Meet Justin - My 'Right Hand Man" !

This is Justin as he is - always happy and joyous with a great sunny smile !

I’d like you to meet Justin, my ‘right hand man’ - as I mentioned previously I was waiting to ask his permission to feature him on my blog, and I wanted to also take a recent photograph of him to share with you all.

Justin first came to work for us in 2001. He started with us as a casual gardener, when we were still working in the tourism industry and living in the town of Arusha. He was then promoted to part-time “Askari” (Night watchman). He then moved with us to a remote farm in the Hanang area of the country where he soon became our assistant Houseman and eventually the main Houseman. He then moved with us from Hanang to West Kilimanjaro in 2005.

Justin started work with us as a 24 year old man. That was over 7 years ago and just this month he will be turning 31.

Justin’s father died when he was a young boy, and he was raised by his mother. As there were 4 children in the family, she could not afford to educate them all, so Justin was forced to leave school before he was able to complete his education. He worked at home on their small subsistence farm, growing and selling bananas, before he came to work for us.

I know that Justin doesn’t want to be a Houseman forever, most Tanzanian’s I know want to better themselves and go further in life – it is part of what creates the spirit of this country. So I try to broaden his horizons as much as possible. When we can, we take him traveling with us. To larger cities which he has never heard about before, or to the Tanzanian coast last year where as part of the deal, he worked in the house we stayed in, and got to go out deep sea fishing with my husband which was a huge life experience for someone who had never seen the sea before. I send him on courses when they are offered … for example he completed a basic First Aid course and as he is off on his annual leave this month, we are paying for him to go to a Driving School and learn how to drive (one of his lifelong dreams).

We help him with medical and school fees for his immediate family, and also employ his sister.

As a houseman Justin is responsible for cleaning, washing & ironing in the house and feeding all the animals (he is wonderful with dogs and cats) – and generally making sure that everything in the house is ship shape.

We have had some trying times with him, including bailing him out of prison, taking him to hospital in the middle of the night when he had part of his ear bitten off in a mugging, and numerous girlfriend troubles (he is not married, but has a 4 year old son whom he supports). But on the whole, the times have been good and he is a wonderful person with a good heart and soul. He is very respectful and never over steps the mark, never misses a day’s work and has a great sense of humour. I couldn’t ask for a better person to have worked alongside me all these years, and I hope that he will be with me for many years to come.

I do not believe in the old fashioned ‘Colonial’ treatment of and attitude towards staff which still – sadly - prevails in certain parts of this country today. People who have no respect for their staff and who mistreat and swear at them disgust me. I believe that one’s staff should be treated with dignity and respect and that as the African spirit of Ubuntu teaches “A person is a person through other human beings”.

Zero Tillage Farming Methods

A Zero Tillage Planter in action on the farm


A field of wheat just planted using the Zero Tillage method

I’m proud of the fact that my husband was amongst the first farmer’s in Tanzania, and the very first farmer in the West Kilimanjaro area, to practice Zero Till or Zero Tillage farming which is a form of Conservation Farming.

We are busy with our planting season at the moment, and are using Zero Tillage planting methods for our current crops of wheat, beans and safflower. It is a ground breaking farming method here in Tanzania, so I thought it would be interesting to write a little about it.

My husband first tried Minimum Tillage farming in 2006 and quickly switched over to Zero Tillage farming as he found it to be the most effective of the two methods for him personally. He has found it to increase his yields and decrease his operating costs, when compared to “conventional” planting which involves cultivation of the soil beforehand.

Zero Tillage basically means planting your crop without any form of cultivation whatsoever –you plant directly in to the earth / untouched residue plant matter (organic matter) left over from the previous season. This in turn conserves soil moisture and also allows the natural organisms in the soil to function and the soil eventually returns to a more “natural” state, which also sees a reduction in things like soil compaction.

It can be likened – in it’s simplest form - to mulching your garden flowerbeds, but only on a much bigger scale !

The planter frames are built in Tanzania, and the planter tines are imported from Australia. They come across by ship to Mombasa, Kenya and are then transported by road to Arusha, Tanzania where the Zero Till Planters are assembled, and then brought out to our farm in the foothills of Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro Salad

It makes a great side salad & the addition of the biltong makes it filling enough as a light lunch, served with some crusty bread

This is a salad which I make quite often. I usually have all the ingredients on hand so it is easy to throw together in a hurry. (The biltong is my ‘lure’ to get my fussy husband to eat it - and it usually works !)

Biltong is basically strips of dried, seasoned meat. It is usually made from beef or game meat and it is eaten quite a lot here in Africa, especially in the South of the continent. We grew up almost teething on the stuff in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and it is very popular in South Africa, too. It keeps for ages, “travels” well and hence it is great for long car trips or school lunchboxes. It is mostly eaten on it’s own as a snack, but can be used in recipes as I have done here.

It’s delicious to eat and I guarantee that you won’t be able to stop after just one piece !


Kilimanjaro Salad

1 head of Lettuce, torn into smaller pieces
2 large Tomatoes, sliced
1 small Carrot, “peeled” into slivers (use a potato peeler for this)
½ Cucumber, sliced
2 sticks Celery, finely sliced
1 bunch Spring Onions, tails sliced & tops snipped
Handful of Biltong (dried meat)

Toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl, except for the celery, spring onions and biltong, which can all be scattered over the top before serving.

Serve with a dressing if you like.

Chocolate & Raspberry Muffins

The raspberries soften & sweeten once baked inside the muffin so I find that no toppings are needed & they can be enjoyed "as is"

It’s a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon here which calls for one thing – a bit of baking !

My daughter loves making and eating muffins, so when I suggested that we “do some baking”, muffins were top of her list !

This is a recipe which I make on a regular basis. You can also omit the cocoa powder (make up the balance with some extra flour instead) for plain muffins. As a variation I have also added banana or flax seeds to the plain muffin mix before.

But my best “combination” is chocolate and raspberry. There’s just something about chocolate paired with fruit like oranges, raspberries or strawberries that ‘does it’ for me. (I draw the line at chocolate and chilli though. Absolutely not, thanks !)

I’m going to include this as a “Diet Friendly” recipe because these muffins have on average 158 calories each (depending on ingredients/brands that you use) compared to many chocolate muffin recipes which clock in a calorie count of anything between 250 to 400 calories per humble muffin *gasp*


Chocolate & Raspberry Muffins

1 2/3 cups Flour
¾ cup brown Sugar
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
3 ½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Salt

1 Egg, beaten
1 cup fat free Milk (Soy milk also works well)
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
¼ cup Sunflower Oil

½ cup fresh Raspberries

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, & blend well. Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl, & blend well. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix only to moisten. The mixture will be lumpy but it is important not to over mix it.

I use a 12 cup muffin tin which I spray with non-stick cooking spray before placing a few raspberries in to the bottom of each muffin cup and then topping with a generous tablespoon of the muffin batter. I then take a teaspoon and gently “lift” and fold the raspberries through the batter in each cup, so that they don’t all sink to the bottom.

Bake at for 190’C/375’F/Gas Mark 5 for 20 – 30 minutes until done.

When the raspberries cook they go all gooey like jam, so I find that you don’t actually need to serve these muffins with anything – just eat them as is and enjoy !

