While I managed to get no knitting done today, far too warm! It was the perfect day for a long cool glass of lemon cordial and a flick through all the Christmas editions of the food magazines.

Armed with Table, Good Taste and Delicious magazines accompanied by the Coles and Woolworths own mini-magazines, I have been a woman on a mission. Only thing left is to acquire Super Food Ideas, Family Circle and the Australian Womens Weekly and my once yearly buy of Donna Hay.

This might imply some weird obsessive passion for the impending silly season. But that's not it at all, I loath Christmas! The Grinch thought he hated it, but he has to fight for second place with old Ebenezer himself.

Don't get me wrong there are some things I really like, I love food and the potential for all the cooking that you can do it really is one of the few true feast days in our calender, I love Christmas carols - I have to have a new CD every year of anybody who's anyone singing the tried and true. Christmas movies! My favourite being with the Muppets, how can you not like the Muppets? At this time of year complete mayhem is such a sanity saver.

But in preparation for the big day on Sunday we made our Christmas pudding, it is a family tradition and something I have helped with for as long as I can remember. We always use my Great-Grandmother's recipe, which much to my amusement directs you to measure out a gill of brandy!

I also made a pavlova Sunday, I do love pavlova. That and cheesecake. I'm not sure how I feel about a pumpkin cheesecake though???

Next on the list however is a fruit cake, I think I might give Nigella's One Pan Christmas Cake as featured in the latest Delicious a go it sounds easy enough. And White Christmas! It will be the Apricot and Almond version again as I much prefer it to the mixed fruit varieties. I am keen to try a Rocky Road version as well.

So much news so little time!

Today was knitting coven day, not only did I take the back-to-front heel back, I restarted it and it is coming along nicely. I have high hopes for this sock.
Now the Curse seems to have been lifted off it I may (shock, gasp, horror!) make the second one upon the impending completion of the first one.

I had a flick through the latest Nigella book, Nigella's Express. I am very excited, so many good things. Which prompted me to revisit my what-I-have-made list from the previous books. While the list is short, it's all things I have made over and over again!

Only thing I haven't ever done is update with what I have made from Feast, I'll do that tomorrow.

But for starters:-
How To Eat
How To Be A Domestic Goddess
Nigella Bites
Forever Summer
Feast
Nigella Express

Granted the Express I have only started on because of the Times Online special to coincide with the start of the TV show in Britain. It's also started in America (and possibly Canada???) so there has been ample opportunity to see what everyone else has thought of the new series and book! And more importantly what they are all cooking!

But on the downside my beloved Matt Hardy has been living in interesting times recently. First he had the most amazing bruise (and less interesting a huge sticky plaster) where he cracked his head open. And I thought I wonder if there'll be a scar? I like scars....

Now he's been and had his appendix removed, after it ruptured and poisoned him - the human body is an amazing thing isn't it? In times of crisis you need something to keep you going, some sort of hope.
Something other than one of Nigella's chocolate recipes, and I'm going with he had to have surgery to remove it, so they had to cut him open, so surely it stands to reason there will be a scar???

It's a good thing knitting is so therapeutic, I won't have to dwell on it all too much. Now about that chocolate my cat? What have you done with it?

Crusty Demons will be here in March 2008!!!!!

What a day!

How awesome is this? Nigella's Feasts started tonight on the ABC! It's good to see her back on the ABC!!!

Today was like Bargain Day, I picked up the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 for $20 this morning! I have been waiting ages to get it, as much as I liked it I wouldn't pay $30 for it.

I also popped round to one of the local music stores I knew had Pink's first cd for $12 and I have been meaning to go back ever since I saw it. Well today I had the time, and I'm glad I did because I also got her 3rd cd for $12.

This afternoon I popped Pink into the cd player and sat down to read through the blogs. There is something very bolstering about Pink, really if were talking girl power, I think at least, Spice Girls eat your hearts out!

I haven't been able yet to find anyone else who saw the Sideshow on Saturday night yet! The girls from La La Parlour were all on and one of them did a solo performance and it was so good!
Anyway I've tracked it down thanks to YouTube, where would we be without it?
Here is La La Parlour's performance from Saturday for anyone who's interested.

Alas the week after next will be the final ever Sideshow, none this week because the Tally Room will be on - ye gods! Somebody save me!

