It's just past midnight on Saturday now. Meaning, it's actually Sunday. I'm flying out for Shanghai way early on Monday morning and so the countdown begins.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
And I'm leaving... TOMORROW
but WOOHOO for the tennis final before that!
It's just past midnight on Saturday now. Meaning, it's actually Sunday. I'm flying out for Shanghai way early on Monday morning and so the countdown begins.
It's just past midnight on Saturday now. Meaning, it's actually Sunday. I'm flying out for Shanghai way early on Monday morning and so the countdown begins.
BEST Chewy & Oozy Chocolate Cookies
Chewy and Oozy Chocolate Cookies
Home Cooking
Yes I know it's impossible to REALLY claim a cookie recipe as 'the best'. Everyone is so varied in their preference for flavors, textures, size and whatnot. I like most cookies, be it soft or chunky or crumbly or crisp. Given all that, I still totally dig this recipe because it is soooo easy and fool proof.
With cakes, I feel reluctant to repeat a recipe more than once because there are so many out there to try out. The same principle applies to cookie recipes... I mean, I've literally bookmarked dozens of them thinking to myself "I HAVE to give this a go" but somehow, when I find myself craving home-baked cookies, I return to this recipe.
Home Cooking
Yes I know it's impossible to REALLY claim a cookie recipe as 'the best'. Everyone is so varied in their preference for flavors, textures, size and whatnot. I like most cookies, be it soft or chunky or crumbly or crisp. Given all that, I still totally dig this recipe because it is soooo easy and fool proof.
With cakes, I feel reluctant to repeat a recipe more than once because there are so many out there to try out. The same principle applies to cookie recipes... I mean, I've literally bookmarked dozens of them thinking to myself "I HAVE to give this a go" but somehow, when I find myself craving home-baked cookies, I return to this recipe.
Chicken Thai Red Curry
Chicken Thai Red Curry
Home Cooking
It might seem like I'm on a bit of a Thai food phase but the truth is, I've been planning to make this dish for a long time now. I was going to do it with fish (based on the recipe I have that inspired me to try home-made curry) but changed my mind and went for chicken.
I find that curry, particularly Indian curry is almost intimidating to make if you don't have a complete selection of spices and herbs at your disposal. I suppose this curry is sort of half-way there in terms of how much it is your OWN curry. It's true that you do use a pre-bought red curry paste but it's far from warming up supermarket curry sauce and mixing it with rice. At least, that's what I like to tell myself! Once I bought a supermarket brand Rogan Josh sauce and had unrealistically high hopes... it was pretty abysmal and since then, I've been getting my fix for Indian curry from restaurants.
Home Cooking
It might seem like I'm on a bit of a Thai food phase but the truth is, I've been planning to make this dish for a long time now. I was going to do it with fish (based on the recipe I have that inspired me to try home-made curry) but changed my mind and went for chicken.
I find that curry, particularly Indian curry is almost intimidating to make if you don't have a complete selection of spices and herbs at your disposal. I suppose this curry is sort of half-way there in terms of how much it is your OWN curry. It's true that you do use a pre-bought red curry paste but it's far from warming up supermarket curry sauce and mixing it with rice. At least, that's what I like to tell myself! Once I bought a supermarket brand Rogan Josh sauce and had unrealistically high hopes... it was pretty abysmal and since then, I've been getting my fix for Indian curry from restaurants.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Bow Thai - Fortitude Valley
Bow Thai
http://www.bowthai.com.au/
The story I heard about Bow Thai (uncertain about the truth behind it) goes something like this:
The Thai government was getting concerned at the sheer amount of Thai restaurants popping up in western countries like Australia. The problem was that poor quality, inferior Thai food may mislead potential overseas tourists to think that Thai food less than worth going to Thailand for. So, a few select culinary ambassadors were sent to Australia to taste test the variety of so called 'Thai food' on offer and give an official seal of approval for what they deemed authentic.
What I heard is that Queensland only had THREE Thai restaurants that passed the ultimate test. Bow Thai was one of them. Their website does not mention anything about the above story but they do claim they were awarded Australia's top 8th Thai restaurant award by the Thai Restaurant Association in 2000.
http://www.bowthai.com.au/
The story I heard about Bow Thai (uncertain about the truth behind it) goes something like this:
The Thai government was getting concerned at the sheer amount of Thai restaurants popping up in western countries like Australia. The problem was that poor quality, inferior Thai food may mislead potential overseas tourists to think that Thai food less than worth going to Thailand for. So, a few select culinary ambassadors were sent to Australia to taste test the variety of so called 'Thai food' on offer and give an official seal of approval for what they deemed authentic.
What I heard is that Queensland only had THREE Thai restaurants that passed the ultimate test. Bow Thai was one of them. Their website does not mention anything about the above story but they do claim they were awarded Australia's top 8th Thai restaurant award by the Thai Restaurant Association in 2000.
Lime White Chocolate Mud Cake
Lime White Chocolate Mud Cakewith Candied Lime Slices
Home Cooking
This cake matches my blog color scheme... no it wasn't intentional
I promise I'm not pulling your leg when I saw I've literally been dreaming about this cake for at least a week. The thing is, I don't even like lime-flavored things that much but somehow, got into my head that what I REALLY needed to do was make a mud-cake that wasn't chocolate, white chocolate or caramel. When I looked online, I couldn't find any recipes for fruity mud-cakes but I did see that you could buy them from professional cake stores.
Now... that is VERY unfair and I convinced myself that surely it can't be that difficult. A bit of research lead me to understand that you need chocolate in mud cake to get the characteristic dense texture. Even caramel mud cake contains white chocolate. Another bonus about using white chocolate is that your batter is uncolored so you can do whatever you like with it.
Home Cooking
This cake matches my blog color scheme... no it wasn't intentionalI promise I'm not pulling your leg when I saw I've literally been dreaming about this cake for at least a week. The thing is, I don't even like lime-flavored things that much but somehow, got into my head that what I REALLY needed to do was make a mud-cake that wasn't chocolate, white chocolate or caramel. When I looked online, I couldn't find any recipes for fruity mud-cakes but I did see that you could buy them from professional cake stores.
