two, four, six, ate

searching the 'hood

2007-08-06T11:49:00.000+10:00

I'm so excited! Kat over at Coffee Habits discovered a website that sells chocolate pots!! The one pictured is very similar to the chocolate pot I have been looking for and have bugged numerous antique stores and collectors about for so long. The price tag is a bit steep. Although, I am a hot chocolate fanatic/lunatic so perhaps this may one day be mine.....mwahahahahaa.

And while on chocolate, I am still walking the streets of our new 'hood in search of a local cafe to provide my breakfast staple/morning ritual - THE best Large Strong Soy Hot Chocolate - not sweet and sickly, but dark, strong and bitter please.
I found a place that uses a french chocolate which is the best in the area so far, however it all depends on the dude making it. The dude is nice enough but he uses hot water to melt the chocolate which is a big no no for me. When I saw him doing it, I couldn't stop myself from crying out aloud asking what the hell he was doing. He must have noted the panic and immediately stopped, but then he started to add cocoa powder to it! ugh! I could still go to my usual place (our new 'hood is not that far from where we used to be), however, they've changed suppliers and are using a different chocolate that is too sweet (and apparently cheaper). In desperation, I called them the other day while on my morning walk just to ask if they had perhaps changed supplier already. No chance, so I walked the other way.

I'm still searching so any help will be appreciated........

snowmen

2007-06-05T19:29:00.000+10:00

this is what my boy did on the weekend with his bike gang while I studied.......

Ok, I get the message

2007-03-28T12:54:00.000+10:00

msg 1:
Mum called last night. She was in a particularly chatty mood about her day. It kind of went like this:

'I went to the airport to see Nanay off, caught a train back home with your tita . I just got back now' (it was 7.30pm)

What took you so long?

'Oh, your tita and I went shopping. You know, we bought this DVD that your tita R recommended. She says its really good. It's an exercise DVD. She does it every day, it only takes 45 mins. Your tita E is burning it for me and I'll give it to you, ok? Oh, Dancing with the Stars is on. Ok, see you later. '

*!!!*

msg 2:
Then, this morning, my sister calls:

'You wanna go kayaking on saturday morning?'

yeah, sure. I call out to Mr D who has his bike out in the hallway, hey, are you off mountain biking now?

'I noticed that Mr D looked a lot slimmer on Sunday. Maybe it was his pink shirt.'

In the background, Mr D calls out that he's hot. I reply, 'Ok, yeah, you are babe.'

'You know, you really should exercise everyday.'

I do. I go for a run/walk everyday.

'Yeah, but I bet you're having a big fat hot chocolate right now'

(busted)

*msg 3*
Open my emails this morning. First one on the list, a special email from Jenny Craig.

OK, I get the message.

And while we're on the topic, I emailed the following article, Couples and kilos - is living together a recipe for becoming overweight? to Mr D. The article clearly explains why I've gained 10 kilos in the past 7 years! I quote:

"While some research suggests the first year of living together is a time of increased risk of weight gain for both sexes, a review of research into the eating habits of cohabiting and married couples in the UK, USA and Australia found that in general, women came off worse. Although men often picked up healthier food habits when they moved in with a woman, women ended up eating more foods high in fat and sugar, and put on weight"

Too right!!! Someone then complains about her partner's "English stodge" diet, and I again yell out, TOO RIGHT! I rarely ate very heavy meals consisting of mash, gravy, chips, lasagne, etc until Mr D arrived. I then had to cater my diet to suit his as it didn't make sense to have 2 different meals every night. And I started eating a lot later as well. I was just getting fired up when I suddenly received the following message from Mr D:

'I knew it was all your fault' :P

Grrrrrr.

the power of a name

2007-03-09T12:41:00.000+11:00

ooh! I am so behind. They made The Namesake into a film! I love Jumpha Lahiri and I loved her books The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies. A girl we met in Rishikesh, India, recommended her books to me while sitting in a back of an jeep, at dawn, after just spotting tigers hunting by the river.

oh India! I would jump on a plane in an instant to be back there again!

