Salsa Verde and Junk Food

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salsa verde

Do you still have an abundance of herbs? Me too. Last week we were enjoying PESTO made from fresh herbs and garlic plus extra virgin olive oil. This week I’m making SALSA VERDE. You’ll need flat leaf parsley, mint, and basil plus capers, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. You’ll end up with a versatile, delicious, classic sauce.

Gather some basil, mint and parsley, add garlic, extra virgin olive oil, some capers, a lemon and some anchovies. (Don’t worry if you don’t like anchovies, the flavour is not strong once they have been amalgamated with the other ingredients.) I used curly parsley as that is what I had but I prefer flat leaf parsley for this sauce.

To make salsa verde, called green sauce by the English and sauce verte au pain ( because it was originally a bread sauce) by the French, you need 4 tbspn flat leaf parsley, 1 tbspn chopped mint, 2 tbspn chopped basil, 2 tbspn chopped capers, 2 drained anchovies, 1 peeled garlic clove, 1 tbspn Dijon mustard, juice of half a lemon and 1oo ml extra virgin olive oil. Also 25ml extra virgin olive oil if you plan on keeping it for a few days.

I mix the first six ingredients in a food processor until they’re roughly chopped then add the rest and mix until combined.

Purists and sensible people, who obviously refrain from eating all their salsa verde in a few days, store it in the fridge in a jar with a slick of olive oil (the extra olive oil in the ingredients list) We never keep it very long!

I have both pesto and sasla verde in the fridge so I planned a ‘make your own’ pasta dinner for tonight. I prefer both served close to room temperature so I put them out to warm an little. I cooked the pasta while I was setting a selection of tomato salsa, salsa verde, pesto, leftover bolognese sauce plus mozzarella di bufala and sheeps pecorino. Quick and easy and used up things I already had in the fridge.

I have used a lot of herbs from the garden recently as they are near the end of their season. Both the parsley and basil are going to seed, the mint needed tidying up, the spring onions needed sorting out and the chives are going to seed, too. Normally I snip the flowers off the basil to promote a longer picking season, but they’re getting a bit leggy, so I let the flowers dry out then rub them between my hands. Tiny black seeds fall out. It’s hard to really separate the tiny seeds from the broken up bits of dried flowers so I remove what I can and leave the rest. The seeds are put in an envelope, labeled and replanted later in the year. I keep the seeds I collect in recycled envelopes or paper bags in the garage where it is dry and cool.

the problem with junk food

A recent article on ABC online (here) outlines the problems with junk food consumption. It defines junk food as a broad range of ready to eat products, such as packaged baked goods, chips, lollies, instant noodles, some ready meals, soft drinks, sweetened cereals and packaged snacks. Junk food is food that has undergone significant chemical modification to enhance texture, taste, appearance and longevity.

Image Pixabay

Recently, junk foods were reviewed by Australian and international institutions. They considered 45 previous studies published during the last three years. Nearly 10 million participants were monitored in these studies. Analyzing this data revealed strong evidence that consuming ultra processed food can result in 32 different health problems. Junk food consumers are at a higher risk of both physical and mental poor health and death.

Image Pixabay

The risks listed from consuming junk food included cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental health disorders and early death. The article doesn’t include specific cause and effect data, but the advice continues to recommend we avoid these foods. We all knew ultra processed foods aren’t good for us. There is probably a hint in the name ‘junk food.’

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Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, Food and the Garden

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gong xi fa ci

Image Pixabay

Happy Chinese New Year to you! It’s the year of the Wood Dragon. Although we no longer exchange red envelopes with friends’ children, I still remember the specialties we ate to celebrate the event and the lion dancers. Probably the most memorable part of living in China and celebrating Chinese New Year were the fireworks and the constant crackers exploding all night! Lots of drums and lots of fireworks.

Image Pixabay

Dragons are charismatic, ambitious and successful. May the Year of the Dragon bring you courage, success and prosperity!

valentine’s day

Image Pixabay

We’ve been a bit overwhelmed by advertisements for Valentine’s Day gifts and treats. Lingerie, perfume, jewellery and clothing feature for women and it seems men fancy alcohol, new clothes and camping gear. Frightening inflation hasn’t resulted in lower cost gifts, though, as some of the advertised suggestions are very expensive. And a flash dinner out seems de rigueur, too.

