Genni working on the deck GT

Παραμονή Πρωτοχρονιάς

Σήμερα είναι Παραμονή Πρωτοχρονιάς. Νωρίς πήγαμε για βόλτα στο δρόμο στην παραλία. Περπατήσαμε κατά μηλός της παραλίας. Πήγαμε στην ακτή και κουμπήσαμεστην θάλασσα. Το νερό ήταν πολυ κρύο. Περπατήσαμε στο μικρό κατάστημα μέσα στο θαλάσσιο κόλπον και αγόρασα την εφιμερίθα. Γυρίσαμε στο σπίτι και φάγαμε πρωινό μέσα στο βαλκόνι.
Μετά πήγαμε στο Μάγρετ Ρίβερ και αγόρασαμε πράγματα για βραδινό. Καθίσαμε στο βαλκόνι και είδαμε τα σόματα κυματοδρομία στα κύματα. Τα κύματα έγιναν πολύ μεγάλα.
Στο απόγευμα ξεκοθράστηκα.

Asha and Andy enjoying the deck Gracetown

Σήμερα το πρωί πήγα για βόλτα με τον Αντρέα. Περπατήσαμε κατά μήκος το δρόμο στην παραλία. Ήταν πολλά κύματα και πολλοί ανθροποί ήταν κυματοδρομία. Τέλος την βόλτα κολυμπήσαμε στην θάλασσα. Το νερό ήταν πολύ κρύο. Μετά γυρίσαμε στο σπίτι και μαγιέρεψα πρώινο - Ζάμπον με ντομάτες. Ξεκουραστήαμε στο βαλκόνι και βλέπαμε τα κύματα και τους ανυροπούς που πέρασαν κοντά.

Ύστερα πριν από μεσημεριανο, περπατήσαμε ξανά στην παραλία για άλλη φορά να κάνουμε μπάγνο. Ο άνεμος φύσησε πολύ δύνατα.

Kangaroo Paws

Xmas tree close-up

Xmas tree

Χτές το βράδυ πήγα με την κόρη μου στο Γραστουν. Πήγα μαζί την Τσες με το αυτοκήνιτο της. Όταν έφτασα στο σπίτι κατάλαβα ο ηλεκτρισμός δεν ήταν άνοιξε. Μέσα το ψυγείο ήταν πολλό φαγητό. Δυστyχώς το κρέας και το τύρι μέσα στο ψυγείο χάλασε άπο το ζετστί. Έβαλα όλλα τα φαγητά στο σκουπιδοτενεκέ.
Στις εξίμιση πύγα για μία βόλτα με την Ευαγγαλία στην παραλία. Κουμπίσαμε στήν θάλασσα. Το νερό ήταν πολύ κρύο.
γυρίσαμε στο σπίτι και έφαγα βραδυνό στο βαλκόνι. Η Ευαγγαλία πύγα σην πόλη με τους φίλλους τής.

Piper playing carols at Ginos

Ginos with carols in background

Carols in Freo

The hash house harriers - runners not singers!

Stavs at Sommerville

Eve Clarkson sent you: Directions to Robin Hood's Bay Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK via Google Maps

Coasttocoast

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St Bees railway station

1.	Head north-east on Station Rd towards Main St/B5345	115 ft
2.	Turn right at Main St/B5345	341 ft
3.	Slight left at Finkle St	492 ft
4.	Finkle St turns slightly left and becomes High House Rd	1.5 mi
5.	Turn left towards A595	1.1 mi
6.	Turn right at A595	0.1 mi
7.	Turn left at Wood End	0.5 mi
8.	Continue onto A5086	1.4 mi
9.	Turn right	3.0 mi
10.	Turn left	190 ft

Ennerdale Bridge, Cumbria UK

11.	Head north-west on Kirkland Rd towards Vicarage Ln	2.4 mi
12.	Turn right at A5086	0.4 mi
13.	Turn right	0.6 mi
14.	Turn left towards Sty Gate	0.4 mi
15.	Slight left at Sty Gate	285 ft
16.	Turn right towards Fangs Brow	1.7 mi
17.	Slight right at Fangs Brow	0.3 mi
18.	Slight left towards B5289	3.5 mi
19.	Turn right towards B5289	0.2 mi
20.	Turn right at B5289	10.5 mi
21.	Turn left	226 ft
22.	Slight right	0.2 mi
23.	Turn left	75 ft
24.	Turn right	302 ft

