This week’s small pleasures #330

Thistles and Kiwis,

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate! Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays here in New Zealand, so we have enjoyed a lovely long weekend. We’ve been reading, cooking, catching up on podcasts and the odd bit of pottering outside. I also did a huge pile of ironing. This of course is not a small pleasure, but it was good to get done, and I did watch an episode of the 1960s BBC adaptation of Simenon’s Maigret novels at the same time which was fun. Anyway, to this week’s small pleasures.

Out in town

Shelly Bay Baker has opened up a branch in the city centre in the spot that used to house Leeds Street Bakery, so I popped in for lunch and to pick up some bread on Wednesday. Their smoked salmon bagel is definitely one of the best in town, with lots of capers along with the smoked salmon, leaves and red onion. I bought a loaf of their rye bread, and got a free ‘everything’ bagel as it was the second day they were open at this site (which I enjoyed for lunch the next day).

On Wednesday, we treated ourselves to dinner out at perennial favourite Field & Green. We shared the smoked salmon and dill mousse served with caraway and raisin soda bread to start with which was excellent. I opted for the butternut gnocchi with cavelo nero, sage butter, amaretti crumb and parmesan, and Karl the Scotch fillet with peppercorn sauce and triple cooked chips, both of which we enjoyed. It was lovely to get out mid week too.

Easter

To make things look a bit more like Easter at home, I got out these old cardboard eggs, which as I child were always filled with mini Easter eggs on Easter Sunday Well, actually, the two big ones I think were my step-son’s old ones. the gold one was mine but not sure when it first appeared. The two little ones in the middle were ones that my parents got each year, which I purchased as a teenager I think. As to the very old one, with the curious looking hare in a frock coat, carrying an umbrella and bag with flowers on it. I have no idea how old this is, as I think it may even be older than me I do remember it from early childhood – and can’t believe I still have it.

In the shopping basket

Back to food, and on Wednesday I picked up a bunch of kale, some silver beet, a bag of apples and this gorgeous looking hokkaido pumpkin, which was excellent roasted as part of Saturday’s dinner.

It being Easter, we naturally had hot cross buns on Friday. Other things in the basket this week: a giant bunch of celery, a piece of ginger, onions, a radicchio, tomatoes, a celeriac (not sure when or how I will use it this week though), some Portobello mushrooms and a few late season plums. Also seen is the Lancashire hotpot (basically a lamb stew topped with potatoes) that we had for Sunday’s dinner.

Simple things

  • Hearing from Carol Ann of Fashioned for Joy
  • Relaxing on the sofa, reading and drinking tea over the weekend – glorious!
  • Enjoying lighting candles (especially the deep yellow beeswax ones) and being cosy in the evenings.
  • Seeing all the signs of spring in the Northern Hemisphere in fellow bloggers posts.
  • Coming to the realisation that is only 2 months until we go to Europe
  • Spotting these lilies in the Botanic Gardens.

What were your small pleasures this week? Here are some other blog posts from a few fellow bloggers looking at the good things in life. Also entered in the weekend coffee share hosted by Natalie.

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com or lofgren@thistlesandkiwis.com

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

Loves summer, sunshine and cats. Beginner gardener, likes eating, cooking and reading about food

33 Comments

  1. Some lovely pleasures there. I’m keen to know what you decide to do with the celeriac and it’s a great big yes to Lancashire hot pot from me.

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  2. This morning our sky is a clear deep blue – a cleansing colour after yesterday’s grey sky and light mizzle that echoed the sadness of bidding my son farewell as he has gone to live in Scotland. There is a sharp chill in the crisp air: a sign of a new start. We enjoyed hot crossed buns too, and now after weeks of anxiety it is time to embrace the new season and to adjust to a different way of life. Your post fills me with a sense of peace – thank you.

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  3. These are some lovely pleasures indeed! The vegetables looks delicious. It is a bit hard to find high quality vegetables by the end of winter where we live, at least if one wants to eat produce that is grown locally. ..but soon 🙂 I love spring, it is such a wonderful season of hope, when life returns. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend.

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  4. I’ve emptied my ironing basket this past week and while not a real pleasure it ‘s a good feeling to see the bottom of the basket for a change! Your photos are lovely and such simple pleasures can bring so much joy can’t they? We leave for UK in a month’s time so I can understand your anticipation of your trip too Barbara!

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  9. celeriac is great in a “White Mash”, which is mashed potatoes, celeriac, turnips and onion, equal amount and garlic. The turnips are boiled until half done, then cooked in butter until done. Put everything through a food mill, reheat with either a little of the cooking liquid or milk as needed, add freshly ground pepper and some butter – it is delicious! The recipe is in the Beautiful Provence Cookbook

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  10. It’s funny how seeing items from our childhood, and using them today, brings us such joy. Your Easter memorabilia is lovely. And so true how a spontaneous week-night outing can be so special!

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  11. Thank you for your weekend coffee share. Such lovely pleasures and stunning lilies. I haven’t seen lily with that hot pink tips before. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  12. These are lovely pleasures in your week. Your decorative Easter eggs are beautiful. I’m a huge fan of silverbeet. I haven’t seen the bottom of my ironing basket for a while, so need to get that done.

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  14. I avoid ironing like the plague. Anything cotton or linen looks “natural” on me. Vince loves cotton t-shirts and he used to iron them. No more! I love your beautiful pictures of your purchases each week. How fresh. I should try photographing instead of rushing to put everything away.

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    1. I have to have something to watch on my computer when I iron..and I certainly wouldn’t win a prize for my ironing! I love vegetables…colours and shapes…and to eat of course too – but it is the variety I like.

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