Tonight I decided to make a dish based on a recipe from one of my favourite Australian cookbooks, The pleasure of the table: the cooking artistry of Wivine de Stoop. This book was published in 1981 and tells the story of a wonderful Belgian lady who gave classical French cooking classes at her home in Blackburn during the 1960s. The book includes photographs of Wivine's lovely home, complete with Aga stove. It also has delightful sketches by Donald Green and a foreword by Penny Smith.
The book is still sometimes to be found in op shops and second hand shops and I encourage you to buy it if you see it.
The recipe I adapted is 'Gratin Maison' which in the original includes hard boiled eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and broccoli baked with a mornay sauce. The eggs are stuffed with a herby breadcrumb mixture. It's a lovely simple, comforting dish and I recommend it to you.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Trams and trains
Today I have travelled on five trams and two trains. Is this excessive, or perfectly ordinary?
1. Riversdale to Richmond
2. Richmond to Flinders Street
3. Swanston Street to William Street
4. Queen Street to Spring Street
5. Wellington Pde to Burnley Street
6. Burnley Street to Camberwell Junction
7. Camberwell Junction to Riversdale
In between all these trips I managed to spend a day in the office, go down to the end of the town to meet #1 son at Mrs Parma's, walk through the gardens to Jolimont, stop off at Dan's for supplies, and be back in time for tea!
1. Riversdale to Richmond
2. Richmond to Flinders Street
3. Swanston Street to William Street
4. Queen Street to Spring Street
5. Wellington Pde to Burnley Street
6. Burnley Street to Camberwell Junction
7. Camberwell Junction to Riversdale
In between all these trips I managed to spend a day in the office, go down to the end of the town to meet #1 son at Mrs Parma's, walk through the gardens to Jolimont, stop off at Dan's for supplies, and be back in time for tea!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Winter in Melbourne
Having spent last weekend at the Gold Coast, I'm way behind with the washing, shopping and other chores. While hanging out yet another load of washing tonight I couldn't help but notice the sound of lilly pilly berries being crunched by hungry fruit bats overhead. I just hope the washing is not covered in purple splotches when I bring it in tomorrow! Gold Coast
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Morgan Bach in Australia
After months of work the latest Ancora Press publication is ready for binding. This is an ambitious production for the team of dedicated hand printers who meet at Monash Caulfield campus most Wednesday nights. The Ancora Press is shared with the Fine Arts department whose students use the facilities to produce artists' books.
Morgan Bach in Australia is a Welsh poem about a mother who grieves for her son when he decides to emigrate to Australia in colonial times. Both the original Welsh text and the English translation have been painstakingly set by hand and embellished with charming decorations.
The book will be available for sale in either a leather- or cloth-bound version. I'll keep you posted!
Morgan Bach in Australia is a Welsh poem about a mother who grieves for her son when he decides to emigrate to Australia in colonial times. Both the original Welsh text and the English translation have been painstakingly set by hand and embellished with charming decorations.
The book will be available for sale in either a leather- or cloth-bound version. I'll keep you posted!
Friday, April 8, 2011
iThingy
It must be nearly a year since I got my iPad, and now I wouldn't leave home without it. At the Libraries after the iPad and Top technology trends seminar at the State Library of Victoria yesterday I discovered that now the iPad2 is here, there is a scheme for donating your iPad1 to the poor people. Well sorry poor people, but I'm not ready to give it away just yet.
I find it so useful for work that I've given up taking pen and paper to meetings. Just throw any necessary documents into dropbox, take notes in Simplenote and everything's there on the web to refer to from anywhere.
I've dowmloaded some free e-books, purchased a few from Amazon and iTunes and tried out various different readers. The main worry is working out which book is where, and remembering what I've got - I obviously need to get a cataloguing system! I've also borrowed a few e-books from Melbourne Library Service via Overdrive. This was terribly convoluted to start with, but the Overdrive iPad app makes all the difference. Once it's set up it's a breeze. The main problem is that the content is fairly limited, but I'm sure that will change over time.
