food

Welcome to 2011! It's hard to believe that another year has come has gone. Writing Grab Your Fork has been a huge part of it, and I'm grateful for the friendships I've made, the comments I've received, the opportunities I've been given, and the readers (yes you!) who stop by everyday.In 2010 I published a total of 224 posts, all written after I've clocked off from my day job - I've yet to find a

Inspired by similar posts by Alanna and Anne . JANUARY 2010 I blogged about many of my favourite dishes back in January - chicken with 40 gloves of garlic (photo above) and dulce de membrillo and coconut & beetroot soup , to name just a few. Our beautiful daughter Nora Adeele turned one, and we celebrated it with marzipan-topped Princess cake . FEBRUARY 2010 Favourite recipes back in February were colorful quinoa salad with lobster tails and avocado , cream cheese spread with horseradish and beetroot (photo above), yummy chocolate muffins , decadent Lenten buns with raspberries , Hummingbird's raspberry cheesecake brownie . It was a loooong, cold and snowy month, hence the number of baked cakes :P MARCH 2010 In March I loved the caramelised rye bread ice cream and ate lots of Georgian food (incl. fried Suluguni cheese and egg and walnut salad ). Anticipating the Easter, the month ended with another lovely pashka recipe (photo above). At the end of the month we spent a ...

Can you believe it's the end of another decade? It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming in the noughties.Tonight you'll find me around Sydney Harbour with 1.5 million of my closest friends. I've spent New Years Eve in New York Times Square and on London's Westminster Bridge beneath Big Ben, but I still rate the fireworks spectacular around Sydney Harbour as the best NYE party in the

The Flute Bakery is in the last possible place you'd expect to find it. Tucked down a barren street lined with industrial estates in Fyshwick, it appears like a shimmering mirage of gustatory salvation.Even then, the canvas awnings and outdoor seating reveal little of what lays within. We push open the door to find an elegant French patisserie, pies and quiches in the warmer, a gleaming glass

I'm not a morning person, but if there's one thing that I will wake up early for, it's food. Work took me Canberra a couple of months ago (hello backlog), and if there was one place I was determined to visit it was Silo Bakery. It was surprisingly easy to convince my office colleagues to join me on post-work eating adventures - 'so where are we eating tonight, Helen?' they'd ask.It was even

"Pizza?" Peter Evans asks, as he wends his way through the crowd at the launch of the Hugos Bar Pizza new private dining room."It's potato and lardo," he says, gesturing toward the thin crust pizza in his hand. "Basically it's potato and fat," he explains to those with blank expressions on their faces.Potato and fat? Potato and fat? I would have called it potato and deliciousness. Potato and

I know, I know - what am I thinking about posting a recipe for summer fruit dessert in the middle of the Christmas season?? You see, I craved a fruity dessert the other day, and came across this recipe for a blackberry fluff in the October 2006 issue of the British food magazine Olive. Unfortunately, neither one of the two nearby grocery stores had frozen blackberries that day, so I had to settle for frozen Estonian raspberries instead. Not a bad choice, I think - they're still tart and sweet at the same time, plus I love the colour. Note that the dessert has much more character when it's been given a few hours' rest in the fridge - you can taste the mascarpone again then. I didn't bother to sieve the fruit pulp, but please do, if you think the small seeds will bother you. Supereasy and rather nice. Raspberry and Mascarpone Fluff ( Marja-mascarponevaht ) Serves six to eight 300 g frozen raspberries 1 Tbsp sugar 250 g mascarpone, at room temperature 200 ml whipping cre...

How was your Christmas? Mine was filled with ham, turkey, gravlax, pavlova, fruit cake and more. It was a weekend of feasting, but as Master Six intoned to me solemnly on Christmas morning, "Christmas is not about presents. It's about spending time with your family."And so there was eating and drinking, and then jumping on the trampoline and playing Snap with the kids. Everyone brought a dish for

Christmas? It's about the three F's - food, family and friends. What's even better is when you are able to combine all three.Over the past two years, our dinner party group Stomachs Eleven has taken turns to host a homemade meal, and these days our circle of friends has become more like a family. Someone's usually running late, the early birds will pitch in with last minute prep, and there's

I've been making this very cake for Christmas for about 6-7 years now, and it's still one of the favourites with friends and family. I made it again for a friend's birthday party last weekend, tuning the recipe a bit - reducing the amount of sugar (you could use even less, I bet), and replacing melted butter with mild-tasting oil in the batter. There are two things to keep in mind. First, the cake is eggless (so suitable for people with egg allergies!) and the raising agent is baking soda/bicarbonate of soda. As with other similar batters, it's important to bake the cake straight away after mixing the batter - the baking soda starts to react with acid in the batter (kefir in this case) within 15-20 minutes, and if you don't bake the cake during that time, you'll end up with a very flat christmas cake :( Secondly, you could use a much larger cake sheet, but i like this in the specified size - the cake will be about 4 cm in height, which is good for me. Soft Ginge...

