winosandfoodies

November and My Cabbage Salad Recipe

Bourke Street Bakery

Whoa it's December already. What happened to 2011? Only 25 days until Christmas and I have not been Christmas shopping at all. ...and I have no idea how I'm going to be ready for Christmas 2011. We are moving to a new apartment the first week of December.

One blessing, Michael, my youngest son, is doing the entire Christmas feast for the first time....and at his house.  A little sad we won't have left overs in the our fridge, but a small price to pay for a no stress Christmas feast.

At the beginning of November Bryan and I took a road trip to Sydney. We went via Warwick so we could meet up with Krista from Rambling Tart, who moved here recently.

With Krista

 From Warwick we headed to Armidale where I had booked what was described on their website as luxury B & B. It was far from luxurious. We left the moment we awoke the following morning.  Leaving Armidale we headed toward the coast on Highway 78.

Known as the Waterfall Way it is described as one of Australia's most beautiful drives. It crosses over the Great Dividing Range.

Ebor Falls Highway 78

We travelled from west to east. I'd like to drive it in reverse next time.

Highway 78 views

Thankfully the B & B I had booked at Bellingen turned out to be a charming stopover after the disaster of Armidale. Ian and Ulrieke planted a beautiful garden around their home and called it The Rose Patch.   

The Rose Patch gardens

The formal part of the garden was full of roses and lilies in bloom. Through the formal garden and over the fence is  a bush walk through native bush with birds and local fauna. Back in our room later in the afternoon I realised I had brought back a leech attached to my ankle. He was a fat little leech by the time I discovered him.

Bush walk  at Bellingen

We awoke the following morning to a misty day.

Morning mist at Bellingen

Breakfast was served on the front deck overlooking the gardens, complete with Ulrieke's home made bread, farm fresh free range eggs and a jam made with the local Davidson plum. The jam had a delicious sour taste. I loved it.

Breakfast at the Rose Patch Bellingen

Next stop Sydney where we caught up with  friends before I attended the Eat Drink Blog Conference. Here are a few photos of conference day.

Eat Drink Blog 2011

We spent an evening with @Carmr at La Casa...and yes the polpotte, made to her Mother's secret recipe,  are a highlight. We can also recommend the gnocchi and the pappardelle.  Her Papa was there and allowed me to take his photo.

Carmen and her Papa

Bourke Street Bakery was on my 'to do' list so we met friends there for coffee and pastries.

Pastries with Madame Shawshank at Bourke St Bakery

 

Chocolate Rapsberry Muffin

I love the apple galette.

Apple Galette

On our last morning we headed to Marrickville Markets for breakfast with my little friends Max and Charlie.

  Breakfast with Max and Charlie

Fresh seasonal produce.

Marrickville Markets

 Coming home we stopped overnight at Coff's Harbour. Despite Australia having plenty of coastline it is really difficult to find accommodation on the beach. This is the view from the dining room of the Aanuka Beach Resort.

On our last coffee stop of the day we discovered the little cafe/wine bar Evolution at Ballina.  Again really hard to find cafes and restaurants by the beach in Australia. Evolution at least has a water view.

Evolution Cafe Ballina

I cannot remember the muffin flavour but it was good.

........and as promised, a recipe for a simple cabbage salad. Alter quantities to suit number of servings. This amount is enough for two as a lunch dish. It is best made and served immediately.

CABBAGE SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 head of a small cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated.
• quality olive oil
• 1/2 lemon

 

METHOD

• Mix cabbage and parmesan
• Place on serving plate.
• Drizzle with oil, a few drops of lemon juice and a grating of pepper.
• Serve

CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS FOR A LARGER VIEW.

 

August - The Past Month

You would not believe how much my life changed this month. After 10 months of living with pain I finally found a solution . After much experimenting we have hit on the right drug in the right dosage. My pain is so under control I feel like a new woman....and I have been busy.

Julia and Nina came over for lunch. She is adorable isn't she?

