EatThis

Ode to my sister's jelly slice

2011-11-21T18:45:00.000+11:00

Mmmmmmmmmmm

Its afternoon tea on the farm - my sister's dairy farm that is. And in true CWA (Country Women's Association) style the glistening jelly slice has just be removed from its tin and awaits slicing into delicious morsels to accompany our tea - with fresh un-pasteurised milk provided by the girls! I'm sure this one would win a blue sash first price at any rural show but it's just for us and the farmer (my brother in law).

Now I have to say that unlike my mother, and her mother before her (that would be my grandmother and kitchen mentor), my sister has a much more diverse culinary heritage. With a apprenticeship at a city boutique hotel, a stint working from the reknown Walter Bourke, cooking for a major catering outfit, producing gourmet take home diners and hand making chocolates for one of the first Chocolatiers in Melbourne, this is no average farmers wife.

And there in lies one of the fabulous capacities of a cooks life, it takes one on so many journeys and yet sometimes seems to take us right back to where it all started. As my sister and I discuss the tricks of jams, relishes, scones and sponges it is a reminder of a rural childhood cooking with Grandma on the wood burning Aga stove. Not so dissimilar to talking to fellow cooks Greg Malouf about his Middle Eastern heritage or George Calombaris about growing up in a Greek Cypriot household.

Cheers, Salute, Kanbei, Prost, Campai, Bottoms up or Chin Chin

2011-11-20T18:37:00.000+11:00

In whichever language you choose I'll drink to a table or barstool at Chin Chin. Fresh and vibrant dishes with staff to match!!! (More about the cheeky 'as long as you're happy' barman later). Nestled against the wall at the back of the bar watching the world go by, tonight was when dining solo had an advantage. The snaking queue heading down Flinders Lane was being informed that it was a 1 to 2 hour wait for a table, depending on how many friends you were dining with, but for me on my own it was straight in. Occasionally I rather enjoy 'a table for one' and with the trend towards bar dining it seldom ends up a lonely experience.

The major disadvantage kicks in when having to choose just a dish or two with a menu focused on sharing. However not only did I thoroughly enjoy my silken tofu and banana blossom salad and pork "roll ups" I visually devoured the Massaman curry, salt and pepper squid, crispy chicken wings and pat Thai of my bar dining 'neighbours'. Luckily they were sociable so my culinary surveillance didn't get creepy - and a happy 9th anniversary to the 'floral bouquet' couple.

Now dessert is not normally a big priority but sometimes I can be tempted and my lone dining status was receiving ample enticement. Plenty of banter with the barman/waiter about our respective travels in India combined with a little up-selling. So Layered jellies of coconut milk and passion fruit with slow poached pineapple it was and a good excuse to have a sticky, a rather delightful Frogmore Creek Iced Riesling (and an interesting lesson on the origins of Iced Riesling from my friendly compatriot). Definitely worth it the wine, the chitchat and the oh so creamy and refreshing coconut jelly. Yum

There seems to be a few complaints about the queuing. Well really....... the restaurant game is a tough gig and if it takes a no booking policy and table turn over to make it viable then so be it. The reliance on degustation/set menus or minimum spend or booking months in advance to allow the dining public the quality we seek seems fair. We are so lucky in Melbourne to have so many dining experiences to choose from - so if queuing isn't to your liking dine elsewhere I reckon.

There's cake and then there's.....

2011-11-18T20:34:00.001+11:00

Macarons! The affair with cupcakes has waned and one can feel the love - of macarons - in the streets of Melbourne. In amongst busy Hardware Lane, overflowing with eateries, is a whole shop dedicated to just this one French pastry. There is a chic austerity upon entering the pastel palace that is home to arguably some of the city's best - La Belle Miette. The uninitiated peer through the pristine shop window and the first time visitor battles to decide between the Salty Caramel, vibrant Raspberry and the decadent ‘Bastille’ (Moet et Chandon and Blackcurrant) or other 10 or so flavours. Patiently waiting in the queue is the addicted anticipating their next fix.

Customers are rewarded with beautifully boxed crunchy intense sweet chewiness no matter what their flavour preferenceand in just the right portion to avoid feelings of guilt. Unless of course one attempts to try too many flavours or the entire selection! I'm glad my addiction to food is broad so I can enjoy just one - the 'Bastille’ – and I don't feel compelled to travel around Melbourne tasting each and every flavours on offer. Although LuxBite is on my list next time I'm on that side of town and the Kaffir Lime is inviting - uh oh.....

Hopetoun Tea Rooms

And just in case your sugary fetish is not appeased by the simplicity of La Belle Miette then perhaps you'd better head off to another of Melbourne's emporiums of sweetness, The Hopetoun Tea Rooms, where the variety on display looks more like the Myer Christmas windows.

a glimpse of Loam

2011-10-12T22:42:00.002+11:00

Well the first trimester of my Grad Cert in Human Nutrition is complete and the final essay is in the process of being graded. That leaves me with some extra time to indulge in blogging and there are plenty of photo's attesting to my non academic pursuits stored on the camera just waiting to have their stories told. The first a 'field trip' for the culinary obsessed to the Bellarine Peninsula. The day included:

A visit to Sea Bounty Mussels - a family owned business where Lance shared his wealth of knowledge about a life time of commercial fishing in Victoria. Scallops being his first mollusc followed now by the local blue Mussels of Port Phillip Bay. Now that I know spawning around this time of the year decreases the size of the meat I'll wait to Novemberish for my next mussel cook-up. Even the child one is looking forward to a bowl of plump mussels in a garlic infused broth.

Next was feeding and nattering with Corrine and the goats at Drysdale Goats Cheese; the fresh curd cheeses a revelation- but then fresh is .... And there were plenty of nettles in the paddocks for an eager goat or chef.

By then it was time for a spot of
lunch; which was a sneak peak at Loam. The Loam philosophy to forage, fish and hunt, especially locally, was truly reflected in the mini menu we experienced; savoury morsels thoughtfully structured into refined dishes. I look forward to a future degustation dinner.

Beautiful food was the order of the day although there were rumblings of 'lots of protein' (meaning of the animal kind). Perhaps a fruit producer needed to be included to round out the trip although it was bit early in the year for the blueberry farm we drove past. Nonetheless I feel spending time at the source is valuable for young and 'old' cooks alike.

Lets eat cake

2011-10-11T21:34:00.003+11:00

Strolling along Ackland Street St Kilda, post jazz concert at the nearby Palais, on a chilly Melbourne evening warrants a coffee/hot chocolate and cake. And the institution for cake in this neck of the woods is Monarch Cakes. There are plenty of choices but three stand-out must haves if one is aiming for the items of folklore, they are:

Chocolate Kooglhoupf
Polish cheesecake
Plum cake

Despite the fabulous descriptor provided by the staff for the cheesecake I like a bit of fruit in my cake and for my partner chocolate beats cheese. 'We bake the same way our grandmothers did, using the ingredients in their most natural form. Our cakes are made with the highest grade butter and sugar and we never use substitutes or premixes' reads the speal on the website. As long as the grandmothers used canned plums! That would be one of the major differences between the baking of my grandmother and my mother - grandma never used canned foods. Although on the whole both choices were rich, moist and dense as one would expect of a European cake. So with chills warmed and emotions feed it was time to head back east to the burbs. http://www.monarchcakes.com.au/

What's in season....

2011-10-08T00:08:00.003+11:00

Having just driven through the asparagus growing heart of Victoria, on the way to visit family, I've been looking forward to dishes featuring the first of the fresh Koo-wee-rup spears. And recently I heard Matt Wilkinson (co owner of Pope Joan) talking about the virtues of offering seasonal produce so it was wonderful to see his menu reflecting Spring and of course asparagus when I dined there this week. Eggs and asparagus are such a great combination, so an asparagus omelette was tempting (and I did prong a little of my partners). But another dish took my fancy - smoked tongue with celeriac (also in season) remoulade and crispy toasts and I was not disappointed.

The tongue was lightly smoked but oh so tender and juicy and the remoulade just as I like - julienne of celeriac fine but not grated and enough but not too much creamy mayonnaise, finished with picked chervil and very crisp toasts, excellent. I probably should mention the sauce gribiche on the side as it was tasty but I've been trying to ignore it simply because I don't think the dish needed it (a little more salad if anything but no more 'creamy' needed).

And there is more on offer than beautiful seasonl food - affable efficient service staff, interesting decor, clean toilets etc etc. I look forward to my next visit.

And as I like to get 'up close and personal' with my food I stopped for a few little happy snaps for the 'family album' of that luscious asparagus popping up through the rich dark soil. I must try pickling some this year!

Winters End

2011-08-31T16:32:00.002+10:00

The days are warming and blossom is beginning to appear - winter's coming to an end. It's at this time each year I find myself heading to the kitchen to embark on a final ditch of hearty cooking. The last weekend of winter 2011 was spent hunting for beef brisket, boning a lamb shoulder and chopping root vegetables.

I'm not sure whether it's my age or rural upbringing but I was quite surprised at how difficult it was to find the brisket I wanted to make a Matthew Evans recipe for beef and barley soup. I understand why its not popular, being the breast it is rather fatty, but trimmed the meat flakes so wonderfully when it has been slowly cooked for hours. Just perfect in soup.

Giving up on the local butchers Little Creek Cattle Company have an online service with pick up at many farmers markets so that meant I could get the other vegetables and the Swiss brown mushrooms I needed at the same time. Definitely worth the effort of procuring the brisket, the outcome, a rich flavoursome soup/stew with meatiness from the beef, barley and mushrooms.

The lamb shoulder was easier to come by but the butcher was reluctant to believe that I was going to have the ability to bone it successfully even after I explained my professional capacity. His diatribe started with 'chef's these days.....', I admit a shoulder is a little challenging and there are plenty of young cooks who would baulk at the task. However I like to 'keep my hand in' now that I spend more time in a classroom than a kitchen. The resulting diced lamb (and the bones) were then sealed in seasoned flour, added to the softened veg, bathed in dark ale and left to simmer in the oven for the afternoon. A little tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, bay-leaf and s & p making for a sticky dense braise which as you can see was enjoyed with crispy mustard & Gruyere toasts, roasted pumpkin and steamed greens, yum. Good-bye winter and hello spring!

On the food trail

2011-08-05T21:02:00.004+10:00

As a child much of what our family ate came from my father and grandfathers gardens, all manner of freshly harvested seasonal vegetables and fruits. My grandfather was able to butcher sheep so we ate lamb and all its bits. Now and then grandma killed one of the chickens that was not providing us with eggs. Being a 'country lass' we also sourced neighbouring commercially grown crops and local beef. I now realise how fortunate I was growing up with such wonderfully fresh foods. And even more so having survived the growth of canning - most Aussies my age have probably eaten more pickled beetroot from a can than they will ever eat in any other form!

So with the constant hunt for fresh food in mind (as well as always seeking out the diverse), I'd heard Dandenong Market had been re-developed. As I was heading in that direction anyway for one of my regular visits to Roma Deli to stock up on a few Mediterranean staples I thought I'd check it out. Arriving at the market just in time for a snack, there was ample to choose from with an array of cuisines represented in the prepared food section, a little takeaway spinach and cheese gozleme was perfect to tide me over while I poked around.

The Verdict:
A reasonable selection of fruit and veg, baked goods, butchers and deli's with plenty of variety from a broad array of cuisines including Mediterranean, Middle Eastern & Asian. It certainly looks like there's more development still to come, a bit of a construction site here and there. So whilst not in the same league as Queen Victoria Market definitely a solid option for those close by on the hunt for an alternative to buying fresh food from a supermarket and perhaps more improvements to come. And no problems buying fresh beetroot!

http://www.dandenongmarket.com.au/

A week of dislikes!

2011-07-15T17:47:00.002+10:00

I'd like to think of myself as 'broad-palated', willing to have a go atwhatever is offered and I am able to scoff at the ever increasingly utteredphrase 'do you have any special dietary needs?'. (I hope I don't develop anynasty food intolerances/allergies in the future). But recently I seemed to hearmyself saying, 'I don't like that’ far too often. What’s more this occurred inthe workplace where I am frequently striving to encourage students to trysomething new.

It all started with a traditional Indonesian salad. An otherwise excellentGado Gado (well done Vivien), which featured a wonderfully balanced satay sauce,included some fried tempeh. Made from soy beans much like my beloved beancurd,tempeh with its whole bean texture and fermented 'twist' is just plain nasty tomy taste. It didn't make it on to my Love'em or hate 'em list last time probably because it is so far off my radarbut is definitely one more to add. Often described as having an earthy flavour- all well and good if you like to eat dirt! When I heard a Nutritionistsuggesting that she might modify Hestor Blummenthals 'Masterchef' burger with a tempehpattie - really!!!! Good luck with that!

The next in my week of "I don't really like that", was a canapé ona base of pumpernickel, perhaps equally one could describe this too as havingan earthy taste and with the added bonus of a dry cardboardy texture! Perhaps Ijust haven't had good pumpernickel yet. I do like all sorts of fungi andtruffles in case you're going down the anti-earthy road.

And to finish the week a student bought to class some Zongzi he had made forus to share (thanks Roy).Traditional Chinese steamed glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves each with adifferent filling including pork, Chinese dates and red bean paste. And thereit was red bean paste - it's the texture I struggle with when it comes to redbean paste - claggy.

I feel purged now having exposed more of my dislikes. Given the range ofcuisines I indulge in I still think my list of dislikes is minimal and I cancontinue to proudly take my place amongst the food lovers of the world. Besides at times it is the simplist of foods that can provide the greatest of pleasure.

“Plain fresh bread, its crust shatteringly crisp. Sweet cold butter. There is magic in the way they come together in your mouth to make a single perfect bite.
- Ruth Reichl

I confess.....

2011-07-14T00:22:00.001+10:00

I've been reading all the hype about St Katherine's since it finally opened in May and its a very mixed bag of comments. Wanting to to give a new venture, especially such a huge one, a fair go to get up and running I've waited for a bit. But there still seems to be what I see as teething issues and I have to confess (that's a pun!) that I'm in two camps. Yes I'd go back, because I like the fact that it's close by and saves the usual drive to inner city/city establishments to enjoy that cosmopolitan feel and on the whole the food is good. BUT not all the dishes hit the mark and neither does all the service.

