Day 134 - Rugby Team BBQ - The Esplanade, Cairns - BBQ Thai Lime and Coconut Chicken w/ Warm Veggie Salad

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One more semi-final rugby match . Going in: a 1-Loss, 0-Win record in the playoffs. What we needed to go to the final: to win THIS game. A "do or die"game, in every sense of the term.

Although I've only played for the team's reserve grade squad, I have made a point of pitching in and making it to all of the A-grade team's game. I've always managed to be a help, even in some little way, and I much prefer to make a contribution rather than bailing on them once our reserve grade's regular season (which was playoff-less) ended.

Brothers in arms: a pre-game pep talk from our coaching team ...

This was one of our few night games during the entire season. A fitting backdrop for the game - nothing to focus on except 80-minutes of rugby.

End result: we won! A thrilling, come-from-behind victory with under 10 seconds to go! When the referee's whistle blew, the crowd went c-r-a-z-y! It was an intense game: fast-paced play from the backs, and lots of long, slow mauling runs by the forwards. Many of the players (on both sides of the field) collapsed from shear exhaustion at the end of the game, and rightly so. Little was "left on the field". Several camera crews from local news agencies and media stormed the field for up-close footage and one-on-one interviews. And then came out "the pig" ...

I honestly have zero clue where the pig came from, or what it has to do with our team: "The Barron-Trinity Bulls". However, the club's President (pictured above) was as proud as a newborn's father to carry it around the field, in the stands, into the parking lot ...

As a celebration of the team's victory, the head coach (Billy) organized a team barbecue down on The Esplanade. A BYOM ("Bring Your Own Meat") affair, all were encouraged to bring their own carnage-of-choice. The foodie in me wouldn't let me bring hot dogs or hamburgers ... I "just had to" bring something a little more interesting than that. So, I threw together a simple, warm-salad.

Note: I'm aware the above picture is completely out of focus. As you imagine, I had little time to set-up my shot, the lighting, etc ... without the guys noticing what I was up to. *blush* lol

Ingredients

2 lemon grass stalks
3 fresh green chillies, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 handful cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
Grated zest 1 lime
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 cup (120ml) coconut milk

Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied
Salt, black pepper – to taste
1 recipe fresh papaya sambal (see Sauces), optional

Salad (per serving)

1 hand full mixed greens
½ red pepper, julienned – BBQ’d
6-8 asparagus stalks – BBQ’d

Method:

For marinade

Remove and discard the tough outer skin from the lemon grass stalks and roughly chop. Put lemon grass, chillies, garlic, scallion, cilantro, cumin, pepper, turmeric, ground coriander, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce and coconut milk in food processor or blender; pulse until smooth. In a bowl, toss chicken with lemon grass mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Grill chicken until no longer pink in centre. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cut chicken into strips.

Toss and serve hot with BBQ’d vegetables.

Day 133 - Cairns Wine & Food Festival - The Esplanade, Cairns - Scallops in Savoury Cream Sauce

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Throughout the months of August and September, The Cairns Festival runs almost daily events across the city. A wide variety of dance, music, cutural and culinary activities are organized for locals and tourists alike. On this particular day, the more scenic part of The Esplanade was roped-off for the annual Cairns Wine & Food Festival, a great opportunity to enjoy good food and great wine in an oceanside setting.

My canadian housemate Krista joined me as we ate our way around the world, so to speak, enjoying among other things: seafood, Indian, and (below) Mexican eats.

Sooner than later, I had to get going for my rugby team's 2nd semi-final match a short distance from downtown ... but not before enjoying one more glass of wine and a tropical setting sun.

One of our OTHER canadian housemates (I know, I know ....) Jeremy, who is a chef by trade, was working one of the festival's booths. Krista and I agreed that it was Jeremy's scallops which topped our list of "Tastiest Eats". Recipe below ...

** Recipe on its way - Jeremy hasn't divulged yet ...

Day 127 - Crystal Cascades, Queensland - Moreton Bay Bug and Pineapple Salad with Basil and Mint

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Today, I ate a plate full of bugs. More on that in a second ...

