Thursday, 15 December 2011

Library Hours

The Usual Hours For The Library at the Hampden Community Hall Are::::::
Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm
Fridays, 2pm to 4pm, and
Saturdays, 10am to noon.
The Librarians look forward to your visit.

Thursday, 24 November 2011

Book Review: How to Care For Your Poultry.

How to Care For Your Poultry, by Nadene Hall and Sue Clark.
This book is comprehensive - probably the most ‘all inclusive’ book on
chooks yet published. And what’s more, it’s published for New Zealand
readership.

Nadene Hall is the editor of NZ Lifestyle Block magazine, and 5 years
ago saw the need for a contributor to the magazine to write specifically
about poultry, and to discuss with readers the problems that inevitably
arise. A poultry enthusiast and breeder (since age 14), who has also
been a farm manager for Tegel (which meant supplying 13 000 000 -yes,
13 million birds per year to the industry), threw her hat into the ring.
Sue Clark was thus accepted by NZ Lifestyle Block magazine as their
resident expert.

The two of them have collaborated in this production and the result is
an easy to read but most interesting 145 page manual that will help you to
keep a healthy and productive flock of birds. It also explains the limited
number of different breeds available in this country. To know whether you
are going to get a show bird, a meat bird or an egg bird (and not very often
does a bird have more than one of these qualities) you must firstly find out
about what’s available, and this publication contains all the information you’ll
ever need - including how to care for, feed, shelter and obtain your flock.

There are plenty of photos and diagrams, but not all photos are captioned.
At times, the fact that 2 people have written the book shows through, and
minor contradictions arise. It contains a full index enabling specific information
to be quickly located within it.

The book, though originally issued as a supplement to NZ Lifestyle Block,
is a publication of Fairfax Media. It is currently available from neither web-site
(although Fairfax is currently selling an Australian edition of the publication). It
can probably be ordered from reputable booksellers, ($19.90) and, of course,
is available at the Hampden Library.

Another rabbit dish

Fabian Rabbit  (recipe contributed by Tracey)

1 rabbit                          ½ tsp salt & pepper
3 rashes bacon                1 Tsp worcester sauce
1 T brown sugar              2 Tsp flour
2 medium onions              1 Tsp vinegar
3 Tsp tomato sauce          1 c stock or water

Roll rabbit in seasoned flour.  Cut bacon, fry & remove from pan.
Fry rabbit in bacon fat.  Fry onions.  Place in casserole & pour in
remaining ingredients mixed together.  Bake at 300ºC** for 2.5 hours.
**(Note: suspect this is meant to be 300º F, meaning about 180º C.)

Enjoy!!

Pappardelle or Tagliatelle with Rabbit Sauce

1 rabbit                                2 rashes bacon, chopped up
1 onion, sliced                      some celery, cut in strips
clove of garlic                      ½ doz mushrooms
Fresh or dried thyme to taste (or majoram)
salt and pepper                    1 Tsp flour
½ tumbler red wine or marsala
lemon juice & 1 tsp grated lemon peel
½ to ¾ pint hot stock or water.

Cut all the meat of the rabbit off the bone and slice into small strips.
In a thick bottomed pan melt some bacon fat and fry the bacon.
Add onion, garlic and celery. When these have browned a little
put in the strips of rabbit, mushrooms and herbs, salt and pepper.
Let the rabbit simmer for a few minutes, then add the flour. When
this has thickened, add the wine or marsala. Let this reduce
a little, then add stock or water.
Cover the pan, cook on a moderate heat for a good hour. The
mixture should resemble a thick sauce.
Before serving add the lemon juice and peel.
Cook the pappardelle (wide ribbon noodles) in plenty of boiling
salted water for 10-15 minutes. When cooked, put in heated
serving dishes, stir in parmesan cheese, and add the rabbit sauce.

