Now here is a little bit of news from Hallidays Point. Yes, some of it is Christmas related, but they do throw a great party down there, so it is worth a mention – it was sent to me by one of our readers.
Each year the Red Head village community partakes in a Christmas light competition, where the streets are beautifully lit up with a display of street lights, helping to keep Essential Energy afloat and giving the village a wonderful festive feel. At the annual Christmas party, the previous year’s winner has the honour of selecting the current year’s winner of the competition.
There was great excitement when Maddison Aiken announced that this year’s winners were Cathy and Grant Whitelaw. More than 100 residents attended the Christmas Party held in the Red Head Reserve, and the highlight was the arrival of the Santa Claus with his endless supply of lollies. He is a hit at every street party, that Santa Claus!
Still at Hallidays Point, the 2012 Head2Head Ocean Classic was held on Monday 2 January 2012 at Black Head Beach, with fantastic conditions, the sun shining and the seas calm after some pretty heavy swells the week before. Numbers were up on last year’s swim, with a successful day for the hardworking team at the surf club. 2012 was the third year for the ocean swims, with 88 finishers in the 700 m race and 161 in the 1500 m race.
Sixteen year old Kurtis Kavanagh from Burleigh Waters in QLD took the honours in both races. In the 1500 m race, last year’s winner, 15 year old Connor Shakespeare from Forster, came in 11 seconds later to claim 2nd place.
In the women’s section, 41 year old Dori Miller from Sydney NSW was the first female home in both races. Last year’s winner of the 1500 m race, 15 year old Maddison Carnegie from Bella Vista in NSW, came in 13 seconds behind Dori to take 2nd placed female.
This year also saw the running of the inaugural 10 km ocean ski race as part of the day’s events. 18 hardy paddlers took part in the race from Black Head Beach to Diamond Beach and return, with the winner being 37 year old Shane Cornish from Forster, while 46 year old Laura Thurtell from Forster was the first female home.
As I said, Bent on Food has been busy with many happenings, including the successful launch of our evening menu, cooking classes and the usual chaos.
At the cookery school, Michael and his daughter Gaby enjoyed conducting a Big Chef, Little Chef class, with participants learning the art of cutting a chicken and turning it into the most wonderful Fricassee; I was on the dishes, so I was given a taste … yum. Not to mention that the dessert was my favourite – vanilla pannacotta, all wobbly, and perfectly formed too!
A private class was also held, with the Cudlin ladies learning some pasta making skills and my next favourite dessert, tiramisu. The ladies had a great time, and they were a pleasure to spend the evening with. They were good sharers too, and their ravioli was restaurant quality.
Michael and I also taught some very well behaved children how to make cupcakes and 3 different types of icing. The children were delightful, and they were all very good students. I felt very special when they all donated a cupcake to me – like I need any more food!
Troy Bayliss was a hit when he visited Taree Motorcycle Club’s annual twilight meet held at Old Bar race track on Saturday 21 January. Troy was competing on the day in a number of classes and was clearly a crowd favourite, with the spectators enjoying seeing their hometown boy race locally. Troy is now retired and living on the Gold Coast with his family. Originally from Taree, he returned to his home track for the first time in 20 years.
I would love to hear from you if you have any social events, weddings, parties, anything!
Send pics and info to Donna Carrier
Cheers, Donna.

It is so funny that many of us make a career out of Christmas day. We begin planning Christmas day in October; whose turn is it to have lunch at their place? Who will bring the turkey, or the ham? Who will make the pudding? Will we buy presents for each other, or just for the children?

I feel my head spinning with all this Christmas talk, my heart races and all I can think about is whether I will make it to Christmas Day without going insane! When it gets here, I will probably just curl up under a table somewhere, exhausted. Have I ordered enough stock? Or too much? Will the hamper orders come in, or will I be stuck with Christmas puddings to promote in July? Do I have enough staff? How many Christmas parties will we cater for?

I am sure you all relate in your own lives – same stress, albeit different issues for all of us! This Christmas, spare a thought or a few dollars for the homeless. At Bent on Food, we have joined Street Smart in a great initiative called Dine Smart, to raise funds to help those in need of food and shelter. It just takes $2 on top of your bill; you will not miss it, but it will certainly be appreciated.

Oh … and another big dilemma of mine is what I will I be drinking on Christmas Day – I suspect something bubbly and perhaps red, preferably all in the same bottle. I just love a sparkling red on Christmas Day! Anyway, wine talk is not my column, so before I get too carried away I will move on to what’s been happening around the region socially.

On Saturday, October 15, Amy Harrison married Morgan Redman at Memorial Park in Gloucester, with around 120 friends and family gathering to witness the happy couple share their vows. Guests travelled from as far away as Brisbane to celebrate the occasion. It was a beautiful ceremony officiated by Phillip Cutcliffe, and it was fortuitous that the weather held out until after the vows were exchanged – a wonderful start to the marriage.

