CAFE SPLAT! Queenscliff

Cafe SPLAT..what can I say? What a great name ! A few weeks ago, I happily discovered Cafe Splat whilst on a jaunt to Manly with the kids. Parking is a nightmare down there, and this was a sunny 21 degree winters Sunday, so EVERY MAN and his DOG was out there soaking up the rays and as such there was little chance of parking ANYWHERE within coo-ee of Manly promenade. There was a few spots but it was limited to 2 hours which anyone with kids will know is not enough time to get the herd back to the car before the parking cops get you and on a day like this, with such an enticing stretch of promenade (we made it almost to Fairy Bower on scooters), we had buckley's and none of getting back within 2 hours (we ended up spending 5 hours down there just for the record). So, off I went to the northern end of the beach, and up the winding hills in search of an un-timed parking spot. Curving up Queenscliff road, I took a sharp right and came across a spot at the top of some stairs..perfect! No parking restrictions, and just a few steps down, and across a the Stuart Sommerville bridge and I was at the beach. As we circled the block, my head was turned by a cute corner cafe called SPLAT! Again, those with kids will understand that it isn't about you, it is ALL ABOUT THEM so even though I was BUSTING to get to Splat, I knew that with the water shimmering below us, and scooters eagerly at the ready, there was no blogging or latte-ing for mum today! I simply had to file it in the memory for later on. Happily I skipped down to the water and had a lovely day, and even saw dolphins playing up and down the beach so all was good with the world. 4 weeks later, with a lunch date cancelled, and another sunny winter's day on my hands, what else was I to do, but revisit Cafe Splat? With just the lad and myself to amuse, I knew I could work it so I got to get a nice hot brunch in before enjoying the park down at Manly Lagoon. The day was beautiful, perfect for our outing. I found a close parking spot, just around the corner from the cafe, so when the lad got cranky that I hadn't packed the bucket and spade, then I realised there was nothing left to do but go eat? We wandered in to the cafe, it was open, airy, light, easy going, cool music, nice staff (I think the man that served me was actually the owner after looking at their website). As the lad had his sad face on, there was no negotiating on what he wanted to order, so we took a seat outside, and looked down at the beach (I thought it wise to keep him segregated from other diners but really wanted to be inside as it was cosy and chilled out which was what I wanted to be at that moment). The owner took my cue and brought us a huge strawberry milkshake with an old-fashioned paper straw (more about that later), and my a chai latte. A bit of jolly-ing, and a menu, and we were left alone. The lad wouldn't give an inch, so I ordered a bit for me and something I knew he'd like. There is a great all day menu, which includes b.l.t, (the regular bacon, lettuce and tomato), b.l.a.t (add avo), and even b.l.e.a.t (with egg too!). All of their produce is local and fresh, organic and environmentall where possible, back to the paper straws. Whilst drinking the milkshake, the lad asked me "what is that mum?", it was just a paper straw, but I realised he hadn't ever seen anything but the regular brightly coloured plastic ones before. The owner explained to him that he liked to skin-dive and that he saw lots of plastic straws in the ocean, and the fish ate them and died, then other fish ate the dead fish and died too, so he decided never to have plastic straws in his cafe. The lad was totally intrigued with this idea and many questions ensued. Great, we were making headway with the big freeze. It came to ordering, and the lad still wouldn't budge, so I ordered two free-range poached eggs with ciabatta toast, a side of their award winning pumpkin and lentil sausages ( I ordered a side of one and was given two at no extra cost), and a potato cake. MMM, the poached eggs were tasty and done to perfection. Not too soft, not too hard. They really were just right. The lad pinched the toast, and tasted the potato cake which was less of a hash brown and more of a fantastically fresh herb ridden pattie. Again, YUM. The sausages were really tasty, not fatty and a bit peppery. I would have liked less pepper, but thats just because I love pumpkin and its soft taste. All in all, it was really delicious and healthier than many similar fry ups I have had in other cafes. I think the real philosophy here is healthy quality food, served in a relaxed atmosphere with a little humour thrown in. Feeding of the soul type of atmosphere? As we ate, we spotted some "interesting books" that were just inside the window. There were books on sea life that weren't just pretty kids books, but very informative as well as bright and interesting. Many more questions were thrown up by the lad, and this really was responsible for the big thaw, and by the time I'd polished off my latte, we were good to go! The owner and I had a quick chat about the