tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88924684541733152232024-03-13T21:31:36.238+11:00Melbourne Kitchen TalesFood, wine, life, love... a wife, mother of one, eating their way around Australia and beyond :)Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-76441009382031799352010-12-31T16:50:00.004+11:002010-12-31T17:04:19.179+11:00Pig out ChristmasBelated Happy Christmas to all!<br /><br />Didn't the holidays just fly by so fast? It's amazing!<br /><br />A lot of eating and cooking has been done over the past few days. And I have done my fair share of drinking as well, which I have more than made up for my lack of alcohol consumption this time last year (because of my pregnancy).<br /><br />Alex's first Christmas was a big deal for the family. She received heaps of presents and let me tell you, I won't be buying any clothes for at least the next 6 months :)<br /><br />No recipes to share for now, but there are some food photos. Have to prepare for NYE... hubby booked us a room at the Crown Promenade. Sweet :D<br /><br />Have a great NYE everyone. Have fun, be safe, and all the best for 2011. Peace out :D<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb39VzOjk1k-7_SEH0ss7hMKMSdv6qtf2p2w7Kuxz8ZLPa3VlzMYxkxYjhyphenhyphen7z3TO6xFEdSgJEEwZy-WdhXP1z_v3Ucflc9hhNbPhZc2hrfoP-lRy0K4e2Mw5ag51cpXKw7UJKviFh7CTF9/s1600/DSC_0121.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb39VzOjk1k-7_SEH0ss7hMKMSdv6qtf2p2w7Kuxz8ZLPa3VlzMYxkxYjhyphenhyphen7z3TO6xFEdSgJEEwZy-WdhXP1z_v3Ucflc9hhNbPhZc2hrfoP-lRy0K4e2Mw5ag51cpXKw7UJKviFh7CTF9/s320/DSC_0121.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556721814696105842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lechon, Prawns, Chicken Macaroni Salad and Hawaiian Ham</span></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8i8A32HHod-LNU3qZ24WtI3cTWtESFRs0fJ9boBRPEwSBYNQzvTjKPLVzUidPMBnqw3Fgpk8NLGmwKZHVQEke0wD3CehxGnqm3DGKvHDpHcMfQnJCuracyQoZwNK6zupXtWVk1fsb1Kv/s1600/DSC_0119.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8i8A32HHod-LNU3qZ24WtI3cTWtESFRs0fJ9boBRPEwSBYNQzvTjKPLVzUidPMBnqw3Fgpk8NLGmwKZHVQEke0wD3CehxGnqm3DGKvHDpHcMfQnJCuracyQoZwNK6zupXtWVk1fsb1Kv/s320/DSC_0119.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556721807545155602" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fruit, cheese, crackers</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT7sN9axuisDgICow1iaHbcSqmDgxIpz8YCWI4qAntbzFdCymw7k8d7UCm4ouvAFsdfcAz2s0chF3lUQXabt-koflzR-iDyaf67vuw9_jtpighBc-HF-NgX9NYtiYHNuTp_CTjifn3ZVU/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT7sN9axuisDgICow1iaHbcSqmDgxIpz8YCWI4qAntbzFdCymw7k8d7UCm4ouvAFsdfcAz2s0chF3lUQXabt-koflzR-iDyaf67vuw9_jtpighBc-HF-NgX9NYtiYHNuTp_CTjifn3ZVU/s320/DSC_0102.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556721801114929810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hawaiian Ham and Pavlova</span></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGQ6ERhQUIoO8Mxep1yC_CC6jel3EpNKZH5rCVaRBWhQbU4nzYOLt7-eAP3XmgE2PiSGl6keapaockpLHhL3ZMWEOBC9UjHOtRIRPn9bBndv2AsCCIjN-PZDlC9dIAVQcj9uj_AvTj3-f/s1600/DSC_0101.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGQ6ERhQUIoO8Mxep1yC_CC6jel3EpNKZH5rCVaRBWhQbU4nzYOLt7-eAP3XmgE2PiSGl6keapaockpLHhL3ZMWEOBC9UjHOtRIRPn9bBndv2AsCCIjN-PZDlC9dIAVQcj9uj_AvTj3-f/s320/DSC_0101.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556721797080693874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My first attempt at making a Pavlova. Not bad huh? My mum loved it heaps :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglG79kyjYybLVf4BaHbJ4ZvHE3dXxAabrkqmKhjngah3LVqjNIt5sKTeh6_UREOaw_9Q2V9kIAWzQxqv0nfCSis5XtRdRL5NnrjJchxejGeg6UHcrcM_jit6uwMjks3eEB5DXwbGJBd_Lj/s1600/DSC_0100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglG79kyjYybLVf4BaHbJ4ZvHE3dXxAabrkqmKhjngah3LVqjNIt5sKTeh6_UREOaw_9Q2V9kIAWzQxqv0nfCSis5XtRdRL5NnrjJchxejGeg6UHcrcM_jit6uwMjks3eEB5DXwbGJBd_Lj/s320/DSC_0100.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556721793136047394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Arnie's Hawaiian Ham - will share the recipe in a future post :)</span></div></div>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-71749998969718905942010-12-16T14:21:00.008+11:002010-12-16T15:22:55.989+11:00Pumphouse Hotel<div align="justify">We all know that this time of the year, a spate of Christmas lunches and dinners fill our calendars and diets are thrown out of the window. For a new mum like myself, eating out has been at a minimum while I was at home with the little lady and as soon as I came back to work I have been at it almost everyday! Making up for lost time I suppose :)<br /><br />My team booked our annual Christmas lunch at the Pumphouse Hotel. It's located in Fitzroy and it's a Melbourne icon.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://au.signatureweddings.asia/v2/wp-content/gallery/thepumphousehotel/the-pumphouse-hotel-575.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://au.signatureweddings.asia/v2/wp-content/gallery/thepumphousehotel/the-pumphouse-hotel-575.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We had lunch at the Conservatory and was presented with a menu full of goodies. The service was prompt and friendly. In true pub style, you order your drinks and food at the bar but it doesn't make the service any less personable. <p align="left">Everyone was happy with their meal. I took the liberty of taking photos of all the meals we ordered.<br /><br /></p><a href="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0035.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0035.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a></p><span style="font-size:85%;">Asian marinated pork cutlet, parsnip ginger mash, seared asian greens, orange and soy jus, crispy shallots</span> <p align="center"><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0036.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0036.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">My order: Moreton bay bug risotto, green peas, pancetta, pickled lemon, tiger prawns - so yummy but I wish there was more bug!