The Foodiste

Natascha Mirosch. Professional eater. Food & travel writer. Editor.

Monthly Archives: October 2011


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Fourthchild Cafe

It’s in Ipswich. There. We’ll get that out-of-the-way first. I actually grew up in Ipswich, a town built on the coal industry. (`Coal’ incidentally rhymes with ‘hole’ which is what I and my bored- to- braindead friends who grew up there called it.)

Since my parents left some years ago, breaking the last thread I had to Ipswich, I’ve rarely been back. Today however, I went to help a girlfriend who has bought a house there with some DIY stuff. (No, okay actually I’ll come clean, I just lent her my ‘boys’ while I watched a bad movie on her tv).

Anyway, fuel was required to kick off the process and she took us to Fourthchild. At first glance, not much had changed in the old ‘Swich. Uptown wasn’t exactly pumping on a Sunday morning. In fact there could have been a few tumbleweeds blowing down the street. But what’s this? A busy cafe that could have been lifted in its entirety from Paddington or some other salubrious Brisbane ‘burb.

The owners have done a great job with the small space. They tell me they removed no less than THREE fake ceilings to get back to the high ceilinged original. They also sandblasted an entire wall to expose the lovely rough brick beneath. Bamboo floorboards have been painted black. Communal tables, seating six took a while for Ipswichians to get their heads around, the owner says but they were all full when we were there. Each table is decorated with a  small wooden barrel filled with fresh produce. In our case it was swedes while the next table had oranges. Very cute.

Everything is made in-house and from scratch with a blackboard menu that changes daily depending on what’s in season and available. They even make their own ‘softdrink’- nary a Coke or Fanta to be found. Coffee is Blackstar. Staff are well-trained and polite. Then our brunch arrived and I had to pinch myself. Was I really in Ipswich or some kind of parallel universe based on what I thought Ipswich was missing when I lived here?

Needless to say I hadn’t thought to bring my camera because I hadn’t expected there was anything to photograph but the baked eggs, which came in a dinky little red Le Creuset type lidded pan, with thyme, pancetta and ricotta as well as a serve of very good sourdough toast was definitely worth a pic. I also ordered a juice, pear, apple and strawberry, which was served in a jar with an old fashioned thick paper straw.

BF had eggs Benedict with bacon and spinach served on their own generously proprtioned home made muffin while my friend had the corn fritters. All were excellent.
There’s a nice range of home made cakes too but we were all too full.

It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a while.  There’s a definite bias towards free-range and organic, with the owner telling met the kitchen was ‘green’ which means it was chemical-free apparently and they have to buy in bread because they don’t have an extraction fan. (cos it’s not eco-friendly is my understanding)

And if you need an added excuse to visit ‘the ‘Switch’ (which is less than 30mins from the CBD) there is a fantastic cool indie craft/art space next door called Cultiver, a  quirky designer Aladin’s Cave called ES Traders (with some very stylish and unusual antique homewares) in a short but gritty laneway (where there’s another good-looking cafe called ‘Bon Laneway’) as well as stuffed- to -the- ceiling- with- treasures antique shop and a fragrant designer homewares store.. The beautiful old pub a couple of doors up is closed undergoing a re-furb too. Seriously, this is the ‘Swich? Things are looking up.
My friend tells me things are a bit more lively on a Saturday than Sunday (there’s also some good markets) and I reckon it’s definitely worth the drive. I never, ever thought I’d say that, but I reckon Ipswich, after many false starts is finally getting it’s groove on.


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Sneak peek at Cove Bar & Dining

So yesterday, I had the chance to have a quick peek at the just about to open Cove Bar & Dining at Southbank. It’s at the curved end of Southbank boardwalk near the Goodwill Bridge. 

It’s the first in the complex that will open-hopefully next Thursday. I also had the chance to taste-test a couple of menu items, and both were pretty great. The first was beautiful flavoursome fat-veined beef carpaccio, served with a 62 degree poached egg, a truffle mayo and watercress with little crunchy crumbs of sea salt.

