Author Archives: sister Rasela

Can you remember the last GREAT ROOT you had?!

That was the first question I asked on the show today!

Have a think about it and if it’s been a while then I suggest you tune into the podcast I am currently uploading which will provide a plethora of great root options along with a detailed explanation of a one that’s working for me. I’m getting it all the time!

I am also joined today by Francisco from Francisco’s Table and Gavin Hughes head chef of Byron @ Byron Resort and Spa.

Podcast to come but here’s something to keep you entertained while you wait. Each week for the past 58 weeks I have been venturing down to the Byron Bay Farmers Market to collect voices of the community and bring them/you to the airwaves. Here’s the latest addition to the collection.

Live In The Shire – Week 58

Alofa atu xo

Helloha splendid belly’s of the Shire. Sister Rasela here in the belly kitchen today straight out of the fields of Yelgun and into the studios of our clean and comfy community radio station to nibble you through the next two hours of delicious radio.

It’s been a huge weekend for the Byronshire and all its people. If you made it to Splendour then chances are you’re feeling a bit like me ….. totally elated and slightly deflated, for what goes up must come down. We were certainly super charged up at the Bayfm phone charging stall one of our greatest fundraisers, all weekend providing a vital service for the community, travellers and wanderers alike and then of course just the ones who needed to come in and feel like they were at home for a minute amongst the wild energy a festival like that brings.

If you weren’t splendouring and you’re clean and dry then I hope your weekend was delicious none the less. Sun is shining weather is sweet … lets see what’s on the belly menu today.

We’re going to start with a trip to Mavis’s Kitchen nestled at the base of Mt Warning Wollumbin, one of my favourite places on earth to be. There’s a certain kind of magic to be found in these parts that I haven’t tasted in many other places I’ve been. Mavis’s Kitchen in particular holds a special place in my heart because they literally pick the garden to make the dishes on the menu and the owners Charlie and Peter have a strong passion for all things local as we will find out as Charlie Ebul chats openly to us about life on the ranch. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to talk to Charlie because they don’t do many interviews or in fact any kind of advertising, it’s pretty much a word of mouth scenario but he totally fell for the idea of spreading the love across the community radio airwaves and stopped work in the garden to have a chat with me last Wednesday.

https://soundcloud.com/chopsuey-roaming-radio/mavis-kitchen

Following that we’ll be welcoming Paul Crebar into the cooking pot and he’s an incredible member of our community with a strong desire to make the world a better place and is putting those thoughts into action round the Shire … see paper.

Interview to follow –

Honorary bellysister Dan Jupiter chats to the Sonoma market manager whilst travelling through California last month and has given me the interview so that I may share it with you. The Sonoma market is a vibrant bustling market in the centre of the town plaza.

Plaza

El Pueblo de Sonoma was laid out in the standard form of a Mexican town, centered around the largest plaza in California, 8 acres (32,000 m2) in size. This plaza is surrounded by many historical buildings, including the Mission San Francisco Solano, Captain Salvador Vallejo’s Casa Grande, the Presidio of Sonoma, the Blue Wing Inn, the Sebastiani Theatre, and the Toscano Hotel.

In the middle of the plaza, Sonoma’s early 20th-century city hall, at the plaza’s center and still in use, was designed and built with four identical sides in order not to offend the merchants on any one side of the plaza. The plaza is a National Historic Landmark and still serves as the town’s focal point, hosting many community festivals and drawing tourists all year round. There are approximately thirty restaurants in the plaza area, including Italian, Irish, Mexican, Portuguese, Basque, Mediterranean, Himalayan, and French. It provides a central tourist attraction. It is also the location of the Farmer’s Market, held every Tuesday evening from April to October.

Interview to follow –

Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town’s Mexican colonial past. Today, Sonoma is a center of the state’s wine industry.

The region of Sonoma was originally the home of Native American Coast Miwok tribes as well as the Pomo people and Wintuns. Many of the Native Americans still remain, even after seven changes in government since the Spanish first explored and took over the region.

Sister Dan also recorded an interview I think I’ll call Dan’s Dates. He discovers, eats and asks about dates …

Interview to follow.

We may even hear a piece from our own Byron Market to compare if we have time before the belly buzzer goes off.

Description of MOLE as discussed with the date man –

Mole is one of the most representative dishes of Mexico, especially for major celebrations. Ninety-nine percent of Mexicans have tried at least one type of mole. The dish enjoys its greatest popularity in central and southern Mexico, but simpler versions of mole poblano did make their way north. However, northern versions are far less complex and generally used to make enchiladas.

The consumption of mole is strongly associated with celebrations. In Mexico, to say “to go to a mole” (ir a un mole) means to go to a wedding. Mole has a strong flavor, especially the dark ones and is considered to be an acquired taste for most. This has spawned another saying, “en su mero mole”, which means something like “one’s cup of tea”

Mole poblano contains about 20 ingredients, including chili peppers and chocolate, which works to counteract the heat of the chili peppers but the chocolate does not dominate. It helps give the sauce its dark color, but this is also provided by the mulato peppers. This sauce is most often served over turkey at weddings, birthdays and baptisms, or at Christmas with romero over shrimp cakes.

