FRITTERING IT ALL AWAY….ONE WAY OR THE OTHER...

Taken for my 16th birthday...November, 1960

From left - Me (Lee), Vicki and Evonne in Gympie..taken in July, 1965

I wasn’t entirely a Child of the Sixties. I had my fingers in a couple of pies; my feet through a couple of doors; I mixed in a few circles. 

As an aside, it must be drawn to the attention of many, the Sixties started at the last of the stroke of midnight, January 1st, 1960; long before The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Flower Children, psychedelic illusions, et al arrived on the scene.  Chubby Checker, Dion & The Belmonts, The Marvelettes, Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon, The Everly Brothers, The Beach Boys, Duane Eddy, The Champs, The Surfaris, Peter, Paul & Mary, The Kingston Trio, and so many, many more - too many to list here - beat them to the punch.

You see, to be more exact, to draw a clearer picture - I was a child of the Fifties who became a teenager shortly before the turn of the Sixties. Therefore, I was more a Teenager of the Sixties than a Child of the Sixties.

More precisely, I was a teenager for half of the Sixties; and then I became a “Twenty-Something” for the second half of the Sixties, and remained so into the early-to-mid Seventies...and so the pattern has continued through out the decades.  I'm a Child of the Half & Half! 

A few minutes have been frittered away figuring out the above calculations in my head, but I don’t consider it time wasted at all. It makes sense to me. However, if you’re confused by my nonsensical number-crunching and you’re now searching for an abacus, otherwise known as a counting frame, don’t be overly concerned because it really doesn’t matter in the whole scheme of things. 

I’ll keep frittering away on my keyboard while you catch up – if, of course, you’re in any way interested working out the math.  If you’re not interested it really doesn’t matter. I won’t know unless you tell me otherwise.

Before I cease my frittering I must say I’m glad I was a child, teenager and twenty-something during the above-mentioned decades.  Those years had much to offer even if today’s technology wasn’t available at our fingertips.  For example, the great music that filled our airwaves; some of which is still being played and enjoyed today.  It’s been around almost as long as I have – and that’s a long time. And, of course, the youthful years it offered; as in how old I was at the time - or how young. I can't ignore the generous gift of being youthful in those decades. Quite a few decades have since flowed under the bridge or disappeared beyond the far horizons into the Never-Never; but myriad memories have remained.

Flippantly I could be accused of having frittered away this morning. A couple of hours were spent talking on the phone with a friend of long-standing. We've known each other since I was four years old...long before I became a half-Child of the Sixties.

However, I don’t call the time I've spent this morning talking on the phone, writing this post, playing with Remy and Shama, preparing my lunch as being time wasted or frittered.  Some could say I squandered my morning; but I don’t believe time spent catching up with good friends not often seen as being time frittered away.  

 Sure! There’s housework that needs my attention; but it’s not leaving home. It never does; it’ll still be here tomorrow, the next day and the following day. To be honest with you, I did fritter away a little time earlier sweeping the floor. How frivolous of me!

While on the subject of frittering - lately I’ve had a yearning for fritters. I know myself very well; once a seed has been planted in my mind, rather than fritter away time fighting against whatever the persistent yearning is - I refer to food yearnings - I prefer to allow myself to succumb to the enticing allure of the longing. 

Why torture myself? There are enough people in this world of ours who, every day, torture my sensibilities and my perception of fair play without me tormenting me.

When I was a little girl Sunday lunches were the most important, grandiose meal of the week.  My brother Graham and I attended Sunday School each Sunday morning.  To be honest, I think our minds were more on what was to follow, waiting for us at home upon our return, than on our lessons. We were always eager for the lessons to be over because we knew a delicious lunch was in store for us.  We ran home rather than walked - the trip between the Scots Church and home was always covered at a much faster pace and in less time than it took going from home to Sunday School.  We knew what awaited our arrival home - a delicious, special Sunday lunch.  We raced up the backstairs, two at a time, led by our noses.  Tantalising aromas wafting out from the kitchen teased and greeted us.  

If I sit quietly, letting myself drift back into years long gone by, I find myself being transported to those Sunday mornings…to those aromas and what they led to.  It’s not done by mirrors, but by the powerful magic of the mind.