Normally I make a card for the occasion and bake a heart shaped cake. My mother in law gave me the heart shaped cake tin and I traditionally make a chocolate cake. We can’t eat a cake in a few days so it becomes dessert with icecream.

Searched through Michael Greger’s excerpt, referred to below, looking for the paragraph about how good chocolate is for your well being and there’s nothing!

One slice of this chocolate cake is enough!

and other food

Also made a pot of dahl after reading an excerpt from Michael Greger’s book,’ How Not To Age: The Scientific Approach to Get Healthier As you Get Older.’ Science shows that every 20% increase in intake of legumes will reduce your risk of death by about 8%. I really want to be healthy and mobile, so made dahl. We enjoyed it and I’ll make it again.

He also states that nut consumption is associated with a lower risk of dying from heart attack, stroke, respiratory disease, infections, diabetes, even cancer. All you need is around 15-20gm of walnuts, cashews, almonds a day, but says walnuts are probably the best. He says eating a small amount of these nuts every day is the equivalent in longevity terms of jogging for four hours. Easy health tip!

Really delicious but next time I’ll up the garam marsala for a bit more punch.

Luckily, coffee is good for you as are many spices but salt isn’t, and alcohol gets a bad wrap! Greger refers to the latest science from over 700 data sources, which…’unambiguously concluded “The safest alcohol level of drinking is none.”‘ Drinking chamomile tea gets a big tick. Research indicates people who drank a small cup of chamomile after their meals for a few months showed a significant improvement in long term blood sugar control. The other effect of chamomile tea mentioned is improved mood and sleep. I’ll start drinking chamomile after dinner tonight. Keen on good sleep.

Also made a jar of Easy Fruit and Nut Bliss Ball mix, a lovely Christmas present. The label says, ‘Roll me. Mix Me. Eat Me.’ So we did as we were told!

Emptied the jar into the mixer, added some oil and mixed. Rolled into ball shapes and put in the fridge to firm up. Tasty little treats.

Little treats made of almonds, walnuts, dried apricots, pistachio, coconut and dried goji berries. Easy to make and very easy to eat!

A week ago, I cooked a huge number of chicken balls and froze most of them. They have been a life saver when we have arrived back from Bunbury keen on dinner but not really keen on cooking. I leave a bowl full in the fridge to thaw while we are away. Tonight we ate eating some with a Teriyaki sauce and noodles. So good, so easy.

Made teriyaki sauce while the noodles boiled and the thawed chicken balls heated.

Also eating tomatoes still warm from the garden, with finely chopped red onion drizzled with balsamic vinegar and then a scattering of basil. Perfect.

garden things

I pick about seven tomatoes a day. They are not cherry sized nor usual sized tomatoes but somewhere in between. They taste so good. The scorching sun burns some of them as they get morning and afternoon sun and the daily temperatures are 40ºC ( 104º F ) and more. The soil bakes during the day and the mulch breaks down quickly. I have made three trugs of horse manure, potting mix and bentonite clay ( for water retention) all mixed together and will begin top dressing the entire garden in the cool of the evening.

Doesn’t look so appetizing but I think the garden will love it! Horse manure, bentonite and potting

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Making, Cooking and Growing

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making

Some time ago I made covers for some of the tissue boxes around the house. I made the covers from delivery boxes (here) then covered them to suit the area where they would be placed. The tissue box in the kitchen is in constant use and was showing a lot of grubby marks! The stains could not be removed using a wet cloth so time to recover.

The original cover was black and white zebra print paper. I was unable to remove the unidentified stains.

The black and white pattern suited where the tissues sit so I stayed with the black and white theme. I had to cover one side and the top, then the second side as I wanted the print to be the right way up. Then I cut two rectangles for either end.

I cut a cross into the piece covering the oval hole in the top. Then I trimmed it and snipped the little edges. Glued each one pressing the edge to create a perfect oval shape.

