Tea ceremony

This afternoon the Canada Bay Council hosted a tea party. It was nice to meet my favourite Fair Trade tea suppliers Kenteco in person on a lovely autumn afternoon. After a busy weekend writing questions for the Australian Medical Council examinations, I caught the train home and arrived at McIlwaine Park just in time for the last Chinese tea ceremony of the day. This was so professionally performed. Juxtaposed with two of the audience volunteers being young girls who responded so well to the formality of the occasion. It was a joy to see. The blessing - how something so apparrently simple as a cup of tea can be provided with such care, respect and attention to detail. New discipline for this next week of Lent: seek to attend fully to each person in daily interactions. And remember the importance of enlivening the tea before brewing it. I didn't take a camera - so pic below is from Google but looks similar to today's experience.

A few of my favourite things

Inspired by Singing Owl's contribution, I'm putting in a late play in the RevGalBlogPals Friday Five posted yesterday by Songbird who wrote:

In a week of wondering how various things in our family life will unfold, I found myself thinking of the way Maria comforted the Von Trapp children in one of my favorite movies. Frightened by a thunder storm, the children descend upon her, and she sings to them about her favorite things, taking their minds off the storm.

So, let's encourage ourselves. Share with us five of your favorite things. Use words or pictures, whatever expresses it best.

1. Water. I love water. Streams, rivers, sea. Font, pool, fountain. This could take up my whole five favourite things. I like to be beside water, be in water, see water, hear water, drink water, feel water. I guess water is one of my favourite things. I like the catholic tradition of having the full font at the entrance to the worship space. For me a visible font (or other sign of baptism) is important in every Christian worship event. And water is such a precious commodity in our world. I hope I treasure and respect water in all its forms.
   
2. The feel of getting into bed made with freshly washed and sun-dried sheets. I remember the childhood combination of being rubbed down with a fresh towel, into clean pyjamas and then into fresh sheets. I guess it must have been on 'wash day'. Now the days I change the bed linen I look forward to bedtime!
3. Flowers. I'm not too good at growing them, but I do enjoy receiving and displaying them. Joining the flower roster at church has been fun (I notice I'm only on twice a year though and freely admit my efforts are not of a professional standard). But heading early to the flower market, finding the colours I'm after, having access to the empty church building and spending time preparing the space for worship: it all lightens my heart! And I did love this Advent wreath.
4. Ice cold lemonade. The traditional way. Place 2 cups sugar in a bowl. Add one cup of boiling water and stir until dissolved (even better if thinly peeled rind of lemon is steeped in the boiling water first) . Add juice of 2-3 lemons, 1 teaspoon tartaric acid and 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts and a second cup of boiling water. Pour into bottles (strain if you wish) and serve diluted with water to taste (about 1:5 or 1:6 seems good). For special treat serve with soda water, squeeze of lime and dash of angostura bitters.
5. Earrings. Those who know me would insist this is on the list. I have so many favourites. A new pair is always high on my retail therapy wish list. Most holidays I come back with some. My loved ones know that I will always appreciate a new pair as a gift. Most have some significance. Several are just randomly fun. But beware the person who ever jokes about my earrings! It may just be the wrong day to do so :-)

And there is more - movies, music, al fresco dining, camping (nothing like a tent in summertime), cool places on hot days, warm places on cool days, sensible shoes, linen jackets. I have lots and lots of favourite things but my top five are pretty indicative of my being.

Mix and stir

Songbird posted this week's Friday Five over at RevGalBlogPals. She writes:
In a minor domestic crisis, my food processor, or more precisely the part you use for almost everything for which I use a food processor, picked the eve of the festive season of the year to give up the ghost. A crack in the lid expanded such that a batch of squash soup had to be liberated via that column shaped thing that sticks up on top.

Can you tell this is not my area of strength?

Next week, I'm hosting Thanksgiving. I need your help. Please answer the following kitchen-related questions:

1) Do you have a food processor? Can you recommend it? Which is to say, do you actually use it? Just a few weeks ago I picked up a second-hand very inexpensive Moulinex at the market. My Bamix is wonderful but unfortunately all the little bits got thrown out by visitors (who probably thought they were off cans or something.

