tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59929031264175829972024-03-17T05:52:52.420+11:00cloth and fodderA blog to help track my adventures in sewing, cooking and gardening.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-45385547455195479162012-04-28T15:44:00.001+10:002012-04-28T15:44:06.157+10:00The wedding ceremony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We had a magnificent wedding day. The vogue pattern (<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">V2788) turned out magnificently (after being taken in by 5cm on all seams, and taken up at the hem by 20cm!!) and my mum made the veil. The wedding was held down at Inverloch, Victoria, at Shack Bay. We had cloud all morning, and then it lifted to a beautiful, mild sunny afternoon. With the help of my fabulous bridesmaids and a couple of glasses of champagne, I had a thoroughly wonderful time all day. Everything went off without a hitch!!</span></div>
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<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-3575875001039458302012-01-28T18:20:00.001+11:002012-01-28T18:20:00.478+11:00Wedding dress progress<div style="text-align: left;">Some time ago I posted about the engagement dress that I had made for myself, and now 2 years later I'm here posting about the wedding dress. I sort of looked at dresses, but nothing ever fits (they don't make wedding dresses for women the size of 12 year old girls), I didn't want to go strapless and be hitching my dress all night, or worse, be spilling over the top. And I kept coming back to this Vogue pattern (V2788):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://media10.onsugar.com/files/2011/06/25/2/1550/15502668/image_2.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 499px; height: 368px; " src="http://media10.onsugar.com/files/2011/06/25/2/1550/15502668/image_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I originally had plans to make my own wedding dress, but the PhD is taking longer than expected (as they do). Oh well, these things happen. Although I'm crazy, I'm not crazy enough to write up and make my own dress. So I've enlisted a friend's mother to help, and she'll be doing the actual sewing, but I've just finished doing the drafting and I'm helping cut it all out next week. She can do the stressful bit. I made a toile and I was surprised that, for a Vogue pattern, it was not only easy to make - the toile took me only an hour to make <span >(cutting took me about 5 freaking hours...)</span> - but the fitting is pretty much spot on! Just brought it in across the back, took it in at the hips, and brought the skirt in by about 4cm on each seam so I don't look like this on my wedding day:</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.groovy-kids-parties.com/images/barbie-dolly-varden-cake-21451174.jpg"><img src="http://www.groovy-kids-parties.com/images/barbie-dolly-varden-cake-21451174.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">The fabric and bridal lace has been purchased, so now it's just down to cutting and making. Update soon. But I promise this blog won't become dedicated to wedding planning cos that's not my scene.</div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-77347573523430447762012-01-26T17:53:00.004+11:002012-01-26T18:20:05.880+11:00Long time no see... and some Blood plum and tamarind sauceIt's been a while since I've posted in this place, and there's been a few cobwebs that have formed (i.e. mountains of spam) which I'll deal with soon... maybe after I've deal with the real cobwebs around the house. I'm not sure if I'll be posting here on a regular basis again, but I desperately needed jot down some recipes so I don't forget them. There are a lot of projects that I'm super keen to document around here, but there's a PhD to finish...<div><br /></div><div>I'm at the tail end of my PhD, and right at this very moment in time I'm writing papers, making blood plum and tamarind sauce and listening to the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/">Triple J hottest 100</a>. I'm pausing from my science writing because I didn't want to forget my recipe for blood plum and tamarind sauce. It's warm outside and so it's going to be Gin and Tonic O'clock soon, and then I'll definitely forget the recipe.</div><div><br /></div><div>This weekend is pickling weekend with some friends, and I needed to get started because there are a lot of jars to sterilize and fill. 100 jars, to be precise. We're also going to be making my <a href="http://goatinacoat.blogspot.com/2010/03/peach-chutney.html">peach chutney</a> and <a href="http://www.grouprecipes.com/16328/macedonian-ajvar-roasted-red-pepper-spread.html">ajvar</a>.<br /><br /></div><div>I kind of winged this recipe, based it on a few others like Maggie Beer, <a href="http://gourmettraveller.com.au/blood_plum_sauce.htm">Gourmet Traveller</a> and <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/cuisine/vegetarian/recipe/plum-sauce-20111018-1lv2r.html">SMH</a>. Here we go</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Blood plum and tamarind BBQ sauce</b></div><div><br /></div><div>2 large onions, finely chopped</div><div>1.8kg blood plums, skin on, halved, seeds removed</div><div>250 ml red wine vinegar</div><div>250 ml water</div><div>700g brown sugar</div><div>1/3 cup tamarind puree</div><div>4 cloves garlic</div><div>1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger</div><div>1 tsp salt</div><div>1 tsp black pepper</div><div>1/2 tsp cinnamon</div><div>1/2 tsp cloves</div><div>1/2 tsp tabasco</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>Sautee onions, garlic and ginger for 4-5 mins until softened</li><li>Add plum halves, red wine vinegar, water brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and tabasco</li><li>Bring to the boil then simmer for 30 mins. Puree.</li><li>Continue to reduce on a very low heat until a desired consistency is reached. Puree again.</li><li>Bottle and process.</li></ol></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-56348968319493788852010-04-16T09:06:00.002+10:002010-04-16T12:32:18.447+10:00Up and away!<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/seat_selection.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 740px; height: 175px;" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/seat_selection.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://xkcd.com/726/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="http://xkcd.com/726/">XKCD #726</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://xkcd.com/726/"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's all official. We're heading to Canada and the USA in July/August this year! Gib and I are going to his best high school friend's wedding in, do some hiking, shopping, train trips, sight seeing, I'm going to present some of the awesome work I've been doing for my PhD to another lab doing similarly awesome work, attend a conference, visit friends and relatives. There is so much stuff that I need to get sorted before then. I have to learn how to make a Pavlova. So much data I need to analyse. So much freaking paperwork too. It's huge.