tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188923302024-03-13T23:42:53.512+11:00Caper Berry GravyBelindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-19770945655224840252006-12-25T10:57:00.000+11:002006-12-25T11:02:23.502+11:00Merry Christmas!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OgDU4SsdiLo/RY8UeqHsueI/AAAAAAAAAA4/EW91ydw0Z_o/s1600-h/Chirstmas+wombat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OgDU4SsdiLo/RY8UeqHsueI/AAAAAAAAAA4/EW91ydw0Z_o/s400/Chirstmas+wombat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5012247427221862882" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sorry I haven't posted for a while... family wedding, Christmas... and the year is almost over!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Merry Christmas to everyone out there. I hope you have a lovely festive and "feast"-ive season! </span><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Belinda xoxo</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OgDU4SsdiLo/RY8UXaHsudI/AAAAAAAAAAw/pNVPLLpdILs/s1600-h/Chirstmas+Bourke+St+Mall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OgDU4SsdiLo/RY8UXaHsudI/AAAAAAAAAAw/pNVPLLpdILs/s400/Chirstmas+Bourke+St+Mall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5012247302667811282" border="0" /></a>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-71861953076564116742006-12-11T20:01:00.000+11:002006-12-11T20:01:35.251+11:00Random thoughts 2<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >You know that every now and then I just find odd things that I have to post about. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">What do you think this is?</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/487038/Corn%20cho%202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/356159/Corn%20cho%202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Maybe it's the weather making me spot quite random things. About a month ago, snow was </span></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/11/14/1163266529224.html"><span style="font-family:arial;">forecasted</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"> in the hills</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"> and I had my winter coat out... then this weekend we had temperatures of 37 and 41</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"> celcius! Sadly <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/12/10/1165685554685.html">f</a></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/12/10/1165685554685.html">ires</a> are sweeping across our state and we're praying for rain and for those who have lost their homes to have hope that things will be OK again.<br /><br />This sudden change in weather isn't helping our farmers. It's quite a sad state of affairs as due to the drought, I'm finding a lot of baby sized fruit. In this photo, the largest fruit is just an ordinary apple; the accompanying nectarines and cherries are absolutely tiny in comparison!</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/67476/Baby%20fruit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/72759/Baby%20fruit.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On a happier note for Melbournians: the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/04/w11-karachi-2-melbourne.html">Karachi</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> tram is back! I was waiting for the tram and being tired after a long day at the office, I seriously thought I was dreaming when all this Bollywood music came towards me and happy smiling tram "conductors" (what do you call them when they no longer have to sell tickets and this tram is free anyway?) beckoned me to board.<br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />Allen's brought out "Happy Feet" penguin lollies. They may claim to put in natural colouring and flavours (cola is a natural flavour?) but I found nothing natural about eating a penguin. Look at that detail... I had to flip the penguin over and close my eyes!<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/526124/Penguin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/425260/Penguin.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">And did you guess what was in the opening photo? These are "Corn Chos", chocolate covered corn snacks! I walked past the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/01/lure-of-supermarkets.html">Korean supermarket </a>and decided to go exploring in there. They were, um, interesting. I thought they might be like <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/08/battle-of-chocolate-truffle.html">chocolate covered Pringles</a> but they were a bit chewy and the chocolate looked like it was just smeared on as an afterthought. I hope that doesn't say "MSG added" in Korean! :-) </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/273839/Corn%20cho.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/892745/Corn%20cho.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-27601176464464836042006-12-11T19:47:00.000+11:002006-12-11T20:00:34.294+11:00A Menu for Hope<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OgDU4SsdiLo/RX0bWhjGJ8I/AAAAAAAAAAk/Ubf2ROypni8/s1600-h/Menu+for+hope.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OgDU4SsdiLo/RX0bWhjGJ8I/AAAAAAAAAAk/Ubf2ROypni8/s400/Menu+for+hope.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5007188434482505666" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope you'll consider participating in <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://chezpim.typepad.com/blogs/2006/11/a_glimmer_of_ho.html">A Menu for Hope</a>. Congratulations to Pim for holding this fantastic campaign and Helen at <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://grabyourfork.blogspot.com/2006/12/menu-for-hope.html">Grab Your Fork</a> for hosting the Asia Pacific region. Please go to those sites to see what this is all about.<br /><br />Maybe like me you didn't have time to source a raffle item but we can all take part and make a donation, it's for a wonderful cause and some amazing people have sourced fabulous prizes. Hmm... cookbooks I could add to my collection, dinner at Felix in Hong Kong overlooking the harbour, a market tour in Florence, chocolate tasting kits...<br /></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-70671778847832159822006-12-01T19:20:00.000+11:002006-12-03T09:54:34.301+11:00Museums, museums, museums!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Art lovers who have roamed the Paris museums will have marveled at the array of options available. Although our Centre Pompidou expedition <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/10/jaime-paris.html">failed</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:lucida grande;" >,</span> there were so many alternatives it didn't matter - and so many that we wished we had several more weeks in Paris! I really recommend getting a <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.parismuseumpass.fr/flash/hp_fr.html">Paris Museum Pass</a> if you will be making multiple visits, free entry to other sites such as the Arch de Triomphe or the Notre Dame towers are also included but the biggest advantage is avoiding queues as most places have a dedicated queue for pass holders. Note though that due to security checks, some places don't have dedicated queues but the signs are pretty clear. </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/257534/D%27Orsay%20visitors.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/400/823538/D%27Orsay%20visitors.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Impressionists</span><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.musee-orsay.fr/ORSAY/orsaygb/html.nsf/By+Filename/mosimple+index?OpenDocument">Musée d'Orsay</a> is a must for anyone who likes Impressionist/Post-Impressionist paintings however <span style="font-family:arial;">there is an immense wealth of works fro</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >m 1848 to 1914 representing the period starting with the Second Republic through the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist eras of art, ending before the start of Wold War I.</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > The museum has just turned 20 - </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > Bon anniversaire!</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > Opened after the transformation of the Orsay train station, the building itself is also a lovely space to walk around.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/780724/D%27Orsay.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/198662/D%27Orsay.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We went straight to the top level where the Impressionist/Post-Impressionist works are and this was where we concentrated our time. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It was such a treat to see the works of artists such as Renoir and Monet, and witness Degas' devotion to ballet (and ladies bathing!) but what really stood out for me were Seurat's "The Circus" and </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >van Gogh's "The Church in Auvers-sur-Oise, View from the Chevet</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >".<br /><br />Make sure you head to </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Café des Hauteurs for the spectacular view from the balcony and this view through the clock. It was a bit smoggy but in the right weather, you can apparently see Montmatre spectacularly.</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/31770/D%27Orsay%20clock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/400/9905/D%27Orsay%20clock.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >For more Monet, </span><a style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.marmottan.com/uk/">Marmotton</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > is just on the edge of Paris.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >Louvre</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br />Well you can't go to Paris without setting aside time for the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.louvre.fr/llv/musee/alaune.jsp">Louvre</a>. Lots and lots of time if possible, we went on a Wednesday when it stays open later and spent 7 hours walking around. (We still missed 1 floor and 1 wing, and did selected viewings of the rooms we did get to!) Everything from Egyptian antiquities to sculptures to a wonderful collection of French (naturally!) paintings is there.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/708659/Louvre.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/463543/Louvre.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >The "Mona Lisa" is tiny when you do get to it! We were lucky in that there wasn't a crowd 3 deep around probably the most visited work there but most people are there to see that and the others of the bi<span style="font-size:100%;">g trio, the "Venus de Milo" and </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >"Winged Victory of Samothrace".</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span>Again picking my favourites, I was mesmerised by Canova's sculpture of "Cupid and</span> Psyche" and the Etruscan <span style="font-family:arial;">"</span>Sarcophagus of the Spouses". The latter was very moving and although rather morbid, the couple in a loving embrace expresses so much joy and love, you can't not be moved.<br /><br />There are plenty of caf</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">é</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >'s where you can fuel yourself for more walking and we felt very sophisticated during our champagne break, enjoying the view of the nearby Tuileries Garden and the exterior of the museum. (And if you must, the Da Vinci audio guide is available for hire - the inverted pyramid is in the shopping centre part of the building that you enter from the m</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">é</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">tro exit.)</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Le Royal</span><br />There are so many eateries open late it's great. Le Royal is close to the Louvre and has a very typical bistro menu. I had foie gras that was creamy and very yummy, but the sausages I had were like hot dog franks - I'm not recommending them!