Eternal Ingredients » Vick Barber

Sugar-Free Chocolate Coconut and Berry Treat

Vick Barber — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 10:27:50 +0000

Ingredients

⅓ cup organic coconut oil
⅓ cup unsalted butter
2 tbls raw cocao or cocoa
1 tbls rice malt sugar
⅓ cup shredded or flaked coconut
⅓ cup raspberries or mixed berries (fresh are best)

What happens when you’re not a natural in the kitchen?

Vick Barber — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:01:41 +0000

There are those that are born to cook and others that are.... well lets face it stumble, trip and sometimes fall (or should that be chop, dice & julienne) their way around the kitchen. I admit I am the latter. I am not a natural and well really maybe saying I am completely inept in the kitchen is a little extreme too. But I don’t 'feel' natural in the kitchen. Yes I know cooking is primarily based on recipes and being able to add or finesse those recipes to ‘make them your own’. But I also feel it is a matter of confidence. Confidence in yourself and in what your doing and confidence in your experience, maybe which is what I lack? As I noted in a previous post, I had a slightly unusual childhood and exposure to 'the kitchen'. I grew up in a series of pubs that my parents owned. Both my mother and father worked the hotel and although my mum did cook for us (she makes a fantastic lamb roast!) it wasn't every night and we didn’t share afternoons baking cakes or cookies as I know other children did or do. Now I want to mention, I don’t feel I missed out on anything from this experience, I was exposed to some great Chefs and cooks with amazing talents, fantastic accents and some colourful language, all of which I remember fondly. I saw them create amazing meals for a LOT of people, great desserts and of course when school needed some cupcakes or similar for a fete or fundraiser I usually turned up with a tray of 72 custard filled chocolate éclairs, much to the delight of the school. But because it was a commercial kitchen and I could watch during prep time I wasn’t really involved in the cooking or the opportunity to stand by and watch. I also think that I didn’t have an interest in it at that time. But as I grew older and moved out of home, the need for me to cook became evident. I was in my first share house at 19 and was allocated to be house cook.....hmmm, don't know if I accepted that on a Friday night out with the girls. But anyway that was the start of my journey of cooking, it started with very simple meals, a few recipes from the CWA recipe book and I was on my way. I have always had to cook for others but primarily, until I married I did a lot of cooking for one. I have been lucky though, I have always seemed to have friends that are good cooks. There is Janina, who is a gourmet through and through - trying new recipes and dishes near constantly. There is Michelle who is always serving up something healthy and tasty. My older sisters, who being a number of years older than me and settling into their family lives while I was still quite young also have some great 'country' influenced cooking styles. And of course there is Rachel, my bestie, who is amazing at making almost any dish sound so simple, look so good and of course taste delicious. She is also the one who has probably inspired me the most to 'get in there and cook'. I was given a cookbook of her own favourite recipes when we relocated to the states a few years ago. Yes it is me that has the 'original and first' Eternal Ingredients cookbook. It was not the cookbook we produce now, but still a high quality book that I still have in my kitchen today. So, I suppose over time I have become more adventurous and a little more daring. Yes I have my favourites that I turn too and they are usually relatively simple but always tasty. But I have been getting a little more confident and that is through a little more time needed in the kitchen due to needing to keep 3 boys happy - as they say the way to a mans’ (or boy's) heart is through his stomach. So I recently decided to take a chance and create a masterpiece using 2 of my most favourite ingredients - Chocolate and Beetroot. I like to fool myself that they both keep their health benefits - chocolate as an antioxidant and beetroot for its detoxifying properties..... but I think I may be pushing it. Either way my Chocolate & Beetroot Cake tastes delicious and for me, tested a few of my 'skills' in the kitchen. I am enjoying becoming a more confident cook and I am enjoying having my children be in the kitchen developing their own skills. So maybe they can be a little more natural in the kitchen. Happy Cooking Vicki

