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.