Yesterday I cooked and cooked and cooked. I even packed my own apron and knives in preparation. Getting used to other peoples ovens is such a chore. My little helper wore his apron too and is the Bossy Breadcrumb Basher.
Today my daughter Sopsta flies in from Melbourne, (I just spoke to her – she is in a cab going to the airport), when she arrives the cooking begins in earnest. Over the last few days I have made a goodly amount of tomato sauce from local fresh tomatoes and garlic. Baked bread, for the crostini and breadcrumbs. On Friday we have about 30 people coming for dinner on site at the wedding farmhouse and I will be serving a vegan lasagna (made with butternut and sage) which I will make today so it can press overnight, a vegetarian lasagna (made with, aubergine, beans and basil) and a gluten free omnivores lasagna with Everything. (I have bought garden labels to stick into the dishes so everyone knows whats what!) We will make Huge local food salads. A quinoa salad, a green salad, a tomato and cucumber salad and a watermelon salad. My sister is bringing a pasture raised ham and I will be pulling loaf after loaf out of the ovens. That should keep us busy for a couple of days!
The main job tonight will be to complete The List!
I spoke to Our John yesterday and all is well on the farmy. The weather is still mild (thank goodness) hovering around freezing point and sometimes warmer. Jake has given everyone new straw and John closes the barn doors at night to keep out the worst of the drafts and Jake opens them in the morning to let in the sun. The chickens are laying and the kunekune are wandering the fields when they are not sleeping with cats. Boo is living the life in town with Nanny (where he cannot get into trouble unsupervised on a farm).
Jake just sent me a message that our new cow is coming sometime today. He is going to take some pictures for us. This is pretty exciting.
My daughter in law (from the wedding a couple of months ago) is sending me to the manicurist to have my nails done! Today! Oh lordy! Can you imagine? Miss c with painted nails.
Wellington, New Zealand is still a little cool. It is a Southerly wind (the cold wind in this hemisphere) so no swimming on the beach today! Might have fish and chips for Tea though.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on my travels,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
41 responses to “Pop Up- Up Date”
Oh my! You’ll be whipped… whupped?? something like that when you get done with all of this cooking!! What a comfort to hear from John that everything is coasting along, and the promise of forthcoming photos of the new cow!! Yippieeee!! It’s a good day, eh?
A good day !! most certainly.. c
Keep those painted nails until you get home, you must show them to Shelia.
She will oly want them! but I am sure she will choose a bright red! c
sounds like some delicious cooking Celi! can we run over for lunch!!! don’t forget to take plenty of pictures of the wedding! after you get home we need a post on just the wedding pictures from both of them. You’ll be very elegant on the wedding day ~ especially with beautiful nails! Non of the “farmy” kids at home will recognize you!! Enjoy your time!
I so want to be a fly on the wall in that kitchen! And then turn into a dinner guest at that meal. It sounds delicious!
Isn’t cooking with your family the most rewarding and enjoyable cooking? Notice I said WITH… not FOR….
Hey lovely lady .. I do hope you are having a great time. Gosh, I see that you now have a ‘sticky menu’ that tracks down as you scroll. Did you select that Celi? Lovely weather in Auckland … shame about the wind in Welly.
HI Julie, not even sure what a sticky menu is! But glad I have one.. c
Hey Celi .. A sticky menu is one that tracks down the page as you scroll, so it is always there
Thanks for the update, Celie. How nice to get news of the Farmy via Jake.
Love,
ViV
Hope you are having a wonderful time. Can’t wait to see all of your beautiful food and photos of the wedding! 🙂
Cats emit so much heat from their little bodies with the motors purring, the kunekune should be toasty. Exciting about the new cow! Also nice to hear the weather back home is mild.
All that cooking sounds like my kind of fun. I’m glad to hear that all is well on the farmy 😉
You would be in your element!.. c
Live Life!
I am drooling at the sound of all the food. I too want t see the nails and the style from the big day. Good news too from back home, may it stay calm and the new cow settle in for your homecoming. Happy memory building for the next few days.
oh yes granny, it is all about buidinng memories, for me and for the young ones.. a lovely way of looking at things!.. c
awesome, you are awesome!
Awe a real summer fresh tomato! That would be amazing right now! That sure warm the cold bones!
Sheila was right yesterday, all is well, and I’m so glad! Enjoy your beloved family, C.
Oh, you certainly have some photos to take: the feast, the family, the fingernails, and finally, the cow. Speaking of whom, what was her name again? Did she come with a name or were you going to choose one?
These old show cows often have official names, but I keep thinking of her as Lady Astor, we will have to check and see if she is a strong jawed girl! .. but I rather like it as a name .. c
If Lady Astor turns out to be a little too formal for her personality, you could still call her Nancy!