The second, which is I can’t stop thinking about was ‘chilli jam donuts. A savoury interpretation of the donut, they are made to order from choux pastry so wonderfully light, and filled with a sweet chilli jam and dusted with cinnamon and salt. Served on pureed avocado, they come with a little pot of mole-a savoury chocolate sauce from Mexico that in this case was very complex and the chef Adam told me, has a long list of ingredients, include chillis, raisins, almonds and pepitas. Too cute and absolutely moreish.

I think this could possibly be my new fave dish.
Anyway, signs are positive that Cove is just one of the new Southbank restaurants that are going to set up a benchmark. Here’s the lunch & dinner menus for you to have a look at. Cove will also be open for brekky and with the City Cat at the door, is a great spot to start the weekend.

SAT – SUN 8AM TILL LATE

Catering available

Breads: $9

Sour Dough, Evoo, Aged Balsamic, White Bean Puree

Corn Bread, Australian Olives, Garlic & Chili Emulsion

Oysters:

All our Oysters are sourced locally and from Australian waters only and

OYSTERS NATURAL – 4 FOR $12

Chilled: 4 for $14

Watermelon Granita & Lime salt

Smoked Tomato Jam

Cucumber & Pimms Gel

Wasabi Leaf & Pickled Ginger Emulsion

Warm: 4 for $16

King Salmon Confit & Crème Fraiche

Welsh Rarebit

Belly Bacon & ‘Buffalo Trace’ Bourbon

Pecorino Cream & Spinach Coulis

Signature oyster creation “Bubbles” 4 for $18

‘Moet & Chandon’ gel, ‘San Pellegrino’ emulsion, King Salmon Pearls

Shared Starters:

1 for $18, 2 for $17ea, 3+ for $16ea

Beef Carpaccio, 62 degree poached Egg, Truffle Mayo, watercress

Grilled Haloumi, Heirloom Tomatoes, curly endive, Sherry Emulsion

Five spiced Duck Spring Rolls, hot herb salad, Chilli plum Sauce

‘Little Creatures’ Battered White Anchovies, Candied Bacon, Green Olives

Chili Jam Doughnuts, Avocado Puree, Mole Sauce

Rodriguez Chorizo Plate, Potato & Caper salad, Piquillo Pepper Aioli

Yarra Valley Goats Cheese & Rhubarb Strudel, Shallot Crème Chantilly, Radish & Watercress

Salad

Charred Goat Ribs, Black Garlic, Crème de Framboise Glaze

Diver Scallops, Black Pudding Crumble, Vanilla Pea Puree

Cocoa Dusted Quail, Ajo Blanco, Smoked Paprika Chutney

Beetroot & Vodka Stained King Salmon, Sunflower Seeds, Beetroot Jam, Orange, Brioche

Poached Chicken, Shaved Fennel, Green Beans, Wild Rocket, Pernod Dressing, Fennel Pollen

COVE BAR +DINING

MON – FRI 11AM TILL LATE

SAT – SUN 8AM TILL LATE

Catering available

Mains:

‘Appleton’ Rum & Cola Berkshire Pork Belly, Celeriac Mash, Roast Pear, Crackling & Rum & Cola

Jus $32

Cape Grim Sirloin (240g), Potato Puree, Field Mushroom Relish, Truffle Butter Sauce, Watercress

& Shallot Salad $36

Anise Scented Duck, Wood Mushroom & Watercress Risotto, Pedro Ximenez Reduction $34

Lamb

 

Cutlet, Lamb leg Croquette, Cauliflower Puree, Vine Tomato, Lavender Jus $36

 

East Coast Reef Fish of the Day (Market Price)

Sides: $8

Toowoomba farmed fresh Salad, ‘Limoncello’ dressing

Green beans, Hazelnut Praline, Hazelnut oil spray

Shoestring Fries with Spice Rum Aioli

Dessert:

Warm Chocolate Fondant, Licorice Caramel, Blackberry Gel, Sambuca Ice Cream $14

Rosewater Panna Cotta, Pine Nut Baklava, Vanilla Syrup $12

De-Constructed Apple Crumble, Apple Custard, 5 Nut Crumble, Brown Sugar Ice Cream $14

Flourless Carrot & Orange Cake, Walnut Praline, Cream Cheese Mousse, Orange Sherbet $12

