Talofa … or should i say Kia Ora as New Zealand and our All Blacks wake up today as the official World Champions of the World. Growing up for the first 19 years of my life in NZ makes me a very proud kiwi for many reasons but there’s nothing that reminds me more of my love for home as watching the mighty All Blacks play (even if i was almost physically sick with anxiety). I, along with my fellow whanau were at the Beach Hotel last night where it felt like we were hanging on for our lives to a bobbing life raft amongst a choppy sea of Frenchies both in there and on the field. It was definitely more of a relief than a celebration when the final whistle blew – phew !!! Go the mighty All Blacks !!!

yes i do

I had spent the last week leading up to the game thinking not only about the world cup final but also what in the heck i was going to present on belly this week. Some shows are organised weeks before with guest lined up and interviews completed but all week i kept coming up blank. Every time i tried to make an effort to plan something i just gave up because nothing was really grabbing me.

Finally on Thursday evening i went into Woolies (not to buy food i might add) but to browse through their library of magazines to try and find some inspiration in the food features. Low and behold in the back of a white covered lip glossy Donna Hay’s ’10th Birthday collector’s edition’ mag (not usually something i’d look at) i discovered a whole section on exotic and mouthwatering drinks and coolers but what i really took to were the jewel-like glittering jugs of punch … HA !! i thought, could this be it ? Punch is commonly made with fruits … and fruit is food … and these particularly stunning and original punches had foody ingredients like fennel, cucumber, basil along with rhubarb, blueberries and apple as their imaginative ingredients which made me think of foods with fluids … and finally FLUID FOOD.

packing a punch

Relieved and relaxed i left the store having purchased my first ever shiny food magazine and came home to re-read it. The punch section was by far the best although the photograph of the lemon meringue chocolate cake on page 181 nearly had me licking the page. Great and tasty concoctions these punch recipes were but how i thought am i going to create a whole show about punch ? Maybe i could throw in a bit of the history of punch, Punch and Judy, the nutritional values of the more healthy ingredients in punch, but i still didn’t feel it would be interesting enough to fill in an hour long show.

After sleeping on it for a few nights i decided to get up early Sunday morning and head off to the Bangalow markets, armed with my recorder and the determination to find fascinatingly full and fluid filled people to discuss this tantalising topic with. Somehow though it didn’t happen as i wandered open mindedly, happily looking and listening for some thread of interest while collecting a frozen banana sundae and piece of raw beetroot cake along the way.

Parking myself beneath the trees in the filtered morning sun at the back of the food caravans, dreamily listening to the band warm up with a respectful tribute to the indigenous Arakwal people of this area, i surrendered to three things – the frozen banana sundae, the raw beetroot cake and the conclusion that i wasn’t going to find an interview for belly here today … but i still had tonight !

liquid lunch ?

It may be the Samoan in me but i have a way of believing that things don’t happen unless they are meant to and that you just can’t push anything or force things to occur unnaturally. Accompanying this is my ability to not worry and to know that some how it will always work out if you are truthfully following the garden path you are meant to be waddling along on. Belly is something i absolutely LOVE being a part of and if it means that at 5pm on a Sunday evening I’m getting dressed from head to toe in black, heading to the Beach Hotel and getting ridiculously excited about the rugby world cup final without a single stitch of preparation for the show at 11am the following morning, then so be it. I shall have to leave it to the belly brigade of Byron Bay to help me in my hour of need.

Along with my 7 inch long black and white feather earing worn in support of my team, i carry on me another important accessory – my recorder – and when i arrive unknowingly 1 hour early for the game, i ruthlessly abandon my friends, their beer and the smell of hot chips and take to the streets of Byron to obtain the necessary content for my morning show.

let's go nuts !!

Unbelievably (of course) and directly across the road from the Beach Hotel in a small, echoey and blissfully buzzing arcade, i stumble across a hole-in-the-wall type place called “Cane Bar”. Having lived in Byron now for almost 3 years i find it hard to believe that i have not been here already (partly in my attempt to save certain arcades, alleyways and random back streets until such time as i am in need of something new and exciting in this terrific but tiny town and to save myself from the monotony that can sometimes occur when you have been down every street there is).

As soon as i read the words CANE BAR i know i’m in. This is why i didn’t find anyone at the markets to talk to today. This is what i have been waiting for all week. I go with the flow and it leads me to my story … you can’t get any more fluid than this !!   

As i approach i recognize one of the owners from the cane juice stall at the markets who has his mouth open so wide it resembles the size of his shop. It’s a worthy yawn as he’s been on his feet for almost 11 hours blending, whizzing, frothing and pouring out bucket loads of healthy concoctions either readily available on the menu or plucked from the imagination of customers who treat this place as though it’s their own personal wellbeing centre.

tooty fruity beauty

It is understandable when he declines my offer to talk about the sugar sweet services they provide here for the purpose of putting a radio show together but as miracles happen, his liquid lady of loveliness Ljudan has just come in for 1 hour to give him a break and is totally up for a chat. I alert her to the fact that i only have a limited amount of time before the All Blacks kick-off across the road and suggest i may have to come back later if she is too busy but instead she suggests we sit right down and do it NOW. Aaaahhhh YES … i smile for it seems at this precise moment sweeter words have never been heard and sweeter liquids have never been sipped by my lips as Ljudan offers me a “Bom Bom” (cane juice and milk frothed warmly with a shot of expresso poured through the middle). I slurp on this healthy take on an Argentinian delight as we take a pew on one of the many casual seats near the counter to talk about … Fluid Food.

nutritionally nice n naughty

HERE i just tried to upload my MP3 version of the interview which i have just spent about an hour editing (licensing laws mean we are not allowed to play the beautiful NZ reggae tunes that graced the show in true kiwifruit style in honor of the All Blacks win) but it says the file is too large. I’m sure there are ways around this and i shall have to consult with sister T before going any further … but keep your ears out for it as it’s full of fun and juicy information on what they whizz up in here. The interview is a smooth blend of informative story telling with a pinch of giggles and a dash or two of laughter. We wade gently through the sugarcane fields where tasty tales rise to the surface about the worldly past and present inventors of such wizardry wonders as ‘sun flower power’ and ‘mood shifter’. With all of this comes the grounding health benefits of cane juice and the many other super foods (including LOVE) they splash out into the community. You’ll hear the bussle of the magicians mall and the buzz of Byron as it sways on the brink of a balmy sunset … and an ALL BLACKS WORLD CUP VICTORY !!

arohanui

Other information covered on the show today was why … WHY do we need to hydrate ourselves ? Here’s a bit of info i found on the net along with my own additional imput that we may learn something from.

Why Beverages are Important

All beverages are mostly water (apart from the ones usually found in pubs and other such establishments) which is a nutrient that is essential to life. Every body function depends on water and you can live only a few days without it. Your total body weight is 55-75% water. Water makes up about 83% of blood, 73% of muscles, 25 % of body fat, and 22% of bones.

Eighty percent of your total fluid intake comes from beverages of all kinds, and the other 20% comes from foods. Fruits and vegetables – fresh, frozen and canned – contain lots of water. For example, watermelons (funny that), tomatoes, lettuce and celery contain more than 90% water, and oranges are 87% water. Milk, soymilk, juice and soup all supply water to the body and contain other nutrients.

Benefits of Drinking Water

Choose clean water as your primary beverage. It is usually inexpensive and readily available. Water is also thirst quenching, contains no calories, fat, cholesterol, or caffeine, and is low in sodium. Water’s other benefits include:

• Prevents dehydration
• Regulates body temperature
• Gives the feeling of fullness if you’re trying to loose weight
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells
• Provides moisture to skin and other tissues
• Helps prevent constipation
• Cushions joints
• Helps strengthen muscles
• Feels reeeaaal good to swim in

Tap water, especially from large municipal water systems that may be fluorinated is debatable whether or not it’s just as safe as bottled water but it’s definitely less expensive. If bottled water gets a person to drink more water then the added expense may be worthwhile. Be aware, however, that some bottled water is actually reprocessed tap water, and others have added sugar and sodium. There is currently NO GOVERNING BODY to monitor the quality of bottled water !!!

On an average day, a healthy adult needs 8 to12 cups of water to replace the amount lost through perspiration, breathing, urination, and bowel movements. These fluids must be replaced to avoid dehydration and to keep the body working normally. When eating a high fiber diet, extra water is needed to process the additional roughage.

The exact amount of water needed depends on: age, gender, weight, health, level of physical activity, foods eaten, medications taken and the weather.

Thirst is one sign that you need fluids. Your current fluid intake is probably adequate if you drink enough water to quench your thirst, you feel well and you produce a normal amount of urine that is colorless or only slightly yellow. However, do not wait until you feel thirsty before drinking something. Sometimes the brain doesn’t get the thirst signal. Older adults often lose the ability to sense thirst (and don’t like getting up to wee in the night) so often become dehydrated.

What Determines Water Needs?

Execise: When involed in an active sport that makes you sweat. make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, not just during the activity, Sweat or perspiration is the body’s natural way of cooling down especially on a hot day or when your body gets a real physical workout. Without fluids your body overheats. To replace fluid loss drink plenty of water and juice before, during, and after physical activity. These fluids prevent dehydration and the tiredness that accompanies it.

To avoid cramps and dehydration during activity, drink fluids at regular intervals and continue to replenish with water after you’ve finished. A good rule of thumb is to drink a cup of fluid every 15 minutes during and immediately after exercise.

