Food, Finds & Forays
Hey there....
I’m back!! Jeepers who’d have thought a little digit surgery would be such a trial. I’m normally a tough chicky but this little bump took me by surprise. So if you ever need finger surgery, ask loads of questions.
Now on to more interesting and important things. Coming home from hospital (ok I promise not to go on about it but stay with me it’ll make sense in moment) the postie had been and low and behold a delivery of cookbooks I’d had on pre-order. That my friends is the definition of agony, new cook books when you’re one hand down. After what felt like the anticipation filled wait for Christmas to have my stitches removed and my hand mostly back in action, I’ve been diving in and thought I’d report back.
In the weeks after my surgery hubby dragged my sorry butt out for Easter holidays on a trek through Victoria’s northwest and Riverland country. Amongst other great finds we came across, we found a wonderful new winery you might also like to check out…oh and they do mail order too.
Autumn has settled over Melbourne like a cool cloud floating above. Thankfully the sunshine still peeks through to warm us but that winter chill that prevails is coming. As is often the case my appetite turns to a bowl of something to warm from the inside out. On the weekend I posted on Instagram a soup I’d made and was inundated with responses so thought what better way to return to your inbox than with a hearty bowl of goodness.
I hope the sun is warming your lovely face whether you’re welcoming spring or preparing for a winter hibernation.
Have a great weekend,
S x
Food
My earliest memory of food is of me tucking into a bowl of soup. Chubby toddler right hand firmly gripping a spoon only just able to fit in my little mouth, left hand resting on the side of the bowl to warm those chilled little fingers. Little drops of oil floating wondrously on the surface of the broth like a monochrome kaleidoscope, barley bobbing around chased by my hungry spoon. It set me on a path of a passionate love for soup. Like a hug from the inside out soup has had my heart from the earliest days. It’s a chameleon dish. Every cuisine on earth has varieties of soup in it’s repertoire. It’s a vehicle for using up left overs, all the bits at the bottom of the fridge and food that nourishes and warms those we love. It’s a dish we can deliver to a friend who needs some love or one we can make to nurture the ailing and for many cultures a dish that holds deep significance.
When I emerged from the post surgery fug and regained the use of my right hand (yes I am right handed to boot) I was desperate to crack in to one of my new cook books. I’d remembered a soup full greens in Sophie Hansen's new book that I’d wanted to cook and started scouring the fridge and pantry for the ingredients. Sadly I was lacking a huge number of the ingredients but was still craving a bowl of greens floating in broth. Something a little lighter than some of the more hearty styles I often create but nourishing and satisfying none the less. This creation hit the spot and continued to do so in the days that followed. It’s super easy and would be a great one for busy evenings or to batch cook for weekday lunches.
I’m still craving Sophie’s Spring Minestrone, must add the ingredients to this week shopping list.
Greens and Bean Soup
Ingredients:
1 leek white part only finely chopped
½ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg ( it really does taste and smell better) or ¼ tsp of pre-ground.
2 garlic cloves finely chopped or crushed
50 grams prosciutto or pancetta finely chopped ( you could sub with bacon if that’s all you have)
4 sprigs of thyme leaves removed
1 swede peeled and diced
1 C broad beans podded
1 C frozen peas ( I prefer baby peas)
1 C green beans sliced into short pieces
1 can cannellini or butter beans drained
1 ½ litres of chicken stock
Salt and white pepper
Method:
In a large heavy based pot warm a good glug of extra virgin olive oil over a low heat. Cook the prosciutto, leek and garlic slowly in the oil, avoiding browning the leek and garlic until soft, around five minutes. Increase heat to medium and add swede, thyme and nutmeg stirring frequently for a few minutes to warm the pieces of swede and release the aroma of the thyme and nutmeg. Finally add the remaining veg and stir to warm them. Add the stock and canned beans and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the swede is soft. Season with salt and pepper to a taste. Serve with splash of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of shopped parsley.
