The Sick Kit

We've all recently recovered from our first colds of the season.  Thankfully it was a fairly mild cold - The Daddy avoided it altogether, Zach and I had a moderate dose, and Tabitha's manifested as a cough and good old grumpiness.

In the pre-child days, I used to quite enjoy the odd cold!  It meant a day or two curled up in bed, watching DVDs, drinking hot tea and moaning about how sick I was.  Sounds glorious, actually.

As a mother of small children, getting sick is the absolute pits.  Not only is there no chance to recuperate and recover, if the children are also sick you will get even less rest and sleep than usual, tending to the children overnight and managing their misery and grumps during the day.  So even a mild illness tends to drag on and on for a good week or two.

Once one or more children are involved in any sort of activities or childcare, there is basically zero chance of avoiding illness.  So, be prepared...

I like to keep all of our 'illness paraphernalia' together in one spot, so that if sickness strikes, we are ready to go, without having to lug my aching body around the house looking for all the bits and pieces, scattered between the various bathrooms and storage spots.

• Two vaporisers or humidifiers.  I like a hot steam sort - the Vicks one is my choice - and find the gurgling noise so soothing when I'm unwell.  I never used one before Tabitha was born, and purchased one when she first got sick after a recommendation from the GP.  Now I couldn't imagine being sick without one - completely changes overnights with a cold from being endless stretches of sleepless congestion to a relatively restful night.  One goes in Tabitha's bedroom, and one goes in the master bedroom (where we sleep with Zach).
• Saline nose drops and a sucker for the baby.
• Cold and flu tablets, with plenty of nighttime ones, for The Daddy (can't take them while breastfeeding unfortunately).
• A couple of boxes of nice soft tissues tucked away - nothing worse than running out and having to use scratchy napkins or toilet paper on a tender nose!
• Badger Balm Organic Aromatic Chest Rub
• Zinc and caster oil cream for dry red noses.  Lip balm for parched lips.
• Manuka honey (UMF 15 or above) to swallow raw on a sore throat (don't heat it or add to tea since it diminishes the antibacterial properties)
• Chamomile tea, to drink with regular raw honey

Apart from the above, more fluids than you could possibly imagine needing (3-4 litres a day of water minimum, otherwise I find I get massively dehydrated, what with the extra breastfeeding a sick baby needs for their fluids and the nose blowing), plenty of hot or cold chamomile tea, and soup.

A good amount of clear chicken soup is not only soothing, it also counts as fluids to help keep you hydrated and several studies show that strong chicken broth may actually lessen cold symptoms.

I keep a big stash in the freezer - bagged in 500ml serves - ready for the onset of sickness.  It's basically just chicken stock, so it gets used regardless.  Friends also know they can hit me up for some homemade chicken soup if they get sick!

I have a 12 litre stock pot which produces around 8 litres of chicken broth / stock.  Here's a blueprint if you haven't made it before (for a smaller amount):

Chicken Soup for the Flu

In a very large pot, put all of the following:

• 1kg chicken carcasses (called chicken frames, you can buy bags of them from chicken shops) or a mixture of frames and wings
• 2 brown onions, quatered, with the skins still on
• 2 carrots, chopped into chunks
• 2 celery stalks, including tops, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 big sprigs parsley

Cover with cold water.  Bring to almost a boil, skimming any dirty foam off the top and discarding.  Reduce heat and gently simmer for at least 2 hours, and up to 6 or more hours.  Skim any foam if needed during the cooking.  Pour through a fine seive (preferably lined with muslin or cheesecloth), season generously to taste (plenty of salt), and chill overnight.  In the morning, remove fat solids from the surface (set aside in the fridge to use for matzo balls, yum!).  

Freeze in 500ml bags and defrost as needed.  Reheat in a small saucepan, and add small pasta or rice (cooked separately, otherwise it makes the soup go cloudy) or matzo balls.  I'll post a recipe for matzo balls soon, and link to it here when I do!  Little pasta like alphabet noodles, or those tiny stars, work well.  

Add a good grind of fresh pepper and some nice herbs as well, to serve - dill is lovely, or parsley.

My only other tip for surviving cold season with a young baby is to indulge in plenty of nice steamy baths and showers.  I bathe with Zach in warm water, then pop him onto the floor (on a quilt) or into The Daddy's arms, and add plenty of hot water to my own bath, getting the room nice and steamy.  Helps clear out the sinuses for all of us, before bed.

Chocolate Fondant Puddings

Chocolate fondant puddings are those soft-centred dark chocolate desserts of deliciousness.  You know, the ones that look like a small mud cake but gently cascade a molten flow of chocolate when opened with a spoon?

I am always torn when I eat out at a great restaurant, and these are on the dessert menu.  On the one hand, there are often at least a couple of other truly awesome sounding desserts, that I know I will love. On the other hand - molten chocolate goop!  Normally, the fondant pudding wins.

Now, I make them at home all the time, so I am free to branch out when we go out to dinner (anything involving peanuts and caramel?  Yes please!).

These are so incredibly easy.  Ridiculously so, considering the end result.  This is one of those recipes that is almost more time consuming to type out than it is to make.  The best part is, they cook best from frozen, so you can knock up a batch, stash them in the freezer, and you are only ever about 15 minutes away from the ultimate chocolate dessert.  Dangerous...

