I have been nominated, together with 9 other amazing bloggers, for this award and I would so appreciate your vote. Follow the link – no registration is necessary.
http://www.eat-in.co.za/Awards/Blogger-Awards
Best Local Food Blog
No matter where I end up, to be counted as one of the top 10 is an honour. And the people who stand alongside me are all great bloggers (and great friends)!
With thanks and blog love
Tandy
If you are like me, you have a great collection of recipe books that you have never cooked from! I can tell you that the last three Jamie Oliver books in my collection have not been experimented with. So, this month’s challenge is to randomly pick a recipe from a recipe book you have not used and cook / bake it. The challenge falls over the entire month, so feel free to enter as many recipes as you would like to the linky party – which will be open from today until the 29th.
You must link back to this blog post if you are taking part, as well as include the following code in your post: (between the [ and ] and if you use wordpress, insert using the HTML page and not the visual page)
Code n.1 blogger, typepad, and all sites that accept the <script> tag
[<!-- start InLinkz script -->
<script type="text/javascript">
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=122210&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');</script>
<!-- end InLinkz script -->]
Code n.2 If you are on a wordpress.com blog or any system that does not permit script tags
[<!-- start InLinkz script -->
<a href="http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=122210"><img style="border:0px" src="http://www.inlinkz.com/wpImg.php?id=122210"></a>
<!-- end InLinkz script -->]
Have a super fun time with this challenge – and there may just be a surprise of a prize!
READY STEADY COOK ROUND UP:
Click on the links below to see who did what with their 7 ingredients:
For more food blog challenges, see The Food Blog Diary.
Tandy
The lovely Celia who blogs over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, makes sure each month I share my kitchen with you! It is a great way for me to keep track of just how much I buy 
But first, here are green beans from my garden. If it were not for Celia, I would not have planted these. But I got garden envy from all the lovely things she is growing and I decided to stop waiting for the house to be finished and get planting.
© green beans
Dave moved my LG light oven by putting in a suspended shelf. It is a bit high for me, but the gain in counter top space is worth having to stand on my tippy toes to work the dial.
© lg oven on shelf suspended from ceiling
So now I have moved my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer to under the oven, next to my kettle and toaster (note Celia – we love Breville appliances in our home)
© my kitchen counter
Dave’s espresso machine has been moved to where the Kitchen Aid was giving me a bit more space and, I can easily use the machine as it is at a better level for me.
© espesso machine
For my birthday in July I got a blue Le Creuset spoon. As my kitchen is red, I kept it aside until I could get it swapped out.
© le creuset spoon
I love cookie cutters and I use them often for making ravioli. Here are my new heart shaped ones:
© heart shape cookie cutters
in my fridge you will find the unusual ingredient of fresh milk – used to make lots of ice cream over December and January holidays.
© in my fridge
I found this lovely proverb which is so apt, as we eat a lot of fish.
© January's saying
Wishing you all an amazing February
Tandy
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My cup runneth over! Natalie, who blogs at What We Ate Today has awarded me
This is the fifth time I am getting this award and I really am grateful. I love reading Natalie’s blog to see what she had for her meals!
The conditions for this award are:
More trivial information about me: (and if I have repeated any, apologies)
For now, I am not passing this along. As I discover new blogs during the year I will do so! But I think the people on my blog roll are all so versatile, so please click the link on my tool bar and pick just one new blog to visit today – tell them Tandy sent you and maybe you will make a new friend
Tandy
I had already booked my flights to Johannesburg when I saw the notification that Alvin of Master Chef Australia fame would be cooking at the Good Food Studio at the Pick N Pay in Hurlingham. Straight away I contacted Cindy and we decided to do the Hands On Cooking experience. At the time of booking I was not aware that Alvin was here through the Good Food and Wine Show. As you might know, through them and DSTV I cooked with Jonathan Daddia earlier this year.
© cooking with alvin
We arrived early at the studio and were made welcome with a choice of coffee or tea – I had some rooibos before moving into the demonstration area where we watched Alvin prepare the two dishes we would be cooking ourselves. The room was not adequately prepped which is a pity as it distracted Alvin from his chat with us. He spoke about his experiences with food and his previous trip to South Africa and I made sure when I chatted with him I found out a bit more about him. He is amazing – friendly, open and a laugh. His food style is like mine – good ingredients and comfort meals.
