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Palazzo Versace - Opulance on the Gold Coast
“Oh my God” I say to Mr GG and I melt into the sumptuous puffy layers of bedding and linen. “Bed is good!” I am sure I do not spend nearly enough time in bed. At the moment it is 11.30pm and I have just turned to jelly as my tired body, fresh from a gorgeous hot spa fell into bed. There are so many layer of soft body pillows and a gorgeous thick doona. What’s not to love about sinking in to the bed in my “superior suite" at the Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast.
I have to say I was sold before the bed and the spa. On arrival we found these gorgeous chocolates and some caramel fudge beside the bed. I have to apologise, there is no photo of the caramel, even as I was devouring them I knew I should stop and photograph, but alas, caramel is my favourite, so there aren’t any pictures.
I am sure the sweets were suppose to be for sharing but let’s just say, given that I didn’t managed to photograph the fudge the kiddies didn’t get much of a look in.. I would have succeeded in scoffing the lot bit Mr Cool (aka youngest son) spotted me munching; so I had to share the last two caramels. Never mind, he hadn’t spotted the red lips chocolates which were filled with strawberry fondant. Delicious.
The Superior Suite is just the right size for mum dad & two little kids. We have our own separate bedroom with a King size bed. The kids are in the lounge room. They will sleep on the sofa bed. By day the sofa is utilised as a lounge, and of a night the turn down service makes up the bed.
I love the attention to detail in the room. The finishing touches are all about luxury, relaxation and elegance. I love that I drink my tea from a proper tea cup, the soaps are pressed into a mould with the Versace insignia, the towels are thick and luxurious, bathrobes and slippers are so soft.
“ Hi we are in room 368, concierge parked our car for us last night but we have left the children shoes in the vehicle, do you think you could organise someone to bring them up for us?” “Certainly sir!” Just another example of the service we experienced on the way to breakfast.
The foyers are grand, and the furniture is opulent. I am obviously a bit of a spoiled princess because it is these things which feel like homey relaxation to me.
The view from the foyer is over a man made white sand “beach” setting, complete with king sized daybeds draped with white muslin. It is such a gorgeous vista. The comfort factor in this hotel has not been overlooked in any area.
I walk past the pool bar and notice an array of champagne would tempt me to indulge at any hour of the day or night. Veuve Clicquot and Moet seem to be the most popular bubbly. If you would prefer something a little more hydrating there is always the water with fresh citrus slices.
The pool area is designed for relaxation. It would be easy to spend a whole day simply lounging and reading a book. Every guest has a comfortable bed by the pool, there are no hard plastic chairs in sight.
The breakfast buffet may be a little smaller than some, but the quality of the food is exquisite. Luscious moist smoked salmon, creamy scrambled eggs and the best cappuccino I have had for so long make this breakfast something a little special.
For those that enjoy the sweeter element at breakfast there is always the caramelised banana, French toast, pancakes and an array of cakes and pastries.
Myself, I am also a bit partial to the fresh fruit salad, yoghurts and Bircher muesli. I few years ago I found my ultimate recipe and I have made it for myself ever since. It is not nearly as decadent as the Versace Bircher Muesli but I feel that I have discovered a healthier version. My recipe omits the cream and substituted low fat Vanilla Yoghurt. It is still delicious, but not so much of a guilty pleasure now.
It is Versace, so I think we need to make mention of the beautiful fashions. The pieces shown in the boutique and in the displays are seriously gorgeous, and seriously stylish. I love this dress!
I know it would fit me like a glove and I am instantly in love. This hotel gives you the feeling that you were made for the opulence. After two days at the Palazzo Versace I am so relaxed that I may never return to the real world. The level of service is like no other. The staffing is such, that there is someone to attend to your every need.
A stroll of an evening and the surrounds are more beautiful and so romantic. There is a tinge of blue out over the water and the night is still and warm.
We have enjoyed a meal in the restaurant. It was a private function but naturally I will share the menu.
Braised Cinnamon Duck leg served with honeyed red cabbage and duck jus, garnished with a Parmesan crisp. This was my favourite course. The crispy skinned duck, with moist sweet flesh was amazing against the acidic cabbage.
The main was a fillet of black Angus Beef "en croute" with truffled potato and Vichy carrots with red wine jus.
Finally for dessert a Tiramisu with espresso cream and a strawberry and orange salad. The salad was so sweet fresh and citrusy, I could have eaten so much more of this delicious flavour combination.
I would highly recommend the Palazzo Versace, it is truly a step up when it comes to service and style.
Happy 21st My Baby K
What do you do when your child turns 21? Maybe a party? Perhaps reminisce over a job well done with your husband and those significant in your life.
What do you do when that child isn’t with you anymore? This is something I have never known.
Do you grieve even more horribly than before? Do you fall into the depths of depression wishing that things were not the way they are?
Do you keep yourself busy and try to ignore the day?
Do you celebrate the birthday that would have been?
For the last 4 1/2 years I just haven’t known. I know people will say you do what you feel, but this doesn’t really help me. Nothing feels right.
21 years ago my beautiful girl was born. I knew thing were not right straight away, they wouldn’t let me hold her. They lied, and said that she was fine, but because I had needed an emergency caesarean she would be looked after in the nursery. I begged that she be allowed to stay with me, even with the epidural in, I tried to pull myself with my arms up to sitting while they stitched my stomach. I was quickly ordered to lie back down and stop being silly.
Every hour through the night I asked the nurses to bring my baby, every hour they told me lies. She is not maintaining her body temperature, she doesn’t have great colour. We are keeping her so that you can get some sleep. At about 3.00am they told me that she had stopped breathing and she may not survive.
How is it that my healthy, full term baby, of 8 pounds is hanging on so thinly to life. The baby I haven’t even held.
I am wheeled down to see her, through all the tubes, machines and monitors I see my gorgeous first born daughter. We have named her Kaela Elisia. I still can’t even touch her.
She is the biggest, fattest, healthiest baby in level 3 neonatal intensive care... ironically she is also probably the one who is the least likely to survive, and the most likely to the highest level of support needs during her short life.
Thankfully my daughter was a fighter. I adored my gorgeous girl and although she never spoke, I always knew exactly what she needed. She was never able to walk, but that’s okay because I loved to carry her around with me anyway. She couldn’t sit upright by herself, but she could cuddle into the corner of a lounge with me just fine. She was the happiest little girl, even total strangers smiled at us in the street.
Her first birthday was a mixture of emotions for me. My baby was still precariously hanging onto life. I was more grateful for the year I had spent with her than for any other year of my life to date. However, internally I already grieved for the day I would lose her. I grieved for her lost future. She would never speak, eat (tube feed), sit up, walk, play with other children, marry, have children, have health, have a life! I didn’t know what the future would hold.
I decided to ignore the grief and my broken heart and just celebrate!
It had to be the biggest first birthday party I could manage with a sick, disabled child. Our party completely took over the grass hill on the North side of Bondi Beach. Every family member and friend was there to celebrate with us.
That party and the support of family was what allowed me to take a deep breath in and just look at the positives, the fact that I had a future with my baby. There was no more wishing for what might have been. We just celebrated for what we had, a gorgeous happy girl who would fight all her life for a short stay with us. I had a wonderful family who only saw the positives, who gave me strength.
From that moment I took the grief and push it aside to be dealt
with at a later date. A day when she didn’t need me anymore. We had too much to deal with. The most heart wrenching surgeries you could
imagine enduring, learning how to inject my baby with Valium if she continued
to have an epileptic fit and stopped breathing before and ambulance arrived, dressing her stomar, physio
to stop her limbs curling as her limbs grew and the tendons, and ligaments didn’t.
My baby passed away just before her 16th birthday. She was still the same as the day she was born, only bigger. She had a double bed, so I could jump in with her if she was ill. She was still the most gentle, happy soul. Naturally everyone loved her.
So now it is her 21st birthday, I only feel loss. Loss for the baby I had. Loss for the person she was, loss for the person she may have been.
I don’t know what to do on this day each year. I can’t go to the cemetery, as I can’t bare to remember her that way. I don’t believe in God or heaven so there is placating me with those myths. Intellectually I want to spend the day adoring my four other gorgeous children . Mentally I want to just curl up in a ball and cry for my eldest baby girl.
So what do I do?
For the moment, it is a glass of wine, some tears and this story. Next year, and all the years after I think it will try and plan something special for the other children. I will choose to try and block some of the emotion. I am told it gets easier but I just don’t know how this could be true.
I haven't been able to post images due to a technical problem. I will come back to it when the problem is resolved so I can provided a proper memorial to my girl.
Kaela Elisa
18th Feb 1991 - 13th Oct 2006
Holidaying in the South Pacific w KIDS
At the end of the month I am going to be road testing a family holiday. This story is for all those mums who are looking for the ultimate relaxing getaway but have children in tow. How many children will I be bringing on this road test?? There will be Little Miss A aged 4 years, Mr Lachlan 6 years, and the teenagers, Tylor 16 and Riley 15.
So what holiday is going to entertain all of these age groups plus leave mum and dad relaxed and free to enjoy restaurants, wine appreciation class, barista course, bars and a little international sightseeing?
I will be road testing a “Week Fantastique” on board the P&O cruise ship “Pacific Dawn”. We will be departing from Brisbane and cruising to New Caledonia, disembarking for an evening of sightseeing in Noumea. We continue cruising to Lifou Isle where we will be spending the day as a family snorkelling and sightseeing. Our final Pacific Island destination is Vila, my intention is to join a tour to the islands centre, and then hike to Cascade Waterfalls.
