HONEY ...MMMMM.

I met a bee keeper today , when asked his occupation he replied he worked with bees.  The gentleman Mr Haydn Owen travels all over Australia setting up hives in forests ,plantations  and even flowering weed infested areas .
The honey collected from these areas are flavour specific to the flowering species of plants and trees grown and the climatic conditions needed to induce flower production..
The bee boxes have to be set up prior to a flowering period which can have a duration of days or a period of weeks .....
Too little or too much water, wind , use of chemical herbicides are just a few of the challenges affecting honey production.
Honey collected from the flowers of Patersons Curse..( an introduced cottage plant , that thrives in the Australian climate and has grown out of control and escaped into our pasture land.), is used as a mixer. Paterson honey has a light colour and taste and is easily mixed with other honey to dilute  for commercial production .
Mr Owen sets up hives  and collects honey for Stuckeys  Honey , ( another local  Gippsland industry )...the Stuckey honey collection can be found on our supermarket shelves .
The best way to try different honey is to purchase the honey offerings at local farmers markets ,  amazing people  producing top quality , chemical free  produce .
 

ALBERT ST PRIMARY SCHOOL .MOE

On arrival at Albert Street Primary School, I was greeted by the school captains  a charming young man and gracious young lady..( I cannot use their names as I never sought permission ) they escorted me to the demonstration room .... to my utter delight I was introduced to all the grade 5/6`s wearing the most fashionably self designed  spectacle frames , what a delight and all in my honour...!
It was an amazing gift ..Thank you .
The students were eager to give me a hand in the demonstration and showed skills in using the knives and measuring equipment.
They followed the recipe  and the end result was perfect hand made pizza scrolls .
The demonstration was a group effort  and once again the community of food shone through.
These  eager students spoke about their cooking efforts in contributing towards fund raising events , and helping out families of students in need of support . This is an excellent example of the true spirit of community and generosity.
I was honoured to be part of the cooking class and loved their creative spectacle frames  and  am really happy for the grant that Albert Street Primary School has been awarded which will go a long way towards the creation of their own vegetable garden .
The teachers of Albert Street Primary School are to be congratulated for their enthusiasm and dedication.
Thank you all for an amazing experience.

Noelene Marchwicki





 

` GNOCCHED` OUT

No gnocchi for tea tonight opting for a Middle Eastern inspired dish .

CHICKEN WITH CARRAWAY COUSCOUS...

Gently loosen the skin from the flesh on 4 chicken marylands , and pack in single slices of preserved lemon ,a sprinkle of all spice ,cinnamon and slices of cherry tomatoes . Fold the skin back in place to secure the stuffing .
Rub  the outer  skin with  duck fat and season with salt, pepper and sumac .
Place on an oven tray along with 4 small whole onions ( outer skin removed.) and in an oven set at 200c.
Now put 1. cup of Al Rabih moghrabieh..( pearl couscous ) in a saucepan with 2 cups of chicken stock and simmer gently till the stock is absorbed.
In a lightly oiled pan empty one can of  Val Verde chick peas , 1. long red chilli pepper  ( sliced with seeds ). 1/2 cup of small sultanas  and simmer gently.
Now combine the moghrabieh and chick pea mixture stir still combined and then top with 2. handfuls of fresh spinach leaves.
Sprinkle in 2. dsp of caraway seeds .Simmer slowly for 5 minutes .
Place the combined mixture in a serving bowl and top with the roasted marylands and onions .
Garnish with halved cherry tomatoes and torn basil
Serve with broken bread and fresh hommus .

COOKING CLASS

It was just like a cooking class should be ...around a table, lots of interaction, new acquaintances being made ,stories being exchanged , getting involved. A gathering of like minded people .

Conner
Leanne
Denise
Dolores
Deanna
Sophie
Sharon
Laufa
Gail

Thank you for your interest, attention to detail, for doing justice to my recipe and making the perfect fried  gnocchi with salsa alla pizzaiola
You are all amazing cooks.
There will be more classes..... I will keep you posted on Facebook and the  Public Notices in the L.V Express.