The previous zebra print cover had been sealed with Mod Podge but this certainly didn’t prevent staining. This time I used diluted PVA glue applied with a foam brush. Time will tell how effective that has been.

I chose black and white gift wrap for the new cover as this fits well with the other items nearby and I already had it. It is an Emma Bridgewater design called Black Toast. I have collected a lot of crockery in this design over the years and am making a point of using it regularly.

cooking

Poached Eggs Arriving back in Perth late in the evening after a few days visiting my Mother more than two hours away I looked in the fridge. I was hoping for something quick and easy for dinner but no such luck. Decided poached eggs on toast would have to do this time. This is how I poach eggs. Take two large mugs and half fill them with boiling water from the kettle. Add a splash of vinegar. Gently crack an egg into each mug then microwave on full for 90 seconds. Meanwhile, make two pieces of toast. (I spread pesto on mine!) Place the toast on a plate and gently remove the cooked eggs from the mugs using a slotted spoon. Slide onto the toast. Grind of pepper and some salt. A couple of tomatoes from the garden. Delicious.

Sourdough Bread. Articles about sourdough bread always show gorgeous rustic boules, but I like fairly regular slices. For years I have baked my bread in a parchment lined, rectangular glass Pyrex dish. Then I bought a double walled metal bread baking tin. Cooked at the usual temperature and for the same time, the loaf from the tin was more golden all over and beautifully cooked. So now I will use the tin to cook my bread.

KNIVES I have a rack of kitchen knives and like to keep them very sharp. One of my jobs was to soak the whet stone and then sharpen and wash the knives. Also bought a new bread knife but it has been a huge disappointment so I’m back using the semi-blunt one. Seeking a new knife. Any recommendations?

growing

I regularly apply Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate) to my gardenia bushes. They are healthy and well established. They are covered in blooms twice a year. I mention their health and generous blooms because I just read on the packet the Epsom Salt came in that it should be diluted in 4 litres of water then poured around the base of the bushes. For about thirteen years I have scattered the salt around stems, then watered them, so not the recommended way to use Epsom Salts but no damage so far!

Other uses listed on the packet include relieving sore or tired muscles, soothe aching joints, fabric softener and general plant nutrient. For tomatoes, citrus and lettuce the recommended dose is 25 tablespoons of salt dissolved in 4 litres of water then sprayed on the plants when it is cool. If you’re applying Epsom Salt to remedy magnesium deficiency in the soil, dissolve 2 tablespoons in 4 litres of water. Make sure the salt is dissolved. Magnesium Sulphate is also used in flotation tanks instead of sodium chloride.

The gardenias have thrived on wrongly applied Epsom Salt.

A quick review of the common uses of Epsom Salt just before I posted revealed many more uses, such as a warm bath with added Epsom Salts just before bed aids sleep, it reduces the swelling of sprains and bruises and helps reduce swollen feet and draw out splinters. The list continues with using diluted ES to treat insect bites and bee stings and spray it on sunburn. Interestingly, 1 tablespoon of ES diluted in 1 litre of water poured around the base of tomato bushes results in more fruit. Have I missed anything?

Regular readers know I am growing a tomato forest. These mid-sized fruit taste so good and we often eat them before they get inside. For years I read about people who weigh every tomato and calculate their harvest at the end of the season but I’m just keeping a tally of how many tomatoes we pick.

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Post Christmas Occupations

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post christmas

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

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

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

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

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

marbling

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

A newly covered journal with a marbled back end paper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

VERY BEST WISHES FOR A

HAPPY and HEALTHY

NEW YEAR!

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Cherries and Other Christmas Things

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TECHNOLOGY and ME

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

CHERRIES

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

This bowl of cherries didn’t last long!

The fountain in the portico is decorated.

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

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

RUMBALLS

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

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

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

TOMATOES

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

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

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

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

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

MENDING

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

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

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

SQUEEZING LEMONS

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

He is very pleased with it.

BEFORE, the old way.

NOW, the new way!

