REconnected

May, June, July, August, September, October and now its November.

So much is happening and has happened in and around the HUB during these last months. Wonderful people from all parts of the world have come and gone.....fences have been built, new vegetable gardens have been dug and planted, The ring road around the Ecovillage has been started and trenches for the services to the house lots around the road area about to be dug.

The vegetable gardens have thrived all through winter and a most amazing crop of 'Greenfeast' peas are being harvested continuously. Many do not make it to the cooking stage. Fresh from the pod is the way to go..........................yum.

Missing

Have been back on the mainland now for 19 days...not that I am counting! Wondering how the seedlings are progressing that I planted before I left. Wondering about the garlic that was planted with the waning moon and wondering if the summer lettuce seed is ready to harvest.

I let bolt to seed for next summers sowing, a very dark red lettuce, delicious flavour with deep serrated leaves. The yellow flowers were bursting forth like stars heading for the heavens from the rosette.

 In 6 days I will know how the garden I left behind has progressed.  Not counting!

From Garden to Plate

One of the very enjoyable elements of being part of the emerging Eco Village is the sharing of resources and work.

 I picked the veges that I grew......
 Ellen cooked the stirfry.........

 We all ate the low food miles (or metres!) stirfry........YUM

 Yum.

Daughters of Fisherman at Dunalley

A childhood friend came down to Tasman Eco Village for a brief visit recently. We came through Dunalley on the way down the Tasman Peninsula. The fishermans pier and surrounds reminded us of the places of our childhood. These scenes have largely disappeared from the places that we haunted as youngsters on the mainland.

 To visit Dunalley was to revisit our past.

Near Roaring Beach

 Visited the beautiful home and property of two visitors I met at the Hub Cafe last week. No words can describe the beauty of the place.

Roaring Beach in background

Burnt out base of Eucalypt

View back to White Beach

Stone wall under construction

Max in the Hub Cafe kitchen

All types of wonderful food is prepared by Max and Co in the kitchen....these are some pics taken by Max featuring some of the creations....food landscapes.

Arrangement of quiches

Sesame seed cookies and arranged herbs (below)

Broccoli, spinach  and cream cheese quiche

Wallaby burger with red onion marmalade, aoli, and salad
 

Thoughts from Max...."When I started at Parsons Bay Retreat I knew that it was going to be a bit of a personal challenge for myself, having never run my own kitchen before, before I always had someone to look up to and learn from. The Menu created is lets say the best bits from my experience as a chef some from my home country UK and some from my travels around Australia. 

 I had to make the meals easy enough to produce quickly on demand, but without skimping out on the quality, my main rule is to keep things simple. I find I get the best results that way, over complicating dishes is sometimes distracting.  

 It is important working with good, fresh, produce. Usually you can tell in the tasting whether the food is from a good source. The best thing about cheffing at Parsons Bay is that it has one of the best vegetable plots that I have worked with, It is such a luxury to be able to walk down to the garden and pick whatever you need, there are a variety of vegetables and herbs to choose from. Pumpkins, zucchinis, tomatoes a variety of different lettuces and a lot more...quoting from Deb our resident gardener "It doesn't get any fresher" she's right it really doesn't. 

 I have worked a lot in catering though I have a BA(hons) Degree in animation, originally I did not want to be a chef, so I pursued my creative ambitions, though after graduating I failed to find work in my desired field and went back to what I knew best. I am a little disappointed to be honest, though now I can find ways to express my creativity through cooking, It’s not the same I know but I still get satisfaction out of cooking and presenting something well.

 My time at Parsons Bay is unfortunately ending soon, it is a shame as the area is stunningly beautiful, I have had fun here and I think I have developed as a chef, you learn something new every kitchen you work in whether it be a different way of doing things, new recipies, new friends. I think I can take all of these things away from Parsons Bay, good luck to Ilan, the Café and all the future helpers. "

 

The Happy Wheelbarrow

 

Today in the rain.....building the pathway to the creek.

 The banks of the pathway have been planted out with a variety of indigenous species.

 When established the vegetation corrridor and track will enable access to Parsons Bay from the Eco Village.