Be tempted

2007-03-09T11:39:00.000+11:00

The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is on next week from March 16-30. I would really love to go but sadly I don't have time. I can only look at the program with longing.......*sigh*

Jervis Bay

2007-03-05T10:54:00.000+11:00

Had a lovely long weekend at Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay with friends. The weather was fantastic, the waves were awesome, we spotted dolphins everyday from our balcony, we had plenty of great food & wine and of course, great company to share it all with. What a nice way to spend my last weekend of 'freedom' before hitting the books again.

Here are some pics from Charlie.

Claudia the cheesemonger

2007-03-01T15:29:00.000+11:00

I met Claudia during a brief stint with a particular purveyor of fine food. We worked on a stall together at the growers market which was truly a fascinating experience. I had to meet her infront of said purveyor's store at 4am in the morning, load the truck up with boxes of cheese and equipment before chugging our way to the markets. I enjoyed the lively banter amongst the growers in the early hours of the morning and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to purchase produce (at discounted prices) before everybody else arrived.

Claudia was extremely knowledgeable on the world of cheese. Even though it was incredibly busy, we still managed to have a gossip while squeezing in a comprehensive crash course on cheese. I sounded like an expert by the end of the morning. Even my french improved.

So this is her latest adventure - McIntosh and Bowman Cheesemongers - specialising in the education and appreciation of Artisan and Farmhouse cheeses. Check it out!

Tasmania

2007-02-19T12:40:00.000+11:00

Tasmania is cool. On this short trip, we flew into Launceston (Lolly), picked up a hire car and drove to the east coast. The purpose was to see my man's folks who were down there for 3 weeks - yes, 3 weeks in little tassie!! I hadn't seen his folks since waving them off at Bangkok airport a few weeks ago. They had spent a week in Sydney before flying down to the apple isle.

It occurred that I take for granted how easy it is to see my parents when Mr D (my man) told me how happy he was that his parents were only an hour away as opposed to 24 hours away. It was then that I also felt guilty for not seeing my parents enough and that we should have more family holidays together - even if it is only for a weekend. I am working on this.

Well, our little weekend has given us a taste for more. Of note - the roaring wind and waves crashing on granite boulders covered with pink and orange lichen; the enormous stretches of vast white beaches; seeing Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park; feasting on fresh crayfish, pacific oysters, scallops in Bicheno/Freycinet (although no abalone - just an abalone farm); the pinot; the reisling; Lily the blind duck; the large number of roadkill; the drive through picturesque Elephant Pass (and the famous pancake restaurant - brandied apricots encased in a hot delicate crepe with cream and icecream...mmm, delicious!); jazz on the grounds of Clarendon; Evandale - a pretty little town where we missed the local market; the tiny towns and the very small population.

Next time I'd love to spend more time in Freycinet camping and then to Cradle Mountain for some walking. And of course, more time eating delicious fresh seafood and drinking pinot.

ladies who lunch ('LWL')

2007-02-09T15:39:00.000+11:00

I've noticed too many of them today. And they all look the same...........white trousers, perfect hair, makeup, pedicures, manicures, designer handbags and enormous sunglasses all chatting away over bowls of salads.

I witness this on most days however, as a full time student, I don't think I qualify as a lady who lunches. Normally, I surface from my study, blinking at the sunlight while I dash off to grab something quick and easy to appease my growling belly. I never look as glamorous as the LWL. I'm always dressed in daggy cargos, a t shirt and daggy uncombed hair shoved in a ponytail.

Today, my heavily pregnant friend and I decided to grab some lunch. As usual, the LWL brigade were in full force. Looking around at the cafe, we realised that there were NO men! Just a whole troup of females - some tables looked like exact replicas of each other. It was too stepford wives and it was spooky.

What do they do all day? Wouldn't you get bored? I wonder. Given the opportunity, would you become an LWL?

all by myself..........

