The Other Side of Family Time at Casa TSL…

Tags

Autoimmune Protocol, Coeliac Disease, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Pancakes, Health, Sydney, Sydney for Kids

iPhone Pics at the Sydney Aquarium!
(Image by TSL)

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle star-dust over the lives of little children. (Alex Haley)

My Mum and Dad have a tradition.

tradition
noun tra·di·tion \trə-ˈdi-shən\
a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time

It’s a new-ish tradition in that it was born when my oldest nephew turned seven. His grandparents – my parents! – brought him across the ditch to Sydney for a visit with his aunts. And, the deal is that his siblings get to do the same thing when they are seven, too.

That was three years ago now.

This past week, it was my second nephew’s turn. It’s been a pretty action packed few days of doing things around Sydney that an almost-eight year old likes to do.

We’ve been to the Australian Museum where we made snakes, the Taronga Zoo where we patted a sea-lion and fed wallabies, the Sydney Aquarium where we saw sharks and dugongs, and – our mutual favourite – to the most fabulous performance about dinosaurs at the Dinosaur Zoo at the Sydney Opera House.

And, in addition to all of that there’s been swimming and baking and dog walking and lots of socialising.

So much fun!

Blue, my almost-eight nephew, has recently been diagnosed with Coeliac disease. Not much fun for anybody, let alone a little person. And, he’s been such a trooper about it.

But, at times it must feel like he’s permanently stuck looking at the world from the inside of a deep sea diver’s outfit…

Blue, the Deep Sea Diver
(Image by TSL)

It’s one thing for me, a fully formed adult, to suspect a gluten sensitivity and voluntarily give it up to see how I feel*. It’s quite another to be forced to adopt a weird diet at the age of seven, and have to audit every item of food that might pass your wee lips.

I had not appreciated quite how much of a challenge that could be for a little person.

It was easy at Casa TSL. We’ve been a gluten-free household – and more – for well over two years, now. It’s no big deal for me to make gluten-free everything.

Dining out ‘on the hop’ was entirely another matter…

And, little bodies need recharging. Often. And, sometimes the snacks that aunties (and Omis) provide just don’t quite cut it. There’s a desire for french fries (nope – oftener rolled in flour and cooked in the same oil as glutened snacks) or ice cream (nope – packaged ice creams usually have gluten) or sushi (nope – there’s gluten in the vinegar used to bind the rice)… I have a new-found respect for all those parents dealing with multiple food allergies.

But, we managed.

Blue and I made cherry choc-chip cookies free of eggs, gluten, grains and dairy. Want that recipe?

My coconut ice cream was a huge hit. And, when Blue requested a lemon flavoured version, a new recipe was born. Watch this space!

Raw cacao hot chocolate became a morning treat after breakfast. And, it transpires that gluten-free pancakes (I subbed out the agave for maple syrup) served with whipped coconut cream and strawberry coulis are a hit with young players!

So, we had a fab’ week of family time here at Casa TSL. Normal transmission will now resume…

* SO much better!

The Great Sydney AIP Picnic!

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, community, Diet, food, Health, Lifestyle, Sydney

The Three Amigos
Rory from The Paleo PI
Jo (me!) from This Sydney Life
Kirstie from The Nutritionista
(Image by TSL)

What do you get when you mix ten followers of the Autoimmune Protocol with five kids and three puppies in the Sydney Botanical Gardens on a Sunday afternoon in March? – The inaugural Sydney ‘AIP Supper Club’ Picnic!

After the success of our first ever Australian AIP Supper Club shindig last November; Rory (from The Paleo PI), Kirstie (from The Nutritionista) and I thought it would be a great idea to extend our group to fellow AIPers in the general Sydney vicinity.

We had no idea what to expect, but we put the call out over social media to join the three of us for our first extended AIP Picnic (and crossed our fingers that it wouldn’t rain)…

The invitation…

What can I tell you?

We had a blast!

Such a great time! I’m not sure about you, but I reckon’ its a pretty big call to turn up for a picnic with a bunch of people you’ve never met, and may have only ‘seen’ on the internet.