REDANG OF BEEF

I purchased ( at the post Office ) a copy of the book Good Food by Neil Perry, it`s a really good read.
 ( The things you find in the Post Office , the display of goods are  positioned all the way along your journey to the counter. I have even been known to ask the person behind me in the line  if they would like to be served first ).
On page 196 is his recipe for Redang Of Beef.  Due to time constraints I varied his recipe just a little  but the resulting dish was delicious...
This dish was plated up from start to finish  in 45 minutes.

 Wrap 20gm of shrimp paste in foil and roast it in the oven  ( 180 deg ) for 10 minutes .
 While that paste is roasting  put the following ingredients into a blender or food processor
1. red onion roughly chopped
1. whole dead of garlic peeled and roughly chopped
12. ( yes 12) long red peppers seeds incl seeds  roughly chopped
1. lemon grass stem  ( white part only)
40gm of fresh ginger peeled  and finely chopped or substitute with crushed ginger  ( 1.dsp )
grated zest of one lemon
1. tsp of tumeric powder

Remove the shrimp paste from the oven and add to the other ingredients in the blender and blitz to a smooth paste with a rich  and intense  colour.

Put your choice of grain on to cook , to serve with the redang.

Heat 3 tbs of vegetable oil in a pan on top of the stove.
Add 800gm of beef strips.Lightly colour
Add the curry paste and fry till the kitchen is full of aromas.
Add 400 ml coconut cream
1. heaped tbs tamarind paste
6. lime leaves / lemon leaves  if available
3. cubes palm sugar.
sea salt to taste.
10. cherry tomatoes
12. snow peas
Simmer gently till rice is cooked . ( I used red rice )
There you have it

CANNED

There are days in my house when there is no time to cook a meal from scratch. We all have those days and we still have to eat .....

ROASTED RED CAPSICUM AND SOYA BEAN SOUP...
Halve the capsicums and place cut side down under the grill until the skin blackens .
Remove and allow to cool.
Peel away the skin and dice the capsicum. Set aside.
Heat  2 tbs of vegetable oil and cook 2 chopped onions  till transparent but not browned
Then stir in a 410gm can of tomato puree and 1 x 300gm  tin of soya beans , the diced capsicums  along with 750 ml of chicken stock .
Cover the pot and simmer for 10 mins .
Serve with shredded basil, season with salt and pepper.

Now while the soup is simmering and the grill is still warm  place 3 kranskies or 4 chorizios under the grill.

CHORIZIO AND WARM LENTIL SALAD

And on the stove in a lightly oiled pan place one 400gm can of brown lentils ( drained ), a 410 gm tin of baby taters  ( drained and cut in half ).
Half a red capsicum and half a green capsicum diced , 8  butter mushrooms sliced  and a handful of chopped parsley.
heat very gently , remove the sausages from the grill and slice on an angle.
spoon the warmed lentil salad onto plates and top with the sausage .

Quickly make a dressing to spoon over the sausage and lentil salad with ...
2. tsp curry powder
1. dsp caster sugar
2. tbs olive oil
1.tbs vinegar.

2  courses in  30 minutes , that`s preparation and cooked.

ISSUES.

Issues , there are always issues.

The price of food.
What to eat.
Can we afford  what we choose ?
What makes a good plate ?
The kitchen table or lounge room chair .
The home ( amateur ) cook V The thinking chef
15 minute meals ...my great aunt!
Art on a plate.
We are what we eat ,food makes us what we are.
`To be a truly great cook is to have a gift, to cook simply and share is to be involved in gift making`...Economy of the Unlost by Ann Carson.
Foodie ... describes people obsessed with culinary destinations and culinary competitiveness .
Why is the word passionate  redundant in the description of a knife maker, a plate/bowl designer ,a beekeeper ...they are all deserving of food related work but not the reward.?
Australians boast a `green ` reputation in our fishing industry which is exclusively developed towards  increasing our exports .
Food magazines treat cooking and dining as hobbies , and never question `functional food`which is designed to feed hospital patients and have specific health benefits, using ingredients that provide better appearance, texture, and mouth-feel.

