Having people over for dinner parties is one of the chief joys of my life. I love everything about it: planning the menu, shopping for ingredients, "slaving" over the stove. I. Love. It. Lucky for me, Caliban and I have lots of willing dining companions to call on. Last week, I invited my best friend D over for an early Christmas dinner - and it was a triumph of epic culinary proportions. Truly!
D isn't big on vegetarians ("It's not a meal without meat," is practically a trademarked D-ism), so I knew she wouldn't be happy with a pescetarian meal, especially when it was meant for a Christmas celebration. I decided to make D and I roast pork loin, and made stuffed squid for Caliban.
The menu
Entree
Cold rocket and cucumber soup
Main
Roast pork loin with mango
Squid stuffed with Mediterranean couscous
Roast tomatoes with pesto
Best ever roast potatoes
Dessert
White chocolate pannacotta with drunken berries
The soup and pannacotta are Gourmet Traveller and Australian Women's Weekly recipes, respectively, so I won't repeat them here. I will say, though, that the pannacotta was sinfully easy to make. I was terrified that the pannacotta wouldn't slip from the moulds easily, but it did and I am now considered a Michelin-star-style chef by D and Caliban. Good stuff.
Here are the recipes for the rest of the dinner, which went off like a pimply kid at Schoolies.
Roast pork loin with mango
Ingredients
500 gm pork loin (more or less, depending on guests - this served D and I with lots left over, just the way I like it)
Asian marinade (I used Asian Fusion from The Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne, which is basically a mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and coriander - easy enough to make at home)
1 ripe mango
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
Method
1. Baste pork generously with Asian marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours, preferably overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Place pork in oven and roast for 1.5 hours.
3. Dice mango and mix with mint. Serve with pork.
Squid stuffed with Mediterranean couscous
Ingredients
Squid tubes (as many as you need: 1 per guest is adequate)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup couscous (for each tube)
Tablespoon oil
Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped fetta
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
Method
1. Place 1/2 cup water and tablespoon of oil in saucepan. Bring to the boil and remove from heat. Add couscous and cover for three minutes.
2. Remove lid from couscous and add butter. Stir through with fork, separating the grains. Add fetta, tomatoes and coriander and mix through thoroughly.
3. Open squid tube and fill with couscous until the tube is about three-quarters full. Use a toothpick to seal the end.
4. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Place squid in oven for 1 hour, basting every fifteen minutes or so with the white wine. (Use more if necessary, depending on size of squid tube).
5. Serve, eat, enjoy!
Roast tomatoes with pesto
Ingredients
Six good quality tomatoes (or two for each guest)
2 bunches fresh basil, chopped roughly
1 cup good quality parmesan
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts
1 cup good quality olive oil
Method
1. Slice the tops of the tomatoes off (about a centimetre) and scoop out the flesh. Place tomatoes upside down on paper towel and leave to drain (about 15 minutes).
2. Place basil, parmesan and pine nuts in a food processor or blender. Add olive oil gradually, and process until smooth.
3. Scoop pesto into tomatoes, filling to about a centimetre away from the top.
4. When ready to serve, place in oven at 200 degrees Celcius, and roast for 10 minutes.
Best ever roast potatoes
Ingredients
9 potatoes (or three for each guest)
Sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Method
1. Boil potatoes in water for ten minutes.
2. Chop in half and place in roasting pan.
3. Pour olive oil over potatoes (more or less than I've recommended, depending on your love for olive oil/size of potatoes/propensity for heart attacks) and sprinkle with sea salt.
4. Roast in 200 degree oven for 1.5 hours. Drool.
Friday, December 18
Thursday, December 17
plan b by becasse
Last week, I blogged at Cosmo about wanting a wagyu beef burger from Plan B by Becasse for Christmas. Today, I got my wish!
Miss C and I went to Plan B for lunch today. I was nursing a nasty hangover and she was nursing a bottle of champers for me for Christmas – how apt! We both ordered the 800-day grain fed wagyu beef burger, and guess what? It was the best freakin’ burger I’ve ever had. Better than New York’s famed Shake Shack burgers. Better than my stepmum’s veggie burgers (which are pretty awesome). Better than a cheeseburger at midnight.
The meat patty is generous, to say the least, and full of flavour. It’s rich, juicy and incredibly seasoned – amazing. Topped with a slice of cheese (it tastes like gruyere, but I could be wrong) that has melted over the patty deliciously, a bed of lettuce, caramelised onion, beetroot (of course) and a dollop of creamy mayo, it’s perfection in a brioche bun. And at just $10, it’s amazing value (most pub burgers are more expensive, right?) Plus, it doesn’t have fries on the side, so I’m not tempted to eat more than I need. Tick, tick, tick.
Plan B is run by Justin North, the chef behind the city’s best-known French restaurant, Becasse. This year, Justin was named Chef of the Year by the Sydney Morning Herald, and his restaurants (there are four) have won about a gazillion awards. In 2007, Becasse was named in the top 100 restaurants in the world. Pretty impressive stuff. Plan B is like Becasse’s little sister – a little less ambitious, but with the same quality and attention to detail as big sis Becasse. It’s a place to get lunch to take back to the office (like a pork belly sandwich, perhaps?) or a coffee and treat (banana, caramel and salted pecan tart, anyone?). It’s small but elegantly decked out, and might just be my new favourite spot.
Plan B by Becasse
204 Clarence St, Sydney
http://www.becasse.com.au/
9283 3450
Miss C and I went to Plan B for lunch today. I was nursing a nasty hangover and she was nursing a bottle of champers for me for Christmas – how apt! We both ordered the 800-day grain fed wagyu beef burger, and guess what? It was the best freakin’ burger I’ve ever had. Better than New York’s famed Shake Shack burgers. Better than my stepmum’s veggie burgers (which are pretty awesome). Better than a cheeseburger at midnight.
The meat patty is generous, to say the least, and full of flavour. It’s rich, juicy and incredibly seasoned – amazing. Topped with a slice of cheese (it tastes like gruyere, but I could be wrong) that has melted over the patty deliciously, a bed of lettuce, caramelised onion, beetroot (of course) and a dollop of creamy mayo, it’s perfection in a brioche bun. And at just $10, it’s amazing value (most pub burgers are more expensive, right?) Plus, it doesn’t have fries on the side, so I’m not tempted to eat more than I need. Tick, tick, tick.
Plan B is run by Justin North, the chef behind the city’s best-known French restaurant, Becasse. This year, Justin was named Chef of the Year by the Sydney Morning Herald, and his restaurants (there are four) have won about a gazillion awards. In 2007, Becasse was named in the top 100 restaurants in the world. Pretty impressive stuff. Plan B is like Becasse’s little sister – a little less ambitious, but with the same quality and attention to detail as big sis Becasse. It’s a place to get lunch to take back to the office (like a pork belly sandwich, perhaps?) or a coffee and treat (banana, caramel and salted pecan tart, anyone?). It’s small but elegantly decked out, and might just be my new favourite spot.
Plan B by Becasse
204 Clarence St, Sydney
http://www.becasse.com.au/
9283 3450
Sunday, December 6
eveleigh farmers market
"Hey," says Caliban. "I have an idea. Why don't we go to the farmers' markets at Carriageworks this morning?"
As someone who loves markets, food and Caliban (not necessarily in that order), I jump at the offer. Off to market we go!
We scoot over to the markets, located at Redfern's awesome new-ish venue, Carriageworks. It's a theatre, art gallery, marketplace and festival space all in one. We arrive perilously close to closing time (the markets run every Saturday from 8am to 1pm - we rock up at 12.30pm) but we manage to score some amazing food anyway.
Armed with an especially tart blood orange juice each, Caliban and I divide and conquer. He goes in search of cheese, and I'm looking for Christmas gifts. When we reunite, we've both got what we want. Caliban shows off wedges of washed rind brie and regular brie, and roasted macadamia nut butter from Hand'n'Hoe (plus some fresh macadamias from the same stall). I show him the Fatma's Farms sour cherry jam I've just picked up, plus the Pukara Estate Wasabi Mayonnaise (we're huge fans of Pukara's Wasabi Olive Oil, so I can't wait to try their mayo) and the Gumnut Salted Caramel Sauce. "Where's Sonoma?" Caliban asks, referring to Sydney's premier sourdough bakery, which has a stall here. We go in search of a stick of sourdough to spread with our new supplies, but as luck wouldn't have it, Sonoma was sold out.
We resolve to return next Saturday, earlier, so we can enjoy Toby's Estate lattes and Sonoma baked goods for brekky, and shop for more gorgeous food. Cannot. Wait.
Also, if you've ever bought anything from Etsy, you'll love the Eveleigh art markets, Finders Keepers, located adjacent to the farmers' market. It's exactly like Etsy, but live. Imagine! As Caliban rightly observed, "It's for trendy girls and hipster mummies." Exactly. There are stalls by Frankie and Dumbo Feather magazines, Trixie Delicious and Bespoke stationery. It's very cool and if I could have stayed there all day, I would've.
Eveleigh Farmers' Markets
243 Wilson St, Redfern
Every Saturday, 8am - 1pm
www.eveleighmarkets.com.au
As someone who loves markets, food and Caliban (not necessarily in that order), I jump at the offer. Off to market we go!
We scoot over to the markets, located at Redfern's awesome new-ish venue, Carriageworks. It's a theatre, art gallery, marketplace and festival space all in one. We arrive perilously close to closing time (the markets run every Saturday from 8am to 1pm - we rock up at 12.30pm) but we manage to score some amazing food anyway.
Armed with an especially tart blood orange juice each, Caliban and I divide and conquer. He goes in search of cheese, and I'm looking for Christmas gifts. When we reunite, we've both got what we want. Caliban shows off wedges of washed rind brie and regular brie, and roasted macadamia nut butter from Hand'n'Hoe (plus some fresh macadamias from the same stall). I show him the Fatma's Farms sour cherry jam I've just picked up, plus the Pukara Estate Wasabi Mayonnaise (we're huge fans of Pukara's Wasabi Olive Oil, so I can't wait to try their mayo) and the Gumnut Salted Caramel Sauce. "Where's Sonoma?" Caliban asks, referring to Sydney's premier sourdough bakery, which has a stall here. We go in search of a stick of sourdough to spread with our new supplies, but as luck wouldn't have it, Sonoma was sold out.
We resolve to return next Saturday, earlier, so we can enjoy Toby's Estate lattes and Sonoma baked goods for brekky, and shop for more gorgeous food. Cannot. Wait.
Also, if you've ever bought anything from Etsy, you'll love the Eveleigh art markets, Finders Keepers, located adjacent to the farmers' market. It's exactly like Etsy, but live. Imagine! As Caliban rightly observed, "It's for trendy girls and hipster mummies." Exactly. There are stalls by Frankie and Dumbo Feather magazines, Trixie Delicious and Bespoke stationery. It's very cool and if I could have stayed there all day, I would've.
Eveleigh Farmers' Markets
243 Wilson St, Redfern
Every Saturday, 8am - 1pm
www.eveleighmarkets.com.au
Saturday, December 5
born round: the secret history of a full-time eater
Apart from eating food, I also love reading about it. Restaurant reviews, cookbooks, food lovers' guides, foodie biographies, food-travel memoirs - I love it all. Jeffrey Steingarten, Ruth Reichl, Amanda Hesser, Jay Rayner, Julie Powell - all masters of the food-as-memoir genre, are all on my bookshelf. The most recent addition is Frank Bruni's Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater.
Until September 2009, Bruni was the chief restaurant critic at the New York Times. This means he was one of the most feared men in Manhattan. As in Ruth Reichl's biography Garlic & Sapphires, he explains the lengths he went to in order to disguise himself from cunning chefs and waiters. Pseudonyms (complete with credit cards), moustaches, hats and even wigs helped Bruni escape recognition. But the real story here isn't like Reichl's - who explained how she disguised herself as a series of "nobodies" in order to see what it was really like to be served in New York's top restaurants - it's the story of Bruni's struggle with his love of food and his ongoing weight battle.
From an Italian family who was big on showing love through food, Bruni developed problems with food from an early age. Always bigger than his brothers and sister, he learns early on that food is his chief comfort - and his parents are only too happy to indulge him. As he gets older, his sedentary job (journo) coupled with low self-esteem lead him to a dangerous binge-and-purge cycle (otherwise known as bulimia). When he finally gets it all together and manages to lose weight properly and healthily, he's offered one of the most coveted jobs in the food world - restaurant critic for the New York Times. Mmm.
He decides to accept, but sets himself a series of unenviable limits. His favourite personal trainer - the one with whom he achieved fantastic results - lives in Washington. Bruni pays a small fortune to take the train to Washington each week to work out with the powerhouse. He walks from restaurant to restaurant - often miles apart - to ensure that he's burning off the highly calorific meals he's consuming. He doesn't eat much during the day, so that he can indulge at night, when he's reviewing. Because a food critic can't just try one meal - you have to give a sense of the entire menu, after all - he only eats a few bites of each. Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.
It's fascinating reading, not least for the gossipy side notes about New York's food scene (plus, an anecdote about the time Sarah Jessica Parker invites herself and husband Matthew Broderick to dinner with Bruni).
DDS verdict: read, with a glass of red and a bowl of pasta. Hearty stuff.
Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater, Frank Bruni
Available from Amazon
Until September 2009, Bruni was the chief restaurant critic at the New York Times. This means he was one of the most feared men in Manhattan. As in Ruth Reichl's biography Garlic & Sapphires, he explains the lengths he went to in order to disguise himself from cunning chefs and waiters. Pseudonyms (complete with credit cards), moustaches, hats and even wigs helped Bruni escape recognition. But the real story here isn't like Reichl's - who explained how she disguised herself as a series of "nobodies" in order to see what it was really like to be served in New York's top restaurants - it's the story of Bruni's struggle with his love of food and his ongoing weight battle.
