tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-329257022024-03-08T06:23:56.732+11:00Fill Up On Bread...what to eat when your world revolves around food...Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.comBlogger182125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-84349066181763925792011-07-17T16:08:00.003+10:002011-07-17T16:20:51.939+10:00this blog has movedHi -<br /><br />thanks for checking in.<br /><br />I got fed up with Blogger being so slow to post (and often not being able to publish for days), so I have moved to:<br /><a href="http://www.filluponbread.net/"><br />www.filluponbread.net</a><br /><br />I hope you will follow this link and find me again!<br /><br />Thanks again<br /><br />Fill Up On BreadMaireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-70348413178118611112011-07-14T08:09:00.008+10:002011-07-17T16:19:40.395+10:00finally.... a homemade jerk seasoning recipe that works<div><div>For more than five years, we have been living in Australia, far away from the comfortingly-stocked shelves of our local Tesco in Brent Cross where the international food choices were staggering. With such a huge population in the area of West Indian descent, there was never any problem buying Orlando's - and subsequently my - favourite West Indian foods and seasonings.<br /><br />Ackee and saltfish was delicious, easy and cheap to make for dinner. If we needed more jerk seasoning or pepper sauce (a traditional Barbados favourite), we popped down the road either to Tesco or to any of our local groceries, and picked up a jar of Walkerswood or a bottle of Windmill.<br /><br />Now we live in Australia, we have to remember to stock up if either one of us goes to London. Happily, our trip to Barbados afforded us the chance to send back some decent quantities of jerk seasoning, pepper sauce and tins of ackee.<br /><br />But how to become more self-sufficient? A few of our West Indian acquaintances here in Australia make really decent home-made pepper sauce or jerk seasoning, but I have never been able to come close. Perhaps it was the fresh Bajan air, or the amazing assaults on my taste buds every evening at dinner, but upon my return this time I think I have cracked it.<br /><br />The most important thing to get right is the fresh chillies. Australia-dwellers, this is important: you will not find the chillies you need in Safeway. What we really need are habanero chillies but they are not sold in this country. So you need to go down to the local market or your local Asian grocery and ask for the hottest fresh chillies you can find. I get mine from Bharat Traders here in West Footscray, tiny green ones that look like this (they are on a side plate if that gives you an idea of size). I used about 12 of these for one batch of seasoning (enough to season about 1 kg of meat) and to be honest I could have done with a bit more heat still. Deseed before you use if you wish - I didn't bother.</div><div> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 299px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628967331159883010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrMaYJX2czhtqKp7RFisAtsCvieqE8siKro4esVEwX9KqDkIj5-fmQ8pAkYX1h7vNUMi7QMCQAwQJZ6ajYuVV9v0U0goTFliXiZQA77aTDJR0UUU30iWuJa5S_xS4uYKWq62_/s400/hot+chillis.JPG" /></div><div> </div><div> The second important ingredient is all-spice. Many people think this is a mixture of spices used in baking, but that is mixed spices. All-spice is the fruit of the Jamaican pimiento tree and is a very specific ingredient. Happily, although you cannot get the pimiento berries themselves here in Australia, we can buy ground all-spice in most big supermarkets. It's not the same but it does the job.</div><div> </div><div>The third thing is the tool you use. You will need to get this mixture ground down as smooth as possible, so the best results will be obtained from a blender or from a pestle and mortar. I have only used a food processor so far, which chops very finely indeed but it is not enough to make the seasoning paste really sink into the meat. </div><div> </div><div>So, here you go. Give it a try and roast your own jerk chicken for dinner this weekend. </div><div> </div><div><strong>Ingredients</strong> (enough to season about 1kg of chicken)</div><div>3-4 large scallions or spring onions</div><div>6-12 hot chillies</div><div>small bunch of fresh thyme</div><div>2-3 teaspoons of allspice powder</div><div>1-2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg or the freshly-ground equivalent</div><div>1-2 teaspoons sugar</div><div>juice of half a fresh lime</div><div>freshly-ground salt and black pepper</div><div> </div><div>Other people add some ginger, or coriander. I am going to try and add some native Australian herbs and spices, like lemon myrtle or pepperberry, and see how that goes.</div><div> </div><div><strong>Method</strong></div><div>De-seed the chillies if you wish. Chop up the scallions and chillies as finely as you can. You can use onion if you are stuck, but I find the onion rather overpowers the balance of flavours too much.</div><div>Remove the leaves of the thyme from their woody stems by stripping each stalk backwards. Don't worry about being too finicky with this.</div><div>Throw all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until as smooth as you can get it. If you don't have a blender, start by chopping everything as small as possible and then use a pestle and mortar to crush the onions, chillies and thyme into as smooth a paste as you can manage.</div><div> </div><div>This seasoning will keep in the fridge in a sterilised container for a week or two if you don't use it all at once. If you add a little white vinegar to the mix at the end of the blend, this will help with longevity.</div><div> </div><div> Rub a small amount of the seasoning onto each joint of meat - I use no more than 2-3 teaspoons per chicken joint or breast. Make sure you get into every nook and cranny. Then cover and leave for as long as you can - overnight if possible, but at least an hour if you are in a hurry.</div><div> </div><div>Roast slowly and enjoy the beautiful aromas coming from the kitchen!</div><p>Serve with rice and peas: soak 2-3 tablespoonfuls of black beans, black-eyed peas or similar overnight. Alternatively use azuki beans which are easily found in Asian markets, and don't need soaking. Bring to the boil and cook slowly in plenty of water until cooked. DO NOT THROW AWAY THE WATER. Add your white rice and a dash of salt to the cooked peas in the same water (this makes the rice turn a different colour and adds flavour). Stir occasionally until cooked through, then strain the last of the water away and serve up.<br /></p></div>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-15962220870313060282011-05-25T18:53:00.005+10:002011-05-26T08:20:29.440+10:00Mairead's killer chicken curry<div><strong>Ingredients<br /></strong></div><div>500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, whichever you prefer, chopped into bite-sized pieces<br />2-3 tbsp olive oil<br />1-3 large green chillies, fresh, chopped<br />1/2 tbsp black mustard seeds<br />1 star anise broken into pods<br />2-3 cardamom pods<br />2-3 cloves<br />1 piece cinnamon, broken up (optional)<br />1/2 tbsp garam masala<br />1/2 tbsp turmeric<br />1/2 tbsp other meat masala (if available from Indian shops)<br />2-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely (optional)</div><div>1 medium onion, chopped<br />2-3 carrots, chopped<br />1-2 potatoes, chopped (optional)<br /><br /><br /><strong>Method</strong><br /></div><div>Heat the oil in a large stove-top pot.<br />Throw in the black mustard seeds and cook until they just start popping.<br />Throw in the chillies and cook for 2-3 minutes until pungent.<br />Add the star anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and both masalas. Stir vigorously and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a little more olive oil to moisten if necessary.<br />Add the garlic and chopped onion, stir into the mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and beginning to brown.<br />Add the chicken pieces, stir in well and cook for 3-4 minutes or so.<br />Add the carrots (and potatoes if you wish) and enough water to just cover all ingredients. Stir well.<br />Cook slowly over a very low heat - or transfer to a low heat in the oven - for about an hour. Check occasionally, adding more water as necessary to make the curry have as much or as little gravy as you wish.<br /><br />The longer you cook this curry, and the older the pot you cook it in, the better it will taste. Works pretty well in a slow-cooker too, but you have to cook all the spices manually first (method up as far as adding the chicken) as laid out above, then you can leave to simmer in the slow cooker if you wish.