J9 Blog

Lunch time here and I want a Paris lunch!

This is the lunch that Claire and I had during our day bike tour.  The setting was the gardens in front of The Lourve. The lunch we shared a salad and Spinach and Ricotta Quiche. Oh My. Quiche on a new level...... 

Bed and Breakfasting in the The Lake District, North England

The Lake District, also known as Cumbria,  is one of the most frequently visited weekender/holiday spots in England. It is picturesque country side, mountains, lakes, streams and walking trails etc. Claire and I visited there for Sat/Sun two weekends ago.

I had heard of the area from former UK residents, and most excitingly...from Elizabeth Bennett's visit their with her Aunt and Uncle in Pride and Prejudice, where she bumped into Mr Darcy! OK, have stopped swooning and am back.

I have photos of the counryside and sights, including churches from the 1500's etc to be posted later but at the moment we have me, with a FULL English breakfast. It was good!

Mobile Blogging 5: Schipol Airport Amsterdam

You have got to love a city that has this level of cheese displays at their airport . The way Europeans buy food before international fights takes a while for a customs -abiding, West Australain to get used to ! They had good samples for tasting in the store too ! I am in transit to Manchester and then stay in UK for a couple of days before heading onto asia. Early next week i start my stay with my singapore family and the good people ,good food, good tea times continue . I am also looking forward to my australian dollar going further and ....warmth . I was very lucky with Amsterdam weather and got to see the lovely canals in grey mist , sunshine and sparkling at night . Ellen was lovely to stay with and thoughtfully considered the type of things i would like to see . She choose well . Bonus of going back to Berry household...internet access . So quality of bloging should improve.

Mobile blogging 2: Day 2 Basque food!

Ok mainly about food in todays review . I had lunch at a gourmet traveller recommended basque resturant .See the photo . In a village district close to my accommodation. It was the king of omlettes . And not burnt as it may appear in this dodgy photo  (Paul Dubois are you out their in mz blog world! it was you I was thinking was going to say...Janine you are getting excited about Burnt eggs now...time to come home). My morning crepe plan did not work out but near the end of the day i found a crepe take away vendor and had a lemon and sugar one . Rather special . Ended the daylight hours at notre dame . Amazing cathedral with intricate detailing and evening mass going on inside (so I limited toursit gawking) . Dinner was eaten with Claire at a local (non touristy ) bistro in Butte Aux Cailles district. We were not always sure what we were going to get , but were pleased with the results . We think maybe the main was spatchcock ?In a divine french sauce- Bernaise-ish with chives .And even I the alcohol drink ignoramus with say the cheap red wine was good.

Spoilt rotten at Berry House

While in Lancashire I am visiting with Claire Berry and her parents- Claire is well known on the blog - she was a duck club guest member at the inagural meeting and Langsford SheepCrush hat devotee.

I have a lovely double room to stay in- and have been having lovely food and some of my best ever Earl Grey tea!

My room has some quirky Australian welcoming touches.

On my first night there was a traditional English roast Sunday night family dinner where I got to re-meet with Claires grandfather (G-dad) and have ? the worlds best yorshire pudding? as cooked by Claire's Mum Marie.  The person missing from the photo is Claire's dad Raymond

Bananarama (aka read it and weep Australian banana eaters)

Ah yes we cover the important stuff here at j9blog.

In late 2005 cyclone Larry wiped out the majority of Austrlalias banana crop, and the federal govt to protect our growers, has not allowed imports. So bananas have been VERY expensive $13 kg-$20 kg ish.  This is important to a number of friends who have small children - and bananas are one of the healthy snacks they love. Recently I paid a $2 surcharge to get some banana on a waffle (worth it!).  So here is the results from my 1 hour tour of the local Tesco (task buy 150g ham....and 55 mins of browsing).

  OK the figures say 85p/kg and 39c /pound.  So using currency conversion- thats about $2.30kg for large lovely flavoured bananas. Oh the luxury- I had a WHOLE one on my breakfast cereal!

Exciting Times for the J9 Blog

Greetings.

I am posting from Lancashire, England! I have 3 weeks here (including 5 of those days in Paris!) and then I go for 10 days or so to my FAVOURITE international place (will Paris or UK challenge?....) Singapore.

Yes I am a lucky fish.

If you read the top of the header of the blog, it states the j9blog reason for being. The pusuit of good tea, good food, good friends and one UNIQUE hat (that would be the Langsford SheepCrush hat- famous amongst a select few...).  Well I am in England- home of the tradition of the  type of tea of Love- English style tea !...I am with Claire (good friend)...we have two Langsford SheepCrush hats between us...and we are absolutely going to be eating good food.

The good food and good tea has started.  Is there anything better than a really good cup of tea when you are jet-lagged .Photos to support coming soon.

I am living in luxury at Claires family home. Being spoilt rotten. AND I have finally met Sally, the much talked about (by Claire admittedly) labradour.  Sally in 1 day has convinced me she is the dog version of THE cat. I will explain why later.

I am having a quiet day today- but will soon walk in (in some showers!  it is grey and 16/17C ish...) to the local village (Leyland). Hang out in the local supermarket (SO exciting for a dietitian to go to overseas supermarkets, my brother gets BIG POINTS for working this out on recent US trips!).  And then spend time in the local library (as one does..finishing some work that travelled with me!).

On Wednesday I am going for day trip to London. VERY VERY exciting.  Christmas present suggestions will be taken by keen blog readers (who have an awareness of how AUD converts to the GBP!....). 

Where am I?  I flew into Manchester (a great idea! versus going through Heathrow) and I am in Leyland at the moment....look for under Preston.

and to put that into context...maybe you can find this North West Area of England on this map below

 

Ok back soon with more news...time for a cup of tea

Freaky synchronisty batman!

The previous post showed by new found devotion to the consumption of custard-soft persimmons.....

Reading from my favourite site wikipedia- the source of MUCH wonderful information under the topic of Persimmon. I found the following Persimmon related event news....

Events

An annual Persimmon Festival is held every September in Mitchell, Indiana, that features a persimmon pudding contest. Persimmon pudding is a baked pudding that has the consistency of pumpkin pie but resembles a brownie and is almost always served with a topping of whipped cream.

Oh my goodness- MUCH excitement! because although not yet widely known...I am planning to be in Indiana in September of this year!  Am off now to see how my trip can revolve around the persimmon.....

Latest Paul provided fresh produce RAVE...Persimmons!

Oh my goodness. I have made a non-fig season BIG discovery. The RIPE astrigent form of Persimmon....of course also provided by Paul Dubois fine produce purveyor and providore.....

The perfectly ripe persimmon is a textural and taste revelation. To me it felt like eating a delicious large-divine Fruit Gel Lolly (ie the really good French ones...). Another person has described as A ripe persimmon is like a thin skin full of jelly.....oh indeed it is, and a fine tasting jelly at that!

I wanted to take photos to show you...but kept eating the samples before shots were taken.

This is what it looks like..and they were the Astringent type persimmons that start hard and inedible and have to be left to be QUITE squishy....(took ~ 10 days). Fruit, sometimes you just have to recognise at its best it is very hard to beat....

Fig Party

OK Focus on the FIG PLATTER. This Fig party was 2 weeks ago on Sunday.The platter contains: Paul's Figs and proscuitto and brie and vintage cheddar.....etc

Its the Mother, Me and Peter in shot. Peter and I have just been swimming- this is my excuse for hair.