From an Italian family who was big on showing love through food, Bruni developed problems with food from an early age. Always bigger than his brothers and sister, he learns early on that food is his chief comfort - and his parents are only too happy to indulge him. As he gets older, his sedentary job (journo) coupled with low self-esteem lead him to a dangerous binge-and-purge cycle (otherwise known as bulimia). When he finally gets it all together and manages to lose weight properly and healthily, he's offered one of the most coveted jobs in the food world - restaurant critic for the New York Times. Mmm.
He decides to accept, but sets himself a series of unenviable limits. His favourite personal trainer - the one with whom he achieved fantastic results - lives in Washington. Bruni pays a small fortune to take the train to Washington each week to work out with the powerhouse. He walks from restaurant to restaurant - often miles apart - to ensure that he's burning off the highly calorific meals he's consuming. He doesn't eat much during the day, so that he can indulge at night, when he's reviewing. Because a food critic can't just try one meal - you have to give a sense of the entire menu, after all - he only eats a few bites of each. Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.
It's fascinating reading, not least for the gossipy side notes about New York's food scene (plus, an anecdote about the time Sarah Jessica Parker invites herself and husband Matthew Broderick to dinner with Bruni).
DDS verdict: read, with a glass of red and a bowl of pasta. Hearty stuff.
Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater, Frank Bruni
Available from Amazon
Thursday, December 3
homemade chilli - a DDS original recipe
Get this: some people actually eat two-and-five a day. You know, two serves of fruit, five serves of veggies. Seriously. I am one of those people.
That is to say, I try very hard to be one of those people. As much as I truly believe that everything is better with butter, I also try pretty hard to be healthy (for the most part). So when I'm cooking for Caliban and I at home, I make an effort to use as many veggies as possible. It helps immensely that Caliban (thank God) isn't one of those "meat-and-potatoes" men.
One of my favourite veggie-packed meals is this chilli. It's super healthy, low-fat, low-carb and most importantly, it actually tastes great. Try it and let me know what you think!
Homemade Veggie Chilli: a DDS original recipe
2 x 400gm cans chopped tomatoes
400gm can red kidney beans
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 red capsicum, chopped
10 large mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Punnet cherry tomatoes, chopped into quarters
Tablespoon cumin*
Tablespoon ground chilli
Tablespoon cinnamon
Tablespoon oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
* Honestly, I hardly ever measure spices (unless I'm baking). I think everyone has herbs and spices they love, and that you should determine how much of each you use based on this. If you hate chilli, don't use as much. Experiment until you get a result you love.
1. Add tablespoon of olive oil to saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is soft and golden brown.
2. Add chopped capsicum and mushrooms. Stir for three minutes.
3. Add tomato puree, chopped canned tomatoes, kidney beans and cherry tomatoes. Stir until combined.
4. Add spices and simmer for as little as 10 minutes or as long as an hour.
5. Serve with Greek yoghurt, avocado and warm wholegrain tortillas. If you want to be naughty, serve with corn chips.
That is to say, I try very hard to be one of those people. As much as I truly believe that everything is better with butter, I also try pretty hard to be healthy (for the most part). So when I'm cooking for Caliban and I at home, I make an effort to use as many veggies as possible. It helps immensely that Caliban (thank God) isn't one of those "meat-and-potatoes" men.
One of my favourite veggie-packed meals is this chilli. It's super healthy, low-fat, low-carb and most importantly, it actually tastes great. Try it and let me know what you think!
Homemade Veggie Chilli: a DDS original recipe
2 x 400gm cans chopped tomatoes
400gm can red kidney beans
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 red capsicum, chopped
10 large mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Punnet cherry tomatoes, chopped into quarters
Tablespoon cumin*
Tablespoon ground chilli
Tablespoon cinnamon
Tablespoon oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
* Honestly, I hardly ever measure spices (unless I'm baking). I think everyone has herbs and spices they love, and that you should determine how much of each you use based on this. If you hate chilli, don't use as much. Experiment until you get a result you love.
1. Add tablespoon of olive oil to saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is soft and golden brown.
2. Add chopped capsicum and mushrooms. Stir for three minutes.
3. Add tomato puree, chopped canned tomatoes, kidney beans and cherry tomatoes. Stir until combined.
4. Add spices and simmer for as little as 10 minutes or as long as an hour.
5. Serve with Greek yoghurt, avocado and warm wholegrain tortillas. If you want to be naughty, serve with corn chips.
Wednesday, December 2
crust - the takeaway pizza of (lazy, couch-sitting) kings
Do you live in Sydney? Great. Chances are, you have eaten Crust pizza. And chances are, you LOVE it.
Caliban and I are pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to pizza. With our proximity to Sydney's real Little Italy, Haberfield, we could eat at a different pizza place every night if our waistlines and wallets allowed it. But we do hold a very special place in our hearts for Crust, the gourmet pizza chain that's in just about every Sydney suburb by now. When we first started dating, we'd regularly eat their garlic prawn pizza (washed down with a couple of Becks each) while watching DVDs, cuddling, gazing lovingly into each others' eyes, and so on.
So you can imagine my excitement when I opened the mailbox last week to find a Crust menu - for our new, very local, very own Crust. Yes!
That very night, I treated Caliban to an at-home dinner date and we feasted on Garlic Prawn, White Anchovy and Herb and Garlic pizzas.
I'm pretty particular about pizzas. I don't like meat on them (save for salami) and I recoil when people order stuff like "barbecue chicken pizza". That's not pizza. I like thin-based pizzas with a handful of quality toppings. This is why margherita pizza will always be my favourite - chewy, milky buffalo mozarella on a thick, rich tomato base and a sprinkling of oregano. You can't beat it. But I do like seafood pizzas, even if purists will draw and quarter me for it.
Crust does do meat pizzas, and seafood pizzas, and even (quel horreur!) heart tick-approved pizzas. I've tasted from their menu extensively, and it's all pretty amazing, with quality ingredients and hard-to-beat bases. The menu is laid out really nicely, with a guide to bases (your standard tomato base is there, along with less traditional pumpkin, spinach and ricotta blend and olive tapenade bases) that's handy for first-time customers.
It's fairly expensive takeout (over $50 for our three pizzas and a - very - small tub of mango gelato) but Crust is such a standout standby option. While we didn't love the White Anchovy pizza (it was our first foray into white anchovy-land, and we weren't happy tourists: they're far fishier than their black counterparts), everything else, including delivery time - about 25 minutes - was spot-on. A fab, easy way to spend Saturday night.
Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar
Various locations
www.crust.com.au
Caliban and I are pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to pizza. With our proximity to Sydney's real Little Italy, Haberfield, we could eat at a different pizza place every night if our waistlines and wallets allowed it. But we do hold a very special place in our hearts for Crust, the gourmet pizza chain that's in just about every Sydney suburb by now. When we first started dating, we'd regularly eat their garlic prawn pizza (washed down with a couple of Becks each) while watching DVDs, cuddling, gazing lovingly into each others' eyes, and so on.
So you can imagine my excitement when I opened the mailbox last week to find a Crust menu - for our new, very local, very own Crust. Yes!
That very night, I treated Caliban to an at-home dinner date and we feasted on Garlic Prawn, White Anchovy and Herb and Garlic pizzas.
I'm pretty particular about pizzas. I don't like meat on them (save for salami) and I recoil when people order stuff like "barbecue chicken pizza". That's not pizza. I like thin-based pizzas with a handful of quality toppings. This is why margherita pizza will always be my favourite - chewy, milky buffalo mozarella on a thick, rich tomato base and a sprinkling of oregano. You can't beat it. But I do like seafood pizzas, even if purists will draw and quarter me for it.
Crust does do meat pizzas, and seafood pizzas, and even (quel horreur!) heart tick-approved pizzas. I've tasted from their menu extensively, and it's all pretty amazing, with quality ingredients and hard-to-beat bases. The menu is laid out really nicely, with a guide to bases (your standard tomato base is there, along with less traditional pumpkin, spinach and ricotta blend and olive tapenade bases) that's handy for first-time customers.
It's fairly expensive takeout (over $50 for our three pizzas and a - very - small tub of mango gelato) but Crust is such a standout standby option. While we didn't love the White Anchovy pizza (it was our first foray into white anchovy-land, and we weren't happy tourists: they're far fishier than their black counterparts), everything else, including delivery time - about 25 minutes - was spot-on. A fab, easy way to spend Saturday night.
Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar
Various locations
www.crust.com.au
Tuesday, December 1
it's goop!
Perhaps you've heard of Gwyneth Paltrow. She's an actress. An Oscar-winning one, at that. She's married to this guy, Chris Martin, who happens to be the lead singer of a band called Coldplay. They're fairly successful, I hear. Gwyneth, not content to "just" be an actress, wife of a rock star (oh, and mother to his two kids) and best friend to the likes of Madonna, Stella McCartney and Liv Tyler, has also taken on a website. It's called GOOP.
GOOP is where you go to get life-changing advice about well, how to change your life. According to Gwyn, it's all about "nourishing the inner aspect." There are lots of ways you can change your life, says Gwyneth. She shows us this through clever categories, like "Make", "Be", "See", and "Get." My favourite is "Go", in which Gwyneth explains where to find fruitarian-friendly food in Barcelona, and so on. It's incredibly useful stuff.
But I digress. As some of you may know, I work at a ladymag. As part of my work for said ladymag, I was asked to follow the gospel according to Gwyneth for a week, for the sake of a story that was unfortunately killed when a rival ladymag ran exactly the same idea. That's the way these things go, unfortunately. But all was not lost - during a week of nourishing my inner aspect, I learnt how to make vegan cookies. And by GOOP, they are awesome.
If you sign up to GOOP (and obviously, I recommend that you do), you'll receive Gwyn's pearls of wisdom every Friday, in newsletter form. In a newsletter titled simply, Babycakes, Gwyn teaches us how vegan baking can rock. She enlists the help of actual vegan baker Erin McKenna (who owns and runs NYC's Babycakes) and explains that even without eggs, milk and white flour, vegan baking is totally cool and deserving of praise. Now, I don't know about you, but when I indulge in cookies, cakes and the like, I want the real deal. I want to nourish the particular inner aspect that is crying out for dairy and eggs and sugar and flour.
But as I live as a disciple of Gwyneth, I dutifully make McKenna's Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. Surprisingly, I found most of the ingredients at Woolworth's. I couldn't find coconut oil anywhere, so I simply used olive oil and added a cup of shredded coconut. I don't want to know what Gwyneth would think about this, so I try to ignore the niggling voice that tells me it's probably not OK to change things up on Ms Paltrow.
When the dough was wet, it was very crumbly and didn't really stick together. I used a tablespoon-sized scoop to hold the portion together, and pressed this onto the baking paper. And you know what? They were delicious. My apologies to Gwyn - the cookies were dense, chocolate-y and really yummy. The texture was almost like flourless chocolate cake - which is definitely a plus with me. Here's the recipe:
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, from Erin McKenna at Babycakes
GOOP is where you go to get life-changing advice about well, how to change your life. According to Gwyn, it's all about "nourishing the inner aspect." There are lots of ways you can change your life, says Gwyneth. She shows us this through clever categories, like "Make", "Be", "See", and "Get." My favourite is "Go", in which Gwyneth explains where to find fruitarian-friendly food in Barcelona, and so on. It's incredibly useful stuff.
But I digress. As some of you may know, I work at a ladymag. As part of my work for said ladymag, I was asked to follow the gospel according to Gwyneth for a week, for the sake of a story that was unfortunately killed when a rival ladymag ran exactly the same idea. That's the way these things go, unfortunately. But all was not lost - during a week of nourishing my inner aspect, I learnt how to make vegan cookies. And by GOOP, they are awesome.
If you sign up to GOOP (and obviously, I recommend that you do), you'll receive Gwyn's pearls of wisdom every Friday, in newsletter form. In a newsletter titled simply, Babycakes, Gwyn teaches us how vegan baking can rock. She enlists the help of actual vegan baker Erin McKenna (who owns and runs NYC's Babycakes) and explains that even without eggs, milk and white flour, vegan baking is totally cool and deserving of praise. Now, I don't know about you, but when I indulge in cookies, cakes and the like, I want the real deal. I want to nourish the particular inner aspect that is crying out for dairy and eggs and sugar and flour.
But as I live as a disciple of Gwyneth, I dutifully make McKenna's Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. Surprisingly, I found most of the ingredients at Woolworth's. I couldn't find coconut oil anywhere, so I simply used olive oil and added a cup of shredded coconut. I don't want to know what Gwyneth would think about this, so I try to ignore the niggling voice that tells me it's probably not OK to change things up on Ms Paltrow.
When the dough was wet, it was very crumbly and didn't really stick together. I used a tablespoon-sized scoop to hold the portion together, and pressed this onto the baking paper. And you know what? They were delicious. My apologies to Gwyn - the cookies were dense, chocolate-y and really yummy. The texture was almost like flourless chocolate cake - which is definitely a plus with me. Here's the recipe:
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, from Erin McKenna at Babycakes
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour (NB: this is obviously an American brand - I reckon any type of gluten-free plain flour is fine)
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (NB: find this in the health food aisle)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, applesauce, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully push the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and combine until dough is formed. With the same spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a melon-baller, measure out the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets. Space the portions 1-inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 14 minutes, rotating the trays 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The cookies will be crispy on the edges and soft in the center. Remove from the oven.