You will need:

50g melted butter (for brushing)

Cocoa for dusting

200g best quality dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa)

200g butter, in small pieces

Pinch of salt

200g golden caster sugar

4 whole eggs

4 egg yolks

200g plain flour

This recipe makes nine.  So you need nine 200ml ramekins.  Or you can use a tray of large muffin tins, apparently.

To start, melt your chocolate and butter together in a double boiler (or over very low heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan).  Add pinch of salt, set aside.

Brush the inside of each ramekin with melted butter, then whack them in the freezer.  Once set, paint on another layer of melted butter, and add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the ramekin.  Tip so that the powder completely coats the butter, then tap upside down to remove any excess.  Repeat until the ramekins are all done.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and caster sugar together until thick ribbons form when you lift the whisk.  I'd say at least 5 minutes with an electric stand mixer.

Sift the flour into the egg mixture, and beat together.

Add the melted chocolate and butter in thirds, beating well between each addition, until well combined.  It will resemble very thick, light cake batter.

Divide evenly between the nine ramekins.  Freeze.

When you're ready to cook them - or just one! - simply preheat the oven to 200 degrees (180 fan forced), and pop them in for between 14 - 17 minutes.  This really depends on your oven.  If you are serving 8 people, still cook the 9 the first time, as you can check one before you pull them out.  In my oven, 16 minutes is spot on.

You want the top to still look a bit goopy in the middle.  Err on the side of undercooked:

Once they are out, run a butter knife around the edges, then invert the ramekin into the serving bowl.  Leave to sit for a minute, then pull the ramekin off.  Serve with plenty of vanilla ice cream (recipe HERE).  If you were serving them to guests, I'd add a dusting of cocoa on top, and perhaps a drizzle of caramel or berry coulis, but they are just brilliant as is.

PS in our house, ramekins are called panicins.  Or panekins, depending on how you want to spell it.  My dad once called to ask for a recipe, and opened with, "you know those things that are cooked in, oh, panicins, are they called?" and I have never stopped laughing about it.  Every single time I use a ramekin, I get hardcore giggles, as 'panicin' conjures up such a sense of dessert emergency.

Salmon Patties and Toddler Babywearing

My mother's day chrysanthemums are still looking gorgeous, nearly a week on.

We're hooked on that chocolate banana cake I posted about last week.  Tabitha always loves banana cake because she gets to mash the bananas:

Speaking of mashed things - do you use a potato ricer to do your mashed potatoes?  I came to these rather late in life, but now I can't imagine doing without one.  You just boil the potatoes whole (in cold water to start), then you can put them in the ricer, skins and all, and out comes the finest, silkiest potato. If I'm feeling fancy, I will then press this mixture through a sieve for perfectly smooth, pureed type mashed potato (with unfathomable amounts of butter).

But these potatoes were destined for salmon patties.  Salmon patties are a real favourite in our house - freshly, crisply fried for dinner, then cold, the following day, in a sandwich with green tomato pickles and cheese.

I'm sure everyone has a recipe for the humble salmon patty, but I'll share mine - to start with, they are very light and silky, no hint of stodge.  But also, my 11 year old sister claims that these are the only ones she likes.  So I will share the recipe for her - indeed, they are so simple that a primary school aged kid could make them!

Salmon Patties

500g potatoes, boiled and mashed

A small brown onion, chopped quite finely

1/4 cup of parsley, finely chopped

2 eggs

A handful or so of panko or fresh breadcrumbs

420g can of salmon, drained (include all bones, skin etc - it's where much of the flavour and nutrition are, and you don't notice it at all once they are prepared)

Salt and pepper

Flour for dredging

Combine all the ingredients except for the flour and breadcrumbs in a large bowl, seasoning very well, and mix thoroughly.  Add enough breadcrumbs so that the mixture isn't sloppy. You want to be able to form a patty - keep in mind the mixture will firm up more still if you rest it in the fridge.

Sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or so, if possible, or overnight.  Form into around 10 quite flat patties, then dredge in flour.

Heat around 3mm of oil in a heavy based frypan, and cook over medium heat on each side until nicely golden brown and crispy.

Drain on a wire rack (like a cake cooling rack), and serve.

Note - you can use sweet potato instead, if you like (you'll need more breadcrumbs).

Note - these freeze just fine, uncooked.  Lay them flat on a tray lined with baking paper to freeze, then pop them into a ziplock bag and squeeze out as much air as possible.

I'm still wearing Zach in his wrap all the time.  It's so handy that he loves to nap snuggled up in a woven wrap, since we are frequently out and about during his morning nap time (for Tabitha's various activities and playdates).  Plus, in this freezing weather, it is lovely to have a soft, fuzzy-haired hot water bottle against my tummy!  I never need a coat.

Tabitha likes to wear her 'babies' (in this case, a pink corduroy cat) in a 'wrap' like mummy.  I use one of my long silk scarves to help her wrap her babies.  She stands and pats them on their backs gently, rocking, while she chats or plays with her toys.  I think she will make a marvellous mother one day!

