Day 41 - Manly Beach, Sydney - Bread Pudding Birthday "Cake"

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My first dinner guest, in my first apartment in Sydney - good times!

A few days earlier, my american buddy Lance (pictured above, who I met at my gym in Sydney) and I took a ferry ride from Circular Quay in Sydney over to Manly Beach. The ferries to Manly are pretty huge. On this particular day, it was clear and really windy outside so the harbour was jammed full of sailing boats. The below picture represents only a small portion of the sailing chaos that was taking place in the harbour that day.

(Question: How do they not all crash into each other? I'm not understanding this at all ....).



Once at Manly (which I'd visited before), Lance told me there was something interesting to show me. "The Wormhole", just north of Manly Beach, is a man-made tunnel running 50 metres or so through the cliff's sandstone, extending between the Manly-side of the cliff and the opposite ocean-side. Kinda cool.

The view, looking back at Manly from inside the Wormhole. Not sure what "the Hole's" history is, but I'm sure it had something to do with human convenience. Let's be honest, our kind's laziness has a way of leading to innovation. *grin*

We spent the rest of the day driving around the area with one of Lance's friends, walking through one of the national parks in the area, then grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby deli.

As thanks for the day's experiences, and for his recently-celebrated birthday, I cooked dinner for Lance chez moi. After a meal of mussels cooked in a chilli-coconut broth (nnnice), naturally birthday cake made an appearance. Not knowing if he was a chocolate guy or not, I decided to get a little creative and made some bread pudding the day earlier. It's dead easy, and is a little bit of a departure from "cake". Recipe, again, c/o Mom.

** Recipe soon to come ... waiting for Mom to email it to me.

Day 39 - Luna Park & Shangri La Hotel, Sydney - Long Island Ice Tea

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Luna Park, a 70-year old+ amusement park siting on Sydney Harbour's shoreline, is a real stand-out from the other landmarks on the harbour with its big ferris wheel and bright entrance gates. My buddy Richard and I set out to take in a few rides one night before heading into town for a couple of drinks.

It's not a "modern" amusement park by most standards, but Luna Park has enough rides to keep you entertained for a couple of hours.

After our fill of ferris wheels and (little) roller coasters, we walked over the Harbour Bridge towards downtown Sydney (but not without taking a few night pictures along the way).

To take in the city's night views, we headed over to the Shangri La Hotel's Blue Horizon Bar, which is situated on the 36th floor of the hotel. Fantastic north-facing views of the bridge, the harbour and all of its surrounding sights.

A couple of cocktails were ordered to enjoy over the rest of the evening's casual conversation. I kept it simple a la Bailey's-on-the-Rocks. Richard prefered to go with Long Island Ice Teas. For those of you who have never tasted them before, they're a pretty stiff drink. Definitely more of a "sipping drink".

For a traditional Long Island Ice Tea, mix:

1/2 oz vodka

1/2 oz gin

1/2 oz triple sec

1/2 oz light rum

1/2 oz tequila

2 oz sour mixMix with ice, and then top with Cola.

Day 34 - Jamie's Kitchen, Sydney - "Seattle Salad"

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First time getting invited over to someone's place for dinner in Sydney. Nnnnice.

After an afternoon spent exploring the ocean walk between Bondi and Coogee beaches, I made a deal with my kiteboarding Seattle-born buddy Jamie: I agreed to (painfully) untangle the lines to his 5-line kite as long HE made us dinner. (note: the lines got that way from the last time he and I went kitesurfing together, so technically I played a part in them getting that way in the first place ... but I digress).

I definitely got the better part of this deal: dinner was a-w-e-s-o-m-e!

Jamie’s no slouch in the kitchen. Though he served up a main course of rare beef tenderloin with a red wine sauce and caramelized veggies (yesssss guy!), he started off our feast with a really simple salad.

Being the cleaver guy he is, Jamie mixed the salad dressing in a martini shaker. A good use of apartment basics, I thought. (He too made the trip to Sydney only recently, leaving most of his kitchen gear at home as well ... I feel his pain).

Do: use rocket instead of mixed greens if you can find them at the grocer - their peppery taste will make the salad more interesting.

Jamie was good enough to provide me with his salad recipe, in addition to another one for good measure. Perhaps another food blogger in the making? (Hmm ... competition?)

