One week into Fitzroy Crossing, I’m sitting on the deck of the residence where I’m staying. The weather is a beautiful 25°C, and it’s still before noon. It’s refreshing to have a day off and take in the ambiance of FX.
Each morning, I’ve been taking walks, which helps clear my head and breaks the routine of heading to the Shire, GIA, and then the center for cooking. There are so many beautiful birds around, and dogs too. There's also the constant sound of trucks and beeping from a new bridge being built nearby.
This past week, I arrived in Fitzroy Crossing, sunday afternoon, still recovering from an ear and throat infection. I was already on my second round of antibiotics but went to the hospital where the staff were awesome. They gave me another round, and by Wednesday, I was feeling much better.
So, why am I here? I’m here for the holiday program run by the Shire. I work with the youth in the afternoons, making dinner for up to 100 kids each night. The structure is flexible because the number of kids varies daily. Some days we have just two kids; other days, we have 15. They might help for five minutes or stay for the whole session, so we need to accommodate this by having different activities and backup plans. Its the small aspects the happen in the kitchen that help kids build confidence in the kitchen, whether it be how t hold a knife and cut, how to control the heat when cooking, how to store food properly.
It has been an amazing experience. Here’s a rundown of the dishes we’ve made so far:
- Monday:
Fried rice and chicken skewers with damper. - Tuesday:
Porcupine meatballs (I had to explain to the kids that it’s not actual porcupine but rice meatballs) with vegetables and mashed potatoes, followed by golden syrup dumplings for dessert. - Wednesday:
Curried sausages, baked potatoes, chocolate cake, and custard. - Thursday:
We tackled kangaroo tail, which you can purchase frozen with the skin on. A local taught me how to remove the fur, and we made kangaroo stew with dumplings, melting moments, and cake and custard for dessert. Super legends in the kitchen! - Friday:
Movie night with popcorn and hot dogs with all the trimmings. We also made microwave chocolate mug cakes. The kids who made them first were able to peer-teach the others on selecting the right fraction cup and using the microwave.
This week, we have four nights of cooking before I head back to Victoria on Friday. On Thursday, we’ll have a bonfire and cook barramundi and kangaroo tail. The kids have been asking for spaghetti, so we’ll make that again this week.
Until next time, from warm Fitzroy Crossing, may the food be with you and keep on cooking!
