Flounder by the bay

Warranwood, Victoria, November 12, 2012—

IN THE MOOD for fish, we drove out to the bay for lunch: for me, this plate of fried flounder, with as you see mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and carrots, and a great deal of butter. On the side, "bruschetta" — in fact a small pizza bianca with tomatoes concassée — and an order of French fries. And then a small ice cream cone!

Pinot grigio, Oxford Landing Estates, 2010

• Sophia, Frankston Pier, Frankston, Victoria; 9701 3334

Day after wedding brunch

Yarra Valley, Victoria, November 11, 2012—

YESTERDAY, THE DAY AFTER the wedding, we brunched at a Yarra Valley winery, the scene of the bridal couple's first date, some years ago. Fearing I'd never eat again, I ordered steak and eggs. They came with a layer of boiled ham between, so in fact I had a breadless uitsmijter, with plenty of Béarnaise sauce — and, why not, an order of delicious toast on the side, since this place has a fine on-site bakery as well.

• Bella Vedere Winery,874 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream, Victoria;(03) 5962 6161

BACK HOME AGAIN we were content to pick lettuces and roquette from the garden, dress them with olive oil and lemon juice, and have that with some mortadella and cabana (a dry cooked sausage new to me, a little like a mild chorizo) and good bread, and a bottle or two of Pinot grigio.

Wedding day

Healesville, Victoria, November 10, 2012—

THE BIG DAY finally at hand, we feasted on Viennoiserie at home for breakfast. Then the women got to work making bouquets, braiding hair, and putting finishing touches to frocks while the men strained into their suits, and we drove out to the wine countryside for the wedding.

The first reception involved cucumber sandwiches and sparkling wine in a park on a glorious afternoon. That was followed by another, with canapés and (in my case) Pinot grigio; and then a three-course dinner at the hotel restaurant: smoked local trout on a Niçoise salad with tarragon and lemon aïoli; roast lamb and confit of lamb shoulder with roasted fennel caponata and olives; hazelnut and pear tart with honey ice cream. I thought that for a small country hotel, serving perhaps eighty guests simultaneously, the dinner was remarkably good — but the circumstances were so splendid almost anything would have been fabulous.

Riesling; Cabernet sauvignon; sorry, didn't get the details

• Healesville Hotel, 256 Maroondah Highway, Healesville 3777, Victoria; 03 5962 4002

All'italiana; alla giapponese

Melbourne, November 9, 2012—

AN AFTERNOON SPENT exploring the city began with lunch, of course, in a small special place my brother John had recommended: "You can't do better," the volunteer at the tourist information desk agreed. Lindsey liked her gnocchi ordered plain, with butter; I tucked into this slightly revisionist spaghetti alla carbonara — a judicious sprinkling of chopped scallions had been folded in with the egg, pancetta, and cheese. Otherwise it was quite as it would be in Rome, and, hey, when in Melbourne…

Pinot grigio

• Waiters Restaurant, 20 Meyers Place Melbourne; (03)9650 1508

Vegetables

Warranwood, Victoria, November 8, 2012—

VEGETABLES FROM THE GARDEN tonight. Well, not all from our garden, my brother's garden I mean, but some. But the artichokes were, and they were delicious, big globe chokes, steamed and eaten with mayonnaise. Then we had a mixed sauté: Savoy cabbage and leeks from the market, peas from the garden. Simple and tasty.

Sauvignon blanc, "Upside Down," Marlborough (New Zealand), 2012: grassy, fresh, crisp

Flathead en papillote

Warranwood, Victoria; November 7, 2012—

FISH TONIGHT: a variety new to me, "flathead," a dry firm white fish something like a perch, I think. Mel cooked it en papillote, dotting it with butter, garnishing with scallions and a bit of ginger, moistening it with sake, and wrapping it in parchment to bake in the oven. Delicious.

On the side, rice cooked with spices and currants; coriander and sour cream; mangos. Also delicious.

Sauvignon blanc, Yellowtail, 2010

Mixed grill

Warranwood, Victoria; November 6, 2012—

MY BROTHER IS A GENEROUS man, and his dinner welcoming us to an Australian visit was copious. Twelve or fourteen of us were at table, as his daughters and their families are close. Plenty of sausage, chops, and steaks were on the grill over a wood fire; various of the women had prepared salads, many from greens picked on premise. Dessert: A fine apricot upside-down cake. Good bread, good meat, good god, let's eat, was the prevailing mood, and the result the best dinner you can have.

Shiraz, One Road (Australia), 2010