Summer | ramblingtart

Light, Life, and Homemade Spicy Maple Beer Mustard

by Krista | Jan 10, 2015 | Summer

“I’m sorry, Gemma. But we can’t live in the light all of the time.
You have to take whatever light you can hold into the dark with you.”
Libba Bray

It’s a beautifully peaceful and sunshiny Saturday morning. Animals are snoozing, wind is shushing softly through the trees, and I just tasted my first cold glass of the ginger beer I made this week. I couldn’t ask for a better start to our weekend.

It’s been good break for the holidays. Really good. There was time for hard work around the farm, fun projects in the kitchen, and quiet moments for reflection. There was a lot to reflect on.

2014 was an intense year, an often overwhelming mix of great difficulty coupled with startling moments of happiness. It felt like everything was an uphill battle, with illness and other critters clinging to our ankles to hold us back and slow us down. Bear and I reached the end of it feeling bedraggled in body and spirit, so happy to leave that year behind us and step forward into 2015 with renewed hope, purpose, and courage. Now and then we look at each other and just laugh, not sure how we got through the mayhem of 2014, but so glad we did.

I’m so grateful for fresh starts. I know there is little difference between December 31 and January 1, but somehow that tiny change brings with it a healing sense of closure coupled with the gift of possibility. It’s a lovely thing.

Earlier this week we were out working in the farmyard as the sun was setting. The light was sheer magic, golden and soft and luminous.

I stood there, soaking it in, filled with a deep sense of gratitude for the mountains and valleys we navigated in 2014. I’m so proud of us for choosing kindness, faithfulness, and hope over and over again, especially when it seemed futile. I’m so glad we kept trying and didn’t give up no matter what obstacles presented themselves. And I’m so thankful we were gentle and forgiving with ourselves when we messed up, particularly the big mess-ups. Sometimes self-recrimination can be the biggest obstacle to moving on with joy.

I really love the words from the quote above: “take whatever light you can hold into the dark with you.” It reminds me to keep building light into my life, those things that will stand me in good stead when the next storm inevitably arrives. “Light” for me looks like building habits of self-care, nurturing good relationships, and little things like filling my library with the books, movies, and music that strengthen me in the things I value most.

I’m not one for resolutions, simply because I can never seem to remember them, but I love Dream Lists. My friend Parker inspired me to write a Dream List this year, a list of things I want to experience, do, learn, create, etc. It was so much fun. There’s no pressure with a Dream List, no guilt if it’s not completed, it’s just there for inspiration.

Every time I read mine I can’t help but smile. It is a reflection of all the good things I’m building into my life. Jaunts I want to take with Bear, things I want to make/cook/invent, places I want to see, events I want to experience, projects I want to do around our farm. They range from the big – visit medieval castles in France with Bear – to the small – get a great haircut.

One of them was making mustard from scratch. I love a good mustard. Really love a good mustard. And I’ve been wanting to make my own for ages.

This week I did it. I did my research ahead of time, reading up on various techniques and ingredients, combinations and recipes, and then made my own version: Spicy Maple Beer Mustard. I admit I was nervous about how that combo would turn out, but in the end, I loved it. The heat is offset by the sweet of the maple syrup yet still gives a powerful kick in the end.

Mustard at its simplest is mustard seeds (or powder) soaked in liquid then either served smooth, grainy, or a mix of the two. You can use yellow, brown, or black mustard seeds, yellow being the mildest and black the hottest. If you want to retain the heat, use cold liquid, if you want a mellower mustard, use warm or hot. The soaking liquid can be anything from water or wine to beer or verijuice. Add a bit of vinegar to help the mustard retain its flavor. Once you have your basic mustard, you can go wild with additions such as fresh herbs, garlic, caramelized onion, spices, mustard powder, and sweeteners such as honey, molasses, or maple syrup.

I’ve now got two lovely pots of mustard in my kitchen, and one little dream with a big check mark beside it.

I’m so happy to be in this New Year, facing the unknown with all the light I can hold.

What little dream are you excited about this year? xo

Spicy Maple Beer Mustard

Ingredients:

1/3 cup mustard seeds (yellow, brown, or black)
2/3 cup cold beer (warm if you want a milder mustard)
1/2 tsp sea salt
a few grinds of black pepper
pinch of ground mace
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup real maple syrup

Directions:
Pour mustard seeds into medium size bowl and add beer. Cover and place in fridge overnight. (Mustard seeds will soften.)
Place all ingredients in food processor (or use mortar and pestle) and pulse until it reaches the consistency you like. Taste and season as necessary.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

A Hungarian Christmas and Bear’s Boozy Cherry Chocolate Cake

by Krista | Dec 25, 2014 | Summer

I grew up celebrating a Danish Christmas, and Bear grew up celebrating an Australian one, so it was a new experience for both of us when our friend Oma invited us to celebrate a Hungarian Christmas with her, Opa, their kids, grandkids, and assorted stragglers like us.

