The Power of Brussel Sprouts

V. recently my daughter Billie-Mae came up from Canberra to spend the week with me. As you can see, we are celebrating with Champagne & Brussel Sprouts.

Mae has become a remarkable cook which sadly, has absolutely nothing to do with me. She is fond of baking brussel sprouts which has always been the Poor Relation of the Vegetable Family.

I think there are two possible reasons for this:

1. A long history by the Depression-era Generation of Over-cooking everything. Apparently when a brussel sprout is treated in this unfair way, a nasty, evil-smelling chemical is released.

2. A certain ambiguity about things associated with Belgium. Don't get me wrong - there are many wonderful things about Belgium - Chocolate & Hercule Poirot & Dries Van Noten, to name but a few.

Perhaps I should scrap No.2. Clearly, I don't know what I am talking about. But that shouldn't come as a surprise.

Anyway, baked Brussel Sprouts have a fabulously velvety but also slightly nutty flavour.

I must go & see 'Julia & Julie' or whatever it's called. Maybe I could get some hints about how to write a food blog.

Talking of food, in eight minutes my Sunday night TV Dinner guests will arrive. We have finished watching 'True Blood', so I think we'll watch 'The United States of Tara' which stars my favourite Australian actor Toni Collette. I amazed that I can say that I have a favourite Australian actor because I hate all that 'Aussie Aussie Aussie' stuff. And I'm not a fan of Cate Blanchett or even Heath Ledger even though he's dead & I often suddenly like people after they've died which I'm almost sure is a Universal Phenomenon.

I'm only making starters tonight as my other guests are bringing the main courses. I have already made my fabulously wonderful guacumole. I was tempted to shove a whole mess of sour cream in it as I saw Nigella Lawson do on her cooking show the other night. But I decided against it after thinking long & hard about Nigella's thighs, which she can get away with, particularly because she is sooo beautiful & married to one of the richest men in the world.

I must rush out & start cooking little strips of Haloumi Cheese which I absolutely adore. Another one of my daughter's influences.

Bon Appetite!