Clearly, I am far behind in updates. People who are disturbed by posts which are out of order, chronologically, should perhaps go and get a tranquilizer pill now :P
For those who like to know this sort of thing, the itinerary went sort of like this:
YVR to Sydney
A couple of days in Sydney
Hired a car and drove through Ulladulla, Tathra, Marlo, Sale, towards Melbourne.
Melbourne for 7 days
flight to Launceston, hire car, drive via Swansea to Sorrell.
Drive from Sorrell through Cradle Valley, back to Launceston.
Melbourne for a couple days
Sydney for 2 days, 2 nights
Home.
currently waiting at SYD for my flight to YVR.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday 18th, and a visit with Sally
Heading for a visit with Sally Wise, Jill and I set out for Eagleneck, on the Tasman Peninsula. As we are greeted at the kitchen door, our eyes are directed to the array of baked goods on the counters; bread, brioche, scones, a cake. Jars of preserves await stowing. In a glance, I see that Sally is using mason jars to store her dry goods; later I discover larger, matching tubs of the same items in greater quantity. We wander out (taking advantage of the “communal scuffs” to avoid soiling our shoes with animal droppings) to visit the chooks, and gather a still-warm egg. Completely unexpectedly, we are presented with a lunch of sumptuous array. Blackberry and raspberry jams, zucchini pickle cheese spread, aoili and pesto are “whipped up” while we chat. Other preserves are served right from the jar. All the while, Sally declines to sit and join us, but chats about her recent work, a fourth book release. She gathers copies of all four books, signs them and hands them to me. And, she seems genuinely grateful for the copy of Vancouver Cooks Two, which Neil has managed to have signed by the board members of the Chefs’ Table Society. We discuss the possibility of using the herb asafoetide to add flavour to goods made to accommodate garlic and onion allergies. It seems that Sally has been cooking to accommodate allergies for a long time; gluten-free and dairy-free is the theme of one of her books. Stuffed to near-bursting, we bid our farewells; jars of preserves are pressed into our hands. Sally’s son, Allistair, owns Sweet Envy, a cafe in a neighbouring town; I promise to drop in during the weekend. Sally is the guest on the Saturday morning radio program, which Jill assures me will have time to listen to.
Our drive home is leisurely, around the Peninsula, via Port Arthur. At Nabeena, we stop in to ask Rosa about her sauerkraut. In Rosa’s absence, her husband, Branko, described the process of coring the cabbage before stuffing with salt, then packing the heads into a small barrel/crock and covering with boiling water. The barrels were covered and set aside for 15-20 days, and had just been emptied; we were not treated to any visual clues as to the process. Approaching the drive at home, we notice Hans and Diana in the meeting room of the Rectory, a sign of something gone awry with access to the apartment. It turns out that they have waited only an hour. Diana is dispatched to shower, and Jill and I regale Hans with our preserving stories.
Dinner at Barilla was a seafood delight. We started with fresh oysters from the farms of Barilla, seared scallops on cauliflower puree (incredibly silky, if I may say), and chicken and herb terrine. This was followed by crispy skinned salmon (one of the mainstays of Tasman aquaculture) with falafel and rocket/feta salad x 3, and a pan-roasted boarfish for me, accompanied by zucchini fritter and rocket/parmesan salad with delightfully tart pickled shallots. It was quiet for a Friday night, although word has it that dinners usually wrap up here before 9. We were one of 2 tables remaining at 9:15, and the last table to leave. Service could be described as polite but unattentive.
It was another great day.
Our drive home is leisurely, around the Peninsula, via Port Arthur. At Nabeena, we stop in to ask Rosa about her sauerkraut. In Rosa’s absence, her husband, Branko, described the process of coring the cabbage before stuffing with salt, then packing the heads into a small barrel/crock and covering with boiling water. The barrels were covered and set aside for 15-20 days, and had just been emptied; we were not treated to any visual clues as to the process. Approaching the drive at home, we notice Hans and Diana in the meeting room of the Rectory, a sign of something gone awry with access to the apartment. It turns out that they have waited only an hour. Diana is dispatched to shower, and Jill and I regale Hans with our preserving stories.
