Showing posts with label Guest blogger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guest blogger. Show all posts

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Catching up with Catherine from Farmhouse Home

Today, in our "Catching up with" series,  I am excited to have Catherine Bedson 
from the lovely food blog, Farmhouse Home.


Catherine is based in Melbourne and her blog is a collection of her love for all things foodie. Farmhouse Home was one of the first blogs I started reading. I fell in love with Catherine's rustic home style cooking and her passion for using fresh and seasonal produce and adding a healthy twist to it. I always feel like I'm being transported to a french farmhouse and can't wait to see what delicious dish Catherine has 'whipped' up.

On Farmhouse Home, Catherine shares her best loved recipes, as well as, her favourite food experiences, whether it be in Melbourne or on her travels. Catherine studied commercial cooking after having her children and has worked in catering, so her knowledge and experience is extensive. As a Mum, her cooking is wholesome, homely, heartwarming and nourishing.

Catherine also takes all her own photos and has such a knack with styling them to leave you drooling for the next hour! Recently her blog underwent a makeover- beautifully illustrated by the clever Lucy King, this blog is so lovely to look at, easy to read and really sums up Catherine's personality.

So, some questions for Catherine…….

1. What are your five favourite ingredients you currently love cooking with?
Different oils, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil & macadamia oil for baking. Garlic as it adds flavour and depth to a dish, anchovies because when they're blended well into a dish they add a salty, rich flavour and quinoa and cauliflower because they're so versatile.

2. Cooks/Chefs that inspire you? 
Bill Granger because he's a self taught cook who creates easy to follow recipes that work beautifully.  I also love Matt Moran and Pete Evans,  I can't wait for Pete's new healthy cookbook to come out.

3. Favourite Melbourne Dining experience? 
Andrew O'Connell's restaurant Cutler and Co in Fitzroy and an italian restaurant called Caterina's where my husband took me for lunch on Valentine's Day, the food and hospitality was superb.

4. How would you describe your blog Farmhouse Home and why did you start blogging?
Farmhouse Home is a blog about my love of rustic food with a healthy twist served family style.  Sharing those recipes and connecting with people.  I started blogging as an outlet for my creativity and to meet like minded people.

5. Have you a favourite meal you enjoy cooking with your family and friends?
 I love slow cooked food especially shoulder of lamb.

6. Ultimate travel destination …and why?
France, I've been to Paris many times but would love to spend an extended period of time driving the french countryside eating at local bistros and experiencing the fresh food markets and brocantes for vintage dishes and cookware. 

7. Favourite wine or beverage to drink at the moment???
 I love Rose, when I was in Adelaide over Christmas, friends recommended Charles Melton, Rose of Virginia as being a really good one, so need to track this one down.

8. Favourite cookbook?   
A baking book called "Love, Bake, Nourish" has given me alot of pleasure.  From baking the recipes, gazing at the styling and design and even the name feeds my soul.

9. How would you describe your cooking style?
 I like to cook simple, unfussy, seasonal food with lots of flavour.

10. Favourite foodie places in Melbourne?
Markets & Stores:  definitely South Melbourne Market, I think it's the best fresh produce market in Melbourne.  Don't forget to line up at the dim sim store, for a famous Sth Melbourne Market dim sim at the end of your shopping.  My daughter and I love popping into Thomas Dux on the weekend for the lovely food you can buy there.  Oasis Bakery where you can buy any middle eastern ingredient you can imagine, they also have a bakery and cafe.  Noisette in Port Melbourne, an authentic french bakery with the most delicious bread, cakes and fruit buns.

Cafes:  Chez Dre, South Melbourne
Pizza:  DOC in Carlton, Mornington or newly opened Albert Park restaurant, 

Italian:  Tiamo Bistro, Lygon Street, Carlton, not Tiamo II next door but the place next to it on the corner.


Below are some of my favourite recipe posts of Catherine's-
(Please note-All images taken by Catherine Bedson and can be found on Farmhouse Home)

Chicken & Mushroom Risotto- Recipe here

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea & Quinoa Salad- Recipe here

Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings- Recipe here


Cherry & Almond Tart- Recipe here


Coconut & Chia Granola Bars- Recipe here

If you enjoy reading food blogs, I would highly recommend having a look at Farmhouse Home. Keep up to date with new posts by following Catherine on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, or add Farmhouse Home to your Bloglovin- where you will never miss a post! 

Have a lovely day, and if needing some inspiration for tonight's dinner….
make yourself a cuppa and head over to Farmhouse Home ! 
You might need to refill your cup!!

