Cygnet is flourishing

Tasmania is tiny, only 500,000 people in the whole state. There are so many problems, so many businesses closing, many towns dying and not much money available for the government to call on to run the hospitals and schools. But.....

.....Cygnet is flourishing

                       .......and the Cygnet market has a waiting list for stalls

Last Sunday's market was incredible and stalls spilled out onto the footpath and across into the carpark..... local people selling local stuff.... and a new, big stall full of vibrant Asian vegetables from a friendly, hard working Hmong  woman.

I spent some time talking with her, excited to have such an array of some of my favourite vegetables now at my doorstep on market days. At the end of the market, she very kindly brought me bags of leftover vegetables, some of which I am putting to good use today.

First of all is a large bunch of baby bok choy.... crisp and luscious when raw but I need to cook them, as they will soon be going yellow before I finish eating them, otherwise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, they became this..... tossed into a wide, shallow pan of boiling water liberally infused with grated fresh ginger and some kaffir lime leaves, for less than 30 seconds then drained, a few drops of sesame oil added then a good handful of my toasted tamari seed mix mixed in, as well as very thin slices of a mushroom just picked from my bags.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, back on the stove, brewed a full-flavoured beetroot, carrot, parsley and lemon soup.... I added some home made yoghurt (made from the raw jersey milk I get from my friend)....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its freezing this afternoon; I fear summer is over and autumn has been booted aside by winter. However, its been a great day for cooking!

Now I am going to light the fire and see what has been happening in blogland.

Bon appetit!