Here's a little insight of my experience - After enjoying a range of shared savoury dishes the table was cleared in the most ungainly of manners reminiscent of the local 'ladies' who staff the pub in the small country town of my raising. And all before all of the ordered dishes had been served. When our original waiter invited us to order dessert and coffee we inquired about the quail, which he checked on, came back to ask 'if we were sure we hadn't received it' and then promptly returned with said quail. It was a little dry - perhaps because it had been sitting under lights for awhile and a serve of 'leaves' (salad) never eventuated. The later baklava also a little dry and chewy. St Katherine's labels itself as a blend of Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern so dishes such as Vietnamese style duck spring rolls are a tad surprising on the menu. If you like a little theatre then the food is fun, bread in a bag, mini buggers, KFC, Mr Whippy style ice-cream and all manner of service plates/trays/platters. The hummus is creamy, the pide excellent and coca-cola lamb ribs tasty and moist.

In response to the some of the many criticisms - I don't mind the cutlery in the tin on the table, I might be able to get cheaper pide in Sydney Road but I won't have the diversity of fillings and I too dislike 'I'm too cool for my waiters apron' attitude. So it may well be all about customers preferences although I am curious as to whether anyone thinks aloof service is suitable in a service industry??

One would expect there to be changes over time. Are the 'faults' part of the casual style or will they be remedied or will the customers just accept things as they are? I have many questions. No doubt time will be telling on whether St Katherine's is the success of the groups other ventures.

St Katherine's, 26 Cotham Road, Kew

Bloggers Block!!!!!

2011-07-07T00:01:00.000+10:00

Help me, I have bloggers block! There are 20drafts sitting in my posts awaiting completion and I just keep adding more andposting few. They vary in state of production, some just a title and a fewideas. Others a mere series of pics from the last few dining experiences. And nothat’s not why the last post (Attica) was sominimalist re text – I felt the pictures informed the occasion, leaving me justa few supplementary observations to add. One draft is all but complete just waitingfor the pics then it's ready to go.

A friend suggested that possibly it's just the dreary winter weatherimpacting on my capacity to get things finished. Nah, I love winter, it is my preferredseason. Nothing better than settling in at a cosy eatery or a long afternoon ina steamy kitchen. After all it is the season for slow cooked beef cheeks, rootveg mash and hearty puddings. So it's not the weather.

I mused over what else may be impeding my usual enthusiastic undertaking to uploadyet another of my perhaps self-indulgentviews on subjects pertaining to the culinary world. Maybe I just don’t have sufficientto do right now while I’m on semester break, admittedly the biggest incentive to blogor cook or knit for that matter is usually to facilitate procrastination ofpaid tasks or domestic drudgery that should be winning priority. Well holidayspass quickly and all too soon I shall return to the typical plenitude of responsibilities.In the mean time I'll just bake a batch of Anzac biscuits (take a pic for theblog – lol) have a cup of tea and wait for the bloggers block to pass.....

Attica

2011-06-24T23:35:00.003+10:00

It went like this........

Well done team Attica!

Fabulous food -seasonally focused menu, ingredient integrity, technically masterful, cleverflavour harmonies, textural variety, visually stimulating and just a bitplayful

Excellent service -especially knowledgeable, calmly proficient and unpretentious (I enjoyedswapping stories about aunties and tongue!)

Shinning stars:

'A simple dish of potato cooked in the earth it was grown' - just because I'd heard/read so much about it.
'Raw Chestnuts, salt baked Celeriac, Pyengana' - because WOW and I adore Pyengana cheddar.
'Beef Tongue, Vanilla, Myrtus, Lettuce stems' - mmmmm tongue.

Details @http://www.attica.com.au/
or

Meaty menus

2011-06-19T21:46:00.002+10:00

I've been wading my way through a list of cafes that seems to be everexpanding. My focus is mainly from the brunch perspective - for those thathaven't noticed its definitely a favourite meal period. And along the way I've become increasingly aware of the appearance of twodistinct varieties of menu. One with lots of choices and another that seems tobe a little limited and not always because of the number of dishes. Both stylesusually have a few of the conventional English style breakfast items such aseggs with bacon and sausages together with selections a little less traditional such as beans or mushrooms. But even so, at times I feel it's a battle to choose adish, why I ask?

Now I'm no vegetarian, not even close. But I do like menus that allow me tochoose a dish that has a balance of components and scrambled eggs, even if theyare truffled, served with pork and fennel sausages is a lot of animal! Consequentlyit’s the menus with a little less meat that I find most appealing and seemly Ifind these in business staffed by lots of women. Now I know that physiologicallywe girls require less protein in the diet and meat provides higher percentagesof protein than say cheese or legumes but does it really impact so obviously onthe way the menu is structured??? A question to explore further I think, do women write less meat based menus?

Any way the menu at Milkwood is meaty without all the meat! Even the porkand fennel sausages come braised with heaps of onions, which created a betterbalance. There's also tomato butter beans with feta, lemon thyme mushrooms withricotta, avocado with lemon oil and potato gems just to mention a few of the choices. And the sweet and fruity porridge, muesli and pancakes all sounded good too – ahnext time! (The lunch baguettes and cakes on display looked appealing as well). Besidesthe grand choices I particularly liked the structure of the menu where onecould almost 'build' your own dish. Tasty and generous serves of real food Ifeel. And efficient service to boot.

Milkwood, 120 Nicholson St, Brunswick East.

Fresh is best

2011-06-10T21:56:00.104+10:00

'Unherbed' pho

New to my list of Bridge Road favourites but already well discovered by many of Melbourne's pho lovers is Pho Chu The. I love the simplicity of a Pho Restaurant - Beef Pho or Chicken Pho (pronounced 'fer'). For those in the know, as there is not much of a menu as such, a few extra treats for your pho can also be ordered, like tripe; beef tendon or congealed blood! And for the really hungry or those needing textural contrasts, the other option is to start with a plate of crispy Vietnamese spring rolls - the ones that you wrap in the lettuce with a few herbs and dip into Nước Chấm.

As I was simultaneously inhaling the warm aromatic steam and picking freshherbs into my broth the conversation on the next table, which is never very faraway in such establishments, caught my interest. The mention of ex-studentsoften draws my attention. This conversation is about how ludicrous theadvertisement for a well known supermarket chain by a celebrity chef is. "I only want the freshest and the best", the Chef states. "What chef would want old andthe worst", the young man jeered. It seemed a particularly relevant commentwhen I inspected the supreme freshness of the crisp mung bean sprouts whichwere about to follow the seemingly ‘just-picked’ holy basil into my bowl of fragrantbroth. The essence of Vietnamese cuisine, as it differs fromother Asian cuisines, is in it's defining simplicity and freshness.And certainly when I was shopping for food, cooking and eating in Vietnam, a few years back, thefocus on these elements was paramount and seemingly far removed from the mind set of the 'one-stop' supermarket shop ona weekly/fortnightly basis that has become a common Aussie routine. So I say ditch the 'Big Two', shop local, shop small and shop often.

Pho Chu The Bo Ga
270 Victoria Street, Richmond

Nyonya Kueh

2011-06-02T23:18:00.000+10:00

I tried so valiantly to eat my way through the cuisine of Malaysia during my recent trip yet since returning I have discovered I didn't even scratch the surface. And it seems I did a pretty average job at 'Nonya' style dishes in particular, perhaps in part because we didn't get to Melaka in the south - next time for sure!

The Otak Otak Prawns or Fish (Nonya fish custard wrapped in banana leaves) at Lims Nonya Hut is missing the banana leaves, difficult to get Lim tells us. The prawns are however tenderly cooked in a creamy custard of deliciously balanced coconut, kaffir lime, chilli, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric and shrimp paste on a base of betel leaves. Wow. As there was just the two of us we limited our ordering to just two dishes, our other choice a vegetable acar (a dish of mixed pickled vegetables and peanuts in spicy and sour sauce) oh and steamed rice. The acar was maybe a little overpowering with the Otak Otak but again great textures and flavour balance. Next time I look forward to trying some old favourites like laksa and char kway teow.

And I couldn't resist ordering a serve of sweet sticky black glutinous rice with coconut milk; Malaysia being one of the few Asian cuisines that really does sweets. I think I became just a little addicted to the slightly gluey pudding like texture of glutinous rice as well as Kuih (Cake) also spelt Kueh. Kuih are bite sized Malaysian snacks made from glutinous rice, tapioca or mung beans and flavoured with coconut, pandan leaves or gula melaka (palm sugar). Lim had just freshly made a few varieties of Kuih so we were treated to a 'small' selection including her Kueh Talam. Consisting of two layers, the top layer is made from coconut milk and rice flour and the bottom layer is made from pandan leaf extract, mung bean and rice flour. As you can imagine after already indulging in dessert, and not a light one at that, this last offering was just a bit much and we waddled out like oompa loompas, but thanks Lim great Nonya flavours.

Lims Nyonya Hut, 240 Blackburn Road Glen Waverley

Food for the sick

2011-05-29T16:32:00.001+10:00

As the cooler months set in so too does the prevalence of illness. A few weeks ago the man was feeling 'poorly' and whilst I'd prefer to have been out and about rather than listening to him hacking away I do find providing comfort food comforting. Though I have to admit this task is a little fraught in our household as our cultural differences mean definitions of 'comfort food' vary.

During our recent visit travels I discovered that 'lightly' spiced soggy lentils is what northern Indians turn to when they are feeling a little 'delicate'. I love the fact that no dish, not even that for the ill, comes with out spice. Asking for no chilli just meant dishes had extra pepper or ginger or other 'warming' flavours added! And I soon discovered that Congee (soggy rice porridge) was the Chinese version.

My idea of comfort food is more in line with the classic tradition of Chicken Soup, lovingly referred to as 'Jewish penicillin'. But my preference includes plenty of restorative vegetables not just watery broth. The corn chowder I eventually cooked was well accepted but I've learnt to add that 'little spice', even if its just a side dish of chilli paste.

I hope you stay well this winter! If not rug up and call on foodie friends to supply comfort food, it will be good for their soul, but make sure their idea of comfort is the same as yours!

Where's the chickpea's?

2011-05-22T16:05:00.003+10:00

Its lunch time and a salad with a bit of equilibrium sounds like the go rather than the more substantial chicken focaccia come burger that MDC ("my dining companion") has ordered. But once our plates are sitting in front of us I feel like my choice was just not right, mine seems a little 'light' and those fries on the other plate look tempting. Now that's when I know there's really something wrong - when fries look enticing!!! That's not to say I can't be persuaded to indulge in a bit of fried spud, but not those out-of-a-bag skinny numbers. I'd already been silently dismayed when the customer on the next table ordering a bowl of such for her lunch, its not just the health aspect, its just the lack of culinary balance! That's it balance, there must be something missing! The attraction was the combination of roasted pumpkin, roasted parsnip, rocket and chickpea's topped with saganaki (grilled haloumi). Just a minute where's the chickpea's?

A quiet word with the waiter who suggested a replacement salad, which I didn't think was necessary although I did agreed when offered the missing legumes, and my salad was as it should be. I like the fact that the mistake was dealt with efficiently. Don't forget the chickpea's, I love the nutty creaminess of these little guys. And if anything had to go I'd ditch the parsnip, it was a little on the 'woody' side. The chicken in the focaccia was delightfully smoky which combined well with the turmeric flavoured yoghurt, a nice change from mayo. (The fries where crisp and 'clean' tasting).

... and I'd heard that the Vanilla slices where a hit, so decided to take a couple home to share for supper. I can see why they are popular, more creamy than custardy makes for a decedent texture but I do think the pastry needs to have a little more 'crunch' and I'm a fondant lover so icing sugar just doesn't make the grade not to mention the 'dusting' one gets upon consumption.

Station Street Cafe, 26 Station Street Nunawading

The value of stock - chicken stock that is!

2011-05-15T00:16:00.002+10:00

Some time back I blogged about making risotto and I was given stick about my 'righteous' attitude towards home made stock. I suppose I'd have to concede that the waft of 'poultry essence' infiltrating every nook of ones home for hours on end might be a bit much for those who have an olfactory sensitivity. But today, after making my first batch in ages, it still seems worth it; well chicken stock at least, beef is a little more effort and I'm usually banned from fish stock when the family's about!

Firstly the bones are free at most poultry suppliers if you invest in just one other product, the preparation of the carrots, celery and onions need only be rough and then once the waters added and it comes to the boil it happily simmers away for a few hours. Cheap, easy and ready to be transformed into all manner of tasty delights.

Just over a litre flavoured with some ginger, garlic, soy and chilli became fish ball noodle soup for dinner. 150 mls went into a Neil Perry recipe for braised chicken from the Good Weekender section of the Age newspaper, to be served with soft polenta tomorrow. And lastly there's a two litre bucket to go in the freezer or perhaps make a risotto in the next few days.

I suppose there is also the grisly task of discarding all the 'debris' once the stock has been drained off. Perhaps it's a cook thing, and I know that there are some reasonable commercial products available so one doesn't need to resort to stock 'salt' cubes. I'd still like to believe there are a whole host of 'domestic' stock makers out there enlightened by the magnificence of fresh stock!

So what makes for the 'Breakfast Spot of the Year' status?

2011-04-24T15:39:00.004+10:00

Jackson Dodds was voted The Age Cheap Eats 2011 Breakfast Spot of the Year. No way could this award be about location, situated way our ~~west~~ north at the end of the number 112 tram line in West Preston (and I know that Preston is the new Northcote but this is West Preston which is nearly Reservoir, okay I should stop here as I'm definitely sounding suburbist!). And after my last little rave about poor service (See What's not to like??? post) I certainly wasn't expecting to have my socks knocked off by the service.

So what's on offer? Quirky or a tad eccentric would describe the decor, definitely quirky was our waiter and the menu ... well a mixture of mainstream but also a little unconventional. So was it good? No, it was excellent!!! Jackson Dodds, to borrow a well used phase, is a 'feel good' kind of place. It's open, bright and has a team of youngish men (no girls to be seen the day we were there) who seem to really 'get it'. No pretences, no platitudes just pleasing service and tasty, actually scrumptious food, exactly what I want for breakfast or lunch.

One really doesn't need to be highly trained to run a great cafe that's not to say there's no qual's here I couldn't say and nor does it matter because they're doing it right. However I'm sure success is assisted by what's on offer as well as how it's cooked and served. I'm a firm believer that it is in the construction of a menu that one creates choice not by the sheer number of dishes. This menu has Eggs Benedict for the traditionalists, Bircher Muesli for the naturalists (not the nudy type!), Pea & Haloumi Fritters for those looking for something a bit different, 'sandwiches' with grunt and excellent coffee/tea - all on a menu that is compact on today's standards. As well as the quality ingredients like free range eggs, bread with body and good house made (or at least superior) relishes and jams as many of us have come to expect. Another plus is the range of dishes that have all the nutrients represented in reasonable ratios - so often I find myself searching for an appealing sounding breakfast dish that is not all protein/fat! Well done Jackson Dodds, I'm looking forward to a return visit to try the ricotta pancakes with REAL Canadian maple syrup or the Dukkah eggs or maybe the Kedgeree and the plum and star anise jam sounds interesting.

