On the subject of dessert, what say you, my friends? If you ask me, there's always room for a little bit of dessert, especially if it's ice cream — and even more so if it's ice cream that's on the exotic side.
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'Oh my goodness,' exclaimed my friend. 'I couldn't possibly eat all that!' She was referring to the three large scoops of ice cream served in a tall martini glass. 'Just wait until you've tasted it,' I replied, with a knowing smile. All four of us watched as the spoon went into her mouth. One... two... three... 'Oh yum, that is really good, isn't it,' came the response, as my friend licked the spoon. Peter and I have been celebrating the bounty of new season Australian pears over the last few weeks. Indeed, pears have been on my shopping list every single day. I so enjoy slicing into one mid afternoon for a snack, knowing that it's going to be just perfect to eat. That slightly fragrant and delicately sweet fruit, ripe and succulent. Oh my! Even more so, I love teaming them with spices like vanilla, cinnamon, saffron or bay, transforming them into sublime desserts. Beautiful baskets spilling over with cumquats (a.k.a. kumquats) are on display at local market stalls during Winter through to early Spring. One time, I bought a bagful of freshly picked fruits from a little old Vietnamese lady selling them on the footpath in Sydney's Cabramatta. They were the best I'd ever tasted! 'An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it makes a better soup.' 'Speaking as someone who didn't go through the UK school system, with all the culinary baggage that entails, I am inordinately fond of custard in any shape or form.' - Yotam Ottolenghi on the rules of making custard Welcoming Australia's National Treasure, Margaret Fulton, to the cooking school on numerous occasions years ago was a real privilege and most memorable for me. For not only have I always admired Margaret's passion for cooking, but the dishes the lady prepared, and the gusto with which she prepared them, was nothing short of awesome! 'I remember a time not so very long ago when in a Western city you could as likely find kaffir limes or kaffir lime leaves as [you would] moon rocks!' It was raining on the morning that we arrived at Borrodell Vineyard, so our scheduled 'Heritage Apple Walk' had to be put on hold until after lunch at Sisters Rock restaurant. There were two courses. A sumptuous chicken salad followed by Bramley apple pie. We were dining in a restaurant in the midst of an orchard overlooking the spectacular Towac Valley on the outskirts of the city of Orange, renowned as the 'apple capital' of Australia. The apple pie was destined to be good. Doing my best to seem nonchalant, I looked on as a finely-dressed woman at the next table prepared to take her first mouthful of pie. She took her time, deliberately scooping up some of the crème anglaise, raspberry syrup and double cream, along with a chunk of the pie. She put the spoon with its contents into her mouth, closed her lips around it, shut her eyes, then smiled and nodded pleasurably. Be still my beating heart! From that sneak preview, the pie was very, very good, and I was already salivating! One of the things I miss greatly from my childhood is nuts in their shells. There were always walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds and Brazil nuts in my mother's kitchen, and as a family we would often sit together shelling nuts—for snacking on as well as preparing walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds for one of my mother's artisan cakes. |
Welcome...Üdvözölöm
Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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