Let cookies stand 10 minutes. They’re best served warm, but to save them use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Monday, November 30
buppa's bakehouse
Excellent news: our excellent friends, David and Jo, have had a gorgeous baby girl - Little Miss M. Caliban and I have been visiting the new parents at their house (much easier for D&J - babies require a lot of time and energy to move), armed with a variety of brunch goods.
Last week, I read about Buppa's Bakehouse in the SMH. An American bakery in Newtown, it specialises in bagels (boiled, natch), homestyle American pies and cakes, and even stocks Ben & Jerry's icecream (one of the few retailers in Oz to do so...so far!). I couldn't believe our luck. We were due to visit D&J, and as David is Canadian, and Jewish, bagels would be the perfect baked treat to bring. I also know he loves cheesecake, and that Jo is up for pretty much anything sweet and frosted - so I could hardly wait to go nuts at the Bakehouse and buy up big.
Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of people pay attention to Helen Greenwood's SMH reviews. By the time we got there on Saturday afternoon (around 2pm), most of their stock was gone. Faced with scarcity, we took home four plain bagels (blueberry is also normally available), two slices of red velvet cake, a slice of Key Lime pie, and a slice of blueberry cheesecake.
We ate the bagels unadorned - without cream cheese, and untoasted. This was not a great idea. Whether it was the bagels themselves, or the lack of tart cream-cheese-y goodness, I was not impressed. The bagels seemed a little stale, to be honest. Were they yesterday's bagels? Hope not. On the other hand, I hope they weren't indicative of the fresh bagels Buppa's has to offer. Either way, I'm definitely willing to give them another go, but next time, I want dense, chewy bread that's not crumbly and tasteless.
When we're with D&J, we have the greatest idle chats. Babies, Friday Night Lights, books, Christmas, holidays, friends, work troubles and so on...it's guaranteed fab natter. We chat over the sweets. Jo and I are huge fans of the red velvet cake, which features white chocolate frosting (as opposed to the more traditional cream cheese frosting). The mild chocolate flavour of the red velvet definitely wants something richer on top, so the white chocolate pairs well. Like all good American servings, Buppa's piles on the icing thickly. It's exquisite. I only wish we had more.
The Key Lime pie is also fantastic. Unfortunately, it has an almond meal base, which tastes great but means that David, who is allergic to nuts, has to pass. We're only too happy to scoff his portion. The base is similar to that of a cheesecake, and the Key Lime filling is creamy, and properly strong on citrus. Lime is one of my all-time favourite flavours, and I am certainly not disappointed by this pie. The filling is thicker and denser than a cheesecake filling (which tends to be a little fluffier), and the lime flavour would be fab with some raspberries or cream (or both!) on the side. FYI. The blueberry cheesecake, too, is made with almond meal (poor David!) so we have to do the tasting for David. This is more about the texture of the cheesecake than the flavour of the blueberries (rightly so, I reckon: blueberries don't really have enough punch to do the heavy work here). The filling is rich and creamy and yes, slightly fluffier and lighter than its pie cousin. Grins all round.
Buppa's Bakehouse
482 King St, Newtown
www.buppas.com.au (note: website currently under construction)
+61 2 8065 0681
Last week, I read about Buppa's Bakehouse in the SMH. An American bakery in Newtown, it specialises in bagels (boiled, natch), homestyle American pies and cakes, and even stocks Ben & Jerry's icecream (one of the few retailers in Oz to do so...so far!). I couldn't believe our luck. We were due to visit D&J, and as David is Canadian, and Jewish, bagels would be the perfect baked treat to bring. I also know he loves cheesecake, and that Jo is up for pretty much anything sweet and frosted - so I could hardly wait to go nuts at the Bakehouse and buy up big.
Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of people pay attention to Helen Greenwood's SMH reviews. By the time we got there on Saturday afternoon (around 2pm), most of their stock was gone. Faced with scarcity, we took home four plain bagels (blueberry is also normally available), two slices of red velvet cake, a slice of Key Lime pie, and a slice of blueberry cheesecake.
We ate the bagels unadorned - without cream cheese, and untoasted. This was not a great idea. Whether it was the bagels themselves, or the lack of tart cream-cheese-y goodness, I was not impressed. The bagels seemed a little stale, to be honest. Were they yesterday's bagels? Hope not. On the other hand, I hope they weren't indicative of the fresh bagels Buppa's has to offer. Either way, I'm definitely willing to give them another go, but next time, I want dense, chewy bread that's not crumbly and tasteless.
When we're with D&J, we have the greatest idle chats. Babies, Friday Night Lights, books, Christmas, holidays, friends, work troubles and so on...it's guaranteed fab natter. We chat over the sweets. Jo and I are huge fans of the red velvet cake, which features white chocolate frosting (as opposed to the more traditional cream cheese frosting). The mild chocolate flavour of the red velvet definitely wants something richer on top, so the white chocolate pairs well. Like all good American servings, Buppa's piles on the icing thickly. It's exquisite. I only wish we had more.
The Key Lime pie is also fantastic. Unfortunately, it has an almond meal base, which tastes great but means that David, who is allergic to nuts, has to pass. We're only too happy to scoff his portion. The base is similar to that of a cheesecake, and the Key Lime filling is creamy, and properly strong on citrus. Lime is one of my all-time favourite flavours, and I am certainly not disappointed by this pie. The filling is thicker and denser than a cheesecake filling (which tends to be a little fluffier), and the lime flavour would be fab with some raspberries or cream (or both!) on the side. FYI. The blueberry cheesecake, too, is made with almond meal (poor David!) so we have to do the tasting for David. This is more about the texture of the cheesecake than the flavour of the blueberries (rightly so, I reckon: blueberries don't really have enough punch to do the heavy work here). The filling is rich and creamy and yes, slightly fluffier and lighter than its pie cousin. Grins all round.
Buppa's Bakehouse
482 King St, Newtown
www.buppas.com.au (note: website currently under construction)
+61 2 8065 0681
Sunday, November 29
the winery by gazebo
This summer, so far, I have been invited to The Winery, a new watering hole in Surry Hills, exactly eight times. Given that it's only been open for about two months, this is pretty staggering. I needed to pinpoint the reason for its popularity. So I went to discover The Winery myself.
Marky, Bec and I head to TW on a warm summer's afternoon. Having heard that TW is the place to be and be seen, I decide to wear something cool and trendy. Of course, when I walk in, I see that my efforts will go unnoticed, anyway - everyone here is wearing their Sunday best. Humph.
The Winery is run by the same cool folks who run Elizabeth Bay's Gazebo, famed for ladies' lunches, cool cocktails and a scrummy, on-trend menu. It's located in the recently revamped part of Crown St - approximately the blocks from Foveaux St to Campbell St. There's a new swish grocery store (Thomas Dux), an amazing-looking library (I'm so sad it wasn't there when I lived in Surry Hills) and a whole new host of cafes and restaurants. The Winery, tucked behind the sandstone gates next to Thomas Dux, is just another part of the ongoing gentrification of Surry.
I arrive early, order a glass of Riparian Pinot Gris (at $8, it's the cheapest on the menu) and start reading at an outside table. I quickly discover that this is one of my favourite pastimes - drinking wine in a bar, reading my book. I consider the discovery as consequential to my world as that of, say, penicillin, to the rest of the world.
When the ladies arrive, we order a jug of Pimm's & Sangria - at $15, we decide it's the cheapest way to drink here. It's also delicious, a bonus. We're all hungry, so we order from the option-heavy menu. There's a selection of share plates (I love sharing food, but we decide that we're all so starved that, as much as we like each other, we need our own meals right now), mains, cheeses, sides and desserts. I've heard that the veal and chorizo sausage roll with pear chutney is actually better than a Bourke St Bakery snag roll (and, I suppose, at $18, it should be), so I order it. Bec goes for the crispy squid, mint, coriander and chilled cucumber salad, which is heavy on the squid and utterly more-ish. Marky acts the ploughman and orders the ciabatta and dip board, which comes with olives, parma ham and a generous chunk of cheddar.
My sausage roll is: a) huge (probably about 25cm long); b) delicious; and c) fairly high on the artery-hardening scale, I'd say. I admit I was reticent to indulge in a sausage roll without the requisite tomato sauce to accompany, but I'm happy to say that TW's pear chutney did the job nicely. If only there was more of it. Bec and Marky report happily that their meals are going down a treat, and to celebrate, we order another jug of Pimms & Sangria.
Bec has spied a dessert that takes her fancy (marscapone and golden peach trifle with flaked almonds), and, ever a sucker for chocolate, I'm keen to try the chocolate brownie with icecream, fairy floss and hot fudge sauce. Sadly for our gluttinous appetites, neither is available. Sure, it's busy at TW, but at 5pm on a Sunday arvo, should you really be telling customers you're out of food? Especially when you're right next door to a grocery store, no?
Anyway, I had fun at TW. It's full of beautiful people, but if you can stomach that, you'll have a good time there. I can't wait to go back to try the Girls' Picnic (only on Saturdays).
The Winery by Gazebo
285A Crown St
www.thegazebos.com.au/winery/
+61 2 9331 0833
Marky, Bec and I head to TW on a warm summer's afternoon. Having heard that TW is the place to be and be seen, I decide to wear something cool and trendy. Of course, when I walk in, I see that my efforts will go unnoticed, anyway - everyone here is wearing their Sunday best. Humph.
The Winery is run by the same cool folks who run Elizabeth Bay's Gazebo, famed for ladies' lunches, cool cocktails and a scrummy, on-trend menu. It's located in the recently revamped part of Crown St - approximately the blocks from Foveaux St to Campbell St. There's a new swish grocery store (Thomas Dux), an amazing-looking library (I'm so sad it wasn't there when I lived in Surry Hills) and a whole new host of cafes and restaurants. The Winery, tucked behind the sandstone gates next to Thomas Dux, is just another part of the ongoing gentrification of Surry.
I arrive early, order a glass of Riparian Pinot Gris (at $8, it's the cheapest on the menu) and start reading at an outside table. I quickly discover that this is one of my favourite pastimes - drinking wine in a bar, reading my book. I consider the discovery as consequential to my world as that of, say, penicillin, to the rest of the world.
When the ladies arrive, we order a jug of Pimm's & Sangria - at $15, we decide it's the cheapest way to drink here. It's also delicious, a bonus. We're all hungry, so we order from the option-heavy menu. There's a selection of share plates (I love sharing food, but we decide that we're all so starved that, as much as we like each other, we need our own meals right now), mains, cheeses, sides and desserts. I've heard that the veal and chorizo sausage roll with pear chutney is actually better than a Bourke St Bakery snag roll (and, I suppose, at $18, it should be), so I order it. Bec goes for the crispy squid, mint, coriander and chilled cucumber salad, which is heavy on the squid and utterly more-ish. Marky acts the ploughman and orders the ciabatta and dip board, which comes with olives, parma ham and a generous chunk of cheddar.
My sausage roll is: a) huge (probably about 25cm long); b) delicious; and c) fairly high on the artery-hardening scale, I'd say. I admit I was reticent to indulge in a sausage roll without the requisite tomato sauce to accompany, but I'm happy to say that TW's pear chutney did the job nicely. If only there was more of it. Bec and Marky report happily that their meals are going down a treat, and to celebrate, we order another jug of Pimms & Sangria.
Bec has spied a dessert that takes her fancy (marscapone and golden peach trifle with flaked almonds), and, ever a sucker for chocolate, I'm keen to try the chocolate brownie with icecream, fairy floss and hot fudge sauce. Sadly for our gluttinous appetites, neither is available. Sure, it's busy at TW, but at 5pm on a Sunday arvo, should you really be telling customers you're out of food? Especially when you're right next door to a grocery store, no?
Anyway, I had fun at TW. It's full of beautiful people, but if you can stomach that, you'll have a good time there. I can't wait to go back to try the Girls' Picnic (only on Saturdays).
The Winery by Gazebo
285A Crown St
www.thegazebos.com.au/winery/
+61 2 9331 0833
Saturday, November 28
azuma kushiyaki
When you hear that Tetsuya Wakuda favours a particular restaurant as his after-work hangout, you make it your business, as a fledgling food blogger, to get there. And eat. And eat, and eat.
So, one Friday night after work, I met two of my favourite dining companions, Miss M and Miss B, at Azuma - our very own after-work hangout. Miss M is one of my favourite people to share a meal with because she eats pretty much everything (note: I have an incredibly low tolerance for people who "don't eat seafood" or "stay away from dairy" and so on. Life = too short.) Also, she almost always makes sure we order something vaguely healthy, which means she is a wonderful (and wonderfully entertaining) foil to Miss B, whose diet resembles something from This is why you're fat. Of course, the frustrating thing is that Miss B herself looks like a ballerina, despite eating Krispy Kreme sundaes and banana bread topped with bacon, maple syrup, icecream and blueberries. (Case in point: last night I got a call from Miss B. "I'm in Manly," she said. "Guess what I want to know?" "Uh...where to find Ben and Jerry's?" "Bingo!" she replied.) But, it's a great thing to eat with Miss B, because: a) it's quite hilarious to see the reactions of waitstaff when she orders an entire meal of side dishes, for instance; and b) sometimes she actually hits the mark and comes up with flavour combinations enjoyed by all.