I have to say this visit was on a weekday and I've heard it can be somewhat busy on the weekends, hope that doesn't affect the standard as it was such a delightful change from my recent experiences.

Jackson Dodds, 611 Gilbert Road West Preston

What's not to like???

2011-04-23T14:09:00.001+10:00

I've now completed the Jason Jones trifecta having dined at Porgie and Mr Jones, Snow Pony and now Friends of Mine. And there is indeed lots to like at each of these establishments, top of the list is the quality produce featured on the menus. It is in this selection of ingredients that these business's stand out from many others. A simple salad at lunch time will always be better if the 'greens' are selected to match the flavours of the dish, peppery rocket with cheese, sweet butter lettuce with delicate seafood, tatsoi with pungent Asian dressings etc. And no matter how talented one is at poaching, frying or scrambling the eggs they have to be good eggs! My Salad of Robs smoked eel, grannies pearls (tiny balls of granny smith apple), watercress, hazelnut, gypsy pear cider dressing was an excellent example of well chosen ingredients combined with well executed culinary skills. As were the other dishes shared by our table.

I've enjoyed an array of dishes from these enterprises including some of the favourites, each displaying solid skills and well balanced flavours. The toasted banana bread with maple syrup, mascarpone and berry compote is delicious, Tom Coopers smoked salmon, corn pikelet, avocado, herbed creme fraiche & poached egg is an institution and the Smashed avocado with thyme buttered mushrooms & marinated feta a hit.

And I particularly love the quaint nuances each offers like the hand felted, heart inlayed bill wallets, menu descriptions like' grannies pearls, and the reserved signs made up of scrabble pieces at Friends of Mine.

But I have to say there is one feature that this trio also share that I don't like and that's an inconsistency in the quality of the service. There is always elements of hospitality know-how on display and many of the staff are both efficient and 'hospitable', unfortunately delightful dining experiences are often marred by poor or inappropriate skills of one of the front of house members. At my most recent lunch the majority of the service was casual yet professional however my salad arrived in 'champion Frisbee thrower style' - I swear the server was already on her way back to the kitchen before the plate came to rest! Perhaps it's my industry experience working at the more formal end of dining or maybe I'm just turning into a cranky old ... but poor service has become an all too oft conversation topic amongst my dining compatriots and we don't appear to be alone in this gripe if the number of comments on the net are testimonial. Is it ineffective hiring, limited pool to select from, poor training or merely a reflection of more modern ways of interacting; perhaps it's much more complex Sociologists may describe this behaviour as emotional dissonance. I'm curious...

Friends of mine - 506 Swan St, Richmond

Marvellous Melbourne

2011-04-20T23:34:00.000+10:00

In the last few days I have been enjoying Melbourne in Autumn, crisp mornings, streets layered with falling leaves and searching the neighbourhood for neglected quince trees - it's amazing how many fruit trees adorn backyards laden with bountiful crops which go unharvested. Autumn in this fair city is also rich in non-organic events - cultural festivals abound. So in just a few short days I have been soaking up the atmosphere (and a glass or two of Tempranillo) at 'La Mirada' Spanish film festival, belly laughing at Comedy festival gigs and concerting to the earthy blues vocals and guitar brilliance of visiting Ruthie Foster and Eric Bibb.

But after all that wonderful entertainment one gets a little peckish and there's always sustenance to consider. Between comedy festival shows we have a very quick but tasty Gorgonzola gnocchi at Rosati. But there's no problem finding somewhere open for satisfying food after all this 'culture', even at 11pm, even on a Monday night and even in suburban Box Hill. On offer at Oriental Inn (open until 2am) is simple yet delicious Cantonese fare with the added bonus of an array of wonderful roasted meats. Our usual is a bowl of steamed rice with some crispy salted roasted pork or roasted duck or soy chicken or a mixed platter and some garlicky vegetables most often Chinese broccoli but this time we had the snow pea shoots which were excellent.

Oriental Inn, 29 Carrington Rd Box Hill

And as for those quinces I had to travel a little further a field but now have some jars of luscious Quince Jelly for my morning toast (courtesy of my sister) and a few left over for another of Greg Maloufs recipes - Slow cooked lamb and quinces but that's tomorrow so that's another food story!

Love and dedication

2011-04-09T14:49:00.001+10:00

Its 6pm on a Friday night, no plans for dinner, no cash for home delivery and the troops are beginning to 'hang around' which means its not long before the age old question "what's for dinner?'. Cheese Toasties are looking likely but I scan the book on top of the inspiration pile, Greg Malouf's Saraban, in case I find something that contains ingredients I already have.

Yes I have artichokes (hearts in a can), pumpkin, waxy potatoes, carrots, shallots, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, dried mint, olive oil, sea salt, saffron threads, lemon, tarragon leaves, broad beans (well not quite but canned legumes should work) and peas, no turnips or fresh green beans but 16 out of 18's not bad. And my clever partner suggests we get some flat bread from the Afghani restaurant just up the road and yes I have $2.00 for that.

An hour later, its only after we've enjoyed a beautiful Persian vegetable Khoresht (stew) with some Afghani flat bread straight out of the tandoor that I think 'wonderful food takes so much dedication' especially if ones culinary preferences are as broad as mine. And its not all about the kitchen skills.

It's pretty straight forward in the pantry of most homes I visit but mine is chokka block full of the components needed to make dishes from the cuisines of Turkey, China, Italy, France, Lebanon, India, Malaysia, Japan etc etc ....... And then there's the cookbooks, my bookshelves are bowing from the sheer weight and the cost of all that gastronomic beauty! Although I have to say I am a little more savy these days, restricting my purchases to tomes that are actually going to get used. I supplement these treasures by borrowing from the local library (our library has a great online facility for 'suggesting' new purchases) and of course 'the net'. And there's the time needed to explore our town so I know there's a little gem of an Afghani restaurant 'just up the road' for freshly baked flat bread or a kebab when desired, how far I have to travel to get good saffron or which fruit and veg shop has artichokes when they are in season. No wonder I get labelled as food obsessed! I'm not really!!! Well maybe just a little, it was the impetuous for the last overseas trip and the last road trip to Adelaide and I'm sure it's were most of my money goes. Okay I could admit I have a food obsession but I prefer to believe its love and dedication! Come dine with me, let's dine, let's dine away - or was that fly that Frank Sinatra was singing?!*/!!

A tourist in my own town.

2011-04-03T21:36:00.001+10:00

I often find upon returning from a holiday I am reminded of how much Melbourne has to offer and I am inspired to play 'holiday at home'. Miss Marples teahouse in Sassafrass is a example of one of the many 'institutions' that tourists and Melbournians alike visit in hoards. So on a coolish autumn day we set out for a 'drive in the hills' complete with wandering in the fresh air, visiting little what-not shops and afternoon tea at Miss Marples.

Honest fare at reasonable prices but that's about it and I make better scones - not something that comes from my chef pedigree but more to do with growing up in the country and narrowly escaping from taking my place as 3rd generation CWA constituent. I'd have to say the raspberry jam was very tasty, a little thin in consistency but only if I was being really picky. So for this food lover I can tick the box, I've now been and don't need to go back. Finding a CWA afternoon tea is probably a better bet for good scones (or there's my recipe - Nov 2009) and my favourite tea regularly arrives neatly wrapped via Australia Post from The Tea Centre. My everyday cup is the flavoured black tea called Monk and for a treat Darjeeling Goomtee FTGFOP (a first flush tea). I've tried all the speciality tea shops in Melbourne but keep heading back to: https://www.theteacentre.com.au/

But all was not lost as it's never far in Melbourne to a good food experience and just a few doors up from Miss Marples I discovered a lovely shop full of epicurean delights. It was obviously the owners held the belief that food is for sharing as everything in this delicious little shop is available for tasting not just the obligatory three or four items on the display table, although there was one of those as well. And yes even those illusive sealed jars of preserves with brands like Cunliffe and Waters. And no shortage of tasting sticks. I was also 'just a little' excited to find Willabrand chocolate enrobed figs on their shelves - something a hadn't seen since I was last at the Adelaide Showgrounds farmers market. It wasn't long before we were indeed chatting away to one of the owners (Leenah) about her food philosophies as she shared some thoughtful food combinations with us, including the sticky pear and saffron syrup on Serendipity vanilla bean icecream! What scones!!!!!! We might try a Cream at Sassafras picnic next time. http://www.creamatsassafras.com.au/

Cream at Sassafras

Shop 3, 372 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Sassafras

Miss Marples

382 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Sassafras

Char kway teow

2011-03-31T22:31:00.001+11:00

Char Kway Teow is one of the quickest and seemingly simplest dishes obtained from the hawker markets in the streets of Malaysia, translated it means fried flat rice noodles.

The Penang Food Trail, a very handy brochure for eating in Penang, says the, "perfect Fried Koay Teow should neither be not to wet or too dry". Yet for me it is not the noodles that are the highlight of this dish for the noodles are like the canvas where one creates the artwork and this dish is 'built' like a good piece of art, each colour (insert flavour as well) layered on the previous one to create depth and character. What I think makes this deceptively simple dish so fantastic are its contrasts, the soft malleable rice noodles and crispy beanshoots; sweet prawns, salty soy and sharp chilli. And then there's all the little treats one finds like the pieces of fried egg, cockles & Chinese sausage (lupchong) or batons of lard adding complexity. And what I love most about a 'good one' is the smokiness achieved by tossing in a scorching hot wok.

For those of us that didn't grow up with this wonderful dish in our culinary repertoire of 'comforts', Wikipedia nicely details the history of the variants in these ingredients, such as the inclusion of cockles in seaside area's or the omitting of lard for 'health' reasons, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_kway_teow . Oh boy just thinking about it has me yearning for a plate.

chillipadi mamk kopitiam's Char Kway Teow

So what does one do upon arriving back home with a hankering for Malaysian style Char Kway Teow? Go looking for the closest version one can find in Melbourne of course! So normally I would head somewhere close by for a 'quicky' like Straits Cafe or Rasa Malaya, both in Doncaster. But knowing it can be worth trying something new a little search suggested that chillipadi mamak kopitiam might be the go. They claim to prepare 'authentic' Malaysia cuisine and indeed I found their rendition of Char Kway Teow to be smoky and flavoursome with noodles which were neither 'too wet nor too dry', plenty of little morsels, crispy bean shoots and juicy sweet prawns! Not bad at all. There were a few other 'classics' that I look forward to trying next time: Laksa, Nasi Lemak.........

chillipadi mamak kopitiam
295 Racecourse Road Kensington

The last bite!

2011-03-30T10:41:00.001+11:00

I left the last of the jack fruit in the mini bar fridge and its calling me!

I forget how sweet and juicy the fruits are in Asia until I'm back there again - just off the plane, standing on the street no more than a few steps from the hotel door, holding a plastic bag of freshly cut fruit, skewer in hand and with juice dripping down my chin! Now that's a little slice of foodie heaven.

Depending on what's in season, and sometimes that takes a day or two to establish, a daily 'bag' of fruit is usually my first purchase in the morning. I know we now have fruit carts in the Melbourne CBD but the crowd gathered around the fruit vendors in Penang had a whole social scene going on and sometimes serving a cultural interloper like me was not high on the agenda, besides we never know how to 'do it' (eat fruit without it dripping down the chin!) properly anyway. But despite not being able to contribute to the gossip of the day I always join in.

So jackfruit is not exactly juicy, in fact textually its a bit rubbery but the pineapplie bananarie flavour is yum. And the bananas are always better. And then there are guava's, mangosteens, rambutans......

I must still have 'holiday brain' because the other day when I was buying some Asian goods I spotted some Jackfruit in the freezer and added it to my basket - no no no its not the same as fresh. Melbourne is indeed an incredible food city but there's a good reason I munch my way around the globe whenever I can! (and of course I gleam a bit of history and expand my cultural understanding in the process.)

Eat this - seasonally speaking

2011-03-24T18:20:00.000+11:00

I'm all out of whack when it comes to seasons, something that is usually easy for a culinary inclined Melbournite. In the last two months I have travelled from Melbourne's pathetic attempt at summer to the arid desert of Rajasthan, to the damp and chilly foothills of the Himalayas in India, and then to Malaysia's hot and humid Penang, hotter Langkawi and rainy KL with leftovers of monsoon season. Now I'm back and I don't know what to eat! I just know I want to put chilli in and on everything!

Someday's it's warm and I feel like I should be barbecuing something and having it with a salad of the last of the tomatoes and cucumbers that grew all by themselves while we were away. The next day is chilly and I want something wholesome and comforting. And even that I'm having trouble with - fried rice, a family favourite wasn't Aussie enough. 'Too many beanshoots', I'm told and probably a bit much sambal oelek (chilly paste) as well!

Anyway last Friday's special at the restaurant where I was dining was a fettuccine of seasonal slippery jack mushrooms from Macedon, the apple tree has large rosy fruit beckoning, so given a little more time I'm sure my seasonal radar will click in again. And maybe I'm just imaging it anyway as Melbourne is renown for its fluctuating weather.

P.S. I've heard that the weather has impacted on the fig's so I'd better take a drive and check my 'jam' tree.

I love breakfast!

2011-03-19T16:40:00.005+11:00

I religiously start the work day with Sultana Bran and low fat milk - for a person that is so totally unpredictable when it comes to eating this is an anomaly. In our house there is no routine for when or what we eat. Dishes are created from cuisines from around the globe, eating out happens at the drop of a hat and meal times vary enormously. But back to breakfast, taken after 10am if at all possible! The Sultana Bran is the closest I get to incorporating a healthy component to my food regime and its substance helps to keep me going until I get a break at lunch time. On non working days breakfast can be sour-dough with home-made jam, eggs from my sisters rural living chooks, poached seasonal fruit, pancakes..... stop me ... the list is never ending - I love breakfast!

Having just spend weeks not going to work (yay!) and in countries where neither Sultana Bran nor sour dough was an option, I've added a couple more favourites to my breakfast list. Our time in India was in the north so breakfast often consisted of Paratha (stuffed roti) made from wholemeal flour (atta) and filled with my choice of grated or shredded winter vegetables - potatoes, cauliflower, radish, spinach and sometimes paneer - usually some green chilli and spices. At home these were cooked on a tava (concave griddle) with just a little ghee, at the paratha walla in Delhi lots of ghee was used and on the roadside in the tandoor. No two exactly the same but always deliciously earthy and wafting wheaty aroma's even before one bites in to the chewy rounds served with fresh curd and a little pickle.

