Fabulous and famous enough to be recognised by her first name alone, Nigella is about to complete a talking tour of Australia. Called “An Evening With Nigella” she talked about her way of cooking and her beliefs about food.
I have always liked the generosity and flavours of Nigella’s recipes and was attracted to this recipe, ” Chicken and Pea Traybake” from my latest book of hers called “At My Table”. It’s full of gorgeous photos, wise advice and delicious recipes. Nigella’s food is for cooking at home and serving up to friends and family.
Another attraction was that I had all the ingredients to hand! I like watching her cooking programs, too, as she’s passionate about food and uses real ingredients, doesn’t follow fads and enjoys eating. Quite inspiring.
The first layer of this traybake is frozen peas, yes, frozen always on hand, peas. So easy. They actually become sweet and soft as they cook and absorb some of the flavours of the other ingredients in the dish. Then you add chicken, leeks, garlic, vermouth, oil, salt flakes and dill.
Straight from the recipe book!
My version after it came out of the oven. I served it with boiled potatoes to mash into the pea, leek and chicken juice. This recipe made two dinners for us.
An easily prepared, one pan dinner. Once it’s in the oven you only stir it once more, otherwise you leave it to cook while you get on with everything else.
Mine looks just like Nigella’s!
Today marks the beginning of Write A Letter Appreciation Week, so find some beautiful paper and mail a handwritten letter to someone. A nice change from a text or an email.
What are you watching on television? We have nearly 20 free-to-air channels and still struggle to find programs we want to watch each evening.
I grew up on a farm and we didn’t have mains electricity until I was 12 years old. We had a 32 volt generator which my father would start each evening for lighting, but apart from the radio, I don’t remember other electrical appliances. We had a slow combustion stove ( commonly called a wood stove, wood being the fuel it used) which meant there was always a hot kettle and hot water, but no television.
When we got mains electricity we also got a TV but only during the school holidays. On school days we went to catch the school bus at 7AM and got home about 5.15PM, we’d have afternoon tea, do our jobs, bathe, have dinner and go to bed, ready to do it all again the next day. So maybe there was only time to watch TV during school holidays.
By the time we got electricity connected my grandparents had left the farm to live in town and they had a large, remote control TV in a wooden frame. It was very grand! They liked to watch news and post news commentaries which I didn’t find very engaging so I continued to read and read as staying in town meant access to the library every day if I wanted.
Watching television has changed over time. It is no longer something you just watch but can involve interacting using hand held devices and split screens. It’s still not very exciting.
So, we rely on recordings, Netflix or on demand services, but actually we don’t watch much TV anyway. We are not alone; recently in a group of friends this was the topic of conversation and almost everyone said they watch much less TV than they used to watch. Fake news, reality programs about cooking and renovating and repeats all got a mention as turn offs.
Nearly everybody I spoke to watches Escape to the Country, an English program started in 2002, where city dwellers are shown three homes in their chosen area matched to their preferences. As viewers we also see small rural villages and sometimes iconic houses as well as local craftsmen and women and learn things about each region. All interesting as Australian viewers. There’s something addictive about seeing inside other peoples’ homes, too, and listening to the things they like and the changes they’d make.
Statistically, a huge number of people watching TV are also reading, on their various devices, doing crosswords, shopping, chatting, eating or partially engaged in some other activity. Very few people are focused solely on the television screen. Me too.
Interestingly, I was just reading an English blog and it was about the same issue. The blogger had asked for suggestions about what she could watch on TV because it was all so banal and she had so many comments from readers about how awful free-to-air TV is and lots of pay TV suggestions. Why has this happened? Is it a worldwide problem?
What are you watching? Do you rely on free-to-air or other sources? Do you watch less TV than you used to? Are you a gamer?
Today is Walk Your Dog Day, so that’s very easy to do, isn’t it? It’s something you can do almost anywhere, so long you have a dog. Great exercise for you and your dog and very sociable. Actually, dogs would like every day to be walk your dog day, I think.
So many Valentines Day advertisements feature roses, jewellery and perfume and almost always, chocolates. Perhaps you enjoy a dinner in a special restaurant, or new lingerie, or maybe you have your own rituals, or don’t do anything at all! But I’m sure Valentines Day, 14th February hasn’t passed you by, unnoticed.