</div><div> </div><div> </div>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-11008134447031950432011-01-30T18:30:00.002+11:002011-01-30T18:45:15.083+11:00Giuseppe, Arnaldo & SonsA weekend late (very late) birthday treat with Lee saw us cruising Crown on a Sunday lunchtime looking for fish. We'd just spent a couple of hours in Melbourne Aquarium to see the baby hammerhead sharks, and seafood was the order of the day. You know your fate is sealed when you stand at an aquarium window staring at a large octopus, and the only three words that come to mind are: Lemon. Oregano. Chargrilled.<br /><br />Sadly, Waterfront is gone forever, replaced by the shell of a new restaurant called Atlantic Bar & Grill. So we wandered into Giuseppe, Arnaldo's no later than noon to see what they could do for us.<br /><br />It's a funky place with a serious pedigree, and I have heard nothing but good stuff about the place. On a 40C day in the city, we sat alongside the strange folding windows, opened out to show a sleepy riverfront, and the coolness of the interior still won out. The wait staff in their butcher's coats, jeans and Converse were attentive but not overpowering, and it didn't take us long to order two plates of the spaghetti with crab.<br /><br />The wine list didn't really attract for wines by the glass, so I went with the house red, a tempranillo blend straight from the tap behind the bar. It worked. Beside us, a man about my own age entertained a gorgeous young four- or five-year-old to lunch. She sat imperiously at table, knowing how good she looked in that hairband with the huge pink flower, and looked like she was pretty good company.<br /><br />Behind me the big salami showcase glistened, and we are not sure how we succeeded in not ordering a plate of everything, with a hunk of the fresh artisan bread lining the walls beyond. But we stuck to our guns, and awaited our pasta.<br /><br />Not sure why the pasta was served wrapped in a baking sheet parcel. It was a lovely, garlicky, tomatoey pasta sauce with plenty of fresh crab meat, and I just know it was only in that oven for a few minutes. It didn't need to be oven-baked. But the visual impact was pretty good on arrival, even if the baking parchment then got in the way for the rest of the meal.<br /><br />The pasta was too saucey for Lee. I didn't know what she meant. There is no such thing as too much sauce for me.<br /><br />At the next table, a couple chose the chicken cacciatore which looked and smelled amazing. Nearby, somebody else chose the Sunday roast - suckling pig. Now, that looks like a dish to come back for.<br /><br />I can't comment on the value for money, as lunch was Lee's treat, but the menu looked tempting enough for a second, more leisurely, visit another time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/760773/restaurant/Victoria/Southbank/Giuseppe-Arnaldo-Sons-Melbourne"><img alt="Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/760773/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-88191964035290535312011-01-24T19:02:00.006+11:002011-01-27T16:28:02.707+11:00loading dockRiverfront, 70 Lorimer Street, South Wharf, Melbourne<br />(03) 9681 8289<br /><br />A casual afternoon lunch with friends on a sunny Melbourne Sunday. Where to go? Initially I balked at the idea of Docklands, even on such a perfect day. Everybody knows that despite the developers' and Melbourne City Council's best efforts, Docklands is a wasteland, and only barely acceptable for about three weeks of the year when the wind is at its lowest and the mercury at its highest.<br /><br />But no, this little gem of a place is on South Wharf, over the curly pedestrian bridge from Docklands proper, or a pleasant 10-minute stroll west along the river from the Polly Woodside. If you are a shopper, it's less than five minutes walk from the South Wharf DFO complex. The tables outside face north, so they are a bit of a sun-trap, with a small marina spread out in front, and city views all around. Perfect.<br /><br />Over the course of four hours we grazed on perfectly-cooked thin-crust margherita pizza, fresh and flavoursome thai beef and black-seared tuna salads, generous panini, a pretty stunning Aussie burger, and a couple of excellent Jamaican dishes - curried goat and Jamaican-style snapper with pumpkin rice and okra.<br /><br />One of the co-owners here is Jamaican, and on the third Sunday evening of the month they host a West Indian evening. We missed the last one being out of town, but February's is firmly in the diary.<br /><br />The wait staff were lovely. Well, I admit one of them was the daughter of the friends with whom we were eating, but the other waiter didn't know who we were initially, and was most welcoming and accommodating. On paying our bill, one of the owners looked after us, and his civility gave us every reason to give him our custom again.<br /><br />I have to say the pizzas alone are worth the wander down to this little-known corner of Melbourne city, and I know it is going to become a bit of a regular haunt for us.<br /><br />So if you're looking for a new corner of Melbourne with some pretty good food and a laid-back riverside vibe, head down to Loading Dock. It's worth the detour.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1560875/restaurant/Victoria/South-Wharf/Loading-Dock-Melbourne"><img alt="Loading Dock on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1560875/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-36826715100774977452011-01-22T20:12:00.006+11:002011-01-27T16:28:54.572+11:00duchess of spotswoodDuchess of Spotswood<br />87 Hudsons Road<br />Spotswood 3015<br /><br />A mid-week day off from flood response saw me, Kerry and Nina meander down to their new(ish) local eatery, the Duchess of Spotswood. This place is not open that long and has a huge following already, so I was looking forward to a late breakfast with good company.<br /><br />We sat at the big table right at the window, in a sparsely-decorated but bright and welcoming main salon. One or two tables sat outside on the pavement. On a late Wednesday morning the place wasn't hopping but we were still three of about eight or nine punters.<br /><br />The breakfast menu was interesting and full of lovely names - breakfast of champignons, anyone? - but nothing on there for one of us who did not fancy eggs. Everything bar the muesli and the toast (Zeally Bay sourdough, thankyouverymuch) included eggs. Happily, they cobbled together a breakfast of sides for our eggless one, whilst Kerry chose poached eggs with spinach and tomato on Zeally Bay sourdough. I chose the Prince of Wales: house-smoked salmon with a poached egg served with potato pancakes.<br /><br />My weak English Breakfast tea came out in a proper pottery teapot with a tea-leaf holder inside that meant I could stop the brewing anytime I wanted. Marvellous. Kerry's latte was perfect. I believe they use Auction Rooms small batch coffee.<br /><br />We didn't have to wait too long for our dishes to arrive. My smoked salmon was small but perfectly-formed, and although initially I quailed at my portion size, it was indeed an elegant sufficiency. My poached egg was perfectly cooked, a delight. The tiny potato pancakes were lovely, but with one slice of bread were insufficient for my carb-loving body, so I followed through with some more toast and home-made rhubarb jam for afters. Or it could have been the hangover I was nursing.<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564942069515835218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJgOSPAnaCtiQpaRd2ickE4PTyCGlbU5epJQcq45us5m_lazopcIchzM-fkmd4yVkWQ0kSNqQW1zaJSgVIvbAoOWDX6ANjHCswjMQWSVAcY95kntjK9d14DBXK09TumBpwelA/s400/006.JPG" /></p><p><br /></p>The service was fine: efficient enough, a little hard to raise at times, and bordering on the unenthusiastic if I'm honest. All in all, some lovely food and great company, but I am not entirely sure the place is worth all the hype I'm hearing about it. I would like to re-visit for lunch sometime, to see if this place really is the next big thing, or just the Emperor's New Clothes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1507086/restaurant/Victoria/Yarraville/Duchess-of-Spotswood-Spotswood"><img alt="Duchess of Spotswood on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1507086/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-40301781142690493632010-12-08T23:41:00.003+11:002011-01-27T16:46:49.387+11:00Shun Fung re-visitedShun Fung<br />Barrack Square, Perth<br /><a href="http://www.shunfung.com.au/">www.shunfung.com.au</a><br /><br />Turns out I visit this place about once a year, and it never disappoints.<br /><br />This evening I visit with Sally the Gluten Free Person. A G&T each beforehand at the fabulously-named Lucky Shag and we are ravenous. Excellent news: we agree on Singapore noodles being on the order list.<br /><br />It's before 6.30pm - in this time zone. In Sally's Brisbane mind it's 8.30pm and in my Melbourne head it's 9.30pm; almost bedtime. We order quickly.<br /><br />Who knew cumin lamb could be this tasty? Slow-cooked with leeks, it goes just perfectly with the Singapore noodles. The stir-fried squid with mange tout (snowpeas to southern hemisphere types) is similarly delicious.