the Drill Hall Emporium's goodies in Country Style magazine!

I have made no secret over the years writing this blog that I love Country Style magazine.  It is truly one of those magazines that make you feel like making yourself a cuppa and settling down to devour the whole issue cover to cover.  The March issue is no exception to this rule, rating up there as one of my all time favourites.

The March issue is based almost entirely on Tasmania, and is named the Tasmanian issue "Island Dreaming".  The decorating pages are filled with Tasmanian only products including pieces from our very own Drill Hall Emporium.  Our orchard ladder looks right at home against this sandstone wall, above.  And our 19th century chaise longue doesn't look too shabby, either.  No actually, it is meant to be shabby.  It suits perfectly!

Tessa Kavanagh, Melbourne stylist with a unbeatable eye, was responsible for putting these decorating pages together.  She sourced and assembled a beautiful mix of Tasmanian art, woollen blankets, wooden spoons and handmade porcelain pieces among other uniquely Tasmanian products.  She showed how much Tasmanian has so much to offer in terms of quality materials, the handmade and the unique.

Another feature in the March issue is the privately owned Satellite Island upon which sits the most stylish beach (or should I say island?) home.  In fact, you can book to stay on the island when the family are based in Melbourne.  The perfect hideaway!  Some of the pieces including the jars, cafe chairs and trestle table, above, were originally bought from our store.  Who else would love to have a seafood lunch on this deck?

And I would really love to read a book at this setting!  Notice the blue striped grain sack cushion?  Mum will be happy to see that the owners have put it to good use...  To see more on Satellite Island visit their website.

If you are planning a visit to Tasmania the March issue also plans out an itinerary starting in Launceston and heading south through the Midlands and on to the Derwent Valley.  You could base most of you holiday on these few pages alone - where to stay, where to eat and what to do.

And most excitingly, Flywheel, our sister store to The Drill Hall Emporium, is featured over two fantastic pages.  The article tells how and why we started Flywheel and shows some pictures around the store, including a shot of Rachel working the c.1915 Arab platen press!

So if you need any more convincing to go buy a copy and put the kettle on, I really cannot help you...

Until next time,

a lunch at The Agrarian Kitchen to celebrate Rodney Dunn's cookbook!

 

Back in October we were lucky enough to be invited to a lunch at The Agrarian Kitchen to celebrate the launch of Rodney Dunn's much anticipated first cookbook.  The weather could not have been more perfect for the day...partly sunny, no wind and quite mild. 

 

 An extra long, beautifully decorated table was set up in the front garden of the cooking school, beneath large trees for shade.  It was all so picture perfect I was so pleased I remembered to take the camera.   

 

 Delicious brioche buns supplied by Jay Patey, founder of Pigeon Hole Cafe and Pigeon Whole Bakers, were set up on a serving table



 

to accompany the delicious roast pig!  I believe Rodney (pulling the meat apart, above) arose at some terribly early hour that day to get the pig roasting and cooked in time.  Yummy coleslaw and relish made this a fabulous pork roll!





 

Iced tea was served in a mid-20th century drink dispenser alongside locally made (as in just down the road!) apple cider.  Dessert consisted of a rhubarb, meringue and pistachio tart that Alistair Wise, of Sweet Envy, just "whipped up".  I wish I could just "whip up" a creation like this! 

 



And here is the cookbook itself!  Obviously it is a pure delight, no tricks, just good food using seasonal and available produce.  I have already made a few dishes from it and a list of the others that I would like to try.  We supplied some of the props used through the book, I had a great time spotting bits and pieces from our store!  You can buy your signed copy direct from The Agrarian Kitchen via their website.

Did I mention our sister store, Flywheel printed the letterpress invitations for the day?  Simple and honest, no tricks here either.

Until next time,

clocks, linen, tureens and more to be sold at the Shabby Market tomorrow!

 

You may remember last year we had a little stall at the Shabby Market in Lenah Valley?  It was a huge success for us, we nearly sold out of everything we took!  It is on again so I have spent the day going through our storeroom looking for goodies to take.

 

 

 Most of which has never made it into the shop, including this late 19th Century alabaster and gilt metal clock.  Here is a little snap shot of what I have found and what will be for sale tomorrow at the Shabby Market...

 

Cute little cruet set, made by Carltonware c.1930.

Pretty china and useful silver wares. 

A stack of vintage linen, available per piece, all freshly laundered and ironed.

English china teapot dating to c.1930.

 

 

Two blue and white English china tureens, dating to the late 19th century.  This is only a very small selection of what I have found and I am still looking! 



So come along and take a look at the Lenah Valley Community Hall, Creek Road, Lenah Valley 9am until 2pm.  You can also visit the Shabby Market Facebook page for more information. 

Until next time,

our exhibition at the Runnymede antique fair!

Finally, I have gotten around to collating our images of the Runnymede antiques fair that we took part in last month.  I thought I would create little collages to give you an idea of our room, which was of course the kitchen.

We love the flagstone flooring and the wide fire surround.  And in the afternoon the sun streams through the French doors.

We took our Georgian oak dresser along which suited the room perfectly.

We decorated using majolica leaf plates, chopping boards, French cutlery and glassware. 

 We took over the central courtyard with French garden furniture, trestle tables and garden tools.  It rained quite a bit of the weekend but it didn't stop the serious antique hunters from coming along. 

The fair will be held once again next year as it is an important fundraising event for the National Trust of Tasmania.  I am already crossing my fingers for sunshine!

Until next time,

Our stores and our favourite haunts in the latest Inside Out magazine!

We were very excited to see the article in the September issue of Inside Out magazine featuring the Agrarian Kitchen, the cooking school just ten minutes from our stores.