Pork Bellied Co-Op Jam

TALOFA LAVA AND GOOOOOD MORNING … you are with one nth of the belly sisters today, I’m sister Rasela of the hip swaying no praying belly kitchen. The Belly show is all about food. Anything, anyone, anywhere, anytime if there’s a story to share, then we’ll be there. Our community is filled with incredibly talented and passionate people who care about what goes in their mouths … for it is the entrance to your soul. Nourish your body with loving goodness and it will repay you as best it can.

So, what’s on the menu today ?!

We’ll be visited by Matthew Jamieson from Sunforest Farms … and I’m finally going to get the chance to ask him where he gets all his colourful shirts and big hats from. He’s a farmer with his own unique style that’s for sure, and one of a few that make up the vibrant ambience at the markets when the rest are still half asleep. We’re going to chew the fat and have a chat about what he does, how and why.

In the second half of the show we’ll be joined by Anthea Amore from Organic Passion Catering, swinging by to talk about her involvement in the CO-OP at Kulchajam (out at the Ind Est) and it’s upcoming first birthday celebration. We’ll find out how the first year has been for them, where it’s going, what It’s all about, how you can get involved and the benefits you’ll reap if you do.

In between all of that I have recordings from near and far, one in particular I discovered on

THE BYRON MOVEMENT website under the heading – GROWTH

We hear from Winona LaDuke who is an American Indian activist, environmentalist, economist, and writer of Anishinaabe descent. Winona lives and works on the White Earth Reservations and is the mother of three children. She is also the Executive Director of Honor the Earth, where she works on a national level to advocate, raise public support, and create funding for frontline native environmental groups.

She gives a fascinating and informative talk on TEDx called THE SEEDS OF OUR ANCESTORS

Let’s start with some music … here’s a hula track to get you swaying like a palm tree in the breeze on this gorgeously stunning day … it’s called Life in these Islands performed by Kaukahi. Happy Monday.

In These Islands

MATTHEW from SUNFOREST FARMS comes in to chat about now … and just as I was getting lost in the world of hula and up dancing round the studio. I’m sure he doesn’t mind. I’ve seen him busting some serious dance moves at the Island Vibe Festival so I know he’d appreciate it.

Unfortunately I can’t bring you one iota of the interview as sometimes the facility that records our shows automatically at the station (for legal reasons) gets a little glitch in it and it jumps and skips like a fairy on a sunbeam. It was hugely educational for me as I am a long term vegetarian and eat a pretty varied vegan diet most of the time so I learned a great deal about pig farming, duck loving and edible parts of a pigs body. Ew yuck that sounded so barbaric … edible parts of a pigs body … it makes me feel squeamish but I was fine on the day and genuinely wanted to learn more about something I honestly know nothing about.

Matthew is a natural storyteller full of fascinating energy so time flew and before we knew it pigs found wings and flew back to the farm. Here’s an email address for Sunforest farms so you can get in touch with Matthew if you feel the need to eat one of his very pretty porky pigs – bigturkey@sunforest.com.au

A CO-OPERATIVE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE ACTING TOGETHER TO MEET THE COMMON NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF ITS MEMBERS, SHARING OWNERSHIP AND MAKING DECISIONS DEMOCRATICALLY

ANTHEA AMORE – ORGANIC PASSION CATERING drove all the way from a retreat they were catering for in Uki to be in the studio on time to chat about the forthcoming Kulchajam Co-Ops FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY CELEBRATIONS !!

Their mission is to provide an opportunity for community to engage in the operation of a food cooperative that will provide fair access to ethical whole foods and local products while increasing health and building relationships across the northern rivers region.

It’s a vibrant, dynamic meeting place for the diverse northern rivers community to access ethical whole foods at accessible prices. From the commercial kitchen and meeting space at Kulchajam, community will operate the food cooperative, share food preparation skills and good food together.

Food is provided at close-to-wholesale price. For this community model of operation to work, it requires your personal time contribution as this is highly valued and an essential ingredient in non-commercial operations.

ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL AIMS

The CO*OP aims to educate members and the public about the environmental, social and health benefits of sustainably produced food. Their goal is to help protect the natural environment by educating people about the environmental benefits of locally produced, organic food while furthering the cause of social justice by making it available at low cost to the community.

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Become a Founding Partner

Match our funds of $1,200 and be acknowledged as one of our founding partners in the co-op space, online, press & in our social media. You will also receive a lifetime co-op membership,

Start-Up Seed Funders

Pledge any amount of funds towards the successful start up of the co-op and be acknowledged in the space, on our website & in our social media.

Become a CO*OP Member

Membership is $60 per year and gives you access to organic, local and fair trade food at close to cost price. Click here to become a member today!

Donate Supplies & Equipment

Provide donations of food products or equipment in exchange for acknowledgement. Please contact us at coop@kulchajam.org

It is also the most incredible venue for a variety of mouth watering events. Personally I’ve attended heartfelt music performances, vocal harmony groups, Hawaiian hula lessons and hung out both inside the everchanging venue and outside around the ever glowing bonfire.

Must get onto all the other neglected pages I have left empty so far this year. It’s a perfectly gorgeous gloomy day for website and belly homework Whatever you’re doing and wherever these words reach you I hope you are warm and smiling.

Alofa atu,

Sister Rasela xo

Blazing Community Radio

Talofa Lava and welcome to Belly the droolingly delicious food show on the equally scrumptious community radio station in Byron Bay the beeeeaautiful Bayfm – http://www.bayfm.org

Sister Rasela of The Swayingday Saints here in the belly kitchen today to cook up a blisteringly hot show for you live from the very heart of town. We’re about to send out sensationally amorous aromas to YOU and that belly of yours.