<br /><br />We sit contentedly on the balcony overlooking the mighty Swan River, sheltered from most of the brisk southerly breeze, eat our fill, put the world to rights, then retire righteously to bed.<br /><br />I love nights like this.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/338/1485817/restaurant/Perth-City/Shun-Fung-on-the-River-Perth"><img alt="Shun Fung on the River on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1485817/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-18729721506158156762010-12-06T23:50:00.005+11:002011-01-27T16:47:43.663+11:00Balti, Perth<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Balti</span> Restaurant<br />3/2 St. George's Terrace, Perth 6000<br /><a href="http://www.balti.com.au/">http://www.balti.com.au/</a><br /><br />A chilly evening in Perth, and I am three hours <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">jet lagged</span>. In search of sustenance close to my hotel, I try <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Balti</span> Restaurant nearby, which I have walked past a dozen times.<br /><br />It's early Monday evening, in Perth <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBD</span>, and all I am hoping for a place with at least some fellow diners. This is the place - even before 7pm it is nicely buzzing. The walls are decorated with candid portraits of beautiful Indian people, a few desultory Christmas decorations, and anonymous but pleasant modern Indian music on the sound system.<br /><br />I am placed at a table right by the bar where the restaurant manager is keeping the engine-room going. The wait staff buzz by, kept busy by the diners. I choose a glass of local <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ringbolt</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">cabernet</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">sauvignon</span> and a few <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">poppadums</span> to get me started, don my old-lady reading glasses and settle down with my book. Just as well. My main course took an hour to arrive.<br /><br />My <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Goan</span> fish curry is delicious, although not as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">coconutty</span> or as sharp-tasting as it could be, but it is good. I wonder if the listed <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Redsport</span> Emperor fish is really salmon, the colour is so pink, but it is indeed a white fish nicely marinated.<br /><br />My relaxing evening is punctuated occasionally by the raised voice of the restaurant manager yelling (I am not exaggerating) down the phone at a member of staff or a contractor, I am not sure, and again later by the same person standing right by my table and threatening to fire a waitress if she didn't raise her professional game. All very admirable, in that he was on both occasions trying to keep standards of customer service high. Ironic, then, that my experience is being diminished slightly by having to witness this carry-on as I eat.<br /><br />I finish my meal, and my book, and head to the bar to pay my bill. I try to pay for my wine separately, and the manager tells me quickly that they do not split bills under any circumstances, "madam". I wonder who he thought I was splitting the bill with, as the sole occupant of a table for one. I try again, explaining that I would like to pay $26 (the price of my wine) in cash, and the remainder by card. This time he accepts quickly: cash is king, it seems.<br /><br />I compliment the manager on the food and the service, but suggest very gently that perhaps my experience could have been better if I'd not heard staff being threatened with the sack right at my table. He asks very politely: "Have you ever worked in hospitality, madam?". I answer yes. He asks whether I'd ever managed a restaurant that busy. I answer no. I hadn't thought it was that busy, to be honest.<br /><br />And there you have it. Apparently in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Balti</span> Restaurant, the customer's opinion counts for nothing. Pity. If the attitude had been different, this could have been a regular haunt. As things stand, I can't say I can recommend the place.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/338/1370050/restaurant/East-Perth/Balti-Perth"><img alt="Balti on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1370050/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-77331181125623445302010-11-03T05:43:00.004+11:002010-11-04T22:47:55.139+11:00Ricky's curried goatTry this for a good curried goat - thanks Ricky for the seasoning advice!<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients for seasoning<br /></strong>3 kinds of chilli peppers (or whatever your taste is) - Ricky used scotch bonnets, bullet and home grown killer peppers<br />3 cloves garlic<br />1 medium onion<br />4 spring onions<br />1" ginger root<br />thyme<br />coriander<br />whole black peppers<br />2 tbsp curry powder<br />west indian season-all powder<br />A little water<br /><br /><br /><strong>Method<br /></strong>Blend together and marinate the meat overnight. Best to use fresh goat on the bone, but if youare unadventurous or goat is unavailable, some cubed lamb works well too.<br /><br /><br />Dice one potato, and a carrot or two if you wish, and add to the mix. Add a little water and cook very slowly for as many hours as you can manage.<br /><br />Serve with rice and black-eyed/pigeon/gunga peas.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-2489213887018775332010-10-28T14:01:00.001+11:002010-10-28T14:04:06.921+11:00you're looking at $5 - anti-poverty chef challengeRed Cross has launched a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pocket-size</span> collection of $5 recipes for families struggling to get by in Queensland, to mark Anti-Poverty Week which runs from 17 to 23 October 2010.<br /><br />'Many of the people we work with, including young families and the elderly, face times when they struggle to put a meal on the table,' said Australian Red Cross spokesperson Anna Boyce. 'The idea behind the $5 recipe booklet is to give a little bit of inspiration to people confronted by poverty, offering meals that can be created out of the smallest of budgets. 'Australia-wide it is estimated around 5% of people experience times when they have no food and no money to purchase food,' said Anna Boyce. 'Everyone has the right to food, shelter, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">healthcare</span> and the basic necessities - we work with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Australia and around the world to help improve quality of life.'<br /><br />Hundreds of copies of the 'You're looking at $5' recipe booklet will be given to Red Cross' Queensland clients for Anti-Poverty Week. The booklet's 16 recipes - which were submitted by staff, volunteers and members of the public - all cost $5 or less to make, and include Red Lentil Soup, Spicy Mexican Beans, Succotash and Deluxe Porridge. The booklet includes recipes and an introduction by former <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Masterchef</span> contestant and Brisbane local <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sharnee</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Rawson</span>. 'Anti-Poverty Week is a time to build public understanding about the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia. It's also a chance to encourage research, discussion and action to tackle poverty,' said Anna Boyce.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.redcross.org.au/QLD/media/Recipe_book.pdf">www.redcross.org.au/QLD/media/Recipe_book.pdf</a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-67314152656767335742010-10-27T08:12:00.002+11:002010-10-27T08:15:10.976+11:00vicki's no-bake cheesecakeThe lovely Vicki at work made me this divine cheesecake for a birthday morning tea. It's the nicest cheesecake I've had in years.<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br />250g sweet biscuits<br />125g butter, melted<br />375g cream cheese, softened<br />zest of 1 lemon<br />2 tsp vanilla essence<br />1/3 cup lemon juice<br />400g tin condensed milk<br /><br /><strong>Method<br /></strong>1. Grease and line a 20cm spring form tin.<br />2. Place biscuits in food processor and finely crush. Add butter and process until mixed.<br />3. Press half of the mix into the base of the tin, and press the remainder around the sides, using a glass to firm it into place. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.<br />4. Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add lemon rind and vanilla and beat. Add the condensed milk and lemon juice gradually, and beat until smooth and the volume has increased.<br />5. Pour into the tin and refrigerate overnight.