Food Finds & Forays
Hey there....
As I pondered greeting you this week I imagined a jaunty ‘spring has sprung’ salutation but alas Melbourne has done a fine job of living up to its four seasons in one day reputation this week. However as the week has progressed the sun has been poking out more and more and today we’re bathed in sunshine. The kind of sunshine that kisses your skin with warmth and makes you yearn for summer’s arrival. The warmth beaming through my kitchen window reminds me that summer is indeed coming and has had me thinking about those picnics again and entertaining when the warmer weather really arrives. I’ve found a couple of lovely drinks for you both from two of my favourite places to visit here in Victoria. You might recall a couple weeks ago I chatted about my hopes for a jaunt up the Hume Highway to Gunning to visit Hold Cottage…Well Bee and Tim have launched their online store so I’m sharing a little highlight from there too. If you need a lovely sheet cake to feed a crew during all these get togethers I’ve created a Strawberry, Yoghurt and Almond Sheet Cake for you….or do we call them slab cakes in Australia? And finally I’m hatching a plan for a weekend away to north east Victoria for some post lockdown R & R.
I hope you’ve enjoyed some sunshine where you are this week or the beginnings of some lovely autumn colours in the landscape if you’re reading from the northern hemisphere.
Enjoy the rest of your week xx
I saw this on instagram yesterday. It's everything via
@wearehomecook
@letitia_ann_clark
"When we cook we are creating home; an imagined one a remembered one, a real and present one. Cooking connects us both to our past and present, and to each other."
Food
When I was a young woman my then boyfriend and I would spend our weekends at a small coastal town a couple hours from home, him working on dive boats and me exploring nearby villages. I’d spend my time meandering through local farmer’s markets, collecting fresh produce from farm gates and walking on sun kissed beaches, toes in fine golden sand and water lapping at my feet. As the middle of the day would roll around I’d meet him and his boss at the pier in between dives to deliver a basket of food to sustain them through the busy afternoons taking tourists out in the bay. Amongst those goodies was often a hearty yoghurt cake to finish off their lunch and offer a little sweet treat. It was a simple cake reminiscent of a pound cake and symbolic of my cooking skills and taste at the time. Well those parcels of love must have worked because that boyfriend is now my husband and this cake like our life together has evolved to something even more enjoyable and interesting.
And like our life together, the cake too, has grown in size. The original recipe that’s inspired this week’s recipe was a normal small round cake perfect for two young lovers. But this more interesting version is what’s today known as a slab or sheet cake, perfect for a larger family, a group of friends enjoying a picnic or a get together. It’s dotted with sweet bright strawberries and textured with both ground and sliced almonds. Scented with finely grated orange zest, it’s finished with a drizzle of citrusy icing.
Strawberry, Yoghurt and Almond Cake
Ingredients:
2 ¼ C plain flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ C ground almond meal/almond flour
1 ¼ C sugar
125 G butter melted
3 eggs lightly beaten
¾ C greek yoghurt
¼ C Milk
250 gm strawberries hulled and halved
Grated rind of a blood orange (regular orange is fine if blood orange not in season)
1 tsp Vanilla extract or paste
¼ c almond slices
Icing:
¼ Icing sugar
1 tbs blood orange or regular orange juice
Method:
Preheat oven to 180c, grease and line a 32cm x 22cm high sided pan.
Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and give it a quick stir with a hand whisk or to ensure everything is thoroughly combined. Add all wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combine then mix on high speed for 1-2 minutes until lighter in colour and slightly increased in volume.
Pour into prepared pan and smooth over with the back of a spatula or large spoon. Place strawberry halves even spread over top and gently pushed half way in. Sprinkle over almond slices and bake 30 minutes or until skewer in the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool in tin.
Combine icing ingredients and mix until smooth and runny for drizzling. Drizzle icing over and slice to serve.
Notes:
The strawberries are also lovely mixed through the cake. If you want to do this fold them through before pouring batter into tin.
Any berries will work well. If using blueberries try lemon rind and juice for the cake and icing.
