I was attached to a GP and a GP trainee. I remember one lunch time I went out with this trainee and was shouted lunch. We went to a local milk bar/fish and chip shop. I looked at the black board and saw under sandwiches Fish and Coleslaw sandwich. I’d never seen that on offer before (and since only in Far North Queensland, i.e., Cairns).
It was one of the nicest sandwiches I’d ever enjoyed.
Today was a pretty busy one at work. I left a little late and thought I’d go to the local takeaway at Jamison Plaza. http://goo.gl/maps/AlPWq
It turns out the lovely ladies of the Jamison Takeaway will make a sandwich to order. I asked for a fish and coleslaw sandwich. The ladies (all three) looked at me and asked if I could say that again. I explained I wanted a piece of fish and some coleslaw between two pieces of bread. I also asked for two potato scallops. They threw in a third for free. I love the ladies of the Jamison Takeaway, when I’ve been there before they’ve thrown in extras too.
I got back to my place and sat down with my sandwich and thought of Townsville, Far North Queensland, warmth and humidity and being a student again.
For the last I don’t know how many weeks I’ve been pan frying Atlantic salmon. Tonight I thought about doing something different. I had noodles, red curry paste, lychees and pineapple pieces.
I heated the pineapple pieces and lychees with their juices in a fry pan and added some red curry paste. I also added a liberal sprinkling of chilli flakes. Once it reached a good vigorous boil I added a piece of salmon and put a lid on the pan. I cooked this on high heat for 5 minutes before removing the lid. I removed the salmon and put it in a bowl. I added the noodles to the fry pan and small amount of coconut milk. I also squeezed in a lime. Once the noodles were cooked the sauce had thickened I spooned noodles, pineapple pieces and lychees into a large bowl. I then flaked the salmon and added that. I then poured over a small amount of the sauce.
This morning after my walk I read through the blogs I follow on WordPress. One of my favourites is Spoon Feast which is written by Pamela Roberts who is a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and Certified Culinary Educator (CCE) through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). This morning Pam had written about lemon marmalade. I wrote a comment about how I like marmalade and that lemon marmalade would be great. Later in the morning I had morning tea with Bron and she brought along some of her ginger cake. The recipe is a David Lebovitz creation. Bron’s creation was amazing. It was moist yet light and not sticky like some cakes are. The cake has a good amount of molasses in it as well as fresh ginger. To accentuate the ginger and molasses flavours the cake has black pepper. It really does work together.
Click on an image to get a higher resolution version
Bron’s awesome ginger cake
On returning to my desk I noticed that Pam had responded to my comment. In my mind I had thoughts of salmon, ginger, and lemon marmalade. I knew that Buderim Ginger made a ginger, lemon and lime marmalade and thought I could combine that with the salmon I was cooking tonight.
Buderim Ginger, lemon and lime marmalade
So tonight I pan seared some salmon and made a sauce with the ginger, lemon and lime marmalade to signify the fusion between real life and blogs. I even added some black pepper to accentuate the flavours.
This week I watched an episode of Nigella’s Kitchen where she cooked pig hocks. While I didn’t have a pig hock it was easy enough to buy a rolled piece of pork with some rind on it. I knew it would require gentle cooking and could not be treated like a hock.
I placed the pork on some onions in a baking tray and then placed into a hot oven (220 °C) for 20 minutes to sear the skin. I pulled the pork out and poured some XXXX Gold ale over it and added a quartered royal gala apple and a potato. I put some foil over this and placed into a moderate oven (160 °C) for 90 minutes. I then pulled the meat out and turned the oven back up to 220 °C, uncovered the meat and returned it to the oven for 20 minutes.
I pulled the meat, apple and potato out and then heated the onion and juices to make a sauce. This was by a simple reduction.
The crackling was crisp and the meat was okay. It wasn’t as tender as I’m sure Nigella’s hock would be. It had a nice flavour.
Next time I’ll use an hock.
XXXX Gold Beer
Pork from Coles
Pork in a baking tray sitting on onions
Ready for the oven after a quick blast and after the beer has been added
Last night (ACT election night) we went there with friends for a meal. All in all it was an okay night. The place is packed with tables and it was a little like being in a sardine can. The table we had had a chair combo with two seats being a lounge cushion thing and the other four seats stand alone units. It wasn’t great and our friends who ended up with the lounge cushion thing weren’t that happy. The place has two levels with the mezzanine being largely out of sight. Because of my deafness and tinnitus I like to sit with my good ear in the best position. That doesn’t always help if the place is noisy. This place is pretty noisy. Not their fault I know, but some sound baffling can help people with a hearing disability.
While I enjoyed my meal, one of our friends asked for the seafood risotto and it came with whole crab pieces rather than crab meat incorporated into the risotto. This made it pretty messy and unappetising. In addition, it didn’t taste too good. Bron and I both noticed the snapper a couple of friends asked for smelt pretty fishy which is something that would put us off asking for it.
