Post Christmas Occupations

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post christmas

The longest ever Christmas celebrations end today. Family parties, here and at my Mother’s, Christmas lunch with wonderful friends, a Boxing Day party with our lovely neighbours and some visiting in between. Enormous amounts of food prepared and eaten, thoughtful gifts and treats shared and slowly things are returning to normal. The fridge wouldn’t agree, but we’re working on it!

Our son had ordered a large ham and a turkey roast from his butcher then found he had to go away for a fortnight, only flying back late Christmas night. I’d cooked a smaller ham and turkey breast already, plus all the usual trays of star biscuits and shortbread to share and then the ham and chicken breast rolls he’d brought. So food, food, every where food, or so it seems.

The second ham, almost ready to go into the oven.

Christmas also brought each of us a haul of books, our favourite sort of present. My Christmas stocking included two luxe magazine as well (goodie). So, eating mostly out of the fridge and reading in between socialising and gardening. It has been dreadfully hot and the now rather large tomatoes need regular watering and staking.

When I planted the tomatoes in these troughs I thought I’d be able to protect them from the river rats by putting the cover over the frame but the tomatoes are way too big now.

marbling

Even as a child I really liked the marbled pages lining the front and back pages of books. They’re called endpapers. I especially liked the marbled lining papers in the family atlas despite the evidence of silverfish activity. Years ago I did some marbling using enameled paints but the paint was slow to dry, messy and awkward to clean up afterwards.

A newly covered journal with a marbled back end paper.

Then I discovered Japanese inks. The Japanese traditionally used calligraphy inks for marbling, but modern inks are easy to obtain and use. The Japanese embrace the concept of things not being perfect or unpredictable outcomes and developed techniques of floating the ink, or ‘suminagashi’ which involves dropping the inks on water. The inks naturally disperse but can also be manipulated by blowing on the water’s surface.

Recently I was reading about a professional marbler in the UK, Nat Maks. (natmaks.com Her works on her site are beautiful!) She marbles on sheets of paper 3m in length. These sheets are used as wall hangings and wall art. She has designed and had a 3m x 1.5m bath built to print these large sheets. Inspired by her beautiful papers, I assembled Japanese inks, gloves and paper.

I have always marbled on recycled A4 paper but this time I decided to print on some lithograph paper I found when I tidied the laundry cupboards. Bought when I was designing this house and doing lots of plans and drawings for the draughtsman, the large, once flat sheets had been rolled, then at some later date, squashed on a shelf in the laundry. I cut the paper to the size needed to line the front and back pages of my journals, then ironed the rectangles as the paper wasn’t flat. I experimented inking the rough and smooth sides of the paper and settled on printing the smooth side. I really like the soft, gentle colours created.

Don’t normally iron paper before I print but I cut these rectangles from large sheets of lithograph paper which had been squashed in a cupboard.

While I was ironing I gathered all the grosgrain ribbons I use year after year on our gifts. I really like large, generous bows. I bought a 50 metre spool of this ribbon years ago and recycled ever since it.

While the sheets were drying I covered some new journals. I have bought these black books with a red spine for more than 20 years but they are getting harder to find. I write every day. Sometimes I draw, too, or glue in photos or tickets or other ephemera from our travels. I list daily and long term TO DO lists and enjoy ticking jobs off as they are done. After I’d covered the journals I glued the marbled papers as front and back covers. Added a calendar. That’s my journals sorted for about a year!

I trim then smooth the photocopied images front and back, fold them in, glue then down then cover the end pages with a sheet of marbled paper.

VERY BEST WISHES FOR A

HAPPY and HEALTHY

NEW YEAR!

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Christmas Countdown and Prawn Stock

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christmas countdown

The cakes are cooked, the cards are sent, most of the gift shopping and wrapping is done but despite my determination to be super organised this year, I still have a TO DO list. We’ll be having two Christmas Dinners, the first when our son arrives late Christmas Day and the second when we go and spend a day with my Mother. Tidied up the fridge and freezer to accommodate the Christmas food and drinks.

The whole TO DO list thing is a bit controversial. Some people feel writing down their tasks to be done is really efficient. They tick off the jobs as they are completed and focus on the next one. Other people say they don’t remember to look at the lists, struggle to make lists to cover everything that needs to be done or the length of the lists makes them anxious. I lived by lists when I was working, running the house, walking the dog, establishing the garden, doing the shopping and cooking and trying to maintain friendships. Then life relaxed a bit and so did the list. Lots of things slipped by so I went back to making lists, especially for shopping. Works for me.

