The Birds & the Bees

A few years back Mr Girlfriend & I bought our very own house.

We were (and still are) as excited about redecorating the inside as we were the outside.

Finally a chance to start planting our own garden.

Take out the messy old non-native shrubs & plant only food producing or native trees & shrubs.

It wil be an ongoing project.

One of the most exciting things we did was to plant our very first Eucalpyts.

It felt so HUGE.

To us it was kind of more significant than the house.

We were planting something that would last a lot longer than either of us.

I remembered when we live in London and went to visit Kew Gardens.

It was just astonishing to think that someone had the vision to plant on such a vast scale and never live long enough to be able to see the finished result.  A gift to all.  So selfless.

I am not professing that we are doing anything like that but it felt significant for us.

Permanent.

We did it in an effort to bring Bees & Native Birds to our suburban garden.

To lighten our footprint a little.

And of course to give us joy.

This year our two Ficifolias began flowering on Christmas day and so began the visitors.

We have had honeyeaters before but this year we have started to see Rainbow Lorikeets coming too.

I took this picture yesterday.

Happy making.

GOURMET GIRLFRIEND'S PEA & CUCUMBER GAZPACHO
It was awfully hot in Melbourne the other day.
I posted a pic of the Dinner I made on Instagram & on my Facebook page and the crowds went wild!
Here is the recipe.
Have you got 3 minutes spare?
Then you have time to make this.
I promise you won't regret it.
x
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 x 500g pack Organic Frozen peas
• 1 lebanese cucumber
• 2 cloves garlic
• handful of fresh mint
• 2 tblspoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 large glasses of water (with added ice if you have some)
• 1 red chilli (optional)- I added half to the mix & then added some finely chopped to final soup.
• S & P

METHOD:
Put the frozen peas, garlic, cucumber & mint (and chilli if having) into blender/food processor & blitz till super fine.

Add water & ice and blend further.

Add seasoning & taste.

Serve.
(My kids LOVED it.)

I know I normally put music here but it is TinTin's 80th birthday today & we are HUGE fans.
So my kids chose this episode to share with you today.
ENJOY! ~

Summer daze

We are:

• waking late
• often skipping lunch
• eating dinner early
• reading books given for xmas
• playing with lego
• having friends over
• preparing for a holiday to NZ
• enjoying the summer veggie patch

We are not:

• watching the clock
• aware what day it is
• in any routine
• getting out of pyjamas
• in a hurry for it to end

Oh how I love the daze of Summer holidays.

GOURMET GIRLFRIEND'S DILL & MUSTARD SAUCE (for GRAVLAX):

I have grown the most gorgoeus Dill this spring/summer.

I haven't had success before really. 

It is the prettiest of plants, so fine & feathery and delicate. Mine is just about to flower- exploding it's fronds of yellow fireworks. So gorgeous.

Mr Girlfriend has never really been a fan. Me, I LOVE the stuff.

He is slowly coming around......

This sauce is the PERFECT (and very traditional) accompaniment to the Gravlax from the previous recipe- go here for that.

Often the sauce is a more yellow colour but I like the green against the Salmon so I blitz the sugar and dill together before adding the other ingredients to bring out the lovely green.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 cup of Fresh dill
• 1 tblspoon Sugar
• 1 tblspn Sweet mustard (American or Swedish)
• 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tblspn white vinegar
• pinch of salt
•  100ml rice bran oil (or other flavourless oil) 

METHOD:
Blitz the sugar & dill together.
Now add all other ingredients except the oil & combine.

Once combined add the oil slowly (like you do with mayonnaise) - you can do this in a food processor or with a whisk.

Once it starts to emulsify (thicken) you can start adding the oil in a stream until all added.

Serve over your fresh Gravlax.

Gravlax with a Poached egg & Dill Mustard Sauce ~ Breakfast Perfection

The mellifluous sounds of Calexico & Sam Beam.