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Archive for the ‘Food & Friends’ Category

A Year of Being Present

Posted in Food & Friends, Musings on February 25, 2010| 21 Comments »

Today is the first anniversary of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

Twelve months ago I started this blog with the single aim of focusing my eyes on all the positive things in my life. I wanted something to shake me out of my funk; to constantly remind me of how wonderful and blessed my existence really is.

I didn’t begin this blog with a view to finding a career in food or as a way to generate income. In fact, I’ve resisted the occasional opportunity that’s presented itself, for fear that changing my motivation might change the way I write.  I don’t want to write to a targeted audience – I write for myself first and foremost, and am always so encouraged (and a little surprised) when others are kind enough to listen to what I have to say.

Over the past twelve months, this blog has given me a unique opportunity to view the world with fresh eyes, to be present, to live consciously and with an awareness of what’s going on around me at all times.  It’s nudged me to constantly try new things, and then record them, so that I can look back and review my year in the knowledge that my time has been spent pleasurably and productively.  It’s enriched my life – by helping me to appreciate the minutiae, the day to day things that I might otherwise have taken for granted. And in the process, I’ve learnt important life lessons about gratitude, humility, and how much my God truly loves me.

I’d like to thank you all for your willingness to join me on this journey.  It has been a blessed, joyous year and I’ve had enormous fun sharing the food, the laughter and the love with all of you.

I can’t wait to see what the next twelve months will bring!

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Frozen Berries

Posted in Food & Friends, Frugal Living, tagged , , , on February 18, 2010| 6 Comments »

A quick headsup for our fellow Sydney-siders…the cheapest place we’ve found to buy frozen berries is Manly Freezers in Balgowlah.

When we popped in today, they had Chilean raspberries for $9.50/kg, Australian blueberries for $17/2kg and New Zealand boysenberries, pictured above, for just $7.50/kg.   The warehouse has a  retail shopfront, filled with freezers packed with mostly pre-prepared foods – we tend to only buy from the small cabinet filled with frozen fruit.  They also had strawberries, mango cheeks and more.  Make sure you take an esky!

. . . . .

Manly Freezers Pty Limited
60 Balgowlah Rd
Balgowlah   NSW   2093
Tel: 02 9949 8822


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In My Kitchen

Posted in Food & Friends, In My Kitchen on February 17, 2010| 22 Comments »

In my kitchen…

…I have five paper cranes, that Maude’s eldest daughter made for me. We strung them up so that they could fly…

In my kitchen…

…are these gorgeous washing up gloves, a gift from my dear neighbour June.  I told her I’d wear them to my next black tie function.  Luckily, I’m never invited to any…

In my kitchen…

…are seven jars of Pete’s latest jam – pluot, plum and boysenberry.  We were both surprised by how well the flavours blended together.  I should put them away, but their luminescent red glow makes me happy…

In my kitchen…

…is this beautiful handpainted Turkish bowl that I bought from Metin at the Orange Grove Markets.  He has a stall there on the first and second Saturdays of every month (tel. 0413 638 591 or email: aydinmetin@yahoo.com).

This little bowl is painted with a traditional carnation design, and filled with microwaved potato chips, made per the Spice Girl’s instructions. Don’t ask how many we’ve eaten today…

No matter how stressful life gets, there’s always something in my kitchen that will put a smile on my face.

So tell me…what’s brightening up your world today?

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Cookie Power!

Posted in Food & Friends, tagged , , , , on February 15, 2010| 9 Comments »

Pete wanted to call this post, “Cookie Mum Goes Mental!”.

Over the weekend, in a burst of baking enthusiasm, I made 112 cookies.

Most of them are in the photo above, along with the wrist guard which I tragically had to wear so that I didn’t hurt myself while scooping out the cold dough. I’m getting old…

I made three different sorts of cookies – our regular chocolate chip, a double chocolate, and a white chocolate with dark chunks.  They’ve all been packaged up, with most of them going into the freezer, where they’ll hibernate until we need them.  Cookies really do freeze very well, and I find it comforting to always have a stash on hand.

Due to time constraints, I mixed up all the batters on Saturday afternoon, but didn’t get a chance to bake them until Sunday morning.  When I went to scoop them out, I found that the dough had set hard, like firm ice cream (hence the wrist guard).

The cold dough baked into perfect round cookies – plump and fat, without any spreading.  I’ll definitely be making my cookie batter ahead of time from now on, and letting it chill in the fridge!

(Clockwise from left) Double-Rich Chocolate Cookies, White Chocolate Cookies with Chocolate Chunks, Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Happy Chinese New Year!

Posted in Cool Things, Food & Friends, tagged , , , , on February 14, 2010| 25 Comments »

Happy Chinese New Year!

Every year, we celebrate by making these simple decorative lanterns.  They’re made with “ang pow” wrappers – small red packets that are traditionally filled with money and presented to children for good luck.  If you can’t find these, red envelopes should work just as well.

They’re very easy to make, with just a few folds and staples, but quite hard to describe, so I’ve taken lots of photos which are hopefully  self-explanatory.

Start with twelve ang pow wrappers…

Seal each wrapper closed, then fold the corners  in as shown below.  It’s easier if you mark the top and bottom centre points first.

Now place four wrappers in a circle, and staple the folded corners together to join them up.  Make sure the design on each red packet is the right way up.  This will form the top of the lantern.

Now take four more wrappers and repeat for the bottom of the lantern – again making sure the design is properly aligned for the base (see photo).

Join the pieces with a single large staple at each corner…

Now, here’s the only fiddly part.  Actually, it’s not that fiddly at all, just a little tricky to explain.

Join the top and bottom pieces together with the remaining four wrappers,  stapling them in sideways.  This gives the lantern its round, ball-like shape.  Join one section first, then attach the other part to complete the lantern.

With a needle and thread, tie a hanging loop to the top of the ball and (optionally) a tassel or ribbon streamers to the bottom.

Now all you have to do is find somewhere to hang your lantern for the traditional fifteen days of Chinese New Year celebrations!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Tiger!

 

 

 

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