Now... that is VERY unfair and I convinced myself that surely it can't be that difficult. A bit of research lead me to understand that you need chocolate in mud cake to get the characteristic dense texture. Even caramel mud cake contains white chocolate. Another bonus about using white chocolate is that your batter is uncolored so you can do whatever you like with it.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
It doesn't make me like cleaning but it helps...
Things I like
Against strict instructions, Charlie bought Windex spray and wipe instead of a Pine-O-Clean branded one. It's not like I'm bent on using Pine-O-Clean... I guess all those adds emphasizing that it's not clean unless it's Pine-O-Clean has drilled into my mind.
We wanted to use a spray so that after wiping the bench, the cloths wouldn't breed bacteria and smell bad, needing to be thrown out after 2-3 uses. I was fine with the Windex spray so long as it did the job.
What surprised me was how it smelt. You get cleaning products that smell like nothing, smell really awful and smell 'OK' without being pleasant.
In my opinion (and Charlie's too), this yellow Windex actually smells REALLY good. There's no where on the packaging that announces this fact so it was really by luck that we chose it. After some discussion, we concluded that the smell was candy-like. Charlie was a bit more specific and narrowed it down to 'Whizz Fizz'.
This isn't a fragrance like those orange/citrus cleaning smells that just mask the chemical odor underneath... the candy scent is truly delightful. If you need that extra motivation to get you spraying and wiping around your house, give this a try.
Against strict instructions, Charlie bought Windex spray and wipe instead of a Pine-O-Clean branded one. It's not like I'm bent on using Pine-O-Clean... I guess all those adds emphasizing that it's not clean unless it's Pine-O-Clean has drilled into my mind.
We wanted to use a spray so that after wiping the bench, the cloths wouldn't breed bacteria and smell bad, needing to be thrown out after 2-3 uses. I was fine with the Windex spray so long as it did the job.
What surprised me was how it smelt. You get cleaning products that smell like nothing, smell really awful and smell 'OK' without being pleasant.
In my opinion (and Charlie's too), this yellow Windex actually smells REALLY good. There's no where on the packaging that announces this fact so it was really by luck that we chose it. After some discussion, we concluded that the smell was candy-like. Charlie was a bit more specific and narrowed it down to 'Whizz Fizz'.
This isn't a fragrance like those orange/citrus cleaning smells that just mask the chemical odor underneath... the candy scent is truly delightful. If you need that extra motivation to get you spraying and wiping around your house, give this a try.
Cheat's Cherry Chocolate Tartlets
Cheat's Cherry Chocolate Tartlets
Home Cooking
Horray for cool circle tricks with the icing sugar
(Once again, I managed to sneak some poetry into the post title). This was ultimate speed cooking for me. I basically whipped up these mini tarts using whatever I had left over in the fridge.
The tart casings are pre-bought (hence the 'cheat' part). The cherries are the last of my stash - I stewed them in a brandy sugar syrup. The chocolate component of the tart is a reworked version of my Ben and Jerry chocolate fudge. I didn't just do that on a whim... I compared recipes once again and came to the conclusion that the chocolate in chocolate tarts is basically comprised of the same ingredients as the fudge. It worked better than expected - in fact the chocolate in my tarts are absolutely delicious.
Home Cooking
Horray for cool circle tricks with the icing sugarThe tart casings are pre-bought (hence the 'cheat' part). The cherries are the last of my stash - I stewed them in a brandy sugar syrup. The chocolate component of the tart is a reworked version of my Ben and Jerry chocolate fudge. I didn't just do that on a whim... I compared recipes once again and came to the conclusion that the chocolate in chocolate tarts is basically comprised of the same ingredients as the fudge. It worked better than expected - in fact the chocolate in my tarts are absolutely delicious.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Cherry and Almond Scones
Cherry and Almond Scones
Home Cooking
I whip up scones almost on a regular basis and I've thought about writing up a post about them. You have to agree though that stock standard scones are so straight forward that there's really no bragging rights (not that I keep this blog for that reason :D ).
When I was brainstorming what to do with my last supply of cherries, I came up with the idea of adding them to my scones. Sure, there are date scones, sultana scones and whatnot so a cherry scone made perfect sense to me. I found a recipe online for using almond meal in conjunction with plain flour for the scones so I thought maybe a cherry almond scone could work. In truth, I can't vouch for what the almond meal added to the scones other than making them a bit denser than usual.
Home Cooking
I whip up scones almost on a regular basis and I've thought about writing up a post about them. You have to agree though that stock standard scones are so straight forward that there's really no bragging rights (not that I keep this blog for that reason :D ).
When I was brainstorming what to do with my last supply of cherries, I came up with the idea of adding them to my scones. Sure, there are date scones, sultana scones and whatnot so a cherry scone made perfect sense to me. I found a recipe online for using almond meal in conjunction with plain flour for the scones so I thought maybe a cherry almond scone could work. In truth, I can't vouch for what the almond meal added to the scones other than making them a bit denser than usual.
Chinese Spicy Eggplant & Pork Mince
Spicy Eggplant & Pork Mince
Home Cooking
I really dig eggplant when it's oozy and mushy and full of flavor. Plain grilled eggplant in antipasto sort of bores me but when paired with meat in Asian dishes, I think it's a fabulous vegetable. When I discovered I had pork mince in my freezer, I thought "why not?"
This is my own take on the dish. With Chinese food, you'll find that everyone makes it a bit differently and the tastes also vary so rather than having specific quantities or rules, you mix and match to cater for your own preferences.
Home Cooking
I really dig eggplant when it's oozy and mushy and full of flavor. Plain grilled eggplant in antipasto sort of bores me but when paired with meat in Asian dishes, I think it's a fabulous vegetable. When I discovered I had pork mince in my freezer, I thought "why not?"
This is my own take on the dish. With Chinese food, you'll find that everyone makes it a bit differently and the tastes also vary so rather than having specific quantities or rules, you mix and match to cater for your own preferences.
Poached Peach Pavlova - Sundae Special!
Poached Peach Pavlova
Home Cooking
I couldn't resist the alliterations in the title. In truth, I had no idea what I should call this post because what I did was create these monster desserts that could have had any of (or all of) the components I shoved on. At one stage, yes they WERE poached peach pavlovas but then, I piled on loads of good things and ended up with a monstrous sundae (which explains the duel title).
You can take away from this post whatever you like - I'm hoping to just provide you with some ideas of how you can use the various sweets I made yesterday.
