The girl who silenced the world for 5 minutes.

17 years ago Severn Suzuki was 12 years old and this is what she had to say:

Once upn a time ...

water came out of a tap! And in Bundanoon, it still might.

A Year In The Garden

Follow the tales of weed woe, wonderful worms, terrific trees and a whole host of snippets from an enthusiastic but amature gardener ....

A Year In The Garden

The Wonderful Isabelle Allende.

Get in touch with your inner tortoise!

Fennel Has No Friends.

In companion gardening, fennel apparently has no friends and so should be planted away from other vegetables. However, once in the kitchen - fennel has many mates - here is one of my favorite fennel recipes - it's from Stephanie Alexander. I try to use local organic produce, and ingredients however this has just become harder as I just found out today that our local Macro has been swallowed whole by Thomas Dux (aka Woolworths).

Fennel Braised with Balsamic Vinegar & Honey

40g butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 small bulbs of fennel, quartered
salt
black pepper
large sprig of rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey

Heat the butter and oil in an ovenproof casserole that will just hold the fennel in a single layer. When starting to sizzle add fennel and brown on all sides turning carefully. This may take up to 15 minutes. Season then add rosemary. Keeping heat brisk, drizzle on vinegar. Allow juices to bubble up and again turn fennel carefully so that all sides are in contact with juices. Drizzle over honey and add enough water to come up one third. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until fennel is tender - about 25 minutes (or pop in oven - covered - at 180°C). Remove lid, increase heat and bubble to reduce cooking juices to a syrupy glaze.

Great with pork or chicken!