Suburban Life – Page 6 – MakeCookGrow.com

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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Gardening Apron, My New Favourite Lemon Slice and Reading

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GARDENING APRON

Despite looking like a faded grey apron it is actually black!

This gardening apron is my new favourite thing. I first saw them on Instagram and wanted to buy one but twice I got to ‘checkout’ and nothing happened. I was attracted to the canvas aprons initially because of the phone pocket. If I take my phone out into the garden I forget where I put it. Hours later, when I realise it’s missing I have to ask my husband to ring me so I can work out where I’ve left it. Sometimes I leave it inside, because I’m ‘only going to be a minute’ but I get distracted and spend ages out there. When I come in I have missed calls and texts and spend ages catching up.

This canvas apron has a phone pocket. My phone fits snugly in it and is easy to pull out when necessary. It also has two large, deep pockets for secateurs, ties, gloves, whatever you need. It is a great length and I like the faux leather detail, too. I found it on Ebay. I went looking because I realised I actually really wanted it.

My non consuming side reminded me I had a denim apron in the drawer; I could sew a pocket onto to hold the phone. My sensible side then reminded me I use that apron many times a week, especially for making bread. i don’t think a multi purpose apron would work. Garden, kitchen, garden. No.

LEMON SLICE

I really like Nagi’s recipetineats recipes and I’ve never been disappointed with the outcome. I often use recipes from her DINNER cookbook and flick through, looking for inspiration.

It is the citrus fruit season here now. Beautiful citrus fruit is available in the shops but also many homes, especially in old suburbs like the one I live in. I have a lime tree and access to lemons and kumquat. Citrus can be used in sweet and savoury dishes. Great scent and great flavour. Lovely colours.

If you’re a fan of citron tarts, you’ll like this slice. Quicker as you make a shortbread base, not a pastry base and then almost a lemon butter filling. Beautiful flavour, easy, very popular. The contrast of the shortbread base with the sharp lemon layer is delicious. ( recipe nagim@recipetineats.com and search for Easy Lemon Bars)

Also made Chicken Meat Balls. Just mix the chicken mince with spring onions and bread crumbs. Search online, many great recipes, some including spices I will use next time.

Really enthusiastic reviews for cabbage casseroles on American sites where apparently cabbage casseroles are very popular, especially in the south. Beautiful cabbages this time of the year, so I decided on one of the recipes and got to work. Thinly sliced cabbage and onions fried in a pan plus a bechamel sauce and cheese on top. All in the oven. Looked good, but not my favourite ever cabbage recipe. Look online for cabbage casseroles if you’re overwhelmed by lots of cabbages and want to try something new.

READING

WE SHALL BE MISSED, Donna Leon, a Commissano Guido Brunetti novel.

There’s an Italian theme to the first two books I’ve just finished. The first, by Donna Leon, was a lovely surprise in the library. We both enjoyed her many books for years and were disappointed when she said she wasn’t writing any more. Now, we have a new book, her 32nd. Actually, she is also publishing her autobiography this year called ‘Wandering Through Life: The Memoir’.

As always, this murder investigation is set in Venice where Leon lived for many years. Her stories reveal her great affection for every aspect of Venice and Venetian life. This is a typical Commissano Brunetti story. We learn about the impact of politics, tourists and undocumented workers have on Venice, whilst reading how Brunetti gently and skillfully solves another murder. I really enjoyed it.

The second book on an Italian theme was Dominic Smith’s RETURN TO VALETTO. The author is an Australlian now living in Seattle.

The main protagonist, a historian, is documenting vanishing and abandoned towns in Italy. He regularly spends holidays in Italy with his grandmother and aunts, his mother’s sisters, in a small almost abandoned town. They are all about to discover a terrible secret from WW2 which will unite the aunts and a now elderly woman who stayed with them when they were all children.

The revelation shatters but then strengthens the family and they decide to denounce the wrong doer, now in his mid 90s, at the Grandmother’s 100th birthday party. As much as I enjoyed this story I think the ending was clever but not very satisfying!