There is nothing wrong with reading food magazines, it is terrific that people write about pleasure and taste , my gripe is  many magazines treat  food as an infinite source for marketing and completely overlook  agriculture, paying attention to growers who supply precious crops to precious few.!

 

JUST A LITTLE TWEAKING

Do you remember the timeless classic apricot chicken casserole?
It was a classic.
1. Chicken  ( always 8 joints)
2. Onion quartered
2.Carrots sliced
1. Green beans  ( a handful topped and tailed )
1. Large tin of halved apricots.
salt and pepper

Then you would place the seasoned  chicken joints , onions, carrots in a well greased casserole dish and bake till the chicken started to colour, then add the beans along with the juice and apricots  and cook for a further 20 minutes....
In our house this was the  dish for visitors , special occasions or` just because` and was served with roast potatoes and a basic lettuce, tomato and onion salad  drizzled with a Kraft salad dressing.

Remembering that was a dish of the  80`s......todays version would be....

Chicken breast fillets sliced  ( 800gm)

2. Tbs vegetable oil

Spring onions thinly sliced  ( 8 )

2. Cloves of garlic peeled and sliced

1Tbs  of freshly grated ginger

300gm of snow peas (trimmed )

2.Boc pears (peeled, cored and thinly sliced )/fresh apricots or firm nectarines ( depending on the season )

1. small red chill thinly sliced with seeds.

3 Tbs of soy sauce.

1.Tbs Dukkah

1/2 cup  sultanas

2. Tbs pine nuts

Lightly spray a large frypan with cooking spray add vegetable oil ,garlic, ginger and the chicken frying until browned .
Add the chilli .
Turn the hob down to medium
Next in the pan goes the spring onions, snow peas, pears, sultanas , pine nuts and soy sauce
Fry for 3 to 4 mins just to heat through.
season with dukkah.

Serve on a bed of polenta or rice .

This is the magic of food, ingredients , its the mixing and matching , revisiting the older recipes and tweaking them to give new purpose, new flavour combinations.

 

BARGAIN TABLE BONANZA..

I love cookbooks , not just photo albums of picture perfect food .
 Photographs do not impart knowledge nor do they explain the technique required to achieve the completed dish.
Photos of food strategically plated up and shot with required amounts of filtered light  that accentuates the colour and angle  of ingredients are works of art, but they do nothing to impart knowledge.
So how fortunate was I to find in the bookshop on Fitzroy St, St Kilda, a signed copy of 'Around the world in 120 recipes ..by Allegra McEvedy..
There are definite shades of Elizabeth David, in her manner , description s and recipe construction. Her photographs are of table and plate surfaces.There is an air of messiness in some of the shots, the food is real.
The recipes, 120 of them are traditional to the cornucopia of the cultures and the countries she has experienced first hand ..
This is about traditional food after all......big flavoured and generous.

I stood outside the book shop  for sometime  browsing the bargain table ......and there it was seriously ,I couldn't believe my eyes a copy of" Provence" An Accidental Gourmets Sketchbook by John Davis...
This is a book of sketches and words that describes the authors love affair with Provence.
Provence is the region of France best known for its vibrant ,  simple, free spirited cooking , and it is the home of many great chefs and artisans.
But more than that .....this book captures in sketch and honest description the inhabitants the everyday people ....the unsung heroes who happily prepare simple dishes from  time honoured recipes in places that are not mentioned on the tourist guide .
There is a handful of recipes scattered through the pages that have been offered to the author from vegetable and produce stall holders in the open air market.
This book is full of earthy sketches depicting the vibrancy, the colour of the region along with memorable  simple flavours of Provence
This is an amazing find and purchased for the outrageous sum of $4.00
It was an amazing weekend , family, bookshops, good food , and  a half Melbourne marathon..68th in a field of 9500 .




 

STAY TUNED....

I have just returned home.....there`s so much to tell you.
 I have to prepare tea now and organise a cake for someone turning 61 tomorrow
Can you guess what I have in mind for the cake  ?
 Given there is little time , but it is an all time favourite  and  can be dressed up for any occasion ..


