PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDHOOD

markherbst.com

Several times in recent years I've been taken back by comments said rather off handedly by my children at times in relation to their upbringing...
It might be a small comment of a memory, a recall of events or a general feeling of how we as parents faired in their eyes.


Almost like a long winded decision or critic on our parenting skills that now after 20 years or more we are  being handed the sentence or verdict on what we did wrong or "What were you thinking? "
Dont get me wrong there is not a problem, but its amazing to me that the age we now live in with all its focus on perfection and  idealistic vision  -  as a parent what we are expected to achieve....

allposters.com

To bring 5 children into the world, healthy, well nourished, educated, nurtured and cared for as the number one focus of ones life......It is surprising to me to hear that the choices we made in relation to education, health, environment and lifestyle may be remembered as an embarrassment rather than a remembrance of a happy childhood.

It got me thinking about our perceptions
What we perceive as a job extremely well done in my eyes, can in the eyes of others or grown up children appear an embarrassment or not be remembered in the way you see it....








The story is that our five children were all raised in a loving environment - albeit sometimes volatile I'll admit - with two devoted, 

easyaupair.com

healthy parents.






I did not work full time until my two youngest children were in high school although I was always busy and involved in my husbands dreams and businesses but I was there - available.................. Always......



We were having children in the "save the world generation "...so we meditated, practised yoga, ate fresh healthy non processed foods bought foods from the local markets.......

alaska-inpictures.com

We made serious decisions about education, feeling that the norm was not good enough for our children.

poemsandnovelsblogspot.com

So they were sent to Montessori preschool, The Best school in Perth and
later on to Rudolf Steiner Schools to be nurtured, cared for and educated in a loving, artistic and  stimulating environment set in natural Australian bushland .

Meditation, artistic endeavours, Indian Astrology, and Ayurveda were a daily occurrence and topic of conversation. As was going away on retreats for my Husband, reading ancient Vedic texts, philosophical literature and having interesting visitors from exotic foreign lands come to stay with us.
We drove the children to and from school for the majority of the years as we lived in a national park without transport. I was  always home after school or accompanying them to sport, ballet or music activities.
Each child was always considered an individual and not sent off to a particular school for example just because Uncle ....went there. We always tried and achieved I think to show the children there were other ways of looking at things.

We were spontaneous, creative and probably a little eccentric but always there.....and how I remember FUN
The boys had the unusual and lost to this generation advantage of being able to roam freely all day on the waters of the Hawkesbury and have as much adventure as they could find.
It was my life and I could not have imagined being able to or wanting to leave them to be at work or to be arriving home from work late ie after 4pm...
So, why is it after all that we did as parents our children only remember the one time you were late, the one time they went to school with the sniffles....the one time you were unavailable or worst still turn up to school on a pupil free day...oh the horror.
They were never left at 7am at the childcare centre........rarely packed off to a babysitter for the entire day....nor did they come home to an empty house and no food on the go.....

art.com

So our perceptions are so different......As my gorgeous daughter approaches the birth of her first baby,  it made me realise that we only see what we want to see, we only hear what we want to hear........and only remember what we want to remember........which is fine. And we start out with such promise as parents and we try with every fibre of our being to do absolutely everything we can to always be the best we can be ....to protect and cherish our child and to always make them our first priority...but with all this, the balancing act of life and all it brings it is hard to do it all
 "perfectly" We make mistakes, we are selfish,bossy and sometimes lazy but always there is Love and Love never fails.
 We all have our own memories and I do not have any regrets about my life as a parent not one....  I've done it all to the best of my ability in the constraints that life threw at me and  I loved it all..........
And funnily,I concur  with the man today writing in Heckler SMH .....what he wants is the 
"having children lifestyle ".......an excuse to be mad and enjoy childish things and be SILLY.........hire a jumping castle and get out with the laser guns.....crawl around the floor making castles and cubbys .....make a mess!!!!
Cuddle up and read silly books about things like "Would you Rather?" or "Avocado Baby" Who would miss out on all the fun you have....we are extremely fortunate...

