THE GOOD NEWS about the virus - get fit - Brighton council
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WINTER 2020 EDITION
get eat enjoy with uncle chris
fit well life!
THE GOOD
NEWS
about the virus
Hello folks
Funny how you can find
something good in a bad
situation. The Covid-19 pandemic
has been a traumatic time for all,
but Brad Banducci, head of the
Woolies supermarket chain, says:
“We, as a community of grocery
shoppers, have adapted to this
time of dramatic change. We
are becoming healthier and more
adventurous in our cooking.”
He should know – Woolies keeps a
close tab on what’s selling.
Soup mix packets are up 200% – so
that’s a healthy sign.
Roasted peppers sales are up 65%, Asian
and chilli sauces are up 40%, ingredients A farewell note from Uncle Chris became a valued contributor.
such as cardamom, saffron and sesame editor John Hall: When Chris died in March 2018, Hobart
seeds have doubled in sales – so we are It’s farewell to Uncle Chris, with the chef Victoria Tiberio-Hardwick took over
more adventurous in our cooking. winter 2020 edition bringing the project producing the recipes. We kept the
The Woolies boss says there has been to a close. It survived for 39 editions, but Uncle Chris project going as a tribute to
a big rise in vitamin sales, while sales death was imminent when it changed our colleague.
of cough and cold medicines are much from print to online two years ago. But mailouts are expensive to produce
lower when compared to last year. Back in the spring of 2010 at an informal and distribute through Australia Post.
We all recall the recent rush on basics – catch-up, Swiss-born chef Chris Stucki, So with the 30th edition of Uncle
rice, pasta, sugar, eggs, flour, cleaning Brighton Council general manager Ron Chris, Brighton Council decided to go
products and toilet paper. There was a Sanderson and I came up with the idea to exclusively online with the project.
lot of hoarding going on and on TV we encourage healthier lifestyles in Brighton Nothing lives forever. With this edition
saw some anti-social behaviour among municipality. – the 39th Uncle Chris – it’s time to say
shoppers. In March Woolies supermarkets Chris, who had run restaurants in Hobart goodbye.
around Oz were selling 40 million rolls and more recently one in Tea Tree, was
a week; now they’re selling less than 10 the chef we needed to front the project,
million rolls a week. Ron knew what the community could In this final edition …
Back in March, our cartoonist George benefit from, and I could make the
We reprint some cartoons that
told me: “I went to Coles about 7.30 one project happen – and so in the summer
George Haddon produced
morning when the crazies were buying of 2010/11 Uncle Chris was born as a
exclusively for Uncle Chris.
up all the toilet paper. The queues to quarterly publication exclusively for the
pay stretched so far. I went home and 17,000 residents of Brighton municipality. Victoria revisits some of her favourite
drew this cartoon, initially for my own recipes and Tony and Tristan gives
My colleagues – cartoonist George
amusement.” some final words of advice.
Haddon, gardening guru Tony Fawcett
Now, sadly, the cartoon on this page is and designer Lisa Luscombe – signed up So eat healthy foods, grow your
the last one George will draw for Uncle for the Uncle Chris project. Tasmanian own and keep fit!
Chris. Olympic hurdler Tristan Thomas later also
1
get eat enjoy with uncle chris
fit well life!
BY GEORGE,
he makes us laugh
Welcome to the whimsical world of George Haddon, who’s been entertaining
Uncle Chris readers over the past decade. He’s been with the Brighton Council
project since the first edition, which featured home-grown apricots.
George has been cartooning in Australia for quite a few decades – first as
the political cartoonist for the Melbourne Herald newspaper (later merged to
become the Herald-Sun), later as a key contributor to the Australian publication
with the largest monthly distribution – RACV’s RoyalAuto magazine – and more
recently as illustrator of children’s books.
Along his creative journey George has won many accolades – four Walkleys,
Australian journalism’s major awards, and in 2004 his body of work in
RoyalAuto magazine won him the title of Australia’s Cartoonist of the Year
– the judges were 150 of his peers around Australia.
