Super Nan... My hero!!!

I made my Nan's homemade spaghetti today... Yummo!

& a relish with my Green Zebra tomatoes, but that's just relish & Nan's spaghetti is much more fun!

 FUN AS IN : Next time, put the spaghetti in the jars BEFORE you add the sauce

(Just a wee tip for you all!)

My Nana is just possibly the most beautiful, fun, loving and inspiring woman I know. You can all blame her (and my gorgeous late papa) for my gardening madness. When I was a kid, Nana and Papa had an amazing acre in Waikanae in the Horowhenua. They were one of the first families to make this now very popular area there home. Nana was always a gardener, and when papa retired they started sending the fruits (maybe I should say 'Flowers') of their labour to Wellington flower market. I was about 6 years old at this time and lived in Silverstream in the Hutt Valley. Almost every weekend (and all the school holidays) I'd go to Nana and Papas house and follow them around the garden, pick things for the market. Particularly grape hychinths... papa's fingers were too big for the the small stems :) When I was about 7, I announced to Nan that I'd like to be florist... She was pretty chuffed when that happened at age 17. She and I are the greatest of friends. She lives just around the corner from me and I see her 4 or 5 times a week... I never visit a garden center without her. She has passed on so much of her gardening knowledge to me, along with an absurd passion for producing goodness for my family and friends. This is her and I at her 88th birthday last year. Love ya Nan, I think the world of you xxxx

This is her Spaghetti recipe

(probably the same as everyone else's, but mine is hand written by someone special!)

4 or so kgs of Tomatoes (peel if you like but I don't really see the point!)

400g chopped onions

150g sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1teaspoon pepper

Simmer together in a pot for for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile cook 400g (or as much as you see fit) spaghetti in a pot of salted boiling water until done.

Put even amount of spaghetti in sterilised jars then add sauce (don't over do spaghetti or else you'll be left with loads of sauce) then put 1tsp of citric acid to top of each jar before sealing with lids.

PERFECT!