As for my back-to-front heel on my beautiful and nearer to completion sock, I haven't been brave to take it back yet. Why? Why? This sock is cursed! What have I done to anger the knitting gods??? Clearly I have not sacrificed enough yarn to them!!!

While perusing today's paper I made the exciting catalog discovery! I love catalogs and some of the best only come in the paper.

Todays find was the Angus and Robertson one and has brought my attention to two books that have made it to the top of my Christmas List!

Dear Santa....

Ronnie by Ronnie Wood
Slash by Slash (& Anthony Bozza)

Please excuse the Amazon references but Angus and Robertson's site had no description of the books! Which I think is very poor.

Also caught my eye is Nigella Express has been released here at last! Mind you at the current price I will be watching all the catalogs like a hawk. I can remember when Feast came out and I managed to snag it for only $40 thanks to some serious catalog browsing.

and it always seems to happen to me, I have lost the ability to multi-task. While talkng and knitting, I have managed to start and merrily go on my way with the heel the wrong way out on my feather fan sock!

and for anyone who didn't see the Sideshow saturday Night, the Wau Wau Sisters did an amazing trapeze act backed by the Guns n' Roses Welcome to the Jungle! Very cool!

Happy Halloween!

It's here at last! I've had some full on weeks recently and I'm afraid I can't make time to squeeze in my themed food and pointy hat till probably next week.

There are a number of things that have managed to slip under the radar (out of sight, out of mind).
My mobile phone has been riding around in my handbag for at least a week and a half completly flat and needing to be charged. Finally remembered last night, got it out and put it on to charge.

Then preceded to forget to take it with me this morning, dropped a a full cup of water while out and had to locate someone so I could get it cleaned up. Spills can be a OHS hazard.

Then while recovering from this, I was looking at today's paper. New mayor, turned over a few pages. I had a sudden thought, flicked back to the front of the paper.
My minds eye instantly zooms to the "safe" place I put my ballot paper so I could sit down and read all the hype about everyone before voting.

Oh s***! Oh well I am a fan of the don't vote it only encourages the b*******! motto, but even still...maybe I should return the paper and the envelope anyway unfilled simply so somewhere somebody can account for me.

But upon returning home today, I had the pleasure of discovering I'm not the only absent minded person on the loose. While flicking through the phone checking missed calls and seeing what texts there were - hmmm, one of my knitting coven comtemporarys had texted me on Monday asking if there were costumes for our meeting on Tuesday since it was going to be Halloween.

Well. Since I wasn't there, I won't make any comment on what anyone actually turned up in.

But I hope you'll all remember to don your costumes for tonight boys and girls - or for some of us, just go out as normal!

One last question - Trick or Treat????

Through Hail, Sleet and Shine!

This afternoon, I am off to introduce myself to the regional manager of a local business chain, they will be in there central store some time this afternoon. That was as precise as the information got.

I figured I squeeze in lunch before going, because after all who knew how long I would be waiting? Which I'm glad I did, as it started to rain.
Having safely tucked away some of Nigella's Pea and Pesto Soup (absolutly divine!), we (Sandra D and I) are now awaiting Miss Stash to ring us and let us know what she's up to.
We debated about nipping into the store quickly and nipping back, but decided we would wait for Miss Stash's signal, thus making it only one trip out.

And now that it has started lashing down again, I'm wondering just what will I look like by the time I leave the safety of a car and before I reach the safety of the building? All this wind and rain, I like it. But not when I'm out trying to make an exemplery impression!

As for the soup mentiond earlier, I have just had a non-event recently for which I still got presents. One of which was a nice new blender. Very exciting prospect - and just in time for summer cocktails!
For which I might mention there are a number in the accompyning booklet. Along with soups, dips and thickshakes!

Nigella reccommends blending your soups as opposed to putting them through the processer as they come out smoother - and who am I to doubt her? So to road test this theroy I made her Pea and Pesto Soup and put it through the blender.
And it did come out smooth, but is this because it was blended or because apart from peas it's all mostly liquid???

To furthur study this I'm going to test run Nigella's Slime (Pea and Mozzerella) Soup and a really nice sounding Roast Pumpkin Soup from the booklet.

Do you know what I have to help me on with my cooking/knitting now???? Miss Stash gave me an iPod, yep the real deal. Not just any old MP3 player I'll have you know.
Now I'll have to knit a cosy for it!!!! Miss Stash said to me "Are you going to knit a naff cosy for it?"
Like she had to ask! Mine is going to have the naffest cosy out!