In the middle of the Christmas preparations and fuss, I discovered one of the downsides of having very good eyesight again. I noticed most of the door frames have chips in them! I pondered on this for a while and finally realised, looking at the height of the chips, most of them are probably from mopping and vacuuming.

It’s a very hot day and I knew I’d need to do two coats to restore the frames. I started by sanding them back, then wiping the dust off and working out which paint ( I have lots of tins of white paint) matched the best. The best match turned out to be a spray paint, so I used a piece of cardboard to protect the walls and got spraying. Two coats did a good job. Then I washed and wiped all the doors. I noticed a chip in the plaster near the front door but that will be a job for after Christmas!

A sheet of cardboard to protect the walls, a can of spray paint and some sand paper, too, and the job was done. Really pleased with the outcome.

prawn risotto

We get wonderful prawns from along the coast of Western Australia. Many people associate prawns with summer eating and particularly at Christmas time. I had a pile of them to peel to make a stock for a Prawn Risotto. My traditional way of peeling prawns seemed to be taking so long! I usually cut the body from the head, slit down the underside and peel off the shells with the legs, then a small cut along the back to remove the digestive tract. This method was taking so long!

Wondered how restaurants dealt with shelling prawns. They’d need a faster system than mine. So I looked up Gordon Ramsay’s method but it almost what I was already doing and after looking at a few more entries, finally accepted I’d be shelling prawns for quite a while, get on with it. Then all the shells went into a pot to make stock with water, tomato paste, sweated onions and garlic. ( Someone told me later that many restaurants buy prawns which have already been mechanically peeled.)

Asked my husband to help but that wasn’t a success. He doesn’t really eat prawns or crabs. When we talked about it he said he never ate them as a child. I grew up at the head of an estuary and ate a lot of crabs as a child and still eat then whenever possible. Some years ago, when I returned from Milan with a broken wrist, we were at a crab party and he was preparing crabs and handing them to me. I’d eaten quite a few and suddenly realised he wasn’t eating any. ( Lucky me)

Made the prawn risotto. Forgot to photograph it. I’m not a big fan of rice (which was awkward living in China for a few years and visiting frequently for many years) but the packet of Arborio Risotto Rice was in a gift pack and I don’t like wasting food.

Back to Christmas preparations, about to check Spotify for some old fashioned carols to add a bit singing and dancing to the kitchen routine as there’s many jobs on the TO DO list!

WISHING YOU A MERRY

CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY

NEW YEAR!

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Cherries and Other Christmas Things

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TECHNOLOGY and ME

I have no idea what kept going wrong with last week’s blog, nor why it published itself (obviously not, but I’m accepting no responsibility). I eventually just gave up! Pondered giving up entirely, but decided to try once more. Fingers crossed this week’s blog is a success.

CHERRIES

The countdown to Christmas no longer features Advent Calendars in our house, although I’ve seen some very lush adult calendars online. Instead, it starts with cherries. As soon as I know cherries are available, I want some! Just before my first eye surgery I bought an art and craft materials Advent Calendar and every so often open a window and enjoy using the paint, clay, pencils and pens and other little treats. So not a countdown to Christmas calendar, more a move towards being able to do the things I used to do before my eyesight deteriorated.

This bowl of cherries didn’t last long!

The fountain in the portico is decorated.

So is the front door. Since added more baubles to jazz the laurel up a bit!

This dear little Christmas cake, a gift, arrived in a clear bauble and was delicious!

RUMBALLS

For years I’ve used the same recipe to make rumballs. They can be made a week before Christmas and are very popular. Our son was here on the weekend and wanted me to wait until he was back before I made this year’s rumballs ‘ because you don’t add enough rum.’ Well, some of the consumers of our rumballs then have drive home, so I think I’ll be sticking to the usual amount of rum in this year’s mix!

Every year at Christmas time I cook multiple trays of shortbread biscuits and give them as gifts. No fancy homemade boxes this year but I have decorated each gift with a heart and added a bauble, too.

Shortbread biscuits in cellophane bags with air dried hearts and baubles decorated using paper napkins/serviettes. (here)

TOMATOES

These tomatoes all germinated from two tiny cherry tomatoes from my Mother’s plant. I squeezed the seeds from the tomatoes onto a paper towel, spread them out and let them dry. Cut the towel into six squares and planted each square in a small pot. I planted them about six weeks ago. About 50 plants germinated.

I planted them out at different times to have a good supply of tomatoes throughout summer.

I have given away about fifteen plants as we’ll have enough for the two of us and these are delicious little tomatoes.

This lot are in a raised bed, sharing with the chive forest.

