A Moulinex Christmas

This was given to me by Carita's mum. I've only met her once but she was lovely enough to remember that I loved her crock pots and thought that I might like this. I did and I do. It's got a heap of nifty attachments but my fave is the meat grinder, all I need is a sausage attachment and I'm set.
Which just makes me think... at this time of year it may seem like you're being stuffed into a chute, torn apart in an auger and stuffed through small holes but there's a lot of love out there this time of year, and if you're lucky, you might just make some sausages.
And on that Christmas thought, whether you're having a big family do, a bottle of booze at the beach or on the sofa, or just trying to get that office lady your co-workers set you up with off to a love hotel before the last train, have a lovely one. Thanks to all those who have called in here over the year - it's been a pleasure. I've made and kept some lovely friends over the year (and ahmm I'll be writing over the holidays) thanks t' blogging and thanks also for your support for my move into the world of tree-based publishing.
Cheers all
Anthony
xx
o

Nannygai and watermelon salad

Just something quick that was going to involve squid but didn't. A large toungue-like strip of nannygai was substituted and dusted in plain flour, (less) cornflour, (much less) chilli powder and (a little more) ground coriander. Ground coriander was added because it has a more interesting flavour profile than just chilli and has a hint of orange to it. The watermelon is a mix I nicked from Jackson's of watermelon, finely chopped spanish onion, coriander leaves and mint leaves. A bit of gloss for the fish came from a hot vingarette which you can make by deglazing the pan with some wine vinegar and the some EVOO.

Nice. Although the watermelon had a bit of bought earlier in the week limpness about it which isn't good.

ALSO

Assuming you haven't spent all your christmas dosh on spice subscriptions and on-line ordering a reminder that Menu for Hope III is on and it's a fantastic chance to combine christmas giving (the United Nation's World Food Program), and getting (the chance to win some fabulous food prizes - they could always be belated christmas fan).
Big Bowie fan Santos has her head around it and is offering self-enabling DIY muffins and a bento starter kit and then get over to pim's and helen's for the full deal. You can check on the progress at the donations page.($18,000 $26,000 so far !!!)

AND
In the best thing for Perth since the Air Races, Matt is hosting food blog photo contest DMBLGIT. Entries close December 28th so rifle away through your November pics.

The sad state of lard packaging today

- Raymond Loewy gently weeps. Its not so much economy as despair at the potential.

- Gracianne pays me a very large compliment at Un dimanche a la campagne by doing my lard based lemon meringue pie in French.

- You'll get your money's worth in the opening credits of Casino Royale, rest is gravy. Sad to see the optimism of the 60's with lasers has been replaced by the naked man and a chair of the current zeitgeist.

- Lingot d Argental from Lyon is as gentle and creamy a soft cheese as you could want. They've got some at Herdies.

- You, Me and Dupree is the best French comedy of 2006.

- I'm a complete bum. Pim nicely asked me to join Menu for Hope III and I've done nothing. Keep a sharp eye on it, it aims to raise a motza for the United Nation's World Food Program and you can help.

- Van Halen's Jump sounds surprisingly fresh thanks to a very dirty bit of background fuzz on the synth. 1984 is the only concept album to last one song. Rather than apollonian/dyonysian as the two dichotomies of our culture, I think we could learn a lot from Lee Rothian/Hagarian divisions. I think the Age of Hagar of the past six years is one the wane and welcome the waxing of Lee Roth (not literally, hairiness is part of his charm).

- hirsute means hairy, who knew?

Spice Magazine Summer Edition

Oooh I love the thrumm of modernity. It was a brief fantasy last Friday in the Claisbrook House of Bondage but the normality of independent publishing was restored with a 'til midnight stint of mag packing to white wine, the smell of heat sealed plastic, and the pleasing sounds of DLR Van Halen and Heart to get the mag to the post office by Saturday morning.

This is the fifth issue and my third as editor and while the previous two were gaviscon and instant coffee fuelled festivals of dread, this one was an actual pleasure to do. So calm was I for all but a few days, that I'd assumed my brain had gone into some sort of self defence mechanism and placated me with endorphins. The actual reason is that I seem to have got my editor thing together and systems systems systems. None of this would of course have been possible without Kate the fabulous and hard working graphic designer, Jeff the magnificent and multi-tasking photographer, and the fourth Beatle (if there were three) and Cyrano to my Christian (without the nose) the wise and hard but fair Kate. It also involved a lot of help from basically very lovely people doing bookwork and proofing, writing and photography. I find it hard to look at the mag when it's all done but the process has always been a pleasure.

Anyhoo regular and potential readers and subscribers, hope you like Summer Spice because it's rather good. With stories interlaced in intermeshing on multiple levels, there's stories on the people who produce and get oysters, prawns, pearl meat, and scallops; recipes aplenty; chats with chefs; complicated diagrams; 14 actual jokes; Italy; Singapore; buckwheat farmers; a guide to Beaufort Street; a bespoke cocktail; obscure reference to Margaret Thatcher and ice-cream; reasons to drink Verdelho right now; and, my personal fave, instructions with pictures on how to STUFF FIVE (5) BIRDS INSIDE EACHOTHER!!1!1!1!!!!! (and you can win one).

Subscribe for yourself or for someone deserving for christmas. Available in all good newsagents (hassle them) and at the following outlets around WA.

Fresh Provisions (Mt Lawley), Sealanes (Freo), Kakulas Sister (Freo), Wine Liasons (Freo), The Home Provedore (Freo), O2H (Nedlands), The Grocer (Nedlands), Lady Kitchener (Claremont), Black Duck Pantry (Albany), Blackwood Kitchen (Bridgetown), Seashack (Esperance), Get Stuffed Olive Company (Gingin), Loose Produce (Como), Margaret Riviera (Cowaramup), Picobello Patisserie (Bicton), Swansea Street Markets (East Vic Park), Gourmet Centro (Subiaco), Vanilla (Fremantle), Angelo Street Markets (South Perth), and Food for Me (East Vic Park), Clayton's Quality Meats (South Perth) Kitchen Warehouse (Osborne Park), Margaret River Venison (Cowaramup)