This post describes my first pizza 🍕 dough. I can’t tell you how many pizzas I’ve eaten in 55 years. I’ve never made one though. I remember as a young man I could eat whole large pizzas with ease. I loved eating a pizza on my own or with friends. I happily ate pizzas with all sorts of toppings so long as there was cheese.
Dedicated to GC who tempts me out of my comfort zone. I even bought a rolling pin today.
🇮🇹 🇮🇹. 🇮🇹
Avoid this palaver and go to the recipe.
Is it worth writing these down? I don’t know. How often do people make a list and then forget about it? I would guess it’s most of the time.
The one thing I want to push myself to do next year is to seek clarity in everything. Because I’m partially deaf and because of my tinnitus, I often mishear things. Rather than ask for the words to be repeated, I smile and pretend I understand. I’m also too proud to seek clarity when someone says something that sounds like a good form of words, but I don’t understand what they’re saying. I know some people who are good with words but aren’t very clear. Context is everything; sometimes, context is assumed when it shouldn’t be.
I’m guilty of this myself. I will use a technically correct word or phrase rather than plain language. Next year, I aim to always add an explanation to any technical phraseology to ensure I’m understood. I always try to make the context plain.
There are other aspects I need to improve, and I mentioned those last week. If you liked last’s week’s meal, there’s a follow-up with the leftover KFC.
I had no plans. I figured I’d cook a meal, watch TV, and then go to bed.
The meal is a piece of brisket. I bought a portion that will provide a meal tonight and meat during the week for lunches. I’m looking forward to cold brisket and warm gravy sandwiches. I’ll post a story to Random Yummy in the next few days.
The dessert was ice cream and granola.
Roux. Making a roux is simple. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in all the flour, and whisk for three minutes. Three minutes will ensure the taste of raw flour is removed. You can make a dark roux with a hot pan and a lighter beige roux with a moderate pan.
Brussels sprouts. Why only one vegetable? I wanted a small meal because I had a big bowl of ice cream planned for dessert. I also had a large serving of hot chips for lunch.
Dear Reader,
You nearly received a post about corned silverside tonight, but it’s not to be.
I wanted to make corned beef this weekend and went to find a nice piece of silverside. I couldn’t find one with a decent layer of fat on it.
I came across this lovely piece of brisket, and I thought I might cook it in the pressure cooker.
I’ve usually cooked brisket in the slow cooker; however, I’m in a bit of a pressure cooker frenzy at the moment. I figure it’s worth having a go.
My week has been good. It was busy, and I enjoyed some engagements with international colleagues. On the Wednesday and Thursday mornings, I had 6 am meetings, and on Tuesday night, I had an 8 pm meeting. Long days, but rewarding and edifying. I was in discussions with people from India, Japan, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, and the UK.
There was also good news about a friend who had an investigation. Praise God the result was good.
I’ve been enjoying some custard too 😉
I recently attended the 2017 National Clubs Gymnastics carnival in Bendigo to watch Miss 16 compete for Delta Brisbane. I wrote a description of the drive to Bendigo and back to Canberra on my other blog, viz., My Thoughts and Stuff.
This post will be a review of the food I ate on the trip.
Here is a map of my drive from Canberra to Bendigo. You can click on the place markers and get information including photographs from my journey.
This vanilla slice wasn’t too bad. The custard was quite firm though and a little too gelatinous. The icing was nice, not too sweet and the pastry was crispy without being hard or tough.
It went down well with a cup of black tea.
[social_warfare]
I can highly recommend Cafe Derailleur in Wangaratta. For lunch, I enjoyed a dish of caramelised pork belly with an Asian slaw salad. To wash it down I had an apple, pear, lime and ginger juice.
Get yourself there and try out the menu.
Even though I tend to go for vanilla slices, when I reached the Violet Town Cafe there were no vanilla slices left. The lamingtons looked good so I asked for one with a pot of black tea.
The lamington was perfect. The cake wasn’t too dry or moist, there was just enough coconut and it was coated nicely without too much loss.
Some friends on social media asked about jam. Nope, there was no jam in this lamington.
I had dinner on the first night at the Lake View Hotel which is a few minutes walk down the road from the Comfort Inn Julie-Anna.
I asked for the scotch rib fillet cooked rare with a peppercorn sauce, hand cut chips and broccolini. The sauce was amazing. I love a fiery peppercorn sauce that makes my mouth feel like there’s a party going on between my lips. The steak itself was okay in terms of flavour but it was a bit tough.
[social_warfare]
You can read more about how I feel about my accommodation on my other blog (referred to above).
