Autumn salad of pomegranate, pear & fig in rhubarb syrup

'...like the feeling you get on the first real day of autumn, when the air is crisp and the leaves are all flaring at the edges and the wind smells just vaguely of smoke - like the end and the beginning of something all at once.”
― Lauren Oliver, Delirium 

I've shouted from every soap box around how besotted I am with Autumn. I adore the varied weather that sends leaves ablaze before tousling them loose to pirouette gracefully to the dew misted earth. And of course, there is the bounty of food. In the beginning we have the last of Summer's beautiful berries, tantalising tropical fruits and vibrantly fresh veggies.  But for me, the middle is the most interesting. This is where you get the short lived wonders like the gorgeous garnet pomegranates with their sparkling ruby arils and the royal purple figs with their perfumed damask bellies. You also are gifted with pretty persimmons, charming custard apples, quirky quinces, bold beetroots, pleasing pumpkins - I could rant endlessly.

What makes this Autumn impossibly precious is that it is the first I have shared with my darling daughter. I have watched her, mouth open in awe as she tracks each dancing leaf and feels every warm kiss of wind on her cheek. I have laughed when upon tasting a touch of pomegranate juice her mouth has puckered and her eyes squinted. Seeing the world through her eyes has painted mine with colours I have never seen; my world has been transformed in the most wonderful way. I count my blessings each and every minute.

What do you enjoy most about Autumn?

ease: 4/5.
prep time: 20mins.
chilling time: 30mins.
total: 50mins.

taste: 4/5. Autumn's sweet kiss.

I knew I would love this from the ingredient list alone; what a spectacular selection of fruits. The vanilla adds such a wonderful delicate fragrance whilst the cinnamon and cardamom give it an exotic twist. The rhubarb provides a sharp tartness to counter the sweet pears, whilst the vibrant pomegranate pairs perfectly with the perfumed figs.

would I make it again: No, it tasted lovely but I found it more suitable as breakfast with yoghurt than as a dessert, and for breakfast, its a touch time intensive and rather messy (those darned pomegranates, so delicious but so eager to stain everything in sight!).

recipe: http://gourmettraveller.com.au/autumn_salad_of_pomegranate_pear_and_fig_in_rhubarb_syrup.htm

Sunday Salivations

Blood Orange Pops

Masala Egg Scramble

Chocolate Cake

Fig, Gorgonzola and Honey Tartines

S'mores Cupcakes

Sunday Salivations

Banana Bread

 

Mango Rice Pudding with Chocolate Flakes

 

Cheese Balls in Tomato Sauce

 

Flaky Blood Orange Tart with Salted Caramel Sauce

 

Lemon Scallion White Bean Patties

 

Poached eggs on challah with pecorino and pesto

 "It's only after a bit of breakfast that I'm able to regard the world with that sunny cheeriness which makes a fellow the universal favourite. I'm never much of a lad till I've engulfed an egg or two and a beaker of coffee."

P.G. Woodhouse

With a broken oven and no kitchen counter (alas the wooden one had to be replaced) I have felt rather out of sorts. More than that actually, I feel as though I've left the house with only one shoe on; a touch lost and a little bit befuddled.
Luckily I managed to get one last great breakfast in before my kitchen disappeared into a void, hopefully to reappear shortly. Mumma's hands need to be cookin'!

ease: 4.5/5
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 2.5mins.
total: 7.5mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Even the sweet tooth will rejoice.


There's no savoury breakfast dish I would choose over a sweet one; until now.

I love this combination! The sweet buttery challah against the richness of the egg with a salty hit from the cheese all brought together by the herby pesto (I didn't have enough basil for a pistou so I added some pinenuts) - yum!

would I make it again: Yes.


recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/POACHED-EGGS-AND-PARMESAN-CHEESE-OVER-TOASTED-BRIOCHE-WITH-PISTOU-242969

Sunday Salivations

Hot Chilli Pepper Tofu

 

Greek Easter Bread

 

French Onion Soup

Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

 

Rocky Road Cheesecake

Sunday Salivations

Danish Pastries

Grapefruit Jelly Cheesecake

Barbecued Maple Balsamic Burger with Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Chocolate and Caramel Cheesecake

Sour Cherry and Cocoa Nib Biscotti

Poulet Vallee d'Auge

“Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when it's morning again, they'll wash away
Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.”
― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games 

 I am happy to say that the last few nights have been filled with dream-feeds, snuggles and sleep-laced sighs only. For now at least, there are no night terrors lurking in the shadows.

I thought the above quote was fitting not only because of its reference to dreams, but because of it being part of the Hunger Games trilogy. As you know, the sound of my heartbeat is strangely akin to the sound of a turning page; books run through my veins. Unfortunately, the love of reading is not one of the things my husband and I have in common; video games are where he finds his escape. So imagine my surprise when he turns to me and asks, 'so what is that hunger game book about?' Granted, it was the release of the film that peaked his interest, but whatever gets the fish on the hook, hey?