Onto the good things. I had an entrée of lamb sausages which were delightfully spicy. I could eat much more of these sausages. The serving size was pretty good for an entrée. I also had a fillet steak cooked rare on a bed of mash. For $36 I expected some greens too. Oh well, not a big deal. The steak was well cooked and very enjoyable. If I compared it to Tommy’s Bistro from last week though, I’d go for Tommy’s. I finished off with the Crème brûlée which contained white chocolate and raspberries. It was pretty good.
Taze lamb sausages
Taze fillet steak [rare]
Taze white chocolate and raspberry Crème brûlée
We had a good night out. Civic is the place to be on a Saturday night if you’re young and want a good time. With Spring developing everyone seemed to be wearing suitable bright coloured clothes and revealing a heap of pale skin.
On paying the bill, the manager removed the price of the risotto which was very nice of him and for me would be a positive to come back and try some different dishes from the menu.
I really don’t like saying good bye to work mates. This week we had a farewell and the person brought in home made vanilla slice as a thank you to everyone.
A heap of Vanilla slices
Made with Lattice biscuits
My work mate also shared the recipe her Mum gave her. I guess it may have been a Women’s Weekly type receipe. I know my Mum used to use lattice biscuits too to make Vanilla slice when we were kids.
600 mL thickened cream
100 g packet of instant vanilla pudding mix
¼ cup icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ packet lattice biscuits
Mix together with a beater for 3 to 4 minutes until thick. Spread between biscuits and then refrigerate overnight.
After eating my farewell Vanilla slice I ate lunch which was a Cinnabon that Bron had made.
I then went to the dentist for a an appointment I made two weeks ago. It’s a good thing I had a tooth brush at work.
Bron has a plan! We have some dear friends who were regularly eat dinner with; most often we go to their place and we have a fantastic time. Bron is keen to have our friends over to her place for dinner.
As a follower and reader of David Lebovitz’s blog and cook books, Bron is going to cook Chicken mole.
I’ve eaten chicken mole in Mexico City while there for a meeting. My recollection is that it was enjoyable but nothing I’d want to make myself.
On Friday night I was Bron’s guinea pig for her second go at cooking Chicken mole. She’d previously cooked it for her sons.
Okay, this was magnificent. The chicken drumsticks had been skinned and then pan fried and then immersed in a casserole. The result was incredible taste and tenderness. The mole sauce was amazing with the ancho dried chilies adding so much flavour yet no heat. I’m embarrassed to say that I grabbed more corn chips, corn and sauce and when the chicken was finished I used the sauce and corn like a dip and consumed a heap of corn chips. It. Was. Amazing!!!
The term the “ducks guts” is a piece of Australian slang. From the Urban Dictionary an Australian expression—if you think something is awesome, brilliant etc. then it is said to be the duck’s guts. Synonyms (see below) include the bee’s knees, the cat’s pyjamas, or, strangely enough, the cat’s arse. My new cricket bat is the duck’s guts. Look at that pony-tailed wanker in his BMW. He thinks he’s the ducks guts.
I remember first hearing the expression when watching one of my all time favourite movies, viz., Mad Max. I think in the US it was retitled The Road Warrior.
Here is the scene when Goose uses the phrase. Clearly this is one of the best scenes in the movie and the reason I love Mad Max and Mad Max II.
On Thursday night I went to dinner with Bron and another couple of dear friends. We ate at the Wild Duck. The Wild Duck is a relatively new restaurant in Canberra and found on the Kingston foreshore. [Map http://goo.gl/maps/6j4zV] If you want to hear a funny story about my arrival you’ll have to tweet Bron.
We ate at a booth table for four which was pretty comfortable. Our waiter for the evening was very friendly and very helpful with the menu and provided us with some insights into the restaurant.
The menu is pretty easy to follow. Not too much to select from and not too little that you feel manoeuvred into choosing just what the chef wants you to eat. That said, our waiter recommended a banquet and after some perusal and discussion we agreed on the “Chef’s signature” banquet. This banquet is reasonably expensive at $68 per person and didn’t include dessert. That said the choices where the Chef’s signature dishes and while not exactly degustation, there was an element of that with the starters.
I apologise for the poor photography. The restaurant is quite well lit however, the light casts a very yellow hue in photographs. I need to learn how to balance the colours in my iPhone.
The wonton soup was okay. No one’s wonton soup will ever be as good as my mother’s. No one should even try.
For higher resolution versions please click on the images
Shanghai Wonton Soup
The scallops in XO sauce were delicate and nicely balanced with the asparagus spear which was cooked perfectly.
Scallops with XO Conpoy Chilli
Next came the Lotus Root and Pork Parcels and Xinjang Lamb Skewers. The lotus root and pork was sublime. Crunchy, full of flavour and a nice firmness in terms of texture. Our waiter suggested the lamb may be a little spicy although for me while tasty, it wasn’t spicy. It was definitely not bland though. It was delicious.
Lotus Root and Pork Parcels and Xinjang Lamb Skewers
The next dish to arrive on its own was the restaurant’s special, its signature dish, the Lamb Shank in Golden Sands. I’ve copied the description from the menu: “Served in lettuce cups, slow roasted Lamb shank meat flaked off the bone and crispy fried, finished in a dune of baked golden coconut, garlic and whole black beans”. This was just amazing. I could eat an entire meal of this one dish. It is a must have.
