After bouncing around a few different courses at uni, feeling trapped living in town and stuck in a stale relationship, I packed up my life and headed West. I found home and some stability on a station 200km NW of Quilpie, working as a govie for 2 and a half years. With another heartbreak under my belt, I think I might have finally found Mr Right. 9 hour round trips every weekend quickly wore thin though, so when the cooks position came up at the same station he is at, logic prevailed. My love of food is what’s keeping me somewhat sane while adjusting to a new community, learning to live with the sometimes Mr ‘Always’ Right but most of all missing the beautiful family I left to move here.
I’m a strong believer that cooking comes from the heart and is an art not a science. My recipes are my attempts to writing down my creative clutter, so don’t be put of by the slap dash, slightly off-kilter wording. Tune out the voice of your yr 8 Home Econmics teacher who preached exacto-ness and lean into your creative side!
*2023 Edit*
Turns out living with Mr Always Right wore darn thin after I had our beautiful daughter, Hazel, in 2020. Shan’t air the laundry, but I left there. Pretty quickly the chips fell into place and a very dear friend became a whole lot more. Flash forward and now he is my thoughtful and supportive fiance, step-dad extraordinaire, super dad to our latest addition, Elsie, and all round wonderful human. Now my days are spent chasing around my tiny humans on a cropping farm and whipping up lunchbox creations for tractor consumption.
Claire, you’re a legend. I loved not only the food you cooked, but the generosity with which you’re always thinking of other people and making them some special treat to gladden their heart or ease their pains. Thank you for making the world a bit kinder and better every day!
If I ever have a kitchen again, I will be attempting these recipes. 🙏
Grace you are such a beautiful human, you have completely made my week!!! I hope your travels are treating you well, you deserve only the best. Sending much love your way and hoping our paths cross again one day not too far away xx