We don’t do many special things for Valentines Day but I always make a family cake and some appropriate craft project because any excuse to puddle about in paper, glue and paint is a good one!
I began with a few Valentines Day themed cards. I made papier-mâché using scrap paper from the shredder soaked in water then pulped using a stab blender. The pulp was strained and then squeezed as dry as possible before being pressed into chocolate molds and left to dry.
I’d used scrap paper so it retained some print colours. I painted the shapes white. Then I glued the shapes onto stiff card to create Valentine Day cards for the family.
Another Valentines Day treat was a heart shaped apple strudel cake. I knew that any leftovers could be eaten as pudding/dessert with ice cream or cream. I planned to make a chocolate cake, a flavour popular with my family, but wanted to use up some apples in the fruit bowl, so made a strudel batter with cinnamon, stirred through some brown sugar and then added the stewed apple. Finally, the frosting topped with fruit gels in berry flavours. Delicious.
Our final Valentine’s Day treat was Gingerbread Hearts. Delicious, spicy and popular with everyone, they were eaten very quickly. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe Don.
We all know yesterday was Valentines Day but did you know today is Hippo Day? Hippo loosely translates as River Horse in Ancient Greek. Hippos are the third largest land mammal on Earth. Celebrate by enjoying a mud bath…..or not!
This is the third book I’ve read by Jane Harper and it was riveting. Her books feature rural settings and are uniquely Australian in flavour. The Lost Man is set in the harsh, unforgiving environment of outback Queensland. The mysterious story line and gripping, dark themes, slowly revealed as the story unravels, had me guessing until the end. The conclusion really took me by surprise despite the hints throughout the story. This was a complex and evocative novel. I hope Jane Harper is busy writing her fourth novel right now!
I make sourdough bread about every five days. I used to make a traditional round loaf in a Dutch oven but now make an ( almost) rectangular loaf in a Pyrex dish. Sliced, a rectangular piece is a better fit in the toaster and means about the same amount of bread each day. Each time I bake I cut the loaf in half and freeze it so I always have fairly fresh bread.
When the temperature exceeds 40 degrees C (104 F) I lose interest in doing anything outside, so out comes the Scrabble, on goes the air conditioner, add a bowl of cashews and a jug of iced water and there’s a fun afternoon ahead. We bought a box of Scrabble when we lived in China which was light and inexpensive but that resulted from hollow tiles and plastic racks so now trying to unearth our old set with thick, heavy, ivory like tiles and wooden racks. They feel better to handle but don’t improve my score.
Watched three episodes of Konmari on Netflix and felt motivated to sort some drawers in my walk-in-robe. Skipped thanking each piece for being in my life but did pause a few times to wonder why I’d bought them in the first place. A huge bag of things for the Church box and everything remaining is nicely folded and easy to retrieve. The shoes on top of the pile look new as I’ve only worn them once but abandoned them when I towered over the children and most of my colleagues. I was suddenly too tall. I have lots more drawers to sort in the future.
My abundance of clothes is a bit confusing as I realise I wear the same pieces over and over again and rarely touch the other two thirds of my hanging space. The same seems to apply to my shoes. Since retiring my clothing needs have changed dramatically from formal, dressed for work to lots of leggings and knit tops. Not ideal, but even when I leave the house I am less formally dressed than I used to be and also wear lower heeled shoes. Not what I imagined, but the whole look has become pretty relaxed!
Tomorrow is Toothache Day. Can’t find any information about its origins or focus but I’m sure you all know how to treat it and what to do to prevent dental decay, so celebrate in your own way!
The real heat of summer hasn’t really arrived in Western Australia yet and I am already tiring of salad vegetables. Pickled cucumbers add crunch and flavour to salads. These are not sweet pickles but I like the flavour and the crispness they add to salads and sandwiches.
Pickles are recognized for regulating blood sugar and drinking the brine is very fashionable to aid recovery after intense exercise. It is also thought to promote good gut health.
Quick and easy to make, the ingredients in the pickling brine are standard pantry staples and the process is simple.
