AT LAST . . . . . .

I have found all the things that have to be done, also something that supposes to be doing.  At last, it is all good.

Using up all fruits and vegetables from our garden.
The Pumpkin Chunky Soup, Hot Roast and a Slow Braised are a few dishes to enjoy during the cold weather, they are indeed winter warmers.  Lots of baking you could do, and today I am baking the whole pumpkin of our harvest.  Three pumpkins we have this year,  two are in the storage, I think they are enough to feed us through the cold season.
Could we live on a pumpkin for a week?

The Baking of The whole Pumpkin

First, wash the pumpkin and dry it properly, slash to make wholes.
Rub the whole pumpkin with oil, wrap in baking paper
(I do it twice, to secure that the pumpkin juice won't be running everywhere)
Place on a baking tray, and bake in a hot oven at 200 degrees C for 45 minutes
Reduce to 155 degrees C, and continue cooking for 55 minutes
Lets the pumpkin rests inside the oven during the cooling
Cut it lengthwise, and scoop the seeds, discard
Here, you could do further cooking as you like
For soup, filling for pasta, to add to make scone and cakes etc. -

Our first dish was Ham and Pea in waster pastry served with Baked Pumpkin, dressed in Parmesan Cheese and Spinach.

Hot Baked Pumpkin dressed in Parmesan Cheese
and Fresh Spinach

Ham and Pea Pie Served with Baked Pumpkin,
Mushroom and Spinach Salad 

Pumpkin soup is on our menu, using the other half of the roasted pumpkin.  This soup is using pork stock.  Add additional chopped vegetables for extra flavour as the pumpkin was a little too young and flavourless.

APPLES Espalier Fuji Apple.
This potted plant started with lots of apples, an auspicious tree that made us so excited.  After looking after it with care, the apples grew larger by day, the fruits are covered to protect from the bird and nasty wind.  However, months later, only a few apples survive, most of them were dropped off the tree for whatever reason.   Indeed the fruits have a splash reddish colour on them, and they are ready to be harvested.  Here it is, the snapshots.

The Potted Espalier Fuji Apple.
There are some fruits, but I don't think they are good enough.  It is better than nothing.  The disappointed purchased of a plant, it cost so much, it's tough to care for, and the result is not satisfactory.

I do not know what my children think, Lance my son in low, may know how to care for fruit trees as he comes from a country town and he was brought up on the farm.  I must talk about this when I see him. One dozen of apples, they are apples good for eating and my favourite too.  We shall enjoy them, that's for sure.
More apples dropped, I collected them, keep them away to sweeten up.  After waiting so long, now, at last, we have harvested.

CITRUSES.
At last, the lemons are turning yellow now, and I could pick them soon.  There are not many though, but better than last year, we did not have any.  The limes are pretty good, we shall have enough.

The yellow lemons are glowing to light up the dull winter.  At the moment the backyard looks very shabby, untidy.  Indeed it is so true, as the saying goes, the garden is the picture of the owner.  Fixing our health is the priority right now.


FRUITS FROM THE MARKET Purchased Old Fashion Fruit.
So excited I was to take these fruits home from the market.  It has been awhile sitting on the fruit bowl, and now it is the time to do something good for theses quinces.  As the red pear is suitable for eating, and I don't think it is old fashion fruit at all, but it is a rare pear, aren't they gorgeous sitting on the earthy bowl.  We have been eating them fresh.

Old fashion fruit-Quince

Red Pears

The plan for the quince was to braise in sugar until it's soft and the colour would be changed to a ruby red.  I will show you the picture of my previous years of cooking the quinces.

Cooking from Fresh Quinces to Red Ruby Colour

The First Stage of Cooking the Quinces

Second Stage of Cooking - Orange colour

Third Stage of Cooking - Reddish Colour

Fourth Stage of Cooking- Rich Ruby Colour

Very Rich Red Ruby ColourAdd caption

I will make the best of these old fashion fruits, the winter will be full of treats, poached quince to add to cakes, maybe quince paste I should make to serve with cheeses. 

