Our Australian road trip has now reached the area known as the Sunshine Coast, just over an hour’s drive north of Brisbane.
The name is very apt, there being no shortage of beautiful bays with near-deserted golden sandy beaches and, of course, plenty of surf and warm sunshine. Here’s Alexandria Bay viewed from the coastal headland in Noosa National Park.
The sunshine does wonders for the abundance of fresh fruit growing here. As you can see from my main photo at the top of the post, I just had to put together a fresh fruit salad, with juicy mango, golden kiwi, red grapes, red plums, blueberries, raspberries, apple and banana – all local Queensland produce.
It has helped make what I call my Sunshine Breakfast, shown here over toasted Australian-grown oats and grains, and with thick, creamy Australian yoghurt. The crowning touch is a drizzle of honey from a jar I bought in the Blue Mountains. It is made from beehives in the eucalyptus forests there.
A bowl full of all-Australian Sunshine Breakfast. What a super way to start any day!
From one all-Australian classic to another, with the latest addition to the ADK playlist: this is Icehouse with Hey Little Girl.
After a fab few days in Slovenia, we have now arrived in a very chilly Austria, to meet up with a group of friends and family experiencing the Christmas Markets in the city of Graz.
With the start of Advent, wooden chalet stalls have popped up all over the city’s main public squares, selling a range of hot drinks to help insulate visitors against the effects of the freezing cold. A typical range is shown in my photo below.
I tended to stick with the Rot Gluhwein – a ceramic mug of hot red wine flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves – though there were also white and rose varieties available. The non-alcoholic offering included herbal and fruit teas, and the tantalisingly named Harry Potter – a hot mango punch.
I also enjoyed a hot chocolate, which was precisely that. I may have been expecting a mug of creamy cocoa, but what arrived had the volume and texture, no less, of a large, melted bar of dark chocolate in a cup. Needless to say, I had no trouble polishing that off.
The food options were simple, tasty and filling. Staples like Bratwurst (they really do love their sausages in this part of the world), or Kasekrainer (sausages with an inner lining of melted cheese), sizzled on the hot griddle in the chilly evening air – usually served up with a generous portion of Pommes (fries).
My favourite though was at the Racletthauschen. A log of Swiss Raclette cheese is placed under a flame until the top layer melts. The server then scrapes it off (see below) and spreads it on a slice of lightly toasted Ciabatta bread.
The choice of toppings included herbs, bacon lardons or prosciutto. I chose Kurbiskerne – roasted pumpkin seeds – adding a nutty crunch to the salty, melted cheese.
A delicious snack, washed down (of course) with another mug of Gluhwein.
The Markets are delightful to stroll around, enjoying the sights, sounds and scents of the seasonal displays, such as the gingerbread, below…
The choice of colourful ceramic decorations for the Christmas tree is bewildering…
The Austrians make it an event for the whole family, as this old, classic European fairground attraction shows. The traditional waltz music emanating from the barrel organ made for a perfect soundtrack.
I have really enjoyed my visit to the Graz Christmas Markets. Although we have had ice and snow, and the temperature has remained around freezing point, in some strange way I did not actually feel the cold – a combination of warm clothes, ample Gluhwein, simple and satisfying hot food, the festive cheer of the surroundings, and the bonhomie of family and friends.
The Raclette experience has inspired me particularly – it never occurred to me before to sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds on melted cheese for a tasty snack, but this is something I shall try to recreate at home in the ADK kitchen, whenever I have pangs of hunger. Maybe, to get the full authentic Austrian effect, I will even turn all the heating off, don my hat, scarf and gloves, and raise a tea cup of mulled wine in salute to the citizens of Graz. Prost!
A Different Kitchen 