12 July 2010
Once again we have been the recipients of freshly caught fish. Wahoo. Sophie of Wild Tigris gave us several whopping Wahoo steaks, two of which I made into a fish curry. There were enough to last us all the way to Australia and beyond, but quarantine will confiscate everything in my freezer so David and will be having fish with everything. Well.... it makes a change from chips! They have all the work involved in the gutting and filleting. All we have to do is cook it, eat it and enjoy it. But like all big game fishing I suspect that much of the fun and excitement comes in the catching of these giant specimens. Last night we dined with Irene and Dick at Vila Chaumieres. I was surprised to see coconut crab on the menu. They are a great delicacy, reflected in the high prices charged. But according to the IUCN invertebrate red data list the coconut crab is a worldwide protected species but there is not enough data at present to decide if the coconut crab is an endangered species. Last but not least in my fishy stories, the ocean gave us a gift on passage to Port Vila of the biggest flying fish ever. Usually they are no more than a few inches long, appear all bone and wings, and go straight back over the side but on this occasion it was of such a size it had to be worth the cooking and eating. Measuring 11inches I could not even fit it in the frying pan without removing the tail. It was deeelicious!
Hoist by my own petard
- Fallen on my own sword - A victim of my own food fervour - In other words I have a tendency to rather overdo things on the provisioning side. I prepare as if for a siege. This morning I delved into my chest freezer and found far too much food. When we reach the port of Mackay in Australia, sniffer dogs will be brought aboard just in case I have any ideas to smuggle anything into their territory. The list of banned items is prohibitive. They have by far the strictest laws in the world. And I have far too much stuff! David and I will have to eat our way through a veritable mountain of food. We started in the foothills tonight with lamb moussaka. Absolutely delicious it was and there is another one ready and waiting for a couple of days hence. Then there is of course Sophie's wonderful Wahoo. A lasagne or two will follow, then chicken fillets in a crème fraiche and herb sauce. I am not particularly looking forward to this passage (it could be a little lively), but sure am looking forward to the food. David and I will keep you "au fait" with Voyageur's haute cuisine and might just have to spin this leg out in order to enjoy the rest of the contents of her ample freezer space....
Susan Mackay
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