Quorn's here

Flavours, along with smells of course, are things that bring back memories. Sometimes even the thought of those tastes are enough to drag you back kicking to other parts of your life and you can recall those tastes as easily as if you were about to tuck in. Take MacDonald's for example. Love it or hate it, I can still recall the taste of a quarter pounder with cheese, or those dry tasting fries, although I haven't eaten meat for nearly 20 years. We're a long way by ship here so if you haven't brought it with you, its likely to either not taste the same (like chocolate), or cause you to remortgage.

My dad arrived at Christmas with a 'stash' literally, of PG tips. He had de-boxed them and put them in clear plastic bags, so with the air squeezed out of them, they looked so like something he should have been banged up for, if only he wasn't 82 and busy thanking the air hostesses. His delivery however, saved me a fortune, and brought M, the PG tips addict, much happiness. (sadly they were finished by the time dad left!). My Marmite, carried, and declared by me involving a long queue and plenty of verbal abuse from the Australian customs, is carefully counted to last until the next visit. NOBODY is allowed to touch my Marmite. Including The Boy who was overheard describing it to his 8 year old friend as 'Vegemite for London people'. I don't think so!

And I could kill for a good pizza. I've sidled up to Italians and asked for recommendations - the lower ground floor of the Post Office building in St Martin's Place seems to be it and I would rip off your arm for a Giardiniera and although my desire may be slightly biased, I'm far from alone. One of my reasons for being accepted into M's family is my closeness to a discount!

Now, I'm not saying that the food here isn't good - superb even. I don't think a single country on earth comes close to the Japanese offering but Australia isn't too far behind. Except in one area. If you're not a meat muncher, you're stuffed! Dried out bits of olive sausage is about all you can expect if you're a vegetarian at a BBQ, and we can nibble all we like on the skankiest 'schnitzel' from the freezer section that is worse than carpet food, but nobody is fooled.

But not any more....! Woolies have started sell Quorn.... Proper, good old fashioned Quorn, albeit with a new label and only one choice of sausage. But its still a Quorn sausage... We've had bolognaise today in two houses and I even got a call to tell me how much The (vego) Girl liked it... I still have no idea what's in it but I don't care. Its delicious!

An oldie but a goodie

This, rather large, delight is the oven in the holiday house we have been renting on the Northern Beaches. On first glance, it has two distinct downsides; Firstly, it’s electric, not gas, and as every good cook knows, gas is the way forward (except my dad who would disagree til he’s blue in the face). Secondly, it looks like it was first installed in the Arc.

It turns out however, that the electric rings are completely controllable, super efficient at both heating and cooling, as are both of the ovens – the inside temperature gauge mirroring exactly the heating control. It also has two plate warming drawers underneath and a very useful power point on the top right hand corner. In fact it’s probably the best oven I’ve ever used… (take that electric showroom on the Portobello Road, it wipes your Smeg out anyday!)

Rather surprising for an oven that is over fifty years old – turns out St George made it in around 1952, ceasing production in 1957. In fact it’s so old that it’s on display in the Museum of Australia in Canberra.

Unfortunately, it seems that I’m not the only one who has spotted the Supermatic’s superpowers… I’ve been trying to track one down for our new house, so far without success.

Perth

Just had a few days away with M's daughter and her kids in Perth. Love the weather over there, much drier and the beaches are beautiful with the Indian Ocean making everything that perfect blue. We made a point every day to swim at Cottesloe, close to where M grew up. Also exploring Freemantle which was a hard town, where M's parents landed with their 6 kids and lived in refugee camps, sharing a bungalow with another family. Hard to imagine that now as its a cool town with great shops and cafes. Hard conditions but such amazing opportunities if you worked hard.

I still find it hard not to laugh about the fact that M is a grandfather. Perhaps its because I've known him for so long but he doesn't feel old enough... Or maybe its me!

Anyway lovely flight back watching movies and spotting other planes circling beneath us.