Genki Blog - Genki

Plums a Plenty

2012-01-17T00:00:00Z

I have been lucky enough to be growing or been given so much beautiful fresh produce lately. Our tomatoes are thriving in this sunny, rainy mix-master weather and the greens are going bonkers. The other day we visited our friend’s farm and picked a bucket of juicy ripe plums that we have shared around, but still, left us with more than we could munch on.

So I have been busy cooking and baking with plums. First thing I did was make a big pot of poached plums using Stephanie Alexander’s recipe. I have been very satisfied with my café quality breakfast of muesli, vanilla yogurt and plum compote this week and it’s made a lovely desert when all the other fruit’s been eaten up.

The other standout plum recipe was the cake I baked on Sunday for a friend’s BBQ lunch. Also from Stephanie’s “The Cook’s Companion”, she calls it her favourite plum cake recipe so why on earth would I make any other? All I can say is it didn’t disappoint. So much so, that I am about to bake it again tomorrow. What really stood out was the way the cake base stayed light & moist like your best teacake and didn’t get soggy from the fruit (which can really wreck a good cake).

So here are the two recipes just in case you get lucky with plums too:

Poached plums

Ingredients: 1 & ½ cups water, 1 cup white or red wine or port, ¾ cup sugar (I only put in ½), ½ vanilla bean split, 12-15 plums, halved. Method: 1. Bring all ingredients except plums to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar 2. Cook for 5 minutes 3. Slip in plum halves and simmer for 10 minutes, then allow to cool in liquid. 4. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

Mieze’s Plum cake

This quantity is for a 28cm tin, which is pretty large. It can easily be halved and just use a 20cm tin instead.

Ingredients: 275g softened butter, 250g sugar (I used 200), 200g plain flour, 200g self-raising flour, pinch of salt, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 100ml milk, 1 cup ground almonds or fresh breadcrumbs, 20 rip blood plums, halved and stoned. Topping 125g butter, 200g sugar (I used 100), 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 4 eggs.

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and lightly grease a 28 cm spring form tin 2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in flours and salt 3. Add eggs and milk to make a soft dough (the mixture should drop easily from the spoon) 4. Spoon batter into prepared tin (it shouldn’t fill more than a quarter of the depth as the cake rises a lot) then sprinkle over almonds 5. Arrange plums, cut side up on top, starting around outside edge and working towards centre Topping (you can start preparing this earlier to give the butter time to cool) 1. Melt butter and stir in sugar and cinnamon, then allow to cool 2. Whisk eggs well and stir into cooled butter mixture 3. Spoon over and around plums on cake 4. Bake for 1 hour until cake tests cooked in the centre. 5. Serve warm with cream or ice cream. Any leftover cake can be warmed, wrapped in foil, in the oven at 180 deg C for 15 minutes.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-12-29T00:00:00Z

Apologies for not sharing my Christmas inspired dish before the big day. Sometimes life can get like that and before you know it the days have flown by and you just haven’t done everything you planned.

My first instinct was to share the incredible Plum pudding semifredo with caramel sauce and boozy prunes (from Karen Martini’s “Cooking at Home”) which was a knock out hit. But with many of us feeling like we’ve overdone it with the eating and drinking, I’ve decided on something that’s a bit fresh and healthy, but so beautiful that will be the belle of any party table.

Fig with basil, goats curd and pomegranate vinaigrette

This recipe is from Ottolenghi’s Plenty. I am so obsessed with this incredible book and think it is essential to any collection-especially for vegetarians. Just looking through it now I feel inspired to cook a new dish for lunch today.

I added pomegranate seeds to my version which gave it a festive twist. Aren’t they like little gems glistening on your plate that are almost too gorgeous to eat?

Ingredients: 1 shallot, finely chopped, ½ tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp pomegranate molasses, 3 tbsp olive oil plus extra to finish, 40g rocket, 20g mix purple and green basil leave s (I only had green), 8 ripe figs, at room temp, 70g goats curd or a young and creamy goat’s cheese, salt & black pepper.

Method: 1. Place the shallot, mustard and pomegranate molasses in a medium bowl 2. Add some salt & pepper and whisk vigorously as you slowly pour in the olive oil (aiming for a nice homogenous dressing) 3. Add most of the rocket and basil leaves to the dressing, reserving some to finish the salad and toss gently 4. Lift the dressed leaves onto a large serving plate, spreading them out to line it. 5. Cut the figs vertically into quarters and arrange over the leaves 6. Next, dot the figs and leaves with teaspoons of curd 7. Scatter the reserved leaves on top 9with the pomegranate seeds I added) drizzle with extra oil and season with salt and pepper.

MONEY CAN’T BUY YOU STYLE-PART 2

2011-12-22T00:00:00Z

After writing my post on the sad state of local architecture, I have been thinking more about what’s happening out there and why things seem to have gone off the rails.

So, I hope you don’t mind me sharing my latest burning question:

How did gym gear become acceptable as proper clothing?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for comfortable, breathe easy clothing for exercise or moving about and happily put on my leggings a few mornings a week for yoga.

But when did Lycra leggings, tank top and a skintight zip up top become fashion? Not just for going to and from the gym, but an outfit to spend the day in.