change of attitude that had evolved during our brunch and decided it was a good result all 'round. We paid the $21.50 and away we went off down the steps to begin our days beach adventure. The cafe is small, and is in the ground floor of an older style red brick apartment block. It has those great bi-fold windows that allow the sea breezes to amble through, a surfboard hangs lazily above the counter, and the Bob Dylan was drifting around in the background. From every seat inside and out you can see the beach, and if you just want to just grab a coffee on your way down the hill you enjoy it on the custom built viewing bench out front and check out the surf as you enjoy your coffee. If you were stressed when you came in, you would be certain to be more relaxed when you left. The service was attentive, and with a quiet humour. If you visit the website www.cafesplat.com.au you will get and idea of the vibe of the place. Warnings like "this place may have traces of nuts, they own it", and the lost and found section advising that anything left in the cafe that isn't the size, colour or taste of the owners, will be posted on the website! Love it. You are guaranteed of a happy experience, not just good food, but the whole feeling of wellbeing when you visit Cafe Splat. Found at 68a Queenscliff Road, Queenscliff 9905 0600, it is open 7 days, from 7.30 until 3.30ish (dependent on mood of the owners, weather and traffic!). Make it a must visit next time you are down Manly way, it is well worth it. Happi eating!

NEWER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER!

Now, I'd like to think of myself as a thoroughly modern girl but lately, I'm finding that I'm rebelling against the style overload we are being presented with throughout the media. Is it just me or does everything seem to be overstyled these days? Even Mac-bloody-donalds seems to be getting the groovy wand waved over its restaurants with those wooden slats and stainless steel, its all a bit "backyard blitz" for me......is the world now forever funkified? We seem to have evolved into a society that is all about looks, rather than substance and if you aren't stylish, or styled, or eating at stylish places, and wearing stylish clothes, with stylish accessories and stylish friends...well..you can find yourself feeling out of the race. I have to say, although I love beautiful things, I'm finding that everything is starting to look a bit "samey". Anyway, enough of my little rant, as part of my personal rebellion, I have been reverting to old fashioned things and have been perusing my collection of vintage cook books for a respite from the glossy overstyled cookbooks of late. Don't get me wrong, I love a new cookbook, and I love the pages of beautiful dishes, that I will probably never attempt to cook (too fiddly), but I won't be one of the millions of masterchef fans rushing to buy a copy of their new book even though I can appreciate what they did, and enjoyed watching them do it. Instead I will have my nose buried deep in my 1951 Emily Post Cookbook published by Funk & Wagnalls! Not for me, that complicated Zumbo cake. You couldn't PAY me to attempt that one. Well, the fact that there is no way that I would be able to get a few hours UNINTERRUPTED time to complete it is a big decider in this, but realistically, I have reverted to the more simple recipes of old, and am really enjoying cruising through these older recipes where there were fewer ingredients available, there was no fuss about food, and there wasn't a lot of variations on how you were to prepare it! Emily Post was a New York authority on manners and etiquette, and seemed to be a rather stern woman. She obviously extended her "rules" to the way ladies (as men didn't cook back in the 50's, too busy breadwinning for that sort of shenanigan) prepared food and presented it at dinner parties. The cook book itself is rather stylish, simple layout, simple colours, simple typeface, no colour pictures, but highly entertaining. I was also amused to see that she had written two other books (apart from ETIQUETTE and the COOKBOOK) "The Personality of a House" and the funniest of all..."Children are People"! I'd love to get my hands on that one. Emily died in the mid-60's, but some of her ideas are rock solid and I am happy to be enjoying at least some of her recipes today. The names of dishes are quite funny, I'd love to make the Chicken Bunty (which is nothing more than chicken in a tomato and white wine sauce) simply because the name amuses me (small pleasures, small minds!). The same applies to the Pensylvania Apple Pandowdy which is just an apple pie, but the name is so great, I've gotta make it. There were obviously some ingredients that were more readily available back then, such as Turtle? If I could just get my hands on 3 lbs of turtle meat, I'd be happy to try her Turtle Soup as she assures her readers that it is delicious! Also, Codfish Tongues, thats not one called for in many modern recipes, I'm sure. Emily's recipe starts with "comparitively few people know that codfish have tongues, and still fewer that these tongues are