March 9, 2008

Things I am loving right now - A foodoholic's list for March 2008.

Autumn is officially here since the onset of March. So while most of the rest of the world gets ready to pack away their woolens and potter out in their spring gardens, we in Australia are dreaming of chilly evenings and warming broths. I have a lot on my mind. Amidst infusing the blog with some design elements and improved photography, I am constantly browsing new cookbook releases and bargain hunting for interesting props to photograph with. I am also trying to venture out to our Thursday farmer's market eager to score some great fresh produce to cook with. On my list of things to do is acquire some prized Martin Boyd or Guy Boyd pottery, explore the new tea parlor at the mall and sample their endless treats, propagate some new rosemary cuttings from the overgrown bush in my garden and test out some more fun ice cream recipes before the chill really sets in. Some other things that have me excited ... Piri Piri Starfish by Tessa Kiros If you are a fan of Tessa Kiros and her brilliant books that warm your soul and draw you right in, then you can't miss her latest offering. Piri Piri Starfish, her latest book is about her experience in Portugal .... about family, old traditions, fresh food and slowing down your pace. The beautiful, duck egg blue toned cover with a picture of a glass with a fish sticking out just calls you to pick up the book. I had a browse at our local bookstore and have ordered my copy. I can't wait to explore it. Produce Bible by Deborah Madison and Leanne Kitchen Mine is named Grower's Market but is the same book. Produce Bible is a brilliant addition to your cooking library. It is an invaluable source of information with almost 200 recipes accompanying fresh seasonal produce categorised cleverly. Who knew that undressed, raw and totally natural food could look so good? The photography is brilliant! Scalloped Edges Scalloped edges have an old worldly charm about them .... whether it is a lace or a plate or just plain paper. I have been experimenting photographing with cute little Robert Gordon patty cases with polka dots and scalloped edges. They look very naughty! I also have a few dinner plates in solid colors with scalloped edges distressed with a dusting of gold. Very elegant, these make the simplest of dishes appear very special. So if you don't have scallops, get one today and feel the Victorian charm come over you. Ramekins I am thinking ramekins .... perfect for individual little serves of hot puddings and poached fruits topped with crumble. Ramekins are autumn's little helpers. Just like cupcakes, there is something very satisfying about having your own little dessert rather than digging into a communal plate of sweetness. I recently got some vintage Raynham pottery square ramekins in pastels. They make even the blandest of desserts [not that desserts are bland really] look gorgeous. Artisan Bread They are crackling, they are comforting and they are addictive. They make you want to explore more farmer's markets in the hope of finding more advanced textures and all sorts of wholesome nuts and grains embedded in their sourdough greatness. Artisan is such a wonderful word. Like the bread it is used to describe, I can't get enough of just rolling it off my tongue every chance I get. There are heaps of websites, dozens of books and even more blog excerpts on the joys of artisan baking. One could get lost in all the intriguing information. I would recommend Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking and the blog Zoe Bakes. Artisan Baking and The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread are also worth checking out. Maxwell & Williams - Stoneware that looks like cast iron Can you say cute? On my day of retail therapy last weekend I chanced upon these gorgeous Maxwell & Williams oven ware in brilliant reds and muted blues. When I touched these Le Creuset wannabes with their pretty handles and cute lids, my heart skipped a beat! Could it really be, I asked myself? For they were not cast iron at all, but pottery at it clever best. The size, shape and tint would have you believe that it was a heavy, cast iron utensil. But it was light and extremely pretty stoneware at bargain price. I got 2 small red cocottes and a square baking dish. Another brand that I swear by for beautiful and elegant dinnerware is Casa Domani. See the lovely, handpainted Portofino pebble bowl and you will know why. I have been collecting exquisite pieces from their Chantilly and Baya range for a while.

Posted by Gel at 7:23 PM | Comments (0) |

July 31, 2007

Rule Of Thumb : Photographing Kids

Last year, on a playgroup day, as I watched my son and his friends clammer around the community playgroup grounds, the sunlight playing on their wild hair, clothes askew with vigorous activities ... I was inspired to capture some great photos. After we came back home, I jotted down these few pointers that i hope inspire great shots of your little ones.

1. Pinks/Muaves/Maroons work best for girls. Blues/Grays/Greens work best for boys. Maybe it is our deeply ingrained sense of distinguishing sex by colour that makes pinks synonymous with girls and blue with boys.

2. Kids craft items work as great props, especially for indoor shoots. other sources of inspiration would be toys and dress ups.