When chef Chris Stucki died several ago, with the permission of his widow
Geraldine we kept the Uncle Chris name for the Brighton Council project,
but moved away from using his image.
All of George’s cartoons are memorable.
Here’s a random selection.
– John Hall, editor
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With the death of Chris
Stucki, George revisited a
theme which had won him
third prize in an international
cartooning contest with a
food theme.
Enter the caveman, a
new age kind of guy – into
salads and almond milk!
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fit well life!
MY FAVOURITE WINTER WARMERS
Chicken korma Heat 2 tablespoons oil over a medium Remove and set aside. Add onions, garlic,
heat in a large saucepan and cook carrots, parsnip and celery and cook for 5
2 tablespoons olive oil onion until softened. Add garlic, carrot, minutes or until lightly browned.
1 large brown onion, diced celery, bay leaves and thyme then cook
4 cloves Return the shanks to the pan and add
for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stock, water, pearl barley and rosemary.
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom remove bay leaves. Add the remaining
4 skinless chicken breasts, diced Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to
oil to the same pan, add the mince and low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
3 garlic cloves, crushed cook over a high heat until browned.
4 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated Add the flour and cook for a minute, Remove the shanks and cool slightly. Take
1 teaspoon ground coriander then add the wine and cook for 2-3 the meat off the bone and flake into
¼ teaspoon ground allspice minutes. Return vegetables to the pan pieces. Return the meat to the soup and
1½ teaspoons ground cumin with the tomato paste, worcestershire add an extra 1 teaspoon finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground turmeric sauce and crushed tomatoes. Reduce fresh rosemary. Season to taste.
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes,
2 teaspoons tomato paste stirring occasionally. Season to taste then
75g almond meal
250ml chicken stock
transfer to an ovenproof dish and let
cool. Preheat oven to 180C
Fettucine with salmon
200ml cream
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted
and dill sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
water until tender, drain, then mash with 3 tablespoons butter
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once milk and butter until smooth and fluffy. 750ml cream
hot, fry the onion, cloves and cardamom Season with pepper and nutmeg, spoon 2 cloves garlic, crushed
for a few minutes until the onion begins over the meat and top with the grated 3 tablespoons lemon juice
to soften. Add the chicken, garlic and cheddar. Bake for 30 minutes until 3 teaspoons lemon zest
ginger, frying for a few minutes. Add all golden and crusty. 900g fettucine (150g per person)
the remaining spices, stirring constantly,
600g smoked salmon
continue to fry allowing the spices to
2 bunches asparagus, cut in 1cm lengths
become aromatic and infuse the chicken.
1 bunch dill, finally chopped (reserve 1
Add the tomato paste, almond meal,
tablespoon for garnish)
stock and cream and bring to a simmer.
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Cook for about 15 minutes until reduced
to the consistency of thick cream. Taste This sauce cooks in no time at all, so it’s
and add seasoning if needed. a good idea to put a large pan of well
salted water on to boil first so that you’re
ready to cook the pasta.
Cottage pie To make the sauce, melt the butter in a
3 tablespoons olive oil large frying pan over a medium heat. Add
1 kilo beef mince garlic and cook it, stirring frequently, for
1 onion, finely chopped Lamb and pearl 1 minute, or until softened. Add cream,
asparagus, zest and juice. Bring to the
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped barley soup boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer.
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil Once sauce has reduced by half turn off
2 tablespoons plain flour 4 trimmed lamb shanks the heat.
1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 large onions, diced
Cook fettuccine until al dente, as per
125ml red wine (optional) 4 cloves garlic, crushed
packet instructions.
400g can crushed tomatoes 2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks celery, diced Meanwhile add the salmon and dill to the
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 parsnips, peeled and diced sauce and warm through gently. Do not
1 tablespoon thyme
2 litres beef stock boil. Season with sea salt and cracked
2 bay leaves
1 litre water black pepper, taste and balance with more
salt and pepper
¾ cup pearl barley lemon juice if needed.
