A night out at "Dodgy Dumplings" and Koyaanisqatsi

"Mum, I know you're stressing, but it'll be ok, I promise, I know this place."

We've only got an hour to have dinner before we walk back to the theatre, and I don't like rushing. However my son was insistent and persuasive "They're fast AND cheap", so we began striding through the crowded city streets. Well, the blokes strode, I  scampered.

Where are all these people going? It's Tuesday night for goodness sake. What are they doing? My little feet and short legs ache to keep up with the long gait of the blokes. I've put on thick woolly socks to keep my feet warm, but as a result, my "going out boots" are a bit tight on this chilly winters evening. My toes hurt and I'm feeling a tad grumpy. I'm cold, hungry and rushed.

Eyes avert as we dodge religious spruikers, but glance with curiosity at someone dressed in a minotaur mask flanked by two women and being trailed by a young man with a video camera. A student film group perhaps. No time to ponder. Rush past the ever present sellers of The Big Issue and assorted people rattling tins hoping for a donation. (Are they genuine? It could be anyone who has stuck a "Help the Homeless" sticker on a tin.)

North along a major street, right up a lane then north again up a darkening alley. Beyond graffiti!

Does this place even have a name?  Arrive breathless to find a welcome lack of queue which is good, but ... there's a certain aroma that's not so good, possibly old food and lacklustre drains and infrequent garbage disposal. Thankfully my nostrils adjust quickly.

We're directed to a table in the corner. Other diners pull their seats in for us to squeeze snugly past with the sort of familiarly I usually reserve for treasured friends.

Tattered menus are presented without fanfare, no specials board, a faded A4 sheet stickey taped to the chipped yellowing wall advertising a meagre selection of drinks. "Don't bother", says my son, "they never have any. Well just have water." Not concentrating I promptly ask for a bottle of ice-tea. "No have" oh, ok it's not just that they don't have beer or soft drinks, they only have water!

Before I've even opened the sticky, torn and dogeared menu, my son has ordered. "If you don't get in quick you might have to wait" My goodness this is fast - he really does know this place!

While I'm exploring the strategically placed condiments, cheap and cheerful plastic picnic cups, looking for all the world like what we had when we were young, are plonked damply on the recently cleared table. They're followed by a Decor container of water which sloshes gaily across the table adding to the general wetness. Definitely not fine dining!

We begin to exchange pleasantries and barely start to catch up on the week's events when an unflustered, efficient young man unloads plastic plates of slippery dumplings unceremoniously on the table. Did we go into some sort of timewarp? We've only just ordered. They must have had them waiting!

I suspect these young waiters know their physics. They have an unerring ability to slide laden plates of dumplings, known for being a skiddy kind of food, onto the tables without mishap. They know exactly how much thrust is possible to save the diner a lapful of steaming hot, oyster sized, dumpling.

If this place had a motto it'd be
Get em in
Feed em
Get em out
Repeat.

Like a conjurer, our gently smiling waiter delivers assorted plastic plates of dumplings, from between, behind and over the heads of other diners. They neither notice, nor care, heads bowed over their own plates of squelchy morsels. No words exchanged till the end: "You enjoy?" he asks with concern. He beams when we answer with honest, enthusiastic yesses.

And with time to spare, we make it to the theatre, tummy's full, chatter shared. As for "Dodgy Dumpings", what should to all intents and purposes be a stagnant backwater of Melbournes dining scene, it's a fast food experience that fitted our requirements perfectly.

On a scale of 1 - 10, with with 1 low, and 10 high.
1 - Decor
1 - Presentation
1 - Mindful eating
1 - Tantalising menu
1 - Ambience
10 - Value for money (under $30 for three hungry adults)
10 - Taste
10 - Efficient service
9 - Entertainment value

Next stop, the New Hamer Hall at the Arts Centre to experience the first of the Qatsi Trilogy, Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance with Philip Glass and The Philip Glass Ensemble.
My review of Koyaanisqatsi is over at traverselife.

Giant vase of gladioli from Dame Edna Everage
to celebrate the opening of the New Hamer Hall.

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Do you sci-ku? I do!

A couple of days ago I came across something called sci-ku.

"Sci-ku" you mutter in a perplexed tone, "What's that?"

It's the meeting of science and haiku ... sort of, but with the strict syllabic requirements of haiku put aside.

