Merde! I forgot some links and I’ve opened as can of worms here. Huguenots, Bourbons…religious wars and bad French. Several regional dishes were planned but a late night meant an unexpected demand from J (avec a hangover) for steak au frites avec sauce béarnaise. Actually, she wanted a steak haché or probably a royale with cheese, but I’m a fascist and I’m cooking for IMBB23 over at Cucina Testa Rossa. Although the origins may be obscure they are attributed to […]
Recent posts
The Australian: Online trading
From the Wealth section. ONLINE TRADING – HOW TO MAKE MONEY AND AVOID EXPENSIVE MISTAKES NET TRADING: IT’S HIT OR MYTH By Ed Charles COVER STORY You need to shop carefully for an online share trading service, then use it wisely, says Ed Charles
Ready to shave Mr Zimba
Graters. Boring things that rust, dent and occasionally graze the knuckle. Mandolins. Violent razor sharp slicers equally at home in the kitchen or an Iraqi prison. Imagine if you could combine the benefits of both and build a grater you could put to use in inquisitions in some godforsaken foreign prison. Cuisipro, a Canadian company, has done it with it astonishingly good Accutec grater range. If you are wondering how to shave perfect curls of parmesan, chocolate, radish, garlic… or […]
The Australian: Car leases face price crash
From the Wealth section of The Australian 22 February.More from Glass’s Guide.
This simple life: tomatoes, figs, proscuitto and herbs
Busy writing for money rather than blog kudos and dealing with the new monkey. But still wonderful food isn’t far away, inspired by Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging. Over ripe tomatoes are baked in the oven drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with Murray River salt crystals and fresh cracked pepper. Served on toasted sourdough with nothing else but freshly torn leaves of basil and oregano. The simple ripe toms combined with fresh flavours and the crunch of toast can’t be beaten. […]
A Proustian moment with pizza
The power table, the one in the corner, the round one from which I can survey the whole room. Could I have reached Godfather status in St Kilda already, with the staff at I Carusi II (231 Barkly Street St Kilda 3182 03 9593 6033) plonking me there? After a few minutes the lavatory door wafted open, then closed and had one of those Proust like moments remembering the lavatory disinfectant on the way up to Taxi Restaurant. And again. And again. […]
Why I ignored fashion and chose grapefruit over peaches
The occasion to celebrate Viognier with wine brand Yalumba. There we were in Melbourne’s most hyped new restaurant, Longrain, when I snapped this pic. It was a fitting venue for such a chic grape, the wine that Brett Easton Ellis drinks in his latest work, Lunar Park. If you believe this book Easton Ellis’ work – even the compellingly violent American Psycho – is about fashion. So Viognier must be near its peak in the US. Australia will probably be […]
Taxi: In the belly of an architect
Kingfish usu-zukuri Every item of food that I have eaten at Taxi (Federation Sq, cnr Flinders St & Swanston St, Melboune +61 3 9654 8808) has been a masterpiece in presentation. I’d go as far as describing most dishes as architectural masterpieces. Whether or not the building is an architectural masterpiece is a moot point. Part of the controversial Federation Square complex, the building has featured in Wallpaper*. We decide to walk up to the restaurant on the first floor. […]
Simplicity is the best
I have planned a debate on good vs bad ingredients, my position being that the secret is knowing what to do with the bad ones. This entry is the opposite because the better the ingredients, the better this dish. First the tomatoes, handpicked off the vine warmed to blood temperature by the sun. Tear some leaves from a nearby basil bush (tomatoes and basil thrive together). Slice buffalo Mozarella into soft creamy discs. Assemble alternate layers of tomato, basil and […]