In a Pickle...

   Tawnee

It has been a busy week…not that other weeks have not been busy but this week has been immensely busy: Custom orders, all nighters (I guess you can call staying up spinning til 5am an all nighter..lol) and visiting customers to deliver goodies and talk about new exciting plans and ideas. Very Inspiring and ofcourse meaning..yes you guessed right….more..eh…. busyness …lol By the way, when you have a chance to visit Sassafras in Victoria, please make sure to visit Little Chips Handcrafts at 372 Mt Dandenong Tourist road:A truly magical shop ! (link:www.facebook.com/LittleChipsHandcrafts )

The veggie garden is in full bloom and production ! That means lots of watering, weeding, topping and harvesting..and ofcourse you cannot eat everything, not even the with the help of all our bunnies ! so, preserving and pickling and canning is in order ! That means a lot of work as well with sterilising jars and making sure that the harvest is ready for the winter ahead.

Here are some photos of our raised beds in our veggie plot:

  And ofcourse there are bunnies there as well ..lol

 

   

Pumpkins and tomatoes making a good team

 All netted up hopefully protecting the brassicas

 bunny food

   Runner beans climbing up the Sun flower !

 

So, there was lots of harvesting being done this week (as well as working hard on grooming, dyeing, and preparing everything for all the club memberships to be sent out next week !!)

I thought it would be nice to share my recipes with you just in case you would like to make your own pickles or piccalilli !

 A yummy bite of piccalilli

Pickles !

For the huge amount of Cucumber harvest !

You can put anything in there really: its fun and very tasty and keeps for a year at least !

Ingredients:
* 2kg washed, peeled vegetables - select 5 or 6 from the following: cauliflower or romanesco cauliflower, radish, green beans, cucumbers, courgettes, green or yellow tomatoes, tomatilloes, carrots, small silver-skinned onions or shallots, peppers, nasturtium seed pods
* 100g fine sea salt
* 60g cornflour
* 20g ground turmeric
* 20g English mustard powder
* 20g ground ginger
* 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
* 2 tsp crushed cumin seeds
* 2 tsp crushed coriander seeds
* 1.2 litres cider vinegar
* 300g granulated sugar
* 100g honey

Directions:
1. Cut the veg into small, even, bite-sized pieces. Place in a large colander over a bowl, and sprinkle with the salt. Mix well, cover with a tea towel and leave in a cool place for 24 hours, then rinse the veg with ice-cold water and drain thoroughly.
2. Blend the cornflour, turmeric, mustard powder, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin and coriander to a smooth paste with a little of the vinegar. Put the rest of the vinegar into a saucepan with the sugar and honey and bring to the boil. Pour a little of the hot vinegar over the blended spice paste, stir well and return to the pan. Bring gently to the boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes to allow the spices to release their flavours into the thickening sauce.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully fold the well-drained vegetables into the hot, spicy sauce. Pack the pickle into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately with vinegar-proof lids. Leave for about 6 weeks before opening. Use within a year.

   Nom Nom Piccalilly Jars

And if you don’t have any cucumbers…you can still make a cucumberless piccalilli  that is also awesome !!!

Let it mellow in a dark cool cupboard for at least 1 month before eating.  Pile it onto your plate with a  cheese platter or put it on your sandwiches with a generous dollop.

Ingredients:
½ large cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 bulbs fennel, cut into small chunks
4 red chillies, seeds still in, finely sliced
2 green chillies, seeds still in,
finely sliced 200 g fine green beans, chopped into short lengths
150 g runner beans, cut into short lengths
300 g shallots, cut into eighths
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 handfuls fine sea salt
2 tablespoons mustard oil
2 heaped tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons turmeric
1 nutmeg, grated
2 tablespoons English mustard powder
4 tablespoons flour
500 ml white wine vinegar
2 apples
grated 2 mangoes, peeled, stoned and roughly chopped
6 tablespoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons dried oregano
4 bay leaves

Method

Put all the vegetables in a bowl, add the salt and enough water to cover. Leave in a cool place for about 1 hour.

Heat a saucepan big enough to hold all the vegetables. Add the mustard oil to the pan, then fry the mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric and nutmeg for a moment. Lower the heat, add the mustard powder, flour and a splash of vinegar. Stir well to make a thick paste. Gradually add the remaining vinegar and 100ml water, stirring all the time to make a smooth paste. Add the apples, mangoes, sugar, garlic, oregano and bay leaves.
Cook for 2–3 minutes.
Drain the salted vegetables and add them to the pan, stirring well to coat with the spicy paste. Cook for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables have just softened and started to release some juice. Spoon into sterilized jars and close the lids tightly.

 

This week on the fibre front there is one of my blends that I am very proud of: its all Australian, sustainable and organic: The Happy Tiger Bunny Tops ! Super fine merino, angora, llama, alpaca, suri , silk and the amazing Hemp !