I'm already planning to knit a pair of iPod mittens for next winter and I must look out my Vogue Knit 1's as the first issue had a knitted armband thing for carrying it around in.

While I have a heap of cooking/wine/cocktail making podcasts to load on, I haven't got around to downloading any knitting ones yet because all the foodie ones took forever! I even have some Cook and The Chef - not whole episodes but little hints and tips bits. Like the Nigella Express ones were.

The Daft White Cat has very helpfully found a half finished sock he thinks it's about time I finished - Broadripple from Knitty. It's about half done and a very easy pattern to do. Maybe I should take the hint, lest he thinks it's been purposly abandoned as a play toy for him.

Something I must confess I have been lax in doing is checking the new knit mags online, which is probably why I am so late in seeing the new MagKnits - has anyone else had a look yet????

Bah!

We have not Adopted a Pirate! At times I'm not surprised the mainlanders think were all a bit backwards down here.
I'm begining to think it too.

I am very excited because it is October and months has become weeks, which will soon be days and then Halloween will be here! At last!
I am slightly envious for the Northern part of the world as it does exactly fall in the right place for a harvest festival, closing of the year, days getting shorter, boogelly things running loose!

Oh all right so boogelly things run loose here as well, but it's not quite got the same appeal to it.

Which is why I was excited and sad at the new Knitty pattern Jackyll and Hide. While I do agree it would be nifty for Halloween, it could be a tad warm here for it.

I hate daylight saving, so far it has done nothing for me except disrupt my sleeping habits. I go to bed, and the next morning not am I only still awake I am incredibly irritable! Curse who thought of daylight saving!

However I suspect these things can be smoothed over with a large Lemon, Lime and Bitters and some Nigella...Blood and Guts Potatoes anyone???

Avast ye land lubbers!

I've unearthed some buried treasure for your gain!

Paul McDermott doing a cover of Britney's Oops I Did It Again!

Something!

How exciting is this? My home town is contemplating adopting a pirate!

Yes splashed across the Saturday paper was the headline Adopt-a-Pirate! Of course I was excited, I thought I could actually adopt a pirate.

But no, we are considering becoming a friendship city to the Sea Shepherd Convservation group and their soon to be painted boat, which will set sail as the Jolly Roger!
It is the Sea Shepherds anti-whaling boat which they sail around in wreaking havoc on whaling ships in.

As you can surmise, I don't approve of whaling. If someone is taking a pro-active stance on it, other than saying how strongly they disapprove of it, then I for one am going to look on them more favourably.

Something that amuses me, Poland have an excess of blubber in storage, great warehouses full of frozen blubber, which they were hoping to onsell to the Japanese. The Japanese are no longer looking to buy blubber in, as they can meet their own demands now.
Seemingly for one reason or another blubber is not the delicacy it once was, and is something only the older generations of Japanese now enjoy eating.
Now what do we make of that boys and girls?

After my political activist rant is over we'll pass on the far more pleasent topic of knitting! I have picked a few choice things I want to make myself from the current Knitty.
Such as the very cool Entwined and Cherie Amour. And on my wish list, one day I will be able to lock myself away from a cat and all distractions and make, Muir.
And just because there cute and kind of kooky as well as spooky - Woodins!

Speaking of Kooky and Spooky and all together Ooky! It is after all October, Halloween will soon be here. And soon the 3rd season of the Addams Family will be out on dvd, I'm still waiting for the second season to come down in price. I do enjoy them, even after all this time.
As for The Munsters, well I didn't like them as much. It was funny, but they wern't the Addams.

I was watching Nigella making Blood and Guts Potatoes and Slime Soup and thinking how much I'd always liked the sound of them in her book, to actually see them has made them all the more tantalising.
Poor Miss Stash, "She's obsessed with peas!" she cries as we watch Nigella making yet something else that uses peas. I like to torment her and tell she's imagined all these dishes with peas. Miss Stash does not like peas.

As children we would do a deal, I would eat her peas if she would eat my fish fingers. It was a good arrangement.

Experment: Test 1

Tonight is Curry in a Hurry night, nobody else could get excited about Linguine with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Mushrooms.

I have heard a whisper that come October the book of Nigella Express will be available in New Zealand and will retail about NZ$95.00!