The Bayfm fires are heavily stoked and brazenly blazing enough to send out marshmallow puffs of pure white love and hot pink happiness across the Shires airwaves to YOU. It’s less about where and more about there so that we can all share a similar experience at the same time from many different places. I’m so grateful for the gift of community radio and those magical airwaves that help spread the lurrrrve.

Thank you for listening and supporting YOUR community radio station. It’s because of you, out there turning us on, subscribing, sponsoring, enjoying, sharing and actively participating in what we do … that we can do what we do …. and the do today is the Belly show where you’ll hear tasty morsels of deliciousness for the next two hours.

Big love to sister Tess who is getting her leg over at the moment … or is getting over her leg … one or the other?! Either way our sister is out of action so let’s join together and send lashings of limping love and hopping hiccups of hugs in all directions for her. Hope you mend soon sis !!

The fabulous Sister Michael and I had a belly chat over a cuppa at the TWILIGHT MARKETS on a sun setting Saturday afternoon recently and talked about tummy rumbling ways to keep bringing tasty and inspiring radio to the airwaves with the rest of the family. We could well end up attempting to eat our way around the Shire recording our outings and stuffings where required with anyone willing to share the same same but different experience with us. Trouble is it’s hard to record things when your mouth’s full!

So we’ll need a bit of help.

Personally I LOVE hearing YOUR voices on air and that’s why I’ve been getting out and about more with my trusty recorder chatting with mind-blowingly fascinating members of our ridiculously wonderful community. It’s such an honour to be able to hear your stories and record moments in time that will never be again. Please don’t stop talking to me.

If only it were that easy … but I’m glad it’s not for in the editing process I get to blissfully relive and recreate the moments from back then, in present time, and bring them into the right here, right now, to tell a tale from the past that is heading into the future haha I think I need to meditate.

Actually it’s not that hard thanks to the stories I gather as I engage with the beautiful souls willing to share their descriptions of emotions, raw and alive. It’s an honour truly to be in a position to capture such constant inspiration and information. Usually these times of emotional capturing are accompanied by offers of food, hugs, poetry recitals, music, a cheering up, a calming down, an education, a good old giggle, a bite of this, a slurp of that, a realisation, a love generation … and EVERYONE beams the most beautiful smiles into my microphone.

The gentleness and the generosity in the Shire makes it easy for me to follow my dreams and do only what I love. One of those things is to capture heartfelt moments that will never come again but will go on living forever as sound.

Fa’afetai lava.

Thankyou.

Here you are – BFM Week 7 – at the Byron Farmers Market.

I’m always proud to represent BayFM and I’m forever blown away by how many opportunities come our way. There are so many great people involved and connected to the station and here it stands in the heart of town like our family home. We are all brothers and sisters here, we take the good with the bad because at the end of the day we share the same passion and we’re doing something we collectively LOVE. It’s a powerful thing … it’s magnetic!!

All those original, diverse, entertaining, ever-engaging, often changing, never plain sailing, not always unfailing, hugely adorable, occasionally snoreable, quirky, unique, feathered and freaked beings in one place connected to the same thing.

Together we present the REAL that’s left in the world and we’re spreading it like coconut oil right across the airwaves for YOU … for the pure LOVE of it.

We have Byron’s own ‘Lord of the Chillies’ Lord Stephen Probert coming on to talk about some pretty hot stuff. When I get a ’roundtoit’ I will edit the harmoniously heated discussion about one of my favourite things in the world …. CHILLI !!

Head to one of the markets and look for Steve’s stand. Have a chat with him there or wait til I get a roundtoit and you can hear the story of sweltering Steve HERE … soon.

Here’s my favourite by far for all of it’s flavoursome fire – Chocolate Habanero.

I originally came across Steve and his blazing stall at THE TWIGHLIGHT MARKETS in Railway Park Byron where Sister Michael and I found ourselves strolling on the aforementioned afternoon. We were looking for fanciful delights to enliven the senses and skid marked up to the counter forthwith upon site of the sauces. Steve was dishing out tasters with names like “Steve’s Toughy Pants Sauce” and one simply adorned with a mockingly menacing skull and crossbow. Neither of these however have a patch on my little brothers home grown hand made jars of molten lava.

He calls his ……

“Burning Rectum”

… available now in all good hospitals.

Alofa atu xo Rasela

Shire not Shy

Talofa Lava sister Rasela in the belly kitchen today bringing you flavoursome radio for the next two hours on this magnificent Monday.

I hope you had a lovely weekend full of delicious food and company. I certainly did … I took to the streets with my mic and met loads of new people and gathered a bunch of new voices from all kinds of folk wandering up and down Jonson Street yesterday from all corners of the world. From as far away as Sudan to as close as Byron itself we are going to hear an afternoon live on the streets of the Shire when I basically ask anyone who’ll talk to me about their favourite foods from their country of origin. You might be in there too so keep listening and if you are then thanks for letting me stick my microphone in your beautiful face and for being a part of the Belly show today.

I also have to say a bit thanks to Ashgirl who presents Random Rhythms, the show on Saturday nights from 6-8 for allowing me to base myself on her hairbraiding stall just outside Fundies there, where together we managed to pull in a huge variety of people to offer a vocal contribution and some interesting stories to bring to air today. It’s so great to be able to gather audio pieces from you guys out there wandering amongst us that we may otherwise walk straight past, and I’m forever grateful to BayFM for giving us all the opportunity to share in this crucially creative community radio station that allows us to bring the diversity of our Shire to air each day.