Most people wouldn’t dream of hosting a Christmas party in a still-being-built house with no walls, windows, or doors, but Oma isn’t most people. She is hospitable to her bones and didn’t give a second thought to the construction site that is currently her home. Instead she decorated steel support beams with tinsel and set up a Christmas tree against a backdrop of sheet rock and set tables end to end so we could all sit together and enjoy the stellar views that a wall-less house provides.

With the help of her daughter and granddaughters, Oma put on a magnificent feast featuring all sorts of deliciousness. The amazing part was that all of the food was cooked in a bbq or on a fiddly camp stove because Oma doesn’t have a proper kitchen yet.

Ann and Katelyn sauteed a massive pot of cabbage until limp, then simmered it with vinegar, salt, sugar, and caraway seeds for a scrumptious cabbage dish that tasted just as good cold as hot.

The enormous ham was so delish it didn’t make it out of the kitchen without nameless grandchildren pinching pieces off when Mum wasn’t looking.

In addition to the ham there was boned and stuffed turkey, tender roasted duck, and Red Emperor fish stuffed with lemon and roasted.

Numerous salads from Hungary were perfect for the sultry Summer day we were having. Liz and I chopped up piles of veggies for a do-it-yourself salad, Jess made creamy mayonnaise for an onion-y potato salad, and I sliced Oma’s garden-fresh cucumbers for this light and garlicky cucumber salad.

There were plenty of Hungarian desserts too, none of which I can remember the names for. But they included a cream cake made with sponge fingers soaked in Oma’s home-brewed Bailey’s, and two pastries, one stuffed with poppy seeds and the other with a sweet walnut filling. (update from Hungarian friends Zita and Liz – they’re called beigli :-))

Oma kept our glasses filled with her homemade plum wine, and we ended our feasting with cuppas, Christmas crackers, and gift-giving.

It was a beautiful Christmas thanks to the generosity of these two lovely folks.

Christmas Day was spent at home, just the two of us, and it was lovely. I made cheesy biscuits and gravy for brunch, and helped Bear make his Christmas cake: a two-layer dark chocolate confection, one a round cake studded with dark chocolate pieces and raisins soaked in Oma’s homemade rum, and the other a bundt cake with fresh cherries soaked in more rum. He set the bundt cake on top of the round, then filled the center with more boozy cherries and a mix of cream cheese, sour cream, maple syrup, and vanilla. A skiff of dark chocolate icing completed the cake. Delicious!

It’s been a wonderful Christmas thus far, and, starting tonight, I’m taking a two-week holiday to rest, spend time with my hubby and good friends, and get restored and refreshed for the year to come.

Wishing you a beautiful holiday season filled with treasured moments with people you love.

See you January 9, 2015!! xoxo

A Pre-Christmas Date

by Krista | Dec 23, 2014 | Summer

I’ve never gone into the Christmas holidays more unprepared than I am this year, and, oddly enough, I’ve never felt more peaceful.

Bear and I decided to give ourselves permission to have the most relaxed, laid back, no-expectations Christmas possible, and it has been truly wonderful. In the beginning it was difficult for me to accept that it really was OK to do nothing, a little bit, or as much as we were up for, but now I’m so very happy in the sure knowledge that it really is.

Today was the first day we both woke up wanting to be Christmasy and holiday-ish. No doubt due to finishing major projects and getting some long overdue rest. So off to town we went with big ol’ smiles on our faces.

We had so much fun lingering over breakfast and coffees, pottering about finding little treasures for ourselves and others, stopping in at all our favorite shops to see what we could find. We chose a Christmas tree – a cute little live Juniper that will be planted in the yard when the holidays are over – and stocked up on fresh bread rolls and mince pies at the bakery. Bear bought a ginormous ham that will feed us for WEEKS, and we picked up semi-dried tomatoes, grilled capsicum, marinated artichokes, cheeses, mustards, mussels, sardines, and all sorts of things for a humdinger of a smorgasbord. We had a grand time.

To celebrate the completion of projects and the return of some vim and vigor, we treated ourselves to an hour in our new favorite spot in our village of Allora, the Frog and Swallow Cafe, run by our friends, John and Jackie.

It’s a blissful spot, a cool and peaceful respite from the summer heat. We ordered cold drinks and our food, then sat down to luxuriate in uninterrupted reading. Bear sipped on iced coffee whilst perusing a car magazine, and I drank sparkling water and paged through an inspiring French cookbook.

Lunch arrived, and after one bite of the crispy cheese tuile atop my Cheese and Onion Tart I was a happy woman.

For dessert we sighed swooningly through bite after bite of Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with cream. Oh. My. Neither of us could think of a better or more delicious way to start off our holiday celebrations.

Now we’re back at home wrapping pressies, listening to Christmas music, and taking breaks to watch movies and take naps.

Wishing you a beautiful and relaxing holiday with people who make your heart happy. XO

Old Doors and a Book Giveaway (Closed)

by Krista | Dec 15, 2014 | Summer

This weekend Bear and I traveled to Fort Lytton (near Brisbne) for a meeting. We arrived an hour early, giving me time for a wander through the empty fort, exploring dark tunnels and cavernous rooms with beautiful views of the Brisbane River.

There’s something lovely about exploring an abandoned fort. It becomes a blank canvas for the imagination, fed by images and stories from the nearby museum.