Parmesan and truffle fries $8Everybody's talking about them. The parmesan and truffle fries at Justin North's burger joint Charlie & Co. have created a new obsession for hungry Sydneysiders.The frantic crowds that swarmed Westfield Sydney when it first opened have now thankfully dissipated. We found no crowds when we visited midweek at 6pm, although the last-minute Christmas rush and Boxing Day

Who doesn't love a country fair?After a leisurely morning at the Moruya Markets on the South Coast, we pulled into Bodalla (population 308 according to the 2006 census) just after midday.Bodalla police stationThe town of Bodalla began when Thomas Sutcliffe Mort purchased 13,000 acres of land in the area in 1860. Mort was determined to create a dairy estate, eventually supplying fresh milk,

The only bore you'll find at Duke Bistro is propped up at the bar, a boar's head sitting on a stool with a bottle of sriracha chilli sauce gripped in his teeth.It's an odd sight at first, but one that underlines the devil-may-care cheekiness of this cosy bistro perched on top of the Flinders Hotel.Duke Bistro dining roomYoung guns Thomas Lim (ex-Tetsuya's) and Mitch Orr (ex-Sepia) head up the

I like cereal for breakfast, for supper, and as a snack, but the best kind of cereal is served on prawns - Singapore style. Cereal prawns is a dish not often found in Sydney, and it is only as we exit Malacca Straits that I notice this dish on the specials menu taped to the wall. Here too I find salted egg yolk prawn. I vow immediately to return. On my next visit I see the sign for assam

Christmas is just around the corner, so I'll be focusing on various festive dishes for the next week or two. We'll definitely have some traditional roast pork with sauerkraut and black pudding for a couple of times. But we've got a big family and many festive meals ahead, so there's plenty of room to play. For the last few years we've also roasted a goose , and my favourite side dish to a goose is stewed red cabbage. Here's the way I've been making it couple of times now - and I love it. The prunes add a sweetness, orange juice some freshness and a good balsamico a lovely tang. And it's a light and virtually fat-free side dish - a great alternative to the usual rich Christmas fare. Stewed red cabbage with prunes ( Hautatud punane kapsas ploomidega ) Serves eight 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 red onions, halved and sliced 1 kg red cabbage, shredded 250 g dried plums/prunes, halved 200 ml (just under a cup) of orange juice 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1-2 tsp salt fres...

Teriyaki chicken udon set $9.50I have to admit it. Japanese food is my weakness. Steaming bowls of ramen, quivering fresh sashimi, the sticky sweetness of sushi rice and fat chewy strands of udon. Japanese cuisine is all about simplicity and satisfaction, presented with the visual beauty of an inspired artist.Age gyoza $4.50Daruma Japanese Restaurant in the Prince Centre is busy with students and

Yesterday's New York Times ran an article about making verivorst aka black pudding, the traditional Estonian Christmas sausage, in the Estonian House in New York. You can read the article here: Without Blood Sausage, It Just Wouldn’t Be Christmas . Enjoy :)

Green tea with rock salt and cheese. Who could refuse?Happy Lemon is the latest drinks chain to hit Australian shores, a Hong Kong company that started in 2006 and has since spread to over 100 stores across Hong Kong and China.It's easy to get swept up in the cartoon chirpiness of the place, a dizzying entrapment of winking characters, video game-like footage on the TV screen and walls that

Our South Coast mini-break was a happy mix of sights, from Wollongong's Nan Tien Temple to Berry's Famous Donut Van. We continued down the Princes Highway to Batemans Bay, a four hours journey if travelling straight from Sydney.It's amazing how fast one can metabolise donuts and meat pies and parfait and passionfruit slice. We were booked in for dinner at On The Pier, tucked away on the side of

Strawberry Santas by Ayana from Absolutely AyanaIt was a spectacular day for a picnic on Saturday, a backdrop of clear blue skies and dappled sunshine for the second annual Sydney Food Bloggers Christmas Picnic co-hosted by Chocolatesuze and I.Over sixty food bloggers descended on Centennial Park, a chance for everyone to meet new faces, mingle and, most importantly, eat.Christmas puddings by

So what are you having?I have a confession to make. If I happen to ask you this question, there are usually hidden agendas at stake.Sometimes the planets will align and Suze will look at me and say "I can't decide between the pork belly and the pork knuckle", and I will reply with those three magic words "Should we share?"And happiness and relief will blanket us both.Freshly baked Bavarian

Do you tend to go Christmas shopping but then find yourself only buying presents for yourself? Hey, I agree. You're worth it! And this week's Freebie Friday is the perfect prize for you! You'll be able to shop to your heart's (and stomach's!) content with a $100 gift voucher from Audrey & Marco, the newly launched Australian online delicatessen with products from all over Europe. There are

Pace yourself.These are the two key words you must hold onto when you sit down to the breakfast feast at Kazbah.Kazbah on DarlingThe breakfast feast is not to be bandied about lightly. This is a meal of such epic proportions you should plan at least a week ahead, stretching your stomach with water as though you were a competitor in a Major League Eating competition.A set minimum of six people for

It's time to up the number of buckwheat recipes on Nami-Nami - and I think this beautiful kasha recipe fits the bill nicely. The inspiration for this recipe is from Rose Elliot's book Learning to Cook Vegetarian , and if you love buckwheat and you love beets, then you must try this! It's best served hot, but if you have any leftovers, then this is also an excellent lunch box dish. Note that buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, so it's a suitable and tasty grain alternative to all those who need to avoid gluten. Buckwheat with beetroot and dill ( Peedi-tatrahautis ) Serves six to eight 2 Tbsp rapeseed or olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 250 g buckwheat groats (about 300 ml) 750 ml boiling water (3 cups) salt and freshly ground black pepper 500 g cooked beetroot, grated 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill sour cream or plain yogurt, to serve First, you need to toast the buckwheat. The buckwheat we usually use in Estonia is pre-roasted and dark...

