It’s been a lovely day in Brisbane. We’ve been shopping and gymnastics training and other stuff as well. My parents have been in Yamba this last week and were not in the mood to cook dinner. We went to the HQ Café at the Kedron-Wavell Services Club.
We were all pretty hungry after a day of mild physical activity.
Fish, calamari, prawns and chips (iPhone) My dinner
Chicken and bacon burger (iPhone) Miss11 and Miss17 had one each
HQ Café beef burger (iPhone) Miss 15′s meal
Prawn sambo (Panasonic DMC-TZ10) Dad had this
Vanilla slice with ice cream and caramel topping (iPhone) My dessert
White chocolate and berry cheesecake (iPhone) Miss15 had this for dessert
Caramel sundae (iPhone) Miss11 had this for dessert
The Kedron-Wavell Services Club has three restaurants all of which are good for club food. I am always happy to eat there. They also cater for my Mum’s food allergies which is a big plus. The meals are not too expensive. They are always a good size. Like most clubs membership is required and very reasonable. At 1900 every evening everyone is expected to stand in silence while we remember those who have sacrificed their lives for our safety and security in Australia. This is something good for a family venue.
I’m currently in Sydney. Miss15 is here competing for Queensland in Level 9 in the Australian Gymnastics Championships. I’m at Sydney Olympic Park in the Sports Centre.
The drive this morning from Canberra was cold, foggy and busy. The fog was so thick I missed the exit to Goulburn so I could empty my bladder. In the end I had to wait for the Sutton Forest exit. The traffic in Sydney was horrible.
I’m staying at the Pullman Hotel at the Sydney Olympic Park. I managed to get a free night which I’m happy about.
Miss15 is still carrying injuries to her back, knee and ankles. Today she required physiotherapy after falling while warming up on the uneven bars. All in all the Queensland team and Miss15 did well. They are the 2012 Level 9 Australian Champions. If you follow my twitter timeline you’ll see my comments through the day.
I always like the walk-on so here is a video.
There was also a bit of fun when the Victorian mascot performed a floor routine.
Tonight after a great chat with Miss15 I went to Ribs and Rumps. I’ve eaten here before and tonight I thought I would have some ribs and a Key lime pie.
Today was long and drawn out. There was a lot on. No one thing put me off, it was just a combination of things that had me feeling underwhelmed and mentally lethargic. I’m taking Thursday and Friday off to watch Miss15 compete at the Australian Gymnastics Championships in Sydney. She is in the Queensland team for women’s gymnastics level 9. We also have senate estimates on Thursday and I don’t want my bosses under prepared. I don’t want to be called back so I really need to make sure all the briefing is right.
I had great hopes to cook something simple and tasty but I didn’t get out of the office until much later than I expected.
Can you guess all the elements? I have no prizes but it would be interesting to see if you can guess.
What is in this? (Panasonic DMC-TZ10)
From an angle. What is in this? (Panasonic DMC-TZ10)
Yesterday was a much better day at work compared to Wednesday. I woke up feeling ill with a sore throat and a headache yet I was euphoric because Queensland had defeated NSW in the first game of this year’s State of Origin series.
For lunch we went to the Noble Palace in Phillip. Seven of us enjoyed lunch to thank a dear work friend who had acted up for an extended period of time and performed superbly. We enjoyed Hong Kong roast duck, Crispy skin chicken and plum sauce, Sizzling Mongolian lamb, Peking shredded chilli beef, Pork fillet with chili lemon grass, and rice (I could have forgotten a dish). One of our party also had a vegetable and noodle dish which she generously shared. The Noble Palace is a well known Chinese restaurant in the Woden district and consistently produces high quality meals. They also do wonderful yum cha.
Last night Bron and I went to the Dumpling Inn for dinner. This Chinese restaurant is a fantastic suburban venue. It’s relatively small but like the Noble Palace consistently produces high quality food including yum cha on weekends. Last night we enjoyed duck pancakes and fried flounder with rice.