There's even an annual competition in Australia!  This year, there is a farming or agricultrual theme to celebrate the Australian Year of the Farmer!

Aussies, feel free to enter here, anyone else could post their sci-ku on Twitter (if it's short enough) or G+, with the hash tag #sci-ku.

The winning entries from 2011 are here.

Tribute to the humble Ferguson tractor,
showing the height of the 1956 floodwaters.

Wentworth, nineteen fifty six

Month after month of incessant rain.
Rivers rise menacing - floods inundate the region.
Fergies save the day!

Some more information about the devastation of the 1956 floods and the role of farmers with their Ferguson tractors in saving the NSW town of Wentworth is here.

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The best way to visit Venice?

What's the best way to see Venice before it gets transported to China or the US to become a massive theme park?

One of my friends insists the only way to travel is by cruise liner, stopping a night, or at most two, at each port. She loves the security of knowing where she'll be sleeping, never having to find accommodation and wonder if it might be a bit too 'local' or unconventional. She happily anticipates a certain standard of food and service, and appreciates knowing what to expect at all times. For the same reason she prefers to frequent a specific chain of international hotels and stick with it where possible. She knows the layout of the room and facilities ahead of time, the staff will speak English, there are no surprises and the bed will be fine!

On a much anticipated trip to Europe a few years ago, the hubster and I chose to be a bit more random and travel only with a carry-on backpack and flexible plans. Where possible we chose local, non chain, owner-operated hotels and followed our noses to choose bakeries and restaurants.  We had some spectacular failures and jaw dropping "they've got to be joking" moments - but I wouldn't have changed anything for love nor money.

In Venice we arrived as passengers from a tourist liner were disembarking and got talking to a couple who were about our age. They quizzed us intently about travelling with carry on luggage, at first disbelieving and then with growing envy. They felt trapped, unable to explore at a leisurely pace and discovered that they disliked the shipboard culture and expectations which they'd expected to embrace wholeheartedly.

I'm not saying one way of travel is better than another. However, it's important to be in sync with your travelling companion so that one person isn't grinding their teeth with annoyance while the other is revelling in an adventure into the unknown.

This cruise liner dwarfs Venice.

How do you like to travel?
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Meatless Monday: Mushroom Pie Floater

Food never seems to be far from my mind, whether planning meals, or wondering if I'm out of a particular ingredient necessary for a recipe, or thinking how a meal could have been improved.

So, there I was last week without any hint of an idea what to cook for dinner when my lovely neighbour (MLN for short) appeared at the door with a bundle of dried lavender to use in the fire so we could enjoy the wonderful fragrance.

Naturally we got to sharing recipes. MLN is a great cook, and generous sharer of home grown vegetables. She also teaches people on a tight budget how to cook nutritious meals .

I confess, my eyes bulged when MLN said she'd recently taught the class how to cook a Pie Floater.

Could I have misheard? It appeared not. I checked to see if she was joking, but no, she was quite serious. I was skeptical to say the least.

My first introduction to the concept of a Pie Floater was from a South Australian drooling over the memory of eating one at an Adelaide railway station on a cold winter evening. It sounded disgusting.

This did not bode well. But MLN is honest, reliable and, so far, totally trustworthy with recipes, so naturally I had to give it a go.

Here's her version, my vegetarian offering follows.

MLN's Pie Floater
Serves 2.

Purchase a 2 pack of good quality frozen pies
500 gm frozen peas (she liked the minted variety)
about 1 cup boiling water

Cook the pies according to the directions on the pack.

Meanwhile put the frozen peas in a saucepan, add boiling water to almost cover. Cook about 10 mins. Buzz with a wand or food processor. The soup should be very thick.

Ladle soup into bowls, place the pie in an elegant fashion into the soup, swirl tomato sauce on top and enjoy.

I had to eat my unexpressed comments! I'd been hesitant to sample this culinary weirdness, but it was not only delicious, the different textures of crunchy pastry, hot meaty filling and buzzed peas were brilliant together. It was also fun to make as well as being a visual delight.

And of course, being me, I just had to tinker with the recipe the second time...oh, ok the first time too ;-)

Verdant green soup - suitable for pie floater - serves 4

• About 500 gms frozen peas
• olive oil - about 1 tablespoon
• 1 onion - chopped
• chilli
• garlic
• 1 vegetable stock cube & about 1 cup boiling water (or fresh stock) 
• slosh of white wine (1/4 cup?)

