Are you ready for some . . . "football"?

Honoring the beginning of the college football season beginning this week, I wanted to post about Australian "football."  This past Saturday, Callie, Dom and I went to watch the Parramatta Eels play the Bankstown 

Bulldogs, which are two teams in the National Rugby League. The game was actually played at the ANZ Stadium, which was the national stadium for the Sydney Olympics in 2000.  

While it certainly didn't have the sentimental appeal of Bryant-Denny or Jordan-Hare, the stadium itself is spectacular.  Surrounded by sculpture gardens and light towers and elaborate fountains, the stadium looks a little bit like a giant satellite dish.  Modern- yet pleasantly aged- it was far from full, but it wasn't hard to imagine how exciting it must have been during the Sydney Games.  Parramatta ended up winning in exciting fashion, but Callie and I both found ourselves subtly wishing that we had we had been watching Alabama or Auburn.   

The first thing to understand about rugby in Australia is that there are three different kinds or "codes": rugby league, rugby union, and Australian rules.  Each code is played differently- different numbers of players, different scoring, and even different sized and shaped fields.  It has taken us the better part of our time here to differentiate each, but on any given weekend, all three codes will be in action.  The Wallabies, Australia's national rugby team, play rugby union, which is considered to be the "educated" version of the sport.  Elite private schools and universities are the purveyors of rugby union as it has a reputation of being more sophisticated.  Rugby league (what we saw on Saturday) appears to be a more commercialized code that is popular because it's more violent in nature.  Australian rules is a code that was originally played in Victoria and has since proliferated nation-wide.  As an outsider, Australian rules looks a lot like soccer.  The players do more kicking of the ball, but it's a faster, higher-scoring game than the other codes.  The games are 80 minutes long with two 40-minute halves, and play is continuous without the starts and stops like American football.

While rugby will never have the nostalgic allure of college football- with the tailgating, the crisp fall afternoons, and the atmosphere of ritual and expectation- we have enjoyed the game nonetheless. We particularly enjoy watching the Wallabies, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the national excitement that accompanies each game.  So, with the arrival of football season this weekend, we offer our best to our respective allegiances as we can’t help but miss the opportunity to attend arguably the greatest of Southern traditions.

For those of you who are also inclined to bake and might like to attempt an official Le Cordon Bleu recipe, I have finally gotten around to posting one. After 5 weeks of training, the Sables Diamantes that we made during our second week remain one of my favorites thus far. And, unlike the Sables Hollander (“chessboard cookies”), they can be easily made at home. A Sable is a French butter cookie – “sable” is French for “sand,” referring to the crumbly texture of this shortbread-like cookie. As you can see in the photo, there are several variations of the traditional Sable, which has fluted edges and is scored with a fork in a criss-cross pattern (not shown).  You'll be making the round cookies in the far right of the photo.  I apologize for the ingredient quantities - we weigh everything at school, and there isn't really a way to convert the weights into volume measurements, so you'll just need a simple kitchen scale.  I'll also clarify the "egg pulp" listed below - just whisk an egg to blend the yolk and white, then measure 30g.  The yolk of a large egg typically weighs 20-25g, so you can just use the yolk to make things easier; it shouldn't have much of an effect on your dough.

Sables Diamantes

225g unsalted butter
100g powdered sugar, sifted
30g egg pulp
2 oranges, zested
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
320g all-purpose flour

1 egg white

sanding or granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soften butter slightly, then cream with powdered sugar. (If you have a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.  You can also make this dough by hand.  The key here is to cream the butter and sugar but not to beat too much air into the mixture; you are not looking for a light and fluffy batter as you normally would when making cookies.)

Add egg pulp (or yolk), orange zest, vanilla and salt; mix until well combined.  Then add the flour and mix gently on low speed or fold in by hand.  When the flour is almost combined, place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and no trace of flour remains.

Take half of dough and roll into a cylinder about 1 1/2" in diameter.  Roll the dough cylinder up in parchment and refrigerate for about 30 minutes; repeat with remaining dough.

Remove one cylinder of dough from parchment.  Brush egg white onto dough using a pastry brush; be sure to cover completely.  Roll dough in a tray or plate of sanding sugar to coat.  Slice dough into 1/3" rounds and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake until the bottom is golden, but the top is still light in color (sorry - they usually don't give us baking times, but it probably takes about 10 minutes).  While one tray bakes, repeat the process with other cylinder of dough.

Let me know if you have any questions or problems - hopefully my instructions aren't too complicated!  Enjoy!

Fish are friends, not food

As many of you may know, Callie and I are quite the fans of an aquarium.  Whether it's in Georgia or New Orleans, we like the chance to observe the graceful and exotic animals and environments that live in the world's waters.  As a result, we spent the better part of today in the Sydney Aquarium.  

