We rose early to start the big day of finalizing prep and small bits for the dinner. Arriving around 7:30am, we did our regular stop-off at the camp kitchen to pick up our croissant, iced coffee, and say hi to Frankie.
Yoda was busy assisting with the finalization of setting up the kitchen and other bits and pieces out at the rodeo. Liz made the Wattleseed damper, cracker, and finalized sauces. I cut up barramundi and diced up emu. Leanne was a gun at helping us out and putting things where they needed to be. We packed up the school kitchen, loaded the car, and headed out to the rodeo for the unpacking and setting up of the kitchen. The heat was rising to above 40 degrees; it was the middle of the afternoon and scorching. Luckily, we had air conditioning in the mobile kitchen. We headed back to camp for an hour's rest and to sit under the aircon before freshening up to make our way back to the dinner.
The scenery and setup were truly special; the band was doing their final sound checks, and it was an hour before guests were arriving, and the clouds cracked open with thunder. The winds picked up, and we all knew it was only a matter of time before the rains came. Everyone jumped in, moving all the furniture set up to the undercover area, the finger food was finalized, and we made it in time to get it over to the setup. And then the rain came, bucketing down. Just like that, after 15 or so minutes, it stopped.
Then the menu was in action. Menu created and executed by FERVOR food.
- Wattle + Oatmeal cracker / Soured cream
- Wild rosella cured Barramundi / Boab yogurt
- Emu / Crouton / Creme fraiche / Saltbush-cured emu yolk
Bush tomato / Cherabin - Small Bowl + F&S - SBS
Crocodile / Coastal herbs / Barra Tensuyu - Broth Bowl + F&S - Rose
Damper + Smoked butter (Serve with Wallaby)
Wallaby / Wild Carrot / - 21cm Main Plate + K&F - Pinot
Gubinge/ Boab / Muntries / Jilungin - Small Bowl + Spoon
What a menu!!! and oh my goodness, you should have tried the Cherabin sauce. There were so many layers of flavors, a truly memorable tasting experience.
After all was plated up, I said to my friend Liz that I missed out on a dessert and gave the sad face. The legend that she is, decided to plate up some of the desserts for tasting and flavor. That was the first time I had tasted boab, and the set cream, what an absolute winner.
Then unpacking to pack the car and shut down the mobile kitchen, this is one of the things I wish Mary Poppins was around for. Click your fingers and it is magically done. Once the cars were packed and the coolroom packed down, we made our way back to the school kitchen to unpack and put goods away ready for the next day. We were finished around 10:30 pm. And made our way back to the Crossing Inn. As we made our way back, the next-door Cage Bar was open. Have you heard of the cage bar? Do you think we made it over there for a cheeky beverage?
Sunday - Journey home – not my home but the first leg. Fitzroy Crossing to Broome
We decided the night before to have an early start to the day as we were going to do some detouring. Tunnel Creek and Derby. After the car was packed and dropping off the last few things, we headed for Tunnel Creek. We turned off the sealed road and then went on to the red dirt road with 86 km ahead of us to hit Tunnel Creek. The landscape changed with more and more boab trees growing in the limestones and all over the place. We were stopped a few times by cattle and also water over the road. We eventually arrived at Tunnel Creek. We read upon Jandmarra's story and the story of the people and the horrific history that they were subjected to. We made our way to the tunnel, left our shoes and phones in the cave to swim across water to arrive towards the other end. Please google it; it is truly a breathtaking piece of landscape that is magical. We spent a lot of time in quiet and absorbed the energy and beauty that was around us. On our way returning back to the start, we said our thank yous and left nothing but footprints.