Sweet juicy orchard fruits such as peaches, plums and apricots are delicious in this cake when in season.
Finds
No matter where you are in the world right now we are fast approaching the silly season. That crazy, busy, happy, exhausting exhilarating time when we all celebrate whatever the end of the year means for you whether it’s Christmas, Hannukah or just the sense of turning that last page in the calender and reflecting on what another year has brought to your life. For many of us around the world we’re probably reflecting on surviving another year of covid in whatever way that’s affected your corner of the world. But no matter what this year looks like in your patch it’s a time to gather with your friends and family and celebrate. So with that in the offing I’ve found you two fab new drinks to share with your loved ones and after all the festivities a delicious tea to warm your tummy and soul.
I do love a cold fizzy prosecco. Bubbles always makes things festive and the Italian fizz is known the world over for its easy drinking. I’m lucky, where I live, to enjoy a huge variety of locally made wine many of whom made with rich Italian heritage and influence. One such local winery is Zonzo Estate. I’ll tell you more about that another day, it’s a story on its own with gorgeous views and delicious food. But importantly their wine is excellent. To compliment the coming sunshiny weather Zonzo have released this little peach…literally. Bellini in bottle is definitely going take summer up a notch.
If a Bellini isn’t your thing this little cocktail from Billson’s Brewery in Beechworth Victoria might be a refreshing alternative. It’ll definitely impress your guests with the theatre the final flourish presents. Billsons offers a huge range of small batch spirits, craft beers and mixer cordials and sodas, made in their historic, recently restored venue as well being a terrific stop off for lunch if your touring country Victoria. You can check out their menu here or their full range in their online store here. If you're reading from the northern hemisphere my dear friend in vancouver tells me this is similar.
Finally you might recall a couple weeks ago I mentioned gorgeous Hold Cottage in Gunning NSW. Well in true covid pivot style Belinda has launched an online store. She features some of the lovely items she’d normally offer in the cottage to make your stay special, some of husband Tim’s stunning photography and this gem that I grabbed for myself if you’re looking for a unique xmas gift. Also exciting is the Hold Tea Range that’s just been added to the shop. Bee sent me some of this tea last year which she describes as a hug in a mug and it truly did taste and feel exactly like that. If not for yourself this would make a great gift for a tea lover on your list.
Image (c) Tim Bean Photography and Hold Cottage
Forays
Daylight savings began here this week. Longer days, and the beginnings of sunshine peeking through has our itchy feet ready to start exploring again. As the end of our lockdown approaches we’ve already planned our first road trip. We’re headed to one of our favourite spots to camp under big lush old English trees sinking our toes into lush green grass. Mongans Bridge is 20 minutes from Mount Beauty in the North East of Victoria. The campground is set in the grounds of the old one room country school shaded by the lush canopy of gorgeous old trees that originally shaded the school children of local farmers. The sweet original school house still stands in the centre of the park which adjoins the cool mountain fed Kiewa River. We adore the region always making sure, after leaving the freeway, to stop here for cheese supplies ( we're fancy campers) after stopping in here to stock up on some of our favourite fizz and Italian varietal reds. Traveling further through the region a little stop in the gorgeous quaint town of Myrtleford, which on its own has loads to offer, we might make a stop for a quick rest and dinner at one of the best Vietnamese restaurants this side of Hanoi. Seriously! Melbourne has some amazing Vietnamese restaurants but this far outweighs many of those in the capital and has been reviewed nationally yet it's a simple and traditional low key cafe where the food is king. After a scenic climb over the mountain at what will be golden hour we’ll head to camp where the sunsets are incredible accompanied by the gentle melody of birds settling down for the evening as the waters of the Kiewa flow and burble by reminding us to slow down and soak up the fresh air and freedom..
Mount Beauty, at the centre of the Kiewa Valley is an hour from Albury if you’re road tripping from Sydney and four hours from Melbourne for a long weekend getaway. In winter nearby Falls Creek is a hugely popular ski resort and in summer the area offers mountain biking, camping, four wheel driving, hiking and trout fishing amongst other things. You could also have a look here for ideas for the greater north east region.
