In Retrospect - Fourth Quarter

Hmm, what's happened in the last 3 months?  On the one hand, heaps... But on the other, it feels like not a huge deal.  Here I will say that I don't share my whole life on this blog.  I am a very private person (believe it or not); there are some things that have changed, or that I have changed, that I won't share with anyone, or maybe just those closest to me; and there are things that I just won't put on the internet, especially when there are readers of this blog with whom I am not acquainted (I think - there are some diverse countries represented in the stats, and I don't think I know anyone right now in Russia, or Latvia, or Belgium...)  So, the changes that I'm prepared to acknowledge to potential strangers:

It seems I've cooked lots.  And more healthy in the treats department.  Right now, I know I really need to restock my kitchen with good fats, instead of indulging in all the Christmas treats that just keep appearing.  I've enjoyed trying new foods, and having others cook for me (really, drool...)  And the recent additions to the recipe book collection have kick-started the creativity and 'newness' in the kitchen.  Thank goodness.

Musically, it's been an interesting few months.  I've listened to new music, and listened differently; I've also performed new music, and done some viola performing.

There have been a few new physical activities - boxing, and running up the local mountain, and running the Melbourne half marathon - and just looking at this is making me want to do stuff.  Or at least make some concrete goals other than the singular goal I've already made (exciting!).  But I'm thinking I need something else new in this department (suggestions welcome).

I haven't watched that many movies (and I still have a review pending), but I've definitely noticed a change over the course of this year in how I watch movies.  When I was growing up, others in my family would watch a movie and be able to pick it to pieces afterwards (or, in some cases, during).  I was - and still am - able to suspend disbelief quite readily.  Plot-lines and predictability were not really issues for me.  But I'm getting better at assessing acting ability; I look more carefully at plots (and their holes); and I've noticed a definite classification system happening in my brain.  More on that in future, I think.

The biggest thing for me in these last few weeks, though, has been in my creative side.  I am loving Instagram.  Having different filters, so you can change the mood of a shot, or highlight a quality of the original, is a perk I hadn't expected to appreciate.  And the blur options can alter the whole perspective of a shot.  Aside from the creative options, though, there is the social side.  Connecting with total strangers through art is something I started experiencing with Red Bubble.  But sometimes, we can be connected through something more than a photo - for example, there are some shots from Christmas at the cathedral, and I know that I was in the place at the same time (and, in some cases, I've worked out who the other person is).  After a bit of testing the water, I decided to keep Instagram separate from Facebook, so rarely share my Instagram photos on Facebook. 

Now, it's the end of a year, so my New Year's resolution is over.  I thought a bit about whether to continue blogging, and decided to keep going, at least for now.  For starters, I have a few backlogged, and a few more movies to watch.  Slightly more importantly though, is that I can feel when I'm enjoying living in a rut - and when I need to crawl back out of it.  And this blog is great for that.  There have been several occasions this year when I've wanted to keep that cloak of familiarity nice and close around me, but having a blog has forced me to do at least one thing new. 

The Music and Cooking Class

A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent a message to a few of us - would we be interested in a music and cooking class?  Once I'd checked the gig schedule, I was keen.  Cooking classes were on my list of New Things To Do This Year, and after a brief search earlier in the year, nothing had come of it.  This was too easy.  And, what could be a better way to spend a Saturday - music and cooking?!

On our way in, I had to ask: what exactly is happening tonight?  Details were still a bit sketchy...  Canapes.  The a cappella choir, 'Fusion'.  Cooking class with Danielle Dixon (from Masterchef last year).  6-8pm, at Taste in the Valley.  I was suddenly a bit dubious - what if the choir was, you know... not amazing?  Would I need cooking skills?  How precise and dictatorial would this cooking class be?  Agh!!!

On arrival, we could see some of the choir inside already, and I breathed a sigh of relief - I recognised a few, and when I spotted their conductor I knew we were in for a treat.  My favourite choir conductor in Brisbane (Debra Shearer-Dirie), with whom I've worked a couple of times.  The champagne on arrival also helped, and then we had a wander around the store to look at all these (largely unnecessary) gadgets before heading to the loft area.