For most physically active people, water is the best fluid choice. Natural electrolyte filled drinks (such as coconuts water) are necessary more for endurance athletes and people who have exercised for an hour or more because they lose sodium and potassium through sweating.

Environment: In hot or humid weather, drink more water to replace what’s lost through sweating and to help lower body temperature. In winter more fluids are required due to loss of skin moisture from heated indoor air. High altitudes (greater than 2,500 meters or 8,200 feet) cause an increase in fluid needs and recirculated air on planes promotes dehydration too.

Health Conditions or Illnesses: Fever, vomiting and diarrhea cause the body to lose extra fluids that must be replaced with water or other solutions such as coconut water. Sometimes intravenous water and electrolytes may be necessary. Certain health conditions prevent the body from getting rid of water such as heart failure and diseases of the kidney, liver, adrenal and thyroid. People with urinary tract stones usually need to increase water intake.

Pregnant or Breast-Feeding: Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need more water. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink up to 10 cups of fluids a day and women who breast-feed should get about 13 cups of fluids daily.

be thankful for what water you have

Tips for Drinking More Water

• Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up each day
• Add slices of lemon, lime or orange to water for a hint of flavor
• Start your meal with soup occasionally
• Enjoy water breaks instead of coffee or tea breaks
• Take GLASS water bottles* with you to work and when running errands
• Keep a bottle of water on your desk to sip on as you work at the computer
• When passing a water fountain, stop and take a drink
• Instead of a soft drink, or soda, reach for bottled water in the convenience store, as well as from the vending machine
• At social gatherings substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks, or alternate them
• Drink water before, every 15 minutes during, and after physical activity

*Every time you drink, bacteria from your mouth contaminate water in the bottle. Keep your water bottle clean or replace it every now and again. Wash it in hot, soapy water or run it through a dishwasher. If you use a bottle repeatedly, make sure it is designed for reuse. Plastic leaches out into water. If you taste PLASTIC it’s because it’s in the water !!! GLASS IS BEST (unless like me you decide to ride your bike with no hands, fall off and smash your bottle all over the road).

NOW IT’S TIME TO TALK PUNCH – A DRINK THAT MAY WELL KNOCK YOU OUT !! 

posh punch

Punch is the term for a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruit or at the very least, fruit juice. It was introduced from India to England in the early seventeenth century; from there its use spread to other countries. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as (funnily enough) punch bowls.

The word punch comes from the Hindi word panch and the drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.

The drink was brought back from India to England by the very merry sailors and employees of the British East India Company waaay back in the early seventeenth century and was very soon introduced into other European countries.

pretty punch

The term punch was first recorded in British documents in 1632. At the time, most punches were of the Wassail type made with a wine or brandy base. But around 1655, Jamaican rum came into use and the ‘modern’ punch was born (yaaaar maaaan).

There are several rum-based punches: Planter’s Punch, Bajan Rum Punch, Caribbean Rum Punch, and probably a few others that have never been named. The two most historical rum punches are the Planter’s Punch and Bajan Rum Punch.

Bajan (Barbadian) Rum Punch is one of the oldest rum punches and has a simple recipe enshrined in a national rhyme:

“One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak.”

 That is: one part lime juice, two parts sweetener, three parts rum (preferably Barbados) and four parts water. It is served with a dash or two of Angostura bitters and maybe some nutmeg.

The recipe of Planter’s Punch varies, containing some combination of rum, lemon juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, orange juice, grenadine, soda water, curaçao, Angostura bitters, and cayenne pepper.

partee punch

 THANKYOU WIKIPEDIA for your wealth of information regarding PUNCH.

I will endeavour to add my favorite punch recipes from the glossy magazine article recipes only once they have been tried and tested by me of course.

Here’s a bitta belly humour for all of you punch party folk looking for some good tunes for your next shin dig –

Pop music: The Curry Charts :

Popadom Preach – Madonna                                                                                              Korma Chameleon – Culture Club 
Bhaji Trousers – Madness
King Prawn Massala Drinks Are Free – Wham
Dansak Queen – Abba 
Tikka Chance On Me – Abba  
You Can’t Curry Love – Diana Ross and the Supremes  
It’s Bhuna Hard Days Night – The Beatles
Brothers in Naans – Dire Straits
Pilau Talk – Doris Day
It’s My Chapati and I Cry If I Want To ? – Dave Stewart/Barbara Gaskin
Bhuna Round The World and I Can’t Find My Bhaji ? – Lisa Stansfield
I Don’t Want To Dansak – Eddie Grant
Dansak on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie
We Are Jalfrezi – Sister Sledge
Vindaloo – Abba
Rice Rice Baby – Vanilla Rice
Tandoori Deliver – Adam and the Ants
Love me Tandoor – Elvis Presley 
Bhuna to be Wild – Steppenwolf
Livin’ Dhal – Cliff Richard
Raita Here, Raita Now – Fatboy Slim

That’s all folks !!

xx sister R

Talofa, Sister Rasela in the belly chair this morning on a beautiful grey day – beautiful because no matter what the weather is doing out there, here in the BayFM studios we are constantly striving to bring a sparkle to your day – every day on this, your diverse and divinely delicious community radio station.