2) And if so, do you use the fancy things on it? (Mine came with a mini-blender (used a lot and long ago broken) and these scary disks you used to julienne things (used once).)
Basically I use it for soup and some baking. I have never used most of the parts. The lemon squeezer thing looks good for lemonade though - which I must start making as the weather warms up.

3) Do you use a standing mixer? Or one of the hand-held varieties?
Neither. I mix by hand (or food processor for carrot cakes etc)

(And isn't that color delightfully retro?) I love it!

4) How about a blender? Do you have one? Use it much?
My children wish I did. But no. I have an old 'shaker' that my Mum used to make milkshakes (large metal tumbler thing with a lid that fits on - then hold in your hand and shake madly) I figure it is exercise!

5) Finally, what old-fashioned, non-electric kitchen tool do you enjoy using the most?
The spurtle. Mine are made by my Dad and the flat (not round) kind. Kind of like this

Bonus: Is there a kitchen appliance or utensil you ONLY use at Thanksgiving or some other holiday? If so, what is it?
No.

Johnny Appleseed Friday Five

Across the Pacific from here, they are celebrating the 234th birthday of Johnny Appleseed. Singing Owl has posted a Friday Five in his honour:

September 26, 1774 was his birthday. "Johnny Appleseed" (John Chapman) is one of America's great legends. He was a nurseryman who started out planting trees in western New York and Pennsylvania, but he was among those who were captivated by the movement west across the continent.

As Johnny traveled west (at that time, the "West" was places like Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois) he planted apple trees and sold trees to settlers. With every apple tree that was planted, the legend grew. A devout Christian, he was known to preach during his travels. According to legend, Johny Appleseed led a simple life and wanted little. He rarely accepted money and often donated any money he received to churches or charities. He planted hundreds of orchards, considering it his service to humankind. There is some link between Johny Appleseed and very early Arbor Day celebrations.

So, in honor of this interesting fellow, let's get on with the questions!

1. What is your favorite apple dish? (BIG BONUS points if you share the recipe.)
Apple crumble. The recipe depends what is in the pantry but the basic idea:
Put rolled oats (about a cup), walnuts (or almonds, or other nuts) (1/2 to 1 cup), 1 tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon or allspice, and any seeds on hand (pumpkin, sunflower etc) and 50-75g cold butter into a food processor and blend until butter is in small pieces. (If no food processor put dry ingredients in a bowl and chop butter into the mix)
Cut up plenty of apples and slice into a pie dish.
Pile on the rolled oats topping
Bake at 180 degrees celsius until top is golden and apples are soft.
Almost everything in this recipe can be substituted. It is OK with white sugar, wholemeal or even plain flour, and other grains and spices.
2. Have you ever planted a tree? If so was there a special reason or occasion you can tell us about?

When I bought my first house it was newly built and I planted out the section with lots of trees. We planted a tree to mark the place where we placed each of our children's placentas. Our son co-planted a tree to commemorate a church anniversary when he was two years old. Our daughter was born in 1989 and we planted a tree in a community planting the following year to mark the 150th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty between the indigenous people of New Zealand and Queen Victoria. We have planted lemon and peach trees in our garden. I've not before reflected on trees in my life but there have been quite a few!
3. Does the idea of roaming around the countryside (preaching or otherwise) appeal to you? Why or why not?

Appeals greatly because I like the feel of the earth beneath my feet and sun (through the sunblock) on my skin. Not so keen on the preaching - but meeting people on the way and sharing our stories would be grand.

4. Who is a favorite "historical legend" of yours?

Again so many! Sir Edmund Hillary. Kate Sheppard. My great-grandfathers - legends within their families.

5. Johnny Appleseed was said to sing to keep up his spirits as he traveled the roads of the west. Do you have a song that comes when you are trying to be cheerful, or is there something else that you often do?

It's a happy day
And I praise God for the weather
It's a happy day
And I'm living it for my Lord
It's a happy day
And things can only get better
Living each day by the promises in God's word :-)

Food fun!

I've seen this exercise on a few blogs and copied it from Cathy. It looks like fun, and apparently everybody's doing it. On the original Andrew says: Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

How the Omnivore's 100 works:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.

