just like diamonds, can be forever if you play your cards right.  During this show, Melissa shared some  favourite flavours from her New Zealand childhood, including the famed Edmond’s cookbook, and ones she has picked up as a professional cook in tropical Queensland.  As well as cooking at the Yum Yum Tree Cafe in New Brighton, and looking after her 2 and 1/4 children, she loves to preserve in season fruit.The bellysisters also talked about the wonderful Jerusalem artichokes, and lots of foodie news and events.

PRESENTERS : sister T and sister B of the Preserve Paradise
GUEST : Melissa Kitto, New Zealand born cook and  talented preservist

GUEST RECIPES : by Melissa

LIMONCELLO

1 litre of pure Alcohol (or vodka)
10-12 lemons (unblemished skins) using the zest only
[during the show Melissa recommended thin skinned lemons such as Meyer, currently in season]

Soak the zest of the lemons in the litre of alcohol for 14 days.

When 14 days have passed………….
Measure 2 litres of water into a large pot, add 2 cups of sugar and stir
over medium heat until dissolved and the water is clear. Remove from heat and
let cool.
Next strain the lemon peels from the alcohol and discard.
Mix the alcohol with the cooled sugar water and bottle in sterilised glass containers, you now have Limoncello.

YumYum

OLD FASHIONED SPICY  PEAR CHUTNEY

3 kg pears de-seeded and chopped
1 kg sultanas
750 g. dates
1 kg brown sugar
1 tbs salt
4 tbs fresh ginger grated
6 cloves garlic sliced
2 litres cider vinegar

Place ingredients in a  pot and bring to the boil, reduce heat
so a rolling boil is maintained for  2 ½ – 3 hours or until brown and
thick, stirring  to prevent it sticking to bottom of pot.

Pour into sterilised jars, makes about 8 medium jars.

OLIVE RECIPE

do you have a good one? share it with the bellysisters please, it’s olive season

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

Easy to grow, they can even become a pest.  Maybe try them in a big pot in our area, adding organic fertiliser after each season.

They should look like plump, healthy roots.  Wash, scrub, maybe peel.

Great in soup with potatoes or leeks, or raw, sliced very fine into a salad.  Or boiled or steamed, then in a salad with potatoes and herbs like parsley, chervil, dill.  Or with mustardy leaves or watercress or spinach.

See link below for more info.

EDIBLE QUOTE:
by fish-loving visionary and ex-president of the USA George W. Bush:

‘I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully’

CONTACTS/LINKS :

“the Edmonds” NZ cookbook bible – http://www.edmondscooking.co.nz/ : lots of recipes from the book that has shaped generations of NZ cooks

‘The End of the Line’ documentary about overfishing :

http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/news-and-events/events/EndoftheLine-130410 – film info, Australian screeenings

http://www.greenpeace.org.au/blog/?p=2005 – interview with Charles Clover, who wrote the book “The end of the line”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Jcrk6jGfo – Bush’s fish-lovin quote

www.gunnawannabe.com or ring Mick or Thelma on (02) 6622 7094 for bush food classes

www.casinobeefweek.com.au – beef week this year runs from Saturday 22 May to Monday 1 June

www.surveymonkey.com/compostbyron – direct link to Byron Council’s composting, food and garden waste survey

www.byroncollege.org.au – all the cooking courses and sustainable food growing courses you could wish for

http://permaculture.org.au/2008/12/30/jerusalem-artichokes-like-diamonds-are-forever/ – good information on growing and cooking Jerusalem artichokes