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I sent <a href="http://www.memfox.com/possum-magic.html">Possum Magic</a> to our friends in Washington, who have a young son, and they said they liked the book but had no idea what <i>Pavlova </i>was. I know how to <i>eat </i>them really well, but have no idea how to <i>make </i>them. That's going to need to be rectified before I go. Top priority.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But I'm looking forward to the holiday. Seeing my wonderful relatives. And fabric shopping.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-6534480226363203912010-04-11T22:00:00.007+10:002010-04-11T22:49:23.323+10:00Nightmare after pancake<div style="text-align: left;">I had my younger cousins stay overnight on the weekend, so naturally, being the awesome bigger cousin <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(in <i>age</i>, obviously not height...)</span> that I am, I made a large stack of delicious pancakes for breakfast. In the process, I accidentally created this hilarious but rather scary looking pancake...</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S8G7hC460CI/AAAAAAAABYY/57Uanaf0Bj8/s1600/the_nightmare_before_christmas.jpg"></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.disneywallpaper.net/data/media/49/the_nightmare_before_christmas.jpg"></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs424.ash1/23500_405413848085_586448085_5101765_5461864_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 540px; height: 720px;" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs424.ash1/23500_405413848085_586448085_5101765_5461864_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We thought the pancake looked very similar to Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas (even moreso after Gib "modelled" the pancake for us)....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S8G7hC460CI/AAAAAAAABYY/57Uanaf0Bj8/s320/the_nightmare_before_christmas.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458850399735435298" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs424.ash1/23500_405413843085_586448085_5101764_5400385_n.jpg"></a></span><div><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs424.ash1/23500_405413843085_586448085_5101764_5400385_n.jpg"><img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs424.ash1/23500_405413843085_586448085_5101764_5400385_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 540px; height: 720px; " /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></div></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Hope you guys all had a fun weekend too!</div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-72266719840200846262010-04-05T07:27:00.004+10:002010-04-05T09:09:21.093+10:00Easter baking and Easter hiking<div style="text-align: left;">We went to the Grampians this weekend with a few of our adventurous friends. The trip was fuelled largely by this amazingly sickly sweet but delicious <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/16805/easter+egg+caramel+slice">Easter egg caramel slice</a> (a.k.a. diabetes-in-a-block) that I had baked, and some discount <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wispa bars</span> that we picked up <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">a big armful of</span> in Coles. In the recipe, I only used half the quantity for sweetened condensed milk, and really, it was enough! The recipe says that it makes 15, but for us it made about 24... really sickly. Really easy to make, would highly recommend this recipe for any people with a sweet tooth out there.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.taste.com.au/images/recipes/sfi/2007/04/16805.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 364px; height: 242px;" src="http://www.taste.com.au/images/recipes/sfi/2007/04/16805.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div>We camped at Mt Stapylton campground and hiked along the campground track up to Mt Stapylton. Gib and I have <a href="http://goatinacoat.blogspot.com/2008/07/weekend-adventure-to-grampians.html">hiked this one before</a>, but I never made it to the peak. I was keen to do this walk as payback to Jocelyn taking us up the near vertical climb up <a href="http://goatinacoat.blogspot.com/2010/03/cathedral-ranges-just-hike-over-few.html">Sugarloaf Peak at Cathedral Ranges</a> a few weeks back. However, it turns out that my fear of heights has improved since the first time I did Mt Stapylton, so I managed to make it to the top this time and it wasn't nearly as bad as Sugarloaf! There were a few differences this time though: it was warmer and less windy so it felt less exposed, I had better shoes, and made the smart decision to leave my pack on one of the rock shelves below. The same ledge before the final peak that made me terrified the first time is still terrifying, but was manageable with the guidance of our good friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>The following day we headed to the Southern Grampians to climb Mt Abrupt and do some <a href="http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=13a95995-0ad4-46ba-b4a9-764c26de7a89">off-the-track GeoCaching</a>. We don't have any photos as yet because the memory card in the camera was full so our friends took the photos, but here is a photo of pretty much exactly what we saw. I think it offers one of the best views of the Grampians I have seen. That said, the view from the spot where our geocache was was equally spectacular, looking up towards the beautiful Mt Abrupt summit.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.townsvillenet.com.au/mountains/images/mtabruptsummit.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 643px; height: 422px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><a href="http://www.townsvillenet.com.au/mountains/images/mtabruptsummit.jpg">Image from here</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For Easter Sunday (we arrived home from camping Saturday night, Jocelyn had to work - poo!) I baked some <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/1948/koulourakia+greek+easter+biscuits">Koulourakia</a>, Greek Easter biscuits. The recipe was great, easy to follow, and the result is delicious. My Greek work colleague tells me they store very well, however I don't think they're going to last very long around here.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.lasvegasgreekfestival.com/library/images/kafenion-koulourakia.jpg"><img src="http://www.lasvegasgreekfestival.com/library/images/kafenion-koulourakia.