Today was a day for wearing many hats.
Not only was I CEO of The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies.
Orders never stop.
And the tax man wants my accounts by a certain time. So the email from my accountant enquiring when they will be ready was one not to be ignored.
We have guests arriving at Meadow House tomorrow. Our guest house on our 54 hectare property.
So I was baker of my delicious ‘Best Ever Brownies’. A recipe I have been making since I found it in a 2006 edition of abc delicious magazine. And one which is now requested by many guests after they leave.
And also star floral arranger for the many vases that are filled with flora cut from our rural property by my partner, Victor Pleshev.
Plus Photographer. I photograph every floral arrangement. For every visit. So I know what flora we used the year before.
And.
I’m also top chef.
Getting Meadow House ready the night before takes time. And when we arrive back at our farmhouse, usually after dark, we want to sit down. Relax. And know that dinner was started many hours ago.
Tonight’s dinner is an old favourite. Comfort food for a cold winter’s night.
Potato and ham hock soup.Made with two onions. (No leeks. Too expensive in my rural patch at $5 each.) 4 stalks of celery. One fennel bulb. And about 10 old, floury potatoes. All chopped.
Sauteed in my cast iron Dutch oven at low temperature. To ooze out the flavours.
At the last minute, I add one whole bulb of garlic. And two chilli peppers. Chopped and added just to the point of fragrance.
Add the chicken stock.
Four torn bay leaves from my bay tree in my walled garden.
A very generous handful of thyme. Again from my walled garden. Chopped.
Add boiling water.
Bury the ham hock in the centre. Making sure it’s covered with the water.
And let simmer for several hours on very low.
It is simply delicious.
Especially with a cup of cream sherry. And a bunch of chopped parsley. Added after I puree the soup.
The shredded ham hock on top of the soup is the pièce de résistance!
What’s your favourite recipe for that ultimate comfort food in winter? Email me at the bottom of this post.
~Carol Jones, Ironing Diva❤
PS. This Ironing Diva loves leading an elegant life. And wearing many hats is part of that life.
PPS. I am not only an Ironing Diva. But as one friend says, I am ‘The Queen’ when it comes to ironing.
I Am The Purveyor Of The Tantrum Free Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies
Made with love and care in RURAL Australia by men and women who have a disability.
It’s not for everyone.
But it’s definitely for you if you’re fussy about the cover you iron on.
And if you love to support Australian made.
And want to put something back into the community when you make a purchase.
The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover cover has more than 350,000 customers in 29 countries. Because it lives up to its name. It ‘Fitz Like A Glove™’ every time you iron.
And these are the ‘Other Goodies’
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Have a question? Email me at the bottom of this post.
Or phone me, Carol Jones, in rural Australia on 02 63 588 511.
Photos of my rural property are courtesy of me, Ironing Diva – who is also known as Paddock Paparazzi – and taken at sunrise every morning.
My Neighbour’s Horse. Drops In To Say G’day. On The Walk Back From Meadow House.
PS. And I have a fabulous newsletter ‘A Smidgen Of Gossip’. This is what a subscriber says about it. “Carol. Just had some time to read it and found that it is, as with everything you do, rather wonderful. A great read. W” You can subscribe to it by clicking this link. It’s FREE! This is not a lifetime commitment. You can Unsubscribe at any time. Don’t miss out. Click this link now!
The Floral Arrangement In The Entry Foyer. At Meadow House.