What is your favourite holiday, and what do you eat then?

"Easter. Hot cross buns are rad."

Columbia, Adelaide, Australia

Hot cross buns are often eaten over the Easter holiday- particularly on Good Friday. 

In Australia, they seemed to be consumed all year. I saw hot cross buns in most bakeries and grocery stores. A popular variation I often spotted was cocoa with chocolate chips; fantastic warm with some soft butter. 

I bought these buns at a bakery, so no recipe today. However,  check out Aussie blog Meet Me At Mike's for a lovely tutorial on making these treats.

What is your favourite holiday and what do you eat then?

"Pesach...coleslaw by my grandmother, matzo balls, coconut and chocolate macaroons..."

Liz, Toronto, Canada

Matzo Ball Soup

The smell of matzo ball soup cooking is a surefire sign that spring is on it’s way! Though, I’d be happy eating this any day of the year…

Chicken fat, or shmaltz, as it’s known in Yiddish, is the secret ingredient to a perfect matzo ball. You can buy it, but you can also just use the fat that you scoop off the top of your broth as it cooks.  I also used chicken salt in my matzo balls (a strange Aussie product that I love) for an extra chicken-y kick.

Boiling a whole chicken will yield way more meat than you need. I made some chicken salad with kewpie mayonnaise and avocado... delicious! (And probably pretty good on matzo…)

For the soup:

1 whole chicken

2 onions, quartered

2 peeled carrots, cut into large chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

A pinch peppercorns

Salt

A bay leaf, some thyme and rosemary tied up with string

For the matzo balls:

1 cup matzo meal

1/4 melted chicken fat (you can also use oil)

4 eggs

1/4 cup seltzer

Ground pepper

Salt

1. Put all your soup ingredients in a large pot. Cover completely with water and bring to boil.

2. Gently boil, uncovered, occasionally skimming any impurities or fat that rise to the top. 

3. Meanwhile, make your matzo balls. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Be sure to use plenty of salt! Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour and a half.

4. Let your broth cook for at least two hours. To keep it from reducing drastically, you can add water occasionally. Salt graciously.

5. When your matzo ball mixture is ready, boil a pot of water. Form smooth, golfball sized balls, and add to the pot. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about thirty minutes.

6. When the broth tastes rich and flavourful, remove chicken and leave to cool on a platter. Strain the broth and reserve the carrots.

7. Shred the cooked chicken and slice the cooked carrots into coins.

8. To serve, put a handful of shredded chicken, some carrots, and a couple of matzo balls into each bowl and ladle hot broth over.

Enjoy, and if you're celebrating Pesach, chag sameach!

What are your favourite fruits?

"Maracuyá and watermelon."

Dana, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Passionfruit Butter

Maracuyá, or as it's known in English, passionfruit, is a vine fruit with a delightfully sweet and tangy pulp. It is native to South America, but grows beautifully in many warm climates.

If you are a fan of lemon curd, you will fall in love its Aussie cousin, passionfruit butter. I bought a little jar of this one afternoon at one of Sydney's lovely weekend markets, and was hooked immediately. This bright, punchy concoction can be used with practically anything; toast, cakes, scones, ice cream, yoghurt, you name it. This is spreadable gold, a jar full of sunshine brought to you by the southern hemisphere.  

If fresh passionfruit is not available where you live, you can buy it frozen or tinned in South American grocers.

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup sugar

14 oz passionfruit pulp

4 eggs, whisked

Create a double boiler by boiling a pan of water and placing a second pan or heatproof bowl on top, making sure the boiling water doesn’t touch the bottom of the top pan. Once water is boiling, reduce heat to medium.

On top of your double boiler, melt butter with sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk together passionfruit and eggs. Stir into the butter and eggs.

Stir constantly until mixture has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Strain, if you wish.

Spoon into a sterilized jar. After it has cooled down, store in the fridge. 

"Saint Patrick’s day- try to be as Irish as possible. Eat a pie."

Amy, Westmeath, Ireland

Shepherd's Pie

Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb; if you use beef, it’s called cottage pie.

In honor of Saint Patrick’s day, I used cabbage and whiskey. It brings a sweet warmth to the beef; perfect for the chilly, sunny days of early Spring!

Butter, preferably delicious Irish butter

Canola oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 quarter head green cabbage, chopped

1 lb lamb or beef mince

1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes

1 2/3 cup beef stock

A splash of Irish whiskey

A sprig of rosemary, thyme and bay leaf, tied into a bundle

1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Roughly 1/2 cup whole milk or cream

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, plus some to sprinkle on top

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, melt a knob of butter and cook the onions until translucent. Add celery and carrot and cook until softened.

Add cabbage and meat, and brown.

Stir through chopped tomatoes, beef stock, a big splash of whiskey and the bundle of herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and then reduce heat. Simmer until the liquid is mostly gone, about an hour. Stir through peas and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

While the filling simmers, put your potatoes in a pot and cover with hot water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and transfer to a big bowl. Add a large knob of butter. With a wooden spoon, mash the potatoes, adding milk or cream bit by bit, until light and fluffy.

Stir through cheese, and season with salt.

Transfer meat filling to an ovenproof casserole dish. Spoon potatoes over top and sprinkle with some extra cheese.

Bake until the top is golden, about an hour.

Serve hot.

What do you eat for breakfast?

"Oats, berries, milk and cinnamon." 

Rebecca, Stockholm, Sweden