Before I left for Australia, I told myself I would meet as many people from other countries as possible. French, Germans, Brazilians ... these would all become my friends and travel acquaintances over the next next. I would surround myself with as many internationals as possible, and I would learn from them. To some extent, that has happened.

In other areas of my travel adventure, however, I am surrounded by as much "Canadia" as back home in Toronto. Case in point, while living here in Cairns, I have four housemates. One is German. The other THREE are (you guessed it) Canadian!

One of these housemates has turned into a great friend. Krista, similar to myself, is working / living / backpacking her way across the country in search of "???". As a self-proclaimed "champagne backpacker", however, Krista does things a little differently than the common backpacker. She's choosing to cart herself a round the country behind the wheel of her campervan. A housemate with a car = bonus = weekend road trips!

Crystal Cascades, hidden in the tropical rainforest north of Cairns, is a secluded freshwater swimming hole. A series of small waterfalls flow into large pools surrounded by boulders, making it a great getaway spot from the heat and humidity. Rainforest trees hang over the water, keeping it cool and refreshing.

Krista and I spent most of the afternoon jumping into the stream off rock cliffs, sunbathing and talking about mostly Canadian things.

There are also picnic tables in the area, making it a great spot for lazy afternoon picnics. As thanks to Krista for making our little rainforest trip possible, I pulled together a salad for us made of fresh cut pineapples, herbs, vegetables and bugs. Well, Moreton Bay Bugs to be more specific. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreton_Bay_bug)

Also known as "Bay Lobsters", "Shovelnose Lobsters" and "Mud Bugs" to name a few, Moreton Bay Bugs are found along the entire coast of the northern half of Australia. As a Canadian, they look almost like the tail of a lobster, with a very similar taste.

I've made the above salad before in Ottawa (Canada) using lobster meat. This time I decided to flex some australian culinary muscle and use Bugs instead. Great salad if you love fresh pineapple. The mint / basil combo make this a really refreshing, summer-friendly salad. C/o Epicurious:

Ingredients:

One dozen Moreteon Bay Bugs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 firm-ripe baby pineapples with leaves, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon minced fresh serrano chile, including seeds
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Method:

Plunge bugs headfirst into an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water. Loosely cover pot and cook bugs over moderately high heat 9 minutes from the time they enter water, then transfer with tongs to sink to cool.

Remove meat from the shells. Discard Rough cut meat into 1/2-inch’ish pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

While bugs are cooling, cut pulp in 1 or 2 large pieces out of each pineapple half with grapefruit knife, then discard core and cut pulp into 1/2-inch pieces. Scrape juice and any remaining pulp from pineapple shells with a spoon (to form 1/4-inch-thick shells) into a fine sieve set over a bowl and drain until you have 2 to 3 tablespoons juice, about 2 minutes. Discard solids.

Finely chop garlic and mix in with oil. Add garlic oil to pineapple juice along with lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Add shallot, bell pepper, pineapple pieces, chile, and herbs. Toss bugs with pineapple mixture and serve mounded in pineapple shells.

Cooks' note: • If you can't find baby pineapples, you can substitute 1 cup pineapple pieces from a firm-ripe regular pineapple.Makes 4 servings.

Day 126 - Lili Pad Cafe, Cairns - Brekki Burritto w/ Green Salsa

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I'm not much of a morning person. Never have been, probably never will be. Maybe that's why weekend brunch is my favorite meal to eat at restaurants: all the convenience, with no clean-up or hassle.

Lili Pad Cafe, a popular brunch spot in Cairns, has quickly become my breakfast-restaurant-of-choice on Saturday / Sunday mornings. It's a quaint place, with a certain particular bohemian flavour (case in point: instead of the usual numerical labels most restaurants in Australia use to keep track of customers during table service, the Lili Pad uses Taro-like cards with mythological figures). My card on this particular day: "Lilith". (How very Sarah McLaughin of them ... <- only Canadians will understand this reference)

My rugby team's semi-final match was later in the day, this time being held at one of the larger, more modern rugby fields Cairns has to offer - a serious field, for a seriously-important game, for a serious rugby community.