</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><div align="center"><br /><a href="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0037.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0037.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Lime, chilli, tiger prawn and scallop skewers, mandarin-ginger puree, Thai herb,<br />straw vegetable and rice noodle salad</span> </p><br /><a href="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0043.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0043.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Pumphouse Burger, lettuce, tomato, cheese, smoked bacon, onion jam, mayo, pickle,<br />bush chutney and chips</span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0040.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0040.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Chicken Parmagiana, hand crumbed, garden salad, chips<br /><br /></span><br /><a href="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0039.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/jyestrada1/DSC_0039.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Crisp Lemon pepper calamari, rocket and shaved cucumber salad, aioli</span><br /></p><div align="justify">My rating (out of 5)</div><div align="justify"><br />Food: 4</div><div align="justify">Value for money: 4</div><div align="justify">Service: 4.5</div><div align="justify">Ambiance: 4</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><em>The Pumphouse Hotel</em></div><div align="justify"><em>128 Nicholson Street</em></div><div align="justify"><em>Fitzroy 3065</em></div><div align="justify"><em>03 9417 2817</em></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://www.pumphousehotel.com/home"><em><span style="color:#990000;">http://www.pumphousehotel.com/home</span></em></a></div><div align="justify"><em></em></div>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-16308298691241214242010-12-15T15:01:00.005+11:002010-12-15T15:40:17.308+11:00Ishiya Stonegrill<div align="justify">Hello once again. It has been so many months since my last post. I can't believe 7 months have already past and I am back at work. My little lady is growing leaps and bounds and I seem to have gained a few pounds in the process :)<br /><br />I thought I should make it up to this blog of mine and get back to business.<br /><br />My <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">BFF</span> Miguel and I love to eat. He reckons that every place that I recommend becomes an instant favourite of his. For our Christmas dinner get together, Miguel, his older brother Javier and I went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ishiya</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Stonegrill</span> in Little Bourke Street.<br /><br />The restaurant is very cosy and comfortable and because of it's limited seating, it doesn't get too noisy apart from the sizzle that comes from raw slabs of meat, poultry or seafood cooking on very hot <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">stonegrills</span>.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">stonegrill</span> is a method of cooking which is considered to be one of the healthiest because it uses no added fat or oils and sears the food without burning. The selected volcanic stones are heated up to 400 degrees <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Celsius</span>.<br /><br />Being an absolute sucker for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wagyu</span>, it didn't take me long to decide what I was getting. Miguel and Javier also decided to get the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Wagyu</span> Beef Selection which included an entree size <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sashimi</span> and sushi and a bowl of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">teriyaki</span> fried rice. We also decided to get 6 skewers of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">takoyaki</span>. For drinks, I had a glass of Merlot and the boys had Lychee Sour mocktails.<br /></div><p align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550757406371888674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KJZuJnWVcxA3i-yUyURHryjzPX9QmzZw8Im8sNFh2enqGGWIUev3WNQbqk3VzwWTYg1whDHTkZlElFZM9jveE-8YHAwQ2FlXOYh2K-aJim-23ZG31ukbDOZn-DIF2mr55TSrN3pyklP9/s320/IMG_0541.jpg" border="0" /></p><div align="justify"><br /></div><p align="justify">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">takoyaki</span> and our individual serves of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">sashimi</span> and sushi came out. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">takoyaki</span> was really good, well presented and freshly cooked. There was enough filling in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">takoyaki</span> and was very tasty unlike other places who pretend to serve <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">takoyaki</span> when it's really just batter balls. The fish that was used for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">sashimi</span> and sushi was fresh and there was just enough for an entree.</p><p align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550758770310421634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjaaAyFonU4I2aRybynlvG15fx3Ch9f8MT6Cg0C3M22VbpoLcef3eWQVCO9EOUVtNq6VZKVGNqgJlu_pU0XyD_EBO-bg73AnLFVPPH2-ONRJNz8pwbVEios-4A9gcXWP-UeiR66uIywxz/s320/IMG_0542.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Wagyu</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">stonegrill</span> set came out with a lot of fanfare on a trolley. The waitress asked us if we wanted freshly cracked pepper on the meat and we said yes. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">stonegrills</span> were placed on the table along with a small bowl of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">teriyaki</span> fried rice and a long dish containing five different dipping sauces for the meat: sake and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">mirin</span>, tomato and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">wasabi</span>, sesame, garlic mayo and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">teriyaki</span>. We were told not to cut up the meat in small pieces but rather cut a bite size piece when we're ready to eat so that the meat won't dry up.</p><p align="justify"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Stonegrill</span> is definitely one of my favourite methods of cooking. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Wagyu</span> on a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">stonegrill</span> is just the perfect match. The natural flavours of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">wagyu</span> are not lost and the dipping sauces compliment the meat so well. My favourites would be the sesame and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">teriyaki</span>. The fried rice was so tasty that I was so tempted to order an extra bowl! I love the fact that the diner controls how much the meat is cooked and with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">wagyu</span>, you wouldn't want to cook it too much.</p><p align="justify"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Ishiya</span> is a unique dining experience and should be experienced by all. I can easily say that this is one of my current favourites and as much as having the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Wagyu</span> here could easily break my bank account if I went too often (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Wagyu</span> Beef Selection is $54.00), I could justify it since I am never disappointed whenever I have it. </p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">My rating (out of 5)</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">Food: 4<br />Value for money: 3.5<br />Service: 4.5<br />Ambiance: 4</span></p><em><p align="justify"><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Ishiya</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Stonegrill</span><br />152 Little Bourke Street<br />Melbourne 3000<br />03 9650 9510<br /><a href="http://www.ishiyastonegrill.com.au/">http://www.ishiyastonegrill.com.au/</a><br /></p><div align="justify"><br /></div></em><em></em>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-92109001785417147592010-08-12T21:28:00.004+10:002010-08-12T21:46:51.850+10:00A Very Long VacationOkay I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. Having looked at my last post which was September 2009, the only excuse I have for being super lax with my blogging is the fact that around the time of my last post, I found out I was pregnant. Fast forward to the present, my baby girl is 12 weeks old and thriving, looking so much like her dad which is very cute.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504486763040803410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviyuiwcTYvsoLCloLXYFdRUfXjFG_VyZQs-4m067JdDtp29IdszllOhzHSNBRlTASjLw9ybpJ-b-6nJW6OjRj3oeBFSJbor70bm_gUwDCsWmF7LQ7nU0AfaKQflDBjRzM7UvLXEXs5We5/s320/29730_1452398107939_1172866493_1463044_6833912_n.jpg" /><br /><br /><div align="center">My baby girl Alejandra Nena Estrada, Alex for short, at 1 week. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left">Now I think I'm ready to get back into blogging. Might not be as regular as before, but I'll try to post something at least once a week. I still love my food even if I don't do that much cooking as I used to. The weekends are the only time I have to do so, when hubby is home to look after baby Alex.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /><br />Thanks for your patience and for checking in from time to time. Don't worry I'm still alive, plus one baby :)<br /></div>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-82856267757377618322009-07-29T19:37:00.007+10:002009-07-29T20:41:55.120+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 7: Homemade PizzaI have been wanting to make my very own pizza for years. The only setback is I have no idea how to make the dough. I don't like the idea of kneading and tossing the dough and making an awful mess in the kitchen.<br /><br />One day, <a href="http://offthespork.blogspot.com/">almost twin</a> and I were having a chat and I mentioned that I really wanted to try to make my own pizza, which includes a dough that is no-fuss. She gave me a dough recipe that is so easy to make that it's scary. It's Olive Oil No-Knead Dough. I mixed all the ingredients in 10 minutes flat and all I had to do was wait for the dough to rest for a couple of hours.<br /><br />After two hours, I looked at my bowl and saw that my dough doubled. When I dusted my kitchen bench with flour to stretch and roll the dough, I found it pliable and the consistency was perfect! I don't have a pizza stone or a pizza pan so I arranged the dough on a baking sheet as thinly as I can. I decided to make a Margarita Pizza - drizzled a bit of olive oil on the dough, used canned diced tomatoes as a base, dried oregano, sliced gourmet tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. I baked the pizza for 10 minutes in a 250 - 300 degree fan forced oven for 10 minutes.<br /><br />The result? Is this...<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363828751034323362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjmj97xwsG9TtLMzoW7CIpeGJWEHdt2n26CclyA1-QgOnv9NiDIqfluKimfiLqhhSyDNrq8sC8XwF0zctqKdYPLlzg8goQFnU4Gc8ADdczGMzCZ6hDrDBfVoLf5jJJNUP3PqwnKWgqVaW/s320/P1000270.JPG" border="0" /><br />After having homemade pizza, I will never go back!<br /><br /><br /><em>No Knead Pizza Dough</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>2 3/4 cups lukewarm water</em><br /><em>1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast</em><br /><em>1 1/2 tablespoons salt</em><br /><em>1 tablespoon sugar</em><br /><em>1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil</em><br /><em>6 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Mix the yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil with the water in a bowl. Mix in the flour without kneading using a large wooden spoon. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">temperature</span> for about 2 hours.</em>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-83824451864005336682009-07-27T21:00:00.004+10:002009-07-27T21:16:37.174+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 6: Creamy Asparagus SoupI love cream soups. They're ultra naughty. One of my favourites is Creamy Asparagus Soup. This is very tasty when made fresh but bloody awful when it comes in a can or (shudder) powdered form. Also, I can pretend that they're healthy because there's a lot of veggies in it albeit the amount of cream!<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363094400801223842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbztj9pmy3UKtfJVTdfW5tcTZ4orTmUBZzbwmlG5-3DInuin_DYQwFGTI9lxx39XYMVtWqp6Tsu06UKx_265jbRVJWh73IWH8f6hmRxUmu5hrhDpGbybFF23PoVyAiW8PWXNlPdXzDSz3m/s320/P1000264.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />I don't find a lot of restaurants that serve Creamy Asparagus Soup. Luckily, it's quite easy to make so whenever I feel the itch, I make this and I can easily have two to three serves in one sitting. Oh so good!<br /><br /><em>Creamy Asparagus Soup - Serves 4</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>2 tablespoons butter</em><br /><em>1 leek, thinly sliced, or 1/2 cup diced onion</em><br /><em>2 tablespoons flour</em><br /><em>2 cups chicken or vegetable stock</em><br /><em>1 pound asparagus</em><br /><em>2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley</em><br /><em>1 cup cream</em><br /><em>salt and pepper to taste</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>In a medium saucepan, cook leek or onions in butter over medium-low heat until tender. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Add chicken or vegetable stock, asparagus and parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. Carefully, working with about1 - 2 cups at a time, blend or process until smooth. Return to saucepan and add cream. Heat through. Add a dash of pepper and 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of salt, or to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.</em>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-81234438299261836192009-07-23T22:39:00.002+10:002009-07-23T23:02:23.637+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 5: Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmSl1O77Nurh1Mz1lNs6MNHZH7g666e48YMPecwkvHwjcSDm5Q9yVf68R1nU4GvaMhD4iIW5LdD-XotI5rbcUYVYqUbQdPE1yJxxl-kD9-GUZAeSbypNIh61qqWdFI3meOYJcZzhgJsmn/s1600-h/P1000258.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361634909019676946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmSl1O77Nurh1Mz1lNs6MNHZH7g666e48YMPecwkvHwjcSDm5Q9yVf68R1nU4GvaMhD4iIW5LdD-XotI5rbcUYVYqUbQdPE1yJxxl-kD9-GUZAeSbypNIh61qqWdFI3meOYJcZzhgJsmn/s320/P1000258.JPG" border="0" /></a> This could very well be my most proud moment. Okay, so everyone knows I'm a novice in baking. But I am also a willing student and am eager to learn all the skills required to improve in the art of baking. So after my adventure in baking cookies, I decided to find a recipe and try to make cupcakes from scratch. My almost twin <a href="http://offthespork.blogspot.com/">Agnes</a> and I went to a shop called <a href="http://www.cakedeco.com.au/">Cake Deco</a> which is a huge cake decorating retailer in the city. There we bought items to aid us with our cupcake cooking sprees. We both wanted to practice before the big <a href="http://www.rspcacupcakeday.com.au/">RSPCA cupcake day</a> bake-off. I looked for a banana cupcake recipe afterwards and thought it practical since my mum had been going a bit loco with the supply of bananas at home. I think she liked my banana cake a bit too much :-)<br /><br /><a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222206">This</a> was the recipe I found. Easy to follow, perfect for an amateur like myself.<br /><br />It was one of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten. The icing was perfect, not too sweet. It compliments the cupcake so well. I suppose cream cheese goes well with anything. I was extremely happy with how friends loved how I decorated the cupcake. The sugar balls were so cute!<br /><br />Things to improve? Will half-fill the cupcake paper cups next time and double line them. Pity because the cups I choose were cute and the oiliness of the cupcake ruined the look. Also, I want to buy a bigger piping bag and a different tip for the icing. I found that the bag I bought was a bit too small and icing was oozing onto my hand when I was decorating the cupcakes. V-messy!<br /><br />All in all, it was a delicious cupcake. It was a hit and was finished off in one sitting. Excellent stuff!Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-44107898745513585972009-07-02T21:27:00.004+10:002009-07-02T21:46:29.529+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 4 - Oatmeal Raisin CookiesOh my goodness! Has it been a month? I know, I have been very naughty. Something has taken over my life this past few weeks. It's a little game called The Sims 3. Yes, blame that game! It's so addictive, I have been playing it every night since I bought it! It's not healthy at all!<br /><br />Of course, I have not been neglecting my kitchen duty - sort of. Hubby, mum and I are still well-fed, but I have to admit that mum has been doing a lot more cooking than me since I bought that cursed game.