For the mash
1.5 kilos potatoes, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary As soon as pasta is ready, drain
60ml milk 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thoroughly and add to the sauce. Toss it
100g butter rosemary all together until fettuccine is thoroughly
200g strong cheddar, grated Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large coated. Transfer into warmed serving
½ teaspoon nutmeg saucepan and brown lamb shanks bowls and garnish with extra dill.
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Add passata, water and seasoning to sauce. Repeat the layers, finishing with
taste, Bring to the boil the white sauce. Sprinkle with the
mozzarella and bake for 45 minutes or
Lasagne until golden brown and cooked.
Bolognese sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil Slow cooked beef and
2 cloves garlic
2 onions, finely diced mushroom casserole
2 carrots, finely diced 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 celery stalks, finely diced 1 large onion, diced
1 kilo minced beef 500g portobello mushrooms, sliced
680g tomato passata 1.3 kilos gravy beef, cut in chunks
1 tablespoon tomato paste 10 small pinkeye potatoes, halved
1 tablespoon Italian mixed herbs 2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup red wine finely
sea salt and pepper 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped finely
500g fresh pasta sheets 3 tablespoons tomato paste
250g grated mozzarella 400g crushed tomatoes
Heat a deep large saucepan over high 330ml beef stock
heat. Add the oil, garlic, herbs, spice, salt and pepper
onion, celery and carrot and cook for 3 Pre-heat oven to 180c
Spaghetti and meatballs minutes or until just soft. Add the mince
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-
and cook, stirring, until brown with no
Meatballs based pan. Add the onion, garlic and
lumps.
600g beef mince herbs and cook for 3-4 minutes until
½ cup dried breadcrumbs Add the tomato paste, cook for 2 golden. Add the mushrooms and cook
½ cup milk minutes then add wine, cook and reduce over a high heat until browned, then
1 egg white wine, then add tomato passata and remove from the pan and set aside.
1 teaspoon garlic crushed slowly simmer until oil starts to release
Heat the remaining oil and start browning
½ teaspoon dried basil from the sauce. Stir through the salt and
the meat in batches, setting each batch
½ teaspoon dried oregano pepper and set aside to cool.
aside. Add meat, potatoes, mushrooms
Sauce Béchamel sauce and onion mix back into the pan. Over
1-2 tablespoons olive oil 80g butter a medium heat fry off the tomato paste
1 onion finally diced 4 tablespoons plain flour then add the stock and tomatoes. Bring
1 cup red capsicum diced 4 cups (1 litre) milk to the simmer and season to taste.
2 teaspoons crushed garlic ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 punnet grape tomatoes Transfer to an oven proof dish, cover and
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
680g jar tomato passata bake for around 2 hours. Uncover, bake
sea salt and cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste for a future 30 minutes or until meat is
To make the white sauce, in a saucepan tender.
1 cup water
over medium heat, bring the milk to just
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
salt and pepper
before the simmer. Hungarian beef goulash
900g raw spaghetti pasta (150g per While this is happening place the butter 100g butter
person) in another saucepan over medium heat 900g beef topside, cut into cubes
Parmesan cheese for grating over and allow to melt. Add the flour and stir 450g brown onions, diced
to a smooth paste. Whisk in the warmed 50g paprika
To make meatballs milk and then stir until the sauce has 50g plain flour
In a large mixing bowl, soak breadcrumbs thickened. Stir in the parmesan and 1 tablespoon tomato paste
in milk for 2 minutes. Place all the nutmeg, salt and pepper. 2 litres beef stock
remaining meatball ingredients into the Set aside to cool to room temperature 225g carrots, peeled and diced
bowl, use your hands to help combine all with a piece greaseproof pressed over the 450g potatoes, peeled and cut into
ingredients. Roll mixture into 36 balls and sauce to stop a skin from forming. chunks
leave to one side. salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm
x 30cm ovenproof dish and line the base Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat the
To make sauce heat a large saucepan butter in a large heavy casserole pan,
to med-high and add oil, onion, garlic, with some of the lasagne sheets. Thinly
spread over quarter of the Bolognese season the topside and add to the pan.
capsicum and herbs sauté for 2-3 Brown the meat. Add the onions and
minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauce, cover with more lasagne sheets,
then spoon over quarter of the white cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the
tomatoes, cook for a future 1 minute.
