Well, that’s it. The flour has settled, and the manuscript is in. If you’re wondering why there has been no posts, and where I’ve been, I’ve been a mighty long way down the rabbit hole – quite a few of them actually. It’s interesting, when I write a book, I inhabit it body and soul and my mind resides in whatever recipe I’m working on – literally, dreaming about them. Many recipes can be challenging, some cakes more so than others, and I find recipe development a good spiritual test to stay grounded, whilst all around you chaos reigns. The picture above is from final cake testing week, with a good long list of all the things I thought needed some double checking. Vanessa came to help me and below, is her daughter Ariel snapped one cold winters night in her pajama’s, without knowing, enjoying the fruits of our work.
Today is my first second day since sending it in and I feel a bit like I’ve just finished high school – ready to go nuts, but not sure in which capacity to go nuts first. I’m unwinding, but yesterday was my daughters birthday, so I cooked dinner and took it over to my Mum’s, where we had Nessie’s choice of dinner – slow roasted organic lamb shanks, mash and brussels, and Delia Smith’s Lemon Curd Steamed Pudding. On a freezing cold winters night (oh glory, it’s cold) it was the perfect meal. There’s been a lot of debate going on this past two weeks about the role of meat in our diets after the revelations about the slaughter of our cattle in Indonesia, with many calling for a vegetarian diet. I can’t agree with this, and think it represents a shallow response to the entire issue. I couldn’t even watch the Four Corners program on this, I knew I would be to distressed, as I have been for the past 20 years with how we grow, treat, feed and behave in general to our animals, but also to all our food. I have for the past 20 years felt very strongly that we should only be eating animals that have been able to live their pigness, cowness or sheepness (or whatever), allowed to eat the food they are meant to eat (and for many that is grass/pasture and not grain), that do not have their lives devalued and disrespected by the accepted value that any means justifies the financial end, they are loved and respected in their lives, and in their death. That all parts of the animal are eaten, and that thanks is given. I love that first scene in the movie The Last of the Mohican’s (one of my favourite movies), where the deer is killed, and before anything else is done, they give respect to it’s speed, give thanks for it’s life and gratitude for the exceptionally nutrient dense food it will provide.
Whilst I am absolutely respectful of a persons choice not to eat meat, I think that we should understand the vital role animals play in organic and bio dynamic farming systems, and the exceptionally nutrient dense foods they provide. One of favourite books in the last year has been The Vegetarian Myth, by Lierre Keith. I found this hard going, but very interesting reading and can highly recommend it. The question to eat or not to eat meat because death is involved, or the impact of animals on ecosystems is enormously complex and deserves a good deal of thought. I am a huge believer that to eat is take life – no matter what we grow, some death is involved – pests, microbes and the concept of consciousness applies just as much to vegetables as to animals in my book. I do however absolutely agree that we cannot continue to eat meat how we have been – frequently, and picking out bits whilst discarding others, and I’d like to see respect and honour re enter our farming and food production systems. If you live in Western Australia, try here and here and here and here – these are all certified organic or bio – dynamic by people passionate about what they do, that honour and respect animals.
I’ll be back with recipes and life – I’m heading off for a week in the rain forrest to visit my dear friend Jeanie and her daughter Violet, as they move in the house they built. Much food will be cooked, wine will be drunk and thanks will be given for good food and friendship.
x Jude
Pistachio Cupcake with a Fresh Strawberry and Rose Better Buttercream (from the new book)” width=”640″ height=”http://wholefoodcooking.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_3107-654×491.jpg”> Pistachio Cupcake with a Fresh Strawberry and Rose Better Buttercream (from the new book)
This Post Has 9 Comments
Congratulations on getting the book finished and still being sane…(??) enjoy your break, Jane x
I love your views on meat eating! Cannot wait for the new book!
Thank you for sharing these thought Jude! I was given your wholefood book for children as a gift from my mother last christmas and have recommended it to so many people. You have taught me so much!
Any plans to run any courses in Melbourne in 2011? I would love to attend one.
Congratulations on submitting the manuscript!
I agree that the debate about cattle and meat in general has been overly simplified, on both sides. I personally am a vegetarian, but I truly believe that the debate is more complex than public discourse, political rhetoric, or animal rights campaigns would suggest. If you are looking for additional interesting reading on the topic, I definitely recommend the book Meat: A Benign Extravagance. There are some flaws in the data and arguments he uses, but all in all I think it is one of the most informative, fact-based books on the topic. Much different than Keith’s book, and a much denser text to read, but worth the time.
Glad to have you back in the blog world. Can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to the publishing date of your new book!
All the best,
Jude Fan
Thanks Sarah, I’m going to get that book and have a read…thank you for sharing that… Jude
Hello Motherwho!! Love your picture on your website, and will have a good read later. Thankyou for you kind words, so glad you are enjoying the book – YES!!! just putting together the program for the rest of the year – manuscript is in, had a week in the rain forrest and now to plan the rest of year, with classes in melbourne on the schedule – just now, not quite sure when – will all be clear in a couple of weeks and will post the schedule
Jude
Jude,
I was just wondering, for chocolate flavoured delights, I currently use the beautiful raw cacao powder that’s available – which is dark and beautiful and sometimes needs a touch extra sweetner for it’s bitterness. Is dutched cocoa worth tracking down or is it okay to stick with the raw cacao?
Thanks!
Hi Anonymous – the thing with cocoa (or cacao – they are both the same) is that you need to know what you have if you are baking. Cocoa as it is, is acidic – and the poorer the quality of the bean, the more marked this will be. You can get raw and (not) cocoa powder, and both are highly acidic. You can counter this with more sweetener, as you are doing. That’s the sweetness/acidity taken care of. But if you’re BAKING you need to know – because that acidity will interact with any leavening in the cake. Often you see chocolate cakes made with Baking Soda (Bi Carbonate of Soda) and cocoa – the bicarb is alkaline, the cocoa acidic – they interact, and produce gas to rise the cake. But, when I bake, I prefer to use a dutched cocoa – and like the Green and Blacks organic, as it is not overly dutched (really a word for alkalised) and gives a lovely end result.
Hope that all makes sense.