A month ago family needs sent me rushing back to London. As a result I had to postpone the March 29 Capturing Cultures class. My thanks to those of you that had booked and paid for this class for your understanding and flexibility. New dates are online now, see the May-September tab and let me know which dates suit you best.
In London I was met by blue skies, crisp air and warm loving arms. Twenty eight years in Australia, with most trips back over Christmas, caused me to forget the thrill of Springtime in the Uk. I was surprised and delighted by the effect a little sunshine has on the British public, while I layered up with cashmere, scarves, a borrowed coat and boots, London folk stripped off and got about in summer frocks and sandles and the news was of trips to the beach to enjoy the heatwave of 20˚C! I squeezed in a few fine foody experiences, the quality of food in England has changed, so much for the better. Good food, real food is on offer all over the country. Artisan producers abound and I was thrilled by some fantastic produce. I went to this fantastic winebar under the railway arches in Maltby Street, Bermondsey in London’s east end, this is a neighbourhood to visit and watch for fab food and excellent ales.
I also visited The Welbeck School Of Artisan Food on The Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire this is an extraordinarily well set up cooking school where traditional baking, cheese making and butchery are taught. I went to suggest that they might like to have me visit next year, as a guest, to teach the art of lacto fermented foods and drinks. There are also small producers on the estate making Stichelton cheese, this is similar to Stilton which comes from this area of England but Stilton is no longer produced from raw milk, Stichelton is and I can tell you it is damn fine cheese. The Welbeck brewery produces a small range of excellent ales too which are sold locally.
Now I am returned to the delights of Pittwater in Autumn, my favourite season here, where skies are brilliant blue, the water is crystaline and it seems to me now, as I gaze at the beach and many eucalypts, that everything has been outlined with a 4B pencil.
Growing Healthy Children Seminar was opened by a potent totem to remind us all how exciting life can be!
The Growing Healthy Children Seminar was declared a huge success. Over a hundred participants came to hear Dr Rosalba Courtney, Jude Blereau and me speak at Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School. It proved to be an excellent venue, albeit that the wildlife moved in on the action as we were about to get started. A beautiful green tree snake wound its way into a camera bag at the front of the room and after I asked everyone to move away, it was resptfully returned to the bush.
During the afternoon Dr Rosalba Courtney from Breath and Body Osteopathic and Natural Health Clinic discussed the fundamentals of growing a healthy child, including the difference it makes for children to have a secure parental bond, attention paid to correct breathing patterns, the immense and theraputic effect of time spent in nature and much more. Jude Blereau from Wholefood Cooking covered what, how and when to feed children, with food that will heal nourish and delight them and I expounded on the virtues of lacto fermented foods, what they are, how to include them and ‘hide’ them, some of the variations on the theme available to us and of course, I encouraged everyone to come to one of my in depth classes, to learn how to easily and safely make their own range of fermented foods. Check out latest programme on the Classes May to September page.
For those who prefer to purchase these therapeutic vitals, we had Dominic Angelucci there, to sell his just launched ‘Life In a Jar’ Organic cultured vegetables. These were offered as part of our afternoon tea and soon sold out after that. Keep an eye out for them, Feather and Bone are a stockist.
Honest to Goodness provided us with fabulous helpers and offered some of their most relevant dry goods for sale. Our heartfelt thanks To Karen and Matt for their ongoing efforts in supplying Sydney with clean wholesome foods and to Lilli, Lauren and Emma for their work on the day.
A Request and an offer
If you have not yet liked my facebook page please would you? I am out to spread news of great whole food, whole food ingredients and of course my latest wholefood cooking class program
For new FB Likes this month, I will email you a delicious recipe. Just email me your preference for pumpkin, walnuts or chestnuts, or that you like them all? I will send you back the recipe that reflects your choice.
These ingredients grow together and certainly go together deliciously. Pumpkins below, fit for several feasts, well grown by my friends Antonio and Camilla who run Olive Green Organics. Chestnuts and walnuts collected by me at the beautiful Kookatonga Nut Farm in Mt Irvine in the Blue Mountains.
Put a trip there in your diary for next March.