Go on  guess , I will give you a free  cooking class on the 27th if you can tell me what type of cake , I intend to put together.!

You have until 9.00am Monday morning to respond on my facebook page....

But I will be back later to tell you about my exciting find in the St Kilda book shop...

Noelene

DOWN THE ROAD

"Going down the road " for the weekend .
It`s my chance to  be the visitor, to go out to breakfast, do tea/ dinner around a communal table at Chinta Blue in St Kilda,  share the world of my children and grand children.

Spending as much time as I want browsing through Bizarre On Chapel,

Down the road is just that...a 90 minute drive from the La Trobe Valley to Melbourne . I live surrounded by natural scenic and historic tourist destinations  at the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges

 For example....

The ninety mile beach.
Walhalla Gold fields
Agnes Falls
Tarra Valley
Bulga Park
The Open Coal mines  ( Loy yang , Morwell , and Yallourn ).

...and there is so much more  !

The La Trobe Valley is the heart of Gippsland and the region is the food bowl of primary produce  ...A very old and long line of sustainable  dairy farms, award winning cheeses from local cheese producers , a commercial snail farm .
We have great wineries , top quality restaurants and casual eateries , orchards, venison , lamb, beef , pork,  game fowl, rabbit and poultry farms. The commercial potato farmers at Thorpdale, vegetable farms of all descriptions producing  top quality crops. Without a doubt we have the best sea food industry  in the country, our  source and supply of quality seafood is legendary. Our inland waterways are another reason why fisherman from all over come to Gippsland....

So I `m about to head down the road, I`ll catch up with family, cuddle Max, shop with Nicole and Ella, dinner with Shaun and Dee, breakfast with Paul and watch as Dale finishes the half marathon at the MCG on Sunday.  Team Monash  23289.


 

ROAST POTATOES FOR MEGAN

This is for Megan.
Megan is a beautiful young lady who bought her mum and sister into my work to meet me today.
Megan is a student at Baringa Special School Moe Victoria, and loves to cook , her favourite thing to cook is Roast Potatoes.
Megan this is for you.............

1. buy some Sebago or Golden Delight potatoes.....These are great for roasting.
1.give your potatoes a good scrub
1.pat dry and place the potatoes on a paper towel , now rub the potatoes all over with duck fat...its so much fun your hands get all gooey.
1. place the potatoes on a tray and in the fridge for 15 minutes.
1.now in the mean time  make sure your oven is set at 180c and really warm.
1. After 15mins put your potatoes on a baking tray and sprinkle liberally with salt.
1.Place in the oven and bake till you see the skin of the potatoes bubbly and tanned in colour.

Megan you can also treat pumpkin , sweet poato, beetroot , turnip, swede, and celeriac in the same way ......
cooking the vegies this way ,will really add to the family roasts ......
Keep cooking , Megan ...
It was lovely to meet you.
Noelene

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE WITH A LITTLE CURRY DUCK.

Curried duck was on the menu last night....The skin was crispy all over , flaky and crumbled  when the carving knife broke the surface..
The simple trick to crispy skin is to make sure your duck ( or any bird / fowl ) has been completely defrosted  ( if using from the freezer ) and has sat in the fridge for 12 hours before preparation(..use a cotton tea towel to cover., )

No need to use a whole bird  / fowl  , buy the joints you like , buy them on special , and freeze them  for when the recipe suits......( at my butchers you can always get pig ears , pig head , brains sweetbreads  and tripe at very reasonable prices..!!!! )

Set your oven at 180c at least 15minutes before use... ( this should be a given practice ..no matter how old or whiz bang new your cooking appliance is.!)

Spray canola cooking spray over your baking tray and wire rack

Now to prepare your bird or single joints..
(Using a range of prepared herb and spices that I now sell on line and through my cooking classes)
Rub caramelised balsamic all over the joint and sprinkle with  a mix of rock salt and dried truffle.
Place on wire rack in baking tray , I let the duck roast for 90minutes .