Sizzle the onion, garlic and chilli in the olive oil 'till softened. Slosh in some white wine. Add the frozen peas and approx 1 cup boiling water and stock cube (or stock) Simmer for around 10 mins. Whizz with a wand or whatever implement you have - a bit lumpy is fine. (A potato masher would work well if you don't have anything else).

Now for the absolutely amazing mushroom pie. The original recipe came from veggienumnum.com, a wonderful site well worth spending time drooling over!

I'd planned to follow the recipe, truly! But .... well, it just didn't happen that way - I didn't quite have the right ingredients, and there were some useful leftovers in the frig that needed to be used up. Here's my version.

Marvellous Mushroom Pie - Serves 4

Filling:

• olive oil or butter - about 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 large onion chopped (or 1 smallish one, or a leek)
• garlic - I used 3 very large cloves
• chilli - as much as you enjoy
• a slosh of white wine
• 2 large handfuls of button mushrooms - sliced
• 1 large field mushroom - chopped roughly
• 1 large handful of mixed exotic mushrooms - sliced (those wibbly unfamiliar ones from the supermarket unless you really know what you're picking in the wild)
• flour to thicken - about 1 tablespoon
• Stock or stock cube. I only needed about 1/2 cup
• The original recipe called for yogurt, but I had about 8 ping-pong ball sized bocconcini left over from something else, which was an excellent addition.

Heat oil or butter, add onion, garlic, chilli. Sizzle. Add wine, stir. Add mushrooms. Stir. (There seems to be a huge quantity, but they soften and shrink)

Add stock (or boiling water and stock cube) Simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top gently and evenly or it goes lumpy, and stir to blend it in. (The keen cook will make a swishy sauce, but if you're very careful, this is fine!)

Add the bocconcini and stir till more or less melted. It should be thick. Remove from heat to cool and till you're ready to put it in the pastry.  If you're using yogurt, remove the pan from the heat first. 

Pastry: (easy - honestly!) enough for a 35cm pie dish

• 225 g flour (I used attar which mixes and rolls very easily and seems to stick together better than the standard type)
• 115 g butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano (the original recipe used dried thyme which would be lovely too)
• just enough cold water to bind - about 1/4 cup - add slowly as it's easy to overdo it.

I added the flour, a grind of salt and oregano then cut in the butter using two blunt knives (held together to make two blades) to make it look like breadcrumbs.

Add a trickle of water at a time and mix - it shouldn't be sloppy or too sticky.  Divide it very roughly into 1/3 and 2/3. The larger for the base of the pie dish, the smaller for the top. Roll the larger out on a floured board to fit the base of the greased pie dish. Fill with the marvellous mushroom mixture. Roll out the smaller piece and place on top. Pinch the top and bottom together. You could use a pastry brush to paint about a tablespoon of milk over the pastry. I didn't have one, so used my super clean fingers. Make a couple of vents with a knife to let the steam escape.

Cook in a 180 degree C oven for 30 mins or until brown on top.

The original recipe calls for chilling the pastry, but I was running late and didn't want to wait. It worked fine!

You'll notice that I didn't mention individual pie plates. I cut the cooked pie into quarters and collated the pie floater as above. It was stupendous, delicious, scrumptious and simply so amazing that I went out and purchased 4 little pie plates for next time... because there will be many next times!

I'm a convert to pie floaters, and now wonder at my undeniable prejudice toward this wonderful invention.

Sorry about the lack of photo of the marvellous mushroom pie floater, but you know how it is sometimes, food takes precedence over photography ;-)
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A blast from the past, or how do you describe an EP?

"A what?" I hear you say with a politely perplexed tone of voice.

"An EP! There's more on them than on a single."

"Pardon?" you say as you scratch your head and wonder if you've missed some new whiz-bang electronic gizmo. "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"It's what we used to listen to music on. EP stands for Extended Play. They're a bit like a USB...sort of. Or perhaps a better description is a portable music device, kind of like an iPod, but they only hold about 8-10 minutes of music...And you need a record player to listen to them on."


You can see how this is going to go. Parents living in the dark ages. The time of the dinosaurs. Blah, blah, blah. How did you survive etc. Gosh, singles and EP's were better than 78's! So portable! The freedom to play the music you wanted to hear when you wanted!!