No offence, but it’s looks wrong when I see a woman with a full face of makeup and blow waved hair dressed in top to toe gym gear. It’s like their heads belong to another body-the one wearing the cocktail dress & high heels.

I’ve spoke to a few friends about this phenomena. One believes we have Lululemon to blame as they have officially legitimized Lycra outfits as fashion. She also has a theory that the makeup & posh hair is so the personal trainer notices them (especially during the intimate stretching & cool down bits).

But I believe there may be more to it. I think there is a “what to wear wear” dilemma that sets in when you’ve had a lifestyle change. Choosing an outfit can be challenging when you are working from home, being a mum, or often doing a combination of both.

We all want a look that’s relaxed, comfortable, not too dressy, easy to clean but still makes us feel good. In comparison, dressing for work where the rules are simple is a breeze.

I suspect that many women (especially where there is a gym class at some stage in the day) may have chosen “fitness” as their look because it provides an easy simple uniform.

Forgive me if I sound harsh. I just think it’s sad that full gym outfits have become so normal and acceptable that it’s excuse not to wear and enjoy clothes (plus there’s the camel toe factor which I’d rather not talk about).

I haven’t shown any examples of this look as I only like sharing photos of things I love (plus I think we all know what I’m talking about). Instead, here are some ladies going about their day looking casual but gorgeous. A simple white shirt, camel coat, t-shirt, jeans and a blazer, classic stripy tee. They are all ingredients of a fabulous daytime wardrobe.

I’ll just finish off with a message that I think is relevant to all ages and for women and men alike. Please accept my apology in advance if I’ve gone too far in my earnestness.

Personal style is such a gift. Having confidence in how you express yourself-from what you choose to wear to how you decorate your home, is so attractive. It disheartens me that people sometimes forget, or perhaps are too busy, and before they know it they become like everyone else.

Stay genki, C x

Melanie Laurent Tomboystyle, Alexa Chung That Kind of Woman, The Sartorialist 7/7/06, The Locals 24/9/11, Emmanuelle Alt The Sartorialist 25/10/10

Sunday Best

2011-12-16T00:00:00Z

Hi again,

Just a quick one to say Genki will be at Sunday Best this Sunday at the Carlton Hotel. Steve Wide’s show on 3RRR is the highlight of my week so the music will be splendid. So nice to be able to go out with your kids and have a dance.

Would be lovely to see you there.

Stay genki, c x

GENKI GIVING

2011-12-08T00:00:00Z

In the past couple of weeks I’ve done some Christmas market stalls and really enjoyed them. People were in good moods, relaxed and loving being out and about doing their shopping.

Such a contrast to the frenzy, anxiety and madness of the shopping centres.

Unfortunately I experienced this first hand when I went to one of our town’s mega malls yesterday morning (long story, not like I make a habit of it). I reasoned with myself that if I got in bright and early with a clear plan of action, it would be painless. No such luck. Apparently people like to hang out there with friends (like some of us do in parks and each other’s homes) and it was not pleasant. But I did get everything done without having an anxiety attack so I suppose it was a success.

Back to the market experience, I totally get why people would choose that genre of shopping over any other and I think it’s wonderful that Melbourne has embraced this retail culture.

At the Genki market stalls I did some special prices because people were so familiar and friendly, mate’s rates felt right. So…I’ve decided to carry this spirit over onto the online shop until the holidays are over. You’ll see the sale section has grown quite a bit, but these prices are only temporary, so if there’s anything there that would make a perfect gift, or something you’ve always wanted, just go for it.

Doing markets also reminded me that the Genki goodies look a whole lot better in the flesh; so if anyone has questions, or needs more detail, just let me know.

Stay genki, c x

PS. We can also gift wrap if you like

Photos: Kewpies from Japan, Shin & Co purple zip tote, cat pouch, yellow wallet and teeth pouch, Tatty Devine Jarvis Specs

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-12-07T00:00:00Z

For those of you who know me well (or have been reading the recipes I’ve been sharing), it won’t be a surprise to hear that I am talking about Karen Martini again. I think she is a local treasure-whose cooking style reflects the essence of Melbourne food culture.

One of my favourite recipes is her Syrian Chicken. I actually first made this when it featured in the Sunday Life magazine years ago and now am relieved to have a fresh clean copy in “Cooking at Home” (Karen Martini’s second book Penguin 2008).

I made this for my cousins the other night, served with Israeli (pearl) couscous. It went down a treat and they asked if I’d make this the recipe of the week.

Syrian Chicken with ginger, lemon & saffron

Ingredients (serves 4):

2 teaspoons sea salt, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1.4-1.6 kg free range chicken cut into 8 pieces, 100ml olive oil, 2 brown onions, thickly sliced*, 100g fresh ginger cut into matchsticks, 5 cloves garlic peeled and smashed, 2 small red chilies split, 2 tomatoes coarsely chopped, 2 pinches of saffron threads, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 5 sprigs thyme leaves only, coarsely grated lemon zest & juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons honey, 100g currants, 2 tablespoons vegetable stock powder, ½ bunch coriander (leaves only).