Turtle Cove 3-6yrs
The remainder of our time on this cruise I envisage taking full advantage of the three age dedicated kids clubs, the pools, theatre, cinema and bars.
Shark Attack 7-10yrs
...but what about the most important part of any Gourmet Getaway? What am I expecting of the food? While flicking through the Pacific Dawn list of restaurants I came across Luke Mangan’s “Salt Grill” the full menu is available but for me the luscious signature dish, of Crab Omelette, Enoki Mushroom Salad and Miso Broth sounded like a great place to start my dining adventure.
Mr GG has already bookmarked the Kingfish Carpaccio with fetta, rocket, ginger and shallot. Whatever we choose to eat the evening is sure to start with a glass of champagne and shared entree of natural oysters.
When I have had my fill of indulging in delicious food and relaxing by the pool I just might try and squeeze in a session or two in the gym and join a yoga class.
So can a family as diverse in ages and interests enjoy the same family holiday?
Follow along with me and see if this is the ultimate family getaway.
Do you think this might be the answer to your “holidaying with kids” prayers?
Gourmet Getaways would like to thank P & O Cruises for allowing the use of the images for this story.
Final day on tour with NQN
It is day four, on the Mid North Coast Foodie Tour with Lorraine from NQN. Unfortunately it is nearly time for me to bid this lovely lady goodbye.
We have a little time to wake slowly and enjoy our beautiful beachfront surrounds at Saltwater, on Emerald Beach. I soak in the view of the waves breaking on the shore just 100 metres away and contemplate breakfast.
I can hear the restaurant below in full swing downstairs. I am tempted to run down for a quick coffee but I can’t quite bring myself to leave the tranquility of our abode. I settled for making a cup of tea for myself and my traveling companion, and just remained where I was, simply staring at the sea.
Mid North Coast Tourism have put together a bountiful breakfast hamper for Lorraine and myself, but alas after being so totally indulged over the last three days we both feel that even a bite and we may never be able to eat again! What a tragedy that would be! Instead we divide up the hamper so we can enjoy it completely at our leisure.
All too soon there is packing to be done before one last stopover at a famous Coffs Harbour icon.
Oh course we are visiting the Big Banana! I am embarrassed to say that I have never eaten a frozen chocolate banana, so I intend to rectify this oversight today.
As we walk through the Big Banana, on our way to meet the manager we are drawn into the candy store. There is a candy making demonstration taking place and we watch at the skill involved in making these sweet treats.
There is every flavour conceivable on the shelves. I can’t help but purchase a passionfruit candy which is filled with white chocolate! Delicious! Now I just need to hide it from the children when I go home ;)
Just upstairs from the candy store we notice a puppet shop. We are entertained by a cheeky little boy puppet as we wonder through admiring the toys.
We meet Drew, the Big Banana manager next and he takes us for our special tour. We are shown through the first of two theatres to watch a history of banana growing in the area and a second show explaining the health benefits of the humble banana. By the end of the second show I am beginning to notice a rumble in my tummy. It has been about six months since I have eaten a banana as they have been up to $18 per kilo in the supermarket due to the Queensland crisis.
We are taken on a walk through the plantation and the packing area. In Coffs Harbour we grow Cavendish bananas. As we have a sub tropical climate it takes longer for Coffs Harbour plants to produce bananas than they do in Queensland. A plant would take between 12 and 18 months to bare fruit in Coffs, whilst in Queensland the same fruit may take just 6 months. It is not all bad news for the Coffs Harbour banana however. The longer the fruit spends on the tree the more the sugars and flavours are allowed to develop. Meaning we produce a sweeter, tastier product.
Most of the Big Banana’s product is destined for their very own food court.
Here you will find the most delicious variations on banana themed desserts that you will find anywhere.
Naturally I am intent on trying the chocolate covered banana. The banana‘s are frozen on a stick and then dipped firstly in chocolate and then in either 100’2 & 1000’s or nuts. The can also be purchased without the addition on the sprinkles, but we choose the more adorned banana’s. I start with the 100’s & 1000’s and then move on to the nut coated banana. My favourite is the nuts as it seems to me that nuts, chocolate and banana are the perfect combination.
Next we are treated to a banana fritter. Made from one of the Big Banana’s A lovely sweet banana which has been fried until crispy and golden. It is topped with a caramel sauce, a served with banana ice cream, of course!
Then we are a presented with a banana milk shake. Made with real banana naturally and not a syrup, it is more like a banana smoothie. The milkshake is the biggest I have seen an I am feeling very full at this stage.
We have only just started on the banana desserts, we also try the banana split. These are served in gorgeous little banana boat dishes and include a banana, whipped cream, ice cream and topping of your choice.
In the food court area we notice so many products made using banana’s. The banana jam catches our eye. Lorraine is fascinated and soon extracts a promise from the manager to supply the recipe.
As always occurs we find ourselves in a rush for the airport, we bid each other goodbye, and sadly my journey with Lorraine has come to an end.
I feel so fortunate to have had this wonderful experience. I would like to thank everyone involved as it has been a marvellous opportunity to share the area I love with my readers and my idol.
If you have missed any of our adventures links to the full itinerary are below;
Signature Dish Dinner at Saltwater
The Jaaning Tree - Nambucca Heads
Day 2- Mid North Coast Signature Dish Competition
Gourmet Getaways & NQN have been guests of the following Tourism Departments, Restaurants, Hotels and businesses.
Destination NSW
Mid North Coast Tourism
Saltwater Restaurant & Accommodation
The Observatory Hotel
The Jaaning Tree
The Corner Restaurant
The Stunned Mullet
The Milkbar Town Beach
Ricardo’s Tomatoes
Gaian Poultry
The Big Banana
Comboyne Cheese
Macadamia Farm
Lil Baba Chocolates
Nutella & Banana Cupcakes
So I have made some Nutella & Banana cupcakes for my baby’s first day of school today. She is my baby because she is my last little one to toddle off to big school. Her siblings all started last week, but kindy at our school starts a week later.
So will it be a sad day? No, I don’t think so... I did cry when the first three started school, but I think I will be alright for this one. She is still only four, but she has a huge personality and well past the pre-schoolers, so I think this is just what she needs.
But I digress, back to the cupcakes! You may well wonder why I didn’t add frosting to this little treat? My reason is twofold, firstly my little girl is a messy eater, she loves her food with passion and unbridled zealous, and the frosting would surely end up on her hands face and uniform. Secondly, my baby has a sweet tooth, so undoubtedly the icing would be eaten from the top and the rest of the cake discarded.
Putting frosting on the top of a cake is a trap for young players. My cakes are filled for convenience and cleanliness. It is also much easier for little hands to manage too.
This is another simple mix and bake recipe so it is great as a last minute lunch box filler.
Ingredients:
2 Banana’s
1 Egg
½ cup natural yoghurt
80gm butter
1 t/s ground ginger
1 t/s ground cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup SR Flour
½ t/s bicarb soda
½ cup chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160 degree, and place cupcake papers in tin.
In a bowl add the banana, egg, yoghurt, butter and spices. Use a stick blender to puree the ingredients. Add the sugar and blend until combined.
Using a spoon, fold through the flour, bicarb soda and chocolate chips.
Spoon mixture into the papers to half fill.
Add a teaspoon of Nutella to each of the papers, take care that the Nutella is centred. Add more cake batter to cover the chocolate.
Bake the cakes for 15 -20 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar.
So there we have it, a simple and tasty cupcake for school
lunchboxes. These are really light and fluffy, unlike a banana loaf.
So are you waving a little one off to school? Did you cry when you left your kids at big school for the first time?
Signature Dish -Saltwater Restaurant Emerald Beach
Have you ever noticed that when you’re showing a guest around your local area you see things with fresh eyes? I have really noticed this whilst traveling around with Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella. We have stayed in gorgeous accommodation and eaten in restaurants which are showcasing the best the region has to offer, fresh from the local grass roots producers.
Tonight’s dinner is the culmination of all that we have experienced on this road trip. We have met the local producers on the land, watched the up and coming star chefs of our region, fight it out in the this year’s Signature Dish awards. This evening we will be meeting the lovely people from the tourism departments who have been the wheels behind this event and many more like it.
We settle in to our beachfront accommodation at Saltwater, right across the road from the local surf spot of Emerald Beach. Lorraine and I spent a little long enjoying the Jaaning Restaurant and we need to hurriedly prepare for this evenings event. The evening is being hosted by the previous year’s Signature Dish winner, Chef Dustin Bowie Ford of Saltwater Restaurant.
Dustin won the title last year with his Confit Duck & Pork Belly signature dish. Tonight this dish will feature as part of the menu . After all the amazing food we have been treated of late I have high expectations for tonight’s meal and I am expecting something quite exquisite.
Oysters and passionfruit served with Cassegrain Edition Noir N.V. Pinot Chardonnay
We make our way downstairs and after just a few quick hellos we are seated and looking at the delicious sounding, if not very brief, dish titles for this evenings menu. It is explained to us that Dustin has been deliberately cryptic as on the menu as he wanted his dishes to have the element of surprise. Tonight was his night to have a little fun, and take the opportunity to express himself in the food he presents.
The first of the four courses arrives, two fat oysters sitting on a decorative bed of meringue. On the menu it states Oyster & Passionfruit but the dish is so much more. The deliciously fresh oysters are served with two different toppings, the first with a passionfruit gel and the second with crab meat and tamarillo. I love a light start to a meal, so this entree suited me perfectly. It was paired with one of my favourite sparkling Chardonnays, the NV Pinot Chardonnay from Cassegrain so I quickly settled in and become very comfortable.
