The Pinging Chook - The Why and What - the genesis!

I have been blogging about my travels with my husband  - Cape York Peninsula, Russia, Georgia, ho hum ..... for a couple of years and loving it. And I have received some great feedback.  Thank you! So what's different about this blog and why 'The Pinging Chook'?
Well this blog is to be about food, specifically what we nosh into along the road - why? because I love food! I'm not an elaborate cook, hate long lists of ingredients, but do love experimenting - to a point.
I am aware that there are loads of recipe books out there for we happy gypsies - if you are the kind of person who looks to books for inspiration. I am of course one of those people, BUT as a very visual person I tend to only look at the pix.  Put me in a new environment with a pantry full of goodies, albeit often tinned, and I love it; we're talking here about a woman who started married life with a, probably Womans Weekly, lift out - '100 ways to cook mince' and a weekly budget people now spend in a day - or on one meal.  You know it don't you!?   I use no gold leaf or truffles. I am also a great user of Google-search for recipes when I'm on a kick and I also have my favourite people who inspire me - Maggie and Simon. I adore their shows and come up with lots of food and prezzie ideas. And I have recently discovered 'Lambs Ears and Honey' a delightful travel and food blog.
However  ..... as I was saying ....... being on the road is such a joyous thing - big skies and endless horizons to the shadowy quiet of rain forests and crashing seas - and all that entails, but one always looks forward to the food (and wine) breaks, right?
One can carry only so much, so preparation is important. Whoa! this is not a lecture on anything - what to take etc etc - although I might share a few tiny tips at some point.  I want to whet your appetites, gets the gastric juices thinking and share with you a little of what goes on in my cauldron.

'Eye of newt, and toe of frog,

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,--'

I guarantee there will be no wool of bat and tongue of dog, but who knows about the rest!  And remember this is food from the caravan stove or camp fire, a seriously down on the ground camp fire, with a minimum investment of time; one has other things to do after all - play dominoes, write a blog, put the feet up with a glass of wine and swat mozzies ....  

So the 'Pinging Chook'

This is my Pinging Chook!

My son made me this gorgeous creature at high school decades ago and she has been part of my kitchens and work space for the last 25 odd years; she measures 26 x 18 cm and is a little fattie. Today she roosts on my stove and every day I have to push her aside to get the toaster out - but she finds her way back every day - she likes the marble cutting board which belonged to my mum. While I was studying, she sat on my desk under the desk lamp - not sure what she was hatching! and when I turned my light out in the wee hours of the morning, she would sing to me as she cooled.  The funny thing 'pinged' for 10-20 years (there is some debate over how long). OK, at the purely scientific level, her glaze was a little incomplete, not cracked but creatively applied so her inner-clay self fluctuated with the ambient atmosphere of my desk (she is hollow by the way).
So that's the story of my Pinging Chook. She has overseen many cooking-fests and has been a part of my essential locations for a long time. And now THIS old chook is pinging anyone who wants to come along for the ride with my blogs (the other one is hwheat8.blogspot.com)

Food .... well now we're talking!  I feel the need for a little break so will be back anon ..... so go have a poke in the fridge for snacky things!