Mixed bag...

Yes I know I am a bit behind, but I’ve been busy….and as you may know by now I haven’t quite mastered efficient use of my now bountiful time…uh huh I know, I’m hearing you, PRIORITIES….Rabbit Tales should be holding strong near top position, but I am confident a balance will fall into place soon.

Anyhoo back to my mixed bag…..that recent weekend that I spent alone was also the weekend of the North Sydney produce markets and by the Saturday morning I hadn’t seen nor spoken to a soul for more than 24 hours, a fair stretch by any standards, so before I hit the point of navel contemplation I marched out on foot to the markets, armed with no more of a plan other than to hopefully communicate with someone.

Perhaps a reflection of my state of mind or perhaps just the consequence of a food lover let loose without a sidekick to regulate her spending….I bought (in order…which shows my lack of any forethought) a packet of smoked mackerel, simply because I have only had mackerel in Ireland and didn’t know it was fished in Australian waters and I love mackerel....

...a loaf of black rye, because I love any bread that resembles a brick, in weight that is...

...a tub of tomato crusted chevre…its impossible to go past this cheese and not buy it...

...a lettuce, 3 tomatoes and a cucumber all for their magnificent ability to cry out “pick me”...

...2 bunches of rhubarb…well it was $5 for the pair and damn it a gal couldn’t pass up such a bargain...

...and last but not least a dozen eggs from free and happy chooks, the poo still adorning the shells sold me….

After such a spontaneous spending spree I plonked myself on the grassy hill to take stock of my purchases. As I proceeded to photograph my wonderful mixed bag of goodies one of my dearest friends rang to see how my self imposed exile was going…with something along the lines of “I’m sitting in the park at North Sydney photographing my eggs” my dear dear friend, fearing I had possibly gone off the deep end was no sooner in her car and by my side for a coffee and a slab of olive bread…..I forget that what seems perfectly normal to a food blogger may at times come across as slightly eccentric to others….

Once at home with my mixed bag I was left to piece together the puzzle that was smoked mackerel and rhubarb. Thankfully days prior I had invited a group of mates for Sunday dinner, not only because they provided the best ending to a weekend of isolation, the dinner gave me the opportunity to tie my interesting items together.

To nibble: Black Rye with an assortment of smoked mackerel, Willowbrae chevre, cheddar and my very own onion jam.

Main: Kasespaetzle with a simple salad of tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber.

And to top it off, a rhubarb tart of Nigella’s. I hadn’t made this before and to my surprise it turned out wonderfully. I was initially dubious of putting cream cheese in the pastry but it was perfect, I think it helped maintain the moisture and prevented it being too dry or burning.

So a mixed state of mind lead to a mixed bag of food which lead to a much appreciated evening of feasting with the finest of friends…