Rosthwaite Keswick, Cumbria, UK

25.	Head north-east towards B5289	256 ft
26.	Turn left at B5289	5.6 mi
27.	Slight right at Borrowdale Rd	0.2 mi
28.	Turn right at Derwent St	325 ft
29.	Turn right at St John's St	0.1 mi
30.	Continue onto Ambleside Rd	0.6 mi
31.	Turn right at Castlerigg Brow/A591 Continue to follow A591	2.8 mi
32.	Slight left to stay on A591	5.7 mi
33.	Slight left at Pass of Dunmail Raise/A591 Continue to follow A591	2.8 mi

Grasmere Ambleside, Cumbria, UK

34.	Head south on A591 Go through 1 roundabout	0.4 mi
35.	Slight left	0.3 mi
36.	Turn right towards A591	0.6 mi
37.	Slight left at A591	2.3 mi
38.	Slight left at Smithy Brow	299 ft
39.	Turn left at Kirkstone Rd	0.8 mi
40.	Continue onto Kirkstone Pass	4.2 mi
41.	Continue onto A592	3.0 mi

Patterdale Penrith, Cumbria, UK

42.	Head north-west on A592	8.7 mi
43.	Slight right at B5320	0.5 mi
44.	Turn left to stay on B5320 Go through 1 roundabout	1.0 mi
45.	Turn right towards Helton Rd	2.5 mi
46.	Turn left at Helton Rd	2.7 mi
47.	Turn left	1.1 mi
48.	Turn left	3.0 mi
49.	Turn left at Keld Ln	0.4 mi
50.	Continue straight onto Pow Ln	0.1 mi
51.	Continue onto Main St/A6	0.2 mi

Shap Penrith, Cumbria, UK

52.	Head south on Main St/A6 towards Cross Garth Continue to follow A6	1.7 mi
53.	Turn left to stay on A6	0.4 mi
54.	Turn right at B6261	4.4 mi

Orton Penrith, Cumbria, UK

55.	Head south on B6260 towards Front St/B6261	0.2 mi
56.	Turn left at B6261	6.3 mi
57.	Turn right	3.0 mi
58.	Turn right at Sikeside Ln	0.2 mi
59.	Slight left towards Christian Head	1.9 mi
60.	Continue straight onto Christian Head	0.1 mi
61.	Continue onto Silver St	246 ft
62.	Turn right at North Rd/A685 Continue to follow A685	0.2 mi

Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria UK

63.	Head south on Market St/A685 towards Victoria Square/B6259	23 ft
64.	Turn left at Victoria Square/B6259 Continue to follow B6259	1.1 mi
65.	Turn left towards B6270	394 ft
66.	Slight right towards B6270	407 ft
67.	Continue straight onto B6270	7.4 mi
68.	Turn left to stay on B6270	1.5 mi
69.	Turn left	210 ft

Keld Richmond, North Yorkshire, UK

70.	Head west towards B6270	210 ft
71.	Turn left at Butthouse Rigg/B6270 Continue to follow B6270	3.4 mi
72.	Turn left at Guning Ln/B6270 Continue to follow B6270	2.4 mi
73.	Turn left to stay on B6270	0.4 mi
74.	Turn right to stay on B6270	2.5 mi
75.	Slight left towards B6270	377 ft
76.	Continue straight onto B6270	413 ft
77.	Slight right towards B6270	0.1 mi
78.	Turn right at B6270	3.2 mi

Reeth Richmond, North Yorkshire, UK

79.	Head south-east on B6270 towards Anvil Square	0.6 mi
80.	Turn left towards Hard Stiles	3.5 mi
81.	Continue straight onto Hard Stiles	1.4 mi
82.	Continue onto Clapgate Bank	2.5 mi
83.	Continue onto Hurgill Rd	1.3 mi
84.	Turn left at Quakers Ln	0.3 mi
85.	Turn right at Queens Rd/A6108	387 ft
86.	Enter the roundabout	49 ft

Richmond, North Yorkshire UK

87.	Head north towards Queens Rd/A6108	49 ft
88.	Exit the roundabout onto Queens Rd/A6108 Continue to follow A6108	0.2 mi
89.	Slight right at Maison Dieu/B6271 Continue to follow B6271	4.8 mi
90.	Turn right at Back Ln	1.1 mi
91.	Turn right at Bolton Rd/B6271	0.5 mi
92.	Turn left at Sled Ln	1.2 mi
93.	Turn left	85 ft
94.	Turn right	0.3 mi
95.	Slight right	2.3 mi
96.	Turn right towards Danby Ln	1.7 mi
97.	Continue straight onto Danby Ln	1.2 mi
98.	Continue onto Northallerton Rigg Destination will be on the right	0.9 mi