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Dry Cleaning v Surgical Spirits, Blue Moons and Old CDs

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SURGICAL SPIRITS

For too many years I regularly took suits and jackets, school blazers and trousers and sometimes ties to the dry cleaner. I loathed the odour when they were dry cleaned and as soon as I got home I’d remove the metres of plastic covering them and hang the lot, still on their nasty wire hangers, in the breeze to diminish the smell. The smell of dry cleaning gave me a headache.

Until recently, dry cleaning relied on Perchloroethylene (PERC) to clean. Recognised as causing many health and safety hazards* some dry cleaners have moved towards ‘greener’ products. A quick search in our local area did not specifically identify any dry cleaners using these less harmful products. My husband wears two casual coats regularly throughout winter and one needed cleaning. It’s label said ‘DRY CLEAN ONLY’.

A bit of searching online led me to surgical spirits. I bought some from the chemist. The label says ‘For drying or astringent action on skin or as a solvent.’ It cost $7.85 for 100ml. The smell evaporates almost immediately and it is very effective as a solvent.

Using a new kitchen wipe I dabbed away at the raised seams and the collar of the coat and was very pleased to see the marks disappear. The entire process took less than five minutes, there was no residual smell and I did it at the kitchen sink, wearing protective gloves. I only used a very small amount of the surgical spirit.

Then the jacket went into a QUICK, cold wash in the washing machine before it was hung on the line to dry. I shook it a few times to remove any wrinkles. So impressed. Now hunting around to see if anything else needs dry cleaning!

Totally clean and no product smell.

Surgical spirits, also known as rubbing alcohol, can be used to remove general stains and stains on upholstery, remove sticky labels and ink stains and can be used to make home made hand sanitizer.

*Perchloroethylene (PERC) is a potential human carcinogen. Common short term reactions are confusion, dizziness, headaches, drowsiness and ear, nose and throat irritations. Longer term issues have been identified as depression of the central nervous system, damage to the liver and kidneys and impaired memory.

Dry cleaning depots are recognised as having all the elements for uncontrolled fires; fuel, ignition and oxygen plus combustible materials.

THE BLUE MOON

We’ve all heard the expression ‘Once in a blue moon’ referring to something that happens only rarely. A blue moon is an extra full moon in a month so not blue at all! Even rarer than a full moon is a month with two full moons as happened in August, just last week. The sky was clear here and the second full moon, known as the Blue Moon, was big and bright. Two full moons in one month happens every 33 months.

We know the moon impacts tides but did you know the moon can also effect sleep, cardiovascular conditions and the health of plants? The moon also features in fairy tales (think of werewolves) and poetry. Did you know the 2023 full moons all have interesting names, such as Wolf, Snow, Worm, Pink, Stawberry, Black, Sturgeon, Blue, Harvest, Hunter, Beaver and Cold. No, I didn’t either!

OLD CDs

This piece of furniture hides an enormous collection of CDs. Every now and then I open one of the drawers, eye off the contents and shut it again. Most of the CDs don’t belong to me but neither of the two people who they do belong to have the slightest inclination to sort through them and discard most or any of them.

I used to have CDs in my car but now I stream music. My husband’s car can play CDs but I’ve never seen him using any. We have a CD player as part of a sound system but no motivation to play them. If we want to watch a series or film from the past we usually find it online.There’s games, music and films in the collection and I have no idea how to recycle them .

The problem with CDs is they are difficult to recycle. The actual disc is made of composite plastics and the covers are plastic, too. The mixed materials in the CD make them uneconomical to recycle. Some sites buy CDs for resale with offer only cents per item. I found only one business in Australia offering this service.

Please let me know if you have any clever ideas!

