Chalk and Cheese (and Burgers)

[andrewchalk]

Back to adventuring - We are writing a cook book

Back to adventuring – We are writing a cook book

Bosnian Coffee

It has been a while since the last post. We got distracted from adventuring as we prepared for, and were married in, August last year. We went on a cruise in October for our honeymoon which I will write about soon. The rest of the year was filled with catching up on work.

Our big news for 2017 is that we are writing a cook book. The Lost Chef: Hajro Dizdar and the art of Bosnian…

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[andrewchalk]

Wilsons Promontory Winter Hiking

Wilsons Promontory Winter Hiking

Wilsons Prom is great in winter. There is hardly anybody else around!

We stayed in accommodation at Foster (with heating) driving to the prom on the Saturday  and the Sunday. 

On the Saturday we walked the 9.5km to Sealers cove. 

Saw a wombat. 

Walked on some board walks through a swamp. 

And ate lunch at the beach before retracing our steps back to the cars at Telegraph Saddle car park. 

The…

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[andrewchalk]

Lorne Hiking Trip

Just after the last post 6 weeks ago I got the flu, closely followed by Leila. No adventuring has been had while we recovered. 0 out of 5 stars – I do not recommend getting the flu.  6 weeks is a long time without adventures so we were very glad to get away to Lorne for hiking this weekend.

Our starting point – Lorne

We stayed at a house rented by the YHA bushwalking club and hiked about 30km over…

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[andrewchalk]

Game of Thrones

This weeks episode of Game of Thrones reminded me of that time Leila and I went to Dubrovnik, er, Kings Landing.

We went in the low tourist season in December. It did rain a bit, but nothing like a Melbourne winter. The sun did shine on us though, as can be seen in the photo above. There weren’t many other tourists around so the walled city wasn’t too crowded. I was impressed with how well the…

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[andrewchalk]

Bogong High Plains

Last weekend Leila and I spent 3 days hiking the alpine Bogong High Plains near Falls Creek.

We went fully offgrid meaning no power, obtaining drinking water out of freshwater streams and springs, and much to Leilas annoyance – no toilets.

The temperature rang was 0-6 degrees celcius with a bit of wind. The sun was much stronger than I anticipated meaning I got a bit sunburned on the first day. I…

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[andrewchalk]

Free range Venison

Somebody kindly gave us 3kg of Free range Venison eye fillet. The colour was a brilliant ruby, photos did not do it justice.

  Simple Venison Marinade

We marinated the fillet in 100g of mustard and 100ml of canola oil for 48 hours.

We cut half of the marinated fillet into 3cm thick medallions and BBQd them at 300 degrees celcius over coals for 5 minutes on each side. Don’t over cook venisonas it…

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[andrewchalk]

Eysenhowler

Today Leila and I rescued a dog. The family was struggling with baby Labrador requirements and thought he was a bit of a handful. He seems to have had very little training, and not much attention.  

We have given him a lot of attention, a lot of pats, a thorough brush, and a 1 hour walk. 

He is now a wee bit tired.  

Eysen Howler refusing to sleep in new dog bed

He is a black Labrador about 1 year…

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[andrewchalk]

Two bays walking track

Two bays walking track

Yesterday Leila and I did most of the Two bays walking track, that was walking from Rosebud to Cape Schanck across the Mornington Peninsula. The walk was 20km from the point where we met the trail.  The trip was organised by the Victorian YHA bush walking club which made planning and travelling logistics very easy for us. This was our first outing with the club, but it won’t be the last as we…

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[andrewchalk]

The Western Trail

Today we went for a walk; first up then around the Dandenongs. Trouble is, contrary to what Parks Victoria brochure says The Western Trail doesn’t actually exist.  

Parks Victoria Dandenongs Brochure excerpt

  It took us 22km to get to Mt Dandenong observatory rather than the gazetteed 13.2km. We took it in our stride (pun intended) then decided to go to the local English Pub for a refreshment…

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[andrewchalk]

P&O Pacific Eden

Leila and I recently took my father on a 4 night cruise to Kangaroo Island and back on P&O Pacific Eden. The 4 night cruise embarked from Port Melbourne which was quite handy as we could catch a taxi there from home. 

 As you can see in the photo below, Melbourne was a bit gloomy on the day we left. 

Port Melbourne

  As soon as we were outside Port Phillip bay the weather cleared!

  Sunny skies…

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[andrewchalk]

Pi Day We have a love of Pi. As in 3.1416 or as it happened to be this week March 14 2016. To celebrate, Leila baked some pies. Written by Andrew Chalk

[andrewchalk]

Wilsons Promontory

It has been a while since the last post as we were planning our overnight hike to Wilsons Promontory, then doing it!

Photo montage of Andrew hiking by Leila

We left work at 4pm on Friday to quickly catch a train home so we could start driving before the Friday traffic heading to Phillip Island. What we were greeted with was a malfunctioning Metro rail network. It took us 2 trains and 75 minutes…

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[andrewchalk]

AGA Demonstration Night

Yes, we went back to the AGA Australia shop for another demonstration night, and another meal cooked in the shops 5 oven total control AGA. I’d really like this oven someday.   

AGA 5 oven Total Control

  We went back to get some more tips on how to use the AGA such as how to cook pizza. We have had mixed results at home, yet it should be as simple as putting the pizza on the floor of the baking…

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[andrewchalk]

Autopot

In early January Leila and I went to the Gardenworld nursery complex and stumbled across the Autopot store. We were blown away by their variant of hydroponics and their in shop tomato growing display.

Autopot

In the most basic configuration, Autopot are self watering pots that are gravity fed from a central reservoir that you can dose with nutrient. The pots contain special float valves that only…

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[andrewchalk]

Ricotta

This is the whole milk version of Ricotta that we made on the same evening as the Halloumi. Traditionally Ricotta was made from the whey produced from making other cheeses. This recipe is super easy, super quick, and it doesn’t need “special” ingredients like rennet.

Whole milk Ricotta Ingredients

2L of full cream milk

2ml Calcium Chloride

3 tablespoons white spirit vinegar. You could also use…

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[andrewchalk]

Green pancakes

Green pancakes, much like a normal pancake, but with more spinach. We had them for weekend brunch, along with some wrapped frankfurts. Why? Because I am an 8 year old….

Green pancakes Ingredients

1 bunch of young spinach, washed, and the leaves removed from the ends – the younger the spinach the more vibrant colours you get.

2 eggs

1 cup of flour

1 cup of water

1 tablespoon salt

1…

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[andrewchalk]

Halloumi

We purchased a Mad Millie soft cheese making kit to branch out from just making Ricotta. Our first more advanced cheese was Halloumi, chosen as it was the quickest one to make on a work night.

Mad Millie Halloumi

Mad Millie Cheese Kit

Ingredients

4L of full fat (preferably unhomogenised) milk.

2 tablets of rennet diluted in 1/4 cup of cool, non chlorinated water

2ml of calcium chrloride

Salt to…

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