loose produce

i died and went to heaven the first day i walked into kakulas




why?
1) wooden floors. they'll get me every time.
2) the smell. spices, tea, meat
4) the sound. so many different accents in one room
3) the produce. bags full of grains (processed, unprocessed, organic, gluten free, local, imported) buckets full of spices (red, green, yellow, brown), shelves stocked with every preserve, cordial, jam, pickle imaginable (pomegranate sauce anyone?) fridges full of cheeses, dips, antipesto, meats (sundried tomato and feta) containers full of sweets (real turkish delight and poppy seed bread) baskets full of fresh bread (fig and pumpkin seed) bins of dried fruits and nuts (cherries and almond). not to mention the food from all different nations...tinned poppyseed??!!

to me, a food store is an amazing place. it opens the door to a world of possibilities. there is nothing better than walking through a loose produce store and getting 100g of this and 20g of that to make the perfect cake, or muesli or marinade. unlike a supermarket, loose produce enables you to buy EXACTLY what you need to fulfill the recipe without having open bottles of obscure ingredients that will probably go off before you need them (i mean how many times will you really use elderberry? - sorry to all those mad keen jam makers out there)

the main reason i wanted to write this post is

1) because i am mad keen on kakulas (sisters located in freo and brothers located in northbridge) and recommend it as a place to find the perfect present for those people that have everything...nothing beats freshly ground coffee, loose tea, polish sponge fingers or a basket of cheeses and antipesto.

2) i was cycling down canning hwy and found a shop called 'loose produce', much like kakulas, yet closer to home (YAY) alot brighter inside with a cafe attached (genious!), however the cheese range was not as good.

3) so i want to know if there are any more around town. wherever you are, spread the word, where do you get good loose produce from??

and, once you have found that loose produce, have a go at this:

Alex's Awesome Muesli
(g measurements are approximations! )


1/2 c honey
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 c (300g) rolled oats
1/2 c (50g) bran (can be processed or not, depending on your preference)
1/2 c (25g) coconut
1/2 c (50g) wheatgerm
1/2 c (100g) chopped nuts - macadamias taste best!
150g dried fruit i recommend crasins (dried cranberries) and apricots or dried cherries/blueberries

Preheat oven to 150 degrees celcius
Place the first five ingredients in a bowl and into the microwave and heat for 2 minutes or until bubbling. Mix well
Add remaining ingredients (except dried fruit) to a large shallow dish and mix.
Pour liquid over dry ingredients and stir together until dry mix is coated.
Place into oven for about 20 minutes (or longer for more crunch) stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Add dried fruit and mix through.
Store in airtight container for up to 3 months

To serve: place 4 heaped tbspn into a bowl, add a dollop of vanilla yoghurt, a tiny drizzle of honey and fresh fruit (banana or strawberries goes well)
Tip: vary the oat/wheatgerm/bran amounts to suit your tastes. i like extra oats so i usually add about 500g of oats. be creative. there is usually enough liquid still, just reduced the sweetness.