We Have a New Cocktail - Thank You Absolut

Over the last two years, we discovered a beach, named “Noever Beach” by Ms Cleo.

Lovely white sand, a good swimming hole and just perfect, not too far to walk from the car.

 This is last year.

 

When we left our house in the hills, to go to the beach this is where we headed

Well would you believe, our Friend Trishie is living there, of all the beach properties, in Raro, how did we all choice this spot?

Meant to be, I reckon

Here is the view looking out over Noever Beach, Sunset Time, last night

Is this just Paradise, or what?

Oh got a new Cocktail, courtesy of Ms Trishie

Absolut have developed a new flavoured Vodka

Orient Apple and Ginger

Yumo

Poured over ice and a good splash of Cranberry Juice

It’s got to be good for you

A few wines with friends

Great end to the day

So Summer salad for lunch again

First I made a potato Salad, just a simple one

½ a red onion finely sliced

Handful of copped herbs, Parsley, Basil,Chives

2 potatoes, boiled in salted water and cut into mouthfuls

Simple French Dressing

3 parts olive oil

1 part lemon juice

Pinch sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

My favourite Mayo dressing

2 tablespoons Best Foods Mayo

Thinned down with

Juice of half a lemon

Some sea salt and freshly ground

If you have an orange, throw in some zest gives it a great citrusy flavour

First blanch red onion in boiling water for about 30 seconds

Drain and toss in about 2 tablespoons  French Dressing

Add herbs and leave to marinate in the fridge

When potatoes are cooked, fork tender

Add to onions

Add some more dressing to moisten

Back to chill

To assemble

Just lay some nice crisp greens on a plate

Dot around some radish pieces

Cucumber sliced

Tomato wedges

Some Smoked Salmon around or my case Ham

A good helping of potato salad

Sprinkle the rest of the salmon or ham on top and drizzle over some of the Mayo

Dressing

Great lunch

Fresh Cream Doughnuts - Crisp Tasty Salads- Food of Rarotonga

Sunday Morning, Doughnut Day

It’s raining, that’s a bit disappointing, but 1 rainy day after 10 beauties.

I guess we can’t complain

Paige the daughter of our hosts appeared at our door with the Sunday Treat Doughnuts. The locals love these, so do we!

Fresh and Yummy

Nice Papaya, fresh lemon juice squeezed over to start

Then the major carbs and fats.

Most of the food groups covered for breakfast I feel.

So back to yesterday 

We went to the market and bought some fresh produce.

Made a lovely summer salad for lunch

These are my favourite type of salads

Vege, (lettuce, radish, tomato, cucumber) with some protein, in this case boiled egg and grated cheese

Just drizzled with a tasty vinaigrette

Accompanied with a fresh Baguette, smothered in New Zealand Butter

Gosh there is a difference in taste with the butter, we export.

It’s excellent.

We seem to be consuming quuite a bit of it. Thank God for the Statin Drugs, dissolving the cholesterol!

Mmmmm maybe not, but we are on holiday

My skin is a bit of a mess, so I am keeping out of the sun, just going out to dip in the pool, dry off and back into the shade.

We met up with The Bride and Groom, Tim and Tina

They need a holiday. They look exhausted but very happy

Andrew and Cas joined us. Cocktails at the Sunset Pool

The cocktails. all a bit much for me, too sweet, but they look amazing

We met Polly (of Course) The Parrot. Queen of The Sunset Resort

A pleasant interlude

They are going home Sunday. It has been a very busy fortnight for them

It was a wonderful wedding. Thank you Tim and Tina.

We loved it

Back to the room, Tomato and Basil Sandwiches, with a viewing of

The Circuit another little cracker of an Australian TV Series

 Looking forward to the Doughnuts in the morning.

Rarotonga -Best Fresh Produce- A Wee Gem

I  have my cooking Mojo back. I have been swanning about on the coat tails of

Dan and various restaurants but the now the call of the kitchen and the budget!

Has brought me back.

Yesterday I made two excellent dishes worth repeating.

These dishes were compiled with the ingredients on hand.

Dan left some Pantry and  Fridge items, along with a little shopping I had done.