Swordfish and chickpea served with Cassegrain Reserve 2009 Fromenteau Chardonnay
I adore chick pea‘s, and I love Swordfish when it is just barely cooked, and still moist. I don’t know that I ever would have thought to combine the two in a dish but the dish really worked well. The chick pea was served as a smoky puree and benefited from the addition of a few crunchy deep fried chick peas. Caramelised braised fennel added another texture and flavour to the cuttlefish and the dish was finished perfectly with squid ink foam on the side, it was really quite a special dish.
Confit Duck and Pork Belly served wtih Cassegrain 2010 Pinot Noir
The moment I have been anticipating arrives, and the 2010 Dustin Bowie Ford, winning Signature Dish is put down before me. The dish won this prestigious title as the judges felt it was a dish that best describes “the taste” of the Mid North Coast.
...another angle ;)
So what is the gorgeous meal before me? Confit organic duck leg from Gaian Poultry, a master stock pork belly rectangle which is mouth-wateringly soft, salty and delicious. This moist and crispy skinned duck was resting on a diakon rosti and garnished with a crisp Chinese salad of pickled carrot, cucumber, mango, diakon and ginger. There was just so much to love on this plate. We were even given our own wavy stick of crackling to save arguments on the table.
Next the menu announces a “palate cleanser,” no further description is given, but when we question the waiter we are told that we would be served a square of Beetroot Jelly and one of Blood Orange.
Dustin was playing games and the room erupted in to confused chattering as guest began to realise that the flavours and colours were actually the reserve of the logical. The mind is an amazing thing, and it is quite strange to look at a red jelly expecting it to taste of beetroot, only to find a delicious citrus explosion.
Once the excitement in the room died down we began to wonder what would be in store for dessert. The menu said merely “Lemon Meringue Pie”. I don’t think anyone expected to see a version of nana’s lemon meringue bought out but we didn’t quite know what Dustin would be up to with this one...
Lemon Meringue Pie served with Casay
What we had set before us was a deconstructed lemon meringue pie which had also undergone a bit of pimping on the flavour stakes. The lemon was a tangy set lemon curd slice which was sitting beside the most crunch piped meringue and served with the addition of an arty wave of ginger snap flavour biscuit base and some shards of pavlova for a little more crunch.
On this sweet final note the staff came out from the kitchen to take a bow and say a few words. Sonia Fingleton of Mid North Coast Tourism spoke of the ripple effect that this event is having throughout our region as it highlights our area as a producer and supplier of fine foods. She spoke of the importance that the heightened sense of awareness events such as the Signature Dish, Tastings of the Hastings, and the Crave 100 Mile Challenge have on the area. This awareness is what is putting our local area firmly on the foodies road map.
So it is no longer a secret, the North Coast of NSW is a Gourmet Getaways paradise.
Gourmet Getaways was a guest of Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella, Destination NSW and Mid North Coast Tourism.
Saltwater Cafe, Restaurant and Accommodation
104 Fiddaman Road
Emerald Beach NSW 2456
PH: (02) 6656 1888
Breakfast Wed – Fri 9:00 am, Sat – Sun 8:00 am
Lunch: Wed – Sun 12:00 pm
Dinner: Wed – Sat 6:00 pm
Top Drop - January 2012
Longpoint Vineyard
Duet 2007
This wine takes its named from the perfect partnering of the Chambourcin and Cabernet grape. The Cabernet lends the wine depth, complexity and a full flavour, the Chambourcin lightens the finish and allows the fresh crisp notes of that grape to shine through. Perfect for this hot humid weather, it is the wine to enjoy during the summer’s evening.
Goes with: I would partner this wine with an antipasto platter or spicy food.
Cost: $22.00
Available: At the cellar door
6 Cooinda Place
Lake Cathie NSW 2445
Phone : 02 6585 4598
or online at http://www.longpointvineyard.com.au
Retro Green Tomato Pickles
What did the roast beef and cheese sandwich say to the green
tomato pickles? You complete me... or maybe that's just a line from a bad Tom
Cruise movie. Anyway these pickles are so delicious. I have just finished
smothering a bread roll in this spicy spread and devouring it, and believe me it
really does make the sandwich complete!
There are so many traditional recipes that I remember my grandparents making when I was small. I have noticed they just don’t seem to get made anymore! When I was younger everyone was making, and giving away, chutneys, pickles, relishes and jams. This recipe is a real blast from the past. My taste buds instantly remembered this flavour from my childhood. It took me back to eating roast beef and cheese sandwiches at nan's, with heaps of pickles and chunks of real butter.
So how did I come to be sharing a recipe for Green Tomato Pickles. I had just made my Tomato Chilli Chutney from the excess tomatoes in my garden. A friend commented that his mother made the best Green Tomato Pickles. After talking about the pickles for a while Craig decided that it was time he should learn how to make it. He was going to engage the assistance of his mother Maureen to make his own batch of the famous recipe.
As it turns out, finding 6kgs of green tomatoes isn’t that easy, but after a trip to Ricardo’s Tomatoes in Port Macquarie the vital ingredient was secured. The pickle making is a two day process so Craig’s mother kindly offered to dedicate two days to the pickling and teaching of her recipe. The result would be three batches of pickles or about 18 jars!
I have given the recipe for a single batch which is about six jars.
Ingredients:
1.9kgs Green Tomatoes
400gms Onion
9 Tbs salt
900gm sugar
750ml vinegar
¾ cup flour
3 Tbs Curry powder
1 Tbs Ground Turmeric
One of the really cute things about this recipe is that it was typed on nice little indexed cards in pounds! We had to convert the recipe to metric as we went.
Method:
Day 1
Wash the tomatoes, remove any stalks and dry them thoroughly.
Chop the tomatoes and onions into a similar sized dice. In a large saucepan add a layer of 1/3 of the tomatoes and 1/3 of the onions, add 1/3 of the salt evenly over the layer.
Continue this process until you have three layers. Cover the saucepan and leave to stand overnight. This will draw out any moisture.
Day 2
Drain off all the liquid from the tomato mixture.
Boil a jug with hot water and pour over the tomato mixture and drain again. Do this twice to remove all the salt.
Put the tomatoes on the stove and add 450ml of white vinegar. Bring the mixture to the boil cover and then cook for ten minutes using a timer.
In the meantime in a bowl combine the flour, turmeric, and curry powder with the remaining 300mls vinegar until it becomes a paste. Reserve for later use.
Once the tomato has boiled for ten minutes add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Turn off the heat and add the paste slowly to the tomato mixture while stirring. Avoid lumps by adding the paste slowly and continuing to stir.
Once the paste has been fully combined, place the pickles over a low heat and simmer gently. Pickles should be cooked for another 10 minutes, or until the mixture has reached the desired consistency.
Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before bottling in sterilized jars.
Maureen (Craig’s mum) warned us that she would be the quality controller for this recipe. Unless the batches all past the taste test they wouldn’t be allowed out of her kitchen. We have obviously learned well under her watchful eye, because although there were differences in the spiciness of each pickle, they were all delicious.
So thank you so much Maureen for sharing the recipe and your time with me. These pickles are just the way my nana used to make them so I bought a jar out to my mum and my nan.
Both loved them!
So readers, are you like me and have food memories, once you taste something it instantly triggers a time in your life?
Kangaroo Pie for Australia Day
As the rain comes bucketing down and even our “Plan B” for Australia Day celebrations are cancelled I comfort myself with the knowledge that this means I can happily lie in bed all day and not feel the least bit guilty.
As we speak it is now 10.25am and I have my computer in bed with me and no intention of moving. My dear husband has bought me my usual breakfast in bed, of a cappuccino, and I have settled in for the day.
Our Australia Day plans have been cancelled for the second time as my friends have been flooded in, their home was to be the venue for our celebrations. Thankfully their home is high and dry, but the access road into the property is underwater.
So alas, all I can do is share pictures of what we are now eating on our own, for a very quiet solo Australia Day.
I love our native Australian flavours so I prepared a Kangaroo Pie with Riberry. The flavour of the pie is rich and meaty, with a fresh, sweet Eucalyptus after taste from the Riberry. The inclusion of a cup of wine gives the pie depth of flavour and the potato layer adds a real comfort food feel. It is perfect for this miserable weather.
Ingredients:
Filling:
1kg Kangaroo Mince
1 cup red wine
1 cup Riberry
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic grated
2 Tbs sugar
1 cup water
3 t/s cornflour
Mash:
4 medium potatoes
50gm butter
½ cup milk
1 sheet shortcrust pastry
1 sheet puff pastry
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees
In a large saucepan cook the mince, wine, onion and garlic. Break up any larger pieces of mince as you stir.
Continue to cook until the meat is done. Add the riberries and sugar, cook further until the wine is mostly absorbed.
In a cup make a watery paste with the cornflour and water. Add the liquid to the mince and stir until the mixture thickens slightly and the liquid becomes a gravy. Leave to cool.
Line a pie dish with the shortcrust pastry. Bake the pie shell blind for 20mins or until just golden. Remove the baking beads and cook the base for another 10 minutes taking care not to colour the sides of the pie too much. Remove from the oven and reserve for later use.
Boil the chopped up potatoes. Drain the water and add the milk and butter. Mash until smooth.
To assemble the pie, pour the minced meat into the pie shell and smooth over evenly. Add the layer of mashed potatoes and again smooth the potato over the meat base.
Place the sheet of puff pastry over the pie and trim to size. Add a slit in the centre for the heat to escape.
Bake for 10-15 minutes on 200 degrees until golden.
Serve!
Happy Australia Day everyone, I hope your plans weren’t ruined by the weather.
Australia Day Cake Pop Ups
I don’t know about you but all my original plans for Australia Day have gone out the window. The weather is playing games, and camping on the beach no longer seems like a really good option.
