Fruit Fly, Mosquito Nets and Mango Cheesecake

I have been losing so much fruit lately, all my lemons are getting stung and some of my oranges. It’s so disappointing to have so much fruit go to waste. So I have decided to firstly keep my fruit trees at a manageable size, and secondly put nets over them to protect the fruit. These two tree’s are a mandarin and a Washington navel. I purchased these mosquito nets which were cheaper than fruit fly nets, and my thinking is, if they can keep out mosquitoes, they can keep out fruit fly! Because of their design they should be simple enough down the track to make a frame, so the tree’s are not bearing all the weight.

It’s been a busy time lately. I think I’m still trying to find my routine from the Christmas break, which seems a strange thing to say. But I feel like I’m in this funny phase of limbo, my second eldest is getting ready to leave home in March to start University, and it’s this time of waiting for it, but making the most of what time you have before he flies the nest, so to speak. Those moments when you know a season is ending but a new one is about to begin and all the thoughts and emotions that go with that. We will be left with our youngest who is 10 still at home. A new shaping of our family! And this is how it should be, each one making his/her way in the world. Learning, growing and becoming an adult in a world filled with wonders and challenges.

We had such a lovely time with our daughter last weekend she drove out to the farm for a visit, she turned 19 and I turned 44 last week! So I figured a special treat was in order, a mango cheesecake! What could be more delicious mango and cheesecake!! I had some in the freezer from when our tree was fruiting ( you could use tin mango) and it turned out to be just the right amount, it was meant to be! The colour is beautiful and the taste is delicious! Everyone voted it the best cheesecake ever : )

This recipe was supposed to be mixed in a food processor, however for mine I just used a stick blender to puree the mango and to mix the cheesecake. The less dishes the better. And when I do my biscuit base I always bash the biscuits in a decent bag with a rolling pin.

Mango Cheesecake

• 250 grams plain biscuits ( I used Scotch Finger Biscuits)
• 150 grams butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp gelatine
• 500 grams cream cheese
• 2/3 cup castor sugar
• 400 grams mango pieces
• 300 ml thickened cream
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut to decorate (optional)

Lightly grease the base of a 22cm springform tin and line the sides of your tin with baking paper. Take the cream cheese out of your fridge and unwrap to get it to room temperature, this helps to get a smooth finish.

Crush the biscuits and add the melted butter, mix and press into the tin then place in your fridge to chill.

Heat water and mix in gelatine, stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Puree mango in a food processor or with a stick blender.

Place cream cheese in a food processor or bowl with sugar and mango and blend until smooth. Add cream, blend again, slowly add gelatine and blend until all mixed through and smooth.

Pour into tin, smooth the top and place back into the fridge for 8 hours or overnight to set.

I have been having fun learning how to make coffee on the stovetop with an espresso maker. Rhonda at down—to—earth.blogspot.com shared a slow living silent vlog, Apronful of Stones, which I really enjoyed. As I was watching I saw her making coffee on the stove top, and was inspired! I am a devoted tea drinker, however I have to say coffee made this way is very nice, it will not replace my tea but makes for a nice change now and then ; ) and the smell, love the smell of coffee!

Have you had much needed rain in your area? We are hoping and praying it will come to this part of QLD. We have been missing out, and the combination of very hot days and no moisture is making the paddocks turn off again. We were hoping for a good wet season this year, but it hasn’t happened so far. Having said that, we are looking much better now than last year, and we are so happy and thankful that a good storm came over in January which filled all our dams. However there has been no follow up rain, the clouds come but nothing much falls out of them, not good! It really does make such a difference to your whole outlook when rain falls, it’s just so refreshing and everything and everyone is happy, just so precious. Hopefully it will come before to long and we will relish it! The ants are going crazy, so this could be a very good sign.

I hope where ever you are, you able to find time to rest and recharge. To keep doing that next thing. Focusing on doing the next thing infront of us is so important and keeps you in the right frame of mind rather than thinking too far ahead all the time. We miss out on so much when our minds are racing ahead and not focused on the here and now. The actual moment that we are in. I often catch myself out when I’m going about my day, my mind races on to all the other things I have to do. And further on into the future days, while I think planning and preparation are necessary and important. I also think staying focused on the thing that is front of us is also important and healthy. A healthy balance, days and moments go by so quickly, seasons begin and end, we are always learning, growing and changing, a process, a journey! xx