July has been an amazing month. It went so quickly and so many great things happened. The only way I can reflect is to do an end of month round up.  
 
It may have been a cold winters month with plenty of rain and lots of water in the creek for Max and his buddy Brodie to enjoy……But there was lots of warmth and laughter inside the homestead.

PARTY WORKSHOP AND KIDS WORKSHOPS 
The beginning of the month was school holidays here is Victoria, so we “trialled” our first series of Kids Cupcake and cake
decorating classes. I am thrilled to say that 36 kids, across 4 classes decorated and enjoyed 100’s of chocolate cupcakes and cakes.
  
Sophie, from Party Cupcake  (check out their Facebook page) was the presenter of the workshops and we were both totally amazed by the creativity, the energy, the imagination and the best behaviour by the 36 kids we had the pleasure of meeting. It was so much fun.

I must say that the kids we met were just great. They all seemed to be genuinely interested and they ranged from nearly 3 to 15 years old. Boys as well as girls.
 
Now I know it may seem a little unfair to single out one child amongst so many, but there is one dear sweet one, I would like to tell you about.

Adele (who is not quite 3 years of age) helps her grandma cook quite regularly. So she arrived at class with her own very pretty floral apron already on. She was happy to change into the ones that we gave the kids and she was ready to go.

Adele – setting up and ready to go.

Adele was very happy to keep her work space clean, and also tidy up after the other kids. She also performed the very important role of taste testing for us!!!

Adele with presenter Sophie, showing her box of take home creations.

CHEF EITAN DORON 
 
Middle of July we had a return visit from Chef Eitan Doron. Eitan’s diverse skills have allowed him to work in Israel, Europe, NZ and Australia and he has shared his passion for good quality produce and ingredients through a couple of Moroccan classes at PCCS.

Middle Eastern food, in particular Moroccan, is one of my favourite flavours. I so enjoy it when he is in the kitchen with us.  
  
Many years ago I spent some time staying with a family in the “medina” of Marrakesh, so a passion for Moroccan food is long held for me. I have so many memories of cooking tagines with the women all squatting on the kitchen floor, painting
henna tattoos over our limbs, having my hair henna’d and then wandering around the wonderful market places. Not to mention other travel adventures that make me chuckle when I think about them – suffice to say.…….it was the 70’s, I was young and loving my travels!!!

Hitching a ride in the bag of a wine truck……Leaving Morocco – IT WAS THE 70’S!!!

But I digress – back to Eitan and our recent classes.

Here is Eitan’s recipe for RAS EL HANOUT. 

Ground Cloves 5 gr  / Cayenne pepper 5 gr  /  All spices 20 gr  / Cumin Powder 20 gr  /  Ground Ginger 20 gr  / Turmeric 20 gr  /  Ground Black pepper 20 gr  /  Cardamom Powder 20 gr  /  Cinnamon 30 gr / Coriander Powder 30 gr /  Nutmeg 60 gr 
 
This quantity makes up a spice mix that will last for months –  Remember you can alter to suit your own taste buds – this is just the mix from Eitan’s mother.

We look forward to doing other cuisines with Eitan in the future.  A quietly spoken man but very passionate about his food preparation and tastes.

BRAD WARTON

Later in the month we introduced a new Chef to Plough Creek Cooking School. Brad Warton. Brad is from Canberra and 
has worked in some impressive Canberra establishments! His great love is Spanish cuisine.  So it was an afternoon of  Traditional Spanish fare, before an evening of Tapas, a few days later.

Spanish class

Our visit to Barcelona in 2011 introduced Tez and I to a love of Tapas, so it was with great anticipation we were looking forward to having Brad in the PCH kitchen. Both classes delivered recipes that some of us would not usually consider trying. Certainly some new ways to old favourites, like leg of lamb. Isn’t it incredible how many ways a humble leg of lamb can be cooked? 

But the Tapas, certainly proved to be popular and interesting. Fancy some deep fried prawn heads? 

Chorizo in cider…so yum!