A beautiful space, set up as a kitchen - the sort of kitchen you might find in a very large house, with a couple of huge tables and seating for many.  Rustic.  And a bench set up with many pasta-makers.  As it turned out, we were making pasta.  But first, music.  We were surrounded by the choir, who sang some early food-related songs before forming an arc behind us, and moving on to more modern food-related songs.  All the music was food-related, although some rather tangentially.  They even included us in one of the songs (when we weren't eating our delicious canapes).  By far the hit of the evening was Fields of Gold, which had a few of us getting sweaty eyes.

Cooking.  But first, explanation.  I was relieved that Danielle cooks the way I do - experimentation.  Recipes are more like guidelines.  Some pasta variations were discussed ('my nonna said...' etc), and pasta-makers as well as what to do and why.  And that was it!  Come and try.  The choir came and chatted with us too, so I got to meet one of the faces I've seen in many choir things.

So, 100g plain flour and 1 egg.  Mix it together until it forms a play dough sort of consistency (ooh, when was the last time I was in contact with play dough?!), knead it a bit.

 Divide it in half, squish it a bit.

Feed it through the roller bit, fold in half, and repeat for 3 goes. 

Then move the setting, one step at a time, up to 7.  It will be quite long...

Slice into 3 bits, and feed through the fettuccine end (or thinner option if you wish).

Take over to large pots of boiling water - it needed about a minute in the water before being removed with a big broad slotted spoon/ladle thingy.

Top with sauce and basil and parmesan, and enjoy while listening to the choir singing again.  Try not to slurp or slop sauce all over yourself or others around you. 

Dessert from Danielle was tiramisu with berries (yum!) but one of the choir, Bec (we go way back) had also made a dark chocolate and pretzel tart.  I think I've missed a word in that, but it's from the Donna Hay magazine and it was ... just... oh my.  The sort of rich chocolate-y goodness that makes you want to take the whole lot somewhere private and just gorge yourself.  I didn't, though.  I am getting the recipe, mind you - watch this space.

As originally hoped, this was a fabulous evening.  We could have paid the same amount for just a concert or just a cooking class, but to have them combined was superb.  The intimate, kitchen setting made it far more special than any vibe you get in a normal concert, and getting expert cooking tips from, well, experts, was handy.  Although I don't see a pasta-maker in my kitchen any time soon.

I would quite happily do this once a month, it was so good.  Fingers crossed for the next one!

Today's photo:

Walking down Ann St this morning, the bougainvillea were just so spring-like, bright pink against a blue sky.

Reclaiming the Jug

I have quite a suggestible brain.  This has its benefits - jet lag is almost non-existent, for example.  It also has its drawbacks, often in the form of food envy.  With some people, I know I have to find out what they're ordering before I even think about what I want, as I know I'll just end up wanting what they have.  So, the final chapter in the book I just read (One of Our Thursday's is Missing, by Jasper Fforde, in case you're wondering), had a mention of lamb risotto.  What a good idea for the rest of the roast lamb, said my brain.  You'll be please to know, this is the very last of the lamb. 

The roast lamb also came with gravy (well, I had to make it, but you know what I mean).  I don't have a fancy-pants gravy boat, so just used the normal measuring jug.  On several occasions in the last week, I've looked for the jug in the cupboard, then by the sink, then had a 'where on earth is it?' moment before I've remembered it's holding the gravy, in the fridge.  Tonight I had the brilliant idea of using up the leftover gravy in the risotto, thereby reclaiming the jug.  Well, it turned out to be a brilliant idea, but I was a little wary at first. 

The aroma - overwhelmingly delicious.  And the richness of flavour - yum.  Not the most appealing photos though...  If you're a foodie you'll probably tell me it's not a true risotto, but it's My Version.  Which is forever changing, but this is the first time I've used gravy as part of the liquid component.

I was about half-way through cooking before I thought of adding the broccoli - it's getting to That Stage in the veggie drawer.  And I like adding sweet potato and pumpkin (in this case, pre-roasted) and getting them to that mushy state.

I made tonight's dinner fairly early, as I had a mariachi rehearsal to attend.  My parents are staying, and assured me when I got home that it had been really delicious - thankfully they had left enough for me to have dinner, and still freeze 2 portions.  My freezer is getting nice and full again.

