My friend Patrick once said to me…“Celia, you’ll sleep when you’re dead”.
He was referring tongue-in-cheek to how crazy busy our lives get sometimes. And indeed, the first half of this year was both hectic and stressful.
So for a couple of weeks, while everyone is on school and uni holidays, instead of making plans to go away or filling each day with activities, I’ve decided to do everything at half speed. I’m getting up later, cooking more (hey, I find that therapeutic) and spending less time on the internet. But I’m still taking photos on my iPhone to share with you – here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been up to…
I’ve been baking Pan Cubano with the garlicky lard we found in Petersham…
I opened an old bottle of wine and drank it with my boys – I can’t tell you how happy I was to be able to do that. I had the bottle stashed in the cellar for over a decade waiting for such an occasion…
Life is always better when I get to have a cup of tea with my dear friend Tezza…
The weather is cooling, so I made treacle pudding for Small Man…
I only had a small piece…
This is how we eat when we’re feeling lazy – almost all the ingredients are in the freezer, and I can assemble the burritos in under an hour. I defrost tortillas, pulled pork, grated cheese and leftover rice, then cook a quick batch of frijoles refritos. The tortillas are filled, seasoned with a little chipotle salsa, then topped with cheese and baked to golden.
I used to use tinned refried beans, but Big Boy was emphatic that the frijoles made the dish, and it was important that they were freshly cooked. I love that my sons are so particular…
Curry puffs were on the menu last Friday, made with my new flaky pastry (I wasn’t quick enough to take a photo of them once they were out of the oven)…
I’ve been pottering in the garden, reading light novels with guaranteed happy endings, and playing games on the iPad…
I spent several hours making Paula Wolfert’s Morrocan Harira, which tasted very nice, but unfortunately all my photos ended up looking like dog food. If you’ve got Paula’s Clay Pot cooking book, the recipe is in there, and it caught my eye because it’s thickened with sourdough starter…
All in all, we’re pretty chilled out at the moment, and it’s glorious. How are things going in your part of the world?
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Sounds delicious Celia. Pretty chilled here too, in more ways than one! It’s bloody freezing here, and this broken foot has forced me to be housebound and mainly seated… which is good and bad, as you can imagine. I love that you cracked such a beautiful bottle of wine to enjoy with your family. Hope the gloriousness continues love.
Oh hon, I hope the foot’s on the mend, I know how much you hate being laid up! Stay warm, it’s getting cold here too! xx
Celia, your half speed is my full speed haha!! That was a good drop to share with your boys x
Nancy, it really was, and it had aged perfectly. I was so happy! :)
Oh…the garlicky lard… the only question I have to answer is, should I make the journey when I’m in Sydney in a few weeks time and transport back across the border?
hahaha… I’m sure you can get lard in Brissie, Fiona, but Petersham is always worth a visit! :)
Actually, that’s a joke, I’m staying in Erskinville so of course I’ll be trying to get there! xx
You call that slowing down??? although I can relate to that very old bottle of red wine and light games on the computer. Both these things help me to ‘turn off’.
Fran, I’ve read three novels in three days. Completely content at the moment. :)
Every dish in this post makes me want to have a mouthful, including the tea and wine. How wise you are to slow down for a while, I hope you reap much benefit. Thanks for still posting through your slow down.
Madge, even when I don’t have much to say, there are always certain friends whom I ring regularly just to touch base with. The blog is like that too, in a way, if that makes sense! :) Hope all is well! xx
Lovely post! Today I’m at half speed too. It’s been raining, so I have been doing things in the house. They’ve been piling up waiting for a day like this! It’s been so dry and hot that the rain was appreciated.
Enjoy the holidays!
Hooray for rain, M! Hope it’s a gentle and easy time.. x
Pretty slow here too, Celia. Mostly just because I’ve got a boring head cold. Lots of cups of tea, though.
Amanda, we’ve been crook too. On the mend now, although Pete’s still coughing like he has the plague. Luckily we weren’t doing much this week! :)
Enjoy your break Celia! You and your family take time to relax, regroup and ready yourselves for the rest of the year. Our holidays start next week, and it can’t be soon enough- I just wish BigJ could take a break too. Have a cuppa for me sweetie xox
Oh hon, wouldn’t that be nice if I could guarantee the rest of the year will be easy and stress-free? Doesn’t look likely, but hey, this fortnight is very pleasant. Have a wonderful holiday love x
Oh those Curry puffs looks delicious, since I am vegetarian, I am going to make them with potatoes, spinach and herbs. Wish me good luck. And thank you for sharing!
Sounds fabulous Cornelia, enjoy!
I often ponder about the day that I can share a bottle of something nice with my girl. Just over 10 years to go. Im not wishing my life away, but its something I am looking forward to.
Your turn will come soon enough, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I did! :)
Tea DOES always make everything better!… I love, your bread, I can’t wait till mine looks that good! Liz x
Thank you! Not sure my bread looks so crash hot here, but the boys do so love the lardy cuban loaves! :)
DO enjoy doing what pleases you at YOUR half-speed! I am trying to go in the opposite direction after a difficult first six months with reams of notes of all I want to achieve in the ‘real world’ in the second half :) !