Here are those recordings captured amongst some fine lunchtime tunes that are easy to digest while we wait to greet a Brazilian young lady I met yesterday currently making her way in to share her personal food stories and life adventures from Sth America. Live music from her partner and member of Rapskallion pictured below will accompany this interview as belly turns Brazilian in the kitchen’s second hour.

But before all that … I want to share a part of myself with you if you’ll let me because we all have a story don’t we ?. The name sister Rasela comes from my Samoan heritage and I’m proud to be connected to the pacific islands that are so much a part of me now … but it wasn’t always that way and I didn’t always have the courage or confidence to approach total strangers and ask them questions … let alone bring those questions to air on radio so here’s a little introduction to who I am, your Samoan Chopsuey tutti fruitti belly sister who’s been up here presenting this show in some way shape or form for the past 4 or 5 years. The piece is taken from the Wirritjin show I covered for DJ Terra Nullis last year but I’ve never played it on my own show so I thought hey, why not I’m asking everyone else to share their stories so it’s only fair that I do too.

Here is my story –

Siva Siva reading or https://soundcloud.com/chopsuey-roaming-radio/cultural-awareness-bayfm-siva

Here are your stories –

Part One – Live in the Shire Belly

Part Two – Live in the Shire Belly

Part Three – Live in the Shire belly 3

I hope you find something in any one of these stories today that encourages or inspires you to share your own one day, with us here, on YOUR community radio station, the beautiful BayFM.

GIVEWAY TODAY … You don’t have to be a subscriber, this giveaway is for everyone. It’s FREE LOVE and you don’t even have to call us up, just turn the volume up if you want some more and stay tuned to BayFM where we positively pump out the love 24 hours a day 7 days a week for YOU our luscious listener!!!

Time to sway away. Here’s a Hawaiian hula goddess to help us with that.

Fai fai lemu (take it easy) til we meet again.

Alofa atu,

xoRasela

Xylitol, an architectual restaurateur, a guitar cafe and a jar of miso walk into a bar ….

TALOFA LAVA BEAUTIFUL BELLIES OF THE SHIRE. SISTER RASELA HERE TO SWAY YOUR BELLY NEXT TO MINE FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS.

I HOPE YOU’RE ALL RELAXED AND ENJOYING A WONDERFUL AUSTRALIA DAY … MAYBE SOME OF YOU ARE USED TO HAVING MONDAY’S OFF BUT IF YOU’RE NOT AND YOU’VE NEVER TUNED INTO BELLY BEFORE THEN YOU’RE IN FOR A TREAT!!

YOU’RE ABOUT TO ENTER THE TASTY BELLY KITCHEN AND HEAR/READ STORIES OF FOOD AND FLAVOUR SO **BE WARNED** YOUR BELLY MIGHT START TO RUMBLE AT SOME POINT.

ON THE BELLY MENU TODAY WE’LL BEGIN WITH A STORY ABOUT XYLITOL (pictured here below) BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LOVELY ISOLDA WHO HAS MADE IT HER MISSION TO DEVISE WAYS OF MAKING SWEET TREATS WITHOUT THE SWEET BUT WITH ALL THE TREAT.

LOOK SUSS ?! ALL WILL BE REVEALED WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THIS THREE PART INTERVIEW ABOUT XYLITOL …. AND IT’S BENEFITS IN YUMMY CRUMBLY CAKES AND BISCUITS

Press PLAY – Xylitol Part 1

Press PLAY – Xylitol Part 2

Go ON do IT – Xylitol Part 3

Really interesting the taste test we did in the studio. Really fresh flavourless minty feel …. try it … you might like it.

I know for a fact that The Source bulk food shops sell non-gmo Xylitol so go see them if you want to feel fresh and minty too !!

NOW TIS A GOOD TIME TO WELCOME SHARON AND ALDO FROM THE ITALIAN DINER IN BANGALOW.

OWNER SHARON FRASER IS AN ARCHITECT SO WE’LL BE FINDING OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE THE SORT OF SPACE THAT ATTRACTS US TO A PLACE WE WANT TO SPEND TIME AND MONEY EATING IN.

What a lovely story about an architect who designed her own Italian Restaurant in Bangalow called ….. funnily enough … The Italian Diner – http://www.theitaliandiner.com.au/

I would love to say a big bellyfelt thank you to them for giving us a $100 gift voucher for one of our stunning subscribers to spend in their divine restaurant. The lines ran so hot that i had to start answering calls with my feet as my hands were busy managing the panel. Congratulations to our winner … you can contact me at the station to let me know when you would like to take me there.

… moving right along …

YOU CAN NOW HEAR SNIPPETS OF FOODIE CONVERSATIONS AND INTERACTIONS FROM AROUND THE SHIRE AND BEYOND. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE BELLY KITCHEN HAS A VARIETY OF SISTERS SO I THOUGHT SEEING AS I PRESENT THE LAST SHOW OF THE MONTH I WILL INCORPORATE A SEGMENT CALLED ‘FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH’. IT’LL BE RECORDINGS OF FOOD FILLED PLACES THAT HAVE MADE MY MOUTH WATER … LONG AFTER I’VE LEFT. IT’LL INCLUDE NEW DISCOVERIES, OLD REINCARNATIONS, PASSIONATE COOKS AND CHEEKY CHEFS, STUNNING LOCATIONS, FLAVOURSOME FUN AND ALSO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO MEET SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE MAKING AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN FOR US AND OUR BELLIES.