So, to Azuma we went. Sandwiched between the George St Greater Union cinemas and Kentucky Fried Chicken, we weren't sure what to expect. Miss M and I ordered a glass of Stella Bella semillon sav blanc each, and as we waited for Miss B, snacked on edamame beans - warm, without salt. This is my favourite way to eat edamame - I find they're flavoursome enough, without the huge chunks of rock salt some bars and restaurants load on.
When Miss B arrived, it was time for more wine and ordering. After a lengthy discussion of the menu, we settled on a selection of skewers (the dish that Azuma is famed for), Nasu Miso (eggplant in miso with minced chicken) and a Spider Roll.
The Nasu Miso was perfect - eggplant and miso are such a match made in heaven, it's hard to go wrong. The thick, gelatinous miso sauce covered the eggplant entirely, and the mild chicken flavour was a bit of a relief from the heaviness of the miso. Thumbs up from all - even Miss B.
I love a good Spider Roll, mainly because I LURVE soft-shell crab. Azuma's was no exception. The sticky rice enveloping the crispy crab and its creamy Japanese mayonnaise (which is so much better than any Western attempt at mayo, in my opinion), topped with roe, was such a perfect accompaniment to our wine. The wine, light and crisp and citrus-y, was such a wonderful counter to the rich, creamy, texture-bending spider roll. Yum, yum, double yum.
And then, the skewers. We've ordered the Wagyu beef tongue skewers with curry salt, Duck breast with Japanese sansho salt, Paradise prawn and crispy head and wild scallop with soy and homemade garlic oil. The skewers are $3 each, which is decidedly within Miss B's med student budget, so we order three of each and settle down to a feast. The waitress brings out the salts and explains what each of the flavours are - but doesn't tell us which goes with which. She also lets us know that it's perfectly acceptable to eat the prawn's head - something I'm keen to try, just for the hell of it.
The Wagyu beef tongue is gorgeous - cooked to rare perfection, it marries well with the spicy, sweet curry salt. I try it with the green tea salt we're given, too, and it's so good. The green tea salt, by the way, is an out-and-out favourite of the whole table. It's perfect with the wild scallops.
The duck skewers are basically everything you'd imagine - soft to the bite, rich and moist and juicy. We dutifully dip them in the black pepper salt and suddenly, they're even better. Yum. And while each of us has a go at eating the whole prawn - shell, head and all - only DDS (that's me) finishes us. A win for the food blogger!
Miss B and I decide we need more to eat, so we order a Tamago Yaki (Japanese rolled omelette). I love the way the Japanese make their omelettes - instead of serving them flat, they roll them tightly until the omelette is a thick roll of egg, filled with vegetables or meat or tofu. This omelette is simply egg, and it's also simply delicious. A light way to finish the meal, it would also be a great starter. As predicted, Miss M orders the mixed green salad with ponzu vinaigrette, so we're able to get our fill of greens before the night is through.
After we paid (less than $50 each - fantastic value in my opinion), we set off for dessert (unsurprisingly, Miss B's favourite meal) at the adjacent Azuma Cafe. Sadly, it's past 10pm, so it's already closed (in Sydney?? On a Friday night? In the middle of the city?). We resolve to find gelato somewhere nearby, and return to the Cafe another time.
Azuma Kushiyaki
Ground Floor Regent Place Shopping Centre
501 George St, Sydney
www.azuma.com.au
+61 2 9267 7775
So, one Friday night after work, I met two of my favourite dining companions, Miss M and Miss B, at Azuma - our very own after-work hangout. Miss M is one of my favourite people to share a meal with because she eats pretty much everything (note: I have an incredibly low tolerance for people who "don't eat seafood" or "stay away from dairy" and so on. Life = too short.) Also, she almost always makes sure we order something vaguely healthy, which means she is a wonderful (and wonderfully entertaining) foil to Miss B, whose diet resembles something from This is why you're fat. Of course, the frustrating thing is that Miss B herself looks like a ballerina, despite eating Krispy Kreme sundaes and banana bread topped with bacon, maple syrup, icecream and blueberries. (Case in point: last night I got a call from Miss B. "I'm in Manly," she said. "Guess what I want to know?" "Uh...where to find Ben and Jerry's?" "Bingo!" she replied.) But, it's a great thing to eat with Miss B, because: a) it's quite hilarious to see the reactions of waitstaff when she orders an entire meal of side dishes, for instance; and b) sometimes she actually hits the mark and comes up with flavour combinations enjoyed by all.
So, to Azuma we went. Sandwiched between the George St Greater Union cinemas and Kentucky Fried Chicken, we weren't sure what to expect. Miss M and I ordered a glass of Stella Bella semillon sav blanc each, and as we waited for Miss B, snacked on edamame beans - warm, without salt. This is my favourite way to eat edamame - I find they're flavoursome enough, without the huge chunks of rock salt some bars and restaurants load on.
When Miss B arrived, it was time for more wine and ordering. After a lengthy discussion of the menu, we settled on a selection of skewers (the dish that Azuma is famed for), Nasu Miso (eggplant in miso with minced chicken) and a Spider Roll.
The Nasu Miso was perfect - eggplant and miso are such a match made in heaven, it's hard to go wrong. The thick, gelatinous miso sauce covered the eggplant entirely, and the mild chicken flavour was a bit of a relief from the heaviness of the miso. Thumbs up from all - even Miss B.
I love a good Spider Roll, mainly because I LURVE soft-shell crab. Azuma's was no exception. The sticky rice enveloping the crispy crab and its creamy Japanese mayonnaise (which is so much better than any Western attempt at mayo, in my opinion), topped with roe, was such a perfect accompaniment to our wine. The wine, light and crisp and citrus-y, was such a wonderful counter to the rich, creamy, texture-bending spider roll. Yum, yum, double yum.
And then, the skewers. We've ordered the Wagyu beef tongue skewers with curry salt, Duck breast with Japanese sansho salt, Paradise prawn and crispy head and wild scallop with soy and homemade garlic oil. The skewers are $3 each, which is decidedly within Miss B's med student budget, so we order three of each and settle down to a feast. The waitress brings out the salts and explains what each of the flavours are - but doesn't tell us which goes with which. She also lets us know that it's perfectly acceptable to eat the prawn's head - something I'm keen to try, just for the hell of it.
The Wagyu beef tongue is gorgeous - cooked to rare perfection, it marries well with the spicy, sweet curry salt. I try it with the green tea salt we're given, too, and it's so good. The green tea salt, by the way, is an out-and-out favourite of the whole table. It's perfect with the wild scallops.
The duck skewers are basically everything you'd imagine - soft to the bite, rich and moist and juicy. We dutifully dip them in the black pepper salt and suddenly, they're even better. Yum. And while each of us has a go at eating the whole prawn - shell, head and all - only DDS (that's me) finishes us. A win for the food blogger!
Miss B and I decide we need more to eat, so we order a Tamago Yaki (Japanese rolled omelette). I love the way the Japanese make their omelettes - instead of serving them flat, they roll them tightly until the omelette is a thick roll of egg, filled with vegetables or meat or tofu. This omelette is simply egg, and it's also simply delicious. A light way to finish the meal, it would also be a great starter. As predicted, Miss M orders the mixed green salad with ponzu vinaigrette, so we're able to get our fill of greens before the night is through.
After we paid (less than $50 each - fantastic value in my opinion), we set off for dessert (unsurprisingly, Miss B's favourite meal) at the adjacent Azuma Cafe. Sadly, it's past 10pm, so it's already closed (in Sydney?? On a Friday night? In the middle of the city?). We resolve to find gelato somewhere nearby, and return to the Cafe another time.
Azuma Kushiyaki
Ground Floor Regent Place Shopping Centre
501 George St, Sydney
www.azuma.com.au
+61 2 9267 7775
Monday, November 2
oops...i did it again
Well, DDS readers, I’ve done it again. I said I wouldn’t. I swore I wouldn’t. But I’ve neglected you – again.
In lieu of potentially empty promises, I’m going to do what no good marketing guru would advise me to do. I’m going to tell you about all the fantastic food blogs I’ve been reading while I’ve been away from my desk. Eep. Let’s hope Caliban (my unofficial, inhouse PR man) isn’t too cranky about it.
First, from the SMH’s Table Talk blog, Simon Thomsen talks about perving on food from shop windows. Oh Simon, I’m with you there. The first time I went to NYC, I took a kajillion snaps of cupcake store windows, just because I thought they looked so great. And who doesn’t love peeking into a bakery window, or wandering the aisles of a good deli, just to see what they have?
At the moment, I am trying really, really very hard to not eat all the yummy things I love. As I’ve written before, Caliban and I are getting hitched next year, so in an effort to whittle myself down to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy proportions, I’m giving the good stuff a wide berth. Luckily, I’ve discovered nutritionist Kathryn Elliott’s fab blog, Limes and Lycopene, which is packed with her helpful health info and lots of easy, nutritious recipes. Check it out.
Other food blogs I’m loving right now are Inspired Taste (I’ve got to try their Chocolate Zucchini bread!), everybody likes sandwiches (the title had me), One Hungry Chef (recommended by a friend of Caliban’s – and now I’m hooked) and stone soup.
But enough about them, let’s talk about me. I’ll be back blogging ASAP. Promise. Really. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a chorizo sausage in my eye.
In the meantime, check out my cupcake recipe in the latest issue of Cosmopolitan!
Saturday, October 3
dinner party!
I love hosting dinner parties. I have a selection of aprons (my favourite is red with white polka dots, with a ruffle at the bottom - very Betty Draper) for such occasions. Since we got engaged, we even have a set of matching cutlery for such occasions. It's all terribly grown-up, until the booze starts flowing.
Some of our favourite dinner party guests are Caliban's sister and her husband. Let's call them...Lorna and Alec. Yes. They're among our favourite guests because: a) they love food as much as we do; b) they always bring top-notch wine; and c) they live a matter of minutes away, so they're always happy to get merry.
Lorna and Alec came over last night for a South American feast. Alec recently returned from Argentina with a box of amazing, handcrafted chocolates for us, and a bottle of Norton 2005 Malbec from Mendoza. We decided it was only fair to open the amazing bottle with Lorna and Alec, with a South American feast to match.
Caliban took care of the starter, and served spinach and carrot pesto on sourdough with grilled haloumi. The pesto was his own creation - he had made it earlier that day to use up our leftover spinach, parsley and coriander (and carrot. We always seem to have a lot of carrots). To this, he added parmesan, pecorino, olive oil and penauts. Yum.
We served chimichurri lamb (tuna for Caliban) for mains, with patatas bravas and a Spanish salsa salad. I was inspired to make the lamb after seeing Tom roll a deboned leg of lamb on MasterChef a few months back. He filled his with a sort of salsa verde, but I figured I could do it just as easily with the chimichurri, a popular South American condiment. Unfortunately, the butcher only had lamb rolls that had already been stuffed with rosemary and garlic (between you and me: yum!). No matter, he said. I'll debone one for you and show you how to tie the roll. Score! He even sent me home with string to tie my roll with. Needless to say, after all this help, it was a hit.
For dessert, we served creamy lime tart (a Gourmet Traveller recipe) with double cream and strawberries, and as petit fours, we ate chocolate whiskey truffles, prepared by Caliban. They were inspired by a Donna Hay recipe, but didn't quite work out like hers. The recipe called for the chocolate to be served in large spoonfuls, which wasn't very attractive. Still, they tasted fabulous. Perfect with red wine or coffee.
Chimichurri Lamb
1.5 kg lamb leg, deboned
1 cup fresh Italian parsley (packed)
1/4 cup fresh coriander (packed)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Tablespoon paprika
Tablespoon cumin
Tablespoon ground chilli
Four whole garlic cloves
Blend the parsley, coriander, olive oil, red wine vinegar, spices and garlic in a food processor. It should have a slightly runny consistency. Open the lamb leg and spread the sauce in the middle. Close the lamb over and tie in three sections. Spread more sauce over the lamb. Leave for up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees (Celcius). Cook lamb for 35 minutes (medium). Serves four.
Patatas bravas
Eight large potatoes (cut into medium-sized chunks)
One onion (chopped)
400g can chopped tomatoes
100mL tomato puree
4 whole garlic cloves (chopped)
Tablespoon paprika
Tablespoon chilli powder
Pinch sugar
Parsley, to serve
Heat olive oil in saucepan. Add chopped onion and stir until soft and browned (about five minutes). Add garlic, tomatoes, puree, spices and sugar. Bring to the boil, while stirring. Simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees (Celsius). Bake potatoes for 50 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Reheat tomato sauce if necessary, and pour over potatoes. Serve with a little parsley.
Tip: This serves four, but I think everyone always wants more potatoes, so don't be afraid to tweak this recipe and make more of it than you think you need. Potatoes are universal crowd-pleasers!
South American salsa salad
200g can sweet corn kernels
400g grape tomatoes
400g cannellini beans
1 capsicum, roasted*
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1/2 cup caramelised balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Tablespoon brown sugar
Teaspoon chilli
Mix tomatoes, beans, corn, coriander, parsley, capsicum and onion in bowl. Don't be afraid to use your (clean!) hands to mix. For dressing, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar and chilli. Pour over salad and leave for up to two hours before serving.
Tip: this would be great on bread, as a sort of South American bruschetta. Serve with a cold, crisp glass of Pinot Grigio to cut through the acidic dressing.
Some of our favourite dinner party guests are Caliban's sister and her husband. Let's call them...Lorna and Alec. Yes. They're among our favourite guests because: a) they love food as much as we do; b) they always bring top-notch wine; and c) they live a matter of minutes away, so they're always happy to get merry.
