What would you do without your mum?
When Jules Clancy's mum passed away suddenly in August 2007, she was inspired to create a cookbook of family recipes as a tribute to her mother. After the book was completed, Jules decided to self-publish the book and share her mum's life and recipes with others. The result is "And the Love is Free", a cookbook with 57 classic Australian recipes (each with photos), spread over 144 pages printed in full-colour.
Who is Jules? She's the food blogger behind The Stone Soup who has degrees in both food science and winemaking, and is currently employed as a chocolate biscuit designer for Arnotts (yes, truly!). You may have also read or seen TV coverage about her search for a date for her upcoming dinner at El Bulli.
Designed as a no-fuss cookbook, Jules says: "I was lucky to have a Mum who taught and inspired me to cook – here’s your chance to learn the basics from a simple country cook."
THE PRIZE:
One copy of "And the Love is Free" by Jules Clancy.
This competition is open to Australian residents only.
HOW TO ENTER:
All you have to do is fulfil both requirements below:
- Leave a comment on this post and tell us what food or dish reminds you of your mum?
It might be a dish she cooks herself, or something she likes to order or buy - tell us your story about your mum. - And then send an email to grabyourforkfreebiefriday@yahoo.com.au with the subject heading "Mum" and include your full name and a copy of your published comment on this post.
Please make sure you comment and send an email so I have your contact details should you win!
The And the Love is Free competition closes on Monday 14/12/09 at 5.30pm AEST [please note the change in usual closing day due to Christmas]. The winner will be announced on Grab Your Fork on Tuesday 15/12/09.
EDIT: Congratulations to the And the Love is Free cookbook winner announced here.
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS DISCOUNT FOR GRAB YOUR FORK READERS
As a special offer for Grab Your Fork readers, Jules will be passing on a 10% discount for all "And the Love is Free" orders placed before Christmas. To redeem this offer, simply use the discount code "Christmas" when you order online or call Naomi Clancy on 0407 014 232. Free postage applies anywhere in Australia.
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Don't forget that entries close today, Friday 04/12/09 5.30pm, to win one of five bottles of Bundaberg Reserve Rum with your own personalised label.
The achacha competition has also been extended to residents in NSW and QLD, and MasterChef fans should definitely enter the competition to win the MasterChef Australia Cookbook.
Don't delay. Click on the links above to enter now!
The dish that reminds me of my mum? Pumpkin fruit cake. Very much like a normal fruit cake but with mashed pumpkin in it. I loved 'helping' her make it, especially the bit where I tried to eat all the glace cherries before the raw egg got put in.
ReplyDeleteright now, any dish or smell reminds me of my mum. she passed away only a few months back and so the most subtle aroma of asian cooking sends me straight back to the days where she's in the kitchen preparing for dinner. that said, the 1 dish that would remind me is her turkey stuffing for christmas. stuffed with sticky rice, sultanas and nuts, flavoured with spices. something i'd never eat, but will surely miss!
ReplyDeleteBoiled Eggs and "soldiers". This was our special Sunday morning treat when I was growing up. Mum would lean over us and quickly use a teaspoon to remove the piping hot top off each egg. Now when I eat boiled eggs and burn my fingers taking off the top, I am reminded that this was one of the little things she did for us to "protect" us kids.
ReplyDeleteMy favourtie mum dish growing up and even now is the "tuna casserole". So simple but good! tuna, rice, seasonings, topped with mash and melted cheese. Seriously! I make it for myself now but mum, your recipe will be passed on to my kids too. :-)
ReplyDeleteSpagetti Bolognese and Apple Crumble! If I hit the jackpot and got both on one night all was right with the world!
ReplyDeleteThe dish that reminds me of my mum is a macaroni one that she called, unimaginatively, Macaroni. I think she had it as a child, and it was comfort food for her. It consists of macaroni pasta, covered with tomato ketchup (yes, ketchup, not sauce), pieces of boiled chicken, peas & onions, baked in the oven until slightly crispy on top. Awful, but so bad it was good. She would sprinkle chopped long onions and slices of cucumber over the top, and serve it with a clear soup made from the boiled chicken.
ReplyDeleteJax
I now have my mum’s recipe for perogi - beautiful potato and cheese dumplings from Poland. She makes a few hundred of these at a time for freezing, then rations trays of them out to her 10 kids to take home with them.
ReplyDeleteIn the time it takes me to fold and pleat 1 dumpling, mum could do about 5. And there’s only me and my oldest brother who have really bothered to find out how to make them. Makes you fret for the skills and recipes you lose when your parents shuffle off their mortal coil.
But on a lighter note: Polish Catholic immigrant parents with 10 kids to feed, meant for some budget meals. It sounds awful but sometimes I still get a hankering for fried camp-pie with boiled potatoes.
When I think mum, I think anything delectable that we can bake together. Since being sick this has been increasingly harder to do but this Christmas I intend to get back behind my apron. Christmas almond crescents dusted with snowy icing sugar scream to me 'MUM'.I grew up munching on these during the most magical period for me. Getting the icing sugar EVERYWHERE was my substitute for a white christmas. I'd snuggle on my mum's lap every night of december to read a different christmas story and nibble together.
