Australia Day in Footscray

Paella on the barbie, and the old Xmas tree for fuel

Published by the "American Savings And Loan Association" in 1969, the Spanish Cookbook cost us about 50 cents at a garage sale somewhere.

Lit up a nice fire using an old Guardian, scraps of wood, and later some briquettes. We put a cast iron wok on the barbecue plate and browned about 8 drumsticks in olive oil. They came out and in went the onion puree, tomato, capsicum, chili, and arborio rice. Chicken back in, then calamari rings, king prawns, homemade fish stock, flake (shark) fillets, peas, mussels.

Let the whole thing bubble away for about 25 minutes.

Still seemed too sloppy when we put it on the table - but within 5 minutes the liquid disappeared into the rice. Fish and seafood done to perfection. Best dish ever.

Meanwhile Chinese New Year is being celebrated two blocks away. We countered the crackers and "Miss Wu" being first afraid then petrified on the Droop Street stage by burning the Christmas tree. Which caused some concern from AFM (3 years old) and many sparks.