Lorna and Alec came over last night for a South American feast. Alec recently returned from Argentina with a box of amazing, handcrafted chocolates for us, and a bottle of Norton 2005 Malbec from Mendoza. We decided it was only fair to open the amazing bottle with Lorna and Alec, with a South American feast to match.
Caliban took care of the starter, and served spinach and carrot pesto on sourdough with grilled haloumi. The pesto was his own creation - he had made it earlier that day to use up our leftover spinach, parsley and coriander (and carrot. We always seem to have a lot of carrots). To this, he added parmesan, pecorino, olive oil and penauts. Yum.
We served chimichurri lamb (tuna for Caliban) for mains, with patatas bravas and a Spanish salsa salad. I was inspired to make the lamb after seeing Tom roll a deboned leg of lamb on MasterChef a few months back. He filled his with a sort of salsa verde, but I figured I could do it just as easily with the chimichurri, a popular South American condiment. Unfortunately, the butcher only had lamb rolls that had already been stuffed with rosemary and garlic (between you and me: yum!). No matter, he said. I'll debone one for you and show you how to tie the roll. Score! He even sent me home with string to tie my roll with. Needless to say, after all this help, it was a hit.
For dessert, we served creamy lime tart (a Gourmet Traveller recipe) with double cream and strawberries, and as petit fours, we ate chocolate whiskey truffles, prepared by Caliban. They were inspired by a Donna Hay recipe, but didn't quite work out like hers. The recipe called for the chocolate to be served in large spoonfuls, which wasn't very attractive. Still, they tasted fabulous. Perfect with red wine or coffee.
Chimichurri Lamb
1.5 kg lamb leg, deboned
1 cup fresh Italian parsley (packed)
1/4 cup fresh coriander (packed)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Tablespoon paprika
Tablespoon cumin
Tablespoon ground chilli
Four whole garlic cloves
Blend the parsley, coriander, olive oil, red wine vinegar, spices and garlic in a food processor. It should have a slightly runny consistency. Open the lamb leg and spread the sauce in the middle. Close the lamb over and tie in three sections. Spread more sauce over the lamb. Leave for up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees (Celcius). Cook lamb for 35 minutes (medium). Serves four.
Patatas bravas
Eight large potatoes (cut into medium-sized chunks)
One onion (chopped)
400g can chopped tomatoes
100mL tomato puree
4 whole garlic cloves (chopped)
Tablespoon paprika
Tablespoon chilli powder
Pinch sugar
Parsley, to serve
Heat olive oil in saucepan. Add chopped onion and stir until soft and browned (about five minutes). Add garlic, tomatoes, puree, spices and sugar. Bring to the boil, while stirring. Simmer for ten minutes. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees (Celsius). Bake potatoes for 50 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Reheat tomato sauce if necessary, and pour over potatoes. Serve with a little parsley.
Tip: This serves four, but I think everyone always wants more potatoes, so don't be afraid to tweak this recipe and make more of it than you think you need. Potatoes are universal crowd-pleasers!
South American salsa salad
200g can sweet corn kernels
400g grape tomatoes
400g cannellini beans
1 capsicum, roasted*
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1/2 cup caramelised balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Tablespoon brown sugar
Teaspoon chilli
Mix tomatoes, beans, corn, coriander, parsley, capsicum and onion in bowl. Don't be afraid to use your (clean!) hands to mix. For dressing, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar and chilli. Pour over salad and leave for up to two hours before serving.
Tip: this would be great on bread, as a sort of South American bruschetta. Serve with a cold, crisp glass of Pinot Grigio to cut through the acidic dressing.
Saturday, September 26
tapas at the arthouse hotel
I love tapas. This is probably because: I love sharing food, I love Spanish food, and I love sharing food. Oh, and I love Spanish food.
My friend Chenea* and I have been dying to try the tapas at The Arthouse Hotel for some time now. We used to have a standing date at tourist trap Jets in the QVB, but when we realised what a rip-off it was, we decided to change our location to Arthouse. We usually have pizzas and wine downstairs, but we loved the idea of tapas in The Dome restaurant (upstairs) on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
So, on a Wednesday night not too long ago, we met for little plates of delicious Spanish food. And wine. Armed with sav blanc, we ordered from the very comprehensive tapas menu. There are three price points: $12, $14 and $16. From the $12 menu, we ordered Turkish bread and dips (baba ghanoush, taramasalata and hommus), spinach and ricotta empadillas, and grilled chorizo and haloumi. From the $14 menu, we ordered the chilli, salt and pepper squid. On the waiters' advice, we only ordered four dishes, which turned out to be plenty.
The trio of dips was good. The bread was brushed with oil and panfried (a nice, if unhealthy, touch) and the dips themselves were yummy. The empadillas weren't quite what I was expecting. I assumed we'd be eating small parcels of shortcrust pastry filled with spinach and ricotta, but we were served large square pillows of puff pastry (filled with spinach and ricotta). Their size (about as big as my palm) made them quite unwiedly, but they were good nonetheless. I'll never turn down salt and pepper squid, especially with chilli. Arthouse's version lived up to my expectations, and I ate way more than my fair share. The standout dish was the grilled chorizo and haloumi. The sausage was spicy, a little fatty (in a good way) and grilled perfectly, and the cheese was milky, unctuous and appropriately squeaky. Yum, yum, yum.
The verdict? We liked. Go there with a girlfriend and don't be afraid to order a $12 cocktail or two.
The Arthouse Hotel
www.thearthousehotel.com.au
275 Pitt St, Sydney
(02) 9284 1200
* Name has been changed...
My friend Chenea* and I have been dying to try the tapas at The Arthouse Hotel for some time now. We used to have a standing date at tourist trap Jets in the QVB, but when we realised what a rip-off it was, we decided to change our location to Arthouse. We usually have pizzas and wine downstairs, but we loved the idea of tapas in The Dome restaurant (upstairs) on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
So, on a Wednesday night not too long ago, we met for little plates of delicious Spanish food. And wine. Armed with sav blanc, we ordered from the very comprehensive tapas menu. There are three price points: $12, $14 and $16. From the $12 menu, we ordered Turkish bread and dips (baba ghanoush, taramasalata and hommus), spinach and ricotta empadillas, and grilled chorizo and haloumi. From the $14 menu, we ordered the chilli, salt and pepper squid. On the waiters' advice, we only ordered four dishes, which turned out to be plenty.
The trio of dips was good. The bread was brushed with oil and panfried (a nice, if unhealthy, touch) and the dips themselves were yummy. The empadillas weren't quite what I was expecting. I assumed we'd be eating small parcels of shortcrust pastry filled with spinach and ricotta, but we were served large square pillows of puff pastry (filled with spinach and ricotta). Their size (about as big as my palm) made them quite unwiedly, but they were good nonetheless. I'll never turn down salt and pepper squid, especially with chilli. Arthouse's version lived up to my expectations, and I ate way more than my fair share. The standout dish was the grilled chorizo and haloumi. The sausage was spicy, a little fatty (in a good way) and grilled perfectly, and the cheese was milky, unctuous and appropriately squeaky. Yum, yum, yum.
The verdict? We liked. Go there with a girlfriend and don't be afraid to order a $12 cocktail or two.
The Arthouse Hotel
www.thearthousehotel.com.au
275 Pitt St, Sydney
(02) 9284 1200
* Name has been changed...
gusto, paddington
Let's get one thing straight, DDS readers. The eastern suburbs and I are not natural bedfellows. I'm an Inner West girl (by way of Ye Olde Windsor Town) and I just cannot handle the eastern suburbs. This makes me something of an outsider in the publishing industry (I'm constantly asked things like, "How many hours should I allow to get to Glebe?" and "Parramatta Rd is in Parramatta, right?") and now that I am a fledgling food blogger, I realise that I'll probably have to get over the phobia. As my friend Bec says, you've got to hold the spiders to get over your fear of them. Last week, I held the spiders. The fear remains.
I met my friends Miss B and Megan at Gusto, at the Five Ways in Paddington for brunch last Sunday. I decided (unwisely, as it turns out) to drive...and it took an hour and a half to get from Ashfield to Paddington. Truly! Unfortunately, there was some sort of marathon on, which caused all manner of traffic mayhem. Luckily, I had my recently downloaded Beyonce/Destiny's Child playlist to play over and over and over again for the ride...but now, I never, ever want to hear "Jumpin', Jumpin'" again.
But I digress. Gusto is a cute corner cafe filled with well-dressed locals. It's a great place to hang out for hours - which we ended up doing. The breakfast menu isn't extensive - it's full of standard favourites like eggs benedict, bircher muesli, fruit salad and yoghurt, and the ubiquitous big breakfast. Miss B, who eats more than anyone I've ever met (that's a compliment, by the way) ordered the big breakfast (eggs, toast, tomatoes, hash browns and sausages) with an assortment of sides - avocado, spinach and mushrooms. Miss B is all about sides - I've even seen her order an entire meal of sides before. She's mad for sides. Megan, who is very healthy, went for bircher muesli topped with grated apple. I ordered a large soy latte and one of the mixed berry and ricotta muffins, with some ricotta and honey on the side. Later, I had a pineapple, lime and apple juice. Miss B declared the big breakfast "satisfying" (with that much food, satisfying is the least of the adjectives one could use, surely?) and Megan loved the fresh, filling bircher muesli. I wasn't impressed with the muffin - it was advertised as fresh, but had a hard, dry crust and the cake wasn't much of an improvement. Pass.
The juice and coffee were great, and I love a cafe that lets you sit and people-watch for as long as you like. Miss B even devoured half of her birthday present from Megan (a box of cupcakes from nearby Cupcake Bakery) without so much as a raised eyebrow from the waiter. But coffee and juice do not maketh the brunch...I won't be heading back to Gusto.
Gusto
corner Broughton and Heeley Sts, Five Ways at Paddington
(02) 9361 5640
Cupcake Bakery
www.thecupcakebakery.com.au
438 Oxford St, Paddington
(02) 9332 3700
I met my friends Miss B and Megan at Gusto, at the Five Ways in Paddington for brunch last Sunday. I decided (unwisely, as it turns out) to drive...and it took an hour and a half to get from Ashfield to Paddington. Truly! Unfortunately, there was some sort of marathon on, which caused all manner of traffic mayhem. Luckily, I had my recently downloaded Beyonce/Destiny's Child playlist to play over and over and over again for the ride...but now, I never, ever want to hear "Jumpin', Jumpin'" again.
But I digress. Gusto is a cute corner cafe filled with well-dressed locals. It's a great place to hang out for hours - which we ended up doing. The breakfast menu isn't extensive - it's full of standard favourites like eggs benedict, bircher muesli, fruit salad and yoghurt, and the ubiquitous big breakfast. Miss B, who eats more than anyone I've ever met (that's a compliment, by the way) ordered the big breakfast (eggs, toast, tomatoes, hash browns and sausages) with an assortment of sides - avocado, spinach and mushrooms. Miss B is all about sides - I've even seen her order an entire meal of sides before. She's mad for sides. Megan, who is very healthy, went for bircher muesli topped with grated apple. I ordered a large soy latte and one of the mixed berry and ricotta muffins, with some ricotta and honey on the side. Later, I had a pineapple, lime and apple juice. Miss B declared the big breakfast "satisfying" (with that much food, satisfying is the least of the adjectives one could use, surely?) and Megan loved the fresh, filling bircher muesli. I wasn't impressed with the muffin - it was advertised as fresh, but had a hard, dry crust and the cake wasn't much of an improvement. Pass.
The juice and coffee were great, and I love a cafe that lets you sit and people-watch for as long as you like. Miss B even devoured half of her birthday present from Megan (a box of cupcakes from nearby Cupcake Bakery) without so much as a raised eyebrow from the waiter. But coffee and juice do not maketh the brunch...I won't be heading back to Gusto.
Gusto
corner Broughton and Heeley Sts, Five Ways at Paddington
(02) 9361 5640
Cupcake Bakery
www.thecupcakebakery.com.au
438 Oxford St, Paddington
(02) 9332 3700
haberfield post/il goloso
A week ago, my friend Ed sent me an email inviting Caliban and I, and some friends from high school, to dinner to celebrate her return to Australia. She's been to Africa, Europe and America. I'm - how do you say? - incredibly jealous.
But as well as being really, really, insanely jealous of her travels, I was also really, really, insanely impressed with her choice of restaurant. We met last night at Haberfield Post (which also, confusingly, goes by its former name of Il Goloso) and I swear to blog, I ate more food in that one sitting than I did in this entire last week.
We live very close to Haberfield, so Haberfield Post is our regular pizza place now. It's very old-school Italian in a sophisticated setting. The food is affordable and um, delicious. Very, verrrrry delicious. It's also BYO. Bonus.
So last night, the eight of us settled in with a couple of bottles of white and a bottle of red (for dessert). It wasn't nearly enough wine, but that's OK. We made up for the lack of alcohol indulgence with food.
While we waited for the last of the party to arrive, we ordered the bruschetta pizza. As the name suggests, it's a fresh, doughy, thin pizza base topped with diced roma tomatoes, olive oil and basil. It's amazing. Paired with a cold glass of sav blanc, it's a perfect summer dish (too bad it was freezing last night!)
There was a bit of confusion with our mains. Caliban and I ordered the fiori dello zucchini (zucchini flowers) and a Siciliana pizza for our mains, to share. Unfortunately, the zucchini came out as an entree. Not even close to a dealbreaker, to be sure...but it's nice when waiters get these things right.
I love zucchini flowers for the delicate taste of the flower, which is usually paired with something more robust. In this case, the flowers were stuffed with ricotta and anchovies. It sounded promising, but the batter they were deep-fried in was far too thick - you couldn't taste anything but oil. A little disappointing.