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In The Garden, Toothbrush Heads and Other Plastic

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THE WINTER GARDEN

Most of the roses are now pruned. Soon I will remove the first few centimetres of topsoil in an attempt to disrupt the chilli thrip from emerging. I will replace it with fresh garden soil. The roses in our suburb have been decimated for several years due to chilli thrip. I am also buying some bugs to spread around the roses when they have new topsoil to see if they control the pests. The final treatment if they appear will be chemical warfare but I’m trying everything else first.

Sadly I know several people with many roses who couldn’t continue trying to control the pests so they removed all their rose bushes. Some were very old and well established. Very sad. Unfortunately, if everyone around you doesn’t treat chilli thrip your plants will be infected, too. Annoying.

I’ve been mass weeding. We have never had weeds like we have this year. They are thick everywhere. I have discovered the best weeding gloves! They fit well, keep my hands dry, are cotton lined and I can dig deeply with my fingers to pull up the roots without piercing the fabric. No rose thorns in my fingers! They’re actually not gardening gloves but are industrial safety gloves to protect against oil and chemicals but they are great for weeding.

TOOTHBRUSHES

I’ve used the same electric toothbrush hand piece for years. Every so often I bulk buy new heads. This means I’m reducing about half the amount of plastic going into the environment by only needing to replace half the toothbrush! The only problem is the packaging. Each pack has two new heads. Both are also sealed in their own individual plastic cover. Ridiculous.

I’m sure the heads were delivered on a cardboard sheet previously, but of course I’ve thrown it out. I think each head was attached to a cardboard sheet by a twist of covered wire, like green gardening wire but it was white. So now I have a pile of cardboard, easily managed and a pile of molded plastic, which is not easy to manage. And yes, I will be writing to Oral B about this plastic overkill.

I actually needed a Stanley trimmer to open the packets. Tough plastic protection for toothbrush heads.

The other plastic aggravation this week has been the little desiccant cylinders in pill bottles. I had five little plastic cylinders in one bottle of tablets. I don’t know but assume the small paper sachets of desiccant are just as effective and certainly far easier to dispose of responsibly. The tablets are manufactured in Australia so it’s disappointing that they are packed with all this plastic.

IN THE KITCHEN

Winter vegetables are still available here in abundance so I’m still making big pots of ratatouille. Not traditional French ratatouillie because I don’t add that French staple, eggplant. I do add other fresh vegetables regularly. So, along with the onions, zucchini, tomatoes, tinned tomatoes all cooked in a splash of olive oil, I added cabbage this week. The cabbages at the green grocer are big, crisp and really fresh. The only way to manage these big ones is to start off cutting them in half after they’ve been washed. Then I cut a half in half and thinly shredded that piece and add it to the bubbling tomato mix it into the pot. I should shred the outer leaves and add them to other scraps for vegetable stocks but time doesn’t allow for any extras at the moment.

Four serves of ratatouille for lunch with added goat feta, goat ricotta, some grated parmigiano and one day, a poached egg on top. I also add two pieces of toasted sourdough to soak up the delicious juices. Our other meals this week have frequently come from things I froze for busy weeks and this has been a busy week.

DID YOU KNOW?

On August 29th we celebrate ‘According to Hoyle’ Day? This day caught my attention as the expression was frequently used in our family when we were growing up. My Mother actually used it only a week ago! So who was Hoyle? Edmond Hoyle was an authority on the prescribed rules and regulations for popular games. He is best known for writing the definitive books regarding the rules for card and board games. He had a vast knowledge of popular games and published books of rules, hence the expression, ‘According to Hoyle’.

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Car Batteries, Killing Weeds. and Batch Cooking

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CAR BATTERIES

Last week I wrote about the anomaly between producing electric car batteries and the supply of materials needed to be mined to enable their production. This week I’ll tell you about the battery in my husband’s car. When he had his car serviced, the mechanic said he needed a new battery. So he rang the RAC (Royal Automobile Club who provide road side assistance, insurance, batteries, travel and accommodation and other related services) and a van arrived half an hour later. The serviceman told him they installed the existing battery in 2015. It was guaranteed for two years. It had lasted eight years..

