tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76032904352010675792024-02-20T19:50:19.562+11:00Fat Feminist FoodieCakes and political rage. Mostly cakes, though.s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-64886949697450806492010-10-26T18:19:00.000+11:002010-10-26T18:19:00.408+11:00Cupboard Mushrooms and Backyard Bok Choy!For my birthday this year (which was in May . . . yes, I'm still that far behind), I told people who asked that I wanted things that would grow or facilitate growing and so got amazing books, gardening tools, seeds and plants. Thanks, peeps!<br /><br />Here is my first post of things I've grown in our backyard (and cupboard, in this case).<br /><br />Siobhan, Robin & M got me a "grow your own mushrooms" kit which I have set up in old linen cupboard. After a couple of weeks, I have mushrooms!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/5104529360/" title="mushie cluster by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1092/5104529360_7b6734f79a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="mushie cluster" /></a><br /><br />The kit I was given is half button mushrooms, half portobellos and I only have white button mushrooms so far but, boy howdy, they are TASTY!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/5103936999/" title="mushie picking by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1161/5103936999_435a6a8e6f.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="mushie picking" /></a><br /><br />They grow super fast once they are up and it is so much fun to open a cupboard and have something you've grown yourself!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/5103936653/" title="mushie picked by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1359/5103936653_48b758c10d.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="mushie picked" /></a><br /><br />The lovely S&D over at <a href="http://veganabouttown.blogspot.com/">Vegan About Town</a> gave me bok choy and spring onion seedlings which grew like great guns. I used the bok choy in stir fry and as steamed greens with other dinners. So good!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101365419/" title="Homegrown Bok Choy 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1121/5101365419_ac14c7f242.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Homegrown Bok Choy 1" /></a><br /><br />Again, it was amazing to be all "I'll just nip out to the backyard and grab some greens for dinner" which, I know makes me an insufferable city person but I am trying to grow more of our food. We just reinvigorated our herbs this weekend.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101365963/" title="Homegrown Bok Choy 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1245/5101365963_cf85a292e7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Homegrown Bok Choy 2" /></a>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-76118891405090002172010-10-24T17:57:00.005+11:002010-10-25T18:00:45.053+11:00Red Star Cafe, Daylesford<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4759212833/" title="water pumped from the mineral spring by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4759212833_e480895481.jpg" alt="water pumped from the mineral spring" width="500" height="334" /></a><br /><br />Back in July, Esther and I went to Daylesford for the weekend. It was my birthday present from my family and it was filled with amazing food, relaxing, cider and crafts. NICE.<br />Above is the mineral spring we happened upon when trying to find <a href="http://www.daylesfordcider.com.au/">the cidery</a> and we drank from and everything.<br /><br />On the sunday, we went to Hepburn Springs and had lunch at a place we'd only ever had coffee at before: The Red Star Cafe.<br /><br />We had the Ploughman's Lunch which had some bread, cheese and pickles (as you'd expect) as well as a big salad with a really tasty dressing, a little frittata and the MOST AMAZING RELISH EVER.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4956330560/" title="Ploughmans @ Red Star Cafe by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4956330560_b14edcfeb2.jpg" alt="Ploughmans @ Red Star Cafe" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /><br />The only disappointment on the plate (and, even then, it wasn't really that disappointing) was the bread which I wish had been a nice chewy sourdough. Despite that, this was a great lunch and the sort of thing I love to eat.<br /><br />We also shared the Vego Tart which, after months, I have no recollection of the flavours: feta and something?!<br /><br />Tasty but overshadowed by the MOST AMAZING RELISH EVER; so much so that the relish is in pride of place in the photo.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4955737549/" title="A vego tart of some sort @ Red Star Cafe by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4955737549_c355f0b96f.jpg" alt="A vego tart of some sort @ Red Star Cafe" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /><br />The service was friendly and fun, the food was tasty and there was a good selection of things for the vego i.e. me. We will definitely go again next time we are up that way.<br /><br /><br />We then, on the spur of the moment, decided to go to the lavender farm nearby. <a href="http://www.lavandula.com.au/">Lavandula</a> was, actual facts!, the best thing ever. I got all persnickety about having to pay to go in — I believe it was $4 or something ridiculous like that so who knows why I was hesitant — but it was worth every cent. It was just nice to walk around, play some petanque and look at the beautiful gardens.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4759850002/" title="sajee at the lavender farm by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4759850002_7c0b9c6e09.jpg" alt="sajee at the lavender farm" width="500" height="334" /></a><br /><br />Red Star Cafe<br />115 Main Rd<br />Hepburn Springs VIC 3461<br />(03) 5348 2297s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-53146254976548523872010-10-21T22:18:00.005+11:002010-10-21T22:31:51.476+11:00Four Things (take 2)<p>I wrote a long-winded and detailed post but it was eaten! Here is the quicker version of a bunch of stuff I made.</p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">1. Cauliflower & Caramelised Onion Tart (from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/cauliflower-and-caramelized-onion-tart/">smitten kitchen</a>)</span></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101991492/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101991492/" title="Cauliflower & Caramelised Onion Tart 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1331/5101991492_6699987174.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Cauliflower & Caramelised Onion Tart 3" /></a></a><br /></p><br />So delicious. So easy.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101992032/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101992032/" title="Cauliflower & Caramelised Onion Tart 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1437/5101992032_d48baf874b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Cauliflower & Caramelised Onion Tart 2" /></a></a><br /></p>The pastry was flaky and tasty, the filling was the sort of things that dreams are made of and it was all easy enough to make quickly after work. Do it.<br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;">2. Franken-brownies</span></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4955739185/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4955739185/" title="Franken-brownies 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4955739185_cf2ed8d645.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Franken-brownies 1" /></a></a><br /></p>Or, what happens when you decide to add other foodstuffs to brownies.<br /><br /><p>NW: gummi bears</p>NE: mini M&Ms<br /><p>SE: mini marshmallows</p>SW: turkish delight<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101364069/" title="Franken-brownies 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1188/5101364069_dcff9eb7ff.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Franken-brownies 3" /></a><br /><p>Science was the winner. Also, turkish delight.</p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">3. Chocolate Banana Bread</span></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101363355/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101363355/" title="Banana Bread by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1054/5101363355_30de9472c4.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Banana Bread" /></a></a><br /></p><p>I love bananas. Just not in things.</p>Until now. This <a href="http://buttersugarflour.com/2009/07/banana-chocolate-bread/">recipe</a> has changed my banana bread-related life. I am now the kind of person who makes banana bread regularly.<br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;">4. Pickled Carrots</span></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101366647/"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101366647/" title="Pickled Carrots 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5101366647_2238a0bfe7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Pickled Carrots 1" /></a></a><br /></p><p>We get a fruit & vegie box from <a href="http://www.organicangels.com/">Organic Angels</a> once a week and, sometimes, we end up with an excess of stuff. I generally use a bunch of carrots during a week but we always seem to have more. They multiply in the fridge. I needed to take action.</p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/5101367233/" title="Pickled Carrots 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1135/5101367233_93c2da6664.