Two raves and a rant

Last week, I got a special bonus – my daughter had her school concert on, so my long-distance darling extended his weekend by a day to come along. 3 days, 3 nights and 2 of my favourite people!

School Concert Review

Well, I think that I am going to have to weigh up my desire to have nutricious interesting fare at school functions with my total lack of desire to be involved in committees – I am either a worker bee or a queen bee – can never be a committee bee!

Honestly – who in their right mind thinks that the food portion of a school affair would be adequately covered by an offering of a dry slice of bread with a sausage on top – and a pretty lousy pork sausage at that!

The lady behind the counter breathed a little fire when I asked whether there was any onion – she was obviously having a hard time being queen bee and had nixed the onion idea apparently – and I was just the latest of 20 or so patrons who had asked for more.

Shoot, dragon-lady, I am more than happy to slice a few kilos of onions – trained for the task, one might say, after being a Show Society and Campdraft Committee orphan in my youth!

If you are about to commit the sausage sizzle faux pas at your event, a few pointers:

• You can never “fill up” on dry bread and sausages – you either give up or throw up in the attempt;
• No, tomato or barbecue sauces are not considered good enough extenders to reach the above goal;
• When parents are being force-fed the need to feed children healthy, balanced and nutricious fare, it is only fair that any organ of the P&C Committee should attempt to emulate it.

I am seriously considering stepping up for the role next year – after all, I did cut my teeth on the Show Society and Campdraft Committee Barbecues for all those years!!

(Oh, and before you scoff – I DO volunteer at the school several days a week, and did hop behind the canteen counter for my hour of high-energy serving during the interval. Also, they only asked for volunteers between hours that I could not do - if they had asked for a task I could perform during school hours, while doing my other stuff or while being a sole parent (like making salad or chopping onions) I am more than happy to.)

Anyhow – that is not what I am meant to be reviewing – the concert was really well done – commendations to the staff at my daughter’s school for getting the kids choreographed and clued up – they put on a wonderful performance.

Oh – and my daughter was brilliant – really got in to her songs and dancing and reciting – and the finale where they all had to dance with the teacher’s singing she was one of the few littlies who followed instruction and danced facing the audience (bossy boots in her directed a few companions!).

Only downside was maybe it was a teensy bit too long (finished at 10 instead of 8.30) – and had a couple of tired and cranky but hungry folk to feed when I got home (but hey, I won the ham – it is a good thing I am not Jewish or Muslim, given the pig products for the evening!)

Food Review

The next day was lovely – as I had swapped my tuckshop day to spend some quality child-free time with my beloved – it is something we only get quite rarely. We have a great time with my daughter, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I look at other single mothers and envy them the every other weekend deal – am I wicked to say so?

Anyhow, we discovered a café last Friday.

Unfortunately I cannot remember the name of it – it was something like “Your Place Our Place” – and they didn’t have cards – hmm, I feel another money-making idea! Anyway, it was chosen from the myriad we saw on our wander by the fact that it looked quite relaxed (and clean), had menus out the front for perusal and they were willing to work with food tastes and boasted home cooking – at a reasonable price.

The lady behind the counter was very helpful in our drink selection (I chose to change flavours on her recommendation).

As we were running late on our chores for the day, didn’t get around to lunch until about 2, and had to be home for my daughter’s bus at 3. Now, my very sweet man has a hidden side – he can be, hmm, what is the word – impatient – tends to start counting out loud if things are delayed for no good reason – so I tactfully asked up front how quickly our meals could be expected – 7 minutes was the promise and 7 minutes later they put the food on our table.

As we had said we wanted to share our meals, they had thoughtfully split our meals into separate plates – no mess, no fuss! I was already in love!

We ordered the nachos – and they were divine – the beef & bean mix was definitely home cooked, and fairly well from scratch – no acidic tomato-base – with any cheese artfully hidden (I hate the cheese-lava you sometimes have to deal with!); the corn chips were so fresh and light – not dusted with seasoning and oil-saturated; such fresh avocado and the sour cream just so – beautiful presentation! The menu had promised sweet chilli sauce but my sweetheart is originally from Southern California – he likes his chillies and he likes them hot – so they brought out the special hot sauce from behind the counter for us to dress up the nachos as we saw fit on that one.

The other thing ordered was the Chicken & Avocado Salad – and it was so light and fresh and just divine – sort of like the old fashioned Queensland salad, but really well presented and full of flavour.

When we finished, we were very full – but in a wholesome, well fed way, not a hindered by overeating way! We just had to go in and tell the ladies what a wonderful experience it was – and isn’t it amazing how the universe works sometimes?

She had just that morning had a really bad experience with a customer. He and his wife had a light meal and coffee just on closing the night before, and had handed her an unsigned letter complaining about everything – the service, the coffee, the food, the flies, the etiquette of cup placement and takement – and she really needed that reinforcement of why she was in the food business at all.

Well, all I can say is if you are ever in Bundaberg – pop in to the café whose name I cannot remember (I am going in there today – I will find that valuable information and insert!) and have something wonderful!!!

Edited to Add:The cafe is Your Place Our Place - near the corner of Bourbong and Targo Streets

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