The Commercial Boutique Hotel Tenterfield NSW - Review

"Time is a traveller, Tenterfield Saddler"...I bet you were singing those words if you are an Aussie. Peter Allen's classic tribute to the saddler (his grandfather) still rings in my head, as it would for lots of us who grew up with that song.  You can still visit the saddler's shop in Tenterfield, country New South Wales if you feel so inclined.   We didn't do that, but we did drop in at The Commercial Boutique Hotel which has been lovingly restored by a former Brisbane couple.  They now offer boutique accommodation and a warm pub with a fireplace, and tasty food.

Mr P. and I were on our annual pilgrimage to Stanthorpe and Tenterfield in search of some cold weather.  This we got in plenty as an Antarctic low was heading our way!  We had brought plenty of woollens so were rugged up like mummies in triple layers and double scarves.  Mr P. is very good with building fires so our little cottage was warm and toasty of an evening.  Let's not mention the multiple electric heaters we brought with us just in case the fire wasn't adequate for our needs.  We even managed to trip the circuit-breaker once 3 heaters, the TV and 2 laptops were switched on:)

We headed to Tenterfield for lunch the next day.  It was a lovely sunny but freezing day so the pub with the fireplace was calling.  Mr P. and I were both recovering from nasty colds, but I still felt the need for a nice glass of wine.  Mr P. being the responsible driver he is, and not much of a drinker, chose a soft drink.

lovely decor and a warm fireplace  

cold crisp glass of Rose - I know! strange for a cold day but it was delicious $8 

ginger beer $3.50 

Mr P. decided to go with the special of the day - home made fettucine with smoked chicken and mushroom, while I had salt and pepper squid.  Oh and of course we had fries:)  I asked for aioli rather than the tomato sauce they usually came with, which was no problem.  Hubby said his pasta was really delicious but perhaps just a tad too much pasta and not enough sauce.  He would have liked a wee bit more sauciness with the chicken and mushroom topping.  My squid was well-cooked; the coating was spicy and very tasty. I really enjoyed it!  Fries - well what can you say about fries?  They are always a fave with me, and we enjoyed these delicious morsels.  And the warmed plates were a lovely touch on a cold day.  (Thank goodness, no trendy wooden boards used as plates.)

salt and pepper squid $16   

fettucine with smoked chicken and mushrooms $25.50    

fries with aioli $6.50  

The hotel also has a tapas menu and has live music events.  There are 8 luxury rooms for accommodation; one with disabled access - and there is also the possibility of bringing your dog!  We had a nice chat with the lady owner, who told us that the hotel was now happily staffed by family.   We had a really pleasant time, and just wished we had thought to stay overnight but our cottage in Stanthorpe was calling.  Back we went via Wallangarra and the old railway station for a cup of hot chocolate. Then home to light the fire, rug up and drink champagne.  Well, good old Grant Burge sparkling anyway.

Mr P. holding up the wall

historical horse trough outside the hotel   

the lovely curvy Art Deco exterior of the hotel   

(Just a bit of a heads up; they no longer serve breakfast as it wasn't viable, the nice lady owner informed us).

My Sunday Photo 12 July 2015

the road to nowhere!- south-west of Stanthorpe Queensland 

We got severely lost with no GPS, little petrol, and no idea where we were!  There were dead men hanging from trees and signs saying Do not leave the road.  Oh boy, were we scared!  No phone signal and a storm brewing with possible snow.  I think my hair turned grey in a few hours:)

Salmon and Cheese Soup - Zupa Serowa Z Lososiem

I am trying out another Polish recipe from Beata Zatorska's book Sugared Oranges.  I have really enjoyed reading her book on Poland, and soaking up the beautiful photos and stories of her childhood there. The recipes are usually hearty ones, taking into account the freezing cold winter weather. When hubby and I did the backpacking thing years ago, we didn't get to Poland, but we did meet up with some Polish holidaymakers in Belgrade.  We were accosted at the train station by a taciturn Serbian (this was before Yugoslavia split up into the various republics), offering beds at a cheap rate. We were herded off with a couple of other backpackers to the remote nether regions of suburban Belgrade, there to share rooms and beds of various sizes.  We were forbidden to sleep in the double bed, and had to sleep in a single bed while the lone female backpacker was given the double bed!