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Pickled Carrots 2" /></a><br /></p>I decided on pickled carrots using <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/11/easy-pickled-carrots/" title="David Lebovitz">this recipe from David Lebovitz</a> but instead of fennel, I used coriander and cumin seeds and some peppercorns. SO GOOD OMG.s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-52749219211038807312010-09-04T14:46:00.006+10:002010-09-04T16:30:56.826+10:00Remember me?Probably not. <br /><br />I'm going to try and not make excuses because <a href="http://www.tartx.com/blog/?page_id=233">blogging isn't meant to be an obligation</a> but I will say that I have still been cooking and eating and having adventures and, overall, I think my complete lack of blogging for the past 8 months has been due to the fact that learning how to be a teacher takes up a lot of time! A LOT! Particularly when you are trying to work two other jobs around it. Holy mackerel, kids! (Also, my camera's screen has been playing up a bit. It is frustrating.)<br /><br />That said, yesterday afternoon signalled the end of my teaching rounds for this year. Obviously, I still have uni for the rest of the year but no more school time. It's weird - I am totally jazzed that time is passing and I am closer to becoming a teacher but it is also really sad. The school was fantastic (the kind of school dreams are made of, particularly for rounds) and the students were engaged, bright and funny. I think I will miss my two classes of Year 11s the most and, to thank them for being so awesome to teach, I made them some <a href="http://fatfeministfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/10/catastrophe-cookies-or-biscuits.html">Catastrophe Cookies</a> for class yesterday. They were very popular and, thus, I bought the love of my first class. Note to self: food works.<br /><br />Anyway, let's use this moment to clear some of the 8 months worth of photos I have on hand. There probably won't be heaps of info but, hopefully, it will get me in the mood to do some more up to the date blogging. <br /><br />At some point in February, I made my first ever spring onion pancake. Please excuse the iPhone photo:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4956232462/" title="Spring Onion Pancake by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4956232462_55830a71d2_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Spring Onion Pancake" /></a><br />So easy and tasty. In fact, I believe I lured our 'new' flatmate, <a href="http://twitter.com/byronbache">Byron</a> into moving in by promising him spring onion pancake. I have yet to make it again. Oops.<br /><br />For Easter, I made an amazing carrot cake (<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/03/sigrids-carrot-cake-perfect-for-easter/">recipe from The Pioneer Woman</a>) and it was super-tasty.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4491851454/" title="easter cake 1 by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4491851454_b46920f076.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="easter cake 1" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4491213225/" title="easter cake 2 by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4491213225_fdd4cf3ff6.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="easter cake 2" /></a><br /><br />I also made some Hot Cross Buns, using the amazing BBC recipe which they have since changed! WHY, BBC?!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4485445655/" title="a delicious treat by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4485445655_1f86db033d.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="a delicious treat" /></a><br /><br />For the lovely <a href="http://knitickyboo.wordpress.com/">Miss Jen's</a> birthday, I made this <a href="http://bakingbites.com/2009/12/gingerbread-layer-cake-with-meyer-lemon-frosting/">Gingerbread Layer Cake with Lemon Frosting</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4350097254/" title="fuji 12 by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4350097254_efa059bdd2.jpg" width="327" height="500" alt="fuji 12" /></a><br /><br />The birthday girl seemed to enjoy it and I remember it was nice but not groundbreaking. It was, however, a lovely birthday picnic and anytime you rock up with <br />a cake and cake stand in the middle of the botanic gardens, you do become very popular.<br /><br /><a href="http://threebagsfullcafe.com/">Three Bags Full.</a> Believe the hype. (Also, get there ridiculously early to get a table.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4955736233/" title="IMG_0499 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4955736233_a69b3372ab.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0499" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4956328876/" title="IMG_0501 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4956328876_f9eb537cb7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0501" /></a><br /><br />The lovely M and I have been baking buddies for the past little while. Our first effort was a Rainbow Cake.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4737611791/" title="m and the rainbw cake by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4737611791_d61acef6d8.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="m and the rainbw cake" /></a><br /><br />Don't worry - I checked with her mother before filling her full of food colouring.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4737609019/" title="rainbow cake by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4737609019_dce7fd9e59.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="rainbow cake " /></a><br /><br />A month or so later, we decided to make something else. She had wanted to make a chocolate cake but as soon as she saw the pink jelly cakes in the recipe book, it was impossible to convince her otherwise. <br /><br />They looked pretty enough . . .<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4892684871/" title="pink lamingtons 2 by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4892684871_50b4bb0461.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="pink lamingtons 2" /></a><br /><br />Expectations were high . . . <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4893281094/" title="pink lamingtons 3 by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4893281094_9ea25a3ee5.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="pink lamingtons 3" /></a><br /><br />But . . . <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64148767@N00/4893281506/" title="pink lamingtons 4 by penelope waits, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4893281506_dd2187a7db.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="pink lamingtons 4" /></a><br /><br />Oh, I hear you, bb. They weren't so great. As M said, "I thought they had a flavour but they don't."<br /><br />Finally (for now), the other day we made the most ridiculous brownies the world has ever seen.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4955739185/" title="IMG_0040 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4955739185_cf2ed8d645.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="IMG_0040" /></a><br /><br />Each quarter was a different stroke of evil genius: marshmallow, gummi bear, mini m&ms and turkish delight. <br /><br />AND THEN WE MADE OURSELVES SICK EATING THEM.<br /><br />Marshmallow and Turkish Delight were the best. Would make again.<br /><br />Anyway, I do have some other stuff (Daylesford, St Andrews Market, misc other things) but this has become a bit ridiculous already. I will be back soon - I promise!s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-6390180050699123812010-01-31T15:35:00.002+11:002010-01-31T15:43:12.047+11:00Lamingtons<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4305442849/" title="Lamingtons 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4305442849_d8beae991d.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Lamingtons 1" /></a><br /><br />Esther and I spent Survival/Invasion/Australia Day watching <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/8863613">this video</a> and watching the Gilmore Girls and doing much-needed washing. My one patriotic thing (apart from ignoring this ridiculous holiday which, I think, is a fairly patriotic stance to take) was to make lamingtons because they involve coconut, jam, cake and chocolate.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4305447561/" title="Lamingtons 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4305447561_b4c923368d.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Lamingtons 3" /></a><br /><br />There's lots of talk about lamingtons being too much hassle to bother about that I've heard but I think they're fun to make. I mean, if I had to make 70 once a week or some such, then yes, it would blow. But as a once in a while thing - totally worth it!<br /><br />I have made lamingtons in the past - gluten-free lamingtons no less - and had a whale of time doing so. That time, I simply made a gluten-free butter cake (from a cake mix) and then did the whole chocolate/coconut business. This time, I started from scratch.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4306191178/" title="Lamingtons 4 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2734/4306191178_e58437a7b1.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Lamingtons 4" /></a><br /><br />Lamingtons<br /><br />for the sponge (based on Nigella's Victoria Sponge recipe):<br />225g soft unsalted butter<br />225g caster sugar<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />4 large eggs<br />200g self-raising flour<br />25g cornflour<br />1 tsp baking powder <br />4 Tbsp milk<br /><br />Prehear oven to 180C and line whatever tin you wish to use. I went with a deep brownie pan which meant my cake was quite thin and I needed to do a double layer of cake on some of my lamingtons. <br />Crack out your food processor (you can do it without one but it is so simple with one). <br />Put all the ingredients bar the milk and process until it is a smooth batter. Then pulse as you slowly add the milk. <br />Pour into your pan and bake for around 25 minutes (or until the cake is coming away from the edges of the pan). <br />I leave the cake in the pan to cool for about half an hour or so and then flip out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. <br /><br />If you aren't using a food processor, cream the buter and sugar, add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour between each egg. Fold in the rest of the flour and cornflour and don't add the baking powder. When it is all mixed in, add as much or little milk as you need. <br /><br />NOW FOR THE COCONUTATION!