Sophia Lindop - A Unique Food Experience

Mageiricophobia

Yes, it's a big word!  No, I had never heard it before until a few days ago!  Meaning?  The fear of cooking.  I seriously hope that nobody reading this suffers from mageiricophobia!  (How do you pronounce it, anyway?)  Arachnophobia, yes!  But not that!

Say it like it is!

This is a very familiar sight to all who live in Cape Town - our famous tablecloth!  This sight is caused by a strong South Easterly wind, which is our prevailing wind in summer, and which is notorious for blowing like mad.  However, not often do you see the opposite - the cloth draping over the Easterly slopes of the mountain, which is caused by a strong berg (i.e. a warm and usually North Westerly) wind.

Driving home late this morning, I experienced this phenomenon, and as I pulled off the road to absorb the back-to-front beauty, I was left wondering about things that aren't the way they are expected to be...  Like some recipes in magazines and recipe books.

Sticks 'n stones...

I was looking for a recipe for bread sticks the other day - I wanted to bake some for the function last Friday.  And although I found many, this one tickled my fancy, so I gave it a go.  It was easy, and what I liked best was the fact that they had character - they twirled and turned and looked funky!

They are very delicate and make a great accompaniment to a welcome glass of wine! 

I made it!

I made it through a mountain of dishes after cooking since Wednesday last week for the big function on Friday evening!  It felt as if everything I owned was dirty.  I tackled it systematically, and finally, at 19h30, finished the last bit!  It's true - one truly can move mountains if you want to.

Food, food and more food!

If you're wondering where I've been, wonder no more.  I have been busy preparing for a big function that I catered for last night.  All went well.  I feel exhausted, though.  I rested most of today, in spite of the mountain of dirty dishes lying in waiting downstairs.

It's amazing what a kick I get out of preparing food for others.  I guess it's like a friend of mine always says, "This is how I tell my family that I love them - with a great plate of food."  It means something.  It influences someone's day.  It makes people smile.  It fills a gap.

I worked out a whole new menu for this function, and we enjoyed the entire process!

"What's for dinner?"

We spent the day preparing for a big function on Friday evening, and as Paddy arrived home, I realized that I hadn't given much thought to dinner yet.  But, when the going gets tough, my mind gets going, and I came up with the yummiest dinner in a long time.  I think Paddy is still downstairs trying to get the last morsel from the pan.

Funny what wonderful creations one comes up with when the right side of one's brain is activated!  I opened the fridge, and this is what I found...

Who's watching?

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."  Moving  further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.  A  child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

Last night I had to whip a dinner together in record time.  I am trying to feed this household much earlier than we have become accustomed to, as I think it's much healthier that way.  I had a busy day, and as soon as I heard the garage door open, I new that Paddy was home, and that I had close to run out of time...

Bullfights and baguettes...

Hola, amigos.  Bonjour, amis.  The battle is on... 

Spain, France and England have staked their claim.   Is it 'crème brûlée', 'crema catalana', or burnt cream?  The latter leaves me cold!  How can one give something so sensuous such an unromantic name?!  The Spanish have taken credit for this invention since the eighteenth century, while the English claim it originated in Britain in the seventeenth century, and it apparently wasn't until the end of the nineteenth century that the French put this luscious dessert on the world map.  Its wide recognition today seems to have given the French credit for inventing crème brûlée.  The main difference between the two is that crema catalana is not baked in bain-marie as crème brûlée is. Another chief difference is that crème brûlée is made with heavy cream, while crema catalana is made with milk.

I have decided to launch a competition, leaving Britain out of the running as punishment for their unimaginative naming process, and may the best amigo win.  Give them both a try, and be sure to report back with your results.

0 to 40 in 14900-and-something days

You guessed!  It is the year for forties!  This evening I worked out that, if this is your 40th year on  earth,  it took you 14900-and-something days to get here!  That's me.  And Pick 'n Pay.  And the lady who celebrated her 40th birthday here last night! 

It was wonderful!  The birthday girl didn't have a clue, and her friends truly spoilt her.  And I was thinking what a privilege it is to get to prepare a meal for such occasions!  And to interact with the people at the same time.  I mean, when you sit in a restaurant, you cannot just walk into the kitchen and see what the chef is doing, or get the chef to come out and see how you are doing.  And yet, I get to do just that!  I had spectators in the kitchen getting passionate about what was about to come out of the oven, sharing their cooking experiences, and sharing tales about their lives...  It made my Saturday evening rich, and full, and memorable!

And while I still have quite a few days to go before I celebrate this occasion myself in December, it made me think about those 14900 and a bit days, how I have filled them, and how I would like to capitalise on the rest of my days...

Aah, life!  Sweet life! 

"Chicken or Beef?"

While waiting in the queue at Pick 'n Pay this morning, I realized that the two of us (i.e. Pick 'n Pay and I) turn 40 this year!  Yip, it's true.  Fancy that.  I wonder what Raymond Ackerman's dreams for his 'baby' were at conception, and what my Mother's were for me...?  Did we live up to expectations? 

I believe we did!  Well done, Pick 'n Pay!  I think we deserve to pat one another on the back!  You are doing well, and so am I!

Yes, I was shopping again.  Yesterday I took lunch to an office in town - they were busy with training and wanted something light, yet filling.  So, I prepared everything, packed my baskets like Little Red Riding Hood, and assembled the most awesome salads right there in their little kitchenette.  There was a choice of fillet or chicken (yes, like on the airlines, "Beef or chicken?") each in their own individual bowl with a crisp fresh roll and good wholesome butter.  The salad had asparagus, roasted nuts, and other yummy bits, and they had enough to sustain them through the afternoon session without falling asleep. 

Then this evening I am hosting a surprise 40th birthday party.  The 15 friends have planned this for their very pregnant (no jokes - 2 weeks to go...) friend, and I have the pleasure of preparing a wonderful celebratory meal!  What a life I lead!