How beautiful is that smile? I suspect Bryan was standing behind me being silly when I took this.

Early in the month we went up to Hervey Bay for a few days.

One day we spent a slow couple of hours over lunch at a sunny table by the window at  Coast. The food was excellent and the service spot on.

Our trip to Hervey Bay was to attend the annual Seafood Festival.  I had pre-booked seats at the Taste of The Bay lunch. Communal tables are always a bit of a worry but we were seated with two couples, charming Hervey Bay locals. (Hi Brenda, Bruce and Kendall)

Lunch was a series of small tastes of the local seafood from Hervey Bay area. We finished the meal with some Queensland cheese and strawberries.

After lunch we sat in the sun and did a spot of people watching.

My  friend Peter was in town. He writes and photographs the beautiful and very successful Sydney blog Souvlaki for the Soul.   Lunch sounded like a good idea and we decided to try out   Gillian Hirst's Garden Cafe.

I chose the gnocchi. I always   do.

Bryan and Peter went for the Veal and Porcini Pie.

There was cake for dessert. The lemon curd roll was the bees knees and I'll be going back for more. Although I think I'd like to work my way through all the cakes on display.

The cafe is set in a garden centre with lots of greenery and pretty flowers.

..............and there is a whole section of vintage homeware.

A  little prop shopping maybe.

Now I'm feeling stronger I spent some time in the kitchen. Not only did I bake Beetroot Cake.....

.............there was roasted capsicum soup.......

.........for lunch we enjoyed smoked salmon on baguette.

...and warm couscous salad.   I made more...

...cultured butter.

...........and somedays we nibbled on  stuffed apricots.

Bring it on summer and picnics in the park, evening strolls along the riverbank, peaches and mangos and cherries.

Click on photos for an enlarged view

Foodie Photos Tokyo Japan circa 1991

I've been  taking photos of food long before blogging became popular. These photos were taken (on film)when I attended my friend Charle's wedding in Tokyo way back in 1991.

Beautiful spring blossoms were like snow on the ground.

When I first entered this noodle bar they wanted to seat me at a table upstairs. I asked to sit at the bar with the business men. I followed their lead and drank from my bowl.

 

Food cart in the park near my hotel.

Fruit in the department store basements. I was shocked at the price of the melons.

Food I had never seen before. Twenty years ago we didn't see Japanese food like this  in Australia or New Zealand.

Marbled beef. One evening we dined in a shabu shabu restaurant where this type of beef was served.

A good Don. It was interesting how this was labeled in English.

Monument. Nothing was explained in English so I do not know what this was about. Maybe someone can tell me.

I'd only been in Tokyo a couple of hours when I happened upon this lady who kindly allowed me to take her photo. 

Tokyo Tower. I went to the top but the day was overcast and Mt Fuji was not visible.

Sunday morning

A statue near my hotel.

Japanese garden where the wedding was held.

An aunt and cousin of Charles in their beautiful kimonos. There is a whole world of differences in Kimonos, based on whether you are married or single. Younger women's kimonos tend to be more elaborate than older women.

At Japanese weddings the guests are given a gift. The carrier bag holds my gift, a  lacquer bowl along with a beautifully packaged piece of wedding cake.

I think this might be the last pair of heels I owned. 

Australian Shiraz from Heathcote Victoria

 

Since chemo screwed my tastebuds, I've not really felt like drinking wine.  Apart from a few celebratory bottles of Veuve and the extra special celebratory bottles of Cristal, I could count the number of glasses of wine consumed the past few years, on one hand. 

For months now, my choice of drink has been beer.  But I miss wine and have been thinking about retraining my palate and enjoying wine again.  When an invite to the Heathcote Wine Roadshow landed in my inbox, I wasted no time in opting in for the  masterclass,  Heathcote Horizontal - Heathcote Shiraz and the Rest of the World.

Heathcote, a former gold mining and logging town, is now recognised as a premier shiraz region on the Australian wine map. Being only112k  from Melbourne you can be there in a little over one hour of driving.

