Eating The Daisies

For Beginners

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000+10:30

Friends, a belated Happy New Year!

Did you make any resolutions?

Big ones?

To those of us who are embarking on the new, the ambitious, the scary, a timely reminder from Ira.

I love Ira.

When I heard that he once dated Linda Barry, I loved him even more (even if she did call him her worst boyfriend ever).

So here it is: Ira's advice to beginners.

Good luck to us all!

via Jay Mung

Dude Food, or How To BBQ Without A Barbecue?

2012-01-02T13:31:00.003+10:30

Eight hours' sleep and several hastily discarded resolutions later, the Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches that rang in our New Year made an encore appearance at the breakfast table.

I am a weak, weak woman, easily undone by soft white rolls, tender meat and the sweet tang of simmering sauce.

Dude food may be the flavor of the month (see Matt Preston on this trend), but for me, this little piggie is all about nostalgia.

Lately, I've had a taste for a bit of barbecue - specifically, Rocklands BBQ & Grilling Company, a staple of my twelve years spent south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Their signature sauce, poured hot over a beef brisket sandwich and a side of roughly mashed potatoes, sustained me on many a night (and morning after). My carnivorous madeleine. Sigh.

But what is a girl without a Webber, let alone a hickory-fed smoker, to do?

Improvise, with North Carolina-style Pulled-Pork Barbecue done in the oven (see the Cook's Note at the of the recipe, and my notes below).

That's right - the oven.

Apartment dwellers and suburban rebels alike, heed my call: you do not need a barbecue to make great barbecue.

Never mind digging a pit for a whole pig or firing up the barbie - just whack what you need in a roasting pan, cover with brine and parchment, seal with foil, and away you go. With a lot of time (largely unattended) and a little basting, the pork, cooking in a cider vinegar and it's own fat, will be falling off the bone and ready to be pulled into bite sized pieces. Too easy.

For the all-important sauce, I played a bit of regional hop-scotch and jumped over to Kansas City, where they like it thicker and sweeter (the North Carolina version is bit thin and vinegary for my liking) and some simple, tasty coleslaw.

One non-negotiable that both regions can agree on: soft white rolls. This is not the time for anything vaguely 'organic', 'granary', or 'artisan'. Think Bubba, not Buhdda.

So, visit your butcher, mix up some brine, fire the oven, put your friends on notice and the beer on ice.

It's barbecue time.

Note: although the Cook's Note indicates that oven roasting will take between 5-6 hours, depending upon the size of your pork shoulder, mine (3.5 kgs/7.5lbs) took the full nine hours - five in the oven at 180C, followed by four hours at 100C. I also dispensed with the "remove the skin and roast on a tray, while you brown the meat" step - I didn't see the need. Not that I don't love pork crackling, I do, but I didn't want to risk drying out the meat with the browning step, nor did I see the need - pulled pork is more about moist, succulent meat, not browned edges. Otherwise, I followed the all the recipes (North Carolina pulled-pork,sauce and coleslaw) to a tee (though I did use a mix of green and purple cabbage for the slaw - a girl's gotta have a bit of color!).

Teacher Gifts 2011

2011-12-24T10:33:00.000+10:30

This year's Teachers' Gift veered madly away from the homemade granola and jam of y'ore, and into the realm of the unadulterated sugar fix. Buckle up - it's going to be an extra-hyper holiday season!

If you are struggling for a last minute hostess gift between now and New Year's, Martha's Christmas Candy Assortment proved to be a treasure trove of ideas. Those featured here were all incredible fast and simple, and no less delicious for it.

Happy Holidays!

Martha's Crunchy Carmel Corn

Prep Time
10 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 6

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking sheet
10 cups plain unsalted popped (from 1/2 cup kernels or a 3.3-ounce bag microwave popcorn) popcorn
1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
Coarse salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Place popcorn in a large bowl; if using cashews, add to bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring constantly. Working quickly, drizzle popcorn with sugar syrup, and toss.
Spread popcorn evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and shiny, about 40 minutes. Transfer hot popcorn to parchment-paper-lined baking sheet; let cool.

Martha's Peppermint Bark

*with amendments by me

Yield
Makes 2 1/4 pounds or one 11-by-17-inch sheet

Ingredients

2 ~~pounds~~ bags white chocolate buttons, ~~chopped into 1/2-inch pieces~~
12 large candy canes
1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

Directions

Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment, and set aside.
I~~n the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly~~. In a microwave-safe bowl, cook for one minute on medium; stir; repeat until smooth and completely melted, taking care not to burn.
Unwrap candy canes or peppermint candy and place in large zip-lock bag. Squeeze air out and seal. With a ~~chef's knife or~~ meat tenderizer or rolling pin, ~~cut or~~ pound candy canes into 1/4-inch pieces. If cooking with a young companion, this step requires careful supervision, or you could wind up with a bag of peppermint dust - you want small chunks.
Stir 3/4 of candy canes pieces and peppermint oil into the melted chocolate, reserving 1/4 of candy cane pieces. Remove from heat, and pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly. Quickly sprinkle remaining candy cane pieces across the top so that they will stand out (I got distracted and by the time I went to sprinkle, it was too late - the chocolate had set, just sitting on the bench). Chill until firm, 25 to 30 minutes (unnecessary - mine set in no time at room temperature). Break into pieces, and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Martha's Nut Brittle Block

I'll let you follow the link above for this one, as I didn't make any significant changes except to vary the choice of nuts (I used pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts and pistachios). Having said that, in a fit of excess, I melted a 50:50 combo of milk and dark chocolate, poured it over one batch of already-hardened brittle, and set it to cool in the fridge. DECADENT.

How To Treat A Mugger

2011-12-19T08:00:00.001+10:30

In the spirit of the holidays, a good news story, via Cup Of Jo and npr.

Team Hoyt

2011-12-12T09:00:00.001+10:30

Some good news for your Monday morning: two golden Ironmen.

As a New Yorker, I never thought I'd say it, but "Go Bruins!"

Holy Holiday Greetings!

2011-12-08T19:13:00.000+10:30

The Fosters in Jingle Bells via Design Mom

In the past decade, I haven't managed to get a Christmas Card out (electronic, mind you) before Valentine's Day.

The Fosters are in another stratosphere.

Phenomenal!

Advent Calendar

2011-12-05T12:28:00.000+10:30

1 Dymo label maker + 25 tiny Chinese take-away boxes + a few chocolate gold coins + red ribbon = fastest, easiest Advent calendar ever.

Quickly gobbling our way through the first five days of sweets in one sitting....

Big Failures

2011-12-02T22:00:00.000+10:30

A good reminder.

Making This

2011-11-29T16:48:00.001+10:30

I love a home-made advent calendar. Unfortunately, as December 1st races towards us, I have yet to unearth mine. I fear it may have gotten permanently misplaced in our pre-sale de-cluttering frenzy.

Luckily, the clever ladies at Prudent Baby (a new-to-me craft blog that demands further reading) promise that this advent calendar can be made in approximately an hour - which is lucky, because that's about all the time I have left.

By the way, our house is still available and re-priced to sell! It won't fit in your stocking, but it is the real estate bargain of the season!

Watching: Guilty Pleasures

2011-11-07T21:33:00.002+10:30

Guilty pleaures:

Room service.

Bacon that's found its way into a puddle of maple syrup.

Travelling without children (and accepting the offer of a hot beverage without fear of accidental scalding).

Reading a novel, in the middle of the afternoon.

Sleeping in the sun.

Newspapers and coffee, in bed.

Lolling by an open fire, while the fog rolls in.

Getting to the end of an episode, looking at each other across the sofa and agreeing, "Just one more." Again.

For those in search of a quiet night of deliberate viewing, here are a few thoughts.

Mad Men centers on 1960s adman Don Draper, the Gatsby of his age. Resposible for the comeback of skinny ties and prominent cleavage. Brylcreem can't be far behind. Absolutely brilliant. (Pun intended.)

Somewhere between Philippa Gregory and Wolf Hall (with a detour past the stylists at Vanity Fair), lies The Tudors. If you like your historical fiction intelligent, buff and waxed, this is for you. Thrilling, from start to finish.

Warning: be sure the children are truly asleep before tuning in, or you could be in for some interesting conversations. The writers apparently had a coupling quota to meet.

Downton Abbey. Upstairs, downstairs on the eve of WWI. Life is poised to change irrevocably, for a family and a nation. Visually stunning, beautifully acted, compellinng storylines, perfect period drama - that's all I ask for, really.

Blissfully un-styled and positively hilarious. So real you can almost feel the grit of dried wheatbix on the kitchen bench. If you are Outnumbered by your own pack of exhaustingly precocious imps, you are in excellent company. One of the best casts (kids included) ever.

The Slap. The water-cooler show of the moment, currently airing on ABC1 but soon to be on dvd, no doubt. Raw. Excruciating. Disturbing. The characters aren't entirely likable. Why can't I stop watching?

(old television by noisecult)

Reading: Challenging Times & Tricky Topics

2011-10-27T14:40:00.002+10:30

Recommending parenting books is a loaded business.

In the interest of full disclosure, allow me to say that as I write this, one of my two children is confined to his bedroom for poor behavior.

That said, with the prospect of change churning our emotional seas, I find myself revisiting some trusted sources. They have, at various times, provided information, reassurance, perspective, strategies and the occasional, much needed laugh.

I thought they were worth sharing, because these volumes always deliver, even when I can't.

Good luck to all of us!

What is 'spirited', you ask?

Well, if you find yourself wondering how all the other mothers are able to drink their coffee while you are busy trying to stop your little darling from scaling walls, digging trenches or hot-wiring the car; if your child can't bear seams on her socks, itchy tags on her neck or strobe lighting; if your child is simply more - more passionate, turbulent, energetic, precocious, particular, sensitive, intuitive or just plain full-on - than other kids, this book may be for you!

