October 2023 – MakeCookGrow.com

Surgery, Spanakopita and Spring

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eye surgery

A week ago I had surgery on my left eye. I have keratoconis which means my corneas are not a lovely rounded shape, but ‘conical’ with a lumpy surface. Keratoconus is when the cornea gradually thins and bulges, resulting in distorted vision. First diagnosed when I was about 19 I have been able to maintain reasonable eyesight by first wearing hard contact lenses for over 20 years, then soft lenses for about 25 years and then scleral lenses for 18 months. Scleral lenses are hard, large lenses which rest on the sclera, the white part of the eye.

Eventually my failing eyesight stopped me driving, painting and a whole lot of other things you never think about until you can’t see well enough to do them. I waited three and a half months for an appointment with an ophthalmalgic surgeon who could improve my eyesight.

And he did! Even when I awoke from surgery with a plastic shield taped over my eye I knew my eyesight was greatly improved. It was so exciting! The next day he told me my eyesight would continue to improve for about a week. It has and I can see better than I can remember. This changes everything. Now I am crossing the days off until I have surgery on the other eye.

Gathered up a few of the pairs of spectacles I’ve used over the past three years, hoping they’d help me read. I might not need any of them in a few months when I have surgery on my other eye but I’ll keep them just in case!

spanakopita

A classic Greek recipe, Spanakopita used to be my ‘go to’ for work lunches and visiting vegetarians. I never followed a recipe very carefully but always liked it hot or cold. Then I found a good supply of goats feta at about the same time Nagi of recipetineats.com (here) published her recipe for Spanakopita. I use her cookbook Recipe Tin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi for inspiration when I don’t know what we’re having for dinner.

So I made a small dish (I’ll double the recipe next time) following her instructions. I’ve never added spring onions before nor lemon zest and juice, either, but will next time, too, as it added depth to the flavour. Nagi is a bit sniffy about using frozen spinach but that was what I had in the freezer and it tastes lovely. She suggests adding some grated cheese between the top layers of filo pastry, but I only had sheeps’ pecorino, which is very strong, so I omitted that step. Adding Greek yoghurt to the mix was new to me, too, but this is a very good pie so I’ll do it again.

I melted the weight of butter listed in the recipe for buttering the pastry but ended up with some left over. It didn’t matter as I knew we were having asparagus with dinner. I poured the melted butter into a glass dish, added the juice and zest of the leftover lemon from making the spanakopita and microwaved it to make a sauce for the asparagus. Delicious!

THe spring garden

The roses have been decimated by chili thrip for the past two years. So far this year the bushes are strong and healthy and blooming beautifully. We have had no humidity, so the thrip may hatch and reappear if it is hot and sticky, but in the meanwhile we are picking masses and masses of beautiful, scented roses.

These ceramic spheres were discoloured and the paint was chipping off. I previously wrote about scrubbing and sanding them ready to repaint and here’s the photo of the finished spheres, back in the garden. I forgot to add the photo of the finished spheres lurking under the hydrangeas!

Scrubbed then sanded to smooth chipped edges. This small sander is so useful for a multitude of jobs.

Now dry and ready to repaint.

Back in the garden.

other things

Needed a new bottle of Worcestershire Sauce during the week. It now comes in a plastic bottle. More plastic rubbish!

I’m a fan of magazines, especially those about architecture, interior design, gardens and food. Can’t believe how expensive they have become so subscriptions might have to be birthday and Christmas presents. Also deciding if I need quite so many. I think I do, especially now I can read then easily, again, rather than holding the page right up to my ‘better’ eye.

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The Referendum, Reading and Sourdough

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The referendum

Last weekend our Federal Government held a referendum. All Australian citizens were obliged to vote in this poorly explained and divisive referendum. We were asked to vote for or against a change to the Australian Constitution .This would initially result in a new chapter, Chapter IX recognising the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders being added to the Constitution.. No more information, except this would result in a Voice to Parliament for First Nation People. We already have 11 elected First Nations parliamentarians in the Federal Government.

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said we’d learn the details in the future. So we were asked to vote YES or NO to a change to the Constitution with no details! Unsurprisingly, 61% of voters said NO while 39% voted YES. The only area with a majority of YES votes was the Australian Capital Territory, home to many Public Servants.

Image, The Sunday Times newspaper 15/10/2023

An enormous amount of money was spent over months on this referendum. It has only divided our country, regardless of ethnic background. All that money could have been used to create prenatal and post natal birthing clinics on country , visiting health professionals to check the ears and eyes of school age children and information to support First Nations people with diabetes, kidney disease and alcoholism.

Image, The Sunday Times newspaper 15/10/2023

I think all Australians are hopeful of a better future. The billions of dollars spent now on programs seems to have achieved very little. It’s time to account for the money spent and determine better programs. Only consultation on country will achieve this, not the ideas of public servants in Canberra. First Nation groups are diverse and their individual wishes should be recognised and supported.

READING

I’ve been reading lots of books in large print while I’ve been crossing off the days until I have eye surgery. The enormous number of large print books about romances makes me wonder who borrows these books although I have found a few thrillers and then, to my relief, the non fiction section.