Red and Green Pear Salad with Belgian Endive, Lamb's Quarters, Blue Goat Cheese, and Sherry Wine Vinaigrette

1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
1 1/2 tbs. sherry wine vinegar
6 tbs. olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 red pear, sliced vertically into thin slices the shape of a pear
1 green pear, sliced vertically into thin slices the shape of a pear
1 1/2 heads Belgian endive, julienne
2 cups lamb's quarters greens
1/4 lb. (225g ish) blue goat cheese broken into chunks
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and split in half

METHOD:
Place the shallow and vinegar in a shall bowl. Slowly whisk-in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the pear slices, endive, lamb's quarter greens, blue goat cheese, and cashews in a large mixing bowl. Toss with 5 tbs. of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLY:
Place some of the pear mixture in the center of each plate and spoon the remaining vinaigrette around the salad. Top with freshly ground black pepper.

WINE NOTES:
Can stand up to a fairly big wine
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(Here's a more tropical one that's kinda unique, definitely different)

Brown Turkey Figs, French Mellon, and Persimmon with Arugula, Wild Watercress and Black Pepper - Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette

Serves 4
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbs. cracked black pepper
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise with pulp scraped out and reserved
Salt and pepper
2 brown turkey figs
2 persimmons
1 french mellon
2 cups arugula
2 cups wild watercress
1 tbs. purple geranium petals

METHOD
Place the rice vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and add the black pepper and vanilla pulp. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut each fig into 6 wedges and set aside. Peel the persimmons and cut each into 6 wedges; remove the seeds. Cut the mellon in half and remove the seeds and peel. Slice the mellon into 16 thin slices. Place the arugula and watercress in a medium bowl, gently toss with 3 tbs. of the vinaigrette, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLY
Place some of the greens in the center of each plate. Place 3 wedges each of the figs and persimmons, and 4 slices of the mellon at separate points (to form a rough triangle). Sprinkle each plate with the geraniums, and spoon some of the remaining vinaigrette around the plate.

WINE NOTES:
Pair with a light refreshing wine. A Moscato d'Asti is ideal with it's low alcohol and peachy sweet fruit, or a light extremely fresh Viognier
side note: Viognier is apparently one of the wines that Australia makes well. If pairing with this though don't over do the pepper in the salad as the wine will amplify the spice.

Day 34 - Bondi Beach / Coogee Beach, Sydney - Chocolate Hazelnut "Brulee" Cake

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There are some amazing walking trails lining the coast between Sydney’s beaches. The path between Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach is probably one of the more impressive examples, and is also probably the most well-known. Crazy scenery!

I made the walk with my american bud Jamie, who has family roots in the area going back several generations. Throughout the afternoon, we passed by great views of the ocean, watched fisherman dropping their lines 100+ feet down from the cliffs into the crashing waves, saw birds of prey nesting along the rocky terrain, and took in the incredible tidal action against the coastal cliffs.

Knowing the walk would take us several hours, we packed snacks ahead of time (surprise, surprise). We bought some cakes at a Bondi Beach cafe and swung by a bottle shop for a bottle of white as well. Jamie's sticky bun was tasty, but I prefered my cake - a simple white cake with a rich hazelnut filling, coated with caramelized sugar. The caramelized sugar top isn't too dissimilar from crème brulee – you can either use a blowtorch or burners in the oven to do this. Mom's white cake recipe below, as well as a great chocolate frosting recipe I've used a number of times.

** Note: Recipes soon to follow ...

Day 33 - Balmoral Beach, Sydney - "Fionna's Soup" (Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup)

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Our official "see you soon" to our U. K.-bound friend Fionna.

Before leaving Oz, Fionna organized a potluck picnic lunch at Balmoral Beach, with everyone on her guest list contributing something food-wise to our little get-together. We barely made a dent in the huge amount of food we brought. Fionna's food alone would have fed us, then there were Alex's chicken wings, Naomi's quiche, there were at least three salads on the go, somebody made a couple pies, ... LOADS of food.

We were a little unlucky in the weather department, as it rained down on-and-off all afternoon long. Fortunately there was a quaint gazeebo under which we sought refuge, and the picnic continued until we could eat no longer.

There were some patches of clear sky throughout the day, but these were generally short-lived. (Would you ever guess from the pictures below that we would have dealt with rain later on?)

Funny story: While we were sitting undeneath the gazeebo and having our picnic, two busloads of asian tourists pulled up to Balmoral. As they waddled past us, seeing what we were up to, there was a simultaneous chorus of "Oooooh" 's and "Aaaaaahs" 's, followed by an army of digital cameras snapping pictures furiously in our direction. "Iz deezz wad dee ozzz-zzees doo un wee-kinds?"

Of course, we offered to step in and assist in taking their group picture in front of the gazeebo (and our picnic). "Tank yoo varrey mudge! Ha vah nyzz day!" Bow. Bow. Bow ...

