FRAET and LUKLUK STRONG...

Those are Pidgin words for "afraid" and "staring."

Many of the children here have never seen a white face before, so this is
often the reaction we get when they meet us for the first time (hopefully it's
the white and not the face!) . . .

FRAET!

LUKLUK STRONG!

Passionfruit melting moments

Yum, these are the passionfruits that grow here...

So that called for a touch of home and something to go with coffee...

PASSIONFRUIT MELTING MOMENTS

150g self-raising flour

100g cornflour

50g custard powder

250g butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

1/2 passionfruit, pulped

For the icing

60g butter, at room temperature

200g icing sugar

1/2 passionfruit, pulped

Preheat oven to 160c. Sift flour and cornflour.

Cream butter, vanilla, and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add passionfruit pulp.

Add flours and mix thoroughly.

Pipe small swirls onto an oven tray.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

To make icing, cream butter, icing sugar, and passionfruit until light and fluffy.

Spread a small amount on to the flat side of one biscuit.

Then top with another and press down gently with a twist to spread the icing.

HIBISCUS

Honiara tense...

The weekend saw some rioting and looting, etc, but up the other end of town from where we go. Today, we're ok but laying low as helicopters are flying around above us and the shops all closed for business after lunch. Waiting to see if things settle down with the group of protestors.

Dragon Fruit

This is a fruit we got to try in Thailand and Bali.
We've just discovered they grow here too
when I saw this hanging over our fence...

It is the fruit of a cactus! So different!

It is delicious cut into cubes and put into fruit salad.
The texture and taste is similar to kiwifruit.

(You can't eat the skin!)

(No I didn't steal the neighbour's fruit!)

Pizza night!

A night out with friends at one of the rustic cafes here...

 

 

 

Island style drinks...

Obviously the G&T

Ice, 2 shots gin, top with tonic water, add lemon slices
(To make 1 glass)

Apple Mojito

10 mint leaves, ice, 2 caps rum, 1 dessert spoon lemon cordial, apple juice
(To make 1 glass)

Put everything except the apple juice in a glass and bruise the mint leaves. Top up with apple juice.
Garnish with mint leaves.

Pineapple Daiquiri

1/2 large pineapple, juice of 2 limes, 12 icecubes, 4 caps rum, 1 cap Malibu, 1 tbsp caster sugar
(To make 2-3 glasses)

Blend the first three ingredients, then add the last three. Mix and pour into glasses.



CAUTION:  Don't drink these all at once!

Geckos!

Freaky little things, but part of island life is living with the

chirps and poops of these little fellows!

Baby one!

INTERESTING FACT: Geckos are able to replace each of their 100 teeth every 3-4 months.
But they don't chew their food, they swallow it.

More about recyclable materials...

I love using banana leaves for serving food ...

Ready to plate up

Pork Satay

Who needs plastic?

Natural water bottles...



(Even the straws are recyclable!)