In Malaysia Nasi Lemak became my Sultana bran - not such a healthy choice though, let me explain, nasi means rice, lemak means fat - FAT RICE, the fat comes from the delicious coconut milk that the rice is soaked in before being steamed with fragrant pandan leaf. Wrapped in a banana leaf, the rice comes with a spicy chilli sambal (a good one really wakes up the taste buds!), a boiled egg, crunchy peanuts, sliced cucumber and fried dried anchovies (ikan bilis), curry is often served with the lunch/dinner version.

Not surprisingly I'm not really looking forward to returning to my sultana bran regime, but then who would after nearly 4 months of fabulous breakfasts! Today we had corn pancakes with crispy bacon and eggs AND chilli sauce!

Breakfast version

Lunch/dinner version

Duck, duck, no goose!

2011-03-15T21:00:00.002+11:00

Look at the juicy duck - yum.

So much has been written about the 'Duck Nazi' of Blackburn (previously Fitzroy) that there's little more to say than just go and enjoy the duck. If you like the pantomime well and good, if not, let the duck reign supreme!

Back in the days of Matt Preston writing for Epicure, before he turned to the dark side - television, he deemed the best roasted duck was to be found at Quanjude's in the city but as I haven't yet made it there and Simon's Peiking Duck restaurant is just down the road from home I'm happy to have my regular duck fix at Simon's (when I'm not eating duck in more exotic locations, such as KL last week!).

One book's by the number of people as per usual but also by the duck! One duck (1 duck = $55.00) between three is about right for most although I know plenty who would argue one duck between two! Besides the duck skin with home made pancakes (12 in the standard package), spring onion, cucumbers and special plum sauce, a second course consists of smoky stir fried bean shoots with duck meat and to finish a duck bone broth with bean curd is served. And I can't tell you about anything else on the menu because I only go for the duck.

A feast for a duck loving family, a shared meal with a host of friends or fun for a couple - enjoy but there's no just rocking up, you'll need to book ahead.

Simon's Peiking Duck Chinese Restaurant

197b Middleborough Rd Box Hill South
(03) 9898 5944

The Jalebi Walla

2011-03-14T17:15:00.002+11:00

Sweets are not really my thing, unforgettable dishes throughout the years include Roquefort and potato mousse, my first piece of wagyu, Chinese roasted duck, fried whiting with tartare ice cream - not a sweetie in sight.

It has to be pretty exceptional to attract me and I've had Jalebi's before. But amongst the throng of humanity that is Old Delhi, sitting cross-legged behind a huge vat of sweltering ghee is a man known as the Jalebi Walla (man). Day long he creates, (I'm going to defer to the words from a gem of a food guide to Delhi) 'crunchy, sweet and juicy food porn at its best. Golden rings of deep fried maida (finely milled wheat flour) batter, soaked in pure sugar syrup, fill the mouth with a warm liquid of such excessive sweetness that modesty blushes in shame'. the delhi walla food + drink by Mayank Austen Soofi.

So sticky, so crispy, so sweet. OMG! What an experience. No wonder there is a little frenzied jostling going on when one approaches as the next batch is scooped from the syrup. In a flash they are all sold, and no doubt consumed, for this is something that definitely needs to be eaten on the spot - no taking these little beauties home and stashing them for latter! Luckily we had already been to the paratha walla around the corner to sample his wares, so limited our Jalebi intake to only one! But then they are the biggest Jalebi's I've seen!

This famous Delhi Jalebi establishment in Chandi Chowk, reportedly founded in 1884, will certainly be on my list of stops next time I visit Delhi.

Fruit and Veg

2011-03-12T18:21:00.002+11:00

After being away for so long its time to restock the fridge but there's no fruit and vegetable stalls at each corner and my preferred farmers market is not for a few weeks! Everything was so fresh in India.

Being a cook I have always loved wandering in food markets and whilst it wasn't listed on any itinerary I managed to articulate my desire to stop whenever I spotted foods 'in the raw' for sale especially en mass. It was a delight to see not just the freshness of daily harvested fruit and vegetables but the care in presenting the produce and this all before one tastes. The flavours of ordinary carrots (not orange but RED and oh so sweet), tomatoes, cauliflower and potatoes in India transported me back to childhood when my grandparents produced most of our vegetables and many of the fruits we ate in their rather large and ever expanding garden. Grandpa's perpetual digging just kept creeping into whatever vacant adjacent land he found! And grandma cooked or preserved whatever was produced. So too in India, vegetables and fruits are preserved, there were plenty of fiery pickles to accompany my morning paratha.

The choices were limited to winter commodities as Indian agricultural processes are predominantly regionally based and heavily influenced by the seasons, in Australia we have so much more variety but at what cost? Large scale commercial production and harvesting days, if not weeks, before we consume fruit and vegetables does not produce these wonderful flavours. Many of the meals we had did not include meat and I must say I did not yearn for it as the diversity and flavours of the plant based dishes served with plenty of pulses was so satisfying - not to mention making up for it with the abundance of seafood in Malaysia just a few weeks later!

No food at the Taj!

2011-03-11T00:48:00.001+11:00

After 6 weeks of travelling India and Malaysia I have just down loaded 1655 photo's! Why so few you might ask..... well my travel companion has more than double that, and has probably managed to capture a little of the essence of these two very different countries whilst I of course have photo's of carrots, cauliflowers, fresh nutmeg and men cooking char kway teow. But just too assure the odd concerned friend that I am not totally food obsessed I have a smattering of other pics supporting the diversity of our travels.

Whilst I'm not about to post me on the back of a camel in the sand dunes in Rajasthan
here is a snippet of something different before I start sharing more of the culinary delights documented by my pics. Since food is banned at the Taj Mahal what else was I going to do!

Indeed the majesty of Taj Mahal demands attention and despite the crowds, the monument and its surrounds evoke a serenity that is more beautiful than any photo could ever portray. Similar to trying to capture the beauty of food with just an image - no aroma, no textural experience. I'll leave the travel blogging to others who have the adjectives to describe their experiences and get back to what I know - gastronomy.

Eating in India

2011-02-15T00:20:00.000+11:00

So I'm having to break all the health advice rules because the best food I've had so far has been that sold by street vendors. The road side Dhaba's and street Chaat vendors usually specialising in one or just a few freshly made dishes far exceed the restaurants I have tried so far. One of my favourites is aloo tikki, a fresh potato cake fried crisp on the concave grill but still creamy potato on the inside, topped with sweet daily made curd from buffalo milk, a tart tamarind sauce and pungent mint chutney, a few chickpea's scattered on top and some fresh coriander - now that's my idea of fast food! And of course at less than 50 cents it could be tempting to snack all day. Luckily I have so many other experiences to keep me busy, like visiting the Taj Mahal!

A christmas shopping expedition in the CDB

2011-01-15T14:39:00.000+11:00

Well here's the last of the pre-Christmas jaunts and then we can get stuck into 2011. What better way to break a day's serious shopping than propped up at the bar of a great foodie joint watching a couple of simple yet delicious lunches being constructed, a cold glass of ale/wine in hand.

Hardware Lane is chokers full of places to eat but keep walking (heading north) until you get to Hardware Societe - it's much further along than I expected but definitely worth seeking out. My lunch, consisting of beautifully pan fried scallops plump and succulent accompanied by potato roesti; a beetroot salsa; prosciutto and fresh leaves, was just what I desired. My partners slow braised lamb with yoghurt and roasted capsicums also tasty and just what he was looking forward to keep him going for afternoon of more retail trekking! Much has been written about their wonderful breakfasts too but I'll leave that for those that get up earlier than moi!
Hardware Societe
120 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
ph 9078 5992

A little of everything please....

2011-01-09T16:24:00.003+11:00

..... a tasting menu, such a great way to share food with friends, colleagues or family, before or after Christmas, no decisions to make just sit back and enjoy. It is no doubt easier when the diners are not too limited in their food choices, but even then establishments like Huxtable take dietary restrictions in their stride and there is something to please everyone here. A must is the jalapeno & cheddar croquettes and of course being a duck lover the roasted duck breast, soy braised daikon and sour plum was a wonderful combination of flavours and so beautifully cooked.

Despite having little capacity for dessert after so many excellent courses the young coconut marshmallow was fabulous, small, light and ever so tangy! Excellent service and helpful suggestions with interesting wines to match the plates. Talking about plates ..... I'm not convinced that dark coloured plates show food off as well as good old fashioned white but heavy pottery, stone slabs and wooden platters are certainly in vogue at the moment. (Perhaps it's a silent revolt to annoy bloggers and their incessant photo taking! lol) But whilst aesthetics is important the flavours and textures will always be my priority so I will be heading back soon to try a few more dishes and a second round of croquettes.

I really don't want to be like the many blogs that have pic's of every dish but I had trouble deciding from all the gorgeous choices. So in case you're curious about the other dishes here, olives obviously, a kataffi pastry wrapped lamb and delightful dukkah flavoured cauliflower with harissa yoghurt - yum.

Huxtable 131 Smith St, Fitzroy 03 9419 5101

So about that christmas pudding....

2011-01-05T16:17:00.007+11:00

The family Christmas pudding is made as family tradition dictates, in Spring, before the days heat up - I mean who could cope with a pudding boiling away for 5 hours in the heat of summer. Lucky Melbourne’s early summer this year was kind to me even if wasn't the warm weather most were hoping for.

It seems that this ancestral culinary tradition skips a generation, from my grandmother the task became mine. And unfortunately I was only 12 when my gastronomic mentor went to the ‘big kitchen’! However I do have her original recipe and can still remember my Grandmother's puddings hanging in the cool of the covered back veranda.

Chopping and marinating kilo's of sticky dense dried fruits, grating fresh suet (the fat that surrounds beef kidney's) and remembering to buy loaves of bread in time for them to dry a little to allow for making white breadcrumbs all requires a degree of organisation so would be much better at a less hectic time but ‘that’s life’. Regardless the pudding took its rightful place, after the traditional roasted turkey, served with a Drambuie custard and a dollop of double cream.

And as you can see, a trip to buy the fruit, gave me a chance to stock up on some fabulous spices at NSM, 405 Victoria Street, Brunswick, an absolute Aladdin’s cave of bulk dried fruits, nuts and spices.

Happy new year with a little jingle bells to boot!

2011-01-03T17:37:00.003+11:00

Its a brand new year and for many that means making resolutions for a new start but I'm going to attempt to deal with December 2010 first before I move on. That's because December is always full of food featured festivities and just because I didn't have the time or inclination to sit down at the keyboard doesn't mean I don't want to share, after all 'tis the season to be jolly! Yeah, that’s because everyone wants to catch up for lunch, dinner, a drink or two! So December included:

Yumcha
Single estate wines with prawns, cheese, cherries and chocolate
A Malaysian feast
Japanese delicacies - with a little too much Saki
An 11 course tasting menu @ Huxtable
A picnic at the Zoo - to be honest that was a birthday celebration (happy 1st birthday Thomas!)
A candlelit supper
Lunch in the city - in between present shopping
And a curried Xmas banquet (my friend refused to have a trad christmas party and insisted we all bring curry - what an amazing array we had and from many parts of the world)

all in the name of the good Saint Nick. And don't tell the family I didn't make the christmas pudding until the 20th December.

Love 'em or hate 'em......

2010-11-29T21:18:00.002+11:00

It appears some ingredients and dishes are an acquired taste - taste often steeped in cultural upbringing. No amount of family meetups over yumcha will ever be enough to convince my 'Aussie' dad that gelatinous chicken feet might be worth trying.

Oysters with Tetsuya's Rice Wine Vinaigrette

There seems to be no middle ground on some foods, no take it or leave philosphy, when mentioned they illicit one of two simple responses, love it - hate it! Here's a few of the love/hates I've found over the years and my own personnal feelings towards these polarising products:

chicken feet - eat them but just don't think about them
'stinky bean curd' - the adjective says it all!
pumperknickel - dry cardboard!
eel - the Shira Nui way everytime!
donuts- doughy for some but heaven for me
brussel sprouts - really does depend on how they're cooked
kidneys - mmm, an organ that filters urine - what more can I say
vegemite - Aussie or not, its usually that simple, hot buttery vegemite toast - yes please
blue and washed rind cheeses - unlike stinky bean curd, stinky but good
anchovies - gorgeous hairy little salt punches
chocolate - well I suppose I don't actually hate it but I'm not a chocolate lover
oysters - a taste of the sea

Tomatoes used to be on my list of hates now I love them. There was certainly the seasonal 'over' abundance issue which applied to the diet of my childhood - is it possible to overdose on tomatoes or pumpkin or field mushrooms? Followed by the sinful breading of vegetables and fruit that were great to transport but lacked flavour, dad still refers to most strawberries as 'appleberries' because of there firm texture and insipid taste. So it would seem there's always the possibility to shift from one camp to another.

A bit of crud, a plate of greens and fabulous duck!

2010-11-28T11:50:00.000+11:00

Stir Fried Snow Pea Leaves

The Macquarie Dictionary defines crud as anything or anyone regarded as inferior. Despite an entire section on the menu featuring inferior items (all except the braised bean curd in chilli sauce!), there was nothing inferior about Glen Waverley BBQ Restaurant, in fact it was quite the opposite. Our selection of dishes were pleasingly flavoursome and the service efficient and professional, the later something which can be somewhat lacking when dinning at the 'local'. The stir fried snow pea leaves and steamed rice a fitting accompaniment to the aromatic & splendidly moist roasted duck. A dish of steamed eel in XO sauce divided the table but all agreed the sauce was a winner – poor old eel, it seems to be one of the commodities that diners have a love or hate relationship with.

Crab Claw

I noticed that there is no crud to be seen on the take away menu; perhaps a kindly printer has provided some editorial advice. I also observed that although this little treasure is listed in the The Age Cheap Eats Guide there is no signifying sticker on the door. On asking, our host said…’The Age didn’t send me one this year’. No matter the place was full.

Glen Waverley BBQ Restaurant, 31 Railway Parade North, Glen Waverely

The Gado Gado Butty!

2010-11-27T14:41:00.004+11:00

I awoke this morning with a desire for hot buttery toast with peanut butter. Given that this is not a completely foreign occurrence, I gave it little thought until it dawned on me that the yearn may well have been fostered by a foodie story from the previous day.

Once upon a time..... an eclectic cluster of dinners shared food stories over morsels of delectableness called YumCha. Despite my instinctive Anglo aversion to eating chicken feet I've learnt to push through the 'yuck' barrier and indulge anyway but I must say it was enlightening to learn the process of preparing these little guys. First deep fried to remove the skin then slowly braised to all their gelatinous glory. They are a typical example of the fabulous result achieved by the technique of 'twice cooking' often applied in the Chinese kitchen.

