Try anything once

I don't have an over abundance of tamarillos, in fact I've never even tasted one. They are rarely to be seen at the local supermarket, so I jumped at the chance of purchasing these colourful beauties when visiting the Victorian Market in Melbourne on Thursday. It also happened to be "market day" and the vast array of vegetables and fruits before me was quite overwhelming. My initial thought was "what happens to all of this stuff that isn't sold?" I also picked up blood oranges, pink grapefruit and broccoli rabe, all of which I'm unable to purchase here in the country. Thumbs up for the oranges and grapefruit....blaaaah to the rabe. I'm sure there is a fantastic recipe out there somewhere for it, but obviously it wasn't the one I happened to choose.

So with only a dozen tamarillo, chutney was the obvious choice to allow me to venture into this new tastefest. Besides, if the tamarillo are as bad as the rabe, at least the other ingredients such as vinegar, brown sugar and apples should disguise them, right?

It's bubbling away on the stove right now, and I'm sad to say, it smells disgusting, but a taste test revealed a more sweet than sour flavour (along with burnt lips and tongue), and I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm hoping that when it has reduced down, a stronger flavour will develop.

Yep, I was right. After a lengthy simmer, the chutney turned into a beautiful deep reddy brown colour and thickened up to the just-right consistency for eating it with bread. Dinner last night was a platter of the normal standbys found in the fridge, along with a chunk of Milawa King River Gold and Milawa camembert, a loaf of Rose Levy Berenbaum's Jewish Rye bread, (even though it was slightly burnt on the outside..I've yet to post about the trials and tribulations of my wood fired pizza oven) and a glass or two of red.

I always have Milawa cheese on hand, mainly because the Cheese Factory is only 10 minutes away, and half a dozen or so family members are part of the establishment in one way or the other as well.

I'll deal with the cholesterol problems soon, I promise.