3. Experimenting with the scale of objects proves fantastic and produces striking results in child photography. using large-sized, adult-sized objects in relation to a small child creates the visual emphasis of the child being small and innocent. likewise for abstract pictures, placing kid-sized objects next to regular-sized ones creates the visual emphasis of the smallness of the subject and draws the eye to it.

4. If signboards, writing or any kind of text in the form of banners or notes is required, use a childlike scrawl to enhance the kiddie theme.

5. Motion is great. Catch them in action, doing all the crazy things they do. The Motion Blur effect in pictures can be very visually appealing if arranged in a layout with focused pictures of the same activity.

Posted by Gel at 6:49 PM | Comments (0) |

May 16, 2007

The Sydney Good Food & Wine Show 2007

I got my ticket to the Sydney Good Food And Wine Show 2007 in the mail today.I have been wanting to go to the show for a while now and this year I grabbed at the chance when Nicky said that he would baby-sit our son. The The Good Food & Wine Show is a very exciting event for foodies of all ages. Usually in June every year, it travels to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. It is hard to miss hearing and reading about it if you are a cooking magazine fanatic like me, because it is splashed across pages of all the monthly food and wine magazines here in Australia [as i am sure it would be in some other countries as well].

The Sydney show would be at the Exhibition Centre on 15th, 16th and 17th June. The show boasts of over 300 exhibitors exploring latest culinary trends, gadgets and new gourmet delicacies from around the world. It promises wine tasting, food tasting, showbags, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs [I have booked my seat for Donna Hay's Dinner Party Demonstration .. yayyy!], contests and fabulous prizes. Some other celebrity chefs at the show are Curtis Stone, Ainsley Harriot and Matt Moran. I am hoping to get some good pictures and interesting material for the blog. Foodies of Sydney unite!! Come 15th June, The Good Food & Wine Show is the place to be!

Posted by Gel at 1:25 PM | Comments (0) |

April 2, 2007

My new herb patch!

The move is finally over ... thank God! It turned out to be quite hectic with both Nick and I rushing to get things done and organised. It feels good to be home. I love this place, it is a gardener's delight. There are giant conifers, native Australian gum trees, wild lavender shrubs, lemon trees, candy pink hibiscus trees and so much more that still remains to be explored.

Ever since we first saw this house, we knew it would be our home. We saw the potential it had and we visualised adding our touch to it. The first thing I did just before we moved was weed, weed and weed. That was followed by pruning and lopping with my new tree lopper and shears. A day's work made such a huge amount of difference and opened up the front and back yards simultaneously. My mind was buzzing with ideas and choices. What to plant in that empty patch of garden bed under the bedroom window? Which hibiscus plant to graft, the one with the red closed buds or the beautiful pink bloom? Then I decided to slow down and do what have always been doing whenever we moved to a new place, plant a herb!!

This being our very own home, the one of our dreams, I decided that it deserved its very own herb garden, yep you heard me; not A herb, but an entire herb patch. So, I enlisted the help of my three year old and together we set out digging and clearing soil in a long garden bed under our family room bay windows. After preparing the soil, I watered it and sowed seeds for coriander, parsley, basil, rocket, fenugreek and mint in little square patches. After dosing the seeds and soil with a little plant food, our work was done. [My three year old had managed to pick out a little heap of rounded pebbles by then and was on the verge of building a little fort, his desire to help Mummy long gone ... scattered away by the distraction of being just a boy!]

That was yesterday. And even though I know better, I have been out there a million times to see if the first leaf has pushed up the soil and unfluttered. All in good time though. Good things come to those who wait, so I will. And when the herbs blossom, there will be pictures!

Posted by Gel at 11:14 PM | Comments (0) |

December 13, 2006

Macro Wholefoods Markets come to Hornsby!

I have been recently introduced to the "wholefoods" movement and have happily jumped on the bandwagon, trying to educate myself more about the simplicity and wholesome nature of food. Books and blogs aside, the recent opening of Macro Wholefoods Markets in our local Westfield was one of the most exciting food-related thing that I have experienced. I kid you not, but just stepping into the brightly lit organic market detoxified and cleansed my soul. Now I just wish that was true for my body as well :)

This place is pretty amazing, it has fruits, vegetables, health food, snack bars, pulses, grains, breads, eggs, meat, dairy, coffees, teas, cereals, baby food, organic cleaning supplies, books and heaps more. On my first visit there, I picked up a couple of things for my son [non of which he is keen to try by the way]. I got some gluten-free organic carrot and rice puffs, some banana and apple pudding and kalamatta olive bread [which was just gorgeous all toasted and drizzled with more olive oil]. On my second visit I decided to bring home some organic quinoa and miso paste ... a strange combination I know, but I have been dying to try some Quinoa, South American Style and some good miso soup with tofu bits.