Pure gold.

A great one if you live with somebody who needs prompting to see the bright side.

We now say goodnight with a cuddle while listing ten good things that happened that day. The eight-year-old has figured out that he can score an extra two pages of story time in exchange for an additional ten positive things, for a total of twenty. It's a win-win.

Oh, if only I could swallow this whole. When I remember what to do, it works a charm.

By the same brilliant ladies. Siblings Without Rivalry won't necessarily stop the kids from fighting over the remote, but it provides fascinating insight into family dynamics that can help you minimize the bigger conflicts and make everyone feel appreciated for who they are, without comparison or favor. Big ticket stuff.

When I grow up, I want to be Lauren Child. Or Clarice Bean. I'm not picky, either will do.

Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now! is not a parenting book but a book for parents and kids alike.

In this installment of the Clarice Bean series, Clarice's best friend, Betty Moody, unexpectedly moves away when her mother takes a job overseas. Eventually, after a bit of sadness and a few twists and turns, it all works out. Told with candor, humor, feeling and astounding powers of syntax, Lauren Child does it again. Brilliant. We'll be revisiting this one as the time for good-byes draws near.

As a friend's mother likes to say, Feelings aren't right or wrong - they just are. With clever cartoons and few words, Aliki subtly points out that how we act on those feelings - good and bad - is our choice, without ever being preachy or goody-two-shoes about it. Genius.

If you laugh so hard that you snort while reading about manners, have you missed the point?

If so, I am a lost cause. Where Aliki uses subtlety, Munro uses a sledgehammer - of humor. The Pigs and the Toucheys are now part of the family vernacular. If only we didn't have so much cause to invoke their names!

Lifetimes is elegant and powerful in its simplicity. Every living thing has a beginning and an ending, with lifetimes in between. And it's the living - no matter how long or short - that counts.

Though not a parenting book per se, Lifetimes has helped us navigate some difficult conversations. Stunning illustrations help convey the beauty and universality of life and death. Perfectly pitched for children and adults alike, struggling to understand.

Desire To Inspire

2011-10-24T15:46:00.001+10:30

Desire to inspire is a blog that delivers on its promise, each and every time.

In case you are new to them, desire to inspire is the collaboration of two women separated by geography (one Canadian and one Australian) and joined by the internet and their fabulous sense of style. And get this: they have never met!

After hours and hours of drawing inspiration from them, I was absolutely tickled to see our home on their page!

Thank you, Jo & Kim!

Best. Cookbook. Ever.

2011-10-18T22:39:00.001+10:30

I love Asian. I love fresh. I love flavor. I love Bill (see here, here and here). But, above all, I love easy.

That last part is a bit of a revelation.

I have been known to go to great (read: ridiculous) lengths in my quest to replicate the food I love.

No more.

Three dinners, averaging 30 minutes effort each (tops), no crazy ingredient sourcing and two new family favorites later, this is it.

Bill's Everyday Asian.

Never. Looking. Back.

Hot tip: try Spa-style Poached Chicken With Sesame Bean Salad - my tough-to-please little one gave it two thumbs up, and both boys raved about Hoisin Chicken With A Celery Salad (okay, we substituted carrot sticks, but the chicken was a hit).

Zen

2011-10-10T10:37:00.002+10:30

Bulging belly and pendulous earlobes aside, Buddha and I have little in common.

This is not for lack of trying.

I have an entire bookshelf sagging under the weight of good intentions and untapped wisdom:

Why Buddhism? (why, indeed);
Awakening the Buddha Within;
Choosing Happiness;
Start Where You Are;
The Three Questions;
Zen Shorts;
Karma Kids;
Buddhism For Mothers; and
Buddhism For Mothers Of Schoolchildren.

The title I'm waiting for is "Buddhism-For-Lapsed-Catholic-Dilettante-Mothers-Of-Spirited-Schoolaged-Boys-Living-With-Overachieving-Spouses".

When that hits the shelves, I'll be set.

In the meantime, I am struggling to practice non-attachment.

After three years of planning, dreaming, scheming, yearning, and plain hard work, we finally have the house of our dreams, in our beloved Adelaide Hills.

And my husband has a fantastic new job... in Melbourne.

Once again, life is teaching me that you can have it all, just not necessarily at the same time.

Leaving friends, colleagues, school and our home, Birk Knott, will be sad and difficult.

But we are so fortunate and excited to be landing in Melbourne, where tremendous friends and precious family await, along with all sorts of new adventures and opportunities for exploring.

Onward!

But first, some "Before & After" snaps of our little project.

It makes me smile.

Maybe it could make you smile - if you're in the market for a tree-change, let me know!

It's a magical spot.

Before

Outside: yellow bricks, small aluminum-framed windows, and lots of lattice-work pergolas.

Inside: a rabbit's warren, with too many doors leading into lots of pokey rooms and a front door that entered directly into the family room where the refrigerator sat.

The house was oriented towards the garden (good), but the windows were too small to take in either the views or the sunlight (bad).

Come winter, we could see our breath indoors.

Cooking involved banging the oven into life (think: old t.v. with rabbit ears and poor reception). Reaching the top cupboards was tricky if you were less than seven feet tall.

The "Big Room" was like a church hall - great for a crowd, but too vast for every day use.

However, if things inside left a bit to be desired, the surroundings - from every angle and in every season - more than made up for it.

In truth, we had bought a garden, not a house.

The original owners and sole owners (until we came along) had dedicated themselves to creating a miraculous botanic park.

A house, we reasoned, could be built or transformed in the space of a year (or two).

Twenty-foot-high camellias take a lifetime. And someone had already spent theirs making this incredible place.

Plus, in summer, there was the pool. Built-in racing lines were the cherry on the cake - we have a competitive family!

So, as an interim measure, we painted the outside white.

White paint is a miracle in a can. (Blue hydrangeas were our wedding flowers - when we first saw the house, it seemed like an omen.)

And then we got busy planning....

After

Our goal was to make the house as special as its setting, while introducing a few modern creature comforts (like heating!) along the way.

(view from the study)

I'm smiling. (Not least because the hydrangea, though not visible above, will be back soon.)

This is the result of a fantastic collaboration with three enormously talented individuals: our architect, David Burton of Williams Burton, his associate Sophia Leopardi, and our builder, Rocky Cirroco. It is impossible to imagine achieving a similar outcome without any one them, or the delightful, dedicated teams that support them.

All renovations come with their challenges, but, ultimately, this was one of the most creative, energizing and gratifying experiences of my life.

And it is nice to feel that we will leave this very special place a little more special than we found it.

Frankie Says...

2011-05-19T15:32:00.005+09:30

Relax.

Finally, there is a magazine that's "as smart, funny, sarcastic, friendly, cute, rude, arty, curious and caring" as you are.

So says their tagline.

And it's true.

Frankie first came to my attention via a friend who is the embodiment of effortless cool.

She ticks all the boxes above, plus she cooks like a mad thing and makes Demi Moore look like a troll.

When she makes recommendations, I pay attention.

This time, I even took notes.

Between interviews with artists of every description, quirky essays and ethereal photography with vintage styling, Frankie is crammed full of groovy tidbits - links to books, music, fashion, design, charities and events.

Too many to remember, so I keep a running "Frankie Tips" list on my phone.

Here is a tiny sampling:

The Perfect Five - a music blog for people who don't have time for music blogs. It lives up to its name. Case in point.

Temptations from the likes of Present And Correct, for the vintage stationary junkies among us.

Essential reading recommendations for the thrifty modern girl.

They even put out books of their own contributing to the dialogue on such critical issues as decorating and afternoon tea.

It must be said, however, that not every tip has been a success.

I recently purchased this shirt for CB (not pictured).

The compliment was lost, as he didn't know who Mr. Darcy was.

When I explained that he was the pin-up boy for the Jane Austen set, CB looked crestfallen.

Apparently, he had his heart set on appealing to a slightly-less bookish audience.

Like the Laker Girls.

It seems we both misjudged our target audience.

The shirt remains unworn, in silent protest.

So maybe Frankie isn't for everyone.

But it is definitely for me.

Mother's Day Macaroni & Cheese

2011-05-10T13:00:00.001+09:30

(Photograph by Amanada McLauchlan)

Why is it that two people can follow exactly the same recipe and get entirely different results?

For a long time now, I have been on the hunt for an outstanding macaroni and cheese recipe.

My mother-in-law has one, as my husband, without fail, reminds me.

"Just ask Mum."

I have. And I made it. And it flopped. More than once.

Why?

It's not a complicated preparation (boil macaroni; strain; stir in sauce; bake).

It doesn't require any obscure ingredients (think 'can of tomato soup' rather than 'white truffle oil').

But there is something about the way that she makes it, that makes it.

And no matter how I try, it can't be replicated, because our mother's food is more than the sum of its ingredients.

It's the essence of our childhood.

It's all the love, hope, wishes, dreams and best intentions a mother can muster, made edible and presented on a plate, with a full heart.

This mother's day, I finally hit the jackpot with a Mac N' Cheese recipe that is the new gold standard - for my boys.

For my husband, there will always be one incomparable preparation: Mum's.

And that's just as it should be.

Happy Mother's Day, Simone!

Mother's Day Macaroni & Cheese

(adapted from this recipe, pictured above)

Diners should present a note from their cardiologist before tucking in. The original recipe is named aptly "Fondue-Style Macaroni Cheese". It's divine. I tried to balance all the fondue-y goodness by adding a bag of baby spinach and serving a bright green salad on the side, but I wasn't fooling anyone. It makes enough to serve a small crowd (8, generously) and would be perfect after a day on the slopes. Otherwise, it should be left on quarterly - rather than weekly - rotation, unless you want a family full of weeble-wobbles.