<br /><br />2 cups icing sugar<br />1/2 cup of cocoa<br />66g butter<br />1/2 cup of boiling water<br />Jam of your choice (I used strawberry)<br />A whole lot of coconut (I used shredded but dessicated is more traditional)<br /><br />Cut the edges off your cake, as well as slicing off all the delicious brown bits, leaving it all exposed white sponge that is ready to suck up the chocolate icing. (You can keep all the bits for trifle or similar). Cut your cake into your preferred shape - I ended up with rectangles but squares, stars, circles - it is up to you! I then halved them and put a bit of jam in to stick them back together.<br /><br />Mix the boiling water and butter in a largeish bowl. When the butter has melted, sift in the cocoa and the icing sugar. Stir it around into a a delicious chocolate soup. Pour your coconut into relatively shallow bowl, good for rolling things in and set up a little assembly line - jammified cake, chocolate soup, coconut, final plate. <br /><br />Let me level with you, peeps - I use my hands for this bit. It is messy but totally easier.<br />Dip the cake into the chocolate, making sure your coat all of the outside. Then roll in the coconut and plop on the plate. They are pretty delicate so it is best to leave them for a little bit to set (if you can stop yourself).s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-89929262223834515362010-01-29T12:00:00.001+11:002010-01-29T12:00:01.460+11:00Tandoori Tofu Salad<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4305444419/" title="Tandoori Tofu Salad 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4305444419_3edea77a30.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Tandoori Tofu Salad 3" /></a><br /><br />Another summer salad!<br /><br />This is a vegification of something that we used to make with chicken and it was surprisingly successful!<br /><br />I coated cubed tofu with a tandoori and natural yoghurt mix and then baked it for 20 minutes (or until I was ready for it). Made a simple salad of butter lettuce, cucumber and tomato, put the baked tofu on top and then crumbled papadums on top as delicious papadum-y crutons. I made a yoghurt-y dressing (natural yoghurt, lemon juice and mint) to drizzle over the top. <br /><br />Delicious and easy. <br /><br />This is also totally gluten-free (as long as you check the tandoori paste ingredients - all the ones I've ever used are gluten-free) as papadums are totally gluten-free (lentil flour FTW)!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4306188558/" title="Tandoori Tofu Salad 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4306188558_f778f7dec5.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Tandoori Tofu Salad 2" /></a>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-804020872969099212010-01-27T10:00:00.002+11:002010-01-27T11:07:16.116+11:00Daring Bakers: Nanaimo Bars<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4306190146/" title="Nanaimo Bars 4 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4306190146_4e2cff6ae1.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Nanaimo Bars 4" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of <a href="http://www.celiacteen.com/">Celiac Teen</a>. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000126.html">101 Cookbooks</a> and <a href="http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/visitors/NanaimoBars.html">www.nanaimo.ca</a>.</span><br /><br />This month's Daring Bakers had me very excited as I love Canada and I love bars and I have actually been to (well, through) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo">Nanaimo</a>. I was also excited because the host, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo">Lauren</a> is a coeliac and she asked everyone to try the gluten-free baking path. I spent four years being a gluten-free home cook and it is so awesome to make coeliacs something that they haven't had for ages i.e. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/2669875477/">croissants</a>.<br /><br />In the end, I ended up making the glutenful version because I was running out of time and I didn't have enough gluten-free flour in the pantry so I feel a bit like I betrayed Lauren but I was so happy that gluten-free baking was in the spotlight this month.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4306189354/" title="Graham Crackers 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4306189354_921848868d.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Graham Crackers 1" /></a><br /><br />We had to make the graham crackers first which was a bit thing for me. As an Australian who grew up reading the Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High and various other trashy books that involved smores and other exotic food. All I gleaned from these books at the time is that graham crackers were involved in some way. When I made these the other day, I ended up making a smore by melting a marshmallow over my gas stove and mushing it the cracker and trying to melt the chocolate using the gas as well. It wasn't super successful but I totally dug the concept. Go, BSC!<br /><br />Anyway, crackers! I kind of imagined these as being a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_biscuit">Marie biscuit</a> or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_biscuit">digestive biscuit</a> but they were much more gingerbready than that. There was also something of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Teddy">Tiny Teddy</a> (honey, not chocolate) about them too. They were delicious and we still have a whole bunch left, waiting for me to think of something to do with them. I know a bunch of people had an issue with the dough being supersticky but I didn't have this issue at all. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4306187650/" title="Nanaimo Bars 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2678/4306187650_a0eea3cf88.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Nanaimo Bars 3" /></a><br /><br />Then I made them into Nanaimo Bars! The bottom layer is essentially like a hedgehog slice - I put graham crackers, chopped almonds, coconut and rice bubbles. Possibly too many additions but I couldn't help myself. <br /><br />The middle layer is a sort of buttercream with custard powder added. It was super sweet so I added in some lemon juice and a little bit of cream cheese to cut through the sweet. <br /><br />The top is melted chocolate - something I did too quickly and so it went lumpy. FAIL. <br /><br />All in all, these were amazing but super-sweet. I enjoyed the challenge but I'm not sure I'd make them again because they were even a bit too much for this sweet tooth household. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4305444157/" title="Nanaimo Bars 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4305444157_3ef2216acc.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Nanaimo Bars 2" /></a>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-15366050444159428182010-01-26T12:00:00.001+11:002010-01-26T12:03:23.850+11:00Wood Spoon Kitchen<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281003122/" title="Sake 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4281003122_e7ccce913c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Sake 2" /></a><br /><br />Well, peeps, I am heading back to uni this year to become a <a href="https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/view/2010/G04-SS">Master of Teachering</a>. I'm very excited about this - particularly as I now have a student card! - and Essie wanted for us to go out to celebrate my success and we ended up at Wood Spoon. It was a bit of a surprise as I had been mentioning wanting to go there but wasn't expecting a sms from her the day I found out about uni telling me we had a booking - she's sneaky!<br /><br />Anyway, together with <a href="http://danjonathantravel.blogspot.com/">the boys</a> we headed off to try this place I have heard so much about.<br /><br />We shared a bunch of nibbley things to start - edamame, seaweed salad, agedashi tofu and okonoimyaki - and I chose to have umeshu while everyone else had various sake. The umeshu was one of the nicest plum wines I've had (which, admittedly, isn't hard as I've only had one other plum wine in my life) and the pear sake I sampled was amazing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280258963/" title="Edamame by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4280258963_0d290edba6.jpg" alt="Edamame" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The edamame was salty and delicious and we were so frickin' hungry that they were gone in a flash.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280259291/" title="Seaweed Salad by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/4280259291_103ddccfff.jpg" alt="Seaweed Salad" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I loved the seaweed salad - I loved the tomato and cucumber in it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281004190/" title="Okonomiyaki by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4281004190_31d5c153f3.jpg" alt="Okonomiyaki" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />It was a tasty okonomiyaki - it has 'nom' in the name so it must be good - and I can't remember any thing else about it but it being tasty. This is the downside of writing up two weeks late!