It was Terry’s birthday last month, and as usual, the kids were racking their brains as to what gift to buy him. Every year I am asked the same question: “ Dad has everything already, surely he doesn’t want another book, shirt or pair of socks?”. And every year, we brainstorm and come up with…books, shirts and socks.
Except this year. I put a little more effort and thought into it, starting a few months in advance. It was after one of these busy weekends, filled with fishing and private charters, the week had been busy dealing with aviation issues and he mentioned how he wished we could get away for a few days. As fate would have it, only days later I received an email from Groupon, offering a special 4-night stay at, a 5* luxury resort in Terrigal, on the NSW Central Coast. There was my answer to the birthday conandrum: a family getaway!
I spent the following 3 months secretly organising the rest of the family, catering, dog sitting and generally ensuring the plan remained a surprise. Amazingly it did, and I was so relieved when Terry found the resort brochure attached to his birthday card and he actually beamed with a huge smile! The past couple of months had been stressful on him, so this was something to be excited about.
The plan was for the 2 of us to drive up to the resort on the Thursday and enjoy a night on our own, while the girls and Anne would arrive the following night. Craig and his family also drove up the next day, staying in nearby Avoca, where apparently the surf is better! Due to work commitments, Marc didn’t join us until the Saturday, as did Danielle and the kids ( sadly Mal had to stay behind and deal with the fishing charters…someone had to work!). As you can see, it shaped up to be a road trip for everyone, even the weather came to the party with sun and soaring temperatures giving us an early taste of summer.
Can you believe that after 29 years in Australia, I have never visited the Central Coast. It is only a 90mn drive north from the city, and stretches from the mouth of the Hawkesbury River to the Southern end of Lake Macquarie. Terry remembers surfing there a very long time ago but has not been back either, instead we always bypassed it on our way to and from Queensland. We feel like the odd ones out, as nearly everyone we know in Sydney seem to have memories of summer holidays spent at any of the coastal towns that dot the shoreline.
The drive from Cronulla takes 2 1/2 hours to Terrigal, it could be shorter but we decide to explore along the way and check out the picturesque towns of Killcare, Copacabana and Avoca Beach.
Our destination is the Star of the Sea resort at Terrigal. Location is stunning, overlooking the beach and the Haven, and a 5 mn walk to the town. Our 3-bedroom apartment is pretty fabulous with partial ocean views ( the Groupon deal does not apply to full ocean views ) and overlooking the tennis court. It is full of light and a massive 250sqm with a fully equipped kitchen and a laundry room large enough to be a single bedroom! I can see how guests stay here for a few days and treat the resort as their home away from home, in fact most apartments are larger than most homes! For my part, I only plan to eat in once for Terry’s birthday dinner, and even then it will be a catered affair ( more on that later ).
Our first dinner is booked at Yellowtail, a small restaurant in the middle of Terrigal, located within an unassuming shopfront. Whenever there are just the two of us, I like the intimacy of small neighborhood restaurants, and Yellowtail is definitely meeting the brief: it sits 35-40 people and definitely feels cosy. There is a projection of moving jelly fish on the wall above my head, which I think is cute but Terry finds distracting as his eyes keep being drawn to them rather than me!
The menu combines influences from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia, all mouth watering choices which have us totally undecided. Led by our waitress’ suggestion, we eventually opt for the Chef’s pick Sharing Menu.
We start with some Pambula oysters ( one each ) and a plate of snapper sashimi with finger lime, black sesame crisps, galangal and coconut. The fish is fresh and zingy from the lime.
The first main course is ocean trout served with dashi broth, grilled asparagus and turnip puree. I love this dish: it is quite light, but so flavourful and the fish is cooked just right!
Served alongside is a bowl of soy glazed fried eggplant with sesame and shallots. Terry is not an eggplant fan, but he doesn’t mind the sauce.