Chocolate and Beetroot Cake

Vick Barber — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:13:07 +0000

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated
100 gms caster sugar
200 gms dark chocolate
2 medium sized beetroots, peeled and grated
½ cup thickened cream
90 gms almond meal
Cocoa powder for dusting
Thick cream to serve

My Mothers Day Memory

Vick Barber — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:40:41 +0000

Mothers Day to me usually evokes thoughts of white chrysanthemum flowers, roast lunch and lots and lots of ladies (generations of them in fact). With Mothers Day soon approaching and my own love of the day (my two boys and hubby usually make me a lovely breakfast in bed of pancakes and cups of tea), I wondered about different peoples thoughts or experiences of the day. I know some people feel that every day should be special and that now it is yet another 'marketing fuelled day' for selling flowers and cards and others really making a big deal of it. My own memories of Mothers Day may be a little more unusual than others, yes there were flowers, lunch and lots of ladies, but you see I grew up in a pub (actually my parents owned and ran 3 of them). So Mothers Day in our house was another day of work (and probably a little extra stress) for the family and my mum. We always held a Mothers Day luncheon at the hotel, which meant my morning involved trimming a sea of white chrysanthemums’ and greenery into small corsages (showing my age, aren’t I!). I trimmed them with scissors and placed a flower with some greenery onto alfoil, then pushed a dressmaker’s pin in them. They were then transferred to a large tray to be at the doorway or entrance to the hotel dining room. Each mother would then be given one on arrival as they were escorted to their table. The ritual was always welcomed and whenever we ran out of the flowers, it would be up to me to make some more or help one of my sisters in sourcing others, because no mum should ever be disappointed on their day of days! I was always surprised at how many of the women pinned the corsage to their Sunday best dress, but I now realise it truly was their badge of honour. They were proud to be a mum and even though in this crowd it was pretty obvious, they wanted everyone to know. They had come to share time and food with their loved ones, they had come for some time off from their usual rituals of washing, cleaning and cooking. I remember the lunch was usually made extra special by the chef or cook in the kitchen, even what may be seen as a standard Sunday roast would be lovingly prepared and displayed for each guest in the dining room. All the wait staff said “Happy Mothers Day” to all the women on arrival and joked about Happy Grandmothers Day to older patrons too. As I said, it was always a busy day and not one where we could sit down and rest. But it was always wonderful to see the mums not having to worry about lunch, what everyone wanted to eat and most importantly cooking it themselves (or washing up!) So what of my own beautiful mother on this day? What did she get as thanks for being a hard working mum of 5 children. Well, she usually at least got a chrysanthemum, that’s for sure. Actually, she always got the most beautiful bunch of flowers from dad. He would always give them to her with great fanfare and a big smooch. He realised as much as anyone, how much she deserved some 'special' time and appreciation'. This usually occurred after lunch had finished and everything had been cleared. We would all sit down to a lovely family dinner together and wish mum a “Happy Mothers Day". I might add here that it was usually Dads turn to 'cook', hence a lovely take-away from the local Chinese restaurant was usually on our table. Not that we complained as it meant everyone had a little break on this special day and we wanted mum to enjoy her favourite Lemon Chicken. Whenever I see white chrysanthemums I always think of those days of pinning them to alfoil fondly, I always think of my mum and how she is the role model for me as I am now mum to 2 gorgeous boys. So I would like to wish my mum a public Happy Mothers Day, as well to all the mums we come across in our lives. Some of us are mums, some women become like mums to us and some of us have wonderful friends that love our children like a mum, I am lucky to have them all in my life. On Mothers Day I wont have a chrysanthemum badge of honour to wear, but I am honoured to be a mum. What is your Mothers Day memory or what do you have planned for this Mothers Day? We would love to know. Vicki