VINEGAR AND WEEDS

Vinegar is a multi purpose liquid. Essential in so many recipes, a great cleaner ( avoid using it on porous surfaces as it can etch the material), a disinfectant and also a stain remover. I’ve bought 4 litres of vinegar for a different purpose; I’m killing the weeds in the brick paths and paving. After the wettest winter I can remember for years and being away from the house often, the weeds are taking over.

I used to mix it with salt and detergent, but now I just tip it into a spray bottle and twist the nozzle to a very directed, narrow spray and hit the weeds! It’s important to only spray the vinegar onto pathways or paving as it will alter the ph of the soil. Vinegar will kill ants, spiders and mosquitos but also bees, so be mindful of this when spraying.

Usually the weeds will begin to wilt within 24 hours. I let them really dry out then remove the residual plant with a hoe. Sometimes , if it is really sunny, the weeds will be dry enough to just sweep up. Later, I’ll use a pressure washer to really clean but I really like the moss growing between the pavers in some areas. We never have moss!

WINTER COOKING

Zucchinis were 49c each at the green grocer so I knew I’d be making a big pot of ratatouille. Traditionally, the French made ratatouille using zucchini, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, plus extra virgin olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. We don’t eat eggplant ( well, I do, but nobody else likely to eat my ratatouille does) but I will add other vegetables which are abundant at the time. So, sometimes, sweet potato, or pumpkin or corn appear.

Ratatouille is a great side dish. I drizzle a tiny amount of extra virgin olive oil over it. I especially enjoy a bowl of it for lunch with crumbled fetta. At the moment I am resisting cutting the crust off the loaf of sourdough I have just taken out of the oven which would soak up some of the lovely juices, but the loaf tears easily if it’s cut while it is still hot!

This is goats’ milk fetta and doesn’t crumble well but tastes very good.

My Mother has been in hospital and then respite for a month or so, so we were going up and down to visit her. We’d stay for four days then come back, do what we needed to do here, then go back. We’d leave her for an hour or so while she had lunch and often enjoy going to a cafe or restaurant. Then we’d have something really light for dinner. When we’d get back to Perth there were a few things I’d quickly thaw from the freezer for dinner, but eventually the freezer was bare!

So when we settled for scrambled eggs on crumpets ( we had no bread for toast) I knew it was time to get cooking. I have restocked the freezer with tikka masala ( I microwave the rice while the vegetables boil to serve with it) and pad thai. We intersperse these with salmon fillets and occasionally, eggs! I read blogs about people who batch cook for a fortnight at a time and I’m so inspired but never actually follow through, but a week at a time is working. I was also inspired by the bloggers who precook all their meals for when they’re away but that is a stretch too far when every minute seems to be committed at the moment!

I have rarely used meal kits as I have always made our meals ‘from scratch’ except I rely quite a bit on red and green curry pastes as a basis for several things we frequently eat. Time poor and trying to do an enormous number of jobs in three days, I bought the tikka masala and the pad thai kits after seeing both brands recommended on Insta. They were delicious! Unfortunately, the same site recommended two new flavours of chocolate bars and I bought both of those, too. They were also delicious but long gone.

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Spots, Rubbish, Books and Electric Cars

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Several technological problems resulted in a muddled and late post last week. My apologies.

SPOTS AND RUBBISH

I have a navy cotton/linen blend dress with big white spots. It’s versatile and can be dressed up with strappy sandals and for a more casual occasion, worn with espadrilles. I’m telling you all this because I’ve just read in a decorating magazine that psychologist Dr Dion Terrelonge says we should avoid spots and polka dots as they can cause stress and a negative effect.

Instead we should opt for horizontal patterns. Apparently our eyes naturally scan horizontally so these designs echo patterns found in nature. Interestingly, the article acknowledge that spots and polka dots are big in fashion this year, but there’s no comment on how these patterns on clothing impact on our stress levels. I really like my navy and white dress and it will be out and about come spring. It will be worn frequently, unlike most pieces of clothing owned by Australian women, which are worn only seven times before being discarded.