The reception was held at the Gloucester RSL, and the theme was Amy’s favourite colour: purple. The beautiful wedding cake was made by Amy’s very talented friend, Shane Edwards. Congratulations to Amy and Morgan; I am sure you will have a long and happy life together.

I was understandably quite distraught that once again I was out of town for a very auspicious occasion, the Fistula Trust fundraiser high tea. The fundraiser was held on 19 November at the Robertson residence ‘Bowarra’ and attracted a large flock of ladies who wore their best attire and partook in lady games such as ‘the handbag toss’ and ‘the high heeled shoe race’. The best hat was worn by none other than Bronwyne Wallace, who looked stunning in black. The afternoon raised around $750 – great job ladies!

Manning Valley finalists travelled to Sydney for the NSW Tourism Awards held at the exhibition centre at Darling Harbour. Finalists included Honeycomb Valley at Nabiac, Old Bar Beach Festival, Manning Valley Tourism and Bent on Food/Bent on Life. We were very pleased to take home a silver award, and congratulations must go to all the finalists who help to promote the Manning Valley and the wider region through their efforts.

The Great Lakes Business Awards were held on October 26 at Tuncurry Bowling Club, with 200 guests attending to celebrate and reward business excellence.

There were many deserving winners in a number of categories, with the overall business of the year award going to Free Spirit Cruises. Peter Mannow of Free Spirit Cruises is passionate about the Great Lakes, tourism and the environment, and it is great to see this business being rewarded for the contribution they make to a very important industry. If you would like to support the finalists and winners of the Great Lakes Business Awards, you can visit the Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber website at http://www.ftchamber.com.au

While we are congratulating award winners, the management and staff at Kiddies Hut, Diamond Beach travelled to Sydney in October for the Australian Child Care Week Awards, where they were finalists in a whopping 5 categories. Congratulations for a great achievement Natalie and team; I am sure you had a great night.

To finish for the year, I would like to mention some of the highlights of 2011. The beautiful wedding of Stefanie and Mike that we catered for at Clarendon in April was definitely a memorable occasion, with the lovely Sarah Julian officiating, topped off by a gorgeous couple who looked great and enjoyed the day.

Another favourite was Kate Blenkin’s 50th birthday party, where we didn’t have to cater; instead, we just got to turn up in our Sunday best and enjoy great food, fabulous company and a glass or two of sparkles. Another occasion that I thoroughly enjoyed was the visit by ABC’s Robbie Buck to Wingham, where local musicians, including James Johnston and The Workshop played live to the listeners across NSW and the ACT. Di Morrissey and Eric Richardson spoke about how much they loved the region and about the impact of the floods – all this and the quiz being broadcast from Bent on Food.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the readers a safe and happy festive occasion. Please make sure you enjoy precious time with loved ones and remember to relax. Take care on the roads, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

I have also been hooked on Australia’s Got Talent, where I have felt like a part of the show because I have fallen in love with each and every one of the finalists. I can’t believe the talent that has come out of this series. From young to old, they all deserve to win.

Chef to the stars, Kate McAloon spends her time feeding celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Steven Spielberg. At the beginning of July, just a few days after an article about chef Kate featured in the Body and Soul liftout in Sunday’s Telegraph, she dropped by for breakfast and a look around the shop. Kate was a guest of Sandra Fishwick from Red Plateau Organics. She spent four days touring the region, with a visit to Marrook Farm in Elands, where she toured their cheese and yoghurt making facility. She also visited Hand n Hoe Organic Macadamia Farm just out of Wingham, Ricardoes Tomatoes and The Other Chef Fine Foods in Port Macquarie, along with a visit to Sandra’s organic avocado farm.

Kate shared a wonderful dinner cooked by chef Michael James at The Bunker Restaurant at Tallwoods with myself, Grahame Nash and Sandra Fishwick. She also ate at the Harrington Hotel, where she met the staff and enjoyed the fresh seafood. During her visit, Kate dropped by the new Bent on Food cookery school, where she helped some of the kids peel some potatoes for their gnocchi class. Kate enjoyed the area and promised to come back soon.

During the floods that ravaged the region, Robbie Buck and his crew broadcast live across NSW and ACT from Bent on Food. I have a segment with Robbie each month where I share a recipe and chat about what’s in season, so it was wonderful to finally meet for a live broadcast. We were also very fortunate to have James Johnston in town, who dropped in with his acoustic guitar and played one of his original tracks. Kevin Ballard and Steve Benjamin from The Workshop played live, and local emergency services came in for a chat. Manning Valley Tourism Ambassador, Di Morrissey and Historian Eric Richardson spoke to Robbie about the floods and the beauty of our unspoilt valley. A great crowd shared a few glasses of local Red Tail wines, along with some Osso Bucco made with local Linga Longa beef, Marrook Farm and Comboyne Culture cheeses and Rudi’s yummy cheese kranskys. We participated in Norman the quiz, and the loaf of hightop bread was won by an enthused local.