400g macaroni

1 Tbs olive oil

250g sliced pancetta, chopped

50g unsalted butter

2½ cups fresh bread crumbs panko*

2 Tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

600 ml milk

600 ml cream

¼ cup plain flour

225g Fontina Gruyere**, grated

300g Cheddar, grated

One bag pre-washed baby spinach

Sea salt & freshly-ground white pepper

Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Grease a 2-litre baking dish. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and stir, cooking until slightly crispy. Add the butter and bread crumbs, and cook until golden, stirring regularly.

Place milk, ream and flour in a large heatproof bowl. Lightly whisk to combine. Add half the cheese and microwave on medium, stirring at regular intervals, until the cheese begins to melt. Stir gently to combine - do not over-mix. Add the pasta, then stir in remaining cheese. Season with sea salt and white pepper. Stir in spinach and transfer to baking dish. Sprinkle with crumbs and bake 30 minutes, until bubbling and golden.

*Panko is a type of flaky Japanese bread crumb that gives an extra-cruchy result. Appropriately enough, my mother-in-law, Simone, introduced me to Panko and it works a treat every time. It's found in the Asian section of most grocery stores and bares no resemblance to other commercially prepared breadcrumbs, which look and taste like sawdust.

**I used Gruyere in place of Fontina because I had a block in the fridge. Fontina melts beautifully and would be amazing in this recipe, but, unlike Gruyere, it can be difficult to find unless you are visiting a specialty shop.

Princess Blinis

2011-04-30T21:12:00.001+09:30

How I love a good wedding.

Friday night was all about pink plastic tiaras, French champagne, mile wide smiles and wildly enthusiastic commentary.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Princess Party.

Eight girls and eight plates.

Perfect - just like the bride.

My contribution: Blinis.

Princess Blinis, that is.

Somehow I doubt that baby pancakes topped with gobs of sour cream cream and caviar qualify as Dukan-friendly fare, but I do hope that Mrs. Windsor made an exception and managed to enjoy something involving carbohydrates at the reception.

Or do you think there was a drive-thru situation on the ride home?

Probably not; I don't think Macca's can accommodate a coach and four.

But I love the image, so let's consider this a Blini Big Mac, fit for a future queen.

Bon appetit, Princess Kate!

(That has a nice ring to it, don't you think?!)

Princess Blinis (makes one dozen stacks)

My blinis spent a good hour+ sitting on a platter before meeting their intended recipients, but if you can make these to order, all the better. Warm and fluffy, they taste even more - much more - divine, as I discovered in the interest of quality control. Anything for research.

The recipe is adapted from one found on epicurious. I swapped their buckwheat flour blini batter for my fail-safe Sunday morning standard, minus the teaspoon of sugar. Technically, this may mean that they are simply jumped-up pancakes with blini aspirations, but according to sniping cynics, that may be entirely appropriate!

Pancakes

225 g self-rising flour

2 eggs, separated

30 g melted butter, plus extra for frying

300 ml milk

pinch of salt

Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, beat the eggs whites until stiff. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, melted butter, egg yolks, milk and salt. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or so, then gently fold in the egg whites.

Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat and drop small teaspoons of batter to make tiny pancakes. Once air bubbles appear on the surface of the cakes, turn them over and cook for an additional minute or so.

Egg Salad

2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

4 tablespoons sour cream

3-4 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Combine the ingredients and season with salt, to taste.

Garnishes

100 g smoked salmon, sliced into bite-sized pieces

sour cream, dolloped

1 small jar caviar (I used salmon roe)

chives, finely chopped

Stack pancakes as follows:

pancake
smoked salmon
egg salad
pancake
dollop of sour cream
spoonful of caviar
sprinkle with chives

And don't forget the serviettes, like I did. Princesses shouldn't lick their fingers. At least, not in public.

Happy Easter

2011-04-26T14:20:00.002+09:30

Was the bunny good to you?

Every Easter in our house is gluttonous, but this one was particularly so.

We had had a lot to celebrate: the Chocolate High Holiday, Anzac Day, and CB's birthday.

But best of all, our magical builder pulled a different kind of rabbit out of a hat and got us into our nearly-renovated house.

Before:

And after:

(More on this later.)

Which meant that we got to enjoy it all in our favorite spot.

And, despite being surrounded by boxes and dust, certain rituals were observed:

Egg dying in the great outdoors...

An Easter hunt along winding garden paths...

Pancetta, Gruyere & Spinach Baked Eggs for breakfast (following a first course of chocolate)...

Magnolia birthday cupcakes, and party food, in honor CB's big day, that harkened back to the '80s and our long-lost youth:

Prawns with cocktail sauce and...

Baked Brie.

The '80s tasted even better than I remembered, and there wasn't a mullet in sight.

It's good to be back!

Pancetta, Gruyere & Spinach Baked Eggs (serves 2 generously)

As always with my recipes, quantities are indicative, not precise. Tilt the ratios whichever way you choose - with pancetta, gruyere and spinach, it's hard to go wrong!

Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 slices pancetta, chopped
2 large Swish brown or Portabella mushrooms, chopped
Several large handfuls baby spinach
Sea salt & black pepper
4 eggs
Gruyere, grated, to taste
2 large or 4 standard ramekins

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the pancetta, onion and mushrooms. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add the spinach and toss until just wilted. Divide the sauteed mixture between the ramekins and form a small well in each. Crack eggs directly into well and season with salt and pepper. Top with grated Gruyere and bake in oven until the whites of the egg turn white and the yolk still trembles. Serve with toasted slices of baguette, for dunking. If you like, you can prepare the sauteed mixture ahead of time and simple reheat in a fry pan on the day for a speedy brunch option.

Baked Brie (For The Lazy Hostess)

I cruised the internet in search of a Baked Brie recipe that wasn't too much trouble and came up empty handed. All the entries I came across involved braising onions and buttering individual layers of Fillo and, frankly, I just wasn't up for it. But, I had a yen for this gooey, oozy delicacy that wouldn't be denied, so I tried a couple of short cuts and it worked a treat. Here is my lazy version of a high-maintenance classic.

One small wheel of brie
One jar best-quality chutney
One packet puff-pastry (only two sheets required)

Preheat the oven according the preparation instructions on the puff pastry packet (in my case, this was 220 C). Defrost two sheets of puff pastry. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place one pastry sheet in the center. Place the brie in the center of the pastry sheet. Pour 1/2 the jar of chutney on top of the brie. Fold the corners of the pastry sheet towards the center of the brie and squeeze the pastry together to seal. If the corners don't meet because the brie is too big, cut a long strip of pastry from the second sheet and form a decorative spiral (mine looked more like a snail than a rose) to cover the gap and just look pretty. Place the baking sheet in the center oven rack and keep an eye on the decorative rose - it may start to toast up too quickly, in which case you will need to cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. Bake for approximately 30 minutes and serve with sliced baguette, chilled white wine and lots of serviettes!

Homemade Christmas Gift Tags

2010-12-23T18:08:00.000+10:30

And if you get over zealous with your Christmas tree cutting-out, you can always use them as gift tags.

These worked a treat.

Merry Christmas.

Homemade Christmas Gifts: Magnets

2010-12-23T17:57:00.000+10:30

Where has Magnetic Paper been all my life?

Did you know about this stuff?

It's golden.

Just be careful to get the kind with the peel-and-stick backing, and NOT the kind that goes in your printer - according to my research, it will ruin your equipment, and then you'll have to ask Santa for a new printer instead of those (earrings, shoes, plane tickets - fill in the blank), and who wants that?

10 Steps To Christmas Tree Magnets

1. Visit a store that stocks scrapbooking/crafting materials, such as Spotlight or Lincraft.

2. Purchase a packet of Magnet Paper with peel-and-stick backing.

3. Develop a Christmas tree template (I used the old elementary school trick of folding a piece of paper in half, drawing one side of a tree from the crease out, and cutting to ensure a symetrical evergreen).

4. Trace and cut out as many trees as you need, leaving a 1cm border around each tree.

5. Peel away the backing from the sticky side of the magnetic paper and carefully stick on your trees.

6. Cut out trees.

7. Apply plain white or other drawing paper to remaining magnetic sheets and scraps.

8. Start designing decorations.

9. Cut out teeny, tiny ornaments and a star for the top.

10. Slip one tree, a star and enough ornaments to cover the tree in a cellophane bag and seal with a festive ribbon.

Other ideas for homemade magnets can be found here and here.

Bill + Nigella = Fluffiest Pancakes Ever

2010-12-23T16:55:00.002+10:30

Back in the day, when I thought nothing of hand-whisking egg-whites on a Sunday morning till my biceps (and the starving children) cried out for mercy, I was a devotee of Bill Granger's Ricotta Hotcakes With Honeycomb Butter.

They were sublime.

But unless you have something significant riding on brunch (like a ring) or you're a male celebrity chef whose children are most likely being tended by a wife or nanny off-screen (ouch - sorry, Bill), these hotcakes represent an awfully big commitment.

So I turned to Nigella, patron saint of lazy, hungry girls and harried mothers everywhere.

What her American Pancakes lacked in delicacy, they made up for in speed and ease.

And as sporting events began to dominate our weekends, this no-frills affair became the Sunday morning go-to recipe.

But, although well received by DB, our resident pancake buff, the truth is they just never did it for me.

Like so many of their bretheren, they bore that heavy, leaden quality that has me inwardly groaning at first sight, let alone last bite.

Fast forward many moons and empty calories later, to a rare brain-wave between Christmas parties:

I now had a free-standing mixer (thank you, CB)....