Fresh Farm Eggs

Eggs fresh from the farm "Mama's" & served in a handcarved Tanzanian wooden Elephant egg cup

Buying eggs in town and transporting them back to the farm always results in breakages, no matter how careful I am ! So I was pleased to discover that many of the local “Mama’s” (women) who live on the borders of our farm, along with some of our farm labourer’s wives, are happy to sell me any excess eggs which they may have – as almost all of them have their own chickens.

I’d much rather support the local community, anyway - and I try only to buy from women because I know that they use the money wisely, to buy food for their children for example, whereas the men usually spend the money on useless things like tobacco and beer. The same goes for market produce, I only ever buy from women if I can, for the very same reason.

Anyway, back to the eggs. Sometimes sellers will come to our gate with the eggs, but I usually get Justin to put the word out a day or two before I need any, and he “rotates” by buying from different Mama’s each week, so that everyone gets a chance to sell some. Sometimes I’ll “order” 12 eggs for example, and only 10 will be provided. I’ll then joke and say “What is wrong with the chicken’s today ? Why haven’t they laid 12 eggs ?” and this will be met with laughter and I will then be offered “credit” to leave the balance of money for the 2 eggs with the seller, who will bring them to our gate the minute the chickens “produce”.

I always test them for freshness by floating them in a bowl of water. Bad eggs always float, and fresh ones always sink. If any float I always say to Justin “Go and ask that Mama if we can return this one for a refund” of course this is then passed on to the Mama who shakes her head and clucks in glee at the joke … “No, sorry ” she will say, “No refunds for bad eggs Mama Lynda - the chicken refuses to take that one back !”

The Tanzanian’s have a great sense of humour and I think that this is what carries them through a lot of hardships in their lives. If you take the time to joke with them a little, they really enjoy it and their laughter is so heartfelt and just like a tonic !

I always buy far more than I need if there is a glut of eggs around, then my stray village dogs get some added to their food at night, too. So, it’s a win-win situation all round. I should also mention that an egg sells for 200/= shillings which is around .16 c (U$). Really, nothing at all yet it makes a difference to the person receiving the money. A kilogram of tomatoes or potatoes costs around .80c (U$) and those are pretty staple foods in most homes here, so a Mama is only to happy to sell a few eggs so that she can buy some tomatoes.

So there you have it – probably the longest “egg” story you’ve ever read !

Bolognese Inspired Sauce For Pasta

I portion the sauce into labelled, reusable plastic containers which stack easily in my freezer

This is another of my monthly “Big Batch Freezer Meals” recipes.

I call this Bolognese sauce but in fact, it is not really a Bolognese sauce in the true sense of the word. I made the recipe up just from memory (I regularly watched my Dad making it when I was a child) and since then have altered it as I’ve gone along. So it is nothing like the “traditional” Italian Bolognese sauce …for one, it does not contain carrots or celery and it also has far too much tomato paste and tomato to be considered the “genuine” thing. Nevertheless, it is a tasty sauce for pasta (and especially enjoyed by carnivorous husbands who refuse to eat anything that doesn’t contain meat !)

I usually serve it with a sprinkle of grated cheese (one with a strong flavour as Parmesan is difficult to come by here) and a nice Greek salad and some garlic bread.

Bolognese-ish Sauce for Pasta:

Oil
5 large Onions, chopped
1 head of Garlic, finely sliced (about 8 cloves)
2 kg lean Beef Mince
3 x 70 gm tins Tomato Paste
3 x 240 gm tins whole peeled Tomatoes
3 tbsp dried Basil
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
Oil

Fry the onions and garlic in the oil until golden. Add the beef mince and mix well, to ensure that the mince does not cook in “clumps”. Once the mince has started to brown, add the tomato paste and tinned tomatoes. Then add the dried basil, salt, pepper and sugar. (I find that the addition of the sugar helps to take the edge off the tartness of the tomatoes in this dish.)

This recipe makes 8 – 10 good sized portions and once again, as this is a bulk recipe, ingredient quantities can be halved or quartered to suit your needs.

It's Raining Today In Africa ...

Viewed from our veranda - the rain pouring down over the garden & newly planted lawn

Africa is a Continent of contrasts. Feast or famine, drought or flood. There is rarely any middle ground when it comes to Africa – it is all, or nothing. Africa gives abundantly. She also takes away.

I have watched Africa on her knees as her arid, cracked plains cried out for rain and ancient trees withered around her, casting little shade on the animals below, who lay dying and gasping for water.

I have also watched Africa swell and rise as water has flooded her plains and filled her rivers and lakes to the point of bursting, and animals have grown sleek and flat, and up and down her lush green valley’s and mountains people have rejoiced and thrown their hands in the air with glee.

As a farmer’s wife, it is considered “bad luck” for me to complain about “too much” rain. As an African, I also know that rain is the life blood of this Continent, so I really should be grateful when it comes. Even when there is a little too much of it for my liking. Even when the roads are so muddy and slippery we are completely cut off from the outside world. Even when the stray village dogs I feed have to take cover in the flowerbeds as they wait for their supper. Even when I have just planted hundred’s of flower seeds (carefully carried home across Africa) and fear they will all be washed away and wasted.

But I won’t complain, because knowing Africa, next year there will be a drought.

I also won’t complain, because Africa is my home and I want for no other.

Africa’s life blood is water. My life blood is Africa.

So.

Let it rain on .................

Farm Style Meatballs

My favourite way to serve these is with a tomato and onion gravy, nestled on a bed of freshly cooked pasta

I have been doing “Once A Month Cooking” or “Big Batch Freezer Meals" for about a year or so now. I will elaborate on it in a future post but basically, I cook enough of one recipe to make 5 – 8 portions which I then label and put in the freezer. We usually have “freezer meals” a few times a week and I cook vegetables and starches (potatoes, pasta, rice etc) fresh every day.

This is one of my own standard monthly “Freezer Meal” recipes and it is so versatile as it can be served as a main course, light lunch or even as a snack with pre dinner drinks or cocktails (not that I host any cocktail parties on the farm !). I always make sure that I have a few portions in my freezer -:

Farm Style Meatballs

2 kg Minced Meat (Beef or Pork)
3 Onions, finely chopped
6 – 8 cloves Garlic, finely grated
2 x 70 gm tins Tomato Paste
2 tbsp Mustard (Hot English or Dijon)
2 tbsp Dried Herbs (Sage works well if using pork mince)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Oil

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together well. (I find that using my hands for this works best, although it is a bit messy !)

Shape in to small balls and lightly pan fry in the oil until golden.

Serve with tomato & onion gravy over pasta, or with a dark meat based gravy over mashed potato. These also make a great light lunch or cocktail snack.

Makes +- 75 meatballs but you could halve or even quarter the recipe if you like.

My Flower Seedling "Nursery"

We managed to plant 5 different flower varieties this afternoon

I’m not a gardener. I have very little experience with growing things other than vegetables and herbs. But as my interest in the garden grows, and as I went to a couple of really great “Garden Centres” when I was in South Africa recently, I have become quite inspired to try and grow some flowers, especially new ones which you cannot find in Tanzania easily – if at all.

So, I came back home armed with (amongst other things !) packets and packets of flower seeds and little marker sticks. I asked Nelson, one of our gardeners, to please fill about a 100 or so plastic planting bags with good, rich soil for me and this afternoon Nelson, Hemmed (our other gardener) and Justin helped me to plant the first “batch” of seeds (with a little help from my daughter and one of our dogs, Dibble – who you have yet to meet !).