Sunday, 20 November 2011

Rabbits in the Kitchen

At the September Market, Maurice Corish gave a demonstration of
how to cook rabbit; the rabbits used were prepared on site by Rick
Koehler. (Photos are at www.hamrakirag.blogspot.com)
Here are some rabbit recipes, including those demonstrated by Maurice:-

Rabbits in the Kitchen.
First, catch your rabbit! (Aunt Daisy, attr)
Some tips for the general cooking of rabbit.
Rabbit must be paunched immediately it is killed and eaten within 1 - 3 days.
     1    When cutting up a rabbit, remove legs and the saddle. The bony rib
cage can be used for stock. A 1kg rabbit should serve 2 people, more if you
have a rich sauce or several side dishes.
     2    Cook the legs and the saddle separately. Braise the meaty hind legs
in stock and aromatic seasonings and roast the saddle (loin) on its own
because the type of meat is different in both areas- like a chicken breast
and leg. Smaller, bonier forelegs can be cooked with the hind legs, or
reserved for soup.
     3    Use rabbit legs as a substitute for chicken or paella or other dishes.
     4    If you’re simply roasting rabbit, cook it to an internal temperature
of 150º, slightly lower than chicken. You want a bare hint of pink remaining
because rabbit is so lean it will readily dry out if overcooked.
     5    Strong seasonings will overpower the meat, so stick with aromatic
herbs such as thyme, tarragon and sage. Serve rabbit en brochette with
grilled vegetables and grains such as bulgur (cracked wheat) and polenta or pasta.
     6    Since rabbit is considered game by most people, try in in a ragout
with wild mushrooms.
     7    Though white wine is often used to deglaze the pan rabbit is sauteed
in, you can also use grappa (the fiery Italian clear brandy) and balsamic vinegar.
     8    Rabbit liver is unusually large and delicious. Sear it on both sides in
clarified butter, leaving it pink on the inside. Then add a few shallots to the pan
with some wine, port or brandy and cook a few minutes. Process with a touch
of cream, salt, pepper and a pinch of allspice or nutmeg for a quick paté.
     9    What wine?? Light reds such as Beaujolais and Pinot, and full-bodied
whites such as chardonnay compliment a rabbit meal. So also does a
gewürztraminer or white Rhone.

Roasted and Braised Rabbit In Thyme Jus
1  rabbit - cut up            Salt and pepper to taste
Flour                        4 Tsp canola oil
1 cup of equal amounts of chopped carrots, celery and shallots
1 cup of white wine               1 cup of rabbit or chicken stock
1 bay leaf                   4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Cooked pasta                
½ cup of chopped tomato and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish

Preheat oven to 200º
Season legs with salt and pepper, dust in flour and brown in half the oil in a
heavy skillet over moderate heat. Remove to a platter.
Add ½ the chopped vegetables to the skillet. Brown, and add ½ a cup of
wine, stock, bay leaf and thyme.
Add the cooked rabbit pieces, cover, and put in oven for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the forelegs after 15 minutes, cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, season the saddle with salt and pepper and brown in the
remaining oil in another skillet over high heat. Remove saddle, add remains
of the vegetables to the pan, top with the saddle, and put in the oven for
about 6 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes in the pan.
Remove saddle, deglaze pan with ½ cup of wine and combine with the juices
from the pan the legs were cooked in. Cook down to ½ cup of liquid and strain
Put the cooked pasta in the middle of a platter and surround with the rabbit
pieces. Drizzle with the cooking juices and garnish.

Rabbit Tagine
2 rabbits, jointed           50 grams butter
2 onions, peeled and finely sliced     8 - 10 strands saffron
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced or 4 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger, paprika and black pepper
3 cups chicken stock              20 dried apricots
10 - 12 dried dates

Brown rabbit in the butter in a hot pan, and set aside.
Add the onions and cook over a moderately high heat until the onions
are lightly brown. Add the garlic, saffron, cinnamon and ginger and cook
a further 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in stock, apricots, dates and simmer for 2 mins before transferring
to a casserole. Sit the rabbit pieces on top and cover.
Cook at 160º for 45 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook as the
rabbit will be dry.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve over couscous.

Slow Cooker Rabbit
1 or 2 rabbits                    Salt and pepper to taste
1 c sour cream                    1 can creamy mushroom soup
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce        1 med onion, chopped
 paprika

Cut rabbit into serving size pieces and sprinkle with salt, pepper and
paprika. Place in a slow cooker.
Mix the cream, mushroom soup, chopped onion and Worcestershire
sauce together. Pour over rabbit.
Cook on a low setting for 7 - 8 hours or until fork tender.

