In My Kitchen, March 2013

I haven’t done an ‘In My Kitchen’ post for a while because I have had nothing of interest to show you unless you’re interested in weevils flying around in the pantry and a stack of dishes in the sink and all over the benches because the dishwasher repairman is on his way – one day, last big update I mentioned was the new counter tops in my kitchen, I still love them! You can visit website for more details.

So it was with great excitement that a few days ago I answered a knock on the door and the lovely people at Agenda Selects had sent me a mystery box of hand-picked decadence.  So much more interesting than counting the number of moths that can fly out of a pantry when you open the cupboard door and again, so much more interesting than washing a load of dishes that was invisible to the young adults.

Agenda Selects is a new website.  From their website you can subscribe and have a box of delectable goodies delivered to your door as frequently as you desire.  Here’s what was in the mystery box Agenda Selects sent me:


Sami’s Kitchen nuts.

Sami's Kitchen Thyme and Sesame Nuts

Sami’s Kitchen Thyme and Sesame Nuts

These nuts were very welcome at the end of the day when we sat down with a glass of wine and needed something to nibble on.   Plenty of flavour in these and highly addictive.  I found my hand constantly reaching for the bowl.

Designer Foods Chilli Chocolate Dipping Sauce.

Chilli Chocolate Sauce

Chilli Chocolate Sauce

I haven’t tried this sauce but I’m really looking forward to it.  Apparently it is excellent when you dip fruits into it like pineapple, strawberries and melon and the hint of chilli is meant to be wonderful.

Cacao Salted Caramel Bar.

Cacao Salted Caramel

Cacao Salted Caramel

Salted caramel does seem to be enjoying an ever-increasing rise in popularity and I’m definitely on the band wagon.  This chocolate bar with its wafer centre was sensational and the perfect after-dinner snack.

Mixed Dried Fruit dipped in yoghurt and chocolate.

Dried Fruits dipped in chocolate and yoghurt

Dried Fruits dipped in chocolate and yoghurt

I love dried fruit and eat it often.  Not surprisingly, it is so much more enjoyable when dipped in chocolate and yoghurt.  I ate this after dinner one night congratulating myself on a healthy after-dinner snack of pears, apricots, prunes and apples.

Spring Hill Farm Rocky Road.

Gluten-Free Rocky Road

Gluten-Free Rocky Road

Who doesn’t love Rocky Road?  I’m a huge fan.  It not only tastes good, it looks pretty on the plate too.  This Rocky Road has the added bonus of being gluten-free.

No Worries Curries, Massaman Curry.

No Worries Curries Massaman Curry Paste

No Worries Curries Massaman Curry Paste

As you know, I love to cook Thai and curries so I was very happy to receive this spice.  I haven’t cooked with it yet but will one day this week.  Sydney is certainly giving us the weather for curries; we’ve had torrential rain for many weeks and the temperature has dropped.  It’s the perfect opportunity to be cooking warming comfort food like curries.

Farmer Jo Burnt Fig and Cinnamon Almond Muesli.

Farmer Jo's Toasted Muesli

Farmer Jo’s Toasted Muesli

There will be fights over this in the morning as the young adults charge into the kitchen and try to be first to grab what’s available for breakfast.  Packed with crunch, this is a muesli that’s full of flavour; there’s lots of nuts and fruit and the cinnamon adds a wonderful flavour to kick-start your day.

Perfect South Kukicha.

Perfect South Australia Grown Green Tea

Perfect South Australia Grown Green Tea

This is an Australian made green tea.  Green tea is so very good for you; it’s very soothing on the stomach and full of anti-oxidants and low in caffeine.  Drink green tea – it’s much better for you than gin.

Effervescent Fruit Juice.

All Natural Effervescent Fruit Juice

All Natural Effervescent Fruit Juice

This is a sparkling drink but not a soft drink.  Each can delivers one serve of fruit.  I loved this and wish I’d been delivered a palette’s worth.  This sparkling fruit juice avoids the sickly sweetness of fizzy drink yet gives you the fizz whilst also delivering beautiful flavours with no sickly after-taste.  I really enjoyed this sparkling guava juice and will be ordering more from this company because their product is wonderful.

The day after I received this beautiful mystery box of delectable delights there was another knock on the door and the people at Leggos had sent me a box of tomatoes on the vine.

Ardmona trust tomatoes

Leggo truss tomatoes

These would have to be the best presented tomatoes I’ve ever seen.  I’m going to roast these tomorrow morning sprinkled in sea salt with a little olive oil and serve them with poached eggs and crispy bacon.

I’m going to need a good breakfast like that because I’ve been asked to swim in a competition tomorrow.  Why me?  And as someone told me recently; ‘You’re not swim-fit’.  I’m dreading it.  I’ve only been asked to swim because they think I can.  I can’t even dive in without losing my goggles.  I feel a blog post coming on.  Stay tuned…if I survive I will tell you all about it.  And for now, I’ll just finish off those dried fruits dipped in chocolate and yoghurt and the salted caramel chocolate and the rocky road.  I absolutely must; it’s very necessary – I’ll be swimming in multiple races tomorrow.  (In the bloody cold and rain by the looks of it too – it will take me back to my childhood swimming lessons.  This blog post is definitely writing itself).