delicious to eat"...well dear Em, you're not wrong there! I had NO IDEA and I'm sure that many still don't! I do wonder what the goodness Salsify or Samp is? (a helpful translation saying "whole Hominy" is another name but that didn't help at all!). And, I never knew that turnips were once known as Rutabagas, I think from now on, that is how I'll refer to them, just for fun. Now, lets not make a fuss about the Smoked Ham Butt with Sauerkraut, no fancy pants names here. I just need to talk to my butcher about how to go about obtaining a 2 lb smoked ham butt. Hilarious! As I flick through the dusty pages, I find lots of practical advice and she is quite stern with her dinner party advice, on what should be served when, and if you are even considering serving duck. She warns "with ducks getting scarcer every year, do not invite guests to eat them who do not like them" (!?). It may seem like simple advice but you have been warned! The book ends with advice on what beverages are in style. She advises to stick with and "Old Fashioned", a "Daiquiri" or a "Manhattan". I quite like the sound of an Old Fashioned but I just need to buy a maraschino cherry WITH STEM, for its decoration before I imbibe. I'm tempted to have a '50's NY dinner party just to relive the time, I'd need a neat little suit, skirt not too short and sensible pumps in a nice safe pastel colour. Oh yeah, I can see it now! Next I move on to my 1955 English edition of Good Housekeeping's Cookery Book (first printed in 1944). Again, I find very helpful and no-fuss advice on all things cooking. Here I am amazed by what I see as very ugly cake decoration, and can't help but laugh at the comparison of this verses a modern Zumbo masterpiece. The one pictured was was destined for a wedding. How funny, I should send it to Sweet Art to see if they would like to use the design (not). The advertising in this book also cracks me up, I don't know what Bush were thinking of when they put the face of Phil Harben "the Television Cook" on it. He looks like a very humourless man and I wouldn't consider buying flavourings from him! Perhaps he was considered rather handsome in his day? If given the choice, I'd pick old Curtis Stone over ugly Phil any day! There is also very helpful sections on planning your kitchen and buying a range. I loved the picture of a perfect modern kitchen layout as it reminded me so much of my pad on Yoville. Actually, my unrenovated 1950's kitchen at home doesn't look much different, so I can vouch for this layout standing the test of time. Now into the 60's with my Woman's Own Cook Book printed in England in 1964. I found some very helpful diagrams on how to buy meat. It shows all the cuts you can buy and where they come from on the animal. You've seen them in the butchers, but it is nice to have a ready reckoner on your bookshelf as I only really have a vague idea about where each bit comes from. It is also good to see that some things never change, and there is a whole section on how to make good coffee. My mother must have taken this part seriously in the day, as I remember her having a Turkish coffee maker just like the one shown in the drawing when I was a kid. She was an avid cook and loved her books, I'm sure she had some of these ones in her bookshelf as well as her much loved Larousse Gastronomique in her day. A colourful page titled "Dinner is Served" gives valuable advice on how to seat guests at a dinner party, what the host's duties are, place settings and crockery choices. It takes the worry out of thinking for yourself I'd imagine? If you are anything like me, I get my self into a lather trying to get things on the table for guests, so not having to think, would be great. Once again, there is a glossy page showing the "all-on-a-level kitchen" which is green checked floor, dusty pink cupboard doors, and yellow walls...what WERE they thinking? Note the pristine white apron on the cook. Now I need one of those but it won't stay white, or pristine for long. A few pages later we find that Pots and Pans go Gay too? Well.. I'll be? Finally this bible of style gives me the most helpful advice about "putting on weight". Now, that I'm afraid to admit wasn't read by me as I have already unlocked the secret to this one without advice. Oh, the problems of the 60's! Still in the same decade, but the year of my birth 1966, I have happened upon the Gude for Young Homemakers by Good Housekeeping which is THE style guide of the time, I'm SURE. It gives great advice on cafe curtains (I had no idea there was so many choices), a very helpful guide on the calories burned whilst doing housework, and specific guidelines (read OH&S for the housewife) on how to move furniture safely, etc very handy indeed. Finally a very bamboozling table of drawings of bones, which once identified in your piece of meat apparently guide you on which cuts are more tender. Fine in theory, but I have not had much luck in my bone identification thus far. So, onwards we charge to 1978 and the colourful Australian Cook by Babette Hayes. This was much more familiar territory. Inside, as well as the recipes "of the