World Cup Champions / Champions du Monde 2011

As the summer season draws to a close...the clocks go back and our last big weekend is over...it is time to chill out, relax and snuggle up with these gorgeous golden glowing Autumn days slowly easing us into the bare branched snowy winter ahead.

October has been a fun full on month...what with the Escapade Gourmet walk, the Rugby World Cup finals, 30th, 50th and 60th birthday parties to cater for, a bunch of men from Belgium taking over my kitchen for the night and all capped off with a misty Halloween party for 17...seeing November in by the fireside in the menage surrounded by children in fancy dress munching on toasted marshmallows squashed between chocolate digestives...so where does one start!!

Being a proud Kiwi it has to be the Rugby World Cup!! From the start of the games through to the final in October we kept our fingers crossed and watched every game with a little angst and as the games got closer and closer to the final match with France we took nothing for granted as we watched the All Blacks beat Argentina in the quarter finals and then arch rivals Australia in the semi finals...then a historical grand leap against France and finally we are Rugby World Champions...we can now stop speculating and start celebrating!! For four whole years we will be the top rugby team in the world...those lovely All Black boys have made the nation proud and played out of their socks to keep the Webb Ellis trophy in NZ....and boy did the nation need it....

Our American guest Paul supports the All Blacks in style!

Our house had many and varied sitting on the sofa throughout the six weeks of games and we have shared our passion for the sport with Australians, American, French and English guests...a test for Michael's diplomacy skills at critical moments softened by his fabulous homemade sausage rolls prepared as part of the pre-match ritual every weekend...served at half time with my plum sauce and one then had the strength to make it through to the end of the match!

MICHAEL'S EDUCATED SAUSAGE ROLLS...fodder for the world of rugby fans

1. To create the filling mix together in a bowl the following ingredients:

half a kilo of good quality sausage meat
half a kilo of pork mince
1 large onion finely chopped and sauted gently in a little oil
2 cloves of crushed garlic
2 tablespoons of spicy homemade chutney
2 tablespoons of each finely chopped...fresh thyme, rosemary,
A cup [!!] of finely chopped parsley...the secret ingredient!

2. Using ready roll puffed pastry to make the sausage rolls cut the pastry into strips 15-20 cm wide and lay the mincemeat mixture along the centre third of the pastry...wet hands make this job a lot easier...
3. Moisten one side of the pastry with milk and roll the strips to create a long pastry wrapped sausage 4. Cut to size, prick the top with a fork and place onto a paper lined tray. Brush the top with milk.
5. Cook for 15 - 20 mins at 180 deg.
6. Serve on a large plate or platter with a central bowl of plum sauce or similar....especially good when your team is on a winning streak as they are brilliant to soak up inevitable celebratory drinks after the game!!