But the tale of the day that typified not just the diversity of our dinning party but the rich tapestry of Melbourne cuisine was the anecdote of the humble sandwich or butty as our English companion would say. The request for a simple peanut butter sandwich, not at all unusual in a food court. The addition of lettuce was not too peculiar, however the subsequent fillings where a most curious combination. To the customers delight this sandwich maker, of Chinese birth, was no food slouch and instantly recognised the traditional ingredients of the Indonesian salad Gado Gado. Of course traditionally served with peanut sauce not butter and definitely not served between 2 slices of bread. But there you go.. a mixed marriage! A classic Indonesian salad in a sandwich, here in our culinary melting pot called Melbourne!

Just in case you were wondering where to have YumCha, we were at TaiPan Restaurant - one of my favourites in the east. TaiPan Restaurant, 237-239 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East

Making Risotto.......

2010-11-19T21:12:00.019+11:00

In an era of fancy 'high-falutin' cookin' I think it's the simple dishes that are worth perfecting first. So what's to making a wonderful risotto?

The ingredients:

Aborio rice
Stock and a little wine
Flavourings
And plenty of practice

The method: 250g of Aborio rice will need about 1 litre of stock - depending on how 'wet' & 'firm' you like your risotto. The better the rice the better the risotto, the better the stock the better the risotto. If you're in the area (also worth a special trip) Roma Deli has Aborio rice and all things Italian at fabulous prices. If you're not making your own stock you could be, if you don't know please ask.Once you've sauteed some onions in olive oil with the rice and any flavourings e.g. garlic, saffron, vegetables etc add a little wine. The 'trick'is to stir consistently to stop the rice from sticking and add more liquid (stock) in small amounts (about 200ml) once the last lot is absorbed. That's it really - add any pre-prepared meats/fish/poultry towards the end (these can also be sauteed in the pan at the beginning, then removed before adding the rice, leaving behind the flavours to enhance your risotto) season well, add a touch more oil or a little butter and probably some shaved parmesan or pecorino.

Roma Deli, Shop2/32 Gladstone Rd Dandenong

What colour is a carrot?

2010-11-04T11:14:00.005+11:00

Carrots are orange right? Typically the carrots we get in Australia are orange but much has been made of late of the more varied hues of the humble carrot - white, yellow, red, and now purple. The Age newspaper, August 8 2010 focused on a study suggesting "purple carrots ....being positioned as the next superfood .... high in anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants." Just for the record eating a broad variety of different coloured vegetables and fruits and including plenty in the daily diet is a much sounder health choice than focusing on a few 'superfoods'. And of course there are many countries around the world where white, yellow, red and purple carrots are not exotic but rather the ‘norm’. I’m sure this must create bemusement for visitors who see us seeking out and paying premium prices for their ‘everyday’ vegetables.

It is wonderful to see some of Melbourne’s excellent restaurants including a balanced approach to menu composition with dishes that embrace vegetables and fruits as the feature rather than just the second rate accessory. Cutler & Co's winter menu featured a raw, cooked and pickled carrot salad with walnut cream and shanklish (shanklish is a herbed, dried and aged cheese made from cows or sheep’s milk used in Middle eastern cuisine). And Embrasses meli melo’ a ‘mishmash’ of cooked buttered vegetables accompanied by vegetable/herb emulsions and purees, flowers, stems and leaves may well have become a signature dish.

These dishes are generating lots of discussion in the blogger community with one blogger voting the carrot salad as “clearly my favourite of the night” and at the same time another listing it as the least favourite thus far at about course 6 into the 11 course degustation menu. With a dining community accustomed to animal protein based dishes such varied dialogue is not surprising.

P.S. Cutler & Co’s carrot salad has a wonderful treat hidden amongst the carrots, little explosions with a mouth feel like rice bubbles; on asking these are overcooked fregula pasta which is then dried and deep fried! – Yum!

Cutler & Co, 55 – 57 Gertrude Street Fitzroy http://www.cutlerandco.com.au/

Upstairs, downstairs

2010-11-02T18:57:00.005+11:00

Well its 25 years since I graced the kitchen at Kew's Restaurant in Kew, working with some enthusiastic young uns who now run their own successful establishments and occasionally star on the small screen - celebrity chef's that is! These days Kew's is Estivo and I thought I should go visit. And of course after so many years the faces are not those of colleagues but another generation of talented hospitality devotees slaving over 'a hot stove' and passionately plying the craft.

Estivo could almost be two different restaurants, one walks off the street into a busy modern dining area, lots of glass, a few seats at the bar, contemporary decor and a modern vibe. Climbing the stairs one enters a very different space - more conservative perhaps a touch of the romantic. I'm normally watching EVERYTHING - the dishes other tables have ordered, the wait staff and even the kitchen operations if that’s on view, so I felt a little isolated. But upstairs in the 'attic' I was able to focus on the conversation; only occasionally distracted by the arrival of each course - each worthy of the attention, delicious duck & beautiful beef. I'm sure my dining companion appreciated my attention for a change!

The menu reflects the trends with not just entree's, mains (& sides) and dessert but a selection of smaller 'starters' - offered as a selection also; which is how we started. Mains where the aforementioned duck and beef - I’m a sucker for duck every time – and a stunning side of green beans with white anchovies; sometimes it’s the simplest dishes that are the standout! The flavours of all the dishes were adeptly balanced and the components skilfully prepared; the service professional - Estivo ticks the boxes particularily for a 'night out' rather than casul dining but I think I'd prefer to dine downstairs.
Estivo, 330 High Street, Kew.

Food writers

2010-10-31T20:19:00.004+11:00

Roast Suckling Pig

For many years I have looked forward to the weekend Age newspaper for my regular hit of victuals scrutiny. This weekend’s article, I have to say, is a tad on the pretentious side. While I have always struggled with the fact the most food writers have a pedigree in journalism rather than in the culinary arts, I do understand that at times cooks lack the linguistic style to make what they have to say an easy or delightful read. And I may well be showing my age or perhaps I'm just biased against the 'new' breed of food writers, but there seems to be way too much focus on ‘inventive’ experiences to the detriment of informing the more rounded gastronome. The resourcefulness of peasant pasts lead to some food marriages that are hard to beat.

Barley Risotto

Claire Winton Burn (A Masterchef finalist) laments the decision to choose the signature suckling pig belly at the expense of what she labels comfort food – whiting with prawn vinaigrette! The roasted suckling pig is great but only if you prefer pork to whiting and fatty cuts to something a little leaner. And even at the Cutler & Co end of the market one can include a more rustic treat, like the barley risotto. I had grown rather accustomed to Matt Preston taking me in all manner of directions in the foray of fine fare exploration. So I say mix it up a bit Claire and friends, a little grungy dining may well help to make decisions that will balance emotional and culinary appetites .....and desserts do not always need to follow an entrée and main course; be daring and have dessert only occasionally!

Happy birthday!

2010-10-15T19:17:00.001+11:00

Hip hip hooray - its EatThis's first birthday today! Let's eat cake!

Fresh mango and cream sponge.

It all started…….with a consciousness that after 30 years immersed in the hospitality industry I knew all matter of stuff about food, cooking & dining - sufficient to be of interest to others! And what better way to share my food adventures than putting them ‘out there on the web’. Like many others I think there's a book or two in me but with the characteristic attention span of a cook (that’s a little longer than a goldfish but relatively short as one pushes through roughly 100 covers (diners) in a typical service - next!) perhaps I'm more suited to the more succinct nature of the blog - my daughter 'the grammar dynamo' certainly agrees. But with a somewhat sociable character blogging away to the unknown sometimes still seems a bit peculiar. I’d love a little more interaction from happy customers – hint hint leave a comment now and then.

So EatThis has become a way of responding to questions from students, colleagues, friends, friends of friends..... which restaurant? where do I buy? how do I cook? what goes with? Sometimes planning the next post has provided me with a prompt to keep exploring - new food discoveries yeah! Now I want to get better food shots so I am about to upgrade from my basic point and shoot Canon IXUS to a Cannon G11/12 - not ready for a full on DSLR quite yet ( I would have to spend too much time learning how to use it and I’m too busy fooding!). And now Urbanspooners get a peek through direct links - Urbanspoon rocks!

So here's (bubbles is the toast of choice) to another year of culinary capers! Cheers Rumbaba

How much is a loaf of bread?

2010-10-07T17:27:00.002+11:00

I couldn't bring myself to buy the Tiptop sliced bread, even if it was cheaper and would have left enough money to get some chips, my child recently proclaimed. She had chosen another factory produced bread but one with a little more substance and a higher price tag. One more bread lover has been 'bred' - please excuse the pun! The bread I refer to as 'fluff' is not often found in our house although I have to admit to one of my guilty sins here - fresh white sliced bread with plenty of butter, sliced Pariser and tomato sauce (I have just recently discovered that I share this fetish with one of my long time foodie buddies - snap).

Good bread in my view has a dense wheaty tangy crumb and chewy crust and best baked in a wood fired oven. It is made lovingly by the hands of a baker whose day starts before I even go to bed. Thankfully finding this type of bread has become easier over the years, however it does come at a price, literally speaking. And the cost for all the love? (quality ingredients, skills and time too of course) - the average price for artisan bread is around $6.00. On a recent excursion to one of my favourites I came home with a luscious fig, pear and walnut loaf that cost $9.50, probably a bigger cost was the lashings of butter that I applied to the thick toasted slices the next morning. Note to self - don't buy house around the corner for good bakery!

Denches Bakers, 109 Scotchmer St, Fitzroy North

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin

2010-09-28T21:41:00.006+10:00

'No more pumpkin', pleads the child after I serve up pumpkin gnocchi, a creamy pumpkin sauce and roasted pumpkin with crispy pancetta & parsley. 'Actually this is really good she contends after tasting'. I think she's lucky because, despite my obsession with pumpkin of late, at least I vary the offerings. Unlike my mother who dealt with a bumper crop of self seeded pumpkins by serving the family pumpkin pancakes - over and over. In fact thinking about it it's rather surprising pumpkin has become one of my favourite vegetables, along with cauliflower, eggplant, beans - okay truth be told I just love vegies! So the pumpkin trilogy was just one incantation, a few weeks back I included a similar dish of roasted pumpkin seved with soft polenta.

Bubble and Squeak - Red Cup Cafe

Recently I've had a very tasty pumpkin/potato bubble and squeak with sauteed spinach, poached egg and hollandaise at Red Cup Cafe (see earlier post for details) and a great Pumpkin Masala at a new find for wonderful Indian cuisine.

Kerala fish curry, lamb saag & pumpkin masala

Ragam, 841 Doncaster Road Doncaster. The decor at Ragam is elegant, service delightful and curries are fragrant and flavoursome without being too oily from excess ghee.

Eating in the burbs...

2010-09-26T14:26:00.005+10:00

Whilst there are many little gems tucked away in shopping centres, next to community libraries and other out of way places these are more often than not Asian, Middle Eastern and the like. Finding good 'modern Australian cuisine' in the suburbs has been a tough call so it's lovely to see a few more slowly making it up the list of places worthy of a visit.

Establishments that use good quality ingredients, cooked well and with balanced accompaniments. Cooks who know that more is not always better, that flavours need to be carefully matched and combining unusual ingredients requires more than just 'creativity'. Service staff who know not to clear plates before the table have finished and don't just pay lip service to ' how was your meal'? When visiting family in rural Victoria our dining experiences are still often peppered with, '"How's ya dinna luv?". Thats not to say that fabulous food cannot be found in the country but while I know where to travel for culinary treats or where to find a decent parma its high time for the average to step it up a notch .

Here's two that are a cut above the average:
Tender Trap 2/266 Blackburn Rd, Doncaster East
Worth pacing oneself to include the sweet Loukoumathes (Greek donuts) with baklava ice-cream.

Barrio 77 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe
Great bastilla and falafel even if they are a slightly unusual inclusion on a 'Mediterranean' tasting platter .

Subcontinent Delights!

2010-09-13T13:06:00.009+10:00

It is one year ago today that I began my Northern Indian culinary discovery. Soupy curries of lentils, black beans and chickpeas are the mainstays - the base for many, a braised onion & tomato 'gravy'. This gravy underpins a diverse array of curries from heady goat to the more delicate fish as well as the vegetable and legume versions. And being northern, roti is the staple accompaniment rather than rice, although for guests a caramelised onion basmati pilau is often added to the menu. No point including a recipe for the roti as it is just atta (wholemeal flour) and water, the magic is in the method - something learnt through years of daily practise I feel. But one of my favourite dishes is Aloo Gobi - like all curries many versions exist but I just love this one:

1 tbl oil (ghee for the purists)
1 tsp crushed ginger/garlic
1/2 cauliflower cut into medium flowerettes
3 potatoes, peeled and diced approx. 3 cm
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
roughly chopped fresh coriander
optional - chopped fresh chilli

Heat the oil in a high sided pan, add the ginger/garlic and saute lightly. Add the cauliflower, potato, turmeric and salt and continue to saute a few minutes. Turn down the heat and cover with a lid. Allow to cook slowly until the vegetables are cooked, not too soft -you may need to add a small sprinkle of water to stop it from sticking. Stir in garam masala and serve with fresh coriander and chilli if you like a little heat. This makes enough for 6 as part of a meal with a meat and/or legume curry, bread and raita. So unpretentious, even simple yet so delicious especially if you are a cauliflower fan as I am - I've even been caught snacking on it cold for breakfast!

I'm still the apprentice but am allowed to make the raita unsupervised and have replaced the pre-prepared garam masala in my pantry with the family’s own freshly ground version. Thank you Jas for inviting me into your kitchen and sharing the richness of your culinary culture!

It's Sunday evening so what shall I cook?

2010-09-05T22:42:00.000+10:00

Its raining and very wet outside and the Italian parsley is almost flattened with the weight of precipitation and whilst the little I added to this dish did not do much to lighten the burden it did provide the flavour and texture contrast this dish needed.

A few simple components on creamy soft polenta - that’s 5 parts chicken stock to 1 part polenta stirred for about 20 minutes topped with a little sugo (or Italian passatta), roasted seasoned pumpkin, fresh curd cheese, crispy grilled prosciutto, a little grated pecorino and the parsley.

A glass of Pinot Grigio and Bob’s your uncle (and Betty’s your aunt!). Cheers and Bon Appetit!

Brunch

2010-08-29T12:52:00.002+10:00

Is that breakfast or lunch? What makes for a good brunch? I think it’s all in the diversity.