The gardeners were quite amused at my scribblings on the coloured sticks. Seeing as they can’t read English (and some of them can’t read at all) I thought that the coloured markers would be easy for them to understand e.g. “Hemmed, the bags with the yellow sticks in them don’t need a lot of water, but the bags with the pink sticks do, okay ?” My instructions were met with amused nods all round and I bet they are going to get them all mixed up in no time, so I will have to keep a beady eye on things.

Anyway, today we planted 5 different types of seeds (with many more to follow over the next couple of days), which were -:

Hollyhock (“Chater’s Double Mixed” variety)
Bellis Perennis (Double Daisy)
Snapdragon (“Magic Carpet” variety)
Pansy (“Cape of Storms” variety)
Primula Malacoides (Mixed)

Our little ‘nursery’ is set up under the trees at the back of the garden, and I hope that all the seeds germinate and then we will be able to transplant the seedlings into flower beds in the main garden.

So watch this space, as I’ll be doing regular garden updates !

Pan-Fried Tanzanian Trout

I garnished the trout with lime wedges & served it with a simple salad

I have decided to feature local Tanzanian food products from time to time – not that we have that many, but the ones that we do have are really rather nice and it will give you an idea of what we produce in this country.

We are fortunate enough to have a trout farm between our farm and “town”. They supply the local butchery in town with fresh whole and filleted trout, and trout pate on a regular basis and as my husband was in town for the day yesterday (collecting farm chemicals) I placed a quick order to the butchery via email (Don’t you just love technology ? It even works here in the 3rd world !) and asked for some trout fillets - which they gladly provided.

I was reluctant to freeze them as they were so fresh, so decided instead to serve them for a light lunch today, with a nice fresh salad. (Usually for lunch we just have leftovers or sandwiches but seeing as my husband has been “flying solo” on the food front for the 3 weeks I was away, I thought he deserved a little treat !)

I don’t believe in adding too many seasonings and flavours to such a simple, fresh product. I believe that in this case less really is more, and I just wanted the fresh taste of the trout to come through.

I heated a saucepan and swirled some butter in that until it had melted. Then I added the fillets, flipping them once or twice until they were cooked through – it didn’t take long, not even 10 minutes. After removing them from the pan I added a squeeze of lime juice (courtesy of our lime tree in the garden) and a little salt – voila !

They were delicious, did not have an overpowering “fishy” taste, the flesh was succulent and they had relatively few bones. A winner - and I will make sure from now on that I always have some in my freezer for quick, light meals.

Please Cast Your Vote In My New Poll ...

I’ve added a poll to my blog and would really appreciate it if you could cast your ‘vote’ for me …. (You’ll find the poll to the right of this page, just under the “About Me” bit.) It’s anonymous and will only take a few seconds.

I want to customize the blog for the best possible reader experience, so in this poll am asking you what you’d like to see more of in my blog. I hope to run regular polls like this so that I can streamline the blog for the best “blog experience” ever !

I’ll run this poll until 30th April, and will then let you know which “answer” got the most votes.

Thanks for voting !

Gumboots

I do doubt, however, that small pink gumboots would be considered much of a "status symbol" !

“Iko shida kidogo, Mama” (“There is a small problem, Mama”) Justin said to me nervously as he was about to go off duty today (It is common practice, and considered respectful, to be addressed as “Mama” here). Hovering in the kitchen, he bit his lower lip and cast his eyes downwards. Something, he said, that has been bothering him and that he has wanted to share with me since my return.

“What is the problem, Justin ?” I asked, wondering what on earth it could be. He went on to explain to me in Kiswahili and a mixture of broken English that whilst I was away in “Afrika Kusini” (South Africa) “Bwana” (respectful term for my husband, equivalent to “Mama” for a woman) had purchased gumboots (Wellington boots) for all the farm staff and gardeners, except for him. “But Justin” I said to him “You work in the house and have no need for gumboots because when it rains you are inside, nice and warm and dry”. He said nothing, but cast his eyes sadly downwards.

Then the penny dropped. Of course, gumboots are a bit of a status symbol here on the farm, and as Justin is our “houseman” he has a higher status in the eyes of the local people than, say, the gardeners. Who all have gumboots. (And I’m sure that they’ve been proudly flaunting the fact to Justin, as there is always just a little unspoken rivalry between “house” staff and “garden” staff.)

“Ohhhh …. I see” I said. I then asked him how much a pair of gumboots cost … “Fifteen Thousand Shillings, Mama” he answered quickly (which is around U$12) “And there is a small shop in the local village which sells them”. So I gave him the money and told him to buy himself a pair on his day off this Sunday. “Ah ! Asante sana, Mama. Asante sana !” (“Thank you – thank you VERY much !") he said to me as his face cracked into a huge grin, and he lifted his head high again.

I suspect that now he can’t wait to come to work on Monday and walk through the gates in full view of the gardeners in his shiny, new gumboots.

(I also suspect that it’ll be a raincoat he needs next …..)

Josie

How anyone would want to hurt such a sweet little dog (any dog, for that matter) is beyond me !

I thought that it was about time I introduced you to another member of our family. This is Josie, and she is also a rescued stray who lives in our garden. (We suspect that she is one of Mbwenya’s puppies from a litter she had before she was spayed, as Justin tells me that one of the puppies from the litter she had in our garden was black and white.)

She used to come in to the garden and eat the leftovers from our other dog’s bowls at dinner time, so I started putting food out for her. She disappeared for a few days and I sent Justin into the village to look for her. He found her chained up with no food or water, and she also had a deep gash on her head where she had been cut with a panga (bush knife) - so we removed her and said that she was our dog, had been born in our garden (we’re sure that she was) and that no one was to tie her up again.

The person who had tied her up said fine, but you must pay me for her and I refused point blank (she is considered “prized” due to her colouring – which doesn’t make her any better cared for – ‘prized’ or not ). I said, how can I pay you for a dog that you don’t even look after ? I also said that if he had a problem with me taking the dog without paying him, then he should just open a case of theft against me at the police station. (He never did.) I certainly do not want to start paying for dogs as once word gets around, people will think that they can make money this way.

A little while after that, we discovered that Josie was pregnant. She had her puppies and we managed to find good homes for each and every one of them. She has now been spayed, and lives in our garden with Mbwenya, coming and going as she pleases.

If the word “sweet” was ever created to describe the nature of a dog, then it was created for Josie, because it sums up her nature and character perfectly – she is 100% “sweet” and wouldn’t harm a fly. She is still a little timid but has really come out of her shell over the years and follows me around whenever I am in the garden or around the farm. My days are brighter because of this sweet and loyal little black and white dog who trots behind me and gently nuzzles my hand every now and then to let me know that she’s still there …..

Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Cream of chicken soup would make a nice substitute for the cheese sauce

My Mum gave me this recipe which was passed on to her (and adapted) by my sister, who got it from a friend of hers when she still lived in South Africa. So I have no idea where the recipe actually originates from. All I know is that it is dead easy to make, yet tastes like you went to a lot of effort to make it ! (In fact, I’m thinking of making it the next time we have visitors to the farm).

Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Oil
+- 6 assorted Chicken pieces
1 large Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
½ to 1 head of Broccoli, broken in to florets & blanched
1 x 250 ml pkt of Cheese sauce (or homemade equivalent - you can use my recipe here)

In a pan, brown the chicken pieces in the oil & then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, & cook until golden. Now put the chicken pieces, onion and garlic into an oven proof dish and add the blanched broccoli florets and cheese sauce. Mix all together well and bake at 180’C/350’F/Gas Mark 4 uncovered for +- 30 minutes.

You could substitute the cheese sauce in this recipe for a tin of creamed soup. You could also top the mixture with grated cheese and brown under the grill before serving.

Serve with rice and a fresh garden salad (so that you won’t feel too guilty eating all that cheese !).

Connoisseur Cooking of the '60's

Just a few of the old supplements I've 'inherited' ....

“I was going to throw these out” said my Mum “But then I thought I’d better check if you wanted to keep them first”. I’m so glad that she did, because they are rare copies of “Connoisseur Cooking” published as a weekly supplement to “You Magazine” from 1969 through 1971 in Salisbury, Rhodesia. There are 19 issue’s in total (not the complete series) and I jumped at the chance to claim them as my own ! I have a collection of old family recipes and recipe books from my Mother’s side of the family, some dating as far back as 1929 so I am only too happy to add these supplements to my collection.

I adore “old fashioned” cooking, and recipes containing common ingredients used in simple yet clever ways. I also think that these supplements in particular, contain a little bit of “Rhodesian” food history which has long since vanished as time has gone by.

Here is a sample of some of the interesting snippets I’ve found in the supplements so far -:

“Cordon Bleu” cooking classes were offered in 1969 for “working women and housewives alike” and a 6 week course cost 3.30 Pounds.

Introductions to various ingredients included gems such as “Potato may appear an extremely mundane vegetable, but is really a boon to any housewife” and one feature titled “Victory with Vegetables”.

The supplements are peppered with advice such as “If you wish to impress, then a gateau is your answer. Guaranteed to evoke awe .. it will allow you to give vent to any decorative flair you may be harboring” and “cold meats have long been a favourite of the housewife”.

A feature called “Pickin’ a Chicken” claims “Once a luxury reserved for Christmas and special occasions – chicken nowadays features frequently on the average family menu”.

Recipes include such delights as “Inyanga Trout”, “Baked Ham American Way” , “Windfall Cake” , “3 Witches Froth”, “Economy Bread Rolls”, “Roast Haunch of Venison”, “Bacon Mealie Meal Waffles” and “Tuna Fish Chowder”.

Readers were encouraged to mail cooking related questions in, and a select few were published in the “Query Corner” of each issue. On ‘housewives’ minds at the time, were taxing questions such as “Can one buy shredded suet ?”, “How do I stuff and garnish a suckling pig ?” and “How much flour does one cake of yeast raise ?”

These supplements are little treasures and I hope in the future to be able to recreate some of the old recipes to photograph and feature on my blog, so watch this space ….. (although I think I’ll pass on the “Tuna Fish Chowder”, thanks !)

One A Penny, Two A Penny ....

The fact that they only appear once a year, always makes me feel that I should eat as many as possible before they disappear again for another year !

“Hot Cross Buns ! Hot Cross Buns !
One A Penny, Two A Penny,
Hot Cross Buns
If you have no daughters -
Give them to your sons.
One a Penny, two a penny
Hot Cross Buns”

I loved this nursery rhyme as a child, as my daughter does today. She was thrilled to be able to recite it with me as we were actually eating Hot Cross buns this Easter.

Traditionally eaten on Good Friday, some say that the cross on the buns is due to the fact that they used to only be eaten on this ‘holy’ day.

Toasted or plain, with butter/jam or without, the choice is yours.

We enjoyed ours on Good Friday, lightly toasted with butter and a nice cuppa tea. I hope that you, too, managed to sink your teeth into one of these tasty Easter treats.

Grilled Peppery Pork & Apple

Served on a bed of cabbage, we garnished ours with parsley & also served it with carrots

Ainsley Harriott is one of my all time favourite ‘celebrity’ cooks (I must confess that I'm all "Jamie Oliver'd out" at the moment !)

My Mum was lucky enough to meet Ainsley when he visited South Africa on a promotional tour a few years ago. She watched his cooking demonstrations, and was able to chat with him afterwards. She said that he is every bit as nice (and charismatic) in person, as he is on TV.

I was very lucky as she managed to get him to autograph my copy of his then recently published book “Ainsley Harriott’s Barbecue Bible”.

We cooked one of his recipes at my parent’s home during my recent stay with them, and it really was delicious. Apple and pork go so well together, yet I had never thought to serve cooked apple slices on top of the pork before. It makes a nice change to apple sauce.


Grilled Peppery Pork & Apple
(Taken from Ainsley Harriott’s “Meals In Minutes”)

Serves 4
Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes

Ingredients

400 gm Pork Fillet, cut into ¾ inch (12 x 2 cm) cubes
1 ½ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
½ tsp Paprika
Grated rind of 1 Lemon
1 tsp fresh Lemon juice
4 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Apples, unpeeled
300 gm Savoy Cabbage, finely shredded
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
150 ml Vegetable Stock
200 ml carton Crème Fraiche
Salt & Pepper

Method

Pre-heat the grill to high. Place the pork slices between 2 layers of plastic wrap, then press down with the palm of your hand to flatten the meat out to a thickness of about ¼ inch (6mm). Remove plastic wrap.

In a bowl, mix together the pepper, paprika, lemon rind and juice and 3 tbsp of the oil. Slice each apple width ways into 4 slices. Drizzle the oil mixture over one side of the pork and apple slices. Grill the pork slices for 4 – 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Grill the apple slices, on the oiled side only, for about 5 mins until cooked. Keep the pork and apple slices warm.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan. Add the cabbage and garlic and cook, covered, for 4 – 5 minutes until just tender. Stir in the stock and Crème Fraiche, warm through briefly, season to taste then spoon on to warmed serving plates. Top with the pork slices and serve the apple slices on the side or on the top.

Simple & Tasty Two Bean Salad

You could substitute the kidney & butter beans for any that you happen to have on hand

This is a really simple recipe, easily made from store cupboard ingredients. It is best served chilled and can even be served as a light lunch, accompanied by some crusty bread rolls.

Two Bean Salad

50 ml Olive Oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and black pepper
1 can butter beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
8 Cherry tomatoes, chopped (or 2 large tomatoes)
50 g Olives, stoned & chopped

Make a dressing by whisking together the olive oil & vinegar. Add the parsley & season with salt & pepper. Combine butter beans, tomatoes and olives. Moisten with the salad dressing and mix lightly.

Stilton

Stilton with Blackberries - nothing beats the taste !

I’m not much of a “cheese person” (if there is such a thing !) …. I can take it or leave it. Until it comes to Stilton, that is ….

I first tasted Stilton in the early ‘90’s at a lunch party held on a raspberry farm in the Magaliesburg, South Africa (in those days I was dating a strawberry farmer, seems like I always had a thing for the farm life ?!). It was a lovely al fresco lunch served on the verandah of the old farm house, and after dessert the hostess came out with a platter containing a huge wheel of Stilton topped with a hard, caramelized sugar topping – much to the awe of everyone seated around the table.