What if I combined Bill's stiff egg-whites technique + Nigella's speedy recipe?

It may not be E=mc², but, then again, it might be.

It's all relative.

Try this: use your favorite recipe, but separate the eggs. Incorporate the yolks as you would the whole egg. Meanwhile, beat the whites to stiff peaks and fold into the batter as the final step.

Then, prepare yourself for a long session at the stovetop, because the calls for "MORE!" will keep you busy.

Just don't miss out a stack for yourself. The only groans will be pleasure induced.

Van Gogh

2010-12-10T13:13:00.001+10:30

I find these 3D reimagninings of Van Gogh's paintings utterly enchanting.

They were made using tilt-shift photography, as explained here, here and here.

The words below were supplied by the man himself.

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."

"It is better to be high-spirited though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow minded and all too prudent."

"If you hear a voice within say "you cannot paint", then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

"The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more artistic than to love people."

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"

Summer 2010

2010-12-09T11:17:00.002+10:30

Summer feels a long way off, given that we've been wading through floods (on the road and in our house) due to apocalyptic rainfall.

But, in fact, it begins in less than an hour.

As of 12:15 p.m., school is out.

And I am hanging out for....

A Christmas Eve beach picnic. Lobster salad sandwiches. Swimming races. Digging in the sand. First one in, and last one out. Drying off in the sun. Tight skin and salty hair. Tan lines. Lemonade stands. Late mornings. Reading in the middle of the afternoon. Cricket on the t.v. and no one watching. Air-conditioned movie theatres on 40 degree days. Moonlight Cinema, bean bag beds and a hamper of cold goodies. Sweat on the glass. Gin & Tonic. Limes. Guacamole. Mangoes eaten over the sink. Melons you can smell a room away. Berries over everything. Fireflies. Kids tucked up in bed before the sun goes down. Crickets singing them to sleep. Wearing white. Straw hats. Come around for a swim. Towels drying on the fence. Laundry stiff on the line. Coconut oil. Kicking the covers off. Iced tea. Burnt shoulders under cool sheets. The hum of a fan. Body surfing. Sand in the bottom of bathers. Spaghetti straps. Firing up the Webber. A bottle in one hand and tongs in the other. Freshly bathed kids in pajamas, running on the lawn. Cold chicken. The biggest splash. The longest handstand. Turning a perfect cartwheel. Drip castles. Minnows that refuse to be caught. The lifeguard's whistle. The dinner bell. Ice cream vans and the race to find change. After dinner walks. Breakfast outside. Dinner outside. Hammocks. Naps in the sun. Making lanyards. Sitting cross-legged. Sandbars. Undertow. Blistering pavement. Fish and chips. Chasing waves. Juice popsicles. Freckles. Blackberry stains. Peach cobbler. Growing a foot. Itchy ankles. Citronella candles. Cool grass. The shade of a tree. An evening breeze. Outdoor showers. Fresh clothes. Dinner salads. Tomatoes. Endless BLTs. Big plans. Doing nothing. Feeling like it will go on forever. Knowing that it won’t.

IKEA Gingerbread House

2010-12-07T14:05:00.003+10:30

For a sweet Christmas party activity, try this:

Purchase one Anna's Gingerbread House per child.

The price is right ($8 each) and the gingerbread is delicious.

Truck it on over to Ye Olde Fashioned Lolly shop and unleash the children.

Mix up a HUGE patch of Royal Icing (powdered sugar + egg white + lemon juice).

Fire up your piping bags.

Go crazy.

Ours lasted, in their fully assembled and decorated state, less than an hour.

If you prefer to buy your own, Ikea has (of course) provided an easy template and fool-proof assembly instructions here.

Love those Swedes.

(Hot Tip: do NOT follow the Anna's assembly instructions, which involved melting 200g of icing sugar over a medium flame. This results in a sticky, molten mess and will leave you with blistered fingertips. I can barely type....)

Who can find...

2010-11-30T11:01:00.001+10:30

Mongolia? Afghanistan? Chile?

Provided the country in question isn't buried beneath a pile of oatmeal, odds are we (eventually) can.

These brilliant front-and-back placemats from Gillian Miles may not be as stylish as the vintage roll-down model of my dreams, but they get the job done.

And they are spill-proof.

Having harnessed competitive instincts for good rather than ill, breakfast time is now a race around the globe.

As the toast disappears, CB and I call out the names of countries - the more obscure, the better - often with helpful hints ("It's in South America....").

Once the labeled map has been mastered, a blank version on the reverse side - for advanced competition - awaits.

The biggest challenge will be reminding them to eat.

It's About Time

2010-11-29T15:05:00.001+10:30

One potential consequence of having a mother more inclined to pursue her own interests - and yours - in favor of the standard parenting handbook is that you may wind up with a spotty skills repetoire.

Sushi-making, world geography, and American history?

Tick.

Telling time?

Not so much.

Enter Flik Flak and Summer Project #1.

Flik Flak - the children's division of Swatch - makes watches that are impact, water and even washing machine resistant.

(We'll see. I fully expect that we'll take their product testing to new limits.)

And their website even has a learn to read time computer game - a win-win.

I am hoping the fact that the Adventurous Boy model comes in this nifty kit, complete with compass, notepad and key chain, will soften the blow of receiving a watch for Christmas.

It's about time.

Retro, Blue Ribbon Stockings

2010-11-25T10:38:00.001+10:30

When I really want to freak my children out (and possibly scare them into appreciating their luxurious existence), I share choice details about my own childhood.

Like the summer when the television broke and my parents didn't have it repaired.

(After a quick - but painful - withdrawal, we didn't miss it.)

Or how we never had dessert. Ever. Except on birthdays.

(No one got fat.)

Around the holidays, I catalog the contents of my own Christmas stockings: pistachio nuts, dried apricots and Chapstick.

(I was thrilled. Truly. Pistachio nuts and dried apricots were the height of gourmet indulgence circa 1980. At least, they were for a kid who never got dessert. And when they ran out, you could always eat the Chapstick. Come on, you know you did.)

At this point, they stare at me like I am a character out of Dickens.

And their anxiety over their own stocking prospects is palpable.

They needn't worry.

This year, Santa is planning on some vintage stocking loot, but we're turning the dial back to the 1970s, not the 1870s, courtesy of my new favorite shop: Blue Ribbon General Store.

Their only concern should be keeping me from playing with their stuff.

Good luck.

They will find:

Paddle ball, so they can focus on hitting something other than each other...

Dominoes, because they are just so cool...

Jacks, because I am an ultra-competitive show-off and can't wait to

finally beat their father at something...

Slinky, 'cause it's fun for a girl and a boy...

Joker cards for - the ultimate in pre-screen portable gaming...

Pocket-sized Etch-A-Sketch - even with no curves, it's still the best...

Silly Putty. Need I say more?

Fortune Telling Fish. They bear a striking resemblance to Swedish Fish -

I will have to warn these are not edible...

Friendship Bracelet Kits. Some boys DO like to craft.

I live in hope that they will exchange with each other.

If not, at least it will keep them busy...

Shrinky Dink Charm Bracelet kits - I might score one...

More fun than a Barrel Of Monkeys...

WB has Mick's moves and bravado - all he needs are the lips...

Who could resist Gold Mine bubble gum?

And, finally, a bit of coal, because no one is perfect;

but made of chocolate, because they're darn close.

stocking image from here.

Royally Cool

2010-11-23T16:33:00.000+10:30

Check out these amazing vintage stamp cushions.

Made by my talented friend Jane, from Good Chapters.

Living proof that stamp collecting accountants can be creative.

And cool.

Visit her Etsy shop here. (That means you, Santa.)

More Books In The Car

2010-11-18T13:06:00.001+10:30

We arrived at school this morning seven whole minutes before the teachers opened the doors.

It was a good thing, too, because we weren't going anywhere.

Wolves were attacking Susan and Lucy.

Having exhausted our local library's supply of in-drive entertainment, I recently became worried that a second mortgage would be needed to feed our daily audio book habit.

(Most books on cd- in Australia - run between $20-30; make that $120, if you seek a Harry Potter installment.)

And then I discovered audible.com, a branch of Amazon.

For the princely sum of $7, I was able to download The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (the BBC dramatized version) to my iPod, plug it into the car's auxiliary audio jack, and away we went.

A thrilling tale, détente in the back seat, and no messy mid-drive disk changing, all for the price of a piece of cake.

And just in time for the holidays, should you be mounting an expedition.

Too sweet.

Apps

2010-11-17T10:28:00.003+10:30

I routinely arrived five minutes late to Madame Kelly's fourth period French class.

Slinking into my seat, breathless and blushing, I would furtively slip that day's assignment to whomever I'd just copied it from the moment her back was turned.

Consequently, if, when in France, I have to manage any transaction more complex than a drink order, I am reduced to performing spastic pantomimes.

Madame is somewhere, laughing.

Happily, there are times when having someone else do my homework is all upside.

A lovely tech reporter at the New York Times has sifted through the zillions of available iPhone apps to give us the Top Ten Must-Have Apps (and a few runners up).

Nerds are so nice.

Wish I could say that in French.

Sunday Night Jam Session

2010-11-11T18:07:00.000+10:30

'Make jam' has long been on my list of domestic mountains to conquer, right behind 'knit a presentable scarf' but somewhere before 'keep bees'.

Late Sunday night, after a day of picking, hulling, sterilizing and stirring (and stirring, and stirring, and stirring), I got there.

Around about midnight (did I mention the stirring?), burned, sticky and buzzing from way too many taste-tests, I collapsed.

But it was well worth it.

