I've been reading this board since 2003, although I didn't register until this stupid Market Kitchen programme...

I used to love to read and follow Mary from Australia's posts, recipes and humour but it's been so long ago now that I've read anything. She was a huge GFL fan down there in her retirement splendor in tropical Noosa land.

As with Ross Burden, why has she left us?

I won't post personal stuff, but can I say I always thought that retirement was not really in her nature. She is very busy doing a couple of jobs as well as looking after all the family.

One of her jobs is organising home cooking gigs for Ross Burden in Australia.

I think that the boards closing at night here made if difficult for Mary to follow what was happening and put her off a bit.

I will tell her that people are asking after her.............again, next time we talk.

Thanks, rosti. Please do. I always enjoyed her posts and very handy tips.

Talked to Mary today on msn, gave her the link to this and the Ross Burden thread. I hope she will have time to pop in again soon.

Hi TVFoodie and Rosti and all other UKTV Foodies who may remember me. It is true I haven't posted for ages and ages and it is also true that one of the reasons is the closing of the board at night - well your night! When I am up and around and want to post the boards are closed. However, in this case, I have decided to reply even though I am no longer a regular contributor.

Thank you, TVFoodie, for your nice comments. Thank you, Rosti, for partially explaining my silence.

I have been very busy lately with various issues. Have been caring for a dear friend who has a brain tumour. I have been sharing her care with her husband and her son for over a year now and it has been time consuming and emotionally draining. I have also had breast surgery which was scary but in the end I got an 'all clear'. Then I had a fall and hit my head hard which reaulted in a subdural haemmhorage 8mm thick which is a pretty life threatening injury. However I survived and am still recovering.

At the moment I am home alone as my husband has gone to England for our annual visit but I am not well enough to accompany him. I have recovered sufficiently to be fine alone - I just do things at my own pace and in my own time and if I don't feel up do doing something - well I just don't do it!

I am still passionately interested in food and cooking and in fact today I planted some herbs in containers in my garden for future use.

I have been pleased to read OysterMan's comments - a fellow resident in the land of the kangaroo. Thanks for the link to Jeni's radio show mate.

I am still really happy living out here and the emergency care I received after my accident was second to none. I am much better now and more alert and lively. I will be posting again.

Mary, what a wonderful surprise to see your post here!

It has been such a long time and I had missed your informative and humourous posts.

I am so sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations but hope that you're fully on the mend!

I've been on the board here for probably 5 years or so but never posted anything before until this whole MArket Kitchen stuff started and now I find myself addicted to this stupid thing? How sad is that?

I too have difficulty with the board because it shuts down at night. I'm in the restaurant business and really can only post very early in the morning or late at night and so "chat" isn't really possible - and my posts disappear for a day or two before they show up - so I know what you mean. I don't know why they run it this way really.

Planting herbs in the dead of winter? I am SO jealous of your location and climate!

And what of Australian food? I actually don't know what that is........

I hope you can post from time to time and thanks again for posting here. Imagine, you have your own thread! How cool is that?

This is proberbly a stupid question ,but a couple of years ago I watched an aussie reality type programme in which several couples competed to win a restaurant . I was'nt able to see all of it , and I don't think it's ever been repeated . Did anybody see it ,and remember the outcome ? Not that it's all that important , but mentioning Austrailia jogged my memory.

Jack...the program was called "My Restaurant Rules" and was a major network production here [Channel 7]. It ran for two years [two different seasons] with two sets of winners.

It was actually a good show.

The first year was won by Perth and I think the restuarnt is still in operation. The netwoek planned to seel off the other reaturants but that plan failed dismally.

The second year was one by Sydney, the Pink Salt restaurant. But the owners closed the winning restaurant and re-opened it in Double Bay.

I think the network took a bath with the show, but it was great fun.

It was called My Restaurant Rules and they made two series Jackwagstaff. One in 2004 and another in 2005. I thought they were great fun - good reality TV, warts and all. Perth won the first and Adelaide the second.

TVFoodie, I am going to try and post more often but it will be at night when I can't see what the most recent posts are. Hey ho - never mind!

Australian food? Well there's a lot of Asian influence but that's not all. We happen to live near an excellent French restaurant. I find eating out here much more reasonable than in England and also much more reliable. We are very rarely disappointed. You don't, for instance, get overcooked fish or calamari that is more like rubber bands.

We live near the coast so there is excellent seafood available and as I am a non meat eater, that is great for me! (Rosti, don't you DARE!!!!)

Mary, you're right. It WAS Adelaide that won season 2...my how my memory fails me!