So – to those of you who took the plunge and came along to the picnic, we say…

Thank you!

It was so wonderful to meet fellow AIP peeps and swap war stories with others who get it, over food you know you can actually eat without the worry of experiencing a flare.

Picnicking AIP Style…
(Image by TSL)

Everybody brought a plate. And, we dined very well!

Kirstie’s AIP Celebration Chicken Salad rocked! Rory’s always popular Bacon Wrapped Dates made the trip up from Canberra with him. We had a lovely selection of meat balls, sweet potato and spinach patties and fruit.

Super special mention and a HUGE shout out must go to the lovely Alaena from Grazed and Enthused.  We had two recipes from Alaena’s fabulous blog featured at our picnic – Avocado Carob Fudge and Cranberry Relish Meatballs. Did you realise you’re so famous in Sydney, Alaena?

Wanna see what I took along…?

Cranberry Relish Meatballs
Recipe from Grazed and Enthused
Recommended by TSL!
(Image by LM for TSL)

AIP Gingerbread People
Recipe by Tyler over at Primitive Homemaker
Also recommended by TSL
(Image by LM for TSL)

Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend’s success. (Oscar Wilde)

It was heart warming to hear of the successes people are experiencing through implementing healthy and positive changes to their diets and lifestyles. And, for me, it reinforced that the choices I am making are definitely the right ones for my health.

Some of the Sydney AIP Picnic Gang
(Image by TSL)

We’ll be holding another picnic and will keep you posted. Do feel free to leave a message if you’d like to be included in the next invitation mail out.

We’d love to see you there!

 

The Inaugural Australian AIP Supper Club

Tags

AIP, AIP Dinner Club, AIP Sydney, Autoimmune Protocol, Healing through diet, Social Isolation, Sydney, The Nutritionista, The Paleo Approach Sydney, The PAleo PI

This is a big post for me. HUGE! I’m stepping out from behind my TSL cloak after almost 3 years of being vaguely anonymous in blog-land, and here I am! Nope, not the tall, glam’ one on the left – that’s the lovely Kirstie of The Nutritionista fame. And no, not the cute happy-looking dude on the right – that’s Rory from the very cool The Paleo PI blog. Me, I’m the one with dimples in the middle. TSL in the flesh!

On Saturday evening, the three of us got together for the inaugural Australian AIP Supper Club. (If you’d like to learn more about the Autoimmune Protocol, check out this post.)

It was kind of big deal, too. While we had communicated in cyber-world for some time, we had never actually met. And, it involved a plane trip for Rory, who hails from Canberra. Bless him – he carefully packed his homemade and AIP-compliant guacamole and crudités to travel interstate. That’s dedication!

This AIP caper has been life changing for all of us. But, it’s fair to say it’s not the most well-travelled path to choose.

Although, that is changing as awareness of how diet and lifestyle affect our health grows.

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. (Oprah Winfrey)

And, being committed to a regime like the Autoimmune Protocol can be a little socially isolating. It is almost impossible to dine out when in the strict elimination phase. And, it’s not uncommon for even the closest of friends to become (understandably) a little frustrated with the dietary restrictions.

So, that makes it all the more exciting when you become part of a tribe who understands the challenges you face.

We had a super evening sharing our knowledge and experiences. And by ‘we’, I also mean LM and Wayland, partner to Kirstie.

So much so, that if sleep wasn’t such a priority for all of us, we might have talked all night!

Kirstie – ‘the Nutritionista’, LM, Kirstie’s partner, Wayland and Rory – ‘the Paleo PI’ nearer the end of our inaugural AIP gab-fest!
(Image by TSL)

The idea for our supper club meet-up came directly from Sarah Ballantyne, the Paleo Mom herself. Sarah’s recently launched Paleo Approach Dinner Club e-book aims to address some of the feelings of isolation that are part and parcel of any elimination protocol.

And, if our wee group are anything to go by, it’s a fantastic concept.