Dragging myself out of bed on any day, especially a non-working day is always going to be a battle so by the time I make brunch most of my dining pals are ready for round two (culinary speaking that’s lunch). So while I’m choosing baked ricotta and poached rhubarb compote they’re looking for a wagyu steak. And the real early birds might be hankering for apple and cinnamon muffins and a chai! So a great brunch menu needs to include something light, something substantial. something savoury and something sweet... preferably not always all in the one dish!

For breakfast. eggs and bacon will always fill the spot for me better than even the most outstanding congee (rice porridge), so cultural preferences and comfort foods is also a factor. However the mixture can be fun if done well like dishes such as Sri (Lankan that is) scrambled Eggs, Viet fried eggs and roti omelets at one of my favourites - Tom Phat.

The pic is the Feta, zucchini, corn fritters with avocado salsa, bloody Mary dressing , and a fried egg (a little of everything), on the menu at Churchill Cafe and Larder - 13 Hamilton St, Surrey Hills (experiencing some very mixed reviews since making changes to the business a few months ago).

Always a goodie - Tom Phat, 184 Sydney Rd Brunswick

A few of my favourite things....

2010-08-10T22:55:00.001+10:00

...a last minute dash to indulge in the richness of winter cooking has bought together some of my joys. Chatting to Mr Malouf recently about his next book on the cuisine of Iran provoked a return to Turquoise. Sultan's delight (a robust Turkish lamb stew on creamy cheesy eggplant puree) seemed perfect for a chilly Sunday. Of course, getting up early enough to get the lamb from the local farmers’ market was always going to be a struggle - the price for my sleep in, the choice of cuts, so home I came with way too many kilos of beautiful lamb shoulder nicely rolled for a Sunday roast. Some for the Sultan and perhaps an Aussie roast to keep the child happy! Well the roast turned a tad Mediterranean, studded with garlic, rubbed with olive oil and slow cooked to melt in the mouth deliciousness and teamed with lemony potatoes (and steamed greens!)- the child was happy even though it wasn’t what she expected. But the Sultan's delight was magic, the combination of lamb, red onions, red pepper paste, oregano, garlic, honey, tomatoes and stock was just glorious, the left over sauce was rapturously mopped up with fresh bread the next day. And what great lamb; worth getting up for. An excellent marriage with the eggplant (yes, the same one I served with the koftas back in June). Yum.

Turquoise – A chef’s travels in Turkey by Greg and Lucy Malouf (Sultan’s delight recipe p.174)
Killara Rise Lamb http://www.killararise.com.au/

Foraging for falafel

2010-07-30T22:18:00.002+10:00

So where does one get the best falafel in Melbourne?

Its seems that the answer to this question may well depend on what sort of falafels you are looking for, the Egyptian version made from fava beans or the Lebanese style using chickpeas or varieties which have an each way bet with half half fava & chickpeas. All seem to add chopped onion, garlic, spice (cumin and coriander) & finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley & coriander. What ever your choice the aim seems to be to make sure they are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and a little springy to the touch – although it appears bicarb soda helps this last quality and that can leave one with a little slightly unpleasant after taste. And as for how you have your falafel - neat - or wrapped in flat bread with greens, vegetables and sauce. And that too will require decision making, yoghurt or baba ganoush, fresh or maybe pickled cucumber.

here's a taster of the little critters frying away

So where to go? I’m working on the list but number one at the moment is Half Moon Café in Coburg -13 Victoria Street. Half Moons falafel are the Egyptian fava bean variety and the variety of accompaniments are all those listed above together with more choices like spiced cauliflower or what about something a bit funky like rocket. $6.00 worth of deliciousness. You'll find some seriously good photo's of Nabil Hassans falafel @
http://theveryveryhungrycaterpillar.com/2010/04/03/halfmooncafe/

Momo

2010-07-27T14:12:00.005+10:00

Sorry no pic's - too busy enjoying the evening; it was, after all, a celebration. It was the lack of the pictorial that had me procrastinating about publishing this post. But for the average punter a trip to a restaurant such as Momo isn't a weekly occurrence so I thought it worthwhile putting my penny's worth in the foodie blogosphere. Having enjoyed Greg Malouf's wonderful feasts at the original Momo incantation downstairs at 115 Collins Street, I was most curious to see what was on offer at the new (yes it's taken a while to get there!) location set in the Grand Hyatt. It is indeed a different experience, whilst still in the 'basement' this dining room is more reflective of the sophistication of its 5 star hotel environment rather than the exotic appeal of a Middle Eastern caravan as one headed downstairs to the old Momo. The food too has a more sophisticated focus with some marvellous dishes so I’m not sure if I'm attracted to gordy decor or maybe the original was more ‘authentic’ or I’m just hard to excite but I think the ‘old’ was more me than the ‘new’. But that’s not to say the experience was in any way disappointing it wasn’t.

The highlights:

• Veiled quail covered in leaves with chorizo-pine nut stuffing and mustard-whipped feta

• Button mushrooms with shankleesh, spring onions and house made porcini-flavoured prosciutto

• Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon and Momo's fabulous Sommelier who recommended it

• the lush ambiance of the dining room

• a chat with a past colleague, Greg (Malouf, that is!)

• and of course the wonderful company of my dining companion

Momo, Lower Plaza Level 123 Collins St, Melbourne

Simple and smart

2010-07-11T21:48:00.002+10:00

Quality ingredients maketh the coffee, the focaccia and the cafe. The menu is neither funky nor overly creative - it is the quality of the components that make up the small 'bill of fare' here that are the star of this business and their sister ventures. If you are seated near the kitchen you will see the paper thin slicing of the Prosciutto di Parma or the grating of the Grana Pandano from its wedge as they are needed to grace a toasted focaccia or top a freshly tossed pasta. Traditional uncomplicated dishes such as Spaghetti Pomodoro are fabulous. Another winner on my list of preferences is the incy delectable sweets, no ugly great 'slabs' here, with flavour equally as important as sweetness.

The service is typical 'Italian', efficient and consistent although some describe this as brusque and even arrogant. With reasonable prices, it is not surprising that getting a table can be a challenge at anytime of the day but a much better bet than most Lygon Street eateries. And of course pizza or mozzarella around the corner at DOC is wonderful - haven't tried the Mornington establishment, but next time I'm visiting the peninsula's art galleries I shall.

Carlton Espresso 326 Lygon St, Carlton

and DOC 295 Drummond Street, Carlton South
and DOC 22 Main St, Mornington

Roast duck and dumplings -Yum

2010-06-22T00:09:00.000+10:00

Nutritionally not a fabulous combination I know.....too much protein and starch and distinctly lacking in vegetables. But for a birthday treat I like nothing more than gathering a few of my favourite foods and enjoying an unbalanced feast. (Look away students who are currently studying nutrition with me.)

The gathering is half the enjoyment, visiting my favourite food outlets, chatting with the 'chopper' of the duck, the dumpling maker or the grower at the farmers markets. There is always something new to learn or experience or just soak up the aroma's or espy what others are having - that last one usually gets me in trouble with dining mates who say making eye contact with me is a battle, when there is interesting food about! And today I learned that one of my favourite yum cha haunts has 143 different varieties on offer, that's quite a lot of dishy eye candy - so to speak!

But a birthday is also unlikely to pass without a 'big night out' and just to drag the celebrations out a bit longer that's happening next week - Momo here I come, its been quite awhile since my last visit and much has changed! No doubt I'll have a few words to say.

Meatballs by any other name...would be Kofta

2010-06-20T14:42:00.003+10:00

They're Lebanese so the meat is lamb, the flavouring allspice and the accompaniment bread! These ones where made lovingly with lamb, spice & pomegranate syrup but you can buy Kofta mix at Middle Eastern butchers - Lebanese rissoles! But the highlight of this dish was the eggplant hiding beneath these moorish meaty Kofta.

Whole eggplants are blackened over an open flame in the way Baba Ganoush is prepared. Once cooked and cooled the skin is carefully removed in chilled water and extra juice is squeezed out. Then finely chop the eggplant and warm it in a pan, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg add lemon juice to taste. To finish fold in some soft goats cheese - I used my favourite, Meredith marinated goats cheese. Absolutely delicious!

I know its winter but the contrast of crisp salad was perfect for this dish - cos, tomato, cucumber, freshly picked and chopped parsley & mint, dressing and some spicy little Lebanese pickled wild cucumbers just for fun!

The Better Roll?

2010-05-28T21:46:00.000+10:00

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

...and the debate continues. I have noticed many converts amongst my foodie friends and dining partners, that is to say that the Vietnamese version of the springy with its extra lettuce and fresh herb 'twist' has become a popular alternative to the more widely accepted Chinese version. Perhaps it is its pretence of being a healthier option or maybe it is as I feel offering more balance!

But where does the fresh rice paper roll fit into the argument??

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

I decided it was time to ask some 'experts' and sort counsel from a group of spring roll regulars. A quick vote didn't answer the question but with further discussion we did discern that tradition, global availability, health and balance of flavours and textures were all decision making factors.

Any suggestions on where to get a great Chinese version in Melbourne? For Vietnamese there's always:

Tien Dat 3 Carrington Road, Box Hill

Thanh Hga nine 160 Victoria St Richmond

Flavour & Texure

2010-05-26T22:50:00.005+10:00

I just love duck! But tonight as I tucked into a few old favourites I was conscious that it was not only the rich succulent duck meat with its crispy skin that was the main attraction but rather the heady mix of duck and aromatic Chinese five spice (cassia, clove, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan pepper) that was demanding my attention. Chinese five spice is such a defining flavour of Cantonese cuisine and this dish in particular is testament to valuing and honoring the classics.

Equally with another of our regular choices - bean curd stuffed with prawns. The coveted prawn not the feature in this dish but rather the luscious texture of the bean curd with its capacity to absorb all the complexity of the sauces, fillings and accompaniments.

Fabulous flavours and textures combine, such is the splendour of cooking and eating!

Pacific Seafood BBQ House, 8/240 Victoria Street Richmond - Make sure you take your umbrella on a rainy day/night as you might have to wait on the street to get a table - or go early!

Roly Poly before and after!

2010-05-14T21:25:00.001+10:00

Rhubarb (or apple for the 'rhubarb resister') Roly Poly is a little treat at home as the weather cools. Comfort food in the classical English pudding tradition. Although I must say this family favourite has surfaced on a menu or two over the years, albeit with a few embellishments.To be served with lavishing's of cream for sure.

A simple scone dough of:

1 ½ cups SR flour
1 tbl butter
¼ tsp of salt
Milk to mix

Rolled to a rectangle approx, ¾ cm thick. Covered in sliced rhubarb ( or apple or apple & rhubarb) and generously sprinkled with sugar (especially the rhubarb version). Rolled length ways, then cut into 6cm slices. Place in a baking dish. Combine the following ingredients:

¾ cup sugar
¼ cup butter
1 cup boiling water

Cover the pudding with the sugar, butter, water mix and bake in moderate oven (approx. 175 C) for roughly an hour.

Enjoy

Art in the gallery and at the cafe

2010-05-09T16:22:00.005+10:00

A trip to Heidi Museum of Modern Art provides food for the creative soul. Simple yet flavoursome and artistically presented dishes are to be found at Cafe Vue at Heidi - the food reflects the surroundings. Lunch times seem to be getting the best reviews (heard a few negative breakfast bleats! - mainly the service it seems). Although it's usually busy so advisable to book. The potato mash is fabulous. Whilst there its delightful to take advantage of the short but often sunny days of May in Melbourne to wander through the gallery's or the surrounding gardens.

The current exhibition titled 'Sundays Kitchen' provides glimpses into the life of Sunday Reed who together with her husband John Reed where two of Australia's most significant art benefactors. Sunday, a passionate cook and gardener became well known for her communal tables harvesting food from the substantial kitchen garden and orchard and preparing fresh dairy products thus ensuring the artists she championed received sustenance for the body, not just the mind. Famous artists who spend time on their property included Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester and Charles Blackman. A weekly column in the Age Epicure is currently featuring recipes from the recent published book 'Sundays Kitchen'.

Heidi Museum of Modern Art, 7 Templestowe Rd Bulleen, 3105

Autumn = earthy mushrooms.

2010-05-02T21:55:00.001+10:00

Mushrooms simply sauteed in butter and garlic are wonderful with a brunch fry up or tossed through fresh pasta. Equally simple is baked whole field mushrooms drizzled with olive oil & crumbled feta (even better some Meredith's marinated goats feta). Growing up in the dairy farming heart of South Gippsland ensured that 'mushrooming' expeditions to neighboring paddocks during April and May was a regular occurrence. Although stewed mushrooms thickened with white sauce day after day is not one of my best childhood food memories.

Even better if you have the opportunity head off with an expert into the damp Victorian undergrowth to forage for wild mushrooms. Not a good idea to try this on your own - too many deadly ones masquerading as something luscious!

Autumn is also the time to start cooking up the warming soups again. The pictured broth is a heady combination of Swiss browns & dried Italian porcini's slowly cooked with vegetables, stock, ham hocks and barley. You can find the recipe for this delicious soup in the April addition of Australian Gourmet Traveller in the Autumn mushroom feature. Happy cooking!

Cooking from the heart........

2010-04-30T09:48:00.002+10:00

Moroccan marvelous! Delicious rich hearty food, perfect for Autumn dining. Tagines (stews) of fish, lamb or goat, humongous legumes, cous cous and traditional bastilla (layered pie) all beautifully balanced. Food for sharing, a trusty trio of epicureans enriching the experience (plus the unborn child already expanding her culinary repertoire!).

We couldn't manage dessert but the sweet Moroccan mint tea was fabulous. As we were leaving the Chef , wandered past, we chatted about the beautiful flavours of the meal - he shared his passion with a story of a simple tomato dish his mother prepared, 'I cook from the heart' he concluded. Pierre Khodja's food resonates with love.

Canvas, Level 1 302-320 Burwood Rd Hawthorn

Just the way my Grandmother made it...

2010-04-18T10:13:00.003+10:00

...if only she was still here to share all her tips. It seems the art of preserving has skipped a generation in our family and so despite 30 years of professional cooking experience and a plethora of 'original' recipes I am but a beginner. I know only too well that its what's not written into a recipe that is so valuable! Its taken 4 years to repeat the wonderful fig jam I made in 2006, the 2007 version was too runny and went mouldy, the 2008 version overcooked and became toffee, 2009 I chickened out and made fig paste which has been wonderful with soft cheese and 2010 took two attempts - the first one I burnt (it seems as bad in print as it felt! and my pot scrubber will attest to the nightmare of cleaning the pot - although burnt fig jam isn't something unique to me, another tip my grandmother could have shared if she wasn't in the 'big vegie patch'). Despite all this a second batch was a success and I can now add fig jam to my growing list of preserves that I consider I have mastered. Help save your culinary past, cook with the wise!

