Did I say I like to cook?

yeah well I do and if it wasn't for the fact our injury-ladden household is perpetually considering weight-loss from all the lack of exercise , I would probably cook more than I knit (shocking really sorry knitters). But I thought it would be ok to confess this as viewing the blog world it seems baking/cookery/eating rants go hand-in-hand with knitters. I think one of my favourite things is to cook for big groups of people - and that disability unfortunately applies whether there is a small or large group present (result of growing up in a large family)! I think Italy influences me the most and my trip with KD and MD in 2006 just suckered me in more. Thai and Japanese also feature heavily and I love cooking vegetarian. NZ is only just coming out of the 1950s grip of the "meat and 3 vege" era so serving a fully vege meal tends to surprise a few.
I'm also a fan of old-skool baking - you know stuff like yo-yos, brownies,

banana cake, bread & butter pudding - which can all be jazzed up eg bread & butter pudding made with old croissants or frying slices of old banana cake with butter, cinnamon and honey on top. In our new house we are looking at dining tables which is causing me all sorts of excitement with wondrous plans - not of decor but banquets. We've only had 1 group for dinner so far and I made THE 2008 summer salad (which means I'll repeat it many times for the next few months) of tomato, basil, olive oil and fresh boccocini from kapiti (about the most reasonable priced fresh mozzerella I can find in NZ). I then cooked loads of pasta - puttenesca (a butchered Jamie Oliver's recipe), Olio un Aglio (oil, garlic, chilli spaghetti) and pesto ribbons with pinenuts. Yeah overkill but nothing beats cold pasta salads the next day (and the next day)!
And to knitting: I went to Knit Rangers on sunday and made an appallingly effort on the Debbie Bliss vest - it was just too hot and humid to face the wool that day. I ripped half the front back as trying to put Joe's name on the front in a contrasting stitch proved a poor effect. I'm currently considering cross-stitching his name on or doing a cool robot drawing on calico to stitch to the front. It was good to catch-up with the knitting-folk and see their latest projects. In particular it was nice meeting THE bag (and it's creator Catherynne ) - a bag to inspire all knitted bags.
I've just found out about the Cross St Carnival which is happening locally - I'm trying to get a stall through Craftwerk but am a bit nervous as they seem a bit uber-cool-craft conscious and I'm not sure I fit into that category. It will be a bit of a rush if I can but I will be able to sell my bags & brooches left over from last year's stalls. And I have a few ideas for some quick and crafty goods.
And one final thing - a design store in Waitomo called HUHU (if anyone has been there can they tell me about it) has asked Toggle if I can contact them to sell my beanies in their store - how cool is that!Have a "uber" week people!