I should mention that today's opportunity was actually the result of a very thoughtful wedding present from a friend of mine (thanks Webb), and it was precipitated by an invitation from another friend, Dom Blahut.  Dom had inquired if we wanted to go to the aquarium while we were living with his family, and so we agreed upon this Sunday.  The aquarium sits in in a lovely part of the city called Darling Harbour, which is home to the Sydney Imax, plenty of trendy clubs and restaurants, and a fleet of beautiful private yachts.  We enjoyed an early lunch, while celebrating Grant Hackett's 1500m performance, and spent the early afternoon in the aquarium.

While it isn't nearly as large or new as the Georgia Aquarium, it does have quite a few impressive exhibits from across Australia.  I won't burden any of you with any further details or descriptions, but I will say that we did see the largest skate/stingray that God has ever created: it was estimated to weight almost 1000 pounds, was almost 10 feet wide, and looked as if it could suck your head off.  

After the aquarium, we returned home to watch some of the Olympic coverage and to prepare for the coming week.  Callie will be working on cream puffs and eclairs, which means that we will definitely have to do extra laps in the pool- as swimming is something that we have taken to since our arrival.  And for me, things are pretty normal.  Between studying and reading and going to class, there is plenty to do; all while taking the time to enjoy the opportunities of the city.      

"Rollin' in the Dough"

        Hello friends! I have posted a photo of some sweet rolls I made last week (along with about 10 loaves of various types of bread) since some of you have requested to see the product of my culinary training thus far. This week we focused on chocolate, learning to temper, or bring the chocolate to a certain temperature so that it sets quickly and becomes shiny when cooled. I made several molds including an Easter bunny, a seashell, a pair of bakers, and a couple dozen truffles filled with coffee ganache (yum!). Wednesday we produced Florentines and continued to improve our chocolate piping skills, which is definitely testing my patience.
In addition to producing endless delicious treats, I have actually gotten a job here in Gladesville! Each Friday I’ll be the cook at Caffelatte, a local coffee shop and café. I began Thursday and trained with Renise, the Wednesday/Thursday cook, who was thankfully patient with me as I tried to adjust to the commercial cooking environment. Yesterday I was on my own, and aside from over-cooking a couple of eggs during a flood of breakfast orders, I managed to complete my first day without any disasters. Steve, the owner, kept me going with helpful instruction and encouragement (and a couple of cappuccinos). I’m excited to be earning a bit of money, but it’s probably good that I’m only cooking there once a week…
Wilson is still enjoying his classes, claiming Asia-Pacific politics to be his favorite. He also submitted his first writing assignment, a ministerial briefing about whether or not Australia should appoint a permanent ambassador to the Vatican. When he’s not preparing for class, studying for the LSAT, or working out, he’s glued to the Olympic coverage (as am I).
As for our tourist adventures, we’ve planned a trip to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the Northern Territory and Port Douglas, an access point to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest in Queensland. Tomorrow, we’re headed to the Sydney Aquarium, so we’ll let you know how that goes!

An American Visitor

Again, apologies for not being more frequent in posting over the past several days, but we have been enjoying the Olympics and an American friend paid us a visit over the weekend.   Dorothy Lanier had been hiking through the bush over the past 35 days, and before flying home, decided to visit Sydney.  It just so happened that we were in the neighborhood, and so we spent most of the weekend seeing the sights with her.

Callie and Dorothy went to Bondi Beach, we visited the Australian Museum, we stumbled into a wedding-in-progress at St. Mary's Cathedral, we meandered through The Rocks and Darling Harbour, and toured the somewhat disappointing Australian Maritime Museum.  The weather was beautiful, however, and it was certainly nice to be with and talk to an old friend.  

Following Dorothy's departure on Sunday morning, Callie and I spent most of the day watching the Olympics, and if anyone can explain Judo, please let us know.  We did play tennis in the morning on an artificial turf surface, which rendered us temporarily incapable of keeping the ball in the court, and we attended a lovely dinner with the President of our host Rotary Club and several other Rotary couples.  Looking out over the evening skyline from above Greenwich Wharf, it was a privilege to be in the company of such gracious and welcoming Rotarians, an experience that again reinforced our initial impressions of Australian hospitality.

This week promises to be relatively normal:  Callie is working with chocolate and I have my first written assignment regarding the announcement of the new permanent Australian ambassador to the Vatican.  Needless to say, we will be enjoying American and Australian success in Beijing over the next few weeks as we anticipate the beginning of the games that are significantly more important . . . college football season.

Well, here it is - the much anticipated photo of my patisserie class at Le Cordon Bleu.  Front Row (left to right):  Shima, Rachel, Tara, Baryl, Kim, and Da.  Back Row:  me, Eddie, Miggy, Bill, and Dobs.  Unfortunately two classmates are missing from the photo; the first is a girl whose name I have forgotten, as she has been absent 7 out of the 9 days class has been held thus far.  The other is Hathaway, who last week decided to name herself after the Princess Diaries star because she was tired of her original name choice, "Suki," being misconstrued as "Sushi."  Hathaway's given Chinese name is pronounced "Uh-uh," like the way a toddler might say "no".  Needless to say, the diverse cultures and personalities in the kitchen are consistently entertaining, and we all continue to learn about one another in addition to the intricacies of patisserie.