Selection of Australian & International Cheeses

1 for $12

2 for $18

3 for $24

Served with Candied Celery, House Made Fruit & Nut Salami & Artisan Cheese Biscuits

COVE BAR +DINING

MON – FRI 11AM TILL LATE

SAT – SUN 8AM TILL LATE

Catering available

glossary

Evoo – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Granita – Flavoured Ice

Confit – a method where the item is cooked at a low temperature with a portion of it’s own fat

Rarebit – a cheese sauce made from a base of Stout & Milk thickened with flour & finished with a

sharp

cheddar

Coulis - a thick sauce made from pureed vegetables or fruit

Curly endive – a bitter leafy vegetable often used in salads

Mole sauce – a mild spice driven Spanish sauce

Shallot Crème Chantilly – a sweet vanilla flavoured whipped cream, we are making ours minus

sugar and seasoned with shallot & salt

Crème de Framboise – a raspberry liqueur

Ajo blanco – translates to white garlic, it is a puree made from bread, almond, garlic, olive oil

seasoned with salt & sherry vinegar

Pedro Ximenez – a Spanish sherry

Piquillo Pepper – a sweet mildly spice chilli, that is more like a bell pepper or capsicum

 


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21 days to go-More garlic

I get sent a LOT of products. Frankly most go in the bin or get given away because I’m not interested in talking or writing about products I don’t believe in.  I have never ever been paid for promoting products either. I do it because I love to help in any small way people with passion and ethics who make sacrifices for what they believe in. It’s hard not to get swept up in their enthusiasm.

Patrice Newell is such a person. I first interviewed Patrice perhaps 3 or 4 years ago and it was one of those interviews in which I really connected with the interviewee and it went on far longer than I (or probably she) had anticipated. I liked so much of her philosophy of growing; of giving back to the earth, or spending time growing beautiful produce rather than expecting a quick buck.

Patrice has had a colourful life. She was a model in the 80s-featuring on the cover of Cleo and many other mags. Fiercely intelligent, interested in natural health and the environment she met journalist Philip Adams, married, had a child and they ended up on a property near Scone in NSW. She’s an amazing woman who has been a tv presenter, journalist and author.

Always interested in biodynamic farming, she has a cattle, garlic and honey farm. She sent me some garlic after our first interview and it was was one of those life changing moments. In a wooden box on a nest of wood shavings were these gorgeous, purple striped bulbs. Beneath their skins they were crisp and bled juice when I cut them. It was the best garlic I had ever tasted and at that stage I had no idea how one garlic could actually taste different from each other.

Today, her associate, Roger called me to give me the news that they were close to harvest- 13 days in fact. For followers, who sign up to the website, http://patricenewell.com.au/ that’s exciting news and they wait for harvest every year. Because there is a season. Because it’s best in season. Because that’s the only way to buy it. You sign up and you get sent some once it’s ready.

I had a nice chat with Roger, who is an agronomist and we talked about the scapes too. (see previous post) While they don’t sell them, he told me that he leaves the scapes on . “There are 2 schools of thought for scapes. Personally I leave them on, they grow out to the most wonderful seed heads – made up of tiny tic tac sized garlic cloves, that once they cure, just toast like pine nuts – delectable,” he says.

Definitely one to try. Roger says that one day when the season’s right, and everything goes well, they’re going to post out whole plants, “freshly harvested for the diner to prepare and cure the bulb. ”

Once they’re picked the garlic has to be dried out before being sent out to keen garlic fiends.

Chances are, you’ve never tried Patrice’s garlic, as it’s not sold in shops, but give it a go- it will provide a benchmark to which you’ll judge all other garlic.


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Scapes- coming to a greengrocer near you

The Australian garlic season is just about to start. (It generally runs from November and  ends around May.) Australian garlic is far superior to garlic that has been shipped from the other side of the world, plain and simple.  With so much produce now available all year ’round I think we often forget to appreciated beautiful produce when it’s at it’s best but new season garlic, when it’s crisp and juicy is amazingly good.

If you’ve ever forgotten about your garlic and left it in the fruit bowl, it may have begun to sprout (unless it’s the irradiated and bleached Chinese kind)  I’d never heard the term ‘scapes’ before but that’s what those curly shoots that end in a little bulb are called.  

