winosandfoodies

In My Kitchen - June 2012

Fig Jam and Lime Cordial is a blog I recently discovered.  I'm joining in Celia's In My Kitchen meme this month.

In My Kitchen

........is a cow. I'm not a big fan of knick knacks on my kitchen bench.  This cow money box, given to me by one of children, does command a position overlooking the sink.

In My Kitchen............

........are some unexpected gifts.  The postman has been kind to me this month and I received a parcel of goodies from Beerenberg. Their tomato sauce is a favourite of Bryans. The caramalised onion and balsamic beetroot relish have been a big hit. Great on burgers or sandwiches.....or straight from the jar on a teaspoon. I see scones in my future topped with some strawberry jam and cream.

In My Kitchen

............are a selection of teas were sent to me by Nerada Teas. I am so impressed with their regular tea I'm planning on changing from my usual Dilmah.

I made a tea  fruit cake using the camomile tea to soak the dried fruit.

In My Kitchen

.................are new books. I treated myself to some new books while the Book Depositary had their sale on.

This month you'll  find me on a comfy couch reading.

 

My Seven Year Blogaversary

winos and foodies is celebrating 7 years of blogging  this week. In my head I wrote a long post docementing  my feelings over the past seven years. But when I sat down at the computer the words wouldn't come. So I'll keep it simple.

Thank you to everyone who popped into winos and foodies over the past 7 years.

Thank you to those who read and leave comments, thank you to those that read and don't leave comments.

Thank you to the friends I've made; those still here and those that have moved on from blogging.

Thank you to those friends I've met and those friends in the virtual world.

Thank you for your love and support; especially those   who  showed their support when I really needed it...and those who helped me celebrate when I was ready to celebrate.

winos and foodies began as a diary of my days and  a place to leave my memories of family and recipes for my children. Lately I haven't been able to find the energy to do much baking.

The drugs I take to manage my pain make me sleepy. They have taken away my appetite.  Food doesn't excite me in the way it once did.

Sometimes I will taste something that will excite me. Like the sweetness of my first summer strawberry, or the smell of a new season peach.

As each day passes my energy is a little less as the secondary cancer again begins to take over my body. Which is why I have decided to accept my oncologist's suggestion and undergo another six months of chemo.

I will continue to blog when I feel able. I may even bake and blog. I hope so.

....and one final thank you and my most important thank you. Thank you Bryan. I know we joke about you being my kitchen bitch.........but I do appreciate all you do for me, everyday. <3

 

Goodbye December and Hello 2012

The month started with a trip to spend a few days in Montville.  But that's another post for another time.

In the first week we moved to a wonderful apartment on the river. Loving this kitchen.

 

Then there's the view.

We hadn't even had a chance to settle in before we headed back to the Sunshine Coast to have lunch with my friend Mausa visiting from Melbourne.  Lots of eating, drinking and chatting at   Season's, right on Noosa Beach. Then a stroll around Noosa and a little shopping.  So much fun spending time when you've been friends over 40 years.  Maus has been living with cancer for 10 years. We talk a lot about drugs these days!

I do wear that scarf a lot don't I? It seems to turn up in every photo lately.

Christmas began when this colorful display arrived on Christmas Eve. A gift from my brother and his wife.

Michael hosted our  Christmas Day feast. Not before he and Aimee announced their engagement. Another wedding to look forward to.

We  began with a spinach dip from Emma.

Followed by a little Asian  from Chris' kitchen.

Michael cooked a perfect turkey and I didn't get a photo. So here it is already carved.
Boxing Day we spent on the couch watching Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test.

A break from Day 2 of the cricket to lunch with Jam Faced and Sara. This perfect and delicious tortilla was made by @jamfaced and I seem to have accidentally deleted the photo of the cut piece.

@jamfaced and sara introduced us to the card game Dominion .  I'm working on my strategy to win next time.....and you can't have a card game without a bottle of Grand Marnier.

A few days before the end of December, our new neighbours  little baby Charlie arrived.

 Thank you to everyone who dropped by winos and foodies during the year. I appreciate your love and support very much. Here's to 2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Things I've Seen This Week

House moving week for me. So here's a little list of what I've been reading lately you might enjoy.

