Probably the best pumpkin recipe in the world...

i have talked of my passion for eating pumpkin previously (an unusual culinary habit for an english girl). as all hallows is in spring now I'm a southern hemisphere-er i've less enthusiasm for the northern traditional celebrations, but the pumpkin passion endures. of all my many pumpkin-centric recipes, this is my favourite. personally because just I love strong flavoured food, but also in a culinary self-esteem raising way too, as no matter where i serve this I am always asked for the recipe. not that it's my recipe as such, it was an attempt to copy a hot pumpkin salad i ate out once (so if you know of the source of the original by any chance, do let me know). the fact that it's suitable for the northern hemisphere (served hot) or the southern (served chilled) is a bonus as i can both use that to convince the pumpkin-dubious english amongst you to give it a go (i know there are pumpkins in your shops right now!) and eat it year round, pumpkin availability notwithstanding.


pumkin & feta salad

pumpkin peeled and cubed (approx 1 inch cubes) anywhere between 750g and 1.5 kgs works
1-2 red capsicum sliced
1/2 red onion chopped
250 g feta cheese cubed
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds-toasted
1/4 cup pine nuts-toasted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbs olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves (optional)


3 tbs olive oil
3 tbs balsalmic vinegar
1 tbs wholegrain mustard
Place in a lidded container and shake

salt and pepper

roast the sliced peppers until slightly charred. roast the pumpkin cubes-rolled in olive oil, cinnamon and garlic until just soft. allow to chill if serving cold. mix all the ingredients together and then stir through the dressing TO TASTE (if serving later, keep the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds aside until serving so they don't go soggy). then season to taste.



pumpkin eating aside, and given that claud refuses to touch the stuff no matter how i serve it (the english pumpkin-dubious genes endure it seems, sigh) i am keen to establish some halloween traditions for her. we visited her grandfathers grave today, in the spirit of the old world idea that all hallows is a time when the connections between the living and dead are closest. interesting. tricky. a bit to early. conclusion? claud "...dadas dada bed in the garden?". me. "mmm. yeah. kind of...". a less parentally stressful ritual has been the potting up of pumpkin seeds for planting out when the ground warms up further in a few weeks time. we've potted up Kings Seeds Amish Pie (cucurbita maxima) for eating, and baby bear (cucurbita pepo) for Clauds autumn entertainment. and though i'm not at all into the dressing-up-as-ghouls american approach (though this nearly swayed me), i have just taught claud a trick, and she is immensely keen on treats, and so it seems a visit to the neighbours is on the cards later...

i'd love to know what the halloween traditions are in your family or your part of the world, do tell!

(for me growing up in the north of england trick or treating was still a foreign novelty and halloween was all about the parkin. 


ps if you fancy a bit of halloween worthy truly 'scary'' food why not join me in the retro cook-off?

Linking up with Ta-Da! Tuesdays halloween special!

rustic tableware

ahhh. 'tis the season of spring fairs and church fetes, school fund raiser stalls and spring-cleaned junk sales. i thought these rustic mugs, from the junk stall at the local soroptimists craft fair to be Provencal at first glance. the colour, austere design, the surprising, pleasing weightiness in your hand. but no, they're Buchan of Portobello, Scotland, where it seems the practicality of a winter weight mug with thick walls to keep your tea hot has not been forgotten. lily of the valley a dollar a posy, a churchyard renovation fundraiser, the smell of which brings my maternal grandmother back from the grave (in a nice, non halloween-y way).

Did your granny smell? my other nanan smelled like powder-from-a-compact, her husband of snuff. my maternal grandfather reeked of homebrew, but only in the late afternoon. i've been told i smell like a newborn baby! what a compliment! it's actually a dash of angel by Thierry Mugler, in case you'd like to smell of newborn baby too!

all who rejoice in op-shopping join me here

a handmade christmas-tea towels

my sister has a wonderful kitchen. as big as my kitchen and dining room put together, all wood and bright pastels, a huge table the centre of life in the place. I, I have very little money for Christmas presents after a couple of large, unexpected bills. motivation to get printing high, planning low. a bucket, a kids foam alphabet and a makeshift cardboard triangle stuck to a block of wood=a present for my snowglobe-collecting northern hemisphere sibling.

want one? let me know in the comments and i'll rustle one up for for whomsoever the pick-a-number app. chooses

ever heard of a crying tea-towel? find out more at the  bloggy home of the tea towel. 

could you spend hours ogling others creative projects? if so, go here. 

Put on your red shoes and dance to the blues

in the haze of morning sickness blergy i failed to mention that i won Colour Me There's, Colour Me Happy rainbow theme craft challenge with my diy doll house craft room.  i got around to using my Kawaii Kids voucher last week, and quick as you like these cool-as Saltwater sandals arrived from Australia. they were a bit of a hit. claud tap danced in 'em around the kitchen singing "neeeew sandals, neeeeew sandals, red onnnnnnes, red onnnnnes" for ages. there is no better recommendation really. 
as for me, i'm back at the lollysticks for a further installment of dollhousemania. i've been at it a year now you know *blushes*. i think it's true love.

happy long weekend kiwis x


do you love it when people use song title for posts? i do, especially when they do it in a pop-quiz serial fashion. i LOVE quizzes. do you?

A pea tee-pee for a sweetpea

 twine, bamboo poles, a packet of climbing sugar snap peas. add 10 weeks and by christmas we should have an edible den for our little pea-freak-den-loving sweet pea. i'm still thinking on a homemade birthday present for 2012. it might be a dolly sized ring-sling to cart her 'babies' around in, although i was thinking that might be a good present-for-when-the-baby-brother-is-born. here are last year's homemade birthday present and last years homemade christmas present for our wee  christmas baby big girl. What would you give to a three year old who's mother wants to avoid further trippy-over-plastic-junk in the house? Would you like an edible tea pee (I would!)?

lovely, lady-like christmas crackers

my version of those lust-inducing Liberty christmas crackers.  i couldn't stop thinking about them and thought I'd have a crack at a DIY version (using this template). but the disk for the printer has gone walkies therefore the new computer refuses to work with it, so i couldn't just print off some coloured sheets in suitable patterns. instead i raided my paper stash. the ones i made from used kikki-k wrapping paper and scrapbooking paper are lovely, but the softness and gold-glintyness of the washi paper is sufficiently luxe to make me totally over those expensive Brits confections. and makes me want a manicure and a hand massage to pull them. and makes me want to make more, a set at least. so much for a stash busting nought pence craft session. 

and for the inside? TBC.

to be crafted/completed