I was born at a Magical time as it turns out.
Maybe not realising it at the time.
Just days before the war ended.
I think those of us born from 1940 onwards... have been so fortunate to have experienced and are still experiencing plus enjoying the major changes, that have taken place during our life time


Getting old in body, but not in mind.
My parents in their 60’s were old
Lovely as they were

They looked it and they thought old


It was their upbringing though. Plus they had had such hard lives
2 World Wars, the Depression, Emigrating, leaving their families and friends for a better life.

Setting up in a new country.
Buying the 1/4 acre section, which seemed to be a right of everyone in NZ at that time
There were so few people and so much room

My Dad was a passionate gardener, luckily for us.
Of course most people had gardens but Dad’s covered 1/2 of the 1/43 acre section.
Below: The Garden and my Father over 25 years
From Desolate Wasteland to Lush Garden

The average working class person didn't earn a lot but it’s amazing what clever cooks could do with the produce  and great food was concocted

Seasonal of course and none of the “Glamour” vegetable, so common on our tables today
I was a teenager before I saw an Avocado, a Capsicum, Eggplant to name a couple

There were plenty of green runner beans, lots of brassica, carrots, parsnips. Asparagus,
Potatoes all year round.
Hidden in a big wooden drum in the outside wash house covered with a sack

Berries and Passionfruit galore, a wonderful lemon tree

Enough tomatoes to make the best Tomato Sauce (ketchup), thanks also to our Pharmacist neighbour
He along with other Chemists had developed an essence, which contained Acetic Acid, this cut out the need for an excess of vinegar. consequently a beautiful thick ketchup was the result 
It also had an essence of pimento which added an excellent special flavour to the Sauce
A touch of Cayenne, loads of sugar and salt of course but you don't need a lot

Of course back then there certainly was a waste not want not policy…If you couldn't eat it, you preserved it, gave to the family or the neighbours.

My Mother never had a problem getting me to eat vegetables she was a great believer in butter
Everything was served with a knob of butter and boy it tasted so so good

As the years passed, there were a few family favourites
Mum’s Steak and Kidney
Her Mince
The secret ingredient...The Homemade Tomato Ketchup and Worcestershire Sauce
Her beautiful Chicken Soup
Secret ingredient...Maggi Cream of Chicken Soup

When I got married and left home,
I had never been flatting, had done a little bit of cooking but not a lot
Meanwhile, my Mother was having difficulty just feeding 2 people, or that was her excuse

I passed my parents house on the way home from work, used to pop in and frequently there would be food for my husband and I

I used to get presented with this, in "Agee" Glass jars to take home.
Just cook up some vegetables and Voila Dinner was served

Grandma’s Rhubarb and Apple was another treat
I still cook rhubarb this way with a bit of twist as you do
and as with most things I turned into pies

Click here to see how to cook the rhubarb


This continued even after I was a Mother and a fully responsible adult
Still remembered now by my kids


I did have some other great influences though
My Mother-in-law Faye, was a modern cook, she had lived in London in the late 50’s and early 60’s
She had to host cocktail parties and and became a dab hand at buffet dinners

Some of her specials were
Italian Chow
Smoked Fish and Asparagus Pie

Famous for her Roast Dinners…
A wonderful memory, was the first meal I ate at her house
It was my introduction to my future family
I had been invited to stay the night
Dale and I were going to a party and his parents
were going to a ball
Faye cooked a roast dinner for us all before she went out
Hair up in a French Roll
Her cocktail dress on
And a Pinafore to protect her clothes
A little intimidating
Always elegant

She knew how to make the best Roast Potatoes though
Her trick in those days… pop them under the grill when they were cooked, to crisp them up
Of course now we have learnt better tricks, par boil the potatoes
Drain, rough them up a little and roast in your favourite fat

But my Piece de Resistance was the dinner I served to friends
First course…a play on Shrimp Cocktail (only tinned shrimps those days)
using canned tuna and canned pineapple and a bought seafood sauce just available in the supermarket sitting on shredded iceberg lettuce

The only kind you could buy then

Click here to find out how to make this little delight

Main course
Wiener Schnitzel with “Cold” Slaw and Boiled Potatoes, of course with the customary knob of butter

