Here we are at the end of August with temperatures well into the summer zone - albeit without the humidity. With overnight temps in the high teens, the doonas have been pulled back, and with a week of daytime temps hovering between 28-32C, the air conditioning has already been on during the day.
We tend not to get Spring here in Southeast Queensland, as such, but there are signs of seasonal change—my herbs are flowering, and the other day, I had to stop to let a family of ducks cross the road.
The sun is waking up earlier, and by the end of the week, it should be up when we finish our post-walk coffee at the beach. Pre-sunrise skies are at their best in August and September. Each of the post-walk pics below was taken at around 5:45 a.m.
Out and Abouting …
Since we last spoke, we’ve tried a couple of new to us places to eat.
Our daughter has been raving about Sundays at Birtinya as her current favourite place for breakfast. It pretty much mostly does bagels and coffees. Sarah loves their strawberry latte, but I can’t be doing with that. I did, however, go with the BRAT (bacon, rocket, avocado, tomato) bagel.
We also tried a restaurant we’ve been meaning to try since we moved up here seven years ago - The Loose Goose at Twin Waters. The food was fantastic and, big call, this could be our new favourite place for “special” dinners out.
Writing…
It always takes me a week or so to find my way into a new novel - especially when reacquainting myself with old characters - but I’m now well into Murder In The Mangroves. I might even start posting a line daily in notes … just for something different.
As with all first drafts, I have no idea whether the words I’ve written will survive, but as they say, you can’t edit a blank page.
Reading…
I’ve just finished reading First Lie Wins, by Ashley Elston - a fabulous, twisty story and have just started Tim Weaver’s The Missing Family. I’m hooked.
We’re reading John Irving’s The World According to Garp for book club. I’m listening to the Audible version and am unsure how I feel about it so far.
In the cookbook stakes, I’ve borrowed Tom Kerridge’s Pub Kitchen from the library and am reading through it. I also borrowed Sarah Pound’s Wholesome By Sarah. While there’s nothing ground-breaking in there, it’s full of great weeknight prompts. So far, I’ve made the Chicken and Corn soup.
Cooking
Last week, I made Recipe Tin Eats’ One-pot Moussaka Beef Rice Pilaf. Nagi’s recipes are usually full of flavour, and this one should have been, too, but this one?Meh.
Grant is joking that we have a Nigella situation on our hands. Sarah still talks about the utter failure that was Nigella’s Nutella Brownies, and whenever I say I got a recipe from a Nigella book, Sarah responds with, ‘My trust in Nigella is broken’ - but I don’t think the situation is as dire as all that. Besides, it was very comfort-foodish and that’s a good thing.
Rick Stein’s Cider, Chicken and Leek Gratin from the Simple Suppers cookbook was more successful. Cheesey, chickeny, leeky, creamy goodness. You can find the recipe here.
I took a batch of gingernut dunkers into the op shop for my shift this week. I left them with a tin of biscuits so volunteers will be covered for morning tea for the next few days. I forgot to take a photo of the ones I sent in - all the good ones - so what’s in the pic below are the not-so-round ones. I suspect the one on the bottom has a thumbprint on it. The plate is by Shelley for those who are into vintage china.
Speaking of the op shop - I put this water jug on the shelf yesterday. It dates back to the 1960s and is aviation memorabilia. It would have been used on the trolleys of (what is now) British Airways when flying was glamorous.
Tahini Choc Chip Cookie Bars
This week’s recipe is a Tahini Choc Chip Cookie bar situation from Edd Kimber’s One Tin Bakes. I made a slab on Monday for Grant to take in for morning tea. While we have only a few volunteers in the Mooloolaba store each day, he has over 20 to feed.
Anyways, most of Edd Kimber’s recipes are behind a paywall on his substack (The Boy Who Bakes), and I really couldn’t be faffed copying the recipe. Just when I thought I would have to tease you with the picture alone, I found a copy of it online … here.
I'm listening to First Lie Wins right now and it's so good! Those sunrises are just beautiful. All the food looks so yummy.
Lots of fabulous food as always - and all that creamy chickeny leeky goodness had my mouth watering just a little (well.... a lot). Great sunrise pics and I'm a little bit jealous of your warmer days - it's still cold and bleak over here.