winosandfoodies

Cucumber and Poppy Seed Salad by Ottolenghi

I love this salad when just made. Bryan likes to leave it for an hour or so to let the red chillies do their work and impregnate the mild tasting cucumbers. Either way it's a fresh and zingy salad served on it's own or as a side dish.   It is from Ottolenghi the Cookbook .

CUCUMBER AND POPPY SEED SALAD

• Ingredients
• 6 small cucumbers ( I use Lebanese cucumbers)
• 2 mild red chillies, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander
• 60 ml white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
• 125 ml sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• salt and black pepper.

 

• Instructions
• Prepare the cucumbers by removing the ends then slice cucumbers at an angle. Pieces should be 1 cm thick and 3-4 cms long. I always remove the watery core also.
• Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to to massage the flavours gently into the cucumbers.
• Taste and adjust the amount of sugar and salt.   The taste should be sharp and sweet, almost like a pickle.
• If not serving immediately you may need to drain of some liquid off later. Adjust seasonings again if needed.

Shrove Tuesday 2012 - Pancake Recipe

 

 

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday. Which means it is time to eat pancakes or crepes if you prefer to call them that. Here is my favourite Robert Carrier crepe recipe. It will make 8 thin crepes. Just enough for two people.

Ingredients
75g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium eggs
30 ml melted butter
150ml milk

Method
Sift flour and salt into bowl.
Beat eggs, stir into flour mixture with milk.
Add butter and mix through.
Strain, stand for 2 hours.

To cook.  Place 1/4 cups into medium frying pan and swirl to cover base. When dry on top, flip over and cook other side. I served them with maple syrup today.

 

 

 

January and Roasted Pear Salad Recipe

 

Okay, skip to the end if you are just after the roasted pear salad. I was back into chemo on 3rd January so we made the most of the few days beforehand with a family New Years Day and Chris' birthday lunch.

 

Summer is all about stone fruits and berries.  Here in Australia they.are.the.best.

 

For the family lunch I dipped some in dark chocolate which I had tempered in the Thermomix. So easy.

 

There were platters of meat and Crystal Bay prawns,  the only seafood I will buy from a supermarket.

 

....and salads made with  tiny beetroot heads roasted in olive oil and a sprinkling of salt, then tossed through with some vine ripened tomatoes.

 

Once chemo kicked in I couldn't have cared less about food.  I've taken up rag knitting. Hopefully it will make the chemo days pass quickly.

 

 

I promised you a Pear Salad so from the files here it is. After much experimenting over autumn and winter, with roasted pear as the base and various cheeses, nuts and sweeteners here is my favourite.

 WARM ROASTED PEAR SALAD (quantities will depend on amount of people being served)

INGREDIENTS

•  ripe firm pears
• olive oil
• Salt flakes ( I use Maldon)
•  feta cheese
• maple roasted walnuts. I used this recipe and omitted the sesame seeds. The nuts can burn easily so watch them constantly and keep checking they don't overcook.

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180C (350F)
• Cut pears in half,remove core, place in a baking dish
• Sprinkle pears  with a few drops of olive oil and salt.
• Roast until pears are cooked thru and slightly caramalised on edges, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven, scatter some crumbled feta cheese over and top with some candied walnuts.

 

 

November and My Cabbage Salad Recipe

Bourke Street Bakery

Whoa it's December already. What happened to 2011? Only 25 days until Christmas and I have not been Christmas shopping at all. ...and I have no idea how I'm going to be ready for Christmas 2011. We are moving to a new apartment the first week of December.

One blessing, Michael, my youngest son, is doing the entire Christmas feast for the first time....and at his house.  A little sad we won't have left overs in the our fridge, but a small price to pay for a no stress Christmas feast.

At the beginning of November Bryan and I took a road trip to Sydney. We went via Warwick so we could meet up with Krista from Rambling Tart, who moved here recently.

With Krista

 From Warwick we headed to Armidale where I had booked what was described on their website as luxury B & B. It was far from luxurious. We left the moment we awoke the following morning.  Leaving Armidale we headed toward the coast on Highway 78.

Known as the Waterfall Way it is described as one of Australia's most beautiful drives. It crosses over the Great Dividing Range.

Ebor Falls Highway 78

We travelled from west to east. I'd like to drive it in reverse next time.

Highway 78 views

Thankfully the B & B I had booked at Bellingen turned out to be a charming stopover after the disaster of Armidale. Ian and Ulrieke planted a beautiful garden around their home and called it The Rose Patch.   

The Rose Patch gardens

The formal part of the garden was full of roses and lilies in bloom. Through the formal garden and over the fence is  a bush walk through native bush with birds and local fauna. Back in our room later in the afternoon I realised I had brought back a leech attached to my ankle. He was a fat little leech by the time I discovered him.

Bush walk  at Bellingen

We awoke the following morning to a misty day.