Pink As at coco +kelly

Pip Boydell at absolutely beautiful things

Chic Elegance at Habitually Chic

blue and white at Canvas

Do I need another cookbook? YES, this one by Serge Dansereau 

This will make you smile. Sorry at obtampons

This will make you cry, but please watch. Whats goin on

 

 

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

Community - Bloggers Without Borders

Have you heard about Bloggers Without Borders, a non-profit organization, for bloggers, by bloggers? Founded by Maggy, Erika and Aimee, it is not just about fund raising, it's also about connecting people.

One of their first projects is to help and support Jennie from In Jennies Kitchen . Jennie  recently lost her husband to a sudden heart attack. I didn't know Jennie but she was a friend of many of my American blogging friends.  One of those friends, Shauna from Gluten Free Girl, is the caring blogger behind the project, a fund for Jennie.  If you can donate please do.  Or you may like to bid on one of the donated auction goodies.

Please like there Facebook page and you can follow them on Twitter at @bloggerswob.

Community Announcements

I'm still waiting for my cooking mojo to hit me. I guess it will happen once I feel like eating again. In the meantime I'd like to share a couple of community initiatives with you.

• Oxfam I'm supporting the Oxfam initiative which involves pineapples and will be posting more about this  later.

• The J K Rowling charity Lumos is holding an event Light A Candle on June 1st.  By taking part in Light a Birthday Candle for Lumos, you can help  change the lives of thousands of vulnerable children by raising vital funds to support their work in ending the systematic institutionalisation of children across Central and Eastern Europe. For more information and how to become involved visit the Lumos website. There's even a page of recipes to help get you started.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Reflections On Motherhood

This week my baby celebrates his 29th birthday. On the 4th of June my first born will walk down the aisle with his beautiful bride Maria.  All parents will recognise the feeling when I say "well now we can relax a little"

Being a parent, one of the most important jobs in the world, and no manual to help us get it right.  Honestly, I had so many days when I questioned my abilities as a parent. Today I feel I can finally say "I think I did okay".

Two boys born 16 months apart, same parents, same upbringing....but oh so different in so many ways.

One came into the world, late, a caesar, and pushing the boundries from his first breath..and I suspect he will still be pushing the boundaries when he's an old man. The other glided quietly into the world, a few days early.....and charmed everyone who crossed his path. To this day one is always on time or early, the other always late.

One hated going to bed and would fight sleep ...and still does. The other would put himself to bed the moment he felt tired.

From day one we tried to expose them to a variety of experiences. They were christened Anglicans, went to a Baptist Sunday School, a few years at a state co-ed school and then an all boys Catholic secondary school. One is an atheist, the other a believer.

One hated school and despite being very bright left in his final year without sitting exams.  The other struggled with dyslexia, loved school and completed his education. Both refused to go to university. One went into the purchasing department of an Auckland hotel and by the time he was twenty was chief purchasing officer. The other worked washing cars to earn money to go to film school...where he achieved A+'s and was employed by a TV Production company.

About now I was thinking, we are doing okay, the boys are settled and on their career paths. But no.....parenting isn't that easy. There were a few surprises ahead of us.

Back to their childhood. My kids ate in Maccas as often as they ate in restaurants, both ethnic and hotel lobby restaurants. Even when they were toddlers, Sunday evenings were  spent dining in a Chinese restaurant with friends.  They could eat with chopsticks from about 2 years of age. Today, given a choice, they will choose Yum Cha over a MacDonalds when eating out.

When other parents were complaining about The Simpsons, I encouraged our boys to watch it. Actually they didn't need encouragement, Bart was huge in our house. Despite being a cartoon The Simpsons always contained a message...everything  from sibling rivalry to being popular in school.

As teenagers they watched the usual teenage soap operas.... and we watched with them. Again another learning opportunity as those shows tackle the  issues uppermost in their teenage angst years. Being gay,first kisses, sex, teenage pregnancy, abortion. Whether you are a liberal or a conservative, teaching your child to recognise  social engineering  is a gift to them.

Because film is one of my passions they went to as many foreign films as Hollywood blockbusters. They could name the director of a movie before the could name the actors. Their first foreign film was My Father's Glory. ....and as much as I want them to love foreign films they'd both rather watch a Hollywood blockbuster.

I taught them about wine but neither drink wine. One prefers Rum, the other Bourbon..neither which we kept in our liquor cabinet.

