Sheesh. I’ve had a hell of a week.
My credit card details were stolen, Small Man was frantic at school, then Sydney Water cut off our mains supply while the dishwasher was on, and it jammed on the draining cycle. And that was just the small stuff. I woke up on Sunday morning with my jaw locked tight from gritting my teeth in my sleep.
So…I opened a bottle of vintage oporto (at times of stress, default to alcohol). I have a case or so leftover from my wine drinking days, and at 29 years young, this bottle of Taylor’s was due to be drunk. Like all fine Portuguese vintage port, it needed ten hours or so to breathe before drinking…
Around lunch time, I heard on the grapevine (aka Twitter) that Stefano Manfredi, one of the really good guys in Australian food, was giving a pasta making class at Pirrama Park in nearby Pyrmont. Pete and I traipsed out in the rain and watched him turn plain flour and eggs into cooked pasta in under 15 minutes…
We bought a couple of Stefano’s cookbooks, and he was kind enough to sign them for us – the red one appears to be a compilation of his Sydney Morning Herald articles. The recipes are approachable, flavour focused and, happily for those of us who live here, the ingredients are readily available…
I made his simple and tasty chick pea, pea and prosciutto salad, using frozen baby peas, chick peas that I’d soaked and boiled earlier, self-sown cherry and pear tomatoes from the garden, and San Daniele prosciutto…
After dinner, I texted the neighbours, and they met us at their front gates with empty stemware as we wandered down the street, pouring out vintage port…
Then I came home and enjoyed my (very full) glass while video chatting with my beloved friend Joanna of Zeb Bakes…
What can I say? It ended up being a great day after all!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Celia, what a week! But what a great way to end it. Love Stefano, those books are now on my wish list! Have a happy new week, my friend. May all go smoothly and the storm have passed.
Lizzy, thank you! Stefano is such a nice man, always willing to help or field questions! The books are great – I made the caesar salad tonight…
With good food and wine, even a crap day can turn out beautifully in the end.
Christine, that’s so true! The salad was delicious, and the port was glorious! :)
Hi Celia
Good on ya. You are very generous to share that beautiful bottle with your neighbours. I would have drunk the lot.
Glenda, I love Portuguese oporto – it’s now almost the only fortified wine I drink. But it has to be shared – the more the merrier – and last night’s bottle gave a glass each to eight people. That’s like a form of neighbourhood communion! :)
Oh My Gosh how did your credit card details get stolen? I do hope that it is sorted ASAP for you. It is everyones nightmare and perhaps we can learn from your experience. I really enjoy your website and I thank you for your enjoyable stories, recipes and I love your chooks. I wish you good things in the week ahead.
Marg, thank you for your concern. The details were pinched online somehow – my physical card is still here. Can I reassure you though – whilst it is a bit scary, it’s also quite containable these days, as most banks (at least here in Australia) completely cover you for any fraud. Mind you, it will take 6 – 8 weeks for the money to come back to my account, which is annoying, plus the pain of having to change my details on things.
Thanks for reading our blog! I hope we all have a good week! :)
I was wondering how a Sunday could have been so dramatic reading your twitter – until I read your blog. A jaw lock is someone’s way of telling you to stop eating and drinking….as if that would stop you. Happy to read you more than made up for the events of the week with the port.
Oh darling, as I said, that really was the least of what was happening. This week is already looking better, thank you!
I’m glad you shared the wine and the experience with your neighbours and then finished off the evening chatting with Joanna! She is one of my very favorite people, as well.
I adore her. One of the best things about this blog has been finding you and Joanna and so many other wonderful friends. Thanks Heidi! xx
So glad things improved.
Thanks Sally! Are you an oporto fan? I’m sure it was something covered in all the wine training you’ve done..
I thought you’d been a bit quiet. What a week. I’ve had the plumbers here six times in three months. First the kitchen tap flooded the cupboard under the sink. Next the insinkerator blocked up. Next the dishwasher wouldn’t drain. Next the pipes were full of tree roots and we needed the electric eel. Next the pipes under the sink started leaking. Next the toilet wouldn’t flush. It’s been one thing after another and although they’re all just little things, they create no end of inconvenience. Glad you and Pete got out for a few hours (in the freezing cold – how bleak was yesterday!) and it looks like you came away with some great cookbooks. Love the salad. xx
Charlie, what a plumbing nightmare you’ve had! Does the same plumber come back each time? You’ll be feeding him soon… ;-) xx
So pleased that your day improved Celia! Your chickpea salad looks delicious.
Jane, thank you! It really was a nice way to end the day – made it not too hard to face Monday morning! :)
Sounds like a good end to a not-so-good start! How was the port?