We had some great music way back then. Just look at what I found in the boxes of mum's diaries that have been in the roof :-)  (I blogged about them more seriously here). Somehow these gems must have been tucked away amongst her diaries when we were packing the house. Whoohoo! 


Now, how to listen to them?

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Still having formatting problems. Sigh.


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Meatless Monday: For those who detest Cauliflower Soup

Mills Beach. Mornington.

It's cold in Melbourne, and after a long bracing walk along the beach and up the cliff, I wanted soup for lunch to help warm me up.

Cauliflower isn't my favourite vegetable, but it was cheap and in season, so I'd bought one yesterday ... because it seemed a good idea, not because I really wanted one. So, there I was walking along planning Cauliflower soup - until I got distracted by a group of animated geology students discussing rock formations with more hand waving and enthusiasm than you would have thought possible. I felt sorry for the students as I imagined them picnicking on the beach.
But maybe they ended up at the pub which would have been pleasant :-)

Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients

• onion - 1 small - roughly chopped
• garlic - 1 large clove - chopped
• chilli - sprinkle of dried
• potato - 1 extra large - roughly chopped
• cauliflower - 1/4 chopped or broken into bits, including the stem
• a shake of salt and a grind of pepper
• stock cube or stock
• about a teaspoon or so of Tikka Masala paste
• a small slosh of white wine (not necessary, but the cask isn't very nice so it seems a good use for it)
• a smidge of olive oil or butter

Method

• Melt butter or heat oil, add onion, garlic & chilli. Stir till sizzling then add the small slosh of wine just to stop it sticking. 
• Add the potato and cauliflower and stir.
• Add soup stock (or water and stock cube) and Tikka Masala paste. The stock doesn't need to cover the vegetables entirely.

The cauliflower soup cooked in about 20 minutes, I buzzed it with the wand thing and ate it with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of coriander. It was good and didn't taste strongly of cauliflower.

I've never grown coriander successfully before, but this year I have mounds of it. I've made Coriander Pesto which is nice as a dip with fresh veggies and just discovered that I've managed to dry some by leaving it in an open container of the bench. (I'd chopped it to use on something earlier in the week). The wood heater in the evening and general chill the rest of the time must have provided just the right conditions! 

I've cut a bunch, chopped it and laid it on a plate to see if I can repeat the drying process - it'd be great to have some stored for when the plants die off.


Any suggestions for additions?


*I have no idea why the formatting shows white behind some areas, that's new but I can't be fussed trying to figure it out.
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Meatless Monday - Mushroom soup

Grey soup? Bleah
Mushrooms? Yech

Whoa! It's not that bad, mushrooms can do taste good and this soup is really easy to cook.

Ingredients: 

• Garlic, of course
• Chilli, naturally! 1 small killer one if you're game, or a shake or two of dried
• Potatoes, 3-4 small, roughly chopped. I left the skin on - fibre is good for us
• Onions, 2 small, again roughly chopped - peeled because onion skin doesn't taste good
• Mushrooms, a few generous handfulls, roughly chopped. Wild would be good if you're confident you know what you're picking. Note: Please be extremely confident if you harvest wild mushrooms. People die slowly and painfully from organ failure when they get it wrong. 
• Salt and pepper. A pinch of the first and a grind of the second. 
• Butter, a small dollop
• Wine, a decent slosh
• Stock or a stock cube. Possibly a cup or two, maybe a bit more 

• Yogurt for topping
• Parsley or coriander to add colour

Method:

• Melt butter (it tastes nicer than olive oil in this soup) I use salt free
• Add onion, garlic, chilli, s & p and stir till it smells wonderful
• Pour a glass of wine, check quality, slosh some in the pan - by this time, the smell is heavenly
• Add potato, stir while you sample the wine again. You may need to add a bit more if it's evaporated too fast 
• When the potato has softened a bit add the mushrooms and stir
• Add stock to almost cover the veggies. I didn't have any fresh so used a chicken stock cube and boiling water
• and that's pretty much it. Bring to a simmer, enjoy the wine then buzz the soup enthusiastically carefully so it doesn't splatter all over the kitchen which is a real pain to clean, especially when it dries and gets baked onto the stovetop.

