No Refrigeration Needed

Many grocery stores in Sydney are conveniently located in shopping malls. The Coles & Woolworth's (Woolies) stores, which are large chains, also have stand alone stores in other locations, but these may be more difficult to get to if you don't drive or have a car.

In such cases, stores at the malls can be lifesavers because they're accessible by public transportation. 

Coles Grocery Store at the Chatswood Mall

Grocery stores in malls make them one-stop shopping centers. This is especially useful here where they don't have grocery sections in big box department stores like Target or Kmart, and there are no Walmart stores, most likely because the minimum wage in Australia is $17.29 an hour and Walmart would be forced to pay it. You can only purchase food from a grocery store or market. 

For convenience, folks getting off the train can shop for grocery items at the Woolies annex below before heading home for dinner. It's a small grocery store with all of the staple items but it is limited when it comes to fresh fruits and veggies. The full Woolies and Coles grocery stores have an overabundance of fresh fruit and veggies, but not these quick shops. 

I stopped at the Woolies below one day looking for grapefruit, but they didn't carry it at that location. However, they had everything else I had on my small list. 

Chatswood Shopping Area & Transport Stop

Inside the store, the placement of food selections are different than I'm used to, so it took me a while to learn where to find the products I like. 

For instance, eggs.

I searched through all the refrigerated sections and couldn't find them, so I went on with my shopping until I came across the egg aisle. Huh, there's an egg aisle???

Coles at Chatswood

In this store the eggs are kept on a shelf next to the cake mixes - okay. 

Eggs next to the cake mixes

Some Australian and European stores believe that it isn't necessary to refrigerate eggs because producers vaccinate laying hens, which stops the transmission of salmonella. 

An eggs natural coating then prevents anything from outside the shell penetrating the egg. 

In the US, the eggs' natural coating is washed away and the eggs are sprayed with chlorine. Without their natural coating, they need refrigeration. 

Free Range Eggs

The first day my daughter cracked open eggs for breakfast I looked at them and tried to figure out what was different when it hit me: they were orange. 

Sydney Eggs

I complained about the orange eggs for months and joked about having orange eggs and ham for breakfast. (Australia sells Canadian bacon, which looks like ham. It's thick, meaty, with fewer streaks of fat, so it doesn't get crispy. It's hard to find the bacon strips like we have in the US anywhere. That is one food item my daughter and I really miss!) 

Once the orange eggs were scrambled and I tasted them, I actually thought they were very good. The color still troubled me so I decided to research it. 

I read that fresh eggs are supposed to be orange. Who knew? The rich color is a sign that the chicken was fed a nutritious diet that includes omega-3 fatty acids, xanthophyll (yellow pigment of leaves) and meats. 

In the US the eggs are a nice yellow and since I was not raised on a farm, I didn't realize that a healthy egg has a scary orange yolk. 

My US Eggs

Many times in the US I leave the carton of eggs on the counter after cracking some while cooking. The British theory is that salmonella can penetrate the shell of chilled eggs once left out long enough to warm. Oops. 

My daughter buys only free-range eggs, refrigerated or not, and the grocery stores here sell multiple brands of free range eggs, free range chickens and even free range pork. People have become very conscious here of animal welfare in the food industry.

We refrigerate our free range eggs after bringing them home from the store. 

For Father's Day, my daughter's mother-in-law gave her husband a dozen free-range eggs that cost $10.00 a dozen. They were very orange. 

Many websites on eggs that I have visited state that contrary to what people believe, eggs should be stored in the refrigerator, and I've noticed that some Sydney stores have moved their eggs to either refrigerated or cooler areas in their stores. 

Woolies Grocery Store - Long Life Milk Sign

Another interesting product that blows my mind is long life milk or shelf milk, no refrigeration needed until opened. 

The milk below was purchased on April 12th (12-April-2016) and does not expire until August 9th (09-Aug-2016). That's four months on the shelf!

Case of milk from our cupboard

The correct name for shelf milk is Ultra High-Temperature Pasteurization milk or UHT. The secret is the pasteurization temperature and the aseptic sterilized packaging. 

There are some UHT brands sold in the US but this product is not very popular since we want our milk refrigerated. 

My daughter also buys fresh (refrigerated) milk but when it's gone, she goes to her shelf and pulls out the UHT. UHT is heavily used here. For example, my daughter is a doctor and the cupboards of the hospital kitchens are filled with it. 

I'm a huge fan of shelf milk and can't tell the difference between UHT and fresh milk. I like to drink milk and the thought of always having it on hand is a good one. 

We buy milk by the case since we have a toddler, so when we are low on fresh milk, we put the UHT in the frig to chill, then serve. 

Australia uses the metric system, like everywhere else in the world except America, so everything that has a number has to be converted for me to understand quantities. 

The milk comes in 2-liter containers. With the metric system we are actually getting less milk buying it by the liter than by the quart or gallon. A quart is a bit less than a liter and a gallon is equal to 3.7 liters. 

Shelf Milk from Woolies Grocery Store

UHT costs $2.00 or less for 2 litres, but for fresh, you pay $4.69 for the same amount. This makes shelf milk not only a great product, but cheaper. 

