Sunday 27 October 2013

Tempting Fete and Easy Lentils

Yesterday, after a book launch, I went along to the Spensley Street Primary School's Tempting Fete in Clifton Hill.  Last year E played there with his ukelele group and we enjoyed our visit.  I wrote about it.  The organisers read it and let me know it was on again this year.  How thoughtful!  And helpful.  I took Sylvia and her friend Amelia.  We met up with my friend Yav and her little girl.  A great time was had by all.

Upon arrival I decided to take the easy option and have pizza for lunch.  It was something I knew all three of us would love.  Yav did the same.  There is a pizza oven in the school yard and the pizzas are excellent.  Thin margheritas with leaves of fresh basil on top, if that is your thing.  (Try suggesting that to two 4 year olds!)

The pizza was a good strategic option.  Though I know there were some interesting food choices around the back, queuing for pizza meant the kids could play on the nearby playground.  It was easy to keep them amused and keep an eye on them while we waited.

Last year, I felt a little overwhelmed at the tyranny of choice.  This year was a little easier because the fete was fairly similar and I had a feel for the lay of the land.  As with last year we enjoyed the craft stall.  E would have enjoyed the second hand record stall.  None of would fancy washing the dishes but I am still impressed that there is a dishwashing station for the dirty plate.

After the pizza I was hoping to find some nice cake.  Sadly there was not much choice.  It is a testament to the success of the fete that you need to get in early to buy cake.  By the time we finished pizza and playtime, the cake stall was sold out and even the brownie bites and snickerdoodles at the coffee station were gone.  The cafe that had the marvellous hedgehog last year only had toffees and sugar cookies left.  Not my sort of thing.  Though my inner child was delighted to see old fashioned jaw breaker toffees for sale.  Instead I joined Sylvia and Amelia in having an ice cream.

Last year, Sylvia had not wanted a garland.  This year she and Amelia were eager for one.  The garlands are just gorgeous.  They are reminiscent of ye olde English village fetes and May queens and the innocence and closeness to nature of times gone by.  The little girls looked so sweet in theirs.  It gave the fete a touch of class to see lots of kids with garlands as well as face paint and crazy hair.

Garlands on and ice creams in hand, we sat and watched some of the activities.  Right by us was the jaffa crushing machine.  It is a fancy contraption where the jaffa (a little chocolate ball covered in a red shell) rolls down the tube and onto a tray where the kids crush it with a mallet.  We didn't get into all the games but it was fun to watch.

Ice cream finished, we wandered off to look at the second hand toys, the trash and treasure and the second hand books.  I couldn't help feel that coming this late meant that some of the best stuff had gone.  However it also meant everything was going for a song.  We were quite happy to walk away with some hand puppets, some old crockery and a few books.

By the evening, I was quite tired. Rather than the pasta bake I had planned, I made a simple lentil dish with some leftover marinade from a batch of facon (tofu bacon).  It was rather good.  I hadn't planned to write it up but I enjoyed it so much that it seemed worth jotting down.  Hence the photo focuses more on the slice of sourdough bread (more on that soon) than the lentils.

I am sending these lentils to Princy of Spicy Food for My Legume Love Affair (#64), the monthly event celebrating beans and lentils and legumes, overseen by Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen and founded by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.


Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago:
Pumpkin Spice Scrolls 
Two years ago: MLLA Vegan sausage rolls 
Three years ago: Spinach Rice Gratin 
Four years ago: Chocolate cookies, bbq and mum’s sponge 
Five years ago: Broccoli Soup from AWW 

Easy facon-seasoned lentils
serves 2

1 tsp rice bran oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
400g tin of lentils, rinsed and drained
leftover tofu bacon marinade (2-3 tbsp)*
seasoning

Heat oil in a frypan and cook onion, celery and garlic until soft.  Add remaining ingredients.  Check and adjust seasoning.  Bring to the boil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until tomoato soften and mixture thickens.

*If you are not in the habit of having leftover tofu bacon marinade like we are, you could substitute here some soy sauce, maple syrup and smoked paprika.

On the Stereo:
The best of Blur

18 comments:

  1. I love summer fêtes, though sadly I haven't been to one for years. It seems like something you need to be accompanied by children for really.
    This one looks lovely- outdoor pizza oven and real flower garlands!

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    1. Thanks Emma - I did go to a fete years ago without a child and it was nice but not the same - fetes look so much more fun through a child's eyes - though this one is lots of fun for old and young kids

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  2. It sure is the season for fetes!!!!

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    1. thanks lisa - yes, everywhere I look is an advert for another fete

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  3. A great sounding fete and I love the garlands. I think we're due for some primary school fetes in my area, though in the past they've never seemed as cool as the one you went to :)

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    1. Thanks Veganopoulous - yes we have quite a few fetes around here - am thinking about going to one nearby and wonder how it would compare to clifton hill

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  4. I remember your write up of this last year and am glad you got back to enjoy it again. That playground is fantastic and sadly a rarity these days - most of them are now made of plastic and small at that! I love the garlands too, and the idea of jaffa crushing.

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    1. Thanks Kari - it was nice to have a reminder it was on again and be able to go. The playground has lots of space but I think it is quite trendy to have wooden playgrounds as there seem to be more of them around - esp in the inner city. I like the sound of jaffa crushing but haven't engaged with the game enough to work out if there is a prize or just the joy of seeing the jaffa explode into fragments that young children try and pick up and eat :-)

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  5. I assume the fete is a little bit like a fair or an outdoor market here? Looks like a lot of fun!! And the lentils are the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal!

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    1. Thanks Joanne - fetes are usually run by schools or communities so they are sort of like pop up fairs that are here one moment and gone by the end of the day - and there is usually a cake stall and some silly games and second hand stuff for sale - to raise money for a good cause

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  6. I love the garlands on the girls - so pretty. I think fetes would be more fun with children.

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    1. thanks cakelaw - fetes are definitely fun with children - I think Sylvia had more fun with having other kids with us.

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  7. Those garlands are absolutely beautiful! They suit Sylvia so much :D I haven't been to a fete since I was little!

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    1. Thanks Lorraine - I really loved the garlands too - especially wonderful for little girls who love reading books about fairies

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  8. Such gorgeous garlands! I haven’t been to one! Lentils look so deilsh!

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  9. I am pretty positive that I have a friend who worked at that pizza stall that day. Looks like you guys had lots of fun!

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    1. Thanks Cass - if your friend worked at the pizza stall they make excellent pizza - it was a fun day all round

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