Enjoy with a slice of wholegrain toast. I think this soup would be good with brown lentils. Next time I'll rinse a handful and add them at the same time as the mushrooms. Please don't use the canned variety, it's so easy to use dried ones and then you know there aren't any additives.

Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of the first bowl and had to go back for seconds to get a photo ;-) See how the coriander makes it look less boring. Arty types will manage to make the yogurt look elegant - I was more interested in functionality! A sprinkle of paprika would also look (and taste) good, or for the real fire lovers, some fresh chopped chilli.
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Scrumptious lunch time *sanga

*Sanga = sandwich

With a Scandinavian "open" aspect.

Ingredients
bread or biscuits
cheese
avocado
vegemite

The avocado was a bit sad, but I ignored the icky bits.

I only had pre-sliced cheese, and the pack had been left open so it was dry and curled at the edges, but it did the job.

And of course, yummy, yeasty food in a jar (aka Vegemite)  ;-)

Of course this would be perfectly fine without the bread or biscuits, they're really only a vehicle to prevent sticky fingers.

This suggestion came from a comment on a thread on G+. Thankyou! I've been assured that tomato, vegemite and cheese is also a great sandwich filling, but I have yet to try that delectable taste sensation.

Further suggestions are welcome!

Addition: One excellent breakfast or lunch suggestion which I've adopted is:
toast
vegemite
scrambled egg
avocado
a wedge of tomato on the side
and handsomely topped with a sprig of parsley

drool ....... :-p


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A Queenly mug

And a King too.

Some of you know I'm slowly sifting through the tonnes of books, pamphlets, letters, diaries, bric-a-brac and assorted stuff left by my parents. Amongst what can only be described as "why on earth did they have that bit of kitsch - it's horrible!" are a few gems.

Our current Queen was just 11 years old when someone purchased this commemorative mug and it  found its way to Australia and ended up with me. There would have been a lot of pomp and excitement back then too, but no colour photos, internet and instant sharing like we have now.  Celebration on this scale is something the Brits do well, so it should be quite a spectacle!

I don't think I'll put it through the dishwasher ;-)

Over at traverselife I've procrastinated about sifting through my mother's diaries and unearthed a small skeleton or two.
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Meatless Monday Recipe. Spinach Pie - of sorts

ROAST PUMPKIN, SPINACH AND RICOTTA PIE

Serves 6 - Hah! I don't think so! You could stretch it that far if you have a large salad or other vegies to accompany it which I didn't.

Prep time - 15 minutes ... not the way I cook ... I started by wandering outdoors and picking the spinach (or silver beet because that's all I had) peered in the frig wondering which beer would complement the meal best, then poured said beer, (home-brew: Mexican Cerveza for starters) composed and sent an email ... you get the picture.

Cooking time - around an hour from the time it goes into the oven - that would have been more or less accurate if I hadn't changed the recipe. There's the extra 1/2 hour baking the pumpkin first though, so you need to factor that in.

Ingredients -

• Half a large butternut pumpkin (750g) cut into a 2cm dice. I only had 1/2 a golden sweet potato and 1/4 Japanese pumpkin. It was fine. It just needs to be a dense pumpkin, and not one of those watery, airy ones.

• 2/3 cup light olive oil (or vegetable oil) Light!! I don't think so, first cold pressed for me. I used less though.

 • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

 • 1/2 teaspoon salt

 • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 • 2 brown onions, sliced

 • 2 cloves garlic, chopped ... Only 2! Tut, tut, 4, 6, 8 or so is fine. It depends on how closely you'll be working with people the next day really.

 • 100g baby spinach ... I used more silver beet (Swiss Chard?) because that's what I had. Next time I'd probably double it I think, or even add some parsley or coriander if I didn't have enough other greens.

 • 6 eggs

 • 1 cup self-raising flour ... I used 1/2 wholemeal, 1/2 white. I could have added a spoon of soy for extra oomph.

 • 1 cup grated tasty cheese

 • 250g tub ricotta ... I used 500g because that's what I'd bought and I didn't want any leftovers.

Next time I'd also add some chilli and roasted pine nuts.

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan forced.)

    Grease and flour a 24cm spring form cake tin. (I used kitchen paper and ignored the greasing. I think any sort of pie dish would be fine).

2. Toss the pumpkin cubes with oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper and roast in a baking tray for 30 minutes or until soft and golden brown.

