Apple Pie

It took a while, but it's finally starting to feel like fall here in Sydney. The trees are turning red and fading brown; there's the sharp crunch of dried leaves under your feet as you walk down the street. In the supermarket, piles of apples tower above everything else.

Homemade Marshmallows

I'm currently writing this post on the plane.

The good thing about writing blog posts on the plane is that you get a lot of time to think - the combination of being unable to sleep on planes and being confined in an economy class seat for 9 hours where the area space is made even smaller by the fact the person in front of you has absolutely no qualms about squashing your legs and lying practically 180 degrees is surprisingly stimulating for your brain.  

So, since I've got plenty of time, let's talk about marshmallows. 

Strawberry Honey Jam

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

-- Macbeth, Act IV

I'm not sure why, but the thought of making jam has always made that verse in Macbeth jump into my head.  Something about the thought of standing over a big pot of boiling fruit and sugar for hours reminds me of the three witches surrounding their bubbling cauldron full of far less pleasant things than fresh fruit and cackling away with their spells.  See the connection?  No?  Just me?  Okay then.  Can you tell I'm an English Lit student?

Making Butter

This morning I woke up early and made butter.

Yep. I woke up at 7AM on a Sunday.  If you know me at all, you'll know this does not happen - ever.  And I did it to make butter.

I'm just a little bit worried proud of myself.

Let's make butter then, shall we?