THE SYDNEY TARTS

Operation Longines Legend Diver

Sydney - Avoca

One steamy overcast Summer's morn a small posse accompanied JH to Avoca for Operation LLD, aka picking up his new watch, which was in the care of ChrisL.

It's great being part of a posse where we're all chauffeured in a Merc. Even if we're being lead by a Navman which seemed to first take us on the scenic route, and then was 20m off our destination.

The SatNav- stuck in taxi mode... i.e. take the long route...

Making sure the watches are synchronised...

En route... The clouds looking very threatening

It certainly is wet outside...

We make it!

Still Life

ChrisL is a bit of an audiophile.

This mini GTG wouldn't be complete without some food. Seafood, to match both our coastal location, and the nautical theme of the Legend Diver.

Norwegian Smoked Salmon

You say "oysters" and I say "ersters"....

2009 Rockford White Frangtinac

2006 Rockford Cabernet shiraz with salmon and prawns

Heirloom Tomatoes and Mixed Leaves with Lemon Vinaigrette

The blue went particularly well with the 2006 Rockford Cabernet Shiraz

Homemade lemon cupcakes (recipe below)

The personalised cupcakes were a joint effort by two of our party, following Julie of Masterchef's Lemon Diva recipe down to the T. The only thing they think they got wrong was the size of the cupcake/muffin tray. Hers were much bigger. Meaning they ended up making 18, rather than 6, cupcakes. Here's Julie's recipe:

100g unsalted butter, softened

185g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
2 eggs
200g self-raising flour
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
Zest of 3 lemons

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160C fan-forced). Line muffin pans with paper cases of your choice.
2. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste with electric mixer until pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just combined. Add the flour and milk in alternate batches and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add zest of 3 lemons.
3. Spoon some mixture into paper cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Basic butter frosting OPTIONAL

100g unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (450g) icing sugar mixture, sifted
¼ cup (60ml) milk

1. If using basic butter frosting, beat butter in a large bowl until pale, gradually add the icing sugar mixture while beating. Add the milk and beat until well combined.

Longines Legend Diver

Longines released the Legend Diver in 2007 as part of their Sports Legends collection. The Legend Diver is reproduction of the Legend Diver released in 1960s. This diver's watch in a compressor case, waterproof to 300m. The screw down crown at 2 o'clock for rotating the bi-directional internal bezel and the screw down crown at 4 o'clock for adjustment of date and time.

The watch was initially released as a non-date but a date version (shown here) was released in 2008. The movement, L633 (based on ETA 2824) beats at 28,800vph and has 38 hours power reserve. The crystal is AR-coated domed sapphire and case measures 42mm.

Despite its size, this Legend Diver wears very well.