<br />6. Decorate with diced strawberries and icing sugar, or as desired<br /><br />Notes:<br />1. To make gluten free, substitute gluten free biscuits for the base. I use Arnott’s Rice Cookies (supermarket biscuit aisle) and use approximately 90g of butter as these biscuits are shortbread-like and don’t require much butter to bind.<br />2. Recommend using 500g of cream cheese if making as per the recipe above.<br />3. Use 375g of cream cheese if adding melted chocolate (150, maybe 200g?).<br />4. I substitute vanilla paste or bean for the vanilla essence.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-92007795285831457632010-10-23T23:23:00.005+11:002011-01-27T16:27:03.947+11:00sassy's jamaican kitchen376 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North<br /><a href="http://www.sassyskitchen.com.au/">www.sassyskitchen.com.au</a><br /><br />A <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-birthday dinner on a Saturday night, and a (relatively) new Caribbean restaurant to try out. We head out to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sassy's</span> Jamaican Kitchen in Fitzroy.<br /><br />The reviews online are consistent and favourable: be prepared to wait, but the food is fantastic. We arrive not long after eight to a less-than-half-full restaurant: maybe eight or nine other diners scattered around a spacious room, sparsely decorated with Jamaica posters and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">yukka</span> plants, and with a gentle reggae vibe in the background.<br /><br />Our waiter - the only waiter - offers us chilled water and promises to return with glasses for our bottle of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chandon</span>. In the end, we pour our bubbly into our water glasses. The menu is sparse but enticing. Apart from a few vegetarian starters and mains, there is a choice of fish or chicken, both jerked. Curried goat is on special. In order to try everything, we choose jerk chicken to share as a starter, then one jerk fish and one curried goat.<br /><br />An hour passes. Happily, I am in good company, and the conversation flows. Most of the other diners leave. Others arrive and leave with takeaway boxes of food, which is fascinating as we have not heard a phone ring once. Sassy himself comes out and starts to clear tables. I wonder why he is not cooking our food, or perhaps whether our order has been lost.<br /><br />Finally, after almost an hour and a half, our starter arrives. Two pieces of barbecued jerk chicken, a generous dollop of yellow vegetable curry and an upside-down bowl of rice and peas, with a couple of piping-hot <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">sideplates</span> to eat from. To be honest, it is not the best start. The chicken is not heavily seasoned at all, not with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">chilli</span>, not with anything much. It has either been well over-cooked, or cooked earlier and carelessly re-heated. The vegetable curry is actually quite tasty, and without it the rest of the dish would have been far too dry.<br /><br />Moments after taking our plates away, the main courses arrive. The same upside-down bowl of rice and peas accompany each dish. The curried goat is not off the bone as confirmed, but it is pretty delicious. Not at all spicy-hot, but very well seasoned and very slowly cooked. Pity there is not more of it. The two smallish pieces of jerk fish are delicious too, one more spicy than the other to my taste. Again, without the vegetable curry this dish would have been far too dry, but overall it was enjoyable.<br /><br />The rice and peas are a disappointment. The rice is far too dry, and the peas are kidney beans. Would have been good to see proper <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">gunga</span> or pigeon or even <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">azuki</span> peas used. And despite the diners being in single digits all night, we still have to list for our waiter what we'd eaten so he could make up our bill. He tells us this is his third night working here, and it's the busiest night so far.<br /><br />Nonetheless, it was a pleasant evening. Not sure that I would hold <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sassy's</span> up as a perfect example of good Caribbean food: it needs a bit more chilli heat and a bit more care in both food preparation and service to get better marks. Maybe even a bottle of pepper sauce on each table so customers can adjust the heat of their food to taste.<br /><br />That said, I get the best Caribbean food at home all the time so I know I am fortunate.<br /><br />Will it be a regular haunt? Not sure if we would ever hop in the car and take a twenty-minute drive across town for any of the dishes we ate. But at $46 for two (not including $5 corkage which we think they just forgot) it wasn't a bad night's value.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1545468/restaurant/Victoria/Sassys-Jamaican-Kitchen-Fitzroy-North"><img alt="Sassy's Jamaican Kitchen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1545468/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-55193952463628838652010-10-22T21:36:00.004+11:002010-10-23T08:40:43.154+11:00CiuccioShop 9 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salamanca</span> Square Hobart<br /><a href="http://www.ciuccio.com.au/">http://www.ciuccio.com.au/</a><br /><br />It's not often you get 28C in Hobart of an evening, especially this time of year. It is a lovely stroll down along the waterfront to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salamanca</span> Place early on a Friday evening with the town coming alive, the tall ships moored alongside crowded seafood restaurants, the lights beginning to twinkle across the bay.... and a stinking cold.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530988307683459922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGq1oTaymRhgEsYPD9-ReZnZ9Tidii8CHxh-B1PIhoIM0etBJ3TukYp74ASmZhRh7Kw9wK7gw3I7ytNsqJkSGTviu_nOhwWFOoCaXuU1A7OYt-mv5aZBc_CfBdUQqd4wCdGyo/s400/Tall+Ship+Hobart+2.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><br />Never mind.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salamanca</span> Place is buzzing. It appears you have to be male, under 35 and wearing a brand-logo <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">teeshirt</span> to get into Irish Murphy's - or at least to be permitted drink a pint <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">outside</span> on the pavement. The Aurora Australia - the big red Antarctic survey vessel - is gone for the summer, the gap on the quay filled with gleaming white motor boats. Gangs of students congregate beneath the trees along <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salamanca</span> Place, drinking god knows what from polystyrene cups and otherwise being incredibly civilised.<br /><br />I wander past the crowds outside Barcelona and James Squire. It's amazing how the young <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Taswegian</span> women take advantage of a rare balmy evening: most of those outfits would result in hypothermia on most other nights of the year.<br /><br />Despite the warm evening I am convinced it cannot last. A <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">friendly</span> waitress <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ciuccio</span> finds me a table for one inside, tucked between a strangely-matched American couple and a more conventional Australian one. I settle in with a glass of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">d'Arenberg</span> The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Footbolt</span> and my Kathy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Reichs</span> novel.<br /><br />My cold battles with my appetite. Virtually nothing stops me eating as most of you will know, but for fifteen minutes I flick backwards and forwards between gourmet pizzas and a predictable but enticing list of pasta and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">primi</span> dishes. I have been told the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">gamberi</span> pizza is off tonight. Contrarily, it is the one thing I crave.<br /><br />I settle for a rocket, pear and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">parmesan</span> salad to start, and a prawn risotto to follow. In the end my choices are directed by what I can eat with one fork as I hold a large paperback in the other hand.<br /><br />The rocket salad is huge but very well balanced. I jab forkfuls of ripe pear, slices of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">parmesan</span> and rocket leaves drenched in a blue cheese dressing. Most of the walnuts are a casualty of my<br />clumsy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">forkmanship</span> and get left behind. So far, so Friday night.<br /><br />A second glass of The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Footbolt</span> heralds the arrival of my main course. I hadn't thought the risotto would be tomato-based and I am immediately disappointed, but convenience triumphs over first impressions and I dig in.