Sunday, June 3, 2012

While I was buying new saucepans and browsing La Maison

....my amazing husband cooked up all this:

  • Butterflied barbecued leg of lamb 
  • Roast potatoes and two types of kumera with Herbs de Provence - my favourite herb mix from Herbie's Spices in Rozelle.  It has a mix of thyme, lavender, marjoramparsley, tarragon, celery seed and bay leaves and is so tasty.
  • Roast carrots with chickpeas, goat's cheese and pomegranate. This was amazing - recipe here
  • Steamed Broccoli


This was so delicious I have to share another photo. 
Mint from our garden on top.
 


and to top it off he had whipped up this:



A home made quince tarte tatin complete with hand made pastry.  This is from the Australian Women's Weekly Bake book. I have found an online recipe for you here. I think Phil's looks better than the one in the link!


He had invited his sisters around to share this feast so we had a lovely evening. and still a lot of left over food! 

He's a pretty good husband. I think I might just have to keep him around for a while....

So here's what I was doing while he was slaving all afternoon in the kitchen.

I bought a massive amount of KitchenAid saucepans. I have been eyeing off the All Clad saucepans for a few years but they are outrageously expensive and hard to find in Australia.  So I settled on the KitchenAid set. I wanted 18/10 stainless steel, riveted handles and glass lids so that narrows the field somewhat. These look amazing and have a very good reputation so I can't wait to use them.



I lashed out and bought a set that consists of a 1.9l covered saucepan, a 2.8l covered saucepan, a 5.7 covered stockpot, and a medium skillet and a large skillet. I also bought a little milk pan, a wok and a small omelette pan. I will have to chuck out my 23 year old saucepans that I bought when I first moved out of college at uni and are now almost dangerous to use the handles are that loose.

Yesterday I also had a browse at the La Maison annual warehouse sale that is held at the end of my street. Pretty handy, huh? Here are a sample of the deals you can get. I'll advertise it on my facebook page next year. I didn't buy anything but had a good sticky beak.  You'll have to excuse the crappy iPhone photos but I didn't want to whip out my DSLR.

Gorgeous studded 3 seater couch for $800. I very nearly bought this. God knows where we would put it, but it is lovely. And one of those beautiful chrome cage / basket pendants. I couldn't find a price on it but it would have been cheap.


Loads of hall tables for $220 each and desks for $380 (RRP$780). The black ottoman on top was $200.  I should have taken loads more photos as there was some beautiful book cases and a lovely white french desk that I would die to have but it already had a sold sticker on it. only $400....


This lovely french settee was only $900, I think. I should have taken notes on the prices. I thought I would remember everything but obviously I was a bit overwhelmed. And I love those chrome pendants hanging in the background. The ornate stamped tin baskets to the right of the settee ranged from $5 to $20.




Oak cross back chairs for $90 each ....and the very strict instructions on how you can buy. You have to find what you want, write down the number, go to the cashier after waiting in the extraordinarily long line and hope that someone in front of you hasn't bought it before you.


Gorgeous bedside tables for $200 each


loads of painted wooden "vintage" signs.


All these prices were heavily slashed and up to 80% off. So pretty good if you like reproduction furniture.


So who's coming to my house next year for breakfast before a walk up the street (all 200m) and a browse around this massive sale?  I'll get my hubby to make us breakfast!


I know I said I'd blog cake stalls today but I thought this was much more newsworthy.


cheers 
Fiona

4 comments:

  1. My husband is making lamb shanks in the slow cooker this afternoon, which we're having with sweet potato mash and green beans for dinner. The word yum, comes to mind :) I love that roasted carrots dish!! And he loves Herbies. My girlfriend sent us a spice mix box for Christmas last year, and so we had to stop in when we were home.

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    1. hi Cassie - lamb shanks are one of my husbands favourite also. Herbies is so good isnt it. i'm very lucky as it's about 500 metres from my house. I have a pantry full of spices and herbs. (and a garden full of fresh herbs also!)
      hope you think of home when you are eating your lamb but not getting homesick!
      cheers Fiona

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  2. Ooooh! Count me in for brekky & shopping with you next year! How amazing!! Marita x

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