Dinner at Barilla was a seafood delight. We started with fresh oysters from the farms of Barilla, seared scallops on cauliflower puree (incredibly silky, if I may say), and chicken and herb terrine. This was followed by crispy skinned salmon (one of the mainstays of Tasman aquaculture) with falafel and rocket/feta salad x 3, and a pan-roasted boarfish for me, accompanied by zucchini fritter and rocket/parmesan salad with delightfully tart pickled shallots. It was quiet for a Friday night, although word has it that dinners usually wrap up here before 9. We were one of 2 tables remaining at 9:15, and the last table to leave. Service could be described as polite but unattentive.
It was another great day.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tasmania!
We are now in Swansea, Tas. It is Wed., Feb. 16.
Today was mostly about travel: train and bus from South Yarra neighbourhood in Melbourne, to the airport; then flight to Launceston, Tas. We picked up a car at the airport... $50 surcharge for airport pickup! Bah! Drove nearly 200 km on winding roads, with long spots of heavy rain. By the time we reached Swansea, the rain had stopped, and wind was picking up. I hope the wind will have subsided enough by morning that we can still have our planned boat cruise to Wineglass Bay.
An interesting and delightful find along the way was the Purple Possum in St. Mary's. St. Mary's is a small town, in a state of small towns. But, their stock of organic grains and cereals, plus homemade preserves, was impressive. Even more notable: the selection of oils, vinegars and tamari, available in bulk, to fill your own jars. Very nice, and friendly for the environment, too.
Several vineyard cellar doors were signposted along the way... I counted at least 5, and I was driving, rather than "looking about". Perhaps there will be a chance to stop at one or two, in the morrow. At the very least, there will be purchasing of two or three wines, to share with Jill and Diana on the weekend, when we all reconvene. Looking forward to Salamanca Market in Hobart, and to some fresh seafood!
Today was mostly about travel: train and bus from South Yarra neighbourhood in Melbourne, to the airport; then flight to Launceston, Tas. We picked up a car at the airport... $50 surcharge for airport pickup! Bah! Drove nearly 200 km on winding roads, with long spots of heavy rain. By the time we reached Swansea, the rain had stopped, and wind was picking up. I hope the wind will have subsided enough by morning that we can still have our planned boat cruise to Wineglass Bay.
An interesting and delightful find along the way was the Purple Possum in St. Mary's. St. Mary's is a small town, in a state of small towns. But, their stock of organic grains and cereals, plus homemade preserves, was impressive. Even more notable: the selection of oils, vinegars and tamari, available in bulk, to fill your own jars. Very nice, and friendly for the environment, too.
Several vineyard cellar doors were signposted along the way... I counted at least 5, and I was driving, rather than "looking about". Perhaps there will be a chance to stop at one or two, in the morrow. At the very least, there will be purchasing of two or three wines, to share with Jill and Diana on the weekend, when we all reconvene. Looking forward to Salamanca Market in Hobart, and to some fresh seafood!
I am not a morning person
Having agreed, at some point, to coffee/breakfast on the beach, I headed out with D. Our accommodation provided Nescafe packets, which were actually not so bad (I have them in my bag to bring home) Alas, we had arrived to town too late the night before, to pick up coffee, to take advantage of the provided french press. Of course, not being an early riser, I missed the sunrise. The cresting waves were quite beautiful, backlit by the morning sun. And, it takes about 3 minutes for the surf to completely erase any footsteps in the sand. We observed several gulls practicing ballet... their arabesque was great, but the developé needs a little work. I’m really appreciating how clean the sandy beaches are. Perhaps this is because beach fires are completely banned here? No soot = no black feet!
