Cup of tea anyone?

Arriving in Auckland, New Zealand the same year Prince Charles and Lady Diana visited down under with their toddler son William, I found the country, its natural wonders and indigenous culture fascinating.  The grass is literally greener on this side of the world and there are definitely more sheep than human inhabitants in the two small islands.  Coming from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco, Auckland felt like a country town.  There were not many cars on the road.  Most shops were closed on weekends.  Life was certainly more relaxed but people do have more time for each other.  When a visitor arrives at your home, you always put the kettle on and offer a cup of tea (and they do taste better in proper china cups and saucers).  It is so British, and so civilised, I thought.  There is not much a cup of tea cannot fix particularly when things go awry.  The ritual of preparing it, serving it and receiving it has a calming, invigorating effect on you.  It's social.  It speaks of normality and familiarity.  (The best cup of tea I ever had, was actually in the emergency department of a public hospital in Perth, Western Australia where I now reside.  My husband John was taken in for a serious health issue.  After hours sitting by his bed side, fretting and waiting for a multitude of tests to be done on him, a kind hearted nurse asked if I would like a cup of tea.  Yes indeed, milk and one sugar please.  It came steaming hot with ham sandwiches, which I devoured with gusto and felt immediately strengthened.)

Morning and afternoon tea is a way of life here in New Zealand and Australia, still part of the Commonwealth to this day.  They are for adults and children as well.  It was during morning tea time for little children at a creche in Auckland where I worked when I had my first taste of a vegemite sandwich, which gave me a shock as I had expected it to be sweet.  After a while, I came to quite liking it.  No matter what you do and where you are, stop and have a break mid morning and mid afternoon for your cup of tea (or coffee if you like).  Take it with a snack or two.  Talk to someone about the weather.  Scones with cream and jam are my favourite, but little pikelets with cream cheese and smoked salmon toppings are also nice; and when it comes to a squeeze, a few biscuits will tie you over.  In my collection of recipes, you will find a number of sweet and savoury treats for these 'sacred' occasions'.  Perfect for entertaining visitors at your home, or bring to a gathering at a friend's place.  Or simply indulge yourself.

Aunt Ming's cookbook continued to serve me well in my little kitchen in Auckland, not much bigger than a toilet cubicle and painted black by the previous tenant.  I am convinced that you don't need anything fancy to cook a good meal.  A stove, a trusty wok, a few saucepans, mixing bowls, a good cook's knife and a cutting board are all you need.  With opportunities to eat out rather limited and good takeaways not as readily available as in San Francisco, I resorted to my own cooking.  I explored the local supermarkets and found succulent cuts of lamb, large green-lipped mussels and fillets of orange roughy which I prepared into delicious meals. When I left New Zealand eighteen months later to come to Australia, I had gone through most of Aunt Ming's recipes and become quite a proficient cook.  A copy of Edmonds' Cookery Book with recipes for traditional Kiwi cuisine had also been packed in one of my suitcases.