Cook Up With Vicki (No 1) and A Zombie Chicken Award!!!

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Vicki over in California who had discovered Australia's Donna Hay magazine. Vicki lives not too far from the ocean as I do...and she has the most fabulous garden...so if you get a chance go on over and have a look...Between us we thought we would both regularly cook a meal from Donna's magazine and blog about it...So here is my turn... Took a 5 minute drive to a little village to purchase supplies...the supermarket is around the corner from the beach...
Latest edition of the mag...Autumn 2009

Couldn't resist putting this page in...
Strum of a guitar
Harmony of friends
Chorus of laughter
Symphony of nature...
(Image and text from the magazine)

Preparations begin...I have chosen Thyme Pork with Parmesan Parsnip Mash...

Had to improvize here...there was no fresh thyme...no parsnip so I used Sweet Potato...help, I needed to raid your vegie patch Vicki!!!
Getting ready to grate the Parmesan with the 'French Grater' all the way from Paris...

Hubby put his mark on the table...a bottle of red!!!

Pork Cutlets frying...

Instead of having blanched beans I added some minced garlic and butter and gave them a quick fry...

Nearly there...

Once I started it all seemed to be ready in no time...

I had fun doing this...and look forward to the next Cook Up with Vicki!!!

Meanwhile...This Zombie Chicken Award was recently given to me by the delightful Catherine for my cooking pot!!!

I'm so happy to join you two Zombie chicks in that big Blog barnyard. Visit their blogs or risk the wrath!

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace, and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least five other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by not choosing wisely or not choosing at all..."

Okay, Vicki...here's to you...A Zombie Chicken Award for your cooking pot!!!

And Thank You Catherine for this most salubrious Award!!!

Paste no Latvija...Post from Latvia...with a touch of Paris!!!

Here is a Tapestry done by my very dear Aunt/Tantin and Godmother/Krustmate...

Dieves Sveti Latviju....translated to God Bless Latvia...

so what does this have to do with this post...

Yesterday I received a parcel from Latvia...Paste no Latvija from my very dear/mila Cousin/Macica Dagnija...

Dagnija has been reading my blog over in Latvia and has sent me this absolutely gorgeous linen apron/prieksauts...

along with some woven linen...

and the well known Laima chocolate/sokolade...
Absolutely gorgeous gifts Dagnija...I will put them all to good use!!!
Daudz Daudz paldies mila Dagnija...
Many many thanks dear Dagnija...

A few weeks ago my very dear Friend Georgina sent me a postcard from Paris...
Georgina was there last month and promised to purchase me a gift for my birthday...all the way from Paris...

This beaut little cheese grater...the grater actually comes out of the pack and the Eiffel Tower can be used as a frame...or I think it could be left there and hung up...


And the biggest surprise from Georgina...a brooch from Riga...the capital of Latvia/Latvija!!!
Thank you Dear Friend Georgina...
Daudz paldies draudzene Dzordzina!!!

So...what do Riga and Paris have in common...Riga has been called 'The Paris of the Baltics'...
Pic is of old Riga/Vec Riga...
Old Riga is, as its name suggests, the most ancient part of the city. It covers the area upon which the old Livonian and Courlandian settlements were found in the 11th and 12th centuries. Beginning in the 13th century, the site became a fortified Medieval city-fortress, one which was gradually enlarged as the decades passed. As was typical for European cities of the same age, Riga was built around a central square, with castles for the feudal overlords - The Archbishop of Riga and the Livonian Order of Knights - churches and cloisters, guilds for tradesmen and craftsmen, and narrow winding streets along wich residential homes were located.
Riga has a rich history with the name appearing in historical chronicles for the first time in 1198 and the town of Riga was founded in 1201
Text Riga Celvedis Guide, Jumava

Timber features heavily in the Latvian culture...with amber/dzintars jewellery very predominant...

Dzintra is the feminine form which is my Latvian name which I have recently started to use... pronounced without the D...but in actual Latvian it is a soft dzzz sound, which the Greek language recognizes and says beautifully...just thought I'd throw that in...

and of course still known as Ingrid!!!

