Chrissy hiatus

I can explain! Christmas is not a good time for blogging. Add to that a rather sudden trip to Hawaii (with many a food adventure - will share all in due course) and there's a two week absence. But boy, what I've left off online I seem to have gained elsewhere. Namely my tummy area, a bit around the thighs and cheeks too. A resolution, though I don't make nor keep new year's resolutions, is to do something about this i.e. go to the dreaded gym. The train of thought I'm using to convince myself of this is that I can then justify fairly guilt-free eating and drinking about. Staring to feel quite guilty and a little pudgy at the moment, so there's some motivation there.

Anyway, on to the feasting of weeks past. Feasting, overindulging, stuffing yourself silly - call it what you will, but the festive season is no time for restraint. For me it all really starts on Christmas eve. This year I joined the pilgrammage to the Sydney Fish Markets in search of oysters and scallops, fresh prawns, salmon (fresh and smoked) and maybe a crab or lobster or two. It was hectic, but in a fun way, watchng tonnes and tonnes of seafood on its way to Chrissy lunches and dinners. One amazing, not likely to be eaten sight is the moon fish here, about half a metre in diametre and a first-time viewing for me:

Moon fish at the Sydney Fish Markets

After a decent amount of research we come away with fantastic medium sized cooked and raw Aussie prawns, a pack of Tasmanian smoked salmon, three cutlets of salmon, six dozen Sydney rock oysters, a pack of frozen Japanese scallops with roe (fresh were a little too expensive) and some squid.

I have to admit that I'm still relatively new at eating oysters natural. Absolutely adore the flavour kilpatrick style, but there's still some almost metallic sea flavour of natural oysters that I have limited tolerance for. I'm a huge fan of oyster dressings on the natural ones, especially those with red wine vinegar or Asian-inspired sauces. A squeeze of lemon also goes a long way. But the kilpatrick are popular with the natural eaters too, so I normally have to fight to defend my share.

Oysters natural

Kilpatrick oysters - ready to go into the oven

Playing chef in the home kitchen is irresistably tempting for me as I like to graze, otherwise known as stealing food, before a meal is ready. Now with an appetiser like below, how can one resist slightly stuffing themselves before dinner?

Smoked salmon with camenbert cheese on wafer cracker