Click HERE to hear tales from the bush at the GUITAR SHOP CAFE, Three Ways, Upper Wilsons Creek – Three Ways Wilsons

OPEN TUES, WEDS, THURS for lunch. 1 Huonbrook Rd Wilson’s Creek NSW.

Just recently I was invited to a Sunday brunch and live music session up at the café, so get in touch to find out more. This is the only picture I can find of it but it is so much more beautiful now and the grass has been cut !!

FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR OF THE SHOW THE LOVELY ELVIRA FROM BYRON BAY MISO WILL BE MAKING HER WAY INTO THE BELLY KITCHEN AND SHARING WITH US HER UNIQUE AMAZINGNESS … THEY’VE BEEN BUSY MAKING ORGANIC UNPASTERURIZED MISO IN THE SHIRE SO YOU’LL HAVE THE CHANCE TO FIND OUT WHAT MISO IS, HOW IT’S MADE, IT’S NUTRITIONAL VALUES AND SOOOO MUCH MORE.

I will bring you this interview again here on our website so that you can listen again to all of the marvellous miso powers you can gain by eating this delicious condiment. My favorite is their new Natto Miso but you can find all varieties at the Mullum Farmers Markets on a Friday and also as part of the Frozen Banana Mans’ stand at the Bangalow and Byron weekend markets. Delicious is an understatement … i’m addicted to its goodness and to the beautiful people that make it for us. Look for Byron Bay Miso.

WE CAN’T HAVE ALL THIS FOOD TALK AND NO MUSIC THOUGH CAN WE?! PLENTY OF CULTURAL BEATS COMING YOUR WAY TO DRIFT YOU FROM ONE CONVERSATION TO ANOTHER.

THIS WEEKEND IS ABOUT CELEBRATING CULTURE … WE ARE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY CALLED AUSTRALIA BUT I THINK MOST OF US ARE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE SOME WAY BACK, SO WHO EVER YOU ARE AND WHEREVER YOUR OWN UNIQUE CULTURE COMES FROM, I HOPE YOU ARE CONNECTING TO IT AND CELEBRATING IT IN ALL IT’S GLORY.

I’m going to take you to SAMOA … of course I can’t do that without BOBBY ALU singing SIVA MA’IA.

You can find it on his album “TAKE IT SLOW” AND THIS IS FOR ALL THE MANY DIFFERENT SHAPED AND COLOURED BELLIES OF THE SHIRE TUNED INTO OUR CULTURALLY CONNECTED COMMUNITY RADIO STATION .. THE BEAUTIFUL BAYFM

Local and lovely. There’s a whole heap more info to go on in this post and i will add it as and when i can. I’m busy ironing the habits of all the other belly sisters as it is my turn this week so i’m a little snowed under. Alofa atu and fa’a fetai lava for listening xo

Cultured Belly-liciousness

Talofa lava… Sister Rasela in a rather cultured belly kitchen today. Here to sway with you over the next two hours. This is the ONLY show on radio that you can actually taste … in fact we're still busy working on the scratch and lick panel that will fit neatly onto your radio or computer so that you can experience the full effect of this show. It's currently still in production at this stage and needs a bit of work.

On the menu today we have an entree of Coconut Activated Charcoal which comes with a side of prize giveaways for one of our lucky and lovely BayFM subscribers. One of you gorgeous subscribers will get the opportunity to win an early xmas present and that's what you deserve for supporting us and helping to keep this delicious community radio station alive and kicking.

If you've ever looked into the cold burnt black embers of your open firesplace, bonfire or bbq and thought … mmmm that looks tasty …. or if you've heard about charcoal tablets, perhaps you've even tried them for an ailment of some sort. Well, here's a man who can tell you alot more about it all, in this interview with Zdenek Styk from Pure Eden who is an expert on Coconut Activated Charcoal.

What's this all about you may well ask … well, let's find out

Coconut Activted Charcoal – Part 1

Coconut Activated Charcoal – Part 2

Coconut Activated Charcoal – Part 3

You can find out more info by visiting their website – pureeden.com.au or calling 0408 712 433

Next we welcome another cultured being from the land of Cultured Butter. Hmmmm … is that butter that is refined in taste and manners and has had a good education? Definitely refined in taste but as far as good manners goes … we'll have to wait for Rhys Burley from the Bangalow Cheese Company to answer those questions.

I will shortly post a link to this interview but in the meantime you can visit them down at the farmers markets in Byron, Bangalow and Mullumbimby for a taste test … tell them you heard it here on belly and they might give you a bigger sample wedge of winning cultured butter along with an award winning smile.

You can also go to www.bangalowcheese.com or for any queeries send a message to enquiries@bangalowcheese.com.au.

As if all of that culture wasn't enough … we made room for yet another nutritious delicious being who popped in with his glowing partner and their seven month old baby girl. Adam Yarrington is the owner of Peace Love and Vegetables in Byron Bay's industrial estate. Up until now they have become fabulously famous for their cultured vegetables but they've been working hard on perfecting a sparkling coconut kefir brew which is packed with literally zillions of good bacteria for that gorgeous gut of yours.

