Speaking of recipes of a by-gone era, here is a classic piece regarding bread baking found in Edward Abbott's "The English and Australian Cookery Book". (This was the first Australian cookbook, 1864.) It is indicative of an attitude of a by-gone era, amusing to look at now, certainly not a lifestyle to be recommended: "How … Continue reading Bread Baking in Colonial Times

Here are the two recipes I mentioned in my last post. (Several people have requested them.) I don't know if the ginger beer will work, but I'm hopeful. I did, I admit, add a tablespoon of powdered ginger for extra flavour and heated the mixture just to lukewarm to dissolve the sugar. That would help … Continue reading Ginger Beer and Anadama Bread – Recipes

People are very generous and often give me old cookbooks for which they no longer have a need. I really enjoy reading though them, the older they are the better. Above all else, I love baking bread so always peruse the yeast cookery sections first. Often the recipes are accompanied by anecdotes or prose that … Continue reading Anadama Bread

I really love a good baking tin, especially anything old and/or a bit different. For a few weeks now I'd been eyeing off an intriguing tin in an op shop. Strange looking thing with its two halves sticky-taped together, giving it a good likeness to a large garden slug or slater. I couldn't decide if … Continue reading The “Slug” Tin

I tend to get inordinately (and arguably illogically) fond of different pieces of cooking equipment, mixing bowls, rolling pins and platters. The white platter shown here is a current favourite for a weekly morning tea, filled each time with something hopefully tasty, slightly decadent and most importantly delicious to share with friends. Old fashioned favourites … Continue reading A Morning Tea Platter for Sharing

Turned out well, this wet hop beer, made in the Brewing class back in May and ready for drinking right now. Since the cheese making class here a couple of weeks ago, I've kept up making feta (it's a hard habit to break, so delicious). Here's a jar that I recently marinated for grandson Jacob … Continue reading Beer, Cheese and Many Things Sweet

Foccaccia 3 cups plain flour 3 teaspoons dried yeast 1½ teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons sugar 1/3 cup olive oil 1½ cups warm water, approximately 2 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary and/or thyme) 2 to 3 teaspoons sea salt flakes Have ready a slab (or lamington style) tin 35cm x 25cm approximately. Mix the … Continue reading My Recipe for Foccaccia

Invited to a market at Primrose Sands yesterday so we headed out very early. On board were jam pans of bread dough ready to make foccaccia when we arrived, and the 16 litres of spiced pumpkin soup made the day before on Hester. (There were a lot of requests from people at the market for … Continue reading A Market at Primrose Sands

It's been a whirlwind week here in the cooking school. There have been two large cheese making classes, great fun. Curds and whey everywhere. Part of the pleasure of the classes for me is getting up early and baking treats for the people who are coming along. I couldn't bear to think they would go … Continue reading Cheese Making Classes, Cider and Stock

Hester's been a bit sluggish for a few days. Whatever on earth was going on? 'She' was slow to burn, comparatively anyway, and even sent puffs of smoke out the door when it was opened to put in more wood. This morning Robert found the issue. It was not with poor Hester at all, but … Continue reading Hester Ailing??