The first ‘couldn’t put it down’ thriller was Garry Disher’s Peace. Partly written to complete his doctorate, Disher’s murder mystery is focused on a remote farming community and a small, central town. The story is told from the point of view of the only local policeman, a detective demoted to sergeant and sent to the bush due to a racket within his previous posting. He claims he was not involved.

The killings begin with horses belonging to a popular member of the community and culminate in the murder of two people eventually identified as escaping police corruption after events occurring while they were in witness protection.

The events around Christmas are typical of any small town and the characters described are also unexceptional. The final revelation took me by surprise, but thinking about the little hints throughout the book, the information was there! It’s just that the murderer behaved like a lot of older males we’ve met over the years, so I didn’t pick up on the clues until the end. A really good read.

The other book I’ve been reading forever, or so it seems, is Anthony Horowitz Moonflower Murders. An exhausting book, it is a story within a story, so two books in one with the book in the middle supposedly revealing why a murder took place at the Moonflower Hotel and why a member of staff has disappeared shortly after reading the book in the middle!

The second book didn’t reveal the murderer to me, so I had to keep reading. I did, and it was a good story with a surprising end but required greater stamina than I have at the moment! Other reviews refer to the labyrinth of clues, how clever it was and how much they enjoyed it. I enjoyed it mostly when I’d finally finished it. Too clever, too long.

sourdough

A loaf of sourdough fresh and warm from the oven. I’d really like to slice off a piece and eat it, but sourdough doesn’t cut smoothly while it is warm. So, patience is required. Once it is cool I will slice the loaf and then store it is a special bag in the fridge. I usually eat two pieces a day. My husband prefers a white loaf he buys from one of two preferred bakeries. The ease of parking can dictate which one he chooses!

It takes me two or three days (depending on the temperature) to make a loaf of sourdough from start to finish. Day one I take the starter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Then I feed it with some flour and water and set it somewhere warm to develop. This takes about 12 hours and then, when it is bubbly and puffy and risen, I take some of the starter and mix it with more flour, water and a little salt. Then it’s covered and back on the table, near the French doors, to develop. About 12 hours later it will have risen to the top of the bowl and it is ready to cook.

Firstly, I ‘stretch’ the dough five or six times, pulling it up then letting it collapse back in the bowl in between stretches. While I’m doing this the oven is heating. I scrape the dough into a lined glass dish. No rustic beautiful boulés for me! The rectangular loaf allows me to cut similar sized slices of the entire loaf. It takes about 40 minutes to cook and much longer to cool. It tastes very good.

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Melanomas, Bottlebrushes and Other Things

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MELANOMAS

Are you an Australian with Anglo-Celtic or Northern European ancestry? I’m only asking because statistically you are in the high risk category to develop a melanoma. The most serious type of skin cancer is a melanoma, when the cancer develops in the melanocytes, the skin’s pigment producing cells. These are aggressive cancers.

We develop skin cancers because our skin remembers every time we played all lunchtime in the searing sun, every time we were at swimming lessons mid-morning in the summer school holidays and every other time in your entire life you were unprotected in our harsh sun. I wont even mention slatheringb ourselves in baby oil hoping to accelerate our tans.

Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCCs) are the most common growths. They often appear as small lumps or dry red scaly patches and are easily treated by burning or excising. Although they are benign cancers that don’t enter your blood stream, they need treating or monitoring. SCCs ( Squamous Cell Carcinomas) can metastasise and spread into lymph nodes. These need more urgent attention.

In males, melanomas are most often found on the torso, in females they most commonly occur on the limbs. In Australia, one in 14 men will develop an invasive melanoma and one in 22 women will also develop an invasive melanoma.

So what should fair skinned Australians do to prevent skin cancers? Wear sunscreen if you’re going to be exposed to the sun from mid-morning to late afternoon and add a hat and sunglasses, reapply sunscreen after swimming and monitor children closely to ensure they are protected. As a fully paid up member of the melanoma family I have a yearly check up with my dermatologist who keeps detailed records. She looks at my skin from my head down to my feet and it is not fun. Since 2012 I have never left her rooms without things being burnt off or three times things being cut out.

Consider having hats at every door going to the outdoors, applying sunscreen every morning, even in winter if you’re very fair and be aware of your hands and arms being exposed when you’re driving. If you haven’t had a recent check ask your GP to check or look for one of the many clinics ( in Australia) specializing in recognising and treating skin damage.

SPRING

Every season is special in its own way but spring promises regeneration and growth. In the Southern Hemisphere we can think about putting the dark, thick, heavy clothes of winter away and digging out the brighter, lighter clothes marking warmer weather. It’s good to be outside, surrounded by new growth and the still warm sun, not yet scorching.

These Callistemon (family Myrtaceae), better known as bottlebrushes are common in the southern area of Western Australia and the east coast of Australia. They are called ‘bottlebrushes’ because the cylindrical bloom looks like a bottlebrush! They bloom in spring and summer.

The first stage of flowering starts at the end of a leafy branch with the development of buds. When the buds erupt the colour of the flower is evident, in this case, crimson.