2007-01-09T17:39:00.001+11:00

don't wanna be, all by myself............

I'm so saaaaaad. Just saw my man off at the airport. sniff sniff. He's off travelling around Myanmar for a few weeks. Wish I could go but I studiously (stupidly) signed up for summer school. boo hoo. Fat cat seems to have sensed my sadness and is following me around the house keeping me company.

My consolation is that in a few weeks I'll fly out and meet him in BKK before going to Cambodia. Then I'll spend a week in Hanoi learning how to cook vietnamese food!!!

Until then, I've gotta study my ass off and try not to get too enticed by a glass of vino or three in the evenings.

Oh bother.......I'm missing him already!

toast anyone?

2006-12-28T20:26:00.000+11:00

I gave this to my man for his birthday:

Yes, a toaster! He was ecstatic. I was going to get the 4 slice but it was enormous and we don't have the space for it.

I always thought a toaster was unnecessary preferring to use the grill instead. Toasting is toasting and the grill is perfectly capable of doing that. My man would constantly try to buy a toaster while I would argue that a rice cooker was more useful and deserved space on the kitchen bench.

Until this baby.

We went through 2 loaves of bread and copious amounts of butter and vegemite, marvelling at the toasting consistency every time. And the crumb tray....so easy, so convenient....for easy disposal of crumbs. And it's so cute.

Can't believe we didn't have a toaster earlier.

un signe

2006-12-21T20:57:00.000+11:00

the other day as I was heading into the city, my taxi driver was french, my barista was french and then as I waited to cross the road, a bus went past with a huge advertisement for Paris.

I think it is a sign............

off to the bay

2006-11-30T13:50:00.000+11:00

My man and I packed our overnighter and impulsively took the old lady down to Jervis Bay for a couple of nights. The old girl made it! She's a car by the way.

I think JB has the most gorgeous beaches in the world. Yup, big call, but check out Murray Beach for example. Best beach ever. Tested out my prescription goggles that my man bought me a while ago. I can see underwater now!!

Hyams is always a goodie. I love how it has managed to maintain its village feel after all these years. There were a few notable flash beach pads that have cropped up but not overwhelming so. Love how there is only one shop in the village. The guy behind the counter at the cafe needs some serious lessons on customer service though. And the hot chocolate is probably best referred to as hot confectionary. But, you can always be assured that your cold, icy calypso (in 3 flavours) is waiting in the freezer to be lapped up after a lazy hot day at the beach.

We got burnt though. Red like lobsters. And we ate a lot, slept a lot, read a lot. Perfect relaxation even if only for a few days.

Then, it was back home to catch sunset by the harbour. Just a quick pit stop to pick up a pot of ripe, gooey Clarines, a wedge of sharp Bleu de Brebis, lingue, some fresh oysters, sashimi, a bottle of champagne, and of course a picnic blanket. Then, with a couple of friends, we feasted while watching the sunset, my favourite time in the day......and toasted happy birthday to moi.

the art of shopping

2006-11-27T14:56:00.000+11:00

Stopped by again at my favourite store to ask about my enamel truffle sign and pot au chocolat. Nothin' yet.

I didn't leave empty handed though. I bought an old menu card from an outbound voyage from England to Australia in 1924 on the R.M.S "Ormonde"; an invoice template from Daburon Freres for truffles and foies gras; some drinks lists from 1930 served by english catering company J.Lyons & Co Ltd; and some old wine labels.

I would like to get some menu cards from the 19th century. Haven't seen any yet. Also, I'll purchase a set of blank menu cards at a later date. These will be perfect for dinner parties.

I love my little purchases!

resurfaced

2006-11-17T10:07:00.000+11:00

I finished my first semester! Yee haaa and Yay for me!

