Passionfruit

Another seasonal treat: Passionfruit.  A kind soul brought a bag of this wrinkly, sweet-centered fruit into the tearoom last Friday, and I could help hunting and gathering some for Monday Muffins.

Oyster Mushrooms

Sweetpoint Capsicum

Local produce is best!

Beautiful local produce from the Farmer's Market: fresh oyster mushrooms from Raglan, Marokopa Spring raw honey by Sweetree, sweetpoint capsicum and garlic bulb, and Volare fruit & nut sourdough. x

Feijoas Galore

Autumn is the season for Feijoas.  Feijoas are popping up everywhere at the moment!  The yield of a single tree is generous, and surplus fruit is shared with neighbours, friends and colleagues.  Often found bagged up and waiting in cardboard boxes beside the road to be scooped up, available for $2-$3 a bag, from market stalls around the region: New Zealanders simply can't get enough of this little, green gem.

New Zealand Autumn smells like Feijoas.

What to do with all this goodness?  In it's purest form, cut a fragrant fruit in half and scoop it out with a spoon for a quick and healthy snack.  Or, maybe make muffins, like I did!

Feijoa Muffins (makes 12)

2 cups plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (my mix: ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves)

1 egg

1/3 cup oil (grapeseed)

1 cup milk (ricemilk)

1 cup chopped fresh feijoas

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Topping:

while hot: Raw Sugar & Cinnamon

OR

once cool: a dusting of icing sugar

Preheat oven to 200C.  Lay-out your cupcake cases into the muffin pan.  Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, mixed spice) into a bowl.  Add walnuts (if using), egg, oil and milk.  Scoop out feijoa pulp into a generous cup.  Fold through other ingredients, and combine until mixture is moist.  Spoon into muffin pan.  Finish by placing a walnut piece on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-15mins.  The muffins are ready if bamboo skewer comes out clean.  

Mix Cinnamon and Sugar topping and sprinkle over hot muffins, or dust with icing sugar once muffins have cooled.

ENJOY! x

Balloons & French Toast

Had a wonderful weekend OooHhhing & AaaHhhing at beautiful balloons for much of it!  Early mornings, loads of layers of cosy clothes, hot chocolates, friends, walking inside a balloon, waving at balloon flying off, smiling all giddily, sweet treats, watching the nightglow in the best seats ever, spectacular fireworks... and to finish it off today, French Toast and a looonnnggg nap!  

My favourite weekend breakfast du jour: French Toast!  So simple, yet so satisfyingly tasty for a Sunday.  

French Toast

Sliced Bread (Toast is good - I had three)

Eggs (1-2 per person)

Milk (I used rice-milk)

Grapeseed oil

Mix eggs & milk in a shallow bowl (I tend to do this by feeling rather than measurement, and if you run out, it's easy enough to make some more).

Soak slice of bread in the mixture on both sides.  Fry each sides in hot pan with a bit of grapeseed oil - golden brown like a pancake.  Stack on a plate and top with below.

I ran out of Maple Syrup a while ago, but discovered an easy way to create a sweet syrup substitute:  

Sugar Syrup

Water

Raw Sugar

Vanilla Essence

All three go in a saucepan to boil and bubble away until the syrup thickens to the right consistency.  Again done by feeling - if you have too much water, you just have to let it evaporate until the syrup is to your liking.

Toppings

Banana (Sliced)

Blueberries (fozen is fine - the hot syrup will thaw them quickly)

Sugar Syrup

Any refreshing berry or fruit will suit.  Next time I'm thinking of adding slivered, toasted almonds for a bit of crunch on top, as well.  Bon App!

Filling up the pantry

'Tis the season to fill up the pantry with goodies from the garden, or in this case, Jo's garden (& kitchen)!

Wood for Winter

Stacking wood for winter - love the smell of fresh cut wood, and the systematic task of stacking, which lends itself well to day-dreaming - very pleased with the end result! x