My first breakfast in the motel’s restaurant was a delicious omelette.
While Miss 16 was travelling from Brisbane to Bendigo via Melbourne, I visited the Golden Dragon Museum which celebrates Bendigo’s significant Chinese heritage.
I took lunch at the end of my visit at the museum’s restaurant. I chose the Chinese platter which consisted of a deep fried dim sim, prawn crackers, a char siu bao, a deep-fried spring roll and a couple of samosas which I don’t think of as Chinese. This was all served with some Plum sauce which a dear Chinese friend tells me would never be served with a proper Chinese meal.
What can I say? It was a plate of deep fried tasty snacks plus a pork bun. It filled a hole in my belly.
I planned on Saturday night to watch the North Queensland Cowboys play against the Sydney Roosters in the second preliminary final of the National Rugby League’s 2017 season. I needed footy food. Pizza!
I had walked past Luchiano Pizza & Pasta the night before on the way to the Lake View Hotel. I looked up Luchiano Pizza & Pasta online and discovered I could order online so I paid for a meat lover’s pizza with extra anchovies. It was delicious. I’d happily eat another one.
[social_warfare]
Sunday breakfast in the Comfort Inn Julie-Anna restaurant was some nice smashed avocado with poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. I think I inhaled it. It was really good.
The tuck shop at the Bendigo Stadium is pretty good and well appointed. They do potato gems (tater tots) with or without gravy. Potato gems are perfect for watching gymnastics.
As I left Bendigo Stadium on Sunday afternoon I started experiencing some intense intestinal colic. I thought I should still eat so I went to the Lake View Hotel and asked for a Caesar salad.
The salad was delightful with nice long anchovy strips and a poached egg encased in a crumbed shell. The Caesar dressing was just a thin coating on really crispy lettuce leaves and the bacon was crispy as were the croutons.
The colicky bowel pains continued into the night and finally disappeared at 3 am.
[social_warfare]
For my final Bendigo breakfast, I enjoyed crispy bacon, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Breakfast of champions.
After watching Miss 16 compete in the finals I went to the tuck shop to enjoy some potato gems. They had run out. There were none left. How could this be? I was disappointed. I had to make do with hot chips.
On my final night in Bendigo, I dined in the Comfort Inn Julie-Anna restaurant. I chose the crumbed steak with pepper sauce, chips and greens. I love crumbed steak, especially with a nice sauce. When the steak has been well seasoned and tenderised, the crumbed coating adds so much extra to the mouthfeel.
For dessert, I chose the blueberry ice cream sundae with white chocolate and honeycomb. This was a great dessert. I had neglected dessert while in Bendigo so this was a great finish to my trip.
[social_warfare]
Here is the map of my drive from Bendigo to Canberra. You can click on the place markers and get information including photographs from my journey.
My belly was still a little delicate so I made sure that I took regular breaks on the drive north from Bendigo to Canberra.
My first stop was in Murchison which is about an hour out of Bendigo. After the toilet stop I went into the Murchison Bakery & Tearoom. As I entered I noticed in the display case some nice looking apple turnovers. I asked for one along with a cup of coffee.
The apple turnover was delicious. I’d happily eat another from the Murchison Bakery & Tearoom.
A short drive from Murchison is Benalla and Hide’s Bakery. I love this place. I felt the need for second breakfast so I asked for some toasted raisin bread and a coffee. This would have to be the best raisin bread I’ve ever tasted. It was so light and pillowy. It had a magnificent combination of fruit and flavour.
Before I left I also picked up a vanilla slice which I enjoyed for morning tea at a truck stop northbound on the highway.
The driving conditions were great and it didn’t take long to get to Henri’s Wodonga Bakery which is the destination I had planned for lunch.
I really like this bakery. It is well appointed and has everything you could want in a bakery including pink icing vanilla slices.
I decided on a potato pie with bacon bits sprinkled on the mashed potato. It was delicious and a perfect lunch on a road trip.
I did stop in Tarcutta for a dunny break but I wasn’t hungry so there was no tucker in Tarcutta.
That’s about it. When I got back to the flat I made a salmon and salad dinner which I really needed after so many high meat and sweet food and a general lack of vegetables.
[social_warfare]
Delicious panko chicken thigh with avocado rice and potato gems
Chicken thigh schnitzel, potato gems and panko prawns with mashed potato and gravy
On the Saturday, of this year’s Australia Day long weekend, I went to Alfie’s Mooo Char & Bar with my daughters and my eldest daughter’s boyfriend. We had planned this lunch since before Christmas 2017.