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paprika and flour, mix well and place in Vegetable rogan josh
the preheated oven, uncovered, for 10
minutes. 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
Remove from oven and mix in the 1 medium butternut pumpkin, cut into
tomato paste. Reduce the oven 1cm chunks
temperature to 180°C. Add enough of 1 small cauliflower, cut into bitesize
the stock to cover the meat. Bring to chunks
the boil on top of the stove and season. 1 fresh red chilli, seeds removed, sliced
Cover with lid and return to the oven 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
for 2 hours. After 1 ½ hours, mix in the 1 fresh bunch coriander, rinsed and finely
chopped carrots and potatoes and cook Cabbage rolls chopped
for another 30 minutes, or until the meat 140g Patak’s rogan josh paste
8 large green cabbage leaves
and vegetables are tender. 400g can of chickpeas
500g pork and veal mince
1 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary 100g baby spinach, prewashed
½ teaspoon crushed chilli 250g tub of natural yoghurt
Spicy lamb pilaf 1 clove garlic, crushed In a large pan over a medium heat add
30g butter 2 brown onions, finally diced olive oil, then onion and garlic cook until
1 brown onion, diced finely 2 teaspoons flat leaf parsley, finally soft and golden. Add pumpkin to the
2 cloves garlic, minced chopped pan, then add cauliflower. If you want
500g lamb fillets, sliced into a diced 1 teaspoon paprika some extra heat, then add the chilli.
shape ½ cup medium grain white rice
Finely chop the coriander (stalks and all).
250g minced lamb 2 tablespoons olive oil
Reserve a few leaves for garnish and add
2 teaspoons ground coriander 410g can tomato puree
the rest to the pan with ½ cup of boiled
2 teaspoons cumin 3 tablespoons basil, chopped
water. Add the rogan josh paste and the
1 teaspoon ground ginger sea salt and cracked pepper
can of chickpeas, with their juices.
½ teaspoon turmeric Bring a large saucepan of water to the
1 cinnamon stick Season and stir well, then put a lid on.
boil over high heat. Cook cabbage
2 tablespoons tomato paste Cook hard and fast, stirring occasionally.
leaves in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes
2 ½ cups chicken stock or until bright green. Drain on a tray Adjust the consistency at this point
sea salt and pepper lined with paper towel. Set aside to cool adding more boiled water if needed,
2 ½ cups long grain rice completely. depending on whether you want it drier
2 zucchinis, round slices, not too thin or wetter. Taste and add a pinch of salt,
½ cup raisins Using a medium sized frypan over
if needed, then add the spinach and stir
¼ cup pinenuts, roasted medium heat sauté off the onions, garlic
through. Serve with the yoghurt and
fresh coriander and natural yoghurt to and chilli in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until
some coriander leaves.
garnish softened without colour, add remaining
Melt butter and sauté onion and garlic
herbs and cook for a further 2 or so Braised lamb shanks
minutes.
