with some of the other cuts we prepare. Kathryn will be walking you through the culinary techniques, and whipping up some delicious sides to accompany the pork cuts that we prepare.
This class is not suitable for vegetarian diets but gluten-free substitutions are available on request.
Class Fee: $150 per person, plus GST. Your Fee Includes: a 5-hour butchery and cooking class, a full meal with paired drinks, and a recipe pack to take home.
Price: C$150.00
Date: February 24, 2019
Start Time: 11:00 am
End Time: 4:00 pm
THAT
- We spent Christmas and New Year in the UK visiting family and friends. Fabulous company, delicious food and so much gin! Gin is a big deal in the UK and all gin drinks are now served in balloon glasses! I rather liked them, might have to search some out here in Canada. I will do a little UK trip review on the blog coming soon!
- Can you guess the new sexy super food of 2019? Fibre! Did you guess it? Probably not. This un-sung hero of the super food world seems to be getting its time to shine. I have been making a high fibre muesli for a while now and it changes dependent on what I grab from Bulk Barn. It always has bran, oats, seeds (linseed, chia, flax etc), nuts, dried fruits Love dried cherries & cranberries) and wheat germ. So good, so easy. Or you could whip up this Toasted Coconut & Almond version from the archives, also delicious!
THE OTHER
- One of my New Years "to do list" additions was not drink alcohol during January. After three weeks of partying like it was Christmas Day in the UK a little break from the booze seemed like a fabulous idea. So far, so good! I have been fizzing up quite a lot of water in my soda stream and I wanted a little tipple to replace my evening indulgence so what better than some punchy ginger beer (non alcoholic ones for now but it would be so good with vodka!!)
HOMEMADE GINGER BEER
WHAT YOU NEED
100 g ginger, washed and roughly chopped
1 un-waxed lemon, roughly chopped
100g light brown sugar
100 g ginger, washed and roughly chopped
1 un-waxed lemon, roughly chopped
100g light brown sugar
Fat pinch sea salt
WHAT YOU DO
Put the ginger and lemon in a bowl, pour over 300 ml water and blitz with a hand blender or throw it all in an upright blender. Strain through a sieve lined with a clean cloth into a bowl, then squeeze the cloth together to get as much liquid as you can out of the ginger & lemon mix. Add the sugar & salt and throw it all back in the blender and give it a good blitz. Store in the fridge and shake well before each use. Add sparking or still water and plenty of ice! 2 teaspoons of the syrup per tall glass seems to work well for diluting but adjust to your taste.
WHAT YOU DO
Put the ginger and lemon in a bowl, pour over 300 ml water and blitz with a hand blender or throw it all in an upright blender. Strain through a sieve lined with a clean cloth into a bowl, then squeeze the cloth together to get as much liquid as you can out of the ginger & lemon mix. Add the sugar & salt and throw it all back in the blender and give it a good blitz. Store in the fridge and shake well before each use. Add sparking or still water and plenty of ice! 2 teaspoons of the syrup per tall glass seems to work well for diluting but adjust to your taste.
I promise normal gin consumption will continue in February. I have some fabulous ideas for new cocktails and I have been experimenting with making my own bitters too. There will be lots more cooking with my kids this year as my eldest keeps creeping into the kitchen- can't tell you how happy this makes me!
Happy new year (awkward, right?)