Mack and Joan Gibson of Wingham, together with 28 family and friends, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary over a luncheon on Saturday 2 July at Artisans Retreat. To add to their special day, the original wedding party were all present, including the best man, Keith Terras, the matron of honour, Audrey Jones and the bridesmaid, Rhondda Canfield (nee Jones). Their wedding took place 50 years ago on the Central Coast, where they were married by Philip Lucock.

Early July saw some spectacular weather, perfect for picnic celebrations during Naidoc Week. The local Biripi and Worimi communities organised some deadly events to commemorate the annual week long event around the theme of ‘Change: the next step is ours’. Some of the highlights included a picnic day out at Saltwater National Park featuring show bags, face painting, a magician, some competitions for the kids, a free sausage sizzle and a plethora of activities at Purfleet, including horse riding, a jumping castle and music featuring local band The Jay Davis Trio on Friday 1 July.

Out at Tuncurry/Forster, local highly respected elder Aunty Mae Simon was acknowledged and thanked for her incredible dedication and contribution to the Worimi community at a Naidoc festival day held at John Wright Park.

The Jay Davis Trio became the Jay Davis Duo at The Bean Bar, Taree on Saturday July 16, with the absence of didg player and percussionist, Sam Mehan. Jay and bassist, Benn Saunders had some assistance on the night with a special appearance by good mate and talented vocalist/guitarist, Nathan Tickle. Jay’s Soul/Funk/Rock/Pop fusion sound had the packed and highly appreciative restaurant diners on their feet several times.

And now, to socialising in business. Around 40 people attended a networking evening at Bowers Café on Tuesday 26 July to formally relaunch the Taree Chamber of Commerce. President Shane McLeay encouraged business people to become involved and spoke about their plans for the future. Steve Attkins from Great Lakes Winery addressed the group on developing a successful business and shared some of the fruits of his labours.

If you are in business, do not forget to nominate for the Manning Valley Business Awards this year. Nominating is easy, and it is a great way to analyse your business. Along with the usual categories, this year a special dedication will be made to Bruce Cowan, who worked hard for our community for many years. The Inaugural Bruce Cowan Award will recognise an outstanding contribution by an individual to business, thus impacting on the wider community. The social side is the Gala awards evening on September 9, and we are planning another big one this year.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to

donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

Daylight savings is over, and there is a slight chill in the air. I really enjoy autumn weather; it’s a little bit brisk, and it’s still light enough in the morning to get out and about. Easter is over and Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and I feel quite positive as I think about future projects and about the possibility of some travel later in the year.

I think that some of this positivity comes from attending Kochie’s Business Bootcamp this month. Marcia Bourke from Ashlea Road Boutique and I travelled to Sydney for a two day bootcamp that included discussions and presentations from some of the most inspirational people I have ever met. I have attended many seminars and conferences, but this one was the most amazing experience I could imagine possible as a business person.

Another positive experience was Dyana and Peter Brown’s 40th wedding anniversary, held at the beautiful Molines in the Hunter Valley. Grahame and I, along with Rebecca Irvine and Chris Poleszczuk joined some of their special friends and relatives for a wonderful celebration. The scenery was picture perfect, the weather was stunning, great food and wine and excellent company. It was a fabulous day, and we were honoured to be able to share their special day with them.

Jannette Mosely was guest speaker at the April get together of the Manning Valley Business Women’s group held at Rio’s in Taree. Jannette shared her expertise on financial planning, with a focus on women in business. Jannette highlighted that all too often women worry about everybody else and forget to plan ahead for ourselves. We all enjoyed an informal discussion over a glass of wine or two.

The opening on Saturday 16 April of the most diverse art exhibition ever to be held at The Great Lakes Art Society was a great success. Vicki Bullard, the Art Society President, introduced Great lakes Councillor Leigh Vaughn, who opened the exhibition with a reminder to all guests and artists that looking at art is a great mental exercise for old and young alike. This year’s Judge was Robyn Collier, a multi-award winning artist.

Artists from around Australia have entered the exhibition, and there is a wonderful array of works with great variation of subject, style and medium used. Everyone was thrilled to see a number of local artists, including several members of the Art Society receive awards and recognition by many guests of their work on the night.

Cara and Matthew Thrippleton were married at the Anglican church in Forster on 26 March 2011 in front of 100 family and friends. Reception was held at B52’s in the Forster main street. Although the weather wasn’t quite what was wished for, the showers of rain stopped when it had to, and a great day was had by all.

