Blog Archives

When people follow their dreams...vegetarians may wish look away

24/6/2015

Remember I shared with you a few months ago, the Aussie Butcher in London and his visit to PCH?

Recently I had to visit London for a work-related meeting. This gave me an unexpected and wonderful opportunity to pay a quick visit to Kane, Carly and the perfect great niece child Imogen. While I was there I heard the awesome news that Kane and Carly had decided to venture out into their own business.

So here they are…like them, and follow them as they set up a new life and next chapter in their story.

We wish them so much happiness and success in their business – so please give a shout out to anyone you know in the UK – especially in their region, to shop at theirs and support them.

Apparently there are a lot of reasons to like living in Bournemouth!!

Can’t wait to visit...

DC

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My #lovethis list…flowers

21/6/2015

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I am a list type of gal.

Are you a list person?

I am married to someone who often suggests that he forgot to do something because he did not have it on “his list”! Yep, we both have a bucket list and some of the items we each have listed, appear on each other’s list also – visit Antarctica, or live in Italy, or live in an apartment in Collins Street Melbourne, or do a train trip across Siberia, for example.

I often see things that I love, or think about things that make me happy, or smell aromas that evoke memories. I also often see top 10, or top 50 or top 100 lists on the Internet, social media or blogs I follow.

Someone asked me recently to list my favourite top 10 movies and that was quite easy, as I have some “die hard” faves!!! (Those who know me well will appreciate that pun!!) :-)

I will share my fave movies with you one day, but today I wanted to share my favourite flowers. This has been inspired by some time spent in the garden yesterday, planting out some winter crops and checking on all the bulbs previously planted starting to pop up in preparation for spring. If you have read any of my previous posts about the garden, you will know that I particularly love the winter garden. Winter is when I believe Mother Nature does her best work and magic. All that special activity that we can’t see yet enthrals us in a few months when spring erupts.

So in no particular order, except for my number one favourite, here are some of the flowers I adore.

Asiatic lilies, tuber-roses, roses, gladioli, peony roses, euphorbias, hydrangeas, gardenias…..

AND, there is an equal number one favourite – in winter; Hellebores (winter rose) and in spring; daffodils! (Oops, sorry that is actually 11 faves….).

What are your favourites?

DC

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Croissants, quails and crème brulee

20/6/2015

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“Paris is always a good idea,” said Sabrina, in the movie of the same name. (The remake not the original…).

It took me a long time before I visited Paris for the first time, but since that first fantastic visit, I have been fortunate to visit a number of times. I have discovered some favourite spots to return to, whenever I can. One such place is a cooking school called Cook’n’with Class. I have talked about classes I have attended before.

One of the wonderful presenters I met there was Chef Briony. She moved to Australia recently and much to my absolute delight, she agreed to join us at PCH.

Recently we ran some classes with Briony that included French dinner party, croissants, desserts and French tarts.

Ooh la la…how much fun we had. Not to mention the taste sensations we experienced.

Our French dinner party included salade croquante, roasted quail with orange sauce and a soufflé for dessert.

Our dessert class included such delights as raspberry and fresh fig tart, crème brûlée, choux pastry, financiers and mouelleux au chocolat. Such melt in your mouth sensations.

Our croissant’s class was quintessential French. All those fantasies about living in Paris rolled up in the aromas of the kitchen and happy tastings at the end of the baking session.

Finally; a set of recipes for French tarts that taught us so much and blew our taste buds away.

Like the chef presenters before her that have shared their passion, energy and expertise with us here in the PCH kitchen, Briony did not let us down. Her gentle nature and style, yet palpable love of French cooking inspired us all. She engaged us with glorious stories of her life in Paris and we all just wanted to pop on a plane the next day. If not, at least live with her so we could absorb the “Frenchness” of her being, every day! Thank you Briony, we are so thrilled to welcome you to our wonderful group of chef friends who have spent time with us at Plough Creek Cooking School.

Happy “Frenchie” tastings.

DC

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Disruptive chaos…is it good or not?

18/6/2015

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Change, evolution, moving on, life cycles, transition, disruptive chaos, it does not matter which “theory” you subscribe to, one thing is for sure...nothing stays the same, whether it is good or bad. But do you like change? How do you cope with it?

One of my favourite terms at the moment is “disruptive chaos” and I like to think I manage it (especially in my professional life) very well. However, I wonder if I do? How does one measure it? I know someone will direct me to a paper or definition somewhere and there is sure to be plenty of information I could read about it…but I don’t want to read about it – I want to feel it.

Everything is changing, so much is moving fast and I am contemplating the world and my place in it.

My feeling is that something is aligning with some biorhythm somewhere and my chakras are about to release dragonflies.

What is changing for you?

DC

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Selemat Pagi, Bapak and Ibu…let’s party in Bali

18/6/2015

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Back at the end of last century and at the beginning of this one, Tez and I lived in Jakarta for a few years. So many stories and memories. I do believe that Tez found living in Indonesia a little easier than I did, even though I was the one who had been there many times for holidays and really pushed for us to move there. Not everything turned out as I thought it would.

Nevertheless, we made some fantastic lifelong friends. Many folk who we still have regular contact with, to this day; friends who are living across the globe, still in our hearts and who mean so much to us.

One of those families is Jade and Bruce, their daughter Chloe and son Chazz.

Chloe and Chazz introduced me to Harry Potter books. Jade introduced me to sandalwood carved statues of Indonesian dancing girls and fine Indonesian art. Bruce introduced me to Canadian humour!

I still have pastel drawings in frames that Chloe and Chazz did for Tez and I. What a delight it has been to watch these two grow up into strong, gorgeous, witty and delightful young adults. Both have the best of both their parents in their personalities.

I recall one evening when Jade and Bruce came to our house for dinner in Cipete Selatan; it was their 10th wedding anniversary. We shared some French bubbles and a table of food, creating wonderful memories.

Jade and Bruce now live back in Canada and we have had the pleasure of visiting and spending time with them in Calgary.

During a Skype chat with Bruce one evening last year, he mentioned they were heading toward a significant celebration; their 25th wedding anniversary. Firstly, I could not believe it had been 15 years since that lovely evening we spent together. Secondly, we had to be there!

When we found out the plans were to have a special celebratory party in Bali we just knew we had to join in.

Jade has exquisite taste and a precise eye for detail, so we knew that all the planning would promise a dinner that would be special. It was. Traditional music, traditional dancers, traditional food and wonderful family and friends from both Canada and Indonesia, joining them and of course us from OZ.

Congratulations Jade and Bruce…we look forward to seeing you somewhere in the world for the next big celebration.

#happyfaceshappyplaceshappyspaces2015

#allyouneedislove

DC

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Mothers

5/6/2015

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Mothers never cease to amaze me.

A mother of an event. You know the one that is so big, awesome, incredible and defies all your expectations.

Motherhood. The wonder and magic of conception, pregnancy, childbirth, nurturing and motherhood.

Mother Nature. There are no words at times.

http://www.dailyliked.net/julia-roberts-powerful-video/

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When people follow their dreams...vegetarians may wish look away

My #lovethis list…flowers

Croissants, quails and crème brulee

Disruptive chaos…is it good or not?

Selemat Pagi, Bapak and Ibu…let’s party in Bali

Mothers

PCH Blog

Archives

Categories

When people follow their dreams...*vegetarians may wish look away*

My #lovethis list…flowers

Croissants, quails and crème brulee

Disruptive chaos…is it good or not?

Selemat Pagi, Bapak and Ibu…let’s party in Bali

Mothers

PCH Blog

Archives

Categories

When people follow their dreams...vegetarians may wish look away