Bass Coast Post - A cook's journal

Fish pie

15/4/2025

By Liane Arno

WHEN we were in the Archies Creek pub our first chef was a master of fish pies. He used to tell us that his success was due to the fact that he didn’t skimp on ingredients. They were packed full of lots of goodies like scallops and all sorts. I don’t know if you have seen the price of scallops lately but they are well out of my budget. The pies were priced accordingly, of course, and he used to do a roaring trade over Easter.

While this chef cooked for our patrons he was also the cook for anyone who was unlucky enough to end up in the lockup in the Wonthaggi Police Station. So while they were banged up they would at least have some good food to enjoy. On one occasion the police were unsuccessful in contacting the chef and so came to the pub to pick up a meal. Matt didn’t know what to do – but gave the police a couple of these pies. The inmate would have been in heaven and would have questioned whether a life of crime wasn’t too bad after all!

Mint jelly

25/3/2025

While the mint’s still flourishing, whip yourself up some home-made jelly.

By Liane Arno

WE DECIDED to buy ourselves a spit roaster – as you do. Our plan was to use it for a suckling pig but we found it impossible to get a true suckling pig. There are a couple of reasons. The first is that the pig farmers don’t want to sell them that young because they think they should have a little longer to live. I must say I struggle with this – after all they are raising the pigs to eat them so does it really matter how old they are? Clearly I am in the minority when I don’t think it matters. The other reason is that the abattoirs are not set up for small animals and so the killing and butchering needs to be done on the farm – and it's a messy business.

Orange and almond cake

27/2/2025

By Liane Arno

I’VE just renewed my food safety supervisor training. For those who haven’t worked in the food industry you would be shocked (and hopefully reassured) by the number of processes that food handlers need to follow in order to ensure the meals served to you won’t poison you. The ways in which people can be killed from eating are numerous and the new rules place significant obligations on businesses to ensure that they label all ingredients to ensure that those with food allergies can ascertain whether the consumption of the food stuff will result in their discomfort if not demise.

Zucchini fritters

2/2/2025

Zucchini fritters with a difference, courtesy of a quick spin dry.

By Liane Arno

MATT told me one of the funniest nights he has had in his life when he went to a show by Spike Milligan. You will remember that Spike was one of the Goons. He is dead now with “I told you I was ill,” etched in Gaelic on his headstone indicating the irreverent fellow who lies below.

Spike came to Australia not only to visit his parents who lived in Woy Woy but also to tour. On one such tour Matt was in the audience when Spike walked on stage and started talking about jam rolls. He told the audience that on walking into a shop he came across a huge display of jam rolls. “I’m a bit partial to the old jam rolls – so I bought the lot.”

Portuguese Lamb

10/1/2025

By Liane Arno

MATT celebrated his 21st birthday in Portugal and has very fond memories of it. Like all of us at that age embarking on the “grand tour” after leaving school he didn’t have much money, but he had enough to buy a small bottle of white port which he kept untouched and safe despite walking away from so many possessions in his life’s journey.

And so more than 50 years later we decided to travel back and see if we could find the place where he reached the age of majority.

We didn’t manage to find the Port House where the bottle of port was manufactured but that was easily made up for the fact that we absorbed ourselves into the Mediterranean way of life, which means plenty of eating and drinking.

Liquorice ice cream

13/12/2024

Recreating a famous local dish – Malcolm Bain’s liquorice ice cream.

By Liane Arno

SOME of you knew Malcolm Bain. Long story but when we owned the Royal Mail Hotel at Archies Creek I painted my VW Beetle post box red and even popped a crown on its bonnet. Needing the best of care of course we went to Mark Robertson to get it serviced. Knowing that he knew a thing or two we asked him if he knew any good chefs. He immediately referred us to Malcolm Bain and a recent article in the Bass Coast Post.

Malcolm was a larger than life character who, like all brilliant chefs, could be a bit snarky from time to time. I think it was an even split between me loving him and getting grumpy with him. He refused to put food into the sealed containers that I supplied at great expense! Instead he covered everything in many layers of gladwrap. At the time the council had instructed us to make sure everything went into the sealed containers so every evening I would go into the cool room and swap the gladwrap for the containers. And every morning he would get grumpy at me for doing so.