<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/904005/Pate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/73775/Pate.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Make sure you ask what the tart of the day is, this apricot one was delicious!</span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/590943/Tarte%20abricot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/256313/Tarte%20abricot.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Musée d'Orsay</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >1, rue de la Légion d'Honneur</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >7e </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >(Métro: Solférino)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >(RER: Musée d'Orsay)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >*Closed Mondays, open late Thursdays</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Musée Marmottan Monet</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >2, rue Boilly </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >16e</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >(Métro: Muette)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Louvre</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >7e</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >(Métro: Palais-Royal-Musée du Louvre station)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >*Closed Tuesdays, open late Wednesdays and Fridays</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >*Current information only: always check opening times!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Le Royal</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Near cnr of rue de L'Echelle and ave St Honoré</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >4e</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><strong face="arial" style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /></strong></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-8640141234647129102006-11-24T20:08:00.000+11:002006-11-24T22:00:50.253+11:00Parisian food<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">So what makes up a Paris food experience? Checked tablecloths, rude waiters, red wine and "pommes frites" with everything? We only had the rude waiter and tablecloth once but when I looked back at my food photos, I realised that I had a nice collection of classic French bistro dishes like boeuf borgignon and escargots. Almost everything came with chips and a basket of bread, good thing we were walking so much! Join me on my tour...</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/33857/Arc%20de%20Triomphe.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/400/695433/Arc%20de%20Triomphe.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Mussels</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >We'd taken a 7am flight from London to Paris. (If you ever do that, remember that you have to allow time for check-in and nothing runs that early in London! Good thing we decided to stay at a hotel near Heathrow airport the night before so that we could just hop in a cab and go to the airport.) Having showered and checked out our selection of TV channels, my friend arrived to take us out for the day. We strolled to the Arc de Triomphe and were walking down </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Champs-Élysées looking at the queue outside Louis Vuitton (it's an <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=964262006">"art gallery" on Sundays</a>) and admiring the car showrooms that sold lifestyles, when we felt lunch was due. We decided to be tourists and eat on the avenue.<br /><br />Here's my moules et frites from th<span style="font-family:arial;">e </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Café</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-family:arial;"> George V. </span>They were fiddly to eat but quite tasty and we had a lovely time sitting in the sun catching up and watching the world go by. I was too hungry to think about photographing the others' lunches, a very filling salad and <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">boeuf borgignon</span></span>. We had a very refreshing white wine which I scribbled down as "Ceserre" so highly recommend that. It is expensive on the avenue but glamour quotient is up! I didn't take down the exact address but if you're walking from the Arc de Triomphe, it's on the left hand side. Oh and don't expect too much of the service, the waiter came back 3 times to ask what we'd ordered!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/716175/Moules.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/366315/Moules.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plat de jour</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is the cheapest way to eat out. Choosing the set menu ensures a speedy meal and is so much cheaper. After we found out </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/10/jaime-paris.html">Chez Stella</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> was closed, we walked further down </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >rue Thérèse to the corner with rue St Anne and spotted this </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >c</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >afe </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >"B/S". We must have been in an area with many Japanese expats as I spotted numerous Japanese restaurants<span style="font-family:arial;"> from teppenyaki specialists to noodle bars and the friendly French caf</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > owner suddenly started speaking very fluent Japanese to a family. The meal was only 8 euro and I had my very French <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.orangina.com/">Orangina</a>. (Did anyone who did French at school ever learn to order Orangina as well?) I had really yummy lamb with so-so zucchini and T had a great roast chicken.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/267916/Set%20lunch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/200654/Set%20lunch.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Macarons</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Having said that I was to go macaron tasting, can you believe I only went to one place? Oh the delicate almond powder/sugar/egg white pastries and the soft creamy filling... hmm. I walked past Gosselin and got some of their violet and chocolate macarons. The violet was incredibly musky and really quite pleasant - although <a href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/">Niki</a> describes the violet flavour as grandmothers and lavender! - and the chocolate was delicious. The macarons there are 4.70 euro for 100g. I was walking past <a href="http://www.lagrandeepicerie.fr/index_en.asp">La Grande Epicerie</a> at the department store <a href="http://www.lebonmarche.fr/anglais/indexbis.htm">Bon March</a></span></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.lebonmarche.fr/anglais/indexbis.htm"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >é</span></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and it was too bad I didn't have enough time to shop because it is an incredible store of gourmet treats. The macarons there came in the brightest colours and I just wanted to taste the mint and berry flavours! Go there if you want to pack a picnic! </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/139417/Macarons.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/68680/Macarons.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Classics</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dinner in the Latin Quarter is exciting because it's such a vibrant area, forget that it depends on a tourist trade and just enjoy the great variety of cuisines. This is the university area and as with all <span style="font-family: arial;">student areas, there's something very bohemian about the place. We found this bistro right by the </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Church of Saint Séverin</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (we didn't get there in time to go in but I really wanted to check out the palm tree pillars). I didn't write down the name of the bistro but they had a wonderfully Paris menu. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I handled my escargots well and there was no slippage!</span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/81518/Escargot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/504585/Escargot.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The boeuf borgignon was melt in your mouth tasty and T said it was better than the previous one he'd had at George V.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/763069/Beouf%20Borg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/20738/Beouf%20Borg.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And there's always room for dessert especially these scrumptious profiteroles filled with ice-cream!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/491133/Profiteroles.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/102791/Profiteroles.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">As you can see the tablecloth was checked, we did drink red wine and the waiter was fantastically rude by doing things like tease us about how long we took to read the menu and asking if we were going to photograph our meals before I pulled my camera out! </span><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"> George V</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >avenue des Champs-Elysées<br />8e<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"> B/S</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >Corner rue </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Thérèse and rue St Anne<br />1e</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Gosselin</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >Corner rue de Bellechasse and blvd Saint Germain</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br />7e<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >La Grande Epicerie</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >38 rue de S</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >è</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="bottomTip" >vres</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br />7e</span><br /><p class="noir" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><br /></strong></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;"> </div><p class="noir" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>Église Saint S</strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;">éverin</span><br /></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >1 rue des prêtres Saint Séverin</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >5e</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-8024632255221901102006-11-19T17:29:00.000+11:002006-11-19T17:29:18.626+11:00Seafood Paella/Risotto<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">On Friday night we went to see <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.caroleking.com/">Carole King</a> on her Living Room Tour... I'm in my 20's and my colleagues said things like "Carole King, isn't she like really old?" or "She's from my generation, i.e. your mum's generation!" And yes she is! I found out that she's 64 but she is still going strong. You see when my Mum was carrying me and when I was a bub, we listened to a lot of Carole King. She still laughs thinking about how I just picked up the music and would sing along. It's funny because so many songs of hers have been covered, eg "Locomotion" isn't Kylie's and do you remember when Martika did "I feel the Earth Move"? Lisa Simpson sang "Jazzman" and everyone's heard favourites like "You've Got a Friend" and "Where You Lead" (the Gilmore Girls theme). I don't care if it was a bit daggy, I loved it and had a great time!</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Now, this dish has nothing to do with the concert! I saw a prawn paella recipe of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/">Donna Hay</a>'s from one of the Sunday paper magazines and it got my taste buds excited. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Donna Hay's Prawn Paella<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">6 cups Chicken stock</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2 Tbl Olive oil</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1 Onion, chopped</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2 cloves Garlic, crushed<br />2 small Red Chillies</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>,</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"> sliced</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">100g Chorizo sausages, sliced</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2 cups Aroborio rice<br />2 cups Chopped tomatoes<br />2 Tbl Tomato paste<br />1 cup Dry white wine<br />18 Banana prawns<br />1/4 Flat-leaf parsley, chopped<br />1 lemon, cut into wedges<br /><br />1) Heat the stock and bring to a simmer<br />2) Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the oil, onion, garlic, chilli and chorizo. Cook until onions are soft and chorizo is "golden".</span><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/189712/Paella%20chorizo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/53107/Paella%20chorizo.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">3) Stir in the rice, tomatoes, tomato paste and wine and cook for several minutes.<br />4) Gradually add in the hot stock, stirring continuously, until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/201282/Paella%20cooking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/678116/Paella%20cooking.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">5) Add the prawns and cook for a few more minutes until they are cooked.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/283541/Paella%20seafood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/320/436369/Paella%20seafood.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">6) Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and a lemon wedge.<br />Serves 6<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/1600/542066/Paella.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1578/2306/400/600652/Paella.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />Notes:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1) I decided to use some squid so only used a dozen prawns and added a squid tube. Make life easier for cook and tasters, and buy shelled and pre-cleaned!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2) I forgot about the chilli but I had some green pepper/capsicum handy so added that in for a bit of colour and added a sprinkle of dried chilli for a bit of kick.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3) It's kind of hard figuring out how many cups of chopped tomatoes are in a can at the supermarket! I just used a 400g can, it seemed about right. (And if you don't make your own stock, a 1 litre packet = 4 cups)<br />4) There wasn't any lemon at the greengrocers and I haven't visited anyone with a lemon tree lately, but I used lime and it tasted great!</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">5) I have "risotto" in the title because to bring my stock up to 6 cups, I added water... and then forgot I'd done that and added another 2 cups in. So by the time I wondered why the rice gluggier than paella and I realised what I'd done, well... but it was still really delicious!<br />6) I know it says serves 6 but by the time 2 people have dinner and seconds, you've only got enough for 2 generous lunches!!<br /><br /></span></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1163071553039230942006-11-11T16:23:00.000+11:002006-11-19T17:31:17.499+11:00Les Îles de Paris<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Spending time on the islands of Paris was such a pleasure. Like everyone else, visiting Notre Dame Cathedral on </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="c6" >Î</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >le</span> de la Cit</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >was high on my list of things to do but on my list of recommendations is also Sainte Chapelle for the stunning stained-glass windows that bathe you in a multitude of colours. (French monuments <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.monum.fr/">site</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.) </span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Saint%20Chapelle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Saint%20Chapelle.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Sainte Chapelle</span></span><br /></div><em><br /></em><span style="font-family:arial;">Walking over to<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="c6" >Îl</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >e St-Louis, you suddenly reach residential calm - the exclusive 17th century townhouse kind of residential calm! Walking down the main street of rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, you will find quaint boutiques, epiceries (look at that window!) and the </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="c6" >Îl</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >e St-Louis institution of ice-cream,</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.berthillon-glacier.fr/index.php">Berthillon</a>. As with our other Paris food adventure stories, Berthillon is closed on a Monday and Tuesday and we were there on a Tuesday! Do not fret, plenty of other shops sell Berthillon glace!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Epicerie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Epicerie.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Whilst deciding which ice-cream shop to go to, we realised it was past lunch time and saw that this restaurant served meals and ice-cream. Perfect! What a lucky find, the waiter at Les Gourmands de L'</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Île was friendly and the service efficient. So he must have been catering for tourists? No, locals ate there complete with dogs sitting patiently in their carrier bags and they had a 3 course lunch menu for under 20 euros. (I did write it down but can't find my notebook, I think that is a blurred 13 on the board?) The interior is very Parisian chic with candles, gilded mirrors and plush red banquettes and chairs.</span><br /><em><br /></em><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Les%20Gourmands%20de%20L%27Ile.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/400/Les%20Gourmands%20de%20L%27Ile.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Having been disappointed with the Parisian "French onion soups" up to this stage, Les Gourmands delivered this excellent soupe </span></span><strong style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">à</strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > l'oignon. Thanks to these tourists for a good giggle: having loudly read through the menu in French commenting on what traditional dishes her friends should try, one lady asked the lovely waiter "Your onion soup, it's French right?". I applaud his composure as her friend chastised her for being "an idiot and a total embarassment"! :-D<br /><br />You'll see the glass of cider in the background. That was *the* best cider I've had, I don't know what brand or type it was but it so beat the cider I <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/2006/09/taste-of-slow-food-festival.html">last tried</a> at the Slow Food Festival!!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Soupe%20a%20l%27oignon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Soupe%20a%20l%27oignon.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >A selection of pastas was on offer for mains and I had a yummy lasagne, but most importantly was the ice-cream that finished the meal! The intense colours and flavours are apparently what is typical of Berthillon, and this cassis (blackcurrant) sorbet and<span style="font-family:arial;"> praliné glace left me wanting more, more, more! The sorbet was an intense hit of natural flavours and the ice-cream was so creamy.</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Glace.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Glace.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">I heard the waiter telling someone that they'd only opened in August. Good luck to them!<br /><br /></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Berthillon</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">29 rue </span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Saint-Louis-en-l'Île<br />4e<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Les Gourmands d'</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Île<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">54 rue </span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Saint-Louis-en-l'Île</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >4e</span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1162645703794845662006-11-04T23:21:00.000+11:002006-11-19T17:31:34.514+11:00Climate Change<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Not really related to my holiday or food but November 4th is the International </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org/">Day</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> of Action Against Climate Change. Unfortunately I couldn't make the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/">Walk Against Warming</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> but it looks like plenty of people did in </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://gallery.globalclimatecampaign.org/image/tid/197">Melbourne</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. If you missed the walk, you can sign the online <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.climatemovement.org.au/index.php">petition</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Mt%20Titlis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/400/Mt%20Titlis.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You don't have to be a "greenie" to realise what risks we face. I recently watched </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.climatecrisis.net/">An Inconvenient Truth</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and thought it was such a powerful way to drive home the message; I was also damn scared by it! </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hopefully most of you would have watched it but if you haven't, I really urge you to.<br /><br />The photo above was taking on Mt Titlis at the start of October on my trip. We were</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 3,000 metres above sea level and at this height there is year-round glacier skiing. It was magnificent up there and it was such a thrill to be so high up, but </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">when I saw the photos of how far the glacier once spread it was terrifying to think how much temperature change must have taken place.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Maybe stopping the glaciers melting by wrapping them in </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1608639,00.html">foil</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> will work, maybe it won't, there's got to be at least one thing we can each do to reduce our impact!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Added 7th Nov<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We're smart people and most of us know about things like recycling and energy efficiency but I thought I'd post up some links (</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Australian)</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> for further things for which there aren't common signs to remind us about. Consider:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- switching to </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://greenpower.gov.au/pages/">green power</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- offsetting emissions, e.g. by contributing towards renewable energy </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.climatefriendly.com.au/index.php">projects</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1162200413497819002006-10-30T19:33:00.000+11:002006-11-19T17:31:54.039+11:00J'aime Paris!