Postcards and Morsels - DarwinAccording to Lonely Planet, Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) is 'a mellow, modern metropolis [and] sociable hub where non-Aboriginal meets Aboriginal (Larrakia), urban meets remote, and industry meets idleness.'
More importantly for those planning to visit, the guide points out: 'Darwin’s location on a tropical tip of the country’s north coast means six subtle shifts of season, with a not-so-subtle disparity between the Dry and Wet, which can bring colossal storms'. Indeed! Mention Darwin to anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the city, and the devastation of Cyclone Tracy in 1974 is certain to come up. All that said, there are plenty more positives. The average temperature year-round is a delicious 30 degrees C (about 86 degrees F) and Darwin has the highest daily average of sunshine (about 8.4 hours) of any Australian capital city. Read that, 8.4 hours each day. That's a megadose of Vitamin D, folks! The Dry season runs from April or May through until October. June and July are the coolest months and, as such, the ideal time to visit; especially for Aussies wishing to kick back, throw on some thongs and escape winter's chill. If that isn't enough, there is a feast of fabulous markets, and perhaps the most spectacular sunsets you will ever see. Greek-style Lamb with HummusIn the epilogue to her autobiography I Sang for My Supper (1999), Australian icon Margaret Fulton cites an event from the late 1950s that she says has stuck in her mind. 'Driving back to Sydney from Bowral via the coast, we came down the winding road over the mountain towards the settled area around Wollongong. It was a Sunday, about midday, and what hit us head-on was an overpowering smell of roast lamb. Every household in the Illawarra district, it seemed, was cooking roast lamb. And that's the way it used to be in most parts of Australia; the family gathering around the dinner table at lunchtime on Sunday for a meal of roast lamb with all the trimmings.'
How delicious! As strange as it may sound, I don't think I tasted lamb until I was well into my teens. My mother and father had bad food memories of roast mutton served regularly at Bonegilla, the migrant hostel the family stayed at when they first arrived in Australia from Hungary. It wasn't until the 1970s that dad decided to experiment with lamb forequarter chops on the barbecue. The chops were succulent and moreish, and a totally new experience for my tastebuds. Smoked Hock and Lentil Soup Lentils have been on the menu in my family for generations. My mother always kept packs of green/brown and red lentils in the larder. She made beautiful soups with them, and a hearty lentil stew which I didn't really appreciate the flavour of until I was in my twenties. Similarly, smoked pork hock featured often on mum's Hungarian repertoire, mostly in soups, such as bean soup or lentil soup; and sometimes with cabbage rolls.
As I write this post, it's pouring with rain outside and I am reminded about walking home from school on rainy winter days. Mum never learned to drive and my father was at work, so there was no such thing as the luxury of being driven home. The only time my father picked me up from school (very occasionally) was to take me to piano lessons, which I hated at the time. I was taught by nuns and the curriculum was ever so boring. Did I really need to learn how to play 'Song of the Volga Boatmen'?! Not to mention that I didn't enjoy having my hands slapped by Mother Superior if I made a mistake during 'pianoforte' examinations! Besides, she smelled, too. But I digress. Slow Cooked Pears with Cinnamon, Bay & Vanilla'Would you like some fresh bay leaves?' a work colleague asked. 'Yes please, gladly!', I replied. I was looking forward to having access to some fresh bay leaves, but must admit to being amazed and in awe when the kind lady in question presented me with a metre-long branch from her Bay tree!
Onion Soup French Style GratinéeWhen my twitter friend, Mel, a.k.a. Piglet from The Adventures of Miss Piggy, tweeted that she was craving French onion soup, I smiled, as I had had a similar hankering all week and had bought onions from the greengrocer that day so I could make some for Peter.
Darren Templeman, chef/owner of Restaurant Atalier, famous for modern French cuisine, also saw the tweet, so it wasn't long before Piglet and 'the Boy' visited Atalier at Glebe to enjoy a very fine bowl of Darren's French onion soup. 'It was delicious and exactly what I had been craving', Mel said later. Nothing like having your hunger pangs satisfied! In My Kitchen July 2012We are now well into July and I'm amazed that the months are passing so quickly. Next month in August it will be a year since I embarked on this blogging adventure and I'm delighted to be able to share my passion for fresh produce and cooking with so many new friends. One of those friends is Celia, at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, who brings together cooks and food enthusiasts from across the globe with her In My Kitchen posts.
Celia has very kindly dedicated her July post to another of our friends... fellow food blogger, Barbara Harris (Winos and Foodies), who passed away recently. I always looked forward to hearing from Barbara and enjoyed reading her posts. The one that has stayed with me is this one where Barbara shared a photograph of the first New Year's Eve that she and Bryan, her husband of 32 years, celebrated together. Farewell to a very gracious, courageous and beautiful lady. May the angels always watch over you. Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Truffle |
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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