Andrew and Brooke Kidd’s wedding was held on 19 February. The girls enjoyed the morning getting ready in some amazing accommodation on the beachfront at Boomerang Beach. The ceremony was held on the lake shore out the front of the Pacific Palms Rec Club. The day was enjoyed by around 125 friends and family. Andrew grew up in the area and has plenty of family living in the region. The reception went perfectly, and a great night was had by all at the Pacific Palms Rec Club.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

Even before Cyclone Yasi hit the coast of Far North Queensland, banana prices had been hiked up to $7.00 a kilo amongst large supermarket chains.

Call it a pre-emptive strike, call it savvy economics based on the predictions of the Bureau of Meteorology, call it really bloody unsubtle, call it daylight robbery. It is what it is. And whether you like it or not, demand and supply is king.

Supermarkets have no problem with passing the buck (or lack thereof) onto the consumer. And, as demonstrated with Cyclone Yasi – even weeks before the effects of natural disasters are felt, they are able to protect their bottom lines with premeditated price rises.

Naturally this caused outrage within the community. As consumers, we exercised the power of choice and boycotted the gargantuan culprits, turning in favour towards our small, local independent grocers, who actually have a conscience and do not have the lion’s share of consumers (and suppliers) wrapped around their little fingers – therefore being able to use, and subsequently abuse, their power.

It’s just way the cookie crumbles. Big companies pull the strings and call the shots. Smaller, independent operators resist shonky tactics, but eventually the simple rules of demand and supply do prevail – and what there is a shortage of rises in price.

And there’s much more where that came from too, what with more than 75% of Queensland having been declared a disaster zone over this most tempestuous summer. It’s the ‘fruit bowl’ of Australia, not to mention amongst the largest producers in the world of that integral ingredient known as ‘sugar’.

Well, it’s all very well that supermarkets can pass the sting onto you. There’s the smallest comfort in being able to put a reason to it (i.e. category 5 cyclone). It’s right there in your face though, and although annoying – at least you can rationalise it.

Unfortunately however, the same opportunity to directly pass on price increases to the consumer does not exist in every industry.

Supply shortages (the kind that make supermarkets hike their prices) affect the food industry on every level. This particularly applies to your local restaurants. Wholesale prices rise in a similar fashion to retail prices. The prices of essential and basic ingredients can, and do, escalate sharply – sometimes without warning. Natural disasters, shipping issues, CPI increments and various other things all add up to steep and painful increases.

Food costs rise sharply as a result, leaving narrower profit margins. What is the solution, you may ask? Hike up prices in a supermarket fashion? It’s not that simple …

People may grumble about paying more for bananas, but at the end of the day they buy them. But many of us take enormous offence at escalated menu prices. And for that matter, the same offence to that other cost-cutting restaurant solution – smaller portion sizes. Or in the same family – perhaps using frozen instead of fresh, substituting an inferior cut of meat …

So much offence is taken, that a refusal to dine in such a restaurant is not an infrequent occurrence.

But at the end of the day, a business operator who wishes to stay afloat amidst ever increasing prices, yet still retain their quality, integrity and reputation – has no choice except to do the same as everyone else. That is, pass the cost on to the customer.

Perhaps it’s because a restaurant is one step further away on the food chain, that prepared food on a plate is a world away from the banana trays at Coles, which is the reason that many do not see the connection. Or, that many folks have a natural suspicion of prices on menus, and their connection with the value they perceive is already dubious.

On the other hand, smart operators can do a lot to keep food costs down – keeping to seasonal ingredients, using every part of a cut of meat for example. But unfortunately there’s some cost escalations which just can’t be worn and have to be passed on in order to deliver the same quality and just to keep the doors open. Sadly, this means you will keep paying more in the supermarket and more in your favourite restaurant.

On the bright side, however … we restaurateurs don’t have enough time on our hands to scour the Bureau of Meteorology’s website and reprint our menus when we see a tropical low heading our way!

One man’s trash is another’s treasure. Or something like that. We humans are a diverse bunch – the way we perceive the world us varies wildly. And not just between different socio-economic, cultural or geographic levels, but between people on the same street, who grew up in the same town, went to the same school and earn more or less the same salary.

We were all born with unique personalities. And we all grew up with different interests and talents. Some we came to early on, others we learnt much later. As adults, we know what we like and what we don’t like. After years of experimentation and the resulting mistakes (often) and triumphs (occasionally), we have hopefully created a life for ourselves surrounded by the things we like.

There’s the hobbies that we pursue actively in our leisure time, the careers we gravitate towards, the friends we hang out with. The only thing we can’t really choose is our family. But that’s another story …

What I’m getting at though (and I’ll cut the pre-amble now), is that what we hold dear and what we choose to surround ourselves with are the things (and people!) that we value.

This naturally extends right from our spiritual, social and emotional lives into our economic life – i.e. right to the hip pocket. It dictates what we choose to spend our hard earned cash on. It is the voice inside our heads telling us what we’ll splurge on, what we’ll save on, what is a total rip off …

And this is where I come back to the trash and treasure turn of phrase. Where you see value, I may not. But you and I may be different.