Mention the quaint town of Berry and I think of donuts.Not just any donut, but the Famous Berry Donut Van.The Famous Berry Donut VanThe Famous Berry Donut Van has been trading in Berry for sixty years, the old van recently given a new lick of paint and fancy colour scheme in mocha and chocolate browns.What hasn't changed is the donuts. Cooked to order and cooked by hand, they claim to have "never

Eating out for breakfast doesn't have to be expensive. I followed up a tip from Grab Your Fork reader Yvette and headed to Hijazi's in Arncliffe for this month's Time Out Sydney column. You could eat yourself into a stupor here and find yourself only paying about $10 for the privilege. Hijazi's, Arncliffe WHAT IS HIJAZI'S? A Lebanese takeaway and restaurant that is famous for its crunchy

Here's an easy and delightful popover recipe that I adapted from the September 2009 issue of The Gourmet - Mini Provolone popovers . These reminded me of gougerés , but the batter is even easier - not a choux pastry , but more like a Yorkshire pudding pastry. (Not that gougerés are difficult to do, but these were super-easy to throw together). Recommended! They're delightful as they are, but I can also imagine serving these alongside a simple soup instead of 'regular' bread rolls, and although these are best served hot, they'd disappear from a picnic basket or lunch box just as quickly. I used a 24-cup mini-muffin pan, but you can also use a regular muffin pan, if you haven't got a mini one. Mini cheese popovers ( Väikesed juustukohrud ) Makes 24 popovers 250 ml (1 cup) full-fat milk 2 large eggs 150 g plain flour (1 cup/250 ml) 1 Tbsp butter, melted 0.5 tsp salt a pinch of black pepper 5 Tbsp coarsely grated strong cheese (I used Gouda) 2 Tbsp finely grated P...

Sometimes a little peace and quiet is just what the mind and body needs.Last weekend I took off for a famil of the South Coast, hosted by Tourism Wollongong and Eurobodalla Coast Tourism. It had been ages since I'd headed down the coast, nothing but distant memories of family holidays from childhood - fish and chips at the beach, digging sandcastles and peeling sticky limbs from the melting

I've blogged about Pädaste , a luxurious manor house/boutique hotel on MUHU island, on Nami-Nami before - back in January 2007 , when we spent a romantic winter night there. Since then I've been back for a quick visit couple of times on our way to Saaremaa. We also spent a very charming and delicious two days there back in August - sorry, never got around to blogging about it, but suffice to say that the food blew me away - it was extremely delicious and full of positive surprises. However, the number of local and international tourists to MUHU island during the winter season drops considerably, and it's simply not financially viable to keep the manor house fully functional throughout the winter. So this season the chefs and staff of the Pädaste restaurant moved to the harbour area of the capital, Tallinn, and opened a charming little restaurant called NEH . They're placed in a little house on Lootsi 4 , which also houses a small art gallery: Photo courtesy of Pädaste M...

My first cookbook "Nami-Nami kokaraamat" finally hit the bookstores on Wednesday, December 1st . The official launch party took place in Rahva Raamat bookstore in Viru Keskus in Tallinn, and was a great success. There were lots of people (I signed books for a best part of an hour!) and although I was very stressed about the whole thing beforehand, I felt a great relief - and happiness - once the book was out and the launch party ended. Here's a little photo-review of the presentation. A huge thank you to the team at VARRAK publishing house, to Heidi Park for the delicious fingerfood, to Põltsamaa Felix for providing the drinks and to all the friends, supporters and family who turned out and made me feel so special! Krista Kaer speaks on behalf of the publishers. My cookbook on the bookshelves, with a gorgeous cover by über-talented Ximena Maier . (It's my cousin Ingrid, who helped to coordinate some of the PR, on the phone) . An extremely lovely fortified fruit w...

I can always eat.Is it Asian genetics that enables, nay, insists my gullet to seek out substantial meals three times a day? Forget the flimsy sandwich for lunch, or insipid salad for dinner. When I pay for a meal, I want carbs! And protein! And vegetables! And carbs!Gyoza $7The Extra and I find ourselves at Roll Plus for lunch, a small Japanese eatery tucked in along the northern end of Dixon

"I ordered a few special things for dinner," our host in the Philippines said with a knowing wink.He wasn't kidding. A farewell meal to mark the end of our visit to Manila was a banquet like no other. My penchant for food blogging had not gone unnoticed, and our kind hosts seemed to take great pleasure in creating a menu I was unlikely to forget in a hurry.Live prawns marinating in rice wineWe'd