catching up

My favourite hot cross buns in Hobart are from Jackman and McRoss - no mixed peel sadly (why does everyone hate it?I love it!) but with apricots and hazelnuts instead.

Hello friends - I can hardly believe we’re in the middle of April already! I had a post almost fully written just before Easter for you but then Squarespace logged me out while writing it and…that was that, it was all gone. I’m afraid I didn’t have the strength to rewrite it immediately!

Life has been full and busy, with deadline after deadline, but that is to be expected when you run a business, are in the final year of a PhD and like to keep your hand in with freelance journalism! But I am loving it. I just need to keep up the self care, which has always been a challenge. But I’m trying to get better at it - at the suggestion of one of my supervisors, I have a list of rewards that I decided to treat myself to when I reach certain milestones (two of those arrived, more on those further down!). Tom and I have also put some fun things in the diary to look forward to.

Favourite experience/s of the week

We had a lovely Easter celebration with the family - last year Tom and I started a new Easter tradition for the nieces and nephews, the Easter lucky dip, and we continued it this year, which was great fun. We get a number of big bags of mini M&Ms, Mars Bars, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Malteasers, all kid-friendly things and whack them inside a sack (well, pillowcase), along with a booby prize, which is usually a packet of dried chickpeas or pearl barley from the cupboard. Each child (though quite a few of them are teenagers now!) then picks a prize from the pillowcase and it’s so much fun, everyone seems to enjoy the suspense and theatricality of it. This year, our three-year-old niece picked the booby prize of pearl barley (we had given her a little chocolate bunny separately, I didn’t think her parents would appreciate her being given an entire bag of mini Mars Bars) which she actually seemed quite delighted by!

But the best moment of the past few weeks was Tom getting 100% on his Australian citizenship test!

Reading

Alice Pung is one of my favourite writers - I loved her workshop in Hidden Nerve last year on gesture - and so I was delighted to pick up a copy of her latest novel, One Hundred Days, which was shortlisted for last year’s Miles Franklin (probably the highest literary honour in this country). I devoured it in an afternoon, lying in bed, hot water bottle pressed to the abdomen (which made me feel a lot of the book’s content quite viscerally!). It’s simply outstanding. Set in the late 1980s, which I really enjoyed, it was almost a retelling of the Rapunzel story - an intense mother-daughter relationship which is taken to a new level of smothering and control when the teenage daughter discovers she’s pregnant. She tries and fails to keep it from her overbearing mother, who loves as fiercely and protectively as she knows how, but which leaves the daughter feeling like a prisoner, quite literally. It’s a tense and almost claustrophobic narrative at times but also very funny in places too. I really loved it.

The New Yorker: The Unexpected Grief of a Hysterectomy

British Vogue: Bernardine Evaristo: 2023 Is A Breakthrough Year For Black British Women Novelists

The Cut: My Marriage Was Never The Same After That - oof, I felt every word of this.

Lit Hub: The Hero We Need: Keanu Reeves is Demolishing All Our Dumb Stereotypes - I did not realise that there is an entire sub-genre of Celebrity Studies entirely dedicated to Keanu Reeves, especially in relation to his representations of masculinity. Just one of the many rabbit holes I fall down on a daily basis when doing my PhD work! Tom and I have ended up having a bit of a Keanu season as a result and we’ve both enjoyed thinking about his films through that lens.

I also read Ashley Kalagian Blunt’s new crime-thriller Dark Mode in just a few days - it’s really quite gripping, despite the dark and disturbing subject matter. Not normally my preferred genre but having listened to Ashley talk about it on her podcast for the last few months, I was very excited and intrigued to read it. I also loved that it was set in Sydney! Masterfully crafted and absolutely riveting, you’ll find it hard to tear yourself away - and do not read it at bedtime is all I will say. Ashley’s also shared a lot of the inspiration behind Dark Mode on her blog, which is also fascinating reading.

I’m re-reading Stephanie’s Journal (now out of print) for about the millionth time - always a good comfort read, and I always notice something different, something else to relate to. This time what has struck me most is the restraint with which she writes about difficult situations, especially in friendships and professional relationships breaking down. The details are spare but her anguish is very plain.

