Thursday, April 10, 2008

Stephanie's suggestions for lemons, what are yours?

Much more than a last-minute dressing for fish or sliced into a gin and tonic, lemons make lip-smacking preserves and pickles.

I must have written about my lemon tree before. It has survived several brutal prunings because of leaf gall, it has had several limbs amputated, its trunk has been severely sunburned and now it has had to endure almost total neglect as I can't legally water it as it grows in the middle of the lawn. I fear it might finally have decided it is all too much.

Every morning I am picking up 10 to 20 lemons shed onto the lawn. It seems to be saying, "I cannot tolerate the weight of this fruit and I am so tired and thirsty".

It does get quite a few buckets of shower water but it seems it is not enough.

I have made lots of preserved lemons, I have given away pots and pots of lemon curd and now
I'm making big batches of Greg Malouf's fabulous lemon and date chutney in his book Arabesque , and the recipe below from food writer Tom Jaine, Spiced lemon pickle. And I am keeping most of my friends in lemons.

I have two treasured bergamot oranges. I had six fruit from the larger of the trees and the fragrance from the peel is absolutely lovely. It contributes the scent that makes good Earl Grey tea instantly recognisable. On the other hand, the very expensive espaliered meyer lemon I succumbed to from a fancy nursery has completely disappeared.

Posted by Monika Jansch at 5:01 PM | Comments 0

Coffee - The wonder bean, where is the best?

Coffee is a subject close to my heart. My appreciation for it coincided with beginning my chef's training. When every aspect of the dining experience is taken seriously, a high standard for coffee is of great importance.

With the long hours everyone works, it is craved and revered. I was fortunate to receive guidance in the art of making a good coffee by several obsessive waiters.

My favourite way to start a late shift at Rockpool was with a short black and a fresh date. During my time at Langton's restaurant in Melbourne it was hard to resist the offer of a fifth or sixth flat white when staring down the barrel of an 80-hour week but I don't recommend this habit.

There's a theory that if coffee was discovered today it would be deemed an illegal substance due to its stimulating properties. True or not, I am thankful coffee has been consumed since about the 10th century and there seems little threat of it being outlawed.

Jane Strode

Posted by Monika Jansch at 3:12 PM | Comments 1