Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Health rusks and a lavender field.

There are few things as enjoyable as dunking a rusk in that early morning cup of coffee. It being a very South African tradition, no home in SA is without a cookie tin of rusks. It requires no yeast or kneading and is quick to assemble and can easily be adapted to your own taste. This recipe is from a book by Myrna Robbins called, Bushveld banquets, a feast of Lowveld flavours.

I have about five varieties of different lavender in my garden. My favorite one is the lavandin Grosso with nice dark flowers and which grows about 70 cm tall. Behind the pool I have a large patch of the large lavendula Angustifolia, la vraie lavande, which adds a whiff of lavender all around the pool and lawn…it says Provence! How I love lavender!

Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Oats and coconut cookies and a christmas tree.

These old fashioned cookies are from my childhood. My mom believed they were healthy so we ate them throughout the year. They are simple to make and delicious to eat. Everybody loves them.

Oats and coconut cookies

  • 1 c butter
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 4 tbsp milk
  • 1 c flour
  • 4 c oats
  • 3 c dessicated coconut
  • 11/2 c sugar
  • salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
  2. Grease a baking tin, 30x35cm with butter and and line with brown paper.
  3. Mix the flour, oats, coconut, sugar and salt.
  4. Melt the butter and sugar . Add the milk and bicarbote of soda.
  5. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  6. Press the mixture into the greased baking tin and bake for about 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Cut into squares while warm and leave to cool beofre removing the squares from the baking tin.

Christmas in our house starts on 1 December. We play some christmas music while decorating the tree and finish off with a nice dinner en famille.