Mama Jen’s Table

06/07/2024

Sticktoitiveness. Not sure it’s in the dictionary but this word surely describes one of my characteristics. Five years ago today I was applauding myself for sticking with Duolingo’s Spanish program for 350 days. Today I’m close to a 2,000 day streak!

Now I just have to work out how to spread this tenacious characteristic further than just a language app. 🤔

21/12/2023

Some say - there may be merit in it - that I’m not as ept at slowing down as I am at blasting full pace.
That I should listen more to my body.

So … those beautiful people, who care for my health and happiness, will be pleased with this evidence of LISTENING TO MY BODY.

As I drove around 2 days ago, my body clearly said to me, “Chocolate milk shake! You need to drink a chocolate milk shake!” Quite a surprise actually, as I probably haven’t had one, not even thought of one, for 15 or more years. Last one was probably from a deli somewhere on Norwood Parade.

Indeed, I wasted some precious minutes just wondering where I could buy such a thing. I‘m not even sure there’s a deli in Adelaide any more.

Eventually, I remembered my new stick blender. I went to Foodland and bought Fleurieu full cream milk, Hershey’s chocolate syrup, Bulla’s vanilla ice cream (plus one of chocolate icecream, to be sure)., and made myself a huge, cold, delicious chocolate milk shake.

I swear I did. It’s true. I have a witness. Jamie Stott had one with me (her’s with almond milk).

And today - a pattern may be developing - I did it again!

Sitting on the back veranda, looking at my garden, and drinking another chocolate milk shake. Because you know, when your body tells you …

23/04/2023

Amazing man. Sad to see him go.

BREAKING NEWS:

Barry Humphries, Australian comedian,
creator of Dame Edna Everage and author, dies aged 89.

May he rest in peace.

20/04/2023

It’s extraordinary how something so simple can be so delicious. I learnt this recipe - if I can give it such a formal description- from New Zealand Māori friends living in Adelaide, more than 45 years ago. Nothing more yummy for a cold, bleak day.

The two key ingredients are pork bones, traditionally the backbone of the pig, and fresh watercress.

Because Aussie butchers don’t cut up the the pig in a way that leaves behind the vertebrae of the backbone - we like pork loin chops, which include that part - you can’t always find them.

Similarly, fresh watercress is often elusive, as there are very few fresh streams wandering through the South Australian landscape- at least, not with any water in them. In my early twenties, I’d quite often go for a Sunday drive with my Māori mates, and it was a hilarious sight. The guys are huge - envisage the biggest guys in the front row of a rugby scrum - and they’d be head and shoulders out of the car windows, craning to spot a stream. When they did, fence or no fence they’d be off, returning full of glee if their raid was successful.

Yesterday, I went to the biggest Chinese supermarket at the Adelaide Central Market and shopped the easy way, as they sell both pork bones and watercress.

So, I put 1kg of bones to boil and then simmer in a big pot. I kept them simmering until most of the meat came easily off the bones, cooked them a little and removed as much meat as I could. (This is a pakeha/ white girl’s extra step, to make the eating a little less messy.)

Then I put the bones back in the liquid, chopped up and added some root veges, spuds, butternut and kumera/ sweet potato, and let that all simmer for 30 minutes.

Then I rinsed the watercress, chopped it in half roughly and tossed it on top, cooking for another 10 minutes max.

Into my soup bowl went two huge ladles of the finished soup, including the bones, with some of the loose pork meat on top.

Salt and pepper.

It is soooooooo delicious. By the time I’m finished gnawing and sucking at the bones, there won’t be a dog in Adelaide that’d bother with them. Yum!

23/04/2022

Travelled over to rural Victoria with my sister Mary Ann for the long weekend, visiting t'other sister Sally - she who had the successful Café Cake franchise in Adelaide and Melbourne, back in the day, and now rules over her stunner Arabian horse stud.

When Sal says she's planning a fabulous dinner for us and their lovely neighbours, what should I do? Turns out, offering to make a Turkish delight pavlova was the correct answer. However, having opened my mouth, preparation was a bit of a challenge.

First, I found roses and other edible flowers in the garden, and then ran around the town like a mad thing finding a pomegranate, mascarpone, pistachios, Turkish delight and (yes, really) rosewater - not the normal shopping list for l'il country town, Mansfield.

Hat's off to Sami. the Indian chef at Mansfield's Curry Garden restaurant. Newly arrived in Australia, he'd never heard of a pavlova, but he was happy to give me three teaspoons of rose water, to fold into the whipped egg white and sugar mixture.

14/12/2021

ONLY TWO LEFT!
Friends and foodies it’s time to celebrate the holiday season🧑🏼‍🎄 and so I have a special set of three of my favorite sauces, available in a limited edition 3-pack for $25.00AUD.

Pickup or Uber collection only.

Order now by emailing [email protected]

11/11/2021

Fresh salads 🌼 are our speciality for catering events, weddings or parties.

Feeling all the brightness of summer coming our way while looking back at another recent event at .