Home Cooking
I couldn't resist the alliterations in the title. In truth, I had no idea what I should call this post because what I did was create these monster desserts that could have had any of (or all of) the components I shoved on. At one stage, yes they WERE poached peach pavlovas but then, I piled on loads of good things and ended up with a monstrous sundae (which explains the duel title).
You can take away from this post whatever you like - I'm hoping to just provide you with some ideas of how you can use the various sweets I made yesterday.
Ben & Jerry's Hot Fudge Sauce
Ben & Jerry's Hot Fudge Sauce
Home Cooking
I had many, many fudge sauces to chose from and for the single reason that I've been using too many recipes from "The Perfect Scoop", I went for the one in "Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book". You might not know about these guys but apparently their ice-cream chain is very popular in the States. I bought this book as another recommendation for fool-proof great tasting ice-cream recipes. I've yet to make an actual ice-cream mix from the book but I had a great time reading the story of how they started out. It's a really inspirational and warm story so if you manage to get your hands on the book, I hope you take the time to read through it too.
Home Cooking
I had many, many fudge sauces to chose from and for the single reason that I've been using too many recipes from "The Perfect Scoop", I went for the one in "Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book". You might not know about these guys but apparently their ice-cream chain is very popular in the States. I bought this book as another recommendation for fool-proof great tasting ice-cream recipes. I've yet to make an actual ice-cream mix from the book but I had a great time reading the story of how they started out. It's a really inspirational and warm story so if you manage to get your hands on the book, I hope you take the time to read through it too.
Chocolate Waffle Crisps - an Ice-cream Cone Modification
Chocolate Wafer Crisps
Home Cooking
As the title suggests, I basically modified a recipe from "The Perfect Scoop" that was intended for creating ice-cream cones. I wanted wafer rolls and reasoned with myself that wafers and ice-cream cones are initially the same thing. After some researching online, I concluded that yes, there are mostly similar ingredients so I'll do it.
VERY UNFORTUNATELY that I don't have a photo of the final outcome. I actually DID take photos and had one all edited and ready to upload. I've lost it... and by the time I racked up enough effort to take more, they were all gone. I didn't want too many posts with no photos in the opening so that's why there's a pointless pic of my kitchen mixer (favorite device ever... exceeding my mobile phone in usefulness these holidays) and the cup of tea I'm drinking RIGHT NOW. It's Ceylon in fact. Brand is Twinnings.
Home Cooking
As the title suggests, I basically modified a recipe from "The Perfect Scoop" that was intended for creating ice-cream cones. I wanted wafer rolls and reasoned with myself that wafers and ice-cream cones are initially the same thing. After some researching online, I concluded that yes, there are mostly similar ingredients so I'll do it.
VERY UNFORTUNATELY that I don't have a photo of the final outcome. I actually DID take photos and had one all edited and ready to upload. I've lost it... and by the time I racked up enough effort to take more, they were all gone. I didn't want too many posts with no photos in the opening so that's why there's a pointless pic of my kitchen mixer (favorite device ever... exceeding my mobile phone in usefulness these holidays) and the cup of tea I'm drinking RIGHT NOW. It's Ceylon in fact. Brand is Twinnings.
Machine Love - My Ice-cream Love Affair Begins
I feel like I witnessed a miracle today. I am so in awe...
of...
my new ice-cream maker.
I've mentioned before that I got an ice-cream maker for Christmas. It was a Dome one and although I knew it was low end, I didn't expect it to NOT WORK. Well... after many failed attempts wherein I followed every specific tip/advice/technique found on ice-cream machine forums to no avail, I finally gave up and insisted the machine be returned.
Charlie decided to be a darl and not let my ice-cream making dreams go to waste (I had, after all, bought 2 ice-cream making books on a whim and now had no machine to use) so he exchanged, rather than returned and brought me back a Krups ice-cream machine.
of...
my new ice-cream maker.
I've mentioned before that I got an ice-cream maker for Christmas. It was a Dome one and although I knew it was low end, I didn't expect it to NOT WORK. Well... after many failed attempts wherein I followed every specific tip/advice/technique found on ice-cream machine forums to no avail, I finally gave up and insisted the machine be returned.
Charlie decided to be a darl and not let my ice-cream making dreams go to waste (I had, after all, bought 2 ice-cream making books on a whim and now had no machine to use) so he exchanged, rather than returned and brought me back a Krups ice-cream machine.
Baby Golden Syrup Marshmallows
Baby Golden Syrup Marshmallows
Home Cooking
This is a prime example of something that is so easy to buy from a store yet I was temped to make. Am I the only person who is fascinated by the idea of making marshmallows? Before I read recipes for them, I didn't even know what they were made of, or how they got that way. For some reason, I expected egg whites to be involved. I also thought they would be oven-baked before set in the fridge but anyhow, I was proven wrong.
Marshmallows have such an interesting texture that they seem impossible to make at home and you imagine lots of heavy-duty candy machinery to be involved. When you ignore these instincts and succeed, it feels all the more satisfying.
Home Cooking
This is a prime example of something that is so easy to buy from a store yet I was temped to make. Am I the only person who is fascinated by the idea of making marshmallows? Before I read recipes for them, I didn't even know what they were made of, or how they got that way. For some reason, I expected egg whites to be involved. I also thought they would be oven-baked before set in the fridge but anyhow, I was proven wrong.
Marshmallows have such an interesting texture that they seem impossible to make at home and you imagine lots of heavy-duty candy machinery to be involved. When you ignore these instincts and succeed, it feels all the more satisfying.
Super-duper Supreme Pizza
Super-duper Supreme Pizza
Home Cooking
I was aiming for a meat-lovers style pizza but the fact was I didn't end up using a large enough variety of meat to warrant that title. This pizza IS huge. It was a delight to slice because it came out of the oven looking like salami spread on bread. As soon as I sliced it, the meaty bits butterflied up and revealed layers of veggies. My Supreme pizza leaves no stone unturned - you'll find everything on here. Only 2 people tasted this (only 2 people in this house...) but we were both pleased so I can call this a definite crowd-pleaser!
Home Cooking
I was aiming for a meat-lovers style pizza but the fact was I didn't end up using a large enough variety of meat to warrant that title. This pizza IS huge. It was a delight to slice because it came out of the oven looking like salami spread on bread. As soon as I sliced it, the meaty bits butterflied up and revealed layers of veggies. My Supreme pizza leaves no stone unturned - you'll find everything on here. Only 2 people tasted this (only 2 people in this house...) but we were both pleased so I can call this a definite crowd-pleaser!
