Reflections in, on and round about…with a lot of cooking on the side
I have been making my own wholegrain mustard for a while, now. Well, until December 2022, I hadn't made it for a while. The first time I made it was ahead of a Sunday supper. I cannot remember why I needed it, but none of the shops had any. For love nor money, we could … Continue reading Keener than (wholegrain) mustard
It was with a bit of a start that I discovered I've been making these hamburgers for just short of twenty years. The original recipe came in the Good Taste magazine published by the Wine of the Month Club which I'd joined in about 1998. The publication is now defunct - gone the same way as many … Continue reading Burger Blues
Pickled fish is an iconic traditional South African dish. I first ate pickled fish at the ripe old age of about seven. It was the starter for Christmas lunch: the first I really remember. I was instantly smitten. Auntie Doris made it every year and for all the years we "had Christmas" at number 10, … Continue reading Pickled Fish: a South African Tradition
Nearly two years ago, and when the world was first locked up, and as mother survived, I had to confront the very real possibility that I might have to actually bake something. Probably bread. I wasn't ready. The entire process from the kneading to the proving and everything in between, terrified me. I'm also (if … Continue reading Is it a scone? Is it a biscuit?
I suppose I should be writing something about the festive season and how festive it was (it wasn't really, but it was better than 2020) and/or what I'm resolving for the New Year. Resolutions seem moot given the curved ball that is Covid, and which has derailed the last resolutions I made at the beginning … Continue reading Decadent Mushroom Pâté
There were certain things about Sunday Suppers that were always a juggle: the kitchen arrangements, for starters. It's an open plan space and in large part occupied by the stove and other appliances. Working surfaces are limited, so I have to be super organised. To begin with, there was a lot of juggling which, with … Continue reading Jambalaya Juggle
Words fascinate me and I confess to choosing to eat something - just because its name appeals to me. I live in a country with eleven official languages - plus dialects. Also, in South Africa, are peoples of Bushman descent whose languages are ancient and have either been lost, or are in danger of being … Continue reading A stew is as stew – or is it?
It's a funny old world we live in. As I write, we are in day 501 of South Africa's National State of Emergency (aka lockdown), and thanks to the vagaries of the Interweb and erstwhile hosts, this is the second iteration of a post with this recipe. The original post was three years ago. How … Continue reading It’s no bull…
I started revising this 2014 post as we entered month two of lockdown in South Africa. Although we moved from level 5 to level 4 on the first of May, for many, there was no material change to our lives. Speaking for myself: the novelty has worn off. Reserves - of all types - are … Continue reading Comfort food in a time of Covid-19 – I