Method:

Combine the salt, cumin, cinnamon, pepper and turmeric in a large plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan over high heat
Add the chicken and brown on all sides (do in batches if too crowded)
Remove from the pan & set aside
Add onion, ginger, garlic and chili to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, adding a bit more oil if necessary.
Add the tomato, saffron threads, cumin seeds and thyme and cook for 2 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan and add the lemon juice and zest, honey, currants, stock powder and enough water to just cover the chicken.
Cover with a lid and simmer over med heat for 10 mins
Uncover and simmer for 10-15 mins or until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the sauce is slightly reduced
Stir in the coriander and serve with couscous or rice.

*I made this dish without onion because my hubbie can’t eat it, and it was still amazing.

photo taken from Cooking at Home by Karen Martini’s Penguin 2008

GENKI’S GOING TO THE MARKIT

2011-11-21T00:00:00Z

On this Sunday at Federation Square is the very special Markit. I have always enjoyed being a visitor as it’s a lovely way to do Christmas shopping and meet great people without suffering the razziness of a shopping centre. I had never thought of having a Genki stall, as this time of year was always so frantic when I had the shops.

But the other week, a big box arrived at my door fresh from Japan and my friend Abi from Third Drawer Down simply said, “You should do Markit, it’s great.” I couldn’t ignore her wise words, or the fact that other dear old friends would be there too, so I signed up!

Now I feel very excited. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure of chatting and hanging out with my customers (many of whom are also friends) so I hope I will get to see many of you there.

Genki is stall number 42 situated at the entrance to the Atrium on Flinders Street. I am putting together a lovely range of products especially for the day and promise to have some home baked treats so you don’t go hungry.

Stay genki, C x

PS. Check out the Markit website here for all the info you need http://www.markitfedsquare.com.au/

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-11-08T00:00:00Z

Our favourite local café is Ollie and Ari, from the wonderful Ari who used to have 80 Spaces in Chapel St. How lucky to have him nearby (was the best coffee near Genki Windsor which I really was missing). I was also craving his homemade muffins-rustic, never too sweet, fresh out of the oven goodness. Recently, Ari revealed how easy they are to make. No precise recipe but enough to get me going.

So here’s my version of the Ollie and Ari pear and dark chocolate muffins. I based it on Stephanie Alexander’s Raspberry muffin recipe-so by all mean, omit the cinnamon, pear and chocolate and put in 100g of raspberries instead. Also, you can use blueberries, do a combo of white chocolate with your berries, or even banana or cooked apple (and keep in the cinnamon).

Pear and Dark Chocolate Muffins

These are super duper simple to make. No mixer needed and they’ll bake in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients: 220g self raining flour, ½ cup caster sugar, I teaspoon of cinnamon, ¾ cup buttermilk (or milk with teaspoon lemon juice), 1 free range egg, ¾ cup vege oil, 2 poached pears (cut into chunky pieces-or however you prefer), 100g chopped dark chocolate.

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C 2. Put paper cupcake cases into muffin tin (or grease with melted butter) 3. Sift flour into large bowl, add sugar, cinnamon and mix. 4. Put milk, egg and oil in another bowl and whisk to mix well. 5. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in egg mixture. 6. Stir lightly but don’t over mix while gently adding in pears and chocolate. 7. Spoon into muffin tin holes, filling to just over two-thirds full. 8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

Notes: It’s ok to use tinned pears-I know, I was unsure at first but it save so much time and tastes just fine. I also reduce the sugar to about 1/3 of a cup when I’m using chocolate. I left in the original ½ cup as it’s best to start with that and then if you find them too sweet, work out the amount that suits you. (I have been tweaking desert and cake recipes to reduce the sweetness without taking away the beautiful flavour.)

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

It’s over a week since my holiday ended but I’m struggling to get back into the swing of everyday life. Even cooking seems like a chore, which is unusual. Lucky I have friends in the kitchen (all my favourite cookbooks) guiding me through this culinary slump.

Before I went away, my lovely foodie pal Lia introduced me to a new incredible book, “Wholefood for Children” by Jude Blereau (Murdoch Books). It’s been around for a while but for me it has been quite a revelation.

In the past I haven’t been so inspired by the “Cooking for Children” genre of cookbooks. But this one hits all the right notes. The first section of the book is about the author’s research and the philosophy behind her cooking which is a great read in itself and then it is packed full of so many delicious and nutritious recipes and helpful tips. I do wish I’d had this when my kids were very little because there is a wonderful chapter on children’s first tastes, and Jude certainly knows about flavour. Every recipe I’ve made from her book has been a hit with everyone in the family and the cherry on top is it’s super healthy stuff.

I’ve chosen this salad because it is happiness in a dish (absolutely living up to it’s name) and so easy to make.

Bright and Happy Quinoa salad

Ingredients: Salad: Pinch arame sea vegetable (optional), 100g cooked quinoa, 80g (½ cup) peeled and grated carrot, ½ cob of corn kernels removed and lightly steamed, ½ red capsicum finely diced, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves roughly chopped, 1-2 teaspoons wakame gomasio (see below), 40g lightly roasted cashew nuts, chopped.

Aromatic dressing: 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons natural sesame oil, 2 drops toasted sesame oil (note: I didn’t use toasted sesame oil & it was ok), ½ teaspoon finely grated ginger, 2-3 drops tamari or to taste, 1 teaspoon honey.

