I saw 2020 in from Brisbane this week. I flew in on Monday and flew out on Friday. It was a nice break from existing in Canberra.
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Canberra’s air quality
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have seen that Australia is experiencing severe bushfires across most states of the mainland and that the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) had the distinction during the week of having the poorest air quality of any city in our world when compared with other well known polluted cities like New Delhi in India.
What happened in Brisbane?
The four nights in Brisbane had been planned months ago. At the time I booked my flights and hire car, I had no idea that escaping Canberra would be such a great move. I mean, escaping Canberra for Brisbane at any time of year is a good move for me because of my Ichthyosis vulgaris. In that context, escaping to Darwin and the Top End would be better.
The bushfire situation though this summer has been very bad. I know people speculate on the reasons and while I’d like to focus on the science, all too often politics and ideology gets mixed into the public debate.
Who did I see?
I was in Brisbane to spend time with my parents. I also got to spend some time with my eldest and youngest daughters. Unfortunately for me, my other daughter was enjoying some time off and was away on a break with a friend.
It’s always good to catch up with family. I feel comfortable with my immediate family. I usually feel uncomfortable with anyone else really. That includes extended family and even friends from school, university, and previous workplaces. I’m not sure if such an aversion has a name (other than being labeled antisocial). I have no problem going out into the world, into shops, into a park with others around, so long as it’s not an organised event like a party where I’m expected to interact with people in a social setting. Oddly enough, if it’s work related I’m fine. In fact I feel energised when asked to participate in work-related community engagements.
Part of my aversion relates to being partially deaf and the tinnitus which follows my attending anything where there is lots of background noise, especially music. More often than not I cannot hear what people are saying.
My parents are getting older before my eyes. Their minds are still active and when I am with them we share stories of our decades alive together. Their bodies though are more frail and it concerns me how difficult mobility can be for them both. This will only get worse.
Seeing my daughters is always a joy. They are the loves of my life and the reason I bother with life. I think if they didn’t exist I would have topped myself long ago.
What about the food?
We all know that when I visit Brisbane, especially when I’m with family, we focus on food.
Part of the plan for this week was to indulge in some seafood as well as try some new things too.
Monday 30 December 2019
On the flight from Canberra to Brisbane (QF1544) I had a bottle of water plus this slice. I can’t say it was good. I had a nibble and didn’t touch the rest.
After some mucking around trying to rent a car, I got to my parent’s apartment and asked what they’d like to do for lunch. Mum suggested “the Chinese place at Aspley Hypermarket but not the yum cha place.”
Me: “Does this place have a name?”
Mum: “I don’t know, but I know where it is.”
So we drove to the Aspley Hypermarket and entered the Sunlit Asian Market. Next to the market is a restaurant that doesn’t appear to have a sign. Well at least I didn’t see a sign. Mind you I did only have a cursory look (also known as a man look)*. I’ve since been informed by friends on Facebook that the place is called Burlington BBQ.
Burlington BBQ (Aspley)
t81/59 Albany Creek Rd, Aspley QLD 4034
0430 126 088
Mum enjoyed a boneless duck and noodle soup and because Dad is a brittle diabetic, we went low carb, high protein, and high fat with crispy skin roast pork belly and half a boneless roast duck.
At $49 it was reasonable for the amount of food the three of us ate. It was a very filling meal and I felt very sated.
The pork was delicious and not too fatty. The crackling was thin and perfect in terms of crunch. The duck was possibly a little too fatty (if that is possible) and towards the end all I could do was eat the skin on the last few bits.
For tea, we went to Sichuan Papa. You can also read a review I did.
We started with salt and pepper soft shelled crab and some spicy wontons.
We then shared five main course plates including slow cooked pork belly, cumin lamb, traditional Sichuan poached fish, honey prawns, and wok-fried Sichuan intestines.
Sichuan Papa
Shop 24 Park Lane Everton Park Plaza, 791 Stafford Rd, Everton Park QLD 4053
Later that evening I visited Ms18 at Cold Rock and had a salted caramel ice cream with freckles mixed in.
Tuesday 31 December 2019
Breakfast was spinach and an egg.
For lunch, I took Mum, Dad, and Ms18 to Tempest Seafood Restaurant and Teppanyaki Grill in Scarborough.
I’ve written a short review of my meal which was a steak with scallops.
Normally, at the Tempest I enjoy a seafood platter. This time though I went with a steak and some sea scallops (reef and beef).
After lunch, we wandered over to Morgans Seafood Market & Takeaway to buy some salmon, blue endeavour prawns, blue swimmer (sand) crabs, and Moreton Bay bugs.
For tea on Tuesday I made some old fashioned sandwiches with white sandwich bread, real butter, prawns and crab meat.
You can read more details on the Random Yummy.
Wednesday 01 January 2020
Breakfast was an egg and spinach.
Lunch involved Ms24, her boyfriend, Ms18 and Mum and Dad.
The lunch also included homemade punch.
