If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea

If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea, we would be sitting with some Earl Grey Blue Flower tea and some freshly baked date scones*.

Date scone

Date scone with butter

If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea we would talk about autumn, cooler mornings, darker evenings and the change in fruits and vegetables to be found in shops and markets.  Apples and feijoas are everywhere, as are pears and more autumnal greens.

Fruits of the season

Cavolo negro, to toss with garlic and chili perhaps

If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea I would tell you that I’ve pretty much stuck to avoiding cheese.  Not completely, but just not buying any so there is none to eat.  But peanut butter and pumpkin seed butter get boring after a bit, so I got some dairy free cream cheese, which has much improved in quality since I last bought some many years ago.

If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea, we would also talk about non food related things such as how my diary is full of cultural events from cinema, to dance to theatre, and that I feel I am the only person in New Zealand who hasn’t seen Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the new film from Taika Waititi.

If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea, I would tell you that I am actually not traveling this week, and that I was very happy to have Karl home from Hong Kong.

If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea, we wouldn’t talk about politics, or Brexit, or offshore tax. We would, however, talk about the earthquake in Japan and how I don’t need to Phone a Random Swede since I have one of my own.

And as usual….if we we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea, time has swiftly gone by, and you take your leave until we meet the next time.

Until the next time…

* Scone recipe: Preheat oven to 220C and grease an oven tray. Sift 2 cups of self-raising flour and half a teaspoon of mixed spice into a bowl.  Add 30g of chopped up butter, and rub into the flour, getting in as much air as possible while doing this. Add 1/2 cup of chopped dates and a spoonful of sugar (I don’t like my scones too sweet, so I find a desert spoonful enough, though you could add up to 1/4 cup). Make a well in the centre of the mixture, and add an egg beaten with 2/3 cup milk.  Stir gently until all mixed, then turn mixture onto a floured surface and press out mixture until about 2.5cm thick.  Cut into rounds, place on greased sheet, brush with milk and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Should sound hollow when tapped.  Cool a little, serve warm with lashings of good butter.