The second main is a crispy duck breast cut in half ( we are sharing!) with smokey eggplant puree, broccolini, labne and walnuts. The duck skin is super crispy yet the meat remain very tender, and I love the combination of flavours ( though, there is just too much eggplant for Terry’s liking !)
Lucky for him, there is a plate of roasted cauliflower coming along: charred florets, smothered with tahini, and a generous sprinkle of dukkah.
Desserts appear simple on paper, but are quite sophisticated on the plate. One thick slice of triple cream brie is “stabbed” with tissue thin linseed wafers, surrounded by little blobs of guava puree and a scattering of candied walnuts.
The poached rhubarb and yoghurt plate is quite refreshing, served with pistachio pastry and rose sprinkling.
By the end of the meal, we are feeling quite full and welcome the short walk up the hill back to the resort.
We wake up the next day to a glorious sunrise and the forecast of a mega hot day.
That’s our cue to go on an early beachwalk and enjoy lunch by the water, our last opportunity for a tete-a-tete before the kids arrive!
The Reef Restaurant is a bit of an institution in Terrigal, famous for its beachfront location and its unsurpassed ocean views. The menu reads fine dining, but they have a midweek lunch special at a reasonable $49 for 2 courses and a glass of wine. That’s perfect for us, since we are not that hungry after the previous night feast at Yellowtail and we promised the kids a pizza night on their arrival.
I order an entree of soft shell crab with Vietnamese salad and cashew nut nam jim. The crab is crunchy on the outside and juicy in the inside, while the cabbage salad has just the right amount of spice ( not overly hot! ).
Terry chooses the crispy pork belly on a bed of jerusalem artichoke puree, chorizo soil and scorched cherry tomatoes. The skin lacks in crispiness, but the meat makes up for it with it’s melt in the mouth tenderness.
There are a choice of 3 mains: fish, beef and duck. As much as we’d like something different from the salmon and duck which we ate the night before, that’s what we end up ordering as neither of us feel like steak and ratatouille in that heat.
The salmon comes as a pan fried fillet sitting on a generous amount of broad beans and peas ( a mountain, says Terry!), with pancetta and cauliflower cream. The fish is cooked perfectly, and while the dish looks light it is quite rich with the creamy cauliflower and the beans.
In contrast, the duck is nowhere near as heavy as it looks, it is a whole leg confit served with bok choy and shimeji mushrooms and chili jam. The sweet spiciness of the jam offsets the gamey flavour of the duck, and I end up polishing the plate while Terry struggles with finishing his ( we actually share every dish, and normally I would have handed back the duck as he clearly preferred it to the salmon, but somehow I didn’t…oops! )
All dishes from the set menu are an adapted version of what is on offer on the a la carte menu ( read, smaller serving and maybe an element missing ). We initially thought we’d still be hungry but at that stage, we both were full. Unfortunately that means neither of us felt like dessert, for fear of spending the rest of the afternoon dealing with food coma. I did ask for a coffee though, but by then the restaurant was extremely busy with the Friday lunch crowd and the staff was running in all directions, forgetting my request. I eventually walked to the counter to settle the bill and to their credit, was offered a free coffee to go, which I declined as I am not much of a coffee sipping driver.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on the road, exploring the area north of Terrigal to the Entrance: beaches as far as the eye can see, holiday houses lining the foreshore…the kind of place where you just pick a spot to drop your towel and stay there for the day!
Then walk back to your hotel/motel/resort and order takeaway pizza for the kids while enjoying the cheese platter and wine generously offered by management! I could get used to this…
It is a warm spring day, I am sitting at Rosetta Ristorante, the Neil Perry’s Rockpool Dining Group new venture in Sydney. I am joined by my cruising and foodie friend Magali, who is just as keen as I am to try the latest eateries around town. She has been my dining partner before, at the fine dining Rockpool before it became Jade Temple, and other trendy venues in the city. This time, we decided to go Italian.