Happy ‘Allergy Free’ Birthday

Vick Barber — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:47:29 +0000

"Happy Birthday to you!” Usually those words make you elated with a feeling of happiness and joy. Usually they are accompanied by fun frivolity and of course a cake. But prior to my sons 8^th birthday those words also made me think…..hmmm how many kids on the list will have an allergy or food intolerance (something that my son doesn’t have) that I will need to be aware of. So two weeks prior I sent out the invitations with my son to school and awaited the RSVPs. The school he goes to has signs everywhere about being nut free, a no nut zone and don't send nuts to school (I see the irony in that.... do you?). No nuts was easy, although it may mean I can't have one of my favourite party treats - Peanut M & Ms - I knew I could deal with producing enough party favourites to easily avoid nuts. And therefore avoid the severity that can occur with this particular allergy. But what about the other allergies and intolerances that seem to be plaguing our children currently? If someone is intolerant do we still need to be so vigilant? I thought so, as then I didn't want to have kids feeling ill or unhappy after the party. I thought it was best to start googling for tips to hold an allergy free birthday party. Alongside also researching a Lego Party – which I may add was a hit for an 8 year old boys party. One of the tips on googles list was that you, as the party host, should ask each participant if they have an allergy and what type – well I had already sent the invites out and also I ‘personally’ feel , if your child has an allergy YOU should make it known to the host. Another tip was that if your child has an allergy, was to send them to a party with their own goodie bag so they can eat their own treats. I started receiving RSVPs from mums and no mention of allergies or intolerances however my son was mentioning what the kids were saying - and according to them there was at least one gluten intolerance and no additives or artificial colours. OK, I thought I can deal with that. So I made a Gluten Free cake (recipe coming soon) in the shape of Lego. Tips below and researched how to address the no artifical colours. I came across a brand called Hopper, it is Australian and available at most health stores. The colours are based on foods, eg Red is based on Beetroot. The colours are a little paler than the 'off the supermarket shelf' kind, but workable. I could manage a red, green and yellow for my Lego cake. Natural Confectionary do not have additives and you can get a Schwepps Lemonade without additives too. Or have a yummy simple juice with Sparkling Mineral water or even a few drops of the natural food colouring. Making most food from scratch was both enjoyable and beneficial for the party, as then I knew if I had any questions about what ingredients were in the food I could easily answer them. Alas, I had no questions as the party was pretty much allergy free from the kids point of view. Vicki's top tips for an allergy free birthday party

Offer a Gluten Free cake if you don’t have the recipe (and we will be SHARING one with you soon) this way all the kids can enjoy the key part of any party
Offer a few other gluten free treats – if you can't find any recipes there are a number of ready to bake/cook products you can purchase such as Basco or Hoppers
Keep the party nut free – easy!
Wipe over any chairs or tables etc that you are using prior to the party, just to make sure any residue (namely from peanuts) has been removed
Include on your invite a small note querying about allergies to be noted to you when they RSVP
If your child has an allergy and is invited let the host parent know, so they are aware and be prepared to send along a goodie bag if need be
Ask for a contact phone number of the parents in case of an emergency.
Talk to your own child about the importance of not sharing food before any little visitors arrive.
Try not to make the child feel special or different, but instead create activities that allows them to join in.

If you have any suggestions you would like to SHARE with us, please let us know below. Happy cooking Vicki

Would your kitchen reveal be a 10 out of 10?