Rabbit Stew
400g rabbit tenderloin cut into bite-sizes pieces
1 onion, chopped             1 clove garlic, chopped 
1 Tsp olive oil                   5 rashes bacon, chopped
 400g mushroom, sliced        2 med potatoes, chopped
 400g frozen peas             1 tsp salt
½ tsp each thyme, black pepper and dried parsley
1 cup of red wine

Heat olive oil in medium sized pot. Add onions and garlic, cook on
high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rabbit pieces and
cook 5 - 8 minutes, or until cooked through.
Add salt, pepper and herbs; pour into the wine and cook for 5
minutes or until wine is reduced. Add potatoes and peas and place
the lid on the pot. Cook 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.


Fricassée of Rabbit
Main Dish: 1 rabbit; 1 onion; 6 peppercorns; salt; bouquet garni.
Sauce: 1½ oz butter; ¼ lb button mushrooms; 1 oz flour; ½ pint
liquid from the rabbit; ¼ pint cream: lemon juice; 1 tsp chopped parsley.
Garnish: Croutons of fried bread and bacon rolls
Method: Soak the rabbit in salted water for 12 hours to whiten the
flesh. Cut into joints and blanch to remove any strong flavours. Place the
rabbit in a pan with warm water to barely cover, bring to boil, and skim
well: add the onion, seasoning, and herbs; cover and simmer for about
an hour or until the meat is tender.
Strain off ½ the rabbit liquour for the sauce and keep the rabbit warm.
Melt ½  oz of the butter, add the mushrooms (halved or quartered),
and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of the butter and, when melted, stir in the flour. Cook for
a further 2 minutes, then blend in the stock and cream. Stir until boiling.
Simmer for a few minutes and adjust the seasoning, then add the lemon
juice and parsley.
Place the rabbit in a serving dish, and garnish.

More of these recipes will be places here soon.

Monday, 19 September 2011

DVDs HAMPDEN LIBRARY COLLECTION AS AT 19/09/11

  Free for members to borrow  
       
2012    SCIFI/DRAMA               
A SIMPLE QUESTION - THE STORY OF STRAW    DOCUMENTARY       
       
AIDA    OPERA               
ALL OF ME     COMEDY               
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN    DRAMA               
AMERICAN DREAMZ      DRAMA                 
AMERICAN GIGOLO    DRAMA               
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH    DOCUMENTARY               
AVANTI    COMEDY               
AVATAR    SCIFI/FANTASY               
BACK IN THE USSR     THRILLER                   
BEAT THE DEVIL                   
BETTER OFF DEAD    COMEDY/DRAMA               
BIG SLEEP    THE    MYSTERY               
BLACK GOLD    DOCUMENTARY               
BOURNE SUPREMACY  THE    THRILLER               
BOURNE ULTIMATUM  THE    THRILLER               
BRAHMS -PARIS 1996 CONCERT    CLASSICAL MUSIC           
   
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB                   
CALL OF THE WILD    ADVENTURE               
CAMPION    MYSTERY  TV SERIES               
CAR WASH    COMEDY/DRAMA               
CARVING THE FUTURE    DOCUMENTARY               
CASINO ROYALE    ADVENTURE               
CATS AND DOGS                   
CHARIOTS OF FIRE    DRAMA               
CLASSIC HOUR AT EMERALD HALL 1997    CLASSICAL MUSIC       
       