3. In a frypan over a medium heat, saute onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil (and the chili if using it). I use a regular saucepan for something like this because it tends to escape messily when you get to the next stage.

4. Take the pan off the heat and toss the spinach through. The spinach will wilt a little. Put the pine nuts in now.

5. In a bowl, beat the 6 eggs. Add the remaining olive oil and mix well. (I forgot to add the extra olive oil, it didn't seem to matter) Add flour and whisk until there are no lumps. (It's quite thick, like a batter, probably because I forgot the extra olive oil and used wholemeal flour.) Stir through the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

6. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and lower the temperature to 180C (160C fan forced). Toss the pumpkin through the onion spinach mixture. The spinach will wilt further.

7. Place half the vegetable mixture in the base of the cake tin and pour half the egg mixture over. Shake the tin to make sure the egg sinks all around the vegetables. Put the other half of the vegetable mixture in and top with the remaining egg mixture and jiggle it to settle.

8. Dollop the ricotta over the top. Using a spoon burrow down a little so that there is some ricotta nestled inside the pie as well... This was a bit of a challenge because I'd decided to double the ricotta. It worked though, and made a lovely deep snowy topping.

9. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and firm in the middle.

Because I'd tinkered with the recipe, it took a lot longer to cook through. At least an hour, possibly more. It eventually became a glorious golden brown and went really well with a bottle of Toohey's Old. This spinach pumpkin ricotta pie would be nice with baked potatoes and coleslaw.


*If you have a child who refuses to eat meatless food, add some bacon or chopped up chorizo sausage when you're cooking the onion

I copied the recipe some time ago, and don't know where it originally came from. 

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Grumbling about Sir Terry Pratchett

I forgot to say I've got a post over at traverselife on Sir Terry Pratchett and Discworld, here and I've got a beaut vegetarian recipe to share on Monday - it's a variation on spinach pie that's delicious!

Meatless Monday Recipe - Pesto & Pasta

What to do with the mounds of coriander that were wilfully neglected whilst on holiday and to my surprise and delight, flourished?!

Coriander Pesto

• a bunch of coriander - about 5 x 30cm of stalk length with lush leaves. Strip the leaves, rinse and spin around in a tea-towel to get the water off. Best done outdoors if there is a lot of water - you don't want the kitchen floor to be dangerously slippery
• 2 or so cloves of garlic (quantity depending on who you'll be working with the next day - more if you want to offend)
• a squeeze of lemon juice (a half lemon was on the bench looking at me forlornly, I don't usually add lemon, but it worked well in the recipe)
• a *small handfull of pine nuts ... or pistachio/almond/cashew - are all yummy. I roast them in the microwave - 1 minute on high, then shuffle them about, then another minute and so on till they smell scrumptious. Resist attempting to eat them straight out of the microwave - they're dangerously hot. It's possible to roast them in the oven or in a frypan - no need to add oil - keep an eye on them as they burn suddenly and taste horrible if they're burnt.
• a sprinkle of chilli - fresh would be better, perhaps 1/2 of one of those tiny mega hot ones
• a good slosh of olive oil - I use first cold pressed - Aussie of course!
• a grind of pepper
• salt isn't necessary

Buzz in a kitchen whizz or with a buzzy wand Bamix kind of thing.

• now add a *small amount of grated parmesan or similar - buzz again. It should be a consistency that is safe on a biscuit. Not so thick that you cut it with a knife, and not so sloppy that it runs down your fingers and dribbles onto your clothing.  

*Quantities: small handfull is about the size of a small hens egg or what fits into the cupped palm of your hand... as long as it's a small hand

Next: I'll cook up some wholemeal pasta, maybe add a tomato or two, possibly some well cooked chick peas and a very generous dollop of this pesto. I'll possibly top it with some plain yogurt, but maybe not.

Leftovers freeze well in tiny containers or ice cube trays. Do I need to point out if you use ice cube trays they'll need to be REALLY well washed before you use any future ice cubes in a G&T or whiskey.

Coriander Pesto is also scrumptious with cold hard boiled egg, as a sandwich base with some kind of sustainable fish, with cheese or simply as a 'how do I stop eating this' dip on flat bread or bikkies.

**NOTE: This is one of those embarrassing foods that leaves little green bits between your teeth. Be warned!

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May 5th. Full moon beauty.

