Happy Australia Day!

"This here's the wattle, symbol of our land. You can stick it in a bottle, you can hold it in your hand."

It's Australia Day. January 26. It commemorates the arrival at Botany Bay, Sydney Cove, of the First Fleet, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, declaring "here we are", in 1788.

For us it means another excuse to cook, eat and drink beer. Shame on me, but due to poor forward planning on my part I failed to secure the ingredients to make such Aussie delicacies as sausage rolls, pavlova, or a favourite, rabbit and prunes braised in Cooper's Stout. So, we ended up eating a pork tenderloin sauteed in a chipotle salsa, with Mexican rice. Delicious, but hardly Australian fare! (Beers to go with were Mikkeller Chipotle Porter, Mmmmm!, and Mr Cicerone's big, malty Citra IPA, which was a perfect malty contrast to the spicy salsa.). Post dinner Sam Adams Vixen proved to be lovely; but I couldn't find much chili flavour.. Chocolate- yes, slightly, and this beer DID taste like bock (malt forward, rich, pruney notes like Celebrator), and maybe just a HINT of cinnamon. (I wonder, if at a couple of months old, the chili notes have died already.) Regardless, it's quite lovely, and a nice follow up to dinner.

Here's to all things Dinki Di!