Odd couples…

Some things just don’t go together: oil and water, Brad and Jen, children and chillies and chocolate and thyme. Dinner at home last Friday for friends with their young daughter Lulu and my 25-year-old niece Danielle visiting from Adelaide, was a case in point.

I had the day off and planned an afternoon of cooking and baking. The day was exquisite – autumn at its best – and was marred only by an electrical fault that took the electrician and his apprentice six hours and $750 to repair. Apron on and experimental chef’s hat on, I decided to try some recipes I’d not cooked before (the first rule of what not to do when entertaining) and set about making meatballs with tagliatelle and a chocolate and thyme cake for dessert.

Now you wouldn’t think meatballs would take all that long but once I’d chopped all the herbs and onions and garlic, made breadcrumbs from bread which had to be dried out in the sun because the oven wasn’t working because the electrician had turned off the power, well, it seemed to take an eternity. The chocolate cake (600g of dark Lindt later!) processes went seamlessly enough and I even managed not to curdle the chocolate and butter mixture, something I’m always afraid of doing since I seem to manage it most times. I did baulk a little at the addition of the dried thyme to the mix but, hey, I’ll try anything once.

I’d cooked the meatballs on purpose because it’s food that children love, even if this recipe was a little more gourmet than most. The addition of half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes worried me not at all because I didn’t realise children can apparently spot a chilli at a thousand paces. We vigorously denied any such thing had gone into the mix (“just a bit of pepper, dear”) but I think she twigged, which made it all the more admirable that she ate the whole ball (they were big).

I’m sure the poor monkey thought it would all be worth it with the promise of a big piece of chocolate cake, until she tasted it, screwed up her nose in disgust and opted for an old Easter egg with Smarties. My niece soldiered on valiantly through gritted teeth (hard to do when you’re eating) and the adults were divided: some claiming it was wonderful and “earthy” and one saying it was just awful. Thanks.

I’m undecided but don’t care because I’ll never make it again.