Morning mist at Bellingen

Breakfast was served on the front deck overlooking the gardens, complete with Ulrieke's home made bread, farm fresh free range eggs and a jam made with the local Davidson plum. The jam had a delicious sour taste. I loved it.

Breakfast at the Rose Patch Bellingen

Next stop Sydney where we caught up with  friends before I attended the Eat Drink Blog Conference. Here are a few photos of conference day.

Eat Drink Blog 2011

We spent an evening with @Carmr at La Casa...and yes the polpotte, made to her Mother's secret recipe,  are a highlight. We can also recommend the gnocchi and the pappardelle.  Her Papa was there and allowed me to take his photo.

Carmen and her Papa

Bourke Street Bakery was on my 'to do' list so we met friends there for coffee and pastries.

Pastries with Madame Shawshank at Bourke St Bakery

 

Chocolate Rapsberry Muffin

I love the apple galette.

Apple Galette

On our last morning we headed to Marrickville Markets for breakfast with my little friends Max and Charlie.

  Breakfast with Max and Charlie

Fresh seasonal produce.

Marrickville Markets

 Coming home we stopped overnight at Coff's Harbour. Despite Australia having plenty of coastline it is really difficult to find accommodation on the beach. This is the view from the dining room of the Aanuka Beach Resort.

On our last coffee stop of the day we discovered the little cafe/wine bar Evolution at Ballina.  Again really hard to find cafes and restaurants by the beach in Australia. Evolution at least has a water view.

Evolution Cafe Ballina

I cannot remember the muffin flavour but it was good.

........and as promised, a recipe for a simple cabbage salad. Alter quantities to suit number of servings. This amount is enough for two as a lunch dish. It is best made and served immediately.

CABBAGE SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 head of a small cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated.
• quality olive oil
• 1/2 lemon

 

METHOD

• Mix cabbage and parmesan
• Place on serving plate.
• Drizzle with oil, a few drops of lemon juice and a grating of pepper.
• Serve

CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS FOR A LARGER VIEW.

 

Quinoa Patties Recipe from 101 Cookbooks

We're moving house in December and I'm cleaning out my pantry. Way at the back I came across some quinoa. It had been there so long it was passed its use by date.

Heidi's quinoa patties recipe has been stuck on my fridge door for months now. I think Seven Spoons was the first time I came across it. How fabulous is that egg oozing all over the plate? I've had to adapt mine to accommodate what was in my pantry and fridge.  Once we move house I'll make  the original recipe as Heidi wrote it on 101 Cookbooks.

QUINOA PATTIES (Adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature(I used black quinoa)
• 4 eggs,beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

METHOD

• Combine the quinoa,eggs, salt, in a medium bowl
• Stir in the celery,onion,cheese
• Add breadcrumbs,let sit for a few minutes to allow eggs to absorb the breadcrumbs
• Form into 12  patties 2.5cm (1 inch)  thick
• Heat oil and butter in large frypan over medium-low heat, add 6 patties and cook for 7 minutes each side and until browned on bottom. Watch to make sure bases don't burn
• Remove from pan and cook remaining 6 patties.
• Serve immediately or at room temperature

A little mango salsa on the side - perfection.

Thursdays With Thermomix - Pasteis de Nata

I never got to try Pasteis de Nata, the famous Portuguese custad tart, when I was in Portugal in 2004. My trip was cut short by an unexpected event.  I have been meaning to make them ever since.  Seven years later I finally did.

I stood in the kitchen,rolling and folding the puff pastry, thinking of all the Pasteis de Nata I never got to even try. Bryan did, and he said mine had the taste of the Portuguese tarts he ate in Portugal.

They weren't perfect. I didn't get the silky custard I  aimed for, but I think I know where I went wrong and how to fix it. The pastry part was fine, could maybe rolled a little thinner.   I purchased Careme, a quality puff pastry sold in Australia and recommended by foodie friends.  You could use a cheaper one, but as puff pastry is something I don't buy  often I was happy to pay the extra dollars.  It's a little like eating one piece of really good chocolate over an entire block of standard regular chocolate.

The whorls in the base are the result of the special folding and rolling that is unique to these tarts. Check out the post over at Sunday Hotpants for a 'how to' post.

I went with the Bill Granger recipe. It seemed to be the most popular. The custard was made in the Thermomix.

