Lunch at The Glenlyon General Store ....

On the drive around the Central Highlands area just NE of Daylesford, we were so engrossed in looking at all the scenery we nearly forgot it was time for lunch!

A friend and myself had gone out for a "Monday Meander" and the scenery was just beautiful, it helped that we had good weather and the new spring grass was in abundance in the paddocks, so everything looked fresh and welcoming.
But it was soon time for lunch so we headed off towards the popular Glenlyon General Store, which is situated on the Daylesford-Malmsbury Road (C316). 
 

Glenlyon is just 11 klms NE of Daylesford or about 15 mins drive time. But if traveling along the Calder Hwy (M79) then Glenlyon is 22 klms SW of Kyneton or about 25 mins drive time.

Being a Monday there were not a lot of people there when we first arrived, but it didn't take long before the customers started coming in!

It was a cosy environment for lunch with a fire burning in the fire grate, a fairly good range of foods on the menu and the coffee that came immediately was hot!

My friend ordered the Corn and Ricotta Fritters with mushrooms & spinach, though the plate came minus the spinach! I had the Vegetable Burger - which was a large corn and ricotta  fritter - on Turkish bread.  I would have liked to have seen a small dish of relish or chutney on the side, but instead it had pesto pasted on the 'toasted' bread. But it was nice nevertheless.

Overall it is a small country 'general store' that is very popular with people on weekend drives from the city. It serves light meals / coffee etc and sells a few unusual items that would make ideal Christmas or birthday gifts!

I would certainly make a return visit for perhaps a Friday night meal and music or just calling in for coffee to see what goodies they may have on the shelves.

Glenlyon General Store has a Facebook Page, so click LIKE to keep up to date on all events too:

FACEBOOK - GLENLYON

The Glenlyon General Store has a website, check it out here:

GLENLYON GENERAL STORE

Mostly excellent reports on tripadvisor:

TRIPADVISOR - GLENLYON

There are good reports coming thru on urbanspoon too, check here:

URBAN SPOON - GLENLYON


Blog post HERE on the drive from Daylesford to Glenlyon.


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please note the above blog post was not for any social media event, this was my own personal choice to have a meal here!!

But we are available for Social Media work at anytime. Be it bakeries, restaurants, festivals, wineries, galleries, cafes, coffee shops, markets or anything that needs to have some focus and would be of interest to others!!

                                                            Leone & John Fabre
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Food Rationing during World War 2

Previous blog post was on CLOTHING RATIONS and this one is a little about the FOOD RATIONING during World War 2.

The State Library of Victoria has an article on this subject amongst their History Research area here.

In Australia, the war did not only affect those men and women who went to fight and serve abroad. Many things also had to change for those who remained at home.

Many men left their jobs to join the armed forces leading to a shortage of labour. New industries had to be created to supply the troops with weapons, uniforms and ammunition . The government had to control the buying and selling of scarce goods, to ensure that everyone received a fair share.

Australians began to experience shortages of almost everything they needed in daily life. At the time of World War II, most of them drank tea, not coffee. When the Japanese captured many of the countries that grew the tea supplied to Australia, this caused severe shortages. Enemy action in the Pacific also disrupted the normal supply of goods by ship to Australia. Australian troops abroad had to be supplied with food produced in Australia, and when thousands of American troops arrived in Australia to fight the war in the Pacific, they also had to be fed.

To ensure that everyone received a basic amount of essential supplies such as meat, butter, sugar and tea, the government brought in a system of rationing. Everyone had to apply for ration books, which contained a number of coupons. Each coupon gave the holder permission to buy a certain amount of something, usually over a weekly period. Despite the hardship, rationing was well received by the public because it applied to everyone equally. Nevertheless, when the government announced in May 1942 that they would impose rationing on clothing, there was a rush to buy as much as possible before rationing began. 

Petrol rationing was first enforced in Australia in October, 1940, a little more than twelve months after the commencement of the 1939-45 War.

No very drastic cuts in consumption were made for some time, but, commencing in April, 1941, when the replenishment of stocks from overseas supply sources was becoming increasingly difficult and uncertain, progressive reductions in the monthly allowances to civilian users were made, the basic ration being finally reduced to the equivalent of only 800 miles of running per annum.