Fresh milk at Woolies

Stores that don't keep milk and eggs cold are saving a bundle on their electric costs because they don't need refrigeration units. 

Imagine in the US when it's going to snow and everyone stocks up on eggs, milk and bread and then loses power. Ouch! These would be great products to have on the shelf, as long as they're safe. 

Grocery stores in the mall . . . 

Orange eggs and shelf milk that need no refrigeration . . . 

No Walmart . . . 

A minimum wage above $17 an hour. . . 

. . . I am not in Kansas!

Morning Tea

Morning tea is a mid-morning snack of tea or coffee and light refreshment.  It's observed in the workplace, playgroups, churches and in homes - just about wherever people gather.

This is not the same thing as brunch, which is breakfast and lunch. Morning tea is its own thing, sandwiched between the two.

Morning tea is not just a custom.  It's a way of life. Aussies love their tea, are obsessed with a good cup of coffee, and prefer both with fresh baked goods and civilized conversation.

Restaurants and coffee shops are packed mid-mornings with folks getting together for this tradition.

For tea at home, most folks have an electric tea kettle similar to the one above. It boils water extremely fast and is efficient because the pot is designed to trap in the steam so it doesn't escape. This creates an increase in the vapor pressure.

It makes piping hot water quick and turns itself off when ready. It also has a boil dry protection that prevents the pot from running if it's empty.

I love morning tea because it's an opportunity for me to have another cup of that great Australian coffee.  When it comes to this drink, Aussies got it right!

Coffee here is serious business.  Every shop, large and small, invests in sophisticated espresso machines and hire experienced baristas to brew and serve.  

My favorite coffee drink is called a flat white. It is a shot of espresso with steamed milk and no foam.

Presentation is extremely important, especially when making a flat white.  It must have a decorative swirl of milk on top. 

Flat White

My daughters favorite, the long black, is two shots of espresso with hot water. For a smaller drink, a short black gives you one espresso shot with hot water.

A regular espresso is just one shot.

I'm a lifelong, addicted coffee drinker and every cup I've ever had here has been better than every cup of coffee I've had back home. No complaints -  just heaps of praise!

Long Black

I get it when Aussies complain about the bad coffee served in American restaurants or about how Folger's made in a percolator is not up to snuff.  There are no lines for coffee in the 7-Eleven stores here either, or any shops where it is percolated or dripped.

Most folks here do not add syrups to their coffee, or flavored creamers like the ones you see in grocery stores or coffee chains like Starbucks.  Here, coffee is very simple and very good.

As a matter of fact, I've only seen one Starbucks and one Gloria Jeans coffee shop in Sydney.

My daughter told me that Starbucks had opened a bunch of stores a few years ago and had to close down a lot of them - and for good reason.  Every shop, store, restaurant - anyplace that can sell Aussie coffee in Sydney - already does.

You'll find most Sydneysiders frequent the mom and pop shops who serve coffee the way Aussies like it.

Even after church services at St. Andrews Anglican Church in Roseville, I order a flat white at morning tea. The church has two 'Xpresso' machines to serve the congregation.  They serve it up in proper coffee cups - no paper disposable ones and it's gourmet.

Flat White at St. Andrews Anglican Church

I attended a luncheon at a home not too far from ours where the hostess had an  'Xpresso' machine for her home use and her daughter, who is a barista, served it.  I enjoyed two, cafe-quality flat whites there.

Nespresso brand machines are sold for home use for those who can afford it. The coffee is pretty good and easy to prepare.  The store is beautiful and has a free tasting area. George Clooney and Jack Black are the print and TV spokesmen for the product and advertisements are everywhere.

The long tubes of color in the photo below are the various flavours of coffee, which are all subtly different, depending upon roasting time, coffee bean origin, etc. The store was closed on the day I shot this picture. It would've been packed otherwise.

I've seen cheaper espresso machines at the grocery store that I think work well.  We have a small Nespresso that makes great single servings.

Nespresso Store - Chatswood

Machines like the Keurig, a popular US brand, are not sold here or if they are, I haven't seen them. My daughter's drip coffee machine was the only percolator of any brand or size she could find at the major department stores here.

Along with drinks, a typical morning tea menu includes biscuits (cookies).

Arnotts is a large producer of Aussie biscuits and home to the Tim Tam, which comes in a variety of flavors. I'm told the original chocolate biscuit is the favorite.

The Tim Tam biscuits are composed of two malted layers, separated by a filling.

Since they're made in Australia they're pretty inexpensive, about $1.00 or so.  If you shop for them on Amazon you'll pay $10.00 or more.

Scones (muffins) are found in great variety here and are also served at morning tea.  And by the way, the correct pronunciation of "scone" rhymes with "bon" as in "bon bon". It does not rhyme with "stone". Scones are English, and the Aussies learned the correct pronunciation directly from the Brits. 

While Sydney has big box stores, some folks prefer to buy from 'the shops' or small independently owned stores that line the major street of each neighborhood. These main drags typically have a bakery, butcher, convenience store and cafe, as well as a pharmacy, post office, restaurants, and the odd boutique.