PASTEIS de Nata (PORTUGUESE TARTS)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

METHOD

• place egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in Thermomix bowl and blend for 5 seconds  on speed 4
• Add cream and milk
• mix for 7 minutes at 80C on speed 4.
• Add vanilla and blend for 10 seconds on speed 8
• Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film to avoid a skin forming and leave to cool.
• Preheat oven to 200C (375F)
• Lightly grease a 12 count muffin tray
• Half pastry sheet horizontally. Place one piece on top of other and set aside for 5 minutes
• Tightly roll up pastry into a log from short end to short end
• Cut pastry log into 1.25c (1/2 inch) 12 rounds
• Lie each piece on a lightly floured surface and roll out to 10C  (4inch) rounds
• Press each round into muffin pans
• Spoon cooled custard into pastry cases
• Bake in oven until pastry and custard is golden (about 20 - 25 minutes)
• Remove from oven and leave in tin for 5 minutes
• Remove and place on wire rack to cool
• These are best served warm

If you'd like to know the history of these Portuguese Tarts Duncan at Syrup and Tang has written a well researched article. Sarah at Foodbridge documents her visit to Portugal with some wonderful photos and a visit to Pasteis de Belem, the holy grail of the Portuguese tart.

I'm not sure what the difference between 'pastel de nata' and 'pasteis de nata' is.  Is 'pastel' the singular? Anyone know?

HHDD Anniversary Drinks

Thanks to everyone who contributed there drink creations to Hay Hay It's Donna's Anniversary drinks challenge. Here are the entries.

From Arfi at Homemades a Lemon, Vanilla and Strawberry Cooler. Perfect for a warm spring day in New Zealand.

After a busy day with work and family Bron relaxes with Lemon Balm, Sorbet Gin Slushie.

Cheers to Vanille @Down Under who celebrates the warmer light filled days with her Orange and Rhubarb Granita.

In the Philippines Joey at 80 Breakfasts combines the local lime dayap with cucumber to create a refreshing  Cucumber Dayap Cooler.

 

October and a Peach and Fig Tart Recipe

I'm wrapping up my month of October a few days early as we are off on a road trip to Sydney. First stop on the road is to meet, Australia's newest immigrant, Krista of Rambling Tart.  After swapping emails for the past couple of years, I will finally get to hug the sweet lady.

The month started with a delightful lunch with a dear friend, at Ole across the river on Southbank. I have to say it serves the best tortilla I've had outside of Spain. Almost as good as my own.

My friend Mei Yen invited me to brunch and served me my first congee.  I am unable to enjoy meat and fish at the moment so Mei Yen served it with omelette, pickled greens and salted duck eggs.  Not the best  photo but I wanted to share it with you.

While I was there lots of heavy cardboard boxes were delivered...and inside the boxes ......Mei Yen's latest edition of Brisbane Budget Bites 2012.  I'm not sure who was more excited, Mei Yen.... or me....or the dogs, Cookie and Basil.

All Brisbanites and visitors to Brisbane should have a copy of Brisbane Budget Bites. It will take me all year to work through the 215 eateries and bakeries, 29 coffee spots and the 65 providores. The latest edition has simplified the geographic boundaries, and not knowing Brisbane well, I found it very easy to follow.   Both the 'suburbs index' and the separate 'cuisine index' make it a useful resource for discovering dining around Brisbane.  My favourite local Japanese, Mizu in Teneriffe is in there.

 

My other favourite book this month is Karen Reyment's book the 2012 foodies guide to brisbane. 

I wish I'd had a copy of this book when I first arrived in Brisbane.  I'm loving the section 'specialist stores and markets', which covers everything including Asian food, butchers,delis,bakeries, cooking schools and more. 

Scattered throughout the book  under 'chef's favourites', Brisbane chef's share their favourite spots for supplies and dining out. In the sections 'spotlight on', experts in their respective fields share all manner of things like  storing chocolate in Brisbane's humid climate, eating local fish by season, and making the perfect cup of coffee.

'Further afield' are suggestions for foodie  trips to The Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Stanthorpe.

I have decided I will visit at least one place from the book each week. Some of Karen's suggestions are already firm favourites. Like Chouquette and Bonjour Patisserie in New Farm and Freshi Sushi Company in James Street.  The first place I chose to visit was the Ruski Way Deli in Woolangabba.

We came home with jars of pickles,sour cherries, smoked mackerel, Russian chocolates,  potato   stuffed Pierogi and a slice of Russian Napoleon cake for our lunch.

During the month we enjoyed coffee and cake with friends at Blake and Taylor in Paddington.

I didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen but  I did try Elise's version of the Amazon Cake......

.................and combining the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring I baked a peach and fig  tart.  Peaches are a fruit I associate with summer. Because of the climate here in Queensland, they arrive a little earlier in the shops. These ones are from the Glass House Mountains region.

I'm sorry there is no detailed recipe for you. It's just pastry and fruit. Go with your instincts and how many people you are serving.......and if you want some for left overs. It makes a great breakfast.

 

FIG AND PEACH TART

INGREDIENTS

• 1 quantity of shortcrust pastry
• peaches and figs, sliced
• 1 tablespoon  sugar

 

METHOD

• Set oven to 200C (390F)
• roll pastry out  and place on oven paper on an oven tray
• place fruit in a pattern over pastry.
• sprinkle with sugar
• bake in oven until pastry and fruit are cooked.
• Serve with a dallop of cream or yogurt

Finally, if you would like to join in the Hay Hay it's Donna's Anniversary,  I look forward to your entries.