Having a musician as their father meant they were exposed to all styles of music. One studied violin but is now a drummer, the other studied piano and flute and no longer plays an instrument.  As toddlers they would chose Earl Klugh over Anne Murray .  Now one is into garage punk the other drum and base.

One has a tiny discreet tattoo and had a couple of piercings (tongue and eyebrow). The piercings have closed over now. The other has 3 tattoos, all hidden beneath his shirt line. He has pierced ears...but I said no to  the big holes in the ears.  Some times you have to choose your battles.

We read to them from the day they were born...everything from Richard Scarry and Roald Dahl to Jack London.  Now all their reading is done on the internet and they read more non fiction than fiction. But I still remember the thrill I felt the first time one of them decided to spend his  birthday money on books.

They both did gymnastics and swim club. One moved on to water polo, the other basketball and rugby union.

One experimented with drugs, the other didn't. As hard as we fought against the drugs the worse they became. In the end we stepped back and let him reach rock bottom and were there to pick up the pieces and help him rebuild his life...and one day he apologised for the stress he had put us through.

Both gave up their career paths and tried other work options.  One travelled and spent 5 years doing trapeze at Club Med,came home,  worked in a series of dead end jobs until he finally landed a film editing job with an advertising company, and it was a joy to my ears to hear him say "I really love my job". The other travelled for a few months, then came home and went back to school to study sound engineering. He hasn't yet found his niche in the world but I have every faith he will. For now he has a well paid job with responsibilities but I know at some point he will work where his passion is - music. 

One brought a series of girls home, the other brought only one girl home..and they dated for some months before he introduced her to us. Both are happily settled in relationships with lovely young women.

We taught them to make their own school lunches at 12, do their own laundry at 15. They learnt to cook by spending time in the kitchen with me. Both are great cooks. One cooks Asian style, the other Mediterranean. We taught them budgeting by giving them a monthly allowance which included buying their own clothes.

I'm sorry to say one of them has seen the inside of a police cell. I don't know what he was thinking when he sent off an email to a multi national telecommunications company complaining about their internet speed and threatening to blow up their head office. Having a car load of police knock on your door with a search warrant to look for explosives is not something I ever want to experience again. Fortunately New Zealand, where we were living at the time, has a Diversion scheme  and after going through the court system he does not have a criminal record.

A friend who is a child phsycologist refused to have a dishwasher in his house.  He said doing the dishes with your child is a really good talking opportunity. Dishes have always been a man's job in our house. Our family celebrations always end with the boys and their father  in the kitchen stacking the dishwasher and chatting...and I love they help without being asked.

Our family is not perfect. Is any family? As parents we do the best we can. We all set out to  raise our children to become good citizens. We teach them right from wrong, to respect others and be true to themselves. ...and we love them unconditionally. What they do with those lessons is their decision. We can only hope they make the right decisions and choices.

I am enormously proud of the men my boys have become.

I love the caring they show their partners.

I love they ring or Skype me just to say hi.

I love they still greet their Dad with a hug and kiss.

I love when they discuss with me a Malaysian curry or a Creme Anglaise.

I love they have friends from different cultures.

I love they don't consider their gay friends to be any different from their straight friends.

I love their senses of humour.

I love spending time with them.

 I love my boys men.

 

 

 

 

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.

Escaping The Beach For The Country

Lately I've been having some incredible good luck. Like winning a weekend at Freestyle Escape, a gorgeous house on the ridge at Mapleton.

Such stunning views from the sea of windows across the front of the house.

We arrived  mid morning and immediately set the table and opened the wine for a long lunch.

Lunch was followed by a couple of hours on the couch  watching Love Actually.  Pre dinner we opened the champagne and nibbled on canapes before our chef arrived to demonstrate and cook us dinner.

We splashed out on my favourite  vintage champagne.

Bryan and I enjoying a glass before dinner.

Part of our prize included a meal cooked by Sally from Taste Trekkers. We got to choose the style and I selected Vietnamese.

Sally did most of the work while we looked on, tasting as we went. Occasionally we stepped up to the bench to make a dipping sauce and roll our own Vietnamese rolls.

Here are a few dishes from the evening.

Bun Thit Nuong (char grilled pork with vermicelli salad)

Tom Rim (prawns in tomato, fish sauce and black pepper)

Che Khoai Mon (sticky black rice pudding) served with Nuoc Cot Dua (sweetened coconut cream) and fresh fruit.