Our masterclass host Ben Edwards, President of Sommeliers Australia.

Winemaker at Galli Estate Ben Ranken, spoke on how the wine is influenced by the soil and climate.  Heathcote wine growing region stretches around 100k from north to south, with elevations between 160 m and 380 m. The north is drier than the south and receives an average of 5 - 10mm less rain per month during the vine's growing season (October - April). Southern vineyards are a little cooler with temperatures  lower by 1.8 - 1.4 Celsius, resulting in an extended growing season.

Never having been to the Heathcote region, Cambrian Earth was a term I had not come across before. Ben touched on it  a little, but  visit the Heathcote Shiraz website for detailed information.

The tasting was in two parts. First up  - 5  shiraz samples from the Heathcote region.

1. Galli Estate Artigino Block 2 2007
2. Tellurian Shiraz 2008
3. Munari Wines Beauregard Shiraz 2006
4. Sanguine Estate Heathcote 2007
5. Shelmerdine Shiraz  2007

This excercise was designed to show the different characteristics of Heathcote Shiraz. 

A show of hands  proved  Munari  Shiraz to be the most popular. For me it was an equal first with the Galli Estate.

Next up - a blind tasting to see if we could recognise the Heathcote style and pick it from the other samples from France and New Zealand.

I failed miserably at this, not even recognising the New Zealand Te Awa Syrah, a wine I sold when I worked for their distributor in New Zealand.

The wines included

1. Barfold Estate Shiraz 2006
2. Heathcote Estate Shiraz 2007
3. Greenstone Shiraz 2007
4. Te Awa Syrah 2009
5. Domaine Belle Crozes-Hermitage 'Les Pierelles' 2007

My preference was the Barfold Estate, which also was the choice of the majority at the Brisbane morning tasting.

Heathcote showcase wines of the region at their Visit Shiraz Heaven Food and Wine Festival on 2 - 3 October 2010.

Boonah Show Day

Boonah, is a country town in the Scenic Rim.  There annual show day is a mix of animals, side show, rides and exhibitions ranging from the biggest pumpkin to the best wheat to perfectly made cakes.

Here is a few photos of the day.

Escaping The Beach For The Country

Lately I've been having some incredible good luck. Like winning a weekend at Freestyle Escape, a gorgeous house on the ridge at Mapleton.

Such stunning views from the sea of windows across the front of the house.

We arrived  mid morning and immediately set the table and opened the wine for a long lunch.

Lunch was followed by a couple of hours on the couch  watching Love Actually.  Pre dinner we opened the champagne and nibbled on canapes before our chef arrived to demonstrate and cook us dinner.

We splashed out on my favourite  vintage champagne.

Bryan and I enjoying a glass before dinner.

Part of our prize included a meal cooked by Sally from Taste Trekkers. We got to choose the style and I selected Vietnamese.

Sally did most of the work while we looked on, tasting as we went. Occasionally we stepped up to the bench to make a dipping sauce and roll our own Vietnamese rolls.

Here are a few dishes from the evening.

Bun Thit Nuong (char grilled pork with vermicelli salad)

Tom Rim (prawns in tomato, fish sauce and black pepper)

Che Khoai Mon (sticky black rice pudding) served with Nuoc Cot Dua (sweetened coconut cream) and fresh fruit.

....and just to make sure we slept really well, a long relaxing soak in the enormous bath over looking  the night time view.  The bath is so big it seats two comfortably. Each of the 2 main bedrooms has it's own ensuite with  this view.

Sunday morning was a little overcast and we set off for a walk, only to return 10 minutes later to wait out the rain. After a lunch of last nights leftovers we finally managed a little exercise.

 
...and on our last morning we cleaned out the fridge and  made Bruschetta for breakfast.

A delightful weekend, shared with our lovely friends, Jenny and Mark visiting  from New Zealand, and Janet, The Old Foodie .

