JustJanS

about me

This photo was taken at Jewelies in Queensland on November 24th 2007. Left back is Jules, then me, Sussan is front left, Sazza front right.

I came to Recipezaar 6 years ago looking for a duck salad recipe. Bergy answered my request, I took a look around the site and joined that day.

For over two years I''ve been travelling around Australia with my husband. It's an interesting and relaxed lifstyle that we love. We travel in a 4WD (all terrain vehicle), caravan (travel trailer) and carry a boat on top of the vehicle. Our daily life includes a lot of fishing and crabbing, sight seeing and socialising. Russ is retired but tells me as I'm to young to be, I must be just unemployed!

At the moment, we are in Western Australia for the second time after completing a full lap of the country. We have 4 of our 5 boys living in Perth and want to spend some more time with them and our new grandson born on April 9th.

I have limited (and expensive) connection to the internet as we travel, so I want to thank anyone who makes and reviews one of my recipes here and now!

'Zaar has been wonderful to me (and Russell), I've been lucky enough to meet lots of other members over the past few years, and hope we'll catch up with more of you on our travels. As we've travelled, we've stayed with the lovely mummamills, Jewelies and family and Amanda in Adelaide. We've had lunch in Perth with Terese, Deez and Sea Breeze. We met Chef Potts ina camping ground and more recently we were invited to the home of Mixmaster and her husband Tom for a wonderful dinner. Once again, I am looking forward to seeing a few members in Perth.

Home pages of family and friends I've made through Recipezaar

Amanda In Adelaide

SA

Bella chef

Vic

Chef Potts

WA

Chrissyo

QLD

Daydream

WA

Deez in OZ

WA

ebev

Vic

Elli76

Vic

Honni

Vic

Jewelies

QLD

Joyful Cook

Wales

kdlpmum

Vic

Kookaburra

QLD

Latchy

QLD

Mr Tender

NSW

mummamills

QLD

MrsSPhoenix

Vic

Ninna

NSW

Sea Breeze

WA

Sarah!

Vic

Sazza

QLD

Sussan

QLD

Terese

WA

Tess

Vic

The King

Vic

tomoko matsunago

Japan/Vic

trinasw

Vic

Velvetinenut

Singapore

Now, let me explain how I rate recipes:
5 stars-WOW. We could live on this food forever, and it's guest worthy! The recipe was well written and no huge modificatons were made (I don't count extra salt, fresh herbs as opposed to dry, or more garlic modifications ) We make these recipes again often.

4 stars-GREAT This would have been 5 stars BUT. It's the word "BUT" that sets it apart. "but we changed, added, felt it needed...." You get the idea. The minute I feel a BUT" coming on (or read someone elses 5 star review along those lines) I know it's no more than a 4 star recipe. Having said that, it's still a good family dish and will probably get made again.

3 stars-GOOD, but would need fairly major modification for us to make it again. We might make it again with the modifications, but let's face it, there are heaps more recipes out there.

2 stars-JUST OK, but will never get made again.

1 star-I worked as a chef and cook and belive I can judge a recipe for taste and method. I hope I would never have to give a 1 (or for that matter a 2)star review.

I believe in giving honest reviews. and expect you will do the same to me. If a recipe of mine fails for you, I'd like you to tell me and others how and why it did.

Favorite Foods:

Russ and I love food, so we have been lucky to sample many local specialities (fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables) as we've made our way around Australia. We love to stop at farm gates and local and farmers markets, and to buy seafood off the wharf (on the rare occasions we haven't caught it). Our cooking equipment isn't quite as elaborate as at home-but we still eat like kings. It's amazing how well you can eat cooking with an electric frying pan, 2 hot plates, microwave and a portable oven. It's also amazing how little you need in the way of cutlery, crockery and fancy serving dishes. We eat very little canned or processed food as we have always preferred to cook from scratch using fresh ingredients. One thing I have learned on this trip is to catch, cook, clean and pick blue crabs. They are one of life's luxuries and they are just out there waiting for me in almost all the coastal towns we've been. I now also believe fishing is a competitive sport-well, it is between Russ and I as we wait anxiously to see who catches the first, best or biggest fish.

Check out our blog (the link is below) and then look for a link to our earlier one too if you're really keen. You'll see how we have spent the last 26 months.

http://jan-and-russ-around-australia-ii.blogspot.com/