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 248px; " /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><a href="http://www.lasvegasgreekfestival.com/library/images/kafenion-koulourakia.jpg">Image from here</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hope you all had a happy Easter!</span></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-7463717277905183642010-03-30T13:51:00.001+11:002010-03-30T13:51:00.295+11:00Lime and banana cakeFor another baked treat for Gib to take to work, I combined this fantastic <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1654705">coconut banana bread with lime glaze</a> recipe.<br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6guO2bNJCI/AAAAAAAABYQ/DGmhG8N-HVs/s1600-h/IMG_1018.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6guO2bNJCI/AAAAAAAABYQ/DGmhG8N-HVs/s320/IMG_1018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451658181594653730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">A very happy worker snacking on a slice of his Sticky banana, coconut and lime loaf for morning tea<br /><br /></span></span></div>It was fine stored in an airtight container for up to a week. It was moist, zesty and filling, and we'll definitely be making this one again to take to work.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-5338074944265696922010-03-25T07:55:00.002+11:002010-03-25T08:25:05.099+11:00Brain Awareness WeekThis week is <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.dana.org/brainweek/">Brain Awareness Week</a>! <span style="font-size:78%;">(although, I don't feel particularly aware of my brain right now... another coffee needed...)</span>. And so to celebrate, I'm going to share with you some more crafty + brain stuff that I've found.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://vans.ednet.ns.ca/e-studio%20pics/cfish3-lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 448px;" src="http://vans.ednet.ns.ca/e-studio%20pics/cfish3-lg.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://vans.ednet.ns.ca/e-studio%20pics/cfish3-lg.jpg">Brain Hat</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. I love how it's half way between a brain and Princess Leia. That is cool.</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.132309811.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 384px;" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.132309811.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43302930&ref=sr_gallery_3&&ga_search_query=brain&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title">Brain Ice Cream</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, by </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/RachelEmmaWeaver">RachelEmmaWeaver</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> on Etsy.</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_430xN.121609429.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 408px;" src="http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_430xN.121609429.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40170547&ref=sr_gallery_14&&ga_search_query=nerve&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title">Purkinje Cells</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, burnt into watercolour paper, by </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Nuredduna">Nuredduna</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purkinje_cell">Purkinje Cells</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> are my most favourite cell in the entire body (massive claim, I know). They are very beautiful.</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.101921998.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 500px;" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.101921998.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.110395211.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 313px;" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.110395211.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34340836&image_id=101921998">tunic</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> and </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36852564">artworks</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> above I have eyed off for some time. They are absolutely amazing. They are by etsy seller, </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.etsy.com/people/NeuralNetwork">NeuralNetwork</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. She's a great artist, but also a student of neuroscience. I love it!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And also, while I'm at it, anyone for a brain jelly mould?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://weirdstuffthatsells.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/brain-mold1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 437px; height: 437px;" src="http://weirdstuffthatsells.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/brain-mold1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Purchase from <a href="http://www.analyticalsci.com/science/Anatomical%20Charts/6_Anatomical%20Molds.htm">here</a>!<br /></div><br />If you're in Melbourne, you can check out what events are on <a href="http://www.ans.org.au/state-and-nz-members-pages/victoria/">here</a>. There are still more events on if you're keen to get your neuroscience fix.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-10873774357984597712010-03-24T00:02:00.000+11:002010-03-23T23:55:40.733+11:00I think I need to visit...<div>... <a href="http://www.tessuti-shop.com/">Tessuti fabric shop</a> in Melbourne. Why haven't I been there before??!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0017/0222/products/dsc3057_large.jpg?1269260401"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 360px;" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0017/0222/products/dsc3057_large.jpg?1269260401" border="0" alt="" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-22308620848883278122010-03-23T13:45:00.004+11:002010-03-23T13:51:22.120+11:00Peach and almond slice<span>I used up some of my preserved peaches to make delicious snack for Gib to take to work. I used this very quick and easy <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/11087/peach+almond+slice">Peach and Almond Slice</a> recipe, with my peaches that I had preserved in a light cinnamon infused syrup.<br /><br />It went from this:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6grsmY0v0I/AAAAAAAABX4/rr9ohbYiLdA/s1600-h/IMG_1274.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6grsmY0v0I/AAAAAAAABX4/rr9ohbYiLdA/s320/IMG_1274.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451655394150891330" border="0" /></a><br />To this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6grtGlJ5XI/AAAAAAAABYA/khp8oyiJe5I/s1600-h/IMG_1278.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6grtGlJ5XI/AAAAAAAABYA/khp8oyiJe5I/s320/IMG_1278.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451655402792543602" border="0" /></a><br /><span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6gruIVFlYI/AAAAAAAABYI/u9LaFdQ1lHk/s1600-h/IMG_1282.