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

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Jacarandas, Tomatoes and Some Other things

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JACARANDAS

Years ago when I began teaching at a new school, the Principal was showing me around. Near the decking outside my new classroom was a magnificent jacaranda tree. The tree was totally covered in flowers as was the deck under it. I admired the tree, saying it was beautiful. I was told most crisply that I wouldn’t feel that way if I had to clean up under it!

I still really like jacaranda trees. There are many around here, but to really enjoy them en masse we go for a drive to Applecross, Ardross and Attadale over the other side of the river. So many mature jacarandas in full bloom. Some of them are very old as my Mother went to school in this area and she remembers planting some of them on Arbor Day as a small child. She is now 92. So pretty.

The jacaranda is not native to Australia but comes from South America.

tomatoes

Nothing tastes as good as freshly picked, home grown tomatoes. I’ve had great crops over the years, but more recently I’ve had to share the bounty with the river rats. In an attempt to enjoy our fair share I have all sorts of cages and protective frames to keep the tomatoes safe.

My Mother’s tiny tomatoes taste wonderful. She kept me some which I brought back and squashed onto a piece of paper towel, spreading the seeds. Left them to dry out until it was time to plant. Cut the sheet of paper towel into six pieces and buried a square in each pot, covered them with potting mix and watered regularly.

Seedlings germinated in five of the six pots. What happened in the sixth pot? I have no idea! When the seedlings developed four leaves I transplanted them, mostly two in a pot, leaving a week between re-potting each lot of seedlings. I put two in each pot following the advice of a local gardening broadcaster who suggests pulling out the less vigorous seedling later. I can never do this, so end up with so many plants.

Soon I will plant some of the seedlings in their final beds, covered in protective cages, and share the others around. While I’m eagerly awaiting my own crop of tomatoes, I have bought some to try dehydrating them to mimic sun dried tomatoes. Using my son’s dehydrator, I sliced a couple of kilos of washed tomatoes and arranged them on the shelves of the dehydrator, turned it on to the recommended temperature and left it alone for nearly seven hours. I did turn the slices over half way through the process.

At that stage they felt dry so I put them in two jars with a clove of garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Left them to settle for two days then tried them. Very, very good! The tomatoes taste wonderful after soaking in the oil with just the lightest hint of garlic. The tomatoes really shrank during the drying process and only filled two jars. Five days later they are nearly all gone. If I have a glut of tomatoes I will do this again as they tasted very good!

Two jars from all those tomatoes, but the taste is worth it.

My lunch the other day; Italian bread, melted sheeps’ pecorino, sun (dehydrator) dried tomatoes, basil and black pepper. Wonderful.

other things

On the topic of tomatoes, I was asked if I peeled the cucumber before I sliced it to add to the tomatoes and bread in Panzanella Salad. No, after I’ve washed the cucumber I simply run a fork the full length from one end to the other, scoring the skin. Then I halve the cucumber longways before slicing it and adding to the salad. I seem to be making this salad on repeat, but we have been buying lots of bread and I don’t like wasting food. I have a large jar of breadcrumbs already and it’s a bit hot for bread and butter pudding, but just right for Panzanella Salad.

I have just completed a long overdue tidy of the two lower shelves of one half of the laundry cupboard. Many of the things stored on these two shelves were put there the day we moved in and not touched since. Our house took longer that expected to finish, we were under pressure to leave our rental, I had just begun working at a new school and had a student who’d had a full time assistant previously but funding cuts meant no help, all compounded by the Administration being temporarily accommodated in the area outside my classroom while their original area was extended. Constant noise! So I unpacked the necessities and forgot about other things.

Amongst all the ‘treasures’ I found was this wooden base.

It was the base of a wind up Christmas decoration. Overly wound up by a visiting child, it had stopped working and I couldn’t repair it. ( Now I would probably look on YouTube) The top part was thrown out, the base kept. I’d found a candle on the same shelf. It sat nicely on the existing screw in the base. I glued a piece of ribbon at the base of the candle, then glued the faux mistletoe and berry decoration I made a few weeks ago over the ribbon join.

Our first Christmas decoration is now on display.