Their website is informative and nicely laid out. Check it out!

Posted by Gel at 4:53 PM | Comments (1) |

October 3, 2006

Christmas came early this year ....

I breezed into our local Border's earlier today and guess what I saw straightaway??? "Instant Entertaining" by Donna Hay and "Cross" by James Patterson displayed neatly on the shelves, right next to each other. What are the odds of 2 of my favourite authors, writing in totally different genres would be stacked next to each other? Well, I saw it as a sign and grabbed me both those books. Christmas has come in October this year ..lol.

I can't wait to browse the books. Patience is a virtue and as soon as my toddler is tucked in for the night, I will be rewarded for it. I might even be inspired to whip up dinner from the new cookbook, let's see.

I know its too soon to ask but have any of you already read these books? Any Comments?

Posted by Gel at 5:51 PM | Comments (0) |

August 5, 2006

48 Ways To Help You Live Longer.

Cheesy title ... I know, I know; but a little list of pointers to jog your memory and sweep away the cobwebs of your mind, never hurt anyone!

1. Quit Smoking
2. Slap On Sunblock
3. Do A Detox
4. Boost Your Bones
5. Check Your Cholesterol
6. Sleep On It
7. Be Social
8. Buy A Pet
9. Feast On Fish
10. Eat More Fibre
11. Snack Well
12. Be A Fat Detective
13. Boost Your Immune System
14. Soak In A Bath
15. Buy Less Takeaway
16. Eat Smaller Portions
17. Move More
18. Work With Weights
19. Check Your Breasts
20. Eat More Fruits And Veggies
21. Devise a Healthy Routine
22. Eat Oats
23. Go Low GI
24. Eat Garlic
25. Say Cheers With red Wine
26. Floss Your Teeth
27. Check Your Blood Pressure
28. Stay Alert
29. Enrol In A Course
30. Smile More
31. Do Yoga
32. Do Something For Others
33. Work On Your Self-Esteem
34. Cook Differently
35. Check Your Stools
36. Stress Out
37. Snack On A Banana
38. Have Sex
39. Make A Splash
40. Dance The Night Away
41. Chew On It
42. Take COQ10
43. Go For A Walk
44. Have An Apple A Day
45. Be Positive
46. Find Joy In Soy
47. Sip On Tea
48. Go Nuts

Hmmmmm .... Interesting list that one. I of corse just read the explanations for each and didn't type them here, figuring that whoever reads this might adapt each piece of advise as they wish. Some of the above are just waiting to be made fun of .. it is so tempting, I just can't resist. Take No 6 for example "Sleep On What?" you may ask, well nothing I say ... it just means try to get as much sleep as you can. I could never do No 8, I mean I could buy a pet; then what? I would defintely not keep it at home as I am scared of animals .... No 12 suggests you to be a Fat Detective, thats kind of rude if you ask me. How on earth are we going to transform ourselves into one such creature .. ha ha ha ha!! Ah well, the jokes are just getting bad, so I will stop right now. But before I go I just want to say that out of all the things on that list I wish I could really really do No 37. This 2006 drought of bananas in Australia is just not helping and I really miss my favourite fruit!

Posted by Gel at 10:03 PM | Comments (0) |

June 27, 2006

How many kitchen rookies does it take to froth milk with a coffee maker?

Two ..... And even that doesn't make it work!!

Well, once upon a last weekend we bought the Sunbeam Cafe Series Programmable Espresso Machine. We had sauntered into the shop to buy a Clothes Dryer and came out as the beaming new parents of this nifty little contraption [We love it!!]. It makes delicious coffee producing the sought after 'crema' perfectly every time. That's the good part. The bad part, or rather the embarassing part is that neither me nor my significant other can manage to froth the milk using the little nozzle on the coffee maker. It has been 2 days now and is kind of getting ridiculous to the point that it isn't funny anymore :). And those girls at Starbucks make it look so easy everytime!!

The Clothes Dryer which we eventually bought from another shop works like a charm and doesn't need a degree in rocket science.

Posted by Gel at 9:06 PM | Comments (0) |

March 31, 2006

One Cookbook At A Time

I have been spring cleaning and de-cluttering around the house and in the process, I am organising the massive Cookbook and Food Magazine collection I have. I started counting and then lost count somewhere between 100 and 200. But that is just a fraction of what I have managed to amass over the years. I have now vowed to adopt 101 Cookbooks's [a beautiful and extremely interesting blog I came across recently and have become a fan] policy of exploring all the literature I have, one cookbook at a time. It is an extremely viable and fulfilling premise if one is disciplined enough to go through with it.