Very shortly i will post this informative and educational discussion along with the dulcet tones of Adam's seven month old daughter in her radio debut. This pure little being is a testiment to her parents wellbeing and has herself been sampling small amounts of coconut kefir since the age of two weeks.

Contact information for Peace Love and Vegetables can be found on their facebook page or simply call 0432 150 050 to find out where you can obtain some of their insanely fabulous living foods and beverages which they currently supply to the nation. Amazing people doing amazing things in our community with intense passion and understanding of the inner workings of the body.

But wait … there's more !!

The astrological Coconut Hula Goddess Lilith Rochas also swayed in amidst palm trees and frangipani lays … and whilst simultaneously dancing the hula, also provided us with the Astronibbles and Tipples for all the Capricorn's celebrating or about to clebrate their birthdays along with well known celebrity chefs and ideas on what to feed the our Capricornian friends.

This is from the lovely Lilith –

BELLY ASTROTIPPLES & NIBBLES – CAP DEC 23/13,

now we’ve come to the last of this Astrotipple & nibbles Belly birthday on a plate specials series for this year with Capricorn, so today we’re wishing all our elegant, earthy, hardworking, witty, ambitious and resourceful Capricorns a happy birthday month – may their personal celebrations be suitably classy and classic and surrounded by the family of friends or dynasty of kids the typical Capricorn tends to amass.

There are of course many Capricorn culinary celebrities – in Japan, which now has more Michelin stars than any nation, their two most famous TV chefs, Chen Kenichi and Rokusaburo Michiba are both Capricorns, and they number many other masterchefs in their ranks: Rick Stein, Elizabeth David (the seminal cookery writer when I was growing up), and in Australia my old mate  from younger days Tony Bilson – not mention the divine Nigella, about whom more later.
But in more down to earth reality most Capricorns are good cooks – they’re an earth sign and usually find it therapeutic to be in the kitchen – all that chopping helps them unwind and release the bottled-up Cappie emotions. And being quite patient, unlike other chefs they often don’t mind making dishes that require a lot of fiddly prep.

Its said Goats can digest almost anything – but only if they have to. Usually they’re choosy about their food, preferring it simple and unfussy – traditional dishes made with top quality ingredients. Unusual food or weird flavour combinations can turn them off, so save the lavender flavoured soy sausages for next month’s Aquarians.
Goats favor roast or baked dishes and it’s been said the ideal Capricorn food’s the Jerusalem artichoke: hard on the outside, soft at the centre and solid on the palette, so think hearty – which isn’t hard when roast game and fruit pies are the food du jour.

Lilith's choice of music for the show today –

One of my favorite Hawaiian Capricorns: Ukulele Lady and hula teacher Michelle Kiba, so here’s wishing all Caps a happy birthday with her version of the earthy + flirty Makin Wikiwaki Down In Waikiki. (For copyright reasons we can't post this song but be sure that it is a swinging hippy hula delight. You should have been listening!!)

So when you’re making a Capricorn birthday plate, its fortunate that they appreciate traditional dishes, because that’s what seasonal food’s all about. But you do need to make sure it’s not boring and fuddy duddy, so give your dish a naughty underside, a funky twist – and the trick to that’s combining the royal and the peasant, the rustic and the posh.

And who does that better than the Domestic Goddess herself uberCapricorn Nigella Lawson. She has been having a bit of husband trouble lately plus a spot of bother with the staff, but on the positive side also been amassing a giant groundswell of goodwill in her favor, not to mention a deluge of loving FB homages collaged from her cooking shows – so whatever gets you through the night Nigella, and of course she’s going to want a little something to keep the weigh camera-friendly after all those luxurious late night nosh ups.

I wont bore the audience or myself by reading recipes on air, so this month Im going to suggest consulting the queen of the cooktop, the sultry siren of the stove herself, by simply googling Nigella Lawson’s xmas recipes and DIY one of her alluring dishes yourself: I can recommend the Chocolate Fruit Cake as absolutely the best xmas cake I’ve ever eaten – rich, dark, moist, oozing chocolate, coffee + prunes – and a friend of mine added cranberries… Just a few of the overflowing cornucopia of sumptuous xmas recipes on offer are Chestnut Icecream, Beetroot and Ginger Chutney, Spicy Caramelized Scallop, Avocado + Orange salad, and Im really hoping someone I know’s going to make her exceptionally tempting Cappucino Pavlova as seen recently on Nigelissima in Venice.

FOR DRINKS: The Goat folk don’t tend to go for bizarre beverages, and although Nigella recommends the festive looking Poinsettia, a cocktail of prosecco, cointreau and cranberry juice – I personally can’t think of anything better for this weather than a classic Capriosca (I cant find any evidence that it was actually named after Capricorns but who cares) – a cooling concoction of vodka, lime, sugar and ice – or lower tropical body heat with the glacial tartness of a lemon gelato laced with limoncello.

So that’s it for this year, happy birthday to all Capricorns, happy silly season to all listeners, however youre celebrating may your days be merry and bright, your nights full of love and laughter…

A big thanks to all our gorgeous guests on the belly show today. I wish you all a beautiful time over this xmas period. Whatever you have planned, whoever you may spend it with, however it works out for you i hope there is joy and some laughter and lots of love in the air even if it is only in your thoughts and heart. It is not always an absolutely joyous time with many people alone and sad so remember to smile at anyone you see, even give them a hug if you can and send them extra love if you have some. I send that out to you and i'll see you next year.