My prize also included massages from Ripple Massage but as my boys and their partners were unable to come with us I'm treating them to the massages.

Thank you  @Rippleali  @Dessertboy and @snackqueen  for pulling my name out of the hat for your Twitter promotion

Day Trip To Inala

First stop Tan Thanh for the best $9 lunch ever

Red chili for those who like it hot

lunch over - time to explore

Still hungry - try the Peking Duck next door

Food shopping? Yes

Pork Maw is new to me. How do you cook it?

Seafood too

take a break for bubble coffee at Aimee Angel

or maybe you feel like sugar cane juice

There are clothing shops

and for girly girls there is pink

little bowls to store your trinkets

...... and lastly the people who are so much more interesting than in my hood

Spicers Peak Lodge Scenic Rim

As much as I love living by the beach with walks on the edge of the ocean and sand underfoot I do miss walking in the bush. New Zealand is snake free but here in Australia there are a number of dangerous snakes. The staff assured us they had never seen snakes around the lodge area and I'm happy to say we didn't see any either.

Spicers Peak Lodge is  all inclusive with meals and drinks included. Even the mini bar is free. Our room had its own open fire place. It wasn't cold but I'm sure the fire would be a welcome touch in winter. Every way we looked the views were spectacular.

Originally the chef planted a garden but the rabbits and kangaroos got to it before the chef.  There is a small herb garden under the kitchen window. These roses were used in a rose petal jelly.

The weather was perfect and we were able to lunch outside. The lodge has ten rooms and with so few people it's a little like a private house party.  It's alway fun to meet new people.

Each evening is a degustation menu.  The food is outstanding and well matched with Australian wines.  A favourite dish, and I don't have a picture, was grilled squid and baby octopus served at lunch.

Our days fell into a routine - breakfast, a little reading in the lounge, lunch,walks in the bush, power nap, dinner, chatting with the other guests, bed. Repeat again the following day.  

Unfurling ferns

Textures of the forest floor

Grass Trees are an Australian native plant we called Blackboys when I was a child. Political correctness has  them renamed as grass trees.

A bright spot of yellow.

Wild animals.

Friendly cows

 

It rained briefly one afternoon and the light was magical. The night sky was a mass of stars  never seen from a city balcony.

....and finally...the best White Chocolate Parfait I have ever tasted with candied hazelnuts and Queensland strawberries.

 

 

 

A Few Days of Quiet

Our apartment building borders the track of the Nikon SuperGP car race.  For us it is four days of disruption. From the incredible noise of the cars during the day and the drunken idiots at night. And don't get me started on the control the organisers have over us.  If we need our car during the day we have to get it out of our underground car park prior to 7AM, park it on the street.... and can't return it  until 7 PM. Friends cannot visit us in our building without a pass from us. The organisers give us 2 guest passes.  Over the four days we can't even enter our building without a residents pass issued by the race organisers. And the roads, a nightmare with streets closed and those open, congested.

We've decided to go away for a few days to avoid it. From these photos I think it will be a pleasant weekend. Peppers Spicers  Peak Lodge  is an all inclusive luxury lodge 3 hours drive inland.  From Thursday we will be -

SLEEPING

  

SWIMMING

 
RELAXING IN THE BAR

 
PICNIC LUNCHES

  

NIBBLES

  

DEGUSTATION

  

Photos are from the Spicers Scenic Rim website. Click on photo to enlarge.

See you next week.  Oh, one last thing. I loved the confirmation email we received from them - check in is at 2PM, but we'll see you at 12.30 PM for lunch.

 

A Pop Up Bar In Sydney

Pop up bars are the latest trend in marketing.  

Tourism Victoria will showcase the finest King Valley wines at the King's Vault, a pop up bar in Sydney. Over seven nights in November wine lovers can experience a series of intimate tastings and private events, held at a secret inner city location.

You need to register your name on the door list at the Where is King's Vault website.  The King's Vault location will be revealed by SMS on Wednesday 18th November.