I’m going to head back into the restaurant world to cite an example here. Two people dine together; let’s call them Bob and Sam. Bob is very keen for Sam to try his new, favourite restaurant. Sam is keen and can’t wait to catch up. They sit down, look at the menus. Bob enthuses about his favourite dishes, “You’ve got to try the prawns here!” Sam thinks, “Gee … for that price they better be bloody amazing.” The food comes, and Bob loves his meal. Sam thinks the sauce was a bit spicy and the portion not big enough for the price … Sam feels like going for a burger, as he is still hungry, but his wallet is empty after the exorbitantly priced meal.

He is, shall we say, quite disgruntled. Bob, although sorry that his friend didn’t enjoy the restaurant, still really enjoyed his meal and felt that although it wasn’t cheap, compared to other restaurants – it was worth every cent. He thinks to himself, “Better just meet Sam down the pub next time.”

Bob obviously found value here, and Sam didn’t. It didn’t matter to Sam that the fish was fresh and local. Each meal was handcrafted and freshly prepared with skill and flair. The service in the restaurant was flawless and friendly, the beer was from an artisan boutique brewery, the wine a beautiful Coonawarra cabernet. It was still a rip-off, and frankly, he would have been far happier down the pub with a schooner of Extra Dry. Sam can’t believe Bob is happy to pay such a fortune for a meal, when there are $7 steaks down the road.

This is one example of how different two people can be. In a restaurant, it’s often a simple case of one person being interested in food and wine, and one not. You may not think $50 for a bottle of wine represents good value, but I may not think $500 for a golf club is worth it either.

If you like something, have prior knowledge on a subject, appreciate something, or it is your hobby or career, then you will understand it. You are in a position to be able to assess relative value, compare it to other items. You will know if it is hard to come by, a good brand, or a good year. You are equipped with a trained eye that can appreciate good workmanship – whether it’s hand stitching, leather trimming or a crispy skin on a fillet of ocean trout.

I’m not saying that you have to understand everything to enjoy it – sometimes the best things in life are the spontaneous events that we just fall into. But when it comes to opening our wallets, our minds are often only open in as far as the direct capacity that we have to directly perceive the value of what we are paying for.

We are all different. And that’s what makes it fun …

Sometimes in life, as we all know, the times we look forward to the most are the times that wind up being fraught with mishap and downright disappointment.

Now, not wanting to be too much of a cynic (although a healthy dose in moderation, of course, is somewhat necessary to manage expectations in this crazy world of ours) … but I do feel inclined to wax lyrical upon the holiday season – the pressure it places on everyone, the larger than usual margin for error that it brings is equally as relevant as the joy, the reunion and relaxation components.

Pick a family … indeed, almost any family. Throw several to numerous members of the said family, their offspring and other-halves into the mix. Douse in copious amounts of alcohol, sprinkle liberally with way too much food. Add generous splashes of fatigue, heat and humidity. Stir in past grudges, personality clashes and childhood phobias. Serve immediately with chilli on top …

What is this called? Ah yes, it’s the typical Australian summer holiday experience.

Don’t get me wrong, once again I need to stress that when it’s good, it’s really good! But when it’s bad … it’s not really fun, or relaxing, or entirely what it’s cut out to be.

The problem is pressure … residual pressure from the mad scramble to organise everything before Christmas, then pressure to organise visitors / and or holiday accommodation, pressure to navigate to unfamiliar destinations, pressure to make decisions about what to do, where to go …The list goes on. This is where ‘trying to relax’ becomes a full-time, stress-laden occupation.

And the summer ‘holiday’ dreamt about while juggling mundane tasks in the office, or navigating supermarket aisles on a dreary winter’s afternoon, becomes a reality not as sweet as previously thought.

There’s something to be said for those perfunctory daily routines of our ordinary lives. Although they most certainly lack excitement and possibility, there is sheer comfort to be found in the fact that most of the time not too much can go wrong. And because our expectations aren’t particularly high, we can allow ourselves to be content with small things – basic pleasures.

The problem with holidays is that we put all of our eggs in the one basket – we expect to cram huge amounts of enjoyment into a week or two. We expect everything to run smoothly, although we’re way out of our comfort zone and existing on a haphazard tightrope of differing expectations, rapidly constructed itineraries and clashing personalities. We’re at the mercy of roads or aeroplanes at a time when everyone else in the world seems to be too.

We’re relying on the assurances of someone we spoke to on the phone that our accommodation will be up to scratch. Our coastal paradise is reliant on the daily repetition of sunshine … what on earth will we do if it rains? We imagine that every meal will be delicious, every check-in seamless.

And yes, we know in our hearts that life’s just not like that. It’s not perfect. But a well-earned break after a busy year should be pleasurable, not painful.