We now have enough jars of ruby red jam - Strawberry and Rhubarb Vanilla - to see us through dozens and dozens of scones, biscuits and breakfasts, not to mention a few jars set aside for this year's Teachers Christmas Gift.

The Strawberry Jam (which demanded all the stirring due to the volumes involved) can be kept stored in the cupboard, provided the jars are properly sterilized and sealed.

But the Rhubarb Vanilla Jam (which was quick, easy, and even more delicious) must be kept in the fridge where, theoretically, it may be kept for two weeks.

We'll never know.

I recommend tripling the quantities.

You'll be glad you did.

Donna Hay's Rhubarb Vanilla Jam

250g (8.75 oz) rhubarb, trimmed and chopped

1 cup caster (superfine) sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

2 tablespoons water

Place the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla and water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Spoon the jam into a sterilized 1-cup (8 fl oz) capacity glass jar and seal. Makes 1 cup (8 fl oz).

In Praise Of The Sizzle

2010-11-03T13:08:00.000+10:30

Australia does not share a border with Mexico.

I come up against this unfortunate fact of geography every time I get a yen for Mexican food.

Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, or just plain Mex, I'm not picky.

I just need it.

After listening to me whinge (again) about store-bought tortillas that could double as frisbees, my brother informed me that, according to the Homesick Texan, it was possible to make my own without the benefit of a tortilla press.

I Googled.

I read.

I drooled.

I fired up the Kitchen Aid.

And I botched it.

The first tortilla, I told myself as I flung it burnt-side-up into the bin, was akin to the first pancake - always a miss-fire.

After the fifth, I conceded defeat.

Sighing, I reached for the nasty bag of Old El Paso tortillas I'd kept in reserve. They were coming off the bench.

Standing in the kitchen doorway, wearing a look that mingled pity with bemusement, my beloved asked plaintively,

"Why must you always go to so much effort?"

The truth is that, lately, I haven't.

I have turned up at barbecues with a measly packet of sausages and little else.

I have showed up for coffee with a bar of chocolate (at best) or nothing (at worst).

Weeks have gone by with little more than toast and cereal on the breakfast table.

And my children now think that pasta constitutes its own food group.

In the grand scheme of things, is this a big deal?

No.

And yes.

No one is starving, nutritionally speaking, but every time I do so little, I feel I am living little, too.

And this reminded me of a story....

A like-minded friend was visiting with her in-laws when lunchtime rolled around.

It was winter and the chill seemed to call for something warming.

Poking around the fridge, she unearthed bread, country ham, cheddar cheese, mango chutney and a tin of pineapple. The perfect makings for hot, buttery toasted sandwiches.

Moving about the kitchen, she asked if anyone else would like one.

Surveying the assembled ingredients, her mother in law wrinkled her nose.

"Isn't that an awful lot of trouble to go to for a sandwich?" she challenged.

A kind but austere woman, she'd managed to raise six children on a farm, without extravagances such as chutney, thank you very much.

She took a no-nonsense, for-procreation-only approach to food, and here was my friend offering the gastronomical equivalent of a peep-show on a plate.

"We'll just have ham on buttered bread, thank you, " she intoned, virtuously. "There's no need to toast for us."

Across the room, her father-in-law gazed furtively at the cheese oozing out between the bread, hitting the pan with a sizzle.

The prospect of another dry sandwich loomed....

I prefer the sizzle.

And writing this blog goes a long way towards reminding me of that every time I am tempted to go for the easier option.

Will the difference between toasted or not change the world? No.

But it changes my world, for the infinitely better.

So I'm back.

Time to stop living small.

Bring on the effort.

The Writing Process

2010-08-12T13:43:00.002+09:30

For anyone kind enough to wonder about my other writing project, I thought I'd provide some insight into my new routine. It goes something like this:

Pack vinyl eco-friendly shopping bag that passes for computer bag (the dog ate mine) with the essentials:

laptop, thermos, reusable travel mug, research books, tissues, pens, pencils, telephone, wallet, lipgloss, old cafe napkins, lunch, snacks, aspirin, power cord, adapter, usb cord(s), water bottle, and plastic folder containing urgent admin (shopping list, signed permission slips, unread handouts, old receipts, prescriptions, pencils, notebooks, and incomplete forms).

Lug bag to the car.

Drive to the library, to escape the siren's song of the laundry basket.

Locate a corner that isn't being used for Mommy & Baby Music Time, or Story Hour, or a meet-your-congressional-representative morning tea, or an Adelaide Hills Council meeting and is proximate to a powerpoint.

Open laptop and connect to power source.

Glance at New York Times front page. (confirm: world still spinning.)

Check email. (none.)

Check Facebook. (no messages. scan updates. "like". "hide" anyone who is sharing too much.)

Check blog comments. (none.)

Double check email. (still none.)

Check phone for text messages. (none.)

Check email on phone, in case of glitch with laptop. (none.)

Check New York Times "10 Most E-Mailed" articles. Read three.

Open blank document.

Pour cup of tea from thermos and consider blank screen.

Pour another cup of tea and continue staring at blank screen.

Think about what's in the snack box.

Have half the snack.

Have the other half.

Pour third cup of tea.

Drink it and instantly regret doing so.

Take laptop to ladies room or risk theft?

Bundle up laptop, phone and wallet, and proceed to ladies room.

Return to find man sharing table.

Pack away phone and wallet, open laptop and stare at screen.

Write first sentence.

Delete.

Write second first sentence.

Delete.

Think about going to graduate school for a degree in library science.

Write third fist sentence.

Delete.

Consider changing subject matter.

Think about lunch.

Unpack lunch: sushi.

Wonder why the guy across the table keeps sniffing... offended by eating in the library? (it's allowed - I checked.) offended by aroma of raw salmon? flu carrier???

Drink litre of water.

Congratulate myself on healthy choice and resolve to consume only sushi and water from now on.

Feel myself getting thinner.

Think about how good I'll look for Oprah, talking about my book, after a year of nothing but sushi and water.

Detect another sniff.

Consider getting flu shot.

Regret downing water.

Consider a dash to the ladies room, without computer.

Can sniffing guy be trusted alone with my laptop?

Will he steal it to teach me a lesson for my errant sushi-eating-in-the-library ways?

Should I attempt to foil his plans by asking him to look after my laptop, thereby imposing a sense of responsibility?

Conduct furtive assessment under half-raised lids.

He looks over seventy. There's a cane leaning against the table.

Decide that, even without my new diet of sushi and water, I can run him down if I have to.

Snatch up phone and wallet, leave laptop and sprint to loo.

Race-walk back to table and slide (nonchalantly) into chair.

Panting, consider blank screen.

Calculate time until school pick-up.

Write grocery list.

Are artichokes in season? What does one do with artichokes?

Quickly consult epicurious.com.

Forty minutes till pick up; twenty, if I stop for artichokes.

Write for fifteen minutes.

Save.

Close lap top.

Spend five minutes packing up.

Another day at the office.

Check phone. (Oprah should be calling any minute now....)

Children's Laundry: Monday through Friday

2010-07-26T12:58:00.009+09:30

In the past, considerable blog space has been devoted to cataloging my failures as a housekeeper and, more specifically, a laundress.

Not anymore.

My life has changed.

I am (a little) calmer.

More sorted.

Very (nearly) orderly.

And all without foregoing my standard four cups of morning coffee.

What’s brought on this miraculous change?

A trip to India?

A long-overdue prescription for mood altering medication?

Finally sold the children to gypsies, as threatened on numerous occasions?

No.

It’s all down to two things:

A week’s supply of uniforms for each child; and
Days Of The Week hanging organizers.

Not since I wore Bloomie's have the words 'Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday' given me such a thrill.

And I now do the children's laundry only once per week.

Here is how it works:

1. Source enough changes of clothes to cover each of your children for an entire week.

In the past, I have made the mistake of skimping on uniforms, making do with only one sports uniform, for example, when it’s required on two separate days. I thought this would save me money. It didn’t. I spent the equivalent of another three sport uniforms (at least) in hiked up energy bills because I was always doing another load of washing.

Buy one top and bottom for every day of the week. Of course, big ticket items, such as jumpers and jackets, which are expensive and do not need to be washed after each wear, do not fall into this category.

If this sounds extravagant, I promise: it costs less than therapy, and nothing makes me crazier than vainly digging through the laundry basket in search of a clean shirt. Visit the Used Uniform Shop (if you have one) to fill in any gaps and defray the cost (I did).

If, heaven help you, your children are not required to wear a uniform and they have opinions regarding their wardrobe, one half-hour session spent negotiating five mutually acceptable school outfits at the start of each term (or even each week) is surely preferable to an early morning fashion scramble (or battle) each and every day.

2. Purchase one Days Of The Week hanging organizer per child and hang them within easy reach. (Shorter children may need a stool as 'Monday' - way up at the top - can be a bit of a stretch.) Mine came with a sixth compartment, divided in half to hold two pairs of shoes (sport and dress) - very handy.

3. Wash and dry all the children's school clothes on Saturday.

4. Sunday night, set up the ironing board in front of the television, and go to town on anything that needs pressing.

5. Fold and organize uniforms into complete sets (five for each child), right down to the underwear, socks, ties and accessories.

6. Fill each Days Of The Week hanger accordingly.

7. Retire, knowing that you will not spend one precious moment of the coming week doing emergency laundry or hunting for the missing - and, inevitably, critical - sock, tie or hair ribbon.

Because, really, life is too short for that kind of nonsense.

Dear Blog,

2010-07-26T10:02:00.001+09:30

Dear Blog,

I am sorry I haven't written.

It's not you, it's me.

Life just hasn't been very blog-worthy lately.

I've been in survival mode for weeks.