Alofa atu xo

Belly Culture

Talofa lava … Sister Rasela of the nutritious delicious belly-licious kitchen here, returning to the airwaves this season along with the rest of the yummy belly sisters in our tasty radio family. If you're looking, you'll find me presenting the last show of each month which i endeavour to stuff full with immensely, intensely interesting food information and fabulous guests that share their wealth of knowledge and genuine passion for all things goooood.

Although some of you lovely locals may have missed us on the airwaves for the best part of the show this week, due to technical telstra glitches at the broadcasting tower, many of you would still have been streaming live on www.bayfm.org Remember this facility if you ever happen to switch on and hear nothing … for longer than usual.

It was not the most ideal return to the belly kitchen this season but that didn't stop me from powering on with the show albeit in a readjusted form. I was intending to bring you a show full of culture … and this i did … but the types of cultures i included came from the Pacific Islands and not from the fermented and cultured foods that are increasingly available to us in the Shire these days.

I had lined up guests to chat about the following –

Cultured Butter from the Bangalow Cheese Co.
Coconut Activated Charcoal from Pure Eden
Architectural Italian Restaurateur and her chef from the newest Bangalow eatery
Coconut Kefir drink from Peace, Love and Vegetables

… and then … and then … the only guest who remained locked in for the ride was our famous astrological interpreter and fabulous food writer and lover Lilith Rochas. As we were half way through the presentation we were alerted to the fact that we were once again LIVE TO AIR. A small cheer went up all round and we thanked our lucky stars for their intervention and the return of our beloved community radio station to the Byronshire's airwaves.