inphotos.org

 I did a lot on my own (as is required when you have what is now a luxury of not working when your children are small ) as my husband worked hard . We raised all five to be honest, loyal, hardworking, happy, creative but most importantly individual

Ayurveda, Astrology and organic foods are the norm and Eat, Pray, Love has bought us the notion of spending time in Ashrams and retreats, finding oneself and following ones dharma...the way we lived has become mainstream.
I may not have the career of a lifetime spent perfecting one skill but after all that was done and all that is required to do to love, cherish, nurture, look after, treasure, nurse, adore, nourish, discipline, coach, train, teach, develop and enlighten five amazingly different, all fantastic children who I admire and love to bits.....who cares.

nursreyrhymesonline.com

Its the way we did it and I for one am proud of it...........so just remember to always   HAVE  FUN and Enjoy Every Minute of all life brings........

Always jump in the puddles! 
Always skip alongside the flowers.  
The only fights worth fighting are the pillow and food varieties.  ~Terri Guillemets

“Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”

I am SO Happy that my daughter and wonderful husband are about to embark on the thrill of a lifetime and I wish you all the joys of parenthood together and if you love it only a tiny fraction of how much I did it will be wonderful....

Tantalising the tastebuds....

patties, patty cakes, vada, meatballs, pakora, rissoles.....

The other end of the table Anands Christmas platter

As promised these are some other ideas for platters that are not quite as traditional.Who doesn't love a good pattie or vada as they are called in India. Vada is usually potato-based. Potatoes are mashed and coated with an herb-seasoned batter, then deep fried. The finished vada is then wrapped in bread and served with condiments such as chutney and red chilli powder.This recipe for patties is based on tuna with quite a hit of chilli but obviously if you don't like it Hot use plain tuna- it won't be as good but we all have our own tastes so make yours just how you like. I have also included a family favourite - thai chicken patties as we call them. These are chicken mince based and have plenty of flavour and are not deep fried but baked so a healthier option.

more la la la platters

spicy tuna patties

3 tins of tuna in chilli oil

4 med potatoes

1  bunch coriander chopped 

2 cloves garlic 

A ginger piece

2 eggs

2 green chillies

sea salt and pepper

2 onions

plain flour

Cook potatoes in water, drain well and mash but not too smooth or runny.

Cut up onions, garlic, ginger and chilli or whizz

Drain oil from tins of tuna

In a large bowl add tuna, chilli, ginger, garlic,  salt and pepper

Add mash and eggs

Mix preferably with fingers until well mixed through

Chill for a few minutes

Then form into desired shape patties, lunch size or bite size for parties

Roll generously in plain flour and set aside.

Cook in shallow  fresh vegetable oil turning on both sides until browned

Finish in oven if needed

Decorate with coriander leaves

Serve with salad, salsa, or simple dipping sauce on a platter 

thai chicken patties 

1 kg chicken mince

2 med onions

1 red capsicum

I bunch fresh coriander

large piece ginger and 4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon of thick soy sauce (ketchup manis)

1 tbs of sweet chilli sauce

salt and white pepper

lemon grass finely chopped

Other vegetables can be added carrots, celery, mint etc 

Just be careful the mix does not become too runny

2 eggs

You’ll need a large bowl and a whizz or food processor Add chicken mince, salt and pepper and the eggs to the bowl

In the food processor combine and whiz up - but not too mushy

One of the onions, the capsicum and green chillies and 3/4 of the coriander all the ginger and garlic, lemongrass and ginger roots All other vegetables

Combine with the chicken and mix through

It is easier to mix with your hands than a spoon.

Add thick soy sauce and sweet chilli  

Combine the rest of the coriander and the onions but finely chopped so it has a different consistency

When all mixed together

CHILL for a bit to set

Form into balls or patties add plain flour if too runny.