Full moon rising, reflected in the mudflats. Near Brisbane QLD.
Technical details: taken with my phone, elbows on the deck for stability.

To the left were little fluffy grey and white clouds, gently coloured, delicate against the subtle pink of the sky.

Right now, the full moon has risen, and the water is glistening and shimmering like sparkling diamonds, which sounds trite and cliched, but it's true! The palm is swaying and clacking in the breeze.

Boats, skitter across the water presumably skippered by fishermen planning "the big catch' at high tide. (Last night must have been good as there are large gutted fish along the intertidal zone). Lights from island homes blink with the movement of the trees.

Cicadas are chattering and Edna the possum (there's a bit more about her here) has woken up, her little pink nose just appeared from between the cushions, and is no doubt planning a night of festivity! I suspect she'll scrabble into her hobnail boots sometime around midnight and thud around the deck with cheerful, joyous delight as I try to sleep. The fruitbats have woken and appear as the classic "bat flying across full moon"... "is this my best angle" photogenic shot which my little point and press has no hope of catching.

Maybe I'll get up at 4am to see if there are any meteors to be seen. Apparently we're zooming through the tails of a couple of comets at the moment. It could be good viewing even with the full moon.

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Edna the possum

Little ringtail possum, wide eyed and innocent!

Muddy red paw-prints

neatly paired,

track from feast

to slumber between summertime chairs.

Pink toes should be curled in rejuvenating sleep.

Eyes should be closed

snoring gently and dreaming.

Instead, warily awake and alert,

planning her next escapade of bounding gleefully, noisily, persistently, across the grey wooden deck

with joyful abandon ...

- before dawn.

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Dragon Hills

I'm feeling a bit gushy about geology at the moment. I'll hasten to add that this isn't normal for me, but was brought on by reading a post on G+, 10 Reasons Geologists are Weird. What I haven't mentioned is that my first job after leaving school was with the exploration division of a mining company. I have the sneaking suspicion that working with geologists so closely and interpreting their maps and making them presentable for "the powers that be" did something to my head. Not in a bad way I hasten to add, but just ... something ....

A passing comment on G+ after reading about Weird Geologists led to a conversation about rocks and me posting a photo of a strange (to me) beachside rock formation near my hometown. There were grooves in the rock, and I'd decided that meant it HAD to be glacial! That led to the most intriguing post by Dana Hunter at En Tequila Es Verdad (here) and enabled me to see my home area through a different filter. Wow! What an exciting eye opener.

Now for the Dragon Hills (not their proper title)
I'd planned to post the following pictures some time ago and got sidetracked, but maybe now is a good time. These hills are in Mutawintji in outback New South Wales in the south west of the state. It's semi-arid land, red, and totally entrancing. It was near here that I first saw the International Space Station tumbling and catching the light of the sun in the deep night sky. I waved and called out a silent "hello" to the astronaut scientists working up there.

It's quiet out there. At the campground a few people enjoy the silence and watch the crazy Apostle birds, kangaroos, emus and when we were there packs of ferral goats and their kids. There are no towns for hundreds of kilometres, no distractions, nothing much at all ... except the most stunning, magnificent, awe inspiring scenery imaginable.

In parts it looks for all the world like the scales of dragons. As if they've fallen asleep in strange postures, curled and contorted over millennia. Trickles of water dribble down fissures and support some life: a few scraggly trees, lizards, roos, various birds and unfortunately the ferral goats.

The hills stretch on and on. It's protected Aboriginal land further out, and you need to join a registered tour group to enter - pre-booking would have been advisable as they were booked out a week in advance.

Below, the rocks look like they're dribbling down the slope, creating dangerous looking overhangs. Trees have taken root and cling tenaciously in damp cracks and gullies creating anorexic strands of welcome shade. I'm standing in the top right of the photo gazing in awe, wondering why I'd never heard hint of such a spectacular place. Friends' comment "yeah, it's pretty good" simply doesn't do it justice!

The NSW National Parks department describes the area thus: "The land and waterways, and the plants and animals that live in them, feature in all facets of Aboriginal culture - including recreational, ceremonial, spiritual and as a main source of food and medicine. They are associated with dreaming stories and cultural learning that is still passed on today."

