tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11372674360223636092024-03-05T13:05:17.724-08:00Gourmet TownieWriting, cooking & raising a family in regional NSW.Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-51763538881894897432018-06-01T05:01:00.001-07:002018-06-01T05:01:47.244-07:00Talking Tamworth: Claudia Byrnes from Sonny's Bakery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love a good loaf of sourdough and a cracker almond croissant. And just last month I was lucky enough to catch up with Claudia Byrnes just before the opening of Sonny's Bakery . Claudia is a partner in Sonny's, and Tamworth Area Manager at Harvest Hospitality Group, who first entered the Tamworth dining scene with The Pig and Tinder Box.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can read all about Sonny's Bakery Cafe in the upcoming Downtown Magazine, but I was so moved by Claudia's passion for what she is doing that I followed up with a Q&A.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8z8SRT6-_2meb-GGWeKo1eouKnYHzdbHYMGQrrxj9wfuI7Nt5_KE839Kyk5MZL3TOZaa4db2kzS-BYaHiUHC0YH3zTees5qvITabC5zH8oN5bjRsou_wsQs0CAmBuUGnjdZZ634A1Ic/s1600/IMG_1777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8z8SRT6-_2meb-GGWeKo1eouKnYHzdbHYMGQrrxj9wfuI7Nt5_KE839Kyk5MZL3TOZaa4db2kzS-BYaHiUHC0YH3zTees5qvITabC5zH8oN5bjRsou_wsQs0CAmBuUGnjdZZ634A1Ic/s320/IMG_1777.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo: Supplied</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Claudia Monique</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harvest Hospitality – Tamworth Area Manager </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sonny’s Bakery – Owner </span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-495e3523-bb2b-fff0-93b2-cc27dbf605ed" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where did you grow up?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m born and bred in Tamworth </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">☺</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking back, did you love it? If so why?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember my friends and I always longing for adventure and the city life, so I don’t feel I appreciated the town as much as I should have through my schooling years. But this is where my family is, where the love is, and so it’s home. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where else have you lived before moving to/coming back to Tamworth?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I resided in The Gold Coast for about four years. After completing my higher school education in Tamworth at Oxley High School, I headed north and studied a Bachelor of Communications at Griffith University. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you love about Tamworth?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first time I was asked this question it caught me off guard and I struggled to answer, since then I’ve made a conscience effort to recognise a few of my favourite things about Tamworth. My mum often reminds me how beautiful the main street of Tamworth is – Peel St, we chat of the Peel river that runs through the town and also the hills of Tamworth creating a stunning backdrop in the East. Venturing into a career here a few years ago, and still residing here currently, what I truly love is watching this town grow with some incredibly talented and creative people in many different fields making Tamworth more and more culturally appetising. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How long have you worked in hospitality?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got a job working in the hospitality industry 2012 with the intention, like so many, of working to save and move overseas. I got my first job with family friends who own The Pub Group here in Tamworth. I started at the bottom picking up glasses, and continued learning a solid foundation of front of house in the hospitality industry for about two years. I did head overseas for a stint, and worked in a few different places when I ventured back to Tamworth. I picked up little things here and there, but at the time was really struggling to gain job satisfaction. I was enjoying the industry, but craved something more that really wasn’t on offer in Tamworth at the time; this was about three years ago. I had near given up and was about to move to Sydney when two gents rolled into town and were setting up a new restaurant bar, revamping the historic bank building at 429 Peel Street in the heart of the town, to be called ‘The Pig & Tinder Box’. I met with them casually on the dusty worksite, a couple of questions and few laughs exchanged. I left thinking wow, these guys are something else, they were young, vibrant, passionate and so motivated in what they do. I got the call back later that day to join a small management team in training for what we locals now affectionately call ‘The Pig’. And now I’m their Area Manager for their Tamworth venues including The Courthouse Hotel and The Albert Hotel.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you love about the industry?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The office life is not for me, so I love that we are continually on foot. Aside from a love of food, ‘hospitality’ is really just that, it’s about hosting and creating a space and atmosphere where people can come together and have a great time. Bringing people together is something I really love doing! </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tell me a little bit about Sonny’s Bakery?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sonny’s is a bakery café. We’ve wanted to create a space and offering that’s a combination of nostalgic goodies with a city chic edge. You can grab a glass bottle of coke from the fridge, and pair it with a Sonny’s Sausage Roll or Beef & Burgundy Pie, both using local beef from our mates at Ford’s Butchery. We’ve got a bakery onsite, our bakers are busy working throughout the evening to produce fresh bread and pastries for us daily. We’re stoked to be using topnotch quality flour from Wholegrain Milling Co in Gunnedah. Our kitchen is cooking breakie 7 days a week from 6am. And coffee… we’ve got some mates who started a coffee company called Will&Co in Sydney, so we’ve brought that to Tamworth and it’s being really well received!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’re a partner in the business, who else owns it?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, myself, Rod McDonald, Christopher Cornforth and Fraser Haughton</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When and how did the idea start?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We would often say how there was a gap in the market for a good bakery café in Tamworth. I know myself as soon as I head to a city; a bakery café is one of the first places I seek out, chasing a ham and cheese croissant and good coffee. Mid last year, the shop front became vacant right next door to The Pig & Tinder Box. Many moons ago being a butcher shop it already had a cool room down the back so it seemed a no brainer that we should jump on the space. From there it was a long process getting our ducks in a row, none of us had had anything to do with baking bread before haha but here we are!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does it mean to you to be working with Harvest Group and to have a slice of your very own business? </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best thing about my time working with Harvest Hospitality has been the mentorship I’ve received from both Chris and Fraser. No matter what field you’re in, I believe finding someone to mentor you is so vital, also really tricky to come by. Now mentoring those under me, I realize how much time and energy it takes to believe in someone and pass on your wisdom. For their time, I will be forever grateful and for their trust and encouragement leading to the ultimate - going into business with together. It’s pretty incredible! I’m still pinching myself. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sonny’s is offering Artisan Sourdough bread, sweet and savoury pastries, salads and sandwiches, a breakfast menu and amazing coffee from Will&Co. What have I missed there? </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think you’ve covered it all! Haha We’ve got a range of breads aside from Sourdough, there’s a simple white loaf, a wholemeal loaf, a rye loaf and a seeded loaf PLUS baguettes and bread rolls. Oh and we do a low Gluten loaf as well </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">☺</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tell me about the sweet treats that your head baker David Mansart whips up?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here we go… chocolate croissants, almond croissants and we serve plain croissants with a local jam from Little Kickerbell. We’ve got delicious muffins – blueberry dark choc and oats, and raspberry white choc and coconut. It’s been a bit of a crazy start, so when the bakers have time, you’ll start to see an endless range of tarts! Strawberry tarts, Chocolate tarts, Lemon meringue tarts, Pear tarts, Apricot Tarts, and the list goes on… </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is your favorite Sonny’s product?</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Too many! I’m loving the Pork & Fennel sausage roll, and Strawberry tarts! </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like all in the hospitality industry you’ve worked pretty hard to get Sonny’s up, and it’s not slowing down. What do you love to do in your down time? </span></span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Haha yes I tend to work a lot, but when I take a breather I enjoy zoning out at a quiet café having a coffee with friends or a sneaky glass of vino. I love spending time with my fiancé Jack Massey, if we can escape we enjoy hiking, but when at home we spend time with our chocolate Labrador – Hugo. Should probably get cracking on planning our wedding also! </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-29077595552305784142018-05-17T04:55:00.000-07:002018-05-20T02:25:23.044-07:00Lemon poached pears with cinnamon crema di latte<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jfL8bWHUl5NGkZwbBZx5cJftPeL7ei7HBTF4Edoyv_ZcWBWgGNRrDEbyS2t5d_wqcNnjYdmqbQxeKw37oLZdorTdwzbUxSv51DY8RZ3d0dJidslx4_N0ROGAVa5XR2l0Aa2vjSgit1s/s1600/18.05.17+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jfL8bWHUl5NGkZwbBZx5cJftPeL7ei7HBTF4Edoyv_ZcWBWgGNRrDEbyS2t5d_wqcNnjYdmqbQxeKw37oLZdorTdwzbUxSv51DY8RZ3d0dJidslx4_N0ROGAVa5XR2l0Aa2vjSgit1s/s320/18.05.17+Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Image: Kyle Manning. Styling: Jane Graystone</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's all about the apples right now. But why should they get all the fun? Don't forget about the pears, please! Poached pears is one of the first "fancy" desserts that became a regular fixture in my repertoire and it was really thanks to the original version of this recipe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It first appeared in the first delicious magazine I ever owned (this really is becoming a post about firsts) and I have since adapted it for the slow cooker. Such a great dinner party idea if you're someone who leaves dessert to the last minute and ends up scratching together a bowl of ice-cream and a fruit salad from the limp offerings in the bottom of the crisper. Set in the morning and forget until serving time. Perfect!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Ok, so maybe the crema di latte gets in the way of the set and forget concept a little, but you can, and should, prepare it in advance OR skip it. The pears will be delicious alone with ice-cream).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I published this recipe in the winter issue of Downtown Magazine and the shoot was about this time two years ago. I remember it very well because I was pregnant with my youngest child and trying so hard to keep it under wraps. No mean feat when all you want to do is scoff the food and avoid the wine. It was my first ever (and, to this date, only) food shoot - nothing is ever as glamorous as you want it to be, is it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lemon poached pears with cinnamon crema di latte</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 lemons</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 egg yolks</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">325g caster sugar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">40g flour</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">300ml milk</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">300ml cream</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 beurre bosc pears, peeled</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2/3 cup limoncello</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Serves 6</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from half a lemon.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a saucepan, lightly whisk 75g of the sugar into the egg yolks until combined. Whisk in flour then gradually add milk and cream. Add the cinnamon and lemon zest and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool then refrigerate until ready to serve. The crema di latte can be made a day in advance.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finely zest the remaining lemons using a microplane or grater and juice.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Place the remaining sugar into the slow cooker with 500ml boiling water. Stir to dissolve then add the lemon zest and juice and the limoncello. Arrange the pears in the liquid and cover the mixture with greaseproof paper to prevent the pears from browning. Cook on low for 4 hours.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just before serving, transfer some of the cooking liquid to a saucepan and reduce over a high heat until syrupy. Serve the pears drizzled with syrup and crema di latte.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9ee6bb0e-6deb-fc58-6216-2f3df54f3087"></span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Serves 6</span></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-2472184431469537672018-04-25T04:54:00.000-07:002018-04-25T04:54:08.076-07:00Zucchini flowers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97352mrGeFsziLEtxwVEIrafgCXwU9KEEH2CX9Gkr3UaMX_zgWNYphT0inkuO1ZJNey5RZLwncBTugL1f-eMiuh-lLU2YMFeI8-fi4ocZnGR42vrL5uEiL2fbd150-d-6wHCiopyugeI/s1600/IMG_0596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97352mrGeFsziLEtxwVEIrafgCXwU9KEEH2CX9Gkr3UaMX_zgWNYphT0inkuO1ZJNey5RZLwncBTugL1f-eMiuh-lLU2YMFeI8-fi4ocZnGR42vrL5uEiL2fbd150-d-6wHCiopyugeI/s320/IMG_0596.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Zucchini flowers are hardly seasonal, but I started this post sometime ago and I can’t get it out of my head. Like a writer’s version of an ear worm.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It’s about vegetable gluts. You know, when friends or family have home grown produce coming out their ears and some of it makes its way to you? This can be great (like, summer tomatoes), or not-so-great (chokos anyone?).