While I am hoping for a similar release date here, not too long to wait. What I am not hoping for is a similar price, I'd like a less price!

I have picke dup work on one of Ms Stashs abandoned projects all the talking at the knitting coven has caused a error that will need to be corrected. Arrggh!

Back with the Verdict! It all got eaten so that's probably a really good sign. Delicious but delicate curry, not too spicy for those who don't like it hot.

And I was reflecting on the supermarket visit I made this afternoon. It now yields up such Nigella needed delights as elderflower cordial, blood orange juice, jam setting (& marmalade setting) sugar and to my great excitement of discovering it this afternoon - '00' flour!!!!

However, I could only find pesto on the shelf in a jar, no tubs in the chiller section. And for some reason, there seemed to be a serious lack of frozen soy beans. I wonder why that could be???

Sunday sees the Saffron Roast lamb with Sticky Garlic Potatoes from Feast for Lunch. I'm looking forward to it, well to the potatoes at least. Roast Lamb is blah! I so would have taken that dinner date with Tom Cruise!!!!

It's Here! (Almost)

Today is the official first day for the British Times Online to start it's Nigella Express special. Already up is an interview with Nigella, a podcast of Nigella talking about why Nigella Express and not one, not two, not even three! But 12 recipies!

I am in food heaven, nearly all of the recpies are stuff I'd like to put on my to make list. I'm only uncertain about the smoked trout however....

And all can say is, I can not wait to get my hands on the book, which is available form the 6th this month in the UK, so I will be paying a visit to my local book store and see if they have a release date yet for here.

And on a side note, poking around the web, I found one of my other heroes. Mel Fyfe! Who I am unsure how many of you are familiar with her, she's the Circus Oz strongwoman. Well I found her most recent tv appearence I've seen and had to share it with you all!

Happy eating!

(And on a completly unrelated note, I just disovered my blogaversy date. August 24th! Well on this date just passed my blog was offically three years old! Same as the knitting coven!)

You've been Hoodwinked baby!

Surprise surprise, I have been indulging in one of my new fave movies (once I add Ghost Rider to the collection I'll have a new hankering), Hoodwinked!.

And it must have been all that talk about goodies, it prompted me to start flicking through my Nigella books and looking for something goodiefied. Then I had to check on what Mouthfuls of Heaven latest offering was....

The Coke-Cola cake was one of my first attempts from How To Be A Domestic Goddess. And it was divine! Fond memories came flooding back.

Actually what I was thinking of making was the Best Ever Cafe Scones, a recipe I kept from an issue of the Australian Women's Weekly (which comes out monthly!). Then there were Nigella's Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares, they could be a winner. Or just plain old chocolate cake!
Mmmmmmm!!!! Chocolate!!!!!

There must be something in the air, has spring sprung??? I've noticed a lot of bulbs out, blossom on trees, and this morning the Daft White Cat thought he was a kitten again.
Yes, what is the world coming to?

New series tonight with David Duchovny, will I watch it, well it is the first I think tonight. I might have to test it out. Maybe I'll feel like a kitten!

There's a new Nigella book!

A new Nigella book! Nigella Express, of which I understand there is a TV show to go with and will be broadcast by the BBC.

But the important question, when will it come here?????? But in the mean time, The Times Online will be having special downloads of Nigella giving recipe advice.

Bring me a sandwich board!

Thanks to Cindy, I now know the new AntiCraft is up, I have been a little distracted lately.

I have to make an end of days kit up, the zombies could be here any minute! To those of you who choose to mock and laugh, remember people laughed at Noah when he built his boat!

Be excellent!

Well I am sure many of you will have heard about Benoit the pro-wrestler by now, he got quite a size able article the other day in the paper.
He was (past tense and all) one of my faves. Alas no more!

The first episode of Dr Who tonight, I like the new girl, or shall I say I I like who I presume to be the new girl, a huge improvement on Rose aka the pop tart!

I finished Thud last night, a fabulous work! Truly fabulous! I know it said in the back blurb there was another new one coming, something about Post??? I must look it out.

It is a short one tonight I am afraid, I fear I am being chased by a chicken! (Sorry Thud reference, you'll have to read it to find out the answer!).

It's on!!!

Next Tuesday I am out to dinner, I have been waiting for this fo sooooo long. And it couldn't have come at a better time.
Chocolate Cremem Brulee here I come!!!
I will of course be accompanied by the usual suspects. And our weapons of choice, red wine and black fingernails....