Lamb Shank in Golden Sands
The three main dishes came out together with a bowl of steamed rice. We received the snapper that was delicately cut so when cooked it resembled a piece of coral; next came the Wild Mushroom Duck Breast which was just lovely; and the final dish was the Yu Xiang Pork. This was definitely a spicier dish although the flavour didn’t linger too long.
Coral Cut Snapper
Coral Cut Snapper on steamed rice
Wild Mushroom Duck Breast
Wild Mushroom Duck Breast [close up]
Yu Xiang Pork
For dessert our friends shared a Coconut Jelly and Papaya which was made up of Coconut jelly and sliced fresh pawpaw with warm black sticky rice and palm sugar syrup. Bron and I each had the Dark and White Angel Mousse. This was a martini of dark and white chocolate mousse, dressed with a layered strawberry and raspberry coulis shot. The waiter poured the coulis shot and with the sediment asked for a number between 1 and 9 and proceeded to write the number. Mine was a 9.
Coconut Jelly and Pawpaw
Dark and White Angel Mousse
Dark and White Angel Mousse [and the number 9]
I’d say the Wild Duck is worthwhile visiting. The website is pretty good and the menus are available as separate pdf documents.
Barb Beacham, a wonderful blogger friend whose site is called, “Life in the Foothills,” included me this week for the Super Sweet Award! Thank you Barb. Barb and I started following each other soon after I started blogging. Barb is the wonderful person who sent me a bottle of Spike to try. Barb blogs about food and her marvellous life in the Sierra Foothills.
1 – That I give credit to the person who nominated me. Again thank you Barb!
2 – That I answer the super sweet questions. Here are the questions and answers:
Q1: Cookies or cake? I’m a cake person. Although I do like white chocolate and Queensland nut (Macadamia nuts) biscuits (cookies) best. In terms of cake I like a nice Queensland nut (Macadamia but) carrot cake made with crushed pineapple and vanilla icing (fristing).
Q2: Chocolate or vanilla? I am a real fan of vanilla. Vanilla icing on anything really. Vanilla ice cream. Vanilla slice is my favourite sweet.
Q3: What is my favourite sweet treat? Vanilla slice is my favourite. I’ve blogged about vanilla slice before. Check out 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Q4: When do I crave sweet things the most? After a long day at work especially if it’s been tedious and there have been lots of people issues.
Q5: If you had a sweet nickname what would it be? Easy, Yummy Lummy.
3 – The last part of this award is that I nominate a Baker’s Dozen of super sweet bloggers:
This past week has been a bit emotional for me. On Friday we remembered the events of ten years ago in Bali. I needed a break and Bron had very kindly organised a weekend away with her sons and me. The destination was to be Cowra with nothing specific planned except dinner at Tommy’s Bistro in the Imperial Hotel. We knew that Cowra was known for the Japanese Garden and the prisoner of war camp. The POW camp is the site of the Cowra Break out.
We stayed at the Vineyard Motel on Chardonnay Street in Cowra. This is a small but well presented motel. The best thing is the heated floor of the bathroom and main living area. This is so good on cold nights and mornings. I would recommend this motel as accommodation a little out of the town centre and in amongst grape vines.
For higher resolution views, click on the images and they’ll open up into bigger clearer images.
Vineyard Motel
In amongst the grapevines
Grapevines
Bird bath
In the Afternoon we went and headed into town to find a pie for lunch and then ate it in a local park.
Tomato and onion pie with coke
After lunch we ventured to the Japanese Garden. This is truly a delightful place to visit. It is so serene and tranquil. I would highly recommend visiting.
Bonsai
Water feature
After the garden we went to the Cowra POW Camp site.
The replica guard tower
The grounds where the site was
On Saturday evening we went and had dinner at Tommy’s Bistro in the Imperial Hotel.
Both Bron and I enjoyed the crispy crackling pork belly and scallops for an entrée and then a rare Scotch fillet steak on Paris mach for our main meal. For dessert I had a sticky date pudding with Queensland nuts and ice cream. The service was fast and friendly. The decor very warm and inviting. I would highly recommend Tommy’s Bistro for a dinner.
Garlic bread
Crispy crackling pork belly with scallops
Scotch fillet and prawns with Paris mashed potato
Sticky date and Queensland nut pudding
After a good sleep we enjoyed a motel breakfast. I had peanut paste and orange marmalade on whole grain toast.
Our intention for the morning was to go for a walk in a national park and then visit a winery for lunch.
The Wallaby Walking Trail in the Conimbla National Park is an easy walk of a couple of kilometres. The brochure from the Cowra Visitors’ Centre suggested the walk would take 30 minutes. The sign at the trail suggests 1 hour. In the end it took us about 40 minutes after a couple of water stops. You can see our route on my RunKeeper site.
In the end we didn’t get to a winery but we did find Taste Canowindra. A delightful venue for wine, art and music plus great food.
I had a chicken terrine made with crushed strawberries. It was really very good. I would recommend this place to anyone who wanted a good lunch on the way home to Canberra.
When I got to my place I made myself a chicken red curry with lychees and pineapple.