<br /><br />The risotto is... fine. More than tasty. Rice pretty well perfectly cooked. Decent number of prawns. A good smattering of wilted spinach. It lasts me four chapters and I can't complain.<br /><br />The sights and aromas from other dishes passing by to other tables indicate that this is a decent place. I can only conclude that my cold has numbed my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">taste buds</span> to the point where everything just tastes ordinary. Everybody else looks thrilled with their food.<br /><br />My waitress hits just the right balance between pleasantries, eye contact and efficiency. Despite the growing queue at the bar waiting for tables, I never feel rushed. I wander back out into the warm air of the evening, and marvel at the people still dining outside on the square, apparently unaware of the latitude.<br /><br />The fairy lights on the trees twinkle as I saunter back to my hotel and an early night. As I leave <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salamanca</span> Place, the first raindrops start to fall. By tomorrow morning it will be back to more normal Tasmanian spring weather, and we shall have to wait quite a few more weeks for another Friday night like this.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-48232965800032731232010-10-10T13:06:00.004+11:002011-01-27T16:30:50.221+11:00Seddon Deadly SinsSunday breakfast, and time to drag ourselves away from our usual haunt, Cafe <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">le</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chien</span> in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Seddon</span>. Orlando is convinced that equally good but cheaper breakfasts are lurking, so we explore the competition.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seddon</span> Deadly Sins is tucked away opposite the Greek Orthodox church on Victoria Street in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seddon</span>. It looks pretty small with a few tables outside from which to watch the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-wedding antics of the people across the road, and a handful of tables inside by the kitchen. But there are tempting little signs on the back door, one to a vine-filled courtyard and one to The Good Room upstairs (no kids allowed).<br /><br />We sit in by the kitchen and watch the action. Teas come quickly but we have to ask for strainers. The cups and saucers are not pristine: they are freshly washed, but all have tannin stains on them. Yet again, I have to explain to a waitress that providing more hot water does not allow me to control the strength of tea to my liking. Only using less tea leaves will ensure weaker tea. Why is this so hard to understand?<br /><br />We order something close to our usual. I have scrambled eggs with side orders of mushroom and roasted tomato. Orlando chooses the Spanish eggs - two poached eggs in a skillet, topped with a spicy tomato salsa and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">chorizo</span> sausage, served with toasted Turkish bread and a side of bacon. The bacon is laid on top of the skillet so the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">salsa</span> makes it a bit soggy, but it looks good and smells amazing. O is happy enough. My breakfast was perfectly fine, but the scrambled eggs were not as lovely as Le <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chien's</span> (probably because they are not laced with vast quantities of butter). As I am on a health kick, it's probably just as well.<br /><br />One serious downside is the music. We like laid-back weekend music with our late breakfasts: a bit of The Jam or The Stranglers, maybe some Corinne Bailey Rae or old soul. What we get is slightly-too-loud unrecognisable rock. It sets me on edge and suddenly I am ready to leave. The bill is $34 - $6 less than Le Chien.<br /><br />Will we come back? Yes - we'll give the place one more try. The owner is really friendly and the staff are pretty responsive. Next time we'll try The Good Room or the courtyard, which might make the dreadful music a little less intrusive. But I can't see it becoming a firm favourite.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761701/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Seddon-Deadly-Sins-Seddon"><img alt="Seddon Deadly Sins on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761701/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-77288856024008926252010-10-06T21:38:00.004+11:002010-10-06T22:13:00.492+11:00mmmm pizza<div>Late home from work, I rustle up a quick home-made pizza in less time than it takes to order from Pizza Hut.</div><div></div><br /><div>Half a garlic Afghan bread, a squirt of pizza sauce, a few chopped-up mushrooms pan-fried to dry them out a little, quarter of an onion finely chopped and barely <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">sweated</span> in the pan, one green <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">chilli</span> and one tomato, a good handful of Weight Watchers grated cheese and a generous swirl of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ischian</span> herbs from the Bay of Naples.</div><br /><div></div><div>Into the oven, out 15 minutes later, Bob's your uncle. The perfect comfort food, and all for less than 6 Weight Watchers points (if that means anything to you).</div><div> </div><div>A glass of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Rutherglen</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">durif</span> and House on the TV, and that's a perfect Wednesday evening for me.</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524888784919701698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wWeeJBRF3gj3NH33pOYXqbJV_57vA6q81UO76m3GfXC4kscnMRGOsb1jTd1m_wao3QpM8WFqaXDWnsd2l8yQSczk2OjAHWIDnLRmMYcQ5UAy73b3UEKIvHgPNRh_VbxBw1eF/s400/DSC08106+-+Copy.JPG" /><br /><div></div>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-23608993884954788372010-09-05T19:08:00.004+10:002010-09-05T19:26:16.899+10:00feeding the five thousand... well, the hungry team of five, anyway. We have our team meeting on Tuesday at a secret (and cheap) <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">beachside</span> venue. I have volunteered to feed us and our esteemed guests for lunch. We are the Red Cross, and voluntary service is fundamental to us. Plus: I get to choose what we eat.<br /><br />With two <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">coeliacs</span> and one <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">vegie</span> amongst us, I am challenged to make a single meal to suit all. India comes to the rescue, as always.<br /><br />A huge pot of brown and red lentils simmer away whilst I make up a very large quantity of tempering for my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">dhal</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">chole</span>. I fry some black mustard seed in a generous lug of olive oil until they pop, add chopped tiny green chillies and cook until they smoke (they're hotter that way), then in goes the holy trinity of cardamom, cloves and star anise. Last, a generous helping of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">garam</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">masala</span>, garlic and turmeric.<br /><br />A pile of chopped onion gets fried quickly in a hot pan. The trick is to fry the onion well before you add anything to it.<br /><br />I fry a mound of chopped mushrooms, small quantities at a time so they get nice and crisp rather than soggy. I add them to my onions. In goes chopped Roma tomatoes to sweeten the mixture.<br /><br />Half of the tempering and the onion/mushroom/tomato mixture goes to make the basis of Charmaine's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">dhal</span>, and half to my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">chole</span>. Not traditional, but I am a fan of the incidental consumption of vegetables. I add more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">chole</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">masala</span> to my pot of chickpeas: I can't figure out what other spices are in this <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">masala</span> but somehow it makes the difference.<br /><br />When both are cooked and simmered and well settled, I decant into containers and stir some fresh spinach leaves into both. I shall serve sprinkled with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">kasoori</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">mehti</span>, accompanied by plenty of Afghan bread, gluten-free wraps for the Gluten <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Girlies</span>, lime pickle and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">yoghurt</span>. And of course, a plate of freshly-grilled jerk chicken breasts for the non-veg people amongst us.