Multi Colored Radishes

Radishes are super easy to grow. I pulled these two beauties out of my garden this morning to adorn my delicious fresh cos lettuce salad. Radishes only take a few weeks to grow, I grow some in the garden and some in growing troughs so I can always have a supply when I need them. Great to grow for children as they can almost see them growing in a manner of days!

I buy my radish seeds from Italian Seeds Pronto. They have red radishes and also a super multi coloured radish pack from which I grew these beauties.

About Italian Seeds Pronto 

They are a small-scale business who import and distribute within New Zealand the authentic vegetable and herb seed of Franchi Sementi dal 1783.

All the seeds are packed at Franchi in Bergamo, Northern Italy and not sent as bulk seed to New Zealand for re-packing. This is paramount in ensuring the integrity and purity of the Franchi brand is maintained.

The larger than normal stylish Franchi packets contain a very generous quantity of seed. In most cases more than 3 times that of many seed companies globally. This high seed quantity is normal for Europe. Most are double-sealed for freshness and the 3-year use by date ensures excellent value for money.All prices are GST inclusive.

Visit their website today as their seeds grow amazing plants.

Purple and White Radish

Super crunchy cos

The vege box with rocket, radishes and coriander

all ready for my salad!

Fragrant and delicious basil 

Cos, strawberries and rocket!

VIOLA!!! Le salade de maison - (salad of the house all home grown)

The gift of yoghurt

Yoghurt is just so easy to make! Whipped up a few litres tonight to share with friends. Check out the simple recipe on our website to make beautiful, thick creamy yoghurt. All you need is blue top milk, a saucepan, a couple of tablespoons of your favorite organic yoghurt and a couple of grains of yoghurt culture (optional)..... The result is delicious and your family will love it!

Spring is here!

Spring brings along with it a whole new dimension in home harvesting. Turning over fresh soil, planting summer vegetables, fruits and of course a richer milk supply for making cheese. The cows are back to feeding on pastures so the milk will return a better yield and therefore more cheese can be produced! It is a good time to start preparing some of the quicker maturing cheeses for our Christmas table.

Yesterday I prepared my favorite blue "Fourme d'Ambert" which is ready in a little over 6 weeks. This recipe can be found in our 200 Cheeses Book on our website, it is my cheese recipe bible!! Fourme d'Ambert is a rich creamy blue with a mild bite, just melts in your mouth. I will post pictures of its progress to keep checking back to see how it is going!

A little suggestion when placing your curds in your muslin lined cheese mould: place a baking cooling rack across your sink and then your muslin lined mould on top. You can then pour your curds straight into the mould in one quick action rather than spooning them in. If you wish to keep your whey then pop a collecting container underneath.

Don't forget to use your whey to make ricotta or use it to soak your chook feed in as it is high in protein and an excellent addition to their diet. My chooks love it!