Cook on baking paper in oven for about 20-25 minutes if large size

10-15 minutes if small party size

Serve with hot chilli sauce or sweet chilli or cooling sauce like cucumber and yoghurt

antipasto platters

Christmas day Platter at Anands   

This is my my interpretation of  Italian Antipasto and probably my favorite way of serving food for guests as it's easy to make, bright and colurful and really delicious.  There are endless choices for antipasto Some of my best  loved choices are:
Roasted capsicum, roasted tomatoes, caramelised kumera, eggplant, stuffed olives, dolmades, , marinated eye fillet of beef with horseradish cream or mustards, asparagus, proscuitto,
Then of course your favorite cheeses, quince paste, pate, muscatels, fresh dates, grapes and various spreads and dips so, try pesto, baba  ganoush, homus or betroot dip
Sliced sourdough baguette, crackers or wafers and grissini and everyone can eat as much or as little as they like...could not be a better way to eat or entertain.

roasted capsicum

Place whole capsicums on the shelf in the oven bake for 20 minutes or until they look blackish and cooked through.

Place into empty clean plastic shopping bag tie up the ends and leave on the sink to cool

When cool take the skins off …will just fall off under running water…wash away the seeds and stalks

Cut into thin strips drizzle with good quality olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and black pepper Mix a bit and arrange on the platter

pink onions
These are great and so easy, they are fabulous on platters or as an accompaniment to salads etc

Finely slice Spanish onions and place in a large bowl

Add sugar and lemon juice.Just enough lemon juice to make it wet so about 1-2 lemons and about 1 good spoon of castor sugar. Mix

Cover with a tea towel and set aside for a few hours.
Then drain off the juice and mix the onions .They wil have become soft sweet and evenly pink.Add to the platter.

grilled eggplant

Choose eggplants that are smallish, firm and glossy. Slice thinly into disks and place on a baking tray preferably lined with silicone paper Drizzle with good olive oil, season with cracked pepper and a bit of sea salt Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes in mod oven. Keep checking as the very thin slices may burn easily so remove them first Add to platter



                                        

caramelised kumera

Kumera or sweet potato is perfect on a platter. They can be just sliced finely and baked - see eggplant recipe above or sliced very finely and quickly shallow fried as chips, seasoned and served with dips. The sugar content in the Kumera when cooked or browned makes it very caramel and flavoursome for antipasto. Home made kumera chips are best!!

roasted tomatoes

ripe red roma tomatoes

olive oil

fresh thyme leaves substitute mixed italian herbs if no fresh thyme available

cracked black pepper

sea salt flakes and pinch of sugar

Mix olive oil, cracked pepper, herbs, salt and sugar, together

Cut Roma tomatoes in half lengthways Place tomatoes on a baking tray on silicon paper. Drizzle mix over the top of the tomatoes

Cook in 160 oven for 20 to 30 mins

To make semi dried tomatoes use the same method.

Cook in oven 20 mins turn oven off and leave tomatoes in there over night. Best done after using the oven for cooking a meal and just pop tomatoes in and leave.

Don’t forget to take them out in the morning

fresh asparagus

The perfect addition to antipasto platters, fresh green lightly cooked asparagus can be used to make proscuitto/asparagus rolls or simply blanched then steeped into iced water,  drained and placed on the platter. It doesn't need any extra work or sauces and is on its own superb.

homus
I have a relaxed attitude to quantities when making homus and I experiment to get my own taste whether its more lemon, tahini or more garlic but basically this is what I do:
1 tin of chickpeas
1 dessert spoon tahini or to taste
3 cloves of garlic
juice of 1 lemon
salt
olive oil - add depending on the thickness required and to drizzle over the top.
Grind up the garlic and add everything else Whizz to a fine smooth paste. taste and adjust as needed Season with sea salt, pepper and olive oil.Traditionally olive oil is spread on top and sprinkle of paprika ...suit yourself.

To be continued.....

I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year!!!!!!

CHRISTMAS ...
I always like to hear John Lennon's lyrics at Christmas.....you know the tune ...right??

So this is Christmas

And what have you done?

Another year over

And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

For weak and for strong

For rich and the poor ones

The world is so wrong

And so happy Christmas

For black and for white

For yellow and red ones

Let's stop all the fight

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

And what have we done?