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Phalaenopsis Orchids, Panzanella and Other Things

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A POT OF ORCHIDS

Cut back and tidied the roses after the most amazing flush of pink and red Pierre de Ronsards, red Father’s Love and yellow Holtemans Gold. Even the Glamis Castle, which I was going to dig out after it was decimated by chili thrip, has bounced back and had beautiful white flowers. No fresh flowers in the house presently, except alstromerias and a few pink Asiatic Lilies.

Decided on phalaenopsis ( moth) orchids to have on the table for the next few weeks. I bought a straight sided glass salad bowl from the op shop/ thrift shop plus three little brass drawer pulls from the hardware shop. Picked up orchid potting mix plus three white phalaenopsis orchids while I was there.

Glued the three drawer pulls on the base of the upended bowl using a clear multipurpose cement and left them to dry. Next day I planted the three orchids including most of their existing soil. Then I filled the rest of the bowl with orchid potting mix. The bowl sits on the table getting diffused light. The plants have settled well and each has had a new bud. When it gets hotter I will mound sphagnum moss on top of the existing soil to keep it moist.

PANZaNELLA

This traditional Tuscan salad is a way to use any leftover bread. Two days after a visit to a new Italian grocer, we had leftover bread and lots of it! I’ve made Panzanella before, using Jamie Oliver’s far more complex recipe, but as a fan of Nagi’s Recipe Tin Eats, (here) I decided to try her recipe. Both are good.

This is a traditional tomato and bread salad, requiring humble bread and seasonal tomatoes. This style of food, called ‘cucina povera’ or food for the poor, relies on beautiful tomatoes and rich olive oil for flavour, topped off with basil. Gather some stale bread, very ripe tomatoes, a cucumber, a handful of basil and, for the dressing, extra virgin olive oil, red or white wine vinegar ( I used red), Dijon mustard and crushed garlic and you’re ready to go! Use a French brand Dijon mustard for the flavour.

Nagi oven roasts her bread. I toasted slices of our leftover bread in the toaster then tore them into bite size pieces. Traditionally the bread is not toasted but, like Nagi, I find the soggy, lumpy bits of unroasted bread a bit unattractive. She drizzles olive oil on her bread before roasting it.

Quick, delicious and a great way to use up leftover bread this salad relies on very ripe tomatoes for flavour and moistness. Eat it when all the dressing is soaked up!

We really liked this salad, so I made it again. I oven roasted some leftover Italian bread, lightly drizzled with olive oil. I also added very thinly sliced red onion as I saw this in other recipes for this salad. Will do that again.

After a few hours, the bread has absorbed the tomato juices and the dressing and is really wonderful. Quick to make, full of fresh tomatoes, cucumber and basil and the best dressing.

So it’s no surprise I made another bowl of Panzanella two days later. This time I pulled apart an Italian loaf and roasted it in the oven, as directed in the recipe. The pieces of roasted bread were bigger than the toasted bread I’d used previously and absorbed more flavour. I’ll roast the bread next time, too, because there will be a next time!

Our new favorite salad, this time with oven roasted bread. Delicious.

OTHER THINGS

Our son came down from Kalgoorlie to spent the weekend here. It was my birthday. He gave me a lovely surprise! A new food processor which mixes, grates, slices and other clever things. I had to use it straight away, so made pastry. Very fast and mixes well. I really like the small rolling pin, too, and use it all the time. I commandeered it when my son stopped playing with Play Dough, so about 33 years ago. So versatile!

The pastry became the base for a quiche. I had lots of zucchini so I fried that with some bacon, then grated a variety of leftover cheeses ( Edam, Stilton and chilled Camembert, which grated well) added some eggs and a little Greek yoghurt and, viola, dinner. Served with some small boiled potatoes and some Panzanella salad. Dinner for two nights.

No recipe because it was just a mix of available ingredients. Only the pastry was made from a recipe!

OLIVE OIL CAKE

I did follow a recipe for the Olive Oil Lemon cake, from Jaclyn Crupi’s book, ‘Nonna Knows Best’. There’s definitely a Mediterranean influence to how we eat in Western Australia. We have access the best quality seasonal fruit and vegetables, plus very good wines and very good olive oil. We enjoy them all.