The main feature of our Sunday lunch would be a chosen roast of some sort – beef, pork, lamb or veal, sometimes chicken (although chicken in those days was mostly preserved for Christmas lunch and Easter Sunday lunch) - accompanied by an enticing, wide variety of the obligatory roasted vegetables, often with a cheesy cauliflower au gratin as a side dish, and always fresh peas or green beans.

Of course, flavoursome “made-from-scratch” rich brown gravy graced our plates; as well as a jug of freshly-made mint sauce if lamb was the roast of the day. Homemade apple sauce always accompanied roast pork. 

The highlight, before actually sitting down to enjoy the meal was being allowed to make the gravy. Gravy might seem simple to make, but diligent care and skill were required to make perfect rich brown, lump-free gravy.   Gravy could make or break a meal; and to achieve “oohs” and “ahhs” about your gravy from your family members sitting around the table were rewards proudly received.

When our Sunday lunch didn’t consist of a roast of some kind, corned silverside or brisket cooked in an appetising stock of black peppercorns, cloves, vinegar, dry mustard and brown sugar was on the menu. Carrots, whole unpeeled onions and celery were added to boost the cooking liquid’s flavour.  A “boiled” lunch was enjoyed with gusto equal to that of a roast meal.

Shortly before the meat finished cooking, the vegetables planned to accompany the meal were added to the delicious stock. Also, cabbage – a must with a “boiled” lunch - was cooked separately in the corned beef liquid. The flavour permeated the meat and the assorted vegetables in the most delicious way.  

A white parsley sauce, or sometimes, a tasty cheese sauce, was served with the meal.

Without fail, Monday night’s dinner was always prepared from Sunday’s left-overs.

Often the main feature of Monday’s dinner was corned beef fritters; fritters packed with diced corned silverside, onion, tomatoes and corn.

Over the past few weeks or so, I’ve satisfied my fritter yearning by frittering away my time making fritters.  Not only did I make fritters each time the longing arise, I ate them, too!  

Oh! And I enjoyed them!

Delete from your mind the image of fritters soaked in and dripping with oil. The barest amount of oil, if any, in a non-stick pan suffices. You can throw anything into the fritter mix – within reason, of course - serve with a salad, or just as is.  If they’re made with whatever you can lay your hands on, little else is needed.  Just raid your vegetable crisper in your fridge and miracles will happen!

Artichoke, Feta and Lemon Fritters: Drain, rinse, and chop 2 cans artichoke hearts.
Combine 3 thinly-sliced leeks, 2 chopped shallots, 1tbs minced garlic and 1tbs extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan; sauté until softened; add to artichokes. Stir in 1c flour, 1/4c breadcrumbs, 1/2c parmesan, 1/4c chopped parsley, 1/4c crumbled feta, black pepper, 1/2tsp Italian seasoning, zest and juice of 1 lemon; stir in 1 beaten egg; chill 1hr. Heat non-stick pan; add a little oil, if desired; add spoonfuls of fritter mixture; cook on both sides until cooked through; keep warm in oven while cooking remaining mixture. 

Spinach & Ricotta Fritters: Combine thoroughly, 500g fresh ricotta, 250g thawed, well-drained frozen spinach or 500g finely-sliced fresh spinach or silverbeet, 1c parmesan, 2 eggs, 6tbs plain flour and zest of 1 lemon. Heat non-stick pan; add a little oil. Ladle batter by tablespoon into pan; cook 2-3mins each side. Place fritters onto a paper-lined oven tray; place in 180C oven, 5-10mins. Serve with salad. 

Mixed vegetable Fritters: Make batter;  combine - 1/2c buttermilk (or milk) 2 eggs, 1.5c plain flour, 1.5tsp baking powder; add 2 grated zucchini, 2 small carrots, grated, 1c frozen corn, 1 diced tomato, sliced shallots, 1c frozen peas, chopped silverbeet/spinach, chopped parsley, 40g grated cheese and salt. Mix well. Heat a little oil in non-stick pan. Add spoonfuls of batter to pan; cook as previously described.  

Sweet & Spicy Banana Fritters: Mix 1/2c chickpea flour, 1/2tsp salt and 1tsp chilli powder; add enough water to make batter. Using 2c cut bananas, dip fruit into batter; fry in hot oil until golden