I’m not advocating staying at home. No way. Some of the best memories come from those summer holidays … the most fun times, the most hilarious moments. And that’s what it comes down to and the only advice I have for dealing with this time of year … laugh!

Because, there’s more often than not, a funny side. All you have to do it find it …

Sometimes in life, as we all know, the times we look forward to the most are the times that wind up being fraught with mishap and downright disappointment.

Now, not wanting to be too much of a cynic (although a healthy dose in moderation, of course, is somewhat necessary to manage expectations in this crazy world of ours) … but I do feel inclined to wax lyrical upon the holiday season – the pressure it places on everyone, the larger than usual margin for error that it brings is equally as relevant as the joy, the reunion and relaxation components.

Pick a family … indeed, almost any family. Throw several to numerous members of the said family, their offspring and other-halves into the mix. Douse in copious amounts of alcohol, sprinkle liberally with way too much food. Add generous splashes of fatigue, heat and humidity. Stir in past grudges, personality clashes and childhood phobias. Serve immediately with chilli on top …

What is this called? Ah yes, it’s the typical Australian summer holiday experience.

Don’t get me wrong, once again I need to stress that when it’s good, it’s really good! But when it’s bad … it’s not really fun, or relaxing, or entirely what it’s cut out to be.

The problem is pressure … residual pressure from the mad scramble to organise everything before Christmas, then pressure to organise visitors / and or holiday accommodation, pressure to navigate to unfamiliar destinations, pressure to make decisions about what to do, where to go …The list goes on. This is where ‘trying to relax’ becomes a full-time, stress-laden occupation.

And the summer ‘holiday’ dreamt about while juggling mundane tasks in the office, or navigating supermarket aisles on a dreary winter’s afternoon, becomes a reality not as sweet as previously thought.

There’s something to be said for those perfunctory daily routines of our ordinary lives. Although they most certainly lack excitement and possibility, there is sheer comfort to be found in the fact that most of the time not too much can go wrong. And because our expectations aren’t particularly high, we can allow ourselves to be content with small things – basic pleasures.

The problem with holidays is that we put all of our eggs in the one basket – we expect to cram huge amounts of enjoyment into a week or two. We expect everything to run smoothly, although we’re way out of our comfort zone and existing on a haphazard tightrope of differing expectations, rapidly constructed itineraries and clashing personalities. We’re at the mercy of roads or aeroplanes at a time when everyone else in the world seems to be too.

We’re relying on the assurances of someone we spoke to on the phone that our accommodation will be up to scratch. Our coastal paradise is reliant on the daily repetition of sunshine … what on earth will we do if it rains? We imagine that every meal will be delicious, every check-in seamless.

And yes, we know in our hearts that life’s just not like that. It’s not perfect. But a well-earned break after a busy year should be pleasurable, not painful.

I’m not advocating staying at home. No way. Some of the best memories come from those summer holidays … the most fun times, the most hilarious moments. And that’s what it comes down to and the only advice I have for dealing with this time of year … laugh!

Because, there’s more often than not, a funny side. All you have to do it find it …

You find them the world over … drawn to the busiest street, squares and monuments and surrounded by others of their kind. They’re snap-happy, swaddled in fleece and Gore-Tex and usually standing aimlessly in the middle of pedestrian thoroughfares. Ginormous maps protrude from their hands, bum-bags pad their midsections, guidebooks add bulk, and backpacks bring up the rear. Their eyes never focus at what lies in their path, but can be found darting towards the spires of distant churches, the elaborate window displays in shops adjacent, or just generally everywhere else apart from their immediate spatial vicinity.

They are immediately identifiable, their uniform is universal, their objective clear as day to everyone around them. And what would that be, you may ask? To tick off ‘must-sees’ in their guidebooks, to rather compulsively take copious amounts of photos of absolutely anything they come across … paper bag blowing in the breeze? – “Quick get a shot of that, love! Take a few in case it doesn’t come out.” Thank heavens for the digital camera – especially so for that handy ‘delete’ button.

Their true aim, however, is to arrive somewhere exotic or historic, stay there for a short amount of time, an hour or two, or perhaps a day or two, see those ‘must sees’. And most importantly, to be able to say –”I’VE BEEN THERE!”

Locals have a kind of love / hate thing going on with tourists. The bottom line is that they’re spectacularly good for the economy. In fact, so good that there are many global destinations in which tourism is by far the largest source of revenue. That’s not to say, however, that tourists are treated with anything like the reverence they deserve, for their life-preserving cash injections.

Indeed, quite the opposite is usually true. Travel to any major tourist destination, especially in Europe, and you will often encounter disinterested, jaded and half-hearted service. That’s if you are lucky. If you’re unlucky, you will get rudeness, unpleasantness, and even blatant dishonesty. Hence the old ‘tourist rip-off’ in the ‘tourist trap’.