It’s like a family up here with everyone sharing the most important room in the house, coming and going all day every day in and out of the studios. Is there a secret recipe for this flow on fluidity and heartfelt happiness you may well wonder ?? Well if there is i think I’ve found it …

A Happy Home Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups of LOVE

2 cups of loyalty

2 cups of forgiveness

1 cup of friendship

5 spoons of hope

2 spoons of tenderness

3 litres of faith

1 barrel of laughter

Now all you have to do is:

– Take LOVE and LOYALTY, mix thoroughly with FAITH

– Blend it with TENDERNESS, KINDNESS and UNDERSTANDING

– Add FRIENDSHIP and HOPE

– Sprinkle abundantly with LAUGHTER

– Bake it with SUNSHINE

– Serve daily with generous helpings and always offer seconds !!!

L o V e

You will notice that the above recipe is totally vegan. I thought it was about time i slipped in a little bit of belly veganism on the show. I am not insisting that you all become vegans, i just feel the need to speak for the creatures that can’t. To be the voice of the little piggies, the baby calf separated from it’s mother at birth, the terrified cow standing next in the cue at the abattoir, our oceanic creatures, fellow living beings  … and Mother Earth.

Look away NOW if you don’t wish to read some facts and figures relating to the brutal murder of other living beings for our own – dare i say – “pleasure” …

THREE GREAT REASONS TO BECOME VEGAN

1) Animals will be saved – Turning animals into food generally causes horrific suffering and billions of creatures are slaughtered each year. By being vegan you can ‘vote with your dollar’ and know that you are not responsible for anyone else’s slavery, torment and death.

2) You could end up healthier –  If you decide to cut out animal fat you could also greatly reduce your risk of many major illnesses which may include heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, and high cholesterol. You may discover a more positive lifestyle and frame of mind and experience more energy, enthusiasm and good health.

3) The EARTH will be cleaner – The production and waste from processing billions of animals into food and dairy each year is a very real cause of global pollution amongst other things. By making the choice to be a vegan, you will also be contributing to a much cleaner, kinder and more gentle world.

You wouldn't would you ??

Over the years we have tackled AGEISM/HOMOPHOBIA/SEXISM/RACISM … but what about SPECIESISM ??

Animals are not ours to do whatever we want with. No living creature on this planet should have the right to decide whether another lives or dies for their own personal use and satisfaction. Every living creature and species is an individual sentient being. Whatever colour your skin may be, whether male or female, whether we have fur, scales, feathers or skin, we ALL feel pain and pleasure.

All life is interconnected and it is unfair for one species to enslave another for their own selfish purposes. It has a huge detrimental effect on the biodiversity and balance of nature.A healthy and sustainable world respects the lives of ALL that live here. As long as we continue to treat animals as though they belong to us and choose kill them at leisure, we are still living in the dark ages !!

50 billion animals or more are killed each year and this doesn’t even include the water animals. Here we are, us humans, intelligent enough to fly to the moon, build computers and skyscrapers, read, write, paint, cure diseases and compose masterpieces, yet in our bloodthirsty-ness we are also the only species on the planet to design and build massive killing stations and slaughter houses where we routinely murder billions upon billions of animals. These terrified individuals are forced to wait in queues watching and waiting for their turn to come.

Cows for example are intelligent creatures who form lifelong bonds with each other. Thanks to us their lives are usually miserable as they are routinely desexed, de-horned and hot ironed without any pain relief. They are also forced into a relentless cycle of pregnancy, birthing and milk production which often leaves them with chronic mastitis (causing blood and mucus to seep from their udders and combine into the milk), lameness, severe liver damage and very painful digestive disorders.

Cows and their calves are separated at birth. Mums break down fences and walk miles to be reunited with their babies.Both bellow and cry for days to be reunited ….

…. DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS TREATMENT ??

Free to do as i please ... please !!

I could go on … and on … and on … but i think this is enough to bring a glimmer of awareness or if you so desire, denial. It is YOUR CHOICE to live the way you choose but PLEASE spare a thought for those creatures that have NO CHOICE, NO VOICE. They cannot speak for themselves and tell us their stories of sorrow and depression, of friends and families murdered and slaughtered. If they could, I’m sure we would be morbidly horrified.  