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280259991/" title="Agedashi Tofu by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4280259991_2ecb45e684.jpg" alt="Agedashi Tofu" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I REMEMBER THINGS ABOUT THIS. This agedashi tofu was by far the highlight of the meal and was so fucking amazing. OMG PEEPS. Nix and I were sharing this as the omnis had the pork gyoza but we convinced Dan and Esther to try some too and then regretted our decision as it meant less tofu for us. If you eat one thing this year, make it this!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281005028/" title="Vegetarian Miso Soup by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2726/4281005028_cf87885205.jpg" alt="Vegetarian Miso Soup" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The vego miso was tasty if not quite what I expected. If I'd read the menu, I would have noticed the mention of pumpkin and sweet potato. It wasn't what I was expecting but it is tasty and full of surprise sustenance!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281006004/" title="Dengaku Don by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4281006004_0bf04a8966.jpg" alt="Dengaku Don" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />We shared the Dengaku Don which I loved but J found the texture a bit strange - it was a bit like tahini-coated eggplant. Which makes it sound terrible but I loved the softness of the eggplant and the sesame flavour. I can see that it might not be to everyone's cup of tea.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280261959/" title="Sesame Icecream by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4280261959_5543b1451c.jpg" alt="Sesame Icecream" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />After our monster effort, we thought it best to go the whole way by having dessert. The sesame icecream was an intense trip to sesame land - no sugary fluff here. It went really well with our other dessert choice . . .<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280262269/" title="Pumpkin Dango in Coconut Milk by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2784/4280262269_95a6abff77.jpg" alt="Pumpkin Dango in Coconut Milk" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />pumpkin dango! This was very very sweet but also fairly amazing. Anyone who has had the pleasure of going to The Dumpling House with us knows our love of the pumpkin cakes. This dish was like the insides of pumpkin cake in sweet soup. WINNER.<br /><br />At this point we rolled ourselves out to my car (A+ parking spot in front of the restaurant) and went home to rub our bellies.<br /><br />This was an amazing evening - the food, company and occasion - and I feel like I've already had my best meal of 2010 in the first half of January. We had excellent service all night and even though it is a small space (though, apparently, it used to be smaller), it didn't feel like we were eating on top of the other patrons. Wood Spoon also get a huge thumbs up for their clearly marked vego, vegan and gluten-free options on their menu. It makes everything less stressful when you know exactly what everyone can eat.<br /><br />GO THERE AND HAVE THE TOFU! IT IS AMAZING.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Wood Spoon Kitchen<br />88 Smith Street<br />Collingwood<br /><a href="http://woodspoonkitchen.com/">web</a></span>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-39087606630813357242010-01-21T12:00:00.001+11:002010-01-21T12:00:00.147+11:00Borsch, Vodka and Tears<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280253949/" title="Let the feasting begin by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4280253949_ffe7913918.jpg" alt="Let the feasting begin" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />You've got to love a work day that is interrupted with an invite to dinner somewhere you've been meaning to go for years and years. Tash smsed me an invite to dinner at <a href="http://www.borschvodkaandtears.com/">Borsch Vodka & Tears</a> last week and I spent the entire week excited by the prospect of pierogi and borsch.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281001190/" title="They coloured it in and everything! by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4281001190_baf6f47e31.jpg" alt="They coloured it in and everything!" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Tash was particularly impressed with the care and attention that had be put into the sign reserving her table; so much so that she demanded photographic evidence of the colouring in. A+ colouring there - gold star!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280998842/" title="OK beer by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2721/4280998842_b0f50161f7.jpg" alt="OK beer" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Tash, Anton, Esther and I all went for various vodka based drinks - I had the best Moscow Mule of my life - and John decided on an OK Beer and a shot of one of the many, many, many, many types of vodka. I love the label on this beer - it would be wrong to get it as a tattoo, yes?<br /><br />When it came to ordering, Esther and I decided to share a couple of things and then get our own mains (so to speak) and leave the rest of the table to their business. <br />We ended up sharing the blintzes and cheese & potato pierogi to start and we did sample some of the saganaki which was super delicious. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280254625/" title="Blintzes 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4280254625_d7318f0673.jpg" alt="Blintzes 1" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The blintzes were amazing - very simple, obviously, but exactly what a potato blintz should be. One of my favourite things of the evening.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280255323/" title="Saganki & some sort of fritterball thing by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4280255323_559a511b1c.jpg" alt="Saganki & some sort of fritterball thing" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Delicious saganaki and some sort of fritter in the background which I didn't sample. I did steal the pickled veg off the plate later though as they were just going to leave it! NO NO NO - pickles veg is an always food!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281000232/" title="Cheese and Potato Pierogi 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/4281000232_d840b17746.jpg" alt="Cheese and Potato Pierogi 1" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />The pierogi were, again, simple hearty deliciousness. Tash, Anton and John raved about the meaty ones they shared for a main and, whilst these were delicious, I think that pierogi are really best at their meatiest. There are other vego pierogi that I didn't sample so I know what I'm ordering next time I go back for cocktails.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4281000896/" title="Vegetarian Borsch by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/4281000896_3633df7973.jpg" alt="Vegetarian Borsch" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />For my main, I went with the vegetarian borsch as it seemed fitting. From my understanding (and very quick wikipedia-ing), this borsch was a clear broth as it is a Polish borsch and if I had been in a Russian or Ukrainian restaurant the borscht would have been a bit chunkier - please correct me if I'm wrong. The broth was delicious and surprisingly light and very beetrooty. The highlight for me was the mushroom uszka. Wow - I could probably have eaten a hundred of these little dumplings of tastiness. Yum.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4280257567/" title="Oodles of Strudel by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4280257567_7e567f1fb7.jpg" alt="Oodles of Strudel" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Even though we were stuffed to the gills, we decided to do dessert. We did have to have a fairly significant break in proceedings so that we weren't all automatically ill so we used that to have more cocktails. It was a this point that Esther had the best cocktail of her entire life - the Honey On Toast. Honey vodka, creme de cacao, cream and cinnamon in a honey drizzled glass. Wow. I went with a Starry Starry Night which was champagne and quince and whilst it was good, I should not have strayed from the vodka drinks as they were all outstanding.<br /><br />Anyway, dessert. Esther and I had apple strudel and it was strudelicious. Probably not the best strudel I've ever eaten but an excellent end to a hearty meal. <br /><br />I really enjoyed Borsch, Vodka & Tears and will probably go back with the view to sample more of the drinks list than for a meal. If I get to eat some excellent blintzes and pierogi on the way . . . well, that's just a positive. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Borsch Vodka & Tears</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">173 Chapel Street, Windsor</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">03 9530 2694</span></span>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-13562204332839439762010-01-19T12:00:00.002+11:002010-01-19T12:00:00.637+11:00Kinda Caesar Salad<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247600160/" title="Kinda Caesar Salad 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4247600160_b57863f0da.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Kinda Caesar Salad 1" /></a><br /><br />Here's a quick dinner that we had during our hothot weather in the last week. It's half based on Jamie Oliver's Warm Bread Salad (aka Jamie's version of fattoush) and the Caesar Salad from Veganomicon. Obviously, this version isn't vegan but it is very easy to rid it of vegan-unfriendly things.