Strawberry farm, Beach and Scones

This weekend we went for a drive to the Sunshine Coast and on the way we stopped at a strawberry farm. The strawberry season has just begun (June to November) here in Queensland. It is a PYO or Pick Your Own farm and is very well equipped with a farm shop with a Cafe, a lovely picnic area on the lawn surrounded by fields and a children's playground.

When we got there it was later in the afternoon. There were lots of kids from a birthday party there who seemed to be having a great time. The most popular with the kids was not the playground but a pyramid of hay bales placed in the lawn that the kids climbed and threw hay at each other.

On the second sign it says no eating allowed in the field

One of the fields was in conversion to organic farming.

All the strawberries were grown in plastic covered rows.

After enjoying afternoon tea in the lawns of the farm and having bought a kilo of strawberries to take home, we drove on to Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast to the beach.

It was way too cold to swim but we saw birds plunge themselves head first into the water to catch fish. We also saw graceful dolphins further out in the water coming up every so often for a breath of air. Following are some beach impressions:

Fished out of a rock pool, a mermaid has lost her shell bracelet.

Cool patterns from barnacles on the move

The next day we had Devonshire Tea or what I recently learned is called Cream Tea in England. We made scones and topped them still warm with the strawberries from the farm and a dollop of cream.

Homemade scones might not look as nice as the bought ones but they taste great!

Here's the scone recipe we use, it is easy and quick and comes from the Masterchef TV series:

Date and Lemon Scones

Preheat oven to 200C

Ingredients:

150ml milk
150ml cream
1 egg whisked                    combine wet ingredients in a bowl

3 cups self-raising flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup chopped dates
zest of 1 lemon                  combine dry ingredients in a bowl

pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix gently to make a dough.

Caution: do not overwork the dough or you will end up with hockey pucks not scones!

As soon as there is a crumbly mixture forming turn the dough onto your work surface and pat together to form a dough about 2cm  (1 inch) thick. It will still look lumpy and that is fine.

Using a round cookie cutter or a glass cut out the rounds and place on a baking tray.
Brush the scones with a mixture of milk and a little sugar and bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy warm  with your favourite jam (or fresh berries) and cream.

Here's the link to the original recipe where you can even watch the episode to see the masters at work:
http://www.masterchef.com.au/date-and-lemon-scones.htm

I wanted to say a big Thank You to all who take the time to read my little blog, the followers and for all the comments left here. I treasure everything and don't take it for granted.

And before I go I would like to tell you about my lovely (art) friend Gillian Lee Smith
from England who is raising funds for the Willow Foundation. This organisation makes special days for seriously ill people aged between 16 and 40 available. Gillian is an amazingly gifted artist and is selling prints in a medium and a large size to raise funds for this charity. So if you can spare a moment hop on over to Gillian's blog and read about her amazing weekend away and see her beautiful prints.

Until next time... xoxo