Eha, I hope the second half of the year is all you hope it to be! x
Sounds like bliss to me. I’m curious about using the starter as a thickening agent!
Tandy, it’s so interesting! Adds a slightly sour note to the dish as well!
That’s a good effort at slowing down. You can’t just stop, and still want to eat well, so a happy balance. Plus in the cooler weather good food is a welcome source of distraction.
Sigh. Sadly stopping altogether isn’t an option. Would be nice though, eh? :)
So my question is, how was the wine? St Hugo is a fine drop with plenty of bottle age, but, being under cork, there is always risk….
Spectacular. I have a good selection of 98 Coonawarras.. :)
Lucky you…
I’m most interested in learning about using a starter for thickening. Nifty idea.
Misky, it’s really interesting! And as you said, nice to be able to do something with the starter we normally discard!
Enjoy your down time. You won’t have your boys forever so soak up every minute you can. The wine drinking made me smile. :) The curry puffs made me hungry.
Maureen, I’m so aware of that! I think I’ve been aware of it since they were little – they seem to have grown up in a heartbeat!
I think that’s a good idea… I’m already slowing down, Celia. I’m not even 24 yet!
Good for you, Nick! :)
You had me at the treacle pudding Celia. It is funny…I have been writing a blog post (in my head as I often do before I start typing) about this very subject. School holidays and the freedom and flexibility it gives us and our families. It is a beautiful thing! Happy half speed holidays to you! x
Happy half speed holidays to your lovely tribe as well, Jane! I love that you always understand what I’m trying to say, thank you.. xx
I like the idea of doing things at half speed. That seems like a low stress way of slowing down – sometimes having to remember to slow down is stressful in itself, but half speed sounds manageable! Enjoy the (much needed) break xo
Kari, I think we don’t realise how much stress takes out of us. Slowing down can be hard sometimes though! Thank you!
I’ve just reached the UK and NEED to chill – I’ve not felt this exhausted for a long time. Would love some slow pottering time in the kitchen – hopefully when my little sister arrives I’ll get to do this. Lovely post Celia – and yes understand your pleasure in sharing that bottle of wine.
Oh hon, I hope you get a really good rest, I know exactly what you mean. Take it easy, eat lots of cheese, drink lots of wine.. xxx
Sounds quite blissful. slow cooking. I’ve noticed a hashtag lately on instagram where fellow crafters are talking about slow craft. Having that mindset seems to really make the process a lot more enjoyable. xx
Nic, we’re blessed to have the time to slow down, aren’t we? Lucky lucky lucky, we are.. :)
Nice idea to slow down!!
I´ll try as soon as winter holidays begin.
Hopefully I´ll really get to do it when visiting my eldest daughter , who is living abroad….(soon…in August).
Lovely post Celia, I´ll love to meet you if someday I travel to Australia!!!!!!!!!
Ale, another wonderful holiday for you, enjoy! :) I hope you get to visit Aus one day, it’s the best place in the world (in my opinion, of course!) x
It is always a good idea to slow down now and then! Enjoy the slower pace for a while! Still sounds busy, but sometimes life just happens. We are still cooking a lot as well. After all I still have three boys to feed! I just don’t get things photographed for the blog or find time to post. Trust me, we are still eating, especially lots of veggies from the garden.
Gretchen, I hope you’re enjoying the summer holidays over there! Life does go on doesn’t it, even when the blog takes a backseat… :)
Indeed life does go on! We are enjoying our holiday weekend, especially all the fresh summer fruit! We’ll be able to enjoy it later too since I just canned cantaloupe jam, blackberry jam, blueberry jam and froze cherry tomato sauce.
A technician from Finland who worked in the lab at Stanford back in 1987 used to say, with her cigarette hanging from the corner of her mouth: You can sleep in your grave!
it was her favorite saying, I’ve always wondered it it was a line from Finland, but her motto was that we should always be at full speed in life.
We are pretty busy this Summer, but that’s the way our life has been for more than a decade, the important is that we have a ton of fun with our work, even with the challenges that we face all the time. Students, grants, papers, it can be stressful. blogging takes my mind out of it and is a great way to relax.
Sally, how could you possibly not have fun, darling? You’re doing really brilliant clever work, and you get to share a lab with The Handsome Stud.. :D
you are too sweet! ;-)
Celia, so glad you’re enjoying Slowing Down! Sometimes I don’t think we realize how frantic our pace has become until we take a step back from it… ponder… consider… cook deliberately… and enjoy decade-old Cabernet with our loved ones. Bravo for you! xo
Kim, thank you for understanding so well! It’s been very restful! :)
I love the look of you burritos! I think I’ll definitely have to give them a go soon! Your food all looks amazing!
Clare, the burritos are so quick to make from freezer ingredients that it feels like takeaway! Does that make sense? :)
Celia? Slowing down? I’ve often wondered if you even sleep. Look at all that fabulous food though. Gosh I really wish that I lived next door to you. It does sound like you’re relaxing and enjoying … Pretty good feeling right?