Even with the lousy weather I am always up for an Australia Day BBQ with friends. So the Australia Day celebration has now been relocated to a friend’s hinterland property just outside Coffs Harbour.
Given the weather I have also changed my mind on the menu for the day. I will keep the main event a secret until tomorrow but here is what I thought I would make for the kiddies.
Australia Day White Chocolate Cake Pop Ups! How cool are these!!! Kids can eat them, there is no mess, and they are really easy and fun to make.
You could use any cake recipe for this treat. I like the white chocolate because it is a dense cake and holds together well while you cut it and put it into the cake pop holders.
Ingredients:
250gm butter
190gm white chocolate
2 cups caster sugar
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup SR flour
1 t/s vanilla
2 eggs
Red colouring
Blue colouring
1 ½ tins Betty Croker Vanilla Frosting
Lollies to decorate
Method:
Cover a large baking tray with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
In a saucepan melt the butter, sugar and chocolate over a very low heat until just melted.
Remove from the heat and add flour and milk stir until combined and then add the eggs and vanilla.
Divide the mixture in half and separate into to bowls. Add blue colour to one and red to the other. Pour the red mixture into one side of the baking pan and the blue into the other.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until cooked.
Remove the cake from the pan and allow to cool.
Use the cyclinder of a cake pop up to cut circles from the mixture.
Press the cake into the cake pops. Layer the two colours of the cake with a heaped spoonful of frosting in between the colours. Add more frosting and lollies to the top to decorate.
These are so delicious! There is the perfect amount of frosting to cake. I kept mine in the freezer and the coolness of the treat was even better. Plus it travel better as a lunch box treat.
This recipe makes about 20 cake pops
On another note, have you ever been let down by a supplier?
The lollies that I have decorated the cake pops with were originally bought for Christmas. I had a story planned and I was also going to add the red and white ones to gifts I was making. The lollies were ordered and paid for the lollies at the beginning of December. After numerous emails they were finally I received on the 29th December. Naturally at this time they were totally useless to me. I now have three kilograms of jelly beans that I am eating my way through. NOT HAPPY!
The cake pop up cylinders are a similar story. This time the package arrived promptly but one item was missing. I have now been emailing backwards and forwards for over a week with the company not prepared to admit that a mistake may have been made. All this for a $4 item! Seriously, would I lie about something so trivial. I just want to have the item I selected for a story.
Have you had a similar incident? Should I name the companies? I always like to write positive things so I won’t name names, but come on people, customer service please!
Day 3- North Coast Food & Wine Tour
On the road again,
Just can’t wait to get on the road again...
Oh no! I am humming the lyrics to a Willie Nelson song, what has become of me?
If you have just joined me, I am on Day 3 of my road trip with Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella. We have been visiting the Port Macquarie area courtesy of Destination NSW and I have had the privilege of sharing my love of this area with my favourite food and travel writer.
We started our day with a hearty breakfast at the Milkbar Port Macquarie (review to follow) and said our goodbyes to our comfy rooms at the Observatory hotel. The first stop on today’s itinerary was Ricardoes Tomatoes. Ricardoes is a must for families, I have visited previously and picked strawberries with my children so I was excited to be getting a “behind the scenes tour.”
Anthony from Ricardoes explained to us that the business commenced 8 years ago with nothing more than great produce and an honesty box at the end of a dirt driveway. They were hoping to make a bit of extra beer money! Demand for top quality produce has allowed the business to grow beyond recognition. A shop and a cafe have been established and visitors are encouraged to pick their own fresh produce.
We are taken on a tour of the tomato hot houses and are surprised to see tomato bushes at various stages of growth, climbing up a pulley system. I noticed there were quite a number of red tomatoes on the vine;
Anthony explained that the tomatoes are allowed to vine ripened for a superior flavour and nutritional value. Because the customer comes to Ricardoes it is not necessary to pick the tomato earlier to allow for transportation, handling time, and selling time. The tomatoes stay on the vine longer.
Ricardo prides itself on being a “see, touch, taste” experience and conducts free tours at 11.00am each day.
Looking around the shop there is a large range of condiments, sauces, preserves and Jams. We are told that nothing goes to waste in this business.
A local chef by the name of Eric Robinson from “The Other Chef” has established an award winning business creating a beautiful range of products using surplus fresh produce and gorgeous recipes.
It seems only fair given our surroundings that we should lash out and put “The Other Chefs” Jams to the test. We sample the award winning Ricardoes Strawberry Jam with the cafes famous fresh scones and cream. A standard order for the cafe is 12 dozen scones, as these babies have a reputation for being light and airy ,and are very much in demand with the busloads of tourists who stop by.
There is much oohing and aahing as Lorraine and I slurp our way through the deliciously sweet and tangy jam. We both love the chunks of strawberries and the syrupy consistency of the jam, the scone is truly light, airy and buttery, I understand why this is the most popular item on the menu.
Both Lorraine & I are keen to pick some strawberries. We are shown through to the strawberry igloos. I am instantly in awe of all the cute little red strawberries growing! They look nothing like my pathetic little plants at home. Each plant has plump ripe strawberries ready for picking.
We encouraged to “pick and try” the strawberries. They are so sweet and juicy, we fill a bucket each in no time, although I have to admit I was putting one in my mouth for everyone that made it to the bucket.
We are on a tight schedule so we say our goodbyes and are given the most generous box of goodies which contains beautiful ripe tomatoes, condiments and preserves.
We check our itinerary and find that our next stop is the Gaian Poultry and Game Farm.
As wives I think we all try hard to please our husbands; however I am sure there are not too many of us that would start a free range, organic menagerie to cater to their husband desire for fresh delicacies such as Muscovy duck and suckling pig.
Beth McMillan credits her husband’s love of natural product for the families move into organic farming. What started as livestock for “personal use only” has developed over the last two years into a niche business. The farm supplies top restaurants and providores in Sydney and our local Mid North Coast Area.
If you have ever had a delicious duck at Berta in Surry Hills, Rockpool, Bells at Killcare or Fiasco Bar & Ristorante in Coffs Harbour the chances are you have enjoyed one of Beth’s pasture raised animals.
The farm is a family affair with each member having their own area of interest. Eldest son Zane saw a gap in the market for rabbits and is now responsible for breeding and supplying this very popular product to wholesale merchants.
The property is chemical free and raises its chickens, Peking and Muscovy ducks in large enclosures. Beth explained that it takes five months for the Muscovy duck to get to a salable age so a lot time and care has gone into the animal before it reaches the table. Conversely the Peking duck reaches its maturity at only 8 weeks age and this is reflected in the cost to consumers.
Indian Runner Ducks and Araucana Chickens are bred on the farm for their eggs. The Araucana Chicken has a distinctive blue egg. The farm also keeps a stock of Guinea Fowl which are available all year round from Hudson Meats in Sydney.
Can anyone tell me what delicious succulent meat I am missing? Could it be suckling pig? Don’t worry Gaian Poultry and game has this delicacy covered too. They are members of the Rare Breeds Association and keep the Wessex Saddleback Pig. This breed is seen to be an excellent eating animal and is very popular amongst the Sydney restaurants.
If you would like to sample organic free range product from Gaian Poultry and Game you can visit the restaurants mentioned in the story or purchase your own from the suppliers at the end of the story. Beth has given me some amazing Muscovy Duck recipes which I will be reproducing shortly for readers. Have a guess who fell in love with Beth's baby Chihuahua, Coco.
Back on the Highway, Lorraine and I are feeling a little hungry... hehe, just joking. We are feeling rather full, but since we are driving by an Aussie institution we feel we owe it to ourselves to stop.
We were heading through the town of Frederickton when we spot the ever kitsch statue of Marilyn Munroe signalling the famous,”Freddos Pies”. As always it is a tourist attraction unto itself and there are cars and trucks pulled up on the highway everywhere!
Freddos has 160 different pie recipes and make at least 50 different varieties daily. I have tried numerous Freddos pies in the past but I usually favour the more unusual varities with a hefty serve of potato and mushy peas.
Inside the aroma of pastry is intoxicating, but we are on our way to lunch in Nambucca so we allow ourselves to share just one pie. Lorraine chooses the crocodile pie, which comes with a CR in pastry on the lid.
The pastry is lovely and crisp and Lorraine peels open the pie to reveal the creamy interior.
Freddos Pies is located on the highway at Fredrickton.
Back in the car, we continue on our way to the Jaaning Tree in Nambucca for lunch. Our delicious lunch and review can be found at the link above, but I will leave you with this image.
Perhaps we took a little long over lunch, should I blame good company, great atmosphere, gorgeous food or the most magnificent outlook... I am sure it was a combination of all these factors. We were due to check into to Saltwater on the beach at Emerald Beach by 4.00pm for the Annual Signature Dish Dinner at 6.00pm. We were never going to make it by four but we figured as long as we made it before six we would be okay.
We arrived at Saltwater on the Beach with about an hour to settle in, soak up the gorgeous view of the ocean and get ready for another gorgeous meal.
Saltwater on the Beach is the most ideally located beach house. It is situated across the road from a safe swimming beach and popular surf spot. The accommodation is a three bedroom modern house with all the comforts of home. It would suit a family, or perhaps even three couples wanting a holiday at the beach.
Saltwater Restaurant is located downstairs from the accommodation so rest assured breakfast and a good strong coffee is just a shout away too.
We are at Emerald Beach to experience local chef Dustin Bowie Fords winning entry to the 2010 Signature Dish Awards. Saltwater Restaurant is playing host to the event, and I am very excited to be participating in such an important event for the Coffs Coast and food tourism.