They come up before the garlic bulb is ready for harvesting and are generally removed so that the plants can put all their energy into growing the garlic bulb.

According to Tessa Lock and Julian Wall who grow organic Australian giant garlic in the Orara Valley in northern NSW, most growers don’t bother selling them, and they become cattle fodder or compost. 

 The couple have started harvesting and selling the scapes mainly to upmarket restaurants and from Monday they’ll be sold in QLD via United Organics in Brisbane, so you’ll be able to get them from good fruiterers. The season is short (just a few weeks) and the scapes are being harvested right now. (Ask your fruit shop to get them if they don’t have).

 “We remove the flower heads or ‘scapes’ from the plants to
promote better growth of the bulb, and the harvested parts are sold as
‘garlic asparagus’. They are delicious steamed, in stir fry or roasted,
and are far more convenient to use for making aioli etc than the garlic
bulbs,” Tessa says.

I’ve actually tried them ( a bit nervously not knowing if they were edible) from my own garden a couple of years ago when I tried growing garlic. The flavour is like a gentler garlic and you can use the scapes both as a seasoning and a vegetable. Tessa says they are great in stir-fry, casseroles and stews.  I reckon they’d also be nice char-grilled with olive oil, lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt or used in place of spring onions or chives in a crispy rice flour pancake.

If you get hold of some, let me know what  you use them for. I suspect we might be seeing some on restaurant menus around town in the next few weeks too.


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Get that tropical holiday feel with pineapple

Everything tastes better the addition of tinned pineapple right? Because pineapple imbues ‘everyday meals with a tropic holiday flavour’ according to my favourite new cookbook. There’s no date on the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book, but from the styling I’d guess at late 60s early 70s.

Written by home economist, Ruby Borrowdale it has utilises tinned pineapple in a plethora of imaginative ways .Typical of cookbooks of its time, it was sponsored by the Golden Circle  Cannery who were obviously keen to sell the exotic virtues of the pineapple.

It kicks off with some breakfast dishes like `Hayman Scramble’ -scrambled eggs with soy sauce, prawns and of course pineapple. Then there’s the slightly disturbing looking ‘Sunny Sausages’.

And you can’t go past the classic pineapple barbie dishes-like ‘Barbecue Party Kebobs’, served of course with a pineapple based salad such as ‘Sunlit Salad’ a lovely orange hued pineapple-studded jelly surrounded by luncheon meat cigars.

While pineapple might make you think of tropical sunlight and good times around the barbie, pineapple’s not just for day time. No indeed. You can mix cuisines and jazz up boring old Italian spag bol by simply adding a 15o oz can of pineapple pieces to your sauce (made on a convenient tin of tomato soup).

My all time fave though has to be this one. I reckon it would have floored dinner party guests of the time, it’s just so perfect. What I love about it is that you absolutely have to use tinned pineapple. And look at those colour- it’s almost patriotic.

 It works like this if you want to try it at home (the author of this blog takes no responsibility for results): you drain the juice from a tin of pineapple rings, heat it in a pan an add enough boiling water to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid. To this you add 1 pkt lime flavoured jelly crystals and stir until dissolved. Once cooled, (and this is the genius bit) POUR into the tin around the pineapple. Chill and set, then run a hot knife around the inside of the tin and turn out onto a serving plate. Decorate with cream in a can and a maraschino cherry or two, you’ll be the talk of the dinner party circuit.

I love my new cookbook fiercely because it is not just about food-with vintage recipe books you can glean so much about social mores of the time. I just wonder what readers in a couple of decades will think of the cookbooks we were cooking from?


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One bowl orange, coconut & olive oil cake

Like all my best baking- this was made in a hurry and without a recipe. I wanted to whip a muffins for my 12yr old to take to school but decided to bake the mix in a loaf pan instead. The resulting cake was dense, very moist and orangey. Normally I would use plain flour and baking powder, but I didn’t have any and I found SR flour worked just as well. When I tasted the batter, I was worried it would be quite bitter- so I decided to make an orange syrup to pour over when it was done. (Turns out it wasn’t bitter).  I used ‘Lemon pressed’ olive because it’s my current obsession but you could just used regular olive oil.