Our watercress is coming along nicely:

Meanwhile, I have noticed that several of my wooden spoons are getting quite dry and a bit splintery.  I am going to oil them - does anyone have tips for this?  Should I just use nice olive oil, or a mixture of linseed oil or something?  The internet is providing me with many conflicting suggestions.

Homemade Fries

I have discovered something incredibly dangerous.  I have learnt to make spectacularly delicious, crispy fries, in less than 15 minutes, with basically zero effort.

I foresee this discovery leading to bowlfuls of homemade fries every day.  With steak and Bearnaise sauce, with mussels in winey broth, with lemony schnitzels and salad.  Oh well, I'm going to embrace it for now, and hope the novelty wears off soon.

All you need to do is this:

Slice floury potatoes into fry-sized batons (thick or thin, though thin tend to work better).  Rinse and pat dry, if you can be bothered.  Put in a large heavy-based saucepan, and cover with canola (or other similar frying) oil - maybe 1cm over the tops.  Whack on the full heat.  Once it's boiling, use a metal spoon or tongs to poke them around, making sure they don't get stuck on the bottom.  Then just wait until they are darkly golden brown - nicely dark, to be very crispy.

Remove from oil with a slotted spoon onto a cake rack over a layer of newspaper or paper towel (not straight onto the towel, as they will go soggy.)

Into a bowl, douse with crunchy salt, and eat!  Mayonnaise or aioli optional but recommended.

I could go into a great amount of detail as to why these work, but do yourself a favour and procure a copy of Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything.  He first saw it done this way in the home kitchen of famed French chef Joël Robuchon - also mentioned on the Bon Appétit website.


There are many great things about this recipe - far less time-consuming than the double or triple fried versions traditionally done, uses much less oil which makes for easier disposal, and simple enough to do for a regular dinner.
But ultimately, they are just really delicious.  I first became hooked on skin-on fries during my first trip to America, aged 12, and on our most recent trip (2 years ago now) became thoroughly obsessed.  They are ubiquitous in Boston, and they really do have the richest, most entirely potato flavour.  If you don't like it, though, of course just peel them first.

Chocolate Banana Cake

I baked this chocolate marble banana cake, recipe from Donna Hay via the fabulous Miss Kitty-Cat Goes To Town blog.  Miss Kitty-Cat always bakes delicious things, so I knew this would be a winner.  Easily the best banana cake I've had - but isn't everything better with chocolate?  I won't bother reproducing the recipe here, Miss Kitty-Cat has done so perfectly here.

The chocolate part of the batter, raw, is one of the most decadent things I've eaten lately.  I licked that bowl completely clean.  The chocolate part is quite rich, but it works beautifully when marbled like this, which prevents it from being overwhelming.

I had friends over while the cake was in the oven - the whole house smelt incredible, chocolate / banana / spices.

As always when baking a delicious cake for visitors, it can be hard to snap a photo of it sliced before, poof, it is all gone!

Zachary will start solids - Baby Led Weaning (BLW) of course, same as Tabitha - in about 4 weeks.  Meanwhile, we pop him into a high chair at the table while we eat, and he chomps on his toys while we eat.  He is certainly interested in food, and watches me like a hawk while I eat, but he hasn't been as eager as Tabitha, who was literally snatching food out of my hands, intercepting spoons and forks en route to my mouth, and trying to stuff them into her mouth.  Zach, I think, will be more than happy to wait until the recommended 6 months.

Takeaway sushi from our excellent local sushi bar, owned and run by a Japanese couple:

I am obsessed with tamagoyaki.  Have been all my life.  I think it's time to buy a tamagoyaki pan and get cooking!

Zach thinks his dolly is pretty yummy:

Oh and I have been finding our Itti Bitti d'List All-in-One nappies (which I adored with Tabitha) to be a bit leaky with Zach.  They seem to leak out the top front.  I don't know if it's because he's a boy, or because he is constantly on his belly (just started crawling this week - just on 5 months, crazy!) or if I need to try the Larges already.  Meanwhile, I've bought a Pikapu to try out - I'll let you know how they go.

Any other recommendations for good MCNs for boys?  I don't like pockets and multiple parts, I like the all-in-one sort.

Pork Bok Choi Salad, Rice Pudding and Appreciative Toddlers

I rock a few vintage Australian Women's Weekly recipes.  Mostly via my best friend Amy, whose mum is a diehard fan of the 70s culinary classics cannon - right down to mayonnaise made with condensed milk (says Amy).  No judgement from me - most of the food is pretty awesome.  Such as this 'Asian Style' [sic] roast pork sliced into a bok choi salad.  The salad dressing comes straight off the back of the Chang's Fried Noodles packet.  Don't you love it?!

So grab yourself a packet of Chang's Fried Noodles - you can use the leftovers to make Chocolate Spiders to complete the retro fun - and whip up a batch of the dressing.  Recipe is on the back - from memory it contains olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar.  Actually, make that a triple batch, since it keeps brilliantly in the fridge (leave at room temp for a few hours so that the oils re-liquify).  Definitely include the sesame oil.  Here is what it looks like out of the fridge, with a solid layer of oils on top:

Wash and slice up a few bunches of bok choi (get the younger - sometimes called baby - stuff, which is crispier and greener).  Toss through a good amount of the dressing, and some of the Chang's noodles at the last minute.  You could trick it up a little with some sliced spring onions and some toasted pine nuts - I often do, and it's awesome, but I didn't today.