Curry Mix

I. small fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes.

thinly slice a bunch of fresh coriander.... leaves, stems and root..

slice a green capsicum, and cube one medium sized egg plant

1. small tin of water chestnuts drained.

1. whole head of medium sized garlic(..place on rack beside  bird in the oven slice garlic head in half  and top with  dob of ghee)

1.small red bullet chilli.thinly sliced with seeds.

1. brown onion quartered

3. cubes of palm sugar crushed

2.tsp fish oil

1/2 bunch of spring onions sliced on the angle , green part only.

Place all the above in a pan with  2 tbs of ghee over a med heat..Wait till the onion starts to soften

Add one can of coconut milk stir in gently..to flavour mix in 1. tbs cardamom seeds , 1. tbs turmeric,1. tbs cumin ,and 1. dsp sumac.

Adjust flavourings to suit individual tastes......

I removed the duck at the 90 min mark and let rest and cool......the cooking times will be shorter if you use pre cut joint


Once cooled break into pieces , remove all the bones and shred the meat with your fingers..Squeeze the garlic pulp over the meat rub in gently.
then add to the curry mix ....let the flavours develop over a slow heat with the pot enclosed., while you cook the grain .
 I served the duck curry with steamed buckwheat.

Serve into bowls topped with crispy skin wedges...

HINT..scoop cooled duck fat from the bottom of the baking dish and keep in a container till you need to roast some vegies ..guaranteed to get the " O M G they are the best roast vegetables I have ever tasted "comment.









 

DIAL AN OCCASION COOKING CLASSES

NOELENES` DIAL AN OCCASION COOKING CLASSES...

Commence Sunday October..27th   12.30-3.30pm

GNOCCHI WITH SALSA ALLA PIZZAIOLA

In the Castle Garden kitchen
Bookings Essential...0407561192

$38.50 @ head for 3 hours.

All you need to bring is a container to take home the goodies you cook..
Recipe supplied
Beginners welcome .

Why not organise a group of foodie friends and I will come and do a cooking class in your home ..($50.oo @ head inc ingredients and tastings..
For classes outside  Latrobe Valley, there is a one off  $80 travel charge.
 

CHIA GNOCCHI

Chia is an ancient seed that has more omega 3 and dietary fibre than any other food from nature .Chia  is natures complete  superfood as this wholegrain is also high in protein and essential vitamins  and minerals.
Chia has a black seed and a white seed, but there is no evidence to suggest there is any difference in their nutritional value. The Chia plant is called Salvia Hispanica.
So how do you use it ? Where do I start...?
# Sprinkle chia on raw foods
# Add chia to breakfast cereals
#Chia can be used in salads
#Chia gel is an essential in my fridge, ( Chia seeds mixed with water and kept in a jar ),  used as a thickener in sweet or savoury recipes.
#I dessertspoon of the chia gel is my vitamin supplement everyday.
There are recipe books showing the countless ways to use Chia , but the most efficient way is to just add it as you would a teaspoon of salt or sugar to your cooking ..( Not in place of but in addition too ).
Chia is readily available in the health food section of your supermarket , in health food stores and can be ordered on line,,,