The port was delicious! It would have been even better if there had been any left this morning, but that’s always dangerous, as I’ve been known to start tasting it at breakfast.. ;-)
I want to live in your neighbourhood! ;)
~S.
Thanks Sorcha! I have some amazing neighbours.. :)
must be the week for water dramas.
As I type my water pump ( we are on tank water) is cycling on and off and has been for the last few hrs – and with all the irrrigation we have I wouldnt know where to start looking! And of course hubby is working away from home today ( which happens almost never)
Spending an afternoon with Steve Manfredi would have been great though!
Sue, I wonder what’s going on! I hope you got your water sorted. Steve Manfredi is fabulous, and extremely generous with his knowledge..
Port and friends, a great way to take off the rough edges off a trying week.
Liz, perhaps it’s the middle-aged version of going out on a bender.. ;-) There was something really great about sipping on my port as I chatted to Joanna..
Living in a country that is rife with crime we tend to think of places like Australia as crime-free, which of course is not the case. So sorry about your credit card being stolen and all your other woes…….I want to come and live in your street! *holds out her empty vase*
Sue, we’re not crime free, but Aus certainly isn’t a scary place. The credit card details were nicked online though, so they could have been taken from anywhere. Do! Come and live on our street! :)
I often find that a bad run like that is often balanced with some extra good times, I hope it’s so for you Celia.
Thanks Rose! You’re right, of course, everything and everyone goes up and down. I hope I wasn’t whinging too much.. :)
Bummer bout the credit card theft, Celia. Cancelling & waiting for the new ones is always such a drag. Especially if it turns out the cards weren’t stolen, just misplaced, and found shortly after the call to the bank cancelling them – which may or may not have happened to me!
Ah well, Amanda, that really is the best option though, as it means no-one took them! My details went walkabout online somewhere, but the bank were on it really quickly, so the card was cancelled after the first transaction.
Oh you poor sweetie! What a crappy week indeed! I hope small man is sorted, all the rest is just stuff. You must have felt like that poor camel with straw after straw being loaded on your back :( I’m glad you got to get out and have a breather, and how lovely to share your port too. I hope this week its so much better Celia dear xox
Thanks Becca! This week is already looking up.. :) xxx
Aaaargh. Horrid when events conspire against you like that.
1983 is an excellent year for port. We used to always hunt out 83 for our Christmas port purchase – until it became too expensive.
And Joanna is excellent company at times like this.
Joanna is a treasure – I suspect she’ll be annoyed at us for all talking her up like this, but she is a wonderful friend and we’re lucky to have her! I have a few 83s – I think there’s a Dow’s and a Warre’s somewhere as well – bought, as you say, when they were still cheap! :)
Woof! There are always biscuits round the corner somewhere xx
Poodle therapy! :) xx
Hi Celia, sorry to hear about the credit card details – it’s happened to me, a total faff and bummer! But Port, now that is a great way to brighten things up. And could I move to your street, I’d happily provide my own glass :)
Claire, it happens a lot now, and so often in ways that are out of our control! It’s more annoying than anything else! Bring a glass when you come! :)
OMG. What. A. Week. Seriously, the definition of cooling off is “Port”. I swear, look it up :) Take care.
Thanks Sonia! I’m going to look up the definition of port, and if it doesn’t say that in my dictionary, I’m going to correct it with a pen.. ;-)
Here’s to a much better week this week Celia.
:-) Mandy
Thanks Mandy! Hope yours is wonderful too!
Oh my, what a day! This port is one we drink often. I though of you yesterday when I planted my carrot seeds :)
Tandy, I think Taylor’s is my favourite port house! We’re harvesting carrots now – they didn’t grow for us last year, so this year has been a wonderful surprise! :)
Glad you made it through. A nice port in a storm, too.
Thanks love. Couldn’t resist, could you? :D
I like to read how your energy completely shifted during the day! Did Manfredi use to have a restaurant in Ultimo?
I’m not sure about Ultimo, but I know he had a big one near the harbour for a long time. There’s some info here:
http://www.manfredi.com.au/
Restaurant Manfredi in Ultimo……….was so wonderful!
Ah – I remember having an amazing meal there in 1995!
Oh, big hugs for you! It looks like it turned out ok in the end, with the aid of the lubrication..always a help. xx
Thanks Chris! It was all ok, just needed to actively unwind over the course of the day, if that makes sense.. x
Ohlala! What bad things that happed to you but then there were great treats! That chef & his books look great & that old port must be so tasty & well flavoured! That chickpea & prosciutto salad looks fab & lovely too! :)
thanks for sharing with us! :)
Thanks Sophie! The salad was very yummy indeed, and Steve Manfredi was brilliant! x
Oh dear, what an awful time you have had….. still , there were also some great things that happened to you .. and how very lovely walking down the street with port like father christmas . xxx . Hope this week improves
Thanks Tania! So far so good, this week! :)
Oh, Celia… poor thing! Not sure what is worse, but the jaw problem leaves me cold, as I’ve suffered from it when I was a teenager, for several years. Not fun. At all… Hope that is over, and hope that all the rest is fixed, repaired, back to normal operation
I used to love Port, and enjoy a glass before bed during winter – then I stopped doing it, it’s been many years. I like the taste, very very much, it’s just the alcohol that doesn’t seem to agree with me anymore.