In my case it was not that I felt like Italian food so much, it is a cuisine I have very little to do with, beside pasta and pizzas. The main reason is Terry’s dislike for any tomato based dishes which he associates with Italian gastronomy, so I rarely cook it at home. But today, it is just us girls, and if someone is going to serve good Italian, surely it must be Neil Perry!
Photo credit: Rosetta Ristorante
Located in Sydney CBD, Rosetta is spread across 3 levels: a terrace, the main dining area, and a bar and a mezzanine. I enter a lift to access the restaurant, and a sharply dressed lady takes me to our table, nicely set next to the wine cabinet and with a partial view of the open kitchen. While I wait for Magali, I observe the ballet of staff welcoming diners. Most are wearing suits, hinting at the corporate clientele, and though the place only opened 6 weeks ago, judging by the familiarity of the greeting of some customers, Rosetta appears to have become a regular lunch cantina for a few people. My heart skips a beat, when I spot a dark suited figure striding in towards the kitchen. The pony tail gives him away, and I can’t wait to tell Magali “ Neil is in the house!”. We are like teenage girls with a crush, disappointed to hear he was gone soon after he arrived, but quickly get over it by ordering a Rosetta Bellini. Made with fresh strawberries and prosecco, it is the perfect start for a midweek lunch. While we chat, the waiter comes over with freshly made grissini and an offering of sourdough or foccacia bread, to dip in extra virgin olive oil poured from the bottle in front of us. Magali checks out the label and nods in approval, I don’t bother looking as I have already dunked my bread in and it tasted divine.
The menu offerings cover all options with a few vegetarian dishes, seafood and poultry ( 2 duck dishes even! ). But what takes my fancy, is items I don’t often see on Sydney menus: veal features in 4 different ways ( as an entree of veal tonnato, in osso bucco, , crumbed alla milanese, and a grilled veal rump) and tripes alla Romana. Yes, tripes!!! Since I always make a point of ordering what I don’t cook at home, the choice is easy: veal tonnato and tripes for me!
The veal tonnato comes as a surprise. Instead of the traditional presentation of cold poached veal slices with a tuna mayonnaise, the dish looks more like a terrine of tuna with thin lemon slices and parsley leaves draped over it. You need to slice thru to find the paper thin veal slices actually layered inside, very much like a terrine. The combination of the veal, the tuna, the baby capers, lemon and olive oil is perfect. The flavours are so intense, we can’t tell if there is any mayonnaise ( if there is, you hardly taste it ). It is quite a rich entree, large enough to share ( which I do, as i can’t finish it ), and one that I would easily serve at home with witlof leaves as an elegant canape ( or on bruschetta for a hearty snack!).
Magali’s entree of asparagus and soft boiled eggs looks very pretty and she delights in its simplicity yet deliciousness. She sighs with pleasure, saying she feels like being in Sicily again. I suspect the glass of Sicilian Grillo wine she ordered helps. I should know, as I am particularly pleased with my own choice of Monrose Rose, a dry rose wine from Lombardia that tastes more like a white wine ( in a good way ).
The tripes are served in a large shallow plate, soup-like. the dish has a rustic look about it, with plenty of tomato sauce ( I think of Terry ) and a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese. The meat is tender yet still with a bite to it, and the sauce sweet and slightly tangy. I love it and wish I could bring the plate to my lips to slurp the last of the sauce.
Magali could not go past the pasta and ordered the spaghetti a la chitarra with king prawns and pistachios. She is very happy with her choice, though surprised to see the thin pasta was flavoured with squid ink, a fact not mentioned on the menu.
Both meals are quite filling, and we try very hard to make a dent in the side dish of baby carrots and stracciatella ( my choice, I have a weakness for the fresh cheese ). The vegetables are simply roasted and served with a generous amount of stracciatella, a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil and seasoning. Sadly, we could not finish this.
