Reminiscing the Mackenzie Country

18 months after our nuptials, I finally found the time to complete our thank you notes (I know, this will make any wedding planners pop)! I could not help it but smile at the memories of the event, people involved and everyone who'd remembered and celebrated the event with us.

10-7-10

at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo

by Reverend Michael Kerr

with our immediate family

Photographer: Jen Rayment @ Alpine Images

The mountains that are solid, the water that cleanses, the matagauri bush - albeit full of thorns, produces the sweetest fragrance every year, and the Cross.

The night before with clear sky, such that the nearest galaxies to us are visible - the Magellanic Clouds.

Alpine Springs - skating on ice in our wedding gear!

by Mt John

My homemade bouquet, and loving the snow backdrop to help flaunt the winter theme!

Lake Alexandrina

and of course, Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo is a lakeside village in the Mackenzie Country, 2 1/2 hours drive from Christchurch. It's geographic location is so strategic such that the Mt John Observatory have the best views of the night sky. It is also a popular destination for outdoor activities, camping, a romantic getaway and family fun.

We stayed at the Bluewater Peppers Resort for the serviced apartments, so to cater to everyone's needs whilst there. Rooms were spacious and very comfortable indeed. Of course, with beautiful views!

For places to eat, these are our favourites:

• Kohan Japanese Restaurant
• Pepe's Pizza Bar and Restaurant
• The Rakinui Restaurant @ Bluewater Pepper's Resort was where we had our reception dinner

(our much delayed wedding reception with the rest of the family and friends was held in Christchurch at the Newbery Lodge)

Lake Tekapo, the place I married my bestfriend ♥

Eggplant Casserole

Arabbic - musaqqaʿa 

Greek - μουσακάς

South Slavic - мусака

Turkish - musakka

English - moussaka

A peasant dish made posh by Nicholas Tselementes in the early 1900s.

I have been meaning to try it and decided to do so this spring when the eggplants came to season. The greek version, with the bechamel sauce, was decided in the end. Filling our home with the aromatic smell of Greece (I think)!

Choosing the ideal recipe to try was probably the hardest part of making this dish. Probably because my husband helped with making the bechamel sauce! In the end, it was the Australian Masterchef's Masterclass recipe by one of the judge's mother, Mary Calombaris! She was a big hit!

Moussaka
(Serves 8)

3 eggplants, sliced 5mm thick
2-3 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil
300g lamb mince
100g pork mince
100g veal mince
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon lemon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
2 cinnamon quills
250g crushed tomatoes
400g tomato passata
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
Olive oil, for frying
4 large potatoes, sliced 5mm thick

Bechamel
100g butter
100g plain flour
600ml full cream milk, warmed
100g keflagraviera cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
Extra keflagraviera cheese, grated

1 Preheat oven to 180C.

2 Lay eggplant over a shallow tray or dish and sprinkle liberally with salt. Cover with muslin or a clean chux and set aside for 30 minutes.

3 Heat oil in a large frying pan or saucepan, add lamb, pork and veal mince and cook until browned and meat breaks up. Add onion and sauté until softened. Add garlic, oregano, lemon thyme, rosemary and cinnamon quills and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 Add crushed tomatoes, tomato passata, tomato paste and water, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1/2 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5 Pour oil into a frying pan approximately 1cm deep, place over a high heat and shallow fry potatoes for 3-4 minutes on each side or until tender. Drain on paper towel.

6 Pat dry eggplant and pan fry on each side until golden yet still firm. Drain on paper towel.

7 For béchamel, melt butter in a heavy based saucepan. Add flour, stir over a low heat for 2 minutes.

8 Slowly add warm milk, stirring continuously until thick. Add extra milk if sauce is to thick.

9 Whisk in keflagraviera cheese and an egg yolk, season to taste.

10 To assemble, oil casserole dish and layer as follows. Meat sauce, potato, sauce, potato, sauce, eggplant, sauce, potato, eggplant and remaining sauce. Cover with béchamel and grate extra cheese over.

11 Bake for 45 minutes until browned and béchamel has set. Serve.

The journey to Greece - 2 hours. The taste - wonderful! 

*Note: With some local substitution of just local beef mince, keflagraviera for tasty cheese and parmesan, and foregoing tomato passata!

The Mirrorman

I ventured to the newly reopened Cashel Street Mall recently for an independent post quake review. i.e. to have a nosy, and maybe to assist the local economy with some retail therapy :D 

The liveliest surprise was my encounter with a man covered in glass from head to toe for mirror effect  - The Mirror Man amusing the locals and visitors in a recovering quake damaged zone, commixed with Christmas festivity.

He must have spotted me, as he seem to pop up in my view everywhere I went! Alright, so what if I was stalking him first? It was another pure artistic opportunity with the camera!

Container shops and Cafes

Ongoing demolition and rebuilding in the inner city

Newly reopened Ballantynes

I learned later that this human mirror mosaic probably originated from an Austrian artist living in Los Angeles, Gustav Roger. His idea is a search to answer the questions "What is reality?", "What is appearance?", "Where does the truth begin and where does it end?". He himself does not have the answer but his suit reflects his audience. Who are they? What do they see? Why are they here? What is life? What is void? Does he reflect who they truly are?

 You know I'll change

If change is what you require

Your every wish

Your every dream, hope, desire

Here comes the mirror man

Says he's a people fan

Here comes the mirror man

~Philip Oakey

Profound. Nevertheless, how very true.