Another year over

And a new one just begun

Ans so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

War is over over

If you want it

War is over

Now

For most of us Christmas is .........warm weather, end of school term,  HSC results, office and work parties, shopping, surprises, Carols, giving, hopes,  holidays and chance to unwind, read, relax, watch cricket, harbour cruises, shopping and buying gifts, making things to give, Sydney to Hobart, the beach, Christmas food, champagne, seafood, picnics, and enjoying family and friends.

I was thinking of what Christmas means to us all recently and realised that although in some sectors like retail, emergency services, health care, aged care, hospitality and essential services  people are working at Christmas but  we all have the same underlying value about Christmas.....a chance to see friends and family no matter how diverse and eclectic it might be...and to CELEBRATE....

I think everyone has their own traditions and hopes for the one perfect day of the year when the shops are not open and no matter how we choose to celebrate -  be it lavish or humble or somewhere in-between we can relax and enjoy our friends and family and spread a feeling of cheerfulness, love and  warmth to everyone we come across.Our traditions and what we do for Christmas does change as our children grow and the family expands and new traditions can begin.....

I was remembering some of my favourite traditions we have had as a family over the years....when my children were younger and we lived in Perth we would wait for the evening light and head into Perth to view the Christmas windows of the stores  It was also my daughters birthday and we would visit Miss Mauds famous smorgasbord for a birthday dinner then see all the light displays around Perth on our way home.

Christmas carols by candlelight another iconic event...whether celebrated in your local area or the huge televised event in Melbourne and Sydney

Boxing day then ....by far THE BEST DAY of the year means and still does the Sydney to Hobart yacht race start on sydney harbour....a magical event of sun, wind, colour and excitement whether we view it from the harbour or the headland or even on TV ...nothing else says Sydney at Christmas than this. Then o the cricket......test match 

Boxing day - we always had masses of food that my daughter and I had prepared the day before as our Christmas feasts were legendary and always food for days afterwards  Boxing day became a day of rest, fabulous food already prepared, leftover Birthday cake, being spoilt after the toil of the lead up to Christmas, loads of guests, friends, children, boats, play and fun......and doing whatever you felt like....sleeping on the deck ...glass of wine ...talking !!!!

Christmas is still fun but different.........I start Christmas in August when I open 40-60 palettes of Christmas stock and Christmas trees then set up the Christmas shop ...everything has to be unwrapped from the palettes down to the cartons then through 4-8 layers of boxes, paper, cardboard and bubble wrap to ultimately reveal all the decorations from large over sized nutcrackers to tiny little mini decorations. These are then hung by hand on shelves and hooks in a pristine order meticulous fashion to show off their style and theme. It is an overly time consuming task that takes 3-4 weeks to complete. It is fraught with anxiety re delivery schedules, tiredness, stress and difficulties due to staff or lack thereof, along with limited storage space ........but the creative side is awesome !! read previous blog

Once we are ready we open the doors in beginning of August and start the daily business of selling Christmas decorations to the firstly, collectors and tourists then mainstream shoppers not forgetting the Christmas Carols continually played in the shop in case we forget that Christmas is coming.

It is a very personal, important and emotional time for many and I hope that we do bring cheer to all that come in and see our display that we spend hours setting up and help them find small or large treasures to take home or send to friends .......
 It is a shame that by now when we have so many people shopping on late and extended trading hours that the best of it has gone. It was fantastic!!

Add to this the rehearsal of the Christmas choir twice a week from October culminating in a daily Choir performance for the customBy now my mind has been listening or singing carols for 4 months ..so no wonder I sing We wish you a Merry......... in the shower...!!!For the most part it is a happy experience, as mostly customers are happy when buying Christmas decorations but it does bring out the nutters and the extremists...who we have learnt to love and if not at least tolerate.We know them by name and their idiosyncrasies We have heard of some amazing Christmas trees and displays that people have and the time and commitment spent to make them It is staggering the extraordinary effort that some people go to, to spread Christmas cheer  for their homes family and friends. 
The best story told so far, from a customer is of her home on the South coast where there is a colour co-ordinated Christmas tree in every room that is matched with the colour of the ocean outside 

I met my son this morning after the Choir  performance and he said " It was very .........you know and banged his chest" People were tearing up....Yes that is Christmas I thought....we miss people who are not with us, we yearn for loved ones , we enjoy memories of Christmas past and we hope for all good things to come .....