Tonight I have a date with Terry Pratchett and his amazing ccast of characters. I am looking forward to it, I have not read Thud! before.

Ice! Ice! Ice Baby!

I'm so cold, I think I will do away with the fridge and just distribute items about my body in a special coat.

I have been in dire need of a hottie, alas Matt Hardy has been unavailable so I have had to settle for a hot water bottle.

Who else saw Torchwood? It was kind of slow to get off the ground, but Captain Jack! What can I say there is soemthing about certain Captain Jack's that are really appealing.

Alas I have not seen the third instalment of the Pirate Captain Jack, but I have discovered that I managed to miss seeing the third installment of Spiderman on the big screen. Very disappointing, however a tiny part of me is actually considering Nancy Drew. Yes, I do recall her from my misspent youth, not quite as promising as an Agatha Christie mystery but they were quite good.

I haven't knitted, I've cooked a lot, I find it much more satisfying. it was after all one of my first loves. I'm hoping to squeeze a little more baking in this weekend.

On the needles currently and pretty close to being done is a Critter from the Naughty Needles book, I should get back to it, they look like cute little owls in the book when complety finished.

Did anyone else suffer the horrendous fate of seeing the start of Pirate Master???? I was dubious about it, but decided I had better watch it before disregarding it. I lasted about half an hour and called it quits. It was too sad, way too sad!

Sharon was right, I so need a night out at Smokey Joes with a glass or two (or three!) of Merlot. Maybe week after next, I am due a day off so won't have to get up early. Yeah! I can hear those fajitas calling my name now!

What I am loving at the moment is Mouthfuls of Heavn that CIndy put me on to. So far I seen a lot of things I am keen to try and and a few things I have made myself!
Inspired by this I have been cooking a few things from Feast. The Somerset Rarebit and Potato Wedges, most recently. There is often a repeat of the Mushrooms on Toast!
Even Sandra D, who isn't overly fond fo Rarebit, devoured her entire piece on toast. We can put it on the list to have again.
I made the Potato Wedges to help fill the meal out since I had to make what was a supper dish for 2 go around 3 for a main meal. My father thinks they are the best potato wedges he has ever eaten. Out class the bought ones by far.
I have to admit they were beautiful! We had Kennebecs I think they were, I don't know if it was the potato, the spices or a combination that pushed them into divine territroy.

Next on the to try list is the Breakfast Biscuit (think American biscuit, not biscuit as we know it), you make them up, cut them out and then freeze them. You can then cook them straight away or pack them up in a freezer bag ready for another morning when you want to bake them. During the week, is a little full on I think for baking stuff, but on a Saturday morning when I am lurching about, muttering to myself, they would be a real goer.
This morning I got up to make a drink, I took it back to bed and read a book, quite happily passing the better half of the morning away. Incredibly decadent , but as Peter Cundall would say bloody marvelous!!!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

And it makes Suzi a dull girl, I need a holiday. A time to step back from everything and everyone and well and truly let my hair down.

I am awe inspired by the Reptilian from the latest MagKnits. About the only thing that really took my fancy this time.

I'm in need of some rock n' roll, some good comedy and some regular coke, no holding back the sugar this time around. If only!

Ohhhhherrrrrrrr!

If I could make that noise Lurch in the Adams Family made it would be perfect, because that is the kind of day I have been having.

We won't go into all the details, it was a tad stressfull the first time. But on the upside my new Emily the Strange tote bag was waiting at home for me! This is grand excitement! And my new knitting books arrived on Friday, Pretty in Punk and Charmed Knits. I am very pleased with both.
Something I used to be very partial to, before I moved into my all black wardrobe...was a bit of camoflage.

In Pretty in Punk they had some armwarmers, that laced up, the only thing I like better than armwarmers is armwarmers that lace up, and these were camoflage!
Be still my beating heart, I knew it was the kind of thing Miss Stash would appreiciate being a camoflage fanatc.
However I am very partial (clearly from watching too many Bond films) to the red star on a olive green background and to a particular style of hat (yes it would all hinge on the hat, I'll defect but only if you have hats I like...).

I need to look out some knitting to take to the coven tomorrow. What will it be? Whatever it is I had better get it out and do some work tonight, I have been neglecting my work, again!