2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.

3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

4) Optional: Post a comment at Very Good Taste, linking to your results.

I can't work out how to cross items out - the only two I would categorically not eat are 23 and 85. And probably not that dirty gin martini either.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PBJ sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted Cream Tea
38. Vodka Jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth $120 or more Oh I wish ...
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin (kina)
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (NZ paua to be precise)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang Souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom Yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. 3 Michelin Star Tasting Menu
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

What about you?

Dating games

Great to wake up on a sunny Saturday and find this Friday Five from Songbird waiting. That it's all about dates reminded me of the scene I so enjoy in Miss Congeniality where the contestant is asked about her ideal date - and she replies along the lines of "April 24th. Not too hot and not too cold, you only need a light sweater".

It's Friday afternoon, Eastern Time, and this is your faithful Songbird with a calendar-related Friday Five. Due to some confusion with our dates, I'm stepping in today, although I am usually here only on the 5th Friday, when there is such a thing.

Here are five things to ponder about dates. I hope you'll play!

1) Datebooks--how do you keep track of your appointments? Electronically? On paper? Month at a glance? Week at a glance?
Unfortunately often in my head! Which is not that effective. But I do keep an electronic diary and prefer month-at-a-glance view. I love the little reminders popping up on screen. The challenge is to remember to enter events into it (see #2).

2) When was the last time you forgot an important date?
Wednesday this past week! The previous Saturday was the girls' last netball game for the season and the 'Mums' (for there were no Dad's watching) set about organising a little treat for them. Pizza at Mario's Wednesday @ six. I was to collect my lass and two others (sisters) from school after band practice and deliver them to the pizza restaurant on my way to Church Council. The other Mum would do the home trip. But when my child was sick on Wednesday and stayed home from school, and a 10.30 meeting in town didn't finish until after 3, and I had a chance to visit a wool shop on the way home, I traveled home in a relaxed fashion and completely forgot the dinner. Got a call at 10.30p.m. (still at Church Council) when daughter discovered our lapse. Trouble was I used routine rather than diary on this one - but when no pick-up from band it all fell apart.

3) When was the last time you went OUT on a date?
Our trip to the top end was like a wonderful extended date, with walks, dinners out and so much opportunity just to be together plus a large comfortable bed to come back to, and that was only last month. PLUS a family date, Sunday breakfast, to celebrate a birthday this month. And though it is a while ago now the balloon trip was the most amazing date.

4) Name one accessory or item of clothing you love even though it is dated.
I was just looking in my wardrobe this morning at things I can't throw out - and I was ruthless before we left NZ. The pick is a brown and orange (large orange flowers and some mauve ones) strappy dress from the 70's that I long to fit into again!

5) Dates--the fruit--can't live with 'em? Or can't live without 'em?
Definitely not without! My grandmother, and then my mother, generally took date and ginger sandwiches on family picnics. And nothing better than a fresh date scone. I have never lost my affection for this fruit.

Sweet delights

Last weeks Friday five must have been working away in my subconscious as I have been developing some super sweet winter wonders. Saturday night's gourmet bread-and-butter pudding and then the delicious apricot cake on Sunday. The first was made with what was available so no measures. The second was in my mother's recipe book and as I have scales that can be switched to imperial or metric I just stayed with the original. Both eaten too quickly to get a picture :)

Bread and Butter pudding
About 10 slices bread (I used wholegrain)
Margarine (or butter)
2 eggs
Sticky raisins (about 1/2 cup)
Crystallised ginger (about 1/4 cup)
1-2 cups milk
Vanilla pod
Cardamom seeds

Put milk in pot with cardamom seeds and vanilla bean and place on gentle (low) heat until it smells wonderful. Meanwhile spread bread with the margarine and cut each piece into thirds (remove crusts if you want to but not necessary). Place layer in bottom of ovenproof dish (mine is 16x23cm) with buttered side down. Sprinkle raisins and ginger over the slices, then add another layer of bread followed by raisins and ginger. Keep going until all bread is used up, finishing with a buttered side up layer of bread. Take milk off the heat and allow to cool. Beat eggs in bowl and strain the warm milk mixture in on top. Beat until combined. Pour milk and egg mixture over the bread layers. Leave in refrigerator as long as possible for all the liquid to soak into the bread. Can add more milk, very carefully, if necessary. Then bake in oven at about 180 Celsius for 30 mins or until cooked through.