Vick Barber — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:56:32 +0000

So what is a 10 out of 10 Kitchen? This week amongst the plethora of ads for reality TV shows one really caught my attention. "Not one but two 10 out of 10 kitchen renovations revealed on The Block". Well since I am in the early planning stages for a new kitchen (and house renovation) I thought "that’s for me!" I am not usually good at reality shows, I find the drama just a little OTT, bordering on pathetic (sorry if I have offended some of you). Anyway, the ad got me thinking "what makes a 10 out of 10 kitchen?" Is it the perfect triangulation between the 3 key factors of kitchen design - sink, fridge and pantry? Are there any aspects of my current kitchen that I would give a 10 out of 10 for and therefore ensure I would take with me into the new design? So here are a few thoughts. Well I now have a much larger pantry than I previously had and I do love it. To most people it is your standard corner pantry, but to me it now means I can have all my dry goods within easy reach and visible. I can see them all and if I stand on the floor of the cupboard (I left room for my 2 feet!) I can easily reach the top shelf - so that has to be tick (or should that be point) number 1. Hmmm what next gains points? I like the 900 mm wide gas cooktop I now have, as I can put more than 1 pot or pan on to cook a meal. My previous kitchen had a 600 mm cooktop and benchtop only on one side, as it was shoved into a corner. Meaning pots never quite sat correctly on the hob and if I used my lovely Scanpan for a stir-fry I couldn’t do my rice or noodles at the same time. I am sure that design element was thought of by someone without any kitchen knowledge or at least had never boiled an egg! But back to the show and what constituted a 10 out of 10 response from the judges. I won’t go through all the drama of the show as it is too emotionally draining. But in a snapshot this is what won the day for Josh and Jenna. They went for the 'luxurious and wow factor' for their kitchen. Aimed at the DINKS but one that could appeal to a family should they change direction in life. The standout for me was their vertical garden - herbs on hand adjacent to the kitchen, it looked visually appealing and was unique. It also saved bench space from herb pots inside or courtyard space out. The benchtop was a wonderful white and grey marble, yes it did evoke luxury. I also think it would lend itself well to pummeling your pastry on. They had custom made door handles on their panty (not corner style I may add) that were well integrated and formed the perfect square when closed. The sink and tap of course would be the envy of every visitor and on a hot day could double as a great cool down spot with the hose function. The two aspects that didn’t win me were the sheer curtain, sorry, but to me it would become heavy and a bit skanky from all the cooking going on. But I may be wrong, a quick spin in their new laundry would probably put that one to rest. They also had a full length mirror (hopefully one of those ones that make you look skinnier) so you can check out your rear whilst stirring your risotto. Or maybe just so you can ensure you look your best when cooking up your feast when your guests arrive! One constant in all the kitchens was 'white', it appears that is the colour of choice. My kitchen is white so I am on trend it appears. I know it is a clean timeless colour and one that lends itself to be easily updated with 'signature' pieces. However I must ad that I did like Mark and Duncan’s kitchen also, with its amazing fish tank (I think may need one of those) plus their use of whimsy, with their cow hide splashback and matching kettle, plus their use of wood. I feel the wood gave the kitchen a very warm and welcoming feel, not so cold and sterile. Look, to be honest if someone walked into my home and built or gave me any of the kitchens revealed I wouldn't say no. And neither would you I am sure. So it has allowed me to not only appreciate my current kitchen and allow our family a little more time with it prior to renovating, but also has given me some ideas on what may be a 10 out of 10 kitchen. I do have one major aspect that is definitely a 10 out of 10 and that is my view. Looking out whilst in the kitchen and seeing a pod of dolphins swim by or seeing a flotilla of sailing boats will always outweigh some cowhide or marble. So what is it about your kitchen that you would give 10 out of 10 ……or less. We'd really like to know. Happy cooking Vicki

When its time to move on….to a new dinner set.

