Hidden treasure

Oh boy, we are in the thick of it now. Today the kitchen sink was ripped out along with the last of the cabinetry and now the space is stripped to its bare bones. Butt naked except for a designer Italian piece in the corner. There is no going back now.

As Hugo was helping he pulled up a loose floor board that revealed a cavity under the house. Sadly there was no long forgotten treasure underneath, so we decided to leave a keepsake of our own.

On a piece of paper, written in purple pencil::

My name is Elsa and I'm 8 years old. I like cooking and drawing and sport! I live in this house with my dog Mabel and 5 chooks and my brother Hugo who is four and my mum and dad. We are fixing the kitchen. I own a restaurant*

This note, along with a few seashells, were put in a jar, carefully placed under the floorboards before Hugo hammered the board back into place. A coat of pavement paint to match the rest of the floor finished off the job.

A little message from Elsa, that perhaps someone will find in the future, when the next kitchen is installed. A hidden treasure.

* Elsa explained that when someone found this note in the future, she'd be a grown up and she would have her own restaurant by then. Sweet words.

Cooking and shooting

I've been super busy these past few days.

Working. On a dream job.

Shopping, testing recipes and cooking food to be photographed.

For a book. About food.

Written by a certain farmer. A gourmet one.

Delicious recipes beautifully shot by an ace photographer.

I wish I had more time to watch and learn.

But I was too busy cooking. No matter.

I did manage to snap a few quick shots.

The whole project was super fun.

S.U.P.E.R. F.U.N

Seaside

Back from our break at the shack with pictures to share.

Tasmanian beaches are so beautiful. Postcard perfect with pristine aqua waters and smooth white sand. It's rare to see another soul on the beach either. I guess that's the choice you make, warm water and sunny weather with crowds and overdevelopment or brave the chill and get the Bay of Fires to yourself.

As a family of hard core beachcombers, we are happy to take the latter.

The kitchen

Remember we ripped out half our kitchen a while back? Well there's been not much progress since. We still have no new kitchen and have been cooking in half a kitchen with a plug in hot plate for too long now. But gentle reader, I tell you we're close to finishing the finish line. So, so close.

I'm putting out in the blogosphere that the kitchen shall be ready in six weeks. Yes it will. We're putting it together on a wing and a prayer. Here's the plan.

I absolutely love this kitchen, from here. But the oven, butler sink and cabinetry are a snip out of our budget. What I will take is the layout of a kitchen running along one wall, the subway tiles with charcoal grout and the white painted floor (that we have already!)

Oh the apple of my eye. After much research, deliberation and shopping around, we've almost settled on one of these lovely Ilve cookers.

Unfitted stainless steel benches and shelves from here. We like the commercial benches, not only because they're cheaper than a flat-pak from the local hardware, but also in our eyes they look better and last far longer. And even I can put them together. (pic)

We'll be getting these hospital taps from here, I like the institutional stylin' and again so very durable.

This week the builder is coming to seal up an exterior door so we will have the wall ready to go. The sparky has already been to move some switches. Once the oven arrives, we'll call in the gas fitter. Then we can rip out what's left of the old kitchen and install the new sink. Hopefully (ahem) a small job for the plumber. Easy peasy. Then it's simply tile the back wall. Not sure if I'll do that myself. My neighbour J has just tiled two bathrooms and said she'd so me how. I'll give it a go.

Oh a new kitchen. Can't wait. And then yes, we'll be cookin' with the proverbial gas. Hooray!