I find it so useful for work that I've given up taking pen and paper to meetings. Just throw any necessary documents into dropbox, take notes in Simplenote and everything's there on the web to refer to from anywhere.
I've dowmloaded some free e-books, purchased a few from Amazon and iTunes and tried out various different readers. The main worry is working out which book is where, and remembering what I've got - I obviously need to get a cataloguing system! I've also borrowed a few e-books from Melbourne Library Service via Overdrive. This was terribly convoluted to start with, but the Overdrive iPad app makes all the difference. Once it's set up it's a breeze. The main problem is that the content is fairly limited, but I'm sure that will change over time.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Dikstein's Corner Bar
Near where I work there is a little corner restaurant, with a lovely upstairs room. It used to be called the Bank Place food store. Then it changed its name.
The signage in this place is minimal (even the menu does not bear the name of the restaurant) and I misread the lettering of the name on the window. I have been puzzled for months as to why I could not find it mentioned anywhere in the phonebook or on the web under its new name. Then today I got lucky. For the first time I ate at one of the outside tables instead of upstairs, and picked up a card while I was paying the bill at the counter. The name was clearly printed on the card. Dikstein's Corner Bar!
The thing I love most about Dikstein's is the upstairs waiter, who pours me a Little Creatures almost the minute I walk in the door. The other thing I love is the food. I've been through all the vegetarian dishes on the menu and have started again at the beginning. I think the star is the bruschetta. It is presented on a round wooden board, with separate piles of slightly charred bread, gorgeous pesto, soft goats cheese, a tumble of wild greens and some roasted tomatoes. You put it all together yourself and get very messy in the process, but it's fun and delicious.
Sitting outside on a surprisingly balmy July day is quite pleasant too, although it lacks the special treatment and lovely cosy atmosphere of the upstairs room. My advice is not to go here on a Friday for lunch - you'll never make it back to work!
The signage in this place is minimal (even the menu does not bear the name of the restaurant) and I misread the lettering of the name on the window. I have been puzzled for months as to why I could not find it mentioned anywhere in the phonebook or on the web under its new name. Then today I got lucky. For the first time I ate at one of the outside tables instead of upstairs, and picked up a card while I was paying the bill at the counter. The name was clearly printed on the card. Dikstein's Corner Bar!
The thing I love most about Dikstein's is the upstairs waiter, who pours me a Little Creatures almost the minute I walk in the door. The other thing I love is the food. I've been through all the vegetarian dishes on the menu and have started again at the beginning. I think the star is the bruschetta. It is presented on a round wooden board, with separate piles of slightly charred bread, gorgeous pesto, soft goats cheese, a tumble of wild greens and some roasted tomatoes. You put it all together yourself and get very messy in the process, but it's fun and delicious.
Sitting outside on a surprisingly balmy July day is quite pleasant too, although it lacks the special treatment and lovely cosy atmosphere of the upstairs room. My advice is not to go here on a Friday for lunch - you'll never make it back to work!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Blackeye beans
I have been asked for some really good blackeye bean recipes, but not spicy ones. This is a bit hard as I usually make them spicy! But here goes.
Blackeye bean salad
This recipe is from Vegetarian dishes from the Middle East by Arto der Haroutunian, Century, 1983.
6 oz (180g) blackeye beans, cooked
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1/2 lemon (and some lemon wedges)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs finely chopped parsley
1 tsp finely ground cumin
75 ml olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
Crush garlic and salt together and stir in lemon juice. Put drained beans in a bowl with onion and parsley. Add garlic-lemon mixture and cumin, and mix thoroughly. Pour oil over the top and garnish with paprika. Serve hot or cold, with lemon wedges.
Blackeye beans cooked in beer
I haven't actually tried this one, mainly because I never have any spare beer. But it sounds interesting. One of my other reliable sources of blackeye bean recipes, Gail Duff, also has blackeye bean recipes featuring turnips and cinnamon. Apparently this 'hearty stew has a lovely dark, rich gravy which enhances the flavour of the beans'. Maybe I should find some spare draught beer! The recipe is from Bean cuisine by Janet Horley, Prism Press, 1982.
