As Aussie as Pavlova

I love pavlova.

It can't be the soft, mushy, marshmallow type.

Or the cheats type that comes from the

abnormally large plastic egg in Coles supermarket.

It has to come from a simple recipe from

The Australian Women's Weekly Cooking Class cookbook.

It requires egg whites from free range hens.

It delivers a crispy, crunchy pavlova with just the tiniest hint of mushiness.

The pavlova below was made for a very good friend

who was visiting from London, Netball Queen.

Netball Queen has spent the last 6 years in London

but maintains one of the best Australian accents I've ever heard.

She'll never lose it.

A strong, Australian accent that can survive 6 years

under the influence of the English deserves a medal, a green and gold medal that is.

I'm un-Australian

Why?

Because I really don't like Vegemite.

I never have.

I just can't stand the strong taste.

It looks like car grease.

Plus the texture is too slimey.

But I love peanut butter.

Peanut butter on toasted anything.

Peanut butter on celery.

Especially peanut butter in biscuits.

There is nothing better than baking biscuits with peanut butter.

Creaming the butter and the sugar, adding the eggs, sugar and vanilla (I'm pretty heavy handed when it comes to vanilla). Then comes the best part.....the add ins. This recipes has half a cup of peanut butter added in with the chocolate chips. Sometimes I also add half a cup of oats for some extra chewey-ness.

Clare Valley Trip by Food

That Southern Boy's family organised a family trip to see Jimmy Barnes at A Day on the Green in the Clare Valley a month ago. The photos below are the food version of the little getaway...always the most important part of any holiday!

What's missing from my life?

London. That's what.

After all the complaints about how hot it's been here lately yesterday we were graced with a cool, overcast day. There was a lovely breeze about the place and I was taken back to when I lived in London and saw mainly grey skies each day. And for the first time in months and months I realised that I still missed London.

I'm not sure why.

Most of my non-English friends have returned home with my last close friend arriving this coming Thursday. I've rebuilt a happy life here now. I have good friends, my family are thankfully healthy, I have an income (at least for the next year), I'm about to finish my PR degree, That Southern Boy and I are to be married, I have special events to look forward to here...but at the end of the day I still miss my London life.

I miss living in a big, bustling city.

I miss living in a city that allows me to travel regularly.

I want to go somewhere on the train or the tube.

I want to go to art galleries such as the Tate Britain in Millbank after work.

I need a decent curry .

I feel like spending a lazy Sunday at these markets.

I want to catch a glimpse of Banksy through a bus window.

At the end of the day though I'm still glad I decided to return to Australia in 2007. Family will always come first. I'm so happy that I have a healthy one.

My heart is breaking...

....... sadly it has nothing to do with Valentines day or anything else as frivolous as that.

My heart is breaking because of this:

............... and this:

.... and this too:

A week ago there were homes, schools, shops and police stations here but now this is all that's left for too many Victorians:

Drive, drive, drive

Greetings from soon to be Sandy Beaches.

Off on a driving holiday with That Southern Boy on a wine and beach hunt.

We leave tomorrow. First stop will be here in the heart of the Coonawarra wine region. Looking forward to some delicious wines.

Next stop will be across the border, to the land of the Victorians to spend some time exploring this lovely beach town.

Off to pack now. Oh how I love to pack!