From the Farm Kitchen: My mum tells the story of where our family’s love of cooking began

Words by Adelle Evans (aka Mum) 

There’s a certain kind of love that only cooking can express. The sort that says I’ve thought of you, I’ve taken time for you, you’re home now. For me, that love began with my grandma, whose joy was found in feeding the people she loved most. She had a way of making everyone feel cared for, and she did it through food.

When my grandparents came to live with us on the farm, we lived by a family first, always moto in every aspect of life. My fondest memories of my childhood are of coming home from school to the smell of something wonderful drifting from the kitchen for afternoon tea. It became somewhat of a ritual for us. Afternoon tea wasn’t about convenience; there were no packets of biscuits to grab from the pantry (not to give away my age). Instead, there were warm scones with fresh cream and homemade jam, golden jaffles toasted over the stove, or slices of buttery sultana cake.

My grandma, like most of her time, never relied on a cookbook. She cooked by instinct, guided by knowledge passed down from her mum, who also would have picked up the skills from her mum. These recipes, cooked to perfection from years of practice. And so many of these recipes and skills still live on. 

The Simple Joy of Freshness

Growing up on the farm, I learned early that good cooking starts with good ingredients. What was in season determined what we ate, and nothing went to waste. We collected eggs fresh each morning. Milked the cows for milk, cream and butter. Picked fruit from the trees that dotted the property and vegetables from our vege garden — lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, whatever was ripe that week. And of course, meat from the fields. Everything was fresh, local, and full of flavour.

That upbringing shaped the way I cook today. I still find joy in feeding others, in seeing people come together over a table of good food. I still have many of my grandma’s old recipes — pages marked with her handwritten notes, smudged with flour, well-loved from years of use.

I have to say, I’m a little different from Grandma, I’ve always been drawn to trying new recipes, rarely making the same one twice except for the family favourites that get requested again and again.

The Custard Tart That Started It All

The first recipe I ever learned was my grandma’s custard tart. It is simple, silky and perfectly comforting. It is one I have made countless times over the years, and it remains a family favourite. Below, I have shared the recipe so you can bring a little of that tradition into your own kitchen.

Serves:  approx. 8

Prep time:   15 minutes

Cook time:  20 to 25 minutes

Ingredients 

Pastry: 

230 g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
115 g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 egg yolks (reserve whites to brush pastry)
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 dessert spoons water

Custard:

4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla paste
2–3 tbsp caster sugar
2½ cups milk
Nutmeg or cinnamon (to taste)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced 

2. Grease a 24 cm pie dish lightly with butter 

3. To make the pastry, cream butter and sugar using a whisk (or mixer/food processor). Whisk egg yolks, water and vanilla together, then add to the creamed butter mix. Sift in the flour and baking powder and also add to the mix forming a soft buttery dough. 

4. Lightly flour your bench and roll out the dough to fit your pie dish, including sides. Use a rolling pin or an egg flip to lift the pastry into the dish, covering the bottom and sides. Don’t panic if it breaks,  just press the pieces into the dish, and ensure no holes. Once all the dough is about the same thickness, trim the edges and brush with egg white to seal. 

5. To make the custard, whisk the eggs, vanilla and sugar together until frothy and well combined. Heat milk over the stove until lukewarm, then slowly whisk it into the egg mixture. 

6. Place the pastry-lined dish on the oven rack before pouring (to avoid spills). Slowly pour the custard into the case over a spoon to avoid making a hole in the pastry. Then sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon over the top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the custard is set and the pastry is deeply golden. This dark pastry adds to the flavour when eaten with the custard and also ensures a  crispy base.