Titled "a weekend with The Agrarian Kitchen" the story tells how founders Rodney and Severine developed the concept of the now famous cooking school as well as how now, 6 years on they spend their time when they are not cooking (or tending to their farm!).

  

And proudly our two stores, The Drill Hall Emporium and Flywheel are both on their agenda!  Tristan, Rodney and Severine's son is captured in the Drill Hall holding a large ball of linen twine.

Also a favourite pitstop is Cheeky Little Place, the cafe with the best coffee in New Norfolk not to mention the best bread, Redland's stoneground sourdough.  Pigeon Hole and Sweet Envy in Hobart are also favourite stops for Rodney and Severine. The funny thing is, these are all our favourite haunts as well!

To see our own little suggestions of where to go when one is Tasmania, visit here.  After all, the local always knows best.

Until next time,

shabby market this Saturday! sneak peek of goodies we are taking...

 

This week I am tapping into my inner shabby self and finding loads of goodies in our store room to take to the Shabby Market on this coming Saturday!  In fact, it is the day before Mother's day which will make it perfect timing to find a little special something for loved mums.  I thought I would give a little sneak peek of the kinds of things we will be taking along...

Vintage mohair blankets in gorgeous soft pink colours.

A shabby gilded stool which dates from the 19th century.  And some pretty floral cups and saucers.

More vintage wares, all shabby of course!  I think I will need baskets to pile all our bits and pieces in!

This French watering can which has been painted in gorgeous peach tones. 

 

And French buttons on cards, along with jars of buttons for the crafty.  My tables will be overflowing with goodies, I assure you, there will be something for everyone!  I can't wait to see what all the other stallholders bring along.  Here are the essential details...

 

Check out the Shabby Market Facebook page for more information and to tap into your inner shabby self. Or better yet, come along on Saturday and say hi to me!

Until next time,

a day at The Agrarian Kitchen making ice cream!

 

For Christmas I was the lucky recipient of a "I scream for ice cream" cooking class gift voucher at The Agrarian Kitchen.  And just this last Sunday I arrived at the Lachlan based cooking school with some fibre in the belly (fairly certain the rest of the day would be a bit of a health write-off) ready for a day of fun. Oh, and some cooking!  

 



Firstly, I must say I love The Agrarian Kitchen, this is my fourth class in their cooking school and I always feel immediately at home.  Not only do I find familiar pieces such as this antique French wire egg basket in use around the kitchen, Rodney and Séverine are very welcoming.  Guests are greeted with a cup of something hot and a little cake, this day being no exception. 

Then it was straight down to business.  The ice cream class was led by Alistair Wise, ex Gordan Ramsay chef and now the mastermind of Sweet Envy in North Hobart, along with partner Teena.  The blackboard was full of all the wonderful ice creams that we were going to make throughout the day.  It was only 9.30 in the morning and we were straight into the kitchen with an undeniable sense of purpose.  Alistair's enthusiasm and commitment to the sweeter side of life is contagious, I must say. 

 

The philosophy behind the Agrarian Kitchen is that most ingredients used for the classes comes from its own land.  And as such Rodney went straight out to the garden and within minutes we had fresh fruit to use for the ice cream, parfait, sorbet and granite that we were to make.  We also used eggs from the chickens and goats milk for some of the ice cream. 

 

  

At one point during the day a little bit of science came into play to make the cherry sorbet, liquid nitrogen and a whisk was used to speed up the freezing time.  I am not sure if this was showing off by Mr Wise or whether it was a procedure of necessity.  I did perhaps notice all the ice cream churners were full of other types of ice cream?  Do not try this at home, I think I should say at this point (legal obligations, yawn) as Alistair and Rodney donned protective masks and gloves for safety.  It certainly made for a spectacular scene with the vapours spreading out over the work bench!

 



 

We made sesame praline and a yummy honeycomb, too.  The honey was from The Agrarian Kitchen's very own bees.

 

 

Whilst we were busy making ice cream in the kitchen, Rodney was cooking the lunch for the class.  Once again it was a matter of gathering and preparing vegetables from the garden for our feast, along with grilled eye fillet beef and Alistair's own bread straight out of the wood fired oven.  I would have been happy with just the bread, it was so delicious! 

 



 

The dining room was set with French napkins and antique cutlery and the chunky sycamore farmhouse table (ex the Drill Hall Emporium, I must proclaim) was perfect for a large gathering. 



 

After lunch Alistair had a treat for the class.  We were officially introduced to Big Bessie, a 1963 Commer original Mr Whippy.  Like, seriously!  Of which Alistair's pride is quite evident.  You may have seen Big Bessie at the Taste of Tasmania serving soft serve ice cream and sundaes to the masses?  Well, we had her all to ourselves this day and she didn't let us down. 

 

We then took a tour of the farm and gardens to help work off Big Bessie's "Joy's Prickly Box" featuring toffee baked corn flakes and caramel sauce.  I was lucky enough to know The Agrarian Kitchen three years ago upon opening and it truly amazes me how much can be achieved in such a short amount of time.  Not that I wasn't amazed back then, but the gardens and orchard are flourishing at every turn and the farm is home to 2 litters of piglets (with the grownups), several goats, guinea fowls, chickens...oh, and the bees. 

 

 

Finally, it was back to the kitchen for the final stages of ice cream and condiment preparations.  Alistair brought along his fairy floss machine which was so much fun to watch in action, before we were handed large scoops to help prepare the 2.4 metre ice cream sundae which graced the length of the table.  Amongst the chaos I could hear Alistair shouting orders as if a commander going to battle, as timing was oh so critical, apparently.  It was then a simple matter of digging in, and at 2.4 metres this was one ice cream sundae I didn't mind sharing.

 

Until next time,