We think of John Lennon's song above, we plan our Kris Kringle (as who can possibly buy or make a gift for every person in the family these days) but most of all we dream of that magical day where it is just all about good cheer and being delighted to see and spend time together  and to make it a special and happy day.

I for one have always opened my heart and home to at least one person who was going to be alone on Christmas day ...a ring in.....It is my own favourite tradition 

The family from Canberra that I told my parents I had invited to come and stay ...all five of them

People from work, odd people that you happen to met, friends and children's friends that I now call 

the " mystery guest."

Our American friends who all came for the day ...the year it was 40 degrees and felt like the country was about to burn down ...this one did end with major bush fires in blue mountains. 

It should be a day of sharing, giving, excitement , fun....

I am so busy at the moment that even if I can't get it together to shop and prepare Christmas with the gruelling lead up to the Boxing day sale ( that is now the focus of my once most favourite day) with stocktake preparation and Christmas trading hours at work. Even if it doesn't happen and all I get done is my Kris Kringle and my daughters birthday present then I hope my involvement in Christmas shop and the Choir has bought some JOY to those we helped create their own Christmas, those that listen and hear us sing every day and to everyone else
I  do wish everyone 

a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.......Enjoy

"My Christmas gift suggestions for you  are:
To your enemy.......forgiveness. 

To an opponent......tolerance.

To a friend...............your heart. 

To a customer.........service.  

To all........................charity.  

To every child.........a good example.  

To yourself..............respect. " 

Scientific proof of my TEA MAKING RITUALS

There is no doubt I have perfected tea making but it is always good to see scientific validation of my rituals........I found these experimental results about perfecting tea making....reported in the London Daily Mail
yes!! its official tea is best drunk 6 minutes after being made
We all thought it was art but NO scientists have discovered or developed a formula for perfect tea

• Tea is best drunk 'six minutes after it has been made'
• The optimum brewing time is two minutes and the ideal amount of milk is 10ml.

The perfect drinking temperature of 60c is achieved six minutes later – but after 17 minutes and 30 seconds the tea will be past its best as it falls below 45c.

Or, as the scientists at the University of Northumbria put it in their formula:
TB + (H2O at 100 degrees centigrade) 2mins BT + M (10ml) 6mins BT = PC (at OT 60 degrees centigrade).

TB is tea bag

BT is brewing time

M is milk

PC means perfect cuppa

OT stands for optimum temperature.
For the research, commissioned by a milk company, the team spent 180 hours in the lab testing brewing methods, and a panel of volunteers consumed 285 cups of tea.
I'm going to put the kettle on.......

Champagne

 Tea although wonderful is second to the ultimate beverage - a glass of champagne.........

                                                  

Champagne is like a glass of promise.......full of  light and subtle sparks of bubbles...probably my only regret in my life so far,

 was not drinking more good champagne....

There were many opportunities to do so and thinking about it......... a glass of bubbly might have made a difference....


Too much of anything is bad but too much Champagne is just right
F. Scott Fitzgerald

I love this quote from Lily Bollinger ~ it is most definitely my favourite quote




 "I only drink Champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. 
Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.
When I have company, I consider it obligatory.
 I trifle with it if I am not hungry 
and drink it when I am.
Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty"

Lily Bollinger

Sharing a glass on the deck at Hamilton Island

 Dom Pérignon a Benedictine monk between 1639-1715 is thought to have accidentally discovered champagne when bubbles appeared in the wine he was making in the Champagne region of France. But the English (as usual ) dispute these claims stating that it was actually cider makers who discovered sparkling wine 20 years earlier They claim the French could not have done it as the glass in the bottles then was not thick enough to sustain the pressure of the second fermentation process 
They were thought to have added sugar to still wine and created the fermentation as their bottles were thicker and stronger so they did not explode. 
The English imported a lot of french wine and developed the process now known as the Méthode Chamenois The French have perfected and refined this art of course that we now enjoy as Champagne


Whatever your budget there is always a champagne or sparkling wine to enjoy for every occasion and meal.