A note from Mother EARTH

In Australia, methane emissions from livestock (breathing, burping and flatulence) are greater than the carbon dioxide emmisions from all of our coal-fired power stations combined. Carbon dioxide takes hundreds of years to break down and disappear from the atmosphere, whereas methane is a short lived gas and breaks down in the atmosphere after 8-10 years. Reducing methane is the key to rapidly cool the planet. CSIRO Perfidy (Russell 2009)

A vegan driving a hummer contributes less to greenhouse gas than a meat eater riding a bicycle !!!

An organic vegan diet produces 94% less greenhouse gas emissions than the average meat and dairy diet. Foodwatch Report (Germany 2009)  

I leave it in your minds and hands to do what you think is best for yourself, our fellow living creatures and MOTHER EARTH.

Many thanks to ‘Alive’ and veganeasy.org for the information gathered and shared. Please visit the website and discover further the vast world of veganism. 

don't ... SAY CHEEEEESE !!

Moving and Grooving right along …

My lovely guest in the studio was Camilla Chamberlen who is self  diagnosed as being MAD … about FOOD. Just what the doctor ordered here on belly !!

Here’s a serving of words she very kindly provided me with for your perusal although you really should have heard her sweet dulcet tones across the airwaves on the day. Hmmm perhaps i can learn to download interviews as sister Tess has been doing and bring it to you alive and kicking. I’ll see what i can do but i’m sure you can make do with this for now.

Camilla Chamberlen

0450 732336

cjchamberlen@gmail.com

I was a very willing guest on the Belly Sisters show this morning, 17th October 2011, and have been invited to post a bio on the website. This is my colloquial version of my story so far, and of my plan for what next.

I realise how lucky I am to have lived and worked in some of the most beautiful parts of the world, the mountains of France, Ireland – both North and South – Canada, Greece, the West Country of England and more recently, New Zealand and Byron Bay, Australia. I have been able to indulge my passions for nature, photography, writing, music and food – following my trail with all these very much a part of my life.

I have been nomadic for the past seven years – finding my natural curiosity for new experience and my interest in food combining naturally to present me with varied and sometimes challenging opportunities to put bread on my table. I have worked with and met some fascinating, wholesome, forward thinking characters who have housed me, employed me and inspired me along the way.

I have contributed to food/travel guidebooks both in Ireland and New Zealand, nationwide and local, reviewing restaurants, secret dining and compiling regional, seasonal articles to direct the discerning visitor. I have learned about the issues that affect the communities I have temporarily been part of, have tapped into the passions of small producers of beautiful products – edible, wearable and collectable -, contributed to the success of homegrown businesses and thankfully survived and been humbled by the Christchurch earthquake earlier this year.

I have made new friends, walked many paths and discovered much. I have experimented with holistic treatments, learned about eastern philosophy and medicine, learned the word for ʻbeautifulʼ in many languages and tried my hand at a ridiculous array of whatever may be on offer in each locality that I have found myself living in. Bikram hot yoga and long distance kayaking being my least wise choices – and acupuncture and Les Mills Body Balance classes being two of my best.

Having Time has been a blessing. To make ends meet, alongside writing for websites or books and the occasional photography commission, I have cooked for families, private clients and friends. Covering all aspects of catering support – from quiet suppers at home to full blown parties – to stocking the fridge or freezer or making a special occasion feel effortless for the hosts, thereby allowing them to enjoy the party.

All these experiences have one thing in common – they feel like an exchange – they are of great value to me and to those that request them – giving me the opportunity to give what I can and my friends and clients the time they need with guests or family plus the peace of mind and trust that all will be well on the day/night.

Having Time has also been a curse. The slow burn of living a life without a home base, unforeseen and for so many years, has at times been both wonderfully inspiring and equally quite debilitating. The choices I have made are ones I stand by and would not exchange and in the difficult times I have learned much.

One of the most valuable perhaps is that I have come to understand the complexities of too much attention on food becoming a fixation, and from there a disorder. It is debilitating beyond comprehension for those that have not physically experienced the grip of the mental illness that is complicated and fuelled by the body chemistry involved in the extraordinary survival instinct that the human body naturally produces in order to save itself. Helping people in this situation is difficult to get right – the catalyst for change is always within them – and the sensitive nature of a personʼs appearance and suffering is one that often makes friends and family uncomfortable and therefore less forthcoming with their own contribution to recovery. Hence the professionals that are highly skilled and necessary in many cases. I believe that simply knowing, subtle understanding similar to using animals as healers, is a hand to hold when words are too much to take in. The solution has to be the focus, not the problem, and one of my intentions for the future is to help people who may be ready to come back to us from this dark and difficult place.

Otherwise, I am ready to make a base somewhere and set up a viable home business based on the joys and appreciation that life is about pooling resources, inspiring eachother and making everyday existence more fun.

