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”
That first meal with family we haven’t seen in a long time is always so memorable. And to be able to be involved in making the meal makes it all that more special. Now I’m off to google feijoa, something I’ve not heard of before.
Precious little poppet look so happy! Such fantastic food C, the best meals are always with family.
🙂 Mandy xo
It´s all going well and I agree about the oranges! Feijoa is new to me…sounds wonderful 🙂
What a little Sweatheart! Can a Feijoa be eaten raw or is it a cook only fruit? Also never heard of it and don’t remember it from my NZ travels either. Enjoy your family. Laura
Wonderful time! The precious baby is a beauty and I am sure she is loving the extra hugs and attention. I had to look up feijoa…but when I came across pineapple guava then I knew what we were talking about. My neighbor has three big bushes and they WERE lovely. I’ve never seen my husband as irate and “in your face” as the day they started chopping them down. That’s another story. Maybe I’ll plant my own…
Enjoy every moment, and we’ll be thinking of you tomorrow as you wing your way south! oxo
What a cutie! And thanks for the recipe. Safe travels and enjoy your family.
I have family in Fresno and we try to visit at least once a year. Our favorite part of the trip (aside from spending time with family) is driving around out in the country and stopping at Honey Crisp Farm on Lac Jac road in Reedley for fresh citrus and pomegranites. Soooo good! If you’ve never had Oro Blanco, you are missing out! We always end up driving back to Oregon with at least two boxes full of citrus!
What a Cutie Pie – already a heartbreaker:) Have a Great One – Spoil the wee one rotten!
Lovely baby shot, but then you know that my brain goes to mush at the moment when I see such a cuddle-able wee mite! I can almost catch a whiff of that perfect baby scent!
Christine
I love how you’re so inventive and resourceful with your cooking. What a wonderful family meal. I just love feijoas. They are all too rare here. You would think with NZ being so close we could have a few more imported xx
I’m just catching up with posts, and I like ‘Celi on the road’ 🙂 You are the best incarnation of “wherever you go, there you are” 🙂
Pear stuffing! Go girl!
Now I want to make pear stuffing — sounds delicious — and I want to smell the citrus in the Central Valley: I don’t believe I have ever smelled it there. But if you are near Fresno you are further south than my old stomping grounds of Los Banos.
I’m having broadband probs so will make this quick …
Your Grand-baby is a doll! How cute is she???
Glad you made it out there and obviously are enjoying your visit. Safe travels in Round Two that will take you to NZ..
Now we’ll see if this posts …
🙂
What a darling baby! You must be one proud Gramma!
You must be in heaven cooking for the young lad and his family……
Have a good flight back home to NZ Celi!