I will show you more of this historic place next time, but today I wanted to focus on the wonderful old doors that guard entrances throughout the fort.

This red one is my favorite: the color, the shape, the wonky bits at the bottom. I think I need a red door on our house.

This weathered blue one is massive and sturdy, opening to admit guests who have traversed the bridge to enter Fort Lytton.

This is the most posh of the doors, looking stately and sombre against the aging brick.

I love the contrast between the old brick and the neatly painted door and window frame. Peering through the glass you see a spindle chair, just waiting for someone to sit down and rest awhile with a hot cuppa.

I’m focusing on doors today to set the mood for a special giveaway: one copy of my book “portals” which is filled with black and white images of old doors from around Europe.

To enter the giveaway, leave a message on this post, on Facebook, or via email – ramblingtart at gmail dot com telling me about a door that you’re especially fond of.

For an extra entry, share this link – https://www.ramblingtart.com/2014/12/15/old-doors-and-a-book-giveaway/ – on Facebook or Twitter and leave me another message telling me you’ve done so.

This giveaway will run until Friday, December 19 and is open to entrants worldwide. The winner will receive one copy of “portals.”

Wishing you a wonderful week! xo

PS – Click here if you would like to purchase a copy of your own.

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Giveaway is now closed. The winner is Val from More Than Burnt Toast. Congratulations! 🙂 Your book will ship to you shortly. xo

Sun, Storms, and Happiness

by Krista | Dec 11, 2014 | Summer

The sky continues to rumble with thunder and dance with lightning as one storm after another hurtles its way through our farm, saturating us with rain and turning our meadows into an unrecognizable maze of waterfalls, creeks, puddles, and ponds. It’s marvelous. We’re celebrating the glorious coolness with wine, pasta, and a Leverage marathon.

I’ve been working hard this week, catching up on writing projects that had to get set aside while I was sick. It’s such a wonderful thing to send off the last article tonight and get to sink down into my chair, wine glass in hand, sharing Belgian dark chocolate truffles with Bear.

I’ve also been wood-burning a lot, sending off a flurry of Christmas orders to England, Washington, D.C., and New South Wales. I’ve got a stack of audio books to keep me entertained as I work, and find it such a therapeutic activity to balance out hours at my computer keyboard.

Being self-employed and running the farm with Bear, there’s always something to do, but I’m renewing my efforts to make time for people no matter what. Yes, I need to meet deadlines and fulfill commitments, but that’s never an excuse to miss out on building relationships with people who make my heart happy.

I’m so excited to be done my work and have a few days to hang out with Bear and visit dear friends and get ready for Christmas.

Earlier this week we went hunting for our Christmas tree and even though we didn’t find one, we happily wandered through a nursery filled with gorgeousness. I’m completely smitten by artichoke flowers and am excited to grow my own.

And after seeing this stunning water lily, I’m more determined than ever to make a water feature in my secret garden. The secret garden is still in its infancy. We’re working on getting the ground prepared and collecting stones to outline the beds and make hidey-holes for the bright green frogs that live around here. I think it’s going to be something that we’ll potter at for many years, and I don’t mind one bit.

Now another storm is coming through and it’s definitely time for a cuppa before bed.

What are you looking forward to this weekend? xo

Summer on the Farm

by Krista | Dec 9, 2014 | Summer

The air is soft and warm this afternoon as storm clouds gather overhead and thunder rumbles in the distance. Bear and I are both recovering from round two or three of a flu that’s hit one friend after another, leaving us all exhausted, aching, dizzy, nauseous, and bedraggled, looking forward to days when we don’t want to crawl right back into bed the moment we get up.

I’m loving the stormy weather that arrived last week bringing gentle rains falling for a few minutes each day, keeping the countryside moist and green.

After spending yesterday resting, it was lovely to get out today and wander a bit in my gardens, plucking ripe blueberries, checking on the asparagus, inhaling the scent of fresh dill filling the veggie patch.

After most of my nasturtiums withered away in the drought and heat wave, a few stalwart fellows have come back, thriving in the rain and cooler temperatures.

The comfrey has come back as well, covered in tiny lavender bell flowers that look like they ought to make music when the wind blows.

Our ducklings have been moved out of their heated box to the yard, and they’re having a marvelous time splashing about and learning to nibble grass and catch flies.

I love watching them as they luxuriate in their new mud puddles, nibble on a dangling rope to see if it tastes any good, and cuddle close with each other at night to keep warm.

The San Marzano tomatoes are finally growing from tiny red bullets into fat, juicy fruits perfect for salads and snacking.

I haven’t done a blessed thing about Christmas yet. No decorations, no baking, and not a single present wrapped. But it’s OK. Sometimes life gets a bit muddled and you just have to let go and do what you can. Instead of going all out with decorations and traditions, we’re sticking to simple things that make us happy: movie marathons, reading of beloved books, regular naps, visits with dear friends, wood-burning while listening to audio stories, dark chocolate with afternoon tea, and eating as many fresh white peaches and plump apricots as we can. When we feel better again we’ll think about Christmas trees and fairy lights and all those lovely things.