Brad shared a total of eight recipes in the Tapas class and we complemented with some very fine Spanish sherries & Spanish reds purchased from our dear friends at Rathdowne Cellars – Cameron and Eddie have always been great mates to deal with when we have been choosing wines!

We will share more information about Spanish cuisine and recipes in future blogs. Watch this space!!

In the middle of the month, a great initiative was introduced to Latrobe Valley. An winter evening market.  PCH &
PCCS were so pleased to be involved. Check out my blog about it here. 
 
I even got to speak to a guy who I think a few locals would know. Our local State member,  Russell Northe, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Businesses. I have to say, he is a nice bloke who seems to really care about locals!! 

Rubbing  shoulder with local pollies – a good guy!!  Russell Northe MP - 
Member for Morwell - Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business

All in all, form wonderful sweet little girls, to politicians to good wine merchants and great Chefs…..Deb and Tez had a good July!!!

Hope you are enjoying happy tastings and storytelling with those you love!!! DC xx

Once upon a time Tez and I took off and lived in Indonesia for 3 years. We came home with many memories that were created, but also long lasting, life-time friendships with people that are now living around the globe. Of course through
the wonderful invention of Facebook we are able to keep up the contact with so many in such an easy way. Sometimes great lengthy conversations occur, sometimes we just look at each other’s photos and sometimes we share stories of what our kids, parents, family and friends are up too, not doing or simply living!

I always think of it in the terms of the immortal Beatles “all you need is love”….. and that is what keeps us connected. Or, as a dear friend Helen always says to me – “feeling the love”.

Well, feeling the love for Tez and Deb very often involves food. Food love and sharing the food love.

Not sure how this Brussels sprout dialogue began but it was somehow connected to our gorgeous friend Bruce in Canada, Viva la revolution for the Brussels sprouts (BS)!! It involves beautiful Barbi in South Africa and joining us from Shanghai is the effervescent Paul….. and so part 1 of my story begins……

Bruce shared this recipe with us. Very tasty!!!!

Eitan Doron with Deb

I have used this recipe a few times now and it is deliciously divine. It may seem a lot of effort and mucking around – but it is
worth the end result!!

Eitan Doron’s Baba Ganush

First prepare your tahini mix.

500gms tahini
450 – 500 mls of water
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 gloves of garlic – finely crushed

Place half the water, lemon juice and garlic into food processor and add Tahini and blitz. Keep adding water slowly until you achieve the runny/creamy consistency that appeals to your taste.  
 
 You will use this tahini mix in the next part of this recipe.

4 eggplants
½ cup tahini mix (as above) 
½ teaspoon ras el hanout (Moroccan spice mix, your own mix or store purchased) OR cumin 
Juice of ½ a lemon 
Chopped parsley

Directions
1. Burn the eggplant on an open fire/grill 'til its burnt from all sides and the middle is soft (BBQ works well).

2. Peel the burnt eggplant skin off.

3. Mush the eggplants with a knife.

4. Mix eggplants and tahini, season with salt, ras el hanout or cumin and lemon juice.
5. Mix the chopped parsley and serve with pita bread.

Enjoy!!!!!! DC xx

There was a time in my life when I did not cook. I was not interested in the whole pantomime of food, cooking or eating, in fact, my first recollection of really attempting to “cook dinner” for someone was for my first boyfriend in the early 70’s. Trying to impress and of course, nothing went quite right. Nothing looked like the picture (does it ever?). Perhaps the disastrous meal was an omen of what a disastrous relationship it would proceed to be and I should have taken more notice of the signs. I tried to cook chicken schnitzel, chips and make a salad.  It was bloody awful! 

During that particular era, that same boyfriend had “best friends”, who I again was trying to impress and attempted to make lasagne.  Living in an old shared house, we had one of those old fashioned gas cookers from the 50’s.