At that time, you could not get Stilton in Africa but an overseas guest had brought this into the country from the UK as a special “treat”. It was love at first bite for me ! There was just something about the delicious creaminess of the Stilton contrasted against the crisp, hardness of the sugar topping that really appealed to me. (Although I must admit that Stilton tastes just as delicious on it’s own.)

Several years later, I was in the UK with my husband and we were staying with my Uncle Gerald in Chester, when after dinner he brought out some Stilton with apricots mixed into it. Once again, the delicious combination of sweet/sour/creaminess had me hooked. Since then I have tried it mixed with both Cranberries and Blueberries, too – and all are equally delicious.

I was delighted to discover a few years ago that there are certain places in South Africa where you can now buy Stilton (the genuine stuff) – so needless to say, a trip to South Africa is never complete without a little Stilton !

Stilton is made from local cow’s milk in the UK counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and the ‘art’ of making it is over 300 years old – and only 7 dairies in the world are licenced to produce it. You get both blue and white Stilton (I prefer the latter). If you’ve never tried it, I urge you to because even if you aren’t a “cheese person” – I’m sure that you’ll love it !

Back On The Farm !

Home, sweet home ! Our house viewed from underneath the ancient fig tree at the bottom of our garden

I’m back ! After quite an eventful flight (and many delays !) we landed at the Kilimanjaro International Airport at around 10 pm last night. My husband had to collect us in the farm pick-up as the roads are so bad at the moment after lots of sudden rain – he was afraid we’d get stuck if he came to collect us in my car, even though it has 4 wheel drive (and is a lot more comfortable !) So that should give you an idea of just how bad the roads are at the moment ….

The dogs all went crazy to see us again, and before long the cats all started appearing – so we were given a real welcome home by one and all !

I am elated to be back on Tanzanian soil again ! The spirit and friendliness of the people is tangible and even though it is the 3rd world, and poverty is rife, I do not feel at all threatened or afraid here as I do when I am in South Africa. Sadly, South Africa is becoming a haven for criminals and I was shocked at how standards all over the country are falling drastically … even in the 6 months since I last visited, I have seen huge changes. Service – efficiency – customer care ? It is almost non-existent across all sectors from banks, hospitals, shops, restaurants – so very sad to see. Coupled with Eskom’s (national power supplier) constant power failures where business lose millions and just come to a standstill almost every day … well, I’ll take 3rd world Africa anyday, thanks !

Of course it is not all bad, and I am only speaking for Johannesburg (Although I do believe that this has a domino effect and what you see in Johannesburg today is an indication of what will happen in the country and outlying areas tomorrow). South Africa is still a beautiful country and there is lots of opportunity there …. but there is a reason why so many people are leaving and why we chose not to make a life for ourselves there all those years ago (when things were much better than they are now !)

Only got to bed at 2.30 am so have not had much sleep, but bear with me as I hope to do some blog posts later on today …. after all my unpacking, of course ! (I’m pleased to report that I managed to get through Customs with all my excess luggage without any problems, and also had no excess to pay … my bags were 21 kg’s “over” in the end !)

Happy Easter & Homeward Bound ...

The Easter Bunny was very generous !

We’ve had a wonderful Easter Sunday – apart from spending the day without my husband, of course - but we will all be reunited again soon ! We spent a wonderful last day with my parents. The day began with a hunt in the garden for eggs kindly left by the “Easter bunny” … my daughter simply loved this, and collected a basket full of eggs in all different shapes and sizes (which she very sweetly offered to share with all of us !)

For breakfast we had a selection of croissants from one of the local bakeries - chocolate, cheese and raisin – yum !

My Dad then cooked us a delicious lunch of roast leg of beef complete with gravy, Yorkshire puddings (my Mum’s speciality), carrots, peas, roast potatoes and roast onions. This was finished off with a simple yet tasty dessert of warmed blackberries and vanilla ice cream.

I forgot to mention the freshly baked hot cross buns we had with tea …. so as you can tell, it’s been a food & fun filled day !

This afternoon I got my Mum to take some close-up pics of me so that I can update my blog profile pic, and of course I took lots of food photo’s which I hope to post on here soon.

The good news is that we have managed to get a confirmed flight home for tomorrow, we were waitlisted and it has now come through so that is great. The tricky thing is that from tomorrow the airline have a “new system” in place which means that our flight home is not a direct one, but we have a layover and change of ‘planes in Dar es Salaam. All a bit sketchy at the moment and it is usually chaos that end, so I am preparing myself for the worst as nothing ever really runs smoothly in Africa ! (This flight has been known to divert via Zimbabwe and passengers only advised mid-flight, or to simply be cancelled at the drop of a hat – so I HOPE to be home tomorrow night – but who knows ?).

My luggage is around 19 kg’s over my allowance. Nothing new for me, as I always travel home “overweight” so will try every trick in the book to get as much through as I can …. If not, the excess rate per kg is not too bad (R70 per kg which is around U$10 ?) and well worth it as I have many items in my luggage which we can’t buy in Tanzania.

So much has happened on the farm since I’ve been away (a stray cat I was trying to tame before I left has been “coming for dinner” according to my husband, the old donkey boiler has been replaced, a swing has been built for my daughter and a new veggie patch made, to mention but a few things) … plus all the news and recipes from my South African trip … so be prepared for lots of new posts from me this coming week, as well as new photo’s … I’m looking forward to it as I think I’ve been suffering from “blog withdrawal” (but have made up for it with shopping spree’s instead !).

Until then …

Sound, But No Picture ....

I'm sorry that I haven't posted since the weekend. It's not due to lack of anything to write about - far from it ! I have been writing and photographing like mad, but unfortunately my parent's lost the hard drive of their main computer on Sunday, and are running their entire business on just one, smaller (and very slow !) computer in the interim. Aside from being really slow, it has no photo software on it - so I am unable to download any photographs for the blog.

With the Easter weekend fast approaching, it is doubtful that they will get their main computer back "online" until after the holiday (and my return to Tanzania) .... which means no blog posts from me until then. (When I will probably post hundreds one after the other, as the cooking and recipe ideas certainly haven't stopped flowing, and I have so much that I want to share with you all !)

I am enjoying the last few days of my holiday in South Africa, all my shopping is done and we have some fun things planned for the Easter weekend (including a "Peter Rabbit" show at the local theatre for my daughter !). My husband is really looking forward to our return (he says he is sick of eating pasta and fried eggs ?!) and we have also missed him terribly.

We are waitlisted for a Monday flight, and confirmed for a Tuesday flight, and will hopefully know more tomorrow.

So, watch this space and in the meantime, to all those of you who celebrate Easter, I wish you all a very happy one filled with lots of lovely chocolate !

Carrot Cake

I didn't eat the entire slice myself, but believe you me - I could have !

We had great fun at the Garden Centre today, despite the weather being a little overcast and drizzly. We had lunch at the restaurant there - I had a Spinach & Feta Quiche with a Greek Salad, followed by Carrot Cake … quite decadent of me as I honestly didn’t need it after the quiche, but I did share it so I don’t feel quite so guilty !

Carrot cake is one of my all time favourite “bakes” and I do make it from time to time at home, but usually only when we have guests as my husband doesn’t eat it and I can’t trust myself with a whole carrot cake begging to be eaten, and no takers except for me !