My daughter and I had a play date for my grandson one day at morning tea time.  We picked up scones and our guest brought sausage rolls, a common Aussie fast food.  It consists of puff pastry wrapped around sausage meat.  

I've seen these sold everywhere.  You can take-away (get to go) this treat at any restaurant or grill.  They are served with tomato sauce, which is what Aussies call ketchup.  The one pictured below I purchased at the big box hardware store which also sells flat whites.

I like them and compare their popularity to Americans and hot dogs.

Morning tea always spoils our lunch because we eat a late breakfast.  For this reason, when my grandson, who loves morning tea, heads for the biscuits on the kids table, I let him have two.

Then I wipe the crumbs from around his mouth to destroy the evidence, before bringing him home to my daughter who is waiting to serve him lunch.

This never works because my daughter always asks, "Jethro, how many cookies did you have?" He tells.

St. Andrews Anglican Church - Roseville, Australia

If you love a great cup of coffee, pastries and fun conversation, it may be worth a trip down under! You may not like the fifteen-hour flight, but you'll love the coffee!

Folks who don't like Starbucks . . .

No Keurig coffee machines . . .

Morning tea . . .

. . . I am not in Kansas!

Possums

At night, in Sydney, the nocturnal animals come out and invade our gardens. 

While lying in bed, I can hear movement, thumping, and screeching sounds through my open window. 

I stay inside after dark at night with the curtains shut because I don't want to know what's out there.  

My daughter, who gets off work at 2 a.m., took the picture below of a Brushtail possum (pozzie) sitting in a tree.

Possum sitting in the backyard Jacaranda Tree

These are NOT your US possums. While both are marsupials, they don't look anything alike. Their color, coat, tail, and behaviors are different. 

The US possums will fake death; the Aussie possums will not.

Possums are big, loud, and clumsy! 

They run across our roof at night and sound like a thundering herd of cattle. 

I can also hear them screeching, followed by loud thumps as they fall off the roof, a common occurrence.

Most of the roofing material in Sydney is terracotta and concrete, a non-combustible material that protects them from occasional bushfires. 

The roof materials are good insulators, as most older homes in Australia don't have heating or air conditioning systems. 

But I think these types of roofs intensify the sounds of the possum's heavy feet and thick nails as they hop and scratch along the rooftops.

After a 3-month stay upstairs where I was kept awake by animals stampeding on the roof, I moved to the downstairs apartment (granny flat).  

I thought, yeah, no more waking up in the middle of the night because of possum noises.  

My new roof material is vinyl and slants to drain water from the upper wood deck.

One afternoon I heard rustling noises coming from inside ceiling. At first, I thought it was my imagination. 

I continued to hear the noises and asked my son-in-law to have a look.  He heard it and said, "Maybe possums."

He had thought the entries to the roof had been blocked, but after looking closer, he discovered it was blocked only on one side. 

He grabbed a ladder, looked in the gap, and saw a possum sleeping in the far right corner.

Possums are territorial and will stay once they find a home.  

The only way to get rid of them is to close off their access and remove them professionally. 

I enjoy my deck, so I ignore the possum noise.  

After all, unless possums are unwell, they sleep throughout the day, being nocturnal. 

A possum was in our front yard one day that looked ill. 

We called the wildlife care organization to ask them to pick it up, but they told us they were too busy and we should put the possum in a box and bring the critter to them. 

Really?

The light shining through the upstairs deck creates shadows, so I thought I might be able to see the possum. 

I looked for it every day until one afternoon - the lighting was proper, and I could see the critter start to move..

After watching the possum's movements over time, I discovered that, like clockwork, he would leave at dusk and return at dawn - not one minute before or after. 

So, I watched and waited each night at dusk for him to move so I could take a picture.

When he moved, the vinyl ceiling would slightly bend, making it easy for my eyes to follow his steps.  

Upon reaching the opening out of the ceiling, he leaned over and peeked at me. 

He knew I was there the whole time and proceeded with caution to climb down the post and rest on the railing. 

He stood there for a few seconds and looked at me looking at him. 

I snapped the picture.

Possums can be aggressive if they think there is a threat, so I moved further away from him and closer to my door.  

He turned away after posing for the picture, walked along the railing, and jumped off.

I think we both realized there was no threat.

Possums are tree dwellers and prefer to sleep in hollow trees, not roofs. 

But because of new developments, trees are being destroyed, and it takes over a hundred years for Australia's common Eucalypt trees to hollow.

My resident possums settle for a seat in the Jacaranda tree.

Possum sitting in the backyard Jacaranda Tree

After that night, I accepted that possums were living in the crawlspace on my roof.  

I was even lucky enough to catch him climbing up the pole to nestle in for the day one early morning.

Once I got a surprise close-up of him when he fell off the roof, just as I had sat down to enjoy the peaceful tranquility of the back garden.

He jumped off the porch, scampered into the yard, and ran out of sight

Possums running along rooftops at night . . .

Possums that make my roof their home . . . 

Possums falling off roofs. . .

. . . I am not in Kansas!