8 oz (1 cup) blackeye beans
1 pint (2 1/2 cups) water
Cook beans until just tender. Drain and reserve the stock.
12 oz (3 cups) white turnip, chopped
8 oz (3 cups) mushrooms
1 large onion
1/4 pint (1/2 cup) draught beer
1/4 pint (1/2 cup) bean stock
4 Tbs wholemeal flour (or less?)
2 Tbs chopped parsley
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
Slice the vegetables and saute lightly in oil. Stir in the flour and gradually blend in the bean stock. Combine all the remaining ingredients and adjust the seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes before placing in a covered casserole. Bake for 1 hour. (or less?)
Finally, here is one from Gail Duff (Gail Duff's Vegetarian Cookbook, Pan Books, 1979).
Black-eyed beans with cinnamon and tomatoes
8 oz (225 g) black-eyed beans
1 pint (575 ml) water
12 oz (350 g) firm tomatoes
4 Tbs (60 ml) olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 pint (275 ml) stock
2 tsp tomato paste
Simmer beans for 30 minutes or until barely tender. Drain if necessary. Scald, skin and seed the tomatoes and cut them into strips. Heat the oil in a saucepan on a low heat. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are soft. Stir in the beans and cinnamon, cover and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Mix in the tomato paste, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or so to allow the beans to pick up the flavour. Mix in the tomatoes just before serving.
I hope you enjoy these recipes.
Blackeye bean salad
This recipe is from Vegetarian dishes from the Middle East by Arto der Haroutunian, Century, 1983.
6 oz (180g) blackeye beans, cooked
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1/2 lemon (and some lemon wedges)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs finely chopped parsley
1 tsp finely ground cumin
75 ml olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
Crush garlic and salt together and stir in lemon juice. Put drained beans in a bowl with onion and parsley. Add garlic-lemon mixture and cumin, and mix thoroughly. Pour oil over the top and garnish with paprika. Serve hot or cold, with lemon wedges.
Blackeye beans cooked in beer
I haven't actually tried this one, mainly because I never have any spare beer. But it sounds interesting. One of my other reliable sources of blackeye bean recipes, Gail Duff, also has blackeye bean recipes featuring turnips and cinnamon. Apparently this 'hearty stew has a lovely dark, rich gravy which enhances the flavour of the beans'. Maybe I should find some spare draught beer! The recipe is from Bean cuisine by Janet Horley, Prism Press, 1982.
8 oz (1 cup) blackeye beans
1 pint (2 1/2 cups) water
Cook beans until just tender. Drain and reserve the stock.
12 oz (3 cups) white turnip, chopped
8 oz (3 cups) mushrooms
1 large onion
1/4 pint (1/2 cup) draught beer
1/4 pint (1/2 cup) bean stock
4 Tbs wholemeal flour (or less?)
2 Tbs chopped parsley
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
Slice the vegetables and saute lightly in oil. Stir in the flour and gradually blend in the bean stock. Combine all the remaining ingredients and adjust the seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes before placing in a covered casserole. Bake for 1 hour. (or less?)
Finally, here is one from Gail Duff (Gail Duff's Vegetarian Cookbook, Pan Books, 1979).
Black-eyed beans with cinnamon and tomatoes
8 oz (225 g) black-eyed beans
1 pint (575 ml) water
12 oz (350 g) firm tomatoes
4 Tbs (60 ml) olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 pint (275 ml) stock
2 tsp tomato paste
Simmer beans for 30 minutes or until barely tender. Drain if necessary. Scald, skin and seed the tomatoes and cut them into strips. Heat the oil in a saucepan on a low heat. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are soft. Stir in the beans and cinnamon, cover and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Mix in the tomato paste, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or so to allow the beans to pick up the flavour. Mix in the tomatoes just before serving.
I hope you enjoy these recipes.
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