Apricot cake
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup boiling water
6 oz butter
6 oz sugar
8 oz plain flour
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

Pour boiling water over apricots and leave to stand. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time and beat well. Drain apricots and reserve liquid. Add apricots to creamed mixture. Add flour and baking powder and mix well. Dissolve baking soda in 1/3 cup of the apricot liquid. Blend thoroughly into batter. Pour into 8 inch tin. Bake in moderate oven 180 Celsius until cooked through (about 40-50 minutes). Orange icing was recommended for this cake. We used a cream cheese topping but it really was a bit too sweet. Mum was right (I should have known!)

We had a great weekend of feasting which has set us up for the week. A great walk on Sunday afternoon between showers. Weather is cool but our hearts and tummies are warm! Thanks be.

Summer sweetness

Great Friday Five from Presbyterian Gal sweltering in the summer heat provokes a bit of nostalgia.
1. What is your sweetest summer memory from childhood? Did it involve watermelon or hand cranked ice cream? Or perhaps a teen summer romance. Which stands out for you?
Strawberries and pavlova. Kind of like a huge meringue covered in whipped cream. A New Zealand icon - although Australians like to claim it as their own :-)
2. Describe your all time favorite piece of summer clothing. The one thing you could put on in the summer that would seem to insure a cooler, more excellent day.
A gorgeous little white linen jacket with coconut shell buttons. Looks good with everything. And has pockets. I'm wearing it in this (Presbyterian) photo.
3. What summer food fills your mouth with delight and whose flavor stays happily with you long after eaten?
Now that would have to be watermelon. The stains on the chin stay around for a while as well.
4. Tell us about the summer vacation or holiday that holds your dearest memory.
The year that we spent 5 weeks at Whangamata. Kind of a busman's holiday as my beloved took the worship services at the churches there and they provided accommodation. He departed for two weeks in Tokelau and left daughters and me to fill his shoes for the final week. That summer I completed a tapestry, enjoyed sun and sea, read avidly, watched 5 DVDs starring George Clooney one after the other. It was idyllic. This will sound liturgically strange to those in the opposite hemisphere but it was the summer I discovered Epiphany and the baptism of Jesus. I still think the sermon was good for any preacher including this lay one. And some good interactive creative participation with sea shells and stars.
5. Have you had any experience(s) this summer that has drawn you closer to God or perhaps shown you His wonder in a new way?
Staying with my wonderful friends and their toddler daughter this past summer reminded me again of the wonder with which little ones explore and investigate our world. And walking along the waterfront refreshed my spirit.
Bonus question: When it is really hot, humid and uncomfortable, what do you do to refresh and renew body and spirit?
Splash witchazel about abundantly.

Top End sunset market

Back in wintery Sydney it is hard to believe that just a week ago I was in Darwin at the top end of Australia, where there are only two seasons - 'the wet' starting about October and 'the dry' - now. Temperatures were about 30 Celsius dropping to the 20s at night. Sunday evening I wandered down to the Mindil beach market where I got myself some 'dinkum Aussie tucker' and ate it on the beach. Darwin is renowned for its sunsets (which occur in different directions at different times of year - I'm sure the astronomers will understand) and last Sunday was no exception. About this time I headed to the airport to meet my beloved coming back from a President's (of the UCA) conference in Bali. But time for bed for me now. Will post more tomorrow.

Beyond nutrients

Population Health Congress was a stimulating event. Wednesday's plenary on advocacy for food security brought to mind my second response to the Poetry Party. Michael Marmot is always so inspiring - and certainly no less on this occasion. I missed the first day plenary but heard good reports of the renewed challenge to environmental sustainability and mitigation of the effects of climate change. The lack of overlap between my public health circle and my faith community struck me during the week. The potential overlap is enormous. I did cite Brian McLaren in the paper I presented. And thought how relevant the Young Ambassadors for Peace programme was when I listened to a paper about the homicide of journalists. Back to the Wednesday plenary. Among many good things I was struck by Jane Dixon and her analysis that over emphasis on nutrient content has robbed food of cultural meaning. And contributed to the obesity crisis in developed nations. To round off a busy week I had a couple of hours to spare on Wednesday afternoon and enjoyed a wander through the impressive Brisbane art gallery. I will enjoy exploring more of this my new country with a trip to Darwin and the Litchfield National Park - starting tomorrow. I will be taking a camera this time!

