by Lea Hogg
If you happen to be on holiday on this beautiful island or live amongst us, do visit the village of Qrendi where the feast of Santa Maria is celebrated today.
Photography: Ian Noel Pace during a visit last year before the feast of Santa Marija.
The village cultivates potatoes as well as carob and figs, grapes, prickly pears and capers.
Each day here I live a dream, the hot sun shines, the people are wonderful, the colours are vibrant….is this real ?
Out come the rods and we are showered with carob fruit.
I love making the syrup and there is so much you can do with the fruit.
The pods are gathered and taken away.
Sido arrives to cut prickly pears. Cutting is recommended first thing in the morning when the spikes are gentler.
And more rods!
And specialised equipment …
And bare hands too ….
Sidio starts to peel the fruit
Kathy, a local business woman with her grand daughters Loredana and Yanika.
And wait there is more ….
Visit Qrendi today 🙂
This is the life … where have we gone wrong ?
If you have some free time today, visit Qrendi !
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9 Comments on “The feast of Santa Maria in Qrendi”
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![Crunchiest Potatoes and still soft inside [with sesame seeds, fennel seeds and couscous]](https://i1.wp.com/leahogg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Maltese-Roast-Potatoes.jpg?fit=1200%2C658&ssl=1&resize=200%2C200)
![Barley and fresh mint soup with greek yoghurt [gluten free, diabetic friendly]](https://i0.wp.com/leahogg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/barley-yoghurt-soup...jpg?fit=1200%2C896&ssl=1&resize=200%2C200)
![The weather is changing and here comes the autumn and some delicious roasts. Sprinkling some raw couscous on fennel and sesame seed potatoes before roasting them makes them extra crunchy and so soft inside.
300g potatoes, chopped with skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons uncooked couscous
1 teaspoon fresh or dried herbs [optional]
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
Sea Salt
Prepare an oven dish by greasing with a tablespoon of olive oil. In a large bowl toss the potatoes with the olive oil, herbs and salt if you are using it. Finally add the raw couscous and toss again. Use your hands to mix the potatoes and ensure that they are consistently covered.
Place in a preheated oven at 220C for 35 minutes. Spinkle with more sea salt if desired, fennel and sesame seeds.
Serve hot or cold with drinks and a toothpick or as a side to a main meal. The inside remains soft and so creamy !
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.
#lovemalta roast #roastdinner #roastpotatoes #roastlunch #sundaylunch #sunday #food #foodie #healthy #quickandeasyfood #simple #familyfood #budgetmeals #glutenfree #vegan #life #love #yummy #veganfood #malta #lovinmalta #lovemalta #recipes #cooking #instafood #blog #familyfoodtribe #fennelseeds #sesameseeds #deliciousfood #mediterraneanfood](http://scontent-ams3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/388f6e69a9fce93ca8e3604389ab5208/5C301F20/t51.2885-15/e35/s150x150/41891006_946226838918442_1611937023861337886_n.jpg "The weather is changing and here comes the autumn and some delicious roasts. Sprinkling some raw couscous on fennel and sesame seed potatoes before roasting them makes them extra crunchy and so soft inside.
300g potatoes, chopped with skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons uncooked couscous
1 teaspoon fresh or dried herbs [optional]
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
Sea Salt
Prepare an oven dish by greasing with a tablespoon of olive oil. In a large bowl toss the potatoes with the olive oil, herbs and salt if you are using it. Finally add the raw couscous and toss again. Use your hands to mix the potatoes and ensure that they are consistently covered.
Place in a preheated oven at 220C for 35 minutes. Spinkle with more sea salt if desired, fennel and sesame seeds.
Serve hot or cold with drinks and a toothpick or as a side to a main meal. The inside remains soft and so creamy !
.
.
.
#lovemalta roast #roastdinner #roastpotatoes #roastlunch #sundaylunch #sunday #food #foodie #healthy #quickandeasyfood #simple #familyfood #budgetmeals #glutenfree #vegan #life #love #yummy #veganfood #malta #lovinmalta #lovemalta #recipes #cooking #instafood #blog #familyfoodtribe #fennelseeds #sesameseeds #deliciousfood #mediterraneanfood")
![The weather is changing and here comes the autumn and some delicious roasts. Sprinkling some raw couscous on fennel and sesame seed potatoes before roasting them makes them extra crunchy and so soft inside.
300g potatoes, chopped with skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons uncooked couscous
1 teaspoon fresh or dried herbs [optional]
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
Sea Salt
Prepare an oven dish by greasing with a tablespoon of olive oil. In a large bowl toss the potatoes with the olive oil, herbs and salt if you are using it. Finally add the raw couscous and toss again. Use your hands to mix the potatoes and ensure that they are consistently covered.
Place in a preheated oven at 220C for 35 minutes. Spinkle with more sea salt if desired, fennel and sesame seeds.
Serve hot or cold with drinks and a toothpick or as a side to a main meal. The inside remains soft and so creamy !
.
.
.
#lovemalta roast #roastdinner #roastpotatoes #roastlunch #sundaylunch #sunday #food #foodie #healthy #quickandeasyfood #simple #familyfood #budgetmeals #glutenfree #vegan #life #love #yummy #veganfood #malta #lovinmalta #lovemalta #recipes #cooking #instafood #blog #familyfoodtribe #fennelseeds #sesameseeds #deliciousfood #mediterraneanfood](http://scontent-ams3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/6f21636133efa8101d751fcd0c4d7a0b/5C45F562/t51.2885-15/e35/41891006_946226838918442_1611937023861337886_n.jpg "The weather is changing and here comes the autumn and some delicious roasts. Sprinkling some raw couscous on fennel and sesame seed potatoes before roasting them makes them extra crunchy and so soft inside.
300g potatoes, chopped with skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons uncooked couscous
1 teaspoon fresh or dried herbs [optional]
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
Sea Salt
Prepare an oven dish by greasing with a tablespoon of olive oil. In a large bowl toss the potatoes with the olive oil, herbs and salt if you are using it. Finally add the raw couscous and toss again. Use your hands to mix the potatoes and ensure that they are consistently covered.
Place in a preheated oven at 220C for 35 minutes. Spinkle with more sea salt if desired, fennel and sesame seeds.
Serve hot or cold with drinks and a toothpick or as a side to a main meal. The inside remains soft and so creamy !
.
.
.
#lovemalta roast #roastdinner #roastpotatoes #roastlunch #sundaylunch #sunday #food #foodie #healthy #quickandeasyfood #simple #familyfood #budgetmeals #glutenfree #vegan #life #love #yummy #veganfood #malta #lovinmalta #lovemalta #recipes #cooking #instafood #blog #familyfoodtribe #fennelseeds #sesameseeds #deliciousfood #mediterraneanfood")
Great photos! Would love to be there. [?]
Thank you Gayla, you must vist one day 🙂
Very lovely coverage and article. I love the interaction of people and pride of being in the action.
Thank you Fae, the people of Qrendi are a pleasure !
How wonderful!! So much colour and vibrancy and life! It all looks so amazing xx
Thank you, yes we are blessed to live here !
You live in a wonderful place, Lea – and you contribute to it easily as much as it does to you. What a wonderfully symbiotic relationship ! 🙂
Thank you Margaret Rose I appreciate every second here, the traditions and natural resources. How kind of you to say that I contribute to it ! Hope you are enjoyimg your weekend 🙂
If only I could grasp and believe the fact that it is Sunday: my brain thinks it’s Monday. :-\