If you don't believe me, listen to this: we've had Kraft Mac N' Cheese, Maggi 2 Minute Noodles and Old El Paso Tacos on rotation.

We have even eaten.... Mc Donald's.

Don't look at me - I'm hideous!

I am so sorry; I'm weak and ashamed.

But I'm just so tired, I have nothing left.

I've been traveling, my husband was out of town for an entire month, the boys have been ill, I've been ill, and the rental isn't going to plan.

We can see our breath inside the house.

It's so cold that I sleep fully dressed because I can't bear the thought of exposing myself to the elements and changing into pajamas.

I even have to leave the house to get internet access and....

I've met someone else.

Another writing project.

No, no - of course it's not cuter than you! How could it be?!

In fact, it's big and difficult, and you're so fun and easy, but....

Well, who knows if it will go anywhere, but I'm forty now, and I feel like if I don't pursue this - don't give it a real shot - I'll always wonder, you know?

I knew you'd understand.

I promise, this doesn't mean the end of us - I'll still be around once a week, I just need a bit of space.

And, I know it sounds crazy right now, but I think you'd really like this other project.

We'll see. Maybe, when we're all ready, we can get together.

Until then, I'll keep popping in, just so you don't forget me.

See you soon - I promise.

Yours always (but not exclusively),

Kate xo

Schoolhouse Rock

2010-07-01T22:57:00.000+09:30

Happy Independence Day, my fellow Americans!

Today, as I rambled on attempting to explain the significance of the date to my small Aussie-Americans, I remembered "No More Kings" by Schoolhouse Rock.

A quick google, a visit to YouTube, and suddenly, all was clear and lyrical.

A timeless gem from the '70s.

Enjoy.

Anniversary

2010-07-01T00:00:00.000+09:30

Ten years, two kids, seven houses, three countries, several career changes, a bit of yelling, a few tears, and too many laughs to count later,

you can still tick all of the above.

Happy anniversary, SP.

Image via Brown Button

Lunch In A Box

2010-06-28T07:30:00.018+09:30

Monday through Friday, I send two young boys off to school toting boxed lunches.

Our container of choice is the Nude Food Lunch Box, for the following reasons:

They encourage trash-free lunches;
They are easy to open (important for little hands);
They've endured two school terms of abuse, so you know they're sturdy;
The compartments prompt variety, shaking me out of my lunch-packing malaise; and, most importantly
They are all-in-one piece, so I never have to play find-the-matching-tupperware-lid early in the morning, when I am in no mood for games of any kind.

Our boxes rarely look like the one in the picture above, but they're not too shabby.

They always contain some combination of fruit, carrot sticks, cheese and crackers, organic popcorn, a biscuit, and a sandwich.

The sandwiches are the wild card, their nutritional value varying radically depending upon where we are in the grocery shopping cycle: chicken salad or ham and cheese if we’re flush, vegemite or honey if we’re scraping the bottom of the chiller drawer.

Now that I must leave the house to get an internet connection, I decided it was time to get a lunch box of my own and, today, I finally packed lunch for myself.

Not coincidentally, we were flush and I scored Asian-style Salad with Roast Chicken.

It was a fresh, healthy and a satisfying alternative to the ubiquitous bread-y fare offered by cafes.

One more toasted sandwich, and I would have been in very real danger of requiring two stools to balance my girth at the counter.

Crisis averted, deliciously.

Asian-style Salad With Roast Chicken

serves 4

1 Lebanese cucumber

1 large carrot, peeled

1 head small Chinese cabbage (wombok)

4 spring onions, finely sliced

½ cup roast chicken, meat shredded

½ cup bean sprouts

½ cup mint leaves

½ cup coriander leaves

¼ cup chopped peanut

Dressing

4 Tbs caster sugar

2/3 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tbs light soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

pinch ground Szechuan pepper

Place the sugar and vinegar in a small pan over low heat and stir one minute, until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes until syrupy. Pour into a heatproof bowl, cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil and szechuan pepper.
Meanwhile, cut the cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut the cucumber and peeled carrot into matchsticks and place in a large bowl. Finely shred the cabbage and add to the bowl, along with the chicken, spring onions, sprouts and herbs. Pour over the dressing, toss, and sprinkle with peanuts, OR store the dressing in leak-proof container for tossing later.

Girl Scout Regrets

2010-06-27T14:10:00.001+09:30

Oh, how I wish I had been a Girl Scout.

I was a Brownie, but, really, Brownies are all about the cookies and the "Flying Up" ceremony.

I flew up and out, long before real skill acquisition kicked in.

I found myself regretting that short-sighted decision last week, as I struggled to build my first fire at 6 am on a dark and bitterly cold winter's morning.

Did I mention that a fire was required to heat the house?

We have perched ourselves in a charming but rustic cottage on the edge of a botanic garden, while our long-awaited renovations are underway.

When I say 'rustic', I mean it.

No television reception.
No internet access.
No moblie coverage.
No drinkable tap water.
No heating without a wood-fire.
And, for the first week, no refrigerator. (The scary part is, we didn't need it. The milk kept in the laundry room never got above 12C.)

No kidding.

We now have a frig, which seems decadent, but could come in handy if things ever get beyond 15C.

More exciting still, I can now light and maintain a robust fire without the aid of the commericial "fire starters" that my husband seems so fond of.

Sorry, honey -that was a cheap shot, but I am cold and cranky. (More than usual, I mean.)

In fairness, it was CB who taught me to build the fire in the first place, which he is very good at, his love of pyrotechnic enablers aside.

Normally, my first stop would have been YouTube for a how-to video (which I how I learned to tie my son's school uniform tie) but that was out of the question. See above.

Could someone please alert Mrs. Constable, my troop leader from 1978:

I've finally earned a badge.

Now, if I only had a carton of Thin Mints....

My Sister's Apartment, Continued

2010-06-18T09:51:00.000+09:30

My sister's bedroom.

Sigh.

She and Camilla have outdone themselves.

I can't decide which element I like most: the pillow, the lamp or the shade.

I think it's the lamp. But I really dig that pillow. And the blind. And the color of the walls. And the headboard.

I love the fact that there is a leafy outlook, even in New York City, thanks to amply landscaped balcony.

I'll take it.

Kerry and I have an uncanny tendency to gravitate towards the same things.

This year, without consulting one another and separated by several oceans, we managed to choose the same winter coat (hers in navy, mine in persimmon).

Yesterday, I flicked her this photo to get her opinion on Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis wallpaper:

And she came back with this photo of a pillow she'd had done in the same fabric (minus the color), by the same designer:

Genetically, we're not twins, but stylistically, we're awfully close.

Wonder Twin Powers, Activate!

Renovating

2010-06-12T07:41:00.005+09:30

Today, we are removing ourselves from the premises so that a long anticipated, much dreamed of renovation can commence.

Very exciting.

Consequently, my mind has been buzzing with thoughts of wallpaper, bath fixtures and drawer pulls (when I should have been thinking boxes, packing materials and change of address).

These little beauties come from Anthropologie.

I am thinking mother of pearl in the master bedroom....

On The Move

2010-06-10T22:33:00.002+09:30

We are about to move house for the fourth time in four and a half years.

You would think, with that much practice, that I'd be on top of things by now.

I'm not.

I am still frantically de-cluttering and ebaying, and have not begun to assemble the boxes, let alone fill them.

Did I mention we move on Saturday?

Of all the many balls that continue to crash down around my ears, you will be relieved to know that my commitment to producing desserts that are guaranteed to add pounds upon sight, is not among them.

Three words, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Pear Tart Tatin

Never, in all my years of over-indulgence, have I gotten so big a return for so little effort.

I made this for a mid-week guest and CB's enthusiasm at the table was practically indecent.

I think he scared her.

The recipe comes from the May 2010 issue of Country Style, compliments of country chef David Swain.

Sorry, no photo of mine - it was gone in a flash.

We gobbled it up with Maggie Beer's Elderflower & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Sensational.

Which reminds me, I should probably put my virgin ice cream maker on ebay.

Pear Tart Tatin
serves 4

125g unsalted butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
4 Corella pears, peeled, cored and halved
375 packet Careme 'All Butter' puff pastry

Combine butter and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Cook until sugar has melted and the mixture is golden.

Add pears and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden, turning occasionally. Remove pears and resrve caramelized cooking juices.

Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F. Arrange pears over the base of a heavy, ovenproof frying pan (cut sides up). Place sheet of pastry over pears, and trim. Brush pastry with caramel sauce from original pan.

Bake tart in pan for 20 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown.

Invert tart onto a serving plate. Service with ice-cream or cream.

Images found here and here.

Bonfire Soup

2010-06-04T08:41:00.002+09:30

(UPDATE: I originally forgot to say what you do with the pancetta in the recipe below. Whoops! Thank you for the heads up, Jane and Helen. I've added that bit, in orange. Apologies!)

If you are sick of arguing about screen time, or whose turn it is to choose the DVD, or how long someone has been hogging the Wii, or explaining (again) that DSL access is not an inalienable right, go outside and light a fire. A bonfire, that is.

Dispatch the squabbling children to gather as much wood as they can carry.

Build a pyre. Make it a big one.

Invite the neighbors.

Pull out some marshmallows.

Let the kids (finally) play with sticks.

Find an extra long branch for a late-night limbo contest.

Pitch a tent for sleepy little ones.

And pass around mugs of hot soup, with hunks of thick, chewy sourdough.

(A glass of wine wouldn't go astray, either.)

Wii? What Wii? Can we do this again, Mum? Tomorrow???

Fire trumps electronics, every time.

I love living in the Hills.