There is even a song...Pie Dzintara Juras...translated By The Amber Sea...or as I like to think of it...Dzintra by the Sea!!! The beautiful St Peters Church/Sv. Petera Baznica

Hand carved timber lady holding an amber/dzintars

Latvians have many Culture Days/Kulturas Dienas...

One of which is the Song Festival/Janu Diena...A Midsummer Festival held in June...a huge event!!!

Here in Australia there are Latvian Halls...one in Sydney and one in Adelaide...most capital cities here do have these Halls...

Round bowls which can be used for jewellery (in front)...Latvian dollies wearing National Costume/Tautas Starpa...candle holder in the background...

This post has inspired me to do a post on Latvia/Latvija which I will do in a little while...

And to Dagnija who has asked how to comment:

Hit Translate button

Hit comments under this post

A box will appear

Hit yes

Put comment in box

Hit anonymous...

Hope this works for you...

I hope you have enjoyed this little post on Riga...Dzintra♥

~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile...I have been lucky enough to have met Vicki over in California in the United States of America and we have decided to do some cook ups together from the Donna Hay magazine which she has been lucky enough to find over there.

If you get a chance check out Vicki's delightful blog and see what she has been up to...while I prepare my meal. This is going to be fun Vicki...

Stay tuned...

Birthday Weekend and Mystery Package Unveiled...along with another!!!

Wow...the weekend is over and I have had a lovely, lovely birthday...lasting 4 days (well, they do say that Latvians can party)!!! My DD came down with her DH and the 2 littlies...we had a lovely picnic lunch on the grass with bushland behind us and the beach in front. What more could one want...just perfect!!!

Many many Thank Yous to my dear Blogging Friends for all your good wishes!!! My special glass...brought out once a year...
As you may have read on Thursday I was heading off to the newest Restaurant in town for lunch with my friend Fiona (no blog)...This is our little table taking in the view of the Clyde River. The weather was absolutely perfect...


I forgot all about taking a pic of lunch...we were too busy talking and I was indulging in a small bottle of bubbly that out host so very very kindly offered to me!!! Above pic is of Mascarpone Cream with Poached Pears and Sesame Seed Tuille...just heavenly!!!
Thank You Mitch for looking after us so well!!!

Back to the mystery package from Andrea, after opening the pack there was another pack!!!

And inside this lovely pattern by Sally Giblin..The Rivendale Collection... fabrics...thread and ric-rac. I have admired Sally's patterns for a while now but have never purchased one as yet!!! Lovely lovely soft colours...Thank You so very very much Dear Andrea...looking forward to starting this one!!!

Then on Thursday another package arrived to tease me a little bit more...this time from the lovely Simone. This one is a pot-holder done in fresh colours and using Simone's favourite colour...pink, together with cup cakes!!! This also came with a little card with a recipe on it which tucks into the little pocket...how cute is this!!! Thank you so much Simone!!!

This absolutely stunning book I purchased earlier and saved it till Friday...Velvet and Pears, a book on Foxglove Spires...the most magical and enchanting garden I have seen...secret gardens, angels, candlebra...'ruins'...I will take you through it very soon so you can see for yourself.

Foxglove Spires is at Tilba Tilba on the South Coast of New South Wales. I brought my book with me just in case the author was there...her Mother was gardening...and at 71 years of age ~ we flipped over... she just looked so youthful and fit and bubbly and ready for a chat. I asked her if the Lady of the House would mind signing it for me...and within minutes all had been done....Thank You Susan...

I have this thing for all things Harry Potter as in my last post...think I'll put all that together too and blog it one day...

Here is my gluten free butter cake complete with edible Harry...little jelly beans and choc chips along with choccies...for the very sweet toothed amongst us!!!

A couple of weeks ago when we took JoJo to Sailability there was a Restaurant on the water's edge...On The Pier and she asked if we could go there one day...and I said let's go for my birthday...DH couldn't say no!!!

This light was on the back deck...looking right into the water...

A Midori cocktail while we read the menu...

For Starters I had an Oyster Trio ~Bloody Mary oyster shooter, 2 Tempura oysters with Spiced Lime Granita, and 3 Natural with Balsamic Pearls...

Grilled Chicken Fillet with Haloumi and Poached Pear...delicious!!!

I have had such fun this birthday...the waiter here brought me this Happy Birthday plate along with dessert!!!

Thank You On The Pier for a fabulous evening...