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Eiffel%20Tower.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Eiffel%20Tower.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Hello! So, it is back to reality. I'm back at work, just got over the jet lag and wishing I was looking at the Eiffel Tower again. Or just being anywhere on holiday again! Obviously I didn't have a chance to blog about what I was doing so there's lots to tell. Can you imagine, no stops for the internet? But seriously, there was so much to do!<br /></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Where do I start? Maybe I'll work back from the end. Paris was our final stop and I had scribbled down a list of recommendations sourced from <a href="http://gourmet.ninemsn.com.au/gourmettraveller/travel/region144.asp">Gourmet Traveller's</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Paris edition imagining long lunches between galleries and shopping. There were relatively long lunches but nowhere I'd planned. It takes a lot of planning to work out what your next day's activities will be and which </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrondissements_of_Paris">arrondissement</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> you'll be in when, I was like a schoolgirl studying every night. Unfortunately you can't plan opening hours!</span><br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I did consider selecting some of the famed restaurants and making a booking way in advance but I thought it'd be more exciting to just find caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">s and maybe discover a new treasure or two. (A lot cheaper too!)</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> There were two caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">s I'd really wanted to try. Caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Constant is an off-shoot of Christian Constant's </span></span></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.leviolondingres.com/eng_home.htm"><span style="font-family:arial;">Le Violon d'Ingres</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">; we </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">went there on a Sunday night and it was shut. OK, Le Violon d'Ingres is also closed on a Sunday so maybe they shut on a Sunday. The next day we found ourselves on rue Saint-Dominique again, hey let's see if they are open for lunch... but no, it remained shut, "chairs turned upside down, lights out" shut. I figured I gave them 2 chances but funnily enough, we didn't feel like seafood in the restaurant nearby and I now realise I turned down the other restaurant in their portfolio, Les Fables de la Fontaine. Oops!</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />The other </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> was Chez Stella because Gourmet had such a lovely description of an old favourite. (It's actually in the above website link.) We were going to head that way anyway so when </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Caf</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Constant didn't come through,</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> we headed towards Chez Stella.</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I knew that after 2 misses, we would have to be treated to a fantastic meal so I excitedly dragged T out of the metro, threading my way through the streets. When we got to Chez Stella there was a sign on the door, "Closed due to health reasons". Arrrghhh! We did wonder if it was the chef or the patrons' health in question. :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">After that, I was determined to just stick to my plan of not planning and it worked a treat! Funnily enough that afternoon we were going to the Centre Pompidou. Check out what was on their door:</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Strike.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Strike.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Don't worry, after that everything went smoothly again and we had a fantastic time. I love Paris!</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Caf</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >é</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> Constant</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >139 rue Saint-Dominique<br />7e<br />01 4753 7334</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span> <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >(To check when they open!)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Chez Stella</span><br />3 rue Thérèse<br />1e<br />01 4296 2215.</span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1158660364024373672006-09-19T20:02:00.000+10:002006-09-19T20:06:04.026+10:00Bon voyage to me!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So, off to Europe </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/2006/09/europa.html">we</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> do go. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'll try and find internet cafes to blog from but promise that I'll try lots of exciting things and tell you about them. So for now, take care and keep cooking/eating!</span><br /></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1158582508246803282006-09-19T19:15:00.000+10:002006-09-19T20:02:10.656+10:00Five Things to Eat Before You Die (Pre-Europe trip!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Guide%20to%20the%20Globe.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Guide%20to%20the%20Globe.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">OK so </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://member.melbpc.org.au/%7Emel/">Mellie</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> tagged me for this fantastic topic that </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2006/8/21/calling-all-bloggers-things-to-eat-before-you-die.html">Traveler's Lunchbox</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> started. Can I cheat and call this my five things pre-2006 trip to Europe? I may discover more things as I'm visiting new places! :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So right *now*:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1. Peking duck from Quanjude, Beijing, China</span><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Duck.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/200/Duck.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">The best duck I'd had until going to <a href="http://www.mybeijingchina.com/beijing-duck/quanjude_duck.htm">Quanjude</a> in Beijing was from Flower Drum (before it changed hands and still had the Restaurant of the Year tag) so this *real* Peking duck must have been something special. Oh yes, it was!<br /><br />So moist, so unexpectedly not fatty (a friend who went on exchange said the locals like their duck really fatty!) and the pancake just right - texture wise and not dry!<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2. Fresh bread, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">pâté</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"> and good cheese<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Like</span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/07/petit-picnique.html"> this!</a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > I try to be healthy and not eat white bread but give me a crusty baguette or roll with a soft, fluffy centre. Yum! Add creamy </span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">pâté</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;"> and cheese, I can polish off the lot!<br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">3. Balti from Birmingham, England<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">When I was in Birmingham about 7 or 8 years ago I had some magnificent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balti_%28food%29">balti</a>. The meal was delicious, I was in the company of old and new friends... the meal was so good that we pretended not to see the rat that ran along the skirting boards at the end of the meal. An authentic touch!<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">4. Fresh sashimi and sushi in a Tokyo sushi bar<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;">I had some Japanese colleagues take us to a sushi bar in Tokyo - after being utterly surprised that Australia has lots of Japanese restaurants and we really did want to eat raw food! It was amazing, the chef had fresh, long bellies of fish that he'd slice from as we decided what we wanted. There were things you wouldn't expect, just had to hold your nose and swallow if you found something you didn't like but it's the experience you go for!</span></span><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">5. Family meals<br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My grandfather was a chef and loves to cook for the family. He is slowing down and moving with less ease but put him in the kitchen and every sense comes alive. It's as if he's programmed to chop and season, boil and fry. He loves to gather the family around and spend the whole afternoon preparing a meal with the grandchildren's favourites. I love his salads at a barbecue, every bowl comes with a vegetable decoration because he can't help himself!<br /><br />I'm lucky that my Mum gave me a love of cooking. My chef grandfather is actually my Dad's Dad so maybe I was lucky and got a double hit of "food appreciation" genes. Similar to grandpa, Mum will put in a ton of effort to make friends and family feel welcome and well fed. She doesn't measure, she just knows and it always comes out right. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">These meals made with love,</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> you can't beat them!</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"></span></span></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/07/petit-picnique.html"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span></span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1158581640456216292006-09-18T22:03:00.000+10:002006-09-18T22:14:01.380+10:00Ramune<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Ramune.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Ramune.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramune">Ramune</a> once and recently saw it in a shop. The bottle is really fun with a marble that's sort of suspended until you open the bottle. I wondered what the history was and found the Wikipedia link... so that's how marble games started! And no, I don't think I've really mastered drinking from this bottle!</span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1158361840322922462006-09-16T08:29:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:32:28.608+11:00Silverbeet<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">I can't believe we're almost in Europe... not much time for cooking between work and getting ready to go! This was from a couple of weeks ago; I saw some beautiful looking silverbeet/swiss chard and bought it without really thinking about what I wanted to do with it! Known as silverbeet here, my cook books from the US had swiss chard so I thought I'd see what the history was behind this.Had to have laugh at "<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chard">mangold</a>" as an alternative name! There's plenty to read but I still don't know why there are so many names - it's not even a Swiss vegetable! :-D</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Silverbeet.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Silverbeet.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">The leaves are described as close to spinach and the stems, asparagus. I went to my orange food bible (Cook's Companion) and found a simple gratin recipe. Now what else to make? Well I was at the gym and one of the channels had a Delia Smith segment on so I tuned in. She had a Italian and Spanish inspired day and pork saltimbocca was on offer.