I write this recipe from memory, so I hope I’ve got the quantities right. If it looks too thick, just add more yoghurt or a splash of milk.

Orange, Coconut & Olive Oil Cake

  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Rind of 1 orange
  • 1 cup  sugar
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups-flour
  • 1tbsp flake coconut

Orange syrup

  • Juice of an orange
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar

Grate one of the oranges with a microplane into a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix. Pour into a non-stick loaf pan and bake for around 50-60 minutes. (Don’t use the fan on fan forced).  Mix sugar and juice over a low heat until it’s dissolved. Poke a few little holes in the cake with a fine skewer and pour the syrup over. Sprinkle with more flaked coconut.


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Dragonfly Review

Dumplings feature in the cuisines of many cultures, from the stodgy delight of the potato dumpling in Germany to Mongolian dumplings called `Buuz’ that are filled with minced mutton. Then there are sweet dumplings, like a Ukrainian recipe I have where they are filled with a sort of cherry preserve.

Dumplings are the ultimate comfort food and really when you consider it , they almost offer all your food groups in one neat, savoury little package. Yes, I’m a huge fan. So much in fact, I am starting to resemble the foodie object of my affection.

Anyway, on Thursday, I checked out Dragonfly, which advertises itself as a ‘Dim Sum bar’ with a fair smattering of dumpling offerings.

I started getting fairly disjointed and hazy flashbacks as I descended the stairs-the space was ‘Rosies’ for many decades and I’m sure that I, like many others of my age had a few `mornings after’ after rounding off a night out with a few more bevvies at Rosies.

Of course this whole block has a long history. From the late 19th century, it housed the popular Rowe’s Wintergarden Cafe. In the 1920s,  it underwent a transformation; with added levels housing a roof garden and a ballroom. Underneath, (presumably where Dragonfly is now) was basement featuring a kitchen and bakery and, a newspaper report of the time says, a huge refrigeration and extraction plant required to make sure they  maintain the ‘deluxe’ aspect of the restaurant rather have it contaminated by smells that may make it seem like a `common fish and chip shop.’

In the 70s the space was home to ‘The old Roses’ nightclub, a place that under the homophobic Christian right in power in Queensland land, quietly operated as a gay nightclub.

I think it was sometime in the early 80s it morphed into ‘Rosies.’

The space still has a nightclub feel- as if the walls have soaked in that late night loucheness. Dark and moodily lit, it’s a world away from the bright lights and frenetic pace up at street level. It feels like the sort of place you could run away from work to and sit drinking and snacking until you stumble blinking back into the real world. Or sneak off to with someone you’re possibly not meant to be with.

There are a couple of bigger tables but lots of casual little round tables where you pull up a pouffe.

The wine list is short-weighted in favour of cocktails, but I knew that was a risky road with an afternoon of work waiting for me, so we ordered wine. Our Pinot Grigio wasn’t in stock we were told but they provided a very reasonable substitute.

Staff were lovely and suggested to us the number of dishes we should share and how many serves were in each. We were sticking strictly to dumplings, (apart from a steamed pork bun) although another time, I’d like to try a couple of the other dishes.  In all we had gyoza and pot stickers, chicken and chive dumpling, a pork and peanut dumpling, a Shanghai pork dumpling  and a pork sui mai. Yes, that’s a lot of pork. Some were better than others-but all could have done with a bit more seasoning. (the pork sui mai, with goji berry was the best).

The trio of sauces (a very spicy chilli, a tangy plum and a soy) were great but definitely needed to have small spoons with them-the dumplings size made them awkward to dip, not to mention the double-dipping danger. I would have also liked to see some interesting crockery in keeping with the Asian theme- the small white plates seem a bit utilitarian.

It was lovely to see the chef come out and chat with diners and he enquired (and really seemed to care) as to whether we liked our meal. Yes, was the answer then and now,  however, I think that Dragonfly should push it a little more. How about some Tang bao- larger steamed dumplings that are filled with ‘soup’ (the soup is frozen so it solidifies, enfolded in the wrapper, then cooked so it liquefies). Or some black fungus dumplings perhaps? (Dragon-i in Hong Kong, a similar kind of concept do some great dumplings). A little more variety and a little more risk-taking needed I reckon. I’ll definitely go back to try the rendang curry though- it’s another fave.  

