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This is a wholegrain rye sourdough. I make one every week, along with my wholegrain spelt. My hubby eats the rye, it’s lower in gluten and suits him better. . Because it’s lower in gluten, the technique is quite different to my spelt loaves. In its simplest form, with a good starter, it pretty much looks after itself. . And horrah! The rye is local. Italy being a bread basket suits me ;-) . Anyone else love rye sourdough?

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This is a wholegrain rye sourdough. I make one every week, along with my wholegrain spelt. My hubby eats the rye, it’s lower in gluten and suits him better.
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Because it’s lower in gluten, the technique is quite different to my spelt loaves. In its simplest form, with a good starter, it pretty much looks after itself.
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And horrah! The rye is local. Italy being a bread basket suits me 😉
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Anyone else love rye sourdough?

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Watermelon rind ferment. I added garlic, coriander seeds, yellow mustard seeds and black pepper. Never done this before – thinking of cracking it open early next week, so I’ll let you know how it tastes! . I juiced most of the flesh. It’s sitting in a glass jar with water kefir grains now. Hoping I’ll have a fizzy pink kefir nectar soon. . I love summer in Italy :-)

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Watermelon rind ferment. I added garlic, coriander seeds, yellow mustard seeds and black pepper. Never done this before – thinking of cracking it open early next week, so I’ll let you know how it tastes!
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I juiced most of the flesh. It’s sitting in a glass jar with water kefir grains now. Hoping I’ll have a fizzy pink kefir nectar soon.
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I love summer in Italy 🙂

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How gorgeous is this picture? I have stove envy. A big ol’ part of me longs to me a Mamma in charge of this beauty, creating with it in my kitchen, knowing it inside out. . According to Darra Goldstein’s latest book on Russian cuisine (where this pic comes from), there’s a high ledge that I could cuddle up on in winter, it’d transform into a sauna, and of course, I could keep all my ferments warm as it cooled. . And I like her outfit too :-)

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How gorgeous is this picture? I have stove envy. A big ol’ part of me longs to me a Mamma in charge of this beauty, creating with it in my kitchen, knowing it inside out.
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According to Darra Goldstein’s latest book on Russian cuisine (where this pic comes from), there’s a high ledge that I could cuddle up on in winter, it’d transform into a sauna, and of course, I could keep all my ferments warm as it cooled.
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And I like her outfit too 🙂

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This is soppressata toscana. It is made with ‘waste’; the parts of a pig which, these days, most people don’t eat. It came to us from Francesca, who runs the organic farm up the hill with her husband. . It tastes delicious. . I adore the fact that I live in a place where nose-to-tail traditions are very much alive. . And I want to learn how to make this :-)

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This is soppressata toscana. It is made with ‘waste’; the parts of a pig which, these days, most people don’t eat. It came to us from Francesca, who runs the organic farm up the hill with her husband.
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It tastes delicious.
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I adore the fact that I live in a place where nose-to-tail traditions are very much alive.
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And I want to learn how to make this 🙂

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The crust. Is it the best bit? Or is it the place where the juicy topping meets the dough? Or maybe the crispy bottom?! . All of those places on the wholegrain spelt sourdough pizza I make are gooood. . What’s your favourite bit?

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The crust. Is it the best bit? Or is it the place where the juicy topping meets the dough? Or maybe the crispy bottom?!
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All of those places on the wholegrain spelt sourdough pizza I make are gooood.
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What’s your favourite bit?

… Read More

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Pancakes are my absolute favourite breakfast. I like them simple. Flour and water. I cook them in a cast iron pan. And then I top them most often with miso and a sprinkling of ground linseed – yet to come on this morning’s golden beauty, which is two-thirds einkorn and one-third chestnut flour. . Pancakes without eggs in cast iron can be so simple (and quick), providing you get two elements right: . 1 – Heat up the cast iron pan for longer than you think. I put mine on medium heat and then walk away and do something else for 6/7 minutes. . 2 – Use a lot of fat. To stop your house being full of smoke, use a high heat oil. Tallow is best. Lard is good. Ghee better than butter. And good olive oil works too – the high polyphenol count counters any potential oxidization. Don’t be afraid of using ample fat. . Pour the batter in. Spread it with the back of a spoon. Leave it till the top surface is no longer wet (it will change colour). Flip it. Leave it another 5 minutes. . Then slide onto your plate and top in whatever way you see fit.

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Pancakes are my absolute favourite breakfast. I like them simple. Flour and water. I cook them in a cast iron pan. And then I top them most often with miso and a sprinkling of ground linseed – yet to come on this morning’s golden beauty, which is two-thirds einkorn and one-third chestnut flour.
.
Pancakes without eggs in cast iron can be so simple (and quick), providing you get two elements right:
.
1 – Heat up the cast iron pan for longer than you think. I put mine on medium heat and then walk away and do something else for 6/7 minutes.
.
2 – Use a lot of fat. To stop your house being full of smoke, use a high heat oil. Tallow is best. Lard is good. Ghee better than butter. And good olive oil works too – the high polyphenol count counters any potential oxidization. Don’t be afraid of using ample fat.
.
Pour the batter in. Spread it with the back of a spoon. Leave it till the top surface is no longer wet (it will change colour). Flip it. Leave it another 5 minutes.
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Then slide onto your plate and top in whatever way you see fit.

… Read More
Italy

Where I Live

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I live in a town that nestles itself in the hills that surround Florence, in Tuscany, Italy. It’s lively and vibrant, yet verdancy and stillness are on all sides, so easily accessible. We often go for a walk on a … Read More

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Do you have a pestle and mortar? I used to have a huge one that I bought from a curiosity shop. Somewhere along the line it got lost and I often pine for it! . Now I have is this tiny one, inherited from my father-in-law. It’s simple, but does a good job. Here we have thyme, rosemary and oregano from the garden being pounded with olive oil and garlic. It’s going to be drizzled on a pizza :-) . Tell me about your pestle and mortar. Better still, send me a picture! Make me jealous. I wonder if there’s a hashtag #pestleandmortarlove …

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Do you have a pestle and mortar? I used to have a huge one that I bought from a curiosity shop. Somewhere along the line it got lost and I often pine for it!
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Now I have is this tiny one, inherited from my father-in-law. It’s simple, but does a good job. Here we have thyme, rosemary and oregano from the garden being pounded with olive oil and garlic. It’s going to be drizzled on a pizza 🙂
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Tell me about your pestle and mortar. Better still, send me a picture! Make me jealous. I wonder if there’s a hashtag #pestleandmortarlove …

… Read More

Instagram

Fermented barley and rye cakes baked in cabbage leaves. These are an #anccestralfood version of a recipe in the Russian cookbook ‘Beyond the North Wind’. I soaked the flours in #rawgoatmilk kefir overnight and then added in some melted ghee. Baked in a very hot oven, the cabbage crisps and the cakes are creamy and gorgeous.

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Fermented barley and rye cakes baked in cabbage leaves. These are an #anccestralfood version of a recipe in the Russian cookbook ‘Beyond the North Wind’. I soaked the flours in #rawgoatmilk kefir overnight and then added in some melted ghee. Baked in a very hot oven, the cabbage crisps and the cakes are creamy and gorgeous.

… Read More