Well, if the website I consulted was correct it's now 2006 almost
everywhere in the world. I think Hawaii, Tahiti and Cook Islands are next
in about 4 minutes or so, and then Samoa about an hour after that.

Hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve celebration and that 2006 is a
great year for all of us.

My sister, BIL and two nephews came over last night for a relaxed evening
of nibblies, card games and so on. Watched the fireworks on telly at
midnight. They stayed the night and stayed for lunch. We were going to
have a barbecue but decided it was going to be too hot - and the forecast
was right.I made beef and vegie, and chicken and vegie skewers and did
them in the griller in the stove instead of on the barbecue. Watermelon
and rockmelon for dessert, along with some chocolate iced cupcakes.

I think it got to around 45C here today (113F) and humidity quite low -
fire weather, though I haven't smelt any smoke around here yet, there are
fires elsewhere in the state. I went out at around 8pm (it's now 8.55pm
1st Jan 06) to hose the garden. (We have water restrictions at the moment
and can only use a hose on Wednesday and Sunday before 10am or after
4pm). It was still uncomfortably hot, so when I came inside I had a look
at the Bureau of Meteorology website - around 38-39 C (100-102F) here at
the 8.20pm observation. My electricity bill's going to be a whopper, I
think, the airconditioning is getting a good workout - hottest December
on record they're saying.

Think I'll make some frozen goodies - does anyone have any good gelato
recipes?

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

On Sun 01 Jan 2006 02:56:29a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Rhonda
Anderson?

> Well, if the website I consulted was correct it's now 2006 almost
> everywhere in the world. I think Hawaii, Tahiti and Cook Islands are next
> in about 4 minutes or so, and then Samoa about an hour after that.
>
> Hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve celebration and that 2006 is a
> great year for all of us.
>
> My sister, BIL and two nephews came over last night for a relaxed evening
> of nibblies, card games and so on. Watched the fireworks on telly at
> midnight. They stayed the night and stayed for lunch. We were going to
> have a barbecue but decided it was going to be too hot - and the forecast
> was right.I made beef and vegie, and chicken and vegie skewers and did
> them in the griller in the stove instead of on the barbecue. Watermelon
> and rockmelon for dessert, along with some chocolate iced cupcakes.
>
> I think it got to around 45C here today (113F) and humidity quite low -
> fire weather, though I haven't smelt any smoke around here yet, there are
> fires elsewhere in the state. I went out at around 8pm (it's now 8.55pm
> 1st Jan 06) to hose the garden. (We have water restrictions at the moment
> and can only use a hose on Wednesday and Sunday before 10am or after
> 4pm). It was still uncomfortably hot, so when I came inside I had a look
> at the Bureau of Meteorology website - around 38-39 C (100-102F) here at
> the 8.20pm observation. My electricity bill's going to be a whopper, I
> think, the airconditioning is getting a good workout - hottest December
> on record they're saying.
>
> Think I'll make some frozen goodies - does anyone have any good gelato
> recipes?
>
> Rhonda Anderson
> Cranebrook, NSW, Australia


Happy New Year, Rhonda!

It sounds as though you're having summer temperatures like we do here in
Central Arizona.

Here are three gelato recipes that might cool you off. Enjoy!


Peach Gelato
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 1/4 lb fully ripe peaches, peeled halved and pitted
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream

Put sugar and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar
dissolves, then raise heat, bring syrup to a boil and boil 5 minutes.
Transfer syrup to a bowl and let it cool completely. Purée peaches in a
food processor blender. Measure out 2 cups of purée and stir in lemon
juice. Add purée to cooled sugar syrup and chill thoroughly. Whip cream
into soft peaks and fold it into fruit mixture. Transfer mixture to ice
cream machine and freeze according to machine's directions.

Chocolate Gelato recipe
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks, beaten lightly

In a heavy saucepan cook 1/4 cup sugar, undisturbed, over moderate heat
until it begins to melt and cook, stirring with fork, until melted
completely and deep golden brown. Remove pan from heat and dip pan briefly
into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. (Caramel will harden). Cool pan
about 5 minutes and return to heat. Add milk and cook over moderate heat,
whisking until caramel is melted. Whisk in cocoa until combined well and
keep mixture warm.

