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On creamy seafood chowder and a condensed tale of the sea

20/7/2013

 
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In the late 1950s my father, the gentleman barber who liked to be known as 'Andre the Great', spent a few hard earned pounds on a very fine full-length leather coat.  And with the docket from that investment he managed to win for himself a little Fiat motor car that would herald the beginning of many seaside adventures.

Now, my dad had little or no experience as a driver when he took possession of his prize.  According to one of the many stories he told me during his lifetime, in Hungary he had ridden an old bicycle from village to village, bartering haircuts for food, clothing and shoes...    and otherwise he travelled on foot.  Here, after winning the car, 'the local policeman' taught him to drive on flat open land near where we lived in Acton, on what is now Lake Burley Griffin.  

Before long, wanderlust took hold and my family spent weekends venturing interstate at every opportunity.  My mother bundled us into the car, together with a picnic blanket, a thermos of her café au lait, a supply of travel sweets, fresh fruit and a pile of sandwiches.  I have many fond memories of us frequenting destinations like Wee Jasper, Corin Dam, Bateman's Bay and all around the South coast region.  

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.

In those days, the 150 km journey from Canberra to the coast took several hours over winding, narrow mountain roads.  I'm guessing we first made those trips in the early 60s, as I can recall that we waited in line with other cars to board a punt ferry that took us across the Clyde River at Nelligen.  (My research confirms that while the Bateman's Bay bridge was built in 1956, the Nelligen bridge wasn't completed until 1964).  We sang most of the way, would always stop for a picnic and cup of thermos-tasting coffee at the town park in Braidwood, and always excitedly looked out for Pooh's Corner, a small but famous rock cave near the top of the Clyde Mountain pass.  

Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.


Several Hungarian families, mine included, bought small parcels of land at Sunpatch (a seaside town now known Tomakin) and so we spent many summer holidays in tiny cottages there ...   fishing, swimming, bushwalking, collecting shells, cooking and eating, as you do.  The years passed and, having worked themselves into old age, my parents sold up at Sunpatch and bought a land on a magnificent cliff at Malua Bay, where they eventually built their dream retirement cottage.  After my wedding in '78, they moved from Canberra and enjoyed a relaxed decade of seaside living until my father was diagnosed with cancer.  I'm not sure that my mother ever got over the sale of their beloved coastal house, for her own health went downhill once they returned to the city.  In fact she became more and more unwell over the years and, while my father recovered to spritely good health, to our surprise she passed away in hospital two days after her 75th birthday.

Much do I love, at civic treat, The monsters of the deep to eat;  To see the rosy salmon lying, by smelts encircled, born for frying.

Seafood has always been a favourite of mine.  I tasted my first salty oyster on a rocky outcrop at Malua Bay and quickly grew to love the breaded fish fillets with hand cut potato chips, and the Hungarian fisherman's soup known as Halászlé (hola/sle), that my godmother and my mum cooked when dad returned from fishing on the bay.  Flathead, whiting, nannygai and flake are at their very sweetest and most succulent when cooked soon after being caught!  

My parents always made an occasion of fish and chip dinners, and in their old age ate lunch once a week at the cafeteria at Canberra Hospital simply because the fish and chips were so good!  Indeed, one Easter Saturday which also happened to be the day of my mother's death, my father and the extended family left mum's bedside to throw down some sustenance in the form of fish and chips at that same cafeteria.  As quickly as possible, we were back by her side and within 10 minutes my mother took her last laboured breath.  

We are tied to the ocean.  And when we go back...   whether it is to sail or to watch, we are going back from whence we came.

On an April afternoon in 1997, per her wishes my mother's ashes were sprinkled into the cove below their former cliff-top home, but not before my frail 80 year old father toppled off the rocks and into the water, the urn with his wife's ashes held tightly in his arms as he disappeared into the clutch of the suddenly angry waves.  He would have drowned were it not for my boy (who was only 14) and my then husband, both of whom risked their lives to save him.  In time, the pair were recognised as heroes and duly awarded RLS rescue medals.  In the swirling mass of sea, my darling dad managed to rescue his glasses and Tyrolean hat and, as we pulled him back to the safety of the rocks, and all he could say over and over was 'That couldn't have just happened!'  

