The Garden

Because beans don't need to be boring »

January 3, 2012

Just picked from our kitchen garden, these beautiful beans are not only colourful but sweet, juicy and crunchy! The purple beans are called "Royal Burgundy". They are green on the inside but have more flavour than any green bean you will try.

The future winemakers have just devoured all the beans I just photographed. I could hear them fighting over the colours! What a great way to get children to eat vegetables!

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The green invasion »

December 31, 2011

I can remember someone once saying to me "you know you are living in the country, when you have to lock your car doors to stop people giving you zucchinis."

These prolific growers invade the garden every summer and supply us with an abundant crop for the restaurant and home. Like all our vegetables, our zucchinis are grown organically in large beds. They are so easy to grow but we give ours a boost by beautifully prepared soil enriched with our own compost. We also use some worm 'tea' supplied by a local biodynamic farmer. This helps to control mildew which zucchinis get on their leaves with too much wet weather.



We pick the zucchini blossoms daily; zucchinis seem to grow as you watch them. These beautiful flowers are always very popular on our menus.





Picking daily will ensure that you have a supply right through till autumn.



We grow a few different varieties of zucchini and squash including the Lebanese 'white' zucchinis and the beautiful yellow crookneck squash





There are lots of easy things to do with zucchinis. They are a favourite vegetable to grill on the BBQ. But with the abundance of produce we also have to preserve them into pickles and chutneys.

I love this chutney recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. He calls it

"Glutney"

You will need

• About 10 x 340 g jars (or enough jars to make about 3400 g of chutney)
  
• 1 kg of zucchinis diced
  
• 500 g onions diced
  
• 1 kg tomatoes (scalded, skinned and chopped)
  
• 1 kg apples, peeled and diced
  
• 500 g Sultanas
  
• 500 g brown sugar
  
• 750 mL white wine vinegar
  
• 1-3 tsp dried chilli flakes
  
• 1 tsp salt
  

and for the spice bag;

• 1 thumb size piece ginger
  
• 12 cloves
  
• 12 peppercorns
  
• 1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds
  
• a few blades of mace
  

Put all the fruit and vegetables into a large heavy based pan with the sultanas and sugar. Make the wine vinegar up to 1 L with water and add. Add the chilli flakes and salt.



Make up the spice bag by tying the ingredients into a square of muslin. Then push the spice bag into the middle of the pan.



Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to the boil. Allow to simmer, uncovered for 2-3 hours, stirring regularly to make sure it doesn't stick (you may add a little boiling water if it is drying out too much).

The chutney is ready when it is thick, rich and reduced. You can test by dragging a wooden spoon through it. If it parts to reveal the bottom of the pan it is ready. Pot it into sterilised jars (using plastic lids so the vinegar won't react).

It should then mature for 2 weeks or ideally 2 months before using.

Enjoy it with a 'ploughman's' plate of good crusty bread, some cheddar, leg ham and a glass of our merlot!

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The colours of Autumn »

May 5, 2011

It is such a beautiful time of year here in the Canberra District. Autumn brings cool crisp mornings, perfect days and glorious colour everywhere. In the evenings, the fireplace is lit and thousands of stars move across the clear night skies. I have put together a few of my favourite photos that show autumn in the garden and vineyard.


Our son when he was 2, strolling through the elm leaves in our garden


Autumn pumpkin harvest from the GRAZING kitchen garden


Tempranillo Vine at Kyeema Vineyard


Boston Ivy creeping on the stables wall


Autumn vine rows at Kyeema Vineyard. Tempranillo and Merlot


The elms at the bottom of the garden


Fruit trees in the restaurant kitchen gardens


Coral barked maples


Poplars lining the Yass River

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