Then, the table was filled with pizza. Caliban and I ordered the Siciliana (bocconcini, eggplant and tomato sauce), Nurse Jacquie ordered the Appetitoso (chicken, sundried tomatoes, avocado; she also requested fetta, but it never quite arrived...), Ed and Miss C shared a Super Alex (surprisingly, the restaurant allowed a 'half-half' order...Miss C didn't want proscuitto on her half of the pizza for some reason that defies, well, reason) and Tara (DDS commenter!) had the spinach, ricotta, parmesan and bocconcini calzone. I've ordered it before, and it was easily the best calzone I've ever had. Soft, almost sweet dough filled with three types of creamy, sharp cheese and spinach. Heaven. The Siciliana was standard Italian fare: rich, sweet tomato sauce topped with the mild bocconcini and squares of fried eggplant. Yum. Nurse Jacquie's Appetitoso didn't really whet my appetite: I'm not one for chicken or avocado on pizzas. And, pretentious as it sounds, I think sundried tomatoes have had their day. Enough with the sundried tomatoes. I've also eaten the Super Alex (proscuitto, olives, tomatoes, bocconcini and baby spinach) and I feel for Miss C. The proscuitto really makes it. As for the other boys, I can't remember what they ate...even for the lack of booze.
To finish the night, we ordered three Nutella calzones, a pannacotta for Caliban and tiramisu for Miss C and I. The tiramisu was amazing - super-light sponge soaked in sweet coffee with layers of thick, fluffy cream laced with amaretto. So perfect with a glass of cab sav that I had to have two (glasses, that is). Caliban loves pannacotta, and HP's is no exception. Served in a sundae glass, the pannacotta sat on a bed of strawberry syrup - so when you spooned the creamy pannacotta, you got a good serve of sweet syrup, too. Nice touch. And the Nutella calzones were so, so, so good. Really. Sweet dough blanketed the creamy, nutty chocolate paste...and all mention of boxing classes and Weight Watchers flew out the proverbial window. The four girls (with a little help from Caliban and Chef James) polished off all three of the calzones, with just a few slices left for Nurse Jacquie's lunch today.
And would you believe it? When the bill came, we all owed just $30 each. Great value, amazing food, perfect Saturday night company.
Haberfield Post/Il Goloso
60 Dalhousie St, Haberfield
(02) 9716 9744
But as well as being really, really, insanely jealous of her travels, I was also really, really, insanely impressed with her choice of restaurant. We met last night at Haberfield Post (which also, confusingly, goes by its former name of Il Goloso) and I swear to blog, I ate more food in that one sitting than I did in this entire last week.
We live very close to Haberfield, so Haberfield Post is our regular pizza place now. It's very old-school Italian in a sophisticated setting. The food is affordable and um, delicious. Very, verrrrry delicious. It's also BYO. Bonus.
So last night, the eight of us settled in with a couple of bottles of white and a bottle of red (for dessert). It wasn't nearly enough wine, but that's OK. We made up for the lack of alcohol indulgence with food.
While we waited for the last of the party to arrive, we ordered the bruschetta pizza. As the name suggests, it's a fresh, doughy, thin pizza base topped with diced roma tomatoes, olive oil and basil. It's amazing. Paired with a cold glass of sav blanc, it's a perfect summer dish (too bad it was freezing last night!)
There was a bit of confusion with our mains. Caliban and I ordered the fiori dello zucchini (zucchini flowers) and a Siciliana pizza for our mains, to share. Unfortunately, the zucchini came out as an entree. Not even close to a dealbreaker, to be sure...but it's nice when waiters get these things right.
I love zucchini flowers for the delicate taste of the flower, which is usually paired with something more robust. In this case, the flowers were stuffed with ricotta and anchovies. It sounded promising, but the batter they were deep-fried in was far too thick - you couldn't taste anything but oil. A little disappointing.
Then, the table was filled with pizza. Caliban and I ordered the Siciliana (bocconcini, eggplant and tomato sauce), Nurse Jacquie ordered the Appetitoso (chicken, sundried tomatoes, avocado; she also requested fetta, but it never quite arrived...), Ed and Miss C shared a Super Alex (surprisingly, the restaurant allowed a 'half-half' order...Miss C didn't want proscuitto on her half of the pizza for some reason that defies, well, reason) and Tara (DDS commenter!) had the spinach, ricotta, parmesan and bocconcini calzone. I've ordered it before, and it was easily the best calzone I've ever had. Soft, almost sweet dough filled with three types of creamy, sharp cheese and spinach. Heaven. The Siciliana was standard Italian fare: rich, sweet tomato sauce topped with the mild bocconcini and squares of fried eggplant. Yum. Nurse Jacquie's Appetitoso didn't really whet my appetite: I'm not one for chicken or avocado on pizzas. And, pretentious as it sounds, I think sundried tomatoes have had their day. Enough with the sundried tomatoes. I've also eaten the Super Alex (proscuitto, olives, tomatoes, bocconcini and baby spinach) and I feel for Miss C. The proscuitto really makes it. As for the other boys, I can't remember what they ate...even for the lack of booze.
To finish the night, we ordered three Nutella calzones, a pannacotta for Caliban and tiramisu for Miss C and I. The tiramisu was amazing - super-light sponge soaked in sweet coffee with layers of thick, fluffy cream laced with amaretto. So perfect with a glass of cab sav that I had to have two (glasses, that is). Caliban loves pannacotta, and HP's is no exception. Served in a sundae glass, the pannacotta sat on a bed of strawberry syrup - so when you spooned the creamy pannacotta, you got a good serve of sweet syrup, too. Nice touch. And the Nutella calzones were so, so, so good. Really. Sweet dough blanketed the creamy, nutty chocolate paste...and all mention of boxing classes and Weight Watchers flew out the proverbial window. The four girls (with a little help from Caliban and Chef James) polished off all three of the calzones, with just a few slices left for Nurse Jacquie's lunch today.
And would you believe it? When the bill came, we all owed just $30 each. Great value, amazing food, perfect Saturday night company.
Haberfield Post/Il Goloso
60 Dalhousie St, Haberfield
(02) 9716 9744
naniwa tei: a love story
Morning, DDS-readers! As promised, let me tell you a little about a charming Japanese hole-in-the-wall, Naniwa Tei.
There are lots of reasons I love living in Sydney. Weather, definitely. Campos coffee, without a doubt. The Bay walk, Centennial Park, the Harbour Bridge. And of course, the restaurants. As you can no doubt tell from reading this blog, I am pretty big on restaurants. But as much as I love the five star, silver spoon, "can I get you any more of anything?" service at places like Tetsuya's and Quay, there is a certain inimitable charm about the less exciting restaurants about town, too. To wit: Naniwa Tei.
My friend D introduced me to this restaurant about two years ago. The floorboards are unpolished. The tables are bare. The walls are covered in posters advertising Engrish-sounding entrees. A radio constantly plays Mix 106.5 FM. It is hardly ever full, and when it is, the customers are a mix of finance suits and budget-conscious students. The one thing they all have in common is their Japanese heritage. It's a sign that bodes well for our tummies.
A little while after D introuced me, I, in turn, introduced my then-new boyfriend, Caliban, to the delights of soft shell crab, tuna sashimi and cuttlefish kimchi. In the two years since, I think we've eaten there at least 25 times. At least.
Being the creatures of habit we are, we hardly ever stray from our own little menu. Soft shell crab for two, large tuna sashimi, cuttlefish kimchi, mixed tempura, and plenty of Asahi. The soft shell crab is served in small bowls, with a bed of lettuce and a sweet dipping sauce. The crab itself melts on your tongue, and as you bite into it, the moist, flavoursome meat bursts. It's pretty amazing - especially for $12. The tuna sashimi is similarly impressive - ruby red, without a trace of visible fat. It's served just below room temperature, which is perfect: not so cold that you might mistake it for watermelon (the texture definitely changes as it gets colder) and obviously, not too warm. It's Caliban's favourite dish, and I think he's told everyone he's ever met all about it. If you've met him, he's probably told you more than I ever could about the delights of this dish. Listen to his version.
The cuttlefish kimchi is a very cool discovery. I'm not much for regular kimchi. Cabbage has never been high on my list of must-eat foods, and while the spicy sauce is a winner, I've never really seen the point of smothering it on the vastly inferior cabbage. But cuttlefish kimchi - well, that works. I can definitely see the point of that. Thin ribbons of cuttlefish (molluscs similar to squid - and according to Wikipedia, among the most intelligent invertebrates) are soaked in spicy, thick kimchi sauce, for our eating pleasure. I'm absolutely addicted to these little threads of joy.
The mixed tempura is fairly standard Japanese fare, to be honest. It's not remarkable, but it definitely wins a place in our regular menu. And let's be honest: the Asahis wouldn't really be doing their job without some grease to absorb.
We've shared our love of Naniwa Tei with friends and family, and on such occasions, we do experiment with the menu. Takoyaki smothered in Japanese mayonnaise, kingfish and salmon sashimi, light-as-a-feather gyoza, beef tataki topped with egg yolk (yum!), udon noodle soups, and some of the most lethal hot sake I've ever tasted.
The thing I love most about Naniwa Tei is that it provided such a perfect backdrop for our romance. We genuinely think of it as our place - and that's how I'll always refer to it.
I'm curious to know - do you and your partner have a regular restaurant? Tell me!
Naniwa Tei
Bulletin Place, Circular Quay
There are lots of reasons I love living in Sydney. Weather, definitely. Campos coffee, without a doubt. The Bay walk, Centennial Park, the Harbour Bridge. And of course, the restaurants. As you can no doubt tell from reading this blog, I am pretty big on restaurants. But as much as I love the five star, silver spoon, "can I get you any more of anything?" service at places like Tetsuya's and Quay, there is a certain inimitable charm about the less exciting restaurants about town, too. To wit: Naniwa Tei.
My friend D introduced me to this restaurant about two years ago. The floorboards are unpolished. The tables are bare. The walls are covered in posters advertising Engrish-sounding entrees. A radio constantly plays Mix 106.5 FM. It is hardly ever full, and when it is, the customers are a mix of finance suits and budget-conscious students. The one thing they all have in common is their Japanese heritage. It's a sign that bodes well for our tummies.
A little while after D introuced me, I, in turn, introduced my then-new boyfriend, Caliban, to the delights of soft shell crab, tuna sashimi and cuttlefish kimchi. In the two years since, I think we've eaten there at least 25 times. At least.
Being the creatures of habit we are, we hardly ever stray from our own little menu. Soft shell crab for two, large tuna sashimi, cuttlefish kimchi, mixed tempura, and plenty of Asahi. The soft shell crab is served in small bowls, with a bed of lettuce and a sweet dipping sauce. The crab itself melts on your tongue, and as you bite into it, the moist, flavoursome meat bursts. It's pretty amazing - especially for $12. The tuna sashimi is similarly impressive - ruby red, without a trace of visible fat. It's served just below room temperature, which is perfect: not so cold that you might mistake it for watermelon (the texture definitely changes as it gets colder) and obviously, not too warm. It's Caliban's favourite dish, and I think he's told everyone he's ever met all about it. If you've met him, he's probably told you more than I ever could about the delights of this dish. Listen to his version.
The cuttlefish kimchi is a very cool discovery. I'm not much for regular kimchi. Cabbage has never been high on my list of must-eat foods, and while the spicy sauce is a winner, I've never really seen the point of smothering it on the vastly inferior cabbage. But cuttlefish kimchi - well, that works. I can definitely see the point of that. Thin ribbons of cuttlefish (molluscs similar to squid - and according to Wikipedia, among the most intelligent invertebrates) are soaked in spicy, thick kimchi sauce, for our eating pleasure. I'm absolutely addicted to these little threads of joy.
The mixed tempura is fairly standard Japanese fare, to be honest. It's not remarkable, but it definitely wins a place in our regular menu. And let's be honest: the Asahis wouldn't really be doing their job without some grease to absorb.
We've shared our love of Naniwa Tei with friends and family, and on such occasions, we do experiment with the menu. Takoyaki smothered in Japanese mayonnaise, kingfish and salmon sashimi, light-as-a-feather gyoza, beef tataki topped with egg yolk (yum!), udon noodle soups, and some of the most lethal hot sake I've ever tasted.
The thing I love most about Naniwa Tei is that it provided such a perfect backdrop for our romance. We genuinely think of it as our place - and that's how I'll always refer to it.
I'm curious to know - do you and your partner have a regular restaurant? Tell me!
Naniwa Tei
Bulletin Place, Circular Quay
Wednesday, September 23
bad, bad food blogger
Confession: I am a bad, bad food blogger. How will I ever score a book deal and film option (a la Julie Powell) if I continue in this very haphazard, ad hoc, "I'll write when I have something to say" fashion? The answer, friends, is never. So, I apologise for my bad, bad food blogging ways, and promise to be a better food blogger in the future. Do you think we can be friends again?
If you do (and I hope you do) and if you also harbour dreams of being a bit of a Ramsay yourself, why not contribute to food52.com's cookbook contest? The website is running a competition to find the best home cooks from all over the world, so each week, you're invited to submit recipes to fit a theme. This week, it's apple cake and potato gratin.
Meanwhile, things are getting very gastronomic in Sydney right now. The Sydney International Food Festival launches in October (if you can't afford the pricey chef meet-and-greets, the night noodle markets are always a sure bet) and Celebrity Masterchef begins next week. I'm interested to see just how proficient these "celebs" are in the kitchen...but I don't think it will have the same appeal as the regular show.