And then there’s the food. If you’re in Europe, stay away from the joints close to the major attractions. Unless you have a penchant for badly prepared, carelessly served slop which most of the time, puts the culture it’s supposed to be representing to utter shame.

It’s extremely sad, actually. Why don’t the locals care?

I have a few theories … First, the more beautiful and popular a place, the worse the attitude of its inhabitants. For example, if you’ve got a stunning, untouched walled medieval city, then who needs any other charms? People will come to see it even if you’re a sour faced, money-grubbing so-and-so. Similar to the all brawn and no brains theory – if you look pretty, it doesn’t matter if there’s not much inside.

Second, locals get kind of tired of crowds of randoms gawking, and zoom-lensing – blocking up the middle of the footpath when they’re trying to go about their daily chores. They get tired of everyone assuming they speak English. And they mostly get tired of their hometown being hijacked by interlopers, day in and day out, all year around.

Even though they know that tourism is really great for the economy and such, it still is a pain having loads of clueless strangers who don’t speak their language or understand their culture in their space every day, when really – they’re just trying to go about their business. This is fair enough – but it calls for compromise.

A show of patience from locals towards visitors, as well as an awareness and respect from tourists for the fact that the place they are visiting is a functioning entity in which people try to go about their daily lives in peace, and that such a destination does not exist solely for the pleasure of those who visit it.

Sure, tourists in their most clichéd, overblown sense can be figures to poke fun at. But on the other hand, they’re just people trying to see the world. And let’s face it – it can be pretty tough negotiating a path through a place you’ve never been to before.

Booking flights and accommodation is a minefield in itself. Then there’s language barriers, map deciphering, exchange rates and jetlag. All that effort to get somewhere so warrants a bit of gawking and snap-happiness, don’t you think?

The full-time inhabitants of these incredible spots could really show a little more pride in their live-in postcard vistas. As I’ve always said, a little pizzazz in the service department goes a long way. Even a smile is a great start!

And to genuinely help someone out, to make their day better – well it just makes you feel better too, doesn’t it?

That is, of course, until you’re racing across the square to get to the bank before it closes and a Gore-Texed one apprehends you with, “Which way to the leaning tower?”

What I mean is that the many weeks of campaigning and spectacular indecision to follow, coupled with the starring role in the proceedings of one of our very own; we at The Mullet had an extremely dismal few weeks of trading. It was ABC 24 and spag bol for our fair Hastings customer base, rather than a nice night out with friends and family.

That’s why this month’s column is called ‘political Soup’. Or should it be ‘political dis-pleasures’? Hmmmmm …

No, I am not bitching and moaning. Sometimes (albeit, quite rarely, in fact) these things just happen and the events following that day at the polls were captivating, to say the least. Emotions were stirred up in dramatic fashion, speculation was rife, alliances were formed, previous beliefs were discarded at the drop of a hat. Many an innocent acquaintance was suddenly discovered to be vehemently passionate towards a particular political persuasion. Or against …

Now I am not trying to make anyone lose their appetite, but although I’ve tried to stop myself, I am compelled to put in my 10 cents worth.

As a small business owner in a regional area, I do not have a natural inclination towards Labor’s industrial relations policy. I’ll be the first to admit that I gravitated towards the Coalition and their more sympathetic treatment of business operators. I have been on the frontline fighting the inception of Labor’s so-called ‘Modern Award’ and its blatant disregard of the hours and days of operation necessary to run a restaurant in a tourist, regional area, made fact by its desire to impose huge penalty rates for workers at these times – effectively crippling profit during key seasonal parts of a year.

This is one part of the picture, and a big one for me and my livelihood – the difference between profit and loss, between success of my business and its failure.

But during this whole prolonged election process, I started thinking about other parts of the picture … the inherent differences between Labor and the Coalition. What it means to lean left or to lean right – and what difference is there between the two contenders at the end of the day? There are other issues that I lean more towards the left on; I won’t go into the those, but effectively I stand somewhere in the middle of it all, in a sort of political Switzerland. Neither here nor there, really.

Bear in mind, though, that I have only recently been acquainted with Australian politics, and therefore my perception of it and subsequent leanings may be somewhat more malleable than, let’s say, someone who was born and bred in regional Australia. In this way, I do not hold passionate alliances to one or the other. I am purely geared towards the persuasion that what is best for me, my family, my electorate and Australia as a nation moving forward, is the best solution. And that solution cannot be put down solely to one party, or the other.

So that in effect is why we, as an electorate, should support Rob Oakeshott in the very difficult decisions he has had to make throughout this time. The electorate voted him into the position of power because of his credibility to date, not because of his party alignment or lack thereof. The circumstances of his predicament were truly exceptional, and I believe that he considered all options with nothing but integrity.

Just think about it this way:

WE ALL TOO OFTEN JUDGE PEOPLE ON WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY WILL DO (think about why it’s the Emu and the Kangaroo).

