Aspiring to the Art of Food

Since moving out of the family nest and establishing my own it is interesting to reflect on how much my thoughts and priorities have switched. 

Previously I would be far more outward minded, thinking about the world around me and how all the dots connected, considering the twists and turns of society, the things that inspired me and the things I despised in the world. I would follow the news more and think about the events that impacted on us or what they said about us as people.

Now though I have new challenges which I am dedicating my time to and relishing in many ways. I never expected my blog to wind up focusing on so much food but I do love a good meal and I am trying to improve my cooking by massive strides. It helps that I have taken to it quite naturally and I have a well developed palette from years of eating good tasty food. 

Yet I want to achieve more than simply making a meal that tastes good. Gradually I want my dishes to start looking like little artworks as well. This is of course a hangover from being too busy to paint much any more either. 

That is is of course the challenge of new responsibilities, your thoughts and energies are refocused on other  things in your life whilst prior passions get left behind, at least for a while. 

In the meantime this is my latest creation. On the base is a pancake/fritter consisting of pulverised corn and fennel mixed in with a thick pancake batter to make a nice hearty fritter. On top of that is some shredded chicken which I poached in water with a teaspoon of ras el hanout spice mix to give it a delicate yet rich flavour. Then scattered on top is some pistachio nuts, toasted pine nuts, cranberries and coriander leaves. On road testing this got full marks for taste and flavour and I rather like the beautiful colours in with its jewels of red and green on a golden base. Now all I need is a name for it. 

Snowdrops

It may only be half way through July yet the sight of snowdrops popping up fills me with pleasure. I have always thought there was something quite magical about this particular flower that I have loved ever since I was a small child. 

In amongst the branches of the tree houses that formed my early life my friends and I were enthralled with the world of Cecily Mary Barker's flower fairies, we each had our different favourites and mine was not the more popular rose, lavender or sweetpea, nor was it the bright columbine or fuscia flowers my friend adored. My favourite was the snowdrop along with the willow and gentle forget-me-not. Even as a child I was more of an introvert who preferred to reflect quietly along the river banks than frolic around in bright colours with the other fairies. 

The snowdrop is a flower that is delicate yet tenacious. It's flowers are fragile, quivering little white bells on the end of bright green stems. From a design perspective they are nicely balanced with the stem colour being carried through into the delicate spotting design along the petals edge. They crush easily, wilt easily but they are strong and determined little things popping up when it's still a bit cold and taking those first steps into spring. I took them to heart as a metaphor, I can cope with the cold and desolation when things are not always rosey. I may be fragile in some ways but strong in others. It appears as a lonely flower sometimes yet its role is also a herald for better times ahead. I am not an obvious beauty yet if you peer closely and can appreciate the subtleties then yes beauty is definitely to be found there. Of course it is not a complete metaphor by any degree, but rather a sliver of a whole.

So it was with great joy when I went home to check on mum and dads place while they were away, to clear the letterbox and sweep the fallen camellias from the drive, that I spotted these lovely little darlings springing up at the base of the old magnolia tree. Again this is part of their beauty, growing up at the base of a tree, adding that little splash of green and dashing flair to the trunk of a tree whose own magnificence is further upwards. I brought some of them home with me and popped them into a humble glass bottle. As I sit here drink my tea they do indeed still bring a smile to my face thinking of their beauty and the memories they conjure up for me of idyllic days amongst the garden beds. 

I had forgotten the beauty of these flowers in many ways, I guess I wished to distance myself from the struggles of childhood, to reach forward into new things, at the florist I would select something different and unusual, a striking native or an amusing broccoli-like creation. Orchids and other exotics would grab my attention and I had no time for the humble snowdrop. Now though I am willing to embrace it again, to enjoy my rediscovery of it. I guess in ways too that I have settled now into my new life and am comfortable embracing the old, perhaps also it is a hint I am beginning to feel ready to start thinking about children and how I will guide them into life. 

Vive Le Tour

Time speeds past and it is already July. What happened to June, how did it get so buried under pressing duties, long work hours and endless things demanding my time and energy. 

For me July heralds the start of the Tour de France, a great event that I have been following for quite a number of years now. I never really took to sport and nor can I claim to be much of a cyclist at all. Yet despite this there is something quite appealing about this particular event. The scenery itself is so spectacular and no other sport can claim such a stunningly beautiful stadium.

So it is such a pleasure to snuggle up late at night and sleepily watch the roads of France unwind before you. The photographers have a real visual eye for capturing fascinating things and so many of the people it passes are also making their little contributions to the event with their roadside decorations. 

So in the spirit of the Tour de France I have baked some bicycle cookies, they are a ginger/cinnamon flavour with a hint of lemon peel. 

Now if only the members of my Fantasy Cycling Tour will start performing so I can stop regretting the decision to omit Cancellara and Cavendish from my team. Fingers crossed and good luck to you Cadel... 

Birthday with the Queen

This year I was able to enjoy a nice relaxing Monday in which to celebrate turning 26 thanks to the Queens Birthday falling on the same date. The whole long weekend really was a chance to simply relax and enjoy.

