(This post is my first attempt to participate in Fig Jam and Lime Cordial’s monthly hosting of other such posts entitled In My Kitchen. Celia hosts this snapshot of kitchens around the world, and what is taking place in them. Very fun to read. Thanks Celia!)
This has been a surprising week in my kitchen. Surprising because often in January our temperatures are so hot I have no desire to cook. Added to the fact that we just don’t eat as much as we used to, the kitchen is not the busy place it once was. But I have been inspired this week by some of summer’s luscious jewels, and cooler temps in the 30 C range (90+ F).
First, I was privileged to receive a lovely selection of figs, grown by a dear friend. She can work miracles in this dry, red soil of ours here in Central Australia. Her ruby, sweet figs are but one of her miracles. I’ve told you before how I lust after figs and my friend’s figs are as good as any I have tasted in Spain or Italy, so what an inspiration they were. (I hope you are listening Fiona)
At first I drank in their beauty, eating one before I even had an inkling of a thought to photograph it! Who could blame me? But my senses returned and I realised I had to capture their gloriousness for a future day so that I would know they had not been a dream!
When an urge for cake could no longer be ignored, I used one to elevate the plain almond cake to art.
And then, to be truly decadent I made something I could never ordinarily make because I’ve never had enough fresh figs before. I used a Donna Hay recipe for Chicken with Honey and Haloumi and green salad studded with fresh figs! Heaven.
Finally, this morning I treated my husband and I to freshly made buckwheat pancakes (to my American friends), pikelets (to my Australian and British friends) topped with sweet, white peaches and maple syrup. Divine. The peaches are not local, but sometimes even we can buy stone fruit that is good! I am gluten intolerant but as I have said for years, just because I can’t eat gluten doesn’t mean I’ve had a taste lobotomy!
I have posted the cake and pikelet recipes on my ‘pages’ under the FOOD menu, and given you a link to Donna Hay’s recipe if you are interested. Right now I am interested in another pikelet… ciao for now!
ardysez 
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