Needless to say that we had no room for dessert either, which is quite sad considering that we both started lunch with desserts in mind: I skipped the pasta and Magali the secondi, so that we could taste at least the canoli! Oh, well, that means we’ll have to come back. I might even lure Terry in next time…
What a month September has been. While it has been wonderful for us, with family celebrations and getaways, it has also been traumatic with the news of the devastation brought by hurricanes Irma and Maria to the Caribbean islands. Add to this the 2 earthquakes that rocked Mexico in as many weeks, and it was enough to render us speechless.
As some of you may know, the Caribbeans and Mexico are destinations close to our heart, places where we sailed to on our previous boat and where we spent over 18 months combined. I feel a little guilty for saying this, but we lived some of our most memorable cruising moments there, and to witness the destruction of such beautiful places just broke my heart.
We still have a few friends there, some on land some on boats and a lot of our thoughts have been with them lately. Going over news feeds and messages, has invariably led to the uncovering of old photos and diary posts, bringing back sweet memories of cruising encounters, explorations and of course, feasts.
Purple sunset mid Atlantic ocean
A few days ago, I came across an article I wrote in our old sailing blog entitled “ 10 ways to eat fish “. This was back in the days, when I was new to blogging and I was focusing more on the travelling and sailing aspect of our cruising life rather than the culinary side. We had completed the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, as part of the ARC, a 200+ fleet of cruising boats from the Canaries to St Lucia. Spirits were high and life was good!
The fishing rods were always at the ready…
Midnight catch, mid-Atlantic: a small yellowfin tuna!
The piece had a link to a note written earlier for the ARC daily logs, where every participating boat was encouraged to post as it allowed people on land to share the fleet’s lives on board. Subjects were varied: some crew wrote about sea conditions or mechanical issues, I mostly mentionned fishing and food. here is an extract of the log in question:
Marc’s fishing efforts were rewarded in the afternoon with another mahi- mahi,1,10mt long, nearly as big as the first one. At the risk of sounding spoiled, I must say we are
reaching saturation with fish dinners, and after keeping enough for one
last feast of fish and chips tonight, the rest has gone in the freezer. I
suggested it was time to put the rods away, since we have more fish than we
can eat, but boredom must have set in, as I heard the whizzing sound of the
lines going in this morning. Marc claims he needs a fresh catch everyday so
that he can have fish tartare!
Of all the fish recipes, this is our family favourite: it takes 10mn to
make, no cooking involved (precious in this hot weather), and can be
prepared in advance and kept in the fridge. So here goes.
You’ll need: 500-600g FRESH fish fillets (mahi-mahi or tuna) cubed finely,
1tsp chopped capers, 1tsp chopped gerkhins, 1tsp grated ginger, 1tbsp
chopped shallots, 1 crushed clove garlic, 2tbsp soya sauce, 1tbsp oilve
oil, 1 squeeze lemon/lime juice (optional)
Method: Mix everything together in a bowl, season to taste. Chill
thoroughly. Serve with lettuce cups or crackers.
Delicious!!!
Fish Tartare is still our favourite fish recipe. We like to refer to it as “Boat food” as it has always been the way to prepare freshly caught fish on board. But it can easily be prepared on land, where I often call it “ Pantry food “ since we always have the ingredients on hand either in the fridge or in the pantry. Just add any firm fish: tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi,…the sauce is also great served on the side with sashimi or carpaccio.
Tuna sashimi and tartare
Seared tuna with tartare sauce, served with cucumber and guacamole
Tartare of wahoo ( same sauce, different fish!)
As the plane starts its descent just north of Short Point beach, I can make out the walking trails along the shore before we glide over the Back Lake and the oyster beds neatly aligned inside Boggy Creek. I am concentrating on filming the landing, while Terry is focusing on the actual landing, determined to make it perfect. Touchdown is a little too rough in his opinion ( it is all relative, perfection for him is when you can’t feel the ground…featherlike landing, he calls it!) but I am too distracted to notice. I can’t wait to gather our stuff and get out of the plane. Not because the flight was bad ( it wasn’t ) but because I am excited about the next 3days.