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Well a month or so ago, a good friend of mine went next-level. Her in-laws had excess cucumbers and zucchinis from their organic farm, odd bendy ones that don’t fit our sense of perfection. ‘Cause bent ones taste different, don’t you know?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Catch ups, coffee dates & gym visits all came with obligatory bags of produce, but for a select few (ok, I think just me), there was a little reward for assisting with the glut - a bag of zucchini flowers!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I can’t remember when I first ate zucchini flowers, but I certainly fell in love. The sweet baby zucchini, herby cheesy stuffed flower and light tempura batter. I think they really are next level.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I’ve only cooked them twice. The first time was a year or two ago, courtesy of the same friends (who is also my truffle-gifting friend, which you can read about <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/how-to-cook-truffle.html" target="_blank">here</a>). This time round I cooked the below recipe, but to be honest I think I prefer a more delicate, sweeter flavour than the salty/basil whack in this one. I'd replace the basil with equl quantities of mint and use a mild goats cheese (or a ricotta if you're not a goat fan) - try <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/crispy-zucchini-flowers-stuffed-with-ricotta-and-mint-recipe-2011987" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for another mint version.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">We fried ours in a wok on the bbq in vegetable oil.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And P.S. Does anyone else struggle to spell Zucchini? Zuchinni? Every.Single.Time?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Stuffed Tempura Zucchini Flowers</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">1 cup plain flour</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 12.8px;">1/2 tsp salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 12.8px;">1 cup water</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 12.8px;">1 tsp olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 12.8px;">1 egg, separated</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">8 zucchini flowers</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 12.8px;">90 g feta</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 12.8px;">8 basil leaves, finely chopped.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Oil for frying (any light odour oil is fine, we used vegetable )</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sift flour and salt into a bowl then whisk in water, oil and egg yolk. Allow the batter to rest for at least 40 minutes.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Gently open the zucchini flowers, trying not to tear the petal structure, and wash inside and out. This is easiest if you remove the stamen from the flower.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Season feta with pepper and then mash together with the basil together using a fork, or stir strongly with a spoon, until a lumpy paste is formed. Gently portion the paste into each zucchini flower.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Beat the egg white until soft peaks form and gently fold into the batter just before using. Heat a saucepan or wok containing 6 cm of oil over a medium-to-high heat. Dip the zucchini flowers, one-by-one, and place in the hot oil - cook in batches to avoid overcrowding in the pan.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and serve immediately.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Serves 4 as an entree.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>I wasn't sure about sharing the end-product but then I thought dammit. I'm not a photographer. I'm a part-time-wanna-be-chef-home-cook and a writer. And these babies are best eaten as fresh and hot as you can bear. That, my friends, is not necessarily "insta-compatible"!</i></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6zD5EZmhQ4CFT7eO0Ig0VqCxsKvG1ncDj6IJ98WlSfNQFdfVr5cs0hNgPFyJNaEuAUnvh9VFoCRswseWM5E2Ncr4GG-tXJFLCidL5jrGVpEmPDNSz8fFSSIFTGpqSCFy1B2XzcPBSP8/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6zD5EZmhQ4CFT7eO0Ig0VqCxsKvG1ncDj6IJ98WlSfNQFdfVr5cs0hNgPFyJNaEuAUnvh9VFoCRswseWM5E2Ncr4GG-tXJFLCidL5jrGVpEmPDNSz8fFSSIFTGpqSCFy1B2XzcPBSP8/s320/IMG_0598.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;"><i><span id="goog_1641838464"></span><span id="goog_1641838465"></span><br /></i></span></span></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-52184214054381555952018-02-26T14:42:00.001-08:002018-05-20T02:27:03.894-07:00Positive and enriching experiences at St Andrew's College<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicS5n8oJvMuS8RQQMgihHSw8lRdmOTXbO57z36Xk2cPgikeqLqi2pZovnqB48k9ASYqZXU_tC7mlhQhaJSlmvF8gfwPxi5i39-aHP3fB8BTKLGz409CxIRGmfcZXshr26Id0rBBqveQp4/s1600/building-bannert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicS5n8oJvMuS8RQQMgihHSw8lRdmOTXbO57z36Xk2cPgikeqLqi2pZovnqB48k9ASYqZXU_tC7mlhQhaJSlmvF8gfwPxi5i39-aHP3fB8BTKLGz409CxIRGmfcZXshr26Id0rBBqveQp4/s320/building-bannert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Yesterday an apparently damning report concerning culture at
Sydney University’s residential colleges was provided to the ABC. As a member
of St Andrew’s College Alumni I feel compelled to write and defend the
institution, based solely on my positive experiences as a resident and student for
three years.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />Entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Red Zone</i>,
the full report is to be released later this week. According to the ABC, who
ran the story across multiple platforms on day one of Sydney University’s
O-Week, it contains details of disturbing rituals, hazing and victimisation,
particularly concerning first year students. The stories ran by the ABC
featured a handful of individuals who spoke out detailing their negative
experiences.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />I admire the bravery of these individuals and I certainly
don’t doubt the veracity and seriousness of their claims. I hope they are in
the minority, although I this may be a rose-coloured glasses view. I dearly
hope we hear from current and recent students who are thriving, or have thrived,
in the environment without engaging in, or being on the receiving end of, such
unacceptable behaviours.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />My own personal experiences are now somewhat dated, having attended
the college from 2002 until 2004, but I hope they are still relevant and
reflective of conduct today.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />There were certainly some initiations for first year
students, all of which I participated in, many of which included a large
element of fun and none of which resemble the experiences of those who spoke
out on the ABC last night. The only commonality I could identify was excessive
alcohol consumption. At all times I felt like I could put my hand up and
opt-out, something I did do once, and I never felt individually victimised.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />I was part of the first intake of females into the college
after a proud history of Andrewsmen being known as “Andrews Animals”. The majority
of us felt warmly accepted into the college by the majority of the male
students. I do acknowledge that across the community of colleges there was
certainly a culture of misogyny and sexism. Whilst I don’t defend or condone
these attitudes and behaviours, I feel that they were reflective of the
position of broader society. As a society we have come a long way in the last
10-15 years and I hope this is reflected in the current students’ attitudes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />Would I allow my own son and daughters, currently toddlers,
to a Sydney University College? Like all decisions I will be privileged to participate
in for them, I will decide at the time, based on so many factors – is it right
for them? Is the current culture appropriate in society’s eyes and for their
personality? Can we afford it? Is it what they want? And so on.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />Was it right for me? Certainly. I don’t deny it’s a secluded
existence for a privileged few, and I would like to see more opportunity and
accessibility for country students, but I feel enriched for the experience. I
drank a lot and partied hard, but I also worked hard in an environment that was
acutely focused on academic, sporting and social achievement.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />To hear St Andrews’ take on these recent reports, and the specific references to the college, I encourage
you to read their statement, here: <a href="http://www.standrewscollege.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Statement-from-St-Andrews-College-to-ABC-730-Report-260218.pdf">http://www.standrewscollege.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Statement-from-St-Andrews-College-to-ABC-730-Report-260218.pdf</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br /></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-81821108776006194922017-12-03T20:09:00.001-08:002017-12-03T20:09:41.410-08:00Blue mussels in tomato sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjkX5sqiOyecT5se_bRSSe_PsdHm8-7IqRnekHiKrORnOazxIljr_4TYI_qxuvvP6Oc8YZeyjmZf-46hshlPbEwN1tA5InMZBrzKLn6et16N_z61banRmriOc9kvLW5WfCqNYGPTwM60/s1600/17.12.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjkX5sqiOyecT5se_bRSSe_PsdHm8-7IqRnekHiKrORnOazxIljr_4TYI_qxuvvP6Oc8YZeyjmZf-46hshlPbEwN1tA5InMZBrzKLn6et16N_z61banRmriOc9kvLW5WfCqNYGPTwM60/s320/17.12.04.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Image supplied by Downtown Magazine<br />Photographer: Kyle Manning. Styling: Jane Graystone</i></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Too much soul searching lately and not enough food methinks. Not that we’ve been cooking anything remarkable because, you know, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1137632501"></span>buuusy<span id="goog_1137632502"></span></a>.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Unlike my <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/where-is-your-busy.html" target="_blank">recent post </a>about it, I think this time we have been legitimately busy. Work has been hectic, Sam’s been a bit sick, the Christmas gatherings have started and we’ve had a 3rd birthday party for 50 people to plan. How did we even get to 50 people? One of the small challenges and great joys of living in a country town is the friendship network which extends from one connection to another, to another.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So we made a cake, fired up the barbecue, filled the kids with too much sugar and food colouring and then everyone went home in a storm of over-tiredness. Fun times. We didn’t have a party for the twins last year so it was a nice way to say thanks to everyone who’s invited us to celebrate with their kids over the last two years.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway, this post is meant to be about food. So here’s a similar recipe to one I published in Downtown magazine’s 2016 winter issue. In the magazine I used a slow cooker, but here is the stovetop method - or you could even do it on a side burner on the bbq. Much more appropriate for the current season. Another seasonal adjustment is the removal of fennel. You could add a bulb of sliced fennel if you love the flavour, but sometimes it's a little tricky to find in summer - fennel's in season through Autumn and Winter.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Two years ago I did a cooking class st Sydney Seafood School. We covered the basics, which for most of us are far from basic. Filleting a fish, segmenting a crab, preparing octopus and cooking mussels.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Mussels have always been a mystery to me. These tight glossy black shells that miraculously open just at the right time. And what about the ones that don’t open and how sick will they make my guests?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Like most things I write about here, turns out it’s not hard. For Tamworth readers, you can buy fresh mussels from Woolworth. They come live in a sealed packet which is actually how you’d buy them from the fish markets, too. When you buy the mussels they must be closed. Sometimes they might be partically open, this is because of the lights in store and is ok, but if they're quite open even in a dark environment then no, not ok. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">When they're cooked, mussels will be about 1/3 open. The flesh inside should look set and have moved away a little from the shell. Like a cake moving away from the tin, perhaps? Hmm, maybe not. And don't fret over the ones that haven't opened them. Gently encourage them open and if they're not ok your nose will tell you pretty quickly. So here goes...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Blue mussels in tomato sauce</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">1 kg small blue mussels - remove from the fridge 10-20 minutes before preparing<br />2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />1 large brown onion, halved and sliced<br />2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste<br />1 cup dry white wine<br />400 g canned tomatoes, chopped<br />1/4 cup torn basil leaves</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Scrub mussel shells together under cold running water to remove any barnacles. You'll find most mussels are pretty well de-bearded if you buy in the packet as described above, but if not, remove beards by tugging towards the round end. Never use the liquid that comes out of the packet as it is far too salty.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Discard any shells that are open and don't close then tapped or gently squeezed</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan, or wok, over a medium heat.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Add the onion, garlic, pepper and a little salt (mussels are really salty, so don't go overboard), cover and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, until onion is soft.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Add the wine, stir well, increase heat and bring to the boil</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Stir in the tomatoes, return to the boil, add mussels, cover and cook over very high heat for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until shells start to open.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">As each shell opens use tongs to move it to a serving bowl. Any that don't open when cooked can be pryed open with a blunt knife over the sink. See my note above about eating mussels that don't open.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Reduce heat to medium and cook sauce for a few minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Stir basil through sauce and pour over the mussels. Serve with crusty, fresh sourdough.