EASY PICKLES
Ingredients
cup of water
cup of white vinegar ( apple cider tastes good, too)
one teaspoon mustard seeds ( I used yellow seeds) or mixed peppercorns
one bay leaf
a few springs of herbs ( I used rosemary stripped from their stems)
one tablespoon salt
a large cucumber
NOTE You can add a teaspoon of chili flakes if you like)
Place all the ingredients except the cucumber in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir and simmer for one minute, turn off heat.
While the pickling brine cools a little, chop a large or two medium cucumbers into slices of regular thickness.
Pack the cucumber slices into an air tight, sterilized jar and then pour the pickling brine over until all the slices are covered. If you run out of the brine, just top the jar up with an equal mix of water and vinegar. Leave it open to cool.
When your pickles are cool, close the lid and store it in the fridge for a few days before opening and using. They will be crisp and refreshing and will add a distinctive flavour to salads.
Apple Cider Vinegar will cause the cucumber to go a darker shade but not effect the flavour.
This pickling method is for quick pickles to be eaten within two months and to be kept in the fridge. Ours are eaten well before their expiry date!
In gardening news, the hydrangeas are surviving the heat and blooming enthusiastically. Lush and cool looking.
The poor tomatoes are all in exclusion bags so we get some. Until I “bagged” them the wildlife were the only ones enjoying them.
The gargoyle and the flowering hibiscus.
The 4th of February, World Cancer Day, is intended to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its detection, treatment and prevention. Many cancers can be treated now days but early detection is important.
Amenity bags aren’t what they used to be! Once they’d hold socks, toothpaste and brush, comb and small brush, earplugs and eye mask, lip balm, maybe an emery board and razor with cream and other little treats. These all came in a variety of lovely, re-usable zippered or drawstring bags which I have frequently repurposed. The most recent bags held a pair of socks and a toothbrush and tiny tube of toothpaste.
The amenity bag I have repurposed this time is made by DuPont from Tyvek, and claims to be a lightweight and durable material providing the best properties of paper, film and fabric. They say it is eco-friendly, re-usable, water and tear resistant.
I was attracted by it’s claimed sturdiness but also the size is just right for my makeup! I don’t use very much and this size was perfect for my carry-on bag and easy to balance on a hotel window ledge or narrow hotel bathroom shelf. I just had to decorate it to suit me!
I don’t wear a lot of makeup. I use concealer under my eyes, two part long lasting lipstick, foundation on my nose and smeared eyebrow pencil under my eyes. To finish, if it’s not too hot, pressed powder. For over thirty years I wore hard contact lenses to correct keratoconus and couldn’t risk flakes of mascara getting under the lenses. ( Keratoconus refers to irregular shaped corneas and the GP contact lenses create a smooth, uniform surface on the cornea resulting in improved vision) When gas permeable lenses became available to treat this and I could wear mascara it was too late; I was very aware of the black on my lashes and didn’t like it! I didn’t wear eye shadow for years for the same reason and now find that a bit of a pain, too, so minimal makeup.
After wash applied. Before wash applied.
The first step in decorating the bags was to give the front a light wash using fabric dye. I placed a slightly smaller piece of card in the bag and then brushed a thin wash of pink on one bag and purple on the other. The card holds the thin, pliable material flat and prevents any dye seeping through to the back of the bag. My intention was not to totally cover the original design but to create a more suitable background for printing.
I used black fabric dye, a very old stippling brush and a stencil I bought on eBay to apply the design. When it was dry I decided to add some balance and printed more of the stencil to one side.
I set the fabric dye using a moderate iron and a twice folded pillowcase as I have no idea how the Tyvek would respond to heat. Time will tell how well the image has set, but it looks good at this stage, although the fibre did not “grab” the ink well as I expected so it is smudged.
Everything fits well in the little, light zippered bag.
I have continued to do a pencil water colour painting every day. I enjoy the process and like to reflect later on the success, or otherwise, of the colours I have chosen and the techniques I have used in each one.
Yesterday was Belly Laugh Day. Why should you have a good laugh? Apparently laughing makes the tissues lining our blood vessels expand, increasing blood flow, which makes us feel happier and boosts our immune system. Laughing releases chemicals which promote relaxation. So, have a good laugh today!