© cindy and alvin
After the demonstration we were split into two groups – each kitchen can take 16 people and we cooked in pairs. Of course Cindy and I chose the only station prepped for one person – but they quickly got me an apron and we were on our way. I am so used to my very sharp knives and as usual, the knives at these studios are blunt. We also had to get someone to bring us tongs and go searching for a tin opener and we were missing ingredients.
© salad for drunken and bruised chicken
That aside, we had a great time cooking duck curry and bruised and drunken chicken – and Cindy and I enjoyed the curry we made afterwards for lunch with a glass of wine.
© green duck curry
I have no intention of entering Master Chef South Africa but was amazed at the fact that out of 32 people there 6 were entering. I know you have to prepare a cold meal for the interview and I was astounded that people were considering salads – that seems to plain in my opinion. A dessert or terrine seems the obvious and I think it is going to be the non obvious dishes that get a second glance. Alvin did say that they are interested in the person, which of course makes sense. It is a long hard slog – 12 weeks away from home and Alvin told me how much he missed his partner, and how many relationships have broken up after the show. I could never be away from Dave for that long – even the 5 nights this trip was long enough.
Tandy
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I am so blessed – Jen who blogs at Zestybeandog’s Blog has awarded me
award. Thank you so much for being a part of my blogging family
The conditions for this award are:
More trivial information about me: (and if I have repeated any, apologies)
I am passing the award on to the newest blogs in my blog roll:
Tandy
I wish for you all a 2012 that is full of your dreams and wishes, that your cup will always be full, and that you have all that you need. May it be a better year than 2011 and may it hold only joy. And even as I wish this for you, I wish it for myself. I know that there will be sad days in 2012 but I hope that they are few and far between. To start off my year, welcome to what was new in my kitchen in December. Santa visited me this year with a surprise package from Australia:
© secret santa
Dave and I were blessed with our love for each other and our hearts are full. I have a special dedication for Celia who blogs over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial - thank you for your enthusiasm in getting us all to show you a peep into our lives. I have been inspired by you to start my kitchen garden and to keep a record of what I buy. If you want to show us all a peep into your kitchen, please link back to Celia so that she can include you in her round up.
This photograph of my fridge was taken the day after Christmas – there are a lot of left overs and a few tomatoes on the right of the photo that I got from the farmers market. Moddergat Organic Farm have a market every Saturday morning at L’auberge De Paysan and it is really worth going to.
© in my fridge
and the saying on my chalk board for December:
© december quote
I gave John Faure, the winemaker at Vergenoegd a gift of a bottle of Adoro and in return I got a gift of their MCC – this lovely dry pink bubbly has a beer bottle top which is quite different to opening a cork. But the same sound emitted when Dave ‘popped’ it – and the bubbly has a beautiful floral note.
© vergenoegd little flower mcc
With the remodel of my cottage kitchen my one rack was moved. I have re-arranged all the bits and pieces and so I have some left over space for new things.
© my 'new' kitchen rack
I would like to say thank you to yuppiechef for the two knives I received from them this year – one at the Food Bloggers Indaba and the other after my participation in the Enkosi Cookathon.
© my knife collection
I am a bit of a knife collector and these are not all the knives I have – and I use all of them! So, I am sure you are all wondering what was in all those lovely wrapped presents – take a look here!
© my lovely gifts from yvette in australia
Despite all my good intentions the only recipe book writing I did was the introduction. But, I will dedicate time to this project as I want to get the book launched soon! Anyone who knows exactly how to create an e-book can please share the ‘secret’ with me.
Tandy
I want to thank each and every blogger who signed up for Secret Santa – even those I had to disappoint as they were the only bloggers in their country. I had a few bloggers pull out after the assignments were set and to this end I have to thank a friend for stepping in at the last minute to take part. Some bloggers who signed up failed to follow up – but, that is their loss.