Bonfire Soup (aka Roast Pumpkin Soup With Pancetta & Parmesan), adapted from Gourmet Traveller

Everyone has a go-to pumpkin (butternut squash) soup recipe, but this one has, for me, eclipsed all previous interpretations. I finally tried it as a result of my magazine culling project and it has earned a permanent place in the rotation. The secret is in the pancetta, which gives it a meaty heartiness that is incredibly satisfying - perfect for a chilly Autumn night around the bonfire. Enjoy.

p.s. My son's kindergarten class has a brilliant healthy snack program: each Monday during the Autumn and Winter months, the children take turns bringing in a pot of their favorite soup, and some bread, to share with the class.

The benefits are trifold: everyone gets a warm snack on a chilly day; children are exposed to new foods, which they are more inclined to try in a group situation; and it's nutritious.

DB chose Bonfire Soup for his contribution and it was a hit, with boys coming back for second helpings. Kid-tested, mother-approved. What better endorsement could you ask for?

3 butternut pumpkins (about 1.2 kg each), unpeeled, quartered, seeds removed
100 ml olive oil
40 gm butter, coarsely chopped
2 red onions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
130 gm round mild pancetta, finely chopped
2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock
1 tbsp thyme leaves
90 gm finely grated parmesan

1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Place pumpkin skin-side down on an oven tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste, roast until very tender and caramelised (50 minutes - 1 hour). Scoop flesh out of skins (discard skins), set aside.
2. Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic, sauté until golden (6-8 minutes). Add pancetta, sauté until crisp (2-3 minutes), add pumpkin, stock and thyme. Bring to the simmer, cook until flavors infuse (8-10 minutes). Process with hand-held blender until very smooth, stir through parmesan and vinegar, season to taste and keep warm.

3. Optional: If you want to be fancy-pantsy, you could make some parmesan toast by combining 100 gm butter (softened), 75 gm of parmesan, and 1 finely chopped garlic clove, spreading the mixture over thin baguette slices and grilling. I was lazy and went for a loaf of artisan sourdough, which we ripped apart with our hands - very primal. Must have been all that fire....

Image of bonfire found here.

Please, Bear With Me

2010-06-03T09:10:00.000+09:30

I owe you:

Several recipes.

Multiple book reviews.

And a red hot tip that saved me digging through the laundry each morning, sparing me a few more grey hairs.

It's all in my head (under the grey stuff); it just hasn't made it's way to the computer yet.

But it will.

Soon.

Please bear with me.

Later today: Bonfire Soup.

My Sister's Apartment

2010-05-24T15:12:00.001+09:30

My sister Kerry lives in a jewel-box of an apartment in New York's East Village.

The rooms are petite, but they are spread out over three levels and crowned with that most coveted of NYC commodities: outdoor space, in the form of a roof-top garden.

Sigh.

Kerry, always one high-heeled step ahead of me, has engaged the services of a clever and cunning decorator, who has as much purse savy as she does style.

Camilla, from High-heeled Foot In The Door, is the woman behind the inspiration board (above) for Kerry's living room and her blog is teeming with looks I love: geometrics, zig-zags, wallpaper, and pillows a plenty.

What more could a girl want?

Maybe a spare key to Kerry's place....

Heavy Rotation: Polenta, Goat's Curd & Tomato Salad

2010-05-24T14:31:00.000+09:30

This dish, first enjoyed at my lovely neighbor Catherine's, haunted me for days before I finally got my act together and made it.

It has been on heavy dinner rotation ever since.

CB, who normally dismisses anything leafy as inadequate for the evening meal, devours it every time.

The key lies in the sizzling chorizo and grilled polenta - both hearty and hot enough to keep things from drifting into girly salad territory.

When serving myself, I double up on spinach and tomatoes and cut back on polenta and sausage, thus deferring my inevitable trip to the cardiologist for another day.

Meat for him, salad for her, and everyone is happy.

Polenta, Mozzerella Goat's Curd And Tomato Salad
(adapted from Donna Hay's Magazine, 50th Issue Edition, Warm Salads article)
serves 4

3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
1 cup instant polenta
60g butter, chopped
½ cup (40g) 1 cup finely grated parmesan
sea sald and cracked black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
300g truss cherry tomatoes
2 chorizo, sliced
80g 125g baby spinach leaves
360g buffalo mozzerela, torn ½ cup goat's curd

dressing
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed minced

Preheat oven to 220℃ (425℉). Place the stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir through the butter, parmesan, salt and pepper. (At this point, I found my polenta to be too thick and mealy; by adding a bit of hot water, just a splash at a time, I eventually got the creamy - not runny - consistency and volume I was after. Play this step by ear.) Pour into a lightly greased 20cm X 20cm tin and refrigerate for 45 minutes or until set. Turn out onto a board and cut into wedges. Place on a lightly greased baking try and drizzle with oil. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside and keep warm.

While the polenta is roasting, make the dressing. Place the vinegar, oil and garlic in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour the vinegar and garlic into a glass jar, season with sea salt and ground pepper, screw on the lid and shake until the salt disolves. Add the oil and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes and chorizo on a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Roast for 3-5 minutes or until the chorizo is crisp and the tomatoes are tender. Scatter the spinach leaves on the plates or platter, top with the polenta, followed by the tomatoes and chorizo. Dot with goat's curd and spoon over the dressing.

Enjoy.

Ladies With Chutzpah

2010-05-17T22:11:00.001+09:30

Last week, I was in need of inspiration and a laugh. This week, I suspect that an incredible friend of mine could use the same.

My friend loves champagne, fashion, and great food. She always has a smile on her face. And while she looks like a cream puff (a well-toned, designer cream puff), she has proven herself to be one tough cookie.

Right now, she is working hard - incredibly hard - to get well.

It is not fun or easy, though she has a talent for making it sound both in her hilarious and touching letters home.

That's chutzpah.

Here are few lines from some other women with chutzpah.

I hope they bring a smile to your face, S.

You always bring one to mine.

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer; a bird sings because it has a song." Maya Angelou

"Those who don't know how to weep with their whole heart don't know how to laugh either." Golda Meir

"We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are." Anais Nin

"A man on a date wonders if he'll get lucky. The woman already knows." Monica Piper

"I've been on a calendar, but never on time." Marilyn Monroe

"The world is round, and the place that seems like the end may also be the beginning." Ivy Baker Priest

"Before marriage, a man will lay down his life for you; after marriage, he won't even lay down his newspaper." Helen Rowland

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt

"Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying, but when God talks to us we're schitzophrenic?" Lily Tomlin

"Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself." Rita Mae Brown

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning to sail my ship." Louisa Mae Alcott (Go, Jessica Watson!)

"When I was born, I was so surprised I didn't speak for a year and a half." Gracie Allen

"I found out why cats drink out of the toilet. My mother said it's because the water is cold in there. And I'm like, How did my mother know that?" Wendy Liebman

image via Under A Paper Moon

Ten Days In One Bag

2010-05-11T09:49:00.000+09:30

I am accused by my husband of being a chronic over-packer.

More than the numerous pairs of shoes I chuck into the case, I think it's my insistence on bringing the coffee pot that really sends him over the edge.

On our last trip, I accidentally left it behind. One guess as to who was most put out (hint: it wasn't me).

If flight attendant Heather Poole's method for packing ten days of clothing into one standard carry-on really works, she will have eliminated 90% of our travel related arguments.

(Provided there is space left for the percolator, of course.)

In the meantime, I had better start packing up the house.

Renovation time is drawing nigh, and we are scrambling; hence the absence of new posts.

I hope to be back on track shortly.

Until then, happy packing.

image from George Muray House

Two Things

2010-05-05T12:46:00.003+09:30

Today I need two things: inspiration and a laugh.

And maybe a peach muffin.

And strong coffee.

And a facelift.

But I digress.

I hope these bring you the first two.

I like using skills that bring people joy. Food brings people joy. Frazee

To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than thousands of heads bowed in prayer. Mohandas Gandhi

Oh, Lord, help me to be pure, but not yet. St. Augustine

Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers. Mignon McLaughlin

I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead. Not sick. Not wounded. Dead. Woody Allen

We are not what we know, but what we are willing to learn. Mary Catherine Bateson

Moses dragged us through the desert for forty years to bring us to the one place in the Middle East where there was no oil. Golda Mier

A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. Yoko Ono

A hundred years from now? All new people. Anne Lamott

Love doesn't just sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time. Ursula K. LeGuin

We owe something to extravagance, for thrift and adventure rarely go hand in hand. Jenny Jerome Churchill

Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry. Bill Cosby

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time. Dean Acheson

Recipe Book: Cull Your Magazines

2010-04-29T10:05:00.001+09:30

Cooking magazines are a hit or miss affair.

Some months, I am overwhelmed with inspiration and close them feeling invigorated, brimming with good intentions.

Some months I close them feeling shortchanged and annoyed, no better off than I was before purchase.

Either way, I always close them.

And once I do, it is Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind.

Enter Catherine (again) with another brilliant idea that is already paying dividends.

1. Get your cooking magazines together.

2. Pull out all the recipes that looked good the first time you saw them (but then promptly forgot) and tear them out.

3. Give the harvested remains to the kids for collage or origami.

4. Sift through the pile and identify the ones you might actually make.

5. Slip into plastic page protectors and place in a binder.

I had so many magazines that I had to break the collection down into seasons - one binder for each.

Autumn is looking pretty delicious.

Thanks to this system, we've had two new dishes this week, both of them hits:

Roast Tomato, Chorizo & Goat's Curd With Baby Spinach and Polenta Wedges; and
Roast Pumpkin Soup With Pancetta & Parmesan.

Tomorrow night:

Chestnut & Parsnip Soup With Pear Puree (which I've been meaning to try for a year); and
Balsamic Mushroom & Goat's Curd Salad.

