Posted on Apr 29, 2005 in Cook | 0 comments

The simplest supper: Garlic and Lemon Butter Prawns

The other night I was trying to take the Boyfriend out to dinner but, after ringing a few restaurants only to be informed that they were booked solid, I soon gave up that idea. That’s what happens when you wait until 4pm on the Friday afternoon of a bank holiday weekend to try and make your...
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Posted on Apr 26, 2005 in Bake, Living in New Zealand | 2 comments

Anzac Day…and biscuits

Yesterday – 25 April – was Anzac Day. Now, in the days before I got myself the Kiwi Boyfriend, I mainly knew the word Anzac from some recipe for Anzac Biscuits that I had cooked when I was a kid. But I have been educated since then and now know that Anzac Day commemorates the date in 1915 when...
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Posted on Apr 24, 2005 in Cook, Lovely Lunches | 1 comment

Pre-emptive hangover soup: Carrot and Lentil Soup

It was a friend’s 30th birthday on Saturday and we were gathering at 5pm, in fancy dress, for a few drinks before heading over to a rugby match in Christchurch – Canterbury Crusaders vs South Africa’s Cats. So there was a night of merriment before us – and probably a Sunday of its...
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Posted on Apr 23, 2005 in Do, Living in New Zealand | 0 comments

Savour New Zealand

Savour New Zealand
When you move to a new place, you’ve got to figure out what events are going on and, when I arrived in Christchurch in January, I was thrilled to discover that this South Island city is the home of Savour New Zealand, a foodie spectacular that happens every two years. Fortunately 2005 is one of those...
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Posted on Apr 20, 2005 in Food for Friends, Living in New Zealand | 4 comments

Hot Smoked Salmon and Leek Tart

The first time that the Boyfriend’s parents were coming to dinner, last summer in Ireland, was a bit of a challenge. It was intimidating enough having to meet the ‘out-laws’, as my Monaghan friend calls those to whom you are related by having a relationship with their son, but apparently...
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Posted on Apr 19, 2005 in Do, Living in New Zealand | 0 comments

Jam and fruit issues

Hmmm…sometimes it pays to study the labels of the jams you buy a little closer. After Saturday’s trip to the St Albans Market I’ve discovered that I am eating not Black Bot Peach Jam but Black BOY Peach Jam. I had spent time searching for more information on the black bot peaches (not a...
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Posted on Apr 17, 2005 in Bake | 3 comments

Good ways to get rid of black bananas: Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

It’s always the way, isn’t it? You go to the supermarket and get a lovely bunch of yellow bananas. You eat one that day, take some to work for lunch the day after and even slice one on top of your muesli for breakfast. Then you forget about their existence. It’s a fact of life that any...
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Posted on Apr 15, 2005 in Cookery Books, Living in New Zealand, Read | 0 comments

Blue Sky Kitchen by Nicola Saker

Blue Sky Kitchen by Nicola Saker
Although we’re very solidly into autumn now here in New Zealand (autumn! In April! I’m still not quite getting my head around it) with little prospect of camping ahead, Nicola Saker’s Blue Sky Kitchen: Creative Cookery For Kiwi Campers still caught my eye, despite the sickly image of the...
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Posted on Apr 13, 2005 in Do, Living in New Zealand | 2 comments

Marketing of a Saturday

There are lots of good things about being based in the little Christchurch suburb of St Albans – we’re only about 30 minutes walk from the city centre, there is the choice of a couple of supermarkets nearby (Edgeware’s bare basics Supervalue and the well stocked Fresh Choice in Merivale)...
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Posted on Apr 12, 2005 in Food for Friends | 0 comments

A Mexican-style meal: Ruth’s Refried Beans, Guacamole and Salsa

Last night we had a couple of the Boyfriend’s friends staying over – giving me the opportunity to cook dinner for more than the usual two people. Given that we were abroad in the Southern Alps for the day there wasn’t much time for planning. I toyed with the idea of my usual, but easy and...
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Posted on Apr 11, 2005 in Food Books, Read | 0 comments

Cooking for Mr Latte by Amanda Hesser

Cooking for Mr Latte by Amanda Hesser
Unlike many foodie memoirs that add recipes on to the end of each chapter, Amanda Hesser – a New York Times writer – actually understands the many meanings of food. Cooking for Mr Latte, subtitled A Food Lover’s Courtship, with Recipes, incorporates food as seduction and comfort, a means...
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Posted on Apr 9, 2005 in Eating Out, Living in New Zealand | 0 comments

Restaurant review: Indochine, Christchurch

Restaurant review: Indochine, Christchurch
Moving to a new city in a new country is not exactly the time for extravagant dinners à deux. When you’re looking for work and trying to scrape the money together to rent and furnish a flat, it seems like wanton extravagance to splash out on sumptuous meals – unless, of course, your Bibliofemme...
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Posted on Apr 7, 2005 in Bake | 4 comments

Maple muffin making: Maple and Cinnamon Muffins

Wednesday, if I’m at home, is my day for baking and yesterday I decided that I needed to make some muffins. I have a little book called Marvellous Muffins by Robyn Martin for a couple of weeks now (another Trademe purchase!) but it’s just been lazily sitting around the kitchen, not contributing...
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Posted on Apr 6, 2005 in Cook | 0 comments

Lentil adaptations: Creamy Lentils with Bacon

Lentil adaptations: Creamy Lentils with Bacon
Some days you just get feelings for things you want to cook. Others are about what you know has been sitting, reproachfully, in your cupboard for ages and making you feel that you have to cook it, now! So it was with lentils the other night. It was time to cook them – and, given my long standing...
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Posted on Apr 3, 2005 in Cook | 3 comments

A nice piece of cod: Cod with Thyme Oil

A nice piece of cod: Cod with Thyme Oil
Although fish has never been one of my favourite foods, this trip to New Zealand and the Kiwi dependence on fish and chips as a fast food while travelling is changing all that. Rather than just taking the scoop of chips, I’m a fully paid up member of the battered fish-eating fraternity now. While...
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