Now if you are thinking that these are the names of some new children’s characters on Sesame Street, you would be wrong. They were lunch. That’s right lunch on the beach at Point Lookout. Now Sandy Slice was the eating part of our lunch menu. In fact it was the only choice ever offered at that Baskerville BYO eatery – a fine establishment with great views and location but some would say, a rather limited offering. This culinary delight consisted of two slices of hand carved high top fresh white bread complete with Camp Pie and tomato sauce and finished with a fine sprinkle of Stradbroke Island sand. Yep it sure could have done without that finished bit, but it all still went down a treat anyway. Sometime when the budget would stretch we would also have piggy. This tantalizing descriptor was given to a pink roll of meat (I think) wrapped in a tight glossy grey and red plastic cover and clamped tight with metal rings at both ends. Camp Pie was the obvious evolutionary step, in that it was in a tin complete with a swanky little metal key with which to wind open a thin window around the can, so as to remove the lid. This exposed more pink stuff wobbling enticingly within some clear solid jelly surrounds. Well, if that’s lunch then you have just had it. Now the making of the wash down Billy Tea was just so complex and arduous that it was usually left to big boy scout Dad, but sometimes with a little bit of help from us kids. Before the tea-bag revolution causes it to be lost to mankind forever, I will give you an accurate step by step description of proper Billy Tea making (World War 1 style). Firstly build a fire, usually from the dry driftwood found lying along the beach. Then set up a Y shaped stand supporting a long stick, with one end over the flame and the other on the ground secured by a heavy rock (or Dad’s left foot). Place the Billy, half full of water on the stick, elevated over the fire and dangling right above the hottest part of the flame. Once boiling is achieved, throw a handful of tea leaves in with the various other twigs and insects that had already given their lives and special flavors in the exposed brew. Wait a few seconds before removing the Billy with its contents from the flame and place it securely by imbedding it in the soft sand nearby. Now there are two techniques that have been developed over the years for making those spent tea leaves sink to the bottom of the Billy. See, no one enjoys drinking their tea by using their teeth as a tea leaf strainer. The easiest way to achieve this was to tap the sides of the Billy with a stick. This created some rhythmic vibrations in the water that somehow slowly caused the tea leaves to sink. This process did take a while and was somewhat of a disturbance to those wanting to relax to the sweet sounds of bird and wind whistles, rather than the beat of the African Billy drums. By far the quickest way to sink those leaves was to pick up the Billy by the thin wire handle and spin it around your head in big straight arm circles at an appropriate speed to ensure that centrifugal forces kept all the hot contents within the confines of the container. No one told me on my first attempt to also check for tree branches that may be within the circumference of your now enlarged swing. I can tell you from first hand experience – the results are very dramatic and some would say quite dangerous! So that’s it, tea’s made was the rallying call. Now, pour to order using a stick as the Billy-lifter and then add a little milk and sugar to taste. I know what you are all saying Oh for the good old days! Well, you can have them I am quite happy sharing the kids popper juices and Smiths chips in the not so good but quite convenient pre-packed days of today.
