Writing a survival story has its challenges, and those who know me, know I’m not one to back away from a challenge. So like a crazy woman and the desperate aspiring author that I was, the only way I knew how to get the real sense of what I was writing about was to actually go out and do it.
So you can imagine my delight when I discovered witchetty grubs in my garden last spring. Much to my teenage son’s combined disgust and awe, I promptly washed the plump creatures with the ugly brown heads and tossed them into a hot frying pan. You know how they say everything tastes like chicken, well once I forced myself to actually eat them, I can confirm that they do taste like chicken, but with a little nutty overtone. It was the tough skin and chewy texture that wasn’t so pleasant.
When I wrote ‘Lost in Kakadu’ I tried everything possible to ensure my descriptions were as real as possible…short of living through a plane crash that is...that scene is purely fiction.
Mackenzie Steel, my hero in ‘Lost in Kakadu’ is a five star chef who is tortured by the limitations of cooking in the jungle he’s crashed into. So I’ve given him a chance to share one of his favourite recipes with you.
So you can imagine my delight when I discovered witchetty grubs in my garden last spring. Much to my teenage son’s combined disgust and awe, I promptly washed the plump creatures with the ugly brown heads and tossed them into a hot frying pan. You know how they say everything tastes like chicken, well once I forced myself to actually eat them, I can confirm that they do taste like chicken, but with a little nutty overtone. It was the tough skin and chewy texture that wasn’t so pleasant.
When I wrote ‘Lost in Kakadu’ I tried everything possible to ensure my descriptions were as real as possible…short of living through a plane crash that is...that scene is purely fiction.
Mackenzie Steel, my hero in ‘Lost in Kakadu’ is a five star chef who is tortured by the limitations of cooking in the jungle he’s crashed into. So I’ve given him a chance to share one of his favourite recipes with you.
Sticky date pudding with caramel sauce
| Pudding 250g seeded dates 1¼ cup boiling water 1 tsp Bi-Carb soda 1 cup self raising flour ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar 60g butter 2 eggs | Sauce 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 100g chopped butter 300 ml cream |
Method:
1. Put dates, water and soda in a blender, put lid on and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add brown sugar and chopped butter and process until dates are roughly chopped
3. Add eggs and flour and mix until just combined.
4. Pour into a greased and lined round tin.
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes in a moderate oven, turning once during cooking
6. Turn onto a plate to serve.
7. To make sauce: Place sugar, butter and cream in a saucepan and stir continually until butter is melted and sauce begins to boil and thicken.
8. To serve: slice a portion of cake, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with vanilla ice
cream.
'Lost in Kakadu' will be available to purchase by e-book on 1st of August 2013.
1. Put dates, water and soda in a blender, put lid on and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add brown sugar and chopped butter and process until dates are roughly chopped
3. Add eggs and flour and mix until just combined.
4. Pour into a greased and lined round tin.
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes in a moderate oven, turning once during cooking
6. Turn onto a plate to serve.
7. To make sauce: Place sugar, butter and cream in a saucepan and stir continually until butter is melted and sauce begins to boil and thicken.
8. To serve: slice a portion of cake, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with vanilla ice
cream.
'Lost in Kakadu' will be available to purchase by e-book on 1st of August 2013.
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