There’s something quite lovely about being able to talk all things AIP with people who understand the challenges.

And, in case you’re wondering, here’s what we ate…

Rory made the flying Guacamole with crudités

Guacamole and crudités
(Recipe and Image from The Paleo Mom)

TSL made slow cooked pork with apple sauce and bone broth gravy, fennel, celery and pomegranate salad, kohlrabi ‘slaw, and roasted sweet potatoes (not shown)

Easy-Peasy Slow Cooked Pork Neck
(Recipe and Image from This Sydney Life)

Fennel, Celery, Apple and Pomegranate Salad
(Recipe and image from This Sydney Life)

Kohlrabi, Carrot & Apple ‘Slaw
(Recipe and image from This Sydney Life)

And, Kirstie whipped up some carob ganache served with mixed berries.

Carob Ganache with berries
(Recipe and image from the Paleo Mom)

We all agreed that this is the first of many get togethers.

If you are following the Autoimmune Protocol and live in Sydney or Canberra, and would like to join our next get together, please feel free to drop me a line via my contacts page.

Sculpture by the Sea – Bondi 2014

Tags

AIP, Art Walks, Autoimmune Protocol, Bondi Coastal Walk, Outdoors, Photo Montage, Sculpture by the Sea, Stress, Sydney, Sydney Culture

‘Wind Stone the Threshold of Consciousness’ by Koichi Ishino
(Image by TSL)

If you’re new to Sculpture by the Sea – it’s well worth a look-see if you’re visiting Sydney. It’s held every October/November along the gorgeous Bondi – Tamarama coastal walk. The natural beauty of the coastline is majestic in itself, but then with the addition of large-scale pieces of sculptural art – just wow!

Small admission: LM took me to Sculpture by the Sea on our first ever date together. It was a scorching hot Sydney day. The kind that we’ve been experiencing again lately. Temperatures well into the 30’s (that’s 90’s if you think in fahrenheit!) 

We now go every year together. It has become one of our ‘traditions’. And, of course the fluff-bucket joins us, too. It would feel really weird not to go.

We get up early and go before the crowds arrive. I’m not so great with crowds.

And, just in case you’re wondering how this post fits in with my autoimmune protocol regime, well – it slots right in there under managing stress, protecting my circadian rhythms, getting low-intensity activity AND improving my environment! Checking out the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition makes me happy.

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. (William James)

So, this year, LM took all the photos. He’s so much more patient than I about the increasing numbers of people who have the same idea as us – get up early to beat the crowds.

And so, without further ado, the annual TSL Sculpture by the Sea photo montage:

‘Big Man’ by Will Maggiore
Hot forged steel

‘Currawong’ by Lou Lambert
Hard woods, wire, rope, copper

Two Perspectives on ‘Crossing the Sky by Boat’ by Peter Tilley
Cast iron, corten Steel

A little perspective, like a little humour, goes a long way. (Allen Klein)

‘Sentinels’ by Julie Donnelly
Glass

‘Save Our Souls’ by Cave Urban
Bamboo, steel, rope, concrete, LED lights

Foreground: ‘Ring’ by Peter Lundberg
Cast bronze
Background: ‘Permanent Sunrise’ by Alejandro Propato
Steel pipes, nylon wire, steel wire

‘Ornithopter’ by Sam Deal
Found objects, recycled material

‘Sisyphus’ by George Andric
316 grade stainless steel

‘The Figure in the Landscape’ by John Petrie
Basalt

‘Men Playing with Birds’ by Wang Shugang
Painted bronze

‘Gift of the Rhinoceros’ by Mikaela Castledine
Polypropylene fibre, aluminium

‘Headrest’ by Michael Le Grand
Painted Steel

‘Evidence Based Research – Crossing the Line’ by Julie Collins & Derek John
Timber, Steel, Industrial polyurethane

‘Breaching’ by Michael Greve
Redgum, spotted gum

‘The Wanderer’ by Sean Henry
Bronze, exterior paint

‘House of Mirrors’ by Neon
Mirror, plywood, gabion cages

‘Look who’s here’ by Janaki Lele
Paper mach, sand, exterior varnish

‘M.140901’ by Toshio Iezumi
Float glass

‘Wind Stone the Threshold of Consciousness’ by Koichi Ishino
Marine grade stainless steel, granite

‘Wine Talk’ by Richard Tipping
Reflective tape on aluminium, galvanised steel poles
(All images by TSL)

The eighteenth annual exhibition of Sculpture by the Sea at Bondi runs until the 9 November. It’s free. And, highly recommended!