era", I found colour photos of the table decorations and settings that seemed to be very elaborate (lots of candles used), and mostly with red as a feature. Not unlike some of the most up to the minute restaurants and bars we see now, Chambers Bar in Martin Place comes to mind. I LOVE my books and get a lot of enjoyment and laughs out of them. I find something new each time I flick through the pages. I had a Gaylord Hauser recipe book for a while and my mother cringed (what sort of name si Gaylord Hauser for goodness sake?). I think he was some sort of diet guru of the time, and wasn't much fun. I enjoyed it for a while and returned it to the 2nd hand book shop. I also still have my treasured Golden Wattle cook book which I think is similar to the Country Womens Association Cookbook. Each time I cook a recipe (and these are VERY simple) from this book, my husbands comments that it is just like his mothers home cooking. She is now 86, and is a very "meat and 3 veg" style of cook. Good old Australian basics with lots of puddings. I choose to take his comments as compliments, and love cooking from it. So, I guess what I'm saying in all of this is that new isn't necessarily better, and there is so much to be learned from looking back in time. In these harder times, when we are more environmentally friendly, going back to basics, more organic, and need to be more inventive in our cooking to save money, these types of recipes are very well suited and can help families really get back on track with solid wholesome, and not so expensive dinners on the table without compromising flavour. I still love the amazing meals of Tetsuya and Dietmar Sawyer, and will still save up to treat myself at Berowra Waters Inn, or Tets...but for every day, I'm very satisfied to be able to plonk most of these meals (not the cods tongues) on my family table. Happi Eating..and remember...new isn't always better!

GREENSHADES CAFE - Galston

I have driven past Greenshades cafe every weekend this year and thought it looked rather night. I had also been told many times by my elderly neighbour that I really should go there for dessert and coffee one day as it is "beautiful"! Well..today was the day to see what it was like. You know that feeling of thinking you know what something will be like before you go there, and then when you actually DO go there, it isn't like what you think at all? Thats how I felt today in a good way. Greenshades used to be a nursery, but is now mostly a cafe with a few plants and statues for sale. It makes for a really nice atmosphere to enjoy a meal. I had also been told they had a great play area for the kids, so it was on my list for a summer day visit, but thinking it might just be another bland nursery cafe, it often got shunted to last position when another option came up. I was nicely surprised. As you enter, you are greeted with potted plants, and some really amazing statues, large and small from metre high marble horses, to little chubby boys pee'ing! All are interesting and are also for sale. From here you can't see the seating, but you can hear the clinking of crockery and cutlery around the back of the building. So, we followed the noice and entered the bar which was cosy and sophisticated. Antiques were dotted around, mixed with modern paintings, more statues, large quartz displays and a fireplace smouldering in the corner. There wasn't a real theme, but everything was a little bit out of the ordinary. There was a few people inside eating and enjoying the cocooning effects of the room, but most were enjoying the winter sunshine and eating outdoors. We were met by the hostess who led us outside. There you have a choice of tables on the verandah overlooking the burbling urn of water, or tables down on the terrace surrounding the water feature which the lad was pleased to find was filled with small fish. Although the tables are under the green painted lattice, there are lots of sunny spots to choose from and many tables were full which is a great sign mid-week. I overheard more than one table-full being welcomed back by the waitress, so the diners obviously keep coming back (another good sign!). In the corner under the shade of some huge leafy trees, and in full view of all tables (a plus when you have smaller kids trust me) there was a large, well laid out set of play equipment with 3 slippery dips and soft fall all enclosed with a child-latched fence. All you needed to do was lock 'em in and leave 'em! The tables were handsome wooden slats, but the chairs were very un-stylish, albeit practical, plastic moulded numbers. Because of the lovely surrounds I could forgive them that! The menu was quite a surprise, it had a lot of basics, but was still interesting and varied - the quality was in the detail. Schnapper Tempura, 700g steak, Home made pies with mash and peas, Veal Scallopini, were on offer with a comprehensive specials board. Alternatively, you could have a range of foccacias, turkish bread or wood fired bread rolls with lots of nice fillings. The childrens menu was the usual, fish and chips, or chicken nuggets and chips. Both for $9.90. I decided I needed a King Prawn linguine with baby spinach, fresh tomato and red sauce $21.50. I was asked if I wanted a little parmesan and pepper and with this it was really delicious and light. The lad loved it, and so did I. The portions were quite substantial though so come hungry, or adjust your ordering. The lad had the chicken nuggets, which didn't look too appetising I have to say. The fresh pieces of crumbed chicken were nice enough, but looked a little too brown against the anemic chips. All tasted fine, but I think sometimes the kids meals don't get enough attention in many places, and most mothers don't taste them, so I'm not always happy about ordering them. I can understand this as there are certainly times I've paid for a full meal for a hungry child (so they've said) only to have them eat 3 chips and leave the rest which as a chef must be very defeating. The lad gobbled one nugget before I could photograph it, so all was not lost! A range of wines, beers, smoothies, fruit frappes were on offer to accompany all flavours, we had the banana smoothie and usual strawberry milkshake. The staff were really lovely and helpful and their chattiness just added to the enjoyement of this busy but relaxed place. I can imagine it being absolutely packed on a summers day, with the huge shade trees making it a haven from the heat. With a quick play for the firstborn, and a quick rest from my main for me, we were hit with the dessert menu. Now, as a casual mid-week lunch, I would not normally be tempted to have a desert. Neither time nor tummy would allow it usually...HOWEVER, when faced with a pretty little lacey printed menu offering a tempting array of pancakes, biscotti, cakes and desserts.....well......I was defeated! I had real trouble making a decision, but decided on the Rasberry bliss meringue. How could I resist ? It arrived with a golf-ball sized dob of king island cream (how civilised!), but as I mentioned before, the helpings are huge..so make sure you are hungry! I did manage to polish it off with the help of the lad, but felt like a roly poly ball all the way home and I still don't know how I got my seat belt done up for the trip. Very delicious! The meringue was light and brittle, not too sweet, the centre was gooey enough and the rasberry coulis was really tasty and complimented the sweet of the meringue beautifully. Most of the cakes were $9.50 so well priced for the serving size and quality. This would be a great place to stop for afternoon tea, and is very very busy all day Sunday so it is advisable to make a booking. They also do dinners and functions and I really think it would be a fantastic venue for a large family party, especially in summer where the kids can run around and the older folk can enjoy the balmy night outdoors. Nice food, nice atmosphere, nice staff, what more can you want? You can find Greenshades Cafe at 353 Galston Road, Galston PH 9653 1500. Lunch 7 days, Dinner Friday and Saturday nights. Happi eating!

TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROAD.....

Each week, we make the trek out to the Sydney Equestrian Centre at Dural for the firstborns riding lessons, and on the way we pass a myriad of roadside stalls offering fabulously fresh seasonal produce. How lucky are we? Living on the northern outskirts of Sydney, at my disposal, I have a huge Westfield, and a multitude of fruit/veg shops to choose from. However, I'm finding that it is much more fun, foraging amongst the roadside offerings for my favoured flavours. They are better value, better tasting and the fact that I am also supporting local business is a real bonus. Pre-kids, I used to love the shopping experience in all its forms. These days however, I try my best to just get it over with the least amount of pain and suffering! What a sad situation to find myself in. Perhaps I'm just getting old? Bustling shopping centres, cranky fellow shoppers, fighting for parking spots...not a happy experience. So, each weekend, I now find myself eagerly anticipating the trip through the Galston Gorge as once on the other side, the fun begins. Along Galston road (Galston), the first stall I come across sells NEW POTATOs. I love to also support my local producers, so am happy to buy bulk of their hard earned product. On this stall I buy a 5 kg bag of lovely dirt covered potatoes for $7.00. Part of the adventure is then thinking through what I will be cooking with the produce, obviously tonight it will be smashed potatoes! I have a great recipe for them from the SMH and was pleased to be reminded of them by NQN recently. They are a family favourite and with 5 kgs of taties at my disposal..well...BRING IT ON! I pull up to the un-manned stall, to find a fellow shopper counting change. We have a chat, realise he is short 20c, I am happy to make up the shortfall, and we chat about the hastily texta'd sign at the stall asking us if we think it is easy growing and producing potatoes? And why we would consider taking a bag without leaving cash? It went on to describe the car that apparently does this regularly each friday evening on the way home