Whats on the menu for dinner these days??

[horrie hastings]

We had a sizeable block of land so anything that would grow would be grown - trouble was it was much more than what could be eaten - even for 13 of us.

Chokos was one thing - way too many - My Mother used to put the excess in boxes out the front of our house with a sign " Free Chokos" - hardly any were ever taken.

My Mother used to cut the Chokos up into chip size portions - put them in batter which also contained spices and fry them - when boiled you had to put butter on the Choko and plenty of pepper - A couple of the Brothers would put Mustard on the Choko as they were pretty bland taste wise by themselves

The battered chokos with spices sounds intetesting as you have to do something with them as they are a boring vegetable. There used to be stories that some factories that used to make apple pies back in the day used to substitute choko for apples or at least do a 50 / 50 mix, not sure how true it was as chokos are pretty flavouless but with a 50/ 50 mix it would most likely take on the apple and spice tastes.

[horrie hastings]

Can’t say I’ve ever tried choko. But I did eat brussel sprouts growing up. They tasted a whole lot better with lots of butter.

Brussel sprouts were another vege that really got a bad rap back in the 70s when every one used to just boil them and the kitchen would smell of horrible cabbage smell. At least now people have worked out there are many different ways to prepare them and cook rhem and they can be delicious done different ways. While i wont say they are my favourite vegetable i have enjoyed them with different dishes. Had a good friend who used to make a salad with grated brussel sprouts, peanuts and Heinz salad cream, there was probably more to it but havent had it for years and the petson has passed on but i have a hand written recipe somewhere in the archives, will have to find it and make it one day as it wuas delicious , it was sought of like a coleslaw but a bit different..

[Crab]

They may be a bland,boring vegetable to some bit I like a steamed choko with some cream cheese and seasoning. They remind me of my childhood where every house had a choko vine and they were a staple in our diet. I hated pumpkin as a kid , my mum would trick me and call it squash which I apparently enjoyed .

[horrie hastings]

They may be a bland,boring vegetable to some bit I like a steamed choko with some cream cheese and seasoning. They remind me of my childhood where every house had a choko vine and they were a staple in our diet. I hated pumpkin as a kid , my mum would trick me and call it squash which I apparently enjoyed .

Yes they remind me of my childhood too as mum used to steam them to death and put butter on them, never a big fan of it but at least i ate unlike the golden potato ( potato/pumpkin mash ), the choko vines grew along the fences in our back lane in Paddington, used to like picking them, most places had vines back in the 60 s and 70 s but you rarely see them any more. Another thing i remember was an abundance of mulberry trees around when i was younger, i still see a few around in the suburbs and love picking them when they are ripe but even they seem few and far between now compared to years ago.

[mightyrooster]

Brussel sprouts were another vege that really got a bad rap back in the 70s when every one used to just boil them and the kitchen would smell of horrible cabbage smell. At least now people have worked out there are many different ways to prepare them and cook rhem and they can be delicious done different ways. While i wont say they are my favourite vegetable i have enjoyed them with different dishes. Had a good friend who used to make a salad with grated brussel sprouts, peanuts and Heinz salad cream, there was probably more to it but havent had it for years and the petson has passed on but i have a hand written recipe somewhere in the archives, will have to find it and make it one day as it wuas delicious , it was sought of like a coleslaw but a bit different..

That salad sounds very interesting. I’ve never heard of anything like it before. Also you’re right about everyone boiling their veggies. I remember Mum bowling the crap out of zucchini it was a just mush. It was horrible. Funny the things we remember.

[mightyrooster]

Yes they remind me of my childhood too as mum used to steam them to death and put butter on them, never a big fan of it but at least i ate unlike the golden potato ( potato/pumpkin mash ), the choko vines grew along the fences in our back lane in Paddington, used to like picking them, most places had vines back in the 60 s and 70 s but you rarely see them any more. Another thing i remember was an abundance of mulberry trees around when i was younger, i still see a few around in the suburbs and love picking them when they are ripe but even they seem few and far between now compared to years ago.

We had a mulberry tree in the front yard of my childhood home. Dad used to make a mulberry pie with them.

[Big Dog]

Slow cooked pork ribs marinated with garlic chili and smoke flavour, steamed broccolini, smashed potatoes with cheese.

[Big Dog]

Can’t say I’ve ever tried choko. But I did eat brussel sprouts growing up. They tasted a whole lot better with lots of butter.

Brussel sprouts sliced in half or quarters if they're big, sauteed with butter and garlic. Very tasty.

[horrie hastings]

We had a mulberry tree in the front yard of my childhood home. Dad used to make a mulberry pie with them.

They are beautiful fruit mulberries, i remember my mother saying not to get the stains on your clothes, as they never wash out, somehow magically they always used to wash out.
Used to love visiting one of our aunties at Long Jetty on the Central Coast when we were kids as she had a big mulberry tree in the back yard, she had also had a cape gooseberry bush growing and they had beautiful fruit on it also,
Where i live the nearby school yard had a huge mulberry tree when we first moved in and i used to get ice cream containers full of the fruit, about 10-12 years ago they cut the tree down so no mulberries from there now.

[mightyrooster]

Brussel sprouts sliced in half or quarters if they're big, sauteed with butter and garlic. Very tasty.

Sounds good Big Dog.

[mightyrooster]

They are beautiful fruit mulberries, i remember my mother saying not to get the stains on your clothes, as they never wash out, somehow magically they always used to wash out.
Used to love visiting one of our aunties at Long Jetty on the Central Coast when we were kids as she had a big mulberry tree in the back yard, she had also had a cape gooseberry bush growing and they had beautiful fruit on it also,
Where i live the nearby school yard had a huge mulberry tree when we first moved in and i used to get ice cream containers full of the fruit, about 10-12 years ago they cut the tree down so no mulberries from there now.

I remember mum complaining about all the purple stains on the front porch near the tree and dad the same about the car from bird poop after birds would eat them!

[Recky62]

Probably a pie at Lang Park

[horrie hastings]

I remember mum complaining about all the purple stains on the front porch near the tree and dad the same about the car from bird poop after birds would eat them!

Lol yes i remember seeing the stained bird poo on the washing on the line sometimes. The latest place i found a mulberry tree close by was in the back streets of Newtown, found it about a year and half ago, the foot path was purple from people walking through and getting squashed under their shoes, the tree was still full of fruit and they were really juicy ones, it was a very healthy tree over hanging the foot path, didn't check it out last Mulberry season ( September/ October ).

[horrie hastings]

Bruschetta,, have some nice sourdough so roasting some tomato and sprinkle feta over it, some other nibbles then the left over pasta bake from last night . Having a scotch and coke now.

[Crab]

Bruschetta,, have some nice sourdough so roasting some tomato and sprinkle feta over it, some other nibbles then the left over pasta bake from last night . Having a scotch and coke now.

El scorcho pizza here . I miss mulberry trees too, there's none around the Bay . I'd love to see East's smash the drongos tonight. CARN the Roosters !!!