Mandarin upside down cake

15/11/2024

By Liane Arno

One of the really delightful things that happen to us is when our friends’ children Fox and Wise come to visit and go ‘shopping’ in our garden.

Shopping’ means taking a tightly woven basket that we were given in Bougainville when we worked there and wandering around our garden to pick up what fruit is ripe or what vegetables are ready to be plucked. It is a wonderful reminder of how the local subsistence farmers of Bougainville would do this very same thing every day and it gives the children so much joy.

Gado Gado

13/10/2024

Gado gado, or "a big mix"

By Liane Arno

I WORKED in Java for a few months at an organisation that was working with local farmers and forest villagers enabling them to bring their organic produce to the international market. It was an incredible experience and it is where I discovered a love of Indonesian food.

Of the organic produce I love seeing coconut sugar being farmed and made. Villagers would climb the coconut palms daily to collect the nectar from the flower bud, then boil the sap and leave it to dry and crystallize. I can’t tell you how superior it is to cane sugar.

Indonesia is also where I discovered Kecap Manis. It is a sweet soy sauce which you can’t go past as a dip for fried tofu, or basting fish on the BBQ. Both the coconut sugar and kecap manis are used in the recipe below.

Carrilleras de cerdo al vino

9/9/2024

A Spanish tapas dish inspired this dish of slow cooked pork cheek.

By Liane Arno

WE WERE devastated to learn that our neighbours, John and Amy, were moving. We had loved watching them start a family, and, having no children of our own, became surrogate grandparents to their children. I don’t know who had more fun – us or the kids?

So it was a great sadness when they told us that they had bought the old school house at Buffalo. We filled in the gate that we had put between the two properties to allow easy access between us as who knew who would be the next neighbours. We packed up the toys that we had collected for them under the day bed as we felt sure they wouldn’t be used again. And we helped them move to their dream home.

Asian style lamb with a twist

15/8/2024

A twist of pomelo and lime add an Asian touch to this lamb dish.

By Liane Arno

Our great mate Hitch loves nothing more than collecting memorabilia as well as a collection of animals at his Heritage Farm on Fuller Road. He got some sheep in, even salvaged a sheep shearing rig from the Jones Farm in Almurta, only to find that getting the sheep shorn was easier said than done. He got rid of those sheep and replaced them with sheep that shed their wool naturally. They looked dreadful – like a Rastafarian that is losing his dreadlocks – and so Hitch decided to get rid of them as well.

Hence we have half a sheep in our freezer.

Lime tart

11/7/2024

By Liane Arno

AS I was picking our crop of limes I started to think about a term that seems to have gone out of fashion but something my dad was called – a Limey – by his peers in the military here in Australia when we emigrated.

I did a bit of research and was fascinated to find out that it was originally used by American sailors to refer to British sailors in an insulting way. Not sure how they found the drinking of lime juice to stave off scurvy was something to mock – but then some modern day Americans mock at people taking measures to protect themselves from COVID. What can you say?

Palak Paneer

15/6/2024

Palak paneer translates as spinach cottage cheese. Economical and delicious!

By Liane Arno

THIS is my absolute favourite time of year. Did part of your school poetry curriculum include John Keats’ Ode to Autumn? “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom friend of the maturing sun.” My memory gets a bit vague after the opening lines (a little like when I try to sing the national anthem) but I am often heard to be muttering these few words that so capture the start of autumn. But it is not an ode to the end of autumn where we start to light fires, have already harvested our apples, pears and pumpkins and wait with anticipation for our citrus to ripen.

Tamarillo cake

15/5/2024

By Liane Arno

DAMN it – but Catherine was right. It looks like our tamarillo tree will not last forever. The poor thing is almost split in two. It has fruited so well this year – obviously its last gasp.

We are just back home now after a month doing our volunteer work in PNG and so are making use of these beautiful days to get out into the garden – and the kitchen.

Are you like us and get a case of needing something sweet to finish off the evening? Well try this recipe and use up some of the tamarillos. If you need any pop over to our place and pick some up – we won’t use them all! The number of tamarillos in the recipe won’t put even a small dint in our haul.

Apple slice

16/4/2024

Fruit fresh from the tree encased in a rich buttery home-made pastry ...

