A brief conversation earlier this week reminded me of something that Fred Savage, a.k.a. Kevin Arnold, said in one of my favourite TV shows, The Wonder Years (1988-93). 'Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you're in diapers; the next day you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.'
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'Cut a lemon and taste its juice — it's as though the sun is exploding on the surface of your tongue.' — Stefano Manfredi on lemons, Seasonal (Fairfax, 2007)
'In Sicily I came to relish the digestive Limoncello, taken at the end of a meal. It is made by steeping lemon peel in alcohol spirit for fifteen days and then blending with sugar syrup. My head rested peacefully on the pillow with the scent of lemons in my nostrils and a vision in my mind of citrus orchards glistening in the sun'.
— Kevin Donovan, Salute! Food, Wine and Travel in Southern Italy If you find it hard to believe that fruit and vegetables can suffer the indignity of fashion trends — particularly here in Australia — take a look at blood oranges. Ruby-fleshed blood oranges were popular in Australia back in the 1920s — that is, until they went out of fashion. So much so, in fact, that most growers removed the trees. Fortunately they have made a comeback and Australian orchardists are now growing blood oranges in quantity. 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! Exquisite, exotic, enhancing — a splash of lime juice and sprinkle of lime zest adds a fresh dimension, lovely scent and piquant flavour to all kinds of food and drinks. Peter and I adore limes and always seem to have at least half a dozen on our fruit platter. One of my favourite treats is a double layered lime slice. Rather than being a flamboyant Carmen Miranda of cakes, it's more an exquisite little Audrey Hepburn. 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! 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! 'Remember how we had to do square dancing in school?,' Peter and l laughed as we asked the same question of each other at exactly the same moment! We were watching a program featuring actress Caroline Quentin visiting Loch Lomond and the Trossachs in the South West of Scotland. She was learning to dance the Scottish Cèilidh or Kaley and, although it looked like great fun, it reminded both of us how much we had disliked the dancing classes when we were still in school. |
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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