Bella Hyde, Author at Finding Feasts

Wild mushroom foraging

Autumn means wild mushrooms however with more unseasonably warm temperatures, this years wild mushroom foraging season has been delayed…again!

We were however very fortunate to run a wild mushroom foraging workshop early April and are hoping for cooler temperatures and some much needed rain to get the mycelium going and the mushrooms growing.

Keen foragers learning about Slippery Jack mushrooms

If you are looking to join a workshop in May drop us a line or visit our Facebook page to keep up to date with upcoming dates.

Although we have done little foraging this season we have been fortunate to feature in April’s Jetstar Australia Infilght magazine for things to to in NSW.

We’d love to see you at one of our next wild mushroom foraging workshops.

Blondie and Bella

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We’re back! Hello 2018

Well, it has definitely been some time between posts for us at here at Finding Feasts so a huge hello to all! 🙂

2017 went at the blink of an eye. One minute I am making final preparations for the first day of year 6 and the next I find myself attending the year 6 graduation camp, purchasing a high school uniform, putting up the Christmas tree and saying farewell to Blondie and her family as they make a city change and move to our nation’s capital, Canberra! Pour me a wine already!

2017 left us with some amazing experiences and adventures in our own back yard:

South Rosedale Beach on the NSW South Coast

Early on in the year I made numerous visits to the South Coast of NSW where the sunsets are amazing.

Sun setting over South Rosedale beach – photo by Bella

Whilst Blondie holidayed with her family in equally stunning Huskisson, also on the NSW South Coast.

Continue reading “We’re back! Hello 2018” →

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best ever Mushroom sausage rolls

Finding Feasts Mushroom Sausage Rolls — Click on image for full recipe

Mushroom sausage rolls – and these are definitely the Best Ever Mushroom Sausage rolls you will taste. Growing up I was one of those kids that was discouraged from eating canteen food at primary school by my parents. We very rarely went out to restaurants and we most certainly didn’t buy take away food. Mum cooked every night. My parents were of the opinion that if food was ‘fast’ that it had little nutritional value for me plus why spend money on food when you can cook twice as much yourself.

They could not understand why a kid would sacrifice fresh, home made sandwiches on rye bread for soggy school sausage rolls and meat pies. Dad always reminded me of how bad they were for us and that they contained all the ‘off cuts’ from the worst bits of meat. I kept on arguing and arguing with dad only to learn with time, how right he was!

These sausage rolls are the complete opposite. There are no dodgy off cuts, just good quality meat, veggies and herbs and my hand picked wild mushrooms!

What is your go-to fast food?

Bella

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how to make Labneh in olive oil

Labneh in olive oil – I am a self-confessed cheese-a-holic. I am yet to come across a cheese that I haven’t liked! Very happy to be offered a cheese tasting challenge to be proven wrong.

Several weeks ago I tried my hand at making farm cheese so I thought I’d have a go at making Labneh, a yummy Mediterranean cheese from natural yogurt which is hung in a muslin wrap for several days. This recipe requires no cooking and I am very proud to say that I succeeded!

Labneh cheese is perfect as part of a Middle Eastern mezze platter with dips, marinated vegetables and warm pita bread.

I tasted my first Labneh at the Sydney Good Food & Wine Show in 2006. It was marinated in oil with some herbs and spices. I loved how the cheese just melted in your mouth, little soft white clouds bursting with flavour.

Now I can make my own! One simple rule, use good quality natural yogurt and olive oil.

Happy Labneh making 🙂

Bella

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Farm Cheese

Home made farm cheese, my first blog post for 2017! Yipee.

Actually break open the champagne and do a little dance. It’s more like the first blog post for about 8 months! For me anyway.

Without going into boring lengthy details lets just say that 2016 was a very frustrating year for Finding Feasts. Not only were there NO mushrooms to forage for but accessing our blog (no thanks to our old hosting partner) was a nightmare.

I am pleased to say that yes, we are back!

Now back to my recipe. Farm cheese or farmers cheese is something that takes me back to my childhood. Mum used to farm cheese fresh from the local deli or make it from milk that would go sour before it was boiled.

True Polish farm cheese has a white curd like texture and a slightly sour smell, it is often used for making cheese cake and our famous pierogi (take note…no ‘s’ on the end!) I am not quite sure when mum first found it at the deli here in Australia, but when she did I was in heaven, especially when she made me a plate of farm cheese pierogi, smothered in a burnt butter sauce with sprinkles of sugar and cinnamon.

I have been wanting to make my own farm cheese for a while now but didnt know how to until I cam across this recipe by fellow Polish blogger Martyna Angell from Wholesome-cooke.com. Her blog is amazing! This is her recipe.

Buttermilk is expensive at $2.70 per 600 ml, however this is my treat. I use two 600 ml cartons to produce about 500 grams of fresh farm cheese in about 2 hours.

My favourite at the very moment is fresh farm cheese on rye bread with chives.

It’s great to be back blogging!

Bella

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Tahini & Miso Dressing

Tahini & Miso Dressing – OK, I rarely come across a simple recipe that I think is to-die-for but this one is it! This tahini & miso dressing recipe is addictive, I mean REALLY addictive! With four simple ingredients you can’t go wrong.

I love making my dressing but of late have been sticking to two well worn out recipes, wholegrain mustard with lemon and garlic or balsamic vinegar….boring!

I was first introduced to this recipe by Miss H’s nan and pop. Nan and pop visit us every few weeks and when they do pop cooks amazing dishes, dishes that I would typically not cook myself. Nan and pop are into hip stuff like yoga, meditation and macrobiotics.

Macro what I hear you ask? No this isn’t another new fad diet, it is a lifestyle. The macrobiotic philosophy has been around for centuries. The main principles are centered around holistic nutrition, understanding where your food came from, how it was handled, eating seasonal, local food that is chemical free. It promotes eating grains and plenty of fresh vegetable but limits the intake of animal products.

During the last visit pop made this tahini and miso dressing with fried tofu and braised green vegetables. Utterly divine I tell you! Tofu can be quite bland but by adding this yummy dressing the tofu come to life.

Make a batch of this at the beginning of the week, keep it in the fridge and use as required. If you add less liquid it easily transforms to tasty dip with some flat bread or carrot sticks when you are feeling peckish. It is my go to treat at work when 3 o’clock-itis kicks in.

Bella

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Szarlotka – Polish Apple Cake

Finding Feasts Szarlotka Apple Cake — Click on image for recipe

Szarlotka – Polish apple cake – If I had to make a choice between a sweet and savoury dish I would definitely choose savoury, unless a plate of my mum’s yummy apple cake otherwise known as Szarlotka was put in front of me!

Szarlotka is somewhat similar to an apple pie however the top and bottom is of a much different consistency and the apple mixture is far less sweet. Mum has also from time to time added raisins, although as a child I hated that version. Raisins were these strange unknown little brown ‘bits’ that didn’t sit well with me. The topping can vary too from a sweet short-crust pastry to a sweet crumble, very similar to an apple crumble pie.

The recipe I have posted here is one that my mum has been making for years and if challenged she could most likely make it from scratch with her eyes closed! It’s a recipe that takes me back to my childhood memories, especially the ones where I could have endless slices and not worry about the side effects like having to count the calories! Ahh those days a long gone!

Mum would always let the cake rest and cool first before serving it up, but I love it whilst its still warm and sometimes have some vanilla ice cream on the side! Equally delish the very next day, warmed up in the oven.

… enjoy

Bella

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