<br /><br />Anyway, this is one recipe that I definitely want to share with you guys. My mum has been going on and on about wanting cookies. Since the time that I have been bitten by the baking bug, she has been pushing for me to learn how to bake cookies. Well, I finally found the time and forced myself away from Jennie-Sim the Five Star Chef to find a recipe for one of my faves - Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353825207975231842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi19w1X_arChIMsThABVGK3OW8X47QT6PFgfSoJchzI1q21fatOSGvjNHM2WWcjJLdcojXC0iWTtpxDRbPPoKQA5nlshc_Vu1-UlG4vi4vyd99uYOPs7d6SB9JmlvUKPmpRm8OOF1V-3o/s320/P1000235.JPG" border="0" />I have to admit that I was scared of making this because it could fail miserably. I have never made cookies - not even from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pre</span>-made dough stuff that's out there - let alone from scratch. But I found <a href="http://www.bigoven.com/162959-Chewy-Oatmeal-raisin-Cookies-recipe.html">this recipe </a>that is so full-proof. It's something that you can teach kids to make. It's a great <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">introduction</span> to baking.</p><p>The result? Moist, yummy, not too sweet, freshly baked cookies! Mum loved it so much that she has asked me to bake some again to bring overseas with her! How sweet!</p><p> </p>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-26753740789839238662009-06-01T10:27:00.013+10:002009-06-01T22:51:56.671+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 3: Cooking for friends - Chinese-style Steamboat<div><div><div>Hubby and I love inviting friends over. One, we all love food. Two, we enjoy the company. Three, we don't do much but laugh, eat and exchange stories.<br /><br />Saturday night wasn't different. Hubby and I try to make it special. We'd often have a theme going - could be Japanese, Mexican, Filipino, often followed by a friendly bout of Wii or Karaoke accompanied by huge amounts of wine and beer.<br /><br />This time, we thought, we wanted to try something different. We wanted something that would help beat the cold. Something warm and fun. So we thought, why not try Steamboat! </div><div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342338892138894482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9A-6rl9Og3m97G-bE6k1OjdU7FyDHVilY9t9Yf58TAUY4EuuPUOIvs6BKjgjHCveAZVVcYIKaMvebE-718L3nbgW5lvhOoCE4Y0miEBBPByoArDY5276DvTuBk_qKWnsbRRwdSiZIbeV/s320/P1000198.JPG" border="0" /><br />Asia has a wide variety of Steamboat dishes. The one we prepared is more of the Chinese version. We prepared the Chicken broth hours ahead. Hubby boiled 3 chicken carcasses, 2 whole onions, a whole head of garlic, ginger and salt in a huge pot for about 4 hours. The broth is served on the table in a special firepot heated by burning coals in a central chimney. We bought this in a Asian specialty store at the Queen Victoria Market.<br /><br />I had a "grand" time preparing and cutting all the ingredients into bite size pieces - chicken, beef, pork, prawns, butterfish, scallops, fish balls, chicken liver, spring onions, Chinese cabbage, quail eggs, enoki mushrooms and water chestnuts. These raw ingredients are laid on the table surrounding the steamboat and everyone places their selected ingredients into a wire mesh basket. These are cooked briefly in the broth. Traditionally, the food is dipped into a sauce but we opted to just have it with the broth. <div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342338897717600098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGf03vO3bdVBROVJdvYnUmOZTvprSUHoQQ_G9J0Vz6ud6ALIyYsvsNNe4t6YiTW-yN8-QkvD9W5Dkak91I4R1dPQpD8FgWEwvV8_lAKZs88jIQ-2RtlyBsBFYHb-YbbgRtSYtArCfO3Z00/s320/P1000199.JPG" border="0" /><br />In one word, I can describe this dish as "comforting." It's pretty easy except for the time you spend cutting up all the ingredients, but that's because we had so many! You can actually get away with just 4 or 5 but we opted for the more lavish version of this dish. The most important part of this dish? It's definitely the broth. Hubby cooked it to perfection that I actually had 3 bowls of it! This is one of those times when I actually gave up and said, "no more food!"<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342338901885499570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4raNKVUOcgNQnBrFQO9GkcMCxCnc75KyP-mWYf65qWSiFJ7QoiufvOXv3bMbK-W-WIBlFiQ5CPO3BcWWe6XHhgaCsZ3gsO1wn_Sj2iBV7ZrRgFnoJv5jYOYUmbZl4aS-cXp3rGXx3a8eW/s320/P1000200.JPG" border="0" /><br />This is definitely a winter staple. It's the sort of food that you'd want to share with friends. Not only are you eating good food, but the fun involved in cooking your own meal makes for great conversations. And your friends will definitely think you're great hosts :-)</div></div>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-51888504713375713592009-05-27T12:51:00.008+10:002009-05-28T00:05:00.021+10:00Lechon and Anthony Bourdain<p align="center"><img style="WIDTH: 363px; HEIGHT: 282px" height="329" src="http://i.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/bourdain/bourdain_01.jpg" width="451" /></p><div align="left">I am huge fan of Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bourdain</span>. I believe he has the best job in the world - he gets paid to travel, eat and drink. What's not to like? For a foodie like myself, it's my idea of heaven - seeing new places, experiencing different cultures, stuffing my face and drinking myself to oblivion whilst I get paid tons of money and be world famous! Ah, some people have the breaks... </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">A few months back, Tony finally fulfilled every Filipino fans' dream - a feature on the Philippines. I read his blog entry about how nervous he was about the show because he only managed to scratch a very tiny surface of what the Philippines has to offer in terms of food. Out of 7000+ islands, he only managed to visit 2. And his comment about Philippine cuisine being regional? Very spot on!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">Speaking as a Filipino, I think we can forgive him. Heck, I don't think that a lot of Filipinos have visited ALL the islands anyway! Personally, I've only ever visited 10 if I recall correctly. Geography was never my strong suit.