I borrowed this vegan cookbook from the library - I love how a local author can be easily identified by the map of Tassie sticker on the spine! - and was quite enthralled by all the delicious ideas. I think I’ll have to get my own copy, which you can get direct from the Bob Brown Foundation or Hobartians can stroll into Fullers and grab a copy by the looks of it. See Eating for more!

Listening to

I have been listening to Alexandra Stréliski’s new album Néo-Romance non-stop - it’s the perfect writing music. Londoners, she’s playing there on 4 May! I so wish I could go! If you love haunting, melodic piano (similar to my beloved Ludovico but she’s most definitely got her own style), I think you’ll love her work.

The First Time: Masters Series with Cate Kennedy - OMG this was amazing. So full of insight and reassurance. Cate Kennedy said some wonderful things, but this I played back several times: “it’s uncomfortable to write. To make anything is a state of of discomfort because you have to sit with it being in an imperfect state for a long time.”

I’ve also been enjoying revisiting the music of Riyuichi Sakamoto who sadly died at the end of March. His last album 12, released in January, is wonderful.

Inner winter playlist, on repeat!

Best Friend Therapy remains a favourite podcast, I’m always glad when Monday rolls around because I have a new episode to listen to! The episode on guilt was especially helpful - that very day the episode dropped I was in a conundrum about something, and through listening I realised that I didn’t actually feel guilty about my feelings, because I trusted them, I just felt afraid to express them. It’s easy to mistake fear for guilt, it turns out.

Eating

Tom and I went out for brunch for the first time in ages - it feels quite wondrous going into cafes again, though I am still a little skittish at times - and we were both in raptures over the Scrambled Stunner at the Little Lotus Cafe. This was scrambled tofu, squares of crispy polenta, chargrilled broccolini, tomato chilli jam and rice paper ‘bacon’. Absolutely delicious! I also enjoyed a proper chai alongside.

This pasta was also a stunner - this is parsnip pasta! Not sweet, if that’s what you’d be thinking with parsnips. Made with wholewheat spaghetti, some smoked vegan cheese, kale and chilli, it was a real treat! I also used Jamie Oliver’s trick of roasted the parsnip peel in the oven with some nutritional yeast (he uses Parmesan). I will never compost parsnip peel again - it was amazing.

I love Shepard avocado season! It divides the nation every year - from February to April - but I don’t know what the fuss is about. They’re lovely! Far better than hand-grenade Hass, who go from perfect to inedible in what feels like half a day. Shepards last well and are nearly always blemish-free. The flesh of Hass oxidises far more quickly too. We’ve enjoyed Shepards on toast, in salad, every which way we’d normally enjoy an avocado and think they’re fabulous. Shepard forever!

I made a vegan zucchini and potato bake from zucchini and potatoes from my garden, which was absolutely sumptuous. There were leftovers, which I blended into another batch of zucchini butterbean soup a week later.

This is the chilli sin carne from Lisa Searle’s Feeding the Resistance mentioned in the Reading section. It was scrumptious! I followed her suggestion to make it mild and then smothered my own portion in pickled jalapeños! Perfect cold weather food. We loved this and the recipe made enough for me to stock the freezer with, and leftovers (with rice) for both of us to take to our respective offices the following day.

I had leftover porridge from breakfast a few days ago and was moved to make porridge bread for the first time in quite a while. It was divine. It’s so wholesome and delicious, like having porridge and toast for breakfast in one. We enjoyed thick slabs of it toasted with marmalade and cultured oat butter for breakfast, and with soup for dinner. It was so good I deliberately made extra porridge for breakfast today so we could have another loaf for the weekend. It’s in the oven as we speak and the house smells heavenly.

I roasted a whole heap of root vegetables (and a broccoli stalk) - including beetroot I grew myself - for a yummy quinoa salad.

Other meals have been the standard tofu fried rice, frozen dumplings, sweet potato mac and cheese, baked potatoes and kimchi, and leftovers thereof. I’ve also made this vegan bolognese which was out-of-this-world good - it stocked the freezer and we have plenty of leftovers in the fridge.

