The Apple Shed

When I first moved to Tasmania, I was struck by the number of beautiful old timber apple sheds that dotted the valley.  Ramshackle wooden sheds that butt right up against the road, relics from the once thriving apple industry.   Some of them are still in use, some dilapidated and abandoned and a very small number converted into charming rustic homes.  

I remember thinking how special and unique they were, but also feeling a little sad that more of them weren't loved and cared for. That they should be preserved and celebrated as a unique feature of the valley.

One such fine specimen of a shed sits proudly on a stretch of highway locally known as the Grove Straight, and for years has been home to the Apple Museum.  I'm sorry to say I had never been inside the museum.  It just looked a bit sad to me.  Even the lure of the fabled shrunken apple heads wasn't enough to entice me inside.

That is until this week.  Those clever cider makers at Willie Smiths have bought the museum with a vision to turn the space into a museum, cider tasting cellar door and cafe.  I couldn't be happier.  A place to celebrate the now thriving cider industry, while remembering the valley's apple heritage.

Work has already started to strip the building back to its historical bare bones.   Painted windows have been scrapped back to let in the light, carpets ripped up to reveal smooth, perfectly sound century-old floorboards and fake walls knocked down to reveal beautiful industrial architectural details.

This summer, I can't wait to sit in the garden, sipping cider with friends while the children play in the gardens. Or we might follow one of the paths to be carved through the surrounding paddocks and walk through the gorgeous fields under the shadow of Sleeping Beauty, the mountain range to the north.


In the meantime, I finally made it to the museum this week, to get a look at the vast collection of treasures and keepsakes.  I thought about all those hardworking apple pioneers and I felt thankful that at least one of these special buildings, and the stories it contains, will continue to be relevant, preserved and loved. Cheers!

PS I have a new facebook page. Come and say hi!

Rainy day and Monday

No sensible mother would take her children to the beach on a rainy day in the middle of winter.  But I'm not sensible, it was the last day of the school holidays and we hadn't been on one single outside adventure.  Weeks of rain, head colds and work seemed to get in the way of heading outdoors for any fun stuff. We were going stir crazy.


At our wits end, today we made a run for the nearest beach, weather be damned!  Despite the cold rain, high tide and lots of debris washed up on the sand, nothing stopped my little Tasmanians getting thoroughly soaked and having a blast. There was the odd bit of sea glass to collect, and I found a piece of broken Willow pattern to add to my collection.   We took Spoon along too, who barked at the waves and ran along the shore, diving in for the odd swim or to roll in something smelly.

Fresh sea air and exercise, followed by a warm bath and hot chocolate, a winning combination to shoo away any lingering school holiday boredom.  Surely any sensible mother would agree.

How to make crumpets

It's school hols here, and we've been spending a lot of time indoors by the fire, in our pyjamas mostly.  That's what winter holidays are for right?!  There has been lots of drawing, reading and knitting along with a little outside cubby building when the sun comes out.

You could certainly call the pace slow.  Which is just the way we like it.   Slow days call for a slow snack and what better snack to make than crumpets.   So much better than any store bought version, home made crumpets are easy to make, you just need time.

I've tried lots of different recipes, but the best I've found by far is Elizabeth David's version from her book Bread and Yeast Cookery.  Add plenty of good butter, be generous with the honey and washed down with a few cups of tea and you've the perfect snack for a slow winter's day.

Some tips on cooking crumpets:

It might look complicated at first glance, but crumpets are easy to make, but you'll just need to start a couple of hours ahead. Most of this time is for resting the batter.

Crumpet rings are available from good kitchenware shops, although I successfully used egg rings before I invested in a set for myself.  Just use a little less batter.

You need to lightly but completely grease the rings and the pan before each crumpet is cooked to prevent sticking and making an unfortunate mess.

Elizabeth David's Crumpet Recipe written in 1973

450g flour
15g yeast
550g milk and water mixed
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil

For the second mixing
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
150g water

Warm the flour in an earthenware bowl in a low oven for 5 minutes.  Warm the oil, milk, water and sugar to blood heat.  Use a little of this mix to cream the yeast.

Mix the salt with the warmed flour, stir in yeast, pour in liquid, stir the batter very well and vigorously until it is smooth and elastic.  Cover the bowl leave the batter to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Stir down the risen dough with a wooden spoon.  Then mix bicarb soda into the water and stir it into the batter.  Cover and leave the batter to recover for about 30 minutes.

To cook the crumpets, grease a large heavy frypan and crumpet rings very lightly.  Place four rings into the frypan and fill the rings about three quarters to the top.

Let them cook very gently until the surface has formed a skin, about 7 - 10 minutes.  By this time there should be a mass of tiny holes. If the holes haven't appeared the mix is too thick, so add a little more warm water or milk before cooking the next batch.

Once the crumpets have set it is easy to remove the rings and flip the crumpets over.  They will only need 3 minutes more cooking. They're not supposed to be as coloured as mine, a little paler, but never mind.  Keep the crumpets warm warm in a folded cloth or in a covered dish in the oven, while the rest are cooked.

Elizabeth David says she only finds crumpets edible when freshly cooked, warm and soaked in plenty of butter and she reckons toasting them later makes them tough.

So we do as we're told and eat them all straight away.  Not very slowly.  Still in our pyjamas.

Hey Jude

Yesterday I drove through the snow and over the mountain to attend a book launch in Hobart.  The flurry of flakes looked so magical as they swirled through the air, it was difficult to keep my eyes on the road.  That snow really was the icing on the cake of a wonderful two days spent with one of my longtime food heroes, Jude Blereau.

When my children were small, I found her books Wholefood and Wholefood for Children invaluable when trying to navigate my away around the minefield of childhood nutrition.  And they're still firm favourites today.

Jude Blereau is a chef who might slip under the radar for a lot of people, but she's been sharing her whole and real food wisdom for almost 20 years.  Author of four cookbooks and counting, she also tours around the country teaching people about wholefood cooking in her warm and adorable style.

When I heard Jude was coming to Tasmania I sent her an email offering my kitchen and any help she might need on her first visit here.  Jude not only answered immediately, she graciously accepted my offer and plans were made to get together.  I was thrilled beyond measure!

In Hobart to launch her latest book Wholefood Baking, Jude insisted on baking for the event herself, so she came over, baked cakes and we drank tea.

Here are some pics from the launch and some snaps from our baking day in my kitchen.  Jude brought with her to help the talented and equally gorgeous whole food cook Jean Martinez, who has runs Artisan Wholefoods in the northern NSW, you can find her facebook page right here.  You should like it!

I learnt so much this weekend, and I feel so blessed to have met such warm and generous people like Jude and Jean, it was a privilege to welcome them into my kitchen.  Add to that eating cake with friends on a snowy day in a bookshop and it makes for a rather perfect recipe really.