So it was a take on “Pasta Cabonara” for lunch

And Tuna Fish Cakes for dinner

But first let me introduce you to Brenda and Craig, our next door neighbours here at The Cooks Oasis

They like us, love Rarotonga and have visited at least 6 times.

The difference is, that they come all the way from Toronto.

That’s love for you

So I prepared the fish cakes earlier in the day. Giving the ingredients time to meld

2 Tuna steaks

1 tablespoon of finely chopped Green Capsicum

1 tablespoon chopped Dill

½ red onion finely chopped

1 birds eye chili chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg white

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Just blend together, using your hand to get a good mix

Set aside and chill for a few hours

Heat a pan

Add olive oil

Dopple in the fishcake mixture

And fry each side, till just golden brown

A little lemon squeezed over the top

Quick grind of Salt and pepper

Dinner Done

While I cook Dale is watching Jamie Oliver cooking Italian

They really have the best produce here in Rarotonga.

It is not hard to make gorgeous food.

So here is My Pasta

As I had an egg yolk leftover, 

I decided to let it emulsify the sauce with it 

adding a little Feta cheese for extra flavour

This was so good.

When I make it again I will add some of the lovely fresh herbs grown here on the island

Quite simple, So So Simple in fact

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic smashed with some sea salt

2 little birds eye Chilis, topped and left whole

‘We have come to feed Caesar, not to kill his taste buds”, Apologies to you know who

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large tomato chopped

1 egg yolk

50 gms Feta cheese

Knob of butter

2 cups Penne cooked to Manufacturers instructions in salted boiling water

Gently heat oil in pan

Add garlic and chilies and let them cook slowly to infuse the oil with all their delicious flavours

After about 10 minutes

Add lemon zest, tomatoes

Toss around

Season with Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add cooked Pasta

Toss

Meanwhile beat egg yolk,

crumble in the feta cheese

Mix and add to the pan

Toss

This would be the time to add some freshly torn basil

It would look much prettier

Serve

The bonus of tthe small kitchen

Dinner dishes

Who would complain about unloading this dishwasher? 

Rarotonga - Everyday A Beauty

The days are racing by, John and Hiria left on Tuesday, we managed to squeeze a nice lunch at The Tamarind Room together.

Such a delightful Restaurant, The feeling, Bermuda Yacht Club I think

The food is very good there

I had Nasi Goering, Dale and Sophia had Vegetable Lasagne

Joseph had Corn fritters. Didn’t get photos of the others

Got some budding Food Bloggers though.

The kids are loving the Mocktails

 

Meanwhile we are sticking to wine with ice blocks trying to cut down the intake a little

Dan by the way did a little experimenting how’s this for Fusion

Ike Mata Tartare on Bruschetta

Very yummy. They are eating as much of the fresh Tuna as they can handle

It is so Beautiful and Cheap up here

Dan Helen and the kids departed Wednesday.

As we now have wheels, I was able to transport everyone and the baggage to the airport. Could have been interesting on the bus! 

Fitted in one last lunch at Luscious Restaurant, opposite the airport

Once again good luncheon food I had a Fish Burger

Dale Fish and Chips

Dan and Helen had their last Ike Mata

Then it was goodbye to them

We came home for a nap, a swim then a quiet night.

After several days of eating out and Dan’s wonderful food

I really splashed out on dinner!

Cheese and Tomato toasted sandwiches

Sat down in front of the TV

Have some great stuff on the ipad to watch

Did 2 episodes of “Rake” a great Oz Law drama

Catch it if you can

A couple of Iconic Raro sights

Local Pie

Must grab one soon

And this man at the airport. He has been doing this job "Like", Forever. Helps you with your trolleys

Thursday and a really quiet day.

Had to exchange our car, nice little silver number now

Newer! Well it has a radio, which doesn’t work

And the Rarotonga “Air con special”

Open windows

It was cleaner too

So Let’s go shopping

The essentials

Off to the  4 Sale Fish for some Tuna

CITC for wine

Lemons and tomatoes, Fresh Bread

Vege and we are set for food for the next couple of days

It was fun to drive around the Island again.

The old familiar places

Its so good, that I am used to small kitchens

I made a simple Rice and Tuna dish 

Might look a bit like a Dog's Dinner but delicious

Settled down to more episodes of "Rake"

Life's Not too Bad Really