Veal Shank and Vegetable Broth This weekend's snippet is a rustic, nourishing broth that my mother and father cooked for us kids, sometimes with a whole chicken and the giblets, instead of veal shanks. Their own parents, my grandparents on both sides, most probably cooked it for their children too. And their parents before them most likely taught the recipe to them. My son and daughter, and my sister's three children (and their children), and our partners, all refer to it as 'Nanna Soup'. Comfort food at its simplest.
Saturday SnapsI have very fond childhood memories of weekend outings to the Cotter Dam and Cotter River Reserve. My parents took the family for a picnic or barbecue almost every weekend for as long as I can remember. Even Zsa Zsa, our Dachshund, was bundled into the back seat of the vehicle (which was fun on one hand, but also a bit unfortunate, as the spoilt little dog would always pass wind whenever she travelled in a car.
The Cotter Dam and Reserve is closed to the public due to the enlargement of the dam project, which is currently underway, but Peter and I couldn't resist driving out there to catch a glimpse before the Autumn leaves drop for the season. We hiked to the Cotter Bend, listening to the call of yellow-tailed black cockatoos, and tried skimming stones from a footbridge (which we decided is easier for a ten year old). Next time we go, I'm taking a picnic rug, thermos of coffee and sandwiches! Care to tag along? Lamb Tagine with PrunesOn into the old city of Fez, where the streets of the medina, are so crowded we are pressed between the walls of houses and the saddlebags of donkeys, and the donkeys turn the eyes of the passers-by less than we do. Amazed at the visual richness of bare-torsoed men manning their pools of blue, red and saffron dyes in the Souk of the Tanners at the entrance, and the colour of the rugs, brassware, foods and myriad of wares in the medina, ... Our table is graced with beautiful tagines (simmered dishes), cooked and often presented in the cone-lidded, multicoloured pottery dish that bears the same name.
— Diane Holuigue Postcards from Kitchens Abroad (1999). Weekend Outing Autumn - a vignetteThe weekend. Autumn. Canberra, Australia. My home. A perfect day for a gentle walk after breakfast, where we were serenaded by a loyal Magpie who regularly visits. Our outing took us up the hill to Gubur Dhaura, the ochre site in Franklin, just a few hundred metres from our home. This beautiful site is significant to the Ngunnawal Aboriginal community and showcases both Aboriginal and European heritage in the region. This was followed by a country drive past the rolling hills of a local vineyard, spectacular in its Autumn brilliance. Enjoy. Tallagandra Lane
Copper dust and gravel fly as we ride roller-coaster into a sky bruised with blue black clouds blanketing ridges of spare ghost gums and paddocks deep viridian studded with bleating buttercups, lavender cottages and thickets of shadowed cypress. Through a windscreen sprinkled with raindrops we see languid countryside vivid on the promise of a storm suffused in all the richness of a childhood paintbox. © Me, myself and I.
There is a Lemon Fairy who visits my office. True. And she is such a sweetie! To my huge delight, often when I arrive at work, I find little golden Lemon Fairy gifts left next to my keyboard. And sometimes, the Lemon Fairy leaves a BIG bowlful of lemons in the tea room with a note saying 'Please help yourself'! The Lemon Fairy's tree must be lush and splendid, for I am told that it is sooooooooo heavily laden with fruit, that a branch actually broke clean off (due to the weight of the lemons) and tumbled to the ground. Oh, to have such a bounty in my own kitchen garden.
Passionfruit and Apple Witches' FrothHoney ANZAC Biscuits Allow me please to introduce the lovely Carmen Brown, a.k.a Honey Delight. Carmen and I first met at the Capital Region Farmer's Market in August last year; and Peter and I have been enjoying her honey ever since. Carmen is a third generation beekeeper, with an extensive farming heritage. Originally from north west NSW, Carmen's family were among the first farming settlers in the area. Carmen’s grandfather diversified into beekeeping in the 1920’s and the family continue the beekeeping tradition he started all those years ago. The family has over 3000 hives throughout NSW and southern QLD. Carmen’s interest in beekeeping has been lifelong and she and her husband, Todd, have hives in the Canberra area. You will find them and their honey at the Honey Delight stall at Canberra's Capital Region Farmer's Markets at EPIC every Saturday morning. In this Good Things guest post, Carmen shares with us a yummy recipe for her family's award winning Honey ANZAC biscuits. The images are copyright and courtesy of Carmen and Todd Brown. Spend more time with Carmen at the Honey Delight web site. Now, over to you, Carmen...
Thai Food Fair and Water Festival at Wat Dhammadharo Thai Temple Thai New Year (called Songkran Water Festival) is the most important annual festival for the Thai people. The Festival comprises of a Thai Food Fair, cultural and open house activities. Proceeds from the event go towards supporting the building project of Wat Dhammadharo Thai temple as a place for Buddhist education, culture and language for Thai and Australian communities. Peter and I visited the temple today for the event and here is a postcard vignette from our day out. From top left to right:
Elle making Pad Thai on the Wat Dhammadharo stall; Kanom Crok desserts made from coconut milk, sugar and spring onions; Jantana and Jamaree making Kanom Crok on the Khun Jaa and Mom's stall; pomegranate growing in the garden; Suwanna Chantree serving Tom Sum; Tom Sum or Green Papaya Salad; rose in the garden; pandan and coconut dessert; and the Water Festival centrepiece in the gardens.
When my children were little, I was conscious of feeding them as nutritiously as possible. Snacks comprised plates of sliced fresh fruit and sultanas or carrot sticks; and the only biscuits in the house were reasonably low in sugar and fat, and baked by me at home. Chocolate was a treat, or 'sometimes food', rather than a daily given. These days, my son and daughter comment on how much they enjoyed morning and afternoon teatime when they were small.
Luke Nguyen's Green Tomato SaladIn an amazing and colourful episode of Luke Nguyen's Greater Mekong on SBS recently, Luke visited Inle Lake in the Shan State of Myanmar, where entire villages and kilometres of tomato farms float upon the lake.
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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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