Making CARAMELISED RED ONION CHUTNEY. So easy! Fry 1.5kg diced red onions in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until the onion becomes clear, then add 150gm brown sugar and cook for about 10 minutes.
The onions will change colour. Lower the heat, add another 150gm brown sugar, 200ml of red wine vinegar, 3 crushed cloves of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds. Simmer on medium-low heat, for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To test for readiness, drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot. If it’s ready, the juices will take a few seconds to meet again.
Allow to cool slightly then spoon into sterilised jars. Seal when cool and refrigerate for up to three months unopened. Three jars of delicious Caramelised Red Onion Chutney, especially good with cold meat and cheeses.
Making MANGO SORBET using the ice cream maker I was given at Christmas time. It is chilled in the freezer then attached to the mixer to beat the fruit and sugar syrup for 7-12 minutes depending on the volume of sorbet made. Result…. the most luscious, smooth, delicious sorbet.
This sorbet was easy to make, involves only pureed mango and sugar syrup and tasted very good.
Very focused on colour now and doing a painting every day with these water colour pencils my son gave me. It’s taken a few days to master them as they’re neither coloured pencils nor water colours and there’s so many variations in each colour.
Influenced by another blogger’s goal, I am doing a picture/painting every day. It is good to sit and draw and paint and really focus on the subject and the colours to use. These quick and simple works will keep me drawing and painting until I return to my water colour course in February.
More colours, this time gel pens. Lots of fun, especially writing Christmas cards.
The Children’s House, a beautifully written story by Alice Nelson, is about families and love and the damage caused by neglect. I nearly abandoned this book at the first chapter as I’ve read enough about the Rwanda Genocide, but I am glad I persisted. It was necessary background to this beautifully told story. Nelson writes with such empathy and charm, and shows the kindness of people in unexpected places.
This is a lyrical and heart warming story about families and what makes them warm and loving but also highlights the damage done by institutionalised childcare, dysfunctional mothers and absent fathers.
Thought provoking with wonderfully drawn characters.
Our family like to celebrate birthdays with yum cha brunch. Lots of steamed seafood dumplings and fritters and I had turnip cake, too. Above left, sui- mai, one of my favourites.
Continuing on the colour theme, a bloom in the garden. So pretty, such vibrant colours.
Today is Winnie The Pooh Day, celebrating the author’s birthday. A.A. Milne’s famous bear is everyone’s favourite. Seems a good reason to go on a teddy bears’ picnic. Start by packing the honey……
To Bunbury last Sunday to stay with my mother who lives nearby and to attend two Summer School sessions at the Stirling Street Art Centre. This was a nostalgic moment for me as the building was originally the Bunbury Infants School and I attended there in Grades 1 and 2. We were too far out of town for me to go to Kindergarten and I was the second youngest in the class, so I think it took me a while to settle into the business of education! Luckily, one of my brothers was also at the school. An hour and a half bus ride every morning and every afternoon probably didn’t help. After being dropped off at the front gate, we walked for about fifteen minutes to reach the farmhouse until my older brother was old enough to drive the farm “bomb” to and from the main road.
The first session I attended, in the room where I was in Grade 1 so many years ago, was Colour Connections with Dr Paul Green -Armytage where we looked at colours and considered how they were related. We talked about Primary Colours and he introduced us to the Swedish concept of Elementary Colours, which also have red, blue and yellow, plus black and white.
Then we each added a coloured shape to a 3D model using the Natural Colour System, with the hues graduating from white to black. We did another activity to show how colour can create an illusion.
This was a fascinating and thought provoking session and I’m still talking about ideas we discussed and looking closely at colours.
On the second day we went to Busselton, another town on the coast south of Perth, and really enjoyed it. There is a vibrant arts community, Art Geo, down near the foreshore and we wandered around, looking at paintings, sculpture, glass blowing and listening to a ukulele band rehearse.
A few years ago,to celebrate their 175th anniversary of European settlement, the Shire of Busselton commissioned a Fremantle sculptor, Greg James, to create four life-sized sculptures to represent early settlers.