Try Grandin I think of it as the Jacobs Creek of France- very inexpensive but has that lovely fermented French flavour It is also beautiful as a base for champagne cocktails or Champagne Bellini 


"Come quick I am tasting the stars" Dom Pérignon

                                                                                                  

 My favourite  Champagne is Pol Roger

This is how they describe their range in the Pol Roger website 

"Stylistically, its range is much lighter and more delicate than Bollinger, for example, and the Brut non-vintage has often tasted disappointing over the last decade, particularly when purchased in France. The Blanc de Blancs, by contrast, is all that it should be, full of early flowering grace and vanilla charm, while the vintage wines have a fine track record for slow, steady ageing."

My Wish List

To visit the Champagne region of France and Pol Roger House

Champagne Cocktail

4 Sugar cubes

2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters

1 Bottle champagne

2 Nips of brandy

Strawberries

Drop sugar cube into the bottom of the champagne glass 

Add a couple of dashes of Bitters 

Add 1/2 nip of Brandy to each glass fill with Champagne

 Garnish with strawberry

Cheers & Enjoy

SHOPPING

Whatever has happened to a once loved pastime of going shopping in the city for the day....lunch out ...that wonderful surprise of finding new shoes you know you'll love , great shirt dress or pants ,then home with  arms full of bags....well maybe not but at least a few treasures that you felt you couldnt live without...
It doesnt happen any more. Is it because I work in retail that i don't shop much anymore or is there a general malaise in shopping trends...judging by the media hype and the quiet floors at work I'd say its true.
I can understand why I don't spend a day off work hitting the shops or browsing the stores...but I'm amazed that  there is such a change and swing away from ....going to town and shopping for the day.Sure in the big stores we get our occasional shoppers like we did before, country people here for the day or New Zealanders excited about our spectacular stores and range of brands But ...where is everyone else.....

My guess is this !!
We either go to the stores because we have to for groceries and essentials or we wait and hit with a vengeance when its sale time or special offer days or we take the time at home to  browse the internet for exactly what we want in the comfort of home where we can look with a glass of wine in hand all in our own good time.
Or we chose to wonder through more intimate interesting and smaller stores in places like Newtown, Leura,  Mosman,  Avalon or markets and the odd garage sale that are present every weekend across the state in the city and  and in regional areas.
if I had time these are the places where I would shop...
Unfortunately, as the decades go past we all try to keep the essence of each decade  and attempt to do it all but honestly theres not enough time ....for everything

The 80's bought us good living and fine dining and great books then the flood of great movies in the 90's  Then on to the 2000's and we have fantastic well written TV series like Breaking Bad, The Wire, Mad Men, Entourage and Dexter not to mention the overwhelming amount of interesting, stimulating, fun interactive pastimes on our I pads, I phones computers, I pods and social media.
So,the short answer is we are time poor but having a blast trying to :
watch quality cinema, read engaging,absorbing books, have fun with social media, enjoy our much loved TV series watched on DVD back to back (the only way to give the story justice ) learn new intriguing techniques on our computers and fulfil our curiosity with new knowledge, do our yoga and meditation, catch up with old friends, work 11 hours a day, keep up and enjoy family, meet new friends, visit the gym to swim and keep healthy,  cook appetising and enjoyable meals, try out special wines, fine dining and nights out at new and favourite venues,  spend time giving and gaining comfort, love and solace from loved ones..oh and the daily crossword and sleeping....
So if we wonder why theres no-one in the store shopping its because we are far too busy doing more interesting stuff then shopping......

and thats how we fit it in.......something had to go