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Merimbula on the NSW Far South coast, otherwise known as the Sapphire Coast. Last year we visited the northern section, basing ourselves in Mollymook. We meant to explore further, but never found the time for the 5 1/2 hour drive from Sydney. This road trip is a little different. We decided to fly there on a light plane, then hire a car for a couple of days to tour around before flying back up again. The flying came about as part of a new project Terry and I embarked on. It is still in its infancy so I can’t say too much about it for now, but what it means is hours of studies and practise both on the ground and in the air.
Offloading and securing the plane only took a few minutes, as did collecting the car. Merimbula’s is one of these small airports, ideally located along the main road and 5 minutes drive either side from the towns of Merimbula and Pambula. These names never meant anything to me until a couple of years ago, on our return from overseas, I noticed oyster bars popping up everywhere around Sydney and menus made a point of stating the origin of the oysters, some even featured an oyster library! Far from being an oyster expert, I have nevertheless tasted my fair share of these bivalves during our travels. From the Belon in France, to the Pacific in the USA and the Bluff in New Zealand, we have loved them all and associate each variety to a particular region. Now back in Australia, I have fun doing the same thing and when Terry mentioned that Merimbula sits at the bottom of the the Oyster Coast Trail, I was sold!
Our first stop is in Pambula’s main street at Wild Rye’s Bakery. They are well known locally for their pastries and coffees, which they roast themselves. As we have a lot of eating planned for the day, Terry makes me promise to buy a light lunch, as he doesn’t want to fill up already. The choices are so tempting, it takes me 15 minutes to decide on the exotic cauliflower spinach and blue cheese pie, while he makes a beehive for the sausage roll. Order 2 cappuccinos to go and we’re off to the beach, enjoying our picnic. Terry offers to share his sausage roll which he finds filling ( what’s wrong with him? ) but I much prefer my pie, which oozes a rich blue cheesy sauce and there is no mistaking the cauliflower flavour. It is very satisfying, particularly on a cold and windy day like today.
We drive back to Merimbula and wander around the small town, there is a lot of road work happening, we are guessing the council is doing all the maintenance in the winter in anticipation of the spring holiday crowds. Being in August, we’re finding out that a few of the restaurants have either scaled down their opening hours or closed altogether for the season. So much for my planned tasting trail, but the ladies at the Visitors Information Centre are full of alternatives suggestions and we come up with a plan B in no time.
It is late afternoon when we check in at Beach Cabins Merimbula, our accomodation for 2 nights. Pete shows us to our beachfront studio which while not exactly facing the beach as we assumed, is fronting the Short Point Recreation Reserve and overlooking Backlake. The beach is not far however, we only need to step around the side of the cabin, cross the small road and be rewarded with a glorious view of Short Point Beach to the North. Position: check.
Inside the cabin is comfortable, with a queen size bed, small table and chairs, ensuite and a small kitchenette equipped with a full size fridge. I breath a sigh of relief, not because I plan to cook but because I intend to stock up on produce and though we came equipped with our esky, a fridge really is best to keep seafood fresh. Comfort: check.
Dinner is at Wheelers Seafood restaurant down the road in Pambula. It is conveniently located close to the airport, so we can check on the plane on the drive down. The restaurant is an extension of the Wheelers family business, which besides oyster farming, also includes oyster tours, a seafood and gift shop, and the restaurant serving local produce.
We arrive early, around 6pm, as I have dragged Terry out on the beach for sunset photos earlier and we’re both cold and famished. Looking at the menu, we agree NOT to order the seafood platter for 2 as we usually do when dining in a seafood restaurant. Not that we don’t like it, but we always end up eating too much and wishing we could taste what else in the menu. I see a few tables around us have ordered the 3 tier feast and it does look good…Tempting, but not tonight!