The period of severest rationing lasted from late in 1941 until towards the end of 1944, non-military consumption during these three years or thereabouts being at a rate not very much in excess of one-third of the estimated pre-war rate of 30 million gallons per month.


another article about the Food, Clothing & Petrol Rationing can be found here on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website.

Museum Victoria also contains a lot of excellent information regarding the Food Rations.

the above Food Ration Cards were issued to:

Frederick William James ROBERTS [1900 - 1972]
May Eileen Rose ROBERTS (nee NORMAN) [1900 - 1985]
and their two sons:
Ronald Frederick ROBERTS and Dennis ROBERTS

ROBERTS family outside their home at St Kilda in 1934

with thanks to the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the State Library of Victoria for the above valuable information.

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The Ballan Community Garden

In recent years there’s been a massive increase in interest in community gardens throughout Victoria and across other areas of Australia. There maybe one near you!

A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.

Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment..

The small rural town of Ballan also has a Community Garden, it is for the benefit of all residents in and around the township of Ballan. All that is required is a willingness to help once  a month for a couple of hours.  Be it some weeding, planting, raking, cleaning the pathways ... just a couple of hours a month is not much to ask. 

The benefits far outweigh the 'work' that is asked of you!

There is a constant source of fresh produce to start with .... not to mention the friendliness of the volunteers on the third Saturday of each month when the working bee is held.

If you can't make it on that working bee day, you can always spend a couple of hours at another time that suits.

There are plenty of garden beds if you wish to plant any extra vegetables of your choice too.

Why not come along and check it out for yourself?

everyone is welcome and everyone has a great time.

The following URL's may be of interest too:

Ballarat Community Garden


Cultivating Community


The Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network 


Melbourne Community Gardens


Community Gardens - Yarra Ranges

tea and scones at the Wisteria Cafe in Echuca!

A Devonshire tea (also known as a Cream tea, Devon cream tea or Cornish cream tea) is tea taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream and jam.

The name "Devonshire tea" comes from the county of Devon in England, where it is a local speciality. The exact origin of "cream tea" is disputed, although there is evidence to suggest that the tradition of eating bread with cream and jam already existed at Tavistock Abbey in Devon in the 11th century.

 

When Devonshire Tea is served, it is usually served with the 'proper teapot', the nice plates, cups and saucers.  Atmosphere plays a major part in the serving of Devonshire Tea too ...  even pleasant music that fills the air in ways that smells and sights cannot.

So it was with these expectations that we headed off to the Wisteria Cafe in Echuca to partake in their "Devonshire Tea".  Even the name of the cafe conjures up these expectations, wouldn't you think so?

We arrived at 3.20pm and sat down to order the tea, which arrived soon after by a very pleasant waitress.

BUT ......

The tea was served in stainless steel pots, heavy duty plain white cups, a stainless steel jug of milk, small basket with paper napkins that contained four scones that had obviously been warmed in the microwave!

The jam was no better than supermarket 'home brand' jam served in a small dish alongside the dish of cream.

BUT WAIT .... there is more ....

as soon as we were served (at 3.30pm) the staff started locking up around us. We were quite surprised as we hadn't even poured our tea at this point!

We asked if they were closing and was told they close at 3.30pm!

We felt we had to gulp down our "tea and scones" and depart as soon as possible.  To be fair, they did not ask us to hurry, but we felt we had to as we were the only ones there at that time. Politeness would surely dictate that we should have been told this at the time of ordering our "tea and scones", we then could have made the decision to return the following day and have our "tea and scones" at a more leisurely pace!

We then asked do they stay open later at weekends, to which we were told "oh we stretch it to 4.00pm on some days"!!

This being a 'tourist town' I would have thought even at the weekends they could stay open a little later.

So our expected Devonshire Tea at The Wisteria Cafe did not eventuate, we simply had a very quick serving of "tea and scones" in an outside garden. If the cafe had advertised the afternoon tea as simply 'tea and scones' or just an 'afternoon tea', it would have been quite pleasant in itself and perhaps the disappointment wouldn't have been so great. I think I expected a Devonshire Tea in the historic town of Echuca to be served with a little more finesse.