Then add thinly sliced pieces of the roast pork - recipe below - and drizzle over some of the reduced pork marinade.  I'd allow, per person, a couple of bunches of bok choi, and 1/3 to 1/2 a pork fillet per person for a reasonable dinner.

To make the pork:

Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons red wine, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon red food colouring, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a clove of crushed garlic in a bowl.  Add a pork fillet, and marinate at least a few hours, preferably overnight (this also freezes brilliantly in its marinade, in a snap lock bag).

Roast in a baking dish (on foil - the marinade is a pain to scrub off) at 180 degrees for around 25 minutes, or until medium (60 - 63 degrees at thickest part for you Thermapen users playing along at home).  Rest, then add the juices to the marinade, and boil in a small saucepan for a few minutes to kill any raw meat bacteria.  It should thicken up nicely to use as a pour-on glaze.

Because all the elements can be prepared in advance, it's a good dish to take on a picnic or to a 'bring a plate' affair.

Cool weather.  Gotta be rice pudding, doesn't it?  For lunch, for dessert, cold for breakfast, standing in front of the fridge eating it straight from the dish with a spoon...  Erm, forget about the last part.

Tabitha loves it, I love it, you love it.  Of course you do.

Grease a 2 litre shallow baking dish.  Add 3/4 cup rinsed and drained short-grain rice, 3 cups milk, 3/4 cup cream (or milk), 1/4 - 1/3 cup caster sugar (preferably vanilla infused caster sugar), 3 tablespoons sultanas and 1.5 teaspoons vanilla.  Mix lightly with a fork.  Dot the top with 3 teaspoons of butter in small pieces, and a good grating of fresh nutmeg.

Bake at 160 degrees for around 2 hours, or until rice is tender.  Serve warm or cold with cream, ice cream and / or a dollop of jam or stewed fruit.

Homemade cherry jam.  So good.

Meanwhile, Tabitha is devouring the ginger cookies from the other day.  

She says that they smell 'so nice mummy!'

Tabitha also says, 'Thank you for being clever and making me some delicious rice pudding mumma!'

Nawwwww.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!  It's been a lovely one here.  A bit of a sleep-in while The Daddy played with Tabitha and Zachary, then he made me some crumpets, from scratch!  This is quite an achievement, since The Daddy does not cook at all.  He followed the recipe from Mamabake, here.

Thoroughly drowned in butter and golden syrup:

Tabitha wanted cheese on hers:

Was also presented with some divine, oversized chrysanthemums (one of my favourite flowers) by Tabitha, and an assortment of Lush bath bombs and bubbles - The Daddy picked out some just for 'mummy alone time' and a few fun ones for me to share baths with the munchkins.

We went out for lunch to Firechief, a brilliant pizza restaurant in Hawthorn - really spectacular Napoli style charred-base pizzas in a converted fire station - all high ceilings and industrial fitout, really family friendly and some of the best pizzas I've eaten in Australia.

My parents and sister are currently in Adelaide, so I sent over a nice large box of my mother's favourite chocolates from Melbourne, Koko Black's milk hazelnut clusters.

Both beautiful children are currently asleep, The Daddy is doing some outdoors work, and I'm off to have a nap and a cuddle with Zach!

xx The Mummy 

PS - just look how gigantic my beautiful boy is!  Just on 5 months, but happily in 9-12 month size clothing.  Proud to think that he's grown so enormous on milk alone:

Getting Clean

I didn't really clean when I was growing up - I kept my room tidy, helped with the washing and the dishwasher etc., and spent many hours with saddle soap in hand, polishing horse tack.  But the proper household cleaning - the bathrooms, the floors, kitchen and windows - was never part of my job set.  As a result, when I moved out of home (aged 20, in with The Daddy), I really had no clue how to clean.  The Daddy (then The Boyfriend) was amused and incredulous in equal parts.  He'd lived on his own for a while, and took very good care of himself (albeit while eating way too much takeaway food).

Fast forward a few months, and find me lying prone in the bathroom, having literally fainted unconscious after mixing bleach with other chemical cleaners in a tiny, unventilated bathroom.  Awesome.

As you can imagine, I became a little wary of chemical cleaning products after this disaster.  But also, I am actually quite allergic to most chemical cleaning products - Windex used in the house can trigger a major asthma attack, and most chemical sprays cause major eczema - which is a pretty major incentive to avoid them.

I also hate the idea of using chemicals in the house where we live, having Tabitha breathing in chemical fumes, and eating food off floors and surfaces coated with chemical residues (yep, off the floor.  Often.  Floor food is a major toddler food group, don't you know?).

Okay - from here, the post might get a bit gushy.  I'm into Enjo.  But I have no affiliation with Enjo - I don't sell it, and I don't know anyone who does.  But I found it hard to find reviews or info from consumers when I looked for it a while back, so thought my opinion and experience with the products (and Method products, at end of post) might be useful for anyone considering switching away from chemical cleaners.