Today's photo:

Everybody sing, now: raindrops on roses... next, to find a kitten!

Something to do with Five

What do you do when you have a quartet of a cello, 2 violins, and 2 violas?  Ah, no, this is not a joke... You have a quartet night of Mozart Quintet, Mendelssohn Quintet, and Haydn Quintet followed by quartets of movie and tv-themes (optional second viola).  Good times.

So, this all started because Viola Man and I were discussing quartets.  Normally it's hard to find a cellist, but as my brother is one, I've got that covered.  My brother's flatmate plays viola, and Viola Man (who is also a violinist) has a friend staying from Canada - who also plays viola.  All in!  I think the Mozart was written (this is just a theory) because he had either a violinist he didn't like, or a violinist he really liked who wasn't any good.  It was the most boring Mozart part I've ever played - but the most interesting my brother has ever played.  The Haydn had Joseph's name on it but was apparently really by his brother, Michael.  And Mendelssohn.  Ah, Mendelssohn.  A teensy bit hard to sightread, especially as Mendelssohn likes to do a bit of the Jackson Pollock style so you wash about a bit, hoping you've counted correctly, until you all miraculously have the theme at the same time.  Love it - but a bit unnerving if you're unfamiliar with the part.  Or even if you are familiar with the part. 

We held this at my place, so I got to cook.  I've had a Tana Ramsey cookbook for a few years now and have cooked almost everything in it.  I'm not a fan of lemon chicken so have always skipped over the recipe for lemon chicken stew, but it stood out the other day.  Apparently the chopping is meant to take 30 minutes - I did it in half that time (go me!).  Knowing what her recipes are like with quantities (massive) I browned the chicken, in batches, in my frying pan, then proceeded with the recipe after that - all in the pot, basically.  Simple.  And tasty!  The lemon was more a suggestion instead of the overpowering force I expected, so I was happy.  Also, note the crusty bread in the background...  The serving suggestion is for rice but I'm not a fan of rice.  I made sure we had real, not imaginary, crusty bread, to soak up the saucy bits (unlike Monday).

I wasn't sure how much we'd want dessert, but with 3 blokes I thought it would be wise.  I was correct.  Earlier this year I bought, on impulse, a cookbook for fruit.  So far I've made fruit and cinnamon muffins... but nothing else.  I looked through the entire book, with my current stash of fruit in mind, and settled on the date and cinnamon squares.  (Yes, I love cinnamon).  Really yummy.  I put out half the slice, and it was all gone by the time we'd finished laughing at side-splittingly funny Youtube videos.  The slice is your standard slice mix, but because of the liquid with the dates, it is fabulously moist.

(Recipes available on request, I didn't want to take up buckets of space and reading attention with them though!).

Today's photo:

I walk past this tree nearly every day.  I love the carpet of green that encompasses the roots - but it is proving awkward to photograph.  I expect there will be a few more attempts before I capture it to my liking.

Mint Sauce and Dinner Guests

Tonight I had several people from church over for dinner.  Three had been for dinner here before, but three had not - in fact it was the first social thing with those three, I think.  After finding out the dietary requirements for one guest (lactose intolerant, not a fan of seafood, allergic to prawns, Nando's mild sauce is too spicy) I decided to do a roast.  Thank goodness there were no vegetarians!

I worked out this afternoon that the last (and first) time I used my roasting tray was 4 years ago.  Needless to say, I'm not a big roaster.  I think I could get into the habit a bit more though.  It's so simple, so comforting, relatively healthy, so aromatic.  Being not in the habit, though, meant I was a tad nervous looking for a bit of meat to stick in the oven for a few hours and still be big enough to feed 7 people.  Lamb was the best option available.  It looks like I'll be having lamb for a little while - I remember seeing a recipe for rogan josh using leftover roast lamb so that might be Sunday...