My varied experience with food and catering steers me naturally to continue to make my living from it. We all have to eat – everyday – so one idea of mine is to start a series of short cooking courses – inviting small groups to come and learn simple, nutritious recipes to help make their everyday cooking more enjoyable. These could be themed by country, by season or at the request of those participating – and all the ingredients would be locally sourced, thereby supporting and connecting with the suppliers and producers that we all want to keep.

As I have already mentioned, helping recovering eating disorder sufferers relax into a healthier food regime, compiling recipes that gradually increase in calories whilst supporting a system that has been under pressure due to lack of nourishment is another way I would like to contribute.

I also want to continue to write promotional material, edit websites or compose copy for those that find self promotion so difficult – and to capture evocative images and compile a series of postcard collections or possibly even books one day. So much to do!

I would love to connect with people of like mind and similar interests and I hope that BayFM listeners enjoyed my story – and perhaps the show and this bio will be a catalyst for the next chapter of it.

THANKS CAMILLA … YOU ROCK !!

SISTER RASELA xoxoxo

Track 1 – Lord Tanamo – In the mood for LOVE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpYqTnHU9oM

Talofa … Sister Rasela here fresh from a weekend of dancing barefoot in the sun amongst reggae beats and peaceful peeps at this years Roots and Culture Reggaefest at Missingham Park in Ballina. A litta bitta Jamaica came to the Shire this weekend with blazing sunshine and swinging dreadlocks creating the perfect ingredients for a tasy belly report. I was lucky enough to be chosen to be a part of the media team for the beautiful BayFM which  meant i was equipt with my recording gear to grab interviews and conversations with bands and punters alike. So much fun i had that i left very little time to prepare for the show today, which prompted me to get my a into g and run around in the final few hours of the festival to find out how people had been treating their belly’s.

Track 2 – Stranger Cole – These eyes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVh3dGp0tjk&NR=1

I wandered around food stalls, seated munching areas and basically approached anyone with a plate in their hand and a mouthful of food to ask … How do you prepare for a 2 day festival ? How much do you think about food before you arrive, if at all ? Do you eat before you get there ? Do you plan your meals and budget for the weekend ? Do you pig out once you are there knowing that you can dance it off ? Do you try things you normally wouldn’t ? What’s the best thing you’ve tried here ? Do you bring your own food like me and go back to the car for picnics ? Are you selling something fascinatingly scrumptious as a stall holder ? … Many questions and many conversations with a huge range of people from young children who had recently become vegetarians because they now think it’s cruel to eat the animals to stallholders who eat at festivals all the time and recommend their favorites.

Track 3 – Paua – Sweet Reggae Music  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q702Q1WHGeQ&feature=related

All of this was recorded with a backdrop of rolling beats and atmospheric delight that is hard to recreate in words on a screen. It was both the most pleasurable pre-recorded interviewing i have done to date and the most gentle and soul filling music festival i have attended as the peaceful and positive vibes that emenated throughout the festival meant that people were open and willing to sit and chat about not just what made their mouths water but also about themselves, sharing stories that go far beyond food and festivals. It is a very special gift to meet strangers and capture the essence of who they are and what they are about. Yesterday’s strangers become todays friends. One Love.

Track 4 – Darky Roots – Only You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAb8oN7Yzu4

So, this may possibly be the shortest and sweetest post from me to date. Some things need to be captured in the moment and this show was one of them. Keep listening as you never know what you might miss out on !!

Here’s a link to the Echo’s ‘Harry Potter style’ moving pictures newspaper to take you into the festival if you didn’t manage to make it.

http://www.echonetdaily.net.au/?iid=53945&sr=0#folio=001

Pees and LOVE maan

On air on Byron Bay’s bayfm 99.9 community radio on September 5, 2011

This week the socks and cardies are coming off with the first true week of spring temperatures.  It was an endless cold winter by our totally spoiled sub-tropical standards.  For once the official start of spring matches what the skies are doing.  And weeks of sun and rain every day are making even the most neglected veggie patch come to life.  So we are celebrating by filling our plates with simple but vibrantly colourful salads, with plates covered in leaves and flowers like a happy hippie.  And we are leaving the fancy cooking to the pros, and tasting their efforts at a big delicious festival this Saturday, September 10, in Bangalow, the Sample Food Festival.

Into the beautiful bayfm studio, turned for the occasion into a flower decked bower buzzing with nectar drunk bees, and the odd bit of static (too much spring energy may interact with your hardware – beware!), Miss September wafted in, bearing a jar of  calendula and orange marmalade decorated with lavender flowers for sister T, and lots of seasonal goodness for the listener.  Just remember, if Miss September invites you to dinner, take along a bucket of your best pee for her peas.

Miss September's dandelion salad

BEST IN SEASON FOR SEPTEMBER – by Miss September, Alison Drover

Its spring time….. pick and eat your flowers and love your lettuces, and pee for your peas.