That's all for now, folks - but stay tuned for reviews of The Arthouse Hotel, Gusto's in Paddington and Japanese hole-in-the-wall Naniwa Tei. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick that needle in my eye.
If you do (and I hope you do) and if you also harbour dreams of being a bit of a Ramsay yourself, why not contribute to food52.com's cookbook contest? The website is running a competition to find the best home cooks from all over the world, so each week, you're invited to submit recipes to fit a theme. This week, it's apple cake and potato gratin.
Meanwhile, things are getting very gastronomic in Sydney right now. The Sydney International Food Festival launches in October (if you can't afford the pricey chef meet-and-greets, the night noodle markets are always a sure bet) and Celebrity Masterchef begins next week. I'm interested to see just how proficient these "celebs" are in the kitchen...but I don't think it will have the same appeal as the regular show.
That's all for now, folks - but stay tuned for reviews of The Arthouse Hotel, Gusto's in Paddington and Japanese hole-in-the-wall Naniwa Tei. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick that needle in my eye.
Wednesday, September 2
daily wrap
Over at The Punch, Nola James (a Tassie-based PR rep and sometime journo) writes about MasterChef backlash. To wit: her headline is “MasterChef created a nation of know-nothing food tossers.” Hey Nola, be honest: what did you really think? James is upset with the winner (Julie, who James rightfully labels a “cook” rather than the titular “chef”) and with what she calls the dictation of social values by reality TV. “Reality television is dictating to our society rather than being a reflection of it,” she remarks. Mmm – I don’t agree. We’re a nation of incredibly varied food tastes, with tons of foodie mags, farmer’s markets and delis to prove it (not to mention cooking classes, dining guides, and um, some of the best restaurants and dining districts in the world). I’d say the producers of MasterChef very cleverly picked up on our love of cooking and of food in general, and, coupled with recession-era hankering for DIY, made the show the runaway hit that it was.
Speaking of which, are you auditioning for the next season? Click here if you think you have the culinary nous to wow the likes of Matt, George and Gary.
Grub Street has picked up on New York Times’ outgoing food critic Frank Bruni’s contributing podcast for GQ, in which he explains how to order from any restaurant menu. The formula? Delete anything you’ve seen before, then anything that seems too crazy and experimental. Choose from whatever’s left. Might make visits to your local bistro a little difficult, methinks.
Finally, head to Good Living for a glimpse inside the dough-filled world of Paul Allum and David McGuinness, owners and bakers at Sydney’s Bourke St Bakery. The Bakery is the home of the most amazing sausage rolls you’ll ever eat (pork and fennel, or lamb and rosemary?), perfectly flaky croissants and deliciously delicate lemon tarts. If you want to recreate the cult Bakery’s treats at home, grab their new cookbook, Bourke St Bakery, for $69.95. Perfect for carb-loading Dads.
Speaking of which, are you auditioning for the next season? Click here if you think you have the culinary nous to wow the likes of Matt, George and Gary.
Grub Street has picked up on New York Times’ outgoing food critic Frank Bruni’s contributing podcast for GQ, in which he explains how to order from any restaurant menu. The formula? Delete anything you’ve seen before, then anything that seems too crazy and experimental. Choose from whatever’s left. Might make visits to your local bistro a little difficult, methinks.
Finally, head to Good Living for a glimpse inside the dough-filled world of Paul Allum and David McGuinness, owners and bakers at Sydney’s Bourke St Bakery. The Bakery is the home of the most amazing sausage rolls you’ll ever eat (pork and fennel, or lamb and rosemary?), perfectly flaky croissants and deliciously delicate lemon tarts. If you want to recreate the cult Bakery’s treats at home, grab their new cookbook, Bourke St Bakery, for $69.95. Perfect for carb-loading Dads.
Tuesday, September 1
Kobe Jones
All you can eat. Four words. One very big promise.
Like a lot of GFC-affected restaurants, Kobe Jones is offering a recession special. Head there on any weekday for lunch and score yourself all the sushi your tummy can handle for the tidy sum of $25. Not bad, especially when you consider the regular tasting menu starts at $95 per person.
So, being the intrepid bargain-hunter, Not Quite Nigella-reader and sushi lover that I am, I gathered the girls together for a lazy Friday lunch. Marky and I arrived late (we severely underestimated the time it took to trek from Park St to Cockle Bay Wharf in teetering heels) to find that the waiter had seated Karlie, Bee and Kristen at the far corner table, in direct sunlight. Possibly not the best place to eat raw fish, we observed. It was particularly annoying as we were one of just a handful of tables at the restaurant.
But never mind. Our energies were focussed on food, and food we would have. So. Much. Food. We ordered one large and two medium-sized platters, with (sadly) no wine. Unlike the many banker-types who would soon infiltrate the ranks of KJ, we had to go back to work. (Plus, we were all a bit over-hung, if you catch my drift). The large platter arrived first, laden with nigiri (salmon, tuna, kingfish), sushi (California rolls, prawn, roe, tuna) and the signature dish, Volcano Rolls.
Then, the medium platters arrive. There is suddenly way too much food on the table, and far too few girls to eat it. But we attack it with as much midday, sun-soaked gusto as we can. There is more nigiri, more rolls and thankfully, more Volcano action. This time, there are tempura prawn and soft-shell crab rolls, too. Yum.
The tempura prawn is tricky to eat (the tail of the prawn is embedded in a roll of rice, its tail curled toward the roof) and a little dry. The soft shell crab, I am pleased to report, lived up to its reputation as being: a) one of the best tasting foods on the planet, although it is: b) one of the cruellest foods on the planet. As for the nigiri, I loved the kingfish. It did have the mild, delicate flavour it’s meant to have, and when you add the requisite soy, wasabi and ginger, it truly becomes delicious. The tuna was a little dry – it puckered at the edges of the rice pillow, showing perhaps that it was a little aged. The salmon was lovely, but a little too fatty. And the California rolls, although ubiquitous, were pretty good.
Would we go again? Maybe – but for better seats. And more Volcano Rolls.
Kobe Jones
29 Lime St, King St Wharf
9299 5290
http://www.kobejones.com.au/
Like a lot of GFC-affected restaurants, Kobe Jones is offering a recession special. Head there on any weekday for lunch and score yourself all the sushi your tummy can handle for the tidy sum of $25. Not bad, especially when you consider the regular tasting menu starts at $95 per person.
So, being the intrepid bargain-hunter, Not Quite Nigella-reader and sushi lover that I am, I gathered the girls together for a lazy Friday lunch. Marky and I arrived late (we severely underestimated the time it took to trek from Park St to Cockle Bay Wharf in teetering heels) to find that the waiter had seated Karlie, Bee and Kristen at the far corner table, in direct sunlight. Possibly not the best place to eat raw fish, we observed. It was particularly annoying as we were one of just a handful of tables at the restaurant.
But never mind. Our energies were focussed on food, and food we would have. So. Much. Food. We ordered one large and two medium-sized platters, with (sadly) no wine. Unlike the many banker-types who would soon infiltrate the ranks of KJ, we had to go back to work. (Plus, we were all a bit over-hung, if you catch my drift). The large platter arrived first, laden with nigiri (salmon, tuna, kingfish), sushi (California rolls, prawn, roe, tuna) and the signature dish, Volcano Rolls.
Volcano Rolls sound intimidating, and well, as though they're likely to explode all over your maxi dress, but trust me – they will not. They are sublime. I am not someone who enjoys sushi for its delicate flavours. I want punch. I want flavour to write home about. I want Volcano Rolls. OK, so – Volcano Rolls are oven baked scallops served in avocado rolls and crab salad. This is all topped with a creamy, ever-so-salty sauce that has the consistency of ranch dressing. We all agree that it is easily the best dish in front of us, and basically go nuts over it. Marky and I soon concede defeat, but Karlie steps in to grab the last bite. In hindsight, my response to this is: lucky bitch.
Then, the medium platters arrive. There is suddenly way too much food on the table, and far too few girls to eat it. But we attack it with as much midday, sun-soaked gusto as we can. There is more nigiri, more rolls and thankfully, more Volcano action. This time, there are tempura prawn and soft-shell crab rolls, too. Yum.The tempura prawn is tricky to eat (the tail of the prawn is embedded in a roll of rice, its tail curled toward the roof) and a little dry. The soft shell crab, I am pleased to report, lived up to its reputation as being: a) one of the best tasting foods on the planet, although it is: b) one of the cruellest foods on the planet. As for the nigiri, I loved the kingfish. It did have the mild, delicate flavour it’s meant to have, and when you add the requisite soy, wasabi and ginger, it truly becomes delicious. The tuna was a little dry – it puckered at the edges of the rice pillow, showing perhaps that it was a little aged. The salmon was lovely, but a little too fatty. And the California rolls, although ubiquitous, were pretty good.
Would we go again? Maybe – but for better seats. And more Volcano Rolls.
Kobe Jones
29 Lime St, King St Wharf
9299 5290
http://www.kobejones.com.au/
Monday, August 24
daily wrap (geddit?)
So, you want to be the next Justine or Poh? Lifestyle Food is looking for contestants for its new series, Come Dine with Me…Australia. For more info, click here.
One of my favourite blogs, Gizmodo (part of the Gawker network), is running Taste Test week, featuring the best in food technology. Look for interviews with Wylie Dufresne and Nick Kokonas (who founded Chicago restaurant Alinea), the quest for the perfect cup of coffee (a big ask in America, I’d say) and instructions on how to cook with magnets. Fun for foodies and geeks – and foodie geeks! (Thanks for the tip, JT!)
Confession: I was INCREDIBLY hungover on Sunday. I made an emergency dash to McDonald’s as soon as the clock struck 10.30 (that’s when the lunch menu begins, for all you healthy people out there). It was just what the alcohol-impaired doctor ordered, but I wish it had looked (and, er, tasted) a little more appetising. Over to the folks at Fancy Fast Food, who turn doughnuts, fries, nuggets and hot dogs into haute cuisine. Hilarious and inspired.
Restaurant of the Year Awards
If you're interested in foodie awards, check out the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year Awards. Unsurprisingly, Quay was named Restaurant of the Year - just another major award it's picked up in the past couple of years. Caliban and I actually looked at having our wedding there...perhaps we'll have to take a closer look now!
Let me know what you think - do you agree with the Gourmet team?
Let me know what you think - do you agree with the Gourmet team?
Sparkle Cupcakery
Have I mentioned that I loved cupcakes? Because I love cupcakes. I really, really love them.
Caliban and I held our engagement party on Saturday night (big thanks to Sam and Mauricio at Bar 202) and as well as yummy canapes and some much-needed alcohol-absorbent wedges later in the night, we served cupcakes from Sparkle Cupcakery, in Surry Hills.
As I said on Saturday, there's really no shortage of cupcakes in Sydney. Someone should open a coffee-cupcake hybrid store called Starcups - because that's how ubiquitous they're becoming. But - as always - there's a difference between grown-up cupcakes that remind you of childhood, and cupcakes that look like they've been made by a three-year-old. With sight problems.
Sparkle Cupcakery's offerings fit into the former category. The cake is densely moist and most taste like they have cream cheese mixed into the batter (cream cheese is fab in cakes - like sour cream and even beetroot, it offers more moisture). There are a bazillion fab flavours to try, too. I'm a sucker for traditionalism and I pretty much always choose vanilla-on-vanilla, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear that this was Sparkle's signature flavour, Pure Sparkle. Ka-ching! We also ordered Lemon Squeeze, Oriental Flower (a gorgeous lychee and rose cake with rose petal topping), White Chocolate and Strawberry (with real strawberries in the cake!) and Milk Chocolate. I did hear some reports that the Milk Chocolate was a little dry, but I didn't taste it myself, unfortunately.
One of the best things about Sparkle is the shop itself. When I went to pick up my cupcakes, there were two groups of women scoffing cupcakes and champagne like it was the world's ultimate girly hen's party/baby shower. And funnily enough, it was. Highly recommended, cheesy veils and all.
Sparkle Cupcakery
132 Foveaux St, Surry Hills
www.sparklecupcakery.com.au
9361 0690
Caliban and I held our engagement party on Saturday night (big thanks to Sam and Mauricio at Bar 202) and as well as yummy canapes and some much-needed alcohol-absorbent wedges later in the night, we served cupcakes from Sparkle Cupcakery, in Surry Hills.
As I said on Saturday, there's really no shortage of cupcakes in Sydney. Someone should open a coffee-cupcake hybrid store called Starcups - because that's how ubiquitous they're becoming. But - as always - there's a difference between grown-up cupcakes that remind you of childhood, and cupcakes that look like they've been made by a three-year-old. With sight problems.
Sparkle Cupcakery's offerings fit into the former category. The cake is densely moist and most taste like they have cream cheese mixed into the batter (cream cheese is fab in cakes - like sour cream and even beetroot, it offers more moisture). There are a bazillion fab flavours to try, too. I'm a sucker for traditionalism and I pretty much always choose vanilla-on-vanilla, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear that this was Sparkle's signature flavour, Pure Sparkle. Ka-ching! We also ordered Lemon Squeeze, Oriental Flower (a gorgeous lychee and rose cake with rose petal topping), White Chocolate and Strawberry (with real strawberries in the cake!) and Milk Chocolate. I did hear some reports that the Milk Chocolate was a little dry, but I didn't taste it myself, unfortunately.
