The mysteries of life…and water kefir
Life is replete with mysteries. They make conversations rich and adventures possible. Mysteries get me up in the mornings, and they soothe me to sleep at night. Right now, one of the world’s little mysteries is bubbling and fizzing away quietly on my bench top: water kefir, on its second fermentation. It’s a mystery because […]
Shaped by food
Tidying up files today, I came across a little memoir piece from a few years ago. It’s a reflection on how our approach to life can be shaped by food, cooking and eating. If this triggers food memories for you, about yourself or others in your life, I’d love you to share them here. Food and anxiety have often […]
Cauliflower and broccoli: rediscovered
What are your early memories of eating cauliflower or broccoli? My most vivid memory is at my grandparent’s house. Actually, the memory is replicated with each set of grandparents, maternal and paternal. As you wish, you may picture either house – the one heaving with cozy family love matched by Central Queensland humidity or the other, one of the […]
"In Sydney, the forest speaks Polish at Easter"
…and Diego Bonetto listens. Last weekend, I had the privilege of participating in an edible weeds walk on the Cooks River. Led by Diego, about fifteen of us spent an enthralled couple of hours discovering some of the culinary and medicinal gems that typically just disappear below our shoes. Some of these weeds are comfortable […]
Cooking through abundance: a few sweet ways with lemon myrtle
Here is a recipe for anyone who has more lemon myrtle than they can keep up with! You can only drink so much tea, right? Lemon Myrtle Syrup Cake Ingredients Syrup (start the night before): Four generous handfuls of fresh or dried lemon myrtle leaves 2 cups raw sugar (could use honey) 1 lemon Biscuit […]
Showered with love
Last Saturday it rained at moy pocket. At the family farm we hosted around twenty intrepid land for wildlife enthusiasts who were there to explore the astounding bush regeneration project that my parents, especially my tireless mama, have devoted themselves to ever since we moved to the clapped out ex-dairy subdivision in the early 1980s. […]
Almond Milk
First batch of almond milk today. Delicious! Here’s the recipe: Combine one and a half handfuls of almonds and one litre of spring water in a blender and blend until the almonds are a course meal and water has turned to milk. I left it soak in the blender jug and then blended more, a few […]
Getting practical
In the summer of 2010/2011 I made a pact with myself to get better at things. Practical things. You see, my home state was 75% underwater, and I was hard-pressed to garner any practical skills to help out with the recovery mission. I’m never going to be a bobcat driver or a carpenter, so I made a list of other useful […]