until tender and translucent in a large 4 lamb shanks, frenched (bone trimmed
saucepan. Add meat and mince, brown Combine mince, rice and onion mix in a of excess fat and gristle)
well. Stir in the spices and cook for 3 bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. 2 tablespoons olive oil
minutes, stirring continuously. To prepare rolls, cut about 4cm of the 2 red onions, peeled and diced
Blend tomato paste and ½ cup of stock, thick vein from each cabbage leaf. Place 2 cloves garlic, crushed
add to pan and stir well, loosening all 1 leaf on a flat surface. Spoon 2 heaped 2 carrots, diced
the stickiness off the base of the pan. tablespoons of mince mixture along 2 celery stalks, diced
Simmer covered for 45 minutes or until the base of leaf. Roll up cabbage leaf, 400g can diced tomatoes
meat is tender. folding in sides, to enclose filling. Repeat 125ml red wine
with remaining leaves and filling. 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
Add remaining stock and bring to the salt and pepper
boil, season and then add the rice and Heat remaining oil in a large, deep
zucchini. Simmer until the rice is tender. frying pan over medium-high heat. Place Preheat oven to 160C
cabbage rolls in pan in a single layer. In a pan that can go into the oven, heat
Fold in the raisins, pinenuts and adjust Cook for 2 minutes. Pour over combined
the seasoning. oil over a medium heat and cook the
tomato purée, 1/3 cup cold water and onion until translucent, add the garlic
Sprinkle with fresh coriander and natural basil. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to and other vegetables and cook for a
yoghurt when you serve. low. Cover. Simmer for 45 minutes or further 2 minutes. Add the lamb shanks
until mince is cooked through and rice is and brown, pour in red wine and diced
tender. Serve sprinkled with extra basil. tomatoes, then bring to boil. Stir in
rosemary and seasoning.
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Cover and transfer to the oven for 2 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Guinness, rosemary and salt and pepper.
hours or until meat pulls away from the 80 g parmesan Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil.
bone. You may need to adjust the liquid 1 shortcrust pastry case Reduce heat to low. Simmer slowly until
with extra water to make sure that the Preheat oven to 180C. Prebake the tart meat is tender and gravy thickens. Spoon
shanks don’t dry out. Adjust seasoning at case on a tray still in the foil case for 10 into prepared dish. Refrigerate until cold.
the end. minutes. Place pastry over dish, trimming if
Heat a frypan over a medium heat, add necessary. Brush with egg. Season with
oil and onions and cook for 4-5minutes, salt and pepper. Bake for 25- 30 minutes
Beef and red wine stew stirring often until onion softens but or until pastry is golden and filling is
1 kilo gravy beef, cut in chunks doesn’t colour. Add bacon and cook for piping hot.
30g plain flour, seasoned a further 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat If you’re not a fan of Guinness, red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil and cool slightly. could be substituted.
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Whisk eggs with cream, salt, pepper,
1 teaspoon rosemary
parsley and cheese. Spoon onion mix into
1 teaspoon thyme
cooked pastry shell. Pour egg mix into
150g streaky bacon, sliced
pastry shell and bake in a preheated oven
8 shallot bulbs, peeled, halved
for 30 minutes until golden and set.
200g button mushrooms, quartered
500ml red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
500ml beef stock
salt and pepper
Toss diced beef in seasoned flour Lamb kofta curry
until evenly coated. Heat oil in a large
saucepan over high heat. Brown the beef 500g minced lamb
in 3 batches until all coloured, add extra 1 onion, finely diced
oil to the pan between batches if needed. 1 clove garlic, crushed
Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 2 1 teaspoon grated ginger
minutes, remove then add shallots, garlic, 1 small chilli, finely chopped
herbs and mushrooms and cook for 5 1 teaspoon garam masala
minutes or until onions are browned. Beef, Guinness and 1 teaspoon ground coriander
50g ground almonds (almond meal)
Deglaze the pot with the red wine mushroom pie 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
scraping up any sediment from the Sauce
1 kilo beef rump steak or beef chuck
bottom. Stir in the tomato paste and ½ tablespoon oil
steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes
stock. Add the beef and bacon back to 1 onion, finely diced
½ cup plain flour, seasoned with salt and
the pot with any juices. Cook slowly until 3 tablespoons korma curry paste
pepper
meat is tender and the sauce is glossy and 400g can chopped tomatoes
40 g butter
thickened. Adjust seasoning at the end. 125g thick natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, cut into thin wedges 1 teaspoon lemon juice
200 g brown mushrooms, sliced Combine lamb, onion, garlic, ginger,
1 ¼ cups Guinness chilli, spices, almonds and salt in a bowl.