What the Parks Department fails to mention is how breathtaking the area is and that it's worth spending more than a couple of nights out there soaking up the atmosphere.
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Beer bread ... again ;)

What to do when a new untried recipe for Spelt bread is sending enticing memories of the aroma of freshly baked bread and you realise that the yeast is well past its use by date and is dead? Not just a little bit dead, but has gone grainy in the bottom of the jug where it's meant to be rising with frothy enthusiasm. The water is a putrid muddy yellow and the bubbles on top wouldn't raise a scant teaspoon of flour.

Bring on the beer ;)

The smoky pils that neither hubby nor I like, to be precise.  We still have quite a few bottles left and it's used for flavouring stews and soups. Why not try it instead of yeast! It will only require a little tweak of the recipe here and there, no problems...

So here we have Sue's No Fuss Spelt Beer Bread

Ingredients:

• instead of 7g of yeast, add about 2 teaspoons of baking powder (maybe a bit less next time)
• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar (next time I'll use Manuka honey)
• instead of 1 1/2 cups of warm water, use the same of the Smoky Pils (that's around 375ml) or whatever beer you don't want to drink right now or was a bit of a brewing embarrasement
• 1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
• 1 1/2 cups white spelt flour (I didn't have that so used bakers white)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (it was probably lake salt, but who cares)
• I omitted the suggested linseeds and rolled oats and added about 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds - because I like them - they would be yummy toasted first
• I tablespoon olive oil - I added a good slosh of a local extra virgin one.

Now theoretically you're meant to kneed the dough and all that stuff, but I couldn't get my rings off, so after I plonked everything in the basin, I used a spoon to swish it around a bit like making muffins then flopped it into a greased bread shaped tin. Then straight into the oven at about 200C. I checked after 20 mins and turned the tin around, then "knocked" on it after another 20 mins. A good hollow sound and fantastic smell - I know from experience it's best to wait a bit before cutting freshly baked bread - patience is a virtue and all that stuff, but it was worth it to enjoy it just slightly warm with some fresh bruschetta topping and a slice of cheese. Then the next slice with butter and a local honey.

The difficulty was not scoffing the lot - must remember mindful eating next time.

PERFECT :D

An earlier recipe: Beer Bread!

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Seals, surf and sex - possibly

Even on a glorious autumn day, it's not hard to imagine the horror of being on a ship bound from Melbourne to Sydney in driving, gale force winds. Watching the tiny light from the Green Cape lightstation getting closer and closer and eventually realising that a treacherous reef would inevitably be struck and that survival would be a matter of fickle luck. Terrifying.

A miserable, dark night, with mountainous seas, splintering timber and bitterly cold water. Of the 86 people the Ly-ee-Moon was carrying,  71 men, women and children perished, their graveyard not far down a peaceful bushy track.  Amongst the passengers was the mother of Australia's only saint, Mary MacKillop. With the assistance of the lightkeeper and staff, amazingly, 15 men survived.

Last week, however, small fishing boats were experiencing a gentle massage from the lazy, undulating swell. They bobbed and swayed; the fishermen oblivious to the perplexed discussion happening atop the cliffs.

"Gee, the kelp is high out of the water over there."

"Nah, that's not kelp, it's seals."

"Can't be. Seals move, that's not moving at all. Didn't realise the rocks went so far out though."

We watched the apparent kelp sway back and forth for a few minutes. Nothing much seemed to be happening, but even so it was unusual.

Out comes the camera to take a pic and enlarge it on the itty-bitty camera screen.

"Yeah, maybe you're right, it does seem to be kelp, definitely not moving. But it's odd allthesame."

Fast forward to yesterday and a closer inspection of the photos enlarged on the computer:

Definitely seals. Now, we've swum with seals a few times, we know they're curious and they're fast, and I've been spooked a few times when one has shot up from the murky depths like a rocket (or shark) and spun around to peer into my mask. Our experience is that they're cheeky and not known for loitering about. These weren't feeding, the apparent lack of movement puts paid to that idea, but could they have been mating? They were pretty static in the water which is why we thought it was kelp (we were quite a distance away) and the closeness of their flippers would suggest that.

Can anyone shed light on this behaviour for me?

Thanks to Felicitas Avendano from G+ for providing the following link that could shed light on the behaviour: They might have been "rafting" or "jughandling" - basically not doing much at all!

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