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">So, Tony loved Filipino food. He loved <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sisig</span> (sizzling dish made from parts of pig's head, liver and usually seasoned with <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">kalamansi</span></em> and chili peppers), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bulalo</span> (beef bone marrow soup), and of course, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">lechon</span> (slow roast whole pig)! </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><p>Lechon</span> is actually a Spanish term meaning roasted suckling pig. The whole pig is slowly roasted over charcoal and leaves the skin crunchy and golden. It is usually served in the Philippines with liver-based sauce. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Lechon</span> is generally cooked for <em>fiestas</em> or special <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">occasions</span> and we recently had something to celebrate at our household. We celebrated hubby's 40<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">th</span> birthday. And in traditional Filipino style, we ordered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">lechon</span>!</p></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340477546920974594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQZJK417gXkkOQmu1P1F9AaxS2ku9UAYJ3Hiv2LsHu_k5C4RizWF0SGsUIHaG88tPVF4JPKG0NhDxcYvlPotqNUwtfTJlteh0HyPtujqPqWmDlwOA37nX23XJBL-Jjb5Jd3taytHLVrWV/s320/P1000106.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Hubby about to behead said pig (don't worry, it's dead) </p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340477540985504466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GA4fFB-Siwn4GXFzJ7En9yGcGUw-oRK5FGqIL9CHP6k9dG0VYN9rS3I8b4EQdeOg_paSG0YQ6FZ_35zaKuz7p_OFRGVdF6j7e9Z1lOaLpQbqXaWgHCce_zcmiLojVWmu7sad6LuikCId/s320/P1000108.JPG" border="0" /> </p><p align="center">Beheaded but oh so tasty!<br /></p><p align="left">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">lechon</span> was one of Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Bourdain's</span> favourites. Because of this, he has made the Philippines number one in his very own "hierarchy of pork" (see his <a href="http://anthony-bourdain-blog.travelchannel.com/">blog</a>).</p><p align="left">You can actually watch the full episode in YouTube, just search for "Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Bourdain</span> Philippines." He did a really good job of showcasing the Philippines as a country you may want to visit in the future.</p><p align="left">These were some of the things Tony ate that I miss so much (result of not going back for the past 6 years):</p><ul><li><div align="left"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Dampa</span> - you buy your ingredients from a wet market (fresh meat and veggies, live fish and seafood), take it to one of the stalls and they cook it any way you want them to</div></li><li><div align="left">Chicken or Fish balls - typical street fare that you pierce with a stick and dip in the sweet, sour and hot sauce</div></li><li><div align="left">Goat meat - damn good!</div></li><li><div align="left"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Sisig</span> - I miss this so much that I am going to learn how to make this myself!</div></li></ul><p align="left">If you're from Melbourne and you have a party coming up, you can make it extra special by serving lechon.</p><p align="left">Order from Apolo's Lechon (03) 9357 1141 </p>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-2417632086842569142009-05-26T20:31:00.003+10:002009-05-26T22:28:18.293+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 2: Salmon Cold Noodles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Y6gPatEATCzysx8q26mIjU-vqp9uVgnHSaqcaTEwrUDUouVsyZN3k65ahsfhfOlqBMFanK9jI49nKiE-xxO-a4oFRhfGiHViXYcPQBTaQ_DJI4Cmt_-RnZaUXgwBfLbJat8Hdm5KwC0p/s1600-h/P1000185.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340080673149837186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Y6gPatEATCzysx8q26mIjU-vqp9uVgnHSaqcaTEwrUDUouVsyZN3k65ahsfhfOlqBMFanK9jI49nKiE-xxO-a4oFRhfGiHViXYcPQBTaQ_DJI4Cmt_-RnZaUXgwBfLbJat8Hdm5KwC0p/s320/P1000185.JPG" border="0" /></a>Anyone who knows me would attest to the fact that I love anything Japanese - music (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">SMAP</span>), drama (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kimura</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Takuya</span>), Comedy or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Owarai</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Gaki</span> no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Tsukai</span>), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Anime</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Manga</span>, and of course, FOOD!<br /><br />This is definitely one dish that is Japanese-inspired. I am proud to say that this is one of my very own recipes and is a major hit <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">every time</span> I serve it. But be warned that people who do not like raw fish may not like this, although I remember serving this to a friend and he didn't even realise it was raw until he finished it off!<br /><br />Of course, it is very important that the fish is fresh or you'll have yourselves a major case of salmonella. So please prepare this as cleanly as possible and it's better to buy the salmon on the day you're planning to serve this.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAviSJcBWhxHBJNNrhaJcTnqQinkO7CEapKe5OcX5M39ljQkkrPWHIx6GjDIhvTl0ZJEW2Ww2HUfWdgi1yk-O7_DWzqfwgZUohXLm9fnejDunsS58a8ZoWj-0eaH32h_jy6W6ww5BdQzpB/s1600-h/P1000186.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340080671251002930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAviSJcBWhxHBJNNrhaJcTnqQinkO7CEapKe5OcX5M39ljQkkrPWHIx6GjDIhvTl0ZJEW2Ww2HUfWdgi1yk-O7_DWzqfwgZUohXLm9fnejDunsS58a8ZoWj-0eaH32h_jy6W6ww5BdQzpB/s320/P1000186.