Earlier in the morning, Mum made a pavlova which she topped with dark brown sugar and vanilla whipped cream, cherries, and pieces of Kensington Pride mango.
For tea on New Year’s Day I cooked some salmon with a mango and avocado salad including pickled radish, red onion, and fennel. The salmon from Morgan’s Seafood Market & Takeaway was fabulous. Mum and I have the same toaster oven so the cooking conditions were identical to what I do in Canberra. Compared with the salmon I buy at Coles in Belconnen, the salmon from the market was amazing. Firm yet flakey.
The details for this meal are also at the Random Yummy.
I’m pleased that Mum and Dad didn’t mind my salad making efforts.
Thursday 02 January 2020
Breakfast was the breakfast of champions. I enjoyed leftover pavlova from New Year’s day. The nice thing about refrigerated leftover pavlova is the whipped cream stiffens a little and the texture is delightful on the tongue. If you’ve never tried this, I urge you to give it a go, unless of course have have diabetes mellitus. If that’s the case, I suggest living vicariously through others while eating a bit of cheese.
There’s bit of a story on the Random Yummy.
I took Mum, Dad, and Ms18 to lunch at Cafe Diversity at Redcliffe
I enjoyed the fish tacos 🌮 and pineapple juice.
There are more details at the Random Yummy.
Cafe Diversity
75 Redcliffe Parade, Redcliffe QLD 4020
(07) 3284 6956
Thursday tea was going to be a night out but I offered to cook a steak for Mum and Dad and they agreed. Mum and Dad said they wanted to shout me dinner, but I said I’d be happier if I could cook for them.
I added some prawns for a surf and turf meal. The details of how I prepared the meal are over at the Random Yummy.
Friday 03 January 2020
No one was free to have breakfast with me so I went to Cafe 63 at Westfield Chermside and enjoyed the Shearer’s classic. This arrived as a large bowl of toast, liver, bacon, onion rings, poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, gravy, and a potato rosti on the bottom which after I cracked the yolk of the eggs became a soggy bottom of rosti soaked with egg yolk, gravy, and Hollandaise sauce 😋🤤
My only complaint is that this meal was served in a bowl. It makes using a knife and fork to cut the liver and bacon a little awkward. It also makes toast management difficult as well. I suggest places try to avoid being trendy and hipster and stick with being practical. I’ll be happier that way.
Cafe 63 Chermside
Shop 2612 Gympie Rd, Chermside QLD 4032
1300 636 300
What have I watched this week?
Stargate Atlantis
On the Sunday before I left Canberra for Brisbane I finished all of the Stargate SG-1 including the two movies released in 2008. I cannot emphasise too much just how much I enjoyed this TV series. If you like science fiction made for wide appeal TV audiences, you’ll like Stargate.
SBS Food
When I wasn’t doing something with members of my family I was reclining on a chair at my parent’s place and watching SBS Food (Channel 33 in Australia). This is mindless TV really but I always find some little fact or idea I tuck away for future use. Like stuffing fennel with mozzarella and slowly baking it.
What have I listened to this week?
I didn’t listen to many podcasts this week while I was away.
The House of God
The House of God isn’t available as an audiobook in English. For some reason, I assume some copyright dilemma, it’s only available in German. I had to purchase two Compact Discs (CDs) and transfer the files to my iTunes account so I could listen to the book on my smartphone and tablet devices.
Gobbet o’ pus
A short sharp clip podcast from Dr Mark Crislip
A thought from the literature expanded with further references.
Puscast
A long form fortnightly review of the infectious diseases literature from Dr Mark Crislip
What have I eaten and photographed this week?
I’ve basically shared almost all the food photographs. I was keeping an eye on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram this week and seeing all the smoke haze in Canberra and elsewhere. I was so grateful for the blue sky I was enjoying in Brisbane.
On returning back to Canberra, I decided so go with a light tea on Friday and Saturday morning I went straight back to my routine of a steamed egg and wilted spinach leaves.
Yummy Lummy this week
I’ll probably post something on Sunday.
Random Yummy
I’ve mentioned nearly all the Random Yummy posts in the food descriptions earlier in this post. I didn’t record any audio clips to accompany the posts. I didn’t want to bring my podcasting headset with me.
You should check out the dinner I cooked on Saturday night. It was spectacular.
Final thoughts
- Have you been affected by the bushfires?
- Do you like cooking for family and friends?
- How was your New Year’s eve and day?
*In this day and age, is it acceptable to use the term “man look”? I’m a bit inept when it comes to being politically correct.
Good to hear from you Gary, as I have thought about, how you were living with the fires in Canberra. We read about the fires all day, also in Europe. It is terrible and I hope, there will come responsible people and take over, as it is not working very well now.
Take good care of yourself.
Thanks, Irene. I hope it will cool down today with a southerly wind and some rain.
I wish so much for rain for Australia, Gary.
Thanks, Irene. I think it has been raining in South Australia. It’s really needed in coastal NSW and Victoria now.
Good to hear, that some rain have showed up, Gary. Yes, now we need more rain to help close all the fires and save many souls too.