The landlord also had rooms in his house for rent, plus the undercroft we were sleeping in, plus an old caravan in the front yard.  A stream of very large Poles of varying sexes and ages filed past our room into a small back room and also into the caravan.  Surly landlord dragged us off to one of his mate's backyards for gristly stew (I am pretty sure this was a haphazard and probably illegal restaurant), served at ratty old plastic tables late at night.  A red goulash-like stew was ladled into our bowls, and rough wine was poured into our glasses for a princely sum of a few dinar.  There were lots of filled tables so clearly the neighbours all enjoyed this 'gastronomic speakeasy'.

This soup is rich and creamy, so I can see why the Poles may have been large if they were eating this often!:)  It has sour cream, and regular cream and cheese so it really fills the cockles of your heart on a cold winter's night.

ingredients:

25g. butter
1 stick of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 leek, chopped
1 L of chicken stock
450g. of red salmon (from a tin says Beata) or use hot-smoked salmon if you have robbed a bank lately and can afford it.  I used 150g. of hot-smoked salmon and 300g. of tinned red salmon. (I only had to rob a tiny bank :=)).
1 tsp rosemary, chopped finely
3 tsp sour cream
120mls thickened cream
100g. cheddar cheese, grated
2 tsp dill (fresh if you can get it, otherwise the paste in the tube works well)
black pepper

Method:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan
Throw your finely chopped celery, garlic and leek into the pan
Stir the veggie mix around in the butter and saute for 6-8 minutes till softened
Pour in the stock
Add the salmon and rosemary and bring to the boil
Take the pan off the heat and stir in both creams and the cheese
Cast in the dill and throw on the pepper
Simmer gently for a few minutes
Serve with bread or blinis!

ingredients 

adding the chopped veggies to the butter    

grating the cheese while the veggies soften    

veggies sauteed  

adding the stock    

and the salmon  

snipping up the rosemary from the garden   

pouring in the cream and sour cream       

throwing in the grated cheese and dill         

black pepper goes in   

here it is - creamy and fishy and rather tasty   

We managed to escape from the scary Serbian landlord, and found ourselves another place to stay with a crazy landlady who came into the toilet one morning (when I was sitting on it!) to ask me if I thought Elvis was still alive.  She assured me that she and I had the same body parts so it didn't matter if she came in to talk to me while I was in flagrante so to speak.  Well, you had to either laugh or cry.  I laughed!

This is my fishy doodle!  Mr P. gave me Doodling for Foodies for my recent birthday so I am doodling for all I am worth:)

In My Kitchen July 2015

Do I even bother to say how damn fast June went by?  You know it did.  We had an action-packed month, full of fun and festivities.  I was very lucky and enjoyed a wonderful birthday month with gifts and outings.  Mr P. bought me a new camera, so no pressure there when I am taking photos for the blog:)  I have not actually read the manual yet, nor put the battery or whatever it is inside it.  I did pick it up the other night, and we both said yep we must check out how it works soon...

new, slightly scary camera 

This is going to look like a lot of stuff peoples, but remember it is over 2 months, and it included birthday gifts:)

this is by the mother of the famous Hugh! I didn't even know he had a mother:) 

lovely EVOO from Patrice's farm  

my fave but I always say that, don't I? 

another of my faves - yes it's not local but it is yummy 

I love a fishy napkin 

great little cheese knife  

definitely a huge fave of mine  

birthday gift from Princess Pia - I have used it already!

these are so addictive  

have yet to try this one!  note the book on the table - can't wait to get doodling:) 

Miss Phryne Fisher Mysteries cup and saucer - I love Phryne!