Because the oven was so small, I had to prepare two small dishes of the said lasagne. When it came to serving up – some of the servings were a bit messy … so of course, the housemates got the servings of “poor presentation” and the guests to impress received the very well presented servings.  At the end of the meal they told me it would have been delicious, if it was hot!! It would appear the tray on the bottom of the oven – perfectly served – had not heated at all!  Of course this became one of the many criticisms from “the boyfriend” - Obviously, I could not cook!!!!

In the late 70’s & early 80’s I moved to Deniliquin. Deni, now famous these days for its ute muster, was an interesting place for a girl from Melbourne …now there are a lot of stories there, but not now. I never drank beer until I lived in Deni. I went to my first “B & S” ball in Deni. Also wrecked a few taffeta frocks at a Peppin or D & R ball!!! 

A lot of pink and peach taffeta and a lot of hair in those days!!!

So, back to where I am heading (so easy for me to be side-tracked) – just before I moved to Deni, I met my beloved Andrew. My best mate. He has had a major role in most stories in my life, including sharing many a food event and being my witness when I married my life partner, Tez. 

My best mate & buddy – Andrew 

One of the fabulous things that happened in Deni was that I met Meggsi at Yabba Gabba Kitchen.  Well, this is where my true interest and love for food began to develop.  Meggsi as a self-taught cook and caterer taught me plenty about food. So many stories and memories were created over the next couple of decades, not only about food but Life!! Oh, the 4 hour drives to do catering for weddings in paddocks!!

Around this time I also met Belinda. (Bella to me – but don’t call her that without my permission!) 

So began the era of the 80’s and decadent dinner parties that often included Andrew, Meggsi and Bella, amongst many others who came and went, in the mix! Some stayed and they still enjoy the art of conviviality with us; others are no longer around but are featured in many of our dinner table tales.

Anyway, back to where I am heading …. What this blog is actually about is two things that have significantly influenced my interest in cooking and food.

Back in those early days of developing an interest in cooking, Vogue Entertaining was a major glossy food mag that I aspired to be able to cook from, (being the hoarder I am, I still have many of those early editions). I also started going to cooking classes and one of the very first was The French  Kitchen in Armadale with Diane Holuigue, and one of the first guest presenters I learnt from was a Maggie Beer class. I still have those original recipes I received in that class and still use some of them, to this day. 

However, being the type “A” personality I am, of course I always set such a high bar for myself. If someone served two courses, I always felt that I needed to serve five! I was always so critical of my own food/cooking, but others seemed to enjoy those “classy” dinner parties. The list of names that have attended is quite extensive and many of those people are still friends to this day, (Ruth & Russell, Jo & Rodger, Deidre, Jane, Ingrid, Myles, Mark and the list goes on!!......). 

During this era began my collecting of cookbooks – which today, is quite a few …one memorable book ; in fact, THE No. 1 influencer of my cooking attitude was a book called “The Slutz Cookbook”.  Now I have no idea who wrote it and sadly, my copy is no longer around.  (Boy, how I would love to get a copy of it again!!)

HOWEVER, the most valuable lesson I learnt from this book  was that if the cooking was not going to plan, give the guests plenty to drink (in fact, get them drunk was advocated), dim the lights/light candles  – add plenty of curry powder and they will never know the difference!!!! Now, I am not suggesting that we don’t abide by responsible service of alcohol guidelines, but I think the underlying message was that all situations can be salvaged if you can relax about it, not be so harsh on yourself and see the humour in the situation !!!

Toward the end of the 80’s and into the 90’s I moved very much into my “nurturing of life” phase. My time as a practicing midwife and being involved with so many wonderful people becoming mums and dads and the beautiful babies they had, was definitely the most rewarding aspect of my career from an emotional and spiritual level. But, not only did it introduce me to a new era of addresses in my Filo Fax – (Shazza, Leonie, Jackie, Janine…to name a few, so many more should be mentioned) it also made me enjoy cooking as a more wholesome and down to earth activity. I definitely moved into an era of being more comfortable and comforted by food, rather than needing to impress with it. 

