Arrive 12pm. Crystal Waters.

I'm here for a week of 'wwoofing' (working on organic farms). I take the wrong route and end up on more of a category 5 four-wheel drive track going up hill. Van tyres gets wedged in... well, a wedge. I suddenly get that all over body shiver of 'what the f have I just done??' I manage to manevour the van out of wedge but brakes fail and it careers down the hill. Somehow I manage to not roll the van or die.

I also didn't cry which is a huge improvement. I head back to the correct location and finally arrive at my host's house. (Peter).

Pete's in his underwear and I'm just about to bolt (coming from a series of seedy old man scenarios) but like usual me, I give him the benefit of the doubt and discover pretty much everyone enjoys time in their undies, if not naked, here at Crystal Waters. It's like, that's totally fine with me if it's not a sleezy kind of naked. Do you know the difference?

Quite quickly I warm to Pete. A generous and cheery 71 year old. He's sharing an acreage with Les and Les (a couple). Chooks, veges, fruit trees, organic everything, overlooking huge dam, birdlife central... this is a paradise.

Afternoon begins with a visit to Les's little bakery where we pack up some loaves, mmm fresh bread smell.

Then we go for a swim in the dam. I have never slid into a lilly topped dam with water birds and squishy mud. It was bath temperature with shafts of cool. I wish I could photograph this from the water.

On the way back we collect some huge Bunya 'pine nuts' and I crack them open to find the big nuts which are cooked up and taste like chestnuts. I LOVE them.

And there, on the porch is a friend of Pete's. A mango farmer. He's brought samples for us to try and can't wait to hear our response. I describe it as 'an adult's mango. Both sweet and tangy. A touch challenging'. (It's absolutely delicious).

He shows us how to propagate the mango by gently prying the shell open and taking out the inner seed. I'm floored because I never knew and I want a mango orchard one day.

Then Tim turns up! A native bee guru (to the extreme). He is entirely generous with his knowledge, barely blinks, just talks with a huge smile and wide eyes. He reminds me of an incredibly likeable tv host.

He splits a hive and we taste the medicinal honey.

We learn all about how the bees operate and debate their level of consciousness.

The neighbours all just turn up and ask questions of Tim. It's freaking beautiful. Community at its best.

I grab my Brazilian Cherry jam from the van and share it - spread on Les's freshly baked bread and the experts enjoy. I am chuffed!

My first 'job' is to go pick Jaboticaba fruit for jam making. I'm a tad nervous about repeating my Braz Cherry success so I will have to do some hefty research. Much harder with an audience!

In the evening I head to a gig at the Crystal Waters community area, help sell pizza made by Les and Les before sitting back with my slices and a bottle of locally brewed lager to enjoy the band and conversation with friendliest-ever lady sitting next to me.

I feel like today was really one of the best afternoon's I ever had.

Good luck to tomorrow!

[current mood] Beans off the vine & Hopping

The idea just seemed so preposterous that I had to take it on.

I'm walking past this tree covered in strange fruit and the farmer Dave says
"apparently it makes good jam, that's what they told us when we bought the place."

"Ever tried it?" I asked.
"Nup"
"Maybe I will"
"Better hope it don't poison ya"

So I googled about and confirmed by 'the truth source' that is the www, that it is edible. And the Brazillian Cherry does make good jam.

I've pulled over near some falls in the most gorgeous of towns, Maleny in QLD. I'll stay here a night or two. It seems just the place to have a little cook up.

So from within the extreme confines of my campervan I began the process of making jam. AND it is to be my inaugural jam-making experience.

I collected the berries in a container. Really tart things if you take a nibble.

I got onto google and found no recipe for this particular fruit. So I adapted from another cherry recipe.

I stewed the cherry berries in some water, added some lemon juice and rind then the sugar I just happened to have. Half white organic and half brown!

Bubbley goodness, I think it's working!

I then picked out the dozens of seeds which are poisonous.

In some ironic way they reminded me of the gallstones i have FLUSHED OUT of my system. I've been warned by family and friends not to post them on my blog, so I'll just point out that if you add a touch more green, you can imagine what I'm releasing!

Once the jam looks ready, I pour it into my jar and label.

I had a little taste and it was really really quite delicious!

Will buy some bread tomorrow.

[current mood] Crickets & Imagining Eating Scones with my JAM and cream.

The third Dessert Club was held at Balthazar Restaurant on the Esplanade in Perth.

Fancy. Complete with extreme mood lighting (which for my photography was not so hot, but for our appearance, quite flattering).

I made some chocolate dipped cherries brooches using brown paint and fake cherries. Which numerous people tried to eat even when I told them it wasn't real!

When the dessert menu was delivered I presumed it was the entree menu. It listed pumpkin soup and beetroot crisps. Where was the chocolate mousse? But then I spotted something that sounded like a french blue cheesecake, so had to go with it...

We ordered it all as no one could decide if they really wanted any of it.

Looks cute. Tasted rather foul.
We didn't know if the chef was a) arrogant b) a comic or c) a jerk.

Was it the peanut butter on a piece of bread or the rather (un)savoury pumpkin soup that tasted the worst? It might not be clear, because we finished it all off with hearty laughter (and a good glug of port).

And the surprising fact is that dodgy dessert does not equate to an equally dodgy dessert club. Tonight it was the opposite. It was the best dessert club thus far. High energy, dish swapping and new conversations and only some gagging.

Balthazar, you have some nerve, but you get away with it.

And here are those cherries in the making....

[current mood] Billy Lees (Late Night MSG fix) & Forks scraping Plates

Make yourself some of this organic toasted muesli the night before!

Recipe (all organic)
Rolled Oats, Brazil Nuts & Hazelnuts
A blend of cold pressed Sesame Oil, Honey & Maple Syrup
All mixed together to lightly coat the oats and nuts.
Roast in oven for 15 minutes

While this is going put some raw pepitas and sunflower seeds on the stove
Dry roast, shaking constantly
At 3 minutes, add some linseed, toast for another 2 minutes.

Once all this is cooled, mix in with:
Organic Goji Berries, Dessicated Coconut and Sultanas.

Then serve when you wake with some full creamy yogurt
and a strawberry, Grand Marnier and blueberry stew c/o your mother.

awww yeah baby.

[current mood] Anything Ruby Coloured & JJJ