 

Fermentation 101 Workshop + a the Idea of Kindness

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Dieticians Association of Australia, Health, Kindness, Lacto-fermented food, Nutrition, Paleo, Sydney

If you look really carefully, you’ll even see Bella sneaking into the shot (top left!)

Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world. (Annie Lennox)

Life here at Casa TSL has been very health-focused for some time now. You could say that I’m eating, breathing and even sleeping health. I’m reading about health. I’m watching health-oriented programmes on the goggle-box. I’m learning about the politics of the food pyramid (pretty damning stuff). I’m even studying it.

And, during the course of all this ‘health questing’, there are two things I now know to be true.

1. We are all individuals. What is healthy for me, may not be healthy for you.

2. What we eat is a hugely contentious subject. Everybody has an opinion, and, more often than not, these opinions conflict.

I currently choose to follow the Autoimmune Protocol, a very strict Paleo-esque regime which eliminates all potentially inflammatory foods, in an effort to heal my gut. This is a personal choice made after much searching for answers to my health questions. There is no doubt that it is helping me.

I won’t be on eating this way forever. While there may be foods that I find cannot be introduced back into my diet (wheat!), I’m looking forward to being able to enjoy many, many food, not to mention beverage options (pinot noir, anyone?) in the not-too-distant-future.

And, I am convinced that by consuming the standard diet offered to us here in Australia, as in much of the Western world – overly processed, carbohydrate-heavy, convenience-based – was a key reason I got sick. There is increasing evidence that what we eat affects our health in much more dramatic ways than we ever imagined.

But here’s the kicker: It’s my choice to do this.

If you choose to eat differently, that’s your choice. I won’t judge you. I promise.

Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind. (Henry James)

Here in Australia, there has been a recent war of words between certain higher profile members of the Dietitians Association of Australia and a certain celebrity Paleo proponent.  It’s an emotionally charged subject. Clearly, I have an opinion, and it’s not too difficult to work out which side of the fence I sit on, but – here’s the thing – It’s been getting kind of personal.

And, I just don’t think that’s cricket!

Call me naïve – it wouldn’t be the first time – but, why can’t we just be a little kinder to each other and remember that everyone is entitled to their own view? Is it really that hard to respect individual differences? Or, better yet – be open to differences in opinion?

We, every single one of us, owe it to ourselves to work out what works for us. Nobody will ever care about my health more than me – not the Dieticians Association, not any high-profile nutritionist, and not any celebrity chef, either. And, the same can be said of you.

Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary.(J.M. Barrie)

And, now that I have all of that off my chest, one thing that does seem to be universally accepted is the health benefits of eating lacto-fermented vegetables. Everyone agrees that they are seriously good for you and should be included in a healthy diet.

I’ve written before (here) about the benefits of including fermented foods in your diet, but in a nutshell, fermentation preserves nutrients and beneficial bacteria, and assists your body in digesting carbohydrates.

According to the incredibly knowledgeable Sally Fallon, “The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.” (from Nourishing Traditions, page 89)

I’ve been making my own fermented vegetables for some time now. I love them (and so does LM). I have a spoonful or two with most meals.

Making your own fermented vegetables is easy, quick (in terms of preparation) and much, much cheaper than buying them from your local health food store. And, you get to ensure your vegetables are organic.

Preparing for Fermentation 101 Workshop at Casa TSL
(Image by TSL)

For some reason though, people can be a little hesitant to just dive in and make their own. Something about the fact that this is a ‘live process’. There’s bacteria involved!