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Serves 6 as an entree, or 4 as a main meal with a green salad. </span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-75518753685073924602017-11-21T02:54:00.001-08:002017-11-21T02:54:56.528-08:00One foot in front of the other, in front of the other...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-x3gh6-uqF7gMyYR-RlMAfJem3wwf3uirqspm4AbW_FEolFrxnyG2561_wCYf5LcMOFsL3eUn6xe5SrwAz6QS2pXUrp93PPp_rpceE5rxFHeIgsPry_s8s2OODehtVw3mtu5R8jesY4/s1600/17.11.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-x3gh6-uqF7gMyYR-RlMAfJem3wwf3uirqspm4AbW_FEolFrxnyG2561_wCYf5LcMOFsL3eUn6xe5SrwAz6QS2pXUrp93PPp_rpceE5rxFHeIgsPry_s8s2OODehtVw3mtu5R8jesY4/s320/17.11.21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I really want this blog to be a positive space but there’s so much crappy stuff going on right now.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Last week we went to another funeral. Another friend’s Dad. Another soul taken far to soon - and so quickly - by cancer. We are all in our mid-to-late 30s, and our parents in their mid-to-late 60s. We didn’t expect so many of us to have lost a parent at this age.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And Mum has had a little (big) blip on the health landscape too. One which requires a large, scary operation and a long recovery. She is a little scared but putting on a brave face and just keen to get it done. I don’t think either of us have fully grasped the recovery implications. It’s just one step at a time.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And in amongst all of this, perhaps because of this, the parenting journey is such a grind. I’m back at work, which is a huge adjustment and a commitment I’m not used to. The terrible twos are morphing into even worse threes on the tantrum stakes, as is the norm. The sickness wagon has been hanging around for about three weeks now (c’mon, winter is long behind us). And the sleep Gods, who are generally pretty good to us, are dealing out a rough string of average nights. Everything’s just a little harder to deal with when you’re sleep deprived.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">When people ask how I cope I ask how can you not? Just one foot in front of the other. And I spend a lot of time reminding myself how lucky we are to have a lovely home, good jobs, healthy kids etc. But these last few weeks I’ve taken a break from gratitude. Everything’s just a bit shit and I’d trade the material stuff and the jobs in an instant. And I’m tempted to trade the kids when they’re being brats and throwing a wobbly! But then they do something gorgeous, of course.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So I’ve had my little self indulgence, and now it’s time to play the gratitude game again, hug my kids and my husband tight and put one foot in front of the other.</span></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-71921349729008446252017-11-02T21:42:00.000-07:002017-11-21T02:57:03.748-08:00Where is your busy?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUJuJM1CXRke-zQNLmkdJtgLqGM6Am9tCh4nO-i4-GQ4A5UOValfbIT4WhSU1IAJayK5BK7CXynPsZ3gMGV1C8aFpeYqpAzkCoD8Exo4lWy3vQmBPL2TYL886h3OujMq-3ReH4wCiL3o/s1600/Busy+typing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="806" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUJuJM1CXRke-zQNLmkdJtgLqGM6Am9tCh4nO-i4-GQ4A5UOValfbIT4WhSU1IAJayK5BK7CXynPsZ3gMGV1C8aFpeYqpAzkCoD8Exo4lWy3vQmBPL2TYL886h3OujMq-3ReH4wCiL3o/s320/Busy+typing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Oh, we're all soooo busy, aren't we? It's not a new conversation, nor is that fact that most of us choose the level of commitment we have. That discussion has been done to death and will continue as we get busier and busier.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But what I want to ask is, do you know where your time goes? Do you ever chat to someone you haven't seen for a while and say "gee, I don't know what we've been doing, we've just been bus-eee"? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(We'll get to that in a minute, but can we pause to laugh at the ridiculousness of stock image captions? This one is called "Casual Business Woman Typing On Laptop Whilst In Bed", but the real hoot comes if you check out this one: "<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dedicated-adorable-mother-starting-active-day-597650942?irgwc=1&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Eezy%20Inc&utm_source=38919&utm_term=photopin" target="_blank">Dedicated adorable mother starting an active day</a>". It's useful lesson in how working mothers CAN have it all...)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Just sitting down and trying to catalogue the last seven days is tricky. We had an extra child last weekend as her parents had gone away for two nights, so that led to a hectic weekend. There was a lot of tending to baby Audrey while the twins and their sleepover friend followed Dad, Nan and Pa around the garden. A new sandpit was built but I can't claim any credit for that. I did make a cake and prune some lavender but I'm not sure what else sucked up Saturday.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Sunday we went to brunch at the fabulous Goonoo Goonoo Station. Tamworth is so lucky to have such a great venue in town and we went with Mum and two international visitors who were staying with her. Don't ask me what happened after brunch. We arrived home and the sandpit was finished so I think the kids passed a lot of time in there. Maybe it was actually Sunday that I did the pruning. So what the hell did I do on Saturday?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Is it a challenge of the memory or do we genuinely have large gaps in our day, voids that are caused by pottering and social media.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Today I played with the kids for a bit until their Nanny arrived. Then I came down to do a bit of work at my little bookkeeping-slash-real-estate-mogul job, helped mum with a few jobs around town, returned to do a bit more work, ate my lunch, picked up my car (which I'd left at mum's), [fill large gap here], inspected a leaking toilet, called a plumber, stuffed around looking at emails and sat down to write.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The main inspiration of this post is that it's been a while. And instead of the usual "sorry guys, I've just been bus-eee", I decided to put a bit more thought into it. On a macro level I can totally account for the busy-ness (kick-started a side hustle, returned to my comms job 2 days a week, went to my sister-in-laws wedding in Sydney) but isn't it hard to narrow that down to the day-to-day?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Do you have to bill your time at work? I am so good at it. But imagine if you had to bill your time at home. What would be your go-to for those voids? "Unproductive"? "Filing"? "Team meetings"?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I'm probably all of the above. Because social media is totally "filing", right?</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-22499752268066824262017-10-09T02:35:00.002-07:002017-10-09T02:48:31.257-07:00Rosy Cheeks Muesli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjfQL98hoEhyndcwmevZ-P3tNIFDT8GZhdTGMQj0aA849ajvFYX3dMwY-en0qcmQdnef3AQ1ZDcKXKF7hwdT9rycKNLg_btwSPF1mMNPvYeYSm-sIIydL3KJLb059VdwG-cF8ciC0b7k/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1556" data-original-width="1556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjfQL98hoEhyndcwmevZ-P3tNIFDT8GZhdTGMQj0aA849ajvFYX3dMwY-en0qcmQdnef3AQ1ZDcKXKF7hwdT9rycKNLg_btwSPF1mMNPvYeYSm-sIIydL3KJLb059VdwG-cF8ciC0b7k/s320/FullSizeRender+%25288%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This post was meant to be about breakfast. But Oh My
Goodness have I been sidetracked!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love my breakfast, and that love has grown even more since
having kids. You can read about it <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/theres-lot-of-things-i-miss-about-my.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/theres-lot-of-things-i-miss-about-my.html" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/semolina-for-breakfast-and-crumpet.html" target="_blank">here</a>. There’s something
special about getting up before everyone else so I can savour my bowl of muesli
(in summer) or porridge (in winter) in the peaceful early light. That morning
space before the kids rise has become so important to me that it’s seen my
alarm creep further and further forward over the last 3 years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With priorities like this you can understand how much I
enjoyed meeting Katie Godden, creator of Tamworth’s Rosy Cheeks muesli, at a
recent <a href="http://www.savvybirds.com.au/" target="_blank">Savvy Birds</a> event (if you live in or near Tamworth and haven’t been to a
SB event you’re missing out!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I told her about my blog and my pre-Tamworth life as a brand
ambassador for delicious goods and she generously sent me home with two bags of
her “delicious nutritious”, paleo-inspired, health promoting muesli, one of
them being Primal Cheeky Choc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What? Yup, that’s right. Chocolate granola. I didn’t think
it would be my thing. But I was so wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Boasting coconut flakes nuts, pepitas, raw cacao and more, I
am seriously addicted. I don’t eat it for breakfast, instead I sprinkle it on
yoghurt as an alternative to the sugar laden snacks that I’m STILL eating,
despite being off the “breastfeeding diet” for nearly three months. I’m also
partial to eating it like trail mix, returning to the pantry again and again
for a nibble. To be fair, I think that’s how Katie intended for it to be eaten,
as opposed to a standalone breakfast product. Her serving suggestions include:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Straight from the pack</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Blended in a smoothie or milkshake</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">On top of your favourite smoothie bowl</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Combined with other puffed cereal products at
breakfast time</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_4jpzsjCVu8kVyWuIC6e7ioXCU2gFMQL6DzkcN2b7ejsSX8Lse0U3MJ6q6zDT-OyoUeMTa9FAtfyxa2TEuNUsLVRfi4R4ME62kpXSYeyPIr78m_PsIAxWzgYBL7TOF1Fq_mdCUd2HcU/s1600/IMG_9060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_4jpzsjCVu8kVyWuIC6e7ioXCU2gFMQL6DzkcN2b7ejsSX8Lse0U3MJ6q6zDT-OyoUeMTa9FAtfyxa2TEuNUsLVRfi4R4ME62kpXSYeyPIr78m_PsIAxWzgYBL7TOF1Fq_mdCUd2HcU/s320/IMG_9060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The other product she shared with me, Primal Granola, is a
more traditional breakfast but no less delicious. Muesli and porridge is a
weekend treat for me and I love a fruit-free, granola style muesli topped with
yoghurt and berries.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Packed full of cashews and almonds, Rosy Cheeks’ Primal
Granola has a great crunch and texture and delicious hints of coconut oil and
maple syrup.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’ve been blessed with relatively good health so far, so I’m
all about flavour, but Rosy Cheeks was inspired by Katie’s own health journey,
after battling poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes and asthma. You can read about
this journey on the <a href="http://rosycheeks.com.au/about-2/" target="_blank">Rosy Cheeks website</a>, but in a nutshell Katie cut out
gluten, dairy, processed food and refined sugars. She also cut back on carbs.
Essentially Katie adopted a paleo diet, raved about the health benefits and
created her delicious Rosy Cheeks range to ensure she could eat delicious, wholesome
food, even on busy days.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re after health benefits, read more on Katie’s
<a href="http://rosycheeks.com.au/" target="_blank">website</a> and buy Rosie Cheeks. If you’re after flavour, take my word for it and
buy Rosie Cheeks – visit the website for <a href="http://rosycheeks.com.au/about/stockists/" target="_blank">stockists </a>or to <a href="http://rosycheeks.com.au/shop/" target="_blank">buy direct</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now excuse me, I need to get to bed early so I can enjoy my breakfast tomorrow.</span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-2687391386596398062017-09-29T05:12:00.000-07:002017-09-29T05:12:15.724-07:00Strawberry and rhubarb crumble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0W9jNwMydP2AcglWFxRvif0aJOLf8Y32lHEACTWi3tn6NjYQLKNZgwYeV8b8NF8c42Q8exk37u4Qo0sxxvPsye2fueIo7aAW7rGsU24APettNWxGQIfp1kUZRqQDBkgaMs9dnvCFS18/s1600/IMG_8602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0W9jNwMydP2AcglWFxRvif0aJOLf8Y32lHEACTWi3tn6NjYQLKNZgwYeV8b8NF8c42Q8exk37u4Qo0sxxvPsye2fueIo7aAW7rGsU24APettNWxGQIfp1kUZRqQDBkgaMs9dnvCFS18/s320/IMG_8602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strawberries have been super cheap these last few weeks. Anyone
know a reason for this? I thought this meant they were currently in season, but
a quick google tells me that between Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland
there’s pretty much “strawbs” in season somewhere in the eastern states all
year round.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From here we could launch into a conversation about buying
in season, buying local and ensuring a fair price for the farmer – all of which
are important issues, but it’s late on a Friday night and I’m single parenting
three under three this weekend so let’s just talk dessert, ok?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For some, cheap strawberries means jam. I don’t have time
for jam. Maybe one day, but in the meantime, cheap strawberries mean strawberry
and rhubarb crumble.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I’ve been to your hens party and was asked to provide a
recipe, chances are you already have this one. It’s my go-to for bridal shower
shares. Everyone loves a crumble (right?) and I like to think the strawberry and
rhubarb filling makes this one just a little sexier. What’s more, it’s super
easy to make and a lot of the prep can be done in advance. Sound like perfect
dinner party material?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t remember when I first started making this dish. It
started out as “strawberry, rose geranium and rhubarb crumble” from The Good
Weekend’s “Any fool can cook...” section. I think it was written by Matthew
Evans but I can’t be sure. I still have the original clipping but my version is
now considerably different. The original had very firm views on the crumble:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“This one doesn’t
resemble a muesli topping, relying on coconut or rolled oats. It’s simpler,
more classical and far better in my view.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But somewhere along the lines I put the rolled oats back in.
