First the obligatory baby shot! 
Getting a bath from Dad. This one did make me laugh, she is laughing too. Babies are like cats, they always look gorgeous in photographs!
Cooking with family is one of my most favourite things. Roast lemon chicken is also one of my favourite things. We went to the supermarket and found a lovely big well raised bird, stuffed it, squeezed local lemon juice all over it, ground on the pepper, and cooked it for an hour and a half. The stock from the vegetable peelings simmered for the gravy, while the dark red sweet potato, that was so close to the New Zealand Kumara, roasted alongside the cauliflower. 
The stuffing was begun with a good grainy bread, toasted and torn into chunky pieces, roughly chopped thyme, rosemary, onion and pear (for sweetness). In the absence of a citrus zester I carefully peeled a thin edge of lemon rind, and after chopping it finely, added this too. The mixture was soaked in balsamic vinegar and an egg. The whole mess was mixed up with my hands and stuffed into the chicken. Every single stuffing I make is different and this one was a wild success. 
My son has three small feijoa bushes in his garden, which have begun to yield smallish fruits, much to the excitement of the New Zealand side of this little family. On her walks his wife discovered that a neighbour has a few bushes too, though he only grows them for the flowers (horror). So we bought a few tart apples to offset the sweet fragrant tones of the feijoas, wifey raided the tree down the road to supplement our tiny harvest, and we made a Feijoa and Apple Crumble adding finely chopped almonds for extra crunch.
Good morning! The only thing about travelling is that early morning here is not the same time as early morning on the farmy, so your posts will be coming in later. The weather is lovely here though, warm, a little overcast, but perfectly lovely.
Today we will visit the consignment stores and post some presents back to Illinois. And tomorrow I am off back out into the world to fly back to New Zealand. But I will see you before that. Because today I am making a fridgeatta for lunch (Mack has a source of very good cheddar and we have left over roast vegetables in the fridge) and Mama’s lasagna for dinner.
If you do ever get to travel into this valley, or are even passing through, pull off and stand in the citrus orchards. The scent is as brilliant as shining clean sun. The air is not heavy with the smell of citrus, it is not a heavy smell, it kind of dances with the clear unadulterated freshness of mandarins, oranges, lemons. It does not join with other smells, it circles alone in the air. When we were driving yesterday I had the windows down and the scent cut straight through all the trafficky, fumey, murkey smokey smells of high speed heavy traffic and soared lightly right into the car. The smell of orange trees is like a music, it makes you raise and turn your head to face it.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
53 responses to “California roast chicken with lemon, thyme and pear stuffing”
Awwwwww! Aren’t grands wonderful! And that chicken recipe is one I must try. Bon voyage!
California always sounds rather magical, to me – perhaps one day I will visit and see for myself, but for now I will enjoy living vicariously!
One thing about california .. it is very well populated.. c
That chicken looks like it got the same treatment as baby – great baby face too 🙂
washed and dressed!! morning mad! c
Well you know the beautiful baby stole the show. 🙂 absolutely darling! The chicken and stuffing sound divine. Sounds like you are enjoying your trip. NZ is such a beautiful part of the world. 🙂
yes two more days and we will be on our way to NZ! not long now.. c
I miss the citrus groves in Israel. Beautiful and scented!
I love the smell of orange trees! You described it perfectly!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
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Adorable, adorable baby. And that scent of citrus. So lovely I can smell it through your descriptive writing.
California lemons are the best. I love the Meyer variety. Everything tastes better with a lemon.
I absolutely agree, we cannot grow them in illinois so I spend a lot of time smelling citrus in cali!! c
Your baby is beautiful! It must be hard to leave her. You made me wish for an invitation to dinner with that chicken. But what is a feijoa? A fruit? I have never heard of or seen such a thing. Safe travels!
My american daughter in law said it is like pineapple guava? It i can take a few frosts but not the real cold, we have hedges of them in NZ.. c
I had to look it up, too. They call it pineapple guava or guavasteen. Sounds like it’d be wonderful in a homemade ice cream base.
Safe travels further….
I love your description of the orange trees and their glorious fragrance. Are you super-sensitive to smells or is it really overwhelming? This question coming from one with an underdeveloped sense of smell.
I am supersensitive to smells, which is both a blessing and a curse! c
Worried for a moment that the baby was basted…what a cutie! Never tasted, seen or heard of feijoa–appalling ignorance, I know.
I’m smelling citrus too: a roasting ham joint with my patent orange/honey/ground cloves/coriander/Grand Marnier – a culinary joint effort, me instructing and pithering, Jock doing his best.
This afternoon is the first time I’ve felt hungry in a fortnight!
So glad you arrived safely. You don’t get much rest, do you?
so happy you are enjoying your trip!!!
Your time is my time, for just a day or two Celi. I love that your first post starts with Baby and then continues on to the making and sharing of food. The kitchen is the heart and soul of the home. Good thoughts, good times and good food to nourish your family, and create loving, lasting memories. Hugs V.