The Pedant in the Kitchen

Julian Barnes 2003 Atlantic Books , London

Julian is the pedant making fun of his cooking mishaps in a book of short stories. Funny, witty, relate able. I'm now a happy owner of a pressure cooker. Will no doubt have many of my own tales to tell.

(8) Never replace your tatty old Jane Grigson or Elizabeth David with a new version containing exactly the same text, even if it does now have picture (see 1). You will never use it and will go back to the original tatty paperback because it has your marginal notes and you rightly feel comfortable about it.p29

cooking with help

the fun. the danger. the mess. is it educational or delusional. who knows. with 'help' one really can't tell.

the end of slavery and measured meringue success

Pessach, the end of slavery commemorated with a no grain 8 day festival. If it was not for the Matzoh, nuts and eggs, a girl could really detox. In preparation we made some coconut macaroons with chocolate and pistachio meringues (these could have been higher). Anyway we are well prepared.

carrot

carrot Salvador Dali moustaches

Party preparations underway

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi

Cooking together. Making our favourite dish. From Stephanie Alexander's 'A Cook's Companion'. Just like play dough; higher vegetable content. I believe this is Joy's favourite dish. She can eat an adult size portion for lunch and want more for afternoon tea.

Pizza night

Friday night is usually pizza night. This week we missed it.

Mushrooms

We went mushroom picking in Gippsland. Pine forest mushrooms, yum with garlic and cream.

Beautiful colours in the pine tree plantation; blackish green, graphite and vibrant moss green. Great toadstools. And to J's excitement signs of wombats...

We found enough to feel pleased with ourselves but not too many to feel burdened by the bounty. I guess the recent weather was not quite right. Perhaps not enough sunshine, as there was definitely plenty of rain over the last week.