See the end of recipe for the sauce mix ..making the sauce first allows time for the flavours to develop.
 Place  about 300gm of spinach or silverbeet leaves in a bowl and pour over a couple of cups of hot water ...press the leaves down in the water ..once wilted drain the water ,squeeze the excess water from the leaves and chop the spinach ball as finely as you can .
Now drain  about 250gm of ricotta  or you can happily use the same quantity of  smooth ricotta and add to a  mixing bowl, mix in the chopped  spinach/ silverbeet ( I use a knife to mix  as this produces a much lighter  and better result.)
At this point you can also add favourite spices and a small tin of tomatoe paste, along with a handful of grated parmesan ( approx. 50gm ), 1/2 cup of chia seeds, 2 eggs well beaten, salt and pepper to your taste.. and a 1/2 cup of semolina flour.
Again use your knife to mix ..
Put the mixture into the fridge for 30minutes ...or longer.
Now boil the water in a pot on the stove, then reduce heat a little and maintain a good simmer , now sprinkle a little semolina over the bench and LIGHTLY roll your rough gnocchi dough into  a sausage shape .
break off small pieces of the dough and gently roll into balls then a quick dip in the semolina  ..there are no rules regarding size and shape of gnocchi ..its what suits you .
 Place the gnocchi in batches into the simmering water ..the gnocchi are cooked when they float to the surface of the pot, remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve in individual bowls , topped with your favourite sauce..
SAUCE..
Last night I used one small tin whole baby beets (..I cheated as I had just returned from Somers), these were drained and divided straight into the bowls with the cooked gnocchi..
The sauce consisted of a bottle of bought passata , fresh home grown basil  to your taste.3. med sized onions diced.  1. tbs of chopped garlic....(..sautee the onions and garlic first ) and 2 tins of diced tomatoes and a dessertspoon of sugar... seasoned with salt and pepper. heated on the stove .
Topped with parmesan cheese,,
Mmmmmm.
 

VSK..VERY SPECIAL KIDS ...... PARENTS` RETREAT AT SOMERS. VIC

Thank you Georgie, your invitation for me to attend and participate in the  cooking demonstration for the parents retreat, is a personal badge of honour.
The rides on the Harleys were a first for me  and so much fun,I can understand why in SOME cases motorbike riding is addictive ! I am still a fan of a roof,  doors  and four wheels for my transport option. The HOGS motor cycle group were just lovely and the children and parents had an absolute ball.A cheque for $1000 . from the Hogs MC and a hand crafted quilt for each family from the quilters group, were very welcomed.
The community of food won through again with the interaction of the parents and siblings around the table. In such a short time while we all had our hands in making gnocchi and reading the recipe we  learned so much about each other .
To mark the end of the retreat an informal gathering , reflections of the weekend were shared by some of the families with the audience, it was full of emotion and gratitude . There was nobody with  dry eyes.
The volunteers , all of you are amazing human beings and put a lot of us to shame. Your support and selflessness given to those in need was a shining light , everyone of you are to be congratulated.!!!
Everyone knows or is aware of someone doing it tough, for whatever reason....lets not judge because we are not walking in their shoes .....this week do one small insignificant thing for someone in need .

WHAT IS OLD IS NEW AGAIN

Chicken Juliet .....how very 70`s.....But the same recipe 2013 , would be tauted as Middle Eastern inspired chicken .
Food that we eat is determined by trends, recipes that are deemed old fashioned or dated are simply reborn with a new presentation, a new name, to a new generation of diners.
Lets have a read of the original recipe for Chicken Juliet..
1. orange......
2. tbs  butter
1. tbs oil
1. onion thinly sliced
4. chicken joints
1. cup of seasoned powder
2.5 cups of chicken stocks
150ml of white wine
1. tbs Worcestershire sauce
50gms of sultanas/ raisins.

Heat your oven, and thinly pare the orange rind and cut into thin strips.
Fry the onion in the oil and butter until transparent, then remove with a slotted spoon and place in an oven proof dish.
Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour and fry till evenly browned, then add to the stock, wine , Worcestershire sauce, orange strips and sultanas in the ovenproof dish.
fully enclose the dish and bake for 1 hour.
Serve with a warm lentil and beetroot salad.


Now lets change some wording......oven proof dish becomes a tagine...in place of butter use ghee ..remove wine all together and replace it with lemon juice.
Chicken Juliet  has just been reinvented and updated to an Orange Chicken Tagine.
 

WHAT`S NOT TO LIKE.

I LIKE...

The book ..Plenty , Digressions on food   by Gay Bilson,......because of the book Plenty , I bought the

The cook book ......Wild Weed Pie by Yannis Kyritsis...

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Tripe Lyonnaise ........YK
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Quail and pigs trotter sausage in vine leaves.........YK
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Flourless Banana Cake.....YK

That Bilson and Kyritsis acknowledge their friends and mentors over the years.

Can anyone help me obtain a copy of  CLEARING THE TABLE by Gay Bilson..?( all my attempts have come up empty)



Tagliatelle in walnut and  blue cheese sauce....