We nibbled on fruit/nut bars and sipped coffee/tea in the car, on the way to Bega, where I explored the cheese “museum”. We had lunch in Merimbula, before engaging in a little retail therapy. Driving on the left side of the road, on these winding tracks, is very stressful! I managed to find flipflops (thongs), a skirt, and a dress. Yay! Lunch was Thai from Hot Wok; tasty, but a bit sweet for my palate. Takeaway coffee (small long black) from Waterfront Cafe fit the bill for taking along to the car. Would have enjoyed sipping the brew while sitting on the WC patio, but the clock was a’ tickin’
We arrived in Marlo in time for dins at the Marlo Hotel. Wine (from the region) was lovely. Dinner was sent back for being cold; a remake was on the table in good time. Chicken schnitzel with red wine mushroom sauce; tasty enough, but not good enough to pack home the excess.
We nibbled on fruit/nut bars and sipped coffee/tea in the car, on the way to Bega, where I explored the cheese “museum”. We had lunch in Merimbula, before engaging in a little retail therapy. Driving on the left side of the road, on these winding tracks, is very stressful! I managed to find flipflops (thongs), a skirt, and a dress. Yay! Lunch was Thai from Hot Wok; tasty, but a bit sweet for my palate. Takeaway coffee (small long black) from Waterfront Cafe fit the bill for taking along to the car. Would have enjoyed sipping the brew while sitting on the WC patio, but the clock was a’ tickin’
We arrived in Marlo in time for dins at the Marlo Hotel. Wine (from the region) was lovely. Dinner was sent back for being cold; a remake was on the table in good time. Chicken schnitzel with red wine mushroom sauce; tasty enough, but not good enough to pack home the excess.
Pie, Roos and Cheese!
Breath-taking doesn’t even begin to describe the combination of old-growth gum trees, standing guard on lush green pastures. The cows, so perfectly gathered in the meadow, that they seemed painted into the landscape.
The drive from Ulladulla to Tathra was full of delightful distractions.
Not 100 feet from our overnight was a pie shop! Thai curried chicken was a surprising treat; roasted mushroom and spinach... not my favourite.
Stopped at Long Beach which is near Pebbly Beach, the infamous “kangaroos on the beach place”, where a crew (?) of 40+ roos greeted us. I’m pretty sure they were encouraged out of the wood by the wet, cool morning. Diana played kangaroo stalker with her camera. On to Norma Holt Gallery, where D found a watercolour worthy of packing home.
Did you know that a mall is a mall, is a mall? Except for the absence of outside walls, the shopping centre at Bateman’s Bay could have been any small shopping centre in any town. We explored the vast array which is Cole’s, picking up wine, beer and snacks.
When we crested the hill into Central Tilba, and both sighed... I knew we would need to stop. Chef at a cafe agreed to make us a late lunch; BLT and a fritatta with salad. Juillienne granny smith apple was a refreshing garnish on a salad of greens, cucumber and diced tomato. The roasted vegetable frittata was a bit large-chunked for my taste. I much prefer the veg in my frittata to be small dice. But it was tasty, especially with the accompanying tomato relish/sweet chili sauce. The BLT was a bit of a disappointment, as D realized that bacon here is never the crisp rashers, but more ham-like, and soft. We picked up carrot pickles, wild honeysuckle jam, and a tomato chili sauce, to go with the Tilba Cheeses. I did the first of my clothing shopping, picking up a shirt, socks, and a scarf.
We arrived in Tathra in time to catch the cotton candy clouds reflecting the setting sun.
Dinner was an array of Tilba vintage and sundried tomato cheeses, and the pickles/preserves we had picked up.
The drive from Ulladulla to Tathra was full of delightful distractions.
Not 100 feet from our overnight was a pie shop! Thai curried chicken was a surprising treat; roasted mushroom and spinach... not my favourite.
