Maltese 'national' food!

I am often asked by people, 'what the food is like in Malta'

Well! The street food is interesting!!!! (And definitely not the sushi from Sydney! )

Malta has an interesting history, and has been invaded by every country - Roman, Germans, French, Italians and British!

I would say the British mixed with Italian and then the North African influence is the 'local food'

Every few blocks has a tiny pastizzeria - which has a heated cabinet filled with different pastry things - there are different doughs and 3 filling options - mushy peas, chicken, cheese! (When in Rome etc - yes, I have tried them. I can imagine they are great hangover food, greasy, crunchy, full of fat and carbs) ... These little places are always busy with people! A pastie (flaky pastry one is 30c - and very filling) ... I think these places are the reason Maltese children are documented as the second most obese kids in Europe (after U.K.)

Then - there are kebab houses all over! Which have a big selection of raw meats which you choose and they cook and then a big selection of salads - all rolled into a bread of sorts! Phil's once a week lunch!

Also interesting is the fruit and vegetable trucks in each neighbour hood!

And the fish trucks - enough said! Cas you would die! As Azi says when we pass them, 'it's sooo stinky' - thankfully these trucks are not so common!

A fun Saturday

Zarias Friend over! Fun! Cubby house! Dancing!

Saturday night family movie night!

The gaby Douglas story - Dan you will love the movie?! Seen it?!

My favourite sister ..

Azi: Zaz come with me
Azi (whining) ... Moommmmm Zaz won't come with me ..
Mom: ask zaria nicely
Az: (in the sweetest voice) Zaz pleassseee will you come with me
Zaz: I really don't feel like it
Mom: Azi I'll come with you
Azi: no
Mom: why not
Azi: because Zaz is my favourite sister (as she bends down to hug her)

Possibly the worst sushi ever!

We may need to leave Malta!

Spot the problem in the pic!

(Let's see who knows me well)

What goes up ... Must come down ...

Az had a full morning at the beach, then she was all chatted and did not want to sleep on the bus. So she didn't. 

She was in a GREAT mood all day, and then we went to the park at 3pmih and she finally made a little friend (which Azi does not make easily - she prefers to play with me) .. and her and her friend were running up and down the slide and giving me pretend food .. So much fun! 

Then her friends grandfather (or maybe father - who knows these days) ... called her from the top of the steps ... She went running and calling, 'Papa" and in all the excitement Azi ran with her - flew up the steps ... Only to be greeted by this strange man! 

I was right behind ... Azi just SANK (Literally) onto the little ledge - her whole body! And then I looked at her and she CRIED! And SCREAMED! ... The over-tiredness and disappointment was just too much!!! 

Then it was off to the bus, crying and eventually stopped crying and nearly fell asleep at 4pm (on way to fetch ZaZ) ... 

Luckily I managed to keep her awake and calm and she had fun until 7pm - when she COLLAPSED asleep! 

Thermomix promotion

Naturally - now that we can put meat in zarias lunchbox ... We have decided to cut down on our meat and chicken consumption!

So it's time to come up with filling vegetable dishes!

I made zarias favourite weekly meat lasagna - but this week I used homemade almond milk for the white sauce, adzuki beans and red lentils for the mince - packed with veggies - and then layers of butternut and eggplant! - it got the thumbs up from judge zaria! School lunch for a week sorted!

Then got creative and made almond meal pastry and steamed veg pie, with a cauliflower and mushroom white sauce! (Unfortunately got the thumbs down from judge zaria and an ok from judge Phil - his work lunch for the week sorted)

A big piece of deliciousness!

So when we were in Gozo yesterday we wanted to find an ice cream place at about 5pm! Everything was closed, except for this one tiny cake and ice cream shop (which was packed with people) ... The ice cream was not gelato and looked very normal!

I don't usually have cake, but they had a great (nearly finished) selection!

I chose the richest chocolate cake (I thought of you Adina and your love of chocolate cake)

This cake was outrageously good! Totally rich! With a layer of crushed ferrar Roche in the middle! How clever and yum is that?!

Out at vortex!

My bestest face!!!!

The elephant dress!

Azi looked at this pic and said, 'where is my elephant dress?!'

She certainly gets attached to dresses!

It's a pig tail kind of day!

Saturday activities

Homemade gluten free dumplings and a beautiful walk on dingli cliffs!

Yummy food!

Phil's prawn bisque was the best! ... But Azi was in no mood for photos!

The best quote of the day, is we are in the car driving to the beach ... And Azi says, 'Zaz, we have a ball to play with at the beach while the adults talk'

Gozo part 2

Then it was off to the boat house for a delicious lunch (awesome bread and calamari and everything else) then to red beach and then to ice creams and yummy Ferrara Roche cake! And back home on the ferry!

(Azi and I spent a good part of the day visiting lots of different toilets - the joys of toilet training - surprisingly all the toilets were very clean! )

A fun day out in Gozo

After going on a really big ferry with our car (for a whole 20 mins) ... We arrived in Gozo and headed towards azure window! Really beautiful!