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6gruIVFlYI/AAAAAAAABYI/u9LaFdQ1lHk/s320/IMG_1282.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451655420441892226" border="0" /></a>The hard part was making sure Gib didn't eat it all at once! It kept well for about 5 days in an air tight container. Yumyumyum.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-63213143314083003212010-03-21T21:59:00.003+11:002010-03-21T22:22:57.568+11:00Pickled eggy weggies and other things<div style="text-align: left;">Today I teamed up with some friends for another pickling day. I decided to keep <i>my </i>list of things to pickle nice and simple, just a pear chutney and some pickled eggs. There was an attempt at preserved rockmelon, which I personally wouldn't recommend...! The others from the day might have different thoughts on that. But we also made brandied peaches, tomato salsa, chili pickled onions and some of our own pineapple sweet and sour simmer sauce: our "Kan Tong" blend. </div><div><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i7OxZiTPbf0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i7OxZiTPbf0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"We were/making Kan Tong/doesn't take long/to make your own!"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I can't wait to try my pickled eggs. Not the best photo, only taken on a phone, but I reckon they looked really ace in the jar. In a week or so I'm going to try them. I followed the recipe on <a href="http://www.helpwithcooking.com/egg-guide/make-pickled-eggs.html">this website</a>, which had some great recipes, but the one called 'British pub pickled eggs' sounded most appealing to me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs514.snc3/26987_421030983311_762543311_5163083_1314139_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 453px; height: 604px; " /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/epicure/theres-a-pear-in-there/2010/03/01/1267291839804.html?page=2">recipe for the pear chutney</a> I picked up from a feature on pears in The Age's Epicure section a few weeks ago. I've heard a few references to pear chutney recently and how amazing it is, from all sorts of odd places, so I was itching to give it a go. The pears have been great these last few weeks, it was really hard not to just eat them instead of making them into chutney.</span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs494.snc3/26987_421031198311_762543311_5163087_7208767_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 604px; height: 453px; " /></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Hope you had a great weekend!</span></span></i></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-33322014396073751902010-03-18T13:54:00.003+11:002010-03-18T14:25:31.793+11:00Drawtism: Play Pictionary and raise some $$ for autism!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6GarGx-tiI/AAAAAAAABXY/mhq6X2T__mk/s512/drawtism.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S6GarGx-tiI/AAAAAAAABXY/mhq6X2T__mk/s512/drawtism.PNG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />My karate club will be hosting a Pictionary game for the <a href="http://www.drawtism.com.au/index.php">Drawtism fundraiser</a>, maybe you'd like to host one too? The go is that you organise a bunch of people to play a game of Pictionary in May to help raise money for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders. ASDs include autism and Asperger's Disorder and affect about 1 in 100 individuals in Australia (although there is still ongoing debate over its true numbers). I reckon this is a pretty fun way to get involved, increase awareness and raise some funds. The game can be as big or small as you like: maybe with family and friends at home, or a session around lunch with your work colleagues.<br /><br />Alpha is managing the fundraiser on behalf of state autism bodies in Australia and the money raised in each state will go to supporting services in that state. If you're interested, go <a href="https://secure.artezpacific.com/registrant/LoginRegister.aspx?EventID=11231&LangPref=en-CA">here to register</a>!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-85958550520393769262010-03-14T06:48:00.000+11:002010-03-14T06:48:00.241+11:00Chilling out with kiwi fruit sorbetLast weekend I had a bowl of kiwi fruits just sitting around looking unloved. So before they went to inedible mush, I mashed them up and converted them into a delicious, fizzy sorbet. This was the day before the <a href="http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/hailstorm-blankets-melbourne-like-snow/story-e6frfku0-1225837681728">ridiculous hail storm we had in Melbourne</a>, in which we personally experienced golf ball sized chunks of hail. It was quite scary.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dbgtDCUvI/AAAAAAAABWY/q9yu78DptCA/s1600-h/IMG_1207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dbgtDCUvI/AAAAAAAABWY/q9yu78DptCA/s400/IMG_1207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446922891734176498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">> golf ball sized chunks of hail. Crazy!</span><br /></div><br />I kind of made it up as I went along, with a basic sugar syrup and some lime and cointreau to give it a lift. The cointreau also helps to keep it slightly soft to make it easy to serve. I reckon limoncello would go very well too. The key to making sorbet is breaking up all the little ice crystals so it's all smooth. I don't have an ice cream maker, but I do have a stab mixer that blends ice. <div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">How I make delicious Kiwi Fruit Sorbet without an ice cream machine</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>8 kiwi fruit</div><div>3/4 cup sugar</div><div>3/4 cup water</div><div>1 1/2 tbsp cointreau</div><div>Juice of 1 lime</div><div>Pinch salt</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>Dissolve sugar in water in a saucepan, bring to the boil for 1 minute, then set aside until cool.</li><li>Peel kiwi fruit, blend in a food processor until they are an even slushy consistency.</li><li>Add cointreau, lime juice, salt and syrup, process until smooth.</li><li>Transfer into a container (I used an old ice cream container) and place into the freezer for 1-2 hours.</li><li>Using a stab mixer, blend up your frozen kiwi fruit puree until all the ice crystals are broken up. Smooth over, re-freeze for another 1-2 hours (or overnight, as I did) and blend once more.</li><li>Allow to refreeze, and eat when desired.</li></ol></div><div>I'd recommend consuming this within a week. Although eating it all in that space of time should not be a problem, I'd say!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dbhOcLywI/AAAAAAAABWg/RlJq-_kJ6_Q/s1600-h/IMG_1216.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dbhOcLywI/AAAAAAAABWg/RlJq-_kJ6_Q/s400/IMG_1216.