My picnic contribution was a pot of Butternut Square and Ginger Soup. It's AMAZING soup when served with a few a spoonfull or two of fresh cream and fresh-cracked black pepper. I've used the recipe on a few seperate occasions now, but from now on this will be known (perhaps only to me) as "Fionna's Soup".

*** Note: Recipe soon to come ...

Day 33 - Northern Beaches End-Of-Season "Dirty Disco" Costume Party - Bondi Beach, Sydney - Chicken Kebabs

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Good times. :)

Story: my buddy Drew is a lifesaver with the North Bondi Lifesavers. (Pretty cool, eh?) Not only is he a lifesaver, he also trains new volunteers on how to be lifesavers themselves ... so he's a pretty popular guy amongst his peers. (<- Do I have that right, Drew?) Every year, the northern beaches (Bondi, North Bondi, Tamarama and Coogee) throw an end-of-season bash where they bring their 500+ lifesavers together for a BIG party. Thankfully, Drew pulled me in and invited me along for the fun. (Thank you Drew!) The theme of this year's party: Dirty Disco. This is where the story starts to get a little messy ... (get your minds out of the gutter, guys!)

Although it wasn't a big story back home in Canada, there was a big mining accident in early May 2006 at the Beaconsfield Mine in Tasmania, Australia. Long story short: big explosion, 1 miner killed, 2 miners trapped underground for 14-days, both survive, lots of media exposure, miners sell exclusive rights to their story to a tv station for an undisclosed, multi-million dollar contract amount ... (Hollywood, apparently, isn't so far away from Tasmania).

Back to the party: all lifesavers and guests were encouraged to dress in "dirty disco" outfits, which was open to interpretation. Being a creative guy, Drew decided we would veto bell-bottoms and fake afros (which is what everyone else would be wearing) and came up with a better idea: "Todd and Brant", a.k.a. Beaconsfield's two surviving "dirty, dirty miners". (Perhaps we were dancing a fine line between cleaverness and bad taste, however we did win "Best Costume".) The prize: free surf lessons for two at Bondi Beach!

Picture of Drew (on the right) apparently after having stolen the indian's (on the left) head dress ...

Oh Drew ... lol

It was a dirty, messy party in several regards. Time for some dirty, messy, late-night, after-clubbing snacks. How about ... KEBABS!?

Me (in the middle, with the disco-inspired mining helmet) along with ?, ? and ?. (I DID know their names at the start of the night ... hadn't met them before that night, haven't seen them since.)

Suggested recipe for Chicken Kebabs:

Ingredients:

1 lb good quality chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
2 TBS best quality olive oil
3 TBS lemon juice

Method:

In a glass or stainless steel bowl, combine all the above ingredients and marinade chicken for 3-6 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.

Take out of fridge thirty minutes prior to grilling, allowing chicken to reach room temperature.

Thread meat onto skewers (if using wood or bamboo skewers, first soak these, weighted, under-water so water covers skewers, for about 1/2 hour).

Grill over medium charcoal fire or barbecue until delicately browned and no longer “pink” inside.

Serve in pita bread, with any / all of the following toppings: humus, tahini, baba ganouj, tabouli, garlic sauce, onions, cabbage, pickles, lettuce, and / or olives. (note: many of these can be purchased pre-made. Recommended, and easier).

Day 27 - Doyle's Seafood Restaurant, Sydney Fish Market, Sydney - "The Fisherman's Platter"

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Several weeks following my initial arrival in Sydney, my canuck friends Lauren & Alex, and U. K. friend Fionna, were preparing me for a trip to Sydney’s Fish Market for a seafood feast. (Why oh why would they think that I like seafood? *grin*)

In addition to several of Sydney’s top seafood suppliers, the Fish Market also has several on-site seafood restaurants. Among these, Doyle’s Seafood is perhaps one of the most well-known.

Among the items found on their restaurant menu is "The Fisherman’s Platter". One word to describe the experience: glutinous. Serious seafood for serious seafood people. As can be seen from the content list below, it’s an absolute smorgasbord of all the best the sea has to offer: lobster, crab, prawns, smoked salmon and calamari. Throw in some french fries for good measure, and you've got yourself a nice, light snack. :) It took a little while ... but we eventually did get through our food.

Contents of “The Fisherman’s Platter”:

1 large handful of French Fries
2 Crabs, steamed or boiled
12 Prawns, steamed or boiled
1 Lobster tail, boiled
12-16 rings of deep-fried Calimari
6 slices of Smoked Salmon, rolled
1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Method

Arrange ingredients on top of French Fries as shown, serve with some clarified butter on the side for dipping.