(the pasta demonstration sounded like a ton of fun!)
Sally, the sore jaw was just on waking up, it wasn’t anything serious, but thank you for your concern! And darling, you’re so petite, there’s nowhere for all the alcohol to go! :)
With a name like that, the port can only have been sublime :)
You should make a point of drinking nothing else, Cindy! :)
Raising a glass to you, my friend. (Actually a coffee cup because it’s still morning here.) I wish you clear pipes, restful unclenchy teeth, worry free finances and lots of tasty food with friends. clink clink.
Maz.
PS The hub and I went to to a hipster coffee place yesterday to people watch and he ordered thyme gruyere monkey bread…. which was okay but I bet you could do better. Just saying. <3
Thanks Maz! Cheese monkey bread, now there’s a thought!
I’m absolutely positive that you are the most popular family in the street! :P
Don’t know about that, but I do know we’re lucky to have our neighbours, they’re fabulous! :)
Now I wished I had braved the weather and gone to pyrmont. Where was I when the glass of port was being handed out!
There was so many people at Pyrmont! I’m not sure what was on – and whether it’s on every week, or if it was just a special event. We only went for the pasta making! :)
Morning Celia,
Sorry couldn’t find your email address, so posted here!
http://themakingofparadise.blogspot.com.au/
Love the blog, and visit every day.
I have just added an “In my Kitchen” to my blog and it would be great if you could add it to your monthly list.
Thanks Shirley
Thanks for playing, Shirley! I left a comment on your post, but it hasn’t gone through?
Way to turn around a bad weekend Celia!
Thanks Claire! So nice to have you back! x
This looks like it’d help turn a bad day around!
Greg, it really did, thank you!
That’s hilarious Celia – not the bad stuff – but wandering down the street distributing port – that’s wonderful. I wonder if the world wouldn’t be a better place if neighbours stood at their gates and shared a port with each other. I’m at work so all I can raise to you is my glass of water – but I shall do that and smile.
Jan, our neighbour Mark hung over the back fence with his glass, then met us at his front gate on our way back down the street for a refill! ;-)
Celia,
What an awesome post. I have time and again reminded myself that I have never ever cooked with a beautiful ingredient like chick peas and THIS IS IT!
Such a simple salad that looks absolutely delicious not to mention I love those little green peas to death!
Chopinand, my mother tells me I’ve been eating chick peas since I was three years old! They’re one of my all time favourite ingredients! Did you know that you can:
1. soak dried chick peas overnight, drain them, and then freeze them for later boiling, or
2. soak and then boil dried chick peas and then freeze them for later use?
When I made this salad, I pulled cooked chick peas out of the freezer along with the baby peas, and then just poured boiling water over them both before using!
In spite of all the crap, what a win to see Stefano create pasta before your very eyes! I’m very jealous.
Love the salad and I had no idea you could cook and freeze chick peas. Filing that info away.
Maureen, he really is the nicest man! He always takes the time to reply to people’s questions on twitter, and goodness knows he must get a lot of them!
What a lovely post Celia! Wine and friends a bowls of pasta can make almost anything better. Glad your day turned around!
Thanks SK! It’s surprising how little it can take to make things cheerier! :)
We are hoping to get to Manfredi at Bells at Killcare next weekend (anniversary celebration). Friends just went and loved it.
These trying weeks do come along with alarming regularity, don’t they? It is good to share the remedy…I want to be one of your neighbours too…
Oooh, have a wonderful time, Vix! We always hoped to go, but have never made it, so we’re going to try out his new restaurant here in Sydney, Osteria Balla (it’s at the Star). I’d have loved sharing my port with you!
Very glad the week ended well for you after all that. It does seem the way often that lots of bad / annoying . frustrating things happen in close proximity. Hopefully you’ve got them out of the way for a bit. I’m not much of a drinker, but a good glass of port sounds well worth having.
Now you’ve referred to your wine drinking days, my imagination has run riot!
Choc, we don’t discuss my wine drinking days here, because I was quite young, and there’s always the chance that my mother will one day get the internet on and read my blog. :)
Sorry about your week, but I know alcohol always helps…LOL. I hope you have everything under control. You are strong…You are Celia! A big hug!
Thanks Norma! You’re very kind.. xx