For entrees, I just can’t go past a plate of the local oysters, half served natural and the other half done in a Mornay sauce. Terry selects the tempura scallops nestled on a sesame wakame rice noodle salad and avocado. He is over the moon with this dish, and I must admit I am too: the seafood is cooked perfectly while the salad is tangy and crunchy. I try to convince him to share and swap plates, which he reluctantly agrees to!
For the mains, I am talked into ordering tonight’s special: half a local crayfish boiled and served cold with avocado salsa, salad and sweet potato fries. I love crayfish and lobster, and my best memories are of the ones freshly caught off our boat and served simply warm with melted butter or cold in salad. Maybe my brain is tricking me, but tonight’s crayfish doesn’t live to my expectation and tastes a little bland. On the other hand, the salad and fries are really tasty. Terry is very happy with his choice of seafood laksa: a house made marinara mix of prawns, scallops, mussels, fish, Moreton bay bugs and squids served over egg noodles with a rich spicy coconut broth. In Singapore, a laksa is quite wet, like a soup. Tonight’s version is drier, with much less sauce and the addition of salad on top. The curry flavours are there though and the seafood is as fresh as you get.
We lingered a while, watching more people come in and seafood platters come out of the kitchen. For a Thursday night, the restaurant is quite full and while eavesdropping on conversations I gather the clientele is mostly local. Sadly, we ended up too full for dessert so left earlier than planned. One little girl sitting behind us made my night as I walked past, saying “ I like your earrings, they’re so pretty and so are you!” Awwww, I wanted to hug her!
Back at the cabin, it was still early and while Mr T settles in front of the football on TV ( he knew about it all along ) I decide to grab my camera and tripod and try my luck at star shooting, standing outside in the reserve. This is not as easy as I think, experimenting with camera settings in complete darkness, while shivering ( it must be 5C!) and hearing strange ruffling noises in the bush ( Pete tells me there are kangaroos roaming at night). At that moment, I really wonder why I am not at Wheeler’s enjoying their Bailey’s creme brulee!
Next day, is early morning rise stirred by Terry who I apparently asked to wake me up on time so I could photograph the sunrise. So, here I am in my PJs and winter coat, walking the 100 meters to the ocean shore, setting up in darkness and waiting for the dawn. It is freezing cold, but the seas are smooth, the air is still as the wind has not yet kicked in and I am all alone to enjoy the glorious sunrise ( Terry prefers to stay inside and go over flying manuals ! ) Daybreak sees a few dog walkers come out and that’s my cue to retreat inside for a warm cup of tea. That’s all I have time for before hitting the road on today’s food trail.
First stop is in Bega, where the SCPA markets are held every friday. It is not very big, I only count half a dozen stalls. But we’ve arrived early ( before 9am ) so maybe it gets busier later in the morning. There are 2 organic vegetables producers, both displays look fresh and vibrant and not knowing which one is best, I split my business and buy brussel sprouts and green leaves from one, potatoes and broccoli from the other. We’ll have a cook off once back home! A lady sells homemade apple pies and hand knitted teapot warmers, but it is the stall across from her that catches my attention: the table is covered with homebaked goodies like almond croissants, orange and pistachio friands, apple tarts, chocolate cherry cake…an older couple is running the stall, and the lady tells me how she bakes eveyrthing the day before, while her husband gets up early to fill in the croissants. Originally from Argentina, they retired from Canberra to the south coast in search of warmer weather and attend the markets to keep busy. I am glad they do, as by now, our tummies are rumbling and we can’t think of a better breakfast than a friand and a slice of apple tart, washed down by cappuccinos from the nearby Littleton Cafe.
Bega is synonymous with cheese of course, and we could not help but stop at the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre where a small museum features the history of dairy farming in the Bega Valley. There is also a gift shop, cafe and cheese tasting room. Unfortunately, so soon after breakfast we didn’t feel like cheese so we only looked at the displays and moved on.
