It was a few weeks ago now but occasionally my mind wanders back to the afternoon I spent in the Riverland orchard owned by the Heward family. Sue and her family kindly let me run wild in their kitchen and orchard for the day with my food, props and camera.
I am always amazed at how people jump on board so generously when I ask to use their properties for photos. People who otherwise may not have the slightest interest in photos, magazines or social media suddenly stop what they are doing and start making all sorts of suggestions and offers to help me.
On this particular day Sue’s cousin offered to call in with an old truck that belonged to his late father and the back of the truck became a back drop for a famous Singing Magpie Produce dried fruit platter. Sue’s dad dropped in and started frantically digging up sweet potatoes for me take home while also loading my car up with apples, citrus and plump pumpkins. The afternoon started to feel like a celebration of home grown produce and there may have been a glass or two of wine enjoyed in the autumn leaves.
As the evening closed in the weather turned blustery and I was rushed to get my work finalised before it was dark. But that didn’t matter, I felt quite content and happy knowing that Sue and her family had embraced my ideas and then gathered around for a family catch up of their own. They reminisced over stories about the old truck and laughed about tractor auctions and the football. I observed that easy, familiar conversation that farmers have when they take some time out on a Saturday afternoon.
When I unpacked the car the next day I started to find fresh pecans scattered throughout my gear that had fallen from the trees or got caught up in my props. That is not something that I find every day and it made the usual chore of unpacking surprisingly joyful.
Thank you Heward family for your generosity.
As a tribute to all of the beautiful dried fruit and nuts that found their way home with me I made these sturdy biscuits. (Recipe below) These are just the sort of biscuits that are perfect for dunking, gifting or packing into lunchboxes. Any dried fruit or chopped nuts could be added and we all know that oats and dried fruit cancel out butter and sugar.
Happy Sunday, friends x
Photo of Sue and myself taken by Frank Heward.
- 250 g butter softened to room temp
- 200 g raw sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 225 g plain flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder sifted
- ½ cup slivered almonds (or chopped pecans)
- ½ cup dried fruit (I used apricot and peach) chopped
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Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare 2 baking trays lined with baking paper, set aside.
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In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, by hand or using a stand mixer or hand held beaters.
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Add the eggs and beat well.
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Add the oats, flour, baking powder, almonds and dried fruit and combine thoroughly.
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Spoon tablespoons of the mixture on the baking trays and flatten gently.
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Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on wire racks.
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Biscuits suitable to freeze.
Kate B
What a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon Jane, and with such good company by the sounds of it!
I need to give this recipe a try. Biscuits with dried fruit in them are favourites at my house.
Jane S
They are good biccies Kate! x
Sue Heward
Jane what a wonderful visit, yummy food and listening to our family stories. The weather held off just in time for us to have alot of fun. I’m going to try these biscuits with our Riverland Melange I think. Thankyou for supporting to Australian farming families like ours.
Jane S
Thank you for your ongoing support Sue! x
Kate M
Delicious. Those dried fruits look sumptuous and who doesn’t love the warm crunch of a nut in their bikkie.
Our own local harvest festival in the hinterland farming area of the Central Coast was the June long weekend and I was thrilled to hear how many families enjoyed pecan foraging or picked their own oranges or sampled the other wares of our region. I brought home honey from a suburban apiarist that sells in my local cafe and corner store and made a compote last weekend that I’ll add a little tea and honey to to make it more syrupy before it goes over morning oats.
When’s your annual flour and fire event? I’m talking to fellow Guide leaders about hosting a flames, feast and friends evening at our local campsite the middle weekend of next year’s harvest festival. Just a social gathering for the adult leaders who can come up for a stew, a damper and a unctuous caramel pudding over coals with a glass of wine. Those who want to lay out a swag can, or spend a day at the festival.
Hope you’re well and a little of the rain that splashed over the state last week reached your property.
Jane S
Thanks Kate. I love the idea of people foraging and picking at the local harvest festival, how wonderful. Flames, feast and friends sounds wonderful also! Unfortunately we haven’t gone ahead with our flour and fire event this year. There are a few reasons for this but mostly just because other things have taken over our time and energy. Thank you for the reminder, we need to get back to community gatherings. x
Anne
It’s always great when farmers meet farmers, no matter where in the world they all come from. There seems to be some invisible link that makes conversation easy and links forged.
These biscuits look perfect for packing into lunch boxes and even better if they’ll withstand a little bouncing around on the tractor! Your Monte Carlo biscuits have become a family favourite.
Jane S
Thanks Anne, I agree on that invisible farming link. I think you would like these biscuits x
Anne Bartholomaeus
beautiful …… xox
Jane S
Thanks Annie x
Alphie
Sweet potatoes, freshly dug. Lucky you. Living in a city I can only dream about sweet potatoes straight out of the ground…..
I’ll make those sturdy biscuits.
Alphie
Jane S
I actually thought the sweet potatoes were weeds until my new friend started digging them up!
Alphie
Sweet potatoes straight from the garden – how wonderful!
I’ll make those biscuits.
Alphie
sherry
what delightful little biscuits. and i am so in love with that truck! i just adore old vehicles like this. i am envious of you finding pecans when you unpacked. wonderful! cheers sherry
Jane S
Finding pecans in my unpacking is something that will probably never happen again Sherry! Thanks for calling in.