As the five of us walked in stunned silence away from the rocks and towards the goat track leading up to the cliff, we looked back and noticed that the sea was calm once again.  Thus, we couldn't all help but consider that perhaps mum had beckoned dad to join her.  And though we managed to put it behind us, the event was to trigger things that would continue to affect the entire family.  

But then that's another story...

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Above: the views my parents enjoyed at Malua Bay and the cove which is the final resting place for my mother and the younger of my two brothers (top photo is one I took in the 1970s and had mounted for my parents as a gift when they sold up and returned to the city... my father is holding it in the newspaper clipping below); self with canine best friend, Alice the German Shepherd, in 1977; and my parents, Iren and András, enjoying ice cream cones on the sands of Malua Beach circa 1970, taken with my Polaroid.  The sun was in their eyes, hence the frowns on their faces.
Below: Canberra newspaper clippings show the day my father took possession of the Fiat, and a few days after he almost lost his life at sea.

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The recipe...

Whether it's Halászlé, Tom Yum Po Tak, Bouillabaisse. or simply Chowder, I adore fish soup.  My recipe for this chowder is based on a superb dish that Peter and I have enjoyed many times at The Shipwright's Arms Hotel in Hobart's Battery Point.  Shippies, as it's known, is a traditional old style English corner pub that was established in 1846.  Here, I have used my basic vichyssoise (leek and potato soup) recipe and added the freshest morsels of seafood.  And I have to tell you, it's really good!

CREAMY SEAFOOD CHOWDER
2 leeks, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
60g butter
5 cups (1.25 litres) vegetable or chicken stock
500g potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
200g each green prawns (shelled and deveined), scallops, mussel meat, sliced squid and cubed salmon flesh
1/2 cup cream
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
freshly ground pepper
fresh parsley, chopped

Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan, add the sliced leeks and stir until soft and golden.  Add the stock, potatoes, celery and bay leaves, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when tested with a skewer or fork.  Remove the bay leaves.  Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth.  Add more stock if the chowder is not at the right consistency, as in too thick.  Then add the seafood, saffron strands and lemon juice, and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until the seafood is cooked through.  Stir in the cream and season to taste with freshly ground white pepper.  Serve immediately, garnished with a little chopped parsley if desired.  This recipe serves six.

The freshest morsels of seafood...

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The process in pictures...

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Bon appetit...

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* The quotations in bold above are from Izaak Walton, Anonymous, Sydney Smith and Robert F. Kennedy, respectively.

Tell me about your seaside adventures...   and is fish soup a favourite at your place?
Peter G link
18/7/2013 10:34:02 pm

Interesting stories Liz...so many memories. And what a story regarding your dad and the waves! Love the chowder too...have bookmarked this to make soon!

Lizzy
18/7/2013 11:23:41 pm

Thank you, Peter.... it really happened... and thank you for your kind words.

Mrs Mulberry link
19/7/2013 12:08:32 am

Such a beautiful and touching post Lizzy. It really bought tears to my eyes. Wonderful photos too! I will definitely be trying this delicious recipe. All forms of fish soup are greatly loved in our house! X

Lizzy
19/7/2013 09:31:32 am

Thank you, Ella, so very kind of you. Fish soup is a favourite with many of us, methinks. Thank you for visiting xo

Barbara | Creative Culinary link
19/7/2013 10:25:08 am

So bittersweet Lizzie yet thank you for sharing; I'm so glad your Dad made it and I have to admit I chuckled that he rescued his possessions. I am smiling at the thought of him making sure to get his hat while struggling to survive!

We need to meet halfway...you bring this chowder and I'll bring a cocktail!