Lili Pad makes a great brekki burritto ... but they make an even GREATER green salsa (much more mild than some of you may be expecting)!

Ole!

INGREDIENTS:

Brekki Burritos

For each burrito:

1 soft flour Tortilla
1 Russet potato, peeled and cubed
3-5 eggs, scrambled (depending on appetite)
4 tbsp milk
2 strips fried bacon
¼ cup Green Salsa (recipe below)
½ cup grated cheese (mozzarella suggested)
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Green Salsa

8 tomatillos, husked
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded
Salt to taste

METHOD:

For green salsa: In a food processor, place tomatillos, shallots, garlic, green chile peppers, cilantro, jalapeno pepper and salt. Using the pulse setting, coarsely chop. Cover and chill until required for serving.

Boil potato cubes until tender (careful not to overcook, or else they will boil apart).

While potatoes are boiling, pan-fry bacon to desired level of crispness. Once cooked, pat dry with paper towel to remove excess fat, and crumble.

Whisk eggs together with milk. Pan-fry, scrambling until cooked.

Heat oven to broil.

Assemble burrito: on an oven-proof plate, top Tortilla wrap with all the scrambled eggs and bacon, followed by half the cheese, 4-5 tablespoons of the Green salsa, then the potatoes. Fold over Tortilla’s edges then “roll over” so the burrito’s edges are underneath. Top with remaining cheese.

Place burrito under oven’s broiler until cheese is fully melted (don’t burn!). Carefully remove from oven, top with another few tablespoons of Green Salsa, and the chopped parsley.

Serve immediately.

Day 120 - Fitzroy Island, Great Barrier Reef - Aussie Burger w/ Canuck Potato Salad

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My first trip out into the Great Barrier Reef. The weather forecast was predicting rain and high winds / waves all day, meaning it wasn't going to be a good day to go snorkelling or diving for the first time. On a recommendation from a travel consultant colleague, I headed off to Fitzroy Island (located just outside Cairns, just at the edge of the Reef) for a day of rainforest hiking and relaxing in the sun (assuming there would be any).

After a rough 45-minute boat ride out to Fitzroy, I immediately headed up a long, winding walking path to Fitzroy's peak. Upon arrival, I found a boulder at the very top of the mountain, sat down and enjoyed the amazing views out into the Pacific. Shortly before our arrival on the island, several people had mentioned they saw grey whales just off Fitzroy's shores ... so naturally I was curious to know see if I could spot any whales off in the distance. (I didn't, btw)

After a quick lunch (more on that in a second), I headed off to one of Fitzroy's other main attractions: Nudey Beach (no, that's not a typo - that's its actual name). "Clothing optional" in every sense of the word, and having the best sand on the island, I spent the rest of the afternoon alternating between sunbath-mode, and retreating Survivor-like into the rainforest to take shelter from the afternoon downpours.

"When in Rome" ...

Note on the above: this was my only 10-seconds of nakedness the entire day. Swear. I was keen on the idea, until I realized there were several dozen Japanese tourists all around who, throughout the afternoon, were constantly taking pictures ... *snap* *snap* *snap*

Besides ... "the water was cold".

Our return boat trip had us pointed directly into the setting sun. The below is only one of many fantastic shots I was able to take.

Before booking my trip to Fitzroy, naturally I made sure there would be some "bloggable" food on the island. (Come on, I'm just looking out for you guys ... lol) The brochure promised me a "Sumptuous Aussie BBQ" lunch, which I thought meant Aussie burgers, or something similar. Wrong. Of the above food pic:

- The dish on the left is what I HAD for lunch (fish with potato salad). Mom's potato salad hits closer to home, so I'll provide hers below.

- The dish on the right is what I WANTED for lunch, which I ate for dinner later that night at one of my fave spots in Cairns' downtown (The Inbox Cafe, a combination cafe, restaurant, internet kiosk and live performance venue). A-m-a-z-i-n-g burgers, easily repeatable at home.

