The Friday List

Good morning all! I write from cold and misty Rydal, about to embark on the last day of cooking for the art classes I’ve been catering for most of this month. It’s been such a wonderful  experience but I am busting to get home and see everyone. 

After last week’s discovery of Fabrice Rolando’s aaaahmazing market garden I ordered all the fresh produce for the week’s cooking from him. We met on the side of the Great Western Highway, he lifted a few boxes into the back of my car and the exchange was done. It has been such a pleasure cooking with these veggies this week; from the tiny Japanese turnips which we pickled very lightly and ate with bread and butter to the sorrel and corn salad which found their way into risottos and salads and the baby fennel which I just served raw as a canape. But my favourite was the celeriac remoulade, which was spread over a tray of roasted baby turnips and carrots. This was served with roast Mandagery Creek Venison and I think, was the winner of the week. Having such fresh, interesting ingredients at hand really makes cooking so much more fun – and the end results so much better. All of these recipes and pictures are on their way to the blog but in the meantime, here’s a little Friday List. 

I love the idea of an abundance bowl and this one in particular looks wonderful.

A pretty rhubarb and rose cake, and lots of beautiful flowers.

Somebody, please take me to this Umbrian retreat someday…sigh.

Am going to make this for lunch today with the last of my target baby beets from Fabrice’s recent delivery.

Hilarious video of cannibalistic talking food via Huffington Post.

Cinnamon buns are my favourite – particularly at this time of year when there’s lots of nice warm spots in the house for bowls of dough to rise and then to share the end result. Yummo. Here’s The Guardian’s recipe for perfect ones. 

Turntable Kitchen is such a cool blog – I love how they pair food and tunes and all the artists I’ve discovered through their posts (and feel really groovy listening to)

We all love a cake that travels well, and this one via Herriot Grace looks wonderful (though those of us in the Southern Hemisphere will have to use preserved cherries, pears, apples or maybe even jam instead of the cherries!).