Autumn is here.

I dunno, I just can't get so excited by summer food as I do eating in the other three seasons of the year. Maybe that's why this blog has become a wee bit neglected of late. Sure, there was the great Asian 'slaw, of which we ate a lot, there were many bug tail barbies, there was the ricotta hotcake Xmas breakfast and S.O. even glazed a ham. Kibbeh, tabbouleh and hummus made with just a touch of preserved lemon also featured heavily. (Note to self: Asian slaw and tabbouleh look alike. What's that about?)




It always takes me months to get over the excess of Xmas, not that we went overboard this year. Just S.O. and I home, with some of the family joining on Boxing Day. But it seems to me that we never start preparing dinner until way too late in the evening ~ I blame daylight saving ~ having had too many beverages to really pay attention to the cooking process.

I must prefer easter. Four days off, great autumnal weather, no pressure ~ an altogether much nicer time, I think.

More cookbooks have joined the library. And I have discovered NPR's Hidden Kitchens series which is the most marvellous series of podcasts. It's just fantastic, and I urge you to subscribe. It's not a cooking show, but captures people and kitchens "under the radar".

We have a lovely new Italian deli opened in our 'hood. Great people ~ Daniel, Veronica & Joanne ~ really wonderful quality Italian cheeses, meats, pastas. So good, that it smells like Melbourne! More about them later.

20 kilos of tomatoes have been turned into sugo, chicken stock has been made. And we've discovered a laden guava tree around the corner ~ who would have thought in inner city Sydney ~ with very generous owners, who put out bags for anyone to take as many guavas as they would like. Love that sort of behaviour.

My friend T and I are investigating a plot at our local community garden.

Excellent Thursday ~ the day before Good Friday ~ is a significant one for S.O. and my's relationship, so will be having friends around to celebrate it. It's our favourite entertaining night of the year, as you know there's another 4 days of R&R following. No long drives or rushed air trips but a long, languid magazine reading, pod listening, book reading, DVD watching , dog walking food fest. Gee, we might leave the house to see a movie, but it's doubtful. And it's even greater to know that our non-Christian cafe owners and restaurateurs in the area are open to cater for us if we get bored with our own company. Couldn't be better, I say.