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446922900698024706" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-28068893036338571782010-03-11T07:18:00.000+11:002010-03-11T07:18:00.117+11:00It's all about the little stuffHere are photos of some neat little bugs I found on our adventures over the past few months. I have no idea what most of them are, but I thought they <span style="font-style: italic;">cool</span>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DKJqaPAnI/AAAAAAAABT0/JGsyiMryk5c/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+782.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DKJqaPAnI/AAAAAAAABT0/JGsyiMryk5c/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+782.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440570617215517298" border="0" /></a>We found this little guy in Sydney, wandering along a path at the Royal Botanic Gardens.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DKIrNz0XI/AAAAAAAABTs/RUIOtLp1m08/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+732.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DKIrNz0XI/AAAAAAAABTs/RUIOtLp1m08/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+732.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440570600251969906" border="0" /></a>A native wasp? on a hike in Macedon<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DKGa3PFPI/AAAAAAAABTc/0tJZvEgR00Y/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+356.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DKGa3PFPI/AAAAAAAABTc/0tJZvEgR00Y/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+356.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440570561502582002" border="0" /></a>This little critter at Phillip Island. I thought he looked kind of cute with his head tipped upside down.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dg1CoEomI/AAAAAAAABW4/FRSAWpiHCMo/s1600-h/IMG_1075.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dg1CoEomI/AAAAAAAABW4/FRSAWpiHCMo/s400/IMG_1075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446928738682184290" border="0" /></a>Some unknown but groovy looking bug at Cathedral Ranges<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dh4vTcleI/AAAAAAAABXQ/rUtv-4SHG90/s1600-h/IMG_1090.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dh4vTcleI/AAAAAAAABXQ/rUtv-4SHG90/s400/IMG_1090.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446929901726504418" border="0" /></a>And here's the same bug now waving his butt at us. I'm not sure what that means... perhaps he doesn't like us?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dg0mRT-zI/AAAAAAAABWw/QInV1Hmgp00/s1600-h/IMG_1172.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dg0mRT-zI/AAAAAAAABWw/QInV1Hmgp00/s400/IMG_1172.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446928731070528306" border="0" /></a>An unusual find: We spotted this hawk moth at Cathedral Ranges, just sunning itself on a rock<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dgzZKL0SI/AAAAAAAABWo/kCcWWCpHywM/s1600-h/IMG_1162.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dgzZKL0SI/AAAAAAAABWo/kCcWWCpHywM/s400/IMG_1162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446928710371103010" border="0" /></a>The hawk moth, from all angles<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dh4FRF4RI/AAAAAAAABXI/1MpS3SH0pNA/s1600-h/crazycockroachtas.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dh4FRF4RI/AAAAAAAABXI/1MpS3SH0pNA/s400/crazycockroachtas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446929890442338578" border="0" /></a>This was a cockroach we found on the beach on the east coast of Tasmania. It did not look real at all, like it was a boy's toy made entirely out of metal, complete with little "rivets" down the side. Absolutely amazing find. We've never been able to ID it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Enjoy! Hope you have a great weekend!<br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-83949295625404312372010-03-10T19:03:00.000+11:002010-03-10T19:37:45.823+11:00Peach chutneyWe had a few leftover peaches last week, so I chopped them up and put them in with a bunch of other ingredients and left them to "marinate" overnight in vinegar, sugar and spices. I've done this in the past with mango chutney, and it improves the flavour... and because I was feeling tired and lazy, but the peaches needed to be chopped up or they were going to go nasty. The peach chutney is a refreshing change to mango chutney.<br /><br />I adapted <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/local/recipes/2004/11/26/2399310.htm?">this recipe</a> over at the ABC website:<br /><br />75g brown sugar<br />70ml red wine vinegar<br />6 -7 large firm peaches cut into chunks<br />2 tblsp sultanas<br />1 chopped onion<br />1 small diced capsicum<br />1 tblsp lemon juice<br />2 tbsp fresh grated ginger<br />1 tbsp curry powder<br />1/4 teasp mustard seeds<br />1/4 teasp salt<br />1/4 teasp pepper<br /><br />1. Combine brown sugar, red wine vinegar, peaches, sultanas, onion, capsicum, lemon juice, ginger, curry powder, mustard seeds, salt, pepper. Leave over night.<br /><br />2. The next day, bring mixture to the boil in a saucepan and boil rapidly for 15 - 20 mins until the mixture is thick and syrupy<br /><br />3. Transfer to sterilised jars and process in a water bath to seal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dZswUaMOI/AAAAAAAABWQ/pi6O9_48Pg0/s1600-h/IMG_1205.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S5dZswUaMOI/AAAAAAAABWQ/pi6O9_48Pg0/s400/IMG_1205.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446920899747524834" border="0" /></a><a id="publishButton" class="cssButton" href="javascript:void(0)" target="" onclick="if (this.className.indexOf("ubtn-disabled") == -1) {var e = document['stuffform'].publish;(e.length) ? e[0].click() : e.click(); if (window.event) window.event.cancelBubble = true; return false;}"><div class="cssButtonOuter"><div class="cssButtonMiddle"><div class="cssButtonInner"><br /></div></div></div></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-8660229123326062822010-03-07T10:04:00.000+11:002010-03-07T10:04:00.281+11:00We drink tea with a yellow submarine...<div style="text-align: left;">A friend linked me this the other day and of course, I had to share. Hilarious. Can be pre-ordered from <a href="http://www.monkey-bus.co.il/Product.aspx?CategoryID=8&ProductID=225&SubCategoryID=0">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.monkey-bus.co.il/Images/Products/OT-264A_350.jpg"><img src="http://www.monkey-bus.co.il/Images/Products/OT-264A_350.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 350px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.monkey-bus.co.il/Images/Products/OT-264C_350.jpg"><img src="http://www.monkey-bus.co.il/Images/Products/OT-264C_350.