My ten days in Australia were magical.  I had never imagined I would travel there, so apart from the Sydney Opera House and kangaroos, I didn’t hold any fixed images of what Australia might be or mean to me.  Arriving without expectations left me open to experiencing each day’s offerings—beach walks, fish markets, Aboriginal art.  At each turn there was a friendly face ready to welcome me to Australia and perhaps point me to my next adventure.

My culinary experiences were especially energizing.  I tried new foods with “exotic” names like barramundi and freekeh.  I ate the best breakfast of my life at Cornersmith in Sydney.  Two years on, I think that I am most affected by the creative preparation of foods I already knew.  I still remind myself to use ingredients in ways that are new to me, and my Mint Sunflower spread was developed in that spirit.

Inspired by Vladia Cobrodova’s Creamy Mint Pesto, my spread is summer fresh.  It gets its creaminess from sunflower seeds and raw cashews.  The potency of mint and Parmesan cheese stand up to one another and make for a surprisingly lovely pairing.  Baby spinach and parsley round out the flavors.  I serve this spread with pita chips and raw vegetables as an appetizer.  It also works well as part of a main course that includes other dips and spreads.  Thin it out with a few tablespoons of water and use it as a pesto in a bowl of pasta or drizzled over grilled vegetables or meat.  Mint Sunflower Spread freezes beautifully and has brightened up many a dreary winter evening when I crave healthy, bright flavors.

Inspirations

Using summer herbs

Tea in Sydney

Australian cookbooks:  Cornersmith and A Whole New Way to Eat