Put a couple of tablespoons of  vegetable oil and a dob of butter in a pan, and sweat 3 sliced garlic cloves and 80 gm of  sliced walnuts  in the mix
Add 100gm of fresh spinach leaves and cook briefly.
Pour in 200ml of thickened cream, stir and simmer gently.
season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Cook dried tagliatelle...( or make fresh pasta with 6 eggs  and 3 cups of fine ground flour..the more eggs , the finer the texture of the pasta )..in salted water.
Drain when cooked, then add the pasta to the sauce, mixing gently and well.
Just before serving break the blue cheese into the pasta and sauce and let the cheese melt slightly before serving....

 

ALL BECAUSE I DARED TO DREAM

Last September  (2012) with encouragement from my son Dale , I filled out on line the Masterchef application form......I was successful, made it through the auditioning process and was selected as a contestant for masterchef 2013.

What an honour , an experience of a lifetime .

Every day I survived the challenges  was a bonus , and the challenges were to deal with pressure ,not  to take criticsm personally, saying goodbye to fellow contestants as the numbers dwindled ,never knowing what was in store for me.....

We had the  privilege of working with and under the guidance of the top chefs in their given area of expertise, in my mind there were no losers on the show just people who went home .

Masterchef  took us to Perth , a most beautiful city and one I intend to revisit , we went outback W.A and  enjoyed the charm of  Barossa Valley ,South Australia.

But nothing comes  close to the magic and majesty of Monslevat.....on our arrival I was taken back in time to the great names (the arts inclusive) who  have worked and frolicked in this beautiful place.

Samira, Rishi ,Kelty and I ..were sent into elimination from the great hall, it did play out as a sentence to my execution, there was real  tension in the air .
Heston Blaumenthall certainly got  theatre , just not on a plate.!

Monselvat in my mind , conjurs up romantic meetings or a place to console a broken heart.  . it rained the day we were there and it was beautiful ,the geese were  guarded and loud about our intrusion into their grounds.... I intend to picnic there in the summer .

Back home , I have wonderful memories and a list of places to revisit and new horizons to venture...I feature on radio, cook fine meals for people in their homes , work with Jamies ministry of food ,  do interactive cooking demonstrations with people in my home or theirs..This sunday is going to be so special as I`m a guest at the parents retreat in Somers for  the Very special kids foundation , and we are going to cook up a storm.!
I have a diary for 2014 ...with bookings at food festivals and food events throughout Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley  (I live in   foodie paradise ) not because I`m any better than most people  or anyone ...but because I dared to dream, I let go of my fear.

IT`S SIMPLE ..

S.`I don`t cook , I never cook...they are way too fussy in my house `
N. everyone cooks..
S.Not me .
N. asks D the beautiful little daughter of S......What is the one special thing that mum makes to eat that is your favourite ?
D. Cottage pie...it`s the best, its so yummy .
N. .Rave reviews for a person who doesn't cook....

We all cook and we all do something very well. Foods help us relive a time, an occasion, it can bring a memory to life..remember  grannys`  soldier and hard boiled egg, the sweet potato pie and don`t forget the piece and chip or ice cream served in the `jilly jaws`. Slices of stale bread soaked in cinnamon and warmed milk ,  and lets not forget the draught board toast, cut into squares and laid on a plate to  replicate the draught board , the coloured squares with vegemite and the plain just with butter... I forget the rules but the winner got the extra squares to eat.......
Those of you reading my blog might not agree this is cooking but to the people with these memories , the creator of these delicacies was the best cook and no matter how hard I tried I could never quite make anything the same as granny.

But that is my point , as simple as all those foods were, they were loved and enjoyed. The basic ingredients were always on hand in the pantry,( they never came with a toy or a voucher to get a discount off your next purchase ) and there was as much pleasure  in creating the dish as there was in the eating .

Lets get back to basics , bring fun back into cooking, visit the recipes  that bought so much joy to your lives and lets reinvent them...

post your favourite memory as a comment.......