Does that make me a radical? I just like a bit more substance in my crumble. If
you’re in the traditionalist camp, or any other crumble camp for that matter substitute
in your own mix. The crumble here freezes well so you can whip up a dessert in
a hurry and works just as well with a traditional apple filling (try 8 sliced red
apples, 2 Tbsp sugar and juice of ½ a lemon instead of the fruit mix below).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strawberry and rhubarb
crumble<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">170 g plain flour<br />
65 g self raising flour<br />
170 g raw sugar<br />
pinch salt<br />
170 g softened butter<br />
1/3 cup rolled oats<br />
1/2 bunch rhubarb, chopped into 2-3 cm pieces<br />
1 punnet strawberries, hulled and halved<br />
2 Tbsp honey, warmed<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
A splash of rosewater</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combine flours, sugar, salt and 120 g of butter in the food
processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add oats and pulse briefly to combine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a medium casserole dish, toss the rhubarb and
strawberries with honey, vanilla and a splash of rosewater then press the
mixture down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just before baking, sprinkle the crumble mixture over the
fruit. Chop the remaining 50 g butter into small cubes and scatter across the
crumble.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bake in a 200 degree C oven for 30-40 minutes or until the
top is browned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serves 4</span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-50912936217448809732017-09-17T12:52:00.003-07:002017-09-17T12:52:39.283-07:00Food and flowers for grief and joy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What a fortnight it's been. I have met new babies, sent my own baby to daycare for the first time, celebrated an engagement and farewelled a friend's father, taken before his time.<br />
<br />
Over the last three years I have seen life's book ends first hand with the birth of my twins in 2014, the untimely passing of my own father in 2016 and the arrival of our third baby at the beginning of this year.<br />
<br />
When Dad died close friends and kind acquaintances alike came forward with baked goods, casseroles and flowers. I couldn't help but think back to when the twins were born and I realised that life begins and ends with food and flowers. And kindness.<br />
<br />
It's easy to extend kindness and joy when life begins. Cute baby presents and cheerful flowers. But when life ends there can be an awkwardness surrounding what to do and say.<br />
<br />
Most of my friends are in their mid to late thirties and too many of us have already lost a parent. Some of them have lost siblings and others have seen children, nieces and nephews battle serious illness.<br />
<br />
When anyone you know experiences these heartbreaking life events, don't be awkward. Just remember: kindness.<br />
<br />
Send flowers if you like. Or a plant if you know it won't burden the recipient. I'm a big fan of plants and take comfort in caring for those I received last year after dad's passing, but not everyone's life's circumstances suit plants. I was immensely touched by those who went to the expense to send flowers or the effort to cook, but a simple phone call is just as powerful. Don't know what to say? Well say that. "I don't know what to say but I am thinking of you", or "there is nothing I can say to fix this but please know I'm here." It need not be a long conversation and chances are your friend may not pick up the phone. But they will know that you care. And trust me, it means a lot.<br />
<br />
Have you experienced loss? What did you find comforting and/or useful?<br />
Do you have a go-to gesture that you call upon when friend's experience heartache?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-40832826617103356822017-09-04T21:51:00.002-07:002017-09-04T21:51:45.487-07:00A Sydney birthday party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weekend passed we took our three children – two and a
half year old twins and a seven month old – to Sydney. A whopping 810 km round
trip for a two night stay. I think the time it took me to pack was greater than
the time we had on the ground. It’s a far cry from child-free days when we used
to jump in the car Friday night after work and whip down for a party or two
before making a leisurely (and often hungover) trip back up the highway.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But you know what? It was worth every whingy car trip
moment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went down for a party, but not the type mentioned above. It
was a party to help our nephew Oliver celebrate his first birthday. He won’t
remember that we were there, but the fact is, we <i>were</i> there. We had a nice time catching up with Sam’s sister and
her husband and their friends, as much as is possible in between keeping tabs
on children, and we got to demonstrate to our family that we value them and
want to share in their joy as much as they share in ours.</span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEill4AIJQovtwoclsByl7As8vhw_Lpzaiwmw1sJyVHbTeoc2GsGmHsnjwDoRWVQD-sv0Frlcdi66AATu-0DeI3DYMILmj1YMZohBQIeY2daSzQWSL2d6RZE3rxJx-04Vqn2IoKYYXUL194/s1600/IMG_8139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1115" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEill4AIJQovtwoclsByl7As8vhw_Lpzaiwmw1sJyVHbTeoc2GsGmHsnjwDoRWVQD-sv0Frlcdi66AATu-0DeI3DYMILmj1YMZohBQIeY2daSzQWSL2d6RZE3rxJx-04Vqn2IoKYYXUL194/s320/IMG_8139.JPG" width="308" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The car trips weren’t quite as painful as I would have
expected, the twins did well sleeping in big beds (our first trip since we took
the sides off their cot four weeks ago) and we had a wonderful morning before
the Saturday afternoon party. Sam and I got to enjoy great coffee and Georgina
and Thomas got to experience a fun new park, not to mention all the planes
flying overhead. PLANE!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW0bVoHIM8ycmXJ3qI7dt0O_XX6kNK0JM2tlxQ2fPL4lEVHh88EEg5hsLTKbDqVPjLQQIK8DkBty1RkJfUHKohkDaV7r7ZJZKzbvpIk-5FA3g40mKXb7V53yQ5a3MbwU-L0k9-xB3rjk/s1600/IMG_8108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW0bVoHIM8ycmXJ3qI7dt0O_XX6kNK0JM2tlxQ2fPL4lEVHh88EEg5hsLTKbDqVPjLQQIK8DkBty1RkJfUHKohkDaV7r7ZJZKzbvpIk-5FA3g40mKXb7V53yQ5a3MbwU-L0k9-xB3rjk/s320/IMG_8108.JPG" width="283" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just as Oliver won’t remember our presence, the twins
probably won’t remember the trip in years to come (and Audrey certainly won’t)
but I hope that if we can make these trips now, when life is seriously hectic,
then it will only be easier to continue as our family grows, and we can show
these malleable little creatures of ours how important it is to value those who
value us.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSebwNkZiFqw1VtNI_B9K87gNzp-z_OA__ogOKkaA4Mbli9kLUxjqDFBQ3pQzy5uVv2duTUTP93Y5F6jIN33bcsgc9mqImD3iNJmnKYPVEw-CW5KQCPSl3Rk5qB3zMjOm8T6y8TlEfvoE/s1600/IMG_8104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSebwNkZiFqw1VtNI_B9K87gNzp-z_OA__ogOKkaA4Mbli9kLUxjqDFBQ3pQzy5uVv2duTUTP93Y5F6jIN33bcsgc9mqImD3iNJmnKYPVEw-CW5KQCPSl3Rk5qB3zMjOm8T6y8TlEfvoE/s320/IMG_8104.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-39219879526385907462017-08-27T20:24:00.001-07:002017-08-27T20:24:49.024-07:00Traybake meal ideas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZIhpO-tPeACrGET0852J-Y799kSzixRMX46TaIQ-Kol8m05O4UC4yme462umoggfVZMPP5ZjBOlNrxf9cq9W1txkh5zB54TWH1otxlvqbwQoFVO4YkdBqK5C8hcxly62AXwV95Ohx-o/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="750" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZIhpO-tPeACrGET0852J-Y799kSzixRMX46TaIQ-Kol8m05O4UC4yme462umoggfVZMPP5ZjBOlNrxf9cq9W1txkh5zB54TWH1otxlvqbwQoFVO4YkdBqK5C8hcxly62AXwV95Ohx-o/s320/FullSizeRender+%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1">I love a one pot, set & forget meal. Less washing up and less time spent prepping. I sound like Suzie Homemaker but it's true!</span></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p2">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1">Now that the weather is warming up, hearty stews on the slow cooker are a little less appealing (although, only a little...) so I've been seriously hitting up traybakes in the oven. And you know what? I think they're even easier than the slow cooker. Much less chopping and no need to brown any meat.</span></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p2">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1">Roast chicken pieces and baked sausages are high on rotation at our house right now. Below is an adaptation of a sausage and fennel recipe that my mother in-law snipped from Good Weekend magazine way back in 2008 (pictured above). Bonus points if you can find pork and fennel chipolatas.</span></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1">I'm also loving <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/epicure/oven-lovin/2008/06/23/1214073106489.html" target="_blank">Baked ratatouille with snags</a>, another Fairfax recipe from way back in 2008. It's a Jill Dupleix dish that I clipped from Epicure<span class="m_-7600781688687772795Apple-converted-space"> </span>and then subsequently lost. Now whenever I want it I google "oven lovin' sausage". I really should write it down in case it's one day unavailable.</span></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p2">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1">And then there's chicken. Any variation of chicken and chorizo is a winner in my book. Bonus points if you can get hold of chicken pieces with bone in and skin on (actually not always that easy here in Tamworth). I'm loving these recipes:</span></div>
<ul class="m_-7600781688687772795ul1">
<li class="m_-7600781688687772795li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="m_-7600781688687772795s2"></span><span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spanish-chicken-traybake-chorizo-peppers" target="_blank">Spanish chicken traybake with chorizo and peppers</a> (pictured) from BBC Good Food. I allow an extra serve of chicken per person so we all have enough to eat without carbs.</span></li>
<li class="m_-7600781688687772795li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="m_-7600781688687772795s2"></span><span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><a href="http://www.baby-mac.com/2012/02/just-call-me-bev-episode-19-one-pot/" target="_blank">Chorizo chicken</a> from BabyMac. You might like<span class="m_-7600781688687772795Apple-converted-space"> </span>to whip up a salad or steam some greens to complete this meal but no need to cook spuds, they're already included.</span></li>
<li class="m_-7600781688687772795li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="m_-7600781688687772795s2"></span><span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><a href="https://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/mediterranean-oven-baked-chicken-drumsticks/" target="_blank">Mediterranean oven-baked chicken drumsticks</a> from Annabel Karmel. Ok, there's no chorizo in this one but it's super easy and the kids love it, as you'd expect from AK. I often cook thigh cutlets for the adults as well as drumsticks.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkkNSZafDKTcVayO7RxapJgTpaZH2ZAC36stwfk0md7Q30ErwjPhKVqyV7qpnm-PRzlG4lAwZGfiOesPpILEEG6XDKZ2LkSOQOne83nhcX7fxJpo_ssmQ2UeBZkzDDVCQByC9w9F2vp0/s1600/IMG_8072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkkNSZafDKTcVayO7RxapJgTpaZH2ZAC36stwfk0md7Q30ErwjPhKVqyV7qpnm-PRzlG4lAwZGfiOesPpILEEG6XDKZ2LkSOQOne83nhcX7fxJpo_ssmQ2UeBZkzDDVCQByC9w9F2vp0/s320/IMG_8072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-7600781688687772795p1">
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1">And in case you can't be bothered to follow the links above, here's the sausage and fennel recipe.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><b>Baked sausages fennel and tomatoes</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="m_-7600781688687772795s1"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">1 small fennel bulb</span></div>
<div>
2 red onions, peeled and sliced into rounds<br />4 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise</div>
<div>
Half a bunch of thyme</div>
<div>
5 sprigs of rosemary</div>
<div>
3 tbsp olive oil</div>
<div>
12 pork chipolatas</div>
<div>
150 ml white wine</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut the fennel vertically into wedges, keeping a little bit of the base on each to hold it together. Arrange in a roasting pan with the onion and tomato. Scatter with thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds and drizzle over the olive oil Season well then tuck in the sausages, add the wine and bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until sausages are browned, tossing the veges and turning the sausages after 20 minutes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Serves 4.</div>
</div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-23532701617504520062017-08-17T21:40:00.000-07:002017-08-17T22:04:45.881-07:00Ways to move. Or not.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">Well
would you looky here. This is me. Dressed! In something other than what I