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 350px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-18522564897882454532010-03-06T09:14:00.002+11:002010-03-06T09:14:00.278+11:00CAR BOOT SALE!Next Saturday 13th March, my mum and I are pooling our resources and are having a stall a CAR BOOT SALE! My parents have recently sold up their place and are moving down to Gippsland, so they are doing The Big Clean Out. That's 25 years of fabric, teddy bear fur fabrics, books, magazines and crafty stuff my mum is clearing. If you happen to the in the area, come by and say hi!<br /><br />It's at East Doncaster Baptist Church<br />47-53 Tunstall Road<br /> Doncaster East<br />9am - 1pm<br /><br />You can <a href="http://www.edbc.org.au/edbc_fundraising_fellowship.html">find more details here</a>!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ambletouristinformation.co.uk/site/images/stories/car_boot_sale.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 383px; height: 323px;" src="http://www.ambletouristinformation.co.uk/site/images/stories/car_boot_sale.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-23054033595420219042010-03-04T16:43:00.000+11:002010-03-04T16:43:00.417+11:00Strawberry delight!Yumyumyum. My little $3 strawberry shrub has been producing perfect strawberries that look like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DIjZqLudI/AAAAAAAABTM/ACCKtbhG5x0/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+573.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DIjZqLudI/AAAAAAAABTM/ACCKtbhG5x0/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+573.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440568860372351442" border="0" /></a><br />And smell and taste divine! I just have to get out there before the blackbirds do...Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-40220689093742318102010-03-01T20:38:00.012+11:002010-03-09T09:52:41.039+11:00Cathedral Ranges: Just a hike over a few bouldersWe took a day trip out to <a href="http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=91">Cathedral Ranges</a> on Sunday, with my friend Jocelyn. It's about 100 km north east of Melbourne, between Taggerty and Buxton, near Marysville. It's been just over a year since the Black Saturday bushfires, so it was a fascinating trip out to the area. Everything is a contrast of charred black with new bright green growth.<br /><br />Please click on the photos to enlarge them!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uh4vkrfKI/AAAAAAAABUM/f0nS-Aztcmo/s1600-h/IMG_1034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uh4vkrfKI/AAAAAAAABUM/f0nS-Aztcmo/s320/IMG_1034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443622570822433954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hues of green and black</span></span><br /></div><br />I spoke to Jocelyn on Friday night and let her know we were thinking of heading out to do some hiking at Cathedral Ranges, and she said she knew of this great walk out that way, she'd been there only a few weeks ago. Her words were: "Oh, the track isn't too bad, but you need to climb over a few boulders along the way". By "climbing over a few boulders" she <span style="font-style: italic;">actually </span>meant "do a near-vertical ascent up the entire rockface right the way to the top". Not that we minded at all, it was heaps of fun... just not <span style="font-style: italic;">quite </span>what she'd described!<br /><br />We started at Sugarload Saddle, took the Wells Cave track to Sugarloaf Peak, then along the Razorback to The Farmyard, with a detour to the South Jawbone Peak, to the Jawbone carpark and around back to the Sugarloaf Saddle carpark via the road (<a href="http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_2091.pdf">refer to this map</a>). It took the three of us almost exactly 6 hours to complete, with breaks and time to take photos. Much of the track has had to be re-marked recently, as many of the rocks have shattered due to the fire and there is a lot of debris along the track. Apparently (I've only just <a href="http://www.wilsons.id.au/?page_id=101&cpage=1#comment-922">read this then</a>!) the track is for experienced hikers only... and that was before the fires.<br /><br />The ascent to Wells Caves is very steep from the outset, and in some parts you need to throw your pack up first and then pull yourself up.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uh5HiVzJI/AAAAAAAABUU/Te3Qr43XINQ/s1600-h/IMG_1038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uh5HiVzJI/AAAAAAAABUU/Te3Qr43XINQ/s320/IMG_1038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443622577255074962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Near vertical<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uj0hliMdI/AAAAAAAABUk/WnMwK6F8GBY/s1600-h/IMG_1041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uj0hliMdI/AAAAAAAABUk/WnMwK6F8GBY/s320/IMG_1041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443624697371701714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Just climbing over a few boulders" says Jocelyn</span></span></div><br />The cave itself is steep but great fun. However I wouldn't recommend this track if you are overweight or claustrophobic. Wells Cave is quite narrow, fine for little runts like me, but Gib found it to be a bit squeezy (he's not overweight, but tall and broad). Again, you can't do this with your pack on, there isn't the room.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uj1TeItjI/AAAAAAAABUs/lv1XsidaYmg/s1600-h/IMG_1052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uj1TeItjI/AAAAAAAABUs/lv1XsidaYmg/s320/IMG_1052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443624710762444338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Wills Cave: a bit squeezy</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4ulGg0emTI/AAAAAAAABU0/zZqSEcJhERE/s1600-h/Copy+of+IMG_1064.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4ulGg0emTI/AAAAAAAABU0/zZqSEcJhERE/s400/Copy+of+IMG_1064.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443626105915218226" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The view after the cave is fantastic and well worth it.<br /></span></span></div><br />The next section up to Sugarloaf Peak is a bit hairy in some spots, but there are lots of solid hand holds and solid foot places. It's more of a mind thing than anything.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4umL0AjwYI/AAAAAAAABU8/4z_pbBjuOBg/s1600-h/IMG_1123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4umL0AjwYI/AAAAAAAABU8/4z_pbBjuOBg/s400/IMG_1123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443627296477135234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >View from Sugarloaf Peak along the Razorback</span><br /></div><br />We made our way from Sugarloaf Peak along the Razorback, where we stopped part way for lunch. The Razorback is a fairly comfortable walk for most of the way. There is a made walking track in some parts, and only a small amount of awkward climbing with narrow ledges, and some parts of the flatter track are quite sandy and with a lot of loose rubble. Most of it is fine though. There are some great views along the way.