In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt
chocolate, stirring, and remove from heat. In a bowl with an electric mixer
beat egg yolks with remaining 3/4 cup sugar until thick and pale. Whisk in
caramel mixture and chocolate in streams, whisking until combined. Pour
custard into another 3 quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderately low
heat until a candy thermometer registers 140 F. Cook custard stirring (do
not let it boil), 4 minutes more and remove from heat. Cool custard
completely and freeze in an ice cream maker.

Coffee Gelato recipe
2/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 cup milk; at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons instant coffee
1 cup heavy cream

Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until pale yellow and very thick.
Slowly add the milk, beating gently to avoid a build-up of foam. Stir in
the salt. Transfer mixture to the top of a double boiler with an inch of
boiling water in the bottom half. Regulate heat so water remains at a low
boil, and stir continuously 8 minutes. Custard will thicken enough to coat
the spoon, and surface foam will disappear. Immediately remove top of
double boiler and set it in a large bowl of cold water. Stir 2 minutes to
cool custard somewhat. Then transfer it to a bowl and add the coffee,
stirring to dissolve it thoroughly. Cover and set in refrigerator to chill
thoroughly. Also chill heavy cream. When ready to proceed, whip cream into
soft peaks and stir it into coffee custard. Transfer mixture to ice cream
machine and proceed according to machine's directions.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
__________________________________________________ ________________
And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.

On 1 Jan 2006 14:35:27 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>Happy New Year, Rhonda!
>
>It sounds as though you're having summer temperatures like we do here in
>Central Arizona.

That's 'cause where Rhonda is, it's summer. :-)

Happy new year, everyone!

serene, about to go put together all the food to take to the New
Year's Day open house -- fondue fountain, yay!

On Sun 01 Jan 2006 10:34:12a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it serene?

> On 1 Jan 2006 14:35:27 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>Happy New Year, Rhonda!
>>
>>It sounds as though you're having summer temperatures like we do here in
>>Central Arizona.
>
> That's 'cause where Rhonda is, it's summer. :-)

Yes, I know. I didn't know their temperature range.

> Happy new year, everyone!
>
> serene, about to go put together all the food to take to the New
> Year's Day open house -- fondue fountain, yay!
>

We're staying home. I'm glad. :-)

Have a great time!

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
__________________________________________________ ________________
And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.

Wayne Boatwright > wrote in
:

> On Sun 01 Jan 2006 02:56:29a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Rhonda
> Anderson?

>>
>> Think I'll make some frozen goodies - does anyone have any good
>> gelato recipes?
>>
>> Rhonda Anderson
>> Cranebrook, NSW, Australia
>
>
> Happy New Year, Rhonda!
>
> It sounds as though you're having summer temperatures like we do here
> in Central Arizona.
>
> Here are three gelato recipes that might cool you off. Enjoy!


Thanks for the recipes, Wayne. I've saved those. We had a southerly
change come through late last night so we now have a reprieve! There's
been some rain - typical, since I watered the garden. It's in the low 20s
(68-70F) at the moment, max expected only to be in the high 20s. The
forecast for the rest of the week is high 20s to low 30s (80s to low 90s
F), some possible showers - so it's humid again! I hate muggy weather. Oh
well, it's summer <g>. We'll see if the forecast is right <g>.

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

On Sun 01 Jan 2006 06:05:39p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Rhonda
Anderson?

> Wayne Boatwright > wrote in
> :
>
>> On Sun 01 Jan 2006 02:56:29a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Rhonda
>> Anderson?
>
>>>
>>> Think I'll make some frozen goodies - does anyone have any good
>>> gelato recipes?
>>>
>>> Rhonda Anderson
>>> Cranebrook, NSW, Australia
>>
>>
>> Happy New Year, Rhonda!
>>
>> It sounds as though you're having summer temperatures like we do here
>> in Central Arizona.
>>
>> Here are three gelato recipes that might cool you off. Enjoy!
>
>
> Thanks for the recipes, Wayne. I've saved those. We had a southerly
> change come through late last night so we now have a reprieve! There's
> been some rain - typical, since I watered the garden. It's in the low 20s
> (68-70F) at the moment, max expected only to be in the high 20s. The
> forecast for the rest of the week is high 20s to low 30s (80s to low 90s
> F), some possible showers - so it's humid again! I hate muggy weather. Oh
> well, it's summer <g>. We'll see if the forecast is right <g>.
>
> Rhonda Anderson
> Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

You're welcome, Rhonda. Glad the sizzling temperatures have subsided.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
__________________________________________________ ________________
And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.