An hour’s drive up the road, we arrived in Tilba. All I knew Tilba for was the cheese factory and the fact that the milk comes from pure bred jersey cows. I was not prepared for the 2 villages of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba to be the quaint preserved heritage villages we came across. Should I watch River Cottage Australia I would know! While Tilba Tilba is the smaller village, neighboring Central Tilba is where most of the shops, galleries and cafes are located.
We start our tour at the ABC Cheese factory shop where you can watch milk bottling thru large glass windows, sample a range of cheese and olives and of course buy said cheeses as well as jams, honeys, gourmet chocolates and various kitchen utensils! Feeling like a late morning snack, we taste all the cheese on offer and decide they’re so nice we should buy them all. We settle on Vintage Blue, Black Garlic Cheddar, 3 Udder Brie, Creamy blue, goat’s yoghurt and some olives. I also buy a loaf of Honor sourdough bread, thinking it would be a great addition to a cheese platter.
While Terry puts it all away in our esky, I take a stroll up the street peeking into small stores with trendy homeware, candles, wooden craft. Tilba Chocolates is where he finds me, as I am trying to pick which of these gorgeous hand crafted chocolates to bring home: tahitian vanilla bean, dark spoons, salted caramel, hazelnut praline, cointreau or turkish delight? Oh, who cares…take the lot! Once out of the store, I ask Terry if he’d like to retire here. “ Not sure we can if you’re going to buy chocolates and cheese!” That’s his way of hinting it is time to move on somewhere not as touristy.
So we head towards the coast to Bermagui for lunch. This is a really gorgeous coastline, that looks just as nice from the ground as it did from the air while flying over. Bermagui is famous for its Blue Pool, a natural rock pool located at the base of a cliff face and washed with clean clear ocean water at high tide. I didn’t get to swim in it ( nor did anyone else ) as the weather was far too cold, but it was easy to imagine how nice it would be to lay there on a warm summer day.
Lunch is at Bermie’s Cafe, randomly selected because of its location across the park and facing north towards Horseshoe Bay. The place is popular with locals, a couple of tables are enjoying birthday celebrations, others seem to know each other and we feel like we’re the only tourists here. Terry orders a BLT sandwich and I try today’s special, a John Dory fillet with creamy sauce, salad and chips. The fish is lovely and moist served with a generous amount of chips, Terry’s BLT is quite filling and he claims his favourite part is the turkish bread. My favourite is actually the view, I could stay here for hours soaking the sun and facing the beach!
But we need to head back, and I want to check out the next town Tathra renown for its oyster farms and the Wharf Locavore cafe on the water. Well, the oyster producer has closed shop until December and the Wharf Locavore taken a winter break, reopening in September. Note to self: August is the time when southerners shut down and wait for spring to reopen. It means that the places that do remain open, end up quite busy.
Take the case of Dulcie’s Cottage, where we finish the day. With its unassuming look, this 1920’s weatherboard cottage has been turned into a bar/burger joint popular with locals and tourists alike. I am not a big burger fan but after a whole day of driving and eating I am happy to hang out at the bar and listen to live music. It is friday evening, the place is packed with young men in suits ( ! ) drinking organic steam ale, ladies in high heels ordering classic cocktails or couples like us sticking to pale ale and sauv blanc! There is a cosy feeling, with the walls covered by old photos of the previous owners and a roaring fireplace keeping us warm. There are no tables available inside though, so we sit and eat at the bar. Menu is delightfully uncomplicated: 5 types of burgers, a cheese board and a plate of local oysters. Feeling hungrier? Order fries for $3, they will feed at least 3 people.