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Salmon Cold Noodles<br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />Sushi Grade salmon, cut into bite size pieces<br />1 cucumber, peeled and cubed<br />spring onion, chopped<br />coriander, chopped<br />sesame oil<br />light soy sauce<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">somen</span> noodles, cooked and washed with cold water<br /><br />Mix all the ingredients (except for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">somen</span> noodles) into a bowl. Add sesame oil and light soy sauce and adjust the amount according to taste. Place noodles into a deep plate and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">spoon</span> some of the mixture on top. Serve.Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-53522852403419492892009-05-26T19:55:00.004+10:002009-05-26T22:25:08.690+10:00Kitchen Tales Episode 1: Banana Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfj2yGnqjIg3I5cVlaGAo6MKHH7pywdbNnxNAWlzQohwIWYSIahD-g_hl4cYsDTzSbSdBVl1KdErHcfxvb6P5q9RAwvf6H9H3zg-kAT4iLtBFAaXtj0jaQtDpRT8zHJxyL3_ewifJdLdrP/s1600-h/P1000182.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340070348926657746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfj2yGnqjIg3I5cVlaGAo6MKHH7pywdbNnxNAWlzQohwIWYSIahD-g_hl4cYsDTzSbSdBVl1KdErHcfxvb6P5q9RAwvf6H9H3zg-kAT4iLtBFAaXtj0jaQtDpRT8zHJxyL3_ewifJdLdrP/s320/P1000182.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I am what you would call a baking novice. My first adventure with baking involves a box of ready to mix muffin dough and flavouring. It's foolproof and you are left with yummy muffins, but minus the satisfaction of being able to say that "I can bake."<br /><br />Until recently, whenever I come across recipe books or articles I would skip any recipe that would require me to sift flour, beat eggs and fold in anything. Then I started working with <a href="http://offthespork.blogspot.com/">Agnes</a> who is as adventurous with food, probably even more so. She loved baking and would bring in some of her goodies for everyone in our team to enjoy. She encouraged me to bake, saying that all I have to do is follow the instructions and I'll never go wrong. She gave me this recipe for banana cake, which can be found in the Donna Hay website.<br /><br />Needless to say, it's a hit in our household. I never knew my mum and hubby loved banana cake. Now, I bake it every week - it's great for afternoon tea :-)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN470fTAaelcAJHGvuZ4jmlWH5CnoKePRYjbwL29Q_Y9sGj95M5H4vnGnrkaio8BTm3PVp8rJrd9ZVrvFE4e5lXMkEPjdG6aFMwqwc1yEivuBw6nxttk6XaFyr-o0iQCH1B1c50UL2CeW1/s1600-h/P1000183.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340070342329543394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN470fTAaelcAJHGvuZ4jmlWH5CnoKePRYjbwL29Q_Y9sGj95M5H4vnGnrkaio8BTm3PVp8rJrd9ZVrvFE4e5lXMkEPjdG6aFMwqwc1yEivuBw6nxttk6XaFyr-o0iQCH1B1c50UL2CeW1/s320/P1000183.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Banana Cake<br /><br /><em>Ingredients:</em><br />125 grams butter<br />1 cup caster sugar<br />1/4 cup brown sugar<br />3 eggs<br />2 cups plain flour<br />2 teaspoons baking powder<br />1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />3/4 cup sour cream<br />1 cup roughly mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Place the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar in a bowl and beat until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture. Add the cinnamon, sour cream and banana and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into a greased 26cm (10 inches) fluted ring tin. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-9894315992644532842009-05-22T14:59:00.000+10:002009-05-22T23:46:11.093+10:00Friday Lunch Club - Mrs. Parma'sAt work, I organise the fortnightly Friday Lunch Club for our department. In a city like Melbourne where one is spoilt for choice, it is both a fun and daunting task to find a place that everybody would like and enjoy.<br /><br />The inaugural launch of the Friday Lunch Club was at Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Parma's</span>. It makes good work of combining two pub favourites - the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Parma</span> and Beer. They boast to be "Melbourne's first and only Bar/Bistro specializing in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Parmagiana</span>’s and Victorian micro brewery beers, right in the heart of the city".<br /><br />You can choose between three different <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Parma</span> "meats": the traditional Chicken, Veal and Eggplant. They have different toppings to cater to the purists, adventurous, and novices. Sides are served to share on the table which is good and it's a very filling meal. We all struggled to finish it!<br /><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338518818653585682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK9Ix25vOwJ6Jap7cdVNXnS5dxI-yzSgBpXhBITjm-0nJDtdrhfvSx1aIRVhceNY0Tl2iK3UxCQwX8GYZRAx6zS5qaMAjTo3N9hRDU9muUcMGYsaJSk2Vtriau2fH1oJWTaPBvgJSZSPU/s320/IMG_25042.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">My order - Eggplant Parmigiana, their "vegetarian" option</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338518825892061890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdlbzquO406xc7lnt5vbFf-5WxY_ITSh2SsBmXPyYkcnbe7c63qelWDLzMLWQ6mI2WjV3LtIxp7xfwr1crynsyfnYIMF02CTh0wmlsWcQ_DMF8h_njf0rXyxeyts8W0JXmchyphenhyphenhI9J-qoT/s320/IMG_25052.JPG" border="0" /></p><div align="center">Sides - a big bowl of hot fat chips</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338518831797273010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvxDKx-DOBJeaS1vSGSKtwGqv7v9ugCR6Xiv3w1PgJKArD0KVpxFZByYzb6pF5lEzs_sjtEBBbn2sntNOnfFFi5e9JV2YDnM-GYzDmi-Ld82XPpT7Uz3z8vRxbFXYdiwQ-Q9b8roB5zV9/s320/IMG_25082.JPG" border="0" />Fresh and healthy garden salad</div><div align="center"><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338518829743316802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpC8h3Gm3gUzB960zJzKcBaWxj0U4F_kW8Y8kcHuqh05dQohyphenhyphenzMSMcR81tyi1U_ZPsKv6tKegDg0xhvfTHvLxpL5R9cbQ2kBxS3B8xyNA5saWncR4GGh9hDxVr-zB3DqSZfdxjo9L2FGm/s320/IMG_25062.