can scrape off the floor. For the last 2 weeks we have been moving out
of our house and then back into it. What? I know. Read on.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MR0706-9fe1ddULS12BRhDjfzYxFTSAQkB-_htg0iXDmFEFIJD7X3tpelSgp3wipByx4OlnRxTouCbVo3ex10Vy5dU32W9fYMGTWrs4RCgmHKDWAK74ONoFXccjuG5TPKtC-7JDQXWA/s1600/IMG_7972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MR0706-9fe1ddULS12BRhDjfzYxFTSAQkB-_htg0iXDmFEFIJD7X3tpelSgp3wipByx4OlnRxTouCbVo3ex10Vy5dU32W9fYMGTWrs4RCgmHKDWAK74ONoFXccjuG5TPKtC-7JDQXWA/s320/IMG_7972.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">We
stayed at Mum's for two weeks during the whole pallaver. Two toddlers, a
sleepless baby, three cots, two adults (Mum was away), three cases of
croup, two cases of gastro (one of them mine) and a house move
(multiple, really). Man, it was hell. And somewhere along the way I
packed clothes for all the kids and none for me. Except a large suitcase
full of scarves. Huh?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p2">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">I'm
pretty sure moving from a four bedroom home to a five bedroom home with
a pool is right up there on the list of first world problems, but
indulge me a little.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p2">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">In
October we put our first home on the market, which of course involved a
lot of boxing and decluttering. I LOVED the minimalist existence we
created for ourselves to be honest - so easy to keep clean and tidy and
organized - and it paid off with a quick sale.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p2">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">In
December, now eight months pregnant, we moved most of our belongings
into storage and bunkered down with Sam's parents for what was to become
to craziest phase of our lives to date.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p2">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">In
January, baby Audrey came along and three under two-and-a-half got
real. SO grateful for the in-laws' extra hands (and for Mum just down
the road). I lost count of the number of times Sam and I looked at each
other in terror as we realised we were in well over our heads.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p2">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">July saw the in-laws' downsizer reno nearly complete and planning for operation move began.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p2">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">We
temporarily moved to Mum's on a Tuesday. The in-laws moved out
permanently on the Friday after which the carpets were sprayed for
carpet beetle. Have you heard of it? A nasty little critter that eats
carpets and woollen jumpers. I know, right! These guys were the reason
we moved to Mum's. Carpets were cleaned the following Tuesday, our
furniture and stored possessions came in on Wednesday and we had our
first night together here on Saturday. Cue flowers and bubbles from my
mother-in-law (and a bell to summon the children).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiHXQVY4pgmTK3EjP0vhN_ugE2Nt2SSzD5bK_RXrN3QWxDkW6mtPLVdX5FQGCDO33yU-bRiUCCuBlFLHC2ihwcNVJhRJPbqjWPvuUc1DisBne9ACJivMbvKnhK8h-0X2zYiniQkHIwwA/s1600/IMG_7952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiHXQVY4pgmTK3EjP0vhN_ugE2Nt2SSzD5bK_RXrN3QWxDkW6mtPLVdX5FQGCDO33yU-bRiUCCuBlFLHC2ihwcNVJhRJPbqjWPvuUc1DisBne9ACJivMbvKnhK8h-0X2zYiniQkHIwwA/s320/IMG_7952.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">So what is that? A three day move? Or 11 days? Or maybe eight months.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">When considering "ways to move" this is probably NOT one to recommend. But is there any way to move easily? Like so much in life, everyone's circumstance is unique and demands it's own strategy. With it's own set of challenges and hiccups. </span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">The move also came with its joys. Not only was it immense helpful living with my in-laws, watching the children interact with their Grandparents on a day-to-day basis was a real gem. As a society we've lost that "family all in" way of living that was so common generations ago, and this was a rare opportunity to experience it (not to mention far more efficient than running two households.) And somewhere among the sleepless nights, chaotic breakfasts and general carnage everywhere, I'm pretty sure the Grandparents loved nearly every minute, too.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhe283l15vfDoDmwqDxEoUEXdN_h-sG56f9UbCUjENUVQfR8jmzuQFej2rdcNYpb6kAqAr-06KugG1KaJwqUmq2skum0R0dWqfu2yMyKEbQQ0_Zge85hbLqRjUaEu-ZV_WdecmZF5GlQ/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhe283l15vfDoDmwqDxEoUEXdN_h-sG56f9UbCUjENUVQfR8jmzuQFej2rdcNYpb6kAqAr-06KugG1KaJwqUmq2skum0R0dWqfu2yMyKEbQQ0_Zge85hbLqRjUaEu-ZV_WdecmZF5GlQ/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">Now it's just the five of us, on our own, unpacked enough to live day-to-day. There's still a lot of work before I can say the move is "complete" but we're thrilled to be finally starting this next phase of our lives. It's been a long time coming.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1">The view out the back aint bad, either.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgwWQAt-ewV9TzArto-7F-OBcw5qxs-6jSELSksWvpAW7VNkJ9SaVIykVJf01-6UdAQ8sr8mzms8rgS007Z0DL8a4yh4A3Xsg_ERrRVt981ZOkiBMRoyGK-bNNi26ZtJTuxCwYrgw698/s1600/IMG_7769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgwWQAt-ewV9TzArto-7F-OBcw5qxs-6jSELSksWvpAW7VNkJ9SaVIykVJf01-6UdAQ8sr8mzms8rgS007Z0DL8a4yh4A3Xsg_ERrRVt981ZOkiBMRoyGK-bNNi26ZtJTuxCwYrgw698/s320/IMG_7769.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-6145885776095725618p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-6145885776095725618s1"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-6367410021421365212017-08-15T04:38:00.000-07:002017-08-15T04:39:41.481-07:00Recipe road test: Beetroot & Sweet Potato Soup | Downtown Magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyf3UD0IZqLnxtZuPq4xcEVnqeyubYG6mqe2bQo7K9akoa8wlViNgVtM1vDoWKhNQVZiRP02kCke-49KAC3X7ObYKxJuNiNRcqKBgRMoGN7wlOeld5QTeDALPoIXrOzAJWuVgYhhtt6w/s1600/FullSizeRender%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyf3UD0IZqLnxtZuPq4xcEVnqeyubYG6mqe2bQo7K9akoa8wlViNgVtM1vDoWKhNQVZiRP02kCke-49KAC3X7ObYKxJuNiNRcqKBgRMoGN7wlOeld5QTeDALPoIXrOzAJWuVgYhhtt6w/s320/FullSizeRender%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In last month's post about <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/homegrown-mandarins.html" target="_blank">mandarins</a> I mentioned our generous neighbour, who went overseas and left us in charge of her citrus trees. Well, she also left us in charge of a vege patch consisting of a two metre long wall of snow peas and two square metres of beetroot. That's a LOT of beetroot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love beetroot but I find cooking it is rarely fuss-free... all the dirt and the stain-risking juice. Can I bang on any more about how I need fuss-free meals at the moment? Even simply roasting the crimson bulbs in a square of oiled foil involves a messy peeling process.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And yet, I feel the universe was telling me to quit whinging and start cooking. The neighbours had been gone for just a few days when I opened the latest <a href="http://www.downtownmagazine.com.au/" target="_blank">Downtown Magazine</a> and saw this recipe.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had an endless supply of beetroot and it was soup weather. Universe speaking!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a bit of messy prep involved, particularly if you are lucky to be using beetroot fresh from the garden. I had to rinse the tap roots free of soil before peeling the skin (which I'd given a light scrub, too). My top tip for handling beetroot, raw or cooked, is disposable food prep gloves. Get a box next time you're at the supermarket. If you're like me they'll sit in your cling wrap drawer largely untouched but you'll be thrilled they're there when you need them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Downtown's Editor in Chief, the talented and determined Anna Davis, has generously allowed me to reproduce the recipe below but honestly, I'd be tempted to throw it all in the pot together and hope for the best. Ok, that's not entirely true. DO brown the onion in the oil first, but maybe skip the step where you rub the root vegetables with oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Instead, add them to the pot after the onions are browned. Toss over medium heat until fragrant, add your liquid of choice (I used chicken stock), cook for 30 minutes, blend and voila!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The beetroot, coconut oil and cumin flavours are faaaaan-tastic. Who would've thought a soup could be so fresh and light yet hearty and warming at the same time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The recipe is a bit "choose your own adventure" when it comes to garnish. I can recommend a serious dollop of full fat greek yoghurt, torn mint leaves and a bit of crunch. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Crunch? Try dry frying pepita and sesame seeds until toasty. Let me know how you go with that as I didn't quite get there. Best intentions and all...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Beetroot & Sweet Potato Soup</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Downtown Magazine, Winter 2017</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 beetroots, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 tablespoon ground cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 onion, finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">500 ml bone broth, chicken or veggie stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">200 ml water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">salt and pepper</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rub the chunks of sweet potato and beetroot in 1 tablespoon coconut oil, the cumin and a grind of salt and pepper.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat for 1 minutes, add the onion and saute with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Throw in the sweet potato and beetroot and saute for 3 minutes, stirring constantly so nothing burns, then add the broth or stock, and the water.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bring the temperature to a simmer for 30 minutes, puree with a hand blend, and serve with your favourite garnish.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Serves 4</span></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-8831471663109219252017-08-09T12:54:00.001-07:002017-08-15T03:29:04.681-07:00Go shorty, it's your birthday...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do you love a birthday? Or hate it? I'm definitely a lover, although it doesn't always come easily. Some years I'm all for baking myself a cake and having the girls around to share the calories, other years I get a bit insecure. Isn't it self obsessed to encourage everyone to come celebrate a festival of you? Never mind that birthdays are the one day when you can and should do exactly that.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9Tp55eRY2vpYss_AcW9gE6czq8QeNOPwSgAB7tnFiQO1KM6yk9Ssw8Y-f-Akf_LkuTkS4ZEUVwI-Ilz91LBb97-cVFjCRDoeh-EXW0oMhWATvgoMJ-RRHe7vK2Q0KQogNyDRFGqPkv8/s1600/IMG_7897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9Tp55eRY2vpYss_AcW9gE6czq8QeNOPwSgAB7tnFiQO1KM6yk9Ssw8Y-f-Akf_LkuTkS4ZEUVwI-Ilz91LBb97-cVFjCRDoeh-EXW0oMhWATvgoMJ-RRHe7vK2Q0KQogNyDRFGqPkv8/s320/IMG_7897.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This year there was no need for all the angsty over-thought, the day just evolved organically. We kicked off with presents in bed with the kids. Is there anything cuter than the pride on their faces as they carry in their gift?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0Zpo9_RbIYUh5RHtI479blkRhpT5ElZqoZYA-oURZPrkEddLYd7sY70zftOigloBacUxcuZNKg_MZs_pYJUwOKQ6IKWCQGb0-JTRhaVwvMI9wpSTj0WvWmNE6JcgmLk-WyVDSJEFat8/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0Zpo9_RbIYUh5RHtI479blkRhpT5ElZqoZYA-oURZPrkEddLYd7sY70zftOigloBacUxcuZNKg_MZs_pYJUwOKQ6IKWCQGb0-JTRhaVwvMI9wpSTj0WvWmNE6JcgmLk-WyVDSJEFat8/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then it was time to escape the cherubs for a lovely two hour coffee date with girlfriends and more presents and flowers (well and truly spoilt this year). Now, does anyone else sometimes find it quite relaxing to be around other people's kids when yours aren't there? It's not quite as nice as everyone being kid free but it's a relief knowing that you don't have to worry whether that crying child is your own (or the fault of your own). And it's also nice to have the time to get to know your friend's kids just that little bit better. And to be an extra pair of spare hands to help out, particularly when it's usually my crazy bunch hogging any helping hands.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW78Hl9P4Sw_603pUzGFIilbx_Jxm1hiX8hyxb4kvy2iFRjlRd4eyrefgnpUdXe2zA-z2CSQFXh2FMYTf5Pdw2F-llaDEW08tsTVA17NbWrWm79cPJt-kQzvU28gs5xVSmcZlNkHX8vtE/s1600/IMG_7896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW78Hl9P4Sw_603pUzGFIilbx_Jxm1hiX8hyxb4kvy2iFRjlRd4eyrefgnpUdXe2zA-z2CSQFXh2FMYTf5Pdw2F-llaDEW08tsTVA17NbWrWm79cPJt-kQzvU28gs5xVSmcZlNkHX8vtE/s320/IMG_7896.