My image of Australia, far less Tasmania, didn’t remotely include a rambling old Georgian farmhouse set in rolling green pastures with a perfect cottage garden gently decaying into autumn browns and an old stone-build barnyard along the side. But that’s where we are tonight, in the old buttery which has been converted into a snug little retreat for two.
It’s been a gorgeous autumn day as well, where the sunlight seems to touch everything with a hint of gold and the birds flitting in the trees cause the leaves to tumble. At the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary we saw some of Tasmania’s other wildlife up close and Maureen cuddled a wombat – a highly recommended activity which somehow also fits the seasonal mood. And I’ve completed the autumnal theme by cooking a spiced pumpkin soup to use up the last bits of our self-catering stuff for Tasmania.
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
- Get a chopped up onion sizzling in butter in a big pan, add a teaspoon of sugar, then turn it down really low and let it cook to utter softness
- Cut half a squash (or quarter of a pumpkin) into chunks, spread out on a baking tray – add salt and pepper then rub with olive oil and bake at 140 for maybe 30 mins or until really soft
- Meanwhile add three chopped garlic cloves to the onion, plus perhaps a half-teaspoon of cumin and cinnamon each
- Dump the pumpkin into the pan, stir it in with the butter
- Add a litre of water (or better still, stock), use a potato masher to make sure it’s pretty mashed and a bit more salt and pepper
- Throw in a couple of handfuls of rice, then let the whole thing simmer for 20 mins or until the rice is completely cooked
- Serve with buttered toast and a bottle of bubbly wine
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OK I want one …
You want one what? A bowl of spicy pumpkin soup, a Georgian farmhouse on Tasmania, or a hug from a wombat? : )
I want a great big armful of huggable wombat, but the nice Georgian cottage would be good too. You can keep the pumpkin soup.