And that’s what I have going on in my kitchen this month.  A big thank you to Agenda Selects for the wonderful range of delectable delights.

If you would like to participate in the ‘In My Kitchen’ series, please link up with Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

 

 

 

Comments

  1. All that chocolate is killing me. Yum. Hope the weather improves for your swim.
    Carolyn

  2. Such a lucky duck! Everything looks really yummy. I’de like to see you get a photo of those weevils.

  3. How nice to get a surprise gift in the mail! Everything looks and sounds delicious. Good luck on the swimming competition. I think the dried fruit, salted chocolate, and rocky road will only enhance your skills. It can be your secret weapon! 😉

  4. What a very generous gift, I would thoroughly enjoy all the parts too, particularly the salted caramel chocolates and the rocky road. The chocolate chili dipping sauce would make an excellent mole sauce.
    What unfortunate weather you’re having Charlie; weren’t you also having ridiculously hot temperatures too? I find the rains quite depressing. It’s been rather grey with lots of snow, sleet and rain in these parts but thank god yesterday that bright yellow ball (what do they call it?) appeared and graced us with golden rays all day. I was instantly happy. Hope your weather turns around soon.

  5. All I get in the post is junk mail! What a lovely gift! A wonderful basket like that would brighten up any ones day. Everything looks so good. I am impressed that Australia grows tea! I’ve had Australian coffee and it was excellent.
    Good luck with your swim comp. I think someone’s been reading your swimming lesson posts!

    Nazneen xx

  6. Chili flavored chocolate and salted caramel are two of my favorite flavors.

  7. You had me at chili chocolate! That looks like a delectable selection and such a treat to have someone deliver things to you rather than the other way around 🙂 xx

  8. My favorites would have to be the Thyme and Sesame Nuts and Dried Fruits dipped in chocolate and yoghurt, oh and the tomatoes too.
    Put dry bay leaves in your kitchen cabinet, that will take care of the moth and weevil problem. It works for me.I also put dry bay leaves in my rice, dried beans, pasta, flour and dried mushrooms containers. Tie the leaves in some cheese cloth before putting in the flour container.

  9. Ugh, we had the weevils in our first house…what a nightmare! We ended up setting off some sort of pesticide bomb before we left on vacation (which I’m sure has been outlawed by the FDQ by now :/). Just thinking about them gives me the heebie-jeebies. Wow, what a magnifient array of treats! I think I’d dive into the nuts first with a cup of green tea…until my willpower waned and the salted caramel won out! Happy weekend! xo

  10. Wow! You are so lucky! I’m jealous!

  11. Oh Em Gee…those tomatoes are GORGEOUS!! And that Rocky Road is, too! I have made something similar, I think but we call it Church windows…it’s kind of like a fudge with mini colored marshmallows in it. Maybe it isn’t similar, but it looks like it might be?!?! 🙂

  12. Mmmm, there a quite a few delectable goodies there that I would quite happily swipe off your kitchen counter CL 🙂
    Weevils are a PAIN aren’t they. Try clove oil, that’s what I used a couple of years ago, when it seemed everything I opened there was a cheery tiny face waving at me. The smell deters them.

    Good luck with the swimming too, you’ll definitely need all of those goodies to get you through!

  13. What a delightful package of goodies. That bubbly juice looks delicious! Good Luck for your race! I’m sure you’ll do great!

  14. What a lovely mystery box! But the truth is slowly sinking in that I suspect I could eat very little of what was in it. How sad is that?
    I know all about the weevil problem. I pull everything out, throw away old stuff, clean thoroughly and yet the next time I open the cupboard, they still fly out at me, with grins on their face.
    Good luck in the swim race.

  15. WalMart is supposed to start that here,(yes; gourmet from WALMART,I know!).I am sorely tempted.Maybe I can squeak it out of the budget….

  16. Oooooooh…it all looks so good. Especially the chocolate sauce with chile.

  17. I am sorry but after seeing chilli chocolate sauce, the rest of this post was a little wasted on me… drool 😉
    Good luck in the swimming comp!

    Cheers
    CCU

  18. How exciting Charlie, I love a good surprise! The web site looked fun, but I’d be worried about the designer Jock box, as I know some guys who would wear the one pair until the next months delivery 🙂
    I only buy Ardmona tinned tomatoes, they have such great variety and delicious AUSTRALIAN produce!

  19. What an interesting idea. I love the idea of getting a mystery box once a month. That salted caramel would have gone down nicely here too. Looking forward to seeing what you think of the curry. I met them at the food and wine show last year but I didn’t try anything from them.

  20. Really great products! The chili chocolate sauce looks like something I would love 🙂

  21. Aaaah! I was just thinking that I was craving Maggie Beer’s Burnt Fig ice cream, and now you show me burnt fig muesli? WANT!