A few years ago - before Tabitha came along, but during the pregnancy - I became an Enjo convert.  I'd been muddling along with vinegar, lemon juice and bicarb soda - all of which I still use - but after going to an Enjo party, I found the fibre products to be much simpler to use, less messy, and I felt like everything was actually cleaner than ever before - cleaner than when I used to use chemicals, and cleaner than using bicarb etc. alone.

The Daddy was a bit skeptical to begin with, but after he had a lesson on the correct use, and gave the bathroom a clean, he was quite shocked at how well it all worked.  I've tried cheaper brands of microfibre cloths (supermarket, and from an eco store) and for me, they haven't worked as well.  Also, some people I know who haven't had great results with Enjo have actually not been using them properly, or haven't cared for the fibres properly (e.g. using the wrong detergents, letting them dry when dirty, or even putting them through the dryer, a massive no-no!).  But for us, using them as intended, we have been really pleased with the range, and a few months ago I replaced my 'most used' cloths (the kitchen and bathroom ones).  Yep, they do need to be replaced every few years, depending on use, but I believe it still works out cheaper than buying loads of chemical cleaners.

The basic deal with Enjo products is that you use a glove (such as the Kitchen Glove) damp or wet, and then dry with a highly absorbent cloth called a 'miracle' (such as the Kitchen Miracle).  Beyond this, there are a number of other products, such as wet and dry dusting cloths and gloves, kitchen scrubby bits, and floor fibres.  Beyond this further, there are also things like car cloths, body cloths and the like, but I personally just stick to the basic household cleaning ranges.

I can't recall enough about all the technical elements to give you a proper low-down, but I remember being quite convinced when I first learned all about the range - that is, I am completely confident and satisfied that my house is clean and that there are no bacteria colonies lurking on my benchtops.  Furthermore, my understanding is that chemical cleaners actually tend to leave a slight film behind, which a) is gross and scary but also b) actually encourages more dirt and grime to come back and re-settle on the surface you have cleaned.  This is certainly my experience - for example, mirrors and shower screens remain much cleaner for far longer than when using chemicals.

I always think that my stack of Enjo fibres look like someone hunted and skinned a bunch of Muppets...

The products that get used on a weekly basis in my house are:

Kitchen

Kitchen Glove - Probably my favourite and most-used Enjo item.  It cleans even the most revoltingly filthy kitchen surfaces (picture my kitchen looking like those annoying 'Spray and Wipe Works Faster' ads, with grotty baked on sauces, after a full day of batch cooking) without any excess elbow grease, works on all surfaces (stone benchtops, matte stainless steel appliances, my beloved reclaimed timber dining table) and is generally just a breeze to use.  Any stubborn patches just need a spray of water, and a few minutes to sit before going over them.  The glove has one side for general cleaning, and the other side for greasy spots - perfect for the glass splashback after deep-frying!

Kitchen Mini Plus - this is like the kitchen glove, but smaller, and has a sort of 'super scrubby' side.  Fantastic on really baked-on bits (I clean the oven with this and some Marble Paste) and for cleaning baking dishes after lasagne, roasts etc.

Kitchen Miracle - basically this is used to get everything dry and sparkling after the Glove or the Mini.  Works beautifully polishing up my dining chairs after going over them with the Glove - they are made of transparent polycarbonate (Phillippe Starck's Ghost Chairs) and this gets them really sparkly.

Allpurpose Cloth - this replaces those manky old stinky dish cloths.  The ones that people (The Daddy) love to use to wipe down spills over and over again, thereby creating a spectacularly nasty bacteria breeding ground for every bit of chicken juice, floor milk spill and the like.  Shudder.  Instead, a couple of Allpurpose Cloths get rotated and washed every day or two.  Also works out cheaper in the long run than constantly buying disposable sponges.

Bamboo T-Towels - I actually only tried these because I got two included as part of a kitchen package I bought.  I didn't expect anything special from them.  Wow, was I wrong!  These are just the greatest tea towels - large, so thick and strong, incredibly absorbent.  I now have about half a dozen of them, and rarely use other tea towels.  Plus they seem to wash and wear really well, so they always look nice hanging in the kitchen.  I have grey ones.

Bathroom

Bathroom Glove - Gets all the bathroom surfaces spotless.  You start on the cleanest parts (mirrors, benchtops) and work through to the harder spots (shower screens, tiles, sinks) then finish with the external parts of the toilet.  You can use it with Marble Paste for any stubborn grime, though if you clean the bathroom regularly, it shouldn't get to that point.

Bathroom Mini - Essentially the same as the glove, but smaller.  I use this for touch-ups during the week, generally just the mirror and taps.

Bathroom Miracle - Like the kitchen version, this gets everything beautifully dry and sparkly after cleaning.

Other

Dust Gove - Used dry, this just picks up all the bits of dust in the house.  Tops of picture frames, bookshelves, timber shutters etc.  Stops it from all flying around while you clean - it all sticks to the glove, which you just shake off as needed.

Indoor Miracle - Used damp, this polishes up any general household surfaces, like television screens, glass tables, door handles etc.