Above is the Whaler’s Wife. In the 1860s the American Whalers would head out to sea leaving their wives in Busselton, where they would often teach the local children in exchange for food and accommodation.
This is a Spanish Settler. The Spanish settlers, the first immigrants to the area, arrived in the early 1900s and were known as hard workers. They introduced wine and olive oil, which are still major industries in the region.
John Garret-Bussell. Recognised as the founding father of the settlement, Bussell represents the four original families. The main town in the region is called Busselton.
The Timber Worker, still wearing his Christmas tinsel! Timber milling was one of the earliest industries in the region. The timber worker is portrayed using a broad axe to hew jarrah railway sleepers to be sent to London.
The next morning I visited the South West Migrant Memorial in Queens Park. The structure is shaped like a tree, the trunk representing the early settlers, the branches are what grew from that trunk and the leaves represent new growth and prosperity.
The “tree” features over 500 family names of non-English speaking settlers who arrived in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a remarkable memorial to all the early settlers in a beautiful setting.
Next was the second session I’d enrolled in, Go Green: House with Nirala Hunt. Although my main focus continues to be replacing plastics, I found every activity really engaging and liked the basic ingredients used to make them. Typically, for these sort of activities, it’s not only the presenter but often other participants who share great information. Nirala wasn’t at all extreme but had solutions for so many household products which contain harmful chemicals and come in plastic. Most of the products are also fragrance free, although you can add essential oils if you choose. The mixture in the bowl above is liquid hand wash, a blend of two ingredients.
I am already using this hand wash as it replaces the soap at our hand basins which I was finding messy and the bars crack. I have diluted the mixture a little as it was too thick to pump out. It is very mild and effective, I will re-use the same, refilled, pump bottles and I can make it in bulk.
This is a fermented Lemon Power cleaner, a clever way to use up surplus lemons and have a versatile and effective cleaner, either poured on a cloth or using an old spray bottle. It smelt really good, too, being made of water and fermented lemons.
Waxed covers, bees wax wraps, are intended to replace plastic wrap. We grated wax from a block, added a small amount of coconut oil, put it on the fabric then ironed it, sandwiched between baking paper. We also used a sandwich press for a larger cover.
The wax covers are reusable and can be wiped clean. They last about twelve months and can then be composted. I’ve tried mine on two containers, ceramic and glass and they don’t seal well and were knocked off easily in the fridge. My son suggested securing them with a rubber band but I am now investigating silicone, re-usable wraps to replace plastic wrap.
Try YouTube for more information on how to make bees wax covers.
From the left, Easy Liquid Soap, Lemon Power, Washing Powder and Grease and Grime Fighter. We were also given the recipes for so many other everyday products, such as Bug Repellent Cream and Hair Conditioner plus a list of local resources.
Please feel free to leave a request in the comments box if you would like the contact details for either Dr Paul Green-Armytage or Nirala Hunt, both of whom run a range of learning activities from time to time.
HAPPY NEW YEAR ! I hope you all enjoy a happy and healthy New Year. I’m not big on new year resolutions as I soon forget them but I still aim to use less plastic ( a plan I worked on last year), establish some sort of routine so I get more done and tick off more travel plans. I admire those people who plan to cut out sugar, exercise more and meal plan, and wish them well, but I know from experience that’s not for me!
Exercise is obviously a popular resolution as my inbox is bulging with ads for athletic clothing, sports gear and offers from gyms. Since 2013 I’ve worn a Fitbit and do 12 000+ steps everyday and consider that my core exercise. I don’t need any lycra, but do need good shoes when I’m specifically walking, not just doing day to days things
READING
The days after Christmas, before the busyness of the New Year are such a great time to sit and relax and read. I’ve always admired Ines De La Fressange’s style of dressing and decorating and was very pleased when I was given “Maison Parisian Chic at Home”. These are real, lived in apartments, with typical Parisian parquetry flooring, and the marble fireplaces you’d expect, the high ceilings and the large windows with glimpses of wrought iron balconies outside, then inside, individual and slightly bohemian decors. These are not the stark, minimalist apartments of decorator magazines, these are charming and individual homes.
Accompanied by water colour paintings by Marin Montagut of the elements which contribute to each decor this is both an inspirational book and an intimate glimpse into life in Paris. It is available from Book Depository and if you buy from the side bar, I get a tiny commission!
