Pie and….

It’s always difficult to gauge what the food will be like at unknown pubs…..reviews are good but it often depends on the chef on the day.

Haven’t had a pie for a long time we said…….yes, they’re made on site we were told

The first one (on the specials board) at a well known country pub in Yarra Glen (just never visited by us) turned out to be a ‘pot pie’ – with chips and salad. I really should read menus more thoroughly as I wasn’t expecting that.
Pastry topping was fabulous- light and flaky with edges rolling down the side of the pot. (Just as in some circumstances it’s not bad manners to pick up a chicken bone and have a nibble so I deemed it ok to pull the pastry off and dunk it in the gravy. 😊)
The meat (that strangely was a bit chewy/could have been cooked longer before going in the pot) was in large chunks so had to be taken out to cut into more manageable pieces……I know I have a big mouth at times but. ….
Anyway here’s a plus – a definite plus – it, the vegetables inside and the gravy were hot. – just come out of the oven hot. So all was not lost there

Chips and salad……unfortunately very tired

We ate outside in a sports bar area – rough wooden floor, bench tables, serviceable metal chairs! No one else out there except some cheeky sparrows who kept us amused ‘battling’ with each other over a chip that didn’t make it to my mouth

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So another Thursday rolled round, a free day for both of us ……oh the busy life these retired people lead…..where to today?.
‘What about we go to the pub down the road, the one on the corner on the way to Lilydale – another we haven’t been to for many a year ‘.
I’ll try a pie again – my back and legs were killing me and I needed comfort food. Also made on site so better still.

Pub food is often standard fare, especially seniors menus like this one – snitzels,, parmas, fish & chips, sometimes roast of the day and presentation varies from place to place. I knew what my order was going to be……however you should have seen the smile on my face when the young man placed this in front of me.
Stacking a meat pie on mash and placing onion rings so artistically on top of it all was a definite winner with me. The pie crust was crisp and flaky, the beef filling was pulled so no chewing necessary- it almost melted in my mouth, the peas might have been frozen but both they and the gravy along with everything else were piping hot.

The Golfer was not enthralled with his Nasi Goreng

The first cool day for ages so we decided to eat in the Bistro. A very large room with the visible kitchen and bar running down the room, basic tables and chairs with loads of room around each which encourages families to visit. Another quiet lunch because it was late when we arrived so there were only a few ‘old fellas putting the world to rights’ up near the bar – we shared a small alcove area with another couple at a table near to us.

And that’s my meat pie quota eaten for possibly a year or two 😊

Though nothing can beat them eaten out of a paper bag footy style.

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Seen in the supermarket….

December 23rd 2024

(All our fruit and veg must be labelled with country of origin).

Overheard in the supermarket

”Would you look at the price of that!”.
Huge price increase in lemons

”Definitely not in season, they’ve been in cold storage a while”.
As a winter crop the lemons would have been picked ages ago

”How do I know which is which?”.
Kiwi fruit is a known import and we do like to support our nearby NZ neighbours.

Off season we often see imported grapes from USA but I’ve never seen Kiwi fruit from there before. Wonder what deal Head Office have made


I don’t need either but I’m curious to see the kg prices again
Because this was the price (yesterday) per individual item on their website

😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

If we eat out….

If we eat out many more times I’ll have forgotten how to cook by the time we get home😊.
A fabulous curry – King prawn salad – plus Spanish mackerel & calamari rings all came my way during the last week!

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Lunch for our day out in Ayr was at the Anzac Memorial Club (RSL) so food was what I call pub style. Basic, good value, usually pretty good. Best ‘no name’ curry I’ve had for a while – and so much of it. Doggy Bags were allowed (not always the case in some restaurants) so half of my enormous serve came ‘home’ with me.
******.
Sunday saw us down at the marina having a fabulous lunch fresh off the boat at Birds Fish Bar. Quiet and almost empty when we arrived- busy, tables filled with families when we left

It’s changed a lot over the years, renovated after the COVID restrictions (no more BYO – they have a liquor license now- deters the noisy ones they say)……the fishing boats still tie up out the back and ‘deliver to the door’….can’t get fresher than that!

****.
And then this week there was one of our ‘special treats’ – Lunch at The Cove……the restaurant in the white building visible (far left side) across the bay from here at Queens Beach.

Certainly not posh by ‘big city standards’…… Simple decor, very basic tables and chairs, good food, well priced menu, open to the outside but protected…..with views to enjoy over and over again.

Oh, and when I start mentioning clothes that are shrinking and I’ve no idea why, you can all smile and nod knowingly 😊😊😊

Sharing with Min and others at Wednesday Words and Whimsy – HERE

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Hidden benefits…

There is a little hidden benefit to having my man, The Golfer
out of the house several times a week.
He is out in the fresh air ‘working up an appetite’
while putting the world to right with his mates

Pumpkin soup in the making

While I am able enjoy my ‘taste test’ meal – quietly on my own
And get to ‘dress the table’ – my way😊

Looks good enough to eat!
Almond fingers – my favourite

And then of course have 2nds with him for dinner that evening 😊

~ ~ ~ ~

ps…the comment run around is still alive and well!
I’m having problems- others are having problems
I don’t think it’s related to me having changed themes recently but you never know
Anyway the old one has been retired so there’s no going back 🙁

Seemingly there are now very few WordPress themes that show comments on the home page.
So to be able to comment here on Still Waters you need to go to the actual post – click on the title- ie ‘open the post’ then scroll down to the comment box.

I think my personal difficulties are with Google/Blogger rather than WordPress. I’m working on it

Sharing with Denyse’s weekly link up Wednesday’s Words & Pic
Why don’t you pop over and see who’s visiting her today

Food on a Friday….Do or Die Day

A review of the contents of the veg drawer in the fridge on a cool day last week showed half a butternut pumpkin and a couple of carrots that wouldn’t pass the cut on a dinner plate so it was do (in another form) or die day for them. The doing I had in mind was an old favourite – a one pot ’bubble away quietly in the corner and cook by yourself casseroley thing’ we call Pumpkin Potato Lentil Hotpot

After a bit of rummaging in the spice and pulses dept I discovered that all the ingredients (or substitutes) for the meatless meal were actually in house.  So there was no running up the street to the supermarket at the last minute – what you’ve never done that before??

I don’t think it matters if I use liquid oil and not a spray, my veg stock comes as powder not cubes, my garlic is from a jar not fresh, green lentils joined the red ones to make up the numbers and that due to a lack of green beans, carrots were added instead 😊

My Hotpot

However I’m at a loss wondering why, when (for once) I actually used (nearly) all the tabled ingredients (weighed and measured properly as well) my hotpot has a ‘redder’ look than the one in the book.  Maybe the tomatoes in my tin were riper than hers lol

I possibly could have chopped the veg a bit smaller – it had a rather rustic look on the plate so I added some crusty rolls on the side to mop up the sauce; and the taste according to The Golfer when he put his spoon and fork down and laid his hands on his rather full belly was “Not Bad, Not Bad at all’ …..reinforcing my idea that real men will eat anything that’s put in front of them when they’re hungry 😊

(I used the stove top….but know from experience once all ingredients are combined it cooks just as well in a crockpot/slow cooker)