Thank you Lilith for weaving your magic .. here's what she had to say –

~~~~BELLY ASTROTIPPLES & NIBBLES – SAG NOV 25/13

*With the Sun sizzling away in the energetic sign of the ardent Archer, its time to wish our earnest, passionate, generous Sagittarians happy birthday and suggest a selection of astrologically suitable birthday tipples and nibbles that might delight their adventurous palates.

*BEING the zodiac sign of the traveller, the philosophical seeker, the adventurer, Saggies are the biggest collectors of exotic recipes – they like a meal that takes them travelling. So make something that creates a foreign ambience – give them the taste they love of faraway places with strange sounding names that remind them of where they’ve been and give them an excuse to launch into extravagant travel tales. Not that they need much encouragement because anyone who’s ever met a Sagittarian knows they love to talk…

So if you’re making a plate for a Sagittarian birthday, think multicultural world food – and if my memory serves me, which it increasingly doesn’t these days, beloved Bay FM elder Nancy Jo Falcone is a Sag (happy birthday Nancy Jo, hope Ive got that right) who introduced me to Pollo con mole, chicken in Mexican chocolate sauce which has become one of my all time favorite signature dishes. An example of extreme Sagittarianism is British superchef John Burton Race who spent his early years experiencing food from all round the world, and usually exploded in fury on TV foodie shows when unadventurous fellow contestants balked at eating kangaroo, crocodile or possum. Burton Race claims his next TV project will be Round the World in 80 Recipes attempting in situ ethnic extremes like cooking a whole camel in the Sahara.

Saggies like spicy, gamey tastes and there’s a United Nations of flavours to choose from, but preferably pick a dish from somewhere they’ve been: the Tunisian egg dish chakchouka cooked with onions, peppers and tomatoes, Meditteranean sardines marinated in grated orange rind, Vietnamese prawns and pork barbecued on sugar cane skewers, Sri Lankan goat kebabs…

MUSIC…. MANTRA MIX by Sacred Sound System 3.30

Peripatetic Sagittarians love nothing better than getting the hell outta the kitchen into their real love, the great outdoors and being a fire sign they adore food cooked over flames in front of them. While their ideal meal might be something you’ve just hunted, caught and flung onto a naked flame, even modern urban Archers love a barbie in the backyard, a picnic, any kind of al fresco dining in the garden or on the deck – that whiff of ozone and wild barbie smoke in their hair seems to do it for Sagittarians, so be aware you may have to prepare food to be carried, eaten or cooked outside. And that firm ingredients make the best travelling food: solid bread and cheeses, sausage, quiche, cold roast meats.

Loving to picnic anywhere from backyard to beach to their favourite nature place, they’d definitely appreciate a wild things menu of gourmet bush tucker: emu pate with bunya nut pesto, or if you want to be fancy barramundi cooked in paperbark with Warrigal greens, or lillipilli sorbet with Davidson plum coulis and lots of Aussie organic wine.

And for this month’s tidbit of astro trivia, it was a Sagittarian who invented the sandwich. Saggies are known to love a flutter, and when the English Earl of Sandwich was on a roll at the gaming table and way too excited to take time off, he ordered his servants to slap two loaves round a slab of venison and lo! the birth of the sandwich. So you might want to play a variation on any of the many ethnic sandwiches available: pita pockets, mexican rollups, lavash wraps, ricepaper rolls or leaves of mountain oat bread all wrapped round delicious fillings…

SAGITTARIAN VEGETARIANS will be happy throwing a prawn kebab or a tempe/vege brochette on the barbie, so long as there’s plenty of adventurous mustards, sambals and chutney accompaniments. They might also like a Moroccan orange and olive salad, some bean curd-stuffed eggplant in black bean gravy, or a mix of green leaves and fresh herbs that give the impression they’ve just been plucked from the wild,

DESSERT: If you prefer doing sweets, there’s a whole world of desserts to choose from: Lebanese pastries, Turkish delight, Italian nougat, Greek baklava,

For DRINKS: Of course they enjoy travellers' tipples:
jugs of margharitas, little cups of sake, ouzo, sambucca or absinthe. Or non-alcoholic fresh coconut water – every thirsty travellers' fantasy.

If you wish to find out more on the topics that are listed above then be sure to lend me your ears again on Dec 23rd when i shall once again return to the kitchen and stir up a few pots of love.

Alofa atu .. Sister Rasela

Greek Passion … Mullubimby Gardens … Fermented Love … Indian Pop-Ups

Gorgeous Monday to you all. I just have time for a very quick update on the show before i dissappear into the land of a Vipassana silent meditation retreat for the next 10 days.

The show today was so delicious … not only packed with yummy guests but with the food they had made and brought in to share …not just with me but for the belly’s of the subscibers who wre able to win some edible prizes.

Giveaways, sharing passionate food stories, community information and general tasty talk was on the menu as always.

We started with Ilias the Greek who took us by the hand and walked us through his Greek kitchen at home, filled with family recipes which captured his heart and his taste buds enabling him to reproduce the traditional flavours of sweet childhood into modern market delights that can be tasted around the Shire.

He’s an all round great guy and i think we will be hearing alot more from him in future shows as his eloquency and honest passion for food and radio is just what we love here in the belly kitchen … oh, and the whole station got a taste of his delicious sweet treats and we all agreed that we want him to come back real soon !!

HELP HELP THE GREMLINS ARE HERE AGAIN …

I am attempting to write this with intermittent internet and thus my work is being lost each time it drops out. I have written wonderful ramblings about Sainttina from the Mullumbimby Community Gardens three times now already and each time the gremlins have eaten what i have written. Understandable as we all love to eat here on belly but it’s driving me bonkers.

So, to save my sanity … in a nutshell …..

Visit the Mullumbimby Community Gardens !!! Volunteers day every Tuesday. FREE FOOD and FREE LOVE in return for a bit of your time and effort.

MUST TRY !!! … some of Carla’s fermented foods from the Mullumbimby Farmers Markets on Fridays where she sells it. Ask her more about it.

POP IN and visit any of the follwing links to find out more about my Indian pop-up guests Matt and Kris who popped up at the end to talk about many things including Matt’s cycle around India and joining forces to create magic when Matt returned. They’re bringing the flavours back to YOU (and they fed me raw cake which i can’t stop thinking about !!)

Kris & Matt’s Feast – http://www.facebook.com/krisNmattsindianfeast

Link to Matt’s Charity Cycle – Cycle for Brighter Futures – http://www.facebook.com/MattsCharityCycle

Kristina’s personal catering page – Kristinas Tasty Kitchen – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristinas-Tasty-Kitchen

…. and i’ll be back when they release me from Vipassana.

Peas and Love xoxo Sister Rasela

Mullum music .. Festival food .. Tantric tastings .. Safari sisters

Talofa Lava, Sister Rasela swaying amongst island beats to bring you a flavoursome show full of talk and tastes to make your mouth water or even dribble a little bit.

I was lucky enough to roam free through the streets of Mullumbimby yesterday and dance amongst the delights of the music festival, which filled not only my ears but also my belly.

With each step i took i was tempted by someone to listen to or something to eat. I can’t say which i prefer. The two together always makes the perfect combination though i find … don’t you ?

Have a listen to who i came across, what they were eating/selling/cooking/enjoying but i warn you …. there is content in here to cause rumblings of the belly regions so make sure you have food at hand – Mullum festival belly bites

My next guest Sufiyo Ma Deva came in with Tantric tastings of raw chocolate she had made herself and we proceeded to experiment in the awareness of eating and its sensual pleasures. As Sufiyo gave us run down of her life and loves, i went very quiet …. perhaps this was something to do with the flow of flavours and textures that Sufiyo was supplying me with. I attempted to continue the interview but was lost in the land of luciousness each time a new raw chocolate touched my lips, so i asked Sufiyo to continue with the show until i could pull myself together for long enough and actually speak again.

Here is our tantric chat with live tastings and lipsmacking licks mixed in – http://www.mixcloud.com/rachaeltorise/tantric-food-belly-bayfm/

I was then joined by the tweedest lady in the landf Deb Allard who is becoming something of a regular on our belly shows, partly to do with the fact that she has her hardworking fingers in so many homemade pies but mostly because we just love her so much.

She popped her bonce in to tell us all about the upcoming Tweed Valley Food Festival which, if you are reading this, is unfortunately over for another year but that doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t know all about it

The Tweed Foodie Fest is a sumptuous celebration of local food, bringing together the tastes, talents and producers of the region. This four day event includes the screening of a “foodie flick”, a signature dinner party, a range of cooking and food preparation workshops and local farm tours.

The festival is an experiential journey to discover Tweed’s produce and gastronomic diversity. It brings the local community and visitors together to share one of Tweed’s greatest pleasures – FOOD.

For further information about the festival please visit www.tweedfoodiefest.com.au.

Stay tunes for belly updates on when this is happening again … ’cause you know we give you the heads up on the lowdown round these parts !

To round off the whole show we joined sister Tess on Safari in the Shire … risky business this is and glad we all are that she managed to come out in one piece. I’ll let her tell the story.