gone fishing

I have written before about my love of the now "not so new" shopping complex in Claremont, Palmyra Junction.  It took me a while to get used to it and I still feel as though I am being unfaithful to the Belvedere Woolworths (which served me well) but the Palmyra Junction is on my route to and from work and I have grown to love it more and more.

They have a good variety of shops, quite a few of which I have now supported (even the PetVet for horse shampoo).  Southern Cross is my latest favourite and I spent a very entertaining evening there last week (during a sudden downpour) while waiting for the sushi platter to be prepared.  The R99 special and really good - about 20 pieces.

Besides meeting with 3 friends, who were shopping there, and who I have not seen for ages, the one owner (not Chris) was really keen to get me and another customer to join him for a glass of wine.  His girlfriend/daughter was not that keen and although I had a long wait (and the wine was tempting) my mouth was full of stitches and the horrible antibiotic I have been on for 2 weeks has NO ALCOHOL stuck all over the very small container about 5 times (are they trying to tell me something or what?).  We all got talking and he was interested to find out what we thought of a cookery demonstration evening.  They are already open on Wednesday and Friday nights for dinner.  We have not been there yet but Jan and Ellen have,  a couple of times, and apparently it is great.  You can buy your chilled bottle of wine at Woolworths and eat in the forecourt.  I think it will be ideal when summer finally decides to arrive.  A great venue for a small party as well.

So besides the friendliness of the owners and staff, the fish is awesome.  

I bought 3 small pieces of tuna recently and made a seared tuna salad.  Delicious.

This week I bought a packet of their frozen clam meat - around R40.

After our trip to Boston where I thoroughly enjoyed the New England Clam Chowder, I have been experimenting with making my own.  It is so easy to make a relatively inexpensive dish and because it is quite rich it serves you well as a main course.  Southern Cross also sell a wonderful frozen fish stock (R12).

I browned the onions and celery in butter, added the frozen clams, the fish stock and then the finely diced potatoes.  Ina Paarman's Spice for Fish, Spice for Potatoes, a few dried lime leaves, lemongrass.  Don't ask what else because I don't really follow recipes very well (or remember exactly what I did).

It all simmered nicely in my frying pan and then I added a punnet of fresh cream. (Sorry I must have got distracted because there are no "after" pictures of this magnificent chowder).  Served with lovely crusty bread (from the Woolies bakery (sorry Knead)) and ground black pepper it is a great meal.  It is quick and easy and very tasty.  In Boston they often serve it in a cut open bread roll, like this:-

(I thought mine looked better than this one but this is a great idea, if you 

can find the right kind of large, crispy, deepish bread roll -saves on

the washing up as well!!)

So off you go, fish is good for your brains. Don't order the sushi ahead of time, just arrive and wait a bit - perhaps you too will be offered a glass of wine out of the fish freezer!!



Southern Cross -  021 671 5002


Oh and on the subject of fishing....
I am fishing for votes

Please won't you click on "Vote" and vote for me?  The Blog Awards are coming up.  This blog does not really fit properly into any of their categories but your vote will be appreciated.   Perhaps you can also try to sign up and become a proper"Follower"?  I have been stuck on 28 for ages now and tried to see how to become a "Follower" and somehow became a follower of myself (so I lied, 27 "Followers").   I still have lots to learn.  I do however know that I have far more than 28 readers.  Yesterday alone my post had 71 hits and for some reason the post about the ageing duchess in Spain, keeps getting read - 1, 171 hits - the next highest is only 397.  Since my first post on the 31 March this year, this blog has been read 16 902 times.  This Stat is also very interesting - the location of my readers this week:-

South Africa 274 United States 99 United Kingdom 86 France 13 Canada 12 Romania 12 Malaysia 9 Russia 9 Australia 5 Czech Republic 4

Russia and the Czech Republic - how awesome is that?

PS.  You can only vote once.  
Confession, I voted for myself - and then tried to vote again (but could not), which is good.


PS PS.  Sorry about the white block around the text at the bottom. I have been fiddling around here for ages now and cannot get rid of it.  It is now late and I need my bed.  Very amateur, I apologize, and especially in a post where I am asking for votes.  Forgive me.  Vote for me!!