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The Challenges of Aussie Cookery in Canada. 

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Today Sean and Jenn are hosting a pot luck supper for their family and friends to “meet the Aussie”.  I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone. 

My contribution will be two classic Australian desserts: I’m making a pavlova and a chocolate ripple cake. 

Yesterday we went shopping for ingredients. 

Challenge #1: There are no chocolate ripple biscuits in Canadian stores.
Solution: I have substituted chocolate chip brownie cookies instead. They are a bit softer, but given the premise that the nature of the dessert is that tje biscuits soften in the cream, that should not be an issue.

Challenge #2: There are no Peppermint Crisp bars in Canadian stores. I always top my choc ripple cakes with a smashed up Peppermint Crisp.
Solution: Grated Aero Peppermint bar. It’s chocolate and mint. It works. All good.

  

Challenge #3: My pavlova recipe calls for cornstarch. I am corn sensitive, in a nasty coeliac/volcanic/cramping/wanting to die kind of way. At home, we use a wheaten cornstarch whicj solves that problem. BUT
Challenge #4: We have a gluten intolerant person also coming today.  Same coeliac/volcanic issues. 
Solution:  I found potato starch in the store, which has the same fine, silky texture as corn starch.
I was very relieved when beating the meringue mixture that it looked exactly like my pavlova meringue batter usually does with the wheaten or corn starch. The meringue stiffened up beautifully. So far, so good.

Once in the oven, it did exactly what it was meant to. It rose, it spread and it got all nice and crisp. 

  

How good does that look? It’s just about cooked. Almost there… 

  

Alright! It looks perfect. 

Challenge #4: You have no idea how hard it was to find passionfruit here. Seriously.
When I did find some, the checkout chick didnt know what they were and had to call for a code.
Somewhat incredulous, I smiled and waited patiently. At least the folks who are here today will get to try something iconically Australian, the way it’s meant to be.

Wins all round. Yay!

Birthday blessings.

/ wordynerdbird / 1 Comment

It’s my birthday today. I am happy to put it on the record that I have had a fabulous day.

Many people who share my life in one way or another have sent me birthday wishes via Facebook, Twitter and Skype.
Even more than their birthday wishes, I am very thankful for the friendship and the love and encouragement each of them give me every other day of the year. Each of them is a blessing to me and i am very thankful for them.

I have also been able to spend time talking with my special Canadians. That time I spend with them is precious to me every day. Today is no different in that regard, but it was very special that they wished me love and happiness when they are so involved in giving me both.

My birthday started with bacon, eggs and hollandaise on toast, cooked by the resident Masterchef, Fred. It was sensational. 

I was blessed with a number of gifts that were not only very beautiful but incredibly meaningful to me. I am so thankful for the love and thoughtfulness that went into the selection and giving of each of them.

I have three bouquets of beautiful flowers – roses on the dining table, and two mixed bouquets on my desk. They are all so sweet and lovely, yet not so highly fragrant that they will give me a headache.

I had an afternoon sleep. Not just a quick nap to keep me going. Two hours of completely zonked-out sleep, and no feelings of guilt when I woke up because all my school work was finished on Friday afternoon.

My house smelled SO freakin’ good leading up to dinner.
In our house, you get to request whatever you want for dinner. I asked for Indian food. Fred and Lynne-Maree cooked butter chicken, garlic naan, and onion bajhi. I can’t describe how good it tasted. Divine, in fact.

For dessert, there was lemon meringue pie from my favourite bakery.  I was so excited about this. It is by far the best LMP to ever exist,  It should come with a warning, though – it will spoil you for every other LMP that you will have the privilege to enjoy.
The velvety, tangy-sweet pie melted in my mouth, its rich lemony-goodness delivering the most delightful foodgasmic pleasure.

Tonight it’s time to relax: chatting with friends, spending time with my man, enjoying one of my few favourite TV shows.

It’s wonderful to be loved, spoilt with gifts and special treats. It’s so good be able to enjoy the rest and relaxation I’ve earned in the crazy-busy rush to meet all my work deadlines of the past few weeks.

It has definitely been a special day for Princess Me.