Here’s a slightly healthier version of the standard carrot cake recipe for you to try, the topping is also not too sweet -:

Carrot Cake

125 gm Margarine (use a “Light” version)
125 gm Brown Sugar
90 ml Clear Honey
175 gm Carrots, grated
125 gm Raisins, seedless
50 gm Dates, stoned & chopped
½ tsp Ground Mixed Spices
150 ml Water
1 Egg, beaten
125 gm Cake Flour
125 gm Wholemeal Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder

Topping
200 gm Low Fat Cottage Cheese (Cream Cheese)
10 ml Clear Honey
5 ml Lemon Juice
15 ml Walnuts, chopped

Mix the margarine, sugar, honey, carrots, raisins, dates, mixed spice and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil & simmer gently for 5 minutes. Turn out into a mixing bowl & leave until cold, then add the beaten egg. Mix the flours & baking powder together, & fold in to the fruit mixture until well combined. Pour in to a 23 cm greased cake tin & bake at 180’C/350’F/Gas Mark 4 for approximately 1 hour (or until firm to the touch).

Blend all the topping ingredients together (except for the walnuts). Spread the topping over the cake once cooled, and scatter the chopped walnuts over the top.

Enjoy a slice with a nice cuppa tea !

Johannesburg

The inside of the shopping centre we visited today

View from the centre over the rapidly expanding Northern suburbs of Johannesburg

I know that I haven’t done any food or recipe posts for a while, but I hope to post some during the course of the weekend. We’ve been eating out quite a bit and I am really enjoying the variety of fresh, seasonal ingredients available in all the restaurants here.

Tomorrow we are off to a large Garden Centre – there is a herb garden exhibition on and it will be a fun day for my daughter as they also have a farmyard there, a craft market and a lovely tea garden where we will have some lunch. I also plan on shopping for flower and vegetable seeds to take back to Tanzania with me, as they have a huge selection there.

I usually plant my seeds directly in to the ground, but this time I am hoping to have more success by planting them in to seedling trays and bags first, and then transplanting them when they are established. As we have a problem on the farm with birds eating the seedlings, in my absence I have left our 3 gardeners to prepare everything for my return, and to fence off a section of the garden with chicken wire and cover the top with shade cloth so as to keep the birds out. My husband has told me via email that so far, all is going according to plan. The gardeners are very excited to see what “new” seeds I bring back from “Afrika Kusini” (South Africa) as many of the flowers in particular, are unfamiliar to them.

Today we went to a huge new shopping centre in the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg, close to where my parents live. It has been magnificently designed with indoor water features and sweeping views across the suburbs and is comprised mostly of trendy restaurants, wine bars and exclusive designer clothing stores. I’ve included a couple of pictures to try and give you an idea of what this area feels like ….

Tree Felling

A huge mess was made as the tree was hacked to the ground

I hate seeing trees being cut down. I have seen the devastation caused in parts of Africa when whole forests are destroyed, leaving animals and birds homeless and contributing to severe soil erosion. I refuse to support the charcoal industry in Tanzania , because burning trees for charcoal/firewood (and not replanting the trees) is a real problem in most parts of Africa, and I don’t want to encourage it at all. We are in the process of planting new trees on the farm at the moment – seedlings – but it is a real mission trying to stop illegal grazing on the farm and the goats especially seem to like eating the fresh young saplings !

My parent’s have had a Chorisia Speciosa (Floss Silk Tree) in the corner of their garden since they bought their house 14 years ago. It has always been a talking point due to it’s unusual thorny, almost wart like trunk. It belongs to the same family as the Baobab tree, and is native to South America. It’s seedpods contain a silky substance which can be used for stuffing cushions, hence it’s common name “Floss Silk Tree”. (Can I just add here, that not once did I ever collect the silk to stuff cushions with. Life's just too short).

It has towered over the garden and been privy to many parties, conversations, celebrations, arguments and secrets over the years ! It has cast it’s shade over the lawn as my sister and I brought boyfriends home, got engaged, came back with our husbands and eventually with children of our own, who crawled – and then walked – in it’s shade. It has stood, silently, all these years. But today, it is gone.

Due to a problem with it’s roots – and a neighbouring boundary wall cracking – it has had to be removed, and today was the day that the tree fellers came to hack it down. I remarked to my Mum that it was ironic that out of all the time it had to happen, it had to be when I was visiting. Because I find it so sad, not least of all because I wonder where the birds who nested in it’s shady branches will now live, but because a familiar part of my life that has been here each time I've visited my parent's for the past 14 years - is now gone for good.

Shopping 'Til I Drop ....

Inside a huge DVD / CD Warehouse in Johannesburg today

I love shopping. (Show me a woman who doesn’t ?!) Of course I am pretty starved of shopping in Tanzania, although our shops are improving all the time (there was a time when even the most basic items had to be brought in). I miss books and magazines the most. Even though I regularly order items from Amazon, it’s just not the same. One of my greatest treats when I am on holiday in South Africa or elsewhere, is to be able to walk in to a shop and buy the latest magazine – ah … what a joy ! I certainly catch up on my fair share of reading whilst I am here. (Yes, even the trashy gossip mags !) I avoid the local newspapers at all costs – they’re all just doom and gloom !

I often have odd “must buys” on my shopping list …things like picture hooks, Frontline for my pets, Wasabi Paste, Omega 3 supplements for my husband (smoking 20 + cigarettes a day, he has to take care of his heart, you know), yogurt topped rice cakes for my daughter, make-up for me, good quality toothbrushes …. the list goes on ! I have become an expert at getting as much ‘bang for my buck’ as far as luggage allowance goes as possible …. Oooohhh I’ve learnt all the sneaky little tricks to get as much through Customs as possible on the way home, too ….. how do you explain why you are bringing 10 packets of picture hooks in to the country, and that you have no intention of re-selling them ? I was once stopped and questioned over a set of bath towels (“But why do you need 2 large ones, 2 medium sized ones AND a hand towel with matching bath mats, when just one will do the job ?”)

My luggage weighs over 40 kg’s already and I am only allowed 40 kg’s (that’s 20 kg’s each). Ooops. We are allowed 7 kg’s of hand luggage each … obviously my toddler cannot carry 7 kg’s of hand luggage (or .... can she ?) , so I will carry my full allowance, and I’ve bought her a snazzy little kiddies backpack so that she can at least carry a few of her own, light things. I know deep down though, that this sneaky toddler hand luggage trick won't work and that I will end up carrying her (she weighs 14 kg’s) plus the hand luggage and the snazzy backpack in real "pack donkey" style… thank goodness I am relatively fit else I would be forced to cut down on my shopping. Oh, perish the thought (and bring me another set of dumbells so that I can work on my biceps !)

Anyway, excess luggage fears aside, I am making full use of the rest of my time in South Africa and am “shopping ‘til I drop”. (My husband calls it “creeping” as he says I creep up and down the aisles like a chameleon and he just doesn’t see the point ?! He’s more than happy for me to shop on my own, and is most relieved to “get out of it” if he can – men !)

After all my medical tests and Doctor’s visits, I have been given a clean bill of health so if anything, my shopping is a way of celebrating this. Well, that’s my excuse anyway ………….