Floorcleaner Pole - This is basically a fancy mop head and handle - you attach the fibres onto the bottom part.  Actually, it recently won the Australian Women's Weekly Product of the Year, and it certainly is easy to use.  You adjust the height to the correct height for your body (top of the handle should be the height of your nose) and the fibres can click on and off easily, without having to bend down.  The pole swivels around when you twist it, getting into all corners and along the edges without having to twist your whole body around.  Once you get the hang of this action (allow a few goes!) it is incredibly fast and easy to use, and kind on the back.  Also, it can click into a locked position and stand upright on its own, in the middle of the room, which is handy if you have to run for the phone or something.  All of the adjustments, swivel lock/unlock and fibre changing can be done without bending over at all.  You dampen the fibre head (not for the dusting one) and then just use your Enjo water squirt bottle on 'jet' setting to re-wet the floor as you go, as needed.  You don't need much water at all, so the floors dry nice and quickly (handy with a toddler around).  Also, no lugging of a heavy, soapy, slippery bucket.  Lots to like here.

Oh - and because the handle height is adjustable, Tabitha likes to use it on the lowest height, and will happily mop or dust the floor on her own for quite a while!  Of course, she's not particularly effective at the job yet, but it keeps her happy, and I figure that good habits start young.

Dust Floor Fibre - This is basically a broom substitute - although better, because it completely hugs the floor, picking up even the tiniest specks of dust and hair, and actually clings to all the dust, instead of sending it flying.  It only takes a few minutes to go over all the hard floors downstairs, which is much easier (and quieter) than pulling out the vacuum cleaner every day.  This one doesn't need to be washed every time it's used.

Matt Floor Fibre - This is the mopping head.  Used with much less water than a traditional mop, it's fast, safe (less slippery floors) and incredibly simple to use, thanks to the awesome swiveling Floorcleaner Pole it's attached to.

Out of the entire Enjo range I've tried (probably around 50 per cent of the range I'd say, including most of the main / popular products), the only thing I'm not completely happy with is the Matt Floor Fibre.  I get some streaks on the floor every time it is mopped - I've tried using it wetter, drier, twice in a row.  Nothing seems to fix the problem.  Hmm.  It's still better than using a massive bucket of soapy water and a traditional mop, but I would really love to have a better solution.  Perhaps I need to try the Fussy Floor Fibre - but the Matt fibre was recommended by my consultant while he was at my house, and I am reluctant to spend another $70 or more on a fibre which may or may not work better.

I use the kitchen cloths (cleaning and drying) almost every day, on the benches and dining table.  So I have two sets of these on rotation.  Fortunately, they dry easily overnight, so I could probably get away with just one set, but it's handy having two, especially for those weekends where you do a lot of cooking and entertaining.  I love the fact I can clean the kitchen and table even while Tabitha sits and plays or eats right beside me - all I'm doing is spraying water and wiping.  No chemicals, nothing nasty or stinky.

The floor fibres - the dusting/sweeping sort of one, and the mopping one - get used a couple of times a week.  I constantly curse our floors - they are dark, matte wood, and show up every streak, dusty footprint and cat-fur-tumbleweed.  It would take a daily mopping to keep them looking really good, which just isn't going to happen.  Anyway, I like the sweeping fibre on the clever Enjo floor swivel stick, because it is quicker and easier than pulling out the vacuum.  A quick swivel around the floor in the main living / dining / kitchen area each day keeps things pretty clean.

I don't use the bathroom fibres much at all - The Daddy is the main bathroom cleaner in our house, and our weekly cleaning lady does a thorough job on all of the bathrooms - but I find them incredibly easy and effective to use.  They polish up stainless steel beautifully, and I love the fact that I can clean out the bath, have it really sparkling, and then not worry about sitting in a tub full of chemical residue!

I use the marble paste, as instructed by Scott my 'Enjo Man', only when something is really tough and baked on, such as the inside of the oven, or to get rid of any accumulated grime in the bathrooms.  The marble paste also gets my stainless steel kettle so, so clean and shiny.  Works well on filthy stainless steel pots, too.

If you are interested in Enjo, it really is best to get a consultant to come visit - either to have a party, or just for a one-on-one session.  This way, you can learn how to use everything properly (the few people I know who haven't loved their Enjo bits were actually using them incorrectly, I discovered), and you can work out exactly which products are best for your house.  Also, you then have someone to call if you forget how to use a particular cloth!  My Enjo man is always very helpful over the phone, and even came back one evening to give me a refresher when we moved house.

This aside, though, I am really pleased that Enjo is now available online!  Great news!  It means I can replace single cloths quickly and easily, and can snap up special offers as they arrive in my email newsletters.  Having the online shop also means that potential customers can get an idea of the prices etc. before committing to hosting a demo or calling a consultant, which I think is good - a lot of people are put off trying out items if they feel like they are going to be ambushed by a pushy consultant into spending more than they can afford.  

I initially purchased the Domestic Starter kit, which seemed incredibly expensive at the time (for a bunch of cleaning cloths) but now that I am a total Enjo fan, seems like such good value.  Since then, I've bought the floor cleaner and fibres separately, and have replaced the kitchen and bathroom cloths in 'special offer' packages at various times.