<br /><br />Home-cooked goodness, healthy, low-fat food, cheap as chips, idiot-proof recipes. Perfect.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-83485019445613761482010-08-26T20:11:00.007+10:002011-01-27T16:32:08.985+11:00ebi footscrayRound the corner from us, less than a hundred paces away, is a florist, a little convenience store and what used to be a traditional fish and chip shop. The chippie closed down a while ago, and not surprisingly either: we were never able to find it open for business.<br /><div></div><br /><div>In the same spot opened <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ebi</span>, a Japanese fish and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">chippery</span> as it calls itself. Time and time again we meant to try it, and in the past few weeks we've managed to become almost regulars.</div><br /><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509662317654278050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnd2jIglwMXgAWygZrpH5OuaXrNrmR9dAE-5bCNpbaIiS0TZ4hEZ6dLBK_kSpHH5t7bSUy8kTLefIAUOxLcU0r0rQXVPJcnFbXK5740nnH9OKrYcmZgKMcvH5fupsx3jKhloW/s400/IMG_0063.JPG" /><br /><br /><div>In the bleak midwinter, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ebi</span> is a little oasis of red light. At lunchtime or in the evenings, you will be greeted with a smile and a cup of hot Japanese tea while you wait for your order. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">bento</span> box with pork belly is carefully put together and presented, even on a quiet midweek afternoon. The calamari, like the pork belly, is perfectly cooked: chef stood over the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">fryer</span> for less than a minute and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">dispatched</span> beautifully cooked salt-and-pepper calamari worth travelling across town for. The prawn <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">gyoza</span> were nicely presented in a bamboo boat with a little takeaway dish of soy sauce.</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509668824166615442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RMP03qJT1CO-ikFq_pxAElmdTinOUeqhBPTw-WswC878ZFA9lY-gK5u9LzpNRUjaM4YhDWiYc8MPofaoY4stPVJR36KSmGOzodr53HxN-jAG0K4tAogtZFiTKJi2YulXBRDd/s400/Ebi.JPG" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>The following week, I go back in the evening time for the same calamari. The red lanterns glow in the dark, inviting you in to the little shop where John and his team welcome all-comers and dish out the best of J-style cooking.</div><br /><div></div><div>Having spent a bit of time in Japan and not being a huge lover of its food, I still like this little place around the corner with its fresh dish of the day, proper chips and freshly-prepared <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">bento</span> boxes. I can imagine wandering around the corner come summer, glass of wine in hand, to maybe eat dinner at the kerbside tables and bring <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">al</span> fresco dining to this corner of the inner west.</div><div></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1513029/restaurant/Victoria/Ebi-Fine-Food-Footscray"><img alt="Ebi Fine Food on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1513029/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-4459785167647441072010-07-31T18:30:00.003+10:002010-07-31T18:34:35.685+10:00Torbreck Woodcutter's shiraz 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22N8ztU1n6c-WSYxq0iOHfJgu3MtbEfr2_zViAUzV-VQfhPW6mP8xRziJhuUEsUM3P4L8Uy2wk1C4JCfc3oX3makZuQR8oU-1NipxWMurzw-WCrOfUuJUmkgoKIAwTPZlxKOV/s1600/Torbreck.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499985072569585602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22N8ztU1n6c-WSYxq0iOHfJgu3MtbEfr2_zViAUzV-VQfhPW6mP8xRziJhuUEsUM3P4L8Uy2wk1C4JCfc3oX3makZuQR8oU-1NipxWMurzw-WCrOfUuJUmkgoKIAwTPZlxKOV/s400/Torbreck.jpg" /></a><br /><div>What a welcome home. I will hardly need dinner: there's eating and drinking in this wine. Concocted purely from blackberries and not from grapes, if I'm not mistaken. I close my eyes each time I take a mouthful to make sure I don't miss anything.</div><div> </div><div>Now I'm really looking forward to Mena's birthday trip to the Barossa. There is a wine tour company there called Life Is A Cabernet. With a name like that, who could resist?</div><div> </div><div> </div>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-70211211074302243292010-07-31T11:03:00.004+10:002010-07-31T11:26:19.906+10:00fill up on wine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhiZeZFt-bC_wksVjLjdn09_xhgSYt8hxVxGMtmmkOLghFrawdCEoPonAffEXhYw-otsJAR3vSNuQVF9aNnI-hOiQcJDf6ltnfKgu_ljZCL6Fuc1TPqb8YA_jyCw09dVK8ZRK/s1600/30072010_002.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499870046645027682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhiZeZFt-bC_wksVjLjdn09_xhgSYt8hxVxGMtmmkOLghFrawdCEoPonAffEXhYw-otsJAR3vSNuQVF9aNnI-hOiQcJDf6ltnfKgu_ljZCL6Fuc1TPqb8YA_jyCw09dVK8ZRK/s400/30072010_002.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I just spent three weeks in Ireland, enjoying the availability of lots of wine I don't normally see: Argentinian, Chilean, Spanish, Italian, French. We can of course get non-Australian wines here, but the range in your average off-licence can be limited, a bit like the range of Australian wines you can get in Europe. So back in Ireland I loved quaffing lots of Chilean <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">merlots</span>, French <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Côtes</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">du</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Rhônes</span>, and excellent Spanish <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">riojas</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">tempranillos</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">valdepeñas</span>.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div>Back in Dan Murphy's yesterday, I was re-stocking my woefully empty shelves. This picture was taken of Dan's fine wines section. The rest of the warehouse is full of cheaper wines, beers and spirits stacked high.</div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>You can see from the signs that the wines are displayed in order of state of origin. Along the walls are foreign wines, mostly French and Italian, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">fortifieds</span> (both domestic and foreign) and rarer, more expensive bottles. </div><div> </div><div></div><div>The wines lying flat on floor display are then stored below on the square shelves for selection. Each of those display bottles is a different wine from a different producer. It took me over two years to venture outside the three or four aisles of local Victorian wines: why would I? There are literally dozens of wineries within an hour's drive of my house.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>I am fortunate to know the owner or chief winemaker of a handful of wineries personally. I am always tempted to return to their familiar wines but I make a concerted effort to try new bottles, especially after the Melbourne Food and Wine Show when we have the chance to try lots of new producers.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>This time I chose half a dozen <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">durifs</span> from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Rutherglen</span> - three <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Campbells</span> and three of The Bruiser. I threw in three bottles of my weekday favourite, Tar and Roses, a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Heathcote</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">shiraz</span> (well, it's Mount Macedon next week and their over-the-counter selection isn't fantastic). Then I went completely mad, ended up in the South Australia aisles and selected three <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Torbreck</span> Woodcutters <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">shiraz</span> from 2008, which has superstar written all over it. Can't wait.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-11498095659769775052010-07-29T13:26:00.002+10:002010-07-29T13:35:42.572+10:00punjabi kitchen king masalaWe are lucky enough to have a great Indian supermarket nearby in West Footscray. Along with freshly-made vegetable samosas, Hindu statues, Bollywood DVDs and Indian crisps and snacks, I can pick up proper Parachute coconut oil for my hair, rose water for my face, karahis and masala dhabas for the kitchen. And, of course, whatever spices I want.<br /><br />One of my favourites is Punjabi Kitchen King Masala, which I picked up one day without knowing what it was. A mixture of coriander, chilli, turmeric, cumin, dal, fenugreek, pepper, salt, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mustard, garlic, mace and asafoetida, it has a really decent kick to it without additional chilli, and turns your food a lovely golden colour.