Happy sorting.

Dinner In 20 Seconds?

2010-04-28T12:41:00.000+09:30

Ever since watching this video (via Little Brown Pen), I have been making omelets like a maniac .

"Dinner in twenty seconds?," trills Julia.

Yes, please.

Julia is a purist.

Her omelets consist of nothing more than butter, eggs, salt, air, and maybe a sprinkling of parsley.

Mine are heavier and more hedonistic, as you would expect.

I cannot resist adding a spoonful or three of sauteed mushrooms and gruyere, or, as in the case above, some spare roast tomatoes and goat's curd.

At most, my approach adds five seconds to the process (assuming you've done your roasting and sauteing in advance).

Dinner in twenty-five seconds?

I'll take it.

Gastro-Porn

2010-04-20T11:25:00.000+09:30

First, CB is still in one piece.

Second, it looked very different from my end of the camera. I swear.

Third, if you can get past my styling, I promise:

The mustard dip really is delicious.

Serve with pork chipolatas from the butcher.

Cocktail Sausages With Mustard Dip, From Annie Bell's In My Kitchen

500 g cocktail sausages
300 ml double cream
4 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
a few drops of lemon juice
sea salt

Heat the oven to 180˚ C. Lay the sausages in a single layer on a baking stray spaced slightly apart to ensure they carmelize evenly. Roast for 35-40 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through.

While they are cooking, gently heat the cream in a small non-stick saucepan and simmer until it reduces by about a third, thickening up in the process. Stir frequently to prevent it from sticking. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients. The sauce can also be made in advance and rewarmed.

Dinner & A (How To Cook) Video: Pad Thai

2010-04-20T08:42:00.002+09:30

Dinner last night came compliments of Mark Bittman, aka The Minimalist.

It was fast, easy and delicious.

Here is the recipe.

Even better, here is the how-to video.

My husband took a bite, raised his eyebrows and mumbled "This is good."

At least, I think that's what he said.

His mouth was full of prawns and rice noodles.

So was mine.

No one spoke for the next ten minutes.

Yum.

Image from The New York Times.

Apology Re: Comments

2010-04-20T08:05:00.001+09:30

It has come to my attention that some folks have been making Comments but I have not been receiving them.

If this includes you, I apologize.

I love Comments.

They make my day.

Every time I get a Comment, I do a little dance in my chair.

(Be grateful there isn't a video of that.)

Judging from the Blogger Help discussion boards, this is not unusual (the disappearing Comments, not the chair dance) but it is unresolved.

Please do not be put off.

Please comment again.

Thanks for reading. And Commenting.

Image by Michael Luppino for Brides.

Saturday Matinee

2010-04-18T08:26:00.005+09:30

A Saturday afternoon.

I left the boys in capable hands and nipped off to the movies, alone.

Rushing into the darkened theatre moments after the film begin, I collapsed in an empty seat, looked up, and quickly drew in my breath.

I didn't exhale for the next two hours.

This film (the directorial debut of Tom Ford, formerly of Gucci) is stunning in every detail - the acting, the cinematography, the music, the styling, the wardrobe, the make-up.

Everything.

If you haven't seen it, do before it leaves the big screen.

Brilliant.

Grey Kitchen

2010-04-15T08:42:00.000+09:30

I love black kitchens.

I love white kitchens.

But I had never considered a grey kitchen.

Until now.

(p.s. only five days of school holidays left.)

I apologize for losing the link to the site where I saw this, but I think the images were originally from Canadian Country Living.

Magnolia Square

2010-04-13T09:01:00.001+09:30

Magnolia Square, 'Melbourne's Fabulous Pop-Up Shop', is coming to Adelaide.

Norwood Concert Hall
Thursday 22 April 10am - 9pm
Friday 23 April 10am - 5pm
Saturday 24 April 10am - 4pm

I'll be there. You?

p.s. Once school holidays are over, we will return to our regularly scheduled programming: fewer pictures, more words. Thanks!

A Second Residence?

2010-04-09T18:22:00.003+09:30

Have you heard about the latest trend in miniatures?

Dollhouses for adults.

I can (kind of... almost... not quite) see the appeal.

Imagine a house you never have to clean.

With a pool that never needs skimming.

Where nothing moves unless you move it.

Decorated on your own terms and taste, with nary a bow to marital democracy.

Where every room can be filled with Danish design icons for a fraction of their usual price.

The dollhouse (in this case, the Arne Jacobsen house) has come a long, long way.

Move over, sweetie.

Mommy is moving in.

Hotties

2010-04-08T22:34:00.002+09:30

Do you go to bed with a hottie?

The boys do, every night.

It's officially Autumn and things are getting nippy here in the Hills.

Which wouldn't be such a big deal if we had heating. Which we don't.

Come winter, we can see our breath indoors.

To fend off hypothermia at bedtime, we wrap the boys in polar fleece blankets, bury them beneath doonas, and tuck in a hot water bottle for good measure.

It's quaint and cozy and quite possibly the only thing keep them defrosted till morning.

And now that I've found a cover (or two) in cashmere, I will be following suit.

Winter approaches.....

fleece scottie dog , star , chick , Hug Me! , jolly roger , rainbow, grey cashmere , cream cashmere cable , HOT!

Best Coloring Books

2010-04-07T08:44:00.003+09:30

When did coloring books get so complicated?

There are 'Coloring & Sticker' books aplenty.

'Activity' and even 'Ultimate Activity' books abound.

But coloring books, that are just about coloring?

No.

Enter Rosie Flo and Johnny Joe.

They are the ultimate.

Artist Roz Streeten's incomplete line drawings provide just enough inspiration to spark creativity, rather than extinguish it by dictating outcomes.

They are beautifully - and cleverly - constructed.

When, after years of drawing for her two girls, it came time to design these books, Streeten kept in mind aspects that had irritated her as a child and made the necessary adjustments.

She writes:

The paper quality is thick enough to avoid showing through or damaging the picture on the next page.
It is sturdy enough to withstand a few journeys without falling apart and small enough to fit in a child's hand luggage.
The lines are intentionally not too thick, as this makes it look like it is only for preschool children (they are intended for the 4-12, and beyond, set).

The Rosie Flo books are gorgeous, but it's the Johnny Joe series that sets my heart alight.

Nowhere else have I found coloring books that speak so well, or beautifully, to the interests of boys - football players, astronauts, soldiers, knights, dinosaurs, vikings - on page after page.

Small enough to be balanced on a lap, I keep these these brilliant books in reserve for long-haul flights and car trips.

The open-ended illustrations are so compelling that - in stark contrast to other books - every page exhaustively filled.

That alone justifies the price tag (expect to pay approximately $10) and any effort you may expend locating them.

In Adelaide, try Mathilda Bookshop in Stirling and Twenty-three Skidoo in Unley.

Beyond South Australia, check here or go to Amazon UK.

Finally, when you little artists have put their own touch on Rosie Flo and Johnny Joe, they can submit their masterpieces for display in The Rosie Flo Gallery.

Hours of quiet, creative activity and international recognition.

What more could a child (or parent) want?

Rabbit Pie

2010-04-05T21:52:00.000+09:30

It seems ungracious at best (and macabre at worst) to eat rabbit on Easter.

You know. "Thanks for the chocolate. Now get in the pot."

But we did. With gusto.

The inspiration came from David Herbert's column in The Weekend Australian Magazine.

Recalling what a perfect pairing rabbit and prunes make, I took things in a slightly different direction.

It was delectable. And rich. Serve with a bright green salad.

Mr. Bunny, we appreciate your sacrifice.

And thanks for the chocolate.

David Herbert's "Bunny Baker", modified

1 large farmed rabbit

2 onions, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 rashers streaky bacon, rinds removed medium-thick slices pancetta, chopped

2 3 leeks, sliced

50g 100g butter

2 4 tablespoons plain flour

2 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

Rough puff pastry carême puff pastry
2 cups pitted prunes, quartered

1 egg, beaten

Place rabbit, onions, carrots and bay leaf in a large saucepan pot, cover generously with water and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove rabbit and set aside. Strain broth then reduce it over a high heat to about 1 ½ cups 3 cups. Shred meat and place in a bowl. Heat oil in a frying pan, add bacon and leeks and fry until tender. Add to rabbit. Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved stock. Bring to boil and whisk until thickened and smooth. Add enough sauce to rabbit miture to generously moisten it. (Originally, I made the recipe as directed but saw that there wouldn't be enough gravy for a really moist pie; luckily, I had plenty of stock, so I doubled the gravy and it was just right.) Stir in the herbs, prunes, and season. Allow to cool. Spoon mixture into a large deep ceramic pie dish or large ramekin and insert a pie funnel (if using). Roll out pastry and cover pie, pressing down on edges to seal and trimming any excess and prick all over with fork. Brush with beaten egg and bake in a preheated 190˚C oven for 40-45 minutes, or until golden. Serves 4 6.

Cap it off with a jelly rabbit, for good measure.

We did.

A Month In Fashion

2010-04-03T07:40:00.005+10:30

Do you ever find yourself reading Garance and Scott and musing about a life that takes you and your camera to the fashion capitals of the world?

Do you ever find yourself rationalizing, as I do in less generous moments, that can't be all fun and games, can it?

There must be some downside, right?

Well, apparently, there isn't.

This video of out-takes from their month in fashion confirms it.

And it made me miss New York dreadfully.

Amazingly, I can still find it in my heart to love them.

Just.

image from Garance Doré

BlogHer

2010-04-03T06:14:00.003+10:30

My Dinner Party Rules were published on BlogHer today! The "(Seriously)" following my title was added by the editors, to make sure no one thought my idea of entertaining was an April Fools day joke!