WHAT’S IN SEASON IN NSW

Vegetables:

artichokes, asparagus, beetroot, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bitter melon
asian greens including wombok (aka Chinese cabbage, aka celery cabbage),
broad beans, sugar snaps, peas
broccolini, broccoli
lettuce, spinach, silverbeet
mushrooms, cultivated and shiitake
new potatoes, swedes, sweet potatoes, potatoes

Herbs, spices and aromatics:

chillies, coriander, curly parsley,flat leaf parsley
ginger, horseradish, turmeric
mint, oregano, rocket, thyme
spring onions (aka green onions, aka shallots – not eschallots)

Fruits, berries and nuts:

apples (Lady Williams), nashis
bananas, papaya, melons, pineapple
cumquats, grapefruit, lemons, mandarins (Honey Murcott), Seville and Blood oranges, pomelo, tangelos
strawberries
Watermelons in Queensland being harvested

LOCALLY AT  NORTHERN RIVERS MARKETS

rocket, kale, lettuce, cabbage, beans, peas, fennel, beetroot, potatoes, ginger, passionfruit, bananas, herbs and honey

The best thing to be using a market and ideal for the arrival of warmer days are salads using combinations of different greens and lettuces, radishes and herbs. Make your own dressings and celebrate the arrival of the sugar snaps and peas.

Spring is a posy of flowers, which are great for people and planet. Many flowers are edible and can help us heal and stay healthy and also play a vital role in encouraging the bees in our garden, which are the pollinators for plant biodiversity.

EDIBLE FLOWERS

The first rule in growing edible flowers. Make sure of which kind of edible flower you are going to grow whether it is perennial or annual. The second rule is, you should choose those which you will likely use often. Thirdly, thoroughly check the soil you are going to use. If you want to grow the best tasting edible flowers, make sure that the soil is clean and the fertilizers you put in are organic.
In harvesting, the best time is at its growing peak and in the morning when the dew has already evaporated. It is also important to keep them cool after harvesting. Long-stemmed flowers must be placed in a vase with fresh cold water while short-stemmed flowers must be placed in plastic bags or damp paper towels and then refrigerated.
The ten easiest edible flowers to grow are lavender, chamomile, calendula, borage, chives, antique roses, sweet violet, pansy, Johnny-jump-ups, and nasturtium.

Violets aren’t just another pretty face. They are loaded with phytochemicals and medicinal constituents that have been used in the treatment of numerous health problems from the common cold to cancer. The late Euell Gibbons even referred to them as “nature’s vitamin pill”.  A 1/2 cup serving of leaves can provide as much vitamin C as three oranges.

This lady is very inspiring  www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/indexs.html

Her words on  nasturtiums:

NASTURTIUMS

Scientific research has found the plant has a natural antibiotic action that is fast-working in the body. It is interesting to note that the antibiotic agent, tromalyt, has been found in the urine within one hour of digesting the herb. Noteworthy, too, is that this antibiotic does not interfere with intestinal flora, and it has been found to be effective against some microorganisms that have built up resistance to common antibiotic drugs.
Nasturtiums are good companion plants. They excrete a strong pungent essence into the air and soil, which has been found to deter aphids, white fly and root pests; and the essence secreted into the soil is also absorbed by other plants, helping them to resist attack by pests and disease. Plant nasturtiums between cabbages, broccoli, melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, potatoes, and around fruit trees.
Aphid Spray: nasturtium leaves (infused in boiling water, cooled, strained, and with a little liquid soap added) are used as a spray for aphids on vegetables and other plants.
Nasturtium is a vigorous ground sprawler, when the plants have thickened up and started to spread, start picking the leaves and flowers to eat.
Leaves have a pungent peppery taste, while the flowers are milder in flavour. If leaves and flowers are chopped up finely and added to other greens and vegetables, they are not as noticeably hot in flavour. I encourage every home grower to plant this valuable herb, learn to enjoy it and use it daily for its high content of vitamin C, iron and other minerals, and the powerful antibiotic, antimicrobial, antioxidant and general tonic actions. The hot pungent seeds can be eaten, too

NASTURTIUM VINEGAR

15g salt
100g nasturtium seed pods
A few peppercorns (optional – I used them)
Herbs, such as dill or tarragon sprigs, or bay leaves (optional – I used bay leaves)
200ml white wine vinegar

Rinse – make sure you don’t use pesticides
Tip – gather them up wrap in damp paper towel zip lock day

A SPRING PLATE

Spring potatoes boiled with a platter or greens rocket, radish,  fennel, oranges and salsa verde with a nasturtium. ( this is what I will be cooking at Sample event)

Take your pick of what you would like on the plate according to what is good at the market e.g.