got this one with a birthday gift voucher from SIL

such cute measuring cups from my Melbourne Cuz 

I hesitate to tell you there were more gifts, and more still to come in the mail.  Mr P. keeps saying they are going to arrive next month.  We had a (freezing) movie night in our car-port, watching The Princess Bride.  It is not often we get a chance to rug up in sunny Brisbane, so even though we shivered, I think we all enjoyed putting on the layers and drinking hot chocolate.  Our friend the Marvellous Miss M. brought along her 8 year old son for his first viewing of this fab movie.  Oh, how we quote it!  We first saw it in Philadelphia when we lived there for a few months, and have always had very fond memories of seeing it with our dear Quaker friend.  I think it was a big success with the 8 year old, too.

Mr P. at the controls; notice beanies and blankets of freezing guests  

Come along and join in with the wonderful Celia from Fig Jam & Lime Cordial who kindly looks after our monthly meanderings in everybody's kitchens.  I promise you will enjoy a wander through lots of amazing kitchens all around the globe.

My Sunday Photo 5 July 2015

this is a group called Deep Blue and yes she IS standing on that bass!

Check these guys out on Youtube - they are fantastic!  We really enjoyed seeing them play and dance and sing and walk on stilts last night.  Please excuse the poor quality of the photo - it was dark and I was using my iphone:)

Delfina's Bistro - Review

Once upon a time, there was a cafe that served delicious desserts any time of the day and night...Well not anymore, there's a new kid in town called Delfina's Bistro in its place.  I checked out the menu online, and one recent weekday lunchtime, Mr P. and I hot-footed it to the Valley.  We were very lucky to get a parking space as it is at a premium in the Emporium centre.  We wandered down, and easily found a table (I think we were a bit later than regular worker bees).  I am a fan of industrial decor, so I really liked the edgy-looking ceiling and lamps, though perhaps it clashed a bit with the pretty turquoise wall.

edgy decor

I was a leetle bit disappointed when perusing the actual menu, as I had been looking forward to some oysters, and confit rabbit which was on the website menu.  It seems that this is a dinner menu only, sadly for my rabbit cravings. The lunchtime menu is quite sparse, with just 3 choices in entrees, mains and desserts.  Mr P. and I both chose the same entree - smoked ocean trout salad with witlof, fennel, lemon and avocado.  This was really fresh and tasty, with crunch from the vegetables and walnuts, and acidity from the lemon. I found it almost filling enough for lunch, and the waitress clearly thought so too, as she offered us the dessert menu after the entrees.  She only looked slightly horrified when we said we were having mains too:)

smoked ocean trout salad $18

Did I mention the complimentary bowl of olives at the start of the meal?  These were delicious; so shiny and pretty too. Mr P. now tells me he no longer eats olives as he has "gone off the taste".  Huh? what happened to the memo?  So I had to try to eat them all myself - a valiant effort I think.

aren't they pretty, and so shiny? 

I might have forgotten to mention the cocktail I started with.  Eek!, you are saying- cocktails and 2 courses at lunchtime!?!  What the?!  Alright, I admit it - it was my birthday!  So I threw caution to the winds, and just went for it.  I had a drink called Dark Rendezvous, with rum and Tia Maria and condensed milk and espresso.  Oh yes, I smacked my lips and contemplated a second.

Dark Rendezvous $18

On with the mains.  I chose prawn tagliatelle with rocket, lemon, chilli, garlic and olive oil.  This was a great choice, especially as I am not fond of pasta usually.  But this was so fresh, and tasted as though it had come from a nonna's kitchen.  I did a great job of eating nearly all of it.

prawn tagliatelle $19

Mr P. loves a bit of rice in his day so he chose the chicken and corn risotto with asparagus and peas. He said some of the chicken was slightly undercooked, and the dish needed more seasoning.  But all in all, it was better than average - 3.5/5 on the Mr P. meter, quoth he.

chicken and corn risotto $17 

Well, I may have decided to be good and only have one cocktail, but I succumbed to the lure of a glass of Victorian rose with my pasta.  It was deliciously drinkable!