First thing I did, straight after my exam was have a nice glass of bubbly with my man. Then, my crazy sister, Ess, and friend, Aww, came over for a glass. They were equally on a high after Aww successfully purchased a unit on auction courtesy of Ess who bid on her behalf.....drunk! Now isn't that illegal? They walked in late, on the final hammer, and Ess, covered in red wine stains and clutching an empty tissue box, screamed out a number causing a sudden collective intake of breath (and shock) in the stuffy room. Would've loved to have been there. Imagine the ppl around the room......oh, and the poor couple who thought they had it! Oh dear. Apparently these guys had been there early and bid meticulously (and painfully) in incrementals as small as $1k!!! And to have a drunkard come in late and outbid you? No bubbly for them that night.

Yesterday, I visited a naturopath/biochemist/dietitican for the first time evah. Having finished my first semester and letting things go (diet, exercise), now is the perfect time to work on my health. I walked out of there with a lot less money than I came in with. Feeling the pain of the costs involved, I'm going to make sure I make full use of this guys recommendations and potions. Goodness gracious. I started this morning with a cup of lemon water, a teaspoon of green stuff and a teaspoon of orange stuff. Watch me transform! Ta daaa!

Ok, so now that I have resurfaced, what shall I do with myself?? Hmmm......I'm off!! See ya round!!! YAAAYYY!!!!!!

on leftovers

2006-11-09T16:52:00.000+11:00

Now here's a question;

If you were invited over to someone's place for a meeting (ie: not for dinner, not for lunch - just a meeting) and food was provided, do you think it is appropriate to take home bucket loads of food from the meeting with you??

Just thinking about it now. I held a meeting, I provided the food, and some felt it was appropriate to take it all home with them.

Yeah, it's a compliment, but come on, noone brought anything, and it was just a simple meal!! And who packs leftover grilled vegetables?!!!!!! I mean, wouldn't you just buy the ingredients and do it yourself?!

discipline

2006-11-08T17:39:00.000+11:00

I'm working from home now which is a nice experiment indeed. I test my self discipline every day and if marked, I'd probably be a distinction average.

Except, there are days when my distinction average is affected. Take Melbourne Cup day for instance. I was disciplined enough to decline offers for a long boozy lunch, but not disciplined enough to run to the pub to place a few bets and then watch the race on tv. Probably a credit there.

Then, there were the delivery guys (middle aged) a couple of days ago who came around to replace our dryer. My discipline took me to the the kitchen where I just HAD to bake a sticky date pudding and eat most of it with delicious globs of double thick cream. Hmm, low credit (but HD for the pudding).

And then today, I was disciplined enough to sit outside on the balcony to 'continue' working while the cleaners were in the house. That's a distinction. But, our cleaners told me that the only reason they love coming here is that he only spends 70% of his time cleaning, and 30% with fat cat, while his wife spends 50% cleaning, and 50% with fat cat! They love him to bits. Infact, the first thing they do when they come through the door is look for him, then they both cuddle him and talk to him for ages while he just laps it all up. That has to be a pass/credit average. Hmmm......self discipline.

retract?

2006-10-28T15:56:00.000+10:00

I think I was having a grumpy day the other day.

I did enjoy a Let's do Lunch GFM event @ Aria on Friday with 2 girlfriends. Spent the afternoon laughing our tits off.

I do love a good chuckle.

a gripe

2006-10-26T16:07:00.000+10:00

maybe because I missed out on the Young Chef's dinner and Gordon Ramsay (the only events offered by GFM I wanted to go to), but, can I just be a big snob and brutally honest for a moment?

GFM needs to reinvent itself. It's the same old stuff, year in, year out, with all these plebs coming out of the wood works/sticks and pretending to be food experts.

Sorry, just had to say that.

wish list

2006-10-23T15:51:00.000+10:00

if anyone wants to surprise me with a special gift for say, my birthday, select from any of these items and I'd love ya forevah.

Love this place. It is a regular haunt of mine. I found a couple of really old books, one called The Handbook of Wine, and the other on Champagne. Always makes for entertaining reading.

* I would love an old french chopping board.

