Saturday night in Antarctica

"Saturday night went well...........

Tony (Summering/sous chef and all round nice guy) and I spent the whole day getting ready for dinner with little interruptions such as breakfast, smoko and lunch getting in the way.

The dining room was converted into a restaurant style eatery. Blackout boards where put up to stop the sun coming through. White tablecloths, wine glasses, frilled napkins, candles, small cheese boards, mini bread rolls, butter and a whole lot of thought where placed upon the tables.

The kitchen was in full swing right up to and including the first half hour of dinner. Fillet of beef with peppered prawns, chicken stuffed with bacon and camembert , pumpkin risotto with pine nuts, parmesan and truffle oil, steamed asparagus with hollandaise, duchess potatoes and carrots filled the bain marie. Next to the hot food came mixed berry and chocolate mousse served in old school sundae glasses, mixed fruit sponge balls dipped in white chocolate encrusted with coconut and one of the best lemon meringue pies tasted on this earth.

Before the expeditioners tasted all this they had predinner drinks with nibbles (peanuts in the shell, corn chips etc....), so by the time dinner was in full swing ..............so were most peoples equilibriums. A good night was had by all............and well into the next morning.

I started today (Sunday) by making 100 english muffins ready for tomorrows smoko. Then I went on to make ham and cheese quiche, Spanish omelette, chicken filo pie, Moroccan bbq leg of lamb, beef stew, roast potatoes, fruit and herb cous cous, cauliflower, potato and leek soup (without the leek......none down here.............though it still tasted great) chocolate self saucing pudding and jelly. I also did confit of duck ready for Monday. 

It was the first time I have made English muffins..... I was very stoked with the results. I’ll post a recipe as soon as I tweek it to what I’m gonna use for the rest of the year.

Its about 12 percent humidity inside the station....very dry............................great for meringue, bad for skin. I have done a couple of washes now and hung the clothes up in my room (donga), this has halved the amount of water I’m drinking at night. Now its only about 750mls."

Justin's first Antarctic outing