These chocolates were one of my “yay, you did it!” rewards to myself - I got the Love and Light Bundle, which is a box of their artisan chocolates (the Lover’s Box) and a divine sandalwood and vanilla candle. I was seriously impressed with the delivery - I ordered them on Monday evening and they were in Tassie by midday on Wednesday, packed in ice! These chocolates are unbelievable. Handmade in Byron Bay, vegan, free of all nasties, packed with superfood ingredients and natural flavours, I can’t get over how decadent and delicious they are. And seriously satisfying - Tom and I shared three between us and that was more than enough! I’ve not made my way through the whole box yet but my top three flavours so far are Coconut & Cashew with Vanilla, Dark Peppermint Creme with Matcha and Butter Caramel Pecan with Cinnamon. Seriously, I may never eat any other kind of chocolate again. If you love chocolate and want to treat yo self (and you should), I would highly recommend them.

Drinking

You guessed it - my favourite. Nothing like a proper chai this time of year.

Picking

The garden has been full of delicious things - the aforementioned potatoes, zucchini and beetroot, and yesterday I picked nearly 1kg of cherry tomatoes which went into my vegan ragu. I held out so little hope of the tomatoes going red that I hadn’t been to check on them for some time, and some of them had exploded from overripe-ness on the vine. Whoops!

I picked another kilo or so of figs, which have been roasted and frozen for winter porridge, but there are still a handful of them ripening on the branches. Some green beans, which I’ll pick to go with our shepherd’s pie this evening. It looks like we have a few pumpkins on the vine too.

My parents told me to go and pick some of their apples and tomatoes while they were away on the mainland, so I picked a bag of each. I stewed the apples with lots of cinnamon and vanilla into a delicious compote, which we’ve had with porridge most mornings, and the tomatoes became a kasundi, one of my signature condiments. I used to make it for neighbours and workmates in London who all loved it. It’s great made with tinned tomatoes as well as fresh. I use Anna Jones’ recipe.

I bought lots of basil from Hill Street Grocer today (on special!) so I think I’ll make a pesto with it together with the beetroot stalks and leaves. I also have a giant half of a red cabbage to do something with - I might make Nigella’s pickled red cabbage from Cook Eat Repeat.

Watching

As mentioned, Tom and I had a very Keanu-themed Easter thanks to my sudden interest (as mentioned above)! We watched John Wick (the first one), A Scanner Darkly and Street Kings, all on 4K BluRay. These sorts of films, it must be said, aren’t usually my cup of tea but it was fascinating to watch them taking particular note of how the roles Keanu Reeves plays are nearly always a comment on some variation of masculinity, and reflect the profound importance of kindness. Tom, of course, was thrilled that I wanted to watch these movies and dissect them from these particular angles! Film is his thing.

I always associate Easter with Little Women - very odd I know, as it’s more of a Christmas film - because the Gillian Armstrong directed version was released on video (!) at Easter when I was a teenager. My sisters and I watched it on Good Friday, eating our fish fingers and chips. For the longest time I was very protective of that particular version, I thought nothing could touch it (and I still think Christian Bale is a very charming Laurie) and I was sceptical when a new adaptation came out in 2019, even though it was written and directed by my best friend Greta Gerwig. But then I watched it. I should never have doubted Greta. It’s without question the best version of the story I’ve ever seen. So we watched that for our Good Friday movie and both laughed and cried, as usual! Utter perfection.

Succession (Binge) - after two very lacklustre episodes (we thought) to start Season 4, this week’s episode was a nail biter! A complete return to form for the series that both Tom and I were left reeling from! Who else has watched it?!

I’m also still making my way through a complete rewatch of Call the Midwife which is definitely my comfort watch (though there’s nearly always some dark tale at the heart of each episode). I adore it.

Wearing

It’s getting cold and therefore one needs SOCKS. I went to see Tracy and Jen at Red Parka in town, who sell delightful, colourful, warm and ethically-made bamboo socks. And I love that they have Tasmanian animals on them! I bought some fairy wren ones and some pademelons. I wasn’t sure if the 7-11 would fit me, as I am an 11, so I got the pademelons in an 11-14, just in case. I’m happy to report the 7-11 fit perfectly and the 11-14 are a little big, but both very comfortable and fun to wear either way!

