I knew nothing about Rubiera before we arrived, because I was treating it as just a stop along the way to Florence. Now I look at the photos and wish we'd had more time and a bit more focus.
Saturday 27 April 2024
A Town Called Rubiera
I knew nothing about Rubiera before we arrived, because I was treating it as just a stop along the way to Florence. Now I look at the photos and wish we'd had more time and a bit more focus.
Friday 26 April 2024
Fête St Georges 2024
These days there is no cattle market, although apparently some older residents of town remember it and rue its passing. All the local associations hold stands for renewing memberships, there are brocante style stalls, and various comestibles are available.
When we first arrived in town there were also rides and a lot of professional stalls, none of which have made it back after the dark years of Covid. This year the fete was a lot busier than the past three years so hopefully it will continue to grow.
Thursday 25 April 2024
ANZAC Biscuits
ANZAC biscuits are so named because of their association with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) from the First World War. They must contain rolled oats, sugar, butter and Golden Syrup. Usually they have dessicated coconut too. It is widely believed that Australian wives, mothers and women's groups sent the biscuits to troops fighting abroad in Europe and the Middle East because they were robust and didn't spoil on the long sea voyage to deliver them.
ANZAC is a protected term and manufacturers wishing to produce and sell these biscuits must apply to the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs. Commercially produced biscuits must adhere to the official recipe too (the only exceptions are substitutions to cater for dietary restrictions). Manufacturers must use the term 'biscuit' and not 'cookies'.
Versions of the ANZAC biscuit no doubt existed long before the First World War, but the first recipes using that name started appearing during the War, and in the decade immediately following. The first published recipes for a biscuit that is identical to the ANZAC biscuit we know and love today appeared in the 1920s.
Today they are a popular fundraiser for the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) and collectors buy them for the limited edition decorative tins they are packaged in.
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup dessicated coconut
125g butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp boiling water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C and line oven trays with baking paper or a silicone sheet.
- Combine flour, sugar, rolled oats and coconut.
- Melt butter and golden syrup.
- Add bicarb to boiling water and mix into butter mixture.
- Stir into the dry ingredients.
- Form the dough into large marble sized balls and drop onto trays, allowing generous room for spreading.
- Bake for 10 minutes until light golden brown.
- Cool on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Makes 25 biscuits.
And in case you didn't know, today is ANZAC Day in Australia, a public holiday when Australian veterans are commemorated. Much like France on Armistice Day (11 November) there will be ceremonies at war memorials in towns big and small all over the country.
I baked ANZAC biscuits a couple of months ago for our Ukrainian Christmas event. I was pleased to see that they all went and people were keen to try them. No one had heard of them and I was intrigued that several people referred to them as 'macarons'.
Tuesday 23 April 2024
Normal Service is Resumed
Monday 22 April 2024
Heritage Paint Job
Saturday 20 April 2024
The Barbegal Mills
We were there on a stinking hot day at the end of June last year. We parked in the official car park by the aqueducts that fed the mills, and followed them up quite a steep hill. That in itself was quite a build up, and leads to a channel cut through the top of the hill.
The mills are arranged in two parallel sets of eight, progressing down the hillside, each with its own waterwheel. You can see remnants of masonry either side of the water channels and massive foundations of the individual mills. It operated from the start of the 2nd century to the close of the 3rd century, and could grind an estimated at 4.5 tons of flour per day.
Although all is now in ruins it's quite easy to see how it worked, and artists impressions of how the mill looked at it peak abound.
I'm not sure I'd travel all the way to Arles to see it, but it's not that far from the Pont du Gard.