Saturday, February 12, 2011

Food and produce

As an ex chef (read... burnt out, retired, over it, you want me to work how many hours and only pay me what!?, nye and Christmas day too? Saturday 12 hours followed by Sunday morning breakfast shift after 5 hours sleep... Shall I go on about how much the hospitality industry SUX??) I don't really blog much about food and cooking.... Despite that being the original reason for having this blog many years ago.
I do LOVE buying produce though! I loove getting it cheap and local. I am not loving the multinationals and the prices right now due to the flooding. So..... I went to the local shed and got this!


For $14! Dozen free range eggs. 2 lettuces, purple beans, 4 corn, 4 cucumbers, 2kg apples. Freshest ever. Picked that morning. Crispy and crunchy and turgid. All unsprayed. Yipeeeeeeee.
Along with a mixed box of organic fruit and veg I got through a new buying group I just joined ( wholesale prices from Sydney markets).
..... I spent the afternoon in chef mode. My apprentice just happens to be only 2.5 years old... But much more useful than some apprentices I've seen!



Hummous made from chickpeas I cooked the other day.



 Eggplant makes great building blocks.
 Fried in Australian olive oil.

Bottled for salads and sandwiches with garlic and basil.
 Plums from the Neighbour.

I made a jam with them using rapadura ( unprocessed cane sugar).
 And a plum cake to take to the Buddhist monestry tomorrow as a donation for the divine Thai vegetarian lunch we have with the monks.
 Stir fry veg in oyster sauce with egg for mr messyfish's dinner.
 Zucchini slice. Made with shallots, parmeson, basil, tomato, egg, flour. Then baked till set and golden.
 Oven baked chips using Australian olive oil and Celtic sea salt for little messyfish.
 All the while little messyfish had a little tea party in the sink.

And sprayed most of the kitchen with his spray bottle NOT filled with red food colour today! Peep peep.

3 comments:

Jo said...

Love this post! And the pic of little messyfish in the sink!

I know what you mean about not blogging about food after years in the hospitality business...i feel exactly the same....i don't even like following recipes!

But...i do blog about our International Food Nights, cos they are kinda cool (and i always change the recipe a bit...such a rebel! lol!)

Wow - all that produce - what a bargain! I'm hoping we can get into a food co-op or something in Adelaide when we finally get there...

Julie said...

The vegie buying is wonderful. I love fresh organic stuff...so fun, colorful and healthy! You can make some excellent stuff, girlfriend!!! Hi to Little MF. Is he 2.5 years old??? I thought he was around 4. Have I lost my marbles??? Hehehe.

Julie said...

When is Little MF's birthday? My granddaughter, Emily was born Aug. 30, 2008...they must be awefully close!