Carpe Diem Acreage: In the Kitchen

This morning has started as a very dreary day. As I look out the window the rain is pouring outside, but luckily when I went to feed and water the animals it had slowed. The past few weeks have been very wet and the highway north of us has been closed for 2 weeks due to numerous slides and washouts over a very long stretch of the road. They just reopened for a small portion of traffic and today it is expected to get another 100mm or so rain (heavy rain fall warning).

So a wet dreary day means I can do lots of work in the kitchen....

Yesterday I purchased some beef bones, so I roasted them in the oven and began cooking them last night. I have them simmering on the back of the stove again together with some onions, celery leaves, bay leaves and peppercorns this morning. It should make for a nice starter for tonight's dinner. I added a splash of vinegar as that is suppose to help draw out minerals from the bones.

I'm not sure what else I'll add to the soup - maybe some barley together with carrots, celery and potatoes. Perhaps some lovage from the garden for extra flavour (I'll go out and brave the rain)

I know I will have to bake some bread today and most likely I'll also start up some more yogurt.

I purchased some organic almonds and soaked them overnight in water with some salt. First thing this morning I drained them and placed them in my food dehydrator. I have been reading that we should soak our nuts before eating them so as to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors and break down the gluten so digestion is easier. Husband can not tolerate nuts though he loves them, so perhaps by soaking he will be able to eat a few. We can only give a try and see (and hopefully he won't end up with a bad stomach ache.)

I have to take Daughter to the shopping centre later, so I was thinking to pick up some chinese cabbage and put some Kimchi to ferment. I enjoy Kimchi and haven't made it for a while. I already have the Daikon radish and all the other ingredients so I may as well make it now. There are so many variations of Kimchi - here method that I use, but in addition of the cabbage I also add Diakon radish and carrots cut into matchstick strips...