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A quick spot of retail therapy (window shopping only), a token appearance at the office and then it was home to relieve the babysitter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The gift-giving angels I'd left at home had turned into clingy tantrum-throwing maniacs so I have chosen to block the next three hours from my birthday memory. Sheesh, some days you pay more than just babysitter cash to get time away. I often wonder if it's worth it (of course it is).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Deserve it or not, it was then time for a special treat for the twins: a baby-free burger date with mummy, daddy and their aunt and uncle. We finally checked out Tamworth's not-so-new burger joint, Williamsburg. It's been open since November last year, or thereabouts, but we've been somewhat busy, what with three under two-and-a-half and all that. I think the twins enjoyed their special dinner out. Tommy ate his fill of (delicious) chips, Georgina picked away at her half a burger and table jenga was a winner. Generous kids sizes meant we took a whole burger home with us.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPyWBldb-oJbMuCom5Ns30ghqWuEfuNaQKx-7OF2wgt57yUkij3d7FTejEB4FY8y3Gg2TuXBWRXL3hJEY-ole6CxO2j8Y_yOszN627qsdkChlkqEixXMnjJowEFG97YP3lqoDUxOcSjg/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPyWBldb-oJbMuCom5Ns30ghqWuEfuNaQKx-7OF2wgt57yUkij3d7FTejEB4FY8y3Gg2TuXBWRXL3hJEY-ole6CxO2j8Y_yOszN627qsdkChlkqEixXMnjJowEFG97YP3lqoDUxOcSjg/s320/IMG_7898.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The adults had just as much fun, with a great selection of beef, chicken and lamb burgers available. We left with that almost but not quite over-full feeling. You know the one? Just what you hope for from a great sized burger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A hop skip and jump home to put the kidlets to bed (more tantrums, grr) and soothe the sleeping baby, then it was back out to enjoy a couple of drinks with friends at Tamworth's new beer bar, The Welders Dog. It's one been open a few weeks so we don't feel quite as far behind the eight ball. I loved the joint and hope to bring you full and proper reporting soon!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kqkWWCj2B4W5tvED-_4nPRvYosgz-a26hoKnOfuzdjXrG78Q1bh5yDdv1t4O-PKVlnCjYjno1yylFPEpT-iUC8mQGq0jOSng3s-8Ix1vf2pTvlZkEvy6IvZuAqFSrkR5g-qnCYKXJTk/s1600/IMG_7902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kqkWWCj2B4W5tvED-_4nPRvYosgz-a26hoKnOfuzdjXrG78Q1bh5yDdv1t4O-PKVlnCjYjno1yylFPEpT-iUC8mQGq0jOSng3s-8Ix1vf2pTvlZkEvy6IvZuAqFSrkR5g-qnCYKXJTk/s320/IMG_7902.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And that's a wrap. Could I have packed any more in? The whole day was a wonderful balance of family and friends and I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful tribe here in Tamworth.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div id="ext_searchPromptBtn" style="left: 551px; top: 1557px; z-index: auto;" textsel="and ">
</div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-13723602544911091442017-07-27T20:31:00.002-07:002017-07-27T20:51:10.711-07:00Winter gardening<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-3219793484704374481s1">Lordy me these sub zero mornings are chilly, aren't they. I'm trying to get out a few early mornings a week to walk our poor neglected puppy and shake the creases from my couch-bound, breastfeeding body, but it takes serious willpower.</span></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-3219793484704374481s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-3219793484704374481s1">Daytime is another story. Have you ever seen winter days so glorious. Bright sunshine and temps in the high teens (or higher). There's a distinct icy breeze that comes and goes but from a sheltered location I can almost feel the end of winter. (I know, I know, we still have to get through August and August is HORRIBLE.) </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Before we lose the sun to nasty August I have been exploring our new garden and giving 6-month-old Audrey a bit of vitamin D.</span></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-3219793484704374481s1"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJdi0R0DQr1NKCRJ1xvv3DSddiu_9ZFauNZwQ3QBsMNIQfva6ozACo4QU7S4im_AEsMn1hwpgwF2Ull2FfLDcYYKJz5aDhm0Xt4I0Q7uXcRQapEE_W81XLYu2fItMSDi6mzKG5NAMbBI/s1600/IMG_7893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJdi0R0DQr1NKCRJ1xvv3DSddiu_9ZFauNZwQ3QBsMNIQfva6ozACo4QU7S4im_AEsMn1hwpgwF2Ull2FfLDcYYKJz5aDhm0Xt4I0Q7uXcRQapEE_W81XLYu2fItMSDi6mzKG5NAMbBI/s320/IMG_7893.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">There's so much history in this garden, which was established by my in-laws, like these snowbells (below) which came from my mother-in-law's grandmother. And there's much promise of the future for Sam and I. But with three under three it definitely feels like it'll be a while before we can really get dirt under our fingernails.</span></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-3219793484704374481s1"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQRT3qroZen8kywBvPmshqPpRZSkWSs5YbnU59iwGLonFovHPUJ-YvoF74QsNI30oinz-ijjXrCmYloIMN6k7tBWHhxbnuYnC-gDMTxvwUh6CWtFx7e_1RovFjCgBNRuW_E24K5K3WGQ/s1600/IMG_7894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQRT3qroZen8kywBvPmshqPpRZSkWSs5YbnU59iwGLonFovHPUJ-YvoF74QsNI30oinz-ijjXrCmYloIMN6k7tBWHhxbnuYnC-gDMTxvwUh6CWtFx7e_1RovFjCgBNRuW_E24K5K3WGQ/s320/IMG_7894.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">In the meantime we can observe and get to know the seasons. Where does the sun fall at this time of the day in July? What spots are too hot in January? Which plants are struggling in our climate and which plants are we loving? These old variety hellebores (below), with their downward facing flowers and green tinged petals, are definitely in the latter.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFAV0pB3QpYLg883mK4Y0Prha7Xz5FTYY60aG1eU3mK4s-CIF891Zc7cmq5yC24qWS77JLQLYoYcn3Op-cx-BQvaEdLdmw1Vp1V4sD3jnAcK4-KmPHUjN-gZMNAVbpFgAseuxM5kG-vU/s1600/IMG_7892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFAV0pB3QpYLg883mK4Y0Prha7Xz5FTYY60aG1eU3mK4s-CIF891Zc7cmq5yC24qWS77JLQLYoYcn3Op-cx-BQvaEdLdmw1Vp1V4sD3jnAcK4-KmPHUjN-gZMNAVbpFgAseuxM5kG-vU/s320/IMG_7892.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">What's flowering in your garden at the moment?</span></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Are you shaking out winter creases, too?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDTnvApUi3GjOztrwSh8peGpUAec3ACYobJ97TMNVZOj9onjg1t-3A9i6ghWBuntPecJTvWoglgKi1RWV9P79uNqDHdmCV47eBQIzgsLZGsg4lom2LyasILSpG427zTbvAdi3yRfk5DI/s1600/IMG_7859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDTnvApUi3GjOztrwSh8peGpUAec3ACYobJ97TMNVZOj9onjg1t-3A9i6ghWBuntPecJTvWoglgKi1RWV9P79uNqDHdmCV47eBQIzgsLZGsg4lom2LyasILSpG427zTbvAdi3yRfk5DI/s320/IMG_7859.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-3219793484704374481p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-90462039776331163732017-07-24T04:05:00.000-07:002017-07-24T04:14:39.269-07:00Homegrown mandarins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdbqfX_HkCdFeWVCLZhCFuwKZLN74tVy36RRyJgBCb92hfVO2ITP_WvVDXJLFLYZ_UVAbhqdJ4D1ZB3V0iznUlyZVBvzQvmU1JHlGAB8MQmpirbeSDicooEoKjLGkXnW1ag-m9_OSwVc/s1600/IMG_7818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdbqfX_HkCdFeWVCLZhCFuwKZLN74tVy36RRyJgBCb92hfVO2ITP_WvVDXJLFLYZ_UVAbhqdJ4D1ZB3V0iznUlyZVBvzQvmU1JHlGAB8MQmpirbeSDicooEoKjLGkXnW1ag-m9_OSwVc/s320/IMG_7818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-2011576300190313037p1">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">We
are loving mandarin season here at the moment. In years past we've
jumped for joy when imperials appear on our supermarket shelves and
expressed disappointment when the honey murcotts take over. But this
year is different.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">This
year we're all about the home grown! Not from our own garden, but from
the gardens of our neighbour and our aunt, who have generously gone
overseas during peak citrus season and encouraged us to enjoy the spoils
of their labour.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">Last
year mandarins were still a little tart for our twins, who are now two-and-a-half, but this year any sharpness is overlooked for the excitement
of peeling the things. "My do it" is the common phrase from the pair.
This is fortunate, because anyone familiar with homegrown citrus knows
that sharpness can vary. A lot.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">I'm
not sure how much is getting eaten. Sometimes it's more about the
challenge of the peel and the joy of spitting the seeds out, a skill
they've only just learnt. I'm just happy there's some enthusiasm for
something healthy. Particularly from Tommy, who would otherwise survive
on nothing but weetbix, eggs and custard.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">I've
always thought mandarins a little tricky to cook with. So much more
fragile than other citrus fruit. How do you grate the rind or juice the
interior without rendering the whole thing to mush?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">I
can't provide the answer to this (can you?) but I can provide links to three mandarin recipes that have caught my eye from my own cook
book collection and online. Our newly purchased house backs onto bushland and there is a "wild" mandarin tree down the gully. Next year I might give it some love (ie water and fertiliser) and see what we get. I'm optimistically thinking we might need these recipes to get through a glut... </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1"><a href="http://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/goats-cheese-platter-mandarin-preserve/d1f9034c-c1b2-4525-8d8f-d0b11a8fabc7?current_section=recipes&adkit_ref=/recipes/collections/mandarin-recipes/1131c7d9-ff4c-4639-8e35-96f1b62b42e9" target="_blank">Goats cheese platter with mandarin preserve</a> from delicious magazine... if you're anti-goats cheese stop turning up your nose and simply substitute a good smelly washed rind. I love how minimal prep is required for this preserve. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1"><a href="https://www.lovemysalad.com/recipes/mandarin-salad-cherry-tomatoes-and-nuts" target="_blank">Mandarin salad with cherry tomatoes and nuts</a>, because someone out there might be a little healthier than me. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1"><a href="http://m.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/recipe-search/feature-recipe/2014/7/dark-gingerbread-cake-with-mandarin-compote/" target="_blank">Dark gingerbread cake with mandarin compote</a> from Gourmet Traveller because I can't resist cake and again with the easy-prep. Mandarin is surely the lazy gals' citrus?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2011576300190313037s1">NONE of these recipes have been tested by me. I have three kids under three, and two of them are devouring most of the bounty. If YOU cook one of the recipes, I'd love to hear what you think. Keeper or not?</span></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-61216238833121197872017-07-20T18:33:00.000-07:002017-07-24T04:14:25.456-07:00How to cook truffle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PGA8I0naMSCJnADKumT2MBUU5DziIUzvJsgChRmo9KH0gEl8M0eNfUg62RHIKb5ckNju1u_rdO9BMhYuGNw9EuvNSJXyu3IzaEdjyA-0Mho4gnNArmrjB6uOeMu2w1vdwxmRCrbpw8s/s1600/IMG_7715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PGA8I0naMSCJnADKumT2MBUU5DziIUzvJsgChRmo9KH0gEl8M0eNfUg62RHIKb5ckNju1u_rdO9BMhYuGNw9EuvNSJXyu3IzaEdjyA-0Mho4gnNArmrjB6uOeMu2w1vdwxmRCrbpw8s/s320/IMG_7715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">A
good friend called me the other day and said she had some truffle. I
jumped to conclusions and thought I was about to get a dinner
invitation. Yippee.<span class="m_-2069030184404512801Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">But
no, this mum of three including a young baby, was discharging truffle
responsibility to me, another mum of three including a young baby. I
can't say I blame her, I'm not leaping to host dinner parties either.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">She'd
been gifted the truffle, enjoyed some of it herself and thought that I
was the most worthy recipient of the remainder. I should have felt
honoured. And I did. But I also felt a bit of a fake. I wasn't even sure
I liked truffle.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">I'm in a lucky minority who has tried the black fungus before, but each time left me a little bewildered.<span class="m_-2069030184404512801Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">The
first, shaved onto raw egg yolk at Melbourne's <a href="https://movida.com.au/" target="_blank">Movida</a>, was never going
to end well given a) I'm not an egg fan and b) I became accidentally
inebriated during the dinner. Rich, rich, rich food and a woozy head.<span class="m_-2069030184404512801Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">The
second was three years ago at said friend's house.She did a wonderful
job, finely grating the truffle over risotto, but I was pregnant at the
time, so the over-rich, woozy connotations gained more traction.