**White pepper has a delicious warming tingle and suits this dish particularly well.
Serves 4
Finds & Forays
If you’ve been reading my newsletter for a while you’ll know that my cookbook collection is not small…. Or should I say it's kinda biggish. It currently hovers around the 300 mark, you’ll note the use of the word ‘currently.’ Like many types of books there are some authors whose next work I anticipate with fervour, even pre-ordering without thought. Well Sophie Hansen and Emiko Davies are two such authors. You’ll have heard me referring to them before, unsurprisingly. These two women are my food spirit animals whose books evoke emotion, passion and most importantly appetite.
Sophie writes of and celebrates togetherness and sharing food around a table, picnic rug or any other shared sitting in all her books. Her latest work, Around the Kitchen Table centres around the traditions of her extended family’s ‘kitchen table.’ Co-authored with her artist and mother Annie Herron, the book not only shares precious recipes and traditions from family and friends but also delves into creative activities for you to try both around a table with others or on your own. As with all of Sophie’s recipes there’s loads of delicious food to try and Annie will gently guide you through some lovely ideas and suggestions for drawing, painting and creating with abandon and not seeking perfection but rather the simple joy of creativity. Reading of all the lovely family traditions and memories centred around food reminds and moves you to build your own and of the importance of the shared table. I’ve bought the sketch book and pencils and made a list of recipes to get that hand flexing again. What better ‘rehab’ could there possibly be?!
Last year, to celebrate my 50th, I’d had a trip to Italy planned. I adore everything Italian and have dreamt of visiting all my adult life. If I had to choose one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life Italian would be my numero uno! I have many Italian cookbooks most of which are much loved and used frequently, but none are written with such rich language, history and tradition as those authored by Emiko Davies. Australian born Emiko, met and married her lovely Italian husband and sommelier whilst studying in Florence and built a culture rich life there with him and her gorgeous little girls. Abundant in deeply researched history, her writing walks you through the cobble lined streets of Italy wrapping you in atmosphere and immersing you in tradition. Cinnamon and Salt, her newly released book, is a study of the food tradition and history of the cosmopolitan region of Venice. Focussing on the tradition of cicchetti she not only shares a wonderful array of recipes of this style of food but takes you on a journey through the history of the genre, how and why it evolved and draws you into historical tales of the many nationalities who’ve contributed to the eclectic fare of the canal lined city. Featuring snacks, small bites and plates and meals for sharing and nibbling with drinks and good company. Emiko’s photography is dreamy with a vintage quality and her writing evocative and transportive. Cinnamon and Salt is more than a cook book it’s a tome of history and culture in which you can get lost and imagine yourself strolling in the romantic streets of it’s birth.
One of the best ways to overcome any funk is to get out exploring. Being amongst nature, face warmed by sunshine, breeze blowing out the cobwebs is often the best medicine. Over easter with a still resting hand we headed out on a week long adventure heading to the north west of Victoria. I’ll chat about this more in the weeks to come but one thing I was reminded of on the trip is the value of chatting to locals and discovering the hidden secrets on roads less travelled. Whilst enjoying a lunch at a delicious restaurant in Wentworth our host explained her philosophy of sourcing the bulk of her menu from within 50km of her location. In listing her suppliers she mentioned one of her favourite local wineries suggesting we take a trip out to visit. A short distance past a more well known one one we’d planned to visit we headed out on a side road away from town. It was mid-afternoon, the sun lower in the sky bathing the fields bordering the road in a rich golden light. A flag at the small innocuous driveway signalled our turn taking us down a long driveway towards the river. On entering the semi underground tasting room and cellar we were warmly greeted by Cindy Heley the wine maker and owner of Monak Wine Co. Now anyone who enjoys visiting wineries will know what a treat it is to be looked after by the creator but Cindy’s passion and knowledge took this experience to another level. We ended up perched at her counter for an hour learning more about the creation and evolution of the varieties she produces than we could possibly have anticipated. Of particular note for us, was her skill with red wines. Needless to say we left well stocked and will no doubt re-stock by mail when we’ve exhausted our little stock of reds.