 DISCLAIMER: Brisbane Budget Bites and 2012 foodies guide to brisbane were sent to me by the publishers.

Brisbane Budget Bites is published by Swallow Publishers. It retails at $19.95 and can be puchased at these outlets.

2012 foodie guide to brisbane is published by Hardie Grant. It retails at $24.95 and can be purchased at most book stores and online.   

Hay Hay Its Donna's Anniversary

It's Donna's anniversary. Donna Hay magazine are celebrating 10 fabulous years.

I remember buying  the first issue.

The issue I gave away as a prize for the best  Peanut Butter Cupcakes  at the very first Hay Hay It's Donna Day back in 2005.  In 2008  Bron took over from me as   facilitator.   Bron in turn passed the baton to the current facilitator, Denise at Chez Us

Denize has been caught up in life and hasn't had the time to devote to  HHDD.  As it's been almost a year since the last HHDD event, I thought it might be fun to join in the 10 year anniversary celebrations with a special HHDD event.

So let's celebrate with some drinks  from Donna's 10th Anniversary edition. If you own an iPad you can download the issue.

Bring on the drinks. I made the Rhubarb, Vanilla  and Lemon Cooler. You can make this or any other drink from Donna's web page.....or design your own drink. It's easy. The drinks are made of  fruit flavoured syrups and a mixer (soda water, ginger beer, lemonade etc). Alcohol is optional.

 rhubarb, vanilla and lemon cooler

INGREDIENTS

• 500g rhubarb,trimmed and chopped
• 2 cups (440g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 cup @250ml) water
• 1 vanilla bean,split and seeds scraped
• 3/4 cup (180ml) lemon juice
• 2/3 cup (160ml) gin (optional)
• 4 cups (1 litre) soda water
• crushed ice, to serve
• 250g strawberries,hulled and thinly sliced

METHOD

• Place the rhubarb, half the sugar, water and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase to high and bring to the boil for 5 minutes, or until thickened slightly.   Allow to cool completely before straining, reserving the syrup and vanilla bean. Set aside.
• Place the lemon juice and remaining sugar in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.   Increase heat to high, bring to the boil and cook a further 2 minutes or until thickened slightly.   Allow to cool completely.
• Place the gin,lemon syrup,soda water, rhubarb syrup in a 6 cup capacity (1.5 litre) jug and stir to combine.   Add the ice and top with the strawberry slices.
• Makes 6 cups.

Strawberry and lemon ice blocks

Place  sliced strawberries into ice block trays and cover with water. Freeze overnight.

Place pieces of lemon with rind on into ice block trays and cover with water. Freeze over night.

Place ice blocks in glass and cover with mixed drink.

Rules of Entry…

1. Hay Hay it’s Donna Day is open to all food and wine bloggers.
2. Entries submitted for HHDD must be made specifically for the current round of this event, although photos may be submitted to photo competitions such as “Does My Blog Look Good In This.”
3. The host will select, make and post an original Donna Hay recipe without any changes. Participants may make that exact same recipe as is, or put their own spin on the recipe by altering the ingredients whilst remaining with the theme. Or if they prefer participants may share a well loved recipe within the same theme.
4. Entrants must include a link to the host (winos and foodies) and the facilitator (Chez Us)  in their entry post.
5. Entries can be made at any time once the event has been announced, but must be posted and emailed to the host by the closing date.
6. The host then assembles all the entries together into a roundup, from where the participants of the round vote to elect a winner.

 It is optional for the host to give a small gift to the winning participant. This should be something inexpensive and can be as simple as a pre loved, no longer used item from the host's kitchen drawers. (I've been culling my linen napkins and will  be giving away a couple to the entry with the most votes).

Entries can be posted at any time up until Thursday 10th November. I will write the round up over the weekend with a voting page up on Monday 14th November. You will have a week to vote. Voting is only open to those who submit entries.

Send your entries to me at -  pinotgrisATgmailDOTcom with HHDD in the subject line.

Include

• your name
• blog name
• URL to your HHDD post
• a photo 250 x 250 px

Hay Hay Its Donna Day should not be confused with the styling and photography challenge over at Junglefrog Cooking.  They are two seperate events.

CHEERS Donna! Happy 10th Anniversary. Here's to another 10 years.

Pears in Caramel - Slow Cooker Recipe

It's the end of pear season here...... although there are still a couple of varieties in the shops.  Lydia at Perfect Pantry mentioned her slow cooker poached pears on Twitter this morning. They sounded delicious. So I made them for dessert tonight....and they are delicious.