Finally, I'm not even sure the third time counts. Truffle mayonnaise
served with butterflied chicken? Rich food during a hot Tamworth summer.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Hence
my challenge. I dared not waste this precious piece of black gold,
regardless of prior experience. So I set out online to find a recipe.
Risottos and pastas were common, but as a mum of three I have limited
capacity to prepare a meal that must be eaten immediately.</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Instead
I found <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/roast-chicken-truffle-and-cauliflower" target="_blank">Roast Chicken with Warm Truffle and Cauliflower Salad</a>, from
French chef Guillaume Brahimi. Guillaume recommends slipping shaved
truffle under the chicken skin. I didn't have enough so I reserved it
for the warm salad. And can I say it was amazing? Or is that a bit
egocentric given I cooked it myself? Best truffle experience by far!</span></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p2" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-2069030184404512801p1" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Coincidentally
Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food included <a href="http://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/news/how-to-stop-worrying-and-learn-to-love-cooking-with-truffles-20170704-gx49pf" target="_blank">an article on truffles</a> the
following week. My take-homes from the article were:</span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Don't heat the truffle above 80 degrees</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Store wrapped in paper towel in an airtight container in the fridge and change the paper towel daily.</span></span> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Allow 3-8g of truffle per person per course.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_-2069030184404512801s1">Finally, don't over think it. You don't' need anything elaborate to carry the flavour. Simple dishes are best, such as pasta, risotto, roast chicken and scrambled eggs. We hold the truffle up to some lofty aspirations in the form of French Brasseries and silver service, but try to think more of the marvel's humble, earthy origins when looking for inspiration.</span></span></span></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-21603917984959744142017-07-12T19:55:00.000-07:002017-07-24T04:15:00.967-07:00Holidaying with kids... or not<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">I feel like everyone I love to follow online has been on holidays.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">Instagram is packed full of trips to warm sunny beaches, my favourite fashion bloggers write about their respective trips to <a href="http://styleandshenanigans.com/bali-with-kids/" target="_blank">Bali</a> and <a href="http://www.stylingyou.com.au/2017/07/9-things-to-do-and-see-on-a-short-stay-in-split-croatia/" target="_blank">Croatia</a>, and the final kick comes when I see my Aunt's photos from Turkey. I didn't think they were going until July. Then I realised it is July.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">This is Lisa in Turkey.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zadntWV3o9fre7nRlsc5xoL6_kG7v7hNzwt9J6eoLntZcN32fUfqoGKI3s9Nkxe84qc6C1nSWowCCnlAdqPXdtIyW6taqwqwA_pdf1W_shyphenhyphen-DG7-GjWlJ5RNNYeWKfi6_EDDwdTIie0/s1600/Lisa+Istanbul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zadntWV3o9fre7nRlsc5xoL6_kG7v7hNzwt9J6eoLntZcN32fUfqoGKI3s9Nkxe84qc6C1nSWowCCnlAdqPXdtIyW6taqwqwA_pdf1W_shyphenhyphen-DG7-GjWlJ5RNNYeWKfi6_EDDwdTIie0/s320/Lisa+Istanbul.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">And this is me feeding Audrey, our six month old. </span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">Again.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsv02PicDG2HNaLrEg7CKud1tH8R73R8TLyvEGJ57T1a32fH5PpoOTZUX5mZa9_gi_A5H2DRPJJMQ-r7ca-qv9FLi2IDVYD5m4qfqtdk1QXVF7Ee6MQW20bCRWR1AtgJLVC6S3AREbAs/s1600/IMG_7732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsv02PicDG2HNaLrEg7CKud1tH8R73R8TLyvEGJ57T1a32fH5PpoOTZUX5mZa9_gi_A5H2DRPJJMQ-r7ca-qv9FLi2IDVYD5m4qfqtdk1QXVF7Ee6MQW20bCRWR1AtgJLVC6S3AREbAs/s320/IMG_7732.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">This is Lisa seeing the sun rise.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaoOjId2lJ1IAZ0u0QQDVJ5wRgoflYnjGKUkYLDmqI3Gvc3eOp_LsrxTOtETAZyDQUVYYXUWKZP9wetBtsE_UXnVgVKSJIjES-ctTLPdK7aHXWfZyGOPq8SAK3ihg_RunFKOwqFy92dU/s1600/Istanbul+Sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaoOjId2lJ1IAZ0u0QQDVJ5wRgoflYnjGKUkYLDmqI3Gvc3eOp_LsrxTOtETAZyDQUVYYXUWKZP9wetBtsE_UXnVgVKSJIjES-ctTLPdK7aHXWfZyGOPq8SAK3ihg_RunFKOwqFy92dU/s320/Istanbul+Sunrise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">And this is me seeing the sun rise.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26Uflwe9OYvghmzc3G4M97lbUmJpm5uzNXNWOzh0WMdkyJkk__MXZzU398HpjKxGytkWPUKp-JLBopWrJVCUVNrgL09F2aqcW_kzJ_qyb1VRXb0GSkczMVQIGEBvYE68VVTYAIO_5KKo/s1600/IMG_7733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26Uflwe9OYvghmzc3G4M97lbUmJpm5uzNXNWOzh0WMdkyJkk__MXZzU398HpjKxGytkWPUKp-JLBopWrJVCUVNrgL09F2aqcW_kzJ_qyb1VRXb0GSkczMVQIGEBvYE68VVTYAIO_5KKo/s320/IMG_7733.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">I'm actually not that jealous of the exotic locations (ok, maybe a little bit jealous of the warm locations), I'd simply settle for a staycation, but I'm pretty sure my husband would love a week away. Which begs the question:</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">Where do you take three children under three when the weather is cold?<span class="m_-6528430415618949606Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">Truth be told, sometimes a holiday with kids just feels like parenting in another place, with a stressful pack up at start and finish and none of the conveniences of home. Remove the toddler-sleep-inducing excitement of a beach and I'm just not sure it's really for me.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">Having twins has meant travel has always been a little more challenging. Two sets of stuff and two little babies to manage. Car trips were production enough, we barely considered plane trips.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">However, at least two couples I know well have both recently taken their baby overseas and found the experience reasonably refreshing. Yes there were plane trips, lots of packing and some logistical challenges, but once they arrived they found they were forced to slow down. <span class="m_-6528430415618949606Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">These seasoned international travellers realised it's quite relaxing to have a nap in the middle of the day and the sights were still there the next day.</span></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_-6528430415618949606p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_-6528430415618949606s1">Children teach us to slow down sometimes and if we can embrace it, wherever we are, we can truly enjoy living in the moment.<span class="m_-6528430415618949606Apple-converted-space"> Personally, I think I'll be trying to live in the moment at home for now.</span></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-87854551349479390332017-07-09T13:15:00.000-07:002017-07-24T04:15:19.914-07:00Words to inspire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29G4bob6gqTF9LbkhlfDLaEgY6GjEDXc9Uo08FQ-poDaRlH9ZiQaWR4oQj5pHo8JgZolLpT88XFOE2HH_p7Cvh_sdeJd30a3DdjnDmhM_WDOP1HW0hoVNT80MJoLhtu5eLxInXm0_kCE/s1600/IMG_7724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29G4bob6gqTF9LbkhlfDLaEgY6GjEDXc9Uo08FQ-poDaRlH9ZiQaWR4oQj5pHo8JgZolLpT88XFOE2HH_p7Cvh_sdeJd30a3DdjnDmhM_WDOP1HW0hoVNT80MJoLhtu5eLxInXm0_kCE/s320/IMG_7724.JPG" width="304" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apparently I am a cook and a writer. But these days I do very little of either, caught up instead in the time-poor business of motherhood, with three under three and a 6 month long house move thrown into the mix. <br /><br />When I was studying to hone my craft nearly ten years ago, we all wondered when we would officially be writers. Our teacher at the time simply told us to get writing and hey presto, you're a writer! <br /><br />So if all you have to do to be a writer is start writing, does that mean you can no longer claim the title if you stop? <br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thanks to motherhood I devote a lot of mental energy to the concept of identity. Sometimes it's fair, other times I get a little caught up and just need to get on with it. <br /><br />With that in mind I thought I'd share some quotes that have struck a chord with me in the last week. Writers who've so articulately captured the realities of their subjects and made me both jealous of their skill and inspired to get going again. One day. <br /><br />Beth, from BabyMac, on <a href="http://www.baby-mac.com/2017/06/full-maggie-update-2-years-1-month/" target="_blank">toddlerhood</a>: <br /><i>She does everything so completely, much in the way two year olds do everything. They are ALL happy. They are ALL sad. They are ALL mad or ALL excited or ALL tired or ALL awake. There’s no in between. It’s quite refreshing really, except when she is ALL losing her shit. That’s never fun. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>Anna, from Mamma Bears Kitchen, on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BVd7DhpA9Yn/?taken-by=mamabears_kitchen&hl=en" target="_blank">grief </a>(via Instagram): <br /><i>It's hard to describe the pain in your heart that never leaves. It is forever with you. At times it finds a resting place deep down inside you, barely a whisper.... At other times it rages through you like a beast and consumes you with agony. Just like labour, you have to just let it be what it is. Eventually each tempest will pass and you can go on living again, a new normal. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>ABC journalist Sara James on <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-21/otto-warmbier-story-an-assault-on-freedom-and-democracy/8639538" target="_blank">democracy</a>:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Jefferson believed passionately in freedom of thought and expression. He
believed in the messy, fractious work we call democracy. </i></span></span></div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-40492630578138149272015-09-25T18:03:00.002-07:002015-09-25T18:03:29.088-07:00Canapés<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Did you catch me on ABC New England today, talking canapés? It's always a laugh chatting with Kel & Anna about food, but this week even more so, as I can hardly call myself an expert on the topic. Nor on French pronunciation or translation. But we went there!<br />
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I got a bit confused between hors d'oeuvres and canapés. We use French terms a lot, particularly with respect to cuisine but the meanings get a little lost. Hors d'oeuvres means "apart from the main work" and refers to starters or appetizers. And then sitting under that, canapés are a TYPE of hors d'oeuvres, designed to be eaten in one bite, and usually decorative.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Traditionally Canapés have a base of bread, crackers, toast or pastry with savoury toppings. The word comes from the French word for couch, which is a reference to the fact that the garnish sits on the base the way we sit on a couch. Cute, huh?</span><br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We talked mini quiches, chicken satay sticks, pork belly and small bites on Asian soup spoons. And I provided three recipes.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Blinis</span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 cup plain flour, sifted</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 Tbsp caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pinch salt</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">180ml milk</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">25g unsalted butter, melted</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Combine ingredients, whisking until smooth. Spoon batter into a hot, buttered frying pan, aiming for 50c piece size blinis. Cool completely on paper towel.</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For toppings, smoked salmon, creme fraiche and chives is always popular. Otherwise soak dried figs in sweet sherry (16 halved figs to 60 ml sherry) for 2 hours. Top blinis with mascarpone, figs, jamon (or prosciutto) & chervil.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Trout Rillettes</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had a discussion about what Rillettes actually are and Anna hit the nail on the head when she suggested "like pate". Trout Rillettes with wasabi mayonnaise are a favourite canapés amongst my in laws, who buy pre-made Rillettes from Sydney's <a href="http://www.brilliantfood.com.au/" target="_blank">Brilliant Food</a>. Locally we can buy <a href="http://www.rainbowtrout.com.au/" target="_blank">Arc en Ciel trout</a> and use the following recipe:</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 smoked trout, flaked</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1/2 cup creme fraiche</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2 lemons, zested & juiced</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1/4 cup finely chopped dill</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mix together ingredients. Serve in savoury tart cases or in lavish biscuits, topped with a little wasabi mayonnaise.