<br /><br />I make my croutons by cutting/tearing bread (rye bread in this instance) and putting them in a bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, a clove or two of garlic, pepper and a touch of salt. In terms of proportions, enough oil so that they all get a bit of a coat, a good slug of lemon juice and the rest to your taste. I put them in the oven until crouton-y which, generally speaking, is how long it takes to put the rest of the salad together. <br /><br />I hard-boil some eggs (put the eggs in the cold water, cook for 12 minutes) and I break the woody ends off the asparagus, add it to the egg boiling water until it looks bright green (the asparagus, although the water will also go a bit green) and then put it into some cold water to keep it nomtastic.<br /><br />Then, lettuce, snowpeas, tomatoes, dutch carrots, capers and the croutons go into a bowl. I dressed this salad with only lemon juice but you can use the delicious dressing below and then I lay the asparagus pseudo-artistically on top, broken up eggs and shaved parmesan.<br /><br />Quick, easy and delicious. Winner.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246825437/" title="Kinda Caesar Salad 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2720/4246825437_ab1e14edc7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Kinda Caesar Salad 2" /></a><br /><br />Caesar Dressing <span style="font-style:italic;">(from Veganomicon)</span><br /><br />1/3 cup blanched almonds<br />3-4 cloves garlic, crushed<br />350g silken tofu (conversion from pounds - I think I ended up using just 1 small pack of silken tofu)<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />3 Tbsp lemon juice<br />1 Tbsp capers<br />4 tsp caper brine<br />1 tsp sugar<br />1/2 tsp mustard powder<br />salt<br /><br />Pulse almonds in a food processor until crumbly. Empty the ground almonds into an airtight container. Blend the garlic, tofu and oil in the food processor until creamy. Add the lemon juice, capers, brine, sugar and mustard powder and pulse until blended. Add lemon and salt to taste. Pout into the almonds and whisk to combine. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. <br /><br />This kept well in the fridge for a week or so and probably would have lasted longer (but there wasn't any left to check and see).s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-34068963763167649572010-01-17T12:00:00.001+11:002010-01-17T12:00:00.456+11:00Tin Pot Cafe<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246832803/" title="Tin Pot Cafe 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2735/4246832803_77ecbf50f5.jpg" alt="Tin Pot Cafe 1" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /><br />Tin Pot is a bit of an old faithful - not my most favourite place but always there and always with an extensive breakfast menu. Service is always friendly but a bit hit and miss with remembering things or meals coming out together. This most recent visit was odd because there were plenty of tables when we arrived but we had to stand around for ten minutes while they cleared off a particular table for us. Don't get me wrong, it was a good table but it would have been easier for everyone to let us sit somewhere else.<br /><br />So, combine odd loitering in the doorway with screaming children and a strange all-white renovation, it was a very strange start to breakfast. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246832227/" title="Tin Pot Cafe 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2525/4246832227_ccb0a4538f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Tin Pot Cafe 3" /></a><br /><br />I went with the vego beans - they were good but fairly one note and when I got a bit of feta in a mouthful, it totally changed the whole meal. Overall, it needed a nice squeeze of lemon but it appears that there is some sort of lemon crisis happening in Melbourne at the moment. So, good beans but not a patch on the Tre Espresso beans.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247606846/" title="Tin Pot Cafe 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4247606846_b133363aab.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Tin Pot Cafe 2" /></a><br /><br />Es went with porridge with banana and, despite the "NO CHANGES TO DISHES" claim at the top of the menu, she was able to sub the maple syrup for brown sugar. I tasted it and it was good. Esther said that it was nice and creamy and not too sticky or stodgy. High praise indeed.<br /><br /><a href="http://danjonathantravel.blogspot.com/">J&D</a> had various things that I can't remember now so . . . <br /><br />Tin Pot - nice, reliable, needs more lemon.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Tin Pot Cafe<br />248-250 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North<br />(03) 9481 5312</span>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-76365729217599712022010-01-15T12:00:00.000+11:002010-01-15T12:00:01.278+11:00New Year's Eve<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247604956/" title="New Year's Eve 4 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4247604956_cf35df1528.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="New Year's Eve 4" /></a><br /><br />Mainly a picture post of the delicious food Esther's mum made for us on New Year's Eve - amazing salad, delicious frittata and fresh bread. Best New Year's meal ever. (Even though the <a href="https://twitter.com/ess_jay/status/1087675043">mac & cheese</a> I made last NYE was pretty damn delicious!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246830895/" title="New Year's Eve 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2761/4246830895_e2f9af1c3b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="New Year's Eve 3" /></a>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-22503535558988270802010-01-13T12:00:00.002+11:002010-01-13T12:00:03.109+11:00Hellz yes, homemade ice-cream!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247606144/" title="Chocolate, cherry and coconut ice-cream 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2498/4247606144_9fea3e0f11.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Chocolate, cherry and coconut ice-cream 3" /></a><br /><br />So, I win at Christmas. <br /><br />I was totally spoilt with amazing things, all of which I love and I had an amazing time at all four of our Christmases! It was fun and relaxed and lovely!<br /><br />Anyway, one of the many things Esther got me was <a href="http://www.sunbeam.com.au/Pages/Browse/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=1194">Snowy</a>, the ice-cream maker. And, lo, I made ice-cream.<br /><br />Esther got to suggest the first flavour combination and we ended up with a very fancy Cherry Ripe-ish flavour - fresh cherries, chocolate chunks and coconut in a vanilla bean ice-cream.<br /><br />It did take about four days to end up with ice-cream:<br />Day 1: make room in freezer for the freezy bit of Snowy<br />Day 2: make the vanilla bean custard. It splits and then, through my own foolishness, ends up with water in it. Discard.<br />Day 3: make the vanilla bean custard. It works. Put in fridge to chill.<br />Day 4: finally put together Snowy and make ice-cream. Eat!<br /><br />The vanilla bean recipe I used was the one that came with Snowy and was very simple - the sort of recipe that can be found in 10000 places around the internet so unless someone really wants the recipe, I won't post it. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247604680/" title="Chocolate, cherry and coconut ice-cream 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2761/4247604680_9dc672ce5e.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Chocolate, cherry and coconut ice-cream 1" /></a><br /><br />Thanks, Essie!s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-82332664309141841372010-01-11T12:00:00.001+11:002010-01-11T12:00:00.159+11:00Quick Post: A Minor Place<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246829773/" title="Vietnamese Salad Roll 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4246829773_ecafde70d0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Vietnamese Salad Roll 1" /></a><br /><br />Here's the Banh Mi (or, as the menu insisted, "Vietnamese Salad Roll") I had at A Minor Place last week - delicious but, ultimately, not as good as the one I could get in Footscray for half the price. Also, the roll was toasted making it ridiculously hard to eat without cutlery. I think I provided entertainment for Esther at least.<br /><br />In my opinion, it need more coriander and the carrot was fresh, not pickled. I love the pickled carrot in Banh Mi so it was a bit disappointing.<br /><br />That said, still love A Minor Place, still want them to put <a href="http://fatfeministfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/10/best-omelette-i-have-ever-eaten-best.html">The Omlette</a> on the menu.s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-12632527864606707242010-01-09T12:00:00.000+11:002010-01-09T12:00:01.616+11:00Lentil as Anything @ Abbotsford Convent<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246829067/" title="Sri Lankan Breakfast 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4246829067_714e7428e9.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Sri Lankan Breakfast 1" /></a><br /><br />Take two peeps, the Sunday after Christmas and the desire for breakfast. And, thus, you have <a href="http://veganabouttown.blogspot.com/2009/12/lentil-as-anything-at-convent.html">Steph and I at Lentil as Anything for breakfast</a>.<br /><br />Much like Steph, I was surprised at how few breakfast things were vegan (i.e. one option) but I was keen to try the Sri Lankan Breakfast - a dosa-esque pancake filled with potato and egg curry.