So, now that everything is organised, I am looking forward to plucking a random cookbook off my shelf and actually reading and reviewing it. I will start off with The Pooh Cookbook by Virginia H. Ellison. I recently bought it over ebay and can't wait to read it. Although my son is still too young to spend some time in the kitchen with, I fully intend to try to entice him with some funny Pooh terminology and rhymes while I whip up something special from the book.

Posted by Gel at 6:35 PM | Comments (0) |

March 27, 2006

How important is a Cookbook's Cover?

I am crazy about Cookbooks, but a beautifully designed and aesthetically presented cover goes a long way in spiking my interest in the contents of the book. I know it is a bit shallow, because an uninteresting cover doesn't mean that the book doesn't have fabulous recipes ... but that's just how it is with me. On the upside, 99% of the cookbooks out there nowadays have gorgeous covers, so invariably I get interested in almost all of them. I believe that presentation is a very vital part of cooking and serving food. A chef or food writer who believes the same thing will be very particular about how he presents his recipes to the world in print as well.

Photos in a cookbook are like stars in the sky. The sky looks majestic even when it is clear, but if there are a few stars twinkling in it, it looks absolutely stunning. The same goes for a cookbook. Although I am partial to cookbooks that have delicious pictures of recipes [The photos are visual treats that help me decide whether I can try to attempt making the recipe or just wistfully admire it from the pages of the book, while my mouth waters.], I have come across some great books which are devoid of pictures; yet a treasure trove of beautiful recipes and helpful hints.

My new motto now is 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'!! And I intend to abide by it.

Posted by Gel at 5:25 PM | Comments (0) |

March 15, 2006

Casa Domani Baya Range is art for your table.

I was lucky enough to pick up one big and I mean HUGE serving platter in ivory and gold rimmed edge from the beautiful Casa Domani Baya Range over the weekend. The range is a gorgeous combination of pastels with a rich gold trimmed edge in asymmetrical shapes, kind of like art for your table. It is very unconventional and I loved it at the discounted price of $5.00 per piece. My serving platter turned out to be a perfect cake dish for the flower-pot cake I mentioned earlier.

Speaking of unusual crockery, I recently bought 4 lime coloured authentic, retro-styled ice-cream cups. They are remniscent of the ice-cream parlours back in the 70s that people of my generation are so used to seeing in the movies. Some things are just more fun the old-fashioned way.

Posted by Gel at 6:19 PM | Comments (0) |

February 20, 2006

Birthday Cake Hunt

My son's second birthday is just around the corner and I have decided to bake him a fun cake for the ocassion. I am a wee bit nervous as this is the first time that I will be attempting to create a 'work of art' from the oven. All my numerous past baking escapades have been routine and nothing overtly complex. I have started poring through my archives of cookbooks and magazines, looking for inspiration. Pictures are vital for me to get inspired, especially in this context. A pretty picture of a child's birthday cake can speak volumes about the ease or complexity of the recipe and decorations involved. It also gives you loads of ideas to adapt and make your own.

I have not found many pictures on the net, so I am thinking of scanning the ones that I do have in print and putting them up on the site alongwith recipes for mums [or dads] who want to indulge in a little birthday cake baking adventure. My son adores 'Noddy', 'Woody' and 'Buzz'. I did come across some 'Buzz Lightyear' cakes in online cake shops that make them on order. They look pretty difficult to make at home, especially for a novice. Have any of you baked fun, shaped, 2-D, 3-D birthday cakes for your kids? Do you have pictures? It will be great if someone can post them. I am sure they will be a great inspiration to many ....

Posted by Gel at 5:40 PM | Comments (1) |

February 16, 2006

66 recipes and counting ...

The site is finally starting to shape up with 66 recipes in the database. I have loads of new recipes lined up to be submitted on the site. If you guys have any requests, do drop me a line and I will see if I can get up the requests first.

The Weekend Projects have begun. They were not originally intended for the site, just a chance happening really! Since I ended up with a weekend project, I thought 'Why not share it with everyone?'. Have you been indulging in weekend projects in the kitchen? Of course you have! I would love to hear all about them. If you can provide pictures too [not a compulsion] and permission, I would love to put it up on the site for everyone else to see, with due credits of course!

More Later ...

Posted by Gel at 4:17 PM | Comments (0) |