Spicy Lamb, Grilled Eggplant & Pesto Pizza
Spicy Lamb, Grilled Eggplant & Pesto Pizza
Home Cooking
Not strictly Australian but I made this for Australia day so my intentions were there. The lamb ended up having a slight Moroccan twist and we know pesto is Italian. I don't know if grilled eggplant can be claimed by any one Nation's cultural cuisine but look, what's important is that the end result was good and maybe you'll feel inspired to mix similar flavors.
I didn't follow a recipe and the good thing about pizza toppings is that you don't need to. Just get the quantity right so that you can fit it all on your base (this is something I struggled with as I desperately piled my lamb onto the tiny pizza base). I won't bother specifying what elements of the topping is 'optional' because in essence, everything is optional. Just use whatever veggies you think will work.
Home Cooking
Not strictly Australian but I made this for Australia day so my intentions were there. The lamb ended up having a slight Moroccan twist and we know pesto is Italian. I don't know if grilled eggplant can be claimed by any one Nation's cultural cuisine but look, what's important is that the end result was good and maybe you'll feel inspired to mix similar flavors.
I didn't follow a recipe and the good thing about pizza toppings is that you don't need to. Just get the quantity right so that you can fit it all on your base (this is something I struggled with as I desperately piled my lamb onto the tiny pizza base). I won't bother specifying what elements of the topping is 'optional' because in essence, everything is optional. Just use whatever veggies you think will work.
Home-made Basil Pesto
Home-made Basil Pesto
Home Cooking
I first learnt about the existence of pesto in high school when I'd go to cafes frequently with my mum. I didn't know what it was made of or what it really meant but I knew that menu items that mentioned pesto in the description usually tasted pretty damn good. Plus, I was going through a phase where I liked feeling superior to everyone (i.e. my non-English speaking grandparents) by ordering beyond the ordinary. Even these days, I feel unjustifiably pleased with myself when I discover that I can understand most of the fancy, foreign, culinary lingo on menus.
It's all a learning process. Terms like confit, terrine, dukkah etc. I can't say I really mind giving everything a go and upping my food vocab.
Maybe every other food fanatic on the planet already knew but I only found out that pesto was usually made from basil and pine nut very recently. When I decided I wanted a pesto base for my lamb pizza, I decided to make my own.
Rather than strictly following a recipe, I sort of read a few pesto recipes and took common elements. I'll supply a generalized recipe and the steps I took to make my pesto but please keep in mind that I was very rough with my quantities.
Home Cooking
I first learnt about the existence of pesto in high school when I'd go to cafes frequently with my mum. I didn't know what it was made of or what it really meant but I knew that menu items that mentioned pesto in the description usually tasted pretty damn good. Plus, I was going through a phase where I liked feeling superior to everyone (i.e. my non-English speaking grandparents) by ordering beyond the ordinary. Even these days, I feel unjustifiably pleased with myself when I discover that I can understand most of the fancy, foreign, culinary lingo on menus.
It's all a learning process. Terms like confit, terrine, dukkah etc. I can't say I really mind giving everything a go and upping my food vocab.
Maybe every other food fanatic on the planet already knew but I only found out that pesto was usually made from basil and pine nut very recently. When I decided I wanted a pesto base for my lamb pizza, I decided to make my own.
Rather than strictly following a recipe, I sort of read a few pesto recipes and took common elements. I'll supply a generalized recipe and the steps I took to make my pesto but please keep in mind that I was very rough with my quantities.
Basic Pizza Dough
Basic Pizza Dough
Home Cooking
This is the foundation to lots of fun times. There's no real need for me to carry on here. I've used this pizza dough recipe several times without fail. I'm now opting to make more than I need and freezing the dough so I always have pizza base on hand.
I got this recipe from Exclusively Food and modify the quantity depending on how many bases I want to make. The full recipe makes 2 large pizzas or 4 of 'my size' pizzas that are about 15cm in diameter. Usually for Charlie and I, I make 2 small pizzas so I just halve the recipe.
Home Cooking
This is the foundation to lots of fun times. There's no real need for me to carry on here. I've used this pizza dough recipe several times without fail. I'm now opting to make more than I need and freezing the dough so I always have pizza base on hand.
I got this recipe from Exclusively Food and modify the quantity depending on how many bases I want to make. The full recipe makes 2 large pizzas or 4 of 'my size' pizzas that are about 15cm in diameter. Usually for Charlie and I, I make 2 small pizzas so I just halve the recipe.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Australia Day - Cooking Spree & Tennis
Straya Day 2009
I've mentioned previously that I am an absolute plan-a-holic. It goes without saying that for all these kinds of 'occasions' (i.e Australia Day, birthdays, New Years etc), my mind starts buzzing many weeks in advance with ideas for what to cook.
1) Spicy lamb, Grilled Eggplant Pesto pizza and Super-duper Supreme pizza
I got the idea for this after seeing all the Eagle Boys ads on TV advertising their Aussie Lamb pizza. I've had an Aussie lamb pizza at Pizza Capers and thought it was the best thing ever.
The final pizzas required:
2) Pavlova and Poached Peach Sundae
This idea was perfect for me because I had a whole bowl of frozen egg whites in the freezer (been using too many yolk-only recipes). Pavlova is very Australian but I admit, mine is not traditional. I went all-out with the home-made factor.
The final sundae required:
What I came up with isn't fully Aussie but there are influences. After all, I could have had a barbeque, lamingtons and fresh seafood but I chose not to go down that path but rather do my own thing. My Australia Day meal consists of 2 items but each item has several components that kept me busy.
I toyed with the idea of doing an East meets West theme to combine Chinese New Years with Australia Day but... I didn't want to just pop 'Chinese-style' meat like soy chicken or honey pork into stereotypical Australian cuisine: pies, sausage rolls etc.
The final line-up for today involved a full day of messing around in the kitchen. I'm thus embarrassed to reveal that there are really only 2 true 'fruits of labor'. This might seem pointless and time wasting for you but it's ideal for me. I don't like to condemn myself to too much eating but I love cooking and I have nothing to do most of the time. A nice rounded solution is to spend effort in making small quantities of complicated things so that I'm occupied but won't feel guilty about downing all my products.