Have a great day x




Thursday, 20 February 2014

Catching Up with Yvette from The Stylist Splash…

Today I would like to introduce you to Yvette Wilson who is the colourful and talented writer behind one of my favourite blogs- The Stylist Splash!

The Stylist Splash is a lifestyle blog where Yvette shares lots of great ideas and her finds on food, styling and decorating tips, interior design news, fashion, home living, kids stuff, just to name a few. I love how every day she has something new to read. Yvette has a real flair for styling and colour. Her photos are always a visual treat! You may have come across her in Adore Home Magazine, Inside Out magazine, Sunday Style magazine, Interiors Addicts Seven Vignettes and she even won a styling competition for Kiki K. I think this is definitely a blog to watch as Yvette's talents are discovered by all. 

So, some questions for Yvette…..

1. How would you define your style? 
I would define my style as contemporary with pops of colour 

2. Can you tell us what is currently inspiring you?
Muuto wall dots and big rustic dining room tables with coloured chairs. 
Inspiration from The Block (Channel 9).  I am coveting all of them at present.

3. What is your favourite colour and colour combinations?
Fave colours are yellow and pink.  I adore yellow and grey together.  White, taupe and duck egg blue and currently loving coral, navy and gold together. 

4.Name three things you couldn't live without at the moment? 
Three things I could not live without would be my iPhone, lipgloss and my running shoes.

5. Your favourite room at home? and why?
My favourite room at home would be my home office space.  I can hide away in there away from the hustle and bustle and no one is allowed to touch anything so it always stays the way I left it.

6. Your ultimate job?
My ultimate job would be to own a little coffee gift shop and only run it in school hours. 

7. A quick summary of your blog "The Stylist Splash'?
My blog The Stylist Splash is a place where I share all the lovely things I come across in the world of design,interiors, kid style, cooking and lifestyle and just a place I can be creative and share what I love.

8. Have you a favourite designer/s that you seek inspiration from?
I have a few favourite designers.  I love Rachel Castle from Castle and Things.  Her colour and mantra to life are happy and bright and I always admire her work.  I love the work produced by Lovestar, those vases are to die for.  The Brown Trading Company for its bright, colourful homewards and gorgeous cushions

9. Favourite holiday destination? 
My favourite holiday destination is Noosa.  I love the relaxed, warm environment and the fact that we really have some beautiful beaches and resorts right here in Australia.


Below are a handful of Yvette's images - a mixture of her recipes, vignette's and home styling





So be sure to pop over and visit Yvette at The Stylist Splash…..
it always brightens up my day, and Im sure it will do the same to yours!


Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Guest Post- Leigh's Herb and Pancetta Poached Chicken


Today I am very lucky to have Leigh from ChitChatChomp as my first Guest blogger on Townmouse Countrymouse. ChitChatChomp is a lovely blog filled with delicious, french inspired recipes and the most gorgeous photos, that will leave you salivating and wishing Leigh lived at your home. Leigh's style of cooking is based on keeping it simple, using seasonal ingredients and giving it a french twist. Even if you're not into cooking, this blog is definitely still worth a visit for the visual feast your eyes will be treated too, the lovely french stories that go with each recipe and the other interesting travel pieces Leigh enjoys writing about. Leigh describes herself as "a Melbourne based Taurean, home cook, amateur photographer and a lover of all things french!"- I just love her style of cooking and am in love with her photography (definitely not amateur!!!).
I hope you enjoy Leigh's post as much as I have…..


Being someone who lives and breathes recipes and food, I'm often asked what my favourite type of food is to cook.  Funnily enough, it's not the easiest question for me to answer as it completely depends on the season, time of day and of course the biggest factor, my mood.

If it's a mid-week meal during Summer, I love nothing better than experimenting with salads, and at the moment it's the ones that contain lentils that have me drooling.

A lazy weekend on a cooler day, I can guarantee you that my oven will be on and something yummy and soothing will be inside bubbling away.

However, there seems to be a few common links that bring most of the food that I love to cook together:

1.  Simplicity
2.  Fresh, organic produce
3.  A tilt towards French flavours


Herb and Pancetta Poached Chicken



  
Oh la la!

Light enough for a Spring/Summer evening, yet hearty enough to satisfy anyone on a cooler night, rugged up under a blanket with a wine in hand.

A dish that also freezes and defrosts beautifully!

You asked me what I like to cook, well....voila!




Special thanks to Leigh for this lovely post.
All photos taken by Leigh.
These and many more can be found on ChitChatChomp.

Are you a lover of all things french???