Mealie Meal "Crumble Pap"

"Crumble Pap" with sweetcorn, served with a tomato & onion gravy

Mealie Meal (which is similar in taste and texture to Polenta) is made from ground maize/corn. It is part of the local staple diet all over Africa, and is served in slightly different ways – and has different names - all over the Continent. For example, in Zimbabwe it is called “sudza”, in South Africa it is called “pap” and in Tanzania it is called “ugali”. It is filling, nutritious and cheap – not to mention easy to cook as the only 'ingredient' you need to make it is water. It can also be served in a variety of ways – both sweet and savoury.

It can be cooked in to a stiff consistency and rolled in to balls which are then dipped into stews or gravies and eaten whole. It can also be cooked into a smooth, porridge like consistency and eaten with milk, sugar and butter (one of my favourite ‘comfort’ foods but shhhhh …. don’t tell a soul !). It can also be layered in a casserole dish and alternated with almost any vegetable or mixture of meat, then baked and served in slices much like a pie. You can even use it to make bread and I have a recipe for that here.

One of my favourite ways to eat mealie meal is when it is served as “Crumble Pap”, which is how my Mum cooked it for us as an accompaniment to our braai over the weekend -:

Crumble Pap

2 cups of Mealie Meal
4 cups of boiling Water
1 cup tinned Sweetcorn, drained

Bring water to the boil, & gradually add the Mealie Meal. Stir with the handle of a wooden spoon until a course, crumbly texture is obtained. Add more mealie meal if required (as the mixture should be dry and non sticky). Once all the meal has been added, reduce the heat and continue stirring. Cooking time is approximately 5 – 6 minutes. As the meal retains the heat, it must be attended to constantly otherwise it can stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

Add the sweetcorn & mix well in the last minute of cooking.

Delicious served with a tomato and onion gravy.

A South African Tradition

Nothing beats a traditional South African "braai" !

Well, not only a South African tradition as it is practiced in many parts of the world but it certainly plays a huge part in African culture all over the continent – a braai vleis (directly translated to “cook meat”) or barbecue.

“Braai Vleis” is an Afrikaans term shortened to “braai” (as in “come around to our house for a braai on Saturday after the rugby”) . In East Africa the expat community refers to it as a “barbecue” … possibly because it sounds posher (yes, we are quite snobby !) and also due to the large Australian expat influence there who affectionately refer to a barbecue as a “Barbie”

The local Tanzanians, on the other hand, refer to it as “Nyama Choma” which directly translated means “Meat Charred” and you can buy a piece of “Nyama Choma” in almost any Tanzanian village, where it is cooked on small open wood fires on the roadside. Goat meat is a popular choice, closely followed by chicken.

Yesterday afternoon we had a “braai” and cooked some Boerewors (spicy sausage), steak and chicken pieces. It really was delicious, there’s just something about the flavour of meat cooked over an open fire that you just can’t beat.

We ate the meat with a lovely fresh salad and some “pap”. Which is another typical African side dish which I will do a post about soon.

Dad's Chicken Curry

Nothing beats the flavour of my Dad's "famous" curry !

(Note : My "East African Chicken Curry" recipe can be found here)

My Dad makes the most delicious curries. He makes the “real deal” and tries to get all his spices and pastes from authentic oriental markets (like the one in Durban, South Africa) and Zanzibar. He stocks up on Zanzibari spices at our local markets & shops when he visits us in Tanzania, and I often bring him more spices when I come to visit. He has been known to travel with his “box of spices” when visiting far flung family members who crave his curries and as a result has cooked curries in Spain, England and on his visits to us in Tanzania.

So, it was only natural when he asked me what meals I’d like to eat whilst I am here, that I replied “One of your curries, Dad” and I opted for chicken as I love chicken and could eat it every day !

So, here is my Dad’s “famous” curry recipe -:

Dad’s Chicken Curry

+-1 kg assorted Chicken pieces (thighs, legs, wings, breast pieces)
Sunflower oil for frying
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp medium Curry Powder (yellow coloured one works well for this recipe)
1 tsp ground Chilli Powder
1 tbsp each of lightly roasted coriander & cumin seeds, ground in a pestle
2 - 3 Bay Leaves
1 – 2 tsp ground Cummin
1 tbsp ground Turmeric (or a little saffron)
2 tomatoes, chopped/peeled
Water
1 bunch fresh Coriander, chopped
1 tsp ground Garam Masala
2 tsp fresh Ginger, grated
Salt – to taste
chopped fresh Chillies (with or without seeds) – to taste

Lightly fry the chicken pieces in the oil until golden. Remove the chicken & lightly fry the onion & garlic. Add the curry powder, chilli powder, roasted ground coriander & cumin seeds & bay leaves and fry lightly to release the flavours. Add the ground cumin & half the turmeric then add the tomatoes & cook lightly, adding water if necessary. Only then add the chicken pieces & cook for about 10 mins with the lid on. Then add the remaining ingredients - coriander, garam masala, fresh ginger, salt, fresh chillies & the other half of the turmeric. Cook covered for 30 mins & according to taste, add more chillies & a little more water (or milk) until the right texture is reached.

Serve on a bed of basmati rice with sambals (mixture of chopped tomato, cucumber, onions, green pepper & celery) chutney, sliced bananas & grated coconut on the side.

Poppadums can also be served as an accompaniment and if you’d like to try them prepared according to Haandi’s restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya (known to be one of the very best of it’s kind !) then spread some of the sambals over the p0ppadums before serving & add a liberal sprinkling of fresh coriander over the top – delicious !

My Dad notes “I like my curry to be light in both texture & colour, which should be yellowish to complement the chicken. To me the flavour is determined by the curry powder & spices, whilst the hotness is determined by the fresh chillies. Both these can be regulated to personal taste. I like a strong coriander influence, without dominating the overall flavour which is a typical Durban Indian curry influence. Quantities of ingredients should be by choice, so you can adjust any of the ingredients to suit your own taste”.

(This curry is also lovely served the day after as the flavours develop & intensify overnight.)

Safe Arrival

The colourful "Golden Shower" at the entrance to my parent's garden

Just wanted to do a quick update to say that I have arrived safely in South Africa. It is lovely to be with my parents again, and my daughter is having a ball !

It is hot and busy here in this vibrant city and as usual, it is a bit of a culture shock coming from the 3rd world into a country where everything seems so much shinier and newer and small things take getting used to - like driving on good tarred roads with no potholes, the sheer number of cars on the road (with no goats or chickens on the roof racks !), the sound of the traffic (and car alarms, and neighbours) at night, and the vast selection in the shops of every kind of product imaginable. Whereas in Tanzania I may have say, only 3 or so brands of shampoo to choose from in a specific shop, here I am overwhelmed by the choice on offer, and battle to make a decision !

I have so far managed to fit in a couple of nice lunches out, have revelled in the luxury of being able to order a skinny cappuccino from a favourite coffee bar, and have scoured the shelves for the latest ingredients available, seen what fruit and veg is in season here and been inspired by some new dishes my parents have cooked for me. So watch this space, I'll be posting more and a recipe or two soon !

I'm Leaving, On A Jet 'Plane ....

Enjoy the view from our veranda ... and I'll be back soon !

