Mayor4Unley

When visiting Tasmania, it is a must to go to that museum, MONA. Take the ferry from Hobart. I notice the new book titled Toilets: A Spotter's Guide (Lonely Planet, $14.99). A lovely coffee table book. Anyway, one of the Aussie toilets featured is a public toilet at MONA. That toilet has an array of mirrors in the pan to enable you to see what is happening down there. There's a warning about ... 'Things you'll have trouble forgetting once seen'. For more information Google MONA toilet. The shop at the museum also has a range of unusual soap for sale as a souvenir. Certainly a conversation piece. Again, use Google to get more information.

Found this on Twitter from Dr Karl ... Chickens have an ~20-word language (e.g., different words for "intruder at ground level" & "intruder flying above". Next time I must listen to the hens' clucks more closely.

Just found a bowl of salted lime (and lemon skins) in the cupboard. I knew that they were there, it just took some months to get around to washing them (in vinegar) and then packing them into jars with olive oil. They had been in rock salt for 8 months. When I scooped them out they were a nice golden colour and the skins was bubbled by the salt; and very dry. Now they're in the cupboard and will last for years. Ideal on meat; they just melt; or in salads and couscous. A simple pleasure of life; and from the garden.

Just image what might have been, back on 08 April 1802 in South Australia. We may have become French. They say it might have just been a matter of 5 minutes sailing as to who won the rights. The French explorer Nicolas Baudin encountered and met ship to ship with English explorer Matthew Flinders. It was a harmonious encounter and Flinders was the victor. The French, despite having a strong historical claim (for Australia) lost; they walked (or sailed) away and Flinders took the credit and became a hero; and we became English. But just imagine if Baudin had pushed his case and convinced Flinders of the French claim. Today in South Australia (and the rest of Australia) we would be French. We would be a republic, we wouldn't have an issue with our flag or national anthem etc. For breakfast we would drink hot chocolate and coffee from bowls (and not from cups or mugs) followed by croissants. Every day, in the morning, we would go to the local baker and buy baguettes and then visit...

A friend has a caper farm in the foothills of Adelaide. I visited a couple of weeks ago and picked a few ice-cream containers full of capers. These were soaked in water and washed daily. A strong, very strong unpleasant smell for a week. Then the smell changed to a strong herbal scent. The capers are now in jars in a strong, very strong brine solution. I decided not to use vinegar. Should be ready for tasting in a month. Hopefully they will last and remain fresh over the coming year. more information about preserving capers

This year my small pomegranate tree had a huge crop; the fruit was so large and juicy. Yesterday I used a hand press to squeeze out the juice. Hard and slow work. I ended up splattered with pink juice; it's a task that you do outside. Tip: wear old clothes. The juice is in the fridge and some has been frozen to enjoy over the year. Fresh seeds were used in a couscous salad; a nice touch.

The other night I was at a mate's place. It's custom to take a bottle, so I packed a decent bottle of red. On arrival there was a bottle of red wine in a brown paper bag on the table. I was asked to assess it; 'tell me what do you think mate'. Knowing that my friend buys good red wine at the right price, usually for no more that $15 a bottle, I swirled and slurped and gave it the nose. Absolutely superb. My assessment was that it was good, damn good and should fall into the price range of $19-$20. The bag was removed and I was looking at a South Australian Riverland red that cost $10 delivered. I was staggered that it didn't have that over-ripe, hot and plummy taste that often comes from the Riverland. I went home and ordered some online. Do yourself a favour and get some. Here are the details: Growers Gate 2014 Shiraz Riverland Red CCW Cooperative, Berrie, SA $120 a dozen, delivered http://growersgate.com.au/product/shiraz/