One of the best things about Sparkle is the shop itself. When I went to pick up my cupcakes, there were two groups of women scoffing cupcakes and champagne like it was the world's ultimate girly hen's party/baby shower. And funnily enough, it was. Highly recommended, cheesy veils and all.Sparkle Cupcakery
132 Foveaux St, Surry Hills
www.sparklecupcakery.com.au
9361 0690
Friday, August 21
Shake Shack
Have you ever had a really good burger? I'm not talking about fast food processed-meat-and-yellow-cheese sandwiches here. I mean real beef, gooey cheese (I like Gruyere, but just about anything without the word 'tasty' as a prefix will do), salad (ruby red tomatoes, crisp spinach leaves or lettuce, roasted capsicum and eggplant, fried onion) on a freshly baked bun...it's one of the most perfect meals you could ever hope to have.I'm a huge fan of Sydney burger joints like Burger Bun (the Aria burger is just about the best vege burger ever) and Burger Fuel (both the Newtown and Kings Cross locations). So I knew I had to try a burger from Shake Shack while in New York. I'd heard about it via Grub Street (no surprises there). Situated in Madison Square Park, in Chelsea, it was launched by celebrity chef Danny Meyer. It's known for its burgers and the eponymous shakes. We headed there one sunny Monday afternoon following a morning at MoMA.
Despite the warnings that we'd have to wait in line for up to an hour for our burgers, we were pleasantly surprised when it only took around ten minutes. Being a purist, I ordered the Shake Burger - beef, lettuce, tomato and "Shack Sauce". Being a vegequarian, Caliban ordered the only non-meat burger on the menu - the 'Shroom burger: a deep-fried, cheese-stuffed portobello mushroom with lettuce, tomato and Shack Sauce. We shared fries and drank homemade lemonade.The burgers were delicious - the bun was soft, the meat was tender and not overcooked, the sauce lived up to the hype. Unfortunately, within around 20 minutes of consuming them, we both needed to visit the bathroom. Sorry, Danny Meyer. I have a feeling our gentrified little tummies were too immature for this fat explosion. It was fun while it lasted, though.
For more on Sydney burgers, see Good Living's Simon Thomsen rate the best here.
Magnolia Bakery
Tis a truth universally acknowledged that young women of a certain age and disposition know exactly what Magnolia Bakery is - what it is famous for, where it is located, and why they might like to go there.This is because Magnolia Bakery - along with Jimmy Choo slingbacks, Manolo Blahnik platforms, nameplate necklaces, flower brooches and Marlboro lights - was given instant cult status when it was featured in an episode of a little show called Sex and the City. Perhaps you've heard of it?
I visited Magnolia Bakery for the first time in late 2006. It was winter - perfect cupcake-scoffing weather - and I indulged in a cupcake (or two) every day of my ten-day New York visit. Needless to say, I returned looking rather like a cupcake myself. Charged with the mission of introducing Caliban to all things sweet and cholesterol-raising, I had to take him to Magnolia on our New York visit. Twice.
Magnolia really began the "cupcake revolution" of which we are still in the throes. Sydneysiders can choose from any number of cupcake offerings - Cupcakes on Pitt (popular with ACP girls), Cupcake Bakery (one of my favourites, for its fab red velvet cake), The Cupcake Factory, My Little Cupcake, Babycakes (the Summer Hill shop is great), and my personal favourite, Sparkle Cupcakery in Surry Hills. Magnolia was where it all began, though, in 1996, when childhood friends Allysa Torey and Jennifer Appel decided to open their own bakery in New York's West Village. Like most co-owners, they eventually began to tire of each other and the partnership broke down. Appel launched her own, rival bakery, The Buttercup Bake Shop, and sparked a "cupcake war." Buttercup Bake Shop begat Little Cupcake Bakeshop, and a foodie revolution was born. Now, the best cupcakes of the year are reviewed annually by New York magazine, along with other city staples like pizza, burgers, sandwiches and cocktails.
But I
digress. Magnolia is famed for its super-sweet, super-creamy buttercream frosting, and its moist, light cake. (Pictured here is the red velvet cake with whipped cream cheese frosting). The bakery also serves icebox cake (a Depression-era cake made of layered biscuit and cream) and banana pudding - but I haven't tasted these, so I'll stick to cupcakes. The frosting is thick, creamy, buttery and sweet - basically, if you're not a diabetic by the time you leave the bakery, you probably haven't eaten enough. They're still the best cupcakes I've ever tasted - and I make it my mission to try a lot!I bought the bakery's cookbook for my Mum and stepmother when I visited the first time, and cribbed the cupcake recipe for myself. I've made it about a thousand times in the last three years, and it never fails to impress. I've revised the original recipe to my own taste - I add more vanilla extract and less icing sugar to the frosting, and baking powder to the cake (so it's even lighter, and rises more easily). Here is the recipe. Enjoy. In moderation.
CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups caster sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees (C).
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours and baking powder. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat (this will make cakes tough). Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
ICING:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (not melted!)
4 to 6 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.
Magnolia Bakery
corner W11th and Bleecker Sts, New York
www.magnoliacupcakes.com
Below: me and my cupcake-softened core. Thank God for Diet Coke.
wd50: round one
Eating dinner at wd50 is not merely to swallow food on a plate – it is to reveal the flavours, textures and customs we usually associate with food, and turn them on their heads. Completely. The food is art, pure and simple, and yet there is nothing pure and simple about it. It is the most creative, inventive meal you will ever eat, and you should definitely make plans to eat it. I discovered wd50 via my daily must-read, Grub Street, the food blog of New York magazine. It frequently sings wd50’s praises, and reveres its head chef and owner, Wylie Dufresne (pictured here with yours truly), as one of the chief architects of the city’s new wave of fine dining. After reading so much about it, I decided it was the equivalent of Tetsuya’s, in Sydney, and that while in New York, I absolutely must go. So I did – twice. The first, on a sweaty Wednesday evening, was nothing short of incredible. Yes, there was a forty-five minute wait for our (reserved) table, but apologies were made and champagne was proffered to tide us over. When we were seated, the menu wasn’t explained properly, unfortunately. There is a tasting menu (US$140 per person, and everybody at the table must participate) and an a la carte option. We had only seen the a la carte menu, and so we chose from it. While it would have been nice to hear about both options, Caliban and I were blown away by our a la carte choices. Jeffrey, our inimitably wonderful sommelier, chose wines to match our dishes – a conceit I truly appreciate, since I’m rubbish at doing it myself.
I ate the "hanger tartare, smoked almond, banana, hibiscus," (right, below) and Caliban ordered "sunflower seed-miso soup, brook trout, melon, shiitake, malt"
(left, below) for our entrees. Since 
Caliban is a vegequarian, I take any opportunity I can to eat meat - good meat - when we dine out. This was definitely an example of good meat. Steak tartare should be soft, supple and room temperature. So many tartare dishes are too cold (or worse still, too hot - how does that work?) making the dish unappetising, to say the least. Hanger is a cut that's becoming more and more popular (possibly because it's relatively cheap) and while it's not very tender, it has remarkable flavour. I'm not a huge fan of meat and fruit, but the banana mousse tempered the rich steak. As for Caliban, the sunflower-seed miso soup was "amazing." Rather than broth, which is what miso normally is, it was a thick, cold soup - almost like a vichyssoise. The miso had a really robust flavour that wasn't salty at all - it tasted creamy and light. For our mains, I chose the "duck breast, worcestershire spaetzle, parsley root, mustard greens" and Caliban ordered "Arctic char, snow pea, fried yucca, cherry-black bean." In case you're wondering (and I was), spaetzle is a type of Austro-German egg noodle. They're very small, almost like tiny gnocchi. I am a sucker for duck, and I really don't care how it's cooked or what accompanies it - but the mustard greens were a great side dish. The duck itself was the hero, of course, and it lived up to its title. Crispy skin enveloped the moist, soft, rich breast - and along with my glass of Zinfandel, it was just about heaven on a plate. I didn't try the Arctic char (which is a type of fish related to salmon and trout) but Caliban assured me (through gulpfuls of cold sake) that it, too, was heavenly. Ah, the gluttony.
Finally, we moved into dessert. To segue the movement, we were given an amuse bouche of "vanilla icecream,
raspberry streusel and balsamic vinegar." Anyone who's tasted raspberry vinaigrette knows 
how well raspberry and vinegar go together. It was basically a round of icecream covered in raspberry powder (which had an unbelievably potent flavour - all sweetness and no light) with a burst of balsamic vinegar inside. Have I mentioned heaven yet? For dessert, I had the "soft chocolate" plate (far left), which was a mix of soft mint chocolates, peppermint icecream, black cardamom dusting and toffee. Caliban chose the caramelised brioche with apricot, buttercream and lemon thyme (above, left). To be honest, I didn't think this dish held up so well against the others - the brioche was too heavy, it didn't pack enough flavour. That said, the buttercream was delightful.After dinner, we were given the best petit fours I've ever tasted (see below). Served on a bed of granite, we were each given a "cocoa pac
ket" and a "chocolate ball." The cocoa packet was such a feat of gastronomy - it looked like a little leather parcel, and when you bit through it, the outer layer (the "leather") was chewy and unctuous, but inside was a burst of cocoa powder. It's great when a chef surprises you. The chocolate ball was a ball of icecream covered entirely with ground dark chocolate. According to head chef Wylie, it's a play on an American cinema candy bar treat. I thought it was delightful (and far better than anything you can find inside a cinema - movies included). Would I recommend wd50? Of course...because we went back again, four nights later, on our last night in New York. Post to come.
wd50
50 Clinton St, New York
212-4772900
www.wd-50.com
Friday, June 26
Best laid plans...
Mmm. So the trip to Haberfield is off (Miss C needs some rest) but the good news is that Saturday has been reclaimed. In lieu of a culinary tour of Haberfield, let's talk about the foodie film of the year, Julie & Julia.
Starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, it's the film adaptation of both Julie Powell's memoir, Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen and Julia Child's biography. Powell's memoir was in turn based on her blog, The Julie/Julia Project, which detailed Powell's quest to create all 524 recipes from Child's 1961 masterpiece, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She did it, and along the way, scored a book deal and a movie option. Not bad.
But I digress. The film was wonderful, and celebrated not only the determination of both women to follow their passion, but the passion itself - food. A wooden beater slicing through thick, inviting chocolate cake batter; a long, violet drop of wine into a pot of bouffe bourginon; the crunch and smash of crusty bread topped with a trio of primary-coloured tomatoes being crammed into open mouths insatiably going back for more - well, you can see why they call it food porn.
Besides all this, Meryl is her usual spot-on self as the impossibly animated Child and Adams hits the proper degree of 'browbeaten' as Powell. The film works, too, by focusing on the women and limiting backstories to an absolute minimum - and parallels the womens' occasional frustrations with not only the people around them, but society at large. Child is the wife of a centre-left US diplomat investigated by McCarthy's stooges, and Powell works for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation post-September 11, facing the effects of terrorism daily.
I'll be heading out tomorrow to buy a copy of Child's seminal book, and I hope to make her stuffed duck at least once. Caliban won't be able to indulge (we'll talk about this later) but it looks like a bird fit for a feast.
Debbie says: Go see. (Just don't go hungry)
Starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, it's the film adaptation of both Julie Powell's memoir, Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen and Julia Child's biography. Powell's memoir was in turn based on her blog, The Julie/Julia Project, which detailed Powell's quest to create all 524 recipes from Child's 1961 masterpiece, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She did it, and along the way, scored a book deal and a movie option. Not bad.
But I digress. The film was wonderful, and celebrated not only the determination of both women to follow their passion, but the passion itself - food. A wooden beater slicing through thick, inviting chocolate cake batter; a long, violet drop of wine into a pot of bouffe bourginon; the crunch and smash of crusty bread topped with a trio of primary-coloured tomatoes being crammed into open mouths insatiably going back for more - well, you can see why they call it food porn.
Besides all this, Meryl is her usual spot-on self as the impossibly animated Child and Adams hits the proper degree of 'browbeaten' as Powell. The film works, too, by focusing on the women and limiting backstories to an absolute minimum - and parallels the womens' occasional frustrations with not only the people around them, but society at large. Child is the wife of a centre-left US diplomat investigated by McCarthy's stooges, and Powell works for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation post-September 11, facing the effects of terrorism daily.
I'll be heading out tomorrow to buy a copy of Child's seminal book, and I hope to make her stuffed duck at least once. Caliban won't be able to indulge (we'll talk about this later) but it looks like a bird fit for a feast.
Debbie says: Go see. (Just don't go hungry)
Journey to Haberfield
This afternoon, my friend Miss C and I are heading across the road (literally) to Haberfield, home of home-style Italian food in Sydney. Forget Leichhardt, Haberfield is where to find bustling delis (even the IGA has a fantastic selection of meats, cheeses and olives - though only Italian-style cheeses are available, so don't hold your breath for brie), ricotta-stuffed cannolis, Sicilian-style thin base pizza and possibly the greatest shop duo of all time - a cheese store, and a chocolate store right next to each other. Photos, comments and food envy to follow.
Happy Saturday, Deb-ettes!
Happy Saturday, Deb-ettes!
Welcome to food porn!
The mission: to eat. And blog. The challenger: me, Lauren Smelcher. The audience: you. Together, I hope we'll munch, sip, drool, nibble, salivate, chew, chomp, crush, smash, masticate, bite, crunch, savour, swallow, taste and slurp. And blog.
I love food - I love making it, I love reading about it, I love watching it being made, I love learning about it, and most of all, I love eating it. I love all sorts of food, from Tetsuya's incomparable confit of ocean trout to McDonald's fries (c'mon - they're ace and you know it). This blog will cover the gamut from the mundane to the supreme. I hope you'll join me for the ride.
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