 
Cannot locate a website for The Wisteria Cafe, but there are reviews in Trip Advisor and UrbanSpoon.




*please note*

the above blog post was not for a social media event, this particular post is for the enjoyment and interest of our loyal followers !!

We, however, are available for Social Media work at anytime. Be it bakeries, restaurants, festivals, wineries, galleries, cafes, coffee shops, markets or anything that needs to have some focus and would be of interest to others!!

email:

Leone and John Fabre

 

An afternoon with Miss Marple!

Yesterday a few of us did the trip up to Sylvan (Victoria, Australia) to see the Tesselaars Tulip Festival, on the way home we did a slight detour to have afternoon tea at the Miss Marples Tea Rooms in Sassafras.

I have read a few of the recent reviews on this establishment and they are:

was in the area on Friday with a group of friends on a photographic trip. After the morning shooting we decided to stop in and grab something to eat. Our party of 8 or so sat down but one was still outside and planned to join us in 10 minutes. Upon arrival he asked one of the waitresses to place another chair at the end of the table. The woman was downright rude and told him that she would not, that he was ill mannered for trying to jump the queue. Our party tried to explain that he was with us, but she didn't believe us, or him, and embarrassed him by telling him that he was lying.

The food was overpriced and nothing special. We will not be going back, when there are other options in the same street who do not humiliate their customers.

Overall, a nice place to take out of town or international visitors for the English-style environment.

Waited for an hour and a half which was fine as its a popular destination however the waitress made us feel like a total inconvenience and ruined the experience. Was supposed to be a lovely Sunday afternoon tea. If your working in the hospitality industry then aren't you supposed to be hospitable? Disappointing Miss Marples.

We had a wonderful lunch here last weekday. Delicious Cream/Devon Teas, open sandwiches and the atmosphere was so cute. I have recommended Miss Marple's to many visitors and none have been disappointed.

So I was anxious to see what it was like on a personal level.

We did have to wait, but all up only about 20 minutes, which allowed us time to visit the Tea Shop next door.

We found the staff to be pleasant and we were served without any wait or fuss. My only comment would be on the 'scones'. I found them to be more like a dry tasting sponge and nothing like I would expect a "Devonshire Tea" scone to be like either in taste, shape or size!

Other than that, it was a very pleasant afternoon tea. Regardless of some reviews, I would suggest that everyone needs to go here at least once in their lifetime!

Miss Marple's Tearoom

03 9755 1610

382 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd
Sassafras, VIC 3787

please note the above blog post was not for any social media event, this particular post is for the enjoyment and interest of our loyal followers !!

We, however, are available for Social Media work at anytime. Be it bakeries, restaurants, festivals, wineries, galleries, cafes, coffee shops, markets or anything that needs to have some focus and would be of interest to others!!

email:

Leone and John Fabre

come for lunch next Wednesday!!!

The Ballan Hospital Auxiliary are raising funds for the Ballan Hospital and need your support.

There is a Casserole Lunch to be held NEXT WEDNESDAY 19th September, from 12 noon at the Ballan Mechanics Hall in Inglis Street, Ballan.



Bookings for this popular event are needed, so call 5368 1081

come along and join in the fun, meet new friends and enjoy a delicious two course lunch for just $15.00.

There will be door prizes, raffles and stalls too.

remember: next Wednesday, 19th September in Ballan.

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awesome artichokes!

Lets get straight into these Marinated Artichokes ......

In the previous blog post I explained how I do the marinated mushrooms, so now its the Artichokes turn to shine:

The artichoke marinade is not unlike the one for the mushrooms. Though this one has lemon and you can also add a small amount of chili if you wish.

 Again you can vary the quantities to suit your taste.

You will need:

Two clean glass jars with a wide opening.

Two cans of artichokes hearts.

Olive oil (about 1 cup or perhaps a little more)

Wine vinegar.

Cider vinegar.

Garlic. (maybe 6 cloves, depending on your taste)

Zest of 1/2 lemon or the rind of the lemon.

Juice of 1/2 lemon.

Salt and pepper.

Italian Seasoning (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Lime & Chili Seasoning (McCormicks if available)

Place the Artichoke Hearts in the glass jars and then mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. 

