May Madness

Following on from April, May seems to have been just as busy but, once again, it is of our own doing.  You see, we just don't want to miss a thing......life is too short for that!

We have made numerous trips to Cairns in the last couple of weeks for appointments and we always try to make it as enjoyable as possible by lunching at different restaurants.  We have quite enjoyed eating at CheZest in Grafton Street and I particularly enjoy their Japanese inspired Tonkatsu  (Crumbed Pork Cutlet).

Early in the month we had a visit from one of our friends who joined us on the road trip to Julia Creek. It was lovely to catch up with her and her news.  I cooked up Jamie Oliver's Chicken and Chorizo that always goes down well.

Speaking of food, I have again been trying out some new recipes.  I've said it before and I'll say it again I love food and everything about it.  I enjoy trying out new recipes and adapting some old favourites.  The past couple of weeks I have cooked up......

• Bolognese Ragu using a very coarse mince rather than the usually finely minced.  It is so full of flavour and I rather enjoy the chunky taste

• Involtini, but rather than using the traditional veal, I used some of our own beef steaks that I pounded out thinly and stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice, the white from hard boiled eggs, and finely chopped olives that had been stuffed with anchovies.  After browning the involtini they simmered for about an hour in a sage/wine/butter sauce.  
  
  
  
• Duck Breast served with a Marmalade Sauce with chilli broccoli and asparagus on the side
  

This week we have had contractors come in to rid our property of the very invasive grass - Navua Sedge.  This grass is native to tropical Africa and was first found in Australia in 1979 growing along footpaths in Cairns.  It is now more broadly distributed in north Queensland and is a huge problem for grazing properties.  Some agents have declared properties with a high amount of sedge as "unsaleable" so we have been forced to eradicate this horrible plant.  It is not cheap - around $100/acre - that will be an ongoing yearly cost. 

Sorry about the iPhone photo quality - you can hardly see the men, but there is three of the contractors wearing white protection suits riding around on quad bikes