Fireworks!

Sally posted the Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals this week. I can't resist a quick play even as I have conference presentation to prepare for next week, bag to pack, and early morning flight to Brisbane in the morning. This is prob my last blog in a while - so thanks Sally. It's a good one!

Sally writes:
I have to admit that I am chuckling to myself a little; how strange it seems for me a Brit to be posting the Friday Five on 4th July! I realise that most of our revgals will be celebrating in some way today, but I hope that you can make a little room for Friday Five! From my short stay in Texas my memories of the celebrations are of fireworks and picnics, one year we went in to central Houston to watch the fireworks and hear the Symphony Orchestra play, we were welcomed and included, and that meant a lot!

So lets have a bit of fun: 1. Barbeque's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?)
In 1962 our family (Mum, Dad, me and two sisters) was living in a rural area Maihiihi. In a birthday speech to our Mum in April 2006 we said, " Many of you will have visited us at the store in Maihiihi. For us those were the picnic years. I think our parents knew every creek in the ... districts and we frequently enjoyed lunchtime outings accompanied by a rather cold swim" So 'picnic' conjures up a very warm memory of family outings, often in the company of grandparents and friends. This one at the beach some summertime. AND I also love a 'barbie' at home or at the park with a crispy salad and lots of tomato sauce.

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being?
Yes to all of the above

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em?
Love
4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory...
Now this is a USA 4th of July memory. 1996. We were in California for only six weeks and invited to join the Sleepy Hollow Church parade. It was a wonderful day and our children rode in style!

For those of us on this side of the world ANZAC parades are always moving as a participant or observer. I never go away without a tear. And while I said on this side of the world - it is amazing to know that there is a bagpipe composition to honour NZ (and others) who lost their lives 'upover' (if that is the opposite of downunder). This photo from NZ Society Scotland of the 2006 parade in Arbroath.

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be?
Any Dave Dobbyn really. Here's 'Slice of Heaven' live from London

Stool like a pineapple...

It is the close of a good day. Morning at home quietly getting ready for guests. Cooking Milton's chicken and rice which was DELICIOUS! Lunch with three wonderful children and their lovely parents. Youngest child found my kitchen stool and said "This is a stool." After sitting on it and trying it out said "It's like a pineapple." "Why?" the adults asked. "Because it is" he replied. We obviously just didn't get it.

I do love that amazing ability of children to make connections. A capacity we lose early I suspect. Yet it is so easy for adults to make wrong connections. An innocent word can be interpreted as a deliberate insult and relationships marred. A look or a glance imbued with unintended meaning. Irritation when those closest relax and act naturally rather than the way expected.

Tonight I connected for the first time in their own home with two more parents raising wonderful small children. Over a glass of lemon squash I learned of the challenges and joys they live with. A real privilege for me. And I got to see the dad's Star Wars ROOM - full of collectibles from the first movie to the present.

Drove home down Marsden Rd and was yet again struck by the lights spreading out into the distance as I came over the brow of the hill.

I'll go to sleep feeling blessed by the many connections that link us and our ideas and somewhere in there we link to the one in whom we live and move and have our being, So be it.

I love Coles

You really have to be an Aussie to understand this title, but Coles is one of the major supermarket chains and their generic brand is 'I Love Coles'. And bless their cotton socks - they have just started marketing potatoes as 'mashing potatoes' and 'roasting potatoes'. After years of lumpy mashed potatoes and mushy roast ones - tonight I served up an enormous pot of the very best soft creamy mashed potatoes ever!!! Once I even got a potato book out of the library and carried around a list of types of potato and their uses but I lost the list and it all got a bit complicated. So thank you Coles - I do love you!