Method: 1. To make the dressing place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until combined and the honey is dissolved. Check for taste and add the remaining tamari if required. 2. Place the arame in a small bowl with 1 cup of water and stand for 15 mins. 3. Drain and roughly chop and place in a large bowl. 4. Add the remaining salad ingredients, pour over the dressing and toss together.

Wakame gomasio is ½ cup toasted sesame seeds & 1 strip wakame sea vegetable (that’s been baked until crisp-10mins on 165 deg C) and then pounded together with 1 tsp tea salt (don’t grind too much that it turns into a paste)

HOLIDAYS

2011-09-21T00:00:00Z

It’s been a long time coming, but we’re off on holidays to visit my Dad who lives very far away.

Just a short note today to say au revoir and to let you know that I have a stash of recipes here waiting to be cooked and baked when I return. The most delicious ones I will share.

Stay genki, c x

“Beach Umbrella” photo print by Alice b gardens on etsy

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-09-12T00:00:00Z

As you can tell, I’m a bit besotted with “Breakfast Lunch Tea” from Rose Bakery. It’s either that or my new favourite, “Wholefood for Children” by Jude Blereau (which I will write about next time) that have pride of place in the kitchen.

The beauty of the Rose Bakery cookbook is that it teaches the important basics without any fuss or ceremony. Just good clear instructions and no nonsense tips that give you the skills to become a great baker. Rose’s pastry recipes are the best I’ve tried and even when the dough’s a crumbly mess and I want to give up, somehow it works out in the end.

This is my favourite tart recipe as it’s not too rich or sweet. It is soft, light and creamy like a great cheesecake, but the added chocolate/orange flavours take it to the next level of deliciousness with beautiful sweet pastry to top it all off.

Last week, Ponie took it to school for grandparent’s day. She proudly told me of a sweet old couple oohhing and ahhing over a piece of tart, remarking on the high standard of the afternoon tea treats this year. Always a good feeling to see the joy from your baking!

SWEET PASTRY

Ingredients: 500g plain flour, 120g caster sugar, 320g unsalted butter (10 mins out of the fridge), plus extra for greasing, pinch of salt, 1 egg, 2 egg yolks, 1 tsp natural vanilla extract.

Method: 1. If you’re using a food processor, process the flour, butter & salt for about 10 seconds until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then put mixture in a bowl. Otherwise put the flour, sugar & salt in a bowl, cut the butter into pieces and work it into the flour with your fingertips. 2. Now make a well in the middle of the flour –butter mixture and add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla. Stir with a fork to incorporate the flour evenly until you have to start using your hand. 3. Using one hand only, bring together the dry and wet ingredients (note-may take more time in winter). 4. Dust your work surface with flour, then remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on the floured surface for a few minutes until it is smooth and homogenous. 5. It’s now ready to be rolled. Flour your surface well, then roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm. 6. Carefully lift it up with the rolling pin as it does tend to break, and ease into the tart tin. If it does break, don’t worry-just patch it up with extra dough. 7. Repeat the process with the extra dough (see note below). 8. Bake blind with any weight system you have (I use foil filled with beans) for about 20 mins or until the pastry is just turning golden. 9. Leave to cool before filling.

NOTE: this quantity makes enough for 2 x 28cm tart cases, or 1 large, and 6 mini cases. If you are only making 1 tart like in this case, still roll all the pastry and place in tins straight away. You can then freeze them (uncooked & wrapped in cling film). When you are ready to use them all you need to do is take them out of the freezer & blind bake them (see below).

CHOCOLATE, ORANGE & RICOTTA TART

This is best eaten on the day you make it but ok for a few days in the fridge.

Ingredients: 1 pre-baked 28cm sweet tart case, glazed with beaten egg, 3 egg yolks, 1 egg, 100g caster sugar, 1 tsp natural vanilla extract, grated zest of 2 oranges, 500g ricotta cheese, 100ml single (light) cream, 120g roughly chopped dark chocolate, 1 tablespoon plain flour.

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C and bake tart case for 5 minutes. Remove & keep oven turned on. 2. Beat the egg yolks and egg with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, orange zest, ricotta & cream and mix well. 3. Fold in the chocolate and finally the flour. Pour into the tart case and bake for about 25-30 mins until the filling has just set. 4. Remove from the oven & serve at room temp.

MORE NOTES: you can get a great brand of ricotta at the supermarket called “Mama Lucia”. It comes in a blue strainer type plastic bowl (which you then can use in the kitchen). With the orange zest, try to use an organic sweet orange. A couple of times, I made this using average oranges and I think it tasted a little bitter.

Money can’t buy you style.

2011-09-03T00:00:00Z

It’s one of those phrases we casually throw around without thinking too deeply about the meaning. Lately, though, I’m feeling the truth of those words creeping into my space and messing with my senses.

We ended up in this suburb because we discovered a fabulous house that no one else wanted (it presented like an old violet taffeta grandma house…no offence to anyone partial to that design style). My dear friend Ronnie who is an amazing woman with architectural flair saw great bones in this 1962 home so we took the plunge & moved in.

I had never visited this suburb before then, and while it is only 5 minutes from our previous home, style wise it was a million miles away. I must say, the fresh sea air, bike rides by the beach and a general relaxed sunny vibe make living here pretty good. But there’s stuff going on that’s not quite right.