All guests will have the opportunity to sample hot new Australian grown Italian varietals while eating food inspired by the King Valley's best chefs and produce.

Check the website Where Is King's Vault this week and enter to win a trip for two to the King Valley. This competition is only open to those living in Australia.

To Sydney and Back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

A Road Trip

We are off on a road trip to Sydney for about 9 days. See you when we return around 25th. Don't forget LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow.

My Week Away On Lindeman Island

Fruit cocktails on arrival

I spent my days cooling off in the pool

The view of the Whitsundays from the top of the island

Looking up we saw.......

It's nice to be home.

Coming Up

 
Time for a holiday I think.  Next week I'm headed here for seven days.  It's the island where we spent Christmas 2007. It's where my son works but will soon be leaving. In October he will  transfer to another Club Med village somewhere  in Asia.

After three weeks of radio therapy treatment I need  a little break....and Club Med is a real break. No shopping, cooking, cleaning. Just swimming, eating, reading, drinking, walking, sleeping, talking and hugging my boy.

Before we go we will be stuffing our faces enjoying a posh High Tea at Palazzo Versace.  Thanks to our good friends R & S who kindly gifted it to us for our birthdays.  Come back after the weekend to see the photos.

.....and I have an award.   My favourite hula-hula girl from Hawaii, lives in Japan and shares her adventures with Satoshi. She has awarded me the Yum Yum award.

Thank you Kat and right back at ya'. I think your blog is yum yum too.

Breakfast With Maryam At Peacock Pavilions

Sadly, a cyber breakfast only.  I'd like nothing more than  to be hanging out in Morocco with Maryam.  I can only imagine my day.  I think the moment I awoke I would walk lazily rush to the window to look gaze dreamingly at the peacocks under the olive trees in the grounds of  the  Peacock Pavilions.  Perhaps I would shower and dress, perhaps I would feel very  relaxed and  wander out in my nightie,  to sit in the morning sun and eat my  breakfast off  Maryam's pretty blue and white dishes . I'm sure I'd feel relaxed with Maryam as my hostess.

How I found Maryam shows the power of the internet.   Reading  Brett one day I came across a comment from  Jennifer . I surfed in and enjoyed the writing and so  another blog was added to my reader.  Back in July 2007 Jennifer mentioned  Maryam on her blog.  I remember leaving the comment "I want Maryam as my best friend" - she lives in Morocco, she is building a guest house and she loves to  shop.

....and yet another blog was added to my reader. Now it feels as if I have known Maryam forever.

When she asked so nicely   for breakfast suggestions I was more than happy to help. She is a very busy blogger girl  and she'd rather be shopping than spending the day in the kitchen so this menu can be prepared beforehand and assembled in the morning. 

Breakfast At Peacock Pavilions

Yogurt Cheese  with Macerated Apricots and  Almond Ma'amoul with Mint Tea

Yogurt Cheese is also known as labnah.

Line a sieve with a layer of clean muslin . Pour a 1kg pot of plain yogurt into sieve and leave in fridge for 48 hours. Liquid will drain away leaving a soft cheese.

Variations: For this recipe leave plain but it can  be flavoured with herbs and garlic or cinnamon and honey. Some recipes stir in a teaspoonful of salt before draining. I don't bother.

Macerated Apricots

Place 150 grams dried apricots in a wide bowl with 1/2 cup sugar and cover with cold water.
Leave on bench for 48 hours. Apricots will absorb water and plump up. Strain apricots and reserve.
Put apricot liquid into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil making sure all sugar crystals have dissolved. Increase temperature and boil until syrupy and reduced.
Pour back over reserved apricots.

Variations: add other dried fruits as desired. Add more sugar for a sweeter version.Or for a softer fruit you could stew the apricots.

