Best Gotcha Day Ever!

I was born sometime in the year 2007. I don't remember my biological mother much. Just that I somehow ended up cold and wet and crying at someone's kitchen door. That was Aunty J's kitchen. Aunty J and her family took pity on me and welcomed me into their life. I stayed with them for about three months before I was surrendered to my Mama. The rest, as they say, is history.

To commemorate that fateful day in July 2007 when my Mama first "gotcha" me, we had a small celebration at home. At first Mama wanted to invite the usual gang to a party but as she had a flu, decided against it. The celebration started from morning until midnight. Serious! They came in small doses but I savour every moment.

There I was relaxing next to the hibernating queen, waiting for Mama to prepare breakfast.

Hmmm...some interesting cooking happening there.

Aah...poffertjes. Yummm....those tiny morsels of delight also known as Dutch pancakes. We had those with honey.

Mama said she made the poffertjes to also celebrate the Dutch team's achievement in the World Cup. I'm not complaining. Oh, there's no recipe for this coz we got the pancake mix from the big guy at Parklea Market. Just add water, the instruction on the packet says.

We then spent the day gardening, mostly weeding as the rain has encouraged growth of some weeds in the pots. Some of the plants are also infected by pests and we had to spray white oil on them.

Come midday, Mama went to the kitchen again and made some fried noodles. She was really spoiling me rotten. The noodle dish has loads of prawns and veggies in it. Yumm....

Want some? No, you can't. It's all mine.

And just when I thought it wouldn't get any better, Mama made chocolate chip cookies laden with heaps of macadamia nuts for afternoon tea. I had the cookies with Milo. I think the whole block could smell the aroma of the cookies.

Some people say Mama's choc chip cookies are better than that "famous" brand. I agree.

My stomach was so full with all those pancakes, noodles and cookies that I had to decline Mama's offer of dinner. "But tell me if you're hungry again, OK?," she said.

Even Angelina woke up from her slumber to help me celebrate. I couldn't be eating all those delish stuffs alone now, could I?

Later in the evening, my stomach was growling and I was begging for a light supper. So I have a bottomless pit of a stomach, OK? Mama has been so cooperative all day that I was at first hesitant to beg. But as it was my special day, she still went to the kitchen and cook up something. Hmmm....what else I wonder....

I could hear some stir frying, chili in the pan (everyone sneezed), then some mashing and bashing and more frying....to produce these:

Aah...cekodok pisang and sambal ikan bilis. We ate these while watching Germany demolish Argentina. Sweet.....

And that's how we celebrated my "gotcha" day. har har har *evil laughs*

Mama's Travels 4

My Mama went to the North Coast of NSW a while back. This area covers places like Coffs Harbour, Ballina and Byron Bay. She didn't actually went there on purpose, rather she was passing by the area on her way to Brisbane. It's a good 12-hour drive to Brizzie from Sydney, thus the need for stops and rests along the way.
If I remember correctly, that was her first and only time that she drove to Brisbane. She's stuck to aeroplanes since then. My ageing body can't take it anymore, she said.
The first stop was Coffs Harbour. The seaside town is practically halfway between Sydney and Brisbane (550km from Sydney, 427km from Brisbane). The main attraction is the BIG BANANA, one of the first BIG THINGs in Australia. It was built in 1964 (older than Mama!!) and measures a staggering 11m long, 5m high and 2.4m wide. That's millions and millions times larger than actual cavendish variety that it represents. Mama bought a book listing all (almost) of Australia's BIG THINGs at the souvenir shop there. Apparently the BIG BANANA was built by an American who came to Australia to study insects in the 1960s. Fancy that!

The BIG BANANA of Coffs Harbour
Another view of the BIG BANANA complex
The only banana in Australia (if not the world) where you can actually walk in it!
Biggest banana menu in the world?
The complex also boasts a banana-themed fun park

About 210km north of Coffs Harbour lies the seafood paradise of Ballina. Mama says there's a large fibreglass prawn that sits on top of the roof of a restaurant. Of course, the restaurant sells seafood (including prawns) and chippies. Unfortunately they don't make dishes like chili crab or black pepper prawns. My Mama likes her seafood hot and spicy.

The BIG PRAWN of Ballina attracts passersby to stop at the fish and chips/seafood restaurants nearby

Further up, after Ballina, is Byron Bay. Mama said there's a place that's a must visit for everyone passing by this area. It's called the Macadamia Castle. She showed me a picture of Uncle MM eating a humongous plate of pancakes served with ice cream and macadamia nuts at the Castle Cafe. Mama says she loves the Nut Bar where you can get a myriad of macadamia products. Including the nuts in at least 12 flavours! Oh, did I mention that there's a BIG KNIGHT standing guard in front of the castle? He's humongous too... There's a host of information about the castle and the famous nuts at their official website www.macadamiacastle.com.au.

Tha landmark - the BIG KNIGHT - can't miss it
The signboard for the Macadamia Castle
Yummy pancakes topped with ice cream and macadamias...

I know my Mama is dreaming of re-visiting those places...maybe with Brad and I?