There is a constant flow of building development everywhere. Just in our tiny street, it’s been going non-stop for 5 years! People buy houses, pull them down and build these super duper grand three storey mansions with every shmickey detail you could think of. Some are okay, others atrocious. Think the worst offenders are the mock French provincial or Tuscan villa done “modern style” on steroids.

I don’t like to use this blog to vent my woes-I’m sorry but I can’t help myself today. Just had a visit from a new comer to the street (in full makeup and gym gear…a look I just don’t understand) with architectural plans for us to sign off. On a small block of land with a sweet 50s blond brick home there will soon be a mega house with four bedrooms (each with ensuite so no chance for any bathroom chit chat or sibling cat fights over the mirror), underground car park for more vehicles than drivers in the family, cinema and then I couldn’t look anymore because I felt ill.

It just seems like madness to me. Like a guy once had this crazy idea and then it caught on & folks just followed the trend, thinking that’s how you’re meant to live when you’re a successful person.

In my heart I feel better, knowing this kind of development is not everywhere and that most homes in Melbourne are filled with much warmth, beauty, individual style and great taste.

Saying that, I realize this is a universal issue. In my research today, I came across a topical story on one of my favourite blogs called “At the tree house”. The incredible Richard Neutra’s Kronish House (1955 Beverley hills) will soon be demolished by it’s current owner. Beverley Hills has no protection for its historic structures, but hopefully the City Council will do something about this before it’s too late.

I can’t understand why anyone would want to destroy this amazing home- an iconic building of its time. Next door to me is a house, while no national treasure, is still a beautiful 1960s home, soon to be on the market and I dread it may have a similar fate.

I suppose it’s like bad cheaply made clothes. There are loads of people buying them, otherwise all those huge copycat chain stores wouldn’t be all over town.

But we can choose to buy what we love. Make informed choices, wear the clothes that make us feel good, create the homes that inspire and nurture, and be the people we want to be.

Please forgive my indulgence-I do feel a whole lot better now.

Stay genki, C x

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-08-25T00:00:00Z

I have a stash of excellent recipes waiting patiently to have their moment in the sun as Recipe of the Week.

But the other day something unexpected happened. I decided to make scones for afternoon tea and they were gobbled up with joy. You see, many kids out there are new to the scone, jam & tea experience and as for the rest of us, it may have been a while.

How had I forgotten that they are the classic afternoon tea treat of all time? It’s true, nothing beats a warm scone straight from the oven with homemade jam and beautiful cream.

There are some traditionalists out there that go on about the technicalities of the perfect scone and how the new kids can’t get it quite right. Let me put your fears to rest-it’s dead easy. Most important thing to remember is never overwork your mixture. Better to have a few lumps than heavy stodgy dough. Get into character and treat the mixture like a posh lady would-a light and gentle hand will give you fluffy delicious scones.

SCONES

This recipe is from Rose Bakery’s Breakfast, Lunch, Tea, another cookbook I want to marry and couldn’t live without.

Ingredients: 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting, 2 very heaped tablespoons of baking powder, 2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar, 1 tsp salt, 110g unsalted butter, cut into pieces plus extra for greasing, 300ml milk (or soymilk), 1 egg beaten, butter or cream & jam to serve.

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200 deg C & grease a baking tray with butter, line with baking paper. 2. Sift the flour and mix in baking powder, sugar & salt, then add the butter & rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs. 3. Make a well in the middle, pour exactly 300ml of milk and use a fork to work it into the dry ingredients. 4. Finish by hand without overworking the mixture-just lightly bring everything together to form a softish but firm dough. 5. If it’s too dry add more milk, if too wet add some more flour. It mustn’t be sticky. 6. On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll the dough into a solid shape about 3cm thick 7. Using a 5cm cutter, cut the dough into rounds & place them on the greased baking tray so that they almost touch. 8. Glaze the tops with the beaten egg* and bake for 15020minutes until they are lightly golden. 9. The scones will stick together, so take them gently apart when they have cooled a little. 10. Serve warm with butter & jam (I choose cream).

Note: you can omit the egg glazing if you want to make it egg free.

Photo from Pinterest-pinned by Katie Lott

There’s a special place in my heart for grey marle.

2011-08-09T00:00:00Z

Grey marle? I totally understand. Not like it’s the first item you’d expect to find on a list of “favourite things”. But here’s the thing, I reckon it is the quiet unassuming star that secretly (or in my world, openly) is deeply loved and highly valued by many.

I do think about strange things sometimes and lately I find my mind coming back to grey marle. What is it about the colour and fabric that makes it so fabulous (and, please note, we are talking about the perfect shade and superb quality). The worst thing to ever happen to grey marle is the cheap and nasty versions out there, which frankly taint its good name. The whole point of grey marle is it feels so wonderful and soft on the skin, flatters the complexion, and exudes an easy going, casual and effortless look.

The perfect match for denim, navy blue, khaki, camels, red, orange, black…need I go on? It goes with everything but has an attitude that takes it a notch above its fellow versatile colours like white (sometimes too clean & prissy and shows the dirt) or black (too dark, dressy or sometimes drab).

It is a true wardrobe classic and firmly established in the uniform books like the striped top, navy blazer, khaki parka or denim jacket. The simple sweat top is as relevant today as it was when John Travolta wore it so well in Grease. Or check out Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. How perfect is she in the “there’s a spider in my bathroom” scene at 3am dressed in relaxed khaki pants and a fine grey marle tee.