....and just to make sure we slept really well, a long relaxing soak in the enormous bath over looking  the night time view.  The bath is so big it seats two comfortably. Each of the 2 main bedrooms has it's own ensuite with  this view.

Sunday morning was a little overcast and we set off for a walk, only to return 10 minutes later to wait out the rain. After a lunch of last nights leftovers we finally managed a little exercise.

 
...and on our last morning we cleaned out the fridge and  made Bruschetta for breakfast.

A delightful weekend, shared with our lovely friends, Jenny and Mark visiting  from New Zealand, and Janet, The Old Foodie .

My prize also included massages from Ripple Massage but as my boys and their partners were unable to come with us I'm treating them to the massages.

Thank you  @Rippleali  @Dessertboy and @snackqueen  for pulling my name out of the hat for your Twitter promotion

I Have A Date With This Chef Tonight

I'll tell you more about it tomorrow.

Hope For Haiti Raffle

Would you like to win this book?

You can by making a donation for the H2OPE for Haiti raffle organised by Jeanne at Cooksister. 

I have donated the book UNDERSTANDING CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHY by Bryan Peterson.

Suitable for photographers, this book shows how to capture subjects in innovative fresh ways - from animals and plants, to objects found in the kitchen, the supermarket, even the local tip. It offers information on equipment, exposure, light and composition.

The following links will tell you the background to  H2OPE for Haiti and how you can help by purchasing a raffle ticket. The code for this prize is HFH09

1.    A full  list of the prizes.

2.     How you can donate and purchase a raffle ticket.

3.    The charity that will benefit from this raffle.

4.    The cost of each raffle ticket is approx GBP6.50 (approx US$10, AU$11)

5.    All information about the raffle  is available at Cooksister.

Thank you for your support. The raffle runs from 21 - 28 February. How many tickets would you like?

Protecting Your Images

There was a time when when you could leave your house unlocked and know no one would enter and steal your possessions.  Things change and now most of us lock our houses to protect our possessions.

There was a time when you could leave your car unlocked on the street and know it would still be there when you got back. Things change and now you not only lock your car, you install an alarm.

There was a time when you could post a photo on your blog and know no one would steal  it. Things change and now you need to protect your images from the thieves.  It doesn't matter how much you bitch about it, you won't change the behaviour of the thieves who steal your images. You need to find a way to make it difficult for them to take something that doesn't belong to them.

Here are a few links with some suggestions of how you can protect your images.

About.com

Go Daddy

Digital Photography School

But as they say the only way to stop an image being used without your permission is not to put it on the internet in the first place.

The Sunshine Award

Kat, who writes about her life in Japan at  Our Adventures in Japan has awarded me the  Sunshine Award . Please drop by her blog to see the 11 other bloggers who also received Sunshine Awards. Thank you Kat.

Things To Say To your Children

Today I was looking  through boxes for a photo when I  came across this Good Parent Litany. The paper is old and yellow, and I remember cutting it from a magazine when my boys were tiny. With so many new babies born to food bloggers recently, and more    on the way, I thought some parents out there might find it strikes a cord.

Say to your children

I love you.

I'll take care of you.

You're special to me.

I want you.

You can trust me.

I'll always be here for you.

It's not what you do, but who you are that I love.

You don't have to be afraid anymore.

My love will make you well.

I'm proud of you.

You can trust your inner voice

Sometimes I'll say no to you and that's because I love you.

I thought I'd share these photos.  Why is it so hard to get two kids posing perfectly for the one photo. I can't believe Bryan and I were so young....with my '80's hairdo and Bryans '80's moustache.

A Short Break

Happy Holidays

This Is George

He is an Australian chef and judge of the TV show Masterchef Australia. George is my project for December. As the month progresses I'll be sharing more about  George.

In 2004, the Global Food and Wine Magazine voted George one of the Top 40 Chefs of Influence in the World. An internationally successful restaurateur, George owns three restaurants in Melbourne and one in Mykonos, Greece. His flagship Melbourne restaurant, The Press Club, was recently awarded The Age Good Food Guide 'Best New Restaurant 2008' with George named 'Chef of the Year 2008'.

As a boy, George Calombaris says he was tied to his mother’s apron strings. These days, the ties have loosened but his Greek heritage is still very much the driving force in his life and career.

His most recent venture, Hellenic Republic, is more like a Greek tavern, offering simple, robustly-flavoured dishes that are more traditional in their approach.