I've mentioned previously that I am an absolute plan-a-holic. It goes without saying that for all these kinds of 'occasions' (i.e Australia Day, birthdays, New Years etc), my mind starts buzzing many weeks in advance with ideas for what to cook.
1) Spicy lamb, Grilled Eggplant Pesto pizza and Super-duper Supreme pizza
I got the idea for this after seeing all the Eagle Boys ads on TV advertising their Aussie Lamb pizza. I've had an Aussie lamb pizza at Pizza Capers and thought it was the best thing ever.
The final pizzas required:
2) Pavlova and Poached Peach Sundae
This idea was perfect for me because I had a whole bowl of frozen egg whites in the freezer (been using too many yolk-only recipes). Pavlova is very Australian but I admit, mine is not traditional. I went all-out with the home-made factor.
The final sundae required:
What I came up with isn't fully Aussie but there are influences. After all, I could have had a barbeque, lamingtons and fresh seafood but I chose not to go down that path but rather do my own thing. My Australia Day meal consists of 2 items but each item has several components that kept me busy.
I toyed with the idea of doing an East meets West theme to combine Chinese New Years with Australia Day but... I didn't want to just pop 'Chinese-style' meat like soy chicken or honey pork into stereotypical Australian cuisine: pies, sausage rolls etc.
The final line-up for today involved a full day of messing around in the kitchen. I'm thus embarrassed to reveal that there are really only 2 true 'fruits of labor'. This might seem pointless and time wasting for you but it's ideal for me. I don't like to condemn myself to too much eating but I love cooking and I have nothing to do most of the time. A nice rounded solution is to spend effort in making small quantities of complicated things so that I'm occupied but won't feel guilty about downing all my products.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Imitation Beard Papa - my own Profiteroles
Imitation Beard Papa Cream Puffs
Home Cooking
I happen to attend uni classes in the city and this is lucky because I get good access to a wide range of food at lunch. I'm right near the Central Train Station which means that, even though I don't catch the train (I hate it), I still stop by the train station every now and again for their food court.
Don't shun the idea of grabbing food in a location marked for public transport. I'm never going to lie and pretend there's a whole undiscovered section of gourmet wonders but there IS a nice supply of cheap eats. Fast and easy!
That particular train station was also my only known location of a Beard Papa Sweets store in Brisbane (there is now also one in Garden City). I first had Beard Papa cream puffs in Shanghai and I loved them there. The Shanghainese stores have more variety, including one of my favorite sweet cream flavors: chestnut. Here, they sell either vanilla or chocolate custard on a daily basis and also an extra flavor that changes monthly. Beard Papa does not just sell cream puffs and I'm sure everything is yum but I can't bring myself to go there and NOT order the cream puffs.
Home Cooking
I happen to attend uni classes in the city and this is lucky because I get good access to a wide range of food at lunch. I'm right near the Central Train Station which means that, even though I don't catch the train (I hate it), I still stop by the train station every now and again for their food court.
Don't shun the idea of grabbing food in a location marked for public transport. I'm never going to lie and pretend there's a whole undiscovered section of gourmet wonders but there IS a nice supply of cheap eats. Fast and easy!
That particular train station was also my only known location of a Beard Papa Sweets store in Brisbane (there is now also one in Garden City). I first had Beard Papa cream puffs in Shanghai and I loved them there. The Shanghainese stores have more variety, including one of my favorite sweet cream flavors: chestnut. Here, they sell either vanilla or chocolate custard on a daily basis and also an extra flavor that changes monthly. Beard Papa does not just sell cream puffs and I'm sure everything is yum but I can't bring myself to go there and NOT order the cream puffs.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Three Monkeys Coffee and Tea House
Three Monkeys Coffee and Tea House
58 Mollison St, South Brisbane
We all have places where you walk in and things just feel 'right'. Understandably, everyone has different reasons for liking/disliking certain things. Sometimes, it depends on the day and on your mood. Maybe it's the music, the layout or the shopfront. It could be the staff and service or the store philosophy. You might just like a spot because it's familiar.
This doesn't just apply to places where we eat. I feel uncomfortable going into stores like Supre because of the loud music, messy layout and (generally) young, snobbish staff. The same goes for super posh restaurant or shops. I can't help but feel judged, anxious or intimidated walking in.
Obviously, I've never been one to restrict myself to the same-old cafes or eateries just to stay comfortable. Whenever I 'dine out' at any place that's got a more formal atmosphere, I'm there for the food and experience, not to chill out.
58 Mollison St, South Brisbane
We all have places where you walk in and things just feel 'right'. Understandably, everyone has different reasons for liking/disliking certain things. Sometimes, it depends on the day and on your mood. Maybe it's the music, the layout or the shopfront. It could be the staff and service or the store philosophy. You might just like a spot because it's familiar.
This doesn't just apply to places where we eat. I feel uncomfortable going into stores like Supre because of the loud music, messy layout and (generally) young, snobbish staff. The same goes for super posh restaurant or shops. I can't help but feel judged, anxious or intimidated walking in.
Obviously, I've never been one to restrict myself to the same-old cafes or eateries just to stay comfortable. Whenever I 'dine out' at any place that's got a more formal atmosphere, I'm there for the food and experience, not to chill out.
8 Month Dinner at Bretts Wharf
Bretts Wharf - Hamilton
http://www.brettswharf.com.au/
It's true that we don't always need a 'reason' for doing things. I don't need to justify why I chose to go to Bretts Wharf in spite of a previous bad experience. I can just tell you 'because I felt like it'.
Having said that, I'll provide a reason all the same.
Charlie and I were choosing between restaurants to go to (as in, I was researching and asking him and he pretty much just agreed to whatever I suggested) and Bretts Wharf crossed my mind. I'd been there once before with my mother and we both didn't think the food was that great. However, I keep hearing rave reviews about this place on Vogue Forums so I became open to the idea that maybe we just ordered the wrong thing.
I was attracted to the notion that it is predominantly a seafood restaurant. This would have never appealed to me in the past but I am, slowly, growing more and more fond of seafood. What sealed the deal was actually watching an episode of 'Ready, Steady, Cook' on Ten. This is one of those day-time TV shows I enjoy watching and my favorite chef is Manu. In this particular episode, he was up against another chef. I was just telling Charlie that I also liked this other guy because he always seems friendly and jolly. Peter Everett (the host) then announces that the other guy was Alastair McLeod from (gasp!) Bretts Wharf.
