(Recipe requested by Karen and Jim @ Victor Harbor)
Ingredients:
1 kg gravy beef or chuck steak
1 pk french onion soup powder
half to one can beer
Cube meat, toss in onion soup powder to coat and place in casserole dish.Add beer (half can), cover and cook in a moderate slow oven for 3 hours. Stir once or twice adding more beer if necessary. Add a pinch of nutmeg and chilli (both optional).
Serve with potato mash and greens.
Blade or skirt steak can be used ….cook for 2 hours…but I believe it has less flavour.
A great tasting and easy recipe…if cooking in the caravan add at least an extra hour (depending on your precious caravan oven).
If cooking in the camp oven over glowing coals, cook for only 2 hours.
We arrived in Victor Harbor yesterday and have decided to stay for 4 nights. It is a lovely spot, with what looks like plenty to do. We also have to catch up on a bit of work. (can’t be all holidaying and no work unfortunately).
This morning we took a long walk across the bridge over to Granite Island where all the penguins nest at night. It was a great walk, especially as we are getting a reprieve from the very hot temperatures. (around 40 degrees.) Beautiful views.
While we were working away in the van this morning we heard a huge groan and then an almighty crash. A gum tree came down on the van just near us. Bugger. Usually this sort of thing happens to us. Tomorrow we have been invited for coffee at the home of friends we met at McLaren Vale who live here in Victor Harbor. As Victor Harbor is a larger town, we will also be trying some of their many restaurants.
It is now the evening of the 30th. We have decided to stay in Victor Harbor until this Friday the 3rd February. We ordered new bikes which will arrive on Thursday. We love walking, but feel bikes will boost our exercise that bit more. We ended up catching up with our new found friends, Yvonne and Dave this afternoon, enjoying our visit very much. Nick, we went to a great Indian Restaurant tonight. You would have loved it.
………Forget the Indian Restaurant last night. It was delicious, but must have had food colouring, 621 or msg added as we were wide awake all night. A huge storm hit at 4am, so we did what most caravaners have to do, we pulled the shade screen and awning down in terribly strong winds in the dark. We were not the only ones doing this at 4am! We actually got a couple of hours sleep after that. Oh well….caravaning.
Yvonne and DaveVictor Harbor BluffSteam Train Victor HarborCamels on Victor Harbor beach
Horse drawn tram between Granite Island and Victor Harbor
Today we went to one of my long awaited restaurants that I drag Mal along too….”The Star of Greece” in Port Walunga, SA.
We were not disappointed… Amazing food, service and yes…wine. I forgot to mention the views. Did I mention the food !!!! We really enjoyed our meals. Too good to be true.
One of the views from "Star of Greece Restaurant"Star of Greece
Tables set up inside ready for a weddingOur table, we looked out to sea from my left....amazing. Before the food...I was too busy eating after this to take photos.!!!!Star of Greece...and it's interesting art
We have spent a lovely couple of days in the Barossa Valley. We leave tomorrow to travel via Hahndorf, to McLaren Vale.
Yesterday we explored the Barossa, finishing up at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop Restaurant. A good way to end the day. Eating and stocking the larder with delicious food.
Today we explored again, visiting Tanunda Winery then ending up joining a group of people at the “Australia Day Whistler Wines Celebrations”. This included wine (!!!) , Aussie Lamb Burgers, Tug a War (bad when the rope broke on the first go….lucky they had a spare), Sack Races, water balloon games, the Barossa Thong Throwing Competion, horse carriage rides with two of the most beautifully looked after and behaved horses I have ever seen, (and I’ve seen a few) and a good band playing. Fun for all ages. We were proud to be Aussies amongst such a friendly group.
The Barossa Valley in summer heat
Maggie Beer's Farm Gate RestaurantBarossa Valley...very dry and arid at the moment......unlike the Nth Coast of NSW
Tanunda Wines
Maggie Beer’s Farmshop
Whistler Winery Australia Day
One of the heats of Tug a WarWhistler WineryThe eagles fly at Whistler Winery
We left Silverton this morning after Mal had the pleasure of actually showering in the rain. He took his soap and enjoyed washing under one of their rare rain storms. We visited Pro Hart’s Gallery in Broken Hill. What a great artist he was. We then drove from Broken Hill to a small “Ghost Town” called Terowie in South Australia.
In the early 1900’s it was a busy town as it was on the main train line. This train line closed in 1960, and the many incredible buildings shut up, as happened right throughout Australia, including Wilcannia as earlier mentioned. These buildings still stand in memory of these times. The only people we have met are a young Lebanese couple running the fuel stop. Tonight we are camped next to the old train station with the buildings still standing.