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Mangal-Kitchen-King-Masala.html">Mangal </a>do a good one but there are other brand names around. Perfect for barbeque season, you can marinate fish, shellfish or meat for literally a few minutes and they chargrill up a treat.<br /><br />For lunch I quickly tossed some black mustard seed into a hot pan with some olive oil, added some fresh tiger prawns and kitchen king masala when the seeds started to pop, then threw in some quartered cherry tomatoes in there when the prawns were cooked. I served it all up with some fusilli pasta instead of rice, but if I'd had some naan bread nearby that would have been perfect too. It was ready in less than three minutes. Divine.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-46953456964233539272010-07-25T18:19:00.001+10:002010-07-25T18:20:54.531+10:00chorizo and tomato saladServes four as a light meal, or six as a meal accompaniment<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br /><br />1 raw chorizo sausage (approx. 225g), roughly sliced<br />Olive oil<br />3 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped<br />3 handfuls (270g) of cherry tomatoes, quartered<br />3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced<br />Sea salt and black pepper<br />Sherry vinegar<br />Small bunch of parsley, basil or mint leaves, finely chopped<br />2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced<br /><br />Bread to serve<br /><br />Optional: goat’s cheese or manchego cheese and pata negra or parma ham<br /><br /><strong>Method</strong><br /><br />Fry the sliced chorizo in a pan over a medium heat with a lug of olive oil. Stir it with a wooden spoon occasionally while you prepare your tomatoes and spring onions. Put them in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper, a lug of olive oil and a splash of sherry vinegar. Sprinkle over the chopped leaves, toss everything together, then set aside.<br /><br />By now your chorizo should be getting crispy. Add the sliced garlic to the pan and keep it moving around. Before the garlic starts to burn take the pan off the heat and pour in a small splash of sherry vinegar. Stir, then spoon the chorizo and some of the flavoured oil over the salad.<br /><br />Toss the salad and serve immediately with bread, cheese and ham on the side.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-38193859809246882522010-07-25T17:01:00.002+10:002010-07-25T17:05:16.185+10:00Mairead's seafood chowder<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhRiepuL4LOTZ8kvP2c5S4Jhg01c8NPBXorGiAuZG8fOVY-xAqaPh3yjus_1Y0hjGBO0192gk7e7a3eWI19XXuU51vhyKXIsjNs4mEdRPXhyivUBFXSqSZswf4hWQCm6CxzDu/s1600/Mairead's+Chowder.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497735658421831346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhRiepuL4LOTZ8kvP2c5S4Jhg01c8NPBXorGiAuZG8fOVY-xAqaPh3yjus_1Y0hjGBO0192gk7e7a3eWI19XXuU51vhyKXIsjNs4mEdRPXhyivUBFXSqSZswf4hWQCm6CxzDu/s400/Mairead's+Chowder.JPG" /></a> <div></div><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br /><br />500g marinara mix, or make your own mixture of prawns, scallops, mussels, calamari and anything else you wish<br />250g white or smoked fish<br />750ml of fish stock (preferably fresh)<br />250ml of skimmed milk<br />1 tbsp olive oil<br />4 medium potatoes<br />1 small onion<br />1 stick of celery<br />1 carrot<br />2 cloves garlic finely chopped<br />½ teaspoon turmeric (if desired)<br />Fresh parsley finely chopped<br /><br />Method<br />Finely chop all the vegetables except the potatoes and fry in the olive oil until well softened. Stir in the turmeric.<br />Meanwhile chop the potatoes into very small chunks (peel beforehand if you wish).<br />Add the fish stock and the potatoes, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are well cooked.<br />Chop all of the seafood into very small pieces (however small you think you want them, chop them a bit more).<br />Add the skimmed milk, and immediately add the seafood into the pot. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.<br />Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with proper Irish brown or soda bread, or if not available a decent pasta dura bread will do.<br /><br />Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-83173212355760839522010-07-24T22:35:00.004+10:002010-07-24T23:17:52.681+10:00chowders I have known<div><div>A week in Connemara. A week of fresh seafood, especially seafood chowder. You may think that New England has the market cornered in good chowder, but you'd be wrong. The west of Ireland has it all sewn up.</div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>We were miles from the famed Moran's of the Weir in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Clarenbridge</span>, or Monks of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ballyvaughan</span>, but the bars and restaurants of the west coast of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Galway</span> held their own admirably. Our first foray was up in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Verdon's</span> of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Letterfrack</span>, after a morning's scuba diving which had us weirdly craving chowder and chips. We sat outside in the summer sunshine, savouring what was the closest thing to a Manhattan chowder we had all week. Tomato-based instead of creamy, our bowls were full of chopped local mussels and generously sprinkled with fresh parsley. The crown bread was fresh and the chips were fresh, not frozen. The brown bread was shop-bought but on the positive side it was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">McCambridge's</span>. An excellent start.</div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>On the same day, another group of us lunched at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ballynahinch</span> Castle near <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Clifden</span>. There, the chowder was more of a bisque, a smooth soup with no lumps in, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">just</span> a handful of fresh mussels in the half-shell. Those who experienced this one had not discovered the joys of dunking freshly-fried chips into a good chowder, so we cannot record here how good <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ballynahinch's</span> french fries are.</div><div></div><div> </div><div>A cold, blustery day saw us take refuge in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Glynsk</span> House for a late lunch. There, the bar menu served up a lovely creamy chowder, with plenty of celery, carrot and tomato, and with more than a hint of turmeric in there, and perhaps the tiniest pinch of curry powder. The use of dill instead of parsley was interesting and fresh. Sadly, Mum (a legendary chips expert) <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">announced</span> that the chips, whilst piping hot, were made from frozen. Marks lost. However the brown bread was served as big fresh scones, obviously home-made. Marks gained.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497457422080280754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKM9KIsHEYs_MvhiwpILLIs8mYlfzD8gArORpDbaRtSdFj1zXj2043cA7iWQJvWIPVkAyMMXjVbOqo64SP0AbGlp8bbHL-9LVafcJFGudEtZ6ZgXiQRVN1ZEBZVSE1HZsrHNd/s400/Glynsk+chowder.jpg" /><br /><br /><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Glynsk</span> House's sister establishment is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cashel</span> House, a couple of doors away from our holiday home. Our last dinner of the holiday started - of course - with chowder, but despite being a related restaurant it was quite a different bowlful. No turmeric or dill this time, plenty of vegetables, and both white fish and salmon along with mussels. Chips were good and fresh, but no brown bread, just a white dinner roll. </div><div> </div></div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497457420846511922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2Ot0Sz2qmR8lxnXeTLyN7jJ_A7_OJVTu2_oOffYw7Z4UOPgojKReNO7VM5viQiIXif0sPnlZx9A6KKSvV2xWLv2NonnbGxnCqLE9QeZehRCWri16gMWjbOScYl5vP543rrDF/s400/Cashel+House+chowder.JPG" /><br /><br /><div></div><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tigh</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chathain</span> in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cill</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chiarain</span> served us up a fish chowder - not a mussel in sight. Creamy white and laden with white fish, smoked fish and salmon, it was accompanied by generous <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">basketfuls</span> of fresh pasta <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">dura</span> and white soda bread. Chips excellent, fresh and chunky. And all washed down with an entertaining and informative chat with the barman about the day <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> Valera unveiled the sculpture of Padraig O <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Conaire</span> in Eyre Square in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Galway</span>.