Pumpkin Soup For the Soul

As we have finished with the summer pumpkin crop and all the tendrils are fading and going brown, we picked all the pumpkins and sorted through all the weeds that had grown through the vines. There were 8 pumpkins in all (not bad for the first try), most scattered all over the place - it is surprising how far the tendrils will run of they are not cut at all. So we brought all the pumpkins in and let them fully mature on the top shelf of the kitchen.

We also picked what watermelons we could, but they were far less productive, with the smaller variety producing a few cannonball sized fruit (when was the last time you saw a cannonball? - but you get the picture) and just two large traditional shaped watermelons.

Anyway, I was at the Markets buying up heaps of fresh fruit for our Mother's Day Promotion and I couldn't resist buying some more pumpkins - they were so cheap and looked so tempting - I also grabbed a bag of large brown onions - you can't have too many onions in a any recipe I always say.

So we got straight to work and made some pumpkin soup.

These are using the pumpkins we grew in the back yard, so you can see the tiny seeds still in the flesh. I have saved the seeds ad will replant these next year so we can start cultivating out own strain of pumpkins. Anyway, that's the plan.

Here's the pumpkins with some potato, and we add a good teaspoon of Thai curry paste so there is a bit of buzz flavour too.

Tastes great and is a hearty warming meal for a day or two with crusty bread rolls - or is an easy work meal in a mug just re heat in the microwave. More coming soon.

Crispy Green Prawns with Chinese Garlic from the Co-op

This time of year there are green prawns to be bought from the local Fish Markets.  As recently of last month it was not possible to buy local prawns "green" - instead they were flown in from South Australia.  The unseasonable rain has flushed out a supply of medium green prawns that having been cooking well - moist, with succulent flesh and that al dente mouthfeel.

Living with my daughter humming the co-op radio ad can be a little embarrassing at times!!  Fresh Fish from the Co-op, boom, boom, repeat and on it goes..

But the revelation that KC had sourced some local Hunter Valley green prawns "still wriggling" was a fantastic way to leave Bar Beach and wait patiently with snadpaper undies whilst the car idled outside the co-op.



Once we returned home we shelled, and deveined the prawns.  The process of deveining the prawn lends each 'little lobster' a delightful tendency to butterfly on the grill.  And with the increased surface area available for flavour absorption and crispiness, we watched as the prawns made slow stretching arcs like yoga poses whilst they cooked.  Room temperature Audrey Wilkinson Semillon made for a smart and crisp wine to sip on whilst the barbeque flamed and the prawns curved.

And here are the Hunter Valley Prawns - note the honey barbeque colour contrast with the clean alabaster of the deveined dorsal?

Simple, hands on eating with a fresh nor-easter and some clean semillon... enjoy.

Double Bar Beach Sunday

Firstly, welcome to our Family Journal.   Well sort of a family journal and also a way of sharing how we progress towards a sustainable, productive future using our limited funds based on an old house in Merewether. 

We have two active young children and a thriving gourmet hamper business.  We spend plenty of time at Bar Beach (at tea bag corner)  and Merewether Baths (largest saltwater baths in southern hemisphere) with our girls and juggle government jobs with our love of gourmet food.

Lacking a photographer in the family, we have felt the obligation to share our photos and experiences in a lasting way through this blog.

Since we have regular exposure to the Newcastle Food and Wine Scene, and love participating in wine and food, we offer new experiences and images of our plate.