The first blog post is from Blue Jellybeans from Spain. Having only two bloggers in Spain taking part, they were each other’s Secret Santa and you can read all about Chica Andaluza’s gift here. I was surprised as I did not put my name in the hat so to speak, but I did get a gift box, full of lovely goodies – take a look. Pretty Little Thing has showcased her gifts here. Sous Chef Secret Santa sent her some interesting products which you can see here. Mandy got a lovely bounty from Colleen. Teri, The Freshman Cook got an amazing gift from Bexx. Bexx’ Santa chose to stay secret, but you can see what she sent here. Usha received some treats and some seeds – take a look.
I will continue to edit this post as I see more blogs surfacing.
In the meantime I would like to wish each and everyone of my reader’s a blessed Christmas and / or Hannuka if you are celebrating. And whether you do or don’t celebrate, have a great December. We are on leave from work from the 15th of December until the 9th of January – and I am taking leave of blogland for that time as well. This is the time of the year I get to celebrate my wedding anniversary and do things that I don’t get to during the year, like write about our holiday we took in France this year April and May. I will also start work on my second recipe book and cook and bake up a storm. I will be back here with a post on the 28th however, so do come and take a look then.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly
Tandy
The lovely Celia, who blogs over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, has challenged us to share what is new in our kitchens – do pop on over to her blog if you want to take part in this. Welcome to what was new in my kitchen in November:
Starting off as usual with what was in my fridge – the first of the month happened to be the day after shopping day:
© in my fridge
Last month my friend Sue showed us her pantry cupboard – so I decided to add this to my collection. The cupboard pic was taken before Dave decided to redo my kitchen so next month you should see a lot of changes.
© my grocery cupboard
I bought a set of blackboard hearts to mark gifts with – one gift has gone to Cindy for a challenge.
© blackboard hearts
© cari
Each month I have been writing a new quote on the blackboard heart I received for my birthday in July - this was the October quote:
© october quote
and here is the November quote:
© november quote
We always have open red wine (for us), white wine (for cooking) and rosé wine (for a friend) and I always seem to need tops for the wine. We have a great vacuum sealer top for the red wine which sits on the table, but the wines in the fridge need something more secure. I have two of these rabbit wine sealers and can highly recommend them.
© rabbit wine and champagne sealer
Dave has decided to remodel part of my kitchen which meant reorganizing my shelves. The coffee tin he uses for his espresso is cracked and so I needed a new one. I also needed a tin to bake my panetonne in, so I chose this one:
© a tin for dave's espresso
I needed shrimp paste and could not find any in Somerset West. I went to meet my friend Sam for lunch and as I was early, I dropped in to Giovanni’s in Green Point to get some. The driving around Green Point was horrific, but the purchase of this one item was worth it.
© shrimp paste
I have one silpat and find it amazing, and so with my voucher from yuppiechef for the enkosi cookathon I got myself another one. I am planning on using it to roll out pasta dough for its first use.
© silpat
I also won this lovely Joseph Joseph measuring spoon – so fr it has only been used to hold my recipes on the fridge.
© joseph joseph measing spoon
part of the remodeling means putting my collection of Willies Chocolate on display. Maybe now I will remember to use it more often.
© willies chocolate
Cindy and I went to cook with Alvin, and I got this recipe book – it is dedicated to the both of us
© master chef australia
My sister has moved to Sydney and before she left I asked her to pick some bay leaves off her tree. I have never asked her before but they were great in the bobotie I made for her and this is the first time I have a bunch of fresh leaves to use.
© bay leaves
I do not have a windowsill in my kitchen but these have been purchased for use with food even though the grow packs are in my lounge. I have had great success with the basil which I opened first.
© kitchen garden
Have a great December everyone!
Tandy
I am away for a self imposed long weekend, and will be back tomorrow to catch up on comments and posts! I would like to say a big thank you to all the bloggers who have already indicated they want to take part in this gift giving. With just under 60 days to go, Secret Santa is nearly ready to be implemented for this Christmas. This is how it will work:
It would be great if we all put the widget on our blogs:
[<a href="http://tandysinclair.com" target="_blank"><img title="" src="http://tandysinclair.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/c2a9-secret-santa.jpg?w=150" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>]
Please add your email address to the comment section!
Tandy
