Last night was very cool. And tonight parts of Tasmania are meant to get to -3 degrees. Yes, -3! Still, the days are lovely and those cold nights mean that the days are crisp and clear. We are finishing eating the last of the bits and pieces of food that we have collected over the last week or two. There was a Cheese and Chives Scone from the Pyengana dairy yesterday with some of their stunning garlic butter, pieces of raisin toast from the Rosevears Bakery again with garlic butter - don't knock it if you haven't tried it (we have finished our tub of regular butter and its not worth buying another for a couple of days). Add to that latte sachets and an apple and we are ready to hit the day.
Today we are headed to the East Coast wineries and the Bicheno area. We begin with the Devil's Corner Winery, arriving about 10:50 am. We had tried unsuccessfully to book online for a premium wine tasting experience (we reported that to them today) but once we got there, realised that the self guided tasting at only $15 was a much better deal. I suppose you might miss the banter with one of their employees, but the tasting notes that are accessed by scanning the QR Code on the tasting paddle provides plenty of information.
You know that you are in for nice wines when you instantly recognise the winery logo from major marketing campaigns. Devil's Corner is one such winery. That and the fact that a number of people that I know have personally recommended them also.
Never one to drink on an 'empty' stomach we shared a cheese and charcuterie board. In order, we tried premium sparkling cuvee, two cool climate whites, a savingnon blanc and a pinot grigio, a pinot noir rose and their leading pinot noir. They were nice so to added a class of riesling and a syrah to round out our experience. Their Sav Blanc rivals anything coming our of Marlborough, NZ. Might have shipped a mixed case home - love that, might haha - as Gen answered a Facebook post tonight, she was my evil little devil "Mum, if you like it, buy it" - always did find it hard to not give in to that little devil! 😉 😊
After a leisurely couple of hours, we headed back toward Bicheno and made a stop at The Pondering Frog cafe. Our entry is greeted with "Hello ladies, is it lunch or an ice-cream time" by the proprietor. Clever marketing! Very clever! We had stopped because Gen's friend Tracey is made about frogs. Ice creams were the order - home made and well worth stopping for. My passionfruit ice cream was full of flavour - and seeds - while Gen had the Peanut Butter Ice Cream with dark chocolate coating. It was huge, lopsided and the choc coating was very thick. BUT neither the ice cream or the chocolate is overly sweet and she enjoys it to the end.
The other must-visit that we constantly are told about is The Farm Shed in Bicheno. There are 22 wine producers on the Tasmanian East Coast, and only ten of these have cellar doors. The others provide their wines to select outlets - predominantly restaurants in Hobart and/or Launceston. BUT, you don't need to table-hop restaurants, because The Farm Door acts as a cellar door for all 22 vineyards. Now, I can't disappoint anyone, so we settle in! The stock Wines, Whiskies, Gins and a whole range of food providores and gift lines. We booked for 1 wine tasting and 1 whisky tasting - as Gen is driving, she will have a tiny sip only. Normally there are five wines and five whiskies. After much chatter with the ladies who operate this gem, I THINK we topped out at 7 wines and 6 whiskies plus a tasting of Australia's only Peated Rye. Not my cup of tea, but plenty of the others were.
Again, I may - bugger let's forget the jokes, I DID buy a half-dozen wines, and I signed up to their wine club. Looks like there will be plenty of time to taste Tasmanian wines over the next year or so. So, who wants to be my friend??? Hmm? You?
The area between the Bay of Fires and Freycinet is well known for its seafood. In particular the freshest oysters you could want - for as little as $14 per dozen. Makes you wonder how some restaurants can get away with charging up to $8 each. But for me, it is the other delicacy that we are interested in - LOBSTER - locally known as Crayfish.
The Lobster Shack is a well-known local identity. We paid $60 for half a plain medium lobster Crayfish in Stanley about 10 days ago.
Today, we pay $55 for a half medium lobster thermidor with Pyengana Cheese being used in the mornay sauce!! Winner winner! With all the troubles in the world at the moment, I do feel a little guilty. But not for long!
Fully 'stuffed', 'glutted', 'filled' and 'bursting' we waddle back to our car - with more swagger than the seagulls that jump out of our way. we head the car for scamander and our accommodation in the gentle late afternoon light. BUT this was not to be an easy trip back. It is 58 kms from Bicheno to Scamander and we are travelling in light traffic - each lost in our own thoughts. We round a bend and start up a rise to come to a stopped line of traffic with hazard light on. This doesn't look good, we have already passed through the roadworks just to the north of Bicheno. Before long, we learn that there is a crash up ahead. Gen turns off the car and heads up to see whether it will be worth us witing, or turning atound. She reports it happened about 40 minutes earlier, the police were on site, turning back traffic, saying the road would be closed for many hours yet.
So, along with the rest of the waiting cars, we turn. We ask someone who appears to be a local what the alternate routes are. He advises that there is only one - Up over St Mary's Pass through St Marys and down Elephant Pass. He warns that there are tight bends and to just take it slowly. And that it was. I didn't envy Gen this drive with the late afternoon sun in her eyes for most of the trip up the mountain to St Marys. Normally we would have made a stop to have a look around, but the light is fading and we had made a pact that we would not drive at dusk or dawn because of the amount of wildlife that appears. We don't want to add to the road-kill. We finally reach the base, pass the junction with the coastal road that is now blocked and manned by police and in another 15 minutes find ourselves back in Scamander.
We pass the motel and head to the service station. Although closed, they have a 24 hour card facility to purchase fuel. Thanks to good ol Costco, we know how to operate these. Gen fills up and there is another hire car, a Merc whose asian driver obviously needs help. Gen does another good deed for the day and explains how to get access to the fuel - a very relieved driver - it looked like he was settling in to wait in the car until morning!
We have an early start, setting out for Coles Bay to join another Pennicott Cruise - this one to the Freycinet National Park and the iconic Wineglass Bay. Its another bucket list item for me, and I am no longer up to the hike in by foot!
Footnote: My sister, Donna, told us she had tested positive for Covid-19 last week and today Antony phones us to tell us that Amanda has tested positive today and feel like a truck has hit her. so the household is in quarantine for at least a week. So after some discussion, we have decided that we will head home once we land in brisbane rather than staying a few days. Can't say that either of us is too disappointed. Its been a holiday to make memories, but we will both be glad to stay put in one place!
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