Jaffles

This curious flying saucer shaped pie has been familiar to me all my life, but by the name Jaffle, it is entirely new. This is but one of many diverting things I learned in Australia last week. Moreover, they are not filled with ham and cheese, but rather baked beans or spaghetti from a can. The idea is so vile I love it. There are also pies everywhere, meat pies, sold in the 7-11, which are also everywhere. And to make sure it's completely ruined, they dump it into pea soup, for a pie floater. Sounds like something that belongs in the toilet bowl. That's where vegemite belongs too if you ask me.

Tim Tam was also entirely new to me. Vaguely akin to Kit Kat, but better. I was instructed to bite off both ends and sip port through it. Now this really worked. But of everything I tasted, and there really was a lot of fabulous food down under, the anzac biscuit is just gorgeous. Oats, coconut, golden syrup. It's a cookie, but so crisp and lovely. We need them here, trust me.

Home Made Spam

Do you have to ask why anyone would want to make spam at home from scratch? It was the sheer challenge, and the opportunity to make it as laborious as possible. And of course better than the original. This was pork shoulder finely chopped with about 20% fat, salt, instacure #1, herbs, a little sugar. Put into this jar early November last year. Then left in the fridge until today. You ask why? I wanted to see if it would slowly ferment at such low temperatures. I think it did. Smelled lovely when I opened it. Then resealed, cooked in a big stockpot of simmering water and left to cool. I think once cool the gelatinous broth you see here will solidify. Then I'll let it slurp out, slice it into rounds and fry them. Maybe serve on a bun. Though I am thinking onagiri would be really nice filled with a lump of homemade spam inside and furikake flakes. I have leftover rice. Yes, definitely.