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Her recipe can actually be found </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/pork-saltimbocca,1317,RC.html">online</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. I know, Delia is so my mother's generation but her recipes obviously work! So simple - I didn't write down the recipe and didn't think of searching the web but this wasn't hard to remember. Flatten the pork, season, lay a slice of parma ham/prosciutto on top, add a sage leaf, secure and fry on each side, sage side first. You'll see that marsala is used to deglaze, unfortunately I didn't have any on hand but that would certainly add another layer to this simple but effective dish. Looks how beautiful the red and green looks!</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Saltimbocca.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Saltimbocca.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Stephanie's Gratin of Silverbeet Stems<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1 Bunch silver beet</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1 Cup cream</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">100g Soft blue cheese</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Freshly grated nutmeg</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Salt and freshly ground black pepper</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2 tsp Softened butter</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1/2 cup Fresh white breadcrumbs</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1) Preheat oven to 180C</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2) Cut silverbeet leaves away from stems and cut stems into 1cm wide lengths. Specifies 8cm lengths but I just freeformed.<br />3) Blanch stems in salted, boiling water and drain, running under cold water. Drain on some paper towel.<br />4) Bring cream to a boil and add in the cheese to melt over al ower heat.<br />5) When melted, season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add in the stems and mix well.<br />6) Grease your gratin dish with the butter and spoon in the stem mixture. *Scatter breadcrumbs over top and bake until bubbling and golden. (Approx 25mins for a large dish.)<br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Notes</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1) Before the breadcrumbs*, Stephanie suggests adding leaves to the mix. To prepare, roll and slice 1-2 leaves per person and blanch for 2 minutes before draining and stewing in a little butter. Forget 1-2 leaves per person I used the lot because I didn't have another dish in mind!<br />2) Milawa blue was a suggested cheese... damn, finished <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/09/gapsted-and-milawa.html">ours</a>! In fact I didn't use blue cheese, just some cheddar we had but it was still good.<br />3) Depending on how you like to cook, you don't have to be too strict with exact cream and cheese measurements, the consistency is quite easy to judge.</span></span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Silverbeet%20gratin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Silverbeet%20gratin.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1157847180947992662006-09-10T08:25:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:33:14.147+11:00Farmers Market and Slow Food Festival<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Well the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.atasteofslow.com.au/">Slow Food Festival</a> was on yesterday and I'm sure there's plenty of blogging being done about it! This was being held at the Abbotsford Convent next to the Collingwood Children's Farm and entry to the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.farm.org.au/html/farmers_market.html">Farmers Market</a> was included. As we haven't had a chance to go to the market, Niki and I thought it was a must do. As you can see, it's all very relaxed with resting spots and a great variety of produce.</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/CCF.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/CCF.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Before we could start we had to fuel up. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Being a busy day</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.farmcafe.com.au/">Farm Cafe</a> was kept busy and although we didn't want to wait 20 minutes for coffees, we were going to wait for their breakfast bagel. The tomatoes were sweet and the combination of the bitter rocket and their relish was lovely. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >The staff were friendly and apologetic about delays... and about the </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >moth in my bagel! I'd cut the bagel in half and nestled in some rocket were these tiny legs poking out - I got a juice to make up for it but I'm still not really buying that the moth must have flown in on the way from the kitchen to the table.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/CCF%20Bagel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/CCF%20Bagel.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">There were organic veggie stores, berries, jams, honey, beef, salmon and trout and other wonderful finds. <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.redhillcheese.com.au/main.html">Red Hill Cheese</a> was there and their names caught my eye... I've never described cheese as "misty" and "buttery" but it sounded enticing! :-) I bought some Merricks Mist which was absolutely delicious and Niki bought some goat cheese. In the background of the photo are duck eggs from the next store and yes, to our delight they are tinged blue!<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Red%20Hill%20Cheese.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Red%20Hill%20Cheese.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >This store sold buffalo. I thought it was just cheese until I saw the sausages sizzling and the sign said "buffalo sausage". I was tempted to ask if they have buffalo wings, haha. I've never tasted buffalo and if we hadn't had breakfast I might have tried a sausage.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/CCF%20Buffalo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/CCF%20Buffalo.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I also bought some delicious berry sauce called "lolly topping", I've got to figure out what to try it with (chocolate, ice-cream, biscuits, chocolate cake....) but I'll let you know how it goes. The same stand had yummy lemon butter and jams so I'll be back.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Slow Food Festival<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >So what is <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_food">slow food</a>? The opposite of fast food, ecoregions to preserve cultural cuisine, morally acceptable food - in a nutshell. Of course, a snail is the logo here. Very cute until it comes "ploughing" towards you unexpectedly!</span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Slow%20Snail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Slow%20Snail.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">These wandering musicians are great, I heard someone say that they're from <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.abc.net.au/tv/spicksandspecks/">Spicks and Specks</a>.</span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Slow%20musicians.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Slow%20musicians.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Here's a compost recipe if you need one: raw = straw!. Straw, food scraps, cow manure, compost, garden scraps, wet sack.</span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Compost.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Compost.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And then there is food celebrity spotting! Here is <a href="http://www.stephaniealexander.com.au/">Stephanie Alexander</a> of the previously mentioned "<a href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/07/dinner-plan-dinner-by-jd.html">orange food bible</a>". She was there to let people know about her School Kitchen Garden Project. We were also on the lookout for Fergus Henderson of <a href="http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk/">Nose to Tail Eating</a></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >and Niki thought she'd spotted him. Did anyone attend his events?</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Stephanie%20Alexander.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Stephanie%20Alexander.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >And there was more eating! We shared a scrumptious Tasmanian tasting platter with:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >"get shucked" pacfic ocean oyster with Thorpe farm wasabi mignonette </span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >scallop ceviche with a saffron rouille </span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >stripey trumpter soused with cider on seaweed </span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Bruny Island Cheese Co.'s O.D.O.<br /></span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >John Bignall's sheep's milk blue on rye with </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Julian Wolfhagen leatherwood honey</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br /></span></li></ul><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >A good oyster is a good oyster! The trumpeter fillet and scallop were both in the ceviche style; the fish was lovely and we could really taste the cider but there's just something about the texture of uncooked scallop. Technically not "raw" but it just felt weird. Now the cheese was yummy. (Hmm, there has been a lot of cheese eating!) I tried to look up Bruny Island Cheese to see what this "ODO" is, their site is still being developed but <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/food/stories/s1088822.htm">ODO</a> is One Day Old! The texture was amazingly smooth like creme brulee but quite solid almost like Philly cheese. We did need something to eat it with and I thought of dark rye as the cheese is quite salty. The sheep's milk blue was amazing against the leatherwood honey. The leatherwood tree is found mainly in Tasmania so you have to expect some honey as part of a Tassie platter! <a href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/2005/09/unrefined-honey-and-honey-snaps.html">Niki</a> has described leatherwood before so imagine 2 very strong tastes working for and against each other. I think some of this Julian Wolfhagen honey would be superb in honey snaps!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Slow%20Tas%20Platter.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/400/Slow%20Tas%20Platter.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >And of course there is always chocolate! Colliers Chocolate was at the festival with Swiss couveture products. In the back are the Cowboy chocolates for our friend who loves Cowboys - the drink... and the men too! - the pink striped chocolates are pickled ginger and wasabi! You could really taste the pickled ginger but I didn't get a hit of wasabi at all. The "chocolate man" did say that they were very cautious and only put in a tiny dab. Looking at the ingredients, they use horseradish powder so it may have been a milder horseradish. Niki did think that there was a bit of heat so it may just have been my palate, although we both are definitely fans. They're based in Sutton Grange which is near Bendigo so next time I'm in that region, I've got to go to this shop!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Slow%20Choc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Slow%20Choc.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >If you're reading this in Melbourne on Sunday morning, quickly get yourself out to Abbotsford Convent before the festival is over!</span><br /><br />Tagged with:</span><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/slow+food" rel="tag">Slow Food</a><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/farmers+market" rel="tag">Farmers Market</a><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/melbourne+food" rel="tag">Melbourne Food</a></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1157630976709038702006-09-07T21:22:00.000+10:002006-09-07T22:09:36.816+10:00Prost!