Danby Wiske Rd Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL6 2NT, UK

99.	Head south on Northallerton Rigg	0.2 mi
100.	Turn left towards Darlington Rd/A167	0.1 mi
101.	Turn left at Darlington Rd/A167	0.5 mi
102.	Turn right at Scotpit Ln	0.5 mi
103.	Turn left at Brompton Ln	0.1 mi
104.	Turn right at Deighton Ln	2.5 mi
105.	Turn right towards Low Moor Ln	2.3 mi
106.	Slight left at Low Moor Ln	0.9 mi
107.	Turn left towards The Beeches	0.3 mi
108.	Continue straight onto The Beeches	1.1 mi
109.	Turn left at A19	243 ft
110.	Turn right towards A172	0.7 mi
111.	Turn left at A172	0.3 mi

Ingleby Cross Northallerton, North Yorkshire, UK

112.	Head north-east on A172	4.2 mi
113.	Turn right	407 ft
114.	Slight left towards Busby Ln	1.1 mi
115.	Turn right at Busby Ln	0.2 mi
116.	Turn right to stay on Busby Ln	1.1 mi
117.	Turn right at Kirkby Ln	0.3 mi
118.	Keep left at the fork	0.2 mi

Great Broughton Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, UK

119.	Head east on Kirkby Ln towards Town Green Dr	0.1 mi
120.	Continue onto Ingleby Rd	0.1 mi
121.	Continue onto Green Balk	0.8 mi
122.	Continue onto Ingleby Rd	0.9 mi
123.	Continue onto Marsh Ln	0.6 mi
124.	Turn left at Church Ln	348 ft
125.	Turn right at Stone Stoup Hill	3.4 mi
126.	Turn left	46 ft
127.	Turn right towards Brick Row	2.6 mi
128.	Continue straight onto Brick Row	0.9 mi
129.	Continue onto Potter's Side Ln	0.3 mi
130.	Turn left towards Sandhill Bank	0.1 mi
131.	Continue straight onto Sandhill Bank	3.2 mi
132.	Turn right	0.4 mi
133.	Turn left	3.5 mi
134.	Slight left	0.7 mi
135.	Turn left towards A171	1.7 mi
136.	Turn right at A171	135 ft
137.	Turn right towards High St	1.5 mi
138.	Continue straight onto High St	302 ft
139.	Turn left towards Barnard's Rd	1.2 mi
140.	Turn right at Barnard's Rd	0.1 mi
141.	Turn left at Front St	0.2 mi
142.	Slight left to stay on Front St	0.1 mi
143.	Turn right at North Rd	200 ft

Grosmont Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK

144.	Head west towards Front St	200 ft
145.	Turn right at Front St	0.1 mi
146.	Turn right towards Fair Head Ln	0.1 mi
147.	Turn right at Fair Head Ln	2.0 mi
148.	Turn left at A169	0.7 mi
149.	Turn right towards Little Beck Ln	0.6 mi
150.	Continue straight onto Little Beck Ln	0.6 mi
151.	Turn left to stay on Little Beck Ln	203 ft
152.	Little Beck Ln turns right and becomes Little Beck Bank	0.1 mi
153.	Slight right at Lousy Hill Ln	0.9 mi
154.	Turn left to stay on Lousy Hill Ln	13 ft
155.	Turn right at B1416	1.7 mi
156.	Turn left at Robin Hood's Bay Rd/A171	0.7 mi
157.	Turn right towards Sled Gates	0.9 mi
158.	Turn left at Sled Gates	56 ft
159.	Turn left to stay on Sled Gates	0.5 mi
160.	Continue onto Thorpe Ln	0.6 mi
161.	Turn left at Station Rd/B1447	33 ft

Robin Hood's Bay Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK

Show on Google Maps

Kate the Bridesmaid at Jo's wedding

Jo Wedding

Greek Keyboard

Έιμαι στο Γράστουν μαζί με τον γίος μου, τον χριστΟφορος. Πήγα με το αυτοκήνιτο χτές το βράδυ. Σίμερα έιναι πολλά μαυρά σύννεφα στο ουρανό. Τώρα βρέχει.

