Sometimes in life opportunities present themselves and you just have to go for it. This was one of those times. Satellite Island was on my wish list for quite some time, Luisa and her beautiful imagery had been an inspiration to me for a couple of years and I was enjoying following Sarah and Luisa's food adventures.
I must admit though, I hesitated for a few days. Should I? Shouldn't I? I really, really want to BUT...
Then I went ahead and pledged to get this incredible cookbook printed and it WAS SO WORTH IT!
My time on Satellite Island felt like one long dream. When I think about it now the whole memory is covered in those hazy, fuzzy edges you get when you try to remember something from your childhood. I'm so glad I took so many photos so I can look back and see it all clearly again.
One thing I won't forget though, is the taste of the food I ate. Sarah Glover is a magician when it comes to cooking in the outdoors. Her food is unlike anything I have ever eaten.
It all started as soon as we arrived at 9am on the very first morning in paradise (otherwise known as Satellite Island). We stayed on Bruny Island the night before and due to a little thing the locals like to call "Bruny time" there was no way we were finding food anywhere prior to 10am. The other girls and I were hungry and many were ready for coffee. Sarah had been baking the day prior and presented us with the most amazing cake. I'm struggling to describe it and I may not even get the flavours right but it was layered meringue with sponge and I could taste coffee and rosemary and berries and spices. I'm not sure I even took a breath while inhaling this cake.
Luisa and Richard (Island caretaker and all-round good guy) took as on a boat tour of the island and we discussed all things photography. Sarah and her friend/assistant Maggie had a surprise lunch planned for us on top of the hill. This was probably my favourite meal from our time with Sarah and Luisa and you can find the recipe in their Wild Adventure Cookbook. They recreated the Pig's Head Macaroni and Cheese. What a sight it was when we arrived for lunch! But the flavour...it was out of this world...smoky and salty and all the good things! I vowed that I would attempt some open fire cooking just so that I could taste this again.
The best photography experience was without a doubt recreating the boat scene from the book. The gorgeous (inside and out) Jardine from Jardine Botanic filled Pearl, the island row boat, to the brim with flowers and foliage. Photographing Sarah while she rowed around and posed in this boat was surreal and wonderfully ridiculous.
As time went on we had many more amazing meals and great chats about photography and life. I sat by the fire in the summer house on Satellite Island and flicked through this storybook of adventures and food and I was so happy to be a small part of it.
Sarah and Luisa were generous with their time and knowledge. Their kind, warm hearts and adventurous spirit spread throughout the group.
Sarah was never still for long, always cooking or planning the next thing. Smiling along the way and a ball of endless energy. Luisa has the most infectious laugh and a sunny, beaming personality. It was such a pleasure to be around them, so much happiness and so much drive. They were inspirational - woman doing what they want to do, the way they want to do it. Boom Pow!! - as Luisa would say.
While the workshop itself was exceptional, this incredible island stole my heart and I will be returning in the not too distant future. That I know for sure.
Buy Luisa and Sarah's beautiful and unique cookbook, you won't regret it! Visit Satellite Island, you won't regret that either! Also, try uni (sea urchin)...seriously.
