It’s been a busy few weeks despite the cold, wet winter weather in South Australia. At the weekend,  Liz was a guest speaker at the Bookalicious Festival held at Burnside where she hosted Christmas in July with Dickens. Participants enjoyed a Christmas lunch of Victorian-era dishes featured in Dickens’s writing, while listening to Liz talk about her food writing experiences. Members of the Adelaide Dickens Fellowship added to the occasion with readings from his work.

The session picked up on a concept developed by the Adelaide Hills Foodies Book Club. Liz is convenor of the club which meets six times a year over a meal inspired by set books, either fiction or non-fiction, with strong food themes. Two years ago they tackled A Christmas Carol. The event was so successful it was repeated last year for a sell-out audience. On the menu at the Burnside event was roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing and celery sauce, boiled beef, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots and gravy, followed by mince pies and oranges.

Apart from brussel sprouts and cabbage, fresh green vegetables were not a big part of the winter diet in Victorian England, but things are slightly different in the Adelaide HIlls where horticulture is a major industry and there are several thriving weekly markets. Earlier this month Liz was a speaker at the fabulous Mount Pleasant Farmers Market.

It also gave her the excuse to catch up with local show cook Joyce Fendler who will be one of 70 cooks featured in the new national version of the Blue Ribbon Cookbook, due out in March 2014. One of the State’s most experienced show cooks, Joyce is sharing a mixed mustard pickle recipe. She often supplements produce from her own vegetable garden with purchases at the weekly market which is held under cover, making it a great option no matter the weather.