Feel a bit like I won the Secret Santa lottery this year. Thank you so much, this is amazing!

My Santa didn't know this, but I'm halfway through a fine book on how to make artisan sourdough. I've spent weeks researching, and looking high and low all over Sydney for the right dutch oven. This one's freakishly perfect, I'm still grinning from ear to ear. :)

Have also been travelling to America a lot this year for work, and falling in love with (proper) Mexican food - which we don't get enough of here in Australia. Just discovered chipotle peppers. I'll definitely be cooking many a long, slow chilli in this thing. Using the recipe in the big cookbook my Santa gave to make my wife huevos rancheros for brekky this weekend - can't wait. I really love cooking, this is such a good gift.

Thanks again Santa for your unusually generous and thoughtful present - it'll be loved, used and appreciated until I can't lift it anymore.... and probably long after that!