Apparently, only 15% of clothing donated to op shops/thrift shops can be on sold. The rest goes overseas to developing countries or is sold by weight as rags. It all ends up as landfill. There’s lots of information online about effectively laundering clothes to keep them looking fresh, ways to invisibly and visibly mend everything, even zips, and reasons why we should all buy less and certainly less man made fibres.

Ahead of the annual Clean Up Australia Day, it has been revealed that beaches in Western Australia are the most littered in Australia. Although we have the least amount of plastics collected in the cleanup, we have the highest amount of other rubbish, mostly metal and glass. This results in 1100 tonnes of metal and glass going directly to landfill.

We pride ourselves on having one of the most beautiful coastlines in the World but the figures highlight the need for a different attitude towards caring for our beaches. The five most common pieces of rubbish are

1. cigarette buts

2. glass fragments

3. alcohol cans

4. alcohol bottles

5. bottle caps and lids

OTHER THINGS

I know you’re not supposed to play with your food but I like to paint mine before I eat it. My eyesight is not good so I’ve moved from botanical paintings to smaller, less detailed subjects.

Small paintings every day in an old, unused Moleskin diary. Not really water colour paper, but small, quick paintings are very satisfying when life is so busy.

Currently reading Large Print books leading up to eye surgery. The first, which I’m really enjoying is Louise Penny’s All The Devils Are Here, set in Quebec and Paris involving a Canadian detective investigating his French Godfather’s attempted murder. Shakespeare said,’Hell is empty and all the Devils are here’. which indicates the many twists and turns throughout this story.

Winner of the Agatha Christie Award For The Best Mystery Novel of 2021 this is Perry’s 16th Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sureté du Quebec series. I’ll be looking for more.

The other book is Claire Balding’s Walking Home, My Family and Other Ramblings. Balding is a well known horse race commentator in the UK and is also an award winning British radio announcer known for her commentaries from the Olympic Games. She’s prolific author. This book details her ‘rambles’ around the UK all recorded and broadcast on radio. She is eloquently describes the beauty of each of her walks while interviewing people of interest. Apparently, the broadcasts, called “Ramblings” are very popular.

As usual, both books are borrowed from the library.

A BATTERY ANOMALY

Last week a group of protesters gathered outside Western Australia’s Parliament House to protest about logging in native forests. All logging is banned in Western Australia’s native forests by 2024. WA already imports 80% of timber required.

Apparently, according to Green MLA Brad Pettitt, ‘The main issue in WA is the mining practices which would still be allowed in the forests after logging stops.”

Here’s the ANOMALY

To supply the quantities of lithium, copper, nickel etc required for electric car batteries and storage batteries will need more of all these metals in mineable deposits than is known to exist. These batteries are known to last for less than 10 years. Then those chemicals will need to be replaced with freshly mined chemicals as there is no effective method of recycling them at this time. They will become landfill.

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So we are saving the Planet by hugely increasing mining which is said to be destroying the environment with no end in sight. We must also ignore the well established but inconvenient fact the electric cars require six times more energy to manufacture than ordinary cars and that their manufacture produces much more CO2.

It is a dilemma which makes me think of the children’s story,’ The Emperors New Clothes’

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Capers and Some Interesting Road Safety Statistics

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CAPERS

As I arranged some capers on my smoked salmon sandwich, I wondered where they came from, did they grow on a bush and do we grow them in Australia? Capers are the edible flower buds of the capparis spinosa, the caper bush. It is a prickly bush which grows wild across the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa. Caper plants also grow well in the hot, dry regions of Australia. The capers I ate at lunchtime were pickled and bottled in Italy from ‘imported produce.’

Once picked, they are pickled to preserve them. Interestingly, preserved nasturtiums seeds can be used in place of capers. They are considered to be more pepppery than capers. The seeds are pickled in a brine of white wine vinegar, salt and pepper corns.

