Lovely ones,
There wouldn’t be sunflowers,
Wouldn’t be peas,
Wouldn’t be apples,
On apple trees,
If it weren’t for fuzzy old,
Buzzy old bees,
Dusting pollen
From their knees.
– Aileen Fisher
We’ve had a few jam-packed days.
School holidays bring 2 extremes. Lazing around and not doing much – with a bit too much screen time for all – or running around trying to fit 5 things into 1 day. Can anyone relate?
And so it was last week. Horse-riding, café visiting, Botanical Gardens exploring, craftiness at the Opera House and Art gallery appreciation. Busy and fabulous.
We started the holiday with lunch at our favourite café in Leura – The Red Door. Fabulous food and lovely people. We have never had a bad meal or coffee there and I love that we can rely on its consistency. I encourage you to stop there and have something delicious next time you are in Leura. Red Door Cafe | Facebook
While in Leura, I dropped into the Red Cross Shop and found some beautiful Pillivuyt demi-tasse cups and saucers. I need them like a hole in the head, but I LOVE them and will treasure them. Thank you to the person that donated them!
And if you are in Leura this weekend, their annual Village Fair is on. Leura Village Fair 2023 — Leura, Blue Mountains
And the blossoms are blooming in the main street of Leura. It’s beautiful.
Asparagus are everywhere now. One of the easiest ways to cook them is to blanch them lightly and not fuss too much with them. Cut the tough stalk end off each one – I take off about 2 cms depending on how woody they look.
Place the asparagus in a frypan large enough to hold them all lying down. Cover with cold water and bring to a low boil for about 3-4 minutes or until they are bright green. You can pierce one with a sharp knife to test and then immediately run them under cold water (or plunge into a large bowl of icy water) so they stop cooking.
Drain and place on a serving dish. Top with a knob of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice, and cracked pepper. Or drizzle with a little bit of your favourite vinaigrette. Or top with a small amount of mayonnaise that you have added a few chopped chives to. So easy and so delicious.
We went horse-riding at Centennial Stables in the Megalong Valley. It was stunning. Lovely (mostly docile) horses, stunning location, and friendly staff. A lovely morning spent in that spectacular part of the world. Blue Mountains Horse Riding | Centennial Glen Stables
And it would have been against EVERYTHING I stand for to not stop off at the Bakehouse on Wentworth for their lovely breads and pastries – 105 Wentworth St, Blackheath NSW 2785.
We LOVE their Middle Eastern Fruit Loaf with the generous pieces of dried figs, apricots, and dates. Don’t ask me how I know this, but it is divine toasted with butter.
We also had to get some Brownies with hazelnuts. It would have been rude not to.
On a second day we visited the Botanical Gardens in Sydney. The weather was glorious (I wouldn’t have wanted it any hotter mind you) and the kids had a fun time mucking about on the grass and checking out the eels in one of the ponds.
I bought a jar of honey at their shop. Made (of course) from the bees that live in the Gardens – info here on the Botanical Gardens and their Bee hives – How the busiest bees in Sydney keep the Royal Botanic Gardens thriving – ABC News
The honey (not surprisingly) tastes florally and there is also a hint of gum tree. It is liquid gold.
I therefore had to make my Ginger and Honey cake. It is so simple. Warming with a hint of ginger and sweetness from the honey. Lovely with cream. Recipe here.
But a note. I am always tempted to make a cake like this in a Bundt tin as the tins are so decorative.
The problem however is because this cake is sticky, (hello, honey?!) any crevices of a Bundt tin (even one that has been greased thoroughly) will invariably trap part of the cake and it won’t come of out of the tin properly. So, a standard cake tin – spring form is good – is best for this recipe.
I’m a bit of a sucker for a good dip so we made this guacamole during the week. Recipe here.
And these easy blueberry muffins. Perfect to scoff in the afternoon or to take on an adventure. Recipe here.
We spent an afternoon at Paper Planet at the Sydney Opera House. An interactive “show” with paper, sticky tape, cardboard, and instructions to make and add something to the ever-expanding rainforest structure. A structure that others each day also add to. It was amazing and the kids had a great time.
Once again, Polyglot Theatre putting on an amazing and innovative show for both kids and adults alike. Paper Planet at Sydney Opera House – Polyglot Theatre | Polyglot Theatre
Apropos of nothing, there was recently a season of Sweeney Todd also on at the Opera House. As you know, the story is based on the Barber who “did away” with his customers and thought a way of getting rid of the evidence would be to bake the victims in pies. All very charming.
And it reminded me that Paris has a similar story of a murderous Barber. His shop (and conveniently the butcher shop next door), was located at 20 Rue Chanoinesse on the beautiful Ile de la Cite and, the pies were a great, gourmet success. Yikes!
Ironically, where the appalling things happened is now home to the Paris Police Department’s motorcycle garage! Rue Chanoinesse is beautiful to explore anyway if you are ever in Paris, but you can now walk down it with this additional bit of trivia.
Finally, it would be remiss to not mention the Voice referendum in a few weeks. This is not a blog for me to share my political views, but I am attempting to approach it all with empathy, care, and respect. Being ever conscious of the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations peoples and our need to come together as a community – whatever the outcome on October 14th.
Until next time,
Diana X