On the Saturday night my parents came over and joined Geoff and I for a kaiseki dinner at a local sushi restaurant - Zushi. It was a great meal if somewhat overwhelmed with food. There were 8 courses all together and they didn't skimp in portions, a platter of sashimi came with at least a dozen pieces each, a sushi plate came with 8 nigiri, one course was a whole steamed snapper to share between two. There was also lobster miso soup, tender chunks of wagyu beef with mushrooms, an egg custard thing, dessert and a trio of appetisers. 

Sunday started off slowly with a wander over to Paddington to share a French omelette and pastry at the boulangerie near Five Ways. A quick yum cha at Fu Man Chu with my friend Jasmin before catching up with the other girls for hot chocolate, waffles and ganache pieces at Boon. Food and conversation is a pleasure that should never be underestimated.

In the evening Geoff took me to Le Pelican on Bourke street where I had the sand whiting entree which came served with a delicious potato mash, crispy crouton with olive tapenade and seafood bisque sauce to meld it all together with. Geoff ordered oysters so I had a few from his plate. For the main it was Seafood Pie - filled with smoked fish, asparagus and broad beans whilst Geoff had the duck two ways, slow cooked confitted leg and roasted and spiced breast, his dish came with some very nice leeks and cubes of beetroot. Desserts were spectacular, I had the Grand Marnier Souffle and Geoff the Chocolate Fondant, a warm melting blob of joy. The table next to us had ordered some amazing Creme Brulee's so next time I shall try that (they were served in a wide flat bowl so had lots of toffee and a cylinder of chocolate and berried rising from the centre. 

And so to Monday. Another sleepy start to the day before brunch at Forbes and Burton which was very crowded and we ended up jammed onto a tiny table. We shared Bubble and Squeak and "Hot Vanilla Rice with Sexy Pears" and yes the pears are sexy. Then the return to the home nest to visit Mum and Dad. Dinner is about family favourites, chicken leek and bacon casserole and Delia's Squidgy chocolate Log with a mixture of the rich lindt mousse and the tangy prune filling. 

So to some presents which are rich in those lovely little 'twigs' for making a comfortable home...

These beautiful cups are by Madhulika Ghosh and are inspired by Tibetan Buddhist prayers. The fine translucence porcelain evokes the Himalayan light and they are very divine. Geoff did well to pick two really nice pieces after I had simply directed him to the artist and the shop where he could buy them. I'm sure as the years go by he will gradually grow in confidence to learn how to buy things undirected. He also bought me a couple of books and some chocolate. 

My best friend Jasmin painted me this gorgeous painting of a Chinese Wood Duck with Peony Flowers. We had recently done the Chinese Brush Painting course together so it is a great reminder of how much fun we had together doing the course as well as looking very fine on my wall. I also got some nice ceramic bowls from Alison, artist finger puppets for the fridge from Susan and some wine from Emma. 

Mum and Dad gave me a nice alpaca blanket, some dvd's and a book, a small crystal bowl for serving cream in and some Yen for spending on my trip to Japan coming up in October. So after a long weekend of indulgence it is now simply back to work and settling into life at 26.

A dinner party splashed in red and green jewels

It was wonderful to shake off some dust and leap into the role of hosting a small dinner party for my parents and partner. Nor is an excuse needed, after all it's a good chance to try a few recipes I hadn't tried before without the pressure of a 'special event'. First up a nice slow cooked lamb. Unfortunately I didn't have time to photograph the final dish as I was too busy chatting away and satisfying peoples stomachs but I have a shot of it half way through. I can tell you that after some further slow cooking I tore up the lamb into shreds and chunks, scattered pomegranate seeds, toasted pinenuts and mint leaves. The colours were lovely but my guests were well and truly ready to tuck in. 

The previous week I had bought a lovely long tart dish, perfect for a recipe that I had been eyeing off for some time and it was good to make it before the raspberries and figs disappeared until next season. It is a burnt butter tart with pistachio meal and with figs and raspberries embedded in it. After cooking, added is a raspberry caramel drizzle and some more pistachio nuts to bring out a lovely array of colours. My only disappointment is realising I don't actually have a suitable long plate for serving such a tart upon.

A sort of Spring Cleaning

The painters are in a definite dispute with building management so work is suspended till further notice... so time to move some stuff  back onto the balcony and try and make the most of the remnants of sunshine around... It was also the first weekend in May which to my mind is always a good time for a spot of 'spring cleaning' though technically for me its Autumn, but it's one of those anomalies you still feel despite the differing hemispheres... bit like the whole snow thing at Christmas... I really enjoyed sitting out there in the morning despite the cold with a cup of tea. 

Bushwalk

Wollombi Photos are still to come... I didn't really take a lot up there, too busy relaxing and painting instead... but for the moment instead I have some photos from the bushwalk last Saturday. We walked around the Duck Tolling Ponds nestled between McCarrs Creek Road and West Head Road in Ku-Ring-Gai National Park. It was a short walk but quite  thrilling... at the start there is a lot of nice cool pools to stroll amongst and dip your toes in the water. Further along you track along the top of the ridge whilst the creek falls into lower terrain. There are some amazingly dizzy views which were difficult to capture via camera, the perspective gets flattened out in the mere two dimensions of pixels. One not so pleasant part though was along a muddy track where three leeches decided to hitch a ride on my feet... guess thats what happens for bushwalking in strappy sandals...