It is now evening, 9pm and still very light, and we have no water. We have run dry….thanks Mal….no cup of tea, no shower, no toilet (lucky we have a shovel), no clean the teeth (I will use his beer for that…??????). Lucky we have plenty of bottled water, but really???
A deserted train line on the way from Broken Hill to South Australia
Terowie SA...we camped next to these deserted railway buildings.Our campsite at TerowieMal under the Peppercorn TreeInside one of the railway buildings...it reminded us of the trees at Brundah.
We arrived in Broken Hill yesterday to just under 40 degree temperatures, after spending 10 hours driving from Warren near Cobar. Silverton Hotel and a cold beer looked good.We traveled over 700kms so did well. Mal got very excited whenever we went around the very rare bend. We “rock and rolled” all the way to music from Mossy, Barnsey and INXS just to name a few. Mal looked like “cheap wine and a 3 day growth” by the time we got there. He just needed the wine. We had to stop to chase emus, goats and horses off the road a few times. We had slept in a paddock on the side of the road the night before and it was amazing. We went to sleep under the gums to the sound of the lambs bleating. Beautiful!!
Spent last night and tonight camping at the historic town of Silverton. We could stay longer but want to head down to Menindee Lake tomorrow night (about 120kms from Broken Hill.)
Wilcannia Court house and Police Station...about the only building still openOne of the many incredible building that are just closed up...Wilcannia
2 of the many horses we chased off the road...I would have loved to take them home.A dry river bank...but next month it could be raging water.One of the many building in the Heritage Listed Historic Town of SilvertonDonkeys run wildSilverton
Silverton GallerySilverton GalleryThe famous Silverton Hotel where movies such as A Town Like Alice, The Mad Max Series and Razorback were filmedMundi Plains Silverton
After leaving Tenterfield yesterday we headed to Tamworth. We stopped of at Guyra on the way and joined in on the “Lamb and Potato Festival”. Very unique! Guyra is 4330 feet above sea level. It was warmer this time than our last visit. Mal airconditioned the Westpac Bank a few years ago and while they were doing the job (and had the roof off the bank), it started snowing.
As it is Tamworth Country Music Week we were lucky enough to be staying at our really good long term friends place, Mike and Kim Ridley. Mike and Kim have an airconditioning company called MR Services and Mal occasionally works for Mike. Kim also has a company called The Spice Trading Company that producers and sells delicious seasoning mixes. Visit www.thespicetradingcompany.com.au for more details. We will be enjoying some of the huge range of spices on our trip thanks to Kim’s generosity. We enjoyed a relaxing night with Kim, Mike, Madison and Zac. (Hunter was away at the time)
GuyraMount Moombi TamworthZac
Mal giving Zac a hard timeMaddieMissy the Husky..yes, her eyes are two different colours...one brown and one blue.KimmyMikeTamworth is full of Cowboys and CowgirlsThey start young at Tamworth Country MusicThe Big Golden Guitar Tamworth
We have started our next trip in our “baby” caravan. We are on our way to Perth via Tenterfield, Tamworth, Broken Hill, Barossa, Adelaide, Nullabor, Esperance, Albany, Margaret River and whatever we find in between. We have a bit under 7 weeks before Rebecca and Steve’s wedding at Freemantle in Perth on the 4th March, so will see heaps in that time.
The start……….
Tonight and tomorrow we are staying at Michael and Kathy’s place in Tenterfield (for those unsure…Michael and Kathy are one of our sons and daughter in law).
Michael and Kathy's beautiful home...built from original Tenterfield brick. They have a stunning garden so the home is hidden by trees during summer.Michael and Kathy have a "zoo" including 2 Maremma Italian Sheepdogs...Jack and Milly. They are huge and only puppies at the moment so still have more growing to do.Milly
I don’t really have a recipe for this, but taste as you go…
Thai Red Curry
Fry 2 tablespoons red curry paste with the top cream from a can of coconut cream.
Add remainder of can. Add 1 tablespoon fish sauce, chopped coriander stem, large red chilli and some fresh or bottled lemongrass. Add chopped sweet potato and chopped carrot.
Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.( May need to add some coconut milk or small amount of chicken stock).
Add seafood (ie…prawns, firm white fish, salmon, vongole, mussels or scallops.)
Add chopped coriander and snow peas just before serving with rice. Enjoy with a beer or wine
A great tasting and easy recipe…if cooking in the caravan add at least an extra hour (depending on your precious caravan oven).