¼ cup rosemary leaves, chopped Shape into walnut-sized balls with your
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed hands. Heat a large fry pan and cook
1 egg, lightly beaten koftas in batches until brown on both
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 6 cup sides. They don’t have to be cooked
capacity ovenproof ceramic dish. through.
Toss steak in flour to coat. Heat half the To make the sauce, heat the oil in a
butter and half the oil in a frying pan over saucepan over low heat. Add the onion
high heat. Add one-quarter of the steak. and cook until soft and golden. Add
Quiche lorraine Cook for 3 minutes or until browned. curry paste, cook until fragrant, then add
tomato and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in
Remove to a plate. Repeat 3 times,
1 tablespoon olive oil the yoghurt and lemon juice to taste.
adding butter and oil as required.
1 onion, diced
4 slices bacon, cut into strips Add onion wedges to frying pan. Reduce Place the koftas in the sauce. Cook,
3 eggs heat to medium. Cook for 3 minutes covered, over a low heat for 20 minutes.
½ cup cream add mushrooms and cook for a further Serve over steamed rice and garnish with
salt and freshly ground pepper 3 minutes or until tender. Add steak, coriander.
Continued over 10get eat enjoy with uncle chris
fit well life!
MY FAVOURITE WINTER DESSERTS
tender. Set aside to cool.
Press one of the pastry sheets into a
lightly greased round 22 x 5cm pie
dish. Trimming edges where required.
Brush edges with egg wash. Cut the
second pastry sheet into 3cm wide
strips.
Spoon cooled apple mixture into pie
dish, discarding any excess liquid.
Lay strips of pastry over the top of
the apple mixture to form a lattice
pattern. Brush with egg wash and
sprinkle with half the additional sugar.
Bake for 35 minutes until pastry is
golden and sprinkle with remaining
sugar once cooked.
Sticky date pudding
170g dates, pitted
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
300ml boiling water
60g butter
170g caster sugar
2 eggs
Chocolate fudge oven for ¾ hour. You will need to sit
170g self-raising flour, sifted
your baking dish on a tray just in case
pudding it bubbles over. 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 cup self-raising flour Sauce
½ cup caster sugar 400g brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter 1 cup thick cream
Pinch salt Traditional apple pie 250g butter
2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 sheets shortcrust pastry, thawed vanilla essence
1 cup milk 6 granny smith apples Preheat oven to 180C, butter or spray
½ teaspoon vanilla essence 1 lemon, juiced an 18cm cake tin.
50 g butter, diced
Mix dates and bicarb soda, then pour
Pre-heat oven to 180C 1/3 cup caster sugar
the boiling water on top, leave to
Sift flour, cocoa and salt. Add sugar. 1 cinnamon stick
stand until softened.
Then add melted butter with milk 1 clove
1 egg, lightly whisked with 1 Cream butter and sugar until light
and vanilla.
tablespoon milk and fluffy, add eggs one at a time and
Mix ingredients until smooth. Put 2 teaspoons caster sugar, extra for beat well after each addition. Fold
mixture into a baking dish. Combine sprinkling in sifted self-raising flour gently then
topping in the bowl from which you stir in the date mixture and vanilla.
just removed the pudding mixture. Pre-heat oven to 200C.
Pour into prepared tin and bake in the
Topping Peel and core apples, cutting into centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes
½ cup brown sugar eighths. In a saucepan, mix with the or until ready when you test with a
2 tablespoons cocoa lemon juice over medium heat. skewer and it comes out clean.
1½ cups boiling water Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon stick To make sauce bring all ingredients to
Combine topping ingredients, and clove to the apples. Simmer, the boil in a saucepan over a medium
gathering any leftover batter mixture, stirring often for 10 minutes until heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve
pour over the pudding and bake in sugar has dissolved and apples are just with slices of the pudding.