My version is slightly adapted from Lydia's. As I didn't have any ginger in the cupboard I omitted it. I also reduced the sugar amount and increased the butter. 

PEARS IN CARAMEL IN THE SLOW COOKER

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown sugar
•  50g butter, cut into small cubes
• 4 firm pears

METHOD

• Peel and half pears. Remove cores.
• Place cut side down in slow cooker.
• Sprinkle  sugar over pears.
• Add butter to sugar.
• Set cooker to high and cook for 1 hour.Remove lid and spoon the sauce over the pears.
• Cook for a further hour. Test with knife to ensure pears are cooked.
• With slotted spoon remove pears from slow cooker onto serving plate.
• Pour sauce into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and keep at a simmer  until sauce reduces by one third. Stir sauce or shake pan to keep the sauce from sticking to saucepan. It will take 2 - 3 minutes, but be careful not to burn the caramel.
• To serve place two pears on individual plates,  spoon a little caramel sauce over.
• Serve warm with cream.

This is my entry for Sweet New Zealand hosted by Sue at Couscous and Consciousness.

September, Kate Hill's Tomato Tart and Edmonds Pikelet Recipe

Spring is nice. I prefer Autumn, but I'll settle for a few months of warmer days, cooler nights and pretty blossoms.... and soon the summer stone fruits will be in our shops.

September was a busy month.  My brother and his wife were in town for a few days. We had a number of family get togethers and unbelievably no photos.

During  September we packed champagne, wine, magazines and books for a  gourmet mid week break with Janet (The Old Foodie) at her holiday apartment in Caloundra.  These days I'm reading more style magazines and less about food. 

A subscription to Country Style magazine is on my Christmas wish list. It has a nice mix of design, interiors,art and just enough food  without making it to difficult to decide which recipe to try....and they always have the most beautiful and enticing covers.

All good holidays begin with a glass of champagne.......

....and all good holidays should include Janet's Buttermilk Hotcakes for breakfast.

We spent our days indulging in good food,reading, walks on the beach and afternoon coffees at Saltwater.

 

Back home I baked a tomato tart adapted from Kate Hill's book  A Culinary Journey.

It is similar to a Tomato Tart I have baked before. Kates has capers and rosemary sprinkled on top. My tart tin is still packed away in a moving box so I baked this one free form on a tray.

An adaptation of Kate's Tomato Tart has also been seen over at  David Lebovitz .

...and finally this week we snacked on Pikelets from the famous New Zealand  Edmonds cook book.

oops I just realised I have made a mistake in the instructions. It should read "Beat egg and sugar until thick".

Click on photos to enlarge.

Full Disclosure: CountryStyle magazine was sent to me by their PR company.

August - The Past Month

You would not believe how much my life changed this month. After 10 months of living with pain I finally found a solution . After much experimenting we have hit on the right drug in the right dosage. My pain is so under control I feel like a new woman....and I have been busy.

Julia and Nina came over for lunch. She is adorable isn't she?

How beautiful is that smile? I suspect Bryan was standing behind me being silly when I took this.

Early in the month we went up to Hervey Bay for a few days.

One day we spent a slow couple of hours over lunch at a sunny table by the window at  Coast. The food was excellent and the service spot on.

Our trip to Hervey Bay was to attend the annual Seafood Festival.  I had pre-booked seats at the Taste of The Bay lunch. Communal tables are always a bit of a worry but we were seated with two couples, charming Hervey Bay locals. (Hi Brenda, Bruce and Kendall)

Lunch was a series of small tastes of the local seafood from Hervey Bay area. We finished the meal with some Queensland cheese and strawberries.

After lunch we sat in the sun and did a spot of people watching.

My  friend Peter was in town. He writes and photographs the beautiful and very successful Sydney blog Souvlaki for the Soul.   Lunch sounded like a good idea and we decided to try out   Gillian Hirst's Garden Cafe.

I chose the gnocchi. I always   do.

Bryan and Peter went for the Veal and Porcini Pie.

There was cake for dessert. The lemon curd roll was the bees knees and I'll be going back for more. Although I think I'd like to work my way through all the cakes on display.

The cafe is set in a garden centre with lots of greenery and pretty flowers.

..............and there is a whole section of vintage homeware.

A  little prop shopping maybe.

Now I'm feeling stronger I spent some time in the kitchen. Not only did I bake Beetroot Cake.....

.............there was roasted capsicum soup.......

.........for lunch we enjoyed smoked salmon on baguette.

...and warm couscous salad.   I made more...

...cultured butter.

...........and somedays we nibbled on  stuffed apricots.

Bring it on summer and picnics in the park, evening strolls along the riverbank, peaches and mangos and cherries.

Click on photos for an enlarged view

Beetroot Cake Recipe

This morning Bryan said to me  what is the big attraction with beetroot these past few days. 'It's in season so I'm making the most of it' I replied.  Mostly we eat the base roasted and served as a salad with feta cheese.  I have even used the beet tops as a vegetable. Saute them as if it was spinach and add them to a couscous salad.