So this weekend, I held the inaugural Fermented Vegetables 101 workshop at Casa TSL. I had three lovely guinea pigs students and we spent a couple of hours learning the rudiments of fermentation. Everyone went away with their own 1.5 kilo jar of ‘TSL Special House Kraut’ just waiting to ferment along with notes on the process, and I reckon it was a success!

N & A prepping their veggies for massaging…
(Image by TSL)

Let the massaging commence!
(Image by TSL)

On the left – TSL’s Special House Kraut two days into the fermentation process. On the right – the finished kraut ready for eating!
(Image by TSL)

I may just look at holding more workshops in the future. Do let me know if you have any interest?

Stumbling Across Planet of Surry Hills

Tags

Australia Made, craft, Cushions, Homewares, Interior design, Local Artisan Shopping, Shopping, Soft Furnishings, Softies, Surry Hills, Sustainable shopping, Sydney, Tara Badcock

Planet Showroom
(Image from here)

I think I got off on the wrong planet. Beam me up Scotty, there’s no rational life here. (Robert Anton Wilson)

Sometimes, I wonder what planet I have been on. Two or three of weeks ago, I was picking up some fabric from the lovely Tessuti for a wee haberdashery project I’m playing with. A couple of doors down, sits Planet – a most wonderful treasure trove of hand-crafted and sustainable furniture, ceramics, textiles and home-wares. And, it smells gorgeous! And, I never even knew it was there…

I struck up a conversation with the friendly assistant (I think she was from Michigan?) Turns out Planet has been around for over 20 years. Their philosophy is to make the world a more beautiful place. They aim to achieve this using natural fibres, handcrafting, sustainability, integrity and style.

It was such a lovely space – I could have pottered around for much longer…

Planet Dining Table & Chairs
(Image from here)

I ended up picking up a few 100% beeswax candles and three wee beautifully turned wooden holders. But, I’m going back because there are some lovely offerings that may be just the ticket for one or two Christmas pressies.

Here are a few that caught my eye:

Tara Badcock hand embroidered silk and leather purse
(Image from here)

Japanese vintage silk cushion
(Image from here)

Hand-knitted woollen cockatoo
Truly, the picture doesn’t do these gorgeous knitted toys justice.
(Image from here)

Herbal pantry pest repellant packs
Set of 3 sachets containing rosemary, cloves, wormwood and plant oils.
I think I want them for myself!
(Image from here)

Silk turkish ikat cushion
I don’t even like ikat, but I like this cushion!
(Image from here)

If you don’t reside in Sydney, Planet has a shopping cart on their website (here). Depending on size, they will send internationally, too.

Alternatively, pop in for a look-see. It’s definitely worth it. You can find them at 114 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.

 

Urban Walkabout Launch Their Pop Up for Christmas…

Tags

Accessories, Australia Design, Australia Made, Christmas Shopping, Homewares, Jewellery, Local Artisan Shopping, Melbourne, Online Shopping, Perth, Scarves, Softies, Sydney, Urban Walkabout

(Image from here)

So I rang up my local swimming baths. I said ‘Is that the local swimming baths?’ He said ‘It depends where you’re calling from. (Tim Vine)

There’s a great little group of passionate locals who established the very useful Urban Walkabout back in 2006.  They publish a series of free lifestyle guides featuring fashion, food and design destinations in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne.

Their printed guides are a great way for locals and visitors alike to discover the best places to eat, drink, shop and more within a given area.

Urban Walkabout say it best: “Our printed guides include an illustrated map and business images and reviews that help direct readers to a carefully curated selection of boutiques, local artisans, galleries, designers, cafes, bars and restaurants in each location.”

And, best of all – you can pick them up for free.

This year, for the first time, Urban Walkabout have launched a new online pop up shop.   It’s a curated collection of unique product from local producers in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth – and, I think they’ve got some very cool wares on offer.

Wanna’ see some of my favourites?

