A resident of the then sparsely settled hills community of Greenmount from the age of three months, Heather grew up in the freedom afforded by the bushland and open space: alas both long gone. So too the little, one track railway line with its “puffing billys” chugging their way through the hills to Mundaring, the old orange Beam buses labouring up the Greenmount Hill and the wonderful little two teacher school set in three acres of granite strewn red clay and which had among its little band of pupils a future Director General of Education in Robert Vickery.
School during the war years boasted no frills but gave Heather a love of the written word and an “insatiable curiosity” that would have made her a perpetual student had circumstances permitted. As it was , due to a man-power shortage the kids in the “Big Room”, grades 4, 5, 6 and, 7 were responsible for cleaning the school buildings and, every second Friday would line up to have the government cheque divided up and paid into their blue Commonwealth bank books. 1955 saw Heather a graduate, very fresh and great from Claremont Training College, and away from home for the first time appointed to Boddington school, one of a staff of five which included the headmaster. There followed three happy years in a classroom set apart from the rest of the school, about where the home ec. room is now located. Marriage to a local farmer and three small children kept her out of mischief and circulation for some time. Later came relief teaching and then a conversion course to home ec. which she taught for three years at Boddington, followed by six years in Williams. Retirement enabled Heather to indulge her lifelong passion for reading and become a member of the Book Club, which has given her great satisfaction and, enjoyment. Heather’s main interests include her family (which now include two tiny granddaughters), home and garde, her tennis and embroidery and the promotion of the Arts Council activities. Her main frustrations are lack of enough time to accomplish everything and her inability to master the game of golf!
Mandy’s Pate
Whenever the Stevens’ hold a family “do”, it is always Mandy’s job to make the pate. Once you’ve tried this recipe, you will know why.
Ingredientes
500g thicken Livers
90g butter
2 large onions
1 bay lear
⅓ cup cream
⅓ cup brandy
6 rashers bacon
½ teaspoon thyme
⅓ cup dry sherry
Salt and Pepper
75g extra butter
Method
Chop chicken livers roughly, place in bowl, pour over brandy and marinate 1½ Hours. Drain livers. Heat 45g butter in pan, add livers, sauté until browned on all sides. In separate pan melt remaining 45g butter . Sauté peeled and chopped onion and chopped bacon until onion is transparent. Add thyme, bay leaf and livers, simmer for a further five minutes. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf. Put mixture plus sherry into an electric blender, blend until smooth. Fold in cream and extra melted butter, season with salt and pepper and allow mixture to cool. Serve with Melba toast.
Jenny’s Pumpkin Soup
As a bride Jenny made this soup for her husband (notoriously hard to please in te food department), from one of his own home-grown pumpkins. So proud was he of his wife’s achievement that he grabbed the saucepan and dashed next door to where his parents were just sitting down to lunch. “Try this, it’s beaut” he exhorted the astonished pair. It certainly was “beaut” and has since become a firm family favourite.
Ingredients
500g pumpkin (home grown of course)
2 onions
1 carrot
3½ cups of chicken stock
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper
¾ to 1 cup cream
Method
Peel pumpkin, onion and, carrot and chop into pieces. Simmer in chicken stock with salt, pepper and nutmeg until vegetables are tender. Purée in a food processor. Reheat. Add cream about 5 minutes before serving. Be careful not to boil. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. This soup cam be made very quickly as the ingredients are usually on hand.
Our Susie’s Cheese and Parsley Soup
Our Susie is always eager to try something new and this is a delicious soup with a difference.
Ingredients
30g butter
2 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ plain flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 cups grated semi-mature cheese
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Method
Melt butter and add onions and garlic. Add flour and cook for about one minute. Gradually stir in stock and milk. Stir constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in grated cheese and continue stirring until cheese has melted. Stir in parsley.
Serves 4
To Garnish sprinkle with chopped parsley and/or finely sliced shallots.
This soup will not freeze.
Stilton and Bacon Soup
This soup was enjoyed in front of a roaring fire at The Hare Arms, a delightful little pup in Norfolk. The Hare referred to is not the four-legged variety but the name of the family on whose estate the pub is built. Although the soup was very moorish I was unable to manage the accompanying pint of bitter.
1 chopped onion
110g Stilton cheese
110g finely chopped bacon
55g flour
1 Litre water
30ml cream
Method
Melt butter and sauté onion and bacon. Add flour and cook for five minutes. Add water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain, sieve or blend. Reboil. Melt grated Stilton cheese in soup. Add cream and stir being careful not to re-boil.
Serve with 2 or 3 croutons, lightly fried in oil.