Holiday Food of the week - Monday, 27th October 2014

Last Saturday week, at a birthday picnic by a lake, under tall, towering eucalyptus trees, a friend offered slices of her flourless orange cake, made with ground almonds. It was delicious, very light and totally more-ish.

Last Thursday, at Ringwood Golf Club's Mister Fox coffee bar where I espied this notice....

Flourless Mandarin & Polenta.....and

Well, it was a forgone conclusion...I had to have it.....it was delicious....

I do love polenta both granular and block format, for its versatility, usefulness and easy to buy qualities.  It's good to buy from Waitrose where it's always on the shelves and, where they have many other wantable food items to buy!!!

On Friday, at Yarra Valley's The Dairy, we ate the most delicious lunch of goats cheeses, tomato and chilli chutney with good bread and crackers.  Their dining area is fairly small and situated at the rear of the building, overlooking the Yarra Valley, with flowers, hedges and grass paths observable from the wide  glass windows.  We watched the busy birds flutter towards the building's guttering and roof area, ladened down with twigs and grasses, nest building and home making.  Lunch was great, so too the household goods to buy, the bread and wine to sample and the cheeses to take away for home dining....

glorious cheese, tomato and chilli chutney and scrumptious bread - what's not to love about such a happy lunch !!!








On Saturday, we had lunch at Cloudhill Garden's Restaurant at Olinda where I could have eaten gluten-free very easily, for their menu included some very good such items but, I fancied their chicken and vegetable Hot Pot Pie.  I decided to make sure to up my water intake for the rest of the day, settling back with my Latte in happy contemplation of the meal to come.  Was I happy with my choice well, most definitely yes.  The dish was covered with a fine golden brown crust and the chicken filling, hot, succulent and well-flavoured.  Here's my photos of our food...

My Chicken Hot Pot Pie...

warming Pumpkin Soup...and

Marinated Beef and vegetables

On Sunday, we whipped up a quince Semifreddo, using Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe for Strawberry and Yoghurt Semifreddo from his Book - River Cottage FRUIT everyday!  We felt the quince would be delicious with the other ingredients - eggs, sugar, cream, yoghurt and vanilla seeds and we were absolutely right.  It is a smashing semi-frozen pudding and one which I will certainly make again...

Our strawberry and quince puree dressed quince Semifreddo - just scrumptious.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Book - "River Cottage FRUIT everyday!" is absolutely packed, cover to cover, with brilliant fruit based and inspired recipes.  I'm definitely adding this book to my wish list and Christmas list.



Individual good things eaten this week included lactose free milk in my iced coffee by Gloria Jean's Coffee at a nearby supermarket, lovely breakfasts of granola or oats with banana slices, bowls of hot and spicy pork with beans + Kaffir Lime Leaves and Chilli, in a recipe by Adam Liaw from his Book - "Adam's Big Pot".  An excellent dish, full of flavour and colour and supremely easy to prepare and cook.

We've bought lovely chutney and jams from the Produce stalls at various sites, I've had iced coffee served in a jam jar and a gorgeous iced chocolate at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery, bought packets of gluten-free crisps from Yerton Station and enjoyed fine spring weather.  All in all, I'd say the week has definitely been marvellous from start to finish.   Could life get any better ?!!!

Daisy