•    1 spring new potato
•    1 radish
•    slices of orange
•    spring peas
•    rocket

“SALSA VERDE” – green sauce in Italian – goes with meat, fish or even pasta

1 spring onion trimmed very finely sliced
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped rocket leaves
1 tablespoon chopped French tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped lemon thyme
1 tablespoon chervil
1 tablespoon salted capers soaked and rinsed
¼ cup oil
sea salt
lemon zest and juice of one lemon

Add each ingredient stir in oil. Add lemon juice before serving so that you don’t lose the bright colour.
Variations: add croutons, add boiled egg

Tip for the garden fork :

Mulch to ensure you get onto those weeds and also make sure you are getting trellis ready for tomatoes ..
Visit www.sustainfood.com.au for planting and harvest tips.

Save your pee in a bucket as long as you are not taking medication it is a great fertilizer for your garden and cuts down the flushing.

Our urine is full of useful chemicals like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. But urine contains salt, making it a bit powerful to apply directly to plants. You’ll have to mix the urine with grey water at a ratio of 8 to 1.
You will also save on cleaning products.

Suitably nourished and refreshed by the spring energy and much giggling about peeing in the veggie patch (intriguing depth of flavour in those strawberries madame – what is your secret?), sister T went on to play an interview with the energetic and enterprising Remy Tancred, publisher of The Lennox Wave, and of the one year old Sample Magazine, the North Coast’s own Ita.  Actually she looked a bit tired – organising a massive one day food festival will do that to you.

Sample is full of stories about locals involved in food, from farmers to chefs.  Check out the recipes for a great idea to brighten pancakes in spring.  A recipe from the Byron Beach Cafe, hot pink pancakes, coloured with puree from beetroots roasted in their skins, layered with orange slices.  You could top them with nasturtium flowers for a truly vibrant breakfast.

The Sample Food Festival at the Bangalow Showgrounds will include lots of free music and entertainment for kids and adults, even those who don’t live breathe and dream food.   You should catch the goat milking demo – those Nimbin goats have rectangular pupils, you can see how they got the demonic reputation.  There is a session on knife skills, and some of our top chefs sharing knowledge.  Twenty two local restaurants and caterers will have plates to taste, for $5 or 10, the list of dishes sounds far too good for an easy plan of attack.  Tenterfield lamb to Barcoo beef, vegan lasagne to mixed grain risotto, cheviche to crocodile, lemon myrtle cupcakes to macadamia and honey meringues, goat, squid and of course lots of Bangalow pork.  Just to start.   There is a producers market in the morning, and about 60 stalls of other North Coast food and food related businesses.  And the lovely Leah Roland of the Bangalow Cooking School is holding a 2 hour kids class at 10.30  and then an adult cooking class at 12.30 in the Scout Hall, with the help of some top local chefs.  Lots more info here , in the new issue of Sample, or the local papers.

I think this is a great opportunity to see what our local restaurants, farmers and food businesses have to offer, with no entry fee.  I hope lots of people go,  so Remy and the Sample team are crazy enough to do all this again next year.    And thanks Remy for donating a free adult class ticket with Leah Roland and a bunch of Sample magazines for bayfm subscribers.

BELLY BULLETIN

Bangalow-based macadamia farmers, Pam and Martin Brook of Brookfarm have won a lot of prizes for their macadamia products.  Now they have been named finalists in the Diversification Farmer of the Year category in the  2011 Australian Farmer of the Year Awards. There are no categories for best ute or most battered hat, but a lot of emphasis on diversification, biosecurity and innovation.  It is an elite group.  Another finalist is Lindsay Bourke of Launceston (TAS), a beekeeper and honey producer. He runs 3000 hives and a honey production business without insecticides, preservatives or additives.  The national winner is in the running for a $50,000 scholarship.

Good news on the fast food front.  KFC has begun removing all toys from its children’s meals,  a move welcomed by anti-obesity lobby groups.  The Obesity Policy Coalition’s Jane Martin says:
“Parents are so familiar with the pester power that these kinds of toys create.  We’d really urge other fast food outlets,  to follow this example and stop using toys to market junk food to kids.”

Australia has brought in its biggest ever truffle harvest this year, due mainly to a big season in Western Australia.  One WA company has doubled last year’s crop.   Producers say  the increase will help Australia make a name for itself in the global truffle market.  And maybe prices will drop a bit for us consumers.

TODAY’S SUNNY SEPTEMBER MUSIC

Belleville Rendevous, by M – from the 2010 So Frenchy so Chic compilation

Yellow daisies, by Fertile Ground with Navasha Deva

The Street of Barefoot Lovers, by Muzika

Visa fran Utanmyra, by Jan Johansson, from ‘Jazz pa Svenska’, arrangements of Swedish folk songs

stay healthy and pee happy,

Sister T