Stay tune, more delicious food to follow....
Julie from Gourmet Getaways would like to thank Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella, Tourism NSW and Destination NSW for hosting this getaway.
Stockist of Gaian Poultry & Game
Essential Ingredient
1/1 Harbour Dr
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
(02) 6651 1770
Gourmand Ingredients
3/ 41 Short St
Port Macquarie NSW 2444
(02) 6584 6268
http://www.gourmandingredients.com.au/
Bellingen Butcher
72 Hyde Street
Bellingen NSW 2454
(02) 6655 1132
Port Forshore Market on the 2nd Saturday of month
Wauchope Farmer's Market on the 4th Saturday of month.
Swansea Butcher
6/206 Pacific Highway
Swansea
(02) 4971 4799
Gresford Meats
44 Park Street
East Gresford
(02) 4938 9710
Hudson Meats
410 Crown Street
Surry Hills
(02) 9332 4454
Grass Roots Urban Butcher
101 New South Head Road
Vaucluse NSW 2030
(02) 9337 3063
Happy Chinese New Year - Roast Chinese Duck
Happy Chinese New Year!
We are now in the year of the Dragon according to the Chinese calendar. This is the most powerful of the Chinese signs, and symbolises strength and good fortune. Chinese New Year is a time of celebration and feasting. Our family is very fortunate to be hosting a Chinese student by the name of Jing Yuan Chun. Chun has prepared a special celebration dish for us which her family usually eat on special occasions.
Chun says that she has never prepared this dish before but she has seen it being made. Like most Chinese families they will usually eat this meal in a restaurant, as Chinese households do not usually have an oven.
For dinner tonight we have our family, my mum and Jiang chao (kaka), Chun’s boyfriend all joining us for dinner so we have be prepared two ducks for the meal. Chun has been demonstrating the technique on the first duck; I have been diligently taking notes and preparing the second duck as per her instructions.
Ingredients:
1 Duck
1 T/s salt
1 tsp Szechuan pepper (sweet)
3 star anise
½ t/s ground cinnamon
¾ ts ground ginger
1 green shallot sliced length ways
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup Chinese rice wine
Basting Sauce:
¼ cup white vinegar
½ cup honey
Serving Suggestions:
5 potatoes sliced
Cucumber
Kechup Manis
Soft Burrito
Method:
Dry the duck with a paper towel. Rub salt all over the duck.
In a mortar a pestle, pound the star anise and szechuan pepper roughly, set aside.
Mix the soy sauce and rice wine in a bowl and add all the spices include the star anise mixture. Add the sliced shallot.
Place the duck in a bowl and pour the marinade over.
Ensure all the duck is covered with the marinade. Cover the duck with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, turn the duck periodically.
Next day prior to cooking, remove the duck from the marinade. Dispose of the marinade and allow the duck to air dry.
To make the basting liquid combine the honey and vinegar and allow to stand.
Once the duck is completely dry baste the bird in the sauce.
Ensure that all areas are completely covered in the sauce. Continue to sit the duck on the bench so that the basting liquid will dry.
Once the basting liquid has dried on the duck wrap the drumstick and wings in foil to prevent burning.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
Slice the potato into ¾ cm thick rounds and place in a layer on a covered baking tray. Add the duck to the potato layer.
Cook the duck for 1 hour. Half way through the cooking time remove the duck from the oven and repeat the basting process. The duck must again be completely dry prior to entering the oven.
Once the second 30 minutes cooking period has elapsed remove the duck and baste again using the same drying process. Increase the oven temperature to 220 degrees and cook for a further 15minutes to crisp the skin.
I can't tell you how amazing the kitchen smelled whilst the duck was cooking. The aroma was of a rich star anise and sweet honey sauce.
The duck was served with sliced crunchy cucumber from my garden a sweet soy sauce and potato which had been roasted with the duck. These fillings combined with the duck in a warmed flat bread as a delicious rich sweet parcel.
The duck itself had a sweet and salty crisp skin with the delicious after taste on Star Anise and Ginger. The duck flesh was very moist, sweet and succulent. Chun explained that because duck is a sweet meat the accompaniments should always be sweet to compliment the flavour.
It was such an amazing meal, I am so grateful to Chun for sharing this feast with us and giving us the opportunity to learn more about the food she enjoys in China and how she celebrate the important days in her culture.
I was surprised to learn that because Chun and her boyfriend were both born in the year of the Dragon that the coming year was supposed to be fraught with danger and obstacles which would need to be overcome. Chuns father is very concerned that she is out of the country for this inauspicious year. KaKa explained that the repeated year can be very difficult.
I am looking forward to sharing our Australia day with Chun and Kaka. Although China having a history which span over 5000 years old, kind of makes Australia look like an infant by comparison :)
So tell me readers do you join in celebrations from other cultures such as Bastille Day for the French, thanksgiving for the Americans or perhaps St Patrick's Day?
Milkbar -Port Macquarie
Milkbar Town Beach
2/38 William St,
Port Macquarie NSW 2444
It’s day 3 of my road trip with Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella. We have been on a really tight schedule with early starts, late nights and very little time for writing. I now have a backlog of about five stories from our Port Macquarie trip so far and my head is spinning trying to keep facts straight, (even with copious notes and memory cards full of photos). I am really impressed by how methodical and professional Lorraine is at handling the stories at hand.
Yesterday I didn’t finish writing and editing photos until about 1.00am, and I had only just managed to finish day 1 of our adventure! I was fairly confident Lorraine would be up to date and sure enough when we met for breakfast at the Milkbar, she announced that she had a clean slate and was ready for a new day of eating, meeting producers and restaurateurs.
The Milkbar is located on the ground floor of The Observatory Hotel and has a strong local following. When we arrive it is already quite busy, so we quickly grab a table outside in the sun and peruse the blackboard menu.
The menu is simple with just a few choices, but there are quite a number of dishes which take my fancy.
Naturally after such a late night I needed to start my day with a good strong coffee. I am pleased to say they make a fantastic cappuccino and before too long my eyes are opening as required.
Lorraine gave up her usual tea to try the cafes chai, and then we were then ready to make our breakfast selections.
For me I couldn’t go past the French Toast w sweet ricotta, marinated figs, strawberries and maple syrup.
Lorraine chose the Milkbar Breakie which is baked eggs, served with basil tomatoes, mushroom, spinach and toasted sourdough, we added a serve of bacon to the dish for good measure. After all, we had another big day ahead of us and we wouldn’t want to get hungry.
We noticed that the Milkbar keeps a lovely range of organic wood fired sourdoughs, including a delicious fruit and nut loaf which I have tried previously and loved.
The emphasis here seems to be on fresh, local food with homemade treats.
We had a wander around the lovely fresh food items whilst breakfast was being prepared and found that the Fruit loaf Lorraine had been eyeing loving was available at the cafe as a breakfast item.
We decided it may be easier to try the sourdough at the cafe rather than try and take a loaf home for later. So we added a serve of the Organic Fruit and Macadamia Sourdough toasted with Apricot & Vanilla Jam to our breakfast order.
Whilst at the counter the caramel tart which we had both already photographed was also calling out for attention, that too was ordered and we sat down as the first of our breakfast items arrived.
It was all so delicious! For two petite girls I am proud to say we demolished the breakfast like we had never eat before. I loved the fat little pan fried button mushrooms, and the basil cherry tomatoes. The French toast was covered in copious quantities of sweet strawberries and I could have happily drunk the maple syrup. Best of all, the caramel tart tasted exactly like my mother version... and my mum makes the best caramel tarts.
After a gorgeous hearty breakfast I was ready to go back upstairs to our room at the Observatory Hotel and nap!
...but alas, as we all know there is no rest for the wicked and we had a Mid North Coast Food Tour to continue.... stay tuned there is more to come!
Opening hours are:
Mon-Fri 7.30am - 3pm (breakfast till 11, lunch 12noon -
2.30pm)
Sat-Sun 7.30am - 12noon
Make sure to reserve a table as this is a very popular place during the rush hours Ph: (02) 6583 2700
Gourmet Getaways was a guest of the Observatory Hotel and Destination NSW.
Australia Day & Cheesymite Scrolls for the Kids
Australia Day is just around the corner! What are your plans for this wonderful public holiday?
Thanks to the generosity of the lovely people at Bakers Delight I was given the opportunity to select some of their delicious products to take home and try.
I decided to embrace the “Aussie Day” spirit and chose the “Cheesymite Scroll”. They are one of my favourite Bakers Delight products for the kids.
If you haven’t sampled one before imagine Bakers Delight dough, spread with just the right amount of Vegemite and a generous amount of cheese. The dough is then rolled up and baked to a delicious golden finish. The taste is so much better than any cheese and vegemite sandwich. The bread is so light and fluffy and the cheese perfectly melded with the vegemite.
What could be more Australian than a “Cheesymite Scroll”?
The perfect Australia Day kid’s food!
Bakers delight have been baking this very Aussie combination for 31 years now, and the Australian public just love them. As a way of thanking customers Bakers Delight will be giving away fresh baked mini Cheesymite Scrolls to customers on 26 January.
The offer is available at all 614 Bakers Delight bakeries across the country. Bakers will be getting up extra early on the 26 January to bake fresh from scratch the Mini Cheesymite Scrolls. It is expected that over 250,000 customers will enjoy this free treat on Australia Day.
I know whatever we do on Australia Day it will include a Cheesymite Scroll for the kiddies, they are always a favourite!
So readers tell me what is your favourite Baker’s Delight product?
Will you be grabbing some “Cheesymite Scrolls” for the kids this
Australia Day?