Lizzy
19/7/2013 10:31:39 am

Thank you, Barbara... I left out the expletive that he uttered... his very first words as we pulled him to the rocks! We were so glad that the event didn't turn to tragedy, as just a few weeks before a family of eight drowned in nearby Kiama. As my son and my ex struggled to get to my dad, and my little girl was screaming at my side, that's all I could think of. But, yes, god love my father for always having a sense of humour, no matter what. He lost his Tyrolean hat in Hungary many years later. We bought him another, but it wasn't the same.

And re meeting... I'm in! : )

Jane @ Shady Baker link
19/7/2013 12:17:18 pm

This is an amazing story Lizzy. I cannot imagine how you must have felt when your dear father fell into the ocean, how horrifying. Beautiful family photos and memories, very precious.

I do not recall ever eating fish soup. As people who have always lived far inland we love the sea but don't get there nearly often enough! Have a lovely weekend.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:40:31 pm

Jane, thank you. It was a moment that I can never forget... none of us ever will. So very thankful for the braveness of my boy and my then husband. It could have ended so very tragically. I wonder if you would enjoy chowder? I know what you mean about living inland... fresh seafood was unheard of in Canberra once upon a time!

john@kitchenriffs link
19/7/2013 12:17:28 pm

Wow, that story of your father tumbling into the waves is hair raising! So glad it ended well. Really great post - exceptionally entertaining. And the chowder looks terrific - but that's just a bonus. The post's the thing.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:43:18 pm

John, thank you so much! I've shared this story many times verbally, over the years. But the only time I wrote about it was to submit an application on behalf of my father for the lifesaving medals. It was a hair raising event and even now I still think that mum must have wanted dad with her. She was a strong soul... dad felt that too. Thank you for your very kind words.... and for stopping by!

InTolerant Chef link
19/7/2013 02:30:15 pm

What an amazing story indeed Lizzy, thank goodness your son and husband were there to rescue him!
The recipe is lovely too, and sounds perfect for such lousy weekend weather as we're having :)

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:43:57 pm

Indeed, Bec... it could have all ended so badly! We were very, very fortunate. The recipe is delicious, especially on day 2. Thanks for popping in.

Eha
19/7/2013 05:14:06 pm

Lizzy . . . thanks for the memory . . . bittersweet and so very real. Those of us who came the same, felt the same, did the same to the best of our abilities . . . some of us can truly relive our lives thru' yours . . . blessings . . .

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:45:30 pm

Thank you, lovely one. So very kind of you... I am very happy to be able to share these stories... and so many people have similar experiences to share. xo

Maureen | Orgasmic Chef link
19/7/2013 08:23:17 pm

So many wonderful things to talk about I can't keep up and some pretty tragic things that make me want to give you a hug.

Saving his hat and glasses did make me smile - what an amazing experience.

Fish and I are not best friends but yours looks magical.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:46:59 pm

Maureen, thank you for your kind words and your hugs... Dad was an amazing gentleman and I was surprised to see that he saved his glasses and hat as he was being sucked under... he was pulled under about four times before the boys could actually get to him. Strange thing was that he had swallowed no water! Thanks for stopping by my friend.

The Food Sage link
19/7/2013 11:00:51 pm

Awesome post Lizzy. Seafood chowder is a firm favourite of mine, so I'm tucking away this recipe until I return to Sydney ... Then I'm sure it will be put to good use. I loved hearing your family stories, and look forward to hearing the next installment.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:47:47 pm

Rachel, thank you... I hope you will try this recipe... it's very tasty indeed. Loved hearing that you enjoy my stories... I really appreciate that!

Fiona link
19/7/2013 11:28:07 pm

Another wonderful post Liz. I was surprised by the bit towards the end where your dad fell in the ocean - as no doubt he was too! We all have such fond memories of our seaside holidays as kids don't we? I remember staying in a flat on Hasting St Noosa where we could walk right out onto the beach. It was our last holiday at the beach before my Dad passed away. A golden summer. Of course, that was in the days when Noosa was a backwater and that apartment is long gone but when I do venture back to Noosa (which is rare), I can still spot landmarks from that holiday.