Thus the booking was made and off we went.
http://www.brettswharf.com.au/
It's true that we don't always need a 'reason' for doing things. I don't need to justify why I chose to go to Bretts Wharf in spite of a previous bad experience. I can just tell you 'because I felt like it'.
Having said that, I'll provide a reason all the same.
Charlie and I were choosing between restaurants to go to (as in, I was researching and asking him and he pretty much just agreed to whatever I suggested) and Bretts Wharf crossed my mind. I'd been there once before with my mother and we both didn't think the food was that great. However, I keep hearing rave reviews about this place on Vogue Forums so I became open to the idea that maybe we just ordered the wrong thing.
I was attracted to the notion that it is predominantly a seafood restaurant. This would have never appealed to me in the past but I am, slowly, growing more and more fond of seafood. What sealed the deal was actually watching an episode of 'Ready, Steady, Cook' on Ten. This is one of those day-time TV shows I enjoy watching and my favorite chef is Manu. In this particular episode, he was up against another chef. I was just telling Charlie that I also liked this other guy because he always seems friendly and jolly. Peter Everett (the host) then announces that the other guy was Alastair McLeod from (gasp!) Bretts Wharf.
Thus the booking was made and off we went.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Baklava Muffins with Mini Baklava Fingers
Baklava Muffins
Home Cooking
This is how irrational thinking works: I'd promised myself not to bake anymore this week due to an explosive episode of non-stop baking (I have the blog posts to prove it).
Early this morning, I was convinced I could keep it up.
Late in the afternoon, I was still hanging in there. I figured that tonight, my sweet tooth would be satisfied by the dark chocolate mousse sitting in the fridge. Everything appeared to be going to plan.
By 5pm, I decided to bake a small batch of scones to have with cream, jam and tea. The idea was that scones are so basic and easy that they're not even 'counted' as proper baking.
I asked Charlie if it was OK and he gave me the green light to fix up some scones.
Somehow, at this point I got distracted. I was looking for the scone recipe in my book and instead settled on the page with the baklava muffins.
Home Cooking
This is how irrational thinking works: I'd promised myself not to bake anymore this week due to an explosive episode of non-stop baking (I have the blog posts to prove it).
Early this morning, I was convinced I could keep it up.
Late in the afternoon, I was still hanging in there. I figured that tonight, my sweet tooth would be satisfied by the dark chocolate mousse sitting in the fridge. Everything appeared to be going to plan.
By 5pm, I decided to bake a small batch of scones to have with cream, jam and tea. The idea was that scones are so basic and easy that they're not even 'counted' as proper baking.
I asked Charlie if it was OK and he gave me the green light to fix up some scones.
Somehow, at this point I got distracted. I was looking for the scone recipe in my book and instead settled on the page with the baklava muffins.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Peach and Oatmeal Loaf & Muffins
Peach and Oatmeal Loaf & Muffins
Home Cooking
There are certain descriptions you see in a menu or recipe that makes you think 'I want that'. I find that for me, there are some words that will always attract me whilst other phrases will literally be a flavor of the month.
Once upon a time, I was so astounded to find duck on Western menus that I would always order the duck dish. When I'm going to restaurants nowadays, I feel inclined to order unusual things that I haven't tried before. Weird combinations of sweet and savory - for instance, chocolate sauce on pork or coffee sauce on lamb... these kinds of descriptions definitely grab my attention.
As for cooking, I'm partial to recipes that mention ingredients like yogurt and sour cream especially when coupled with a sharply sweet main flavor (such as chocolate or honey). I have an instant soft spot for anything that mentions the words 'pistachio' or 'pumpkin'.
Home Cooking
There are certain descriptions you see in a menu or recipe that makes you think 'I want that'. I find that for me, there are some words that will always attract me whilst other phrases will literally be a flavor of the month.
Once upon a time, I was so astounded to find duck on Western menus that I would always order the duck dish. When I'm going to restaurants nowadays, I feel inclined to order unusual things that I haven't tried before. Weird combinations of sweet and savory - for instance, chocolate sauce on pork or coffee sauce on lamb... these kinds of descriptions definitely grab my attention.
As for cooking, I'm partial to recipes that mention ingredients like yogurt and sour cream especially when coupled with a sharply sweet main flavor (such as chocolate or honey). I have an instant soft spot for anything that mentions the words 'pistachio' or 'pumpkin'.
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Home Cooking
Obviously there is always a certain amount of bias with how good I think my own cooking because... I did it. Sometimes though, there is a product that I believe is on par with (or even better than) the restaurant-standard equivalent and that's when I see cooking as every bit worth the effort or fuss.
Today I had one of those moments. You've probably heard me mention a few times about this anniversary dinner I was preparing for our 8 months. The dessert was to be the main event and in essence I started the preparations the day before. I knew I would be making a chocolate mousse cake (after a lot of time leafing through all my dessert cookbooks, as well as researching online) and I also knew something as rich as that wouldn't be complete without some cream or ice-cream on the side.
Home Cooking
Obviously there is always a certain amount of bias with how good I think my own cooking because... I did it. Sometimes though, there is a product that I believe is on par with (or even better than) the restaurant-standard equivalent and that's when I see cooking as every bit worth the effort or fuss.
Today I had one of those moments. You've probably heard me mention a few times about this anniversary dinner I was preparing for our 8 months. The dessert was to be the main event and in essence I started the preparations the day before. I knew I would be making a chocolate mousse cake (after a lot of time leafing through all my dessert cookbooks, as well as researching online) and I also knew something as rich as that wouldn't be complete without some cream or ice-cream on the side.
Roast Garlic and Parsley Hearthbread
Roast Garlic and Parsley Hearthbread
Home Cooking
Indian food is one of my favorite cultural cuisines (then again, I do have many so-called favorites). Whenever I go to an Indian restaurant, I always prefer to soak up the curry with fresh naan bread than rice. Properly baked naan bread is absolutely delicious. I've tried the supermarket variety and that's not even in contention.
When I read the description for this hearthbread as a mix between garlic Naan and herb foccacia, I knew I had to make it. What's more, I even especially ordered curry to eat with it.