Once blended pour over the Artichokes that have been sitting in the jar patiently waiting.  Place the lid on tight and - if possible - let these stand for at least 30 days.

 
After the waiting period, place one or two of the Artichoke Hearts on a small flat plate, flatten gently so the 'leaves' are easily picked up with a cocktail fork or toothpick.

Serve with toasted Turkish Bread or a sliced and toasted Baguette.

The marinated Artichokes can be rather rich, so don't go overboard when eating these!

The following are blog posts I have uploaded as I re-learn the basics of cooking and baking:

Marinated Mushrooms

a berry nice madeira cake

creamy pumpkin soup

Biryani Chicken 

a tasty roast

do you call them drop scones?

Banana Bread

Creamy Salmon and Pasta Bake

Lentil Hot Pot - plus others

enjoy!

a visit to the Ballan Farmers Market!

 

Ballan & District Farmers' Market is full of community spirit. With more than 30 stallholders placed throughout the beautiful surrounds of Mill Cottage it attracts hundreds of people each month. The market is usually held on the second Saturday of the Month.

We had the opportunity to attend the market with friends this past weekend and it truly was delightful. The weather was perfect, there were people were wandering around just enjoying the atmosphere and the stall holders were there with their fresh produce ... it was a great day for everyone.

We took Oscar with us and decided to get there early, well before the expected crowds, we parked in the main street and I think we were lucky to find parking so close by looking at all the vehicles already there!

as we approached Mill Cottage we saw that there were stall holders already set up on the street itself selling plants, herbs, honey and other fresh produce.

and once inside we saw that there were many stall holders selling everything from fresh vegetables to wine, from fresh bread to home made cookies and others cooking foods while you wait .....

the gardens of Mill Cottage are a delight to see as well ...

Ballan Farmers Market is worth visiting if you live close by in Regional Victoria and even if you live in the city of Melbourne and looking for a pleasant drive "out in the countryside", than plan ahead and make the effort to visit this delightful rural village with it's Farmers Market on the second Saturday of the month!

Ballan & District Farmers' Market 
 

Where:

92 Inglis Street , Ballan, Victoria, Australia

Phone:

0408218954

Email

 

the dates for the rest of 2012 are as follows:
May 12
June 9
July 14
August 11
September 8
October 13
November 10
December 8

 

 

 next blog post will be about the "Biscuiteer Extraordinaire"

John and Leone Fabre

Ballan Autumn Festival - 2012

Last weekend - March 25 - was the Ballan Autumn Festival ….. it is held each year, but this was the first time we had attended the event.  According to the website there was much on offer, the Quilt Show, a book bazaar, an Art Show, a pet parade, a photo exhibition, a talent quest, wood chopping and of course the main event was the Street Parade.

On the website it has:

As a community, Ballan is proud to showcase our town one hour west of Melbourne, off the Western Freeway, between Bacchus Marsh and Ballarat.

The Ballan Autumn festival has been held annually for over 30 years and this year will be held in the main street of Ballan.

It is a fun day for all the family where Ballan comes alive.

There will be bands performing on the main stage; a parade of community groups and floats; vintage cars and motor cycle riders; the local pet owners will proudly parade their animals around the ring for judging in the pet show. Ballan Art and Craft Society and Ballan Quilt and Craft both put on hugely popular exhibitions.

Photography Competition encourages anyone with a camera to illustrate the Festival theme.  Many stalls of all varieties including food.

Visit Ballan and join in the fun.

Take a walk around the town and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather; stop in at the many events held during the festival.

By 9.30am all the street holders had set up their stalls along the main street (Inglis St) selling their wares. Which was anything from Baked Potatoes to Jewelry, from knitted caps to scented soaps ….. it was there ready for you to purchase.

We went down fairly early hoping to avoid any possible crowds. We arrived just after 10.00am and many people starting to arrive already.

The following images - taken along the Main Street at the start of the day - will give you a glimpse of the Ballan Autumn Festival :

Check back in a few days for further blog posts on the Street Parade, The Vintage Vehicles and of course the Wood Chopping!



please note we are available for any Social Media work. Be it Galleries, bakeries, restaurants, wineries, Festivals, cafes, coffee shops, or anything that needs to have some focus and would be of interest to others!!

email:

Leone and John Fabre