Almond Ma'amoul

150 grams plain flour
125 grams soft butter
2 tablespoons rosewater
50 grams flaked almonds

Place flour in bowl, add butter and rosewater and mix to a paste.
Take teaspoonfuls of dough and roll into a round ball.
Flatten between palms and dip one side into flaked almonds.
Place on tray lined with baking paper.

Bake at 180C for 12 minutes.
Leave on tray for 2 minutes before removing to cool on rack.

These can be stored in the freezer and brought to room temperature before serving.

Variations : replace flaked almonds with chopped pistachios or pine nuts. Because there is no sugar in the dough these taste rather nice with a glass of beer.

To serve - spoon yogurt cheese into bowls and spoon apricots on top. Alongside add the Almond Ma'amoul.

For extra sweetness and crunch serve with honey and roasted pine nuts.

I tasted my first real mint tea at L'Institut de Mondu Arabe in Paris. The real thing is so much nicer than the teabag variety we buy in our shops.

Moroccan Mint Tea (from Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern Food)

1 1/2 tablespoons green tea
a handful of fresh mint (mentha viridis variety)
150 - 180 grams lump sugar

Heat the teapot. Add the tea leaves and pour a little boiling water over them. Swirl around and quickly pour the water out again, taking care not to lose the tea leaves. Add mint and sugar, and pour in about 1 litre of boiling water. Allow to infuse for 5 - 8 minutes, then skim off the mint that has risen to the surface. Taste and add more sugar if necessary.

Of course you do know I have peacocks in my yard too.  Well in the park  next to our apartment building actually. This one played dead when he heard my camera.

The park fence is designed with a peacock theme.

 

I think the blogger girl would like the peacock shadows.

Maryam did a little shopping for me recently. Come back in a few days to see what she bought. Please hurry Mr Postman.

 

Tomorrow Is My Best Friend's Wedding

It will be his second wedding. On February 29th 1980 he married the love of his life. ..and he was the love of her life. They were young and in love and a little  crazy.  They didn't tell  anyone until a few days before.  After all they'd lived together already for 7 years so it wasn't a big deal. They chose the 29th of  February. That way it would be a bit special and they could have a big party every four years.  She wore black and 6 inch heels with diamentes on the straps. He had long hair and a moustache. They invited a few friends around to their tiny flat, hired a marriage celebrant to say a few words, then took a case of champagne and went out to lunch.  They couldn't afford rings so it wasn't a long service. They've been married for 28 years and have  celebrated 7 anniversaries. One year they even bought wedding rings.

Some days she had regrets she hadn't married in a church.

Two months ago they were crossing the road in front of a church and he suddenly said "Let's renew our wedding vows". She said "well it's not the most romantic place to propose, but yes, and we could do it when we celebrate our anniversary on the 29th".

A friend invited them to spend a week with her at her holiday home in Port Douglas.  It would be when they planned on renewing their vows. So she rang the vicar in Port Douglas and he said "yes he would be honoured to help". "I don't want any fuss" she said, " we'll just renew our vows and then share some champagne."

Today we fly to Port Douglas.  Tomorrow my best friend will marry......... for the second time..and I'll be his bride...for the second time.

And just like last time we didn't tell anyone...until now.

UPDATE: I'm obviously so excited about this I posted it a day early in error. It is Thursday we fly to Port Douglas and on Friday 29th we will renew our wedding vows.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE: I then set up  a post called Cupcake Spectacular to release next week and accidently released it today . In trying to correct it I lost it. Some of you may see it in your rss reader but it isn't on my blog as I then pressed the wrong button and lost it.

AND YET: THERE'S EVEN MORE: Sarah at Readable Science kindly sent me the copy from her feeder and I will not need to retype the post for next week.  Fanbloodytastic. Thanks Sarah

More Than Just The Beach

Summer has finally arrived at the Gold Coast. Today is probably the hottest day since we arrived....and I'm inside. I can look over the balcony and see the pool and it looks so inviting....and I'm inside because Bryan has both sets of keys to our apartment and he's playing at a gig.  I can get down to the pool, its even safe to leave my door unlocked...but I can't get back to my floor without the keys. I could go the beach but I couldn't get back into the building without my keys. I could contact the building manager  but as we live in a residential building and I don't like to disturb them on the weekends.