Home Cooking
Indian food is one of my favorite cultural cuisines (then again, I do have many so-called favorites). Whenever I go to an Indian restaurant, I always prefer to soak up the curry with fresh naan bread than rice. Properly baked naan bread is absolutely delicious. I've tried the supermarket variety and that's not even in contention.
When I read the description for this hearthbread as a mix between garlic Naan and herb foccacia, I knew I had to make it. What's more, I even especially ordered curry to eat with it.
Dulce de Leche Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Dulce De Leche Shortbread Sandwiches
Home Cooking
I have to admit I am a huge victim of my own personal cravings.
This conflicts with the fact that I like to have everything planned and scheduled. Case in point: Charlie and I have started our 2009 budget scheme. Because I like to be precise about these types of things (I secretly enjoy making budgets), I go as far as planning what we're eating for every meal of each week to come.
In other words, today being Monday, I already had allocated meals in mind.
Let's see... the implementation of this budget officially started... well, TODAY in fact.
And I have failed abysmally at following my own plans (that I created only yesterday).
It started in the wee hours of this morning. I was having trouble falling asleep, convinced that I was starving to death. I comforted myself by planning what to cook for breakfast the next morning. In my original plan, I was just going to have cereal but look, when it's 2am in the morning and all you can think about is how hungry you are, it's reasonable to give excuses and fantasize about baking large batches of cookies or tarts to munch on when you wake up.
Home Cooking
I have to admit I am a huge victim of my own personal cravings.
This conflicts with the fact that I like to have everything planned and scheduled. Case in point: Charlie and I have started our 2009 budget scheme. Because I like to be precise about these types of things (I secretly enjoy making budgets), I go as far as planning what we're eating for every meal of each week to come.
In other words, today being Monday, I already had allocated meals in mind.
Let's see... the implementation of this budget officially started... well, TODAY in fact.
And I have failed abysmally at following my own plans (that I created only yesterday).
It started in the wee hours of this morning. I was having trouble falling asleep, convinced that I was starving to death. I comforted myself by planning what to cook for breakfast the next morning. In my original plan, I was just going to have cereal but look, when it's 2am in the morning and all you can think about is how hungry you are, it's reasonable to give excuses and fantasize about baking large batches of cookies or tarts to munch on when you wake up.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Jamie's Fish Lasagna
Jamie's Fish Lasagna
Home Cooking
I got so excited reading through my first Jamie Oliver cook book ("Cook with Jamie") that I literally could not decide what to make first. After I got something relatively simple out of the way (check out my sweet coleslaw here), I sought after a recipe that was slightly more of a challenge.
Now, the other thing you have to know about me is that I will do anything it takes to convince myself what I'm eating is healthy. So long as it gives me an excuse to help myself to 'x' number of serves!
What's healthy? Fish! Surely. Everyone knows that, right?
Beef lasagna sounds fatty and 'no no' but if the filling is fish, we're definitely doing our bodies a huge favor by scoffing down the Omega 3 and what not.
And thus the decision was made. For once, I did not halve or quarter or do any other meddling to the recipe. I cooked at my parents house for 4 people and we had a bit left over. In other words, the recipe is quite accurate in stating that the lasagna feeds 4-6 people.
Home Cooking
I got so excited reading through my first Jamie Oliver cook book ("Cook with Jamie") that I literally could not decide what to make first. After I got something relatively simple out of the way (check out my sweet coleslaw here), I sought after a recipe that was slightly more of a challenge.
Now, the other thing you have to know about me is that I will do anything it takes to convince myself what I'm eating is healthy. So long as it gives me an excuse to help myself to 'x' number of serves!
What's healthy? Fish! Surely. Everyone knows that, right?
Beef lasagna sounds fatty and 'no no' but if the filling is fish, we're definitely doing our bodies a huge favor by scoffing down the Omega 3 and what not.
And thus the decision was made. For once, I did not halve or quarter or do any other meddling to the recipe. I cooked at my parents house for 4 people and we had a bit left over. In other words, the recipe is quite accurate in stating that the lasagna feeds 4-6 people.
Banana Bread with Passionfruit Glaze
Banana Bread with Passionfruit Glaze
Home Cooking
I LOVE banana bread. LOVE it. I was into banana bread before I was into 'food' as a whole. And I've baked gazillions of them. Many times, I didn't exactly follow a recipe. Still, they tend to taste at least good.
For me, banana bread with nuts can never fail and ever, ever taste bad. On the flip side, a well-made banana bread without nuts doesn't really excite me.
Rules of thumb = make sure they have nuts and serve them warm.
Home Cooking
I LOVE banana bread. LOVE it. I was into banana bread before I was into 'food' as a whole. And I've baked gazillions of them. Many times, I didn't exactly follow a recipe. Still, they tend to taste at least good.
For me, banana bread with nuts can never fail and ever, ever taste bad. On the flip side, a well-made banana bread without nuts doesn't really excite me.
Rules of thumb = make sure they have nuts and serve them warm.
Tarragon Chicken Wraps
Chicken and Tarragon Wraps
Home Cooking
One of the 'must-do's for Summer is having a barbeque. Like going to the beach or eating at least 1 mango, having a barbeque is something you do to take advantage of the sunny weather and fresh food, lest you feel that your Brisbane-style Summer is going to waste.
It was very much on our list of activities to go through before university resumed. What I had in mind was a picnic and simple grill somewhere that, whilst not being exotic, was at least a nice change of scenery. Perhaps South Bank? Or Roma St Parklands? Not what you'd call original by a far cry but nice all the same.
What we ended up doing on the other hand was not even get into our backyard. Charlie was adamant on using our old coal barbeque but unfortunately, he's about as competent with starting fires as a wet haystack. After what seemed like 2 hours (during which time, he had twice forgotten about the barbeque entirely. I would ask him how the fire was going and he would look at me stumped for a few seconds before gasping an 'Oh!' of realization and rushing out the door to check). I put my foot down and decided to grill my chicken patties in a frying pan.
Home Cooking
One of the 'must-do's for Summer is having a barbeque. Like going to the beach or eating at least 1 mango, having a barbeque is something you do to take advantage of the sunny weather and fresh food, lest you feel that your Brisbane-style Summer is going to waste.