Hainanese chicken

2010-04-07T17:23:00.003+10:00

I have so many Malaysian favourites its always so hard to choose.

Laksa, coconut or Asam
Mee goreng
Char kway teow
Rendang
Nasi lemak

and of course the delicious Hainanese chicken rice, also 'claimed' as a Singaporean dish as well as its Chinese heritage from Hainan in China. The whole chicken gently poached in rich stock (master stock in China) and the rice cooked in stock enriched with chicken fat, the stock served as a broth with the final dish together with a chilli, ginger sauce and sliced cucumber. It seems a bit like a 'deconstructed' chicken soup, with a twist! And despite my Western culinary background I think I have adopted this dish as 'comfort food'.

Straits Cafe, 694 Doncaster Road Doncaster

Food marriages...

2010-03-29T18:52:00.001+11:00

Duck and figs

The culinary world is full of great food combinations, like:

tomato & basil
beef & horseradish
salmon & dill
egg & bacon
ginger & garlic
chilli & lime
apple and cinnamon
sweet and sour

The Caringbush offers a dish (in the restaurant) of rich plump duck and juicy sweet figs which could hold its own alongside many on this list.

The Carringbush Hotel, 228 Langridge St Collingwood

Region by region

2010-03-19T12:20:00.004+11:00

Eating Chinese cuisine in Melbourne has primarily meant enjoying the delights from the southern part of this huge nation. Early immigration dating back to the gold rush era of the 1800's from of the Cantonese region of China limited our understanding of the diversity of this cuisine. But no more.......along with the well known stir-fry's of the Cantonese, Melbourne diners are increasingly being exposed to the bold, pungent and spicy Sichaun (or Szechuan) style and the hearty braises often featuring pickled ingredients from the cooler north. As the weather becomes crisper there is no better time to order dishes like braised pork and sweet potato noodles (pictured), skewered cumin and chilli lamb, dumplings or for the more daring - pig's ear! I also love the piquant shredded bean curd, cucumber and carrot salad (pictured). And at prices that allow for a bit of experimentation - order an extra dish just to try, it might just become one of your favorites.

Original Taste 930 Whitehorse Rd Box Hill

Dawan Restaurant 895C Canterbury Rd Box Hill

Meat balls and potato salad.... Sicilian style

2010-03-14T21:00:00.005+11:00

Talking about Polpetti and Sugo (see last post!), the 'Pulpette dolce' at Bar Idda are rich beef, currant and cinnamon flavoured meatballs - slightly sweet and in a luscious sugo. An excellent accompaniment was the simple salad of potaotes, beans & cherry tomatoes and braised capsicums. Sit at the bar and soak up the atmosphere or book for a group as this food is fabulous to share. Wonderful service, great prices!

Bar Idda,132 Lygon Street Brunswick East.
More details in the review @ http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/epicure/restaurant-review/bar-idda/2009/09/14/1252780264725.html

Tomato Sugo - garage style!

2010-03-13T22:40:00.002+11:00

The fulfilment of another foodie dream today - what beautiful weather to spend the day in the garage of one of Melbourne's Italian families making sauce. Tomato pulp flavoured with just a little garlic, parsley, basil, salt, sugar & mirepoix (that's onion, celery & carrot). Three cases of Roma's, many shared recipes and plenty of family stories later enough sauce is safely housed in beer bottles for a whole year of pasta and other dishes including Polpetti. Thanks to Ange, Robyn, Rose and the whole family for sharing their day with Jas & I - what a treat!

Simple or complex?

2010-03-10T21:24:00.002+11:00

..... no not carbohydrates this time. Two breakfast dishes go head to head for a great way to start the day.

Spicy baked chickpeas topped with Meredith goats cheese, a 'salad' of parsley, coriander & finely sliced onion, companioned with multi grained toast, poached eggs, slices of avocado and a squeeze of lemon!
Grilled mushrooms, Aussie feta & red onion jam on multi grain toast.

While simplicity is often my preferred style when it comes to food, Mitte's chickpea's are fabulous however the menu does display a penchant for complex - the flavour combination of pomegranate, cloudy apple and lime juice not simple either but also excellent and I could go on..... But the uncomplicated combination of Redcup's mushrooms also wonderful and at a cafe more than 5kms from the CBD - yay!

-Mitte, 76 Michael Street North Fitzroy
-Redcup Cafe, 1124 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill.

Slow and steady ~ NO ~ Cheap and cheerful wins the race!

2010-03-08T17:00:00.004+11:00

The poll is closed but EatThis readers are definitely looking for good value, so here's my Top 9! Why not Top 10? - who wants to be conformist!!!

And while you're eating your way through the list share your favourites with us all or vote in the next poll - what's your favourite bread?

Moroccan Soup Bar (MiddleEastern, Non meat, $20 Banquet, Fitzroy North)
Tom Phat (Contemporary Asian, Open all day Wed-Sun, Brunswick)
Pacific Seafood BBQ House (Cantonese, Richmond)
Babka (Bakery/Cafe, Breakfast or lunch. buy some veggie bread to take home, Fitzroy)
Laksa King (Have the Laksa!, Flemington)
Supper Inn (Chinese until 2.30am!, City)
Quan 88 (Vietnamese, Richmond - of course!)
Mitte (Daytime cafe, Fitzroy North)
Tiba's (Traditional Lebanese fare, Brunswick)

......breakfast most places is gentle on the wallet/purse, but don't forget lunches. Limited choice set menu's for lunch at some of Melbourne's best can be great value. 2/3 courses, coffee together with all the finery can be had at:

Embasse (3 courses $45)
Jacques Reymond (2 courses $48)
Maha (3 courses $40)
The Press Club (2 courses $42)
Ezards (3 savoury courses $50

Food Safari......

2010-02-21T23:39:00.003+11:00

The endeavour is to cook my way through the Food Safari - Glorious Adventures through a World of Cuisines cookbook with a few adaptions here and there as we cooks are renown for. And yes a little like Julie and Julia the movie which also featured a foodie blogger! Of course the process is taking a seasonal trajectory and my old summer favourite, eggplants, have been first on the list. The Shanghai-style stir-fried eggplants were excellent when added to hokkein noodles, chicken & few other veg. But an absolute must make is the Baba Ghanouj and for those that are not running out to get a copy of this lovely book here's the recipe:
3 medium eggplant
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon EV olive oil
Grill the eggplants whole over a gas flame, turning until the skin is evenly blistered and flesh is soft. Soak in cold water for 10 mins to cool then peel and allow to drain for approximately 25 mins. Puree in a food processor with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt until creamy - add more of the seasonings if needed to taste. I also like to add a little chopped parsley. Drizzle the olive oil on top to serve. Makes 3 cups. It is so smokey and delicious!

There's eating at home and EATING at home...

2010-02-18T22:44:00.002+11:00

Piggy on a spit!

Half a pig is not the usual ‘come round for a BBQ fare' – but one that definitely shouldn’t be knocked back. Especially when the said pig has been slowly roasting over charcoal for 5 hours. The skin is crisp, salty decadence and the flesh ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ fabulous. Nothing more needed that a simple salad - picked from the garden and dressed with S & P, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Not to mention the homemade Italian biscotti and real coffee as the night wears on. Okay, so the insiders know I didn’t have the coffee – ‘cause tea’s my preferred cup! Dining out or at home, whats your preference? - have you voted in the poll? - see below

Sweet or savoury?

2010-02-06T16:14:00.001+11:00

I've never really understood the ‘sweet tooth's’ of this world. My food loves are predominantly savoury - pungent cheese, dense bread, juicy morsels of meat, spices, complex sauces……. But when it comes to a donut, well that’s different, I just adore the texture of a good one. And the Maha variety are GREAT and even better they’re filled with warm Turkish delight! That's not to say that the savoury fare at Maha is not great - it is.The Soufra (tasting menu) is a feast highlighting the wonderful flavours of the Middle East and a fantastic way to try a range of dishes. Maha 21 Bond Street, Melbourne.

Do readers need carbs?

2010-02-04T16:01:00.001+11:00

Mr Tulk - the name of Victoria's first state librarian, Augustus Tulk and the cafe which can be found at the imposing and historic State Library. One could say that the menu is chokka's full of carbs - that's if you want a baguette or a panini, but my lovely duck and white peach salad was lacking in a bit a of starch. A shame really as the flavours and textures were beautiful. A little nutritional balance please! My companions poached eggs were perfectly executed and a fabulous accompaniment to the corned beef hash.

Mr Tulk, 328 Swanston Street Melbourne.

"Mum, we've just become a Melbourne institution!

2010-01-29T17:00:00.003+11:00

....and the lemon tart's not bad either." The daughter of a foodie proclaimed as we enjoyed the ambience of Melbourne's legendary laneway culture in Degraves Street - just off Flinders Street. Doesn't matter whether its lunch, morning or afternoon tea, a quick coffee or just to people watch 'hanging out' here can be an excellent venture.

The WOW factor.....

2010-01-28T23:37:00.002+11:00

Not for the first time, I say Melbourne foodies are spoilt, but it seems we want more. Today’s lunch (gotta love a job that calls eating out “professional development”) at The Courthouse was good honest food at very reasonable prices, efficient service and definitely worth the visit. The dishes were well executed, flavoursome and offered generous portions without being over the top. But at this end of the market it seems my dining companions and I are looking for the WOW factor! But what is the wow factor? A sublime combination? Exquisite textures? Opulent ingredients? Eating is such a subjective experience and for food lovers ‘love is in the eye of the beholder’. The Courthouse, 86-90 Errol Street North Melbourne

Food is for sharing!

2010-01-18T16:41:00.000+11:00

A new variation of the family salad - this ones smoked trout, shredded fennel & red onion, orange segments, grilled kiflers and greens with a sourcream & dill vinaigrette. Add a comment, tell me about your food experiences or ask a question - food is for sharing!

To market, to market to buy……..

2010-01-16T21:40:00.001+11:00

I have been making regular pilgrimages to Queen Vic market for 30 years, ever since moving to the ‘big smoke’ to start a cooking apprenticeship. I now have a favourite butcher, baker, deli, fruiter etc and look forward to slices of Polish grandma ham, pickled octopus, great sour dough plus scouring stalls for something new or interesting. Nothing better for a foodie than a food market!!!! I’ve also recently visited another once regular haunt - Preston market - where I found all my old favourites and a few newies including a van selling freshly made Turkish gozleme – feta and spinach filled pastries crisped on a hot grill, even better with a squeeze of lemon.

But my trips to these markets are not as regular now that farmers markets are common place – buying just picked produce and chatting to the producers is a real highlight. One does need to be careful as some market organisers allow non producers to sell at their markets, just buying in bulk and reselling! Usually the most reliable stalls have a limited range of commodities, sometimes only one or two. I love the lady who grows just tomatoes and cucumbers – a perfect salad combo, flavour in raita, souvlaki veg or half a gazpaccho. The only down side is getting up earlyish on a Sat/Sun, a tough call for those of us on cooks time!

I do like the Abbotsford Convert farmers market on the 4th Saturday of each month http://www.mfm.com.au/ and I also rather enjoy the ambience of the Wheelers Hill market on the 3rd Saturday http://www.vicfarmersmarkets.org.au/

More time to cook....yay

2010-01-05T22:30:00.004+11:00

Gotta love time off work - more time to cook! Chinese last night, Middle Eastern tonight, who knows where tomorrow!!!!

In the beautiful book 'turquoise' by Greg & Lucy Malouf, Greg introduces imam bayildi by saying 'purists will have to forgive me for messing around with Turkey's most famous dish'. So I trust Greg will forgive me for messing with his recipe, for the eggplants in my fridge where not of the long Middle Eastern variety and I had no pekmez (grape molasses) in my larder but I did have pomegranate molasses - so that’s what I used! My dining companions enjoyed these eggplants none-the-less with lamb & sumac sausages from Istanbul butchers, creamy yoghurt and Lebanese bread to mop up the delicious juices. …..and I’ll add pekmez to my shopping list! Istanbul Halal Meat, 609 Sydney Road Brunswick.

Fish ball noodle soup

2010-01-04T21:08:00.003+11:00

A family favourite:

Start with a good chicken stock, add some garlic, ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and a little chilli, simmer so the flavours infuse
Add some vegetables, julienne carrot, shredded Chinese cabbage, soaked and sliced shitake mushrooms - simmer for a little longer
Add fish balls or sliced fish cake from the Asian grocery, we use both and sliced fried beancurd puffs, just to warm
Pour boiling water over hokkein & vermicelli noodles - strain
Put the warmed noodles, bean shoots and shredded spring onion in large noodle bowls pour soup over top
Enjoy ....or experiment to make it your own!

Good-bye 2009...hello 2010

2010-01-01T13:49:00.004+11:00

The year finished as is customary with a plethora of seafood, turkey, ham and trifle accompanied by way too much champagne (yes French) and Aussie bubbles. Christmas and New Year traditions run strong and heaven forbid if the Christmas pudding (made to my grandmothers recipe - yes that includes suet) did not appear on the 25th of December each year, although the partakers seem to have duly accepted my Drambuie 'twist' to the custard which adds to its rich lusciousness.

….and before the year finished I finally made it to Gigibaba! Yum, yum, yum all the wondrous flavours of Turkey – the complexity of the smoky eggplant ‘salad’ truly exciting and the capsicum butter on the steamed prawns – wow! The desserts are just an incy mouthful but again combinations to savour like the dried apricots filled with pistachio nuts and rosewater infused cream. A bit tricky to find - Gigibaba, 102 Smith St Collingwood.

Summer festivities

2009-12-17T21:26:00.000+11:00

So many food experiences and so little time to blog – stay turned for great outdoor eating, harvesting the fruits of summer to make jam; relish and other preserves, new brunch delights and so much more…….

Pub Grub

2009-12-04T22:09:00.003+11:00

Such an unattractive term for food which can be so honest, predictable and at times downright comforting. Unfortunately finding such fare at the ‘local’ can be a little difficult as Melbourne’s hotels are ‘done up’ and ‘gentrified’. A trip to more rural settings (the country) might be needed. The menu mainstays are often the surest bets, Chicken Parma (Parmigianino), big juicy steaks, crispy beer battered ‘fish’ or a mixed grill all served with chips and salad or vegetables cooked just like my grandmother used to – soft and with plenty of butter and salt! Of course sharing these homely meals is at its best with family – whatever that ‘family’ might look like – sometimes this is the people we spend so much time with… our work mates. The Toolangi Tavern between Yarra Glen and Healesville has $15.00 ‘Pub Classics’ and a pretty-as-a-picture backdrop to the outdoor deck or a cosy log fire in winter and the steak sandwich or Toolangi burgers are not bad either! Good Aussie tucker.

