Bokarina, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Welcome to our new ‘Inspired Feast’ food series with Jess, where she gets in the kitchen with some of our favourite brand owners, cooks & customers to chat about what inspires them most.
In our first instalment of this series, Jess chats with our beloved supplier, customer and friend, Fran Leman!
~
There’s something about Fran …
The way she creates a banquet of deliciousness so effortlessly and the way she brings to life the simple flavour of each ingredient together to make the flavours dance in your mouth, leaving you asking for more.
Watching Fran create in the kitchen is a source of inspiration for me every time. Each dish she creates is fun to watch and gets my creative juices flowing.
Her first memories of cooking were preparing meals for her mum who loved entertaining friends and hosting dinners, even for the local priest. When reminiscing about her favourite food memory, Fran says choosing one would be too hard.
“There are too many to recall a favourite. For me, it’s about the collective memory of cooking,” Fran says.
“It’s not so much about the food, it’s about the table setting and the people I’m sharing it with.” – Fran Leman
Her favourite spice: Sumac
Her favourite utensil: Spatula
Her favourite fresh ingredient: Tomato
Her go-to meal she would serve the Queen: A simple and elegant tomato risotto
And her favourite heartwarming dish: Mash potato with whatever topping she has going at the time!
Fran’s kitchen reflects her passion, with beautiful platters, bowls, and kitchen appliances in view. Her husband Nathan’s well-crafted galley display showcases these treasures, offering a source of inspiration as you stand back to see what you have to work with. No dusty platters hidden away in cupboards here!
My favourite kitchen pieces I discovered at Fran’s included a beautifully handcrafted knife from Tom’s Knifery in Noosa she recently got for Christmas, the 30-year-old citrus juicer her mother-in-law gave her when her and Nathan first got together, and her crepe pans we cooked the zucchini fritters on!
Oh and of course, her tong collection!
Fran loves to batch cook and is super organised and efficient in the kitchen, and still manages to keep it free flowing and creative.
The process of creating beautiful food flows through Fran and you can see and feel the love she puts into the meals she is creating for her family and friends who gather nightly to share a feast. An invitation to her table promises not just a meal, but an experience.
Her house is definitely a home and I would love to sit down at her table when she makes her favourite tomato risotto for the Queen!
I’m hoping to get an invite before then to try this dish.
Key inspiration tips for me from my afternoon with Fran:
Yoghurt and feta sauce (it was delicious – just the two ingredients blended together)
Use buckwheat in my tabouli with finely chopped dates in it
Introduce more sumac into my cooking
Use iced water in my hummus (Fran’s tip from ongeletti)
I love a Persian Love Cake
Don’t be so lazy! Strain my grated zucchini and de-seed my cucumbers when appropriate.
*Also, that I definitely would love a new handcrafted knife (hint hint for Bel – from Tom’s in Noosa!).
**And that I love cooking and learning from people who are in love with food. It’s not about the recipe or the measurements or being perfect, it’s about capturing the essence and the energy of the ingredients and creating from the heart – my favourite way to cook!
Fran definitely nailed this!
Fran’s Inspired Banquet
Zucchini fritters
Creamy bone broth hummus
Roasted beetroot carrots with sumac on a delicious yoghurt and feta sauce
Buckwheat tabouli
Cos lettuce
Eggplant tomato pickle
And for dessert, Persian Love Cake with Coyo Greek yoghurt and Marcino cherries.
My contribution: bite size beef rissoles
What a feast we shared and we certainly enjoyed every mouthful!
Fran is also the co-owner of Plantasy Foods, a gluten free food company based on the Sunshine Coast.
Fran and her business partner Monica distribute and ship their handmade products to four countries and counting! Her mac and cheese range is a huge hit with our customers, and also people around the world.
You can view their full range of products in our shop, as well as in many others on the coast and around the country.
We love supporting our local producers and sharing stories like Fran’s. I hope this inspired banquet inspires you to get in the kitchen and experiment with new flavours!
My mission is to share my love of food and inspire others to fall in love with cooking and delicious food. Experiment, have fun, discover where your food comes from and create memories with the people you love.
And of course, cook from the heart!
Jess xx
Big thank you to Lindy Storee Smith for these beautiful photos.
Check out Fran’s website here.
Great read Jess! Love this new addition to the blog – will need to keep an eye out for it. Looking forward to more food inspo!