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247603702/" title="Sri Lankan Breakfast 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4247603702_5bdb31c700.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Sri Lankan Breakfast 2" /></a><br /><br />It was tasty, if a bit one note - I think it needed some more acid - and I'm not entirely sure why or where the eggs was. I mean, I know it was smushed up in the curry but seemed fairly superflous to me. The crepe was a bit thicker than I expected it to be but tasty.<br /><br />Steph's mushrooms were good and it was a nice change to try somewhere new for breakfast. I was very sad that I didn't get a chance to try any of <a href="http://fairestfeed.blogspot.com/2009/12/cwa-aint-got-nothing-on-me.html">Pip</a>'s amazing baking so I'll just have to go back again soon.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><b><a href="http://www.lentilasanything.com/">Lentil As Anything</a></b><br />1 St Heliers Street<br />Abbotsford</span>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-7508813174315280552010-01-07T12:00:00.001+11:002010-01-07T12:00:02.137+11:00Christmas Morning Muffins<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246828623/" title="Christmas Morning Muffins 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2796/4246828623_8477563c15.jpg" alt="Christmas Morning Muffins 1" width="500" height="333" /></a><br /><br />Cranberries and chocolate and oranges, oh my!<br /><br />We spent Christmas eve up in the hills with Esther's mum, eating falafel, opening presents and watching <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_in_the_Willows_%282006_film%29">Wind in the Willows</a> (2006) - seriously, Mark Gatiss = Best. Ratty. Ever.<br /><br />I also decided to make these muffins that I saw on <a href="http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/5153">Ezra Pound Cake</a> as they combined a bunch of things I love and I thought they sounded easy and festive.<br /><br />In conclusion, DELICIOUS! I will be making these again.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246828863/" title="Christmas Morning Muffins 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4246828863_d847d87ab4.jpg" alt="Christmas Morning Muffins 2" width="500" height="333" /></a>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-73069731079945159802010-01-05T19:49:00.002+11:002010-01-05T20:40:04.715+11:00Bay Road Pantry, ClaremontNow, some surprise Perth blogging!<br /><br />Esther and I headed over west for <a href="http://img113.yfrog.com/i/v45.jpg/">an amazing wedding</a> and early Christmas with my family. My parents had literally moved into a new house the day we arrived and as opposed to it being in the Swan Valley (lovely part of the world - A+), it is in Nedlands (also lovely - A+). It is such a change for me in Perth - there are supermarkets five minutes away! Our picnic-ing spot on the foreshore was five minutes away! The beach is about ten minutes away! AMAZING!<br /><br />Anywhoodle, Esther and I were up ready to have breakfast with one of my BFFs when plans changed and she couldn't make it. Es and I decided to venture out into the wilds of Nedlands to find somewhere to eat. We stumbled upon the Bay Road Pantry and thought it looked like a likely spot.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4246826589/" title="Bay Road Pantry 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4246826589_f3c3d74547.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Bay Road Pantry 3" /></a><br /><br />It was a quite a nice place - an old house, lots of tables, quiet street - and the breakfast was decent. The menu was small - from memory, there were only 6 things and the bruschetta with avocado I wanted wasn't available as they had no avocado yet so I ended up with poached eggs on toast with mushrooms on the side.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247601154/" title="Bay Road Pantry 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4247601154_514826219d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bay Road Pantry 2" /></a><br /><br />The eggs were pretty undercooked and if I weren't a more adventurous person, I would have sent them back (no side effects though! Yay!). The bread was delicious and sourdough-y and the mushrooms were good, if a bit salty. Esther has scrambled eggs and bacon and said that it was good, if a bit bland.<br /><br />Our pre-breakfast dessert of danish was tasty but obviously not made on site. Yum - apple danish!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4247600474/" title="Bay Road Pantry 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4247600474_d111fa47e1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Bay Road Pantry 1" /></a><br /><br />The coffee was fine - nothing special but par for the course for Perth coffee.<br /><br />All in all, it was a fine breakfast but overpriced and nothing ground breaking.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">29 Bay Rd<br />Claremont WA 6010<br />(08) 9386 1045</span></span>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-8532213655970723172009-12-25T08:48:00.002+11:002009-12-25T09:01:17.651+11:00Daring Bakers: Gingerbread House<p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4180987376/" title="December 2009 Daring Bakers 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4180987376_dcb690e602.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="December 2009 Daring Bakers 2" /></a><br /></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of </strong><a target="_blank" href="http://verysmallanna.com/" title="anna's blog"><strong>Very Small Anna</strong></a><strong> and Y of </strong><a target="_blank" href="http://lemonpi.net/" title="Y's blog"><strong>Lemonpi</strong></a><strong>. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.</strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I’m beginning to think that my Daring Bakers motto should be “best laid plans” because this was another month of shenanigans. I was very excited when I saw the challenge and started planning a very Aussie Christmas Gingerbread House i.e. backyard cricket, dry grass, tin roof. There were plans and engineering meetings and decoration conferences in the confectionery aisle of the supermarket. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And then . . . </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I chose Y’s dough because I had all the ingredients in my cupboard and I liked the spices that were involved but I had a few issues with the dough - it came together easily enough but after chilling overnight, it did not roll, it crumbled. So, I stood there smushing it back together to try and get a flat enough thin to cut my wall out of. Finally, I had all my pieces and they had a cooled and it was time for the simple syrup.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Let's consider this for a moment. Me + molten sugar + pretty decorationing + tiredness = me burning myself with said molten sugar. And then Esther burning herself on the syrup. So I thought "oh well, I won't decorate it as nicely as I wanted to. I mainly just want to put it together!"</p><p class="MsoNormal">So I did. And, holy mackerel, it was ugly. SO UGLY! SO UGLY THERE AREN'T ANY PICTURES!</p><p class="MsoNormal">There's another reason why there aren't any pictures.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I smashed it. With my rolling pin. A lot.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I snapped and had had enough of this ugly gingerbread house - all the time and energy that had gone into the construction for an UGLY outcome was too much for me - it was smashing time.<br />At first, it wasn't very carthatic but then I hit my smashing stride and I felt a lot better.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The problem, of course, was that now there was no gingerbread house for the challenge at all. Esther to the rescue! We cut some slices off the (ample) excess dough and made some tiny gingerbread houses.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4180994296/" title="December 2009 Daring Bakers 6 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4180994296_bab23bc1dd.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="December 2009 Daring Bakers 6" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">And, if i say so myself, they are about 10000 times cuter than I could have ever imagined. And so adorably cute! They are living on our coffee table and it is pretty funny watching our cats walk next to them as they look like huge panthers attacking the tiny village.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">So, all in all, a less than successful challenge but I got to work some anger out. The challenge was certainly there and I'm glad that I had a go! Thanks, Anna and Y!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4180233821/" title="December 2009 Daring Bakers 7 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4180233821_b77ca7a454.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="December 2009 Daring Bakers 7" /></a><br /></p><p><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong></strong></span></p>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-7210508600676342842009-12-14T12:00:00.001+11:002009-12-15T08:50:32.801+11:00Factory<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4178559898/" title="Factory 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2551/4178559898_c3b11b76ce.jpg" alt="Factory 1" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />It has only taken a year or so for Esther and I to walk the 5 minutes down the road to try out Factory and we are very glad we did! We took the lovely Josie along with us to try it out and we spent a lovely couple of hours eating, drinking and playing scrabble.<br /><br />The menu isn't huge but surprisingly varied! 11 vego options! 