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pork Larb</span><br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">My final idea is a little less traditional when it comes to canapés: pork larb. I've seen lately a lot of hors d'oeuvres morph into "roving entrees" at weddings and events. More substantial items that can still be eaten standing up so guests can continue mingling over drinks. Things like sliders and noodle boxes. Pork Larb is great because it can be largely prepared the day before and looks fantastic. I blogged about this recipe a few years ago, so head to the <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/party-food.html" target="_blank">back catalogue</a> for my run down and a link to the recipe.</span></span></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-17416923275376274782015-08-14T05:21:00.002-07:002015-08-14T05:24:23.614-07:00Semolina for breakfast? And a crumpet recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-GcBLBJLaepNJz8i8zzIY6fvXNrh9qGz7px2vpggSQiNi88Remb2AODekSfSsCK0tx24YCKhL4gWfv9ZTiA8FHoJ9wsIcRZOEdyygqrrZF-bGHt1fqZxOMdaJtoddx4aiv68mkmJ8vs/s1600/crumpet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-GcBLBJLaepNJz8i8zzIY6fvXNrh9qGz7px2vpggSQiNi88Remb2AODekSfSsCK0tx24YCKhL4gWfv9ZTiA8FHoJ9wsIcRZOEdyygqrrZF-bGHt1fqZxOMdaJtoddx4aiv68mkmJ8vs/s320/crumpet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm not an egg eater. Quiche or frittata is as eggy as I get. This presents a few problems at breakfast time. You know, first world kind of problems. There might only be three items on the menu that don't feature eggs. In actual fact, when you're as indecisive as I am this is probably a good thing.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, going out for breakfast doesn't always set my world on fire. Cooking something nourishing and comforting to start the weekend does. Sometimes this is as simple as a cracker cup of tea and a piece of good sourdough, thickly spread with butter and home made jam. In winter I exercise my <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/weekend-porridge.html" target="_blank">love of porridge</a> and in summer I feel very virtuous with a bowl of oats, yoghurt, fresh fruit and a little milk.<br />
<br />
I've had a funny little recipe cutting in my "yet to cook" pile. It's been there for as long as I can remember. Back when Matthew Evans used to write his column in the Good Weekend Magazine. Evans precedes his recipes for Honeyed Breakfast Polenta and Breakfast Semolina with the following:<br />
<br />
<i>"Tell me a joke and sing me a song, stroke my brow gently and cuddle me along. It's the weekend today, with comforting food, so let's have a slow brekky to get me in the mood."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Isn't that lovely? I feel like it's Saturday morning already.<br />
<br />
This morning I was talking all things breakfast on ABC Local Radio with Jennifer Ingall and Anna Moulder. What a great excuse to finally exercise this recipe cutting. I made the Breakfast Semolina, with pale yellow semolina and full cream milk. It came together quickly and was so white. I expected a stodgy gruel; but, when eaten hot, it was creamy and mild. I added the suggested rosewater and pistachio and substituted quince jelly for the raspberry jam.<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2kdYTRtElqiOVrRO3uDbliHOLvYZzWNGJE1UCC4usRBR2GkY7wjYVP2Bd5ix1oWOsqGhobIbXchmTYzrbBBXz7ZoLXT2QeAyquE7L3TPkK1Y8kTWPPwrNZZO-M6A1hMa_KVGWdbPhLc/s1600/breakfast+semolina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2kdYTRtElqiOVrRO3uDbliHOLvYZzWNGJE1UCC4usRBR2GkY7wjYVP2Bd5ix1oWOsqGhobIbXchmTYzrbBBXz7ZoLXT2QeAyquE7L3TPkK1Y8kTWPPwrNZZO-M6A1hMa_KVGWdbPhLc/s320/breakfast+semolina.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /></div>
Would I make it again? Probably not. Did I gain some satisfaction out of a warm bowl of creaminess and the ticking off of another "yet to cook" recipe? Yes I did.<br />
<br />
I also made crumpets. I'm seeing a lot of crumpets at the moment. In magazines, on instagram and in conversations with friends. If you've got an hour up your sleeve they're super easy. I'd go as far as saying easier than pancakes. By complete coincidence, the recipe I used was another Matthew Evans gem, this time from SBS Feast magazine (polenta also made an appearance - the same recipe, this time with salty caramelised pears).<br />
<br />
What I love about these is they taste fantastic straight out of the frying pan, but they're also just as good toasted the next day. You could even try adding a little cinnamon to the mix.<br />
<br />
My tip? Once the crumpets are looking dry in the pan and ready to turn, the crumpet or egg rings should lift away easily, so you can easily flip.<br />
<br />
Recipes and/or links below. Have a great weekend everyone.<br />
<br />
<b>Breakfast semolina</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1L full cream milk<br />
pinch salt<br />
130g semolina<br />
Quince Jelly or your favourite jam (raspberry was recommended)<br />
A few drops of Rosewater<br />
A handful of pistachio nuts, roughly chopped<br />
<br />
Warm milk, salt and semolina together in a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to stir for a few minutes until you get a smooth, thick consistency. This can come together quite quickly.<br />
<br />
Serve into warmed bowls. Drip rosewater, scatter pistachios and dollop jam.<br />
<br />
<b>Sweet polenta with salty caramelised pears</b><br />
Find it <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/sweet-polenta-salty-caramelised-pears" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Crumpets with whipped leatherwood honey butter</b><br />
Spot it <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/crumpets-whipped-leatherwood-honey-butter" target="_blank">there</a>.</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-31038506645696447372015-07-21T17:56:00.001-07:002015-07-21T21:13:13.811-07:00The real four ingredients<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Often the simplest recipes are the best, and four ingredients really is all you need. Not the four ingredients of the cookbook fame, with all their preservatives, flavourings and packaging, but the pantry staples that your great Grandmother would recognise. </span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Eggs, cheese, salt and pepper for an omelette. Flour, baking powder, butter and milk for scones. Lemons, eggs, sugar and water for a lemon pudding.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Sure, the recipes aren't always low in sugar, salt or fat, but they're made from real ingredients with no nasties.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Since the birth of the twins, I've found myself relying on my mother-in-law's currant loaf more than once if I need to whip something up quickly. It's easy, can be frozen and relies on ingredients commonly found on my shelves. Although I confess, last time I made it I put out a desperate call to family up the road for some currants. I can happily report I am now restocked.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNju1YVuIqtzfYm2xpah2vR4rTbN0CBuevZeCm5c_QuTn9W1G_q_d6B1VWdvylExKZ8AvjzVVgPZlI50r3IwpxfSa4Q4bj4PrVgtRwC4x-X3g0rAZ4QVEH2tRp5aDuU7paEBSJULyCDyM/s640/blogger-image-294234904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNju1YVuIqtzfYm2xpah2vR4rTbN0CBuevZeCm5c_QuTn9W1G_q_d6B1VWdvylExKZ8AvjzVVgPZlI50r3IwpxfSa4Q4bj4PrVgtRwC4x-X3g0rAZ4QVEH2tRp5aDuU7paEBSJULyCDyM/s640/blogger-image-294234904.jpg"></font></a></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Janet's Currant Loaf</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">1 cup currants</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">1 cup caster sugar</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">1 cup warm tea</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">2 cups self raising flour</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Place fruit and sugar in a mixing bowl and pour tea over. Let stand one hour or more. Stir flour into mixture and pour into a greased, lined bar tin. Bake in moderate oven for 1 hour (try 160).</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">--</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I love the flavour the tea imparts and I'm keen to try it with earl grey, or maybe a strong smokey blend. Serve fresh with a little smear of butter... If you can bear to break with four ingredient traditions.</span></div>Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-20650208098531920272015-07-08T21:48:00.001-07:002015-07-09T15:31:23.671-07:00Feeling dippyI have a confession: when it comes to hors d'oeuvres, I'm the scoffer who eats more than their share. Especially now I'm a breastfeeding mumma - although there's quite a few mums amongst my friends who are either pregnant or have babies younger than mine, so I'm rapidly losing my excuse.<div><br></div><div>Not only do I eat a lot, I also find nibbles rather expensive. I do love a delicious wedge of European cheese, but it's a treat kept fairly rare by my budget. What DOES fit in my budget are canned chickpeas. And what can you make from chickpeas? Hummus.</div><div><br></div><div>This is a recipe I've been making for nearly ten years. I'm really sure how authentic it is, but it's quick, easy and feeds a crowd. What's more, apparently it's quite low in fat.</div><div><br></div><div>3/4 cup (150g) dried chickpeas* or 450g canned chickpeas (I use canned)</div><div>1/2 teaspoon salt</div><div>1 garlic clove, quartered</div><div>1/4 cup tahini (available from supermarkets)</div><div>1/4 cup lemon juice</div><div>Pinch cayenne pepper</div><div>1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley</div><div><br></div><div>Drain cooked or canned chickpeas and reserve 1/3 cup of liquid. Using a stick blender (or food processor), blend chickpeas and liquid with salt, garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Top with cayenne pepper and parsley to serve.</div><div><br></div><div>*If using dried chickpeas, you'll need to soak them overnight and cook them.</div><div><br></div><div>I find the hummus tastes richer if it's prepared some time in advance, to allow the lemon and garlic flavours to develop.</div><div><br></div><div>You can use hummus on pides, with grilled kebabs or on roast lamb. However I serve it as a dip with lavish or Turkish bread, and carrot and celery if I have the time to chop. It forms part of my "holy trinity of easy dips to please a bbq crowd"' with Stephanie Alexander's guacamole (reproduced here: http://nickcancook.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/stephanie-alexander-guacamole.html) and her basil pesto (see http://www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au/uploads/09_resources/kg_recipes/Yrs5_6_BasilPestoRecipe_WEB.pdf).</div><div><br></div>Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137267436022363609.post-66902500394702711202015-06-19T02:30:00.000-07:002015-06-19T02:30:11.504-07:00Weekend porridge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsW3P_v-ka4tKYEJCBkEedPhmweDsm3lWHI9G83FZqarqe7hOtzZbKZyv_FEVU0J8nuQt7s1WFrZsJB-YzZ5HTRHkNmL2W2OYNRQBuyQd23c1nF34ZsxYJjMIso1Uyk1TekZ1l88DBDM/s640/blogger-image-1749139674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsW3P_v-ka4tKYEJCBkEedPhmweDsm3lWHI9G83FZqarqe7hOtzZbKZyv_FEVU0J8nuQt7s1WFrZsJB-YzZ5HTRHkNmL2W2OYNRQBuyQd23c1nF34ZsxYJjMIso1Uyk1TekZ1l88DBDM/s640/blogger-image-1749139674.jpg" /></span></a><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span id="goog_290350451"></span><span id="goog_290350452"></span><br /></span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Recently I wrote about the <a href="http://gourmet-townie.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/theres-lot-of-things-i-miss-about-my.html" target="_blank">demise of my breakfast routine</a> after the birth of my gorgeous twins. I can now report that normality is returning. This is fortunate because it's porridge season and I love a warm bowl of porridge on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It's like waking up to a big warm tastebud hug. Sometimes we get all fancy and make a five grain mix that includes triticale and rolled rice, but I'm equally happy with plain old oats and an unhealthily large topping of brown sugar.</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
How do you cook your porridge? I have become quite habitual with my method, which I learnt from that King of Sydney breakfasts, Bill Granger. It goes a little like this:</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
Oats soaked in an equal quantity of boiling water for ten minutes then cooked with an equal quantity of milk, stirring over medium heat until thick and delicious.</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
1 part oats + 1 part boiling water + 1 part milk = 3 parts chilly Saturday morning deliciousness</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
What's your winter weekend breakfast ritual?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Ali-Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09746047851798113286noreply@blogger.com0