Although I don’t think people eat huge amounts of capers at any one time, one of the Australian growers claim capers contain two flavonoid compounds, rutin, which strengthens capillaries and prevents platelets clumping in blood vessels, and quercetin, considered to be anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and also an analgesic. So eat up and think of the benefits!

Now that your taste buds are tingling, I’ll share an amazing French Potato Salad recipe. It’s not creamy and thick with mayonnaise, but really delicious and, you guessed it, includes CAPERS! This French Potato Salad is more like a traditional German Potato Salad. I used small red potatoes because they taste so good and look attractive.

FRENCH POTATO SALAD

Try to make this at least one day before you need it for the flavours to blend and develop. You need

• 1 kg ( 2.2lb) potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

• ¼ cp vinegar, any sort you prefer ( I found apple cider vinegar was not sharp enough)

• 1/4 cp mild olive oil

• heaped dspn of drained capers, 2 dspn chopped parsley, 2 dspn chopped shallots, or red onion or chives

• salt and pepper

1. Cut the potatoes to bite size pieces, put in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Test doneness with a fork. Drain the potatoes, leave for a few minutes to cool slightly, then while potatoes are still warm, tip them into a bowl.

2. Shake the vinegar and oil in a screw capped jar to amalgamate then pour over the chunks of potato and stir. Repeat about every five minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed. It doesn’t take long. Add some pepper and a good pinch of salt and stir again.

3. Stir and add the capers, chopped chives ( or red onion or thinly sliced shallots ) and the parsley.

4. Leave to cool then stir. All the liquid will now be absorbed. Cover and put in the fridge. This French Potato Salad will improve in flavour overnight and is even better the second day.

There are so many varieties of French Potato Salad. Although the basics are the same, some recipes add chopped gherkins, some add anchovies and some add celery for crunch. Many recipes include garlic in the dressing. It depends on what you have available and what you like!

This French Potato Salad is suitable for lactose and gluten intolerant people plus suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

I had to open a new jar of capers the second time I made this salad and although they were packed in Australia the capers had come from Morocco.

ROAD SAFETY STATISTICS

All statistics referred to in this section were obtained from August/September 2023 HORIZONS magazine printed by the RAC W.A. The information was collected from a number of member surveys.

Recently the sun was shining briefly after freezing cold days with frequent rain so we went for a drive along the beach. I was the passenger and was surprised at how many drivers along side me were using their mobile phones. It is illegal in Western Australia to use a mobile phone when driving. Then I read in the Horizons magazine that 15% of drivers surveyed thought using their mobiles to text, phone or watch movies is acceptable at traffic lights. At one set of traffic lights the female next to me was texting when she arrived, kept texting waiting for the lights to change and continued texting as she drove off. The survey revealed 27% of all respondents had used their mobile phones when driving and 44% of drivers under 30 admitted they they’d done it in the last year.

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In the same survey 93% say of people say they generally use private cars to get to work/study, 12% catch the train, 9% work from home, 7% walk and 5% cycle, including e-bikes. There’s some overlap as sometimes commuters used one or the other method of transport. Although people have varied reasons for driving their own cars to work the train network in Perth has been extended in the past few years. We were once regular train users to go to the Art Gallery WA, the Museum, to eat in Northbridge and shop in the City but the last two journeys were marred by unsociable behaviour. In fact, on one journey, many of us got off at the first station and went down a carriage rather than be abused. When we talked about this with friends, they agreed it was a problem but not so bad during the usual going to and from work times. They are the times we try to avoid! Do you feel safe on the train?