But I have to say this beetroot cake is by far my favourite way of eating beetroot.  The recipe is from Tina Richardson and was originally published on the website www.riverford.co.uk . It no longer exists on the site. 

I was a little concerned about the extra baking powder combined with self raising flour.  However the cake is quite dense and needs the extra raising agent. 
 

BEETROOT CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 250 gr (8 oz) self raising flour,sieved
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 150 gr (5 oz) soft brown sugar
• 100 gr (3 1/2 oz) sultanas
• 200 gr (7oz) beetroot, peeled and grated (2 -3 medium size beetroots)
• 150 gr (1/4 pint) vegetable or sunflower oil
• 2 mediun sized eggs, beaten

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4
• Grease and line an 8 inch loose based cake tin.
• Mix together the flour, baking powder and soft brown sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the sultanas, grated beetroot.
• Beat the oil and eggs together, and then add to the bowl.
• Combine with either a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours. Insert a metal into the cake; if it comes out clean,  the cake is cooked. (I'd check at about 55 minutes. I cooked mine for an hour and it was just beginning to burn)
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Serve with cream if you wish. Bryan does, I prefer it without.

 I felt no guilt in eating this for breakfast on a couple of mornings.

 
I'm submitting this post to the blog event Sweet New Zealand  at Alessandra Zecchini.

 

Petits Pois A La Francais Recipe

There are a variety of recipes for this dish. Some cook the dish in a combination of butter and water, some add cream and a stock cube.I do neither. My recipe is influenced by a recipe in the wonderful Art of Eating by MFK Fisher.

I'm happy to use frozen peas, the one vegetable I keep in my freezer all year round. So versatile is that little packet of frozen peas.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted to room temperature
• 1 small onion, sliced
•  a couple of iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded
• a good knob of butter
• salt and pepper

METHOD

• In a heavy bottamed pan ( I use a Dutch oven) melt half the butter and soften onions without browning.
• Add peas and the remainder of the butter. Stir, turn heat to low, cover pot with lid. Cook until peas are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove lid, add lettuce, stir and cook briefly.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve. This will serve two as  an entre or four as a vegetable side to a main course.

Full Disclosure - I Got Chocolate For Free

Every few months an "accepting freebies" posts pops up somewhere. The post is ultimately tweeted and then dissected and commented on by anyone who feels strongly about it. Seems everyone has an opinion, for or against. In the latest one I read, the writer insisted the full disclosure should be at the beginning, not a footnote at the end. One Australian blogger has even posted a list of Australian bloggers with a $ sign alongside those that have accepted "freebies"

I am one of those bloggers who accepts freebies. Not all that are offered, but certainly those I'm interested in trying.

Personally I cannot see what the fuss is about.  I have always writen openly and honestly about freebies.  Some freebies have not even made it to a post. Not because there was anything wrong with them, more a case of I just didn't get around to writing about them.  In those instances I have given feedback direct to the company.

The business world runs on freebies. When I  worked and received a salary I received freebies all the time. One of my clients kept me supplied in Chanel No 5.  The suppliers to the company I worked for inundated us with gifts. Silk scarves, silver plated champagne buckets, champagne, wine, liqueurs. When I visted Paris on holiday, Bryan and I were wined and dined in Michelin starred restaurants as if we were royalty.  Various wineries in New Zealand and Australia gave me extra special treatment when I visited their cellar door.  And I was just an employee of the company......imagine how well my boss was treated.

Now I write a blog, for which I don't get paid, and I receive the occaisional freebie.  I am fully aware the freebie is given in the hope I will write about it.  For PR companies it is a cheap and effective way of promoting their client's product.  Like the majority of honest bloggers, I accept freebies on the understanding I am under no obligation to write about the product favourably. 

Which brings me to the title of this post.

When I was invited to be part of the Lindt Lovers programme I had no hesitation in accepting.  I have been using Lindt as a cooking and  eating chocolate for years. Long before I started blogging.  Furthermore, the Lindt Lovers programme is not about pushing their product on our blogs.  They ask only for feedback on the chocolate samples we recieve. I distribute most of the chocolates amongst family and friends to get a number of opinions.  Any I use in cooking I  write about about if it fits with the recipe I'm posting.

In the pictue above you will see a selection of my latest Lindt stash. The majority of which has been dispersed amongst family and friends, much to Bryan's displeasure.  I have saved the Peanut Butter balls for us  'cos I really like them. The little stars and bells wrapped in red paper (which you can't actualy see in the photo)  I plan to use as a decoration on our Christmas Eve dinner table.

