The heart of the American Mid-West in October - Pumpkinland

The change in seasons here is a little like turning off a paved tarmac road onto a gravel farm path - you can really feel the difference, and it's very sudden.


Today at school my children spent 25 minutes in a mandated fetal position while the tornado sirens wailed. It was their first time. I was at home in my pyjamas wondering whether to crawl under the house. After the storm passed, I felt uneventfully, I saw a huge tree in our neighbour's yard had blown down just like that.


Despite the adrenaline rush of the Fall arriving (or Autumn, as I really WANT to keep calling it, please), there are many much more gentle signs of the season which are probably visible in most Western countries at this time of year, but are celebrated in a particular lavish bounty in these rural American parts.

Yes it's the pumpkins. Huge ones, tiny ones, white and the all-important orange, lumpy and smooth, striped, flattish or roundly fecund. If you visited here only once at this time of the year, you would be convinced it was the only thing they grew all year. 


Now, something has made me very pleased and grateful. In England, they "do" pumpkins at Halloween, and then they feed them to the pigs (or the garbage truck). Some very resourceful, recycling types may make spiced pumpkin soup. But, in essence, British people do not believe pumpkins to be truly edible.

In Indiana, I believe they have come up with every possible way to cook a pumpkin. Now this seems very practical to me, considering how many people's porches are currently lined with them, and at $3.99 a pop, you could spend your week's food budget for the week right there in one big orange blow-out. So why not make the most of your seasonal display's nutritional value? (By the way, I am not advocating this at Christmas unless you are into edible Christmas tree decorations - dried fruit is apparently very attractive).

The reason I have been extolling the virtue of the cooked pumpkin is because the Americans are not only using their resources wisely (yes, I said it), but they are also doing it deliciously. I will share my favourite local recipe with you shortly, but if it doesn't take your fancy, do a Google search for some of the following:


Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Brownies, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Cobbler, Pumpkin Torte, Pumpkin Meringue Pie, Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Pudding, Pumpkin Mash, Pumpkin Preserves, Pumpkin Butter, Pumpkin Cupcakes and Spiced Pumpkin Latte (yes you get this last one at Starbucks).

My favourite recipe was served by a dear friend at Sunday Lunch, after a delicious main course of Cheeseburger soup. Yes, we are in America, and I couldn't get enough of it.


Pumpkin Crisp (or Crumble in English).


Ingredients
2 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crisp Topping

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped or dried coconut (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease an 8" square baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until smooth. Pour into prepared dish.
In medium bowl combine brown sugar, oats, walnuts, flour and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until combined.
Sprinkle topping evenly over pumpkin mix.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is set and topping is golden brown.
Serve warm with whipped cream and cinnamon if desired.

Image: http://www.goodlifeeats.com

Please welcome....Melissa from Wife in Training!!

I am in the superb chaos of house-packing for our move. My dear and new friend Melissa, fellow-blogger extraordinaire, is kindly guest-blogging for me so that you lovely readers have something to read while I am engaged profoundly in moving my family overseas.

Melissa writes a wonderful, funny, fascinating, insightful blog about her life and interests over at Wife in Training. I love her wry sense of humour, the fact that she is really well read, and that she has a unique and poignant interaction with her daily life. Also we have in common...Indiana! She fell in love with the state when living there a few years ago, and is insanely jealous that I am moving there soon.

Melissa is doing something fun for us - a series of responses to one of my Pinterest boards, kind of stream of consciousness, and a great way of getting to know her as well as comparing your response to gorgeous images.

Here is the board. Check back every day for Melissa response to each picture, and go say hi to her over at Wife in Training!

CHA CHA CHA - the art of retro and vintage

I have told you once before about my very talented friend Megan (remember the great photography site!). Well, there is no end to Megan's creativity. When I visited her in London two years ago, I discovered that the living room of their very gorgeous Victorian semi was full of...yes you guessed it...STASH!! Fabric, lampshades, vintage retro finds. I think Megan's husband Hugh is a saint to be not even bothered by the loss of a room in the house to eye candy.

The purpose behind the stash (there always is one of course!) is Megan's online shop which sells the most unique and original retro and vintage finds, including lighting, furniture and clothing. Let me give you a little taste...

An original 1950's Lloyd Loom chair re-upholstered in original Alexander Girard fabric.  Is it not a thing of true beauty?

Megan sources original vintage fabric, and can upholster furniture and lampshades as request. Doesn't this just take you right back to the seventies?

The great thing about Megan's store is that she has taken the hard work out of sourcing vintage. She has a fantastic eye, and you can be guaranteed that anything she has chosen will have that stylish "kick".

I am the proud owner of a vintage wallpaper-covered scrapbook, and address book. Isn't this a great idea! Especially if you are not courageous enough to cover a whole wall in it!


Take a look at her shop and be inspired!

