"Teatime on Muizenberg beach".....blog #32 by cookingwithmavis.blogspot.com

‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’#32      Teatime on Muizenberg beach….

Mis-pronounced “Mee-yoo-zennbirg”, memories flood back about this once world-renowned vast stretch of pristine white beach of powdery sands, alas those days are but a memory…

“The Snake Pit “  was the most sought-after beach in the 1960 s….

This was prior to the demise of Muizenberg….before  ‘ The-Self-important-Persons-in-Local-Municipal-Places ’ chose to demolish The Grande Pavillion - the heart of that beach!

 Muizenberg in it’s heyday, when ‘Beatniks’ were hip and kids clamoured to partake in a moment of glory on “Uncle Vic Davis’s Variety”  talent shows, on the periphery of “The Snake Pit “.

This section of once wonderful Muizenberg Beach got this name due to the sardine-packed-bodies of oily, sweaty beach-goers cramming next to one another, bodies covered in copious amounts of “ Coppertone”  sun-tan oil, teenagers and “transistor” radios, jostling for place next to the ‘beach hunks’ and ‘lollypop  chics’  - sitting cheek-by-jowl, surveying the talent all around them.                              

This, “The Snake Pit “, the so-called ‘hip’ section of Muizenberg beach was popular, and populated because it was secluded from Muizenberg’s usual howling  South Easter wind. 

Sheltered by the gracious, crumbling Edwardian grande Pavilion with its ultra-cool ‘1950 s  Milk Bar ’ , and also sheltered by the elevated Promenade, where one stood, bent over the railings to try and spot your group of friends    -  the crowd writhing with constant social movement  on this beach of potential heartaches and teenage flirtations, on creamy white powdery sands…and then there was Me ! 

MUIZENBERG BEACH, IT'S OLD PAVILLION
& PROMENADE - AND 'THE SNAKE PIT'

 – Me !, the youngest kid of our family, the kid that my much older siblings were forced to babysit…to have me tag along with them, and cramp their style all summer long, on Muizenberg Beach!

...but truly, all I  ever wanted was a    Gatti’s Granadilla    frozen sherbet lolly!

 Gatti’sGranadillaGatti’sGranadillaGatti’sGranadillaGatti’sGranadillaGatti’s

I  much preferred the very early Sunday mornings, when our WHOLE  family, together with the ‘Auntie-Angela-Family’ – our neighbours across the street, arranged to share our Sunday morning with Rose-and-Alec…and Henry-and-Leslie…and their various offspring…and sometimes Granny Polly (of Blechkoechen fame – see my blog # 15) near the now famous, once abundant,  colourful ‘bathing  boxes’ (onTHAT  part of the beach!)….

and I can still remember the taste and smell of the milky tea, from Auntie Angela’s thermos flask…a..an..and the taste of “Bakers Tennis Biscuits” too, which we would ‘dunk’ into the Melamine  cups of tea – specially used for Sundays at the beach…oh, wonderful childhood memories…………..

TENNIS BISCUITS & MELAMINE TEA!

And so to Recipes…

Deconstructing  hummus! ….easy-peezy!

“A dish made with mashed chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice, and garlic combined into a thick paste, originating in southwestern Asia”

…well that’s what the dictionary description says…and it’s quite true!...I think it is really associated with the Middle-East!

It has taken some time, but in the new millennium, this is really an internationally acclaimed tantalizing dish.  Ready-made , it’s found on supermarket- and deli shelves, and restaurant menus, but here, I shall deconstruct the secret of making your very own hummus!

You’ll see how simply simple it is to make….

                         Hummus:

                   Start off making just a small quantity:

HOME-MADE HUMMUS, WITH WHOLE CHICKPEAS
AND TOASTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Ingredients:

DRIED CHICKPEAS

½ cup (approx) dried chickpeas

4 cups boiling water for soaking

[ Optional:  use drained canned chickpeas instead…no cooking needed – just remember to keep a little of the liquid from the can to use later]

Then you’ll use:

a few tablespoons olive oil,

juice of ½ lemon(2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon tahini paste (optional)

1 clove garlic,

pinch of salt,

pinch of ground cumin,

1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

Method :

   First…

Soak the dried chickpeas in boiling water for at least 2 hours (do not add salt, as this makes them tough!)

Drain off the water.

Bring a smallish pot of water to the boil.

Add soaked chickpeas and boil on medium for 1 ½ hours till soft.

         ( I  prefer to use a pressure cooker for 45 minutes , timing from when pressure begins…then switch off, leave still cooking till cooled. )

 

1/2 CUP OF CHICKPEAS - DRIED,
THEN SOAKED IN BOILING WATER

SAME 1/2 CUP OF CHICKPEAS - COOKED 

   Then…

When cooled, reserve a few whole cooked chickpeas, for the garnish.

Blend the remaining cooked chickpeas in a food processor, and gradually add, in small amounts to help make it smoother and almost creamy in texture, the following ingredients :

- Firstly add 1 tablespoon of reserved cooking liquid  - you can always add a little more liquid at the end!

- Chopped garlic

- Then 1 tablespoon lemon juice

- 1 tablespoon Virgin olive oil

- 1 tablespoon tahini concentrate (OPTIONAL)

- salt to taste

- A pinch of ground cumin

You can add more of any of these - depending on the thickness of texture that you want.

COOKED CHICKPEAS
PLUS 1 TABLESPOON TAHINI CONCENTRATE

EXTRAS TO ADD TO PROCESSED CHICKPEAS
 TO FLAVOUR HUMMUS:
CHOPPED PARSLEY AS GARNISH, OLIVE OIL, SALT,
GROUND CUMIN, FRESH LEMON JUICE,
GARLIC, LITTLE WATER(OR USE LIQUID
FROM COOKED CHICKPEAS)

Garnish :

Aha! …This is the special part!  To top and ‘dress’ the dish…

GARNISH WITH:
CHOPPED PARSLEY,  FRESH LEMON JUICE,  OLIVE OIL,  SALT &
 GROUND CUMIN...CAN ADD TOASTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS TOO!

1) A drizzle of Virgin olive oil

2) A drizzle of lemon juice onto the olive oil

3) A light sprinkling of ground cumin (or you may prefer ground paprika)

4) About a tablespoon chopped parsley

5) A few whole cooked chickpeas

6) A generous sprinkling of lightly toasted sunflower seeds….or be extravagant with toasted real pine kernels!)

This recipe is a small quantity, and will yield enough for one large dinner plate size..an hors d’oeuvre for 4 people.

Easy to make a larger quantity …try 1 cup dried chickpeas…to feed a crowd….adding the other ingredients judging quantities yourself.

* Note :  This will keep fresh just 3 days only in the fridge, but best eaten chilled and freshly made.

Serve:

Scoop up with crisp sliced ciabbatta, or baguette….or warm pita breads. 

HUMMUS WITH WARM PITA BREADS! MMMmmmmmm......

˜*˜  And  to  those  of  you  who  are  new  to  “…‘Mavis”, you might  like  to  know  how  ‘Mavis  got  her  name ?

Just  scroll  to  the  top  right  of  this  page, and  click  on  2011 to  find  blog  number  9  “Clora”  ….. it’s  SOH  amuzing ! 
  
WELCOME too,  to email your comments to : cookingwithmavis@gmail.com      ˜*˜

 …’till next time,

         ‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’