Buttered Grapes: Making some pie!

Lately I've been getting up at 5am. I have been layering on all the clothes I can find, and trotting off to work placement in the dark. It is cold, and the stars are still out, and no good coffee shops are open. I go to a huge hotel, put on my chefs whites, and spend the day rolling, cutting, baking, sifting, glazing, and piping. I ask 1,000 questions. When all the other placement girls are quietly going about there work I am bursting with things to ask. "Whats that?", "When did you do that?", "How long will that cook for?," "Why didn't you prick the pastry?", "Can I try it?" Luckily no one seems to mind, and I'm picking up lots of handy little tips here and there.

Last week at the hotel I made an apple pie filling that must have been big enough to make hundreds of apple pies. I stood over the stove stirring cinnamon, sugar and butter until it had all melted together, added tones of apples and watched as they bubbled away. The warmth of the stove was so comforting in that freezing kitchen and I was pretty hesitant to leave it. While I was stirring away, I got to thinking about how winter is nearly over. The first signs of spring are popping up here and there, and I cant believe I survived another Melbourne winter! This one seemed so incredibly long at times. I also realised that I haven't made an apple pie this winter.

So I came home....and that is exactly what I did. Despite the fact that I was extremely tired and a tiny grumpy, and had been cooking all day.......I pulled out the flour, sugar and butter and set about making a pie. It cheered me right up in no time at all, and I forgot how tired I was. The kitchen smelt amazing and winter felt so much warmer with the sent of cinnamon and butter in the air. That night we feasted on pie.....and life felt pretty good.

What are you making this winter to warm your homes and hearts?

I've been doing a heap of cooking over this weekend, so I'll have lots of recipes coming your way.......heres a little preview, but until then, have a perfectly lovely day.