Jamie Oliver promised to hold my hand through the whole process, which was lovely - except he didn't warn me about bursts of steam (which looks like smoke) escaping from the oven every now and then.  Maybe I need to have the seals checked, but this caused a few panicked temperature changes.  Eventually, the lamb was cooked and the roast vegetables roasted.  The gravy stayed quite runny - we were at the stage where everything else was good to go so I didn't hang about with too much cornflour.  Being a lamb roast, though, mint sauce was suggested.  I have a healthy mint plant at the courtyard door - how easy can it get?  Now that I think of it though, I don't recall actually eating any... I hope it tasted ok.  I'll have some leftovers, no doubt.  (Speaking of leftovers, a couple provided dessert... drool... just polished off the leftovers while writing this.  So I can wash up sooner, of course.  Raspberry and white chocolate croissant pudding.  Just in case you're wondering.  Recipe is on its way...).  Meanwhile, mint sauce is really unattractive and un-photogenic.  My apologies.

Dinner was wonderful.  For starters, it prompted me to do something with my holiday.  Well, for a day at least.  I'm still in the post-goal-achievement lull and feeling a bit down, so having people over was a great incentive to clean.  And these are great people, just having them around is good for the soul - great company, interesting conversation (I wish I could have videoed the evening - it felt rude to put quotes into my phone all night), and the sort of people around whom I can be Me.  I discovered we are all coffee drinkers - not that this is a surprise, but this was the first confirmation of fact.  My coffee machine has not had so much work before!  Yes, that is a Pride and Prejudice mug.  Given to me by a niece and nephew for Christmas, last week I posted a photo to Facebook of it, with coffee of course, in front of the tv with the menu screen for the BBC 6-episode series.  So many people liked it, and one of them got to use it tonight.  We're thinking of having a Pride and Prejudice evening...

Today's photo:

Separating the bulbs of garlic for roasting, I noticed the pinkness in the skin looks like veins.  After a bit of peeling, they look so delicate and fragile.

In Retrospect - Second Quarter

It's that time of year.  3 months since my last retrospective, so here's how I feel I've changed since then.

Food:  Something you wouldn't know - unless you've been spying on me in a serious way - is that my school lunches have changed.  For quite some time (more than a year, that is), my school lunches were really predictable.  This term, I've started taking non-salads occasionally.  Especially welcome in colder weather to have a hot lunch!  A great food behaviour change has been the introduction of No Cook Weeks.  These are the greatest.  I have fresh organic fruit and veges delivered every fortnight, and the week following will be a Cook Week, the week after a No Cook Week.  I still have quite a stash of frozen meals in the freezer, plus it's holidays right now and I'm cooking quite a lot, so this wonderful destress habit can continue for a while.  Knowing that I don't have to do anything except thaw and heat is such a calming feeling.  Obviously, I love cooking, but I love not needing to cook as well.  An added benefit is I am more likely to cook the fresh produce before it's past its best instead of needing to ditch it.  The other food behaviour change is another not many would have noticed - I no longer buy peanut butter.  I gave it up for Lent, then went a bit crazy with it after Easter.  Peanut butter is no longer my friend.  I had decided I couldn't trust myself with it, when a quote came up on Facebook - if you can't eat it responsibly, don't keep it in your house.  Good advice.

Clothes:  The 'search keywords' that lead people to this blog are usually fairly ordinary (recipes, movies, that sort of thing).  By far the most searched item though is stockings.  This has been a bit of a surprise... and a little unnerving...  Nevertheless, I am far more adventurous with my stockings now, and they definitely initiate comments and conversations.

Organisation:  I have a slightly more organised house.  Not by much, but every little bit helps, right?

Photography:  I'm loving the Daily Photo.  Partly, it's feeling like I have an excuse to take those photos I'd normally walk past because I'm a local.  But I'm also enjoying getting up close and personal with my environment again, and seeing my world through the lens again.  And seeing the colours in the northwest of the state - so different from Brisbane! - made for an even more interesting trip to Mt Isa and Townsville.

Running:  This feels like the big one.  Running is a brain thing for me, and to train for the half marathon involved not just running but brain training as well.  Taking different routes and doing different gym workouts, as well as different running shoes and tweaking little things about my running practice - these all helped the Gold Coast Half Marathon to be a successful and positive experience for me.  Having run many, many kilometres in these shoes now, one big bonus about them is the grip.  To get anywhere, I need to run down a fairly steep hill, which is often (usually) covered in leaves.  When it's been raining, this makes for a slippery descent.  Similarly, the downhill slopes on the bike path can be a bit on the slippery side after (or during) rain.  I can feel these shoes really gripping though, and I no longer worry I'm going to slip.