I gladly lured him in enough that he actually picked up the audio books and listened to them. And after a couple of chapters he would stop and we'd have a discussion about what had happened, something I have been waiting 8 years to do with him; talking about books with the love of my life made me grin from ear to ear and head to toe. Alas, he has finished with the trilogy (he thought it was OK, but enjoyed the first film), and now I am thinking of what else I could 'catch' his interest with - any suggestions?

Because I was so pleased with our nightly book discussions I decided to whip up something a little special for his dinner on the last night, and luckily, it tasted as good as its intention.

ease: 4/5.
prep time: 10mins.
cooking time: 55mins.
total: 1 hour.

taste: 4.5/5. A hit with hubby.

Unfortunately I cannot comment on the taste, but after only two mouthfuls, the husband was already exclaiming that it was really good and he would want it again. The recipe above is my adapted version, original recipe is below.

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: http://gourmettraveller.com.au/poulet-vallee-dauge.htm

Chocolate and peanut butter cake

My night's still include many wakings to tend to my little one's voracious hunger which, after almost seven months, continues to conquer her desire to stay within her dreams.
But something new and horrifying has begun to plague our darkest hours together; night terrors.

Recently I am awakening to the bloodcurdling screams of a tiny tot, eyes open in fear, body wrenching in distress. Despite being beside her she is unable to be soothed by my touch or my face as she remains trapped in between the sleep and wakeful states. Luckily most end within seconds after which she awakes as if nothing has happened and settles in for a quick drink. Unfortunately there are some that even the brightest of lights can't seem to penetrate and I have to simply hold her to my chest and wait for her to find her own way through the confusion.

After a call to my own mother, I discovered that both my brother and I used to experience these terrors frequently. Determined to hopefully allow my sweetheart a night filled with only the loveliest dreams I set about eliminating any possible cause I could (lack of sleep, negative people, lights), some I could not, like her current bout of teething (which I believe may be the most likely cause). I also tried many alternative suggestions of prevention such as cleansing our home and using amethyst and rose quartz to bring about peaceful slumber. Last night she only exhaled one brief cry before immediately falling back into dreamland. Hopefully it was also the last.

To those with children, have you had any experience of night terrors? If so, what did you find helped?

Needless to say that after a night filled with these startling occurrences I was a little rattled during the day and found myself needing some soothing of my own. For me, that meant baking something rich and somewhat ludicrous for just two people to consume. With my little Valentine watching from her playgym, practicing to crawl (which she also hilariously does in her sleep) I beat and folded, spooned and baked, frosted and licked this beast of a cake into existence. After which I felt much better.

ease: 4/5.
prep time: 26mins to cook cake and make peanut butter frosting.
cooking time: 45mins to cool cakes to frost with frosting and ganache.
total: 1hour & 11mins.


taste: 3.5/5. Holy heck that's a whole lotta sugar!

All together this packs a saccharine punch that almost gave me a tummy ache (that being said I did cut my regular size slab slice, so for this I would suggest a petit slice).

Let's start with the chocolate cake - delicious, moist, sticky and always seconds away from falling to pieces. Luckily I took Deb's suggestion of sticking it in the fridge before assembling, and I still had a tiny bit break off. That aside it was a delicious cake.

The peanut butter frosting - mmm yummy! Fluffy, buttery, sweet and full of peanuty goodness. Loved it.

The ganache set perfectly mid drip (cake was cold when I poured it on) and looked fab. I used a 70% dark chocolate which was too dark for this cake, I really think that peanut butter goes best with milk chocolate, the dark was too bitter, and I preferred the cake without it.

The cake was lovely, just too sugary for my liking.

would I make it again: Yes, after the requests from other family members to make it again I will definitely give it another shot, perhaps with a milk chocolate ganache this time and a touch less sugar overall.

recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake/

Sunday Salivations

 Cinnamon Orange Honey Buns

Snickers Cake

Blackforest Butterscotch Trifle with Mascarpone Cream

Creamy Roast Chicken and Rice Soup

Passionfruit, Tapioca and Lemon Cream Tarts

Jamie Oliver's chorizo & tomato salad

My days seem to be getting longer. 

The little one has begun teething again, something which has made me seriously question the necessity of having teeth. As much as I wish I could take her pain from her, I just offer unlimited cuddles, a string of chilled toys that soothe the gums and a basket of reassuring smiles and kisses to get her through till nap time where she happily wanders off to dreams and sleep, drunk on mummy's milk.

In these moments, where the house becomes eerily filled with the silence of a sleeping baby, I head to the kitchen to whip up something to satisfy my hunger and give me energy for another round of baby-soothing. Sometimes I am lucky enough to share lunch with my husband, this was one of those days.

ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 15mins.
total: 20mins.


taste: 4/5. Rather tasty.

As expected, hubby loved the chorizo component the most, but he did eat all the tomatoes, something he hardly does. I served ours with toasted Turkish bread and marinated goat's cheese.

would I make it again: Yes.