So here I am blogging when I should be swimming. I thought I'd share some of the things unique to my 'hood that shows we are more than a beach resort.

CatchaCrab on the Tweed River have a restaurant where you can enjoy freshly caught crab without having to catch it yourself or take the tour. Loved the rustic setting but felt the food was   overpriced. Has potential and we may return.

Picnic in the bush at the top of Mt French .

With friends. Click on the second photo to see the big lizard.

and good food.

A day out with a drive through the hills to Springbrook .

Lunch at Paddy Melon's . Quaint but disappointing.

We were very happy with our fudge from the Fudge Shop .

At the front Macadamia nut fudge and behind it the jaffa fudge.

And finally shopping for local produce at the markets. Like these tiny pineapples.

Enjoy your weekend.... and don't forget LiveSTRONG 2008 .

 

Postcard from Club Med Lindeman Island

Chris couldn't come home for Christmas so the only way we could all be together for Christmas was to take Christmas to him.  Imagine 10 days on an Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays , off the coast of Queensland.  Nothing to do but relax and enjoy ourselves while being taken care of by the fabulous G.O.'s  at  Club Med. 

Blue Skies of Australia

Home where the sky is blue 300 days a year....and where the Southern Cross  has an extra star.

Goodbye New Zealand

An early morning walk on Takapuna Beach  Beach.

On Thursday we will say goodbye to New Zealand, our home for the past 32 years. I'm not sad to be leaving.  Many an Australian will tell you being Australian never leaves you. Wherever you are in the world you will  always think of yourself as an Australian and long for the day when you can return.

There are things I will miss.  The view of  Westhaven Marina  as you come into the city over the Harbour Bridge from the North Shore.  Camping at Raglan.  Hiking to the top of Rangitoto.  Kayaking on Lake Pupuke.

......mostly I will miss my friends...you know who you are....and I hope you'll come visit. 

Flying Low Over Auckland

We have the nicest neighbours.  They moved into the apartment next door a week after us.  He and Bryan recognised each other immediately, they'd played in a band together when they were 15.  He went on to become a 747 pilot.  And he owns this cool little Sting sports plane.

After a few wines one night we decided I'd love a ride in his sports plane. The weather has been bad all week. Today was a bit overcast but not too much wind. So up we went.  It was a little bumby on take off and I was a little scared the first time the plane banked steeply to turn, but I have to say it was a fabulous experience.  I'd do it again tomorrow if I could.

I HEART Queensland

....so much so we are returning there to live. Very soon actually. Like in just 4 weeks time. Originally we thought we would come home and have Christmas in New Zealand and move in 2008. Then we thought,why wait, so we made some calls  and we are leaving New Zealand for  ever on 20th December and making  a new home on the Gold Coast.  After 32 years on this side of the Tasman  I'm heading home.

Here are a few things I love about Queensland.

Eumundi Markets

Belle Epoque

Mecca Bah

Buzz 

People watching at  Palazzo Versace

Crab sandwiches at the The Spit Kiosk

Prawns from Pete's  Fish Market - perfect with a bottle of semillon.

Tokonoma Café

Dinner a Shirl's

The best morning coffee/ afternoon beer view.

We don't want it being over run by tourists. If you visit I'll blindfold you and take you there.

 

I love Melbourne, Especially Movida

We spent our last night in Melbourne at Movida , the best Spanish Restaurant in the country according to Australian Gourmet magazine.  It requires a bit of booking ahead but we were lucky and got a table within a couple of days. It was much too dark to take any photos but I have a photo from opposite the front entrance.  Melbourne is full of lots of little lanes  where we discovered interesting little bars and cafés to stop for coffee or wine.  The lanes also have some interesting graffiti art and this was one of my favourites outside Movida.