<br /><br />While making our way to The Farmyard (so named because there are lyrebirds that live nearby that make farmyard noises! We didn't spot any though) we stumbled across the most amazing patch of cherry tomatoes. Maybe someone dropped a tomato there one day and now there is this huge patch? The smell of it was absolutely divine, and we rummaged through and picked all the ripe ones. They were super sweet. I would love to go back there in a week or so I can gorge myself silly on all the hundreds of now-green tomatoes.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqUgzgh5I/AAAAAAAABVM/n9qcMyBIbFA/s1600-h/IMG_1138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqUgzgh5I/AAAAAAAABVM/n9qcMyBIbFA/s320/IMG_1138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443631843987457938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Like kids in a candy store: The enormous patch of tomatoes</span></span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqUEBpAHI/AAAAAAAABVE/Zo4DLenhQck/s1600-h/IMG_1137.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqUEBpAHI/AAAAAAAABVE/Zo4DLenhQck/s320/IMG_1137.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443631836262105202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The walk up from The Farmyard to South Jawbone Peak is relatively easy and offers lovely views. I didn't sit out on the edge like the other dudes I was with, and thankfully they didn't tell me what a long drop it was below until after we'd walked down the hill a bit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqU87ZPPI/AAAAAAAABVU/pjudDG_mSBA/s1600-h/IMG_1153.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqU87ZPPI/AAAAAAAABVU/pjudDG_mSBA/s320/IMG_1153.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443631851536727282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The view from South Jawbone Peak</span></span><br /></div><br />We took the track from South Jawbone Creek back to the Jawbone carpark, which is a pleasant descent via a creek and through cool ferny forest.<br /><br />We then walked along the main driving track (uphill most of the way) back to the car.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqVWTdCRI/AAAAAAAABVc/e2SuAT1Fplc/s1600-h/IMG_1179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqVWTdCRI/AAAAAAAABVc/e2SuAT1Fplc/s320/IMG_1179.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443631858348525842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath of Black Saturday, just over 12 months ago</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqV3y8VsI/AAAAAAAABVk/TklpM-ZduZg/s1600-h/IMG_1180.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4uqV3y8VsI/AAAAAAAABVk/TklpM-ZduZg/s320/IMG_1180.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443631867338970818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Uphill home</span></span><br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-9811052615776504272010-03-01T16:26:00.000+11:002010-03-01T16:26:00.135+11:00Taste Sensation: DuriosWe were walking past our Asian grocer and spotted this: <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Durio</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DGPALEOmI/AAAAAAAABS8/tr17ylKo2j8/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+412.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DGPALEOmI/AAAAAAAABS8/tr17ylKo2j8/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+412.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440566310910311010" border="0" /></a><br />Our last <a href="http://goatinacoat.blogspot.com/2008/11/taste-sensation-durian-smoothie.html">Durian Taste Sensation</a> was completely vile, but we thought, given how popular durians are around the world, maybe it was just a bad one? Perhaps if we had them in the form of a durian-filled Oreo it would be better? And for only $1.90, how could we go past that?<br /><br />Opening the package made us all dry reach. But Gib took it upon himself to give it a go. Or at least try to...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzpEhG-XLQMOYTiK4W2WfCZ2cSRkmtkP0ekD_TraEf31c1qN9VME0Nt-hAxpuC_aXp0V3ToGQwSG9paggiQmg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DG-JIThdI/AAAAAAAABTE/NYs2FoPqr2o/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+413.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DG-JIThdI/AAAAAAAABTE/NYs2FoPqr2o/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+413.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440567120768501202" border="0" /></a><br />Even after we had put it in two plastic bags and left it on the bench, you could still smell the stench of the durios. The smell of urinal cakes, sewerage and rotting mangos permeated throughout the kitchen, until finally Gib's mum cracked it and threw them in the bin.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lesson:</span> Do not eat durian flavoured anything.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-37804370308595526812010-02-28T11:09:00.000+11:002010-02-28T11:09:00.352+11:00Doing the sweet and savoury swingOn the weekend I tried out this '<a href="http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/africa/fruit-veggie-curry1.html">Capetown Fruit and Vegetable Curry</a>' from my Sundays at Moosewood's cookbook. Given that the ingredients list included many sweet things like apricots, apricot conserve, apples, raisins and bananas, I was a bit concerned that it would be too sweet for my liking. A bit too extreme. But the vegetables and yoghurt dressing really balance it really well, and it does fall right into the middle of both sweet and savoury, without going too far either side. It was new and different for me, and I was impressed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DDSrl_G6I/AAAAAAAABS0/PMM-2B6Q8Vs/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+565.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DDSrl_G6I/AAAAAAAABS0/PMM-2B6Q8Vs/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+565.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440563075570670498" border="0" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-62389865143294850722010-02-27T16:59:00.000+11:002010-02-27T16:59:00.363+11:00A pickled rainbowA small selection of our pickles in their Fowlers jars. I think they look gorgeous!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DMDQwrBwI/AAAAAAAABUE/foIMlL8ndt0/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+855.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DMDQwrBwI/AAAAAAAABUE/foIMlL8ndt0/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+855.