Cooking with an Empire's Child Week 3 - India

Good day fellow food lovers. I recently visited a new follower of mine. Her blog is called Food Floozy, and this is the definition she gives:

"floo·zie \ˈflü-zē\: a usually young woman of loose morals." Thus a Food Floozie is not a woman who can be seduced by virtually any man, but rather a woman who can be seduced by virtually any food (other than sushi)

Isn't that just great! It is how I feel most of the time. Except I can be seduced by sushi most days too.

Anyway, onto this week's recipe. I found reading about the history of the Indian colonies quite disturbing. It seems in the "old days" if you wanted to make some money, you could just sail over to someone else's land and nick bits of their country. In the long run, after the East India Company messed everything up a lot (not surprising, given their policies were based on greed and corruption) the British Government took over and tried to run the place according to British Morals and Values. 

There is a lot of literature on the British Indian Colony, particularly about the women who went out there with their men folk. A lot of heart-breaking stories, and also a lot of romance and intrigue. I can imagine the British people sitting back home here in the rolling green and tame hills of England thought it was quite an interesting place. Rudyard Kipling, of course, immortalises the era through his children's stories, particularly the Jungle Book.

I digress. The reason I found this week so enjoyable is that I grew up in Natal, South Africa where there was a huge Indian population. They were brought over by the British as indentured workers to farm the sugar, and they liked it there because is was hot and tropical, just like their home. Durban Curry became a well-known South African dish, and is still quite unique in its flavours.

Image: paul v j

I have chosen, though, a firm favourite of mine. This is because it is the typical fast food you can buy on the streets of Natalian towns, usually from seedy looking Indian takeaways, or vans. Coming from within, however, you find a treasure trove of cuisine. Samosas, rotis and masala all made with love and care by Indian mamas with recipes passed down through the generations. My favourite meal to buy for lunch was the chicken biryani. Hot as a roasting brick, full of little chicken bones and heavy with fresh chopped coriander. It was nourishing and delicious. I have never tasted biryani like it again. 

So I am going to attempt this traditional, South African chicken biryani this Friday. Try it with me. I guarantee you will want it again. And again.

Here is your shopping list.

2 onions
4 medium potatoes
1 small piece ginger (fresh)
garlic
cooking oil
dried curry leaves
tomato paste
Mild or Hot curry powder
bay leaves
250ml plain yoghurt
whole cloves

star anise
cinnamon sticks
fresh mint

dried thyme

turmeric powder
1 can brown lentils
quick cook basmati rice

This meal is best left overnight before eating, so perhaps plan to cook it on Friday, and eat on Saturday.

Cooking with an Empire's Child - Week 2 The New World

It's time to make the (best) hamburger.

Here are the ingredients you need to make the sauce first. Mix together

1/4 cup salad cream (like Miracle Whip)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp French salad dressing (don't ask why there's a lump in mine. Just don't).

Mix these up nice in a bowl. Then chop 1 dill pickle (gherkin)

until it's really small

Chop up 1 slice fresh onion (keep the rest of the onion for the burgers)

Add it to the bowl with

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp ketchup

and finally 1/8 tsp salt.

Stir together and microwave on high for 25 seconds. Stir again and put into the fridge till you're ready to eat.

Now get the rest of the bits ready. First I must introduce you to a gadget that I cannot do without.

Is it not a thing of beauty? What is it, you ask?

It is a Tupperware Hamburger Squasher. You take your minced meat, weigh it out carefully to a quarter pound, pop it in the Squasher, and Squash.

This gives you beautifully shaped burgers, even thickness and with nice sharp edges. If you don't have a squasher, the best way to do this is to press your minced beef out on a flat surface to about a half inch thick, then cut out rounds with a glass. Press it down firm so that  it doesn't break up.

You aren't going to add anything to the mince, just sprinkle with salt and pepper after you have formed them. You want to keep that meat nice and pure. That's why it's important to buy good quality minced beef.

Now decide how you are going to cook them. They must either be grilled over a charcoal fire, or char-grilled on a griddle. You have to get that slightly smoky burnt flavour. Get your fire ready now if you need to.

Now slice up the onion as fine as you can.

Pop it in a frying pan with some olive oil on low heat and let it sweat.

Now slice up your dill pickles as fine as you can.

Do the same with the tomatoes.

Wash the lettuce and let it drain and dry.

Put your burgers on the very hot fire or griddle. You want to only turn them once. This is our lovely Weber barbeque. We would not use anything else.

(Yes we actually have two).

Oh yum. There is nothing like meat on the grill. Really. Not even the gooiest chocolatiest creamiest dessert is quite as good.

Back in the kitchen, get your buns toasted. If you don't have a toaster, use the grill.

When the meat is ready you can assemble your masterpiece. Like this.

Mm carbs.

Ooh greens.

Ahh fruit (yes really!)

SAUCE!!

ONIONS and BURGER!!

YES!!

I shared this on
  

Cooking With an Empire's Child - Week 2 The Shopping List

My husband tells me I am outrageous to suggest that I may be able to teach Americans how to make the best hamburger in the world.

