So there i was one blissfully rainy weekend, having recently left my job and my flat to persue my dream of chasing the irresistably unreachable horizon that teasingly eludes me the closer i imagine i come to it, with a belly show to fill the following morning and nothing, as yet, to fill it with. Like a rumbling tummy with the smell of a delicious feast about to fill it but that’s as far as i had gotten. No biggie i think, it’s not as though i haven’t been trying, it’s just that nothing has come out and really grabbed me … yet. I have no doubt in my mind that something will, even if it is cutting it just a wee bit fine even for my liking.
On this particular dazzlingly drizzle filled Sunday, i find my spirit flying freely up to the New Brighton bushlands that surround my best friends house. Inside around a table of tea and homemade goodies, i sit with a group of female friends who all have kids over contributing to the headonistic school holiday time and i observe the great skill and imagination it takes for any parent to feed a family.
Being a barefoot and fancy free kinda gal myself, i have never had to consider feeding anyone but myself, various boyfriends, and many lucky (or unlucky) friends along the way, so it is with some interest that i wonder – how do they do it ?
My questions are most interestingly answered by the sensational Sita, a fabulous foodie Mum who feeds five … yes, FIVE kids of which the ages vary from 17 down to her most recent addition at age 3. I wonder how much it costs, how she manages to get anything else done in the day apart from cook and prepare food, what the inside of her fridge looks like (as i recall the recent contents of mine before i moved out as being a few coconuts, some miso paste and half an avocado), what she keeps in the cupboards (things i no longer possess) and how their varying tastes in food determines the meals and shopping ? If all of that wasn’t enough to be whizzing around my mind like a smoothie in a blender, i also found out that she has raised most of her children and stepchildren as vegans or vegetarians …
… “might you want to come on the show tomorrow morning and talk about all of this Sita ??”
“Yes Rachael, i would LOVE to !!”
“Right, that’s sorted then, let’s have another one of your homemade, vegan custard tarts and talk some more … ”
And this we did. In fact from the moment i first met Sita last year we talked food and i knew then that we would grow to be great friends (not only around the waistline).
For me, the best thing about BayFM is that it is community radio and instead of feeling anxious at the lack of preparation for the show, i eased any stress by reminding myself and Sita that this is grass roots radio, coming from the lives and hearts of those who are a part of this community and that we all have a story to tell that when shared, may help another by recognizing both the difficulties and joys that face us all each day in our own unique way. To hear someone say – “It’s hard, but this is how i do it and by the way, here’s a recipe that might make life easier for you and your twenty children” … or something to that effect.
Sita has such a beautiful, open nature and was an absolute natural on the show, to the point where i suggested she host her own show, so keep your ears and eyes out for her won’t you. I’m going to get her to send me a little something about herself and all that she does along with a scrumptious recipe she provided for chocolate brownies. The recipe mixture can be frozen and brought out when needed (pre-pre-pre-preparation is one of Sita’s specialities … of course it is when you have a family of 7 to feed !!).
Food, Love and Kids … i didn’t ask her which came first as i think they all go together … just like custard tarts and tea on a drizzly Sunday afternoon in New Brighton.
Sister Rasela xx