  22. Thanks for posting! I love that website. It’s going to be fun to buy gifts for so many people!

  23. Interesting range of stuff, especially if you’re out of time and want to buy these items!

  24. If I may put a fairly experienced opinion making it quite clear there has never ever been a financial consideration: I began buying ‘Sami’s Kitchen’ stuff after winning some off NQN quite awhile ago! Shall we say I am still buying and I am still using and I am very happy with spice mixes which taste as if I had made them in my own kitchen!!

  25. What a fantastic box! And indeed, what a fantastic idea. A lot of these products I’ve never see in supermarkets but they all sound wonderful.

  26. Now that is one delivery I’d love to receive. So many delights, so little time. This would make a great gift for foodie friends.
    Good luck in the competition. I’m sure you’l do fine, with or without your goggles.

  27. How was the swim!!?? Blog all, please do. A curry would be just the thing afterrwards. Love the treats.

  28. Wow…I’d like to have wonderful boxes like that show up at my front door. Everything in your kitchen sounds great…except the dirty dishes, that is.

  29. My goodness, that was quite the box of goodies! The salted caramel really caught my eye, but it all looks delightful. Look forward to seeing what you’ll do with the Chili Chocolate Sauce. 🙂

  30. Wow, you scored some really good stuff! Lucky you! Love all the goodies. And I’m looking forward to your post about the swim competition – I’m sure it will be a good one!

  31. I hope the swimming competition goes well. With all of that delicious food to fuel you, you should be at top speed. Gosh, I wish there would be a knock on my door with such a wonderful gift delivery.

  32. How yummy! I want to try those salted caramel chocolates *drool*

  33. Charlie, what a great box of goodies! Hope your swimming competition went well (I read your post on your childhood swimming lesson memories — didn’t comment, sorry… I was aghast at your constant hypothermia and ruthless coach!) If not, there’s a plethora of culinary consolation at your fingertips, hallelujah! Smiling, too, about those “invisible” stacks of dishes. 🙂 Hope your dishwasher repairman shows up soon.

  34. It’s always nice to see what is in other’s kitchens 🙂

  35. Can we swap kitchens please?! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the green tea and all of the other goodies 🙂

  36. I want to be in your kitchen. Weevil free. I’ve been keeping most everything in the freezer and I’m sick of it.

  37. What a lovely surprise for u! Can all of us squeeze into your kitchen?? Hahaha! Lovely post! xoxo

  38. Agenda Selects sounds like a wonderful service! I’ve never heard of anything quite like it. They certainly sent some wonderful things your way this time! I am really curious to learn more about your swimming competition. Wow! That’s even more impressive than the box of goodies, Charlie! I am sure you’ll survive, so I’ll look forward to the blog post! 🙂

  39. That service sounds dangerously easy. It may require further study.

  40. What a lovely delivery – lots of yummiliciousness happening in your kitchen.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  41. So many delicious treats! That salted caramel chocolate looks divine and those tomatoes look sooo gorgeous 🙂

  42. I want your delivery person to come to my house! What great treats to get in the mail! I’m definitely ready for some of those fresh tomatoes!

  43. There is a lot happening in your kitchen this month! I love the look of that chili chocolate suace a lot & that cacao slated caramel bar is caliing my name & my mouth too! 🙂 Yummm!

  44. What a wonderful surprise that box! Lucky girl! 😉

  45. Wow, what treats, Charlie! I’m sorry I missed this post earlier – it didn’t come up on my email reader for some reason. The sesame coated nuts are intriguing – they look a little like miniature pine cones! And the tomatoes look divine.. 🙂

  46. I use to subscribe to this Utaste box and after receiving it for a couple of months I find the food that they’re providing is starting to repeat 🙁 But nonetheless a great idea and is fun to receive in the mail 🙂

  47. Don’t you just love a box full of delicious artisan food hand picked and delivered to your door! I recently became a subscriber to Crave Good Food and let me tell you there are no repeat products in their monthly boxes. Love this concept and a must try for all the foodies out there.

  48. Love the goodies in your kitchen – especially the chilli chocolate dipping sauce!

  49. Those delivery men can knock on my door any day:)

  50. What a great box! I love the idea, how lucky you are. Thanks for sharing and I’d bet the chocolate dipping sauce will be fantastic!

  51. That is a lot of goodies. I’m envy, and drooling…and totally amazing with the selections. I’m going to check out their site right after I’m done typing this message. 🙂

    Oh…and those are some amazing tomatoes. Roasting them sounds yummy…with bacon and poached eggs….divine!

  52. What goodies. Lucky you!

  53. I love this series! So happy to see Australian green tea! Yes, it’s good for you and I’m drinking one right now. 🙂

  54. mmmmmm salted caramel chocolate. You should check out this company’s website Charlie for some crazy but good chocolates. http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/

  55. Aren’t you lucky!?! How fun to get to taste-test all that stuff. Love it. I just wish i lived in Australia so I could buy them!

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