from work....not good. I felt guilty by default and felt like waving my money about above my head so the unseen farmer inside could see I was putting my cash in the box! I think this is sad that the long held tradition of un-manned stalls, using the honour system for payment is no longer a viable option. No-one can afford to spend all day on a stall when they have produce to be attended to. I'd like to think that people would be honest, so I find it offensive on the part of the grower that he has to write such a missive. Not deterred, I move across the road to the POULTRY EGGS sign. Next door there is FRESH FLOWERS in a bucket, but today I needed eggs so we travel along the dirt driveway to the owners place to pick up a dozen. These three stalls are just before the roundabout at the Galston Village shops (where Goodies Bakery is so if you need a pie...drop in! ). As we pass through the shops, there is stalls on the left with great assortnment of fruit and veg. Part of the enjoyment of this experience is the scenery, the long fence-lined roads with horses, goats and the odd cow peeking over it. The budding fruit trees, lined up neatly in the orchards, the blue tintend mountain ridges in the distance, as well as the big, BIG houses to gawk at. In the country, I always expect the unexpected. Usually the first unusual sight is the group of brightly feathered wild chickens who gather at the very bottom of the Gorge. They happily wander across the road and will come running if you stop your car. Another day we were buying our fruit and there was a little white rabbit just hopping about the stall. Apparently it was the pet of the owners kids and he just fre-formed around the farm. How cute. We even came across some red speckled toadstools that were truly magical. A group of them had popped up on the footpath after a few days of rain and made us stop and investigate. Some as big as my hand, we imagined fairies living under them at night. I'm sure they were highly poisonous...but a sight to behold! One of my favourites has STRAWBERRIES, FIGS in season, really yummy JAMS made from both, EGGS, CAPSICUMS, EGGPLANT, TOMATOES and FRESH CUT FLOWERS. Today we got some big fat juicy strawberries, some as big as a child's hand and the flavour is stunningly sweet. We eat them in the car and a double punnet hardly ever makes it home! This is a manned stall, and the sign very clearly asks you to not park in front of the stall, and to move just behind to a large round dirt driveway. It always amuses me to see at least two cars parked next to that sign. Are they blind? Or did they swerve off the road at the last minute enticed by the glossy veg on show? The lovely lady on this stall is always pleasant and helpful. She is well-equipped with a little tv in the shed and is kept busy for hours with a steady stream of shoppers pulling over (next to the sign!). Next we go past the co-op bank which also has a fruit and veg stall near the Galston Aquatic complex. I haven't stopped here but I'm sure it is worth supporting as well (I do have my regular favourites though and don't tend to waiver from them these days). Zooming past Swanes Nursery, we pass a childs A-frame black board with "lemons $1 a bag" scrawled on it, and a dozen plastic bags lying around the base of it. Here they still rely on your honesty to put $1.00 in the little bucket. Further along we turn left onto Old Northern Road (Dural) and another two stalls on the left offer a great variety of goods. Vivid orange PUMPKIN, beautiful untainted green BROCCOLI (I hope our recently planted seedlings turn out like this), ORANGES, LEMONS, CAPSICUMS and CORN, to name a few. As I needed to make a speedy purchase (needed to get to horseriding on time) I was keen to find the owner to pay for my purchases, but the shed backed on to a fence with a big "beware of the dog" sign, so I wasn't keen to run in to knock on the door. It did give me a moment of panic as I wanted my vegies, and expected the owner to see me pull up and come out. They didn't so I had to take the chance and carefully tucked my $5 into the little pencil basket that was at the back of the stall. I hope they found it when packing up! It can take a while to get used to the prices and variety. Each stall has something a little different from the other, so it comes down to trying each and seeing what they have. It also comes down to parking, convenience and if you have the right change which can be an issue if it is an unmanned stall. Usually they have a locked box, so once the $$ go in, there is not change to be got so my advice is to have lots of change, know what you are after, and perhaps just stop at the manned stalls in the first instance if a bit timid. Its well worth the effort and is much more enjoyable than the other option. Of course I still have to go to the supermarket for other houseohold items, but having this little weekly sojourn, a nice chat to the stall holders, and nice produce to work with..is an infinitely better option in my book! I am looking forward to the seasonal changes in what is offered at my beloved road stalls next. Happi eating.