We chose to share a selection of different dishes.  My Mother had flown over from Perth to spend the week with us and it seemed a good way to introduce her to the  many tastes of Spain.  Check out the menu here.   Naturally we had the Iberico Jamon , Morcilla and Pulpo. I have one complaint - the Churros . They were great but the dipping sauce was not up to standard. The chocolate taste was over shadowed by the cornflour used as a thickener. A couple of days earlier we had shared a plate of churros with some friends in Ackland Street at an ordinary little Mexican restaurant - the dipping sauce was pure melted chocolate.

Our other memorable meal was at Hako . It took us a little while to find this place.  Stephanie had recommended the restaurant to me but it has moved since then. I sensed my mother and Bryan getting a bit cross as I insisted I had come this far and today I wasn't going to lunch anywhere else but Hako. We eventually found it at its new address 310 Flinders Lane.  Look out for a review in the Melbourne Age  in December - they were taking photos for the article when we arrived. The only decent photo I have taken here is of my mother having her first taste of Sake. Not a pretty sight.  All the more for me Mother.

I love Tempura and as soon as I saw it on the menu my decision was made. It was served as part of a Bento Box with the usual rice and miso. Excellent.

Plum had suggested a couple of her favourites. The first being Di Stasio where we had a quick pasta on our first night after arriving  late in Melbourne. It was a busy Thursday night and we walked in off the street around 9 PM. Service was slow and the portions, although tasty, were small. Bryan's pasta main was the same size as my pasta entrée although very different in price. So I did something I have never done before. When they made a mistake on the bill and didn't charge for one glass of wine I didn't point it out. I'm of the opinion if you are going to complain about being over charged you should be prepared to point out when you have been under changed. But not tonight. We paid the bill and made off into the night. Almost crashing into Ben Lee in our rush to disappear before they noticed.

Plum's other recommendation  Cacoa Café was more successful. Gorgeous chocolates and cakes. I had my eye on a particular bright lime green cake but on the day we visited the cake was gone and no more due in for a couple of days. If I couldn't have bright green I'd have something red - this pretty  strawberry and chocolate and vanilla mousse. Ohh YUM.

We visited Prahran Markets several times to pick up supplies for picnics when the weather was nice.  I'd shop here if we lived in Melbourne.  Here are a photos taken on our visits.

 

...and cupcakes from the Crabapple Cupcake Bakery

Next post : eating in Queensland

My Country

I love a sun burnt country, a land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror- the wide brown land for me!

From MY COUNTRY by Dorothea McKellar.

Every Australian child at some point in their school years learns this piece of Australian Bush poetry.  Driving the  inland route between Melbourne and Brisbane I suddenly found myself reciting the second stanza of this well known poem.  I've always understood the poem but it wasn't until I experienced the wide horizons I saw before us  I really began to appreciate the words.

My Country  was written by Dorothea McKellar  in 1904 while in England and homesick for the country of her birth, Australia.

And then after two days heading north we find the rugged mountain ranges.

.......and finally after all that driving we arrived at my favourite piece of  Australia.

...the Gold Coast, Queensland.

I heart Australia. Come back in a day or two for some foodie adventures. I had many.

It's Been So Long

We arrived home in Auckland Monday evening and I immediately emailed Tami  to tell her I'd be making my terrine, a little late, for Hay Hay Its Donna Day .  After a busy day yesterday with lots of things to be done, after two months away, I went looking for peaches in my favourite fruit and veggie shop. Sadly none to be found as it's too early in the season. Absolutely nothing else available or affordable worth making a terrine with so forgive me but I've copped out of the latest Hay Hay Its Donna Day. Tami  will have the round up out this weekend.  I haven't read any blogs in a month so I'm looking forward to seeing all the fabulous terrines you have made.

I've missed you all so much I'll be busy visiting blogs for the next few days to catch up on everyone's adventures over the past two months. Check back in a day or two to see some photos of my adventures in Australia.