I am, by degrees, an outrageous person.

By the way, to prove how serious Americans are about hamburgers, Serious Eats has their very own blog, just about hamburgers. It's called A Hamburger Today.

If you read their section on Tips and Recipes, you will become anxious and afraid. I warn you.

Here is the shopping list then.

1. White bread buns. Please buy them fresh, from a baker, not in a package that can sit on the shelf for three months. You don't wanna know the chemicals they use to keep them there, still fresh and spongy. Make sure you get soft-crust buns, not crispy. Oh and whatever you do, don't go all healthy on me and ruin the burger with wholewheat. Your meat will get your GI rating right down so don't panic about your blood sugar.

2. Minced beef steak (or steak mince if you will). Don't buy cheap stuff. Get the good stuff. Get enough for a quarter pound per burger.

3. Onions. Whatever kind you want.

4. Lettuce. Romaine or cos is best.

5. Tomatoes. The biggest reddest ones you can find please. Beef steak tomatoes are the perfect choice.

6. A jar of sweet gherkins (dill pickles). Get the whole ones. You'll see why on Friday.

7. Mayonnaise. Proper.

8. Salad cream (Miracle Whip, or something similar)

9. French salad dressing.

10. White vinegar

11. Tomato sauce (ketchup)

Ok, that's it. If you want fries with your burger, I suggest you buy pre-cut fries in the freezer section. Trying to cut your own thin-cut french fries is a nightmare. You don't need this when you just want to get to eating your burger.

You're probably thinking, OK this is what I normally use to make burgers. What's so great about that! It's the technique that counts. So join me on Friday for the challenge. I'm up for it!

Cooking with an Empire's Child - Week 2 The New World

I found it very difficult to decide on the nation for this week's post. I had planned to write this series in chronological order, hence beginning with the West Indies last week. However, when looking at my lovely book The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, to see where next we were to visit, I found myself in Virginia. That's right. The U.S. of A. Although, at the time is wasn't called that. In fact, there were bits and pieces that were considered to be owned by the French and the Spanish and it was all a little confusing.

Well, not only was I confused about what to do next; I had this sinking feeling that I was going to have to feature the signature dish of a nation that is not celebrated in many parts of the world for its gourmet food. Now, don't get me wrong, American food, to me, is the best in the world. However, that is my personal opinion. The fact that Coolwhip features so often in dessert recipes online would make the French weep.

So you see, I was very aware that I may be tripping up on some tender emotions if I broached the subject. It seemed a little early on in a series to be offending people's sensibilities.

Then, lying awake worrying about it in the middle of the night, it dawned upon me: The American signature dish is, of course, the hamburger. Now I don't care what you have to say about its origins, this dish has truly swept the world. I don't think there is a nation in the world that does not sell a hamburger. (Please let me know if there is). Everyone knows what it is, and a large percentage of people (within a certain generation at least) have eaten one.

So I have taken the proverbial bull by the horns, and decided to feature the Hamburger this week as the signature food of America. Are you with me?

Let me add that this is not going to be an ordinary, shop-bought, long-life, chain-style hamburger. Yes it will be quick and easy family food, but please let me show you how to make the best hamburger in the world. It can be done. You may grimace at my audacity. But believe me, I have made one and so I know.

Try it and then feel free to disagree.

P.S. Shopping list for the best hamburger in the world will follow shortly.

My Pins Week 1

I have just joined Pinterest thanks to an invitation from Tiffany Bird of Simply Modern Mom. It has completely revolutionised how I interact with the web, and I've only used it for a day. Every week I am going to share with you my favourite pins. These are the images and links I have collected through my followed blogs and other places which are inspiring me right now. A thing of beauty must be shared!

Follow the links to the different sites below.

Knot Me Tie Skirt
Edible Chicago
Time Gone By Dress
Life's Too Short for Fitted Sheets
Neopolitan Style Pizza
Colour Palette Eggs
Fresh Press Stationery

Savannah has come to England

Oh, the times I used to savour this fine drink on the cool evenings at Clifton Beach in Cape Town, during those hazy university days.

Well, OK, it may not be such a fine drink. In fact there is debate as to whether it is really made of apples.

I don't care. For me, it is a fine fine drink. And it is now available at our local supermarket, imported lovingly all the way from South Africa.

And so I must celebrate Savannah.

Cooking with an Empire's Child - Pork Jerk Finale

This evening, Nicholas put the Weber grill on, and cooked the Pork Jerk to perfection. It took about 15 minutes.

This recipe has its history in the slavery of the West Indies. In order to keep any rare source of meat from rotting in the heat of the Jamaican climate, the slaves used the spice mix to kill bacteria in the meat.

It also tastes amazing, and I expect the longer you marinade it, the better it gets. It was not too spicy. My children enjoyed it immensely, and my husband was impressed.

This recipe is definitely a keeper!