In the 90’s I met a woman who ran a health clinic in Russia – I cannot remember her name but I can see her face, hear her laugh and remember her zest for life. I recall her telling me a story one day how she loves to have her grandchildren come and stay over and she always liked to stir up her kids by saying to the grandchildren, “come stay with Granma and we will get naked and dance in the kitchen, while we cook dinner”. I am assured she did not literally get naked, but what she did do was put on comfy clothes, relax with the grandkids and include them in the activity in the kitchen so that the preparation, serving and eating of food was all about sharing her love for them, with them.

It always struck me that a good way to show and share love is to bring everyone together to participate in the ritual of preparing food and then sharing the meal. After all, in many cultures it is such a binding and ritualistic process that keeps communities strong.  How else can family stories, folklore and history be handed down, if we don’t all come together?

In our house Tez loves the “Sunday roast” more than any other meal. Not because he is an Aussie bloke, for him, it is all about bringing people together for the art of conviviality. The actual “excellence” of the food is secondary to the shared love, shared stories and shared table.

So, if you do start dancing naked in the kitchen, I do suggest an apron when you throw the curry powder into the fry-pan.

DC xx

A few weeks ago a charming young voice introduced their self to me over the phone as “Tom”. He told me about a project out of RMIT that was supported by the local government – Latrobe City Council. The take home message I got was that it was about re-energising a local community that has been hit by changing economics and trying to put some life back into the
area. http://www.rmit.com/browse;ID=hp7lhirnjasmz

It seemed like a good opportunity to promote Plough Creek Cooking School. So together with Party Cupcake form Traralgon, I agreed to “have a stall”. I must say it was a little reminiscent of my childhood days when my grandfather, mother and uncle used to have shoe stalls at various markets, like the Dandenong and Croydon Markets!! (Yes, shoes are in my blood – Pop Wood was a cobbler!! Put that together with Italian heritage and of course Debra was always going to mean “buyer of shoes”).

The brief we were sent was very thorough, straight forward and relaxed. It seemed like the folk putting this Winter Street Fair together had a “good energy” about them. I was told I could sell PCH produce and I was given a run down on some of
the other local small businesses that would be there. Or simply sell up my stall however I desired. After thinking about it, I thought it was a great way to promote the cooking school. So with lots of brochures and some freshly made PCCS mini cheese tart and zucchini slice as “happy tasting samples” I packed the car and headed ‘into town’.

Party Cupcake offered yummy cupcakes - naturally!!

There were about 25 – 30 Stalls featuring all sorts of local small businesses, charities or organisations. Live music throughout the afternoon and evening by a variety of genres! And a very unusual stilt walker, I am still not sure what it
was!! Was it a bee, a morphed tiger, Gollum before he lost his fur? 
 
I would like to say that the organisation was great. Marquees, lights, generators, trestle tables and chairs were provided and
it made it very easy from my perspective to arrive and setup – WELL DONE and congratulations to the organisers.

A few friends dropped by for a hello and visit, it was so nice to have familiar faces saying hello.

I had a lovely Hannah hug........

A familiar face was Russell Northe our local State Member of Parliament. Russell is also the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Businesses. Sometimes the feeling one received from politicians is that they are not REALLY interested in their constituents– but I have to say, that Russell is not like that. He genuinely seemed interested in what I had to say!!!!

Deb having a chat with Russell Northe

I enjoyed having Ross and Mark call by and give me some honest “taste testing” on the giveaways. Neither wore a cravat but they were willing to judge my cooking efforts!!

I was pleasantly surprised by how many locals visited the market and stopped to say hello to us at our stall. We were able to
register a lot of new names for our PCCS mailing list and there seemed to be plenty of interest in upcoming classes.

I would like to say a huge thank you to the friends who dropped by and the locals who talked to us. I do hope the organisers were happy with the event and that we see something like this happen again soon in the local community.

Check out these links for more details:

https://www.facebook.com/ReactivateLatrobeValley
http://outr.org/
It was a delight to be involved. DC xx