Day 12

Wednesday, April 1: I turn my kitchen calendar to April and there are the events that have been noted in untroubled times: an evening at Poppies bookshop to mark the launch of the Auckland Writers’ Festival programme; the fabulous Feast Waikato weekend, with various lunches, dinners, cooking schools and a Sunday event at Hamilton Gardens; Easter with friends at the Mount; wedding at Hamilton Gardens, haircut.  All gone.

I’m overwhelmed by a delivery from friend Angelique Van Camp, of Wild Country Food. She sends a pile of freshly picked field mushrooms, Granny Smith apples and cucumber relish from her prolific property at Te Kowhai. Culinary gold and kindness in a cardboard box. Anna also – very kindly -leaves a supermarket bag on my doorstep. First World problem comestibles: risotto rice, coffee, Earl Grey tea and pancetta.

Nicola detours up the driveway on her walk. She stands by the letterbox and we talk to each other across the tarmac.

 Highlight: Rich, fragrant, earthy mushroom risotto for dinner. The taste of my rural childhood. The mushrooms that is, not the actual risotto. Mum made buttery mushrooms on toast. I do a lazy oven-baked risotto: in a heavy-based dish, sizzle chopped onion and garlic in butter and oil for a couple of minutes, add chopped mushrooms, then a cup of arborio rice. Stir through the butter and cook for a minute or two, add a slosh of white wine, two cups of chicken stock or water, bring to the boil. Cook, uncovered, at 180 deg C for 25 minutes, or so, until rice is cooked and most of the stock absorbed. Break up the rice with a spoon, add a little more butter, return to the oven briefly then remove and let it sit for a few minutes. Top with lots of grated parmesan, chopped parsley and some crispy bacon bits. Serves 2-3 people.