Buds on the right beginning to pop open.The buds open to reveal the red filaments developing.

As the flower develops it becomes a bottlebrush shape. The flowers are long lasting and attract many birds and insects. The spent bus capsuls become seed pods.

Hardy, beautiful bushes, bottlebrushes are very popular in native gardens. They require very little water, have gorgeous blooms if they’re in full sunlight and only require occasional pruning to maintain a compact shape.

OTHER THINGS

Sorting out the freezer drawers unearthed a surprise; the ham bone was still tightly wrapped in the bottom drawer. Bone, yellow split peas and water into the slow cooker for 8 hours, wonderful rich, thick soup for three nights. Already ordered the Christmas ham for this year.

Looks unattractive but tasted WONDERFUL!

Also rediscovered a couple of kilos of cooked prawns, so thawed some for lunch and turned the shells into prawn stock and froze it until I needed it. Prawn stock adds vibrancy to so many things. Simply boil the remains in just enough water to cover the shells for about 30 minutes, sieve, cool and use or freeze.

My cleaning up urge sent me through the fridge at the same time. There was my favourite ingredient to add to just about anything, preserved lemons! I scrape off any remaining pulp and thinly slice the preserved skin and add it to casseroles, salads and often on fish. Lovely zing of flavour! Recipe (here)

The citrus trees are still fruiting so I’ve made more preserved lemons.

I hope you are enjoying lovely weather, where ever you live!

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Blood Orange Marmalade and Reading

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MARMALADE

The citrus trees are loaded with fruit: orange, yellow, lime green and orange with a red blush. The latter is blood orange which fruit from about August to October. Slightly sweet with a lovely aroma, I usually make gelato, a family favourite when they are in season but this time I made marmalade.

The actual word MARMALADE is under attack from the EU ( European Union) Traditionally, a spread made from citrus fruit is called marmalade and a spread made from other fruit is called jam. The EU want to change marmalade to citrus marmalade and all other jams will be called marmalade. Poor Paddington Bear wont be able to share his marmalade sandwich with royalty anymore. Let them eat citrus instead!

Making any fruit spread requires preparing the fruit. Usually it is washed, dried, peeled, de-cored and chopped into small pieces. A very sharp knife is essential for this task. I use a whetstone to sharpen our Japanese knives. I submerge the whetstone in a jug of water for about half an hour and then place it on a towel with the coarser side facing up.

To prepare the whetstone I fill a jug with water and gently put the stone in until it is fully submerged.

Gently swipe the blade, at a slight angle, over the stone. Do the full length of the blade in one sweep. I do this three times, then turn the knife over, repeat. Wipe the blade clean on a cloth and repeat the process using the other, finer grade side of the stone. Carefully wash the knife. Now the blade is very sharp. Just right for preparing fruit for marmalade.

To prepare the fruit use a peeler to lightly skim the peel off the pith, the white layer between the skin and fruit. It doesn’t matter if the skin breaks during peeling as it’s chopped finely later to go in with the fruit. Then use a knife to cut off the pith which can be very bitter and tough. Cut the fruit in half longways, then into half again. Save the pips. Remove any white fleshy bits from the centre, then cut the fruit into smaller pieces. Not too small as marmalade is best with some fruity pieces still remaining after cooking.

Then scrape the cut up fruit, thinly sliced peel and any juice into a pot, if you’re making the marmalade on the stove top, or a glass bowl if you’re making it in the microwave. Knot the saved pips in a piece of muslin and put in with the fruit. I couldn’t find my muslin, so used a washed handkerchief. Add the sugar and water and put to cook. I actually added some Jam Setta pectin to the mix as it was too thin for our taste. I haven’t added the recipe as there are so many online and it’s best to find a method to suit how you like to cook.

I prefer using the microwave as it is quicker and seems cleaner. Using a pot on the stove top seems to make everything sticky! That is obviously the traditional way. It is also the way I made the marmalade this time. I’ve never made Blood Orange Marmalade before and felt I could watch when it began to thicken more easily if it was in a pot on the stove top.

When the marmalade was nearly at the ‘set’ point I boiled a kettle of water to pour over the jars I’d already sterilised in the dishwasher but mostly to do the lids which had been hand washed. I let them air dry then poured in the beautiful smelling marmalade. Online photos show people filling their jars using funnels, I use a soup ladle ( because I have always done it this way!)

Marmalade is simply fruit and sugar with water and sometimes, pectin added. I think it is probably an economical way to make jam, especially if the fruit is growing on your own tree or given to you. Of course, that assumes you have someone who eats marmalade and jam! The glass jars are finitely recyclable and originally were bought with jam or marmalade in them.

READING

Are you a fan of Richard Osman and his Thursday Murder Club series? I’m reading his latest murder mystery called The Last Devil To Die and it is beautifully crafted, full of unexpected twists and turns and humour. It follows the same characters we met in his previous three books The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed. Another smart, funny and warm novel as his retirees ( The Thursday Murder Club) discover and solve a series of events all following on from the murder of their antique dealer friend. Osam deals compassionately with aging, living in a retirement village on the ongoing decline of the husband of one of the main characters. It was a great read!

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