Today was huge with back to back meetings all day. I did an hour session on record management systems and came back to the office to be greeted with cake. Readers who follow me on instagram will know I regularly post photographs of cakes and biscuits that work mates make and bring in to work. It makes for a wonderful work environment.
During the training session I answered some questions and received chocolates
Tonight is the first of three State of Origin games. As I was driving away from work I thought about dinner. It needed to be a footy dinner. Hamburger I thought and hamburger is what I made. For readers who don’t know me, I’m a convinced and convicted Queenslander, that is, I am passionate about Queensland the greatest state in Australia; and Rugby League the greatest game of all; and State of Origin, the greatest sporting contest known.
I checked my e-mail and discovered I’d won a prize. On 16 May @phonakins at littlelioness.net posted on her blog a competition to win a Red Rock Deli Corn Chips hamper. The request for the competition was to let Fiona know in the comments your ideal corn chip and dip combination (fantasy or reality) and why they go so well. I answered, “I want a sweet corn chip coated in icing sugar that can be used to scoop up thickened chocolate sauce or melted chocolate and then eaten whole, that is a chocolate corn chip slam Perhaps then http://wayfaringchocolate.com/ can review.“Thank you very much Fiona. Much appreciated
And to all my friends and family who support New South Wales and the Blues, I’m sorry if you find me offensive on nights like tonight.
For readers not familiar with State of Origin rugby league history. Queenslanders (Maroons pronounced marones) are known as the cane toads (Buffo marinus) and NSW (Blues) are cockroaches. These are affectionate terms of endearment. As they say, State of Origin is mate against mate, state against state. For those interested, it was Kangaroo great Barry (garbo) Muir who coached the Queensland side from 1974 to 1978 (two years prior to the adoption of Origin selection criteria) and during this time Muir coined the term “cockroaches”, the descriptor of the New South Wales rugby league team still used by the Queenslanders.
In the end, Queensland defeated NSW 18 to 10. There was a very poor decision that resulted in a Queensland try in the last ten minutes that soured the victory. But as they say, a win is a win. I will attend work tomorrow a happy Queenslander.
This weekend I visited my daughters in Brisbane. Miss14 was competing in the QueenslandWomen’s Artistic Gymnastics championships for 2012. It also included the trials for the state team to compete at the national titles in June in Sydney. Miss14 is Level 9. On Saturday she came third overall in Queensland. She freely admits her vault lets her down. Her routine is not as difficult as the others in the competition. When I asked why, she simply said she’s uncoordinated. That is the biggest understatement of her life. Compared to the rest of us in the family she’s amazing. So today as I was returning to Canberra Miss14 was competing to make a place in the Queensland team. She got in and received an award for her floor routine. I recorded her routine from yesterday which was ranked second.
On Friday I had lunch with some work mates and also some colleagues from another agency. We ate at the Hellenic Club. The Hellenic Club is a fantastic Canberra institution. It has a range of restaurants including a pretty good Chinese restaurant which is a nice touch for a Greek establishment. I love the Hellenic Club’s bistro. It does a really good steak with pepper sauce and chips (which is what I had) while others had chicken breast schnitzel or a roast dinner.
Hellenic Club's pepper steak (rib eye fillet) and chips (iPhone)
After a very squishy flight to Brisbane and then discovering I had rented a General Motors Barina (beep beep) I got to my parent’s place and enjoyed some time with the kids. Let me digress and discuss the rental car. I rent through Hertz and normally I get a small compact like a Toyota Yaris or Ford Focus. Both are good small manual transmission cars that I don’t find uncomfortable. I should declare that after Chrysler left Australia I switched my allegiance to Ford. For non-Australian readers, in the main, if you’re a bloke, you’re either Ford or Holden (GM). There’s not debate. The Barina, even if Ford produced it would have been and remains a lemon. For someone who is only 170 cm (short arsed), it’s hard to believe that leg room posed such a problem. I would NEVER purchase a General Motors Barina.
