Summertime

Picked our first lot of basil and with it made one of my all time favourites, delicious pesto. A number of years ago, when staying with friends in Tuscany, I actually had four serves of pesto pasta that Paola made, and that was after antipasti and before the meat courses. It was really that good.

I also made a favourite summertime dessert today, spiced cherries. It's not a recipe as such as it's my own concoction. When there are no children consuming them then I make what is effectively a mulled wine (red wine, sugar, a splash of liquer, cinnamon stick, orange zest and juice), poach the cherries (pitted and fresh) in it briefly, really just enough to warm through then remove them with a slotted spoon. I then reduce the wine/sauce and then strain and pour over the cherries. With the girls eating these it's the same but minus the booze and with a splash of water and more orange juice. Consume room temperature to warm on top of vanilla icecream.

It's not hot today, but it's so nice having Geoff home, eating together as a family, which is something with have opportunity to do nowhere near enough, and eating outside always makes it seem like a holiday.