Did you know he has complained about bloggers?  He is reported to have said '"Bloggers have no idea about restaurants. They've got no idea how they're run.' 

I cannot find the original Sun Herald article online but the full quote  is here with a response  to the quote, from a Melbourne blogger.

If only George had said "Some bloggers."  Read enough blogs and you will see there are a handful or more of bloggers who do write excellent restaurant reviews and then there are bloggers who have no idea bout writing a review. There are also newspaper restaurant critics who write excellent reviews and some who have no idea how to write a review.

Today I'm Thankful For

Earlier this week a Facebook entry from Jen  at use real butter mentioned she would daily post (through to the end of November) something she was thankful for. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in this part of the world but I thought it was a nice idea.  I'm posting my thankfulness over at Facebook each day and will also post here until the end of the month.

What are you thankful for today?

DAY 14

This is my final thank you post for this meme. Thank you to everyone who left comments and showed their support. I'm thankful you are all in my life. I ♥ you all.

DAY 13

This thankful post is possibly the most difficult to write. How do you say thank you to the person who has been there for the past 37 years, through thick and the thin, the ups and downs, the good and the bad? How do you put into words how the last 5 years have been made bearable by having that person by your side? How do you say thank you to the one who makes you laugh when it's the last thing you feel like doing, who accepts you for who you are and loves you unconditionally. Thank you Bryan, I love you.

 

DAY 12

I am thankful for my children Chris and Michael. Being a mother is one of the most challenging and satisfying choices one can make. Teenage boys can cause enormous stress but when they become loving, well rounded young men you realise you did okay at parenting. I am also grateful to Diane and Barb, our AFS host daughters who allow me to be their to be their second Mum.

DAY 11

  I'm thankful for my family, especially my sister who works, is a mother to two teenagers and still finds time to do all the running around for my mother.

DAY 10

I am thankful for friends. Old friends, new friends, friends I've known forever, new friends I've met through blogging, forgotten friends who came back into my life 5 years ago to offer their help. For your unconditional love and support I thank you all.

DAY 9

I'm thankful for everyone that fought for both gender and racial equality. There is still a long way to go before we are all considered and treated as equal.... but there has been a huge improvement in what was once acceptable.

DAY 8

I'm thankful for Harry Krinks. Harry died in WW1. He was my Grandmother's first husband. Had he not died, my Grandmother would not have married my grandfather, my mother would not exist and I would not be here.....and you would not be reading this.

DAY 7

  I'm thankful for the passion I have for certain things in life. Passions may change as we grow but I'll always be grateful for the knowledge and friends I have made through my passions. How boring life would be without passion.

DAY 6

I'm thankful I can afford to eat what I want when I want. I can only imagine how tough life is for those peope who live in a place of poverty or famine. I've experienced being unable to sleep because I was hungry, but too sick to eat. I knew there would be an end to it and I'd eat normally again. Those that go to bed hungry because they live in poverty or famine don't have that privilige.

DAY 5

  I'm thankful for the winemakers of the world. Especially the ones who use their talent to create an idividual wine full of complex tastes and aromas. If wine drinkers only drank quality wine, winemakers wouldn't be forced to produce the cheap commercial wines demanded by supermarkets and liquor chains.

DAY 4

  I'm thankful for laughter. When I completed my chemo four months ago I suffered depression. It felt like 80% of my day, every day, was spent in depression. I began to think I'd never feel happy again. Slowly I came through it. Just this week I noticed I was experiencing maybe only 20% of my entire week feeling depressed. And best of all I was laughing again.

DAY 3

I'm thankful for all the writers, artisits, musicians, photographers and film directors in the world. They make me laugh, they make me cry, they make me think. I am grateful for the joy and inspiration they bring to my life.

DAY 2

I'm thankful I walked the Camino de Santiago. Walking 6 hours a day gives you so much time to think and contemplate life. I learnt such a lot about myself and realised it is the people I meet and the joys I experience are the things that are important to me.

DAY 1

I'm thankful for my oncologist who convinced me to give chemo another go.

We Will Remember Them

11.00AM 11th November

Armistice Day    Remembrance Day    Veterans Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

By John McCrae

The poppy became a symbol of remembrance .  It was the only thing that grew on the fields at Flanders. It brought life, hope, colour and reassurance to those still fighting.