The Harbour Bridge

Today was Callie’s birthday, and to commemorate the significance of such an occasion, we decided to climb the world’s largest single span arch bridge. While the Opera House may exist as the definitive popular image of the Sydney waterfront, the most dominating presence is by far the Harbour Bridge. Rising 134 meters high and weighing nearly 53,000 tons, the bridge was the tallest Sydney landmark until 1967. Today it has 8 lanes for traffic, two independent rails lines, two pedestrian walkways, and 6 million rivets. Callie and I, like many other visitors, decided that the Bridge Climb would be a great way to see the city, and 1,437 stairs later, it was well worth every step.

The weather was absolutely beautiful with hardly any clouds and visibility from the Pacific Ocean to the Blue Mountains. The harbour was casually conducting itself this Sunday afternoon as white sails and gentle waves passed lazily underneath our feet. With the city below and nothing but blue sky above, the bridge was a wonderful way to pass the afternoon, and we would highly recommend it to any prospective visitors.

Following our summiting of the bridge, we spent the remainder of the afternoon before dinner walking without any predetermined purpose or direction through the neighborhood known as The Rocks. The Rocks, which sits adjacent to the bridge, is the oldest part of Sydney and is now home to a gentrified collection of homes and trendy shops and restaurants. Nevertheless, it still retains the cobbled streets and slender alleys that serve as a visual testament to its early history. It reminded us a little bit of the French Quarter in New Orleans but cleaner and without any eccentric street performers.

After wandering about for some time, nonchalantly inspecting the menus of the numerous waterfront restaurants, we settled on an Italian bistro that overlooked Circular Quay and the Opera House. We enjoyed an early birthday dinner and returned home to prepare for the week ahead. While Callie and I would both readily agree that birthdays are best spent in the company of family and friends, and while I think we would both confess to enjoy the substantive accoutrements that usually accompany such times, we both noticed that there was something strangely simplifying about today’s events. We hiked to the top of something really big and enjoyed the beautiful view and had a nice dinner, and the memory of such an occasion will probably endure beyond any material gesture. While tomorrow brings the start of another week and a return to school, we are thankful for experiences like today: to celebrate a significant occasion and to gain a lofty perspective.

In the Groove

First of all, let us apologize for not posting more frequently over the past several days. I don’t want to make any excuses, but we have had just a few things to occupy our time- not to mention the fact that our current Internet connection is episodic at best. Again, no excuses, but we are pleased to report that we are finally settled into our apartment and our school routines, and I am pleased to announce that, while mastery remains elusive, I have been steadily improving my ability to manage the Sydney Buses (despite previous allegations otherwise).

Over this past week, I started classes at the University, which continues to be an eclectic experience, and Callie continued study at Le Cordon Bleu, which continues to produce more desserts than we can conceive of eating. She brought home orange zest cookies, fruit cake, fruit tart (see picture), marble cookies and these wonderfully involved cookies that look like miniature checkerboards. I, on the other hand, was able to bring home a significant pile of reading on a variety of topics from international relations theory to the intellectual concept of the “Asia Pacific.” We also had the burdensome privilege of returning to IKEA today to take back several items that had been purchased unnecessarily. Not to continue our polemic against the Swedish furniture manufacturer (given this is our third post dignifying its presence), but it did not disappoint our already diminished expectations . . . and that’s all we have to say about that.

Additionally, we had the opportunity to visit the Sydney Harbour Rotary Club that meets every Friday morning at Circular Quay (pronounced “key”). Circular Quay is immediately north of the Sydney CBD between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, and the club itself meets on a private ferry. We were treated to breakfast and a presentation on Australian road safety, all the while being inundated with welcomes and offers to assist us in any way possible. It was yet another example of the friendliness and hospitality and that appears to permeate the Australian culture.

This weekend, which happens to be Callie’s birthday, also promises to be quite eventful. Tomorrow morning, we are going out on the harbour with the SydneyUni Sailing Club and we are going to enjoy a win for the Wallabies over the All Blacks (Australia is playing New Zealand in “footy”). On Sunday, we are going to climb the Harbour Bridge. Hopefully the weather will cooperate (Monday was the coldest day since 1963) and we should be able to enjoy a unique perspective of the city.

I guess, in conclusion, we feel like we now have a sense of place after living with the Blahuts and having assembled our life in our new apartment. Routines are becoming more established, routes are appearing more familiar, and the city is feeling more accessible. Thank you to all the people who have posted comments thus far- we have enjoyed reading your thoughts and it is nice to have a sense of feedback. Please also feel free to post any questions that you might have, and we will do our best to answer. Go The Wallabies!