Monkey Forest -Ubud Bali
What is there to do in Bali when you have eaten your fill of delicious Balinese food and you need to fill in a few hours while you regain your appetite for the next feast?
Mr GG and I decided to hop on some vespers and head off to “Monkey Forest”. If vespers aren’t your thing, there is any number of drivers ready to show you around for the same price as a bin tang or two.
Monkey Forest is located in Padangtegal a little village which is very close to Ubud, at the end of Monkey Forest Rd. It is quiet and tranquil and very different from the busy streets we had just come from in Ubud. The sanctuary is home to in excess of 500 monkeys commonly known as long-tailed macaques.
The Monkey Forest of Padangtegal is a sacred Balinese Hindu site, and as such makes for a nice peaceful stroll.
Each of the monkeys had very distinct personality, there were show offs and bossy ones, gentle ones. I had a monkey climb up my leg and try to pick my pocket!! Their traits were all so human like it was uncanny.
We were warned that the monkeys whilst gorgeously cute can get quite aggressive when it comes to matters of food. Although you are permitted to feed the monkeys we decided not to take in any bananas as I had visions of being chased by a troop of angry monkeys. As it was I managed to make a few a little cranky , by taking their photo!
I did love the gorgeous family groups with little newborn monkeys and toddlers all clinging together. This is such an adorable scene... although mummy monkey looks tired :(
During this stay in Bali we have learnt a lot more about the culture and beliefs of the Balinese people. Balinese Hinduism is unique in that they combine aspects of Animism, Ancestor Worship, (or Bali Aga meaning original Balinese belief) Buddhism, and Hinduism to form a very distinct belief structure.
The Balinese believe that prosperity is associated with the relationship that exists between the living and the dead (prosperity is something that can only be achieved through intense worship and obtainment of blessings from ancestors). Animism represents the belief that inanimate objects and other elements of the natural landscape can possess souls which can help as well as hinder human efforts on Earth.
Many Balinese believe that ravines and forested areas are particularly notorious for harbouring human and animal spirits. Monkey forest has a beautiful lush forest, deep ravine and stream which is why the site is considered to be sacred.
The structures in Monkey forest which appear to be very old, are sometimes in reality only several years old. The original structures may be quite old, but renovations are needed constantly because the soft volcanic rock, which has historically been utilized in temple construction, tends to rapidly deteriorate in Bali's tropical climate.
The bathing temple and main temples are both maintained and utilized for important religious ceremonies in the Balinese calendar.
The monkey forest was a great experience, the monkeys were so cute! Our Gourmet Getaways April Food Safari includes children over five years so this will be one of the places on our itinerary.
After our tranquil stroll we were ready to get back on the vespers and find some more delicious food. It still wasn’t really a meal time so we decided to just chose a few snack items at the Warung Ubud (translates to Ubud Kitchen)
I chose a light snack of Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with dipping sauce whilst husband found he couldn’t go past a double hit of deep fried goodness. Mr GG ordered Spring Rolls with a dessert of Chocolate Banana Spring Rolls. Both were deliciously crispy.
The winner naturally was the deep fried spring roll encased banana with delicious chocolate sauce.
We relaxed some more, sitting on the bamboo covered floor with cushions and watching the traffic pass by the verandah. If you look really carefully at the start of the video you can see a cow being walked down the street.
Everyone will be pleased to know that despite the rice paper roll being soaked in water and full of uncooked salad items, neither of us were any worse for the experience. Proving again what I have noticed in recent years, the hygiene and food handling in Bali has made huge improvements. We ate any food from any food outlet and no Bali Belly!
Mouse Burger with Squeaky Fries
When chef Joel McCulla from Zulu’s Restaurant in Coffs Harbour asked me to be a party to the creation of a new dish there is was an overwhelming mixture of feelings on my behalf. Naturally I was honoured and excited, there was a huge amount of curiosity, but I have to say there was an aspect of apprehension.
There is no doubting that Joel is an excellent chef with a talent for creating amazing food but there is another side to this chef, his alter ego is that of a mad scientist, with perhaps a slight sadistic slant. My thoughts went to the various Heston style dishes we have eaten as a guest in the restaurant, I wondered how he would shock the senses with this new dish.
I jumped at the invitation without so much as a second thought. Even when Joel started talking about the menu idea I have to say my mind had already skipped ahead to the story I would write. I barely took in the title “Mouse Burger with Squeaky Fries.” I did wonder in passing how he would create a burger that resembled a mouse and what squeaky fries could mean, but that was the extent of my ponderings, I was committed to the adventure.
After a few emails to arrange a date for this experiment it started to become apparent that the mouse burger was not just an unusually small burger, or a burger which looked like a mouse, but was a burger made from mice!
To say that I immediately regretted my enthusiasm is not an understatement. I honestly didn’t know whether Joel was seriously going to make me eat a rodent or whether this was all part of his sick sense of humour. Perhaps it would be an eleventh hour trick, and once I tried it he would announce that it was some regular form of meat??
When I arrived in the kitchen Joel was hard at work preparing the making for what looked like a very regular burger. I was anxious to have my mind put at ease so I ask him some questions about the various components of the dish which were busy bubbling away on the hotplate.
Mentally I had come to terms with the possibility that I may be eating a totally unacceptable form of meat. I kept reminding myself that Andrew Zimmerman had eaten far worse on his show “Bizarre Foods” and he had survived to date. I did however hope that this rationalising would not be necessary.
Sitting on a plate were three cute little knot rolls which Joel explained he had baked earlier. On the gas was a delicious smelling stock, I asked him what he was using to make the stock he named off the vegetables and herbs with the final ingredient being the carcasses left over from filleting five mice! There it was, we were eating mice, there was no longer any question!
Joel explained that the mice he was using in the dish were not caught locally, but were actually bred for consumption. My moment of relief was short lived however, as he went on to explain that these mice had been destined to be pet food for someone’s snake! Apparently this was however positive because it meant they were bred in captivity and killed without chemicals. Joel seemed to be confident in the safety aspect of eating the mice, and I was very confident that if anyone could make a mouse taste good it would be this chef so I was prepared to put my concerns aside and continue on with this adventure.
Step one in making a mouse burger. Once you have acquired the mice you must first gut, skin and fillet the rodents. Thankfully I wasn’t a part of this process as Joel had kindly completed that step prior to my arrival.
Next the rodents were very finely diced into a minced meat. I was quite impressed with Joel’s knife skills and before very long there was a little pinch bowl of very moist sticky looking minced meat.
Next Joel finely diced some ecshalot and added it to the mice mince with some secret seasoning.
The mince was then formed into a miniature burger and allowed to stand in the fridge to take shape. It is surprising that five mice condense down to just one miniature patties. He commented that the dish could never actually go on the menu as he had costed this entree sized burger at around $90 due to the preparation time involved in dealing with such a small animal.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that perhaps that wasn’t the only reason why it wouldn’t make the menu.
Watching the burger take shape I was beginning to gain confidence in the flavours and meal that would be presented. Joel prepared a delicious white chocolate & lime aioli using the most fragrant cocoa butter. He firstly added whole garlic cloves to the butter and allowed them to infused whilst the butter was heated in the oven. The cocoa butter was them used with the lime to form the aioli
Next the mouse stock was strained and further reduced to form a demi glaze for serving with the burger. We both sampled the sauce and found that it was really tasty, rather a lot like oxtail soup. What a relief, it wasn't the least bit rodenty but it still had a real meaty full flavour, quite delicious!
The tails which had formed part of the stock were reserved for the final presentation. Joel’s plan was to fry off the tails in the hope that they would achieve a crisp finish.
I have to say that I knew I would have to draw the line at munching on the mice’s tail. Perhaps I may have been able to be convinced? We will never know because once Joel described the tail as kind of chewy and cartilagey the mental struggle was over for me, no mice tails.
A burger is not a burger without onion rings and salad, so Joel set to work preparing the burger fillings. Everything was cut with absolute precision for these “mini mouse” burgers.
Joel shredded the capsicum and trimmed the lettuce so that it would fit neatly on the little buns. The buns were first smeared with the lime aioli and then the salad was added.
Whilst the burger patty was being grilled Joel went to work to prepare the squeaky fries. These were to be made from squeaky cheese ie: Haloumi cut in slices to resemble thick cut chips. The haloumi was seasoned and fried ready for serving.
The meal was coming together nicely and it was looking rather delicious. Periodically I would be shocked back into the reality by the sight of a tail but for the most part I kept forgetting that this very regular looking burger was anything but the norm.
The bun was topped with the “Pièce de résistance” five little mice made into one miniature meat patty. The onion rings aka fried eschalots were added to the top and the burger was ready for service.
Now I know that it is usually a case of ladies before gentlemen, but in this case there was no way I was taking a mouthful until Joel had done so first. I may have been committed to the experiment, but self preservation meant that I still wanted to see the chef eat first.
I had visions of being a child again and being tricked into eating something gross, only to have that peer say “haha, I didn’t really eat mine”
It was no trick however! Joel cut the burger in half and took the first mouthful. He looked thoughtfully and nodded. I took my first tentative bite. I chew and enjoyed the flavours. The meat was very moist, and had a tender melt in your mouth texture. I hate to be the one to compare mouse to wagyu but the complete lack of chewniess in the meat took my mind to this style of meat.
The lime aioli gave the burger a really nice creamy, musky citrus kick and the salad gave the whole thing fresh crunch. Regardless of the lovely flavour I still found that I was having trouble swallowing. There was a growing lump in my throat which was threatening to stop me swallowing my mouthful. I continued to chew and with some force I swallowed... and the world didn’t stop. I had eaten a mouse!