There’s usually a special grey marle addition to my life each year. This winter has been way more bearable in my new Rittenhouse hoodie-so warm and soft with the most fabulous batwing sleeves. I also adore my Rittenhouse classic grey marle tees that are cut well and beautiful to wear.

I regularly drool over the Etoile by Isabel Marant grey marle linen jersey pieces (usually at Torsa or Creatures of Comfort). It’s definitely grey marle at it’s most luxurious and best. The copycats out there may be cheap but they just don’t cut the mustard.

I will always choose to save and buy one thing I adore and treasure over the cheap and inferior version. I love to wear what I buy for years and as time goes by it absorbs experiences and memories and so becomes more than just an object.

This was always my philosophy at Genki. I wanted everything to last as long as you needed it to. Our grey marle windies and hoodies were made from beautiful 100% New Zealand cotton that didn’t pill or warp or wear out and I still enjoy mine today. My 3 year old is wearing the windy dress that my eldest wore (& 3 other kids in between) and it looks even better as the fabric has gradually aged.

Over the past month, I have been asking our customers if they would like us to make windies and hoodies again for our online store. There’s been a great response so far with most people asking for grey marle in either the women’s puff sleeve, men’s raglan and kid’s basic windy. We still need a few more of you to get on board to meet our maker’s minimum quantities so please check out our Facebook page if you’re keen. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Genki/217496084950929

Stay genki in grey marle, C x

Photos from Annie Hall, Grease, Etoile S/S 11 Catalogue, Rittenhouse “Forever”, Sofia from Pop Sugar.

Genki styles: Kid’s windy with Owl print, Ruby cardi, Men’s Robbie cardi. Sorry, couldn’t post photos of the men’s and ladies windies as we only have shots of them in chocolate brown or blue and just can’t mess with the grey marle theme.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

2011-08-04T00:00:00Z

This week’s recipe is a chance for me to vent about a baking experiment gone wrong.

This afternoon, my oldest girl, Ponie was home sick, but then started feeling better and reminded me how we have to make those Ottolenghi granola bars (that we love so much) without nuts so they can be a lunch box treat. For those of you not in the world of schools, most of them have a no nut policy because so many kids have allergies these days. While I totally understand such measures need to be taken, I often feel frustrated not having handy nuts in our lunchbox repertoire.

So back to these granola bars. They are scrumptious, as all Ottolenghi recipes are, and my kids love them. So, today we tried them nut free. My biggest concern was leaving out the ground almonds. They must be the binding agent, like say flour, and as we’re mixing together all those beautiful ingredients, I’m thinking that this may end up as crumble.

25 minutes later… Just took it out of the oven and alas, my fears came true. While it firmed up as it cooled (like it should) when I turned it over it fell out in a lumpy sticky mess on the kitchen bench. A very tasty mess, I must confess and there I was greedily stuffing in handfuls of granola with the efficiency of a dust buster.

Feeling ill and annoyed, I almost tossed the rest out, but I’ve made a pact with myself not to chuck out baking disasters in moments of rage or shame. Plus, these are especially delicious ingredients so I figure I can put a mound of it in a patty pan? Like a Honey Joy?

So here is the proper recipe that I’m going back to for good. No granola bars in the lunch boxes but they’ll be a trusty treat for afternoon tea.

GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients: 45g pecan nuts, 45g dried apricots (roughly chopped), 45g dried sour cherries, 45g pumpkin seeds, 30g sesame seeds, 30g ground almonds, 190g whole rolled oats, 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon, pinch of salt, 95g unsalted butter, 85g honey, 95g demerara sugar.

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140 deg C. lightly grease a 20cm square tin & line with baking parchment 2. Scatter the pecans on a baking tray & roast for 8 mins. Remove from oven & increase heat to 160. 3. Half fill a small bowl with hot water & add the apricots and cherries. Leave to soak for about 10 mins & then drain with a colander 4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients except the butter, honey & sugar. 5. Put those in a small saucepan & bring to a light simmer. Leave to cook to a light brown colour, watching so that the caramel doesn’t spill over or go too dark. 6. Once light brown pour it over the other ingredients & stir to mix everything together (incl the drained apricots & cherries) 7. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin & pack it down lightly with a palatte knife or spoon. 8. Bake for about 22 mins, until lightly coloured on top. The bar will be soft when taken out but will firm up as it cools down. 9. Take out of the tin and cut into individual bars. 10. Eat straight away or store in a sealed container.

PS. Just had a brain wave moment. … I’m going to give the nut free version another go, but this time use flour and a bit of bicarb or soda (inspired by Anzac biccis..they are nut free and stick together). Will let you know how I go.

Collections

2011-07-25T00:00:00Z

I have very strong memories of first meeting certain people in my life. One of the most mind-blowing moments was when I was 18 years old and walked into Nellie Castan’s kitchen. It was candy coloured teapot heaven! Shelves stacked with shining bright teapots and cups living cheerily next to the most impressive kewpie doll collection I had ever seen.

Link Text If someone had asked me that morning whether teapots and kewpie dolls were my thing, I wouldn’t have given it a thought, but standing there, aching from the visual feast before me, I knew then and there that I was a teapot and kewpie doll girl forever.

