In preparation for a planned Christmas dinner - Oz style - we went to the local Cole's grocery store along with hordes of other shoppers to get provisions.
We left Katoomba and drove further north & west through quaint and picturesque country, out of the Mountains and past the huge and rather impressive coal fired Wallerwang Power Station and the station at Mt Piper near Portland, both operated by Delta Electric. In NSW about 90% of electricity needs are currently met from coal fired power stations.
We were now in wine country - the Mudgee Valley Region (which includes the historic towns of Gulgong, Kandos, Mudgee and Rylstone) offers boutique wines from more than 40 cellar doors. I knew of Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Hunter Valley but Mudgee was a delightful surprise. Just like the Christmas Family we found "no room at the Inn" (Caravan Park) where we had planned to stay but got a recommendation (...they're POM) of another on the edge of the town of Mudgee. A two bedroom cabin with all the comforts of home in The Mudgee Valley Tourist Park would be our Christmas "nest". The managers of the Park informed us that the local heritage church (beautiful majestic building!!) was having a Christmas Day brunch and visitors were most welcome to attend.
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| Our Christmas Cabin |
We toured into town to get some more treats and a few more groceries & "beverages" for the Christmas chow down. When we returned to the "cabin", we started feasting ...on chips, chocolate, nuts, more chocolate (Ferrero Rocher), Wild Berry & Macadamia Nut nougat (nougat is big in OZ). Our Christmas Eve supper was tourtiere which was really Australian Angus beef and vegetable meat pies. Served with a green salad it was tasty and hit the spot! A couple of Almond Butter Balls (like shortbread) with tea & coffee and all was good ...and tummies were full!
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| Christmas Eve tourtiere - Ozzie style |
Supper was followed by watching some Christmas programming on TV - a couple of dated North American movies and a UK festive cooking program.
Christmas morning brought a couple of small gifts. After breakfast Rebecca & Scott headed out on a hike and shortly after they left it started to rain big time - promptly they were back and drenched to the skin - even Scott's backpack left a huge puddle on the floor. When the rain let up a bit Scott and then Rebecca decided to do some laundry. The managers had recommended on our arrival that because of the hot summer weather clothes would dry faster & cheaper on the line. So Scott hung his clothes to dry on the clothes line. And then it started to rain again, and rain & rain. Scott transferred his clothes to the dryer and was able to get them damp dry. Rebecca hung hers on the porch rail of our cabin. Over the course of the day they were given many extra rinses but not much dry. !!
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| Christmas Rain = liquid SNOW !! |
Christmas in Australia occurs at the beginning of their summer (like a Canadian July 1st) so the weather is not really right for a dinner that heats up your kitchen with an all day cooking of turkey and all the trimmings. Instead Aussie's are more likely to have a shellfish (prawn, lobster) meal cooked on the BBQ or a cold cuts & salads picnic on the back patio. In the butcher shops in OZ ham is big for Christmas, maybe a pork or beef roast (probably rotisserie on the BBQ). For the POM's (folks originally from the UK) goose or turkey might show up on the traditional table.
Small blessings that the weather in Mudgee on Christmas Day was cool & rainy. Our buffet dinner served indoors was cooked mostly on stove top and microwave with only the potatoes going into the oven.
THE MENU:
Double Smoked Ham
Buttered Potatoes & Onions in foil
Sweet Potato & Cranberry Bake
Carrots & Green Bean Veg
Pattypan Squash sauteed in garlic butter
Oyster Bay (NZ) Sauvignon Blanc
Dessert: Australian Trifle
served up with Christmas decor brought from home (candles, party crackers, themed napkins)
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| The Christmas Dinner Buffet |
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| Dinner Guests |
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| Christmas Dinner is served |
For the Sweet Potato & Cranberry Bake, I had a hard time finding cranberries in OZ grocery stores - no fresh, no frozen, no canned of any kind - so I had to settle for Craisins rehydrated in warm water. Worked pretty well.
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| Dessert - Australian Trifle |
After dinner there was a bit more Christmas movies watching. It was my (Karen's) turn to do laundry - 2 loads and into the dryer for me. Still a little damp but hanging in the cabin overnight and I was good to go.... Then to bed - colleagues long ago nodded off and now snoring in syncopation...!!
On Boxing Day we packed the car and about 9AM we left our Christmas "nest" in Mudgee and made our way to Dubbo (1 hour drive). Scott was anxious to get to his "must do" in Australia - the Taronga Western Plains Zoo http://taronga.org.au/taronga-western-plains-zoo
I will always have many good memories of our Mudgee Christmas in 2012 !
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