Joel went ahead and had a second bite, so I did the same. I have to say that I enjoyed that mouthful more. I was no longer concerned about whether I would be able swallow the meal, and I already knew that the flavour was good. Joel had done an amazing job at working with the flavours and turning it into something very unique and tasty.
The really naughty aspect of this story for me is about the squeaky fries. Even in the somber atmosphere of devouring our mouse burger both Joel and I had to let out a totally wicked laugh as we bit into the haloumi and there was an audible squeek! It was as if the mice were saying one last goodbye. It was a little evil to get such a giggle out of the experience but it just made the meal more than just the smell, taste, texture it add a fiendish new dimension.
So I guess my question to you my dear readers is... how far would you dabble into the range of “Bizarre Food”? Where would you draw the line for the sake of a story?
Anika Balinese Cooking Class
“Miss Julie, Miss Julie” I hear a voice whispering. I tiny tap on the door, and again “Miss Julie, I am sorry Miss Julie, there is a driver here for you” It is pitch black and I am in a strange room, I am totally disorientated! I am not in appropriate dress to answer the door even if I did remember where the front door was located!
Slowly it starts coming back to me, we are enjoying our third day in Bali and a change of residence to a quiet Ashram located just outside Ubud. We had booked a car to take us into Denpassar to the Anika cooking school. The class starts bright and early so we were being picked up at the ungodly time of 5.30am to make the trip from Ubud to Denpassar.
Mr GG & I both throw some clothes on, I grabbed my camera bag and notebook and ran out the door without so much as a sideways glance in the mirror. Although it was early we could already feel the day warming up. The ashram had been cloaked in a steamy mist which added to the peaceful mystic appeal of the setting.
Once in the courtesy car we had an hour and half to compose ourselves and mentally prepare for the day ahead. The roads were relatively clear of traffic so we sped along picking up other enthusiastic foodies along the way. As a new person joined the car we would again introduce ourselves and tell each other where we were from. It was a very multicultural car that pulled up at the Kuta Markets for our produce tour.
Our guide showed us through the markets and gave explanations for the more unique items of produces we came across. The stifling heat and the claustrophobic nature of the markets caused a Russian girl some grief, and she hastily excused herself to wait outside the market.
The braver (ie the menfolk) decided that it would be interesting to also view the abattoir section of the market. Meat is purchased fresh each day by the Balinese people, usually very early each morning so that all the cooking for the day can be done prior to setting off for work and school. I decided that if my stomach was to stay receptive to the food we were preparing I should avoid the abattoir. The stench of unrefrigerated meat, blood, guts, offal, fish and decaying produce was quite ripe in the confines of the market without also having the visual representation.
Mr GG witnessed the meat market but was unable to take pictures as he too found the sights and smells too horrendous to bare. Hubby held his breath as he quickly walked down each isle. He was relieved that we had not had time for breakfast that morning. He commented in the car that the smell had gotten into his nostrils and on his clothes and he felt he would be smelling it all day until he showered.
Arriving at the Anika Cooking School was a million miles from the experience of the Kuta markets. We entered a peaceful day spa environment, where the emphasis was on comfort and indulgence. I was firmly back in my comfort zone and ready to sample some more delicious Balinese cuisine.
We had some time to chat with the other guests and then we were given a recipe booklet which outlined the dishes we would be preparing.
Our menu included;
Fish Curry
Shredded Spiced Beef
Sate Ayam (Chicken Satay)
Bumbu Kacang (Peanut Sauce)
Fern Lawar
Bregedel Jagung (Sweet Corn Patties)
Nasi Kuning (Yellow Fragrant Rice)
Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)
Kolak (Fruit in Coconut Milk)
Godoh (Fried Banana)
In our booklet I also noted a few other interesting recipes for basic spice blends and pastes.
First up our teacher demonstrated the preparation of Hibiscus tea. This is a traditional, refreshing drink which can be drunk hot or cold. It is made using the red hibiscus flower, boiling water, sugar and lemon juice. We all enjoyed a glass of the mixture cold.
We were then introduced to the fruit platter on the table. I had seen “snakeskin fruit” before but had never tried it so I thought I would give it a go. The fruit itself is peeled like a Lychee, inside is a light colour fruit which has segments like a mandarin. The texture is very “unfruitlike” as it quite dry, the flavour is quite subtle but is a little like apple or pineapple.
Next we were shown a platter of traditional desserts. I do love a class which starts with dessert. On the platter was, black rice pudding, which is a favourite Balinese dessert of mine. The other two sweets were a mystery to me, I hadn’t seen them at all before. The first dessert I tried were the strange looking little green balls. Each ball had been rolled in coconut and had a nutty flavour but when you bit into the pastry there was a deliciously sweet, liquid palm sugar explosion which squirted out. There were quite a few gasps at the table as one by one we experience the surprise burst.
The other pastry was a triangular treat which was covered in palm sugar and coconut, once again it was delicious! I don’t think you can really go wrong with liquid palm sugar syrup and coconut.
There we fifteen people in our class, three of which were vegetarians so arrangements were made to also prepare tempe satay stick and a tofu curry.
One of the benefits in attending a cooking school it that a lot of the preparation is completed in advance. In Balinese cooking there is a lot of fine dicing of vegetables, herbs and spices.
We were spared the tedium of the mise en plus, and as each of the sauces and paste bases were ready to be pounded in the motor and pestle we were given a run through on the technique and then put to work.
We each pounded and scraped until we were told that our paste had the correct consistency and we were ready to progress to the next stage in our dish.
I was responsible for the corn fritters and I was secretly salivating at the thought of these spicy little morsels.
There were guests in charge of making the satay sticks, some helping with the tempe sticks and others working on the most delicious peanut sauce.
We all continued along with our jobs until about 11.00am when the corn fritters were ready to be fried off and the satay sticks ready for the make shift fireplace.
We watched as the finishing touches were completed to our entree’s. The aroma was heavenly and we were quick to fill our plates.
The corn fritters were my favourite, there was such a distinct flavour of lime, chilli and garlic. They were deliciously crunchy on the outside and soft and ginger flavoured on the inside.
They were definitely too nice to stop at one or two.
The satay sticks had been marinated in kecap manis, garlic and shredded lime leaves, then threaded onto bamboo skewers and cooked over coconut husks.
The coconut husks gave the meat a gorgeous smoky flavour.
With the entree and dessert complete it was time to move onto the main meal. Again everyone was set to work preparing a dish.
I was given the task of making the fish curry.
Whilst Mr GG was hard at work preparing the shredded beef with an Australian guy by the name of Mark and his wife Kate.
Mark is a Perth farmer who runs a livestock station. While he was cooking up a storm with husband he commented that he might have found a use for the livestock he named “number 32.” Seem’s he was enjoying the mix of Balinese spices and the shredded beef.
The aroma’s coming from all the different woks was just amazing. Despite all I had eaten I was very much anticipating the next course.
One by one the completed dishes made their way to the serving table.
We all helped ourselves and then started to compare favourite dishes. My favourite dish was the shredded beef, the flavour was just sublime! The peanut sauce was a big hit as was the Fern salad which is actually a vegetable dish with a mince chicken sauce.
The class was finished with a second round of desserts. We were welcome to assist in the preparation but by this stage everyone was content to stand back and watch as they were made for us.
The meal we had at Anika Cooking School was probably one of the nicest meals we had whilst in Bali. All the dishes were very achievable to make at home and the recipe booklet gave very clear instructions. I was very inspired to start cooking the dishes we had learnt as soon as we returned home.
Whilst the class was not as hands on as others, there was the opportunity to do as much or as little as you wanted. This was the perfect situation for Mr GG and I. The class was about 55% female and 45% male as most girls had brought along very willing partners to also participate. There was plenty of Bintang in the fridge at the class to fight off the thirst that develops whilst cooking, all in all it was a very full and enjoyable day.
The car returned us to our accommodation in Ubud whilst others stay on to enjoy a gentle massage in the Anika Day Spa.
Accommodation is also available in the modern Balinese style “Anika Guest House”
For more information about go to the Anika Website. Discounts apply for those who book directly online.
Chilli Jam
Some like it hot – and - some - sweat when the heat is on....
Oh how I am showing my age now! Robert Palmer straight out of the 80’s!
So keeping with the retro theme, I have a retro recipe, and old fashioned Chilli Jam.
With all this rain and humidity, lately my garden has been producing vast quantities of both tomatoes and chilli. I tend to eat about a punnet per day of cherry tomatoes and I am not even coming close to making a dent in the stock of tomatoes I have in the fridge. I decided that if was going to make use of all this abundant fruit I would need to do some preserving. Mr GG is not a fan of tomatoes at all so I didn’t tell him this chilli jam was made with tomatoes, lucky because he loves it! He has been adding it to his sandwiches everyday!
The recipe does have a bit of warmth to it, but the extra medium heat chillies just give a depth of flavour to the chilli without adding any more heat.
You could also use this chilli for your next BBQ on a nice rare steak. YUMMY!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe, it is one just like nana would make J. If you have anymore suggestions of ways to use up tomatoes I would love to hear them all.
Ingredients:
1 lg onion (sliced)
1 habanero chilli
3 or 4 med heat chilli’s
24 cherry tomatoes
1 tbs olive oil
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan, and add the onion along with the sugar.
Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until starting to soften.
Finely chop the chilli’s, and add to the pan along with the balsamic vinegar.
Cook for a further 5 minutes over the same low heat.
Cut the tomatoes in half and add to the pan along with the salt.
Stir, cover and cook gently, on a low heat, for about 20 minutes.
When the tomatoes start to collapse use a stick blender to roughly chop the jam mixture.