Being a Sydneysider I just was focussed on the Pink Salt restaurant so much to the point where I thought they had won the contest!

I don't know if the Adelaide restaurant is still operating. It was great reality TV.

Hi OysterMan. I am on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane in QLD. I love Sydney but it's too big and 'city' for me. I want to go to Bill Granger's though and is Neil Perry's restraurant there too? (One of them - I think he has several)

Dare me? You dare me Mary?

Now what was it you eat again? Or is that who?

Is this some type of inside joke guys? Rosti has been dared! Does this have anything to do with seafood being classified as not being "meat"

No TVFoodie, not an in joke, a very open one really as it refers to a post (or mispost) Mary did, I thought you would understand having been reading the boards since 2003.

Gosh that takes me back a bit Rosti. I remember what you're talking about!!!

Lovely to see you on here again Mary. Hear news of you occasionally from Mrs WW. Sorry to hear of your problems - hope the future will be healthier for you.

snowy x

Hi Mary!! I just answered you on another thread about something totally different....

Sunshine Coast, how nice!!! A bit warmer there than here today it's very chilly at 15 degrees right now!! Sydney isn't THAT city, I live in the leafy north shore, it's only about 5 minutes form the CBD but it's quiet and peaceful here!

Bill Granger has a couple restaurants, but have never been that impressed really. He has a small cafe in Surry Hills and I've had breakfast there many, many times and it's fine but it's hard to rave about breakfast. At least the eggs are burnt like most everywhere else.

Neil Perry has two restraurants, one in Sydney [Rockpool] and one in Melbourne which he just opened in Crown Casino. If you want to eat at either, you'll need to get asecond mortgage I'm afraid.

Rockpool is more asian fusion so would suit your tastes, the Melbourne one is more like steakhouse stuff so I'm not sure you'd appreciate it.

If you're ever coming Sydney or Melbourne way I'd be happy to give you some off-beat yet excellent dining selections that would be along your lines of food!

Hi Snowy, thanks and I am nearly back to full health now. Where is Mrs WW these days?

OysterMan, thank you for the info on Neil Perry. I actually don't eat out that often as I can cook good stuff at home and it is fun, and heaps cheaper. Therefore, when I do eat out I don't mind paying a reasonably high price as long as the food merits it and I guess Neil's would. I love Asian.

I come to Sydney and Melbourne for work from time to time.

It is great to be back here.

Hi Mary

We've not spoken before. I live in Scotland but visit friends each year in Sydney. My friends live in Mosman so we're well placed for eating out. However I love Milsons Restaurant. It's located in Kirribillie (Oyster, apologies if that's the wrong spelling) and is quite a low key place not flashy at all from the outside, but I think the food quality and service is super.

jan

Janny, Milsons is indeed superb, isn't it? Tucked away in an obscure area they have a fabulous menu and wine list.

The chef changed there a couple years back and many of my favourites disappeared (they has a crispy deep fried oyster served with a mild wasabi cream that wa simply to die for)

But the new dishes are of equal quality and they do know how to hire the right wait staff, don't they!

PS Geat spelling! Just drop the final "e"

Oyster

Thanks for correcting my spelling. Will know next time.... The other restaurant that I enjoy - and which is completely unlike Milsons - is La Grillade in Crows Nest. Beautifully cooked food (wonderful steaks!) in a traditional bistro/trattoria atmosphere.

I like the Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral as well - but like the fish and chip shop at Balmoral better!

cheers
jan

Well there's a blast from the past...I haven't been on here for ages, mainly since Market Kitchen really, just can't take to that programme.
Anyway it is good to hear from Mary I have missed many of the old posters. Mind you with all the health problems it's no wonder you haven't been on lately. Hope you are recovering well. Cheers from me XX

Janny, a agree about La Grillade. Beautiful! Especially on a cold winter's evening with the fireplace crackling.

Although loaded with awards and great press, Bather's has never wowed me except for the unbeleievable venue and view.

Next time you're in Sydney, I recommend Garfish in Crows Nest or Kirribilli for fabulous seafood lunch or Sunday brunch, Vera Cruz in Cremorne for some very educational, authentic and delicious Central American fare, and - if finances allow -Tetsuyas in CBD for great Japanese-Western fusion that is out of this world.

Also worth a visit is the Boathouse in Glebe, Aqua above the North Sydney Swimming Pool or the little bistro below (whose name escapes me as I type - dementia perhaps)

Mary, any recommendations for Noosa and environs?

Thank you very much jennifer264. Cheers back xx