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if you have any questions okay? Always happy to enable. All my contact details are to be found at the end of this weeks blog entry. Have fun !!!

 

IxCHeL Happy Tiger Bunny Tops

A supersoft organic all Australian Top, an exclusive to the IxCHeL Fibre Farm!
Organic Superfine Merino, angora, hemp, llama, alpaca, suri  silk

100+grams (+/-3.5Oz); AU$24

 

Jamies Retreat-sold-

 

Hot Springs-sold-

Alice -sold-

 

Dreamworld-sold-

Pumpkin Juice Hangover -sold-

 

St Patricks Day Party-sold-

 

Monster Mash -sold-

 

Natural Happy Tiger Bunny Top

 

Witchery-1 available-

Zen -sold-

Walnut Rose -sold-

 

Witches Brew -sold-

IxCHeL Club sign ups starting in April 2014 are Open until April 8th So don’t miss out !!!!

IxCHeL Fibre Club April, May and June 2014

The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed top/roving per month to the value of AU$22 , and as all of you past members know you get tops that are usually around $24 ! so it is a great deal!

All the tops will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel Fibre Club ! Price to join the Ixchel Fibre Club #20 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (April, May and June 2014) is AU$66 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND there are good value double serves available !!!

 

For Australia : single serve $66+$27 postage (parcel post), double serve $120+$27

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$66+AU$51 (Airmail) double serve AU$120+AU$51

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$66+AU$58 (airmail) Double serve AU$120+AU$58

For Asia: Single serve AU$66+AU$45 (airmail) Double serve AU$120+AU$45

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #20 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for fibre club #20 is April 8th! And the first instalment is going to be shipped out end of April. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details

 

The IxCHeL Sock Yarn Club April, May and June 2014

Every month for three months (April, May and June 2014) you will receive: enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks or a lush shawl or scarf ofcourse! (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB and will range from a sockweight yarn or a 3ply or a 4 ply); Every month a new sock pattern, tips and instructions ! Now is that GOOD or is that GOOD ??!

I will even offer a double serve for those of you who like their socks extra long

 

For Australia : single serve $78+$27 postage (parcel post) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$27

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$78+AU$51 (Airmail) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$51

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$78+AU$58 (airmail) Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$58

For Asia: Single serve AU$78+AU$45 (airmail) Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$45

 

Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB! is April 8th.

Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal . Just PM or email me your details 

  By the way: you don’t HAVE to knit socks if you don’t want to.. the hand dyed yarn is amazingly nice for scarves, cowls, beanies and even tops ! Anything goes .

 

IxCHeL Mini skein Club April, May and June 2014

Every month I will be offering a monthly exclusive IxCHeL mini skein selection for Club members. In that monthly selection there are 12 hand dyed miniskeins that are hand dyed and or even hand spun and awesome to add to your mini skein projects.

Here are all the details for the sign ups for the IxCHeL Mini Skein Club:

For Australia : single serve $69+$27 postage (parcel post) double serve $130 (=even a better deal!) +$27

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$69+AU$51 (Airmail) double serve $130 (even a better deal!) +AU$51

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$69+AU$58 (airmail) Double serve $130 (even a better deal!)+AU$58

For Asia: Single serve AU$69+AU$45 (airmail) Double serve $130 (even a better deal!)+AU$45

 

Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the IxCHeL Mini Skein Club is April 8th. The first Club mini skeins will be sent out end of April. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details

 

IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Club April, May and June 2014

Here are all the details and just pm me when you have any questions or want to be part of the funky bunny batt club Movement ;-) Welcome to the blingy dark side ;-D

The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed funky bunny batt per month to the value of AU$32 or more .

The batts will range in weight from 100grams to 150grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even wolf and bison! All the batts will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel funky bunny Club ! Every month you will receive a HUGE luxury funky bunny batt !

Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt for April, May and June 2014!

Price to join the Ixchel Funky bunny for three months is :

For Australia : $96+$27 postage (parcel post)

For USA + Canada: AU$96+AU$51 (Airmail)

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$96+AU$58 (airmail)

For Asia: AU$96+AU$45 (airmail)

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY Batt CLUB now. Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the funky bunny batt club April 8th and the first installment is going to be shipped out end of April :) Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me

 

Badges!

Happy funny Badges to attach to just about anything: your craft bags, clothes, the perfect little gifts ! 

1 badge AU$2

10 for AU$18

20 badges for AU$35

30 badges for AU$49

Every badge has a nr so when ordering just mention the nr of the badge and how many you would like..easy!

newest additions : badge nrs 84-90

Badges 1-20

Badges 21-40

Badges 41-59

Badges 60-83

How To Order:

1. You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or ixchelbunny at yahoo dot com dot au
2. message me on facebook or ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny.

I will email you right back with all your order details and payment methods.

Any questions? Any custom orders for yarn or dyeing fibre? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.
 

Thank you so much for your help and support !

 

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly