Author: Ali

The kitchen is potentially a crucible for learning *so* much more than how to create good food.
.
It’s tempting to collapse in a heap of ‘Why can’t I just…’ when things don’t go to plan, but the truth is that we can take every failure, every finger maceration, every ‘experiment’, every puddle of spilt milk and use it to as an opportunity to look at life, and ourselves, differently.
.
The prep for today’s Zoom fermented gingerbread bake up has been one of those opportunties for me. This picture might look perfect, but trust me, it’s not. It’s dry. It’s not spicy enough. It took 10 hours to rise!
.
Version two was too wet. Attempt three was much better. Number four (to be mixed when I stop typing this!) will hopefully be another improvement.
.
@kitchencounterculture, @zerowastechef, @elliemarkovitch and I will be sharing our creations and, as @kitchencounterculture puts it, ‘rethinking perfect’ out in the virtual world at 2pm CET today!
.
There’s still time to join us. The link is in my profile. If you haven’t mixed up a dough, don’t worry. Mix it now, or come along and prep yourself for being able to get it done before Christmas.

… Read More

There is an amazing spice shop in Florence. I went there to buy mace (macis in Italian) and came back with a lot of other goodies, including this sumac.
.
This is the first time I’ve ever worked with sumac and so far, I love it. I’ve put it in a mutton stew, in lentils and with some cavolo nero.
.
Do you like sumac? How do you use it?

… Read More

Magical home-roasted single-origin cacao doing a dance in some magical home-brewed ancient rye ale.
.
I use the word magical because drinking this (and using the left-overs from the brewing in pancakes and breads) does something to me that feels other-worldly. It’s not the alcohol (promise!)…there’s not much of that in it. It’s the connection; connection to the ingredients, the creation, the process and the sharing.
.
Truth is, I don’t need beer (or cacao) to do this. I can get that feeling with some parsley grown in a container in my garden.
.
Not that I’d give up the beer you understand… 🙂

… Read More

Bubbles made by milk kefir!
.
This is a starter made with 50% spelt flour and 50% milk kefir – I’m about to use it to make a bread.
.
I’ll be showing this bread, along with the mulled drink I make from my Scottish oat fermentation as part of @thefermentationschool Festive Feast live Zoom on Sunday. There are so many wonderful fermented recipes being demo-ed – if you are interested in an inspiring session to get you in mood and tooled up, you can check the ‘menu’ on their profile and still get a ticket by buying a course.
.
I’ve had lots of requests to write up the recipe. I’ll be posting it soon 🙂

… Read More

An idea is a beautiful thing.
.
But for me, the hardest thing with ideas is understanding which are mine to go forward with, and which are nice but not for me.
.
I have gone ahead with the ‘not for me’ ones many times; feeling squeezed in some way has made me take action when it’s not been right. I’ve tripped and fallen, often in big ways.
.
Close behind the ‘is it for me’ dilemma, has been developing the patience that helps me realise that ideas very rarely become fully fledged ‘things’ without a lot of persistence; the doing of little things over and over again and waiting.
.
This week’s @ancestralkitchenpodcast episode is a bit of an ideas-fest! Andrea and I talk about what both the podcast and our own lives have taught us this year, we share our most popular episodes of the year and we talk about what we’d like to happen in the podcast, our kitchens and our lives in 2022.
.
This is our last episode of 2021. If you’ve listened this year, thank you. If you’ve reached out – to comment, share, thank or review, thank you. Amazing that 20+ episodes, 14,000+ downloads and so many wonderful connections have come from just a little idea. It feels good; like this idea was meant for me to mention to @farmandhearth and for us to persist in taking forward!

… Read More

Mutton chops fried in home-rendered lard (both from @valledelsasso).
.
Lettuce and rosolaccio salad (both from Irene at #mercatointransizione) topped with a dressing made from chestnut vinegar, olive oil, mustard, honey, sumac and spent ginger from ginger beer.
.
Sourdough rye bread (get the recipe from my profile linktr.ee) spread with lard.
.
Together with a home-made ancient beer and some sauerkraut, this is the lunch I served my hubby today. He was happy 🙂

… Read More

When I saw a Christmas ‘fermented’ gingerbread dough being mixed up in October by @kitchencounterculture I *knew* I had to create-a-long! I combined local raw honey with my beloved spelt flour…the combo has been sitting in a cool spot in my apartment doing its thing since then.
.
I wasn’t the only one who wanted in – @elliemarkovitch and @zerowastechef mixed up some in their parts of the world and we are all very excited to dig out our super-charged doughs and make them into cookies in time for Christmas. We’re loosely following the fermented gingerbread recipe on King Sandor @sandorkraut’s website.
.
I don’t think I’ve had so many messages about a bake before – thank you to everyone who’s joining in. We’re planning a live Zoom bake-up on December 13th at 8am EST/2pm CET. Come see what each of us has made and mix your final doughs with us.
.
If you’d like to join us, send me a DM and I’ll make sure you get the Zoom details!
.
Thank you to @elliemarkovitch for the beautiful photos of her rye dough baking.

… Read More

Mixing another castagnaccio today.
.
It astounds me that such simple food (it’s chestnuts, water and oil) can be so attractive. And that a food that literally saved people from dying of starvation here in Italy can be so incredibly tasty.
.
That’s joy of cucina povera – the recipe lexicon that was born of necessity – it’s the collective ingenuity of thousands. Sustenance and deliciousness from what was around them, because they needed to.
.
I am blessed to be able to access food easily. And yet, every time I bake castagnaccio, I think back to those before me who took painful restrictions and with creativity, created beauty.
.
Amidst all the ridiculous food systems and marketing we swim in these days, this is the food and these are the people who need honouring.
.
It’ll soon be ready. I wish I could cut you a slice.

… Read More