The Domestic Starter package or the Domestic Detox package would be awesome presents, I reckon.  In our house, there was some Enjo under the Christmas tree - I bought this Mummy's Lil Angel special Christmas package for Tabitha late last year.  It includes four mini gloves (actually, the size is just fine for even adults with small hands, like myself) and an Indoor Miracle.  All in a cute bucket.  Tabitha is a bit obsessed with Enjo cloths - she has thrown more than one tantrum over not being allowed to keep cleaning after we've finished!  If it were up to her, she'd happily spend an hour or more spraying and scrubbing - the problem is, this means water everywhere!  So I bought her a small 'misting' bottle from the chemist, as opposed to a spray bottle, and it seems to contains the water a little better.  I am a firm believer in kids helping out with all household tasks from the earliest years (despite the fact I wasn't expected to, myself, growing up) and Tabitha already helps with the dishwasher, wiping up spills, feeding the pets, packing away toys etc.  Now, she has her own cloths to clean up after her meals and wipe down the bathroom bench after she brushes her teeth.

For myself, I am keen to try out the 2 in 1 Window Cleaner package (we have approximately a zillion times more glass windows and doors in the new house as the old) and the Fussy Floor Fibre.  Hopefully soon!  I will report back if I ever try these out.

Oh - and I wanted to share, briefly, our experience of using Enjo products with a cleaning person.  We put off getting a cleaner for months, despite us both agreeing that we should as soon as we moved into the new (larger) house.  But I kept searching online, and asking around, without managing to find a cleaning company or agency that used Enjo products.  Because of my allergies, and having little ones in the house, I was completely unwilling to have anyone use chemical products to clean the house.  I found a great-looking 'eco' cleaning business which uses bicarb, vinegar, microfibre cloths etc., however I couldn't get them to return any calls or emails - I suspect that they are simply flat-out.  I know there is great demand for eco-friendly house cleaning (because many of my friends are looking for it too!) but there seems to be a serious lack of supply.  Seems crazy to me - if I were working full time as a cleaner, I would much prefer to be using natural products and water, than touching and inhaling chemicals all day.

Anyway, in the end, I just called one of the major cleaning agencies (Absolute Domestics), and chatted to them.  As it turns out, they have plenty of cleaners who are either familiar with Enjo products or were happy to learn.  They connected us with our current woman, and she came half an hour early to the first appointment, ready to learn about how to use the Enjo range.  She admitted that it was all a bit much to take in, that first day, and the next week she brought along print outs from the website!  After the first couple of weeks taking a little longer than expected, while she got the hang of the new tools (of course, we paid for her extra time!), she is now an absolute pro, and gets the house looking incredible.  She tells me that she loves using the Enjo range, too, because it gives her a break from working in chemical-filled spaces all day.

The only thing that I miss, using Enjo products, is some of the beautiful fragrances that the (nicer, natural) products leave in the house after use.  So now, I make an effort to light a scented candle for an hour or so each day (current favourites are the Glasshouse Coney Island candle, for downstairs, and the Glasshouse Monet's Garden tuberose candle for the upstairs bathroom).  I also use beautifully scented natural beeswax and lavender furniture wax polishes on the large wooden dining table downstairs, as well as on Tabitha's wooden chairs, table, highchair and cot.  This gives all the wood a beautiful natural glow, keeps it oiled and healthy, and leaves the most dreamy, comforting smell of honey beeswax and lavender in the house.  Polishing furniture with natural beeswax is also a great arm workout!

Finally, I do have a small collection of Method products.  I have been a Method fan for a long time, and can't bring myself to completely give up their gorgeous range.  While the Enjo cloths get the house fabulously clean, other people (family and friends who are visiting, for example) generally feel more comfortable cleaning with traditional products, and I am NOT one to turn down an offer of help cleaning the kitchen etc after having people over!

There are also occasions when I want to use something with a bit more 'oomph', such as cleaning up bodily fluids (this happens with relative regularity, with a toddler in the house!), mopping the floor when it's looking particularly grotty, or if I've been cooking all day with lots of raw meat etc. in the kitchen.  Also, sometimes all the Enjo is in the wash and I need to clean up - so I am more than happy to pull out my fabulous Method sprays.

My all-time favourite products are:

Daily Kitchen Clementine spray - gorgeous fresh fragrance, perfect for a quick kitchen clean-up.  This is the product most likely to be used by visitors in the house!

Floor and Surface French Lavender concentrate - I mix this up with water in a spray bottle and use to mop if the floor is particularly filthy, and it leaves everything smelling divine.

All-Purpose surface cleaners (Lavender and Pink Grapefruit) - for any spills or messes, I also use it to clean around the cats' food and litter area.

Daily Shower spray - you just mist this over the glass and tiles after your shower, and it prevents scum from building up.  This is the ultimate product for the lazy or time poor person!

Wood for Good Squirt and Mop - this can be used with the Enjo floor fibre.  I really like it, but it has a strong almond smell that some people (including The Daddy) dislike.  It basically smells like marzipan.  I can't see this on the Aussie Method page, but you can get it through Enjo.