Continued over 11get enjoy with tasmania’s olympic athlete tristan thomas
fit life!
BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF
Dear Brighton are a lot of horrible
Let me begin by stating things happening in the
the obvious: it’s sad that world but all you can
this may be the final control is what you can
time words are written do, and all you should
for this purpose. It has be encouraged to do is
been an honour to be to be your best. Every-
able to share experienc- one thinks differently,
es with you, and I truly so how you deal with
hope that we have all health or stress is unique
offered value in some to you. Again, I hope
way. In my objective that a walk or some
of providing exercise exercise is part of the
motivation, I am aware routine, but that is and
that elite sports people will always be totally
can often be viewed your call.
as unrelatable when As I have discussed a
discussing fitness. On lot, my greatest tip is
the surface, they don’t to keep setting and
seem to go through the focusing on goals. An
common mental and example is this article. I
physical struggles that ‘normal people’
go through when trying to keep active.
“There is no right or have found it hard to write this knowing
the mission to help you is not continuing
I hope that these articles have offered
wrong. There is no in this form. This impacted on the goal
more insight though and acted as a 100% good or bad, I had set and it took a while for me to
work out the best way to get it done.
snippet into the fact that I, or all ‘stars’, there are just choices.
are human just like you. I’m not saying Saying goodbye in a meaningful way
that every one of you can or should have eventually became the new goal. Things
gone to the Olympics, but I do hope that Even if you went for more walks, just will always get in the way of the perfect
you have taken time to realise that you to get out of the house, I’m sure your scenario but again, all you can do is
all have talents, and more importantly bodies would have benefitted from the ‘crack on’ as they say here in England.
that you are capable of being the best chance to reset. We spend so much time Always take the time needed to think
version of yourself. working that it can be easy to forget to through setbacks, and be honest with
make the time to look after our health, ways you could do things better. Just
It is an interesting period to be releasing
so it would be great if new habits were don’t forget to set revised goals and
the last issue of Uncle Chris, and the
formed that can last going forward. always do what you can to continue
world certainly doesn’t look like what it
did last time we wrote. The piece of motivation I’ll leave you going forward.
with is something I’d really like you to A corny line to finish on is that you
I personally have struggled a bit with the
think more about. The bottom line is are the best you that has ever lived. Be
lack of direction, and all goals that were
that there is no right or wrong. There proud of your achievements, and no
set as we continue our year of growth in
is no 100% good or bad, there are just matter what happens, know that you
London have been put on ice. There will
choices. are always capable of amazing things.
be some of you that feel equally frus-
trated or lost in the current scenario. I’m I could tell you that you should find a It has been a pleasure to be able to write
sure there is a fair bit of fear also, and I park and have an attempt at running to you, and I truly wish you happiness
hope you have all stayed safe. 50m, and then see how many you can and good health going forward. If you
do. I could say to set a challenge of see me walking down some street in
While it is easy to dwell on the things we
doing more and more push ups each Brighton in the future, please say g’day,
are all missing out on, I also hope you
day, and I could promise again that this and I’d love to hear of the great things
have had an opportunity to take more
will make you proud of yourself and raise you have done.
time to do things just for yourself - like
self-esteem.
reading a book, or learning a new skill, Kindest regards and good luck.
or even the ultimate wish for someone Instead though, I want to focus on the Tristan
writing about exercise, that you joined in important point that not doing this
on some of those online fitness classes. doesn’t make you a bad person. There
Continued over 12grow enjoy with tony fawcett
well life!
TIPS FROM A LAZY GARDENER
I know I shouldn’t, but I take pride I prefer weathered, weed-blocking wood
in being a lazy gardener. I wear my chips. Because they can rob the ground
outdoor laziness as a badge of honour. of nitrogen, first treat the soil to an extra
I love all the picking and planting and dose of Dynamic Lifter to even things up.
admiring of my successes, but when it TIP: Don’t use horse manure as mulch verbena, red hot pokers and verbena
comes to weeding, pruning, digging, or compost as it’s generally choc-a- that need to be cut back each year to
mowing and all those other perspiration- block with weed seeds. remain tidy.
inducing tasks my interest wanes
dramatically.