“Unimagined ” by Imran Ahmad, my January book club book, is a memoir of his early life in Britain. His Muslim Pakistani family moved to Britain in the 60’s, seeking a better life. His parents prosper through determination and hard work and Ahmad relates his primary, secondary and tertiary educational experiences. His goal is to belong, to become the quintessential Englishman. He relates this journey well. This is a thought provoking and easily read book, but it was his philosophical dilemma between Islamic and Christian beliefs which I found really interesting.
MAKING
I bought this little wooden Village Scene set to make before Christmas but ran out of time, so opened it a few days later, painted the pieces and then put it together the next day when the both sides were dry. I used three paint colours; caramel snap, string and white cotton to create some contrast. The kit shows a snowy winter scene but it was 35 degrees celsius here today, so I’ve used pale, bleached paint colours.
My collection of little houses is made of tin, wood and ceramics. The white ceramic houses can hold tealight candles.
I think my housing estate is full, now!
COOKING
Two ham bones, two large pots and diced onion, carrot, celery and split yellow peas results in three big jars of soup. My mother gave me the clip top jars and they are so useful. It’s too hot here for hearty bowls of thick, luscious Pea and Ham soup so after they cooled, I put the jars in the freezer until it is cooler. Also made a large jar of very meaty chicken stock and froze that, too, for cooler weather eating.
GROWING
Masses of basil in the garden and it is starting to go to seed, so I’ve picked some to make pesto. This keeps in the fridge for about a month but we’ll eat it well before then!
I picked and washed about two cups of basil leaves, patted them dry then grated three quarters of a cup of sheep’s pecorino cheese. Most recipes recommend parmesan, but we really like the sharp taste of pecorino. I added about four dessert spoons of extra virgin olive oil, quarter of a cup of toasted pine nuts and two cloves of garlic, then processed it until it was well mixed and finely chopped.
Tastes wonderful! Commonly mixed with pasta but our favourite is Jamie’s chicken breast covered in pesto and wrapped in a strip of pastry and then roasted. Great hot or cold.
The 4th of January is World Braille Day highlighting the importance of producing materials in Braille for blind people. In Braille, letters and numbers are represented in a series of six dots paired up in 3 rows.
Incredibly, Braille books must stay in the country where they are published due to restrictive international copyright laws. The Marrakesh Treaty, intended to make distribution easier, if it becomes law, will change this situation
Christmas seemed to come about so quickly this year. Although the celebrations take a lot of planning and preparation, Christmas time is special and I look forward to seeing the family and catching up on all the news. There’s gifts and luscious food and Christmas carols, followed by my favourite time, the days after Christmas when we eat easy to serve leftovers and sit and enjoy the books we receive. We are a family of readers. No pressure, just relaxing times. Perfect!
This delicious dessert, a cassata including raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, was made by our son. He varies the flavours every year and it is very good.
The Christmas Wreath dessert, made by the dessert maestro, my niece. It tasted as wonderful as it looked!
Two days after the Boxing Day feast and we’re still eating ham and turkey, but serving it with very plain salads. Festive food is such a treat but eventually, only simple food appeals.
Any more ham? Turkey? Chicken will do….Louis has loved all the festive food and assumed all the visitors came to see him.
The Christmas desserts have given way to apricots, nectarines, cherries plus a few dangerous rum balls.
Hot days, cooler nights and very pretty sunsets.
No, it’s not abstract art, it’s a piece of our clothesline. It was here when we moved in, in 1996 and was the only thing left of the previous house when we demolished and rebuilt a few years later. It is on a slightly raised brick area next to a blueberry bush. Little birds love the blueberry bush and we like to watch them from indoors, darting around and seeming to peck at something on the line. When my husband pegged a heavy rug on the line a few days ago, it snapped! The plastic coating was brittle and cracked and nylon rope inside it was teased out and pulled through the cracks. The birds had been using the nylon for nesting. Now we need to replace the clothesline!
Yesterday was Visit The Zoo Day, so that’s easy enough to do, isn’t it? Sounds like fun and something we intend to do as soon as it is cooler.