I wish you lived next door too, we’d have so much fun. :)
Hi Celia, you are still very productive for someone who slows down :) Has been busy times at work so dinner has sometimes been a toasted sandwich and salad as that’s all we’ve had energy for. This weekend family lunch which we haven’t be able to do for ages as my niece and nephew have various activities on weekends but now free because if school holidays, will be nice to share food and relax with loved ones. Have a lovely weekend x
Stefanie, it sounds fabulous, have a wonderful weekend with your family!
Love you too C xx
See you soon, I hope? xx
Oh Celia, I’ve just read that you’ve been selected as 21 in the list of TOP Australian food blogs. I’m so pleased for you. I couldn’t believe that this wonderful resource and companion to life could go unrecognised.
Jan, I’m not sure what list that’s on, but it’s very kind of whoever it is. I’m not big on that sort of thing though, as you know. I just like chatting with you guys.. :)
ive had a busy first half of a year, its time for me to wind down before i burn out. your bread baking is such an inspiration to me! ta.
May the second half of the year be easier and more restful for both of us! :)
I’m trying to chill out in Bali at the moment but alas the writing waits for no one! I promised myself that I am going for a dip in the pool some time before I leave though…
I don’t know how you keep up the pace, love. You work so hard! Hope you’re enjoying the sunshine though!
Ah, my husband says the same thing. I think ‘switching off’ both mentally and physically is one of the hardest things to do. For us, this month has been very hectic, but I’m looking forward to slowing down in the next couple of weeks as well- good for you Celia! Enjoy love :) xx
Em love, you’ve just moved house! I’m sure it’s been crazy busy! Hope it slows down for you too, and soon! xx
That is a special bottle of wine, not only it’s saved purpose, but especially those gathered to share it. :) Cooking is therapeutic for me too, something I can get lost in and let the world fade away for awhile. All these things pair well with a light novel with a guaranteed happy ending.
Judy, Pete is always appalled by the stuff I read, but if I wanted something gritty and edgy, I’d watch the news.. :D
I hope the second half of the year is calmer and less stressful for you. You certainly have been doing a lot in the kitchen. Your curry puffs are very impressive. It’s great that your boys take a lot of interest in how your food is prepared xx
Thanks love. Let’s hope the rest of 2014 is calmer for both of us.. :) xx
A wonderful half-slow food post Celia. Hats off to those gorgeous Cuban breads and isn’t it wonderful when your kids just “get it” when you have been wondering if they are going to exist on baked beans and McDonalds when they move out of home? My daughters now cook an extensive range of wonderful recipes from all over the world. Last time I stayed with them we had bibimbap in lovely sizzling pots and they even made me a vegan version. Lubbly jubbly and you are right about that wine, it tastes SO much better shared with your kids and enjoyed to the max :)
Fran, I ADORE bibimbap (not just for its name)! I’ve never tried making it at home, how clever are your girls! :)
My girls are completely and utterly “into” all things Korean at the moment. They pick a country and immerse themselves in it. The last country was Iceland and saw them buying boxes of Icelandic candy etc. I am sure that Australia Post and the local courier services ADORE my daughters ;). They bought the sizzle pots from a small Korean shop in hobart and they work really well. I love that you can have bibimbap even if you are vegan, just sub out that egg and the meat and toss in tofu and avocado to approximate that silkiness and YUMMO. Its all about the gochujang anyway, lets be honest ;)
Oh how I’d love to go half speeds, too. School holidays give this opportunity. But sometimes when you’re used to full speeds, your half speed is in fact other’s full speed, LOL!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Julie, with your tribe I’m sure half speed is still overdrive! :)
i’m the same celia..after a busy fortnight i spent yesterday pottering in the kitchen..hope you’re still enjoying the holidays..x
Jane, thanks hon, glad you had a chance to potter a bit as well.. :)
couldn’t agree more. I’m about to have two weeks at our holiday house at Killcare and I can’t wait! It’s just me for the first week so I don’t even have to think of anyone else!
Mel, that sounds like heaven to me… :)
Here is hoping for a less hectic and stressful end to the year, Celia. I love that cooking is so therapeutic for you – it is usually an escape for me too. And having tea with friends is just the best!!
Thanks Selma, I hope so. It’s been a tough six months, actually…
Your family are so lucky. That pan Cubano and treacle pudding are mouth watering. 2014 has been especially bad for us. We’ve had everything that could be possibly thrown at us all in 10 months. First my husbands uncle was killed in a car crash in Cyprus, then I had a miscarriage, then my husband was made redundant a week later ( but luckily got another job in the city soon after) and now his mother has terminal cancer. We just celebrated our 5 th wedding anniversary. I am sorry to say it, but I can not wait to see the back of 2014. Life can be very cruel. I am glad you are slowing down. This year has taught me how important it is to take time for yourself. Take care. Emma xx
I’m so sorry to hear all that Emma! I hope the coming months are a bit easier for you, although so hard with your poor mother-in-law. :( All the best.. xx