Soil like concrete Rules for the lazy
As a garden writer I shouldn’t be
revealing all this now but as it’s the last Soil of concrete consistency has broken • So long as it’s in a spot that gets good
hurrah for dear old Uncle Chris, God the spirit, and back, of many a gardener. sun, keep vegie patches as close to your
bless him, I figure you should know. Sure, you can dig in compost and sand back door as possible (less walking).
Besides, I reckon I have a few ideas, and a host of other additives to break • Only plant newer, highly disease-
some of which I have shared here over it down, but it will likely take half a resistant roses. Many old ones look
the years, you might like to adopt in your lifetime. brilliant but need annual spraying.
own gardening going forward. That’s if Often it’s smarter to let it be. Grow Unfortunately, I don’t always follow my
you want to spare yourself back aches your favourite plants and vegies in pots, own thinking.
and perspiration. containers or raised beds. Less effort,
Early in my gardening I was impressed
It’s all about gardening less weeds and, with raised beds, less
by the words of Thomas H. Everett, a
smarter. bending.
former director of horticulture at New
Consider self-watering pots (less York’s Botanical Garden, who observed
frequent watering) “a man should never plant a garden
Weed out TIP: Don’t use a short- larger than his wife can take care of”.
villains handled tool when a Alas, I slipped up badly there, forgot old
Weeding is the long-handled, lighter one Tom’s tip and found myself with a garden
big killer when will do the job just as well. far bigger than my wife could handle.
it comes to Your back will thank you.
But you, dear readers, need not make
garden effort. that mistake.
Some see it as Lawn & order For goodness sake, garden within
wonderful therapy. A lush green lawn can be a visual your time constraints, energies and
Not me. It’s a pain in winner yet your delight dissipates when inclinations.
the back, and dead boring. you spend half a day mowing it. And before I’m attacked as being a
Eliminate much of your weeding and
If you’re smart, attain a similar effect misogynist, I stress this can apply equally
your garden laziness rating won’t be an
with a small patch of well tended lawn in to husbands as well as wives.
issue.
a highly prominent position. You’ll mow Whatever you do, though, garden
It’s all about re-designing your garden. it in 10 minutes. happily.
Yes, that involves some work but there
are pay-offs down the track. TIP: Don’t suffer the heartache trying As avid vegie-grower and vegetarian
to grow a picture-perfect lawn in a George Bernard Shaw once quothed, the
For starters, get rid of expansive garden shady area. Instead, grow a lush lawn best place to find God is in a garden.
beds. They might look good but they’re alternative such dichondra repens.
a haven for weeds. Although, even GBS came unstuck with
a garden chore. He died aged 94 from
Sited as a garden focus, a good narrow
bed is far superior, and requires minimal Put down the shears complications after falling off a ladder
while pruning an apple tree.
weeding, particularly when well Pruning takes time and effort.
mulched. That’s it for me, but if you want to
Minimise the number of plants, such as
catch more garden tips you can read my
Like me, you are probably fed up with roses, that demand pruning – and don’t
column in The Weekly Times newspaper.
the preaching about the value of mulch. get overly concerned with pruning by
But it works wonders for lazy gardeners. the book.
Lay it on thick, after first giving the soil a A quick snip with a pair of loppers is
good hit of a fertiliser such as Dynamic often good enough, and if the plant © 2020 Editing By Design Pty Ltd (John
Lifter. doesn’t like it then it’s probably not one Hall and Lisa Luscombe), George Haddon,
Victoria Hardwick-Tiberio,Tony Fawcett and
An organic mulch such as lucerne hay you need.
Tristan Thomas.
or sugar cane mulch is fine as it breaks TIP: Don’t grow too many herbaceous email address: millhouse@millhouse.com.au
down returning goodness to the soil, but perennials, ones such as catmint,
13You can also read