08/11/2021

Platters for days at our recent Melbourne Cup lunch at

13/10/2021

Are you looking for the tastiest of flavours for your party this summer? Want to make it a Mexican Fiesta?

Give Mama Jen's Table a call today and get yourself a FREE quote!

06/10/2021

Are you a fiend for fish 🐟 tacos? What about spicy 🦐 prawn skewers?!

Got a party coming up? Give Mama Jen's a call for a FREE quote.

01/10/2021

We love seeing this kind of feedback from our customers.

Thanking Amanda Bell for her kinds words.

If you’re looking for your birthday party being catered with a special dish, give Mama Jen’s Table a call today.

30/09/2021

Who would have thought of combining chili and watermelon!?Our client loved the menu we suggested for her wedding, with this simple addition. It’s so delicious and refreshing!

Slice watermelon into bite-sized, easy to hold pieces. Add lime and sprinkle chili powder to suit your guests’ palate. As my little niece used to say, “EEEEEEE-licious!”

29/09/2021

Looking for catering with a difference? Give Mama Jen's Table a call for a FREE quote today.

23/09/2021

We've Got The Finger Licking Good Stuff!

Are you hosting a party or wedding this summer and looking for a catering team that you can not only trust, but one your guests will pat you on the back for the delightfully delicious dishes?

Give Mama Jen's Table a call today to get yourself a FREE quote.

17/09/2021

Are you getting festive this summer?

Adelaide Catered Events with recipes from around the world. Catering events, weddings, birthday-parties and special celebrations!

Get in touch, book now with Mama Jen’s Table today.

02/05/2021

These Jalopeño poppers need a day in the fridge to settle into their richest spiciness. Slow and easy in the preparation, gone in moments!

Coming from a tradition where nothing is wasted, the Mexican Mamas who create the most delicious poppers grate up every last scrap of rock hard cheese in their fridge, then add more chili flakes, crisp fresh red capsicum and a smidge of rubbed oregano.

Every time I make these - and no matter how many I make - they disappear like magic.

Visualize the scene. After the first bite everyone’s leaping back to sn**ch another mouthful, looking distressed as someone else swoops on the last one.

Everyone looking hopefully for more.

29/04/2021

Want to learn how to cook a “Round the World” meal, with recipes - this time - from Morocco, West Africa, and li’l old Adelaide?

Join Mama Jen for a private cooking class this coming week, on Wednesday, May 5.

After a wander around Mama Jen’s kitchen garden to pick some fresh herbs, you’ll put on an apron and work with a small group of fellow travellers to prepare a delicious meal, using three recipes from some of Jen’s favourite countries.

The 2 1/2 hour class finishes with a convivial meal.

Book now at Airbnb - https://abnb.me/0I6Ksp09Pfb

Unforgettable trips start with Airbnb. Find adventures nearby or in faraway places and access unique homes, experiences, and places around the world.

05/04/2021

Nothing beats a fresh salad. Well except one shared with a group of new friends.

Mama Jen’s Table now offering limited spot ‘Round the World’ cooking classes, with recipes from around the world.

https://bit.ly/3fDhdOh

Join Mama Jen on a Wednesday afternoon by visiting Airbnb and experience an afternoon chatting about some of the more unusual ingredients and a wander around Mama Jen’s kitchen garden.

Sign on up today, don an apron, chat and learn, laugh and smile, sit down and say cheers 🥂 with new friends and a delicious née meal you helped create.

01/04/2021

Want to learn how to cook a “Round the World” meal, with recipes - this time - from West Africa, Russia and Lebanon? Join Mama Jen for a private cooking class later this month.

Book now at Airbnb - https://bit.ly/3fDhdOh

Guests at Mama Jen’s small group classes don their cooking aprons and work together to prepare a delicious meal, usually using 3 recipes from the countries where she’s worked.

A chat about some of the more unusual ingredients, and a wander around Mama Jen’s kitchen garden are usually part of the 2 1/2 hour cooking class, which finishes with a convivial meal shared together.

01/04/2021

We had an amazing time at on Sunday. Our first festival event, it was exciting, challenging, delightful and an absolutely wonderful experience.

Our Pandan Pancakes sold out!!

Thank you for everyone that came and to all those that tried our tasty dishes.

Photos :

21/03/2021

PANDAN PANCAKES WITH COCONUT CARAMEL FILLING/ DADAR GULUNG

This is a much-loved Indonesian traditional dish. The pancake’s bright green colour comes from the fragrant pandan leaf, a versatile aromatic spice used in cooking all across South East Asia, both for sweet and savoury dishes.

The fresh, grated coconut filling inside the soft, warm pancake has been poached with cinnamon and rich, dark palm sugar.

BTW: For your next BBQ, try pandan chicken from Angelakis Brothers at Adelaide Central Market; pieces of chicken are wrapped in pandan leaf, keeping the meat moist while adding an exotic, aromatic flavour.