In the morning we had a light breakfast. By light I mean toast. I don’t mean warm bread either. I like toast that has a good amount of colour. Not burnt, but at least browned. I also like Vegemite. For non-Australians, Vegemite is a yeast extract and it is a salty dark paste the consistency of cream cheese. It is an acquired taste. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. I don’t get how some Australians go on and on about it. It’s good. Just don’t carry on about it.
Toast with a smear of Vegemite (iPhone)
For lunch I had a sausage roll and chips (no photograph). Most of the day was spent driving between Chermside, Clayfield and Chandler (Sleeman Sports Complex). The competition was at the Sleeman Sports Complex while Miss11 had to also train at Clayfield. I had Miss16 to keep me company
I also had fudge that Miss14 had cooked the day before. This is GOOD fudge.
Fudge after a bite (iPhone)
Miss14′s competition ran late, very late. We didn’t leave until nearly 2000 AEST. When we got back to my parent’s place, Mum and Dad had cooked a roast dinner. We had roast chicken, stuffing, roast potato, roast sweet potato, roast pumpkin, broccoli and beans. Mum also made gravy from scratch. I love Mum’s roast chicken with gravy and stuffing.
Roast chicken (Nikon D90) Click on the image for a more detailed view.
May is a big month for birthdays in our family and it’s not clear if I can visit in May so Mum made a cake. Miss14 and Miss16 become Miss15 and Miss17 on the same day in May. I turn 47 in May. My Dad also has a birthday in May.
Birthday sponge cake with almond chocolate (iPhone)
This morning we were in a rush but that didn’t stop Mum cooking us some snags, scrambled eggs and mushrooms. Mums and Dads are like that and I love my Mum and Dad for being like that.
It doesn’t look all that flash but it tasted great.
Sausages, eggs and mushrooms for breakfast on a plastic picnic plate. Classy (iPhone)
At the airport I sat in front of a container of macaroons. I will not say if I had any or not.
Macaroons (iPhone)
This afternoon after arriving back in Canberra I bought some baby spinach leaves, salmon and a tomato. Dinner was inspired by breakfast and I had the last of the very fresh free range eggs to cook. I cooked the scrambled eggs with cream, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. I also added a little blue cheese for flavour.
Atlantic salmon and fresh free range eggs (Nikon D90) Click on the image for a more detailed view.
Look at how yellow and creamy the folds of egg are. They were amazing.
All in all it’s been a good weekend. Miss14 made the Queensland team. I hope Miss16 is watching the Brisbane Roar win the A-league soccer grand final tonight. Miss11 did an awesome job cheering today and being an all round great kid.
The first thing we did was check out Flyball. I’d never heard of it before until I received a tweet from Al to check it out. It is basically dog drag racing and very entertaining. I took a few short videos and put them together.
We spent an enjoyable few hours watching some wood chop, ring events (Shetland pony showing), we explored the food and produce stall to check out the giant pumpkins, flowers, pies, other food and the cake decorating. We wandered through many of the animal pavilions and saw that ram. We also had to get a Dagwood Dog. When I say we, I mean me, and for those who don’t know me, whenever I go to a show I eat a Dagwood Dog. This Courier Mail article is helpful and points one of the biggest reasons why The Ekka trounces the Sydney Royal Easter Show, viz., the Strawberry Sundae at The Ekka. There is also a Facebook page for Dagwood Dogs. The Strawberry Sundae at The Ekka is made by volunteers and is made from fresh full cream milk and fresh locally grown strawberries. It is unique to The Ekka. When I worked at The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, we used to get a tray sent back to the laboratory at lunch time every day of The Ekka as a treat.
Giant pumpkins, these were huge. One was 430 kg.
Me eating my Dagwood Dog
Up close with my Dagwood Dog
The under 21 Queensland competitor in the underhand event.
We got three chunky lamb shank pies for $10. A perfect lunch.