*** Recipes soon to follow.

Day 119 - My Last Rugby Match - Gnocchi w/ Chicken, Veggies and Cashews in Cream Sauce

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Today I played my last rugby game with Barron. The day's highlight: I played a shift with the A-grade team. (cool, huh?)

The coaches had been prepping me for the possibility of dressing for the A-grade team's bench, their game following ours. The game, against one of our team's main competitors, was tight throughout with each trading tries back-and-forth. With approximately 10 minutes left in the game, our team down by only a few points, the coach called me off the bench to replace another teammate in my position. (holly crap!)

It was a great experience; a fast-paced game that was played at a completely different level than what I'm used to. Although we did end up losing by a few points, I came off the field feeling like I'd made a contribution. Several teammates came up to me and congratulated me on my efforts, everyone aware that this was my first taste of A-grade rugby in Australia. Another great memory for sure.

I'm hoping to have an action picture in my A-grade jersey to share with you guys shortly. I looked pretty tough. *grin*

Before / after matches, I've always been in need of a plate full of carbs to prepare / replace much needed energy. With so many budget-conscious backpackers staying in Cairns, it's no surprise that there are loads of good value pasta restaurants scattered throughout the city. Fasta Pasta (though the name suggests a lower-than-desired quality) has been a favorite of mine. The below gnocchi became a staple after-game meal. And it has cashews in it ... what's not to like about that??!!

Note: recipe to follow shortly ... I'm trying to bribe one of the line cooks to share it with me.

Day 118 - Rugby Team BBQ - Cairns, Queensland - Coffee Maple BBQ Sauce

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Before our last Reserve-grade rugby game of the season the following day, one of the players hosted a Friday-night team barbecue. All were encouraged to bring their own meat to throw on the barbecue, with the usual salads and sides provided by the host.

Naturally I wasn't about to show up with food only for myself. To me, that seemed like an entirely UN-canadian thing to do, and I wasn't going to have any part of it. Besides - who doesn't like the guy who shows up with extra chicken wings for everyone??!! lol

Our game, the next day, went very well. Although I didn't score a try myself (darn), the team won by a fairly wide margin. All involved were to happy to have finished our season on a win, something to take into next year.

To my surprise, the A-grade coach asked me to dress in uniform as a back-up player for the A-grade's game immediately following our reserve game. Woooh! In the second half, with 10-minutes left to go in a tighly contested game, I got substituted into my usual second-row position. Faster pace, bigger guys, and a lot more skill ... but I held my own, I think. We did end up losing by 2 points, a bitter pill to swallow for the A-grades going into the playoffs the week following, but it was a great experience to be put into the game in the game's dying minutes. Several of the other players came up to me after the game to congratulate me on my game-play and skill improvement to date ("Not bad for someone who wasn't playing rugby until a month ago.") The opportunity to play in their game, a kind gift on the part of the coaching team (truly), was a great way to end my rugby experience here in Cairns.

*** Game pictures soon to follow, waiting to get copies from one of the game's spectators - I'm hoping there is AT LEAST one action shot of yours truly. (I gotta have SOMETHING to show you guys, don't I? *grin*)

Following our games, I was speaking with one of the assistant coaches about my short time with the Bulls. My comment to the coach was "In my quest to better understand this country, its culture, and its people, this rugby team has been the most Aussie thing, thusfar, that I have found." I would be lying if I said I didn't get choked up a little bit, for one small moment (I've always been a tad emotional when it came to playing sports). My rugby experience, although it wasn't something I planned on pursuing prior to leaving Canada, has become one of the great memories I will take away from Australia, even if I never play another match again in my life ... though, I doubt that will be the case. :)

I thought I would share our team's song also (as you can imagine, I've sung it a time or two while here in Cairns):

THEY CHEERED US FROM THE GRANDSTAND
THEY CHEERED US FROM THE HILL
THEY CHEERED FOR BARRON RUGBY
WE GAVE THE CROWD A THRILL
WE HAD A MIGHTY FORWARD PACK
AND VERY SKILFUL BACKS
AND WHEN WE THREW THE BALL AROUND
WE SLAYED EM IN THEIR TRACKS

CAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE THE BARRON BOYS
WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN DEMOLISH 40 BEERS
DRINK RUM, DRINK RUM, DRINK RUM, DRINK RUM AND SO SAY ALL OF US
AND WE DON'T GIVE A BUGGER FOR ANY OLD BUGGER THAT DOESN'T GIVE A BUGGER ABOUT US
GET STUFFED

I've made the above barbecue sauce before, pulling the recipe from Food Network Canada's website (http://www.foodtv.ca/). In their version, they use 2 tbsp of molasses instead of maple syrup. Alas, molasses is not a common item found in grocery stores, so I decided to increase the "Canadia" content with maple syrup. Easy to prepare, feel free to use instant espresso powder if (like most of us) you don't have an espresso machine in your home kitchen.

Ingredients: Coffee Maple Barbecue Sauce

· 1/2 cup ketchup
· 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
· 1/2 cup brewed espresso
· 1/4 cup cider vinegar
· 1 medium onion, coarsely, chopped
· 3 jalapeno, halved, seeded
· 3 garlic, cloves, crushed
· 4 tbsp Canadian Maple Syrup
· 2 tbsp dry mustard powder
· 1 tbsp water
· 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
· 2 tbsp ground cumin
· 4 tsp cayenne pepper

Chicken Drumsticks

· 12 chicken, drumsticks, well rinsed, patted dry
· coarse salt, and freshly cracked black pepper
· vegetable oil, for brushing grill

Method - Sauce:

1. Mix mustard powder with 1 tbsp of water to make mustard mixture.
2. In a saucepan, prepare the barbecue sauce by combining ketchup, brown sugar, espresso, cider vinegar, onion, jalapenos, garlic, molasses, mustard mixture, Worcestershire, cumin and cayenne pepper.
3. Bring to a boil on medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Let cool completely.
5. Put the chicken and the sauce in a resealable plastic bag and seal.
6. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
7. Remove chicken from barbecue sauce.
8. Cook the barbecue sauce in a pot over medium heat.
9. Bring to a boil.
10. Reserve sauce for brushing the chicken.

Chicken Drumsticks

1. Heat a grill on medium heat.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Brush grill with oil.
4. Grill chicken for about 8 to 10 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through reaching an internal temperature of 175 to 180 degrees F, brushing with the sauce.

Day 113 - Second Kitesurfing Lesson - Yorkeys Knob, Cairns - Vietnamese Spring Rolls

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Success! I have officially learned how to kitesurf!! (albeit at a very beginner level)

Day 2 of my kitesurfing lessons saw me back at Yorkeys Knob with my Kiwi instructors for a more intense day on the water. After some equipment set-up and instruction, I was off into the surf to give (kite + board) a try.

Man, do I ever look unimpressed at my tangling kite lines, eh? lol

The below pic should hopefully give you guys a good perspective on kitesurfing equipment: my 14-metre kite is 40-feet directly above me (in "neutral position"), being held by my left hand, as I walk out into the surf with my board in my right. All this while the wind is trying to blow my kite all over the place, other kiters are (effortlessly) skating by me, waves are crashing up against my board and I, a tidal current is pulling me off-shore ... Yah. Lots going on.

And this, my friends, is photographic documentation of Kevin's first three(ish) seconds standing up on his board. The photo (unfortunately) is a little out-of-focus, but I'm hoping this will be only the first of many, many kitesurfing pics of yours truly that I will have to share with you all.

After sundown, I headed over to my aussie buddy Mat's place for dinner with him and a couple of his friends. Matty promised us all a homecooked meal of lamb roast, potatoes and all the trimmings .. and he delivered. Before we got started with dinner, one of the other guests brought some vietnamese spring rolls for us to munch on while we waited for dinner. Fresh, easy-to-make, and great dipping sauce. A fantastic way to end another day in Australia. *grin*

*** Note: recipe soon to come, I need to get it from Mat ...