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Free Range Eggs and Plastic Free July

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FREE RANGE EGGS IN AUSTRALIA

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We can buy eggs laid by caged hens or eggs laid by free range hens in Australia. According to Australian Consumer law, free range eggs are defined as eggs laid by hens who have meaningful and regular access to the outdoor areas, are free to roam and forage and are stocked at less than 10 000 hens per hectare. Caged hens live inside large, climate controlled sheds. The cage must be 40cm high, provide at least 550cm² per hen and 10cm feeder space. Eggs from caged hens are considered safer than free range eggs and production is higher and more efficient. Caged hens rarely get sick and live longer.

New legislation in Australia dictates that caged hens will be phased out by 2036, but each state will decide on its own timeline. Many states are already predicting 2025 as the goal for ending caged hens. Battery hens, or caged hens, will still be legal but egg farmers will need to provide larger cages and ‘enrichment’ for the chickens.

Apparently, only 30% of eggs purchased in Australia currently come from caged hens. Both large supermarket chains in Australia have announced they will end the sale of caged eggs by 2025. ( Some research says 40% of eggs bought in Australia are from caged hens.)

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Free range eggs are more expensive than caged eggs. Nutritionally, both are very similar. Eggs are high in vitamins and minerals. We have sought out free range eggs for many years. We were concerned about the welfare of the hens. I also like the environmental aspects on chicken poo returning to the paddock as fertilizer. Free range hens are able to practice normal behaviours, such as perching, nesting and dust bathing. I try not to buy eggs from large supermarkets as they are not as fresh as eggs from other sources. By the end of 2022 our ‘other sources’, one a commercial farm with low stocking levels with daylight hours spent outdoors and another, an independent supplier, had dried up. We’re looking for alternatives.

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PLASTIC FREE JULY

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Plastic free July was started by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation, and a small team of supporters. Begun in 2011 and since 2017, a not for profit charity, Plastic Free July encourages everyone to reduce their use of plastics. Their vision is to see a World free of plastic waste.

Most plastics are produced from oil and gas and don’t decompose. This means plastic micro beads ( broken down plastic) can remain in landfill, soil, rivers and oceans, harming the environment and animals for centuries.

So what can we each do? There’s many checklists, ideas and helpful information online. Try making little changes all the time. Select the easy things to start with, such as refusing plastic wrapped items in the fruit and veggie aisle ( take you’re own fabric bags and if you forget, use a paper bag from the mushroom area), buy milk in a glass bottle (cartons are lined in plastic), store things in glass, bamboo lidded containers or glass jars, both of which are infinitely reusable.

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If you have room and the ability to make compost, put all your veggie and fruit scraps into the pile. I make evil smelling slime, not compost, so turn all sorts of vegetable off cuts/remains into stock, which I freeze, or turn into soup. Stock will be strained so apparently you can add onion skins and garlic skins. I haven’t tried doing this, but intend to soon. The trick is to store the remnants in a glass jar or similar in the freezer until you have collected enough to make stock. And if you’ve never made stock, inspire yourself by reading the ingredients in bought, liquid stock, packaged in a plastic lined carton.

I have bought waxed fabric wraps and also done a workshop making them from fabric and beeswax. They look very attractive but never adhered properly to my containers, so I gave up. I had to add a rubber band to keep them on the container, too much faffing around. I use shower caps collected from hotel rooms. Used, wash, hang over the tap to dry, reuse. Problem is they finally tear away from the elastic and then become landfill. So I’m trying beeswax wrappers again.

To make bees wax wrappers you need washed cotton squares, beeswax and grater, an iron and old fashioned grease proof paper. You need to iron your fabric square, grate the beeswax if you’re using it or buy beeswax pellets. I have seen pellets for sale online. This would be quicker.

I did what I have done before except I used a lot of grated beeswax as I really wanted this to work. I have accepted that I cannot make compost and today I have accepted beeswax wrappers aren’t for me, either. The wrapper I tried just doesn’t seal tightly enough for me. Last time this happened with bought wrappers I keep them securely on with rubber bands. Wont be doing that, either, so my bees wax wrapper will go into someone else’s compost!

If you want to try beeswax wrappers there’s many YouTube and online tutorials. Good Luck!

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