13/03/2021

The French may have invented it, but Ubud’s long-time favourite restaurant, KAFE, has raised it to a whole new level – and for many years of living in Indonesia, the Almond-Caramel Encrusted French Toast was Mama Jen’s favourite reason to get out of bed in the morning. Served with fresh pineapple and strawberries, it’s absolutely indescribably deee-lish! Thanks to super-chef Pak Made Adi Astawa for allowing MJT to use his recipe.

10/03/2021

Throughout history, people have come together over delicious food to put the seal on important events.

Many occasions are truly special in our lives. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and cultural events are happy times while others - farewells, funerals - can be bitter sweet. We understand what these special days mean to you.

At home or in your chosen venue, our selection of delectable dishes from around the world will add something unique to your event. Trust our smiling, efficient team; we want you to relax and make the most of this precious occasion.

09/03/2021

Perfect “Surf” pairing. Soft Fish Tortillas from California, spicy chili prawns from southern Spain. Flour tortilla, crunchy red cabbage, crispy beer-and-spices-battered fish, coriander, slices of jalopeño pepper, lime wedges, pickled red onion and the secret tangy, mayo. Mama Jen loved the Gambas Pilpil (spicy, chili garlic prawns) so much that she brought 3kg of the pilpil spice mix back from a little market in Valencia, Spain, on her last trip. Now, she’s cracked the code!

24/02/2021

Normally, the combination of pineapple and strawberry spells dessert, right?

Not here.

When you combine the freshly diced fruit with the crunch of celery and spring onions, then spice and tart it up with and chopped coriander, jalapeño peppers and fresh lime juice, it’s a totally different story.

Typifying the sweet, tart and super spicy flavours of the tropical Caribbean islands, this tangy strawberry and pineapple salsa is the perfect complement for the old-fashioned comfort of a bowl of Jamaican black beans. In fact, like many other bean-based dishes, the combo is a favourite street food menu item from the Mama Jen’s Table “Wanderers” collection.

I guess traditionally it’d be served in some sort of woven palm-leaf basket, but a decent sized paper cup with a bamboo spoon works just as well. Just plain yum!

22/02/2021

Mama Jen’s table caters for large and small corporate events, from confidential business meetings and in-house training programs to large state or national conferences.

We will provide an on-time, on-budget menu that adds something special to the day, letting you get on with the business in hand.

You can concentrate on your business needs and leave the rest to us without breaking the bank. How convenient is that?

17/02/2021

Years ago, I did some literature research, going all the way back to Shakespeare, for my sister Sally, a creative baker who was starting up her own cakes-to-cafés business, called Quotable Cooks. We found several wonderful, inspiring quotations about food and cooking, and Sally made good use of them in her packaging and marketing.

My all-time favourite quote is Elsa Schiaparelli’s, “A good cook is a sorceress who dispenses happiness.” Indeed, dispensing happiness is the guiding principle behind Mama Jen’s Table (and all good cooking, I believe).

Sal has moved on to successful businesses in other fields, her latest being a boutique Arabian horse stud in Mansfield, Victoria, where she also has the ultimate Airbnb – The Darl Suite. But back in the day, Quotable Cook’s culinary creations splashed on the front page of The Australian’s Weekend Magazine more than once, with desperate readers begging in vain for the recipes.

Relevance for today’s post? Sal doesn’t use her out of this world super-delicious recipes much these days … but as long as I keep in her good books, I do! Thank heaven for sisters.

So it was hardly surprising, when the MJT Field Research Team (AKA enthusiastic friends) tried Sal's Rhubarb, Raspberry & Coconut Teacake, it was declared a knock-out success! We’ll add it to the MJT High Tea menu, and also serve it hot as our dessert on the Dinner Party menu – probably with a swirl of raspberry coulis and a decent dollop of coconut gelati.

16/02/2021

Did anyone say tacos?! Took a couple days off after a busy weekend cooking up a storm!

12/02/2021

How would you too your meringues?

10/02/2021

A STARSHIP USS ENTERPRISE PARTY

Do you need some advice with catering for an unusual occasion? We often do research to get the menu just right for a special event, but hands down the zaniest request we’ve ever had was from two dear friends, who wanted to combine their tenth anniversary party with the “launch” of Leonie’s finally completed model of the original 1701 Starship USS Enterprise.

Pressure on! We had Trekkies coming from all over Australia – no, wait, the Galaxy - dressed straight out of the original 1960s Star Trek series, and knowing every little detail about the dietary habits of other galactic species.

Forget “gluten free” and “peanut allergy”, we’re talking Klingons and Vulcans, with who knows what allergies and special dietary requirements! Still, everyone seemed content on the night. Guacamole is universal, we discovered – my Guac is “earth famous”, after all – but the multi-coloured Klingon Gahn Worms were the hit of the night. …. Even if Klingons express their delight in good food in some rather weird ways. I won’t go there lol.

What this means for you is that you can relax. Mama Jen’s Table will help you conjure up the perfect menu for virtually any occasion.