Coffee and Movies:  Looking at the list of blog posts for the last 3 months, I see a lot of coffee places listed...  Now when I have a catch up with someone, we purposely find somewhere I haven't been before, so it can get to the blog.  I also see on the list many movies I wouldn't normally have watched.  I like that people will ask if I've seen something, then if I haven't they loan it to me.  This is not just broadening my movie experience, but I am flattered that people want to know what I think!

The Term 2 Goals:  Well.  The facial expressions were a bit of a disaster after the first week or so - it was so hard!  I am very pleased to report, though, that I was successful in putting away teaching materials after each day.  I think I can say now that the practice has now become a habit.  Woohoo!

Tuesday's Daily Photo:

Gin cocktails - experimental, of course!  Needs something like lemonade or tonic water.  But, the shelves looked far more interesting through the glass.

Daily Photos Catch Up

Since promising to take a photo a day, I have been very slack in posting a photo a day.  I've still been taking them, I just forget to upload...  So here are the last 8.  Yikes!

Monday, June 18.  This agave plant is one of many on a nearby street.  I have thought about photographing them on several occasions, so I'm glad I had an excuse.

Tuesday, June 19.  A street near the school at which I teach.  Seeing this tree change over the year is a great joy.

Wednesday, June 20.  These fluff-balls are right by the footpath at home.

Thursday, June 21.  Fete de la Musique, and I was the contact for St John's cathedral.  Most people don't see the wonderful light show that happens in the cathedral - between about 11 and 3 the stained glass produces these wonders.  I hadn't seen this kaleidoscope effect before.

Friday, June 22.  Sunlight in the courtyard catching this new aloe vera flower.

Saturday, June 23.  This is a great guard dog.  Seriously.  When I returned from my run on Saturday, Gracie was mostly inside but with her head outside, keeping tabs on the goings-on outside.

Sunday, June 24.  I had less than an hour at home during the day, in which I ate lunch.  After calling Gracie back from barking at a passing neighbourhood dog - and she came, too - I gave her a little treat.  She stayed for more.  I caved.

Monday, June 25.  After running a practice half marathon on Monday, the weather was quite cool and overcast.  Perfect practice weather.  Standing under the light, the light and shadow visible through the f-holes was striking.

Tuesday, June 26.  A sneak peek of tomorrow's post...  Growing up, my favourite food was green apples.  Apples, generally, but I remember a few bad experiences with red apples so I preferred green for a long time.  Whenever my mum was cooking with apples, I'd hang around for the peel.  An all-in-one peel was a bonus.  When visiting my grandparents, my grandfather (who was born in Scotland) told me that, if you peeled an apple or orange with an unbroken peel, you should throw it with your right hand over your left shoulder (preferably with your back to the fireplace), and the letter it most closely resembled would be the initial of the person you would marry.  (Not surprisingly, 'S' was a common result).  Similarly, twist an apple stalk going through the alphabet and the initial on which it breaks off is the initial of your future spouse.  This is a habit I still have.  Anyway, tonight I managed two unbroken apple peels.

Not Cooking

It's probably no secret that I like cooking.  A lot.  I don't, however, eat all I cook.  Some of it I take to school, some is eaten by family and friends... and some is stockpiled in the freezer.  On Monday mornings I go to the supermarket after Trainer Dan (this morning I very nearly cried) and stock up on things for lunches, milk, any other things I might need.  This weekend, I was thinking ahead for what I should buy - should I do a casserole, any soup.... and then I figured, whatever I do will need to have its leftovers frozen.  And I have very few available containers because they're all in the freezer, holding leftovers.  I did a tally - 1 x mince, 1 x risotto, 2 x spicy fish soup and 2 x amazing chicken casseroles.  Plus the soup I made with the last sweet potatoes, pumpkin and celery left in the vegetable drawer.  So this week, I'm eating my way through my freezer. 

So far, so good.  In fact, really good.  I feel I have so much more time available tonight because dinner involved reheating, not choosing and chopping and cooking.  I even did my ironing and will make some cards shortly.  And, with the way this week is looking (a trivia night, rehearsals and a concert plus all the practice that I need to do), this extra time will be much appreciated.