If you’re not from Queensland or New South Wales (NSW) you may not know Alfie. Alfie is Allan Langer, and in my opinion the greatest rugby league halfback ever. Alfie played for the Brisbane Broncos, the XXXX Queensland Maroons, and the Australian Kangaroos. While small in stature for a modern elite athlete, his tenacity, skill, game intelligence and ability to read the field of play made him both exciting and dangerous if you were an opposing cockroach.
After Alfie retired from the National Rugby League (NRL) competition, he went on to play in the English super league. While he was there, Mr Wayne Bennett) was coaching the mighty XXXX Queensland Maroons and in 2001 during the State of Origin series, for the third and deciding match he called Alfie back to wear the Maroon jersey. Despite criticism and laughs of derision from cockroaches and cockroach lovers, Alfie set up two tries and scored one of the most brilliant tries of Origin history. While critics south of the border said he was too old and unfit to play Origin, Alfie inspired the team and Queensland won the series that year.
Watch this YouTube video from about the 6 minutes 25 seconds mark through to 7 minutes 20 seconds to see THAT try.
The restaurant is located on the corner of The Esplanade and Otranto Avenue, Bulcock Beach, Caloundra QLD 4551. Its website is simply http://www.alfies.net.au/ You can call to make a booking on +61 7 5492 8155.
For more information, you can go to Google maps. This site also has reviews and photographs.
My parents and brothers have eaten at Alfie’s many times and Dad has told me how he has even met Alfie who is often there and serving drinks at the bar. Apparently, he’ll walk around and chat with diners. Alfie wasn’t there on the day that we enjoyed our meal, I’m hoping to visit again for an opportunity to meet the man.
[social_warfare]
The menu was as expected a food lovers paradise ranging from light and easy through to substantial meaty monuments to magnificent muscle.
My youngest daughter chose an Alfie Burger which she said was delicious and being in Queensland, it had beetroot and pineapple. These two elements are the sine qua non for a Queensland burger. In my mind, the only thing that could make it better would be a fried egg.
My daughter told me it was a really good burger.
My eldest daughter and her boyfriend both enjoyed fish and chips.
It looked like they both enjoyed their fish and chips.
My middle daughter and I agreed we would share a hot and cold seafood platter. This particular daughter and I have a very strong bond with food. She is a talented cake maker and cake decorator and she’s working in the food industry at the moment.
This platter was pretty good and it didn’t take us long to polish it off. The only thing that could have been improved would have been the crab. I think I’ve been spoilt with experiences with Top End mud crabs and imported King crab. The humble spanner crab isn’t quite the same. In some ways, a sand crab would be been nice. We agreed, the next time we might go for a cold platter with a side of the oysters Kilpatrick.
Everything tasted fresh and the oysters were plump and the prawns were firm. The deep-fried treats were very tasty and not over seasoned. The accompanying dipping sauces were also very good. The house tartare was great and next time I might ask for an extra dish of that.
My daughter and I were very satisfied with our choice and we felt like we had eaten well.
If you’re interested in what the damage was, check out the online menu for all the details.
Beef pattie, bacon, beetroot, pineapple, vintage cheddar, caramelised onions, smokey bbq sauce, fat chips.
Fish and fat chips, summer salad, house tartare, lemon.
1 spanner crab, 6 fresh Mooloolaba king prawns, 1 Moreton Bay bug, 6 natural oysters, 6 pieces of crumbed fish, 6 tempura king prawns, 6 Kilpatrick oysters, salt and pepper calamari and served with a Queensland nut and toasted coconut salad, tartare sauce, seafood sauce, fat chips, and lemon.
Before I get to my final thoughts, you may like to read about the radio interview I did with Lish Fejer and Jolene Laverty on ABC Canberra about vanilla slice, one of my favourite things.
I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch with my daughters. The restaurant is well positioned so you can see the water. The sea breeze keeps everything cool. The wait staff are friendly and attentive to diners. Gratefully they didn’t clear plates before everyone was finished.
Once ordered, the food came out in a good amount of time, not too soon and we didn’t feel like we were left waiting too long. The food itself is well presented, fresh and delicious.
I’d happily return for another meal and I have no hesitation to recommend Alfie’s Mooo Bar & Char to others.
I reckon after a lunch, it’s worth going for a walk and enjoying an ice cream by the beach.
Anchor note For those not familiar with the finer points of rugby league, a cockroach is a player from NSW. So named by Barry Muir. Barry was one of Australia’s greatest 100 players of the greatest game of all.