‘Clem’ The Herringbone Koala
Born and raised in Creswick, Victoria.
Clem is double stitched and lovingly constructed from offcuts salvaged from the local wool mill by the delightful toy maker, Robyn from Sillee Billee. He stands 23cm tall.
$40
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

Rosso Forte Scarf ‘Spremuta’
I love me a scarf… This one is a rustic still life of fruit and assorted produce laid out in preparation. Bold citrus colours are contrasted with light and dark accents. Billowy, lightweight washed silk. Designed and handmade in Italy. It measures 140cm x 160 cm. GORGEOUS!
$229.00
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

Baked Optimism Tin
Created by artist Tara Daniel, this tin of Baked Optimism contains exceptionally cheerful baked beans. You can never have too much optimism. Or too many baked beans. I know a girl who loves her baked beans…
Also available in ‘Sliced Pessimism’ variety.
$20
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

L’ascari Man Candle
Mancandle is for every man. They apparently allow any man to be able to enhance his space be it at work or at home by being able to customise the scent of his environment with one or a combination of up to four sophisticated fragrances.
With a 27 hour burn time they come beautifully presented in a glass amber jar (height 6.5cm) with screw top lid and packaged in a rigid sliding box.
Fragrances available:
Sawdust – cedar wood & sandalwood paired with patchouli & musk.
Open field – think freshly cut grass & green leaves teamed perfectly with Australian fauna. Fresh just doesn’t cover it!
Old oak tree – a deep earthy fragrance combining oak, woods, amber & citrus fruit. “Smells like a hot man” – as overheard in the Urban Walkabout office.
Espresso – dark roasted coffee beans
$29.00
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

InSync Roost Earrings
These earrings by InSync are made from hypoallergenic stainless steel plated with 22 carat yellow matte gold. Each set comes boxed with details about the artist.
Iris Saar Isaacs is a Melbourne based design studio. InSync design studio maintains an independent approach to contemporary jewellery, whilst marrying industrial methods and materials.
$100
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

Vintage Rubber Stamp Set from High Tea with Mrs Woo
Make your Christmas cards stand out this year! A great box set of vintage-style alphabet and number rubber stamps which make beautiful labels and gift tags. Buy them as a gift or use them to decorate your own. Includes a set of 20 blank gift tags.
Made in Korea (so not strictly local!). They make my ‘haberdashery’ tendencies go bananas!
$50
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

Paper Potter Kit With Heirloom Seed Packs
I adore this concept! A clever and everlasting tool for pressing biodegradable seedling pots with newspaper. When seedlings are ready, plant them complete with the pot into the ground to avoid disturbing the roots. This beautiful kit includes heirloom seeds of beetroot and cauliflower varieties and paper strips so you are ready to get started straight away! This potter makes approximately 6 x 4.5cm pots.
$38
(Image from Urban Walkabout)

Do go and check out all the offerings at the Urban Walkabout Pop Up here. Unfortunately, shipping is only available within Australia BUT, if you’re planning a visit to Sydney, Melbourne or Perth there’s also the free Urban Walkabout App which brings you a mobile version of the well-known and loved pocket-sized Urban Walkabout guides, to allow you to curate the city your way.

In Which TSL Makes Her Own Soda Syrup…

Tags

Groucho Marx, Homemade Soda, Natural Soda, New South Wales, Rhubarb, Six Barrel Soda Co., Soda Syrup, Strawberry, Summer Drink, Sydney, Syrup, Syrup Receipe

Rhubarb, Strawberry & Blood Orange Syrup TSL – Style
(Image by TSL)

Remember the Six Barrel Soda Co. post from a couple of days ago? The good people of Six Barrel Soda Co. actually touched based to let me know that it is possible to sample their wares in Sydney. Apparently, Nan’s Place is the trailblazer. So, if you’re after a tipple of Six Barrel Soda, get thee to Zetland! I may even see you there…

It did occur to me, after last week’s post on the subject, that I could actually make my own syrup for soda. I mean, how hard could it be? I did a bit of googling and discovered more than one actual recipe for celery soda.