Dragonfly 235 Edward Street Ph 3220 1477


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The Oyster Farmers

With our local oyster season almost upon us, I thought I’d share a couple of oyster related stories with you. Oysters were once a very big industry right here on our doorstep in Moreton Bay.

Below, is an historical perspective an excerpt from a newspaper in 1906. Beneath that, an update on the industry today including an interview I did with a local oyster farmer whose oysters you may very well be enjoying in the coming months.

“Oyster growing is one of Queensland’s natural industries, and in Moreton Bay it has assumed considerable proportions. Last year sufficient oysters were shipped to Sydney and Melbourne to provide those cities with over a million and half plates of oysters on the shell, or stewed or served in the various ways which the ingenuity of the cook has devised to tempt appetites. That was in excess of the oysters consumed in this State, which would bring the total up to about 2,000.000 dozen, and reckoned at 6d. per plate, the value retail would be €50,000. The export figures show that 14.000 bags were shipped beyond Queensland and their value put on board the steamers would aggregate at around 20,000 pounds. That is the price, wholesale, which the southerners sent up here for oysters.

Out of those 14,000 bags, 3200 were exported from Maryborough and the rest from Moreton Bay. ‘’ The Queenslander, September 8 1906

　

OVER 2000 hectares of oyster beds once stretched along the Southern Queensland sea banks from Southport to Caloundra. Today the boom time of the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Queensland was a major player in the oyster industry are a memory. Mismanagement and a parasite called QX decimated the industry and by the 1950s it was in severe decline.

Today there are just 450 hectares of leases and a handful of oyster farmers who are struggling to resurrect an industry that could potentially be worth billions.

‘’Other than getting a bill, we don’t exist as far as the government is concerned,’’ says

Stradbroke Oyster Growers’ Association president Greg Nankervis. “We don’t get any funding or any help at grass roots level. In New South Wales the fisheries department is really proactive and gets behind the growers and have helped turn it into a billion dollar industry. We’re still small but we could do the same if people were given incentive to get back into the industry. ‘’

Mr Nankervis owns a lease of 3.3 hectares between Peel island and Stradbroke at the south end of the bay on which he cultivates Sydney Rock Oysters. Like other local oyster growers, he’s preparing for harvest, watching their size and keeping an eye on the phases of the moon. “It’s around three days before the full moon that we harvest, just before they spawn, when the oysters are at their fullest and creamiest.’’

The Sydney Rock oysters are native to Moreton Bay; centuries ago Mr Nankervis says, they were known as Brisbane Rock Oysters before they were taken south. Farming methods remain almost unchanged-no chemicals or feeds are used and it’s considered a good low impact aquaculture industry by watchdog organsiations such as the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

Oyster farmers either use sticks or a long a long line system- where baskets are hung from pipes which can be lowered or made higher to for the oyster to retrieve the natural nutrients from the sea water which fattens them.

“We have pristine water coming in off the ocean, so unlike some oysters grown in estuaries, there’s no need to purge them- they can go straight out to restaurants, fresher than ‘’ Mr Nankervis said. “We have some really good growing areas here, and could potentially grow much more.’’


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Vintaged. New restaurant at Hilton Brisbane

Vin (wine) aged (beef). Cute and thankfully theme free, this is the name of the new restaurant at the Brisbane Hilton hotel.

 When I stay in a hotel, the very last thing I want to do is eat in their restaurant. The menu is usually a slightly cheaper version of the room service one; a weird global mash-up from the 70s to today (ie the addition of microherbs as a garnish).

I’ve been to Vintaged twice now, both; I have to lay my cards on the table here; have been ‘press trips’. The first was on my own, yesterday, so I could write this story http://www.couriermail.com.au/life/fooddrink/hilton-hotels-vintaged-bar-and-grill-opens-doors/story-fn8t7s4s-1226160433278 the second was today with some of my media luminaries to taste the menu.

Yes, obviously, they’re going to impress us, but they can’t change the decor, the menu or the wine list, all of which I thought broke the mould for hotel dining.