The cake also featured lemons. So many things I cook for about eight months of the year feature lemons and limes.

DID YOU KNOW?

There’s only 38 days until Christmas!

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Reading and Pottering

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Reading

Being restricted to large print books meant I explored a whole new area of the library in the past six months. I was surprised at the number of romances published in large print but also found some thrillers before almost totally gravitating to the non-fiction section. Found some great biographies. The latest was William Miller’s Gloucester Crescent : Me, My Dad and Other Grownups.

His mother was a doctor as was his father who was also known for being a famous satirist, opera director, documentary producer and writer. They lived in Gloucester Crescent (where the author and his family now live ) surrounded by other very relaxed, radical, left wing, anti-establishment, affluent, well known actors, producers, authors and philosophers.

William relates his story from age 11 to age 54 and it is quite amazing. His neighbours, including Alan Bennett*, have featured in their own books from this time and I have previously read several of them. Child rearing was pretty relaxed ( Miller says laissez faire) and the children drifted from one house to another. William doesn’t do well at school but years later ends up in a business partnership with Nigella Lawson, producing her television programs and merchandise. They had been childhood friends due many affairs, divorces, marriages and other arrangements resulting in shared holiday houses and some other pretty bizarre situations.

A record of a different time, it is fascinating to read about the over lapping lives of so many creative people such as Allan Bennett, John Cleese, Oliver Sacks, A.J. Ayers, the philosopher, Shirley Conran, VS Pritchett and a plethora of other famous people. I couldn’t put this book down but the minute I finished it my husband began reading it and is now recommending it to his friends.

* Allan Bennett Lady In The Van

* Nina Stibbes Love, Nina

pottering

I like painting and little craft projects requiring paper and glue. I have a serious collection of papers, card, paints, glues for all occasions and scissors, trimmers and lots of other useful things. I have been really restricted in what I can do because my eyesight was so poor. I haven’t painted for some months. I used to paint almost daily.

As the date for my eye surgery approached, I kept planning all the Christmas crafts I’d like to do as soon as I could see. Bought myself an Advent calendar from an office supply shop. Each of the 24 windows has an ‘arty’ surprise. I know it meant for Christmas but I really wanted some little activities I could do quickly and might not normally do.

The first treat, day 1, was a fine tipped gold pen. Now I can read the calendar I had a lovely time writing notes and reminders. Very pretty. My next surprise was oven cured clay. I used to make Christmas ornaments with the children at school using this product. There were two tiny blocks of clay, one red, one green, so, of course I made mistletoe. So easy, so sweet.

The next treat was a tube a green acrylic paint and straight away I thought of gum leaves. I don’t open a box every day because I have so many other things I want to do, now that I can, but it is a lot of fun. Anyway, as soon as I unscrewed the cap I knew gum leaves and that green wouldn’t work! The next box I opened two days later had a little canvas, so I used the green to paint a Christmas wreath and put it on a small easel.

I’ve cooked more spanikopita, too, not just because we really enjoyed the last lot but I’m trying to avoid food waste. I’ve bought phyllo pastry before, used it for one thing and put it back in the freezer. When I’ve suddenly thought I should use it the sheets had cracked on the folds and gone dry. Not good. I also buy the pastry you store in the fridge, now, not the freezer.

Still making this German version of potato salad. The cooked potatoes are doused in vinegar and turned regularly until it is all absorbed, then a dressing of vinegar, Dijon mustard and chopped fresh herbs is stirred through then it goes into the fridge until the next day. I use whatever herbs are in abundance in the garden.

At the moment I’ve got lots of chives. Until we lived in China for a few years chives didn’t really feature in our house, now I use them all the time. Same with ginger. I liked gingerbread, a little bit of ginger in some savoury dishes, but I didn’t use it very often. Now fresh ginger, preserved stem ginger, glace ginger and powdered ginger feature regularly. Same with chilies.