CLEARING    THE    DRAMA               
CRACKERJACK                   
CRIMSON TIDE    DRAMA               
CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON    DRAMA               
CRUSH GEAR VOL 4                   
CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON    DRAMA               
CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL    ADVENTURE/COMEDY               
DAISY MILLER                   
DANCING WITH WOLVES    DRAMA               
D-DAY    WW11 DRAMA               
DIVORCE HIS/DIVORCE HERS    DRAMA               
ELIZABETH TOWN                   
FLYING LEATHERNECKS    WWII ADVENTURE               
FLYING TIGERS     WWII ADVENTURE                    
FLYNN    BIOPIC               
FUNERAL IN BERLIN    THRILLER               
GECKOS ROCK    NZ  DOCUMENTARY               
GOOD GERMAN    THE    WW11 THRILLER               
GOODBYE PORK PIE    NZ  COMEDY/DRAMA               
GREAT EXPECTATIONS    CLASSIC DRAMA               
HAMPDEN 130 YEARS    NZ DOCUMENTARY               
HEALING JOURNEYS    NZ  DOCUMENTARY               
HEARTBURN    COMEDY               
HELL TOWN                             
HIGH SOCIETY    MUSICAL/COMEDY               
HOW TO PROPOGATE    DOCUMENTARY               
IL DIVA LIVE    CLASSICAL MUSIC               
INDIAN COOKING    DOCUMENTARY               
INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU    COMEDY          
INSPECTOR GENERAL    THE    COMEDY               
INSPECTOR MORSE    TV MYSTERY SERIES               
JONATHAN CREEK   SERIES 2    TV MYSTERY SERIES               
JONATHAN CREEK   SERIES 3                   
KAREAREA    NZ DOCUMENTARY               
LADY KILLERS    THE             COMEDY/DRAMA               
LAST TIME I SAW PARIS     THE    DRAMA
LAST WALTZ THE          MUSICAL (ROCK)    
LAVENDER HILL MOB                COMEDY/DRAMA               
LEBRUN/MOZART 1991 CONCERT    CLASSICAL MUSIC               
LESSONS FROM A MELTING ICECAP    DOCUMENTARY               
LIBRARIAN      THE    TV ADVENTURE SERIES               
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE    COMEDY               
MACMASTERS   THE                   
MAGIC CHRISTIAN      THE    COMEDY               
MASTER AND COMMANDER    ADVENTURE               
MIDSOMER MURDERS      SERIES 3                   
MIDSOMER MURDERS    SERIES 5                       
MIDSOMER MURDERS  SERIES 2    TV MYSTERY SERIES  
MIDSOMER MURDERS  SERIES 4                   
MILLION POUND NOTE     THE    COMEDY/DRAMA               
MOUSE THAT ROARED      THE    COMEDY               
NATURAL PRIME                    
NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND    DOCUMENTARY               
ON GOLDEN POND    DRAMA               
ONCE WERE WARRIORS    NZ  DRAMA               
PENNY SERENADE                   
PERILS OF PAULINE    THE    DRAMA               
PHILADELPHUA EXPERIMENT   THE    SCI FI MYSTERY               
PIANO     THE    NZ  DRAMA               
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS    COMEDY               
PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN    ADVENTURE/FANTASY        
PORRIDGE THE MOVIE    COMEDY               
POWER ON ONE    DRAMA               
RADWALL                   
RAINBOW VALLEY FARM    DOCUMENTARY               
RETROACTIVE                   
RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER     THE    COMEDY               
ROBIN HOOD    ADVENTURE               
ROHU    NZ  DOCUMENTARY               
RUN LOLA RUN                   
SCARLETT PIMPERNEL     THE    HISTORICAL TV SERIES               
SHADOW     THE    THRILLER               
SLEEPING DOGS            NZ DRAMA               
SMASH PALACE             NZ  DRAMA               
SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO    ADVENTURE             
SOME LIKE IT HOT    COMEDY               
SUDDENLY                   
SUPERSIZE ME                   
SWEET SMELL OF  SUCCESS    DRAMA               
THERE'S A GIRL IN MY SOUP    COMEDY               
THEY CALL ME TRINITY    WESTERN               
THIRD MAN      THE    DRAMA               
TOMMY                   
VERY BEST OF BENNY HILL    COMEDY               
WALK THE LINE    DRAMA               
WATERSHIP DOWN    DRAMA               
WESTWARD HO                     
WILD LIFE SYMPHONY    MUSIC               
WIND DANCER                   
WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN      THE    NZ DRAMA               
ZOLTAN KOCSIS PIANO RECITAL 1998    CLASSICAL MUSIC              

Monday, 12 September 2011

Book Review 'Music-A Joy For Life' reviewed by Ken Bridge

A Review of Hampden Library’s “Music. A Joy For Life” by Edward Heath.

When Edward Heath was Prime Minister of Britain, I thought he was a pompous politician. This autobiography proves he was much more than that.

He started to learn piano at 9 and became a chorister at the local church. The chorister’s pay was a penny ha’penny for each practice and tuppence ha’penny on Sundays. At the time, every leading composer, conductor, organist or music administrator in England received his basic grounding in church music.