1 outright vegan option and other veganiseable (total word, ok) things! Nice looking omin things! Coriander features quite a bit - hooray!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4177802991/" title="Factory 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/4177802991_60e2eac6b3.jpg" alt="Factory 3" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I went with the Vegan Brekkie - scrambled tofu with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and coriander, finished with a soy & lime reduction. Verdict - a one-way ticket to delicioustown! I love these sorts of flavours at breakfast and it didn't disappoint! A little bit of chilli wouldn't have gone astray but, apart from that, the flavours were nicely balanced and the nice sourdoughy bread that came with it (no butter! they totally got the vegan!) was great to dip in the sauce bit that was left.<br />To be honest, just writing this up makes me want to nip around the corner for some more. Yum.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4178789810/" title="Factory 4 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4178789810_6a00239e52.jpg" alt="Factory 4" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Josie and Esther both went with the French Toast with banana, maple syrup and bacon and it smelt amazing and looked great. Both said that it was delicious - good quality maple syrup, nice fresh banana and excellent flavours.<br /><br />There are a bunch of other things on the menu that I want to try - the ricotta pancakes, the poached pears, the baked eggs with tomato and coriander salsa and haloumi - I could go on and on. The coffee with great, there's a nice courtyard and there are plenty of tables.<br /><br />Hooray for our local!<br /><br />Factory Cafe<br />453 Victoria Street<br />Brunswick West<br />T-S 8-4s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-28387684001226752752009-12-13T18:19:00.002+11:002009-12-13T18:19:31.504+11:00Cookies and Cream TrufflesJust a mini-post about my vegan Christmas baking. Except there is no baking involved. There is deliciousness though . . . read on.<br /><br />With all my other Christmas baking being a dairyfest, I needed something to make for my vegan peeps. Josie had told me about this 'recipe' ages ago and I forgot about until I was eating Oreos at the cinema the other night. BRAIN WAVE TIME!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4178566348/" title="Vegan Cookies & 'Cream' Truffles by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2754/4178566348_5eac9b01a3.jpg" alt="Vegan Cookies & 'Cream' Truffles" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />1. Crumble up a tube of Oreos until breadcrumby<br />2. Add toffuti and mix. I added a spoonful and mixed it and kept adding until the consistency seemed right. I think it was about half a little tub of tofutti.<br />3. Melt chocolate<br />4. Roll the oreo/tofutti mixture into balls, dip in chocolate and leave to set.<br />5. Eat.<br /><br />I enjoyed them immensely and the vegans seemed to enjoy them too. Easy and delicious!s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-91988649396935041382009-12-12T10:00:00.000+11:002009-12-12T10:00:03.633+11:00Birdie Num Nums<p class="MsoNormal">Oh, Birdie Num Nums. I had such high hopes for you and in the end you gave me a very mixed bag.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sunday morning, Esther and I picked up our bffs for breakfast. I had declared that I wanted to go somewhere new so we drove down Nicholson Street where the place I had sort of picked was. It was closed. Tip for Melbourne cafes – open for Sunday breakfast. Anyway, we continued down Nicholson Street and arrived at Birdie Num Nums. I loved the interior – it’s previous life as a butcher was very obvious with rails and meat hooks.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4173385659/" title="Birdie Num Nums 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4173385659_9e14c04d21.jpg" alt="Birdie Num Nums 1" width="500" height="375" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, breakfast went from delicious to fairly horrible. My breakfast (above) was delicious - eggs perfectly poached, hollandaise good, asparagus excellent. The only down side was the insubstantial, airy toast. As Esther said, the bread was like something from Baker's Delight.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">J & D got the Egyptian Eggs - crispy fried poached eggs rolled in dukkah on a potato and pumpkin stack with mint and crispy onion. From what the guys said, they were good but lacking balance. It needed something fresh or some lemon to squeeze over it.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4173385879/" title="Birdie Num Nums 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/4173385879_e884e9beab.jpg" alt="Birdie Num Nums 2" width="500" height="375" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">And now for the bad - Esther's breakfast. The bacon was undercooked but covered in burnt bits and oil. The sausage was cold. The spinach was overcooked and not seasoned. There was the same issue with the bread as with my breakfast. The hashbrowns were fine but nothing special and obviously from the freezer section. The eggs were meh. She felt queasy for the rest of the day after her breakfast which generally means that place is struck of the breakfast list forever.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Farewell forever, Birdie Num Nums.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Birdie Num Nums</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">745 Nicholson Street, Carlton North</span><br /></p>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-13921781018940480332009-12-11T13:00:00.000+11:002009-12-11T13:00:04.784+11:00Christmas Baking Hooray!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4174133766/" title="Christmas Treats 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4174133766_fc0ac255ea.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Christmas Treats 3" /></a><br /><br />Last Thursday, I had a half day of work - YAY! My plan was to use the afternoon to plan my Christmas baking and ended up baking all of our baked Christmas gifts whilst Esther organised their packaging and helped me out in the kitchen. How productive of us! *preens*<br /><br />Our gifts were made up of three things - two of which I had seen on the interwebs days before and one which my mum always used to make at Christmas time.<br /><br />1. Walnut Shortbread from <a href="http://www.lottieanddoof.com/2009/12/12-days-of-cookies-1-marlow-sons-shortbread/">Lottie + Doof</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4173378369/" title="Walnut Shortbread 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/4173378369_96839cdb05.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Walnut Shortbread 3" /></a><br /><br />This was some amazing shortbread - not too walnutty (which was my fear as I was chopping them), 'sandy' and moist at the same time, made of deliciousness. I highly recommend heading over to Lottie + Doof for the recipe. This was also the first post in their "12 Days of Cookies" and each has been very delicious sounding.<br /><br />2. Peppermint Bark from <a href="http://domesticgoddessadventures.blogspot.com/2009/12/peppermint-bark.html">Judy in her natural habitat</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4173377715/" title="Peppermint Bark 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/4173377715_18682b0844.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Peppermint Bark 2" /></a><br /><br />Peppermint Bark isn't a thing in Australia - at least, I've never really noticed it - but it seems to be big in the US, seeing as I've seen approximately 10932890 recipes for it in the last couple of days. In conclusion, melted chocolate and crushed up candy canes - yes, please.<br /><br />3. Chocolate Boozy Puddings from my mum!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4174132072/" title="Chocolate Boozy Puddings 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2522/4174132072_c5b4e0c040.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Chocolate Boozy Puddings 2" /></a><br /><br />As I said, my mum used to make these all the time and they were the most fabulous and impressive thing when you are a littlie. The thing is, they are so easy.<br /><br />1. Purchase a fruit cake from the supermarket<br />2. Crumble it and sprinkle it with brandy<br />3. Roll into balls<br />4. Dip in chocolate. Leave to harden.<br />5. Drizzle/dip white chocolate on top. Top with green and red things of your choosing to make holly.<br />6. Impress people. <br /><br />So delicious. So decadent. So boozy. Now to make some more.<br /><br />We packed up them up in cute boxes from Spotlight, added a note, packed them in the car and spent Saturday driving around the greater Melbourne area dropping them on people's doorsteps. Yay, Christmas is for the baking!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4173379675/" title="Christmas Treats 6 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/4173379675_001cc5cfc3.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Christmas Treats 6" /></a>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-30424925780351837162009-12-10T21:58:00.002+11:002009-12-10T22:07:08.798+11:00Et in Arcadia ego . . .<p class="MsoNormal">I’m sorry for ridiculous overplayed title but I couldn’t resist! After months of studying Tom Stoppard’s <i>Arcadia</i> for Year 12 Lit, I have a fondness for all things Arcadian. And, in retrospect, I should have had rice pudding with jam which I could swirl through it and have delightful chaosy fun.