And just to finish off...this little stitchery...by Anni Downes of Hatched and Patched... I did a while ago now and it has been packed away...now that Simone has one as well I decided to bring mine out...

And to all my Blogging Friends...

Friendship does indeed Warm The Heart...and especially to you Simone!!!

I have been so thorougly spoilt this birthday!!!

Have a lovely week everyone...and once again Thank You for all your kind wishes...Dzintra ♥

It's Birthday Eve!!!

To be serious for a moment here...here is the little kit I purchased at the markets on Saturday...

Started Sunday afternoon...and finished in record time for me...



Opened up...and all set to go!!!

Now, on Tuesday afternoon I hear a knock on the door and this parcel arrives from Andrea
Being an Aries...I want to open it now...

But no, put it aside and WAIT until Friday...

It feels nice and soft!!!

Have been in touch with Andrea who gave me some clues

It might be burgundy...perfect, we have a bit of burgundy through the house

Or it might be pink and green...perfect for the sewing room

Whatever it is I'm sure it will be just right...

Now I'm really busting to open it Andrea

But I will wait...sigh!!!

Have been busy making myself a gluten free buttercake for my birthday

I love Harry Potter...last year my Hubby bought for me the set of books

I even bought the pencils...rubbers...pens...folders

And I love colouring books...and yep...I bought one of those too...

I think one day I will take pics of Harry Potter stuff and post it up...

And yep...I'm a big kid at heart!!!

This edible image is for my cake...

Today I have respite care for our Daughter JoJo...I have adult hours till 6pm!!! Normally I have to be home at 3.30 pm 4 days a week as that is when she is home from her programmes...
And now I'm off to meet my Friend Fiona for lunch at the newest restaurant in town...gaze at the lovely view...smell that salty blue air...and in the back of my head...try and guess what's in that parcel!!!

Cheers to you All...Dzintra♥

Easter 2009...and a Country Market!!!

Here we are...Easter all over for another year. What a lovely family/catch up time we have had...To start the Break...free range eggs dyed with onion skin to enjoy on Easter Sunday morning...of course with the obligatory chocolate ones as well...

Good Friday traditional fish dinner...bream and a lemon potato salad...

Purchased this little kit after visting our local Country Markets...had some fab shots from there too...greeted by camels...one of the most biggest trees in width that I have ever seen but unfortunately the computer wasn't co-operating in the downloading of these from my phone...I have spent hours trying to figure it out but to no avail. Will post them up when I finally figure it all out...

From the markets...a lovely lady had a patchwork stall full of lovely little bags, table runners, quilts...she must've sewn for weeks for this. The markets had record stall holders...125 in all...the biggest for 25 years!!! I purchased a little arm chair caddy...

and a cute little stitchery bag to put threads, supplies in...whatever for the current project!!!

A few years ago now...I read this book ~A Fortunate Life~ by A.B. Facey...

One of the best books I have ever read...

A.B. Facey was born in 1894 and grew up on the Kalgoorlie Goldfields (Western Australia)...he went droving in the North-West at 14, hammered almost every spike on one rail of the Merredin to Wickepin Railway Line at 18...travelled around Australia in a Boxing Troupe at 19...He was in the Eleventh Battalion at the Gallipoli Landing....

A Fortunate Life is a personal account of great poignancy, humour and humanity...This book I'm sure would be a classic in Australian writing...

~The remarkable life of an ordinary Australian~

Couldn't resist the hand made soaps...makes the linen cupboard smell divine...

Sat under the vines and had morning tea...

and caught up with Natima...whom I met about 6 years ago. At that time we were both country gals...now she is a city gal...and I'm a coastal gal!!! Hope we can do this again soon Nat!!!

Came across a horse and buggy. Perfect weather for this Easter 2009. I hope you all enjoyed your Break as well.

And I couldn't resist this...here is a pic of Lyle in my Cookery Class. He just reminds me so much of our Curtis Stone...currently in America...and I'm not the first one to point this out to him.

And the real Curtis...photo from Australian Delicious magazine.

I'm on a break now from my classes for 2 weeks...still cooking at the TAFE Restaurant and have started My Dolce Vita to post up all the meals that we are making there...

Have a lovely week everyone...Dzintra♥