** unfortunately the enamel truffle sign is sold. I have asked them to keep a look out for something similar.

** does anyone know where to find a chocolate pot? Preferably (white) ceramic, like this?

a win for bluefin

2006-10-16T16:15:00.000+10:00

Japan's annual fishing quota for southern bluefin tuna (SBT) has been halved over the next 5 years following the summit held by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT). They've finally admitted that they've been overfishing in the previous years. Scandalous. Outrage. boo, hiss.

Yay for SBT though. Hopefully gives the stock a chance to rebuild.

stopping for a breather

2006-10-11T20:28:00.000+10:00

Guess what? I had a normal, yes, normal, relaxing weekend for the first time in a loooooong while. I was able to get my papers in on time and wow, what a relief. As a result, I rewarded myself with an entire weekend of chilling out and doing what normal people do on weekends.

October is Good Food Month, so yeeha to that. I always approach the GFM with good intentions of getting my act together and booking events in advance. Somehow, it just creeps up on me and the next thing you know, that bloody event that you really really wanted to go to has been bloody sold out. Oh well. I went to the Pyrmont Growers Market though, as per usual. I didn't go overboard, just stocked up on the basics - those evil icecream sandwiches, streaky bacon, ravioli, creme fraiche, duck, duck eggs etc. Had to remind myself that the markets will be on every weekend this month so I didn't buy my usual stock to feed a gang of....2.

Went to the beach for the rest of the day, then met my man after his very successful mountain bike ride with the boys. He bought a new bike the other day and was very keen on taking it out for a road test. This bike is the mother of all bikes.....and with a price tag to match. I was shocked that bikes could cost that much. Doubt my orange malvern star could compare, but it was cool and it got me to the corner shop to buy a big bag of greasy soggy chips for a dollar.

I need to be bribed

2006-09-15T19:08:00.000+10:00

Events to look forward to this week:

* My antique maps to be delivered via post
* Ocean Extreme tomorrow arvo
* A long, long lunch on Monday to celebrate my man's sister's birthday ('squirt' as he refers to her turns a big 26 and arrived 2 days ago from England with a friend in tow. They currently have the pleasure of test-driving our newly furnished/decorated "guest room")
* Varekai on Tuesday

........to be enjoyed upon completion of my brief AND my refugee paper.

back to reality

2006-09-15T17:57:00.000+10:00

...until I snap back to reality.

I'm procrastinating. I have a brief due on Monday and I'm finding it very difficult to focus on transnational crime prevention. A cup of chai and a chat with the guy who made it definitely woke me up deferring what I inevitably have to complete.

I love it though. Last week I had to come up with a Foreign Ministry position paper in response to a hypothetical crisis in the Philippines. I'm kicking myself though because how can you forget to deal with displaced persons?!! doh! Oh well, if I pass, then I'm pleased.

masala chai

2006-09-15T16:30:00.000+10:00

I called David Thompson, of Larsen & Thompson tea merchants, this afternoon just to tell him that his chai brought me back to the streets of India. I discovered his great masala chai at the Taste of Slow on the weekend at the Abbotsford Convent. He even served it in little terracotta pots (baands) just like India. Except I couldn't throw it on the ground and see it smash into a thousand little pieces. That would have been rude and slightly mad.

So, back to David, of Larsen & Thompson tea merchants and why his chai kicks ass.

The latest batch was picked in June from central India and mixed with special masala spices and delivered a couple of weeks ago. In my opinion, a lot of chai being sold at the moment has the masala mix right but the tea just doesn't cut the mustard. This is beautiful - a deep rich honey colour, creamy, spicy, aromatic. Use full cream milk, raw sugar and brew it nice and slowly for 15 minutes. I'm in India again......

and the point is?

2006-09-14T18:06:00.000+10:00

Ok, not quite sure what this blog is about. It might turn out to be a foodie blog, who knows, but I think there are plenty of great foodie blogs around.

Although, I do spend a LOT of time thinking about food......Who doesn't?