But our food tastes were changing
I started to collect and avidly read Recipe Books
My first Pictorial Cook Book was The Nancy Spain Colour Cookery Book

God knows where I got it from, oh it was present I think and  I’m sure the only recipe I got from it was how to make Chili
In fact I became known for Gilli’s Chili
Using Baked Beans of course, Had it’s own tomato Sauce  Mmmmm!!!
I don't think you could buy canned kidney beans
It would have meant using the dried and soaking them
as there were no capsicums the only touch of exotica was Celery salt and Chili powder

Very basic and once again served with the signature “Cold Slaw”  and Rice
By then I did know it was called Cole Slaw
The education had begun
Here is a more authentic Gilli’s Chili,
I don't think the world is ready for the baked bean version

Still using bought beans, but in this case Mexican Beans from the El Paso range
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2009/01/gillis-chilli-and-rice-casserole-in.html
Lets take the chili idea and extend it into this excellent Chili Soup
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/gillis-chilli-soup.html


Black beans are also a great bean ingredient
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/black-bean-chili-feeding-crowd-thank.html
Yet another black bean version… plus what to do with the leftovers
Why Make a Pie of course
 https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/team-raros-captain-planner-stuffed-up.html

Not exactly Chili in the red sense but some Chili and Garlic prawns served with a butter bean salad perfect
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2008/02/chili-prawn-and-butter-bean-salad-great.html


Now in the great tradition of Tex Mex The & Layer Dip
This time using retired beans
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2016/03/joyces-7-layer-dip-perfect-for-drinks.html

White Bean and Chicken Chili once again not only exclusive to red beans
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2009/12/vodka-chili-beetroot-more-homemade-amd.html

Why not try Lamb instead
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2017/05/want-change-lamb-chili-with-puy-lentils.html

It worked
The recipe book collection began to grow
One favourite of mine and a lot of my friends Go To Book… was The Triple Tested Recipe Book
Published in 1959 by the Lower Hutt Plunket edited by Thelma Christie
A selection of recipes supplied by local people

What I loved about the book
The recipes had very simple names
e.g  Veal Roast That Can Wait
Turns out, this was a version of the very Classic French Dish called
Veal Orloff, named after Prince Orloff
Created by French Chef  Urban Dubois


There is no way, I would have even looked at Veal Orloff
But Veal Roast That Can Wait, Easy Peasy
It was delicious
Here is the recipe from the Triple Tested Recipe Book
2 kgs Shoulder of Veal
250 gms mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Bay Leaf
1 onion pulled and cut in half
Pinch of Mace
8 Peppercorns
600 mls Milk
50 gms butter
50 gms flour

60 gms grated tasty cheese
1 small tsp Dijon Mustard
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Handful extra handful cheese

Method
Roast Veal and slice when cool into even slices 1 cm thick approx
Cook the finely chopped mushrooms in 2 tablespoons Olive oil
When oil has been absorbed. pass mushrooms through sieve

Make Béchamel Sauce Sauce
Infuse milk with Bay leaf, onion , Mace, peppercorns
on a low heat for 7-8 minutes
Cool a little

Melt butter in a this saucepan, draw away from heat
Add flour stir well,  Season with sea salt and Pepper
back only heat and cook for a couple of minutes
Strain flavoured milk into this mix
Stir well until blended
Continue cooking stirring constantly until sauce thicken and comes to the boil
Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes

Take 1 12 cups of the sauce and add to it the sieved mushrooms, nutmeg and lemon juice
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed

To the rest of the sauce add the grated cheese and mustard

To assemble
Spread mushroom mixture over the sliced veal and place in a gratin dish
Cover with Cheese sauce and sprinkle with extra grated cheese

Bake at 180C until bubbling and golden on top

Leave to rest about 15 minutes before serving

The interesting thing is that I have done quite a lot of research in Veal Orloff and I think for the Home cook, this is may be as good as you can get

But of you really want to make it, here is Julia Child's take on it
https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/veal-orloff-veal-roast-that-can-wait.html

Argentine Steak was a favourite of Mine
Wonderful dish for a young cook
Can be prepared the night before and always received rave reviews
Accompanied by Mashed Potato Bake, also prepared earlier
Perfect for a dinner party

https://sososimple.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/mashed-potato-bake-perfect-to-serve.html