It was very much on our list of activities to go through before university resumed. What I had in mind was a picnic and simple grill somewhere that, whilst not being exotic, was at least a nice change of scenery. Perhaps South Bank? Or Roma St Parklands? Not what you'd call original by a far cry but nice all the same.
What we ended up doing on the other hand was not even get into our backyard. Charlie was adamant on using our old coal barbeque but unfortunately, he's about as competent with starting fires as a wet haystack. After what seemed like 2 hours (during which time, he had twice forgotten about the barbeque entirely. I would ask him how the fire was going and he would look at me stumped for a few seconds before gasping an 'Oh!' of realization and rushing out the door to check). I put my foot down and decided to grill my chicken patties in a frying pan.
Friday, January 16, 2009
American Steak Out - Hog's Breath Cafe
Hog's Breath Cafe - Indooroopilly Junction
104 Coonan St, Indooroopilly
Big servings. Hearty food. Cheese, Chocolate and Curly fries.
When we get cravings and feel like throwing any notion of 'diet' out the window, we think steak and we think fries.
My boyfriend Charlie had never been to a Hog's Breath Cafe before and since he had been daydreaming about steaks and barbeques for a week, I thought Hog's Breath would hit the nail on the head.
I, on the other hand, have had SEVERAL experiences at a number of different Hog's Breaths and each time has been a consistently belt-tightening meal.
104 Coonan St, Indooroopilly
Big servings. Hearty food. Cheese, Chocolate and Curly fries.
When we get cravings and feel like throwing any notion of 'diet' out the window, we think steak and we think fries.
My boyfriend Charlie had never been to a Hog's Breath Cafe before and since he had been daydreaming about steaks and barbeques for a week, I thought Hog's Breath would hit the nail on the head.
I, on the other hand, have had SEVERAL experiences at a number of different Hog's Breaths and each time has been a consistently belt-tightening meal.
Sweet Coleslaw with Home-made Mayonnaise Dressing
Sweet Coleslaw with Home-made Mayonnaise Dressing
Home cooking
A couple of years back, my parents organized a big family houseboat holiday. There were about 3 sets of couples (mum, dad and grandparents) + some of us 'kids'. The trip lasted 3 nights and was one of my favorite group holidays to date.
We mostly just lazed about on deck and cruised through the strait. The houseboat was slow and 'safe' and yet we managed to get stuck in shallow water a fair number of times. There wasn't much going on in terms of activities. The elders chatted, played mah jong and cards. The children played monopoly and engaged in slightly more physical tasks such as rowing and fishing.
There was food. Lots and lots of food. Imagine 3 families bringing together what they feel is 'enough food'. Add a slight miscommunication between them and you end up with multiples of everything and definitely no fear of dying of starvation.
Home cooking
A couple of years back, my parents organized a big family houseboat holiday. There were about 3 sets of couples (mum, dad and grandparents) + some of us 'kids'. The trip lasted 3 nights and was one of my favorite group holidays to date.
We mostly just lazed about on deck and cruised through the strait. The houseboat was slow and 'safe' and yet we managed to get stuck in shallow water a fair number of times. There wasn't much going on in terms of activities. The elders chatted, played mah jong and cards. The children played monopoly and engaged in slightly more physical tasks such as rowing and fishing.
There was food. Lots and lots of food. Imagine 3 families bringing together what they feel is 'enough food'. Add a slight miscommunication between them and you end up with multiples of everything and definitely no fear of dying of starvation.
Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Glaze
Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Glaze
Home Cooking
Most of my Summer holidays have been happily spent lounging around and relaxing - i.e. doing nothing much at all. One day not too long ago, we discovered that my laptop could actually receive wireless internet from the router upstairs! That certainly changed things up a bit. Instead of mindlessly watching TV and reading myself to sleep every 10 minutes, I instead found myself killing hour after hour online. Doing what? Online shopping, watching old cycles of America's Next Top Model on Youtube and of course, searching up recipes.
I guess you could say that my days were passing 'slightly' more productively.
On the subject of searching for recipes online, it is an absolute wonder why it is that I bother to do this AS WELL as purchasing every cookbook of every in-vogue TV chef on the market. I guess you can't get enough of a good thing.
Home Cooking
Most of my Summer holidays have been happily spent lounging around and relaxing - i.e. doing nothing much at all. One day not too long ago, we discovered that my laptop could actually receive wireless internet from the router upstairs! That certainly changed things up a bit. Instead of mindlessly watching TV and reading myself to sleep every 10 minutes, I instead found myself killing hour after hour online. Doing what? Online shopping, watching old cycles of America's Next Top Model on Youtube and of course, searching up recipes.
I guess you could say that my days were passing 'slightly' more productively.
On the subject of searching for recipes online, it is an absolute wonder why it is that I bother to do this AS WELL as purchasing every cookbook of every in-vogue TV chef on the market. I guess you can't get enough of a good thing.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
First post
Welcome!
Thanks for visiting this new blog
With Hungry Kittens, I'm aiming to create a food and cooking blog based in the city of Brisbane.
I'll give comprehensive and personal reviews for the various restaurants I visit and also step-by-step recounts of my cooking experiences.
For everything from fast food to fine dining and home roasting to baking, please feel free to follow my culinary journey.
I love food and cooking but I'm also a beginner so please feel free to leave advice and comments.
Some notes about my cooking:
Remember to bookmark and come back often to view new posts - I update regularly.
Thanks for visiting this new blog
With Hungry Kittens, I'm aiming to create a food and cooking blog based in the city of Brisbane.I'll give comprehensive and personal reviews for the various restaurants I visit and also step-by-step recounts of my cooking experiences.
For everything from fast food to fine dining and home roasting to baking, please feel free to follow my culinary journey.
I love food and cooking but I'm also a beginner so please feel free to leave advice and comments.
Some notes about my cooking:
- I work in Metric units so if I find recipes that don't use Metric, I'll convert first.
- I generally just have to cater for myself and my boyfriend so I tend to reduce recipes a lot. I will halve or even quarter recipes if I can and of course, there will be slight inaccuracies in my quantities. However, I'll always report if my amounts work out well (or if they don't) so if you, like me, also want to try small versions of popular recipes, I'm sure you'll find my posts helpful. On the other hand, if you want the original quantities, I always source my recipes and provide links if they can be found online.
Remember to bookmark and come back often to view new posts - I update regularly.