Janice Tripepi

I had a great time cooking this morning …. I cooked a frittata from the left over pasta from last night’s celebration of Dylan’s birthday. Sixteen hungry – grateful – happy mouths were stuffed full of spaghetti Pescatore and Tira Mi Su. In addition to the frittata I made a simple but comforting pot of curried butter beans – an East Coast fave! I was a bit out of sorts when I started cooking … you know those days when a cog is out of place …. When something, and you are not sure what, is just NOT right. By the time that the beans were bubbling and the frittata was browning I was smiling and contented again.  

Not three hours later and my heart is breaking – my boys have both just left and gone back to Cape Town on an incredible adventure together ……… they are smiling and happy and excited and …… my heart is broken. I don’t think that I will ever want to cook again …. I am falling down the deep dark space between the two halves of my heart that has been broken in two ……….  So, this would be a good time to ask myself WHY I cook. What is it that gives me such pleasure and upliftment when I pick up my kitchen knife to prepare someone’s favourite meal? Breaking heart aside – what does cooking mean to us …… mums, dads, significant others and all of the people who enter the kitchen to cook a meal for another person – no matter who that person is. Whether we know them or not – why do we do this and what does this achieve?

I can probably only speak for the mothers – wives and friends categories. I know that when I cook for another – no matter who it is – I impart and share of my inner self. I know that I wish for the recipient of my food to feel loved and cherished by the food that I offer them and I hope, above all else that they will enjoy it. I recognise my need to nurture and feed people. I don’t think that this is an entirely selfless exercise – perhaps I have a need to receive praise and thanks for my food – perhaps I AM THE HUNGRY ONE …. Do I feed MY hunger? Am I hungry ………. Is it the nurturing of others or the praise for oneself that satisfies the cook? Today is just one of those days when I wonder about such things.

Drivel and babble aside – Dylan Eddy – Happy Birthday my angel – I wish for you many moments of complete joy, close and endless laughter with your family – great and interesting dramatic roles that give you the opportunity to show your awesome acting ability on both the stage and in front of the camera and the continued love and adoration of your friends and loved ones. You are one very special person xxxx

Tira Mi Su ( Pick Me Up in Italian)

This is an ideal dessert for a celebration – you can make it days in advance which leaves one

time to prepare other food on dinner party/ birthday party etc. day – unfortunately

it’s not suitable for pregnant mummies as it has raw egg in it ….. sorry mums!

You can also make this easily in small individual dishes or glasses for a more

personal touch – suitable for a small dinner party.

For 20 people

Ingredients:

12 egg yolks

12 Tbs castor sugar (flavoured with vanilla pod)

1L fresh cream

Cacao – about 2 -3Tbs

1 packet of Italian Finger Biscuits – Savoiardi or 1 packet of Boudoir Biscuits

7 cups of espresso coffee

A good splosh – about ½ teacup of Tia Maria

Make a large machine of espresso coffee – or some good strong coffee – about 200ml  – add the Tia Maria or Kahlua coffee liquere and set aside to cool.

Separate the egg yolks from the whites (keep the whites for other things …. Meringues – a roulade or dogs food) and place in your mixer with the 12 Tbs of castor sugar. The rule of thumb with Tira Mi Su is one egg yolk per Tbs of castor sugar – beat until the mixture is pale in colour – about 10 minutes.

While the eggs and sugar are in the mixer – dip each finger biscuit into the coffee and Tia Maria mixture and line the bottom of a glass bowl – if you have any coffee left just pour it over the biscuits because they will suck it all up.

Now – beat your fresh cream until it’s stiff and fold ir into the egg/ sugar mixture.

Pour this over the biscuits soaked in coffee

Top with a thick layer – use a sieve to do this – of cocoa. We use cocoa because the biscuits topped with the rich and creamy, sweet egg mixture is sooooo sweet that the cocoa is bitter and creates the perfect counter to all that lovely sweetness.

You can serve this nyummo Italian dessert chilled or frozen – if you live

In the sweatbox aka Durbs – serve it frozen!!

and for birthdays … you must ALWAYS put a sparkler in it for a bit of

dazzle!!!

It goes down very well this way!

Xxxx

Tanti Auguri Dylan

I wish all of you a Happy and Joyous New Year

May your lives be blessed with the love and honour of your nearest and dearest.

Oh and i just LOVE cooking!

Dalmation Reindeer!

Buon Anno e Buon Appetito

Xxx

jan