A Lunch for Champions

I think that hours spent wax-polishing cars deserves a feast like this--and perhaps a relaxing arm massage as well! Lucky me to have a chef handy to just whip up yummy yummy yummy creations.

What I'd Say to Me Nine Months Ago.....

1. Don’t travel with someone you just met: Even if s/he is the kindest, most well-meaning person on Earth. And especially not if you know in your heart that you are an independent enough person to go it alone. There are so many unforeseen stresses and last-minute decisions involved in traveling that unless you’re completely comfortable with your travel companion, it’s just a potential recipe for disaster.

2. Get over the fact that there’s no place like Trader Joe’s: It’s so sad, but so true, it’s the best grocery store Ever and it’s only in America. However, other countries have their own grocery perks, like Tim Tams and Sweet Chili Sauce.

3. Moving to New Zealand does not mean you’re on a year-long Holiday: Lighten up on those Tim Tams and Gingernuts and Lollies….you’ll be running many a mile to burn those off your bum!

4. Don’t lose Ginger Jr. in Wellington: A total mental breakdown will ensue.

5. Don’t spend Christmas with a friend’s family: Granted it was nice being welcomed into another family’s holiday traditions, but it’s really difficult not to feel like an outsider, especially when you have a cold! Looking back I think I would have preferred staying in a hostel where everyone’s in the same boat….hostels are great for makeshift families.

6. Don’t chicken out: I swear, the amount of money I’ve wasted on canceled and changed flights is enough to take a whole other trip! Just stay strong through those short-lived homesick episodes, your wallet will be all the bulgier for it.

7. Don’t try to flee to Russia: This goes along with chickening out, it’s a very silly thing to do, especially since Russia doesn’t want you anyway.

8. Don’t fall for the local Bad Boy: The family won’t approve and long-distance love makes for more flight changes, thereby further deflating your wallet. Oh who am I kidding, turn this don’t into a do—life’s an adventure you only live once! Plus, didn’t someone famous once say that “love knows no bounds”?

LOVE

My oh my, how I do love surprises!!

Searching For those Rings

After nearly eight months of living in New Zealand, it's about time I began visiting filming locations from the movie that put this small country on the map. Plus, Natalie would be most upset if I didn't at least make an effort to see hobbitland on her Tolkien-fan behalf. Last weekend, while the weather was still calm and mild, we took a wee day drive out of town toward Arthur's Pass to hopefully see snow (my most recent obsession). On the way we stopped at the place Peter Jackson used for numerous fight scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

What a fun playground! All along a rolling hillside limestone rocks of various magnitudes protruded from the Earth, providing endless nooks and crannies to explore. It was a rather stunning sight, a field of massive rocks in the middle of nowhere. But that's New Zealand for you. We got ambitious and climbed to the top of the hillside, thoroughly winding ourselves in the process; the hill was deceptively steep! Needless to say it was cool to see one of the locations and try to guess how the production team organized themselves. This then sparked a need for us to watch The Lord of the Rings in hopes of catching a glimpse or two of the rocky terrain. But alas, we forgot how arduous a task it is to watch those films--my how they go on forever before getting anywhere--and quit watching after an hour into The Fellowship of the Ring.

Exploring

Traffic Jam!

So much for getting to Queenstown on time--this fleet of freshly de-fluffed sheepies prompted an unanticipated break in our drive.....on the plus side, at least I didn't stall the car!

SnapShot

The tail-end of sunset from home, if only my camera did beauty any justice!

SnapShot

On the way to Queenstown--what a perfect day for a road trip adventure :)

SnapShot

A birds-eye view of Te Anau taken from the Kepler Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walk Tracks that traverses the mountains on the opposite side of Lake Te Anau. Seriously, it's the best home ever!

My First Pavlova

In the sweet realm of desserts, no dish is more traditionally Kiwi than a pavlova. Essentially one huge marshmallowy meringue topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, pavlovas were all the rage over here in the sixties and seventies; the dessert then vanished from Kiwi tables until recently, when pavs once again came in vogue.

My first pavlova eating experience occurred only two weeks ago, when the lovely lads in the kitchen treated us waitresses to one of their collapsed creations unfit for the customers. Oh my goodness, so yummy! Naturally, the next morning I was up early baking with Von and Cree, learning how to make the sweet treat before tackling one on my own on my day off.

Pavlovas are fairly uncomplicated to make, the real key is just to make sure you beat the egg whites and sugar for long enough, otherwise they will separate into a sugar syrup after cooling. Yes, I know that from personal experience--although it only happened a wee bit! But practice makes perfect, and I hope to have the pavlova down pat before long. In the meantime, my flatmates love eating my mistakes!

Pavlova

Ingredients:

12 Egg whites

3 Cups sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1-1.5 Tsp. cream of tarter or 1 cap full of white vinegar

Oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius

1. Using the whisk top of your mixmaster, mix the egg whites, about one tablespoon of sugar and the cream of tarter together on high until shiny and moderately stiff.

2. Add the remaining sugar mixture one teaspoon at a time, letting sugar dissolve before each addition. After roughly 5 teaspoons, begin adding the sugar in thirds, once again allowing the sugar to dissolve before each addition. Mix until thick, shiny and heavy.

Important: There must be a good heft to the egg whites, otherwise you haven't mixed them long enough! It should take around 5-8 minutes, and don't be afraid to mix for longer, as it is difficult to over-mix the eggs.

3. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and form the pavlova into your desired shape--be creative! Or at the very least make a circle with soft peaks at the top. Then pop into the oven; turn the oven down to 90 degrees immediately and bake for about an hour.

4. Serve with creme anglaise, fresh whipped cream, fresh fruits (kiwis and strawberries perchance?), and a fruit coulis if you want to get real fancy.

Serves 8-10

Going to the Chapel...

So if I ever do get married, this might just have to be the place because it looks through to Lake Te Anau! What a swell idea.

Buskers Festival: Christchurch

One performance from the opening night of the Christchurch Buskers Festival, a week-long festival of free street performances. It's the third largest Busker Festival in the world, and it is SO much fun. I think they've one-uped you Natalie and Gavin!