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ReplyDeleteI love my mom's cooking, but one thing that probably makes me miss my mom most would be the traditional "Birthday Noodle Soup" (Mee Sua Soup). I would always have this with 2 eggs on the morning of my birthday, and while my mother never was never able to explain the reason behind it, as my friends did not have this tradition, I relished it. It was and is the only thing I look forward to on my birthday, as I have always been doomed with exams, being a student. I have not had the chance to taste my mom's noodle soup on my birthday for at least 4 years now, being in different countries, and I miss it so much, I once burst into tears when I saw a picture of the one she made for my sister on her birthday. Nevertheless, remembering how that particular noodle soup makes me feel on my birthday, I make it for my close friends on their birthdays - Complete with 2 eggs, and a variety of toppings, just like how mom does it.
ReplyDeleteSorry Helen, I forgot to mention earlier. You are probably already aware but a 'new Shanghai' restaurant has opened in the chatswood chase food court. I just remember comments about dumplings in Ashfield. I don't know if this is more convenient for you?
ReplyDeletePista Kulfi. My mum used to make it for guests for dinner parties and when we would come home from school in summer it was an awesome refreshing treat.
ReplyDeleteMy mum made many puddings for us when I was a child and although I liked them all, I just loved her bread and butter pudding, I have tried many others since, but not one came anywhere near the taste of hers, the taste was sublime, she also used to omit to add the sultanas because I didn't like them, even though the rest of the family and there were 5 of us, did like them
ReplyDeleteI always think of my mum the most when I'm baking, she always let my brother and I help out when we were growing up. Eventually we could make slices and cakes on our own, which filled many happy school holidays. Recently I tried to make Golden Syrup Dumplings, and it took me right back to childhood, pouring cream over them and enjoying their glorious syrup.
ReplyDeleteMy Mum always loved her Lamb Fry and onions, I couldn't even bear the sight of it, but to her it was a remnant of the depression and a favourite food
ReplyDeleteMy Mum used to cook all day only on Chinese New Year. Her signature dish is a mix of minced pork, chicken and prawn wrapped in chicken skin. She took most of the chicken bone and meat, minced the chicken meat then mix it with other meat plus spices. After that she deliberately filling up the chicken with these meat into chicken's skin. Sometime she had to sew these ripped skin as she is using asian village chicken which is smaller. Asian Village chicken meat is better on absorbing spices and low in fat than Australian big chicken meat. The chicken will be steamed in a huge wok covered for hours until cooked.
ReplyDeleteThe chicken will be presented sitting in a bowl full of chicken soup layered with whipped white egg and the chicken did look like staring to all guests, however we don't care as we know what is waiting when we dig these meat, yumm...
I'll ask her to make it again and this time, I'll take the picture (we never take the picture as I was not a food blogger that time).
PS: the chicken according to my Mum, representing a chinese symbol, dragon.. maybe?
I love reading all your post :-)
ReplyDelete(Philippines) My mom doesn't cook much because her dad (my grandfather) was a great cook and he always cooked for the family and we had hired cooks to make us meals.
So, when we moved to Australia - my mom needed to learn - not to cook - but learnt to chuck everything whatever is in the fridge in the pressure cooker. All vegies and meat at the same time resulting messy stewy food. We complained and complained but still ate it.
Sometimes, it turns out OK and that's when we cherished it.
She would kill me if I announced to the public her lack of skills in cooking and us complaining about it!
But she's a great mom nontheless!
My Mum is a great cook, but my favourite food memory of living at home were the Saturday lunches she would pull together for our enormous family plus any hangers on. Baskets of various fresh loaves, platters of cured meats and fish, a selection of cheese as well as salad. Everyone could grab whatever they wanted and the conversation always kept everyone at the table for hours.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I loved mum's oxtail stew. Simply delish! That was over 40 years ago, and recently a friend brought oxtail stew to a staff lunch - after 40 years I was transported to my youth over an oxtail stew! Heavenly.
ReplyDeleteTo the untrained eye, nose or tongue it may seem simple, but no matter how many times I try to bake it, it never turns out the same..I use the same ingredients, stir it the same way, do everything the exact same way!
ReplyDeleteBut alas, the only one to truly perfect the Date Slice is my mother.
Definitely Curry puffs! My mum always makes it and I've pretty much eaten it since I was born! But other than that, just probably chilli, rendang, mee goreng ..or anything M'sian ! :D
ReplyDeleteMy Mum loved corned beef, cabbage and carrot, when I walked into the house, my mouth would salivate and if I wasn't staying to dine with her, I would go to the shops and buy the ingredients so that I could make it myself, but it was never as delicious as Mums
ReplyDeleteHi all - Thanks to everyone who entered. I loved reading all the entries - so many great Mums out there! You can find out the details of the winner here.
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