A Path Less Travelled

This time it was the persimmons, bright-orangy, firm and standing out like dazzling leaflets on a stand over the pavement. Bankstown in Sydney never fails to astonish me. The day had been warmer than expected, with the winds of the past week huddled away, and yet there seemed to be fewer shoppers. Maybe it was the late afternoon, or perhaps the recession had taken a stronger bite. I scanned through various delicacies of cakes and stuff displayed at most of the shop fronts along the Mall. There were miniature dumplings laden with bits of pork, shrimp and chives - hey don't they look like yum cha stuff, but then there was this chili spicy sauce to take them with. I returned to the modest food shop that made a sensational tasty bowl of mung bean noodles swirled with seafood and garnished with aromatic, appetising ingredients. I looked at herbs that had not reached the shelves of Woolworths and Coles as yet.

The early night saw me around a home dinner table in Carlingford with coconut milk flavoured rice steamed and placed over banana leaves. To accompany this traditional Malaysian breakfast item, there were smoked crunchy anchovies, hard boiled egg halves in South-east Asian sambal, Lebanese cucumber slices, marinated prawns and chicken curry laden with potatoes and gravy. I always thought it can be too rich to eat this first thing in the morning, and now I find its rightful place as dinner on a Sunday night. No lamb roast. The Indo-Chinese jelly I obtained from a Bankstown shop complemented the grapes, nashis and rockmelon cuts on the fruit platter often served by cousin Susan and her hubby Boo Ann. This time Susan also made the tasty banana fritters. It was Eurovision finals night in Moscow on the telly.

I took a path less travelled through the expanse of greater Sydney and was restored with the fascination of discovering a new dimension. From Heathcote, I cut through Menai, avoided going back to Sutherland and kept going north till I found Bankstown. From Bankstown I checked out Strathfield through Belmore and then it was on to familiar territory through Concord, Top Ryde and Epping to Carlingford. Curry leaves and kumquats from Balgownie were packed in the car with me - I had looked at them and realised that these were not common in Australia not many years ago, but now has added to the fabric of diverse foods in both Bankstown and Carlingford.

Fruits of the Season - May

Mandarins on a platter

Plums and Custard Apples


Longans On The Stem

Three Worlds, All On a Sydney Saturday

The pavements overflowed with fresh produce - vegetables, fruits and concoctions that came from both Australia and South-east Asia. I could not figure out totally if the stall holders and customers were all Cambodian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese or Thai - but one thing was for sure, there was a notable absence of Caucasians. The cooked dishes called out in an appetising manner, whether they were fish in marinade, roast duck or curries. There were grapes red and green, seedless or with seed; longans on their stalks, plucked from plants; and all types of meat cuts in the butcher shops. I sensed the strong buzz of commercial enterprise and personal dynamics of purpose in the place. I had accompanied Jen and Viv on a market adventure. This was Bankstown Mall on a sunny May evening, the autumn air crisp and the aroma of flavours floating in the air.

The mocha had the delightful quality of Colefax chocolate. Five of us were lounging around a low table sipping in the hot beverages and taking a break from the everyday.
A Saturday morning, and the hustle and bustle of an Italian village lifestyle carried on outside, with happy children in the company of busy parents, couples lining up for pastries and cakes and the odd outsider visitors checking out the shelves of Zanetti or Lamonica. I could not resist getting my fav bread rolls in the bakery along Dalhousie Street, eyeing the currant studded buns with caramelised tops.
My group of friends relished in the lunch at Napoli en Bocca, which waiter Freancesco described a s "A Taste of Naples in the Mouth". I was impressed with the calamari ripieni, a delightful package of wrapped seafood in a stimulating sauce. Needless to say, it was good to see Alessandro again at the homely cake shop of A & P Sulfaro. This was Haberfield on the start of a weekend, with the proverbial blue skies and everything nice.

It was early night, and I tucked in the bonito curry, served with tangy tomato cuts and spicy reminders from the Indian Ocean. The lobak pieces melted in my mouth and instantly brought me back to memories of Penang coffee shops and home cooking. Lobak are compact parcels of tender juicy pork cuts marinated with five spice powder, amongst other things, and mixed with crunchy vegetables and other stuff, all cut finely and wrapped by bean curd skins, before they are deep fried in a wok. Then there was soy sauced chicken with hints of pepper. All thanks to the home cooking of Joyce and Aunty Rosie. I finished up with Italian biscotti and Charmaine's dark chocolate cake with sensations of nutty flavours. There was familiarity of chatter and conversation. There was banter with familiar people and friends. Ashleigh and Caitlin danced to the Wiggles on screen. This was Baulkham Hills at night, with the nippy air biting outside and flashes of lightning in the far distance.

Domestic Bliss

Flowering kumquat plant growing on side yard

Kallipillay berries with leaves used to flavour South Indian curries


Weekend easy brunch of prawn curry garnished with okra, tomato slices and egg enhanced with Pete's chili garnish from the Shoalhaven and King Dairy Island vanilla bean yoghurt. Finished up with muscat grapes in season.


Wall climbing plant with aromatic leaves utilised in Straits Chinese cuisine

As Time Moves On

It was heartening to see the mates who gathered around at the Collegians that evening. Karl was on the cusp of commencing training at the Goulburn Academy. I
recognised impressive Jake and was introduced to a smiling Michael. I chatted with Evie and Samantha asked me if I recalled her working in a nearby department a year ago at the office. I talked with both Daniels when we had our mains. The first Daniel works in a coal mine in Appin, and he looks fit for a twenty year old adjusting into a culture that is more middle aged in current demographics. The second Daniel studied in university, with dreams and plans to get into the financial and corporate world. Later Mick joined us fro drinks and dessert.

Oh yes, the march of time, the changing of the seasons and the progress of a career all stride out, irregardless of momentary obstacles, comfort zones and the schedules of mankind. There was an old tune called Seasons In The Sun with lyrics that made an impact on an impressionable me. When opportunity strikes , one grabs it. We are expected to rise up to the occasion in different stage of the life cycle. The ritual repeats itself for different generations, year after year. In such practices, society takes comfort in continuity and growth. In such marking of life's passages, the self takes cognizance in fulfilling destiny and ambitions. The boy who leaves home returns as a man. The girl who chooses love - whether for career or husband - returns as a role model for others to follow.

Going across the passage is as exciting as savouring the sojourn into the unknown. Tales are weaved of such times. Whatever we call it, parents and siblings feel the flutter of change and letting go on such occasions. Then all savour the brief reunions, the transformation into some thing we both anticipate and yet cannot imagine. Call it adventure, college, starting a new job or business, the crossing over the threshold is as joyous and mixed with other emotions as the bridegroom traditionally carrying the bride into a newly set-up home. I salute you, Karl, in your new path and thank you for being a friend.