What I loved most about meeting Nellie was the infectious “joie de vie” that hit me straight up and filled me with such excitement I never looked back. Her collections live with and around her and fill her world with such beauty and intrigue that you understand how she remains so young at heart.

I went on to collect other things like dolls, trainers, t-shirts and denim. The dolls no longer live on the shelves and have a real life rough and tumble existence with my kids. I love that they are playing with these funny characters I have picked up over the years and so the story goes on….

We live in a time where we need to be careful with our consumption and not go crazy buying stuff we don’t need. So, what’s the difference between a collector and a greedy shopaholic? I have thought about this a lot (as I look at all the stuff around me), and I figure that collections are different to just buying stuff. I know for me, every time I’ve decided to start a collection it’s been triggered by a unique moment and then the building of that collection creates a story. Each piece has a history and when they come together as a set it can be magic.

What do you like to collect? I’d love to hear your collection stories.

Stay genki, C x

Photos of Genki tea sets, kewpies , my own tea sets, Laduree macaron boxes, Honey’s dolls.

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Recipe of the Week

2011-07-20T00:00:00Z

It’s tricky deciding what recipe to share with you each week. I get a little excited about cooking, baking and eating and do my fair share of each, so picking a standout winner isn’t always easy. Sometimes I’m inspired by the weather, or other times a recipe has been such a shining star that it must be shared so we all can be legends in our own kitchens.

But this week, I’ve closed a cake that I have never ever made. In fact it has always been given to us as a gift from our dear friend Lia. When she made it a couple of weeks ago I was reminded of how perfect this cake is. It’s deliciously moist, but still light. Nutty, but not too dense and best of all, it tastes like pistachio lemony heaven and looks beautiful.

Taken from the River Cafe Cook Book: Easy by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, it is the nicest pistachio cake I’ve tried (saying a lot as I love the Rose Bakery one). I think it’s worth investing in a love heart cake tin, but in the meantime, I’m making it in my old square one which will be fine.

Pistachio Cake

Ingredients: 120g Pistachios, 100g Blanched almonds, 250g Unsalted butter, 250g Caster sugar, 4 Eggs, 1 Lemon, 1 Vanilla bean, 40g Plain flour,

Topping 1 Lemon, 50g Caster sugar, 60g Pistachios

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 150C. 2. Grease a loaf tin (30x9x8cm-ish) with a little butter and line with baking paper. 3. Finely grind the almonds and pistachios together in a food processor. 4. Beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. 5. Add the finely grated lemon peel and scraped vanilla seeds, then fold in the nuts and sift in the flour 6. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan, then turn out. 7. For the topping, grate the lemon peel and squeeze the juice. Halve the pistachios. Mix the lemon juice with the sugar, boil until reduced to syrup, and then add the peel. Stir in the pistachios and pour over the cake. PS. Lia also decorates the cake with mini roses!

Recipe of the Week

2011-07-01T00:00:00Z

If you haven’t realized already, I am slightly obsessed Ottolenghi. Thank goodness each and every one of their recipes is scrumptious, otherwise I ‘d be dropped as head chef of the house.

I tried my best to find a non-Ottolenghi inspired dish for you this week for a bit of variety, but kept coming back to this wonderful Kosheri recipe that I can’t stop cooking. This is the dish that never fails to please everyone (even the fussiest of eaters of all ages). And here I am, raving on about texture again, but the combination of rice, lentils and vermicelli noodles is a treat for the senses and takes these simple ingredients to a new level .

It goes beautifully with the lamb kebabs or marinated rack of lamb with coriander and honey (from same cookbook) or you can just enjoy it as a meal in itself. I’ve included the spicy tomato sauce that Yotam recommends, but he also suggests serving the rice with cucumber, tomato and yogurt salad.

Kosheri

Ingredients: 300g green lentils, 200g basmati rice, 40g unsalted butter, 50g vermicelli noodles (broken into 4cm pieces), 400ml chicken stock or water (or vege stock-I think is tastier than using water if you don’t eat meat), ½ tsp grated nutmeg (see note below), 1&½ tsp ground cinnamon, 1&1/2tsp salt, 1/2tsp blk pepper, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 white onions (halved & thinly sliced)

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE: 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 chillies (see note below) seeded & finely chopped (he says hot but I use mild for the kids), tin diced tomatoes, 370ml water, 4 tbsp cider vinegar, 3tsp salt, 2 tsp ground cumin, 20g coriander leaves, chopped.

Method: 1. Start with the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan; add garlic and chilies & fry for 2 minutes. 2. Add the chopped tomatoes water, vinegar, salt and cumin. 3. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20mins, until slightly thickened. 4. Removed the sauce from the heat, stir in coriander and taste and add salt, pepper or extra coriander if needed. 5. Keep hot or leave to cool-both ways are ok with the hot kosheri. I do prefer the sauce on the warm side. 6. To make the kosheri, place the lentils in a large sieve and wash them under a cold running tap. 7. Transfer to a large saucepan, cover with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. 8. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 mins. The lentils should be tender but far from mushy. Drain in a colander and leave to one side. 9. In a large bowl, cover the rice with cold water, wash and then drain well. 10. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over med heat. 11. Add the raw vermicelli, stir and continue frying and stirring until the noodles turn golden brown. 12. Add the drained rice and mix well until it is coated in the butter 13. Now add the stock, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. 14. Bring to the boil, cover and then reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer for 12 mins. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, cover the pan with a clean tea towel and put the lid back on. Leave like that for about 5 mins-this helps make the rice light and fluffy (I often leave for longer-up to 15mins and it’s ok). 15. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan; add the onions and sauté over med heat for about 20 mins, until dark brown. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain. 16. To serve, lightly break up the rice with a fork and then add the lentils & most of the onions reserving a few for garnish (note: my hubbie can’t eat onion so I just serve it on the side). Taste again for seasoning and adjust accordingly. 17. Pile the rice high on a serving platter and top with the remaining onions. Serve hot with the tomato sauce.