By Liane Arno

MATT and I went to a marvellous series of talks about permaculture at Bass Coast Adult Learning recently. Led by an extraordinarily knowledgeable (and entertaining) Rick Coleman it showed us how to think more intelligently about our gardening.

Like many of you, our garden is either feast or famine. We are bursting at the seams with so much fruit or vegetables that we have to start thinking creatively about what to do with them – and with a lessening desire to add one more jar of jam to the pantry – end up giving them away (or at least trying to) to people who probably have the same glut themselves.

Pumpkin Rösti

19/3/2024

Matt: Pumpkin, anyone?

By Liane Arno

WE HADN’T been at Blackberry House for long when we heard about Catherine Watson’s Pumpkin Growing Competition. Our front garden was full of tendrils of pumpkin wanting to swallow any other matter that stood in their path. I sent a photo to Catherine of our pumpkin patch to which she kindly replied with an admiring statement but no offer to join the obviously select group of pumpkin growers vying for first prize.

Around 10 years later (Did someone pass on? Move away? Give up?) we were invited to compete and – can you believe it – our pumpkins didn’t take.

In an effort to still be a part I covered a ping pong ball with a few petals, popped some dried tendrils on the top and hoped that we would win – at least a smile.

Zucchini salad with Asian dressing

23/2/2024

By Liane Arno

I AM a collector. I simply love collecting things, much to the horror of Matt who thinks that nothing more can fit in our tiny miner’s cottage that we call home. At one point he said to me, “Don’t get me wrong. I love what you do to make this house look great. But we are fit to bursting. So if you get another thing in – then something here will have to go.” My reply, “I’ll miss you Matt.”

One of my collections is of kitchen equipment. Because we travel a bit the collection includes locally village-made and very rustic equipment like coconut shredders which are nasty bits of equipment with hundreds of tiny spikes coming out of a wooden base – as well as a banana tree slicer, for making banana tree slice salad, of course. One of the bits of equipment is more modern and can be purchased locally. It is an Asian vegetable grater and only costs a few dollars. It is perfect for finely grating long strands of any vegetable you have in your garden – and ideal for the proliferation of zucchinis we have covering our yard at the moment.

Pizza heaven

22/1/2024

Matt in the throes of making the pizza oven.

By Liane Arno

IT’S the time of year when the weather sees us all outside as we regenerate. We have taken advantage of the discounted ham after Christmas and our gardens are bursting with ripe, luscious tomatoes. What better time to make pizzas?

We indulged in buying a wood fired oven kit a couple of years ago that we managed to put together without it affecting our marriage! It was actually quite easy to do so.

Going bananas

13/12/2023

Magnificent, evil, easy as ... is this the best banana cake ever?

By Liane Arno

EACH Sunday we have been in the habit of going over to Hitch’s place with Mum to have ‘Sunday Sips’. Hitch built a bar on his farm in the midst of his collection of historical memorabilia of this district. In amongst the horse and buggies and the restored shearing shed and in front of the old aga stove providing a bit of heat, we share stories and tell a few jokes.

Because Hitch has covered the bar with bits and pieces from the pub at Archies Creek, Mum (who has dementia) thinks it is our old pub. She thinks Scrub is the owner now – as he is always behind the bar – and she isn’t too sure who Hitch is. But anyway it is the highlight of her week. She insists on taking over food even though no-one eats it because it interferes with their drinking. A couple of them are missing teeth and some have no dentures making the eating difficult as well.

Bean there, done that

15/11/2023

Loathe broad beans? Blame your mother’s cooking. Then try this and discover the joy of these luscious legumes

By Liane Arno

I DON'T know if you ever watch those cooking competition programs where home cooks are pitted against each other. I rarely watch them but I still remember a My Kitchen Rules episode when Pete Evans (before we knew him more for his statements that he could cure COVID than for his cooking and wonderful blue eyes) and Manu Feidel (who doesn’t love a French accent?) were being served broad beans. The other contestants were exchanging horrified glances and whispering to each other, “They didn’t peel the beans!” Pete and Manu bravely tucked into their meal but were then seen to be discretely removing from their mouths the masticated outer fibrous membrane of the broad beans.