Choc vanilla ice cream sandwich. The perfect way to complete lunch.
On Sunday morning we visited the Lindt Café at Darling Habour for a chocolate breakfast and to buy some macarons. I had a iced mocha with chocolate profiteroles followed by a chocolate eclair with a flat white coffee. We also bought macarons. I bought Excellence 70%, Passion fruit, Vanilla, Pistachio, Champagne and Salted caramel. Nat at work is an expert macaron maker and she recommended the Lindt macarons and I have to say they were amazing.
Iced Lindt mocha
Lindt chocolate profiteroles
Unfortunately the profiteroles were served cold and not at room temperature.
Lindt chocolate eclair
Excellence 70% and Passion fruit. The passion fruit was best.
Champagne and Pistachio. The Pistachio was amazing.
Vanilla and salted caramel. I had a foodgasm after eating these.
What can I say, it’s been a busy and enjoyable Easter. Today I did some work and tomorrow I’ll be back in the office thinking about the good times.
I need to digress and explain why this has more interest for me. I grew up in Queensland in the 1960s and 1970s. We only knew of peanut paste and Queensland nuts. We’d heard of peanut butter and Macadamia nuts but our impression was that only southerners used those terms. As Queenslanders we knew better. There are a few sites that mention the debate, e.g., Peanut Butter or Peanut Paste? and there is also a Facebook page. As far as I’m concerned, the edible species in the genus Macadamia found in Eastern Australia are Queensland nuts and that’s how I shall always know them. While it may be Australia Day, I am and always will be a proud convinced and convicted Queenslander.
Back to the important stuff though. This is a baked cheesecake. Nigella describes it best, “This is not for the faint-hearted. Unashamed indulgence, wallowingly so, is what this recipe is all about: think reese’s Peanut Butter cup in cheesecake form. For that reason, I don’t bake this in a water-bath as I do the Banoffee cheesecake. The water-bath is excellent if you want a silky texture, but for me, the peanut butter constituent demands a certain amount of pleasurable, palate-cleaving clagginess. And baked like this, too, the top gets a slight crust when it’s cooked, making it all the easier to spread the chocolate topping.”
Tonight we had Russian King Crab, QueenslandKing Prawn twisters, and an awesome pear and walnut salad.
The crab and prawns were purchased at Costco today. I’d have to say the King Crab is very close to being as nice as Queensland mud crab. The flesh was so fresh and ozone.
The prawn twisters were made with spring roll wrappers. The salad was a perfect accompaniment.
I recently agreed to move work areas to make more space for work mates in an area of the branch. The new work area has worked out really well. As part of the plan I have promised to stop storing papers just for the sake of it and become ruthless at not holding on to things.
So far it’s working well. One of my walls used to be a pin board so I thought I would make it a feature wall.
My new feature wall. Queensland and Northern Territory Flags.
You will notice the NT flag is upside down. It’s a distress call. I want to go back and live in Darwin
I will never hide the fact that through and through I am a proud Queenslander. The greatest state in Australia with the most wonderful people and attitude to life. I also feel that part of me still exists in the Northern Territory. The Top End of Australia has the best weather, the friendliest people and the most comfortable life style. It’s humid and warm and full of muggy goodness. I can’t call myself a Territorian because I don’t fulfil one of three criteria, viz., born there, lived through Tropical Cyclone Tracy or spent 20 years there. I want to call myself a Territorian and a Queenslander. Come state of origin time you will read more about being a Queenslander.
F/A 18 Super Hornet Squadron 322 Tindal
The main photograph is especially dear to me. When I was working in the NT the CO of RAAF Tindal was severely unwell with an infection and the medical officer at the base sought my advice. The CO recovered and he gave me this framed photograph. It always reminds me of the times I’d travel to Katherine and would see the F/A 18 Super Hornets flying low and loud. I love feeling the sound of a jet fighter.
My desk now looks a lot cleaner than it has in the past.
Perhaps then 
