Category Archives: Food & Wine

Tasting Port in Porto

Posted on 23 March 2023 by sheg4184

On the banks of the Douro River, a stone’s throw from the sea, snuggles a city of terracotta roof tiles atop narrow houses, their facades decorated in coloured tiles. Clustered tightly together, they stagger unsteadily up winding cobbled lanes that … Continue reading →

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Designer Dining

Posted on 14 March 2023 by sheg4184

On the flight to London, I watched a movie starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, and Ralph Fiennes reprising his role as Voldemort but in chef’s attire. Touted as a sinister dark comedy, The Menu explores the philosophies of top-tier chefs … Continue reading →

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A Final Glimpse of Tasmania, Past, Present and Bucolic

Posted on 3 March 2023 by sheg4184

‘Scrimshaw.’ My favourite new word for the week. What is scrimshaw? A character from Harry Potter perhaps? No, not quite. That was Rufus Scrimgeour, I believe. Scrimshaw is, in fact, the art of engraving images on objects made from whale … Continue reading →

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The Joy of Cheese

Posted on 18 February 2023 by sheg4184

“Dessert without cheese is like a beauty with only one eye” ~ Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin When we first visited Tasmania, back in the late eighties, it was known as a destination for serious hikers, those keen to explore the wilderness … Continue reading →

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“Core of my heart, my country!”

Posted on 28 December 2022 by sheg4184

An opal-hearted country,A wilful lavish land –All you who have not loved her,You will not understand –Though earth has many splendours,Wherever I may day,I know to what brown countryMy homing thoughts will fly. For many Australians, the words of poet … Continue reading →

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Fijian Adventure

Posted on 13 July 2022 by sheg4184

The rain is pelting down, flooding the roads, and I am chilled to the bone as I head for Adelaide airport, to head north for warmer climes. I am due to meet the One & Only in Brisbane, before flying … Continue reading →

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Sunday Scribblings

Posted on 27 March 2022 by sheg4184

A week or two of wild winds, white skies, where’s-my-dressing-gown? Autumn has arrived. And then suddenly the wind drops, and the sky is clear, azure blue again. The trees stop churning and the pool glitters serenely, tempting me to cast … Continue reading →

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A Whistle-Stop Trip

Posted on 21 February 2022 by sheg4184

‘You can’t roller skate in as buffalo herdBut you can be happy if you’ve a mind to…’ What have we been up to lately? A whirlwind trip east to Melbourne: four days in the car, visiting friends en route; a … Continue reading →

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A Café by the Sea

Posted on 7 February 2022 by sheg4184

The sun is up and the early morning swimmers are trudging up the beach, damp and dripping, to gather for coffee on the veranda at the Normanville Kiosk & Café. In dribs and drabs, the dawn patrol of dog walkers … Continue reading →

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Ekhidna Wines

Posted on 17 January 2022 by sheg4184

A sunny day. A back road in McLaren Vale. A vast fig tree giving off a juicy scent of summer. An open air space tucked in among the grapevines. The view is sublime, the staff are terrific – cheerful and … Continue reading →

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