Vick Barber — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:21:32 +0000

Every now and then you go through a time in your life when you realise it’s time to move on, start afresh or try something new. Whether it is food, clothes, lifestyle or ......a new dinner set. I have recently moved house and so am going through a major case of ‘time to move on’. My family has moved from the suburbs of Melbourne to the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. We have swapped views of our neighbours’ windows and their courtyard to a hillside home looking over Port Philip Bay and across the waters to the You Yangs and the ‘other Peninsula’. With this new move I was afforded the luxury (courtesy of my lovely step mother in law) a new dinner set. She is definitely one who believes there are many times in your life when you will move on, she married my father in law on his 80^th birthday, both having outlived their previous partners. The dinner set we have been using since my husband and I first moved in together 12 years ago, was the family dinner set he had grown up with. There was enough for our home in addition to its original home. So I accepted the gift (of both the old dinner set then and the opportunity for a new one now!) I believe a dinner set is yet another aspect of defining who you are – as a couple, family or as a single person. I remember when I was growing up and my older sisters got married they were given gifts of new dinner sets, to set them on the road to many happy family meals and to continue the tradition of starting their own ‘new traditions’. My mother has a wonderful Royal Doulton dinner set that sits pride of place in her home, ‘Old Country Rose” I believe. I was never given a dinner set as a wedding gift (and no, I am or never was, bitter about it). However I always felt although my husbands’ family dinner set was nice, it wasn’t really my style. Don’t get me wrong, it is a lovely Noritake bone china set (for 18!) white with blue floral around the edges - with tiny tea cups and saucers (we have never used), matching tea pot (see earlier bracket) and various plates and bowls. We recently realised that it is not really worth anything should we wish to trade up, as gauged by the purveyor of all things of value – ebay. So, with the offer of a new dinner set I was off to the pre-Christmas sales at department and home specialist stores across Melbourne. I searched online for styles – yes Pinterest had some options, reviewed all my copies of Home Beautiful etc and looked at colours and styles I liked. At first I thought I wanted something loud and bright, so Maxwell Williams ‘Vivacious’ was what I set my mind on. I am usually not a fan of MW as a lot of people seem to have it and all in white. I thought to myself "no white for me, I want to stand out from the crowd at my dinner table". I also wanted to make sure I got the best deal around, hence the traipsing around various stores and online sites. However, to my surprise I realised the more I looked at this selection of Moroccan inspired crockery the more I thought “hmmm I think I am sick of looking at this already. Am I too hungry to be different now and may regret it later?”So I sat back and pondered, oh and packed boxes, boxes and more boxes for our impending move. I then went back to the basics, what style did I want? I didn’t want square or rectangular shaped, they never fit in a dishwasher and I feel they date more quickly than the colourful option I had considered. I realised I wanted a simple ‘classic style’ with curves at the edges and without a flat defining edge to the plate itself (thanks again Pinterest). So out I set and low and behold I found it! A lovely, simple bone china dinner set by Alex Liddy (no I hadn’t heard of him prior either, but maybe you can enlighten me). I decided on 12 dinner, entrée and side plates, 12 bowls and a few of the ‘extras’. I love it. I use it every day and I feel I am ‘styling it’ with the best of them. I enjoy having my breakfast in the wonderful wide, but not too deep bowl whilst sitting on the deck, I relish placing my Almond encrusted fish on the large flat surface of the dinner plate with its defining upturned edge, or when serving my sons meals on the entrée size plates. I even think my toast looks great should I choose a side plate. I do feel I have made the right decision for me and it is a reflection of my family and our new life on the Peninsula. I also feel it’s style will be one that will stand the test of time due to its simplicity and it fits in the dishwasher well too. Oh and the colour……. Well yes, it is white. Are you as attached to your dinner set as I have become? Or have I become a victim of the new trend in all things culinary? Happy cooking Vicki

Almond Encrusted Fish Fillet

Vick Barber — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:20:34 +0000

Ingredients

4 white fish fillets
200 gms almonds
2 medium sized eggs
2 tbls cornflour
Salt and pepper

What is your lunch recipe dilemma?