Lighting is moody and it’s big but the space feels somehow homely; due to a communal table, a chef’s table and quite a few intimate little corners. Course, once it’s full of suits, it could look totally different. Judging an empty restaurant is not so easy.

However, without slipping into being sycophantic (sycophanty?) the staff are oddly ‘familyish’ for such a big hotel chain. From the hotel manager to the marketing manager and restaurant manager, they’ve all been there forever and seem to care in a most un-hotel like way. (Admitedly, my stint working in hotels in London is my only basis for comparison) I’ve already talked about the salt brick wall, which I love, and the wine dinners table which is a great idea- a lovely deep walnut table with a removable section that hides a stainless steel ‘trough’ that can hold ice and wine. It also features that new trend for the open kitchen with hip high bench tops where the cooking takes places on induction cooktops hidden within them. Overlooking it, is a chef’s table with a large marbled inlay where chefs will actually come out and interact by carving up meat or whatever for you.

The food was also a welcome surprise. Instead of hotels doing bad imitations of haute cuisine, they’ve gone for simple. Like it. Would take my mum & dad there.


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The best cookbooks

As I’ve said, before, cookbooks tend to provide inspiration rather than recipes I’m likely to actually follow. The urge to cook comes upon me swiftly; often when the pantry is bare so it’s usually very unlikely for me to have much in the  long, exotic list of ingredients in cookbooks.

Doesn’t mean I don’t like to look though. Or to find recipes that I can adapt to my meagre pantry supplies. Some in my collection are pure food porn (Alinea, Quay and Noma spring to mind), others are more batter-spattered, testifying to their use as at least a springboard for something that is just as likely to end in disaster as success. (through my own fault, not the recipes.)

So, here are some books I like, in no particular order. Would love to know your faves…

Culinaria Russia (H Fullman publishers $24.95)

-I’ve not seen this sold anywhere else but Ruski Way Eastern European deli in Buranda, Brisbane. Love it-Eccentric but informative and I adore the pics. So different from our food styling. However, the index in the back is complete nonsense; it’s quicker to flick through the book to find what you want than use it.

La Cucina -The Regional Cooking of Italy (NFI of price as slipcover has disappeared but think it was pretty exxy).

This is also a bit of a maze but so worth it. I lived in Italy and spent a lot of time there holidaying there even after I left, but am constantly amazed by the rich variety of Italian food I knew nothing about. The Accademia della Cucina Italia (The Italian Food Academy) created this brick-sized book by sending around dozens of members- to create a food ‘census’ in every city and tiny Italian village; to preserve forever cooking traditions that may have only ever been passed down orally. Here’s a few examples: pizza w crackling and raisins (Calabria) Gnocchi w goose sauce (Umbria) and potato and meat pie from Alto Adige. I love this book fiercely.

Jamie’s 30 minute meals, Penguin Books

The journalist and marketeer in me loves this as much as the cook. Bloody brilliant idea. Write a recipe like you’re talking to the punter; standing there saying ‘first put on your water to boil’. Makes readers feel secure and hell, they can cook a three course meal they can be proud of. I know it’s gimmicky, but I love Jamie’s ‘lug of olive oil’ type cooking and the results look achievable and delicious. Simple, no faffing about food.

Revolutionary Food-Fuschia Dunlop

Both a blessing and a curse this one. The former, because it opened my eyes to Chinese cuisine beyond the Cantonese and westernised regional Chinese that is so ubiquitous here.

She has a beautifully lyrical voice that expresses a genuine love, and deep understanding on Chinese food. On the downside-it’s like having good sex for the first time.  I’ve been looking for that elusive Chinese tastegasmicness ever since. Usually with disappointingly flaccid results.

Women’s Weekly Bake

I always start off referring to this when I want to bake, cos I’m rubbish at it. Then I realise I have no baking powder or plain flour or whatever it is that is required and substitute and it doesn’t turn out. The times I’ve actually followed recipes to the letter have worked perfectly. Seriously, you can’t beat the WW.

Greg& Lucy Malouf

All their books are just stunning, -Saha, Turquoise, Saraban and their newbie, New Middle Eastern Food. Lickable. I am actually going to cook a middle eastern feast soonest.

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