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440572706274346754" border="0" /></a><br />I'm really enjoying the simplicity and of pickling. It's very rewarding to just open a jar of preserved <span style="font-style: italic;">something </span>(chutney, tomatoes, fruit, onions) that I have on hand, it tastes great, and greatly reduces my cooking times, or having to go down to the shops to buy whatever it is. Preserved fruit goes great for desserts, pickled eggplant or onions goes well for an appetiser, and the tomatoes have been really handy for whipping up simple pasta sauces. I love it.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-78815451389195754042010-02-26T23:42:00.000+11:002010-02-26T23:42:00.470+11:00Baby stuffOne of my buddies from undergrad had her first child back in late November. I had originally planned to make a blanket, and thought I had three weeks to spare... but then the little boy decided to come early. And my overlocker decided it didn't want to play nice. So no overlocker, no time... but thankfully my sister-in-law-to-be stepped in with this adorable bunting pattern:<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://betsyvintage.com/images/large/sim9965_LRG.jpg"><img src="http://betsyvintage.com/images/large/sim9965_LRG.jpg" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 550px;" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I chose to make B which turned out to be exceptionally quick and easy and I made it in a couple of hours, and it was a hit with the new parents. I was tempted to make C, just so I could laugh at my friend's baby looking like a turd (it's supposed to be a carrot, but it looks more like a turd to me). I do think D is kind of cool, I might have a go at that in the future.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DCJf9oHPI/AAAAAAAABSk/w0tNF61AnT0/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+511.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DCJf9oHPI/AAAAAAAABSk/w0tNF61AnT0/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+511.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440561818318150898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>I also made these two little shoes for him as well. Quick and easy and cute and adorable. And well received.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DCI2R0wzI/AAAAAAAABSc/OVIH_Ja5x9E/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+510.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DCI2R0wzI/AAAAAAAABSc/OVIH_Ja5x9E/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+510.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440561807128576818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />... and isn't he a cutie?<br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DCJ0PxnvI/AAAAAAAABSs/yk1vgYxvbKk/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+514.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DCJ0PxnvI/AAAAAAAABSs/yk1vgYxvbKk/s400/Tasmania+Nov09+514.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440561823762980594" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-87883305822652704972010-02-24T16:02:00.000+11:002010-02-24T16:02:00.448+11:00Taste Sensation: Nacho pizza!<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We created the ultimate Taste Sensation at a friend's housewarming recently. The marriage of two delicious comfort foods: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nachos and Pizza</span>!<br /><br />The pizza dough was made from scratch, and the crust was stuffed with cheese. The base sauce was just plain old pizza sauce...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAGlx0rHI/AAAAAAAABR0/NG1kJk0ypGE/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+865.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAGlx0rHI/AAAAAAAABR0/NG1kJk0ypGE/s320/Tasmania+Nov09+865.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440559569316392050" border="0" /></a><br />...topped with a single layer of corn chips...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAHLfG2bI/AAAAAAAABR8/mZmQsFwy6bo/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+872.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAHLfG2bI/AAAAAAAABR8/mZmQsFwy6bo/s320/Tasmania+Nov09+872.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440559579438438834" border="0" /></a><br />Then a layer of cheese, salsa and jalepinos...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAHqt8KrI/AAAAAAAABSE/DI9EyrfgaWk/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+893.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAHqt8KrI/AAAAAAAABSE/DI9EyrfgaWk/s320/Tasmania+Nov09+893.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440559587822152370" border="0" /></a><br />Baked for 15 minutes until golden and bubbly<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAIH05bzI/AAAAAAAABSM/l5WSRRmv03c/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+908.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAIH05bzI/AAAAAAAABSM/l5WSRRmv03c/s320/Tasmania+Nov09+908.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440559595635961650" border="0" /></a>And eaten with guacamole and sour cream!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAIiMYhuI/AAAAAAAABSU/pL46St1RuLo/s1600-h/Tasmania+Nov09+911.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f6iQcio-fBY/S4DAIiMYhuI/AAAAAAAABSU/pL46St1RuLo/s320/Tasmania+Nov09+911.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440559602713790178" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For all of you non-believers out there who don't think that Nacho Pizza can work, you'll be surprised (as I was!) to know that it was a <span style="font-style: italic;">hit </span>and there were demands throughout the night for <span style="font-style: italic;">more </span>nacho pizzas to be made. Even from the people who hated the idea to begin with. The corn chips melded beautifully with the pizza base, but had enough crunch that it was still distinctly nachos. The sour cream and guacamole on top, with a sprinkling of spring onions, is a must. Go on, try it yourself!<br /></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5992903126417582997.post-61264017785163572542010-02-23T08:45:00.003+11:002010-02-23T08:49:40.965+11:00Excited by aubergines!I'm thrilled! <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/epicure/awesome-aubergine/2010/02/22/1266687040043.html">A feature on eggplants in today's Epicure (The Age)</a>. I'm just making a note here so I know where to find it later. And to remind myself to make the recipes. That relish sounds fantastic. Yum...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2010/02/22/eggplant_narrowweb__300x454,0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 454px;" src="http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2010/02/22/eggplant_narrowweb__300x454,0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Eggplant Bake: From<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/epicure/awesome-aubergine/2010/02/22/1266687040043.html"> The Age</a></span></span><br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01698895263411758914noreply@blogger.com0