The soup looks delicious. I bought some huge green prawns right of the trawler last week - so sweet and fresh. The fishmonger will be back again in a few weeks so I hope to try my hand at this. I'll let you know.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:55:02 pm

Fiona, thank you... we were all surprised by what happened that day.... I forgot to mention that I had originally booked a small boat that would take us out to sea, but dad asked me to cancel it as he was afraid that he would drown! I can still see every second of the event in slow motion.... my little girl and I watched helplessly from the side... though she did want to dive in too! I had to stop her.

Your last beach holiday with your father sounds very memorable, something to treasure... I would love to read about it someday and see the photos on your blog too! If you try my recipe, please let me know. I hope you enjoy it.

Valerie Lugonja is....A Canadian Foodie link
20/7/2013 03:35:18 am

Your story certainly resonated with me as mom and dad are now 83 and dad has always been the frail and ill one - until mom got cancer last year... then HE almost died... and she is as healthy as every after her surgery... He is recovering. I cannot imagine losing a mom at 75 these days - and your dad - is he now alone, or with you.
I wondered, as I read, if the story was true, or fiction... but, then you had the photos. Losing one's parent must be devastating.
XO
V

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:57:47 pm

Wow, Valerie, I am feeling for you... praying that your parents stay well for you for years to come. Yes, 75 is young.... mum developed a rare aneurism and after an eight hour operation I think she just wanted to die. I will continue this tale... but in a nutshell, dad passed away in 2001. Yes, losing a parent, or both parents is devastating... and you suddenly feel orphaned, even as a grown up! Thank you for stopping by my friend.

Zsuzsa link
20/7/2013 05:01:10 am

Lizzi he didn't want to let go of her. Toppling into the water was a visceral
reaction.

My husband of 46 years and I already faced the possibilty of parting, but neither one of us wants to be the one left all alone. And yet the inevitable is coming unless some cosmic mercy puts us adrift together. Not a whole lot of chance for that though.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:58:50 pm

Zsuzsa, you are probably right! They had been married for some 50 years! Life is like that, isn't it.... and parting is such a sorrowful event.

Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
20/7/2013 11:39:58 am

Your chowder looks quite tasty and I love reading stories like this about your childhood!

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:59:02 pm

Thank you, Laura.

the other liz
20/7/2013 01:23:26 pm

Thank you for the wonderful stories. I used to live in Canberra and know all the places you mention. What a great idea to combine the fish with classic leek and potato, another favourite of mine. This will be cooked next weekend. Thank you.

Lizzy
20/7/2013 01:59:40 pm

Thank you, Liz... did our paths ever cross? Let me know please if you do cook this one, would love to know if you like it!

CJ link
22/7/2013 03:27:11 pm

Wow - What a story & what a recipe - Love both :-)

Lizzy
23/7/2013 09:26:13 am

CJ, thank you for your very kind words! Thanks for stopping by : )

Karen (Back Road Journal) link
23/7/2013 02:20:45 am

What a wonderful post...happy and sad times but thank goodness no tragic endings. Your seafood chowder sounds rich and delicious.

Lizzy
23/7/2013 09:26:46 am

Yes, bittersweet and thankfully not more tragic than it already was, Karen. Thank you for your kind words.

Janie link
24/7/2013 09:41:03 pm

Blimey, I'm left with goosebumps & tears in my eyes! What an am zing tale that was, I was there with you every step of the way!
Janie x

Lizzy
27/7/2013 06:01:47 pm

Thank you Janie... it was something else indeed! xo

Jeni from Northern Rivers Dreaming
15/10/2016 11:22:35 pm

Just found this wonderful post, when I searched your blog for more family stories after reading your book excerpt. Looking forward to the book even more now :)

(Amid so many magical memories one that made me smile was your mention of Canberra before the lake. So few of us remember that!)

Lizzy
15/10/2016 11:26:06 pm

Jeni, thank you for your very kind words! xxx


Comments are closed.

    Welcome...

    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
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