If you can't be a pine . . .

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley . . . but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass . . .
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew.
There's something for all of us here,
There's big work to do, and there's lesser to do,
And the task you must do is near.

If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun, be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail . . .
Be the best of whatever you are!
~D. Malloch



This has long been a favourite poem of mine. It puts into poetic verse the very way I feel about life. It would be easy to look at others and think to yourself . . .

They're so much smarter than me, they are so much more important than me, they are better than me, etc.

The truth is

without an audience . . . a pop star is just another singer.

without a patient . . . a Doctor is just a man with a bag.

without a restaurant full of hungry people . . . a chef is just a cook.

You get my drift, I am sure. The thing is there is no one person on this earth that has any job that is more important than another. When you look at the inside of a clockwork, you see a great many parts, some big and other's quite minuscule. They are, each one of them, integral to the workings of the clock, for if you were to take one of them away, even the least of them . . . the clock would stop working.



What matters most in life is "who" you are, not what you are . . . and if you try always to be the best "who" you can possibly be, then no-one can ask any more of you and you will one day hear those words . . . I am sure . . . "Well done my faithful servant . . . well done."

Just my thoughts on this Saturday morning . . .

Rhubarb is one of my favourite fruits. When we were children my mother used to give us each a small bowl of sugar and a stick of raw rhubarb and this would be a real treat. We would happily sit there for hours, sticking the end of the rhubarb into the sugar and then sucking and biting it off the end until our jaws positively ached! We loved it. I haven't done that in years . . . perhaps it's time I tried it again. What do you think? In the meantime I think I'll just enjoy it in this tasty tart!



*Rhubarb and Berry Crumble Tart*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

I love rhubarb in any way shape or form, but when you combine it in a tart with delicious berries and top the whole thing off with a tasty crumble topping, well . . . this is bliss . . . pure and utter bliss!

1 unbaked 8 inch tart base
(your own or store bought)
850g rhubarb, washed and cut into 1 inch lengths
1 1/4 cups raspberries (blackberries, blueberries and loganberries also work well)
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 cup caster sugar, divided (superfine sugar)
1 cup plain flour (all purpose)
1 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp ground ginger
150g chilled unsalted butter, cubed



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Line your tart shell with some parchment paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Place on a baking tray and bake blind in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until set and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven. Remove the beans or rice and the paper.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over high heat and add the rhubarb. Cook for 2 minutes, or just until tender. Drain well and combine in a bowl with the berries, orange zest, and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Taste and add a bit more sugar if needed. Spoon this fruit mixture into the partially baked tart shell.

To make the crumble topping, combine the flour, ground almonds, ginger and the remaining sugar. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips, until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle this crumble mixture evenly over top of the fruit, pressing it on lightly. (Don't press down too firmly as you don't want to compact it and make it too dense)

Place the tart, still on the baking tray, back into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tart shell is nicely crisp, the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling nicely underneath. Allow to cool to room temperature or just barely warm before cutting into slices to serve.

This is delicious on it's own or served with some cream or ice cream.



If you'd like to see what tasty dish we had for our main meal, hop on over to The English Kitchen and take a gander. This was wonderful!

(I do apologize if some of you have gotten multiple post notices from me this morning. Blogger posted my entry before I was finished editing it. It's been doing that to me a lot lately!! I wish they would get all the bugs sorted out and soon!)