San Choy Bau

13/10/2023

San Choy Bau ... lettuce is used to wrap a spicy mixture of
minced pork, ginger, lime, shallots, baby prawns, green beans
and red chillis. Photo: Australian Institute of Sport

By Liane Arno

IN THESE times when we look with concern at our Pacific neighbours and their ties to China, Matt and I found on a recent trip that we actually have a town in Australia that was founded by the Chinese.

Gum San (which translates as Gold Mountain) is the site of the Heritage Centre (which you must visit!) as well as the location where gold was first discovered in Ararat. It is a remarkable story of a ship full of 700 Chinese men (or Celestials as they were then known) in the 1850s who travelled from China to search for gold. En route to Victoria, where a xenophobic outrage responded to the growing number of Chinese immigrants, a tax of £10 was put on each. As this was payable by the captain, he decided to drop them off in Robe, South Australia, instead to avoid the tax. With poles balanced on their shoulders, carrying twin bags, it took them five weeks to complete the gruelling 500km trek to Ballarat.

Pickled asparagus

18/9/2023

By Matt Stone

RECENTLY, Liane and I decided on a trip to Melbourne and to avoid the ongoing major roadworks along the Koo Wee Rup-Pakenham Road, we bypassed it and turned off onto Dalmore Road, toward Cardinia.

This road cuts through the rich alluvial black soil – famous for growing asparagus. At the first week of September, the season is just starting, so it is wonderful to see all the first, brilliant green spikes of asparagus penetrating the soil after their winter dormancy.

For those who may not know, asparagus can come in white and purple, as well as the most popular and most readily available green.

Mussels with celeriac

15/8/2023

By Liane Arno

I SHOULD have been a little suspicious when Matt told me he wanted to go to Canada and “rediscover my roots.” “But you weren’t born there,” I said. “Ah but I was there as a teenager!” Get it??

Matt lived in Canada on a couple of occasions as his father was a diplomat and was posted there. At the time he only had to speak with his Australian accent to have the girls swoon – and the blokes to admire him as he was able to play gridiron really well with his Aussie Rules skills. His oldest brother had enjoyed the people so much that he had to marry a girl (if you get my meaning) and stayed there. They are still together after all these years and it was to visit them that we travelled to Vancouver.

Tamarillo Tart

21/7/2023

Tamarillos are the perfect fruit for this brazen tart.

By Liane Arno

MATT laughs at me when I find an exotic but half-dead seedling in a nursery bargain bin. I, through sheer will, want it to immediately bear fruit. Matt resigns himself to once again researching the plant, finding a suitable spot in our garden, preparing the ground, mulching, watering and pruning. Meanwhile I just keep my fingers crossed – and the seedlings usually survive and bear fruit. Must be my wishful thinking? Nothing to do with Matt’s endeavours.

And that is how today I made a Tamarillo Tart. The Tamarillo has only been with us for three years and even last year was bountiful. This year it has excelled itself.

Green curry paste

12/6/2023

Thais believe that all meals should contain all the elements of taste in perfect balance: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, spiciness, and creaminess.

By Liane Arno

MY PARENTS used to dock us 20 cents of our pocket money any time we swore. In our household that meant “Flip!” or “Damn!”. Somehow “pook” was okay even though it was a “swear” word used by Mrs Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie.[1]

Another demonstration of Dad’s eccentricity was that we never celebrated Christmas but –despite being £10 Poms – we did celebrate Chinese New Year. It was a tradition to head out to the local Asian restaurant and this particular year we were joined by the fiancée of a friend. My Dad greeted her with the Cantonese saying of great happiness and prosperity: “Gung hay fat choy.” “Well F#$% you too!” came the reply.

No knead to worry

10/5/2023

Love focaccia but not the kneading? This recipe's for you.

By Liane Arno

WHEN I first met Matt I was quite a naïve (in lots of ways – but that’s another story). Matt asked me if I had ever eaten a ripe olive off a tree. I told him I hadn’t even tried one in a jar. He told me I didn’t know what I was missing out on as he plucked a plump purple kalamata olive off the tree above us and handed it to me like he was seducing me with a peeled grape.

As I spat out the vile and bitter fruit (much to Matt’s delight) I vowed I would never try another. Well at least – not a fresh one.