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Feasting

feast

Putting on my swimsuit for the first time this summer, I realised with a shock that I need to be writing about feasting rather than doing it. But the last few months have featured many great meals, at my table and others’, and I plan many more in 2009. I feel like I’ve got my kitchen mojo back. Did you read this article in the Times last year? I used to think my ex-husband and I had a happy division of labour (me: dessert, him: everything else) and for the most part, I was happy as a beta cook. But turns out, roasting a chicken is really, really easy. Who knew? 

My father’s is one kitchen in which I’m still the beta. (Just so you know, I’m not unaware of the psychoanalytic implications of all this.) Come Christmas, I’m required to submit a proposal for a dessert for Christmas Day lunch: two out of three proposals over the past three years have been turned down without recourse to appeal. In their place, I’ve prepared assigned recipes including an infamous Bomb Alaska; this year was Matt Moran’s raspberry tart. It was so good I made another two days later using blackberries, which gave it a slightly sinister, Dr. Suess-ish appeal. 

Other recent meals include a paella from the Moro cookbook, a Thanksgiving spread and fish tagine at Em’s. The surprise hit at Thanksgiving was an Australian ring-in: the braised lentils from Jude Blereau’s book Coming Home to Eat. I reluctantly returned this book to the library after multiple renewals and bought my own straight away. Sarah e-mailed Jude Blereau and discovered she’s teaching sometime this year at the Essential Ingredient in Prahran. I’ve never taken a cooking class, but I might start. 

All this entertaining comes on top of my usual crafternoon fare. I had the idea of compiling a recipe book for crafting friends but the vanishing days and the plummeting dollar put paid to the idea of using Blurb. Next year, I hope. Instead, I shared in Lena and Maria’s feasts vicariously, savouring their work in book form for the first time. I love it. 

Next year, no, this year. Back to books for me. And photographs. I finally read the manual to my new-ish Nikon DX40: why have I been scared of this camera for so long? Someone told me many point & shoot cameras now come with a pre-programmed setting specifically for food. It occurs to me just now that he may have been pulling my leg. 

Happy 2009!


1 Comment

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again..I’m glad you’re back! Happy New Year!

Posted by Denyce on 4 January 2009 @ 7am

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