Continental Cafe New Farm

I'm not doing a lot of cooking lately (I'm barely eating), so I have no posts to share. Here are a few photos from a recent lunch prior to chemo, at the Continental Cafe in New Farm.

 

Veal Saltimboca for me

Pasta for Bryan

Duck on Kifler potatoes for Max

Continental version of Affagato

I Heart You #41

STAINED GLASS COOKIE heART

Fieritalia - Italian Festival Brisbane 2010

The cold and rain finally got to us and we went home. I managed to take a few photos of the Brisbane Fieritalia.

I found the cutest guy there........ Orion.

It wouldn't be an Italian festival with out canoli.

..............and these Italian pastries. Maybe you could tell me the name, as I don't know.

People came prepared. The young.....

..............and old...........

................and the very young in dinosaur raincoats

Roving entertainers entertained............

................another view

...........and in their coats of many colours

Musicians in the colours of the Italian flag played

There was a choir

Some people used technology to find their friends

I met a journalism student filming

We bought olives.........

.........to eat while we watched them setting up for the grape stomping

We sheltered from the rain and saw the costumes from the Renaissance period....

.............and beautiful in the detail

There was Italian food for big kids...........

...and little kids. (Does this remind you of a famous painting by Michelangelo?)

Swordsmen in smart outfits performed

....................finally we ate gelato and  went home

..............and one more of Orion in his costume

 If you object to your photo on this page please let me know and I will remove it.

 

I Heart You # 38

TURKISH DELIGHT heART

Share your heart next Saturday and support LiveSTRONG Day 2010.

Details

 

I Heart You # 37

FRUIT BOWL heART

Don't forget LiveSTRONG With A Taste of Yellow Heart Series on October 2nd 2010.

Australian Shiraz from Heathcote Victoria

 

Since chemo screwed my tastebuds, I've not really felt like drinking wine.  Apart from a few celebratory bottles of Veuve and the extra special celebratory bottles of Cristal, I could count the number of glasses of wine consumed the past few years, on one hand. 

For months now, my choice of drink has been beer.  But I miss wine and have been thinking about retraining my palate and enjoying wine again.  When an invite to the Heathcote Wine Roadshow landed in my inbox, I wasted no time in opting in for the  masterclass,  Heathcote Horizontal - Heathcote Shiraz and the Rest of the World.

Heathcote, a former gold mining and logging town, is now recognised as a premier shiraz region on the Australian wine map. Being only112k  from Melbourne you can be there in a little over one hour of driving.

Our masterclass host Ben Edwards, President of Sommeliers Australia.

Winemaker at Galli Estate Ben Ranken, spoke on how the wine is influenced by the soil and climate.  Heathcote wine growing region stretches around 100k from north to south, with elevations between 160 m and 380 m. The north is drier than the south and receives an average of 5 - 10mm less rain per month during the vine's growing season (October - April). Southern vineyards are a little cooler with temperatures  lower by 1.8 - 1.4 Celsius, resulting in an extended growing season.

Never having been to the Heathcote region, Cambrian Earth was a term I had not come across before. Ben touched on it  a little, but  visit the Heathcote Shiraz website for detailed information.

The tasting was in two parts. First up  - 5  shiraz samples from the Heathcote region.

1. Galli Estate Artigino Block 2 2007
2. Tellurian Shiraz 2008
3. Munari Wines Beauregard Shiraz 2006
4. Sanguine Estate Heathcote 2007
5. Shelmerdine Shiraz  2007

This excercise was designed to show the different characteristics of Heathcote Shiraz. 

A show of hands  proved  Munari  Shiraz to be the most popular. For me it was an equal first with the Galli Estate.

Next up - a blind tasting to see if we could recognise the Heathcote style and pick it from the other samples from France and New Zealand.

I failed miserably at this, not even recognising the New Zealand Te Awa Syrah, a wine I sold when I worked for their distributor in New Zealand.

The wines included

1. Barfold Estate Shiraz 2006
2. Heathcote Estate Shiraz 2007
3. Greenstone Shiraz 2007
4. Te Awa Syrah 2009
5. Domaine Belle Crozes-Hermitage 'Les Pierelles' 2007

My preference was the Barfold Estate, which also was the choice of the majority at the Brisbane morning tasting.

Heathcote showcase wines of the region at their Visit Shiraz Heaven Food and Wine Festival on 2 - 3 October 2010.

I Heart You - # 35

ICECREAM heART

I haven't done stars and stripes but this red white and blue heart is especially for my US friends - Happy Labour Labor Day weekend to you all.

..and from my friends

Max's school lunch.

 

 Salt cellar from Sue at Couscous and Consciouness in New Zealand.

Don't forget LiveSTRONG Day - Heart series on 2nd October.

 

Gunshop Cafe Brisbane

Here are a  few photos of the Brisbane food bloggers dinner held at Gunshop Cafe, Brisbane's West End earlier this week.