I really love socks, I’ve discovered.

Another of my making-a-deadline rewards was this Ipsum Face Oil Intense which I’ve been wanting to try for a long time since I read about it in an article about winter skincare dos-and-don’ts (Spaced fans, you’ll get the joke I’m sure) a few years back. I’ve only been using it for about 10 days and it’s already giving me a glow. It may well be the best thing I’ve ever put on my face. It smells divine, full of lavender, chamomile and fragonia, and feels delightful and nourishing on the skin. Everything feels smoother since I’ve been using this oil. It’s just beautiful and I can imagine it will help keep my skin in good condition over winter. Ipsum very kindly included a full-size Cleansing Oil Balm with my order too, as that product has just recently won Best Skincare Product at The Best of The Green Edit Awards. I can see why, it’s also lovely and leaves my skin so soft! It also arrived within a week of ordering and I got a lovely personal email from the director of the company to thank me for my order. Supporting small businesses for the win!

Proud of

As mentioned, my darling husband studied hard and learned all about Australia’s history, system of government, culture and various other things for his citizenship test, which he got 100% on! We were both so thrilled and relieved. Not that I thought for a minute that he wouldn’t pass, but something of this nature always has a lot riding on it (I remember it well when I did my British citizenship test and interviews). I am more proud of him than I can say.

Quote of the week

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” - Coco Chanel

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this post, or anything else, with me, please do! I hope you’ve been keeping well and that you’re also finding things in your life to savour and ponder, that give you pleasure and comfort.

Please note: this particular blog post does not contain any affiliate links. Usually I have affiliate links for books I mention but this week I couldn’t be bothered, haha! I’ve not been paid or asked to endorse anything in this post. Everything I’ve mentioned and linked to is a genuine recommendation - but that is always the case :)

hot red epic

I started reading Rebecca May Johnson’s Small Fires: An Epic in the Kitchen while I was alone in the house for a few days, with only my own appetite and whims to cater to.

One night, I cooked the hot red epic as Johnson calls it (p.89) - the recipe she cooked a thousand times, the recipe whose origins she is determined to discern but which prove murky. The recipe that made her think about what it means to make a recipe over and over, to “put your own spin on it”, and how recipes are affected by their historical context, their ‘source text’, the material circumstances that produced them, their language, their authorship. How a recipe can be a “siren-text, an ‘I’ that also speaks as ‘we’ and ‘they’ and ‘you’.” (p.97).

I was surprised that the hot red epic was just a simple tomato pasta sauce. But, as with all simple things, deceptive.

I didn’t have enough olive oil. Once it was cooked, served and tasted, I found I needed some capers and a pinch of chilli flakes for it to go from “fine” to something more interesting. Was it my supermarket own brand tomatoes, that still said Italian on the label? Should I have gone for the posher ones? I wrote this isn’t something I could see getting obsessed with in my journal as the saucepan soaked.

But the next day, I recalled the thin slices of garlic, the tomatoes, the richness of the (barely two tablespoons, as that’s all I had left) olive oil and yes, now I could see why one would want to perfect it. The simple things often elude us.

Three nights later, I was alone for dinner again, and I saw the homegrown garlic bulbs I had dug out of the garden drying on the kitchen window sill. The jar of living basil next to them. Another can of plum tomatoes in the pantry. Suddenly, all I wanted was to cook the hot red epic again. It was a siren call.

This time, it was undoubtedly richer and more unctuous as I used the full six tablespoons of olive oil. Though it was now a little too on the oily side for me. And I still needed the punchy tang of capers.

This should be the end of it, I wrote.

But no.

I still have garlic, basil, tomatoes and I’m going to make it again, this funny thing that’s wormed its way into my brain somehow, that good cook should have decent tomato sauce in their repertoire. I will try again. I will challenge myself to eat it without capers.

Finally, I see why Johnson was so compelled to keep trying this recipe again and again, a thousand times, and then wondered about everything that lay underneath it. How it became a hot red epic.

Why do we cook? is the question Johnson seems to be asking throughout the book and I liked how she tried to answer it.