Stopped at Long Beach which is near Pebbly Beach, the infamous “kangaroos on the beach place”, where a crew (?) of 40+ roos greeted us. I’m pretty sure they were encouraged out of the wood by the wet, cool morning. Diana played kangaroo stalker with her camera. On to Norma Holt Gallery, where D found a watercolour worthy of packing home.
Did you know that a mall is a mall, is a mall? Except for the absence of outside walls, the shopping centre at Bateman’s Bay could have been any small shopping centre in any town. We explored the vast array which is Cole’s, picking up wine, beer and snacks.
When we crested the hill into Central Tilba, and both sighed... I knew we would need to stop. Chef at a cafe agreed to make us a late lunch; BLT and a fritatta with salad. Juillienne granny smith apple was a refreshing garnish on a salad of greens, cucumber and diced tomato. The roasted vegetable frittata was a bit large-chunked for my taste. I much prefer the veg in my frittata to be small dice. But it was tasty, especially with the accompanying tomato relish/sweet chili sauce. The BLT was a bit of a disappointment, as D realized that bacon here is never the crisp rashers, but more ham-like, and soft. We picked up carrot pickles, wild honeysuckle jam, and a tomato chili sauce, to go with the Tilba Cheeses. I did the first of my clothing shopping, picking up a shirt, socks, and a scarf.
We arrived in Tathra in time to catch the cotton candy clouds reflecting the setting sun.
Dinner was an array of Tilba vintage and sundried tomato cheeses, and the pickles/preserves we had picked up.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Manly, Hugo, Moncur
Friday wanted us to spend the afternoon at Manly Beach. Thank you, Friday. The 20 min ferry crossing was just enough to feel like a holiday. Hugo’s Manly (Peter Fast) has wonderful open/outdoor seating. There was a Plymouth gin and apple cocktail; beers; ham/mushroom pizza with a thin, chewy, crispy crust. We were next to a small group of finance people, one of whom had visited Vancouver; chatting occurred. Actually, we’ve met several people who have visited Vancouver, all of whom thought it a lovely, beautiful city.
On the ferry back to Sydney, we became surrounded by a flotilla of sailing vessels. I have no idea what was going on, and didn’t have a chance to check the news anywhere for details.
[with some luck, there will be photos inserted later]
Upon arriving “home” in the early evening, D decided to re-pack her bag, for our road trip. I headed to Woolongong to Bistro Moncur. On my arrival, I headed upstairs to the Terrace, and was immediately seated, in a “good spot”. I asked about portion sizes and decided on the pork, almond and smoked hock terrine and pan roasted Suzuki mulloway; then I asked about wines. The maitre d’ produced five bottles, and poured me a sample of each. I settled on Pino Gris from New Zealand, although the Italian would also have worked. (chose another apple cocktail, this time with vodka, for the terrine). The Suzuki Mulloway was accompanied by a silky eggplant puree, braised fennel and crisp-tender sugar snap peas. Service throughout was attentive, and I’ve certainly spent more on a dinner. Managed to get myself quite lost on the way home, probably logging an extra 2-3 km of walking. The Vogs survived.
On the ferry back to Sydney, we became surrounded by a flotilla of sailing vessels. I have no idea what was going on, and didn’t have a chance to check the news anywhere for details.
[with some luck, there will be photos inserted later]
Upon arriving “home” in the early evening, D decided to re-pack her bag, for our road trip. I headed to Woolongong to Bistro Moncur. On my arrival, I headed upstairs to the Terrace, and was immediately seated, in a “good spot”. I asked about portion sizes and decided on the pork, almond and smoked hock terrine and pan roasted Suzuki mulloway; then I asked about wines. The maitre d’ produced five bottles, and poured me a sample of each. I settled on Pino Gris from New Zealand, although the Italian would also have worked. (chose another apple cocktail, this time with vodka, for the terrine). The Suzuki Mulloway was accompanied by a silky eggplant puree, braised fennel and crisp-tender sugar snap peas. Service throughout was attentive, and I’ve certainly spent more on a dinner. Managed to get myself quite lost on the way home, probably logging an extra 2-3 km of walking. The Vogs survived.