Who would’ve thunk it?

But then, after reviewing all the feedback I received on just the idea of celery soda, I determined it was possibly a better idea to start my flavoured syrup journey with a slightly less ambitious flavour. Celery just doesn’t seem to hold universal appeal!

Well, Art is Art, isn’t it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.(Groucho Marx)

As it happens, rhubarb is in season for us at the moment here in the southern hemisphere. And, I am in the habit of stewing a batch of it every week – often with some strawberries – for LM to have on his granola (rather, Nutola) in the morning.

Logical then, that I use this as the base for my inaugural syrup.

And, whadda’ you know? Not only did it work, LM reckons it tastes just fab’! And, he still has the left over stewed fruit for his breakfast. Sometimes, I surprise even myself…

So, today I bring you TSL’s Rhubarb, Strawberry & Blood Orange Syrup…

Rhubarb, Strawberry & Blood Orange Syrup TSL – Style
(Image by TSL)

It’s easy-peasy. Here’s what I did. You’ll need…

1 x bunch of rhubarb
1 x punnet of strawberries
1 x blood orange
1 x cup sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 cup filtered water

1. Prepare the rhubarb by washing thoroughly. Top and tail each stalk. Chop into pieces (roughly 3cm) and throw into a medium pot.

2. Prepare strawberries by washing thoroughly. Remove hulls and chop each strawberry in half. Add these to the pot.

3. Juice the blood orange and add the juice to your pot. Add sugar and water as well.

4. Bring the covered pot to a boil. Lower temperature and gently simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and allow the stewed fruit to come to room temperature. Then place a clean cheesecloth over a sieve and strain. Pour the syrup into a bottle and refrigerate until needed.

6. The leftover fruit compote can be kept for eating over cereal, ice-cream or whatever you fancy!

Who knew it would be that easy?

Rhubarb, Strawberry & Blood Orange Syrup TSL – Style
(Image by TSL)

Oh – and, if you make my wee rhubarb, strawberry & blood orange syrup concoction, please let me know how it turns out?

Six Barrel Soda Co. Needs to Come to Sydney…

Tags

Artisan Design, Artisan Food, Celery, Drinks, Flavor, Hand Crafted, Little and Friday, Natural Soda, New Zealand, Sarsaparilla, Six Barrel Soda Co., Soda, Summer Drinks, Sydney, Traditionally Crafted Food, Wellington

Six Barrel Soda Co.
(Image by Blake Dunlop for Six Barrel Soda Co. from here)

Distance not only gives nostalgia, but perspective, and maybe objectivity.(Robert Morgan)

Not only do I really think the Six Barrel Soda Co. should be readily available to punters (like me!) here in Sydney-town, I would also like them to resurrect their feijoa flavour. There is quite possibly enough of a nostalgic Kiwi market here in Australia to justify a massive batch just for us…

Maybe I should start a petition…?

The good people of Six Barrel Soda Co. craft classic fountain-style sodas by hand using all natural ingredients. They are based in Wellington (that’s in New Zealand!) and they even have a factory café which is open 7 days.

Small problem. I live in Sydney. And when I checked out their website, I found I could buy from stockists all around New Zealand, and in New South Wales and Victoria. But, it would seem that the good cafe-owners of Sydney have yet to discover the genius that is Six Barrel Soda. Sigh.

Here are my favourite-sounding flavours currently available…

Celery Tonic by Six Barrel Soda Co.
NZ$19.50
(Image from here)

Six Barrel Soda Co. say that their celery tonic is made in the style of a classic new york city soda popular in jewish delicatessens. It apparently has the spice of lightly pressed celery seed and ginger, the crispness of cucumber, green apple and fresh celery and the freshness you should expect of great soda.

When LM and had a visit to Katz’s Deli, we were a little surprised to find that celery soda rocks! I really want me some Celery Soda…

Cherry & Pomegranate by Six Barrel Soda Co.
NZ$19.50
(Image from here)

According to the description, the Cherry & Pomegranate started out as a grenadine until more cherries were added and it became it’s own thing. Real cherries are combined with pomegranate molasses for a sweet tartness, orange blossom water for floral notes and organic cane sugar for a natural sweetness. YUM!