<span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Parties are fun and when P & T invited us to their German party, we knew it would be a fantastic night. Check out the drinks menu - sorry it's a bit blurred, and drinking hadn't started! How awesome are these hosts?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/German%20drinks.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/German%20drinks.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Of course there were bretzels! I meant to find out where the bretzels came from... will let you know.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/German%20Bretzels.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/German%20Bretzels.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Unfortunately because of work I couldn't drink much so this made my night. Thank you, T for slaving over the grill making wurst after wurst for us. Complete with sauerkraut and mustard... yum, yum!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Wurst.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Wurst.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is a viking wurst...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Viking%20wurst.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Viking%20wurst.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It's a frat party!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/German%20Keg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/German%20Keg.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Thank you, P & T!</span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1157153565303234772006-09-03T15:00:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:47:27.703+11:00Gapsted and Milawa<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;">Of course no visit to the region is complete without visiting wineries and the Milawa Cheese Factory! As we'd had a lazy morning and lunch in Beechworth, we didn't have all that much time for tastings before starting the 3 hour drive home. Armed with the regional map - very handy, get one from the vistor information centre - we selected a few places and headed off.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gapsted Wines</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Driving from Beechworth to Gapsted, we reached </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.gapstedwines.com.au/">Gapsted Wines</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. Unfortunately we were full from lunch; Gapsted offered a very tempting package of platters matched to wines for tasting. We loved <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >their tasting notes and food recommendations for each wine. Not "meat dishes" or "seafood" but "</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >seared venison fillets with roasted capsicum, on grilled polenta with a spicy cherry relish" or "spring asparagus with shaved parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon". All the more reason we should have tried their platters?<br /><br />The wines are excellent and as tempting as it was to stock up, we only walked away with a few bottles of their <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2005 Tobacco Road Sauvignon Blanc Semillon. Very reasonably priced at under $15, the passionfruit aromas are wonderfully intense and we could imagine lazy summer evenings with a chilled glass or two of this very crisp white. One of the wine makers is Michael Cope-Williams and remembering the surname, a quick search indicates that he is connected to </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.copewilliams.com.au/">Cope-Willams</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in Romsey. Must bookmark for a visit when we're next heading torwards Mount Macedon.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Milawa Cheese Company</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >About 20 minutes' drive away is Milawa and the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.milawacheese.com.au/">Milawa Cheese Company</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Turn onto Snow Road and continue until you see the signs indicating Milawa Cheese and Brown Brothers.</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > I love this story from their website:<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 153, 51);">"Both schoolteachers by trade, David and Anne Brown established Milawa Cheese Company with Richard Thomas in 1988. Richard sold his share of the company to them in 1990. The Milawa site was chosen because it had good water, was between Sydney and Melbourne and close to Brown Brothers Winery. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 153, 51);"> David and Anne cemented their cheese and good food obsession whilst backpacking around Europe in the eighties. Known to give up a hotel room for "a good feed", David and Anne spent many a night in their tent pitched in a field or churchyard in France and England, warmed by the regional food and wine in their bellies."<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">With an "obsession" like that, the cheese has to be good... and it is!</span></span></span> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">This wonderfully patient and smiling staff member was at the tasting counter serving crowd after crowd of visitors. (There is</span> a tasting counter with a big sign saying "Tastings", don't be like the lady that shoved her way through the sales queue demanding to try from the wedges for sale only to be told that yes, she really had to line up at the other counter.)</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Milawa%20Chesse%20Factory.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Milawa%20Chesse%20Factory.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >We sat outside and had a little picnic with a selection including the Gold (stinky and makes your mouth quiver in such a good way), the Aged Blue (yes we like our cheese strong) and a 2 year old cheddar, and fresh apples without the wax you get on those supermarket apples. We also one of the goat's milk cheese range, I think it was the goat camembert that Niki bought. The only thing that I would have loved more was a table in the sun as it was a beautiful day, but in the afternoon the eating area is in full shade<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > so there wasn't much we could do.</span> Still, we weren't complaining!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Milawa%20Cheese.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 346px; height: 260px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Milawa%20Cheese.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >We also took home some goat cheese curd and marinated goat's cheese. The former can be spread on anything and I even experimented and put some into some zucchini fritters I made, and the latter was delicious in a pasta with spinach, capsicum and peas. In Melbourne, Milawa Cheese has opened up their Australian Cheese Shop which is fantastic for avoiding the 2.5 hours to drive for this cheese!<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Brown Brothers</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.brown-brothers.com.au/">Brown Brothers</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> is not far and you'll be glad you came here. I'm always amazed at the huge range of wines they produce and there are plenty of cellar door only purchases to be made. I'll highlight the fruity and fizzy Moscato as there's always someone in the family who likes very sweet wines with meals, and the choice may be this lighter dessert wines. It's probably very wrong and I'm sure someone will turn their nose at the concept of having something so sweet with mains, but I joined in and it sure beats a soft drink at a barbecue! :-)<br /><br />The </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span lang="EN-GB">Orange Muscat and Flora has to be tried. Smooth honey flavours, orange aromas... hmm, where's our bottle gone to? Damn, we polished it off quickly!</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Safe Driving</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The cellar doors at most wineries seem to close at 5pm which is a good time to start the journey back to Melbourne.I've singled out the white wines here but the reds are definitely just as drinkable. If we had more time, we would have gone further to Rutherglen (amazing Durifs and fortifieds!) where I spent a weekend about 4 years ago. If you plan to tour this region, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to cover everything, it's well worth it! I was fortunate that we had a designated driver but always remember to take it easy and drink sensibly.</span><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:10;"><span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Gapsted Wines</b></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Great Alpine Road,<br />Gapsted,<br />Victoria </span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Milawa Cheese Company</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> Factory Road,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Milawa,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Victoria 3678</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The Australian Cheese Shop</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">655 Nicholson St,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">North Carlton</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Brown Brothers</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Bobinawarrah Road,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Milawa</span></span></span></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1156643389322154722006-08-27T15:47:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:46:58.143+11:00Wangaratta and Beechworth<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wangaratta</span></span><br />By the time we arrived in Wangaratta, there wasn't much time to look around the town but I'd love to return when the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.wangaratta-jazz.org.au/docs/">Jazz Festival</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> is on. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />Pizza and Pasta</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We had dinner here, nice touch with the stamp they put on the paper "table cloths". I had a delicious trout fettucine and there were also wood-fired pizzas on offer. Although it looked like they literally slapped on the topping as a slab. (I think it was just the way it came out after baking!)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The service was great, no orders were mixed up or lost for our big group. I'd go again!</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Wangaratta%20Cafe%20Martini.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Wangaratta%20Cafe%20Martini.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Café Martini</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Bull’s Head Hotel, </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >87 Murphy St,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Wangaratta</span><span style="color: rgb(128, 128, 0);"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Beechworth</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Is about 30 minutes' drive East of Wangaratta. In the main street are shops full of pretty homeware and we even found an African shop with sculptures and jewellery.There's plenty of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly">Ned Kelly</a> history around and explains the souvenirs you'll see!</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><br /></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Budget Accommodation</span><br /><a href="http://www.oldpriory.com.au/">The Old Priory</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> is set up for school camps so most rooms had bunk beds. Even if you had a double bed, there was a bunk bed in the corner! It's very basic accommodation and it was a bit eery</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> walking down long corridors, discovering a sudden cluster of rooms tucked away behind a door or finding a massive room with 20 bunk beds however there was a lovely sitting room with a fireplace and the interior consists of warm, wooden panels and expansive ceilings.