NOTES: NUTMEG:I have recently started using fresh nutmeg & it is a revelation. The flavour is deep and pure, but best of all I love how woody nutmegs look on the inside and the amazing shapes you can discover.

CHILLI: There are many recipes I use that include chilli. While I know that nothing beats the fresh variety, I confess to often using a good variety of jarred chilli to avoid the risk of wiping it in one of my kid’s eyes (or my own for that matter).

photo from Ottolenghi

Welcome to Facebook.

2011-06-22T00:00:00Z

It’s not like I’d never heard of it.

But until recently, I had totally ignored its existence. I can’t put my finger on what turned me off – maybe the nightmare of being bombarded with banal information, noisy chit-chat or gross photos? Perhaps sharing stuff in the vast virtual world felt too frightening for me.

You see, many people think that because I love Japan I’m really into gadgets and high-tech stuff. Couldn’t be further from the truth; I’m a lo-fi, old-fashioned kind of girl who appreciates the simple but beautiful things in life. I still love to write letters, lick stamps, make cards, put on records, tend to my garden and phone my friends. But what I recently discovered is I can have my cake and eat it too. It’s not like Twitter and Facebook will take away the lovely old bits of life. In fact, the modern world has a lot of good stuff to offer.

So first came Twitter, which I must admit I really enjoy. But Facebook still seemed like a scary place and a far bigger commitment for me. But then, two weeks ago (with much encouragement and handholding) I took the big step and joined! I felt like a tourist in a very well developed country, with its own rules, language, etiquette and customs. In real life, I try to have good manners, but I fear I haven’t got the hang of it Facebook style. Do you have to befriend anyone who asks? Can you unfriend if you’ve accidentally accepted the friendship of a total stranger? Please…I’m all ears to any words of wisdom out there.

But despite feeling lost in a foreign land, I’ve been delighted to find old friends and sneak a peek into their lives. In this bustling world it can be hard to stay in touch, so to be connected with the people you fancy is for me the cherry on top.

So now that I’m getting a bit comfy, I’ve taken the next step and created a page for Genki so it too can join in. It’s going to be a great way to reach more folks out there so please visit and spread the word.

Stay genki, C x http://on.fb.me/kogtxd

Recipe of the Week

2011-06-15T00:00:00Z

The Ultimate Winter Couscous

Here I am back with my ultimate food crush, Yotam Ottolenghi to bring you something beautiful, warm and nourishing this winter. It must be in the stars, but many people I know are cutting down on meat, or giving vegetarianism a try so I have been inspired to try out new vege recipes. This one is from “Plenty”-a must for any vegetarian or anyone who loves pulses, nuts, salads and doing fabulous and creative things with flavour and texture. It especially appeals because it’s not just tasty, but filling, hearty and very satisfying (a vital element for my meat loving husband). Please don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients-all you need to do is make this once to get the hang of it and then it’ll be part of your winter cooking repertoire.

Ingredients: 2 med carrots (peeled and cut into 2cm chunks), 2 med parsnips (peeled and cut into 2cm chunks), 8 shallots, peeled, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 star anise, 3 bay leaves, 5 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground turmeric. ¼ tsp hot paprika (I used normal), ¼ tsp chilli flakes, 300g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks, 75g dried apricots, 200g chickpeas (canned or freshly cooked), 350ml chickpea cooking liquid or water, 170g couscous, large pinch of saffron threads, 260ml boiling vege stock, 20g butter broken up into pieces, 25g harissa paste, 25g preserved lemon skin, finely chopped, 30g coriander leaves, salt.

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 190 deg C 2. Place carrots, parsnips and shallots in a large ovenproof dish. 3. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, and bay leaves, 4 tbsp of the oil, ¾ tsp salt and all the other spices and mix well. Place in the oven and cook for 15mins 4. Add the pumpkin, stir and return to oven 5. Continue cooking for 35mins by which time the veges should have softened while retaining a bite. 6. Now add the dried apricots and chickpeas with their cooking liquid/water 7. Return to oven and cook for further 10mins or until hot 8. About 15mins before the veges are ready put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, the saffron and ½ tsp salt. Pour boiling stock over the couscous. 9. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for about 10mins. 10. Then add butter and fluff up the couscous with a fork until the butter melts in. 11. Cover again & leave somewhere warm. 12. To serve, spoon couscous into a deep plate or bowl. 13. Stir the harissa & preserved lemon into the vegetables, taste-add salt if needed. 14. Spoon the veges onto the centre of the couscous and finish with plenty of couscous leaves. photo from Plenty