Spiced swordfish with spinach

Spiced swordfish with spinach

Serves 4


500 gm (about 2 bunches) spinach, trimmed
3 tbsp olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 tsp each fennel seeds, cumin seeds, celery seeds, aniseed and caraway seeds
½ tsp hot paprika
1 tbsp plain flour
4 1.5cm-thick swordfish steaks (about 200gm each), skinned
To serve: lemon wedges


1 Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add spinach and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain well, squeezing to remove excess liquid, place in a bowl and cool. Pour over 1½ tbsp olive oil and lemon juice, season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and combine well.
2 Place spices in a mortar and, using a pestle, pound until finely ground. Combine spices and flour and season to taste. Coat fish, both sides, with spice mixture and leave for 2-3 minutes.
3 Heat 1½ tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and cook fish, in batches if necessary, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden and tender. Divide spinach among plates, top with fish and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Tracey's scarf

Tracey's scarf
Originally uploaded by eveonkeane

Winsome on her birthday

Cotoletta of pork with Italian coleslaw

COTELETTA OF PORK

4 pork cutlets trimmed

160gm panko crumbs

20 gm parmesan

2 tbspn flat leaf parsley chopped

Finely grated rind 1 lemon

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Plain flour seasoned

ITALIAN COLESLAW

175gm unpodded peas - blanched in boiling water and refreshed

14 white cabbage finely shredded

1 baby fennel bulb finely sliced on mandolin

1/2 Spanish onion thinly sliced with mandolin

3 radishes thinly sliced on mandolin

1/2 cup basil, mint and flat-leafed parsley coarsley torn

1/4 cup watercress sprigs

1 tbspn salted capers rinsed

20 gm parmesan finely grated

80ml EVO

2 tspn chilli oil

2 tbspn lemon juice

Flatten cutlets with meat mallet until 1cm thick. Combie panko crumbs, parmesan and lemon rind in a bowl. Season to taste. Lightly beat egg and milk together. Lightly dust cutlets in seasoned plain flour, then eggwash then panko crumbs. Place on baking tray and refrigerated till needed. Heat 1/2 oil and 1/2 the butter and cook 1/2 the cutlets for about 4-5minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Place on absorbent paper and put in oven at 160 degrees while second batch cooks.

Combine salad ingredients for the coleslaw and dress just before eating. Season to taste

Serve with lemon wedges and Dijon mustard.

COMMENTS : Panko crumbs add a to the crunchiness of the coating. Salad is a perfect balance of flavours and would go well with many other meat dishes and superbly with fish.

Would I cook this again - definitely both dishes are winners.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Gourmet Traveller - The European, Melbourne

Rosemary chicken with mustard dressing

ROSEMARY CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD DRESSING

11/2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
¼ cup olive oil
sea salt flakes
3 cloves garlic
4 Chicken Marylands trimmed

Mustard Dressing
1 tablepoon wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ olive oil

Marinade the chicken for at least one hour. Cook in oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes skin side down in a baking tray. Turn and add truss tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes or until cooked.
Meanwhile trim and cook green beans.

Serve on a bed of green beans with the mustard dressing over the top.

COMMENTS
I prepared this in Gracetown. It needs few ingredients and was delicious. Would I cook it again? - definitely.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Donna Hay

Wisteria

Wisteria is so beautiful at this time of the year

New veggie garden

I seemed to be cooking all afternoon to make this feast. Adam joined us for dinner - interesting as his father is expert a cooking this meal and it was my first attempt.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients

Chicken
1 very fresh chicken (preferably free range)
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 tbsp light soy sauce
6 slices fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, slightly bruised
2 shallots, chopped in a few pieces
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp salt

Chicken Stock
Chicken bones, such as whole chicken carcass, or a kilo of chicken wings or legs
3 pieces of ginger
2 shallots

Chicken Rice
3 cups long grain rice
2 tbsp chicken or pork fat (this tastes great, but peanut oil can be used instead)
2-3cm ginger, grated
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped very finely or grated
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
3 ½ cups chicken stock according to rice instructions (or more, reserved from boiled chicken)
2 pandan leaves (optional)

Chilli Sauce
10 fresh red chillies, seeds removed
1-2 cloves garlic
5cm fresh ginger
2 tsp chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
Juice from kaffir limes to taste
Salt to taste

Ginger Sauce for Dipping
75g ginger
6 garlic cloves
½ tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)

Chicken Soup
Chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
Chopped shallots or small amount of chopped cabbage

Preparation

Bring a pot of water to the boil, the pot being large enough to fit the whole chicken. While the water is heating, rub chicken inside with rice wine and soy sauce. Roughly chop three pieces of ginger, garlic and one shallot and then blend in a food processor. Place mixture inside chicken.