Mr. Oakeshott has not gained the benefit of either.

In this case, many in the region believe Rob has not stood by his electorate’s wishes and is somehow betraying us by the decision he made. It is unfair, I believe, to dismiss someone who has made one decision, to align with a particular party (under extreme duress, mind you), in the midst of a frankly freakish political phenomenon. Especially when that person was previously much loved in our region; he in fact achieved a multitude of good things for us, and he will continue to do so.

Let’s give him a chance to keep on doing what he has always done – great things for Lyne. That concludes my stirring up of political soup.

Oh, and for those who may find this political soup a tad bland, perhaps consider this for some additional seasoning … You now live in a very high profile electorate, usually one that belongs to the Prime Minster or high net worth individuals. Consider yourself blessed and perhaps now over-seasoned by this rare opportunity. I believe it has been long overdue, and certainly well deserved…

In Australia’s restaurant world today, you may come across a strange scene. A seemingly innocuous plate of pasta might be served to you, devoid of garnish – plain, simple and somewhat austere looking. The next thing you know, the restaurant manager (or someone relatively high up in the employee hierarchy) might arrive at your table in a rather ceremonious fashion, flanked by several burly, surly men in black – sporting thinly disguised gun holsters … the manager greets you with a respectful nod, a spark of excitement passes between you – you both savour the knowledge that something wonderful is about to occur.

Gingerly, the manager unveils the object of both of your desires. It is a small black lump, of a size somewhere between a squash ball and an emu egg. It actually looks remarkably like a ball of soil from an average backyard – but is it?

As the unidentified lump hits the surrounding air, an amazing aroma wafts into your nostrils, intoxicating you, your companions, and the person serving you. The more often you smell this aroma, the more exciting it is.

Just as a fine wine is almost more about the nose as well as the palate, this small black (or white) lump emits what is described as a ‘perfume’. It’s complex, evocative and powerful.

The manager produces a handsome metal grater and like a violinist poised to strike bow to string at the start of a delicate movement, they proceed to slowly, almost sensuously grate fine shavings onto your plate.

You watch, enraptured. The aroma envelops you and your table and almost fills the entire restaurant. This sumptuous performance takes barely a minute, but as the manager shaves the final delectable sliver, you are aware that your night has instantly become magical, memorable, transformed into the stratosphere of dining delight. What are these lumps you may ask?

They don’t sound like much, but from what you’ve just described they appear to have almost mystical powers?! These fantastical fungi are called TRUFFLES. And the theatrical reverence applied to their consumption described above is totally accurate (well, maybe apart from the armed security guards, perhaps).

Truffles aren’t chocolates; they’re mushrooms – fungi (Tuber Melanosporum in fact, if you want to get technical). Unlike other mushrooms, truffles grow entirely underground. There are two types – black and white, white truffles only being found in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy and a few in Croatia, while Black are found in several European countries, as well as, recently, small amounts in Australia.

Black truffles grow exclusively around oak trees. A complex interaction exists between the truffle and the root system of the host plant. Truffles are an ancient entity and are an essential part of the ecosystems they live in.

The pungent aroma of truffles attracted a multitude of animal species way before humans cottoned on to the deal. The truffles perpetuate their existence through appealing by scent to a truffle eating animal, who then digests the truffle and then releases spores (yes, out the other end). Possessing an irresistibly attractive scent, when you live underground and need to in effect be ‘pollinated’ by those who seek you out, is a necessity for survival. The aroma needs to be powerfully seductive and worth the effort for the animal in question. And boy are truffles worth the effort – we all agree.

In fact, truffles contain Androstenol – a sex hormone found in male pigs and also human sweat glands. So there you go. Maybe the connection between food and sex is closer than we think …

It all certainly goes part of the way in explaining the value of truffles – well part of the way. Truffles are, as you imagine by the fact that they grow underground, extremely difficult to harvest. Humans need to employ animals with far more sensitive noses than their own to identify their whereabouts.

Pigs and dogs are the animals of choice, with truffle producers of late leaning more towards dogs, as they are more likely to accept other foodstuffs as a reward – it would be of course, counter-productive if the treasured fruits of labour were consumed by the employee.

Especially when you look at the fact that black truffles in Australia go at over $2,000 a kilo, are only available for 3 months and in extremely limited supply over that time.

So there you have it. Are truffles the ‘food of the gods’, a transcendental culinary experience, something to try at least once in your life …or are they little black lumps of stuff that kind of smell interesting – but really, seriously – can what’s really just basically an incredibly pricey flavour enhancer actually be all that it’s cut out to be?

There’s no way I can answer this question for you. The only way is to try them yourself – so I would say, yes, do give them a go at least once in your life. Truffle season in Australia is between May and September, and yes we did have some at the Mullet.

Stay tuned for next year’s season …