Cooking was my mother's way of showing love

So many of my childhood memories are associated with food and the love which was put into it's preparation.   

The earliest food memories are when I was probably about four, in a rambling old house which Dad was renovating. Endless happy hours were spent on the swing suspended from the walnut tree — that is when we weren’t eating the garden produce. This consisted of a glorious bounty of fruit trees: apples, peaches, apricots, gooseberries. I still recall our red stained fingers and mouths as we devoured raspberries warmed by the summer sun and the taste of sun ripened tomatoes from the vine.  

Mum made all her own jams, chutneys, pickles and bottled fruit and Dad was pretty good at it too, his pickled mushrooms being my favourite.There was always a fragrant offering simmering on the blackened top of the fuel stove, with cakes, biscuits, coconut ice, and amazing chocolate cake all appearing with miraculous regularity. Obviously Mum had a sweet tooth, so consequently struggled with her weight but cooking was her way of showing love. I was her greatest fan, praised for my enthusiastic efforts and held up as a fine example to my sister who had a poor appetite. 

Early tastings 

“Bluff oysters are said to be the most flavoursome in the world because they are slowly grown in the cold, clean waters off the southern island of New Zealand. They would be collected from the rocks by the sackful. Dad would open an oyster and throw his head back to scull from the shell. Of course, I would do the same, in my role as intrepid taster;  however I must admit to an initial sense of misgiving, reinforced by my sister’s horror.

This brave act was followed up by the tasting of Mutton Bird — valued by Māoris. The birds which are brined and stored in their fat, are said to taste like mutton with some describing the strong flavour as ‘duck crossed with anchovies’ — not for the faint palated.

Extract from my new book, 'Alfreshco - foreshore flavour'  soon to be published. 
Visit -    http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com  for healthy tasty alfresco ideas.

ANZAC biscuits - an ideal treat for picnics

The wives and mothers of Australian soldiers first came up with the recipe for these biscuits during World War 1. The original ingredients were chosen because they didn’t spoil and didn’t need refrigeration: this means the biscuits are particularly good for picnics.

1½ cups traditional rolled oats, 1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour, 2/3 cup brown sugar, ¾ cup desiccated coconut, 1 cup golden syrup, 125g   butter, 1 tsp bicarbonate of (baking) soda, 2 tbsp boiling water.
Preheat oven to 160°C.

Place the oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl and mix to combine. Place the golden syrup and butter in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until melted. Combine the bicarbonate of soda with the water and add to the butter mixture. Pour into the oat mixture and mix well to combine.

Place tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper and flatten to 7cm rounds, allowing room to spread. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until deep golden. Allow to cool on baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

ANZAC DAY 

ANZAC Day Dawn Service, Sydney

April 25th marks the day on which Australians come together to commemorate all men and women who fought for the country since the First World War –  it is the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in 1915. This year also marks 102 years since the first Sydney commemoration of ANZAC. 

Mosman Markets & MCC Alive & Well

Mosman Christmas Markets (Sydney of course) alive and well where I'm selling my wares.

Nikki does Zentangle cards and tags, Shirley does Martha Stewart punches and makes fab cards. Claire is my co-author with books galore and Jane,

principal of  Mosman Community College, MCC, (pictured)

Ciao, ciao!      Christopher

Courses taken at MCC by Claire led to her meeting photographer, Christopher Maait, below, as well as many other courses which assisted in the publishing of Mosman Meanders  and
Through the Heads to Balmoral, Sydney.

Zentangle cards and tags a technique
 which Nikki teaches at MCC

Martha Stewart punches make great
Christmas cards as taught by Shirley

Our foreshores remain in safe hands - thanks

'From my Camp' Arthur Streeton  1896 Art Gallery of NSW “I shout and laugh at my immense  wealth, all free and without responsibility.   Who could steal this from me?  No one!”    These are the words of Arthur Streeton, one of the young artists who escaped the depression in Europe in the 1890s and settled in Curlew Camp, one of the established camps around our foreshores, in order to explore their environment  and creativity.
Below is a photo of the same site, Curlew Camp, 120 years later. The point to be made here is that they look very similar and it's mainly because of the vigilance of residents, past and present, and the continuing role played by Mosman Council of valuing and protecting Mosman's historical and cultural flavour. I Photo – Christopher Maait "I would like to express my personal thanks to Mosman Council for its demonstrated energy re the development and management  of our magnificent foreshores. It's unlikely that a merged mega-council would have been as responsive or protective. I'm grateful for the support of the community especially all the work by my colleagues in MAFA re helping to keep Mosman independent."  Claire

PROMENADE – “Concrete mad”, they all said.

Mosman Daily - 2 March 2017

MOSMAN Council will revamp the Balmoral Promenade when work starts on a $2.3 million refurbishment next month.

The project is part of the council’s ongoing renewal of Balmoral infrastructure in the past decade, which has included the rotunda, toilet blocks, baths and playground.

Councillors approved of the project going to tender last month.

Balmoral is the council’s largest and most popular asset.

Extract from 'THROUGH THE HEADS to Balmoral, Sydney'  

PROMENADE – “Concrete mad”, they all said. “…  Later, a promenade was built, which made a big difference to the area. .. they used to have to shovel the sand off the tramlines after heavy winds and rough seas…” Ted  Pethebridge  The public campaign of opposition to the development meant that many councillors did not survive at their next election, being accused by the electors as being ‘concrete mad’.  Not everyone welcomed the exchange of the great sand dunes and the cutting of many more trees, for an English –style promenade.   “Well, it was our beautiful sand dunes.  To spoil it with that cement structure was shocking. The same as we hated when they built that monstrosity there.  We thought the bathing pavilion, was the ugliest thing we’d ever seen.” Margaret Ewart   ‘Mosman Voices’

However, many did grow fond of the promenade from the baths to the pavilion, with the beach on one side and the Morton Bay and Port Jackson Figs on the other.

Ps - Mosman Council have always cared well for this beautiful site xx