When the water boils, turn heat off and place the chicken, remaining three pieces of ginger and shallot in the water. Leave the chicken to stand in the water for one hour. After the first five minutes of standing, lift up the chicken, drain the water from the stomach cavity and put chicken back in the pot. Repeat this process two or three times during the cooking period to make sure the chicken cooks inside as well as outside.

After 30 minutes, turn on the heat to bring the water back to almost boiling point, then turn heat off. The chicken, never being allowed to boil, will be very tender and juicy. At the end of the hour, remove chicken and rub with remaining soy sauce combined with sesame oil and salt, and then cut into bite-sized pieces.

For chicken stock, add extra chicken bones or pieces, three slices of ginger and two shallots to the water in which the chicken was cooked. Boil for one to two hours until stock has a strong chicken flavour. Discard chicken bones/pieces and strain the stock through a muslin cloth.

For chicken rice, wash the rice and drain well (the more water in the rice, the less chicken flavour! Some recommend drying the rice in a tea towel). In a wok, fry chicken fat until oil is released and then add the ginger and garlic and fry well.

Remove from heat and discard the chicken fat and skin. Add the rice and salt and stir fry briskly for about 1-2 minutes. Transfer rice into an electric rice cooker or pot. Add in chicken stock and pandan leaves. Follow normal instructions for cooking rice.

For chilli sauce, roughly chop chillies, garlic and ginger and then blend in a food processor. Add chicken stock, lime juice and salt to taste. Will keep in covered container in the refrigerator for a few days, but is best served fresh.

For ginger sauce, roughly chop ginger and garlic and then blend in a food processor. Add chicken stock, lime juice and salt to taste.

For chicken soup, ladle a small amount of hot strained stock into serving bowls. Add finely chopped shallot. If serving with cabbage, you will need to cook the cabbage in the stock for a short while before serving.

COMMENTS

This was delicious. The garlic/ginger sauce enhanced the flavours but there was an overpowering taste of garlic in my mouth all night. I wonder if I should have used the chinese garlic which is definitely milder. The chicken was tender and tasty and soup flavoursome. Win sauted the rice and had too much fat in the pan - making the rice too oily.

Would I cook this again - maybe not as it is such a cheap dish to buy at Chinese restaurants, they cook it very well and it is cheap - and it is rather labour intensive to make at home.

Acknowledgements - this recipe is from SBS on-line

Ottoman Spatchcock with Cracked Wheat Pilaf

Spatchcock

• 4 Spatchcock butterflied (allow 1/2 per woman and a whole one for a man)
• 200 ml vegetable oil
• Juice 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons biber salcai or Harissa (turkish chilli paste)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin and black pepper
• lemon wedges to serve

Marinate spatchcock in above combined ingredients for at least 8 hours. Cook on char grill breast down first for 3-5 minutes then turn and grill till cooked through (5-7 minutes). Serve with lemon wedges and pilaf.

Cracked Wheat Pilaf

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion finely diced
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 vine ripened tomatoes coarsley chopped
• 350gm fine cracked wheat
• 2 tablespoons currants
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1/4 cup coarsley chopped parsley to serve

Heat oil in pan to medium heat and saute onions till tender (5-7 minutes). Add pine nuts and cook till golden (1-2 minutes), add tomato paste and cook till paste darkens (1-2 minutes). Add tomato and stir occasionally cooking till it starts to break down (1-2 minutes),, then add cracked wheat and currants and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock, brig to the simmer and reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed (5-7 minutes). Keep warm and fluff with a fork before serving with parsley.

Comments
Pilaf maybe a little to oily and I would reduce oil next time - otherwise simply delicious.
Spatchcock - as always difficult to evenly cook and thighs just slightly pink even after longer on the grill
Would I cook again - yes to the pilaf

Acknowledgements
Gourmet traveller - Ottoman Cuisine, Canberra

Anu's Art in Bloom

Graveyard Mandraki

Church Mandraki

Mandraki

Road to cemetery

Views to Turkey from Mandraki

Old cathedral Kassie

View from fort Kastellorizo

Evening light

Windy evening at fort looking back to Turkey

Flag flying from fort Kastellorizo

17th largest private boat in the world

Dwarfed the Proteus

Waiting for the wedding party to come past

Kastellorizian wedding

Kastellorizian wedding

Dinner Kas

Dinner in Kas

Hand embroidered fabrics cash

Rodeo Drive Kas

Evening in Kas

Moon over point

Moon rising over Kassie

Sun setting over Kassie

Full moon

And I was told there were no sharks in the Med!

Win drinks coffee now