Rowanston pinot rose $10

We finally called a halt to the birthday pig-out, and declining dessert, (I know, such restraint) we paid the very reasonable bill and toddled off home for a nap.  Just kidding! -  in fact Mr P. went back to his drawing board so to speak, and I jumped on my laptop to scratch away at the history project I am working on.  Not a bad birthday lunch.

(FYI - Delfina's also has a private dining room, and holds special events.  Their banner declares them to be a fine dining Mod Aus restaurant with a European twist; plus hats into the ring as a tapas bar too.)

Miraculous Canadian Sugar Pie

I cannot believe it is Canada Day again.  It seems like a couple of months ago I was hunting around for a recipe to put up on the blog, and zap! a whole year has flown by.  Canada Day is 1 July, celebrating the Constitution Act of 1867 which melded 3 colonies into one country - Canada.  And before you ask, I am not Canadian, but I have always felt some kind of link to that country.  I think it is because I love Anne of Green Gables, and other books by L. M. Montgomery.  One of my faves of hers is Kilmeny of the Orchard, a romantic tale about a mute girl, saving her fella from being murdered by a crazy rival with an axe - yep you will have to read it yourself.

Green Gables Farmhouse on Prince Edward Island (author Chensiyuan on Wikimedia)    

Prince Edward Island is on my bucket list of places to visit so I will have to save up my pennies!  So anyway, I found this recipe for Miraculous Pie, which is apparently a well-known Canadian pie, made very simply with only a few ingredients.  The method is similar to Impossible Pie, where you blend up half a dozen ingredients in the blender and bake it; and it forms its own crust, just like this one.  What could be easier?  

ingredients:

2 cups of brown sugar 

1/4 cup butter, softened (for we Metric users, make it 60g.)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup plain flour

1+1/2 cups milk - i.e. 375 mls

Method:

Beat the brown sugar and butter together in a medium bowl till well mixed - at least 5 mins.

Beat in the eggs one by one - this is when the batter will start to look smooth and creamy

Throw in the vanilla and salt and mix in briefly

Add the flour a third at a time

Pour in the milk in 2 lots - I added half after the first lot of flour and half after the last lot of flour
Mix in very well

Pour the batter into a greased 23cm pie dish

Bake for 35 mins at 180C

Take the pie out and cover the rim with aluminium foil so it doesn't burn

Put it back in the oven for about 15 mins till the middle is set and you have a crusty layer on top

Let it cool to room temp. then refrigerate for at least an hour

Serve with whipped cream if desired - I don't think it needs it really:) 

Okay, here are my warnings/provisos to the original recipe:

I used an electric hand beater as I don't have a big mixer; the butter and sugar mix didn't look smooth and creamy till I added the eggs
My batter looked curdled when I added the milk - no probs, it still works
It took longer than the total 50 mins. mentioned in the recipe - about an hour, maybe an hour and 5
I didn't use alfoil on the rim; it didn't seem to need it and I didn't mind if the crust got a bit brown.
Next time I will try making it in a processor, where you just chuck all the ingredients in at once and blitz till smooth, like Impossible Pie.

ingredients  

adding the softened butter   

after 5 minutes of beating  

first egg in  

2nd egg in-you can see how creamy the batter has become after no. 1 egg:)  

both eggs in - very creamy now  

adding vanilla and salt 

in goes the flour bit by bit    

flour mixed in with half of the milk  

ready for the oven (looking slightly curdled but no worries, it ends up fine!

out of the oven after 35 mins.-add alfoil to rim if needed 

baked and now to cool right down

Mr P. couldn't wait so I had to cut him a slice!

This is a really easy and delicious pie.  It has a beautiful brown sugar taste, tending a bit towards toffee on the edges. You could even throw a few chopped pecans into the batter, but it doesn't need it. It is fine just how it is - a lovely celebratory pie for Canada Day.

Nova Scotian sugarhouses for harvesting maple syrup

(just to keep us in the Canadian mood)