</span><br /></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You get a simple breakfast of cereal, juice and toast. Good value when a double only cost $80!</span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Beechworth%20Old%20Priory.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Beechworth%20Old%20Priory.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Beechworth Bakery<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Or you can have your breakfast here! The infamous <a href="http://www.beechworthbakery.com/">Beechworth Bakery</a> that has spawned sister bakeries in other country towns and brought the owner Tom O'Toole fame as an author and motivational speaker. I actually went to a lunch that Tom spoke at and that man has energy; he also has a real understanding of customer satisfaction and just works on good old common sense. As he said, baking isn't anything new it's how you serve your customers that makes the difference.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Having said that, a controversial topic is how Beechworth Bakery doesn't have a numbering system for their queue so when the shop is packed - as it apparently often is - you hope the counter staff remember who got there first! (There's even a framed explanation of why they don't have a numbering system due to the number of complaints/requests!)</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Beechworth%20Bakery.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Beechworth%20Bakery.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >As we had to do tastings for you we had lunch and dessert! I had a pie - as one should in a country bakery - and Niki didn't <a href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/2005/06/best-meat-pies-in-melbourne.html">chastise</a> me for having tomato sauce! :-) The pastry was lovely and flaky, the filling tasted like real meat... no complaints.<br /><br />The desserts in the photo (from the left): a bee sting, a Bundy ball and a blueberry snickerdoodle. (I think it was a snickerdoodle... but isn't that a "cookie". A funny name anyway!). The bee sting custard was cold so that'd been in the fridge; I'm not a fan of custard cream, strange but I'd rather have had a bowl of runny Bird's custard! Still the pastry was OK. The Bundy ball had actual rum in it, the first time I could see why it's a "rum ball"! (Reminded me of a friend at uni who only drank <a href="http://www.bundabergrum.com.au/">Bundy</a> and coke.) And finally, the snickerdoodle was a nice way to polish off the meal. There was a layer of sweeter custard underneath the glazed berries and the pastry was a good solid shell that didn't crumble under one bite.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Beechworth%20Bakery%20goods.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Beechworth%20Bakery%20goods.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> This isn't meant badly but Beechworth Bakery isn't producing specialty products to tempt and stand out. If you want good, standard products this is a place to go.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" > The Beechworth Bakery</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > 27 Camp Street</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" > Beechworth<br />Victoria 3747 </span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1156501262331416652006-08-25T20:03:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:49:48.138+11:00High Country<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >We recently sang in <a href="http://www4.visitvictoria.com.au/displayObject.cfm/objectid.000EBEDC-929A-1E48-8EE480C476A90000/vvt.vhtml">Wangaratta</a> which is just under 3 hours' drive from Melbourne so we made a weekend of it. Driving up the Hume Highway is straight forward but a boring trip, especially for the driver - fortunately I wasn't driving!<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >On the way, we decided to just pick a town for lunch and settled on <a href="http://www4.visitvictoria.com.au/displayObject.cfm/objectid.0001034A-867D-1E59-9A6C80C476A90000/vvt.vhtml">Seymour</a> because it's relatively big... there must be a lot of choice! We didn't even make it to the town as we spotted this vineyard just off the highway.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Somerset%20Winery.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 445px; height: 338px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/400/Somerset%20Winery.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Yes, we all did wonder if Seymour is famous for its wines</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> but this is the start of the winery trail to Goulburn Valley! The above picture is of the </span><a href="http://www.seymour.org.au/somerset.htm">Somerset Crossing Vineyard</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I don't know why but the crisp country air makes me want to eat bread and steak... so it was their "steak stack" for lunch. This was accompanied by a glass of </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >rosé (I've previously posted my <a href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/07/dominique-portet.html">thoughts</a> on rosé) that I selected only because of the name, "Lacrime </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >rosé</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >". Perhaps a play on lacrimosa but does that mean too much of it will make you cry?</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Somerset%20Steak%20Stack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 349px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Somerset%20Steak%20Stack.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">To be honest the wine was a little too much like Ribena, but the steak stack was perfect. The steak is sliced in half so that you don't end up chewing chunks of meat and the bread (very generous as you can see) was buttery with garlic and herb. Served with good bacon and caramelised onion, you're set for the rest of the journey!<br /><br />T had a steak with nice thick chips and I know Niki had something a bit healthier that the waitress did have to confirm twice. (Niki, was it a filo pastry with chicken and cheese?)<br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We didn't have time for wine tasting but </span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">all in all, a nice surprise off the Hume highway and a good stop for a meal in a lovely setting.<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br />Somerset Crossing Place</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >1 Emily Street, </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Seymour, </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >VIC 3660</span><span style="color: rgb(85, 0, 85);font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;" ></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1156329422795921062006-08-23T20:00:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:35:26.986+11:00Battle of the Chocolate Truffle<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><a href="http://fewofmyfavourites.blogspot.com/2006/07/chocolate-fix.html">Cin</a> posted about the Chocolate Fire Cafe and one must always try new chocolate places! :) I was in a rush so couldn't sit down to test the claim of "best hot chocolate" but I decided to put Chocolate Fire up against <a href="http://www.kokoblack.com/">Koko Black</a> as they were so close to each other! </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >(Although I did buy other varieties, I settled for the truffles in my taste test.) </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">First impressions</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">As Cin noted, the service isn't great and when I was there, there were only two of us. Nevemind, it gave me more time to feast my eyes on the huge array of chocolate dipped fruit, the New York style choc dipped Pringles... pretty much whatever you can dip? It's certainly not as glamorous as Koko Black but it's fun and bright!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Packaging (Just because...)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Chocolate can come in a plain bag as far as I'm concerned but if you're going to surprise someone with a treat the Koko bag does look good.</span><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Koko%20bag.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Koko%20bag.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Truffle Time</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >This is the Koko Black one rolled in cocoa. If you like more bitter chocolate, this is it. A lovely texture that melts away, finished too quickly!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Koko%20truffle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 349px; height: 258px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Koko%20truffle.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Chocolate Fire Cafe has more variety, there are truffles rolled in Dutch cocoa, dark chocolate, white chocolate but I went for the milk chocolate. (Well, I wasn't being strict in direct comparison so thought a little variety would be OK.) T's vote is for this one because it's sweeter and oh boy, it is so much sweeter.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/CF%20truffle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 349px; height: 252px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/CF%20truffle.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >As you can see from this photo, this truffle is much gooier and probably not what I would normally associate with truffle texture. But it was good and if you want something to sink your teeth into, this is it.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/CF%20truffle%20inside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 215px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/CF%20truffle%20inside.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Value<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The truffles were about the same in price ($1.40 each I think) but you can see which one is value for money!</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Comparison.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 347px; height: 261px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Comparison.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >I don't think I'll choose one over the other simply because I think it's great that so many people are making a deal of chocolate. I would guess that both shops are marketing towards different groups, Koko is upmarket and decadent (they are a "salon") whilst Chocolate Fire is fun (a "cafe") and moves away from traditional treats. (No, I can't see Koko dipping pringles quite yet!)<br /><br />So if you're in Melbourne go enjoy some chocolate!<br /><br />Both shops are in Royal Arcade, the Koko Black is more towards Bourke St Mall and if you keeping walking into the arcade, Chocolate Fire is down some stairs to the right.<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Royal Arcade</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">335 Bourke St<br />Melbourne<br /></span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1155117943513170632006-08-09T19:31:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:42:48.259+11:00Ay Oriental Tea House<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Mango%20pud.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Mango%20pud.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I love the mango pudding that you get at yum cha - I think you can get instant mango pudding but I'm yet to try. Ay Oriental Tea House is what I would brand "posh yum cha" - not quite the loud food on a trolley experience in Chinatown or in Box Hill, and not so cheap that you roll out of the restaurant having only spent $15 a head. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Having opened a series of Ay tea shops and the Prahran restaurant David's, the owner opened Ay Oriental Tea House combining tea shop and restaurant in this "Shanghainese tea house". The tea list - for both purchase and consumption - is of course long and varied with recommendations for steamed and fried foods. The decor is "ye Shanghai" - think East meets West, art deco, red pillars, Shanghai in its hey day - and if you need dim sum at night, this is the place to go.</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Ay.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Ay.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >This photo was just at the start and how much food you get is dependent on how good the service is. Unfortunately this can vary depending on the number of diners and the number of staff on. You might be happy to order a la carte and I believe this was the original intention, but trays of food are brought out and I like seeing what the kitchen decides to send out - although inevitably, the one thing that you really wanted will be brought out at the end when you can't eat any more!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >You'll get the usual choices but the food is good and there is a much smaller chance of getting a soggy dumpling or octopus swimming in oil (as you may in a restaurant churning out food for the masses). The Shanghainese fare like the dumplings were magnificent. Note that you do purchase tea by the cup (a big earthen mug); given "yum cha" means to drink tea you'd expect to get a refill, one mug just didn't do the trick.</span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br />Ay Oriental Tea House</span><br /><strong style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"></strong><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >455 Chapel Street, </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >South Yarra</span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1154731635998797922006-08-05T08:32:00.000+10:002006-08-05T09:31:58.213+10:00Europen Adventure<span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'll be in Europe very soon - </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/2006/07/beef-braised-in-beer-low-fat.html">Niki</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and I are singing there! Yay!! Most of all, I am looking forward to getting away from work.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I've been taking note of foodie recommendations so if you have suggestions (Italy, Switzerland, England, France.) please leave me comments or email me. Even if I'm not visiting the suggested destinations, someone else might.<br /><br />Just as a start...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Rome</span><br /></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://blork.typepad.com/photos/eating_in_italy_2006/pecorinomousse.html"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></a></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.blork.org/blorkblog/album-eating-italy-2006/pecorinomousse.html"><span style="font-family:arial;">Blork blog</span></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2006/07/roma_recommende_1.html"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2006/07/roma_recommende_1.html"></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2006/07/roma_recommende_1.html">Passionate Cook</a></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">London</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/">Passionate Cook</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://sarah-cooks.blogspot.com/2006/08/london-truly-international-city.html">Sarah Cooks</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Cambdrige</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://sarah-cooks.blogspot.com/2006/06/cambridge-midsummer-house.html">Sarah Cooks</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Paris</span><br />Macaroon tasting bien sur!<br /></span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://chaxiubao.typepad.com/chaxiubao/eating_in_france/index.html">Cha Xiu Bao</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/">Passionate Cook</a><br /></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1154514820360811512006-08-02T20:14:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:36:01.145+11:00Quick dinner: Chicken with Tomato and Bocconcini<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Inspired by a </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/06/pork-polpette.html">Karen Martini</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> recipe for chicken with tomato and bocconicini, I threw this together for dinner. The only work was chopping up the ingredients and it was super quick to cook. If you're really out of time, just use the straight recipe!</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/Quick%20chicken.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/Quick%20chicken.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Here is the original recipe:<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Karen Martini's Pan-fried chicken with tomato and bocconcini</span><br />4 Chicken breast fillets, trimmed<br />1 Tbl Olive oil<br />1 Brown onion, sliced<br />1 clove Garlic, crushed<br />1 large Red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced<br />400g can Chopped tomatoes<br />1/4 cup Chicken stock<br />4 Bocconcini, halved<br />1 cup Basil leaves<br /><br />1) Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over high heat.<br />2) Brush the chicken with the oil and sprinkle with sat and pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins.<br />3) Add the onion, garlic, chilli, tomatoes and stock, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 mins.<br />4) Add the bocconcini and cook, covered for 1 minute.<br />5) Place the chicken on serving plates, spoon over the sauce and top with the basil.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Serves 4</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My variation:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1) I used 3 chicken breasts (they came in threes!) so cut up the chicken and compensated with extra veggies. Next time, I'd use thigh meat as the breast meat was a little tough.<br />2) I added in a sliced eggplant* and instead of chilli, used chopped up red capsicum*. I suppose you can always add some chilli flakes for a kick but I didn't feel like anything spicy. I thought the capsicum added a little more sweetness to the tomato sauce.<br />3) I also used smaller bocconcini which was interesting as it melted slightly and it was almost like eating liquid pizza. That sounds really off but tasted really delicious!<br />4) I forgot to buy the basil but I don't think I would have added it anyway. It was tasty enough and I tend to associate basil with just tomato and bocconcini on their own.<br /><br />*aubergine, bell pepper<br /></span><br /><br /><br /></span> </span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1154262834864983362006-07-30T22:26:00.000+10:002006-07-30T22:33:54.876+10:00Foodbank<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well, I've only just stopped working for today. No, seriously.<br /><br />From an earlier </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://caperberrygravy.blogspot.com/2006/07/help-food-for-runners.html">post</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I was wondering whether we had something like Food Runners in Australia.</span> <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://vrandfb.com.au/">Foodbank</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> exists in Australia, there are </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.foodbankaustralia.org.au/foodbank/foodbank.htm">links</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> to relevant states.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Time to go to Bedforshire...</span><br /></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1154219566188580402006-07-30T14:22:00.000+10:002006-11-19T17:37:24.024+11:00Dinner Plan: Dinner by JD<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well there's a lot of reading and blogging today</span>. I have to work - from home - and as I'm waiting for updates from various people, I'm filling time in because I'm stuck at home!<br /><br />It appears that once people realise that you keep a food blog, the expectation is that you will place high standards on all meals... even those prepared by friends! JD invited us over to his house and apparently there was panic about making everything perfect - although I think he's already a great cook anyway!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So I present to you "Dinner by JD" and suggestions of where similar recipes can be found.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Spiced pumpkin and coconut soup:</span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/JD%20Soup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/JD%20Soup.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">How's that for presentation? </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.visualrecipes.com/recipe-details/recipe_id/257/Thai-Spiced-Pumpkin-Soup/">This</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> recipe is a good start.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Steak and Horseradish Sauce, served with Potato Rosti:</span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/JD%20Main.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/JD%20Main.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I love horseradish. I haven't used this recipe but found it in </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.stephaniealexander.com.au/mybooks.htm">Cook's Companion</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> - ingredients are in an alphabetical listing, fortunately when I looked up "H" I didn't find horse. :) This is a wonderful recipe and reference book; I have given copies out as birthday and wedding presents. For my birthday, the lovely T bought me</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> "Cooking & Travelling in South-West France" which is also by Stephanie Alexander. (And when I'm not so busy, I'll cook something from it!)</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">As it contains dill, I'd say that ideally this goes with fish. Maybe I'll experiment with other herbs for other meats and let you know.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">Simple Horseradish Sauce</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">1 Tbl Creamed horseradish sauce*</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2 Tbl Dill seeds</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">2 Tbl Finely chopped fresh dill leaves</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">120ml Sour cream</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate until required. Makes 1/2 cup.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">*If you have fresh horseradish, grate it and mix it with whipped cream and a little white-wine vinegar.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-family:arial;" >Nigella's Chocolate Cloud Cake:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/1600/JD%20Cake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3783/1859/320/JD%20Cake.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Recipe can be found at </span><a style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://esurientes.blogspot.com/2005/09/supremely-decadent-chocolate-cloud.html">Niki's</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >. I loved this variation, the cake was served with a dark chocolate sauce and orange pieces soaked in cointreau.</span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18892330.post-1154221115214438982006-07-30T10:55:00.000+10:002006-07-30T10:58:35.223+10:00Help Food for Runners!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial;"><a href="http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/">Sam</a> is blogging for <a href="http://www.foodrunners.org/">Food Runners</a>... if you want to help what sounds like a wonderful cause, pledge a donation!<br /><br />It's hard enough trying to keep a blog regularly updated, try throughout a 24 hour period!<br /><br />Good luck, Sam!<br /></span>Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249252906964455123noreply@blogger.com0