Ode to Ray

I know there are lots of chefs and cookbooks in the world and I have a reasonable number of them in my bookcase. However, when I am looking for a dish or two that I know will taste divine I always go for my Ray McVinnie collection of dishes and delights. Last night Julian came over for a short dinner visit. I rolled out Ray's 'Greek Beef Stew' - a once a week favourite in our house during the winter. Here is the link to this recipe on the Cuisine website. You will love it ... the cinnamon quills are the key ingredient. I of course don't make 1kg of meat type stews so adjust the amounts I have at random. Always tastes delicious with mashed spud.

To follow this I attempted a new pudding recipe. I love making desserts generally because you can work in layers of flavour and they are always a treat. Again, I went to the 'altar or Ray 'with a request for a pudding using pears as I had been given a bag of them from someones garden. I found the perfect pudding and proceeded to make it while not concentrating and made a few mistakes, however, the result was unutterably delicious. Even without the butterscotch sauce that just seemed a bit hard for a casual meal outside....also too lazy by this time. Warm from the oven it was just perfect. So, thanks again Ray for the Pear & Walnut Gingerbread Pudding With Butterscotch Sauce. And as usual, I didn't have all the ingredients but it still tasted great. No walnuts or dark brown sugar but I used a combo of brown and raw. Plus no treacle, just used golden syrup. I know Ray would have approved.


I have just served the pudding up to the boys for dinner with a large dollop of my homemade strawberry jam, still warm. As you can see I am no food stylist but thought I would add a little pic of my efforts. Yum. Not burnt either. So, my rant about homemade jam.


5 reasons why homemade jam is the best

• 9 jars of jam for under $15 (retail $3-$5 a jar)
• recycled jars (most on a 3rd or 4th use)
• local produce (good for the local economy and I know where it came from)
• NO preservatives, additives and unpronounceable ingredients
• fantastic taste

This is of course, of no great surprise to any of us who make jam all the time or to our mothers and grandmothers who always made preserves from seasonal produce. I have been making preserves for years since I left home but now I am even more committed to it as a small, one household at a time attempt to preserve (excuse the pun), the art of good honest healthy real food cookery. Quince jelly this week.

Taking steps

Last night we hosted a dinner for our friends to help distract them from the state of their house and the fact that they are homeless.  They looked very tired and markedly thinner.  The worry and not knowing what their future holds is really impacting on them.  It was very nice to be able to do something vaguely useful for them, although you may think partying is inappropriate.  We all know that the warmth of others is what gets us through these kinds of things.  Also, some of us are very keen to start moving forward.  Acknowledging and grieving is important but the need to look forward and imagine the future is also a really important part of getting on.   I know that it will be a lot easier for those of us who have little damage and we all come to his at different times.  There are people in Christchurch, especially in some suburbs who are very bored and over it.  They obviously don't see what we see over here on the east. 

Anyway, I want to share with you the most delicious and simple recipe that is going to become a very standard production out of my kitchen.  Anyone who has had to sit and listen or read my blog will know that I LOVE Ray McVinnie and this another ode to him.  It is so simple, but don't laugh, you will love it.  Follow this link.  I am wondering about quince jelly as a possibility.mmmm.