Blue Mountains, and Sting
After our arrival in Sydney on Wednesday, we wandered about, purchasing transit passes, and pretending to become familiar with the neighbourhood of Paddington. Our hosts, Mary J and Peter, had make a comfortable room (with great beds, it turns out). A bus took us to Circular Quay, where we sat at a waterfront deck, tasting Tassie beer for the first time. The smoked trout brandade was silky smooth and perfectly seasoned; I wonder whether the cornichon were homemade. Unfortunately the river shrimp tended towards being soft, and D is now off of shrimp... Much walking ensued, landing us at The Rocks, for Wine Hour at Australian Wine Experience; $5 a glass was enough to pay for a viognier, whose label I didn’t bother to find out.
Thursday started early... a 6:45 pick up for our tour to the Blue Mountains. The group was only 12, from England and Germany, as well as we Canadians. “Breakfast with the Koalas” was a sorry excuse for early admission to the Featherdale Nature Preserve. Oversalted ham, non-descript cheese, and scarily large croissant were accompanied by insipid coffee. The “koalas”, in reality: a singular koala briskly displayed by a park ranger... luckily there were many more in their various enclosures in the preserve. I was delighted to see budgies and macaws outdoors, although still in captivity. Lunch at Katoomba Golf Club was much better, especially as I had chosen the roast vegetable stack, over either fish & chips, or pasta w/ mushrooms. Coopers Red Label (sparkling) ale was my preference, over the Green Label (pale ale).
[Insert tourism marketing prose here] :) Let’s just say that except for the food, I loved the Blue Mountains tour with Australian Eco Adventures. The steep railway was one of my favourite parts.
12 hours later, we arrived, again, at Circular Quay, and walked through The Rocks neighbourhood in search of dinner. Which turned out to be lovely ham & mushroom pizza, with glasses of pinot gris, served by indifferent, nearly rude, barely competent staff. But the rock wall provided a cooling respite to the day. Remembering that Sting was to play an outdoor concert at the Sydney Opera House, we walked ‘round the Quay, situating ourselves on a point, with full view of the giant ‘trons of Sting & Sydney(?) Orchestra. Two women from Rhode Island bought us beers.
Thursday started early... a 6:45 pick up for our tour to the Blue Mountains. The group was only 12, from England and Germany, as well as we Canadians. “Breakfast with the Koalas” was a sorry excuse for early admission to the Featherdale Nature Preserve. Oversalted ham, non-descript cheese, and scarily large croissant were accompanied by insipid coffee. The “koalas”, in reality: a singular koala briskly displayed by a park ranger... luckily there were many more in their various enclosures in the preserve. I was delighted to see budgies and macaws outdoors, although still in captivity. Lunch at Katoomba Golf Club was much better, especially as I had chosen the roast vegetable stack, over either fish & chips, or pasta w/ mushrooms. Coopers Red Label (sparkling) ale was my preference, over the Green Label (pale ale).
[Insert tourism marketing prose here] :) Let’s just say that except for the food, I loved the Blue Mountains tour with Australian Eco Adventures. The steep railway was one of my favourite parts.
12 hours later, we arrived, again, at Circular Quay, and walked through The Rocks neighbourhood in search of dinner. Which turned out to be lovely ham & mushroom pizza, with glasses of pinot gris, served by indifferent, nearly rude, barely competent staff. But the rock wall provided a cooling respite to the day. Remembering that Sting was to play an outdoor concert at the Sydney Opera House, we walked ‘round the Quay, situating ourselves on a point, with full view of the giant ‘trons of Sting & Sydney(?) Orchestra. Two women from Rhode Island bought us beers.
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