Sarsaparilla by Six Barrel Soda Co.
NZ$19.50
(Image from here)

The Sarsaparilla blurb made me think of my Dad. He would love this flavour, I think. Made in the style of a classic root beer with sarsaparilla root, star anise and juniper berries for floral and licorice notes, ginger for spice and caramelised sugar and molasses for the smoky sweetness.

Of course, he lives in Auckland and can wander down to Little and Friday in Newmarket if he wants a fix.

Hibiscus by Six Barrel Soda Co.
NZ$19.50
(image from here)

Hibiscus flavoured soda sounds so girly and feminine to me. And, apparently it is a floral plummy original number. Dried hibiscus flowers are used for a deep red colour and a rich floral and stone fruit flavour.

There are many more seasonal flavours available, too…

Of course, conveniently I can order Six Barrel Soda for international delivery online direct from Wellington (here, if you’re interested). It’s just that, at $10 per bottle delivery, it’s getting a teeny bit on the steep side. What I really, really want is a Sydney-based stockist…

3-D Art is All the Rage at (CTRL)(P) – Objects on Demand

Tags

3D printing, Art, Art exhibition, Art Museums, COTA, Courtesy of the Artist, Digital art, Marc Newson, Modern art, Museum of Art & Design, New York, Object Gallery, Printing, Sydney, Visual Arts

Opening Night at the (CTRL)(P) – Objects on Demand Design Lab and Pop Up
(Image by TSL)

The technology allows you to design an object in virtual space and transmit the data to another machine to ‘grow’ or ‘print’ that object in 3-D. (Marc Newson)

It seems that 3-D art is all the rage…

‘Them’ by Richard Dupont, Group of eight figures
Cast pigmented polyurethane
(Image from Galerie Maximillian)

In a recent NYTimes article, ‘Artists Take Up Digital Tools’, there was much talk of  the current ‘Out of Hand: Materializing the Post Digital‘ exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Apparently, in one section of the exhibition, devoted to demonstrations of 3-D printing and scanning, people can get full body scans and purchase miniatures of themselves in three sizes.

Sounds pretty cool, right?

Well, what if I told you you could get a 3-D miniature bust of yourself right here in little ol’ Sydney-town?

(CTRL)(P) 3-D Man
(Image from Object)

It’s true. You can.

In a collaboration with the very talented peeps from COTA (Courtesy of the Artist),  Object Gallery is currently fitted out with 9 3-D printers.

And, we are all invited to drop in and use the equipment, attend a workshop to learn how to print our own designs, listen to a talk, shop, or come along to one of the many events and take a 3-D photo of ourselves.

I went along to the opening on Tuesday night. And, I have to say, even a technologically challenged almost-Luddite like me was fascinated. IT IS SERIOUSLY COOL!

If you aren’t into having a wee bust of yourself, you can check out the jewellery by Cinnamon Lee, Cesar Cueva, Nancy Malik, Bin Dixon-Ward and more. These incredibly complex pieces are made out of a single piece of material and so light to wear.

3D Brooch by Bin Dixon-Ward on sale at (CTRL)(P)*
(Image by TSL)

3D Ring by Bin Dixon-Ward on sale at (CTRL)(P)*
(Image by TSL)

The exhibition runs at Object Gallery until 25 January, 2014. The gallery is located at 417 Bourke St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010. If you’d like to check out the workshops on offer, you can do that through the (CTRL)(P) website.

And, if you aren’t already familiar with the very talented peeps at COTA, they are well worth a visit. They run two galleries – one in Surry Hills and one in the Strand Arcade, featuring new works in contemporary art and design.

Incredibly knowledgable and helpful if you are searching for just the right contemporary piece, too. One of my favourite places to visit, especially if the lovely Nina is around.

* Images taken on my iPhone and really don’t do the pieces justice.