(Tuna Recipe at end)
We met Annie and Mark and their amazing children, Ashleigh and Murray, in France 16 years ago, and we’ve been friends ever since. Or they can’t seem to get rid of us could be the other way of putting it. Moving from Johannesburg (where we visited them) to Cape Town (where we visited them) in the middle of a cold and dark night, also didn’t help them…

Bobotie is South Africa’s national dish and I never tire of it. I have put some of my own little twists to it, but the basic recipe is the traditional one. We had the deevine Rob and another new friend Guel for dinner a couple of days (make that months!) ago and they were a little worried about what to expect, but enjoyed it so much they have asked for the recipe. Thank you for the complement! So here it is!

What, you say? A Gherkin soup? Never heard of it and don’t want it. Stop right there. It is SUPERB to say the very least. Lena and Dieter are deevine campervan friends and she made this for us 2 years ago and today and it was as great today as it was 2 years ago.

This is not quite a traditional pizza dough recipe as we add cooked potatoes to the dough, but I promise you, once you’ve tried it, you won’t want it any other way!

(Fishy cooking ideas at end)

Take a wild guess what the colours of the Portuguese flag are? Come on, you can do it. YES! Red and green they are. This Fish Seller in Olhão is clearly not only a good salesman but also a dedicated patriot. He’s got my vote for sure.

So now you have the bean clams and the heart shaped cockles, what do you do with them I hear you ask? Nemo problemo, I’ll get you a good dose of food poisoning…just kidding of course! They’re quick and easy to cook after prepping and you are going to love them.

'Tis the pumpkin season and if you are looking for things to do with your leftover Halloween pumpkins, then this is the recipe to make. Even people who aren't called Peter, Peter, The Pumpkin Eater, and who aren't that fond of pumpkin will love these deelicious little balls.

A must in Moroccan and Arabic cooking is preserved lemons. I first happened upon a bucket of these bright yellow babies in my Asian supermarket in Toulouse ( www.paris-store.com ) and just had to have them. Didn't know what to do with them, but just had to have them. Needless to say, 2 years later, they weren't quite what they should and could have been.

TODAY'S RECIPE: Asparagus Pancakes

I can hear the circling helicopters in the distance, dogs yapping and people calling my name, but I can't stop. I just have to keep checking yet another bush for another spear of asparagus. Just one more. Then another one and another one. The search and rescue people asked me to tell them approximately where I would be looking tomorrow so that they could find me more easily, but I won't be fooled. They just want to get to MY asparagus before I do...

CHUTNEY - WHAT IS IT?
(Taken from the book “The complete South African Book of Food and Cookery” written by Sannie Smit and Margaret Fulton)
“This word (chutney) is derived from the Hindustani (word) “chatni”, which describes a well-seasoned relish or pickle that originated in India. Chutney is the standard accompaniment to curried dishes. It may be made from a mixture of chopped fruits, spices, acids and sugar, cooked slowly until thick, while some chutneys are a combination of fresh fruits, chopped, seasoned and served uncooked. Chutney can also be served with cold meat, cheese or as a sandwich filling.