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4173397625/" title="Arcadia 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2566/4173397625_36748261f0.jpg" alt="Arcadia 1" width="375" height="500" /></a><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, <a href="http://thatsnojoke.wordpress.com/">our lovely friend AB</a> has just arrived from Qld and it was time for some delicious breakfast, Melbourne-style. I sent her a list of cafe names and told her to choose without any research whatsoever. Without any hesitation, she chose Arcadia (mainly, I believe, because she is living around the corner) and I was very happy with her choice, having had the Most Delicious Savoury Muffin of my life there a few weeks earlier. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We got the last indoor table at about 9:30 or so and felt very smug about the whole situation. Coffee order was taken straightaway which always makes me happy and we perused the blackboard. My eye was immediately drawn to the mushrooms because whilst I love mushrooms, I don’t cook them at home because they are not Esther’s bag at all. I was also interested in the eggs with chilli – I can’t remember the details but it sounded a bit like the Hot Indonesian Eggs at CERES which is high up on my favourite breakfasts of all time.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4174152636/" title="Arcadia 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4174152636_6c14b5ddc9.jpg" alt="Arcadia 3" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Esther and AB both went with (and I quote) "pan-fried mash potato cake with spinach, bacon, poached eggs, mayo and pesto" and it looked fantastic – I don’t partake in meat anymore but that was some delicious looking bacon. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The mushrooms were great and the goats’ cheese was perfect – it’s classic for a reason, peeps.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4174152402/" title="Arcadia 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4174152402_5c3cfa96f6.jpg" alt="Arcadia 2" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Arcadia knock out a great breakfast but there are two downsides:</p> <p><span>1.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>They only do breakfast from 8 to 11:30 (M-F) and 9 to 4 (S&S). I understand that limited kitchen space sometimes means you need to shut down breakfast so you can cook lunch but their breakfasts are so good that I would love to be able to eat them all day.</p> <p><span>2.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span>They are a bit pricier than a lot of other places. The quality is amazing though so the extra cost might be worth it.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Arcadia</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">193 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></p>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-84302711548860395562009-11-28T22:16:00.000+11:002009-11-28T22:16:00.265+11:00Rain, Rain.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4137460983/" title="Doughnuts 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/4137460983_3bdd31608d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Doughnuts 1" /></a> <br /><br />I feel like the last person in Melbourne to make it to Hellenic Republic. I’ve also never eaten at the Press Club. *shame* And, after the whole George Calombaris hating on the bloggers, I wasn’t rushing out to try them. However, the promise of feta at breakfast time was enough to convince me and we finally made it there last weekend in the middle of the stormy weather that had our roof leaking and anxiety levels high.<br /><br />Tash had been raving about breakfast at Hellenic Republic since she moved to Melbourne a couple of months ago; she and her housemate had gone one morning and all I’d heard since was “breakfast spanakopita”. Never one to shy away from filo at breakfast, I was intrigued and excited to check it out. Fast forward, two months and we had finally made a date to go and eat.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4138221954/" title="Spanakopita & Eggs 2 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2725/4138221954_fdd809deb6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Spanakopita & Eggs 2" /></a><br /> <br />We hadn’t booked but it seemed easy enough to get a table as we were pretty early for Sunday morning breakfast (9:30). I felt strangely pleased to see that their roof was also leaking, even though it did result in Tash getting wet at the end of the meal. There were buckets set up in a couple of places over the dining room to catch the drips and the staff looked a little bit harried as well. That said, the service was great and our coffee order was taken very quickly. (One of tweeps was inspired by my early morning tweet about going to HR for breakfast and also decided to breakfast there that morning. I believe she had a 20 minute wait for her coffee order to be taken. Bad news.)<br /><br />The menu isn’t huge and it is the usual breakfast stuff with an interesting spin on it. I had already decided I was having the spanakopita but I was also interested in the omelette with feta, leek and potato and, if I ate meat, I’d definitely try the breakfast souvlaki. Tash had tried the omelette before and loved it but one of her Perth friends had tried it the week before and found it a little bland. I will have to go back and try it myself soon.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4138223294/" title="Spanakopita & Eggs 3 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2489/4138223294_98059f4084.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Spanakopita & Eggs 3" /></a><br /><br />The spankopita was outstanding – there was a lovely balance of flavours with the feta being nice and salty but perfectly matched by the mix of spinach and herbs, the filo was great with the bottom being particularly crispy and delicious and the eggs added a lovely element to the whole dish. This isn’t really ‘fancy’ food but it is pretty frickin’ ‘fancy’ on flavour. A+++++++++++++++++++++++<br /><br />Tash also had the spanakopita because she’s an addict.<br /><br />Esther had a very simple but very delicious breakfast of sourdough, spreadable feta, avocado and tomato. I’ll be honest and say that it didn’t look that exciting to me but Esther assures me that it was lovely – the avocado nice and ripe, the tomato well seasoned with good olive oil and pepper and the feta was outstanding. She was very happy with her choice and I think if I was in the mood for simple or light (for a certain value of light), this would be my choice.<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4138224268/" title="Spanakopita & Eggs 4 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4138224268_6508ab1c38.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Spanakopita & Eggs 4" /></a><br /><br />And then we shared breakfast dessert because that’s how we roll. Greek doughnuts with honey and walnuts. Amazing.<br /><br />So, all in all, I really enjoyed it – the food and coffee were excellent, the service was great and the atmosphere was nice. It is a bit more expensive than our usual breakfast haunts but I think it was worth it.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Also, George, I’m sorry if my unsophisticated palate and amateur review isn’t good enough for you.s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603290435201067579.post-34849762099404661602009-11-27T22:26:00.003+11:002009-11-27T22:39:31.894+11:00Daring Bakers: Cannoli<cannoli pic=""><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of <a href="http://www.lisamichele.wordpress.com/">Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives</a>. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4137485659/" title="November 2009 Daring Bakers 4 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2550/4137485659_649f843e6b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="November 2009 Daring Bakers 4" /></a><br /><br />Oh, peeps. Cannoli! One of my loves at Brunneti! One of my loves pretty much anywhere! This month I got to make my own and the results were . . . mixed.<br /><br />After my last minute panic baking the last couple of months (which resulted in me not participating or not having time to give things a try if they didn’t work 100%), I scheduled a baking day as soon as we had received the assignment. BEST LAID PLANS. I chose a day towards the middle of November, little knowing that we would have a heat wave. 38C + deepfrying didn’t work for me so I postponed. Then it was Esther’s birthday and I had birthday cake to make. Then I had work, volunteer and social commitments every single day for the rest of the month. Finally, on Sunday night, as I was busy cooking up things for dinner with friends on Monday, Esther suggested making the dough so it would be ready to fry up when I got a chance. Genius woman!<br /><br />The dough came together very quickly and easily and I started to worry that maybe I’d been a been over the top with my worries about making cannoli. I popped it in the fridge until Tuesday morning when I didn’t start work until ten. So I rolled and cut and fried at 8:30 in the morning. My mine problem was that I wasn’t able to roll the dough to the thinness to ensure that it went all bubbly and cannoli like. Reading through the recipe again, I realise I should have actually let it rest a bit more but I was on a schedule so it was overly thick<br /><br />I made a rose and vanilla cream to fill them with, melted some chocolate and put it all together. They were delicious and fun and I may make them again one day when I have learnt how to roll dough properly.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11773187@N07/4138252392/" title="November 2009 Daring Bakers 1 by smajee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2548/4138252392_b506d774a0.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="November 2009 Daring Bakers 1" /></a><br /><br /><pic></pic></cannoli>s-jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16634870621019546893noreply@blogger.com9