Bowl Patrol - gets the toilets really clean without flushing nasty chemicals into the waterways.  When you have killer pregnancy sickness, having a sparkling clean toilet is a priority!  Can't see this online - I bought a few of them ages ago, possibly they aren't around anymore.  But Method now makes other toilet cleaners which I imagine are just as good.

As with Enjo, I am thrilled that Method is now available online - I did a big order a week or so ago, stocking up on my favourite products, and taking advantage of a handwash sale to try out 6 new handwashes.  Such gorgeous colours and scents to have around the house, livening up the bathrooms and kitchen.

Is there anything else I use for cleaning?  Some white vinegar (I go through a lot of this actually, I add half a cup to the washing liquid in the washing machine, and another half a cup instead of fabric softener.  I also use it, with bicarb soda, to soak any filthy pots and pans, or anything burnt on.  Vinegar is also what I use to clean the windows, inside and out, mixed with water and wiped clean with newspaper); lemon juice (for removing stains on our pale stone benches); bicarb soda (with vinegar, or water, in a paste for stubborn stains or grime around the house); lots of fresh air.  Yes, actually, the one 'cleaning' task I absolutely must do each week is thoroughly air out all the rooms in the house, particularly bedrooms and the kitchen.  This means locking the cats up somewhere safe for the day  (the spare bedroom with lots of glorious sunshine, normally), and opening all windows as far as they will go.  I try and do this even in cold weather, for a few hours.

What cleaning products do you use?  Are you into the natural cleaners or are you a massive bleach fan?

Ginger Biscuits, Party Invitations and Watercress

One of my favourite cookbooks - actually, books in general - is Jane Brocket's Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer.  In it, she combines recipes inspired by meals and dishes from classic children's literature with nostalgic discussions and observations on food from this 'golden era' of children's books.

These ginger biscuits are slightly adapted (just for more spices) from the book - the recipe inspired by the ginger biscuits that the Famous Five ate in Five Go On Kirrin Island Again.  In the book, after being presented with a plateful of these by Joanna, their beloved and plump cook, says, "I say, aren't these good?  You know, I do think that good cooks deserve some kind of decoration, just as much as good soldiers or scientists, or writers.  I should give Joanna the OBCBE."

So, Brocket has called these quick-to-make biscuits:

Joanna OBCBE Ginger Biscuits

120g soft butter

120g golden caster sugar (often called raw caster sugar)

1 dessertspoon golden syrup

1 egg yolk

200g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 very heaped teaspoon of ground ginger

Pinch of salt

Very generous pinch of mixed spice

A good grating of freshly ground nutmeg

Small pinch of ground cloves

Cream butter and sugar, beat in syrup and egg yolk.

Sift together all dry ingredients, then work them into the creamed mixture until the dough comes together.  Do not overwork, or you will get tough biscuits.

Break off small pieces and roll into balls (around two dozen), place them apart on a lined baking tray, and press down slightly with the fingers to flatten a bit.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until they are just golden brown and smell incredible.

Transfer onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

Tabitha and I are growing watercress on some damp cottonwool in a dish on the kitchen bench.  I have fond memories of sprouts growing on the kitchen windowsil as a child, so decided to give it a go.  They have just started to sprout today.  Next time, I am going to try growing them in an eggshell (as 'hair') or sprinkled on damp cottonwool to form a word or picture.

Tabitha waters them each day by misting the dish with a spray bottle.

My friend Michelle is an incredibly talented (and lovely) graphic designer.  If you need any sort of invitations done, you must check out her work at Berry Blue Designs.  I believe she is also planning on launching some ready made / template style invitations soon.  I hope she hurries, because I have not seen anything nicer around!  Here is her blog Oh So Lovely - you must go and check it out, if only to gaze in awe at her daughter Ava's spectacular curls!

Michelle / Berry Blue Designs created these invitations for Tabitha's upcoming fairy party.  The paper is a beautiful matte textured card, and the colours are divine (the photo absolutely does not do them justice.  I really must learn some basic photo editing!  I would like to have lightened this one up:

Zach is such an easygoing baby.  He happily lays on a quilt on the back decking and watches me garden.  He has, however, started to crawl (just a couple of 'steps' at a time), so this won't last for long - soon I will be chasing him around, trying to keep him from eating all the soil!

Most of our veggie gardens are set in sturdy chook and possum-proof cages.  Otherwise everything gets gobbled up!  Whenever I want to get into one, I need to use a cordless drill to remove the side screen frame.  I am looking into some sort of latch, instead!

A few new bok choi plants poking their leaves through the mulch, in and around the alyssum:

Cheeky chooks - they all tore out onto the decking while their gate was open and my back was turned, and started gorging on my lettuces planted along the sides of the decking.  I flapped my arms at them and they retreated.  One would think I starved them!  In fact, they had 3 half-eaten corn cobs and loads of silverbeet to munch on.  From left to right:  Dolly, Sweetpea, Lacey, Nugget and Edith:

Brussels sprouts edging out a sneaky marigold.  I really hope the sprouts grow well.  They are the most fascinating plant, and nothing beats really fresh sprouts, in a very hot pan with plenty of butter and bacon!

Do you like sprouts?  Or do you consider them a terror of childhood, to be avoided at all costs?  Are there any other traditionally 'unpopular' foods that you adore?