I can feel myself getting slightly obsessed

Please note: this blog post has affiliate links with retailers such as Booktopia which means I may receive a commission for a sale that I refer, at no extra cost to you.

homemade fresh pasta (vegan + easy!)

One of the things I really resisted about a vegan diet was giving up eggs - not only are they delicious in their own right but they are key ingredients in so many other foods I enjoy, fresh pasta being one of them.

I did not think it was possible to make a decent fresh pasta dough without eggs…..but then I came up with this recipe and was blown away!

It’s also a great no-waste recipe because it uses aquafaba - the liquid found in canned chickpeas. It’s slightly gelatinous, like eggs, and protein-rich so works as a great binding agent. We honestly couldn’t tell the difference. The dough was silky smooth, went through the pasta machine like a dream, and was absolutely delicious to eat.

You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this recipe - if you feel like fresh pasta but have no eggs in the house, you’re in luck! If you’re curious, I highly encourage you to give it a try.

Vegan pasta dough

Enough for 4-6 servings

400g pasta tipo 00 flour
200ml aquafaba (or tepid water, or a mixture of both - see instructions)
Large pinch turmeric powder (for colour)

Weigh out the flour and add to the bowl of a food processor, together with the turmeric.

Open a can of chickpeas* and drain the liquid (the aquafaba) into a jug or place a jug/small bowl on digital scales and pour the aquafaba directly into it to measure it that way. You’ll need 200ml of liquid in total. I found that a typical 400g can of chickpeas gave me about 175ml of aquafaba, so I made up the 200ml with some tepid water.

Add the liquid to the flour in the bowl of the food processor.

Turn the food processor on and blend it all together for a minute or so, until a dough begins to form. You may need to pause the processor, scrape down any flour or stray dough from the sides, and whiz again until it all comes together.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly oiled or floured surface and knead together until it’s one large smooth ball. It won’t take very long. In fact, you’ll probably be quite surprised at how fast it comes together!

The dough then needs some time to rest and chill - don’t we all. I don’t buy clingfilm, but I do have a stash of clean plastic bags that bread, etc has come in - I put the dough in one of those, wrap it up and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Note: you can, of course, bring the dough together by hand if you don’t have a food processor, it will just require a bit more effort and elbow grease! Just make a well in the middle of the flour, put the liquid in the centre and then mix together with your hands and knead as above.

Once the dough has had its chilling time, you’re ready to roll!

Cut the dough into six equal pieces - I cut it in half, and then each half into thirds. Feed each piece of dough through your pasta machine according to the instructions, and until it’s at your desired thinness.

Either use the sheets of pasta to make lasagna, cannelloni, ravioli or tortellini, or cut the sheets into your desired pasta shape.

We used four pieces of dough to make pasta sheets that we turned into a lasagna, and the other two pieces we made into thin noodles which we enjoyed with dumplings and green vegetables in a soup.

This is a seriously incredible pasta dough, and I can’t wait to make it again. And seeing that it’s so easy, I think “again” might be “tonight”!

*Obviously reserve the chickpeas for another dish! Maybe this one? Or this one?

zucchini pasta

This isn’t the prettiest dish you’ll ever cook, but it will certainly one of the tastiest. It’s a great recipe to have up your sleeve this time of year when zucchini (or courgettes, I use both names interchangeably in my house!) are in season and plentiful. If you grow your own, no doubt you have them coming out of your ears and are trying to think of ways to eat them. This mixture would also be a lovely dip, once cooled, or enjoyed with chunky pieces of grilled bread. Goodness, I feel hungry just writing these words!

You need to use quite a bit of oil in this recipe but that’s the secret to the creaminess of the sauce, and the reason the zucchini go so beautifully soft, as they are effectively braised with the onions and garlic. It’s not greasy at all, I promise!