We’ve saved Eden for our third and last day. It is only 20 klm south of Merimbula and used to be on our cruising bucket list, mostly because the port is known as the best shelter on that stretch of the coast. On the edge of Twofold Bay it is also one of the best locations for whale watching. Late August marks the start of the mammals southerly migration, and having failed to see any from Short Point at sunrise the day before, we thought we might get lucky today. We’re not. Still, the scenery is stunning with sparkling blue waters, deserted beaches and fantastic wilderness. I really don’t want to go home.
Foodwise, we looked forward to having breakfast in the harbour, but being August we are greeted by the now familiar sight of closed cafes. The only one open didn’t look inviting as its terrace was on the shaded side and who wants to eat in a cold, shady spot. Even the boats were sitting idle at the wharf. So we drove back to the main street and walked into Sprouts Eden cafe, which had been recommended by Pete. What a neat little gem of a cafe! Terry asks for the 3 egg omelette and I chose the pea and ricotta frittata. As usual we order cappuccinos, but I also feel like a cold drink so let myself be tempted by a fresh orange and beetroot juice. Terry must have felt the same and he grabs the glass proceeding to sip half of it before handing it back to me. At the bottom, sits a deep red blob which turns out to be a beetroot ice cube. What a nifty trick!
All the food is cooked onsite, using a lot of the produce brought in daily by the local farmers. There is a small section set up as a market where fruits and vegetables are for sale, as well as a range of organic meat, jams, pickles and smoked seafood from Eden Smokehouse. Needless to say that we stock up as I am quite partial to their smoked mussels and ocean trout. By then it is nearly noon, time to take off but not before one ultimate stop at Wheelers take away shop to load on a few oysters for home.
Of course, I get in trouble with Terry who is mindful of weight on the plane and shakes his head at the amount of luggage we’re carting along “ And there are only two of us! ” I can see how perfecting this provisioning run will take some practise. Just like the landing!
Spring is for greens! And the current mood for green vegetable is brussel sprouts. Yep, the stuff I hated as a kid after being served a plate of boiled sulphur-smelling mushy sprouts in the school canteen ( not sure if that’s on the menu any more. Hope not!)
It would take 25 years and a surprisingly tasty bowl of curried brussel sprouts tasted in a Townsville pub to make me reconsider. Then 5 years ago, while cruising the US east coast, I fell in love with raw brussel sprouts: the vegetable was in season and selling everywhere for a song, so locals cooked it in coleslaw, pickles or in salads peeling the leaves like petals!
A couple of weeks ago, Terry and I went on a short trip down the Sapphire Coast of NSW and stopped in Bega’s Produce markets. One of the stalls was selling the most beautiful looking organic vegetables, so I picked up bagfuls of potatoes, green leaf veggies and of course brussel sprouts!
Back home, I decided to make a warm salad ( while we’re technically in spring, the weather is still too cold for cold refreshing dishes ), pairing the sprouts with some zucchinis that had been lingering in the fridge for a while. Terry suggested I steamed the lot, but I went off on a tangent and opted to roast instead. I think I was looking for a reason to turn the oven on and warm the house a little! The raw component of the salad was made of mesclun, chopped dill and french vinaigrette which married wonderfully with the crispy slightly charred vegetables. So, voila! The perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or add some shaved parmesan and nuts for a light lunch…
Roasted Greens Salad
Serves 4 as a side
Ingredients:
250g brussel sprouts, washed, and cut in halves
2 zucchinis, washed, trimmed and sliced in 1cm coins
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
A handful of mesclun ( rocket or mizuna leaves ok too!)
A handful of chopped dill ( leaves and stems )
French Vinaigrette:
1 part white wine vinegar, 3 parts olive oil, 1 tsp dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 200C
- In a large bowl, combine brussel sprouts, zucchinis, sliced onion and olive oil. Toss well to ensure all is covered in oil. Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are blackened around the edges.
- When ready, let cool for a few minutes. Place mesclun on a serving platter. Transfer the lukewarm vegetables on the bed of mesclun, drizzle the french vinaigrette and sprinkle the chopped dill on top.
- Serve lukewarm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Recent Comments