A boy and his Na-pa

We spent 10 days over Christmas in pure heaven - my dad's garden.

My Dad's garden - he's an incredible gardener
There were jumps of pure joy and squeals from my kids when they were told "We're off to Papa's for Christmas".

My gorgeous god children at Christmas

For the kids that means...swimming all day long, picking veggies from his garden, collecting the eggs from the chooks and just having what all kids love - room to play and be wild!

And of course there's the added bonus, which is Papa's delicious dinners - my dad's a really good cook. 

Many photo ops for Max at Papa's

Coming home brings back memories from when I was small, mainly food based memories, things dad would make like Kaes-Spaetzen with salad and his special garlicky dressing which I'd drink straight out of the salad bowl and now frank does the same, or egg whites beaten with sugar till they're mallowy and then dad and I would eat them out of the same bowl watching The Benny hill show(looking back, probably not one of your parenting highlights).

I'm thinking this may be illegal - tractor rides with papa

And then there's this dish that dad makes, I'm not sure it has a name but it sure as hell has a reputation....

It is simply pasta with smoked ham, onions and egg, eaten with apricot jam - I here the gasping, but I kid you not it is one of the yummiest things he cooks and then as with everything my dad cooks he lets you know it's just as good the next morning re-fried and served for breakfast.

YOU"LL NEED:

A PIECE OF SMOKED BACON OR HAM ON THE BONE PREFERABLY - GERMAN STYLE - FROM ETHICALLY REARED PIGS
4-6 EGGS - PASTURE ORGANIC
2 BROWN ONIONS
SALT AND PEPPER

LARGE TUBE PASTA - I'M PRETTY SURE ANY SHAPE WOULD WORK
MARMALADE OR OUR CHOICE - APRICOT JAM

HOW TO COOK IT:

COOK YOUR PASTA TILL JUST COOKED

CHOP YOUR SMOKED MEAT INTO SMALL CUBES AND FRY IN A LITTLE RENDERED BACON FAT OR OLIVE OIL TILL CARAMELIZED

THEN ADD THE FINELY CHOPPED ONION AND FRY IT WITH THE BACON TILL GOLDEN

MAKE SURE YOUR PAN IS BIG ENOUGH THEN ADD THE PASTA TO THE BACON AND ONIONS AND

Dad and the chooks

 CRACK THE EGGS ON TOP OF THIS VERY QUICKLY STIR THE EGGS THROUGH THE PASTA SO EVERYTHING IS COATED AND THEN LET THE MAGIC BEGIN

COOK IT TILL A CRUNCH STARTS TO FORM WITH THE EGG ON THE PASTA - DO THIS TILL ALL THE PASTA IS SPECKLED WITH BROWN CRUNCHY BITS.

NOW SERVE ON PLATES WITH A SPOONFUL OF APRICOT JAM - WE LIKE TO MIX OUR THROUGH

YUM!

And can I just say there were fights for the tiny bowl of leftovers that particular morning.

We've been lucky enough to have my dad visit for the weekend (a few weeks back). The main reason he came was to support Jemima at her new school for German night(if you hadn't guessed my dad is German)- I'm not sure correcting the teacher was your best move dad, but you sure will be remembered.

Mima when she had Papa all to herself and with one of dad's brothers

It's a big deal my dad coming to Sydney, because he likes to work and tearing him away from his shop(Bonaparte's)can be hard -actually nearly impossible.

Huggles with his 3 grandkids

So it was no surprise the welcome he received from his three grandkids, one in particular - Wilco. This boy is in love with his Na-pa (which Wilco has affectionately re-named him).
While dad was here Wilco followed him around like a bad smell, talking to him incessantly asking question after question, demanding to touch his "crunchy" face and big tummy.
And my very sweet and calm father just answered every question while enjoying his few glasses of wine over a very in depth conversation with his almost 3 year old grandson - it was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen. 

Christmas lunch - german style

It's like Wilco new he was the same as him, just 70 years older. And when my dad left that morning to go back to work, not only did it break my son's heart, it broke mine watching Wilco's reaction. They had bonded and it made me realise how important grandparents are to have around on a regular basis and how kids relate and love them.
Well Papa is coming back(thanks to a bit of conspiring on my part with his partner Janine),
after all, the reason Wilco started pooing in the toilet was thanks to Na-pa,

all those conversations with him about poo worked and finally he dropped one in the toilet and has never looked back and the only person he wanted to tell was 
Na-pa.
So we rang papa and Wilco asked..."Na-pa I did poo in the toilet - you come to my birthday party?"
And my sweet boy, guess what, he is!


Recipe by Horst Schoeps aka Papa/Na-pa

©Michelle Schoeps 2013

All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps