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Reflections: What Grows in Silence - I Sepolcri di Grano

Today, as I prepare i sepolcri di grano - those tender shoots of wheat grown in darkness for Holy Week, I’m struck by how much of our heritage is cultivated in shadow. These small grains of wheat will in time sprout into humble and symbolic tender shoots; grown quietly in cupboards and cellars, much like the family stories carried in silence. They belong to rituals that travelled across oceans with our families, reappearing each year in kitchens and parish halls far from Basilicata. I remember my maternal grandmother, nonna Carmela preparing them for Good Friday. I watched her soak the grains, spread them into shallow dishes, and hide them away in darkness. She had carried this tradition from her village to Australia, recreating it in a suburban kitchen that bore little resemblance to the world she left behind. For her, it wasn’t nostalgia; it was devotion and continuity; a quiet way of keeping the rhythm of faith and the old world alive in a new one. I didn’t fully understand the sy...
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Lemon, Orange & Coconut Upside-down Cake


Lemon, orange and coconut upside-down cake, because we need cake, right?!

Adding a little sunshine to the last month of what seems to be a never ending long winter and another lockdown.  There is so much uncertainty and no clear vision of what is ahead, except the seasons that bring joy through their gifts. The citrus are in abundance both in my parents garden and mine, proving a sweet haven and joy.

A few weeks ago I baked this cake with my Meyer lemons and posted it in my IG stories.  A few requests came in to share the recipe, so here it is.  This time though, I used both the oranges and lemons.  The combination of the two fruits along with the coconut is a real joy, and one I will bake more often.  It's cakes like these that give those comforting hugs that we all need right now. 

Before I share this recipe, I would like to use this space to announce an upcoming exhibition titled Take From The Garden, a body of still life oil paintings by a young artist who is forever inspired by her nonni and their garden, and pays a beautiful homage to their generosity.  It goes without saying that we are super excited and proud of her.  Finger crossed that this is a short lockdown and the opening of this exhibition can go ahead as scheduled.  My parents garden continues to inspire and give joy; I hope this cake will too. May this be a celebration of winter and hope.


Lemon, Orange & Coconut Upside-down Cake

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar, plus extra for base
1/3 cup olive oil
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon & 1 orange
Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 2/3 cup self-raising flour, sifted
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup desiccated coconut, plus extra for decorating

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 C and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper (base & sides).  Generously scatter caster sugar in base of lined tin and arrange slices of oranges.  

In a large bowl whip eggs and sugar until fluffy.  Mix in zest of lemon and orange, yogurt, olive oil and juice of half a lemon.  Slowly incorporate the flour and coconut, taking care not to overmix.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in tin for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cook completely.  Remove the baking paper to reveal those slices of jammy oranges and sprinkle with more coconut.

Enjoy!





























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