Vick Barber — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:58:40 +0000

I thought I would write about something that it seems most people were talking about last week. No, it isn’t Masterchef or My Kitchen Rules, not even the return of Downton Abby – although I must admit I do LOVE that show and it will again be my Sunday night TV fix! Last week (and some of this week) all across Australia, children were going back to school. Yes, you could hear the sigh of relief from frustrated parents, grandparents and other carers everywhere. Those who have noticed from about January 1st the tolerance level of having the kids around 24/7 while they are on summer holiday starts to be tested to the point of snapping. Snapping like a cheap rubber band, like when you are trying to collate too many swapcards – I know this from experience. Aussie kids are now into Ninjago, Moshi and AFL player cards in a big way and as I was trying to put together my sons cards (obviously too many) the rubber band snapped. Also ripping off a fingernail and then flying out somewhere into the ether of the boys bedroom never to be seen again (hopefully my fingernail will grow back!). Sorry, I should get back to my point - the return of children to school AND its relevance to food. So here it is – School Lunches. Yet again we are thrown into the daily dilemma of what qualifies as a healthy, nut free (for consideration of others, my kids are thankfully ok) selection of food that can be put into an insulated box (approximately 12 x 28 cm) with hideous colour splashes on the cover, that is not only a cross section of the major food groups but will also entice my children to eat it!’ I hate wastage and crushed crackers seem to never be wanted for offer on day 2. This selection also needs to last an Aussie summer until recess or lunchtime (with or without the frozen ice block alongside). It's another dose of ‘mothers guilt’ as I see online, TV and in magazines what I ‘should’ be giving my sons, and now even apps are telling me what to do. Versus what ‘actually’ ends up in the lunchbox. I see visions of pocket breads with a selection of sliced ham, fresh lettuce and tomato with sprouts sitting adjacent to evenly jullienned (truly who coined that term?) carrots and cucumber, beside a small tub of hummus, a chunk of cheese, some rice crackers and a tub of yoghurt. Or give me a double guilt dose should I not have had time to roll some sushi first thing in the morning! That’s right no LCMs or muesli bars for me! But alas reality hits me – like a slap in the face by a ‘high in Omega 3’ salmon. Although my children do eat ‘relatively’ healthily – soft drink is a no no, juice is very limited and sugar, well its there, who am I kidding. I know all they really want is a Vegemite or Jam sandwich, a stick of cheese, (of course both my boys like different types - I am sure just to frustrate me) some carrots (not cut up please mum, it tastes different) and rice crackers. I suppose its not a complete loss. I am getting ‘some’ of the food groups in there. I am lucky, as both love fruit and yoghurt so that has to win me ‘some’ points with the lunchbox inspector mums. You know, the ones that actually ask you at school drop off / pick up or other social outing what your kids eat for lunch. I made the near fatal mistake of telling some friends that our boys make their own lunch. OK it is with our supervision and sharp knives are not yet allowed. But still, I want them to have a say in what they want to eat and learn what a good choice regarding food is, versus ‘treat’ choices. Wow, what a response I got, anyone would have thought I let my two sons run rampant in the supermarket and pantry making a lunch entirely composed of Fruit Tingles, Mars Bars and followed by Coke. (Not that there is anything wrong with those items in very limited quanities). Or that I obviously have no real interest in what my children need or should eat to help them grow into strong young men…. Really, do I come across like that? Anyway it’s now time for me to think of what’s on this weeks’ menu. Maybe I can tempt them with some of my now famous (thanks Rachel for posting them on the site) mini quiches. I could freeze the yoghurt tubes and they can act as an ice brick and will also still be cold when they come to eat them at lunchtime, now there's an idea! Or, I may just check we have enough of ‘the basics’ in the cupboard and fridge to keep them happy for 5 days. And remember the one thing I always include in their lunchbox is some ‘love from mum’. As I think that is the most nourishing of all and that IS every day of the week. Some suggestions for your kids lunchbox could be: Zucchini Slice (we will be posting a great recipe soon, so keep an eye out for it) Adding a boiled egg - if you dont peel it you can even write your 'not from Mummy' on it, or a happy smily face Use a Cookie cutter to make those 'boring sandwiches' seem a little more exciting (imagine stars, gingerbread men or even a ninja!) Remember to freeze your yoghurt to keep it all cool until lunchtime Maybe you can share some suggestion with us. Happy cooking and lunching Vicki

Masterchef Professionals starts Jan 20

Vick Barber — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:01:29 +0000

What an exciting week for Eternal Ingredients to be launching and also for the start of the first ever Masterchef Professionals series hosted by Marco Pierre White and Matt Preston. From everything we have heard in the news it is going to be the best series ever of Masterchef. Imagine the recipes and the tricks of the trade that we will be able to learn during the series to bring to our home cooking. Visit the Masterchef Professionals Website to find out more