Winter - gardening, food, travel

I hope you are all enjoying winter. Seasonality obviously varies in New Zealand and after my recent week with family and little grandchildren in Auckland, where I found it did rain indiscriminately during my 5 days. But then the sun – with warmth made forest walks with Asher possible, a beach walk with Holly and Emme and time to pot up the last of the Spring bulbs for the children to enjoy.

Back in the South Island Winter was in its stride. Dunedin has been wet and cold and not much better in Tarras which has had snow and rain, but many beautiful hoar frost mornings which turn into sunny – albeit chilly days. 

The dreaded Covid Virus caught up with me on my return from Auckland and I must admit I was surprised to have had such a miserable time over the past 10 days. However, the worst is over and I have exchanged the pyjamas for real clothes and had a walk around the garden.  The Winter garden stars…. ‘Hellebores’ are nodding their heads in the sun. They are the orientalis genus and they happily self-seed in the garden and emerge in a plethora of pinkie hues from dusky pink to dark red. I have special “White Magic” in a pot and the clumps of the greener varieties are thickening in the perennial garden beds. They do have a reputation of wilting when they are cut so I love to float flower heads in a water and they will last for many days. ‘Don’t you love their little freckle faces’ . The blue primulas are a comforting colour in the drab winter garden. They are tentatively and slowly emerging along with a winter staple and an old stalwort from our Cliifs Rd garden. I adore ‘Alums’ whose decorative leaves look elegant and stunning in a vase cheerfully all by themselves. 

I have a few bulbs still to plant … Couldn’t resist the last on half price and hopefully they will still be OK when I get them planted in Tarras. (That is… if the ground isn’t frozen solid) 

In Tarras I have been cutting a taking dried Winter foliage for Jolene at Estelle Florist in Dunedin – She is so clever and has transformed armloads of brown winter stems into creative artworks .

Paper Garden: Estelle Flowers and Acorn Photography when you use these images

Cooking Wise …..

I have been intent on making food prep last and the idea of taking a chicken or slow cooked meat like Gravy Beef or Lamb Shanks and creating several healthy, tasty and economical meals really appeals.  

My Poached Chicken was a favourite although we also enjoyed a night of a good old roast chook with parsnips, yams and kumara.

Firstly, in a large soup pot cover a free range chicken with water. Simmer for 30-40 minutes with aromatics like – celery stick, onion, bay leaves, lemon slices a few peppercorns.  Poached chicken is just deliciously simple and I cooked small potatoes, and carrots in the same stock and served it with brussel sprouts from our garden and dollops of a great adaptable Walnut Sauce:

Walnut Sauce

30 grams butter, 1 red onion, chopped finely, 3 cloves garlic, crushed, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika , ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes, 3 slices of stale sour dough bread – crusts removed, chicken stock, 150 grams walnuts, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, squeeze lemon juice

Melt butter in a small pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, paprika and chilli flakes. Cook gently until very soft. Soak the bread in a little chicken stock until soft. Squeeze out excess. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts. Add the onion mixture and bread and pulse to make a smooth puree. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. With the motor running add more chicken stock to resemble mayonnaise consistency.

When you are cooking for two there will be chicken over. Second night the meat was removed from the bones it was shredded and made into my all-time favourite Chicken and Kumara Pie. (or chicken and leek or chicken and mushroom)The remainder of the bones had a reboil with the chicken stock while I prepared a whole pumpkin for the soup.

I am incredibly critical of pumpkin soup and have had so many that taste like insipid boiled pumpkin – far too thick, no good stock and no seasoning. Consequently, I always roast my pumpkin first and this time because the pumpkin was so hard and tough to cut up I chopped it into large pieces, spread it on a baking tray with 2 onions – quartered, 6 cloves of peeled garlic. Drizzled generously with olive oil, sprinkled with flaky sea salt and baked at 200 C until soft and caramelised on top. When its cooled down you can then scrape the pumpkin off the skin. Add everything to the chicken stock, along with a peeled potato (cut in quarters). Simmer everything for 30 minutes. Either use a Bar stick or food processor to puree soup until it is smooth and silky. Return to the pot and add more water or milk if it is too thick. Season with salt and pepper before serving. 

WHAT ABOUT A TOUR

I have been researching tours and trying to make sure I can make them work. 

I am well into confirming the Australian Victoria tour. My original aim was to enjoy the Autumn colours which are purely amazing. However, I also wanted to take in the Melbourne Garden Show. But, the dates for this in 2023 are in the middle of March. I have decided to omit the garden show and concentrate on Autumn which I think is one of the best seasons of the year and my first objective.

New Dates: 14 Days | 17th– 1st May | 2023

Starting in Melbourne – Yarra Valley, Daylesford, Dunkeld, Ballarat, Ending in Melbourne 

I am confirming hotels now. As usual my tours include a mixture of high quality food, wine, gardens, culture, history and special visits.  The itinerary is almost completed and price still needs confirmation .

I have spoken to Alison in Turkey.  For those of you who have travelled to Turkey in the past you will be delighted to hear Alison and Hasan recently married. A fairy tale story with the best very happy ending. We are working on a tour for September 2023. 

Because of family commitments I am having difficulty confirming a NZ tour for this year. However, I am still researching suitable dates and times. Booking hotels for groups in New Zealand and Australia is proving to be difficult.

I am hoping my contacts in Italy and France will come back to me soon regarding accommodation for a group for 10-12 days. 

The Plan

Stay in a large Villa complete with a swimming pool .

Live and learn about a region. 

Day trips, excursions and visits.

Have a chef to provide regional food and wine. Enjoy evenings together.

Use smaller mini vans to make travel easier. Maybe even train – especially into larger cities.

Watch This Space.

Back to the Demonstration Kitchen

I am looking forward to and agreed to teach at the Bannockburn Art School week in October www.bannockburnarts.co.nz 

It will be a Travel Diary trip concentrating on my favourite places and food.

Take Care Everyone. The rain is constant in Tarras at the moment. The Clutha river is brown and flooded and the weather forecast predicts this is not going to stop for the remainder of the week.

But hey guess what …. I have snowdrops poking through

XXX Judith