Tried & true or bold & new......

2009-11-30T21:32:00.006+11:00

Eating out in Melbourne offers the diner anything from cheap and cheerful comforting classics to awesome offerings which have the potential to make you and your wallet twitch. Whatever you decide there is little doubt that Melbournians are spoilt for choice – a week of outs rather than ins has included:
Day 1 - Vietnamese pork and prawn rice paper rolls

Day 2 - Steamed Chinese custard buns - and a few custard bun converts

Day 3 - Taxi's "Stockyards Wagyu porterhouse marble score 7+ with horseradish cream & yakiniku"

Day 4 - A colourful Korean Bibimbap Hotpot

Day 5 - Embrasse's "Meli melo of vegetables, sprouts, herbs and flowers"

My dining companions as diverse as the culinary adventures - thanks one and all! Keep up the gastronomic exploration and don't forget to share the gems!

Preserved........for today and tomorrow

2009-11-29T20:15:00.003+11:00

So often my mantra is 'fresh is best' but climate, economics and traditions provide the foodie world with flora and fauna preserved for another day. No better example than cheese, found in the cuisines of so many regions and such a diverse array. From the soft moist fresh curd to the aged pressed cooked curd varieties, cheese = preserved milk.

A global platter of spicy pickled cucumbers, juicy salty olives, chewy chorizo, sweet pariser, garlicky Polish sausage, tangy tomato relish, crisp grissini and sour sourdough can be achieved from the archives of the pantry or fridge no need to venture out.

Eggplants, aubergine & brinjal....

2009-11-22T12:31:00.006+11:00

Does eggplant belong in Laksa? - two trusty Malay foodies say no, but is seems to be used by all my favourite Laksa makers! Laksa King includes eggplant in its beautifully balanced chicken incantation.

As the season for this fabulously versatile vegetable approaches my list of loved eggplant dishes is ever expanding.......

11 eggplant dishes to cook or seek out!

1. Fried as a garnish in Laksa
2. Braised in Thai green chicken curry (purple striped or small green Thai variety)
3. Smoked over the open flame for Baba Ganoush
4. Spiced with pea’s in Baingan bharta

5. Fried in olive oil and layered between rich passatta and stracchino cheese in Eggplant Melazani

6. Yaki nasu - baked eggplant with miso

7. Marinated olive oil fried slices as part of an Antipasto

8. Whole marinated baby eggplants filled with walnuts on a Mezze

9. Layered with potatoes and minced lamb in Moussaka

10. Sautéed with onions, garlic, zucchini, capsicum, & tomatoes in Ratatouille

11. Bouranee Baunjan - Afghani eggplant with yogurt sauce
Laksa King 320 Racecourse Rd, Flemington.

Happy Eggplanting!!!!

Tofu lovers rejoice!

2009-11-16T00:44:00.005+11:00

The elegant simplicity of Japanese cuisine brings us Agedashi tofu (or agedashi dofu) – generous cubes of firm cotton tofu ever so lightly dusted with potato or corn starch before being deep fried to golden then served in a steaming tentsuyu broth (dashi, mirin & Japanese soy sauce), the finishing flavours a topping of grated ginger, shredded spring onion and dancing bonito flakes, pure delight! (No time for pics or my cube will disappear.) Longrain has a cracker tofu dish too - Salt and pepper silken tofu with stir fried Chinese broccoli and snow peas (also in a fabulous broth).

Hidden in Glen Waverley, Shira Nui is a gem for Japanese cuisine. You'll have to book in advance but the 8pm sitting will keep you entertained if at the bar as chef Hiro Nishikura prepares 'Omakase' - stunning sushi - the grilled eel a must (even my non-foodie dad loves this one!). Shira Nui 247 Springvale Rd Glen Waverley, Longrain 44 Little Bourke St, Melbourne or if heading to Phillip Island take a detour to Tomo 23 A’Beckett St Inverloch - Tomo's miso braised duck pictured.

Shira Nui @

Pizza, cake and mozzarella!

2009-11-06T22:09:00.008+11:00

Q. What takes 2 dinners, 1 lunch, 2 cakes and 10 pizza's? A. A 17th birthday celebration so it seems!The pizza's are the local takeaway variety - not my preferred of course! And in fact when I go to my fav pizza establishment its not actually the pizza I order first, its the velvety Italian buffalo mozzarella served simply with a few slices of sweet and salty capocollo (or prosciutto) and thin crispy grissini. The pizza’s at D.O.C. are also good – thin crispy base and chewy crust with a few but simply combined toppings. For supplies to make your own or anything else Italian, a trip to Mediterranean Wholesalers or a recent discovery Roma Deli will have you leaving with shopping bags of E.V.O (extra virgin olive oil for the uninitiated) Mazzetti balsamic, Gragnano pasta, pecorino cheese, olives and tomatoes and and and ....... D.O.C. 295 Drummond Street, Carlton South, Mediterranean Wholesalers 482 Sydney Road Brunswick, Roma Deli 32 Gladestone Road Dandenong. Bellissimo

Dumplings, dumplings, dumplings

2009-11-04T22:09:00.001+11:00

I never can decide which ones to have, the vegetable or the pork, steamed or fried but I do know what sauce I want and its not soy. Its Chinese black vinegar for sure - the sourness a perfect contrast with the doughiness! Take care when you bite into one of these packets of bliss - besides being chokka's with filling they have the tendency to squirt steaming liquid at either you or your dinning companion!!! A trusted foodie friend tells me Camy Shanghai Dumpling House, 25 Tattersall’s Lane Melbourne (off Lt Bourke St) is the go! I have a few favourites in Box Hill for the eastsiders including Tempura & Dumpling House, Centro Box Hill 17 Market Street Box Hill.

The Sydney Road Shimmy.

2009-11-02T22:40:00.003+11:00

Sydney Road, Brunswick - yes home to my favourite haunt Tom Phat - but heading further north one can find a plethora of business's devoted to Middle Eastern delights. Pistachio nuts and spiced broad beans to greet friends; garlic laden dips of eggplant, chickpea or beetroot for a mezze; delicate Iraqi breads filled with cheese and spinach or Lebanese topped pizza of minced lamb & tomatoes and to finish sweet syrupy nutty baklava or even better Zanoud! One might head home with a bucket load of sumac or za’tar (spices to use on everything especially lamb!) or even some Syrian sugar lumps to soothe a sore throat or a giant Tagine to make Moroccan stew. But best to taste your way along as you shop and even better bring along some like-minded foodies to share the fun! Amir Bakery 819, Balha's Pastry 761, Phonecian Bakery & Cafe 774, A1 Bakery 643 - Sydney Road Brunswick. Enjoy

Scones, jam and cream!

2009-11-01T21:17:00.003+11:00

That's it really - sometimes one just needs a little comfort food. The best scone recipe is not my grandmother's, though - she would have gently rubbed butter into the flour. I use this one: 1 cup of SR flour, 100 mls cream and enough milk to make a soft dough (slightly soured milk is great or add a squeeze of lemon juice - this changes the chemical reaction with the baking powder which can cause the soapy taste). Don't be too gentle with this mix it needs to be well worked - my scone cutter IS what my grandmother used, a small can with top and bottom removed! Bake at approx. 180 C until golden.

I’m sure there’s no need to tell you that scones must be eaten warm!

French Toast

2009-10-31T23:35:00.002+11:00

As a child French Toast was a treat when the chooks had been laying well and sometimes it was a two course affair. First course a savoury version served with Grandma's homemade tomato sauce followed by 'sweets' the same soft delicious eggy bread topped with whatever berries had been turned into sugary jam that year. Alas both versions were of the sliced white bread variety. Modern versions made with sour dough, French stick or even croissants are so much better. The red door corner store has a luscious one of brioche topped with passionfruit curd and banana – shame the banana wasn’t grilled like the one I had in the Cook Islands (mmmm tropical banana’s!) – but still excellent. The red door corner store, 70 Mitchell St, Northcote. (A little birdie told me I might find a good breakfast here - thanks for the tip Michelle!)

Vietnamese Pho

2009-10-27T23:58:00.001+11:00

The freshness of Vietnamese cuisine fits perfectly with spring in Melbourne - and its hard to beat a bowl a Pho with its fragrant broth infused with star anise and coriander, the slippery rice noodle, crispy beanshoots, peppery herbs and tang of lemon juice and fresh chilli.

Even better when shared with a diverse group all bought together by the love of exploring food. Where's the best pho in Melbourne????? or is just ducking into the local the best because you might get special congealed ox blood(oops perhaps shouldn't have mentioned that) For generally good Vietnamese Thanh Hga nine 160 Victoria St Richmond is reliable. On a hot day order a glass of refreshing lemon soda - transports me instantly to Ho Chi Min City!

Brunch is the best!

2009-10-25T17:58:00.003+11:00

I love brunch - I can catch up with friends who have been up since the 'crack of dawn' when I have just slothed out of bed and we can savour breakfast or lunch together. Rather than one of my favourite haunts today we tried Snow Pony. The baked beans were yum! - nearly as good as the ones at Babka (don’t forget to buy a loaf of the vegetable bread to take home) and A Minor Place. The bread at Dench’s makes it a great choice for breakfast (and a loaf or two to takeaway) but my all time fav is Tom Phat for anytime of the day, fantastic breakfast dishes, great juice combinations, a glass of wine/ale, light lunches, rich mains, fabulous desserts (Roti pancake, wow!)- an interesting (good interesting) Asian/European mix (an article in The Age Newspaper recently labelled the flavours as Thai but thats way to restrictive Malay, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese) and mostly friendly'ish' & efficient service. Try everything its all great!! Snow Pony, 95 Whitehorse Road Balwyn; Babka Bakery Café, 358 Brunswick St Fitzroy; Dench Bakers, 109 Scotchmer St Fitzroy North; Tom Phat, 184 Sydney Road Brunswick; A Minor Place, 103 Albion St Brunswick.

Drinking and 'eating' tea

2009-10-24T18:22:00.004+11:00

Yum cha - drinking tea - Catching up with fellow tea connoisseurs to drink tea at Oriental Tea House was an eclectic experience of traditional and modern. The trad - White tea, green tea, black tea, oolong tea & Shanghai dumplings. The mod – happy tea, relaxing tea, tea cocktails, chilled Japanese plum wine and chocolate dumplings. The loudish music fitting with the cool Chapel Street location but not the Zen of the tea ceremony. So go for the tea’s or the vibe but for excellent yum cha try Shark Fin House, 131 Little Bourke Street Melbourne or Tai Pan in 237 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East, for fabulous tea try theteacentre.com.au and if you want to ‘eat’ tea try this recipe: Combine 4 tsp of your favourite tea, 300g brown sugar, 300ml water, 200ml of red wine, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 4 whole allspice, 5 black peppercorns and the zest of I orange – bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes, strain then add 250g of pitted prunes to the syrup and simmer for another 10 minutes, remove prunes and reduce the syrup until thick and sticky. Serve prunes and syrup on ‘caramel’ yoghurt – lightly whisk enough brown sugar into creamy Greek style yoghurt to taste. Or alternatively use tea and rice as a medium for smoking some chicken.

Spring is here!

2009-10-22T21:34:00.005+11:00

The nights and mornings are crisp but the days often bathed in bright sunshine, its time to start making salads. Our family favourite is just called the 'big salad' and features something smokey - often chicken breast or trout, something preserved - roasted red casicums (again!) or marinated eggplant together with the freshness of spring - leafy greens, crispy vegetables and fresh curd cheeses topped with crunchy wholemeal croutons.

The love of Laksa

2009-10-21T21:52:00.002+11:00

Curry Laksa the traditional Nonya style soup from Malaysia is my idea of takeaway. Its luscious creamy richness and spicy red chilli oil slick on top so inviting, brimming with hokkein and vermicilli noodles, beancurd puffs, fishcake, prawns and beanshoots. One version I love includes silky fried eggplant and a few slices of char sui pork.
Head to Laksa King in Racecourse Road, Flemington they have a number of varieties.

Cheese on toast

2009-10-20T16:44:00.000+11:00

Growing up in an era where mums didn't work but rather cooked and cleaned for the family, Sunday was the cooks night off - probably because they had already made a laborious Sunday roast! In our house that meant GYO (Get your own) on Sunday night and for me that was cheese on toast - simply a few slices of tasty sandwiched between two slices of tip top white! Now I can spend eons debating with foodie friends about what type of bread, cheese variety, condiments and even whether it should be dripping with butter 'pan toastie style' or squished in a sandwich press. But what I most prefer is a slice of sour dough drizzled with olive oil, slow toasted in the oven until just crisp then spread with Meredith Dairy marinated feta and topped with roasted red capsicum - now that's cheese on toast!!! Roast red capsicums whole in hot oven 200 Celsius (no need to coat in oil) until they start to darken, cool until you can handle, peel, remove seeds, slice - a little salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil is also nice especially if you plan to keep for a few days.

"Left overs"

2009-10-18T20:00:00.000+11:00

Today was one for relaxation after yesterdays festivities and of course the best bit is the 'left overs' which actually started late last night sneaking Gulab Jamin from the sweet sticky cardamon scented syrup without leaving a tell tale trail. The chilli, garlic and ginger marinated lamb and pork and tandoori chicken are even better today enjoyed in the peaceful sunshine of the backyard with a refreshing ale. And not forgetting the magnificent chutneys, date, coconut and coriander & mint - no not all together, each with its own unique flavours and zing, so so good. Sorry no restaurants to direct you to today - you'll have to find your own 'special' Indian friend (and family) for these delights.

Magical Mystery Tour - Indian style

2009-10-16T22:44:00.000+11:00

The afternoon begins as a shopping trip to Jaipur Curry Club in Clayton to buy mountains of brightly coloured 'quality' Indian sweets to celebrate Diwali (Hindu festival of lights) tomorrow. We duck across to Clayton Road to a grocery that's full of neatly stacked Indian goodies but the rice and spices are the feature and the basmati is in big bags and bigger bags and even bigger bags! And a few doors up a non-descript cafe yields such a treat, Samosa Chaat - crunchy, tangy, hot and sweet flavors combined - wow! Why have I never had one of these before? Jaipur Curry Club, Carinish Rd, Clayton and Sarawan Spices, 335 Clayton Road Clayton.