Cooking with Diana……

The Cookbook: How to Eat a Peach: Menus, Stories and Places

Diana Vreeland once said “the eye has to travel”. In my opinion, so does the pallete. The thing I like about “How to Eat a Peach”, is not just the evocative food writing, the elegance of prose, the visual beauty of the pages, but the summation of all its parts. There are recipes and stories from all over the globe. Moments and memories that maketh the person. Transporting, this book takes you places not seen or known before you even attempt a recipe. So get a cup of tea, or a strong coffee because you are in for a journey.

From Istanbul, Turkey to the hills and vineyards of Piedmont in Italy, you will be swept up and inspired to explore new ingredients or to sample delicacies from another culture. The good thing is you can make the recipes, of course they work, or you can just grab a peach, a beautiful ripe specimen from the tree next door, and you can slice it slowly, dip it in a moscato and taste the flavour of summer.

Sitting with a cookbook in the morning, with a pencil and paper is surely one of the most enriching of things, just be sure to make a tall pot of coffee too.....

Burrata with Fennel, Roast Peppers, Anchovies & Capers

The discovery of Burrata, a soft cows milk cheese made from Mozzarella and cream that hails from the South of Italy is truly one of this books many gifts. I have eaten many different Italian cheeses over the years, but this one remained undiscovered. Tossed with slivers of fennel, roasted capsicum, and fresh parsley from the garden, this would be a welcome entree to a main meal, a decadent lunch or just something simple and beautiful for the table in the summer months.

Early Summer in the Garden

Courgette, Ricotta & Pecorino Fritters

This is a classic too many zucchini situation. It is late February, the potager is full, dare I say overflowing. The zucchinis are turning into marrows, not my favourite, so I must cook them. The good thing is there are one hundred ways to use a zucchini, and this way is at the top. Ricotta takes the simple fritter of egg, shredded zucchini, onion, lemon zest to a new place. A fluffy, happy good one.

Elderflower Gin and Tonic

Later summer I made this just to see if that Elderflower summer mood could be distilled into an aperitif kind of beverage. It appears it can. This is light, delightful and reminiscent of a warm breeze and a jam jar full of white roses…..

Chocolate and Olive Oil Cake

Always I make cake first, and one with olive oil is so moist and beautiful to slice, three pieces left....say no more

Crostini with Crushed Broadbean & ‘Njuja’

Spring to me is bowls over flowing with broad bean or ‘fava’ in Italian. We eat them fresh, picked from the vegetable garden and tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper, and sometimes as a dip when friends come over. This recipe called for Njuja, a spicy Italian sausage that you can spread on Crostini from the Calabrian region of Italy that I didn’t have time to run to the delicatessen for. I made it any way and spooned it on top of sour dough for lunch. I loved the mint notes in this dish, elevating the verde element of ‘fava’. Next time I visit the Italian Providore in the city I will look out for Njuja and make it again next spring.

Strawberry and Buttermilk Icecream

This perky, irresistible ice cream is like heaven in a bowl. Using fresh strawberries and buttermilk that adds a sour note, balancing the flavours of sugar and sweet strawberries. Wonderful to make especially if you are making a rich chocolate dessert or you have a glut of strawberries on the go…

Onion, Spinach & Bleu d’Auvergne Tart

This little filo pastry number is perfect for lunch or if you suddenly have a few friends over for a glass of red one Sunday afternoon. Thirsty guests will enjoy the delicate spinach mixture and the sprinkling of blue cheese that provides flavour notes that float perfectly over the buttery filo. Delish, and a keeper.