Posted: December 29th, 2009 - 11:54am by Doug Powell

"The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for 30 years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found."

- Calvin Trillin, journalist and social commentator on things American

I love the leftovers. Stew, soup, Sorenne just had some lamb stock vegetable stew with lots of carrots and lima beans for lunch – ate it all up.

The New Zealand Herald reports tomorrow (today) that coked ham, with leeks and a mustard white sauce makes great pie filling and chopped into cheese muffin recipes makes for hearty transportable picnic fare at the beach or bach.

We love having Christmas in summertime. It's part of the Kiwi way because summer is such a wonderful storehouse of seasonal fruit.

It is summer there.