Tomorrow, just before sunrise, I’ll be leaving the farm and getting on a ‘plane with my daughter which is flying to the island of Zanzibar for a short stopover (not long enough for us to frolic on the beach though, I’m afraid !) then we will fly on to the humid, bustling city of Dar es Salaam where we will change ‘planes and head to our final destination – Johannesburg, South Africa.

This is an unexpected trip, and has all come about in the past few days. I have had some recent health issues (connected to migraines and scary bouts of vision loss lasting for several hours at a time) and feel that I really need to get to decent medical care, to someone who can give me a correct diagnosis and help me to overcome these awful, debilitating attacks I’ve been having.

South Africa is a natural choice for me as my parent’s live there and I have my own doctor there who I have seen for years, who will refer me to a specialist. My parents, of course, are overjoyed about this unexpected visit, and for time to spend with their beloved grand daughter !

My husband is very busy working 24/7 with the planting season on the farm at the moment, so I have booked a 3 week trip as I might as well make the most of it, and catch up with other things whilst I am there like shopping, hairdresser and dentist appointments and … oh, did I mention even more shopping ?!

We are hoping to get back sometime over the Easter weekend but at the moment, all the flights are fully booked, so we are waitlisted. We will just have to have a belated Easter celebration with my husband once we are back home again. We’ll miss him terribly - the longest we’ve ever been away from each other in almost 13 years, is just 3 weeks !

I am very lucky to have Justin, who loves my animals as much as I do and who I know till take good care of them in my absence. He will also continue to feed and care for my village waifs and strays – I am feeding several dogs and cats now. I promise to do a post all about Justin (“my right hand man”) once I get back. I actually want to include a photograph of him, but I need to ask his permission first and as he is mostly illiterate, and speaks little English, the thought of trying to explain exactly what a blog is, and what I need his permission for is quite daunting ! So it will have to wait for now ….

I do promise to keep on “blogging” whilst I am in South Africa. Although maybe not as frequently, but I will keep it up because I am amazed at the response I’ve had to the blog, and to the number of people reading it from all four corners of the world - from Australia to Zimbabwe, and beyond ! I really appreciate each and every one of you for ‘reading’ me so often and to all those of you who email me and leave comments for me – thank you !

My parents are great, inspirational cooks and I’m sure that I will be able to supply you with some mouthwatering recipes from their kitchen soon … (my poor husband, on the other hand, will be living on homemade freezer meals for the next 3 weeks !)

So bye for now, my next post will be from South Africa ….. in the meantime I’ll leave you with the lovely view from our front veranda … make yourself a nice cuppa tea, have a seat and enjoy it !

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breasts wrapped In Ham

These tasted great served with a fresh garden salad

We have satellite TV here on the farm – and it’s a God send ! It helps to keep us sane, and in touch with what’s going on in the outside world. Along with the internet, of course (which is as frustratingly slow as dial-up and is also via satellite – we have a large dish strategically placed in our garden).

Anyway, we love watching the “BBC Food” channel, and one of our all time favourite programmes is “MasterChef”. (The series shown here is usually a little behind the UK “live” series, but still …. ) Well …. I pretend that I actually love watching the programme, when in fact what I really watch it for is John Torode (one of the presenters) who’s quite a tasty looking dish himself ;)

We were watching it earlier this week, and one of the contestants made a really simple dish of chicken breasts stuffed with cheese, and wrapped in ham. (“Do you think this is good enough to get you through to the next round ?” John asked the nervous contestant as she presented the dish for him to sample “This is Masterchef, you know”.)

Well, the contestant never made it to the next round, but I thought I’d give the dish a try yesterday, as I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand. I used those boxed cheese triangles (mashed up) for the filling – which I smuggled back in my suitcase when we returned from our UK holiday in January … he he … the lengths I’ll go to, to bring “exotic” ingredients home ………

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breasts wrapped in Ham

2 Chicken Breasts
5 Cheese Triangles (let’s be honest here, they taste awful eaten on their own !)
1 tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt
4 slices Ham (Parma ham would work well – so would bacon)
Olive oil

Cut slits in the chicken breasts to make pockets. Mash the cheese triangles together with the basil, garlic & salt. Spoon the mixture in to the pockets and cover each breast with 2 slices of overlapping ham. Secure in place with toothpicks. Place in a lightly oiled casserole dish, and brush some oil on the top of each breast. Bake at 190’C/375’F/Gas Mark 5 for +- 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

I’m pleased to announce that my husband put me through to the second round, and that this dish will be appearing on our dinner table again. (Smuggled cheese stocks permitting, of course !)

Battery Bank

A bank of ten truck batteries powers the electricity in our house

I thought I’d include a photo of our bank of batteries – these are, literally, the heart of our home because without them, we would have no electricity. This battery bank (they are truck batteries) sits in a cage attached to the outside wall of our house, between the pantry and our home office.

We have a large 30 KVA diesel generator in the main workshop area. This is switched on during certain times of the day, and it charges up this bank of batteries. The battery power is then converted via an Inverter/Charger (fixed to the inner wall of our office) into electricity for use in the house.

The battery power is not strong enough to run fridges and freezers for long periods (I have a gas stove but refuse - REFUSE - to have gas fridges or freezers as in my experience they are absolutely useless, and more trouble than they're worth !) so once the generator is switched off at 10 pm each night and the battery power kicks in, we have to remember to switch both fridges off, else we will wake up in the morning with flat batteries and no lights ! The fridges run just fine on generator power at sporadic intervals during the day, and if we are careful not to open and close them too much they manage to retain their coolness for long periods without power.

We are lucky to be able to generate our own electricity, as in a lot of the main town and cities, electricity supply is erratic and when we used to live in one of the large towns years ago, we would sometimes go for periods of up to 4 days without electricity.

A litter of kittens once crawled in to the battery "cage" but were rescued after the dogs alerted me ... I suppose they thought that it would be a nice place to have a little afternoon snooze !

Fat Free Spicy Hummus

I've served it here with toast "soldiers" & batons of cucumber

I know that traditionally, Hummus (or "Hummous") has olive oil added to it. I have tasted Hummus made both with and without the addition of oil and I have to admit that the oil free version does not have as much flavour as the ‘oily’ version. But I promise you, this recipe below is a great, healthy substitute … and you won’t even notice the missing oil as it has so much flavour.

This recipe originated from my sister in South Africa. I know that it has also been used extensively in West Africa by my dear friend Jo, and of course I make it here often in East Africa. (If anyone from North Africa would like to make it, then we’ll have the whole Continent covered ?!)

This is a great “dip” to take to a party and also makes a nice afternoon snack. My toddler has enjoyed dipping carrot sticks, cucumber batons and dried toast fingers in to this dip for as long as I can remember. It’s also delicious spread onto piping hot toast, or even baked potatoes !

My husband refuses to eat what he calls “rabbit food” or “diet food” but I’ve managed to fool him with this one … heee heeee …..

Fat Free Hummus

1 Tin of Chickpeas (drained – reserve some of the juice though)
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 – 3 Garlic Cloves (to taste !), finely chopped
½ tsp Mixed Spice (or ground Cummin)
Tiny amount of Cayenne Pepper
Pinch of Tartaric Acid (found in the baking powder etc aisle, but not essential)

Place all ingredients in a blender, and pulse to a fine paste. If it seems a little too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved Chickpea juice. This stores, covered, in the fridge quite well too.