korean noodles mmm

after ...


before ...

Food

Loneliness makes you do crazy things. Things no ordinary, sane person would ever do. Things you might sometimes fantasize about but not actually carry out. Yup you know what I'm talking about ... eating blue cheese.

I have often seen blue cheese on platters and have even sliced off a bit but the smell has put me off enough to not actually eat it. However, the local supermarket stocks about 20 varieties of blue cheese. Soft and hard, in rinds, in paper etc. So in a sudden surge of madness, yesterday I bought a medium size wedge of "roaring fourties blue" complete in black wax rind. I also decided to cover all aspects of blue cheese curiosity and also bought a pack of blue cheese twists.(picture left) Now these South Cape twists come in a variety of flavours and their parmesan one is really delish.

I got home and opened the cheese and took the tiniest wedge. Before i popped it in my mouth, I had a sudden thought that there would be no one to take me to hospital if I developed a sudden, anaphylactic reaction to this. Oh well, I continued. The stuff was truly foul ! It had a really stinky flavour the aftertaste was even worse. The texture was creamy though and it was slightly sweet and nutty as they described, (which is how I like my men and cheese) But the mould flavour just over rided everything else. BLEAH! Juan suggested (when I tried to find a new home for my cheese) that I try it with some quince paste. It made it bearable but I think might consider eating it only if it was the last thing on earth.

The thing on the otherside was some comfort food bought as I had a craving for fudgy chewy brownie-type food. As you can see, the actual product was nothing like the picture and it turned out to be rather dry and too much air in it. The twists were ok nothing I would crave in a hurry.

I tried my hardest to steer away from making too many food posts as there are so many far superior ones out there. (my basic instincts took over, obviously) However, the rest of this post ties in with the country comments as I managed to get a full lunch for the first time in weeks today (usually we have toothaches and major cases, denture repairs etc so lunch is half an hour or even shorter). I dreamed about what to do for lunch as the time drew closer. I decided on using some of the carved lamb to make korean noodles. The picture shows the packet. I am not sure how popular they are or what they are called. Maybe someone can enlighten me. I found them in a korean supermarket in the Sydney suburb of burwood one of my last few visits to Sydney. You boil them for about 3 minutes until they are slightly translucent, then rinse the excess starch off under water, top with meats and veg and serve with the included chilli sauce. MMMmmm. Its spicy and yummy and also has some sesame oil with it. The noodles are very springy and slightly chewy and the chilli sauce went so well with the sweet tender lamb.

Ahh its not many places that you can live 1.1kms from work and drive home with no traffic lights in between to cook your own lunch and head back all within the hour. That is another big plus of the country.

P/S pictures of korean noodles to come ... hello/blogbot had a spaz attack again. Managed to get snack picture through though

yaay !!!

To my relief, it wasn't me last night who was technologically challenged. It was the blog bot which was down so hence hopefully all and sundry can live our weekend vicariously through us, the same way I drool over clare and kirks food from eat stuff and mmm yoso blogs. My next step I have decided is to attempt putting links in this page as i am getting a bit more confident at the alphabet soup that is html.

I am "baching" or rather bacheloretting this week as Richard has gone to queensland to see his best mate. So what does one eat when one has lonely nights at home?? Everything one normally doesn't of course !!! I had extra spicy tom yum goong last night and I placed some frozen dumplings carefully transported the 4 hour drive from sydney in our previous trip in them :P~

On the menu tonight was roast lamb salad where I roasted a leg of lamb and carved it to have in a salad made with cherry tomatos, crumbled fetta, snow peas and stuffed olives in a mint and balsamic dressing. Richard doesnt like lamb so I don't usually make it. My handicapped oven with the guesstimate temperature dial played up and so my lamb was not as tender or juicy as I would have liked but it was ok :D

next post will prob include the hokkien mee recipe so if your interested, stay tuned !

Ahh photos at last or ... why the *%#@ was it down last night??

Caves House ye olde heritage hotel where we stayed overnight

Kitting up ... otherwise, Richard the wanna be rap dancer

Goodbye cruel world !!!

A spring calf smiling as it continues its difficult labour out

Caught between a rock and a hard place

2nd Anniversary !!

Well before I begin this post, some acknowledgements are in order.. *ahem* First I would like to thank Clare who spurred me on to blog more, but especially celebrating this weekend of mine and Richard's second wedding anniversary. I would like to let her know that it was not forgotten how she helped the boys picked their suits. ( Casey was Richard's groomsman) and how she helped make an entertaining and memorable hens night (ended with casey in hospital with a ear infection) lol but alls well that ends well and here we are 2 years later !

It was Richard's idea that we take turns to surprise each other with anniversary plans... so this year it was my turn and after racking my brains for a few months, I decided that what would be more romantic than wearing sexy mechanics overalls and crawling around in in a dusty cave and sliding around rocks on our bums for a few hours?

It was my first time caving and the experience was realy great. I loved it much more than rock climbing as it didn't feel as scary. There was a short abseil down into the cave and then lots of wriggling and sliding. More info on www.jenolancaves.org.au After 2 hours we checked into the only hotel at Jenolan Caves, Caves House. www.jenolancaves.com IMHO, it was pricey but as it was the only hotel for an hours drive, they had the monopoly. The rooms were average and had no TV. I guess because there is no reception in the area but it probably encourages more romantic activities.

Our package included dinner which was a decent 3 course meal. It was trying to be modern Australian but the taste and quality was average. My entree which was potato pancakes with smoked salmon and horseradish cream turned up with pancakes the size of a 20 cent coin. It was yummy though. Richard had the fetta tart with caramelised onion and rocket and pear salad. I couldnt taste the onion in it at all ! My main was the yuletide turkey and ham with baked vegetables in a cranberry jus. The turkey was juicy and done really well however the potato left much to be desired. Richard's salmon was bordering on being overdone but the chef saved it in the nick of time. It was flavourful though and all produce was fresh. Breakfast was your standard country breakfast with sausages, bacon, hotel powdered scrambled eggs, baked beans and mushrooms.

We then enjoyed a leisurely drive home in the countryside.

arrgh tried to put pics up to go with this post but spent 2 hours !!! and no sucess. might have to use Hello another day as it is down at the moment :(