Bits and Pieces

Today I turned my camera to manual. It has been on auto for the past 10 months. With help from the White on Rice photography series I will improve.

I'm cleaning out my freezer and made a clafoutis with some frozen cherries. I use the Julia Child recipe with a few changes. I preheat the pan before adding the frozen fruit and mixture and bake it for around 35 minutes.

A TASTE OF YELLOW

Earlier  this year I excitedly posted about a cook book from the Taste Of Yellow event. Unfortunately being a new mother has prevented Sara at Whisk and Needles from progressing with this.  Thank you to everyone who gave permission for their entries to be used. I'm sorry there was not a response to your emails.

A FEW FREEBIES I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU

A selection of Beerenberg Sauces I received several weeks ago.

Asian Dressing - I wasn't keen on this and gave it  to Chris. He liked it.

Teriyaki Grill Sauce - suggested use is in stir fries but we tried it over some dried fried rice and enjoyed it.

No1 Asian Plum Sauce - also excellent in stir fries. I added it to a stir fry of beef, red pepper and asparagus.

Hamburger Relish - I could eat this straight from the jar with a spoon.

FREEBIE BOOKS

Knit the Season is the third book from the  Friday Night Knitting Club series by  Kate Jacobs.  I had read the first book in the series but missed out on the second, Knit Two. The series focuses on family bonds and friendships.  I found it to be an enjoyable light read.

The Food Of A Younger Land is more my type of book. It's been out for some months but I wasn't up to reading when I received it. I prefer non fiction to fiction and I'm a big Mark Kurlansky fan. At a book signing in Auckland several years ago a long and impatient queue formed behind me as we chatted about his book The Basque History of the World. 

The Food of a Younger Land is a collection of essays written before fast food restaurants and frozen food when American's ate seasonal, regional and traditional foods. Mark Kurlansky has chosen a selection of the writings from the Federal Writers Project of the 1930's. The book is arranged in regions and features some recipes.

It is the type of book best stored by your bedside table to dip in and out of as the mood takes.

Champagne Celebration

 

Yay. I've finished chemo.......and I celebrated with champagne.  A big glass of Veuve Cliquot champagne.....my favourite non vintage champagne.

I shared it with Bryan and some friends, George and Bobby, visiting from New Zealand. It was all the more special because Bobby kicked cancer in the butt 10 years ago. Bobby was one of the first people I rang when I was diagnosed 5 years ago. I needed to talk with someone who understood and who had a positive outlook.... thank you Bobby for being there for Bryan and I these past 5 years.

It was also nice to share my celebration with some blogging friends who joined me virtually by celebrating in there own special  way. Jen at  Use Real Butter, who has her own cancer story, wrote a beautiful post and invited others to join me in my celebration. Thank you Jen and thank you to everyone who joined the celebrations.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.....food bloggers are the nicest people in the world. I appareciate the support you have given me these past 5 years.

I don't usally discuss my cancer treatment but I will share with you that my oncologist is extremely pleased with the results of my CT Scan taken this week.  As hard as the chemo was results like that make it worth it.

My tastebuds haven't quite returned to normal yet but hopefully they soon will. I'm so looking forward to cooking and blogging again. I've missed you all.

A Little Break

I need a little break. After 6 months of chemo and with  6 more weeks still to cover some of the side affects are proving challenging.  I need all my energy to get through my final 3 sessions. I've attempted to blog a couple of times a week by cooking and photographing on my good days to cover my bad days.

One of my main challenges is I have no appetite.  As much as I am still reading cookbooks and watching the Food Channel eating just does not appeal. At the moment  I'm living on canned spaghetti and green grapes.

You would not believe how much I look forward to cooking again.  I am missing it as much as I miss my appetite.

I will occasionally TWEET on Twitter and you can follow me there as @winosandfoodies . I have a lock on my twitter name and you will need my permission to follow me.  I'm more than happy for other food and wine  lovers to follow me.

Thank you to everyone who has visited and  left comments recently. It is always wonderful to  hear from you all.  I'm sorry I haven't been up to replying.

See you in a few weeks.

My Kitchen

 

Come into my kitchen.......................................

See more pictures of my kitchen over at Use Real Butter.  Over the next few weeks Jen is doing a feature on food bloggers kitchens. I'm up first along with Figs, Lavender and Cheese.  I'm looking forward to seeing  the  kitchens of some of my favourite bloggers.