Rusty's Markets, Cairns

Located in the heart of Cairns city, Rusty’s Markets offer a large range of fresh local produce, whilst attracting vendors from Greater Far North Queensland. My earliest food market memories were in Rusty’s Market so I was extremely excited to revisit and do some grocery shopping:) Whilst it’s undergone a major renovation since last time I was here, the spirit of the markets remains the same. Queen Bee, Daisy Moo, Chocolate Queen and I always look forward to market day:)

The first distinctive feature of the markets would have to be the presence of various tropical fruits. Scattered amongst the regular fruit choices are jackfruit, soursop and sapodillas.

Pretty strawberries

Being able to pick my own strawberries leaves me feeling liberated from the punnet.

Chocolate Pudding Fruit

I know this fruit as Jackfruit. It’s filled with little parcels of sweet yellow flesh, each encasing a nutty seed.

The start of Mango season

I miss Cairns when I’m down in Sydney sometimes, for a number of reasons, mangoes is one of them lol.

A Daisy Moo favourite – pineapple


Sapodillas

Paw Paw

Soursop

I’ve only ever had a soursop once, and I remember that even though it was a little bit sour, the flavour just tasted “tropical’ to me, and the flesh was white and velvety.

For thirsty shoppers, there a many great things to try:

Fresh coconut juice

This lovely guy opens up the coconuts for you:D After I snapped him doing his thing, he jumped at me and screamed BOO lol. Those who know me can imagine the shriek that came from my mouth lol.

Sugar Cane Juice

Coconut juice man also runs this sugar cane juice stall (conveniently right next to eachother lol). There’s a machine that squeezes out the juice from the sticks of sugar cane. Queen Bee makes a great sugar cane drink so this really appeals to me:)

Fruit wine from Pacific Blue

On a more adult note, I found a cute range of fruit wines! Flavours included mango, lychee, feijoa, and lime and chilli. The lady at the store took quite a liking to Queen Bee and I, and plyed us with samples of wine for an extended period of time:) (No doubt to coax a mass purchase lol)

Soap stall

I find these markets quite diverse, with products such as soap, jewellery, clothes, massage and antiquities for sale plus the regular food and drink stalls, there’s even a local clairvoyant!

After meandering through the maze of stalls, we came home with bagfuls of food, including kipfler potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, a pineapple, a rockmelon, a range of asian greens, some baklava and mango wine:D I love these markets!

Rusty's Markets
Open 6.00am Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Sheridan St

Cairns QLD 4870
Phone: (07) 4051 5100
http://www.rustysmarkets.com.au/
http://pacificbluewinery.com/index.html

Study Food

I’m still bitter about my study imposed exile. Sure, I love learning, but I’m convinced the cram rate that I’m currently on is going to make my brain explode… You would think a second degree would be easier - but it is sooo not… I blame high expectations and subsequent pressure levels…

Speaking of said brain, like every other exam session, I’ve made a conscious effort to provide her with nutritious and think facilitating food. My diet at the moment is packed with low GI, wholegrain breads and cereals, low fat dairy and obligatory fruit and veg. Not to mention the gallons of water I drink these days…

At the same time, I’m also consuming copious amounts of caffeine via multiple vehicles (coffee, coke, tea, V), eating my way through loaves and loaves of raisin toast and craving foods like chocolate biscuits and icecream… I miss eating out…

Another yummy snack that I’ve been having are these wholemeal, buttermilk blueberry and banana muffins that Daisy Moo baked - they are fabulous! Healthy AND Tasty:D Firstly they have wholemeal flour in them, instead of plain, which gives them a grainy and nutty flavour. Secondly, they use buttermilk and banana as the moistening agents, which take place of the regular fat, and lastly they are bursting with antioxidant rich blueberries!! I love them!

Fratelli Fresh Cooking Class, Waterloo

Seeing as we had an afternoon free, Daisy Moo, Chocolate Queen and myself booked ourselves in for a cooking lesson at Fratelli Fresh. These are held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, by the friendly staff from Café Sopra. Electrolux provides all cooking appliances.

The menu is simple, with a focus for fresh, in season ingredients and Italian cooking. Our lovely hosts Donna and Liz took us through a simple salad and dessert.

Our pre-prepared stations

We started with a White Anchovy, Asparagus, Tomato and Vincotto salad

Salad Ingredients

Whilst giving us a demo, Liz encouraged us to try the white anchovies – even those who normally don’t like them. They’re quite different to the regular salty versions, being fairly soft, meaty and vinegary.

Assembled salad

We then moved onto the dessert – Rhubarb and Raspberry Trifle

Dessert Ingredients

Donna’s trifle, served in a cup

We made ours in provided plastic containers

Beaten egg white

The trifle mixture

Egg whites, egg yolks, marsala and marscarpone. Pretty much the same as a tiramisu mixture I think.

Trifle mixture topped with sweet rhubarb

The rhubarb had been pre-baked for us with cinnamon, cloves and star anise and juice. It was sweet and spicy, but just a touch too hard for me, I may have left it in the oven for a tad longer lol.

Savoiardi biscuits soaked briefly in orange syrup were then layered on top.

Finished with more trifle mix and raspberries - Yum!

In terms of skill, the level of cooking is quite basic, but the recipes are fresh and delicious. We did a quick shop after the lesson (I’m that’s what they hope for lol) and brought home some bananas, mini mandarins and my favourite – the Fratelli Fresh Olive Focaccia:)

Fratelli Fresh
7 Danks Street
Waterloo, NSW, 2017
Phone: (02) 9699 3161 on the 3rd Tuesday of the month between 9am and midday to make a booking for cooking classes

http://www.fratellifresh.com.au/

Bansky, The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill

Not exactly a standard food blog post, but it is related to food:) The above grazing 'chickens' were part of Bansky’s latest offering, which unfortunately finished at the end of October. It was set up in New York and called “The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill”. Focused on the exploitation of animals (including the ones we eat..) I found it both entertaining and thought provoking!

Check this video out, it’s fun!

http://vimeo.com/2000382

Great piece, I wish I could have seen it in real life.

Official Website: (with more videos)
http://thevillagepetstoreandcharcoalgrill.com/menu.html