He remembers as a boy he wondered what “pearl streams were, ‘......Through gates of pearl, streams in the countless host’. He learnt the organ. He found the exercises for right hand, left hand and the feet - separately
and together, gave more satisfaction than practising scales and arpeggios on the piano.

At grammar school he studied music theory, harmony and counterpoint; and the history of music. He started to conduct the school orchestra.

As a young boy he listened to music through earphones on a crystal set.

He attended morning rehearsals of the Proms; and concerts at The Queen’s Hall, The Albert Hall, Westminster Cathedral and The Roundhouse.

He was elected organ scholar at Balliol College, Oxford, with a fee of £80.0.0 per year.

His love of music continued his whole life, including concerts at No 10 Downing Street, and at Chequers.

The book is filled with references to composers: Mahler, Sibelius, Bach, Beethoven, Britten, Chopin, Brahms, Bruckner, Elgar, Grieg, Handel, Haydn,  Liszt, Mozart, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov, Puccini, Rossini, Schubert, Schumann, Shostakovitch, Strauss, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Vaughn Williams; and conductors: Malcolm Sargent, Henry Wood, Toscanini, Beecham, Barbirolli, von Karajan, Solti. Bernstein, Previn; and performers: Myra Hess, Kathleen Ferrier, Duke Ellington, Nureyev and Fonteyn, Curzon, Gina Bachauer, Isaac Stern, and Pinchas Zuckerman.

Edward Heath was President of the Oxford Union Debating Society, and began to conduct choirs and later orchestras. He recorded for EMI. He sang carols at Christmas, including in Germany in 1944 and 1945.

He recalls the first musical in Drury Lane in 1947 -‘Oklahoma!’ and the first visit to England of the Bolshoi Ballet in 1959.

The book contains sections on instruments of the orchestra, on conducting, on collecting records (with recommendations); notes on composers and a Glossary of Musical Terms.

Edward Heath believes music can work its miracle on each of us if we give it a chance. It can triumph over the conflict of mankind. Nobody can take it away from you.

Edward Heath’s “Music. A Joy For Life” has a wealth of memories and information that proves he is much, much more than a pompous politician.

Reviewed by Ken Bridge, Hampden.
“Music. A Joy For Life” by Edward Heath; Sidgewick & Jackson, 1976 ISBN 0 09 135231 2

Hampden Library information now freely available at anytime (if you have internet access).

Welcome to Alison's dream. 
Unfettered access to information from the Hampden Library. It's all here. It just takes to people to 'Post It' and for readers to read it.
Please notify Library staff of:-
Books,  (review, recommend)
URL links, (your own or anything appropriate to the local community)
Upcoming events,  (dancing, Tai Chi garden club meetings, markets)
DVDs,  (review, recommend)
Films,  (review, recommend, Film Appreciation Group)
Newspaper clippings,   (items of local interest, obits, WDC notices)
Happenings,   (church services, meetings drama)
or anything else you want the rest of the community to know about.

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Book lunch - it happened!

A select few gathered together today to see if a book lunch once a month would be a good idea and to initiate all into the processes of writing blogs.  The blogspot will hopefully provide a book and DVD recommendation service to many who don't wish to come out and talk about books and DVDs.
We hope all library readers will eventually post recommendations about the books they're reading.

That's enough for today until I see if the [process really works!

Friday, 9 September 2011

Other Hampden places of interest in blogs.

Our address: www.Hampden-Library.blogspot.com  It would be an idea to bookmark it.

Moeraki transmitter of Oamaru Heritage radio is on air 24 hours a day, on 107fm. It broadcasts a programme aimed at Moeraki and Hampden on Tuesday nights - 4pm to 10pm. See upcoming programmes at www.heritagewireless.blogspot.com

Hamraki Rag, the area's monthly newspaper puts all information that will appear in the next issue on its blog: www.hamrakirag.blogspot.com.

Oamaru weather up to 10 days in advance is available at http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/oamaru
Adverse weather warnings and storm warnings are available here too.


Our resident photographer in Hampden/Moeraki is Bent Jansen. As well as providing photos for the Rag and the Oamaru Mail, he takes photos around the town of anything that will catch his eye.
He posts photos of interest on his blog, which is at   http://www.hampdenphotos.blogspot.com/