My Mother grows tiny, sweet cherry tomatoes from the seeds she collects at the end of the previous season. They explode in your mouth and taste like summer. I squashed two cherry tomatoes from her plant onto a paper towel and left them to dry. Later I prepared six little pots to bury the soaked, then cut up, paper towel and left them to see what happens. I like to get tomatoes going in small pots then plant them in a bed or a bigger pot. Then it’s me versus the water rats to see who will get the fruit. I have a big, chicken wire cage to protect the tomatoes. Very unattractive but does the job.

I really like my new gardening apron but didn’t have anywhere to hang it in the laundry. I wanted it near the back door. Our laundry is really small so I solved the problem by putting a hook inside a cupboard door just near the door going out into the garden. Perfect!

Out of the way but easy to grab on the way out the door. Perfect.

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Surgery, Spanakopita and Spring

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eye surgery

A week ago I had surgery on my left eye. I have keratoconis which means my corneas are not a lovely rounded shape, but ‘conical’ with a lumpy surface. Keratoconus is when the cornea gradually thins and bulges, resulting in distorted vision. First diagnosed when I was about 19 I have been able to maintain reasonable eyesight by first wearing hard contact lenses for over 20 years, then soft lenses for about 25 years and then scleral lenses for 18 months. Scleral lenses are hard, large lenses which rest on the sclera, the white part of the eye.

Eventually my failing eyesight stopped me driving, painting and a whole lot of other things you never think about until you can’t see well enough to do them. I waited three and a half months for an appointment with an ophthalmalgic surgeon who could improve my eyesight.

And he did! Even when I awoke from surgery with a plastic shield taped over my eye I knew my eyesight was greatly improved. It was so exciting! The next day he told me my eyesight would continue to improve for about a week. It has and I can see better than I can remember. This changes everything. Now I am crossing the days off until I have surgery on the other eye.

Gathered up a few of the pairs of spectacles I’ve used over the past three years, hoping they’d help me read. I might not need any of them in a few months when I have surgery on my other eye but I’ll keep them just in case!

spanakopita

A classic Greek recipe, Spanakopita used to be my ‘go to’ for work lunches and visiting vegetarians. I never followed a recipe very carefully but always liked it hot or cold. Then I found a good supply of goats feta at about the same time Nagi of recipetineats.com (here) published her recipe for Spanakopita. I use her cookbook Recipe Tin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi for inspiration when I don’t know what we’re having for dinner.

So I made a small dish (I’ll double the recipe next time) following her instructions. I’ve never added spring onions before nor lemon zest and juice, either, but will next time, too, as it added depth to the flavour. Nagi is a bit sniffy about using frozen spinach but that was what I had in the freezer and it tastes lovely. She suggests adding some grated cheese between the top layers of filo pastry, but I only had sheeps’ pecorino, which is very strong, so I omitted that step. Adding Greek yoghurt to the mix was new to me, too, but this is a very good pie so I’ll do it again.

I melted the weight of butter listed in the recipe for buttering the pastry but ended up with some left over. It didn’t matter as I knew we were having asparagus with dinner. I poured the melted butter into a glass dish, added the juice and zest of the leftover lemon from making the spanakopita and microwaved it to make a sauce for the asparagus. Delicious!

THe spring garden

The roses have been decimated by chili thrip for the past two years. So far this year the bushes are strong and healthy and blooming beautifully. We have had no humidity, so the thrip may hatch and reappear if it is hot and sticky, but in the meanwhile we are picking masses and masses of beautiful, scented roses.

These ceramic spheres were discoloured and the paint was chipping off. I previously wrote about scrubbing and sanding them ready to repaint and here’s the photo of the finished spheres, back in the garden. I forgot to add the photo of the finished spheres lurking under the hydrangeas!

Scrubbed then sanded to smooth chipped edges. This small sander is so useful for a multitude of jobs.

Now dry and ready to repaint.

Back in the garden.

other things

Needed a new bottle of Worcestershire Sauce during the week. It now comes in a plastic bottle. More plastic rubbish!

I’m a fan of magazines, especially those about architecture, interior design, gardens and food. Can’t believe how expensive they have become so subscriptions might have to be birthday and Christmas presents. Also deciding if I need quite so many. I think I do, especially now I can read then easily, again, rather than holding the page right up to my ‘better’ eye.

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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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