Huh, well it seems that between a Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake last week and a twist on Egg-Nog this week I've unintentionally set the scene for Christmas in July. How terribly festive of me (or more appropriately what a terribly appropriate response to my perpetual complaining about how cold I am...). Maybe I should have convinced RJ to let me leave the tree up for another month. So how did I come to make a concoction named Apple-Nog (or Not-Egg-Nog as I've been affectionately calling it) … [Read more...]
Concord Grape Pie & Wholewheat All-Butter Pastry
The summer I made these pies -- a full two years ago, way back in 2012 -- the grapes were so sweet that simmering juice thickened almost instantly without even a hint of extra sugar. Big bunches hung heavy on the vines, biding their time before the plant opened and the harvester ran through. We picked a couple crates of Concords along with the hand-harvested white grapes -- simply because we could. Over the span of two weeks I made Grape & Rosemary Focaccia and Concord Grape Sorbet … [Read more...]
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Muffins
Gluten-free, mostly dairy-free, and wholly vegetarian -- but don’t think for a moment that any recipe in My Darling Lemon Thyme - Recipes from my real food kitchen by Emma Galloway is anything less than mouthwatering. I’ve known Emma online for a while, but last year I had to pleasure to meet her in person and have a lovely chat over lunch. A soft-spoken, New Zealand ex-pat, she is amazingly passionate about food and it comes through in every word, recipe and photo on her blog and in her … [Read more...]
Sourdough Apple & Fig Bread
The point at which life completely gets away from you? That. You see, the more balls you juggle the higher you have to toss them in the air, but that means they take longer to reach you again and by that time who knows what you've missed regarding the red striped one while you were busy making sure the blue spotted one and the one with the yellow stars and the solid green one didn't hit the ground. The good news is that I managed to finish a new little cookbook in time to help out a … [Read more...]
Apple & Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies {GF, DF}
My husband has this thing about breakfast. He has to eat something that by his definition is breakfast-y, before diving into anything remotely lunch related. Even on days when we laze in bed until the clock shows double digits and don't make it to a cafe until well after mid-day, he always orders eggs or another Western-style breakfast food. In the same vein, breakfast for dinner was a difficult sell for many years too -- although these days French Toast and various egg creations appear more … [Read more...]
Hot Cross Bun French Toast & Mixed Fruit Compote
The sentiment of this recipe (and for that matter this post) hovers between "why not?" and "well of course I did, are you really surprised?". Hot Cross Buns -- with all their soft and fluffy filled with spice and love glory -- are best on the day, or day after, they are pulled from the oven. Not that they taste any less brilliant beyond that point, but like any homemade bread they need something to refresh them slightly. Toasting and smearing with curd or butter certainly … [Read more...]
An Apple a Day in Bilpin, NSW
Summers are spent squinting through sparkling sunshine, letting the nectar of soft stonefruit drip and sizzle on the pavement, relishing the rich summer bounty with pies and salsas and unadorned fruit. But well before autumn comes knocking in Sydney, while we are all still savouring days at the beach and endless twilight evenings, there are signs heralding the imminent change in seasons. Slowly and surely the warmth of summer is replaced by the crisp snap of autumn and with it, the crisp snap … [Read more...]