ANNUAL FLOWERS, FROM MY ORCHID COLLECTIONS.

Cymbidium Orchid
I clean a pink potted cymbidium orchid today.  So cold outside, now it sits inside the house, it looks good with healthy buds.  Not too long, we shall enjoy the bloom.  At last, we have two potted orchids in the house for this year.  We are happy enough.

The Pink Cymbidium Orchid

The red Cymbidium has been staying inside the house for quite some time.  And the three stems full of buds started opening up, the colour though is a disappointment, it is a very dull red instead of deep and dramatic red.

The Red Cymbidium Orchid

Kibano Etna Cymbidium

The Dull Red Colour

Red Cymbidium Orchid-Kibano Edna

A few years ago I got this red Cymbidium from the orchids show, the plant was so healthy, and the flowers were beautiful and compact, and the colour was beautiful deep red.  One year later, the flowers come back, I was so excited to see the spike appeared and hoping to see the flowers with a gorgeous red colour.  But NO, It was NOT.  I could not believe that the plant was the same plant from the orchid show.  And here it is the original plant and the flowers the day I got it.

Red cymbidium - Kibano Etna.

The Comparison

Anzac Biscuits

Believe you that, wanting to bake this biscuit for a long time, I guess baking cookies is seldom in my kitchen, cakes are preferable.  Anyway, I had the whole day today, on my own, and this is what I did.  I am sure when Rayner got home, he will be happy to have one to go with his afternoon coffee.

The Baking.

Indeed, I had the recipe to follow, but of course, by mistake, I added far too much golden syrup, an adjustment had to be made.  The biscuit turned out OK.

The Anzac biscuit has a crispy and chewy texture.  I hope that's Anzac biscuit is all about.

My dream come true, At Last.  We could have the Anzac biscuits freshly baked in our kitchen.

Weekend Warmer

Poaching and braising the old fashion fruits the quinces took place this weekend. Indeed, at last, I made the time to cook the fruits that are already far too long to sit on the fruit bowl.  It is wintertime, cooking in the oven is ideal for keeping the room warm,  but I decided to cook over the stove. However, the soup cooking will be our food for the winter warmer.

 Steps and the Stages of Cooking The Quinces.

Halved of Quinces, add sugar, star anise, cinnamon bark
One lime halved and some lime juice

Add in some water to cover the Quinces and
simmer for 45 minutes

Tuning to the other side of the fruits, you could see
the look, beautiful bright orange colour

After 45 minutes braising, with a gentle simmer
 and the lid on

After 1 hour and 45 braising.

After 1hour and 45 minutes braising.

The Final Stages, Braise - lid on, over very low heat for one hour or longer.

After three hours of braising, the colour becomes very
red, beautifully vibrant and radiant red.

The look of the braised quince sitting in
the syrup which is beautiful deep red.

The Gorgeous and Radiant Red Braised Quinces.  Cooking the Quice at is best.

It took A few weeks, At Last, all the job has been done, it is relieved.  Most of you can manage ordinary tasks with ease. However, it is not always the case because it could be hard for others. In my case, the children would be happy and pleased to know that mum is doing alright, as for me I am so proud to do so, and it is a good feeling not troubling the children and family. To keep up doing the right thing for the reminding of the days is the promise.

What I Need Right Now.  Do You???

Sharing Today's Inspiration Reading

Pamper Yourself

In times of hurry and stress, learn to take long, slow,

deep breaths.  Inhale God's calm and peace and exhale

stress and tension.  Deep breathing relaxed the muscles

and refreshes the spirit.

Now, we are waiting if the family is coming home in July then these gorgeous quinces can be enjoyed together.  It is good to have something to look forward to.

It has been productive weeks.

AT LAST, ...... love to read the word, and love to hear the sound of it.



Curiosity - The Brioches.



The last trip to Melbourne.
Bought a cherry brioche at the Laurent Bakery at Little Collins to Try.  I always wanted one, and now I know, it's good as it looks.
AT LAST. .!!

Until Next Post
Susy