Just for fun: Recipe sharing
What's your fave cake? Mine is pear and rum cake. I am a huge fan of lemon anything, but have yet to find a lemon cake recipe that is moist enough and doesn't over-colour when baked.. one of my life's missions (I lead a sorry little existence hehe)
Here's my recipe for Pear & Rum cake:
1&1/2c sultanas
1c water
3c peeled and diced pears
1/2c marsala or rum (I’ve only ever used rum or masala – rum you can taste in the cake, marsala not so much)
1&1/2t baking soda
190g butter
1c and 3T sugar
2 large free range eggs
1t vanilla essence
2&1/2c plain white flour
1T baking powder
1t cinnamon
1t ginger
1t mixed spice
1t ground cloves
Bring the sultanas and water to a simmer, let them bubble away for 5 mins. Add the pears, baking soda and booze then turn off the heat, cover and leave to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar before adding the other ingredients.
Gently combine the wet with the dry and bake in a pre-heated 180 deg oven for approx 45 mins til cooked.
I line my baking tin but don’t think it’s critical, greasing it would be tho!
(No idea what size tin I use sorry, it's just "the pear cake tin"!) ;)
Serve dusted with icing sugar and with soft whipped cream as a dessert. Or cold with just the icing sugar dusting.
I have put pecans on the top of this before baking, that was a fab touch.
I have subbed in apples and they're good too!
This recipe never fails and even people who don't like pears or rum will scoff it happily.
PS If you wanted to share your fave recipe, I know I wouldn't complain - I am *that* person who tears a page out of a magazine with a recipe on it (well, not so much now, I tend to take a photo of it but before I had a cell phone you'd see me carefully watching everyone in the room to see if anyone could tell I was nicking off with the page I wanted) :-D
Poll: Do you think banning gang patches is reasonable?
With the government cracking down on gangs, it is now illegal for gang members to display their insignia in public places whether through clothing or their property.
This means arrests can be made if these patches are worn in places like restaurants, shops, on public transport or ferries, and on airplanes. Arrests were made recently at a funeral.
Do you think this ban is reasonable?
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76.3% Yes
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22.3% No
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
CAROLS ON THE GREEN
Sunday 1 December, 4-6.30pm, on H N Village Green. Koha sausage sizzle, Santa, Bay Cities's Symphonic Band, Dianne Abraham, Men in Black, Hukarere Girls' College, carol singing. Bring your chairs and a picnic basket and join the festivities. If inclement weather, we'll move into the church.