The jam can be served hot or cold.
The recipe will make about 4 jars of chilli jam and it will keep in the fridge for about a month.
So tell me readers, do you have a favourite family recipe for a relish, chutney, jam or marmalade? Are you like me and love having these tasty spreads in the fridge to liven up a meal or sandwich?
I have given a jar of my chilli jam to a friend so I will be waiting for her feedback on the site.
Top Drop - December 2011 - Happy New Year
Happy New Years Eve!
I don't know about you, but I have had a fantastic year, full of fun, friends and family. I want to thank you all for reading along with me and sharing my food finds, holidays and recipes. I have enjoyed reading all your feedback and I look forward to chatting with you again next year.
In the meantime, have a very Happy New Year, have a glass of wine or two for me, and most importantly stay safe. I have chosen this lovely white wine for this months "top drop" as it really is an easy drinking day or night wine
Long Point
Deckchair White
This is a delicious blend of Chardonnay and Verdelho, perfect for those steamy hot Summer days. It’s crisp and refreshing, totally un-oaked, with a wonderful fruity aroma and mouth filling flavours. Sit back, relax and enjoy are bottle or two of the festive season.
Enjoy a bottle with your seafood Christmas lunch, chicken dishes or just because friends have dropped around.
Cost $15.00 per bottle
Available: At the cellar door
6 Cooinda Place Lake, Cathie NSW 2445.
or online
The Jaaning Tree
Take a relaxing deep breath, and settle in for the afternoon is my advice when visiting the “Jaaning Tree”. That’s what Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella and I did when which reached this picturesque restaurant. We were on our North Coast Food & Wine Tour and arrived at “The Jaaning Tree,” we were instantly mesmerised by the lull of the water and the tranquil, serene environment of the Nambucca River.
Chef and owner Clayton Donavan grew up in the Nambucca area, as a boy would go “foraging” for food in the rainforest and on the beach. He always wanted to be a chef and his passion for local and native food is evident in the menu and his enthusiasm to share “local knowledge”.
After a prestigious international career cheffing, Clayton has returned to this spot on the water, to raise a family with his beautiful bride and lovely English Rose, Jane. Jane commented that if the chef ever goes “missing” he is usually off picking edible flowers or native berries for the restaurant.
Lorraine and I perused the menu and are instantly drawn to the oyster entree. We are after all sitting more or less on the banks on the Nambucca River so it fits that we should enjoy some fresh Nambucca oyster. We choose a selection of Natural and Asian Style Oysters.
We are presented with the most beautiful display of modern fresh food. The oysters are served with a salad of fresh edible flowers including nasturtiums, apple berry flower, viola and home grown rocket with radish, red onion and cucumber.
The oysters are fat and delicious. The taste so fresh and remind me of the sea spray. The natural oysters are served on rock salt, with some lemon and fennel. The Asian styled oysters were my favourite, they were garnished with coriander, wasabi oil, mirin and pickled ginger. The flavour was amazing! I instantly decided that I needed to try and reproduce this dish at home for Mr GG.
The menu at the Jaaning Tree is so inviting that Lorraine and I found it difficult to choose. For entrees we finally settled on two dishes, a Citrus Cured Crocodile Carpaccio and a Cheese & Macadamia Nut Beignets.
I adore raw food so I was sold on the crocodile Carpaccio as soon as it arrived. Wafer thin slices of succulent tender crocodile cured in juice and served with fresh salad leaves and pickled ginger, a wasabi crème fraiche and a chilli and coriander dressing. There was just so much flavour in the dish. It was nicely presented topped with a crispy wonton wrapper.
The Cheese and Macadamia Nut Beignets were the next dish I sampled. The choux pastry had been made with a puree of cheese and macadamia through the light crisp pastry. This deliciously light pastry it was then deep fried. The little pastries were served with an array of reductions, flavour powders and foam. There was a balsamic and wattle seed reduction plus a Davidson plum reduction, a citrus foam and native flavours in the form of powders and ground spices. I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of native traditional food, French style cooking techniques and modern ingredients. The Jaaning tree has taken “Modern Australian Dining” to a whole new level.
The Jaaning Tree also carries a range of quality preserves made from native ingredients. I was intrigued by the sound of these flavours and both Lorraine and I bought quite a few to sample at home.
Lorraine and I had decided to share a main dish of Smoked Loin. When the dish arrived it was spectacular, gorgeously presented and very large! After all the food we had consumed on the trip I was grateful we had decided to share.
This is the dish the Jaaning Tree is famous for, the Kangaroo is hot smoked using the leaves of the highly aromatic scented lemon myrtle, and served with organic baby beetroot and carrots, caramalised pear, wilted spinach and a chocolate jus to finish.
I felt so guilty eating this dish without my husband that I took a photo and sent it to him. I know he would have enjoyed the meal as much as I was. The kangaroo was so tender and flavoursome and the salad was the ultimate in fresh, healthy and tasty.
Something I have certainly learnt of the last few days is that a meal is not a meal without dessert, when you are dining with the Queen of Desserts Miss NQN!
We chose a gorgeous Creme Brulee which was deliciously rich and creamy. It was served with a divine range of coulis and powders to enhance the flavour of the brulee and a homemade ice-cream. It was a beautifully sweet finish to an amazing meal in the most idyllic of locations.
Clayton shared so many interesting stories about growing up in the area throughout the meal. We asked how he named the restaurant and he told us that when he was a child, if he was naughty and was about to be chastised, he used to hide in the backyard behind the Jaaning Tree. The Jaaning tree had a sweet sap which was like lollies from the bush.
Dorrigo Pepperberry
The name is so apt for a restaurant which serves the most gorgeous native foods, I felt like a child discovering for myself new flavours, ingredients, textures and techniques. Clayton told us stories of his foraging adventures in the local area and all the unique foods which are available in the bush, beach, river and dunes. He was so knowledgeable and inspirationally that Lorraine and I quickly agreed to be a part of his next foraging trek.
Native Citrus
Dining at the Jaaning tree was a total experience, Clayton is so charismatic and enthusiastic about the food that he is sharing in his restaurant that the meals speak volumes on native, sustainable, local, unique, healthy tasty food.
Gourmet Getaways was a guest of Destination NSW and Mid North Coast Tourism. Thank you kindly to both for hosting such an amazing experience.
For reservations contact details are;
Jaanning Tree
8/1 Wellington Drive, Nambucca Heads NSW
Ph: 02 6569 4444
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3 TOURS DEPARTING 2012
Have Your Say
What a lucky little girl to have you as her mother Julie.
Oh my goodness! What an amazing place. I have always wondered what it was like there! :)
Awww what a lovely way to spend quality time together! I love love love all the different types of bananas you got to try! Yayy for fun holidays!
Miss J I wish I could have been there for you today, just know in my heart I was thinking of you. I shed a tear for you and K when I read your post and I can't wait to give you big hugs tomorrow. Xxoo
big hugs to you and your family. memories are meant to be kept and some in drawers and brought out at times. stay strong.
Beautiful post Julie and it brought tears to my eyes because I know from talking to you how much she meant to you. This post just brought it to words beautifully.
What a beautiful way to remember your gorgeous girl! Just reading yours and her story bought back the small number of memories I have about Kaela, the one that is forefront in my mind and always hovers there is the complete and utter joy I saw her showing on your wedding day. I think it was Manny whizzing her round and round in her chair on the sand and she was smiling and laughing so much! Loved it!!
Julie you are an amazing mum, the love you have for all your children is to be admired and emulated by others.
Our thoughts and love to you and yours today and always xx
Dear Julie,
I think that this post is such a beautiful way to remember the life of your daughter. Reading this brought a tear to my eye. I want to go over and give you a big fat hug right now.
NOTHING in this world can ever, ever compare to a Mother's love for her child, just as you've shown Kaela and your other children. I'm sure Kaela was very happy to have YOU as her mother and that in many ways, she was able to show love to others because she was first shown love from you, too. Her life is a true testament of courage and strength and I'm sure each day with her felt like the biggest blessing of all. You should be proud to say that your beautiful daughter, Kaela, has touched more people in her 16 years of life than most of us ever could in our whole lives, even till this day.
I have so much respect for you and other mothers out there who's had the same experience. I've never read such an honest, heartfelt and emotionally raw post and I applaud your courage to share this. I don't think it's fair to say that I understand your pain but I hope you know that your post has really touched me and many others out there right now. Cheers to many more celebrations to commemorate the wonderful life that Kaela has led on earth. It's painful but it's a joyous thing. Take care.
Love,
Winston.
Hey little sister..
Wow, for someone who always has so much to say, I find myself at a lose for words, and wanting to be very quiet.. Lisa and I are both crying on the bed, and I find myself thinking..
Wow has it been so long.. 1991.. Such a bright little star she was..
I remember sitting on your couch holding her, playing with a squeakily toy frog, cause she seemed to like that at Sir Thomas Michelle Rd.
Or Singing her Metallica when she was crying, okay perhaps it was not as effective as Tori, but.. We work with what we have.
Love you very much Little Sister..
That is about all I can say little one, Love you very much..!
T & L
Kaela Elisa is looking down at us as we speak, she was strong and she would like to see her family strong and continue to celebrate the beautiful times you spent with her. We all miss her.
Thanks Donna,
You are a fantastic mum and aunty. I hope you liked my tribute to K
Thank you so much for your thoughts and kind words.
It means so much to be coming from three mums.
You never know exactly how much you are opening your heart up when you choose to have a child.
Even healthy children give mum's so much to worry about, as you would all know!
I am pleased I wrote the story, it was really nice to share :)
...but I would not have had it any other way :)
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