ciao tutti….Happy Queensland Day!

6th June 1859 – Queen Victoria, reigning Queen of England, signs the  Letters Patent that formally declare the colony of Moreton Bay as a separate entity from New South Wales with the name honouring the monarch – QUEENSLAND!   If you are looking to bake anything this weekend, try your hand at LAMINGTONS!! Yes, it’s…

Read More

ciao tutti… chilly Wed 3rd June here on the Hill

ciao tutti! Chilly Wednesday here on the Hill. The Little Cellar Rat has Baked Rice and Baked Custard in the oven. Oh, that wonderfully warm smell of nutmeg does it every time. Find yourself scratching around on the shelf, trying to find that whisk, that can opener, that peeler. I know it’s in there… but…

Read More

ciao tutti…..happy 1st June to us all.

June in the Julian – Gregorian Calendar is named after  Juno, Roman goddess, wife of chief god Jupiter and goddess of marriage . June contains the summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere (the day with the greatest number of daylight hours) and the winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere (the day with the fewest number…

Read More

ciao tutti ….. le weekend!

ciao tutti….le weekend! Has a certain ring to it in any language, does it not! What are your plans? The Little Cellar Rat got to it yesterday with the little Makita finishing sander and gave the wooden chopping boards a good once over. She’s collected 8 or 9 over the years and yes, they all…

Read More

ciao tutti! Friday ….. and another milestone on the road to recovery

ciao tutti! Friday ….. and another milestone on the road to recovery. End of the school week, the kiddlies are coming home starving and of course they’re continuing the Friday Afternoon Pancake tradition established or re-established during Schooling From Home. Most folk, both big and small, like the cooking side,(because you get to EAT SOMETHING)…

Read More

ciao tutti…… 4 amigos

ciao tutti! With many opportunities during the prolonged CV Lockdown for everyone to experiment in the kitchen, no doubt the kids will have some interesting and tasty lunches (homemade, self- made) packed into the school bags this week. The Little Cellar Rat finds having much used herbs & spices stored together simplifies and speeds up…

Read More

ciao tutti…. useful, multifunctional

ciao tutti! The Little Cellar Rat likes basic objects that are multi-functional. Take the humble milk crate: light weight, sturdy, economical. Just for starters…. Good as a mini-table for your coffee and a read + write in the sun, helpful in the garden (now… where did those secateurs go?) as temporary storage, a handy seat…

Read More

ciao tutti…. we’ve made it to another Friday!

ciao tutti …. Friday and the overcast sky invites us to find a little spot in the sun. What’s on the menu for lunch? Whatever it is, choose a piece of crockery that brings a smile, summons up memories, makes you laugh out loud or shed a tear… possibly both. buon appetito….. alla prossima! YES…

Read More

ciao tutti…. It’s Wednesday. Did someone say curry???

ciao tutti… It’s Wednesday and those chilly fingers of a southerly are tapping on the windows here on The Hill. Did someone say CURRY ??? If you haven’t made an acquaintance with these little beauties then now’s the time. KAFFIR LIME LEAVES work magic on just a simple Tinned Pink Salmon Curry. The little Cellar…

Read More