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center">Mexican Chicken Parmigiana, tastes as good as it looks!</div><p>My rating (out of 5)</p><div>Food: 4</div><div>Value for money: 3.5</div><div>Service: 4.5</div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ambiance</span>: 4</div><div><br /><em>Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Parma's</span><br />25 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne<br />(03) 9639 2269<br /></em><a href="http://www.mrsparmas.com.au/index.asp"><em>http://www.mrsparmas.com.au/index.asp</em></a><em> </em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em>Credits: Photos taken by <a href="http://offthespork.blogspot.com/">Agnes</a></em></div>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-80772504176063791322009-05-21T12:39:00.000+10:002009-05-22T23:33:43.433+10:00Winter StaplesWinter officially starts in June but Melbournites are finding themselves taking their heavy coats and woolly jumpers out of storage as early as April. For a foodie like myself, this is the perfect time to indulge in comfort food - hot, steaming drinks or big bowls of soup that would otherwise be too much to have during the Melbourne summer.<br /><br />Here are just a few of my winter staples that keep me going through the cold Melbourne season.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div><br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338630287317854738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxySCGB01APO9vfUgT1IYmuWnDb2f3QHJeOjp4a2MW1UPoDULIzgZZyzkhPTLWlnEd69UvUDlFe8_JsPOG3veLZ9sQCLYhbjnXn_TFqzt_aZVIQeefiJ7oBrAje7RThrQgbjHsm7DiM22/s320/Food+001.jpg" border="0" /><br />White Chocolate Chai </div><div align="center">Strong Chai tea mellowed by sweet Max Brenner White Chocolate</div><div align="center">$5.50</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><em>Max Brenner Chocolate Bar</em></div><div align="center"><em>Shop OE5, Menzies Alley, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, </em></div><div align="center"><em>300 La Trobe Street, M</em><em>elbourne </em></div><div align="center"><em>Ph: 03 9662 4442</em> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.maxbrenner.com.au/">http://www.maxbrenner.com.au/</a><br /><br /></div><br /><div><em></em></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338632567166112754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF-Xbl6ew8M07m6A55F5-I8cQ_d7TikSQxwO3u6JEufq894uPFA6FgSK8t41-IbDJnKNaPEwCF7frCDIbl_ktTdBFJsiZGPE_EAdriPeAYRx4wkHKrWA5TVrTJ_cqQljy2gtpOB6wN5sG/s320/Food+002.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">Pork and Century Egg Congee</div><div align="center">Salted pork with slices of century egg mixed in with steaming hot congee cooked with heaps of ginger and spring onion. Serve big enough for two (but I easily polished it off by myself!)</div><div align="center">$9.00 - jasmine tea is free</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em>Nam Loong Chinese Restaurant</em></div><div align="center"><em>171 Russell Street, Melbourne</em></div><div align="center"><em>Ph: 03 9663 3918</em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338639117240488786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQraT3k8rAyCYd80SR553d85okVbGaVjZdM2HEIxzA_X2qvbLe6HqyPgVj5U4xzvh98qbRA0rmXibtPuUryDvI8u7_cv1Kow1lmbIrrIabFW3htSv0INVVxL_QTygy2Bs1k-ImcKihJHcK/s320/P1000139.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center">Charshu Ramen </div></div></div></div></div></div><div align="center">Roast Pork, Ramen noodles in a clear pork broth </div><div align="center">$9.80</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><em>Ramen Ya</em></div><div align="center"><em>G25 Postal Lane, GPO</em></div><div align="center"><em>350 Bourke Street, Melbourne</em></div><div align="center"><em>Ph: 03 9654 5838</em></div><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338636173516499010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2uFqtqpzLuo0rtWymUq9RAvm46eEFESDPrGnHXIEdjmtmaySMLdobB7gwOgkQGO2_5Zf2WtgNRmPI95lVzoMBNZ6VA1tDIFuJUTrReZQ3G8PjlHO5Qwy4wcyqLOcSB9keXRQvVMLaV5v/s320/P1000173.JPG" border="0" /></em></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Chilli Beef Soup with Rice Vermicelli </div></div><div align="center">The best Vietnamese noodle soup I've ever had! Vermicelli noodles and thinly sliced beef is mixed into an amazing soup stock. You add as much vegetables (lettuce, mint, bean shoots) as you like. Squeeze some lemon juice, add more chillies according to your taste, and slurp away! </div><div align="center">$7.00 (great value for money and tea is free)</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em><br />Thien An</em></div><div align="center"><em>59 Irving Street, Footscray</em></div><div align="center"><em>Ph: (03) 9637 0398</em></div>Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892468454173315223.post-36566293295995094182009-05-20T20:24:00.001+10:002009-05-21T09:57:45.663+10:00Welcome to Melbourne Kitchen TalesWelcome to Melbourne Kitchen Tales!<br /><br />For about 4 years, my web home has been <a href="http://sassy-melbournite.blogspot.com/">The Sassy Melbournite</a>. Through the years I have blogged about all of my experiences in Melbourne -the highs, the lows, the fashion, the shopping, and of course the FOOD!<br /><br />After awhile I found myself becoming more adventurous with food and wanting to basically "eat my way through Melbourne".<br /><br />So, Melbourne Kitchen Tales was born.<br /><br />This is going to document all of my gastronomical experiences - the weird, the wonderful and extraordinary.<br /><br />I hope you enjoy this new adventure I am about to take. I am so excited!Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00875660496784807079noreply@blogger.com0