Should serve 2 people (I could have eaten it all myself … *grin*)

Day 26 - First Rugby Union Game - Aussie Stadium, Sydney - Harry's "Cafe de Wheels" Meat Pies w/ Mushy Peas

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My first rugby union game (watching, not playing) in Australia! The best part: (1) it was a home game and (2) the home team needed to win in order to gain semi-final hosting team field rights in the following week's playoffs.

Sell-out crowd, open-air stadium, 3 of my best mates in Oz along with me = awesome night!

The home team in blue (the NSW Waratahs) was up against the New Zealand Hurricanes, who were just ahead of them in the playoff standings at the time.

End result: Warratahs lost 19 - 14. Later next week, they lost to the Hurricanes again (this time in Wellington), knocking them out of the playoffs.

After a long walk back into town, what do a bunch of guys do to drown their sorrows? Well, we didn't drink beer ... but we did eat pies!

Harry's "Cafe de Wheels" is another meat pie institution in Sydney. Although pies in Australia are traditionally topped with tomato sauce (i.e. ketchup), Harry's lets you take it one step further with other ingredients like mashed potatoes, mushy peas, gravy, chilli and lots of other good stuff.

The picture above is one of Harry's signature pies: mashed potatoes, mushy peas AND gravy. Yesss guy! Great street food, for sure. How does one make mushy peas? ... Glad you asked.

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 pound frozen green peas, thawed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Method:

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add green onion, mint, and peas. Cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Mash peas with a potato masher to desired consistency. Stir in butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Day 26 - Bather's Pavillion, Balmoral Beach, Sydney - Ocean Trout, Potato and Dill Creme Fraiche Pizza w/ Beans & Fennel

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We all fall into the habit of thinking pizza has to be about a tomato-based sauce, red meat toppings and melted cheese (not that there's anything wrong with any of these). Personally, I find it exciting to eat food that gets you thinking outside of the proverbial culinary box.

At Balmoral Beach, one of Sydney’s less touristy beach areas, you will find the celebrated Bather’s Pavillion restaurant. Although the restaurant has a rich Aussie history, it is now owned by Quebec-born chef and restauranteur Serge Dansereau. (What’s not to like about that?).

Clam diggers, working in the ocean surf in front of The Pavillion while we ate brunch.

Balmoral's "shark net", only partially capable of fending off sharks from its beaches.

Naturally we went for a walk around the beach and Balmoral's boat marina after brunch.

Most of the toppings on this pizza are served cold. You will, however, need to cook through the pizza dough and potatoes before adding the final toppings.

Ingredients

1 recipe basic Pizza dough
1 Potato (Idaho), sliced thinly
2 tbsp English double-cream
6-8 slices Smoked Trout or Salmon
6-10 Green beans, cooked, halved and chilled
½ cup Fennel, sliced thinly
1 tbsp Capers
2 tbsp fresh Dill, chopped
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Method

1 – Spread dough into desired size portion. Brush thinly with Olive Oil, and top with one layer of Potato slices. (Note: if your potatoes are not sliced thinly enough, you may want to “parboil” them – i.e. cook them in boiling water until half-done)

2 – Cook pizza dough at 500 F (260 C) for about 20–25 minutes, or until it reaches the desired level of crispiness.

3 – Remove from oven. While still hot, spread with English double-cream, add one layer of smoked fish, and add remaining ingredients. Pepper to taste, serve while crust is still warm.

Day 26 - Bather's Pavillion - Balmoral Beach, Sydney - Mimosas

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Fresh-squeezed orange juice mixed with champagne, first thing in the morning ... What’s not to like about that?

Leading up to my english friend Fionna's departure from Sydney back to the U. K., we met at Fionna's favourite beach (Balmoral Beach) for a bite to eat.

Fionna, below, waiting for me "over the bridge" which hangs over a section of the beach. (I wonder how many marriage proposals have been given on that bridge? It's that kinda place ...)

Beautiful day to get together for brunch at The Bather's Pavillion, a restaurant with quite a history in the area (more on that in a moment). Very popular with the locals, more so with the tourists (who were lucky enough to find out about it through word of mouth). The Pavillion has published an amazing cookbook with lots of great Aussie-inspired recipes, as well as lots of information on Balmoral Beach and the surrounding area.

And there we sat, drinking mimosas, eating late lunch, and talking about many a thing. (including the shark net, which lies just off the beach ... an eery reminder of what lies "out there")

Recipe

Depending on your tastes, 1 part Champagne to 1 part Orange juice is a good place to start. Adjust ratios on the second, third, fourth ... cocktail as desired.