Zucchini pasta

Serves 4

Good quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3-5 zucchini (depending how big they are), chopped into cubes
1 garlic clove, crushed
Chilli flakes, a pinch or two
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegan sour cream (or ricotta)
Fresh basil, finely chopped or torn, as much as you like
500g dried pasta (penne or rigatoni are my preferred shape for this dish)

In a saute pan, a wide and shallow one you’d use to cook risotto or this pasta, pour in enough olive oil to cover the base, enough for the vegetables to paddle in. Place over a low-medium heat. Add your onions and a pinch of salt, stir, then leave to stew slowly. I probably should have warned you, this is the kind of dish you make on a balmy summer evening when you’ve got music playing and some other nice thing to occupy you - a book, a lover, anything where you won’t feel too impatient waiting around for something to cook.

I find the onions take about 15 minutes, you don’t want them to brown, just stew and soften. Add the zucchini, salt, garlic, chilli, black pepper, give it a good stir, then replace your lid and leave to simmer slowly over a low-medium heat until the zucchini are juicy and, when you stir them, starting to fall apart. It takes anywhere for 20 minutes to a full half hour.

Now cook your pasta, which will give the zucchini even more time to braise and soften. Drain it once it’s cooked to your liking, reserving a cup of the cooking water in case you need it.

Add the vegan sour cream and basil to the zucchini mixture, stirring well, then the pasta, stirring well to coat it thoroughly in the sauce. Add some of the pasta water if it seems dry. I like to add a final grinding of black pepper. You could add some Parmesan too, if you like.

Serve and feel inordinately blessed in your garden’s summer zucchini glut this year.

tomato, caper and mint spaghetti

Tom and I were watching a Rick Stein show where he was in Sicily. He didn’t cook this dish but mentioned a pasta he’d once enjoyed in Palermo, simply made with tomatoes, capers and mint. I’ve never managed to find a recipe for it anywhere, but it sounded so delicious I simply had to give it a try. And it was as amazing as it sounded.

That was a few years ago now and this is still one of our most favourite pasta dishes. Sometimes I’ll just say “Rick’s pasta?” to Tom when it’s getting close to dinner time, and his eyes light up!

It’s best made with long pasta - in the picture I think I’ve used fresh tagliatelle, but I’m particularly partial to linguine. You can add chilli - I sometimes do - but this pasta doesn’t even need Parmesan, truth be told. The capers are punchy and acidic, the mint is fresh and savoury, the tomatoes are sweet. It’s just glorious.

I hope you like it as much as we do!

Tomato, caper and mint spaghetti

Enough for 2, with room for dessert

250 g spaghetti (or any other long pasta)
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
Roughly 250 g cherry tomatoes, or larger truss tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size (use as much as you like, this is just a guide)
Roughly 5 tablespoons capers (from a jar) (and again, use as much as you like - we love capers so add about half the jar!)
1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Put a stockpot of salted water on to boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions or desired al dente-ness.

Get a large saute pan - I use my Le Creuset shallow casserole dish - and cover the base in olive oil, adding enough for the tomatoes to paddle in. Add the garlic cloves.

Place the pan on a medium heat and allow to heat slowly. Once you hear the garlic sizzling, carefully add the cherry tomatoes (I leave them whole, but you could halve them). Turn the heat down, put the lid on and allow the tomatoes to cook gently in the oil for about 10 minutes, roughly the same time it will take the pasta to cook. Check on them occasionally. You don’t want them to be mushy and breaking down too much, just soft.

You can remove the garlic at this stage if you prefer, but I usually leave it in. Add the capers to the tomatoes, and a bit of salt and pepper. You could also add a splash of white wine if you have any handy.

Once your pasta is ready, using tongs, carefully lift the cooked pasta out of the stockpot and into the tomato and caper pan. The water clinging to the pasta will help make a lovely sauce.

Once you have all your pasta in the tomato pan, turn up the heat slightly, add the chopped mint, and toss everything through with the tongs so that the pasta is completely coated in the tomatoes, capers, mint and oil. Everything should be beautifully combined. It shouldn’t be dry but if it is, add another splash of the pasta cooking water.

Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Heap into waiting bowls and eat immediately - as if you’d want to do anything else!

I have made this with basil and parsley before when I only had a sad lone sprig of mint from my garden and it’s still delicious - but do make this with just mint at least once as it’s sublime. I just adore mint, it’s one of my favourite herbs and gives such a beautiful flavour to everything from salads and grilled vegetables to slices of grilled halloumi.