The last lot to be planted out. I’ll transfer them to bigger pots in a week or so.

MENDING

These light woven baskets with a drawstring lining are ideal for so many jobs. I have several.

When the handle stitching came undone I repaired it using linen thread and a big blunt needle.

I share all this with you because it is SO exciting to be able to thread the needle myself! I have also threaded and used the sewing machine. So exciting, so satisfying. Up there with being able to drive again and read easily.

SQUEEZING LEMONS

My husband, the preferred citrus squeezer in this household, saw Jamie Oliver using one of these citrus squeezers on a cooking program and wanted one. Two days later we saw one in an Italian food shop and we bought it.

He is very pleased with it.

BEFORE, the old way.

NOW, the new way!

I hope all your plans for the holiday season are going well.

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Lasange, Three Favourite Books and Gnocchi With Fennel

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three favourite books

Currently, these three books are my favourites! I recommend them to friends who I know will enjoy them and I frequently refer to the recipes. These books are guides to gardening, preparing food and the last one is all about making, cooking and serving pasta. Our son was coming down to stay on the weekend so I began making sauces and gathering ingredients to make pasta. He has the pasta making machine so his pastas come out perfectly laminated, smooth and absolutely delicious.

His trip has suddenly been delayed! I already had the lasagne organised, I’d bought the fennel for the gnocchi, I’d bought ravioli and the ingredients to make a sauce for that and the pasta I thought we’d be making. The lasagne is from Nagi’s recipe tin eats (here) I use her recipes a lot as they really suit us. This lasagne says it serves six but it actually resulted in eight generous serves.

Garden Like A Nonno

This book is packed with information about growing your own food and flowers and utilising every asset available, especially if it is free or recycled. Jaclyn Crupi tells stories about both her (nonnos) grandfathers and their gardening habits and skills, how they preserved their crops, dealt with pests and enriched their soils. I found the hints on increasing soil quality really useful as I garden on grey beach sand. A good reference book.

Nonna Knows Best

Jaclyn Crupi”s second book and this time she describes the beliefs and habits of her two nonni (nonnas) and their contemporaries. The essence of this loving account about how nonnas live is simple; grow your own and shop locally, take care of your family, friends and belongings, be sociable and stay closely connected, keep things simple, love generously and unconditionally and be in touch with your spiritual side. Have a nap in the afternoon should probably be added to the list! Sounds easy, but these nonnas work hard in the kitchen and the rest of the house and the garden. Whilst maintaining the habits of the countries they left, often as small children, these nonnas make new homes and new lives in ‘the lucky country’.

Pasta Love

Jaclyn Crupi was born in Australia and spent a lot of time with her Italian grandparents, aunts and uncles and other relatives. She writes lovingly about the various regional pastas and the sauces eaten with them. Only one pasta maker referred to in the book actually weighs her ingredients, the rest just make a volcano shape with flour on the benchtop and add water or eggs until it feels just right. This book is a love letter to pasta but also tells about the Italian ladies, including her nonnas, she learnt pasta making practises from, their histories and how they came to be in Australia and the jobs available to them at that time.

You might have noticed all three books are written by the same author, Jaclyn Crupi. Australia is made up of so many cultural groups and we’re quick to adopt the best foods from every country. Genetically my family has no connection with Italians, but our tastes buds really like their cuisine. Their pasta in it’s many shapes and forms, the accompanying sauces, the vegetable rich soups, the beautiful salads, their amazing desserts and those cakes! What’s missing? Pizza! Apparently I am the only person in the world who doesn’t really like pizza.

I feel my family are multicultural in our food preferences. Along with Italian food, we regularly seek French, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and German food. We shop for food in an Italian green grocer, a German supermarket, an Indian supermarket, a Chinese grocer and several different Italian shops for cheese, bread, cold meats, biscuits and assorted other temptations. I have just eaten a bowl of Japanese rice crackers.

Yesterday I bought a beautiful fresh fennel bulb to make a gnocchi sauce I thought I’d read about in the Pasta Love book, but I can’t find it! All the online recipes I found had milk or cream in them and didn’t feel right. So no recipe as I’ve improvised and although we love the gnocchi in fennel sauce I’m not sure if I could exactly reproduce it!

Thinly sliced fennel was lightly browned in a pan with preserved lemon strips added after about five minutes. Then I added a roux made from chicken stock, butter, water and flour and let it all cook. No added salt as the preserved lemons were very salty. Lightly browned the gnocchi then added it to the sauce. Served with the fennel fronds (dill) scattered on top. Added some grated sheeps’ pecorino, too. I hope I can reproduce this as we really liked it.

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