Queensland – A Different Kitchen

Our current heatwave here in the UK, with temperatures beyond 30C in some places, has prompted memories of the last time I enjoyed (or endured?) such temperatures – earlier this year, in Australia.

It was in the hot climate of Queensland that we came across blueberry cream cheese, served with freshly made bagels at a cafe called O Bagel. The food tasted so good we visited their branches in both Gold Coast and Brisbane on our travels. Check out my post from Surfer’s Paradise to read more.

So this week, we’ve been inspired to have a go at making our own. The result has been a surefire hit in the ADK household, served on corn cakes, shown below.

It can also be enjoyed on rice cakes, oatcakes, as a dip with crudites and, of course, spread on a toasted bagel.

Want to know how to make it? It’s dead easy, so read on.

Servings

Around 450g of blueberry cream cheese.

Timings

15 mins to make.

You Will Need

300g full fat soft cheese
150g blueberries

Method

Tip the blueberries into a saucepan. Heat until the juices are boiling then reduce to a simmer for about 10 mins, or until they take on a jammy consistency. Leave to cool.
Stir in with the cream cheese until combined, making a vivid shade of purple.
Place in the fridge, where it will keep for up to a week.

Customise it!

If you wish, you can add in a sprinkling of caster sugar to the blueberries as they cook. Also, as an alternative to serving on corn cakes, oat cakes, bagels etc, you can use this as a frosting for a cake.

My wife Lesley has been the creative force behind this recipe, so she gets to choose the next track for the ADK Playlist. She’s very much enjoying the Olympics from Paris à ce moment, so has opted for Vanessa Paradis with La Seine.

G’day Brisbane

Brisbane, the latest stop on our Australian road trip, is very much a city on the up.

Built around the meandering bends of a wide river, the layout is a model of good city planning. A great way to get one’s bearings on arrival is to see the city from the completely free hop on/hop off Kitty Cat ferry that runs between the main points of interest, daytime and evening.

On the north side of the river is the glass and steel might of the commercial and business district (CBD), packed with skyscrapers and malls.

The south bank, meanwhile, is the home of an extensive cultural centre, with museums, art galleries and a performing arts centre. I especially enjoyed the exhibition by Judy Strong, whose multimedia art is influenced by the stories and struggles of Australia’s indigenous people. It was in the Queensland Art Gallery, which is itself a work of art, with marble paths flanked by shimmering pools leading to spacious, airy halls.

I also enjoyed the south bank’s well laid out gardens and riverside boardwalk. Gardens in Queensland tend to have something of a rain forest feel. You are never quite sure what might slither out of the undergrowth to say hello, while you’re having your picnic lunch in the shade!

There is a free public access city beach and pool, which is clean and life guarded. It provided a welcome place to cool off in the Queensland heat, while looking across to the dramatic backdrop of the CBD.

The south bank also hosts numerous restaurants representing many world cuisines, and a buzzing nightlife after dark.

Naturally, I just had to check out some of the food on offer. Settling at Spanish-influenced restaurant Olé, we shared this tapas dish of crispy roasted cauliflower florets with a chilli mayo dressing.

Also delicious was this excellent vegetable paella.

Brizzy (as it is affectionately known) is due to host the Olympic Games in 2032, when it will join the elite cadre of world cities bestowed that honour. Infrastructure developments are already under way, including two new metro lines, and a vast new bridge over the river, connecting the CBD with Kangaroo Point to the east.

Confident in itself, modern with an excellent offering to visitors, and looking positively to the future – the rest of the world can expect to be hearing a lot more about Brisbane in the next few years.

The city also has talented indie musicians! The name of this band is a play on the name of the suburb from which they hail, Redland Bay. This is Beddy Rays with Sobercoaster.