Stradbroke Island rock oysters, tomato and 50 year old sherry vinegar. The oysters were supplied by Michael Dalton at Fino Food. For someone who never eats oysters, I actually ate 6 of these and enjoyed every one.

Seared Hervey Bay scallops, salmon pearls, persimmon and squid ink. The most beautifuly presented meal of the night.

West Queensland wild boar, Morton Bay bug, ham and pineapple.  Personally, I didn't enjoy this combination of flavours.

Goondiwindi lamb rack, salsify puree, Toowoomba olives and fresh peas. When everyone at the table starts using their fingers to get the last of the jus on the plate into their mouths, you know this is a winner.

 

Selection of Queensland cheeses - The Kingaroy Bunya Black Brie was incredible and something I'll be sourcing out for home.

New season peach souffle, raspberry icecream and Queensland vanilla creme anglaise

Ambar Hills wines from the Queensland Granite Belt were served during the evening. I especially enjoyed the 2007 Cabernet Merlot.

FULL DISCLOSURE The dinner was organised on behalf of Brisbane food bloggers by Mel at Chocolate Cheese and Chips and Jason of The Gunshop Cafe. We contributed to the cost of the meal.

Lemon Matcha Cookies Recipe

I've been a fan of @missesdelicious'  blog Delicious Days since...... forever.  Her banana nutella cupcakes are an all time favourite in our house.

A little late night reading in bed last week, I happened upon Nicky's lime matcha cookie recipe. Perfect for converting to a Thermomix recipe. Nicky's cookies are a variation of the matcha cookie recipe by   Kelli at Lovescool .

I replaced the limes with lemons. My cookies are not as green as Nicky's - the fault of slightly past the 'use by' date of my packet of matcha.

LEMON MATCHA COOKIES (adapted from Delicious Days)

INGREDIENTS

• 80g (3 oz) icing sugar
• 2 teaspoon matcha tea powder
• 2 lemons (Nicky used 3 organic limes)
• 150 g (5.25 oz) cold butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 200 g (7 oz) flour (plus a little more for rolling out dough)
• 25 g (1  oz) cornstarch
• 3 medium egg yolks
• 75 g (2.75 oz) sugar

METHOD

• Place icing sugar and matcha powder into Thermomix. Pulse a couple of times to mix.
• Wash 1 lemon and finely grate the zest.
• Cut butter into cubes and add to the matcha/sugar mix, along with the salt and lemon zest. Pulse a couple of seconds until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the flour, pulse to mix in.
• Set dial to closed lid position. Add egg yolks. Knead about 10 seconds on Interval speed.
• Divide dough into two pieces, shape into a finger thick slab, wrap in Gladwrap and place in fridge for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 170C (340F) or if using a convection oven 150C (300F).
• Line baking sheet with baking paper.
• Wash remaining lemon and grate zest finely, mix with sugar and place in a bowl.
• Dust work service with flour and roll out the dough to desired thickness. (Mine were about 0.5cm). Cut cookies out of dough.
• Roll edges in lemon/sugar mixture. Place on baking tray.
• Bake in oven until cooked through without browning. (10 - 15 minutes)

Here is an alternate Matcha Cookie recipe I have made in the past.

 

LiveSTRONG With A Taste of Yellow 2010 - Heart Series

October 2nd has been announced as  LiveSTRONG Day 2010.

LiveSTRONG With A Taste of Yellow is happening again...but with a new theme.

Throughout 2010 I have been posting a heart each Saturday. I thought it might be fun to incorporate the hearts in this years LiveSTRONG Day event.

So here is how it will work. On Saturday 2nd October I'd like everyone to create and post their own heart photo to their blog.  If you don't have a blog you can post to a Flickr or Project 365 page.

There are a couple of rules.

1. The photo must include a yellow food.

2. It must feature a heart in the photo - this could be food baked in a heart shape or food decorated with hearts.

3. Your heart photo must be created specifically for this LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow - Heart Series.  It may also be submitted to events such as DMBLGIT, Tastespotting, FoodGawker, Flickr groups, Project 365 .

4. Please include a link  to this post. It helps raise awareness of LiveSTRONG Day.

As this is more of a creative excercise a recipe isn't necessary, but if you want to include a recipe, please do.

Perhaps you have a cancer story to share. Or you might like to honour a family member or friend touched by cancer by dedicating your  heart to them.

After you have posted your heart (on 2nd October),  send me the link with your name,  and I will post a list and link on winos and foodies to all the hearts the following week.

Email you heart photo link to  atasteofyellowATgmailDOTcom

Previous A Taste of Yellow LiveSTRONG events

• 2007
• 2008 - 1
• 2008 - 2
• 2009

LiveSTRONG Links

• Donate
• Volunteer

LiveSTRONG With A Taste of Yellow is an official LivesSTRONG Day event.

I Heart You - Week 34.