Lots to cook, lots to eat ---- with Julie Biuso

Lots to cook, lots to eat The inspiration for this week's fabbie blackberry and apple pie comes from Ilaria. Along with friends Tom and Ben, she went kayaking around the Lea Canals in London last Sunday. When the weather is sunny and warm, it's idyllic. There was no stopping them when they came across wild blackberries growing on the banks, and they gathered enough for a feast. I felt a pang of envy (Yes! Blackberry envy!) and headed to the kitchen to make something with blackberries. I just could't help myself. This pie's a cracker, and can be made just as well with frozen blackberries as with fresh.  In this neck of the woods it is unbelievably nippy so a pie’s a good thing, and my slow-cooker is getting a workout. You'll find a recipe for slow-cooked beef cheeks with balsamic The result is meltingly tender flavoursome meat. Let’s hope the price of secondary cuts such as cheeks doesn’t shoot up!  Now here's a thing – if you take Vitamin C supplements you might want to consider eating a golden kiwifruit a day instead. They’re my fave – less acidic and more tropical fruit flavours than green kiwifruit – because just one a day provides you with double the daily recommended intake of Vitamin C. Much more pleasant than swallowing a pill don't you reckon – and you get a nice whack of Vitamin E and other nutrients, too. I love them in a salsa with lime, kaffir lime leaves and chilli.  I’ve also included some notes on mint. Mint loves cooler growing conditions so in New Zealand gardens it should be flourishing. If your place is too cold, it’ll be time to get new plants in the garden shortly.  And, finally, the 100% New Zealand Pork, Bacon and Ham Awards – now you can find out where to get the best breakfast bacon and Christmas ham (on the Shared Kitchen Home page, or click through on the link above ).  Lots to do, lots to cook, lots to eat. Yeah!