</div><br /><div></div><div>So, finally we come to our final chowder, in the Galleon Grill in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salthill</span> on our way home. This one was almost white it was so creamy, but it didn't tasty as rich and creamy as expected. Mostly white fish and salmon, with the odd shrimp and scallop. It could have done with a little more salt but that's not a complaint, as often soups and chowders can be overly salty. Fresh brown bread scones and proper fresh chips. Marvellous.</div><br /><div></div><div>All of which prompted me to try my own very first chowder today, just to help me re-integrate into Australian society. A decent potato soup made with fish stock, plenty of shrimp, chopped calamari, mussels, white fish and smoked cod. I did a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Glynsk</span> House on it and chucked some turmeric in there too, with plenty of chopped parsley. I simmered the pot for a couple of hours and baked some of my own Irish brown bread scones, and if I say so myself it was a bit of a triumph.</div><div> </div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497460584918922594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6DsrOoju0pePMkuCJq-TaKNX89Jlxt30jlPB3YqrDsnqNWyZkl24hgBi09jsjGmUiFD9lgZfDpaHflGsIVeYhHotDsXFHVoWmjl2J-ay-YAHugci0Sv3aW_iNesgmOktH0S0/s400/DSC07588.JPG" /></div>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-45063709113372230302010-06-20T19:30:00.005+10:002011-01-28T11:57:13.800+11:00chez olivier121 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Greville</span> Street, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Prahran</span><br /><a href="http://www.chezolivier.com/">www.chezolivier.com</a><br /><br />Winter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Solstice</span> is upon us again. Well: officially tomorrow is the shortest day, but my trip to Sydney tomorrow put the kibosh on our usual 21st June celebration of winter. So a Solstice Eve Sunday luncheon was in order.<br /><br />Eileen suggested <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chez</span> Olivier in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Prahran</span>, a tiny slice of France in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Greville</span> Street surrounded by chi-chi boutiques and jewellery shops. We found <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mena</span> sipping a Baileys at a window seat by the bar, surrounded by pastis bottles, fifties French posters, urns full of wine corks, and French waiters wearing black waistcoats with the tricolour on their breasts.<br /><br />We gathered at an upstairs table, by a huge picture window - great for natural light. We had the whole floor to ourselves. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mena</span>, in her element, ordered escargots for a starter. Each snail came served in a tiny steel jug, drowning in butter and laced with garlic. My warm goat's cheese salad had a centrepiece of crusty bread smothered in beautiful <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">chevre</span>. Onion soup, a seafood <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">millefeuille</span>, seafood bisque and a caramelised onion, anchovy and olive tart completed the traditional French fare for first course, all washed down with a good <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">pinot</span> chosen by Kelvin (of course).<br /><br />After a decent interval, the mains arrived, all accompanied by a 2006 bottle of Sanguine Estate's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Heathcote</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">shiraz</span>. Duck ruled, with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mena</span> choosing the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">magret</span> of the day served on creamy mash and wilted greens, Robyn choosing the "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Frozzie</span> duck", double-roasted and served with lemon and pepper mash, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">bok</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">choi</span> and pickled ginger, and a few more opting for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">cassoulet</span> a la "Jacky", with duck <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">confit</span> and pulses.<br /><br />My bouillabaisse was full of fresh salmon, prawns, mussels and scallops, but could have been a lot more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">tomatoey</span> and a lot more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">garlickey</span>. Orlando's baked salmon was served with creamy mash, and looked good but Orlando thought it ordinary. A second bottle of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Heathcote</span> was ordered, but like a lot of the wine list they were out of stock so we upgraded to a 2006 Sanguine Estate d"Orsa <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">shiraz</span> which did very nicely.<br /><br />Desserts looked and tasted good for the most part. The mousse <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">au</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">chocolat</span> (Orlando's choice, naturally) was a huge helping served with fresh strawberries. A few chose the "self-saucing, self-indulging <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">chocolate</span> fondant" which lived up to its legend. My <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">tarte</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">tatin</span> was a little disappointing: none of the bite of a good cooking apple in there. And <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mena</span> completed her classic French lunch with crepes <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Suzette</span> complete with flaming Grand <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">Marnier</span>, which she pronounced divine.<br /><br />Interestingly, from Sunday to Thursday the restaurant charges $11 a head for whatever wine you have chosen, so despite the wine list suggesting a total bill of about $200 for the wine alone, that is all we were charged - $11 a head. This certainly made up for the limited availability of some wines on the list. Total bill for seven came to $598, which was about $85 a head.<br /><br />By then, we were alone in the restaurant, the wait staff had mostly gone home and those remaining were preparing for the evening's sitting. The light was fading as we wrapped ourselves in coats and scarves against the chilly evening air. Quite a civilised solstice lunch to mark the passage of time in winter. Tomorrow, the days will get longer by a cock's stride, and we can look forward to spring.<br /><br />As for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chez</span> Olivier, despite one or two pedestrian meals, our overall experience was lovely, and fantastic value too. I can imagine this will become a favourite winter haunt.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/760447/restaurant/Victoria/Chez-Olivier-Le-Bistro-Prahran"><img alt="Chez Olivier - Le Bistro on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/760447/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32925702.post-24178374361406303882010-06-20T19:17:00.002+10:002010-06-20T19:30:25.244+10:00Blu Ginger Canberra5 Genge Street<br />Canberra<br /><a href="http://www.bluginger.com.au/">http://www.bluginger.com.au/</a><br /><br />A farewell dinner with the lovely Shanna before her Grand Tour of Europe, meant no Italian or French food for us. On a chilly Canberra night, we settled into Blu Ginger with a couple of glasses of bubbly, and toasted our friendship and the joys of travel.<br /><br />The staff at this modern city centre restaurant were lovely: friendly bit not overly so, professional but warm. Our Blu Ginger platter of chicken tikka, tandoori prawns and steamed fish wrapped in a banana leaf was a good way to start. Our mains were well chosen. The delightfully-named aloo mattar tamatar (peas, potatoes and tomatoes) was a perfect foil to our lamb vindaloo, which was spicy but not too hot. The plain naan we shared was cooked perfectly.<br /><br />The kitchen is visible from the restaurant through a large window, where you can see the chefs hard at work in a spotless space. Even mid-week, this space was buzzing with both businessmen and groups of friends.<br /><br />There are not many places would entice me to dine in Canberra's CBD, but I'll definitely be back to Blu Ginger.Maireadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06684998867186171471noreply@blogger.com0