SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK
Last weekend was a long weekend in Western Australia . It’s a holiday to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. It’s an example of Australian pragmatism, as the Queen’s actual birthday is 21st April, when we celebrate other significant events, such as ANZAC Day. So, this year we celebrate the Queen’s birthday on 28th September. Usually it is in October to coincide with the beginning of the school holidays.
My Mother ( in the plaid skirt) with her parents and sister, 1949
My family are celebrating a more significant birthday this week. It is my Mother’s 89th birthday. She has been celebrating for a week already, with her gym friends, other friends with birthdays around the same date and family members.
At the farm with my brothers and me, 1959.
My Mother lives about two hours away down south and she is coming to stay for a few days. Our son is flying down from Kalgoorlie and my brother and sister in law will travel from the country, too, so we will all meet for lunch in the Swan Valley.
My parents outside their local church, St Nicholas, the smallest Anglican Church in Western Australia. 2009
Many Happy Returns, Mum!
MAKING
Every few days I make a 100% rye sourdough loaf. I make it in this shape as it is easier to slice a standardized piece. Not as beautiful as a rustic boule, but it tastes very good. This one is plainer than usual as I forgot to slash the top after its final rise. The whole process takes two days from “waking” the mother/starter to eating the bread but is worth the time and effort involved.
COOKING
We are enjoying a bumper crop of asparagus this year. The shops have lots of it and it is a good price. Was our asparagus exported previously? I steam it and serve it with butter and black pepper.
GROWING
This dear little savoy cabbage is growing from a kitchen scrap. Instead of chopping the core and putting it out for the worms, I planted it. Within days little leaves began to appear. I have grown celery and bok choy from kitchen scraps this year and both seem to regenerate at least twice. Very frugal! Also very handy.
Starting heirloom tomatoes in mini greenhouses, aka strawberry punnets. Easy to keep moist and I leave the lid shut on dull or cold days. They need to be a bit bigger before I plant them in pots.
CLEANING
I’ve been wearing these shoes on and off for about three years. They’re spring shoes; not as heavy as boots and not open toed like sandals. They had become scruffy. Scrubbed them with soap and a toothbrush and covered the marked leather using a grout pen! It has done a very good job.
EATING
Took the train into the City to do some jobs and had Japanese food for lunch. Two of us shared this delicious treat, followed by coffee and cake from an Italian shop. Very satisfying.
This week is INTERNATIONAL COFFEE WEEK.
Launched six years ago in Milan, I think we should celebrate everything coffee, too, so raise your macchiato, espresso or cappuccino and toast the coffee bean. Love the history, the flavour, the versatility and the aroma plus the sociability of a cup of coffee. Or coffee walnut loaf, coffee flavoured cupcakes or a coffee roll. Interestingly, caffeine is the new “go to” ingredient in skincare.
Today we acknowledge the coffee farmers of the world, those hard working men and women creating and sustaining strong communities in Ethiopia, Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia, India and Nicaragua. These communities are supported in their work creating sustainable and stable communities with developing educational systems by the Rainforest Alliance, the Fair Labour Association, Fairtrade International, Technoservice, the Pur Project and the Federacion Nacional de Cafeterios.